I enjoyed this book but the title did not make sense until the very end. I finished the book yesterday and I’m still not sure what to think. The characters were very well developed and the story was interesting to read but the ending has a twist that makes me rethink everything I had read. It was completely unexpected and changed the story for me. Overall I thought it was a good book but have open questions that were not resolved.

Rea Frey is AMAZING. I read her first book (Not Her Daughter) through NetGalley and when I was contacted by her publisher about the second, jumped at the chance. Frey has a marvelous ability to develop characters that leap off the page (for good and ill) and to throw out-of-nowhere twists in when you absolutely least expect them. She has a brilliant writing style that is very engaging and compelling, with just enough twists, turns, and teasers to keep you guessing - and flipping pages furiously while you do.

The reveal in (literally) the last pages can be a dangerous plot forma - it backfires more often than it works, in my opinion, because most authors use it as a last-ditch attempt to save a faltering piece of plot. Not so AT ALL here - Frey works it to maximum advantage, using it not to tie up loose ends but to shatter a lot of what the reader thought based on the entirety of the story. In masterful hands, such a trick is not only fabulous to read but evidence of a marvelous ability to plot and plan that makes everything read up to that point feel like a game of cat and mouse with you, the reader, left hunting for the cheese...

I'd read Frey's grocery list at this point - she's that good. If you aren't familiar with her work, you should be!

It's been a very long time since I've been truly shocked by an ending, but I"m so glad it was impossible to guess because the twist was better than anything I had been imagining.

Because You're Mine started off a bit slow for me, however, with Rea Frey taking her time by laying the groundwork for the story during the first third of the book. We are introduced to the main characters through several domestic scenes that are well written, even if nothing in particular happens besides a proposed and then scheduled girls' trip to the mountains. As the book slowly unfolds, we find numerous allusions to secrets that the main characters are keeping, but the immediate issues seem to be more centered around the stresses of single motherhood. At that point, the story was interesting but not captivating, and I figured it would end up being a solid three-star book.

But as the secrets come out, the plot heats up. I soon found myself becoming more engrossed in the story and more invested in what happened to the characters, especially after learning their backstories. After several shocking reveals, including some with wonderfully crafted emotional scenes, I'd mentally bumped my review up to four stars.

And I honestly thought, right up until the last few pages, that I would be giving a four-star review. However, this book earned five stars just for the shrewd, audacious, spit-out-your-drink ending that I couldn't see coming until it had already flattened me.

I've been anxiously awaiting the release of this book! Thank goodness I didn't have to wait until the release date in August! I loved Rea's first book Not Without My Daughter, and I loved this book as well! I'll be ordering a copy for my library!

Whoa...LOVED this book. It hooked me from the first page and I literally read for hours before finally making myself put it down. It reads super fast and the characters are totally engaging. My favorite book I've read in a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This book had me guessing from start to finish. I actually did an out loud WTF , shook my head, and went back a page to make sure I had it right. The story had everything you want in a thriller. Good characters, interesting back stories, twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down till I got to the unexpected and goose bump inducing ending.

This is one of those books that gripped me by the throat and didn't let go! I loved Frey's first book so knew this one would have plenty of suspense and surprises and wow, did it ever! The story revolves around best friends Lee and Grace, their sons, and Noah, an occupational therapist and teacher. To say much more would simply not do justice to the novel; it just begs to be read! Past and present, secrets, lies, betrayal, deception...what's not to like? There is also sexual abuse, alcoholism, and drug use as well so if these bother you be aware. But it's just such a riveting plot that I couldn't stop reading. Literally gasped at the end...what???

I would normally give a bit of a recap of the plot here, but I won’t, because I could not do it justice. There were so many “oh my goodness” moments! You think you have just worked it out, and then there was another twist. That ending was so startling and unexpected that I defy anyone to work out what was going to happen! I did read the previous book, Not Her Daughter, by the author and loved it and this one is just as amazing, or even better. She sure knows how to tell a story and keep you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommended!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow. I absolutelyloved this book. Fast moving. Lots of twists and turns. At first I didn't like the back and forth between past and present, but I got used to it and it was fine. I never did figure out the ending. I had idea but wasn't right. I would highly redeemed this. Interesting learning about the autistic child too. Thank you to netgalley for letting me preview this book for honest review.
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Special thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for a free, electronic ARC of this novel.
“Because You’re Mine” is the newest novel by author Rea Frey, whose previous work, “Not Her Daughter” surprised and delighted me.
Single mother Lee has finally found a life that works for her and her sensitive son, Mason. She knows how he needs to adhere to a strict routine, and how he thrives in a controlled environment. One day, when her best friend Grace encourages her to go away on a girls’ weekend, Lee takes the biggest plunge of her life and leaves Mason with his teacher and mentor, Noah, and tries to enjoy some time with her friends. However, while on the retreat someone turns up dead. As secrets start to unveil with the help of a diary, it is soon discovered that Noah is not who he claims to be and Grace has some huge secrets of her own.
I thought I had predicted the twist in this novel early on. Even still, I was hooked form the beginning, desperate to see how it all played out! When I turned out to be mostly wrong, I was actually delighted (a feat that does not happen often for me).
All the characters had major secrets, and none of them are what you expect. From page one, the character development is top-notch and the plot weaves down a twisty-turny, thorny path. All this describes an author with years of experience honing her craft. However, as Frey is a new author, her storytelling speaks to her innate skill and creativity. She was simply born to write.
Mason’s eccentricities are honest and charming, and I was completely hooked from the start. Anyone who loves a special need child knows the delight in their brutal honesty and the joys that a small gesture can bring. Frey is upfront and delightful in her depiction of such needs, and there are no excuses or justifications, Mason simply fits into the world as only he can.
From the powerful, heart-wrenching authors’ note at the beginning (and I highly suggest you read every word), to the surprise ending, “Mine” is gripping, suspenseful and completely immersive.

