This is my first book by this author, and I found her writing incredible. I am honestly surprised by the mixed reviews. The story was captivating with dark family secrets you can't put back in the closet. In a time of social media, this is the perfect story because behind that seemly perfect life there are flaws. We all have a story that few know about, how far would we go to keep it quiet?

Marlow is famous for her beauty, but behind that fame is mystery that not even she knows. In 1995 Isla Baek finds an abandoned girl in the woods near her family's lake cabin. With no memory of where she came from or how she got there, Marlow is soon adopted by the Baeks. From the outside world her life looks like any other young Midwest girl. But all that comes crashing down when Marlow is finally ready to tell the real story of her and how she came to be Marlow.

This story thrilling ride of family drama you will not want to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for copy of the book for my honest review.

I was really drawn to the premise with this book and this author delivered something overall pretty great. There was a lot of complexity to the story and there was a lot of back and forth between characters and time period that brought the past to life and made sense of the present. There were some pacing issues throughout that kind of held this book back at places, however they also helped develop the characters a little more acutely so I felt that it was a bit of a toss up. The script was a great element in this book and created a really interesting extra character/voice that helped move the plot along. This was really unique and interesting. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

This is a well done psychological thriller with a varying timeline that captures your interest right away. The characters, with the exception of the grandmother Moni, all seem to be hiding their truth while trying to be a family. The suspicion shifts from one to another as the puzzle is gradually pieced together leading to an explosive ending that was very satisfying. A twisty enjoyable read that's hard to put down.

Really enjoyed this story and wasn't always sure how it was all going to come together but it did and I was really glad I went along for the ride!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

Thank you Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and Ellen Won Steil for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you like mysteries and family drama, I can definitely recommend this book because you'll never see the plot twists coming. "Becoming Marlow Fin" started a bit slow and only gave little bits of information here and there for about 50% of the book, but keep reading because it's worth it and it'll all make sense later.
I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives and timelines. They weren't confusing and made me want to continue reading. Marlow was an intriguing character, but be careful because she's not your typical heroine and you'll find yourself changing your opinion about her several times throughout the book. My favourite characters were Moni and Sawyer (and they made me cry my eyes out twice). Both my grandmas died when I was a toddler, so I never had a Moni in my life. Still, I was able to get to know that grandmotherly feeling through her. Sawyer was so cute and even though he and Isla had their issues, he always found his way back to her. Isla was the one who suffered most in this book and I wanted to give her a hug so often. She definitely deserved better.
The only reason for me to give 4-4.5 stars instead of 5 is that I wished the book had been 1-2 chapters longer or had an epilogue. It ended too soon for me and I would've liked Isla to get some closure after what she's been through.
All in all, this book kept me on my toes and turned out to be something I didn't expect.

A complicated family drama full of twists and turns sure to draw you in and keep your interest! This book kept me reading long past bedtime. The characters and the storyline were complex, mysterious and captivating. Not my typical read but I really enjoyed it. Thanks #NetGalley #LakeUnionPublishing

Becoming Marlow Fin is full of twists and suspense, so if you’re looking for that sort of beach read, it could work for you. However, I found it a bit uneven, and more and more outlandish, making it hard for me to connect to as much as I’d hoped.

Thank you Ellen Won Steil, Lake Union Publishing, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Very good story, it has you trapped and wanting to read to find out what happens. I don't usually read thrillers but I enjoyed it. Highly recommended for those who want to read about family dynamics and secrets that are revealed as the story progresses.

In 1995 eight-year-old Isla Baek finds an abandoned six-year-old girl in the woods near the Baek family’s lakeside cabin in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Her name is Marlow and she has little memory of where she came from or how she got there. Eventually adopted by the Baek family, Marlow becomes a famous model and actress as well as susceptible to the many pitfalls of fame.

