I received an ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Synopsis:
An “insidious, suspenseful tale” (J.T. Ellison) with a “shocker of an ending you won’t see coming” (Michele Campbell), Because You're Mine by Rea Frey, the author who “brings to mind Jodi Picoult” (Booklist) and “will appeal to readers of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen” (Sally Hepworth) is a novel about how the truth will set you free.

But it’s the lies that keep you safe.

Single mother Lee has the daily routine down to a science: shower in six minutes. Cut food into perfect squares. Never leave her on-the-spectrum son Mason in someone else’s care. She’ll do anything—anything—to keep his carefully constructed world from falling apart. Do anything to keep him safe.

But when her best friend Grace convinces her she needs a small break from motherhood to recharge her batteries, Lee gives in to a weekend trip. Surely a long weekend away from home won’t hurt?
Noah, Mason’s handsome, bright, charismatic tutor—the first man in ages Lee’s even noticed—is more than happy to stay with him.

Forty-eight hours later, someone is dead.

But not all is as it seems. Noah may be more than who he claims to be. Grace has a secret—one that will destroy Lee. Lee has secrets of her own that she will do anything to keep hidden.
As the dominoes begin to fall and the past comes to light, perhaps it's no mystery someone is gone after all…

Because You're Mine is a breathtaking novel of domestic drama and suspense.

Prepare to stay up all night.

Review:
This is the first book that I've read from Frey and she is definitely one of those authors that keeps the book swimming in your head long after you've read the last page. The book is very easy to read. There are things that you can clearly figure out. Then BAM - there is a what the what moment - or several of them! They leave your sitting there with your jaw on the floor and in full of suspense. The book definitely makes you want to go back and read it over and over to see if you perhaps missed some of the signs along the way. Fantastic read!

This is one of those books where everyone has secrets, so you expect there to be many twists as the story unfolds and the secrets are revealed. Unfortunately for me, some of the secrets could be guessed at and so I expected many of the twists before they were revealed. However, I still found the book to be interesting and engaging once it got going.

I was initially a bit put off by this book due to the characters repeatedly telling me that they had secrets. I find that this repetition does not build tension, just annoyance. After a while, the author finally stops repeating how much the characters need to hide or tell their secrets and the story improved. I was engaged with the writing and interested in the story from that point on.

I enjoyed the shifting loyalties I felt towards the characters in this story. They aren't completely likable or really even relatable at times, but you can have some empathy for them as different situations are revealed. Of course, as more is revealed your perspective shifts and your thoughts/feelings for the characters may change as well.

I am conflicted about the ending. I liked the way the story concluded, but I did not find it shocking and the lead up to it bothered me. Without giving away details, there was a specific tactic used by the author that I don't care for and it made the writing feel deceitful and manipulative. It's not a good note to end a book on.

In general, I found it to be an average book. It did have twists and it flowed well once it got past the initial repetition. I'd give it 3½ stars.

Wow, this book was excellent. I was going along getting to know Lee, her son Mason, his tutor Noah and Lee's best friend Grace and wondering how the love triangle might turn out when BAM, the twists came and didn't stop until the end.

The story is told from three perspectives, Lee, her son's tutor, Noah and her best friend, Grace. Every character is remarkably fleshed out, even Lee's son, Mason. Mason is on the autism spectrum and Lee does an amazing job keeping his life going along with a remarkable schedule. Mason was a delight. He was smart, yet has characteristics of autism that require a specific level of care. Lee is thrilled that Grace introduced her to Noah, a tutor that deals with exceptional children. Mason is happy with his life and loves not only his mother, but Noah and Grace. What each character does not know is that they all have secrets. Through the narration we learn about Lee's and Noah's past and what their secrets are. I felt for these characters. They had a past that they were still dealing with emotionally and that was affecting their present day lives as well.

Rea Frey's writing is compelling and I was drawn into this story from the first page. As I read this story, I realized that the narrators were unreliable and wanted to find out what the true stories were. I had no idea what was coming as I quickly read this book, the final revelation blew me away. The ending elevated this book to 5 stars, without any hesitation. This was a domestic thriller that I highly recommend.

