Is it possible to love and hate characters at the same time? Yes, yes indeed you can! I found the first half to be a tad slow, however once I reached the second half of the book, I couldn't read fast enough. The plot, characters, and all the twists made this such an enjoyable read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced reader copy. I thoroughly enjoyed and 1000% recommend.

The Ex by S E Lynes

OMG. I have just finished this book and have the most massive book hangover. Ms Lynes is the master of suspense and has surpassed herself once again. Definitely a book you won't want to put down.

Sam and Naomi broke up just before the pandemic, after a relationship so toxic that he was almost driven to suicide. When Sam bumps into her again he remembers how beautiful she looked, and what fun she was. Then when he sees the child with her with exactly the same colouring as him he knows that the child is his. Initially Naomi is very wary about letting him back in to their lives, and his initial reticence changes - she seems like she has really changed - the baby has changed her, and he now only sees what he loved about her.

When his life starts to fall apart, Naomi is there for him, picking up the pieces. This is one of those stories where the narrator - who is neither Naomi not Sam has more of the facts than the main characters, and even the readers can see the bigger picture. It will leave you horrified, fascinated, shocked, but thoroughly entertained.

All in all a fantastic, suspenseful book, which will leave you reading far into the night to find it's conclusion.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4933921658

Another great book from S.E Lynes. I had Covid for 10 days recently and really made the most of catching up on my reading. Twelve months ago Sam broke up with Naomi and they went their separate ways but when out for a hike Sam runs into Naomi who has a young blonde baby boy in a stroller but is told that the baby belongs to a friend of hers. Sam has never quite gotten over Naomi and we soon learn that Naomi feels the same. Sam has moved in with his grandmother Joyce and Naomi has retained the flat they both lived in. The two end up getting back together and trying again to see if they make the relationship work.

After seeing Naomi, Sam does wonder if she is telling the truth about the baby who does seem to have a strong resemblance to Sam, could the baby actually be his. Relationship breakdowns are never easy and a scorned woman often builds up a lot of resentment which can then lead to extreme consequences that can turn many lives upside down.

Another book I very much enjoyed and kept me turning the pages and I would definitely recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Some people are just so vile and poisonous. From the very beginning I didn’t like Naomi. Not one bit. I thought she was a manipulative witch. I also thought Sam was too soft and as I read when he kept profusely apologizing I wanted to shake him.
I sort of had part of the plot figured out, but even my eyes widened as the full brunt of the story came together.
Miranda is a good soul, but I’m not sure I’m convinced a relationship with the one she loves would survive. I think she would be the one more in love than her partner.
Good story with several curve balls tossed at readers.

I always enjoy Susie’s books, and The Ex is another great read. The cast of characters is small and that reflects the time when it was set, when people were opening up after lockdown, widening their bubbles, still getting used to socialising with more than just their households. The tensions that many people were feeling in trying to live with Covid also is mirrored in the tension in the plot, as usual Susie builds the tension brilliantly, each page builds up perfectly, I must continue reading to find out what happens to our main character the lovely Sam,
Can he trust Naomi? Should he listen to his grandmother Joyce? Where does Miranda fit into all of this? Is she a friend to be trusted?
An excellent read.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Sam sees his ex, Naomi, it reminds him of their time together and how toxic they were. Then he spots she is with a baby boy who looks just like him! The more Sam thinks about it, the more he is convinced that the child must be his and starts to think that maybe he and Naomi could try again and have a future together. What could possibly go wrong!

This is not your typical psychological thriller. It is told by Sam’s friend, Miranda, as well as Sam and Naomi.

The story is an intricate tale of love and revenge and also weaves a web of lies and deceit to unpick.

I loved Joyce, she reminded me of my Great Nan, full of love and wants what is best for you. I felt Sam was rather naïve but I think a lot of us have been there where we wonder if we can make an old romance work again. I disliked Naomi immensely, which is a credit to the authors writing.

This is one of those books that I couldn’t put down. It’s fast paced and you never know what to expect next! This is definitely one of my favourite reads for this year and not one I will forget in a hurry.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The love of your life… or your biggest mistake?

When Sam bumps into his ex girlfriend Naomi, the memories of their toxic relationship come flooding back, it's a time that he would prefer to forget. She is pushing a pram with a young baby in who she claims is her friends child but, as Sam looks closely at Tommy with his blonde hair and blue eyes, his mind goes into overdrive and he wonders, could he be the dad? As he starts to spend more time with Naomi, a seemingly changed person, he considers whether there's a future for them and if she can be trusted second time round...

The Ex is a story with a difference, it's narrated in the main by Sam's friend and work colleague, Miranda who is on the outside looking in, with other chapters in third party by Sam and Naomi. The premise, as with all of Lynes books, starts off slow, drawing you in, like a spider with its prey, teasing what's to come and then hitting you square between the eyes, with twists that, if you've read her other books, you come to expect from this author, yet still leave you floored and wondering what the hell just happened! I was Team Sam from the start, I knew in my heart that Naomi wasn't to be trusted, my gut told me that it wasn't right but, as with Joyce, I so wanted to be wrong and for Sam to find that happy ending. I loved the relationship between Sam and Joyce, it was so endearing. The plot is simple but with evil intent, the characters are relateable and expertly defined, the chapters are short and flow seamlessly. This is a fast paced thriller which I devoured in less than 24 hours and, as a huge fan of this author who delivers every single time, I would highly recommend.

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Having read all of this author’s books and enjoyed them, I was excited when I got to read The Ex. It was not as fast-paced as other books she has written but that did not detract from my enjoyment.

Sam and Naomi split up just as the second lockdown due to Covid began. It was not an amicable break as Naomi was not happy that Sam had gone back to live with his grandmother, Joyce, whom he adored. The characterisation in this book is perfect and I had lots of mixed emotions. Sam did seem fairly weak and easily manipulated but I grew to understand him. Joyce was my favourite, with her no-nonsense attitude. The story is enhanced by the input of another person, Miranda, who is looking on.

All in all an enjoyable easy read.

3.5 stars rounded up

It's hard watching your ex after so much time apart. You remember the hurt, the tears and the accusations, but you try not to show it. You watch as he looks down into the stroller, at the beautiful blond-haired blue-eyed baby kicking his little legs in the sunshine. You see his face change, You know what he's thinking. The next day he calls. His voice shaking. He wants the truth, is it his child?

This is a difficult book to review as I don't want to give away any spoilers. This is a slow paced psychological thriller. The story is set around the first outbreak of Covid. I also found it a bit predictable but that didn't take away anything from my enjoyment of the book. Naomi and Sam's relationship had ended. Their relationship had been toxic. The story is told from Naomi. Sam and Miranda's perspectives. There isn't really any surprises in this story. I also felt the ending was a bit rushed. I took off half a star for it;s slow pace.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #SELynes for my ARC of #TheEx in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book just like I have loved all this author’s books. Will be recommending to everyone! Thanks for the opportunity to read and review.

What can I say? S.E. Lynes is fast becoming one of my favourite authors! I love her complex characters and twisty plots, as well as how she slowly reveals what’s really going on. I thoroughly recommend The Ex and can’t wait for this author’s next book! More please! 5 stars

A tense read, I found some parts of the plot perhaps slightly predictable but, for the most part was unsure of exactly what to expect next. You kind of get a feel for Naomi's character straight away, Sam is a little more complex, unsurprisingly a lot more likeable.

Elements of the story being narrated from Miranda's perspective added that extra dimension with the emotional turmoil that is felt outside of the central characters.

From Sam second guessing himself constantly to that letter, The Ex firmly held my attention right through to the end and I would definitely recommend.

Let me make one thing very clear from the very start. I - unsurprisingly, given its author - absolutely loved this book. But at the same time, I'm struggling to describe it. My first thought was 'marmitey' but that's not right. It's not as simple, not as black-and-white as that.

For 'The Ex' to really, really work for you, you have to 'get' the character of Sam Moore. If you misunderstand him, even slightly, he will frustrate you, as has clearly been the case with some other reviewers on both Netgalley and Goodreads. One reviewer called him "weak and too trusting", a second considered him to be "spineless" and a third dismissed him as "a moron".

I disagree. I 'got' Sam so absolutely that I wondered if there might be a bit of myself in him. He's the sort of man that I'd love to have as a friend, relative or work colleague. He's a nice guy. He's good at the work he does. His grandmother, Joyce, with whom he has lived since losing his mother at a young age means the world to him - and I make no apology for saying that I feel exactly the same way about my mum. And he's not stupid. But he's less confident socially, particularly in situations that are unfamiliar to him, than he is at home or at work. Plus, he's just that little bit too naive, and too ready to belive that other people are as fundamentally good as he is. And that they'll be willing to show that bit of acknowledgement and appreciation, which is all he wants - needs - in return if he's done something for them.

Joyce gave him that appreciation. His ex-girlfriend, Naomi, did not. And because of his inability, or denial - call it what you will - to see Naomi for the manipulative, narcisstic creature that she was, he was all too ready to blame himself, and it nearly ended in the worst possible way.

Not that we know all this at the start of the book. It begins in the spring of 2021, as the world began to awake from the second phase of lockdown. And that mixture of trepidation and bewilderment that we were surely all feeling at the time is brought home to Sam at a personal level when he catches sight of Naomi, strolling along the seafront in their home town of Lyme Regis. She has a baby in a pushchair. Can it be Sam's child? They look alike ... he thinks? The dates match ... don't they?

Or is anything we're being told actually true? Because the story is told in part by Sam's close friend, Miranda, who admits that her version of events is based partly on what he has told her, with some added parts that she has embellished. And partly by extracts from a letter written by Naomi, which seems to shed a different light on events. We know which version we want to believe. But can we?

