The Affair is classed as a psychological thriller but I would label it more towards domestic thriller but don’t let that put you off this enthralling read.
Alicia, Justin, Sophie, Lucas and Paul are the main characters in this unputdownable read that I devoured in a day. I’m not going to go into the storyline as you’re best following this blind so all the twists and turns make you gape like they did me. The title gives it away though as you know someone has had an affair but who and what impact has it had on their lives and about to on others. This book covers sensitive issues as well as trust, hope, death and loss and was an easy read. This is not my first book by Sheryl Browne but I think this is her best one in my eyes.
A fast paced, emotional read that will have you liking and hating different characters at different times.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Alicia and Justin we're happily married with a teenage daughter, Sophie and a baby boy. Justin thought that they had a picture perfect family until tragedy struck them one morning. Now he is questioning everything including the feelings his sister-in-law Jessica has toward him. The storyline was good but I figured it out about halfway through the book. I was also disappointed in the bad language that was used a little too much for my taste which also was the reason I gave it a lower rating.

Wow. This is a really good story. There are so many lies and misconceptions. Untangling all of it was a gripping read. In places this book is heartbreaking and in others full of nail biting suspense. I had a rollercoaster of emotions reading this book. I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I spent about 40% of this crying, and the other 60% I sat with my mouth open catching flies! The Bookouture girls have done it again! I have to say it one (or more) OMG!!! Or OH MY GOD! I am still reeling from this book!

Wow, this book! It was intense on so many levels and it made me want to hold my little girl, who happens to be called Alicia(!), just that little bit tighter. This had me so tied up in knots! I really didn’t know where this was going!

Alicia made a mistake, a huge mistake, but she wasn’t completely faultless. Her decision to keep secrets really didn’t help her, trusting the wrong people and this all led to the most devastating event in her life, left me sobbing. It is amazing how one decision can have such a catastrophic outcome to your life and it makes you wonder who you can and can’t trust.

One person I thought was so poisonous was Jess, the sister. I won’t ruin it all I will say is she vile person.

The story is told from different points of view, Justin, Alicia and later Sophie. Justin and Alicia are married, but we come to a time in their life where Justin has had a spot of the green eye monster. Alicia is holding on to a secret, the cause of Justin’s jealousy. Justin has not had it easy, with his past being revealed, seriously give the guy a break! However, I thought his past would play a larger part in the story and link into the story more, but I think it was to show more support for Justin and seriously give him a break!

Even though Justin is now questioning everything in his life, he is the biggest driving force in this book. Pushing on, and I would have been happy for this book just to be all him. Alicia as much as I did really feel for her, she just seems to lose her way a bit, there was no oomph until the final chapter and I must admit I loved the final page of the book. It is really hard to go in to a lot of detail as I do not want to ruin any part of the book, hence being very vague. But I have had a few OMG moments in the book, and I was really tense throughout the book, racing through the story to get to a resolution, and a satisfactory one it was!

Since I have started blogging I have discovered so many amazing authors and I am adding Sheryl to this list! I am definitely keeping an eye out in the future for her books, and will go and catch up with her previous book the Babysitter!

Hooked from the first page they said, oh no……. hooked from the cover more like.

The light pink rose signifies joy and happiness but, the wilted, dying roses which fail to bloom epitomises the darkness, the cracks, the trust within the pages of The Affair. Should I trust what lies beneath. The undertones of the psychological tension emitting from the cover becomes widespread, the deeper I delve into the pages, the more intensifying it becomes, the harder it is to lay the book down until I reach the very last page.

A family of four becomes three, a devastating car crash, lives have changed, Alicia holds a secret, a lie, Justin is trying to hold his family together, Sophie a teenager becomes sullen, withdrawn with secrets of her own, Luke the child the family have lost. A gapping hole, a wound which may never heal and an affair. I’m telling you all nothing else its impossible without spoilers. Sheryl has managed to render me speechless, mind-blown in which I have been depraved of my very thoughts.

