I listened to this as an audiobook and was over the moon to try as i love reading mel sherratt! it was a book that i got inot really quickly. the narrator was easy to listen to and it was really engaging and easy to follow. the book is split into three parts and the cliffhanger at the end of part one is something else let me tell you! my jaw literally dropped. i was so hooked i couldnt wait to listen to the next bit and was looking forward to car journeys as thats where i listen to my audiobooks. full of twists and turns that i would never have imagined. a definite 5 star read and one that you should all try!

This book was absolute insanity! I was hooked from the moment I read the prologue and this story did not disappoint. This novel follows the story of two young couples who move into a new town following the death of their daughter. Their neighbours seem a bit odd but as time passes its clear that they are hiding something. You will NEVER guess what they're hiding! I typically consider myself a supersleuth when it comes to predicting endings but in no reality of my life would I have predicted how this story ended.

Secrets, jealousy and murder are truly all I can ask for in books these days. If you enjoyed behind her eyes, I would highly recommend giving this book a try.

I have read and enjoyed several of Mel Sherratt's police procedurals and I was happy to see that this one was a thriller, something different, but also well done. Juliette and Danny move into a house in the country looking for a fresh start after losing their young daughter. They need a place to heal. Juliette meets Sarah, the woman who lives next door. Sarah and Richard are a solitary couple and don't want anyone interfering with their lives. They aren't worried after a dinner with Juliette and Danny. But, something is wrong in that house. There are secrets they are trying to keep quiet. When Juliette sees a young girl in their garden and starts to ask questions, things begin to unravel.

This is a story you need to go into knowing only a bit, so I am not saying anything more about the plot. I will say that there are some very unlikable characters, as well as some I felt a lot of sympathy for. Secrets abound and are revealed throughout the story. The story is told from various points of view and at times I had to figure out who was speaking, but as the story progressed, it became easier. There was also two timelines, but again, as I got more into the story, I was able to figure out what was happening. The final twists did not come as a surprise, but I definitely enjoyed how the plotlines came together in the end.

"Careful what you wish for." is something Sarah really should of paid more attention to. Dark, twisted and a little eerie, I really enjoyed this book right up to the jaw dropping end!

This psychological thriller from Mel Sherratt was my first from her, but I enjoyed it thoroughly so it definitely won't be my last. This deliciously wicked and twisted novel about sisters who were manipulated and twisted into the same man's web of lies delivers a thriller that will have you second guessing yourself at every turn. I was still not sure what to truly believe until it was the ending. I thought this was wonderfully done and wasn't too predictable. I was shocked by the twists and found myself unravelling the web at the same pace it was revealed to me in the audiobook. I thought the characters were relatable and fascinating. I really enjoyed this from beginning to end. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, the story was intriguing and the characters were lovable! I'd be interested in reading more books by Mel Sherratt.

The Life She Wants by Mel Sherratt was another brilliant book by Mel. I was gripped from the very first few pages. then, again I am with all her books. She has a way of bringing you into her books and will hooked. This latest book is a heart stopping, and hard to put down page turner psychological thriller that will shock you and surprise you when you read this book. I love this book!

I highly recommend this book and all Mel's book. They have all been great reads!

Big thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
This book features a small number of main characters, flitting from one relationship to another within a few chapters. I thought this made it somewhat disjointed rather than being a clever way of revealing behaviours and events. The general theme of controlling behaviour was continued throughout the story but it was so mixed up it was hard to follow who was controlling who. Parts of the story were unrealistic, particularly towards the end, such as where Juliette speaks to one of Richard's previous girlfriends, Carly - surely in such a rural area there would have been gossip and knowledge of his behaviour would have spread?
In general I found the layout of the story detracted from building any suspense, and I didn't think the hatred Sarah held for Louisa or the ending was realistic.

I really enjoyed this thriller, kept me wanting to read more. It was almost like two books in one as it starts out with the character and then doesn't bring that person up again till much later, I found that enjoyable too as kept me wondering. I highly recommend it.

Wow-what a cracking book, it really gripped me to the end.
I love Mel Sherratt's books and she didn't let me down.

After tragically losing their little girl Emily, Juliette and Danny move to Mapleton, to start afresh. They meet their new neighbours Sarah and Richard. who seems to be friendly enough, but then strange things start occurring. When Juliette sees a little girl playing in her neighbours back garden, She thinks she is going mad and is still grieving. She knows they don't have children

Then they are invited to Sarah and Richard's house for a meal and soon discover that things are not what they seem. Richard is very demanding and controlling. Sarah seems nervous.

