Book Reviews

The Boy in the Woods

Author: @KatherineArlene
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Completed
Synopsis:
In 1958, a tragic accident steals away Jess's parents - and everything else she's ever known. With a cold and controlling uncle everything she has left, she's taken far from her home in the big city. Brought to live on the rural family estate with her equally distant older cousin, she struggles to adjust to a new life of loneliness and quiet isolation.

While exploring the woods surrounding her new home, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy. Desperate for a friend, she's instantly drawn to him, but he's deeply distrustful and wants nothing to do with her. Sneaking off to see him, she works hard to break through his walls and slowly gains his trust. But as their bond grows from friendship into something more, so do the secrets swirling around Jess. How far will she have to go to protect the boy she's fallen in love with? Or will the weight of secrets crush then both before she can escape her uncle's control?

Review:

That synopsis summed up the entire book. The book is an elaborate version of that synopsis but it's more than that.l

Jess is a wonderful main character. This book spans over around 8 years so you ncan really see her developing as she grows older, although you note that she is quite naïve due to her sheltered life, courtesy of her uncle. Her behavior is unorthodox for a woman in her time but that may just be a part of the naïveté of her character. She's outdoorsy and a bit tomboyish, which makes the I'm in love realization a bit unexpected (by unexpected I mean completely expected!)(If you understand that I love you)

Her uncle is such an influencing character even if you don't see him much. He's the reason for her naïveté and why she's so sheltered. His son (the older cousin mentioned in the synopsis) is his pride and joy and that much neglect and insult to a little girl (not so little but still...) is bound to hurt. Frankly, he's a chauvinistic arse who should rot in hell but he's not my character (but if he was...🔪).

The plot is so refreshing considering it's intriguing without the typical plot twists and it just holds you to the end in a I-can't-put-this-book-down kinda way. (The plot twist are incredible)

I'm not telling you anything about the mysterious boy so you'll be pressured into reading it because it's that good (I read it two months ago and in writing this review based on that which mans this book is memorable and bloody good)

I'll keep this short so you can start reading.

Happy Reading!
Ciao
Sai😊