I am a sucker for any story about a first love. Especially emotionally driven ones. The thing you have to understand is, this book is not a thriller. I think it has been falsely advertised as such and will deter readers once they start reading it and find the opposite to be true. I was immediately pulled into Molly and Jake’s whirlwind romance in 2013, and I felt the intensity of that “first love” kind of obsession. Carola Lovering does such a good job of capturing that lustful infatuation and how it sticks with you, even when life moves on. Fast forward to Molly’s seemingly perfect life in Flynn Cove... and that’s when things get twisty. You know something’s off from the beginning, but you still want to see where it’s going. There were times I literally had to put the book down just to process the manipulation and choices being made (mainly by Sabrina, but Molly had her moments too). I loved how the story made me think about how we grow, change, and sometimes still carry old wounds no matter how far we’ve come. It’s messy in the best way. I didn’t always love every character, but I was totally invested the whole time. If you enjoy stories about complicated relationships, first love, and secrets that don’t stay buried, this one’s definitely worth the read.

I've read several books by Carola Lovering, and this one may be my favorite. Usually her books tend to have two female MCs with alternating perspectives, and those characters are all fairly demented and absolutely absurd in the worst ways. This book was a nice change of pace because of the two female MCs this time, one was absolutely horrible while the other was fairly normal and reasonably flawed. I usually have a hard time figuring out who I'm rooting for, if either of them, but this one felt very clear pretty immediately. There was certainly a "good guy" and a "bad guy" in this story, which isn't typically the case for other books from Lovering. So this one felt refreshing, while still being suspenseful. I wouldn't necessarily consider this one a thriller in the typical sense, but it was lightly thrilling. It was also very much a love story, while not being a romance.

I will say I saw this big twist coming from very early on, though I never expected it to be revealed in the way it was. I also disliked how understanding and forgiving basically everyone in this book was, with the exception of the main protagonist (who just couldn't let anything go). It felt like the most unrealistic part of the book. Also, not pressing charges? WILD!

I enjoyed the POVs and even though it was a slow burn yet picked up and I couldn't put it down. It was action packed thriller that will give you that bone chilling knowing there's someone looking at you from where you least expect it.

A cross genre story of how one woman will choose a life very much different than her youth could imagine. When she can no longer ignore her past, she'll find it hard to keep looking forward.

This is the third book I’ve read by Carola Lovering (Too Good to be True and Tell Me Lies were the others), so I knew to expect that it would be less of a thriller and more of a domestic suspense novel. That being said, I was still hoping for more “thrills” and surprises along the way. The premise of the story was great, and I liked the triangle between Molly, Jake, and Sabrina, but I would have been more satisfied with a less tidy resolution.

This is a definite story of "Oh what a tangled web we weave/When first we practice to deceive" Really fast paced tale of two women who come together as friends when one woman went out with the guy who the second women is currently married to. Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and Author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Those first true loves are magical, memorable and create a lasting impact on all subsequent relationships. Those first loves can also hold on so much that they cause obsession. Ultimately this book is a love story, the path to growing up and embracing the life that those life experiences and decisions have led to.

Can’t Look Away by Carola Lovering is a compelling domestic thriller that explores the intense emotions and complexities of romantic relationships. With its engaging characters and suspenseful narrative, it is a worthwhile read for fans of contemporary fiction and psychological dramas. While it may not be without its flaws, Lovering’s ability to draw readers into the lives of her characters makes this book hard to put down.

After reading and loving Tell Me Lies, I knew I wanted to keep reading from Carola Lovering. I really enjoyed this book overall! Having multiple POVs to follow is always exciting for me, and I liked how distinct each voice was, especially Sabrina's chapters that were written in the "you" perspective like she was talking to the readers as though we were Molly. The drama is high in this book, and while my attention was held the entire time, I can't say I was fully invested in the character's stories and the back and forth so many of them constantly went through with each other. I had a fun time though for the most part and will likely keep reading from the author!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Can't Look Away by Carola Lovering.

This one unfortunately took me entirely too long to get into, and even longer to finish. Granted, I'm very picky about the thrillers I read. Considering this is a domestic thriller, I was game! Unfortunately, too many POVs and what amounted to a book that I had to put down and pick up no less than 10 times, this book just wasn't my cup of tea.

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press , and Carola Lovering. ❤️

4.5 rounded up !

I did a mix of the physical and audiobook for this, and loved!! Highly recommend the audio, as it has multiple narrators for the multi pov which added such a good element, especially for sabrinas pov. It's also dual timeline which really worked for unleashing the different layers to this story.

This is definitely more of a romantic suspense, which may help to know going into it. I couldn't put this down and was thinking about it when I couldn't read it, wanting to know what happened next. I felt like I somewhat guessed some of the twists, but not much ahead of them being revealed, and it didn't take away from it at all.

I really enjoyed all the different themes this covered. Little bit of found family, self discovery, the strong friendships, infertility (check cw's). The ending wrapped things up so well and didn't leave me with any questions or feeling like I needed more.

Def would recommend and looking forward to more by Carola Lovering !

My 36th read of 2022 was this great one by @carolatlovering. Thanks @netgalley for this book. I love @megans_bookcorner’s recommendations, and this one was no exception. It was the perfect light, but enjoyable read, to keep me entertained as I got through wisdom teeth surgery. Some important triggers mentioned in @megans_bookcorner’s review if these are triggers for you. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 read in my books. #avivaandfriendsrecos #bookstagram

Posted @withregram • @megans_bookcorner BOOK REVIEW ✨

I am forever behind on reviews but I read CANT LOOK AWAY in March & I knew I’d love it — @carolatlovering books are always a hit for me 👏🏻

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

My thoughts:
📖 a page turner! I devoured this book in just over 24 hours
💖 I could relate to Molly in some aspects so she was one of my favorite characters
👀 center on toxic relationships & obsessions -- Lovering is a master when it comes to writing about toxic relationships but gripping her readers and holding their attention throughout
☺️ this book is a little hard to classify for a genre because there are aspects of romance and suspense but I think she does a great job of mixing both in!

Please be aware that there are triggers for infertility & IVF in this book so proceed with caution if that's a trigger for you. A huge thank to you @stmartinspress for my ARC of CAN'T LOOK AWAY. Lovering is definitely an auto buy author for me!!

💬 who’s an auto buy author for you?

There really isn't much going on and this is not a thriller even though it's listed as one. More like a low, slow burn that slowly dies out.

This definitely wasn’t the thriller or mystery I was expecting. It was an interesting story with intriguing characters. Once I stopped waiting for the mystery I was able to enjoy the book more

(3.5 stars, rounded up to 4)

In an affluent Connecticut enclave, Molly confronts the consequences of decisions made nearly a decade earlier. Living what appears to be a perfect life with her husband and daughter, she grapples with a lack of close friendships and unresolved fertility issues. Enter Sabrina, a captivating newcomer who injects excitement into Molly's world, but as the narrative unfolds, hidden mysteries and tangled relationships emerge, revealing layers of intrigue and betrayal.

Lovering crafts a compelling tale that delves into the complexities of love, ambition, and loyalty, blending multiple timelines to create a gripping and suspenseful read. From the blossoming romance of Molly and Jake to the intricacies of high society in Flynn Cove, the story unfolds with tantalizing twists and turns, offering a rich exploration of human connection and the consequences of our choices.

I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought. The story was very well were in and it catch you guessing till the very end. I would get this book a 4.5 out of 5t star rating

We get the story from three POVs. We see things through the eyes of Molly, Jake, and Sabrina, with chapters going back and forth from the past to the present day. I was very bored with the story at first but then began to enjoy it in a gossipy soap opera-ish way although I do not like soap operas. But it drags, deep down no one really changes even though their lives have changed. Also, these 32 year old grown ups act like things that happened just 6-9 year ago happened centuries ago. Like 6 to 9 years ago is ancient history even though they are secretly obsessing about those times constantly. So by the end of the story, which does get resolved in a tidy manner, I was back to not enjoying the story so much anymore. There really isn't much going on and this is not a thriller even though it's listed as one. More like a low, slow burn that slowly dies out.

I definitely thought this was going to be a thriller! It was not. It was a well paced interesting enough read, and I think if I had gone in anticipating more of a drama it might have worked for better for me.

I recently had the pleasure of read Can't Look Away and the author's skillful storytelling and ability to create tension and suspense had me hooked from the very first page. The characters were well-developed, each with their own secrets and motivations, adding depth to the plot. What I particularly enjoyed about this book was the twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a thrilling ride filled with suspense, mystery, and unexpected surprises.

While I wouldn't call this a thriller, Cant look away kept you on the edge of your seat. Molly is happily married, and working with her husband to grow their family despite difficulties and need for IVF. Enter Sabrina. Sabrina is a seemingly friendly, compatriot also going through her own fertility issues. But is she? This alternate timeline book shows the lengths one woman will go to gain revenge. I personally liked the alternate timelines, and enjoyed the diffrent perspectives. It aded to some of the irony thoughout the book.