Member Reviews
love love love this author.
her debut novel was breathtaking.
her next one was even more stunning.
and then this one, she went above and beyond.
stellar read for those of us who love those suspense novels that keep up turning the pages for me.
I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.
WOW! I am giving this 4 outrageous stars! You have to suspend a lot of disbelief and roll your eyes occasionally but this whacky story is worth it!
Noa has that condition where she feels no pain, which as someone with fibromyalgia, gives me some envy. It’s no walk in the park, however. Things you don’t even think about like needing to pee. She has to set an alarm. Very strange stuff.
Noa was passed up for a promotion because of this. They saw her as a liability. At the same time, a disappearance happened in her small hometown. Her parents want her to come help search, they need all hands on deck, so she drives there from Miami even though it’s the kid of the guy who broke her heart.. and the woman he dumped her for.
The town wasn’t always kind to her because of her condition which seems odd because who cares?? but anyway, she’s falling back in with her old friends and enjoying their company despite the sad circumstances. Old feelings are surfacing. Will that get in the way of the search for Skye? Is Skye closer than we think or long gone?
I don’t want to even attempt to describe this search because it was twisty and the shock value is part of the fun so no spoilers! I was shrieking until the very end! It straddled the line of getting too out there at times but it was definitely original and I didn’t see the twists coming! Things would get out of hand very quickly and sometimes I would wonder if it was a dream or really happening. Obviously I’d figure it out.
Wow! My first TL Finlay book but definitely not my last! I really enjoyed this new thriller. Refreshing storyline and awesome characters. This one hooked me early on and just didn’t let go.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book
I devoured this book in just a few days! It’s edgy, it’s got twists you won’t see coming, and centers itself around a character with CIPA…which I didn’t know anything about!
Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) also known as hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type IV, is an inherited disease where there is an inability to feel pain and temperature, and decreased or absent sweating (anhidrosis).
The main character has this, and it’s interesting to see the issues she runs into on a daily basis. And when her disease helps her be her small towns patrons version of Wonder Woman, we get a great story!
Definitely worth a read, can’t wait to read more by this author.
That didn’t appeal much to me. Such a letdown.
Thanks to Netgalley! Hoping for a better read next time!
3 for neutral, was unable to access my netgalley account for months, until today. Because of this, I was unable to see which books I needed to read. I apologize for the inconvenience and hopefully will not have any more issues in future.
This book has been on my list and radar to read for a while now, as I first read her book The Falling of Stars liked it, especially the ending which had me having actual tears rolling down my cheeks which is rare in books. Girls Without Tears introduces us to Noa who has CIPA which means that she can't feel pain or sweat. Because she can't feel, she lives her life on a timer with restroom and food breaks timed in her day. She loves her life in Miami and keeps her head down and moving forward. That is until her Dad calls and she learns that a child has gone missing from her small hometown and not just anyone's child but Zack Flynn's. Zack was Noa's first love until Taylor came along and the pair ended up breaking up Zack went on to marry Taylor and have Skye. Skye though reminds the town of Noa in her ways as she even looks like a mini-Noa. Noa hasn't been around her old school friends in ten years as once she left, she never looked back. What will happen though when old feelings for Zack start to resurface? Noa despite knowing she should leave, knows there is more than meets the eye and continues to dig for the truth. Will she like what she finds though as she uncovers a dead body, people thought was alive and well, an affair that has been going on for at least four years, and a kidnapper/killer that will leave the town reeling when the identity is revealed? Find out in Girls without Tears by T.L Finlay today.
3.5⭐️
Noa has a condition called CIPA, which causes her to not feel pain. One day she receives a phone call from her parents that a six year old girl, Skye, has gone missing in her hometown. It just so happens to be her ex-boyfriend’s daughter. She chooses to come back to her hometown, which she hasn’t visited in 10 years due to her horrible break up, and help in the search for Skye.
This was filled with a lot of action, and was a really fast paced read!
I really enjoyed the involvement of Noa’s condition, the story definitely wouldn’t have been as interesting without it.
I tend to dislike novels where the main character’s goal is to solve a kidnapping or murder because I usually find them very silly and unrealistic, but I actually didn’t mind this one. There were definitely parts that I thought were a little far fetched but it was still entertaining.
I predicted the ending quite early on in the book, but there were little twists that made me question if I had it right. Turns out I still did. I still think it’s worth the read!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
T.L Finlay, is going to be an overnight household name amongst book lovers...
Girls Without Tears, not only has an incredible cover and a title that sells itself but the storyline is straight up chilling! There were numerous times that I had to pause and remind myself to breathe. The pace was incredibly fast and pushed you right along into the next chapter. Not once did I skim, or look ahead to see how many more pages I would read before a break. I promise you... there will be no breaks.
The way Finlay was able to make Noa come to life in between the pages was mesmerizing. Following along with Noa's journey to uncover the truth about an old flame's child gone missing was nothing short of intense.
The conclusion had a huge shock factor and will leave you thinking about it long after you conclude. The twist was spot on and executed with precision.
I will have my eyes wide open awaiting T.L Finlay's next publication!
I loved this book, so twisty! It was one of those thrillers that had me doubting myself the entire time. Noa was such an interesting main character, I was rooting hard for her the entire time! I highly recommend this read.
Girls Without Tears by T. L. Finlay.
When six-year-old Skye disappears from Everglades City, Noa is hesitant to return to her hometown to help with the search effort. Skye is the daughter of Noa’s ex, Zack, and Taylor, the girl he dumped her for. Going home also means facing the townspeople who have always misunderstood Noa’s medical condition, Congenital Insensitivity to Pain, and dealing with more of their ignorant comments.
