4.5 stars

In this new thriller from Alice Feeney, a married couple embark on a getaway in a last-ditch attempt to save their marriage. At least, that is how the story is initially presented. However, with time, it is clear this trip was doomed from the start.

What I loved most about this story was the setup, and then the big twist that changes everything, at least in the eyes of the reader.
The setup:
A mysterious invitation to stay at a converted chapel, Blackwater Chapel in the Scottish Highlands.
A chapel with less than reliable amenities, like heat and water.
A seemingly abandoned town with no open establishments.
Treacherous weather, making any departure more difficult.
Basically, when you put all of that together, Amelia and Adam Wright are forced to make a go of this adventure with the cards stacked against them.

Most of the story alternates from Amelia and Adam's POV, detailing this nightmare of a getaway. But the author also includes chapters that chronical each year of the couple's marriage, with letters on their anniversary. These letters have remained hidden until this weekend, and for most of the story, it isn't clear why.

That is until the big twist. One that involves the third narrator in the story, known as Robin.

Once again, the author has kept me in the dark and so the twist was a pleasant surprise (nothing is worse than a predictable thriller). With the new revelation everything began to make more sense, so if you find the early parts of the story slow, be patient. I loved how the author turned things upside down and made me as a reader, view each character from a new light.

Unpredictable and with a healthy creep factor, this is the perfect read for fall!

I can not recommend this book enough! I read Rock Paper Scissors in one day. This thriller/suspense book is one of Alice Feeney best yet. I appreciate net gallery and selected publishers for this early copy

The 👸 does it again! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Available September 7th, this book does not disappoint. I don’t know how she does it but she gets me every darn time and this time she got me TWO times!!!

This book is hard not to binge with the short chapters, alternating unreliable POVs and ALL the cliffhangers. You’ll be burning the midnight oil with this one.

Go in blind and enjoy the ride.

Wow! Addictive, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat, omg moments that will have you hooked as you flip through the pages of this thriller of a novel. I love a good domestic thriller and this one was perfect for just that! Mr. and Mrs. Wright (and the irony isn't lost on me...hahaha) have been the seemingly perfect life. They seem to have it all together, seem just right (see what I did there?) for one another, and appear to be happily married for the past 10 years. But as we all know looks can definitely be deceiving, and not all is always as it appears to be. Behind closed doors things can definitely be different than the outside picture that is painted for everyone to see. Full of deceit, lies, betrayals, tricks and games, this book will have you hooked!

I loved reading about the marriage of this couple throughout the years, as they embark on their trip after winning a trip away. I loved the unique and interesting concept of this married couple using the game of rock paper scissors to help them decide what to do when faced with a big decision. I enjoyed guessing, or trying to guess, what was going on in their lives while away on vacation, and trying to see who was lying, what they were lying about, and wondering if they would be able to mend their marriage. 

I cannot say enough about this book. I am no stranger to Alice Feeney's novels and this one is a must-read if you haven't had your eyes on this one yet! Another wonderful 5 star read by Alice Feeney!

Well done Alice. I am looking forward to seeing what books you come out with next.

Adam suffers from face blindness, which leaves him unable to distinguish peoples faces. His wife,Amelia, wins a trip to Scotland which they take in the middle of a snowstorm as one last attempt to save their marriage. Right from the beginning nothing is what it seems. There is tension from the first few pages which I liked as it thrusts you right into the story.and setthe overall tone. I really enjoyed the twists and it kept me guessing. The ending was a tad haphazard for me...but it didn't take away from the overall plot.

There needs to be a whole new set of ratings for books like this.

There was one little thing that off the bat I thought NOPE... THIS ISNT WHAT IT SEEMS. NO FN WAY. But even the details of that twist, yeah. No.

And everything else beyond that? I sat around trying to figure it out when I should have just sat back and let a great book unfurl.

I am without a doubt the most egotistical reader and I completely blame SJ Bolton for this. Without a damn doubt. I just sat around becoming trash for this genre till The Split and now I just keep trying beat book after book, author after author...

I'm so screwed.

