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

This one didn't live up to my expectations. I've found that Megan's books are hit and miss for me, so it's likely just personal preference. Certainly the quality of writing is high and Megan knows how to craft a plot that engages the readers.

Another 10/10 for Megan Collins! Really enjoyed the atmosphere in this one -- perfect summer read. Great characters, as usual. Collins always nails it.

Sienna and Julia are sisters-in-law, best friends and self proclaimed "soul mates" . When Julia's husband / Sienna's brother has a car accident and is suspected of the gruesome murder of his boss, the two women face situations that challenge their relationship, faith in Jason and all they hold true. Although you might suspect who the real murderer is, stay tuned for all the plot twists.

Thicker Than Water
Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the eARC! This was a highly anticipated thriller for me this year and it did not disappoint! I loved the sister-in-law relationship and how it was the crux of the story. Several times there were twists and turns I wasn’t expecting and I was engaged with the story. I also listened to the audio and appreciated the decision to use separate narrators for Jules and Siena - it really helped to characterize and personify them and added so much to the experience. What a phenomenal read that succeeded in not only balancing a compelling mystery but two strong female leads who were fully realized and went on independent character journeys. I can’t recommend this enough!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Julia and Sienna are best friends- they're also sister-in-laws. Julia is married to Sienna's brother Jason and they have a son together. When Jason's boss is brutally murdered questions arise and the suspect pool is initially thin. However, a few days later Jason is in a terrible accident putting him in a coma and shortly after the police arrive at the hospital claiming Jason is the prime suspect in his bosses murder. Told in alternating this is truly a story about the bonds that keep us together... or tear us apart. Overall, really loved this book and did not see the ending coming.

This synopsis of this book really pulled me in. Read this if you love family drama, twists, suspenseful mystery. Julia and Sienna are best friends but also sister in laws. Julia is married to Jason. Sienna is Jason’s sister. There is a very close bond between these three characters. Jason is in a car wreck and in a coma. The girls are dealing with this situation and find out the police have found evidence in Jason’s car that tie him to the death of his boss. There’s secrets that Julia and Sienna have kept from one another for years. Julia is also noticing their teenage son is acting strange and he appears to have his own secrets he’s hiding from Julia. The way the story was told kept you engaged and wondering who had committed the murder, what other secrets was everyone keeping from one another, will Jason survive. It was such a quick engaging read for me. Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.