This book is a lot of family drama mixed with a murder mystery. I loved the writing style and I devoured this one literally in one sitting. I thought the characters were well developed (even if I didn’t really like any of them). I appreciated that this book was more about family and their dynamics than it was about the murder and the book had the characters really growing. That being said the mystery was good even if it wasn’t as twisty as I might have like. Julia and Sienna may be sisters in law but they are closer than if they’d been sisters. One night they get a call that Jason (Julia’s husband/Sienna’s brother) has been in a car accident and is currently in a coma. While they are at the hospital trying to figure out if he will live the police come and they learn that investigating the accident gave them evidence that Jason murdered his boss the week prior. Sienna and Julia are determined to figure out what really happened before Jason wakes up.

I really wanted to love this, as the premise was very interesting, and I’d enjoyed this author in the past. Unfortunately, most of this book was very slow and repetitive. Sienna really aggravated me as a character blinded by her love of her brother and unwilling to be realistic and remotely rational. Overall, 3/5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review. This published July 11, 2023.

I loved the way this book portrayed a woman truly unsure of who she can trust after the two most trusted people in her life, her best friend & sister-in-law, and her husband turn out to be keeping things from her. When her husband is in a horrible accident, Julia has her sister-in-law and best friend, Sienna, for support. But soon she realizes that Sienna is not being truthful. As Jason is in a coma and subsequently a suspect in the murder of his own boss, Julie begins to do a bit of sleuthing on her own to see if she can prove his innocence before its too late.

2.5/5

I was bored.
It seemed to have the same conversation with Julia and Sienna over and over the whole story. Nothing happened after the first couple chapters until the end of the book.
All of the characters were selfish and didn't earn any sympathy.

Jason is the prime suspect of the murder of his boss. A couple of days after the murder occurred, Jason was in a car accident and is now in a coma. Unable to give his side of the story it is up to his wife and sister to find the truth.
Sienna, his sister, is totally on bored with proving he is innocent, no matter the evidence piling up against him. Julia, his wife, is doubting his innocence but doesn't want to push against Sienna.

Thicker Than Water is a dual POV thriller at it’s finest. Jason, suspected of murder, has been in an accident and is in a medically induced coma. Through the viewpoints of Sienna, Jason’s sister, and Julia, Jason’s wife, you go through conflicting emotions regarding Jason’s innocence. Sienna believes that her brother can do no wrong and Julia has her doubts about her husband. Add in some twists and turns and you will not know what to think. I did figure out the end twist ahead of time but I still really enjoyed this story.
It is a tale of revenge and flawed humans. It portrays the stress and struggles that secrets can cause between families (and friends). And ultimately it’s about personal growth in the aftermath.

I have posted this review on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvP-Pe1rTbt/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5350859659

And Amazon

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the premise of this story! It’s about two best friends that are also sister-in-laws since one of the girls is married to the others brother. When a car accident and coma puts their husband/brother in critical condition and suspected of murdering his boss, the women team up to try to find answers while they still can. The story was well written with the characters having complex backstories which I always appreciate. There were no really big twist moments that caught me off guard but some people may be shocked. If you’re into domestic thrillers, give this one a try!

Dysfunctional is the name of the story here. Everybody lies to their loved ones, not even trusting their own private thoughts.
Jason is Superman (he thinks)
Julia, his wife has no voice
Sienna, can’t accept that others could be right (Jason’ sister/Julia’ sister in love/best friend)
Aidan, seems to be lost in the mix (son of Jason/Julia)
Jason is accused of murdering his despicable boss Gavin, has a car wreck and ends up in a coma
And so the story begins… it took me a spell to really dig in, but once the family relationships began to crack, the question becomes will this family survive?
My 3.5 rating is because I couldn’t find a character I could connect with or even like, however I found this to be more than a worthwhile read.
***A SPECIAL THANKS TO NET GALLEY FOR PROVIDING THIS DIGITAL COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW***

Absolutely devoured this novel!! The author’s writing style was captivating and I couldn’t put it down. If you like complex mysteries this is for you! This reminded me of a Gilly MacMillian novel, which is huge praise! 10/10. 5 stars. Definitely an author to watch!

