Domestic Thriller: High School Reunion

We Knew All Along is a gripping domestic thriller that offers a blend of suspense, romance, and psychological drama. Hardy’s ability to create multifaceted characters and an intricate plot makes this book a compelling read. However, the novel’s reliance on dramatic twists and the almost romantic novel vibe may not appeal to all readers. Nonetheless, it remains an entertaining exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the secrets that can unravel them.

Overall, We Knew All Along is recommended for fans of domestic thrillers who enjoy a mix of suspense and emotional depth in their reading material.

I was drawn in by the cover, but it was a perfect example of "don't judge a book by it's cover" because in this case, it didn't live up to it.

Such a shame.

I have read other books by Mina Hardy that I have quite enjoyed, but this one was sadly not it. Based on the premise, this book had the potential to do SO much! But it fell flat. I kept waiting for something to happen, and nothing did, until almost the very end!

Because nothing was happening, it was a pretty boring read. I did not like any of the characters. I had a really tough time finishing this one. I thought about not finishing it more than once.

When things finally "ramped up" it was so unrealistic and lame! very predictable too. A very disappointing read.

I will not give up on Mina Hardy, as I have enjoyed her other books, I think this one is just an outlier.

Suspenseful and twisty, with a possibly unreliable narrator. Mina Hardy once again brings the thrills and chills. A very reliable suspense author whose books I always enjoy, and this was no exception!

Unfortunately there was just something about this book that I couldn’t get into. I found the storyline slow and couldn’t relate to the characters

So I need to catch up on my reviews. I read this ages ago, but I wasn’t that into it. I was hooked at first. There’s so much drama, it was super interesting. But then I felt like it got to be too much craziness.

I actually didn’t really like any of the characters except maybe the son, because they were all a mess. More of a mess than I’m used to. Hiding secrets and motives. Doing or wanting to do terrible things. I was hoping the end would be what wrapped it all up and make me like it more, but it was just kind of a mess.

I don’t really recommend this one. It was just all over the place and the characters weren’t very relatable to me. Oh well!! On to the next one!!

It was an easy read of a twisted story but I didn't feel it as it felt so unrealistic for me. I have enjoyed other books by this author but this one just wasn't for me.
Jewelann Khan has a history from high school as a stoner with addiction issues. There wasn’t much she wasn’t addicted to: drugs, medication, alcohol and shopping. She becomes fearful when her high school crush Christian Campbell who broke her heart shows up at there 25th high school reunion. She wants desperately to keep her sordid past with Christian a secret from her husband, Ken and son, Eli. Things get twisted when Ken goes out of town and Christian reappears to stir up trouble. With revenge on her mind there can only be trouble ahead.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book for review
consideration. My review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

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.

I'm immediately hooked. By this woman. By her motives. By her suspicious attitude and how it does not at all line up with the life she now has. With the past she's trying to avoid. And then head-over-heels invested once I meet her husband and then her ex boyfriend. Yikes! This woman has a knack for attracting predators--but what kind? Her husband is a cheater, sure, but what else is he up to? And this ex has quite the ego, the audacity, to make his intentions quite clear from the her. But how Dar will he go?

This book had such potential to be so great but it really fell flat. Literally nothing happened until the 85% mark and then a few big twists concluded the story. Most were predictable. Very disappointing.

This book definitely wasn't what I was expecting. There were so many twists and I loved that, but some of it didn't tie in for me. I didn't think the characters were super believable and everything was wrapped up too tightly for me.

Melodrama thrives with twists in the air. There are also dizzying turns that rushes the slow plot. Quite entertaining, even if not able to hold attention throughout.

Jewelann Jordan has it all, a handsome husband, a 16 year old son, a beautiful home and the best of designer brands or so it seems...

We meet Jewelann at her twenty year high school reunion where she only has eyes for one man, Dr. Christian Campbell. The man who she wants revenge on.

What starts out as an interesting revenge story quickly unravels. I'm not quite sure why the protagonist wants revenge on her high school ex boyfriend?? Also, some of the twists in the book were frankly, ridiculous and were just added in for pure shock value even when they didn't make any sense in the grand scheme of the story. I'm still scratching my head...

Although, saying that, I was interested in the story and it was a page turner but it could have been so much more if there was more thought given to the plot and the twists.

Jewelann Jordan wants what many women want when she attends her high school reunion-to show up looking better than the girls from your class who ignored you-and to have the guy who broke your heart regret that he had ever let you go….

She straps on the designer shoes 👠 that she found unworn in an estate sale and gives herself a pep talk, before walking in..”I am bright. I am sparkling. I am poised. I am vibrant. I am a vision!”

But what she is really thinking is-“I am a mirage”

Her husband is traveling (again) and cannot attend with her, and her son has been troubled since a traumatic event from his childhood, but she will play a part when she sees Christian again-and she will lure him away from the party with a promise of something more…

“I am bold. I am seductive. I am the one in charge here” (though she will make him think otherwise)

She thinks she has succeeded at the charade-until he shows up after the reunion in her kitchen, having just rented the carriage house in her backyard, from her husband.

