A great page turner - I flew through it. I loved the premise and some good twists. Some interesting characters too. Will keep an eye out for future offerings from Ellen Won Steil. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Becoming Marlow Fin is a story full of an interesting family full unexpected twists and turns.
Won Steil weaves several characters stories and perspectives throughout the story. Marlow's story is told through a prime-time interview and Isla's through first-person narrative. The contrast between the two leaves you wanting to keep reading to fill in the gaps. The interview chapters ended with you wanting more and you just had to read on to know more!

The story leaves you thinking through morally what is right, what would I do and why are people acting the way they are. It all makes sense at the end! Won Steil has done an excellent job of leaving little nuggets throughout which seem insignificant at the time, but have importance as you go on!

I really enjoyed reading this novel and look forward to many more by Won Steil. If you love a messy family story full of drama, with a hint of mystery and suspense, this is the book for you!
I found myself getting lost in Marlow/Isla/Moni's world and just having to read on! I felt thoroughly invested in the characters and felt the emotions with them along the way.

A family-based thriller, Becoming Marlow Fin by Ellen Won Steil has an expeditious narrative of the impact on a family, when they find a young girl in the woods. It begins in 1995 with a Korean-American family at their holiday cabin, enjoying the Labor Day weekend. During a summer storm, five-year-old Isla Baek runs into the woods and discovers a young girl curled up under a tree. Gradually, through flashbacks and a 2022 television interview of Marlow Fin (now a famous model), we learn of a 2020 incident and other major events that cause family upheaval. The implications of that original discovery are played out over time with the various family members, leading to the fatal climax and an ominous tension-building mystery thriller. The narrative immerses the reader in the tale of an unraveling family which makes for a four and a half stars read rating. With thanks to Lake Union Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

This book was listed as Women's/General Fiction. I think suspense could be added to the genre. And, the title could be WHO IS MARLOWE FIN?

There are 2.5 timelines. One is the past, starting in the 1990s when a young girl discovers an abandoned 6-year-old in the woods. The second timeline is the present, in the format of an interview with Marlowe Fin, the child who was found and has become a famous model and actor. During the in-between, it seems that something tragic and horrific had occurred. The interview very slowly reveals the incident by the end of the book. Finally, there is a snippet of a timeline from the 1980s and a character that doesn't seem to belong. This pops up a few times throughout the story. I had no idea of the significance.

There are a lot of unknowns in the story. I suspected that there were huge secrets too. The characters are enigmatic, especially the Mom of the family. Interesting, but hard to figure out. That fits in with the tone of the story. A favourite is Moni, the grandmother of the family. She has no agenda, she is a caregiver. She shows love to everyone. Marlowe seems to have some strange and disturbing characteristics. By the time I had read 50% of the story, I had no idea which way this story would turn. The journey is interesting. But I couldn't guess.

It wasn't too much later that I had an inkling of the upcoming twist. It turned out that I was partially right.

In summary, the plot line is good. But, I had problems towards the end of the book, when all the twists and turns were being worked out. The writing became somewhat disjointed, it didn't flow as well as the first part of the book. And, there were too many pronouns being used, causing me confusion as to which character was involved in that moment. I had to re-read some sections to make sure I got it right. I found this frustrating.

I rate this 3.5 stars, rounded down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

THIS is the perfect summer read and if you haven’t heard of it you have now and you need it!

I absolutely loved this book!
I loved the interview sections the most! I felt that’s where a lot of the emotions and reveals were happening and I couldn’t get enough!
I stayed up all night devouring this book!!!!!

I absolutely loved the story and mystery
Loved the characters except the parents they were sus the entire time I just couldn’t figure out why
Moni has my heart and I bawled my eyes out
ABSOLUTLEY LOVED the twist I didn’t see coming
This was just so good and juicy I couldn’t get enough!!!!!!
Oh and the ending ?!??? What?!

Steil uses multiple time lines, narration by Marlow's sister Isla, and snippets of an interview given by Marlow herself to tell the story of this woman who was found abandoned on a stormy night and then adopted by the Baek family- and who is now a big deal. Marlow isn't as simple as anyone would have you believe. She's been a challenge over her life. This is all about family, identity and celebrity. The mixed format made this a more interesting read than a straight narrative. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me.

