"Can you really trust the family next door?

Brooke is delighted when Oliver decides to rent her old family home with his three-year-old son Finley. Finally, someone to bring happiness to the rundown house across the street. They seem like the perfect tenants, but Brooke is a little unnerved when they move in with just a single bag between them. Where are their belongings?

When Brooke asks Oliver about his past, he quickly changes the subject. Her best friend tells her to leave it, after all, Brooke has been through enough trauma in her life. But Brooke can’t shake off the feeling that something isn’t right. Why aren’t her new tenants’ names listed anywhere online?

Then Brooke arrives home to find orange flames dancing in the upstairs windows. As her whole life goes up in smoke, she is convinced it wasn’t an accident. And when she finds Finley drawing a picture of an angry burning house with terror in his eyes, her blood runs cold. What is Finley so frightened of? And why does Oliver snatch the drawing away the moment he sees it?

Brooke is convinced Finley is in serious danger, but given her past, she’s not sure anyone will believe her. Is Brooke ready to face up to her own demons to save the little boy? And when the truth is finally revealed, who is really the one in danger?"

Thought it took me a few weeks to get to read this, it was much anticipated and worth it. Books like this are the reason that I am so in love with the Thriller Genre.
Thank you so much for the ARC.

This was an ok thriller, I'm writing this review though a few days after reading and I have already forgot most of it as it's quite generic. Story moves along quick enough from both perspectives. Few things didn't quite add up for me even though everything is explained towards the end. I've read worse but I've also read better.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Victoria Jenkins for the copy of this book. All views are my own.*

Rating edit: 2.5 stars.

The blurb of this book is interesting. The cover is striking. And it's a good plot, a bit different. I like how the author has handled two timelines and the way it merges {a bit confusing though}. However, I can't say I enjoyed this thriller. It was an OK read for me, mainly because, for a thriller, it's too slow and repetitive.

It starts well and the writing style hooks you but then it gets very slow. In the first half, it didn't even seem like a thriller. It seems like a family drama and a mild love story where the protagonists are drawing closer, slowly. At some point, I didn't want to know what's the catch. The revelations could have been really shocking but strangely, they weren't. Maybe because of the slow pace. I just wanted it to end.

Overall, an OK read. You might find it interesting if you like dark, mysterious kind of read.

Thank you Netgalley for the review copy.

If you enjoy an atmospheric and captivating story told from different viewpoints from two strong female characters this is it.
I love it when books develop over different timelines and locations. I could connect perfectly with Brooke and Christina since they are imperfect and relatable and they both have plenty of mysteries to solve and hide as well.
A very fast paced story that keept me glued to my kindle!
Thank you #NetGalley #Bookouture for this ARC

SUCH a good thriller. Kept me gripped from start to finish. The plot was thick with twists and turns and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next! Highly recommend and would love to read more from this author.

This is another great book from this author . Loved the story in each chapter going back and forth gradually building the tension. I loved the conclusion of the book too . I highly recommend this book , definitely a 5 star from me . I look forward to the next book

Wow, what a twist!! A fantastic read. This book was very hard to put down when life got in the way. My heart was pounding. Excellent.

The book begins with an incident

When a book begins with an incident which immediately captivates you; you know you are in for a great book

We quickly learn that the characters are very complicated people with very complicated lives and we as the reader are part of the complicated story they both have to tell

The book is a very clever book; which just left me wanting more and more

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The New Family' by Victoria Jenkins.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Victoria Jenkins, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 16th November 2021.

This is the second book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'First Playdate' and which I highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'The New Family is an addictive psychological thriller with a twist you won’t see coming, perfect for fans of The Wife, The Silent Patient and Lisa Jewell.' I am a huge fan of 'Lisa Jewell' and 'The Wife' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Victoria and if this is half as good as 'The Playdate' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 57 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is set in Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 , UK 🇬🇧. I always seem to get on with books that are set in the UK better as I am from Wales and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book. The fact that this book is based in Wales is even better. I've read the first chapter at this point and it has already mentioned Fishguard which is only an hour away and a place I've visited many times. I'm definitely excited to see if it mentions my home town or more places I recognise!!

This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective and the protagonists are Brooke Meredith and Christina. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything. To have the benefit of both first and third person perspective ensures you don't miss out on anything.

'The New Family' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Victoria discusses/includes suicide.

Wow!!! What a rollercoaster ride of a read!!! Fantastically written with vivid descriptions throughout making me feel like I was in the storyline. The synopsis, title and cover suited the plot perfectly.

