Lifestyle journalist Ella Skye remembers every celebrity she interviewed, every politician she charmed between the sheets, and every socialite who eyed her with envy. The chance meeting with her husband, Damien; their rapid free fall into love; and their low-key, intimate wedding are all locked in her memory. But what she can’t remember is the tragic car accident that ripped her unborn child from her. Ella can’t even recall being pregnant.

Hoping to find the memories of a lost pregnancy that’s left her husband devastated and their home empty, Ella begins delving into her past when she’s assigned an exclusive story about Nathan Donovan, a retired celebrity adventurer who seems to know more about her than she does him. To unravel the mystery of her selective memory loss, Ella follows Nathan from the snowcapped Sierra Nevada to the frozen slopes of southeast Alaska. There she discovers the people she trusts most aren’t the only ones keeping secrets from her—she’s hiding them from herself. Ella quickly learns that some truths are best left forgotten.

Ella Skye, a celebrity journalist, wakes up in a hospital with her husband Damien at her side, however, she has no recollection of what happened or why she is there.

What is even worse is that Damien told her that the baby she was carrying, Simon, died during an emergency C section. However, she can’t recall being pregnant. And how is it that she was even pregnant since Damien and she never wanted children.

Trying to process what has happened, she realizes that she can’t remember anything from the last 7 months. Is this amnesia a residual from the accident or could it be selective memory loss? And why is Damien not answering her questions from both the accident and the memories she has lost since last summer? There is one thing, however, that keeps nagging at her is that there was some type of argument between them the night of that fateful crash but she does not know what it was about. Are they holding back with secrets and betrayals?

This was the first book that I read by this author and enjoyed her writing style. I chose to read this book via comments about it on some of the FB groups I follow. It was easy to picture the characters and scenes with the distinct words that the author wrote.

The suspense was captivating. I was totally engrossed with this book.

I found myself not liking some of the characters because of their actions but when the author wraps up this story in an intense and electrifying ending, I was shocked as I didn’t see it coming.

Highly, highly recommend.

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Stay calm, keep smiling, and watch your step. In this marriage of secrets and lies, nothing is what it seems.

For days, all of Denver, Colorado, has worried over the fate of a missing child, little Tanner Holcomb. Then, a miracle: handsome, athletic Johnny Bradley finds him, frightened but unharmed, on a hiking trail miles from his wealthy family’s mountain home.

In a heartbeat, his rescuer goes from financially strapped fitness trainer to celebrated hero. The heat of the spotlight may prove too much for Johnny’s picture-perfect family, however. His wife, Veronica, despises the pressure of the sudden fame, afraid that secrets and bitter resentments of her marriage may come to light. And she’s willing to do anything to keep them hidden.

But when a shocking revelation exposes an even darker side to Tanner’s disappearance, Veronica realizes that nothing in her life can be trusted. And everything should be feared.

A 3 year old boy, Tanner Holcomb a member of a very influential family, has gone missing for 4 days and the community has been looking for him.

Johnny Bradley, while hiking with his dog, comes upon the little boy and becomes an instant hero. His wife, Veronica, doesn’t like the new media attention since she has a secret that can’t come to light. Veronica then finds her husband’s secret second phone and money hidden in the basement. Was it fate that Johnny found the boy or was there something more nefarious going on?

Both Johnny and Veronica have secrets that can explode their life as they know it and their daughter Sydney, will be devastated.

The story was constant throughout the book which allowed me to finish the book. The descriptive writing flowed. However, I didn’t feel that it was a 4 or 5 star page-turner. I did figure out the who and why early in the story.

For me, this book was just a 3 star read. This was the first time I read anything by this author, however, it wouldn’t stop me from picking up another book by her.

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One is playing a long game. But which one?

They meet at a local tavern in the small town of Belleville, Delaware. Polly is set on heading west. Adam says he’s also passing through.

Yet she stays and he stays—drawn to this mysterious redhead whose quiet stillness both unnerves and excites him. Over the course of a punishing summer, Polly and Adam abandon themselves to a steamy, inexorable affair. Still, each holds something back from the other—dangerous, even lethal, secrets that begin to accumulate as autumn approaches, feeding the growing doubts they conceal.

Then someone dies. Was it an accident, or part of a plan? By now, Adam and Polly are so ensnared in each other’s lives and lies that neither one knows how to get away—or even if they want to. Is their love strong enough to withstand the truth, or will it ultimately destroy them?

Something—or someone—has to give.

Which one will it be?

I have to admit that I have quite a few of Laura Lippman’s books in my TBR bookcase but haven’t read one in a very long time. Since it is summer, I thought the perfect hot weather read would be SUNBURN.

As the synopsis states, Adam and Polly meet in a small-town bar in Belleville, MD. At first, the reader gets the feeling that this isn’t a chance meeting but not sure why these two people are in the same place at the same time. Which of the two have secrets? Or are they both guilty?

Polly has left her husband and small child Jani and plans on heading to the West Coast but stops n Belleville after the ride she hitched with is making it very uncomfortable. Adam comes to the same small town but for many different reasons. And on that fateful night meeting, the two start a friendship, even working together in the tavern they met at, which then turns into a romantic relationship. Furthest from their minds is that they would fall in love even though most of their secrets aren’t being told to each other, even after there is the suspicious death of another co-worker. Could one of them be the murderer?

Love the author’s writing style as it felt that I was there and could picture every scene due to the descriptive narrative. The suspense had me turning the pages as fast as I was able to. Some of the scenarios had me guessing as to who I believed. And the climactic ending was a total surprise.

I will definitely be reading the other Laura Lippman books that are waiting for me on my shelves.

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Lila Bennett’s bad choices have finally caught up with her. And one of those decisions has split her life in two. Literally.

In one life, she’s taken hostage by someone who appears to be a stranger but knows too much. As she’s trapped in a concrete cell, her kidnapper forces her to face what she’s done or be killed. In an alternate life, she eludes her captor but is hunted by someone who is dismantling her happiness, exposing one secret at a time.

Lila’s decorated career as a criminal defense attorney, her marriage, and her life are on the line. She must make a list of those she’s wronged—both in and out of the courtroom—to determine who is out to get her before it’s too late. But even if she can pinpoint her assailant, will she survive? And if she does, which parts of her life are worth saving, and which parts must die? Because one thing’s for certain—life as Lila Bennett knew it is over.

I became a fan of this writing duo after reading THE GOOD WIDOW 

Lila Bennett, a ruthless defense attorney has always won her cases for her clients even if she feels that they are guilty. But then, that’s her job. But one case has haunted her for years even though she never has talked about it to anyone.

Having a tough as nails personality, Lila knows deep down that she has not always made the right and moral decisions in her life to get what she wants. Has it all caught up with her as she has now been kidnapped to face those issues.

The narrative takes place during her week of captivity. Each of the 5 days that she has gone missing, the chapters alternate between 2 scenarios on each particular day, of her being free and her being captured, which I found to be a bit confusing. However, with that being said, I kept turning the pages to see which was truly the reality.

The story was a continuous read of suspense. Not only trying to figure out which was the true storyline but who was the kidnapper. Was it her husband, Ethan, who found out she had betrayed him, or was it her boss Sam who was extremely angry with a decision she made, or could it be her best friend and Sam’s wife, Carrie who had reason for revenge or even a college friend who Lila stole the prestigious internship from her?

Without giving away any spoilers, I did figure out which was of the scenarios was the truth but was totally surprised at who the real kidnapper was and why.

A read that will have you guessing to the very end!!!

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• 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.

There is a stranger outside Caroline’s house.

Her spectacular new beach house, built for hosting expensive parties and vacationing with the family she thought she’d have. But her husband is lying to her and everything in her life is upside down, so when the stranger, Aiden, shows up as a bartender at the same party where Caroline and her husband have a very public fight, it doesn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary.