Thicker Than Water by Megan Collins
Publisher Aria Books
Release Date July 11, 2023


Characters: 2/5
Plot: 4/5
Pace: 3/5
Suspense: 3/5
Overall Enjoyment: 3/5

I would say I am a very lenient reviewer and that is certainly the case here. Unfortunately, this book fell short on many things. The only reason I gave it 3 stars was because of the plot. It certainly has the ability to be a 5 star book but for me there are just too many areas that missed the mark…

Two women are brought together by one man Julia and Jason got married years ago when she became pregnant. Jason’ sister Sienna and Julia became the best of friends. So much so that they went into business together. It seems everything is going great. UNTIL,….Jason’s boss, Gavin is murdered. When Julia was little, the one thing her mother instilled in her was “Never trust a man”. Jason and Sienna parents were killed in an automobile accident and Jason has since been the one that Sienna runs to when there are life issues such as when her ex Wyatt cheated on her. She was devastated and turned to her brother for support. So when Jason is the prime suspect, neither women believe he could be capable of such a heinous crime. Julia’s thoughts reverted back and her thoughts were to never trust a man and Sienna’s was that Jason hung the moon and was a hero to her. Then Jason is seriously injured in a car wreck himself and cannot fight the battle alone. The two women set out to clear his name but in the process find out more than they bargained for. This new information puts the two women at odds with each other.

Can they work through their issues long enough to try to prove Jason’s innocence? OR is Jason guilty of the crime of murder?

The main reason that I am giving a 3 star review is because of the lengthy historic details about Julia and Siennas relationship. I understand where the author was trying to show the family drama side for the build up but it honestly went too far and dragged the story down with it. The writing seemed somewhat juvenile in places. Gavin’s character never really was detailed enough. It was mentioned that there were some shady dealings but not much more. There was too much emphasis placed on Julia and Siennas characters that, as I stated earlier, it took away from the story itself. The author does a great job though telling a story and building the suspense. I would not fall this a psychological thriller at all. It is more of a family drama. The ending was not what I thought it was going to be and I was let down by it. You may find that you really enjoy this book but I found it to be MEH!



3 stars

ThNk you to NetGalley as well as Aria Books and Megan Collins for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

The plot and the characters failed to engage me. I don't mind dysfunctional characters but this ended up in the icky dysfunctional character category, not the fun or amusing or relatable ones I enjoy.

This wasn't;t for me, but I wish the author well in finding her intended audience.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 “𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙮, 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧”, 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨-𝙞𝙣-𝙡𝙖𝙬 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢—𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙪𝙨𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧—𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙗𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚.

I was a huge fan of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 when it was released. I remember really enjoying my time reading that one, therefore, I was so excited to have received an early copy from the publisher. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one as much as the other book.

This definitely was a quick read and had an interesting premise. Julia and Sienna are sisters-in-law, they have a strong relationship with each other. It was interesting seeing them come together to try to clear Jason’s name after he becomes the primary suspect of his boss’s murder.

While the story did take a bit to pick up, I still felt like it was a quick read - at least for me. I already enjoy this author’s writing, I always feel so entertained early on… and it’s so easy to get into.

This wasn’t necessarily a page-turner for me, but I had an enjoyable time reading it. There were a few moments that kept my attention.

I honestly do wish the mystery aspect of the book was much stronger. At times it felt like it was more of a character-driven story with the relationship between the two main characters.

The story also got very repetitive and the ending left me a bit underwhelmed. There was definitely more of a family drama aspect to it.

Overall, this was still an enjoyable read by Megan Collins. I honestly went into it with too high expectations after loving her previous book. While I wouldn’t consider this a thriller, this was fun for what it was - I just wish it would’ve taken a different approach. It’s still worth the read!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Atria Books for the review eARC and physical review copy in exchange for my honest review!

3.5🌟
Family and friendship… can either hold up when the police come calling?

Julia and Jason have been married for years. They rushed into it when Julia became pregnant, eventually settling into a comfortable life.

Sienna is Jason’s sister. She quickly became besties with Julia (seriously this friendship bordered on obsession). Even went into business together, and are always inseparable.

