Review: A 3rd Time to Die

Title: A 3rd Time to Die
Author: George. A Bernstein
Publication Date: June 6, 2013
Source: Author
Summary (from Goodreads): Two souls struggle to fulfill their destinies together. Twice, in the 17th and 19th Centuries, just as they discover the magic of their love, their lives are snuffed out by brutal murder. Reborn for the third time in the 21st Century, they discover each other again… and their killer is once again stalking them!

ASHLEY EASTON rescues a badly abused horse and decides to return to show jumping, the passion of her youth. The animal gives her unquestioned love, something she no longer receives from her husband, KEITH. But when Ashley begins to compete, she is terrified as the course seemingly morphs into an old forest, the jumps transformed into real walls, fences and streams. Her thoughts spill through her head in elegant French, a language she barely knows, as she attacks the fences with a fearless abandon uncharacteristic for her, winning every event.

CRAIG THORNTON is fed up with the rampant promiscuity of his society wife, TONI. An expert horseman, he attends a jumping show, seeing Ashley compete with Injun. After several missed attempts, they meet and become fast friends, their love of horses a mutual bond.

Trying to sort out her troubled marriage and to address a strange terror swamping her whenever she’s intimate, Ashley seeks psychotherapy with DR. FELDMAN. Resorting to hypnotic regression, they are stunned to find her in past lives, first in the 17th Century as the French countess who fills her head while jumping Injun, and then in Philadelphia as the daughter of a shipping tycoon. Each life is fulfilled by the wonder of passionate romance, quickly terminated by their gristly murder!

The doctor assures her these are pure figments of her subconscious, but he is shaken, realizing the truth. He somehow sees their slaughter through his own eyes! And he suspects their killer is here again, in this time!

As Ashley’s and Craig’s marriages disintegrate beyond repair, they suddenly discover much more than just friendship. It’s as if they’ve loved each other forever.
How wonderful to be in love with your best friend!

The lovers struggle to free themselves from broken marriages and find happiness in this lifetime, unaware there is again someone, nearby, intent on fulfilling an ancient legacy of death.

Will this be a 3rd time to die?

I love the idea of past lives and reincarnation. Not sure I believe it, but the thought that I was once someone else 300 years ago is very intriguing.

Ashley Easton is a wife, mother and competitive jumper. But she has also been Victoria, a French Countess in the late 1600’s. And Morgana, an heiress to a shipping business in 1850. Her life has tragically ended twice in 300 years, both times in the same exact way.

Unknown to her, her past and present lives all involve the same people. She marries the same man, has an affair with the same lover, and dies at the hands of the same psycho path— along with her lover Craig Thornton.

Craig was once a Duke and later a lawyer in his past lives. In the present he is a successful business man, in a loveless marriage to a tramp. And then, like all the previous years before, he runs into Ashley—the woman he is destined for in every life.

Ashely and Craig bond over their love of horses and become close friends. It’s not until later when Ashely starts therapy and discovers her past lives that she realizes she and Craig have history…a history that has ended very badly for both of them. Will the same bloody end  meet them for a third time, or will Ashely and Craig finally get to live out their happily ever after?

I liked the book. It has an interesting plot, the writing was good and I found the characters engaging. I did think there was more repetitiveness in it than necessary, especially when it came to telling and retelling their regression sessions. I had major issues with the relationship between Toni and her brother. Ick. I was surprised by who the murder was revealed to be, though. It turned out to be a good twist.

This book is mysterious, entertaining and features a paranormal element that isn't used enough, in my opinion which makes it unique. Definitely something to check out for sure!