The age of online dating is intense in this thriller by Samantha M. Bailey as Eden engages in an online conversation that leads her on an adventure for the truth. A drama-filled entertaining read with great characters and an ending I did not see coming. As the end of the book nears one goes down a winding road to a realization that nobody really knows who is on the other end in the digital world.

I received this eARC from NetGalley and 8th Note Press in exchange for an honest review.
📚THE PLOT:

This is an easy read that I flew through in one sitting. Eden, a 45-year-old woman whose husband has just asked for a divorce after they dropped their only daughter off at college, one day Eden gets drunk and decides to look up her college crush. Justin Ward was gorgeous in college and every girl wanted him, begins chatting online with him to rekindle their old relationship and he gave her everything she needed. She's even sexting for the first time in her life and she's never felt more desirable and alive. Only the unexpected happens.

💭MY THOUGHTS:

This was a twisty thriller. I had no idea where it was going, but had to keep reading with every chapter. I loved the plot twist. I didn't see it coming, to be honest, until the end, when it all came together.

Twisty book that keeps you interested until the end. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a review.

A Friend in the Dark is a fast paced and suspenseful thriller filled with twists, secrets, lies, and so much more. I flew through this novel, I couldn't put it down. I love the writing style and how chilling the dual POVs were written, I was utterly captivated.

Thank you netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for my review copy!

Eden Miller's daughter has just left for college and her husband announced he wants a divorce, leaving Eden lonely and feeling rejected. After a few glasses of wine, she sends her college crush a friend request and, to her surprise, he doesn't just accept it, he initiates a digital romance that re-energizes her and makes her feel desirable again. But everything is not what it seems, of course! This is a fast-paced family drama that that evolves into psychological suspense, and Bailey keeps both Eden and the reader a little off-balance, trying to figure out what's going on. The characters felt real, although some of the situations they found themselves in did not, and some just seemed a bit bizarre, but that does make for a good, unpredictable thriller!

Wow, this book is as twisty as it gets. There is so much going on that you just don’t see coming. There is a multi narrative going on. (Not at the beginning) which really helps you understand so much of what is going on. It’s a pretty quick read, one you will definitely speed through to find out what happens next. I’ve read and enjoyed another book by the author and will look out for more in the future.

I requested this book because I saw Crime By The Book reading and raving about it. Usually her recommendations are hit or miss for me but this was a hit! It was enthralling and easy to read in one sitting.

This is one messed up book. (I like messed up books, so this is a compliment).

I got The Wife Between Us vibes, and then a bit of Verity as well.

This was a wild ride of a book that's for sure. Wow.

Thank you NetGalley for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So good!! That twist at the end was everything. Such a page turner!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

The plot twist on plot twist was amazing! I love this book so much and would 100% recommend it to a friend.

Thank u netgalley for the arc! 💌

Wow! Great thriller, fast paced and easy to read. I couldn't put it down. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

While we might not want to admit it, sometimes we think "what if". What if we chose a different fork in the road, what if things didn't happen the way they did, and what happens if you're given another chance? Eden's life has collided with a person from her past, one she never got off her mind and one who could tell her exactly what happened that night. Eden's in a rough spot in her marriage and runs across a suggested friend online. What could it hurt - just a quick tap and then the conversation begins. Eden's a bit of an unpredictable narrator. Readers will be turning the pages until the very last word and maybe reconsidering reconnecting with those from their past.

This was a letdown of a read for me. Although I really enjoyed Bailey’s two previous novels, “A Friend In The Dark” was a miss for me. I read it very quickly, but felt the story was a bit all over the place and just wrapped up swiftly. Although the story had potential, it was just a little too over the top for me and had too many weird sub-storylines that didn’t really contribute.
I hope to enjoy her next book more.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

If you like thrillers, read this book! I had no idea what a ride I was in for. I didn't read the recap, so went in blind. I read it very fast, because it was very fast paced, and had you thinking every single character was "the bad guy". I highly recommend it if you are a thriller reader.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to read this advanced copy.

I was really looking forward to this one and finished feeling really underwhelmed. It had all the elements I enjoy in a thriller but for some reason, I found myself unexcited to pick it up and when I was reading, I felt really bored. Could just be a timing thing but overall I didn’t enjoy this one. That’s not to say you won’t! 2.5⭐️

I love Samatha Bailey's writing, so I was super excited to read this one. Well, it didn't disappoint! This book is a prime example of why you need to leave the past in the past. Being that our female main character, Eden, didn't get that memo, what we get is drama on top of more drama. This book starts off fast, and keeps the same pace all the way through until the end.

This was a fast read that was hard to pause. Bailey has a way of pulling you into her books, and making sure she keeps you hostage until the ending. The twists in this one had my mouth open. Even though I thought I knew what would happen, I was wrong and shocked at the ending.

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

WHEW. Lots of mixed thoughts on this one! The premise of an online encounter gone wrong was intriguing! I was invested in finding out what happened, it was definitely a page turner, and there were some GOOD twists that I did not see coming. However, it did start off a little on the cringy and steamy side (I wondered what exactly I was reading at first!) and I found most of the characters to be either unlikeable or frustrating to read about. With that being said, I finished it in two days and was satisfied with the ending- so I would recommend it if you're looking for a unique and propulsive thriller to read although it may not be one that sticks with you long term.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Friend in the Dark! Thank you to the publisher for the early access copy through NetGalley.

The book gets off to a slower start, with Eden, a 40-year-old woman, alone and messaging a man on Facebook. I wasn’t sure how relevant it would feel, but the book quickly picked up in pace, and was full of so many twists and turns that kept me guessing.

4.5/5

I absolutely DESPISED the main character in this book. At 250 pages, I found myself questioning whether this insufferable woman ever became less annoying?!?!

I checked out GR's and several reviews mentioned it took the reader some time to get into the book, so I allowed the journey to continue.

Thank goodness the book had dual narrators or this old bag would have drowned herself in a bottle of pinot.

The second half of this book was much better than the first. It was a quick read and there were some interesting plot elements. It did carry some mystery and suspense, but not enough to cure my vitriol for the MC. A fine story, but not one that will go to the top of my list.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC.

Available now.

A Friend in the Dark by Samantha M. Bailey had me enthralled throughout this engaging read.
I absolutely loved the writing style as well as the storyline. I could not put this book down and it easily gets 5 stars from me!

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!