Two couples (Leo and Tamsin, and Jacob and Stevie) meet while travelling in Africa. The couples quickly begin building a friendship but alongside their budding friendship obsession is building too.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and how captivating it was from the start. I wasn’t expecting the chapters to bounce back and forth between the two characters the way it did, but, I was pleasantly surprised by how intriguing it was reading different scenarios from two different perspectives.

I also wasn’t expecting to get a surprise since we learn some important details at the beginning of the book. However, WOW. I was definitely surprised.

The detailed descriptions of Africa and the places they stayed were so well written and described that I was able to picture the setting even though I have no reference for how a place like that may look. For me the setting played a pivotal role in evoking emotions while reading: scared, isolated, claustrophobic. This book has a lot of great elements, it’s dark, creepy, a bit naughty and full of secrets and lies.

This is a fairly quick read that keeps you hooked. The setting, plot and story structure were well executed. It peaked my interest on travel thrillers and I’ve been searching for something similar to this since finishing it.

This book is aptly named; it takes you on a terrifying vacation, buckle up!

Stevie and Jacob are headed to the remote African island of Rafiki for a job Jacob has been offered as a diver for an ecotourist dive operation. On route they meet well seasoned, hip travellers Leo and Tasmin who are heading in the same direction. Soon follows innocent flirting, relationships put to the test, past truths resurfacing exposing a killer among them who seems to have their sights on Stevie.

Oh yeah!!! Time to dive into this seductive atmospheric thriller friends! Really enjoyed the dual POV’s of both Leo and Stevie which were so well written I felt I was traveling along with them.
Expect the unexpected in this twisty travel/physiological thriller & enjoy the ride 🌊

Book rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover rating : 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Genre : mystery/ thriller

When a young couple arrives in Tanzania to work at a geodiving centre, is it coincidence that they keep running into another couple everywhere they go … 🤔

✔️ I enjoyed the two POV - especially Leo’s
✔️ you think you know who the hunter and the hunted are, but you can never be too sure
✖️✔️ this book starts off a bit slow for me - a lot of backstory and character development - but the time is well spent
✔️ Reading this book took me back over decade to my trip to Zanzibar and those gorgeous beaches !

Thank you to @simonsshusterca @netgalley and @roznay for sharing a copy of The Hunted with me.

Thank you @simonschusterca for sharing a copy of The Hunted by Roz Nay for review. The Hunted publishes tomorrow!

. The Hunted is an obsession story which if you have been following me for any length of time you probably already know that isn’t my favourite, and this one is no exception. But! I did LOVE the exotic location and the ending. So I do love this book as a beach read. Grab yourself a Dawa if you are so inclined when you start and pretend to be isolated in Africa for a few hours.

The Hunted was my first Roz Nay book but definitely not my last!

I love multi-perspective thrillers and this one did not disappoint! I found it be to fast paced and kept me guessing. I had a few suspicions along the way but didn’t see the final twist coming.

Stevie and her boyfriend Jacob are looking for a new adventure after her grandmother passes. Jacob takes a position as a diver for a diving company based off a small topical island. Their trip gets off to a bit of a shaky start but they meet a couple (Leo and Tamsin) along the way and think things will settle down. Leo’s attention to Stevie starts verging on an obsession and things start to unravel as they realize they don’t really know much about Leo or Tamsin.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon&Schuster Canada & the author for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Roz Nay did it again! The Hunted is a dark, suspenseful, and shocking, page turner! I was hooked from the prologue and it only got better. The story is told through alternating POVs between Stevie and Leo, which was incredible, and makes you question everything. The pacing was perfect, it was a slow burn until everything goes down, all at once. The characters were great, multilayered and entertaining.



Anyone else feel like Bill Skarsgård would be the perfect Leo?!



Thank you Netgallery and Simon & Schuster Canada

the setting, the characters, I felt immediately taken to the island and into the character’s worlds, and I felt pulled to keep reading to rid myself of the suspense. The ending was a surprise twist and tied up loose ends, which I always enjoy! I wanted a bit more though, the climax was short and the ending came right after which is something I don’t love in books! I had some moments where I didn’t really know what was going on because it was a bit all over the place. Overall this one wasn’t a favourite of mine but I did enjoy it and it would be a good quick read for the beach!

