Category: NetGalley

#Review | HURRY HOME by Roz Nay

HURRY HOME by Roz Nay
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Published by Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN-10: 1643854798
ISBN-13: 978-1643854793
Pages: 272
Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
Edition: Kindle
My Rating: 4

Synopsis (via GR)

From the bestselling author of Our Little Secret comes a suspenseful new thriller featuring two estranged sisters desperate to keep their deepest and darkest secret where it belongs–in the past.

Blood is thicker than water… And it could cost you everything.

Alexandra Van Ness has the perfect life. She lives in an idyllic resort town tucked away in the Rocky Mountains, shares a designer loft with her handsome boyfriend, Chase, and has her dream job working in child protection. Every day, Alex goes above and beyond to save children at risk.

But when her long-lost sister, Ruth, unexpectedly shows up at her door, Alex’s perfect life is upended. Growing up, Ruth was always the troublemaker, pulling Alex into her messes, and this time will be no different. Still, Alex will help Ruth under one condition: we will never, ever, talk about the past. But when a local child goes missing, both women are forced to confront the secrets they’ve promised to keep buried.

Utterly engrossing and claustrophobic, Hurry Home is a tantalizing reflection of the chain-and-shackles relationship between sisters that asks: what lines wouldn’t you cross for your own?

My Thoughts

Alex Van Ness hasn’t seen her sister Ruth in 10 years until the day she turns up on Alex’s doorstep pregnant and asking for help. The tension between them can be felt but why now and what happened to cause this estrangement?

This is the first book I read by this author, but seeing a lot of buzz about it, I wanted to check out what everyone was saying.

Little by little, the relationship of the two sisters is revealed, A tragic accident in their childhood would change them both. But one of them remembers it differently and it changes her, in a very negative way.

The author has the reader going back and forth between the two trying to guess which one is the liar.

The suspense held my attention throughout. The writing style allowed me to create vivid imagery in my mind as I read.

I would definitely be reading more by this author in the future.

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • STRANGER IN THE LAKE by Kimberly Belle | #Review

    Stranger In The Lake by Kimberly Belle
    Genre: Domestic Thriller
    Published by Harlequin / Park Row
    Publication Date: June 9, 2020
    ASIN: B07WNX6ZZS
    Pages: 352
    Review Copy From: Harlequin via NetGalley
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    “Spellbinding. Another outstanding novel by Kimberly Belle, masterfully written to lure you in and never let go.” – Samantha Downing, USA Today bestselling author of My Lovely Wife

    When Charlotte married the wealthy widower Paul, it caused a ripple of gossip in their small lakeside town. They have a charmed life together, despite the cruel whispers about her humble past and his first marriage. But everything starts to unravel when she discovers a young woman’s body floating in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned.

    At first, it seems like a horrific coincidence, but the stranger in the lake is no stranger. Charlotte saw Paul talking to her the day before, even though Paul tells the police he’s never met the woman. His lie exposes cracks in their fragile new marriage, cracks Charlotte is determined to keep from breaking them in two.

    As Charlotte uncovers dark mysteries about the man she married, she doesn’t know what to trust—her heart, which knows Paul to be a good man, or her growing suspicion that there’s something he’s hiding in the water.

    My Thoughts

    I am a big fan of Ms. Belle and had been waiting patiently to get a copy of this book in my hands. Normally, I would have devoured it in a matter of days, which I had done with her previous books (check out my reviews below), however, it took me much longer. Not because of the storyline, suspense, writing, etc. but because of our current health crisis, which I have had a hard time focusing due to anxiety.

    Charlotte, aka Charlie, McCreedy Keller grew up on the wrong side of town but a year ago married Paul Keller, a big-time architect of custom homes. For Paul, he never thought he would find love again after losing his first wife 4 years ago, which he was a suspect in her questionable death.

    After celebrating, the night before, that they were expecting, Charlotte walk down to the dock to retrieve some papers that she left on his boat. Those papers are not the only thing she finds, there is a body below their dock, reminiscent of where Paul’s 1st wife was found. How could this happen again? And what’s worse, Paul leaves her to deal with the police while he treks and plans to be away hiking in the woods to locate his friend Jax while his other friend, Micah, son of the Police Chief and an underwater crime investigator is on the scene.

    Things are not adding up for Charlotte. Could it be she really doesn’t know her husband? And why are circumstances from a death from 20 years ago, coming to light now?

    The suspense was gripping. The characters were believable. The writing fluid.

    Even though there were not that many characters, aka suspects, I kept going back and forth between a few of them as to who I thought the killer was. By the time I was into 3/4 of the story I was sure I had this mystery figured out. WRONG!!!!!! Not even close! The ending was climatic that left me saying, WAIT!!
    WHAT!!!

