*Meet the Parents* is a psychological thriller that really knows how to grab your attention. The book kicks off with a gripping start and wraps up with a thrilling ending that doesn’t disappoint. Gina, who’s meeting her boyfriend Owen’s parents for the first time, finds herself in a tense and mysterious situation. The tension between her and Owen’s family builds expertly, and the final twists really kept me on my toes.

That said, the middle part of the book does have some issues. There’s a bit of repetitiveness with characters' thoughts, which can slow things down. Some of the dialogue feels a bit clunky at times, likely a result of the characters being intentionally unlikeable or just "odd". While these elements can bog down the pacing, the suspense remained high enough to keep my attention

Overall, despite the midsection slowness, *Meet the Parents* delivers a compelling and entertaining read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book!

📱E-Book Review📱


Meet The Parents
Emily Shiner

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I feel like a bit of a connoisseur now when it comes to Emily's books as this will be the seventh book that I've read over the past year or so! And I'm still as obsessed as ever!

I absolutely love a twisty, suspenseful thriller that has me on edge as I read and that continues to shock me as the storyline develops and Emily does this to perfection.

In this book we meet Gina, Owen's girlfriend and the one he intends to propose to - but first she must meet his parents....

This already had me on edge - meeting the in-laws is a fear all to itself - and it's clear from the start that they don't like each other.

As the story develops, we learn that not only do the parents have secrets that they'd like to keep within the family - but Gina already knows about this!

Grant and Marta were really quite unpleasant characters and I 'hated' the way they manipulated events, spoke to and treated Gina - very well written to evoke strong feelings and purposefully done.
But soon we see that Gina also has her own agenda and we see a push and pull that follows with each determined to get their own way in the end.

I really felt for our Owen who was pulled one way then the other and I really didn't know which way this would turn out!

The story gradually evolves as we follow the chaos of the present whilst finding out the events from the past, bit by bit.
Packed with twists right until the final pages!

I love Emily's writing and the way it makes me feel - I know straight away when I open the first page, that I'll be unable to put it down and I'll be racing through the book in only a couple of sittings!

Another brilliant read! Can't wait for the next!!



💕Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

Wow !!! What a page turner. I was hooked from the start and couldn't put it down. Lots of twists and mystery with fast-paced progression. Told from Marta and Gina's point of view, it starts with suspenseful bulid up, and the tension escalates as it slowly unravels everyone's deadly plans. Every character is unreliable and twisted. Everyone has horrific secrets, and they want to be buried. Gina is here for revenge, and her in laws has their own deadly agenda to tie a loose end they left long ago. The suspense mounts as the weekend goes by, and then finally, the ending twist is more chilling than I can imagine. I can't say more. You have to find out yourself. The climax is gut-wrenching, with a shocking end. Highly recommended

I am absolutely thrilled to express my gratitude to Bookoture for graciously inviting me to be a part of the exhilarating tour for Meet the Parents by the incredibly talented Emily Shiner.

This incredible book follows the enthralling journey of Gina and Marta from a dual point of view. The concept of meeting the parents is always filled with apprehension, but this novel takes it to an entirely new level. The vivid descriptions effortlessly transport you right into the heart of the story alongside Gina. This gripping thriller is an absolute page-turner that will have you completely engrossed from start to finish. The fast-paced narrative is incredibly satisfying, and the moment Gina embarks on a whirlwind romance with Owen, leading to a swift engagement and a daunting introduction to his family, is utterly compelling.

Navigating the complexities of meeting the parents is expertly portrayed, and the dynamic between the characters is both captivating and surprising. I found myself eagerly flipping through the pages in anticipation of how it would all unfold, and the remarkable storytelling kept me thoroughly engaged throughout. Bookoture #EmilyShiner #MeetTheParents #Thriller #CaptivatingRead #PageTurner #Romance #FamilyDynamics #Storytelling #EngrossingPlot

Meeting the parents is always a daunting scary prospect but this takes it to the next level.
I wasn’t shocked by the way the plot unfolded or the twist as had guessed it but I still really enjoyed it thanks to Emily’s writing style and pace of the book.
Thank you NetGalley, Emily Shiner and Bookouture for providing me with a copy to read, all opinions expressed are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 average stars.

