Book Review: Every Little Secret, by Sarah Clarke

Every Little Secret,

by Sarah Clarke

Publication: HQ Digital; February 25, 2022

About:

From the outside, it seems Grace has it all. Only she knows about the cracks in her picture-perfect life… and the huge secret behind them. After all, who can she trust?

Her brother Josh is thousands of miles away, and he and Grace have never been close – he was always their parents’ favourite.

Her best friend Coco walked away from her years ago, their friendship irreparably fractured by the choices they’ve made.

And her husband Marcus seems like a different man lately. Grace can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something.

But when her seven-year-old daughter makes a troubling accusation, Grace must choose between protecting her child and protecting her secret… before she loses everything.

**My Review**

This is the story of Marcus, Grace, and their seven-year-old daughter Kaia. Their life seems happy and idyllic until one day Marcus and Kaia are climbing a tree and Kaia falls and gets hurt. Even worse, when she gets to the hospital, she reports that her Dad pushed her. Is she confused because she has a concussion? Did Marcus really push her? After the accusation, Kaia’s behavior seems to worsen while Grace struggles over whether to believe her husband or her daughter. And an even bigger worry – what if someone finds out her secret?

This novel is told from multiple POVs and varying timelines between when Grace and Marcus first met and the present. Grace is the primary voice but it is also told from Marcus, Coco’s, and Kaia’s POV. Grace and Coco were best friends as teenagers and Marcus came into their lives after he befriended Grace’s brother, Josh. While everyone is dealing with this new family dynamic in the present, the narrators also take us back to the beginning, laying the framework for everyone’s relationships now. And honestly, at times, it became very cumbersome. I love the building of suspense, but I feel like so many flashbacks could have been condensed, thus improving the flow and the pace.

Marcus’ character development combined with the unreliable narration built a great deal of suspense and excitement into the story but I feel like more could have been with done with Grace. Or perhaps that was the point? When they are teenagers and Marcus has a crush on Coco, Grace always seems to be a blurry background image, almost like an afterthought. In adulthood, she still wasn’t a strong character, so maybe it was intentional. On the other hand, I felt that Coco was overdone, especially when I saw absolutely zero admirable or redeemable qualities in her character. Even worse, I had no sympathy for her situation. I tried, but, just no.

Anyhow, regardless of some tedious parts and some character issues, I found this to be an engaging, surprising, and somewhat addictive domestic thriller. I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future!

*Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Pre-Order Every Little Secret on Amazon!

Book Review: The Marriage Secret, by Carey Baldwin

The Marriage Secret,

by Carey Baldwin

Publication: Bookouture; February 11, 2022

About:

He married me despite my darkest secret. But am I safe now that I know his?

From the outside, my marriage to Zach was perfect: dream home, a perfect baby girl and passionate, all-consuming love. When we met, I confessed my darkest secret to him and he never judged me for it. Instead, he vowed to always protect me whatever the cost.

But as I cradle my gorgeous baby, I have to accept that the husband who used to be my everything, has changed. At first it was little things: expecting me to keep to a strict schedule, picking out my clothes for me. Now, he controls every aspect of my life: from how much money I have, to when I leave the house and who I can see.

One fateful night, a young woman is found murdered and Zach is a potential suspect. Turning towards me, a look of warmth returning to his eyes, he swears he’s innocent, and I realize there is only one solution. If I agree to be his alibi, he will keep my secret and our daughter can grow up in a loving home. In that moment, I do what any faithful wife would do: I stand by him.

But I know deep down, only one of us will make it out of this marriage alive.

A completely unputdownable and twist-filled psychological thriller from USA Today bestselling author Carey Baldwin. Fans of The Wife Between Us, The Marriage and Gone Girl will be totally addicted to The Marriage Secret.

*My Review*

I have been sort of disappointed in thrillers lately, but The Marriage Secret was a page-turner for me and finally, I found a thriller with the surprising twists I have been looking for. Zach and Holly have a picture-perfect marriage and are getting reading for the birth of their daughter, Jolene. But instead of everything being all rainbows and butterflies, Zach is controlling and abusive – mentally and financially. Why does Holly stick it out? The day they were married she told Zach her “horrible secret” and he is holding that and custody of their newborn daughter over her head.

