Thank you to Hanover Square Press for the digital copy to review.

I really liked this one, thought it was an interesting premise and there were a couple of twists that were interesting. The pacing was fast and I was hooked from the start, not wanting to stop until I knew how it would end. I read this in a day, and thought it was a fun and entertaining read.

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to honestly review.

Emma Cook’s You Can’t Hurt Me is a psychological thriller that delves into the mysterious life and death of Eva Reid, a woman born with congenital analgesia—a condition that renders her incapable of feeling physical pain. The story is framed through the eyes of journalist Anna Tate, whose personal traumas drive her to investigate Eva’s final days.

The novel’s premise is intriguing, exploring the intersection of physical sensation and emotional trauma. Cook presents a layered narrative, alternating between past and present to gradually uncover secrets about both Eva and Anna. The writing is accessible, and the pacing remains steady throughout, with moments of tension that build toward a dramatic climax.

Character development is a central focus, with both protagonists portrayed as complex and emotionally scarred. While some readers may find the characters’ motivations opaque or their actions hard to sympathize with, others may appreciate the psychological realism Cook brings to the page.

As a debut, You Can’t Hurt Me offers a solid blend of mystery, emotional depth, and thematic ambition. While it may not reinvent the genre, it delivers a compelling and thought-provoking narrative that should appeal to fans of character-driven thrillers.

This book, unfortunately, wasn’t for me. I found it slow, didn’t care about or connect to the characters, and lost interest in reading. I do appreciate being given the opportunity to read!

Wow, oh the tangled webs we weave! This is a drama full of unreliable narratives, deceit, lies and colorful characters! It is emotional and heart wrenching at times. Shocking at others. I went into this novel blind with no expectations. While it was a bit of a slow burn at times, I was anxious to find out where this novel was going. The writer is very good at crafting this tale! I found myself not knowing what to trust and anxious to get to the climax. It’s a good story and doesn’t disappoint! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

ARC provided by Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for an honest review.

Want a book where you’ll hate every character but want to keep read because you want to see them all meet a tragic end? This one’s for you, but be warned there is a huge slow spot in the middle of this book that is hard to get through. I was close to DNFing it but decided I wanted to know if their lives and lies fell apart. Because all these people seem to do is lie. I enjoyed the writing but it sadly wasn’t my favourite book.

You Can’t Hurt Me had a compelling premise, and I was definitely intrigued by the concept of Eva, a woman who can't feel pain, and the mystery surrounding her death. The story dives deep into the complexities of Eva's relationships, particularly with her husband, Dr. Nate Reid, and the driven journalist, Anna.

The pacing was a bit uneven for me, though. While the buildup was engaging, I found the middle of the book to drag at times. Anna's obsession with Eva’s case was interesting, but at times, it felt repetitive and a little too predictable. The ending was solid, though, and I did appreciate the twists.

Overall, it was an interesting read with a unique concept, but I wished for a bit more intensity and fewer drawn-out moments. Still, worth checking out if you enjoy psychological thrillers.

You Can't Hurt Me was a quick, interesting read. I enjoyed the originality of learning about someone who supposedly couldn't feel physical pain. This was a premise I've never seen, and I liked it. There were a few plot holes, but they were very minor and not all that important, so it won't mess with the overall story. If you're looking for a quick popcorn thriller I recommend checking this out!

I went into this book with high hopes. The premises sounded really promising: the murder of a woman who can feel no pain. But sadly, the book was anything but interesting. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it never did until the final ten percent of the book.

For most of the story, I spent hating the men in Anna's life. Her older brother Tony is a complete narcissist and her employer Nate seems to be nursing a raging temper. I couldn't understand why she kept letting both of these men treat her like complete shit. Then I realized she wasn't the least bit likable herself. Everything about her was just as fake as with the men.

The story's twist wasn't shocking you could see it coming from a mile away. I ended up feeling bored and uninvested in anything going on. Overall I feel like You Can't Hurt Me struggled with a pacing problem. I know other people might enjoy this story but it just wasn't for me.

That said I did enjoy the narrator for this story and would listen to other books by them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ALC.

You Can't Hurt Me by Emma Cook is a gripping psychological thriller that delves deep into the mystery surrounding Eva Reid, a woman born without the ability to feel pain, and her complex relationships with those around her. When Eva is found dead in her home, it sparks an investigation that unearths unsettling truths and dark secrets.

The story is narrated through the eyes of Anna Tate, a determined journalist with a troubled past, who becomes consumed by Eva’s case. Her obsession grows as she uncovers the strange, toxic dynamics between Eva and her husband, Dr. Nate Reid, a renowned scientist in the field of pain research. As Anna’s investigation intensifies, she begins to unravel a web of lies, deceit, and betrayal that threatens to expose far more than she expected.

