I have a feeling maybe there were more thrillers around this concept at some point and then it died down. For me, it is a new one and well executed.

Four stars because the structure (I can't be more specific, because of spoilers) combines two different shifting literary devices and twice i thought I knew it and then on the third time I finely stopped and actually thought through it, till I got it.

And it is worth the effort. Just seen that piece done better in other novels.

Otherwise... it was brilliant 👏

Where I Left Her starts off as a taut thriller but starts to spiral out of control by the ending.

Whitney didn't feel right when she drops off her teenage daughter, Amelia, at her friend Lauren’s house. Usually, she goes into the house to meet the parents but Amelia clearly wasn’t going to let something so humiliating happen. Instead, Whitney waves to her daughter pulling away from the little house with the roses in front. But when she goes back to the house the next day, an elderly couple answers the door, an elderly couple answers the door. They don't know Amelia or Laura! Whitney finds lie after lie as she searches for her daughter. In fact, it seems that both Whitney's and Amelia's lies have come back to haunt them.

At first, this book is enticing, pulling the reader in. But soon it starts to get messy. Amber Garza tries too hard to weave twists into the story. The truth isn't metered out but dumped upon you. Even then not all the questions are answered and you still don't understand why some characters acted the way they did.

But Garza does deserve credit for that great beginning. She set up a story that is easy to empathize with. What if your daughter was missing? What if you went back to that friend's house where you left her and she wasn't there? The characters pull you in. The overprotective mom, the rebellious teenager, and a past history that acts as a character of its own. The chapters move quickly and, in the beginning, are well passed. I wish Garza had been able to keep that up until the end.

Where I Left Her takes a horrid idea and pulls the reader in. Unfortunately, it doesn't give you a satisfying ending.

Publication Date: August 24

I received an ARC from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***

Where I Left Her is a suspenseful story focused on Whitney and her search for Amelia, her 16-year-old daughter. Whitney drops Amelia off at a friend's house for a sleepover and, when she returns to get her the next day, the girls are nowhere to be found and the couple who owns the home claims they have no knowledge of the girls.

Whitney embarks on a journey to find Amelia. What she ends up finding is all kinds of information about Amelia that she didn't know, secrets her daughter kept from her.

This one got a solid 3.5 stars from me. The plot is unique and overall, Garza's writing is good. The biggest thing that knocked stars off for me was the pace of the story. I thought it moved pretty slow, especially in the beginning. I liked how the backstory was told in flashbacks, usually in alternating chapters, but sometimes it was confusing to keep track of what was happening and to whom. Some of Whitney's inner monologue was confusing as well. As a result, it was increasingly challenging to keep track of things as I read. I also felt like some of the story was inconceivable. Not going into details on this because I don't want to provide spoilers.

I did find there to be some suspenseful parts and definitely some wtf moments in this one. I wasn't expecting the twist at the end of the book. Garza did a good job with developing Whitney as a character as well.

3.5 stars to this novel!

Title: Where I Left Her
Author: Amber Garza
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Rating: 3 out of 5

Whitney had some misgivings when she dropped her increasingly moody teenage daughter, Amelia, off at Lauren’s house. She’d never met the parents, and usually she’d go in, but Amelia clearly wasn’t going to let something so humiliating happen, so instead Whitney waved to her daughter before pulling away from the little house with the roses in front.

But when she goes back the next day, an elderly couple answers the door—Amelia and Lauren aren’t there, and this couple swears they never were, that she’s at the wrong house. As Whitney searches for Amelia, she uncovers a trail of lies her daughter has told her—from the Finsta account to rumors of a secret relationship. Does she really even know this girl she’s raised? And Amelia’s not the only one with secrets. Could Whitney’s own demons have something to do with her daughter’s disappearance, and can Whitney find her before it’s too late?

Even before I realized Whitney was an unreliable narrator, I thought she was a horrible person. Her super controlling relationship with her daughter got on my very last nerve—especially considering the secrets she was hiding! At first, I was intrigued by what had happened to Amelia, but then I was just low-key annoyed. Does anyone in this family ever tell the truth? Solid writing but unlikeable (to me) characters made this just an okay read.

Amber Garza lives in California. Where I Left Her is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Whitney lets her teenage daughter Amelia get under her skin, often. Their close relationship seems to be a distant memory as Amelia is moody all the time, and whatever her mother says is the wrong thing. Against Whitney's better judgment, she drops Amelia off at her friend Lauren's house without meeting her parents. When Whitney returns to pick up Amelia, an elderly couple answers the door and no one named Lauren lives there. Not understanding what is going on, Whitney fights her panic and gets to work finding her daughter. It seems that Amelia has been keeping quite a few secrets, and Whitney realizes that she didn't know her daughter at all.

As she uncovers Amelia's deceit, we also go back to Whitney's past. Must be like a mother-like daughter, because Whitney's closet is jam-packed with her own lies.

I absolutely loved When I Was You, so my expectations for this book were most likely unrealistic. The biggest issue I had was never connecting with the character of Whitney. There was just something about her, and considering the major twist, I wasn't wrong to not want her to be my newest book bestie. I wanted to know what happened to Amelia and to see Whitney's skeletons fall out of the closet, but it wasn't a page flipping, I can't put this book down read for me. The beginning and the ending both grabbed my attention, but my attention strayed at some point in the middle. 3.5 stars.

Having read Amber Garza’s first novel, When I Was You, and giving it five stars had me excited to read Where I Left Her. I knew it was going to be a psychological mind game with me trying to figure out everything that was happening and I was ready for it.

This story follows Whitney as she drops her daughter off at a friends and then isn’t there when she returns she instantly panics. As she digs deeper she finds a lot of shocking information that has her delving into her own past mistakes. I like Whitney. She reminds me of myself. Single mom. Working multiple jobs in a flexible manner to be home more with their kid. A bit overprotective. Maybe a little needy for attention from her daughter. Her manner of handling her daughter missing was very realistic to me. She searched for a short time and then called the police. I felt the storyline was very believable and that was a relief. A lot of times I see stories that end up being so unrealistic it makes it hard to see. Amelia’s personality had my teeth grating, but also was very realistic. So much like my own daughter I felt myself rolling my eyes with Whitney.

My biggest issue with this story was the flow of it. There were multiple storylines happening at once. I was convinced I understood what viewpoint I was getting in each, but as I neared the end of the story I realized I was completely wrong. This made the last thirty percent of the book quite confusing to me. I was trying to figure out all the stories I had read throughout and where they belonged in the timeline. Usually when I read a story like this that is broken up, as I read little puzzle pieces fall into place. This made me feel like someone was tossing around the puzzle pieces until the end and hoping I could figure out how to put it together very quickly, and it didn’t work like that. It was a bit frustrating and really brought my opinion of the book down.

I did really enjoy the storyline, I just wish the telling of it was a bit more cohesive. I don’t mind the jumping around if it is done really well and smoothly, but this left me a bit disappointed. The characters were interesting. The side characters didn’t really play too big of a role in this story, so I didn’t build too big of an opinion about them. The ending was even an interesting one, although I wish there was an epilogue telling me how it all wrapped up. There were a few strings left untied.

Overall it was a good story. I can’t say great because of the confusion I suffered while reading. I am still a big fan of Garza and her ability to have a shocking ending. I would have never guessed that outcome no matter how the book was written. I encourage all psychological thriller writers to pick it up and try it for yourself!

Why am I drawn to books that are a parents worst nightmare?! You would think that while I’m in the thick of raising young children I would be more put off by that type of plot but I’m not 🤷🏻‍♀️ This one follows Whitney as she drops off her teenaged daughter, Amelia for a sleepover at her friends house. Everything seems fine until the next day when Whitney comes to pick up her daughter and an elderly couple answers the door and has no idea who Amelia’s friend Lauren is or where Amelia is 😮After this you spend some time jumping back in the past to before the drop off and then back again to present day as Whitney tries desperately to find her daughter and the lies just keep on coming. Did I have to suspend some disbelief as things were revealed? Yes. Were some things slightly over the top and a little too coincidental? Yes again, but seriously there was something compelling about both the plot and the authors style that kept me invested.

