This was a great read! Sucked me in pretty quickly there was a tad bit of repetition but with it being a psychological thriller I understand that was probably by design lol. I didn’t see the full plot coming together the way it did which is obviously always good lol. I read this in a day in as close to one sitting as possible lol! Highly recommend

This book certainly has a psychological aspect to it, but quite as much of a thriller as anticipated. It eventually ventured more into women’s fiction territory, which I am a fan of as well. You follow a woman as she navigates a tumultuous past and future involving two men. You aren’t completely sure who she should trust either. The ending was perfect and couldn’t have wanted it any other way.

What a rollercoaster ride! This book had me hooked from the very first page with its explosive start. Teddy's twisted, narcissistic nature comes through right away, and trust me, you won't be rooting for him. Emily's journey through her three-year messy divorce with Teddy is intense and gripping. The portrayal of domestic abuse, infidelity, divorce, and bullying is raw and real, making you feel every bit of Emily's struggle. The author's ability to evoke strong emotions is truly remarkable—it's a wild, heart-pounding read that keeps you on the edge of your seat!

If you're looking for a fast-paced and thrilling story, this is the one. But be warned, this book isn't for the faint of heart or for anyone currently dealing with a similar situation, as some scenes are quite heavy. The relentless mind games and emotional turmoil Emily faces are both harrowing and captivating. It's a powerful story that dives deep into the complexities of a toxic relationship and the journey to reclaim one's life. An absolute must-read for fans of intense, emotion-packed thrillers!

Tense
Well written
Decent story
Would recommend this book
Kept me up until id finished reading it

Thanks to #NetGalley and #InkubatorBooks for the book #IfOnyYouKnew by #TheoBaxter. This book was hard to out down, I needed to know. Emily is going through a horrible divorce that has turned into a three year battle. Teddy has money and has made her life miserable. She can’t even let people know where she lives. Enter William. A very nice man who wants to date her but she is scared Teddy will find out. And now, someone has found out where she lives and is stalking her. Is it Teddy or William?

i really wanted to love this book but sadly i didn’t enjoy it at all. it started so well and i was excited to continue the “shocking thriller” but there was nothing shocking or thrilling about it.

This story opened with a bang…literally. The reader learns about Teddy’s twisted, narcissistic nature from page 1 🚗 We’re then brought to present day, only to learn that Emily is in the height of a 3 year messy divorce with Teddy. What’s not to dislike? However, as you keep reading, the dislike for him will only grow 😡

The story is told primarily from Emily’s point of view, and deals with the issues of domestic abuse, infidelity, divorce, intense bullying, and mental health. As the story develops we learn more about the horrible divorce and Teddy’s nasty ways, about her awful marriage with Teddy, and the absolute mind f*ckery and bullying some stalker is putting Emily through.

Quick paced, intense, stressful, and (in my opinion) not for those who are going through, or have recently gone through a messy divorce because some of the scenes are heavy going. The emotions created by the author are strong and suck the reader in.

I really enjoyed this story. It’s about Emily fighting for her life and her rights against Teddy, her soon to be ex-husband. Teddy is rich and thinks he can do what he wants and Emily will eventually give up, but Emily has more spark and more fight in her than Teddy realises. When Emily’s boyfriend, William, starts acting weird too though, Emily isn’t sure what to do. You’ve got to read this for a story that will keep you guessing. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A really great read. Had me gripped in parts. Some of the time I found Emily irritating with the decisions she made, but overall it was a taut well written psychological thriller. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book.

I really wanted to like this book as the premise was really promising but it was a real let down. Styled as a thriller, I found it lacked any sort of thrills, suspense or twists. The plot is awkward to follow and flips between narratives so many times I’m not entirely sure what the main story was supposed to be. I also found the ending very rushed and rather ridiculous considering everything that happens between the characters in the book.

We’re supposed to feel sorry for Emily and her situation but honestly she is so unlikeable. She is self absorbed, whiney, over reacts and seems to think the world revolves around her. She makes so many judgements and accuses William of things when there is no logic to this and gets even more suspicious him when he is defensive and disagrees with her. She then has the audacity to accuse others of being narcissistic when it’s literally her entire personality. Neither William or teddy come across as nice people either so I don’t find myself rooting for any character, and frankly want to see Emily fail and end with nothing. Her family and therapist also come across as enablers to this behaviour, reinforcing that she is in the right even when she clearly isn’t.

