When I first read the description of this book, I was really excited. I LOVE mystery/suspense books and thought this one was right up my alley. Unfortunately I was dissapointed in the writing. This is my first Laura Dave book, and while I thought the premise was intriguing, and the cover caught my eye, it lacked the suspense and twists that I look for in my reads. The dissapearance of Hannah's husband, and the growing relationship between Hannah and her step-daughter Bailey all seemed too predictable, and failed to surprise or intrigue me while I read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Schuster for my ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐4.5 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨⭐

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦 𝘛𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘔𝘦 is a domestic suspense/mystery that takes a unique look at family, loyalty and trust.

The chapters we're short and to the point, no filler, yet I was very impressed by how vividly the characters were brought to life in such a short amount of time.

I see that normally people refer to themselves as an outlier when they enjoy a book less than most and I think it's possible that I'll be a reverse outlier with this one but I was hooked from the beginning, loved the low-key drama and flew through the pages, needing to know how it would end.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺.
𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘺 4𝘵𝘩.

Wow this book took me on a whirlwind adventure of emotions. Fast paced and full of mystery from the first chapter. Drew me in and didn't let me go until the final page. I was left with a bad taste in my mouth regarding the father and the decisions he ultimately makes. The last two pages hit like a freight train. Excellent read!

Thank you netgalley for this arc

4.9/5 :)

WOW… This book really stood out to me and made its way into my heart...

It all started with a strong and tempting prologue that invites you to keep reading.

This was told in first person POV from Hannah's perspective. The story was split into 3 different parts and was easy to follow. It switched between the past and present as they piece together the truth about everything.

The characters were likable and diverse. Their flaws are what make them good and realistic characters. I especially loved seeing how Bailey slowly warms up to Hannah. The details and little gestures make me really happy (happy for them and makes me happy as a reader.) Bailey's whole personality (including flaws because nobody's perfect) is amazing. She developed so much by the end of the story, which makes me like her character even more.

This book reminds me of how long it's been since I've read a book with actual chapter names. (Not that numbers are bad or anything.) Anyways, I love the chapter titles.

There were some minor details that I was confused about, but that didn't affect the plot. For example, what happened to the bag of money? What was in the piggy bank? Was that the end of The Shop? How is Carl and Patty?

The last chapter makes me mad that it ended like that but I still love it. It's a happy ending, yet it <i>isn't</i> a happy ending… that makes sense, right? The ending keeps you wondering, yet isn't too vague that it feels like no thought was put into it. This is the type of ending that I'd like to see in future books.

I got to say, this is my type of book, and it definitely cured my reading slump :)

03/01/21

I loved the pace of this book and the way it went back and forth between the present and the past. Was Owen guilty of fraud, or was he escaping something worse from his past? Laura Dave expertly kept me guessing, while immersing me deeper and deeper into Hannah’s search for who Owen really was. Definitely on my re-read pile!

Laura Dave has been one of my go to authors for years. I did not know the premise of the book, but of course, with this author it did not matter. And it did not disappoint. It was heartbreaking and suspenseful. The author went through the past and present seamlessly with a good pace. The themes included loyalty, motherhood, and of course, love. This story seemed unique to me, which was a breath of fresh air while reading. Regarding the characters, they were multilayered and complex. I was empathetic to Hannah in that she had to handle her husband's disappearance, amidst being in a brand-new marriage with a new stepdaughter. I loved Hannah's character; she was courageous throughout the entire novel while being placed in precarious situations. I questioned the husband's motives and it was difficult for me to try and understand why and how he could leave his family. But this is what makes such good character development; you feel like you know the characters. This should be a highly recommended novel for 2021. Truly original!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review/feedback.