Because You're Mine by Rea Frey is an excellently written psychological thriller with an ending that I never saw coming. That's my favorite kind of book! This book is about friendship, relationships, mysteries, and secret-keeping. Many unexpected twists keep the plot moving along quickly. Read and enjoy!

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book, but I knew it would be good since so many of my friends have been raving about it. They definitely weren't wrong. It's a hard one to write about without giving away spoilers. The story starts out feeling safe and comfortable, more like women's fiction than thriller. But as the story progresses, things become more and more unpredictable and off kilter. None of the three main characters can be trusted. They all harbor secrets that they want to keep hidden at all costs. The last few chapters are a wild ride. You'll never predict the crazy ending!

Having read Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey and absolutely loving it I was excited when I saw Because You’re Mine. One always hopes to find another hit when it’s an author you’ve enjoyed before but also something similar to that first book however Because You’re Mine seemed totally different from the start, was that bad? No way, the two had one thing in common in the fact both were definitely page turners.

Because You’re Mine is more of a domestic drama again than a thriller with one big mystery to solve as you sort through all the lies and drama. The story is told by changing the point of view between three main characters, Lee, a single mother with an autistic son who takes up all of her time, Noah, Lee’s son’s handsome tutor that Lee has a crush on, and Grace, Lee’s best friend.

Grace had invited Lee to join her and a couple of other friends on a weekend away since she knew Lee needed the break. Despite Lee’s fears of leaving her son she convinces herself time away is normal and the Mason would be perfectly safe with Noah, his tutor. What Lee didn’t know however was she would end up the one that wasn’t safe and that before the weekend is over Lee’s body will be found.

Being the type of story that gives you a character’s ending before even really beginning Because You’re Mine ended up having me hooked from the opening pages. As the book then takes you back and begins to build up to the exciting opening everyone becomes suspect and it’s incredibly hard to put down as the lies unravel page after page. Definitely will be interested in what Ms. Frey writes next.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you for the early copy from NetGalley.

This book was so great. Truly unputdownable and it kept me up all night reading.

A much anticipated weekend getaway with friends. Time to relax, let your hair down and kick up some dust! What could go wrong....right!? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Lee is a single mom raising her son Mason who is on the spectrum. Her entire day...or more accurately, her entire life revolves around her son. Thankfully, her dear friend Grace lends a helping hand when she can. And equally, Lee could not be more grateful for Noah, Mason’s tutor.

Only when secrets start to unravel it becomes apparent to everyone that there’s a lot more going on within this group of friends!

I’m starting to think I’m in a bit of a thriller slump. This book lacked that special ‘something’ that creates curiosity and grabs you and holds your focus tight from start to finish. I found this read to be somewhat predictable and a little too slow moving.

I saw some fantastic reviews for this book and maybe just got my hopes up a little too much. Perhaps you’ll find a diamond in the rough with this read!

A buddy read with Susanne!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Rea Frey for an ARC to read and review.

I really enjoyed this book at first, and then I got bored with it. I did not finish it, and I likely won't.

This domestic suspense novel begins with one of the characters falling to her death and then alternates between the time right before the fall, the more distant past and the aftermath. The time hopping makes for a compulsive read as the reader attempts to piece together the whole story. Unfortunately, every “twist” throughout the book was so heavily foreshadowed that nothing came as a surprise, until the end. The end was surprising but it came and went too fast and was unbelievable.

The narration switches between the three main characters, Lee, Grace and Noah. Lee and Grace are best friends and single moms. Noah is an occupational therapist that works daily with Lee’s son. There is at least one unreliable narrator in the book, so keep that in mind. The narrators were constantly saying things like, “this secret is weighing on me.” I get that the author was trying to build suspense but including this in conjunction with the foreshadowing on every single page felt like hand holding and was too obvious.

With that said, the characters were well developed for a heavily plot driven book and it was an unputdownable, compelling story.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of Because You’re Mine. All opinions are my own. Because You’re Mine is available for purchase now.