This book starts off really well - creepy night at the holiday cabin, little Black girl lost in the woods, but it quickly looses steam. There are three timelines - one in the 80s, probably to provide background, one in 90s and then an interview in the now. The now is an interview with the beautiful Marlow Fin, and reading transcript is not my idea of fun. The whole book is building to a twist or three, but I didn't really feel any tension. I certainly didn't feel anything for the characters, most of them felt very two dimensional. The author uses a lot of overblown metaphors and similes, that I cruelly started reading out loud to my husband, LIKE "He never got the urge to separate himself from me like the bad part of an apple that gets lobbed off". That's not the only apple based simile. My main issue, other than not caring about the two dimensional characters, was I couldn't see any motivation for most of their actions.
All of that said, I started this on a Saturday morning and finished it on Sunday afternoon, so it was a quick read, if nothing else.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was executed so perfectly! It had just the right amount of mystery, intrigue and physiological thrill. It very much gave me the same vibes as The Push by Ashley Audrain.

Marlowe Fin is a stunning, world renowned model who has been accused of killing her sister. The question remains, what exactly happened and did she do it?

Certain families are more complex than others. Supermodel Marlow Fin talks about the circumstances of a certain evening that permanently altered her and her family's lives in her one and
only interview. Isla, Marlow's sister, was last seen one night, and a puddle of her blood was discovered on Marlow's clothes and in a shed. Is it possible that Marlow killed the one person she claimed to love more than anything?

The story of the Baeks, Patrick, Stella, their 8-year-old daughter Isla, and grandma Moni is told in detail in Becoming Marlow Fin. The Baeks appeared to be just another working-class family on the block. However, when the Baeks discover 6-year-old Marlow abandoned in the woods on their final day of vacation at their cottage, their whole world changes The house of cards begins to collapse. Marlow's beauty and minor eccentricities become more apparent as the years go by. Marlow, who is currently at the top of her game, is being investigated for her sister's disappearance and potential murder.

Intricately plotting over multiple decades and characters, Ellen Won Steil tells a captivating tale of a couple's need to start a family and the consequences of leaving behind people and falsehoods. The tale jumps around a lot, and while I would have preferred a bit less herky-jerky action in that area, Steil neatly ties everything up so that the reader can follow along.

This book is really worth reading.thank you netgalley and the publisher Lake Union for an ARC of this book.

This is a very dark book around the story of Marlow Fin. Who is she really, where she is coming from. She first appeared outside the Baek's cabin. She was lost, mute, without a story, without a family, and the Baeks took her in and ended up adopting her. But the daughter of the family, Isla, never 100% warmed up to her, and the mother, Stella, had this hatred toward Marlow. What is the back story? What happened?
The only people who treated Marlow like family were father Patrick and grandma Moni.

I did not like Marlow and wished her downfall throughout. My favorite part was the love story.

A devastating story, which left me a little cold at the end. This is why I am giving it 3 starts. But the writing was elaborate, and the characters were realistic yet mysterious.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"What was it like? What does it feel like when you're drowning?"

I was frustrated, disappointed, angry, confused and so, so utterly sad and heartbroken that I did not even feel the rage anymore. This thriller made me question the description of the book as a thriller. It did not feel like a thriller for the majority of the book for me. Just an imperfect family with mistakes, problems, missteps and whatnot, but what family is perfect? And while I was still grabbing for the puzzle pieces and struggling to see the full picture, I realized. I realized, and all the seemingly unnecessary details snapped together, and I saw the whole picture. 😭

"Marry me.
This is where I should have said the end.
Where it should have ended."

This was so much more than I expected. It was actually one of my very first arcs that I applied for and - I don't know why - always ignored and set aside for a future read until I could not ignore it anymore last Sunday with the fast approaching release date (July, 23). And how was I wrong to wait. The writing was amazing. I felt so much within short chapters and sometimes only a single short sentence made me stop reading and stare at the wall while the tears dropped instead. And any book, that can make me cry over fictional characters... well it is something special. 💔

"In a hurry for anything else but him."

"Becoming Marlow Fin" surprised me. The writing, the storyline, the plot twists, the characters, the family dynamics,... I don't read that many thrillers, so maybe this is not as surprising to everyone else, but the switch between Interview in the now, and different time slots in the past made it so interesting and unputdownable to read.
So, lastly, I highly recommend this to anyone into thrillers, complicated family stories, or just as something different for a change. 4.5 stars 🫶🏻

"He didn't feel anything. He felt no pain," she said.
I shuddered and nodded. I fell onto the cold, tilted floor."

