AMISS by L. L. McCall
Although, they looked exactly the same, these twin brothers couldn’t be any more different. While they were complete opposites, for the most part, they always got along well until success showered on one more than the other. The other began to despise the successful one, and it took on a whole new meaning of sibling rivalry.
Their lives would take several different twists and turns along the way. As the one harbored ill will, he was determined to get what he wanted. He wanted his brother’s successful life and his wife, but did he go too far?
AMISS2 by L. L. McCall
Follow along to see what happens next to Paul and Carla in their crazy, upside-down, complicated lives. They feverishly try to establish themselves as a united couple again as the memory of Peter still haunts them.
However, to be together they have several hurdles to overcome. They are consistently being tested, pushed, and pulled as they learn how to adapt and attempt to accept each other‘s love again.
Can Carla and Paul really pick up the pieces from where they left off?
Unfortunately, they don’t seem to mesh anymore and they may go their separate ways! After the wrath of Paul‘s twin brother, Peter, the twists and turns continue to sabotage their relationship.
People popping in from the past while others interfere in the present, but will Carla and Paul still have a future?
Reviews
Amiss
by L.L. McCall
Xlibris
book review by Amanda Hanson
“She felt as if she had known him forever as she got lost in his beautiful eyes.”
Readers meet Carla and Paul Thompson. They are happily married and live in a town called Cold Spring Harbor in New York. Paul is a wealth management advisor, and Carla owns a brick-and-mortar store. They are both successful in their careers. One day, Peter, Paul’s twin brother, shows up at their house needing a place to stay. His career as a musician has not taken off. Paul offers him a job to help around the house, and Peter accepts it. However, Peter’s presence makes Carla uncomfortable. He always makes a pass at her when his brother is not around. On top of that, Paul spends more time at work than at home, which frustrates Carla. She wishes he could spend more time with her. Peter pretends to be okay with his situation, but he is not. The more Peter sees his brother thrive financially, the more envious he becomes.
McCall skillfully establishes a sharp contrast between the siblings’ characters. For example, they might be identical twins, but they are like night and day. On the one hand, Paul is hard-working, determined, and kind. He cares about his brother a lot. His blind spot is that he does not see his brother for who he truly is. Paul’s trusting nature does not allow him to see Peter’s flaws. In contrast, Peter is arrogant, lazy, flirtatious, and rude. He wants others to do the work, and he takes credit for it. He likes to take advantage of his brother. Peter always looks out for himself. His jealous nature directs him to make some questionable decisions. He does not care unless these choices benefit him. In addition, the author addresses the message that envy and jealousy can lead to unspeakable actions with devastating consequences. Readers will also appreciate this book because of its many twists and turns.
Title: Amiss
Author: L.L. McCall
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1664150799
Pages: 88
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Alyssa Avina
One of the most dangerous and chilling emotions to the human mind has to be jealousy. Whether you call it jealousy or envy, the emotion has a way of wreaking havoc on both the jealous party and those which they are jealous of. The feeling can draw out so many other emotions in the process, from rage and grief to madness and even violent tendencies. There are many people in the world who find success in life, whether it be through their careers or their home lives, and then there are those who see that success and crave it for themselves, and in that jealously some of the worst tendencies in the human psyche can come to life.
In author L.L. McCall’s Amiss, the author explores the concept of jealousy through the story of two twin brothers and the divide which comes between them. When a young woman named Carla meets twin brothers Peter and Paul, she senses a great difference in the two young men’s personalities and behaviors, and finds herself drawn more to Paul than Peter. As their lives progress and Paul finds success in life and in love, Peter feels the rage of jealousy well up inside him. When finally it becomes too much for him, Peter sets into motion a series of events that will threaten to tear apart the bond between Paul and Carla forever, and lead to a violent confrontation that will rattle the foundation of brotherhood in the process.
The author did an incredible job of finding a great balance between the romance between Paul and Carla and the chilling nature of Peter’s behavior and actions. The change in perspectives through multiple POVs with this cast of characters allows the reader to get a sense for how the relationship not only between Carla and Paul, but Paul and his brother as well. The deceptive nature of Peter and the actions he takes in this novel will send chills down the reader’s spine, as his actions speak volumes to the levels of inadequacy and jealousy he harbored for his brother and his brother’s life for years. The mind games that Peter enacts throughout this thriller will keep readers on the edge of their seats as the tension builds between these characters.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy a healthy mix of romance and domestic thrillers. The heightened tension between the brothers and Carla is paired well with the emotional depth of the relationship between Carla and Paul, and allows the readers to connect with these characters and the very realistic nature of the novel’s plot. The author’s writing was both quick paced and yet layered with nuance, allowing the readers to really envelop themselves in the emotional storm that Peter brewed between the three of them.
Haunting, memorable, and engaging, author L.L. McCall’s Amiss is a must-read romantic thriller. The twists and turns in the narrative and the shocking final chapters will keep readers hanging onto the author’s every word, and the power of the author’s writing style will have readers eager to dive further into the author’s work in the future.
“The author weaves words together like a fine thread, formulating ideas, relating scenes or images together exceptionally. The voice is pronounced and consistent, which is vital in any celebrated literary piece. These are the qualities that set the author apart from all other writers.”