I loved this book. Love story, suspense, psychological thriller, it was a combination of all those factors. It took me back to my own twenties and my 'first loves'. I think most people will find bits of themselves within these pages.

The characters were vivid and relatable. (even the unlikeable Sabrina made me feel sorry for her) I don't know if I could have made all the difficult decisions Molly did but she did them for the right reasons - for her daughter.

The ending is bittersweet - but it's the only logical way it could end.

What are you willing to do for a second chance with the one that got away? The dark story of Molly, Jake, Hunter, and Sabrina addresses what happens when you can't look away from your addictive, obsessive first love.

Wow! From the beginning, I was invested in this domestic suspense drama that focuses on love and secrets. With POVs from three of the four main characters, all of the characters are well defined and intriguing. The dual timelines give insights into everything leading up to the present day where all four characters find themselves together in the small town of Flynn Cove, CT. With all four in the same place at the same time, the past and present collide.

While Can't Look Away can't boast of surprising twists or thrills, Carola Lovering's storytelling is excellent so I didn't miss either. You know what's coming and simply can't look away. The unraveling of this tangled web of secrets is oh so compelling and entertaining!

I alternated between reading and listening to Can't Look Away. The talented team of Caitlin Davies, Karissa Vacker, and Zachary Webber narrates this captivating listening experience. They bring the nostalgic Molly, the calculating Sabrina, and self-absorbed Jake to life, keeping you riveted to every detail of their shared history and hidden agendas.

Get ready to get hooked on this binge-worthy drama!

Rating: 4.5 Stars rounded up to 5

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for early digital and listening copies of this book.

Can't Look Away is domestic drama/suspense from Carola Lovering.

"Ten years ago, aspiring writer, Molly Diamond was the girlfriend of Jake Danner, the frontman for the hot, new band - Danner-Lane. Now she's given up writing and living in Flynn Cove with her young daughter and husband, Hunter. Molly struggles to fit in with the other women of Flynn Cove until she makes a new friend in Sabrina. Molly finally feels like she has someone to confide in.
But Sabrina has her own reasons for being in Flynn Cove. As her secrets unspool her connection to Molly becomes more clear. And Molly's secrets - the ones she kept buried for ten years - are being threatened."

If you love a novel full of obsession and revenge - this is the book for you. This is not a thriller even though there are a couple of twists at the end you'll probably guess. There is tragedy too.
You probably know someone like Sabrina - obsessed with revenge and ruining a life or two, no matter the collateral damage. Molly, who is struggling to find her way. And Jake - the musician with a hit song, who can't seem to get out of his own way.

Good choice if you're looking for drama (but not a thriller)

Carola Lovering’s books are often categorized as thrillers, but they are really in a category of their own in which they’re driven by suspense despite being able to see the direction of the story and its characters.

Main character Molly is struggling to fit into the exclusive suburban town she recently moved to with her husband (Hunter) and daughter (Stella) when she meets Sabrina. Sabrina seems like a breath of fresh air and a real friend as they connect over yoga and fertility issues, but things get complicated when Molly realizes that Sabrina is married to her ex Jake. Not just any old ex, Jake is the “one that got away” – the love of Molly’s life.

From the very beginning, we know that Sabrina has not just accidentally landed in Molly’s life. Told from Molly, Sabrina and Jake’s perspectives, the book switches between past and present giving us a glimpse at Molly and Jake’s epic romance and how they eventually ended up married to different people in the same town. The way it’s written, it’s not a thriller in the traditional sense because, as the reader, we know what’s going on and can easily put together the pieces, but watching and waiting for the characters to figure out the pieces is what makes the story such a suspenseful page-turner!

For me, knowing Sabrina’s true motives made me devour the novel so much faster as I waited for Molly to find out and really built up the suspense. I just want to add a sensitivity disclaimer for prospective readers that this book does include fertility issues and miscarriages as I know firsthand how difficult it can be to process the loss.

Needless to say, I absolutely loved this book just as much as her previous story, Too Good To Be True, which I reviewed a few months ago. I also recently picked up Tell Me Lies at a library book sale and can’t wait to read that one too!

✨ARC Review✨

Do you ever get over your first love? What if you get a second chance with your first love, do you take it? Do you take it if you are happily married to someone else? After all of that, throw in someone who is obsessed, and will use whatever means they can to get what they once had. You now have a recipe for disaster, AND a good psychological mind scramble of a book!

