Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a generic domestic thriller? Do you like thrillers that spell out the plot for you and don’t have any twists?

Pre-reading:
The cover is pretty. I’m not sure why I wanted to read this one so badly, but here we are.

Thick of it:
The driver’s in the wrong business then.

It’s funny that the book brought up Gatsby though because the cover weirdly gives me Gatsby vibes.

This book is already too repetitive. (Repeat ad nauseum until the end.)

Lily and Daisy huh? (Nothing comes of this.)

Half drunk on two glasses of wine?

My mind also went to Friends, and I hate that.

Oh right, Janus, the two-faced God. Neat!

Antagonyms

Just a moment, though. Are all those really antagonyms because they don’t feel like it? Also, shout out to this book because the example you Google for antagonism is cleave.

Am I the husband?

I don’t see how weather is an antagonist though.

I just don’t understand these domestics when they’re like trying to win back their partner. The second somebody doesn’t want me, I want them to go.

Detritus SIN

I’m glad they’re telling me how the other words are antagonyms.

If she’s not drinking, she’s pregnant. (Yup.)

It’s giving wannabe Gone Girl.

Patina

Ted Bundy mention

coterie

Runners in thrillers. They’re always runners.

Detritus sin againnn

They kill the psych couple and the crime brings them together but like fake kill. I dunno this book is dumb. I don’t care. (Nearly, I stopped making predictions even. This book is a plodder.)

I don’t think I like domestics. They’re too toxic. Just break up, you losers.

Portent

Garrulous

Frankie boy is the ex. (Yup.)

Is any of this supposed to be a plot twist? I thought we were supposed to know she was scheming this whole time.

This is dumb.

Post-reading:
This book is like every bad domestic thriller ever. We’ve got a cheating husband that for some reason the wife still wants. She’s got a toxic, murderous ex. Somehow revenge murder is the answer. I’m tired of these storylines. They’re dumb. They’re not clever. This book plods along and spells out the plot for you. There’s no whodunnit to figure out. There are no shocking plot twists. The only shocking thing is that no one thinks to call the police. It’s wannabe Gone Girl. The characterization is cardboardy for the mains and nonexistent for everyone else. The plot doesn’t make a lick of sense. I guess Lillian just blips out of existence? We never find out what the actual therapy questions would be. For some reason she has a list of words in a Scrabble box? There is literally no point to this? Other than to maybe tell the audience what an antagonym is? Somehow the main character has multiple fake identities and managed to afford grad school? It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever read, but I will not recommend this to anyone.

Who should read this:
Predictable domestic thriller fans

Do I want to reread this:
No

Similar books:
* Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn-OG domestic revenge thriller
* The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose-predictable domestic revenge thriller

Seven Days. Seven Questions. Forever Changed.

Daisy and Craig have been together for three years and married for two of them. Not a long time but apparently it's long enough for the two to grow apart. Daisy has a plan to fix that.

Welcome to the Eden Test.

In the middle of the woods, in upstate NY, sits a cabin. Here Daisy wait's for her husband to arrive on their anniversary. They will spend a week here. Everyday they will receive an envelope asking the couple a question to which they must answer honestly. By the end of the week they will either decide to remain together or they will decide to go their separate ways.

Craig isn't thrilled. The last thing he wanted to do was to come home from work to find a note from his wife requesting he meet her at some cabin in the woods more than three hours away. He just wanted to grab an anniversary dinner and call it a night. See, Craig has a big day tomorrow, he's jetting off to Cabo San Lucas with his mistress after breaking the news to Daisy that their marriage is over. Luckily their flight doesn't depart until tomorrow evening so with a little adjustment of his plans he'll have to break the news to Daisy at the cabin in the morning and then off he goes. Freedom at last.

Not so fast, Craig, because this trip has been meticulously planned by Daisy and it's a trip some would die for.

