Some very sad and some dark themes in this story which are handled well I felt. The overwhelming sadness of losing a child suddenly and the grieving process leads a couple to leave their current location and move to a new house in the country for a different pace of life. Some of this seems very familiar in terms of storytelling, trying to integrate with the locals as a newcomer and being alone in a new house and hearing things, gives an edge of the mysterious but also that I’d read several books along these lines previously so maybe the tension was diluted somewhat for me.
A thread running through the book is also domestic abuse and gas lighting and again I felt the descriptions were believable and well written and gave a lead character that was easy to dislike. It was certainly an enjoyable, if slightly uncomfortable, read but credit to the author for the discomfort as it shows the characters were believable and I was engaged with the story. I think I was expecting more shocks or a big twist so the ending was less of a crescendo than I’d imagined but I would recommend giving this one a go.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the first I’ve read by this author, and finished it in two days.

Mel’s writing style really appealed to me and I quickly became gripped by the ever building sense of menace and unease within the story.

Just as I thought I had the plot figured out, the author throws in more twists and curveballs, so you’re never quite sure who to trust.

The story addresses multiple issues such as the loss of a child, manipulation and control and does so skilfully, yet sensitively.

The characters, although not all likeable, were cleverly portrayed, and I especially found myself empathising with Juliette and her strong desire to help and seek justice. And the setting of the close knit village and isolated cottages only increased the sense of apprehension and disquiet.

This is an accomplished suspenseful psychological thriller and I highly recommend it. I will be seeking out Mel Sherratt’s other books.

Thanks to the author, publishers Bookouture and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced, quick, easy read. With its quick chapters I flew through it and felt like the storyline moved along nicely. Was enthralled from the start. Really interesting characters that are well written that you feel like you have a real insight into them. It’s a dark, twisted storyline which is told in 2 different timelines but it’s very clear when changing from one to the other. I did enjoy it and found myself wanting to just sit and read but I was a little disappointed that the ending was somewhat rushed and abrupt but still a good read all the same.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC thats due to be published on the 29th of Nov.

Richard appears to others to be a devoted loving husband but behind closed doors he is anything but. He is controlling and manipulative and belittles his wife Louisa infront of others. When his new next door neighbours Danny and Juliette move in he isn't happy when Juliette strikes up a friendship with his new partner Sarah. Louisa had moved out taking their daughter with them, or that was the story he was telling others.
What really did happen to his first wife and is the nanny all she appears.
I found this book enjoyable to read and fast paced.

A story that touches on domestic abuse, manipulation, control and murder.

Whilst I definitely enjoyed this book enough to finish reading, it wasn't a favourite of mine. By the end I still couldn't decide how I felt about certain characters, in particular, Sarah. In fact, I'm even struggling to write this review if I'm honest because I just can't put my finger on how I feel about the book! 😂

On a random note, when I was reading this book I felt as though I was being transported back in time when actually it's set in the modern day, I wonder if anybody else felt the same?!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review 📖

This one started off good. The story is engaging but at one point it lost its charm for me. Told in different timelines, it felt as if parts where put in there to justify the final act.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookoutre for the ARC

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have enjoyed all this authors books and this was no exception. Fast paced, great storyline and would recommend to other readers.

This psych thriller might be confusing to some readers.
There is a prologue, then current action, then a trip to 2015 from an unknown point of view, more action…and that’s all in Part One!
Part Two then takes the reader back in time, but even that flips between two different years. And then in Part Three, the action is back in the current time.
Oh, and in each part, there are different points of view within the chapters. But the reader is not clear on who the PoV is from.
It may seem like it would all be very confusing. But, strangely enough, I was not confused in the narrative a single time.
I always read chapter titles (if there are any), and that definitely kept me on track in this story.
However, the author also does a fantastic job of keeping everything moving along at a good pace. The characters have clear actions and motivations.
The only part that felt a little draggy was Part Two. But I think that was because of the bigger time leap. I was anxious to get back to the present time and see where everything was going to lead.
Why? Because my notes indicate no fewer than seven different theories as to motivations and responsibility for events. So, in that regard, the author definitely keeps the reader guessing!
This is an interesting review to write. As I re-read it, I am realizing that none of the characters really stuck with me. I was more involved in the plot itself and the way it would be resolved.
Which is actually kinda cool. That means the plot is enough to keep my attention without having to have heavy character development.
At the same time, I do feel like that is a bit lacking. The reveals occur late in the book (obviously). But at that point, the characters are known liars. That makes it a little bit difficult to know what the truth is and what is part of the deception.
Like this author's previous book, Ten Days, the author explores if past trauma is indicative of present behavior - or can people change?
But again, I’m not sure how much that matters, because it all works within the story seamlessly.
I'm going to conclude that this book is simply a different type of psych thriller. But it is still one you should definitely take a look at!

I really enjoyed this multi layered psychological thriller. An original storyljbexthat is engaging throughout. Authentic characters with the obligatory baddie!

This was another brilliant read from this author and was a total treat to read. Once I had picked it up I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a weekend. It was a great psychological thriller with engaging characters and also dealt very sensitively with issues of child loss and coercive control and helped to raise awareness.

This was a tense page Turner that was grilling from start to finish. I really can’t wait to read this authors next book.

I received an E-ARC copy of ‘The Life She Wants’ by Mel Sherratt through NetGalley from the publisher Bookouture in return for my honest review. I am a fan of Mel Sherratt’s books, and this is the first standalone I have read, and I loved it.

This book is set in Staffordshire and follows Juliette and Danny Ansell. They move to the area from London needing a new start after their daughter Emily dies from meningitis.

Their neighbours Sarah and Richard are welcoming at first, but Juliette senses that not all is as it seems.
Danny is working in London during the week still until he can find a job closer to their new home. This leaves Juliette alone in the house, and she starts having alarming occurrences around the house leaving her to feel as if she is losing her mind in her grief.

What follows is a story of control and manipulation. With lies and secrets left to be revealed.

Is all as it seems? What secrets lie within the neighbours’ lives?

The book is split into three parts, with the first part showing Juliette’s story. It then moves on to their neighbour’s story and this gives more of a background to the mystery around them. The third part brings it back to the present day where everything is concluded with a great intensity.

This book really had my blood boiling with anger at points and had my heart hurting with some of the horrific events some of the characters endure.

I spent a lot of the time wondering what secrets were going to be revealed and where it was all going to lead. At some points I couldn’t tell who was even telling the truth. It all comes together in the end.

I love Mel Sherratt’s books, and I still have a few more to read, which I would like to get to as soon as possible.

Overall, an intense psychological thriller showing the way some people will manipulate anyone who stands in their way to get what they want.

Most of the book alternates between two women. Juliette has just moved into a new home and is grieving the death of her young daughter. Her husband is still working in the city so she's alone for most of the week. Sarah has lived with her own husband in the house next door for years and is concerned about the impact new neighbors will have on their life, especially after Juliette asks about the little girl she saw in their garden.

I didn't love this one. I'm not sure if I wasn't paying close enough attention or if I was actually supposed to confuse the first person narrators in some chapters. The book jumps back and forth in time and it wasn't immediately obvious that certain events didn't make sense compared to what was happening in the present day.

As I read deeper into the plot, my jaw dropped several times. A seeming victim turns out to be the most controlling and manipulative character. I was blindsided by that revelation., Sheratt is a masterful writer, keeping readers fully engaged in the drama and suspense. I was quite astonished at the turn of events more than halfway through the story. I found a couple of the characters so reprehensible, it made my blood run cold. I love a good thriller and this one delivered. One adage is befitting Of this book: fences make good neighbors.

It's amazing that authors can still come up with original plots like this one by Mel Sherratt! I feel like a mastermind was at work, laying out a path of carefully constructed chapters that kept leading me on. I didn't know where any of it was leading, but the atmospheric feel of the book told me it might not be good.

The characters were an intriguing bunch. Several of them came across as extremely self-centered which was well portrayed by their selfish actions. Of course, I liked Juliette the best and felt sorry for her. because it was obvious she was being gaslighted.

I'd like to read more books by this author.

This was my first time reading a book by Mel Sherratt and I am so glad I discovered her! The Life She Wants is one of the best domestic thrillers I’ve read in a long time! I love the complicated characters, the suspenseful plot, & the ending that was absolutely perfect. I cannot wait to tell everyone about this book and to read more from Mel Sherratt!

An involving story. Just when you think you've got the good guys and the bad guys worked out thangs change, you can't taken anything as finished until the last page. Suddenly up pops another woman - poor thing.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

There are multiple layers of good and bad news here:

Good news: I love the front and back covers. The figure behind the lit window is intriguing all by itself. Is he/she the mysterious and elusive neighbour, or the nosey one? And what is the story? I want to know.

I want to know even more after reading the blurb, which managed to draw me in before I'd even started the book. It made me expect to read about a life that initially seem perfect, but the illusion of perfection slowly started to unravel. Maybe along similar lines to Jess Kitching's 'The Girl She Was Before', which is a book I absolutely adored. No pressure then, Mel ...

Bad news: I can't help but wonder if whoever wrote that blurb actually read the same book as me, or at least the same draft of it. Why write the blurb in the present day, and in the first person by Sarah, when the book itself does not follow this structure? Approximately the first half is told in the third person from the point of view of Juliette, who has recently moved from London with her husband Danny. The chapters that mention Sarah are almost entirely as seen through Juliette's eyes, with a few flashbacks to 2015 narrated in the first person.

Good news: it's a pity that I went into the book with the wrong expectations, because I really enjoyed Juliette's story. Grief-stricken after losing their young daughter Emily to meningitis - tragically, an all too common occurrence to which many readers will be able to identify - she and Danny decide to make a fresh start, well away from their native London in a part of the country where they are relatively unknown. Juliette begins to embrace village life, becoming known in the coffee shop and at the local book club, and also learns how to cultivate her new garden. She starts to feel at peace with herself. But there are just a few things that don't add up. Surely she didn't leave her back door wide open before she fell asleep? She can't have started to sleepwalk ... can she? And she did see a little girl in the neighbour's garden ... didn't she? Why are they denying her existence? And why does Richard see fit to publicly belittle Sarah at almost every opportunity he gets?

Bad news: but just as that story is getting interesting, the book switches back to 2018 and we learn how Sarah came to be in a relationship with Richard. It's clear that the objective here is to make the reader think about whether the actions she takes can be justified, and whether we're happy for a character to literally get away with murder. The trouble was that for me, this part of the book just wasn't powerful enough to make me form an opinion either way.

This is fine in a crime fiction, or police procedural novel that Mel Sherratt is best known for writing. In that instance, whilst the reader is allowed to feel sympathy or perhaps a silent admiration for a criminal, we ultimately side with the police officer and want to see justice done. But in a psychological thriller, which is how this book is marketed, this isn't really enough. What I want here is to be transported so firmly into the minds of one or more characters that I share every one of their thoughts and emotions. As the wonderful Angela Marsons put it, I want the author to chew me up and spit me out, only for me to thank them for the privilege. This is something that the last book I read - 'I'll Never Tell' by Casey Kelleher - achieved spectacularly: had I come face to face with the author immediately after reading it, I'd have ended up not so much bowing to her in admiration as collapsing in a sobbing heap at her feet. I have to say that 'The Life She Wants' gets nowhere near this.

Good news: However, perhaps because I wasn't ready to be chewed up and spat out again so soon, I enjoyed this book very much. With one notable exception, the characters are likeable, and there's definitely something not right about the one that isn't. I wouldn't want to be left in a room alone with them, that's for sure. I don't think I could go quite as far as to call the book 'unputdownable', but when I did put it down, I soon wanted to pick it back up again.

Conclusion: it's quite simple. Provided - and it's a sizeable provizo - you're not expecting a full-on psychological thriller, 'The Life She Wants' is a very, very pleasant read.

My thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this book, which I have reviewed voluntarily and honestly. I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

(3.5 stars)

If I’m going to be brutally honest, even with the intriguing epilogue, I wasn’t sure when the book got going. I didn’t feel an immediate connection with any of the characters and was going to give it up within the first few chapters, yes, I really am that fickle. But something made me push through and by goodness, I was so glad that I did for it wasn’t long before I fell in love with the story, hook, line and sinker. It’s very subtle in its storytelling and the Antagonist isn’t immediately obvious which actually I thoroughly appreciated as with most thrillers the storylines can be very samey.

Juliette and her husband Danny lost their daughter Emily the previous year when she died unexpectantly suffering from meningitis. With the impact of this huge lose in their lives, they decide to leave London and all of its memories to travel to the countryside to the sleepy village of Mapleton where they move into a large country cottage with acres of woodland next door to peculiar couple Richard and Sarah.

There’s no doubt from the get go that Richard and Sarah are hiding a dark secret and whilst Danny is finishing off his business in London before relocating properly, Juliette is left alone to get to know the area and in particular their new neighbours. It is definitely the subtle creepiness that makes for this compelling suspense and because it is so subtle, it’s impossible to know what is around the corner which I thoroughly appreciated.

But when the reality of Sarah’s position ad most importantly, Richard’s wife Louise, who left him with their daughter, two years previously comes out, the gravity of the situation and the safety of Sarah becomes of paramount importance as Juliette is tasked with uncovering the truth.

As I got more imbedded into the story and the backgrounds particularly of Sarah and Louisa, the plot definitely thickens.

As it neared its conclusion, it did stray from the subtlety that I had enjoyed thus far but with a killer twist laid out to get me thinking.

All in all, a good read.

When their little girl, Emily dies, Danny and Juliette decide to leave London behind and move to the country. Within days of meeting their neighbours, Richard and Sarah, Juliette realises there are strange things occurring. Their move to the country isn’t as idyllic and tranquil as they had hoped it to be.

This is an intriguing story about rivalry, manipulation and murder. Richards was definitely a character you couldn’t help but loathe. Danny and Juliette were such lovely characters, all the characters were well written. An entertaining read but it left me a bit emotional too as manipulation is something that can happen to any one of us.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of the Arc in exchange for my review.

This was a quick read, and well written. It was a glimpse into how easy it can be to fall for the wrong person and be manipulated by them. The characters were likeable (well, some of them anyway!) definitely worth a read