I absolutely loved this book! It was such a captivating read! I couldn’t stop reading! I loved the characters and the story! Highly recommend!

This novel sounded interesting because it’s setting was the Pueblo. However, this was a very disturbing read that made uncomfortable many times. This book was not for me.

I like Anne's style of writing. It keeps one engaged and it is easy to understand as she weaves her story. Her descriptions of the places can make one feel like they are there as she moves from scene to scene. I could see it all as I read. The book is emotional and descriptive and shows how one deals with their past to heal with their present. One can tell that Anne was a journalist by her quality of writing.

The Castle is an interesting read featuring Maggie, a National Park Ranger, at the Montezuma Castle National Park in Arizona. Maggie is struggling with depression brought about by several past traumatic experiences. Attempting to come to grips with her demons, she volunteers at the local rape crisis clinic as she becomes aware that a serial rapist has become a member of the small community near the park. Maggie becomes the target, and the hunt is on to discover who the rapist is. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed are my own.

Maggie is a national park ranger, having recently returned to her job after a medical leave of absence to receive treatment for severe depression. She’s first and foremost a survivor. She’s had a great deal of trauma in her life, including having been the victim of a gang rape and grieving the tragic death of her young son. She volunteers at a rape crisis center as part of her recovery.

Maggie hasn’t been in a relationship for a long time. Because of the rape, she sometimes struggles with trust issues. She currently has several men in her personal and professional lives, one of with whom she has had a one night stand. What she doesn’t know is that one of the men in her life is a serial rapist who plans on making Maggie his next victim.

Ms. Montgomery is a very talented writer and the subject matter of the story is clearly well-researched. One of the merits of the book is that part of the story is told from the point of view of the serial rapist who is stalking Maggie. It provides powerful elements of realism and suspense that greatly add to the story as the plot advances. Unfortunately, it can also be triggering for readers who have been victims of sexual assault or domestic abuse. I say that not to try to dissuade anyone from reading the book but only as my personal observation.

Maggie, a National Park Ranger, has returned to her job at the Castle ... an ancient Native American pueblo carved into the face of a limestone cliff in Arizona.

Maggie has been on a medical leave for severe depression, went through a traumatic episode while in the Coast Guard, the death of her 10-year-son and an attempted suicide. As part of her therapy Maggie volunteers at the local rape crisis clinic.

She's been alone for awhile and doesn't really trust men, but it seems there are several who have noticed just how attractive Maggie is. The baker tries to win her heart with pastries .... a scuba diver doing scientific studies with her help ... her new boss ... and a man she had a one-night stand with.

One of these men is a serial rapist, and Maggie is his next target.

BOOKBLURB: Ancient ruins, haunted memories, and a ruthless criminal combine with a touch of mystic presence in this taut mystery about a crime we all must address.

The author has done a terrific job in writing about a very delicate subject. As an aside, she has included many statistics and phone numbers of helpful resources for these types of crime when committed. The author has done her research well ... and she brings much credibility to how these crimes are handled.

The characters are solidly drawn ... you can feel the angst, the fear, the nightmares flowing from the pages. I am a little ambivalent about the ending ... but it was well worth the read.

Many thanks to the author / Touch Point Press / Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Touch Point Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. While the location of the book is amazingly beautiful, the book is rather dark. I found this to be more of a suspense than a romance. The women's friendships are fantastic. We got to hear the rapists viewpoint-which was odd for me. I truly felt for Maggie and her life circumstances. I was anxious hoping that she didn't get traumatized again. This is sort of a difficult book to read, but worthwhile. I could not relate to the characters at all, but understand the importance of this type of book. 3.5 stars Difficult subject, I thought handled with as much dignity as possible.

I gave up on this book. The characters seemed flat. There was a lot of reputation. It just wasn't proving enjoyable for me to read at this time.

Maggie has lived through some truly horrific events in her short life, including rape. As part of her therapy, she volunteers at The Castle, an indigenous pueblo. She becomes friendly with some locals, then discovers she is being stalked. She wonders if the stalker is one of these new men she meets, or a complete stranger. Thedescriptions of the park are beautiful, makes me want to visit there, and the identity of the stalked kept me guessing until the very end. An enjoyable read!
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this copy in exchange for my unpaid, honest review.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Castle by Anne Montgomery in exchange for an honest review. Maggie is a National Park Ranger that works at the Castle, a Native American Pueblo in Arizona. This area sounds so beautiful and I would love to wander around and visit it. I felt so bad for Maggie and the trauma she had to endure. It was a very dark book and hard for me to read.

Maggie is a park ranger at The Castle, an old Indian ruin.
She also suffers from the horror of a rape and the aftermath. It’s a good story, it kept me guessing who the bad guy was. I enjoyed the book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Maggie is a National Park Ranger at the Montezuma Castle park and lives on the grounds there, too. She loves her job as the Plant Lady, explaining the native plants to children and adults. Maggie also has past that left her fearful, anxious and skeptical about new people. On occasion, she overreacts due to her past trauma. She has friends at the Park and lives on the property, too. It becomes clear that someone is stalking Maggie, but who is it? Is it Brett, the new researcher at the park, or Jim who works at the local bakery or someone who she doesn't know? This is a good whodunit and an enjoyable read. The setting is beautiful and adds to the story. The details appear to be well researched and certainly add to the intrigue and enjoyment of this book. A quick read that has depth and takes on a difficult subject with truth and intelligence. I recommend it! Thank you, Net Galley, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. While the book kept me interested until the end I wish the characters had a little more detail to them.