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A Place Somewhere
How far would you go? Would you lie to protect the innocent?
ALEX HART risked everything to be with her online girlfriend of two years and moved from Ireland to America. But the unthinkable happened and she is emotionally and financially ruined. Devastated, she turns her anger and betrayal into a mission to root out those who deceive the innocent online.
When a mother pleads for Alex to protect her daughter from an online predator in Ireland, Alex must become what she hates.
How far will she go before losing herself in her own web of deception?
ALEX HART risked everything to be with her online girlfriend of two years and moved from Ireland to America. But the unthinkable happened and she is emotionally and financially ruined. Devastated, she turns her anger and betrayal into a mission to root out those who deceive the innocent online.
When a mother pleads for Alex to protect her daughter from an online predator in Ireland, Alex must become what she hates.
How far will she go before losing herself in her own web of deception?
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2014
20 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Samuel
8 books40 followersSite: www.rjsamuel.com
Email: R.J_Samuel@yahoo.com
Twitter: @R_J_Samuel
Instagram: @RJSamuel_Author
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RJSamuelAuthor
R J Samuel was born in Nigeria, to Indian parents. She spent many years qualifying to be a medical doctor first in Nigeria, then Ireland, but ran away from home to do a Masters in IT. She settled on IT as a career rather than Medicine as she thought computers might be more logical than people, but that hasn’t always proven to be the case. She remained Ireland for many years, apart from a few years in the southwest of France where she ran a restaurant-bar despite having absolutely no interest in restaurants, except for eating in them. She considers herself almost Irish, almost Indian, and almost American. She now lives in Atlanta in America where, in her latest creative outburst,
she wants to establish an artist retreat in a mostly unusable property.
Her story ‘Helmets’ was shortlisted for the 2011 Over the Edge ‘New Writer of the Year Competition’ and she was the only entrant to have both her fiction and her poetry long-listed for the Doire Press ‘1st Annual International Fiction and Poetry Chapbook Competition’ in January 2012. Her fiction entry, ‘The Vision Painter,’ went on to be shortlisted for this competition and was the basis for her second novel, ‘Falling Colours – The Misadventures of a Vision Painter.’ Her short stories ‘Parallel Lives’ (2012) and ‘The Alleyway’ (2013) were shortlisted and her poetry entry was longlisted (2016) for the Over the Edge ‘New Writer of the Year Competition’.
Her published novels – ‘Heart Stopper’, The Vision Painter series (‘Falling Colours’, ‘Casting Shadows’) which received an Honorable Mention in the 2013 Rainbow Awards, and ‘A Place Somewhere’, which was a finalist for the Ann Bannon Popular Choice and the Tee Corinne Cover Design Awards, are set in Ireland, India, and America. Her fifth novel, ‘An Outsider Inside’, is set in Ireland and France and tells the story of an Irish-Indian lesbian activist who finds the troubling manuscript left behind by a missing Indian woman.
She has also published a short story collection ("The Alleyway and other Short Stories") featuring the stories above and others.
Email: R.J_Samuel@yahoo.com
Twitter: @R_J_Samuel
Instagram: @RJSamuel_Author
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RJSamuelAuthor
R J Samuel was born in Nigeria, to Indian parents. She spent many years qualifying to be a medical doctor first in Nigeria, then Ireland, but ran away from home to do a Masters in IT. She settled on IT as a career rather than Medicine as she thought computers might be more logical than people, but that hasn’t always proven to be the case. She remained Ireland for many years, apart from a few years in the southwest of France where she ran a restaurant-bar despite having absolutely no interest in restaurants, except for eating in them. She considers herself almost Irish, almost Indian, and almost American. She now lives in Atlanta in America where, in her latest creative outburst,
she wants to establish an artist retreat in a mostly unusable property.
Her story ‘Helmets’ was shortlisted for the 2011 Over the Edge ‘New Writer of the Year Competition’ and she was the only entrant to have both her fiction and her poetry long-listed for the Doire Press ‘1st Annual International Fiction and Poetry Chapbook Competition’ in January 2012. Her fiction entry, ‘The Vision Painter,’ went on to be shortlisted for this competition and was the basis for her second novel, ‘Falling Colours – The Misadventures of a Vision Painter.’ Her short stories ‘Parallel Lives’ (2012) and ‘The Alleyway’ (2013) were shortlisted and her poetry entry was longlisted (2016) for the Over the Edge ‘New Writer of the Year Competition’.
