Book Review: The Trapped Wife by Samantha Hayes @bookouture @netgalley @samhayes #TheTrappedWife #bookblog #bookblogger #bookreview #bookreviewer #netgalley #booksonthebookshelf #booksof2021

PUBLISHER: Bookouture

PUBLICATION DATE: September 8th, 2021

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

……

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this novel via NetGalley.

……

ABOUT THE BOOK:

My family gathers around the large oak table in our beautifully renovated home. I’ve put on a dress and lit candles, and there’s a wonderful aroma coming from the dinner you’ve so lovingly prepared. I feel your hand squeeze mine as you top up my glass and ask about my day as a doctor in our small town. It’s the perfect domestic scene, except for one tiny fact: I think my husband is dead, and you are just another patient of mine…

I had no choice but to let you in. If I laugh at your jokes and run my fingers through your hair, maybe I can delete the photos on your phone and find the truth about the night I can’t remember, just before my husband left on the trip he never returned from. Perhaps my son and I will have a chance at a normal life again.

But as I carefully piece together the shards of what really happened that fateful night, only one thing can possibly be true: everyone is lying, even me…

……

MY REVIEW:

When everyone seems to be lying, including the main character of the novel, who are you left to believe? This book was a great thriller that had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved reading the chapters from altering POV’s – Jen in the present and a boy in the past by the name of Evan. Evan seemed to be an unfortunate, mischievous boy who was out looking for trouble.. or did trouble seem to find him? Flash forward to the present, and Jen is being manipulated and blackmailed by a man in her present by the name of Jeremy. He seems to enjoy playing with her and making her squirm as she must do everything he says he does after all have blackmail he can use against her that will ruin her life.

Many times I was mad at Jen for her choices. Why allow this man Jeremy rule and dictate her life? Just tell him to fly away and leave her alone, and just suffer the consequences of the blackmail whatever that may be. She can get through it. Of course I felt bad at times for Jen as well for what she was going through. She was intimidated, scared, bullied and felt she had nowhere or no one to turn to for help or advice.

There were many revelations in this novel – some I actually predicted and others I was close but never quite was close to figuring out the true story. Many shocking twists and turns that had me hooked, I read this book in just a day.. I loved this book and I highly recommend you add this thriller to your TBR list. You’ll be hooked as well!

……

MY RATING: 5/5 stars

Book Review: The Wedding Dress by Dani Atkins @HoZ_Books @AtkinsDani #TheWeddingDress #booksof2021 #bookblogger #bookblog #bookreviewer #bookreview #booksonthebookshelf #netgalley @netgalley

PUBLISHER: Head of Zeus

PUBLICATION DATE: August 5th, 2021

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

……

Thank you to the publisher, Head of Zeus, for the eARC of this title via NetGalley.

……

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Three women. Three love stories. One dress. The new heartwarming and uplifting romance from award-winning romance writer Dani Atkins.

Suzanne is engaged to be married to the man of her dreams – except the lead up to her wedding is beginning to feel more like a nightmare. Can Suzanne uncover the truth about her fiancé ahead of her big day?

Bella’s life was on track until the day of the hen party when everything changed. Now she must find the strength to rebuild her future – and decide who she wants to spend it with.

Mandy’s grandmother has fallen in love but her family don’t approve. For her grandmother’s dreams to come true, Mandy has a secret wedding to plan, and a very special dress to find.

These are the three strangers whose stories are about to be woven together by one perfect wedding dress.

……

MY REVIEW:

I am a huge fan of Dani Atkins books. She is a powerful writer who has a way with words. Some of her books have made me laugh out loud, cheer, cry, the whole emotional bundle. And this book was no different. It is such a beautifully written book that takes place over time and intertwines the lives of three different women. Three women and one wedding dress.

I enjoyed reading about the lives of the three different women as they embark on their lives and the days leading up to their wedding. They all have such different lives from one another, some full of joy, some full of loss or sadness, and it all centers around one key thing: their perfect wedding dress.

A uniquely written novel that I would recommend.

……

MY RATING: 4/5 stars

Book Review: Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena @PenguinRandomCA @doubledayca @sharilapena #NotAHappyFamily #booksof2021 #bookblog #bookblogger #bookreview #bookreviewer #booksonthebookshelf

PUBLISHER: Penguin Random House Canada, Doubleday Canada

PUBLICATION DATE: July 27th, 2021

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

…..

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada, Doubleday Canada, for the eARC of this book via NetGalley.

……

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In this family, everyone is keeping secrets—even the dead.

Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there, and Fred and Sheila Merton certainly are rich. But even all their money can’t protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mertons are brutally murdered after a fraught Easter dinner with their three adult kids. Who, of course, are devastated.

Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of the siblings is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you’d know.