I’m going to start with my criticism, but there isn’t much. Zach had no chance of mental and emotional health as an adult because of the obsessive spoiling by his mother Frances. Good Lord woman, let the child live. Secondly, I was a bit thrown by the amount of money being tossed around in this book. I have known some ob/gyns throughout my lifetime and have never known any that can splurge on an $11,000 vase one day and a $30,000 wardrobe the next. But, oh well. My biggest criticism, however, is the gaslighting plot, especially with a new mother. Haven’t we seen this enough over the past few years? I get it’s always going to be present in thrillers to an extent because the main character has to have doubt, the reader needs doubt, and so on. But the non-stop gaslighting of the new moms has been overused.

What I loved about this novel is for the first time in forever, I was actually surprised by a twist! I had my mind made up for most of the novel and then it reached a point where I was starting to wonder about another character, and then bam, there it was! For months I have felt like I knew “whodunnit” about 30% into a novel so thank you Carey Baldwin for finally throwing some twists in! I also applaud Holly’s POV which made it seem that the entire universe was out to get her, as well as, the wonderful development of Zach’s character making it so easy and wonderful to absolutely despise him.

The Marriage Secret is a delicious thriller that you will not want to put down. There are certainly some expected things that come along, but this one truly surprised me and kept me on the edge of my seat.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Pre-Order The Marriage Secret on Amazon!

Book Review: When I Was You, by Amber Garza

When I You,

by Amber Garza

Publication: MIRA; August 25, 2020

About: It all begins on an ordinary fall morning, when Kelly Medina gets a call from her son’s pediatrician to confirm her upcoming “well-baby” appointment. It’s a cruel mistake; her son left for college a year ago, and Kelly’s never felt so alone. The receptionist quickly apologizes: there’s another mother in town named Kelly Medina, and she must have gotten their numbers switched.

For days, Kelly can’t stop thinking about the woman who shares her name. Lives in her same town. Has a son she can still hold, and her whole life ahead of her. She can’t help looking for her: at the grocery store, at the gym, on social media. When Kelly just happens to bump into the single mother outside that pediatrician’s office, it’s simple curiosity getting the better of her.

Their unlikely friendship brings Kelly a renewed sense of purpose—taking care of this young woman and her adorable baby boy. But that friendship quickly turns to obsession, and when one Kelly disappears, well, the other one may know why.

*My Review*

Holy hell! What did I just read? When I Was You is the latest novel from author Amber Garza and oh my goodness, what a wild ride! Empty nester Kelly Medina gets a phone call one morning confirming her baby’s doctor appointment, but when she informs the receptionist that she is about nineteen years too late, she realizes that there is another woman living in her town with the exact same name and a young baby. After that call, however, Kelly can’t stop thinking about the other Kelly and wondering what her life is like. Kelly’s son had left for college a year earlier and she found herself longing for those times when he was still at home.  As Kelly pushes the other Kelly into a somewhat uncomfortable friendship, things continue to just get stranger and it seems that the older Kelly is becoming obsessed with the younger Kelly’s life and her son, Sullivan. 

I’ll start with my only criticism of this novel and that is that things sort of dragged for me at first. Don’t get me wrong, after just a few pages things start getting creepy and cringe-worthy, but things seemed a little slow. But then everything starts to pick up.

Amber Garza perfectly weaved doubt and questions in my head for the entire novel. I wasn’t sure if Kelly was having some sort of breakdown or what was going on. Her behavior was odd at best, her best friend Christine seemed to hover with her gentle questioning about Kelly being o.k., and Kelly’s husband Rafael hinted repeatedly that he was concerned about her mental health. Carefully placed clues and hints were scattered around, but I was burning up the pages to find out what happened in their lives. I wasn’t sure who was real or imaginary. I wondered if there had been some traumatic event. Honestly, I just had no clue what the hell was going on. And that is why this book is so good. 