Holy moly! This book was excellent. So. Much. Suspense. I love books like this where I have no clue what's going on and I mean that in the best way possible. Everything right from the get go seems a little off, like nothing is what it seems, and it isn't. Not by a long shot. The isolation of being alone in the middle of the woods, the creepy locals that seem to be watching them and threatening them, not to mention the apple orchard that they have been warned to stay away from. The tension was palpable and I was flipping the pages desperate for answers. To say the reveals were surprising would be an understatement. Adam Sternbergh is a damn fine writer who weaved a devious web of a book and I was his prey that was caught in it's silky snare - and I enjoyed every minute of it. ALL. THE. STARS!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for my complimentary copy.

This was a pretty wild story. I read Sternbergh s book THE BLINDS when it first canme out and really liked it. This one was very different from that one but I equally enjoyed it . This is a domestic suspense with plenty of craziness. Also be aware that this has some triggers that may bother you such as details of miscarriage. Daisy plans a couples getaway for her and her husband in a secluded cabin in the woods. Her husband is having an affair and plans on leaving Daisy, but Daisy wants to see if they can rekindle their marriage. They both have secrets that they keep from eachother. While there, the couples are given daily questions and challenges. Each question is more crazy than the last. The trip starts out as a peaceful retreat, but turns out to be way more than they expect. Although this book was a little predictable, I still was very entertained, there were some good twists and it was fast paced which is a plus.

Out April 25

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. My review will be posted on Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads and Amazon once it publishes.

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books!

I found that I really enjoyed the wild ride that is The Eden Test! Buckle up.... You are in for some swift left turns.

What are you willing to do for those that you love? What will you do when action is put behind that question? What will you do when your love and commitment is put to the ultimate ways?

The Eden test explores those questions in the most extreme ways possible.
Good luck trying to figure this one out!

WHAT IN THE WORLD?! This is a must-read for 2023. Do NOT miss this one! 5 stars for such an insane ride!

This one went off the rails, but in the best way imaginable.

Daisy is such a sweet lady who plans out a getaway for her cheating husband in a cabin in the secluded woods. She's hoping to rekindle their marriage and find the answers she is seeking. Her husband Craig already had his bags packed planning a getaway with his mistress Lilith in Cabo...! Meanwhile Daisy has traveled to the cabin awaiting Craig to meet her there.

As the week goes on, the couples are presented with questions about their marriage, along with a series of challenges. As the days slip by, it becomes obvious that no one and no thing is certain. Every marriage has its secrets, after all.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing a digital ARC for review.

Eden test

What a twisty domestic thriller! Or more of a domestic mystery maybe? I don’t know! Either way, it was a wild ride! A married couple, both with so much they’re hiding from each other, go on a week long trip for their anniversary to reconnect. Something seems amiss right from the start, and even as secrets are revealed, there is still so much more to the story than you realize! I couldn’t get through this one fast enough to try to figure out what was really going on! I enjoyed that it alternated POVs between the spouses and allowed you a glimpse into what they were really thinking! With questions like, “Would you change for me?” And “Would you kill for me?” They are determined to see if they are able to salvage their marriage and grow stronger than ever. While this definitely had some nuances that didn’t add up, it didn’t distract me from the plot. I really enjoyed this one, all the way down to the ending! This one is everywhere right now for a good reason, grab a copy when it is released April 25th.

This was such a wild ride. A married couple that is struggling takes part in The Eden test at a retreat to see if they want to move forward and work through their issues or go their separate ways. However, the retreat becomes secondary to the bizarre locals they encounter and the strange cabin they are staying in. I thoroughly enjoyed the drama and mystery packed into this book.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

I finished this one in a day and a half! It kept me on the edge of my seat - was dark, twisty, and had a lot of unexpected turns of events. I thought the development of the male MC was a bit unrealistic but didn't hate it!

I enjoyed the writing and dialogue, as well as the premise of this novel.

