I already love the way that Sophie Flynn tackles complex relationships and her latest novel, IF THEY KNEW, is no exception. We meet her main characters, Hannah and Charlie, as they are recovering from rounds of unsuccessful IVF and their heartbreaking situation of struggling with infertility is observed sensitively and acutely. They now have the chance of adopting a daughter, but then Hannah's past barges in and threatens to jeopardise this precious chance of happiness. Something that happened when Hannah was a teenage student in New York has turned up to haunt her. Or rather someone – a notorious pop star who has just been found murdered in an elite members' club nearby. And Hannah really doesn't need that particular episode from her past to be delved into right now. There are plenty of tense moments as we wonder who to trust and who will get away with what. I loved the dark #MeToo elements and the twisty epilogue was a lovely finishing touch.

Hannah and Charlie are a loving couple who have been struggling with infertility. IVF failed and they start the adoption process. At long last their dreams are almost realized when they are informed they will be given a child, Isabella, in a week. Unfortunately in the meantime a pop star is murdered at the local exclusive club. Turns out Hannah dated him when she was younger and he was trying to contact her before he was murdered. Hannah is worried her past will come out and derail the adoption, and perhaps Charlie was aware of the situation and did something about it. Sounds like a great setup for a thriller, and it was, but to me the story was somewhat bogged down with the extensive emphasis on infertility and its devastating impact on the couple, which gave the novel more of a contemporary women's fiction vibe and detracted somewhat from the thriller aspect of the novel.

An incredible read that drew me in straight away and kept me hooked right until the end. It was fast paced and unpredictable, with some emotive parts that I didn't expect but really appreciated. I really enjoyed it.

Hannah & Charlie are finally on the verge of having the family that they have always wanted. They are scheduled to bring their adoptive daughter Issy home in 1 week, after years of infertility & disappointment. Then people from years ago , best forgotten, arrive back in their lives. This is a twisty, compelling, mystery definitely worth a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for providing the book in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a fan of Sophie Flynn's writing since her debut, All My Lies, but this book (her third) really showcases her talent as a writer. The emotional depth of this novel - truly written from the depths of the author's soul. Her impeccable characterisation - I warmed to the details of Charlie and Hannah's relationship, the way he really saw her. The impeccable research, particularly relating to adoption and fertility. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel - Flynn has without a doubt cemented her place in this genre.

This is a haunting, mind bending, heart and gut wrenching thrill ride centered around a deep, dark, woman’s fear.

While the novel is narrated mostly by Hannah in “then” and “now” chapters, you also get a glimpse of her husband Carter narrating a few chapters as well.

Hannah and Carter are in a marriage filled with love. A house they are waiting to become a home as they desperately are trying to have a baby. Unfortunately, all efforts natural and medical have failed and now they are stuck in the adoption loop, waiting for that day when they will be matched and can finally start their perfect life.

Like all marriages, though they proffer to be truthful, both parties are hiding deep secrets and lies. Lies that tend to catch up to you.

A pop star is found murdered and it’s all over the news. Hannah has secrets about him and her past but she’s trying desperately to remain normal while wildly spinning out of control.

There’s a phone call. They’ve been matched to adopt a beautiful baby girl in seven days. Seven days is a long time for your demons to come for you.

Looking at issues such as rape and violence against women, as well as the struggle of infertility to both the woman and man individually as well as in their partnership, and addressing the biggest question of what all would YOU do to become a parent. What lies would you hide? Could you kill someone?

The twists and turns will have you racing to the shocking ending.

Well written and well researched with a big dose of personal experience, this is one novel you won’t want to miss on release day, Nov. 17, 2022.

Thank you so much to #NetGalley, the publisher and author for extending me this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

My full review will be posted to all social media platforms, blogs and retail sites on release day.

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I can NOT wait to read more by this author, this is a great thriller that really pulls you in!

A fantastically written psychological thriller, expertly told through the alternating narrative perspectives, with flashbacks to diary entries from the past. This novel explores the power that guilt and paranoia has, especially over a couple who are in a state of desperate waiting and longing for a child. I read this book in two sittings; eager to pick it back up after starting, and unable to put down there after. Every time I thought I had reached a conclusion, I was immediately proven wrong in the following chapter, right up until the epilogue. A satisfying conclusion that kept me hooked and guessing until the very end.

This one is told from the point of view of Hannah and Charlie, but mostly Hannah. We also get Now and Then chapters. I am not sure what the author was going for here but it left me feeling something was missing. We have a childless couple, who just went through IVF, finally getting the chance to adopt. We also have a murder on The Farm, a fancy place for the rich and famous to relax. The victim is someone Hannah seriously dated in College, in New York.

I had a really hard time getting into this one. The writing was really repetitive, the internal dialogue didn’t give me any insight into who the characters really were, and the fact that Charlie was able to do more by hacking into phones, surveillance, and alarm systems than the police was just too far-fetched for my liking. I can like a book that’s over the top but there has to be something else for me to enjoy as well and this book was lacking on that front. I do own two other books by this author so I will give her another try sometime in the future.

This book really surprised me, in a positive way! There is a definite trigger warning for infertility though - if that’s a trigger for you, I don’t recommend this book. That being said, this book portrays a dilemma between a husband and wife during the adoption process, where the wife’s past could cause them to lose their potential child. She tries to shield her husband from her past, but her husband finds out and tries to protect her as well.

I really felt the love between the two main characters. I was also fascinated and drawn into Haydee’s character. At about 75% through the book, I was kind of let down by what I perceived as plot holes, but by the end, everything mostly made sense. I was still left with a couple of questions - there is potential for a sequel here.

Despite that, I could not put this down and read it in under a day! I enjoyed the author’s writing style and enjoyed the characters and plot.

4.5/5 stars ⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley and Hera Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love this cover (upside down house and great color scheme!) and the cover blurb! Super intriguing. I couldn't wait to read "If They Knew", and for the most part I wasn't disappointed.

Hannah and Charlie have been trying for a baby relentlessly through IVF and other means, until they finally realize it's not going to happen for them--at least not that way. They begin the adoption process, which is filled with its own set of obstacles, and fortunately they are approved for a little girl, Issy. However, Hannah can't help but feel that something is about to go wrong to prevent Issy from truly becoming theirs, and those worries soon become realized when a pop star Hannah knew in college is murdered in the idyllic English village where they live.

I really enjoyed the point of view changes in this story, from Hannah's past to present, to her husband Charlie's perspective. The POV from Hannah's past is written essentially like a diary, which really showcases her immaturity and naïveté, but I still found myself enjoying the parts where I got to learn more about her relationship with Jesse.

There were many times where Hannah or Charlie would do something and I'd have to restrain myself from screaming in my head, "Why would you do that???" Let's just say they didn't always make the smartest decisions, but at least their intentions were mostly good.

I did feel like there were some points where I had to force myself to keep reading, so I would say I wasn't quite as engaged as I'd hoped to be, but overall I did enjoy the book and I'm glad that I read it. I would give it 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks so much to Sophie Flynn, Hera Books, and NetGalley for this arc!!

Thank you for this amazing ARC.
I loved this so much. It gave me an inside view to the process of IVF and adoption. My mother was adopted so I heard stories from my cute grandma for years. Grandma had fostered children prior to getting my mom too. She had their pictures stashed away and I have them now.
It is important to appreciate these things even if having a baby was easy or whatever for you.
Adoption and IVF have been denied to women convicted of crimes or living "alternative" lifestyles for decades, in some places they still are.
While I have never committed a crime I have been close to serious crimes (people I know, location, family, etc.).. I found that really related in this lovely book.

What a wild ride! I couldn't put this down. You think it will be boring with someone trying to have a baby but no this is roller coaster of emotion and drama.

This thriller was great! It’s told from two perspectives but one has a then and now side.

Hannah and Charlie are a week away from adopting a little girl when out of nowhere Hannah’s past comes roaring its ugly head. A global pop star is murdered in the upscale club of the neighborhood and Hannah is shocked, it couldn’t be the same guy she knew from college? Hannah doesn’t realize Charlie is also keeping secrets and she has no idea where he was the night the pop star was murdered. Surely he couldn’t have found the messages? Hannah is determined to figure out what happened to her old flame, and hopes her husband had nothing to do with it. Will everything be all right and the adoption go through as planned?

I read some reviews on this one and I couldn’t believe it! People were rating it down because they couldn’t comprehend the pain of and struggle of infertility - um I don’t understand killing someone but I still read the books! This one was well done and it was more of an adoption story at the end of failure to conceive via alternative methods. The story was great and I liked how the author touched on the topics enough to get you interested. This was a solid thriller and it kept me guessing until the end - I particularly liked the epilogue!

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher, @hera_books, for my gifted copy in exchange for this honest review. Make sure to put this one on your radar because November 17th will be here before you know it!

I do feel that I should start the review with a trigger warning for infertility. This is a subject that people don’t like to talk about, but as someone that also struggled with unexplained infertility it felt validating to read some of my own thoughts and fears in the book. However, this wasn’t the main point of the book, but a way to show how much there is for Hannah to lose. “If They Knew” is a mystery about the murder of American pop star Jesse and as you read you find out how much that could affect Hannah. I was rooting for Hannah, though I found myself frustrated with some of her choices. I stayed engrossed while reading the book, wanting to find out what really happened those years ago. The ending left me satisfied with how everything was tied up. Do not let the infertility journey deter you from reading “If They Knew”!

Thank you NetGalley and Hera publisher for sending this book for review considerations. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for the eARC.
Unfortunately I could not not do this book justice; the subject matter of a couple going through the horror of IVF for years is sad, but not something I totally understand. My nerves wouldn't take it.
The mystery of the story was mildly interesting, but I didn't finish the book. Sorry!

If They Knew
by Sophie Flynn
Pub Date: November 17, 2022
Hera

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
I did not really get into this book. I will not be purchasing it at our library. A young couple that has been struggle if to conceive children if their own. Hannah and Charlie. Now they are about to adopt a young girl names Isabella. Everything seems perfect and ready.
Until a bit of news interrupts their lives. Famous musician Jesse Carter is found dead at The Farm. Murdered actually.
3 staRS

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Hera Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Wow. An edge of your seat thriller.

I loved the premise and was really excited to get stuck in. I wouldn't say I loved it or thought it wad an amazing example of the genre but it did make stanind in queues at disneyland all day, much more bearable. I liked the characters and this is clearly more than just a thriller in how character driven it is and how kuchen depth they go into about the adoption and infertility struggles so it's got quite a lot of elements of drama chick lit type aswell. However, for me the whole adoption drama just dragged the plot down since it didn't really add to the thriller vibe. I get it may have added that feel of urgency in getting things sorted but yeah, it was all a bit too chick lit for me n that took the momentum away from the thriller/ mystery aspect which is what I am actually interested in. So I'm undecided, it was a decent enough thriller n had a few twists and turns but there's also a lot of just general day to day life struggles that kinda lost my interest. And that is probably the only down side I could think of and even then, it's subjective n just bot to my taste personally but that's no fault of the author. Absolutely worth a go if you do like thrillers with a dose of everyday angst thrown in

Incredible thriller that immediately pulls the reader into the plot. I absolutely enjoyed this story and could not wait to enjoy the rest of the book

Well Sophie has come along again, straightened the crown and reminded us why she is so fantastic. I have to add, for such a lovely human this lady can really delve into the depths of darkness and take the reader on a journey.

This is a book that has really touched a part of me- the adoption element hits raw and hidden parts of me. This alone has made this an emotional read for me. Izzy’s little story is just magic and really gives me hope. The meeting between Hannah, Charlie and Izzy is one that has broken my heart, but also one that will stay with me.

Hannah and Charlie are just a little bit lush! As a reader, I’ve wanted to give them a big cwtch as we discover the journey they’ve been on. As a follower of Sophie’s, I feel this is so personal and brave to put amongst the pages. This is something I admire and appreciate- it’s real life and completely relatable.

As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear Hannah has a secret. I definitely couldn’t predict what this was going to be. The desperation to protect this secret becomes an addiction. The book becomes completely impossible to put down.

Jesse and Owen are minor characters, although play a big part in this one. Sophie has created characters that will give you bad vibes without them being at the forefront- another talent of hers. As events have unfolded and others have been introduced, I have found myself completely speechless.

I have read all of Sophie’s books (all magnificent) but I think this is definitely a favourite. If They Knew is honest, relatable and compelling. The plot unfolds perfectly and there is so many aspects which could be discussed with this one. It’s been an absolute delight to follow (social media stalk and harass) Sophie on her journey from debut author to a queen of the genre. I can safely say I don’t even need to read a synopsis to know I’ll be reading a complete and utter gem.

This book is a must read! It truly is a book worthy of all the stars. Sophie is definitely one to watch out for.