I could really not get into the characters. I really wanted to like this book but found it boring and hard to follow. I felt liek the whole plot was unoriginal and I had read so many books with similar stories that I just felt bored. I usually love a con-artist trope but they are so over done they need something to stand out and this just was not it for me.

I was initially a bit wary of reading this because it's a bit different than the sort of murder mysteries I typically read. However, I found this novel quite enjoyable and was intrigued to keep seeing what was going to happen. I think the alternating timelines and eventual different points of view really served this book well and helped you get a sense of what was going on with each character. It captivated me to try to figure out the truth before it was revealed and I was satisfied with the ending.

I loved this twisty thriller. It’s told in multiple POV and dual timeline. It has a very rich family who think they are above everyone else and a wife that is trying to escape the family. I’ve read this author before and enjoyed her writing style. Even after finishing the book I remember the scenes as if I was there. A great book that will keep you guessing!

Oof. This book had stuff going on everywhere. The bouncing back and forth was a bit confusing until I got used to it. Her husband about taking him back rather than getting divorced is bugging Mary, a woman struggling to get through a divorce/custody battle. As she meets Willa, she starts to come out of her shell and decide she may want to try again with her husband, but before she can do that she finds him murdered. From there we go through how Willa got to where she met Mary, while then jumping to current day and the fallout of George being dead. If you like thrillers that go back and forth with perspective, you’ll definitely like this one!

I loved this book. Lots of interesting reveals and some come early so keeps you engaged. I wasn't sure how it was going to end. The back and forth between the timeliness and multiple POV were done well so I was not confused.

Thank you Putnam group and PRH audio for review copies! Keep Your Friends Close is the perfect escapist thriller, a twisty and addictive sucks you in kind of read. If you like books filled with twists and turns this is for you.

For me, I like a lot of twists but they have to land... they can't be there just for the sake of twists and at times this one got a little too no one could see that coming for me. I need not see the twist but I also can't feel that the author was just putting in twists just for the sake of putting in twists. It undermines what can be a solid story on its own... a good thriller/suspense story doesn't need to rely on shocks and twists to win over a reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC.

Leah Konen's book kept me engaged and wanting to know what on earth was going on with these women! I love short chapters and I love a good who can I even trust style of novel. Really unique one.

This twisty good thriller is told in two time frames and in two voices. Alternating between now and then, we meet Mary, a young mother of a two year old son. Mary is in the midst of a contentious divorce from a high powered man from a very rich family. Willa is married and also has a young son. When the two meet they become fast friends quickly. That is until Willa ghosts Mary. In the now, Mary has left Brooklyn for upstate New York and is looking to start a new life with her son, her husband, George, has finally agreed to letting her have Alex in a different locale after their divorce, but he still thinks he can win her back. When Mary runs into a women she is sure is Willa, she’s confused when the women says her name is Annie. Mary now doesn’t know what to believe. The plot thickens when we start to hear Willa’s story. With friends like this, who needs enemies. When George ends up dead, Mary is the prime suspect, delving in, Mary turns to Willa/Annie as she starts to question everything. Is Willa a friend or a foe. Is her story real or a con? Could she somehow be involved in George’s death? With short chapters and a plot that keeps the pages turning, this was an entertaining read! Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #PenguinGroupPutnam for the book #KeepYourFriendsClose by #LeahKonen. This book, about betrayal, friendships and secrets, is a nail biter up until the very end. At what length will you go to get what you deserve?

Really fun twisty thriller. I especially enjoyed Part 2, which had alternating chapters between the two main characters, Mary and Willa, one for THEN and one for NOW, as they creeped towards each other. I liked both characters, although some people might judge Willa.

"With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Isolated and embroiled in a custody battle, Mary needs a friend more than ever. When she meets the charming and enigmatic Willa at a Brooklyn playground, the women’s connection feels fated. Finally, she has someone on her side. During a margarita-fueled moms’ night out, though, Mary shares her darkest secret about her ex, George, and Willa simply disappears. No calls, no texts, nothing.

Two months later, Mary’s divorce is almost finalized, and she’s trying to build a new life for her son in upstate New York. On her first day in town, she runs into Willa…only Willa’s name is Annie now, and she’s got an entirely new family in tow. When George turns up dead and Mary becomes the prime suspect, she has no choice but to turn to her only friend in Willa.

As coincidences—and evidence—pile up, Mary begins to wonder whether Willa had something to do with George’s death. Is the other woman a friend or a foe, a confidante or just a con? Mary must uncover the truth before she loses everything."

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

I've been a Leah Konen fan since her debut, All the Broken People, but I think Keep Your Friends Close might be my favorite yet. I thought I had it all figured out more than once, but I was wrong every time. and the true villain was someone that I least expected. which is one sign of a truly good thriller. It's perfectly paced to make it a fun, one-sitting binge, confirming why Leah Konen is one of my must-read authors.

Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen @leahkonen
I loved this one!
Set in two NY cities - Brooklyn & Woodstock
Starts off with just Mary’s POV, then adds in Willa’s POV too
I loved Willa in spite of her secrets and certain actions
The men are trash.
I guessed some of the twists, but this was still a highly enjoyable and entertaining read.
Well written with plenty of secrets and drama, the ending did a great job of typing up any leftover loose ends.

Thank you @putnambooks for sending me a @Netgalley widget to read an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mary is recently separated from her husband, George, and is going through a messy custody battle. She feels she is going to lose everything because her in laws have power and wealth which she does not. She would do anything to keep her son Alex safe. Desperate to make a friend Mary strikes up conversation with a woman named Willa at the park while her son and Alex play. They quickly become fast friends until Mary reveals everything that is going on and how she feels; Willa stops responding to her and she doesn't see her again. With no one to turn to Mary decides it would be best for her an Alex to find a new place to live, somewhere between her soon to be ex and her own family. While taking a week to sort things out in the new town, Mary thinks she sees someone she knows. Could that be Willa? But where is her husband and son? Who is this new man and little girl? She returns to her rental and her ex is in there. What is going on? After a night together they agree to meet up but George doesn't show so she goes to where he is staying only to stumble over his dead body. Who killed him? Why do they think Mary did it? Why is Willa here pretending not to be herself?

This story will keep you wanting to keep reading until you're done. When you think you may have it figured out, another twist is thrown your way.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC !

pretty typical domestic thriller tbh, Konen’s writing is good but I’ve read a ton of similar books and this one just didn’t hold my attention. a well-timed reveal at the 1/3 mark was good but still not enough to make me care about any of the characters enough to finish. I would recommend this more for beginners of the genre

Books with short chapters are my favorite because I feel like even I am able to read fast. Mary and Willa were excellent MCs, both very different but you could find their similarities. This book at times felt like something I already read before. But the combination of relatable characters and short chapters kept my interest. I would label this mystery thriller a binge read perfect for poolside! Nothing so deep that you need all your attention but if you miss things you may regret it at the same time. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this great mystery to keep me flying through my TBR! Overall this one gets 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

REVIEW 👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏽

Keep Your Friends Close ~ Leah Konen
Pages: 384
Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Gist: Mary’s friendship with Willa is just what she needs to distract her from the tumult of her impending divorce. But when Willa disappears after Mary makes a dramatic confession, she’s back to square one and moves upstate to start a new life. It’s there that she sees a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Willa - and it’s this woman she befriends when her husband George is found dead. What happens next is a cat and mouse, con woman web of lies and deceit that leaves Mary spinning for the truth.

Thoughts: Thank you to @putnam for an eARC copy of KYFC, out today - February 20! I enjoyed this one for sure but definitely saw some pros and cons for me as the story started to develop.

PROS:
* This story started really strong for me which I love because I think it’s super important to gain traction early on in a read to keep me going.
* A lot of characters means a lot of unreliable irons in the fire and I appreciated that despite there being a lot, I was able to keep track of who everyone was.
* Love a book with strong female friendships and an underlying message - in this one, Konen drove home the importance of standing on your own two feet!

CONS:
* The timeline, perspective, and setting kept flip flopping - now, then, NY, update, Willa, Mary. At times this was a bit confusing, especially towards the second half as story ramped up.
* Story dragged at the end - I found myself skimming a bit and whispering to myself, “alright already” as loose ends were tied up.
* This is just me being annoying - but I found some of the dialogue between characters a little surface and robotic. At times, it didn’t feel real to me and I got a little bit of the ick because of it.

I’m straight down the middle on this one - not mad at all for reading it and I definitely felt compelled to finish but not the greatest thing ever. A decent thriller with a surprise at the end is never a bad thing! Check this one out today!

Keep Your Friends Close is the ultimate toxic relationship thriller! It has horrible husbands, frenemies, and in-law drama all rolled into one book. Not to mention that the main character, Mary, is kind of a hot mess who lets others steamroll over her which creates a lot of the drama in this story. I recommend this book to readers who love a domestic thriller full of drama. Be warned, it is hard to put this book down once you start reading it.

Thank you @putnambooks for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

It’s taken years, but Mary has finally realized that her marriage to handsome, wealthy George Haywood is not only bad for her, but for their toddler son Alex as well. At first, George’s riches were so seductive that his controlling tendencies just seemed like a genuine interest in helping her better herself. Once she realizes that she only ever had the appearance of choice – and, worse, that her son is starting to mimic his father – she decides she needs to get out of her marriage:

QUOTE
What I’d thought I’d had with George had been little more than an illusion. I, a Stepford robot that George could control. One he could punish if she crossed him. And Alex, taking this dynamic in. I’ll never forget the way my toddler looked at me one morning and said, “Enough, Mary.” [...] They were the same words George said to me anytime I pushed back. <i>Enough! Enough! Enough!</i> Like I was a child, a dog, a ward to be taught how to act properly.