I am reeling! I was reminded of the ending to Body Heat, as William Hurt sat in his prison cell looking at the old yearbook and realized he had been played. Suddenly, all of the clues fell into place; all of the signs he had ignored, made sense. But that wasn't happening here. I had to read this a second time to see what I had missed.

This is a story about lies and the stories we tell others and ourselves to make our lives bearable. Tell a lie enough times and it becomes a truth. By the end of this book, I couldn't differentiate the truth from the lies.

As the lies unfurl, the clues are scattered like seeds left to bloom, some so invasive they will choke out everything else. Lies abound. Lies take on a life of their own. Lies destroy. And just when you start to think there's a happily ever after around the corner, the biggest lie of all comes roaring out of nowhere.

Did I miss the clues? I thought I'd picked up on so many of them, and I had, but the ones I saw were the ones that were carefully placed to hide the biggest secret of all. When faced with what I'd missed, my mouth dropped open in shock. So, I went back to read it again. And the clues I thought I must have missed were not there.

The biggest problem I have with this book is that it was written in a way that purposely obfuscates the truth. Internal musings were dishonest. Emotions were not real. The reason I didn't guess there was a sociopath (or maybe more than one) was because none of the character's actions alluded to the coming revelation. The writing was so good, I assumed that I had not read it carefully enough. I thought the error was mine, so I went back and painstakingly highlighted every instance that either supported or detracted from the final discovery. Surely, this one particular character's internal thoughts would reveal his/her true emotions. And you know what? They didn't. There wasn't enough there to make me believe it. The clues led me in a different direction. I felt violated. I felt tricked.

When an author writes a mystery like this one, the reader should feel safe in trusting the words on the page. Although it's expected that certain facts will be hidden or disguised, there should be no deception. I believe the author deceived me. In her efforts to hide the final disclosure until the last possible moment, she robbed me of any possibility of predicting it. She lied. We expect characters to lie, but we don’t expect that from the author.

Imagine watching a detective show and being presented with two possible killers. You spend your time looking for hints, trying to determine who is guilty. And just when you're sure you've got it all figured out, the detective, who has shed tears and prayed for guidance, says, "Guess what? It was me all along!" WTF?!? I think they call that a red herring. It's not a nice thing to do your audience.

The more I think about it, the more irritated I feel. And I'm particularly irritated by all of the beta readers and editors who failed to guide this author in the right direction. I get it. It's hard for an author to hide clues when s/he already knows the ending. An objective reader should have pointed out all of the times that characters were presented in a dishonest manner, particularly when their thoughts were not what they would have actually thought. Someone should have told Rea Frey that her communication with her readers was underhanded. No one likes it when someone lies to them. I recognize that this author has talent, but I’m not sure I am willing to trust her again.

Because You're Mine is told through the perspectives of Lee, a single mom to Mason, who's on the spectrum, Grace, her best friend and also a single mom, and Noah, Mason's in home occupational therapist and tutor.

Lee and Grace go on a girls weekend away with two of their friends, and when someone ends up dead, everyone's lives get completely up-ended. Everybody has been harboring their own secrets from the past; so what will get revealed? And is everyone who they say they are?

The middle of this book almost lost me, it slowed down and I thought I had the twists figured out. While I did see some things coming, the very end of the book still surprised me and so I would definitely recommend reading this one all the way through to the end! It's a very fast read and definitely gripped me once I got past the middle.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The writing was good but this story was one I struggled to finish. I was so excited to read it but was disappointed; this fell short of my expectations. I just felt like I pushed myself to finish it because I wanted to know how it ended. Maybe next time.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book did grab my attention very quickly and before I realized it, I’d read about half of it. It does get a bit more low key and predictable but was a really good read. A nice mystery read for the year.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F Thriller

Lee is the mother to Mason. Mason has some form of autism, but we are not quite sure how severe. He is able to function day-to-day but cannot attend a formal school. Then, in walks Noah. He is a tutor who specializes in kids on the spectrum.

