Hannah's first date with Alex goes exceptionally well and by the end of it, she thinks she may have met the perfect match. Both want three kids, a yellow lab, merlot is their drink of choice and love to vacation in Devon. For Hannah, who has had terrible luck with dating, this almost seems too good to be true. Almost. Because Hannah believes fully in who Alex has presented himself to be. Her friends and colleagues... not so much.

I have watched a lot of true crime and this is not an unfamiliar story. Woman meets guy, thinks he's perfect and her world now revolves around him. Friends think woman is moving way too fast. Are they just jealous? The story has a very real feel to it, which I enjoy. In this story though, we can read about what's going on in Hannah's mind, how she analyzes every situation. It becomes difficult to empathize with her when she disregards so many red flags. She is a social worker. Even though she primarily works with kids, you would think she wouldn't be so blind to blatant manipulation. That however, would not make a good story. My favorite part was definitely the ending. Very well done ending, though I don't want to say too much.

I have been a fan of Sue Watson for a while now having read several of her books and rating them rather highly so I was quite looking forward to reading this new thriller that is being published. Unfortunately though this one didn’t turn out to be the amazing read that I had thought, or at least that I hoped that it would be.

Hannah is in her mid thirties and still very very single not having met that perfect man that would sweep her off her feet. When her best friend suggests that she finally tries online dating she is more than hesitant feeling a little weird swiping through the photos but Hannah finally agrees to a date with Alex.

As Hannah and Alex are on their first date things seem way too good to be true when so many of their wants in life seem to match up perfectly. Soon Hannah and Alex are falling in love but Hannah’s co-workers and friends all seem to think there is just something about Alex that just isn’t adding up.

For me this book is one of those that just went way too far to set up it’s point. In here Hannah sees so many red flags about Alex but she continually brushes them off with excuse after excuse to where I’m screaming “Girl are you colorblind or what??” I mean normal folks would not tolerate even a fraction of what this main character was putting up with and all this filled the first 80% or so of the book which made the story more than begin to drag like crazy. However, the reason I went with three stars after I thought this one would finish even lower was the ending was the twisty mess I expect from the author so at least it did finish on a good note for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I read this book in record time as I just could not put it down. It was gripping from the start but then I thought the end was rushed.............................but it wasn't the end. That was when the twist arrived and WOW !!!!! I did not see that coming. Great book. I loved it

Okay first of all I am definitely a fan of Sue Watson as an author, however this book (although I enjoyed it) I ended up rating as a mere 3/5. Hannah the main character was somebody I just wanted to drop kick throughout the entire book. Normally if I dislike a character I can ignore this to a point, however this one....no it just wasn't possible!

Hannah wants to meet somebody and when Alex comes into her life and she makes her first date with him, the red flags for this guy are not just obvious... they are jumping out and dancing on the bloody table! Hannah's first date with solicitor Alex is a bit of an eye opener but she is smitten from the get go. Hannah's friends (quite rightly so) try to warn Hannah but of course Hannah knows best (insert another drop kick at this point).

I found myself getting irritated by the fact that somebody could be so stupid, and then thinking I had it all worked out. The story continued inmuch the same thread for the majority of the book. That is until the end when Sue decided to put it all on it's arse and throw the readers a curveball (I certainly didn't see it coming). If my rating was based on the last section of the book it would be different, however sadly for me my irritation of Hannah just tipped the scales. Still a good read in terms of this sort of book, but for me not one of my favoruites by this author!

This was such a great thriller! It pulled me in right away and all the secrets and lies kept me turning the pages. I knew things were going to get crazy, but I couldn’t figure out which direction it was going to come from. I read it in one sitting because I felt like I had to know where the plot was going.

A fantastic chilling, dark and twisty,fast paced thriller. With a good few characters you enjoy disliking. I felt like shaking Hannah for most of the book. She's not the most likeable of characters and I often found myself wanting to scream at her to open her eyes. I really enjoyed this from start to finish and it definitely kept me guessing right until the very last page. This book is everything you want in a psychological thriller.
Trigger warning for manipulative/abusive relationships.

