I did not finish this book- I rarely don't finish a book. I had to force myself to pick it up but could not get into the story. Did not like the plot or characters.

4.5 STARS

A Friend in the Dark was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024, and I was thrilled when I was asked to join in on the book tour. Having read and loved Samantha Bailey’s first two books, Woman on the Edge and Watch Out for Her, I knew I was in for a twisty treat.

A Friend in the Dark follows Eden, a 45 year old mother of one, whose husband just asked for a divorce on the day they dropped their daughter off at college. Feeling confused, lonely, and unwanted, Eden reaches out to a former college crush. Surprisingly, he answers right away, and thus begins an online relationship that will reveal a web of dark secrets and lies.

I went into this one blind because I didn’t want any spoilers, and I already knew Samantha Bailey wouldn’t disappoint. The start of the book is more of a slow-burn, but I was incredibly curious where it was all going, especially since everything seemed tame and innocent at first. I also had mixed feelings about Eden. At times I wanted to yell “what are you doing” and other times I completely understood her feelings. But one thing is for sure—I couldn’t keep my eyes off the page. I needed to know what she would do next and where it would lead. She is most definitely a character that will draw you in, regardless of what you feel.

In part two the pace really picks up, and we are introduced to a new POV, one that I totally didn’t see coming! As the two POVs converge, my pulse was pounding. There are several surprising plot twists and many red herrings along the way to really make you second guess yourself.

If you’re looking for something quick, dark, and with just a little dash of spice, then this book is definitely for you. Bailey gives us her signature strong female characters but went a little on the darker side here and it totally paid off.

Thank you so much to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Samantha Bailey for my gifted ARC, and for including me on this tour.

It all started with a simple drunk friend request..😳😂… Which resulted in this FANTASTIC thriller!! 👏👏

Like I was saying… Eden is newly seperated…and it’s her first birthday 🎂 alone… 🥺… OMG step away from the Facebook Eden!! Please!! 🍷🍷🍷 After having a couple of drinks.. she decides it a good idea to look up her crush from college… 😬… This could go one of two ways… 🤔..

Umm stalker much?!! 😳 This quickly turned into quite a crazy, creepy, twisted ride!! Who is following Eden?? How does her long lost crush know her every move??? 😳🤷‍♀️ Don’t even getting me started on her husband!! 😯 I had no clue what he was up to either!! 😳 Just how many SHOCKED face emoji’s can I include in my review?? 😂

This book was such a fast binge read!! I couldn’t put it down! This was my first @sbaileybooks .. Crazy right?! I need to grab her backlist!! 😍😍 Highly recommend adding this!!! 😉

Thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasAndMercer for the book #AFriendInTheDark by #SamanthaMBailey. This book had me on the edge of my seat with the digital romance that starts between ex lovers. It is steamy and pack with drama and danger.

A Friend in the Dark is like one of those Lifetime Mystery Movies, but waaaaaay better. So pretty much anything you would expect out of one of those movies, expect that with this book and more! This was my first book by Samantha M Bailey but it won’t be my last! I love the different POVs that we get in this story. The main character, Eden, can be a bit naive and frustrating at times. But given what she was going through, it can be expected. We also have Olivia’s POV which gives more depth to this story. We really get to see multiple sides to it but it also kept me wondering what exactly was going on! This is a fast paced book that you won’t want to put down. There are so many twists in this book! Definitely recommend it!

If you could reconnect with someone from your past would you? What if they were a person you were very attracted to and you are just getting out of a marriage? Eden is faced with this exact situation and jumps at the chance to reconnect with an old flame (or missed flame). What I loved about the book is how well you get to know the characters. I knew something was up but didn’t know what it was. The book has a twist that I was shocked and I can’t say more without spoiling it. This is a book you will love if you enjoy a good gaslighting story. I loved this book and am glad to add it to my Read pile!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars for A FRIEND IN THE DARK

