Member Reviews
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Its been over a year since I read this and forgot to leave a review but I still remember everything. Over bearing mothers are a hook that will always catch me especially if they're inlaws too. This story is delightfully creepy and obsessive. But what else would you expect from Cathryn Grant. More please!
Unfortunately I didn't connect with this book at all and after multiple attempts I have had to admit defeat and mark as dnf.
Good thriller that you could kinda see the ending before you got there. However the book was enjoyable and the storyline was not stale.
Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC for an honest review.
This is the first book I read with this author and it will not be my last. It is very intense, fast-pace that had me shaking my head and holding my breath. Actually it starts off slow and suddenly in next second you realizes that you couldn't hold on your breathing till the end. I totally immerse myself in the storyline as it was played out through every chapter. I was shocked at the ending and it hooked me throught the beginning to the end. Highly recommend.
Always Remember by Cathryn Grant sucked me in from the very beginning and had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. I powered through this one because I just NEEDED to know what was going to happen. You could feel the tension between mom & grandma coming off the pages and I knew something bad was going to happen between the two of them. I did not however expect this to get as dark and twisted as it did. It actually added a lot of depth to the story and I ended up staying up late to finish this because the ending chapters are so dramatic, tense, and nerve-wracking. The characters in this were so well developed and I both loved and hated each one of them for different reasons. Cathryn Grant manages to take the age old daughter and mother in law not getting along storyline to a whole new level. This is such a unique take on such an age-old plotline. This was such a well done book and one of my favorite thrillers of the year so far!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A mothers love can be protective and comforting. Unfortunately, it can also be smothering and suffocating. Which words describe Louise’s love? She is a doting grandmother, while at the same time being a thorn in her daughter-in-law’s side. Who will come out on top in this battle of wills? Is Kelly, the daughter-in-law, paranoid and delusional? Is Louise lonely and misunderstood, or evil and manipulative? Compelling and twisty with a disturbing and unsettling twist I never saw coming, Always Remember is another thriller by Cathryn Grant that did not disappoint. Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for my copy.
Louise, Wyatt’s mother, was not only mentally unstable, she was a master manipulator with seemingly no idea how to stay within her own boundaries. She was such a powerful influence she had her son believing everything she said and did to the point that he took her word over his wife’s, bringing their marriage to the brink. It took a powerful, repulsive incident between Wyatt and Louise to make him see the reality of what his life was becoming. I was gripped by this thriller!
In this book at the start the father in law passes away. Is there more to it than a stroke? This happens at the start of the book and its then told from the perspective of the wife/son and daughter in law. I found this part quite refreshing as its not very often that this happens. I t really highlighted the different dynamics to the family group and how they were in effect playing each other off against each other. It shows as well how small cracks in a relationship can be made bigger by other people. I really enjoyed this thriller - very twisty and i would definitely read more by this author.
Always Remember begins with a death in the family. Louise's philandering husband is dead. Wyatt has lost the father who tormented him. Kelly found her lecherous father-in-law's body in a sauna. The story is told from all three of their perspectives, giving fascinating and infuriating insight into their individual miscommunications, manipulations and misunderstandings. Each of them brings the drama in their own way. Tension builds throughout until you're not sure who's crazier or more aggravating.
Wyatt is embarking on a new career, trying to fulfil his dream of becoming a musician, after a shove in that direction from his doting mom. Louise also gives Kelly the push she needs to go back to work after being at home with her and Wyatt's twin boys for a few years. There's a lot of change and, through it all, Louise manages to embed herself in the young family's lives and home ‒ with no intention of leaving.
Can a relationship survive a never-ending third wheel? Not if it's Louise, that's for sure. She is the queen of gaslighting, and then some. For me, Always Remember was a gripping thriller with just the right amount of drama and intrigue. I honestly didn't know what was going to happen until the end. I genuinely felt for Kelly, I wanted Wyatt to have some backbone and I would never, ever want to live with Louise. It's an interesting story in that I think different people might relate to the characters completely differently. However you view it, it's a well-spun tale. I look forward to reading more books by Cathryn Grant.
