Girls’ Night Out
Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke
Available: July 24. 2018

Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
As these amazing authors (I love everything they’ve done – please rerelease The D Word – I haven’t read it and cannot find a used copy!!) branch out into different genres, I am compelled to follow them wherever they go because I lovelovelove their books and I am envious of their friendship and working relationship. And while their journey is a little on the dark side, I am still loving these books. First they excelled at Fluffy Chick Lit and now it seems the’re making the Dramatical Suspense (is that a genre?) wheelhouse their own.
What I loved: The pace, the different perspectives, different headspaces and back and forth of the timeline - I wanted to know everything, all of the events, what was said, how did this happen as quickly as I could so I devoured the book.
What I didn’t love: Each of these women could be wonderful, adorable people. Together – they are so very, very toxic and unlikable that it was had to dredge empathy for any of them – Natalie is the meek brains of the friendship, Ashley is the spakrling unicorn they all want to be, and Lauren is the victim who is rebelling against her own freedom.
What I learned: Three is forever a crowd.
Overall Grade: B+

www.FluffSmutandMurder.com

I LOVED LOVED every second I spent with this book! 5 shiny stars! or 6..or 7..or 12!!
From the very first line to the very last, I couldn't put this book down.

1) Three girlfriends, with a 20 year history, that need to heal their broken friendships. There's pain, regret, anger, resentment, jealousy. And there's also a deep bond that they do treasure. This is the trip to put everything back to the way it was before everything that happened to them, happened.

2) Tulum, Mexico, a place for healing and spirituality. Perfect for three friends who need to heal their relationship.

3) Lots and lots of alcohol = REAL feelings and truth come out. No one is perfect. Neither is this trip.

A very tragic something happens and everyone is falling apart. EVERYTHING.

I love how this story is told too. Each chapter is told by a friend while on the trip. So we get 3 different views on the same story for a particular day of the trip.

ANNNNNND....OH MY GOD....THE ENDING!!!!!

Please read this! Its amazing!

Thank you #NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Honest review: I LOVED IT!!

After enjoying The Good Widow last year, I was excited to dig in to Girls' Night Out this time around. It was definitely suspenseful and kept me guessing. I liked the intense dynamic between the three friends and how explosive things could get between them. It reminded me of when my best friend and I would get into a huge fight. However, I am thankful that it never got to the extent of the fights that Ashley had with her two best friends.

The descriptions of Tulum made me feel like I was on my honeymoon again, even though I went to a different place altogether. I could just feel the sand beneath my feet and smell the salty ocean air. I still can't tell where Liz's writing begins and Lisa's ends. It's all so fluid. The dialogue and narratives are strong throughout the story.

My only issues were that the beginning felt slow to me and it took me a bit longer to get into. Once I did, I was hooked. However, the ending felt a bit anticlimactic to me after all the buildup. Even so, I never would have guessed what had really happened and was surprised at the revelation. I think I would have liked Marco to have his own narration and for Lauren to have more of a direct connection to Ashley's mysterious disappearance.

While Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke are great at writing psychological thrillers, I hope they'll consider writing another novel similar to Your Perfect Life in the future. I'll read anything they write, regardless!

If Hollywood is looking for inspiration:
Ashley: Kelly Brook
Natalie: Jessica Chastain
Lauren: Laura Prepon
Marco: Adam Rodriguez
Jason: John Cena
Ben: Tom Welling

Great read, I couldn’t put it down after the first chapter. I did have trouble getting into the story at the beginning but that quickly changed as I kept reading and this book kept me reading all night.Three friends attempting to put their shattered friendship back together go on a vacation to try and mend things between them but things go quickly wrong. This story was told as a narrative by each of the three women and was easy to understand when each person was telling their view. Lies, betrayal and so much more, this is definately worth reading.

What an intense story and captivating!This book is based around a girls trip to the beautiful Tulum, Mexico to mend some struggling friendships. When morning comes Ashley has disappeared and the girls are left to try and figure out where and what has happened to her. This story is told from all three main characters points of view and also a few different timelines. I like the concept and how the story was told!If you like drama among some girlfriends this is for you.It was fascinating!What I loved about this book is that each friend was in the wrong in some way. None of them were better than the other.Overall, it was a great story!

