Yes! After reading Ellison's last book and liking it (though many others loved it), I know I still wanted to read this! And I am so glad I did. What starts as a young skier breaking her leg and being diagnosed with leukemia turns into a secrets, lies, and all the drama. And I was here for all of it. Ellison weaves the back story wonderfully while keeping the story pace moving. Highly recommend this book!

In the opening chapters of Tear Me Apart, we meet Mindy Wright, a young, talented skier, who is on the road to the Olympics. After following Mindy down the mountain in an exciting and crucial race with tragic results, she crashes into a flag and ends up hospitalized. But despite what you might think at this point, and after reading some publicity blurbs, this is really not sports fiction.

At that point things seemed to stall and I began to wonder what would motivate me to keep reading. Fortunately, the plot quickly took quite a few turns. Not sure exactly what captured my interest because author J.T. Ellison threw lots of twists and subplots into the mix. In addition to a setting which highlighted the lifestyle and skiing culture of Vail, Co., there’s the difficult struggle of those with psychological issues such as suicide, cutting, and PTSD, the role of DNA in matching donors for medical treatment as well as solving crimes, and even a beautiful Belgian Malinois as a protector and emotional support dog.

Bottom line? Tear Me Apart is a complex, twisty, exciting story. The back story of Mindy’s family is told through flashbacks with a growing (and slightly unbelievable and coincidental) body count. This is the second title I’ve read by Ellison and I’m sure it won’t be the last.


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Talk about secrets and lies! And poor Mindy- don't forget about her. She's broken her leg, she's diagnosed with leukemia, and now it's not clear who her parents are. Told from multiple perspectives- Mindy, her mom Lauren, and her aunt Juliet initially, and then by others as well, it's a story that comes together from parts. Readers of the genre might figure out the answer to Mindy's parentage early but there's more to come in this tale. If I have a criticism it's that this is a bit long- some paring would have made a tauter more suspenseful tale. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this one for good writing and a topical plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

Another wonderful book by J.T. Ellison. The question is what will a mother do to protect the child that she loves. How far would you go? Probably even lie for your child, even if the threat of discovery may loom in the future, it is your child that you're talking about. When Mindy almost loses her life in a horrific crash, it comes to light that her parents, might not be her parents. Will the secrets that they keep threaten to undo their family?

There has not been an book by JT Ellison that I have not loved.....and Tear Me Apart did not disappoint at all. She is an author whose writing is emotional and honest and I can't get enough. This book made me cry, smile and think - it is a rollercoaster of emotions and I loved it!!

Mindy Walker is a competitive skier, well on her way to representing the USA in the winter Olympics...until she crashes and breaks her leg. Whilst in surgery for her leg, doctors discover that she is seriously ill with an aggressive form of leukemia. After trying chemotherapy the doctors decide that a stem cell transfer is her only hope. Her family are all tested - and her life is turned upside down when the results show that she is not related to them. Her whole life has been a lie and she has no idea who she is anymore or who her real family are. Years of lies and secrets start to come out in an attempt to save Mindy's life. But how far will a mother go to protect her child and her past?

This is a story of love, trust and betrayal. Of how mental illness affects people and the ones that they love. 2 families torn apart. I absolutely loved it and its characters. Thank you to Harlequin MIRA and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my Kindle.
I read about half of the book until I realized that it really was a psychological thriller. But then I started wondering what would a mother really do for her child or how far would she go to keep her child? In all, a good book!

interesting book. takes you on a journey different from most book. sad in parts and very interesting. you cant wait to see what is going to happen to the main character,

Competitive skier Mindy Wright is on top of her game, with her big Olympic dreams about to come true, then in the blink of an eye it's all taken away with an horrific accident. Now she is laying in a hospital bed about to have surgery to repair her injury, and the doctor has some very unexpected news, she has a rare form of Leukemia and needs a stem cell transplant. When they test her parents to see if they are a match, they find even more shocking news... Mindy is not their daughter! It's a secret that has been kept for many years, and one, or both, of her parents would like for it to stay hidden, and will just about anything to keep it that way!

Tear Me Apart is a pulse-pounding, mind-twisting, tale that will rock you to your core... hold on tight, this one will take you on heck of a roller coaster ride!! As soon as I read the synopsis for this one I was in; especially when I learned Ms. Ellison was at the helm, nobody does domestic suspense quite like she does; and I am happy to report she left me dazzled once again. This fast paced tale lured me in from the first page, and kept me completely enthralled until the last. I highly recommend you get your hands on this one, it will mesmerize you, thrill you, and have you guessing until the very end!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

Mindy Wright--an up and coming competitive teenage skier-- breaks her leg in competition. During surgery, doctors discover that Mindy is sick: she has an aggressive form of leukemia and needs a stem cell transplant. But when her family is tested, it is discovered that Mindy's parents are not her biological parents. What does this mean? Was she switched at birth, or did something more dark and dramatic happen? At the core, Mindy needs to live. But beyond that, what are the ramifications for the Wright family? What secrets will be revealed and uncovered while trying to save their precious daughter?

