This is maybe my 2nd or so read by this author. And I read this right after reading a more recent release. It's amazing. The characters and setting were so freaking strong

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was good. I absolutely loved Jolene’s father, and their relationship with each other.
Plot was interesting, pace was good. Elizabeth’s character was super annoying which was the goal, so it worked. I liked the ending too.

Ten years ago, Jolene and Elizabeth were sort of friends, more like frenemies by the time they finished high school. One night Jolene decides to get back at Elizabeth by playing a prank but it goes horribly wrong and Elizabeth is injured.
Today, Jolene is consumed by guilt - and yet she never comes forward with what she did - and she’s a little lost in life. Thanks to her dad she gets a job as an assistant to an “interesting” lady, while taking improv classes. That’s when Elizabeth comes back into her life and weird things start happening.
At first, as a reader you think that Elizabeth is a little weird, actually you think that Jolene is surrounded by pretty unstable people. But little by little, you realise that Jolene may not be a reliable narrator.
I would call that book a fever dream. Because we spend the whole story being inside Jolene’s head and having to believe what she tells us, I have no idea what’s real and what’s not. That was one hell of a trip.

What a rollercoaster.

For almost the entirety of this book, I thought I was reading one thing, and then it turned out to be something completely different. I won't say too much more at the risk of getting spoilery, but I really enjoyed this book!

I think naming the main character Jolene was genius; there are a few parts where she hears someone singing her name and it instantly gave me goosebumps because I could hear it in my own head. There were actually quite a few times where I found myself actually getting a little creeped out because I could picture the situations so well in my head.

I do wish the ending had been a little different, but I still really liked it! Highly recommend.

Holy F*** what did I just read??? Ever asked yourself that? Yep, if you’re a thriller fan, of course you have.

Jolene moves to Berkely, California to start fresh. Ten years after high school she lives with impending guilt for a terrible accident she caused to a friend. It consumes her.

Then one day she runs into her again. Then folks, we soon go down the rabbit hole. Bonkers! NUTS! You will ask yourself what is real and what tf is really going on? UNHINGED characters!

One wild ride for sure! If unhinged characters are your jam, check it out!!!!
Thank you so much Mirror House Press, NetGalley and Faith Gardner for the opportunity!!!!
4 ⭐️

This book kept you at the edge of your seat and made it a struggle to put it down. This was the first book that I have read from this author and it’s not the last!

I am still trying to wrap my head around what I just read. My brain feels like it just went through every possible emotion, flipped upside down , and spun around a few times. What a RIDE. This was my first book I read by this author but it will not be my last.

This book starts off easy enough with Jolene playing a high school prank on her “friend” Elizabeth that unfortunately leads to Elizabeth almost losing her life, but sustaining lifelong injuries and scars. More importantly Jolene told absolutely nobody that she was the one that committed this prank after the result.

We then cut to yearsssss later where Jolene has decided to start over in Berkeley, so when she sees Elizabeth out of all people in all places to say she is shaken to the core would be the understatement of the century. Is Elizabeth following her? Stalking her? Does she know what Jolene did to her? Is she after her for revenge? And the slow but steady unraveling of Jolene’s brain and world begins!!! The chapters do alternate a bit from the past and present to better understand things. This book and the all the tense, eerie, and unsettling feelings and events that start to occur are completely unhinged!!! Not only is Jolene being tormented by things around her, but that inner voice we all have is tormenting her as well. This book made me seriously question my concept of reality and I started to think I was losing it!! The sense of suspense that this author was able to carry out this entire book is truly unreal. As things progress I had no idea which one of these characters was telling the “truth”, what was real or fake, and how in the ***** was going to sleep tonight ?!

Wow I am still speechless and honestly I don’t even know how to rate this book because while some things are far fetched…. Some books I just don’t care if they are this chaotic and addictive!
4.5!

Thank you to the Author, Netgalley, and Mirror House Press for the ARC! I can’t wait to see what other readers think!