Just finished reading THE HUNTED by Roz Nay. Thank you to @simonschusterca for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Official publication date is today July 6th, 2021.

Stevie & her partner Jacob are looking for a fresh start. The loss of her grandmother has turned her world upside down. With this loss, it brought forth long forgotten memories that Stevie would much rather forget.

When Jacob is offered a job as a diver for GoEco on Rafiki island off the cost of Tanzania, Stevie decides to tag along. They think it will be the perfect change of scenery they need. But things go south fast when Stevie feels like she is being watched. Things do get better for a bit when they meet Leo & Tasmin; a beautiful backpacking couple who share similar interests.

But something is definitely not right on Rafiki island, or with the gorgeous couple. Stevie will have to trust her gut to save her life, when Jacob thinks she is making a fuss over nothing.

I really enjoyed how the story was told from both Stevie & Leo's POV, the lush African setting, and the creepy vibes. I thought the ending could have been a bit darker and twisty but still a fun thriller for me. Definitely will check out more works by Roz Nay!

I would recommend this one if you are looking for a fast paced thriller, about obsession, with some hot couples on vacation, on a remote tropical island.

Here is my review in emojis:
🔥🏝🏖🌊👭👫🧑‍🤝‍🧑🤿👀🔪🔪

Happy Pub Day to The Hunted!!

After Stevie’s beloved grandmother dies leaving her with no job and no home, she and her boyfriend Jacob decide to travel to Africa where Jacob will lead a dive team off a small island.

Before they get there, they decide to do some backpacking and meet another couple travelling as well. After a bit, Stevie begins to get some strange feelings toward the couple and odd things begin to happen to her. She begins to feel that their new friend Leo, is obsessed with her and finds herself drawn to his girlfriend. As she begins to become more and more uncomfortable by Leo, she does some digging and realizes he’s not exactly who he claimed to me.

This book is told in alternating chapters between Stevie and Leo and was a fun cat and mouse psychological thriller

I enjoyed the ending which is rare for me and I liked seeing the story play out. There was a backstory I didn’t feel really served much purpose though, and it took away from the story for me.

This wasn’t my favourite read, but overall was quite entertaining

Rounded down from 3.5 stars

Guess what comes out 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, July 6, 2021!?!?

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙍𝙤𝙯 𝙉𝙖𝙮

Thank you @simonschusterca via @netgalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Roz does it again.

We follow Stevie and Jacob as they head down to Tanzania so Jacob can start his new diving job.

They have never left the United States before... They stay in creepy hostels...The meet interesting people, or do they?

This book will leave you creeped out while still wanting more.


📖🎧

First off, my review is my own thoughts and opinion.

I absolutely loved this story. So many twists and turns and creepiness. It was a slow burn at first but then became fast paced.i didnt like most of the characters and i felt so bad for jacob.

Overall a great story which I recommend

My rating: 📚📚📚📚.5

TW: murder, obsession, stalking, same sex flirting/romance

I really enjoyed this book! It was full of thrilling suspense, some creepy and questionable characters, two couples who are kinda down on their luck but making the most of it, AND it takes place (mostly) on an island!

Jacob and Stevie (especially Stevie) don’t know who to trust on this trip. They have been won over by Leo and Tamsin, but they both (at different points in the book) have their doubts. All Stevie knows is that someone is out to get her.

The book is is told from multiple POV, which I love because you get to know the main characters even more!

There are some major twists that I didn’t see coming that add to the overall creepiness/ “omg okay wow” vibe of the book! Let’s just say, I am not going on a trip to a a secluded island anytime soon, especially not with people I don’t know!

Highly recommend this book! Now I need to go read her other two books!

Thank you to the publisher for my ARC copy of this book.

This thriller is well paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. The story involves a young woman named Stevie, her boyfriend, and a strange encounter with a secretive young man named Leo off the coast of Africa. A random meeting with a handsome stranger and his beautiful girlfriend quickly descends into a nightmarish experience.