……

MY REVIEW:

I am no stranger to books by Shari Lapena and of course was thrilled to learn about her latest novel.

Addictive, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat thrills as you flip through the pages of this novel. Families are supposed to be close to one another, and be there for one another no matter what…right? Wrong! The Merton family was not a close-knit family at all. The family consists of two daughters and a son, plus their parents. Their mother was distant and neglectful, their father was vindictive and mean. Of course the family didn’t grow up close to one another. Then you have three siblings, all who each have their own secrets and betrayals from one another. Throw in a combination of secrets, jealousies, betrayals, and lies and you have the perfect recipe for something to do so devastatingly wrong. And that’s exactly what happens of course, With a family such as this there are bound to be so much drama going on and I LOVED it!

Not everyone in the family is as they appear to be. They keep up appearances and pretend to be someone they are not, but behind closed doors in their own private world, when the mask comes off, not all is as it first appears to be. So when the Merton’s (mother and father) end up killed in their own home, who to suspect? Was it one of their children? Was it another disgruntled family member? Or was it someone else entirely?

All will be revealed as you flip along to these thrilling and chilling pages and uncover the secrets, lies and family dynamics of this one Merton family. A wonderful novel that I highly recommend that you read.

Well done Shari. I am looking forward to your next novel!

……

MY RATING: 4/5 stars

Book Review: The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones @StMartinsPress @MinotaurBooks @realsandiejones #TheGuiltTrip #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookblog #bookblogger #booksof2021 #5starreads

PUBLISHER: Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press

PUBLICATION DATE: August 3rd, 2021

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

……

Thank you to Minotaur, St. Martin’s Press for the beautiful physical copy of this book and also an eARC of this book via NetGalley.

……

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Six friends.

Rachel and Noah have been friends since they met at university. While they once thought that they might be something more, now, twenty years later, they are each happily married to other people, Jack and Paige respectively. Jack’s brother Will is getting married, to the dazzling, impulsive Ali, and the group of six travel to Portugal for their destination weekend.

Three couples.

As they arrive at a gorgeous villa perched on a cliff-edge, overlooking towering waves that crash on the famous surfing beaches below at Nazaré, they try to settle into a weekend of fun. While Rachel is looking forward to getting to know her future sister-in-law Ali better, Ali can’t help but rub many of the group up the wrong way: Rachel’s best friend Paige thinks Ali is attention-seeking and childish, and while Jack is trying to support his brother Will’s choice of wife, he is also finding plenty to disagree with Noah about.

One fatal misunderstanding . . .

But when Rachel discovers something about Ali that she can hardly believe, everything changes. As the wedding weekend unfolds, the secrets each of them hold begin to spill, and friendships and marriages threaten to unravel. Soon, jumping to conclusions becomes the difference between life and death.

……

MY REVIEW:

I am a huge fan of books by Sandie Jones, ever since I read her novel The Other Woman. She is one of my go-to authors and I was thrilled to hear of her latest novel The Guilt Trip. SO of course I had to get my hands on a copy of this newest release ASAP. And of course I was NOT disappointed!

This book is the recipe for a deliciously juicy, thrilling, gripping edge-of-your-seat thriller. Full of friendships, relationships, betrayals, lies, secrets, and a past that just cannot stay kept in the past, you will DEVOUR this book once you read the first page, until the very end!

Six friends, three couples. A trip that is supposed to be full of excitement, fun and making memories that will last a lifetime. What better than an exciting trip to bring six friends closer to one another, what could possibly go wrong, right? Apparently a lot can go wrong. Especially when you add into the mix all of the elements these couples and friends have among them. Something is bound to go wrong.

I loved the dynamics of this group. Two of them had a past together as really close friends, and they are now married to other people. Some of them have something to hide, and lie to one another, putting on a face to hide the truth. I enjoyed learning about the different dynamics among this group of friends. There is so much drama and I loved it!

A novel that I highly recommend that you get, like now!

Well done Sandie! I cannot give enough stars for this novel. I am excited to see what your next novel brings!

……

MY RATING: 5/5 stars

Book Review: For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing @BerkleyPub @smariedowning #ForYourOwnGood #netgalley #5starreads #booksof2021 #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookblog #bookblogger #booksonthebookshelf

PUBLISHER: Berkley

PUBLICATION DATE: July 20th, 2021

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

……

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada/Berkley for the beautiful hardcover finished copy of this book to read and review as well as the eARC of this book via NetGalley.

……

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the esteemed Belmont Academy, home to the best and brightest.

He says his wife couldn’t be more proud—though no one has seen her in a while.

Teddy really can’t be bothered with the death of a school parent that’s looking more and more like murder or the student digging a little too deep into Teddy’s personal life. His main focus is on pushing these kids to their full academic potential.

All he wants is for his colleagues—and the endlessly meddlesome parents—to stay out of his way.