When I Was You embodies all of the things that make thrillers so wonderful. Doubt is planted immediately, you don’t know who to trust, and you have no idea what will happen next. The big turn of events at around the 65% mark is probably one of the biggest surprises that I have read in a long time, but even better was that the plot continued to surprise me over and over again until the end. I cannot believe I let this gem sit on my iPad for so long without reading it. The book is completely amazing and I highly recommend grabbing it as soon as you can!

*Thanks to NetGalley and MIRA for providing this review copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

Purchase When I Was You on Amazon!

Book review: Playing Nice, by J.P. Delaney

Playing Nice, by J.P. Delaney

Publication: Ballantine Books; July 28, 2020

About: Pete Riley answers the door one morning and lets in a parent’s worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, a stranger who breaks the devastating news that Pete’s son, Theo, isn’t actually his son—he is the Lamberts’, switched at birth by an understaffed hospital while their real son was sent home with Miles and his wife, Lucy. For Pete, his partner Maddie, and the little boy they’ve been raising for the past two years, life will never be the same again.

The two families, reeling from the shock, take comfort in shared good intentions, eagerly entwining their very different lives in the hope of becoming one unconventional modern family. But a plan to sue the hospital triggers an official investigation that unearths some disturbing questions about the night their children were switched. How much can they trust the other parents—or even each other? What secrets are hidden behind the Lamberts’ glossy front door? Stretched to the breaking point, Pete and Maddie discover they will each stop at nothing to keep their family safe.

They are done playing nice.

*My Review*

You know how some novels are really slow to start and you feel like it’s never going to get to any action? That is definitely not the case in Playing Nice. Very quickly into the book, it comes to light that a few years earlier, two children that were in the NICU were switched. Pete and Maddie have been raising Theo, while Miles and Lucy have been raising David. Each set of parents is obviously shocked and upset that they have been raising someone else’s child, however, they all appear to be very polite and amicable while trying to learn what to do next as far as a lawsuit against the hospital and how to best be a part of each others lives.

So, I loved Pete in this novel, but every polite and accommodating thing that he did drove me out of my mind. He was too nice and truthfully, somewhat of a pushover the entire time. Then there’s Maddie. She is one of the least likable characters that I have read in quite some time. She didn’t appear to want to be a mother, she seemed disengaged from her family life, and also seemed completely indifferent to Pete. I guess there was somewhat of an explanation when she realized that Theo was not her son, but I still felt her character to be very cold and flat. Nevertheless, what really drove the plot of this novel was the decisions that Pete and Maddie made from the very beginning. 

It’s obvious in the beginning that things aren’t going to stay so organized and nice between these two families. Well, it’s obvious to the reader. But Pete and Maddie made so many bad decisions, let Miles run all over them, and at times, made me question if they were capable of raising either of the boys. As a parent, I know that I found myself reflecting on my parenting style, including successes and mistakes while reading this. Granted my children are adults now, but I was still reminded of times that I completely rocked as a mother and those times that I wish I had a do-over. Pete certainly appeared to be the better parent in this novel, but things were so fast-paced and changed so quickly that as soon as I wrapped my brain about what was happening, there was something entirely different going on. 

Playing Nice is engaging psychological fiction that grabbed my interest from the beginning. There were times throughout the novel when either Pete or Maddie were flashing back to earlier moments between them that I felt things begin to drag along, but otherwise, I was very invested in the resolution of this novel. I have to say that there were a few key issues that weren’t resolved in the ending (which I found odd), but otherwise, the ending was surprising and satisfying at once. 

This was a 4 star read for me. 

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: The Wife Who Knew Too Much, by Michele Campbell

The Wife Who Knew Too Much,

by Michele Campbell

Publication: St. Martins’ Press; July 28, 2020

About:

Tabitha Girard had her heartbroken years ago by Connor Ford. He was preppy and handsome. She was a pool girl at his country club. Their affair should have been a summer fling. But it meant everything to Tabitha.

