What Hurts the Most by Willow Rose is a thrilling, action-packed mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story’s multiple timelines and complex characters build up to an outstandingly twisted ending, making this book impossible to put down. Rose masterfully uses flashbacks and flash-forwards, which add layers of suspense and make the plot even more engaging, as if you're uncovering secrets the characters don’t yet know.

The story follows Mary, an investigative reporter who returns to Cocoa Beach after losing her job in New York and discovering her brother is in jail for murder. As she delves into her brother’s case and the ongoing murders of her former high school friends, Mary is drawn back into the lives of those she once knew. There’s a serial killer picking off members of her old friend group, and as she teams up with Joey and others, the stakes get higher and more dangerous.

The character development is excellent, especially with Mary’s sharp investigative abilities and her resilience, despite the constant dangers. Even the side characters, like the intense and unpredictable AK, add a lot to the story, contributing to both the tension and the surprises along the way. The psychological suspense is palpable; just when you think you’ve figured it out, Rose throws another twist that keeps you guessing.

This is not just a mystery—it’s a dark and gripping thriller with unforgettable characters, intense action, and jaw-dropping moments. If you’re a fan of suspenseful mysteries with plenty of twists, What Hurts the Most will keep you reading late into the night. I can’t wait to see what Willow Rose has in store for us next!


thanks to NetGalley for providing my copy of this book

Willow Rose's What Hurts the Most is a gripping and emotional thriller that delves into themes of love, loss, and the impact of past traumas. The story follows a protagonist grappling with the aftermath of a devastating event, navigating the complexities of grief while uncovering dark secrets that threaten to unravel her world.

Rose's writing is evocative and suspenseful, drawing readers into a narrative filled with tension and unexpected twists. The characters are well-crafted and relatable, each facing their own demons, which adds depth to the story. As the plot unfolds, readers are taken on a rollercoaster of emotions, balancing moments of heartbreak with flashes of hope and resilience.

The pacing is expertly handled, keeping readers engaged as the layers of mystery are peeled back. Rose masterfully combines psychological depth with thrilling elements, creating a compelling narrative that resonates long after the last page.

Overall, What Hurts the Most is a poignant and thrilling read that will appeal to fans of emotional dramas and psychological thrillers alike. It’s a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

I must have forgotten that I was only gifted a short except of Willow Rose’s, (aptly named in my opinion because it suddenly ended as I was just becoming engaged in the novel’s diverse themes) a psychological thriller, “What Hurts The Most—A Mary Mills Mystery, Book 1” by Willow Rose.

From my brief exposure to this novel, there is a lot going on in Cocoa Beach, Florida, as the action opens upon a woman fleeing into busy Highway A1A traffic from pursuers shooting at her with a spear gun to the unfaithful wife of a highly tempered Air Force Base General seducing a naive artist as men crash in to his home.

Everything was getting juicy and THAT’S WHAT HURTS THE MOST… my brief excerpt ended. It definitely left me wanting more.

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Willow Rose, and Publisher BOUY Media for this advanced reader's copy for review.

Willow Rose always leave me wanting and need more of her work and this is no different. From the characters to the plot it’s amazing

What Hurts the Most by Willow Rose is the first in the new Mary Mills Mystery Series. In a multiple-timeline tale, it keeps you guessing throughout on who did what and when.

Mary Mills was having what seemed like the worst day ever, when she gets more shockingly bad news. Her younger artist bother has been arrested for murder. Mary can’t believe that her spoiled, unmotivated, and lazy brother was set up and framed like this. She sets off from her New York City apartment with her son to head down “home” to where she grew up and her brother still lived: Cocoa Beach Florida.

Her past comes rushing back at her the moment that she enters town. Can she face up to the old demons? Will she be able to prove her brother’s innocence in time? Or will her past come back to haunt her and worse this time?

Thanks to NetGalley and Buoy Media for this audio ARC!!

I enjoyed reading this fast-paced thriller about an investigating reporter who is back in her hometown and a serial killer who is killing people who knew each other back in high school. I was quickly pulled into the story and I tried to read the book as fast as I could. It is a good story and kept me guessing til the end.

Old hurts come back to haunt the town of Cocoa Beach in Florida. Mary has come back to her hometown to help clear the name of her brother, who has been charged with murder. Only while she's back, more murders keep occurring. Are they all related and is someone seeking revenge? It's a race against time for Mary and friends to find the killer before they find their next victim. An easy, fun read!

You will never guess the ending!

Am I pretty?

Imagine being asked that question standing face to face with a killer. What would you answer?

While her life is going from bad to worse, journalist Mary Mills receives a disturbing phone call from her father. Her brother was arrested, charged with murder.

Mary decides to go back to her hometown of Cocoa Beach, Florida, which she left twenty years back and has never visited since.

Working with her old friends in from High School, she tracks down the most disturbing and surprising killer this town has ever faced before a shocking conclusion turns everything upside down for them.

