A top psychological thriller by Megan Abbott. This is sure to be enjoyed by those who like a good story with twists and turns. Jacy and Jed take a trip to visit Jed’s father, in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan. Jacy hasn’t spent a lot of time with her father-in-law and is overwhelmed with the kindness that Doctor Ash (Jed’s father) shows her. Assisting with the household duties, is Mrs. Brandt, and she is not kind to Jacy. The household appears old fashioned as Doctor Ash rules the house and everything that goes on inside. While initially, Jacy feels as if he is caring, charismatic, kind, and concerned for her pregnancy, the attention and concern becomes hauntingly claustrophobic. Jacy is cut off from the outside world as she has difficulty establishing telephone contact with the outside world. Other strange events begin to occur, and Jed is even acting different now that he is in his family home. When Jacy’s pregnancy takes a bad turn, she is overridden by Jed and Doctor Ash when she tries to leave for home. Mrs. Brandt is unfriendly to Jacy and Jacy doesn’t know where to turn. Overall, I enjoyed this story, but it was a little slow to start up. I didn’t guess the surprise ending and thoroughly enjoyed the presented twists. I would have liked more character development of Mrs. Brandt and also a follow up chapter would have tied it up. I did enjoy this psychological thriller and will read more by this author. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great fast-paced thriller. Jacy and her new husband go to visit his dad. After arriving Jacy has a health scare and soon feels like she is constantly being watched.
This was a great quick read and I highly recommend it. I was sucked into the story from start to finish and the ending was great. Thank you to NerGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

If I’m being honest, I did not enjoy this book at all. I had to force myself to keep reading it. The writing style was not it for me. It felt like just endless confusion, random thoughts, and nonsense. The entire thing was not explained very well and very rushed, especially the ending. I appreciate the effort but it’s just not there in my opinion.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Category: Mystery Thriller

Overall: Psychological, eerie, slow-burn

Pros: This thriller portrays a claustrophobic, eerie atmosphere during a couple’s visit to an isolated family cottage in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The slow-burn of dread builds throughout the story very well and the unsettling, creepy vibe was reminiscent of the movie “Get Out”. The story explores some of the most pressing feminist issues in our society including bodily autonomy, reproduction and patriarchal power through an ominous, terrifying lens. I liked that the underlying issues were addressed without the outright use of these buzzwords. Megan Abbott’s use of the pregnant protagonist to represent such vulnerability really emphasized these points. The tragic story and dysfunctional family were compelling and well-executed. Overall, the book was riveting and I finished it in one sitting.

Cons: The plot was a little too slow to develop for my liking. While the creepy, eerie vibe was intentionally used, it made my skin crawl at times and I was frustrated with the actions of the main character. It felt like those moments in scary movies when you know something bad is about to happen but the ignorant female walks into the creepy house anyway and you just want to yell “turn around and run!!”.

I didn't vibe with the writing style of this novel, I haven't read from Megan Abbott before to know if her other book is like this or not. To give you an idea of what you'll be in for, the word "something" is used 177 times and seems like the only placeholder that the author knows how to use and that they meant to go back in and put some different words in later. It's very stream of consciousness which I don't like in my narratives. Pretty much the only thing that saved this book for me was that it is set in Michigan, and as a Michigander I believe more books need to be set in Michigan and include Blue Moon and/or Superman ice-cream.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Abbott's latest brings the reader to the Upper Peninsula where a pregnant woman and her new husband stay with his father. She feels trapped, out of control, and uncomfortable. Much of the book is given over to her growing sense of creepinesses and the weird environment she finds herself in. Nevertheless, this novel (which perhaps should be only a novella) is not quite in the same universe as Abbott’s other work.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons & Netgalley for allowing me to read this book

Megan Abbott is a beautiful writer. Her descriptive metaphors are lyrical and anything but commonplace. She is also a fabulous storyteller that keeps the momentum growing throughout the novel. As a reader, I had so many different feels while reading -- frustrated, angry, disgusted, and alarmed. This was a fantastic read. My only critique is that I wanted more from the ending.