Does anyone else think that listening to the audio version of a book, specifically a thriller can really elevate it for you? That was the case for me here, I’m glad I listened to this as opposed to reading it because the narrator did a great job of conveying a sense of panic and dread, which can only be felt so much in a print book. I even think I may have even had a lower rating for this one if it wasn’t for the audio, so if you’re curious about this one I say try that version. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @harperaudio for my review copy!

A mother in need of a minute away from her moody teenager drops her at a home for a sleep over and doesn't realize that this simple Friday night will take a horrible turn.

Single mom Whitney has been battling her teenager, Amelia, for months as she is entering that phase where friends take precedence over family. Whitney agrees to a sleep over at a house that she doesn't know with parents she hasn't met and the next morning things aren't right.

There were a few storylines going on in this one book. There is the search for Amelia that is clearly marked with a timeline as to how long she has been missing as Whitney searches for her. There was a storyline where Whitney goes back in time a few months back and the reader gets the back story to how this mother/daughter relationship went downhill. And the final storyline takes the reader far back in time to Whitney as a teenager as she is having similar friend experiences that her daughter is going through and the battle as a young woman finds out who she wants to be and who her friends are.

All of these storylines unfolded just right! It was so interesting to watch Whitney and her story get repeated with her daughter and her realize that as much as she tried to protect Amelia, her daughter still went down a questionable path.

The ending definitely shocked me and I was left with my mouth hanging open and I still wonder how I feel about the last page, but I an honestly say that I enjoyed reading this mother/daughter duo and how they navigated this hard time where a kid separates from their parent.

Where I Left Her is based around one of a parent's worst fears. A missing child would have to be absolutely gut-wrenching, and with that in mind, it wasn't at all hard to get invested in this one. And if you've ever parented a teenager, you can probably sympathize with Whitney's frame of mind when she drops Amelia off. The story does have a fair amount of flashbacks as things progress, and as secrets start coming out, the tension rises. I will say that some things are a bit over the top, including the big reveal, but that didn't hinder my interest in the story. The premise is good, and it's an entertaining tale, especially if you've already raised a teen or two. I'd say if you like psychological thrillers, give this one a go. It's a pretty good way to while away a few evening hours.

I may be dating myself, but one of the things about cell phones is that it's hard to know who your children's friends are. Even harder when they are going on 16, rebellious and don't want you to meet their friend's parents. So I could totally relate to Whitney's panic when she discovered her daughter wasn't where she left her.

But then the plot thickens as we learn Whitney has dark secrets of her own. The story is interspersed with flashbacks...are they Whitney's or Lauren's - we can't really tell at first. But as the narrator is revealed, things start to make sense.

The timelines were a little disconcerting for me as the past would jump to the present within the same chapter, with no transition, which kept me from giving it a higher rating. I really enjoyed When I Was You, and I like that Garza writes "different'" kinds of plots, and hope to see more from her.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for an advanced reviewer's copy.

I like how this thriller is constructed, the daughter disappears after the mother drops her off at a new friend’s house. And then when she comes to pick her up the next day and nobody in the house even heard of her things get weird. She goes on a saga to find her daughter and meanwhile ends up rediscovering herself as well, and the choices she made as a mother.

Amelia has been difficult lately but her mom Whitney knows she's a teen girl and well, she's happy that she's got Lauren as a friend. But when Amelia doesn't come home from a sleepover, Whitney discovers that Lauren isn't who she thought- and she's not a classmate. Whitney's panic, her discussions with Dan, her ex, and her efforts to find her daughter are well done. What's a challenge is the diary written by an unnamed teenage girl about her relationship with Milie. Who is the girl and who is Millie? Why is this relevant? It takes some time for this to become clear and how it's related to Whitney and her secrets. And she's got a whopper of a secret. This has some good twists that come just at the point where you think you know what's going on. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An entertaining read.