We join Marlow's story in 2021 as she's preparing to do a tell-all interview on prime time television and the timeline goes back and forth between the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s, told partly from Isla's point of view and partly in the form of Marlow's interview. This is quite a story and I was totally immersed in it. The writing is excellent and there are some fine characters, not all likeable of course but very realistic. I would've liked to have more depth to some of them but it probably would've made the book too long and unwieldy. It's quite a unique premise in my opinon and I recommend it highly if you enjoy family drama combined with suspense. I finished the book last night and had awarded it 5 stars in my mind but this morning I realize that the motivation for more than one incident was unexplained. Still, I was completely enthralled through most of the book so I give it 4.5 stars rounded down.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: July 23, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Isla, 8 years old, is vacationing at her parents lake house. In the midst of a storm, she finds an young girl ‘lost’ outside, alone. What happens next is a story filled with family drama, psychological mystery and love.

This book was so much more than I expected, in a good way. The characters were brought thru vividly by the writing. Told by Isla, thru memories and current time. Marlow’s (a famous model/actress) side is told solely in an interview format. This pace seems a little on the slow side but the backstory is so important, and before you know it, the story comes to its end. I loved the characters, all flawed but totally relatable, especially Moni, the Korean grandmother. I wasn’t sure how it would tie up, but the author did so beautifully. This family is filled with tension, anger and love in their own way. I can’t wait to read this author’s next book!

Thanks to Lake Union for this advance copy. This is my honest opinion.

This is a tricky review to write because I’m still having trouble determining exactly what type of book this was. At different points, I thought it may be a thriller, a coming-of-age story, or a retelling of the movie “The Bad Seed.”

There’s no problem with a book being all those things and more! But it’s difficult as a reader when you can’t detect the predominant theme. The result is a more diluted story, with no one point standing out against the rest.

Overall, I did like the book! The dual POVs and the structure involving a tell-all celebrity interview were engaging. There’s a murder mystery element as well, which did surprise me. However, I’m still unable to justify a few major choices due to a lack of motivation. Considering how we’re taken through the sisters’ lives from a very young age, their actions towards the end of the book felt out of character.

One consistent element, which I enjoyed was the writing! The scenes detailing Isla and Marlow’s upbringing were poignant and included great detail and character development, especially concerning their grandmother, Moni. Considering this, I’m interested in seeing what the author has planned next. With a more structured plot, I think her follow-up book could be a win!

"Marlow Fin is as famous for her beauty and success as she is infamous for her past, some of which is a mystery even to her. Is the public ready for the truth? Is she?"

This mystery-thriller sadly fell a little short for me. In 1995, In 1995, young Isla Baek finds an abandoned six-year-old girl in the woods near their family's lakeside cabin. Traumatised, Marlow cannot remember where she came from or how she got to the woods, and she's soon adopted into the Baek family. As the two girls grow up together, nobody is prepared for how disruptive Marlow's presence will become in the family or as she ascends to celebrity status.

The book unfolds between two timelines: present day as Marlow reveals everything in a prime time interview, and throughout their childhood from the 90s onwards. There's plenty of tension throughout and I did feel gripped, wanting to know what the twist was, but there are some huge pacing problems here. Lots of the scenes are really overwrought and, between that and the dual timeline, it unfortunately slows the whole story down. The truth finally comes out at around the 85% mark – thanks Kindle! – but I suppose I'd already lost interest by then.

I adored the representation of Moni, or Halmoni, the grandma and matriarch of the family. This sort of representation in East Asian stories feels so personal to me. Annoyingly, there's not much character development for, well, anybody else in the cast, which feels like a missed opportunity.

A gripping mystery-family saga with plenty of pacing issues.

Family drama doesn’t begin to describe this story! A hidden cabin, an abandoned child, a mysterious death…and more! Alternating between different time periods, this is a journey into the lives of Isla and Marlow….from their beginnings to the current day. I really enjoyed this book!

This book is a quick and fun mystery thriller but sadly it missed the mark for me. I didn’t connect with the characters, especially Marlow, which made me less invested in the story. I found Marlow to be a bit too psychotic, though some might find it justified, and honestly it made me question the characters. How could they see the behavior and ignore it? Continuing to let her be around their family? I wished there had been more common sense shown in certain moments, i.e. therapy, and it seemed like they almost deserved what they got given how blinded they were. I struggled with the writing style of this book and felt that it was trying to be simple and very visual at the same time and it didn’t successfully find a good balance. However, If you like morally gray characters (and dishonest/unreliable narrators) then this is for you! I did find the ending to be a bit anticlimactic and the twists were predictable but it was an easy and quick read.