First, I want to thank Rea Frey, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you with this review.

Rea Frey seriously brought out all of sorts of emotions in this reader in Because You’re Mine. There were many moments in the story where Rea totally shocked me that I never saw coming. Moments where I stress you will need a box of tissues!! Not to mention all the secrets that this book has that eventually will come out. This was a must-read book though.

This book may not be for everyone as it deals with some difficult subjects that may trigger some. Some of those topics are rape, bearing a child out of rape, suicide, alcoholism, your best friend dating your father, etc.
In the very beginning of this book Rea writes an extremely personal note to her readers. She tells her extremely brave story about the time her teenage boyfriend raped her and how it affected her afterword’s. She also lists some great references if you or anyone you know have been sexually abused or having suicidal thoughts.

My favorite character in this book was Mason. The book didn’t come out and literally say it but all the traits were there he had Asperger’s. Ironically, I had the honor of babysitting a 8 year old boy by the name of Mason who had this. He too like the character in the book was so incredibly bright and didn’t like change either. Many scenes with Mason pulled on my heart strings big time. Not to mention I have a soft spot for children and adults with this disorder.

One thing I could feel while reading this book was that Rea was very passionate about Mason and Wyatt (another boy with Asperger’s) story line and that it was close to her heart! This made for a more special read.
Sadly, the book didn’t hook me right always. It took a little bit to really grab my attention. However, when it did I was totally hooked and could not put it down.

Lee, Grace, and Noah have secrets...How do their lives intersect and which one has the darkest secret.? Mason is the on the spectrum son that Lee must keep safe. There are many twists and turns and you will be blown away by the surprise ending. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fantastic psychological book! What a surprising twist at the end! Definitely one of my favorite books!!

Vaulted Secrets
After reading Not Her Daughter, I didn’t think that I would be willing to read another Frey novel, at least not so soon but I am glad I decided to read Because You’re Mine. Why? The curse of the second novel does not apply here. Frey knocks out a solid, well-constructed thriller that is not so easily figure-out-able. Well connected lines are drawn but the true mystery stays tightly guarded until the end.
Lee is a single mother raising an exceptional child. She works from home as an independent hairstylist. Lee is hiding some dark secrets from her past, the biggest one regarding the father of her child.
Lee’s seven year old son, Mason, has been diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, one of those vague diagnoses that there is much controversy and professional disagreement over. It manifests in Mason as a rigidity to many things people might take for granted such as sights, sounds, smells and textures. It also requires a strictly adhered-to routine. Mason is a precocious child and is homeschooled by a talented young therapist named Noah, a man that Lee has a strong romantic interest towards. Noah’s story is defined by a single tragic event. He is a man hiding secrets of his own.
Grace is Lee’s best friend. She is also a single mother, navigating the terms of her divorce while trying to co-raise her son Luca with a largely absentee father. She is often Lee’s biggest cheerleader and has a special bond with Lee’s son. Grace is the one who introduced Lee to Noah. She has a great influence on Lee’s life.
A girl’s getaway weekend in the mountains that includes Lee and Grace ends abruptly when one of the four women on the trip dies unexpectedly. In the aftermath, secrets slowly unfold exposing one shocking secret that you won’t see coming. Tackling serious themes such as single motherhood, childhood trauma, drug addiction, and suicide, Frey maintains a strong plot line while employing effective techniques to slowly build suspense as the characters through their past and present stories reveal who they truly are and who they have been pretending to be.
BRB Rating: Read It.

What a detailed novel, every scent and movement is documented.
It cracks you apart from the start and keeps reeling you in as you anticipate what comes next.
The death of Lee is complex and deep. This story is gripping right to the last page.

This is an absolutely amazing, mesmerizing, can’t put it down novel! It is full of emotion, twists and turns, and believable characters. The ending did surprise me, but the author laid the groundwork so completely throughout the entire book, that it was totally believable. I love books like this! Brilliant idea and exceptional plotting. Please make this one into a movie!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

You think you know…you think you have the story figured out right? It was just an accident..or was it?

Thank you #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the #arc of this suspenseful story!

It took a minute to grab my attention but, a quarter of the way through and I was hooked!! This book is number two for Rea Frey and I think she’s two for two! Thoroughly enjoyed and couldn’t put it down!

Lee is the mom of Mason, an autistic boy who’s wise beyond his years and feels alone in the mist of her friends. Noah is Masons therapist who Lee has a crush on, but does he have more to do with the story than they’re letting on? This story takes some good twists and turns and goes between the past and present.

Must read!!

It was off to a good start! The story was alluring it did draw me in.. I kept turning the pages to find out the big mystery.. but about midway through the book i felt like the story started to drift off and became too lengthy in the chapters and i started to lose interest. other than that i thought it was a good book . i like the characters they felt believable and you could feel their emotions coming out through the story! it is a riveting suspense!

I didn't care for this story. Because You're Mine is the well written tale of two friends and their sons and lover. The story flows well, but is light and slow in the beginning. Frey has chose most of the interesting action to occur in the last quarter of the book. The topic was uncomfortable, and I didn't like the resolution to the conflict. Would probably not recommend this one.

I received invite so I requested
I read her book, 'Not Her Daughter" and that book surprised me off my feet

Having a child myself with Sensory Processing Disorder,
I understand the hypersensitivity and hypo-sensitivity. I felt for her dealing with it as a parent.

"The truth will set you free
but the lies are what keeps me safe"

This book has twists and will make you want to sneak around the turn.
You will keep reading to discover the conclusion.