Years later, Connor comes back into Tabitha’s life—older, richer, and desperately unhappy. He married for money, a wealthy, neurotic, controlling woman whom he never loved. He has always loved Tabitha.

When Connor’s wife Nina takes her own life, he’s free. He can finally be with Tabitha. Nina’s home, Windswept, can be theirs. It seems to be a perfect ending to a fairy tale romance that began so many years ago. But then, Tabitha finds a diary. “I’m writing this to raise an alarm in the event of my untimely death,” it begins. “If I die unexpectedly, it was foul play, and Connor was behind it. Connor—and her.”

Who is Connor Ford? Why did he marry Nina? Is Tabitha his true love, or a convenient affair? As the police investigate Nina’s death, is she a convenient suspect?

As Tabitha is drawn deeper into the dark glamour of a life she is ill-prepared for, it becomes clear to her that what a wife knows can kill her.

*My Review*

Just in time for publication day, I’m happy to bring you my review of Michele Campbell’s latest thriller, The Wife Who Knew Too Much. This novel starts out very cliche with working-class Tabitha experiencing her first love with ultra-wealthy Connor when they are in high school. When his powerful and controlling grandmother finds out about their secret love, she tears them apart, destroying Tabitha’s family in the process. Several years later, Connor walks into the restaurant where Tabitha is a waitress, and all of the old sparks fly again. The problem, however, is that Connor is now married to one of the richest and most powerful women in the country and he isn’t sure how to get out of the marriage. Luckily for Connor, a few months later, Nina takes her own life and he and Tabitha can finally be together. 

This was an addictive thriller that I didn’t put down until I had finished the entire book. I will say that it didn’t take me too long to figure out “whodunnit,” but it did take the entire book for me to figure out motives and who, if anyone, were accomplices. The character development in this novel is amazing. I can’t even count on both hands all of the different feelings and emotions I experienced because of these characters. They were constantly fluid throughout the novel, always keeping me on my toes trying to understand their true personalities. Connor was the worst, though, because I had about a hundred different thoughts and opinions about him that seemed to be proved wrong just as soon as I would think them. People that I didn’t trust at all and seemed awful ended up being completely harmless and then people that seemed fine ended up being crazy secretive and suspicious, so this was a fun read trying to figure everyone out. 

I highly recommend this novel to those who love thrillers that keep them guessing, and especially fans of having your own theories disproven again and again. Michele Campbell has written a fast-paced thriller that is smart, sexy, and you will not be able to put it down. 

P.S. This would make an outstanding movie or even a Netflix series!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Book Review: All the Broken People, by Leah Konen

All the Broken People,

by Leah Konen

Publication: G.P. Putnam’s Sons; June 30, 2020

About:

A woman in search of a fresh start is about to get more than she bargained for in this twisty and addictive domestic thriller for fans of The Couple Next Door.

Fleeing Brooklyn with little more than a suitcase and her trusty dog, Lucy King heads to rustic Woodstock , New York, eager to lose herself in a quiet life where her past can never find her. But when she meets Vera and John, the alluring couple next door, their friendship proves impossible to resist. Just as Lucy starts to think the worst is behind her, the couple delivers a staggering bombshell: they, too, need to escape their troubles–and the only way they can begin their new life is if Lucy helps them fake John’s death.

Afraid to lose her newfound support system, Lucy reluctantly conspires with them to stage an “accidental” death on a hike nearby. It’s just one little lie to the police, after all, and she knows a thing or two about the importance of fresh starts. But what begins as an elaborate ruse turns all too real when John turns up dead in the woods the morning after their hike. Now, Lucy must figure out who she can trust and who’s pulling the strings of her tenuous new life . . . before she takes the fall for murder.

**My Review**

All the Broken People is the first suspense thriller from author Leah Konen, who usually writes young adult fiction. This novel is about a twenty-something woman named Lucy, who is relocating to Woodstock, NY for a fresh start with her little dog Dusty. All that’s really known in the beginning is that Lucy is alone and is obviously running from a very unhealthy relationship. Not long after moving into her rental cottage, she meets her neighbors Vera and John. Although initially leery of the strangers, soon Lucy finds herself eating dinner with them every evening and spending most of her time in general with the fun and artistic couple. Although she’s constantly looking over her shoulder expecting her ex (Davis) to show up, Lucy’s life seems to be carrying on pretty well until she agrees to help them fake John’s death. 

