The comparison to Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's books is so perfect for He Said He Would Be Late! This was such a wild, pacy, twist thrill ride that had me questioning everything going on in Arno's life, and even sometimes Liz's perspective. Add this to your list of psychological thrillers to read for 2023!

Liz Bennett appears to be leading a charmed life. She’s a successful published author, with a handsome investment banker husband and a darling baby daughter. Things should be going swimmingly, but Liz is still struggling to adjust to motherhood and is overdue on writing her second novel. When she accidentally sees a text her husband receives from his coworker Viv, accompanied by a flirty emoji, Liz becomes convinced that her husband is cheating on her. Fueled by anxiety and insecurity, Liz soon finds herself down a deep rabbit hold trying to uncover the truth.

Justine Sullivan’s debut novel is an engaging psychological domestic drama and masterful character study. Liz is a fantastic and complex character, smart with a wry sense of humor but also potentially unreliable thanks to her paranoia and escalating substance abuse. Just like Liz, the reader is never sure whether Arno is unfaithful. Sure, sometimes he does things that are kind of suspicious (and like the title implies, he does work late a LOT), but other times he appears to be a completely devoted husband. It’s easy to sympathize with Liz’s roller coaster of emotions and her obsession with uncovering the truth.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for providing me an advance copy of this book.

I’m not sure where to start with this review! This book could be summed up in one sentence: A woman sees a suspicious text from a beautiful woman on her husband’s phone, then spends about 300 pages trying to catch him cheating.

That is the book’s premise, and I kept wondering when something was going to happen. This woman, Liz, is your typical thriller housewife. She’s got a husband, a toddler, and a nanny. She’s an author who can’t seem to finish her second book. She’s on the anxious side, and self-medicates. And she’s incredibly paranoid about her husband. I never felt like I got to know her as a character, because she is so flighty and her actions were quite repetitive.

Despite this being such a one-track book, I still enjoyed it. The writing was good, and I eventually got sucked in and was waiting to see what would happen in the end. I pretty much figured out the ending, but it was nice to see it play out. Overall I’m giving this three stars, rounded up to 3.5 for being a debut. A little variety would’ve been nice, but I think it was still a good read.

(Thank you to Henry Holt & Co., Justine Sullivan, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be published on March 14, 2023.)

I really enjoyed this one and just couldn’t put it down. The ending left me absolutely speechless. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

A must read for those who love suspense.

My thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A quick read, I read this in a few hours. I was quickly in this world, and kept reading right until the shock at the end.

This book was incredible. It was a real page turner, and such a thriller and I cannot wait to read what is next from this author. I kept guessing until the last page and it was so intriguing.

This was an end of the year read and I found it engaging. I liked that it had some of the themes and sense of social and geographic place that
make literary fiction notable. The characters were well rendered and the heroine provided some humorous moments. I liked having fewer
characters vs a cast full. Great ending, which is a total teaching moment in a sea of mediocrity. Will be on the lookout for more Justine
Sullivan. Stand out debut which I hope the independent bookstores feature in the spring.

Liz is an author with a young child and a handsome, successful husband. The perfect life, right? Except she spies a suspiciously flirty text on her husband Arno's phone and when she does a little sleuthing, discovers that the sender is a gorgeous, accomplished woman. She is struggling with her own identity and feelings of self-worth as she is having trouble working on her second novel and a nanny has been hired to help with childcare. She does down the rabbit hole of investigating her husband to find out whether he is having an affair. I was fully there with her along her ride, alternating between thinking she is just crazy to thinking she has good reasons for her suspicious. This was suspenseful and I didn't see the ending coming.

An innocent text, or something more? Are you ready to follow Liz down the rabbit hole?

Liz is happily married to her wealthy, successful husband Arno. With a beautiful daughter, life is good. Although, Arno does work long hours and sometimes doesn’t come home till the wee hours of the morning. But hey! It’s one big happy family. She has nothing to worry about…right!?

What a difference a day makes. Liz just stumbled across a text on Arno’s phone from a female coworker thanking him. Followed by a kissing face emoji! Well my friends, that changes everything!

Now Liz is on a mission to find out if Arno and this coworker Viv are having an affair. It may require some serious reconnaissance, stalking both online and in person! Whatever lengths she needs to go to find answers! Hell hath no fury….

