Another fabulous read! Never Coming Home by Hannah Mary McKinnon was my favorite of all the books I’ve read by this author. I gave this book five stars which I don’t give out a lot. A book REALLY has to be terrific for me to give out all of those gold Goodreads stars and this earned every one of them.

Lucas Forester didn’t hate his wife. Michelle was brilliant, sophisticated and beautiful. Sure, she had extravagant spending habits, that petty attitude, a total disregard for anyone below her status. But she also had a lot to offer. Most notably: wealth that only one percent could comprehend.

For years, Lucas has been honing a flawless plan to inherit Michelle’s fortune. Unfortunately, it involves taking a hit out on her.

Every track is covered, no trace left behind, and now Lucas plays the grieving husband so well he deserves an award. But when a shocking photo and cryptic note show up on his doorstep, Lucas goes from hunter to prey.

Someone is on to him. And they’re closing in.

You are going to love and hate the character of Lucas, an excellent villain!

Coming out on May 24

Lucas Forester knew that Michelle was the one he had been waiting for from the moment he met her at the private party being held in a London Art Gallery.

BUT, NOT FOR THE REASONS HE LED HER TO BELIEVE

He knew that she would be his golden goose-his future meal ticket-a means to an end. So, it wasn’t personal when he took a hit out on his new wife-it was just business.

Yes-Lucas is a character you will love to hate, as he confides all of his secrets to you!

It’s FUN spending time with him-he isn’t ALL BAD!!

After all, he saved Roger, an abandoned dog that Michelle thought would be better off euthanized. And, he makes sure that his brother-in-law never drives home drunk. He even arranged a swift and painless death for his new wife.

He isn’t a TOTAL monster!!

But just when he becomes convinced that his careful planning would lead to success-he receives a shocking photo and note, letting him know that someone is on to him-and they are closing in…I had my suspicions about who it was and I was correct but that isn’t what bothered me!

Things began to unravel about the midway point, when cliché hit men made an appearance. And, they unraveled further as the final reveals became more and more implausible. If that doesn’t bother you-this is definitely an entertaining story.

But, I prefer my thrillers to be a bit more realistic.

Available May 24, 2022.

Thank You to Mira books for a gifted copy! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

I really liked that this book was told from the villains' point of view. Lucas was a somewhat likeable character until his evil deeds become apparent. Lucas had thought he had covered his tracks meticulously until he realized someone knew something about what he had done, but he didn't know who it was and what they knew. The ending was quite clever and satisfying to the reader. This book was riveting from the first page to the very last.

I enjoyed this book, although I thought the premise was outlandish (aren't all thrillers though?) It was fun to see Lucas twisting in the wind, Overall, an entertaining book,

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By Hannah Mary McKinnon
Release Date 05/24/2022

Lucas Forrester may be of my favorite villainous characters I’ve read in a long time. He was lying about his past from the beginning to his wife and her family and living a complete lie. And I loved him from the start. Not only was he brilliant, but he was also diabolical.
His wife had been missing for 31 days; he was out of the country when she was kidnapped. He’d planned it for months, covered his tracks, and eluded the police's apparent investigations on the spouse. She was never coming back. He knew that. He’d planned it. He’d come from nothing. She was a trust fund baby. He wanted everything she had and more.
One day he got a letter, pictures of his wife, just her neck, and the earrings he gifted at Christmas. Then another comes, and this plan and acting as the grieving husband compromises his dreams of being single and rich.
His acting skills are being compromised.
Did I tell you his mother-in-law is about to die as well and leave a boatload of money to him? Oh, and Michelle’s brother Travis who’s a drug addict and alcoholic, lived with them/him now as well.
You have to ask yourself, do men plan as well as women?
Did Lucas?
Omgah, this book was fantastic. Skillfully written in Lucas’s Pov, you wouldn’t believe a woman wrote it. (This is a compliment to the author )
5 S̤̈T̤̈Ä̤R̤̈S̤̈ 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Unfortunately I did not love this book. I realize that it takes a lot for a thriller to wow me anymore especially since I read them pretty consistently. I did enjoy that this book was told from the POV of the bad guy as he went through his day to day justifying his actions and thinking he got away with it. But. I missed other POVs which I am sure would take away from the big twist in the end but Lucas annoyed me. Not in a "hate to love" way but just couldn't stand his incessant internal monologue. Drove me nuts. And I guessed the big twist 20% in which took away from the fun of trying to figure it out. However, the twist was 10x bigger than I thought but just seemed so far fetched and not really explained. I wanted more. Again. Clever concept and plot. It just wasn't for me.

