A woman wakes up having washed ashore on a beach in Dorset. Her mouth is full of salt water and she is coughing. Where is she? A woman walking her dog finds her and calls 999. She can’t remember her name, where she’s from, or how she got in the water. When she’s examined at the hospital, the doctor calls her condition retrograde amnesia. After running tests, she appears to be OK.

The police get a call from someone reporting a missing person who looks like her and says she is Mia James. The name doesn’t sound familiar to her. The person looking for he is Piers Bevan-Price and he says he is Mia’s boyfriend. When he comes to the hospital, she doesn’t recognize him, but he is a handsome man and obviously wealthy. He takes her to her home which is very nice and located near the beach.

She learns more about herself from Piers, yet even walks around her town don’t seem to jog her memory. She does have some dreams that seem like flashbacks, but she doesn’t know what they mean.

Piers seems to irritate her and she just wants time to herself. In her walks around, she sees people rowing and is drawn to it. A man named Jack says he knows her and tells her she had been part of a rowing club.

Day by day, Mia learns more about her past. Will she ever fully recover her memory?

This book dragged through a lot of it. Repetitive and flat. Mia comes across as a bit of a twit without a lot of common sense. However, it wasn’t until the ending that things really came alive and shocked me. If you can stick with the middle of the book, you will find you really like it. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

You know when you pick up this authors books you are in for a great read. I devoured this book in two sittings. The second ended at 2am as there was no way I could sleep until I'd finished it!

I was hooked from the start and the story has enough twists to keep you guessing. And that twist at the end oh boy I did NOT see that coming!

Fantastic book that I would highly recommended.

Mia wakes up on the beach with an intense case of amnesia. She cannot remember anything about her self, including her name. She has to count on her boyfriend and other people who knew her before the accident to help her recover memories. There are many turns and twists along the way and the suspense builds up throughout the book. I couldn’t put it down and devoured it in one sitting.

"The Girl From The Sea" by Shalini Boland.

At least the third book I read from this wonderful author! Shalini you know how much I love your work, your words, your captivating world (of books)!

5 huge stars!
This book was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G ! Maybe my favorite from Shalini Boland. But it's hard to tell as all her books are great!

A woman wakes up with amnesia, she can't even remember her name or recognize her own face in the mirror! Scary! I've always had that nightmare!
Detectives come by the hospital to question her but she doesn't know a thing. Then, her boyfriend "claims" her, he knows who she is, her name is Mia.
After she comes home she meets neighboors and family members and they start filling in the blanks.
You soon have the feeling that something's not right.
People you think are "nice" really aren't and those you think are innocent might not be either!
Everytime you think you have it figured out you realize how wrong you are!
I was shocked by the ending, the last 25 pages or so. I didn't see it coming!

SECRETS, LIES, AFFAIRS, MURDER... ... ... This book has it all! READ IT YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!

It's well written, not slow at all, you're into the story from page one. It's captivating as you want to keep on reading to find out what happened, how, why, who...

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for letting me read this ARC. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Shalini Boland was one of the first authors I read as I started to try and review books and remains the author I have read the most by whilst reviewing.....this book was actually ( in reading the blurb ) her first psychological thriller and is now republished ( 20/3 ) by Bookouture who are publishing her new work

Mia wakes up, with amnesia, she was found in the sea
She has no idea who she is, where she is, where she lives and who are family/friends are
She also has no idea why she has 8 million pounds in her bank account
She needs to be careful who she trusts, people may pretend they want to help her recover her memory, but do they, what will she remember and just who exactly is she?.....
I really enjoyed this quick read, quick as the book bounds on from page to page and is very hard NOT to want to carry on and find out exactly who Mia is and who the assembled cast of characters are, good, bad and indifferent they all play a part in the mystery that is Mia!
As always the writing is easy and welcoming and draws you quickly into the story and keeps you there as Mia’s life starts to untangle as she realises who she is.....and what she may have done!
I loved the setting of Christchurch in Dorset as spent many Summers around that area and could picture it all and brought back good memories
As the book progresses you get the feeling Mia may not be all she thinks she is.....or wants to be, there is maybe more to her than meets the eye!
A very clever ending, I was outraged!!!!! and an altogether very worthy psychological thriller, fast, twisty and then BAM!
10/10 5 Stars

Loved this book, including the shocking ending. Twists and turns and nithung is what it seems to be. I highly recommend,

This book made me feel so isolated! This is probably the intent because the protagonist has lost her memory and can't even remember her name! I could feel her frustration as she attempts to remember her past. I was so mistrusting of everyone she came in contact with. It's good story but because I am a sucker for a good mystery and I was able to figure this out midway, the suspense was not as much fun for me as I would have liked. The writing is very good and the fact that there are not that many characters made it easier to follow the story.

