This one was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! I wasn't a fan of "Tell Me Lies," so I had low expectations and wow oh wow was I blown away! While some of the tropes were unbelievable, I loved every second of this novel. Carola Lovering did an amazing job of making (most) of the main characters likeable yet flawed, so you had to feel for them. Can't wait to share with everyone!!

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC of this story!

I initially thought this story was more of a thriller, but quickly learned it was more of a romance.

I also understand the premise of young love, but for some reason I felt like it fell short in this story.

Although I finished, this was just one of those books I struggled to get through.

Thought the ending kind of let this down but otherwise a very intriguing story of obsession, jealousy and rock stars.

Can't Look Away by Carola Lovering is a compelling tale of love, loss, and obsession. The story follows Molly Diamond, a 23-year old barista who falls deeply in love with Jake Danner, the lead singer of a famous band, after they lock eyes at a concert in Brooklyn. Nearly a decade later, Molly is living in the suburbs with her husband, Hunter, and young daughter. When Sabrina, a newcomer in town, befriends Molly, their connection becomes clearer and secrets from Molly's past are revealed. As the timeline jumps back and forth between 2013 and 2022, the reader is drawn into the psychological thriller of the relationships between Molly, Jake, and Sabrina.

The writing in Can't Look Away is engaging and well-done, drawing the reader into the story and the emotions of the characters. The alternating perspectives of Molly, Jake, and Sabrina provide a deeper understanding of the complex relationships and motivations behind their actions. The themes of love and obsession are well-explored, and the examination of the idea of "first love" is thought-provoking.

One of the standout aspects of the book is the exploration of the struggles and challenges faced by Molly and Sabrina as they navigate infertility and the pressure to have a second child. This adds depth and depth to the story and offers a relatable and realistic portrayal of the difficulties and emotions involved in trying to conceive.

Overall, Can't Look Away is a captivating and well-written novel that explores the complexities of love and relationships. It is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and those looking for a thought-provoking read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy!

What an intriguing, unique storyline! I've read MANY thrillers/suspense reads and this one kept me very interested and engaged. It was a great combination of love, loss, mystery and what could have been. I highly recommend this one!

Can't Look Away features a "one that got away" story with a bit of a twist. Full of angst, emotions, and a bit of thrills, this book is perfect for fans steamy suspense. If you need a page-turner to carry you away from your real life, this book has high-drama and feels like stepping into a TV show.

Molly and Jake have an instant connection that leads to an intense love, with a song Jake writes about Molly rocketing his band into stardom. Nearly a decade later, Molly lives in Connecticut with her husband and daughter, feeling a bit lost and unfulfilled. She meets a new friend, Sabrina, and secrets begin to unspool on why Sabrina moved to the small town of Flynn Cove.

The first half of this book had me totally gripped! It was suspenseful and I had to know what was going to happen. Then the story began to lose me. It was a bit too soap opera-y for me (like cringey at times) and I found the ending to be a bit anti-climactic. I loved TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE and enjoyed TELL ME LIES by this author, so this was probably a fluke and I'm excited to read her future books.

Once you start this one, you won’t want to put it down. I really enjoyed Can’t Look Away. This is my first book from this author but I’m looking forward to reading more from her.

Can't Look Away by Carola Lovering is more of a suspense than a thriller, and it's a look at relationships and choices made when young. And, how those choices can impact our lives later on.

Many thanks to the author, publish, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This book was hugely disappointing. I really enjoyed Too Good to Be True, but this one lacks suspense; it all felt really obvious and not very exciting. The characters felt unrealistic with their motivations. I saw all the twists coming. I know people have really enjoyed this one, but it didn't work for me.

I love Carola Lovering and find all of her books to be unputdownable. I couldn’t wait to get to the end of this one to figure out everything! She writes a special kind of thriller where usually nothing extremely sinister has happened, but the toxicity of the relationships is so addictive that you are frantically flipping pages till the end.

Carola Lovering has published some really sold books and I have enjoyed every single one! This one felt like it should have been categorized differently, maybe romantic suspense vs. thriller, but regardless I enjoyed it! I really enjoyed the multiple POVs with this one. There were so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. I read so many thrillers that I feel like I can typically grasp them and figure them out, but this one kept me guessing and I was SO wrong about quite a few of them. Looking forward to her next book.

After a whirlwind romance in her early 20s with Jake, the lead singer of an up-and-coming band, Molly has established her new life with her husband, Hunter, and their daughter. She teaches yoga and has abandoned much of her writing aspirations, and she is trying to conceive her second baby with the help of IVF. When Sabrina, a new woman in town who seems more genuine than the women in the local mom clique, befriends Molly, she is eager to get to know her better. However, Sabrina has an ulterior motive for moving to Flynn Cove, and her chance encounters with Molly were no coincidence.

Although this book is marketed as a thriller, the tension and suspense build slowly, created more so by the format of the alternating perspectives. The drama is focused more on past relationships than actual danger, not your typical thriller trope. The writing style and pacing are well-done, and the characters are relatable and likable. The way the book alternates timelines and perspectives is done artfully and builds suspense in an organic way. We learn about Molly and Jake's history at the same time as the events of the present day, propelling the story seamlessly. I was riveted every step of the way and enjoyed this dramatic, low-stakes, thriller tremendously.

4.5 stars- Let’s clear up the discrepancy of ratings. This book is NOT for those people who are hard laden thriller/horror junkies…if you go into this book looking for this you aren’t going to find it.

This book is more of a REALISTIC domestic suspense that would leave most people terrified if it were happening to you.

Hopefully that will help those choosing to pick this up because it’s really good and it should be picked up!

This was a DNF for me. I tried to get into the plot, but I struggled to accept some of the choices and mindsets of Molly. I get pining for what could have been (I suppose?), but the story was not for me.

I was real into this one. Told in dual POV and multiple timelines I was hooked.
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In 2013 Molly and Jake fall head over heels for each other. Jake showcases that love in a song that makes his band hit the big time.
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Years later Molly is living a nice quiet life with her husband Hunter. She has a husband she loves, a sweet daughter, a beautiful home, but something is missing. She wants another child and doesn’t seem to bond with the other women in town, until she meets Sabrina. She finally feels connected to another woman in town.
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I don’t want to say too much because I was genuinely surprised by a lot in this book. Lovering proves once again that she is the queen of writing about toxic relationships. If you don’t believe me check out #TellmeLies on @hulu based on her novel.
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Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Carola Lovering’s books have gotten a lot of attention lately and I do think she’s a solid author. This one felt more like a soap then thriller but I was still captivated and enjoyed it!

I kept waiting for some major twist to come but overall this felt like it was trying to make a non suspenseful story into a thriller. I did think that the characters felt very well done and true to themselves.

This book was not for me. It was less of a thriller and more of a romance. I also really didn't care for the characters so I couldn't really get invested in them or their story.