3.5/5 stars

The perfect summer read honestly. It was very flowery in its descriptions which made it super immersive but I think at times it stretched too far. Like it was almost trying to be super insightful and then go back to being more of a summer read. I wish it sticked to one or the other instead of muddling things together. I agree with a lot of people that it was too many POVs with little flow between them. I felt like I was reading one of my mothers soap operas where it cuts to a new POV every 3 minutes and then we have a commercial and we don't get anywhere.

If you're looking for a lightish read that is very atmospheric this is for you!

Even though I loved the setting of the book I felt like it should have had more twists. I thought the ending was great but I wish those types of moments were through out the book to keep it going. Also I do wish the twist was a bit more original.

Coming March 2025! Saltwater is a very picturesque novel taking place in Capri filled with lots of old-money family drama. Usually I do love rich people problems, especially when a big scandal is involved, but this one was a bit slow moving for me. Lots of POVs going on here: sometimes I would have to go back and check whose chapter I was reading. Overall, it was a fine read but definitely didn’t hit the mark when it came to overall thrill.

This was a fun and interesting read. A totally different storyline, well told in elegant language. I love the twists and turns, and the final ending. Completely unexpected.

I wanted to love this more based on the synopsis and cover, but I just didn’t love the characters. Everyone was hard to like and I couldn’t get on anyone’s side!

This was such a fun story! It was so messed up and twisty but I had an amazing time. I feel like it was really well written and the setting really stood out but at times felt confusing. I feel like it didn’t feel like a thriller at times (a little slow) but I love a story about families!

Enjoyed this thriller. The writing is attention demanding and the dual timeline keeps you guessing. I didn’t expect the twist at the end. This could easily be a movie. Italy , beautiful people, luxury life and lies and deceit . Sign me up.

Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed.

I loved the setting of this book, it was interesting how it was so luxurious but also so foreboding. Great use of the environment to move the story along. I felt some of the characters could use a little more fleshing out - Stan for example. An enjoyable suspense novel.

I was so excited to be approved for this Arc, as I really enjoyed The Cloisters by Katy Hays. This would be a good beach read for the summer. I was really into the first half of the book and midway, I got a bit bored with the book. The reveals at the end were a little unrealistic. I enjoyed the setting of Capri and the look into the lives of the ultra-rich.

40/100 or 2.0 stars

Nah, this was not it. I am not really able to say why I did not like this without spoiling everything. The last 20% of this was not it, and I honestly thought about DNFing this about 50%, but I wanted to give the book a fair shot, since I was enjoying the writing style. The writing style is the only reason for the two star rating opposed to a one star rating. The last third of this story made me feel like I wasted my time with this book. Disappointing.

I am sure there are readers who will love this and will love the "twists,' but I am so over those kind of twists, and wish authors would stop doing it.

Saltwater is a captivating psychological thriller set on the island of Capri. The story revolves around the mysterious death of Sarah Lingate in 1992, which was ruled an accident despite lingering suspicions about her wealthy family’s involvement. Thirty years later, Sarah’s daughter, Helen, returns to Capri with her family, only to find new evidence that reignites the investigation into her mother’s death.

Hays weaves together dual timelines and multiple perspectives, creating a tense and twisty narrative filled with family secrets and unexpected twists. The atmospheric setting of Capri adds depth to the story, making it a compelling read for people who like thrillers and mysteries.

Overall, This is a gripping novel that explores themes of wealth, privilege, and the haunting shadows of the past. It’s a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted psychological thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the advanced copy. I can't wait to recommend it to friends and family.

I don't read a ton of mystery/thrillers, but to me it seems like this is more of a family drama than a thriller. I am a sucker for anything that is "rich people behaving badly" lol - and Saltwater delivers! I found myself engaged in the story, and I loved the authors writing style. That being said, I didn't really love the ending and it wasn't necessarily a story that was super memorable to me. Again, maybe I'm not the right audience, but it was still a decent read!

Family drama with a family with old money, coming in hot. Welcome to the Lingates. Lots of things happening in this book. Was told from a POV from 1992 incident as well as now.

I found the ending of this book to be amazing, but the middle was a bit slower. There was a lot going on throughout most of the book, and some things were a bit hard to keep track of actually. I was struggling a bit to place how all of the characters were related initially. Some of the things that happened in the book were a bit hard to believe but I guess thats why its a book!

