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After being raped by her possessive controlling boyfriend, Lenzi Newman is scared and unsure what she should do and who she should tell. She’s the girl who always does what it takes to please people, never speaking her mind and pretty much being a doormat. She doesn’t go to the cops and doesn’t want anyone to know, especially her roommates, Gail and Jayson, but she does go to the hospital for an examination. When she returns home, Jayson is the only one home and things happen to make him realize something is terribly wrong. He convinces Lenzi to confine in him.
Jayson Kendrick is the odd man out living in a house with two women. Jayson is an actor getting ready for his role in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” His girlfriend and costar, Tina, isn’t happy with his living arrangement and takes every opportunity to tell him or his roommates exactly how she feels. Jayson has a secret thing for Lenzi, but until the rape she had a boyfriend. When Lenzi confides in him, Jayson is determined to be there for her. When Lenzi starts receiving hang-up calls and unusual things start happening inside the house, Jayson becomes her protector.
As the relationship between Lenzi and Jayson becomes something more than friendship, her stalking escalates. They take every precaution to protect her, but somehow the stalker continues to get into the house and leave Lenzi scary mementos. The obvious suspects are Lenzi’s ex and Tina, but are they too obvious? Nothing adds up, but things keep happening. The shocking conclusion will surprise you. I had an idea who stalker was before it was revealed, but I was never completely sure.
MIDSUMMER NIGHTS bring up two important issues we face today such as date rape and stalking. Janet Mills handles the date rape issue very well. The reader knows something violent happened that night, but we aren’t given the grisly details. The suspense keeps the reader hanging on by a thread as does the budding romance between Lenzi and Jayson. I’ve always enjoyed Ms. Mills work and MIDSUMMER NIGHTS is no exception.
Reviewed by Jennifer Ray
for The Road to Romance
March 25, 2005
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