Like it Never Was
Faith Gardner

The deeper the secret, the darker the shadow.

Ten years ago Jolene nearly killed her friend Elizabeth in a gruesome accident. But nobody knows that, including Elizabeth. Jolene has been outrunning her guilt and moving around so she’s shocked when she runs into Elizabeth, who she’s avoided for ten years! She’s still clueless about intentions of that night. Or is she? When certain vengeful things begin to happen to Jolene, she starts to wonder..

I loved the narrative style with the first person POV in “now” and “then”, past and present. I found it fast paced and a suspenseful plot. The twists kept me invested until the end. This took the unreliable narrator trope to the next level and had you guessing whether Jolene was crazy or if it was all real?

Faith Gardner always delivers. This was a gripping read from the start and I was kept guessing throughout.

Just like with the author's previous works, I enjoyed the writing - it's easy to read, engaging but also raw, reflective, relatable, realistic and brimming with heart. I also loved all the characters, especially Jolene's dad (so jealous) and Suzanne (what a riot!). Wish we got more of them.

Happy to say I guessed whodunit wrongly, but the revelation didn't blow my mind like I'd hoped. However, the book has lots more going for it and I enjoyed its other aspects (e.g. the relationships and the exploration of trauma) more than the main thriller storyline.

Still, *that* twist was brilliant and I definitely did not see it coming!!! Also love it when books don't take themselves too seriously but still hit well.

Can't wait to see what the author comes up with next because I know it'll be good!

I haven’t read a book like this in a while or maybe really never had a story like this in a thriller. This is such a well written book and I read it pretty quickly. I didn’t know what was coming as the story went on and overall it kept me invested in finding out what happens next. The ending is insane and I didn’t see it coming!!!! If you want a good quick thriller this is the book for you and I want to know your thoughts!!!!

Thank you Net Galley and Faith Gardner for the ARC of this book!!

Whew this was a doozy of a psychological thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for this eARC. Like It Never Was is a thriller that centers around Jolene and Elizabeth. Jolene gets sick of her high school best "frenemy" and plays a cruel prank on her that goes wrong. Elizabeth's life is ruined because of it and Jolene hasn't been able to forgive herself. Flash forward 10 years later Jolene moves to Berkeley where she sees Elizabeth again. Are the crazy things that start happening to Jolene because Elizabeth is seeking revenge or is all in just Jolene's guilt she's been carrying for a decade messing with her head? I devoured this book in a day and the twist at the end made me say "what?!" out loud. Highly recommend this for a quick thriller.

In Faith Gardner's suspenseful thriller, Like It Never Was, we follow Jolene, a guilt-ridden woman running from a traumatic past, and Elizabeth, her friend and victim of a near-fatal accident. Gardner skillfully builds an intriguing narrative that compels the reader to question the very nature of guilt, forgiveness, and the tangled webs we weave in an attempt to outrun our demons.

Gardner takes us on a journey through the present lives of both Jolene and Elizabeth, intertwined with flashbacks to the fateful night that changed their lives forever. The mystery surrounding the accident—and whether Elizabeth truly remembers what happened—adds an extra layer of intrigue that keeps the pages turning.

While the author's ability to craft suspense is evident, some readers might find the pacing of the story slower than other thrillers. The character development for both Jolene and Elizabeth is intricate and well-executed; however, it may be difficult to fully connect with them, especially given Jolene's self-imposed isolation and Elizabeth's increasingly erratic behavior.

Fans of Gardner's Jolvix episodes may find Like It Never Was to be a departure from her usual storytelling style.

Thanks to XPresso books and NetGalley for the ARC. My first from Faith Gardner and I really enjoyed the fast, twisty thriller. Apparently there will be a follow up and I will be along for that ride too. Recommend

While I didn’t love the inner monologue of the main character, I did enjoy the plot line of this book. And I can honestly say, the last portion of the book had me guessing up until the very end. Overall, a very interesting thriller!

This book was a page turner for sure. There were a lot of twists and turns that kept it interesting and quite a bit I didn’t see coming. We have an unreliable narrator here and I really felt for her. This strongly touches on mental illness and addiction. I highlighted so many passages that were so well worded to explain feelings that can be difficult to express. This was my first book by this author but will not be the last.

This was fantastic … well as much as a “disfigurement and murder” story can be - LOL. This one had my heart racing, my mind reeling, throwing out theories and seconding guessing Jolene’s (and my) sanity. It starts in high school,with a terrible accident, Jo plays a terrible prank on Liz, which causes an accident…. Jo flees the scene and never speaks of it again.10 years later their paths cross again (much to Jos disappointment). It seems as though Elizabeth has no idea it was Jo, and wants to rekindle their friendship. Jo is really not sure about this, she is feeling extremely guilty, she’s having some mental instability, and thinks Liz is out for revenge. Things start happening, to kind of back up this theory, but is it coincidence? Or could Liz know the truth about that day? OMG, just wait … it’s so good.

This was a wild read. It had a solid plot with some serious plot twist especially the jaw dropping ending! Some parts didn’t flow super well in my opinion and it seemed a bit choppy in parts such as her relationship with her dad and her friend. It didn’t seem consistent and felt like an after thought. But you got to feel the chaos of the main characters mind and that grabbed my attention and made it interesting. Overall this was a decent fast read

This book had my mind going in so many directions but in the best of ways. I found myself confused at times but this was such a good read. I really enjoy Faith’s writing and how I always feel like i’m second guessing what I think I know.

