My take on: Love Gone Mad

Before I get into my review of Love Gone Mad by Mark Rubinstein I have start with a little analogy. I have to liken the writing in this book to a Lifetime movie. What do I mean by that? The book wasn't perfect, but it had an addictive quality that I just couldn't shy away from. A little bit of romance, mystery, and suspense kept me turning the pages.

A near-death assault with a tall, beefy stranger has shaken heart surgeon Adrian Douglas to the core. Adrian has always felt safe in his local bar, but not on this particular night. The mystery man has a murderous look in his eye. He even tosses a few insults Adrian's way. He leaves the bar, but not before firing his shotgun at the bar. The mystery man disappears, but he's left Adrian a little uneasy. The good doctor doesn't have a lot of time to reflect on his scary encounter.

Nurse Megan Haggarty catches Adrian's eye. They get to know each other and fall in love rather quickly. He's not scared off by her young daughter Marlee either. But Megan's past could derail her future with Adrian. Her CRAZY ex-husband Conrad is out for revenge. As crazy as it sounds, Conrad is convinced Megan was having an affair with Adrian throughout their marriage and that Marlee is actually Adrian's daughter. Hmmmmmmmm?? Megan and Adrian didn't know each other until a few months ago, but somehow they were conspiring behind Conrad's back. At this point in the book, the story becomes less of thriller and more of a indictment on mental illness.

Is Conrad delusional? Is he crazy? Is he just another bitter ex-husband? He could be all of those things. Does that mean he gets a pass? Should he still be able to know right from wrong? If he's really sick does he deserve to be in prison or in a mental hospital? I just saw him as a jerk who deserved to be in prison with other jerks like him. Just when you think the crisis is over, something else happens. I think that's why I had trouble buying into the entire plot. Some elements were borderline in believability. There were even some elements of Megan and Adrian's relationship that bugged me. I can't be too specific because it's a big spoiler, but it has to do with Marlee. READ the book to find out what I'm talking about. There's also a big reveal at the end of the book, and I wonder if it was even necessary. It's one set of extreme circumstances after the other, and that's why I compared this book to a Lifetime movie. Despite my problems with some parts of the book, I kept on reading because the book still had a compulsive quality to it. It was like trying to eat one potato chip, I just couldn't stop until the book was over.

Rating: Give it a try

Note: I received a copy of the book from Meryl Moss Media Relations as part of a blog tour