A Welcome Reunion by Lucinda Berry is the long awaited sequel to her thrilling book The Perfect Child. Lucinda Berry is a MUST read for me and she did not disappoint with this one. Told in dual point of views, Berry gives us the terrifying story of what happens years later after The Perfect Child ended. As all of her books, this one is suspenseful and shockingly spine chilling!! You will have goosebumps that will last throughout this entire novella. Dark, twisted and totally insane, if you are a Lucinda Berry fan you do not want to miss out on this one!!! Awesome job Lucinda Berry!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Lucinda Berry for another frightful story to read and review!!! The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley. #lucindaberry. #awelcomereunion
#theperfectchild. #arc

A Welcome Reunion is a short sequel to The Perfect Child, but enough is covered in these pages that doesn’t require you to read the first.

In this short story we follow Lanie, now 18 and getting out of the juvenile system, and her new life as an author and micro-influencer. We revisit the couple that adopted her, Hannah and Christopher, and see how her getting out influences their family. I was originally drawn to The Perfect Child because of the insane and creepy things Lanie did and said, and there was plenty more of that in this. The things she does sends a shiver down my spine!

This was nail-biting, creepy, and dark. It hooked me right from the start. The ending wrapped up a little too quickly for me, but it was satisfying to see an ending for this family.

This author has a way of writing scenes that really get under your skin and you can’t forget. I will continue to go back to her for these reasons, and will recommend this novella to anyone looking for a creepy little story this fall!

I was super excited when I saw this short story sequel to The Perfect Child was available to read now on NetGalley. I'm sorry to say it was somewhat disappointing.

I found the story riveting at the beginning. I really wanted to know what happened to Janie and Hannah and Christopher. While this story did offer closure, it kind of fell flat for me. Everything was wrapped up a little too quickly and unrealistically. Perhaps I would have felt differently if i had read it immediately after reading The Perfect Child, a book I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Lucinda Berry for the ARC. The publication date is August 15, 2023.

What would you do if the child you adopted was set on ruining your family - and would do so no matter what it took? Do you think your family would be strong enough to survive this trauma? A Welcome Reunion hooks you from the first line, making you question everyone and their real intentions. The Bauer family is wrapped up in Janie's clutches, even after spending the last 11 years in jail for killing one of their family members. Now that she is out, and an adult, Janie (now named Hope) is out for revenge. Except, she isn't targeting the people you think she would. Janie has manipulated the youngest Bauer into doing anything - and everything - she wants. Will the Bauers be able to finally rid themselves of Janie? Or is it too late...

I LOVE Lucinda Berry's writing, so I was excited to get to review this one. I want a whole novel about Janie and the Bauers, that's how much I enjoyed this storyline. I was instantly hooked from the very beginning and found myself trying to piece together what was going on before they could (I was always wrong). This short story was not what I expected going into it - in a good way. By the time the ending came around, I was sitting with my jaw wide open. If you are looking for a wild ride from start to finish, give this one a try! (And try out her other books too)

This is a follow up to ‘The Perfect Child’, a book about a family who adopts an evil little girl. The story picks up when she is 18 and out of juvenile detention centers claiming to be reformed and on her redemption tour. But the family who took her in knows it’s all an act and have to stop her from infiltrating their lives again. Was an extension to this story completely unnecessary? Yes. Did I have a fun time revisiting this crazy, twisted world? Also yes!

Thank you @NetGalley and @AmazonOriginalStories for my eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I’m not sure how you review thrillers to be honest, as I very rarely read this genre, even though I’ve found myself pulled towards it in recents weeks. That’s why as soon as I got this one I jumped right to it.

I very rarely pick up Thrillers/Mysteries. I get very easily spooked irl so I’ve never felt pulled towards this type of fiction. But I loved reading some YA thrillers and I’m also a big lover of legal thriller tv series (the tamer the better).

Even though this one was a short story, so definitely a quick read, I genuinely couldn’t put it down, I just had to get to end of it, as if I couldn’t go back to breathing normally until I had reached the final page.

There were a couple of things that really surprised me, which I think it’s the best thing to happen when you’re reading a thriller. How boring would it be if everything is as expected?

Was this book necessary? No. Did I eat it up anyway? Absolutely.

I read The Perfect Child over two years ago and I seriously think about it on the regular so I was very excited to get more to the story. Generally speaking there isn’t a whole lot to write home about - nothing much really happened to be honest - but the few horror moments and twists we got packed a punch.

I think I would’ve rather seen a full sequel than a short story because this did feel rushed (especially the ending) but like I said, i’m glad we at least got more!

I suppose I’m just not used to short stories from Lucinda, but this book was a bit underwhelming. I guess I wish the twist would have been explored a little more before the final blow. I still love you Lucinda!!

This was interesting. It’s a short story, I’d consider it an epilogue of sorts. It’s a follow up to The Perfect Child. I read this as a stand alone. I’ve not read The Perfect Child yet. This book gave just the right amount of details about the past while also leaving some room for suspense. I really want to go back and know the full story. The cliffhanger at the end left me wanting more.

