A compelling, interweaving web of toxic relationships, but are the characters actions fuelled by love or selfish manipulation? This story kept me constantly guessing through the unravelling of lies and the changing motivations of each of the individual characters. Definitely a book which stays with you after reading it and makes you question human nature and the complicated relationships we have. A complete page turner, was disappointed when I finished reading it!

This story follows Tansy, a college guidance counselor who seems to be content with her quiet life now which is a much different life than the free-spirited life she was leading 20 years prior. However, when Selene - her best friend 20 years ago until Tansy cut her out of her life - comes to visit Tansy and collect on an old debt, Tansy's life will never be the same. Selene's daughter, Jupiter, goes to school at Tansy's college and Selene wants Tansy to convince Jupiter to break up with her boyfriend who Selene suspects is abusive. Tansy initially declines but when Selene brings up their shared past, Tansy finds herself drawn back into Selene's intoxicating circle of adrenaline and emotions. Tansy thinks she can stay on the edges and satisfy Selene's demands while also remaining professional but as more and more secrets get revealed, it is clear Tansy is in deeper than she expects.

TW/CW: suicide, domestic violence, toxic friendships, sexual assault, mental health

I really enjoyed the characters in this book and I loved how small but connected the cast was. This is really a story about connections - friendships, familial, professional, and romantic - and it was interesting to see how all of those connections can really work their way into someone's life. The book opens with Selene's visit to Tansy at her work and we immediately get the tension between the two women but we don't find out exactly why until a bit later. I would have loved more flashbacks to Tansy and Selene's relationship 20 years prior, especially since so much of the current plot directly revolved around them having this really intense friendship. I thought Tansy's character was really interesting at these different 'phases' in her life. I think a lot of the female protagonists in these domestic suspense/thrillers often fall into a few certain tropes (wine-drunk, obsessive, etc). And I think if the story would have been set a year or two after the friendship breakup, then we might have seen Tansy fulfill that particular role. However, choosing to set the story 20 years after the breakup gave both characters enough time to move on and find new things to do with their lives. I think this meant that the characters we get are much more well-rounded and less prone to drama and makes them more compelling to follow, in my opinion.

I do want to mention briefly that one character suspects Selene has borderline personality disorder (BPD). They explicitly state Selene has never been officially diagnosed but the character believes she fits the criteria well. From what I know from listening to people who have borderline/a family member with borderline personality disorder it does seem like Selene fits the clinical criteria. However, I am not a mental health professional and have no personal experience with BPD so I can't entirely speak to the representation. The surrounding characters who have a pretty extensive history with Selene's emotional swings and outbursts do sometimes come off as dismissive of her and the way Selene's story ends isn't exactly the most uplifting for any readers who might be struggling in a similar way to Selene.

I really loved the pacing of the book and how snappy it was despite not a whole lot, plot-wise, happening until the ending. We are following Tansy's POV though the book and in the beginning she's pretty unsure about getting involved. However, Gehrman does a fantastic job of dropping in new characters or plot information at just the right time that Tansy really has no choice but to keep going. The forward momentum in the story starts with Selene, but soon Tansy also becomes individually invested and curious in Jupiter's situation outside of Selene's influence. There's also some great push/pull moments with the mystery of the story (is Jupiter's boyfriend abusive or is Selene overreacting) which also kept me wanting to read more. The story really picks up with the ending which only really works because of how much character and relationship building the story has done up to that point.

My one gripe about the story is that it wasn't a suspenseful/thrilling as I think it is being marketed as. The description gives away the event in Tansy and Selene's past that Selene keeps basically blackmailing Tansy about but we get the full story pretty early on in the book and it didn't read as intense as I was expecting. I was expecting something much more "I know what you did last summer" vibes. I don't think the crime nor the stakes were built up enough to explain Selene coming to collect on a debt twenty years later. I also didn't buy that Selene was ever a real threat to Tansy. I could very well see Selene taking matters into her own hands and doing something drastic, but I didn't see how Tansy would get wrapped up in it. I think if we saw more scenes of them together 20 years ago before things went bad and we were able to see how magnetic Selene was for Tansy then maybe I would be more believing of the current-day situation. I also didn't feel like the stakes in the story were ever really high enough (until the ending). Until about the 70% point, this felt much more like a general fiction book about complicated relationships than a suspense/thriller. I've seen some reviews call this a 'slow burn' suspense which I suppose would fit but I like my slow burns to have a creeping sense of tension and danger which I just wasn't getting. When I sit back and look at all the plot points, everything I would want from a suspense novel is there but the writing just didn't connect the dots for me.