This was a nice slow burn book for me, definitely a good rainy weekend book. The plot and characters held my attention the whole book. Can’t wait to read more from this author

Jacy and Jed are travelling to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to spend a week with Jed's father, Dr. Ash, in his remote summer-home-turned-year-round-residence. Newly pregnant and madly in love with her husband, Jacy is eager to spend some time with her father-in-law, who she's only met once before. And at first, he's charming and kind (although his home's caretaker, the strange Mrs. Brandt, is less so) -- but then Jacy has a health scare. And suddenly, Jed and Dr. Ash become increasingly overprotective and controlling, all in the name "what's best for her" and her unborn child.

When you pick up a Megan Abbott book, you're not just going to read it; you're going to experience it. Beware the Woman is no exception. Abbott drops you into the middle of a situation that on the surface seems completely fine and normal, but there's something indefinably off about it that leaves you feeling unsettled and tense. And then, in her slow-burning, hypnotic, claustrophobic prose, she ratchets up the tension by steady degrees until it's almost unbearable. This book will leave you feeling, like Jacy, trapped in a spiral of anxiety and paranoia. It's uncomfortable and riveting and unnerving and utterly impossible to look away.

In Beware the Woman, Abbott delves into themes like chauvinism and "old school" masculinity, female autonomy, gaslighting, family relationships, and destructive secrets in a deeply psychological, intimate narrative that's laced with foreboding. The characters are alternately fascinating and infuriating and feel like characters only Abbott could craft, in a story only she could tell. I couldn't look away from this one from beginning to end, even though I was worried where we were headed the entire time. And the twist was a jaw-dropper; it didn't feel necessary, but was a perfectly-executed added bonus.

I will add a content warning here for pregnancy-related topics like abortion, pregnancy complications, and graphic childbirth. Reading this was anxiety-inducing for me, and I think it would be even more so for readers sensitive to these topics.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the advance reading opportunity.

This book was a bit too much of a slow burn for my tastes. The themes of feminism being pitted against traditionalism were also a bit heavy-handed for me as well. The suspense and dread were built up, but the pacing was too weird - things dragged then action happened in bursts....especially the end. Still a decent read, but the pacing threw everything off for me.

This wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. Megan Abbot is a good storyteller. Her writing brought the characters to life. The ending was so unexpected!

I’m sorry but I really did not like this book. The writing style was disjointed and not well written. I also thought this was too slow and boring. And I hated how much it played into the men controlling women trope. I don’t think it did a good job of rebutting that trope as it intended. The main character was too dumb and naive, I wanted to scream at her.

Jed and Jacy, a recently married couple expecting their first child, travel to the middle of nowhere to visit Jed's father. At first, Jacy is thrilled to learn more about her husband and his late mother. Her father-in-law likes her immediately, and the fact that he was a doctor gives her a sense of calm since she's pregnant. However, as more and more unwanted attention is given to Jacy and her unborn child, she begins to question her own thoughts and concerns.

As usual, Megan Abbott delivers impressive suspense that builds slowly with every page. I like the facet of the book a lot, and I also appreciate her commentary on motherhood and bodily autonomy. While this novel's ending felt rushed and clumsy, Abbott fans will still find a lot to enjoy here.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

Beware the Woman blew me away. Oh, the writing is so beautiful. It captured the loneiness of pregnancy and your strange relationship with your body. The setting and characters are so creepy, not like a horror movie but the feeling of suspense is heavy with this book. This is one of my favorite books of 2023 so far. Thanks for the advance review copy.

"Honey, I just want you to have everything you ever wanted. That’s what Jacy’s mom always told her.".... Jacy did have everything she wanted a wonderful husband and a baby on the way. This turns eerie quickly. The situation changes when Jed and Jacy take a fun vacation to stay with Jed's dad Dr Ash in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in a cozy isolated cabin in the woods. Usually a red herring is in flight when the setting is a cozy, isolated cabin in the woods!!!!!

Jacy has some complications during their trip which isolated her inside the cabin. She doesn't know if it is cabin fever or she is under a weird surveillance. Dread sets into her with no phone service and she is suspicious of the housemaid Mrs. Brandt. If you have watched Rosemary's Baby then you know how deceit and people are not exactly as they seem. I was creeped out by the story line, but it makes a quick read entertaining and keeps you guessing until the end that there is so much more to the vacation than planned. Megan Abbott always sets the stage for the characters to feel intact with real people and situations sometimes making you cringe and think about if you were in the outcome. The twist at the end is just enough!
Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A worried husband, a controlling father, and a mysterious housekeeper… Pregnant Jacy travels with her husband Jed to her father in law’s house in rural northern Michigan. What starts out as a relaxing summer getaway quickly turns into a nightmare… This book was an interesting, emotionally gripping story and certainly a page turner. While slow to start, not really picking up until about 50% of the way through, the twist at the end was well worth the wait. Three stars for compelling and entertaining yet ultimately not memorable novel. Would pick up another of Abbott’s books in the future.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 stars

BEWARE THE WOMAN tells the story of newlyweds Jacy & Jed, expecting their first child and overwhelmed with love for each other and the little one on the way. Jacy cannot believe her life -- the love she feels, the joy in her heart. The two are on their way to visit Jed's father, Doctor Ash, at his home tucked away in the woods in Michigan. The trip starts wonderfully, but that feeling doesn't last. With some pregnancy concerns arising, Jacy begins to feel trapped -- or is that just paranoia talking?


Okay. This book was super weird. It was just super, super bizarre. I wanted to DNF multiple times but I always commit to reading ARCs, which is the only reason I stuck it out. This book, to me, was definitely shining a light on women and how they are viewed as merely bearers of children and nothing else. It was an ode to women's reproductive rights and bodily autonomy - which is incredible! But the story itself and writing style just had me so lost. I know it's a book of fiction, but the characters just didn't even seem real. Just so far-fetched and I felt zero connection to any of them. The format of the writing lost me a bit as there were constant page breaks and repetition of earlier dialogue, or just very abrupt dialogue and then moving on to another scene.

It took until around 70% for the story to start picking up, but even then, there wasn't true action until 90%.

This is the first work I've read by this author but I'm willing to give her work another shot because I can certainly appreciate the passion behind the topics she's writing. However, this book was a miss for me.

#netgalleyarc This author never disappoints. This was suspenseful, well written and kept me hooked right until the end.

I really wanted to put this one down, but I finished it just to know the ending. Overall, I didn't care about the characters and thought the plot was a bit ridiculous.

Beware The Woman follows Jacy, a woman who has just gotten married to a man named Jed and now has a baby on the way. Jacy and Jed take a trip to visit Jed’s father, “Doctor Ash,” before the birth of the baby. At first she feels right at home in Doctor Ash’s beautiful house in the woods. She loves feeling welcomed into Jed’s family. But after a while she starts to feel… trapped. She feels like Jed and Doctor Ash won’t let her do anything for herself. Doctor Ash seems weirdly involved in her healthcare. Everything just seems a little off. Jacy has to figure out if she’s being paranoid or Jed and Doctor Ash really are being too controlling (and I’m sure you’ve already guessed which it is lol).

Like I’ve already said, I really enjoyed this book. I love stories that feel like the main character is trapped in a house with people who may or may not be out to get them. This book in particular reminded me of Mexican Gothic because of how much misogyny and the desire to control women’s bodies played a role in the reason the character was being held in the house.

Even knowing the summary of the book in advance I still felt like Doctor Ash was a peaceful, charming character at first just like Jacy did. The author did a wonderful job at setting up a creepy environment for the story to take place in. I also felt more and more frustrated by the increasing control Jed and Doctor Ash took over Jacy’s life. Basically this book made me skin crawl and frustrated me so much that I wanted to punch something. It’s so impressive to me that Megan Abbott was able to draw such intense negative reactions out of me.

My main complaint is that the ending wasn’t satisfying. At all. Most of Beware the Woman is a very slow build up, but the ending felt rushed. If the author had taken maybe 25 or so pages more to wrap everything up I definitely would’ve given this book 5 stars. I also think the writing style of this book might not be for everyone. If you do choose to read it because of this review I suggest checking out a sample first (if you can). I love the writing style, but I know a lot of people won’t.

I recommend reading Beware the Woman! I’m sure you’ve already guessed that.