I couldn't believe this book is a true story. At times i felt sorry for Carolyn Woods but most of the time i thought she was very silly to believe what Mark Acklom was telling her. I am sure most women wouldn't fall for all the tales he told her, i hope. Pleased he ended up in jail.

A true story written by the victim of a career conman, giving an insight into his modus operandi and the difficulties faced by the judicial system.

Unfortunately frequent repetition makes the book an uninspiring and frustrating read and it is difficult to feel very much compassion for the victim, who comes across as gullible, naive and inconsistent. The author blames the conman for her increasingly illogical actions because his ridiculous tales were so convincing. I struggle to understand how anyone could take such little personal responsibility as the events continued to unfold over a prolonged period and behave so helplessly for so long.

The author says she is offended by the suggestion that she fell for the scams through greed. Whilst taking nothing away from the obvious guile of the skilled career criminal she was so unfortunate to become involved with, his excuses were so outlandish that I'm afraid it's difficult to imagine what other explanation there could be than her belief that in the end she would become very rich.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.
Shocking to think this is a true story and that such things happen in life.
At times this is a pretty uncomfortable read given the fact it is true.
Other times you feel as if you'd like to give Ms Woods a good shake and tell her to waken up and smell the coffee, but the old saying of never judge a person until you've walked a mile in their shooes is relevant here.
A tale of a woman completely taken in a smooth talking con man.
Despite all the obvious signs and warnings from friends and family members she end up taken for everything.
Can't eally say too much more without ruining the story.
Strap yourself in as you're in for a bumpy ride.

This is the true story of when Carolyn Woods met Mark Acklom, originally known to her as Mark Conway.

She was living in a quiet Cotswold village, renting a beautiful cottage and looking to buy her own with a substantial amount of money from the sale of her previous house. This money was sitting in the bank and, in the meantime, she had found a job in a small, local boutique.

One fateful day Mark walks into the shop and her life changes beyond recognition in a short space of time. She was conned out of her money.

I have to admit about being sceptical when I began this but I devoured it in two days as it was compulsive reading. Of course, I would say that I would never let this happen to me but he managed to con a fair few people out of substantial sums of money. There but for the grace of god…

Many thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and Carolyn Woods for the opportunity to read and give an honest review.

Excellent read and highly recommended. I hope this is a number one best seller and film.

I was intrigued to read this book after reading the blurb. The first half of the book follows the relationship between Carolyn and Mark from inception, though deception to the end. The second part of the book depicts the struggle Carolyn went through in the aftermath of discovering Mark was a liar and a scammer. Mark is obviously a despicable individual who has no shame or guilt in taking what he wants from other people. I did wonder what his wife and family thought of him and why they weren’t part of the recovery of debts as they had had the benefit of all the stolen wealth. My biggest issue is with the author, Carolyn. I wavered between much sympathy and wanting to shout at her for being so gullible to allow someone who she really didn’t know or spend quality time with to take her in and extract her money. Let this story be a lesson to us all - you can’t read a book by its cover.

What an incredible insight to the life this poor lady has lived the last 10 years. Fascinating from the start to the finish. Thank you to Netgalley and the author and publishers for the privilege to read this book for my honest opinion

I wasn’t overly sure on this book, from the premise it sounded amazing and I was so intrigued to read it since it’s a real story about someone who was duped by a psychopath, but honestly the story just felt a little naive and unbelievable so I struggled with it. I think it was just hard to believe some of the things that were fallen for, nothing against the author or what she’s come through as it sounds like a horrific experience it just wasn’t quite for me. Blurred the lines between fact and fiction a bit!

Wow what can I say except you are one very brave lady for putting your story into words. Most of us would have given up but you have remained strong and have had the courage to tell a story that should be in the movies. Thank you Carolyn for being so brave. This could happen to any of us man of woman.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the eARC.

This is an unbelievable true story that shook me to the core. I honestly couldn't understand how this poor woman was taken in so easily by Mark, who's real name is Mark Acklom (honestly, google him, he's despicable).