I have been Feeney-ed again. ⁣
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@alicewriterland is one of my absolute favorite authors. Her ability to create a twisted thriller that keeps my attention throughout the entire book matches no other. Just when you think you have it figured out—BAM! You’ve been Feeney-ed. ⁣
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𝘙𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴 is Alice’s best work so far, in my opinion—and comparing this to 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘐 𝘓𝘪𝘦, 𝘐 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘈𝘳𝘦, and 𝘏𝘪𝘴 & 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘴—it’s pretty hard to top those. ⁣
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Synopsis: ⁣
Mr. and Mrs. Wright have had problems in their relationship, and winning a trip for a weekend away in Scotland is just the thing to reconnect. Adam has suffered from prosopagnosia (face blindness) his entire life, but he knows his wife, even if he can’t recognize her face. But does he know her? Every anniversary, they exchange traditional gifts, and his wife writes him a letter that she’ll never share with him. One important detail: This weekend away wasn’t randomly won. Someone is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after. ⁣
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Thank you so much to @flatiron_books and @netgalley for the early gifted copy of 𝘙𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴, which publishes September 7, 2021!

I enjoyed the alternating POV's, and there were a few unexpected twists. The setting was perfectly creepy for the plot. There were a few places where things were a bit unrealistic and hard to believe, but this story kept me engaged overall.

Alice Feeney has done it again! Full of so many twists and turns and told from alternating view points, Rock Paper Scissors was the perfect vacation read for me.

Alex and Amelia are hoping a free weekend away in Scotland will be just what they need to get their marriage back on track. But strange things start happening as soon as they arrive at the converted chapel at Blackwater Loch, and with both of them keeping secrets this trip may end up sending their marriage past the point of no return instead.

I received a digital advance copy of Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney via NetGalley. Rock Paper Scissors is scheduled for release on September 7, 2021.

Rock Paper Scissors follows Adam and Amelia, a couple who have won a weekend away to Scotland. The trip seems to be just what the couple needs, as their relationship is foundering. Once they arrive at the very remote location, it becomes clear that neither the prize or the relationship is at all what it seems.

As often happens in a thriller, Feeney has buried secrets throughout the novel. In this particular story, most of the secrets revolve around the characters- who they are, what they want, what they have done. As Feeney keeps these secrets, saving them for strategic moments to reveal, it was difficult to get a sense of who these characters are. To me, they were outlines and shadows, lacking in specificity and detail until their secrets came to light. Since I didn’t get to know them until the end of the story, I found it difficult to invest in the difficulties they face within the novel.

I also struggled a bit with the overall plot. While there was an interesting premise underlying the story, some of the turns seemed rather convenient and directed by the author, rather than a direct consequence of the choices made by characters. Honestly, this may have been due to the overall lack of clarity in the characters. Especially in the climax and resolution of the story, it felt like a series of events rather than one cohesive tale.

In terms of setting, Feeney drops us into an old, abandoned chapel in very rural Scotland during a winter storm. While Feeney gives us many elements that I would expect, I would have loved for her to lean even harder on the gothic elements.

Overall, Rock Paper Scissors is a thriller with intriguing elements that just don’t quite click together to form a thriller that delivers.

If you’re looking for a book that will send shivers up your spine in the middle of a hot and humid summer day then look no further because Rock, Paper, Scissors is that book! Alice Feeney has delivered in this dark and broody mystery and had me gripping the pages for hours! The characters, while not entirely likeable, had so many secrets that you wanted to unravel them piece by piece because you needed to know what they were hiding. Feeney did an immaculate job at breaking them down and at a pace that made it really exciting when you figured them out! The twist? I wasn’t expecting it and admittedly I got confused at first. But when it finally clicked in my mind I shouted with glee because to me it was GENIUS! **Claps** I think so many readers are really going to love this one. It’s twisted, hard to put down, and downright EVIL!

I didn’t care all that much for the authors previous novel but this one was so good that I’m thinking of going back and trying to read it again because I enjoyed this one so much! I’m such a mood reader and fear that I might have missed out on something as epic as this one because I wasn’t in the mood to read it! That being said, you should totally pick up this dark and chilling thriller! It’s so good and will leave you gasping towards the end!


𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Dark Psychological Thrillers
• Trapped mysteries where the characters have to essentially find their way out of the hell they are in
• Authors like Shari Lapena, Ruth Ware, and Lucy Foley

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was literally terrible. Borderline unreadable, but since I received an eARC I felt it deserved me pushing through to the finish to write an honest review. The writing was awful, well beyond what can be explained away by it not being a final version - sooo many commas in the middle of sentences and other errors that made it sound like the author was a high schooler. There was also just WAY too much going on; it was confusing and hard to follow yet all of the twists were also super predictable. The characters lacked depth and were either boring, annoying, or trope-y. In a genre that already doesn’t have a high bar to clear (I love thrillers, but I don’t exactly expect literary fiction from them) this novel didn’t even make it to eye level. Skip it.

Thank you to NetGalley and FlatIron for this advanced reader copy of Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney.

Rock Paper Scissors is the story or Mr. and Mrs. Wright, told from dual perspectives. The Wright's marriage is in trouble and they think that a trip away may be just the fix that they need. When a trip to the Scottish Highlands falls into their laps they don't think twice about why they won the trip or what may be waiting for them when they arrive. It doesn't take long after they arrive at Blackwater Chapel for the two of them to start to feel like their mysterious host may have ulterior motives. Neither Mr. or Mrs. Wright knows what to expect as their trip unfolds but they both know that this trip will be the end of their marriage, one way or another.

Having read Alice Feeney's previous books I knew to expect twists and turns and I was not disappointed. I love that this book is written from multiple perspectives, using different takes on the same situations. I love the sense of suspense and confusion that Feeney creates, among both reader's and characters. The only reason that this is not a five star book for me is that I saw the ending coming about halfway through. Great read overall. I will be highly recommending this one to all of my reader friends.

Twisty thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. You learn about Amelia and Adam Wright’s marriage through a weekend getaway she won in the remote Scottish Highlands. Seen as a opportunity to save their marriage, but will it? How many strange things happen at the lodge before they decide to go home? What can each of them believe about each other. Who is lying and who is telling the truth? Or, are both of them lying? Will they both survive the weekend? A page turner.

Adam and Amelia Wright are hoping that a weekend away in the Scottish highlands will be just the thing they need to repair their crumbling marriage. But the trip--which they think they randomly won--is anything but a gift. Each is harboring secrets and someone doesn't want the weekend to end with a happily ever after.

I thought this was a great read-- it's entertaining and quickly plotted with a super twisty second half. I loved the format--in particular the letters that corresponded with each anniversary gift. And when I finally realized what was going on when the twist came, my head was left spinning. I can honestly say I did not see it coming. I'll also say that in Rock Paper Scissors, Alice Feeney perfectly uses unlikable characters.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for a review.

Absolutely unbelievable ! I can not even tell you how much I loved reading Rock Paper Scissors. I have always been a huge fan of Alice Feeney, but Rock Paper Scissors is definitely her best book yet.

Feeney has a way of drawing you in from the first page. I could not get enough. I read this entire book in one sitting and when it concluded I had that oh my god, now what do i do with my life, kind of feeling.

This was a story like no other, I thought I had it figured out but I could not have been more wrong. The twist and turns and final conclusion was jaw dropping.

I can not wait to see what Alice Feeney comes out with next! This was an easy 5 star read.

I am so eager to read Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney. I REALLY need a good book right now. Everything I have picked up lately is just, "Meh."
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Take a look at the plot of Alice's new book:
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"Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs.
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Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.
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Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after."
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Sounds like its going to be fantastic!
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Tell me, do you abandon books you find to be, "meh" or do you keep reading?

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book by Alice Feeney, so I was sorely disappointed at this novel. It seemed too difficult to suspend my disbelief and get involved with the plot or the characters.

It seemed like a plot line that just never came together. I really couldn’t feel any connection with any of the characters.

Thank you Netgalley.

When Adam and Amelia win a weekend at an isolated Scottish chapel, they plan to work on their marriage together. As they settle in, they realize they didn’t randomly win this trip.

This book has been pretty hyped up and I’ve seen great reviews for it. The thing for me is that I don’t really enjoy thrillers that don’t make sense until the end. It was a pretty slow burn for me and I had really no idea of what was going on. Everything clicked and it made sense at the end, but for me, it took a bit too long to get there.

“Life is like a game where pawns can become queens, but not everyone knows how to play. Some people stay pawns their whole lives because they never learned to make the right moves.”

Rock Paper Scissors comes out 9/7.

One of the best thrillers I’ve read all year. I was absolutely on the edge of my seat looking to see what happens next. I loved all the characters. I highly recommend this read.