Absolutely amazing!! No surprise there though! Hannah Mary McKinnon is one of my favorite authors. Why? Because she is so SAVAGE with her characters and I love it! And I absolutely loved that Never Coming Home was told from the villain's perspective! Sometimes that's a little more "fun".

Never Coming Home is 100% a page-turner and one you won't want to miss. McKinnon's writing is fabulous and I have loved every single one of her books that I've read. Sister Dear holds a special place in my heart though, so if you haven't read that one yet, I highly recommend that one too!

You should definitely add this entertaining read to your tbr!

I really have a thing for books where the villain is the main character and you live inside their head. It’s a different viewpoint and I appreciate when authors can successfully capture the balance of bad yet still being a readable character. This one was also really well written and kept me turning pages.

As the book went on, I was a bit disappointed with Lucas not being as smart as he appeared to be. I got tired of hearing him blame things on all the wrong people. I also figured out the ending very early on.

My biggest issue, however…what happened to Roger???

3.5 stars.

*Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Never Coming Home is a book you won’t want to put down. Lucas’ wife is missing and he has a secret. He wanted her dead and thought he had gotten away with it. Then letters start showing up that tell him he’s not the only one who knows his secret.

Lucas is a complex, conniving man. He comes from a rough background and is not afraid to do anything to get what he wants. At the same time he is very protective of those he loves.

This book is masterfully written. As you learn about Lucas, you understand him more. I loved the big twist at the end. It was a perfect ending to an amazing book!

4.5 stars -
Hannah, Hannah, Hannah!!

Every time I read a Hannah Mary McKinnon book, I just always know to expect the unexpected! Plus, assume an insane ending – and this one did not disappoint!!

A husband puts out a hit on his wife, and thinks he’s so smart he thought of absolutely everything to not get caught, but someone is onto him…

This was such a brilliant premise – and it was so bizarre that I ended up rooting for Lucas, the psycho “grieving husband”.

The story was a tiny bit predictable, but I was still entertained the whole way through! I’ve read all of Hannah Mary McKinnon’s books and I’m definitely a die-hard fan! She is an excellent thriller writer! Highly recommend!

This was a deliciously wicked read about a horrible, devious man who I was astonished to find that I couldn’t help but like. I mean, he loves a mutt stray dog and gives him a home. He’s smart and clever and just snarky enough for me to relate to him. Making me like an evil protagonist is the sure sign of an incredible storyteller.

Here we have a fast-paced thrill ride of a story. I highly recommend it for those who love a good thriller.

My thanks to NetGalley and Mira Books for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its publication date.

Michael has reinvented himself as Lucas. His greed to be rich has ruled his life. He married rich and mastered a fool proof kidnapping- murder of his wife, Michelle. All his careful planning is paying off. He got rid of his father in law and is working on getting his fortune. But has he thought of everything? Is he being blackmailed?

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before publication in exchange for my honest review, Trust me... receiving an ARC does not impact my rating. Ima give it to you straight!

THE PLOT

Lucas is a conman and he embraces it. He's about to execute his most complex and lucrative con yet; putting a hit on his wife and making off with her hefty trust fund. Not so fast Lucas—someone know what he did and they're not going to let him get away with it.

MY OPINION

So, after the hot mess of "Nothing Left To Lose", I swore I'd never read a male-narrated book again. Bloop. Yet here I am. AND I LOVED IT. Now THIS is the type of male character I'm here for; someone with a spine that isn't made out of wet spaghetti noodles. Lucas is neurotic and OCD like Schmidt from New Girl, with the smooth, practiced charm of Rusty from the Oceans 11 series, with the daddy issues of Steve Aoki (watch his doc and you'll understand). Kinda refreshing to see a MALE character with major daddy issues instead of your regular degular woman hittin the streets looking for the love and validation her father never provided (booooOOOOO).

The author weaves dark humour throughout his POV, making it a truly enjoyable read... Until the end :(. I was actually kikikik-ing throughout the book; I loved Lucas' raw, grumpy grandpa outlook on life. I mean, I don't condone his behaviour, but at least he had a good sense of humour. Kudos to the author for writing a genuinely funny but dark ass book. That's no easy task, but she handled it masterfully.

It was an enjoyable ride until about the 75% mark. You're telling me that Lucas' neurotic, detail-oriented mind who had been evading the law for years, couldn't just install a few security cameras and call it a day? Mystery over. Mans was driving all over down to dispose of different items and knew how to surf the dark web but couldn't swing by Walmart and pick up a couple cameras to catch the culprit leaving his suss messages and spiking his food so he shit himself? Ok.........

And then the ending. Le sigh. I would give the book a 4/5 if we're judging it on the writing and uniqueness alone. But once the big reveal hit, I felt like I was watching a Scooby Doo episode. "And I would've got away with it, if it weren't for you meddling hoes!" - Lucas. It was waaaayyy too contrived and so disappointing for a book that was otherwise whip smart.

2.5 rounded up to 3.

PROS AND CONS:

Pros: hilarious writing, unique POV, great pacing
Cons: Big ass plot hole, scooby doo ass endning

NEVER COMING HOME is a fun read perfect for fans of domestic suspense.

The beginning gets off to a bit of a slow start. I wasn't expecting to read about Lucas' sick mother-in-law who is on her deathbed. However, this does turn out to be a nice introduction to the protagonist.

Lucas is disturbing, of course, but also entertaining. I enjoyed seeing how his plan came together and also how things began to unravel. It was fascinating to see inside his mind. As he explains to the reader what he will do, we are right there with him.

I kind of wish we had also been given Michelle's point of view or perhaps one of the detectives' or someone else in the Ward family. That would have provided a nice break from Lucas.

However, this is a carefully plotted novel with a satisfying ending, sure to please fans of domestic suspense.

Devious!

3.65 stars

“We’re all a little evil on the inside.”

Never Coming Home is a psychological thriller about a husband who comes up with a masterful plan to steal millions from his wife. All goes without a hitch, or so he thinks.

Lucas Forester is a self-identified con artist. Brought up in humble beginnings, he struck gold when he met Michelle, a trust fund baby worth millions. Desperate for cash, Lucas puts together to make him rich and, at the same time, free himself of his wife. A month has passed since his wife’s disappearance when he receives a series of anonymous notes stating, “I know what you did.” A cat and mouse game ensues as Lucas fights to win.

Narrated solely by Lucas, I couldn’t help but like him, even though, at the same time, he is a horrible person. His love for a stray dog, Roger, his snarky observations, and his intellect had me cheering him on. Being in his head was enjoyable, and he had me eagerly flipping the pages.

I loved Lucas' personality and watching him manipulate those around him was entertaining. However, my enjoyment waned towards the end. I found the events surrounding the ending were rushed, over the top, and a little ridiculous. I like the idea of the ending, but it played out like a Lifetime movie. While I didn't love the ending, I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek final scene.

Overall, this was a fast-paced, entertaining, and wickedly fun read! I hope other readers have as much fun with Lucas as I did!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Another twisty one from a go to author for me! I was enraptured by the story and wanted more of Michelle during this twisty and quite diabolical thrill ride, but got what I wanted at just at the right time, just like McKinnon can do. You might be looking over your shoulder at your spouse after this one! Excellent domestic thriller.

Thank you to the author for my copy all thoughts are my own

Never Coming Home, was one of my most anticipated books for 2022. This is an edge of your seat, heart in your throat, kind of domestic thriller.

Being a huge fan of Hannah Mary McKinnon, I knew that I needed to get my hands on a copy of Never Coming Home, at all costs.

This is a book that delivers! Told from the villains point of view, McKinnon, literally knocked this one out of the park. I absolutely loved this book from start to finish and would highly recommend to anyone who loves a fast paced domestic thriller.

This was an easy five stars.

If you miss this, you are missing out on one hell of a ride.

This was a fun read!

Lucas Forester hires a hitman from the dark web to murder his wife so he can inherit all her fortune. Soon after, he starts receiving anonymous photos and notes. Someone is on to him and knows what he has done. The story is told from Lucas’ POV, and I loved being in his head! I legit felt all his emotions. And the ending! I did not see that coming at all! I highly recommend this book to fans of domestic thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC.,

Never coming home by Hannah Mary McKinnon released may 2022. Even if you believe you have the failed proof plan for getting rid of your rich wife. Do you?

Another amazing delivery by Hannah Mary McKinnon! I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. A non stop thriller that had you looking over your shoulder and holding your breath. The twists the turns, the constant action. I’m exhausted!

Lucas was pure insanity! The scene with the dress, heals and jewelry for their 3rd anniversary; completely creepy and would have sent me running! Michelle wins my vote for supporting actress hands down!

A special thank you to NetGalley and the author for my Advanced Reader Copy!