I am a huge fan of Claire's work and have been since I had the good fortune to read and review her first book called 'Her Name Was Rose', which was released in 2018. Since then I have read and thoroughly enjoyed every book that she has released. Claire's latest release is called 'The Affair' and it was released on 21st May 2024. It's another cracking read from a cracking author. I really enjoyed reading 'The Affair' but more about that in a bit.

It took me next to no time to get into 'The Affair'. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first chapter I realised two things - firstly that I was going to enjoy the story and secondly that I would become addicted to reading it. I was spot on with both predictions. This was one of those stories that really got under my skin and stayed with me whether I had the book in my hand or not. Part of the reason why I enjoyed the book so much has do with the characters in the story. I can't say that I particularly warmed to any of them. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen and how the story was going to pan out so I had to keep reading to see if I was on the right track or if I had wandered off in the opposite direction. I was so wrapped up in the story and in the lives of the different characters that I didn't realise just how quickly the time was passing and how quickly I was getting through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of 'The Affair'. I found 'The Affair' to be a gripping, tense, well plotted and dramatic read, which certainly kept me guessing.

'The Affair' is extremely well written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Claire Allan. Claire certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story and then some. For me, 'The Affair' is more of a slow burn type of story in that it started off slow but as the story continued the pace gathered momentum. The story is divided up into chapters with each chapter being 'voiced' from the point of view of either Christina or Sorcha. The chapters interlink well and the story flows seamlessly as a result. Claire describes her characters so realistically and vividly that they seem just as real as you and I. Reading 'The Affair' felt like being on an at times rather unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I love the way in which Claire makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That's how I felt anyway.

In short, I really enjoyed reading 'The Affair' and I would recommend it to other readers. I very much look forward to reading more of Claire's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

This was a great read, I couldn’t put it down. It has plenty of suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat, brilliant twists and turns all the way through with a very good ending. The characters were interesting and the style f writing was perfect.
I have read a number of books by this author and I have loved them all. I can’t wait for the next one to come out ..
I would highly recommend this book and the author to anyone that enjoys to read psychological thrillers.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review:

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. It didn't disappoint! Must read!!

I found both of the characters intriguing and both a bit bonkers, tho I did warm to Christina during the middle of the book, despite all of her losses, she still manages to have the biggest front ever! I mean, the mistress befriending the wife, perfectly normal! 😂

This is full of the usual twists and turns, as you expect with the author, but I feel this is my favourite so far, I was completely shooketh at the last few chapters.

This is a must for thriller fans!!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Affair' by Claire Allan.

An absolutely gripping thriller by the fantastic Claire Allan!! Where have you been all my life?!? I cannot believe this is the first book I have read by you, well it certainly wont be my last!! If you are ever looking for a fast paced thriller then Claire is definitely the author for you!!! I absolutely LOVED the storyline!!! I found it to be extremely fast paced and I just could not put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting. I cannot remember the last time I flew through a book so quickly. Each and every time I went to put it down to do something my fingers were itching to pick it back up as I just HAD to know what happened next!! The storyline is ram packed with mystery, suspense, drama, secrets, crime, friendship, lies, infidelity, tension, deceit, twists and everything you could want in an unputdownable psychological thriller! Claire includes sensitive topics in her storyline which includes mental health and abuse but does so in a sensitive manner whilst still highlighting the issues in an appropriate manner. This is something to take into consideration before reading this book as some of these themes may not be suitable or may upset some readers. Claire weaves the storyline, characters perspectives and chapters together perfectly to make a seamless, page turning and intriguing storyline that flows perfectly taking you on twists and turns throughout! Claire's evocative writing skills ensures you are dragged deep into the storyline seeing everything that is happening and feeling the tension and suspense throughout. I was on the edge of my seat and biting my nails wondering what was going to happen next. My heart was in my throat throughout reading this fast paced, gripping and gritty psychological thriller! If you want to know you'll have to grab yourself a copy!! You won't regret it!!

Clear your schedules before picking up this book as once it has you hooked there will be no getting away until you get to the very last word!

