Is there such thing as a crazy contest? Who’s following who? Who’s right and who’s in the wrong?

After losing her husband to a terrible accident, Dr. McCall finds herself suspended from her job and seeking help herself. During this time, she finds she has an unhealthy obsession with Gabriel. Trying to see if he’s healing after his own loss in the same tragic accident, she’s not able to let it go.

Once she’s released to go back to work, Gabriel comes to see her as a patient. Does he know who she is? Does he have the same strange obsession?

This book kept me engaged the entire time! So many crazy things happening. There’s a little grief, a little love and a whole lot of crazy!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an advanced copy of this twisty thriller! I love what Vi Keeland did with this one!

The Unraveling by Vi Keeland. Thanks to @atriabooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Meredith is a psychiatrist recently back at work after a traumatic experience. She becomes enamored by a man from her best.

This is a fast paced read that I flew through in just a few hours. It can definitely be a one sitting book. The past event that happened is teased and you get bits as time goes on. I loved the psychiatrist aspect of it; although some was far fetched and extremely unethical. I enjoyed the book and how it showed the confusion of strong emotions, but I was expecting it to be a little more wild and thrilling than it was.

“These days, the idea of happiness is like a fable or a fairy tale. A dream every little girl growing up in a screwed-up house wants to be a part of, but knows drop in her heart is just make believe.”

The Unraveling comes out 7/9.

4.5 stars!

i’ve been a fan of vi keeland for a while and have read and loved so many of her romance books, and her debut thriller did not disappoint!!

i am still gathering my thoughts on this one, but there were so many twists and every time i thought i had it figured out, she threw another curveball my way. and the mic drop at the end?!? i was SHOOK.

i’ll never stop recommending and raving about anything and everything vi keeland writes, but this one is up there with my top reads from her.

i don’t want to give anything away because i think going into this one blind is the way to go, but everyone check this book out when it release on july 9!!!

thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Im honestly not too sure about what I have read. The beginning started fine but part through I got lost. What on earth is going on?
This is certainly a different story from the author that I am used to and im not sure to be honest on what to rate it.
Meredith obviously has a lot of emotions and things to go through after her husband’s passing. Needless to say the way she goes through lifes struggles and the way she responds to Gabriel, I just wasn’t sure on what direction the story would go. It completely threw me for a loop. As I finished I thought….what on earth?

Vi Keeland, the #1 NYT Best-Selling author of romance, introduces her sizzling debut thriller novel, THE UNRAVELING —a descent into a psychological unraveling of obsession, intrigue, and mystery.

About...

Set in New York City, Meredith, a psychiatrist, is married to Connor, a pro hockey player. He is involved in a hockey accident with a severe injury and winds up getting hooked on drugs.

Later, there is an accident, and Meredith is grief-stricken and guilt-ridden, wondering what she could have done to prevent this horrific tragedy. Her license has been suspended, and she is in therapy.

When she crosses paths with the man she shares a tragic connection with, she wonders why he seems so happy and carefree.

Consumed with infatuation, she follows Gabriel Wright, an English professor, to see what he is up to. He is an enigma and seems to enjoy himself with other women, maybe his students. He also visits a storage unit. Soon, this turns into an obsession for Meredith. Why isn't he grief-stricken? He seems too happy.

The day she gets her license back, she decides to let it go and get on with her life. Then Gabriel shows up at her practice as one of her patients! Shocked, Meredith crosses all professional and personal lines. They both have reasons to hide their secrets.

Alternating from then and now, all the secrets begin to unfold.

Let the dark and dangerous cat-and-mouse games begin.

Who is the predator, and who is the prey?

My thoughts...

THE UNRAVELING is an intriguing, chilling, twisted, sizzling, wild, and crazy ride! A perfect title, the author cleverly grabs you from page one to the end.

The author skillfully reveals the character's lies, deception, and secrets. Keeland knows how to keep the reader guessing. A clever ride that will make you question everyone and everything.

The first part kept me in suspense, as I tried to figure out what happened after the first accident and why Meredith felt to blame. Then, there was the mysterious connection with Gabriel and his loss. Plus, Meredith has some crazy patients, one in particular. The themes of obsession, addiction, infidelity, trauma, and crossing ethical lines add intrigue and complexity to the narrative.

A wickedly delicious game of cat and mouse and obsession. A fun popcorn thriller. Even though I am not a romance fan, the author sure knows how to make an entrance into the thriller's dark side. My only thought, I wish it had more dark humor. Looking forward to seeing what comes next!

Recs...

For fans of Colleen Hoover, A.R. Torre, and Tarryn Fisher and readers who like a little spice in their thrillers.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a digital advanced reading copy for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: July 9, 2024
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Psychiatrist Dr. Meredith McCall is reeling from the loss of an accident that left her husband and two other people dead. When she happens to run into a man whose life was irrevocably altered that day, she begins to follow him to figure out the secret of how he is still happy. Later, he turns up as a patient in her office and Meredith treats him — despite the MANY ethical issues. And she begins to wonder what her client’s motivations are and if they really ran into one another by chance.