Stevie and her partner have escaped a tragic situation back home and have escaped to an island off the coast of Tanzania... however, their desire for a new life in paradise quickly becomes a scary experience they are desperate to escape from!

this book was well plotted and kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers and who maybe has a penchant for travel and escapism!

I’ve been backpacking before so this one really hit home and made me realize I may be a little too trusting!

I found it to be extremely gripping and engrossing and therefore devoured it in one sitting! I throughly enjoyed the fun and and entertaining aspects of feeling like I was traveling along side the two couples and feeling truly immersed within their journey.

It was such an atmospheric thriller that was chilling and truly sinister at times. I always enjoy dual POVs as well as pasts of dark secrets and these characters were full of them!

This is definitely a good summer read and I was certainly intrigued throughout! I think I was just expecting a little bit more from the ending personally.

3.5 rounded to 4

The Hunted • Roz Nay • July 6
•
Stevie and Jacob need fresh starts, and when Jacob lands a job on Rafiki Island, they both begin their new journey. But it’s not long before Stevie has some scary encounters and is second guessing the whole move. One good thing to come is they meet another couple, Leo and Tamsin who are also going Rafiki. As Jacob and Stevie continue on their journey to Rafiki Island with Leo and Tamsin along side them, Stevie’s still feeling on edge and as she’s being watched. While on the island their new friendship and own relationship will be put to the test. What will happen when innocent flirting goes too far, past truths surface, exposing a killer in their midst—a killer whose sights are set on Stevie.
•
I this book hooked me right from the beginning! It was very suspenseful all throughout the book. I really enjoyed that it also was written from a 2 person perspective and was giving off “You” the Netflix series vibes! I definitely thought I had it figured out!


Thank you to @NetGalley, @simonschusterca and @roznay for the eARC
#thehunted #NetGalley

This is my second book by Canadian author Roz Nay and also her 3rd book.

The Hunted started with a bang that set a creepy tone beginning that sense of suspense and mystery I love in this genre.

Stevie needs a fresh start and gets way more than she bargained for. When her boyfriend Jacob gets a job in Africa it seems like a good place to start. Told with alternating POVs between Stevie and Leo, someone they met during their travels. The travel was an adventure in itself, not the travelling I'm used to, it gave the real sense of being in another country altogether.

The Hunted was a wild ride, especially given a 'oh my goodness he's crazy' character. I was kept on my toes and honestly thought I had things figured out but alas I was wrong. I might not have liked the majority of the characters but the story was mysterious, suspenseful with an ending that surprised me.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster CA for a digital ARC (via Netgalley)
in exchange for an honest review.

Nay is a British born thriller author that now lives in British Columbia. Her previous books were 'Our Little Secret" and "Hurry Home". This new release is another thriller, this time set mostly at a dive camp in Tanzania. We meet Stevie and Jacob, a young couple travelling to Africa for the first time as Jacob has accepted a job at the camp. They meet up with another young couple, Leo and Tasmin who are also going to the camp. Initially enthralled by the new couple, the relationship soon becomes threatening and dangerous. This is a fun thriller in an interesting setting and a good recommendation for fans of the genre.

3.5 stars

The Hunted by Roz Nay is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Simon and Schuster Canada and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Stevie Erickson and her boyfriend Jacob Jones, are on an adventure.  Stevie's grandmother just passed away, and although she had promised her share of the pub and the apartment to Stevie, this didn't happen.  When Jacob got a job offer as a diver for GoEco, on a secluded island off the coast of Tanzania, they jump at the chance to get away, and to re-think their lives.

The trip doesn't start out too well.  At a two-day stopover on their way to the island, Stevie has a scare at the hostel that they are staying at.  All of her insecurities and nightmares start to return.

Then they meet Leo and Tamsin, another back-packing couple that seems to be heading to Rafiki Island as well.  But their relationship with the other couple, and with each other seems to be changing, and Stevie is starting to wonder about her choices.


My Opinions:   
The book is about lies, secrets, obsession, and stalking.  The story is told from both Stevie's and Leo's perspectives.

