This story follows Mary, a wife to a very wealthy man, a mom, and a friend looking for a fresh start. If you’re looking for a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller, add this on to your tbr! I had such a fun time reading this, trying to solve my initial confusion and the twists that followed. Did not see the ending coming AT ALL. Which is rare for me nowadays. 4⭐️

Thank you to GP Putnam’s Sons for an advanced reader’s copy of this title via NetGalley.

Read if you like:
💨 Fast Paced Reads
🔪Thrillers
🤫 Secrets and Lies
💰Money as Power

This is such a bingable thriller & was so well done on audio The vibes of this I feel like are a mix between The Other Mothers, The Drowning Woman, & The Lies I Tell…

I loved the mix of feelings of a pulse pounding game of cat and mouse plus the domestic suspense and marítimo drama weaved in. If you want a thriller that will keep you reading (I binged it in one day) I would recommend this one for that!

Thanks so much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Stories about toxic female friendships seem everywhere these days! Mary is divorcing her wealthy husband and needs all the friends she can get. When she meets Willa, a chic, friendly mother in their local Brooklyn playground, she's thrilled to have a sympathetic ear.

But Willa disappears and then reappears with a new name and a new family, When Mary's husband turns up dead, she wonders what's going on.

Keep Your Friends Close did a great job of raising a lot of doubt and questions but I wasn't entirely happy with the way things wrapped up. Still, it was an enjoyable read for fans of that trope.

📚: Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen
⭐️: 3.5/5 (rounding down on #goodreads)

With friends like these, who needs enemies, right?

Mary — recently separated, without friends, and in the midst of a bitter, ugly custody battle — finds herself connecting with Willa at a Brooklyn playground. Their friendship evolves rapidly, and when Mary confides in Willa with the full story of her breakup, she expects her friend to support her. Instead, WIlla ghosts her... only to reappear to Mary months later, in a different town, with a different name, and a different identity.

Things only get more complicated with Mary’s estranged husband, George, is found dead.

A quick, fast-paced read, this ride of a book is a twisty one. Minus 1.5 stars for an ending that I didn’t see coming (a good thing!) but didn’t find myself wow’ed by it (a not-so-good thing). While the ending fell flat, Mary’s character did as well. I found myself rooting for the most morally flawed character, Willa, the most — making me wish that Mary was just a bit more likeable. Willa is so full of life and secrets, and Mary paled in comparison.

What I did love? The commentary on motherhood and the mental load. This was my first Leah Konen read, and definitely won’t be my last! Big thanks to Penguin Group Putnam (@putnambooks) via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Keep Your Friends Close is out next week on 2/20!

Mary seems to have gotten herself into a pickle- her ex-BFF/sister-in-law isn’t speaking to her for not standing up for her to their husbands’ family, her and her husband have separated and are fighting for custody of their son, and her new mom friend has ditched her. So Mary sets out to Woodstock to hopefully start building a new life for her and her child, but the people from her life in NYC seem to be following her.

I think the writing was strong but the story itself didn’t feel fresh or innovative to me. There were some twists but nothing that felt like it was my first time reading it. I also usually enjoy unlikeable characters but for some reason these ladies just didn’t connect for me.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Konen is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me, because she never disappoints! I loved her previous books,The Perfect Escape and You Should Have Told me, and was stoked to have received a copy of her newest thriller hit! Like in The Perfect Escape, Keep Your Friends Close is a psychological thriller that features friends, secrets, lies, murder, and plenty of suspense and twists throughout. This is the definition of a popcorn thriller and kept me entertained throughout and guessing until the very end. This book is a bit of domestic drama/suspense and psychological thriller. The pacing is a definite slow burn, but in the best way! The twists came out of nowhere, took me by surprise, and kept me guessing until that twisted ending! I love Konen’s writing, and her ability to grasp the reader from the get-go and keep us entertained throughout. Konen knows how to write a great book that plays out in my head like a thriller movie, and she never seems to disappoint. She builds up the suspense, tension, and has you trying to put all the pieces together until it all comes crashing together in a climatic and mind bending conclusion. If you are looking for the next perfect whodunit to binge read in a sitting or two definitely pick this one up!

