A writer’s wife, Abby, disappears, and he’s now unable to write any new books. When his publisher offers her cabin on a remote island, he jumps at the chance for a change of scenery, but things aren’t what they seem!
The audio book was quite a production with ringing bells and phone calls. Very nicely done! The book is very suspenseful, and the islanders give a creepy vibe. So it’s certainly a slow burn thriller!

Overall, I didn’t find the story too unusual. There was heavy foreshadowing with Abby’s work in domestic violence that pretty much let me know what was to come. The main character was extremely unlikeable with little depth and only ego that seemed to drive him. I liked how the story tied up nicely at the end!

Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.

Grady Green, the newest New York Times best selling author, is about to have his life completely change. On the night he gets this amazing news, his wife disappears while he is on the phone with her. A year later, he still hasn’t gotten any more answers to her disappearance.

When he has to opportunity visit a small Scottish Island, home to one of his favorite late authors, he accepts, in hopes of getting his life back together and getting inspiration for his next great novel. However, nothing on the island is what it seems and the locals are strange enough and made me question everything.

Feeney gave twist after twist in this book all of which caught me so off guard and made my jaw drop.

The audio, narrated by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton, was very well done. With their voices, they both added to the emotions of the story enhancing the reading experience. There was also music and sound effects that added to the atmosphere of the novel.

WHAT THE??? Almost every chapter had my jaw on the ground. The multiple twists had me SHOOK! And the ending was truly CHEFS KISS!

This novel centers around Grady Green, a newly minted NYT Best Selling author. He calls his wife in the car to give her the good news. During the conversation, the car crashes. He drives to the scene minutes away, and the car is there, but not his wife. The year that follows is one of depression for Grady. His wife still hasn't appeared. His agent offers him a place to write on an island in Scotland. Strange things begin to happen, and he spots a woman who is the spitting image of his wife. This book kept my attention through the quirky characters and twists and turns. I do think that Feeney jumped the shark with the ending.

First, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this ALC for review.
Unfortunately, I did not like this book. A twist isn't a twist if the entire premise of the story is based off a potentially unreliable narrator and the story is filled with lies. That doesn't give the reader the opportunity to solve the mystery or even make educated guesses.
As with all fiction, I believe you need to suspend your disbelief at least a little bit...however, the end of this book required much more than that for me...like, what actually just happened??
Aside from the above, I liked the premise of this book, it sounded intriguing enough that I jumped in almost immediately after being approved for the arc. The middle 70% of the book felt repetitive and drawn out for me which caused the pacing to lag. Also, if I had to hear him ruminate one more time about whether or not he just saw his dead wife, I might have gone crazy right along with him.
To wrap up, the narrators did a wonderful job and I loved the production of the audiobook. The introduction of the sound of waves, ringing phones, etc added a nice touch. If you are a mystery/thriller reader that enjoys an unreliable narrator, this book would most likely definitely be for you.

Alice Feeney has written some books that I very much enjoyed, unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.

A best-selling author, plagued by the disappearance of his wife a year prior, takes his literary agent's advice and stays on a remote Scottish island with a very small population to find peace while he writes his next great novel that he just can't get motivated to write. As soon as he arrives on the island, Grady Green feels like things are not quite right. The longer he spends on the island, the more he learns about the residents and the more he begins to question reality. When he starts seeing his wife in numerous places, he begins to question his sanity. Is he losing his mind with grief? Or is there more at play?

Alice Feeney knows how to weave a story with twists and multiple character arcs coming together at the end, that is for sure. While Beautiful/Ugly will not be my favorite novel by her, it was absolutely still worth the read! As far as characters, in my honest opinion, I had a hard time finding any of them to be likeable, and so as the story progressed, I wasn't invested in anyone specifically. I really felt the build-up in the first half of the novel was leading to a great ending, but I was disappointed by the rush of information at the end that left me trying to connect dots with not much story left.

