Kate White did it again. The book is really 2 stories in one that move back and forth between a decade. Sky, an artist, is left an inheritance from someone she doesn't know...or does she? In addition she is dealing with the disappearance of her sister from a party a decade earlier. The writing is fast paced and easy to digest and pulls you in as the two stories wind their way around and cumulate into an gasp of a moment (or 2).

I have read all of this authors books and have loved every single one of them! Her books are so fast paced, you find yourself frantically flipping pages. This one is about an artist who receives a phone call from an attorney, informing her she has been named in a will to receive a very large sum of money. The kicker is, she only met the man once, many years ago. Now his family is angry and she begins receiving threats 👀

Skyler Moore is a struggling artist, living in New York City and trying to make a name for herself. When she gets a call one day that says she needs to meet with a lawyer about a possible inheritance, she’s hoping to get a couple thousand dollars, but she’s not sure who would leave her money in their will.

When she meets with the lawyer, he tells her that a man named Christopher Whaley has left her his whole estate. The older man recently died of cancer, and Skyler is his only beneficiary, despite the fact that he was married and had children. It isn’t until the attorney calls Mr. Whaley “C.J.” that Skyler realizes who this man is. Twelve years prior, she had a one-night stand with an older man named C.J. She hasn’t heard from him since that night though - why is he giving her all his money?

This book started off so strong, with a lot of suspense. Unfortunately, it started to get slower as it went along. The writing was a little tedious; there was way too much description of every single mundane thing in the book. Sentences like “I wore a dark green turtleneck with my unconstructed blazer, along with a caramel-colored skirt that hits me mid-calf, and some earrings with chunky boots” or “I was hungry so I found a can of tuna fish and mixed it with some cannellini beans dressed with olive oil and vinegar, then paired it with toast and a Diet Coke” litter the book, and it just felt like too much.

The writing almost had a formal feel, when this boho artist doesn’t seem like a very formal person, and the book is written from her perspective. After awhile, this writing style really started to bother me. As I got closer to the end, I saw exactly what was coming, and that was also frustrating. This started off with so much promise, then ended with a fizzle. I’d give the beginning of the book four stars, and the ending three, so we’ll go with 3.5 for this one. It was a great and original plot that, for me, just wasn’t executed the way it could have been.

(Thank you to Harper Paperbacks, Kate White, and NetGalley for the complimentary copy in exchange for my review.)

This was really good with suspense and strong characters until the end, and then it just fizzled. The premise and the main character works well and the art references were well done. But not enough to make up for the abrupt and nonsensical ending.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

BETWEEN TSTRANGERS
Kate White, Author
Mystery/Thriller

When a struggling artist inherits $3.5 million after a one night stand from eons ago, she can’t decide if it is a prank or if this is real.

This will take her on up and down on one wild roller coaster ride to find the truth. After hearing an interview with the author on the podcast Killer Women With Danielle Girard, I had to read this book immediately. It was so compelling and full of edge-of-your-seat-suspense that I would give a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

I love Kate White's books, and Between Two Strangers was no exception. Two story lines are seamlessly woven together, and while the overall ending was somewhat predictable, there were still twists that I never would have guessed. This was a suspenseful, fast read that gives the readers more questions than answer throughout most of the book. I really appreciated the closure the ending provided, and overall really enjoyed reading this one.

Skylar Moore is in her small East Village studio working on her collages for an upcoming show when she receives a call that changes her life in more ways than one. Attorney Bradley Kane tells her she’s been left an inheritance of three-and-a-half million dollars. Shocked and disbelieving, she discovers who left it to her—Chris, a man she had a one-night stand with twelve years ago.

None of this makes sense. She thinks it might be a hoax but realizes it isn’t when the man’s wife threatens her. Chris’ mother comes to her as an ally. But when Skylar’s apartment is broken into, and someone tries to break into her studio, she suspects everyone—the wife, the mother, even the lawyer.

Skylar determines that the only way to find out who is threatening her is to get to the bottom of why an almost stranger left her the money. She won’t give up the money because her biggest dream is to have a baby, and Invitro is expensive.

When a new friend points out that Skylar’s one-night stand happened around the same time as Skylar’s sister’s death, Skylar is shaken, not having put the two incidents together. Could the inheritance be connected to her sister’s death? Maybe guilt money? Her sister fell off a cliff at a party. She appeared to have fallen after someone tore at her clothes. The police never determined what really happened. Now Skylar is left with the sickening feeling that maybe Chris had something to do with it. As she digs deeper into everyone’s lives, the collages in her show are vandalized with the word whore stamped on them. When one of her studio mates draws a picture of the person who tried to break into her studio, she finally has one piece of the puzzle.

Kate White’s Between Two Strangers delivers a thriller that’s exceptionally plotted. The characters come alive as all want the truth about a seemingly unanswerable question: why did Chris leave Skylar the inheritance?

