One of those compulsive books you can't put down!
Lauren North, take a bow!
This book goes in so many directions, it's hard to believe the opening scenes when I think back!
I finished it in a day. Unreliable characters, scenes that make you question everything and everyone, and a superb ending.
Fabulous.

I have been engrossed in this book all weekend. It kept me guessing and I really enjoyed it. Celia is contacted by Lucie, whom she hasn’t seen for 13 years, and events spin out of control. I loved the way the author built up the characters then quietly ushered in a few seeds of doubt so that I didn’t know who to trust. This made for a gripping read! I don’t want to give away too much. The book is skilfully written, held my attention throughout and there are lots of twists and turns. If you like psychological thrillers with complex characters and plenty to keep you wondering, this is the book for you!

As I read My Word Against His by Lauren North, I was never quite sure where the author was going. That’s a good thing in a psych thriller.

Celia is the main character, and we get most of the plot from her perspective. This makes for interesting reading because it is difficult to get a bead on her.

Is she trustworthy? Stable? Insane? Lying?

My opinion of her changed quite often, which made for dynamic reading.

I like how the author broke the story into different parts, each with varying points of view – but with Celia as the constant. It was a unique method of storytelling, and it worked.

While the first part is taut with anticipation, the conflict between Celia and Sam continues even as the reader gets events from other people’s points of view. It sounds a bit convoluted, but in reading the story – it isn’t. It all makes sense.

I had a feeling about Celia’s “memories” and how they influence her current situation. But the author left just enough false clues to make me question whether or not I was right (I was).

But even with that, there were times when I couldn’t tell who was lying and who wasn’t. These parts were especially “psych thriller” on the reader as much as the characters.

There are a few things that didn’t quite fit (to me). Sam’s story seems like more a vehicle (pun intended) than anything with substance. I kept waiting for a twist there. And I wish that Henry’s story was a little bit more fleshed out – maybe a few more scenes from his perspective.

However, the twists at the end are really good and lay to rest any doubt as to how Celia’s attitude and actions have influenced her family over the years.

My Word Against His is a solid psych thriller, and I look forward to reading more from Lauren North.

**For more reviews like this please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks**

I was tense and on edge reading this the entire time.
Right from the set up of the story we jump right into the action, we also go to a previous time line with some of the characters, it's a back and forth. This sets up our story and it explains the characters later behaviors. Our main character is portrayed as an unlikable domineering mother to Henri and she must not have her routines disturbed. Does she have a reason for this? How does her son feel about her smothering behavior and is there any repercussions in their relationship?
Brilliantly written, the author has done a fabulous job of keeping us on edge and giving our brain a workout trying to piece together how it will end. The end...................... it really was a shock, the last thing I would have expected to happen.
I was tense and on edge reading this the entire time.
Right from the setup of the story we jump right into the action, we also go to a previous timeline with some of the characters, it's a back and forth. This sets up our story and it explains the characters later behaviors. Our main character is portrayed as an unlikable domineering mother to Henri and she must not have her routines disturbed. Does she have a reason for this? How does her son feel about her smothering behavior and is there any repercussions in their relationship?
But just because she is portrayed as unlikable does this mean she is responsible for a murder?
Brilliantly written, the author has done a fabulous job of keeping us on edge and giving our brain a workout trying to piece together how it will end. The end...................... it really was a shock, the last thing I would have expected to happen.

Pub Date 26 May 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

My Word Against His by Lauren North is a rollercoaster of a read. I’ve become a big fan of Lauren’s work recently and I absolutely loved her latest book. The tension in this book never lets up. The story is so intriguing and it is so twisty. Lauren North throws in twist after twist and I had no idea how this book was going to develop as the story gets underway.

The novel begins when our main character, Celia, is forced by a young man with a knife to drive him to Leeds, while she is out in town. I was immediately asking questions, who is this man, why is he demanding that Celia drive him to Leeds? You can see just how frightened Celia is here. It soon becomes clear, following the explosive opening, that Celia is in a very big mess, and one that might be difficult for her to get herself out of, especially when the police become involved. I wanted to know what had led up to this moment, and what other secrets Celia is hiding. She doesn’t come across as a particularly likeable character. She appears to be very devious and very capable of manipulating situations to her advantage.

Lauren North brilliantly delves into Celia’s character as the plot of the novel progresses and Lauren North shows us what happens in the days before the inciting incident in the book takes place. This is where the plot becomes really twisty and we begin to see the true colours of Lauren’s main character’s begin to emerge, which Lauren North brings to life so well in her writing. I was never quite sure what to make of Celia. I certainly didn’t think I could trust her, but I kept thinking that perhaps I wasn’t seeing the bigger picture here, which made me even more keen to read on. This is what makes her such a fascinating character to follow and I wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on.

My Word Against His is such a brilliant read and it is highly entertaining. It only took me a couple of sittings to finish it. I highly recommend it.

Celia is about to experience empty nest syndrome. In less than a year, her son Henry will be heading to college. She is not looking forward to it. and has been missing his gentle hugs for years. However, the time for Henry to leave is not now, but Celia's life is but to change. A young woman from her past, Lucie, might be reentering her life, and if she does, this will upset the balance of Celia's perfectly ordered life.

In this carefully orchestrated book by Lauren North, secrets and lies prove that they can only be hidden for so long. In fact, the story is told in the present, as well as flashbacks. What is Celia hiding and why does Lucie suddenly contacting her make her feel threatened? To start off with, she hears the words from Lucie, "It's life or death, Celia." Quite naturally, Celia has reason to be concerned after hearing those ominous words. She rushes off to meet Lucie and a cataclysm of events occur.

Twist after twist makes this book impossible to put down. I love a book when you don't know who to trust, and that is exactly what you get with this book. In fact, this book was good from beginning to end, and led to a shocking ending that left me breathless.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

My Word against His gripped me right from the very beginning. It’s an unputdownable psychological thriller that I read in one sitting so eager was I to find out how the story was going to conclude. This book is chock full of characters that you really won’t know who to trust. My opinion of each character was changing every few minutes. A tense and fast paced read which I highly recommend.

I have loved Lauren Norths books since i read her first book "The Perfect Betrayal" I love the way she writes and her books are always gripping and draw you in.

This book was such a good read. I had no idea where the story was going to end up as with every chapter more and more was being revealed and I wasn't sure what was what. It's definately a book that needs your full attention. I just had to keep reading to see how it unfolded.

With a triangle of characters Celia, Lucie and Sam. How do they all connect together? You don't know who to feel sorry for as they all have stories.

When Celia is kidnapped by Sam and threatened at gun point to drive him to Leeds it's a very tense drive. But Sam has secrets and Cecilia has secrets and what unfolds is his word against hers. Such a fab twisty and psychological read. One for you wish lists.

#greatread #kindleread #fabbook #twistythriller #psycologicalread #traingleofcharacters #lovethisauthor #greatwriting #drawsyouin #booksofinstagram
#girlreading #brilliantbook

I’m a big fan of Lauren Norths twisty psychological thrillers and she’s certainly hit the mark again here with My Word Against His. It’s full of very unlikeable characters but you can’t help but become invested in their story…

Celia hasn’t heard from Lucie for thirteen years but suddenly she receives a call for help out of the blue. Lucie used to babysit Celia’s son Henry after she was taken under her wing by the careers advisor when they met at school. But there was something very disturbing about the home Celia lived in with her family and one night Lucie sees and hears something so terrible she leaves the house never to contact Celia again…until now. But Sam is about to throw a bit of a spanner in the works! Who is telling the truth and what secrets has Celia been keeping from her past?

The story unfolds over two timelines describing the meeting between Celia and Lucie and how that relationship develops and then implodes after an unexpected encounter with Celias husband. There are also some text conversations and missed call alerts throughout and we are unaware of the connection between these conversations and the storyline that’s being played out. So there are plenty of shocking moments and clever twists along the way!

My Word Against His is a gripping psychological thriller that skips along merrily, leading the reader along a path that often changes direction unexpectedly. The ending felt a little rushed but it was a cracker and left me feeling very satisfied! Very clever especially that final sentence!

MY THOUGHTS

Lauren North really wrote an edge of your seat thriller. It was hard to put down. Several twists and turns to keep you guessing. There are a few things that completely surprise you. Good book. Great thriller.

You'll meet Celia, Lucy, Sam, Henry, and Martin in this book. Each has their own troubles. Each has their own secrets. One, possibly more, will end up dead. Who did it? Was there more than one? What caused this or these deaths?

