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!

This was well done with believable twists. I enjoyed the mystery as it had me on the edge of my seat.

#bookreview

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I promise you, this will be one of the biggest hits of 2024 !!!

It’s about a woman that is facing an unexpected divorce, that connects with an old crush on Social Media. That’s all you should know going into it!

Samantha Bailey is a deep well of talent and raw emotion and she drilled to the bottom of that well for this book.

This book is definitely her best work, and that’s saying something because her other books set the bar pretty high!

TRUST ME, do NOT miss this book!

Dark, deceptive, and sexy! And I'm obsessed with the pink in this cover! I didn't quite devour this like I did Sam's previous two books, and it took me a minute to get into this story. But, when part two starts and we are given another perspective, I had whiplash! At first I wasn't sure how I felt about that shift, but as the story progressed and I saw that character in a different light, I had a change of heart and started to really feel for the character and their story. And THAT ENDING?!

I was honored to once again find my name in the acknowledgments at the end of this book. I'm proud to be Sam's hype woman and will continue to read and promote anything she writes! Add A FRIEND IN THE DARK to your 2024 TBRs, and watch for it when it comes out on March 1st! You can pre-order it now at the link in my bio!

Thank you so very much, Sam and Tonya, thrillerbookloverspromotions on Instagram, for the e-ARC and for including me on this promotional tour!

Loved this thriller!

Starting as steamy domestic drama and spiralling with twists till the very end - what the hell did just happen?? Several jaw dropping turns, very interesting characters- loved Olly and Ally.
Super fast paced, I’ve read it in two days, great storytelling and plot and very atmospheric.

Sam has created something dark and twisty in her new domestic thriller “A Friend in the Dark”. More sensual in nature this book explores ideas of obsession, painful relationships, and past trauma encompassing the present.

Thank you Thriller Book Lovers Promotion for my eARC. It was one that I couldn’t stop reading. Sam has been one author that I fully invest in the story from Woman On The Edge, leaning into this novel.

Eden is a lost soul whose world has turned upside down in an instant. She is lonely, vulnerable and lost when someone from her past starts giving her attention. From here her world is not the same. The twists and turns that Sam adds into her books kept me reading and wanting more. The vulnerability of the characters added to the suspense of what was to come.

A Friend In The Dark will be released March 1 - you can preorder now.

Ah! One of the best books I’ve read this year (2023) with high tension and interesting plot there was nothing about this book that I didn’t like.

I recommended to all my friends.

In Samantha M. Bailey's latest thriller, prepare for an absolutely gripping experience that demands to be devoured in one sitting. The narrative unfolds with relentless pacing, immediately entangling you in a complex tapestry of marriage drama, betrayal, concealed secrets, and specters of the past that refuse to fade.

Meet Eden Miller, a 45-year-old realtor thrust into upheaval after her husband of two decades, Dave, abruptly ends their marriage without explanation. Nursing her wounds with the solace of alcohol in her now-empty nest, Eden reflects on the pivotal moments that led her to this juncture. The story takes a dramatic turn as it revisits a fateful night at a fraternity party where, in a drunken haze, Eden missed an opportunity with her longtime crush, Justin Ward. Driven by curiosity and perhaps a tinge of regret, she impulsively sends Justin a Facebook friend request, initiating a flirtatious and heated exchange that quickly spirals into unforeseen territory.

Yet, as Eden's connection with Justin deepens, a series of bizarre events ensue—missing house keys, disconcerting comments from Justin, an eerie sense of being surveilled. Doubt creeps in, prompting Eden to question if Justin is an obsessive admirer or if a vengeful force lurks in the shadows. Adding another layer to the mystery is Eden's estranged husband, Dave, whose cryptic behavior and hidden secrets intensify the enigma. The narrative takes an unexpected turn when an alternate perspective emerges, exposing concealed truths and presenting multiple facets of the story.

