Book Review

My Summer Darlings by May Cobb [Book Review]

Book Review

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BOOK INFO

Title: My Summer Darlings

Author: May Cobb

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: May 17, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

My Summer Darlings by May Cobb

BOOK BLURB

A woman in the forest thinks she’s going to die.
                          I know he’s coming back for me.
 
Jen Hansen, Kittie Spears, and Cynthia Nichols have been friends since childhood. They are now approaching forty and their lives have changed, but their insular East Texas town has not. They stay sane by drinking wine in the afternoons, dishing about other women in the neighborhood, and bonding over the heartache of their own encroaching middle age and raising ungrateful teens.
 
Then Will Harding comes to town, moving into one of the neighborhood’s grandest homes. Mysterious and charming, he seems like the answer to each woman’s prayers. He’s a source of fascination for Jen, Kittie, and Cynthia, but none of them are ready for the way Will disrupts their lives.
 
As Will grows closer with each of the women, their fascination twists into obsession, threatening their friendships and their families. When he abruptly pulls away, each woman scrambles to discover the source of his affection. But what they’ll uncover is far more sinister and deadly than any of them could have ever imagined.


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

Jen, Kittie, and Cynthia lives in the same neighborhood and have been friends for years. A new man moves into town, and has caught all their attention. There goes the neighborhood.

My Summer Darlings is told through alternating points of view – Jen, Kittie, Cynthia, and an unknown person. The POVs are all distinct, though none of them are very likable.

Jen is recently divorced, and is immediately drawn to the new neighbor, Will. Her besties, Kittie and Cynthia, are both married, but they are also attracted to Will. This must be the world’s most charming man. Anyway, the women all fall for this new stranger, and are absolutely ridiculous trying to win him over. It should be no surprise that things do not end well.

My Summer Darlings is a guilty pleasure book. A steamy and dramatic story of rich people behaving badly, with a little mystery thrown in.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie [Book Review]

Book Review

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BOOK INFO

Title: Please Join Us

Author: Catherine McKenzie

Publisher: Atria Books

Publish Date: August 23, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie

BOOK BLURB

At thirty-nine, Nicole Mueller’s life is on the rocks. Her once brilliant law career is falling apart. She and her husband, Dan, are soon to be forced out of the apartment they love. After a warning from her firm’s senior partners, she receives an invitation from an exclusive women’s networking group, Panthera Leo. Membership is anonymous, but every member is a successful professional. It sounds like the perfect solution to help Nicole revive her career. So, despite Dan’s concerns that the group might be a cult, Nicole signs up for their retreat in Colorado.

Once there, she meets the other women who will make up her Pride. A CEO, an actress, a finance whiz, a congresswoman: Nicole can’t believe her luck. The founders of Panthera Leo are equally as impressive. They explain the group’s core philosophy: they’re a girl’s club in a boy’s club world.

Nicole is all in. And when she gets home, she soon sees dividends. Her new network quickly provides her with clients that help her relaunch her career, and a great new apartment too. The favors she has to provide in return seem benign. But then she’s called to the congresswoman’s apartment late at night where she’s pressed into helping her cover up a crime. And suddenly, Dan’s concerns that something more sinister is at play seem all too relevant. Can Nicole extricate herself from the group before it’s too late? Or will joining Panthera Leo be the biggest mistake of her life?


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

Nicole Mueller is an attorney needing a boost in her career. She gets invited to join an exclusive group for professional women. She thinks this is just what she needs, so jumps at the chance to join. She soon sees improvement in her career and life. The favors she provides to the other members of the group seem minor, and she’s elated with how things are going. Then she gets called for more than a favor, she’s asked to help cover up a murder.

Please Join Us is told from Nicole’s point of view. The first part of the novel is slower paced. Nicole joins an exclusive networking group, and meets the other women. There is a good mix of professional women involved, and Nicole starts to immediately see the benefits of being a member. Later in the novel, things get messy. Nicole is in for a wild ride, and tries to escape the toxic group.

Please Join Us is a deliciously twisted thriller of corporate culture, first world problems, and secret organizations.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Catherine McKenzie:
  1. Smoke
  2. Fractured
  3. The Good Liar
  4. I’ll Never Tell
  5. You Can’t Catch Me
  6. Six Weeks to Live
  7. Please Join Us
Book Review

Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel [Book Review]

Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.


BOOK INFO

Title: Just Like Mother

Author: Anne Heltzel

Publisher: Nightfire

Publish Date: May 17, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel

BOOK BLURB

The last time Maeve saw her cousin was the night she escaped the cult they were raised in. For the past two decades, Maeve has worked hard to build a normal life in New York City, where she keeps everything—and everyone—at a safe distance.

