This was an entertaining listen (audiobook). Seeing how one event when they were in high school changed their lives and how they slowly crumbled feeling guilty and coming clean. It was a slow paced listen no ah-ha moments just everything unfolding till one of them turned themselves in taking one for the group. Then coming back together in the end after losing touch for many years. I enjoyed this one for sure.

The beginning of this story was a little slow for me, but about half way through, it started picking up and grabbed my attention. I struggled to connect with the characters a bit as well. Again, until toward the end. The story line itself was interesting though and I really liked the ending. Malcolm redeemed himself a bit in my opinion.

I was intrigued by this premise but the actual story was so incredibly dry. I found this one hard to pay attention to because it was slow paced with characters I did not care about. For a thrilling, it lacked the suspense or fun I seek from the genre. Maybe it got better, but I'd rather read and review other books.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

So much potential for drama, but overall a depressing vibe.

Premise - Many years after four teen boys kill another boy in a playground, one of them commits suicide by driving his motorcycle into a truck. His wife blames the other three for making him carry the secret, which she blames for his struggle with addiction and ultimately his suicide, and is determined to seek revenge.

📚 Series or Standalone: standalone
📚 Genre: it’s shelved as thriller, but it should be general fiction because I did not once find myself thrilled
📚 Target Age Group: adult
📚 Cliffhanger: no

✨ Will I Reread: no
✨ Recommended For: fans of ‘Hello Beautiful’ and empathizing with self-involved, self-pitying men

💕 Characters: 3/5, believable but flat. While the men are all pathetic (and I really enjoy a good unlikeable character) it’s in a way that isn’t any fun. For example, not telling his wife he contracted HIV from having an affair (!) and not using a condom (!!!) for an entire MONTH, putting her at so much risk. Just wanted to yeet the man out of the nearest window, but not in a cute, fun way.
💕 Writing: 3/5, very competent, but somehow dry and unemotional.
💕 Plot: 3/5, so much potential, but in the end I didn’t care.
💕 Pacing: 3/5, even throughout but too slow for a thriller.
💕 Unputdownability: 2/5
💕 Enjoyment: 2/5
💕 Book Cover: 3/5, intriguing

Thanks, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Like It Never Happened by Jeff Hoffmann and narrated by Noah Michael Levine is absolutely phenomenal. Phen. Om. En. Al. Standing ovation for this thriller.

Noah Michael Levine did a wonderful job at defining the personalities of the characters and his cadence shaped the ambience exactly as it was written

Jeff Hoffman has created an outstanding thriler. The pace is on point, the deflections and redirections are a lbur yet without losing track of the core plot.

Three friends reunite (Tommy, Malcolm and Henry) following the passing of one of their childhood friends, (Kevin) but, they all shared a secret A dark secret from their childhood. Concern grows between the three existing friends as to whether the deceased friend told his wife. The reporter, the secret. Tension grows after meeting the wife (Naomi) at the wake events start to escalate, and spiral slowly, but weightily, increasing in tempo with Naomi at the centre, orchestrating every move

Utterly, utterly brilliant. I could not put it down

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, the author Jeff Hoffman and Narrator Noah Michael Levine for this epic ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own