And so the story continues, the thrills as a reader we get reading this is brilliant. The characters really keep us going and the plot had exciting twists. I couldn't put it down.
Thank you so much, NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this early.
Worth 5 stars and much more. xxx

The Life She Wants is a decent read that I enjoyed, there were some different and interesting characters in this book that made the difference.
Juliette and Danny have moved from London to the countryside into a lovely detached house with a couple of acres, they have done this to try and help them get over the death of their young daughter. They meet the neighbours, Richard and Sarah and Juliette more so thinks there’s something a little weird with the couple. They have dinner together one night and get on well although Juliette still thinks there’s something a little off. Later that week Juliette sees a small girl running around next doors garden but Richard convinces her that her grief is making her believe things that aren’t there.
Who is right and what part does Sarah play in all this?
I enjoyed this book, it had many twists and the plot line kept me interested as I didn’t think there were any stagnant parts that slowed the book down. The ending was a bit different and was a decent one.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book a little all over the place and hard to follow at times as it kept going from past to present. The storyline didn’t seem to flow and bits of the plot didn’t seem to relate to the overall storyline

I absolutely loved this book by the well known author Mel Sherratt.
I’ve moved away from “police” procedures this year and I’m so glad that this author has in this book too. It’s more thriller.

Juliette and Danny Move into a house for a fresh start. A kind of new beginning, they had lost their daughter and although she will always be a part of they’re hearts they just need to get away.

The couple next door to the house they move into are Sarah and Richard. You already are made aware of some oddity, secrets and the reader picks up on the fact there is something not quite right going on here, but, what?

I was engrossed within the pages of this story, thoroughly invested.

I’ve noticed some of my fellow book friends saying they found it difficult to follow and not knowing who was speaking, I didn’t find that at all. The chapters made me well aware which couple it was so that the reader could identify who was who. Getting to know each couple and each individual was easy to suss out, after all, Sarah was acting strange and Richard her husband was just a sour man trying to be “nice”, whereupon the other couple were just a regular non sinister couple, I thought.

I’m hoping the author stays writing like this as I’m a fan of this dark twisted tale.

Life is as still as it can get for Juliette and Danny, considering the life-breaking tragedy they experienced a short year ago. So, it is with heavy but hopeful hearts that they decide to move to the lovely country cottage with breathtaking, idyllic views. They need a new start; away from the painful memories that haunt their hearts.

Richard and Sarah are immediately careful of their new neighbors; hoping they aren’t nosey and prepared to keep them at arm’s length – at any cost. Richard is overbearing, controlling and disparaging of the reserved Sarah who is reluctant to defy him. But Sarah’s outward, quiet disposition hides a deep, dark secret shared between her and Richard.

As Juliette begins to learn more about her neighbors, she discovers that fences; sturdy white-picket, or emotionally self-erected, can’t keep danger out when it’s determined to get in.

Sensitive subject matters of the narcissistic personality, coercive control, and toxic sibling jealousy are depicted with respect and tact.

Complex characters, compelling storylines, and brilliant narrative make The Life She Wants an exceptional psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for Mel Sherratt’s read of, The Life She Wants.

Opinions expressed are my own.

You know when you read that chilling and intriguing prologue that instantly grabs you, you know you’re in for a treat? That’s the feeling I got when I opened up The Life She Wants and read the prologue!

The relationship between Danny and Juliette is beautiful. Love’s young(ish) dream, overcoming heartbreak with a fresh start in idyllic Staffordshire. Restarting life away from the hustle and bustle of London in a quaint village sounds a perfect tonic for them. Until they meet the neighbours..x

Richard and Sarah are an odd couple but the more I got to know them, the more I was disturbed by them. Richard is that man you don’t want to get to know, the one that should ring alarm bells but doesn’t because he’s ultra-charming until he knows you’re properly hooked and it’s too late *shudder*

Sherratt has curated yet another twisted tale that dragged me into village life in Staffordshire where everything should be quaint and peaceful. But she manages to destroy the idiom of the perfect country setting by having neighbours from hell! I loved this tense thriller running through my emotional library as I got to know her unique characters. If you love your domestic psych-thrillers, grab yourself a copy and settle down for a bumpy ride!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Life She Wants' by Mel Sherratt.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Mel Sherratt, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 29th November 2021.

This is the second book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'Ten Days' 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 this book is 'A heart-stopping psychological thriller with a truly brilliant twist, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and K.L. Slater'. I am a huge fan of Lisa Jewell and K. L. Slater so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Mel and if this is half as good as 'Ten Days' 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 67 chapters written over three parts. 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 the Midlands 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 , 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 the Midlands is even better as I've visited and holidayed in the Midlands many times. I'm definitely excited to see if it mentions any places I recognise!!