Its so easy to label a person without knowing them, I had Alicia down as the biggest manipulator, the bitch who deserved everything that was coming to her but as time and the pages wore on it became apparent that all was not as it seemed. I had read Alicia’s character with a blinkered perception that was laid in front of me within the first few chapters, but with hindsight and foresight two powerful tools, my conclusions where justifiably incorrect. Hence the old adage………..

Never Judge a Book By Its Cover

I don’t know how Sheryl manages to do it time and time again. The progression of a natural narrative borne from an emotional start which tears at your heart, cycling through to the morale compass which each and everyone one of us live by, encompassing the secrets, the lies, the dark psychological mind bust, then the almighty Wham, Bam Thank You Mam of a sucker punch ending. Each and every scenario was like an intensely wound coil, the release throwing the words from the book to every corner of my brain, a puzzle to be solved.

My thanks and thoughts of praise go out to Sheryl Browne, Bookouture and Kim Nash for the advanced readers copy of The Affair, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Thanks to Kim for my spot on the Blog Blitz for The Affair.

Justin and Alicia have the perfect life, he’s doctor, she’s a social worker, they have two children, Lucas is six months and Sophie is fifteen. An old work colleague of Alicia’s, Paul Radley, comes back into their lives, jealousy raises it’s ugly head and Justin suspects she’s had an affair.

A tragic accident causes their life to unravel even further, lies comes to the surface and soon their family is blown apart. Can they put the pieces back together?

I love when a novel surprises me! The Affair really is a hard novel to categorise, it’s part psychological thriller, part domestic drama and I was so emotional while reading, I even had a little cry.

This is a really character driven novel, each on with their own unique voice. Justin, before we even start the story properly, has had his mother, father and sister taken away from him after being murdered in their own home, then just when he thinks he’s got the perfect life, boom, the author throws more heart break at him. I genuinely wonder how he doesn’t just fall to pieces.

Sophie is your typical angry, hormonal teen, who I feel, as the mother of sulky teenager myself, Sheryl Browne got spot on.

Lastly there’s Alicia, who even though I know I shouldn’t really feel sorry for her, after all the lies she told, I really did which was some clever writing by Sheryl Browne.

Overall The Affair is a really powerful and suspenseful drama that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster until the very end.

I have a copy of The Babysitter, Sheryl Browne previous novel, I now can’t wait to read it!

‘Can secrets stay hidden forever?’

When will we ever learn that THEY NEVER STAY HIDDEN? Probably never. Let’s face it, the human brain is trained to lie. Some of us do it better than others, and some lies are bigger than the small white lies we allow our mouth to let go once in a while, but secrets are what always get us in trouble.

And trouble is what finds Alicia and Justin’s family. I know, little information here, but should I give you the slightest hint at what’s coming your way, I’d ruin the twists (of the novel and of your heart!)

With a clever and worrying prologue, the author had me hooked! Life-changing questions. A second to decide. Who are we? What are we capable of? No explanation, no result, just a million questions rushing through my head! Oh my! I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop reading until I knew what had let to such an opening!

Told through different perspective, The Affair deals with so much more than … an affair! Through carefully intertwined chapters, we discover slices of life, choices, memories, and most of all, feelings.

What do you need to know? Something happened long ago. Then you meet a nice and cute family, but Sheryl Browne makes sure you see the cracks in the picture as soon as you meet them. Why? Because those cracks will grow and gnaw at each character in the rawest way. Sit and read.

I think I have never talk to protagonists as much as I did during my time with The Affair. I was advising, whispering comforting words, getting very mad and almost shouting at people for doing what I knew they shouldn’t be doing. My heart broke more than once and I absolutely LOVED that the author managed to put the right words on emotions we go through when our world falls apart.

The Affair is like a domino game. One bad move sets a series of events in motion, sending you to the darkest places, hoping to find the light along with the characters you’ve grown attached to. Because I did get attached, and fast! It wasn’t difficult as everyone in the novel has something so human, so real, that you have no choice but to follow them to hell and back.