I was very excited to read this trilogy, yet, it was archived prior to my download.
However, I am going to peruse buying a copy, as I have read numerous excellent feedbacks about it.
Kelly finds her difficult father-in-law dead in the family sauna. He and his wife had been living with them while Frank recovers from heart surgery, and he should never have been in that sauna in the first place. The grieving widow continues to stay with her son while she is grieving, and gradually takes over care of her twin grandchildren. At first Kelly is fine with that, but it soon becomes clear that grandma has no intentions of moving, she becomes controlling, and Kelly's husband doesn't understand what is happening.
Ramona Thompson
I have read most of Cathryn Grants books and I have enjoyed all of them. However, I don't feel that this one is quite as good as the others. For one thing this scenario has been written about many times and on top of this none of the characters are very likable. Wyatt was the most compassionate and caring so that being said, it makes the ending somewhat unbelievable. It is fast paced and interesting and will definitely keep your attention. If you like domestic thrillers you will enjoy this book.
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest review.
Not a unique premise necessarily as I feel I have read a lot of thrillers involving mother in laws recently, but this story put a new spin on it with lots of twists and turns that kept me engaged the whole way through! Great read! And I will definitely be looking forward to more from this author.
This is my first Cathryn Grant book and all I can say is wow! This book kept me turning the pages late into the night. I finished this in one day. I am definitely going to pick up another of her books!
This book has it all! Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the author blocks you! This story unfolds with accounts by 3 POVs. The widow, the son & his wife. All 3 are manipulative and naive but very clever.
I am so glad I found this book because I will be reading more by this author!
This book had me hooked from the very first page! It was interesting, suspenseful, exciting and surprising! I loved it and will definitely be on the look out for more books by the author.
Louise loves her family. To death.
Kelly is married with two kids, enjoying an ordinary peaceful life – until she finds her father-in-law Frank dead in her backyard sauna.
Now, Frank’s grieving widow, Louise, has installed herself in Kelly’s house and shows no signs of leaving. Ever.
In fact, she seems determined to take over Kelly’s role as mother and wife, inserting herself between Kelly and her twin boys, lavishing attention on Kelly’s husband Wyatt.
Kelly tries to be understanding – Louise has had a huge shock, after all, losing her beloved husband of so many years.
But Louise knows exactly what she’s doing, and as her horrifying agenda slowly becomes clear, Kelly realises she has to fight. For her children, her marriage – and her life.
What a thrilling read this was!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Always Remember is a perfect book for anyone not about to walk down the aisle (haha). It's a page turner that will keep you wondering what this poor family will do right up until the very end. This was my first book by Cathryn Grant and it will not be my last.
The book starts out with the passing of Kelly's father in law, Frank. She has been caring for him in her home after his recent surgery. She finds him dead in the backyard and no one finds his death suspicious....not even his wife Louise. Louise plays the sweet, grieving wife card very well......so well, that she finds a way to tangle herself up in her sons life. What comes next is a conniving woman who will literally send chills down your spine. This woman will do whatever it takes to stay number one in her son's life and the stunts she pulls will leave your mouth on the floor. All I know is....I am so thankful my mother-in-law was nothing like Louise.
5 stars and a thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!
Thank you Netgalley, Inkubator Books, and Author Cathryn Grant for this ARC.
I had a really hard time rating this new Grant book. On one hand it was the classic domestic thriller of mother-in-law shoves her way into her kids' lives and destroys everything from the ground up. It was also a over-used plot. It held elements of Freudian psychology--ya know, the dark, icky stuff. It was frustrating in that the characters didn't communicate with each other or make smart moves in their benefit. This novel was certainly darker than others of the trope I've read, but otherwise, it wasn't unique from them.
I enjoyed this read, it was good.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of Always Remember by Cathyrn Grant.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and she is amazing. Grant paints such an intricate painting of her story I just loved it