Stories We Never told had a synopsis that held a lot of potential for a great story with flawed characters, deep secrets to uncover and unknown deep seated control issues. Some of the main players had the potential to be more dubious, more unlikable even and the motives needed to be exploited more. At the halfway point I thought about not finishing as there was nothing holding me to finish; the storyline was ok, I wasn't in love with any of the characters and there felt like a lot of little things going on that I couldn't see how they'd come together in a cohesive way to end with a bang. I held on and finished the book, but was disappointed and left wanting more. I think this plot and characters had so much potential but fell short.

**SPOILERS AHEAD** Harlan could have been a much more vindictive and chilling without having to have been a murderer. The fallout from committing such a heinous crime fell short for me, Jackie was able to get some recordings and that was that? Miles secretiveness was built up in a way that when it was finally uncovered wasn't really that shocking and didn't add much to the plot (that part could have been taken out and Harlan's character built up and the story would have been just fine).

This is a tough one for me to review... mostly because I still don’t completely know how I feel about it.

For about the first half of the book, I kept wondering if I was reading the wrong thing - this is marked as a psychological thriller - and the first half is definitely not that. It’s more about a woman who seems insecure in her relationship based on the one she had before.

The second half... that’s where the psychological part comes in, though it is definitely not a thriller. Everything is pretty straightforward. Although there are many secrets between characters, there are none between the reader and any of the characters, really. They pretty much tell you like it is.

The writing is beautiful. Descriptions are strong. And I enjoyed that the main character isn’t some dummy who gets fooled easily. I mean, she figures most of the plot out all on her own and doesn’t pretend as if any of it will hurt her to tell someone, so she doesn’t bottle it up like so many female protagonists (in fact, she’s pretty damn strong).

I’m just not sure how to categorize this novel, and I think that’s my biggest hang up. I enjoyed reading it, and it moves at a quick pace. But it’s unlike anything I’ve read before and therefore I have nothing to compare to it. I think you should read it so you’ll know what I mean!

Honestly, Sonja Yoerg's books keep getting better and better. What a talented writer. Stories We Never Told is a gripping domestic thriller full of twists and surprises. Recently, I haven't been able to read through books quickly but this one pulled me in from the start and I was able to finish it in two days. Could not put it down. I love a book that has a creepy character that you love to hate and this book certainly has that character. The surprise close to the end had me in shock. I wasn't expecting that at all. This is a definite must read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Thank you to the author, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a compelling read that started slow, and drew me in, completely. Beautiful prose, with complex and complicated characters, telling a story of love, obsession and secrets gradually unearthed. Who are we, really? The persona we share with the world, the mask we use to interact with others, the unlovely things only those closest to us see, or the hidden depths we often cannot admit to, even to ourselves... all of these factor into this fantastic psychological thriller. Told from varying POVs, each character has an opportunity to tell their stories never told, which are the key to this book. Immensely satisfying and highly recommended!

my first book for this author and was amazed with her writing, will certainly read more of hers, spellbinding and twists and turns that made me want to read the book as fast as I can. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to review this book

This book sounded amazing in theory and the plot line is very clever, however, I did feel that it could have been much more fast paced. It kind of grumbles along and it could be a lot faster

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

I'm still a little unsure of how I feel about this book.
The characters were well-developed.. They had relatable characteristics.
The storyline was fairly unique and easy to follow.
But I found myself hoping for more overall. I felt the book had so much more potential.
It was a just a little too slow at times for me.

Life is very complicated. Don't try to find answers. Because when you find answers, Life changes the questions.

Sonja Yoerg always serves up storylines that circle around characters and situations with multiple layers and with multiple sharp edges. Stories We Never Told does just that. Yoerg knows full-out what lies beneath the surface of day-by-day living. It's not always what it appears to be. She can spin a mundane existence on its head in nano seconds. Let's crack the door on this one.

Jackie Strelitz is a dedicated professor working in the Psychology Department at Adams University in Washington, D.C.. She is the head of a work study observing Autistic children and documenting those observations and data long with her students. A substantial grant is waiting in the wings based on her continued findings. She depends greatly on her post doctorate research assistant, Nasira Amari. Although it is a highly stressful undertaking, Jackie enjoys the challenge.

Jackie's husband, Miles, is on the road a lot as a football scout traveling to schools and universities for upcoming talent. They've only been married for eighteen months. It's Jackie's first marriage at the age of thirty-eight. Her career has always taken precedence. Miles is divorced and has a near adult son, Antonio, who has been diagnosed with ADHD.

Jackie was on the rowing team in college and still likes to take to the waters of the Potomac in order to ward off stress. But it seems that there's going to be plenty of churning waters involving Jackie in the coming days.

