You don’t have to read the Consequences series to enjoy this stand-alone novel, but if you know Tony Rawlings, you know that disappointing him isn’t an option. Imagine being his youngest daughter…imagine telling him the unimaginable…
“Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.”
Sometimes ideas find you, and dreams begin as nightmares. Sometimes the truth that has been kept hidden is the key to opening a door you never knew existed.
“You might not know me. I’m the baby of the Rawlings family, the princess, the daughter who came along later. I’m not like my older siblings, successful at everything they touch. My mother and father have provided me with every luxury as well as their unyielding love and support, but I’m not spoiled. I’m also not content. By example, my parents have shown me how love should be. I don’t know their past, and that doesn’t matter. I know what I’ve seen—two people devoted to one another.
I don’t believe that I’ll ever find that kind of love, the kind that forgives and accepts all. And as my life falls to pieces and I travel to visit my family to face their disappointment, I’m not even looking for it.
I’m looking for an escape…from my life as a Rawlings…from the pressure to achieve and not let others down. I dream of the time I can live for my own desires without the expectations that come with my name.
I don’t find what I’m seeking…it finds me. Or should I say…he finds me.
This time is different. I have a family who will search for me and find the answers. Little do we know—any of us—that my father set my journey into motion long before I was born.”
“Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.” ~Dalai Lama
Ripples (Unabridged Version) is Natalie’s story, the youngest of Tony and Claire’s children—their baby. This story first appeared in shorter form in Glamour: Contemporary Fairytale Retellings. Due to the length restriction of each novella in that anthology, many scenes in Ripples were shortened or omitted for that anthology. This unabridged edition is the entire story—double in length and—a full-length novel.
Please enjoy this Consequences novel along with special appearances from your favorite Consequences characters.
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Robin’s Review
Author Aleatha Romig is probably known best for her dark and mysterious Consequences series and is now revisiting her beloved Consequences characters in a new standalone novel titled Ripples. According to Romig, Ripples appeared in a shorter format in the anthology titled Glamour: Contemporary Fairytale Retellings. Romig either omitted or shortened many scenes of Ripples so it could be included in the anthology, but she is now releasing Ripples in its full-length novel format. Readers who have never read the Consequences series are now able to sample a bit of the series in this spinoff novel!
Ripples focuses on Natalie Rawlings, the youngest daughter of Anthony (Tony) Rawlings and Claire Nichols Rawlings. As the novel begins, Natalie struggles with how to tell her parents that she has failed out of Harvard. She lacks the drive for business that her two siblings inherited from their father and longs for something different – freedom from the expectations and restraints of being the daughter of wealthy and highly successful businessman Tony Rawlings. While traveling overseas for the Christmas holiday, Natalie finds the freedom she’s been searching for in a man named Dexter Smithers, her escape nothing she could have possibly imagined.
Although Natalie and Dexter are brand-new Romig characters, I felt a dark sense of déjà vu while reading their story – strangely reminiscent of how I felt while reading Consequences. Let there be no doubt Romig takes readers to a dark place in this novel. I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach for many chapters of the novel, but as I continued reading, I began to grow more confused by my own feelings. Natalie experiences a tremendous amount of character development which caused me to feel conflicted. Ripples is definitely a love story, but not one in the traditional sense. If you love dark romance, this book might be perfect for you!
Aleatha Romig excels in crafting a mystery. For me, the most remarkable features of her writing are the attention she pays to detail and her uncanny ability to weave layers of clues throughout a book or series. I found myself extremely interested in the background of Dexter Smithers. How did he come to be in Natalie’s orbit? What are his connections to the Rawlings family? I truly enjoyed revisiting Tony and Claire Rawlings, meeting their adult children, and seeing how their family has progressed since the days of the series. I have always been very fond of Phil Roach, so I was excited to see that he and his wife, Taylor, play a huge role in Ripples!
Romig begins her book with an ominous quote from Dalai Lama, “Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into the water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.” For me, this quote is very telling. Readers of the Consequences series will understand EXACTLY what Romig is trying to convey. If you read Ripples, you are about to embark on an adventure. Although Ripples is written in the format of a standalone novel, Romig left Dexter and Natalie’s story wide open. Overall, Ripples is a solid 4-star novel, and I sincerely hope Aleatha Romig decides to give us more of their story!
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!
Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand alone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat.
In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romantic suspense with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.
2017 brings Aleatha’s first “Leatha, the lighter side of Aleatha” with PLUS ONE, a fun, sexy romantic comedy.
Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
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