    Another entertaining and super suspenseful read by an awesome author!!!! Now I sit and patiently wait for her next book!!

    Check out my previous reviews for:
    Dear Wife
    The Last Breath
    Three Days Missing
    The Marriage Lie

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • #Review | The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine

    The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine
    Genre: Women’s Psychological Fiction
    Published by Harper Collins
    Publication Date: May 19, 2020
    ASIN: B07WRCHH3W
    Pages: 320
    Review Copy From: Harper Collins
    Edition: print ARC/eARC via NetGalley
    My Rating: 5+

    Synopsis (via GR)

    Breezing into the tony seaside paradise of Westport, Connecticut, gorgeous thirtysomething Piper Reynard sets down roots, opening a rehab and wellness space and joining a local yacht club. When she meets Leo Drakos, a handsome, successful lawyer, the wedding ring on his finger is the only thing she doesn’t like about him. Yet as Piper well knows, no marriage is permanent.

    Meanwhile, Joanna has been waiting patiently for Leo, the charismatic man she fell in love with all those years ago, to re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him. Though she’s thankful when Leo returns to his charming, energetic self, paying attention again to Evie and Stelli, the children they both love beyond measure, Joanna is shocked to discover that it’s not her loving support that’s sparked his renewed happiness—it’s something else.

    Piper. Leo has fallen head over heels for the flaky, New Age-y newcomer, and unrepentant and resolute, he’s more than willing to leave Joanna behind, along with everything they’ve built. Of course, he assures her, she can still see the children.

    Joanna is devastated—and determined to find something, anything, to use against this woman who has stolen her life and her true love. As she digs deeper into Piper’s past, Joanna begins to unearth disturbing secrets . . . but when she confides to her therapist that she fears for the lives of her ex-husband and children, her concerns are dismissed as paranoia. Can she find the proof she needs in time to save them?

    My Thoughts

    WARNING!!! WARNING!!!! Major book hangover!!!!

    This book, by far, will be in my top five best books of 2020!!!

    Piper, who has changed her name moves to the East coast to start her life again after the death of her husband and stepdaughter. Piper was an initial suspect in these deaths until the ruling but the ex-wife and mother of the victims feel they were murdered.

    Joanna, the loving wife of Leo Drakos and mother to Evie and Stelli. Knowing that Leo is still fighting depression she encourages him to attend a class at Piper’s Healing Arts business. But that may have been her biggest mistake because Piper and Leo have instant chemistry. Leo tells Joanna that their relationship is over and tells her to move out and Leo gets sole custody of the children.

    Joanna is devastated and begins stalking Piper and looking into her past.

    The pages were turning at warp speed!!! I kept going back and forth as to who, Piper or Joanna, was the true victim and my opinion kept changing. Heart pounding suspense!! Red herrings throughout!!! The ending, THE ENDING!!! OMG!!! It was intense and one that had my head spinning!!!

    This has got to be one of the best domestic psychological thriller novels that I have read.

    As for a rating, I wish I could say a 10!! It was that good!! Run, don’t walk, to get your hands on a copy!!!!!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • #Review | A WEEK AT THE SHORE by Barbara Delinsky

    A Week At The Shore by Barbara Delinsky
    Genre: Women’s Fiction
    Published by St. Martin’s Press
    Publication Date: May 19, 2020
    ASIN: B07ZG4P7XV
    Pages: 392
    Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    In her new bestseller, New York Times bestselling Barbara Delinsky explores how lives and relationships are forever changed when three sisters reunite at their family Rhode Island beach house.

    One phone call is all it takes to lure real estate photographer Mallory Aldiss back to her family Rhode Island beach home. It’s been twenty years since she’s been gone—running from the scandal that destroyed her parents’ marriage, drove her and her two sisters apart, and crushed her relationship with her first love. But going home is fraught with emotional baggage—memories, mysteries and secrets abound.

    Mal’s thirteen-year-old daughter, Joy, has never been to the place where Mal’s life was shaped and is desperate to go. Fatherless, she craves family and especially wants to spend time with the grandfather she barely knows.

    In just seven watershed days on the Rhode Island coast three women will test the bonds of sisterhood, friendship and family, and discover the role that love and memory plays in defining their lives.

    My Thoughts

    For the last 15+ months, I have been reading nothing but psychological thrillers and was in need of a bit of a change and then I saw that this book was available for review. So I requested a copy from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley for the following reasons. Did I make a good choice?