When Andrea suddenly reappears, Maeve regains the only true friend she’s ever had. Soon she’s spending more time at Andrea’s remote Catskills estate than in her own cramped apartment. Maeve doesn’t even mind that her cousin’s wealthy work friends clearly disapprove of her single lifestyle. After all, Andrea has made her fortune in the fertility industry—baby fever comes with the territory.

The more Maeve immerses herself in Andrea’s world, the more disconnected she feels from her life back in the city; and the cousins’ increasing attachment triggers memories Maeve has fought hard to bury. But confronting the terrors of her childhood may be the only way for Maeve to transcend the nightmare still to come…


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

Maeve escaped from a cult twenty years ago. Now, she lives in New York City, and lives a quiet life. After all these years, she is reunited with her cousin Andrea. Maeve spends more and more time with Andrea and her friends, which triggers memories in Maeve. Unfortunately, Maeve may be in too deep with Andrea to escape again.

Just Like Mother combines mystery and horror elements. Tense and atmospheric. The story did have some holes in it, but it was still an entertaining novel.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth [Book Review]

Book Review

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BOOK INFO

Title: The Younger Wife

Author: Sally Hepworth

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date: April 5, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth

BOOK BLURB

THE HUSBAND
A heart surgeon at the top of his field, Stephen Aston is getting married again. But first he must divorce his current wife, even though she can no longer speak for herself.

THE DAUGHTERS
Tully and Rachel Aston look upon their father’s fiancée, Heather, as nothing but an interloper. Heather is younger than both of them. Clearly, she’s after their father’s money.

THE FORMER WIFE
With their mother in a precarious position, Tully and Rachel are determined to get to the
truth about their family’s secrets, the new wife closing in, and who their father really is.

THE YOUNGER WIFE
Heather has secrets of her own. Will getting to the truth unleash the most dangerous impulses
in all of them?


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

The Younger Wife opens with the wedding of an older man to a younger woman. During the wedding, the lights go out. When they come back on, the celebrant is covered with blood and the mystery of what happened is just starting.

The novel has an intriguing opening, and then goes back one year in time to cover the events leading up to the wedding. The Younger Wife is told using multiple points of view – the daughters of the groom and the new wife. The daughters are not happy with their father’s new romance. As the year of events unfolds, details about the characters is revealed. None of them are particularly likable characters, but it does make for an engaging read.

An intriguing psychological thriller. Family drama, lies, and secrets. Recommended for fans of this genre.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Sally Hepworth:
  1. The Mother’s Promise
  2. The Family Next Door
  3. The Mother-in-Law
  4. The Good Sister
  5. The Younger Wife
Book Review

Reputation by Sarah Vaughan [Book Review]

Book Review

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BOOK INFO

Title: Reputation

Author: Sarah Vaughan

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Publish Date: July 5, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

Reputation by Sarah Vaughan

BOOK BLURB

As a politician, Emma has sacrificed a great deal for her career—including her marriage and her relationship with her daughter, Flora.

A former teacher, the glare of the spotlight is unnerving for Emma, particularly when it leads to countless insults, threats, and trolling as she tries to work in the public eye. As a woman, she knows her reputation is worth its weight in gold but as a politician, she discovers it only takes one slip-up to destroy it completely.

Fourteen-year-old Flora is learning the same hard lessons at school as she encounters heartless bullying. When another teenager takes her own life, Emma lobbies for a new law to protect women and girls from the effects of online abuse. Now, Emma and Flora find their personal lives uncomfortably intersected…but then the unthinkable happens.

A man is found dead in Emma’s home. A man she had every reason to be afraid of and to want gone. Fighting to protect her reputation, and determined to protect her family at all costs, Emma is pushed to the limits as the worst happens and her life is torn apart.


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

Emma made sacrifices in her personal life to improve her career. Her rise in her career has put her in the spotlight, and made her the target of unwanted attention. When a dead man is found in her home, she will do everything she can to protect her family, her career, and her reputation.

Reputation is told using multiple points of view. The primary viewpoint is Emma, but her daughter and a few other characters also share their points of view. I didn’t find the characters all that likable, but the stories were intriguing.

A slow-burning psychological thriller. Reputation was an intriguing novel. Good for fans of psychological thrillers with strong female protagonists.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Sarah Vaughan:
  1. Anatomy of a Scandal
  2. Little Disasters
  3. Reputation
Book Review

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen [Book Review]

Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.


BOOK INFO

Title: The Golden Couple

Author: Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date: March 8, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

BOOK BLURB

Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.

Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.
When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

A picture perfect couple seek counseling to help their marriage. The therapist is unconventional, but the couple are willing to try it to save their marriage.

Told using the alternating points of view of Marissa, the client, and Avery, the therapist. Marissa cheated on her husband, but wants to save her marriage. She finds Avery, a therapist who guarantees she can fix issues in only ten sessions. Of course, nothing is as it appears.

