One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall, narrated by Elliot Fitzpatrick, Olivia Vinall, and Helen Keeley is absolutely fantastic! I could not stop listening! The story itself;f is deliciously twisty. And I love when audiobooks intersperse snippets of podcasts, social media comments, news reports, etc. within the actual novel. OOTGG has an actual ending, but there are still lingering questions- in a good way. Hall's book is both entertaining and thought provoking. Highly recommend!!

One of those rare books that gave me the five star feeling from the very first page all the way through until the very last. There is no one that I wouldn't recommend this book to. Also so rare to have a read where I disliked every single character and still loved the reading experience. Typically I love books for the entertainment factor or for having a "point". Rarely do I get both to such a high degree.

It was so interesting to read such an accurate painting of this world we live in and have grown to accept, but when reading it about other characters you feel so upset for them...And then realize they are experiencing a reality you exist in every day. Being a wife and mom and woman and employee is an overwhelmingly impossible balancing act and reading this truly validated why life feels like such a circus. And the expectations to be grateful for the absolute bear minimum.

Meet Cole, a self-proclaimed “Good Guy” trying his hardest to move on after a devastating breakup. Deciding a life change is in order he packs up leaving London behind and takes up a small cottage rental in a tiny little seaside town. He is eager to make friends and is practically starving when he meets his artistic neighbour Lennie. But things start to get dodgy when two teenage activists go missing while on a mission to bring attention to the issue of women’s safety. Then Cole’s ex rolls into town and we soon learn that there’s definitely more to him than meets the eye.

Araminta Hall's novel, "One of the Good Guys," is a tour de force that resonates long after the final page is turned, inviting readers to reflect on their own beliefs and biases, especially for those who are inclined to say “I believe in women’s rights but…” The pacing of the novel is impeccable, with suspenseful moments strategically placed to maintain the tension throughout, while skilfully crafting a narrative that keeps readers interested even if you might be one step ahead. An effortlessly seamless blend of suspense (I wouldn’t call this a thriller) and contemporary (women’s) fiction with multiple POVs as well as mixed media segments.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Phew, that was a tough book.

I don’t think I can or want to say too much about the content, because that would somehow spoil a lot. I certainly didn’t expect the twist. (Even though I had my guesses)

In my eyes, this novel got a lot of things right when it comes to feminism. It’s incredible how social media affects us and what it does to specific (very present day) issues. Araminta Hall did an incredible job of addressing today’s issues. I was shocked at how real this book is and how it holds a mirror up to our faces.
(I would love to say so much more about the topics of the book, but would probably spoil too much, yieks.) For me, it’s a book you should have heard/read to understand how thoughtful and angry and sad and stunned it makes one.

Nevertheless, the book only gets four stars from me because I didn’t like the „main twist“. It’s just a way of tackling problems that I don’t like in books; it annoys me.
In my opinion, it could have been solved more elegantly, but then the whole book probably wouldn’t have worked in its entirety, ugh.


The English audiobook:
That. Was. Incredible!!!
I think I have rarely enjoyed such a well-made audiobook and I would advise anyone interested in the book to pick up this version!
The narrators do an extremely good job and if the first part is still reminiscent of a „normal“ audiobook, later on, when media such as Twitter / Reddit / news channels play a role, typical sounds are used. Twitter twittering, Reddit sounds, news programme music, the clicking of the keyboard and background noises during interviews.
It’s incredible, I was so shocked (at first) and then absolutely thrilled!
All the voice actors do an extremely good job and are able to adapt their voices to the situations and characters. Absolutely wonderful!!!



My Goodreads review will have one star less, as I’m not just including the audiobook in the rating, but the complete book. However, I will write that the audiobook gets five stars from me in terms of experience.

Extremely heavy on the feminism. But also sadly realistic. It wasn’t quite as much of a thriller as I was anticipating but left you on the edge of your seat anyways.

One of the Good Guys is a slow burn examining the expectations that differ between genders within society. It wasn't thrilling as much as it is thought provoking. I liked the mystery element and the social commentary on women's safety and the treatment that they frequently receive from men. It brought up a lot of good points and discussion topics and think it would be a great book club choice.

I liked the mixed media elements of the story (radio, posts, etc) which added dynamics and kept it from falling flat. I definitely would be interested in reading something by this author again. It's one of those books you want someone to talk about it with and think it will be popular among those who like to explore sociopolitical topics through fiction.

Despite enjoying the story itself, I didn't care for the narrator's reading of this. He has a choppy style delivery to his performance and it made the interactions between the characters feel awkward at times. I think I may have liked the book more if it wasn't audio that I had read it through. I did like how the various media outlets of the book were acted out, though.

