A great concept which started off brilliantly but fell a bit flat towards the middle. The pacing of the story stalled and practically stopped and I had questions which weren’t touched on until near the end. Thankfully the ending redeemed the book but I really wish that I liked it more. Still a pick but with reservations.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Scott’s wife Katie returns with a new baby after leaving Scott and their daughter mysteriously 11 years ago. Scott has since remarried and the family has to work through Katie reappearance.

This book was ok for me. It didn’t have a lot of twists and turns it was really just the characters in present day trying to make sense of Katie’s return and then flashbacks about what actually caused her to leave and where she was for the past 11 years. I would have liked more surprises.

I loved this book! The plot was unique as it gave a bit of a peep into a secret world. And you got to see the long lasting effects of psychological abuse in a group setting. The characters were very relatable, the story pacing was good, and I felt the conclusion interesting and satisfying. A good weekend read! // Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early review copy. This is my honest opinion, and I'm not afraid to say a book sucked if it did!

Review#56 WHEN SHE RETURNED by Lucinda Berry and reviewing for Netgalley. Fantastic story of what could happen when you get mixed up with a cult. A normal woman with an idealistic life gets more involved with a religious cult than she bargained for when she is sent to interview them and write about their lifestyle. ⭐⭐⭐⭐Four stars.

It’s been eleven years since Kate Bennett disappeared from a parking lot without trace. Her husband, Scott, has finally remarried. Her daughter, Abbi, is sixteen years old and has almost no memories of her mother. So when Kate turns up at a gas station clutching an infant and screaming for help, the Bennett family is thrown into disarray. Kate, it seems, was brainwashed by a cult, and we find out in flashbacks just what she has endured since her disappearance. Can Kate ever have a normal life again? Will Abbi learn to reconnect with her mother? And just who are the mysterious Love International? And will they let Kate escape once and for all?

I loved this book. It was so well written, and the characters beautifully drawn (though I did want to give Scott’s head a wobble more than once). I really felt like I’d been uprooted from my comfortable daily life right along with the characters, and I was rooting for Kate in those flashbacks.

I won’t say much more (because spoilers!) but I wasn’t prepared for where the story went in the end, and I loved the twist the story took.

An exceptional thriller that got me right in the gut. Can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nothing is as it seems? Where has Kate been all of these years? This one kept me glued to my seat. Fabulous!
Many thanks to Thomas Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another fabulous read from this author love her books all so different yet all gripping!! Thankyou for the arc!!

It was a good story. I was surprised by the ending. It always amazes me how people get sucked into these cults.

All I can say is wow wow wow!! This book! I was hooked from page one and couldn't put it down! This is my first book by this Author, but it definitely won't be my last! This read was definitely a messed up mind game book! Cults and psychos in abundance!

Wow, just wow! Thanks NetGalley for my chance to read this page turning book! Ma. Berry is a fantastic author who kept me reading all day.

4 - 4.5 stars. This book was certainly suspenseful. I saw the ending coming, but it was still interesting to read. I recommend giving this author a try!

Interesting book with a twist I wasn’t expecting. I love the shorter chapters. Both elements made this book bingeworthy.

Wow! I really enjoyed this book.

First off, the writing style is fantastic. Short chapters made it especially readable, though I devoured it in a day.

This is the story of Kate, who disappears, and leaves behind her husband, Scott, and young daughter Abbi. We hear about how they have moved on, reluctantly. Scott is now married to Meredith.

Then suddenly, Kate is found. She has a seven week old baby.

It’s hard to say much else without giving away any spoilers. Where Kate has been, how she got back. It’s an incredible story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC of this book!!

So good! I could not put When She Returned down! It had a twist in the end that I actually did not see coming. Well done, Ms Berry! If you’re looking for a fast-paced read that keeps you guessing, this is the book for you. It has a true crime feel too.

This book started off great and I couldn’t turn pages fast enough. As soon as the cult aspect was introduced I lost interest. I skimmed a lot of the “then” chapters from Kate’s perspective. The ending was too quick and I wish more had been written on WHY Kate joined this weird group in the first place. Just didn’t make sense. This is my second book by this author (The Perfect Child was the first) and I can’t stand how idiotic Berry’s male characters are. The husbands in both books were literally the same irritating, delusional character.

When She Returned by Lucinda Berry was another book that I want to recommend. Like I always say, I like books with storylines that I haven’t seen a million times before. I enjoy an interesting plot with characters who can move the story forward.

Synopsis:

Kate Bennett vanished from a parking lot eleven years ago, leaving behind her husband and young daughter. When she shows up at a Montana gas station, clutching an infant and screaming for help, investigators believe she may have been abducted by a cult.

Kate’s return flips her family’s world upside down–her husband is remarried, and her daughter barely remembers her. Kate herself doesn’t look or act like she did before.

While the family tries to help Kate reintegrate into society, they discover truths they’ve been hiding from each other about their own relationships. But they aren’t the only ones with secrets. As the family unravels what happened to Kate, a series of shocking revelations shows that Kate’s return is more sinister than any of them could have imagined.

I think this book is going to be getting a lot of great reviews. You really want to know what happened to Kate, and how is her family going to deal with her reappearance? This one would make a really good series.

Due out October 15.

Wow! What a gripping storyline. This book kept me engaged for ages. The characters were developed very well. I couldn't put this book down.

Kate Bennett disappeared from the parking lot in Target 11 years ago.
Throughout the years numerous searches were made but her body never turned up it was always believed Kate was abducted. But there was no evidence to prove it.

As years went by her husband Scott finally let her go and remarried.
But when his daughter is 13 they received a phone call that would change their lives forever....Kate was alive.

Scott's wife Meredith, Scott and his daughter Abbi tried to help Kate resettle back into society. Kate looked very different, was thin and dehydrated.

But what happened to Kate through those years? Whilst her husband believe she is still the same Kate. Meredith is not convinced.

Is Meredith jealous? Or is she right?

I loved this unputdownable book!
It was a thrilling, unnerving read. The characters were realistic. The plot was gripping and fast-paced. Run, do not walk, out to get this fab book.
Thank you NetGalley.

The book revolves around Kate, who went missing years ago when she was out grocery shopping. Kate is wife to Scott, and mother to Abbi. The story is told in chapters from the points of view of Kate, Abbi, and Meredith, who is the woman who married Scott while Kate was gone. It is the story of a family trying to figure everything out, and it is also a fascinating look at cults and the mentality that drives them. This fast read is a compelling page-turner.

This really didn’t do it for me. Once it was revealed where she was for 11 years, I lost a little bit of interest. Those parts dragged. Redeemed itself in the end though. I didn’t see that coming.