And you thought YOUR in-laws were bad! Gina and Owen are in love and want to spend their lives together, but first they have to survive the weekend from hell with Owen’s mother, Marta, who wants to keep her son for herself. And she’s willing to do anything to ensure she gets her way

“Meet the Parents” is a mystery/thriller by Emily Shiner. This book had so many little twists and turns that at times I felt like I was playing some weird “who done it” game: Why was Gina picked out for Owen? Why did someone murder Gina’s aunt? Who really committed the murder? Where is the mysterious cousin? Why does Marta hate Gina, but also want her to help her with Grant? And, of course the biggest question, who do I, as the reader, honestly believe - if any of them? This was a quick read - as I’ve come to expect from Ms. Shiner - and I did like the overall idea of this plot, but at times the pacing was a bit slow. I’d recommend this to someone who wants a slow build-up with flashbacks and some rather interesting foreshadowing. Did I see the ending coming - kinda, but that was because my mind was not accepting anyone in this book said as truthful. A 3.5 star, overall, from me.

5 stars ! Emily Shiner has hit it out of the ballpark with this thriller. I've read many of her books and I think this one is the best or one of the best of her books. It is so deliciously twisted and crazy, I couldn't help but love it.

Gina and Owen are a couple who met about 2 months ago. Owen takes Gina to meet his parents. His mother, Marta, hates Gina instantly. Nothing and no one is good enough for her son. His father, Grant, is sizing up Gina for a tryst. In between all of this, there is a secret that they each have. Who knows what? That's the question.

The ending, though, left my jaw hanging on the floor. Amazing. This is how a thriller should end. I absolutely loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I highly recommend this book.

This is a great thriller that I devoured in a day! A tale of lies, secrets, twists and turns, I really didn’t knew where it would end! Loved the ending!

Emily Shiner is one of my favorite authors, and her books never disappoint. This was yet another great book! Filled with twists and turns, I couldn't wait to find out how it all ended. The ending was fantastic! I enjoyed reading this book very much, and recommend this and all of Emily's books!

I love a good thriller book. Meet the Parents definitely did not disappoint. I enjoyed the jaw, dropping twists and turns that kept me engaged the whole book.

4.5 Stars!!

Meet The Parents has been my favorite Emily Shiner book. Gina and Owen are madly in love and going to meet his parents at their cabin(mansion) in the woods. Marte is a bit of an uncomfortably-obsessed-with-my-son mother who wants nothing more to be free of Gina and her husband, Grant. Gina has her own plan for Owen and his parents over the weekend. The weekend is tense with talk of murders and it all ends with the house burned down, literally.

This book was giving Criminal Minds unsub meets Revenge. The twist in the epilogue I did hypothesize, but the way it was revealed hit the spot and it was twistier than I imagined. I loved reading how Gina was slowly unraveling. However, I took off half a point for the constant repetition of her "i didn't mean to but I did" monologue.

Another great, well written book from this author which kept me interested in the storyline. Good characters, an excellent page turner with plenty of twists.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Absolutely loved this, I couldn't put it down. Full of shocking twists and turns, just brilliant! Another fantastic read from Emily Shiner.

Betrayal, deception, and hidden secrets intertwine in the twisted tale of the Whitlock family. Marta, the mother, lives in the shadows cast by her successful husband, overshadowed ever since her son Owen ventured into the world of medicine. Determined to keep her beloved son close, Marta concocts a plan to ensure that the alluring Gina does not snatch Owen away from her grasp.
Gina, the unsuspecting girlfriend who initially sought out Owen at the hospital, finds herself entangled in a web of deceit as she plays the role of the devoted partner.
What began as a strategic ploy soon transformed into genuine affection, she is aware of the family's deep-rooted secrets, each more sinister than the last. Determined to shield her own concealed truths from unraveling, Gina navigates the treacherous waters of the Whitlock household with caution. However, the idyllic facade of the weekend retreat is shattered when the flames of betrayal and revenge set ablaze the Whitlocks' estate, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

I really enjoyed this book. The narrative, expertly woven by the dual perspectives of Marta and Gina, offered a unique and dynamic insight into the plot, adding layers of depth and complexity to the storytelling with a brilliant build-up of pace. As the plot unfolded the tension steadily mounted keeping me fully engaged to the story.
Thank you Emily Shiner, Bookouture and NetGalley for an early copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Gina loved her aunt Bethany and spent time with her at every opportunity. Until the night she sleeps over and someone murders Bethany. Now years later Gina has the perfect life right the perfect boyfriend, Owen. They take a trip to meet his parents. But they have a secret, as does Gina and both parties have a plan.

Oh my! What a page turner. While the secret was pretty obvious, they way the suspense was built and every little detail revealed was so well written. At parts my heart was racing and I couldn’t put this down. Told from the point of view of hoth Gina and Marta, Owen’s mum. The storyteller always switched at the moment of biggest impact. The final sting in the tail I did not expect, and that cliffhanger was as so powerful. This was one I really enjoyed.

Thanks to Netgalley for this audio arc. Right away we have a couple, Gina and Owen visiting Owen’s parents who are in a cabin in the woods and immediately we get an obsessive mother. There’s a past and present timeline and we follow the girlfriend Gina and Owen’s mother, Marta. They both have a “plan” for revenge and neither know that both of them have a revenge plan. Lots of lies from both parties and we get to see Gina’s past and how she is so close with her Aunt and cousin Wade. This was entertaining from beginning to end, lots of drama and twists and of course I couldn’t stand Marta and Grant, they drove me crazy more less Marta did and she really takes crazy mother obsessed with her son really bordering on she’s in love with him for real but I enjoyed this. The ending was just the cherry on top and poor Gina didn’t know it was coming. I highly recommend if you like mind games.

If you’re looking for an easy to follow thriller then this is for you. I found it a wee bit slow but it did improve. Thanks for the advance copy

I love this author but this book didn't grab me like her others.
Gina has experienced a terrible trauma in her younger years and now wants revenge.
Without giving anything away i had pretty much worked out what was going on very early in the book.
An ok read for me.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

I have read Emily Shiner before. This one was a little different. It is more mystery than suspense. So if you love a good cozy mystery this is the book for you.