Synopsis:
Daisy and Craig’s marriage is in serious trouble. That’s why Daisy has signed up for The Eden Test, a week-long getaway for couples in need of a fresh start. Yet even as she’s struggling to salvage her marriage, it seems Craig has plans to leave her for another woman. In fact, his bags are already packed—long before he arrives to meet Daisy in this remote cabin in the woods of upstate New York.

At first, their week away is marked by solitude, connection, and natural beauty—and only a few hostile locals. But what Craig doesn’t know is that Daisy, a slyly talented actress, has her own secrets, including a burner phone she’s been using for mysterious texts. Not to mention the Eden Test itself, which poses a searing new question to the couple every day, each more explosive than the last. Their marriage was never perfect, but now the lies and revelations are piling up, as the week becomes much more than they bargained for…How far are they willing to go?

3.5 stars. I am a little conflicted in rating this one. I totally binged it, but it was absolutely over the top. Even more, I have read about the criticism surrounding the inaccuracies regarding a major (and triggering) plot event. As someone who is not knowledgeable on this topic (and not a particularly sensitive reader), I would not have been as bothered by this element had I not been made aware. I do think that especially since this author is a male writing about female struggles, it is problematic.

Daisy and Craig’s marriage is on the rocks so Daisy signs them up for a week long secluded getaway for couples who need a fresh start. Too bad for Daisy, Craig is planning on leaving her – that night. Craig decides to stay and work things out and their trip is marked with beauty. What Craig doesn’t know, is that Daisy has orchestrated a plan and overtaken the original founders plan for the couple. As lies and revelations start to pile up, how far are they each willing to go?

This was such a great domestic suspense novel! The locked in thriller is one of my favorite tropes, and I also enjoy domestic suspense – so this book was a winner for me. The writing style was fantastic and so well done. This fast-paced book held my attention and kept me entertained. I do just wish this one wasn’t quite so predictable. I also really didn’t like one of the twists – its just not my favorite trope and that knocked off some of my rating.

Thank you so much to Flatiron Books, @flatiron_books, and Netgalley, @netgalley, for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

AS CAWPILE:
Characters: 7 | Atmosphere: 9 | Writing: 7 | Plot: 7 | Intrigue: 9 | Logic: 5 | Enjoyment: 7
total: 7.29 / 4 Stars

The Eden Test was definitely an interesting plot and one I don't think I've seen done before. There were secrets abound, and while I thought the initial secret involving the husband was going to be the overarching theme, I was pleasantly surprised. The cabin in the woods vibe is always a stressful one, the remote trapped nature of it making for a great backdrop. A town full of people suspicious, and suspicious of you adds to that atmosphere. There were moments where I felt I had to distance myself a bit from reality, the likelihood of someone getting as far as Daisy seemed unreal to me, for example. The things I found most unrealistic do lean on the spoiler side, though, so I'll have to keep them to myself.

Overall though, I enjoyed the book and found the twists genuinely a surprise to me, and appreciated the originality aspects quite a lot.

Thank you so much to Flatiron Books, and Netgalley, for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this domestic thriller. I was hooked from the start! The Eden Test takes the reader on a wild ride of plot twists and characters. It is the perfect atmospheric adventure, seven days, seven questions. I loved the setting, the pace was well set, the characters, although not really likeable, I enjoyed how they were portrayed. I would just be cognizant of trigger warnings before reading. This was a 5 star for me!

I went into this book excited to see what Sternbergh would do with Biblical imagery, and The Eden Test did not disappoint.

We have our Adam and Eve: a married couple with secrets, searching for answers. We have our setting: upstate NY, which acts as a respite from the chaos of the city where the couple lives.

And we have our test: The Eden Test, which is a set of 7 (ding ding!) questions designed to help couples decide once and for all if they will stay together or part ways.

But once the couple arrives, they find that paradise does not erase their problems, and it might not even be paradise at all.

Like I said, I was mostly drawn to this book for the play on Biblical imagery. It's always interesting to see authors take on such a well-known story; I like being confronted with something familiar that becomes sinister (for another amazing take, read Comfort Me With Apples). I also enjoyed the switch between POVs, which served to let readers in on the various secrets the couple were keeping from each other. And then there was still another layer of mystery that kept me turning the pages, especially in the last third of the book.

