Wow! I don’t know how anyone could not love this book! What I love about When She Returned is that it’s told in the present & past and from 3 different perspectives. The story kept me guessing the entire way. I felt so many emotions- fear, sadness, hope. What makes this book stand out to me is that it has to do with a cult; very fascinating!

Started out really good. I could not turn the pages fast enough , then it really went down hill fast. More and more parts got really boreing to the point I was just skimming. Then too much was happening that was totally unbeleiveable. The daughter Abby was the only character I liked. Others were not devolped enough. I really expected more from this author.

A long- missing woman retirement home too the loving arms of the daughter who barely remember her and the husband's who remarried after she been presumed dead . But the real story of where she was and why she came back is the heart of this well-told story

First of all I'd like to say that Lucinda Berry is one of my favorite authors at the moment, I've loved all of her books (maybe The perfect child wasn't a solid 5 stars to me but still I liked it) so pretty much I'd read anything by her without the need to know the synopsis. I trust her just like that. Whenever I read her stories I know that I'd need to have an open mind because she gives us this very hard topics to discuss, with gray characters doing what we think is unthinkable but at the same time she is so good at letting us know what these characters are feeling that you just feel for them. In this case the topic is about cults and how some people can just fell under some leader spell leaving everything for a belief including their families. This story is about a married woman who dissapears leaving behind a loving husband and a beautiful 5 years old girl and how they try to reconnect after years of thinking she was death. Her husband remarried and declared her missing wife death after a while and that's what it was really conflicting to me the fact that she had to returned to his now married husband, that's what I struggle the most to try to empathize with the new wife's character and their dinamic. I never was on her side even when she was right but I guess I always look her like the replacement wife and felt like she was trying to take control of the situation by making decisions that weren't hers to call. The husband was very naive and created a version of his wife that wasn't real and gave it to His daughter to share. Their daughter on the other hand just wanted to get to know her mother exactly this new version and I really liked her character. There is a lot of drama and the story is told from different perspectives which I really appreciatte, sometimes is told from the past and then jumps to the present. Like I said whenever reading a Lucinda Berry novel you have to prepare yourself to be more open minded and this ending is a great example for that because not everything is black or white and our perception of reality is always different from everybody else, especially when they have been secluded from our society. Cults fascinate me so I really really liked this story and as usual Lucinda's writing style was very engaging and keeps you entertained the whole book. Read it.

A woman who has been missing and presumed dead for 11 years returns and her family has to pick up the pieces. When She Returned is told from three different characters points of views and weaves a story between "then" and "now." This story explores domestic violence and the fear that can follow the victim.
Overall this story was pretty decent. The characters were well developed and the story kept moving. I wish there had been a little more drama that would have kept the pages moving faster, but it overall it was a good read and it gave insight into how people can be manipulated and have their strings pulled.

Berry does it again! A perfect psychological thriller with lies, secrets, shocking surprises and stories. I look forward to reading more from Lucinda Berry. Definitely recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this great book!

When She Returned was an interesting read. It was categorized as a thriller along with general fiction, which set my expectations going in. Unfortunately, I think the title would be best categorized as solely general fiction. There were maybe two pages that were thriller-esque and they didn’t pack a lasting punch.

In general, the story was more heart-wrenching and depressing than anything else. I thought the author did a wonderful job at maneuvering the family dynamics and working with that drama. Through the flipping narratives, the author was able to highlight how trauma can occur and how the resulting impact can evolve over time.

I didn’t love the piece, though I didn’t dislike it either. I felt like it was a good read overall. I couldn’t get over the name “Thad”.

A full review will be available on social media closer to the date of publication.

I really like the way this author writes. She knows how to tell a story. She creates very interesting characters, though not always likable. This was my second book by this author and I enjoyed this one even more than the first.

Three different perspectives that flip from past to present weave seamlessly to an explosive ending. Cults are fascinating to me. The fact that people can give up everything they know to follow someone who knows where is mind boggling. It makes me wonder their mindset and the persona of the leader and how dynamic they must be. This story does a good job of capturing how a person can be in a bit of a crisis, or feel stuck in a rut and then they are ripe for the picking.

I liked Meredith. She was the backbone and the one I felt the most sympathy for. Abbi is a child and understandably makes childish choices that have bad consequences. As for Scott and Kate, I’ll let you form your own opinions. A quick entertaining read, look forward to the next one!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Thomas & Mercer for a copy in exchange for a review.

A woman gone missing for 11 years returns to her family with a baby in tow, and the puzzle pieces of her life unfold in flashbacks all leading to the burning question. What really happened to Kate Bennett?

As the reader, I really thought I figured it out. It seemed pretty straightforward, especially as Kate recounts her story. And, it's mesmerizing. At the center is a charismatic leader who Kate befriends while writing an article on his organization.

To Kate's husband, Scott, her return is miraculous. To Kate's daughter, Abbi, her return is an opportunity to reconnect with an almost mythical person. To Scott's new wife, Meredith, Kate's return is uncomfortable and unsettling.

Kate herself appears fragile, scarred, and yet tenacious. She has survived insurmountable odds, physical torture, and psychological manipulation. This profile reveals a lot about the person she has become.

Where this story really hits the high note is close to the end with a surprise twist that left me mouth agape. Say what?! The author did a good job of lulling me into believing one thing and then, wham!, mic drop. Well done!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #WhenSheReturned!

What a book! Amazing and intense! I could not put it down. Gripping and exciting. An unbelievable ending! Leaves you in suspense til the very end. Amazing writing.

This book has a refreshing intense storyline you don't see everyday. At first I didn't know if it was something I would like because it was out of the ordinary, but I really loved this book. When I was half way through I could not put it down, I had to know the end and wonder what I would do in that situation? The story is told out of the eyes of the missing female, the daughter and the new wife and it will hold you tight.

I loved Lucinda Berry's previous book and was excited to read this one, it didn't disappoint.

The premise is intriguing where we get to know that Kate Bennett had been missing for years, and assumed to have been abducted from a parking lot. She left behind a grieving and shocked husband Scott a a little girl Abbi.

After years of desperation, Scott remarried in an attempt to bring normality again to his life and that of his daughter. When Suddenly Kate reemerges with a little kid in tow. From therein a roller coaster of events and revelations come flooding.

The plot is narrated from different perspectives and alternates between "past" and "present" to shed more light on the characters and their behavior.

Although I did predict the ending, and some character behavior wasn't quite satisfying, yet I overall enjoyed the ride as it is an undemanding quick summer read.

I voluntarily reviewed this book through Netgalley, thanks to the publisher and the author.

I really liked this book- I wasn't sure about it when I started it.
The disappearance of a typical mom, out of nowhere and leaving everything behind has dogged both dad and daughter for over 10 years. They have had to learn to accept not knowing and moving forward with their lives.

Then, out of the blue, mom is back. Back with a baby, horrifying stories and some things that don't seem to add up.

The story is told from a few different perspectives, and over a span of time. As the different elements come together and the story unfolds, some unexpected things happen.

Stuff I didn't expect which made the story that much better.

Look forward to her next book-

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

This is a really good book that really grips and shocks as the story unfolds. The plot twists keep on coming so even when you think you've worked out what is happening, you really haven't. Absolutely brilliant book.

I was eager to read When She Returned, so I was super excited when I got the chance! I have only recently discovered Lucinda Berry, but so far she has not disappointed. For me, When she returned was a page-turner from the very first page! I liked the story-line and the characters felt real to me. I am definitely going to be reading other books from Lucinda Berry!

When She Returned by Lucinda Berry is a gripping read that pulled me in immediately with its intriguing premise. Having read the author's previous novel, I was more than anxious to devour this one, and it did not disappoint.

Kate Bennett has been missing for eleven years, presumably having been abducted from a Target parking lot, leaving behind a husband, Scott, and five year old daughter, Abbi. The family is left devastated, but Scott eventually remarries and life moves on. But when Kate turns up at a gas station with an infant in tow and begging for help, the lives of everyone in the family are thrown into turmoil, and no one is entirely sure whom they can trust.

The novel effectively moves between 'then' and 'now', and is told from various points of view. Kate's time away from her family is chronicled in her own voice and is well fleshed out and wonderfully frustrating. I must admit that I found the ending to be extremely satisfying.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.

Kate and Scott had an enviable life once— that is, until she vanished into thin air, leaving all of her belongings in the car and her loving family at home. Over a decade later, after she's been declared dead and Scott has been remarried to a fellow widow- Kate's found terrified, pleading for help with a seven month old infant in her arms. Now everybody's life is turned upside down and the secrets begin unraveling..

When She Returned is a psychological thriller written by an actual psychologist, which is what ultimately drew me in. Surely if anybody can write a psychological thriller, it's somebody who underwent years of schooling to understand the human mind and behaviour. Right?

I have to admit: I skimmed over the "Then" sections out of pure boredom. They were jam-packed with useless dialogue and seemed kind of.... filler-ish. As if Lucinda Berry had a word goal, and those chapters were dedicated to meeting it. The cult itself was incredibly underdeveloped and underwhelming, and the ending was, too. I saw that plot twist coming from a mile away.

I absolutely adored Meredith— and her sons, I suppose, though we don't see much of them. She was incredibly patient and understanding, even with her husband doting on another woman, and even with everybody snapping at her all the time. I guess I liked Abbi, too, since I could understand her excitement at finally meeting her mum and making memories with her once and for all. But you know who I pretty much always disliked? Scott. Meredith really deserves better.

Overall, and even if some parts are predictable or frustrating, I enjoyed this book. If you're looking for a short thriller, try this one out!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Gripping from the first word. Love her writing style in that the story is told from different characters point of view. This is my second novel by this author. Started it immediately after finishing Saving Noah. Can't get enough of this author right now

This book was great. There were so many twists and turns that it kept me roped in. I love this author and her other books are amazing as well. This lived up to the expectation