“Compton’s intense, entertaining second novel involves a horrifying coverup and a powerful new drug . . . [She] pulls off a super-satisfying resolution to this romantic thriller.”
–Publishers Weekly
A “[m]odern-day fairy tale about a princely Florida lawn guy who must rescue his princess from a clutch of monsters. . . Compton burrows so deeply into Olivia’s and Anders’ troubled back stories and dramatizes in such psychologically compelling terms the swain’s attempt to rescue his princess . . . that the result is a pleasing hybrid of fairy tale and contemporary thriller. . . [Her] increasingly pointed questions about what exactly it would mean to rescue Olivia make the journey worthwhile.”
–Kirkus Reviews
“Rescuing Olivia is an absorbing novel, sharp, tightly plotted and sexy, with strong, believable characters and an emotional edginess that sets it apart. If the mystery/thriller genre is your forte, this one’s an absolute page-turner.”
–National Public Radio, WGCU 90.1, “Florida Book Page”
“A page-turner.”
–Booklist
“A lovers’ motorcycle day trip to a secluded spring in the Ocala National Forest turns into quite a ride for readers in Rescuing Olivia, the intriguing sophomore effort from Orlando newcomer Julie Compton. . . Along the way, a colorful cast of characters helps [the protagonist] battle the bad guys as he discovers the wrenching details of domestic abuse and experimental memory-blocking drugs that ultimately lead him to complete the puzzle that is Olivia.”
-Fort Myers News-Press
“The intricate plot of this intense family drama unfolds layer by layer as a so-called accident forces two people to learn the harsh lesson that sometimes it’s those closest to you that cause the most damage. Compton certainly knows how to spin an engrossing tale. Nothing is quite as it appears, which causes the suspense level to continually rise in anticipation of what’s to come.”
-RT Book Reviews
“Ms. Compton paces the story majestically, giving just enough new information in each scene to raise new questions that pull the reader forward. A fascinating cast of characters deepens the story. And as she does with the people in her story, Ms. Compton also makes each of her major settings – Florida, New England and Africa – contribute mightily to the imagistic and emotional power of the novel. By making a seemingly ordinary guy like Anders Erickson her central character, Ms. Compton goes against the grain of much contemporary suspense fiction written by woman. Most of her peers select a female protagonist, but Ms. Compton does a remarkable job of portraying a flawed yet sympathetic male hero.”
-Naples Florida Weekly
“The psychological hurdles that the characters go through in this book will keep readers breathless to the end. With rich writing, Compton dissolves writers’ stumbling blocks like piles of salt in the rain. An intriguing read with more twists than a plate full of rotini pasta, this is a five-star story of devotion as Anders questions how far he will go to rescue Olivia.”
–Bookreporter.com
“Clearly over the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Rescuing Olivia is a terrific amateur sleuth thriller. . . Anders is a refreshing hero . . . His efforts to find and rescue Olivia make for a wonderful drama.”
-Harriet Klausner
“[A] spiffy new thriller from Central Florida writer Julie Compton. Hollywood should take note. Compton’s tale offers appealing characters plus the requisite romance, action and suspense.”
-Nancy Pate (former book critic for Orlando Sentinel)
“Compton poses an intriguing view of love in her second stand-alone novel: How well do you know the person you love and, if the worst happened, what would you do to save her? . . . The intense “Rescuing Olivia” is full of surprising, mostly realistic twists that add to the tension. . . . [T]he heart of [the novel is] Anders’ and Olivia’s credible relationship and how these two people deal with their past and their future with each other.”
-South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Compton . . . has done wonders in getting inside the male mind, from barroom bragging to bedroom beckoning.”
-St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Written with a great deal of psychological insights . . . [A]n absorbing tale with an intensity that is gripping.”
–Spinetingler Magazine