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC. See I happen to have read a few others by these two very talented authors. So I was extremely excited to get my hands on an advanced copy of their latest. In their newest novel, the authors try their hand at the suspense and mystery genre. While I do realize they do write in this genre once before, I have only really read their other’s that were more women’s literature than mystery. So, I was also intrigued to see how the authors handled this kind of writing.

So the story, begins in Tulum, Mexico. Three lifelong friends (Ashley, Natalie and Lauren), who have had their ups and downs decide to get away for a girl’s vacation in Mexico. At the heart of this is the fact that the ladies aren’t honestly getting along with one another in recent times.

Ashley and Natalie are not only friends, but business partners. They own a beauty company that is currently being courted by Revlon to be bought out. Natalie wants to sell, but Ashley doesn’t. So, their friendship is being put to the test by this. Lauren is on the outs with both Ashley and Natalie after her husband Geoff passed away a year earlier from a sudden, but massive heart attack. See Lauren blames Ashley for this. And she stopped speaking to Ashely and by extension Natalie, as well.

So, this vacation is definitely more tense at the start than fun for these ladies. Add to the mix, that Ashley (married with kids) is being courted by a Mexican local (Marco) that both the other women are less than happy to have him crash their girl’s only vacation. Then, Ashley goes missing. Natalie wakes up on the beach with no memory of what happened. And the dram pretty much unfolds there told switching back and forth between present and past events in Mexico.

So bottom line, I really wanted to love this book as I have loved all the others from these two fine ladies. But something just felt off for me. The beginning definitely found me having trouble getting into the actual story. I forged ahead though and kept reading. As the story picked up, I did find myself more into the novel. I also had to read the ending three times to make sure I got exactly what happened to Ashley. I don’t want to give it away by any means. But there is literally one line in one of the last chapters that explains it perfectly. The said, I did end up enjoying this one. But still, hope these two authors consider returning to their women’s fiction writing for the next time out if possible as the mystery novel itself found me missing that more than anything else.

Before I start my review, I just want to say that I'm so happy that I waited until after my trip to Mexico to read this. It soooo would've given me nightmares! Dynamic duo Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke are back causing trouble for us with Girls Night Out . Three estranged long-term friends Natalie, Ashley, and Lauren decide to vacation in Tulum, Mexico (been here before and it's AMAZING! Definitely try to make an effort to visit before it becomes the next Cancun) for a girls getaway in hopes of healing old wounds and starting the next chapters of their lives together. The three of them carry a lot of baggage—too much for just one quick getaway can manage (Delta charges $50 per checked bag btw, WTF?!). Ashley and Natalie have launched a successful business together, climbing the beauty industry ladder day-by-day; Lauren is coping with the fallout after her husband Geoff's death last year and her strained and distant relationship with Ashley. Can the three manage to patch up old wounds and start fresh?

Everything seems to be going according to the ladies's plans, until one night Natalie wakes up on the beach, hungover and blacked out from the night before. In order to retrace her steps, she hopes to find Ashley and Lauren and see if they can help her piece together anything that could let her know why she was being so careless. When Natalie tries to find Ashley at their shared hotel room, she is nowhere to be found—Ashley is missing!

Natalie and Lauren decide to involve the authorities, but also try to retrace their steps and figure out what exactly happened the night before. Was Ashley kidnapped? Who was that man that she ignited a friendship with earlier that day? With time running out, Natalie and Lauren's search grows in suspicion and deception. Will they find Ashley or are there some secrets never meant to be found?

Girls Night Out is a light mystery that is totally perfect for summer. It's a quick, easy read that you can totally pick up while at the pool, cuddled up on the couch, or a read before bed. It's meant to be light and mysterious, yet also realistic and relatable. While I was reading Girls Night Out , I could totally envision the story happening in my real life! This makes for more of an engaging story for those who have deep friendships that have gone through the gauntlet before. While none of the three characters are extremely likeable, they are all in fact relatable to some degree. Each of the three women are dealing with serious issues that we all face at some point: e.g.: the loss of a loved one, relationship hurdles with your significant other, financial insecurity. I have not met one person who cannot raise their handle to all three. The way that the Fenton and Steinke team have assembled this mystery while undertaking these thematic elements resonated with me so much. While this story may not be for everybody (I seriously want to make this disclaimer), I think many will appreciate the honest storytelling in Girls Night Out .

Thank you to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Girls Night Out will be released on July 24, 2018.

I finished this book pretty fast so it is definitely a fast read that you can get through quickly. I would only give it a 3 out of 5 stars rating. The reasons being I was not a fan of the ending and the biggest problem for me was the middle got very draggy in my opinion. The beginning was very interesting and had me invested in it but towards the end it felt a bit dragged on like maybe it could have been a little shorter. Although I wasn’t a huge fan of the way they chose to end it I still thought it was a decent thriller and I did enjoy the writing style. I’d definitely give another book by these authors a shot.

The tag line and description of the story seemed interesting as friendships seem ephemeral when based on the college trio going forward. I couldn’t relate to the self absorption of the characters and the setting of Tulum and twist of plot skirt the believable. I read to the end and was a bit sorry to
endure the elements of abuse and self destruction given mention. I did like reading that the authors long term friendship and coauthorship had its ups and downs, at least reading about that would have been of interest and substance.

Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley gifted me with an advanced reader’s copy so I could review it. Three friends who have had falling outs with each other travel to Mexico to mend their respective fences. Ashley disappears on their last night there so the two that are left gather forces to try and find her. Had she run away with the man she’d met in Tulum and couldn’t seem to part with?

If the authors meant to create three really bitchy characters they succeeded. However, I couldn’t find anything to like about these women and had a hard time caring what happened to them.

The setting in Mexico was so well done, it made me want to spend time there.

In the afterword, the two authors who have been best friends for a very long time, said they even started arguing while writing the book. That did help the writing.

This is my first time reading something by Liz and Lisa so I don’t know what went before, but this one was very hard for me to finish.

I started this book about mid day yesterday and I didn't put it down until I finished it. One minute I'm reading and the next I look up and I have lost chunks of times because of this fabulous fabulous book. When I say it's unputdownable it's the book that will make your dogs sorry that you ever started reading because you will forget that they have to go potty or god forbid forget to feed them. LOL. This is a must auto pre order and don't start this book late in the day because I will guarantee you that you will loose sleep over this one. Well done. So very very well done and if I could give it more than five stars I so would because I loved it all from the strong plot to the amazing characters and the action that just kept you glued to your favorite tablet or ereader until the very last word.. To say that I just loved this book is a huge understatement. Happy reading!

They have been friends for over 20 years. Ashley, Lauren, and Natalie. Always there for each other, sharing everything with each other. And then, they weren't. Ashley trying to reconnect with her two best friends, suggests a trip to Mexico. It is to be a time of relaxation, and being able to let bygones be bygones. A time of forgiveness. The secrets each has kept from the others will prove to be their downfall.
The character of the three friends, can be actual. Someone is always feeling a little left out in that type of situation. The secrets they have could also be consistent with the shame each feels. Good storyline.
4 Stars

Everyone enjoys a fun night out with your best girl friends. The complicated relationships in the book mimic the troubles one may have had in grade school. Three friends often don't work, one is always without a partner. This is where the story begins and then it twists and turns. I have to say I didn't see the ending coming. An enjoyable weekend read. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishers for my arc.

Three friends go on a gir!s ' trip to Mexico and one goes missing ! A well written , heart pounding thriller filled with secrets , crazy drama and unlikable and imperfect characters ! Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review !! #Netgalley #LakeUnionPublishing #GirlsNightOut

I read a copy of the book from Net gallery.
I found the characters a bit unbelievable,3 being an odd number for friends,a lot of description which I think was unecessary,expected a twist to the story at the end but fell a bit flat,storyline seems unbelievable,characters a bit flst.

I wanted to enjoy this book but I found that I just couldn’t get into it as much as I wanted. I found the characters too similar to allow me to differentiate and the plot a little too predictable.

"The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies." (Chobir Dokan)

The penetrating rays of the intense sun beckon three estranged friends to mend their disjointed relationships on the beaches of the Yucatan Peninsula. Tutum seems like just the right destination to sort the broken shards among the seashells. But this attempt at reunion will be more than they ever bargained for.