This was a dramatic and interesting story that grabbed me from the beginning. The first portion is told from the perspective of three women: Mindy, age 17; her mother, Lauren; and Lauren's sister, Juliet, who actually works as a scientist in a DNA crime lab. This gives Juliet early and easy access to DNA samples relating to Mindy and the "case" as it progresses on. We also get excerpts of letters that appear to be from or relating to a psychiatric hospital in the early 1990s. All of this makes for an interesting and compelling format to our story, with a slow and steady reveal of strange information that you know does not add up: a twisted web of secrets and lies. We are immediately left wondering what happened with Mindy--how is she not Lauren's daughter? What is going on?

I do not want to go into too much detail and ruin much of the plot, but I found this one very intriguing, as I was wondering where the story would go. I might have been a little slow on the uptake as to who was Mindy's real mother, but I did find it exciting to put all the pieces together. I really liked the characters of Mindy and Juliet and a few others who were introduced later on (the story is told in various parts, so you get some different narrators, too).

In true Ellison fashion, there's some great drama and a few good "whoa" moments, as well. When I first started the book, I hadn't refreshed myself on the description, and I was a little worried that this would be more of a family drama than a mystery, but have no fear--while this family has more than their share of drama, there's a great mystery/thriller aspect as well. In fact, the novel can get downright creepy at times, with a villain who can give you the chills.

Overall, I thought this was another winner from Ms. Ellison. It's a quick, engaging read with interesting characters and a plot that encourages you to put the pieces together. She's quickly becoming a go-to author of mine. I'm actually chasing down her Taylor Jackson series on Paperbackswap, because I want to read more of her books! If you enjoy a dramatic, quick-moving thriller, I highly recommend this one! 4+ stars.

J.T. Ellison has been a favourite of mine for a long time going back to the incredibly exciting Taylor Jackson series. Tear Me Apart was another awesome read. It was quite hard to put down and I read it over two sittings. Great job J.T.!

Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison is a thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Harlequin-Mira, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis:
1993.  Two teenage girls meet in a Mental Institution, one there for suicide attempts, the other for killing a man. They become friends, and that friendship lasts many years, mainly through letters.

2000.  The wife of a young Army Intelligence Officer is killed while he is away burying his mother. Their newborn is stolen. Zack Armstrong has never given up hope that someday he will meet his child.

Current Day.   A 17-year old, with the potential to make the US Olympic Ski Team, crashes and breaks her leg, but more than her leg gets torn open. During surgery, they discover Mindy Wright has Leukemia, and her only chance of survival is a stem cell transplant. Neither Lauren nor Jasper (her parents), nor her Aunt Juliet is a match. Upon further investigation, they don’t even show as a familial match. How can that be?

There are many secrets. Lauren has had a life-time to perfect her lies. But always, Lauren insists she does things only to protect Mindy. Lauren’s sister Juliet, starts to doubt her, and will risk her career to save her niece's life.   Even Jasper starts to question his wife's lies.  Lauren is going to have to come clean if she wants to save her daughter’s life. But even as the secrets unfold, there is always one more still kept back.

My Opinions:
A tale of secrets, depression, suicide and murder, it is also a tale of family and love.

The overall premise of the story was good, and not all the twists had obvious conclusions. It kept you thinking. The characters themselves seemed real, except for Jasper, who seemed lifeless most of the time. I loved Juliet, although she probably should have been fired.

With twists galore, JT Ellison created a very suspenseful, captivating read, that you didn’t want to put down.

As well, she handled the topics of depression and suicide really tactfully, and in the Authors Note at the end of the book, she talked more about "Project Semicolon". Google it!

Wow... Tear Me Apart is quite the ride my friends. This is a fast paced mystery/thriller that will leave your neck sore from turning back and forth!

I think it's best to go in blind with this one and avoid reading other people's reviews. The underlying story line is quite intriguing and has multiple layers to peel with this onion.
Talk about years worth of lies and lies. Characterization is a definitely a strong point in this story. Each character is well developed and adds more depth to the overall plot. Can I just say I loved Zach and his fury companion Kat!!! Oooooo so darn cute! <3 <3.

And.. surprise surprise... I found out the overall storyline not even half way through. I think I need to chill out on my detective skills... they never fail me. I of course knew each character that was lying etc and was spot on. This was a bit of a bummer for me considering I guess tad bit predictable?

Also, I felt the ending was dragging on a lot. The book was almost 500 pages... too much added fluff that wasn't necessary to the main story.

Overall, decent entertaining read. 3.5/5 stars

Thank you so much to Harlequin/Mira and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Published to GR: 8/20/18
Publication date: 8/28/18

I read Ellison’s first novel, Lie to Me and I have to say I enjoyed that one a little more than this one. They’re both very well written, but also very different.
This one served more of a drama to me rather than a mystery. Although it did have its twists, the drama aspect shone a lot more than the mystery aspect. This is not a bad thing, however I did expect a little more thrilling moments.


The book was very enjoyable to read. Juliet was my favourite character. She’s a woman who doesn’t give up and to me, I think she was the protagonist of the story. Once again a female protagonist. I love it.
It’s no secret that Ellison is a talented writer. I think that in this novel, Ellison wanted to showcase family drama and secrets rather than plot twists. I did enjoy the story line though. The plot was very well thought out and it played out very well.


Many thanks to NetGalley and MIRA for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for letting me sample the next chapter in this series. I. Really enjoyed the book and will be following up With the next one in line. Well Written and gripping story line that will Have you hooked

Tear Me Apart was a great read! Hooked me from the beginning! Characters were so easy to love or extremely dislike... or want to smack upside the head. Lots of dark secrets that just won’t stay hidden. Very well written and put together. This book tugged in every single emotion possible! Love the psychological suspense! Strong 4 stars

Last year, J.T. Ellison blew me away with Lie to Me, and I was so eager to read her newest book, Tear Me Apart. Tear Me Apart was really an excellent story, with twists and turns that were at times shocking and breakneck and at times more like gentle curves into a new realization. I just love a story in which I never can figure out exactly what is going to happen next, and Tear Me Apart delivered with a fast paced and plot driven tale.

Great character development and interesting story. This plot has lots of twist that will keep to reading until the end. How a woman's mind gets fixated and she can't be detured.

I think any book that brings awareness to the stigma of suicide and mental illness deserves time and recognition.
As someone how has suffered mental health problems, on and off, since my early teens, this book struck a cord.
Tear Me Apart, tells the story of a world class teenage skier, Mindy Wright, who suffers a leg break during one of her competitions, only to find out, during tests, she has leukemia. This blows her family apart, when she needs life saving treatment but she can only get this from a blood relative. Lauren Wright, Mindy's "Mother", has to come clean with the truth of how she came to be Mindy's mother.
Mindy was kidnapped at birth and her biological mother murdered.
Did Lauren innocently adopt her daughter or does she have a sinister past that comes back to bite her?

Expected publication August 28th!

What a wild ride! Tear Me Apart tells the story of a teenage superstar skier who is on track to join the US Olympic team when she suddenly suffers a season ending leg injury. But, while in the hospital she may find out more than she ever bargained for. Sudden her life and the lives of those around her are shattered into pieces and things will never be the same again.

Several words to describe this book: ever-changing, uncertain, suspenseful, lengthy, and psychological.

I'm having a hard time really seeing this book as a "thriller." Most of the surprises were heavily concentrated at the beginning of the book, and many of the "surprises" at the end were not very shocking. However, the story was still engaging and kept me entertained from start to finish. I just didn't feel that huge shock value that usually accompanies a thriller at the climax. The ending was a tad predictable.

In my opinion, the real highlight of this book is J.T. Ellison's look into the psyche of those suffering from mental illness. Seeing what lengths a mother would go to in order to protect her child and her family, seeing how those who suffer from depression make decisions about how they want their lives to play out, etc. In addition, the look at family dynamics and what makes somebody a mother or a father was especially impactful.

I particularly enjoyed the break in formatting when the main characters are writing letters to each other. It was a nice pause, even more so because the book is on the longer side. And as somebody who lives in Nashville, I rather enjoyed references to Vanderbilt and the Nashville area as I was able to relate to them.

Overall, well done and suspenseful story for anybody looking for a page turner.

-I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to J.T. Ellison, MIRA Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review.-

Mindy Wright skis competitively, and she is on the verge of a breakout when she suffers a horrific crash. She sustains not only life-changing, but also life-threatening, injuries. Shockingly, her doctors find she has leukemia while she is undergoing surgery.

When a stem cell transplant is what she needs to survive, her parents receive routine screening. Neither is a match…and neither is biologically related to Mindy!

Time is of the essence to save Mindy’s life, but in order to find a match, all the years of lies will have to be unfurled one at a time. Which parent knows the truth? And which one will take it too far to protect Mindy and the harbored secrets?

Once Mindy is diagnosed with leukemia Tear Me Apart was off to the races with all the twists and turns. I did not find the twists overly shocking, but just enough to keep the tension mounting, layer upon added layer. When the pacing was on in this longer than average book, it was ON, and that made the time “commitment” more than worth it.

Tear Me Apart encompasses family drama laden with secrets, while also addressing topics of mental illness, missing children, and competitive skiing. How they gel together is a captivating roller coaster ride of a read.

Thank you to MIRA/Harlequin for the review copy. All opinions are my own.