God damn it if I was going to let my son grow up to think that all of this was okay.
END QUOTE

George, of course, has no interest in letting her go without a fight. Though they signed an iron-clad prenup, he wants to punish her further by taking custody of Alex away from her, citing spurious reasons that his expensive lawyers plan to use to drain her much more meager savings with in a prolonged custody battle. If she comes home, however, they can go back to a comfortable life all together, or so George claims in his frequent attempts to win her back.

With her best friend no longer speaking to her, Mary is thus uniquely susceptible to the charms of gregarious, sophisticated Willa, whom she meets while on a Brooklyn playground one morning. The two swiftly bond over their children and their own relatively laidback attitudes to parenting, striking up a fast friendship and subsequently meeting even without their kids. Lonely Mary is quickly besotted:

QUOTE
The thing about Willa was that she didn’t often volunteer details about her past. You had to lure them out of her[.] There was something nice, almost enchanting, in the mystery of Willa. It made me feel like there would always be more to learn, like the drinks nights and playdates would never, ever end, like I didn’t have to worry about losing her–at least, not yet.

It all felt like promise, like possibility, and when it was like this with her, the sun on our bare legs and our children playing together so happily…

It almost felt like falling in love.
END QUOTE

Alas then that after one booze-filled night together, Willa abruptly ghosts her. A devastated Mary worries that she might have revealed too much about her failing marriage and her own feelings about both it and George. She tries texting and calling, but Willa seems to have fallen right off of the face of the planet.

Fast-forward several months, and Mary is looking to start a new life in Woodstock, a town halfway between the city and Old Forge, where she grew up and still has family upstate. She’s shocked to see a familiar figure walk by as she’s having lunch in a restaurant one day. The woman has different hair and clothes, but is unmistakably Willa. Mary runs out the door to confront her, but the woman claims to have no idea who or what Mary is talking about. More strangely, Willa’s little boy is nowhere in the picture, though a little girl named Poppy is all over this woman who apparently goes by the name of Annie.

Mary is determined to make Willa admit the truth, but her plans are complicated by George’s decision to follow her to Woodstock. When George turns up dead shortly after, Mary fears that Willa might have had something to do with it. With George’s family suspecting that Mary herself murdered George, she’ll have to get to the bottom of Willa’s lies if she has any hope of not being separated forever from her beloved child.

While Mary has some excellent insights into what it means to raise good kids, my sympathies mainly lay with Willa, who has a much more realistic view of life in general. Every time Mary clutched her pearls at something Willa did and subsequently assumed the worst of her friend – ignoring the many ways in which she herself was being both a terrible friend and an even worse feminist – I felt myself rooting harder for Willa to get herself out of the predicament that her involvement with the Haywoods had landed her in. Willa’s desire to be fairly compensated for her work felt absolutely justified to me. And though I wasn’t a fan of Mary’s wishy-washiness, I very much understood Mary’s longing for companionship, platonic or otherwise. It’s important to make and maintain adult friendships, but modern living makes that hard, especially for moms.

Told from Mary and Willa’s alternate viewpoints, Keep Your Friends Close ultimately comes to a satisfying, though perhaps unexpected, conclusion. It’s a swift, entertaining read that isn’t afraid to examine white female complacency, and the “acceptable” ways in which women are allowed to rebel.

This was a fun read that kept me interested to see how it was all going to play out however I don’t think it’s one that will stick with me at all. Mary is going through a divorce and makes a new friend Willa on the playground one day. They become fast friends and are soon hanging out both with and without the kids. However Willa suddenly ghosts her and Mary is left wondering why. The story takes off from there and alternates between their perspectives. Thank you to PRH Audio for the audiobook and to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook to review.

Mary and George Haywood are getting divorced and working to settle custody of their son, Alex, 2. The Haywood family is very wealthy and powerful. Thus, they are not going to make things easy for Mary at all. while Mary had all the designer clothes and an easy life, she could not handle George’s control and dictating every move she makes. George tells her that there are ways that he can take Alex away from here. When George’s brother, Henry’s wife, Cassandra, divorced him, they made her life very bad for her.

While living in a small place waiting for the divorce, Mary meets a young woman called Willa who has a young son. They spend time at the playground with their children and meet up some evenings for drinks. May confides in her about George and the problems they are having and then Willa simply ghosts her. But sometime later, she sees Willa again and the woman acts like she doesn’t know her.

As we follow the interactions between these two women, it’s difficult to say if it’s a love or hate relationship. Willa has led such a nomad life taking everything she can get from men before moving on to another one. Mary just wants her marriage to be over and to have her son all to herself. But George and the Haywood family aren’t going to let her go that easily.

There were times in this book that I thought it was a perfect 5-star read but there were so many twists and turns that nearly made me dizzy. The ending is satisfactory and I finally gave it 4 stars. Do enjoy. This one is quite a ride.

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