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tunderalma87's review against another edition
3.0
Beverly Barton's novel was typical in the 90's and the 2000s, with sultry language, 30-year-old virginal heroine, two interconnected families with secret love affairs. The story, the language and the characters are really problematic after 20 years. However Barton is a great writer, so Every Move She Makes is completely bonkers and a truly entertaining read at the same time.
ina_s's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
asalters's review against another edition
5.0
I did not see the book ending the way it did! For an avid reader it is difficult to find a book that doesn't feel like the same story as other books that have been read. It feels like reading the same book over and over again by different authors. This book definitely stands out from the crowd. It is the first book I have read by this author and I'm excited to dive into to another that she has written!!!
andshe_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Well I didn't expect that!!!! That goes for many things in this STEAMY yes... very steamy crime-thriller!
Reed a young man from the wrong side of the tracks has spent 15 years in prison for a crime he says he didn't commit. Upon Reeds release someone is adamant he ends back inside and soon Ella is bombarded with letters, phone calls and more... But Ella, a US senator's daughter and a judge herself believes his innocence and soon finds herself attracted to him and his rugged look. Ella manages to persuade Her father to get the case reopened to find the 'real' murderer.. but the killer ups their game... So who did kill Reed's stepfather??
I loved the way the book kept you guessing, when you think you had figured who the killer was.. you realized actually it might just not be, there was so many suspects, so many people who had a motive. I had a case made for most of the characters even had wrote notes about what their reasons would have been, the clues told us so much but at the same time so very little and I really felt like I was the one investigating the murder.
I adored all the characters in the book and their development throughout the novel, Barton didn't tell us everything about them all at once and we got to know them gradually as things went on. The romantic storyline between Reed and Ella was fabulous, their two characters couldn't have been more different yet the suspense within their relationship had me rooting for them! I also enjoyed the family relationships, the bond between Ella and her Father was unbreakable as was that of Reed and his Mother and Sister. This brings me to the building of the secondary characters and shows us exactly how well written this book is. I felt as connected to them as I did to the main characters Ella and Reed, we see the other characters blossom and grow and we read about their lives just as much, such as Regina, Reeds sister who we saw blossom into a young woman falling in love with Mark. We also read about Ella's Aunt and Uncle and their loveless marriage and what it takes to make them fall in love all over again.
This novel was excellently written and fast paced with everything inside you could possibly want from, suspence and crime to sauciness and sex. I can't wait to see what else Beverly Barton has wrote as this was a first for me!!
Reed a young man from the wrong side of the tracks has spent 15 years in prison for a crime he says he didn't commit. Upon Reeds release someone is adamant he ends back inside and soon Ella is bombarded with letters, phone calls and more... But Ella, a US senator's daughter and a judge herself believes his innocence and soon finds herself attracted to him and his rugged look. Ella manages to persuade Her father to get the case reopened to find the 'real' murderer.. but the killer ups their game... So who did kill Reed's stepfather??
I loved the way the book kept you guessing, when you think you had figured who the killer was.. you realized actually it might just not be, there was so many suspects, so many people who had a motive. I had a case made for most of the characters even had wrote notes about what their reasons would have been, the clues told us so much but at the same time so very little and I really felt like I was the one investigating the murder.
I adored all the characters in the book and their development throughout the novel, Barton didn't tell us everything about them all at once and we got to know them gradually as things went on. The romantic storyline between Reed and Ella was fabulous, their two characters couldn't have been more different yet the suspense within their relationship had me rooting for them! I also enjoyed the family relationships, the bond between Ella and her Father was unbreakable as was that of Reed and his Mother and Sister. This brings me to the building of the secondary characters and shows us exactly how well written this book is. I felt as connected to them as I did to the main characters Ella and Reed, we see the other characters blossom and grow and we read about their lives just as much, such as Regina, Reeds sister who we saw blossom into a young woman falling in love with Mark. We also read about Ella's Aunt and Uncle and their loveless marriage and what it takes to make them fall in love all over again.
This novel was excellently written and fast paced with everything inside you could possibly want from, suspence and crime to sauciness and sex. I can't wait to see what else Beverly Barton has wrote as this was a first for me!!
shelleyrae's review against another edition
2.0
I'll Be Watching You by Beverly Barton is a romantic suspense novel with elements of erotica and mystery. After spending fifteen years in jail for a crime he did not commit, Reed Conway is determined to return to Spring Creek and prove his innocence by outing whoever really slit his step father's throat. When Ella Porter, the daughter of the man who secured Reed's conviction, receives a vulgar and threatening anonymous letter the day after Reed is paroled, Reed is an immediate suspect but after Ella confronts him, she As threats against the Porter family escalate Ella, swayed by Reed's sexy charm, begins to believe in his claim that he is being framed now, as he was fifteen years ago, but can she really trust a man convicted of murder with her life?
Unfortunately I wasn't terribly impressed with this story. The plot resembles a daytime soap opera arc with the a small cast tangled in an almost incestuous web of abuse, deceit, betrayal, adultery, obsession, and murder. The suspense is okay but the plot shocks are fairly heavily foreshadowed and when the killer's identity was revealed, I realised I wasn't surprised in the least.
The narrative is written in the third person using multiple perspectives, including that of the anonymous killer. If I am honest, I didn't find any of the the characters very convincing as individuals, not helped by their convoluted relationships to one another.
Nearly thirty and a circuit judge, Ella Porter lacked the presence or personality I would expect from such an accomplished, mature woman. She's a daddy's girl, believing him to be infallible and completely clueless about the state of her parents marriage. And despite believing that Reed is a killer who plans to harm her, she dissolves anytime Reed looks her way.
Reed is described appealingly "A good six three. Broad shoulders. Biceps bulging...surprisingly tanned...thick tawny hair curled about his neck and ears...A lazy, raw sensuality oozed from his pores." However the moment he is distracted by Ella he completely forgets about searching for the killer who framed him, despite spending the last 15 years in prison waiting for his opportunity to prove his innocence.
The chemistry between them is a bit contrived (bad boy meets good girl) but the erotic scenes are written well enough, if a little florid. Be aware that Ella and Reed aren't the only couple to share some steamy moments, and there are several erotic encounters through the book.
There is a distinct southern small town feel to the setting, both through the use of double barreled first names like Jeff Henry and Joe Brierly and the brief descriptions of the town and its social structure. The language is a bit odd though, sometimes feeling very stilted and formal for such a contemporary setting. I think it was an attempt by the author to distinguish between class - but it just came off as weird.
Though I'll Be Watching You didn't really work for me, it was a quick and undemanding read. it seems to have an appreciative audience from readers who enjoy the soap opera style melodrama and sexy bits, so if that is you..enjoy!
samie_k3's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed it a lot more then I thought I would, what with everyone cheating on everyone else, and everything being so convoluted... But I was pleasantly surprised. Things worked out well, and I was even rewarded by having correctly pegged the real killer. :)
acemummerz's review
5.0
This book was AMAZING.
It was full of surprises and kept me majorly hooked! There were so many twists and turns I could barely put it down! I really gripping story full of mystery and intrigue that really kept me guessing and was full of action.
It was full of surprises and kept me majorly hooked! There were so many twists and turns I could barely put it down! I really gripping story full of mystery and intrigue that really kept me guessing and was full of action.
andshereads's review against another edition
4.0
Well I didn't expect that!!!! That goes for many things in this STEAMY yes... very steamy crime-thriller!
Reed a young man from the wrong side of the tracks has spent 15 years in prison for a crime he says he didn't commit. Upon Reeds release someone is adamant he ends back inside and soon Ella is bombarded with letters, phone calls and more... But Ella, a US senator's daughter and a judge herself believes his innocence and soon finds herself attracted to him and his rugged look. Ella manages to persuade Her father to get the case reopened to find the 'real' murderer.. but the killer ups their game... So who did kill Reed's stepfather??
