As per usual Mel Sherratt does not disappoint!

This had me intrigued as it was a change from my usual murder genre and I was hooked from the outset. A dark tale well told.

Well, this is a book that’s full of surprises! I just couldn’t figure out what Richard and Sarah were trying to hide, and I was sure that they were trying to pull the wool over Juliette’s eyes about something.

The story is told from several characters’ points of views, with a dual timeline. So as the book progressed, I realised that I was wrong in anything that I’d tried to surmise so far!

There are quite a few plot twists in this story, and it’s very cleverly woven. The isolated setting really adds to the sense of mystery and tension.

I just flew through the pages of this novel, it’s really gripping stuff. I’d really recommend this book to anyone who likes a good thriller, one that will completely hold you in thrall until the very end. Excellent book.

This thriller is about two couples who are neighbours and their lives. Once strange things start to happen who is to blame? Juliette and Danny have just moved from London following the loss of their young child and want a fresh start. Sarah and Richard live next door and their is something very strange about this couple.

I really enjoyed this thriller. The parts about the young child were quite hard hitting for me as I’ve got a child of the same age and I can’t imagine that pain that the characters went through. I really enjoyed the dynamics of the two couples. Just when you think it’s a part of heaven in the countryside the thriller part creeps in perfectly. I really enjoyed how the whole plot unraveled. It was very twisty and I struggled to put this down and it had a great ending. This is my first book by the author but it won’t be my last and it’s available on kindle unlimited

Mel Sherratt is becoming an author high on the list of favourites. This book is spectacular.

It’s no secret that I adore how this author writes, this is another book which has captivated me quickly, kept me guessing and been laced with the perfect amount of tension and suspense to keep me wanting more.

This is unlike anything I’ve read previously and I have found myself unable and unwilling to put this one down. I adore the characters in this one, they have been believable and I have felt as though it has been easy to picture the events described.

This is a book that once I had started I was completely captivated by and unwilling to put down. This is a fantastic author and an absolutely superb read.

A definite recommendation from me.

I love Mel Sherratt’s books. She was the reason, five years ago, why I started reading again and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Although I enjoyed, The Life She Wants, I did find a lot of it far fetched.

3.5 stars

Juliet and Danny are still devastated over the death of their young daughter to meningitis. They decide they need a fresh start and move from London to the country. Danny will still have to work and stay in London during the week but Juliet can run her business from their new home. They move to a cottage in the village of Mapleton but their neighbours Sarah and Richard are far from pleased that the cottage has been sold. Juliet and Danny soon realise that Sarah and Richard are an odd couple. Why are they so secretive and who is the little girl Juliet keeps seeing in their garden? As she becomes to know the couple Juliet realises that Richard is nasty and very controlling. Juliet wonders if he can be trusted and starts feeling very alone and vulnerable. Will she be able to unearth his secrets and free Sarah from his manipulative ways? This is a good psychological thriller, full of secrets and lies and a book that gripped me from the start
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This one took me a while to get into but once I did I couldn't stop listening. Mel is very good at providing suspense and intrigue. There were a few twists and turns. It was slightly confusing in parts but I would highly recommend it. Great characters too.

This is the first book I've read by author Mel Sherratt, but it won't be the last! I enjoyed the use of the dual timeline to move the plot and all of the twists and turns throughout the story. The book is well-written and will keep you on your toes!

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC and for the opportunity to read this thriller, here is my honest review.

I haven't read a book by Mel Sherratt before, this was a good thriller which had a dark theme to it.
The story is a tale of coercive control, domestic abuse, sibling rivalry and murder. The characters are very realistic and you either love them or hate them. The plot is scary and engaging, its a twisted tale set in village life.
I didnt love it, cant put my finger on why. Hence the 3 stars but it was a good read

This book was so different from the murder mysteries I have read in the past. There was so much manipulation and lying from all of the characters that it was hard to believe what anyone was saying. I loved that it had Louisa's point of view without letting the readers know that it was Louisa. When I saw the flashbacks I thought it was Sarah who had met Richard. I think that the whole story was interesting and having a section to explain motives and what had happened to get the characters where they currently were was genius. it helped me to see why characters did what they did and how everyone was involved in some sort of lie. I wish it focused more on Juliette and her husband, but the story was not really about them. Different from what I was expecting.

Really enjoyed this story. Easily got into the book and would love to read more from the author. Thank you for the opportunity to see an advance copy.

After the loss of their young daughter, Juliette and Danny decide to move to the country to start fresh. Sarah is surprised to see people moving into the empty cottage next door. She and Richard have led an isolated life and prefer to keep it that way. Knowing she needs to keep up the pretense that they are a happy couple, Sarah invites Juliette and Danny over for dinner. Juliette and Danny see how Richard treats Sarah and decide to keep their distance from the couple. But when Juliette sees what looks like a little girl playing in Sarah's garden, Richard is quick to blame her as delusional after the loss of her own child. Juliette is determined to find out the truth, never imagining what Sarah and Richard will do to keep their secrets.

I thought the blurb was intriguing, as I love to read domestic mystery/thrillers. This one did not disappoint and was a good read. The story was engaging and told from different POV's that all came together in the end. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to Bookouture, NetGalley, Mel Sherratt for this ARC.

Slow paced, on the edge Thriller. Loved everything except the end. Was hoping for a twist. But overall I really enjoyed it and do recommend it. 4.5 stars.