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦Popcorn thrillers 🍿
✦A twisty and addictive slow burn
✦Plenty of secrets, lies, drama, suspense, and twists
✦Questionable characters
✦A mind bending ‘whodunit’
✦Short chapters


𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5/5

Sadly this book was a DNF for me…I found the writing style to be very confusing and the story was not captivating enough!!
I am very grateful for the opportunity to read this book early but will not be finishing it! I hope others enjoy it though!!

I have found that thrillers are the only books that keep me reading lately. I have so little time and if the book doesn't pull me in - I am going to abandon it. Keep Your Friends Close by Konen was a book that kept me reading. There were just enough twists to keep me reading and for the most part I thought the plot was believeable.
Synopsis:

Isolated and embroiled in a custody battle, Mary is desperate for a friend. So when she meets the charming and enigmatic Willa at a Brooklyn playground, their connection feels fated. But during a margarita-fueled moms’ night out, Mary shares her darkest secret about her ex, George, and the next morning 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 now Annie, 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 town: Willa. As coincidences—and evidence—pile up, Mary begins to wonder whether Willa had something to do with George’s death. Is the woman a friend or a foe, a confidante or just a con? Mary must uncover the truth before she loses everything.

How well do you know your friends is the perfect teaser for this book. There are many things that I liked about it - the dual perspectives and also the dual time lines were a couple. I did, however, think the story itself was a bit cliched though.

I liked the fact that the author presented us with a plethora of suspects, and in actuality, did keep me guessing until near the end. In that aspect, Konen accomplished the feat that a writer of a domestic thriller sets out to do. The entire time I was reading it though, I was struck with the thought that I had read books before with a very similar story line - poor girl marries rich, is done wrong, revenge is sought (if not by her, then by acquaintances).

I really wish that rating systems had quarter star increments. I would actually rate this 3.5. It didn't blow me away, but it did keep my interest until the end and definitely made me want to finish the book. I think this would be an excellent book club discussion book for a club that enjoys the thriller genre. It would be fun to discuss this with book club over a relaxing glass of wine and hear everyone's opinions on the characters.

Thank you, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for giving me the opportunity to preview this ARC.

Not for me. I find the characters irritating and the plot is messy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Was not sure where this was going at first and was a little concerned I would not like it.

I need not have feared!! By the midway point I was hooked and could not wait to discover the end of this one. It kept me up late into the evening turning pages.

Wow, this book opened with a bang! A vandalized room and a body.

We are then introduced to the main character, Mary. She's in the middle of a divorce, and she's moving her son out of NYC to live in a smaller location, not far from the city. Mary never quite fit in with George, or his family and friends. In fact, she only had one true friend she connected with, Willa. But even Willa has ghosted her...until she sees her in the new area they live in. Then the twists begin.

I love how we get both Mary and Willa's POV. The story does jump from past and present often, but it didn't confuse me at all. The jumps felt like flashbacks and filled in details quite nicely. Just when you think you know how things will turn out, think again! Great read and great twists. Keep Your Friends Close is definitely worth the read.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, GP Putnam Sons for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by a favorite, Leah Konen - 4.5 stars!

Newly separated from her wealthy husband and in the midst of a custody battle she's afraid she'll lose to his wealthy family, Mary is desperate for a friend. When she meets Willa at a playground, she finally feels like someone sees and cares about her. When she lets a secret fantasy slip after too many drinks on a night out and Willa ghosts her immediately afterwards, Mary just doesn't understand. Two months later, Mary is trying to move on and build a new life for her and her son in Upstate NY. On her first day there, she runs into Willa - but Willa is going by Annie now and pretends she doesn't know Mary. But when Mary's husband, George, is found dead in the same little town, Mary becomes a prime suspect. Who can she trust now?

This story drew me in right away. I felt for Mary - she just felt like she never quite fit in with her husband's wealthy family and she finally got tired of his controlling ways. She was a good mom - worried foremost about her son growing up watching how George treated her. But when she gets the courage to leave, George threatens to take Alex away - and he has all the money and power on his side. Told in the POV from both Mary and Willa, in past and present, the story is dribbled out so that you aren't sure who you can trust. Konen has once again created the perfect thriller to shine light on women's lives. Loved it!

📖- Keep Your Friends Close
✍🏼: Leah Konen

📆: February 20,2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

𝕊𝕨𝕚𝕡𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕤𝕪𝕟𝕠𝕡𝕤𝕚𝕤 ———> from Goodreads

Read if:
•You like margaritas 🍹
•You’ve dealt with a narcissist before
•You’ve been lied to by your best friend

𝕄𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 💭

I LOVED the dual POV between Mary and Wila, it went from past to present. It was easy to follow through the transition of past/ present. It also made me crave a margarita really bad 🤣 I thought I had it figured out who done it but honestly I never saw the twist coming! Well done, Leah 👏🏼 And also, the hook 🪝 was amazing, my attention was grabbed right away. As for the discussion question, I was instantly drawn to Mary’s POV.

If you’re looking for a twisty, whodunnit, addictive book please do yourself a favor and grab this ✨gem✨

One million thank yous to @netgalley for this ARC digital copy. And @leahkonen for this beautiful masterpiece, it deserves all the 5 ⭐️’s.


#domesticthriller #leahkonen #thrillerbooks #whodunnit #bookreview #netgalley #bookstagram

Keep Your Friends Close, by Leah Konen

Short Take: Started strong, then dove into predictability.

(*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*)

Hello, my beloved Nerdlings! Today is one of the best holidays of the year - half-price candy day! Even though the Reese’s hearts kind of look like butts, and there’s a distressing amount of coconut hidden in those shiny red boxes, there’s still plenty to love. (But seriously, does anyone actually LIKE coconut? Or do sociopaths just pretend to enjoy it to inflict it upon the rest of us?)

And speaking of disappointment…

In Keep Your Friends Close, Mary’s at a very low point in her life when she meets Willa. She’s going through an ugly divorce from a very wealthy & powerful man (and basically his whole old-money family is making her life hell), and is terrified of losing custody of her three year old son, Alex. Willa is also married to a rich man and has a three year old son of her own, Jack Jr. The two of them immediately become best friends, until Willa suddenly ghosts Mary, and seemingly vanishes.

Two months later, Mary is starting to get her life in order. She’s moved out of the city and into Woodstock, and it seems like her ex is finally calming down and the divorce might be settled peacefully. But then Mary runs into Willa in Woodstock, but Willa’s name is Annie, and instead of Jack Jr., she’s pushing a stroller with a little girl named Poppy.

Oh, and some of Mary’s hateful ex-in-laws are hanging around as well. So it’s not entirely surprising when somebody ends up dead.

Duckies, the first part of this book grabbed me by the jibblies. And the big switcheroo at about the 35% mark actually had me thinking that this one might, MIGHT be worthy of a Gone Girl comparison. But unfortunately, once we found out the truth about Willa, it just wasn’t that interesting. It’s like the author decided to take a seriously great setup (for real, one of the better beginnings I’ve come across) and toss it into the Thriller Story Maker Template, stripping the second half of any bit of originality.

The red herrings are obvious, the main character just isn’t that smart, and pretty much every man is a super-rich spoiled caricature. Finally, yes, carrying the bulk of the mental load is a real issue for women. But I swear on all that’s holy, listening to these women go on and on and ON about it made me feel like a henpecked husband. And I’m a husband-having wife.

Overall, a pretty good swing, but a definite miss.

The Nerd’s Rating: TWO HAPPY NEURONS (and a margarita the size of my head. Because I always want a margarita the size of my head and this book didn’t help with that.)

I was not wildly into this one and did not find myself excited to reach for it. I didn’t care for Mary at all.

Mary is going through a divorce and a custody battle and has moved and is in need of a friend. Enter Willa who is tons of fun and just what Mary needs to help her get through her troubles. Weird things and inconsistencies start adding up and Mary finds out that Willa is not who she says she is at all. This book was great and I couldn't stop reading to find out exactly what on earth was going on. Definitely worth the read.

A dual time line dual POV twisty tale that will keep you turning the pages. Mary and Willa meet when Mary is mourning the demise of her marriage and then again when they've both moved from the city. And now, George, Mary's ex is dead and she's the main suspect, Who is the more reliable narrator? What really happened? No spoilers from me. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Lots of secrets, lots of angst, and short chapters- it's a recipe for an entertaining read.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"Keep Your Friends Close" by Leah Konen was a twisty domestic suspense story that had interesting characters & a quick pace that held my attention.
I would definitely read another book by Ms. Konen.

this book was so good and it took me no time to get into it. I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. This book had me on the edge of my seat a few times and I loved it. Highly recommend.