Very average ‘thriller’ type book. Unfortunately the end was easy to guess and the chapters were far too descriptive. 30% of the book must have been descriptions of Gina searching the house.

None of the characters were likeable even Gina and the book plodded on for a while. It was easy enough to read but it won’t grip you.

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Wow, this was a fast read. There was so much going on and loving every minute of it. This is a thriller you will read in just one sitting. I loved how fast paced it was. Gina starts dating Owen and they want to get engaged. Problems arise when Owen brings Gina home to meet his family. You can guess right away how some of these characters fit together but I keep flipping the pages to see how it was going to play out. I have read a few of Emily Shiner’s books and I enjoyed them all! I recommend this one to thriller lovers.
Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “Meet the Parents” by Emily Shiner. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#MeetTheParents #EmilyShiner #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #NewThriller

This book is WILD! And the ending?! Guys.

Gina is meeting her boyfriend’s parents for the first time… but is it really? Emily takes in-law drama to a WHOLE. NEW. LEVEL. I love books with dark family secrets and this book did not disappoint. I definitely need to know more about Gina and Owen’s purposeful run in because I loved how everything connected.

Meet the Parents by Emily Shiner

The suspicious start of the thriller with clueless idea of what will be happened just kept me hanging in the air.

I love the writing style and the storyplot. Imagine you went to your boyfriend’s house and meet his parents, and then you felt something strange. The twists and turns were unexpected! The ending was a big good shock.

Many thanks to NetGalley, bookouture and the author for my copy!

Pub date: Aug 28, 2024

Thank you to Bookouture/NetGalley for the opportunity to read Meet The Parents early! Gina is meeting her boyfriend Owen's parents for the first time. She loves Owen but did not intend to fall in love when she first met him. She knows more about his family than she is letting on and she's looking for answers. This story will grip you from beginning to end, you won't want to put it down!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an E-Arc of this book. The following is my honest opinion *

3.9⭐ out 5

Wow! Normally in this genre of books, other characters are clueless. Not this one. The reader is the only clueless one. Every one of the characters had a plan and it was a matter of whose plan prevails! Truly gripping. I could not put this book down! I was grasping at every bit of information that was given to the reader. I don't even know how I feel about the ending. (WHAT!!)

I really enjoyed how the story was told to us through Gina (mostly) and Marta. Marta's POV had me second guessing how I thought things would end for the characters. Truly don't think anyone could guess the ending.

Definitely recommend!

A thriller that kept me reading! I loved the twist at the end… but the book ends on a cliffhanger. Second book? Or forever wondering?

Holy Crap! Talk about a shocking, gripping, and jaw dropping book! Emily Shiner continues to shine with Meet the Parents! I thought I had everything figured out and thought how clever I was, but nope! Emily Shiner showed just how clever she was with the thrilling book with an ending that knocked my socks off!

Whew!

Gina and Owen hit it off when they met. She is the girl of this dreams and he wants nothing more than to put a ring on it! But when he takes her home to meet his parents, his mother, Marta is not too happy. She is not willing to step aside and let another woman into her son's life. She'll play nice but.....

Gina has her secrets and is playing nice as well. She knows more about Owen's family than she has let on. She's playing nice, but.....

Holy Moly! This book was bonkers in the best possible way. Meeting a significant others family can be anxiety provoking but when there are those with secrets, those who lie, and those who manipulate, things can go off the rails fast.

This is one weekend for the books and I was there for every dramatic, suspenseful, twisted, and shocking moment. I had no idea what I was in store for and loved this twist filled roller coaster ride of suspense.

Emily Shiner blew me away with Meet the Parents! I loved the setting of their secluded home surrounded by woods. I loved the tension that permeated throughout the book. There is drama, lies, secrets, and deception galore.

I loved the writing and how the book became more suspenseful as the weekend went on. Emily Shiner did a fabulous job with creating likeable characters and despicable characters. This book had me on the edge of my seat loving every second!