At times Skylar seemed too accepting of the money and verged on being an unreliable narrator. But White adeptly shows us that Chris’ family was well taken care of with their own inheritances and that his marriage was not a happy one. The minor characters are, at times, more fleshed out than some of the main characters and seem more interesting. They also give the story depth and keep us guessing about the outcome. Between Two Strangers is an easy read with an emotional punch, especially when it turns to Skylar’s relationship with her mother. Sometimes too much attention is placed on clothing and appearance, but that’s to be expected from White who was editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for fourteen years but left in 2012 to become a full-time author of seventeen novels. Between Two Strangers is a perfect beach read for 2023.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Perennial, and the author for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Skylar inherits a trust from a one night stand which seems different but we go through her life past and present to figure out why this married man leaves her money.

This is a dual timeline between present and past. The past is all about a time in her life in college (that changes the course of her life). Then we get the present that is her trying to navigate why this man left her money, who’s stalking her, and life as a single woman with a strained mother daughter relationship.

There are a lot of twists in this one and the story about her past really kept me reading. There are a few secrets that are uncovered that will make you 🤯

3.5 stars (rounded down).

Kate White's "Between Two Strangers" is such a quick read. It starts out very strong. It is continually thrilling and intriguing as it moves back and forth between its "now" and "then" timelines. Unfortunately, it all starts to fall apart in the last 30%, and I was left disappointed in the ending. I will admit that I didn't see all of it coming, but all of the details feel like they come together too seamlessly and conveniently. It also felt extremely anticlimactic. The first 70% of the story promised something almost shocking, but the actual finale was tepid at best. Still, I will definitely seek out Kate White again in the future. She knows her way around building suspense early on.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kate White, and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

A young woman received a large inheritance from someone she barely knew. She needs to find out why. Edge of your seat suspense as she uncovers secrets etc. Danger and mystery.

Reading Between the Wines book review #61/115 for 2023:
Rating: 3 1/2 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: Between Two Strangers
Author: Kate White
RELEASED May 16, 2023!!!

Sipping thoughts: This story is like 2 in 1. I really liked the mystery behind why this one-night stand would leave a large inheritance for Skyler. This story is full of lies, deceit, secrets and revenge. It kept my interest and I would suggest it to others.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @HarperPerennialAndPaperbacks for an advanced copy of @BetweenTwoStrangers.

#BetweenTwoStrangers #KateWhite #HarperPerennialAndPaperbacks #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Skyler Moore is a thirty-seven year old struggling artist/graphic designer who works out of a rented loft in Manhattan. She lives in a fourth floor walk-up apartment with her calico cat, named Tuna. She is somewhat estranged from her family back in Connecticut. Her mother has never really forgiven her for the part she played in the untimely death of her half-sister, Chloe.

Struggling financially, she is very skeptical when she receives a message that she is the recipient of an inheritance. It reeks of 'SCAM' to her. After some background checks she realizes that the lawyer who contacted her is genuine. But WHY would someone she doesn't know leave her anything? Then, when the lawyer mentioned the man's nickname, C.J., she begins to grasp that yes, she did know a man named C.J., but it was a one-night stand over a decade ago... The situation is very puzzling indeed.

C.J.'s wife and grown children are resentful of Skyler's bequest and his wife is quite overtly nasty to Skyler. Then, Skyler's apartment is broken into. Nothing was taken, but it is obvious to her that someone was there.

Sinister events escalate as Skyler tries to investigate the reason behind her large inheritance. But... perhaps it would be better for her if she just took the money and ran. She is fearful and paranoid about her own personal safety - and with good reason. Someone seems determined to ruin her life...

With spot-on pacing that is neither too slow, or too fast, this psychological thriller kept my rapt attention throughout.

I can heartily recommend this thriller to all lovers of the genre and plan to keep an eye out for further books by this author.

Between Two Strangers, by Kate White, was an absolute winner for me! What an incredible story that I truly enjoyed so much. I was drawn into the quiet narrative, hauntingly atmospheric tone and was captivated by the plot, desperate to know the why and how.

I found the main character, Skyler, to be a compelling figure and was drawn to her plight and private struggles. There was an emotional component to this story alongside an intriguing mystery that made it so much more impactful. The novel concluded in a way that felt realistic, satisfying and poignant, while also offering hope…in mankind; in second chances.

The story follows a budding artist, who once specialized in oil painting during graduate school, and has now turned to collages as a type of therapy after a traumatic event. Her works are just now receiving some recognition and are starting to be well-received. Perhaps she can even move away from her graphic design work to follow her dream of becoming a full-time artist and mother.

While she, and her slow-to-love cat, are struggling to find their way in NYC and attempting to create a new life for themselves, Skyler receives notice that she has inherited a windfall of money from a man she had a one night stand with many years ago. She finds the whole thing shocking and utterly perplexing; a puzzle she can’t leave alone until she unearths the reason this money was left to her. As she begins to investigate, she receives troubling messages and experiences some disconcerting, threatening occurrences. The story unravels the mystery thread-by-thread in a gripping and moving manner.

This story was evenly-paced, well-crafted, and kept me invested and engaged throughout the entirety of the plot. I’ve read all of Kate White’s previous novels and have always enjoyed them, but A Stranger Between Us is a new favorite.

