I always forget why I picked a book by the time I read it and for this one I thought it was a women’s fiction book and boy was I wrong. This is a great book of misdirection. It starts out with meeting Vanessa as she is redirecting her life after a divorce. And I always chuckle when I see the words jaw dropping twist in the title or subtitle, but this time it is a pretty true statement. I did not see where this one was heading.

While the pace was a little slow in the beginning, it was lulling you in and developing the characters before the whammy. Go in blind and don’t read about this one as spoilers really would take away the fun of this one.

I don’t want to say any more and potentially spoil it. Just trust me. One part women’s fiction with an equal part psychological thriller. You can’t go wrong with this one.

This book was full of surprises. I was totally bamboozled. Don't just read about this book. Read it for yourself. Am I ever glad I decided to include this one in my August reading. Vanessa Dunn is a character I will not soon forget. And I will most definitely be seeking out additional titles by Sam Hepburn.

Thank you to Bookouture and Net Galley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty good book, though I don't think the synopsis accurately covered the storyline at all. The book centers on Vanessa, who is recently divorced and dealing with a lot of different things, including building her own interior design business, her mom with dementia, the death of a friend, an unstable sister, dating a new man, and her new interest in helping out at a homeless shelter. This is a lot of stuff but it's not hard to keep it straight. Vanessa senses she is being stalked and some creepy things happen, culminating in the death of someone with whom she had become close.

Vanessa is a bit of too good to be true do-gooder in the first half of the book, and her decision-making didn't really read true to me. She became immersed in the daily lives at the homeless shelter awfully quickly and I found it a bit hard to believe she could earn trust that fast. Speaking of trust, she put a lot of it into her store manager who seemed sneaky from the beginning. This all being said, the twist at about 3/4 of the way through the book puts all of these previous interactions into perspective and makes it all make a lot more sense. I didn't love the end of the book, because I didn't believe that this character would do something so stupid, but I did think it was well-crafted even if it wasn't my favorite.

Overall, this was a good book that is much better once you see the big picture and how it all comes together. I enjoyed the twists and thought there were some good surprises. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twisted!

'The Mistake I Made' is set in the US, told in the first-person POV of Vanessa Dunn. Vanessa, attractive, thirty-something, recently single, business owner and creative, runs an interior design consultancy and shop. We meet her as a volunteer at a hospice, where she is talking to the slightly older Frances, who has cancer. Vanessa learns that her mother, Ellen, was Frances’ rich father’s housekeeper, and sort-of nanny for Frances.

Initially mistrustful, Frances eventually confides in Vanessa her closest secret about her long-lost child. Her businessman father had made her give him up; her cousin is uncaring towards her. Frances asks Vanessa to find her son in order that he may inherit her father’s estate. Vanessa is keen to be of help. So starts a sort of investigation into Frances’ childhood and her estranged remote, remaining relatives.

Vanessa regularly also visits her mother, who has dementia following a stroke. She gives her mother massages and brings her gifts although Ellen is no longer responsive and cannot communicate. However, Vanessa notes that Ellen warms up when her sister, Izzy, is brought up. Then Vanessa’s wayward sister, Izzy, drops in to stay, and there are clashes immediately. Vanessa’s father left for Spain when he broke up with his wife. There are visits to Vanessa’s ex, Doug, who left her for her best friend. These visits seem like stalking on Vanessa’s part.

Just when you think that Vanessa couldn’t get any busier, she also volunteers in a homeless men’s shelter. She leaves her manager, Meghan, in charge of her shop though she doesn’t trust much, which is hard to believe. I personally would have thought that the presence of so many disenfranchised men, some ex-convicts, would be frightening for a woman on her own. While there is merit in giving men, who are down and out. a leg up back into society, I felt there wasn’t much thought given , e.g. having a person escort Vanessa around. She was also in a closed room with one of these men. When an act of aggression occurs, not to Vanessa directly, she contrarily brings the perpetrator into her fold. There are untrustworthy vibes all around the shelter, including Mick, Jay and the manager.