    1. It’s been some time since I read a book by Ms. Delinsky, which I need to reevaluate and ask myself why I haven’t and I need to rectify that.
    2. The description/synopsis
    3. The cover
    4. Family relationships
    5. Both mystery and romance
    6. And that the setting is in my home state

    Mallory Aldiss has not been home in 20 years to see her father and younger sister, Anne, ever since the accident that tore 2 families apart and that became fodder for gossip to this day. Until Mallory receives a phone call from their neighbor, who was also the man that she loved and had left behind because of the incident, stating that her father had threatened him with a gun, was failing in health and the house needed repair. Her older sister, Margo, took the side of their mother and swore she would also never return, but decides it’s time to go back.

    Mallory’s daughter, thirteen-year-old daughter Joy, pleads with her to make the trip from NY to RI to visit with her grandfather and aunt since she is craving to have a family. Mallory agrees to go for a week but what happens in that week reignites questions, disagreements with her sisters as each one has their own perspective of their childhood and what fractured their relationships, her feelings towards the guy she left behind and one mystery that she needs to know who she really is.

    I was pulled into the story from page one, which was both poignant and captivating. The characters were believable to the point that I felt that I personally knew them. The family dynamics were both emotional and raw at times. The setting gorgeous, even though it was all familiar to me, I’m sure any reader will be able to picture it in their mind. The writing fluid. Just enough mystery and romance all rolled up in one.

    I asked, did I make a good choice, my answer is ABSOLUTELY!! I loved this book!!!!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • In An Instant by Suzanne Redfearn | #Review

    In An Instant by Suzanne Redfearn
    Genre: Literary Fiction, Women’s Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction
    Published by Lake Union Publishing
    Publication Date: March 1, 2020
    ASIN: B07NVD1276
    Pages: 326
    Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    A deeply moving story of carrying on even when it seems impossible.

    Life is over in an instant for sixteen-year-old Finn Miller when a devastating car accident tumbles her and ten others over the side of a mountain. Suspended between worlds, she watches helplessly as those she loves struggle to survive.

    Impossible choices are made, decisions that leave the survivors tormented with grief and regret. Unable to let go, Finn keeps vigil as they struggle to reclaim their shattered lives. Jack, her father, who seeks vengeance against the one person he can blame other than himself; her best friend, Mo, who bravely searches for the truth as the story of their survival is rewritten; her sister Chloe, who knows Finn lingers and yearns to join her; and her mother, Ann, who saved them all but is haunted by her decisions. Finn needs to move on, but how can she with her family still in pieces?

    Heartrending yet ultimately redemptive, In an Instant is a story about the power of love, the meaning of family, and carrying on…even when it seems impossible.

    My Thoughts

    After seeing a lot of buzz about this book online, I was delighted that I was approved via NetGalley. At the time, I did not know that the story was based on an event in the author’s life.

    It’s going to be a fun weekend for 2 families as they head to the mountains for some skiing and snowboarding. Once settled at their cabin, they head out to enjoy dinner, actually pancakes, which is their tradition. On their way to the restaurant, it has started snowing and the less traveled road they were driving on is now slippery. Jack Miller, sixteen year old Finn’s father tries to avoid a deer and their van goes off a cliff. In that instant, the lives of these 2 families, change forever.

    The story is told from Finn’s perspective.

    With some of them experiencing serious injuries, some have to make hard decisions as to what needs to be done for survival. The fear of not being found, others make difficult choices to leave the van and/or their children and try to find help, in now what is a blizzard. Some decisions are made selfishly, which causes a deadly outcome.

    The aftereffect of this horrific situation, the families involved, try to deal with their grief, hurt, betrayal and love. They also realize that they didn’t really know each other, as well as they, thought they did. Can these two families heal with the decisions they made? Did they truly survive?

    The characters were three dimensional, some I absolutely did not like but at the same time, I also felt sorry for the situation they put themselves into. A couple of them were pathetic and others I was cheering for.

    A poignant and compelling story that will tug at your heartstrings. And at the same time, there was also a tense element of suspense as to how this tragedy would end.

    Highly recommend!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • #Review | My Sister Is Missing by Carissa Ann Lynch

    My Sister Is Missing by Carissa Ann Lynch
    Genre: Psychological Thriller
    Published by Harper Collins
    Publication Date: March 29th, 2019
    ASIN: B07J3923B1
    Pages: 197
    Review Copy From: HC via NetGalley
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 4

    Synopsis (via GR)

    A twenty-year-old local mystery that has never been sold.
    A bone-chilling VHS tape depicting a horrific crime.

    Neighbors with something to hide.

    And a sister who is missing.

    Emily has to find out the truth. But is her sister Madeline the victim…or the one to blame?

    My Thoughts

    Nine years ago was the last time Emily has been home, however, her sister Madeline pleaded with her to come back to their childhood home to help her with the children since her husband left her for a younger woman. Plus she hinted that there was more but wanted to do it face to face.

