Author Chloe Higgins delivers yet again on her latest novel:
Book Rating:
Author and editor Chloe Higgins successfully engages her readers from the first sentence of her thrilling and heartfelt romance novel Mysteries Around Him.
Her paranormal romance world building is deep enough to keep you hooked for more while not overcomplicating the plot. I found myself picking out details and savoring them like:
He never takes his eyes off me, and he doesn't seem fazed that I'm watching such an intimate moment as he continues to stare back.
-Higgins chapter 4: Caught Watching
However the real meat of the story, such as the character development and the plot shine through like spotlights, illuminating just how skilled of a writer Higgins is.
The protagonist Hallie who is from a small town with a tight-knit family and one best friend, not only paint a believable picture of who she is, but properly motivate her interactions and behaviors. A wonderful example of this is how she approaches her relationship with her love interest, River Knight.
Due not having much dating experience from her small town, she is prone to curiosity, caution, and even a twinge of overanalyzing his and her words and actions which I personally can relate to.
Although I don't want to face River after what happened last night...I know I can't sit idly by and not thank him for taking me home and making sure I was safe.
-Higgins chapter 7: Feel like Death
Yet, she is also strong-willed and doesn't let herself get easily bullied, even when Giselle, who claims to be River's girlfriend tells her off while studying. She confronts River about the interaction to get to the bottom of it!
River Knight is also carefully penned and increasingly developed in an exciting way. I couldn't get enough of his little mysteries, like where does his ring come from and why, out of everyone, he has this need to tell Hallie about it?
River appears in front of me, slamming the dorr behind him with such speed that my hair flies over my shoulders. "Let's get you to bed, Strawberry."
-Higgins chapter 6: Antique Ring
Unlike so many other novels where the love interest can come across as flat, River Knight comes across as well-rounded, intriuging and most all, desirable. You want to want him. He's enthralling!
Along with a winning main love pair, the serial killer subplot keeps me scrolling for more. I couldn't wait to figure out not only what happened to the victims, but also who murdered them and why?!
"There has been another murder in the string of crimes flooding the streets of Los Angeles. The victim appears to be a woman in her 20s and her body has been completely drained of blood."
-Higgins chapter 3: On the Loose
I won't spoil any juicy tidbits, but trust me when I say you're in for a ride!
In short, stop what you're doing and give yourself the escape you deserve by reading Mysteries Around Him, found on Webnovel, Dreame, and iReader!
Now, you are all in for a special treat!
Exclusive author interview with Chloe Higgins!
I have the profound privilege of having the opportunity to ask Chloe the following questions about her craft, her inspirations, and of course, herself!
1) Which part of your story was the most fun to write?
I think it would have been writing the entire crime/mystery aspect of the story. Don't get me wrong, I love writing romance, but crime elements have always been a guilty pleasure of mine so whenever I get a chance to write in that genre I take it.
2) What ingredient do you find really spices up the romance in your novel?
That is a very good question, especially if you're struggling to spice up the romance in your story. I have been a big romance reader for many years, so I've been able to pick up on some do's and dont's. I think the one ingredient I like to add to my romance scenes is building the tension between the two characters through body language, dialogue, mood setting of the scene, and most of all, some good ole' passion to elevate the scene.
It's taken me awhile writing many different stories to understand how I like to write those kind of scenes, so it does take some time and practice, but once you've figured it out, it'll benefit your romance story telling immensely.
3) What piece of advice do you have for other aspiring or other indie authors out there?
Just keep writing!
Your work isn't going to be seen by anyone if you don't put your head down, build confidence, and write the story in your head. It is a hard industry to get into, but the only way you're going to get your foot in the door is if you try your hardest and continue writing for people to read.
I think having confidence in yourself is key to being able to power through a manuscript because it's the first step in getting your book into the world. You need to believe in yourself and your story telling abilities, otherwise no one else will.
About the author:
Chloe is an indie author living in Wollongong, Australia. She has written three books with a fourth in the works with eGlobal Creative Publishing, and she is also a content editor which has been a dream of hers for many years. She has had one of her books be translated into three different languages: Indonesian, Portuguese, and Spanish, which is a major achievement for her. She is passionate about helping other indie authors put their work into the world whether it's by offering writing tips and advice, or editing manuscripts.
Chloe enjoys reading romance novels and has since she was fifteen years old when she bought her first romance influenced YA book 'The Kissing Booth', which led to reading more spicier novels over the years. Her favourite authors are Anna Todd, Colleen Hoover, Jay Crownover, and Christina Lauren. These authors have greatly influenced her love of romance in both what she reads and how she writes.
Chloe hopes to one day in the near future produce a self published book because she enjoys the process of doing everything herself, and hopes that other authors will do the same because it'll be a rewarding project to complete.
Thank you for reading, and as always, Embrace the Paper Hurricane!