I could not put this book down and read it in one sitting!!! I absolutely LOVE the fact it is set in Wales and written by a Welsh author, being Welsh myself. There were several places mentioned that I don't live that far from including Fishguard and Tenby along with are only about 60/70 minutes away from me. I definitely think that it being set in Wales was a huge bonus for me. The storyline was absolutely gripping and kept me up until the early hours of the morning as I could not put it down!! I was absolutely gobsmacked when everything came out, absolutely explosive twists which I was not expecting!!! A HUGE congratulations to Victoria on that as it is definitely getting harder and harder to shock me but you most definitely did that!!! There were points where my heart was in my throat and I was on the edge of my seat, and then the edge of my bed as I was not putting this book down until I finished!!! I loved that everything was tied up nicely at the end as a pet hate of mine is loose ends and having something mentioned in a book that the author seems to then forget about but absolutely everything was explained by the end of this one. This book would make a fantastic movie!!

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

The characters were all strong, realistic and very well developed. I was completely invested in Brooke and Christina who were both very strong female leads. I really felt for Brooke as she seemed to go through one thing after another. My heart completely went out to a couple of characters in regards to something that happened but I don't want to say anymore as I wouldn't want to spoil it for future readers. The plot and characters were all very realistic which I think makes it scarier in more ways that one.

I absolutely loved your book Victoria and congratulations on yet another HUGE success . I cannot wait to read more of what promises to be heart stopping reads. Here's to your next success 🥂.

Overall a heart pounding, page turning, edge of your seat psychological thriller that will keep you up late at night.


Genres covered in this novel include Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Noir Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction and Police Procedural amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'The Wife' , 'The Silent Patient' and Lisa Jewell.



365 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon or which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I finished this book last night and whilst I did enjoy it I also found it a bit confusing. The way it chopped and forth between characters I found it hard to remember who was related to who.

Brooke has lived in her quiet seaside village all her life. Nothing ever happens there. Until she meets Oliver and his young son, Fin, walking on the beach. Oliver needs a place to stay for a few months and has a pocketful of cash. Brooke needs the money and eagerly offers to rent her place to Oliver. Odd, though, how Oliver has no suitcases or possessions in tow for him and his son.

Christina is a mother to twins, unhappily married to a great guy, and having a lustful affair. Guilt-racked at her cheating, she breaks off with her lover and suddenly starts receiving disturbing gifts and condemning messages. Assuming it’s her scorned lover, Christina tries to contact him but learns he is nowhere to be found. When she discovers a disturbing scrap album in her home, she is forced to confront the collection of skeletons in her own closet.

Gripping. Suspenseful. Gradual build revs up to non-stop twists. Rousing storyline and sub-plots. An exciting collision of narratives.

Highly recommend this must-read thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for Victoria Jenkins’ read of, The New Family.

Opinions expressed are my own.

This is one of those books where the less you know going in the better and to prove that point I’ve actually changed my blog layout. I normally put the blurb at the top but I think you should ignore the blurb and just read the book.

Keeping in the spirit of that I will give very few details about plot points and stay away from specifics but will say that this is almost too clever. It felt like you had two books for the price of one until they came together right at the very end and that is where it all made absolute sense.

The stories are told via dual narration and in different timelines by Brooke and Christina, both having complicated lives. Brooke has just taken in Oliver with young child Finley as new tenants but something doesn’t feel right. With no family and a past that makes her wary is it all in her head?

Then there is Christina, mum to twins she is trying to make her marriage work after she had an affair and hoping her husband never finds out.

This is a slow burn character led book with a setting that really adds to the atmosphere and heightens the eeriness. This would be perfect for those that love a more in-depth read where you feel you actually get to know the characters and get a real view of their lives.

In this dual point of view story, that of Brooke and Christina, two very different women whose lives are on different paths. Cleverly, Victoria Jenkins weaves a tale where eventually their lives do converge, albeit in a tragic manner.

Brooke’s life takes a different turn after renting her cottage to Oliver and his three-year-old son Finley. Who is Oliver and why does Brooke feel so drawn to the quiet Finley?

What of Christina? Sadly, the mother of twins, Edward and Elise, her life is very much off-balance. Her relationship with husband Matthew is far less than perfect and at some point Christina had a brief affair. Desperate for Matthew never to discover this, the story soon makes it clear that she is very unhappy. In fact, there are other things in her life that concern her about Matthew, but she carries on nonetheless.

It won’t take long for the reader to realize the intensity in this book. Not only are there secrets and lies in abundance, there are the much more serious issues of domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault. As these things begin to unravel it pulled me in even more to Brooke and Christina and how in a rather disturbing way their lives do indeed converge.

These two very different women is lives do eventually connect and the ever-brilliant Ms. Jenkins does an excellent job at pulling everything together.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Wow, what a great book this was! An early scene was some guy standing over a woman watching her sleep AND cutting off some of her hair! I just knew that this would be a captivating yet creepy read once I read that scene. I was intrigued and interested throughout the whole book, and was definitely thrown by the twists and turns. It was not the typical thriller genre, there was also hints of drama and romance, a little bit of everything. I liked the switching of the points of view but did find myself to be more interested in Brooke’s story than Christina’s. I am drawn towards books focused on psychological issues and families and The New Family certainly fits this!

A first for me from this author and was totally blown away by how well crafted and beautiful her writing is. With a picturesque setting by the coast, it was reminiscent of my time when I lived by the sea. Beautifully written with wonderfully detailed surroundings, rare in most thriller or crime novels as many are set inland. I loved the location and the images it brought with it.

This novel is chilling, a little confusing which it’s meant to be and the suspicious characters were brilliantly written. It is definitely veering more to the psychological aspect rather than thriller but both elements are evident.

It’s a slow burn novel which is typical of a psychological thriller as it’s focus is on the thoughts and behaviour within the storyline. Having said that, there are elements of thriller within it too. In the first half we get to know the characters featured in the duel timeline, Christina in 2018 and Brooke in 2019. Once I was further in I was wondering how the two timelines would merge and as hints were dropped and the pace increased at around 65% I was still totally blown away by the twist that was revealed. So clever.

The new family were both mysterious characters, strange things happened and it really got me thinking about what could be going on in one characters mind which led me on all kind of suspicions which I had fun working out.

I know this book isn’t a debut novel but as a first to me from this author I have added her back catalogue to my to read list purely from this book. It was fabulous and can’t wait to find the time to read the authors other books.

Let me start this review by making one thing clear. Victoria Jenkins is a f*cking master at misdirection! I will never tire of recommending The Argument, a psychological suspense with one of the craziest twists I’ve ever read. Since I read that one a couple of years back I immediately became a fan, I have read all her following novels and she has managed to catch me unaware every single time.

I started The New Family without even reading the synopsis, and going over it now I noticed that it does not give away part of the plot so I will not go over it myself. I enjoyed it a lot without knowing beforehand about it so I’m sure you will too.

The story alternates Brooke and Christina’s chapters. At first one can’t help but wonder how, if at all, both timelines will tie up at the end. Although apparently independent, both timelines share a feel of isolation, one geographical and one self-isolation, but not in the sense of actual lockdown but that she has no one around to trust the secret that is destroying her live.

Although it is slow paced, especially at first, I found I could not stop turning pages and it ended up being a really quick read.

Once the link between both POVs is revealed halfway through, I thought I could formulate a plausible theory but oh boy, was I wrong! As secrets start to get revealed, the tension keeps ramping up leading to an ending that, although it required to suspend disbelief a little bit, was so good…and heartbreaking. It was absolutely disheartening.

Both main characters, Brooke and Christina, were very well fleshed out. They were both pretty flawed, but that’s what made them so interesting and real.

Another fantastic psychological suspense story from Ms. Jenkins. I can’t wait to see how she will trick me next time!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The New Family by Victoria Jenkins.
A good read. The chapters were between Brooke and Christine. Well written. I did find I a bit slow but I read it. Good story and characters although I didn't have a favourite. 4*.

Trigger warning-contains domestic violence sexual assault and stalking.

A fast-paced story told in two pov, and more from then and now, from 2019, with interesting characters and so different life leading. It really intrigued me to see where the story was going with both of them because while there were similarities in both women’s life, there were so many interesting aspects that kept me wanting to know more about each one as well.

I was on the edge by the end, especially since I got to the point when I knew what’s going to happen and I actually felt sorry for Finlay.

Overall, the story brings up many emotions and deals with situations like pain, grief and emotional anxiety and teenagers and what some people think it’s best for their children and where they leave it all out.

I am glad that the author ended it like that instead of the tragic ending like it was leading on.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

3.5 stars
This is a good read.
With alternating chapters from Brooke and Christina we learn what events took place in the past.
Christina has just ended an affair and is desparate for her husband not to find out what she’s been up to.
Brooke is suffering from grief and lives alone, in a remote village.
She meets a man and his son while out walking and offers them a property to rent as they’re at a bit of loose end, and things develop from there.
It was a bit off putting to have what seemed like completely separate stories one after the other, but it does come together in the end.
A good read but a bit disjointed for most of the book.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was alright for me.

The writing was generally good, although the descriptions did get repetitive at times and I felt like some things could have been trimmed here and there. I didn't feel like it was particularly thrilling until it started wrapping up toward the end. Even then, I wasn't surprised by several of the big reveals.

The reader follows two different stories--Brooke's and Christina's--taking place at different points in time. The way the stories merge was a bit confusing (keeping track of who was who was hard at times, I had to pause and think quite a bit), and never quite felt satisfying.

The book was enough to keep me curious and go toward the end, but I'm not sure I would have finished it had this not been an arc. I'm happy to see so many people who did enjoy it, though!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!