    Twenty years ago, Emily had a near-death accident in the woods surrounding their house and at the same time, another child went missing. Were these 2 incidents connected?

    But before Madeline tells Emily “the big news” and only after 24 hours of Emily arriving, Madeline goes missing. Is it of her own accord or is something more sinister?

    I really enjoyed this book. I was surprised at all that happened within the 197 pages. I was 99.99% sure I had it all figured out but the last few chapters showed that I wasn’t even close.

    A quick read that will keep you guessing throughout!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • #Review | You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

    You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
    Genre: Domestic Thriller, Women’s Fiction
    Published by St. Martin’s Press
    Publication Date: March 3, 2020
    ISBN-10: 1250202035
    ISBN-13: 978-1250202031
    Pages: 352
    Review Copy From:
    Edition: HC/eBook via NetGalley
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    You probably know someone like Shay Miller.
    She wants to find love, but it eludes her.
    She wants to be fulfilled, but her job is a dead end.
    She wants to belong, but her life is so isolated.

    You probably don’t know anyone like the Moore sisters.
    They have an unbreakable circle of friends.
    They live the most glamorous life.
    They always get what they desire.

    Shay thinks she wants their life.
    But what they really want is hers.

    My Thoughts

    This extraordinary writing duo has done it again!!!!

    After reading An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us, I knew I had to get my hands on this novel.

    At 31, Shay Miller feels that her life is going nowhere since her circle of friends has vanished due to marriages, families and careers and herself in a dead-end job.

    Then one day her life changes. Waiting for the train, she notices a girl very close to the edge and thinking if she should approach her. However, in that instant, it is too late because the girl jumps in front of the train. Shay, so traumatized by the event, wants to find out everything about this girl, who she now knows as Amanda. So much so, Shay even attends the memorial for her.

    There she meets Amanda’s friends, who seem to bring her into their circle. Her newfound friendships lift her spirits but then things turn sinister. Is it Shay that she is the guilty one in a murder or is she a victim?
    Are these girls truly her friends or are they setting her up?

    I could not put this book down. The pages turning as fast as I could read. The story pulled me in and didn’t let go until the unbelievable ending. My head was spinning throughout the story trying to figure out how it would end and it was shocking!!!! Totally engrossing and chilling! What a read!!!!!

    Not only do I recommend this book but their previous books too!!!!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • Review | BEHIND EVERY LIE by Christina McDonald

    Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald
    Genre: Domestic Thriller
    Published by Gallery Books
    Publication Date: February 4, 2020
    ASIN: B07THD8RB2
    Pages: 336
    Review Copy From: Gallery Books via NetGalley
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 5+

    Synopsis (via GR)

    If you can’t remember it, how do you prove you didn’t do it?

    Eva Hansen wakes in the hospital after being struck by lightning and discovers her mother, Kat, has been murdered. Eva was found unconscious down the street. She can’t remember what happened but the police are highly suspicious of her.

    Determined to clear her name, Eva heads from Seattle to London—Kat’s former home—for answers. But as she unravels her mother’s carefully held secrets, Eva soon realizes that someone doesn’t want her to know the truth. And with violent memories beginning to emerge, Eva doesn’t know who to trust. Least of all herself.

    Told in alternating perspectives from Eva’s search for answers and Kat’s mysterious past, Christina McDonald has crafted another “complex, emotionally intense” (Publishers Weekly) domestic thriller. Behind Every Lie explores the complicated nature of mother-daughter relationships, family trauma, and the danger behind long-held secrets.

    My Thoughts

    I should have known better!!!!! After reading The Night Olivia Fell in one sitting, I should not have started this book when I had so much going on in real life where I had to keep putting it down or this would have been another one sitting read!!!

    The story alternates between Eva, in the present, trying to recall what happened that fateful night that her mother was murdered and Kat, her mother, twenty-five years ago.

    People didn’t believe Eva years ago when she couldn’t remember who or what happened that night she was raped. And now, people don’t believe her when she states she doesn’t remember the details of her mother’s murder even though the evidence is starting to stack up against her.

    After returning to her mother’s house, hoping to jog her memory, she finds her birth certificate and a letter written by her mother. What’s in that envelope is not only devastating but also adds to her confusion. So she sets out to try and find out the truth before she is arrested.

    The suspense overflowed from the first to the final word at breakneck speed. The characters and clues were delivered at a rapid fired pace that had me turning the pages as fast as I could but also jotting down notes so that I didn’t miss one iota of the story.

    Behind every lie are more lies that will come together in a shocking and shattering conclusion!!

    A jolting story that left me with a book hangover!!! An outstanding read that will pull you in and not let you go!!! Phenomenal!!!!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

    • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
    • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
    • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.