Shocking, jaw dropping, addictive and well thought out!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #MeetTheParents by #EmilyShiner. I absolutely loved this book about revenge that I could not put it down. Owen takes Gina home to meet his parents. What could go wrong? Marta and Grant, the parents don’t seem to like Gina very much. There are so many secrets and such an awesome plot twist. Highly recommend.

Meeting the parents can often be an awkward and tense experience. What if the mother is obsessed with her son? This thriller has you gripped from the start. The battle between the doting girlfriend, Gina, and Owen’s mother, Marta, is tense and gripping.
I loved the authors writing style and the story was phenomenal. From the beginning, there is so much going on between the two main characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I can't sing Emily Shiner's praises loud enough! Meet The Family is the first standalone I've read from her, and both this book and the first two of her Detective Freya Sinclair series have all been five-star reads!

With a full cast of diabolical, deceptive, and cunning characters, this book makes you realize just how normal your own in-laws actually are! The dual point of view allows two cleverly crafted perspectives to play out through both Gina (Owen's girlfriend) and Marta (Owen's mother). The story unfolds and becomes a tug of war over Owen's affections, with both women plotting against and trying to outsmart the other!

I will continue to devour Shiner's books since her well-rounded female characters are ones that stick with me long after I finish reading! I enjoyed seeing how Shiner created characters that come from the opposite side of the tracks from Detective Freya Sinclair, meaning Shiner has a lot of tricks up her sleeve!

This psychological thriller deserves a standing ovation with its twists, turns, and shocking ending!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the complimentary copy to read and review.

Wow!

Toxic boy mom, toxic parents-in-law, toxic...everyone!

I had a little hint of what was going on, but it was really just a hint and these characters surprised me again and again. And once things come to a head? Oh. My. God.

This is an absolutely entertaining read that's just pure fun!

(Also, thank goodness my; family is blessedly normal lol.)

* ARC via Publisher

I love Emily Shiner’s books, so I was excited to read this one. I love how she writes thrillers that are unique. That’s hard in a genre where many authors write about the same tropes over and over again. Owen is his parents pride and joy, especially his mother Marta. When he brings home his new fiance to meet his parents, will they love Gina as much as he does? Or will his parents stop at nothing to tear Owen and Gina apart?

There are so many secrets in this book! WOW! The lies, deceit and manipulation run rampant in this story. It took me a while to figure out the correlation between all the characters, but when I did, I was mind blown! There were nonstop twists delivered as the plot developed. Shiner dropped pieces of information throughout which kept the reader guessing right up until the ending. And that ending?! EPIC! Another great book by Shiner that I highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I knew that Emily would put me through a wringer but that final final final final blow is what did it for me! Jeez! I had an inkling where it might go, as I love Emily's books so I knew we would have a fatal blow, but that last sentence left me breathless.

It's a huge game of cat and mouse, and you are never sure who the cat or the mouse is! It changes so many times, so many red flags and so much behaviour which is deemed normal, where Owen doesn't bat an eyelid!

I would love to have known more about Gina and her past. I would love to know why Aunt B, I have so many questions but I also have a semi-satisfying ending too. What a conundrum!

A strong book for Ms Shiner! She is the Queen on these stingers, these crazy characters who suck you in, who try to make you believe one thing but you can see the truth....but what you don't know is that they are still hiding from you - these characters still hide truths from the reader. Twisted!!!

I am in awe of how she writes each book with a refreshing spin, without losing the story or the addiction to reading her tales of woe - and they are of woe!!

Oh. My. God. With everything in me, I am telling you that you should go read this book. From the very beginning, I was hooked. There was a constant back and forth between the characters that was just so entertaining, and did so well with keeping me engaged with the story and it kept me guessing and obsessed with the story right up until the very end. There was never really a lull in the story that made me want to put this book down. In fact, the only time when I did take a break from reading, was when I needed to sleep but I picked it right back up as soon as I woke up. It was just that good.

I have never read an Emily Shiner book before, but I am very interested in seeing what else she has written and if it is anything like this book, I will be adding it all to my TBR and buying it ASAP.