This is a fun popcorn thriller. It was very binge-worthy and I finished it in two days. I also didn’t guess one of the big reveals, which was a plus.

However — and I think I’m on outlier island here — Meredith’s ridiculous and unethical decisions made this one really tough to read. As someone who has multiple friends and family members who are therapists, and has gone to therapy herself, I found it very hard to just suspend my disbelief and go with it.

On top of Meredith’s poor decisions, she and the other characters felt very one-dimensional. I had no one to root for, but felt compelled to keep reading to see what would happen. The writing also felt very soap opera-esque to me.

Overall, I’d recommend this to someone looking for an engaging psychological thriller to put in their beach bag. But it wasn’t a read that will stick with me.

Vi Keeland's debut thriller, "The Unraveling," is a dark and twisted journey into the depths of obsession and psychological turmoil. This isn't your typical love story—it's a chilling exploration of how far a broken mind can go when it loses its grip on reality.

The story follows Meredith McCall, a New York City psychiatrist whose life has been turned upside down by a devastating personal tragedy. Struggling to cope, she finds herself drawn to Gabriel Wright, a man connected to her past and the trauma she experienced. Despite knowing that it's ethically and morally wrong, Meredith cannot resist the pull and ends up treating Gabriel as a patient. This decision sets off a dangerous game of cat and mouse, blurring the lines between professional boundaries and personal obsession.

Keeland, known for her romance novels, successfully ventures into the thriller genre with a narrative that's both seductive and unnerving. The pacing is perfect, drawing you in from the first page and keeping you hooked until the very end. The characters are complex and deeply flawed, making their descent into madness all the more compelling.

Meredith is a protagonist you can't help but feel for, even as she makes one questionable decision after another. Her obsession with Gabriel is palpable, and the tension between them crackles with intensity. The twists and turns in their relationship are masterfully handled, keeping you guessing about the true nature of their connection and the dark secrets they both harbor.

The writing is sharp and evocative, with Keeland deftly balancing the psychological aspects of the story with moments of genuine suspense and surprise. The final twist is a real jaw-dropper, leaving you reeling and questioning everything you thought you knew about the characters and their motivations.

Overall, "The Unraveling" is a gripping, addictive read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers. It's a strong debut in the genre for Keeland, and I can't wait to see what she does next. If you're looking for a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed reading this. It began as a very insular, claustrophobic story until it broadens out a bit, but it retained some of that very close feeling that this kind of story really needed. The story is entirely narrated by Meredith, the main character, and I found her perspective quite compelling to read.

The plot is in a lot of ways quite straightforward, but it has plenty of twists and it really did keep me guessing. I wasn’t quite sure of where it was going until we reached it, and the author did a good job at keeping the momentum of the tension going throughout. I don’t normally like flashbacks, but I thought they worked really well in this context.

I also thought that the author’s background as a romance writer really benefitted her here; the book is very erotic and the sexual tension was superbly done. It really added to the atmosphere of the book.

Overall this was a very solid thriller and I had a lot of fun reading it. The book is well-plotted and twists along to a genuinely surprising conclusion, and I’d definitely read a thriller from Vi Keeland again. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes:

Warnings: Death of a spouse, death of a child, fatal traffic collision, murder, drug addiction, opioid abuse, stalking, harassment, references to intimate partner violence, head injuries, mental illness, on-page sex, rough sex, unprotected sex, references to choking during sex / erotic asphyxiation, spanking, cheating / infidelity.

The kind of train wreck you can’t look away from that you finish in a day! Whew, that was a ticket on the best crazy train out there. Well paced with the kind of twist that you have to stop to absorb.

Woah! This was not what I was expecting. I knew going in that this was not in the romance genre and that really excited me. I love when an author steps out of their comfort zone. Especially when they blow my mind the way Ms. Keeland just did with The Unraveling.

This story pulled me in pretty quickly. I immediately was invested in what had happened, where this character was now in her life, and what her motivation was. As the answers were revealed, new questions arose. And I loved every mysterious, twisty turn it took. I recommend staying away from any reviews that give away too much of the story.

The Unraveling follows Meredith McCall, who at the story's open is about to reopen her psychiatric practice after losing her license for a year. As the story unfolds, we learn that Meredith has an unhealthy obsession with Gabriel Wright, a man whose family Meredith's deceased husband, Connor, killed in a car accident for something Meredith believes is partially her fault. Over time, Meredith's obsession with learning about Gabriel grows, as does the confusion surrounding who is obsessed with who.

This story was full of fun twists--some that I saw coming and some I didn't. While I was able to predict a few things along the way, it didn't detract from the story. I had a lot of fun reading this. It was fast paced, the chapters were pretty short, and I liked Meredith's character.


Overall, I recommend this book for a fast, fun summer thriller!