Celia hasn't seen Lucy in thirteen years. Lucy was a child at the time. Celia only wanted to help her. She invited Lucy into her home. She introduced Lucy to her child Henry. Henry was only five years old. Celia wanted to be there for Lucy as no one else seemed to care about her. Lucy is only thirteen and needs guidance in her life. Celia also wants her gone before Martin gets home. Every single time.

What can be going on in Celia's life that she doesn't want this young girl to meet her husband? And why does Celia really care so much for Lucy? It seems like it is more than just someone to watch young Henry occasionally. More than helping her decide what she wants to be when she grows up. But something does happen. Something that scares Lucy. She meets Martin.

Thirteen years later after Martin has been gone all these years and Celia has not heard from Lucy, she get a phone call. A call for help from Lucy. Celia takes off to help her and is carjacked. Things take off and you are in for a wild ride. The interactions between Celia and Sam begin and you won't know exactly what is going on. What is it that Sam is so earnestly wanting to get too in Leeds. What could possibly be so important he is threatening a woman's life. Will he kill her once they get there?

Sam is not a good guy but he is also not as bad as Celia thinks. He says he's not going to hurt her but she doesn't believe him. She just wants to get to Lucy and find out what is happening to her then get back home to her son Henry. Over the course of the next few hours things are going to spin out of control. Some things will happen and someone will end up in jail. You won't know who to believe. It's definitely one that will keep you turning the pages.

I wasn't really a fan of Celia's but she could have been worse. I understood why she did some of the things she did. I understood why she wanted so bad to protect Henry. I understood she had her way of doing things but boy was she ever OCD. Down to the clothes they wore and the meals they ate. Every single thing. But still.... I really love Lucy. She was a hard working young lady and certainly deserved help. And a life of her own. I thought Martin was a jerk and abusive. Sam I felt kind of sorry for after getting to know him. Henry was a complete mix of both parents and I never really connected with him either. Still a part of me liked him. At least the young him.

This book is in three parts. Each told from Celia and Lucy's words. The second part has you getting to know Sam and his POV. Told from Celia and Sam's POV. Then in the third part you really get a big surprise. Not only the whodunnit but the who it was really. Who was all of these people? You get to know each one. Pretty much all about each one.

This is a true edge of your seat thriller that keeps you turning the pages until the wild ending that you may not see coming. I have to admit this one had me totally surprised. I didn't figure out a few of the twists.

Thank you #NetGalley, #LaurenNorth, #Bookouture for this ARC. This is my true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars and a high recommendation. It's really good.

Celia and Sam are telling different stories of what happened on an evening full of terrible events where someone was found dead. They are both desperate to keep their own secrets, but who is telling the truth?

My Word Against His is an addictive thriller full of suspense.

I absolutely LOVE Lauren North's writing style and I think that she is incredibly talented. I enjoyed the short snappy chapters and how they gave the whole book a fast pace. Every time I finished a chapter I was straight onto the next, unable to tear my eyes from the page. The plot is brilliantly clever and had so many shocking twists that I didn't see coming.

The story is told through different perspectives which gave a great insight into the characters' thoughts and it made them feel so real and genuine. This book will definitely challenge your assumptions about who you can trust and keep you guessing throughout.

This is my favourite book by Lauren North so far and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. It’s me,’ says the voice on the other end of the line. It’s been thirteen years and I still recognise it. Thirteen years of nothing. Silence. Not even a birthday card. ‘It’s time for you to tell the truth. It’s life or death.’ What follows the above conversation, is a chain of events that will bring tragedy, together with lies, and deeply hidden secrets - secrets that are about to finally reveal themselves.
Just hours later, Celia lies injured in the middle of the road in a strange city far from home - far from her darling son Henry. She feels the panic escalating, 17 year old Henry would have been expecting her home from work hours ago, he’ll be worried sick wondering where she’s got to, after all, there’s only the two of them. However, she hears a siren, and finally she sees the blue flashing lights - the police will sort all this out, and arrest the man, Sam, who’s responsible for forcing her at knife point to take him up to Leeds in the North of England, and she has no idea why...both Sam and Celia are not who they seem or are they?! This plot had me hooked from the very start, I was mesmerised by it and as it started unfolding and I thought I knew where I was being led, the rug was pulled out from under me. I loved the expertly woven past and present timelines. A perfect domestic thriller read. #mywordagainsthis #laurennorth #tea_sipping_bookworm #netgalley #goodreads #thestorygraph #getlitsy #kindle #thriller #domesticthriller #bookqueen #bookstagram #bookouture

When Celia gets a phone call from Lucie for the first time in thirteen years, it brings up a past that she had been praying was far behind her. But Celia will stop at nothing to protect her son Henry, especially when the perfect opportunity to put it all to rest falls so readily into her lap. But who will the police believe?