Her published novels – ‘Heart Stopper’, The Vision Painter series (‘Falling Colours’, ‘Casting Shadows’) which received an Honorable Mention in the 2013 Rainbow Awards, and ‘A Place Somewhere’, which was a finalist for the Ann Bannon Popular Choice and the Tee Corinne Cover Design Awards, are set in Ireland, India, and America. Her fifth novel, ‘An Outsider Inside’, is set in Ireland and France and tells the story of an Irish-Indian lesbian activist who finds the troubling manuscript left behind by a missing Indian woman.
She has also published a short story collection ("The Alleyway and other Short Stories") featuring the stories above and others.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 27, 2019
Remember the movie You've Got Mail? It made getting to know a complete stranger on the internet seem so romantic at the time of its release. But is the person you've been chatting or emailing with really who they say they are? Is that really them in the picture they sent? Are they really single?
This story does not hesitate to show you the uglier side of the internet, it's by no means an easy read and there is a lot of angst because of the catfishing subject which may hit a little too close to home for some readers. Brace yourself once you start this emotional heavy hitter but make sure you hang in till the end because you will not want to miss the huge plot twist.
Be sure to check out the review Jem wrote explaining all the reasons why this book is so amazing. She sums it up perfectly. Overall rating is 4,25*
This story does not hesitate to show you the uglier side of the internet, it's by no means an easy read and there is a lot of angst because of the catfishing subject which may hit a little too close to home for some readers. Brace yourself once you start this emotional heavy hitter but make sure you hang in till the end because you will not want to miss the huge plot twist.
Be sure to check out the review Jem wrote explaining all the reasons why this book is so amazing. She sums it up perfectly. Overall rating is 4,25*
July 10, 2020
A Place Somewhere takes you on a journey filled with feelings of love, loss, longing and yes.. heartache. Not in that order particularly. There's a painfull desperation within the leads to understand who they truly are and who they want to be with when they finally figure themselves out, if ever.
The plot gathers steam as the book progresses. Try not to let the angst deter you. Actually, don't think about what's ahead.. One page at a time should be the motto with this story. Don't try and force the mystery - this suggestion helped loads. Thanks Lexi ;)
The plot gathers steam as the book progresses. Try not to let the angst deter you. Actually, don't think about what's ahead.. One page at a time should be the motto with this story. Don't try and force the mystery - this suggestion helped loads. Thanks Lexi ;)
September 1, 2015
Alex Hart is a woman on a personal crusade. After completely uprooting her routine accountant's life to move across the ocean for what she thinks is true love, she finds out that the woman doesn't even exist. Deceived, defrauded and shamed, she is unable to return home to face her family and friends. But instead of useless moping or grieving, she has somehow managed to channel all her pain, anger and desire for vengeance into a semi-productive pursuit--sniffing out similar scams for her clients.
But one client wants her to take it one step further. Not only does she want Alex to investigate her daughter's online lover, she also wants Alex to run interference and break them off.
But of course, things don't go according to plan, and Alex finds herself smack in the middle of an impossibly complicated situation.
The plot sounds pretty simple and straightforward, but this is so much more than a lesfic romance. The author explores so many thought-provoking themes I've lost count: the incomprehensible mindlessness behind devastating deception; the vulnerabilty of even the most logical people; the loss of innocence, faith and trust from betrayal; the hopelessness and desperation of people struck down by personal tragedy and/or a failed economy; the healing power of truth, forgiveness and a community that comes together, and so many others--I haven't read a recent book that managed to do all that and still work a good page-turning mystery through it all.
