Olivay is a fast and engaging read with an action-packed plot (and some bizarre love rectangles). This was a delightful transit commute read - short chapters and easy to pick up after neglecting the book for a few days.

Olivay watched her husband die before her eyes in a traumatic motorcycle hit and run, and finds herself the unwanted center of media attention in the months that follow. Henry, a journalist, makes attempts to woo her, which gradually work and lead them to Olivay's bed. A series of explosions, possibly terrorist attacks, rattle the city and trap them both in Olivay's home. Olivay begins to doubt her initial trust of Henry after finding out about his past and her dead husband's past, and tension builds between the two.

The ending is unbelievable (in the way that cassette tapes and VHS tapes were infuriating when the magnetic tape suddenly snapped, mid-emotion, ruining the whole tape and never to be repaired again).

(this review written based on a goodreads first reads selection.)

The review was first posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds as part of the Blog Tour hosted by TLC Book Tours.

"For all the times she'd wanted to die, she now understood how badly she wanted to live."

A year ago, Olivay, was was married content if not happy. She was working as an architect, in love with her life. A year later, she is a widow, her life and her husband's accident became a media spectacle and she has now become a loner.

She is in two minds about living her life again and the one morning she does go out for a cup of coffee, she meets a man, Henry. Now Henry, appeals to her, not just physically but there is a connection between them, that was palpable even to the reader.

She bring him back, they spend a night together and the next day everything just blows up, literally! There is a terrorist attack, and now they are stuck with each other and all the secrets that is between them!

"People are capable of doing all kinds of things, Olivay. The "why" doesn't even matter."

Olivay is a book that stays with you long after you are done with it - you keep thinking about the various connotations of each and every revelations that you just have to go back and check whether your perceptions were right or not.

The book starts off a little slow and it's only when the book is done 60%, is when it starts to pick up pace. But that doesn't mean it detracts from the plot, in fact the slowness of the plot is perfect buildup for the scenarios that take place.

I, personally would have loved Henry's POV from the start, rather than only 40% of the book - it would have made it more clear as to what was happening and the secrets that Henry was keeping and the reasons why!

I also think, the author had left it to readers to their own interpretations when it came most of the plot twists - she only gives only vague clues as to the secrets and it's on the reader to figure out what is happening, or what has happened. This is a bloody brilliant move on her part, especially since it's one of the major reasons why I am still hung up on this book!

I will definitely check out Deborah Reed's books - but I will give it at least a month in between her books, especially since I can't afford be to be hung up on books when I am supposed to be studying for my Doctorate :D