The characters all come to life with Claire's fantastic writing skills and absolutely epic character development. They are well rounded, complex, realistic and strong making them all the more believable. My heart went out to both Christina and Sorcha at different times throughout the story for different reasons. They are our main protagonists in this book and Claire did an absolutely fantastic job bringing them to life ensuring the reader goes through everything with them while feeling you are standing close enough to touch them. They each had their own unique personalities and I was intrigued by their interactions and developing friendship. I don't want to say too much and risk giving anything away but Claire does an absolutely brilliant job of making the reader step into their shoes and feel differently about them as you turn the pages and definitely not how you may expect yourself to react to them. I know that may be confusing before you read the book but when you do read it you will understand what I mean! I was completely invested in them both and just had to know what was going to happen! Claire really has done an absolutely amazing job constructing an addictive and explosive psychological thriller with varied characters that you just won't be able to put down!!

Congratulations Claire on an absolutely fantastic and gripping read!!! This is exactly why i would like to welcome you to my favourite author club!! Here's to many more successes 🥂!!!

Clear your schedules before picking this up as you will not be able to put it down!!!

Overall an absolutely page turning, addictive, gripping and gripping must read that will keep you addicted from the very start to the fantastic ending!!!

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I've read a few books by Claire Allan now and I was very excited to see that she had a new one out. The Affair is a thriller, that focuses on the fall out and way that an affair effects the women who are involved.
There were so many twists and turns with this story that I didn't see coming. I couldn't put it down once I'd started and got hooked on Socha and Christina's story. It took me right up until nearly the last page until I was sure who my sympathies should lie with and who was a wrong-un.
This is a really great read. If you're looking for something to get stuck into that you'll struggle to put down, then you won't go far wrong with The Affair. I really enjoyed it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

The Affair has an atmospheric and claustrophobic beginning, which paves the way for a tense story of betrayal, obsession, and toxic relationships. Christina is at a low point in her life. She is reclusive, working from home whenever possible, and her anxiety limiting her life and forcing her to live vicariously through social media, primarily through the life of social media influencer Sorcha. The story plays out through Christina and Sorcha's viewpoints. Christina draws your empathy, but she is an unreliable narrator. Sorcha seems to be living the dream even after her marriage breakdown, but is this the truth? The characterisation and relationships are believably complex and relatable. The author builds a toxic ethos that keeps you absorbed in the story. I like the characterisation, the claustrophobic and menacing atmosphere and the chilling twists, some of which you see coming but still resonate.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This is the authors first thriller and it was written with such skill. Told in dual POV the story is based on a lonely woman trying to make friends and a popular woman whose life is not as perfect as it seems. The twists are well spaced out and not all the details are given at once. The author hints at a twist and dangles it in front of the reader for a little bit before revealing it. This kept me guessing until the end of the book.

Christina is a lonely middle aged woman who rarely leaves her house, she has been following soul sisterhood a group on Facebook and has now plucked up the courage to join. The group is headed by Sorcha, an Instagram perfect influencer, inspiring others with how she is coping with a marriage breakdown.
The group helps Christina leave her comfort zone and experience life outside her own four walls as they regularly meet for wild swims, book clubs and beach parties.
When Christina receives threatening messages to leave the group it’s clear that she has not been welcomed by all, but which one of the soul sisterhood group would be so mean and how far will they go to get rid of her?

I enjoyed the plot and the premise, the story is well told from Christina and Sorcha’s POV.
I really like Claire Allan’s voice and read the dialogue in an Irish accent so it felt authentic.
The theme of loneliness and finding it difficult to make friends in middle age is a very relatable one, I’m sure everyone who reads this will relate in some way to Christina.
I really liked the twist at the end as it was one I didn’t see coming so it was a complete surprise.

This is a quick, keeps you guessing read. I flew through the short, identified POV chapters. The insight into an influencer’s staged life was interesting. I liked how the POV flipped and kept the intrigue building. I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Thank You to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Claire Allan for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Affair.

Two women. Both destroyed by the same man. One his ex-wife. The other his former mistress. They share a hurt that bonds them as much as it divides them. When they finally meet, friendship and revenge collide in an explosive way you can’t imagine.

Meet the former mistress. Christina is an introvert. She works from home and rarely goes out. There was a time when she had friends and a life. But her old friends have started families of their own and moved away. And he — the one man she ever loved and still loves — left her two years ago. She’s been alone ever since. Unable to move past the pain, she seeks out the only person who will understand. His ex-wife. Sorcha.