This was a great take on toxic relationships in the form of a psychological/romantic suspense narrative! Molly and Jake had a connection…they locked eyes at a concert and the rest was history. Sabrina and Jake also had history…a more obsessive one, but history nonetheless. When life takes these individuals on different paths, Molly and Jake fizzle, and they end up with different people. They are brought together with their respective spouses years later, but was it at random, or all part of some grand toxic plan?

This was quite the page turner with lots of twists! It is gripping, fast paced, and certainly binge worthy! It gave off You vibes in the sense that one character will go to great lengths to get EVERY detail about another character, entering into stalker mode, to be able to insert themselves into the situation. A true “Joe Goldberg” is in these pages! My only let down was the ending! I hoped for something more twisty, especially for the build up, and it ultimately affected my rating.

What’s On The Pages:
-multi POV
-dual timelines
-psychological thriller
-romantic suspense
-obsession
-toxic relationships
-wanting what you can’t have

⚠️CW/TW: infertility

✨Rating✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC! Can’t Look Away is out June 14th!

This was my first book by this author. The story quickly drew me in. We start out the story on the day Molly and Jake meet and fall in love. Then we fast forward to the future where Molly is living in a small town and teaching Yoga classes. Sabrina shows up in her class and they become fast friends. The rest of the story keeps flipping back and forth between the past and the future and the intertwined lives of Molly, Jake and Sabrina. It is part love story, part obsession and part thriller. I enjoyed the overlapping story lines and trying to figure out how Molly ended up where she did. It was a page turner that I didn't want to put down! Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ACR of this book.

Great book!! Great characters!! Great storyline!! Not sure I'd classify this as a mystery or thriller... more like a dramatic love story maybe? But that love story, boy was it amazing! I didn't know who I was rooting for more, Molly's past or her present.. definitely worth a read! Highly recommend.

In this dual-timeline book, twenty-three-year old Molly Diamond is going to grad school, working as a barista and in her spare time working on her novel. An aspiring writer, Molly dreams of being published one day but other than that she really isn't sure what she wants to do with her life. Then one night, at a concert in Brooklyn, she locks eyes with the lead singer, Jake Danner, and can’t look away. Molly and Jake fall quickly and deeply in love, especially after he writes a hit song about her that puts his band on the map. Jake and Molly seem destined to be together, but fate has something else in mind for the two of them. A decade later, Molly is married to Hunter, the guy she was just good friends with while she was with Jake. They have an adorable little girl named Stella, who is almost 6, and they live in Flynn Cove, Connecticut. Molly never did get her novel published, instead she teaches yoga, and she is having trouble conceiving again. She doesn't feel like she has anything in common with any of the women in Flynn Cove... until Sabrina walks into her yoga studio. She feels an instant connection with Sabrina, and when she runs into her again at the office of her fertility doctor, Molly feels like she she has finally found a friend. But Sabrina has her own reasons for moving to Flynn Cove, and for befriending Molly. And as Sabrina’s secrets are slowly unspooled, her connection to Molly becomes clearer––as do secrets of Molly's own, which she’s worked hard to keep buried.
This book was so good. I couldn't put it down. I love this author's books, and this may be my new favorite. I am a big fan of dual-timeline books, and i really enjoyed the way the chapters alternated between past & present, and told in the different voices of Molly, Jake, and Sabrina. You really got a well-rounded view of things, and saw things from different perspectives, and through the different characters' eyes. Sabrina was really a piece of work, let me tell you. I won't say anything else about her because I don't want to spoil anything, but you slowly find out more and more about her as the story unfolds. I highly recommend this one!

Molly and Jake are young twenty-somethings in New York when they first meet and they fall quickly in love. But his band is rising to the top and the fame and travel soon take a toll on their relationship. Years later, Molly is married in Hunter and living in Flynn Cove, Connecticut with their young daughter. Molly doesn't have a lot of friends there, so when Sabrina moves in, she seems just like the friend she's been waiting for.

I really enjoyed this book. It was less intense than other psychological thrillers I've read, but I liked the pacing and the overall storyline. I liked the love story as much as the thriller story. This was definitely a winner for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Available June 14, 2022.

I loved Too Good To Be True, so when I was approved by @netgalley for this I was pretty excited. I will say off the bat-this is not a thriller. I do not know why books are being marketed incorrectly lately but I feel like it does not give the book a fair chance. This suspense is definitely more domestic than thriller.

That being said-I loved this. It’s addictive, juicy and filled with drama. We all have that one that “got away” so it is easy to relate. I will say I was rooting for Molly and Jake throughout the whole story but I did appreciate the ending and felt it more realistic. I love a good psycho-stalker story so this one worked well. I also appreciated the music intertwined throughout the story (gave me Daisy Jones vibes)

All in all this is entertaining and will keep you flipping pages just to see what happens! Thank you to Netgalley for my advance copy in exchange for my review!

Suspenseful twisty novel about a (sort of) love triangle. I enjoyed the back and forth between the past and present, as well as the POV from both Molly and Sabrina. I thought Molly was a particularly well-developed character, even if I did find her slightly annoying (so much self-doubt) at times. Still authentic. The relationship between Molly and Jake seemed real aka an accurate portrayal of two young twenty-somethings in the arts. This was a fast read, because I enjoyed it and wanted to see how it was all going to turn out.

"In 2013, twenty-three-year old Molly Diamond is a barista, dreaming of becoming a writer. One night at a concert in East Williamsburg, she locks eyes with the lead singer, Jake Danner, and can’t look away. Molly and Jake fall quickly and deeply in love, especially after he writes a hit song about her that puts his band on the map.

Nearly a decade later, Molly has given up writing and is living in Flynn Cove, Connecticut with her young daughter and her husband Hunter—who is decidedly not Jake Danner. Their life looks picture-perfect, but Molly is lonely; she feels out of place with the other women in their wealthy suburb, and is struggling to conceive their second child. When Sabrina, a newcomer in town, walks into the yoga studio where Molly teaches and confesses her own fertility struggles, Molly believes she's finally found a friend.

But Sabrina has her own reasons for moving to Flynn Cove and befriending Molly. And as Sabrina’s secrets are slowly unspooled, her connection to Molly becomes clearer––as do secrets of Molly's own, which she’s worked hard to keep buried.

Meanwhile, a new version of Jake's hit song is on the radio, forcing Molly to confront her past and ask the ultimate questions: What happens when life turns out nothing like we thought it would, when we were young and dreaming big? Does growing up mean choosing with your head, rather than your heart? And do we ever truly get over our first love?"

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Molly has a truly iconic love story in her 20s. She goes to a concert of an up=and-coming band, and the lead singer, Jake Danner of Danner Lane, falls for her, just a face in the crowd. Flashing back and forth to this romance and 6 years later to Molly, a mom of a really great kid and wife to a truly perfect husband, Hunter, the story of how that love story unfolded — and the role a third party, Sabrina, had to play throughout then and now.

OK, so where to start. I wasn't the biggest fan of Too Good To Be True by the same author so I super hesitated on this but wowow was this such a great story. It felt like a movie and I adored it. Definitely wouldn't call it even a domestic thriller. It's more like a suspenseful romance, and I was so here for it! I finished it within 24 hours!

Read if... you loved the movie A Simple Favor and devoured The Light We Lost.

Can’t Look Away by Carola Lovering just might be one of the most addictive books I’ve ever listened to. Wow! Before I say much more, I just want you to know that this book is definitely NOT a thriller. It seems to be marketed as one, but I’d have to disagree. Big thanks to Katie over at @basicbsguide for giving me a heads-up. Reading her review and a few others beforehand put me in the right mindset, so I knew not to expect a thriller. Hopefully this insight will be beneficial to you as well. So, how would I best describe it? Hmmm, a domestic drama, maybe? A cryptic love story, perhaps? A web of complicated relationships? All I gotta say is that it’s entertaining AF, and super juicy. I couldn’t stop listening! It’s a big ball of deceit, desire, obsession, revenge, and a bit of suspense all rolled into one! Honestly, I recommend skipping over the synopsis, just go in blind, and buckle up for a heck of a ride! If you do get the opportunity to listen to this one, I’d take it. With three different readers, the narration is PHENOMENAL. It was such a great listening experience. Can’t Look Away releases on June 14th, and I give it 4.5/5 stars! Highly recommend!

I absolutely LOVED Lovering's last suspense thriller so I was really excited to read this one. This one is along the same vein with it being part domestic thriller with some romantic suspense thrown in. I thought the character development in this was excellent and gave us a great view of how different (and unhinged) the two main characters are. I really couldn't figure out how this was going to play out and end for everyone but I loved watching it unravel. This was full of twists and suspense. The last bit twist regarding Molly's child was really excellent. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lovering delivers a smash hit for the Summer of 2022. When young Molly is 23 she locks eyes with musician Jake and it is instant love. She thought it was a one off, but he tracks her down and they both fall hard. As Jake's band takes off Molly feels the distance growing.

