This book was SOOO bingeable! I finished it in less than 24 hours. This one had me hooked from the start, the chapters were quick, and it had multiple POV’s.

This one is focused around a woman who was blindsided by her husband with wanting a divorce right after they dropped their daughter off at college. Eden, the MC finds herself alone, confused, heartbroken, and questioning everything. After some time, she reaches out to an old crush from her college days and they immediately hit it off. THINGS GET WILD!

Eden drove me crazy, and was very unreliable but I also loved her at the same time! This book was so well written and I loved the twists! An absolute must read, in my opinion!

Eden Miller’s life is in chaos. On the day they drop her daughter off at college, Eden’s husband tells her he wants a divorce. Crushed and lonely, when she comes across an old flame on Facebook, she sends him a friend request. Soon she and Justin are sharing flirty, sexy messages and before she knows it, Eden is in deep. Eventually Eden realizes something’s off about the whole situation – Justin knows way too much about things she never told him. Is Eden’s romance putting her and her family in danger?

Holy CRAP, this book! Fast-paced, twisty, dramatic, and a little steamy, it grabbed me right away and kept me gripped the entire time. I’m only a few years younger than Eden, and even though she’s a bit naïve and makes some bad decisions, she’s also super relatable. The short chapters and non-stop action kept me turning the pages, and I ended up reading this book in just two sittings. I didn’t want it to end, but I also couldn’t stop reading – it’s just that good!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for inviting me to be a party of this exclusive early tour and for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Thank you @sbaileybooks and @thrillerbookloverspromotions for the #gifted copy of this book!

Wooo hoo! This was a wild crazy ride. I flew through this book as it was non stop twists and turns. It starts out with Eden dropping her college daughter off at school and her long time husband Dave promptly asking for a divorce! She was nervous about being an emptynester but wasn’t expecting for her nest to be so empty with no hubby either! As she fumbles her way through the next few weeks she stumbles upon a past love interest online who completely sweeps her off her feet. All the attention makes her feel like she’s 18 and in love for the first time. As time goes on however, Eden senses something is off in her life. Is it her soon to be ex? The new love interest? Or something else all together?

This was my first by this author and what I loved was the action packed storyline! It was stressful to watch the blast from the past obsession unfold and how Eden’s reckless behavior dug her a deeper hole than she could climb out of. The desire to be wanted was definitely a driver here and it felt a bit like watching a midlife crisis unravel. Eek! Without giving away any spoilers I will say there is a very frustrating character that gaslights Eden in a way that I found myself wanting to yell “Run!” the entire time! This was a perfectly bingeable, relatable, dark thrilling book that I flew through. I cannot wait to read more by Ms. Bailey! Make sure to add this one to your TBR!

Ohh this book. It took me a bit to get into it, admittedly. Eden was a frustrating lead character - naive, easily manipulated, and a bit whiny. But about 35% in, I was totally hooked.

Eden's relationship with Justin - a flame sparked after 20 years - was a bit sad but it was also so very entertaining. Eden was clearly desperate for some positive affirmation and fell hook, line and sinker for Justin's charm. Red flags were jumping out at every corner and I was shouting at Eden through the book - ARE YOU STUPID?! But sometimes it's just so fun to be so invested in a protagonist!

I also loved all the little nuggets strewn throughout. Had someone been in Eden's house? Was someone following her? Was something more sinister going on? When the book takes a turn for the darker world of BDSM, I was truly enthralled! I didn't know who or what to trust and kept questioning everything.

While some of this novel was a little bit predictable for the experienced thriller reader, it was such a stellar ride. I had so much fun seeing how everything fit together, experiencing the character growth, and watching the train wreck unfold.

This is one of those books that you can totally binge in a sitting or two, and I definitely recommend doing just that! Once I was hooked, I really didn't want to put it down!

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Thomas & Mercer for the copy.

A dark, twisty and sexy ride from one of Canadas Thriller Queens. Baileys 3rd novel takes us to Ann Arbor Michigan while our main character Eden struggles with her present and her past. When the two come colliding together, no one is safe! I always enjoy Baileys writing and her ability to switch between narrators. A bit more development on the characters themselves would have been welcomed.

I really enjoyed Samantha M. Bailey previous book Watch Out For Her so couldn't wait for this one. When I saw early reviews appearing my FOMO was twitching and I begged to get a copy.

I didn't read the blurb, I went in blind and recommend you do the same to experience the full shocking whiplash...

Eden Miller's life is in tatters, her husband has left her, seeking divorce, her teenage daughter barely speaks to her. An impulsive decision to revisit her youth and escape the present sees her messaging her college crush, Justin Ward.

Could the flirty messages with hunk Justin be the start of an new exciting love or is she asking for trouble?

At the start it feels familiar, another unhappy newly single woman relearning to live after marriage, but hold on tight, because this goes deeper, darker and more twisted.