Well, the title of this one drew me in right away – and the amnesia perspective clinched it as a must-read for me. I am such a sucker for amnesia storylines!! It is definitely one of my favorite fictional tropes. I actually got this one from both NetGalley and Audible rather unknowingly (two years apart), and I enjoyed both reading and listening to it – though I ended up reading more of it than listening because the flashbacks of memory in the audio version were a little harder to follow. I did enjoy the narration, though.

It’s a very quick read – entertaining and certainly engaging. The twists of the plot are certainly fun – though some are easier to see coming than others. The final twist was a surprise, but left the book a bit on the sad side… Still, it was fast and fun – perfect reading for the plane or a seaside vacation! I am genuinely looking forward to reading (or listening) to more from this author in the future. This was just a delightful light mystery and with characters that quickly came to life!

When a pretty young woman is found washed up on a beach with a head injury everybody wonders who she is, including the woman herself.

With no recollection of who she is, or how she got on the beach the Police are left to check the missing persons reports.

A boyfriend quickly comes forward and identifies the woman as Mia James.

This doesn’t help Mia, she doesn’t even recognise her own face in the mirror.

Written in the first person this book follows Mia from the moment she is found through the frustrations of her trying to find out who she is, and how she ended up on the beach.

It will be no surprise that not everybody is the person they portray themselves to be. Actually they are who they say they are, it’s their personality, and motive for being close to Mia that they make up. So who can she trust and who should she be afraid of.

Mia it turns out is a young, pretty, independent woman with a bit of money to her name.

Everybody around her seems to have motive for either being nice to her, or at least giving the pretence of being nice to her, after all, she can’t remember anything. That is until the dreams start, or are they actually memories resurfacing.

It wasn’t an accident that led to her being found half dead on the beach.

This story is written really cleverly. Boland deliberately leads the reader along different paths. Likeable characters and horrible characters come and go.

Trust issues are a constant in Mia’s new life, but is this because of her past, or has she always been a bad judge of character.

Reading the book had me wondering what I would make of my life if I woke up one morning with no memory. It’s not just a case of working out who you are, can you trust the people around you.

What would it be like to make a completely new start.

There is a crime at the centre of this story, but what is it and who committed it.

A clever story.

This was my second Shalini Borland book, and was a very enjoyable read. The ending was a bit predictable, but the book managed to keep me guessing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

This is a brilliantly addictive read. It grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t let go.
Mia is found washed up on the beach and taken to hospital with a head wound.
The doctors ask her what her name is but she can’t remember. She looks in the mirror and doesn’t even recognise her own reflection.
Mia is scared that she has no memory of who she is and the Police are frustrated that she doesn’t know what happened.
Soon she is told that her boyfriend would like to see her so she agrees in the hope it will jog her memory. Unfortunately it doesn’t, and even when Piers takes her home, nothing looks familiar.
Mia receives a call from her mum so arranges to visit her, again in the hope it will jog her memory, but again it doesn’t help.
When she gets back Piers is furious with her but she can’t understand why.
It seems Mia inherited a few million pounds and any one of those that are coming into her life could be there, just for the money.
Mia finds a friend in Jack but will this work out as she hopes?
This is a gripping psychological thriller which I simply couldn’t put down.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

As ever, this author doesn’t disappoint. Good pace and a good ending. I will keep a look out for her future books.

Girl From the Sea is a standalone thriller and a fast, easy and non-taxing read. The suspect pool is large enough to keep whoever is responsible a mystery for most of the novel, but I predicted quite a lot of the way things would eventually be resolved. The writing, as ever, was good, helping to make it a more rounded reading experience. It makes use of the unreliable narrator to ratchet up the tension, so anyone who enjoys that type of narrative will find much to love here. That said, our main protagonist is more than a little annoying and will definitely rub some readers up the wrong way.

Everything comes together seamlessly towards the end to create an unpredictable and satisfying conclusion. Those who have enjoyed Ms Boland's other novels will likely enjoy this too.

Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

Another great book from Shalini Boland. Full of deep dark secrets and plenty of suspense.

She awakes on a beach and has no memory of how she got there or who she is. The paramedics arrive and ask her questions but she can’t answer, her mind is completely blank. How did she end up on the beach ? Who is she ?

At the hospital her boyfriend, Piers, arrives and at least she now knows her name ...... Mia. At least with the help of Piers she can start piecing her life back together but can she really trust him ? The more Mia discovers the more she realises that she can’t trust anyone. Will she discover the truth before it’s too late ?

This is a great psychological thriller with plenty of deep dark secrets. A great storyline that allows plenty of twists and turns and keeps up the suspense right until the last page. If you haven’t read one of Shalini’s books before then what are you waiting for ? And if you have then you know this is a book you don’t want to miss.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ‘The Girl From The Sea’ was Shalini Boland’s first thriller and originally published by the author in 2016. It was very well received by readers and is now being released as an ebook by Bookouture.

