This is the second book by Lovering that I have read. She just gets better with each book. This is a story that lives up to it's title. I literally could not look away. Once I started it, I devoured it to the very end. It is a definite page-turner!

Molly and Jake are the perfect couple and so in love... until they aren't anymore. Molly moves on but when the past comes crashing back into her world, that's when the creepiness starts. Nothing and no one is who they seem to be anymore.

Can't Look Away is an exciting thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. Start it and believe me, you won't be able to look away.

When Molly and Jake make eye contact at a concert, Jake the lead singer of an up-and-coming band, and Molly an aspiring writer, they each know that moment is the start of a life together. But things don't always go as planned, and sometimes, love is not enough. Several years later, Molly is happily married living in a small but wealthy town. She has a beautiful daughter, handsome husband, and comfortable home, but something in her life feels empty - that is until Sabrina and her husband move to town and Molly suddenly feels like she has a true friend to connect with. But not everything is as it seems, and Molly is in for some shocking discoveries and challenging decisions as she is forced to rediscover herself.
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Overall, this book was really well-written. The characters had depth, even the secondary characters. However, it was labeled mystery/thriller, and in no way do I think it fits into this genre. If anything, it is more general fiction/romance. I would definitely recommend this book, but not if you are looking for or expecting a thriller. The emotional depth of the book was superb, but was overall slightly anticlimactic (especially with the thriller label).
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Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. #CantLookAway #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a complex thriller this was! Molly was such a great character. I loved learning about her past with Jake and then switching to her present life with her snobby mom friends. I also loved how this book was told from different characters' perspectives. Hearing from the other characters made this book so suspenseful and I was devouring each page wondering what was going to happen next. Highly recommend this thriller filled with drama, love, jealousy, and obsession!

"Maybe happiness is what you surrender to, not what you fight for."

Sometimes love shouldn't be so hard, maybe it shouldn't hurt so much, is one of the many themes to be found in the suspenseful romance drama Can't Look Away by, becoming an auto buy author for me, Carola Lovering.

This story begins in 2013 with Molly locking eyes with sexy lead singer Jake at a club and realizing her life will never be the same.

By chapter two it's 2022 and Molly is married to Hunter with an almost 6 year old daughter living in the suburbs. How did she get here? Where's Jake? Who's Hunter?

As the story goes back and forth in time and we see Molly and Jake's love unfold we see the pressures of rising stardom, self doubt, and why being in love isn't always for the young.

But do you even have a chance when outside forces, like a stalking ex girlfriend, schemes to take advantage of your insecurities?

Told from Molly and Jake's POVs, narrators Karissa Vacker and Zackary Webber give real performances of being in love, of scarifies and of selfishness. The joy, the anger and the sadness that love can bring is written and performed with raw honesty.

There is one more POV, that of the ex girlfriend, who is a bit crazy, and performed by, ecstatically chewing up the scenery, narrator Caitlin Davies. I can't say much about this character, including her name, because she uses a few names and one of them has a reveal that, though not startling, was definitely unsettling for me. I do wish she had more of a comeuppance but I can be petty about stalkers. But I am not petty about true love and with this bittersweet dramatic romance I Can't Look Away.

I received a free copy of this book & audiobook from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one. I wouldn't say it was super suspenseful but the pacing was good and any time you have a character who's obsessed enough they start to try and ruin someone else's life, a certain level of unpredictability comes into play. A wildcard you might say. Domestic drama, women's contemporary fiction, whatever you want to call it, it was a stalker novel, and it was a woman stalking another woman over a man.

I have a weakness for rockstars and Jake filled his role perfectly. The tortured artist with a bad past, charming, but moody, I loved his character for this role. Molly was harder for me to like because I felt like she was always seeking validation from others and never herself. Also an artist, a writer, the two have chemistry that just won't quit! We see their relationship from the past until it implodes along with Molly's present where she has seemingly moved on, even though the song remains, lol. Sabrina is a whole other situation and I won't say much about her other than she's the key that causes past and present to collide.

Great pacing, enjoyed the story telling and this one kept me engaged to the end, I enjoyed it.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Carola Lovering for an ARC of this book!**

Have you ever been trapped on a subway car with a couple that just SHOULD NOT be together...and you get to subsequently listen to their petty and obnoxious argument?

Now picture that one half of this couple is a highly overrated and slightly washed up alt-country star...and the other half is an obsessive fangirl who just couldn't move on.

Then toss in the 'one that got away' for the man to stare at longingly from across the car...and you'd (somewhat) have this book.

Said musician is Jake Danner, leading man of a band called Danner Lane, and at a concert in 2013 he meets Molly Diamond, a would-be writer. He writes her a song, titled fittingly "Molly's Song" (heavy eye roll) that helps propel the band to fame, but Jake's bad behavior (you can guess what that is) and other circumstances drive the couple apart.

Years later, Molly has put aside well, ALL of her has-been dreams, from being Mrs. Rock Royalty to being a star novelist and has settled into domestic bliss with Hunter, a friend who became much more, and is raising a young daughter Stella. She doesn't quite fit in to the wealthy suburb, however, and trying to have another child has made her feel lonely and frustrated. Amidst these IVF struggles, she just HAPPENS to meet Sabrina at her yoga studio, a woman who can SO relate (OMG) and Molly feels she's finally found a kindred spirit. But just how close IS Sabrina to Molly? Was this chance encounter a coincidence...or a highly orchestrated move from a woman who knows more than just the lyrics to Molly's Song...but their inspiration itself? Is she there to provide a shoulder...or to simply tackle some unfinished business of her own?

After mixed feelings about my last Lovering book (namely that the big twist was simply revealed too soon, and was followed by a bit too much exposition) this striking cover caught my eye and I figured I'd give this one a try. I'm all for a good story of obsession. HOWEVER what I did not bargain for from the beginning with this book is that much like giving a feline a bath, this one was mostly a catty, and soapy mess.

These characters were not only unlikable to me, but were ridiculously immature. Jake, who is supposedly such a drool worthy rock god that we are supposed to ignore the fact that he's...a stereotypical, womanizing rocker. He's also referred to as "Tim McGraw meets Kurt Cobain." Blech. And don't get me started on his TERRIBLE lyrics...I think there was more than one reason the band struggled. But that's neither here nor there in terms of this story.

This bouncing timeline was just one more thing to add to the overall frustration I felt while reading this book. I understand it was necessary in some respects, but it wasn't executed well and most of the 'past' sections could have been shorter, or just eliminated entirely, because they felt repetitive. We get it: Molly thinks he's the perfect man and can't get over him. Their relationship was incredible until it (unsurprisingly) wasn't.

It also bothered me that childbearing (or the lack thereof) seemed to be such a sore point for these characters. For me, this sort of just reinforces the narrative that women have to have children in order to feel fulfilled or whole, and that notion sort of makes me uncomfortable. I feel lucky to have had my son every day, but if it hadn't been in the cards for me, then that would have been it. It isn't "Well of COURSE you're going to spend 30k+ on IVF: for everyone. I respect that everyone has different views on this subject, but I just didn't like the amount of emphasis placed on this aspect of the story.

Perhaps my biggest struggle, though, was this dialogue. The characters really did sound like they'd just waltzed off the set of a soap opera, or a bad daytime talk show. I rolled my eyes many times, and the sappy 'perfect' ending just solidified that feeling. This is also in NO WAY a thriller, or even a suspense book, so other than some semi-obsessive behavior, there's nothing scary or intriguing here. I'd cite some examples. but I didn't pick any at the time and don't have any desire to relive those moments.

Finishing this one, however, was much like the end of the aforementioned cat bath: I got through it, but I can't say it was worth my time....and now *I* just feel like I need a long shower.

2.5 stars, rounded down

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Carola Lovering for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I expected a lot more action in this one, but you don’t need it at all. This one is hard to put down and although I could see some aspects coming, there was always a twist that I hadn’t seen coming. I couldn’t stop reading and really enjoyed the look back into their past and their relationship. Can’t look away was a fast paced, multiple perspective look into young love and I would highly recommend.

This was a fast-paced twisted romance. It’s described as a thriller, but I feel like it’s more of a romance/drama filled with suspense. Told through three POV’s of Molly, Sabrina and Jake and multiple time lines. The characters were well developed, Sabrina was unreliable and the romance was swoon worthy. In the book you have a rockstar, a jealous ex, and the one that got away. It was an entertaining story that kept me guessing on what was going to happen, and the ending was perfect.

A huge thank you to Netgally and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗟𝗟 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗜𝗙:
• You want a well written suspense
• You're a millennial & want a relatable romance
• You enjoy past/present duel timelines

📚 Molly, an aspiring writer locks eyes with lead singer of a band Jake at a concert in Brooklyn. They fall in love fast and Molly quickly becomes Jake’s muse. But can this creative couple stand the test of time, or will life choose different paths for them…?

💭I want to start by saying that I love Lovering's books! They are always so relatable and her writing is so fast paced I never want to put them down. Although this story holds suspense, it was the perfect mix of secrets, obsession, drama and romance for me. It makes you think about second chances, your first love and acting with your head vs. your heart! I don't want to say too much and spoil this one, go in blind! I would definitely add this to your summer reading list!

This author’s writing style captivates me. I went into this book thinking it was a thriller but it was more a drama about the loves we experience in our 20’s versus the love we choose for a lifetime with some great plot twists. There was nothing shocking or gasp worthy, but this story held my attention and soothed me. Thank you Netgalley, St. Martins Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book gave me Single White Female vibes. Crazy bitch...I do love me a 90's throwback, though.

This is not so much a thriller, but a domestic suspense and wow, did I hate just about everybody! Smack your momma, why are you so annoying?!??!?!

I'm not sure how I felt about this one.

This book kept my attention throughout and I thought the multiple timelines and POV were done really well.

However, something happened at the 85% mark that just rubbed me the wrong away. I'd ❤️ to tell you what that was, but I'm old, drink a lot and read this several books ago, so I can't remember.

There were so many cutesy nicknames, too! Moll (Molly), Hunt (Hunter) and many others that I've blocked out. Towards the end, this made me want to regurgitate.

The ending was ok. I just couldn't rationalize what happened to certain people, but no spoilers here, so I'll leave it at that.

I liked it. I think. I did. I'm pretty sure.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

What I loved:
1. A captivating storyline about the mystery of what was, and the journey of how things ended up, and why.
2. 3 POV’s of important main characters, which gave us a glimpse into their lives, and how everyone is connected.
3. The moments of suspense, that essentially kept me reading.
What I would’ve enjoyed more:
1. More moments of suspense, and plot surprises.

I think overall, this is a softer mystery thriller. Not too intense, and overall and good slow paced burn. Perfect to enjoy on a summer day by a bonfire.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of Can't Look Away. I enjoyed Carola Lovering's previous novel and was excited to read this one. It didn't disappoint!

The story centers on Molly and Jake, and their romance in their early twenties. Several years have passed, and they have moved on and married different partners. Yet, they are reunited in the small town they both live in. Their meeting brings back old feelings, yet it seems too unbelievable that they happened to meet again. Jake's new wife, Sabrina, orchestrated this meeting - but why?

This was a drama-filled novel that had me turning the pages wanting to know what exactly was going on with Sabrina. I love books like this, ones that keep me guessing and have some betrayals and domestic suspense. I enjoyed this one, and can't wait to read her next book!

3.5 stars. This one is not an edge of your seat thriller necessarily, but I was curious what was going to happen next, and I was engrossed in the plot for most of the story. But.....this one totally falls apart at the end for me. A different ending and I would probably go 4 stars, because this one does provide quite a bit to talk about - first love, relationships, fertility, and so much more. I loved the author's last book, and I will definitely check out what she writes next (with fingers crossed for a more believable ending).

Can’t Look Away was a realistic fiction that made me feel awful. It was a story that made me nervous and anxious. Nothing good was happening. Choices were made and lots of people got hurt in this story. It took on a whole new level of complicated.
This story was so broken and sad. To much lying and cheating for my taste. I wish the author could of balanced this out. The author writes well I just hated the story. There. That’s what I thought.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

I love a story that jumps between timelines but something about this one just left me a little underwhelmed. I felt like there wasn't much action or character development and I'd like there to be at least one or the other. I enjoyed reading this in the same way I enjoy reading celebrity gossip. Entertaining and interesting, but no meat. The ending offered no resolution, which I guess mirrors reality, but it left me craving a conclusion that wasn't coming.

I think this is really bad marketing between the cover and the description as a thriller, and that’s my biggest issue with it. I wasn’t feeling the love story, couldn’t relate to the main character, and didn’t really care to find out why this woman decided to stalk the main character. DNF.

Can’t Look Away by Carola Lovering was such a mesmerizing domestic suspense novel and I loved it! Did you say Joe Goldberg stalker vibes, say less! Sign me up!!!! Sabrina just may be Joe’s evil twin and I’m so here for it!! Go in blind and enjoy the ride!!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review!!

This one wasn’t for me. I found it to be a bit bored. I normally enjoy a multiple POV story, but this one was very eh. This is definitely a domestic drama, not a thriller, so go into this one knowing that.

3.5 stars for a story that kept my interest until the end. Jake is a performer and Molly is a spectator in the crowd who catches his eye. She's been unhappy lately and it was that one night out that changed her life and his, for better and for worse.
Performers are known for being moody and that carries over into this story. How much of Jake's moodiness can she balance with her need to be creative in the writing field? As the years go by, they go their separate ways, but of course there is Sabrina who has not forgiven Jake for putting her aside for Molly. Actually, it is more so that Sabrina really has not forgiven Molly for taking Jake away from her and is intent on making Molly pay.
I enjoyed the wondering which way it was going to go and who was going to come out unscathed.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.