As her marriage collapses around her and the lavish lifestyle she’s built for herself starts to crumble, Caroline turns to Aiden for comfort…and revenge. After a brief and desperate fling that means nothing to Caroline and everything to him, Aiden’s obsession with Caroline, her family, and her house grows more and more disturbing. And when Caroline’s husband goes missing, her life descends into a nightmare that leaves her accused of her own husband’s murder.

HOLY S#@T!!!! What a read!!!

I read IT’S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND and became a fan of Ms. Campbell with that book. And after reading this book, can’t wait to read SHE WAS THE QUIET ONE, which is in my pile of TBRs. Ms. Campbell is now on my “authors to read” list and should be on your’s too.

While running on the beach in front of her new beachfront home in the Hamptons, Caroline Stark comes upon a young man staring at her house. Thinking he may be a burglar, she stops to ask who and what he is doing. His name is Aidan Callahan and this isn’t the first time that he has been there. He often stops to look at what used to be his grandfather’s land but the house that he knew is now an extraordinary dwelling.

Not long after this meeting, Aidan was hired by a caterer to bartend at an exclusive party that Caroline has planned. But things aren’t festive. Caroline’s husband shows up with a Russian woman and everyone is talking. Is her marriage over?

After the humiliation, Caroline goes to a local bar where Aidan works and after too many drinks, Caroline and Aidan end up at her house and a one night stand happens. However, Aidan thinks it more than that, he is in love. A love that becomes obsessive. To the point of murder?

The premise of the story was absolutely brilliant!! The narrative chilling as the reader sees the different perspectives of events as told by Aidan, Caroline, and her family.

You will be holding your breath one minute, gasping for air the next and finally picking your jaw off the floor!!!

A white knuckle read that was hard to put down!! A story that will stay with you long after you read the last word.

An exceptional Psychological Thriller. Pick up your copy asap but be prepared that you will need to read this one in one sitting!!!!

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The young nanny for a prominent political family gets drawn into a web of deadly lies—including her own—in this stunning debut thriller with the menacing twists of Megan Abbott and the exquisite suspense of Laura Lippman.

“An exciting, intoxicating debut, it will hold you until its startling final pages.”
—Megan Abbott, bestselling author of Dare Me and Give Me Your Hand

They are Phoenix’s First Family: handsome Philip Martin, son of the sitting Senator, an ex-football player who carries himself with an easy grace and appears destined to step into his father’s seat when the time is right; his wife Marina, the stylish and elegant director of Phoenix’s fine arts museum; and their four-year-old daughter Amabel, beautiful and precocious and beloved.

Finn Hunt is working a dull office job to pay off her college debt when she meets Philip and charms Amabel. She eagerly agrees to nanny, thinking she’s lucked into the job of a lifetime. Though the glamour of the Martins’ lifestyle undeniably dazzles Finn, her real pleasure comes from being part of the family: sharing quick jokes with Philip in the kitchen before he leaves for work; staying late when Marina needs a last-minute sitter; and spending long days with Amabel, who is often treated more like a photo op than a child.

But behind every façade lurks a less attractive truth. When a young woman approaches Finn, claiming a connection with Philip and asking Finn to pass on a message, Finn becomes caught up in a web of deceit with the senate seat at its center. And Finn isn’t exactly innocent herself: she too has a background she has kept hidden, and under the hot Phoenix sun, everything is about to be laid bare. . . .

This debut novel had me turning pages as fast as I could read!! A thrilling three hundred and eighty-four pages of entertainment!

After graduating from college Finn, as she likes to be called, leaves Illinois and her secrets behind and doesn’t look back in her rearview mirror as she drives on to Arizona. She is the new Finn, mature, reserved and artistic.

As fate has it, she meets Philip Martin, son of Senator James Martin. As their relationship grows, Philip hires her to be a nanny to his and his wife’s, Marina, daughter Amabel. She falls in love with the little girl.

Then one day her perfect life is interrupted when a stranger, Iris, tells her that she is pregnant with Philip’s child and needs Finn’s help.

Then the absolute tragedy happens. Finn feels responsible and will not let up trying to find out the answers.

Every character has dark and disturbing secrets that lie beneath the superficial facades.

The author supplies the reader with tiny tidbits of the characters, like bread crumbs, that keeps the suspense at a fast paced speed. And those bread crumbs will have you reading long into the night to find the answers.

It all comes together in the last few pages. Even though I was surprised at the ending, I felt that I needed more, which is why I gave it 4 stars.

If you are a psychological thriller junkie like me, then pick this book up. I am putting Ms. Dimberg on my “authors to read” list and hope her next book is in the works.

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From the bestselling author of The Marriage Lie and Three Days Missing comes a riveting new novel of suspense about a woman who, in a fight for survival, must decide just how far she’ll go to escape the person she once loved

Beth Murphy is on the run…

For nearly a year, Beth has been planning for this day. A day some people might call any other Wednesday, but Beth prefers to see it as her new beginning–one with a new look, new name and new city. Beth has given her plan significant thought, because one small slip and her violent husband will find her.

Sabine Hardison is missing…

A couple hundred miles away, Jeffrey returns home from a work trip to find his wife, Sabine, is missing. Wherever she is, she’s taken almost nothing with her. Her abandoned car is the only evidence the police have, and all signs point to foul play.

As the police search for leads, the case becomes more and more convoluted. Sabine’s carefully laid plans for her future indicate trouble at home, and a husband who would be better off with her gone. The detective on the case will stop at nothing to find out what happened and bring this missing woman home. Where is Sabine? And who is Beth? The only thing that’s certain is that someone is lying and the truth won’t stay buried for long.

I became a fan of Kimberly Belle after reading THE MARRIAGE LIE  and then her subsequent books THREE DAYS MISSING  and THE LAST BREATH. I wasn’t taking any chances of not receiving an ARC of her upcoming book, DEAR WIFE, so I was delighted when I received a copy via NetGalley and then surprise book mail in a print format.

As the synopsis states, Beth Murphy, her new identity, is on the run from her abusive husband. She has planned for this day for 10 months.

On the same day another woman, Sabine Hardison, goes missing. Her husband becomes the sole suspect when details of their marriage are brought to light.

Detective Marcus Durand, a veteran on the force, is determined to find out what happened to Sabine but is “gut feeling” is that she is deceased.

Following Beth’s journey of her planned escape is tense and page turning. The suspense is thrilling throughout the book.

Without giving any spoilers, could these 2 women be one in the same?

The story is captivating and immensely engrossing! How it all comes together is mind-blowing! The ending is jaw-dropping and the reader will not see it coming!

If you haven’t read a Kimberly Belle book and you enjoy thrillers, this is the author for you. Highly recommend this book and all of her previous books.

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

• 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.

From Sandie Jones, the author of the Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller The Other Woman, comes an addictively readable new domestic suspense about a wife, her husband, and the woman who is supposedly her best friend.

THE WIFE: For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has a successful business, two children, and a beautiful house.

HER HUSBAND: Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan’s arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved.

HER BEST FRIEND: Through the ups and downs of life, from celebratory nights out to comforting each other through loss, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced . . .

The first mistake could be her last.

Without reiterating the synopsis, I will say what made me choose this book to read and what I thought.

Once again, from the FB book groups I follow, I saw a lot of “buzz” about it so knew I wanted to read it. Before I started reading it, I did see some reviews, some that stated that had a slow start. However, I didn’t feel that was the case or it was because the Prologue pulled me right in and I wanted to know “who it was” from the Prologue (sorry..no spoiler…you will just have to read it).

This year I have been reading mostly Psychological Thrillers and trying so hard to figure them out. I thought that with this book that I had solved the “who”, which I was partly right but the motive, what and why eluded me.

But then, with the intense conclusion of the book, I realized I had been partially right but that was just a smidgen of the story.

The suspense was fluid. The characters believable, but at the same time, I was leery of each of the cast because the Prologue was always at the forefront of my mind. Many twists and turns!

This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Jones but will be checking out her previous books.

Another great Psychological read!!!

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