Reviews

The Book of Hours by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra

shannlynn's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

This is an absolutely suspenseful romance that is 100% worth the read! I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. The beginning is a little bit slow, but the overall flow of the story is still magnificent. Don’t let the slow start fool you as it will have you turning pages as quickly as you can shortly after. The love story of Gabriela and Richard is intense, passionate, and full of surprises! I don’t want to give an inkling of anything away (you’ll thank me later) therefore I will just give a strong recommendation to give this book a chance so you can fall in love with it too!

emilyhei's review

4.0

Gabriela Martinez is ready to start a new chapter in her life. Gabriela is still waiting for the love of her life Richard Harrison to honor the words of love he promised her four years ago.  Now she is under threat by a man named Arnold Wickham who is determined to get his hands on her manuscript and not allow anyone else to get a chance to see it.  He is ruthless with his tactics, but little does Gabriela know this will set in motion to bring Richard back into her life sooner then he planned.

Richard felt he needed to make himself the man who deserved Gabriela.  Now he is back and has no plans to go anywhere. Can he keep Gabriela protected while earning her trust again, can they find their second chance?

I listened to this on audible.  I thought the story was great, it was full of twists and turns.  You are pulled into a complicated relationship and suspenseful story.  The audiobook though I was not a fan of the narrator, she is soft spoken and has no real inflection in her voice which conflicts with the overall tone of this edge of your seat story.   Overall I would check out more by this author and go back to read the first book.

tytanmom23's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Book of Hours (Coin/Hours Duology Book 2) by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra. This is a great second book, in my opinion its better than the first. You can read this as a standalone but I highly recommend reading the 1st book before. Its the story of Gabriela who is a highly known artist who has enough work to sell some for a charity. Wickam is a crazy curator who  wants a manuscript that Gabriela has done and will stop at nothing to get it. He is almost become a stalker. Gabriela is determined to keep it from him even if it means putting herself in danger. Gabriela is also trying to keep her husband's business afloat while he is in a coma from a horrible accident. Enter Richard who has always been in love with Gabriela but was giving her space to be respectful of her marriage. When someone reaches out to him to help her from this stalker he jumps at the chance. Once they are together sparks fly and they are drawn to one another like never before. Read this awesome book to find out if they make it work.

rayne's review

3.5

Suspense thriller
3.5 stars

This is the second book in the Coin/Hours Duology but the first I have read from this author. I didn’t feel like I had missed too much as the author cleverly interwove important details throughout the story. There’s a lot within the pages and I especially liked the mystery. This will appeal to a wide audience. Recommend. 

arthistorygirl's review

5.0

The Book of Hours is the second book in the Coin/Hours Duology. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I will now read the first book in this group. It has some of the same characters, but I followed the story and enjoyed it thoroughly. The story starts slowly as the setting and situation are set up. Be patient because it doesn't stop until the end once it starts picking up. There is action, suspense, and more. I was initially intrigued by the blurb dealing with an obsessive art dealer and an artist's work, but I am glad I grabbed this thriller. The characters are interesting and well-thought out. The plot was not a cookie-cutter plot. There is action on multiple continents. I'm glad I grabbed this read and will look for more by this author soon.

faithfulgirl4's review

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

4.0

 

Gabriela is a well-known artist and she is auctioning off some of her most prized pieces to benefit a local children's charity. A psychopathic curator named Wickham is obsessesed with Gabriela's work and is bound and determined to get his hands on a certain piece prior to the auction. Gabby isn't willing to allow this crazy lunatic to have his way and she'll do whatever she can to prevent this sale from happening, even if it means risking her life.

Richard lost the love of his life four years ago. There are secrets that have been revealed to him and he needs to find his way back to Gabriela. Lucky for him, someone is in need of his services so he finds himself at Gabby's side. How long will that last though? Will she even have room for him in her heart?

This was a slow starting book for me, mainly because I was missing some context from the previous book in this series. I will be going back and reading it soon though as I need to fill in some holes. However, I don't feel like I missed so much that I couldn't enjoy this book. There was plenty of action, a small amount (but just enough) romance, and some twists and turns that weren't really expected.