This book raises many questions. Parenting, responsibility, grief, guilt, everything gets muddled and tainted, the world turns grey and the author addresses uncomfortable matters. Family bounds are pulled at, and had me stop breathing, longing for the pain to stop. How come a man from the past can bring such devastation? I found myself torn between a million emotions, not knowing which side to be on, or even if there was a point in choosing a side! A whirlwind of feelings left me emotionally exhausted but with a more open mind on certain things!

Alicia and Justin are thrown in a storm. Through them, the reader gets to judge, weigh the good and bad, and receives a reminder that some things are out of control, that you can’t ever take anything for granted. But also that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Dim, maybe, but strong and possibly ground for another chance, a different life with a more solid foundation.

The Affair is an addictive read that gives lies all their strength!

Liar, Liar, life on fire.

I’ve enjoyed Sheryl Browne’s darker side for a number of years so when I read the blurb for The Affair, I knew I had to read it!

The cast are perfectly formed, each playing their own part in this twisted tale of the heart. Ms Browne took me on a rollercoaster of emotions; I cried, I feared….did I feel all warm and fuzzy? Well that’s my secret!

I really felt for Justin, one of the innocent parties in this story. He can see his family slowly falling apart and he can’t do anything to stop it. His emotions were all over the place, grief, anger, fear. Will this man ever be happy again

Sophie, oh my. She’s a strong lass for her age but when she hits rock bottom, I just wanted to save her! I wanted to give her a massive hug. My heart really went out to her.

I instantly disliked Paul. I know he was purposely written to be hated but Ms Browne has done an excellent job with him. I got the sense of entitlement from him and when he’s trying to destroy someone else’s life by taking what’s theirs, he was definitely not someone I was going to warm to!

As for Alicia, karma is a bitch! One mistake, a moment of weakness is coming to bite her in the backside big style! But what unfolded before my eyes was way beyond karma and I wanted to stop it all!

Sheryl Browne lets you think you know what’s going on and then wham she comes in from your blind side and knocks your thoughts. The Affair is a tense read, I couldn’t stop clicking through the pages. I was desperate to know whether the family would survive Hurricane Paul hell-bent on causing maximum destruction. And oh that climax. Bravo Ms Browne!!!

I loved The Affair by Sheryl Browne. It’s one of those slow burners that draws you in and keeps you enthralled to the very end.

Alicia has been telling lies and it appears they’ve come back to haunt her. Throw into the mix a devastating car crash and you’ve got one powerful plot line. Great characterisation and chapters that flowed smoothly. I can definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

4 Deceitful Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

“ oh! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.“

My oh my did Alicia get herself tangled up in quite the sticky web... this was such an emotional thought-provoking book.... if I were going to label it I would probably call it more of a domestic thriller than a psychological thriller... from the title I am sure you can infer there is an affair... The fallout from this indiscretion is widespread with many casualties.... lies always seem to lead to more lies... digging the liar into a deeper and deeper hole, and leaving their loved ones the innocent victims reeling... but who is the biggest liar of them all???

This book was almost a mash up of women’s fiction and a thriller... The first 27% of this book was emotional, raw, and impactful... *have tissue handy* it was so heartwrenching, and there is a character in this book that my heart broke for more than any other... you will know who I’m talking about when you have finished this book... there is a small cast of characters in the book allowing us to really get to know each of them... I also believe we get the perspective of all of them with the exception of maybe one of them? Or perhaps there is a small chapter with his perspective? All of the characters were so well developed with their own unique voice... I felt for them, I cried for them, I judged them, and I forgave them... well not all of them!

The last 50% of this book was more thriller... Full of twists and turns and reveals and that sense of urgency... I still found myself wondering what I would do in this situation? and questioning some of the characters actions... I think this book was a really good example of what people wil do when pushed to their limits.... leaving me to question what my own breaking point would be...

Strongly recommend if you enjoy a well done thought provoking thriller...

*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

This is such a good read that will keep you turning the pages until you find out the truth.

Alicia has been keeping a secret from her family and when an old colleague returns from Dubai her world is turned upside down.

For me this is a hard book to review as I really don’t want to give anything of the storyline away. What I will say is it is an emotional read that really throws a few punches. A story about families, lies, secrets and deception, that you will not want to end. A great storyline with some characters that you really feel as though you are with the all the way through the dramas they entail, right until the very last page

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Alicia.. what a lying, cheating, bitch! Wait… did you just judge her based on the first few chapters… yes. Yes you did. (Yes yes I did but shhhhh) You should know better than to judge a character in Sheryl Browne’s book! So she didn’t cheat on Justin? Or she did? Ugh…
Never mind that for now because there’s a bigger, more horribly pressing issue to keep you up at night reading! I won’t say. I can’t say for fear of ruining it, but I will tell you this…you will NOT put this book down. Well, maybe you will but only because you will need to take an emotional break!
Sheryl Browne is right at the top of our ever growing list of favorites. She’s the kind of author that you read and know you’ll love any book she writes. Her characters are intense, real, and usually come with a lot of baggage which makes them sooooo interesting to read about and feel like you know personally.
I was tempted to stop at about 80% and message Sheryl to beg her to tell me that the book ended a certain way because I was afraid to read the rest! Ha! But I didn’t. I read furiously and of course, the plot thickened and ended unexpectedly but so amazingly!
We LOVE Sheryl Browne and anytime she publishes a new title, we will most certainly read it!
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is the first book by Sheryl Browne that I have read.
I have mixed feelings about this book which varied in pace, much like a car journey, There are periods of what seems cruising sandwiched between action as the plot route is steered through twists and turns. I particularly liked the later third of the book.
Deep respect to the author writing amidst her own loss.

Alicia.. what a lying, cheating, bitch! Wait... did you just judge her based on the first few chapters... yes. Yes you did. (Yes yes I did but shhhhh) You should know better than to judge a character in Sheryl Browne's book! So she didn't cheat on Justin? Or she did? Ugh... 
Never mind that for now because there's a bigger, more horribly pressing issue to keep you up at night reading! I won't say. I can't say for fear of ruining it, but I will tell you this...you will NOT put this book down. Well, maybe you will but only because you will need to take an emotional break! 
Sheryl Browne is right at the top of our ever growing list of favorites. She's the kind of author that you read and know you'll love any book she writes. Her characters are intense, real, and usually come with a lot of baggage which makes them sooooo interesting to read about and feel like you know personally. 
I was tempted to stop at about 80% and message Sheryl to beg her to tell me that the book ended a certain way because I was afraid to read the rest! Ha! But I didn't. I read furiously and of course, the plot thickened and ended unexpectedly but so amazingly! 
We LOVE Sheryl Browne and anytime she publishes a new title, we will most certainly read it! 
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This has been a really challenging review to write as it’s difficult to describe the book without giving away too many spoilers. Let’s just say, you’ll find yourself questioning like I did, what you would do if you were in Alicia’s situation, would you make the same choices she did, and how far would you go for the sake of your family.

It’s very obvious from the title of this book that an affair has taken place in some way, shape, or form. What is not obvious at the beginning of the book, and doesn’t actually become apparent until near the end, is how all the other lies surrounding the affair tie in. Very little is given away about the particulars of the affair and as a reader I was left wondering if perhaps things aren’t quite as clear cut as they may seem.

This book is well written and it was very easy to get caught up in the story and just want to continue reading until the end. The emotion the characters experienced and how this is expressed through the authors writing is gut-wrenching. You can’t help but read and put yourself in the characters shoes. I found myself sympathising with Alicia and feeling distraught for Justin as one thing after another seems to go wrong for him.

This book covers a lot; lies, tragic loss, love, and family bonds when they are put to the ultimate test. This was the first book from this author that I had read and i’m pleased to hear that she has a three book deal with Bookotoure and I look forward to her next release.

