Holly has escaped from her boyfriend Finn for a few hours and sees a man playing the piano. In a past life Holly, as she is now, loved music and can’t help but sing along with him. They go for a coffee before Holly has to get her train back and ensures that the performance stays private, away from any social media. Finn is rather controlling and she already has bruises. Mark is smitten and is determined to help her but doesn’t realise quite what he is getting into. When Holly steals herself into his car things take rather a turn.

OMG! Who to trust? I thought I liked certain characters to begin with (clever writing!) and then found myself rather unsettled as to who was the good guy or the bad. This is a read with lots of twists and turns and it made for one heck of a read. Fiction is just that and doesn’t always have to follow real life but who knows what goes on behind closed doors? It's clever, it's very very engaging and maybe teaches us not to be so trusting until we really know someone. A brilliant, twisty read I most thoroughly enjoyed.

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My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

This book was a little too all over the place for me with characters that I didn't particularly like. Sure, on the surface Holly seems like the kind of character that you should be rooting for after the hard life that she has been dealt, but the deeper into the story I got, the more I began to realize that she brought a lot of her misery down on herself. I also hated the way she was constantly second guessing herself even when she knew something wasn't right. And then we have Mark, who on the surface seems like a wholesome guy, but at the same time you get the feeling he isn't exactly who he pretends to be. The fact that he immediately dropped everything and drove seven hours to "rescue" someone he had just met was an immediate red flag to me.

Of course, as the story goes on more things start to make sense and we learn more about these characters and their pasts, as well as the lies they have told over the years. This for me is when things really started to fall apart and I think that was due in part to the author (to borrow a phrase from the story itself) having to many spinning plates in the air at once. Instead of being a slow burn reveal of what is actually going on, the book hurls towards its inevitable conclusion at breakneck speeds.

This book does leave one tiny side thread unanswered (and that's what happened to the chef where Holly used to work), but overall, that wasn't really a big deal for me. The bigger question for me was the dedication. Why was the book dedicated to widows missing their other halves when this book really didn't have anything to do with that (except a vague mention for one of the side characters).

However, despite it falling short for me, I was able to read it in less than two days and I do believe it will appeal to others, especially those who don't mind knowing right off the bat that things are definitely not what they seem.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Holly seems to be in love with love, so when she meets Mark she is convinced he is her soulmate.....BUT..

Both Holly and Mark have secrets. which is what makes this a riveting read. It is pacy with a few OMgish moments and a lot of drama.

This book reads like a made for TV movie. It is intense and I was hooked.

The Soulmate
A captivating thriller with heart racing twists! A tale of love, lies and obsession will keep you glued to your seat!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this

Every girl dreams about meeting her prince charming and more than once you think you have met him. In seems after a while though he really only was a toad and you should never have kissed him, but it's too late. You made your bed and you know the rest of the saying.

It does not stop you from looking and secretly hoping he will still cross your path one day and finally that day has come for Holly. She never thought she would be this lucky.

There are still a few bridges to cross, but it seems like they can live their happy ever after. There is only one slight detail though: the secrets they both hide and want them to remain exactly that: hidden..

Sometimes it starts with a dream and ends in a nightmare... This was such a story and I could not stop reading. Not all that glitters is gold... is what I retain here.

Fabulous book by a fabulous author. 5 stars

Thank you

OMG! What have I just read! This book is amazing!!! I loved the storyline, I loved the characters, the good ones & the bad ones. There's so many twists and turns, this book will have you staying up reading well into the night. I read this in one sitting. Definitely 5 stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Holly meets Mark in Dumfries Scotland who is attempting to play all of the "free" pianos located across the UK. Feeling an instant attraction and having a good voice herself she joins him in duets. Holly is in a unhealthy relationship with Finn a violent gamekeeper and Mark becoming concerned tracks her down aiming to rescue her.

The reader finds out throughout the book that Holly (real name Erin) is constantly running away from events of her past. Ever fearful of being caught and the consequences. Mark too clearly has a less than perfect history.

It is really difficult to effectively review this book without "spoilers" but I do think this is a very good psychological thriller Well worth a read.

I have read other books by the author and I have not been disappointed.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley UK for an arc copy of the book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Soulmate by Rona Halsall due to be published January 30, 2025.
Also recommended by Rona Halsall – The Fiancé, The Bigamist, One Mistake.
Holly still believes in love at first sight when she hears her favorite song being played and is drawn to the handsome stranger. His name is Mark, and he feels the same. But both Holly and Mark have secrets. Is he her forever person or is he as dangerous as the man she just left?
This one kept me on my toes the entire time – what a thriller! It was hard to figure out who the good ones were vs. the bad ones. It kept my interest until the end. I look forward to reading more of her books!
#NetGalley #RonaHalsall #BoldwoodBooks #TheSoulmate

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
This was an ok book for me, mildly enjoyable, but it felt familiar to me as if I'd read similar books like it before. But I did spend pleasant hours reading a nice story with a good ending, so that's good enough.

