Liane Moriarty

The Hypnotist's Love Story

Lamia Hajani

4 stars

I'm starting to feel like I'm just another Liane Moriarty stan, possibly because I've become one. She writes a really good story! I didn't think I'd find something about a hypnotist's love life so interesting, but I really did. I'm not sure it does great justice to the issue of stalking and it sort of downplays it a little, but I do think that's because Moriarty is speaking through her character who ends up realizing that she is wrong. 

I would recommend as an airport/travel read or someone who's an established fan of Liane Moriarty.

Briar's Reviews

I'm so torn on this book!

The Hypnotist's Love Story is a marvelous stand alone by the author of Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty. This book is full of deceit, stalkers, a very strange love story, and life lessons. Oh, and did I mention a little hypnotherapy? It's kind of obvious, since it is in the title, but it's one of the biggest parts of this novel!

I found this book to be an interesting mix of chick lit, drama and contemporary fiction. There were times I was laughing, there were times when I was cringing, and at the end I felt like I was missing something. I wanted just a little more of Ellen and Patrick's story instead of the abrupt ending. There was so much strange insanity in this book (Patrick having a stalker, Ellen being a hypnotherapist, Patrick's former wife Colleen, Saskia's past...) that I was left feeling slightly empty. All of these story lines were epic, but none of them had the big follow through I was hoping for (especially in a book as long as this one!). 

Ellen starts dating Patrick and their relationship moves very fast. Soon enough, she learns that Patrick's ex-girlfriend Saskia is stalking him and that he is a widower. He idolized Colleen and the son, Jack, that they shared together. Ellen gets the feeling she doesn't live up to Colleen and she seems to be intrigued by this stalker. All throughout the book we follow some of Ellen's hypnotizing shenanigans and meet some of the clients. Of course, that doesn't go too well either. 

This book has the best concepts - all of that paragraph makes me really excited! To me, I just wanted more follow through. Why does Saskia feel the need to stalk? Why does Patrick feel like the type of guy Ellen should have just dumped? How did Ellen become a hypnotherapist? Why was hypnotherapy working on certain clients? 

All of that being said, this book was still a real treat. If you love drama and a splash of romance, this book would be perfect for your shelf. Not every book can be utterly perfect in a reader's eye and I do expect a lot (I grew up watching soap operas, so I kind of expect the real dramatics). Liane also has a wonderful writing style that makes the book fluid and easy to read (and man, having a 400 page book as an easy read is a real feat, so don't underestimate this woman!). I will one hundred percent be reading more books by Liane Moriarty. Her ideas are incredible, her writing style is flawless and she writes realistic, believable characters REALLY well!

Three out of five stars! 

P.S. "Knit, don't stalk" is the most solid life advice I've ever read from a book. It is also now my favourite line I've ever read and I'm going to live by it.

As a hypnotherapist, Ellen helps her clients deal with all sorts of unusual problems. So when she finds out that her new boyfriend, Nathan, is being stalked by his ex-lover, she's not worried at all; in fact, she's rather curious and wishes she could sit down with Saskia to have a good chat about it all. No one grows up dreaming of becoming a stalker. It's not a life ambition or game plan. It just sort of... happens. At least that's Saskia's story and she's sticking with it. And she's determined not to be left behind by Nathan and Ellen's new love. Ellen's wish to counsel Saskia comes true in a way she could never have predicted – Saskia has been masquerading as a new client...This perceptive and honest novel from Liane Moriarty shows us that life is complicated, relationships aren't black and white, and people are never simply good or bad. And we all do crazy things sometimes – especially when we are in love!"Not all the best writers are to be found on the Miles Franklin shortlist. Consider Liane Moriarty, superb in technique... should have more critical success. All of her novels set themselves extremely difficult tasks... The novel blends elements of crime, horror and love story... " (Sunday Age)

Jessica Ford

Liane Moriarty is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I have read several of her books, and this one didn't disappoint. It was funny and crazy, and I loved the characters. Definitely a fun, quick read.

Eva Bailey

One of my favourite Liane Moriartys, a super addictive and easy read.