Wowwwwwww. Thanks netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this one early! This whole book had me at the edge of my seat wanting and needing to know what’s going to happen next!? Was I reading this clearly… was this really happening.,,did this really happen?? The ending really threw me for a loop and I wasn’t expecting that at all. This book really had me wanting more and I read it in one sitting.

I loved this book! I devoured it in two days. I enjoyed the fresh and fun writing style, and the interesting story.
The guilt induced paranoia and internal turmoil was getting under my skin.
The blurry line between memories, reality, and imagination made for a wild ride!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC that was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I love Faith Gardner, author books and this one did not disappoint!! 10 years ago, Jolene nearly killed her friend Elizabeth in a gruesome accident. And no one knows. Not even Elizabeth. She has intense guilt. This one took me on a roller coaster ride of nerves that I could not get off! I loved it! Amazing twists too!! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy!

Wow! This was one extremely engaging and intriguing thriller! I stayed up quite late to keep reading this one! One twist after another and what an ending! I don’t want to say anymore to avoid spoilers but be prepared! Highly recommend this book!

Wow, I read Like It Never Was by Faith Gardner almost in one sitting. This book had me hooked. It was creepy, intriguing, and page-turning, and my theories were all over the place.

I didn’t really see the ending coming or didn’t think that would be the ending, but it was very good.

The story is told in different timelines: Then (10 years ago) and Now, mostly Now, but did tied well together.

Ten years ago, Jolene nearly killed her friend Elizabeth in a gruesome accident. Jolene has been trying to outrun the guilt ever since, wandering from place to place and career to career. So she’s shocked when, after her latest move, she runs into the very person she’s been trying to avoid.

Elizabeth still lives with scars from the accident. And she’s still clueless about what happened that fateful night. Maybe? As the two women rekindle a friendship, Elizabeth’s increasingly disturbing behavior makes Jolene wonder if it’s her own guilt stalking her—or Elizabeth finally exacting her revenge.

I really liked this book. It was mixed with horror, thrilling and intense moments, as well as some funny humor from Jolene.

I would recommend this book and this author. The author had me glued to the pages until the final reveal and revelations. A very good book!!

#LikeItNeverWas #NetGalley @XpressoReads

Faith Gardner's "Like It Never Was" offers readers an engaging story that keeps them invested from start to finish. The novel's unpredictable plot twists and the detailed development of its protagonist, Jolene, are key highlights that contribute to its overall appeal.

One of the most notable aspects of this book is its ability to surprise the reader. Just when you believe you have the plot figured out, Gardner introduces a twist that takes the story in a new direction. This element of surprise maintains a sense of suspense throughout the novel, keeping readers curious about the outcome. The ending, in particular, provides a resolution that is both unexpected and thought-provoking.

Gardner's writing style is clear and evocative, effectively capturing Jolene's internal conflicts and the external pressures she faces. The author's attention to detail and ability to convey complex emotions enhance the depth of Jolene's character. The supporting characters are also well-crafted, each playing a significant role in the story and adding to its richness.

Overall, "Like It Never Was" by Faith Gardner is an engaging novel that offers a blend of unexpected twists, well-developed characters, and thoughtful themes. Whether you are a fan of literary fiction or simply enjoy a captivating story, this book is likely to leave a lasting impression.

Wow! Thrillers are one of my favorite genres so naturally I read them all the time. This one absolutely blew my mind. It was everything I wanted a good thriller to be.



The main character, Jolene, made a terrible mistake in High School that caused her friend, Elizabeth to have a terrible accident. Elizabeth lost a leg, an eye, and suffered from terrible burns all over her body. Jolene never comes clean that she was the one to cause the accident.



Fast forward 10 years later and somehow someway Jolene and Elizabeth are living in the same town (hours away from their hometown) and they are in the same improv class. Coincidence?



The entire book I could not wrap my finger around Elizabeth. Her character was so intriguing and she was so hard to figure out. Jolene is interesting in a different way, and in my opinion I can see her being an unlikable character. But, her behaviors are necessary (maybe some are questionable) and it’s understandable why the author made her this way.



