I've enjoyed Robyn Harding's books before, but The Drowning Woman will easily be my favorite thriller of Harding's and definitely a favorite read of 2023! I could not put this book down, I loved all of the twists along the way, and that I had no idea who I was supposed to trust as the book progressed. If you are looking for a thriller that will pull you right in, this is the book for you!

Lee is living in her car as she tries to get back on her feet and one morning sees what she thinks is a woman in distress in the ocean and goes to save her. She has no idea that the woman Hazel she saved, was trying to end her life to escape her abusive husband. Hazel's husband is a powerful lawyer and unless she wants to lose everything, including the care of her mother, she can't divorce him. Lee and Hazel start spending time together and develop a friendship, and thinking she has no one else to turn to, Hazel asks Lee to help her escape. Lee agrees to help Hazel, and then realizes that everything she thought she knew isn't as it seems.

Harding does a great job of making you really feel for Lee throughout the book, even though some of the circumstances she gets herself into she probably could've avoided if she thought them through. But Lee is desperate for not only money and shelter as she tries to get out of the hole she got herself into, but human connection as well and latches on to anything Hazel offers her. I loved that the book offered both of their points of view as the story unfolded and even though Hazel deserved a lot of what came to her for her actions, I couldn't help but root for her at times as she also starts to discover that everything she thought she knew wasn't always accurate.

Imagine finding yourself homeless, on your own, living in your car, with no one to trust. That is exactly the predicament former successful chef Lee Gulliver is in. Lee has fled New York City after her restaurant tanked due to covid, with her car and literally just the clothes on her back. While parked on the beach, she hears a woman's cries and spots her drowning in the water. Lee rescues the woman, Hazel, and it is there the twists begin.
This book is the ultimate binge-worthy read! One of the fastest thrillers I have read in a while! Filled with twists, suspense, and betrayal, this is one you do not want to miss!

4.5 stars. Lee's New York restaurant, her life's dream, was forced to close during the pandemic. Now, she's found herself living out of her car and working crappy cash jobs to hide from the shady characters she still owes money. One morning, Lee saves an apparently suicidal woman who's flung herself into the ocean, only for the woman to berate her for doing so. Hazel tells Lee about her controlling, abusive husband and her impossible situation, and they become friends and hatch a plan to help one another. The plan goes sideways when someone turns up dead, but was that actually the plan all along? It's impossible to know who to trust...

THIS BOOK had me up so late! It sucked me in and would not let go. I've never read a Robyn Harding thriller before, but I'll definitely be checking out her backlist because The Drowning Woman impressed me so much! Told in multiple POVs, I was rooting for both Lee and Hazel, and the twists took me by surprise because they weren't the twists I expected! Very pleased with this story overall. The ending is sort of unusual for a thriller, but it works so well and I can't wait for the rest of the world to check out this book on June 13th.

Thank you to Robyn Harding, Grand Central, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

3.5
Lee is down on her luck and living in her car when she sees a woman walk into the ocean in an attempt to take her own life. Lee quickly goes in to save the "drowning woman" and their friendship begins.

I had no idea how twisty this book was going to be and I was totally HERE for it! I loved the twists and turns that kept me on my toes. But, by the end as things resolved, I felt that there were a number of holes or unlikely points that took away from the reality and truths of the book. But, still entertaining. It was a book that fit between a popcorn thriller and a reality thriller.

Another aspect that bothered me was the mention of a sexual relationship of master/slave and the abuses within. It was never descriptive or gratuitous, but mentioned repeatedly. Kinda made me feel yucky about it, but the author uses it as a plot point (not a spoiler).

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advance e-copy of this book.

This was so twisty! Such a great psychological thriller! I loved the alternating POVs - always a favorite of mine!! This one’s out 6/13 and I definitely recommend picking it up. It’s going to make a great summer thriller!!

This book, this book! One of my absolute favorite thriller writers! She is an auto-read for many of us. A post pandemic story that we all need, one to keep us riveted and explore post pandemic emotions that many of us have been through - plus a thrilling plot. Five of five stars for me! Thank you to Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley for this arc. I voluntarily read it and all opinions are my own.

You want to find a book that you can binge in less than 24 hrs and is sure to get you out of a book slump? It’s this one right here. And will this be one of my top thrillers of the year? Probably!

This is my first book by Harding and wow was it a good one! I love a book that keeps me guessing and with each new twist and turn I found myself thinking ‘𝗢𝗵 𝘄𝗼𝘄! 𝗢𝗸 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱!!’

The characters are unreliable, the secrets juicy and how many times I kept second guessing myself was crazy! If you love a good psychological thriller this is a must read!

Thank you to @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for my #gifted copy

Talk about twists in this quick, compelling read! A story I was too quick to (mis)judge, led me down such a wild rabbit hole of “what the???” questions that I wasn’t sure who I should be cheering for from chapter to chapter. I liked that there weren’t many players in this story, and I was able to follow the storyline easily, even with all the twists and turns. The ending, though, could have been more satisfying and intriguing. All in all, it kept me reading and wondering what in the world was going to happen next.

The story starts out with lee, she was a restaurant owner before the pandemic. She borrowed money from this guy in the mafia and when her business failed she owed him a lot of money. Lee ran away from New York and to get away from this guy. She has no one. Her family no longer wants anything to do with her.

Lee made it to Seattle and lives out of her car. She works at this sleazy diner, where before the pandemic she never would have stepped foot in. Since she now has no one and nothing she has no choice after being robbed she has no way to prove who she is.

Lee decides to drive to another side of the city where the rich live and after the third day of sleeping over there, she hears a woman crying. Lee wakes up and realizes the woman has just walked into the cold Pacific Ocean and runs into the water to get her.

Lee saves the woman and after the two of them warm up the drowning woman tells Lee why she tried to commit suicide, turns out the woman has a bad relationship with her husband. She tells Lee that he punishes her when she misbehaves. He tells her when she can leave the house to go running and so on.

Lee still tells the drowning woman that living in her mansion would be better than what lees current situation is, but the drowning woman tells her no it’s not, she then tells lee that her husband is a sadist.

I honestly really enjoyed reading this book. It really goes into detail about how Lee ended up in her situation and how the pandemic contributed to it!! I still felt really bad for her because honestly no one deserves to through homelessness. No one should ever judge a homeless person because we don’t know their situation.

She did it again, friends. Yup, once again Robyn Harding absolutely blew my mind with her upcoming thriller, The Drowning Woman. I don’t how she does it, but every single time I read one of the author’s books, I’m left speechless, extremely impressed, and completely satisfied. This is the fourth book that I’ve read from the author, and no big surprise here—it’s a five star read.

The Drowning Woman is broken up into four parts, told through alternating dual perspectives, and the twists are truly endless. And I’m not just saying that. After I finished reading part one, the twist shocked me SOOOO much that I sent Robyn a DM, stating:

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳!!!”

My best advice is to go in blind. It’s always the best way to enjoy a thriller, in my opinion. Just know that it primarily involves two women - Lee, Hazel, and a few of the men in their lives. Lee is down on her luck, living out of her car, and trying to rebuild her life after her restaurant fails. Hazel is a rich and beautiful trophy wife who likes to spend her time at the gym. But of course, things aren’t always quite like they seem. You won’t know who to believe or trust. You’ll second guess your gut feelings over and over again.

Another thing I loved is that it’s set in Seattle, following the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. So, not to worry. All of the major ugliness and messiness is over, and you won’t have to relive those horrible days. It’s simply a subtle backdrop that plays into the storyline quite well.

So, if you’re looking for your next binge-worthy popcorn thriller that’s guaranteed to make your jaw drop, and your eyes pop out of your head, this is definitely it. The drama is juicy, the plot is intense, the pace is steady, and the suspense is plentiful. Grab your copy of The Drowning Woman on June 13th! Trust me. It’s the perfect summer thriller that you’ll find impossible to put down. 5/5 outstanding stars! Highly recommend!

This is one of the best books I’ve read! Lee, a homeless woman, strikes up an unlikely friendship with Hazel, a very wealthy woman. After Lee saves Hazel from committing suicide, they start hatching a plan to save Hazel from her toxic marriage. Great twists and turns!

This was an excellent thriller that had me reading long into the night – and then listening for sounds in the house for hours afterwards!

Two women become friends in an unconventional way. Both are dealing with some major life issues and need help. But can they trust each other? That's the question.

I knew nothing about this book going in and I'm truly thankful for that!

**Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.**

This is my first Robyn Harding book but far from the last!! Told in alternating POVs—Lee, who’s currently on the run and living in her car after the pandemic put her in debt that she can’t pay; and Hazel, a seemingly wealthy victim of domestic abuse who’s looking for a way out.
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The story twists and turns and you never know who is playing who. THIS IS MY FAVORITE TYPE OF STORY. You think it’s one way and then it’s the other, and then back again. The twist in the first half had my jaw on the floor! HOLY MOLY.
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My only little mini complaint is that I was waiting for another big twist near the end and I thought it fell just the tiniest bit flat. I will still absolutely recommend this book to everyone I know!
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Thanks so much to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an early e-copy!

If you’re looking for your next extremely twisty thriller, I’ve got you.

And this one really doesn’t shy away from twists. One after the other, you’re always guessing who to trust and believe. It’s wickedly fast and brings all the suspense 👀

Told in four parts that alternate between Lee and Hazel, Harding does a great job ensuring you will *not* be able to put this book down. When Lee’s POV ended, I’d be dying to pick up her story again (and vice versa) ⏩

The alternating POVs are particularly effective because they happen concurrently. So after seeing things unfold through Lee’s eyes, you also get Hazel’s side of the same story 💯

Last, I loved the ending. It’s not often that a thriller ends on a hopeful/happy note, but somehow it works here!

The Drowning Woman is one of the best thrillers I've ever read. It is completely unpredictable and it kept my heart racing the entire time. It's so well-written and perfectly orchestrated. I kept saying "OMG" the entire time and I can't stop recommending it!

I cared about both Lee and Hazel and wanted their circumstances to be better. I was really worried for them whenever I had to put down the book to get back to real life. There were so many twists and turns and I never knew who to trust. Nothing was predictable at all and I had no idea what would happen from one moment to the next. I love books like that!

I would have liked to see a certain character receive major consequences, but since this was from the perspectives of the two leading women, it makes sense that I might not get the closure I was craving. It didn't take away from my overall enjoyment though.

Add this thriller to your TBR in June and then plan to not get anything else done for a few hours...

Movie casting suggestions:
Lee: Brie Larson
Hazel: Alicia Vikander
Benjamin: Christopher Russell
Jesse: Max Thieriot
Rachelle: Gugu Mbatha-Raw

When Lee's restaurant goes out of business during the pandemic, she suddenly finds herself homeless and living in her car. While parking it by the beach, she spots a drowning woman in the water. But when Lee gets Hazel out of the water, she finds that Hazel is irate at being rescued. She tells Lee she was trying to escape her life and her abusive husband. However, the two become close, sharing details about their lives. Eventually, Hazel asks Lee to help her flee from her husband once and for all.

But this is a Robyn Harding book, so nothing is that simple! This was such a page-turner--I stayed up late to finish it, because I *had* to know what happened!! It was totally addictive! DROWNING is filled with a tangled web of relationships and secrets. It's honestly best to just go in blind and enjoy the ride. Everyone is running, hiding, and keeping something from someone else. Told from the back and forth perspective of Lee and Hazel, it keeps you guessing from the very beginning. DROWNING is an excellent dark, deep, and twisted read.

Two women on two very different life paths makes for a most riveting story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for my eARC of The Drowning Woman for review!
Canadian author Robyn Harding has absolutely nailed her latest thriller. The stories of Hazel and Lee drew me in immediately, and they're surrounded by secondary characters who are all levels of nasty.
I've been travelling this month and often find it difficult to keep up with a book when not on my usual life schedule - this one kept me at it whenever I had a spare moment!
Recommended!
For release on June 13.

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

The Drowning Woman
by Robyn Harding
Pub Date 13 Jun 2023
Grand Central Publishing
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Rating 5/5

There is something spine-chilling and intense about Robyn Harding's thriller The Drowning Woman. It is a spellbinding story with a psychological twist. There's a hint of romance in this unexpected mystery that kept me turning the pages.

As a result of the pandemic, Lee lost her successful restaurant and is now homeless. Hazel, on the other hand, is rich but has an abusive husband. A chance meeting leads to an interesting bond between the two women. The situation could get dangerous when Hazel asks Lee for help escaping her powerful husband.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for sharing this incredible book with me. I appreciate your kindness.

It has been over an hour since I read the last page, and I can't stop thinking about the main characters. Robyn is so good at keeping readers guessing how it will end. The Drowning Woman is for all types of readers! Thank you, NetGalley, for a chance to review this book that lingers with you.