THE EAST END, BY Jason Allen, really studies what people do in desperate situations. Is anyone really so altruistic as to put others above themselves and does escaping problems really make them go away? Using these themes, Allen tells about a series of events that threaten to change the lives of several people over a weekend in the Hamptons.
Allen does a good job creating characters that are layered, flawed, and very believable. The reader feels the sadness, the hope, the desperation of each person throughout the whole book. The story takes place over a rather short amount of time and the reader's imagination and need to fill in the blanks are kept to a minimum. A point that Allen emphasizes throughout the book that resonated with me was that money and success is not the sole generator of happiness; successful people can struggle to find contentment, while simple choices made by the young and poor can bring endless happiness. The plot progresses well and culminates a confrontation that ties up most of the loose ends.
While unhappy people trying to find happiness and fulfillment is not a new topic in the current book landscape, there is something about THE EAST END that stands apart. Maybe its the short time frame and the well-developed characters, maybe it's how that story is successfully tied up in the end. Whatever it is, I enjoyed it.

Just finished up this excellent 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book - The East End by Jason Allen. This was a slow burn novel of domestic suspense that grabbed me in the first few pages and kept me reading. I liked the storyline as well as the characters and the setting was perfect for this novel. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this book. Look for it in May whenever it is published . A special thank you to Justine Sha for sending me the NetGalley widget - I might have missed this excellent book otherwise!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the Kindle ARC of The East End by Jason Allen. The East End is a powerful and riveting debut novel by Mr. Allen. Set in the Hamptons over the long Memorial Day weekend, the story is about Leo, a late middle-aged wealthy man, who finds himself in a very precarious position when he takes his young male lover, Henry, to his Hamptons estate, prior to being separated from him for the summer. Leo is in an unhappy, requisite marriage - the wife, the house, the money, the job, etc. One of his few pleasures in life is the company of Henry, who is in love with Leo. When a tragic mishap takes place right before the summer season resulting in a death, The East End becomes a twisted and twisty tale of Leo trying to find his way out of the web. Along the way is the story of Gina, his long time housekeeper and her son, Corey, a young man on the verge of adulthood, but he and his brother and mother have a very troubled past. Mr. Allen has created a great page-turner, set over the course of a very short time with highly developed characters. The book has a dizzying pace, written very succinctly. I look forward to more great reads by Jason Allen. The East End is an exceptional thriller.

The East End highlights a "townie vs. tourist" turf war that is prevalent in small, wealthy college communities and upscale enclaves like Palm Beach, Beverly Hills, or the Hampton's- (the eastern end of Long Island), where the novel is set. Only the top 1% of the top 1% can afford to live in these private oasis's-where billionaire businessmen, rock stars and celebrities occupy homes the size of large hotels. But who takes care of the uber wealthy owners (often seasonal residents who arrive in droves during peak times)-cleaning their homes, caring for their kids, and chauffeuring them to the country club for a round of golf? That would be the locals- working class people who live in houses smaller than a closet in the estates they maintain. It's easy to see why resentment, disappointment and animosity run higher than the taxes. But The East End also proves money doesn't always buy happiness-keeping up with the Jones's often comes at a steep price. At the center of the story is Leo Sheffield-married, middle aged, and with a secret lover-who happens to be a man. When Leo takes Henry to his Hampton's home for one last rendezvous before his wife and children arrive for Memorial Day weekend, disaster strikes. For all his wealth and power, Leo is a clueless in a crisis. But Leo knows how to delegate, so tasks his housekeeper Gina to clean up his mess. Unfortunately Gina has her own troubles-a serious drinking problem and an abusive husband. Most of the characters are stereotypes-Leo's wife is colder than Long Island Sound in January, his kids are spoiled brats, and the townies are blue collar rednecks. If author Allen was aiming for superficiality he succeeded. But the plot also lacks depth-not enough space is devoted to Leo's struggle with his sexuality, and domestic abuse is treated as a given in lower income households. In the author's note Mr. Allen reveals he is from a working class Hampton's background, and the autobiographical twist makes the story even sadder than it already is. But for both the author and his characters there's hope among the despair. Today Jason Allen has Dr. in front of his name with a Ph.D in literature. Not everyone gets out of The East End alive, but those who do find a new appreciation for what they have, instead of pining for what they don't.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Corey, his mother, and brother are a middle class family that are tied to a rich family: his mother works for them.

