I kept putting this one down. Breath. Then picked up again.
My reason?
Because at the beginning it was so darn confusing until I was around halfway through, once I passed that milestone it was much better, I can understand how some readers stopped reading it as it’s what I call “a bit of a ploughed” takes a hefty plough and manual labour to get to the roots.

Was it worth it though?

Yes and no.

Yes because the story was laid out well plot wise, no, because there are thousands of books with similar topics.

I would say,if you haven’t read many books with similar themes like this then you may enjoy it.


I ploughed through and yes, it is worth it but the beginning is confusing so start it with no distractions.

I have read by this author 2 other books by her and thoroughly enjoyed them.

The last kiss goodbye.
And
Recipes for Melissa

A great psychological thriller that had me gripped from the beginning to the end. Difficult to follow in places, Ut it all made sense by the end of the book and can’t wait to read more by this Author,

Thank you for the opportunities to read this book. I have attempted it on a number of occasions but unfortunately I haven’t been able to get into it.

I finished reading this 5 days ago. Five short days. And I've already forgotten most of it.

There were many flashbacks. I recall that I didn't really like most of the characters, with the exception of one of the boys.

I wish I could tell you more, but even reading the description of the book and glancing at some of the reviews, the best I could tell you is that it was a relatively fast read and I got a little tired of Sophie being on that train.

Skip.

This is a great read and a well detailed plot that kept me engaged from the very start.
I really liked the well thought out characters and found them to be believable. I cannot wait to read what the author brings out next.

The Friend held my interest from the beginning until the final page. This story is a psychological thriller, full of mystery, intrigue, suspense and an impressively manipulative character. Of course, I wasn't sure who was doing the manipulating right away, not the reason why, but as more and more is revealed, Wow! The plot of this story moved relatively quickly and I found that I was on the edge of my seat at times. Every time I thought I had something figured out, there was a twist and I was left hanging and trying to get my footing again. The climax built up and crashed quickly and had me breathing a sigh of relief. I liked that the story didn't end there. There are a few chapters that tie up all the loose ends and give us a conclusion that answered all my questions. The characters had my emotions all over the place. One minute I liked them, the next I didn't. Then I was angry and disappointed with them, next I was cheering for a good outcome. All emotions that Teresa Driscoll had no problem eliciting in me. I am definitely going to look for more books by this talented author.

NetGalley, as well as Thomas & Mercer, gave me an electronic copy of The Friend. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Because her husband works in the city and only comes home on the weekends, Sophie and Ben, their son, spend many days alone. When a new woman moves to town with her son in tow, it only seems natural that the women and their children become friends. Trusting Emma completely, even with her son, will Sophie's decisions come back to haunt her?

I have read other books by this author and this one seems like it was written by someone else. The usual story building is mainly absent and the characters are overwhelmingly flat. The plot is both familiar and nothing special, leaving me with a feeling of disappointment overall. The twist comes out of left field and is not anchored to the book in a meaningful way. For these reasons, I would not recommend The Friend to other readers.

This was a quick read. The writing at the beginning of the book made things very difficult and confusing. I had no idea who anyone was and how they related to each other. This took away from getting engrossed in the book right off the bat. The ending wasn't really that much of a shock but everything was tidied up in the end.

This book was pretty interesting, it's a situation you could conceivably find yourself in, and the book pulls you in, in an instant. You aren't going to want to put this one down

Thank you to the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during that 2nd attempt, I have only managed to make it halfway through so I'd rather stop here and state that this book just wasn't for me.

This was a gripping and tense psychological thriller with an emotional plotline. I loved the writing style and was kept on the edge of my seat. Another brilliant book from the author.

The Friend by Teresa Driscoll starts off with two boys hurt but we don’t know which boy is the main characters’ or how it happened. The story unfolds in present time and flashbacks. Told in many perspectives.
The story was a fun read. It had me glued and I read it quickly because I had no idea what was going to happen. If you like psychological thrillers then you will love this one!

Imagine having the perfect friend. Her child is the same age as yours, you just "get" each other. And then you leave your child with the perfect friend, and he gets hurt.... where did it go wrong??? This is how the book starts, and wow, what a way to start this is! The jumping between different points of view got confusing for me at a stage, I'll be honest, but it did not deter from the book and the story line. Recommended.

Emma moves to the villiage with her son and soon Sophie and her son Ben become friends, despite the rumours flying around about the newcomer. Sophie believed that she could trust Emma with Ben.. until one day when Emma is hours away on a train and news comes through that he has been hurt in an accident.

This book was ok, an insight into how much we trust the people we call friends. How do we really know someone and can we trust them with the most treasured thing in our lives.

Fantastic novel. Really enjoyed reading. A number of twists to keep the readers interest and a fantastic ending which I didn’t expect at all

Sophie is on the train when she receives a chilling call informing her that her son Ben and his friend were in an accident. Sophie had left Ben in her friend Emma’s care and the on whole trip back reflects on the past which led to the current dreadful situation. Did she make a big mistake in trusting Emma because how well do you actually know somebody ?

The Friend is a fast moving psychological thriller with an exciting twist that I didn't see coming. Narrated in flashback the book builds up the suspense slowly but surely. A book I would definitely recommend and will look forward to more by Teresa Driscoll

I would like to thank Amazon Publishing/Thomas & Mercer & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

OMG. This was absolutely amazing! I was gripped by my shirt collar from page 1 and wasn't released until well after I'd ended. The writing was fantastic and did exactly what a well-written book should - make you connect to the world and be a part of it. Highly Recommended! 4.5/5

Brilliant book I really didn’t want to put it down right from the start the reader is kept guessing as it twists and turns , just when you think you know where the story is going it changes , the characters are so believable
I was gripped by the story , fascinating and intriguing characters that you want to know more about. I liked the to and fro from past to present which was easy to follow some books that try this make it difficult to follow It really captures the emotions of being taken in by a sociopath. A very good read.

The Friend by Teresa Driscoll
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for the ebook ARC of The Friend by Teresa Driscoll.

Sophie and her husband are on a train miles from home away from their son Ben. Sophie receives a horrifying phone call. Two boys are in the hospital after a tragic accident. One of them is Ben.
Sophie thought she could trust her new friend Emma, to look after her little boy. Emma is a kindred spirit - someone Sophie bared her soul too, regardless of the village rumours. Sophie can’t shake this feeling that she has made a huge mistake and has put her family in danger. How well does she really know Emma?
Time is running out. Unable to help her child, hours from home. Sophie is about to discover the truth - and her life will never be the same again.

I give this book a rating of 4 stars. This book had my attention from the beginning. The book was told in past and present, alternating between when Sophie & Emma’s friendship began and then present day with Sophie on the train. It was full of twists and turns. I recommend reading it. This is the first book I have read by Teresa.

#TheFriend #NetGalley