The novel maintains an exhilarating pace, ensuring readers are kept on the edge of their seats with its enthralling and unputdownable narrative. While some twists may be anticipated, a surprising revelation at the conclusion enriches the story's depth. Acknowledging certain events may seem far-fetched, and the swift development of Justin and Eden's relationship feels instantaneous, these elements contribute to the overall brisk pace, further immersing readers in the storyline.

With a rounded-up rating from 3.5 to 4 stars, this mind-spinning thriller comes highly recommended for enthusiasts of suspense, mystery, and psychological thrillers—offering a perfect, quick-fix solution for those craving an intense reading experience.

A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Tonya Cornish for generously providing me with this digital reviewer copy in exchange for my candid thoughts.

Such a fun and propulsive thriller!

I really enjoyed this book and devoured it so fast. There is something about Bailey’s writing that hooks you right from the start and doesn’t let go until the very end.

I love a well done dual POV and it really increased the suspense for me on this one. There were so many plot twists that kept me guessing and surprised the whole time! I highly recommend that you add this to your TBR because this is one you don’t want to miss!

A page turning Thriller , 5 STARS, “A Friend in the Dark” by USA Today & Nat’l Best Selling Author, Samantha M. Bailey, you won’t be able to put it down!

A middle age, Eden Miller, recently separated with an impending divorce after 20 years of marriage has a teenage daughter,Ava, who hardly wants anything to do with her. Eden is desolate and spontaneously sends a DM to her high school crush, ( bad boy) Justin on Facebook and shockingly he responds immediately. Their relationship develops quickly. From here things get a little heated, questionable and frustrating for Eden.

If Eden only knew why her husband, Dave, wanted a divorce and why Justin said it wasn’t a good idea to come to his house. Ex’s, secrets and Ava acting up at college take any sort of trust off the table. A credit card bill, texts on a cell phone and Ava’s desperate wish for her parents to reconcile take this action-packed thriller to a new level!

A new heated relationship and the discovery of Dave’s hidden truths keep Eden revving for the desire to seek out who she is and what she wants.
A plot-driven thriller with high stakes conflicts keeping you guessing til the very end.

Favorite part: Ava’s determination ( shhh, I can’t tell you anymore)
Favorite character: Eden, there’s nothing like maternal instinct
Favorite description : “The gnarled branches of the sugar maple tree”
I recommend this book for anyone who loves a thriller!
Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions and @netgalley for this opportunity
@sbaileybooks @thomasandmercer
Publish date: March 1, 2024

Bailey has done it again. This hooked me from page 1. Eden and Justin met 20 years ago at a college party and he has been on her mind since one fateful night back when. She decides to reach out via Social Media and thus begins a friendship. Justin knows a little too much about her current affairs, but this does not trigger any alarms. Eden is just happy to be noticed after a crumbled marriage.

This is another page turner by Bailey.

Wow what a fast paced, unstoppable thrilling ride this one was. It was so much fun from beginning to end. Once Bailey has you she will not let you go until the last sentence. Hold your breath and prepare for the ride. It took me a little to be truly hooked, but when you are you won't come up for air.

I really loved the storyline. Even if predictable at times, you'll find yourself totally engrossed. I thought it was well crafted, a great build up and amazing execution. It was definitely a dark story with a little spice which I did enjoy. It was twisty, devious and ultimately deadly.

The characters were totally untrustworthy, I was thrown from one side to the other without ever knowing who to trust. I was second guessing them all from start to finish.

It was such a fun ride to see all the pieces finally click into place and the ultimate train wreck happen. This is definitely a bingeable read that you can finish in a sitting as like me you will want to know the final conclusion.

If you're looking for a fast paced, fun and thrilling ride don't hesitate to add this one to your TBR !

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @thrillerbookloverspromotions & @samanthabailey for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a super twisty psychological thriller that will grab your attention and hold it throughout, look no further! This book had me hooked right from the beginning, and by the time I got to the second POV, I couldn’t put it down. Our main characters are attempting to cope with their damaged and/or dark relationships in the best ways that they can, leading to a some wild decisions and a lot of WTF moments. This book was seriously one twist after another! I went in blind, and I think this was part of the reason why I was so shocked by the twists.