One night while spying on a girl he likes (friends with the daughter of the rich patriarch), he witnesses a death.

Craziness ensues and all hell breaks loose.

Secrets abound, Corey and his family try to figure out what to do.

This book was just ok to me.

LOVED this novel! Wow is all I can say. This one was a home run. Truly captured my attention from the very beginning. Y'all are going to become hooked as soon as you start reading this one. Go for it! Jason Allen did phenomenal in this thriller, the characters are outstanding.

I recieved this book as part of book tour. This book was so much better than I thought it would be.

When I read the synopsis I wanted to give it a try, however, I was skeptical. Once I got into this story there was no putting it down. It was enthralling, unique, and definitely was a sleep stopper.

I loved everything about this book and want to read more about these people and this place!

The East End is a fantastic read! This book is perfect for escapism, and those who like a bit of a thrill. For a debut novel this one reads like it was written by a seasoned pro and I didn't want to put the book down! I am anxious for the author to bring about more books in the future.

Unfortunately, this was a novel that I did not finish. The story rather than being another tale of upper crust Hamptons, deals more with the grittier, seedier side. But after a third of the book passed with lots of crime and substance abuse (but little substance), I bailed.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
I started reading this book and I had a hard time connecting and keeping interest. Was not able to read past 8% of the beginning.

What do you picture when you think of a book about The Hamptons? I imagine glamorous parties and sandy beaches and chic fashion. What's so unique about The East End is that it highlights a completely different view of The Hamptons. It is grungy and gritty and shows the less alluring side of life on the island. But it is real and honest, highlighting the struggles people experience, which I appreciated.

From the Publisher:

After graduating high school, Corey Halpern would love to leave the Hamptons and never look back. He is stuck though, saddled with responsibility for his alcoholic mother, Gina, and his younger brother. So for now, he finds momentary escape by breaking and entering. The night before Memorial Day weekend, he targets the estate of Leo Sheffield, the billionaire CEO for whom he and Gina work. But everything goes awry. Leo arrives suddenly—and he’s not alone. As Corey looks on in stunned horror, he witnesses a fatal mishap…as does another traumatized onlooker. With everything to lose, Leo will do whatever it takes to cover up the truth. Things spiral out of control, however. Pushed to their limits, Corey, Gina, and Leo all hurtle towards climactic showdowns as explosive as the holiday fireworks lighting up the night sky.

What did I really like about this book? As I've already mentioned, it showed the struggles people experience in their everyday lives, highlighting vulnerabilities and insecurities. Written from both the perspectives of the rich and glamorous and the poor and working class, I enjoyed the juxtaposition of higher and lower class characters in terms of lifestyle, but seeing how similar their lives were in terms of challenges and personality flaws.

It also had a fantastic hook in the beginning that captured my attention from the start. I wanted to know what would happen next and how the characters would get themselves out of the predicaments they found themselves in.

The things that I struggled with?
1. I felt like there was a lot of redundancy in terms of story line. To be honest, there wasn't a whole lot of substance but the author managed to stretch out the story across 300 pages. I did feel there were times where the story was continuously rehashed and I ended up losing patience and attention along the way, wishing it would get to the point a little faster.
2. In my opinion, the characters made some awful decisions that didn't seem super realistic. If they would have just made a different (and more logical) decision in the beginning of the book, everything would have been a lot easier on everybody.
3. I struggled with the "crime" plot holes. Spoiler alert: There would have been a mountain of forensic evidence pointing at all of the main characters, but somehow that wasn't the case in the end. I found that portion of a story a tad hard to believe.

Overall, although there were some elements that I didn't care for, I enjoyed Jason Allen's writing and appreciated the premise of The East End. If you're looking for a book depicting realistic characters who attempt to overcome their flaws and struggles, this is the book for you.