This book lived up to the hype. It was OUTSTANDING. Eden is wallowing self-pity after recently separating from her husband and after a few drinks reaches out to an old friend room college. This book takes off at an unbelievable fast pace making it very easy to get into. Eden was vulnerable and didn't realize what would happen or what can of worms she was opening up by reaching out tho her college classmate Justin. Immediately Justin comes off as creepy and you just get a general feeling that something isn't right. This book was packed with suspense, a little spice, and you can easily finish it in one sitting it's so addictive!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another twisty, dark, and addictive thriller that I absolutely loved by @sbaileybooks !!! Samantha Bailey ALWAYS keeps me guessing, and there were so many layers to uncover in this book. Eden was a really relatable character…even though she was a tad bit unhinged. I loved how she was middle-aged and starting her life all over again. What woman doesn’t want to feel desired by an old flame?? Is Justin too good to be true? This book had me invested until the very end!!!

Add this wild, spicy, creepy ride to your TBR NOW!!

Wow, this book should come with a warning! This is exactly why you should never try and befriend an old flame on Facebook!
This book also delves into topics such as marital issues, parenthood and past trauma, and they are exquisitely handled. A great read!

A Friend in the Dark follows Eden, a woman in her mid-forties going through a divorce, as she embarks on a new relationship with an old flame. But is he really who he claims to be? Eden knew Justin in college, but has recently reconnected with him via Facebook. There are some steamy scenes and you start to wonder if Justin could be too good to be true. Eden's life is at a crossroads, her long-term marriage is splitting up and her daughter is now in college. I found the first half a little slow, but then was fully invested in the second half when things really started happening. Strange things keep happening to Eden leading her to believe that she's being stalked. I loved how we're not entirely sure what's going on with Justin until the second half of the story. It really kept me guessing. I wasn't sure who the villain was or where this story would go. I definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a book that will keep you interested and guessing.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Wow! This book is a book you CANNOT put down. It was so well written and I loved it from beginning to end! This is a quick read that you can finish in a day or two, and you will—trust me! I loved the multiple points of view! I felt like Eden was relatable- a woman going through a separation with her husband looks up a guy she was super into in college on FB and friend requests him. From there they start chatting and having a “sexual” (sexting) and emotional relationship. She meets Lila, another divorced woman and befriends her. Little does she know there is more to Lila than meets the eye!

You will 100% want to read this when it comes out on MARCH 1!

I’m unsettled. I guess that’s how I can best describe how I feel after reading this. I love a book that I keep thinking about after finishing and this one is definitely on my mind. The end really left me hanging and dying for another installment!

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Thomas and Mercer for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a great twisty thriller that kept me guessing. Eden's husband just left her and she is feeling lonely and vulnerable and decides to look up her first love, Justin. She becomes friends with him on Facebook and reconnect via chat. She is excited about this connection and starts thinking about what life would be if she chose him.

I will say that though this is a romantic suspense, there isn't much romance. Eden's naivety sort of drove me bonkers and would not consider this romance because there on wooing and just exchange of texts and not a lot of feelings.

The second half of the book picked up with the twists and I really enjoyed it.

Well, now I can see why people rave about this author! I have 2 of her other books on my shelf unread and will need to rectify that asap. Talk about a wild ride! So many shocking twists and turns, I certainly didn’t see any of them coming.

Our main character Eden was so frustrating! I just wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up. I get it, she was in a bad place and just wanted to feel good about herself again but there are better ways to do that girl! The dangers of the online world , so easy to get carried away.

This is a juicy and highly bingeable read. There was certainly much more steam than ai am used to in a thriller, but it all went with the storyline so it worked.

Thanks so much to Thomas and Mercer, NetGalley and Thriller Book Promotions for my advanced copy to read. Published on March 1st

What happens when a divorcèe, an asshole, a battered woman, and a sociopath all get together? Samantha Bailey’s 𝘼 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙠, that’s what. This one had me hook, line, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 sinker right from the prologue all the way until the end!

Read this if you:
✨are likely to use Facebook DMs to reconnect with an old flame
✨have ever snapped a dirty pic—and sent it
✨find a 45-year-old divorcèe with a snotty teenager entirely relatable

This was my first taste of Bailey’s work and I’ll absolutely be going back for seconds! 𝘼 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙠 releases March 1st—and it’s a binge-worthy one you’ll want to add to your #thrillerlovingtbr!