 

tarajohnson's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 

The Book of Hours is Book Two in the Coin/Hours Duology. This book is an intense, psychological thrill ride full of twists and turns that will keep you riveted to the end. Gabriela is a woman who seems to have nothing but bad luck which often leaves her feeling trapped within her past. She is stuck with the cycle of bad thoughts that run on a loop in her head, wanting to move forward, but something always seems to keep her from finding happiness. Her one true love is Richard, but surely after all the years that have passed, he will not still be waiting for her. Fear prevents her from pursuing the matter farther until he comes back into her life suddenly after hearing about mysterious accidents that keep happening to her. 

Richard is still head over heels in love with Gabriela and vows to protect her from the man who is ruthless in his pursuit of Gabriela’s newest work. This man is determined to obtain The Book of Hours and will do anything to acquire it. The plot thickens and the suspense builds as Gabriela and Richard are faced with danger that lurks around every corner. With their entire future at stake can Gabriela and Richard stop the madman determined to acquire The Book of Hours? Can they find love through the chaos? 

I really enjoyed this book and found the writing to be done wonderfully. The storyline, setting, and characters pulled me in, and I became completely invested in the outcome of their story. Gabriela and Richard are wonderful characters who I find myself rooting for as they fight to be together through distance, through bad relationships, and through all the chaos life throws at them.  A love story of epic proportions as two people find a way to love unconditionally no matter what obstacle gets thrown in their way. I Highly recommend this Book! 

bwagner's review

fast-paced

4.0

This is not my first book by this author and this is  one of my favorites yet.  This is a well written story where the characters pull you into the story from the beginning.  They are supportive, connectable and made the story entertaining to read.  A story about second chances, family and obsession.  A story where one art dealer becomes obsessed with a new artist.  He is determined and nothing will get in his way to get what he wants.  This is a character that adds so much to the story.  They brought twists and turns to life and had me coming back for more.  It is a hard to put down story that is engaging and fast paced.  This is a great story that I enjoyed reading.  I highly recommend this book.

shellyk51's review

5.0

T8he Book of Hours:
I sure enjoyed this continuation of The Coin series. Gabriela and Richard took this story to a whole new level. The spy game and time travel just made it so fanflippingtastic. I used to think The DaVinci Code was great but I have since changed my mind. I found the protagonist in this series are well-written and developed. The antagonist fit their role perfect. The story flows smooth and it just is. I couldn’t and didn’t want to put it down, that’s how well done it is. The tone of the story is total intrigue and suspense/mystery. I was totally hooked from the start. It’s a series I highly recommend. A definite must read.
 
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The Book of Hours:
I sure enjoyed this continuation of The Coin series. Gabriela and Richard took this story to a whole new level. The spy game and time travel just made it so fanflippingtastic. I used to think The DaVinci Code was great but I have since changed my mind. I found the protagonist in this series are well-written and developed. The antagonist fit their role perfect. The story flows smooth and it just is. I couldn’t and didn’t want to put it down, that’s how well done it is. The tone of the story is total intrigue and suspense/mystery. I was totally hooked from the start. It’s a series I highly recommend. A definite must read.


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jennadb's review

4.0

The Book of Hours is the second gripping book in the Coin/Hours Duology and the first I have had the pleasure of reading by this author. I did stop reading this book to go back and read the first because I thought I was missing out, but Maria made sure to include enough information if you don’t.

It is a suspenseful thrilling rollercoaster ride that had me checking everyone out around me. Paranoid much I admit but it is due to the writing of this author. With crime, suspense, and mystery this psychological romantic drama had me on the edge of my seat and looking for a anything hiding in the shadows. 

The characters are well written, and this exciting world Maria has given us has everything to make it a great read and the pages turning. The plot is cleverly crafted and well-thought out and the story flowed well.

It started with a coin and ends with a book, a killer, a secret and an innocent woman but now the stakes are higher.

Unbeknownst to Gabriela she is the focus of a madman that wants her rendition of a book, but Richard Harrison is back to save the woman he loves from this Psychopath. Will they get their HEA?

I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from this author. Those who like a great psychological thriller will love this duology.