Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for this ARC.

This was my first book by this author and overall I’d rate it three stars.
I personally did not find this to be a ‘psychological thriller’ minus a few chapters. Character building was good, my heart broke for Freya and anger built for Liam. It was a steady paced book but one that people absolutely need to check TW’s for.

TW - Domestic Violence
My heart broke for Freya throughout this book! Freya has recently escaped from her violent and abusive husband, Liam, and has moved to the city with the help of her sister and brother-in-law, where she is working to build a new life for herself. Determined to stay hidden, Freya keeps a very low profile. But then she notices a young woman in her apartment building, 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. Who are Ava & Elliot really? A call to the police after a very disturbing fight, enter abusive husband Liam, who just happens to be on the police force, coincidence? Freya meets a new male, an instructor of a self defense class, and slowly they become friends. He ends up getting mugged and injured, coincidence? This book had me celebrating Freyas new freedoms, and biting my nails at her longing to help Ava … while also fighting this feeling there was more to the story just out of reach. Twisty-turn, who can you trust story that ends with a nice slow burn.

This was a quick read, but was filled with graphic triggers for domestic abuse and violence. I liked that it showed Freya's growth as she fought the trauma that accompanied her marriage. It did seem that she ran into another relationship a bit too quickly, despite her misgivings. There was a good deal of interaction between Freya and her sister that I really liked, and the author showed how Freya was not the only victim of her relationship. I guessed most of the twists early on, and there was a little less suspense than I expected.

Thanks to NetGalley, Inkubator Books and Booksprout for an advance reader's copy.

This is very much a domestic thriller in the sense it deals with husband and wife and the problems they have. I personally thought it wasnt that great and felt very expected. I like books that dont make me guess the ending in a few chapters but I felt like I already knew what was going to happen 7 chapters in. There wasnt much of a surprise or anything to it. I thought I would enjoy it more!

I really enjoyed the writing style from G.M. Lawrence in this book and found myself glued from the very first chapter. It was made clear very early on that Liam would be a character to hate throughout and Freya is to be sympathised with and although this made some of the story predictable, I found myself wanting more and more.

I believe G.M. Lawrence has written other standalone psychological thrillers similar to this however, I would have loved this to be part of a series!

There are many other aspects of this book I thoroughly enjoyed however, I like to keep my reviews spoiler free so others can follow the story with a blank canvas.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read an advanced copy!

What a gritty and harrowing view of domestic violence. I loved the twists and turns . Full of suspense and the character development was excellent.

WOW what a book this was it was a harrowing story of domestic violence which had me hooked from start to finish. It was definitely a real page with many twists and turns and what fantastic character development it had. I can’t wait to recommend this fantastic thriller. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.

"If I Can't Have You" by G.M. Lawrence is a tension-filled and harrowing psychological thriller that delves unflinchingly into the haunting aftermath of domestic abuse and the journey to survival.

Lawrence skillfully crafts a narrative that immerses readers in Freya's relentless struggle to escape her abusive past and build a new life, vividly capturing the palpable threat posed by her abusive husband, Liam, and the menacing Elliot.

The novel's taut and suspenseful storytelling creates a compelling atmosphere of unease, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as Freya confronts the harrowing challenges and risks entangled in her quest for freedom. Lawrence adeptly portrays Freya's resilience and fear, heightening the sense of psychological intrigue and emotional turmoil.

"If I Can't Have You" is a chilling and evocative exploration of trauma, survival, and the enduring pursuit of liberation, offering a gripping and emotionally charged narrative for fans of psychological thrillers.

G.M. Lawrence's poignant storytelling and the unrelenting suspense throughout the novel make it a riveting and thought-provoking read that lingers in the mind!

I really enjoy G. M. Lawrence’s writing style and this is a gritty and harrowing story of domestic abuse. Freya knows that next time her husband, Liam, beats her, may well be the time he kills her and so she runs.

Freya’s fear of leaving her flat and her reactions to situations she found herself in were chilling and I felt so anguished for what she had suffered.

The characters were well developed and it was an enjoyable read, but I did feel it was a bit too predictable and I guessed the twists early on and so I wasn’t as gripped as I expected to be, having read “When I Know Your Name” and loved it.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, G. M. Lawrence and Inkubator, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

If I Can’t Have You is a domestic psychological thriller regarding physical and emotional domestic violence. The author brilliantly kept me flipping through the pages with the sashaying of twists and turns. I really liked the slow character development by the author which added to the unknowns of what the next chapter would behold. I found the way Freya had to fight her way to be free from the locks of her abuser as a more accurate account of real-life. The ending, OMG, was brilliant!

Thank you, Netgalley and Inkubator Books, for the eARC.

A must read! Written from a perspective of isolated struggle that many people can relate to, If I Can't Have You is an easy page turner that peaked my interest from page one. I found myself embedded into the plot, and I couldn't put it down for too long as the folds in the story kept me wanting more. A big personal pet peeve is a good book with a terrible ending; however, this one did not disappoint! I felt fulfilled with a complete ending once I reached final page. Overall, If I Can't Have You is a gem, and I completely recommend it.

𝙰𝙲𝚁 𝖡𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝖱𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐 || 𝖨𝖿 𝖨 𝖢𝖺𝗇’𝗍 𝖧𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝖻𝗒 𝖦.𝖬 𝖫𝖺𝗐𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾

⚠️‼️ VIOLENCE AND ABUSIVE SCENE ‼️⚠️

Freya is a wife of Liam they have been married for 5 years. Five years of abuse, manipulation and exploitation ruined her life.

As she tries to escape immediately from Liam, many things she’s trying to change her life and develop her character once more.

She met Ava, her new neighbour who seems suspicious kind of like Ava has an abusive husband who has tortured her since Freya had experienced it. She wanted to help but fate made her encounter once again to her abusive husband; Liam.

The plot makes my heart full of trembling and my hand is shaking while reading this 😱 because full of anxiety but makes me want to read more until finish

I love how Freya has the strength to build her life again and how her surroundings do not judge her easily instead they are willing to help her as a wife victimized by her husband.

I truly love the ending. So SATISFIED!

Thank you @netgalley for this experience and @inkubatorbooks

Shout out to the author @gm.lawrencewriter


Rate: 3.5/⭐️⭐️💫
Plot: It’s a good and unexpected storyline FOR REAL and has a plot twist.
Genre: Fiction, Psychological Thriller
Category: 18+ ‼️
Publish Date: 14th January 2024

This was a page turner! I could not stop reading it! I enjoyed watching Freya’s growth and strength after being in an unhealthy relationship.

I liked the twists and the character development. This book shows the effects that domestic violence can have. Overall, this was a good book :)

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, murder, revenge, gas lighting, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle!! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

What I appreciated with the book is that Freya was not a doormat throughout (thank you for that lol). I was happy with how it all ended. However, I was a bit disappointed to find that the book was written in 3rd person POV while the title is not, and it was also very slow paced. For people who love slow burn, this is it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator Books for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A complex novel that intricately highlights the impact that domestic violence can leave upon its victims.
The character development was INCREDIBLE maybe some of the best I've read it made the story feel even more real and played upon my emotions more than normal due to this
My only critique is I would have enjoyed slightly more suspense but that's a tiny critique for such a great novel!