Still, Feeney continues to be a strong writer, and her stories are always worth a read. While I may not always enjoy the characters, the pace, or the way things are laid out, the stories always hold my interest throughout, so I will continue to recommend her books!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook! The audio version of this novel was outstanding, especially with the addition of the sound effects included that gave it a little extra and the great narration provided by both narrators.

Half way through this book, I was ready to give it 4 stars. It all went downhill from there. The story was a bit hard to follow, and the writing style wasn’t my favorite. The twist at the end was a choice I would never put into a book, and it lost me. I would not recommend personally, but some people enjoyed it!

I loved Daisy Darker, so I knew I would enjoy Beautiful Ugly. I was expecting "a twist" most of the book based on Feeney's previous book, however I did enjoy it. I love her world building on the small village and all its eccentricities.

This... isn't good. You know the one episode of Bob's Burgers with the dinner theater? "It's a twist!" "No. It's a lie. A lie is not a twist"
Grady was awful the whole time and its hard to sympathize with anyone in this book. Its so draining.

This was my first Alice Feeney book, and I really enjoyed it. No, I did not expect the twist, so that was a surprise, but I have since read that the writer is known for the twists in her books. Overall it was a well written book, it kept me interested. I listened to the audio version and I couldn't stop listening; partly because of the story and partly because of the narrator. Mr Armitage has a voice smooth as silk!
I will definitely recommend this book, both paper and audio versions, to the library patrons.

Beautiful Ugly begins with author Grady Green anxiously waiting for his wife Abby to get home. His novel has just been declared a bestseller, and he can’t wait to celebrate with her. But when he calls Abby to check on her progress, he hears her slam on her brakes and leave the car…and nothing else. Abby has disappeared, leaving her car abandoned on the cliffside. Fast forward a year, and Grady is still grief-stricken and struggling to write his next book. At the suggestion of his agent, he travels to a small Scottish island, where he hopes to get his life back on track – and then he sees a woman who looks just like Abby…

Whenever I read a book by Alice Feeney, I always think about how much pressure she must be under. I mean, just imagine being known in the literary world as the “Queen of Twists” and having to live up to that expectation with every book you write. I will say that she got me again with this book’s major twist, but only because, in my opinion, she made a few unfair moves to make it work this time around.

Don’t get me wrong, I did still enjoy Beautiful Ugly. I’ve declared my love for a Scottish island setting before; there’s just something so moody, so brooding and bleak and isolated, about a Scottish island that provides such rich, vivid atmosphere and adds so much to a story. In the case of this book, the inhabitants of the island are just as mysterious as the place itself. Something just feels kind of off from the moment Grady arrives, and that feeling of foreboding only increases as the book progresses. The entire book is constructed to keep the reader off-balance, to make us question Grady’s sanity and our own. Feeney is very, very good at telling this type of story.

That said, though, the pacing, while deliberate, is a bit unbalanced. I wanted more of the island’s history to be integrated throughout, rather than packed in at the end. The conclusion was too convoluted, and I also felt like the plot itself was maybe a bit too reminiscent of a few other popular recent novels; it didn’t feel entirely unique or fresh. While I do think Beautiful Ugly will satisfy most fans of Feeney, for me, it wasn’t her best or her most interesting examination of marriage: Rock Paper Scissors still wins both of those categories in my book.

I highly recommend the audio version of Beautiful Ugly. It’s masterfully read by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton, and the production includes sound effects and music that make for an immersive, enhanced listening experience. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the early listening opportunity.

I love Alice Feeney. She knows how to write a most excellent twist.
Grady Green, author, was on the phone with his wife Abby when she disappeared. A year later, he cannot sleep or write and is in desperate need to know what happened to his wife. Is she dead or is she still out there? Grady's agent, Kitty, offers Grady a new start; a writing retreat on a small Scottish island. This small retreat, however, belonged to a deceased best-selling author, and Grady finds his new start in an unpublished manuscript. The real problem is that Grady can't seem to get off the island. And he keeps seeing Abby everywhere.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this digital audio e-arc.*

📝Book Review📝
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Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the advanced audio arc of Beautiful Ugly. This comes out in January and is definitely my favorite recent releases by @alicewriterland ! By far my favorite book I’ve read this month! I cannot recommend this one on audio enough, I couldn’t stop listening to it and thinking about it 🤩. The twists and turns of this book are just SO good! Grady was just the worst but I couldn’t stop reading. You will not see the plot twist coming but the creepy island town will freak you out! Highly recommend this one! 🥰
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Summary- Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.

Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared.

A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible – a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.
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Beautiful Ugly had me spinning with some wonderfully placed twists I never saw coming. I was confident I knew what it was about until I hit about 60%; then I was questioning everything. Beautiful Ugly follows an author by the name of Grady Green, and one evening he is on the phone with his wife, Abby. As she is driving home, he gets to share some exciting news with her. Then suddenly, life for them both takes an unexpected turn. After hearing Abby's tires squeal and then hearing her leave her vehicle, he didn't know it would be the last time he'd hear his wife before she disappears.

This book, for me, started off as a curious mystery, then gave this beautiful and idyllic description of a Scottish island, making me want to keep going and learning more about this wonderful place. Nowhere would I say I was necessarily bored; however, I see the lull in the story was much needed. Giving descriptions and wonderful backstory, I felt like when the action happened, I had everything I needed to know so my jaw could hit the floor. The plot twist really hit me like a semi-truck; I had to stop what I was doing and fully gape at this story. Without giving too much, this twist sent quite a powerful message to me. Along with the character development and pace of the story, this has definitely been a great read.

Overall, as an audiobook, I feel like this was narrated very well. I am the kind of person to start an audiobook off in normal 1x speed, and once I get the vibe of the story, I quickly end up in the 2.7-3x speed range. Even at my max-speed listening, this was easy to follow, and I never had to go back to replay anything to get clarity. I found both narrators' voices to fit well with the story and had felt almost soothing in a weird, good way (that makes no sense, but it does to me).

My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Quote: "I hope you die in your sleep"
Audiobook Rating: 🎧 🎧 🎧 🎧 🎧

Thank you to Alice Feeney, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me an Advanced Listener Copy of Beautiful Ugly. I highly enjoyed this book and the narration!

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney.

First of all, always props for adding sound effects to an audio book, especially the sound of waves. This was already such a cold, atmospheric read, the sounds heightened the experience.

I like Alice Feeney a lot, but this wasn't my favorite of hers. It sits on the other side of the line of believability into bizarre. It wasn't unenjoyable, just too outlandish for my taste.

What was supposed to one of the best days of Grady's life quickly turns into the worst. He has just found out that he is a NYT best selling author, but moments after telling his wife, she disappears. A year after she vanishes and Grady's life is hopeless. He hasn't written a thing, offers have been rescinded, and his life is on a quick downslide. So when he is offered a chance to write on a secluded Scottish island, he quickly takes it, the quiet will do him good.

It doesn't take long before Grady starts noticing odd things about the island, starting with the fact that there are ferries to the island, but never going out. And even stranger, but he can swear that he keeps seeing his wife, surely his eyes are playing games with him.

I was initially very intrigued with this misty and mysterious story, but it's out there. It kept my interest from beginning to end, but I don't think I'd rush to recommend this to anyone. I still love you Feeney!

The queen of twists is back! Alice Feeney is one of my favorites and her latest book did not disappoint! I absolutely loved this book and was lucky enough to listen to an advanced copy of the audiobook. Everything about this audiobook was done impeccably well. I loved the sound effects throughout. Crackling radio sounds, crashing of waves and creepy as hell church bells enhanced Alice Feeneys classic atmospheric style. The setting, a remote island with no way to return to the mainland, no internet or phone, a strange group of residents that don’t love visitors and a haunting writing cabin, really adds to the thrill. I also really enjoyed the transitional music for each point of view. The narrators were excellent and really captured the building up of tension. I really loved all of the mystery behind this book. The story kept me guessing the entire time, quite literally.

