This book centers around Bree, a victim of domestic abuse … it’s a heavy topic, and the author goes into great detail about the abuse and the aftermath (possible trigger warning). I loved how the story would go from present to past, when you needed to know why Bree was thinking or feeling a certain way about how her new coworker, Erin, was acting. I’d say the majority of this book was more domestic drama with some suspense. It was very well written but due to its slow burn nature, it did feel drawn out at times, and I just wanted to get to the “meat” of it all. The last 25% of the book was extremely action packed, with some twists being predictable and some you’d never see coming. If you can make it through the the back story, and the build up for a slow-burn, they twisty ending is worth it.

This was a good book. I hate to hear of women being abused, but when they become stronger because of it I want to root them on. This book is about a woman who was abused by her boyfriend and then helps another woman who she suspects is going through the same thing. This kept my attention and was a good read.

3.5

The writing held my attention the whole time and I just needed to know what happened! Bree has been in a three year relationship with an abusive man, then he ends up dead. She’s trying to heal from her past when a new girl starts at her work exhibiting signs that she’s being abused- so naturally Bree steps in and helps remove her from that situation. While dealing with her own trauma and helping Erin with her abusive boyfriend she’s also facing allegations that she murdered her ex boyfriend while receiving threatening text messages. This was just a wild story; I did find the ending both predictable and not at the same time? Very easy fast paced and entertaining read.

First off, it’s so important to note the trigger warnings on this one. Hunting You’s storyline centers around domestic violence with powerful, descriptive and sometimes disturbing scenes of terrible abuse. The author’s writing is extremely sensitive to this issue and accurately depicts the struggles abuse victims experience. While it’s a worthwhile read to bring awareness and help people understand/spot signs of abuse, this book may be extremely triggering for those who have experienced this kind of trauma.

I went into this book thinking it would be a popcorn thriller, but really only the last 1/4 of the book was twisty-turny. Most of this book was more domestic drama with some suspense. It was very well written but due to its slow burn nature, it did feel drawn out. The last 25% of the book was extremely action packed, with some twists being predictable and some you’d never see coming. If you can hold on through the slow burn character development, the ending makes this book very worthy of the thriller genre. I’d definitely read another book from this author.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up

They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but this cover is beautiful!

Thank you to NetGalley & Red Raven Publishing for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

this is one of those almost rare gems that pulls you in from the get-go. it features a MFC, Bree, who has endured abuse at the hands of caregivers and partners. as fierce and protective as Bree has become, she's had to fight battles to become that way. she saw herself in another woman (Erin) whose spirit had seemingly been broken at the hands of her abuser, and refused to allow Erin to become another statistic... even if it meant putting her own life on the line. Bree is a bada$$, and she has every reason to be.

the author writes this almost as if Bree is telling the story to you, as if confiding in a friend. sometimes it's as if she's telling it to herself, to remind herself of where she's been and how she plans to go about navigating her life moving forward. you see her internal battles when it comes to her choices, and especially when it came to trusting others. as a survivor myself, this felt all too real. and that's why i couldn't help but love it. it's validating, but also heartbreaking knowing that others have had to deal with monsters in their lives.

even though this book can be a bit hard to read, i feel like if other women read this book... it can be almost a handbook in how powerful we could become if we really came together, and genuinely protected each other. seeing the signs, empathizing, and giving a safe space for someone else's plight is a powerful thing. judging or snide comments are never helpful. because it never is as easy as just calling in police, walking away, or leaving an abusive partner.

highly recommend for everyone and anyone who can handle this book.

thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. i received this as an ARC and leave this review voluntarily.

First time Reading from this author.

Reading from page one the book keeps you engaged and captivated with the book and i couldnt put it down. The sensitive topics were just enough to keep you wondering what was going on but it wasnt over the top. With it not giving too much detail it definitely doesn't give spoilers so you never see what is coming.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone and will def pick up a physical copy when this is published.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Wow! This author has a lot of truth they want to share with their writing. This story pulls you in (although I guessed all the "twists" at the end).
Domestic/partner abuse is so common and this story sheds light on how easy it is to fall into that trap and continue going back even though outsiders do not understand.
I also appreciate the stand taken against women bullying other women for simple things such as the clothes they wear. You never know what is going on with someone at home.
The author even includes a bit about the dangers of being on your phone while driving.

Not the best "thrill" book and the twists were obvious in my opinion but a good start for a new author!

I absolutely loved this book. It kept me guessing from the first chapter till the end. I am looking foward to reading more from this Author

My Review:

One challenging aspect of reading thriller books is being forced to read stories where women are victims in a plot, portrayed as helpless or where the woman is visibly distressed as the story progresses. The thing I have come to love about Shade Owens is her ability to include DOMINANT female characters who take charge of their circumstances. A Shade Owens woman is kicking in the teeth of an abuser or banging her fist on black tinted windows. These women do what needs to be done, no questions asked. I appreciated a thriller author who is willing to create badass women in bad ass settings. Both of her thrillers are phenomenal, 5 star reads for me. As an author who is relatively new to writing thrillers, she is phenomenal. The tone is serious, but eloquent. Twisty, but understandable. The work has vibes like a Freida McFadden, with some intense twists that make the book unputdownable. Do yourself a favor, skip your TBR and read some Shade Owens. Seriously, the books are a guarantee thrill.