Gaaaaaahhhh! I absolutely flew through the first half and listened to the second half on audio--I'm gonna go ahead and call it--best audiobook of 2024 🤩

The first part of the book we follow newly separated Cole as tries to move on from his old life in London. Then things get all sorts of mixed up when we hear from the voice of Mel, his ex wife, as we lead up to the present day.

It's dark, twisted and brings up important conversations. There's one bit that rubbed me the wrong way, but I was so engrossed that it was easily overlooked.

The first 40 percent of this book I had absolutely no idea where this was going. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t what I read, for sure. This didn’t really have any thriller aspects to it for me. It was a good book, but I’m not sure how I would categorize it. The main themes in this book revolve around gender and, more specifically, how women are perceived and treated by men. It’s very relatable for any woman, that’s for sure. I think it highlights some very important issues and is nothing like my usual reading.

A quick and thought-provoking read.

Cole's marriage had failed, and he was desperate to escape the life that he had built with his wife. So, he decided to take a chance and start fresh. He packed up everything he owned, left his old life behind, and moved to the coast.

It didn't take long for him to meet Leonora, a fellow newcomer to the area. They hit it off right away, bonding over their shared desire to leave their past lives behind and start anew. However, their idyllic new life was shattered when two female activists disappeared while camping near the coast. Cole had been one of the last people to see them before they vanished. Suddenly, everything changed. Leonora began to question whether she could trust Cole. Was he hiding something? Or was he truly the kind, caring man that she had come to know?

While I appreciate the message conveyed in the book, I feel that the presentation could have been better. Additionally, I didn't like any of the characters, which affected my overall enjoyment. However, I think the book would be a good choice for those interested in feminist literature.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Araminta Hall, and Dreamscape Select for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

I loved this one, fans of Promising Young Woman will love it too. I thought the many narrators worked for me which I can't always say and the slow burn of the perspective shifting as you listen to Cole and then the other characters I thought was smooth and interesting without being heavy handed at all. I have one criticism which is that the soundscape of certain sections where the notifications are dinging and you can hear hone typing noises was maddening and irritated me to the point of thinking of turning it off. All around a great listen aside from that.

ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS took me by surprise. I didn't really read what this was about before I started it but I did see some great reviews. The story centers around Cole and his relationship with his former wife, Mel. He doesn't know why she is still so mad at him or why their marriage even ended. We get two sides to the story of their life together, Cole's and Mel's. When he meets Leonora, he thinks he will have a fresh start but finds himself involved in much more than he bargained for. IS COLE ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS? I don't want to say much more, other than to listen to this incredible audiobook. The ending was quite shocking and not what I expected at all. I would highly recommend giving this one a listening to.

Many thanks to Dreamscape Select and NetGalley for my gifted ALC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Araminta Hall and Dreamscape Select for an audio arc of One of the Good Guys in exchange for an honest review.

This book was getting a lot of buzz from book friends so I was excited to get an advance copy to review.

Sadly, my review is not good & I am only sharing here for the publisher.

This story literally pissed me off. Maybe that was the point. I understand the message that the characters & perhaps the author were trying to convey regarding men taking advantage of women, but for those women to set-up a man who had actually done nothing wrong, just had specific tastes in the bedroom that his wife gladly agreed to, that was wrong on so many levels and makes those women just as bad as the men they were trying to condemn in their experiment. I'm a girl's girl and even I was outraged by this. Again, maybe this was the point and if so, maybe my reaction is actually a good review? Not sure - the author would need to answer that question.

I just felt duped at the end & was upset at the wasted time spent on this book.

I very generously rate this book 3 Stars. I do not plan to recommend it on my IG, though.

I really enjoyed this refreshing take on a domestic thriller and loved the mixed media in the second half of the book.

Where the book started with Cole I couldn't work out initially what sort of character it was, in the beginning he had my sympathy but my feelings changed as I listened to more.

I don't want to give too much away but the story centres around Cole, his ex-wife Mel and the new woman in his life Lenny during the timeline with a two women walking the South Coast in protest of how women are treated by men.

I'd give this four stars, great story, interesting listen and very well narrated. Will definitely read more from Araminta Hall. Thanks for the opportunity of having an early listen to this audiobook.

This was everything! It was so real and relatable. Cole is so hateable. He blames his mother for his issues and he blames his wife. And he emotionally tortures and traumatizes women while still believing he is a good guy.
I just loved all of it while still being really uncomfortable.
The ending was fire!
The narration is perfection.

2.75 stars… not TERRIBLE, would recommend, but NOT for me!!

I wish I could pinpoint exactly what it was that didn’t work for me. The message was there, loud and clear, and I respect it! Women have a hard time in a man’s world and we all need to recognize this, but I also don’t feel like the target audience for this book are the people who need to hear this message, if that makes any sense. Like, they already get it. They know!

