I am slowly make progress on my long overdue reviews as part of a New Year's resolution. I am determined to get caught up this year, even though I still sign up for new novels that pique my interest.
Ariel Pryce accompanies her new husband John Wright on a business trip to Lisbon. Things get off to a rough start after her goes out early the morning after they arrive at their hotel and disappears. Ariel is upset and alerts the hotel staff and local police. They don't seem too concerned since it has been less than twenty-four hours. All of a sudden everyone seems very interested after she receives a ransom demand. Even United States government officials jump into the fray making it appear politics may be involved.
The reader slowly learns Ariel's back story and why she changed her name. John isn't completely a reliable character either. Many events happen over the two nights and days in Lisbon. You would think the plot would be fast paced, but at over 500 pages that isn't true. Although there are many twist and turns that last until the end, repetition, one of my pet peeves, is used too often.
Looking at how "the other half lives" and how a simpler life can be fulfilling was entertaining on many levels. Chris Pavone was a new to me author. I would be open to reading another of his thrillers in the future.

Such a great book and so very easy to read! It has so many twists and turns you would think that you were in the mountains LOL. I highly recommend this book! Hurry and pick yourself up a copy and sit down and enjoy yourself! Thank you for writing such a great book!

This is my first book by Chris Pavone. It definitely won’t be my last. It is a perfect beach read! An international setting, Newly wed Ariel Pryce has accompanied her second husband on a business trip to Lisbon. She has left her son with her mom. Ariel wakes up in the hotel and cannot find John anywhere. She decides to go to the American Embassy and to the police. No one seems concerned. The book is rather slow in the beginning and her past is inserted throughout the book. The book picks up speed when a motorcycle looks like the driver is going to run over her. It stops and the driver hands her a cell phone. At this point, the story speeds up. There are a couple of twists I did not see. Obrigada por um bom livro!

Ariel Pryce awakens in Lisbon to an unsettling reality—her husband is gone, leaving no trace, no warning, and not responding to any attempts at communication. As confusion and concern set in, Ariel embarks on a quest for answers, starting with hotel security, progressing to the police, and reaching out to the American embassy. Each encounter raises more questions that Ariel struggles to answer: What is John doing in Lisbon? Why did he bring her along on his business trip? Who might pose a threat to him? And why does Ariel know so little about her significantly younger husband?

The ticking clock intensifies Ariel's frustration and desperation, pushing her to the brink of running out of time. The one person who holds the key to unraveling the mystery is also the last person she wishes to ask for help.

The narrative establishes a compelling start, effectively portraying Ariel's mounting frustration and desperation in her quest to locate her missing husband. As readers delve into Ariel's backstory, empathy naturally builds for the challenges she has faced in the past. The involvement of the police, Consular Services, and the CIA adds layers of complexity to the story, though the initial lack of explanation in the first half may seem unrealistic.

The political undertones of the thriller emerge in the latter part of the narrative, contributing significantly to the suspense and overall atmosphere. While certain plot elements may feel somewhat predictable, and the pacing could be tightened, especially in the middle, the book manages to engage readers sufficiently, keeping them invested in discovering how the story will unfold in the end.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am far behind on leaving feedback because I kept hoping I would go back to this book and it would get better. Unfortunately, after the opening chapter it didn't keep my attention at all. I didn't like the main character at all. I was expecting more of a thriller based on the description but I was generally bored. I couldn't finish it without skimming and I didn't feel like I missed much.

In Two Nights in Lisbon, Ariel wakes up in Portugal alone to find her new husband John gone. She knows something is wrong and seeks the assistance of the hotel, the police, and then the US embassy to help her find him.

Each of these parties asks Ariel questions she has a hard time answering — Why is John here in Portugal? Why did she come with him? Which clients is he meeting with? The reality is, Ariel and John’s relationship moved quickly and she doesn’t have all the answers. When Ariel receives an update on John, she knows time is truly running out and desperation has left her limited options.

Even though I felt her demeanor toward others was off-putting at times, I felt for the high-stakes situation Ariel was in, and what she had been through, revealed through many flashbacks. That said, there was so much focus in this book on how women are wronged and I get it, we often are! It just began to feel like overkill in addition to slowing down the suspenseful pace of the story.

At one point, I thought I had to be near the end, only to see there were still almost 4 hours left in the audiobook! January Lavoy did a good job narrating and I enjoyed the conclusion of Two Nights in Lisbon though it took longer than necessary to get there — 3.5 stars

Another great Pavone book, but that being said, it was not my favorite. The plot was twisty and kept me turning the pages, but there were places where it seemed to drag a bit. As always, the locales, characters and prose made for a good read.

