I'm a huge fan of the author's other work, The Wife Between Us and The Golden Couple so I was really excited to get this arc. It has dual POV and a bit of past and present timelines which I love in a thriller. The book explores a mother and daughter relationship and just how far a mother will go to protect her own daughter. This indeed has a good number of twists and turns and was exactly what I was looking for in a thriller. I thought I had it all figured out, but Act 2 really threw me for a loop and had me questioning everything I had read up until then.

Ruth (the mother) has been keeping a lot of secrets from her daughter Catherine. She never wants to talk about Catherine's father and recently was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease forcing Catherine to take care of her.

Catherine loves her mom and would do anything to help her, but starts to grow more curious about her father, her past relationships and what her mother has been hiding all this time. When Ruth refuses to answer any f her questions, Catherine begins digging on her own and what she finds sets Ruth and Catherine on a thrilling ride to escape Ruth's dangerous past.

Thank you to Sarah Pekkanen and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Wow! This is the best book I have read all year.

So incredibly well-done!

You start off, thinking you know where it's going, like a roller coaster on a well-marked path. Then the tension and mystery begin to climb, much like our figurative coaster.

And the plunge. Oh so delicious! The thrill is everything. I start off rooting for one character, then when more of the plot is revealed, I begin to rally for the other character, until I'm willing them both to get on the same page!

I could NOT put this down! It was full of so many twists-- the first one the author encourages you to figure out on your own and when you do, it is SO satisfying!

Suddenly, your predictable roller coaster is plunged into darkness and your heart is racing with new knowledge and everything begins to click into place as you begin to get the fully formed picture.

This story also put me through the gamut emotionally as well; the mother/daughter relationship is fraught with the all-too common complexities and then when you add in some deep backstory, it heavily authenticates it. I even teared up towards the end-- that has NEVER happened to me in a thriller/mystery before.

If I could give applause, I would! Definitely worth the read!

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

FIVE FULL SHINING STARS.

An inseperable bond between mother and daughter, except the mother has been decieving her daughter her entire life. Why?

This was the thriller I needed. Fast-paced, multi-faceted, twisty, heart-pounding, gripping and captivating. This held my interest the entire time. I found myself lost in the pages, even while taking care of a newborn.

A top notch thriller for me. Probably one of my all time favorites. This will be one I recommend over and over.

Omg Sarah does it again! She has quickly become one of my favorite authors in this genre as she is queen of suspense. Just when you think you have it figured out.. trust me, you don't. Sarah is great at writing red herrings and misleads till BAM you get hit with what's really going on just before the book ends. This book was so fresh and original and I loved every pulse pounding, heart stopping moment.

This book had all the setup in the world for something really twisty and amazing, but unfortunately it just never made it there. The dual PoVs between Catherine and Ruth were very well done, and I especially enjoyed the parts where Ruth was in her journal recalling the past that led up to her disappearance from the world. The chapters were just long enough that by the time they were finished, you were ready to get back to the other narrator but also excited to come back to the last one and find out more about what was going on. The first Part was very slow and not much was happening, but I forgave this, assuming it was a lot of setup for the suspense to come. While after Part 1 I did speed through this, it was mostly because I was anticipating a climax that ending up being a let down.
I actually said “well, that was surprising” at the end because, well, there weren’t any surprises at all- and with all the buildup and little tidbits of information we were given throughout the book, I really felt like I was going to end up somewhere really exciting. Catherine’s “twist” never really made it all the way there for me, and my sister, who was also reading an ARC, thought the book wouldn’t really have been much different at all with her twist taken out entirely. It felt like the climax of the book hung on the plausability and shock of her twist, so it was even more disappointing that it ended up unnecessary and poorly done. Maybe if we had seen firsthand some more clues to point us to the direction that Ruth took us re Catherine, we might have felt it more believable.
Overall, I give it credit for being relatively well-written, and I did fly through it in only 2 days, but sadly, I would not recommend this to my thriller reader friends. 2.5 stars rounded down.

I received both an audio ARC and an E-ARC of this book and listened to half and read the remainder physically. The narrator did an excellent job of presenting this story. I was a bit confused as to which character’s point of view we were listenin to because it also fluctuates between both characters and the past and present timelines.

I preferred to read this book. I was a bit triggered by some of the content but overall, it was fine.

At first this book felt like it was going to be a contemporary novel about a mother and daughter duo dealing with the mother’s diagnoses of early on set dementia. Then the book takes you on a ride for a suspenseful thriller! Once the slow burn ended I couldn’t but it down, I highly recommend it!

4.5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the early ARC and ALC.

Have you ever wondered what a mother would do to protect a child?

Catherine Sterling thinks she knows her mother. Ruth Sterling is quiet, hardworking, and lives for her daughter. All her life, it's been just the two of them against the world. But now, Catherine is ready to spread her wings, move from home, and begin a new career. And Ruth Sterling will do anything to prevent that from happening.

Ruth Sterling thinks she knows her daughter. Catherine would never rebel, would never question anything about her mother's past or background. But when Ruth's desperate quest to keep her daughter by her side begins to reveal cracks in Ruth's carefully-constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception.

This book was the perfect amount of suspense and secrets while we navigate two POVs -- Ruth and her daughter Catherine. We're faced with unreliable narrators while we piece together Ruth's past and Catherine's present and how both of these collide in a nail-biting ending! Just when I thought there weren't anymore surprises, Sarah Pekkanen throws more at you (in the best way)! This was beautifully written and kept me engaged in the story the whole time. Definitely a book to pre-order!

As always, SP is on point. Though I found the beginning to be a tad too slow, once it got moving I was in.

The story of both female protagonists is intriguing in their own right. The journal entries were well placed and it was a perfect way to tell the story without full chapters that were just full of previous timeline.

Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Sarah Pekkanen for this ARC! Honestly, I had no idea what this book was about at first - I just know I’ve loved all of Sarah’s books. Just like always, this completely sucked me in. This book brought tears to my eyes, made me laugh, and had me nail biting lol! This book is about a mom losing her memory to early onset Alzheimer’s - and for some reason brought of memories of my past! Sarah never disappoints - and I would have to say is one of her top books! It was a different mystery, but a very enjoyable one!

Thank you NetGalley for the early access! I have read and loved every book that Sarah collaborated on with Greer Hendricks so I was really eager to read a new one of Sarah’s on her own.

This did not disappoint. The pacing of this thriller in the beginning had me questioning when things would become more “mysterious” but as soon as I wondered, the plot changed to just that. I think she did a great job with how important facts were shared casually that eventually caught up with the reader. Often I read books that attempt this and it’s just really obvious that whatever is being mentioned will be important later on but she got me by surprise a handful of times. I wasn’t sure beforehand what the balance would be between thriller vs. more of a mother/daughter emotional drama. I usually prefer my thrillers sans the tears but this was a good blend of both and I think I probably liked the characters more because of it.

“There is one thing we women do even better than disappearing: We protect our children.”

•Synopsis:
From the outside, Ruth seems like any other hardworking, self sufficient single mom. Her daughter, Catherine is her whole world. Moving from place to place has kept anyone from getting too close, It's only been the 2 of them for as long as Catherine can remember. Now 24 & a recent nursing graduate, she's ready to move away and start her career, but her mom cannot let that happen. Ruth's only priority is to protect her daughter at all costs. Catherine has never had any reason to question her mother, but what lies in wait outside the walls Ruth has so carefully built? Is Ruth's past finally catching up to them both?

•My Thoughts:
I am a huge fan of co-authors Sarah Pekkanen & Greer Hendricks, so of course I was excited for this solo story from Sarah Pekkanen! Just as I predicted - I LOVED Gone Tonight. This story was so original, & beautifully written, the very definition of unputdownable. I connected deeply with both Ruth & Catherine's POVs. I think what makes this thriller stand out is that the situations were so believable & realistic. Pekkanen writes a gripping, suspenseful read that will keep you guessing as she reveals the truth one layer at a time.
Definitely one of my new favorite books ever!

I read this while following along to the audiobook. Kate Mara did a fantastic job narrating & bringing this story to life. I can picture her starring in an on screen adaptation perfectly!

Thank-you to @netgalley & @stmartinspress for opportunity to read this ARC!

This is my first book by Sarah Pekkanen and it did not disappoint. This mystery thriller is told from a mother and daughters point of view. I'm normally not the biggest fan of slow burns but the way this was structured kept me hooked and I grew to love the main characters. 4.25 Stars

Thank you to NetGallery for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, St. Martin’s Press & MacMillan Audio for both the digital ARC and audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own (except for any quotations) and may not be reproduced.

I am an absolute thriller/suspense/mystery fanatic & Sarah Pekkanen is an author that I usually tend to enjoy so I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Gone Tonight.

Synopsis (quoted):

“Catherine Sterling thinks she knows her mother. Ruth Sterling is quiet, hardworking, and lives for her daughter. All her life, it's been just the two of them against the world. But now, Catherine is ready to spread her wings, move from home, and begin a new career. And Ruth Sterling will do anything to prevent that from happening.

Ruth Sterling thinks she knows her daughter. Catherine would never rebel, would never question anything about her mother's past or background. But when Ruth's desperate quest to keep her daughter by her side begins to reveal cracks in Ruth's carefully-constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception.”

I REALLY enjoyed this novel! You think you know what’s going on, only to get proven wrong at the next turn and the twists just keep on coming.

While I had the digital ARC, I ended up listening to the audio ARC provided by MacMillan Audio, simply because I prefer audio over digital because I can get through it much more quickly. This was one of four audio ARCs that I started and finished over the weekend.