This is a great book - full of twists and turns and I loved it.
Just re-read the blurb to see what I can say about this book as I don’t want to spoil it for you.
What I can say is that you will be drawn in to the lives of Alicia and Justin and you will feel sympathy, frustration and lots of other emotions as the story progresses.
This booked had me hooked from the first few pages and I just had to finish it tonight to see how it ended.
If you love a good emotional thriller then this is the book for you.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Sheryl Browne never ceases to amaze me she always you always know what you are getting and she always has that wow factor in her books But OMG this one is without a doubt her best book to date. I was hooked from the very first page and devoured it in one sitting it is beyond gripping and I loved every single page. I cannot begin to tell you how good The Affair is.

OMFG the beginning of this story.... WOW.... the rest of the story....WOW....I am speechless! Sheryl's writing skills are so powerful it will blow your mind, I am an absolute wreck after reading it. The author takes us on roller coaster ride where we follow a story that alternates between different characters. with each chapter leaving you wanting more. It will certainly get under your skin Sheryl what are you doing to me?!

Full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end Just when I thought I had it all worked out BOOM another twist. I have to say I wasn't expecting that! For me this is what a
psychological thriller is all about it is absolutely perfect and ticked all the boxes for me.

This is a must read for psychological thriller fans I cannot recommend it enough giving it all the stars.

Justin and Alicia were happy; still deeply in love after all their years of marriage. Their fifteen-year-old daughter Sophie and their surprise arrival, baby Luke, who was six months old, completed their family. Justin was a well-respected doctor while Alicia worked with domestic violence victims. The morning the four of them were rushing to work; to school, when a vehicle ran a red light and crashed into their car before racing off, was the morning their lives changed forever.

Alicia had been keeping secrets. She was doing it for reasons she perceived as right – but the explosive release of those secrets meant a shattered family and an evil presence who was determined to take control. Devastation, grief and the impact of lies was tearing them apart. Could they possibly recover from a disaster such as this?

The Affair by Sheryl Browne is an intense psychological thriller which to me was predictable from around a third of the way in. I could see what was going to happen, and who was going to do it. That said, there are plenty of twists mixed with horrible moments – recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.

Justin is a good, solid man. He is a busy doctor, caring husband and wonderful father. Justin has come a long way in his life. Before his first child was born, suffered great loss and was almost completely lost, and his marriage almost destroyed. Never would he have imagined the far-reaching effects of that unbelievable time in his life. His wife, Alicia, is wracked by guilt. She is hiding a huge secret from Justin. She feels that this secret will lead to the ultimate destruction of her family. Well, her fears may just have been realized. When a man from her past, Paul Radley, shows up at her sister's birthday party, Alicia begins to unravel. She is determined to protect her family, even telling lies to perpetuate her secret.

Due to the actions of a crude hit-and-run driver, their sweet baby Luke loses his precious little life. Justin is convinced that it is his fault driving while distracted, and exhausted due to a tough shift at the hospital. Alicia thinks it is her fault because it is repayment for her lies, that she is being punished, and her family is paying the highest price imaginable. In the middle of all of this tragedy is fifteen-year-old Sophie. The loss of her little brother is completely unbearable for her. She then witnesses a strange interaction between her parents and when she decides to spend time with her aunt, she overhears something that turns her life upside down. She suddenly disappears, and her parents, albeit separately, desperately begin searching for her.

While this story could have been one of family angst and righting one's wrongs, as well as healing, it was indeed so much more. It was full of incredible twists and turns. So many questions need answering. What does Paul Radley want all of these years later? Why does Alicia keep lying? How strong is Justin? And, finally, what of Sophie? Will she be safe now that she has run off? These questions and more are answered, but not before surprises abound in this story. I was riveted to this story, especially as it was told by multiple points of view, allowing me to strongly connect to each character. The conclusion came as quite a shock in this compelling story, which was a true page-turner.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Any time a book blurb warns me
That I will never guess the twist is a warning to me that I will indeed guess the twist. I really wanted to like this book but it felt too far fetched and the characters all annoyed me. And as for guessing the twist? There really wasn’t one to guess.