This was a great thriller that kept me guessing until the end! Hazel is a rich woman, married to an abusive dominant man named Benjamin. She lives a privileged life but is a prisoner in her own home, her every move watched and monitored. She starts having an affair with her trainer at the gym, Jesse, and they hatch a plan to kill her husband. However, Jesse is not who he seems. Lee is a woman that has fallen on hard times, and is living out of her car at the time she and Hazel meet. Lee saves Hazel from a life threatening situation and their relationship evolves from there.
This book was a quick read, suspenseful, and a great story about female bonding against dangerous circumstances. When Benjamin finds out about the murder plot, the action is kicked up a notch, and the twist that comes took me off guard. I did have some suspicions though.

I really enjoyed this one, but felt the ending was a bit rushed. If Hazel had the means to escape Benjamin, why didn't she do so earlier. It seemed like her actions at the end were an afterthought.

All in all, I would recommend this one, my first Robyn Harding book!

As soon as I saw The Drowning Woman up for request, I hit the button as quickly as I could. This was my 6th Robyn Harding book (The Arrangement was a favorite read of 2021 for me), and just like the others, I absolutely loved it! She is an expert at crafting a story that will leave your head spinning even after the fact.

What’s it about?
Lee never thought she’d find herself homeless, but when her restaurant falls and she falls into debt, she’s living in her Corolla in Seattle. Early one morning, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the sea. She helps the woman and expects to find gratefulness - But she’s actually furious with Lee. Hazel, the drowning woman, wanted to die, she says. She’s a prisoner in her own home and trapped in abusive marriage - The drowning the only way to escape. The drowning woman returns the next morning - and keeps returning - which quickly turns into a friendship between the two women. Hazel wants Lee to help her disappear. But is she really her friend? Is everything as it seems?

DAMN. This is a GREAT book. You get to hear the perspectives of both Hazel and Lee - And each time the POV changed, I found myself upset because I wanted the prior one to keep going. Then, I was thrilled because each POV change just keeps getting better and better. I love a deliciously twisty story that really gets you wondering who you can trust, and Harding is a master of doing that and more in The Drowning Woman. Also, how stunning is that cover? This one kept me up into the late hours of the night - Rooting for MC Lee and then also at times screaming at her to RUN! Thank you Netgalley & Grand Central Publishing for an eARC of this book!

The Drowning Woman. First of all, let's take a moment and appreciate how apt that title is. While yes, there's a literal drowning woman, both of the main characters could be defined as being drowning women as well. There's Lee, the former high-end restaurant owner from New York who lost everything in the pandemic. Including, apparently, her morals. After a series of increasingly poor choices, she ends up homeless in Seattle. Living in her car when she witnesses what looks like a suicide attempt. Enter Hazel, a kept woman in a seemingly gilded cage. The wife of a wealthy and powerful man, Hazel can't take his abuse and control anymore- so she takes the easy way out and tries to drown herself. After Lee saves Hazel, their lives change, and not necessarily for the better.
The twists and turns in The Drowning woman keep.on.coming. You absolutely won't be able to put it down, and for very good reason. I've read over 100 books this year and Drowning Woman will easily go down as being one of the best.

The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding is a propulsive, compelling thriller that is extremely difficult to put down. The story follows two women, Lee Gulliver and Hazel Laval, as their lives intersect in unexpected and dangerous ways. Lee is a woman experiencing homelessness, newly arrived in Seattle after running from her dark past. One morning, she saves a woman from drowning--and that woman is Hazel, a rich, privileged housewife who also happens to be trapped in an abusive marriage. As their unlikely friendship develops, they both come to learn exactly how far they're willing to go to help someone with no other options.

This story is twisty and dark, with believable characters and a plot that feels fresh. The story alternates between Lee's and Hazel's points of view, which is an effective strategy to heighten the tension. That being said, the two characters have almost identical voices, which makes it difficult to discern at a glance which one is narrating. For two characters with such different backgrounds and life stories, I would have liked to have seen a more clear-cut switch between the two voices. I also wasn't enamored with the ending--after all the buildup of the climax, it felt a bit like a letdown. Despite that, I still love this book and would highly recommend it. Overall, the plot, characters, and pacing are fantastic.

I love Robyn Harding’s books and this one was no exception! I couldn’t put it down. When I wasn’t reading it I was dying to!

Lee and Hazel meet under weird circumstances and their friendship seems to grow naturally. Seems being the operative word. The story is told from both Lee’s perspective and Hazel’s and as we learn both sides of the story we see that their friendship has benefits to both of them for very different reasons. As the story moves on things get darker and more sinister.

I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for Ms. Harding’s next work!

"A deliciously twisted story of friendship, retribution, and betrayal about a homeless woman fleeing a dangerous past—and the wealthy society wife she saves from drowning, who pulls her into a dark web of secrets and lies."

Definitely a gripping twisty tale with multiple POV and clever plotting. Tbh, the twists were a bit whiplash inducing and I felt a little like I'd been on a road trip and was getting a bit car sick. I found myself constantly turning another page to find out what was going to happen but the ending felt unrealistic and rushed to me. Enjoyed this read nonetheless - it's a solid suspenseful mystery.

Thank you kindly to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy! The Drowning Woman hits shelves 6/13/23!

A superb fast paced thriller. I absolutely loved the story and couldn’t stop reading it. It’s perfect for all readers, especially thriller lovers.

WOW WOW WOW! When Robyn Harding has a new book out you STOP what you are doing and binge this book as fast as you can. I have loved every single read of hers and this was no exception. It's twisty, full of unexpected turns and the perfect BINGE book! Well done Robyn. 5 STARS from me!

Robyn harding has done it again. Another stellar 5 star read. The Drowning Woman is the epitome of a thriller; fast paced, heart stopping and mind blowing. As a connoisseur of Harding’s books, I have to say this is my favourite to date. I’ve loved all her books and they have all been 5 star reads, but The Drowning Woman was next level explosive. I could not put it down and when I had to, I could not stop thinking about it.

The Drowning Woman follows the lives of Lee and Hazel. Lee ran her own high end restaurant until the pandemic hit and caused her to loose everything and flee. She is now homeless, living in her car trying to escape the demons from her past. Hazel lives in an affluent Seattle neighbourhood and is married to a prominent lawyer. From the outside she appears to have it all. But behind closed doors she is a slave to her domineering and abusive husband and a prisoner in her own home. Two very different women with very different stories but the one thing they have in common is they are both trying to escape their horrible lives and leave it all behind!

You absolutely have to read The Drowning Woman. It is one of my top reads of 2022. Thank you so much to Robyn Harding, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for my electronic arc of The Drowning Woman in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first read from Robyn Harding—and I have to say I’ll be coming back for more! This was a fabulous thriller, and a great read-all-day-on-a-Saturday one at that.

* First person
* Multiple POV
* Fast-paced
* Clever plotting

Thank you kindly to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy! The Drowning Woman hits shelves 6/13/23!

When the reader first meets Lee, she is in a desperate situation and struggling with her new life. Through a stroke of irony, she saves a high society woman from drowning herself. Drawn together, the women build a friendship, which might be the greatest gift to each other or just part of a plan….read this book to find out how it all comes together. Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for this advanced reader copy! From the first chapter, I was hooked and wondered where this story was headed. Several characters with their own chapter tell the story from different perspectives. Get ready for an ending you are not expecting or planning to accept.

This is the type of book you sit and read the entire way through. AMAZING!

It's no secret that I am a huge Robyn Harding fan. Every single one of her books I've read I have rated 5 stars! The Drowning Woman is no different. I freaking loved this storyline, and holy twists you guys!! This was unputdownable!!

I will give nothing away but will say, add this book to your TBR! It's very much worth the read.

Big thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for this gifted copy!

Wow-just wow! Robyn Harding’s best book yet!!! This thriller involving an unlikely friendship of two women Lee and Hazel that meet by chance is a thriller beyond 5 stars. Gripping from the first paragraph-it did not let up at all. The twists kept knocking me off guard. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going there would be another shocking twist. I can say that this was my favorite book this year and I will definitely read it again. Highly recommend this book- you won’t be able to put it down.! Thank you to Grand Central Publishing, Robyn Harding and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed every minute of it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book: The Drowning Woman
Author: Robyn Harding
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pub Date: June 13, 2023

I’m torn with this book. On one hand it was so good! I loved the plot! There were several twists that were nicely peppered throughout. But on the other hand there were parts that made me feel like it was just mediocre. I didn’t care for the ending at all. The dialogue was cringey at times…..like after all this man had done to her she still wanted his feelings to be real for her? Really? Sis no. Just no. It was an easy read so it wasn’t a total loss and I have loved this authors other books.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is June 13, 2023

I have a confession…

Until “The Drowning Woman,” I had not heard of this author or any of her books. I requested the book because it sounded good and I love the cover. Now, reading reviews, for this novel, and her other novels, I see she is a popular author, and her books are well liked. Great! Mostly…

First, the storyline is tried and true. Nothing that hasn’t been done before. We have two Protagonists each from very different lives and circumstances, who meet, or more appropriately who are thrown together due to unsettling circumstances and form a friendship.

We have Lee, who is homeless and trying to make the best of a lousy situation. I will say the author does a very good job of bringing the reader into her homeless orbit. And we have Hazel, who is wealthy (of course), a socialite, and abused by her husband. After circumstances bring them together, Hazel asks Lee to help her disappear to escape her cruel and controlling husband. Shocking!

The story is told from two POV’s, those being Lee and Hazel. The story started out strong. The author is really good at creating horrible and unlikeable characters. This story is full of them. It was compelling, until it wasn’t…

Like other readers’ I am all for twists and turns to keep me guessing, on the edge of my seat, and gasping. However, with this story I felt like I was on a Bullet train riding down Lombard street with no seatbelt. By the time the train ride was over I was nauseated and totally drained.

Sometimes too many twists backfire. As a result, it’s hard to keep up with who, is manipulating whom, or the solidness of the story is lost.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an eSRC, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Having loved Robyn Harding’s previous work, I was very excited to read this thriller and was not disappointed! There is an ominous feel of a cat and mouse game between the two main characters, until things come to a hear. A great read!

The Drowning Woman, Robyn Harding
Robyn Harding is my favorite author. It doesn't matter what she writes, I will always read it. I will always LOVE it!
The very first chapter of this book had me gasping out loud (and several more times throughout the book)!!!
Lee is down on her luck. She's lost her business, her family, her friends, her home. She's on the run, with only her car to live in and a shady waitressing job in a sketchy part of town outside of Seattle. One night when she's sleeping in her car, she rescues a woman from drowning. She should be looked at as a hero, right? Or so any normal person would think. She rescues Hazel, who Lee quickly learns didnt want her own life to be saved from her abusive husband. The two women become friends, but are they really? There are so many twists and turns throughout the book. It had me guessing and on the edge of my seat right up until the very end. I trusted no one, but at the same time had empathy for all of the characters...well maybe not Benjamin!
A must read!!! I'm sorry you have to wait until June 23rd to read this one!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Robyn Harding is back!!!!!! Harding has not had a new release since Aug 2021 and trust me, The Drowning Woman was worth the wait! Lee, a down on her luck woman who lost everything when her restaurant failed during the pandemic, is really struggling - sleeping in her car. When Lee parks near the beach, the last thing she expects is to rescue a drowning woman from the ocean. What happens next takes both Lee and Hazel, the woman she rescued, on a whirlwind neither of them could have expected.

I read this entire book cover to cover in one single day - could not put it down and was so eager to see what was going to happen next! No one does it like Harding! This is a must read when it releases in June 2023!

Thank you to Grand Central for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

The Drowning Woman is told from two points of view: Lee, a homeless woman working at a diner, and Hazel, an abused, wealthy socialite living in a mansion by the ocean. Their paths cross when Lee saves Hazel from taking her own life by drowning in the sea.
Hazel soon confides in Lee that she is in an abusive relationship with her powerful, criminal defense attorney husband. The two become friendly and Hazel asks Lee to help her disappear and start a new life. Lee agrees because she needs the money.
I thought the story started off very strong and was intriguing from the get-go. There are so many twists and turns, though, that it is at times hard to keep straight. Manipulation and betrayal are key components to the story, but readers don't know who is manipulating whom.
Solid and compelling, but too many twists.