Loved this one!! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, there would a twist and I’d have to start my theory all over again. This book gave me surprises all the way to the very end. I can’t wait for more by this author!!

I loved Garza’s debut, When I Was You, so have been eagerly anticipating her next book since. I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to review Where I Left Her, especially since, as a mother, I love that it involves a mother-daughter relationship. Both of Garza’s novels involve motherhood, focusing on the mother, which is really fascinating to me even though my children are nowhere near the ages of the children Garza’s stories involve.

Overall
Where I Left Her is a fast, thrilling story about the tenuous relationship between a mother and her teen daughter as secrets begin to unravel. I loved everything about the mother-daughter relationship and really felt for both of them. There are three different timelines woven in, but it’s never confusing and only helps to heighten the tension. As with every thriller, false information is sown in, and it certainly had my mind reeling with what could really be happening. I did feel it was somewhat predictable, but that only really came as certain information was revealed at just the right time. The ending wrapped up perfectly, but also makes me want a sequel.

Extended Thoughts
When Whitney drops off her sixteen-year-old daughter Amelia at her new friend Lauren’s house for a sleepover, she’s only thinking of a quiet night in away from her moody teen. As a busy single mother, she loves Amelia, but the teen years have turned difficult. When she returns the next morning to pick up Amelia, a confused elderly couple are the only ones there to greet her, and they swear neither Amelia nor Lauren had ever been there.

As Whitney begins to unravel the past couple of months, since Amelia met Lauren, three different timelines begin to unwind. One: Whitney is determined to find her daughter and combs through Amelia’s room and online accounts only to discover suspicious items and alarming alterations. Two: during the two months prior to Amelia’s disappearance Whitney tries desperately to hold fast to Amelia despite the teen pulling away and keeping secrets. Three: a story told in first person about an intense friendship fraught with lies and possible obsession.

Whitney has no idea where her daughter is, or who Lauren is since no one else seems to have even heard of her. But, as secrets are revealed, it might have more to do with Whitney.

Where I Left Her is a fast-paced thriller that never lets the reader go. There’s no real lag in the story, no real slow parts. The three timelines switch off perfectly, keeping the reader guessing right until the very last lines. I loved the eerie feeling creeping up the back of my neck that something was askew and loved that I never really knew exactly what was going on until the last page. Where I Left Her is Garza’s second novel, and I do believe I’m hooked on her thrillers!

Where I Left Her explores intense friendships and the mother-daughter relationship. As a mother, I’m drawn to stories about mothers, stories that explore those familial relationships. Garza did not disappointment with this novel. It strongly focused on the relationship between Whitney and Amelia, exploring the relationship when a mom’s beloved baby turns into a teenager at full-force.

I felt Whitney so much, her overprotective nature and the need to be involved in her daughter’s life. For years since Whitney and her husband’s divorce, it was really just Whitney and Amelia. I loved the sweet moments when Whitney was the perfect caring mother, when she so lovingly took care of her young daughter’s fragile emotional states. As a mom, it hurt to see it naturally become strained as Amelia pushed for independence and bristled under Whitney’s overbearing nature. Though there were times when even I wanted to tell Whitney to lighten up a little. But Amelia wasn’t a doll, either. Even as a child, she was demanding and manipulative. She clearly had her mother in the palm of her hand. Based on their characterizations and their relationship, it was easy to see how the whole story spiraled the way it did.

There were so many threads, so many stories, so many secrets, but it wasn’t hard to keep it all straight. There were some irrelevant bits of information thrown in to help add to the tension and throw the reader off, but the story and the writing did a fantastic job of throwing the reader off and then pulling them back in. I loved that it never felt contrived, and that there were times I felt like I was losing my mind alongside Whitney.

