I am a big thriller fan especially psychological thriller; so just the word thriller attached to a novel gets my attention.
I read “Too Good to Be True” by author, Carola Lovering and really liked it so was looking forward to this story.

Hmmm the burb. . . . .
<i> ‘sexy suspense novel” about the kind of addictive, obsessive love that
keeps you coming back – no matter how hard you try to look away </i>”
As I mentioned I am a big psychological thriller fan but I have <i> never described a thriller story as ‘sexy’.</i> So I went into this a bit suspicious.

I did find the characters interesting!!! Story alternated between Molly, Jake, and Sabrina.
Back in 2013 Molly was a barista and Jake a lead singer; at age twenty-three they fall head over heels in love.
Now nearly ten years later Molly is married (no not to Jake), she and her husband Hunter have a five year-old daughter Stella. Molly has been hopeful of another child. Sabrina has also wanted to have a baby and when she attends Molly’s yoga class, they become fast friends.
Only Sabrina has another reason for friending Molly.
Story wasn’t what I expected in a ‘thriller’ genre ~ This story is more “Chick Lit Drama with a crazy stalker”.
Although it wasn’t a big wow for me, I still am looking forward to the next: Carola Lovering novel!

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 14, 2022

Based on Carola's previous novel, TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, I expected this one to also be a thriller. It was not. I really enjoy books about fame, etc., so I still liked the story, but it was not the read I was expecting so for that reason I can't say I was too crazy about it and I had a hard time sticking with it.

❤️He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not…..💔

Do you ever think about the one that got away? Or maybe YOU are the one that got away.

Carola Lovering, author of TELL ME LIES, and TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, is BACK with a riveting, page-turner of a new novel.

CAN’T LOOK AWAY, explores the lives of 4 young New Yorkers, 3 love stories, 2 pairs of pale blue eyes, and one sensational, up and coming rock band.

While this story may feature the past and present perspectives of Molly Diamond, muse to the lead singer of Danner Lane band, what is most fascinating about this story is that Lovering puts it all on the page, and so it seems, lets the reader decide which protagonist to root for throughout the book.

This book highlights endearing and empathy-earning moments for each character. And leading the reader through the web of each character’s perspective is where this book shines in the realm of a thriller. Each chapter expertly unravels a new layer, as this book is as much about the story as it is the brilliant manner in which it is told. Ultimately, this book is genre-bending in Lovering’s unique, captivating style, featuring romance, friendships and other compelling lifestyle elements.

Full of creative, oh-so clever, and eerily inconspicuous conniving, a little New York City magic, and a bit of Connecticut charisma, Can’t Look Away is a whirlwind of a novel that should be at the top of your 2022 TBR!

Put on your rose colored reading glasses and get ready to rock, because you won’t be able to look away from this one.

5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

CAN’T LOOK AWAY publishes June 14, 2022

Today you can…

- Mark as “Want To Read” on Goodreads

- Preorder your copy

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This is my very first review on Net Galley! Thank you kindly to:

NetGalley

St. Martin’s Press

Carola Lovering

For the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5*. I really enjoyed this book. A love triangle with Molly, Sabrina and Jake. There were so many twists that I didn't see coming and the book kept me guessing the entire time. I highly recommend.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Can't Look Away by Carola Lovering is a hypnotic blend of romance and suspense. It was like a mix of Daisy and the Six meets Netflix's You, a music-infused tale of domestic suspense. The story revolves around Molly Diamond, a housewife who lives with a young daughter and devoted husband Hunter. One day, she sees an old fling, Jake Danner, who has become a famous musician. Seven years earlier, when they had been in their early 20's, they'd had fallen hard for each other, but they ultimately parted ways Is this a second chance to fall in love? Or is something more sinister going on?

