Women need their friends to help them through the problems in their lives and to be there to celebrate the good times. Sometimes over time these friendships fracture and can't be put back together no matter how hard we try.

Ashley, Natalie and Lauren became friends in college. Now at nearly 40, their friendship is in bad shape. To try to recover their feelings towards each other, they plan a girls weekend in Mexico. The three of them go there with high hopes of resurrecting their friendship but they are all hiding secrets from each other that makes that very difficult. When one of them goes missing, its unsure whether she ran off on her own or whether the secrets that they have from each other caused someone to snap and do her harm. Trying to find her causes guilt and growing suspicion between the two survivors. It's a real page turning story with an ending that I didn't see coming.

Liz and Lisa have once again written a thrilling book with very real characters in a nail biting story. The setting in Mexico is beautiful and at odds with the turmoil going on between the three friends - or are they former friend?

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I was excited to get this novel, as I had loved the authors' previous work "The Good Widow" and was looking forward to experience this latest book. However I found this novel to fall well short of that..
It sees three women travelling to Mexico to try to mend unravelling friendships. Their relationships become more and more strained over the week, and then on the last night one of the women, Ashley, disappears, leaving Lauren and Natalie frantically looking for her.. Lauren had left them earlier in the night and Natalie had woken up on the beach with her clothing wet, and no memories of the night, coming to believe she had been drugged. Ashley had been spending time with a local man Marco, much to the annoyance of her friends, but he is now nowhere to be found. The police are soon around asking questions, but has Ashley simply run off with Marco? Or has something more sinister happened?
This book is told in alternating chapters from before the fateful night and from after it, with the women taking turns to narrate. This did hold my interest, as we start to explore what did happen in the leadup, who was hiding secrets and why they thought their lives were falling apart. Honestly though I found none of them sympathetic with each of them in turn trying to blame the others for their unhappy lives.
All in all, the majority of this novel is about three stubborn, selfish cows that spend their whole time arguing. It overpowers the suspense that could have built into something chilling, but never quite reaches those heights. I found that this novel did have the potential to be more riveting, but in the end it was disappointing.
My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you love books on secrets, this is the book for you ! The fact a marriage is not involved is even better. This book is based on female friendships. It is written with everyones perception. I highly recommend this book. Thankyou netgalley for the opportunity to read it.

In Girls' Night Out started off with mystery starts out the day after the girls' night out and continues bouncing between flashbacks and the days after. The chapters are narrated by the three friends who took this girls' trip together, Ashley, Lauren and Natalie, who have been friends since college. Ashley and Natalie run a company together and had a falling out the year before with Lauren at her husband's funeral. This trip is to heal the fractured relationships. There are more secrets than one can imagine that have been kept from each other even though they are supposed to be longtime best friends. This story is a breath of fresh air since most domestic mysteries that do not revolve around a marriage. Relationships between women throughout the ages are always complicated and full of drama. Recommend this book to mystery suspense and those who do appreciate the domestic thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing a copy of ARC for an honest review.

2.5 stars. This was okay. There were a lot of parts I found engaging, especially regarding the friendship between the women and the search for Ashley, but I never actually felt very compelled to pick it up again, and it seemed to drag on after a while. The end also felt anticlimactic and the book didn't end up being the thriller I expected.

*I received a free pre-release copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Girls’ Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke was a solid psychological thriller, well-paced and interesting. I found the main characters mostly unlikeable – it was as if the authors’ could only see their bad sides. There was a lot of immaturity and selfishness between the three main characters, and personally I didn’t care all that much what happened to any of them. The location of Tulum was well described and the story was fairly plausible. This would make a good beach read for anyone who likes thrillers. 3 out of 5 stars, this book took me 4.5 hours to read. I was given this advance reader’s copy from Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for my honest review.

Ashley Green was excited the day she e-mailed her long-time friends Natalie and Lauren to plan a trip to Tulum, Mexico. She longed for a place of spiritual renewal where the three friends could not only reconnect after having drifted apart over the past year, but do some soul searching as well. Ashely knew this was the time and place for reconciliation, but just didn’t know where to start: “With Lauren and their terrible fight a year ago? With Natalie and the recent offer from Revlon to buy their company – creating tension within their friendship and business partnership? Or say nothing at all?” (Girls’ Night Out, p. 8).

After arriving in Tulum, Ashley becomes enamoured with a local man named Marco during a morning yoga class. Before the beginning of the class, Marco shares with Ashley some of the secrets that make Tulum a truly rejuvenating experience and Ashley finds herself sharing her own secrets with Marco. Marco offers to show Ashley and her friends around Tulum (including a private beach in the area) and Ashley is eager to accept. Lauren and Natalie are skeptical about Ashley’s quick friendship with Marco, but Ashley’s power of persuasion wins out in the end.