This was a quick read that I ended up thoroughly enjoying. Though I questioned many of her antics, it was fun to follow along in her quest for answers!

On a side note…the author added an over-abundance of descriptions of Liz sweating. And I mean A LOT! I get it already! It was hot outside!🤣

Overall it was a fun thriller and I’m looking forward to more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company

HE SAID HE WOULD BE LATE
Justine Sullivan

Woweeee!

Readers are going to be split on how they feel about the character in this book. And how they feel about the character might determine how they feel about the book. Because in this case they are inextricably linked.

In HE SAID HE WOULD BE LATE we are following Liz. Liz is married to Arno who receives a text from a coworker that sends Liz into a paranoid frenzy that ends in the only way it possibly could.

If I’m being empathetic on the day that I read this book I may consider that Liz is sadly suffering from a combination of postpartum depression and anxious attachment. And the author does a good job of setting up such a history for those conditions to exist for her character.

If you catch me on a bad day, maybe when I’m tired, and low on understanding, I simply will not have the patience to listen for 250 pages of Liz considering whether Arno has cheated on her or not.

However, as it is, I do not want to live in this woman’s head and within her existence which is the extent of the novel. Sadly, although this character was very well constructed the plot was lacking and the character's affliction alone is not enough to endure even a very short 256 pages.

Thanks to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company, Henry Holt and Co.for the advanced copy!

HE SAID HE WOULD BE LATE…⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I got as far as 32% and nothing was happening. I didn’t have any issues with the author’s writing style, I just felt like the story dragged and I got tired of waiting for something to happen that would hook me in.

I would absolutely read something again from this author. This one just didn’t work for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my e-ARC.

HE SAID HE WOULD BE LATE
BY: JUSTINE SULLIVAN

This engaging contemporary fiction novel called, "He Said He Would Be Late," is a surprisingly intriguing character study of a modern marriage. It is implied by the Title and this well written debut novel, by Justine Sullivan that there could be an infidelity taking place. Its description is marketing it as a thriller, but it is not. Psychologically twisty is something in the blurb that with whole honesty that I agree that to be a correct statement describing this novel. It sounds simplistic for me to say that a female protagonist named Elizabeth Bennett spends all of her time suspecting and trying to ascertain whether or not her charismatic husband named Arno is having an affair with a woman he works with could be interesting. It turns out that it was a novel that I enjoyed and never once was I bored.

Liz Bennett and Arno have a very small child named Emma, who is still young enough to be considered in the baby stages, but is starting to speak. Yes, Liz Bennett is a famous character in a Jane Austen novel and happens to be Liz's favorite author. Liz is a writer who has published one book, but due to what could be her husband's behavior is having trouble meeting a deadline with her second book. They are rich and the author who absolutely nails the lifestyle of the lucky affluent and the area in which they live, must be a resident either now or grew up here. I know the area and she does so that was something that held my interest. It is not far from where I live and because the setting is so familiar to me my interest was further piqued.

In the very beginning Liz sees a flirtatious text message from a colleague of her husband with a provocative emoji. Liz starts to suspect from this point and it goes on for most of the novel. The woman who sent the text message to Arno's cellphone is named Vivienne and with Liz's sleuthing this woman is gorgeous and has a degree from Harvard. Liz basically feels insecure and starts seeing a therapist. Her upbringing which wasn't good could be part of the reason Liz is catastrophizing, but there are a couple of things that she happens upon that left me suspicious. They get explained away by Arno. One is a two-hundred dollar floral receipt that Liz just happens to notice. The other is a charge at a jewelry shop by which Liz hasn't been the recipient of the gift, yet. Plus as the Title infers he works late and is hardly ever home for dinner.

As I said, the premise doesn't sound interesting, and at first I was unsure how this book could hold my interest. But I was completely drawn in by Liz and the author doing such a great job at developing her character. Liz is fantastically well developed and the author keeps you on your toes, because as a reader, I was never quite sure whether Arno was cheating or not. He was a kind husband and a great father and he makes sure that Liz is a pampered wife. The premise of adultery is as old as the hills, but this was truly an absorbing read that grew more of an addictive reading experience the more I witnessed Liz's actions. She never comes out and just asks Arno whether he is having an affair. Her sleuthing and her sympathetic position is what makes this such an amazing reading experience. The last one percent is a whopper of a twist that elevates this novel to deserve its solid four star rating. The whole novel is a psychological mind twister that I think is a fabulous debut and an author who is one to watch what she writes next. If she can take a simple premise and turn it into a thrilling reading experience, she is destined to be on her way to becoming a bestselling author.

