Book ~ "The Hypnotist's Love Story" (2012) Liane Moriarty

From Goodreads ~ Ellen O'Farrell is an expert when it comes to human frailties. She's a hypnotherapist who helps her clients deal with everything from addictions to life-long phobias. So when she falls in love with a man who is being stalked by his ex-girlfriend she's more intrigued than frightened. What makes a supposedly smart, professional woman behave this way? She'd love to meet her!

What she doesn't know is that she already has. Saskia has been masquerading as a client, and their lives are set to collide in ways Ellen could never have predicted.

This wonderfully perceptive new novel from Liane Moriarty is about the lines we'll cross for love. It's about the murky areas between right and wrong, and the complexities of modern relationships.

Having a stalker sounded like an interesting premise for a book.

It's written in two voices.  When it's in first person, it is Saskia, the stalker.  When it's in third person, it is everything else that is happening.

Patrick and Saskia lived together after Colleen, Patrick's late wife died.  One day he tells her it's over and she's lost everything.  She can't let go so starts to stalk him, hoping he'll come back to her.

I didn't really care for Ellen ... I found her weak.  She's in her mid-30s and has a home and a successful career and I got tired of her dwelling on Patrick's late wife.  I wasn't crazy about Patrick either.  Saskia needs help.

It's quite a large book (almost 400 pages) ... it could have been shorter as there seemed to be repetition.  I found it hard to believe that Ellen and Patrick would put up with Saskia stalking them and doing the stuff she did for as long as they did.  Had it been me, I would have demanded that Patrick get a restraining order or I would have walked away (they had just met so it wouldn't have been hard).

In addition to Ellen and Patrick meeting and falling in love, there was a lot of happening ... I can't say give you any spoilers.

I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it.

I received a copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.