Lucy is a not my favorite character that I have read about lately. In the beginning, I was rooting for her and her new start, hopeful that she could find peace after getting away from Davis and settling into her new life. Then I started to question her sanity and of course, started to realize how unreliable of a narrator she was. This book was really slow for me in the beginning, but about the time they get to the proposal of faking John’s death, things start to pick up. This is also the turning point where, moving forward, Lucy makes nothing but horrible decisions.  

I applaud Konen’s character development in this novel, successfully making me both trust and doubt every character in the novel. All the Broken People is also full of endless twists and turns, completely throwing me off every time I thought I had it all figured out. The thing I love most about thrillers is thinking I know “whodunnit” and later being proved wrong, however, this happened so many times in this novel that I started getting frustrated with the whole thing. Every time I thought I had reached the ending, the author would add more. I was kind of over the entire thing by the end, but I definitely applaud the creativity and imagination that went into the resolution. 

I can’t say I absolutely loved this novel, but it was a good read. Fans of thrillers that keep surprising you over and over again will enjoy this novel. What I loved most was the character development and the author’s methods of instilling doubt. What I loved least was the initial slow pace and too many far-fetched occurrences towards the end. 

3.5/5 stars

*Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing this review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: The Weekend Away, by Sarah Alderson

The Weekend Away, by Sarah Alderson

Publication: Avon Books, UK; July 23, 2020

About:

Two friends go on holiday. Only one comes back.

If you loved The Holiday, get ready for your new obsession…

Orla and Kate have been best friends forever. Together they’ve faced it all – be it Orla’s struggles as a new mother or Kate’s messy divorce. And whatever else happens in their lives, they can always look forward to their annual weekend away.

This year, they’re off to Lisbon: the perfect flat, the perfect view, the perfect itinerary. And what better way to kick things off in style than with the perfect night out?

But when Orla wakes up the next morning, Kate is gone. Brushed off by the police and with only a fuzzy memory of the night’s events, Orla is her friend’s only hope. As she frantically retraces their steps, Orla makes a series of shattering discoveries that threaten everything she holds dear. Because while Lisbon holds the secret of what happened that night, the truth may lie closer to home…

**My Review**

Welcome to my review of the upcoming thriller by author Sarah Alderson, The Weekend Away! This was my first time reading anything from this author and when I saw the blurb I thought it sounded like the perfect escape for the day. As the blurb states, two longtime friends are on a weekend away to Lisbon. Kate is going through a divorce and Orla is a new mother, leaving her baby at home with her husband Rob for the first time. I will say that a great deal of the beginning dragged as Orla whined about leaking breasts and not having the same hot body as Kate. But soon the big annoying elephant in the room wasn’t just about Orla but about both of them. I truly feel that this friendship had run its course years ago because these women had absolutely nothing in common except for a shared history of drinking, clubbing, and hooking up with people. Oh and there was also their annual trip, although this is the first trip they’ve taken in 3 or 4 years.

After their first night in Lisbon where Kate chose to party like a rock star and Orla was just wanting to go to bed, Orla wakes up to find Kate gone. Not only is Kate gone, Orla has an epic hangover, she’s struggling to remember the events from the previous night, and has no idea how to piece everything together with the mess she finds in their apartment. Of course the police won’t help for 24 hours, thus bringing us to the beginning of Orla’s own investigation with the help of their Uber driver, Konstandin.

This book was written from Orla’s point of view and it doesn’t take long to realize how unreliable a narrator is. I didn’t completely dislike Orla, but I wasn’t a huge fan either. However, none of the characters are really likable, except Konstandin. Everyone else was self-absorbed, sketchy, and dishonest. And I mean everyone.