This book was AWESOME! Definitely one you will want to pick up and won’t want to put down.❤️

Young Isla is on a camping trip with her parents. She finds a young girl in the woods. Isla’s family become her emergency guardians and eventually adopt her, calling her Marlow. Flash forward to present day, Marlow is a famous model and actress and a mess for lack of better words. Even as a child, she was disruptive and challenging. The secrets Isla’s family have kept, and Marlow as well are about to come to light in a highly anticipated tv interview.

I loved how this book spanned over decades, told from the POV of Isla, and during the interview with Marlow. As the secrets started to come out, I was shocked. This thriller with family drama knocked my socks off and I didn’t want it to end. The tension was palpable, and I had to know all of the explosive secrets Marlow was going to reveal.

Gah!!!😍 I just loved this book! Might just be my favorite July read!

Marlow Fin, a famous troubled actress with a mysterious and infamous past has finally granted an interview. Will she tell the truth about so many of the mysteries and suspicions surrounding her life? Does she know the truth?

A young girl, filthy, traumatized, and unable to speak is found by Isla, the young daughter of the Baek family on vacation at their lakeside cabin in the woods. Though the parents (Patrick and Stella) are at definite odds as to what should be done with the child, the result is that they agree to care for "Marlow" temporarily giving authorities time to find where she came from. No family is found, and Marlow becomes a part of the Baek family. The tension and disruption that Marlow brought to the family the day she was found, continues to grow and swell, overtaking all of them in the years to come.

Ellen Won Steil has written an engrossing novel about family dynamics through the years. Told in multiple time frames by various characters, we get to see the impact of the repercussions of decisions made over three decades of the Baek's family life. Not one family member is left blameless or unscathed.

The author has a noticeable gift with words and captures the emotions and thoughts of each character well. The book flows well, with short chapters propelling the reader on and is filled with intriguing twists, many of which cannot be imagined. A delight read that is highly recommended!

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing for granting me access to a digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

Isla and her family find Marlow in the woods by their cabin and their lives are never the same.

Who is Marlow Fin? Where did she come from? Why is she being accused of killing her sister? The pieces of a troubled actress’s mysterious life come together in a riveting novel about family secrets and unspeakable lies as she discusses it in a tell all interview.

This was a captivating thriller right from the first page. It is a bit of a slow burn in the start but it does pick up eventually and I was completely immersed in the story.

I enjoyed reading the book especially since we get both Isla's perspective through self narratives and reflections as well as Marlow's which is done in a sensationalised interview format. The back and forth between the past and present adds up to the suspense and I was curious to see how it all comes together in the end.

However I found myself a bit confused as the ending was quick and felt a bit rushed. I recommend reading this book if you love complicated family dramas with a little mystery and thrill.

Thank you @netgalley and @lakeunionpublishing for an eARC to read and review.

Becoming Marlow Fin is a wild ride from start to finish. The story is a rollercoaster of emotions - characters pulling at your heartstrings before a sharp turn has you completely conflicted. The darkness of human nature when pushed and the depths a person will go to are at the forefront of this suspenseful & thrilling family drama.
I truly didn’t foresee where the plot was headed. As I got closer to the end of the book, I couldn’t put it down. The ending does not disappoint with so many revelations in the final quarter of the story that will leave you in disbelief!

I have posted this review on Amazon, Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6695304994

And Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9xqltWxjVG/?igsh=bzY3NmU3MTFnaWE5

I was intrigued to read Becoming Marlow Fin and I wasn't disappointed. The twists in the plot take you from the discovery of 6 year old Marlow, abandoned in the woods, by Isla, as she becomes part of Isla and her family's life, and the two girls share a closeness but with an edge.
As you read through you are hooked in to their lives, the tragedies, the lies and secrets which all come together with the perfect twist at the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read Becoming Marlow Fin.