I was surprised that this wasn't one of her more captivating novels. No matter how many times I picked it up, I just couldn't get excited about the plot and the characters. Compared to her other novels, this was too slow for me. Unfortunately, not one I would recommend.

Suspenseful domestic drama and psychological thriller.

What would a loving mother do to protect her daughter? Ruth is living those things every day after becoming pregnant at 16 and leaving her family and home to fend for herself. Ruth has always done whatever it took to keep them safe. Catherine is now 24, has gotten her nursing degree, and is about to embark on her own life which begins with her moving away. Ruth can't bear it. Catherine doesn't understand it. But why is Ruth so desperate to keep Catherine close?

Secrets and lies have built the relationship between Ruth and her daughter. Now things start to fall apart as Catherine no longer believes her mother and suspects that her whole life might be a careful construction. They become wary of one another as the layers of deceit are revealed.

This was an engaging and compelling drama with some twists and shocks as the mother and daughter start to learn more about each other. Lots of emotional buttons in the narrative that flips back and forth between Ruth and Catherine as each tells her perspective. I found that both characters had qualities that I could relate to and actions that I could understand at times. Not that their behaviors or choices would be those I might make, but they were believable in context. I liked the writing style and the narrator in the audio did a good job though I'm not sure the voices were different enough that I would have known who was speaking had I not also been following along in the e-book.

I like mother-daughter stories for the most part and this did not disappoint. Thank you to the publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review. I obtained the audio format from my library.

I found this book to be AMAZING!!! I enjoyed the pace and setting of the book. Also, the closely held secrets of the narrators really kept me interested in the book, and wanting to read more. This is a book I listened to on my way to work, and I found myself wanting the drive to go longer than it was, just so I could continue to listen!

Generally, I would definitely recommend this book (and already have!) to friends and family.

Thank you to the Author,, Publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Sarah Pekkanen's works, and loved this solo book of hers! The twist at the end was shocking, and the pacing of the book was great from beginning to end!

I love Sarah Pekkanen and will read anything she writes. I really loved this book, told from alternating points of view between a mother and daughter escaping the past. While I thought it dragged a little at the end (yes, we understand you're prepared to run to escape your past) the book was still amazing and had me on the edge of my seat to finish. Looking forward to recommending this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy.

This book is broken into 3 acts and told in 1st person from alternating POVs of Ruth and Catherine. I loved the focus on mother daughter relationship as my mom is all I have and we are super close. I also loved that you didn’t know who or what to believe. Entertaining. Enjoyed it. Loved both main characters.

Another fantastic novel by Sarah Pekkanen. I was hooked from the start. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns in this novel, and waiting to see what would happen next. Definitely recommend this one!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

Great story to start with - I felt the ending was a little flat. Not worthy of the build up.

“Gone Tonight” by Sarah Pekkanen is a novel centered around Ruth, who escapes an abusive boyfriend while pregnant. Ruth has never felt at ease, and is always ready to start a new life if she has to. After years of living like this, her daughter Catherine wants to move away from home and start a career. Catherine and Ruth both think they know each other, but it turns out that’s far from the case.

I have read and enjoyed other books by Sarah Pekkanen and this story is no different. ‘Gone Tonight’ is a slow burn story about a complex mother-daughter relationship. I tore through this book and I’d happily reread it for the first time again if I could.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this novel.

"Gone Tonight" by Sarah Pekkanen is a riveting psychological thriller that delves deep into the complexities of family secrets and the lengths we go to protect those we love. Pekkanen's mastery in building suspense and her skillful character development ensure that readers are hooked from the first page to the last. With its unexpected twists and emotional depth, this book is a compelling exploration of human resilience and the shadows cast by the past

I thought this one was a very well written fast paced story. I was intrigued from the beginning on what was going to happen but I was slightly confused at the start of who was who. Once I got past that, I really enjoyed listening to this one. I will say there were not any OMG!! moments for me but overall it was a solid story with some good twists.