An older man, Ralph, makes a purchase in Vanessa’s store and engages her for interior design. When he makes a move on Vanessa that she saw coming a mile off, though she has suspicions about him, she eventually squashes these. Is Ralph is as dodgy as Vanessa initially thought?

It's only when Vanessa finds herself being stalked, her house broken into, and her business ransacked, that she has pause for thought about her actions.

The book is full of dubious characters all with nefarious motives. The plot is fast-moving, winding this way and that. There is perhaps too much made of Vanessa’s creative work and the interior designs. There is not a sense of place (I can’t recall which town or state it is set in). More could have been made of the dangerous situations Vanessa placed herself in, thus creating tension. But she seemed to meander her way out of them. The twist at around 75% in was a game-changer – that I didn’t warm to. There was a hint a chapter earlier, but the unreliable narrator twist is ‘been there done that’.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. #TheMistakeIMade #NetGalley. This book review also appears in https://Amazon.com, https://netgalley.com, https://thereadersvault.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-mistake-i-made-sam-hepburn-3.html, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5781207100

Wow, what have I just read?! This is a real wild rollercoaster of a ride, straight from the off. I was hooked right away and at times really couldnt work out where it was going! You must read it!

Another cracking book published by Bookouture, written by Sam Hepburn whose books I wasn't familiar with until now. I powered through this one in less than twenty four hours, the plot was top notch and the characters soon had me caught up in their lies and drama.

There are several big mouth agape moments in the book and an ending that was a shocker moment. It's pacy, compelling and I really enjoyed it.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Mistake I Made' by Sam Hepburn.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Sam Hepburn, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 11th August 2023.

This is the third book I have read by this author. I have previously read her previous book 'Gone Before' and 'The Good Mother' which I would highly recommend.


This novel consists of a prologue and 42 chapters and is set over two parts. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


WOW!!! What an unexpected ending!!!! Well done Sam you have absolutely smashed it yet again with yet another fantastic page turning psychological thriller!!!!

This book is fantastically written with vivid descriptions that put you straight in the picture. The cover, title and synopsis suited the plot perfectly and I much prefer this cover to the original, very eye catching!! The storyline is absolutely captivating, intriguing and just a huge WOW!!! Sam manages to catch me out each time I have read one of her books and this one is no different. She is such a talented author who manages to make the reader think they are on one path when the next minute they have been led to an entirely different place!!! This is one of those amazing books that I had no chance of putting down and every time I said one more chapter I just HAD to read one more and then another because it kept ending in a way there was no chance of me not reading more!! The next thing I know I had devoured the whole book in several hours and was sitting for ages after still thinking WTF have I just read and how does Sam manage it each and every time!!!! There was no way in hell I was ever going to guess that explosive twist of an ending at all!!! A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Sam for blowing my mind!! I have read hundreds of crime and psychological books that it is getting harder and harder to shock me but you managed it BIG TIME!!!
It is absolutely ram packed with suspense, twists, lies, shocks, secrets and everything that makes a psychological thriller/drama unputdownable which is exactly what this book is. I was completely absorbed throughout and read it in one sitting. I was kept on the edge of my seat and biting my nails while my heart was in my throat. Another absolutely HUGE success by this very talented author!!!

The only mistake here would be not picking up this book and not clearing your schedules before you pick it up as you will NOT be able to put it down!!!!

The characters were vivid, complex and realistic. Thanks to Sam's fantastic, creative and evocative writing skills it wasn't just the storyline that came to life before my eyes but each of the characters jumped out of the pages too. They all had their own unique personalities, strengths and weaknesses and you are constantly kept trying to work them out and wondering who could be trusted and who couldn't. Looks can definitely be deceiving!! This is such an epic read but I won't say any more as it's too risky that I may give something away and I really don't want to spoil this page turner for future readers. Pick up your copy and get sucked in today!!!

