Caroline Kepnes | PROVIDENCE

Plot (via Goodreads):

Growing up as best friends in small-town New Hampshire, Jon and Chloe are the only ones who truly understand each other, though they can never find the words to tell one another the depth of their feelings. When Jon is finally ready to confess his feelings, he's suddenly kidnapped by his substitute teacher who is obsessed with H.P. Lovecraft and has a plot to save humanity.

Mourning the disappearance of Jon and facing the reality he may never return, Chloe tries to navigate the rites of entering young adulthood and "fit in" with the popular crowd, but thoughts of Jon are never far away. 

When Jon finally escapes, he discovers he now has an uncontrollable power that endangers anyone he has intense feelings for. He runs away to protect Chloe and find the answers to his new identity--but he's soon being tracked by a detective who is fascinated by a series of vigilante killings that appear connected. 

Whisking us on a journey through New England and crashing these characters' lives together in the most unexpected ways, Kepnes explores the complex relationship between love and identity, unrequited passion and obsession, self-preservation and self-destruction, and how the lines are often blurred between the two.

Review:

Caroline Kepnes is back with a new novel that is so different than her previous two efforts. I loved YOU and HIDDEN BODIES and the way that Kepnes' writing really captivates the reader and brought them on a spectacular journey that was both intriguing and unique. Needless to say, I was thrilled to learn she was releasing a new title and could not wait to get my hands on PROVIDENCE. 

PROVIDENCE is definitely more unique in my eyes than her previous novels and the storyline is completely different. I loved the beginning to this one and found myself immersed in the story almost immediately. I loved the unapologetic and three-dimensional characters featured in this novel and the blend of the timeline combined with the different character perspectives was a gorgeous touch that was both effective and made this read fly by. Kepnes has a prose in all of her writing that is both ominous and simultaneously beautiful. I loved how this novel was a blend of mystery, thriller, and a love story so dark and twisted, it makes Romeo and Juliet look like the Disney channel. 

The only drawback for me with this one was the mystical almost supernatural element. Coming from her previous two novels, at times I found this to be a little bit distractive from the storyline and at times hard to digest. While I understand not all novels are going to be the same and I applaud Kepnes in her ability to take step out of her comfort box and take a risk with this element, it was something that I found to be a bit confusing and couldn't fully wrap my head around. Regardless of this element, I still found this story to be beautifully dark and enjoyed the different plot lines and how they merged together. I would definitely recommend this read to anyone looking for a novel to rip them from their comfort zone and dive into something unlike anything else out there.

Special thanks to Goodreads and Lenny for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3/5