Marco becomes a permanent fixture in the friends’ vacation, his presence causing added tension between Ashley, Lauren and Natalie. Everything comes to a head on their final night in Tulum when Marco shows up at the same bar as the three women.

The morning of their departure, Natalie wakes up on the beach outside the hotel wearing the dress from the night before - and it’s soaking wet. She has no memory of what happened after they left the bar and Ashley is nowhere to be found…

The latest thriller by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke will have you on the edge of your seat as you flip back and forth between recollections of the past from the perspective of each friend to the day after the disappearance and ensuing search for Ashley. Along the way you’ll learn bits and pieces of what happened that night from Natalie and Lauren. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself turning the pages as fast as you can to the twist ending you’ll have to read to believe.

Look for Girls’ Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke coming soon to the GPPL. Place your hold now!

Girls’ Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke is one book that fans of the thriller genre will want to add to their summer reading lists. The book is chock full of suspense, an amazing setting, and is written in a really interesting way. It will have readers guessing right up to the end.

Thrillers seem to be the genre that I have been drawn to lately, and I am so happy that I had the opportunity to read this intense book. Girls’ Night Out is very hard to review without revealing too much of the plot, however, I will say that it did surprise me many times as I was reading, which makes for a great mystery.

One of the aspects of this book that drew me in was that Mexican setting. I haven’t read too many novels set there, and I loved the lush, beautiful descriptions of the region. There is even some history included on the Mayan culture, which I found to be really cool. It is a vacation within in a book, so if you are like me, and pining for your next holiday, this book will satisfy that need.

Books written by two authors are hits or misses for me. I can honestly say that if I hadn’t known that there were two creators behind the story, I would never have guessed it. It is a really well-written book that is told through multiple perspectives and flashbacks. I didn’t like any of the characters, which usually is a turn-off for me. However, the dislikable characters fit this novel perfectly because it adds to the “who done it” aspect of the story.

Girls’ Night Out is a book that I highly recommend if you are in the mood for a thriller that will provide you with lots of great suspense. The setting and the writing are both fantastic. I will definitely be adding some more of Fenton and Steinke’s books to my TBR.

Girl’s Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

Brief Summary: Three friends Ashley, Lauren and Natalie embark on a girlfriends’ getaway to Mexico to make amends of past estrangement. After a night of drinking Ashley is missing and Lauren and Natalie piece their spotty memories together to find her. Of course, all three ladies have their secrets and not all is as it seems to be. I enjoyed the Good Widow by this writing team and I eagerly anticipated this read.

Highlights: This is an easy to read and quick paced ultimate beach read. I absolutely loved the scenic setting of the novel and am inspired to visit Mexico for the sights, alcohol, and food! I definitely took notes on safety and don’t know that I would consider Mexico for a Girlfriends Getaway after reading this novel. I absolutely appreciated the value of female friendships and the trouble of trying to piece together memories of a night out.

Explanation of Rating: 3.5/5 though this was an engaging and interesting read; it was not all encompassing. Though I had a hard time believing some of their points of dispute and grudges; I imagine that they are very real in some relationships and social circles. I can’t believe there wasn’t a creative way to solve the main dispute between Ashley and Natalie. I hope that readers come away with a reminder that life is short; forgive and forget.

Psychology Factors: I appreciate any efforts to destigmatize the shame of an abusive relationship. I was very glad to hear that Lauren was in both individual and group therapy and had even made a good friend through her grief support group. I also liked the aspect of ambiguous loss of a complicated relationship with an abuser. The threat of an abusive relationship to one’s mortality is very real. Abused women can be a step away from death at any point in time.

This is a quick, easy, and distracting read perfect for your next vacation. Pack it in your beach bag!

Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke never disappoint. Girls’ Night Out is beyond fantastic. The story revolves around three longtime friends who have struggled with their friendships for the previous. A trip to Mexico is planned to try to reconnect them. I absolutely loved the characters. Their different points of view made me really connect and understand all of their positions. The descriptions of Tulum are so vivid that I could clearly picture everything in my head. The twists and turns - wow. I don’t have adequate words describe the rollercoaster that this book is.

A million stars for Girls’ Night Out!

This book was hit and miss with me. I enjoyed the premise, but the story itself was kind of lacking. I ended up skimming through the last few chapters just to find out what happened.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The release date for this book is July 24, 2018.

