I had a really hard time getting into this book. It was a very slow burn, about 60% before the “thriller” aspect kicked in.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for the opportunity to read this arc

I went into this book expecting a traditional thriller (based on the vibes of the cover mostly) and it was definitely not that. It does, however, have all the trappings of a great domestic thriller - it was slower (things don’t really ratchet up until 60% in but by then, hold on tight because you’re in for a wild ride!!), more cerebral (exploring themes of class, privilege, and power), and the suspense was more subtle but still absolutely unsettling. This story focuses on the complicated relationships between three main characters with wildly different ages/economic status/lifestyles and I’m going to leave it at that because I highly suggest you go in blind like I did!

Perfect for fans of Come and Get It, My Husband, Stone Cold Fox, or The Guest.

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Collins for the eARC!

"Weak people dwelled on the past, wallowed in their losses, leaned on the crutch of psychobabble to justify their defects. The strong forged ahead, forged themselves into whatever they wanted to be, and he was nothing if not strong. Mentally tough. Not a pusher; a rocket ship."

Conor O'Toole has nabbed a cushy summer job as a tennis instructor at an exclusive gated community by the sea. With lodging provided, he can send all his earnings to his diabetic mother in Yonkers, and spend his down time studying for his upcoming bar exam. Sounds like a plan, only within days of his arrival, he gets Mrs. Robinsoned, and, well . . . insert your favorite quote about making plans here. Reluctant to give up the "good life" he's rapidly become accustomed to, Conor is soon fighting to keep track of all his lies, and basically selling his soul to save his skin.

This was terrific. The book reminds me so much of those great seventies novels I've read by Philip Roth, Bruce J. Friedman, and, yes, Charles Webb, about young protagonists who may start out idealistic, but, you know, things change, and shit happens, and you gotta look out for number one. (They didn't call it the Me Decade for nothin'.) This one is set, not in the seventies, but during the summer of 2020. Covid-19 fears are still running rampant, and masks are worn by some, but not all. Our protagonist is paying close attention to the upcoming presidential election, though we never really find out which candidate Conor actually supports.

I'd say that by the end of the book we know the answer to that question.

Well done, Mr. Wayne. Well done.

I just couldn’t get into this one. I found it too much of a slow burn, and couldn’t connect with the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am not usually a fan of Pandemic or Election type of books but the cover definitely has you wanting to try the author out.

This book follows Conor who is taking a summer job as a tennis instructor for a client within a gated community. As the story progresses Conor picks up other clients and he is starting a relationship that is just blossoming and then one night everything changes.

To me the story is slow moving and the dual relationship that Conor in is somewhat annoying. He is not easy to like just because of this drama and the situation. 75% of the book is slow and it finally picks up and you definitely want to find out what happens.

The ending seemed abrupt and i didnt really care for the story.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

I wanted to love it based on the premise but for some reason I found it impossible to connect with the protagonist or the story. Might be for someone else but it wasn’t for me!

The first 1/4 of this book was too much tennis and not enough action. BUT once the action started??? Whew. This was a wild one. I devoured it. I vividly saw this play out as a lifetime suspense movie 😂
The conversation this provokes regarding class differentials is a great layer for a novel that seems just salacious on the surface.

This book just wasn't for me. I made it to about 30% and it just didn't grab me at all. I didn't feel like the stakes were high enough for me to feel invested. Sorry!

The main character moves to an idyllic setting in Cape Cod to become a tennis instructor. He is very popular with the ladies and there is an interesting dynamic with the wealthy people in the community and the people who work in the area. This book was very spicy. I don’t mind a little spice but the amount of spice in this book was too much. I liked the writing but the book was a bit slow for me and it didn’t come together the way I expected it to. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Set in an exclusive gated community in coastal Massachusetts, Connor O'Toole is offered a guest cabin in return for private tennis lessons for the summer. Although this story had plenty of twists and turns and was fast paced, the unlike-ability of the characters left me not really caring what happened to any of them. That in addition to some questionable plot points left me lukewarm on the book overall.

Rated 3.5/5

I enjoyed this read. It was set during the COVID Pandemic and Presidential Election, which I personally, do not enjoy reading about, however this read drew me in with plenty of twists and turns. The main character is not particularly likable, but I was very stressed for him towards the end of that book.

During the pandemic, Conor O'Toole jumps at the chance to take a summer job as a tennis instructor in a gated community. His client will allow him to stay in the guest house if he gets his lessons for free, but allowing Conor to pick up other clients. With massive debt from paying for his mother's diabetic medication and his continuing law school education, he needs to find a many clients as possible. Until one super rich client makes him an offer he can't refuse. Soon he's juggling his client's demands, a budding relationship, and his law studies. Until one fateful night that changes everything.
I had trouble getting into this story as most of the first half centers on Conor's inner turmoil and justifications for continuing with both women. I was disgusted by him and his situation. The action picked up after the halfway point as Conor scrambles to cover up what he'd done and I was interested to see if he'd get away with it. But the ending was inconclusive and I was a bit disappointed by the whole story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This book was not bad, but I did find myself having a hard time connecting with the characters. Perhaps as a not rich white woman, I was not the target audience for this book. However, I am still interested in reading more books by Teddy Wayne in the future.


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Sadly this ended up being a DNF for me. I don't think there is really anything wrong with the book I just didn't enjoy the main character and had a difficult time being pulled into the story. This very well could be a case where its "a me problem," I am looking forward to seeing what others think. Again, nothing wrong with the book it just didn't work for me.

*I give all DNF's 3 stars to be fair to the author unless there is something problematic with the book.

Another book that has terrible characters, but I absolutely loved it. I have a thing for books with characters that are the worst, with storylines that are so freaking compelling that you simply cannot stop reading.

Cutter’s Neck is the beautiful gated community that Conor is calling home for the summer. With room and board paid for in exchange for tennis lessons, Conor is hoping to have a great summer out of Yonkers. When one of his tennis clients propositions him for something more, Conor goes with it… even if she is twice his age. Entering into a very steamy and intense affair, Conor happens to find that, even thought this older woman is compelling, he is falling for another girl her has met.

As Colon maneuvers through his escapades, juggling both women, I was CACKLING with incredulous laughter. Knowing there is no way for that kind of scenario to end well, I still wasn’t expecting that absolute unhinged events that proceed. At every single choice made, every action taken, I was like WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? And, it was SO much fun to read!!

The suspense really picks up toward the end. There is depravity and hilarity that melded so well together. I definitely recommend this one!

I was very intrigued by the cover and synopsis, but this book wasn't for me. I just could not connect with it. I felt this book was very slow. It took forever for anything exciting to happen. There was way too much talk about covid and masks. There were some good twists in the book and I was thankful for that.

I enjoyed This psychological thriller, The Winner, by Teddy Wayne. However, the ending leaves no answers so it left me unsatisfied. The book has themes of social class, love, and danger, a great mix.

Cutters Neck is a gated community near Cape Cod and Conor is calling it home for the summer. He gets free lodging in exchange for offering tennis lessons.

New clients are proving hard to come by, so when a divorcee appears and offers twice his already inflated rate, he takes it. It’s not long before he realized that she also wants a little something extra in addition to lessons, something unlike he’s ever experienced before.

It’s not long before Conor finds himself in a mess, and he makes an irreversible mistake.


The setting of this book was fantastic, a lavish estate on Cape Cod in the summer. I could just imagine myself there amongst yards. However, I struggled to get into the actual story because it was such a slow burn. I felt that the story was moving along at a glacial pace, and I found myself getting increasingly bored with everything. By the time I finally got into the story it did take off, but then it slowed again. It was just uneven which was frustrating. This book must have been written during the pandemic because the amount of covid references was also a lot. I don’t mind a few references to masks or how things were then, but it was bordering on too much. This is hard to say, but I read a lot of romance including dark romance, but this book was just too much when it came to how the storyline played out in regard to the sex scenes. I did enjoy how introspective this book made me when it came to social class, but overall, I felt that it was lacking in depth.

I don’t think that this was a bad read per say, it just wasn’t my favorite however, I would recommend it to those looking to explore social class in an interesting way. Just be prepared.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thrilling, sleek, and sexy. Teddy Wayne delivers an impossible to put down psychological thriller, that really ramps up in the second half. While the beginning erred a bit on the slower side, it really established Connor as a likable, relatable lead and the oceanfront community of Cutters Neck. The author did an excellent job at painting the setting in all its waspy glory. His relationship with Catherine was fraught with forbidden sexual tension from the jump. No spoilers, but the choice Connor makes had my jaw on the floor! And it's that decision that really puts the story into hyperdrive. COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!

I appreciate NetGalley and Harper Books for the opportunity to review this book
I wanted to like this book, as the description sounded promising.
A law school student/tennis pro who ends up in a lavish estate of sorts on Cape Cod for the summer, finds himself in a torrid love affair with a woman many decades his senior.
I lost count of how many times the author brings up covid or the main character needing to/being stressed about wearing a mask. His political standpoint pops into the book by mentioning both Trump and Biden in the story early on.
When I read fiction, I like to escape reality, and this was too much (and not for the better) at once.
The mask/covid piece was overkill for me, considering the pandemic is on the downslide.
If you can overlook this, then by all means, but it distracted me from the storyline.