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Jason Allen, and Park Row Books for the opportunity to review.-

I'm very conflicted on how to rate The East End by Jason Allen. I was fascinated by the synopsis and anxious to read an ARC. Unfortunately it was almost like bait and switch, in my opinion. The book did not really live up to the excitement that the synopsis promises.

I didn't feel that there was an explosive ending. I will say that I wanted to find out what was going to happen so I kept reading, but a good portion of the book was filler, going over mundane daily tasks and interactions that didn't do anything to move the plot forward.

I believe that this is the author's first book and I would definitely read other books by this author in future. I think he needed a little coaching and some better editing and this could have been a very good read. I think the bones are here and the character development also, it just needs to move quicker and wrap up loose ends that seem to be brought up and left to wither. I do realize that this seems to be a book that you either love or dislike, with not a lot of middle ground. Evidently I'm smack in the middle - one of the few. I would rate this 2.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for approving my request for an ARC. My thoughts in this review are my own and freely given.

The East End was a slog for me. I liked the setting--the built in tension between the rich and those who work for them is always interesting, and having it in a area immediately identifiable to readers as such was smart (it seems the author grew up there as well)--but that was about it. The characters were just a collection of cliches, and the plot was predictable. In a mystery/thriller, a predictable plot can be forgivable if the characters are fascinating. The East End wants to get there, but Allen's inability to create compelling, fully realized characters holds him back, and the obvious plot turns the book into an unsurprising and boring read.

This is a story of how not to live your life. The vacation spot of New York is the beach community of the Hamptons. The townies live poor because most have menial jobs working for the upper class that invades their town during the summer. They own the big houses that sit empty most of the year. The East End shows you can be miserable with or without money. It may be different types of misery but misery hurts no matter how full or empty your wallet is.I

The "haves" are vividly portrayed as pretentious and self involved. The "have nots" are for the most part shown as drug or alcohol addicts just trying to numb the pain enough to get through the day. The story is well written. I found myself not liking most of the characters. It seemed like the message was we are all victims of our circumstances. It was a bit depressing for me.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Park Row Books through NetGalley. opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#TheEastEnd #NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jason Allen and Harlequin Novels for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Corey is struggling through high school life and can’t wait to get out of the Hamptons to start his own life elsewhere. The summer before his freedom, he finds some freedom in sneaking into the mansions around to bid his time. One night he sneaks into the wrong house and sees something that he shouldn’t. After seeing a shocking accident, Leo, the house’s owner knows he’ll have to hide it all before someone finds out. The only problem is Corey saw it all.

This book only came to my attention because I was invited to read this one instead of requesting it as you usually would. But I am so glad that it was brought to my attention because although it was more of a family drama type novel, I really really enjoyed it! You really felt for all the characters and everyone has their own struggles, rich or poor! I loved how different the setting of the Hampton’s were for this novel and how you were rooting for all the characters to get what they needed out of this so that they could all escape the lives they were living. I really enjoyed Corey’s character and I feel like we’ve all had our moment where we want to escape the towns that we live in and we all know what it’s like to have our first love. I also really felt for Leo, even though he made poor decisions, he did it for love. I whipped through this novel today and would definitely suggest picking it up if you enjoy a novel filled with family drama!

Out May 7th!

THE EAST END REVIEW

Author Jason Allen grew up in the Hamptons working for the rich and famous as a go-fer and knows a little something about groveling. In “the East End” Corey Halpern works with his tragically addicted mother who, as head housekeeper for the wealthy Sheffields, manages to hide her affliction with cheap wine and prescription drugs. They both have inner rages but the mother, Gina, has seduced the master of the Sheffield dynasty into being her champion who overlooks her weaknesses while Corey salves his distress by breaking and entering stately area mansions to commit vandalism.