It’s really too bad that sometimes excellence can come at such a high cost.

……

MY REVIEW:

WOW! Addictive, deceptive, edge-of-your-seat thrills and craziness all rolled into one deliciously twisted novel. A great recipe for a great thriller!

Ok everyone, if you haven’t read this book yet you NEED TO ASAP!! You will definitely thank me later, once you read it of course!

Teddy was an interesting, intriguing character. He was definitely sinister and twisted and I LOVED IT!! His personality and character in the novel definitely made for a great read that readers will devour! Teddy took actions into his own hands, and did everyone else favours, whether they knew it or not, needed it or not, or even wanted it or not. I flew through the pages in this novel and didn’t want to stop until the very end. And then I wished there was more for me to read. 

I cannot say enough great words about this novel. It was awesome. It had me hooked. It was thrills and chills and everything in between!

I am no stranger to novels by Samantha Downing and this book did not disappoint. Well done Samantha on another fantastic novel! I’m looking forward to your next book! 

……

MY RATING: 5/5 stars

Book Review: The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding @rhardingwriter @GalleryBooks @SimonSchusterCA #ThePerfectFamily #robynharding #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookblog #bookblogger #booksonthebookshelf #booksof2021 #5starreads

PUBLISHER: Gallery Books

PUBLICATION DATE: August 10th, 2021

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

……

Happy Publication Day to The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the eARC of this book via NetGalley.

……

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Thomas and Viv Adler are the envy of their neighbors: attractive, successful, with well-mannered children and a beautifully restored home.

Until one morning, when they wake up to find their porch has been pelted with eggs. It’s a prank, Thomas insists; the work of a few out-of-control kids. But when a smoke bomb is tossed on their front lawn, and their car’s tires are punctured, the family begins to worry. Surveillance cameras show nothing but grainy images of shadowy figures in hoodies. And the police dismiss the attacks, insisting they’re just the work of bored teenagers. Unable to identify the perpetrators, the Adlers are helpless as the assaults escalate into violence, and worse. And each new violation brings with it a growing fear. Because everyone in the Adler family is keeping a secret—not just from the outside world, but from each other. And secrets can be very dangerous….

This twisty, addictively page-turning suspense novel about a perfect family’s perfect façade will keep you turning pages until its explosive ending. 

……

MY REVIEW:

Addictive, full of deception, betrayals, secrets, and lies..lies..lies! This book has it all and I LOVED it!! I am a huge fan of Robyn Harding and once I heard about her latest novel THE PERFECT FAMILY I knew I had to get my hands on a copy ASAP so was thrilled when I received this via NetGalley.

The Adler family is trying to keep up with appearances, just like everyone else. When everything on the outside looking in seems perfect and just so, not all is always as it appears to be. The perfect looking family might not be quite so perfect after all. I love how this novel starts off with someone lurking in the shadows at night, approaching the house with bad intentions for sure. The following chapters then alter to 6 weeks prior to that night and is told from alternating POV’s. Some parts are told from Vivian’s (Viv’s) POV, the mother of the family. Some parts are told from Thomas’ POV, the father. Some parts are told from their daughter Tarryn’s POV and other’s told from their son’s Eli’s POV. I love a good book told from various POV’s as we get to hear the story from each side and from each character and see the world through their eyes. It adds to the character development, enriches the storyline and makes for a great book and I loved that about this novel. Each character in this story has their own share of secrets and lies they are with-holding from everyone around them. They all have something to hide, something to lose, and I loved reading about all of their secrets and half-truths. No one in the family is perfect, far from it, but they try and keep up the illusion that they are.

Vivian feels her husband growing distant from her, even though they have two children together, a beautiful home, and have been married for 22 years. She feels it in her gut that he is cheating on her. She has no proof, just this gut wrenching feeling inside. Her husband Thomas has a secret of his own – something happened on a guys trip he attended some time back and even his wife doesn’t know about it. Then there is their daughter Tarryn – she has a secret life that comes out at night, when other family members are sleeping. Finally we had their son Eli – he has a secret of his own that makes him sick to his stomach when he thinks about it… a secret that is so awful that he dropped out of College for and returned to live at home much to his parents’ disapproval and dislike..

When it is clear that someone or some people are targeting their home, and their home is attacked and vandalized, who is responsible and what are they trying to prove? When all family members are keeping their own secrets, are one of them the target and the reason why they are under attack? Are they all partly to blame? Why would they be targeted, especially when they are the “perfect” family?

I loved the family dynamics of the Adler family and reading about their individual deception and lies. Such a great recipe for a great book and I devoured this book.

Well done Robyn! I loved this book and definitely recommend you add this one to your TBR right now! You’ll love it! I’m looking forward to your next book Robyn!

…..

MY RATING: 5/5 stars