4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This was so good and unputdownable! I don’t know why I waited so long to read a book from A.R Torre, Inhave to read more from her now
I loved the writing, and her style. Liked the short chapters as well. The story overall was soooo good. I loved the twists and I just can’t wait to read more from her!!
Thanks so much for the ARC!!!!

This was a fantastic domestic thriller. The characters were quirky and just when you think you had something figured out, another twist was around the corner. I really enjoyed Torre’s writing style where she gives you enough character development but then later adds another dimension.

This book was not only intriguing and suspenseful. I could not wait to return to this book after having to step away. The story in the back of my mind making me wonder what was coming next.

I liked Lillian and grew to love her through out the story. Her job was morbid but also the last impression of someone. You could tell that she cared deeply for those around her that left her to putting herself last. Until she decides she needs a change and things get real interesting.

What can I say about Mike…..well lets just say I wasn’t a fan of his demeanor or condescending attitude. He was cold and treated Lillian like she was a child. Business seemed to be his first love but Mike’s not all he pretends to be…..

Sam…. the bestie. He seemed to be a true friend. One to listen and look out for Lillian. They appeared to be more than just drinking buddies and who kept her entertained with his intellectual banter.

Levels of deceit, secrets, betrayal and subtle hints that there was more going on than then the obvious or the inferred.

Alessandra’s writing was crisp and concise. The story ever changing and engaging from the first page right through to the end. I liked that she told the story in multiple points of view.

If you are looking for a suspenseful novel to keep you up for “just one more chapter” this book is for you.

AR Torre has done it again!!! I love her books and this book definitely had its twist and turns that make you rethink about everything again!!!!!

“My husband loves to solve problems, which is probably why he married me to begin with.”

I don’t even know what to say about this book. It’s twisty. Its told from multiple perspectives. It’s a little bit sad. It’s a lot torrid. The characters are an interesting bunch, but I admittedly had a hard time rooting for anyone. I feel like so many things happened that I would never have guessed, but there were also some threads I was able to pull on my own. So I’ll say this one slowly unravels, but it’s sort of fun figuring it all out as you go along.

If you enjoy reading about double lives and the thrilling chaos that ensues because of them, then this mystery thriller will give.

A Familiar Stranger is a psychological thriller.

It started off so well. It is a bit slower in the middle. But then it got super exciting all of the way until the final page.

The main narrators are Lillian and Mike (husband and wife). We find out early on that someone will supposedly die. So I was very intrigued to find out who it was and what actually happened.

I love when characters are morally grey. I like reading about psychopaths. And I love when people are out for revenge. This book had all of these things and more.

There are a lot of interesting reveals and unexpected developments in this book. Also There is a bit of a cliffhanger ending. And I definitely have questions! Looking forward to discuss this book with my buddy read group.

Talk about a wild story. Even though I’d received an eARC for A Familiar Stranger some time ago, (BTW thanks so much to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for that) I ended up putting off reading it until yesterday evening. And since I am now writing a review for it, about 24 hours later, you could say it did a fairly good job of keeping my attention, lol. No, seriously I enjoyed the heck out of this one. Lillian’s life seems to be stuck in neutral, if not going in reverse. Really, she is just spinning her wheels. She’s got plenty of problems in her life, among them she is sure her husband is cheating on her, she can’t connect with her kid, and her job as an obituary writer has lost it’s spark of excitement. (yeah, I know that sounds strange but when you read it you’ll understand. Also I think this may be the first time I remember a main character having such an unusual job). So what’s a girl to do? The unexpected answer to that question comes in the form of David, a man she meets and ends up having an affair with after completely reinventing herself. Suddenly she is leading a double life…but she’s not the only one keeping secrets and it’s not long before things get way out of hand. I know it’s cliche to call something a roller coaster ride, but in this case it really does fit.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-familiar-stranger-a-r-torre/1140688421?ean=9781662500121&bvnotificationId=ce1e2931-3e8c-11ed-942c-0acc4ca92b51&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/218352324

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1GCDDSSSUKVK9/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Well, that was a wild ride of a thriller. The lies, the deception, the anxiety.
I felt for Lillian. On all the levels I felt for her. She just didn’t want to be normal and wanted her husband to look at her like he used to. She wanted to feel desired. Halfway in, this book took a turn, and it was all downhill from there.
I am a little mad that I guessed pretty much every twist, and there was a lot of them. It kept me engaged and I didn’t want to put it down, so that gave major points.
Thank you to Thomas Mercer, AR Torre and Netgalley for an early copy.

I love Alessandra’s books, but I really love when she visits the dark twisty side! She does them so well! You think you know what you’re getting yourself into, and then all of a sudden you’re completely smacked up side the head. It’s always a rush and an amazing read! Just loved!!

First, I love the writing style of this author! So easy to read and I flew through this one in just a few days. Told in multiple POV, the reader mostly follows Lillian as she slowly discovers her husband’s secrets, which turn out to be much deeper and darker than she would have imagined. There were quite a few twists throughout the book, and I loved every second reading them. The ending wrapped up nicely and I felt closure for each character, which is always nice in my opinion. This is great for someone looking for a fast read that will throw you for a loop and then circle around to tie it all up in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer, and A.R. Torre for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: September 27, 2022

A properly gripping domestic thriller. This had my anxiety levels up throughout and it kept me guessing until it didn’t. One hint about 2/3 of the way in and you could figure out the rest, but I still wanted to know how it played out. Plenty of unreliable characters in this one!

TW: infidelity, revenge porn, pregnancy loss, eating disorders, mental illness, addiction

I love the ride A.R. Torre books take a reader on and this was no exception! I was completely sucked into this book. I didn’t see all the twists and turns coming. This book held my attention and I couldn’t read it fast enough. I don’t want to ruin this story for you, reader. I enjoyed getting to know Lillian and Mike and how the secrets they had affected everyone around them! Do yourself a favor and grab this book today!