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

Hannah had had a rough childhood and rocky dating life. After a tough breakup, she signs up for online dating and promptly meets the man of her dreams, Alex, but of course things that seem too good to be true often are.

I struggled with this one for 2 weeks. When I put it down I really didn't feel compelled to get back to it. This felt like a story where there shouldn't be a story because anyone with any half a brain would have seen the CONSTANT and immediate red flags with this guy and ended things straight away. Really the whole book was Alex behaving strangely, Hannah's friend and boss Jas telling her Alex is behaving strangely and Hannah explaining it away. There was quite a twist at the end but unfortunately I didn't care by then. This was not my favorite from this author but I am sure I will read more based on past enjoyment of her work.

This book follows Hannah, a British social worker who wears her heart on her sleeve. She goes on a perfect first date with a guy named Alex, who seems too good to be true. Is he though? There are many red flags but she starts to doubt everyone and doesn't know who to believe....

This book was a real page turner, it was hard to put down. Just when you think there can't be any more surprises, there are! I love British characters for some reason, the way they think, the way they speak. I guess I'm just imagining the beautiful British accent!

I found Alex really annoying, he is very needy, controlling and jealous. Who hasn't dated someone like that in their past? It's frustrating to read Hannah justifying his actions over and over.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers.

4.5/5 rounded up to 5. The story was really well thought out and kept you guessing.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5

Third story I’ve read by this author and they’ve all been fantastic but this is my least favorite. It’s not the writing or pacing, both are great. I think it’s the premise, aging and slightly damaged female that falls instantly in love with any male that makes the slightest effort.

The book has a great creepy vibe and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat. The second half was a whirlwind of events but the last twist was awesome!!

I will always pick up a book by this author. She can certainly spin a tale! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.

Really enjoyed this, Sue's latest thriller. Twisty and tense with great characters that keep me turning the pages! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read an advance copy.

If I had to sum this book up in one sentence it would be "Damn, if only the rest of the book was as good as the last few chapters I would have LOVED it!"

HANNAH GET A GRIP, I feel like this style of naive, ignore the signs, desperate woman is so overdone to the point the audience almost view the manipulative, controlling behaviour exhibited by Alex as her fault - because she was so clueless to what was happening, ignoring her friends etc etc that of course she allowed this to happen, and excused it even.

The first half of the book is SOOO slow, I was bored of waiting for something to happen, Hannah was so unlikeable and unpalatable that by the time something did happen I was kind of glad, never how you want to feel about a victim in a scenario like this!

The twists in the last third of the the book finally helped pick up the pace but unfortunately not well enough tot redeem the book for me. Sorry Ms Watson this one is a bit of a fail for me. Thank you so much to netgalley and Bookoture for the ADR in exchange for an honest review, I am only sorry I couldn't find much to praise.

Absolutely loved this book. With all the technology around you could just visualise reading this as a police investigation in the newspapers. Kept me hooked from beginning to end. Will be recommending it to friends and family

This was my first book by Sue Watson. I enjoyed it from the beginning. It sucked me in from page one. I kept second guessing all the ideas I was thinking about what was gonna happen next!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Good thing I'm married after reading this I don't ever want to go on a first date again. So twisty it blew my mind had me from the first page. If you love intense psychological thriller this book is a must read.

This book was definitely a psychological/domestic thriller that both kept me on the edge of my seat AND guessing at what the heck is going on here!! The female main character, Hannah, has just recently left a serious relationship and is now looking at getting back into the dating life. As both her friend and boss, Jaz talks her into setting up a profile on one of the Internet match sites (warning bells ring here). And right away, she finds Alex, whose profile picture immediately draws her in....and she decides to acknowledge it and see what happens. First date....everything falls into place...could there be a more perfect man?? But is Hannah just too anxious for a loving relationship that she misses or excuses certain behaviors? The story twists and turns, involving the exes of both Hannah and Alex, Hannah’s other work associates Harry and Sameera, along with a teenaged Chloe, one of Hannah’s social work clients. Too many characters? No....the author weaves them seamlessly into the story as we learn about the importance of these relationship to Hannah. Watching Hannah navigate the complexities of this new relationship gets frustrating at times because she seems too gullible and trusting. Is Alex the player he appears to be?? A few final twists in the book will have you wondering what you read earlier. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bookoutre in return for an honest review, which this has been. #NetGalley #FirstDate

What does it take for you to get sucked into a new book? A certain number of pages or great story build up?

