Thank you Brilliance Audio for the ALC and Thomas & Mercer / Netgalley, #partner, for the advanced copy of When She’s Gone in exchange for my honest review.

Another winner from Rea Frey!!! There is something about books that focus on elite athletes that I cannot walk away from. This time it’s gymnastics and fun fact – it’s one of my favorite sports to watch during the Olympics. I’ve been obsessed with it ever since seeing a movie about Nadia Comaneci when I slept at my Nana’s after my own gymnastics class. ⁣
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This book was not at all what I expected, but in such a good way. I loved the dual-timeline and how it helped put the pieces together of Cora’s past with that of what was happening in the present. The story moves at a breakneck pace and you cannot help but binge this popcorn thriller, needing to know how it all resolves. The suspense is high and with the story being set around Halloween, it only adds to the tension. ⁣
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Audio thoughts: This is the type of book I love listening to – one that I can’t put down once I started. The narrator, Jennifer Jill Araya, does a fantastic job bringing out the suspense and emotional drama needed to tell this story.

I know I'm always going to get a great story with a few surprises along the way when I read a Rea Frey book. This novel tugged at my maternal heartstrings and also kept me off balance with the array of possible suspects. Well-written, a unique plot, and intriguing characters narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya made this audiobook a joy to listen to and kept me immersed in the story right up to the shocking conclusion.

This story is told in past and present POV and it follows Cora who is a gymnast training for the olympics. Now she is a mom who is trying her best to be a good mother but suddenly on Halloween her daughter is gone.The author weaves the past and present seamlessly. This was such an addicting listen for me. The narrator, Jennifer Jill Araya does an amazing job portraying Cora, and many of the characters that appear. And trust me there are several that we see throughout the book. The tones and inflections used were well done. You could hear and feel the despair and panic of a mother. While there were some times that the story felt a bit of disbelief in some scenes, I still very much enjoyed the story. The twists and turns that this story took were good and I was eating it up!
This is perfect for readers who enjoy Halloween horror, haunting past, and protective parent be sure to check this one out.

Another great thriller from Frey! In this one I liked how the main character really would do anything, even it meant to push the limits. It was a good audio and had a great twist!

The narrator did an excellent job of bringing this book and each character to life. The quality was great as well. The speed of this book was amazing and I was immediately hooked from the first chapter. The twist was really good and I felt so bad for Cora’s character the entire story. If you liked Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier then you would enjoy this one! Our library will definitely be purchasing this book for our patrons.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my gifted copy.

This was a good popcorn thriller. This one gave me 'The Chain' vibes, which I found to be unique and more interesting than other thriller plots. I nailed the ending very early on, but I was still entertained. I enjoyed the narrator a lot, and it was easy to listen at a faster pace.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BrillancePublishing for the book #WhenShesGone by #ReaFrey. This book centers around kidnapping, revenge and jealousy and is the perfect read. Cora used to be a gymnast who was in the Olympics. But right before her tryouts for the team, she is kidnapped. Even now, she never found out who was behind the kidnapping. Present day and someone has kidnapped her daughter and insists that she kidnap another child. Can she save her daughter before it’s too late?

I've been a big fan of this author's work in the past but this one was a bit too YA for my particular tastes. I struggled to get into the dual timeline mystery story and it just wasn't for me. The narration was okay but it couldn't save the reading experience for me. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

SYNOPSIS:
In When She’s Gone by Rea Frey, former Olympian hopeful Cora Valentine’s life was forever changed when she survived being kidnapped on Halloween—a trauma that haunts her even after becoming a mother. Determined to shield her daughter from the same fears, Cora’s resolve is shattered when her child is abducted on Halloween years later. To save her, Cora is forced to confront her past and make an unthinkable choice, uncovering a chilling connection to her own abduction.

MY THOUGHTS:
When She’s Gone by Rea Frey is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that kept me captivated from page one! The dual timelines, blending Cora’s harrowing kidnapping in the ’90s with her present-day search for her missing daughter, create a gripping narrative you won’t want to put down. Set against the high-stakes world of competitive gymnastics, the story is fast-paced, with short chapters that make it a binge-worthy read.

The suspense builds as you unravel the mystery of Cora’s daughter’s disappearance, and while some twists were predictable, they didn’t take away from the adrenaline-fueled ride. Yes, there are moments where you’ll need to suspend disbelief, but that only adds to the fun! If you loved the intensity of The Chain by Adrian McKinty, this book will absolutely hook you—it delivers that same pulse-pounding tension and emotional depth.

Full of drama, secrets, and shocking twists, When She’s Gone is a must-read for fans of fast-paced popcorn thrillers.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
Jennifer Jill Araya delivers a standout performance in the audiobook of When She’s Gone, bringing Cora’s story to life with incredible depth and emotion. Her ability to shift seamlessly between timelines is impressive—capturing Cora’s youthful, uncertain voice in the high school flashback chapters and her more mature, emotionally charged tone in the present day. Araya masterfully conveys Cora’s desperation, determination, and fear as she navigates the terrifying search for her daughter, making every moment feel raw and authentic. Her nuanced narration adds another layer to the suspense, making this audiobook an immersive and unforgettable experience.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer, Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

I felt like this book had good potential, but didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I did not really connect with the characters, but I did enjoy alternating between the past and present timelines.

