This started off strongly but seemed to get a little strange. The premise is interesting - Wren’s best friend convinces her to try meeting guys on a dating app called 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘩. On one of the dates she meets Adam and the two connect right away. Things are progressing rather quickly so Wren opens up to Adam about a secret from her past but after that Adam is no where to be found. He doesn’t show up for their date the next day and all she gets is a simple text and nothing more. He’s gone. He has ghosted her.⁣
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Just when Wren thinks things couldn’t get worse, a private detective shows up telling her that Adam is not the man she believed him to be and may be connected with the disappearance of three women. Sounds intriguing, right?! Yeah I thought so too but then it didn’t progress in the way I hoped. Had the execution been just a little different, I think I would have enjoyed the entire book but it continued to get stranger and stranger.⁣
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Please don’t get me wrong, it was not bad but for me it just didn’t live up to 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝟽:𝟺𝟻 which I loved. Still worth the read!

🎧BOOK REVIEW🎧 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
PUB DATE: Oct 5 2021 / 13 hours 28 min

I've read several books by this author and what I enjoy most is the subtle supernatural undertones she adds. And I love the atmosphere of the Hollows! It's the perfect blend of creepiness and comfort.

When I began reading “Last Girl Ghosted”, I felt a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the book started great, but it didn't have the same feel as Unger’s previous books. I should have known there was no need to worry!

I feel lucky that I've never had to experience the world of online dating. Especially with the books I read! Wren isn't real excited about it either, but her friend Jax pushes her to get out. And she finally meets someone she connects with. The feelings are mutual and the relationship moves along quickly until he disappears without a trace. But he leaves her a cryptic message, so she can't leave it alone.

This book turned out to be a roller coaster ride of thrills! I listened to the audiobook and there wasn't a dull moment. I was ecstatic when Unger took us back to the dark and eerie Hollows! If you haven't read her books yet, you are missing out!

Thanks to NetGalley and Park Row Books/Harlequin Trade Publishing for this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

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This was everything a thriller is supposed to be. It had suspense, intrigue, and it made me feel like I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Lisa Unger is so thorough in her writing that it is mind blowing. I would LOVE an opportunity to take a peek inside her head and see how she comes up with ideas for her stories and puts them together. Simply amazing!

I had high hopes for this book. The premise hooked me at once: Wren meets Adam through a dating app, and things are going really well, but then he totally ghosts her. She thinks perhaps it's because she's shared too much of her past with him, but then a private investigator, Bailey, shows up, and Wren learns that Adam has ghosted other women before, and that these women went missing shortly after. 

And for the first half, I was into it. Unger sets the story in early 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic is starting to reach international consciousness. Considering how dramatically the world of dating changed during the pandemic, having it loom over the future of Wren and Adam's relationship added an exciting bit of tension to the story. I also liked the little hints dropped about Wren's traumatic past, and how much she'd done to reinvent herself and leave her old self completely behind.

I was a little less into how Wren seems to associate online dating with being lonely and desperate; so many people are dating online now that, especially in early 2020, it seems a rather retrograde stigma, but fine -- it wasn't enough of an annoyance to turn me off. And I did like how it fit thematically with Wren's character -- she works as an advice columnist for folks with rather serious problems, and she says that it's her own vulnerability and trauma that makes her good at her job, so that ties in really well with the loneliness and desperation that she says got her into online dating.

It was in the second half that the book really began to drag for me. Wren's search for Adam was interspersed with flashbacks of her childhood -- basically, her father was a doomsday conspiracist who forced their family to live in the woods, and his paranoia sometimes turned violent. So, it's a compelling story, and the guilt Wren carries with her as a result of a traumatic incident is a compelling bit of character building. But there were a LOT of flashbacks, which just bored me after a while. There was a thread about a friend Wren makes in the woods, that I presume was intended to highlight her psychological state, but while it was a significant part of Wren's character, I thought it was handled confusingly, and ultimately got lost in all the clutter about their lives in the woods.

Wren's motivations also felt unclear to me. At first, I could see she wanted to find Adam because she wanted to know why he ghosted her, but then her feelings seem to change partway through, as do her reasons for wanting to find Adam. The reasons behind the shift were muddy enough, but mostly, I wasn't sure what she wanted to achieve anymore. Similarly, she goes from wanting Bailey to leave her alone, to wanting to help with his investigation, and at some point, she decides to go rogue and find Adam on her own. Her motivations have a lot more to do with her desire to find Adam than her desire to help Bailey, so the flip-flopping makes a kind of sense, but I just had to pause reading every so often and ask "Why?"

The book spent so much time building up Wren's childhood and the events that led to her present, yet, to me, didn't spend nearly enough effort in developing the present-day narrative. I don't necessarily mind books with unreliable narrators, but often, those narrators have clearly defined logic for their actions; it's only the reveal that reframes our understanding of this logic. In this case, Wren seems less an unreliable narrator than a muddled one, as if the author tried to cram so much in, but didn't quite make all of it fit.