Author Grady Green is on the phone with his wife when mid conversation he hears her slam on the brakes. She says there is a woman lying in the road. He begs her not to get out of the car and investigate but she does. He can hear her walk away, then nothing. When he finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the door is open, and all of her belongings are still there, including her phone..she has disappeared

One year later, the grief of not knowing what happened to her has consumed Grady. He can’t write, can’t sleep, his career is in tatters and he has lost his home. His agent suggests that he spends a few months in an old writing cabin on a remote Scottish island. It belonged to one of her other clients and is sitting empty. Homeless, broke, and out of options, he makes the journey to the Isle of Amberly, where he sees a woman who looks the spitting image of his missing wife..

If you’re an Alice Feeney fan yourself you’re not going to want to miss this one. If you’re an audiobook lover do yourself a favor and listen!

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @alicewriterland for the ALC #MacAudio2024

4.25⭐️

I feel like this will be one of the top thrillers in 2025!!

In this book we are following author Grady when he finds out he is on the best seller list he calls his wife and while they are in the phone he hears her slam her brakes and then he never hears from her again.

Grady has been having a hard time coming to terms that his wife is gone when his agent suggest that he goes to a small island to write and get away and things start to get weird.

I finished this book supper fast because I just had to know what was going on. I will say I found it a bit predictable but I had a great time reading it.

I received this arc in exchange for my honest review.

First off, thank you for allowing me to review. I do appreciate it greatly, and I am sorry that this title didn't work for me.

I didn’t hate it. It did keep me interested. Unfortunately, there were quite a few things that I did not enjoy about this novel. It was very repetitive, and long winded. It was also purposefully misleading to hide one of the main twists. Instead of allowing the reader to attempt to discover it. It made the twist annoying, honestly. It goes on to be too “Scooby Doo” at the end, thoroughly explaining everything. Then leaving me with islanders that made silly decisions, and had me rolling my eyes. Bummer, because I enjoyed the other books I’ve read of hers.

Book Title:
Beautiful Ugly

Author:
Alice Feeney

What’s it about?
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney explores themes of self-perception, identity, and the hidden darkness within. The story is meant to captivate readers with its psychological depth and twists, but unfortunately, it fell short in its execution. Despite an intriguing premise, the narrative struggled to maintain engagement, and the story's slow pace made it difficult to stay invested.

Favorite Part:
While I found the overall pacing sluggish, the plot twist at the end did show promise. Had the story progressed differently, I believe the ending could have been much more impactful. The twist was an interesting turn that left me contemplating how the story could have been executed with more engagement and excitement.

Thoughts on Characters:
Unfortunately, I did not find myself connecting with the characters. The slow development of the story made it difficult to fully invest in their journeys or care about their motivations. The lack of emotional depth and the drawn-out pacing contributed to my disinterest as I struggled to stay engaged throughout the book.

Would You Recommend It?
Beautiful Ugly may appeal to readers who are patient with slow-burn narratives and enjoy psychological thrillers, but it is not a book I would recommend to those who prefer a faster-paced, more gripping story. The book requires persistence, and even then, the payoff may not be worth the time invested for some readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with the opportunity to review this book.

US pub date: 1/14/25
Quick summary: The best day of Grady's life quickly turns to the worst when a call with his wife Abby leads him to overhear her sudden disappearance. A year later, he finds himself on an isolate Scottish island...where he sees a dead ringer for Abby, and that's not the only funny business going on.

Alice Feeney's books are a bit hit or miss for me, but I still find myself compelled to read them. In this case, I alternated my purchased BOTM copy with the audiobook. I loved the narration and the sound effects that kept me immersed in the story (wind blowing, music, etc.) There were plenty of twists and turns - exactly what I was looking for in a wintry, spooky thriller. I think you'll enjoy this one while snowed in, provided you can suspend your disbelief a bit! 3.5 stars rounded to 4; 4+ stars for the audio experience.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for an honest review.