Although this novel was long, parts of it absolutely flew by and at times, it was quite a page-turner. I remained interested in the outcome the entire time, but couldn’t help but think that things were dragging quite a few times. For awhile, I just knew that I had this one all figured out regarding “whodunit” but I was pleasantly surprised towards the end when the author threw in another player and another detail discounting all of my theories and predictions. Nothing makes me happier than an ending (or almost ending) that is completely unlike what I was thinking, so bravo for that! But then came the actual, final ending that I am assuming is meant to open up the possibility for a second book. I not so gracefully closed down my iPad, tossed into onto the night stand and was completely annoyed and frustrated. Don’t worry this isn’t a cliffhanger in that sense, I guess just a little tease about what could be. And I wasn’t a fan.

Nevertheless, this is a good suspense thriller that I think many readers will enjoy. There were some frustrating moments and some things that just didn’t work for me, but if you’re looking for a suspenseful mystery/thriller with plenty of twists and turns, then I think this is one you will enjoy!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Avon UK for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Book Review: The Happy Couple, by Samantha Hayes

The Happy Couple,

by Samantha Hayes

Publication: Bookouture; May 6, 2020

About the book:

Me and Will. Will and Me. A perfect match. He said he would always be there for me, but it’s been a year since he drained his coffee, walked out the front door and vanished.

Did he leave me? Or did something terrible happen? I’m scared someone finally found out about what happened on the drive home that night…

I lie awake at night trawling the internet for rental properties, desperate for an escape. Until I see my husband’s gorgeous face smiling back at me from a photograph on the fireplace in someone else’s home, and something inside of me snaps.

At the house, I find no trace of him and the woman who lives there has no idea who I am. But I’m certain she’s hiding something behind the locked door upstairs. I know that if I want answers, I have to stay.

You might think that what’s inside that room is the answer to all my questions and the end of all my pain. But it’s only the beginning…

**My Review**

So today I was in the mood for a thriller and decided to dive into The Happy Couple, the upcoming release from author Samantha Hayes. I absolutely loved Date Night when I read it last year, so I went into this with high hopes. I did enjoy it, but I had some ups and downs. 

This is about a woman Jo Carter, whose husband Will went missing about a year ago. Jo is a seamstress and co-owns a business. Will was an actor/drama teacher before he disappeared from what Jo considered a happy marriage. Or what initially seemed to be a happy marriage. Jo’s support system consists of her best friend Louise whom she’s known since she was a child. Jo’s parents seem very unlikeable, however, early on in this novel, I was wondering how reliable of a narrator Jo was. Although Will has been gone a year, she “sees” him and “talks to” him frequently. 

Louise is always trying to get Jo to move on and one night at a dinner party she keeps suggesting Jo go on vacation, which is ridiculous because Jo barely makes enough money to keep her head above water. But a man at dinner suggests these programs where you sign up to housesit and/or petsit for people in exchange for using their homes as a holiday. After Louise butts in and signs Jo up for the program, she starts scrolling the various homes in various locations and in one of the photos for a potential home, she sees pictures of Will on the mantle in a living room. Of course, she applies to housesit, which leads her to the home of a woman named Suzanne. 

So, I will start by saying that the first 25-35% of this novel seemed to drag on forever. Jo was annoying and appeared to have some serious mental issues going on with her obsessing over Will, where he was, why he left – but then seeing him everywhere and having conversations with his conjured image all the time. Moreover, more often than not, if Jo was thinking something, it turned out she was actually saying out loud confusing the other characters in the story, as well as me. I struggled at times to keep up with what she was actually thinking versus what she was actually saying. As far as main characters go, she made me start to feel that I was as crazy as she was. 

Luckily, things started to become more interested and bits of pieces of their story started to fall into place. We learn that something bad happened not long before Will disappears. We learn that Jo became suspicious of him and a co-star in a play. We learn that Suzanne was involved in a bad accident that has left her traumatized. Most importantly, we learn that there has been some serious dishonesty. All of the makings of a great thriller, right?

