A psychological domestic thriller delivered by a debut author that was amazing! A great page turner that keeps you engaged with twists and turns throughout. I cannot wait to read whatever Nora comes out with next!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC !

From my blog: Always With a Book

There have been some pretty amazing debuts this year and I am thrilled to say this one from Nora Murphy is definitely one of them. Right from the beginning I was captivated and that never let up…and that is all due to the writing!

There are many books out there that deal with domestic abuse, but none that handle it like this. I loved the way the characters, Leah and McKenna were developed and how they played off each other. It was so clever to have them help each other, yet never meet each other. This is the type of book that just grabs you and you find yourself silently rooting for them without even realizing it.

Be prepared to be totally consumed with this book once you start it. The pace is pitch-perfect with just the right amount of suspense thrown in, and the perspectives we get here are just so eye-opening. Telling the story from the point of view of the abused is what really sets this apart and when you read the author’s note it really makes it all the more impactful. As I already stated, this debut really stood out for me and I see big things coming for this author…I’ll be eagerly awaiting her next book!

Leah Dawson has worked hard and she’s now a lawyer, she meets her future husband Liam whose now a well known divorce attorney, on the outside they appear to have it all. But once Leah marries Liam she sees a different side to him and how far he will go to control her.
McKenna Hawkins is a pediatrician married to psychiatrist Zachary. They look like the perfect couple. Just like Leah once she’s married Zachary shows a darker side.
These two woman don’t know each-other and have never met. One day Leah spots McKenna at the local liquor store. Leah knows there’s something familiar about McKenna and she realizes she sees herself in her, and when she follows McKenna home and watches, she sees that they share a similar home life , right down to the physical and emotional abuse. Leah makes it her mission to help McKenna and soon one night turns both their worlds upside down. How far is Leah willing to go to help this woman she doesn’t even know? As the story line unfolds you see how you truly don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors. Emotional abuse is a hidden abuse. I truly enjoyed the story and felt horrible for these woman’s home life, it opens your eyes. Trigger warning abuse both physical and emotional. This was a great fast read!

The book I started my vacation with and the one that helped pass the time waiting at Toronto Pearson and flying from Toronto to Cuba. Do you read while flying? It’s the perfect time for me to read.✈️

The Favor has an interesting premise. Two women cross paths - they don’t know each other but they can sense that they are in similar situations - in abusive relationships that they need to escape. When Leah sees something at Makenna’s house - it pushes her to make a drastic decision. One that will change both their lives and although Leah doesn’t expect anything, Makenna repays the favor.😳

Although loved by many, this book was just ok for me. The first part was good but it became too far-fetched. There were portions where I was so engaged and others where it lagged. If you’re looking for a domestic drama, this may be for you.⭐️⭐️⭐️

I appreciate @netgalley providing a copy for review.

Leah and McKenna are two women who are, as the book description states, leading parallel lives. But unlike parallel lines, their lives do cross, very briefly, but in that instant there is a recognition. Leah's curiosity leads her to find out more, and when she sees that McKenna's life is so much like her own, she decides to see if she can help McKenna do what she can't... find an escape.
Nora Murphy paints an all-true picture of domestic violence, which can be hard to read but is reflective of many true life situations. These descriptions help us understand how trapped them women are and understand what they'll do when they have an opportunity to escape.
Do not let the subject matter put you off this book, in fact, let it draw you in. Murphy does a wonderful job with all her characters, and whether the reader likes and relates to the characters or not, they are realistic.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Leah sees McKenna at the liquor store and knows right away, they are the same.
This is further confirmed when Leah sees Mckenna interacting with her husband.
She knows it’s fake, she knows the truth behind the happy marriage facade, because they are the same.

This was a gripping story. Even though there are no twists, it was interesting to see how this story played out.

Leah and McKenna live parallel lives never meeting in person. They grocery shop and commute to work , take care of their families. But never meet. One day Leah sees something about McKennas husband outside their house that is a game changer and everything changes. They are on a collision course to met and impact each other’s life forever. Such a great story that kept me guessing until the end!

Nora Murphy's debut novel, The Favor, is domestic suspense with a dash of psychological thriller. In other words, it's the perfect balance of the two, and it's just waiting for new readers to come along.

Leah and McKenna could be twins for the situations they are in. Yet they never talk, never commiserate, and certainly never try to plan a way out together. Both women seem to have a perfect life, at least on the surface. Yet both are equally trapped.

For this reason, Leah decided to keep an eye out for McKenna, watching over her from the shadows. That is, until the night she decided to step in and intervene. Then everything changed.

The Favor is an intense read, to put it mildly. If my description didn't make it clear enough, both characters (Leah and McKenna) are victims of domestic abuse. Their stories revolve around this plot, so you can't avoid it. If this is upsetting to you, I would strongly suggest you look for another book to read.

That said, I absolutely adore how Nora Murphy portrays both leading characters. They feel so real and so painfully...human. It's inescapable, making the situations they are in all the more painful, as I'm sure was the intention.

There were times when the violence got to be a bit much, which is why I wanted to bring it up early in my review. I still found it worth reading, though I can see why many readers would feel the opposite.