Richard & Sarah
Child: Helen & boyfriend Freddie
Marcus & Naomi
Lorna - The assistant of Marcus

Family secrets, lots of family secrets. Revenge. Motivation by money. Betrayal. Murder. Mystery.

I was left with a lot of questions sadly. I feel that the Lorna/Helen plan could have been elaborated on further in the book to have a bit more build up there.

While overall, this novel was okay, it felt very flat to me.
Initially, I struggled to connect with any of the characters, as we moved quickly from one point of view to another and to different points in time without a grounding in who anyone was, how they were connected, or what they wanted. Once I sorted out the characters, they still felt flat to me, with little development.
This is a mystery/thriller with many turns and reveals as the story progresses. With the exception of one twist, none of the reveals felt surprising to me as a reader. The twist toward the end that did surprise me did not surprise in a good way. Instead, it felt completely unbelievable in both reality and the story world.

Saltwater is family drama at its finest, with twists that you won’t see coming.

Alternating between 1992 and present day, the Lingates repeatedly prove to the readers how dysfunctional their family behaves behind closed doors. Michael and Richard Lingate come from money and learned their controlling behavior from their father. The two brothers are obsessed with appearances.

Richard, against the wishes of his family marries Sarah, an aspiring playwright outside of their social circle. As their marriage progresses, she slowly realizes that she doesn’t quite fit in with the Lingates. Her creativity is stifled living with Richard’s domineering behavior, and maintaining the façade of a Lingate, she realizes her freedom is disappearing too. She makes the decision to leave Richard while on vacation on the isle of Capri, and her news is not well received.

Thirty years later Sarah’s daughter Helen feels the same suffocation and finds her current existence untenable. Her father and uncle Marcus’ controlling behavior only intensifies as she tries to gain more freedom as a young adult. In her desperation she hatches a plan to get out from under their thumb while on their annual Capri vacation.

The contrast between the idyllic setting of Capri and the toxic, controlling nature of the Lingate family adds an interesting layer to the story. The cyclical nature of the family’s control over both Sarah and Helen is fascinating—it's like history repeating itself, but each woman is determined to break free.
Behind all the glamour on the island lurks many individuals with an agenda. Everyone is looking out for themselves, and readers will be shocked to find out who really gets want they want and who gets what they deserve.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballatine Books, and of course the author Katy Hays for the advanced copy of the book. Saltwater is out on March 25th. All opinions are my own.

“More money more problems”, this bonkers family was entertaining to read about with characters you’ll love to hate, cutthroat and entitled to the very last page. My new requirement for a four star rating is that I need to be engaged with and dedicated to a book from start to finish. While the ending of this book blew my mind, I took lots of breaks in my reading journey (months) and felt like the middle was lacking. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Don't you just love looking into the lives of the top 1%?

This novel opens up with a newspaper article from 1992 that chronicles the search for Sarah Lingate. WHAT HAPPENED TO HER? Well, sit down cause we're gonna find out together. Helen Lingate (Sarah's 3 year old daughter at the time of her disappearance) returns to the island in her 30s with a single mission on her mind -find out what happened to her mother the day she disappeared. Was it foul play or an accident?

Katy Hays did an exceptional job in this mystery thriller. There are multiple POVs and two different timelines that we jump between. It kept me intrigued until the end.

I will say that there were questions that were left unanswered, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless.

I recommend this to anyone that wants a sneak peek into rich family dynamics, family secrecy, and a good ol' murder mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read the eARC ahead of its publication for my review.

I was not expecting the ending. There were two twists at the end. One of the twists I figured out and the other one I didn’t. I really enjoyed reading the book even though it started out slow.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Helen Lingate, now in her early 30s , has always lived her life in the shadows of her dead mother. There was an infinite amount of intrigue and speculation when her mother was found dead, at the base of famous Capri cliffs. Helen was just three and Sarah Lingate was an accomplished writer and playwrite. Helen's life has been closely managed by her overbearing father, uncle and aunt. Helen is a captive of her own wealth and family.

Helen and her close assistant, Lorna, want to break free. They have a plan to remove themselves from the throws of the Lingate family. But, it turns out neither has been truthful with the other.

This is the kind of book I love to love. A sexy location. Rich people behaving poorly without abandon. Overall, the vibes were great. I think if you adore contemporary thriller you will love this book. There plot twists up and until the VERY end.!

This was three stars for me. 3.5 rounded down. But, there will be many people that will enjoy it. Truly.