I did finish the book, mostly because I was genuinely curious about what Adam had to do with the missing women, and was hoping that the answer to that question would make everything click together. For that reason, I found the climactic reveal the most frustrating of all. Similar to the flashbacks of Wren's childhood, the villain's backstory fits in thematically with the rest of the book, but doesn't quite provide the "Aha!" moment of clarity I'd hoped for. The villain's connection to Wren is doled out sparingly over several pages, in a way that felt more frustrating than suspenseful. And then there was a dramatic finish to a confrontation that just honestly took me right out of the book completely. I'm all for suspending disbelief while reading thrillers, but that resolution was just, to me, taking several steps too far in the name of drama.

Overall, this book had a solid start, but a frustrating, disappointing end. 

+

Thank you to Park Row for an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Wren Greenwood should have swiped left. Online dating definitely has its pitfalls and Wren may have fallen into each and every one of them. Pressured by her best friend Jax, they make an online profile for her. Wren is successful in her career as an advice columnist, but not so lucky in love. She swipes right and meets Adam Harper. At first drawn to his profile, then when they meet Wren learns that the connection goes far deeper. But then, Adam disappears. Ghosted her.

The intensity of this book starts early on. Perhaps it is because it is written in first person, so we are looking at things through Wren's eyes. Reading her thoughts. This is especially intense because Adam suddenly disappears and we see how determined Wren is to locate him. In fact, as we read Wren's words, they are rather creepy - you don't get to ghost me.

Wren isn't playing around. Where is Adam? Okay, so she can't find him on her own, so she goes so far as to hire a PI. She will find Adam. However, as soon as her search grows deeper she learns a disturbing fact. Adam isn't who she thought he was. In fact, he has had a different name. He has dated other women, women who hae disappeared. What is going on?

The narrative was disturbing. The facts were disturbing - whether past or present. In fact, Wren was disturbing. How come she didn't let things go? Why did she have to pursue things to the extent in which she did? What layers were surrounding Wren that she had to go so far to look for Adam?

Well, that is where this book takes many a dark turn. In fact, it touches on so many serious issues my head was spinning. To name a few, trauma, PTSD, drug addiction, pyromania, and just so much more. I found this to be a compelling read from start to finish, especially once the title, Last Girl Ghosted, took on real meaning. So, imagine if Wren had swiped left...

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I should have written the review right away. I didn't and now I cannot remember many specifics, which to me means that it was not that great.

If one could award half stars, I would give Last Girl Ghosted 3.5 instead of 3. I just can't put my finger on it, but something was "off" enough to keep me from giving it 4 stars. Worth the read, though!

Five star READ!!!

I have not felt this great after reading a thriller I’m awhile. It was so well written and grabbed my attention from the very start. I really enjoyed this creepy atmosphere and definitely recommend this book!

So good!!!

✨Book Review✨

Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger

⚠️Trigger Warnings: abduction, assault, stalking, abuse.

✨What I liked: this book was so well written, and had just the right amount of creepy vibes! It definitely gave me some goosebumps along the way. Throughout the book, the main character Wren makes some terrible decisions that’s are anger inducing, but it works for the plot. For myself, the ending was the perfect amount of surprise! This was a slow burn with the right amount of excitement to keep you reading!

✨What didn’t work for me: I could have done with out the references to covid. There wasn’t very many, but when I’m reading I like to escape from the current world, and I felt like the references were out of place and unnecessary.

Thank you to @hbgcanada @harpercollinsca for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is my second Lisa Unger book I have read and I’m not sure if I enjoyed it as much as Confessions on the 7:45.

It was an interesting concept however with the risks of online dating and social media, which I guess gave it a creepy vibe since this is common now. The chapter setup was a little bit confusing for me, as it just seemed off for some reason, but then you quickly get the hang of it.

I lost a little bit of interest near the end but of course I kept reading so I could know what was going on!

This was a solid thriller that begins with the main character, Wren , meeting a handsome stranger on a dating app. Wren instantly connects with Adam and it quickly becomes more than casually dating. Wren has strong feelings for Adam and he seems to return those feelings. As their connection becomes stronger Adam stands her up and completely disappears from everything, leaving without a trace. Wren assumes that she shared too much of her troubled past and blames herself. She decides to search for Adam and answers. In the process she becomes involved in something that is much bigger than she imagined and must face the ghosts from the past in an effort to confront the danger she finds herself in.