This is not a light read at all. A depressing mood permeates most of the first half of the book--from the lead character's guilt-ridden initial deception (that can't possibly end well no matter what she does) to the tragic consequences of the Irish property bubble that saddled most of the other characters of the book--I honestly almost gave up reading halfway through. But the exuberance of Sasha, the tenacity of Maggie, the innocence and beauty of Breanna and Cynthia, the gradual (and very well paced) development of the romance (both online and in person) made me hang in there and I'm so glad I did, or I would have missed the incredible twist (totally unexpected but very plausible), the gut-wrenching result, and all that angst that makes the ending worth staying up all night to read.
I musn't forget to mention the very effective and powerful use of Irish settings, beautiful or bleak, lush or barren--they're almost like characters in the book.
When I first finished the book, I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about the book's premise that people can be so totally fooled. But a little bit of research on the net showed that what happened to the ladies in the book aren't that farfetched. There's even a name for such schemes: catfishing.
So I'm upgrading my rating to 5 solid stars!
But one client wants her to take it one step further. Not only does she want Alex to investigate her daughter's online lover, she also wants Alex to run interference and break them off.
But of course, things don't go according to plan, and Alex finds herself smack in the middle of an impossibly complicated situation.
The plot sounds pretty simple and straightforward, but this is so much more than a lesfic romance. The author explores so many thought-provoking themes I've lost count: the incomprehensible mindlessness behind devastating deception; the vulnerabilty of even the most logical people; the loss of innocence, faith and trust from betrayal; the hopelessness and desperation of people struck down by personal tragedy and/or a failed economy; the healing power of truth, forgiveness and a community that comes together, and so many others--I haven't read a recent book that managed to do all that and still work a good page-turning mystery through it all.
This is not a light read at all. A depressing mood permeates most of the first half of the book--from the lead character's guilt-ridden initial deception (that can't possibly end well no matter what she does) to the tragic consequences of the Irish property bubble that saddled most of the other characters of the book--I honestly almost gave up reading halfway through. But the exuberance of Sasha, the tenacity of Maggie, the innocence and beauty of Breanna and Cynthia, the gradual (and very well paced) development of the romance (both online and in person) made me hang in there and I'm so glad I did, or I would have missed the incredible twist (totally unexpected but very plausible), the gut-wrenching result, and all that angst that makes the ending worth staying up all night to read.
I musn't forget to mention the very effective and powerful use of Irish settings, beautiful or bleak, lush or barren--they're almost like characters in the book.
When I first finished the book, I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about the book's premise that people can be so totally fooled. But a little bit of research on the net showed that what happened to the ladies in the book aren't that farfetched. There's even a name for such schemes: catfishing.
So I'm upgrading my rating to 5 solid stars!
May 20, 2020
After The End - Damn you, Lexi. What have you gotten me into? I highlighted 87% of the book, I even used, just read below.
Me: Your eyes are such a giveaway, that's why you never looked me in the eyes for more than a second.
Me²: Where are these clever words coming from, just yesterday you were saying "Do you have a map? Cos Honey, I just keep getting lost in your eyes".
Me: Well, I read a book and it was outstanding!
Me²: You're beyond saving
Alexis mentioned Catfish, You've Got Mail and I agree with her. If you like the show/movie above + you love romance + clever/poetic lines + the looks - the thoughts that accompanied the looks, the words formed to fulfill the wooing, Ireland, Cape Cod, put the kettle on and on again, then do not get in between the book and I. Leave us be to continue our love affair for centuries to come.
Thousands of beautiful words, intimate writing that will warm your heart, engage your brain, work out your senses all at once and leave you with heartache the size of Peru, big/goofy smiles on your face simultaneously and serious thrills of anticipation. A Place Somewhere is all kinds of amazing, romantic, endearing, heartbreaking, and sweet. The kind of beauty that infuses your heart where you want to lock it away for a long time, so you can get lost in fond memories whenever you go back to that special place for a visit.
It's a story about love, loss, pain, and a thoughtful and deep second chance at love between two mature adults. It is also about chasing ghosts, keeping them at bay and ultimately dealing and conquering them, making peace with your past, remembering good and bad times, and be ready and willing to let your life be flooded by new ones. Hopefully only the good ones.
This book..... I’ve never seen a love story quite like the one that these two characters have. Because I’ve never seen characters fight against each other and for each other at the same time.
It deserves a 4¾ but thanks to Sasha and all her lines, starting with -
“I like Maggie’s stew. I helped her pick the leaves and stuff from the lotment. Ria, where is the person you hit on the head? Is she dying? Can she eat or can I eat her food too?”
For that, this book deserves my kidneys and this month's credit card statement.
Me: Your eyes are such a giveaway, that's why you never looked me in the eyes for more than a second.
Me²: Where are these clever words coming from, just yesterday you were saying "Do you have a map? Cos Honey, I just keep getting lost in your eyes".
Me: Well, I read a book and it was outstanding!
Me²: You're beyond saving
Alexis mentioned Catfish, You've Got Mail and I agree with her. If you like the show/movie above + you love romance + clever/poetic lines + the looks - the thoughts that accompanied the looks, the words formed to fulfill the wooing, Ireland, Cape Cod, put the kettle on and on again, then do not get in between the book and I. Leave us be to continue our love affair for centuries to come.
Thousands of beautiful words, intimate writing that will warm your heart, engage your brain, work out your senses all at once and leave you with heartache the size of Peru, big/goofy smiles on your face simultaneously and serious thrills of anticipation. A Place Somewhere is all kinds of amazing, romantic, endearing, heartbreaking, and sweet. The kind of beauty that infuses your heart where you want to lock it away for a long time, so you can get lost in fond memories whenever you go back to that special place for a visit.
It's a story about love, loss, pain, and a thoughtful and deep second chance at love between two mature adults. It is also about chasing ghosts, keeping them at bay and ultimately dealing and conquering them, making peace with your past, remembering good and bad times, and be ready and willing to let your life be flooded by new ones. Hopefully only the good ones.
This book..... I’ve never seen a love story quite like the one that these two characters have. Because I’ve never seen characters fight against each other and for each other at the same time.
It deserves a 4¾ but thanks to Sasha and all her lines, starting with -
“I like Maggie’s stew. I helped her pick the leaves and stuff from the lotment. Ria, where is the person you hit on the head? Is she dying? Can she eat or can I eat her food too?”
For that, this book deserves my kidneys and this month's credit card statement.
August 9, 2020
This was not what I thought it would be, and I was hooked (get it....catfished....hooked.....*sigh*). How refreshing to read a lesfic that is completely different in theme than any other! Main down-low: it is about trusting someone online with your heart and inner-most secrets, only to find out that other person isn't what they seem, and the fallout that can happen. Plus more! This was also a first by this author, hooray.
The premise is already well laid out in other reviews, but I want to highlight how much I enjoyed the setting in Ireland. It had me googling "ghost estates Ireland" and finding almost exact settings I imagined in the story. The landscape, the sense of community, very charming. I also adored neighbour Maggie and wee Sasha.
I wasn't very surprised at the plot twist, I had an inkling as to what was going on, though certainly couldn't know the exact details. But I liked how the author presented it. Great read.
The premise is already well laid out in other reviews, but I want to highlight how much I enjoyed the setting in Ireland. It had me googling "ghost estates Ireland" and finding almost exact settings I imagined in the story. The landscape, the sense of community, very charming. I also adored neighbour Maggie and wee Sasha.
I wasn't very surprised at the plot twist, I had an inkling as to what was going on, though certainly couldn't know the exact details. But I liked how the author presented it. Great read.
March 16, 2014
What a great read. I was impressed with Samuel's writing skills when I read Casting Shadows, a literary gem, but she has set a new level of excellence with A Place Somewhere.
There is no magic realism in this novel. This is a story of online dating and deception. Alex Hart has been a victim of an online deception, losing her home and job and moving to the States to follow her dream of a perfect life with the woman she thought she knew.
Alex becomes an avenger of sorts, vowing to help clients who suspect their online relationships may not be valid. She responds to a mother's plea to return to Ireland and find out if the woman her daughter Cynthia has fallen in love with is real and truly in love with her daughter.
I loved how this story unfolds. Samuel does a great job at both the romantic and intrigue elements of the story and adds in a fine cast of secondary characters.