I think the ending will be hit or miss for readers but I really enjoyed it. I do feel like it was the strongest and most interesting part of the story because of all the groundwork that was done previously. I think the ending could have been even stronger if some of my issues with the tension I mentioned previously were done differently. I do think the ending will require a bit of suspension of disbelief but maybe if you're a reader who connected more with the story and really believed in the tension and conflict between Tansy and Selene it would come across more natural. It was a bittersweet ending for sure and the type where you're really hoping all the characters will get a happy ending but as the walls start to close in it becomes more and more obvious that can't happen.

Overall, I enjoyed the read although it felt much more like a general fiction book than a suspense/thriller. I loved the characters and complicated relationships but found the tension really lacking.

Thanks NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC

Expected publication date is March 8, 2022

This was such a tough one for me to give a rating to. I liked the character development a lot, although I think there could have been a lot more to Selene than what was shown. There were also a couple of moments that I didn’t see coming. But overall, I was looking for a juicy thriller full of secrets that would keep popping up throughout the novel, and I just didn’t feel like I got any of that.

There were many moments while reading where I felt that there was more of a focus on personal growth and renewal of relationships. There’s obviously nothing wrong with that, but since I was expecting a psychological thriller, I just kind of kept feeling like I was waiting for something more and was disappointed with the delivery. I was also convinced that there would be a shocking plot twist somewhere in the ending, but that never came either.

In saying all that, I enjoyed the writing style and the few secrets that were revealed definitely got my attention. I especially liked reading about Tansy and Selene’s friendship when they were younger. The power and manipulation that Selene held over Tansy was eerie and I wanted to hear more about that!

Overall, this book was fine but left me feeling like so much was missing. I would still recommend it to people who enjoy a novel with a few dark twists, but I wouldn’t say there was anything jaw-dropping about the story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC! I will be posting a review on my Bookstagram (@janinesbookcorner) closer to the publication date.

So I requested this ARC and was glad that I got this book. Though I was a bit skeptical about this book, to my surprise, I actually enjoyed reading this book!

Tansy is a counsellor at the university when her former best friend, Selene waltzes into her office one day, asking her to repay for a deed that they both have committed many years ago during the summer. Selene's daughter, Jupiter is attending the same university and Selene is convinced that her boyfriend, Colton is abusing her. Reluctantly, Tansy agrees to help her and soon, she discovers some dark secrets about Colton and at the same time develops a bond between her and Jupiter and a romance blossom between her and Zack, Selene's brother.

Initially, the first few chapters were a bit boring but gradually, the story got interesting. and intriguing as I kept continuing to read the book. Selene seemed to be a very complex character that as a reader, you don't know, if she is really telling the truth or not. Tansy is loyal and helpful and a likable character in my opinion. Jupiter, suffers just like any other domestic victims insecure though later on, she starts becoming stronger with the help of Tansy. The writing was engaging that the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story, making the reader feel like they are also the part of the story.

Overall, if you like a bit of a family drama, then I would recommend this book--page turner and the few parts in the book can make you emotional and heartbreaking--worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

This is a book of simmering secrets and past crimes that re-surface in the present. It isn’t one of those thrillers full of shocks and twists, but it’s a compelling portrait of a damaged woman who wreaks havoc in the lives of her loved ones.

College guidance counsellor Tansy is shocked when Selene walks into her office after she hasn’t seen her for 20 years. Once they were best friends, inseparable, until one terrible night when Selene came to Tansy’s aid and involved her in a crime that Tansy wants desperately to forget.

Now Selene has come to Tansy for payback. Her daughter Jupiter is a student at Tansy’s college, and she wants her to counsel her to leave her boyfriend Colton, as Selene believes he is abusing her and cutting her off from her family and friends. Tansy is reluctant to become involved once again in Selene’s wild schemes, but she is drawn to Jupiter and wants to help. She is also irresistibly attracted to Selene’s brother Zach even though she knows that getting too involved with this family could be a bad idea.

Selene is a vibrant, colourful character who leaps off the page – a woman you would love to hate but somehow don’t. Tansy is a likeable protagonist with a difficult moral dilemma. I could really relate to her struggle over the decisions she’s forced to make. The relationships between the characters are complex and make for interesting reading.

This is a slow burn with some mystery, some romance, some suspense. It’s very well written with some beautiful descriptive language. Don’t expect a shock every few chapters - it’s not that kind of book. But for me it was a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty years ago, Tansy and Selene were inseparable friends. It's more of a toxic relationship that ended due to an event. Now, Tansy is working as a college counselor and Selene is back, demanding that Tansy should help her daughter from being gaslighted by her boyfriend. Well, Tansy doesn't want to have anything to do with Selene anymore so she ignores her but Selene started threatening her about that summer two decades ago...

The Summer We Buried is a slow-burn novel that picked up its pace in the second half. The story is centered on family issues, abusive and toxic relationships, and mental health. The representation of mental health issues and how a toxic relationship can influence us mentally were well done.