The plot is a fairly simple one and I thought I could see almost straight away where it was going. I was correct ... right up to the point where I wasn't any more. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I'll say only that something in about the middle of the book had me gasping and from then on, it did what only the best books can do. It had me torn between wanting to rush to the end of the book and being almost scared to find out what that ending was.

With my rational head on, and cold heart in place, I have to say that a couple of criticisms are justified. The first is to do with the narrative. Having been told at the start that the story was being told by Miranda, I found it quite confusing when I'd suddenly read a chapter that mentioned Miranda in the first person. I realised what was going on eventually, but it was enough for those first chapters to just, ever so slightly lose their edge. I think maybe this calls for a gentle reminder to Susie Lynes that at least one of her readers isn't quite as clever as she is.

My second criticism is of the ending. I can absolutely see why the book ends this way, because anything else would have been worse for poor Sam and I'm not sure Susie could bear to do it. I absolutely sympathise. But what we're left with is improbable. So much so that a character has to remark on how stupid someone has been.

But here's the thing. Normally, in a book, this would irritate me. Here, though, not only was I prepared to accept it, I found myself wondering about it. Maybe someone would make a silly mistake if it was as a result of something they hadn't tried to do before, or perhaps thought through fully.

And this brings me to my nephew's quote. Perhaps Susie Lynes knows me better than I do myself. And ...

I said at the beginning that I was finding it hard to describe 'The Ex', but I've just got there. It feels like it was a book that's been written for me. I absolutely emphathised with the main character, was transported right back to the timing of the events - remember when food and drink could only be served outdoors, during what felt like one of the coldest May Day weekends in living memory, when restaurant staff were trying their hardest but could do nothing to stop food from becoming cold almost before it was set down on the table? It's all here - and was in awe at how beautifully told the story is.

So if you didn't enjoy the book as much as I did, better luck next time, when perhaps she'll write something for you. Meanwhile, this is a book that I'm cherishing.

Thank you, Susie.

Thanks too to Bookouture and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book, which I have reviewed voluntarily and honestly. I will post my review on Goodreads, Amazon and my personal blog.

So many twists and turns! I love this authors books, they are so good! This was an excellent thriller, exactly what I've come to expect from the author

I love this authors books so was looking forward to reading this. The plot was actually quite simple with no massive surprises but the way it was written was original and in fact brilliant, mainly 3rd party POV’s but with parts told by Sam’s friend Miranda talking directly at the reader, and parts in the form of a letter, a very long letter, written to Sam. It was these last two that give you all the hints about what is to come. I did find the first half of the book quite slow paced but the second half moved it up a few notches.

Briefly, when Sam spots his ex, Naomi, with a baby, he does the math and thinks Tommy must be his child. But how does he ask her? When Naomi confirms his thoughts he is so happy and starts to see a life for them as a family. But his Aunt Joyce, who he has been living with, takes a bit more persuading that Naomi has changed.

I found it infuriating that Sam was so easily taken in by Naomi, she was a really horrible character, totally self obsessed and bitter. Sam was just a nice guy, but quite weak and much too trusting. My favourite character was aunt Joyce, a feisty old lady who still has her wits about her. I thought this was a good read, as long as you’re not expecting loads of twists and turns or shocking surprises you should enjoy it. Well written with a satisfying conclusion.

Stumbling upon your ex is awkward, but seeing them with a young child that resembles you is even more heart-pounding.

Unfortunately, for me this book missed the mark. It dragged on unnecessarily, there was lots of foreboding but no grand reveals, and the end was uneventful.

Some pros:
-The narrators point of view (outside looking in)
-The letter that Naomi wrote throughout the book giving the reader insight into her mind (although this was never fully addressed as to why she even wrote it..)
- JOYCE! She was my favourite character.

OMGoodness! This was a phenomenal story with heartbreaking twists and turns, I could not stop reading as I was propelled forward like I was caught in a giant wave in the sea. . Susie Lynes delivers every single time and this was another great read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

This was a new to me author.
Unfortunately this wasn't the book for me.
The premise was good and is what kept me reading, but I personally felt the first 70% dragged on and by the time the plot picked up, I had already lost interest/been too frustrated by the characters.
Which is a shame as the twist was good and was almost worth my perseverance of not giving up on this big book.

This book started off very slowly and to be honest if it hadn't been written by one of my favourite authors I might have given up on it.. I have loved all of S.E.Lynes earlier books so stuck with this one and I'm glad I did.. From midway the pace ramped up and it turned into a gripping tense read with some great twists.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

Wow! When I started this book I thought it was a good story but was unsure where the thriller part was….there was a hint at some possible unreliable narration with the narrator being a third character and the letters from Naomi…but when that bomb dropped it was jaw dropping! So good!

A brilliant, sad story of love, friendship, parenthood, betrayal and a pandemic thrown in!

Such a good read, it will keep you guessing and keep your heart twisting.