The synopsis of this book really grabbed my attention. However, this story went more of a crime-thriller direction that didn't work for me. For people looking for more of that crime story style, this is great.

What do you do when you wake in a foreign country to find your recently wed husband missing without explanation and with no apparent witnesses seeing him leave your hotel? That’s the scenario that Ariel Pryce finds herself in Chris Pavone’s novel, “Two Nights in Lisbon.”

Upon finding her husband, John, oddly gone from their hotel room (although supposedly on a business-trip that she’s accompanied him on but hasn’t met any of his colleagues), Ariel soon learns that he’s being held hostage in exchange for a €3million Euro ransom with a short deadline.

However. police, consular officials and other authorities think that something stinks, and Ariel becomes their number one suspect because both she and John have too many oddities in their past and her behavior is definitely dodgy.

This is a long and winding journey but definitely worth the twist at the end. Be patient because it’s a provocative read.

TheBookMaven graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Chris Pavone, and Publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux, MCD for this advance reader’s copy (ARC) for review.

I had my book club ready this and I think everyone liked it, however one of the members sent the author an email and he was extremely rude to her so I won't be promoting his books.

Thank you Farrar, Straus and Giroux, MCD ​and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
"Two Nights in Lisbon" is truly an intriguing read! The story commences with Ariel waking up to the unsettling discovery of her missing newlywed husband. The narrative unfolds in a captivating manner, keeping readers guessing and curious about the unfolding events in her relentless pursuit to find him.

The only downside, in my opinion, is its length, spanning over 400 pages. At times, the story feels like it could have been more concise, as it meandered a bit. Nevertheless, the satisfying ending compensates for this, and overall, I believe it is a good book worth recommending.

Ariel Pryce accompanies her husband to Lisbon for a quick business trip. On the first morning she awakes to find her husband missing. She contacts hotel security, the local police, and then the American Embassy, each dismissing her fears. And then she receives a ransom note, and everyone takes her a bit more seriously. The amount requested is substantial, far more than Ariel or her husband has. There is only one person with vast resources she knows. The storyline is interesting and keeps you guessing and curious about what’s going to unravel next in her quest to find her husband. The backstory was just as fascinating as the present day situation with John being missing. The groundwork is laid to the point in which I didn't find it difficult to piece things together. Despite the fact I had a sense of the direction there were some questions I wanted answers to in order to fill in the blanks. Credit goes to the author because with other thrillers that can lead to me feeling bored but that certainly wasn't the case here as my interest level didn't wane. The writing was stellar, really crisp and compelling. The characterizations were excellent and the story was very tautly plotted and moved along at a good clip.

Thank you Net Galley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux MCD for the ARC

This was a captivating novel that kept my heart rate up. Fast paced hunt for John, Ariels husband who was kidnapped on their work trip to Lisbon. With only 48 hours to hand over a large ransom, will she be able to do it? Ariel goes through obstacle after obstacle to meet the demands of the kidnappers. Long book but well worth it

I really loved this one! It was very twisty and kept me on the edge of my seat. Sometimes I was a bit concerned that the amount of double-crossing would muddy up the story but ultimately the story was so fun that that ended up not being an issue. The only thing that disappointed me was how quickly it went by!

I did not get to this book and as a result am removing from my list. I ended up selecting other books to read instead. This review is not a reflection of the story, but rather shows that this was not high on my TBR list, which is a factor in itself.

Well written and engrossing. I hated to put the book down to so I could sleep. Two Nights in Lisbon will have you thinking and wondering.

What sets "Two Nights in Lisbon" apart is the depth and complexity of its characters. Mark and Hilary are flawed and nuanced, and their relationship is both complicated and compelling. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and the search for redemption in a way that feels both personal and universal.

Overall, "Two Nights in Lisbon" is a wonderful read that will transport readers to another time and place. Pavone's writing is masterful, and his characters are unforgettable. This is a must-read for anyone who loves literary fiction and wants to be swept away by a captivating story.

I c.ouldn't get in to this one but I was able to finish it. Barely. I felt confused a lot and felt it was all over the place.
Many thanks to publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

In the first quarter of the book, I was a bit put off at the extent of the main character’s hate and distrust of men (the reader discovers that she did have some legitimate reasons for this, but it still felt extreme). The twists and turns of the plot hooked me though and kept me reading. In the end, I was very satisfied with the conclusion and would definitely recommend it to others.
* I was provided free access to an uncorrected digital galley through NetGalley.

I’ve read other books by this author that I really enjoyed so I think I was expecting a lot. The dual timeline and multiple POV was not executed the best. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review