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.

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

Mailbox Monday

Monday:
A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD by Therese Anne Fowler ~ eBook from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley
Tuesday:
IN AN INSTANT by Suzanne Redfearn ~ eBook from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley
Wednesday:
BEHIND EVERY LIE by Christina McDonald ~ eBook from Gallery Books via Edelweiss
Saturday:
THE STARTER WIFE by Nina Laurin ~ TPB from Author via giveaway at Bloom With Tall Poppy Writers on FB

This week’s Fill-Ins:

1. If I had ________________, I would _________________________.
2. ___________________sparks my creativity.
3. _________ keeps me up at night.
4. I only just recently learned _________.

My answers:

1. If I had unlimited funds, I would spend the winters in Aruba.

2. The cold weather sparks my creativity (in the form of crocheting).

3. Sometimes my anxiety keeps me up at night.

4. I only just recently learned a book that I was hoping to get an ARC of was approved.

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.

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

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!!!

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.

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!!!!

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

Mailbox Monday

Thursday:
AMERICAN RED by David Marlett ~ eBook from The Story Plant
Saturday:
THE SLEEPOVER by Carol Wyer ~ eBook from Bookouture via NetGalley

1. I have been contemplating ___________________________________.
2. I want to ____________ a _________________ about __________________.
3. People should worry less about _________ and more about _________.
4. I want to make the world a better place by _________.

1. I have been contemplating starting Chantix again but am leery of the side effects.
2. I want to learn to worry a lot less about things I have no control of.
3. People should worry less about material things and more about being kind and compassionate.
4. I want to make the world a better place by praying. (Think that’s the only thing that will help the world as it is now).