Here is a romantic excerpt from Chapter 1, which is from Molly's point of view:

"The Lane brothers looked similar, with wispy auburn hair and pale complexions, their frames lanky. But Jake was the one Molly couldn’t take her eyes off of.
He was the color of honey—honey skin, golden curls that fell in front of his eyes as his fingers expertly plucked the strings of his guitar. When he looked up, Molly saw that his eyes were pale blue, and clipped right to hers, and she suddenly felt glad to be twenty-three and single, living in the greatest city in the world. Her mind—which had felt a bit dark and crowded lately—cleared.
Jake smiled broadly, and Molly felt a drop-kick in her gut. Keeping his eyes fixed to hers, he spoke into the microphone.
“Hey, East Williamsburg.” His voice was clear and perfect in pitch, edged with the slightest twinge of a Southern drawl."

Overall, Can't Look Away is a captivating novel that I could not tear my eyes away from. It was like watching a car crash, and I couldn't look away! I ended up finishing this book in a day, because I had to keep reading to find out what happens next. One highlight of this book is the music-inspired plot. Who hasn't dreamed of dating a rock star? Or of finding one's first love years later? As long as readers understand that this is a blend of romance and suspense - and definitely not a thriller - they won't be disappointed by the lack of action. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of music-inspired books, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in June!

A love triangle is at the heart of this book. Molly, Jake and Sabrina are intertwined Jake was with Sabrina and now he is with Molly but be careful a woman scorned. What Sabrina does is borderline psycho. Some moments of brilliance and some moments of dullness. I had no empathy for Jake, admired Molly and Sabrina .
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reading copy for an honest review.

St. Martin's Press,
My most anticipated book of 2022!
And Carola does not disappoint!
Her amazing brilliant writing is something special.

Carola Lovering does it again in this amazing new release.
I truly enjoyed Too Good To Be True and Tell Me Lies.
Knew this book had to be just as good.

Mini Review:
Can't Look Away
by Carola Lovering

I loved Too Good To Be True, so I jumped at the chance to read this eARC!
I absolutely loved this domestic drama, with some suspense and twists mixed within. Molly, Jake, Hunter and Sabrina are some very interesting characters!
I couldn't get enough of this obsession, dark secrets, and love story.
This story was amazing to get lost in.
I've always loved movies about obsession, and this was done so very well!
(I can see this as a movie)
The plot is very realistic and rings true.
Extremely well-plotted novel.
The characters were all flawed, and wild.
This author flawlessly crafted each character.
As the story unfolds page after page; details are revealed, and secrets are spilled.
The ending was really satisfying and no one does better than her!
Lovering will pull the rug from under you so fast it will make your head spin!

Lovering kept me reading all day...
I couldn’t put it down! It was very intense and the fast pace writing kept me turning page after page If you love suspense stories that will keep you riveted the entire time, excellent writing, and characters that won’t leave you alone!
You will love this book!
I read this in one day and blew my Sunday all to hell once I opened this book up!
But it was so worth it!

St. Martin's Press, Is the damn best!
Thank you for this phenomenal, intriguing story!
I will post and tag to my platforms closer to pub day!

There were times I didn’t like Molly but it’s written so you don’t care too much about her flaws. The whole love triangle thing is really creepy and interesting! The title may be “Can’t Look Away” but could have been “Can’t Put Down”!

I was not the biggest fan of this title. It didn’t capture me the way a 5 star book has in the past. I would give this title a three.

When Molly was in college and trying to figure out what to do with her life, she met Jake, the lead singer in a local band. He wants to be a star and she wants to be a writer. Somehow, they not only bring out the best in each other, but they also fall in love.
Told in the present and the past, almost ten years have passed, and Molly is married to, Hunter. WTH! What happened to Jake? Molly loves their daughter Stella but is struggling with infertility and is disillusioned with the people in their town. Until she meets a newcomer, Sabrina, who seems to understand exactly how Molly feels.
Sabrina, however, has her agenda and seeks out Molly deliberately and not because she recognizes what a great person is when she sees one. Who is she really and what could Molly have done to attract her attention? The pieces from the past collide with the present as jealousy, obsession, and the magic of your first love make for some uncomfortable interactions.
I think this book might suffer from being classified as a mystery and thriller. To me, it was an engaging domestic drama with more than one twist I didn't see coming. One character did do something horrible near the end, and the only thing that bothered me was that this person walked away without any punishment. That might just be me though! I read Too Good To Be True last year and loved it and enjoyed this one just a little bit less.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

I would not call this book a thriller. You can see it coming a mile away - that is not a thriller - mystery - maybe. Thriller. No.