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Ellen Won Steil for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily.

A young girl is found in the woods. Who are her parents? Where are her parents? Follow the life of Marlow Fin as she is adopted into the Baek family and becomes the sister of Isla.
So many questions…..so many secrets…..so many lies until Marlow decides to tell the truth. A tell all to the public. Or is it only her truth? You decide as you read this engrossing thriller with characters you don’t know who to trust, or even like and a twisted ending. Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the early copy. This review is my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. I guessed early on what was going on in the story but it still kept me turning the pages. The story flowed nicely and kept my interest. I had to find out what happened to this little girl, how she was just abandoned like that. I also like the way the author told the story by going back and forth between the different story lines of the characters. Overall it was a 4 star for me. Will definitely pick up another by this author.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I really liked this book! I read it super fast because it kept me engaged and wanting to read more! Only reason I’m not giving a 5 star is because the ending wasn’t great and was a little hard to follow at the very end.

Who is Marlow Fin? Where did she come from? Oh my does this story have several twists and unexpected turns for you!

Ellen Won Steil writes this story from multiple character perspectives, mainly the perspectives of Marlow and Isla. Marlow becomes part of Isla's family overnight, two sisters with two very different paths. Marlow's perspective is uniquely told through an interview format, both as an adult and as a celebrity. Isla's perspective is told through self narratives and reflections, both as a young girl and as a woman used to letting her sister steal the limelight.

If you are a fan of family dramas mixed with a little mystery and thrill, this is a story you will enjoy! And as a bonus, you get to fall in love with the endearing character, Moni. I hope everyone's family has a Moni!

Thank you Lake Union Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions are my own.

A dark, deep, tangly mystery with a surprising ending, Becoming Marlow Fin explores a family’s life of drama and tragedy after finding a young girl, seemingly an orphan, in the woods. Ellen Won Steil has written an interesting dual timeline story of these complex relationships.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Mystery Thriller

Exactly as the name of the book suggests, this is the tale of how Marlow Fin rose to the status of celebrity that she currently holds. Starting from the moment she was found as a young girl who had been abandoned and taken in by the Baeks family, to the time she grew up within the family and experienced everything that happened to them, and finally to the point where she became the famous celebrity that she is today.

Given that this is a mystery thriller, it is only natural that there is something ominous going on. In addition, as the narrative unfolds, you, as a reader, will become increasingly skeptical. A twist is also included, which I did not anticipate coming. The book is well structured. The events of the story take place in three distinct time periods. In the first one, the story begins in the past and progresses towards the present. Isla tells the story in the first person. In the second one, the story takes place in the 1980s. In the third one, the story takes place in the present and is told as an interview with Marlow.

I found this to be a decent mystery thriller, and there were times when it piqued my interest; however, I believe that two major elements prevented me from finding it more captivating. First and foremost, there is the pacing issue. I found that at times it was too slow for my liking, and at other times it progressed faster. The second one, which I believe to be the most important one for me, is that the crimes did not have any motivations behind them. My initial question, regardless of whether it is a crime from real life or a work of fiction, is always why. The story doesn’t have this answer, affecting the plot's believability. Despite that, I still appreciate the author’s way of using the heavy themes in the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Ellen Won Steil for the ARC of this incredible book. I love a book that makes you go between hating and loving a character. A lot of the characters in this book were so easy to relate to and there were times it made me think of my own family - especially being a Minnesota native. This book had romance, death, family drama, strong female characters which of course are all things I look for in a great book. The author is super talented, and I can't wait to buy a copy and add it to my library of all my favorite books!

This book just wasn’t for me. I wasn’t into a child basically being considered evil from the start. The story just rubbed me the wrong way and I wasn’t a fan. It felt like parts of the book were just set in motion to make one character look bad. Yeah umm, it’s a pass for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Everyone knows Marlow Fin, model and actress and about to give the ultimate exclusive interview. She was found aged 6 by the family that came to adopt her. Told from her sister Isla’s perspective who found her and alternating with the current day interview you get to try and know… who is Marlow Fin really?

This was FASCINATING! The tensions, the red herrings! Very well done! I don’t know what I had expected at first, but this took me somewhere else! The main characters begin likeable and all grow to become unlikeable by the end by beautifully crafted narrative!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC!