Favorite Quotes:

‘I thought we were getting somewhere, until he sent me his photo,’ she says. ‘Oh, not a pretty face?’ I ask. ‘I don’t know, didn’t see his face.’ ‘Oh gross.’

My Review:

I am a bit concerned about the British system as this office was staffed with social workers that were so poorly trained they should petition their universities for a refund on their educations. I waffled over how to rate this book, but as the writer kept me reading and second and third guessing and shrewdly included several unpredictable twists and curveballs near the end that livened up the tale, I felt generous. The storylines progressed slowly with questionable characters and red herrings tucked in all the way through. I seriously wanted to give the main protagonist several swats to the head to hopefully wake up or jar loose a few working brain cells, but alas, it would have been a waste of my energy as she was truly entrenched and a lost cause.

Hannah has been single for a year after she left her boyfriend, who then went on a little stalking rampage after they broke up.
Her friend decided it was time she needed to start dating again and signed her up on a dating website. Lucky her she hit gold on the first match she made and her friend quickly encourages her to go on a date!
The first date is a match made in heaven! Hannah and Alex have so much in common it’s unreal, almost to good to be true! Hannah being the good natured person she is, has already fell in love and know they are perfect together.
Alex is truly a prince and spoils Hannah, but when weird things start happening to Hannah again, her friends begin to wonder if Alex is truly the Prince Hannah takes him for or if this is too good to be true?

My take: This was a cute, fast easy read. When something is too good to be true, it usually is! There is twist at the end you won’t see coming so stay tuned!

Thank you for allowing me to review this book, for my honest feedback @netgalley @bookoutre.

Sometimes I don’t read the back of the book when I start reading because I want to discover the plot on my own. When I picked up this book and read the first few chapters I thought this book was about a girls experiences with first dates. The cover shows her glass of wine with a few spills.....duh that’s blood! I loved this book and once I figured out this was a thriller I was hunkered down and addicted. It’s been a long time that I’ve read a book that kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when you think the shoe will drop the author slowly draws out the scene so deliciously. Perfection
Hannah was finally moving on from her ex and ready to start dating again. Her ex Tom had been a terrible boyfriend and turned into a crazy stalker after the two broke up. With the encouragement of her best friend and coworkers Hannah decided to get back out there and find someone new. By a stroke of luck her very first connection was with a sexy man she met on a dating site.
Alex was not only handsome but they both wanted the same amount of kids, the same kind of dog, wanted to vacation to the same town. He was charming and funny and caring, and Hannah just knew right away Alex could be her forever. Of course her friends were very concerned and told Hannah she was moving too fast. What she perceived as caring they saw as controlling. Everything seemed perfect. He was a lawyer with an amazing home, nice car, very clean and an amazing chef. Hannah wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming!
Little things started happening that caused Hannah to pause and wonder if she was moving too fast. Alex seemed to appear wherever Hannah was even when she asked him not to. He could be a little too much at times but when Hannah tried to back away he swooped in and convinced her to come right back to him.
Little by little Hannah will find out the truth and realize that man on her first date is not who he says he was. Can she get away from him alive?

I really enjoyed this novel. I did find it to be longer than it needed to be. There were lots of twists and turns. Throughout the novel I didn't know who to trust. Do i trust Hannah or is she being naive? Is alex as psycho as he seems and what was up with Jazz? Sue Watson did a great job of charaterization. The ending was totally unpredictale and completely caught me offguard.

Solid 3 stars - I did find it hard to like Hannah and wanted to give her a big shake! She is the stereotypical Disney seeking woman (although she was very immature)
I found her whimsical way of dreaming about how perfect Alex was highly annoying!
However the ending was brilliant - and redeemed itself for its reasonably ok start!
I will look out for more from this author

I really enjoyed this book all the way through. It had a really good plot, great main characters and really keeps you hooked on the plot. I would highly recommend this book.

I requested this book because everyone was raving about ot in Facebook, but I was a little disappointed.
Hannah is so unlikeable as a heroine and I can not believe she didn't see through Alex and some of his ways - are there really women who are that desperate for love? As for the final twist I was like what?
Overall not a bad book with a good premise but a poor central character ruined it for me

Love Sue Watson books and this was no exception.

Easy to read psychological thriller.
Gripping with loads of twists and turns.
Really enjoyed
Recommend

This book irritated me but at the same time I found myself enjoying it. It’s all very strange, the main character Hannah was unbelievably naive which I found hard to believe, but it seemed all the characters were not very likeable which I think what made the storyline interesting for me. The ending was totally unexpected too - I like that in a book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a white-knuckle book about the potential hazards of a relationship that appears too good to be true.
What would it be like to date a man or woman who gave you everything you needed, and even some things you didn’t even know you wanted? Would you ignore the red flags of isolation, lies and misdirection? Or would you be so desperate for love that you made excuses for your partner’s strange behavior?

Although the “first date” of the title comes about through an online dating site, the story could describe any controlling relationship. But is it just Alex who is controlling Hannah, or are her friends also guilty of controlling her through their not so subtle eye rolls and comments?

Hannah’s naivete is a little frustrating at times, but realistic in the same way that real life domestic relationships endure because of a victim’s hesitation to leave. Hannah’s office mates are a little too involved in her personal life, but when you work in a small office everything is fair game. The parts of the narrative where Alex is caught in a lie, then redeems himself will have you wondering who you genuinely believe.

If you are looking for an entertaining book that has great pacing, full-on suspense and a twisty ending, add First Date to your “to be read” shelf today!

Sue Watson’s book First Date is a modern-day psychological thriller. I loved that it took the real world act of online dating and gave it a twist. I loved the flow of the book. While reading it there was no lag, the intensity and drama increases with each chapter. It truly grips you by the throat and never lets go. I liked that the ending was surprising and not disappointing. Usually with thrillers you can tell the author rushed to tie things up neatly but Sue keeps you on the edge until the very end and then surprises you with the revelation of whodunit. A great twist if I might add. I simply loved this book. A great read!

First Date by Sue Watson had me immersed from page one. Hannah is a social worker who works with at risk teens and there is one in particular that she is concerned about and that is Chloe. Hannah took over he care from her coworker and friend Henry and the two have worked together to help Chloe with her at home problems. Chloes mother is an addict and has a boyfriend that they suspect May have touched Chloe inappropriately. Hannah is single as is her boss and friend Jas. Jas’s husband and love of her life died in a car accident and she has been seeing someone for a few months but it is not too serious and Jas is hoping for more. Everyone in the workplace is in some type of relationship except Hannah. So in order to help her meet someone, Jas helps her start up an online dating app. Instantly she gets a reply from Alex. A very handsome and intelligent attorney. Their first date went great and amazingly they both have the exact wants and dreams in life as well as in a relationship. When they leave the restaurant, Alex takes the napkin and used spoon that Hannah used and that bothers Hannah. Not wanting to let on that she saw him take those items in fear that it would embarrass Alex she only asks about the spoon. He reply’s that he needs more teaspoons at home. As time goes on and they go on more dates, Alex becomes very possessive and almost child like in a way. He is very jealous and resentful of the fact that Hannah is wanting to spend time with her friends. Hannah learns about Helen. Hannah leaves work early one day to purchase plates for the upcoming dinner with Alex at her home. She sees Alex but he is not alone. When Hannah questions him, he tells her about his ex. Alex does not want the two women running into each other so he feeds Hannah some lies about Helen wanting him back and willing to get him back at any cost. Even if she has to destroy Hannah. Helen, as originally told, is Alex’s ex girlfriend and someone he truly loved. As the story unfolds we learn that Helen is actually Alex’s ex wife. There are strange occurrences that happen and make Hannah believe that Helen truly is after her. The ending is something that I do not want to spoil but will say that it truly is one hell of a ride for everyone involved including the reader. The story is told mostly by the POV of Hannah and I really do not want to give out too much info to spoil the ending but I will say that I totally believed that Alex’s ex had a large part in the things that were happening that scared Hannah. The story is so well told that I could picture myself in this relationship. Who would not want to be in love with an attractive, smart, and very impressive barrister, yet the truth will always come out and some people are not always what they seem. I bet you won’t figure this one out either. The ending is a sucker punch that you never see coming. I would love to read more by Sue Watson and highly recommend this book.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Social worker Hannah can’t believe her luck when she meets solicitor Alex through a dating agency. He’s everything she’s been looking for – handsome, rich, caring and, it appears, they like the same things. But as their relationship progresses her best friend Jes becomes sceptical about a man who she sees as obsessive and controlling. Although Hannah has her own concerns about his behaviour she brushes them aside. A childhood in care with multiple families, not all of whom treated her well, has left her longing for someone who really loves her and despite his faults, she really believes Alex is the one.
The opening pages of this book where Hannah and Alex are out on their first date, reveals a lot about her She’s over the moon, not only because he’s better in the flesh than on his dating app, but because they have so much in common. I think for me alarm bells rang from that moment. It was far too good to be true. Hannah’s background in foster care, coupled with her commitment to her latest case 16 year old Chloe, cloud her judgement. She finds excuses for Alex’s sometimes irrational behaviour. Soon she is turning on Jes, accusing her of jealousy and even coveting Alex for herself.
I enjoyed the read, even if I had to suspend belief on a few occasions. What clinched it for me was the ending -. I really didn’t see that coming.

Wow! What a thrilling read. I was gripped from the beginning and found the characters to be extremely well developed. I really didn’t know who or what to believe as the narrative twisted and turned its way to a surprising conclusion. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars
There are so many great thrillers lately that I’ve been reading but most of them seem to be the same in plot and how everything evolves.
I’m so glad that First Date is an exception of the rule because while being very reliable has also touches topics that many can feel uncomfortable or find them triggering.
I couldn’t get close to any of the characters really because our heroine seems to be to willing to be with someone even if he’s not exactly what he pretends to be. But I kept reading and while I had to roll my eyes at their antics, I was waiting for the last twist to show up and it did in big time.
It involves cheating but you’ll have to read it as not everything is what it seems.
Great writing and a must read book.