This story truly kept me captivated the entire time. I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed how it touched on some sensitive topics but didn't go too into detail. When I thought I had it figured out, it twisted in a way I didn't expect. I enjoyed all of the characters in this story as well. This author brought out so many emotions while I was reading this. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers. I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this when it's released!

The book grips you straight from the prologue, it was paced perfectly so it wasn't too fast or too slow that it got boring, The story itself was well thought out and I loved the twists in it.

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hunting You
by Shade Owens

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The blurb of this book had me really intrigued. A woman escaped domestic abuse, and recognised the signs in a young woman who was also being abused...

Narcissist behaviour, among other things. It's happening all too often now, and many women are too afraid to speak out about it.

As I started to read, I didn't really think I would be able to enjoy the book, based on the topics, but I found it to be well and carefully written, surrounding the topics, and gave a really good insight in to the minds of women who suffer at the hands of their partners.

I spent most of the book trying to work out the antagonist, and I was convinced that I had worked it out... Only to be surprised that I had got it wrong. To be honest, the twist was a little of a let down; but it wasn't the only twist in the tale. Something much more exciting comes along.

Gripping, worrisome and some psychological quivers, this book may leave you looking over your shoulder.

Bree is a survivor of domestic violence and when she gets a new co-worker (Erin) she quickly realizes Erin is being abused by her boyfriend. While Bree tries to help Erin she begins being threatened via text.
This book was absolutely amazing! As a survivor of DV I can relate to Bree and Erin so much. I've never read fiction that so accurately describes the characteristics of a DV victim, survivor and abuser so accurately. Erin's quiet, scared demeanor, Bree's flashbacks and rage, as well as Ethan and Miguel's narcissistic and abusive behavior was so spot on..... The twists kept me hooked and i couldn't put it down! And the ending..... TOTAL PERFECTION

A suspenseful page turn that keeps you guessing throughout the entire book.

All Bree wanted was to live a quiet and easy life following the death of her ex-boyfriend, but when a new co-worker starts to turn up hiding bruises it pulls her back into a world of abusive partners, cryptic messages and past trauma.

This book started off a little slow but once it got going I could not put it down, I read the entire thing within 12 hours and every time I thought I had figured out what was going on a twist came up that left me guessing once again.
The story was very well written and really delved into topics of domestic violence, past traumas and abuse, it showcased the terror of these events and how it can shape a person during and following them.

I loved the way thar a community of women can help each other in less than ideal circumstances and the epilogue for the book had me wanting so much more!

Thank you Netgalley and Red Raven Publishing for this Advanced reader copy.

Firstly, I have to say that this is a very well written and edited book. It truly represents the terror, the trauma and after effects of facing domestic violence.

With almost 400 pages long this book is somewhat of a slow burn. Perhaps it could be a bit faster with a little more happening in terms of the cat and mouse chase I found the protagonist to be real and relatable. This made me want to follow her story from start to finish and also be concerned for her safety, and feel sad about her backstory.

This book is for someone looking for a good paced, well, written, psychological thriller of a woman on the run from her past, and a community of women looking out for each other.

This kept we guessing all throughout and just when I thought I knew it all we got just a little more. Great job on this and making me not want it to end!

Erin Milton is hiding something, and her co worker suspects just what it is. But when her co worker steps in to try and help Erin they start getting cryptic messages and although she thinks someone might be following her she doesn’t stop. This book is full of suspense and gives off very much pretty little liar vibes when they would receive cryptic messages and we’d always wonder who it was and why they were doing it. You’ll be on the edge of your seat with this read. If you like thrillers or suspense in your books you’ll enjoy this one it releases April, 16 2024 thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book this is my honest review

Hunting You ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bree’s new coworker is hiding something. While Bree is training her, she notices how she’s always nervous when she gets a text from her boyfriend. She’s jumpy and always looking over her shoulder. After missing work for a few days, Bree suspects she knows what’s going on. She’s been there before and something is telling her she needs to help Erin out. When she does, she starts receiving text messages from an unknown number and feels like someone is watching her. But that won’t stop her, they have no idea what she’s capable of and what all she’s been through already.

Overall, I liked this book. It does deal with domestic violence so that was kinda hard to read at times. The twist was good and had me guessing who the mystery person texting was a few times. I liked the short chapters and the before and now timeline. The epilogue was a good set up for a second book🤞🏻(hint, hint).

This book will publish on April 16, 2024. If you like mystery/thrillers then I think you’ll like this one! Thank you to NetGalley and Red Raven Publishing for my advanced readers copy. This my voluntary and honest opinion.

In "Hunting You," the gripping narrative unravels as the protagonist senses danger looming over their new coworker, Erin, and decides to intervene in her tumultuous relationship. With a personal connection to the situation, the protagonist's determination to rescue Erin leads to a series of unsettling events, including mysterious texts and potential threats. As the tension escalates and the stakes rise, a dangerous game of cat and mouse unfolds, showcasing the protagonist's resilience and the lengths they are willing to go to protect Erin. "Hunting You" is a thrilling tale of intrigue, suspense, and the unwavering pursuit of justice in the face of peril.