As usual her settings set the mood. There are moments of love and laughter shared with friends in a warm cosy Irish pub and other times when the barren landscape of the Burren reflect Alex's barren soul.
A Place Somewhere will take you on an emotional rollercoaster but for those of you who care there is a .
It is hard to explain just how awesome this book is without including spoilers, but give it a chance and you will be blown away. Great read.
There is no magic realism in this novel. This is a story of online dating and deception. Alex Hart has been a victim of an online deception, losing her home and job and moving to the States to follow her dream of a perfect life with the woman she thought she knew.
Alex becomes an avenger of sorts, vowing to help clients who suspect their online relationships may not be valid. She responds to a mother's plea to return to Ireland and find out if the woman her daughter Cynthia has fallen in love with is real and truly in love with her daughter.
I loved how this story unfolds. Samuel does a great job at both the romantic and intrigue elements of the story and adds in a fine cast of secondary characters.
As usual her settings set the mood. There are moments of love and laughter shared with friends in a warm cosy Irish pub and other times when the barren landscape of the Burren reflect Alex's barren soul.
A Place Somewhere will take you on an emotional rollercoaster but for those of you who care there is a .
It is hard to explain just how awesome this book is without including spoilers, but give it a chance and you will be blown away. Great read.
May 21, 2020
"Sometimes the easiest way is the one to take. And sometimes what seems like freedom isn’t really. Sometimes you don’t need a cage to be held in.”
Beautiful and haunting tale with many twists and turns and lots of heartache. Quite long and a bit arduous simply because of the heavy feelings involved. But evocative.
Beautiful and haunting tale with many twists and turns and lots of heartache. Quite long and a bit arduous simply because of the heavy feelings involved. But evocative.
January 21, 2015
This book kind of took my breath away!! The story, about the cheaters on internet, was interesting and gave a good lesson to all who try to find love on internet but somehow this was not what caught me.
First it was the music: I listened to the song before reading the book. And it kept playing in my head all the time, still does.
But it was the characters and their relationships that were so beautifully created that really caught me.
I read this book very slowly because I became afraid of the ending; I wanted a happy ending for all the three women which, of course was an impossibility and the ending was a real surprise!!
Now what I do is listening to R J Samuel's playlist on Spotify and dream of travelling to Galway!!
First it was the music: I listened to the song before reading the book. And it kept playing in my head all the time, still does.
But it was the characters and their relationships that were so beautifully created that really caught me.
I read this book very slowly because I became afraid of the ending; I wanted a happy ending for all the three women which, of course was an impossibility and the ending was a real surprise!!
Now what I do is listening to R J Samuel's playlist on Spotify and dream of travelling to Galway!!
March 24, 2014
Alex Hart was a successful accountant in Ireland with strong family ties, a home she loved and a seemingly successful life. She gave up everything to move to America and be with the woman she had been dating online for two years. She risked everything for love.
Cynthia has had her fingers burnt by online dating and has retreated into her own world. She has moved home to be with her Mother and become a recluse.
Breanna's life is full of loss. A series of tragic accidents has left her bringing up her young niece and the economic downturn has trapped her in living on a ghost estate.
All three women have been scared by losing things they love, whether by malicious intent or by accident. Each must try to live with the consequences of their heart-aches and they must all learn to trust in love again.
-----------
RJ Samuel’s new novel is a tale that takes several complex and interlocking stories of love and explores how the women involved have coped with the loss of trust and the loss of innocence. It is a tale of romance, of broken hearts, of intrigue and suspense.
Almost all of the women we meet could be playing emotional games, some knowingly, in order to manipulate others, some because their own hurt has caused them to behave in ways outside their normal character. It is an exploration of how much we will give up either because we think we have found love or to protect what we think is a love worth fighting for.
A Place Somewhere is an extremely well-written novel, well edited and crafted - always a joyous find when one reads a new author, particularly somebody who is self published. The characters RJ portrays are well rounded and have an integrity that is sometimes challenged by their heart-ache and loss, but ultimately shows them for who they really are.