I liked the book for the feelings it invoked - follow your passion; your first, passionate love; the characters had moments where they felt real. I also like the picture painted of the places - NYC and Flynn Cove. You could feel those places in the writing.

What I did not care for - I felt like I was reading a Hallmark movie at times. Predictable and you knew how it would all wrap up in a perfect bow.

If you go into this one expecting a “mystery and thriller”, you’ll likely be disappointed.

While it definitely wasn’t a mystery or a thriller, never mind both, it was an engaging story and kept my interest from the first couple of chapters.

While I found there to be issues - seriously unlikeable characters, relationships (friendships and romantic alike) that felt oddly flat to this reader, unexplained pivotal moments, where is the mystery and thriller aspect?, as well as a need for some pretty major suspension of disbelief, I overall enjoyed this title, which I would describe as fun and similar to a Lifetime movie in book form. No snark to that. Sometimes, a Lifetime-esque movie is the perfect thing.

I usually only read poetry but this book looked too good not to try! I enjoyed this. If you’re into thrillers and crazy stalker type books this is for you for sure! I couldn’t put it down!

I liked the writing, and I could picture the characters and the the world that they lived in.
I liked all of the characters - well, most of them..
I thought it was a fun, easy read.

What didn't I like?
It almost felt a little too "hallmark movie of the week-ish". at times.
I liked the ending, but felt that things were resolved too easily.

One Brooklyn winter, Molly Diamond is convinced by her friends to go out to the local bar. Reluctantly, she goes, and that’s where she sees Jake Danner of the up and coming rock band, Danner Lane. What follows is a rollercoaster relationship between Molly and Jake that ends with Molly married with a daughter to someone else, told from the perspectives of Molly, Jake, and Molly’s new friend Sabrina. What Molly doesn’t realize is how Sabrina is connected to the 2 of them, and the ways in which Sabrina will do anything to get what she wants from Molly and Jake. The lies, the deceit, the carefully crafted story of these 3 will keep you hooked the whole way through.

Oh, the drama. Everything is just so over the top and unrealistic. The twists are predictable. The characters are cliché.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favorite books that I have read all year, possibly of all time. While there is nothing terrifying about this book and not even really a big twist, the amount of REAL anxiousness while reading this book is incredible. I honestly had no idea who I wanted to come out a "winner," because I ended up wanting multiple people to have their happy ending. Such an extremely realistic and heart-wrenching story.

Molly and Hunter, and their daughter Stella, live in small town Flynn Cove, Connecticut, having moved there from NYC. The story is told from different perspectives and in past/present, and is very easy to follow the chapters. This book is a love story/domestic drama and I couldn’t put it down! Ms. Lovering is a very good writer. Recommended!

This book was full of messy drama but I loved it! I wouldn’t necessarily call this a thriller..more of a romance with a subplot of suspense. Romantic suspense? Lol. Tbh it was the perfect amount of romance for me, not too steamy or fluffy. Really enjoyed this book even though I guessed the “twists” pretty early on. It kept me reading to figure out how the characters got where they are in present-day. This book does have alternating timelines and voices, but it wasn’t too confusing to keep track of the characters. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced readers copy!

I really enjoyed this book. Finished it in two days as I had to see what happens. It flips from past to present, but it was never confusing. It was about first true love and worlds colliding years later. I enjoyed all the characters too. I found myself cheering between the two men. This gave me a thriller vibe, but with a little romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for my free advance reader copy in exchange for my review.