But when Jason’s boss is found murdered he becomes the number one suspect. And Jason isn’t talking, having recently ending up in the ICU following a car accident. This leaves it’s up to Julia and Sienna to clear Jason’s name.

And they may find more than they bargained for. Will their friendship survive?

I think there was a good mystery in there somewhere but it got lost in the friendship between the two women. And honestly, I didn’t care for either character.
As far as the crime? This one didn’t even require me to dust off my detective’s cap. I had it figured out very early on.

This is my third read from this author, all averaging three-stars. Perhaps we just aren’t clicking as well as I’d hoped?💁🏻‍♀️.
But there are numerous positive reviews for this book so I hope it delivers all the stars to you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books

I could not get into this storyline at all. I really disliked the characters and could not finish the book. Love Megan's other books more.

This is an intense drama. It has everything you would want in a good thriller! I didn’t think it was slow paced at all. Twists and turns all throughout. The narration on the audio was done perfectly! 🎧

✨ murder
✨ alibi that doesn’t add up
✨ sister in law besties
✨ MC in a coma (but we need ANSWERS from him!)
✨ secrets
✨ lies
✨ shocking twists
✨ the SUSPENSE

This was tense! Sisters-in-law, best friends, business partners....and the man between them accused of murder?! Super juicy idea and it was well executed.

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Give me alllllll the dual POVs!!! This book was such an easy, fun read. I really enjoyed it and the twists especially at the end. What this one did differently for me was the relationships between characters, they were so well done. I truly enjoyed it.

This was a really easy read! Secrets, lies and family. I would call this a slow burn domestic mystery rather than a thriller. It’s written in dual POVs between Julia and Sienna and I enjoyed that. Even if I Sienna drove me crazy 😅 I’d recommend this if you like drama and who dunnit mystery.

4.25 stars

Julia's mom has been gone for years, but her mantra of "never trust a man" is one of the only things she left Julia with. Despite this, young, pregnant & early in her relationship with Jason, Julia knows as soon as she meets his sister Sienna that they were meant to be family, and accepts his pregnancy-driven proposal. She was right, & Julia and Sienna have been best friends, sisters-in-law, & business partners for years. Sienna speaks up when Julia's afraid to, while Julia's thoughtfulness helps keep Sienna mindful. Julia tells Sienna everything--except when she's afraid Sienna will take Jason's side.

Sienna is a very all-or-nothing person. Her & Jason's parents were killed by a drunk driver years ago, & Jason's support of her during the aftermath cemented him as her hero. Just like when her loving boyfriend, Wyatt, cheated on her, he was instantly dead to her. Sienna tells Julia everything--except that she's secretly still seeing Wyatt despite her stance on cheating.

A week after his boss was brutally murdered, Jason is in a car accident & put in a medically-induced coma. While processing the accident scene, the police discover evidence linking Jason to the murder. But with him unable to talk, Sienna & Julia are left trying to piece things together. Julia's worry over his guilt & Sienna's certainty of his innocence forces them to examine things about their relationships with him, each other, & themselves.

I didn't see the resolution of the crime/mystery coming, which was fun, but by far the best part of this story were the relationships between the characters. The nuances of the different types of love & how we impart conditions on that love for others & ourselves was really well-done and relatable (not always in a pleasant way). I wanted to shake the characters a few times, but each time was like "Crap, I've done that, haven't I?" I really loved the complex friendship between Sienna & Julia & how all sides of that were shown, good & bad. I'll definitely read this author's other work!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Julia and sienna larkin are sister in law. sienna thinks her brother is perfect. Julia knows this is not true. They get a call that Jason is in the hospital with serious complications, and Jason's boss is dead with his mouth sewed shut.

What happened? What does Jason know? Is he involved? As the story unfolds you'll be surprised by what actually happened and what went down.

To be honest this wasn't my favorite thriller. It was just okay for me and the pacing wasn't quite there. I also found it a little long and drawn out. The ending wasn't great. I just didn't find it plausible and after I read it I thought that I didn't care. An okay read overall but I would like to try one of her other novels.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this novel!

A fast paced thriller with a lot of character development and some real thought provoking questions about relationships . Enjoyable thriller