This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective and the protagonists are Juliette, Sarah and Louisa. 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 Life She Wants' 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 Mel discusses/includes death of a child.

Wow!!!! What did I just read???!!! Love, love, LOVED IT!!! Well done Mel you've done it again!!!

OMG!!!! What a shocking, unpredictable page turner that was!!! Absolutely unputdownable!!! Extremely well written with vivid descriptions. The cover and synopsis fitted the storyline perfectly.

The storyline is unique and I was absolutely captivated from the very first sentence until the end. I love the fact that we get to see what is happening from so many different characters perspectives. OMG so many twists!!!!! I LOVE IT!!! Its very rare that a book can completely shock me but Mel managed it so many times I lost count! There were some major assumption in my part and I feel several other readers will do this too. I had no idea who to trust and who was telling the truth and the twists just kept coming. It also goes to show that firstly you never know what goes on behind closed doors and secondly you can't judge someone by their 'cover'. I was completely absorbed throughout and I just couldn't put this book down!! The storyline is absolutely rammed full of shocks, tension, suspense, twists, turns and much more, everything you could ask for in a psychological thriller!!!

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.

I was extremely invested in the characters and I enjoyed learning not only about Juliette, Louis and Sarah and the other characters but it was also fascinating to learn about Richard. I had quite alot of sympathy for Louisa and even Sarah on several occasions and what they went through is sadly something that happens on a daily basis. I won't say any further than that as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. I loved how Eva was such a fighter and a very strong female lead, I was absolutely devastated by certain events, again I won't say more than that but they were heartbreaking.

A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS Mel on what is definitely a huge success. Such a heart racing, rollercoaster ride filled with suspense and tension. I cannot wait to read more of your previous and future books, especially any psychological thrillers you have coming up. Welcome to my top authour club!!!

Overall a heart stopping, unputdownable, page turning psychological thriller that will shock and surprise you throughout!!!

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


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and K.L. Slater.


306 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited 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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Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookoutre for an advance copy of #TheLifeSheWants by #MelSherratt
When Danny and Juliette lose their beloved 4 year old daughter to menengitis they decided they need to start over somewhere and move out of London to sleepy Mapleton outside Stoke.
They only have one set of close neighbours Richard and Sarah and from the outset they are both concerned with the way Richard behaves towards Sarah. I did finish the book but it is not Mel Sherratt best and does get a bit convoluted.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sarah and Richard have been living a quiet contained life in the countryside for years when new neighbours move into the house along the lane and start to disturb the life they have set up for themselves. We find out more about how Richard is controlling Sarah (and has for years), along with insights from the new neighbours who suspect all is not as peaceful as it seems. Another entertaining read from Mel Sherratt.

There is a perfectly layered mixture of domestic drama, suspense and psychological fiction within the pages of this book. I loved how the author juxtaposed, and pitted, the characters of Richard and Sarah, and Danny and Juliette against each other in our minds. They are neighbours, and yet their situations are completely different.

I was completely intrigued from early on how this would play out, and as suspected Richard reveals him as a villain through his controlling, manipulative and cruel behaviour but the twists and turns take the story much deeper and darker than that.

This book once again exploits and explores that notion of ‘appearance vs reality’ and reminds us that you never really know what goes on behind closed doors.

Structurally, this book also packs a punch in the way it is told. The short chapters, multiple perspective and dual timeline ensure that the story is fast paced and the readers are drip-fed information in order to heighten suspense and tension.

Overall, this is an addictive and gripping exploration of the psychological impact of coercive control and domestic abuse. Mel creates believable and interesting characters. I look forward to reading more by this author and would recommend her books to fans of Samantha Hayes, Arianne Richmonde and Shalini Boland.

BOOKWORMS REVIEW:
I love these new neighbours in a suburb setting type stories,because there's always secrets or lies..its never straight forward,well I mean what kind of a thriller would that be! This book is no exception. Danny and Juliette have moved from London to the Midlands,following their death of their 4 year old daughter Emily. Everything reminds them of their little girl who died from Meningitis so a move was needed.

Their new neighbours Sarah and Richard seem nice enough and soon the foursome are having dinner and being neighbourly. But there's something not quite right with Richard. Every chance he gets he's cutting Sarah down,and she seems to need his permission for everything. Juliette finds it hard to bite her tongue and step in for the poor woman but she's new and maybe doesn't know the full story.. yet. Richard says Sarah has ME so doesn't be out much,but Juliette feels there's more to it.
The truth we find out is hes an obsessive,brain washing control freak with a dark secret. Who will unearth his secret and set Sarah free from his grip? A great read.

MY RATING: 📘 📘 📘 📘

**With thanks to Mel Sheratt,Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC to enjoy and review.**