What in Sam Hill is this book?? There wasn't one redeeming character in it yet I kept turning pages. I don't know what to make of it but it was just ok.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for a copy of this book!

This book started off really strong & I found myself not being able to put it down. However, as it progressed, the I grew to hate the MC. She made really dumb choices & was just overall annoying. I also definitely saw the twist coming & it felt more like a dark sexual romance than a psychological thriller. If you’re new to thrillers, this may be a good read for you but I would have to pass on this one.

OMG….THIS BOOK!!!! Absolutely incredible, I couldn’t put this one down!! I will be thinking about this one for a while, such a fast-paced thriller that will have you hooked from the very beginning. There were so many twists in this book that there were times I thought I had it figured out but I was so wrong! Do yourself a favor and read this amazing thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria/Emily Bestler Books (Simon & Shuster), and Vi Keeland for the ARC of this amazing book!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. The Unraveling is the first mystery/thriller from romance author Vi Keeland. I don’t want to spoil the plot or twists by giving too much info, but I’ll do my best. I did enjoy the twist, and didn’t figure it out beforehand. I also felt like it was well “unraveled” 🙃 but it all came in a bang very close to the end. I really didn’t like the main character, or really any of the characters except the assistant. I did feel like it was a little slow in the middle. Overall if you enjoy mystery/thrillers, with a side of stalking, than aren’t creepy enough to keep you up at night, this is a good choice!

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this ARC. This author is new to me, but I will definitely be picking up more of her work.

Thrillers and Romance are my preferred genres of choice. So when I saw VI Keeland, a romance author penning her first thriller story, it was a no brainer that I had to pick it up.

The Unraveling follows Meredith, a psychiatrist that is dealing with a career upheaval following a major lost and trauma stemming from that lost. That lost leads her to following a man (Gabriel) that has something to do with her past, wanting to know how he has moved on from tragedy since she has had a difficult time doing so. But things become twisted and convoluted in unexpected ways.

This psychological thriller was addictive, exciting, intense and pulled me in from page 1. The relationships and characters at first seemed simple, but then twisted into something a little more complicated. Told from Meredith's POV, we see a slippery slide into obsession that is a bit more than what we originally anticipate. There are breadcrumbs you must follow, but it's the simplicity of seeing what is right in front of you. I won't say much more about the plot, but all the minor details entice you to slowly bring you in and be fully engaged with the forbidden relationships taking place.
Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Ms Keeland drops the epilogue and the last lines to leave you with your jaw dropped. Now THAT'S how you end a thriller!

what a dark and twisty debut thriller! I’m usually all in for a psychological thriller, but there was something about this one that kept me from diving all in - and that was the stupidity of the main character

meredith, a therapist reeling from recent traumatic events, is questioning her entire life and letting the intrusive thoughts win from stalking people to not admitting when her prescription pad is stolen to SLEEPING WITH PATIENTS, she was unhinged and not in a good way … especially because she kept saying “I know it’s wrong but” … NO! there’s no buts! it’s not that hard!

I do feel like the plot itself was trying too hard to be multiple other thrillers at once, which led to the ending feeling rushed and out of left field. and normally, I love a good last minute twist but I didn’t really see the point of this one 😩

thank you to atria and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you so much to Atria Books for the gifted ARC!

WOWZA talk about a bingeable book! I read this one in a day and the second half in one sitting! I absolutely needed to know where this was going!

This was the first time I've read a Vi Keeland book and this was her first thriller as a typical romance author. You definitely get the nods to romance as there were a couple pretty steamy scenes (both at the end of chapters and easy to skip over).

I was pretty sure I knew where this one was going, so I was very excited that a few twists and turns totally shocked me! AND THAT ENDING! WOW!

I can't wait to read her next thriller!!!

This will be out on July 9th!

I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC 🥰

Vi Keeland delivers a chilling and addictive thriller with The Unraveling, a story that takes readers on a dark journey into the depths of obsession and the dangerous consequences of crossing ethical boundaries.

Meredith McCall, a New York City psychiatrist, is struggling to find her footing after a devastating loss. Her life is in shambles when she encounters Gabriel Wright, a man with whom she shares a tragic connection. Drawn to him in a way that she can't explain, Meredith's fascination quickly spirals into an unhealthy obsession. How can Gabriel seem so put together while her world is falling apart?

The plot thickens when Gabriel walks into Meredith's office as a new patient, unaware of their shared past. Meredith knows it's against all professional and moral standards to treat him, yet she can't bring herself to turn him away. As she becomes more entangled in Gabriel's life, her own continues to unravel, leading to a climax that is both inevitable and shocking.

Keeland's writing is gripping and intense, capturing the psychological complexities of Meredith's descent. The novel is a perfect blend of suspense and emotion, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they watch the protagonist's life spiral out of control.

The Unraveling is a powerful exploration of obsession, ethical dilemmas, and the fine line between sanity and madness. It’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy a story that is as thought-provoking as it is suspenseful.