For a short story, A Welcome Reunion packs a HUGE punch!

Janie is 18 years old and recently released from juvenile detention. Now that she is able to live in the real world, she is making a name for herself as an Instagram star and author of a bestselling memoir. She claims to no longer be a sociopath, and intends to live her life as a new person with a clean slate. She even changes her name to Hope to symbolize the change.

Hannah and Christoper are Janie’s (Hope’s) former adoptive parents. They are beyond angry at Janie’s claims in her memoir regarding their parenting skills and alleged abandonment.

I was unaware that this was a sequel to The Perfect Child, but I was able to dive in fully without feeling like I missed something. Hannah’s intentions throughout the novella did have me scratching my head for a few moments, so I’ll be sure to read the prequel to see if those gaps are filled in for me.

Overall, this was a thrilling, fast-paced, and fun (if you’re into reading about sociopaths 🙃) read. I am left with several questions but have hope that the author will return with part three so I can find those answers.

4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of "A Welcome Reunion" by Lucinda Berry, and it turned out to be an unexpected gem that captivated me from the very start. Having never delved into Lucinda Berry's work before, I was pleasantly surprised by how this short story held my attention and refused to let go.

The narrative was so engrossing that I found myself unable to set it aside, eagerly turning page after page. The author's skillful storytelling and engaging writing style drew me in, making it a compelling read that left me yearning for more. While I was thoroughly absorbed, I couldn't help but wish that "A Welcome Reunion" had been developed into a full-fledged novel. The story's conclusion arrived almost too quickly, leaving me desiring a more comprehensive resolution.

Nonetheless, the tale did manage to evoke a lingering sense of satisfaction, even though the resolution felt somewhat lacking. It was only after I reached the story's conclusion that I discovered its connection to "The Perfect Child." This revelation sparked my excitement, and without hesitation, I promptly ordered it.

Thanks to NetGalley, the talented author Lucinda Berry, and Amazon Original Stories for providing me with the opportunity to read this enthralling narrative. This review is a genuine reflection of my thoughts and feelings upon experiencing "A Welcome Reunion."

This is a short novella. A sequel to A Perfect Child. I absolutely loved that book so was happy to see this conclusion to the story of Janie come out. Christopher and Hanna had adopted little Janie after Janie ended up in the ER for child abuse. Christopher fell in love with the little girl who had been through so much.

After adopting Janie, Hannah and Christopher have a child, Cole. By this point Hannah knows there's something definitely wrong with Janie. Something bad. Christopher ignores all of Hannah's fears and protects Janie. Things get worse and worse until Janie pushes Hannah's sister down the stairs and watches her die.

In this novella, Janie is now 19 and has changed her name to Hope. She claims she has been cured and writes a tell all book about her life. What's missing from the book is anything related to her part in her psychopathic behavior. The author asks can some people simply be born bad? Yes. In this case, yes.

even if you didn't read The Perfect Child, there is enough background info in the book to fill you in. It's a short intriguing read and I was pleased with the ending. I took away a star only because I wanted to see what happened to Christopher too. IMO he should have been yeeted just like Janie.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it and highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy. Lucinda Berry has done it again. She has become my favorite author. I was looking forward to this novella, and it did not disappoint. She has become an auto-buy and highly recommended author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

Lucinda Berry can make your skin crawl. Even with a short novella. The ending of this one left me a bit unsatisfied, I wanted more. 3 stars

Holy moly, what an intense read! Really enjoyed this follow up short story to The Perfect Child. Hooked from page 1, could not put it down. Highly recommend!

I’m so glad Lucinda Berry wrote a follow up story with our main character Janie. I did feel that The Perfect Child ended abruptly, so this a nice ending. Love all of Lucinda’s books! Thank you so much NetGalley for the opportunity to read this title.

Lucinda Berry does it again! Even in a short story she shocked us. One of the best thriller writers I have ever read. Thank you for giving us some closure on Janie.

This follows Janie after her “rehabilitation” journey, she is now 18 years old wanting to tell her side of the story. Even the new and improved Janie is able to shake up Hannah’s and Christopher’s world, and of course get under Hannah’s skin the best way she knows how, by reaching those closest to her.

Loved this and read in one day! Lucinda’s writing has a way of dragging you in, you need to know what happens next and the twist are perfection.

I thought this was an excellent follow-up to The Perfect Child and I quite enjoyed Janie’s ending.
As twisted as that might make me 😂

I am so glad that this book was written!! The perfect child is where this story begins and since reading it I have often thought about what happened to Janie. This short story settled that for me! Now that’s some twisted closure!! And I absolutely loved it!! Thank you NetGalley for allowing me access to this eARC! Lucinda Berry this was brilliant!

Thanks to NetGalley for this sequel. Gonna give it the same rating as I gave the book. I think it was pretty similar, and a good follow up. I do think, however, just as I did with the original story, that Christopher and Hannah are dumb and like.. why/how are they still together??