Told in three different points of view, we get the story of Cole, his recently separated ex, Mel and a neighbor of Cole’s, Lenny. I didn’t like Cole. From the start… something feels off, which we really start to understand when we get the story of their relationship from Mel, who I also didn’t really like… By the end, I was just trying to get through the story so I didn’t really appreciate Lenny’s chapters as much as I wanted to, or as much as I could have.

All in all, the message was there, but the execution was meh…

I was JUST asking for mixed media book requests, so this came at the perfect time! The narrators all did a fantastic job and I really enjoyed the sound effects and news segments.

I love when books can tell a story while shedding light on real world problems. Including the different feedback from the public was an amazing choice by the author and really added depth to the story.

I called one of the reveals right away, but it didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story!

This book was not for me. It should come with a heavy trigger warning for women who have a history of failed IVFs that did not result in children. The character, Mel, and her attitude towards IVF was triggering. I did not finish this book at the 55% mark. The rest of the story and characters were not strong enough for me to want to overlook this trigger and continue on to find out how it ended.

Cole and Leonora are two people trying to get over their own difficult pasts in a small coastal village. The two strike up a friendship and find themselves involved in the investigation of the disappearance of two female activists. Hall has pegged 21st century conflict between men and women, the powerful and the powerless to a T. It makes for a difficult, sometimes uncomfortable read, but it’s so worth the read for the punch it packs. Highly recommended

This is not a beach read.

This is an emotional, heavy, trigger-warning fueled examination, via fiction, of modern day life. Of violence toward women. Of power being held by one group, while the other group is coming forth en masse to take some back. Of performative demonstrations of the plague women have lived with since the dawn of time. Of men, both good and bad, and how the current state is making them either more aware, willing to become allies, more deeply entrenched in their supremacy, angry, afraid, violent, and on and on.

As I was listening, I was all over the place with my emotions. Several hours ago, I was sure the very well narrated audiobook was going to earn a 3. I use books to escape, and there is no escape in One of the Good Guys. This is a head thinker. As it neared the end, I started to believe it would be a "rounded up to 4" book, because, boy, despite the angst and emo, I could not stop listening.

And then, as the last chapter filled my ears, I understood. What should books be? Should they be nonsensical beach reads we read for joy. Yes, absolutely. Should they be journeys we take to places we will never actually visit, but we grow from the story? Yes, you bet. Should they sometimes take our hearts, twist them completely, and cause us to question how this all came to be, and how do we go forth and improve the world for our children. Yes. Yes to all of these.

Araminta Hall hits hard with this emotionally driven, painful to read, heart wrenching look at our lives. It is well written, the characters were fleshed out and it is thought provoking. Will everyone like it? Nope. A big resounding nope. To be completely fair in my review, I am on the "side" of politics that favors a world where women are not dominated by men, we do not fear for our persons in so many ways, we have autonomy, equal rights......so you can now label my politics. That said, not everything presented in this book is left leaning. Some of the dialogue presented by the outraged, which I would normally write off, did make me think. There is no 100% right. We are shades of gray.

My advice for future readers is to use One of the Good Guys as a book club, or buddy read, selection. There is much to talk about, debate, speculate and discuss and this one would be a great choice.

Now, I am going to find a light hearted beach read and give my brain, and heart, a chance to recover.

4 stars

Readers who enjoy this the most will come in expecting to dislike all of the characters and to realize that this is absolutely intentional. They'll also be mindful of their incoming biases, their changing thoughts/feelings/placements of blame, and their final thoughts.

Cole is - in his mind and some critical minds of those around him - 'one of the [titular] good guys,' and this is the basis of the novel: that guys who think they're good are also feeling entitled to whatever (and whomever and however) they want. For obvious reasons, this frequently results in the victimization and generalized abuse of women. But the way this all pans out throughout this novel is fascinating, and the reveals are too good for me to ruin here.

This narrative is structured in a particularly effective way, starting with the description of a public form of awareness raising, and then moving into various insights from Cole and his ex-wife in the past, and interjections from other very important characters in the present. There are also brief asides in the form of public commentary, and those - like much of this content - can be pretty rough to encounter.

On that note, readers need to be aware that the whole focus of this novel is on a TW worthy topic for many. There's a lot of espousing of ideologies specific to an especially disgusting group of men, references to gaslighting and love bombing, a lot of discussion of rape fantasies, etc. The book starts with an overview of activism around these points, so readers should expect to imbibe a heavy dose of them from cover to cover.

This book surprised me in a good way. It's engaging, infuriating, and thought provoking, and the audiobook is a must when and where accessible. I'll be looking for more from this author and recommending this one to folks who can manage the content.