On one of Corey’s forays he witnesses the Sheffield master, Leo, in a drunken and coke fueled sexual debacle with his male lover that results in the accidental death of said paramour. Angelique, best girlfriend with Tiffany, the Sheffield daughter, also becomes a witness and a victim of Leo’s frantic efforts to cover up the devastating death that threatens his existence by exposing his weakness for same-sex relationships. In an effort to protect the young girl, Corey, strikes Leo from behind, causing a debilitating head injury that thoroughly disorients the wealthy miscreant.

So, we have a story based on death, wealth, drugs, violence, deceit, confusion, blackmail, and even romance, common topics found in current novels, although maybe in not as much excess as found here. Allen handles the tangle in well-organized prose. Some of it is even poetic, as befits one with a poetic inclinations.
The wealthy world is well described, as is the confused state of mind of drug users.
The dialogue is nicely constructed, realistic, and befitting of both the disadvantaged and the well-placed swells.

I enjoyed the book and appreciate Allen’s talent. He’s a writer to watch.

Schuyler T Wallace
Author of TIN LIZARD TALES

The East End by Jason Allen was too busy for me. Too much was fit into the story. Once I started reading it instead of having a difficult time putting it down, I had a difficult time forcing myself to read more. I was given an early copy to review.

Gripping novel about the tensions that occur between the household help and the wealthy in the Hamptons. Leo brings his boyfriend Henry to his beach house in the Hamptons and things going terribly wrong, THE EAST END explores the lives of Gina, the housekeeper, her son Corey and his friend, Angelique, in the aftermath. Well drawn, realistic characters and a very tense, suspenseful plot. Allen does a beautiful job of making us understand each characters motivations and brings the story to life with great descriptive language. I really enjoyed the book and will definitely keep an eye out for future novels by Allen.

One moment escalated into more, creating a crazy chain of events causing one man to become stuck in an impossible position.
This story reminded me of Horrible Bosses with all the crazy chaos taking place while in the bosses home.
There are three story’s being told: family secrets and scandal, love and heartbreak, and working class struggles amongst the wealthy. All these stories intersect with each other eventually. Would have been nice to get some type of notification that the chapters switched from one character to another.

There is some some exciting activity in the story, but there is also a lot of minute details as well. In order to reach the pertinent information faster I chose to skim thru portions of the chapters.

Overall:
I wasn’t expecting the story to get off topic from the situation Corey encountered at The Sheffield property. But then again I realize the book description clearly states that this story focuses on three primary topics. I guess what I don’t like is the way the story is laid out. It’s execution of these three stories was dull individually.
This one night turned into a fiasco quickly escalating the chaos. I was disappointed an entire story was spent rehashing the same scenes. Within all the chaos very little was accomplished.
Not every book is for every reader, sometimes an author writes a book that doesn’t work for a reader...this was that book for me.
I didn’t technically not DNF this book, but I did skim this book...however I didn’t read it in its entirety.
The constant repetition felt like the author was trying to fill the pages.

This story starts off with a bang and sucked me right in. Corey Halpern breaks into houses not to steal things; he does it for kicks and giggles and to prank people. The beginning reminds me of another book called The Burglar by Thomas Perry, but Corey's really more of an intruder than a burglar, and he's way more ballsy.

This book is about people making bad choices and other people watching them. I've read many books that take place in the glitzy Hamptons, but this one that stands out. It has tragedy and mystery, but there is a comedic aspect that made me laugh many times.

The story also highlights a situation that is very dominant in the Hamptons: struggles of the working class and the polar opposite world of the super wealthy. It delves into socio-economic disparity - townie vs. vacationer, white collar vs. blue collar, "upstairs" vs. "downstairs" - and what divides the two groups.

Another unique thing about this book is the writing style. It has less dialogue than I'm used to, and many long parts of narrative. This writing style makes me realize that I enjoy a story more when it's infused with character dialogue. But even with the lack of dialogue, the plot is so binge-worthy that I couldn't stop reading. The ending was a surprise and tied everything together.

This book is about scandal, secrets, love, family, addiction, tragedy, class, greed, and voyeurism. The story is a slow burning mystery, but has underlying themes of class, social structure, and discrimination wrapped up in family drama. It will make you appreciate your own family.