Book Review - Love Me to Death by Allison Brennan

Synopsis:  Six years ago, Lucy Kincaid was attacked and nearly killed by an online predator. She survived. Her attacker did not. Now Lucy’s goal is to join the FBI and fight cyber-crime, but in the meantime, she’s volunteering with a victim’s rights group, surfing the Web undercover to lure sex offenders into the hands of the law. But when the predators she hunts start turning up as murder victims, the FBI takes a whole new interest in Lucy.

With her future and possibly even her freedom suddenly in jeopardy, Lucy discovers she’s a pawn in someone’s twisted plot to mete out vigilante justice. She joins forces with security expert and daredevil Sean Rogan, and together they track their elusive quarry from anonymous online chat rooms onto the mean streets of Washington, D.C. But someone else is shadowing them: A merciless stalker has his savage eye on Lucy. The only way for her to escape his brutality may be another fight to the death.

First Line:  "This was Roger Morton's big chance - his only chance - to get out of the country and recreate the life he used to have."

Random Quote:  "It wasn't the risk to Kate that had Lucy tense; it was the sudden realization that this would never end.  That her rape could come back at any time, not just in her thoughts and nightmares but publicly, on the Internet.  That each time it did, she became more desensitized to her own pain and suffering."

Review:  Rape has been around as long as human beings have.  It has remained a time-tested method for gaining power and control over others, whether used as a tool of war (see also, the Congo or Bosnia) or a tool of individual domination and repression, its impacts on us as individuals and on our society are devastating.  Here are some basic statistics on sexual assault in the US:

• 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed rape; 2.8% attempted rape)
• 17.7 million American women have been victims of attempted or completed rape
• In 2007, there were 248,300 victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault. (These figures do not include victims 12 years old or younger.)
• Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted.
• 60% of rapes are not reported to police (making the actual numbers very difficult to obtain)

Here's an excellent set of statistics on what happens when rape is reported:

Graphic from RAINN

Allison Brennan's romantic thriller, Love Me to Death, looks at the long term consequences of rape and its aftermath on a single family.  It is entertaining reading, containing all the elements of its genre, but providing plenty of food for thought along the way.  The main female characters in the book are definitely not victims - survivors, yes, but victims?  Not even close.  Plotting is tight and the pace is picture-perfect.  There are plenty of handsome men and there is love and romance in the midst of danger.  If you like this kind of book you won't be disappointed.

Ms. Brennan writes about the experiences of the rape survivor at the center of this tale in a matter of fact way.  She does not sensationalize.  She is not melodramatic.  This is simply an event that led to other events and all of that had consequences.  She describes the impact of the aftermath of the rape - the post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, hypervigilance, fear of connecting with anyone again, and the realization that this never ever goes away even if you manage to learn to live with it.

Always entertaining, never polemic or squeamish this is a read that manages to be both fun and thought-provoking.

FTC Disclosure:  Advance copy from the publisher for TLC Book Tour

Rating:  Blue

Reading Challenges:  Mystery and Suspense Reading Challenge

I am pleased to be a part of the author's book tour through TLC Book Tours.  

Allison Brennan is the New York Times bestselling author of many romantic thrillers, including Carnal Sin, Original Sin, Fatal Secrets, Cutting Edge, and Sudden Death.  A four-time RITA finalist and Daphne du Maurier Award winner, Brennan enjoys spending her free time reading, playing games, watching high school sports, and researching her novels.  She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and Internation Thriller Writers.  Allison Brennan lives in Northern California with her husband, Dan, and their five children.

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For more information, visit Allison’s website or connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

 

For additional information about rape and its historical background, don't miss Susan Brownmiller's amazing book, Against Our Will.

For additional information about sexual assault, how to recognize it, and what to do visit the website of RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest International Network, sponsors of the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline

Don't forget to check the rest of Ms. Brennan's tour stops and see what other bloggers thought:

Allison Brennan’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, January 3rd:  Bewitched Bookworms
Tuesday, January 4th:  Dren’s B-Spot
Wednesday, January 5th:  A Bookworm’s World
Thursday, January 6th:  Musings of an All Purpose Monkey
Monday, January 10th:  Chaotic Compendiums
Wednesday, January 12th:  Under the Boardwalk
Thursday, January 13th:  Rundpinne
Monday, January 17th:  Jen’s Book Thoughts
Tuesday, January 18th:  Fiction State of Mind
Wednesday, January 19th:  Along the Way
Thursday, January 20th:  Reading with Martinis
Friday, January 21st:  Inside of a Dog
Monday, January 24th:  My Life in Not So Many Words
Tuesday, January 25th:  Cafe of Dreams
Thursday, January 27th:  Bookaholic Does Blogging
Friday, January 28th:  Wordsmithonia
Monday, January 31st:  Drey’s Library