Lee owns her own business but has a checkered past. While she tries to find a good balance between her life as a mom, life as a business owner, and a friend, she finds that she's often struggling.

Her best friend Grace is also someone who has a past. However, she wants her friend Lee to find happiness. But the secret that Grace has is one she fears will change her friendship forever.

This is a story about finding out what is behind everyone else's facade. I enjoyed the twists and turns. I did find some of the parts fairly predictable but enjoyed the story regardless. I think my biggest negative for the story was the ending. It felt unfinished and very abrupt.

Have not read Frey’s other book, but requested this one because it sounded compelling,. Read the author’s note at the beginning of the book, and wondered if I should abandon it, if I would be able to deal with what it might entail. So glad I continued on - excellent domestic thriller. At about the 60% mark, I was convinced I had it all figured out, and was almost a bit resentful - but I was completely wrong.

Stunning.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This book had me from the very beginning. I love that it kept me engaged the entire time. I couldn't wait to see how it ended. I would highly recommend to all my fellow readers. Thank you for the chance to review this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book. You know right away that things aren't going to go well for Lee once she makes the decision to go on her girl's weekend getaway, yet you don't know exactly what will happen.
Even after the weekend is over and the plot continues to unfold with Grace, her friend, and Noah, the man Lee was falling for, the "present" and "past" chapters slowly peel away the sub-layers as to why they have all gotten to this point in their lives.
I like the twists that unfold in the last few chapters, and they'll keep you guessing until the very end.

Single mother Lee, has figured out what works for her and her son, Mason, who happens to fall on the Autism Spectrum. But like all parents, she could really use a break. When her friend Carol suggests a weekend away for a group of female friends, Lee is hesitant at first. When her best friend Grace suggest it would be good for both her and Mason, Lee enlists the help of Noah, Mason's tutor, who agrees to watch him for the weekend. As a plethora of lies and secrets begin to surface, characters' lives will change forever, and ultimately, claim the life of another. No one is who they really seem to be.

If you love suspense then you definitely don't want to miss this one, as the suspense builds up until the very last page. There are so many twists and turns making this book a definite a page-turner, however, it reminded me a little too much of a soap opera. Some of the twists were quite obvious, but I will give Frey credited as I never predicted the final big twist, which taken together with the ending felt very rushed to me. While the plot line was interesting and the character development wonderful, for me, the author tried to packed too many things into one book and this story struggled to find its identity.

A huge thanks to NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 Stars (rounded down)

No one is ever who you think they are.. at least when it comes to Fiction!

Lee and Grace are the best of friends and feel extremely grateful to have each other to lean on. Lee is a single mother of Mason who is autistic, while Grace’s son Luca is healthy and happy, thus Lee is always struggling, to take care of Mason, to make ends meet, to do everything, while in comparison, Grace seemingly has it easy.

That is where Noah comes in - he is Mason’s tutor and is a godsend. Introduced by Grace, who has known him for years, he quickly becomes integral to Lee and Mason’s life. Due to the fact that things are so hard for Lee, Grace and the other women in their neighborhood, plan a weekend away and with Noah around, she realizes that she can finally make time for herself. A Girls Trip, it’s exactly what she needs! Late nights, drinking by the fire, chatting, reading and sleeping late. It’s pure perfection! One night Grace and Lee have a chat. Little do they know that it’s one that alters the course of their lives forever.

Secrets and lies. Those are the themes behind “Because You’re Mine” by Rea Frey. Funny, my friends and I have entirely different relationships with each other!

Told from the points of view of Lee, Grace and Noah, this storyline quickly ran amuck for me as so much of the plot was easy to guess from very early on, especially seeing as every secret kept was somewhat unbelievable. The last “surprise” - if you could call it that, was ridiculously far-fetched and left me rolling my eyes uncontrollably.

For me, this novel simply left me unsatisfied. I had such high hopes for it given the reviews I’d seen and in the end, this novel just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Another buddy read with Ms. Kaceey!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Rea Frey for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 8.28.19.