A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and Bookouture. The opinions are my own and freely given.


Cast of Characters:

Abigail - fiancée of Pete
Pete - fiancé of Abigail
Kristen - Abigail's mother
John - Abigail's father
Darla - Pete's mother
Kenny - Pete's father
Liam wilderness tour guide

Told mainly from Abigail's POV with a couple of chapters from Darla and Liam's POV.

This is the story of a camping trip gone wrong, on so many levels. With Abigail and Pete's impending nuptials, Abigail wants to get both sets of parents to like each other, so she plans this trip for a "bonding" experience. Kristen is a physiatrist and believes in science, where Darla believes in mystic powers and reads Palms, Tarot cards and healing crystals. The moms don't get off on the right foot. And with 7 people on this trip, one ends up broken at the bottom of a gulch. Fingers are pointed, tensions are high. Was it foul play or just an accident?

I didn't see the outcome and I was surprised. I love books where groups of people are stranded in dangerous situations, so this was right up my alley. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture.

wow. What a thriller!! This book had suspense, family drama and multiple twists. It was so unpredictable and grabbed the reader from the start! Recommend this read !
Thank you Netgalley and the author for the arc of this book!

Wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, however it certainly wasn’t the amount of twists and turns I actually got! Really good read, absolutely binged it!

Started off strong, then fell short for me. This one wasn’t very thrilling, but it was entertaining enough. The first twist was enjoyable, but the rest were a little lackluster in my opinion. I would read more from this author though.

Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture and the author Laura for letting me read The In-Laws.

I truly enjoyed it and it was my first book by this author. So many twist and a few I really wasn't prepared for at all. Very intense and that's why it was so easy to read cause I wanted to know what was going to happen.

I had a good feeling that I would like it cause camping trip, secrets, in-laws and a sad thing that happened, I knew it would be a tense read and that's what I like...The author nailed it and it's a book who stick.

First off.. WOW! What did I just read?! This is the first book I’ve read by this author & I am HOOKED!

How much do you know about yourself, your own family & your future in laws? They thought they were going on a weekend hike to bond into one big happy family but turns out no one came to the trip with the same intentions. How many lies can two families try to bring together? Who’s lying & who’s telling the truth… or do they all have something to hid? Seriously, buckle up for this one!

This book will have you with a book hangover. It pulls you in from page one. There are so many twists, flips & turns that I was left speechless or gasping with OMG! Awesome job, Laura! Thanks bookouture & netgalley for letting me have an early read!

The story is set around Abigail's marriage to Pete. Abigail decides it would be a great idea to go away on a camping trip so that the parents can meet and spend some time together getting to know one another before the big day. They have only met previously on one occasion when they had dinner together.

The parents are very different in personality and Abigail is slowly learning more about her in-laws as the time away progresses. There is already tension building between the parents which for us the reader, this is wonderful. Of course from the beginning of the trip nothing goes to plan, items begin missing from people's belongings, a strange person being seen lurking in the shadows and food has been ruined, a commodity they do not have a lot of. Someone will not return from the trip and fingers will be pointed in all directions. Their guide also has some secrets he is hiding that will also determine how the trip plays out.

Overall an enjoyable domestic thriller that passed a few hours for me over the weekend. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest , unbiased review. 3 stars

Wow, what seems like a bit of an awkward camping trip for the in-laws to be to get to know each other better, turns into a total disaster that no one could have predicted, or maybe they could have... A young couple is about to get married, their parents have only met once, and they did not exactly get on well. They go out in the wild with a guide, and the theme is bonding. Only problem is that this is not the actual goal of the trip.

Creepy how you cannot really trust anyone. Everyone plays their own game, and no one seems to be safe. I am not kidding you, get ready for punches from the left and the right. It was impossible to put the book down due to me wanting to know the truth and motivation behind the people in this book. I can honestly say that I am extremely happy to not be part of this, probably the most dysfunctional family ever. Great read, and one of the twistiest books I have read in a long time!

The In-Laws by Laura Wolfe is a psych thriller that feels like two stories mashed into one at times.

I think part of the reason for that is the title. There are also some plot points that feel inconsistent. But more on those later.

The initial premise is good. Two people getting married, their parents didn’t get along at an initial meeting, so they’re trying a team-building trip to break the ice.

Camping would not be my first choice for this, but it turns out that Abigail has reasons for pushing the method.

I liked most of the camping/wilderness survival plot points in the book. I thought the author did a good job with them and created enough distrust among the characters that the reader felt naturally suspicious as well.

Some of the interactions, however, did not seem realistic. It was like the author was trying too hard to make a character unlikeable. At one point, I even thought, “Really? Who actually talks that way?”

I suppose it was a way to build the “psych” part of the psych thriller (like, could someone really be that awful?), and I suppose in the bigger picture, it serves as background for later events.

Because it turns out that everyone on this trip has secrets. Some are worse than others, but nobody is unscathed. And the way that the secrets are revealed mostly works. I definitely did not guess all of the twists and secrets that were hidden throughout, so kudos on that.

However, there are also points that felt less like red herrings and more like forgotten moments. For example, the author has Darla and Kenny exchanging looks quite often. Unless I missed it entirely, it was never clear what those glances meant. I mean, there were hints, and I think I figured it out, but it wasn’t as clear as it could have been.

The pacing was also a bit lopsided. Nearly three-quarters of the book led up to a certain event, and then the last 25% was reveal after reveal – some of which had been hinted at and some of which felt very sped up. Kind of like it was on fast-forward.