This is such a quick, exciting, wild, and twisty psychological thriller! A.R. Torre’s writing is just hypnotic and mesmerizing. If life didn’t get in the way, I would have finished this in one sitting.

There were several times throughout this books that I had a pit in my stomach as the writing was like a sucker punched to the stomach. The ending was jaw-dropping delicious and was just the right cherry on top.

***** Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley, and A.R. Torre for the #gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this story, such a rivetting mystery that keeps the reader engrossed. Definetely recommend.

Thanks netgalley and publisher.

All thoughts and opinions are my own and arent influenced by anyone else

I'm usually a big fan of Alessandra Torre/A.R. Torre's books. But this one missed the mark for me.

Lillian Smith has a lot going on in her family and work life. Her inattentive, controlling husband husband may be cheating on her. Her teenage son ignores her. She was demoted in her job that she has been doing for twenty years. Lillian starts an affair with David, who she meets in a coffee shop. But Lillian isn't the only one leading a double life.

The first half is your typical wife stuck in a boring marriage and she finds out her husband is cheating so she decides to cheat storyline. Then you throw in wild and outrageous plot twists and it becomes a complete mess. The characters were unlikable. I disliked the way the author handled mental illness in this book. And a postmortem POV, really?

I still however, look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and A.R. Torre for an ARC of "A Familiar Stranger" in exchange of an honest review.

2.5 stars

I liked the concept of A Familiar Stranger, but the attempt was lacklustre.

There was never enough time to allow the suspense to build. We get lots of time with Lillian feeling wishy-washy about her marriage, flirting with a stranger, considering an affair, and having problems with her job - but none of these aspects were suspenseful. And then bam, bam, bam. I started to think, 'yes, I can get into this' and then - everything was settled right after it started. Torre just hands you the resolutions one after another - no twists, surprises, or red herrings.

The male characters and their perspectives were a lot less developed - every Sam or Mike chapter was very self-explanatory with 'okay, let me tell you exactly what I did and why.' Instead of allowing the reader to be an observer and try to discover answers for themselves, all of the secrets are instantly revealed. So much more telling than showing. Lenny was a little better, but for an alcoholic caretaker, he miraculously returned to his rockstar detective roots with no problems and solved everything within a few chapters. But the police couldn't?

Too much time was wasted on relationships that barely came into play later on, and not enough was spent on the suspense. I don't even want to classify this as a thriller, though I know it's supposed to be. It almost feels like an attempt at a psychological thriller but not enough effort was made to give Lillian that dissolving sense of reality that you would expect to see. Instead, she's a pretty typical, bored, unhappy housewife. There are hints at a history of mental illness and alcoholism, but these are more offhand comments than anything that was explored in depth.

I honestly went into this review with a 3.5-star rating. But, unfortunately, once you break things down, I can't justify going above 2.5 stars.

This was my first book by A.R. Torre and I am hooked on this author's writing! I will be going back and checking out the backlist of books. "A Familiar Stranger" is told through multiple points of view and timelines, very clear to follow, as the reader pieces together what is happening in the story. I found myself guessing how this was going to go throughout my reading and still being wrong! I could not put this book down because I had to know! Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

A Familiar Stranger was a weird one for me. There were parts that I loved and parts that I didn't care for. Let's start at the beginning..
First few chapters were a bit hard to get into. This is my first A.R. Torre book (so keep that in mind) I wasn't sure if it was a normal writing style but it was a bit jumpy and the dialogue felt incomplete. But after a couple chapters, either I settled into it or it just started coming together better. Either way I started really enjoying the story. I just knew I was in for a twisty, psychological domestic thriller. See we have Lillian, a wife, mom and well ... somewhat of a career writing obituaries, she was just recently demoted. Her husband Mike, a bit of a swarmy guy is having an affair. But after Lillian confronts him he promises to end it, he's just relieved she hadn't found out all his secrets. Enter David, a handsome stranger that makes Lillian feel like she could be a different person. And then there's a death. The web of lies and deceit unfold in a fast paced, unputdownable, twisty fashion. Alternating between quite a few different point of views, the chapters are quick and compulsive. I'm loving it, I'm all in. Then the twist happens and it lost me. And that has nothing to do with the writing or the story telling of the author. Both of which were on point. It's just my own likes and dislikes. It's hard to summarize without spoilers. I did enjoy the book, but the last half took away some of the enjoyment for me. All I'll say is it felt like it was an element not needed to finish the story. And a few story threads that ended up going no where, left me with some unanswered questions. For most readers this will be a great read. I highly suspect I'll be in the minority with this one. And as I said this is my first A. R. Torre book, her writing style is intriguing, and I look forward to picking up another one of her books.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy.

A Familiar Stranger started out as a pretty typical thriller but then halfway through the story took a surprising twist and I loved it. I stayed up late just to finish. I can't wait for her next novel.

I really don’t understand these low ratings on this book. I was glued to the pages from the beginning. We’re being told there’s a death, but is it hers or his? The story is told with lots of ambiguity but you might be able to make some educated guesses. I really felt for Lillian, all her personal struggles and questioning her marriage. Mike is a whole mess himself with his lists and back up plans for everything. Their poor kid just a teenager going through the hormones has no clue his parents are losing it. What are they losing? I’m not sure they really had a good grasp to begin with but it’s slipping. This would make a great Netflix movie or a mini series. It has all the right elements: intrigue, bad guys, sleazy guys, drunks, murder and mystery. Torre’s suspense thrillers are always exciting to read and get lost in someone else’s crazy world. I received an early copy and wrote this review voluntarily.