Wow so many mixed feelings about this book. The characters are quite unlikable so it’s hard to root for them. I didn’t enjoy hearing about Jacob and Kat’s relationship. I was bored in the middle. But by the end I could not stop listening because I wanted to know what was going to happen! The ending still has me thinking….

Wow this book was a RIDE I loved and hated this book in equal parts! This book was so well written. These characters were complex and the plot although general and just following everyday life ensured I was hooked the entire time. I didn’t know if this was a romance, drama or thriller and I think i’m still confused but it definitely had aspects of all including an unreliable narrator that will ensure a difficult reading experience at times but allowed significant immersion in the story. Although this book has been out for a year now, the audiobook comes out November 21st and I had such a great experience with it! It had me hooked throughout and allowed me to follow each character as if I was in their heads. I respected the mental health representation and believed it truthfully represented what it can be like for oneself and outsiders such as family, friends and partners to experience such disorders. I also enjoyed the complexity of being in the arts professionally, being an author and the struggles and personal judgement that comes with that. Although it got a bit over the top in my opinion towards the end it ultimately was a thoroughly enjoyable read and needs to be adapted because I would watch that in a heartbeat!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of the audiobook!! 4⭐️

This is a fun twisty thriller that fans of the genre will love. The narration is smooth and pleasant. Characters are easy to tell apart. A few minor characters are voiced in a silly caricature way, but the major characters are all well done

This novel focuses on mental health and the importance of continuing medications after proper diagnosis. The country really has failed at assisting in the mental health of the citizens and this is emphasized through the writing in this book. This story got me engaged from the start. I am usually a fan of multiple points of view and this book used that technique perfectly. This story certainly highlights mental health issues and I thought it was done in an effective and compelling manner. When author Eden Hart floats into Tucson’s Antigone Books in all her dazzling perfection to give a reading, Kat, a struggling writer, can’t help but compare herself. Professionally, physically, socially—Eden is Kat’s aspiration. Thankfully, Kat’s life starts to take on its own Eden-like glow when her literary future takes shape and she falls madly in love with Jacob, the effortlessly charismatic son of her literary hero. Kat’s life is finally her fantasy realized: a burgeoning career, mentoring from her idol, and a wildly fulfilling relationship. While the themes are something that we can all relate to, as this goes down the rabbit hole of believing that her dreams of having it all can mirror Eden's. It gets a bit darker, and I would consider this a psychological thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for this audio ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Audio Pub Date Nov 21 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks | Greenleaf Book Group Press for the audio ARC of The Trouble with Drowning by Heather Hach.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF (did not finish) for me. I just was not able to connect with the character or the story. After getting about 15% into the book, I realized I didn’t even know who the characters were when one of them was talking about their roommate and going running. When you’re that lost, I feel it’s time to throw in the towel. I’m sure others will find this book to be exactly what they need but I believe it moved a bit slow for my preferences.

Given I did not finish this one, I did not rate the book on any of my other platforms. The rating on here is solely based on the limited part of the book I experienced and not a fair rating of the whole book.

This book was released last year but the audio is about to be released on November 21st. I was not expecting the twists and events that occurred in this book, I was pleasantly surprised! It was about a struggling writer, who finds her stride in life in more ways than one and things start going her way. But when they come crashing down and she can't cope, things take a turn, and she makes some decisions that had me anxiously on the edge of my seat. This audiobook kept my attention, and the twists had me fully captivated until the very end. This was really enjoyable to listen to! 💚📚

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this audio ARC of The Trouble with Drowning, in exchange for an honest review.

This story was riveting. I was totally hooked. It might have been because I didn’t really know what genre I was reading when I started. And then when things got sinister, I got pretty excited to see where it was going.
Didn’t disappoint.
Kat is just a girl struggling to write her first book.
Enter Jacob, Kat’s new roommate’s brother.
He’s cute and sweet and the two have an immediate connection.
But when Kat becomes a bit unhinged and controlling her world starts to spiral.
When new author, Eden moves into Jacob’s first house flip, sparks fly. But what will happen in this deranged love triangle?
Yalls this was intense at times. Love how mental health is basically a character here. Truly a thrilling and meaningful story.
Loved it. Thank you netgalley for the AAC.

I wasn’t sure about this book given the warnings at the beginning but I LOVED the book. I enjoyed the characters especially with their flaws. The story felt authentic. I appreciated how it all came together at the end.

This is my first book by Heather Hatch and I really enjoyed her writing. I’ll be keeping an eye out for future books by this author.

Bell Lauren Bundy did an excellent job with the narration. I especially liked her different inflections for the various characters.

Thank you to NetGalley & Greenleaf Audiobooks for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this, I didn't love it. It has the potential to be an incredible story, but the characters are too shallow and the pace was so slow, that I lost interest. The pace did pick up at the end, and if you can suspend your disbelief at the timing of all the events that occur simultaneously, then you have a wowser of an ending!

Kat is a young woman with a mental illness and sadly, she is alone in battling her illness, as, once she reveals a glimmer of perceived weakness to Jacob, the love of her life, he unceremoniously dumps her. Jacob's mother, Carol, continues to be supportive of Kat, encouraging her to have her memoir published, but when she realises Kat is no longer useful to her own career, she too walks away. Kat's character is portrayed as being stalker ish, when what she really needs is someone to help her. I found it difficult to like any of the characters, but when the truth about Kat's upbringing is revealed, at the end of the book, I really felt for her.

I listened to this on audiobook and was really impressed with Laura Bell Bundy's portrayal of the characters in the story.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Heather Hach and Greenleaf for an ARC in return for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up - I was first drawn to the cover of this book, it is very eye catching. But the book within is great as well! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Bell Laura Bundy, does a great job with multiple different characters to voice. The book starts with a letter from the author about the talk of suicide and mental health in the book that was a perfect way to let you know what might be triggering coming up. I thought she did a wonderful job showing the roller coaster that is mental health. You are up, down, mad, on meds, off meds.

This book has quite a few points of view telling the story, but it is very well done. I think sometimes the story can get lost that way, but the author did a great job with it. The story mainly follows Cat, a new author, as she struggles with trying to publish a book, dating, getting dumped, and mental health. I would not say this book is much of a "thriller", but it does take you on a twisty ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for the ALC. Publication date is November 21, 2024.

Thanks to NetGalley, Heather Hach, and Greenleaf Book Group for the E-ARC in exchange for my voluntary review.

I liked the start of this book, but it quickly became boring, and overall this book was way too long and slow. A very unthrilling thriller. The middle of this book drags. I wish there had been more time spent on the time Kat and Jacob were together and less on the hospital and parts with Jacob's mother. Things didn't start to pick back up again until about 75% through, and at that point I already didn't care what happened. I didn't DNF because I was hoping the end would really wow me and up my rating, but it did not. This was a very predictable tale, and most of it doesn't fit in the thriller or mystery genre as it is listed under on Goodreads. The characters are all very flat and frankly unlikable. I also wasn't a fan of this narrator, as some of her choices for character voices I found unpleasant to listen to. I think there was potential for this book, and I would give the author's next release a read to see what may have been improved on in their story telling from this story.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

Kat works at a bookstore in Tucson. She meets author Eden Hart and instantly wants to be just like her. Kat is working on her memoir, striving to become a published author like Eden. Then she meets Jacob and completely falls for him. Their relationship is intense. Their break up is even more intense.

I listened to the audiobook. I enjoyed the narrator. Kat was an interesting character and her actions were shocking at times. Made for good reading :) I thought the book was longer than it needed to be, some parts could have been left out and the story would still stand. The beginning didn’t really hook me. I had to re-listen a couple of times before I could get into it, then the characters were introduced quickly and I felt lost. I also felt that the treatment of mental health challenges was not helpful for understanding the experiences of people who do struggle with mental health wellness. While it definitely made for an exciting plot, it presented stereotypes and was steeped in negativity.

Overall, this book really pulled me in at times but also sometimes left me confused or frustrated about the way mental health challenges were presented. It had a lot of action, and the plot was quick paced. It was worth a listen.

The Trouble with Drowning by Heather Hach is an engaging dive into the complexities of self-worth, obsession, and ambition. At first glance, Kat is an aspiring writer caught in the shadow of the dazzling author Eden Hart, and her longing to become more like Eden is instantly relatable. What starts as admiration soon morphs into a dangerous obsession as Kat tries to mold herself into the person she wishes she could be, spurred by her career taking off and the whirlwind romance with Jacob, the son of her literary idol.

Hach deftly portrays Kat’s descent, making us root for her yet also question her decisions as her carefully crafted life begins to unravel. The emotional intensity builds beautifully as Kat’s envy transforms into something darker and more unsettling. The author’s sharp, introspective writing shines in exploring themes of mental health, the pressure of idealized success, and how ambition can twist into something destructive.

One of the strongest aspects of this novel is how it tackles the allure of fantasy versus the reality of one's self-image, and how comparison can be corrosive if unchecked. While Kat’s breakdown can feel extreme at times, it’s a visceral portrayal of how striving to be someone you're not can tear you apart.

My one criticism is that the pacing occasionally drags, especially in the middle sections where Kat’s inner turmoil becomes a bit repetitive. However, the tension ramps up in the final chapters, making for a compelling conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

The Trouble with Drowning is an intriguing read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers tinged with ambition, rivalry, and the dark side of self-perception. Heather Hach has crafted a cautionary tale that lingers long after the last page.

I listened to an ALC of The Trouble with Drowning by Heather Hach. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite deliver the suspense I expected. It’s marketed as a psychological thriller, but I found it leaned more into character-driven fiction with suspenseful touches rather than a true thriller. Laura Bell Bundy’s narration kept me engaged though, I really enjoyed her narration style.

The story takes its time to build, and while the mental health representation was thoughtful, I found it hard to stay invested with the slow pacing. The ending felt like it was trying to build tension that hadn’t really been there before, which left me a bit unsatisfied. If you’re in the mood for a slower, introspective story rather than edge-of-your-seat suspense, this might work for you.

I received an ARC of this earlier this year and was unable to finish it. I just couldn't connect with the story or characters, and really struggled until I had to call it a poor fit for me and stop reading. I was compelled by the blurb and evocative cover though, and when I saw that there was an audio version available I decided to give it another try. I'm very glad I did, as I found the audiobook to draw me in where the ebook did not, and I wound up really enjoying it (which feels strange to say, given the subject matter, but is nevertheless true).

Hach does a marvelous job capturing the complexities of her characters, who are to a man full of the foibles, flaws, and quirks that embody real people. I did not realize it would be quite as dark as it was - both the cover art and the blurb underplay that, in my opinion, and it's possible that contributed to my difficulties connecting with the story the first time around. This time I went in with no expectations, and that openness really paid off. I found it to be an altogether consuming story, with a roller coaster of emotional responses drawn from me as the story progressed. I was moved, angered, frustrated, and troubled by what I heard - all in the best possible ways.

It's a complicated world and Hach captures that complexity from both the individual and caregiver sides of mental illness. It makes for a difficult story but a rewarding one.

I am not sure how I feel about this book since it deals with mental health. I hated Kat but I felt for her too obviously. There was so much deception going on and no one caught on that I just could not believe it. I would have liked to see what really happened with Kat in the end too. I found the book too long and think it could have been edited down. I felt bad for Eden being drawn into the mess and all that happened there. Overall a good look at severe mental illness.

I listened to this audiobook and it was more powerful than I ever expected. The narrator was perfect. The whole path of Kat, Eden and Jacob and how they were interwoven was artfully done. I’ll admit that a number of the book references were lost on me, but I don’t think it took anything away from me. The highlight on mental illness was a refreshing read and I found myself relating and comparing it to my own struggles. It was refreshing to have such a flawed main character

Book Title: The Trouble with Drowning
Author: Heather Hach
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Bell Laura Bundy
Publisher: Greenleaf Audiobooks/Greenleaf Book Group Press
Genre: Thriller
Audiobook Pub Date: November 21, 2024
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 328

The Heather Hach starts with the 'Author’s Notes'. She tells us her motivation for writing this story also gives us trigger warning that this story is about mental illness and suicide.
She also provides resources if you or if you know anyone who might be suicidal.
( I always applauded when author tackles tough subjects that they offer resources.)

The cover is so cute I was sure I could deal with the trigger warnings.

Kat Lamb grew up a foster child and is an aspiring author who wants to write a memoir.
She is attracted to charismatic Jacob Walsh whose mother Carol is an author and is willing to help Kat develop her memoir-plus her relationship with Jacob seems to be developing as well.

Kat works at Tucson’s Antigone Books and is thrilled when her idol author Eden Hart is scheduled to do a reading at the bookstore. Kat believes Eden has it all and hopes that she too will have a published novel and to be just like her.

As the story moves on we find out that Kat has a dark side. Kat is diagnosed with a mental disorder and prescribed medication and therapy- she often has suicidal thoughts.

Want to thank NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks/Greenleaf Book Groups Press for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 21, 2024.

This book was a wild ride. I loved the first two parts of the novel, and but they moved a little slowly, so by the time we made it to part 3, things had to wrap up fast, which is maybe why it felt like such a roller coaster. Overall, good book.

All the praise for Laura Bell Bundy’s narration!! I listened to an ALC of this gripping thriller. Though it had some rough topics it was a fascinating story!