What did I just read?! This book kept me on the edge the ENTIRE time! The story was a mixed bag of emotions being based on domestic abuse. The characters were incredible and I loved and hated them in equal measure. Highly recommend

This psychological thriller had me at the edge of my seat. It was so good, I had to give it 5 stars. This follows Freya who leaves her really abusive husband and decides to build a new life for herself and she meets a women named Ava who is also in an abusive relationship and Freya does everything she can to help her and when she does, her husband find Freya and now Ava's husband is pissed that she interfered. This book was so good, I highly recommend you picking it up to read.

Wow G.M Laurence you had a grip on me! I wish I was half the woman Freya is, I reaaaallly liked her in this wild crazy ride of escaping her own reality. Suspenseful and I don’t usually read a lot of thrillers but this one has made me want to pick up more.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview If I can’t Have You.
Overall I would say this is a good drama. Suspenseful at times and a god plot
If you like Hallmark movies this is a god choice. 3 stars

Freya hopes there’s one man she never sees again. Her husband. Freya has recently escaped from her violent and abusive husband, Liam, and has moved to the city where she is fighting to build a new life for herself. But she knows in her heart that Liam won’t give up so easily, that he’ll do everything in his power to find her and bring her back. Determined to stay hidden, Freya keeps a very low profile. But then she notices a young woman, Ava, who seems to be caught up in an abusive relationship. Knowing only too well the kind of anguish Ava may be enduring, Freya decides to get involved and save Ava from her partner, Elliot. But when Freya calls the police, she inadvertently reveals her whereabouts to Liam who soon comes to see her. He seems a different man, contrite, tender, full of apologies. But is it all an act? And Freya has other problems – Elliot isn’t pleased that she interfered in his relationship and is becoming ever more menacing. Caught between these two terrifying men, can Freya confront her past and hold onto the future she’s fought so hard to create?

Holy thrill rides. I thought that this story was amazing from start to finish.

A novel that gripped my shoulders and never let go until i finished the very last sentence. A woman, suffering abuse from her husband, decides enough is enough and runs away the first chance she gets when he leaves for work. A novel full of survival with a character that won't stop until she's safe and out of harms way. What follows is a gripping, shocking, creepy but at some points heartfelt of a woman looking for her happy ever after. What a wild and crazy ride with an ending I never saw coming.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my review.
If I Can't Have You was a thriller of sorts. Definitely a good story line. I found myself with all different emotions throughout the book. Which is a great read. It felt as though the story was possibly based off actual life.

This was overall an enjoyable suspense novel. I wouldn't call it a thriller, but it definitely had me on the edge of my seat. It read like a Lifetime movie. I enjoyed getting to know Freya and seeing her struggles daily. I was definitely rooting for her throughout the whole book. Freya's growth made me feel like a proud mama bear and I had a soft spot for her. While it was enjoyable and I breezed through it, the plot was predictable. There weren't any surprises for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Holy Macaroni!

What the heck was that and where did you come from G.M. Lawrence?

If I Can't Have You, is a pulse pounding, heart stopping, thriller that will have you crying out for your Mama!

This is exactly the book I was looking for at the perfect time. I am also incredibly grateful I picked this one up during the day, had I read it tonight, I would not be sleeping!

This one right here is intense!

Check out this teaser :

Freya hopes there’s one man she never sees again. Her husband.

Freya has recently escaped from her violent and abusive husband, Liam, and has moved to the city where she is fighting to build a new life for herself.

But she knows in her heart that Liam won’t give up so easily, that he’ll do everything in his power to find her and bring her back.

Determined to stay hidden, Freya keeps a very low profile. But then she notices a young woman, Ava, who seems to be caught up in an abusive relationship. Knowing only too well the kind of anguish Ava may be enduring, Freya decides to get involved and save Ava from her partner, Elliot.

But when Freya calls the police, she inadvertently reveals her whereabouts to Liam who soon comes to see her. He seems a different man, contrite, tender, full of apologies. But is it all an act?

And Freya has other problems – Elliot isn’t pleased that she interfered in his relationship and is becoming ever more menacing.

Caught between these two terrifying men, can Freya confront her past and hold onto the future she’s fought so hard to create?

This was a thought-provoking, powerful novel outlining the effects of abuse. The main character Freya was a well written woman hellbent on survival, searching for a better life away from her husband's grip. However I did not find this novel to be much of a psychological thriller. Yes it has all the markers of one, but it reads more like a retelling of a true story as this situation has been what some women have gone through. I enjoyed reading this though!

I loved the plot and the writing, the “mystery” was interesting too.

Thank you to netgalley for an opportunity to read this book.

If I can't have you by G.M. Lawrence.
Freya hopes there’s one man she never sees again. Her husband. Freya has recently escaped from her violent and abusive husband, Liam, and has moved to the city where she is fighting to build a new life for herself.
This was a really good read. I liked Freya and her sister Rosie. I really didn't like Liam. He was a bully. I loved how brave Freya was. The strength she had to leave Liam. I loved how she fought for Ava aswell. Elliot was another bully. Couldn't put it down. Ooh I certainly didn't see that coming . I did like Jake. I knew Liam was still Liam. I did like the ending. 4*.