Hannah is on a first date with Alex who seems too good to be true. She’s been waiting her whole life to find Mr. Perfect, and Alex appears to hit all the buttons she’s looking for - attractive, well-dressed, good job, wants three kids, a Labrador, enjoys a glass of Merlot, and even wants to vacation in the same town she does. When red flags start appearing will Hannah realize her perfect man isn’t as he seems or will their first date last forever?

Let me start by saying, that ending, WOW! I honestly did not see it coming. The second to last chapter blew me away! The problem was getting to that chapter. I’ve read slow burns, but this was excruciating slow. There was hardly any action leading up to the last few chapters, and this book really needed something to happen.

Hannah was so naive to the point that I just kept saying to myself, “get a clue, girlfriend!”. How could she not see how creepy and controlling Alex actually was. Love is blind and all, but Hannah needed to open her eyes and stop being so trusting. It was hard to like her as the protagonist especially when her best friend kept trying to make her see how toxic the relationship was and she just wouldn’t listen.

I’ve read one other book by Sue Watson which I liked better than this one. I look forward to reading more by her though since she has a way of making the reader want to know what will happen. Even though this was a slow burn for me, I still needed to see how it would end.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for me honest review.

First Date by Sue Watson is a brilliant read! A fast paced thrilling story that sucked me in immediately. I must admit I am a bit of a Sue Watson fan, so was looking forward to settling down to this new one.
Hannah, 36 and a social worker, has split from her boyfriend, Tom. Her best friend Jas has talked her into attempting to use an online dating app, Meet My Match.Through this she meets het first date called Alex a solicitor. The date goes swimmingly for the pair of them and Hannah falls head first in love with him.
Hannah has good friendships at work in the Social work office she is based in. Jas, Harry and Sameera along with Hannah all get on like the proverbial house on fire resulting in the colleagues basically knowing everything about each other,so when Hannah begins too experience upsetting or weird things happening in her life after her first date, Jas, Harry and Sameera all issue her with warnings but will Hannah listen at this stage in her life? When she has found "The One"?
A book that highlights the bad side of internet dating how easy is it to fall for a person who is putting a false persona on? One that is determined to make you feel so special and loved. The reality is it happens too much, they prey on women who have no clue, or eho are broken in the first place and they feel they need a partner to help fix them.Even as a cynic I can see why it happens and know that sometimes, even life experience won't save you, and it happens anyway.
Sue Watson even creates many a character who could be the person who is creating havoc and we meet them all exes from both Hannah and Alex's sides and even Jas,her supportive workkmate may be in the frame!
I was so engrossed in this book I needed to keep reading it. What seems like a cut and shut case of a toxic relationship may not be as cut and shut as we think. As the story races towards the ending we are treated to a final brilliant and shocking twist.This finished the story in a great way and I liked how Hannah and Alex's story was played out! A fabulous example of a psychological thriller for me anyway! Am looking forward to Sue Watsons next book eagerly.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy of the book for this review today.

First Date by Sue Watson is a fun thriller. Those words may seem like a weird combination, but trust me, they work! It's entertaining, lots of twists and psychological mind games and a fun read.

Hannah has a first date with Alex and immediately thinks he's the man of her dreams. But as their relationship progresses, strange things start happening and she doesn't know who to trust. Is her new boyfriend the man she thought he was? Is her best friend jealous or looking out for her?

While I found Hannah annoying throughout a large part of the book, the plotting and psychological drama kept me totally entertained, the twists and turns delivered and the red herrings were very well done. I You know its a sign of a good book when you've already gone and purchased more by the author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked this book.
In certain things our protagonist Hannah is too naive and make me roll my eyes because of how she accept certain things and don't see the red flags.
But despite of that this is a good thriller and I didn't expect what happen in the last chapters.

Social worker Hannah is tired of being single and ready to meet someone new when her friend Jas convinces her to sign up to a dating app. Immediately she hits it off with Alex and has an amazing first date with him.
He is ticking all the boxes - wants a Labrador, 3 kids, holidays in Devon... but is he too good to be true?
Soon strange things are happening that make Hannah feel unsafe and that Alex is the only one that can protect her. But alarm bells are starting to go off - is Alex all that he seems?
I found First Date a really suspenseful, exciting and twisty story that was very hard to put down. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I had a whole idea in my head of how I thought it would turn out ... and was completely wrong! I did a full on out loud gasp at the ending! Which is always great!
I really did despair of Hannah though and her ability to forget about each red flag as soon as the next one came up. Sure, one or two creepy things could be overlooked when you really fancy someone but for her to keep getting over everything that happened was a little TOO much of a stretch!
But, that aside, this was brilliant!