Megan Vaughn

** spoiler alert **
           I like Liane Moriarty for her writing style more so than her plot lines and this book definitely falls into that category. I would describe this book as enjoyable to read - no ultra suspenseful plot line, no big twist, just a well written book with a nice level of detail. 

Overall I liked Ellen as a main character, although I found her reaction to Saskia slightly unrealistic (although I’ve never been in that position before so I could not say for sure.) I would think finding out your new boyfriend has a stalker would be a lot more alarming and unsettling than intriguing. However, the book did seem to acknowledge this was an inappropriate reaction. 

I enjoyed Saskia’s plight as the stalker. I feel like showing her viewpoint helped to give the book some depth. Instead of a deranged, faceless stalker she became a real person struggling with various degrees of loss.

Overall I love a happy, nearly tied up ending and that’s what this book had. It was a very solid ending that left me feeling good about myself and optimistic for all these characters.

Mars Holscher

Summary: Woman loves man. Man has stalker. Woman becomes intrigued by stalker. 

It took an embarrassingly large amount of references to Australia to figure out this book was written by Liane Moriarty, who also wrote Big Little Lies. She's pretty good at writing about Australian women and their relationships, so I see why she's done it several times. It's written from two viewpoints: the 3rd person viewpoint of the hypnotist woman, and the 1st person viewpoint of her new boyfriend's stalker. This kept the pacing exciting enough to make it an easy read. 

This novel brushes on some heavy topics, but doesn't get so deep into them that you get lost in despair. I ended up feeling empathy for most of the characters - even the stalker. The whole time I was hoping that the lightness would continue, as a dark ending would have been so jarring. It's hard to read a book with characters you relate to and feel for, just to watch them crash and burn in the end. The book's conclusion is satisfying in the sense that everyone gets what they "deserve" - it was the happiest ending possible, and I was glad for it. 

All in all, this book is about love. It's about searching for love, falling in love, losing love, loving imperfectly, grieving over love, accepting love for what it is, and accepting love for what it isn't. I felt so cheesy writing that, but that's how the novel made me feel - it was cheesy at certain points, but heartwarming. It wasn't over-the-top impressive or amazing, but it was a very solid book that I'd recommend to anyone who is looking for something reflective yet not too upsetting or disturbing.

Meghan Truskowski

I really like Moriarty 's books but I felt this one had some unnecessary parts. could have cut some parts out, still good just not my favorite.

Vanessa Dendinger

Rebecca Harwood

Payten Bovat

Ali Hartley

Abbie Duggan

Martha F.

Allison Dempsey

Keely Calagos

Ronnie

Megan During

Kate Lillie

Caitlin Hooker

Erin Jensen

Alistair James

Tess McMahon

From the no. 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Husband's Secret, Big Little Lies and new novel Apples Never Fall. TO BE ADAPTED INTO A TELEVISION SERIES STARRING HEATHER GRAHAM As a hypnotherapist, Ellen O'Farrell is fascinated by what makes people tick. So when she falls in love with Patrick, the fact that he has a stalker doesn't faze her in the slightest. If anything it intruiges her, and the more she hears about Saskia, the more she wants to meet this woman. But what Ellen doesn't know is that they've already met... Saskia has been posing as one of Ellen's clients. Unable to let go of the life she so abruptly lost, she wants to know everything about the woman who took her place. But it's not only Saskia who doesn't know when to stop: Ellen also has to ask herself what lines she's prepared to cross to get the happy ending she's always wanted. PRAISE FOR THE HYPNOTIST'S LOVE STORY "Love is not black and white ... fascinating and compassionate fiction" Daily Telegraph "A sharp and funny romantic tale." O Magazine "A compelling love triangle ... romance with an edge ... the latest triumph... What lifts this tale to another plane is the level of empathy that runs through the narrative." Australian Women's Weekly Book of the Month "Supurb in technique... All of her novels set themselves extremely difficult tasks...The novel blends elements of crime, horror and love story..." Sunday Age "A warmly humourous, gently poignany, ultimately comforting tale of frustration and redemption..." USA Today