My big positives from this novel are that the author managed to plant so many different seeds of doubt that I lost count (which I love about Samantha Hayes). I would think one thing, but then realize I was completely off-base. I also loved that once things really started to get interesting, it was a wildly fast, hands-in-the-air roller coaster ride that didn’t slow down until the end. I was confused, frustrated, and surprised over and over, making this a fun and addictive read. But again, this was once things started to pick up because the beginning was so slow.

What I didn’t like, other than the cumbersome beginning, was basically the last few paragraphs of the novel. I loved the way things were wrapped up until the end. I felt that it was silly, absurd, and almost just thrown in as an after-thought. Those last paragraphs almost made this a 3-star read for me, but other parts were so good, it’s 4 stars for me. I’m a huge fan of this author overall and will always read her work when given the opportunity. This woman throws in a twist like no other. 

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Book Review: The Nowhere Girl, by Nicole Trope

The Nowhere Girl,

by Nicole Trope

Publication: Bookouture; January 28, 2020

About the book:

‘Please,’ she whispers, too quietly for anyone to hear. ‘Please help.’ But there is no one. Where is everyone? Help should be racing up the road, screeching to a stop. Help should be here but it’s not. It’s as far away as it’s ever been.

If you passed Alice on the street, you couldn’t help but smile. At how she holds hands with her husband, Jack, who she has been with since she was at university. At the adoring way she admires her three beloved boys, the centre of her universe.

But if you looked very closely, you’d see how tightly she holds Jack’s hand, afraid to let go. You’d see how carefully she watches her boys, scared to look away. You’d see her smile fading in a matter of seconds, and the secret she hides behind her chestnut-brown eyes.

She has told Jack that she ran away from home when she was younger – but she didn’t tell him the whole story. Her husband doesn’t know about the guilt she bears about the little sister she failed to save, the secret that torments her.

Now, after a lifetime of fresh starts, Alice receives a message spelling out her past. Everything she cherishes, the world she has lovingly built, threatens to collapse in on her. Without her family, she is nothing – and Alice will stop at nothing to save them.

This utterly heartbreaking, beautifully written and gripping family drama examines just how far we are willing to go for our loved ones, and the desperate decisions we make when we have no other choice. Fans of Jodi Picoult, Kerry Fisher, and Liane Moriarty will be blown away by this incredibly moving tale.

**My Review**

Before I even begin my review – please, please, please be aware of some serious potential triggers involving poor parenting (putting it lightly), domestic violence and child abuse (sexual, physical, and emotional). 

The Nowhere Girl is told from three different POV: Alice, Molly, and Margaret. Alice is married to Jack and has three sons. She loves her children and her husband and her basically happy life. However, Alice suffered unimaginable abuse as a child and still struggles. Molly is happily married to Peter and has a very close relationship with her parents and her sister. She is a writer currently writing a book about abused children and desperately wants her own child despite multiple miscarriages. Margaret’s POV is mostly told in the past tense. She meets a man and falls in love, gets married, has a child, and so on. However, her life suddenly changes and she finds herself on a downward spiral complete with severe alcoholism and an abusive partner, Vernon. 

This is my first time reading anything by Nicole Trope and it was a page-turner for me. The characters were raw and honest. Her imagery is so strong that there were times I felt as if I could smell what they were smelling and feel the sensations they were experiencing. Which, in a book this creepy isn’t always a good thing, yet I am still blown away by her descriptions. I think the picture she painted of Vernon’s physical appearance and odors will stay with me (unfortunately) for quite a while after reading this novel. 

A good portion of this novel is a slow reveal of details about Alice, Molly, and Margaret and what has happened in their lives. It’s definitely a slow-burn as far as suspense/thrillers go, which at times felt over-written and slow. Listed as 322 pages I can’t help but wonder if it would have been as good or better if cut to 275? But I still really enjoyed this read and definitely recommend it with caveats.