Blurb.
Freya hopes there’s one man she never sees again. Her husband. Freya has recently escaped from her violent and abusive husband, Liam, and has moved to the city where she is fighting to build a new life for herself. But she knows in her heart that Liam won’t give up so easily, that he’ll do everything in his power to find her and bring her back. Determined to stay hidden, Freya keeps a very low profile. But then she notices a young woman, Ava, who seems to be caught up in an abusive relationship. Knowing only too well the kind of anguish Ava may be enduring, Freya decides to get involved and save Ava.
This was a really good read. I liked Freya and her sister Rosie. I really didn't like Liam. He was a bully. I loved how brave Freya was. The strength she had to leave Liam. I loved how she fought for Ava aswell. Elliot was another bully. Couldn't put it down. Ooh I certainly didn't see that coming . I did like Jake. I knew Liam was still Liam. I did like the ending. 4*.

This was an eery tale with suspense and strong characters. The plot was easy to follow and was a genuinely great story.

I thoroughly enjoyed 'If I Can't Have You' and found myself engrossed enough to nearly finish it in a single day. The main characters were endearing, except for Liam who I found to be absolutely detestable, and my disdain for him only grew as I delved deeper into the book. I was surprised by the intensity of the emotions his charming yet abusive behavior elicited, leaving me unsure of which male characters to trust and provoking contemplation long after I finished reading.

One aspect I particularly appreciated was that Freya did not succumb to being a passive character throughout the story (thank you for that!). I was satisfied with how everything concluded. However, I was slightly disappointed to discover that the book was written in the third-person point of view despite its title suggesting otherwise. Additionally, the pace of the book was quite slow, catering more towards fans of a gradual build-up.

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Violence

I started this book and was instantly sucked in. I wanted to know what was going to happen with Freya. After leaving an abusive relationship, she restarts her life in a new apartment. Seeing the couple across the way fighting brings back memories of her relationship. But what we see is not always what we think.

I really enjoyed reading this book, thinking I knew what was happening and finding out I wasn't always right. Some things that happened throughout the book were a given, and I figured them out quickly. But others were not so easy to figure out until they hit me right in the face, literally. There was enough mystery and suspense to keep me reading, and I really fell in love with Freya.

TW: VERY detailed depictions of physical and emotional abuse, violence

'If I Can't Have You' is a fast-paced, domestic thriller centered around Freya, the FMC who escapes a brutally abusive marriage, only to seek refuge and heading in an apartment next door to a couple also stuck in a toxic, abusive relationship. While she heals, physically and emotionally, and as her ex attempts to track her down in hopes of reconciliation, she finds strength in her new routine (a new job, a new self-defense class, reconnecting with her family), and in providing support to the woman next door.

Can she stay hidden from her ex? Can she help break the pattern of abuse she's witnessing next door? Will she be able to heal and move on, or will it all have been for naught?

This book was definitely predictable, but nonetheless, it was entertaining! I read it in one sitting and enjoyed the author's writing style. While not a "best thriller of all time" nominee, it was a solid & fun read, and I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick thriller!

Thanks to Net Galley & Incubator books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

Freya Walker finally gets the courage to leave her abusive husband Liam and begins a new life away from him. After finding a new apartment, job, and beginning the divorce process she is ready to put her best foot forward and begin again, but Liam has other ideas and continues to harass her and the friends she makes along the way. In the end, Freya must find the courage to stand up to Liam and not be manipulated by him. This novel is a page turner and will leave readers unable to put the book down until they find out what happens to Freya, her family, and Liam as he just can't let go.

I devoured this book in less than a day. If you like the domestic thriller, woman stands up to domineering husband trope then this is the book for you! It was very well written, and I found myself attached to the characters as they were very likable and the author describes them so thoroughly that I was completely consumed in this story line. It was predictable and the storyline was much like any other domestic abuse plot I have read before, but I loved it and will recommend it as it thoroughly entertained me. I also look forward to reading other books by this author.

This was a page turner for me! A domestic thriller that had me anticipating what’s was going to happen next! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Contains spoilers

Spoiler alert

Don’t keep reading this review if you plan to read book
Final warning

Spoil alert


Holy moly! I could not put this down. This right here is the messed up splice book I go for.
I knew/had a deep feeling Ava was abusing Eilliot. The wrists he hid told me that. I also Had deep deep suspicions that Liam was behind all the trouble that was going on.

The passion scenes with Jake were fun and exciting I will say there was a part of me that thought Jake was going to be a turd like Liam at some point and poor sweet Freya would never get a break.

Thanks NetGalley , G.M Lawerence and publisher for the chance to receive this!

This was a dramatic thriller that touched on some emotional subjects but managed to keep suspense while still relaying the important messages.