Thank you kindly to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, @sbaileybooks, and @thrillerbookloverspromotions for the review copy & exclusive tour opportunity!

The word "dark" in the title of Samantha Bailey's newest release is certainly fitting!
Thank you to @thrillerbookloverspromotions for my eARC of A Friend In The Dark for the book tour review!
I've been a fan of @sbaileybooks books since her debut with Woman On The Edge, then her follow-up Watch Out For Her.
A Friend In The Dark definitely keeps the streak going. Once I started the book, I couldn't put it down.
This novel is Sam's wildest yet. It's dark, edgy, and doesn't hold back on the reveals and twists.
But it's also about damaged women trapped in painful relationships and past events that are spilling into the present.
Told from the dual-POVs of Eden and Olivia, I was second-guessing the entire time. Both women are lost souls, in questionable marriages, but one is much more damaged than the other.
A Friend In The Dark will be released on March 1 - you can preorder now! Recommended.

Pub: March 1, 2024

Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions for including me on this tour!

I’ve been a big fan of @sbaileybooks writing since Woman On The Edge and it was a literal birthday gift to receive an early copy of A Friend in the Dark to read and review!

Brace yourself for wild characters, secrets, lies, and loads of juicy drama. A Friend in the Dark reminds me of the ‘90s and early 2000s “romantic” thrillers like Unfaithful and A Perfect Murder that I’ve always loved. Bailey totally nails (pun intended) that same addictive combo of spice and suspense. The plot is fast-paced, the writing is descriptive and the twists are so well done.

Eden, oh, Eden…. I want to give you a big hug and tell you to put down your phone. At the same time, her desire to feel loved and wanted as a woman is relatable. Bailey writes strong female characters. They may have flaws or be vulnerable, but they are also multi-dimensional, have agency and are just plain interesting to read.

This is a must-read that won’t disappoint—binge-worthy and addictive. It may only be January, but I know this will be one of my 2024 faves!

A FRIEND IN THE DARK is the second book that I've read by Samantha M. Bailey. It was a story that kept me up late. I couldn't stop thinking about it and was shocked by the ending. These are all the things that I enjoy the most when I read a good thriller. I highly recommend getting a copy!

Many Thanks, to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Samantha M. Bailey for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! (And to Thriller Book Lovers for the exclusive access!)

This was a fantastic, twisty, bingeable thriller. And if you don’t believe me, I finished in less than 24 hours!

The twists seemingly never stopped coming, and I loved that we got more POV chapters than just Eden (I won’t say who since I feel it’s a spoiler).

Fans of Bailey’s previous books will undoubtedly enjoy this one as well.

A Friend in the Dark will be on US bookshelves March 1!

A digital romance turns deadly in this sensual domestic thriller from USA Today bestselling author Samantha M. Bailey.
Eden Miller’s world is crumbling. Her husband blindsided her with divorce, and her daughter barely speaks to her. In an impulsive decision to escape her present and revisit the past, she sends a friend request to her college crush, Justin Ward.
One night twenty-three years ago changed the course of her life. It closed the door on Justin and opened the door to her husband, Dave. But what if Eden could have a do-over?
Eden begins an online relationship with Justin that awakens her in ways she never thought possible, and his voice and words make her take bold risks. But something’s off. He knows too much about her and her family…he’s been following her.
Eden is forced to awaken from her fantasy and look for answers—who really is the man on the other line? The truth about Justin—and about what happened that fateful night two decades ago—puts her and her family in a fight for their lives.

An original, creepy, and compulsive thriller. I read it in an afternoon because I needed to know what happened. I loved how relatable Eden was and the authentic anxieties a 45 year old would have after being away from dating for 20 years. I also enjoyed getting the different POV’s. This is a fast paced story and there is a very good twist I didn’t see coming. I love when that happens! This is my first Samantha Bailey book and I’ll be looking into her previous novels.

Publication date is March 1, 2024!

Thank you to @thrillerbookloverspromotion and @sbaileybooks for my advance eArc of A Friend in the Dark. I’m so happy to be participating in this exclusive book tour!