Nothing about this book is particularly bad or particularly great. It kind of just is. The prose itself is pleasant to read and the main characters are decently fleshed out. However, my biggest issue is that it is not what is advertised.

In reading the description I thought I was in for a thrilling mystery with maybe even a murder to figure out. As it turns out, that really isn't the focus of the story at all. There is zero sense of urgency throughout the whole thing, and the bulk of the novel is long exposition regarding characters thinking about their pasts (with, might I add, a lot of repetition). Then when it comes time for them to be brought back to the present, it's like they forgot where they were and what they were doing and reacted in very detached manners.

Disappointing because the beginning had a decent set up. I think if maybe this were advertised as a story of seeing how a small town with secrets reacts to tragedy, then I would have come out of it feeling a lot more satisfied.

I really had to struggle to get through this book. The entire plot did not ring true to me. Far too many characters, most of who I could not get a real feel for.. I have read other books by this author, and have enjoyed them, This book was gust too all over the place for my liking.

Thank you Net Galley for the ebook Arc in exchange for an honest review. Annie is going to be married in four days. The whole town is excited. When she was little her mother was murdered and she was found wandering around alone. The town immediately became caught up in her story and she became the town sweetheart. When she goes missing right before the wedding everyone is desperate to find her and the list of suspects keeps changing. At times I felt it was a bit slow but it keep me wanting to come back to see how Annie’s story will end. The ending was not exactly as I thought it would turn out. Second book I’ve read by this author and look forward to more!!

Annie disappears a few days before her wedding and her friends and family are left wondering if this is one of her "spells" where she needs time to herself, but fear that this is something more. While there was opportunity to build suspense in this storyline, I didn't feel that sense of urgency that I expected. Each chapter was from the different view of one of the characters. I felt that there were nearly too many characters to keep straight and they weren't as developed.

Just finished the @netgalley ARC “Only Ever Her” by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars. This book tells the story of Annie, a woman who’s mother died many years ago. And now, the man who was convicted of killing her is getting released. Throughout all this, Annie is also about to get married.

The reason I went 3 stars is because I really liked Whalen’s writing and the character development for all the main characters was really good. I also found myself wanting to keep reading and thinking about it while I wasn’t reading.

However, the ending is where it lost me a little. I felt like there was a decent amount of stuff not really wrapped up or revisited. There were also a few too many elements of the story that felt necessary upon finishing.

OHHHH what a thriller this one was! This was my first novel from Marybeth Mayhew Whalen and I am beyond excited that I was able to read it! This is a must read for people who love thrillers and suspense. She writes incredibly well and this is one that is a keeper!

Only Ever Her is not about a wedding. Granted, the bride disappears. The falsely accused killer of her mother is being released from prison. Coincidentally, do these events have anything to do with one another? Who killed the mother years ago? Will there be a wedding? The plot unfolds to answer questions and keep you guessing until the end. It's a good read overall. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this book! Couldn't put it down until it was finished. Will definitely be recommending to customers at my work!

A small town story set in South Carolina. Annie is about to get married but the murder of her mother years ago is now front and center because the person in prison for the murder is being released. The news of the wrong man being accused and imprisoned is overshadowing her wedding plans. A few days before the wedding Annie disappears. What secrets are being held in her hometown and who really killed her mom? A great novel by Whalen that I enjoyed very much. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This book was very interesting. At first you think this is going to be about a bride with cold feet. This story is really about being your true self. To often we find ourselves doing what we think others want us to do. This story is unfolds to show you so many people in life have secrets and are living lives others expect of them.

I loved that it was told by several different points of view and it really kept you guessing until the end.

I found it hard to get into this book at times. It was quite far fetched and I was disappointed somewhat with the plot. The story follows a bride whose mother was murdered when she was a child. Coming up to the wedding the bride disappears.

Wow, that was something! I’m not going to lie; I thought about not finishing a time or two. It’s a really slow burn. The chapters add layers to each character and reveal their secrets but it requires quite a bit of patience.