Meet the ex-wife. Sorcha Hannon is a wildly popular social influencer and founder of the popular Facebook group, the Soul Sisterhood, which promotes female empowerment. From the outside, Sorcha’s life is perfect. She’s a beautiful, successful woman with a beautiful house and two beautiful daughters. Although she knows who Christina is when she joins her group, she feigns ignorance and welcomes her with open arms while she plots her revenge.

However, nothing goes as planned. Not for either woman. When Christina starts to receive threats, she contemplates leaving the group. Someone knows who she really is. Someone knows her secret. But leaving won’t be so easy. Not if Sorcha has anything to do with it.

Brilliantly addicting, completely engrossing, and seriously unputdownable, “The Affair” by Claire Allan is OMG great! It’s hands down the best thriller I’ve read so far in 2024. That’s no small feat either, considering the year is dang near halfway over and I’ve read some incredible books. Part of the reason it’s so amazing is the characters. They are developed with a depth and attention to detail that makes each one of them seem human. There’s Sorcha and Christina. There’s also Sorcha’s friends, children, and ex-husband who play parts in the story. All these characters will either grab you by your heart or raise your ire — sometimes both — but you won’t get away without feeling something about each and every one.

The plot is just as well developed as the characters. Let me be honest. I cringed when I saw the title of this book, because I’ve had a belly full of thrillers that revolve around extra-marital affairs. But “The Affair” is like nothing you’ve ever read. The plot is original. It’s intriguing and well-paced. Once you sink into it, you don’t want to resurface. When Christina starts receiving threats from a member of the Soul Sisterhood group, it’s easy to believe it’s Sorcha, but that might be too obvious to be true. There are just enough red herrings swimming through the chapters to keep you guessing. Dark secrets and deadly intentions abound in the book, but can the characters figure it out before it’s too late? Can you?

“The Affair” is written from both Christina and Sorcha’s points of view. As the story starts out, Christina is a sympathetic character even though she’s also the former mistress. She’s lonely and heart-broken, making it easy to root for her as she joins the Soul Sisterhood Facebook group to get to know Sorcha, but also to make new friends. She’s very much the protagonist, especially when Sorcha makes it clear she’s plotting her revenge on the vulnerable Christina. However, getting to know Sorcha through her point-of-view means also getting to like her just as much.

This book is filled with tension and suspense. There’s a sense of danger in the air that you start to feel early on in the story, then feel throughout. There are times when your heart will race as you wonder what will happen next. It’s one heck of a domestic thriller! But it will also tug at your heart at times, making you tear up a little or even cry as these two very different women (Christina and Sorcha) display their vulnerability and hearts.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I loved this book. I loved every single page of it. It’s a tense domestic suspense novel in which friendship and revenge do a dangerous tango. Yet, it also has heart. It goes without saying that the ending is one you won’t see coming. It’s a mystery as much as it is a domestic thriller, after all. It’s remarkably satisfying, though. I loved it –and think you will too. From beginning to end, “The Affair” by Claire Allan is a well-written and captivating read that I couldn’t put down. Let me know what you think after you read it.

Why would the mistress want to become friends with the ex wife?
Once I read the summary of the book I was all in for this ride!
Both Sorcha and Christina have their reasons for their actions and Allan does a good job with their voices.
However, there is a third element that lurks just beyond the reader’s knowledge and is a pinnacle plot twister.
Ronan is just scum!
It’s a great read about betrayal, lies, and deliverance.

The Affair is the second book I've read by Allan, the first being Ask No Questions. It's pace is definitely slower, allowing the suspense to build gradually with the turn of each page.

I did like the idea of a group akin to the Soul Sisters, although after reading this, maybe not so much.

There were several twists throughout that had me second guessing and then THAT ending rocked up...how did I not see that one coming?

I couldn't connect on an emotional level with any of the characters, but this didn't distract from any enjoyment of the book.

There's full on drama, deception and so much more to be had between the covers of The Affair. It's an enjoyable drama that's both gripping and compelling.