Cook's writing is taut and full of suspense, making the tension palpable as Anna digs deeper into Eva’s life. The narrative keeps the reader guessing, with twists and revelations that shed light on the darker aspects of both Eva's and Anna’s pasts. You Can’t Hurt Me is a brilliantly constructed tale that explores the complexities of pain, both physical and emotional, and the dangerous secrets that people are willing to hide to protect themselves. If you enjoy suspenseful, character-driven thrillers, this book will keep you hooked from start to finish.

This was not what I was expecting. It definitely has more of a romantic suspense vibe to it and also gives the same feelings of an insta-love trope in a romance novel but set in a mystery/thriller. It was strange. Everything in this book felt underdeveloped and rushed and I hated that this was another thriller that used mental illness as a plot device. Hard pass.

Had moments of suspense and some twists and turns but not a fan of the female protagonist, who does some questionable things that don't really make sense. I wish the ending was more shocking but it's more on the meh side.

Thank you to NetGalley for this E-ARC.

I really struggled with this book. It was kind of blah. I had a hard time physically reading so figured I’d give it a try on audio. I still struggled. I’m not sure if it was because it was British writing that I had a hard time following along or if it was just the way it was written. No fault of the author obviously. Could just be that I had a hard time following the writing style.

Anna is a ghost writer for a man whose wife just passed away. Everything is a little confusing and nobody really knows who’s behind the death. I’m also a little confused honestly. So this is as good as the reviews gonna get.

There is something incredibly special about an approval that you were pining over. For me, It was You Can’t Hurt Me.

All of my friends were deep in discussion over Emma Cook’s debut novel and as I listened, I could feel myself getting way too excited. How could I get my hands on this sure to be, 5 star read?

Well, I prayed to the book gods, I asked my book fairies for assistance, and I did a little rain dance.

Low and behold, my approval came!

Yes!!! I'm one of the cool kids!

There is no shortage of twists and turns all while narrating a perfectly executed storyline. You will be introduced to characters you will like and some you will hate, but hey that's how these thrillers roll. The pace is set, the conclusion is satisfying, and all in all I am left with a major book hangover.

Check out this teaser:

Meet Eva, who can’t feel pain, and Anna, who can’t escape it.

Everyone has heard about the case of Eva Reid. Ever since she was born, she’s felt no pain: she can get a paper cut, break a limb and even give birth without feeling a single thing. Her story has long captivated the minds of reporters and researchers—including Dr. Nate Reid, Eva’s husband and acclaimed scientist, renowned for his work in the Pain Laboratory. Also among them is Anna Tate, a ruthless journalist with a dark past of her own.

When Eva is suddenly found dead inside her home, it raises a flurry of questions about the last night of her life—and who might’ve been involved. Anna finds herself growing increasingly obsessed with Eva’s case: her protected, painless existence, her promising career as a psychotherapist, and especially her toxic relationship with the alluring Dr. Reid, whom Eva met and married as his former patient. But what other secrets could they be hiding?

When Dr. Reid embarks on the process of writing a book about Eva, an opportunity arises for Anna to work on it alongside him. As she slowly inserts herself into their home to uncover what’s fact and what’s fiction, shocking discoveries await her—and not everyone may come out unscathed…

I love psychological thrillers. This was far too slow to get going. I put down multiple times and almost did not finish. I usually do not mind if characters were not likeable..... but the plot just dragged. It felt like psych jargon than a novel.

You Can't Hurt Me is a quick read - thriller. It was ok but not a fast paced, page turning, thriller. It's pretty slow until the last third or so.

Personally it wasnt one of my favorites but if you like slow burns this may be for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love psychological thrillers. Unfortunately this one just fell short for me in the thrilling aspect. The characters were not likeable and the psychological thrilling aspect took way too long as the plot just dragged. It felt like psych jargon than a novel.

I want to start off by saying that I have no idea what this book is about. I just know that title had me wanting to read this book.
Yes I haven’t read anything from this author before. But definitely won’t be the last book. The twists and turn with each chapter. Yes this book took me little bit longer to finish. But I didn’t want to rush through this book. Considering how crazy all the secrets that our characters were keeping. How connected they were.
Anna is a ghost writer for Nate a man who was married to a woman who had a medical condition who couldn’t feel any type of pain. Who had a died of a heart attack. Or did something or someone cause Eva to have that heart attack.
I really enjoyed this book. I am highly recommend this book.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. The pain aspect was interesting, but I couldn't get into the characters and the plot was super slow.

This book will suck you in from the first chapter. I'll definitely be looking for other books written by this author.
I love thrillers that keep me guessing!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC