Review: The Hollow by Lara Bruni

★★★☆☆

🌶🌶

Series: Hollow Creek Trilogy, Book 1

Review:

This review was written for Reedsy Discovery

A romantic suspense with a close-knit found family and multiple budding love stories surrounding the central romance

Starting anew after her stalker has finally been locked away, Kaitlynn discovers an abandoned house in Hollow Creek and aspires to restore it. Life moves quickly for the best-selling author in this new town–she becomes fast friends with her realtor, Emma, and senses an immediate spark with her contractor, Noah. She becomes unsettled upon realizing she has deep ties with the town and especially when she begins receiving chilling text messages and phone calls. As the insidious messages escalate to acts of violence, Kate and her friends must stay one step ahead of the crazed stalker.

With strong found family vibes, The Hollow is cozy for a romantic suspense. At once, I was at ease with Kate’s new friends. Her slow-burn romance with Noah builds the tension alongside the suspense of evading a stalker who is ready to burn everything to the ground if he can’t have Kate. Kate’s isn’t the only romance building; supporting characters find themselves entangled in love triangles. Lara Bruni also incorporates a mild supernatural element, in which Kate sees flashes of the past in her dreams, creating an intriguing arc for the series to follow as it progresses.

I enjoyed the story overall, but at times, it felt too rushed. For example, Kate and Emma going from realtor/client to best friends almost instantaneously was difficult for me to reconcile with, perhaps because I’ve found it difficult to make new close friends in adulthood. I also struggled with the portrayal of the stalker, Nick. The sections told from his point of view were not written as strongly as others. Overall, I would continue reading the series because I became invested in the side characters’ developing love stories, so I want to stick around for their happy endings. I am also looking forward to learning more about the town’s history.

Audience: adult
Trigger warnings: stalking
Recommended for fans of: found family, romantic suspense, a dash of paranormal

Publisher's Synopsis:

Best-selling author Kaitlynn Pete thought she had found her sanctuary in the quiet town of Hollow Creek, a place where she could escape the trauma of putting a relentless stalker behind bars. But when she purchases a dilapidated house on the outskirts of town and meets the sexy and charming contractor, Noah Cassidy, she realizes things aren’t quite as tranquil as they may seem.

The crumbling house seems like the perfect place to start over—until she discovers her uncanny connection to the town’s dark past. But as Kate works to uncover the disturbing truth, her stalker escapes, resuming his twisted obsession.

With the clock ticking and danger closing in, Kate and Noah must not only confront their feelings for each other, but outsmart a predator who will stop at nothing to claim her for his own. Can she survive the stalker’s deadly game, or will history repeat itself in the most terrifying way?

Source:

Reedsy Discovery

©Lara Bruni: March 2, 2025
Edition: digital ARC, read on KU
379 pages

Start reading the Hollow Creek Trilogy series on Kindle Unlimited, or purchase your copies today!
1. The Hollow: https://amzn.to/42LtV5A
2. Hollow Lake: https://amzn.to/44r1w6a
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