One morning a young woman is washed up on a Dorset beach. She is rushed to a local hospital but has no memory of who she is. After a few days the police advise her that a young man, Piers, has identified her as his girlfriend, Mia James.

With Piers help Mia attempts to recover her memory and adjust to her seemingly perfect former life but begins to feel that everyone is lying to her.

The cover of this novel is very striking and I was a bit disappointed when it was revealed that rather than a floaty dress, Mia was found washed up wearing Lycra leggings and sports gear even if that outfit was much more practical. Still, she does often wear lovely sun dresses while walking around the streets of Christchurch, Dorset.

I was totally hooked by this novel and read it in a single sitting unable to tear myself away from it. Very dark and twisty indeed! Certainly one that I will be enthusiastically recommending to my friends that enjoy psychological thrillers.

The Girl From The Sea by Shalini Boland is a psychological thriller

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My Synopsis:
Mia James rouses briefly to the sound of waves. The next time she awakens, she is in the hospital. Apparently she almost drowned. Other than a few bumps to the back of her head, she has no injuries, but she is lucky to be alive. Other than headaches, a recurring nightmare, and some memory loss, the prognosis is good. She is assured her memories will return….in time.

Unfortunately, she has no memory of what happened. Actually, she has no memories at all. When she finally works up the courage to look in the mirror, she doesn’t recognize the woman staring back at her. She doesn’t recognize her boyfriend, or her mother, or her sister, or any of her numerous friends/acquaintances. Her house doesn’t seem familiar. She is discovering a whole new world, and some of it is disturbing. Some of it is scary, and people are lying to her. She doesn’t know who to trust.

My Opinions:
Not one of my better reads, and I will probably be in the minority, but to each there own. I was really looking forward to another great thriller from this author.

However, I felt the plot and character actions were predictable. I didn’t like the main character, and for some reason couldn’t feel sorry for her, even when she had just almost drowned, and that was at the beginning of the book! That’s not a good start. Then there was the romantic angle, and everyone knows I’m not a romance reader. Mia, who doesn’t even know herself, willingly jumps into bed with one guy, drops him and can’t keep her mind off the next one. You would think she would have other things on her mind - like trying to figure out who she is. I am really sick of weak, mentally unhinged female characters. There was no real excitement or suspense, only a longing for it to be over.

The one good thing, it’s a very fast read.

Now, some of you will enjoy this book, so don’t automatically dismiss it because of me. One opinion, even if it’s mine, means nothing :)

I have read three other books by this author, and enjoyed them all. This one, as you can tell, not so much. When I went to review this on GoodReads, I realized this was originally published in 2016. That means this was one of Boland’s earliest novels. I am happy to say her writing has definitely improved since this one, and look forward to newer books.

I'm still reeling from that ending! Oh my word, that threw me. You're sure you know what's happening and then everything flips on its head. This is a fabulous book, the whole premise so intriguing - what would it be like if you lost your memory and couldn't even recognise yourself, let alone remember why you have distanced yourself from family. How would you know friend from foe? It's a brilliantly told, pacey read that had me totally immersed.

The Girl from the Sea by Shalini Boland is a must-read. At this point, Shalini could write pretty much anything and I would read it immediately. Every novel grabs my attention and doesn’t let go.

From page one I was pulled into the story of Mia, a young woman who finds herself alone on a beach, shivering and cold, washed up from an accident she does not remember. She also has no memory of her life. The face in the mirror is unrecognizable, her home might as well belong to someone else. Her boyfriend? No idea who he is. How will she put the pieces of her life back together when she doesn’t have a clue about anything?

Synopsis:

‘I can’t remember anything. Not even my own name.’

When Mia James is washed up on a beautiful, sun-drenched beach she has no idea who she is or what happened to her. She doesn’t even recognise her own face – until a man comes forward claiming to be her boyfriend and providing her with an identity.

As Mia tries to adjust to the perfect life she was living before her accident, she quickly realises that something is wrong. Why is everyone around her lying to her? What don’t they want her to remember?

While Mia tries to grab bits of her memories, she doesn’t know who she can trust. She knows someone was after her and the accident that led her to almost drowning was something sinister, not just an innocent boating outing gone wrong. When a woman’s body is found in the same area as Mia’s accident, police wonder if there isn’t a connection between the two women. That's a question only Mia can answer, if she can regain her memory.

Or was there another link between the women?

This was a fantastic read! I loved the writing, the premise and the way the author keeps the reader engaged.

Love this dark and definitely twisted psychological thriller!! Shalini Boland’s characters come alive in this book. So many surprises until the final page!

Great book will be reading other books by this author.
Will also recommend this book to others.
Great read! 5***