While Alex, Breanna and Cynthia are the main focus of the story they are ably supported by an excellent cast on both sides of the Atlantic. I particularly enjoyed the sympathetic portrayal of Maggie, who has suffered from the ill-advised ambitions of her husband but who centers the small community in which she lives. Sasha, Sarah's niece, is also extremely well drawn and demonstrates a sensitive understanding and knowledge of how young children interact with those around them. She, more than anyone else, reacts with openness and love to those who have a good heart.
Online dating is a new phenomena and over the coming years we will undoubtedly see more novels based around the trials and tribulations of relationships formed over the web. Ms Samuel’s novel is an interesting exploration of how those relationships can go terribly wrong and how women searching for love can be used and manipulated by unscrupulous others, either for gain or simply for entertainment.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and will certainly be adding RJ Samuel’s other novels to my reading list for the future.
Cynthia has had her fingers burnt by online dating and has retreated into her own world. She has moved home to be with her Mother and become a recluse.
Breanna's life is full of loss. A series of tragic accidents has left her bringing up her young niece and the economic downturn has trapped her in living on a ghost estate.
All three women have been scared by losing things they love, whether by malicious intent or by accident. Each must try to live with the consequences of their heart-aches and they must all learn to trust in love again.
-----------
RJ Samuel’s new novel is a tale that takes several complex and interlocking stories of love and explores how the women involved have coped with the loss of trust and the loss of innocence. It is a tale of romance, of broken hearts, of intrigue and suspense.
Almost all of the women we meet could be playing emotional games, some knowingly, in order to manipulate others, some because their own hurt has caused them to behave in ways outside their normal character. It is an exploration of how much we will give up either because we think we have found love or to protect what we think is a love worth fighting for.
A Place Somewhere is an extremely well-written novel, well edited and crafted - always a joyous find when one reads a new author, particularly somebody who is self published. The characters RJ portrays are well rounded and have an integrity that is sometimes challenged by their heart-ache and loss, but ultimately shows them for who they really are.
While Alex, Breanna and Cynthia are the main focus of the story they are ably supported by an excellent cast on both sides of the Atlantic. I particularly enjoyed the sympathetic portrayal of Maggie, who has suffered from the ill-advised ambitions of her husband but who centers the small community in which she lives. Sasha, Sarah's niece, is also extremely well drawn and demonstrates a sensitive understanding and knowledge of how young children interact with those around them. She, more than anyone else, reacts with openness and love to those who have a good heart.
Online dating is a new phenomena and over the coming years we will undoubtedly see more novels based around the trials and tribulations of relationships formed over the web. Ms Samuel’s novel is an interesting exploration of how those relationships can go terribly wrong and how women searching for love can be used and manipulated by unscrupulous others, either for gain or simply for entertainment.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and will certainly be adding RJ Samuel’s other novels to my reading list for the future.
July 23, 2019
I really enjoyed this read. I was hooked in from the beginning and couldn't put it down. The main characters were strong and I couldn't help but fall in love with them. I was up until 1am wanting to finish this and now have a book hangover where I feel sad that I've finished a book I was so invested in.
June 21, 2018
The song from the book, written by the author:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TjiHFBq...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TjiHFBq...
March 26, 2014
Alex Hart was an accountant living a quiet life in Ireland who lost everything when she moved over to America to join the woman she’d been in an online relationship with for two years. Devastated and enraged, Alex made it her mission to seek out and expose some of the lying, cheating women causing so much pain to other women by deception online.
When Alex is asked by a concerned mother to look into her daughter Cynthia’s online affair with a woman in Ireland, Breanna O’Grady, Alex has no idea that it will change her life. No idea that she will have to become what she most hates. No idea of the devastation that will follow.
I love RJ Samuel’s books. They are always extremely well written and edited. She has proven herself to be a master storyteller. None of her stories are the same or even similar. So, when picking up one of her books, I know I’m going to get a good, refreshingly different read each time. However, RJ has excelled herself with this book. Not only is the story entirely different from any other book I’ve ever read, but I couldn’t figure out at all which direction the story was headed in. There were twists and turns throughout and I was surprised and totally amazed by the brilliant, unpredictable way this story unfolded and ended.
