This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry.
It’s always a pleasure to share another book by Ashley Fontainne. I’ve read many of her books and plan to read everything she writes.
For today, I’m sharing my review of Fatal Agreements.
After reading my review, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental and check out her review.
Enter her giveaway for another chance to win!
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Fatal Agreements
by Ashley Fontainne
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller
My Review
Samantha cuts her losses and returns home. She purchases the old Halstead House, a crumbling mansion she always dreamed of living in and hangs her litigator’s shingle. But, it’s not all smooth sailing. Major repairs are needed on the house. She’s juggling a tenuous reunion with her sister, and a mother and nana that butt heads over every little thing. And someone she’s desperate to escape from isn’t ready to let her go. Long kept secrets are coming to light and Samantha’s life and that of those around her are up for grabs from those who’d rather let sleeping dogs lie.
This is an author who keeps on giving. It seems like one dilemma gets resolved and three more pop up. So many ways to take down three generations of women. So many skeletons in thee closets. Lots and lots of skeletons. Wanting to come out.
Same for those bent on taking down Samantha and those she loves.. It’s exhausting to me how these desperate character’s wouldn’t give up. If one scheme didn’t work, they’d come up with another even crazier one.
All of the character’s make mistakes, some worse than others. And they all move like chess players, trying for the best advantage and the ultimate prize of winning. I was continually set back on my heels as one thing after another came to light. And it makes me wonder what I’d discover if I shook my family tree.
Halfway through the book so much had already happened I couldn’t imagine how the second half could have much more to reveal. Well, turned out there was. Plenty of suspense and thrills kept the story moving at a fast clip. All the way to the nicely wrapped up ending.
Did I enjoy this book? Yep. Every scheming bit. Would I recommend it? You better believe it. There’s never a slow spot or a dull moment.
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Synopsis
Whispered rumors tickled the ears of the residents of an entire town for decades about the disturbing secrets of the old Halstead House, dating all the way back to the early 1920s. Most people didn’t believe them. Several people will soon discover they should have listened.
Three years after struggling to cope with the death of her beloved father and escaping an abusive relationship, Samantha Chapman decides it’s time to return to her hometown of Hot Springs. She buys the ramshackle Halstead House, eager to transform the dilapidated, abandoned piece of history into her new law office and residence, hoping it will be the start of a brighter chapter and a safe haven to escape her personal demons.
Instead of newfound freedom, things take a dark turn when the resurrection of the old home reveals the disturbing secrets hidden within its walls. When youthful transgressions of numerous people come to light, including ones some members of the Chapman family are desperate to contain, it reveals the sins of the past. They collide with the grave mistakes of the present, creating a perfect storm of chaos and death for not only the Chapman family but others as well.
Some will survive.
Others will get burned.
Sam and her loved ones realize some family secrets should have remained buried.
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Author Ashley Fontainne
Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.
Her muse for penning the Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance. focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answered that question: far and wide.
Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.
Her paranormal thriller entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film entitled Foreseen.
Ashley’s decided to delve into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell, released in September of 2014. Ashley will be teaming up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her mom!) to pen a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, released the Summer of 2015.
Whispered Pain released in October of 2015 and Night Court released December 13, 2015.
Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.
Foreseen Movie Website – See the trailer
Number Seventy-Five Movie Website
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Ashley is giving away two eBooks and five print copies.
Entry is easy. Just leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:
“Do you still live in the town you were born in? If not, have you ever went back there?”
Now hop on over the Sherry’s post on fundinmental for her review and another chance to win!
Giveaway ends October 18th.
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Books by Ashley Fontainne
![Blood Loss (The Magnolia Series Book 2) by [Fontainne, Ashley, Hansen, Lillian]](http://i1.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Q3s5ocNWL.jpg?resize=151%2C238&ssl=1)
Click on the covers to see on Amazon.
And click on the links below to see my reviews.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
For a list of my reviews go HERE.
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I have moved around a lot during my life. I have never gone back to where I was born.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
The last time I went home the house was gone. So many great memories still!
No, never went back to the place I was born. I only lived there 6 months then grew up in a whole different part of the country.
Growl is a fantastic read. I’m sure Fatal Agreements is just as good. pbettis at gmail dot com.
I lived in my family home until I graduated. It was the best neighborhood. They aren’t like that anymore.
No I do not. Yes I have Christmas 2009. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom
I have such great memories of where I grew up.
GREAT review, Laura. And great question. I do not live in the same town, not even the same state and I do return now and then. Still have family there.
sherry @ fundinmental
There’s no place like home:)
I don’t live in the same city where I grew up and I never travel there. I moved to another entirely different area. I enjoyed this great feature and giveaway.
I live on the other end of the country now. Used to go home a lot to visit but its been years now.
WOW Laura so many reveals indeed! I get what you mean when you say you are wondering how they still go on and don’t call it quit! Great review 😉
It was crazy. They just couldn’t stop scheming!
Ooh, sounds awesome!
Like I said in my review, never a dull moment:)
This really sounds great and your excellent review points out key things I love in a book.
I do not live in the town where I was born / grew up, but my mother still lives in the house where we lived when I went to high school, so we do go back.
Anne – Books of My Heart
The house I grew up in has been torn down. I did take my son there to show him the neighborhood. It seemed smaller to me from what I remembered. Back then you made your own entertainment and we had woods and creeks to explore.
I now live 1000 miles from where I was born, but have been back often! I actually consider the home I grew up in since I was two to be that special place! I’ve even stopped by, took pictures and the owner even took me on a tour!
DiiBylo212@gmail.com
I live around 1000 miles from where I grew up too. The house is no longer there but I still have so many great memories.
I have a few of hers and I really need to give them a try.
I’m thinking you would enjoy her books, Stormi.
I no longer even live in the country where I was born – UK. However, I grew up in a house in the same lane from where I was born, until it was sold when I was about 11. Some years later, I boarded with a family in their house built in our old chicken run. Later, I had a flat in the large mansion house where I was born as my grandmother owned it.
rrclarke53@gmail.com
Wow. There is a story there:)
Now this sounds good. I haven’t tried this author yet, but will do so.
I have a good feeling that you’d enjoy her books, Kimberly. She creates genuine characters and plenty of action and suspense.