This was a enjoyable fast moving thriller. Not sure who was the bad guy until the end. I would read additional books by the author. Some of the characters seemed a bit unhinged but, that is s a story.

I loved that this book was set in Canada. I did not love how unrelatable the protagonists were. Neither one of them seemed likeable because of their behaviour. I guess that was why they had a bond as they were similar in their "strangeness". I found the plot really unbelievable and dramatic for the really mundane plot.

This non-linear story was told from two perspectives: Sarah, the mom, and Holly, the babysitter.

I found Sarah more annoying as the story progressed. She was super protective of her son and made assumptions about everyone’s opinions and actions. I felt more connected and also sorry for Holly. Her dysfunctional family was wealthy but a complete wreck.

I enjoyed this thriller overall but the conclusion could have been more fleshed out. It was surprising but just not a great ending.

* Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Samantha Bailey can write. In fact, she writes very well. My issue is with the story itself.

I figured out the "twist" at the end less than 1/2 way through the book. I was thrown off slightly by a red herring, but still guessed exactly what was going on. I read through the rest of the novel hoping I wasn't correct (I was and it was disappointing). I even guessed as to why the character did what they did, hoping I was wrong (and I wasn't).

I think these domestic thrillers just aren't for me.

But I will say this: none of the characters were unreliable narrators, drunk or stoned. Definitely happy the author didn't go there.

Wow, wow, wow! This is a psychological thriller done right! Fast paced, intense, enthralling, and absolutely unputdownable! If you think you can run from your past, read this and think again! Well written, with flawlessly developed characters, making me connected to the story even more!! Twisty as a pretzel, chilling as a haunted house, thrilling as a rollercoaster, and shocks so amazing they have to holding breath and gasping for air! Cannot recommend enough! A must read, but prepare to not move until you have finished!

An excellent mystery novel showing the reader that no matter where you go, past misdeeds and secrets will always find you, as the protagonist learns in this story.

Watch Out For Her is such a great book! Throughout Sarah’s parts of the story, I had a hard time figuring out if she was a reliable narrator or not. There were just so many moments that made it seem that she really was imagining things. Holly’s character was really interesting. I’m glad that she was the second perspective, because if I didn’t get to see what she thought about her actions, I would have not liked her character at all. The plot twists were definitely memorable as well. I never saw the two at the end coming. One of the best thrillers I’ve read this year!

A tragic family mystery. So sad to see a daughter (Holly) so desperate to get acceptance and love from her father that she does desperate acts. Then one day she steals a valuable bracelet from her stepmother and is thrown out of the family home. Her stepsister wants her to come and live with her but instead she tries to install herself in the family home of the young lad, Jacob, who she has been babying. All goes well for a while but she wants the family to accept her and love her, and to have her permanently live with them. A devious young lady as you will discover. The story is full of mysteries and deceit which catches up with everyone in the end. Well written, an easy fast read which will keep you guessing until the end.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. What SAHM doesn't want a little help so she can do a few things for herself now and then? And she thinks she found a great babysitter that her son loves, but maybe he loves her a little too much? And she's a mom so she worries. So many secrets and lack of trust. The twist is kind of predictable.

‘Watch Out for Her” is my first Samantha M Bailey book, and I will definitely add her debut novel, “Woman on the Edge” to my reading list. I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style and well developed storyline and characters. I highly recommend this book.

This book definitely gave me Gone Girl/ Woman In The Window vibes. The writing felt a bit stilted and young, but the narrative arc itself was engaging & kept me guessing until about 3/4 of the way through. I didn't find the main characters to be particularly likable or relatable, but I was able to appreciate that the author highlighted the issues they struggled with, like mixed feelings about growing older, rejection by family of origin, jealousy, etc.

This psychological thriller kept me wanting more!

Holly is a 22 year old medical school student who is under a lot of pressure from her family. Sarah Goldman is a mother and photographer. Holly’s family push her to work as the Goldman family’s babysitter to care for their done, Jacob. Sarah quickly finds herself enraptured by Holly’s beauty and Grace, and soon becomes envious. She begins to watch Holly covertly, until she sees something that changes everything.

I was quickly sucked into the alternating viewpoints and timelines of Sarah and Holly. This story kept building and I just had to know what happened! I felt for Holly—her life seemed so sad. Sarah also was a good character and very relatable. I think the fact that I could relate and emphasize with both women helped me to really want to know what happened to them both!

I have to say that I was kept guessing until very close to the big twist at the end. I usually see a twist coming, but there were so many good red herrings that I wasn’t sure until the big reveal.

I loved reading this, and even got a little creeped out reading it at night. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone wanting a gripping storyline to suck them in!

Holly grew up in a privileged home, but there are strings attached. Her father and stepmother want her to go to medical school and continue to legacy of the family pharmaceutical business. When Holly tells them that she doesn’t want to join the company she is disowned. Sarah and Daniel need a babysitter for their 6 year old son, Jacob, for the summer. Holly needs work and interviews for the job. She is hired on the spot as they make a great connection. Holly needs family and Sarah needs a good friend. Things begin to spin out of control as secrets and lies are discovered. There are so many suspicious characters. This is an excellent psychological drama that includes trust, paranoia, voyeurism and obsession.

Told in dual time frames and with two different narrators, this story was a deep dive into the lives of a family in crisis. Sarah and Daniel seem to be living the dream, in a big home, belonging to an exclusive country club and with a little boy named Jacob to complete the picture. Enter Holly, a young girl who seems almost lost because her mom died when she was a small child and her father is demanding yet unaccepting of her. Holly starts caring for Jacob so that Sarah can pursue her photography hobby, and that is when the conflict really begins. Sarah, Daniel and Holly are all hiding secrets that could destroy their lives. Unwilling to divulge their secrets, they continue headlong into what promises to be a disaster. Daniel and Sarah suddenly decide to move, trying to escape their problems and the hooks that they think Holly has dug into their private lives. In their attempt to escape, they only exacerbate their problems and have more to hide. The way the story is woven is very complex but easy to understand. So many lives are dependent on the choices of others that it is all a chain of events, many of them unexpected surprises. Holly was a character that I tried to hate because of her manipulations, but it was hard to hate her since she had such a difficult life, never really accepted by her stepmother or loved by her father. The fact that she was such a realistic character made me feel sympathy for her and all she had already suffered. Sarah seemed to be a neurotic mess, but she was also fully developed with some hidden sides to her that were revealed slowly. Daniel was the character that I never got to know really well until the revelations at the end. His weaknesses were exposed throughout the book but the reasons for them were never fully disclosed. All in all, this was a fast-paced book that was entertaining as well as a good exercise in guessing who the villain was and what their end goal was. Written with lots of true-to-life dialogue and some really gut-wrenching scenes, this book is an excellent example of domestic suspense.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy from Simon and Schuster via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I just finished reading "Watch Out For Her" by Samantha Bailey. Thanks to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
There is a line in this book that kind of sums up what this story is about: " Desperate people do desperate things. Not always on purpose. But sometimes."
This is a book about imperfect people trying to do the right thing but often for the wrong reasons. It shows how humans can be so imperfect at times: making bad choices for what seem to be good reasons.
The book is about Sarah and her husband Daniel, who hire Holly to babysit their son Jacob. There is alot of mutual admiration and caring on everyone's behalf but there is also secrets and lies, which ultimately leads to betrayal and loss.
The story is told from the perspective of the two female leads: Sarah and Holly. While both characters have their fine points, they are both guilty of making bad decisions in the book, which ultimately leads to an end to their relationship.
I really like that the setting for the story is Vancouver and Toronto. Nice to see Canadian content. I like the characters of Sarah, Holly and Daniel, but I loathed Holly's parents and i thought her stepsister was a little weird.
I liked that the story went back and forth between two different perspectives which made it more interesting and engaging. And even though there were no big WOW moments, there was enough action and intrigue to keep me interested until the last page...and the ending was quite satisfying.
All in all, it was a good read...I have read this author's first book and this is her second book. I am excited to read her next novel. It is sure to please.
Happy Reading!

I loved Samantha M. Bailey's debut, Woman On the Edge, and was so excited to get my hands on her second thriller, Watch Out for Her. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I found it creepy and thrilling in all the best ways, and I had to keep taking breaks throughout to slow my heart rate down; definitely a sign of a great thriller.
The story was told in alternating timelines, before and now, and from dual perspectives, Holly and Sarah, and although it took me a bit of time to adjust to this, it ended up working for me. I questioned all the characters at some point and had fun trying to piece everything together. The ending was satisfying for me if not a bit cliché...but I won't say more than that. Pick this one up when you're in the mood for a fast paced and well written thriller.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this early copy in exchange for an honest review.

📚 Book Review 📚 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫

Watch Out For Her by Samantha M. Bailey

Book comes out April 19th - Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for th ARC!!

At the beginning of summer, Sarah had a good life with her husband (Daniel) and son (Jacob) and a live in babysitter, Holly, who adored her son and was becoming part of the family. However by the end of the summer, Holly was fired and Sarah and her family quickly moved to a new town hoping to leave their past behind but they quickly realize you can’t run/move from your secrets. Someone is always watching…..😳

While I enjoyed the book and it kept me entertained, I really didn’t like any of the characters and I knew the “shock” well into the book as you’re given obvious hints throughout. The flow of the book was good but the story itself was just lacking something. It wasn’t necessarily a thriller but just more about keeping secrets.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

I loved it! Samantha is such a fantastic thriller author. I also loved her first book, WOMAN ON THE EDGE. This one was even better. My thriller lovers, add this to your list ASAP!!

Sarah and Daniel Goldman hired Holly to babysit their 6 yr old son Jacob for the summer. Things seemed to just fit into place. Jacob loved Holly, and Holly felt like she found a mother figure in Sarah. Fine and dandy, until Sarah, who just doesn't trust Holly, sees something…and it shows her that Holly is hiding something and all she wants to do is leave. They decide to take off and start over in a new neighborhood, very far away. Then Sarah finds hidden cameras in her new house. Who is doing this, and has the past caught up to them? 😱😱

This was a fast paced thriller and I loved every second. Twisty, and so suspenseful!! I can't wait to read more by Samantha Bailey in the future! 🙌🏼🙌🏼


Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy! All opinions are my own!

Good story of wanting to belong

This caught my attention right from the start. I felt it dragged a little toward the end, and the last chapter could have been tightened, but otherwise was an excellent read. The plot twist at the end should not come as a surprise to anyone who reads mysteries, but it was still good.

The characters were pretty standard - beautiful daughter of a very wealthy father who is starved for affection, stay at home mom who lost her sense of self, handsome dad who seems to have something to hide, a couple of mysterious neighbors... But somehow it all works.

4 1/2 stars