I loved the way the book kept you guessing, when you think you had figured who the killer was.. you realized actually it might just not be, there was so many suspects, so many people who had a motive. I had a case made for most of the characters even had wrote notes about what their reasons would have been, the clues told us so much but at the same time so very little and I really felt like I was the one investigating the murder.
I adored all the characters in the book and their development throughout the novel, Barton didn't tell us everything about them all at once and we got to know them gradually as things went on. The romantic storyline between Reed and Ella was fabulous, their two characters couldn't have been more different yet the suspense within their relationship had me rooting for them! I also enjoyed the family relationships, the bond between Ella and her Father was unbreakable as was that of Reed and his Mother and Sister. This brings me to the building of the secondary characters and shows us exactly how well written this book is. I felt as connected to them as I did to the main characters Ella and Reed, we see the other characters blossom and grow and we read about their lives just as much, such as Regina, Reeds sister who we saw blossom into a young woman falling in love with Mark. We also read about Ella's Aunt and Uncle and their loveless marriage and what it takes to make them fall in love all over again.
This novel was excellently written and fast paced with everything inside you could possibly want from, suspence and crime to sauciness and sex. I can't wait to see what else Beverly Barton has wrote as this was a first for me!!
Reed a young man from the wrong side of the tracks has spent 15 years in prison for a crime he says he didn't commit. Upon Reeds release someone is adamant he ends back inside and soon Ella is bombarded with letters, phone calls and more... But Ella, a US senator's daughter and a judge herself believes his innocence and soon finds herself attracted to him and his rugged look. Ella manages to persuade Her father to get the case reopened to find the 'real' murderer.. but the killer ups their game... So who did kill Reed's stepfather??
I loved the way the book kept you guessing, when you think you had figured who the killer was.. you realized actually it might just not be, there was so many suspects, so many people who had a motive. I had a case made for most of the characters even had wrote notes about what their reasons would have been, the clues told us so much but at the same time so very little and I really felt like I was the one investigating the murder.
I adored all the characters in the book and their development throughout the novel, Barton didn't tell us everything about them all at once and we got to know them gradually as things went on. The romantic storyline between Reed and Ella was fabulous, their two characters couldn't have been more different yet the suspense within their relationship had me rooting for them! I also enjoyed the family relationships, the bond between Ella and her Father was unbreakable as was that of Reed and his Mother and Sister. This brings me to the building of the secondary characters and shows us exactly how well written this book is. I felt as connected to them as I did to the main characters Ella and Reed, we see the other characters blossom and grow and we read about their lives just as much, such as Regina, Reeds sister who we saw blossom into a young woman falling in love with Mark. We also read about Ella's Aunt and Uncle and their loveless marriage and what it takes to make them fall in love all over again.
This novel was excellently written and fast paced with everything inside you could possibly want from, suspence and crime to sauciness and sex. I can't wait to see what else Beverly Barton has wrote as this was a first for me!!
tinamoo's review
2.0
I was kindly given a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I want to firstly say that this book was not what I was expecting. This was the story of Reed who had served time in prison for murdering his Step Father. A crime he said that he did not commit. On his release he was determined to find the real killer and clear his name. Ella the highest ranking judge in town and daughter of the senator starts receiving threatening hand delivered letters. Someone is watching her, wanting her and promises revenge.
What I was not expecting was the detailed sex scenes which were in nearly every chapter in the first half of the book. Sex scenes do not bother me if they are relevant to the story, the sex scenes in this book seemed to dominate the first half of the book. I felt that they were just there for the sake of it, maybe to appeal to Sylvia Day or E.L. James fans. Looking back on the synopsis of the book it does mention something about Sylvia Day fans which I obviously missed when I requested the book, so maybe it is unfair
I was really interested in the actual mystery of whether or not Reed did kill his Step Father, and if not who did. I also really wanted to know the identity of the person behind the threatening letters. The ending really did surprise me and up until then I felt the book was really predictable. I was so happy to get this book finished. I would be open to reading other Beverley Barton books but will look more closely at the book description.