Unfortunately, the characters were lacking depth and were just unlikeable. Tansy and Selene irritated me while I can't connect with Jupiter. In addition, I wasn't expecting the romance in the middle of Jupiter's drama that felt unnecessary. There are also some plot lines that were left open at the end.

Overall, The Summer We Buried is an intriguing read despite my complaints. The story is solid and kept me hooked albeit predictable. Would recommend it to someone who likes slow-paced psychological thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jody Gehrman and Crooked Lane Books for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

The premise to this novel sounds good and I requested it based on my love for the authors novel prior to this one. Unfortunately, I didn't love this one quite as much. It was a solid novel that kept me interested and invested in the families story, even though the family was not totally normal. All the relationships in this novel were complicated, but nonetheless, I enjoyed the novel.

Much better than the first outing, but the bar was pretty low here. All I wanted from this book was for it not to have thinly-veiled racism and ableism, and I got that.
The plot was better, but overall there was just too much navel-gazing at the friendship between Selene and Tansy, and not enough actually moving things forward. And Zack and Selene were written in such massive archetypes that it made them seem less real.

I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this to people.

Twenty years ago, Tansy fell under Selene’s charming and erratic spell, and they quickly became inseparable friends. After a shocking incident that ended up shattering their friendship, they ceased all contact with each other.
Now, Tansy is content working as an academic councillor at a small university and comfortably living on her ex-boyfriend’s property. Her quiet life gets disrupted again when one day Selene suddenly shows up with demands and threats if Tansy chooses not to help her. Eventually, Selene manipulates Tansy into aiding her, and their lives become entangled once again.

This suspenseful tale is slowly paced and told entirely from Tansy’s perspective.

Insta-love alert. And a steamy love scene. Both of which I could have done without. Readers who don’t mind insta-love/lust will probably enjoy it more than I did.
This book has a lot of intriguing twists and lies that go unpunished, but well worth the read. There is a lot of coercive, tormenting relationships that society tries to normalize and a true picture of how some may not see the invisible chains.
My only drawback was the slow burn at the beginning and just when I thought it was going nowhere...the web begins and ends with some intricate ways to keep you going.

A quick enjoyable 3.5 star read for me.

Tansy isn’t exactly thrilled when her old friend Selene arrives back into her life after 20 years. Tansy cut ties with Selene for a reason, and she doesn’t need the demons from her past to resurface now.

Selene believes her daughter Jupiter is caught up in a toxic relationship that she can’t escape from. Given that Tansy is a counsellor at the college her daughter attends, Selene feels Tansy is in the perfect position to help. Only problem is that Tansy doesn’t trust Selene and doesn’t want to let her back into her life.

The premise of the story is pretty good, and it definitely kept me intrigued but as a slow burn throughout it just took a little too long for anything to really get going for me until the last quarter of the book.

I really enjoyed the backstory of the characters as the truth of their friendship twenty years earlier started to unfold. Selene a strong, confident take to crap character, while Tansy who is ten younger was much more naïve and innocent when the unlikely pair became inseparable.

Domestic violence and violence against women is a strong theme throughout and I just got a little frustrated with Tansy’s lack of want to really do anything to help Jupiter out of her current situation, instead repeating the mantra that she needs to learn herself that the relationship isn’t right for her. I just found that a little irritating given that victims of abuse often struggle to leave of their own accord.

That’s just my opinion, maybe from a counsellor’s perspective her reaction was justified.

Overall, an interesting mystery read that I did enjoy.

Thank you so much to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one.

This was my first time reading a novel by Jody Gehrman and she did not disappoint. I would love to recommend this book to those who enjoy a good psychological thriller as the book touches upon some aspects of the human mind that makes us pause to think about people's actions and the reasons behind them.

In full honesty, this was not my favorite read. It felt slow to catch on and I felt like I was dragging my feet. The story line and idea are very interesting and normally what I would not be able to put down, but something about the writing style just did not jive with me. The book was in no way "bad", just not my cup of tea! I really hope that more readers were able to connect with it!

Fabulous story that I could not put down. Would highly recommend to fans of this genre. Great writing, and I will look for more from this author.

Honestly, I don't know where to begin with this one. I seem to be in the minority here, but I did not enjoy this book at all. It dragged, and was SO slow! I honestly do not think this was a "thriller" at all, but more of a toxic friendship drama. I didn't have any issues with the author's writing style, that was totally fine, but the story was lack luster. I also didn't connect to any of the characters. Selene was well written, and you definitely got a dark, witchy, mysterious vibe from her. Tansy got on my nerves at some points. Jupiter, well, I just didn't connect with her. I am just disappointed because I really thought I'd love this one. This will not stop me from checking out more by this author in the future, though.