Also: the title. That first 75% allows for the title to make sense. But that last quarter pretty much has nothing to do with the title. They are still characters, but not the focus that the title would suggest.

At any rate, Laura Wolfe has definitely written a page-turning psych thriller in The In-Laws. I’ll certainly be looking for her next one. This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Bookouture.
**For more reviews like this, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews**

What do you do when you want your parents and your future in-laws to get along and be close? You all go on a hiking/camping trip to build bonds and get to know each other better. Nothing could go wrong, right?

There was a lot going on in this thriller! There were so many twists, some seemed obvious while others took me by surprise. At times it was unrealistic. But it kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't put it down!

Thank you for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Abigail and Pete are getting married. Sadly the parents don't get on and Abigail really wanted a big happy family.

Abigail arranged a big bonding trip- a camping trip where they can get to know one another and hopefully form a bond. But is everything as it seems?

This book was slow to start with but once I got to the centre the twists and turns kept coming. A great read.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Laura Wolfe
What a way of bonding with family prior to your wedding so the families can get to know each other.
It worked with these different characters from different backgrounds.
I did not realize who the killer was until the very end.
Full of twists and turns, gripping.
Highly recommend
5 stars

Wow what a brilliant psychological thriller. Truly gripping though-out, I could not put it down. My first read by this author and it will not be my last!

The TWISTS, yes you got that right multiple. I was so shocked and was not expecting any of them. However, I feel like maybe I should off.

Darla was supper weird but kinda loved her. She has got to be my favourite character.

Loved the multiple POVs really added depth to the story. I mean the Epilogue, Jesus!! I wholeheartedly recommend you pre-order this book!

Abigail and Pete are engaged. They met through her father. They both work together and Abigail’s Dad loves Pete. But the couple comes from different backgrounds. Pete does not like to talk about his parents and his creepy brother while Abigail comes from a well-educated and financial secured big happy family. She wants so much that both parents got along well like her grandparents. But after an awkward dinner it seems that this is unlikely to happen. So Abigail books a hiking trip for all of them that they can work on their team building and relationships. But the trip is doomed from the beginning. When meds get lost and their foot gets ruined the tensions grow even bigger. Then one of them turns up dead and it seems that it may not happened by accident.

This entertaining thriller keeps you guessing what’s going on. At first we met all the characters and see how they rub each other the wrong way. Halfway through there is a twist and the story is turned upside down. It is a fun read with many red herrings and twists and turns and maybe an over the top ending. I guessed who the real villain was quite early on but there were still more surprises waiting for me. If you are looking for an entertaining quick and easy read this is the book for you.

Oh my goodness what a book it just kept me going until I finished it and then I wasn't expecting it. Really loved it so well written and I love the way the author got me to feel emotions and then go wow how has she done that. (I want to say more but spoilers will ensure).

It was a very entertaining book and it is a great way of spending an afternoon.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

Good plot, and different scenes kept you wondering what was really going on. Also when you thought you knew what was happened you really didn’t. Twists until the end!

A weekend away on a daring hike in the remote wilderness of a National Park with a guide....What could go wrong? The reveal in the description lets you know someone is not going to make it out!
The engaged couple Abigail and Pete have decided to take their parents for a camping trip and hike so they can "get to know each other". Abigail's parents have high standards and live a luxurious life and Pete even works with Abigail's father, so they adore him!! Pete's family is your average income family with peculiarities and a reveal that leaves the rest of the group unsure of this trip.

The first hint to leave this camping idea was a distraught couple at the Visitor's station fighting and not able to get into their vehicle quick enough. The Second hint is a creepy, shadow lurking man... begging for food.
Not a good idea with the in-laws, but it gets worse when their food & medicine disappears and odd messages are left throughout the trail... Not to mention the secrets exposed....You will not believe what all happens! It keeps you guessing throughout with several twists to keep you guessing!!
I enjoyed this edgy thriller with a disturbing level of distrust, but this took hiking with family to a whole new level.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for the ARC!!

OMG! THIS BOOK! The first half of the book has each chapter titled "Abigail", so you know it's her perspective and we're just waiting for a different person while the story keeps building. I was getting more on edge as I read further into the book. I had to know who was doing the creepy messages and who was stealing stuff. And omg these in parents! (So glad I like my inlaws).

About half way comes the first big twist. Then it's a roller-coaster of new twists and guessing game at what is going to happen in the end. Who killed who.

Did NOT see that ending come and very thrilled for that.

Very slow start as the in-laws are very different from the main character Abigail’s parents. Different socioeconomic levels and yet the fiancé is supposed to be this go getting responsible individual, so different from the family he was raised in. Abigail plans a camping trip to allow both parents to bond and get to know each other before the wedding day.

The first twist came as a shock. I didn’t see it coming and made the storyline much more interesting. Each person was so different leading the reader to guess.

There is a six month jump in story which felt abrupt.
The story does leave clues leading you to think one way only to realize another way.

I did enjoy reading it trying to guess what is going on.

Abigail and Pete are getting married! The only blemish on their unbridled happiness is their very different families. Abigail decides she just needs to get them to know each other, work together and soon they will be one big happy family. So, naturally, she plans a wilderness camping trip for their group! Surely, cut off from civilization (and any chance of escape 🙊) these people will come to love and appreciate one another!

This book was so deliciously twisty and I loved every moment of it! Don’t crack this one open until you have time to finish because you’ll want to be there for the duration.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my complimentary copy!