Review Week Day 2 | "Envy" by Sandra Brown

I received a copy of Envy through a Goodreads giveaway along with Texas! Sage (Review here). Unlike Texas, Envy was published in the early 2000s rather than the early 90s and is a thriller rather than a chick-lit romance. I don't know if it was the change of genre or the change of writing technique, but I liked Envy so much more than Texas! Sage.

Before I get into my full thoughts, here is the book's Goodreads description: 

Sandra Brown, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, keeps readers turning pages with an explosive tale of a long-ago crime and the victim's plan for revenge...When New York publisher Maris Matherly Reed receives a tantalizing manuscript from someone identified only as P.M.E., its blockbuster potential-and perhaps something else-compels her to meet its author. On an eerie, ruined cotton plantation on a remote Georgia island she finds Parker Evans, a man concealing his identity and his past. Maris is drawn into his tale of two young friends and a deadly betrayal ... and to Parker himself. But there's something especially chilling about this novel, its possible connection to Maris's own life, and the real-life character who uses her, or anyone, to get what he wants.

I really enjoyed this book. After the prologue, which was a little difficult to get into, though not for a lack of action, the story picked up and became a page turner that I couldn't put down. It wasn't a perfect book by any means, I will get into the few things that readers could have issues with in a moment, but it was a fun, fast paced read that is perfect if you want to take a break from fluffy, light hearted contemporary or heaver books. 

The chapters were a little long, which can be a problem for those readers who like to break their reading up by chapter. The way the antagonist goes about his plot development is overdone in a far fetched way and it seemed like Brown was trying too hard to put across the fact that the bad guy is rotten to the core. 

There is a bit of instalove. It's not as bad as in other stories, but the relationship develops in a jumpy sort of way that makes it seem like the characters involved go from hating one another to having deep affection with no middle ground to see that change shift. 

The storyline was good, the plot was intriguing, but it also seemed like there were a lot of plot points that made it seem like multiple underdeveloped plotlines were going on together and I can see that getting confusing for readers who aren't planning on finishing the book in just a few sittings. It can also make the book itself come across as never ending with so many twists and new plot points popping up seemingly out of nowhere. 

My last note isn't a gripe about the story, but it is a comment that some people might be able to relate to, I am a big fan of the television show  "Frasier" and because of that, it makes it difficult to read or hear about anyone named Maris without picturing the forever unseen character from the sitcom. 

Aw well, I got used to it, and anyone else who may be in the same boat will too soon enough after they start reading.