Maybe something is wrong with me, but I didn’t really need the Kleenex until about the last 10-15% of the novel and they were mainly happy tears but mixed with regrets for Alice and Molly. However, I can see someone easily crying for about 75-80% of this novel because the plot and subject matter is so difficult. I, personally, was brought into this world with a very shitty mother whose picture you would probably see if you looked up “emotional abuse” in the dictionary, yet I still enjoyed this book and it held my interest. But the abuse scenes are very difficult and your stomach will turn, no matter who you are and what your life has been like.

The Nowhere Girl is hard at times and you will definitely feel emotionally taxed at the end, but it’s well-written and a great example of good psychological fiction. Again, the stand-out for me in this novel is the characters, how Nicole Trope made them come to life, and the imagery. Alice will forever be my hero for enduring what she did and carrying on with her life. She is certainly a character that I will not forget. 

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Book Review: Never Have I Ever, by Lucy V. Hay

Never Have I Ever, by Lucy V. Hay

Publication: Hodder & Stoughton; December 12, 2019

About the book:

Twenty years ago

Four teenagers discover a new game.

They add their own rules, going from sharing secrets to sharing firsts.

And then it all goes spiraling out of control.

Now

A woman gets a note through her door which chills her blood

‘Never have I ever been punished for what I have done’

She thought this was over. But it looks like it’s her turn to play

Because no matter how far it goes, you have to obey the rules of the game. And the game is never really over.

**My Review**

I recently spotted this title on NetGalley and was immediately drawn in by both the cover and the title. This novel is about a writer named Samantha, who has recently returned to her hometown with her husband, Mo and her toddler son, Caleb. As the blurb states, one day while sifting through the mail she finds a letter stating, “Never have I ever been punished for what I have done.” Thus begins Sam’s mission/obsession with finding out who sent the letter and why. 

When Sam was a teenager, her three best friends were Maddy, Ruby, and Aimee. One day they are normal teenagers and then one day they start playing Never Have I Ever, constantly upping the ante and the risk level of the dares and challenges. Aimee immediately stands out as the alpha of the group and some of her behaviors were eerily similar to some of the bitchy girls I was friends with growing up. None of the others were saints by any means, but Aimee appeared to be the evilest throughout most of the novel and Sam’s flashbacks/memories. Regardless, Aimee and her mother Lyndy moved away when Aimee was a teenager and she hasn’t connected with any of the girls again. 

Issues presented at the start of the novel include Sam’s disconnect with her husband, continued struggles to relate to her free-spirited mother, discontent with the idea of unpacking their new house, and her upcoming deadline for the next book in her detective series – which she hasn’t made much progress on. Several failed attempts at starting a new business, coupled with Aimee’s infertility issues have saddled the couple with debt they are trying to get out from under and although Mo has finally established a successful company, it results in him traveling most of the time. Sometimes they seem to like each other during the novel but a lot of the time they are just snipping at and nagging each other.

Then the notes start showing up and Sam is convinced that it is Aimee screwing with her after all of these years. Sam starts trying to track down Ruby and Maddy to find out Aimee’s whereabouts. She stalks Aimee’s family’s store trying to find her. She runs into her old boyfriend from school, Michael, who is now a cop, and tries to enlist his help in finding Aimee. 

All of that part was boring. Unfortunately, her search for Aimee makes up about 75% of the novel. 

Coupled with her boring search for Aimee is endless examples of Sam conveniently forgetting about events from her adolescence and/or spinning them in a completely different light which is evident in the chilly reception she gets from Michael, Ruby, and Maddy. Obviously, Sam remembers herself quite differently than everyone else and continues this disillusioned sense of self by not sharing any of this with Mo and keeping all of her investigative work to herself. Some things he does find out about because police get involved, but otherwise she diligently works to preserve the image she thinks he has of her. And this also gets exhausting.

So, what are my overall thoughts? I did not love this book, nor did I dislike it. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, you may very well enjoy this one. Especially if you like novels where sins from the past can come back to haunt us. However, if you prefer something fast-paced with a lot of twists and turns, this one probably isn’t for you. There are really only two surprises and they both occur in the last 10% of the novel. Nevertheless, I will read Lucy Hay again if given the opportunity because I enjoyed her overall style and tone. 

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.