When I go to start a book by Robyn Harding, I know that I need to clear out a good chunk of my schedule, because once I start, I won’t want to stop. THE DROWNING WOMAN was no different, and I’m always in awe of Harding’s ability to weave these twisty little tales for us. I’ve loved all of her books since picking up THE PARTY (way back when I started my little Bookstagram account), and I try to not go into each book with such high expectations, but it’s so hard!

In this new tale, we meet Lee and Hazel. Two very different women whose lives become intertwined after a chance encounter. Lee is now homeless after fleeing from her troubles – she is living in her car and had parked for the night in a park near the beach. When she wakes up she hears a woman yelling from the water and she jumps in to save her. Hazel is the wife of an incredibly powerful and wealthy criminal defense lawyer. They have a unique arrangement within their marriage that has created a miserable existence for Hazel and she wants out. Lee and Hazel have agreed to help each other start new lives for themselves and escape whatever they’re running from, but of course, things end up a little more complicated than we would have originally believed.

Review of The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding

Wow. I’ve put off writing this review because I love this book so much. It’s hard to find the words. I have never been let down by a Robyn Harding book but this one is my favorite with the arrangement being a close second. This book had it all. I never saw a lot of the twists coming. I absolutely loved the two main female characters . They were a great example of strong women. I could barely put this down to do my daily activities. I gasped, teared up and cheered all during this book. It’s definitely a bona fide thriller, but it has a lot more to offer than just chills and thrills. Definitely do yourself a favor and get it today. It’s already out.

Synopsis:

Lee Gulliver never thought she’d find herself living on the streets—no one ever does—but when her restaurant fails, and she falls deeper into debt, she leaves her old life behind with nothing but her clothes and her Toyota Corolla. In Seattle, she parks in a secluded spot by the beach to lay low and plan her next move—until early one morning, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the ocean. Lee hauls the woman back to the surface, but instead of appreciation, she is met with fury. The drowning woman, Hazel, tells her that she wanted to die, that she’s trapped in a toxic, abusive marriage, that she’s a prisoner in her own home. Lee has thwarted her one chance to escape her life.

Out of options, Hazel retreats to her gilded cage, and Lee thinks she’s seen the last of her, until her unexpected return the next morning. Bonded by disparate but difficult circumstances, the women soon strike up a close and unlikely friendship. And then one day, Hazel makes a shocking request: she wants Lee to help her disappear. It’ll be easy, Hazel assures her, but Lee soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and that Hazel may not be the friend Lee thought she was.

If you haven't read The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding what are you waiting for? This book is one of the best. I love this Author and all her books. The Drowning Woman is about Lee and Hazel two women who meet and become friends in dire circumstances. I use the word friends very loosely. There are so many twists and turns I couldn't put it down. Thrilling. All the Stars!

This tale of toxic friendship and total surprises is a thrill a minute which is what you come to expect from this author.

I loved this book! It kept me on the edge of my seat and had just enough twists and turns to make this a page turner. Highly recommend!

Oh my goodness! This has got to be THE summer thriller of the year. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book, but it was completely unputdownable. Two women from totally different backgrounds come together, in a story filled with secrets and surprises everywhere you turn. I just loved it and can’t wait to discuss it with someone! I’ll definitely be reading more of this author.

This book was phenomenal! It kept me intrigued throughout. I had been on a thriller hiatus because nothing was really sticking out but this renewed me.

Such a breathless page-turner! This book kept me guessing to the very last page. The ending was very satisfying. Taut writing and unpredictable story. Will read more by Robyn Harding!

A page-turner for sure. I enjoyed the pacing and character development and the dynamic between Lee and Hazel.

4-4.5 stars

I’m going to keep this review short and sweet because I don’t want to give away any spoilers. All you really need to know is that nothing is what it seems. The two women in this story (Lee and Hazel) are bonded by desperation and a need to survive, but the betrayal and lies surrounding them become so overwhelming. The twists throughout this story are so well crafted and shocking that you won’t be able to put this book down. If you love thrillers, you’ll love The Drowning Woman!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy of this book to review.*

Pub: June 13, 2023

Thank you @hbgcanada @grandcentralpub for the gifted copy of this book 🩵

Happy humid heatwave Wednesday 🥵

After reading a string of fantastic debuts, I've had the pleasure of reading several books by authors I’ve loved way before I knew about bookstagram.

I've been a big fan of Robyn Harding since her first novel, Her Pretty Face. If you haven't read it yet, you're in for a treat.

What constantly draws me to Robyn's books are her female characters. They are strong and interesting whether they are "good" or "bad." These distinctions are often hazy, in the best way possible, and The Drowning Woman is no exception. Lee and Hazel are good, bad and everything in between; but more importantly they are irresistibly readable.

The plot is tightly woven and the multiple POVs make it impossible to put the book down. Is Lee's POV the truth? Hazel's? Neither? I need to know!!

The twists are smart and there is one (no spoilers here) that made me smile with glee - it was just THAT GOOD.

The fact that I got to read it sitting by the ocean in the North Shore, Vancouver and then chat about it with @danythebookworm_ and @tinamayreads was just the icing on top of the cake.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘼 "𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙡, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥" 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩—𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜.

I read 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 last year and I had such a blast reading that book, therefore, I was so excited to pick this book up.

I did a combo of the ebook and audio, and I loved both methods. I think the narrators were extremely engaging and brought the story to life.

I was immediately intrigued by this story and the characters. I didn’t know who to trust, but I was definitely entertained. Lee and Hazel had such a complex relationship, there were times when it felt genuine and other times it felt fake.

We get dual POVs from Lee and Hazel. Both women are completely different when it comes to their lifestyles, but a scenario brings both women together.

The plot was so engaging. There were some twists I didn’t see coming, and at times I was yelling at these characters - but oh man, I had such a blast listening to these narrators.

Fast-paced, this story had my full attention the whole time. There was a moment in the middle of the book I didn’t care for, but I had such a fun time reading about the choices these women made… and the impact they left on one another.

I also loved the way the book ended, it felt so perfect

This is one of the most captivating thrillers I’ve read in a while. The tension was extremely high and unputdownable. There are twists and turns - and so much suspense! This was a terrific and enjoyable read. I would highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the review eARC and Novel Suspects for the complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

It really takes a lot for me to be captured by a thriller, especially one that isn’t a “specialty” one of sorts (if that even makes sense). This book had me on the edge of my seat and honestly a little stressed out through the entire thing. I had suspicisions on what was going to happen, but I truly couldn’t have guessed any of it.

The dual perspective narrators really made a difference for me with this one, with the back and forth between the two in the same time period, just from different perspectives. None of the characters were overly likeable, trustworthy or reliable, but boy did that ever work in this book! This thriller was a refreshing breath of air after so many medicore ones. If you’re looking for something to blow your mind, this is it!

Absolutely loved this book!! The twists and turns did stop coming and I did not picture the ending at all.

I couldn’t put this one down!

Lee and Hazel are two very desperate women in impossible circumstances. They forge an unlikely friendship to help each other move forward into a better future. But is either really who they claimed to be? And can they really trust each other?

This one really was impossible to put down, but I didn’t love some of the twists or the ultimate resolution. Still, it was a really fun ride!

Robyn Harding has done it again.
The Drowning Woman is an amazing thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next twist and turn!
#bestthriller2023

I really appreciated the twists in this book, which kept me guessing and led to a satisfying ending. Experiencing houselessness was an important element in the story and I felt that Robyn Harding did well illustrating the daily frustrations and degrading actions one must deal with to survive.

So freaking good! Harding is a favorite author and she brings another masterpiece with The Drowning Woman.
Twisty, edge of your seat thriller with a wealthy woman and a homeless woman mixed into an intoxicating story.
I loved it!

I looooved this book! Robyn Harding does it again. This was a riveting thriller about two different women who end up connected by circumstance and forge a kinship. It was very readable, addictive, and full of twists!

The Drowning Woman is Robyn Harding's latest suspense novel, and I've been reading her books for a few years. Each one improves, and the plot of this current one is fantastic. A homeless woman saves a stranger at the local beach, and their lives are forever changed. Harding does an excellent job of drawing readers' attention to the situation of the woman who lost everything in the pandemic and only wanted someone to give her a fresh start. And she finally understands. However, as soon as the first section of the book concludes, readers realize they have missed out on a lot. I've read a lot of books and frequently figure out what's actually going on behind the scenes.