#TheLifeSheWants #MelSherratt #NetGalley #Goodreads

THE LIFE SHE WANTS is a psychological thriller by bestselling author Mel Sherratt.

This emotional story follows Juliette and Danny, as they deal with the loss of their child. They move from London to the country for a fresh start, a new beginning to escape the memories of all the places they had been with their daughter.

When Juliette and Danny arrive at their new cottage, they meet their new neighbors, Sarah and Richard…who seem a bit strange…or seem to be hiding something.

Sarah and Richard lived a quiet life out in the middle of nowhere, and didn’t need anyone else invading their space. So, when the empty house next door was sold, Sarah was afraid that their new neighbors would disrupt the perfect life she had with Richard.

Over dinner one evening, the couples hit it off instantly and know they are just the friendly neighbors they need.

All is well until Juliette spots a young girl in Sarah and Richard’s Garden. Richard convinces Juliette that she is seeing things, that it’s the grief taking over. But Juliette won’t let it go. She is sure she saw a child. Juliette believes that Richard is threatening Sarah.
But Sarah knows that she must hide the truth from her neighbors, to keep Richard happy.

A heart-stopping psychological thriller with a truly brilliant twist. Interesting well-developed characters with lots of drama. The story is mostly told through flashbacks and present day though the POV of Juliette, Louisa, and Sarah.

Many thanks to the author and Bookouture and Net Galley for my digital copy.

Great read
Will have you guessing till the end
Plenty of twists and turns
You definitely won’t want to put this book down
Thanks NetGalley

While I thought I was going to discern the twists of the book, I was pleasantly surprised! I was floored throughout the book, nothing I suspected was true. To me, this is the mark of a great thriller!

I finished this in about a day, and there’s never a lull in the story. I’m still shocked by the ending in a good way! I intend to read more from this author!

Absolutly loved this book. Fast paced, easy to read with believable characters and a twist at the end. Kept me gripped the whole way through.

Juliette and Dan move away from the city to a rural area, trying to deal with the loss of their 5 year old daughter from meningitis. Their only neighbours are Richard and Sarah....a couple that very much like tjeir privacy and only inviting juliette and dan over on a limited number of occasions. Richard has a studio in his garden where he works whilst Sarah is a housewife. However juliette begins to feel suspicious of their relationship....is Sarah in some sort of danger?.

Strange things begin to happen in juliettes house and richard leads Dan to belive that her greiving is driving her insane.

A twist along the way as the characters change and intertwine with a chilling finale.

Highly recommend a read.
More books like this please...a real treat

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Sarah and Louisa are sisters who grew up in an unhappy home. Older sister Louisa meets Richard and runs off to his mansion to live with him. Sarah has a hard time contacting Louisa over the years and later finds out why. Richard is a very controlling man. Sarah eventually goes to live with Louisa as she has health issues and Richard asks Sarah to be the nanny for their daughter Daisy. When Juliette and Danny move in next door, she begins to see some strange things like a child in the garden. Questions start coming up for Juliette like what happened to Louisa and why is Daisy hidden away?
The story is told in three parts which did make it a little confusing at times. Predictable with a twist or two.

The life she wants is centred around two sets of neighbours. Juliette and Ali move to the quiet village, after the tragic loss of their daughter. they want to start a family again but both of them are still grieving. With Ali working in London still Juliette wants to get to know their neighbours. Sarah and Richard live next door they are an odd couple but make an effort to befriend their ne neighbours. But Juliette thinks that Richard is up to something, especially when she think she sees a child in her garden. but Ali thinks it's the grief but she believes her neighbours are trying to make her think she's crazy.

i really enjoyed this book, I must admit it was slow going but the further in i got the better it became. the book is written from 3 points of view Sarah's, Juliette and one from years earlier. i found i enjoyed the mystery point of view, i was trying to guess if it was one of the women or someone completely different. I must admit I wasn't too keen on Sarah she was a little whiney however she becomes more interesting as I continued reading. The more sympathetic of a character she becomes.

What I did love about this book was the fact it freaked me out, its the kind of psychological thriller that makes you think this could happen to me. that's why i i became quite engrossed in the book. I wasn't sure if i believed that Richard was the cause or if Sarah was making it up, that's what kept me completely engaged. Would i recommend the life she wants? yes i would, the author has a skill she's able to describe things in such a way that i felt i was there. It was gritty and the ending was insane!!!! i rate this 4 stars.

thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture publishers and Mel Sherratt for an ARC of the life she wants.

I've heard a lot of positive praise for this author from several of my fellow bookbloggers and have wanted to read her work for some time now. What took me so long? After reading "The Life She Wants", I'll now know to expect quality writing and an engaging plot.

The setting, down a rural lane in Staffordshire, was easily imaginable and gave the book a somewhat creepy vibe due to its remote location.

The characters were well developed, though not all were likeable. The character of Richard was easy to hate, while his partner Sarah was despicable at first but once you learned her backstory you couldn't help but empathize with her. Louise's character was just pitiable. Juliette and Danny were a likeable and sympathetic couple.

The book moved along at a fast pace, partly due to its short chapters and partly due to its engrossing storyline.

The novel delves into themes of domestic abuse, coersive control, dysfunctional families, and parental loss. All dark and bleak themes, but written in a way that produced an engaging domestic thriller.

I plan to read more of this author's work when time permits. Recommended!

4.5 stars rounded up