Ten Years Gone by Wendy Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ten Years Gone is the story of Clare and Griffin.
When they were teens they fell madly in love with one another. It’s the classic boy meets girl story, where the boy is from the wrong side of the tracks.
They risk a lot to be with one another, but the relationship doesn’t last as long as they would’ve hoped. Unfortunately, it ends abruptly with Griffin being incarcerated for murder.
After he’s locked up, Griffin refuses to remain in contact with Clare. It’s not that he doesn’t still care for her, he just doesn’t want her wasting her life on him. She’s hurt, but she’s also young and resilient. She does move on, but you never forget your first love. We all know that.
Ten years later, Griffin is finally being released. He doesn’t know what to expect from life on the outside and he could never have expected what happens to him. Newly released, he’s abducted, and he barely escapes with his life.
He finds himself on the run, hiding from who, he doesn’t know, but he needs to figure out the truth about the past if he has any chance of surviving for the future.
Clare is startled when she hears the news of Griffin’s release. She days away from her own wedding, but she’s never forgotten Griffin. When she starts getting cryptic text messages bringing up the past, she decides it’s time to figure out the truth of that night.
Alternating between the past and present, Walker did an amazing job weaving together this tense and exciting Thriller. I had so much fun with it. It’s definitely a Popcorn Thriller, juicy and enticing, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the Reader engaged.
There were so many times that I thought I knew the answer to it all, and while I was picking up on little things, it was much more complex than I originally anticipated. Walker was bringing the layers and I was sat.
I liked the sort of star crossed lovers aspect that Walker created here as well. Boy from the wrong side of the tracks, rich good girl dating outside her parents’ comfort zone, and the night that changed it all.
It was almost a bit too romantic for me, in regards to the way the characters thought about one another, but I think a lot of Readers will eat that aspect up.
Walker is such a great writer. There’s a fantastic flow and pace in all of her books, and this one is no exception. They’re just highly readable and so gripping. Once I started this, it was all I could think about. I just wanted to keep going.
It wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t need it to be. It was fun. It was entertaining and I had a blast learning the truth at the heart of Clare and Griffin’s story.
I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced and drama-filled Popcorn Thriller. Bonus points if you enjoy a little romance with your thrills!
Thank you to the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This book doesn’t release until 2027, but I couldn’t wait.
I love Wendy Walker!