When I first requested this novel via Netgalley, I actually didn't realise that it was a true story. So going into it, and hearing Carolyn telling us that she slept with this man after a day of knowing him, and fell madly in love, giving him all her money and trusting him blindly, I was outraged and genuinely thought she was an absolute idiot.

When I realised that she had actually been through all of this in real life, I was shocked and heartbroken for her. In some ways, I still can't actually believe she was taking in by him (he's an arrogant and disgusting racist, and personally I would have wanted NOTHING to do with him), however, the amount of people throughout the book that we learn he has convinced with his lies, makes you wonder just how good he must be to have all these people doing his bidding.

I also felt like the 'character' of Carolyn throughout the book, specifically during her relationship with Mark, was quite an arrogant, vain and snobbish woman. I struggled to feel any sympathy for her during this part of the novel, and it was only when she finally realised what had been happening to her, and she decided to go to the police, that I actually felt sorry for her and what she had been put through.

It must have been incredibly hard for her, especially with how shockingly rubbish the authorities were and how little help she received to start with. The justice system really did fail her.

The novel itself has been written well, especially the first half where it sounds more fictional with her telling the story of their relationship and the ridiculously wild things they did; the second half felt much more like an autobiography rather than a novel, as it was very factual and to the point with the court cases and police proceedings.

I didn't enjoy the read as much as I thought I would from the synopsis, but it's worth reading to understand Carolyn's side of the story.

# Sleeping with a Psychopath # Netgalleyy
I would like to thank Netgalley and Hapercoins for giving me the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. I have not been paid or coursed in anyway at all. This is my own true honest opinion.
At first I didn’t realise it was a Autobiography. So when I did I put of reading it fir quite some time. As I do not normally read Autobiography’s or biographies. Yet I do not know why especially as I had other books that I was really wanting to start. I just decided I would flick through a few pages with no enthusiasm to actually read the book. Just wanted to get a quick idea as to what it was actually about as I didn’t even read the synopsis being a autobiography. I thought I would start at the beginning just to get the back story, after I had read the first chapter I thought no definitely not fit me telling myself I had other books I had been wanting to realy read but I had told myself at the beginning I would read a couple of chapters to get a gist of what the book was about. I read the next couple of chapters and I was hooked seriously hooked, I genuinely wanted to know how and what happened. I can almost hear most women including myself saying No one would or could scan me. But then I have to really flick things back to other women and myself as Carolyn does noy cone across as someone who could easily be scammed either. So truthfully I had to say how easy it seemed that someone can make you fall into their trap. So I say now I don’t think I could be scammed and the more I read of Carolyns story I now see his easy it was for her to see how and why it happened. It’s so damnd siple realky you would not see it coming. I never thought about someone scamming me in a simplistic point of view I would be on my guard about more dimples situations so I do fully understand how it happened. I know longer say I would nit be scammed because no one really knows until you have been in the same position as Carolyn as been on. She tell her story so well and in details that don’t go on and be too dramatic. God I really reaky could go on in so much detail about this book but I would end up using spoilers. All I can say now without using spoilers is Carolyn how much I admire you for not having given up and I know I would like ten mins alone with that piece of crat just 10 mins that all. He would regret the day he had ever set his eyes you you. I really do admire Carolyn woods a true insepation to women

This is a true crime story about a psychopath who destroyed a woman’s life. Carolyn has been immensely brave to share her story to prevent others from suffering as she did and I don’t agree that she should be criticised in the way that she has been. We are not to judge. Where’s #bekind gone?

This is a gripping story and brilliantly written. I would absolutely recommend this to others and have ordered the referenced “The secret barrister” books.

Thank you to Harper Collins and to Net Galley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Carolyn Woods is a brave woman who had the strength to tell her story of being manipulated and controlled by a conman. I find real life stories like this very interesting and eyeopening, it reminded me a lot of another true life story by Mary Turner Thompson and I think it’s really important that these women have the courage to get their stories out there and create awareness so that more people may be able to spot some red flags from these abusive manipulators!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

As many people, I've read so many stories in the media and in magazines about women being drawn in by conmen but this is the first book I've read on this topic.