Christina is quite an introvert, so much so that she has lost her confidence and even works from home. When she takes up the courage to join the group the Sisterhood, it is run by Sorcha Hannon a popular Social media influencer. She started the group after finding out her husband had an affair and used not only to contact like minded people but also to get over the grief it caused.
So, when Christina joins the group, she hides the fact that she is the woman that had an affair with her husband. She thinks she has a connection and wants to start a new life. But little does Christina know that Sorcha knows who Christina really is and she wants to make her pay for what’s she has done.
I been a fan of the author for many years and ‘The affair’ from Claire Allan yet again, doesn’t disappoint. It is not the usual style of writing we know from this author, but I was hooked from the start. This is a great page turner. 4 stars from me.

Everyone loves a domestic drama, don’t they? I mean, most of us are likely to be involved in international espionage, investigating serial murder, dramatic courtroom showdowns or time travel back to exciting times in history, but any of us could get caught up in some relationship mishap that turns sinister. I mean, we hope not, but it’s at least a possibility and therefore, more relatable than other types of fiction

Of course, the chances of this type of conflict increases if you behave like the main character in Claire Allan’s new novel, The Affair. I’m not going to include any spoilers in my review but the title of the book gives you a clue that some of the characters have been up to no good and karma may be coming for them. However, there are ways to make your life even more difficult, and there is certainly some poor decision-making going on in this book. The trick is to make people’s strange behaviour plausible to a reader, whilst still engineering entertaining scenarios which create a compelling story. It’s not easy to do, but this author achieves it with aplomb.

It is no mean feat to make a person who acts poorly still come across as sympathetic enough for a reader to care about. We have to be able to imagine ourselves in their shoes and understand why they do what they do, even if we don’t think we’d make the same decision ourselves. Claire achieves this, turning a person who could easily be the villain of the piece into a figure to whom we can relate. The point here is to remind us that we are all human, subject to human frailty, and making a mistake maybe does not and should not render us unlovable forever. There but for the grace of god, and all that.

That being said, there are some irredeemable characters in this book, which makes for a really fun read. I had my suspicions early on that certain people were not all they seemed, and I thoroughly enjoyed racing through the book to find out. The themes in this book are very relatable – female friendship, fake friends, relationship breakdown, the cult of social media, insincerity and placing blame for poor behaviour where it belongs – all of these things make for an entertaining and thought-provoking read.

I really enjoyed The Affair. It was an easy and entertaining read that had some interesting things to say. Great stuff.

"The Affair" unravels its narrative with a pace that allows for a rich exploration of its characters. The prologue sets the tone, hinting at the depth and complexity to come. Each character emerges fully formed, with backstories that are as intriguing as they are diverse, including some particularly shrewd individuals. As the plot thickens, the suspense builds, culminating in a finale that is as startling as it is masterfully crafted.

The book's plot is engrossing, and the author's storytelling prowess shines through in the careful unveiling of the tale. The narrative is laced with just enough red herrings and plot twists to keep the reader on edge. The prose flows effortlessly, with a rhythm that's easy to get lost in, punctuated by twists that take you by surprise. "The Affair" is certainly a book I'd recommend for anyone looking for a story that's as engaging as it is satisfying.

Great story with twists and turns and of course a surprise ending that will have you rethinking what you thought you actually knew. I was sucked into this book right away and I know that is because of how real life this story is and how well written it is.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I really enjoyed the story, I found it to be very well written, it flowed nicely. Along with this the characters were intriguing. Definitely recommend .

Excellent. I was hooked from the beginning. Not the typical story of an extra marital affair. We meet Christina who is an introvert trying to piece a life together for herself by joining a social media site called Soul Sisters run by influencer Sorcha Hannon who seems to have it all on the outside. She has successfully grown her own business and raising her two beautiful daughters and building her life again following her divorce from her ex husband who cheated on her. She has the support of all her fellow sisters in the group when she meets Christina. The two women have something in common though besides the group , and both of them know it. There are plenty of twists within the book and it builds pace towards the end. I literally couldn’t put it down.

What a tangled web we weave....when everyone thinks they are smart enough to deceive! This is a completely different take on your typical extra marital affair wrought with emotion, strife and betrayal. It is interspersed with friendship, insecurity, loyalty and fear. I was hooked from Chapter 3. The main twist became obvious before the end of the book but that's only because the author had more twists up her sleeve. It was an interesting read. Highly recommend