It isn't often the I read a book, get to 36% of the way in and think to myself, 'this book has 5 stars written all over it'. But, I did and IT did! Of course it meant that the rest of the book had a lot to live up to, to match with the strong 36% I had already read. And you know what? Reader, it did!

Oh my goodness me! Rachel thought everything in her life was going swimmingly. She had started a new business with a new friend, her family seemed happy enough, with nothing that she couldn't fix if she needed to. However, Rachel's bubble burst far too quickly when she found some messages that weren't for her own eyes. Was her husband having an affair? It was time for Rachel to go incognito...

Not that she could go incognito when she ended up unintentionally witnessing something that she rather wished she didn't! Something that was going to change her life , and the lives of her loved ones...

'If He Wakes' blew my mind! What a fantastic, high energy, demanding, and twisted read which kept my eyes glued to the pages until the very end. I didn't want to pull my eyes away, even if I could have done, I wouldn't have! The storyline had me hooked straight away, especially as everything wasn't what it seemed, yet due to the way Rachel was reacting, even I started to question what I had read. Did I misinterpret what had happened? Did I miss a bit out? Did my imagination get the better of me and add additional words to Zoe Lea's storyline?

It wasn't only Rachel who seemed to draw the short straw in the 'see who's life sucks the most', her friend Suzie even got in on the action! I have to admit that the parts of the storyline which had Suzie are the forefront, were incredibly hard to read due to the theme they contained. That said, it was eye-opening because things like that do actually happen in real life. Shamefully. I thought the way the author incorporated it all into one big storyline was impressive, intense and extremely hard-hitting. There were moments where I did feel slightly uncomfortable, but I felt that I had to continue in the hope that who deserved it, got their comeuppance by the end of the book.

Zoe Lea has written an outstanding novel which is guaranteed to squeeze every breath out of your body like a popped balloon. With dark themes throughout, the storyline gripped hold of my wrists for the entire duration, glueing my eyes to each and every page the author had written. I cannot believe that this is Zoe Lea's debut novel!!

I really cannot recommend this book enough and I cannot WAIT to read more from this author if 'If He Wakes' is anything to go by!

I really enjoyed this thriller set in Chester in the UK. It had me flipping the pages of my Kindle App, desperate to know what the heck was going on with Rachel’s husband and Suzie’s fiancé.

I liked both Rachel and Suzie, although I did have my moments when I didn’t like them, or how they were reacting to their different circumstances. It definitely made me think of how I’d behave in similar circumstances!

This was a such twisty, turny book, with a fast plot, getting quite dark as it took several turns I wasn’t expecting at all. I did guess one of the reveals but I’m so glad I did, as I don’t think my emotions would have coped with another shocking twist!

I thoroughly recommend this if you enjoy thrillers involving dark family secrets and shocking discoveries!

I don't often describe a book as 'a real pageturner' but in this case it's true - I was so engrossed towards the end that I was almost late for work. There were lots of twists and turns, some of which you see coming and some that come as a real surprise. For me though, I enjoyed the relationship between the two friends, Rachel and Suzie, as they both have their lives torn apart. It was interesting to see the two threads come together quite spectacularly at the end but I'm saying no more as I don't want to spoil it. A truly engrossing read with characters that leap off the page so that you are still thinking about them weeks later.

For a first book I thought this was very good, it kept you enthralled in the story trying to work out what was going on. Will these two friends recover and at what cost? With these two story lines and the detail it has been written very clear and you begin to know the characters but not what to expect. I love a good mystery and this will make an excellent read for the summer evenings.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.
I absolutely loved this book. It kept me guessing at every turn. Every initial impression it gives you is incorrect, and I had so much fun trying to pick apart the threads as I went along and solve the mystery! It was much more twisted than I had imagined (which I liked). Slightly reminiscent of Karin Slaughters writing style. I will definitely be seeking out more books by this author now. The distinctly British feel the book had added to the fun for me. Pick this one up for sure if you like to unravel a good mystery!

This novel is a topical and dramatic story with an unexpected, controversial twist. Rachel and Suzie are friends. Initially, I thought Rachel was an unstable, hysterical and neurotic woman and Suzie seemed selfless and more discerning, but even she was finally tripped up. Rachel is married to Phil with two teenage daughters and believes all is well in her life. Suzie is engaged to the love of her life, Adam. Both have put their trust in their men but become increasingly anxious that their men have hoodwinked them. The dynamics change when their men's behaviour becomes erratic. A twitter message and lies make Rachel panic that her husband is unfaithful. An absence of text messages, an empty bank account and threats from unknown sources trouble Suzie. As the two women investigate in an attempt to join the dots on the dilemmas, they uncover some alarming facts. My only doubt about the novel was that there was an overload of analysis and repetition of thoughts, reflections and facts. This style slowed down the plot and made my interest dip at times. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable, compelling read. Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo.

An absorbing, believable first chapter perfectly sets the scene for what is to come, in this tense and shocking psychological thriller. Told from Rachel and Suzie's points of view the two friends both experience increasingly disturbing events in their otherwise ordinary lives that leave them doubting everything they previously believed; threatening, their friendship and sanity.

The plot cleverly conceals more than it reveals and just when you think you've solved the mystery, you find another twist. Authentic characters complement the realistic storyline in a readable mix of action and introspection. The genuinely chilling factor of this story is it could happen and probably has, real nail-biting, what if it happened to me? Experience the nightmare without the consequences when you read this book.

I received a copy of this book from Canelo via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This debut novel is a dramatic treat. The chapters are split between the two lead characters, Suzie and Rachel who are friends, starting a new business together. Their lives are shattered by a dramatic event, witnessed by Rachel and the ripple effect resonates throughout the family and deeply impacts their friendship.

The tension begins immediately in chapter one and grows as the story unravels. It kept my interest throughout.

Congratulations to Zoe Lea and many thanks to net galley and Canelo for the opportunity to preview this great debut.

Rachel Farrell opens her laptop and sees a provocative tweet that she believes is between her husband and another woman, planning a tryst. When she surreptitiously shows up at the location close to the appointed time, she witnesses a terrible hit and run accident and has her own minor one out of shock from what else she sees.

We begin at the accident and I found it interesting how without context I didn’t know how to take it all in. The story is told in first-person narrative from Rachel’s point of view and third-person narrative from Suzie’s, Rachel’s friend and business partner. That was initially a little odd but as the story progressed, it actually felt like a clever device to position the issues, reactions and reveals. What began as a potential marital conflict evolved into so much more and twisted terribly.

I liked this story, quite a bit, but would have enjoyed it more if the pacing had been tighter. Those times where significant action was unfolding, either Rachel or Suzie (more often) would often muse over inconsequential details or downright minutiae that did nothing but aggravate. Otherwise, the plot was really good and the convergence of Rachel and Suzie’s worlds was nicely done. Despite my issues, I flew through the story about 40% in and liked how it developed. I’d read more by this author. 3.5 stars

An easy to read book that I devoured in more or less one go. I don't know if I could define this a psychological thriller, there is not much of a thriller in it but there are a few twists and a bit of mystery, enough to keep you going and read on.
Rachel and Suzie were good friends when young, lost touch for years and recently rekindled their friendship so much that they decided to start a business organising events together.
Rachel is happily married to Phil and has two daughters while Suzie is engaged to Adam, a photographer. One day, Rachel finds her a Twitter account still logged in on her laptop and in it a saucy message. Rachel suspects that the account belongs to Phil and that it is evidence that he is having an affair. She follows him with her car but she sees something she does not expect.
Meanwhile Suzie's bank cards are declined and can't get in touch with her fiance. Initially she does not worry too much but things get complicated and very very unpleasant for all involved.
The book deals with a very delicate subject but I don't think it is done with bad taste, it is sadly something that happens and need to be discussed. Although, it might be disturbing I don't have a problem with a book dealing with difficult subjects.
Overall it is not a book that has changed my life but in the realm of psychological thrillers, it fares quite well.

This is the story of two friends, whose lives fall apart simultaneously. The characters, with their flaws are credible and likeable. Their situations are scarily realistic. It is a truely gripping read, but I found the long passages of their thoughts to be a bit long winded so only 4 stars.
It shows understanding of how women can easily be manipulated.
I will definitely look out for other books by Zoe Lea.

I read this book in one sitting. Hubby had to go to the fish n' chip shop to get dinner because I was just not putting it down. FABULOUS. Loved it from start to finish. I have already recommended it to several people.

OMG, what a great book this is! Rachel and Suzie are running an events business and have a big event coming up. Rachel thinks her husband, Phil, is cheating on her and follows him. Suzie's fiance' Adam suddenly goes missing with all of Suzie's money. What happens after this is a real page-turner with lots of twists, turns with an ending I did not see coming. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good thriller.