Thank you for allowing me to read and review this story. My review has been posted on goodreads, storygraph, amazon, and instagram (@manymerrybooks).

This book was really good. It went back and forth from diff perspectives and left you unsure which one was true. I finished much quicker than normal, which means it held my interest throughout. Highly recommended. Thanks to netgalley and the author and publisher for the early read.

What lengths would you go to in order to protect the person you love most in the world?

Ruth Sterling has raised her daughter Catherine on her own; moving frequently and living paycheck to paycheck. Catherine thinks she knows nearly everything about her mother, that they have no secrets, but she's soon to find out that that isn't the case. So who IS Ruth? And why is she hiding it?

I enjoyed this story on audiobook. It kept me entertained and engaged on a road trip. The story flips back and forth between current day and Ruth's past. The pacing was slower than I expected. It has the thriller elements, but it also has a lot of Ruth and Catherine's relationship. I did find the shifts in their relationship compelling as Catherine learns more and Ruth tries to adapt. A big chunk of the reveal happened a lot earlier than I expected, which made the pacing for the rest of the book feel slower. The final resolution felt like it relied far too much on luck and the big reveal at the end was something I'd predicted so it lacked impact for me.

Overall this was an enjoyable, though only medium-paced, thriller. If you don't demand nearly constant big reveals, then this is a good option. The writing was solid despite the pacing.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I love anything by Sarah and was so excited to get my hands on this before all my friends. This is one of those books that once you start you are unable to put down until you finish it. So many unexpected twists and turns throughout the entire book. I was sad to finish so quickly and now have a book hangover as it will be awhile until she publishes a new one.

Catherine Sterling believes she knows her mother, Ruth – the quiet, devoted caregiver who's stood by her side through life's challenges. But as Catherine prepares to step into a new career and independence, Ruth is determined to thwart her departure at any cost. Ruth, in turn, assumes she understands her daughter's compliance. Yet, in her desperate struggle to keep Catherine close, the facade she's built around her life begins to fracture, leading both mother and daughter into an intricate dance of secrets and deceit.

I loved how few characters there were in this story. It focused the tension around mother and daughter in alternating first-person narratives. It causes you to look closer and closer at both Catherine and Ruth as you try to unravel the truth of their situation. The pacing was perfect and the chapters were short. I recommend this book if you’re looking for a quick, character-driven read.

This one didnt hold my interest sadly, the plot was shaky for me and didnt make a lot of sense. I like her other books though.

#GoneTonight #NetGalley
Brilliant
When Ruth Sterling was a teenager, she slipped away one night, desperate to escape an abusive home and a troubling boyfriend. Pregnant, alone, and prepared to do anything to survive, she eventually makes a life for herself—and soon, for her newborn daughter Catherine. For more than twenty years, Ruth has lived quietly and has provided for her daughter. But she is always ready to run at a moment’s notice, and never allows either of them to put down roots too deeply. Now, Catherine is grown and craves a life for herself. This is something her mother will do anything to prevent—but for what reasons? It has always been just the two of them against the world. But how well do they really know each other? When Ruth’s deeply held quest to keep Catherine by her side reveals cracks in her carefully constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception. They both have secrets. But which one of them carries the real darkness inside?
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for giving me an advance copy.

This book started strong and tense, I loved the build-up of a mother-daughter relationship. However, it dropped in the middle and the pace went off. I don't think the journal entries worked for me at all and I wished there was a little bit more action.
The ending picked up and I really enjoyed the main wrap-up where we have all the answers but maybe something else lurks in the shadows.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A family drama thriller! This book sucked me right in with the high school backstory and mother/daughter in hiding. This is a dual timeline and the pieces of the past and present slowly fall into place. I had so much anxiety reading this book. I don’t know if it was me resonating with the mother trying to protect her daughter or the not knowing what was going to happen next, but I was on edge up until the end. There were a few slow parts but overall a good thriller.

Sarah Pekkanen is a literary genius. Every book I read is better than the last and that absolutely rings truer than ever with “Gone Tonight.” I read it in less than a day!