"Nothing Can Hurt You Now" by Simone Campos is a Brazilian debut thriller that unfolds a gripping tale about a missing model leading a double life as a sex worker. Lucinda, the protagonist, has always lived in the shadow of her glamorous and outgoing high-end model sister, Viviana. When Viviana mysteriously disappears during a trip to São Paulo, Lucinda becomes determined to find her.

Facing indifference from the police, Lucinda teams up with Viviana's girlfriend, Graziane, to launch her own investigation. As she delves into her sister's life, Lucinda discovers that Viviana had a secret career as a sex worker, which adds complexity to the mystery. The list of possible suspects grows, and when Lucinda receives a cryptic text suggesting that Viviana is still alive but being held hostage, the urgency of the investigation intensifies.

The novel promises a fast-paced and contemporary thriller with elements of humor, political consciousness, and a feminist perspective. It explores the complexities of relationships and the challenges faced by women in the context of a suspenseful mystery.

i'm truly glad this was a short read as I did not find the story compelling or thrilling at all. I did not enjoy it.

Lucinda has lived in her sister's shadow for most of her life. But when Viviana inexplicably goes missing, she is immediately driven to join in the search for her sister. The story is set in Brazil and offers insights into a very different milieu.

In the course of her attempt to trace Viviana, Lucinda discovers some unexpected things about her sister. Not least that she had achieved some success working as a sex provider.

There is mixed messaging on the issue of sex work in the book. But this also, of course, raised further questions about who might be behind Viviana's disappearance.

This novel was something of a mixed bag for me. The pacing in the first and second half of the story is different, and may be enjoyed more or less, depending on which part the reader finds most interesting. Overall, it is worth reading as something different, both in terms of multicultural interest and to some extent, storyline.

This book was an interesting and compelling short read - I loved the setting, the first half of the plot was fast paced and I was immediately dragged into the story. Overall, 3.5/5. Thank you.

I wasn't sure where this story was going to take me-- something I feel at the beginning of each new read. However, there was something different about this book (in a good way!). The characters' culture and experiences are very different from mine and what I experience, but it was so well written, that I felt I could understand them; I could see myself in them both (even though the two main characters were vastly distinct in their individuality).

Around halfway through this novel, the story really began to pick up for me. The suspense of what was going on and how it was going to end kept me from putting it down. I had to know how it would play out. In an attempt to avoid sharing spoilers, I will leave it at this: even til the last page, I was enraptured by the characters. (and I mean all of them). Each person and point of view was carefully crafted in a way that no difference in lifestyle or culture could hinder. I believed in these women and I was rooting for them til the end.

Truly a great read, but it is worth noting that the book's description could possibly use a trigger warning. There wasn't anything too graphic, but there are situations within the novel that could make some readers uncomfortable or upset.

Thanks to NetGalley!

3.6
There are components here that are really fantastic, and then there's the rest. Mostly I was relieved it was short, prolonging what was left of the story would have been a big mistake.

2.5 rounded down. I am glad this was short, because unlike other reviewers, I did not find this very compelling. It seems like an average thriller. I was hoping the sex worker rep would be a little bit better.

This was an enjoyable read that was really compelling and hard to put down. I definitely enjoyed the first half more and I found that to be more compelling than the second half, although, I still found it enjoyable.

Nothing Can Hurt You Now has an interesting premise but the book isn't what it could have been.

Lucinda has always lived in the shadow of her sister, Viviana. When Viviana goes missing - without explanation - Lucinda stops everything to find her sister. A message to Lucinda suggests Viviana has been kidnapped so the search takes Lucinda to her sister's apartment. In digging deep it turns out Viviana has been a successful sex worker.
At this point Viviana is portrayed as an empowered woman running her own life as sex worker is her chosen field. However she becomes portrayed as more of a victim of societal norms than a trend setter. She is clearly not in charge of her life and her profession has led to her kidnapping. It reminds me of horror films where the women killed are the ones who are overtly sexual.

With this new knowledge, the possibilities for culprits widens and Lucinda and Viviana's girlfriend must find her quickly.

I enjoyed the first half of this book a lot; the development of a character discovering theh didn't know their sister the way they thought they did, whilst uncovering clues behind her disappearance, was very compelling to read. The switch of perspectives in the second half never quite worked as well for me, although I couldn't quite say why, perhaps just that the tension dropped a bit, although I did appreciate seeing her exercise her own autonomy.

There was a slight sex work shaming throughout that was mostly countered, but left me a little uneasy.
Overall, an enjoyable thriller, but mostly interesting for the backstory of the two sisters, and the discussions of race, colourism, and gender in Brazil.