But returning home is just the beginning of Noa's painful journey. When her childhood friend, Jamie, is assaulted by a vagrant, Noa intervenes in a violent counterattack—and the man’s fingerprints are found near Skye’s DNA. As Noa gets closer to the truth of who kidnapped Skye, she starts to uncover secrets about her hometown that she didn’t expect.
I really enjoyed this. Great story and characters. I loved the cover. 5*.
Noa Romwell chose to stay disconnected from her small-minded hometown for the last ten years. But when an innocent child went missing, she returned to offer help, unknowingly dredging out the past and uncovering deadly secrets.
This was an entertaining read with s plot that kept me intrigued. I wasn’t surprised by the ending, but I liked the story along the way.
What I loved the most about the book was Noa’s medical condition. It was fascinating seeing how she handled it and also made me cringe at some parts. Jamie was my favorite character, and I was drawn to him right from the beginning.
Girls without Tears is a story of obsession and deception. It would appeal to fans of a psychological thriller.
This book was an entertaining read with a storyline that grabbed me straight away. It was a bit over the top at times but I really enjoyed it.
When Noa hears that the six year old daughter of her ex goes missing on her way home from school, she struggles with returning home to Everglade City. A place she didn’t always feel welcome and one she has no desire to return to. When duty wins out, Noa finds herself heading home to help out in the search. When Noa starts asking too many questions she soon finds herself in danger, much more danger than the regular person as her body cannot feel pain, but will that be a hindrance or a help? A fast paced, addictive story!
I really liked this one. The twist was good and the reading was smooth. I really enjoyed the writing and I will be looking at other books from this author.
*received for free from netgalley for honest review* i didn't like this as much as i thought i would. it wasn't bad but there were several phrases repeated enough that i found it kinda annoying lol
I really love to support local authors, but it’s especially cool when they live in your neighborhood and visit your @littlefreelibrary!
Noa is living in Miami when she finds out the young daughter of her ex-boyfriend goes missing. She returns to her small hometown of Everglades City to join the search party, but not without hesitation. She would often be the center of town gossip thanks to a rare medical condition. Noa suffers from CIPA, Congenial Insensitivity to Pain & Anhidrosis, which prevents her from feeling any type of pain or producing sweat.
Being in the medical field, I had never heard of this condition and was instantly intrigued by it. I was curious to see if the entire book would be saturated with it, making you forget the story is about finding a missing child, but Finlay did a great job giving detail when needed and pulling back as well. I was glad that the entire plot wasn’t riddled with CIPA as the main focus. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an integral part of the plot, but it didn’t overpower it.
I especially liked how CIPA played a role in Noa’s relationships, while it destroyed some, it made others stronger. As I read, I kept thinking how cool it must be to not feel pain, until the author slipped in that Noa has to set a timer on her phone to remind herself to go to the bathroom! Can you imagine being on a date and peeing yourself because your body doesn’t read basic bodily function queues? 🫢
There is a ton of action and I didn’t anticipate any of the twists! I was hooked, until the very end, trying to figure things out and piece them together. I failed miserably!
Thank you to @netgalley, @crookedlanebooks and @dreamscape_media for ALCs and e-ARCs of this book. I switched between both platforms and it was awesome!
Thank you so much @tracifinlay for gifting me signed copies for myself and our LFL! I’ll definitely be reading The Rules of Burken and The Falling of Stars soon.
➪ Girls Without Tears is out now!
Girls Without Tears is a gritty mystery about a woman who returns to her remote hometown in the Florida Everglades to assist with the search party of a six year old girl who has gone missing. The story follows Noa, who suffers from a rare condition that makes her unable to feel pain, meaning she could become injured and not even realize it. This has caused her to be overlooked or picked on.
The story moves quickly and there is a ton of action. I loved the Everglades as a setting as it made danger seem more ominous. I found it a little hard to connect to the characters at first, but the story was gripping and I wasn't quite sure where it would go. I listened to the audiobook which was well-narrated by Tara Sands, who fit Noa's character perfectly.
Thank you to the publishers for providing this ebook/audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.
This was a fast-paced thriller that started big and didn't let up the whole time. No one is to be trusted in the small Everglades town in Florida.
Noa is a woman living a very detailed/scheduled life in Miami. She has CIPA (a rare condition in which one cannot feel pain, heat, hunger, etc). She has learned to live with it and has enjoyed her life away from the small town she grew up in. But when her hometown comes calling, Noa returns to help the people that were a big part of her childhood.
Ok, first of all, I wasn't sure why Noa was returning to her hometown to a place where people gossip and had really never accepted Noa and her CIPA. But I understood it. It was her ex-boyfriend Zack that needed her help, or rather his daughter since she had gone missing. And if you are from a small town, you know that everyone comes together in a time of need. When Noa returns, she is reunited with her family, her ex and her BFF Jamie from high school. Just like old times, right? Not so fast. Noa may be helping to search for a missing child, but it soon appears that someone has their sites set on her.
The twists and turns that Ms Finlay takes us on will leave you with your heart in your throat and trying to figure out who the real villain in the story is. There are jaw dropping moments and one scene that left me covering my eyes, but also flipping the pages to see what was going to happen next. I honestly could feel the blood whooshing through my brain. You'll know the scene once you read it. Trust me.
Overall, Girls Without Tears is an addictive story with a great cast of characters. Whether they are villains or heroes, they all balanced out the story wonderfully. I really appreciated the fact that the author gave Noa CIPA. It added a "superhero" element to her part of the story, plus I learned something new.
If you're ready for a page-turning, heart-poundingly good story full of danger, twists, mystery and suspense, look no further. This will take you on an epic journey to finding the truth and weeding through the evil and lies. It's not always easy, but it will definitely keep your attention all through out.