On the day Eden and her husband drop their daughter off at college, Eden's husband tells her he wants a divorce. Six weeks later, while drinkenly celebrating her birthday on her own, Eden messages her old college crush, Justin. Justin is someone she hasn't seen or heard from since a frat party in college. Justin brings out feelings, thoughts, and temptations in Eden that she's never experienced before. She also feels that something isn't quite right. Justin knows things about Eden and her family that she hasn't told him, and she has this creepy feeling that she's being followed. Who is Eden really taking to? When Eden discovers the truth about Justin, it becomes a life or death situation for her and her family.

A Friend In The Dark is a fast-paced, wickedly good twisty thriller. This story is told from the POV of Eden and Olivia. Two women who are, in their own ways, dealing with broken relationships. This book is crazy, it's sexy, and it's dark. It's a psychological thriller that will keep you so engrossed that before you know it, you've almost finished the entire book in one sitting. The twists never stop coming with this one. I've never read a book by Samantha Bailey before, and I was blown away by this one. I will definitely be adding the other works by this author to my tbr pile. 

Release Date: 03/01/2024

Favorite Quote: "...truly experiencing life means letting go of the "supposed to" and embracing the what-ifs."

All you really need to know is that Samantha M. Bailey is a highly skilled thriller writer, but I will give you more than that. I never know what is going to happen in her novels, and they are such a wild ride as a result. Her upcoming thriller, A Friend in the Dark, is no exception to that!

This was a fast read as it was hard to put down. When I had to get back to real life, I was thinking about the characters and what would happen next for them. There were lots of interesting twists. I thought I could figure some things out, but then other parts would completely surprise me. It was definitely suspenseful and some parts were even disturbing.

My only concern is minor, in that I was expecting the prologue to come back into play somehow and was confused when it didn't. However, that didn't take away from how well executed this story was.

I am always going to be a fan of Samantha's writing and already can't wait until her next thriller, even though this one has yet to officially be released. (Be on the lookout in March!)

(Trigger warning below)

Movie casting suggestions:
Eden: Rachel McAdams
Olivia: Rose Byrne
Justin: Colin Farrell
Dave: Eric Winter
Ava: Kylie Rogers

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TW: Domestic violence; potential date rape

This book was such a page turner, how do I know ?
I sit down to read this book and the moment I want to stop reading it, I didn’t realize I was already more than halfway through reading it!

The story is told in multiple POVs and also divided into three parts. I really like the 2nd and 3rd parts where the truths start to come out one by one.
There’s also a couple unexpected twists throughout the story especially near the ending that really surprised me as well.

As for the characters, it took a while for me to really like Eden’s character because I got annoyed with her poor decision making skill, however at one side I also can understand her feelings regarding the situation she's in which can cloud her judgment.

Then there’s Olivia, I don’t know what to say about her to be honest… she’s a very complex character and it was interesting to get to know her story. I really enjoy following this story through her POV.

One thing I wish differently is only about the flashbacks, sometimes it happen too abruptly in the middle of something going on in the present time which can be slightly confusing.

Nevertheless, I feel satisfied with the ending, it was wrapped up nicely – the mystery from that night party 20 years ago is finally solved along with the main characters finally on the process of healing and to a better future.
I’m looking forward to read more books from this author in the future!

Thank you to ThrillerBookLoversPromotions, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: stalking, kidnapping, mental illness, domestic abuse, death

Samantha Bailey is a new to me author and I can’t wait to read her other books! This book kept me on the edge of my seat, there was so much!

Eden drops her freshman only-child daughter, Ava, off at college and wonders what she will do with her life. When her and her husband return home, he informs her that he wants a divorce turning her life upside down. Her 45th birthday comes up and she begins reminiscing about the past. She thinks about a former flame and sends him a Facebook message, they begins virtual friendship that seems strange from the get go. I found myself yelling at Eden to do the opposite of what she was doing throughout the book.