Congratulations Sam on what promises to be a HUGE success and I hope your busy writing your next novel as I for one cannot wait!!! I would love to see this book turned into a movie and I can guarantee it will be a huge hit!!

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and the first three chapter of Sam's absolutely addictive 'Gone Before' which is another explosive page turner and one I have read myself and would highly recommend!!

Overall an unputdownable, nail biting, page turning psychological thriller with explosive twists



330 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle and £8.99 via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I thought this book started off quite slow at first but once I got to 40% I couldn’t put it down.

It kept me guessing and had a few really good plot twists.

Another stunner from Sam Hepburn!! What a story!! Wholley deserved 5 stars!

Vanessa runs her own Interior Designs business and since her husband divorced her after cheating with her best friend, she pours everything she’s got into it determined to make it a success. Rather than dwelling on the past Vanessa is determined to reinvent herself and as part of this “new” Vanessa she wants to do things that take her out of her comfort zone and maybe that might even lead to meeting a new partner. She starts by volunteering at a local homeless shelter, and she also begins volunteering at a local hospice. The homeless shelter volunteering is tough but rewarding. The first patient Vanessa meets at the hospice is Frances and the two women are surprised by their shared history, Vanessa’s mother, Ellen, used to be the housekeeper for Frances’s wealthy father. Unfortunately, Ellen now has early onset dementia after a stroke and despite Vanessa’s constant regular visits, Ellen can no longer communicate with her. Frances and Vanessa quickly bond and become close friends and Frances feels comfortable enough to tell Vanessa her big long held secret and ask for her help. Vanessa agrees to help but when suddenly odd things start happening such as someone sneaking around outside her house and also her having the feeling someone is following her, Vanessa suddenly wonders if she can keep her promise to Frances and if she can what might it cost her?

This was brilliant but very hard to review because I don’t want to give away any spoilers!! But hey I’ll give it a go!

This was my second book by Sam Hepburn and just as good as the first one I read; she sure knows how to pull a reader in from the very start of the book as I was hooked very early on. I had to admire Vanessa’s courage but at the same time I was screaming in my head quite a few times “what are you doing?”. I was completely led down the wrong path quite a few times and was suspecting all the wrong people being the villain which was just brilliant. When the first twist occurred, it felt like I had whiplash, I did not see that coming so well done Sam Hepburn and it was at that point that I couldn’t put the book down and was desperate to read it in any spare moment I had. The second twist had me gasping out loud and all I can say is BRAVO!!

All in all, this was a brilliant psychological thriller, and I would recommend it for any fans that enjoy that genre. I can’t wait to see what Sam Hepburn comes out with next. An excellent book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sam Hepburn and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Out now.

OK I tried multiple times to write a review about this book the mistake I made by Sam Hepburn But trust me when I say there is so much going on in this book there’s no way I could write a summary without giving the whole plot away or leaving a key points out ofthe story. Just know a divorce woman promises a dying woman she will fulfill a favor for her but it’s a dangerous one and when people start following Vanessa it still doesn’t stop her. Even that brief summary does this book no justice and I know a lot of people say you will never guess the ending but “TRUST ME” you will never guess!!! Every now and then you run across a legitimate thriller and I love when that happens and it totally happened with the spot there are so many twists the plot is authentic the writing is awesome and the storyline is the best I don’t know how this author has escaped my notice before the spot because I can truly say it was a phenomenal read it’s not just a plot that’s great but the subplots but I don’t narrative the whole thing it’s just an awesome awesome read! I wish I could’ve done a better summary but OMG this is a great book and the ending is… Wow! I want to think bookoucher and net galley for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This is an unusual mystery. It is character driven with a multitude of secrets. The main character talks to her unresponsive mother who is in a care home. She also has her own business and a sister. The mystery unravels with surprises. This book was sent to me by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher and the gifted author. I enjoyed this book.

The Mistake I Made starts off as a slow burner but with its interesting characters and twists and turns it soon gets going. I thought I had it all worked out but then came the major twist that I did not see coming which threw all my theories right out the window. A great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Sorry but this is a DNF for me. I'm sure there is an audience for this but it wasn't working for me. A lot of aspects were v dark (again, a me issue, not a book issue) and there was really not much keeping me reading or intriguing me. Thank you for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review. 5 starring because I did not finish and need to give a rating.

Wow what a fantastic story the twist was amazing it took my breath away.

Vanessa is an interior designer and her business is doing really well her mum is in a nursing home and while she’s visiting a lady she meets this lady who needs to know what happened to her child who she had adopted Vanessa tells her that she will help her she doesn’t have much time as the lady hasn’t got long to live. She also works in a homeless shelter and makes a real difference as she takes on two men to work for her everything is going well then the unthinkable happens.

I can’t praise this book enough it gave me a few late nights I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC

This book has a slow burn but hang in there as it builds and you get sucked into the story.Vanessa's husband left her and she is trying to reinvent herself. She starts volunteering at a hospice unit and connects with a patient there. She feels like she is making a connection with Francine. Francine wants her to do something for her.

Vanessa goes on trying to find Francine's child she had when she is thirteen. She made a promise to Francine and she wants to keep it. Vanessa has her own mom's health that is fading so she tries to spend time with her too. Her mother is non-verbal but she feels her mom can still hear her.

This story is a lot of misdirection but it worked well. Slowly revealing the truth that has been hidden for so long.

A really good read. But of a slow start but then things really turn around for part two. Characters are all well developed and authentic. Definitely worth a read.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the ARC of #TheMistakeIMade by #SamHepburn. I really enjoyed the carefully planned out actions taken in this book and the twist ending. I really sympathized with a certain character in this book and then blown away.

Looking ujp at those dark brown eyes, I know on that moment that I finally have a chance to make a difference to someone. I've been hurt before, but this time won't be the same. when my husband left me at the worst moment of my life, I could have decided not to trust anyone again. But I am determined not to let it change me. Everyone tells me I'm making the same mistakes all over again, trusting the wrong person. He has secrets, but who doesn't? I have things in my past I would much rather stay buried. But then he dies suddenly, and my whole world is turned upside down. I know he was killed, but the question is why?

The pace is slow to begin with. We get to know Vanessa Dunn and how her life has changed for the better since her divorce. She is now intent on reinventing herself and volunteers at a men's shelter and a visitor at the local hospice. I thought I knew where this story was going but I was wrong, I was taken on a different and twisted path. It gets more intense and eerie. This is another fantastic read by the author.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #SamHepburn for my ARC of #TheMistakeIMade in exchange for an honest review.

This book is gripping, easy to read and exceptionally well executed.

The story is told from the perspective of main character Vanessa. Vanessa is recently divorced and owns her own successful interior design business. The story starts with Vanessa in a voluntary position as a hospital visitor, discovering that the dying woman she is visiting (Francis), is an old acquaintance, Vanessa's mother having being a nanny to Francis some 20+ years previously. The 2 women strike up a friendship and Vanessa is keen to share this information with her mother, who is in a residential home due to dementia. Vanessa struggles to reach her mum but shares tales of her life in a one-way monologue, unaware if her mother can understand her or not. In a further spurt of voluntary work, Vanessa connects with a halfway house, aiming to help homeless people get off the streets. There, she meets 27 year old Jay, a talented artist trying to get this life back on track. While they initially seems to lock horns, a mutual respect seems to develop between them that sees Vanessa offer Jay a job. The wisdom of this decision is questioned by Vanessa's colleague, and indeed events do take a turn for the unexpected after his appointment. I cant say more as this story is just SO good and I absolutely do not want to give spoilers!

This book is spectacularly well written with character development (particularly Vanessa) being exquisite. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who loves an engaging drama, psychological thriller, or just very decent entertainment!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

This was a book that keeps you wanting to read more and on the edge. The last part of the book is a lot better than the first and makes it worth the read . The twist you won’t see coming ,

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review .