The Two Lila Bennetts by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

The Two Lila Bennetts by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke – 320 pages

Book Blurb:

Lila Bennett’s bad choices have finally caught up with her. And one of those decisions has split her life in two. Literally. In one life, she’s taken hostage by someone who appears to be a stranger but knows too much. As she’s trapped in a concrete cell, her kidnapper forces her to face what she’s done or be killed. In an alternate life, she eludes her captor but is hunted by someone who is dismantling her happiness, exposing one secret at a time.
Lila’s decorated career as a criminal defense attorney, her marriage, and her life are on the line. She must make a list of those she’s wronged—both in and out of the courtroom—to determine who is out to get her before it’s too late. But even if she can pinpoint her assailant, will she survive? And if she does, which parts of her life are worth saving, and which parts must die? Because one thing’s for certain—life as Lila Bennett knew it is over. 

My Review: 4 stars

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For fans of Gwyneth Paltrow’s film Sliding Doors or those who loved the Choose Your Own Adventure books as kids, you’ll love this thriller from Fenton & Steinke. The Two Lila Bennetts juggles the question about the power that one decision can have over the rest of your life. 

The reader gets to explore two parallel timelines based on each important decision Lila makes and how it ultimately will affect her future. The chapters alternate between “captured” and “free”, each focusing on what would happen based on her choices and behavior. This was a creative and clever take on suspense writing.

Although often morally questionable, Lila Bennett is the type of protagonist you still root for. Has she made some bad decisions? Yes. But haven’t we all? Her struggle to be good given the decisions she has made and the people she has hurt really humanized her characterization. Lila was both strong and weak, smart and self-destructive. She is who she is and I found it refreshing to see a woman so accepting of herself.

The plot was extremely well charted & unpredictable. I’m usually pretty good at guessing the twists and turns in thrillers, but this one kept me on my toes. I will say at the beginning it was tough getting into this writing pattern as the chapters ended quite abruptly. Once I got into the tempo of the writing style, the pages flew by. Overall, I thought this was another great read from this dynamic duo.  

Quotes I liked:

Maybe all we are is a sum of our choices, each one leading us down a different path, each with its own unique outcome. The notion that each decision holds that much power is overwhelming.”

Tonight, I feel the chasm become visceral, like my life could split in two— the choices laid at my feet leading me on completely different paths.”