Samantha M. Bailey creates this comfortable suburban scene, tapping into Eden's need to move on and rebuild her life and then though expert plotting sets up a succession of huge twists and reveals that had me completely hooked. The threat and tension ramps up beautifully and the acceleration in pace will take your breath away.

The build up to the finale and the finale itself is breathtaking. There's a very real nerve jangling threat to the characters while your brain is trying to piece together all the reveals.

A wild ride and definitely highly recommended.


Thanks to Thriller Book Lover Promotions and Netgalley

Well this was a fun one! Told from two POV in three parts, this was a wild ride of bad decisions and the consequences of messing with the wrong guy (even when they seem like the right one). I found I enjoyed Olivia’s POV better than Eden’s as Eden seemed a bit too OTT with her denseness at times but that didn’t detract from the enjoyment this book provided me…I could see this being a great beach read so would recommend for sure!

The back of my head slams against the wall…

…I close my eyes and fall, unafraid, into the moment.

These are the bookends of Samantha M. Bailey’s A Friend in the Dark, the very first and very last sentences, and, if you think those are explosive, you should read all of what’s contained between them.

This is my favorite Samantha M. Bailey book so far. It's an easy one-sitting binge, because it's impossible to look away from once you're drawn in by the very first sentence. It's also impossible not to want Eden to find happiness, even though you know she's going about it in all the wrong ways. I loved it!

A Friend in The Dark by Samantha Bailey is an evocative, thought provoking read. Eden, our main character, is 45 (my age) and brings up the question of the path not taken. As she navigates a whole new life after being abandoned by her husband, she begins to explore a whole new side of herself. Her journey is relatable in some aspects and it’s really nice reading a book that focuses on a woman in her 40’s. The second POV really ramped up the tension and fear. I was stunned by each revelation as they kept coming at me. Bailey has created the perfect thriller, one with suspense, steam and superb writing.

Eden, recently separated, begins an online relationship with a man from her past, one she had a crush on back in college. Her soon to be ex-husband Dave has always been nice and safe but Justin has awakened something within her, making her feel wanted and desired. But with each interaction, Eden starts to question why Justin seems to know details about her life that she’s sure she hasn’t shared 🤔.

I loved the direction @ took with this book! Not only was it a fast paced and twisty domestic thriller, it was a look into the life of a wife and mother who finds herself suddenly discarded and alone, grasping for answers and questioning her life. Eden is one of those characters that you kind of want to shake but she’s also very relatable and you can feel her desperation and need for validation. Buckle up and enjoy some questionable characters, secrets and lies and all the juicy drama.

Definitely put this on your radar, you won’t be disappointed 😉. Binge worthy, addictive, sexy and a bit risqué, this was such a fun read.

This one was a bit different - definitely more 🌶️ than most books in this genre . Each part of the book had me thinking the book was going in a certain direction and the boom - it went a different way ! So of course I ended up staying late to finish the book because I just had to know the ending.. which was good but I dunno I wanted a different ending for these characters somehow 🤷🏼‍♀️

The book is gripping and unputdownable. It’s a real page turner. It has twists and turns. Things changes unexpectedly when Eden decides to revisit the past to rekindle the love and heal herself but things takes a different turn and the truth unveils. She had a husband and a daughter but after divorce, all she has left with is loneliness. Justin Ward makes her feel good but there are secrets he is keeping from her. What if his secrets will keep her life at stake? Will things work between Eden and her daughter? Will she find her happiness again?

The author has written a twisty domestic psychological thriller with a deceiving characters. I liked the revelation about Olivia. The suspense and mystery kept me at the edge of my seat. The ending was a bit terrifying but good. It has secrets, truth, revenge and complicated relationships. The author has also expressed the pain of a mother and wife when things fall apart. This is such a brilliant and twisted book.

Thank you Netgalley, Author and Publisher

Holy cow, stop my speeding heart! The epitome of a fast-paced thriller, A Friend in the Dark can only truly be compared to the one and only Freida McFadden. Twisty to the extreme, unbelievably dark, and with just the right amount of spice, my mind was well and truly blown away by Bailey’s magnificently plotted domestic thriller tour de force. I mean, I, for one, didn’t see that first twist coming AT ALL, and the blindingly good bombshells didn’t stop there in the least.

The characters were truly something to behold as well, in my opinion. With motivations and behaviors that ran the gamut from innocently naïve to deeply disturbed, this dual POV tale had me second guessing everyone from start to finish. Don’t get me wrong, each was just the right amount of over-the-top, but only in the best possible way.

The plot was where this story utterly shined, however. A rocketing rollercoaster of foreboding and suspense, each time I thought I had it all figured out, I was happily proved one hundred percent wrong. And that climax! What can I say? Delivered at the perfect moment and in the ultimate setting, it kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page.

If there was anything at all in which I could find fault with, it had to do with the mildly open-ended conclusion. For someone who lives and dies by finales that are wrapped up with perfect, tiny, little bows, this one was somewhat missing that piece of the puzzle. So here’s hoping that it merely means a sequel is on the horizon, because if there’s one thing I’d love, it would be the reprisal of all things borderline personality disorder.

