Scott and Rachel’s marriage is on the brink of disaster. Scott, a businessman with a high-pressure job, just wants Rachel to understand him and accept his flaws. Rachel is a lonely housewife, desperate for attention and friendship. So she decides to create a virtual friend online, unaware that Scott is doing the exact same thing. As Rachel desperately tries to re-create a friendship with a friend who has passed, Scott becomes unfaithful and is torn between the love for his wife and the perfection of his cyber-girlfriend. But neither realizes that there’s a much larger problem looming…
Behind both of their online creations is Melissa, a woman who is brilliant—and totally insane. Masquerading as both friend and lover, Melissa programmed a search parameter into the virtual friend software to find her perfect man, but along the way she forgot to specify his marriage status. And Scott is her ideal match. Now Melissa is determined to have it all—Scott, his family, and Rachel’s life.
As Melissa grows bolder and her online manipulations transition into the real world, Scott and Rachel figure out they are being played. Now it’s a race against time as Scott and Rachel fight to save their marriage, and their lives, before it’s too late.
In today’s digital age, the Internet presents all kinds of opportunities to test our personal boundaries, and this exciting and suspenseful story raises important questions about the ethics of virtual relationships. Friend Me will open your eyes to a new—and terrifying—moral dimensions and how they play out in the real world.
John Faubion has spent many years in Asia as a missionary with his family. Since returning to the United States, John has worked as a senior software developer for a large appliance chain. He teaches an adult Sunday school class and enjoys writing and driving his 1949 Packard automobile. John lives near Indianapolis with his wife, Beth, and their daughter.
My Impressions:
What could go wrong? That’s the question posed by main character, Scott in John Faubion’s debut novel, Friend Me. The answer is, plenty, when we leave morality and boundaries behind in the realm of social media. Friend Me is a look at what could go desperately wrong when we veer off God’s path.
Rachel Douglas is lonely. The mother of two young children feels isolated from the world when she turns to a website to create a virtual friend. Her husband, Scott, thinks it is great idea for his wife and creates his own virtual friend. Unfortunately a psychopath is behind the two friends the couple creates.
I think Friend Me would make an excellent book club book. There are so many things to examine and discuss — the insidious nature of virtual realities and the danger of giving up relationship and reality when things get tough or boring or mundane. The virtual world seems here to stay. Does God’s word speak to the limits we should put on our participation? John Faubion explores this as well. As a suspense story, Friend Me delivers chilling scenes and tension to keep you turning the pages. The conversations between the characters seem a bit stiff, but overall the writing is good.
Thought-provoking and frightening, Friend Me is a good choice for those who like suspense with grit and depth.
Recommended.
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(Thanks to LitFuse for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)
To purchase this book, click on the image below.
John Faubion is celebrating release of Friend Me with a Kindle HDX giveaway!
One winner will receive:
- A brand new Kindle Fire HDX
- Friend Me by John Faubion
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 22nd. Winner will be announced February 24th on John Faubion’s blog.
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