This is a fast-paced read told from multiple character perspectives over a then-and-now timeline. This makes it very well-rounded, yet occasionally slightly confusing tale. But it pulls it up with such a twisty story and some great characters that make you really question who to trust.

A phone call from Lucie, a girl that Celia hasn't seen or spoken to for thirteen years dredges up a lot of memories that she would rather stay hidden, and the events that follow turn this into a nightmare for Celia but, as she lies injured in the street, with her captor running for his life, she realises that she could turn this to her advantage as it's her word against his, but who will the police believe?

This latest story by North is a tense thriller that is action packed from the beginning, told from multiple points of view and over a dual timeline of now and thirteen years ago with flashbacks interspersed throughout, we meet some very unreliable characters, all of them with secrets that they don't want exposed and will go to any lengths to prevent this happening. It's a fast paced read which kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly second guessing who was telling the truth and each time I thought I'd figured it out North threw in another twist, causing me to doubt my assumptions every time. Another impressive read from an author that's fast becoming one of my favourites, can't wait to see what's next!

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. Unfortunately it was a miss for me. I was bored and more so confused the majority of the book. It is definitely fast paced but it didn't suck me in like most psychological thrillers.

I absolutely loved this story. Lauren takes you on a twisted, crazy rollercoaster ride. I didnt like the characters but I think that was the point.

I will definitely be reading more from Lauren North in the future.

Thanks Netgalley and Bookouture. All thoughts and opinions are my own and aren't influenced by anyone else

You know those kind of thrillers that completely get you under their spell from the very first page, and take you on a fucking wild ride? Yep. My Word Against His did that for me!

From the moment I started reading I genuinely could not put this god damn book down. It was very cleverly written, with the twists sneakily unravelling and punching you in the gut. I could not quite predict where this book was going, and I loved that it had that really clever unpredictability woven throughout it!

I loved that this book contained a variation of past tense and current perspectives, as well as a variety of POVS from the characters involved. This was done really bloody well, with the writer managing to create a very dark and gripping atmosphere across the entire book.

One of my new favourite thrillers, that’s for sure!

My Word Against His by Lauren North is a pacey, suspenseful read that had me racing to the finish line. Ms North has gained a place on my radar.

Told in multiple POVs, and liberally peppered with cryptic Facebook messages, the twisted tale of Celia, a woman with so many secrets they will make your head spin, emerges. Celia will stop at nothing to protect her son Henry, particularly when events from thirteen years previous begin to surface and threaten all that she holds dear. For fear of slipping spoilers I won't say much more, but you will surely want to add this highly addictive and compelling read to your TBR.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

4.5⭐
This is my first introduction to author Lauren North and what an impressive introduction it is!

As My Word Against His is a story that will have you questioning everything and an ending that'll leave you asking did that really just happen?

As Lauren takes you on a twisted, crazy, and at times uncomfortable jaw-dropping journey. With characters that I'll be honest aren't very likable. But somehow that makes it all the more compelling to read.

And honestly this story is nothing like anything else I've read this year. But boy did I enjoy it!! And I'll definitely be reading more from Lauren North in the future.

I would also happily recommend My Word Against His to others.

I can't believe how fast paced and full of twists this was and it all starts so early on!! I had several of those moments where it seems the book would wrap up because of a big reveal but it wasn't even 50% yet... and again and again. I also repeatedly thought I was onto something and could predict what was happening and each time I was wrong.

The plot had me hooked from the start - FMC is kidnapped at knife point and trying to get somewhere urgently to help someone with a difficult background from her past. We see the back story and relationship between the MCs told in past POVs.

I liked the use of mixed media. But I think some of it, along with some of the POVs, made it a bit confusing. This may have been intentional so it certainly makes you think a bit.

I would recommend this to domestic thriller readers who can suspend disbelief and turn a blind eye to some particularly frustrating unreliable narrator parts, including an ending that I personally don't rate at all but some may enjoy. There are also some parts that don't add up after some of the big 'reveals', but it was enjoyable enough to overlook, even if irked by it.

⚠️ Check TWs online, includes DV ⚠️

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Bookouture for my eARC in exchange for my honest review