Ashley, Natalie and Lauren have been friends for many years and Ashley and Natalie own a successful company together. Ashley has asked Natalie and Lauren to go away for a girl’s week in Tulum, Mexico in hopes of repairing the fractures in their friendship. A year previous, Lauren’s husband, Geoff, passed away from a heart attack. At Geoff’s funeral, Lauren and Ashley had a massive argument and they have not spoken since. Ashley is hoping that not only will they get their friendship back on track but that she and Natalie can come to a mutual decision regarding their company as Revlon has made an offer to purchase it. Natalie, for reasons that Ashley is not aware of, desperately needs for the company to be sold and Ashley, for reasons that Natalie doesn’t understand, desperately needs to hang onto it.

Shortly after they arrive in Tulum, Ashley meets a man named Marco. He quickly insinuates himself into the threesome, much to the dismay of Natalie and Lauren. Natalie and Lauren do not trust Marco and feel that he is becoming too familiar with Ashley, who has a husband and two children at home.

On their last night in Tulum, Lauren and Ashley have words again which causes Lauren to go back to the hotel. Marco wants Ashley to go on an adventure with him and Natalie doesn’t want Ashley to go on her own with a strange man in a strange country after drinking for several hours. Eight hours later, Ashley goes missing and Natalie wakes up outside, soaked to the skin with no memory of what happened the night before.

The story is told in multiple points of view using flashbacks to divulge the whole story. This was a fun, fast read where at times, I couldn’t put it down. There certainly were times that I just shook my head at the three women – what were they thinking???? Getting continuously drunk in a strange country, with a strange man and going off on adventures with him in the middle of the night ….. no surprise when something went wrong, but unfortunately we hear stories like this all the time in real life when people go away somewhere tropical on vacation.

I really enjoyed everything about this book! I read this in one day because I was so anxious to find out what happened. I felt I was really able to connect with and understand Ashley, Natalie, and Lauren. Even when they were frustrating me, I still loved them and couldn't decide whose side I was on. Overall, I found this to be a very engaging read and would highly recommend this to mystery and suspense lovers.

A sunny Mexico vacation, friendships on the rocks, and a mysterious man - all the makings of a great Summer read! This book keeps you entertained and trying to guess what happens. I liked the different perspectives and jumps in time periods based around the main event. This book would pair well with a margarita and a hammock to relax in.

Authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have done an excellent job of piecing the story together with days before and after the main event, and using a different character's voice. Looking forward to reading more by these authors. I was given an early copy to review.

In my experience, girls’ vacas rarely go as smoothly as planned.

Usually, someone gets shit-faced and texts an ex.

Then crying happens.

Then we all tell her she’s amazing just as she is — because literally no group of people is more supportive than a gaggle of drunk girls.

Then someone throws up.

Then there are hangovers.

Because of shortcomings of my prior girls’ escape experiences, when I go on a ladies-only trip, I modulate my expectations, setting them to low.

And this practice hasn’t failed me yet.

But, while I do pretty much plan for some minor shit to go down on trips like this, I certainly don’t expect potentially-life-changingly-serious shit to hit the fan — which is exactly what happens in Girls’ Night Out, the dark-yet-still-oddly-beachy read co-written by —- Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke. (which, at the time of publication of this review, is free for digital download on Kindle Unlimited)

The events of this novel take place in Talum, Mexico, where a trio of friends — who clearly have deep wallets and even deeper pools of sick and personal time — have ventured for a tropical escape. A relaxation-rich trip of this nature is something of which I am envious because, despite the fact that it's summer and I work in education — an occupation which should afford me a long luxurious break — I've done basically nothing leisurely this summer except take a Wiggly trip to New York.

Full disclosure while this trip was predominantly for my children, nine and two, I did also enjoy it — which can be attributed in large part to the fact that I fucking love to do the propeller.

But as enjoyable and musical as this trip may have been, it certainly wasn't as relaxing as a tropical escape complete with an umbrellaed cocktail, an abundance of sunscreen, and the exfoliating grit of sand between your toes.

That said, I was able to stave off my envy because we discover immediately how defectively this girls’ trip to Tulum, Mexico, ends up. We make this discovery at the open of the novel when one of the three girls-trippers, Natalie, wakes up wet and hungover on a beach — which, you know, isn’t in and of itself entirely problematic.

The problem presents itself when she makes her way to the room she’s shared with her friend-and-business-partner, Ashley, and finds not only that Ashley isn’t in the room but that her bed is undisturbed.

Sure, Ashley could be washed ashore somewhere herself, toes irrevocably pruning in the lapping surf as she waits to be discovered, just like the shipwrecked Eric in The Little Mermaid.

But, though Natalie can’t really remember the events of the night previous, she can’t shake the feeling that Ashley isn’t safe and sound, sleeping it off in a location not designed for sleeping. She doesn’t know much, but she does know that something execrable has happened to Ashley.

