I didn't particularly enjoy this book, even though I think the quality of the writing is good. Edmund has been living with Ovidia for 4 years but hasn't told his family because she was with his brother Jasper previously, and she left him in absolute pieces. Now Jasper has just got engaged to Holly, and, along with friends Anne and John, they go to share their good news. But clearly Edmund and Ovidia are going through their own personal hell which is threatening their relationship. I can't say much more without spoiling the story, but I found the characters to be very unlikeable, particularly Ovidia. When you find out what she's done you really wonder why Edmund is still with her! Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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I have never read a book like this before - I was hooked from start to finish. There were some incredibly thought-provoking themes such as abuse, depression, family secrets, and deceit. I could easily imagine this book being turned into a TV series.

This is so good. It almost reads like a play - the action is centred around 1 house, with 6 people who are connected to each other in different ways, all with secrets, all tied to this room unable to leave, descriptions are so full and vivid. The opening scene where Edmund destroys a play house and he and Ovidia sit slumped and separate in this magnificent house is intriguing but nuggets of information is fed into the story, sometimes in flashbacks, sometimes in conversation and gradually everything is turned on its head. Shocking, explosive, gripping - I couldn't stop reading it . A totally absorbing and satisfying read that will make you think long after you finish it.

Although the premise definitely gripped my attention, the execution and the overall flow of the story was not really to my liking.

The Pretenders, set in London, centers around two brothers. Edmund is the successful older brother who, nearing age 50, has never been in a loving relationship; and Jasper is the brother who is not nearly as successful and dependent on Edmund for his psychological needs.

We learn early on that while Edmund has a beautiful Victorian home that's been renovated to appear modern, his surprise girlfriend Ovidia who apparently shares this home still keeps a separate flat of her own across the road. As the story unfolds it becomes apparent that there is a grim undertaking that Edmund and Ovidia must confront.

To celebrate Jasper's engagement to Holly, Jasper, along with Holly and his good friends, John and Anne, decide to make an impromptu, unplanned visit to Edmund in his new home. In scenes that bring Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff to mind, it's apparent that Ovidia, who turns out to be Jasper's old girlfriend and the cause of his psychological distress, and Edmund are in a very strange relationship and their home is not all that it appears to be on first glance.

As the darkness in Edmund's home becomes apparent, Anne, who is a nurse, tries to keep everyone calm while Jasper is forced to deal with ghosts from his past. I enjoyed the banter and the ways in which abnormal behavior can somehow be justified by those who perpetrate it. If I hadn't figured out the surprise ending early on, I would have rated this book as a 5. Although I expected it, the ending completes the story quite well if not to the benefit of all the characters.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I'm grateful for having had the opportunity.

Although this story is set over the course of a single day the depth of the back stories of the six characters is revealed slowly over the course of the book. I really like this onion peeling way of storytelling which gives an exquisite tension and mystery to the book. All the characters are revealed by the end and the book’s title makes more sense. The writing is very good and the story is original.

This title is perfect for the book!! Everyone is a pretender. This book intertwines the lives of 3 couple and their secrete or not so secrete lives. Dealing with mental illnesses and abusive behaviors make this book stand out.
While I actually love this book it was written to piss you off and want to kick someones ass, I absolutely hated the ending but I believe that is what the author wanted you to do.

SPOILER ALERT:
Ovidia and Edmund, you are assholes

This was a very interesting book. I am still processing about how I feel about this book and the events that happened over the course of the day. This book is about a group of people and the secrets that they discover about each other over the course of the day. This book deals with some disturbing themes such as domestic violence and the death of a small baby. I would not recommend this book to everyone but did enjoy the different direction of a thriller.

I was excited to start reading this book but sadly it didn’t live up to expectations. The premise of 3 couples coming together each of them holding a secret, was enticing but sadly the story was slow and the narration very confusing. I often had to read pages again to understand who’s POV I was reading.

On many occasions I contemplated adding it to my, very small, DNF pile but I wanted to know the secrets, so I persevered hoping that the narrative would improve.

The topics within are highly emotive but, unfortunately, I felt that they were not given the attention they should have. For me it felt as though I was reading the initial thoughts of the author rather than a completed novel..

Sadly, this was not for me.

Thank you to Agora Books and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Pretenders is a dark, atmospheric, perfectly written character study. Tension builds as the unavoidable problems in their lives bubble to the surface over the course of one terrible day. This story has such depth and soul as 6 people meet in one house where they then proceed to untangle how their lives have interconnected. It takes a day like this, where Edmund and Odivia are exposed as having had a relationship for years, a relationship which has lasted for years yet been kept from all their families. But why? A day when Jasper, Edmund's brother, and Holly are announcing their engagement. So why isn't everyone over the moon for them? Jasper's best friend John and wife Anne are having a rare night off from their children and their work, so why can't they fully throw themselves into being happy? Flitting back and forth in time between both the past and present, the narrative slowly unfolds revealing truths and shocks. This clever narrative structure jumps without warning to past events to provide background. It feels quite jarring at times, with one paragraph in the present giving way to a paragraph set a number of years earlier and it knocked me off-kilter a little. I think that we’re supposed to be feel disorientated and have far more questions than answers. To say anything more detailed would ruin the reading experience. Please just go in blind. This was a welcomed surprise and I really enjoyed it!