Overall, I think this was well written book. It’s fast paced, has an interesting plot that keeps you guessing. Was a bit of a rollercoaster.
I enjoyed this book

I have read most of this author’s books and enjoyed them all, this one had a slow start but that didn’t take anything away from the story which I didn’t want to leave down, it did get a bit muddled towards the end but that was more the desperation on the character’s need to escape and have the life they craved for. As I have said I really liked this book and am looking forward to reading what Rona writes next.

Rona Halsall is one of my favourite authors and this new book definitely did not disappoint. Half of me wanted a lovely romance plot but then again we are talking about Rona books that are full of suspense and twists. The characters are brilliant and I could see another book to follow let's wait and see ...
Thank you Netgallery for letting me read it

Starting with the positives, this was a quick read and did keep me engaged - I was keen to discover what was going on with both Holly and Mark, as there was obviously more than meets the eye. I feel like awarding an extra star just for Archie, he wasn't featured a lot but I loved that parrot!

The thing that stopped me loving this book was the detached writing style. I love a character led book, but I felt kept at arm's length from these characters. I understand that we couldn't get to know them too deeply because they were both hiding things, but for a reader who likes to know her characters' favourite breakfast cereals and how they like to spend their Sundays, this didn't appeal to me. I was hoping we would find out more about Mark's motivations and why he did some of the things he did, but we never did which was a shame.

I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this as it wasn't a personal favourite, but it did have its merits, and if you're after a quick, thrilling read then this may be just the ticket.

A very good story which I raced through.

Are holly and mark soulmates or is something else going on?

A very interesting read about facing your demons

4 stars

Thanks to net galley and the publishers for this arc

Rona is one of my favourite authors and I always look forward to reading them. This is another great read. Roman writes her characters so well, I could picture Holly, Mark and Finn. This is a great thriller that gets going right away. I thought I knew how it would pan out but I was wrong!!

Erin has been on the run for many years. To keep her past well behind her, she assumes the identity of "Holly."

Holly is on the run again when she's walking in a mall and hears someone beautifully playing the piano. The male pianist somehow has played her favorite Lenny Kravitz songs so she feels a pull toward the piano. Weighing her need to stay under the radar and being calmed by singing, she throws caution to the wind and decides to sing alongside the piano player.

The male pianist, Mark, experiences "love at first note" - he's absolutely entranced by Holly's voice. Mark travels around the world playing various famous pianos, posting his adventures on social media. However, when Mark asks Holly's permission to post their performance, she quickly says no. Instead, she hands him her phone so he can share their performance directly with her. From there, the two communicate through DM's.

Holly currently lives with Finn, someone who was kind enough to offer her a place to stay when she had no other options but would be furious to discover she was talking to someone, let alone a man. While Holly thought he was fun and handsome in the beginning, over time, he's become aggressive and extremely possessive. Holly has to figure a way out of his controlling grip.

Does the instant connection Holly feels toward Mark change her thoughts in soulmates? Will Mark become the life-line Holly needs to escape Finn or will she take matters into her own hands?

I always look forward to a new Rona Halsall thriller! I make sure to request them the second I see one available. This time around, I rated this a three and a half star read that I'll bump up to four stars. I was hooked right away but felt the ending went a little off the rails - like off the rails enough that it started to feel a little silly. However, it was still a fun read and one that I would recommend to fellow thriller readers. Rona Halsall has a great catalogue of works that I'd also recommend!

A change of style ( well imo anyway 😊 ) for this author with this book

I would class this as a thriller/ suspense read more than psychological although there are some elements of that in it as well

We meet Holly who has had an unfortunate past,she then meets Mark who interestingly is on a mission to play all free pianos in train stations,and they more than click….big time….but Holly is already with Finn but as Mark finds out she is not happy…..but can Mark make her happier or is there more to this piano maestro than meets the eye and will Holly regret what she is about to embark on.?

Domestic abuse does feature albeit briefly in this book and I think it is the authors darkest book to date,offset by a bit of humour from ‘Archie’ who you will meet

I read quickly as wanted to see how the story ended,an unsettling but good ending then an even better second ending😎😎

Always enjoy this authors books and writing

Twisty, tense, and will keep you totally off balance from beginning to end. The hidden side can be darker or lighter than you ever thought, and sometimes those that should be punished keep in hiding, sometimes they come into the light. Complex and addictive.

I loved how this played out. Always someone who you find enchanting at first. Was such a great book. Of course Rona Halsall doesn't write a bad book.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

The BRAND NEW psychological thriller from #1 bestseller Rona Halsall Do you believe in love at first sight? Holly does, in spite of everything that’s happened in her life. Sometimes the thought that her soulmate is out there is the only thing that keeps her going.

Then she hears her favourite song being played. She’s drawn to where the sound is coming from, as if by a magnetic force. There is a handsome young man sitting at a public piano, who smiles at her, and she feels that spark she’s always dreamt of. She asks if she can join him, and sings along, seeing his face light up.

He’s called Mark, she later discovers. And he feels the same. They both feel like they’ve been hit with a thunderbolt. But even though it seems like they’ve known each other for lifetime, the truth is that they’re strangers.

Because Holly has secrets. And so does Mark.

And one of them might just kill to keep them…

Loved it. Will recommend to others.