And it is from this point of extreme peril that readers begin their journey through this novel. In a style typical of modern thrillers, the authors play fast and loose with the timeline, jumping back and forth in the narrative chapter by chapter and peppering in the exciting bits as to keep the mystery mysterious until the very last page.

So, did it work.

Well… I mean… kinda.

The driving question — Where is Ashley and what happened to her? — was intriguing enough to keep me returning to the book. And, ultimately, the answer was at least a little bit satisfying. Which, I will admit, is a tepid recommendation at best.

But, aside from the satisfaction, or lack thereof, of the conclusion, there are other issues that limited my enjoyment of the book.

*Spoiler Alert*

We also discover, pretty early into the narrative, that this group of girls isn’t as tight-knit as some. They have, for various professional and personal reasons, been drifting apart for the last several years. Part of the reason why organizer-Ashley planned this trip was in a bid to strengthen the thinly-stretched bonds that connect them as friends.

Okay… a book about adult female friendships. I’m an adult female. I can get behind this, right?

Well, here’s the issue. For me to care about whether or not these women can rebuild their friendship, I’m going to have to care about these women.

And, really, I didn’t.

My lack of esteem for the characters in this novel, and subsequent lack of investment in the let’s-rebuild-our-friendship portion of this narrative, stemmed from the fact that I didn’t feel like any of these women were particularly well developed as characters.

None of them were round and dynamic and engaging.

None of them jumped off the page.

And because they were as flat and static as the antiquated-playtime-favorite paper dolls, I didn’t really give a shit about them.

I will concede that the authors did try to imbue them with life.

They gave Lauren, a widow, a dark-ish backstory complete with spousal abuse and an ongoing sex addiction issue.

And they gave Natalie a shameful familial struggle, as her husband had basically lost of of their money.

But none of these conflicts were developed efficaciously enough for me to feel like they were real people.

And, because they weren’t real people, I didn’t really care.

*End Spoilers*

Girls’ Night Out was an inarguably easy read. With simple prose and a plot that was straightforward — even with the alternating chapters of flashback — the novel will certainly fit the bill for people seeking a simple summer escape.

Those hunting for an edge-of-your-seat thriller with a gratifying twist, however, will find this book wanting. The plot simply wasn’t that memorable. And the denouement was far from sufficiently surprising to satisfy a true connoisseur of thrillers.

I give it 3 out of 5 cocktails.

Girls’ Night Out is a must read! I read it in 2 days because I could not put it down! The characters were 3 best friends that decided to go on a girls’ trip to Mexico. The main purpose was to reconcile some things that happened between them and caused some hard feelings. The main girlfriend, Ashley, could not make amends with the other 2 which lead to a supposible accident on their last night in Mexico. It has you guessing through the whole book whether Ashley is dead or not and if so what happened to her. I do not want to give too much away to spoil this read. I would say to definitely put this one on your list! And most of all, try to mend your friendships when they get tangled!

Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I LOVED that this book was about women in their late 30 (as am I). I loved that reading about their friendships, their marriages, and their families .... as I am getting older in life, I can really relate to the aspects of this book. The description and the girls trip to Mexico is what really peaked my interest in reading this book.

I love a good beach read - and adding a thriller/suspense aspect to it - I was dying to read it even more! What I didn't like very much, was that it seems to be marketed as suspense/thriller and I feel like it is definitely mis-marketed - while there is some suspense - it is not super strong and the book is more centered around their relationships with each other. While I still enjoyed the book, expecting a thriller and not really receiving one was disappointing to me.

Overall, I enjoyed the book very much, would probably have rated it higher if I wasn't so disappointment in missing the thriller / suspense part of it.

Since I first discovered Lisa & Liz with The Status of All Things, I’ve really enjoyed their work! I was thrilled when they delved more into psychological suspense with The Good Widow and was excited to hear they would be continuing with this genre in Girls Night Out. 3 best friends/business partners, Mexico, stress at home and alcohol?! Sounds like a recipe for a disaster, which is exactly sets the scene for the mystery in Girls Night Out when the morning after one of the girls is missing, one can’t remember her night and the third doesn’t know who to trust! I really enjoyed this and think fans of The Good Widow will be pleased!

This is a story about when friendship is put to test. One woman gets missing, and her friends try to repair their friendship. Some part of this book feels like a chick-lit, while there is also a lot of suspense. It's a nice mix of genres. I thought it was a bit confusing that the point of view changes between 3 women and to Ashley's disappearance. Though, this way you get to learn the secrets of each of them. I didn't like that the woman had so many arguments, it got annoying. I did like the writing and the pacing. I received this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review.