I enjoyed reading Like It Never Was by Faith Gardner.   Thank you to Netgalley and Mirror House Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

Wow!

This book gave me whiplash in the best way possible. An unreliable narrator is right up my alley! Twisty, action packed, and frightening. This book had my jaw dropping and gave me the creeps simultaneously. Jolene is a wonderfully funny, eccentric, and messed up character.

I highly recommend this book. I could not put it down! I also did not know where it was going, at any point. A great, quick read!

Thank you Netgalley, Faith Gardner, and Mirror House Press for the ebook. This book was a trip and one of the wildest rides this year! Wow! So many twists and turns and to be honest I'm not sure I even have it straight now! Just when I thought it was done and all wrapped up, another twist!

Such a great thriller! I loved the twists and turns and the writing was great. A reflection on the concept of frenemies, I loved watching the story unfold.

I think this is my favorite thriller by Faith Gardner thus far. I was able to guess who did it, but I identified so much the main character, who is graysexual like me. I never encounter ace main characters, and this particular detail not only stood out to me and made me remember why I loved reading the book, but it also made me feel seen, and believe me, we need to be seen in the ace community. The premise of the book was brilliant. It was a fast read and left me wanting more. I am so excited I got to get an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks so much for reading!

The main character made enjoyment prohibitive for me, to the point where I wasn't sure I would finish but did. But I think I'm an outlier here. Hope you enjoy!

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Ten years ago Jolene Vero did a terrible thing. She caused a horrific accident that changed the life of her friend Elizabeth Smith in a very devastating way. Now all these years later she still carries the weight of guilt and remorse on her shoulders.

When she moves to Berkeley for yet another "fresh start"; she runs into her old friend Elizabeth. Unable to run from her past any longer, Jolene now has to face what she's spent the past decade running from. However, Elizabeth doesn't seem to remember anything about that night. She has adjusted to her situation and ready to rekindle their friendship. Or...is she just a really good actress?

This was my first Faith Gardner novel and I devoured it in a few short hours. The book starts out really strong and kept up the momentum to the very end. It was fast paced and completely unputdownable. I loved reading how our FMC gradually becomes more and more unhinged with each chapter.

I loved how the author didn't waste anytime with the flashbacks, and how they were straight to the point and didn't feel like they were being drawn out. I loved how unreliable the narrator was as it made for an even more enthralling read. I was really invested in this story until around the 80% mark. That was when it all became just okay for me.

Firstly, I was able to figure out one of the twists before it was revealed. Though that's not why I gave this one 4 stars. It was simply because, after such an intense read. After such a buildup, the ending felt rushed and clumsy. I wanted more, I needed more. I even downloaded the epilogue and it still left me unsatisfied.

The book overall wasn't bad by any means. However, that ending needed more work. Would I still recommend, heck yeah I would. Would I read more of this author's work? For sure! I still had a good time with this one despite the lackluster ending.

Thank you to Netgalley, Mirror House Press and Faith Gardner for my eArc of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.

Pub date: July 2nd, 2024

Like It Never Was by Faith Gardner was such a fantastic story!
I thoroughly enjoyed the character development, and the ending had me speechless.
It was very well written. I was hooked straight away and I couldn't put it down.
The twists were plentiful and delivered maximum shock value.

Thank You NetGalley and Mirror House Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Delulu

“Forgetting is pretending”

Like it Never Was is a twisty popcorn thriller about a prank gone horribly wrong and the consequences coming to light 10 years later.

Meet Jolene, a spoiled brat who jumps from job to job on a whim. Her daddy is always there to bail her out. Jolene has been struggling to keep a buried secret, which comes to light when she comes into contact with her high school nemesis, Elizabeth Smith, a woman whom Jolene played a horrible prank on 10 years ago. After crossing paths with Elizabeth, Jolene starts experiencing some scary things--is Elizabeth out for revenge, is Jolene losing her mind, or is there more going on than it seems?

Narrated by Jolene, it is hard being in her head. She is self-absorbed and constantly makes stupid choices. Her voice is childlike, and it seems that she never matured past her 18-year-old self. She is hard to like, and it is hard to feel sympathy for her. Her reliability is in question as she often hears voices and ignores reality.

This is an easy, fast-paced, twisty read with some decent and somewhat predictable twists. The final chapter is a good one! One must suspend disbelief to fully enjoy this, which I did. However, I couldn’t get past Joelen, and being in her head was just a bit too much.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Mirror House Press in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 Stars Rounded up t0 4

After a prank goes wrong between Jolene and her friend Elizabeth, Jolene keeps this a secret, what follows is Jolene's guilt at what she's done and her inability to outrun this or numb it away.

Ten years later Jolene moves to Berkley and meets back up with Elizabeth and they attempt to rekindle a friendship, but will Jolene's guilt let her be friends? will the voice in Jolene's head ruin everything?

I had an interesting journey with this book, the first chapter... BANG hooked, then the story started to slow down in pace for a while and I wasn't sure if I was going to continue with it, then another cliff hanger and so it went on, until I completed the book, for me the end petered out to the point I felt it could have been 2 or 3 chapters shorter for my liking, but maybe that's because I'd guessed or at least suspected quite early on the outcome and would have preferred to end on a cliff hanger of not knowing, but I know for a lot of readers that would not work for them, so I get why it was fleshed out.

The characters were well written, with some absolute treats in there that kept me entertained, with the addition of the voice Jolene hears in her head and I did double guess myself a few times throughout the book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

I will be adding my reviews to social media & Amazon on publishing day