Whoops!

She can’t have Christian this close to her controlling spouse-her marriage is a “string of deceptions, one after the other like pearls on a necklace-cut the string and they”ll all scatter”! (Favorite highlighted passage)

And, she has worked too hard to protect her son, Eli to have anyone or anything threaten her marriage or their home.

But she feels powerless to change things now.

Mina Hardy (who also writes as NY Times best-selling author, Megan Hart) has an engaging writing style, and she had me intrigued from the start….where was this going?

Is it a stalker story?

How does her son’s early childhood trauma play into the narrative?

And, why are there so many plumbing issues?

Two interesting plot points which may have worked better had they been two separate novels as they didn’t quite come together in the end for me.

BUT-I was entertained and never had to skim!
3.5 ⭐️

This was a buddy read with Sabrina (Sabireads) and we had so much fun trying to guess where this was headed! (we did pretty good! 😉) Be sure to check out her amazing review for additional thoughts!

NOW AVAILABLE

Thank You to Penguin Random House for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

One mistake can change everything...

What starts out as a slow burn will instantly turn into an all consuming page turner! Mina Hardy, does an incredible job with a suspenseful build and then grabs you by the jugular and sucks you right in.

This book is TWISTED to say the least!

We all wonder what our former classmates have turned out like...

When a chance meeting with JewelAnn's former high school flame turns into a hop in the hay. Her world is quite literally flipped upside down, especially when Christian doesn't turn out to be the man he alluded to being.

and then there is JewelAnn's husband Ken..

Well you know where this is going!!! Before I give anything away, check out this teaser:

Writing as Mina Hardy, New York Times bestselling author Megan Hart, delivers a twisted tale of domestic suspense where no one is what they seem—and the skeletons in the closet are all too real.

Blame the booze, her shaky marriage, her troubled son, or a thousand other things. Jewelann Jordan has one thing on her mind when she attends her class reunion, and that's making sure her old crush Christian Campbell sees exactly what he lost all those years ago. A late night, a hotel room, a rekindled flame that burns even hotter than it did back then. What could go wrong?

Everything.

The night with Christian isn't the first secret Jewelann has kept from her husband Ken, so one more shouldn't be much harder--except that Christian shows up without warning, seemingly determined to do his best to mess up Jewelann's life in any way he can. Worse than that, he seems to have his sights set on charming her son, Eli, and befriending her husband. Revenge isn't so sweet when it bites you back, but Jewelann is determined to keep Christian from ruining everything she's worked so hard to keep safe, including her son.

Fighting to keep it all from spiraling out of control, Jewelann discovers Christian is not the man he claims to be. When darker secrets emerge, even closer to home, Jewelann takes the chance to turn the tables on him. The more Jewelann digs for the truth, the uglier--and the deadlier--it gets.

Jewellann Jordan finds herself trapped in a lacklustre marriage. Her husband’s frequent travels leave her longing for excitement, while her son grapples with personal troubles, compounded by a childhood incident that has left him socially isolated. Seeking a change and a boost to her self-esteem, she decides to attend her high school reunion. She goes all out, dressing to impress and hoping to catch the eye of Christian Campbell—the one she once loved in high school but who callously left her behind.

Christian, at the reunion, can’t help but notice how stunning Jewellann looks now. Tempted by the opportunity, she decides to play a little revenge game, aiming to make him regret his past actions. However, as the night unfolds, her plans take an unexpected turn. In a struggle to prevent things from spiralling out of control, Jewellann unravels a shocking truth—Christian is not the man he pretends to be.

This narrative takes readers on a wild rollercoaster ride, instantly captivating my attention. It’s a tale teeming with hidden secrets and deception, that left me eager to discover the unpredictable twists that lay ahead.

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

I could not get into this one! I wasn’t connected to the main character at all and it was just not for me.

While I was happy with the way this book ended, I sometimes struggled with the characters while reading it. The main men- Christian especially- were terrible, despicable characters with absolutely no redeeming qualities. Our narrator, Jewelann, was also, at times, difficult to feel empathy or sympathy for. Beth and Lisa weren't all that great, either. Aside from massively flawed characters, this was a fun, twisty novel that can be enjoyed over the course of the weekend. I've never read anything by either Megan Hart or Mina Hardy previously, but do plan to look for titles in the future.

I really love thrillers, and tend to read any that I come across, and am often disappointed. I really wish I could say I liked it more, but the writing and characterization fell flat for me.

I started and stopped this book a few times, and this last time I was really hoping something would stick. Instead, I’m cringing at the two male chauvinists and an annoying protagonist. This one was definitely not for me… DNF @ 30%.

I loved this! I can’t believe it took me so long to get to it but it was the perfect thriller! I read it in one sitting and loved it