This book was truly a roller coaster read, o couldn’t put it down. I wanted to devote a day to it but I was so busy. Each twist was better than the last. If you are looking for a fast paced, easy to read thriller, get this book in March!

Thank you to Samantha M. Bailey, Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley, and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Funny enough this is my first book I've read by Samantha Bailey! I know, I know...... but I can tell you it definitely won't be my last!

Have you ever been so vulnerable in your life due to a loss, divorce, death, or just the hardships in life? And, your longing for a friend to help take that pain away. We have to be careful when were in that deep state of vulnerability because we can attract the wrong type of people or energy.

Eden has been going through a tough time with her daughter gone to college and her husband asking for a divorce. She is lonely and can't stop thinking about the "one" that got away in college bad boy Justin. She decides to friend request him and he accepts and it takes off from there.

I had my reservations on Eden. She was a little over the top with being naive and very easily manipulated. At times, I was so frustrated with her decisions based on red flag city I was screaming girl are you dumb? Justin also just creeped me out to begin with..... I knew he was already lying from the beginning but wondering about what.

But, I was invested and so many twists and turns and it Bailey definitely leads you onto a darker path then readers expect.

While, this book was a bit predictable for our experienced thriller readers, it was still a a fun ride to jump on. I definitely appreciated watching the train fall off those tracks ;).

It is definitely a bingeable book that you can read in a day or two!

Thank you so much to Thriller Book Lovers Promotion and Thomas & Mercer for my copy.

Pub date: March 1st, 2024

Eden'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, she sends a friend request to her college crush, Justin. One night twenty-three years ago changed the course of her life. It closed the door on Justin and opened it to her husband, Dave. Eden begins an online relationship with Justin that awakens her to take bold risks. But something's off. He knows too much about her and her family. Eden is forced to track down the truth about Justin—and about what happened that fateful night two decades ago that puts her and her family in a fight for their lives.

A FRIEND IN THE DARK is a suspenseful tale of a woman yearning to feel wanted that leads to an unexpected game of survival. Eden is sometimes relatable, although her lonely mentality overpowers her personality considerably. I can understand why since her husband, Dave, blindsided her with divorce, and her teenage daughter didn't treat her the best. Eden had no one else to make her feel seen until Justin, her past crush, returned to the picture. Their blooming online relationship, oof, was spicy! Samantha, if you ever decide to write smut, I may read it. The sexy scenes were body tingling, even if I didn't necessarily like Justin, for reasons you'll have to find out!

Once the secondary POV comes into play and we're introduced to another narrator, that's where all the fun begins! I couldn't stop reading until I figured out what the heck was going on. The twist packed a punch, and there was a moment when I was legitimately on the edge of my seat. Eden's family were put through the wringer! I wouldn't want to wish that on my worst enemy. It was so deliciously messy that I couldn't contain my excitement as it unfolded. By the end, I thought it wrapped up a bit too neatly, but then Bailey said guess again! That last page now has me questioning if a possible sequel is underway. Need answers, Sam! The grass isn't always greener on the other side, and A FRIEND IN THE DARK will show you just that.

A Friend in the Dark is a deliciously twisty, deeply addicting, dark and sexy domestic thriller from the absolutely fabulous @sbaileybooks and I loved it!

I love books that kick off right into the action. From Chapter 1 you know you are about to go on a ride, and every chapter following did nothing but deliver the salacious, juicy, dramatic goods. I devoured this book, and loved the Desperate Housewives-esq vibe - a wife unexpectedly abandoned by her husband, a university bound daughter who resents her, a birthday alone that inspires a reconnection with an old flame…but what happens when that old flame might be more dangerous than you could know - literally a recipe for spicy reading.

This is genuinely perfect escapism reading, that will delight suspense readers and anyone who enjoys a good dramatic soap opera. Put this one on those spring wish lists, you cannot miss it!

Thank you to the publisher for the copy. @sbaileybooks I truly cannot figure out how you dream these books up but I hope you never stop.