This was a very good story and the first half was so good. The last half fell a little flat but I enjoyed it all the same.
3.5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wren Greenwood is urged by her best friend to try online dating revive. Wren agrees reluctantly to do it. She picks an online service where she picks Adam as he quotes Rilke on his platform. Wren falls for him. They have a terrific whirlwind romance when he stands Wren up on a dinner date. She is text a note that says “something has come up and I have to go. I’m sorry.” She discovers she has been ghosted. There is no profile on Torch, no cell phone service and has abandon his apartment. She doesn’t understand. When Private Investigator Bailey Kirk shows up looking for leads on Adam and telling her that 3 girls who dated him are missing, wren worries about telling him about her past. She decides to find him. Will she search for Adam with Bailey Kirk? Will she find Adam?

This is a chilling novel about online dating and the dangers it may pose for love. It is a true pageturner. Wren is in an all too real situation that turns all too dangerous. I loved her for not giving up and being smart having Bailey as her “partner.” The story is not a slow read even with realizing how everyone is not really who they are. The auth writes with compassion and psychological insights giving a story that is shocking and emotional. I didn’t want to do anything else — just read to the end of the suspenseful novel.

All reviews are my own. I was given a copy by Harper Collins Canada. The book was enjoyable and it was a great distraction. I would say it kind of stretched out too much and dragged out a bit in the second part although it started off well. I much preferred confessions on the 7:45 by the same author. It does have potential though! I wish the author much success! It’s not a bad book just not up to my taste!

Wren finally gives into her best friend’s urging and joins an on-line dating site. After a couple of misses she meets Adam, who appeals to her in a way no one else has. Just when Wren thinks she’s found a man she can truly love, he disappears. Adam’s last message seems to indicate that something is wrong and Wren wants to know why he is ghosting her.

Last Girl Ghosted is an interesting and cleverly written book and Wren’s childhood is slowly revealed as the story moves between past and present. I enjoyed Ms Unger’s latest book, although it became a little repetitive in places, with the backstory somewhat longer than I would have liked. A little tighter story would have provided overall improvement to the book. But, nevertheless, I enjoyed Last Girl Ghosted. The author has once again demonstrated her grand ability as a storyteller. I will give this latest book 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger is an exciting thriller, that I really enjoyed. I have been a Lisa Unger fan for years, starting with Beautiful Lies. Wow this book grabbed me from the very first page, and kept me going. This book has more twists and turns, that kept me guessing I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. I highly recommend this book and this author for anyone who enjoys a good mystery thriller.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Looking for more than a hookup, Wren thinks she's found her soulmate when she meets Adam on a dating app. After months together, Wren is shocked when Adam ghosts her and a private investigator shows up with shocking claims. The more Wren digs into Adam's true identity, the more obsessive she becomes, blurring the lines between predator and prey. Last Girl Ghosted is a dark thriller that starts out strong but loses its way as the improbably back story comes into play. Still, it's an entertaining read for anyone who likes Lisa Jewell or Gillian Flynn.

This book was an intense thriller. The story line is highly relevant to our digital age with online dating and ghosting. It demonstrates the depths of deception that people are capable of. This latest story by Lisa Unger is definitely worth the read.

My last Unger read was a home run for me. I was hoping this one would match but it fell just shy.

Love the title and by the end you get the full picture of all that captures. Clever. You know what’s gonna happen by first few pages but get sucked in anyway. By chapter 10 you’re hooked. I liked the way Wren and her history is revealed a bit at a time. Love, love, love Jax. Who wouldn’t want a friend like her? The Robin character? Eh, didn’t really work for me.

Towards the middle I felt like the book took a turn and I put it down a few times. Maybe dragged on a bit. Though some reviewers thought the end was cliche, I enjoyed it. I don’t read fiction for realism. I bought it and stayed up reading late into the night to see how it would wrap up.

Overall it was a win for me, but I’m hoping her next one will top Confessions on the 7:45.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

A good read - not the best book in its genre but very enjoyable and worth the read. I tend to enjoy books about darkness, damaged people and the journeys their life leads them on.

4.5/ Star Rating
This premise sounded so intriguing to me. Being ghosted by a guy but with a twist as Wren pursues her ghost to find out who he was really. I recently read Confession on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger and I definitely wanted to read more when I spied this ARC on Netgalley. I became intrigued with the storyline as Wren became obsessed with finding out the truth. In seeking the truth, Wren goes down a dark rabbit hole as the mystery of who Adam is and what is his intention. I love strong women characters who are resilient and stop at nothing to make sense of things that just don't add up. Wren suffered a lot of trauma in her life but was able to move on from that and build a good life until Adam entered her world. Some people would be weakened by this past but Wren is strong and unwilling to be made a victim because she is a survivor. Wren and Adam both had secrets that were slowly revealed as the mystery of their pasts unfolded. Characters are introduced and you find out later how they relate and who they are and all the questions in your mind will be answered at the end. I was immediately immersed in this story. The conclusion was nail-biting and suspenseful with a satisfying end.

Thank You to @NetGalley and @Harlequin for a digital copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.