The entire time I read this book I was thinking to myself “no way!” The further I got into the book, the more shocking it got. It kept me on my toes the entire time and was an absolute page turner for me. I could not guess the ending at all, and just when you think it’s done, BAM, another plot twist. I loved this book! If you are a fan of thrillers I highly recommend reading this book.

Guilt can eat you up for the rest of your life.

For Jolene, she’s been living with crippling guilt since the night she caused a traumatic and life-altering accident for a classmate. When this comes back to haunt her, however, she’ll have to face the choice of owning up to what she did, or continuing to let the secret shape her days. Either choice might be the death of her.

I was particularly struck by the portrayal of guilt and how it can attack a person from within. The hateful self-talk and introspection that comes with it felt accurately portrayed. Despite Jolene’s relatable self-talk, I struggled to connect with her as a character and felt that struggle through to the shocking (a bit too much for me!) conclusion. The book was fascinating, I was hooked, it evoked a range of emotions, and overall was a fun, good read!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy for me to read. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Wow wow wow, this book. So twisted i started to feel like i didn’t know what to believe! I read from chapter 14 to 44 in ONE NIGHT that’s how invested i was, a page turner for sure.

First of all, I want to thank Xpresso Book Tours, NetGalley and most importantly Faith Gardner for the opportunity to read this amazing ARC.

OHHH MYYYY GOOOOODNESSSS! What a read! I couldn’t put this book down until I found out what in the world was going on and once I thought I had it all put together , I STILL DIDN’T!!
Hilarious, suspenseful, fast paced, scary and even heartfelt what more could you really want from a story? I’ve never loved an author so much from one book alone.
This is truly one of my favorite books of the year so far and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to enjoy.

This book had me laughing out loud for real! These types of books don’t usually make me laugh, but this one had a main character with the best personality. I was not expecting it to end the way it did, huge twist!! I love books that keep me guessing and then it all makes sense in the end. I will recommend this one to anyone who loves suspenseful stories.

Like It Never Was

I absolutely devoured this book! This was a first read for me by this author but I’ve already downloaded my next from her. I felt very connected to the main character of this book and was constantly trying to figure out what was going on and why.

Jolene is all over the place and doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life. Raised by her father who is a lawyer, he’s always been there for her, helping her with her life. This book starts out with an accident, that yes was a bit of a prank but the result was purely accidental and unintentional but it changed Jolene and Elizabeth’s lives forever.

When Elizabeth shows back up in Jolene’s life again after many years in a completely different city why? What is going on? Is she stalking her?… again!? Does she know that Jolene had something to do with the accident? And why is she so dang friendly!?

I don’t want to give anything away in this book. I personally thought it was an excellent read and I highly recommend you read it!

Thank you for the opportunity for an advanced e-book opportunity to read this excellent thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this intense thriller. The book centers on Jolene, who, when she was a teenager, caused a horrific car accident of another teenager at her school because of a prank gone badly. After reporting the accident, Jolene then fled the scene. The girl in the accident, Jessica, barely survived but had severe life-altering injuries and no memory of what caused the accident. Ten years later, after relocating to Berkley, CA, Jolene is shocked and horrified to bumb into Jessica and have her life tangled with hers again. The more time they spend together, the more things start to become darker and sinister.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. It was well written in terms of keeping you off-kilter and unsure of what is going to happen. It goes back and forth in time between them as adults and in the past in high school.
It was very stressful to read because of how dark and tense it was.
Almost all of the characters are unlikable and flawed in dark ways. Jolene has extreme paranoia and anxiety. It was hard to judge as I read what was real and what what was her imagination, which added to the mystery.
The book style reminded me of Alice Feeney's dark novels. It was fast-paced and easy to follow. I would recommend it if you enjoy more eerie and uneasy thrillers. It was a little too intense, uncomfortable, and stressful for me.