When she's gone by Rea Frey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This audio had me hooked from the start.
I found it similar to a book called The Chain. Not that the story was entirely similar, but it gave the same desperate vibes of a mother who would do anything for her baby. I recommend this to anyone who loves a good thriller chokehold.

Thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse for hooking me up with this audio!

#thrillerbooks #thrillerbookloverthepulse #reafrey #whenshesgone #review #bookreview

“If I’ve learned anything it’s that people aren’t all or nothing. They’re both. They’re everything. All of us are dark and light.”

Although this was a very fast paced listen that I finished in a day, this story didn’t have that emotion and deep familial storyline that I have come to expect from a Rea Frey novel. Told in dual timelines and with a focus on Halloween and creepy things, this was one wild and twisty ride.

The narration is great! Each individual character has distinct tones from the narrator making it very easy to get lost in the story.

Thank you to Netgalley, Brilliance Publishing, and the author for the ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book wasn’t quite the right fit for me. While the synopsis initially caught my attention, I found the writing style leaned a bit juvenile, with an abundance of gymnastics-specific terms and references. It often felt like the focus was more on showcasing the author’s deep knowledge of the sport rather than building a strong foundation for the story. That said, there were a couple of twists I enjoyed, but the plot relied heavily on convenient coincidences, which ultimately held the book back from fully coming together for me. This book would likely appeal to readers who are passionate about gymnastics or have a strong interest in the sport’s inner workings. Fans of drama-filled stories with twists and turns might also enjoy it, especially if they don’t mind some coincidences driving the plot.

This was a quick read. I didn't want to put it down. The narrator did an amazing job. I was hooked from beginning to the end.

Overall, I really did enjoy this story. The audiobook was fantastic. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the character’s voice to life. Although, I was able to predict the twist, I did like the story. I just felt like there were some loose moments.

I enjoyed this book. I especially enjoy books where the timeline goes from the past to the present. There were twists that I wasn’t expecting which made the book even more enjoyable. I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed the narrator.

Last year I listened to Don’t Forget Me by Rea Frey and loved it, so I was keen to read more by this author. When She’s Gone is another bingeable listen, I finished it less than a day. Full of nasty characters and plenty of twists and turns, this is a book that I definitely recommend. The narrator, Jennifer Jill Araya was fantastic l bringing this story to life. I could picture it all happening. It would make a great movie too.

Set in the world of Olympic gymnastics, we follow Cora Valentines search for her kidnapped 4 year old daughter at Halloween. We learn that Cora herself was kidnapped as a teenager on the same night. Scared and desperate, Cora will do anything to get her daughter back. It takes her back into the orbit of her former teammates., not all of whom are happy to see her again.

This was such a. Fast paced story, you really do feel as if you are racing about with Cora. A great read.

Thanks so much to Brilliance Audio on NetGalley for my advanced copy to listen to. Out on January 14th.

Cora Valentine had everything ahead of her—a promising future and a shot at the Olympics. But when she’s kidnapped on Halloween, her life is thrust into the spotlight, not as an athlete, but as a victim. Even after her safe return, the damage lingers, especially since the person responsible was never caught.

Haunted by the public’s obsession with her past and the shadow of her abduction, Cora’s life as a member of the Magnificent Eight has lasting consequences. Years later, when Cora has her own daughter, she vows to leave that darkness behind and build a better future. Her daughter will never endure the same fears, and Cora swears she’ll never face them again.

But four years later, on Halloween, the past resurfaces.

Now, her daughter is missing, and to save her, Cora is forced to take someone else’s child.

It’s clear—the person who took her all those years ago isn’t finished with her. And as long as they have her daughter, Cora won’t stop until she gets revenge..

I did like the book and the narrator did a great job. The book was told from 2 time periods and does goes to back in forth in time. It held my attention and I didn’t want to stop listening to it. I assumed one part of the twist but not the other!!!! No spoilers!

This was all around a pretty good thriller. The story was fast paced, the characters did a great job of throwing you off, and the plot twists got me. 🤯 the narration was amazing as well. Def recommend this one. 🍂

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5

When She’s Gone is the first book I’ve read by Rea. Set over Halloween night, the unthinkable happens to Cora and her young daughter is kidnapped. It’s a race against time for Cora to follow the clues and try and find her.

This was a fast paced, ‘popcorn’ thriller and I thought the narrator did a great job. Despite the story being quite far fetched, predictable and quite confusing at times for me (with the amount of character names lol) it was enjoyable. There was quite a bit of repetition at times too in the writing and the main character did annoy me at times. She literally accuses everyone for taking her daughter and I guessed who it was straight away lol. The duel timelines were good though and kept me hooked.

So yes, I liked it, but didn’t love it.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for this ALC.