The writing is very good so I kept at it and am glad I did. The story is a sad one with all of the characters stuck in a sort of life “limbo”, none really satisfied where they have wound up.

The ending does provide closure for all of the characters including the mystery of Annie’s mom (didn’t see that one coming!). This was good.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Lake Union Publishing for a copy in exchange for a review.

A good suspense of a bride gone missing. Some things are a bit predictable, if you're really paying attention to a lot of the conversations. I really loved all the characters and felt like we were right their in Faye's kitchen drinking coffee and waiting for news. Definitely pictured in my mind was a small southern town where everyone knows everyone and their business. I really enjoyed the read. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

This book was a quick read for me and i really enjoyed it. I have never read anything by this author so it was nice to read from someone new. It had a great story and great twists to the story. I always love a good thriller book that keeps my interest throughout the entire thing. usually I don't always like a book with too many characters switching back and forth between chapters but this one didnt disappoint.

Mayhew is quickly becoming one of my favorite novelists. She somehow creates compelling characters that are relatable, sympathetic, and realistically flawed. Usually, I have a hard time keeping people straight in novels with multiple characters, but Mayhew writes her characters with distinctive voices and back stories. This would be a fantastic book club pick!

Only Ever Her is my first book by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen. I had seen a lot of good review, but this one just wasn't for me.
I felt that the pacing was a little slow and when the main character, Annie, went missing I found it hard to care because I felt like I didn't know much about her.
I would recommend this book to someone who likes more of a slow burn suspense story.

I really wanted to like this book—it had interesting characters, a promising premise, and some parts that were quite interesting. It was, however, slow-moving, especially in the beginning. It was hard to maintain interest with it’s slower pace at times.

Enjoyed this book but found it a bit slow at places worth a read though. I would recommend it thanks for the advanced copy.

Mary Beth Whalen is an automatic request/buy for me these days - her unforgettable characters, slow southern charm and the air of mystery in a small town set up an atmosphere that works for me as a reader. There was a definite Steel Magnolias vibe with Only Ever Her, from the beauty parlor scenes to the delicate, vulnerable belle, our Annie. There were 2 whodunit mysteries connected by terrible tragedy in this book, and I was rooting for our characters to solve it - before it was too late.

I loved that the main players were lovable but far from perfect, with quirks that made them human - and possibly guilty.

The wrap up of our long-ago mystery gave me chills, although I would have loved a few more clues. As for our modern tragedy - I would have liked a bit more intrigue and tension. Overall I missed the town of Ludlow, South Carolina when I finished the book, a sign of a truly enjoyable read.

Thanks so much to Netgalley for this preview!

Bride-to-be Annie Taft goes missing 4 days before her wedding, right after her mother's alleged murderer is released from prison. The entire town is frantic with worry because Annie is a beloved hometown girl with a very tragic past.

The story is told by multiple characters that surround Annie's life and her hometown, through flashbacks and present day interactions. Each of these characters are flawed, complicated, selfish, and harbor many secrets. Most of them are involved in clandestine relationships. Many are unlikeable.

Romantic love is very complicated and dysfunctional in this book. There no healthy romantic relationships in the entire story. Many of the characters have love for another person that is not returned or reciprocated, and the title of the book Only Ever Her is very fitting.

The main plot has the makings of a taut thriller, but the focus of the book is character development so the pace is a slow burn. The book delves into each characters' past to give insight into what makes them into the person that they are today. This is my first read of Marybeth Mayhew Whalen's work and I enjoyed it.

I love suspenseful books with strong character development and a satisfying closure. But, I would have liked this story to have more closure for many of the characters and the book felt a little unfinished for me. In the end, some of the plotline is unresolved and I would have liked the story to be extended and more closure to occur. Also, the character perspectives changed very often and sometimes it was challenging for me to keep them straight because they were so similar.

This book is about revenge, release, secrets, clandestine love, infidelity, family, forgiveness, and acceptance. The last 10% of the book make the entire story worthwhile, because we find out what happens to Annie and some of the loose ends are tied together.