I still have some questions and feel like the book asked me to suspend my disbelief a little too much (in the end), but the entire reading experience was a net positive.

What a unique domestic thriller! For the majority of this book I didn’t know who to trust or what was real. Daisy and Craig have hit a rough patch in their marriage so Daisy signs them up for a week long couple’s retreat in the woods. Seven days, seven questions, forever changed. But will it bring them closer together or tear them apart? I really enjoyed this author’s writing and wit. There are parts of this story that are not perfect and I feel compelled to offer TW for domestic abuse and miscarriage for those trying to avoid those topics. All in all, I thought this was a great book! Thank you Netgalley, Flatiron Books and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be released on April 25,2023

I loved this twisty domestic thriller! I was hooked from the first page! This book had just the right amount of characters. The author did not drag out descriptions or information. The back story was revealed at the perfect time.

The premise is great- it’s Daisy and Craig’s 2nd wedding anniversary, but things are not all rosy in their relationship. In fact, when Daisy surprises Craig with a couples getaway, he arrives there with his suitcases in his trunk, ready to leave her for another woman! This is not just any couples retreat- this is The Eden Test- a weeklong getaway designed to help couples get a fresh start. It’s run by two hippie psychologists and the tagline is 7 days, 7 questions, forever changed. At first Craig is just playing along, but he eventually finds himself getting charmed by the remote location and the nature surrounding them. Then things get a little strange with some of the locals, and the reader starts to realize that Daisy has some secrets of her own.

I really liked this one. I thought it was a fresh story about a marriage in trouble, and had all of the makings of an excellent psychological thriller. You go on a journey with these characters and figure out that Daisy is much more than who she seems to be on the surface. The couple gets tested and the author did a great job of building a sense of dread- so much so, that at one point i had a nightmare that i was in a similar situation as what one of the MC’s was going through. That’s good writing! I would love to see this adapted. I’d also say check trigger warnings, but this gets dark and raw in sections. I love that Sternbergh gives us an original story in a saturated genre- he’s also the author of The Blinds, which i also really enjoyed- and he’s on his way to being an auto read author for me. I’m so glad this was a winner!

After just three years, Daisy and Craig's marriage is fragile at best. As a final attempt to salvage what once was an exhilarating relationship, Daisy surprises Craig with a seven day cabin retreat in rural New York for their anniversary: the Eden Test. The test is simple; seven question over the course of seven days. Swayed by glittering promises of a restored marriage and renewed sense of connection, Daisy is entranced by the idea of the Eden Test and can hardly wait for Craig to arrive at their cabin.

What she also can't wait for is the real test.

With an intriguing--albeit a bit been-there-done-that--premise and a well-executed sense of tingling suspense throughout, "The Eden Test" is a domestic thriller that begs the question: how well do can you really hope to know someone, even your life partner? While I found Daisy and Craig's characters dimensional enough, I felt that the chapters toward the end of the story revealed too much too soon; I would've loved more of a chance to put the pieces together here and found the ultimate ending lacking the punch-packing twist I needed. Overall a binge-worthy suspense story for readers in need of a light-ish palette cleanser, "The Eden Test" is a decent take on a couples-retreat gone wrong that certainly delivers an all-consuming sense of dread.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

REVIEW TO FOLLOW.

I realize that I’m in the minority here, but I have to say that this just didn’t do it for me. I found all the characters very one dimensional and very unlikeable- particularly Daisy.

The plot, while seemingly having promise, just fell flat for me and became less and less about The Eden Test and more and more implausible.

Thank you to the author, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

FIVE stars! This was such a solid read. I went into it with my own preconceived ideas based on the genre and the description, but I was completely wrong. I loved the writing style of this book, reminded me of Agatha Christie meets Colleen Hoovers Verity?? Really good.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC!