Note: I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I seem to be in the minority with my rating of The Watcher. I like Bella Jewel. I've read a few books by her, so I was excited to see she was coming out with a romantic suspense book. I was even more excited when I won an ARC via Netgalley.

However, this fell short of expectations. I was hoping for an edge-of-my-seat thriller and instead the story fell flat. I didn't connect with either Marlie or Kenai. Their personalities felt forced and I wasn't really feeling the romance. On top of that, I figured out the "twist" way before it was revealed. Maybe I've been reading too many suspense/thrill novels but I found this was predictable at best and boring at worst.

I truly love suspense novels. Just like the first one in the series I was absolutely captivated by the mystery surrounding everything that was going on! This author has the ability too keep me on the edge of my seat no matter what she writes. I can't wait for more.

Marlie Jacobson was abducted by a serial killer 7 years ago. Unlike others, she managed to escape with her life.

Today, she's known as the girl who killed a killer. She just wants to forget, but she has nightmares and flashbacks.

Her sister, Kaity, has disappeared. Marlie is certain that another killer has taken her ... someone with a lot of knowledge about what Marlie went through. But that man is dead...so who is this copycat?

She hires Kenai Michelson, a very well known private investigator. He's tall, dark and handsome and brooding and rude. Under different circumstances, Marlie would totally avoid this man ... but he's the best at what he does. And Marlie wants her sister back.

They have the slimmest of leads, but they follow them as far as they go. It seems that no matter where they go, they are being watched. Someone wants Marlie to pay for escaping what was supposed to be her destiny.

This is a terrific Romantic Suspense with a blending of contemporary romance and murder. The characters are cleverly defined, even though Marlie and Kenai are both damaged in one away or another. Marlie's mother is a harridan .. the author has described her so well, I could probably identify her walking down the street.

Lots of action, lots of violence. CAUTION: LANGUAGE AND GRAPHIC SEXUAL SITUATIONS.

Many thanks to the author / St. Martin's Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

"You trust me?"

I was introduced to Bella Jewel's writing with her MC Romance series, Joker's Wrath MC. She won me over and so when she decided to venture into this new Romantic Suspense direction, I followed her. Being a fan of the Criminal Minds TV series, I was sure my 'profiler skills' would come in handy while reading The Watcher

I must confess that I really like it when the author writes a broody alpha male character for me to drool over, and Kenai was most certainly both. With Marlie being so traumatized by her abduction 7 years ago, she really surprised me when she pulled up her big girl panties and faced her demons. She'd been hiding away from the media and her family, choosing to wallow in solitude. But when her sister went missing, she had to face her fears and do what she had to do. She went back home and tried to make things happen, not willing to give up on finding her sister.

Kenai's reputation preceded him. Marlie knew going in that he was a rude jerk with an attitude. She had to remind herself repeatedly that she would do anything for her sister. I wasn't expecting her to become a badass, especially after her recent panic attack. But badass she was. She impressed me, and won me over when she went toe-to-toe with the ruthless sexy investigator who refused to take her case. The banter between those two was highly entertaining. As he pushed her buttons, she came out of her shell and showed the personality that had been hidden for so long. As she pushed his buttons, his white knuckled restraint was tested time and again. It was so fun waiting for the explosion to happen. And then...I couldn't wait for them to take it to the bedroom.

And if that's not enough to whet your appetite, the suspense is a page-turner too. Trying to figure out who's behind the abduction and hoping that they would find her sister in time will have you on the edge of your seat. And the flashbacks to what transpired during Marlie's abduction was a mind-bender that will have you locking your doors and looking over your shoulder. The author will take you for a ride on the dark side. Now that it's over, I'm ready for more. The line forms here...

OMG! So fabulous and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, that this looks to be a series! Can't wait to see if the next Kenai lives up to this one!

Thank you NetGalley for the copy of The Watcher by Bella Jewel that I read and reviewed.
This book was okay for me. I really did not get into it as much as I was hoping because it moved a bit slower then I like.
I am giving The Watcher three out of five stars.

DNF at 30%. I couldn't get into this book at all. I really enjoyed the first book but this isn't living up to my expectations

Post goes live 5 JUN

OMG, I hate starting a review so immaturely but OMG there is no other phrase for this book. Is there anyway I could possibly have a two month vacation, on an island, alone with nothing more than Bella Jewel’s books to read over and over and over again?

She hooked me as a fan when I read my first Bella book not long ago, then I was offered the chance to review The Watcher and I am now a devoted fan who would be willing to sell my right arm, just to keep her writing, remember, I need a lot of books on my island.

Marlie Jacobson is the main character in this story and she comes to life for the reader in the first two pages. A woman who is full of fight and the will to survive, is what kept her alive when she was kidnapped by the serial killer named The Watcher. He would do horrible things to his victims, make videos of it and had Marlie watch before he went forward with his plan. She was able to kill him, though she survived with scars and pains that will hinder her from living a full life in the future. But that isn’t the only scar she will have to live with, her money hungry mother wrote a book about Marlie’s kidnapping and escape and made millions of dollars for herself, and left Marlie as the walking circus in her home town.

After moving to a secluded place, to get away from the people asking questions, wanting autographs and the such due to the book, she gets a call that her sister has gone missing. The police and friends say she just left due to her drug use, she ran off with her loser boyfriend, or she was running from the publicity that Marlie’s event had caused, but Marlie knew that this was a dangerous situation for her sister, this had to have something to do with The Watcher and she was going to find her, even if that meant facing her worst nightmare, going home.

When it was clear she couldn’t do this on her own and there was no help to be found, she hired Kenai Michelson, a famous investigator to help her locate her sister, but she was going to have to go with him on the search. The angst between those two in the beginning was heated. I wanted to smack him so many times but as time went on, he started to lower the walls and look at Marlie for who she was, not the “character” in her mom’s book.


Yup that is all you are getting from me, because this is just the minor stuff, you are in for a heck of a ride with these two as the pieces of where her sister is, slowly comes to form, as they piece it together and when someone steps up and decides her sister won’t be found, and they will be trapped.

Lord, I wish I could just gather you all together and we discuss this book for days, because the attention to details in this plot is magical. The author paints each scene as a room in a haunted house, where you can almost feel hands reaching out to grab you, the smell of fear is filling your senses and you want to look away but you can’t, because you have become invested in finding her sister and setting Marlie free. Not to mention the dream of getting Marlie and Kenai together is HOT chemistry to say the least.

Just buy this book, I know it is more expensive than the usual kindle book but it is worth every single penny. Now I am going to go see which of her next books I can dive into and escape reality for a few hours.

The Watcher
Bella Jewel

Amazing!!! I loved this suspense/thriller book. I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading to find out what happened next.
My first Bella Jewel book and I am hooked. She ended this one with the possibility of another book to follow. And I really hope she does.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Watcher is filled with edge of your seat suspense, filled with twisted evil moments and such emotion that keeps you glued to the pages to find out what will happen in the end!!!

Another brilliant read by this incredible author!!

Recv'd a copy via the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books I wanted to love, but the plot holes kept piling up, and it was not pulling me in at all. Some parts that read like a horror novel were interesting, but not really my thing. When I figured out who did it, I decided there was no reason for me to continue.

Yowsier! I put off reading this for awhile as I didn't love 72 hours. But once I started I couldn't put it down! Twists and turns GALORE! I loved Marlie she was a strong and funny heroine! Watching the relationship growing between her and and Kenai was sweet but took a back seat to the angst in this book. If you like books to keep you on your toes thru the whole book give this a whirl.

After reading Bella Jewels first foray into romantic suspense, called 72 Hours (my review), I was over the moon when asked to review The Watcher. This standalone romantic suspense is heart pounding, spine tingling and gruesome.

