Have you ever had so much yard work to do that neighbors were giving you the side-eye? That's where I found myself this weekend. But they'll have to keep giving me the stink eye because I could not pull myself away from this book!

This twisty, riveting story of an abducted young girl breathes new and refreshing life into this crowded troupe. I loved how the author was able to dive deep into the impacts to the mother who lost her child - was she a bad person or just unfortunate?

The author blended in many realistic angles like the vileness of public opinion, the ruthlessness of the media, and the shameful truth about race when it comes to resources for missing children searches.

The ending is a bit OTT but I think fully plausible in Thriller World where we can suspend belief just a little. My only criticism is the character motivations behind the ending were quite weak.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book. #Stolen #NetGalley

Pub date: 8/5/21

Thank you Avon Books and NetGalley for a WHOA WHAT JUST HAPPENED book!!!! Stolen has soooooooooo many Twists, I still can’t wrap my head around this novel, I do NOT like reading anything about kids being missing but this was done in a way that is unputdownable!!! This book kept me Riveted! WOW WOW WOW!!!!

Wow my head is all over place what a fantastic read my heart was pounding throughout the book as I just couldn’t figure out what was going to happen it was breathtaking !
This really is one fast paced twisted read and quite a number of times I though I had things figured out and was oh so wrong and I loved that I was. I read a lot of thrillers so when you come across a book that completely blindsides you it’s a wonderful feeling and all praise to Tess Stimson for the superb writing that sent me down so many wrong paths.
I don’t rehash the plot you can read that in the overview but basically it’s a missing child story or so I thought because really it was a whole lot more than that and that’s what made it special. I thought halfway through the read I knew what was going on but then bang all my working out the plot moments were turned upside down and I had no clue as where this book was going and as I said that’s what made this a 5 star read and one I really can highly recommend.
Many thanks to Tess Stimson for a twisted and wonderful read I loved it.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A cleverly plotted novel giving a real sense of a mother’s loss when a child goes missing.
Easy to read with twists and turns along the way to an unexpected ending.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Stolen was a good read, I felt the panic and horror that Alex went through and the journey she went through on her search for Lottie. I marked it down a star as I felt the plot got a little silly at the end.

Alex Martini and her 3-year old daughter, Lottie, travel from London to Florida to attend the wedding of Alex’s friend, Marc. Everything is going swimmingly until Lottie disappears during the reception.

The authorities are quickly brought in, and the story of missing Lottie swiftly makes the news. As the media and public are quick to take sides on whether they think Alex is involved in her daughter’s disappearance, or a bad mother regardless, Alex has one thing on her mind: Finding out who took Lottie and what happened to her.

The case eventually makes international news, and while more leads come in, more suspicion also falls on Alex.

She decides that nothing will stop her from trying to find her daughter, no matter how long it takes.

This is such an engrossing and pretty original take on the missing/kidnapped child trope, and I really enjoyed it up to about 80% of the way. It touches on social media/news media slandering, support based on race, and the hardships of a working woman raising a child on her own. I couldn’t wait to see how it all came together.

However, while the ending had a twist I didn’t see coming, it was such a colossal letdown. It was implausible and didn’t match the tone of the rest of the book. In addition, it made me realize there were a few plot holes in other parts of the story.

Overall, I’d still recommend this as Tess Stimson is a fantastic author and it could’ve easily been a 4 or 5 star read.

3.5 stars rounded up because loving a book 4/5 of the way through is better than the alternative.

Thank you to Avon Books UK for providing me with a widget for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

I love Tess Stimson as an author and read many of her books. Stolen did not disappoint me as a reader. As a mother myself I did find the novel hard to read at times, as Tess's writing is very relatable. As other reviews point out this is very similar to Madeline McCann's disappearance and involves very sensitive issues.

We meet Alex and her daughter, who is three (Lottie). Alex and Lottie are at a friends wedding when the awful thing happens, which is little Lottie is taken. This is such a heart breaking read and made me feel uncomfortable at times but I love the way that Tess Stimson's characters actually come alive when you read them and you are in the midst of the story.

The story is fast paced, and I read the novel within 2 days as I just wanted to know what had happened to Lottie. The unexpected twist at the end really threw me off as I was not expecting it, but I do enjoy a read where the ending is not what you thought it was going to be.

A great read, very well wrote and a gripping tale.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tess Stimson and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised about this book. I liked it more than I thought I would. The author is definitely a talented storyteller. The story kept me glued and it got better the more I read. It had enough twists to keep me entertained. Quinn's story was very interesting to me. She was my favorite character. I look forward to this author's next book.

I’ve been in a book funk for months, the worst in many years where all I could do was read a few pages and get bored. Well Tess Stimson has made me one happy lady. Stolen gripped me from the very first page and kept me intrigued until the very last.

This novel was everything I could possibly wish for. There’s so many twists and turns and kept me guessing until the very end.

Tess is a fabulous writer. I’d highly recommend this and can’t wait to delve into another one of her novels.

Great suspense novel. Had a few great twists that really surprised me. Loved the ending.
Alex is a single mom of Lottie. Lottie is a precocious little three year old. At Alex's best friend's wedding, every mom's worse fears come to light, Lottie has disappeared. The path to finding what happened to Lottie kept me turning the pages.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Having read many novels by Tess Stimpson in the past I was eagerly anticipating an enjoyable read in the novel ‘Stolen’ – and was absolutely not disappointed!

