Author: David Crisofano
Rating: 3 our of 5 Mulberries
When Melody Grace McCartney was six years old, she and her parents witnessed an act of violence so brutal that it changed their lives forever. The federal government lured them into the Witness Protection Program with the promise of safety, and they went gratefully. But the program took Melody's name, her home, her innocence, and, ultimately, her family. She's been May Adams, Karen Smith, Anne Johnson, and countless others—everyone but the one person she longs to be: herself. So when the feds spirit her off to begin yet another new life in another town, she's stunned when a man confronts her and calls her by her real name. Jonathan Bovaro, the mafioso sent to hunt her down, knows her, the real her, and it's a dangerous thrill that Melody can't resist. He's insistent that she's just a pawn in the government's war against the Bovaro family. But can she trust her life and her identity to this vicious stranger whose acts of violence are legendary?
"The Girl She Used to Be," a romantic suspense novel by debut author David Crisofano, was a fascinating glimpse into the Witness Protection Program. Melody Grace was placed in The Witness Protection Program at the early age of 6 and yearns for her identity. Now, at age 26, Melody is transported to her newest location, only to be discovered by the mob who is determined to end her life. But her captor, Jonathan Bovaro, complicates things -- because she falls in love.
Overall, the pacing was well done and I sympathized with the protagonist, Melody. Still, once she met Jonathan, I found myself rolling my eyes. Their relationship was not believable to me and she fell for him way too quickly after supposedly saving herself for Mr. Right. And she was a bit whiny.
"The Girl She Used to Be" was a short, fast read and the ending was sweet and sappy. This book will make some girls swoon, to be sure, I just wasn't too into Jonathan. I think some part of me preferred the Marshall -- the "good" character who was supposed to be boring. Ah well, the ending brought some tears to my eyes and so I was at least partly moved by Melody and Jonathan's star crossed relationship.
Not quite my genre of choice, but well written with a unique plot and interesting backdrop, I recommend "The Girl She Used to Be" with three of five mulberries.
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