It was fast-paced and held my attention. I went back and forth on if I was Team Ruth or Team Catherine. Pekkanen did a great job getting you to despise either one in one chapter and then go back to rooting for them 2 chapters later. Who did my loyalty end up sticking with? Well, that’s top secret info that I cannot divulge or else you’d get too much insight to the twists & turns and then the story would be spoiled. You will just have to grab a copy when it releases on August 1st and see which side you end up on.

This was a solid 4 Star read for me and I definitely recommend giving it a read!

Gone Tonight: NetGalley Review 
Author: Sarah Pekkanen 
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, 352 pages 
Pub Date: 08/01/2023 
✨thank you to @netgalley for the advanced copy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
SYNOPSIS: Catherine Sterling thinks she knows her mother. Ruth Sterling is quiet, hardworking, and lives for her daughter. All her life, it's been just the two of them against the world. But now, Catherine is ready to spread her wings, move from home, and begin a new career: her mother will do anything to keep that from happening. And this begins a dance of deception between both mother and daughter
  
“How far would you go to protect the person you love most in the world?” 

REVIEW: the dual POV is a Mother Daughter duo: but Catherine and Rose are not your run of the mill family.  The alternating POV was actually very easy to follow and went back in time just enough to give us background on the pair without too much foreshadowing: this reeled me in. The sprinkling of information was perfectly done throughout the entire novel!  We see Ruth, the mother, journaling out her memories so she can give her daughter the answers she is looking for.  But telling her daughter the truth isn't black and white in this story: Ruth knows that “good mothers” tell the truth, but she is pulled back and forth because telling her daughter the truth would also shatter her world as she knows it.  This book made me really think 💭, was not predictable at all 🤯, and the coup de grace at the end was so satisfying!

Ruth and Catherine have always been on their own. They have a strong mother-daughter bond; at least, they think they do. Then, secrets begin to come to light and the carefully constructed veneer begins to slip. Danger awaits just around the corner.

This was an intense psychological thriller. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept me wanting to read “just one more chapter.” The story was told from two points of view with chapters alternating between Ruth and Catherine. Part of the intensity was the fact that the reader knew things that the characters didn’t. It made me want to keep going to get past the cliffhangers.

While I enjoyed this book, I found some of the things predictable. I also wasn’t a fan of the way things ended. It felt like the author was trying too hard. Overall, I give this book 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #St.Martin’sPress for an eARC of #GoneTonight by #SarahPekkanen

✨ Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! ✨

Rating: a solid 3.75, but rounded up to 4 for GoodReads purposes!

Pros:
-Kept me entertained
-Surprising, non-obvious twists
-Dual POV
-Smart, in-depth female characters
-References to a great movie 😆

Cons:
-Mild lack of communication between characters (a trope that I’m not a fan of)

TLDR: A single mother with a haunted past, and a daughter who is determined to uncover the truth. Would recommend as a fun thriller book ✨


I’ve been a fan of Sarah Pekkanen so I was pumped to get the email about reviewing her newest! This was definitely a great, fast-paced thriller and one I’ve been hoping for. While a couple chapters felt like repetitive fillers, the majority of the book kept me on my toes. I loved that with each change of POV, my trust in characters would flip flop. It reminded me a lot of Luckiest Girl Alive, with the mother’s dialogue of past memories and puzzle pieces coming together for the reader. I 100% imagined Chiara Aurelia as a young Ruth while I was reading!

I loved Gone Tonight. It was a slow burn at first, as we’re introduced to the relationship of these two women and the secrets in their past. This is the type of book that starts off brooding and builds to heart pounding thrills. I love the multiple narratives and journal entries. Great read.

This book was amazing! The twists and turns it took left me speechless. I couldn’t stop reading. Everything was amazing. I have read one other of Sarah’s books but now I know for sure that I am a huge fan.

Gone Tonight centers around single mother Ruth and her daughter Catherine. It has always been just the two of them. They have moved many times over the years, and Catherine chalked this up to the fact that her mother worked low paying jobs and had to go where she could get work. They have been in their current location for a while now and Catherine has built a life. At 24 years old, she is also ready to move away from her mother for the first time ever. Just as she gets ready to embark on her new life, her mother receives devastating news that forces her to change her plans.

As Catherine throws herself into finding out the best way to help her mother, she uncovers something that is so shocking it makes her realize that she doesn't even know the person that she thought she was closest to. Through flashbacks, we get to know Ruth and how she got to where she is today and why it is so important that she keep Catherine close.

This was a slow burn and the premise was good, however, I found the execution to be overly wordy and filled with descriptions of mundane details that did not add to the plot. Everything was described and it bogged the book down for me. Also, without giving away the crux of the book, there were tremendous plot holes--some things that happened, people being in certain places, and certain situations just would not happen. Overall a decent read but nothing earth shattering.

Thanks in advance to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.