Marlie is the only survivor of a serial killer who kidnapped, tortured and murdered his victims. She may have gotten away but her whole world is utterly shattered as she struggles with the horrors she lived through and having a mother who’s made it her sole mission to exploit her daughter’s prolific experiences for money and fame.

Years later Marlie has found a certain level of peace in a small town far from her exploitative mother and strangers judging eyes. But when she’s told her sister’s gone missing she has to put her issues aside and do everything she can to find her. Is the Watcher back or is she being paranoid? With nowhere to turn and no one willing to believe her she tracks down a private investigator who also happens to be a royal asshole. But her sister is missing so she has no alternative but to suck it up.

Kenai is well-known for his ability to track people down. A skill that has made him a highly sought after investigator. But he’s experienced his own version of hell as his life is turned upside down when something he treasures is tragically taken. At first he doesn’t want anything to do with Marli and what he “thinks” she represents…someone who is willing to exploit herself for money and fame. Regardless of his feeling there’s still a girl missing and ultimately he agrees to take the case.

So starts a cross-country trip in a race against time as Marlie and Kenai try to find her missing sister. As the search continues Marlie finds that she’s stronger then she thought and Kenai starts the process of truly healing old wounds.

What bothered me:

I was put off by Kenai’s character; he was just too harsh. Even though we get a glimpse of the real Kenai behind his wall of anger, pain and judgement I still couldn’t connect. As a result, I wasn’t invested in Marlie and Kenai as a couple and felt the chemistry wasn’t believable.

There were also moments where I felt the story was a little over the top when describing the more gory scenes. Gore doesn’t bother me in the least but I got the vague impression that a couple of the scenes were purely for shock value rather than building suspense.

What worked for me:

I think the pace is spot on and the overall story well-developed. The characters had depth, in particular Marlie. I think she was amazing! She was so strong even in the face of her own vulnerability. When faced with something horrifying she acknowledges her fears and tries to work through them. I also loved the flashbacks. I’m not particularly fond of continued use of flashbacks throughout a book but they’re so well done here. They kept dragging me deeper into the twisted mind of the Watcher and the horror Marlie went through. So as we’re experiencing Marlie’s captivity through her eyes it drives the suspense and intrigue of the story.

While not the best book I’ve read by this author it’s still highly enjoyable. If you like serial killer stories this is definitely worth the read. It’ll keep your heart racing and eagerly flipping those pages. I can’t wait to read Bella Jewel’s next romantic suspense!

Marlie wakes up and her body aches and her head is pounding. Another lonely dragging day. The doctor told Marlei she is physically completely healed and it’s all in her head. But had the doctor had his entire body beaten by a bat? Marlie feels it every time she moves and mostly in her legs mostly. Am ache that seems like it will never leave, a soreness in her muscles Marlie couldn’t seem to stretch out. But there is nowhere else Marlie would rather be then her one room cabin she had bought three years ago. Marlie had left her home in Denver when she became famous for being a serial killer's survivor and was Marlies own personal hell. Then Marlie's mother wrote a novel about her ordeal with a serial killer. After a while Marlie couldn’t take knowing her mother’s happiness came from Marlie’s pain. Marlie didn’t know why she stayed as long as she did but most days Marlie didn’t know her own name. Intense therapy and people screaming for her story on the street made Marlie’s traumatized mind close down. Instead of supporting Marlie her mother made it about herself. Her mother didn’t help Marlie when she was suffering, she didn’t comfort Marlie when she woke up screaming from the nightmares. Marlie sees his face every time she closes her eyes. Marlie’s therapist assures her it won’t be that way forever. At the cabin the solitude seems to help also Marlie feels safe. Out here the job Marlie had was a waitress. She didn’t have to work the book was still making money and after giving her mother a lot of money Marlie still had a couple million in the bank but she wouldn’t touch it she didn’t think she ever would. Marlie hadn’t been home in a couple of years but her mom and sister Kaitlyn/Kaity visited Marlie . Kaity had suffered and thought she would never see Marlie again and suddenly Kaity didn’t matter anymore. Kaity hadn’t been doing that good lately per their mom. Marlie had a friend named Hannah and Marlie called her and asked her to keep on eye on Kaity. Kaity was the only think Markie had left. Kaity and Marlie had gotten close when their father died and their mother went a little insane. Then Hannah called Marlie told her that she had recently learned Katy had started doing drugs and now she was missing. She went over to Kaity’s today and her apartment had been trashed. It had been eighteen hours and Hannah can’t find Kaity nor had she heard from her. Kenai is a world renowned investigator and Marlie’s only hope to find Kaitlyn and Marlie got him to take her case.
I liked this book s lot. This was well written and the pace was very good. I also liked the plot. At first I didn’t like Kenai at all he was being a butt. I loved that Marlie stood him up and gave Kenai attitude right back. This story keeps you on the edge of your seat. It definitely keeps your attention right from the beginning. I didn’t like Marlie’s mother she didn’t deserve the title of mother more user and selfish. Both Marley and Kenai had a lot of pain in their past I was glad they grew to care about each other and learn to lean on each other I loved the twist and turns of this story and i recommend.

Fabulous read. Non-stop enjoyment from beginning to end. A very well written story.

A crime story but also with romance. Not my usual read but after reading 72 hours and seeing what this author could do i thought i would give this book a try. I found this book to have the desired amount of creepiness factor for the bad guy, but there is also a great brewing romance between Kenai and Marlie. Cannot say anymore really without giving more of the story away, but it was refreshing for me to read a romantic suspense book with the theme of a serial killer in it.

review on goodreads under the profile name kimothy

What an absolutely amazing read! Oh my gawd! The opening of this book literally took my breath away and gave me chills. I was not expecting to feel the terror and horror that Marlie suffered through. So many times as a reader I read the words but never actually experience the emotions. Bella Jewel must have a seriously dark streak to bring such a villainous creature to life. I’m so glad she does.

Marlie is still recovering years later after having been held captive by a monster. He exposed her to things that a person wouldn’t dream of even in their worst nightmares. When her sister goes missing she is panicked and finds no solace from the steps the police are taking. Needing the best in the business, she hires Kenai a tracker with an impeccable reputation but an awful personality. He’s bossy and moody, and he doesn’t like Marlie at all.

As they work together to find Kaitlyn they slowly begin to realize that the other is not what they seem. Soon they are sharing their pasts and relying on each other for safety and comfort.

This story moved fast. I started prior to bedtime and read for hours before realizing I had been awake half the night and was beyond the 50% mark. I didn’t want to put it down! There is no getting bogged down, lost in the details, or skimming to get through a tedious scene. I consumed every word and loved each one of them.

I enjoy suspense thrillers – the crazier the villain the better. However, I have read very few romantic thrillers that I was completely happy with. Usually either the mystery or the romance takes center stage and the other is left lacking. Not so with The Watcher. It was a perfect balance of all ingredients.

I will soon be checking out the previous book 72 Hours. If it’s a fraction of what this one was I’ll be a very, very happy reader.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review and honestly people, if you like romantic suspense thriller type stories this is a definite read.

POV – mainly Marlie’s but toward the end we have some of Kenai’s
Abuse – only that caused by Marlie’s captor
Triggers – no rape, but again, Marlie’s captor is evil but not in a sexual way

I am loving this author writing Romantic Suspense so I hope she does much more in the genre. I was already a fan of Bella Jewel from reading her MC books but this book takes my love for her writing to a completely different level. It's intriguing, dark, and had me entrapped in it's suspense for a few hours.

Marlie and Kenai were brilliant together and I loved their strength. They both had a lot of pain in their past but they learned to lean on one another for support and I was obsessed with them because of that. Kenai was broody but oh so sexy, and Marlie was just the girl to get him to soften up to the world. I really liked this couple and I was actually sad when the book came to an end because I wanted more of them.

Bottom line, if you're looking for an amazing Romantic Suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat than this is the book for you. It is part of a series but you will have no problem reading this as a standalone.