Having really enjoyed The Cloisters, I thought this would be a smashing good story. When in reality it's a bit boring. Has a feeling if deja vu.. like oh another rich family getting away with murder and everything in between.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

This novel presents an intriguing blend of mystery and dysfunctional family dynamics, appealing to readers who enjoy these themes. The writing is well-crafted, showcasing the author's thoughtful approach to storytelling. The characters are notably flawed, including the main narrators, which adds depth and complexity to their interactions. In particular, the character Lorna offers a captivating perspective that enhances the narrative.

The pacing of the story is relatively slow, which may not appeal to all readers; it felt more extended than its actual length. While the initial twists and reveals were somewhat predictable, they did remain satisfying and coherent within the context of the story. The later twists provided some surprise, though they bore a resemblance to one another, and the final twist, arriving just after a significant reveal, felt somewhat anticlimactic. Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a chance to read this!

This thriller was a provoking read with lost of questions that kept me wanting to read more. Who? Are they still around? Why now? I enjoyed the suspense built through the weaving of characters.

This book was a let down for me. An unwanted look into the lives of rich, spoiled, people who will do anything to get more wealth and status. The Italian background was interesting and well-drawn, but not enough to save this book. I do thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance and I wish I had enjoyed it more.

This novel offers an intriguing premise with a layered exploration of grief, identity, and the haunting impact of secrets. The narrative weaves together past and present with some clever moments of tension, and the setting is atmospheric, drawing the reader into a coastal town filled with both beauty and mystery. The characters are complex and their relationships evolve in interesting ways, but at times, the pacing slows, and some plot points feel a bit predictable. While the writing is evocative, there were moments when the story didn’t quite deliver on its early promise. Overall, it’s a solid read that will resonate with fans of character-driven fiction, though it may not leave everyone fully satisfied.

Thanks for the advance reader copy from Netgalley.

I had a bit of a struggle to get into this book because I didn't like the characters. I did enjoy the story line and the final reveal.

This is going to be long. I hope you find any of it useful.

I read The Cloisters a couple of years ago and it’s so interesting because although that is not my favorite type of plot, the book was one of my favorite books that year, and still is to this day. My copy rests on the bookshelf right next to my bed; that’s how highly it ranks. This 100% has to do with Katie Hays’ writing style. It absorbs you and does not allow you to look away. The Cloisters primarily held my attention because of how easy it was to live in the scenes surrounding the museum through her writing. Frankly, that MET location is one of my favorite museums and has even inspired one of my tattoos. Of course I was bound to love a book that aptly captures its mysticism.

In Saltwater, Katy Hays has done it again.

I was swimming a bit during the first few pages. There was an intentional obscurity that became extremely clear by the end. The present-to-past parallel play can be a lot to properly absorb.

Hays’ ability to depict the peculiar, almost grotesque, behaviors and mannerisms of the uber wealthy is magical. I’ve yet to encounter another author with this talent.

However, I struggled with this book for a few reasons:
- None of the characters had redeeming qualities. Everyone was so stuck in their miserable internal worlds that it felt like a headache to suffer through their internal musings in order to see the story through.
- The story became pretty convoluted. I really enjoyed the twists, but there are so many of them. While they make sense, it’s a bit overwhelming and I am almost left questioning ‘how could any of this happen in the same timeline? how is this reality real?’
- It is strange, the way that Ciro and Helen are essentially siblings…in a way. They didn’t grow up with this mindset, but ultimately they do call the same woman mama. There are a lot of underlying incestuous references that are just on the right side of taboo, but I think I’d enjoy them more if they were not as contingent to an underlying hate and inevitable betrayal that affects almost every character in the book.

Although everything is illuminated by the end of the book, I do feel that there remains a shrouding sense of mystery that prevents the reader from gaining full clarity. Freddy was a pawn for confusion — an agent of chaos. Naomi a wench who ultimately propelled the story forward, but was little more than a ghost. It was difficult to connect with these characters or feel that they held as much weight as they did in the story.

Overall, I liked the writing. Perhaps it could have been tighter and the story could have been slightly more lucid because I can see the case where people DNF because it requires more work to read than your typical mystery or thriller. It also doesn’t have that fun gothic element that made The Cloisters so enchanting. Rich people are pretty darn insufferable.

I was trudging my way through this one. It started VERY slow for me, which took away from my overall enjoyment of the book. However, the latter half of the book did pick up, which was redeeming. I usually find that I need some character to either relate to or root for, and that was missing for me here.

I would put this more at a 3.5 rating.

This story follows a rich family and we are along for their secrets slowly and messily unraveling.
The story moved quite slow and it took some time to be able to follow what character's POV I was in each chapter.
For the first half of the book I felt myself just speed reading to get to the point.

Part II definitely picks up in plot and action; but I did not find myself really connected to any of the characters or rooting for anyone.
However, I did enjoy the journey enough to read to the end.