Determined to solve the murder and to have her brother acquitted, Mary, is forced to face demons from her past she never thought she would have to again.

What Hurts the Most is a chilling, fast-paced story of the power of friendship, but also murder and revenge.

I really like Willow Rose, so I was excited to read this book. This one didn't work for me.

There were too many characters to keep up with. I am a lover of multiple POVs and dual timelines, but the amount of characters in this one, coupled with all the jumping between characters, had me confused. I kept listening, thinking that it would become more clear the further along I read, but that didn't happen for me.

I also felt the characters lacked depth. Yes, there was background info provided in the timeline from the past, but there was no depth given to the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Buoy Media for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

What a great read.
In the beginning you are confronted with a few storylines but as you read, they start to merge into one and make sense. So many twists and turns until the end where a few came out of nowhere to surprise the reader.
Am rather pleased to see this is a series, so looking forward to diving into the next one soon.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

This story switches back and forth between the high school years and when the characters are nearly 40. It does keep one guessing and most likely you will be wrong. There are many twists and turns to this tale. I do look forward to reading the next one in this series. I definitely need a break first with something lighter as this one is rather intense. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Another intriguing Willow Rose book. This was my first Mary Mills mystery book. I found Mary to be rather brash. A lot of backstory in this relating to the past.
One of the main things that bugs me is when a medical provider is explained incorrectly. A heart catheterization doesn’t require a chest incison.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is the first in a new series for the author, Willow Rose. And it is a good start. The characters are well-written and the storyline is great. She knows how to get the readers attention! For me, I could not put the book down and read it quite quickly. I am looking forward to more in this series. I do recommend this book!

Am I Pretty?
After reading this book I will always get a chill hearing those words!

This was my first Willow Rose book and it did not disappoint. The character development made you feel like you really knew some of the characters- but you will never guess who’s the killer. Don’t worry though you won’t have to wait until the last chapter for all the excitement in this book- there are lots of twists and turns along the way to keep you wanting more. If you love a great suspense book this is the one you!

Publisher Buoy Media
Author Willow Rose
Categories General Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Loved being introduced to Mary Mills and as a fan of Willow Roses Eva Rae Thomas series another series from her is exciting. Great characters, and as usual great storyline

This book is set in Cocoa Beach, which always reminds me of the places we used to visit in Florida when I was growing up - small towns, with Mom and Pop motels right across the road from the beach. However, there is a very dark side to this small town.

This is the first book in the Mary Mills series. Mary has just lost her job in NYC when she receives a phone call from her father asking her to come home. Her brother has been arrested for murder. Mary has bad memories from living in Cocoa Beach, but she returns for her family, along with her young son and their dog. She discovers that a lot of her old high school friends are still in town, but so are some of the worst bullies. She and her friends begin their own investigation to try to figure out who had reason to want to kill the murdered person.

This book alternates between the past and the present, with different points of view. There are a lot of twists in this book, particularly the final one that I never saw coming.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher Buoy Media via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

This book is so good! It is the first book in the Mary Mills series and since finishing it, I have purchased the second book. Mary, who is estranged from her father, gets a call saying her brother has been arrested for murder. She and her son Salter head back to Florida to try to help her brother. After getting there a string of murders keep happening. Can Mary free her brother?

This is a book you won’t want to put down. I know I didn’t. I wasn’t able to guess all the key players either. Which I really liked.

Just at the moment when Mary gets fired from her job at the NYT, she receives a phone call from her father that her brother has been arrested and charged with murder. Mary packs up the car with her son and dog and drives down to Florida to figure out what happened and how she can help her brother.

When Mary gets to town, people she knew from high school start getting murdered, and her old high school gang (the 7th street crew) launch into investigating what happened.

This story is told through multiple POVs and various timelines. The conclusion of the “who dun it” does tie everything together…. But wait!! Then there was a twist that no one saw coming!!! Can’t wait to read the sequel in this series.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis (From Netgalley, the provider of the book to review)
*******************************************************

Am I pretty? Imagine being asked that question standing face to face with a killer. What would you answer?
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While her life is going from bad to worse, journalist Mary Mills receives a disturbing phone call from her father. Her brother was arrested, and charged with murder. Mary decides to go back to her hometown of Cocoa Beach, Florida, which she left twenty years back and has never visited since. Working with her old friends in from High School, she tracks down the most disturbing and surprising killer this town has ever faced before a shocking conclusion turns everything upside down for them.

Determined to solve the murder and to have her brother acquitted, Mary, is forced to face demons from her past she never thought she would have to again. What Hurts the Most is a chilling, fast-paced story of the power of friendship, but also murder and revenge. Note: it’s the first in Willow Rose’s new series about Mary Mills and her childhood friends from Cocoa Beach

I know I read this when it first came out and I thoroughly enjoyed this from page one to its shocking ending. It is highly recommended to read a first and a second time down the road!
#shortbutsweetreviews