This is a fast paced novel with that trademark sass that any fans of Tess Stimson’s writing will be well accustomed to! Characters are likeable, quirky, relatable and very well portrayed. The story felt original and gratifyingly twisty in parts.

The plot centres around Alex a lawyer and mum to three year old Lottie, a spirited child who tests Alex to her limit. We learn that Alex’ ex-husband Luca tragically died a year previously. The unthinkable happens when Alex attends a wedding. The story that unfolds tells of the devastation that Alex feels in the aftermath of events that are suggested by title of this novel. To avoid spoilers I will not share any more of the plot, only to say that it is WELL worth being read!

This book has it all humour, angst, grit, mystery - it most definitely delivers on ‘bang for your buck’!

My thanks to author, NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to review this novel in exchange for an advance copy.

I have read and loved Stimson’s previous novels and a third of the way through I felt this was her best so far. The grief and rage of Alex seems so real, raw and authentic after baby Lottie goes missing at a destination wedding. British reads can’t help but see the real life Maddie MCCann in this story that becomes an international media sensation and the underserved blame on the professional working mother. Halfway through, I was reading a five star book and completely riveted by the writing and couldn’t wait to get to the conclusion and tried to figure it out when I was driving, shopping etc - that’s how involved I was. Five star couldn’t recommend it more review coming up. Then the ending happened. I had to reread it twice. This should not be the ending. I wish it had stopped about 20 pages before it did. I’m all for a surprise big twist at the end, but not this one. It negated the exquisite writing, wonderful character development and Alex and Lottie deserve a different wrap up. Four stars with a heavy heart.

Wow! A ending I didn’t see coming, a really enjoyable read!
I love that it had a happy ending for Lottie.

Alex is attending her best friend's destination wedding with her daughter Lottie. Alex left the majority of parenting to Lottie's Dad, but he died unexpectedly and now she is a single mother trying to navigate motherhood alone.

When Lottie goes missing her world is turned upside down naturally, but can she get her back?

A taut and uncomfortable thriller. Really excellent writing.

Go On!

You can join the rest of the World, as sympathy turns to judgment of Alexa Martini.

The story is immediately engaging as a refreshingly imperfect mother, Alex, and her shall we say “willful” three year old daughter, Charlotte Perpetua Martini, are traveling from London to Florida for a destination beach wedding.

Alex is friends with the groom and little “Lottie” is to serve as a bridesmaid-her role-one of the flower girls.

All goes surprisingly well, and the adult guests are enjoying cocktails, dancing and other activities, while the little girls, all dressed in pink, are running around at the closed event.

So, how did Lottie disappear without a trace?

The investigation begins locally, but soon becomes a Worldwide search after the U.S. President mentions what happened to the young tourist in a speech he is giving. Compared to the earlier (real life) case of Madeleine McCann, this makes Lottie’s disappearance seem like it could be an actual case as well.

As more details emerge, Public Opinion becomes divided with some continuing to think that what happened is tragic, while many decide to use the case as a referendum on Alex’s mothering-and still others use it to start a conversation about if children of color, and/or those less affluent, receive as much media attention.

Taking up the charge, is a former war correspondent-a journalist named Quinn, who becomes obsessed with the case.

For MOST of the book, I was completely enthralled, despite this trope being overused.

I felt Alex’s despair and the misdirection kept me intrigued which is why I am giving this 3.5 ⭐️rounded up instead of down.

Unfortunately (SIGH) I do agree with the other early reviews-the ending which could’ve been believable, went too far, and became pretty implausible-disappointing me after what had been an otherwise entertaining and credible story.

First publication expected on August 5, 2021.

Thank You to Avon Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

A suspenseful read that was hard to put down! The unthinkable happened to Alex, her daughter disappeared into thin air during a wedding when she decided to fulfill her own needs and trust her daughter to be watched by other attendees. She had to live with that decision and live with the horror of what could of happened to her daughter. The media has a field day and years later an unlikely friendship with a journalist may be the best thing to happen to her. The twists and turns will have you at the edge of your seat!

Alex Martini and her headstrong 3 year old daughter, Lottie are attending the wedding of Alex's best friend in Florida. Lottie is to be one of the bridesmaids. The day of the wedding, Lottie disappears and nobody seems to know what happened.

This was a good book. It kept me guessing the whole time and halfway through we are thrown a curveball that unravels everything we had thought was happening. I definitely did not see that coming and I enjoyed it. The author knows how to keep you on your toes. The ending was nothing like I imagined and was satisfying. I definitely recommend this book and am excited to read more by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC of this book!

Oooh from the first page I was hooked. It's a gift to craft unsympathetic yet likeable characters and yet Stimson has achieved it with Stolen. We meet Alex, a 20 something lawyer who is single mum to Lottie. Lottie is three going on thirty - precocious and full of sass. The duo are in Florida for Alex's best friend's wedding. When Lottie goes missing Alex's nightmare begins. Her media portrayal is far from sympathetic and the twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat as Alex's battles to find out what happened to Lottie. Superbly crafted, clever read from an extremely talented author.

Brilliantly twisty! I thought the plot was well crafted and paced, with some great twists that really keep the reader on their toes. It was let down very slightly by bits of the ending that were bizarre and unbelievable, but I was prepared to forgive that based on the rest of the book. An enjoyable read!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my honest review.

This story gripped me from the very beginning. I was eager to know what happened to Lottie even though I wasn't happy with the ending. Highly recommend!!