It felt that the book was trying to fit in too many storylines and twists that in teh end just didn't feel connected.

great book overall!!! beginning was a little slow, but it totally picked up and turned out to be an excellent thriller/drama!!! 4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This story is a mystery/thriller about the Lingate family. Sarah was found dead 30 years ago on Capri and it was ruled as an accident. Helen, Sarah’s daughter, travels back to Capri for their annual family trip. Sarah’s friend, Lorna, joins the family for this trip and they try to undercover the secrets of Sarah’s death. While finding out the truth, Lorna becomes missing. Read to find out the secrets of the Lingates!

This story is about family, wealth, and secrets. There are so many shocking twists and turns at the end of the story. My mouth was wide open while I was reading it.

The beginning of the story I found very confusing because each chapter is about a different character. It took me about halfway through the book to realize who everyone was with the flashbacks. I would’ve enjoyed this book more if I wouldn’t understand the characters more at the beginning

Book review 📖

📜Saltwater
✍️Katy Hays
📠Random House/Ballantine Publishing
📚Mystery/Thriller Fiction
🗓️Pub date: March 25, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨Thank you @NetGalley and @randomhouse for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨This totally reminded me of The White Lotus and I had the theme song scrolling through my head when I would read certain parts.
I loved the backdrop of Capri, as I’ve traveled there and it was a fabulous memory.
However, the book itself, I found pacing to be slow and the storyline jumping all over the place. I wasn’t so much invested in plot or characters.

#netgalley #saltwater #katyhays #ballantine #advancedreadercopy #arc #bookreview #bookstagrammer #springreleases #thrillerfiction #mysteryfiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the arc!

Saltwater was an enjoyable read. The characters where just the characters you love to hate.

I did find the stacked twists at the end to be a bit redundant but it didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment.

Over all a solid 4 stars

Secrets . . . they eat away at a family like saltwater can erode a shoreline. Helen Lingate is the only daughter of Richard Lingate, who keeps her isolated and is very controlling . . . all for her own protection. She's been raised by her father and her aunt and uncle because her mother was killed when she fell off a cliff on Capri thirty years before. No one talks about her mother or what happened to her. She befriends Lorna, who becomes her Uncle's administrative assistant, and travels to Capri with the family on their annual summer holiday. Helen and Lorna have plans of their own and want to find out what happened to Helen's mother. Helen learns more than she bargained for. The story is written from three points of view - Helen, Lorna, and Sarah Wingate's. Lots of twists and turns I didn't see coming in this one. It will make a great summer read! I appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Saltwater by Katy Hays.

Saltwater by Katy Hays is a haunting and atmospheric novel that explores themes of grief, family secrets, and the connection between the past and present. Great tension drama.

I don’t know why I slept on this book for so long! There was really no reason and now I’m kicking myself! This book was a thrill ride and so atmospheric! I loved the setting of this book and the twists and turns were fantastic. The characters were so well-written, that even the unlikable characters were lots of fun to read about! Overall, fantastic book!

Thank you Ballantine and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A thrill ride! When Helen was 3 her mother died on the island of Capri. While people suspected her family they ended up ruling the death an accident. Now, as her family returns, Helen is desperate for answers and to escape the controls of her family. Her only help is her uncle’s assistant Lorna. Together they’ll plot their escape. But when Lorna disappears Helen will have to navigate family secrets and lies to find out what happened both to Lorna and her mother. Could she really trust Lorna? Will she like what she finds? Or will she just put herself in danger? This one brings twist after twist and I didn’t see it coming! Ruthless characters, betrayal, wealth and power, all make this a non-stop delight!

Saltwater by Katy Hays is a twisty thriller that features family drama on the island of Capri. There were secrets, betrayal and murder and unlikable characters. Overall it was a good read and I liked it.

4.5 stars Katy Hays is at the top of her game with this atmospheric gothic thriller surrounding the wealthy Lingate family. Helen Lingate has been missing her mother, Sarah, since her mysterious death on the island of Capri when she was only three years old. Desperate to discover the truth of what happened and be free of her controlling father (Richard) and uncle (Marcus), she enlists the help of her uncle's assistant Lorna. They come up with a plan to free themselves of the family so they can lead independent lives. The plan is executed at the annual family trip to Capri, where the island itself and the water surrounding it become a character that sets the mood and tone of the novel. Hays' prose is engaging, and her characters superbly developed. Just when I thought I knew the outcome, there was another twist that I didn't see coming, even though the clues were there. Be sure to add this to your 2025 TBR and perhaps a trip to the island of Capri. Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books, and Katy Hays for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

#Saltwater #KatyHays #RandomHouse #BallantineBooks #NetGalley #ReadWithJenna #bookclub #thriller #anticipatedbooks #2025reads #2025TBR #booktok #booksbooksbooks #bookstore #bestbooks2025 #familymystery #oldmoney #Capri

This is the best thriller of 2025! Saltwater is the perfect combination of your favorite thrillers, like Riley Sager and Lisa Jewell. Hays slowly unveils twist after twist and just when the reader is sure where the novel is going, a previously hinted at truth is revealed. Some of the best villan monologues, red herrings, and bait and switches in modern crime fiction. Be aware of every detail, because this book is masterly crafted and no plot element is wasted. highly recommended.