Rachel and Suzie are best friends. One day Rachel, when going on her laptop, notices that a Twitter account has been left open and she reads the provocative private messages the account contains. Horrified because she knows it's not her daughters, Jessica and Katie, as they aren't allowed on Twitter which leaves only her husband Phil. How could he betray her like this?

Meanwhile, newly engaged Suzie attempts to use her debit card only to have it declined. Going to the bank in frustration she finds out that the account is in overdraft and it has been frozen. Adam, her fiance, handles all the finances. She calls Adam, who is on location for a photo shoot, only to receive no response to her many messages and texts. Where the heck has Adam gone?

The beginning of this book started a little slow for me. Yes, I was curious as to what was going on but some of the chapters in the first half were a bit repetitive. Once I hit the half way mark things definitely started to pick up and I was determined to see how this all played out. When the first part of the twist was revealed I automatically knew the 2nd part of the twist. I also found the ending to be satisfying. A solid 3.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book, wow! It took me a while to get into it but once I did I couldn’t stop reading. The way the stories interweaved was genius. I can’t say too much without giving away spoilers but it was a brilliant story and I recommend you read it.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher, Canelo for this review copy given in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Ellie from Canelo for organising the Blog Tour and giving me the opportunity to be part of it.

Rachel thinks her husband is having an affair. She follows him one day to find out if it’s true. Instead of seeing her husband with another woman, she witnesses his car in a hit and run and she thinks her husband was driving. Rachel’s best friend and business partner Suzie is deliriously happy. She is helping run what seems to be a thriving business and she’s head over heels in love with her fiancé, Adam. That is until she finds her joint bank account with Adam has been frozen, and after visiting the bank Suzie finds the account is massively overdrawn and huge debts are piling up. Adam isn’t answering his phone and is nowhere to be found. What both women are about to find out will blow their worlds apart.

This is a debut book by this author, and what a way to start! The blurb sounded intriguing although it didn’t give away a lot of clues as to what this book was really about. The story is told from Rachel and Suzie’s perspectives. I did, at first, wonder what part Suzie played in the story – Rachel’s was obvious, but I couldn’t work out where Suzie’s story was going. I have to admit I enjoyed Suzie’s story more and definitely connected with her more initially.

Rachel thinks her husband, Phil is having an affair and follows him. What she actually sees is Phil’s car involved in a hit and run, but she can’t be sure who was driving. Suzie has recently gotten engaged to Adam after a very quick whirlwind romance. She finds he has been building up huge debts in her name after her bank put a stop on her account. She refuses to believe it’s anything other than a bank error and tries her best to get hold of Adam to sort this out. Both women throughout the first half of the book come across as a bit naïve and very trusting of their men, particularly Suzie. In fact, I felt quite sorry for Suzie as everyone else seemed to think, behind her back, that she was naïve and gullible too. I did want to shake Suzie at times and tell her to open her eyes, wake up and smell the coffee, as Adam obviously wasn’t the man she thought he was.

All in all, I thought this book was great and flew through it in just over a day. It was a great thriller and held my interest all the way through. It was fast paced and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing as to what was going on. It does have some sensitive subjects which some people may not like to read about (I can’t really tell you what though as it would spoil the book) so be aware of this. In my opinion, it was a highly enjoyable read that left me on the edge of my seat. Would definitely recommend this one!!

Rounded up to 3.5 stars.

I am in the minority in my review of this book, I realize that. I almost put it down at the 25% mark because it seemed that this story was becoming another of the oh-so-popular 'unstable woman' books. If you follow my reviews, you know just how much I hate those books.

However, that part of the book soon ended and the meat of the story began.

It was fast-paced, and the back and forth chapters were well written, not confusing at all. The ending was decent in that it didn't end too quickly; I felt we were given a proper ending, taking a couple of chapters or m to flesh out the whole details.

The title really doesn't seem to fit with the story. If He Wakes - the he inferred by the title is only really revealed near the end. It's not like we're waiting for the He to Wake throughout the whole story.

A very dark story underlying the relationships between the characters. Great characters portraying a range of very real emotions. Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing almost to the end. A very enjoyable read.

Couldn't put this one down. excellent story line that kept me guessing about who was driving the car ! Rachel's character is very believable supported well by her friend Suzie. Both just starting out in business together and having a major crisis each dissempowering them both in pulling together to get the business running smoothly. Their personal problems overwhelm them for a while until they get to the bottom of the issues. A story full of manipulation, secrets and miss placed trust.

Fantastic debut! Had me hooked from the first page, the alternative chapter's of characters each ending on a bombshell kept me reading right to the end in one sitting. A book full of secrets and twists, brilliant.