All in all, this book was a ride and a half. Already a diehard fan of Samantha M. Bailey, A Friend in the Dark merely cemented her name on my auto-buy author list. Driven both by the sublime characters and the action packed plot, it also made me think long and hard about the road not taken. After all, it was a rare fictional glimpse into middle-aged life, only this one was filled with blinding obsessions, long-buried secrets, and hidden desires. Take it from me, this book is not one to be missed so be sure to add the title to your TBR ASAP. Rating of 4.5 stars (upgraded).

I truly admire Samantha Baileys’s ability to weave imperfect characters that you can’t help but root for while driving suspense from start to finish. She strikes a perfect balance between a character driven and a plot driven story. I connected with main character Eden, and found myself invested in her story and all the insanity she faces. So much so, I gobbled up this book in less than a day. I love everything Samantha Bailey’s written, and I can’t recommend her books enough.

Samantha M. Bailey's latest is a tense, acerbic domestic thriller. Intricately plotted, Bailey is a master at manipulating her reader—she cleverly delivers on so many levels. Her characters are well-developed and propel the expertly paced story.

And the ending...I was completely gobsmacked.

A FRIEND IN THE DARK is slick, twisty, and suspenseful. HIGHLY recommend!

This is my first Samantha Bailey book. It starts out sexy, when Eden finds herself separated and completely alone after dropping her only child off at college. I was so devastated for her. She reaches out to her college crush,Justin, and their online interaction has the heat turned up to 11. Eden feels like she's getting her mojo back.

It's a thriller, not a romance, so it's not all sexy times. Things start to go terribly awry for Eden, and the intensity turns up. This is an edge of your seat thriller, and I had no idea what was coming. So many brilliant twists and turns.

It was addictive and compulsively readable. I highly recommend it!

Holy wow! This one was so suspenseful and I found myself holding my breath at times!

After dropping their daughter at college, in the parking lot there, Eden's husband Dave tells her he wants a divorce and drives away. She is heartbroken. After wallowing a bit, she has a bit of wine on her birthday alone and looks up Justin, a college crush, on social media. They begin chatting and things get spicy fast. Eden finds herself doing things she never thought she'd do.

Things get a little odd and Justin starts to know things about her that Eden could swear she didn't tell him. Eden finds herself in a situation she isn't sure she can get out of. And she's in for a wild ride!

This one was very twisty and fast paced, and it took some turns I didn't see coming. Having been in that divorce situation, I found Eden somewhat relatable, but man some of the choices she made had me wondering!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to Thomas and Mercer, Samantha Bailey and Thriller Book Lover Promotions for the ARC! “A Friend in the Dark” releases in 2024!

Eden Miller’s world is falling apart. On the day she brings her daughter to college, her husband blindsides her with a divorce. Her daughter blames her and they barely speak anymore. On her birthday, after a few too many glasses of wine, Eden sends her former college crush Justin a friend request. After all, Justin was essentially the one that got away before she met and married her husband. She’s startled, but delighted, when Justin gets back to her almost immediately. He knows just the right things to say and makes Eden feel alive in a way she never has before. But Justin seemingly knows too much about Eden and her family. Just who is this man Eden has opened up her life to?

When I first started reading this story, I found myself thinking how relatable Eden was. I think most women have felt the way she was feeling, maybe not in such extremes, but to the point of being lonely and just wanting to be seen, wanting someone to choose you. But she had no idea what she was getting into with Justin! Told in dual timelines, Eden’s past with Justin unfolded as she embarked on a new relationship with him in the present. I was immediately sucked into both stories, wanting to know more about Justin and Eden’s prior relationship and how it played a role in the present. Unable to put this book down, I was shocked when I saw I had 70% read in one sitting. Definitely binge worthy, I finished it in a day and was sad that it had to end! This was my first Samantha Bailey book but definitely won’t be the last!

Wow, this book is a WILD ride!

I just want to start my review by saying, I read this book in a day. I absolutely could not set it down. It’s quick and fast paced. I really enjoyed the multiple POV and seeing the story from both women, it definitely kept me wondering what in the heck was going on. I was clued into some of the plot twists but was totally wrong about how they actually played out. I really enjoyed the plot in general, online dating is so popular anymore but I have yet to read a book where it is the forefront. This book not only did but did it well. I was throughly engrossed in the world Bailey created.

The only thing I didn’t enjoy was how unbelievable the ending felt. I don’t want to spoil anything but there are things at the end that didn’t feel realistic to me.

Thank you to the publisher for this advanced copy!

This book went to the top of my TBR the second I read the synopsis.
Can I just say how much I loved reading a book with a FMC that's my age, and going through relatable life events? Eden was an absolute wreck in every way imaginable (I loved it and I couldn't look away), and her failure to see all the flashing red flags made for quite a thriller! This was a quick, exciting read!

Thank you so much to Thomas & Mercer, and @thrillerbookloverspromotions for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pub Date: February 29, 2024