The Golden Couple is a gripping and twisty psychological thriller. Fans of Hendricks and Pekkanen’s other books are sure to enjoy this one too.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen:
  1. The Wife Between Us
  2. An Anonymous Girl
  3. You Are Not Alone
  4. The Golden Couple
Book Review

The Heights by Louise Candlish [Book Review]

Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.


BOOK INFO

Title: The Heights

Author: Louise Candlish

Publisher: Atria Books

Publish Date: March 1, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The Heights by Louise Candlish

BOOK BLURB

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among warehouses in London. Its roof terrace is so discreet, you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren’t standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there—a man you’d recognize anywhere. He may be older now, but it’s definitely him.

But that can’t be because he’s been dead for over two years. You know this for a fact.

Because you’re the one who killed him.


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

A woman spots a man on a nearby roof terrace. She thinks it is the man she blames for the death of her son, which is impossible since he’s supposed to be dead.

The Heights is told using multiple points of view and timelines, which adds more layers to this thriller.

A novel about obsession and revenge. The Heights is a dark and slow-burning psychological thriller. I had a hard time getting into this story, but still found it an enjoyable read.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Louise Candlish:
  1. The Swimming Pool
  2. Our House
  3. Those People
  4. The Other Passenger
  5. The Heights
Book Review

This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel [Book Review]

Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.


BOOK INFO

Title: This Might Hurt

Author: Stephanie Wrobel

Publisher: Berkley Books

Publish Date: February 22, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel

BOOK BLURB

Welcome to Wisewood. We’ll keep your secrets if you keep ours.

Natalie Collins hasn’t heard from her sister in more than half a year.

The last time they spoke, Kit was slogging from mundane workdays to obligatory happy hours to crying in the shower about their dead mother. She told Natalie she was sure there was something more out there. 

And then she found Wisewood.

On a private island off the coast of Maine, Wisewood’s guests commit to six-month stays. During this time, they’re prohibited from contact with the rest of the world—no Internet, no phones, no exceptions. But the rules are for a good reason: to keep guests focused on achieving true fearlessness so they can become their Maximized Selves. Natalie thinks it’s a bad idea, but Kit has had enough of her sister’s cynicism and voluntarily disappears off the grid.
 
Six months later Natalie receives a menacing e-mail from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from Kit. Panicked, Natalie hurries north to come clean to her sister and bring her home. But she’s about to learn that Wisewood won’t let either of them go without a fight.


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

Natalie has not heard from her sister, Kit, in over six months. Kit took off to a remote retreat, and cut off contact with the outside world. After receiving a cryptic email, Natalie goes to the retreat in search of her sister.

This Might Hurt is told using multiple points of view and timelines. This was somewhat confusing at first, but eventually came together well. The characters were intriguing and unique. The story was complex and engaging.

This Might Hurt is a psychological thriller about sisters, cults, childhood trauma, and therapy. A creepy and atmospheric novel.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Stephanie Wrobel:
  1. Darling Rose Gold
  2. This Might Hurt
Book Review

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle [Book Review]

Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.


BOOK INFO

Title: My Darling Husband

Author: Kimberly Belle

Publisher: Park Row

Publish Date: December 28, 2021

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle

BOOK BLURB

Everyone is about to know what her husband isn’t telling her…

Jade and Cam Lasky are by all accounts a happily married couple with two adorable kids, a spacious home and a rapidly growing restaurant business. But their world is tipped upside down when Jade is confronted by a masked home invader. As Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade starts to wonder if they’re as financially secure as their lifestyle suggests, and what other secrets her husband is keeping from her.

Cam may be a good father, a celebrity chef and a darling husband, but there’s another side he’s kept hidden from Jade that has put their family in danger. Unbeknownst to Cam and Jade, the home invader has been watching them and is about to turn their family secrets into a public scandal.


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

My Darling Husband starts strong. Jade and her two kids, a daughter and a son, are held hostage in their home. Jade contacts her husband, Cam, with the intruder’s ransom demands. Unfortunately, Cam hasn’t been completely forthcoming about his business and their finances. As Cam scrambles, Jade and the kids attempt to save themselves.

Three points of view are used – Jade, Cam, and Sebastian, the intruder. Each of the characters has a unique voice, though I believe the story could have been more suspenseful without Sebastian’s viewpoint. The characters are relatable and strong, including the kids.

My Darling Husband is an intense and gripping psychological thriller. A good read for fans of domestic thrillers and authors such as B.A. Paris and Liv Constantine.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Kimberly Belle:
  1. The Last Breath
  2. The Ones We Trust
  3. The Marriage Lie
  4. Three Days Missing
  5. Dear Wife
  6. Stranger in the Lake
  7. My Darling Husband
Book Review

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney [Book Review]

Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.


BOOK INFO

Title: Rock Paper Scissors

Author: Alice Feeney

Publisher: Flatiron

Publish Date: September 7, 2021

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

BOOK BLURB

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts–paper, cotton, pottery, tin–and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

A husband and wife win a weekend getaway. Adam and Amelia are hoping this weekend will help improve their marriage, but things do not go as planned.

Rock Paper Scissors is told from alternating points of view. Having viewpoints from both Adam and Amelia adds more to the story, plus letters written by Amelia on each of their anniversaries adds insight to their relationship. The novel starts slow, but it eventually picks up.

Rock Paper Scissors is an atmospheric and twisty domestic thriller. Fans of Alice Feeney’s other books are sure to enjoy this one too.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Alice Feeney:
  1. Sometimes I Lie
  2. I Know Who You Are
  3. His & Hers
  4. Rock Paper Scissors
Book Review

Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier [Book Review]

Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.


BOOK INFO

Title: Good Rich People

Author: Eliza Jane Brazier

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: January 25, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier

BOOK BLURB

A destitute woman deceives her way into the guesthouse of a Hollywood Hills mansion and inadvertently becomes a target in the twisted game of the wealthy family upstairs in the next intoxicating novel from Eliza Jane Brazier.

Lyla has always believed that life is a game she is destined to win, but her husband, Graham, takes the game to dangerous levels. The wealthy couple invites self-made success stories to live in their guesthouse and then conspires to ruin their lives. After all, there is nothing worse than a bootstrapper. 

Demi has always felt like the odds were stacked against her. At the end of her rope, she seizes a risky opportunity to take over another person’s life and unwittingly becomes the subject of the upstairs couple’s wicked entertainment. But Demi has been struggling forever, and she’s not about to go down without a fight.  

In a twist that neither woman sees coming, the game quickly devolves into chaos and rockets toward an explosive conclusion. 

Because every good rich person knows: in money and in life, it’s winner take all. Even if you have to leave a few bodies behind.


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

Good Rich People is a psychological thriller about a rich couple and a dark game they play. The couple rents out a guest cottage on their property. They choose people they can torment and attempt to ruin their lives. Unfortunately for them, their latest tenant is not one to go down easy.

Lyla, Graham, and Margo, Graham’s mother, are very rich. So rich they invent their own game to ruin other people’s lives. Their latest target, Demi, is tough to break though. The characters are well developed, unlikable, and fun to read about. The point of views alternate throughout the story, helping make it a more engaging read.

An over-the-top thrill ride of secrets and lies. Good Rich People is a gripping and twisty book for fans of psychological thriller.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Eliza Jane Brazier:
  1. If I Disappear
  2. Good Rich People
Book Review

Suffer Little Children by Freda Hansburg [Book Review]

Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.


BOOK INFO

Title: Suffer Little Children

Author: Freda Hansburg

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Publish Date: January 26, 2021

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

Suffer Little Children by Freda Hansburg

BOOK BLURB

Robin Perry’s life is finally on track with her dream job and a promising relationship with Ben Martin, even if his two spoiled children, Amber and Jaden, hate her. But things take a downhill turn when Gloria Reyes, an acquaintance of Ben’s, asks her to admit her young son to a cancer study meant for adults and Robin, heartbroken, must turn her down. But Gloria won’t take no for an answer and begins an insidious crusade to force the issue.

Amber Martin hates living with her crazy mother since her parents’ divorce, but she can hardly live with her dad, who’s too busy with “Miss Perfect” these days. When Amber runs into her mother’s friend Gloria, she’s glad to finally meet an adult who seems to be on her side. But as Amber becomes friends with Gloria’s sickly son, Alex, she begins to think Gloria is not as nice as she first thought, and Alex may be in trouble.

As Gloria’s threatening behavior escalates, Robin must protect the children while finding a way to save her career and her relationship with Ben. But Gloria always manages to stay one step ahead. When a secret comes to light, Robin discovers the stakes are even higher than she imagined.


Purchase Links: Amazon


MY REVIEW

Robin has a new job working on a cancer research project. She’s also in a new relationship with Ben, which is great except for his spoiled kids hating her. Gloria, an acquaintance of Ben, asks Robin to get her son Alex into the cancer study. Unfortunately, the project is not for kids, so Robin has to say no. Meanwhile, Amber, Ben’s daughter, befriends Gloria and her son. Robin and Amber both start to realize Gloria is not as wonderful as she appears.

Suffer Little Children is told with alternating points of view. The characters are not all that likable, but are relatable. The story is captivating and kept me turning the pages.

Suffer Little Children is an intriguing novel. A dramatic and emotional read recommended for fans of psychological thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.