I thought this was a great book for all but the last 2-3 chapters. I wanted to see more of an explosive end if you will. The suspense was building up greatly, and then just kind of fizzled out for me at the end. Overall, I enjoyed it greatly and will definitely be looking into more of this author's books. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC edition!

This is one of those books where I could see exactly how it was going to play out... or so I thought! I was SO wrong and I was absolutely gobsmacked at how it played out!

Emily works as an embryologist in a fertility clinic, despite being unable to have children naturally, since her cancer battle, prior to which, she had some of her eggs frozen. So imagine her shock when her first love, Ben, comes to the clinic, with his wife, asking for Emily to help them conceive!

Emily's character was so well written; I swung between feeling sorry for her and wanting to call her out on her behaviour! She was very much driven by her emotions and what she considered to be the right thing, whether it actually was right, or not. I found her struggle to like Ben's seemingly perfect wife, Ally, very interesting and really felt her conflict in her personal and professional contact with Ally.

Once it comes to crunch time, Emily has some huge decisions to make and finds she's not actually in control of events as she thought she was. Ben and Emily share secrets from the past, but it turns out, they're not the only ones who aren't being completely honest and things get deliciously twisty!

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Cara Reinard and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I’ve read previous books by Cara Reinard and enjoyed them very much, so I was very excited to be approved for an ARC of her latest book, The Clinic. The premise is clever and the topic is timely. Four strong stars from me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication. All opinions are my own.

Oh my god.
I couldn't put this down.
I am still invested.
What happens next?!?
I loved all of the characters.

This was a very good read! I enjoyed reading about the characters and the plot was very interesting. I loved the story and would definitely recommend to a friend!

Emily is an embryologist at an IVF clinic. Ben is Emily ex-BF and he is back in town with his wife, Ally, and they are in Emily’s clinic for IVF.

Emily is a cancer survivor and is ready to go through IVF herself. And she is determined to get pregnant before Ally. But, Emily’s pregnancy test is negative. And Ally’s pregnancy test is positive. But, Emily has a secret and although she fills guilty, she knows if the secret ever found the light of day she’s be DONE. And Ally has her own secrets.

Oh, I don’t want to give too much away here. Just go read it. Emily is so likeable – I was cheering for her the entire time no matter what bad thing she did.

I enjoyed this one – unexpectedly twists and dark secrets. So good.

RECOMMEND

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #TheClinic in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you @bookouture for approving my request.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an early copy of The Clinic. WOW!!!! This was a GRIPPING PLOT! I could NOT put this book down, my heart was racing as I went through the chapters. What was Emily thinking? CRAZY STUFF!!! I absolutely Loved this book and how it played out. Once you start this, there is no putting this book down. Thank you so much again.

Started off catching my attention, wanting to know what came next. The chapters were often left on cliff hangers which I loved because it makes me wonder what could happen next. The plot was interesting and a different point of view than most thriller books. I did feel that there was a lot of receptiveness that made it more fluff then content, and I was hoping for a more elaborate jaw dropping ending. Overall, I would give this three stars, and would recommend this to those looking to get into the thriller genre.

My head is still spinning. This book was incredible. While I admit it started a little slow, I can't give it anything less than 5 stars. As soon as Ally entered into the mix of things, I was hooked. I anticipated that she would be a very nice, quiet woman, maybe shy to enter the group of friends, but hold your thoughts. Emily was so easy to relate to and I feel like she will be for a lot of people. As a former investigator in real life, I can assure you what you believe will come, will not prepare you for the outcome of this book. Incredible work, loved this book. I wish I could read it over again for the first time. Definitely adding this author to my list of favorites and will be reading other books she has and will publish.

the pace dropped off and the thriller was a little standard, but it was still definitely thrillery enough to suit me just fine

First time reading this author and I will definitely be looking for her in the future. She was an intense fast read. Thanks for the advance copy

This is the first time I’ve read this author… guaranteed it won’t be my last. She’s very impressive. As a retired nurse I love any book with a medical background…she made it worth the read.
It was intense and a real page turner.
A special thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC. I highly recommend this book. You’ll love it!!!

Wow what a book! Really dark and intense! Thank you Net galley for the early read! Defo Recommend and looming for more

this book is about emily, an embryologist working at an IVF clinic, and the absolute shit show that happens when ben (her ex), and ally (his wife) move back into town and show up at the clinic SHE works at, to go through with IVF treatment. i already had a feeling that things were going to get crazy, and they DEFINITELY did. nobody in this book is a saint, i feel like everyone was unhinged in their own way and it got chaotic very quickly. there’s not much that i can say without spoiling, but i will say it was enjoyable and fun for the most part. by the end, i still had questions about ben and ally that i feel didn’t get answered (i tried to check if i missed something along the way, and didn’t find anything, but i might just be bad at reading between the lines lol).
regardless of that, i do still recommend this as i did really like the writing style and the plot kept me wanting to read more.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Wow this is a dark book about a woman who gave up the man she loved for the career she dreamed of who then turns up at the IVF clinic she works at asking her to perform a miracle for him and his wife and provide them with a baby. As she struggles with his return into her life and finally decides to complete her own baby journey things take a very dark turn. I can’t say any more without spoiling this one but it’s a great read!

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

The Clinic by Cara Reinard offers a tense and morally complex thriller set against the backdrop of a fertility clinic. Emily, a driven embryologist, faces an emotional upheaval when her ex-boyfriend, Ben, and his wife, Allyson, come to the clinic for IVF treatment. As unresolved feelings resurface, Emily finds herself making increasingly questionable decisions, leading to a story full of dark twists and turns.

The novel’s greatest strength lies in its characters. Emily is a compelling protagonist, struggling with the aftermath of cancer and the frozen eggs she hopes to one day use. Her past relationship with Ben complicates her role at the clinic, and her interactions with Allyson, who also has hidden layers, create palpable tension. The alternating perspectives between Emily and Ally allow readers to see the emotional and psychological depths of both women, making the narrative feel more immersive.

While the premise of The Clinic is intriguing, the execution has its ups and downs. There are moments of genuine suspense, but some of the twists lack the punch expected in a thriller. The story stretches the limits of plausibility, requiring readers to suspend their disbelief, especially as Emily’s choices become increasingly extreme. This is the kind of thriller where the stakes are high and the drama keeps escalating, but at times, it can feel a bit over-the-top.

The novel also touches on the ethical complexities of IVF, offering a glimpse into the clinical side of fertility treatment. For those interested in medical thrillers or stories that explore the moral dilemmas surrounding this subject, this adds an intriguing dimension. However, the plot sometimes drifts into more predictable territory, and the shocking moments don’t always land with the desired impact.

Overall, The Clinic is an engaging read with a lot of potential, but it doesn’t fully capitalize on its premise. It’s a solid thriller with compelling character dynamics and ethical questions, but the writing doesn’t always deliver the jaw-dropping twists you might expect. If you’re looking for a dark, psychological story and are willing to suspend some disbelief, it’s still worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
Publication date November 8, 2024


Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Emily is a leading embryologist at an IVF clinic in Pittsburgh. As she is longing for a child of her own, her ex-boyrlfriend, "the one who got away", comes back to town. He is now married, and he and is wife are seeking help from Emily to conceive.....

This was a thoroughly enjoyable, fast paced thriller. Every characters life is a trainwreck that you cannot get enough of.

At first I struggled to get into the book due to the main protagonist of Emily being easily problematic and unlikeable. Even though her being problematic and her moral issues do not change throughout she does become far more enjoyable to read about when paired with Ally’s perspectives. Both are problematic and make some morally questionable (at best) decisions throughout the book seeing the journey of the different relationships between the two women along with their roles in their own stories makes for an entertaining and interesting read. It does feel like the ending feels a little rushed especially as Emily’s perspective is heavily focused on due to the necessary absence of Ally for the plot, making the wrap up to the latter’s story seem a bit fast paced but no less satisfying; whilst Emily’s emotional state regarding the other woman’s pregnancy seems to change and alternate very fast beyond that of what seems realistic. Nevertheless the story is compelling and interesting intwining the different yet similar struggles surrounding the women’s pregnancies and struggles emotionally around the fact.

Whoa! This book was amazing just like her last one. Emily works in a fertility clinic helping people get pregnant. Emily had her eggs frozen when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She decided she was ready for IVF at the same time her ex and his wife arrive at her clinic. What will happen next? Will they all get along? Will Emily set out to make sure her ex doesn’t get a baby? Lots of twists in this book I did not see coming. Very good!