For me, I need action right off the bat that will hook me in and make me want to keep reading. "First Date" had that. After that, I couldn't put this down. The plot had me needing more. Unfortunately, the characters weren't my favorite. I feel like Hannah is a bit weak and easily ployed, but it wasn't enough to dislike her.

The plot was the saving grace in this one. Good book by Sue Watson and a quick read.

Thank you for allowing me to read and give my honest opinion.

Oh I do love a book featuring a psycho girlfriend or boyfriend, don't you?....Just me?... 😄
Anyway this book had that, or did it? 🤔🤔🤔

From the start I knew I was going to enjoy it and I did! The main character Hannah was relatable albeit slightly too trusting and gullible which for a few chapters further into the book was starting to annoy me and I wanted to jump into the book and tell her to run for the hills...

BUT then the beginning of the end started up and everything was cranked up to full anxiety and distress for Hannah, and me aswell as it happens.

Then the end END completely made the whole book for me, brilliant!!!!
Very clever, VERY unexpected and very WELL DONE 👏

Intrigued? You should be... give it a go, you won't be disappointed
FIRST DATE is out NOW!!!!
THANK YOU to #bookouture #suewatson and #netgalley for the fab and thrilling read

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Full disclosure, I did request an ARC of this book, but that didn't stop me from squealing with delight when I was approved for it! I have loved Sue Watson's thrillers ever since reading her first one and this book did not disappoint either. It was creepy enough to keep me hooked without being far fetched as some books in this genre can be. Towards the end I did begin to guess a part of the twists but Sue still managed to add further twists which I did not anticipate, making it another great read. This book will definitely leave you questioning the safety of online dating and just how real people are on their social media profiles. Another great thriller from this author, the only problem with it being such a page turner is now having to wait patiently and hope she is currently in the process of writing another one. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐#netgalley #suewatson #firstdate #goodreads #tea_sipping_bookworm #bookstagram #bookqueen #thrillers #plottwists #amazonkindle

What a great story this is!
I was completely drawn into the story of Hannah and Alex and really didn’t want to put this book down.
I love the writing style used in this book as its straight to the point, and quite matter of fact which is exactly what keeps me focused on a story.
The way the characters are portrayed made me suspect something wasn’t right with a few of them, and I have to be honest, they did grate on me and I was also screaming internally for Hannah to open her eyes as to what was actually going on.
The suspense and tension throughout the book made me feel quite anxious at times as it was quite creepy and tense with the way Alex behaves, quite uncomfortable which for me, is a sign of some fantastic writing.
The only criticism I have is how suddenly I felt it ended, for there then to be a chapter explaining it all, which is great to tie it all up, but it just felt a bit out of keeping with the flow of the book. The pace was brilliant throughout the book, and I just felt it stopped suddenly.
This book finishes with an absolutely amazing Epilogue and it has made me want to know what happens next!

Having never read anything by Sue Watson, and having seen lots of buzz around this book, I was intrigued to pick it up. The story of Hannah who has had a difficult childhood and is determined her life is going to be different, - when she meets Alex online, he seems to be the perfect man and she is quickly planning her future with him. Her friends are less convinced he is all that he appears but Hannah is all too willing to overlook his flaws in her search for her "happy ever after".

I must confess I have mixed feelings about this book - for an intelligent woman, Hannah seemed all too prepared to forgive all the red flags and I therefore found her a little annoying as a character, which meant the middle of the book dipped a little for me. That said, I did want to keep reading and it proved to be worth it, as there is a twist at the end that I absolutely did not see coming. So many books seem to peter out towards the end and this was absolutely not the case with this one, so I applaud Watson for that. Overall an enjoyable, quick read with such a clever ending that its definitely worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.