Unfortunately I really struggled with this book. It was so slow and nothing much seemed to happen. I also found it very confusing and difficult to finish. Sorry it just wasn’t for me at all

I read this title without reading the synopsis, so the story was quite a surprise to me as it unfolded. This is a fascinating debut, so well written. A surprise visit to Jasper's brother's house with his friends to celebrate his engagement sparks off a day that none of them envisaged. Three couples with their own mysteries and flashbacks to what brought them to this day is very cleverly laid out. It is a compulsive read filled with mystery. Can't wait to read more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Agatha Zaza/Agora Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I can’t believe I almost gave up on this book after only a little way in. I decided to check out some reviews to see if I felt encouraged to read on, I was and I am so glad I did.
Beautifully written with the biggest shocks seeming to simply pop out at you from a one line comment. So sad but such a clever telling of a sad tale. The characters all with secrets kept from each other were engrossing to get to know. I can’t say much more without spoilers so I will just leave it as a book I thoroughly recommend.

I really enjoyed this fly on the wall style look at a very VERY awkward surprise gathering. What am I going to find out about how they are linked, why are they acting so strangely? Is someone not telling us something? (most definitely). Thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it over a few days! Don't want to give anything away but for those that like to read about family drama, conflicting interests and what goes on behind closed doors will love this book.

This book is uncomfortable. The writing implies something very dark is coming and nothing is what it seems.

It is I suppose a domestic thriller but it really just had a very disjointed way of using the prose.

Read in a daybswept right into the story from opening pages.Three couples separate points of views secrets revealed.So many surprises twists and turns loved the writing,#netgalley#agorabooks

To celebrate their very new engagement, Jasper decides to take his fiancée, Holly, to meet his brother, Edmund. Jasper brings his best friend, John, and John’s partner, Anne, not wanting to be left out, joins the raucous group.

When the group arrives at Edmund’s, it’s clearly a surprise. Usually dressed impeccably, a disheveled Edmund appears in a dressing gown. His girlfriend, Ovidia, is distracted to the point of rudeness. Celebrating is obviously the last thing on their minds, yet something keeps John anchored to the house, and if he doesn’t leave, his friends feel they can’t leave, either. Throughout the day, secrets and lies come to light.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 addresses issues not commonly discussed in novel which I appreciated. I also liked the ripple effect among the group—how a revelation from one character gave another an epiphany about their own life.

Personally, I didn’t always like the writing style, and for the book to be effective there was some manipulation of the reader which I didn’t enjoy.

However, the book does a good job addressing mental health issues, plus the interchange among the six characters in this domestic suspense novel (and how it differs from their inner dialogues) is pretty fascinating.

I weren’t really keen on this one. I found it very difficult to get into and the plot confused me in parts and I found my attention wavering throughout parts.

I really enjoyed The Pretenders by Agatha Zaza.
It is a dark thriller with many twists and turns which had me hooked right up to the end.
The story involves 3 couples and the secrets they keep. I enjoyed all the characters and their complicated relationships.
I definitely look forward to reading more by Agatha Zaza in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Agora Books for my ARC.

Insieme agli amici John ed Anne e alla futura moglie Holly, Jasper decide di fare una sorpresa al fratello Edmund, recandosi da lui per festeggiare il proprio fidanzamento.
Ma lì, in quella casa che sembra uscita da una rivista, trova l'ultima persona che mai si sarebbe aspettato: Ovidia, che riporta a galla sentimenti e terrori mai sopiti...

The pretenders è un romanzo che comincia in modo difficile, astruso, direi: che cosa è successo, ci si chiede, tra Edmund e Ovidia? Perché sembrano entrambi così privi di vita? Cos'è la cosa importante che devono fare quello stesso giorno?
Con il procedere della narrazione, tuttavia, la storia avviluppa come in un vortice e non ti lascia più andare.
L'azione si svolge tutta in una sola giornata, densa e pesante, mentre svariati flashback fanno luce su quelle che sono le relazioni tra i sei personaggi (i pretenders, coloro che mentono), le piccole o grandi finzioni in cui vivono, le bugie dietro cui si nascondono.

Il risultato è una storia che avvince, stupisce, fa male, e che opprime, soffoca, forse in modo eccessivo verso la fine.

Benché il rapporto tra Jasper, Edmund e Ovidia e ciò che è successo tra loro mi sia sembrato qualche volta implausibile, tutti i personaggi sono invece profondamente realistici.
Mentono agli altri e a se stessi, sono egoisti, invidiosi, fragili.
Descrivendoci le loro vicende, l'autrice tocca molti temi importanti, come quello della violenza domestica, del tradimento e della depressione.

In molti hanno definito il finale di questo romanzo "unhappy", triste; di certo non è lieto, ma io lo definirei semplicemente umano. È così che vanno le cose, a volte, nella vita.