Fast forward to the current time, Molly is happily married and living in the suburbs working as a yoga teacher. She doesn't quite fit in with the "yummy mummies;" until Sabrina walks in. She somehow feels connected to her and they become the best of friends until Sabrina reveals a major bombshell. ( No spoilers will be given).

Told in multiple POV between past and present through Molly and Jake's eyes. A story of young love, one that may never be forgotten.

This is one book you will not want to miss.

This book was not what I was expecting, but I loved it. I stayed up too late reading because I couldn't put it down. For me it was not a suspense thriller or a psychological drama. It was more of a romance/ chick lit with a small mystery.
It makes you think about the what could have beens in life and the regrets of a 20 something's life. I found it emotional and happy and sad and all the feelings in between. It was told from multiple characters POVs and spanned different timelines.
This is the second book I have read from this author and both have been 5 star reads so I look forward to continuing to read her work !

It’s 2013, and Sabrina, aka Sisi, dreams of building a life with Jake Danner, the lead singer for band on the rise, Danner Lane. The problem is Molly - at least that’s how she sees it. It’s not the fact that Jake isn’t in love with her. No - it’s that ever since he saw Molly at one of his gigs, he’s convinced SHE’S the woman of his dreams, and now those two are planning their future together.

That’s OK. Sabrina knows how to play the long game and a little “creative meddling” will solve the Molly problem. You see - it’s now 2022, and a LOT has changed. Maybe she can have exactly what she wants after all. What’s the old saying? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Molly may not know Sabrina, but Sabrina knows SO much about Molly.

Molly is now happily married to Hunter and mom to five-year-old Stella. In her affluent town of Flynn Cove, where she hasn’t been able to connect with the other snobby wives, she’s so happy to have befriended one of its newest residents … Sabrina. Molly is sure they’ll be best friends. They have so much in common. More than she realizes.

So, basically this is another jilted woman story where the “jiltee” (making up words) doesn’t like getting the raw end of the deal and sociopathically manipulates people and circumstances in an attempt to get what she wants and keep it. I actually found the story quite engaging, even if not overly original. I’m not sure I can wrap my brain around why female characters always seem to be vying for the affections of a man not worth vying for, but whatever. I thought Lovering did a great job humanizing each character, so their motivations, no matter how misplaced, at least made sense. Here’s where it lost a couple stars:

• An OTT dramatic event towards the end led to an overly tidy denouement. It didn’t feel realistic, nor did some of the related conversations that happened afterward.

• Lovering apparently LOVES the “F” word and its variations. The word doesn’t scare me a bit, but close to 100 uses? Pick a different word already.

• Speaking of counting things, there were more than 130 specific product/brand name references. Are these brands sponsoring the book? If not, it’s distracting.

• Disney’s Frozen was referenced 19 separate times. I get it. The little girl loves Frozen. For the love of everything, please stop mentioning it.

• The fact that I noticed things so much that I felt compelled to count them. That’s a problem for me.

All that said, I did actually like this book for the most part and the story kept me turning the pages, so no complaints there!

★★★ ½ (rounded to 3)

Thanks to St. Martins Press, NetGalley and author Carola Lovering for the opportunity to review this ARC honestly. It’s due for publication June 14, 2022.

Molly lives in a quiet, CT suburb with her husband and daughter when someone from her past unexpectedly reappears and inserts herself into Molly's life. I'm in the middle on this one. It was good but not something I'll remember in years to come. Dual narrators successfully add a great deal of tension. The chapters narrated by Sabrina were well-written and gave good insight into her warped mind. Other than that, I don't have a lot to say. It wasn't particularly original and there weren't any exciting twists.

Can’t Look Away is another angsty, can’t tear myself away, multiple point of view piece of work by Carola Lovering. Three and a half stars from me! I kept flipping pages to find out what was going to happen next to Molly, Jake, Sabrina and Hunter. While I figured out part of the twist on my own, it was satisfying to see I was right about it and all the while I was just so damn intrigued by the characters. It does have some Lifetime sort of vibes along with lots of obsession and miscommunication. I definitely could see it being a movie or short tv series.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another winner from Carola Lovering! Can't Look Away is more on par with her debut, Tell Me Lies, which also happens to be one of my favorite books of all time & CLA offers up a look into a less than perfect relationship. I devoured this one from start to finish and cannot wait for more from Lovering!