What I was not expecting was the detailed sex scenes which were in nearly every chapter in the first half of the book. Sex scenes do not bother me if they are relevant to the story, the sex scenes in this book seemed to dominate the first half of the book. I felt that they were just there for the sake of it, maybe to appeal to Sylvia Day or E.L. James fans. Looking back on the synopsis of the book it does mention something about Sylvia Day fans which I obviously missed when I requested the book, so maybe it is unfair
I was really interested in the actual mystery of whether or not Reed did kill his Step Father, and if not who did. I also really wanted to know the identity of the person behind the threatening letters. The ending really did surprise me and up until then I felt the book was really predictable. I was so happy to get this book finished. I would be open to reading other Beverley Barton books but will look more closely at the book description.
errantdreams's review
2.0
The language in I’ll Be Watching You is overblown and florid, particularly when it delves into the erotic romance between Reed and Ella:
For heaven’s sake, just write a shapeshifter erotica and get it out of your system already. This prose is so purple it’s practically ultraviolet. It’s a shame, too, because it tends to spoil what is otherwise some rather raw chemistry between Reed and Ella. Oh wait, I forgot one:
This is the point at which I started imagining them making bird calls while naked in bed together.
The narrative can get pretty garrulous, particularly toward the start. It rambles on at length about semi-relevant details. Even at the start of a thriller the pacing is important, and I just didn’t feel that thriller vibe for quite some time. While some characters grew beyond their opening stereotypes (I admit, Webb Porter had more depth than I expected), others just made me groan. Like the ‘slow’ man who has “some strange sixth sense that allowed him a special insight into human nature.” Why do authors always go back to making the slow character have some sort of idealized insight into other people’s souls?
There are some awfully trite story beats, and there’s a ridiculous Hallmark Moment-style scene toward the end–thrillers do not need to end with sparkly pink bows on them. The style clashes. I also had some problems with the revelation of who the bad guy was. I won’t get too specific so as to avoid giving it away; I’ll just say that I couldn’t understand how said person accomplished certain things from earlier in the book.
I’ll Be Watching You includes some good tense scenes, a scorching relationship between its leads, and a few surprises here and there. Unfortunately it’s marred by its own narrative style.
NOTE: review book provided by publisher.
To read a longer review (including premise) at my site, visit: http://www.errantdreams.com/2014/08/review-ill-be-watching-you-beverly-barton/
The sounds coming from his mouth were those of an alpha male, roaring to the pack that he had just made this female his property.
For heaven’s sake, just write a shapeshifter erotica and get it out of your system already. This prose is so purple it’s practically ultraviolet. It’s a shame, too, because it tends to spoil what is otherwise some rather raw chemistry between Reed and Ella. Oh wait, I forgot one:
He groaned … Ella instinctively recognized the mating call.
This is the point at which I started imagining them making bird calls while naked in bed together.
The narrative can get pretty garrulous, particularly toward the start. It rambles on at length about semi-relevant details. Even at the start of a thriller the pacing is important, and I just didn’t feel that thriller vibe for quite some time. While some characters grew beyond their opening stereotypes (I admit, Webb Porter had more depth than I expected), others just made me groan. Like the ‘slow’ man who has “some strange sixth sense that allowed him a special insight into human nature.” Why do authors always go back to making the slow character have some sort of idealized insight into other people’s souls?
There are some awfully trite story beats, and there’s a ridiculous Hallmark Moment-style scene toward the end–thrillers do not need to end with sparkly pink bows on them. The style clashes. I also had some problems with the revelation of who the bad guy was. I won’t get too specific so as to avoid giving it away; I’ll just say that I couldn’t understand how said person accomplished certain things from earlier in the book.
I’ll Be Watching You includes some good tense scenes, a scorching relationship between its leads, and a few surprises here and there. Unfortunately it’s marred by its own narrative style.
NOTE: review book provided by publisher.
To read a longer review (including premise) at my site, visit: http://www.errantdreams.com/2014/08/review-ill-be-watching-you-beverly-barton/