Once upon a time in a kinder, gentler universe, Natalie and Ashley brilliantly developed a styling brush that hit the market by storm. They worked tirelessly to get it the attention it deserved. The result was mega orders from big box stores and a surge of recognition on social media. Lauren, their mutual friend, was supportive from the onset.

But like the typical honeymoon stage, there eventually became so much less honey and so much less moon. Stress became the daily garment that enveloped these women constantly and it bled into their personal lives. It was time to have a face-to-face meeting and sort out the future come hell or high water.

Not even Mexico has enough tequila shots to deaden the anxiety that these women faced in finding a mutual platform for discussion. Too much pain from the past and too much inability to arrive at a consensus. A few too many mojitos brings Marco, a local, into this mix. But when Ashley goes missing, questions are raised as to why. Was she running away from something or towards something?

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke (quite the writing duo) have created the perfect getaway from one hot spot of existence into another. The dialogue is spot-on with female friends caught up in what's fair and what's not. Oh, and the blame game ratchets up the stakes until perhaps there will be no winners. It can be a bit off-putting at times when you feel the need to cup them alongside the head as the intensity escalates. But that's what happens when you cast your fate to the windward side of the peninsula. Internal fear and utter helplessness drive this one into a scorpion-infested jungle of their own making.

I received a copy of Girls" Night Out through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke for the opportunity.

OMGeee!! This was a fast-paced, engrossing, unputdownable book!! This the 3rd book I have read by this writing team and is in my opinion their best book yet. This book will keep you up late into the night reading. The character are well developed and all have good and bad qualities. I have to say that I wasn't rooting for one friend over the other. Ashley, Natalie, and Lauren all had me on their side even if they weren't always on each others' side.

There was a lot of struggle and trying to come to terms with each other and the hope of forgiveness but there was a lot of light fun moments too. I love the setting of being on a Girls' Week in Mexico.

I highly recommend this book to everyone!!


I received an ARC from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing

This is the second book I’ve read by these authors, and I really enjoy their writing!

Girls Night Out is about family, friendships and forgiveness. A girls trip to Mexico turns bad after friendships are torn apart without anyway to mend. Marriages are up in the air and now three women are in another country that’s dangerous for woman to be alone. What could possibly go wrong? Well, a lot actually!

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were relatable and had issues you could identify with. Problems with marriage, old friends trying to men’s fences, and just trying to take a break from everyday life to forget about all of the problems.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a good thrilling read with a little Mayan history thrown into the mix! (Which I absolutely loved).

I have absolutely adored Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke's books, every single one that I've read has kept me entranced the entire time. This new book they've come out with, Girls' Night Out, has kept up with that trend, I couldn't read this one fast enough, although at times I wanted to take it slow and let the story linger-I just couldn't because it was so delicious. I love that Liz and Lisa are taking a turn down the psychological/suspense/darker side of writing and creating these intense masterpieces.

Ashley, Lauren, and Natalie have known each other for twenty years, and they've always had a topsy turvy friendship, Lauren and Natalie tend to push each other out of the way to get to Ashley, who seems to always be the center of attention. In order to pull their relationships back together, the three decide to take a girls' trip to Tulum, in Mexico, in order to try and repair their wounded souls, and their friendships for good.

After the success of their blow brush, Natalie and Ashley's company BloMe has started to create some friction in their friendship, Natalie wants to sell to Revlon, while Ashley wants to hold on to what they put their heart and souls into. While on the trip, Natalie is hoping to convince Ashley to finally break free, and Ashley just wants to have a good time, and reconnect with Lauren who's husband just passed away.

When Natalie wakes up one more soaking wet on the beach, she can't remember how she got there, and when she heads back to the hotel room, she realizes that Ashley is no where to be found. After contacting Lauren, Natalie discovers that Lauren has no idea where Ashley is either, and the fact that Natalie can't remember anything after they left a club last night is really dampening her mood. Where could Ashley be? Is she okay? Did the man she hung out with through out the "girls' trip" have anything to do with her disappearance? 

Through the next chapters you'll go on a wild ride spanning the length of the trip, going back and forth in time, and as the mystery unfolds, and Natalie gets her memory back, certain lies are uncovered, mysteries are solved, and friendships become cracked and repaired over and over again. When you think you've got it all figured out, just keep reading, because you're never going to be quite sure. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, another winner from this incredible writing team!