I have another new author to look out for more from thanks to The Summer We Buried, a terrific psychological suspense novel. Selene is back in Tansy’s life after twenty years and it’s an unwelcome turn-up. It brings back some very bad things. Namely, a murder that they covered up which Tansy has yet to come to terms with. And now, after two decades apart, Selene wants something from her old friend, and it means crossing a professional line. She wants Tansy to use her role as college guidance counsellor to win her daughter’s trust, share confidences, and then help break up her relationship with her boyfriend, saving her from what might be an abusive relationship. Tansy tries to straddle the line between maintaining her professionalism, looking out for the girl, repaying an old debt. But it’s not easy when her wild, impulsive, dangerous friend Selena has good sides, and Selena’s daughter and brother are both fast becoming like family to Tansy. I loved the characters in The Summer We Buried and the author’s style, so highly recommend this one. 4.5 stars.

A treat for psychological thriller fans....................................

The Summer We Buried by Jody Gehrman is, indeed, an excellent psychological thriller. The plot has some very sharp turns which keeps your interest. Reading it felt like I am on a rocky terrain, could not relax myself a bit. Every page brings you a fresh mystery and thrill which restrains you from putting down the book. The book, definitely, defines friendship and loyalty in a very dangerous manner.

I would, definitely give the book 5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me an opportunity to read and review the book.

This was my first book by this author. While the book was ok, it just didn't keep me excited. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be.

I didn't like any of the characters. Tansy and Selene were not likable at all to me. There was such a huge age difference that I found it hard to believe they were "best friends." They had this big secret between them and then they were not friends any longer. I understand that would happen. Living in her ex-boyfriend's house while he is with another woman is also unbelievable to me. Women are way to petty to do that. lol When Selene comes back demanding help things start heating up again a bit.

This book did not give me the feels that I love in a book. It may just be me so do not judge it from my review. Read for yourself and determine if you like it or not.

Thank you #NetGalley, #CrookedLaneBooks for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

3/5 stars from me.

This was a slow-burn psychological thriller. It kept me intrigued, but it didn't really have a lot of twists or anything unexpected. I felt like the characters were well developed, even though I didn't really like any of them except for Zack. The women in this book - Tansy, Selene and Jupiter - are all pretty self-centered; those people just looking for relationship drama.

The author does a great job of building the suspense in this book and keeps you reading, so it was hard to put down. Overall, I enjoyed reading it even though I felt like something was missing by the end.

"Maybe everyone is complicated, and jumping into their mess is the price you pay if you don’t want to be alone."

The story started 20 years ago, with Tansy and Selene 18 and 29.. Their friendship blooming through shared secrets in the Summers and ends quite abruptly with a tangle of guilt of covering up a shared crime..
After 20 years, the dark end of the best summer of her life still haunts Tansy and when Selene shows up quite literally in her office asking for repayment, Tansy knows its not gonna end well.. Because try as she might, she will never get over the intoxicating and Moody presence of Selene Rathbone.


When I started reading the book, I did not think i will actually like it. The Blurb was intriguing enough, quirky hypnotic characters, long shared secrets and friendships.. But it didn't have a lot of mystery, it was obvious and probably overused.. But by almost 30% of the book, it didn't matter because basically it's not a thriller but it's a psychological minefield. The characters, their dynamics and everything happening around was not only hypnotic but also actionpacked and very engaging. All the characters were well written and interesting and i was invested in knowing more about their story. Even the slow burn which i usually hate, made for a perfect weekend gateway for me..

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the E-ARC

The Summer We Buried by Jody Gehrman is the story of a twisted past friendship that comes back to haunt the main character, Tansy. Tansy is in her late 30s and lives in Sonoma. She’s an academic counselor at the local college and loves her job. She lives in a small house on a huge property owned by her ex boyfriend. It is kind of awkward that she lives there considering he is with a new woman. However, they have continued their friendship. They used to be in an indie band back in their younger years that toured around the country.
One day when Tansy is at work, a woman comes in for an appointment that turns out to be life-changing. It is Tansy’s old friend Selene. Back when Tansy was 20, Selene was her best friend even though she was 10 years older. They worked together at a spa in the middle of nowhere. Something tragic happened and Tansy cut Selene out of her life. Now Selene Is back and claims Tansy owes her a favor. If she doesn’t help her, Selene threatens to tell the cops about what happened 20 years ago on that tragic night. Tansy feels trapped and doesn’t know what to do. Selene ratchets up the pressure and manipulation trying to get her way.
This book was a slow burn. I like the way that the tension slowly builds. I identified with the friendship because when I was younger I worked certain jobs where my coworkers were quite a bit older and we became close friends. I really enjoyed books that increase that feeling of dread as it goes on. Fans of thrillers or mysteries that have flashback scenes and stories of old friendships will like this book. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.