Review of Six Years by Harlan Coben

I was so excited when I was given the opportunity to read Harlan Coben's latest work of suspense/thriller fiction. The story begins with Jake Sanders sitting in a church watching the love of his life, Natalie, getting married to a man named Todd. Jake just had to see for his self that the woman he cherished deeply was in fact marrying someone other than him. Someone who seemed to have just appeared out of thin air. At the end of the wedding, Natalie asks Jake to promise not to look for her. That promise he kept... for six years. Harlan Coben is great at putting an average person into the most bizarre of circumstances. After seeing the man Todd listed in the obituaries, Jake sets off on an insane journey of locating his long lost love, Natalie. Much to his chagrin, she doesn't seem to exist. Unable to accept no for an answer, Jake is determined to find Natalie.

What I love most about Coben novels are that the action never ceases. Because Jake narrates the story, there isn't too much character developments except for the people he knows. Nor is it overly atmospheric. We, the readers, only know what he's able to tell us. This does not hurt the plot in my opinion but instead keeps it moving forward. There are so many roadblocks and red herrings that Coben sets up that it really keeps the mystery and suspense alive. I believe fans of Coben's will appreciate his latest standalone novel. Although, it seems like it's been used before... the whole damsel assumed to be in distress needs a big hero to save her from everything... with love as his weapon, what could possibly go wrong. It's a little cliche but it works. The world will never get tired of that formula and I won't either. It's more or less about the journey it takes to get what you really want or love and the rewards it can render. I look forward to reading more by Harlan Coben. I am a fan!