Whilst I think the majority of us read these stories and think the victims of these con artists are fools (or even stupid) and wonder how the hell they didn't know what was going on, this story completely turns things around and shows just how these masters of manipulation work and just how 'clever' they can be.

One thing that I would change is the fact the con was revealed right at the very beginning, I felt slightly robbed that I wasnt able to read into Mark Conway as the man that Carolyn would have met in the first instance.

A really dark, traumatic, insightful read .

I applaud the bravery of the author.

Many thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.

I found this tough to read at times and I know at points I was thinking "REALLY?" when reading about some of his lies and how easily she was taken in. Though I realise now I couldn't put the book down and I read it in 2 days, This fascinated and appalled me in equal measure and had me turning the pages wanting to know how it ended and how Carolyn was doing now. I love the photos at the end and the change in her eyes between the pictures is so telling.
Having read Mary Turner-Thompsons account of being married to a psychopath and her subesquent recent release "The Psychopath" I was really keen to learn more about how people with Psychopathic personality disorders operate and how people get taken in so deeply. It surprises me how incredibly intelligent thier victims are and what great life experience and confidence these women have and the levels to which they are duped and manipulated. I still feel it is wrong that Mark cannot be charged with any of the emotional and psychological abuse that he put Carolyn through but I am glad the law has changed so that in years to come his future vicitms may be able to gain justice and help to keep such a dangerous preditor off the streets. I am in awe of the strength that Carolyn showed in not giving up even in her darkest times and am glad that she has been able to share her own story with the world.

This story is unbelievable. Description how to live with a conman is almost hard to believe. Almost, because after the very last page, I was petrified how easily we can be manipulated by the psychopaths.

Carolyn was a happy woman. Divorced, with two grown-up daughters and quite life. Until she meet him. The handsome stranger who promised her everything. And she believed. Cause why not? No one suspected that her new love turned to be nothing more than a game.

Perfect life was a perfect lie. She lost money, job, friends, family and self-confidence. She was so love-blinded that reveal the truth lasts long and costs her a lot of effort to have a change for justice.

The book is worth reading. A chance to see what exactly is going on inside the relations with someone who’s thinking in a completely different way than normal people. And how they treat other to gain their goals.

I dnf this book, read up to the second chapter but couldn't make myself read any more. If you like Samantha Dowling books then you'll like this.

This is certainly an unusual book given that it is a true crime story. The title is a slight misnomer given that she actually hardly slept with him and never for a whole night but that is how the relationship began. Carolyn is conned by a man whom we discover has many aliases and a remarkable ability at storytelling. Many readers will be surprised that anyone would believe his stories and give him all her money. But she did and suffered the consequences. She is not the only one. Eventually her predator is brought to justice and the difficulty of securing effective police action makes interesting reading. This book is very well written, leaving numerous important messages. It does take a big leap of faith to believe that the story is true. I recommend it as an unusual read.

I was interested to read this having read a similar book about a bigamist.
However I found the writer shallow and irritating and the constant use of the c word when talking about Mark was very off putting. I really felt the swear words could have been asterixed and still had impact.
My other issue is how the hell did she fall for his lies, the pictures in the book show a average looking man not a devastatingly handsome one and the stories he told her are ridiculous. I can only assume that she was desperate for attention, why else would you give your money to someone like this?

An insightful glimpse into the dangerous charm and blindsiding nature of true psychopaths, this book tells the story of one woman's journey into, through, and out of a relationship with a con-man. It grants an intimate look into the way he strips her of not only her money, but also her confidence, family, and way of life, and her extraordinary struggle to regain as much as she can, to repair her other relationships and to heal herself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book was absolutely fascinating and so intriguing. I know a lot about serial killers and psychopaths as it is something that has interested me for a long time, so seeing this on NetGalley made my ears prick up.
I remember hearing Carolyn talking on ITV a couple of years ago and thought it was a crazy story, and when again recently, she spoke to Holly and Phil, I was reminded of it. And what a story! You'd think you wouldn't be the one to be conned into losing 85K and your autonomy stripped from you.. and yet, that is unfortunately what happened to Carolyn.