The theme of this book is very true to life. RJ Samuel has captured the pain and emotions suffered by those deceived in what is, sadly, an all too real occurrence now. Although this book is a work of fiction, there is a lot of the storyline that will ring true for those people who have been on the receiving end of online deception.
There is a light hearted side to this book too. A nice sense of humor throughout involving a very special character, five year old Sasha and her little dog Terror that I found myself wanting to hear more about. Both are a true delight to behold and lighten the darkness and pain of this story a little. This book also contains a subtle message of hope for a future after the pain subsides.
These characters are special, all are fully developed, multidimensional and interact well together and are essential to the story.
Although this story is told in a small part through email correspondence, it flows along extremely well at a nice pace and allows the reader to really get into the hearts and minds of the characters and shows the build up of their online relationship. The emails are interspersed with the present day events as they unfold.
I’ve loved each of RJ Samuel’s books, this one is in my honest opinion, her best to date. Told from the heart and written from the mind and muse. Truly a wonder to behold. A definite and firm favorite to be read time and again.
When Alex is asked by a concerned mother to look into her daughter Cynthia’s online affair with a woman in Ireland, Breanna O’Grady, Alex has no idea that it will change her life. No idea that she will have to become what she most hates. No idea of the devastation that will follow.
I love RJ Samuel’s books. They are always extremely well written and edited. She has proven herself to be a master storyteller. None of her stories are the same or even similar. So, when picking up one of her books, I know I’m going to get a good, refreshingly different read each time. However, RJ has excelled herself with this book. Not only is the story entirely different from any other book I’ve ever read, but I couldn’t figure out at all which direction the story was headed in. There were twists and turns throughout and I was surprised and totally amazed by the brilliant, unpredictable way this story unfolded and ended.
The theme of this book is very true to life. RJ Samuel has captured the pain and emotions suffered by those deceived in what is, sadly, an all too real occurrence now. Although this book is a work of fiction, there is a lot of the storyline that will ring true for those people who have been on the receiving end of online deception.
There is a light hearted side to this book too. A nice sense of humor throughout involving a very special character, five year old Sasha and her little dog Terror that I found myself wanting to hear more about. Both are a true delight to behold and lighten the darkness and pain of this story a little. This book also contains a subtle message of hope for a future after the pain subsides.
These characters are special, all are fully developed, multidimensional and interact well together and are essential to the story.
Although this story is told in a small part through email correspondence, it flows along extremely well at a nice pace and allows the reader to really get into the hearts and minds of the characters and shows the build up of their online relationship. The emails are interspersed with the present day events as they unfold.
I’ve loved each of RJ Samuel’s books, this one is in my honest opinion, her best to date. Told from the heart and written from the mind and muse. Truly a wonder to behold. A definite and firm favorite to be read time and again.
May 8, 2014
RJ Samuel is a very talented author and I enjoyed her latest book immensely. She has crafted a story that is multi layered and thought provoking, clever and unpredictable. Most of us have been touched in some way by online deceptions, if not directly, we have seen friends and colleagues suffer. A Place Somewhere thoroughly scrutinises its effect on its victims as well as the motivations behind those who deceive.
The central character, Alex Hart, is an attractive Irish woman with a dazzling smile. A successful, rational accountant, Alex discovers she has been deceived by her online partner of two years, leaving her stranded in the US with no home and little money. Unable to undo the consequences of her own betrayal she decides to expose online deceivers by becoming a sleuth, and is hired by women, suspicious of their own online romances, to root out and confront the fraudsters.
A desperate mother, Debbie, sends Alex on a mission to save her daughter Cynthia from an online fraudster. On the trail of Cynthia’s online partner, Alex must return home to Ireland to confront Breanna, who lives near the city of Galway.
There are so many layers to this story. From the vibrant Irish music scene, the hauntingly beautiful landscapes of the west of Ireland to the developing intimacy of the central characters, both by email and in ‘real’ life. Genuine dialogue and true to life characters make the story entirely authentic.
This is a tensely written suspense story that keeps the reader on edge and guessing until the final chapter. However it is much more than a who-dunnit. As Alex delves more closely into Breanna’s world she discovers a woman both desirable and complex. The interactions between these two characters are mesmerising. But who can Alex trust? Can she even trust herself?
This is a must read book, heartfelt, honest and confronting, intelligent and witty. R J Samuel has interrogated and compared online friendship and romance with the ‘real’ world. In both worlds’ liars and cheats are inevitable, but truth, honesty and true love does exist.
The central character, Alex Hart, is an attractive Irish woman with a dazzling smile. A successful, rational accountant, Alex discovers she has been deceived by her online partner of two years, leaving her stranded in the US with no home and little money. Unable to undo the consequences of her own betrayal she decides to expose online deceivers by becoming a sleuth, and is hired by women, suspicious of their own online romances, to root out and confront the fraudsters.
A desperate mother, Debbie, sends Alex on a mission to save her daughter Cynthia from an online fraudster. On the trail of Cynthia’s online partner, Alex must return home to Ireland to confront Breanna, who lives near the city of Galway.
There are so many layers to this story. From the vibrant Irish music scene, the hauntingly beautiful landscapes of the west of Ireland to the developing intimacy of the central characters, both by email and in ‘real’ life. Genuine dialogue and true to life characters make the story entirely authentic.
This is a tensely written suspense story that keeps the reader on edge and guessing until the final chapter. However it is much more than a who-dunnit. As Alex delves more closely into Breanna’s world she discovers a woman both desirable and complex. The interactions between these two characters are mesmerising. But who can Alex trust? Can she even trust herself?
This is a must read book, heartfelt, honest and confronting, intelligent and witty. R J Samuel has interrogated and compared online friendship and romance with the ‘real’ world. In both worlds’ liars and cheats are inevitable, but truth, honesty and true love does exist.
November 24, 2016
Loved It
I absolutely loved this. The characters are interesting and multidimensional and I loved the twists in the plot.
This is not erotica, so don't expect it, but read it anyway!
I rarely give five star ratings. This book absolutely deserves it.
I absolutely loved this. The characters are interesting and multidimensional and I loved the twists in the plot.
This is not erotica, so don't expect it, but read it anyway!
I rarely give five star ratings. This book absolutely deserves it.
February 17, 2023
This book is better than I thought it would be. Couldn’t put it down until I finished it cause I really wanted to know was going on. So glad I stumbled upon this great piece. Not for people who enjoy lots of physical interaction tho, but that’s what make the story better for me.
April 3, 2022
4.5 Stars
Read
October 6, 2025Idk why it didn’t keep my review. I can’t rate it with stars but I enjoyed it and would read it again. I had fun.
June 5, 2014
RJ Samuel has once again proven herself to be a gifted storyteller. This book, while very different from her others, shares one important thing with her past works--the plot is so unique, it is unlike anything you will find in les fic. It completely deviates from the norm, and that's what makes RJ Samuel's books so enticing. I don't know how this author does it, but the stories she invents are intricate, filled with surprises, and altogether unexpected.
"A Place Somewhere," has a painful quality about it, with characters that bear the bruises of loss. But where there is loss, there is also hope. And where there is a void, there is the chance for love to fill it. The characters, Alex and Breanna, at first seem as broken as the empty shells of unfinished homes that permeate the property at which much of the book takes place. But as we see the drama unfold, we also see that there is a chance to rebuild a life after all is seemingly lost.
I loved this book. It made me think and think hard. It was haunting in many ways, but in a good way. Not many books in this genre have that effect on me. Highly recommend.
"A Place Somewhere," has a painful quality about it, with characters that bear the bruises of loss. But where there is loss, there is also hope. And where there is a void, there is the chance for love to fill it. The characters, Alex and Breanna, at first seem as broken as the empty shells of unfinished homes that permeate the property at which much of the book takes place. But as we see the drama unfold, we also see that there is a chance to rebuild a life after all is seemingly lost.
I loved this book. It made me think and think hard. It was haunting in many ways, but in a good way. Not many books in this genre have that effect on me. Highly recommend.
April 26, 2014
Another excellent story from R J. Believable characters and settings and a stark warning on the perils of internet dating.
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