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Thank you to Net Galley, Justine Sullivan and Henry Holt & Company for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#HeSaidHeWouldBeLate #JustineSullivan #HenryHolt&Company #NetGalley

HE SAID HE WOULD BE LATE.

Almost any wife who hears that too many times, is going to become suspicious. Right?

I know the title drew me in, hook, line and sinker!

When Liz Bennet sees a text message on her husband Arno’s phone, that ends with a “kissing-face emoji”, she becomes obsessed with the idea that he is cheating on her, and she runs with it!! After all, he rarely makes it home by midnight, let alone for dinner.

Isn’t that a tell-tale sign?!

When the book first started, I wasn’t sure if I could spend 256 pages, inside of Liz’s head. She is an author with a fairly successful first novel, but she has developed writer’s block and some resentment at being left at home with a new baby by a husband who is rarely in it, and she didn’t always come across as rational.

Was she suffering from Postpartum Depression? Or would this story be a slow descent into alcohol and madness-a trope that has been done many times before?

They say to trust your instincts- intuition doesn’t lie.

She began to stalk Viv-the beautiful co-worker who had sent the text, and all of a sudden, I just HAD to know if my suspicions were correct.

Ultimately, they were-on all accounts-as the ending confirmed for me…but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment at all.

In fact, I felt quite smug that I had actually gotten it right! 😉

3.75 rounded up!

Check out this debut by Justine Sullivan on March 14, 2023!

Thank You to Henry Holt & Company for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

I had high hopes for this one, but it used some plot elements that I find really problematic. I think the author's writing was well done and while this one wasn't for me, I would give her a future book another try.

This was a quick read but I felt like nothing really happened. Liz lives a seemingly perfect life (which she reminds the reader of constantly) but becomes convinced her husband is cheating on her and does a lot of ridiculous things to get to the bottom of it. I didn't really connect with Liz and felt like the story was somewhat repetitive, though the ending, while not necessarily surprising, was satisfying.

As stated, this one moves at a fast clip and some of the things Liz does are pretty funny. However, I never felt like I really understood WHO she was or what really made her tick, nor what made her marriage work. It seemed that her husband Arno did some pretty strange things during the book but I never got an indication of whether this was out of character or not, and what their marriage was like.

All in all, OK read but I am not sure it's totally memorable. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This started out super strong and intriguing but then it just fizzled out. The story became to slow and nothing was happening for continous chapters- same dialogue but said differently over & over. I DNF about half way through. Likes: the cover is gorgeous!

A great thriller that leaves you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommend! This is one you won’t want to miss.

He Said He Would Be Late by Justine Sullivan was everything I was hoping it would be!

Justine Sullivan has written a great debut novel! He Said He Would Be Late ticks all the boxes: interesting characters, an original plot, a fast pace and an unpredictable ending.
The tension keeps the pages turning and the author takes her time with the conclusion.
The characters in this book are well-developed and deliciously flawed and will fascinate readers.

A twisty psychological debut about marriage, motherhood, and the search for truth at all costs.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Henry Holt and Co.
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my blog, platforms, BookBub, B&N, Kobo and Waterstone closer to pub date.

Thank you Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for an early copy of He Said He Would Be Late. I really loved the title and the synopsis but did not like the main character at all. You knew he was cheating but the question was with whom? The main character ruined the reading for me, was a bit ridiculous. It was a very fast read though.

Liz has the kind of life most people would envy; money, a beautiful daughter, and a loving husband. But when she sees a flirtatious text on her husband’s phone from a coworker, Liz becomes convinced that he’s having an affair. He Said He Would Be Late explores the depths to which Liz would go to confirm her suspicions, as she struggles with her own demons. This book flows so smoothly and effortlessly that before you know it, you’re halfway through, but no closer to a resolution than when you started. Normally that would be a red flag for the reader, but the writing is sharp, and the suspense is sustained throughout the plot as the reader, along with Liz, is uncertain as to her husband’s suspected affair. Well done! I received an arc of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.