Happy happy Friday! I was totally in a reading slump this week; after finishing 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑦𝑛 𝐻𝑢𝑔𝑜 everything was boring me. I even DNF a few books😅.

BUT GOOD NEWS! I was finally pulled back into the reading game thanks to 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟 by @noramurphybooks! Honestly I really loved this domestic thriller and devoured it in just two days!

@noramurphybooks concocted a super creative tale of two women who are both in disturbing relationships, and desperately want to get out.

I found all the characters likeable, even detective Jordan Harrison! I was nervous about the ending but it ended PERFECTLY! Although the plot could be pretty unbelievable, it was still a great, addicting, 100% recommendable read!

✨special thanks to @minotaur_books and @stmartinspress for the gifted copy✨

SYNOPSIS: “Leah and McKenna have never met, though they have parallel lives.

They don’t—ever—find themselves in the same train carriage or meet accidentally at the gym or the coffee shop. They don’t—ever—discuss their problems and find common ground. They don’t—ever—acknowledge to each other that although their lives have all the trappings of success, wealth and happiness, they are, in fact, trapped.

Because Leah understands that what’s inside a home can be more dangerous than what’s outside. Driving past McKenna’s house one night, she sees what she knows only too well herself from her own marriage: McKenna’s “perfect” husband is not what he seems. She decides to keep an eye out for McKenna, until one night, she intervenes.

Leah and McKenna have never met. But they will.”

The Favor ~ Nora Murphy a domestic suspense novel
Two women who are pushed to their limits by their controlling and abusive husbands. But they keep quiet because who would believe them? Their husbands are pillars of the community. A heart pounding thriller, when staying is dangerous, but leaving could be worse.
Leah and Mckenna have never met. They don't travel in the same circles, or accidentally bump into each other at the coffee shop, and they don't - ever - discuss their problems. One night changes everything. This book will keep you on the edge. It will make you question what would you do? This was an absolute barnburner. I couldn't put it down. I needed to know what would happen next, I was fully vested. Nora Murphy delivered an absolute page-turner. 5 stars all the way!

This was SO good! Great debut on the dark subject of abuse.!! Well done characters and I loved them both! Leah and McKenna kept me rooting for each and quickly turning pages. We also hear form Detective Harrison, who is on their trail. This part was interesting, because we kind of get a police procedural too. LOVED this and eager to read more from Ms. Murphy!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Nora Murphy and Minotaur Books for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Wow! Absolutely blown away by how wonderful this book was. I love the dynamics of of both the FMCS with each other. The way they come together was incredible. I love to
Read a book of women looking out for other women. Taking care of each other when their husbands DONT.
Beware of trigger warnings!!

More a book of domestic suspense, as opposed to a mystery thriller. The murder happens right from the jump, and there’s no question about who the murderer is. It is not a mystery you are trying to solve by any means. It’s more the direction the life takes after the murder, the way society forces women to take their abuse into their own hands. How do you can’t rely on law-enforcement or anyone else in some situations.
The reality is so true that it’s painful to read. But I think this book needs to be read. Always remember you never know what’s going on behind that pretty exterior, that everything can be so different than it seems behind closed doors.

Two intelligent, professional women who are suffering from domestic abuse. One married to a hot shot lawyer, the other to a successful doctor. A chance encounter in a liquor store leads to one woman worrying about the other woman as she recognizes the tell-tale signs of abuse in her. This leads to another act that changes their lives forever. Good plot, well narrated, enjoyable to read/listen to.

This is an extremely gripping domestic thriller about two wives. McKenna and Leah don't know each other but both women seem to have it all. Handsome and successful husbands living the perfect home life. What looks like the perfect life from the outside is hardly that.

Both of these women are trapped in abusive marriages to horrible men. One day, the two women cross paths that will link them forever.

The Favor is the debut novel by author Nora Murphy, and one of those books that I suggest going into without reading lot about it but just knowing that it does center about domestic violence. The characters were well developed and I appreciated the strong female empowerment in this one. It has girl on the train vibes and had me turning the pages until the very end. I look forward to seeing what author Nora Murphy writes next!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted review copies.

4 stars. Quick and easy read. Trigger warning for domestic violence and miscarriage. 2 women are in abusive relationships, and both help each other be free. A nice paced page turner. Highly recommend for a quick summer read. Thanks for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book kept me guessing and staying up way past my bedtime! I look forward to more books by this author.

If you are looking for an exceptionally clever,fast paced psychological thriller…this is the book for you! I absolutely loved this book. This book had me holding my breath at times, rooting for the main characters…screaming out loud! This book is a not to be missed book this year! The characters are well developed, and you will not want to put this book down!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

This story follows two professional women who are both in abusive relationships who eventually band together to make their lives better. Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I was very invested in the beginning of the book and was really excited on where it was going. At about the halfway mark I started to get bored. I found it really dragged and the inclusion of the police officers point of view to be really boring.
The thing I love about thrillers are that they’re able to keep me on the edge of my seat, I love twists and turns and secrets and unfortunately I just didn’t get that from this book.

Absolutely loved this book! The description of the abusers behaviors are spot on. The book ended somewhat abruptly, but I did like the connection to the women in the end. Highly recommend!