If there was one thing I wasn’t a fan of, it was the ending. There’s a sudden POV shift that was a little jarring, and suddenly another story was muddled in. It all made sense and it was nice to get that particular perspective, but I wish it had been woven in better. I did like how the last few pages wrapped up the story, though. I had a feeling it was heading that way, but never really felt the story was that predictable. There were some things I had an inkling of, other things I had figured out, but I really enjoyed the dispelling or confirmation of my suspicions.

Where I Left Her was a fun thriller that had my head spinning a little and had me questioning everything I was reading. I loved not really knowing who was telling the story in first person and loved that the back and forth in time never felt confusing. The multiple timelines were handled extremely well and helped craft a tightly woven story.

Where I Left Her was fast-paced and kept me on my toes. I loved every minute of it and of letting my mind wander in circles, trying to figure out who and what to believe and how it all worked together. Overall, a fun, thrilling read with a mother and daughter at its heart.

Thank you to MIRA for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ooh, this one was so twisty and I loved it. I loved the different POV's that kind of kept you guessing the entire time. Garza created some imperfect characters that you still rooted for.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amber Garza and Harlequin for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the pacing of this novel and found myself wondering who exactly was telling the other chapters of the novel. I didn't really know where this novel was going and was pleasantly surprised by the many twists in the ending. There isn't much I can say about the plot without giving too much away, but I think i enjoyed this one more than Garza's first novel! It was mysterious and tense the whole way through and I found it a quick and easy read!

Where I Left Her (Amber Garza) is a story about the relationship between a single mother and her teenage daughter, but includes so much more. Ms Garza shows the reader how a mother's past influences how she brings up her own child. Be prepared for surprises along the way. I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Books for an early copy to review.

At about 50% of the way through this book, I assumed I knew what was going on and I was kind of bored and I considered putting it down....and then....I kept reading. And MY GOD. Amber Garza knows how to twist and twist and twist and then at the very last possible second - like, literally - the last few words - provide a final twist that changes an entire plot of a book and I AM HERE FOR IT.

Whitney is a single mom - post divorce, of a teenage daughter. Amelia has been acting out a bit since meeting a new friend, but it is to be somewhat expected, she is 16, after all. Whitney drops her off for a sleepover - but then Amelia is nowhere to be found the next day. Her phone is off as is her "Find My Friends".

Whitney deals with her missing daughter as well as her damaged and tragic past - all combining into one explosive conclusion.

I can not wait until Amber Garza's next book because I know the twist will trill me beyond belief.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers and Amber for the opportunity to read and review this book.

WHERE I LEFT HER By Amber Garza
Thriller fiction
304 pages

Whitney is a normal single mom with a normal sullen teenage daughter. At least all of Whitney's mom friends tell her the sudden change in her daughter is normal teenage behavior. This story starts off with Whitney's dropping daughter Amelia off to a sleepover at a new friends house. Everything changes the next day when Whitney goes to the friends house to pick her daughter up and an older couple live there and have for years. Where in fact is her daughter??? Driven by worry and fear Whitney starts discovering that things are not what she thought with her daughter. She doesn't know her and her life like she thought.

Wow this book is amazing!!  I read this in one sitting and was sucked in the whole time. Amber Garza has a serious future in thriller fiction and has proved it with her last two thrillers.  I've only read her two thrillers but she is proving she is a master at swapping genres. I highly recommend this book.

Whitney is a single mom and her rebellious daughter Amelia is 16. Whitney has a rough past and tries to protect and shelter Amelia to an extreme at times, but when she asks to spend the night with her friend Lauren, Whitney surprisingly agrees.

The next day, Whitney can’t get ahold of Amelia, and when she drives to the house where she left her, there’s only an elderly couple that lives there. What follows is a really tense few days where Whitney is desperately trying to find her daughter, and snippets from Whitney’s youth and recent past are interspersed throughout the chapters. This started out kind of slow and drawn out and I was really questioning who to believe. The ending definitely threw me for a loop! This story was a little twisty and definitely messed with my mind but I was hoping for a little more thrill and suspense factor.

Thank you to MIRA books for my copy and inviting me to take place in this blog tour!