The writing style for me is difficult to follow, I just don’t find the flow easy or fast paced. Usually with a book, I can’t wait to read the next chapter but this felt a bit of a mission to finish sadly. The premise was really promising but the execution just doesn’t hit the mark for me. I appreciate in fiction novels you do have to suspend reality a little but I found this so far fetched and over the top, and struggled to believe how any of the story/actions/behaviour would ever actually happen in real life. It’s my first read from the author and sadly I don’t think I’d rush to read another.

Thank you to netgalley and inkubator books for this arc in exchange for my honest views.

If Only You Knew by Theo Baxter is an extremely well written story with an intricate plot and skillfully drawn characters. it's a real page turner with twists and turns that seem to spin out of control. The ending was explosive and totally unexpected.
It grabbed me from the first page and kept me guessing.

Thank You NetGalley and Inkubator Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

As always, another amazing read! It starts with a bag and kept .e completely obsessed throughout. I literally just spent my day off reading this and loved every second

This was a good read. Enough twists to keep it moving along. It’s a warning to make sure you know who you are choosing as a romantic partner! I would read more by this author!

Book Review: "If You Only Knew" by Theo Baxter

From the outset, "If You Only Knew" captivates with its engaging narrative and its protagonist, Emily, navigating the complexities of narcissistic relationships. I will say, though, at times I just wanted to shake some sense into Emily and at certain points in the book, she got on my ever-lasting nerve as she handled certain situations. But hey, it kept me reading to see what the heck would come next!

The character dynamics, especially Emily's interactions with William, are compelling and suspenseful, keeping me guessing about his true intentions. Honestly, I was beginning to second guess everyone at some point, and had so many theories going on in my head I couldn’t even keep track of them all. The plot unfolds with relentless twists that kept me on edge throughout. However, some of the events towards the end just seemed a little too unbelievable. This took me out of that fully engrossed mode of reading I get into, but at the end of the day…it’s a book! It’s not real life!

Overall, Baxter's writing crafts a gripping story that combines psychological depth with thrilling suspense. While the conclusion left me conflicted about Emily's final choice in her partner, "If You Only Knew" remains for me a recommended read for its compelling storytelling and emotional journey.

*Disclaimer: I used AI to help me take my book and chapter notes to form a cohesive review. While this review is not 100% AI generated, it has bits and pieces thrown in.

Plenty of twists and turns that kept me reading this book. The topic of an abusive marriage may trigger some people. Felt like a familiar and at times a trope that is overdone. Otherwise a solid read and keeps your interest.

Creep thriller with good mix of characters. Plenty of twists and turns,intricately woven plot. Kept me guessing.

Emily is struggling under the immense pressure of her complicated and tumultuous divorce from Teddy Gaunt. Teddy, with his wealth, old money, and vast network of connections, refuses to let Emily go. His grip on reality has been tenuous for a longer time than Emily realized, adding to her distress. Emily's occasional lapses in judgment and questionable decisions make her doubt her ability to connect with or trust others.

The book starts off at a slow pace, but after chapter 14, it picks up significantly. While the plot moves rapidly, it leaves several aspects open to interpretation, creating some unresolved gaps. Despite these, the book makes for a great summer read. I was compelled to finish it quickly to see if my theories about the story were correct. Most of them were, except for a surprising twist involving William.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. It excels in building up the narrative, making the reader feel as if they are experiencing the same emotional rollercoaster as the protagonist.

Thank you, NetGalley and Inkubator Books, for the opportunity to read this advanced reader's copy!

Just like other Theo Baxter books I have read this one kept me on edge, with great pace, tensions and amazing twists.

Emily and Teddy seem to have a loving marriage, “til death do us part.” Soon they are in the middle of a contentious divorce. Emily soon feels like she is being followed and stalked. Is it in her head? Is it her soon to be ex or new boyfriend? This fast paced thriller kept me hooked until the very end.

This book is about Emily who is in the process of a very difficult divorce from her narcissistic, abusive husband Teddy. She begins to be stalker, with her stalker trying to ruin her career by hacking into her emails along with doing hang up calls. Emily instantly suspects Teddy but then her new boyfriend William is acting suspicious…

I found this book maybe a bit too fast paced for me although I did read it in 24 hours! The story was great and you do keep wondering who the stalker could be (at one point I wondered if it was Emily’s dad 😂) but I felt I had read an entire book by 40% of the way through. Theo manages to describe the characters brilliantly, highlighting Teddy’s narcissistic traits perfectly, and how being in an abusive relationship has caused Emily to distrust everyone. Great read, would recommend!