Between Two Strangers
Author: Kate White
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 3⭐️

Synopsis: Skyler is confused after receiving a call from a lawyer informing her she inherited a large sum of money. Why would Chris Whaley, a man she can’t remember, give her 3.5 million dollars? Suddenly realizing he was a one night stand from a decade ago, she sets out to put all the pieces together.

Thoughts: I thought the whole subplot of Skyler’s sister and her death were distracting. I think the story would have been better if it was strictly between the two strangers, Skyler and the mystery man. Even though the two sides of the story connect at the end, it fell flat for me.

Read if:
* You like to search for answers
* You don’t mind subplots that make it into the main story

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC!

When Sklyer, a starving artist, receives a phone call out of the blue from an attorney in Scarsdale, she’s baffled. Why would an attorney be calling her? When she finds out that she’s been left a very large trust fund from a man she had a one night stand with twelve years previously, she’s even more baffled. Why would he leave the trust fund to her instead of his own wife and children? Skyler is determined to find out why he left her the money and determined to fight for it, even though someone is now stalking her, she’s not about to give up. Skyler also suffered a tragedy in her life on the very same weekend as her one night stand. Somewhat estranged from her family, she doesn’t have many to help her through her new dilemma as the wife and children seem to be targeting her, seeking to get the money back. As she digs deeper, things come back to her from that night, but none of it seems to make any sense? Why would a virtual stranger leave her a trust fund when he died?? This was an enjoyable read written in the dual timeline of then and now. While not quite as thrilling as I had hoped for, the plot was unique and kept me turning pages rather quickly to discover right along with Skyler the answers to her baffling questions. Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I had heard such great things about this book but unfortunately it was lack luster for me. I never was hooked or dying to keep reading. I hope it’s someone else’s cup of tea.

Why would a virtual stranger leave a chunk of money to artist Skyler?
I tore through the pages trying to discover the answer.
I felt sorry for Skyler, especially how her mother treated her, and acknowledging that it would never improve.
As the answers are finally revealed, I thought the threads connecting the death of her sister Chloe and the money were a bit slender and negligible.
Still, it’s a good read and filled up my afternoon.

Skylar Moore, age 37, is a graphic designer who also makes and sells collages. She has an upcoming exposition expected to attract numerous people but can’t help but be a bit nervous about it.

Skylar knows she’s not getting any younger and has always felt that she would be a good mother. She’s hoping to gather together enough money to allow her to afford artificial insemination and thus be a single mom.

Her relationship with her Mother is not great as her mother blames her in part for the death of her sister some years ago.

She receives a phone call from an estate attorney telling her she has been left an inheritance. Hoping it’s not a scam, she is impressed by his office and it is revealed that a man named Christopher Whaley has left her quite a lot of money. Racking her brain, she finally remembers meeting him some years ago under the name of C.J. where they had a one night stand at a hotel. But why would he leave this money to her instead of his wife and children?

At the attorney’s office, she meets Christopher’s mother who is kind to her. As she leaves, his wife begins to berate her saying she must have been having an affair with him which she denies.

Soon, scary things start to happen with her apartment broken into and her collages damaged and Skylar isn’t sure if it’s C.J.’s wife or someone else that might be after her.

This is certainly a different plot and it’s rather twisted but satisfying. The characters are well written and I think that readers will enjoy this book.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What a really wonderful read! A true page turner that didn’t disappoint! I’ve loved Kates writing for so long now and she only gets better!

Skyler is flabbergasted when she receives news that she’s inherited a boatload of money. She’s sure she doesn’t even know the man who’s bequeathed it to her until she remembers a simple, innocent fling she had with a man at her friends hotel. But why is he giving her so much money? What did she do to deserve it? And who will she have to fight for it because we all know where money is concerned, everyone wants what isn’t theirs to have.

This story flowed quite nicely. The characters were easy to get to know, the details were perfectly laid out and the plot was perfect. I didn’t see the ending coming either. I really enjoyed this read and I’m giving it four stars! Thanks to NetGalley and Harper for the review copy!

If you are looking for a deftly plotted thriller with a strong female character and a mystery that you can’t quite solve, Between Two Strangers is for you.

Skyler is an artist in NYC. She is hoping that the upcoming gallery show will finally cement her reputation as an serious artist. Skylar is still struggling with the death of her sister 12 years ago. She's totally blind sided when she receives notice that she's inherited money from a long away one night stand, Christopher Whaley. Why did he leave the money? And who is now stalking Skyler, and what do they want? When she finally remembers the circumstances that brought them together, she realizes that she met him on the worst weekend of her life, the weekend that caused her to quit school and temporarily abandon her career. What a coincidence! Or not…
Will Skylar be able to figure it out, or will he have taken his secrets with his to the grave.

This was such a fun and fast paced book. At 304 pages it is the perfect book and I didn’t want to put it down! I enjoyed the glimpse of the past chapters, and I especially enjoyed how it all came together. This book was full of surprised and intrigue and the mystery aspect worked well together.

I gave this book 4 stars! It was a great read. Between Two Strangers by Kate White will be released on May 16th!