The personalities of the characters were strong, whether it was Leo's ego, or Jacob's quiet acceptance of everything.  Then there was the out-going Tasmin, and the insecure Stevie.  All of them are keeping secrets, and none of them are as they seem.  Unfortunately, I didn't care too much for the characters, other than Jacob, who I felt sorry for.

The setting was Africa, and the imagery was done very well, and you could really feel the heat, the crowds, and then the laid-back island atmosphere.

The plot was good, if a little slow-moving, and there were a couple of twists at the end, although I had sort of guessed the direction the book was going.

Overall, it was a fast read, but it was more "creepy" than it was thrilling.

What worked for me:
The Hunted was my first Roz Nay book and let me tell you, it won't be my last. I loved the concept of "travel thriller", which honestly, I don't think I've read many that I've enjoyed. The suspense in this book had me reading while holding my breath for most of the book. As always, I enjoyed the short chapters which made it very easy to keep on reading that infamous "one more chapter" well into the night.

What didn't work for me:
Ok, so maybe these characters were supposed to be unlikable, but me being me, when I struggle to connect with characters, it really changes my experience with a book. I need to either love them, or love to hate them. I also predicted part of the ending early on, which was a little disappointing.

Overall, I would give this book 3.5 stars out of 5 (rounded up to 4). Despite my personal little hiccups, it's a great read and thriller lovers will really enjoy it!

3.91 Stars

Stevie Erickson is looking for a fresh start. Losing her grandmother has turned her life upside down. When her boyfriend Jacob is offered a job on an island off the coast of Tanzania, she decides to go with him, despite her reservations.

They start their new life in Tanzania in a hostel, where an incident leaves Stevie freaking out and fearing she is being watched. The one good thing to come out of that incident was meeting golden couple Leo and Tasmin, with whom Stevie and Jacob became fast friends.

Their friendship, and Stevie and Jacob's relationship, are put to the test when they all make it to Raffiki Island. Innocent flirting escalates, secrets are revealed, a killer is exposed, and Stevie is in the centre of it all.

The Hunted is told through the perspectives of Stevie and Leo, with some flashbacks when necessary for context. Nay did something with one of the perspectives that I freaking loved! I'm not mentioning it because I want you to have that first experience like I did! But from that moment on, I couldn't put the book down! I enjoyed the characters, they all had their unique voices, and all but one of them are people I would love to meet and hang out with! All four main characters are on different morality scales, and I really enjoyed the nuanced personalities. Even though Leo occasionally would do something that confused me, he was my favourite character, and his development remained consistent for most of The Hunted.

I feel that Nay nailed the suspense, tension, and setting description. While they were in the city, I could clearly picture the characters' surroundings; I just wish that we had spent more time on the island and explored the diving world, probably because I have been physically distancing since March 2020 and want to live through my novels, lol! Most people will not care about this, but fair play is the one criteria I am the harshest one, and I feel that Nay mainly played fair with her solution; I was able to guess who - but the motivation came slightly out of the left field. That being said, the whodunnit plotting was well executed!

Reading The Hunted, I immediately liked Stevie and felt protective over her. She has had the worst luck, losing people she has loved and finding herself surrounded by assholes! To follow her arc and see her coming into her own was worth the whole reading experience for me.

On the topic of an asshole, we are supposed to have a killer, but still, the one character I couldn't stand was Jacob. Stevie was so much better than him, and I don't care what his motivations are - he was pretty close to being emotionally abusive and clearly loved the idea of Stevie, but not her. He was toxic, emotionally unavailable, predatory, and selfish. Can you tell I did not like him? Hahah, Kudos to Nay; in my book, any visceral reaction to a character means the author gave them a strong voice.

I also always love when a book makes you reflect on your choices, and The Hunted did that for me. I adored how a character made use of social media to stalk. It was such a subtle and interesting way to evoke reflection on how much we share online with strangers - is our social media footprint intentional? Do we ever consider what we're sharing? I know I try to keep my personal life as private as possible and try not to post anything that can be traced back to me or my life, but a simple hashtag can give it all away!

Overall I recommend The Hunted to everyone looking for a fun summer read!

Disclaimer: I first read it as an ARC. In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to Simon & Schuster Canada, Roz Nay and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Hunted.