To her surprise, her former intense flame shows up as a new colleague in the Psychology Department. Harlan invites Jackie and Miles to dinner. Enter Harlan's dinner date.......Nasira Amari. Soon Jackie is becoming unsettled at the sight of Harland and Nasira as they move in together. Jackie loves Miles........so what's up with these odd zaps of jealousy?

Now if you think that Yoerg is going to lay out a sickly sweet romantic novel here, think again. Our gal Jackie is going to be experiencing some truly wacko goings on both in her professional and in her private life. She's beginning to doubt what is true from what is definitely not true. The scientific method doesn't always hold up when you have unstable humans involved. Stories We Never Told starts the ball rolling down the fast track. And you don't want to miss what is coming next.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to the talented Sonja Yoerg for the opportunity.

"Life isn't a movie, her mother used to say, at least not one on the Hallmark channel. This must be what she meant." This book was maybe to the extreme of what Jackie is reminiscing about of her mother's thoughts on relationships. Definitely NOT Hallmark. This story is about relationships and twisted ones at that. Not just the way these characters interact with each other but what's going through their minds as well. There are several different ways these relationships connect and really about what they are. They are not what they seem. Jackie and Harlan. Jackie and Miles. Jackie and Grace. Jackie and Nasira. Jackie and Antonio. They are all individual but as the story develops, these all begin to intertwine into a complex thriller that I had no idea where it was taking me. And that's good!

The story is written in four different POV...but Jackie's is the main thread through all of the other characters. Each character is complex and well written. My feelings for each of them would change as fast as I turned the pages. I thought I would have them figured out and if I like or not like them. That would change again and again. Except for Jackie. She had my feelings all over the place but I was always pulling for her. "How is it possible to feel furious and devastated at the same time? Oh, and humiliated and heartbroken and gullible, too?" Each character has secrets. Some I never expected at all. Ms. Yoerg slowly and methodically wrapped me into an "as the plot thickens" story and kept me guessing. Secret feelings, secret relationships, secret sabotage, secret innuendoes....secrets, secrets, secrets....all twisting and turning. Who does Jackie trust? Can she even trust herself? Just when I thought things might work out for her, several twists I didn't expect are thrown in there. Wow!

This story has a mixture of all things that make a book a good read. Suspense, mystery, psychological and thrilling scenes, a touch of romance, revenge, unexpected surprises, drama to the max and a lot of "what's going to happen next?" I want to thank Lake Union, Netgalley and Sonya Yoerg for the honor of reading this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Stories We Never Told is a wonderful, edge-of-your seat roller coaster ride that plumbs the deep depths of obsession while also giving hope for light at the end of the tunnel.

I think this genre is a new one for Sonja Yoerg, but she did a great job. While their were 4 different POVs, the story flowed very well and had great characters that fascinated me even as I was pulled further and further into the obsession, fascination and yes, some fear that this story built so well.

If you enjoy domestic / psychological thrillers, this is definitely one to read. I've enjoyed every book I've read by Ms. Yoerg and I'm greatly looking forward to and hoping she continues to write in this genre.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.

This is my second time reading this author, and the 2 books couldn’t have been more different! Sonja Yoerg is able to go from family drama to suspense as smoothly as silk. This book kept me wondering where things were going until maybe the last 25%. Even when I had an idea of where the story was going, I couldn’t stop reading, needing to find out WHY? Intriguing and thought-provoking story

We all have stories we’ve never told—deep-rooted secrets that will never be told to another, but that shape our lives. In Stories We Never Told, Jackie, Miles, Harlan and Nasira are all hiding pieces of their past, and those untold stories converge in this riveting tale of obsession, revenge, and secrets. Complex characters and a sharp, twisted plot make this book unputdownable. This is an unpredictable, suspenseful story that I read with my pulse-racing, my heart pounding, and my eyes wide open!

This is my third book by this author and I keep liking each one more than the last. Her books are all very different from each other so you are never sure what sort of story will be told. This book revolves around four main characters, Jackie, Miles, Nasira, amd Harlan. Jackie and Harlan are esteemed university professors and have a romantic past with each other. Jackie is now happily married to Miles. Nasira comes to work under Jackie and also starts a relationship with Harlan. Jackie becomes a little unhinged with jealousy at this point but luckily that eventually passes. As Jackie’s research work starts to be tampered with she is determined to find out who is doing this to her. Her once great marriage is also beginning to unravel. Each of these characters contribute to the story as a whole and I really enjoyed this domestic suspense novel.

Sorry to say I was not very impressed with this book., and struggled to get through it. I didn't like any of the characters and while the writing was ok I didn't like the way it was set up with mainly dialog. I did like the plot. Giving a 3 star

An inventive, intriguing and intense domestic thriller full of obsession and jealously.

SUMMARY
Psychology professor Jackie Strelitz thinks she’s over Harlan Crispin, her ex-lover and colleague. Why should she care if Harlan brings a new “friend“ to dinner? After all Jackie has everything she ever wanted, a loving husband and a thriving career. But she can’t help but be curious about Harlen’s latest girlfriend.

Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and young. Worse, she is the newest member of Jackie’s research team. Jackie and Harlen dated for five years and he has some strict rules limiting their relationship and their time together. With Nasira, however, he is breaking every single one. Why her?

Jackie’s curiosity about the couple becomes an obsession. But soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems, and to her surprise she may not be the only one who cannot let go.


REVIEW
The characters propel the narrative in this cleverly written thriller. The four main characters, Jackie, Miles, Harlen and Nasir are richly-flawed and shrouded in clouds of mystery. But interspersed in the book are four unique chapters that clear the air. There is one for each of the main characters. These chapters contain their deepest secrets, and it’s these secrets that reveal everything. It’s the stories they never told.

STORIES WE NEVER TOLD is inventive, intriguing and intense. The story is packed full of jealousy, obsession and lies. The plot build is a delightful slow burn. The writing is skillfully crafted and the book is immensely satisfying.

Author Sonja Yoerg is the bestselling author of four novels: House Broken (2015), The Middle of Somewhere (2015), All the Best People (2017) and True Places (2019). I have had the pleasure of reading Sonja’s two latest novels and loved them.

Thanks to Netgalley, Sonja Yoerg and Lake Union for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very good book, as are all of Sonja Yoerg's novels. A psychological thriller, it pulls you in quite quickly. Jackie, a psychology professor, is the main character. She's been married for two years to her husband, Miles. They go to dinner one night with her ex-boyfriend from five years ago, Harlan, who brings a "surprise" dinner date: a much younger woman, Nasira, who happens to be a student in Jackie's post-doc program...and here begins the storyline of Jackie's jealousy obsession.

Told from various viewpoints, you are not sure where the story is leading, who to trust or care for. Each character has a backstory that weaves back and forth from the past to the present and tensions build. While I was looking forward to a climatic conclusion, it just didn't build up to my satisfaction and I was caught off guard with the storyline that continued after the climax. However, I would still recommend this book as a very good thriller and worth reading. I would like to thank NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!

Interesting book and story. I mainly requested due to the publisher. Every title is great and this was no exception.

Having read True Places, I instantly became a fan of this author. The Stories We Never Told is a departure from her usual fare, and she moves genres seamlessly.
Have you ever been in a long-term relationship that ended without it going where you wanted? Ever wondered what went wrong? It makes the questions that plague us at the end of a relationship more prominent if you’re still attempting to maintain a friendship.
When her ex invites Dr Strelitz and her current husband to dinner with a surprise guest, she never imagines it's a date for her ex, Harlan, and her new post doc.
Age difference aside, Nasira, the postdoc, is lower on the academic totem pole, which could potentially cause drama.
Things only get stranger, and Dr S begins to think everyone is against her. Is she losing her mind in an obsession or are things really not what they seem?
This novel will keep you on your toes and have you wondering who to trust so the way to the end.

I became a fan of Sonia Yoerng while reading “House Broken,” and her follow up novels only increased by admiration to tell a very different type story with each new book. “Stories We Never Told” is an great example of what this author does best: bringing compelling and complex characters to life and then sticking them in thorny situations where it becomes difficult to know whom to root for.

Jackie and Harlan work as professors in the Psychology Department at the same university. They had been romantically involved for five years before the relationship ended, and then, Jackie met and married Miles. But Jackie wonders what could have been with Harlan, who moves on with Nasira, a member of Jackie’s research team. Jackie’s longing for Harlan turns into an obsession as it becomes clear to the reader that Harlan may be using Nasira almost as much as Nasira is using him.

“Stories We Never Told” is told from all four of those characters' point-of views, and the author succeeds in making sure each voice is distinct. What I like about Ms. Yoerng’s writing is that she does not sacrifice character growth for plot, though there are plenty of twists and turns with the latter. If you are looking for a psychological thriller that will keep you reading through the wee hours then you need to pick up this book.

Jackie has been over her ex-boyfriend Harlan and has even married. But when Harlan has a new girlfriend Jackie can't help but be curious and starts to be a stalker with everything to do with the couple. When Jackie starts having issues in her life, she has to figure out who she can trust. This was a great thriller that takes the reader on a wild ride. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.