Wow, I’m still trying to get my head around this but yes, I loved it. My favourite character was Kyle, he was great! Love the fact this wasn’t too long either. Loved the setting and the descriptions and the fast pace of the story.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for letting me read this.

The Other Couple is a fast-paced, twisty psychological thriller that keeps you on edge from page one. What starts as an innocent family getaway quickly spirals into a tense game of suspicion and survival when Lainey and David arrive at their cabin—only to find another couple already there. As eerie clues about the cabin’s past begin to surface, including a chilling journal and the disappearance of a previous family, the suspense ratchets up to an unputdownable level. Jack Dane masterfully blends creepy atmosphere, unreliable characters, and jaw-dropping revelations. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden and Kiersten Modglin, this one’s a binge-worthy read that’ll make you think twice before booking a weekend in the woods.

5 Stars – ARC Review
“The Other Couple” by Jack Dane

I got an ARC of The Other Couple and read it in under 24 hours. It’s a fast-paced, suspense-heavy thriller that had me fully locked in from the start.

The tension builds quick, and just when I thought I had it figured out—boom. That plot twist completely threw me off. Like, I had to pause and just sit with it for a second.

If you’re into domestic thrillers that mess with your head and keep you second-guessing everything, you’ll fly through this one. It’s sharp, addictive, and totally worth the read. Five stars.

What a creepy, twisty book! David and Lainey plan a weekend getaway with their newly adopted son Jonah, to a remote secluded cabin. When they arrive another couple are there. Everyone assumes this is a double booking so they decide to make the best of it. The weather is horrible, storms with torrential rain and a tree is down across the road so there is no way to leave until Monday when the tree removal people arrive. As the couple try to settle in things get creepier by the minute. Another couple at some point in time had disappeared from this cabin and were never found so of course things were tense to say the least.
This is a great book that keeps the suspense ramped up till the very end which for me was a huge surprise. I loved it!. I highly recommend for anyone who likes this genre. You don't want to miss this one.
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this amazing arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was not expecting that! Maybe I was naive and others can see right through the plot, but wow. This popcorn thriller is very much a closed room trope, where two couples and one baby have be double booked into the same secluded cabin via Airbnb. Without any options, and the roads closed by a fallen tree, there’s no options but bunk together through the weekend. Awkward enough, but there’s something more sinister in the house’s history.

I want to thank NetGalley and Back Alley Press for this ARC! I’m looking forward to more from this author.

I generally like thrillers based on whether I want to take a break, and I raced through this because I needed to know how it ended. It was very claustrophobic, with two couples trapped in a cabin together in a storm after an accidental double booking. The couple that is already there is acting very suspicious, and I kept changing my mind about everyone's motives.

My heart rate ended up being quite high while reading this book. I was anxious for the characters, it was a perfect read.

Jack Dane’s The Other Couple is a nerve-shredding thriller that turns a quiet family weekend into a waking nightmare. With its eerie setting, slow-burn tension, and steadily rising paranoia, this novel delivers a chilling twist on the classic cabin-in-the-woods trope—and it doesn’t let up until the very last page.

Lainey and David, new parents seeking a peaceful retreat, arrive late to their remote rental cabin, only to find another couple already there. At first, it seems like an unfortunate booking error. But as the weekend unfolds, the tension between the two couples grows taut, and the atmosphere becomes increasingly sinister. The discovery of a journal left behind by a previous family—who mysteriously vanished along with their young son—casts an ominous shadow over their stay.

Dane does an excellent job building psychological suspense, keeping readers questioning motives, coincidences, and the terrifying possibility that something—or someone—is watching. The isolation of the forest becomes a character in itself: suffocating, vast, and full of secrets. As Lainey pieces together the cabin’s dark history, her maternal instincts clash with an overwhelming sense of dread, forcing her and David into a dangerous game of trust and survival.

With crisp prose and an ever-tightening plot, The Other Couple explores themes of parenthood, vulnerability, and the terrifying uncertainty of who you can really trust. It’s perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware, or The Guest List by Lucy Foley—where every friendly face could hide a deadly secret.

If you’re looking for a thriller to read with the lights on and the doors locked, The Other Couple is it. Suspenseful, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling—this is one weekend getaway you’ll be glad you only experienced on the page.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. As I was reading this book, I kept feeling like I read this one before so there must be one similar to it. This book was definitely fast paced and had twists but I just wasn't thrilled with the ending. It just took the book into such a different direction that it left me feeling really disappointed in it.

The story flew by, which isn’t something I usually mind, though it still felt like it took forever for me to actually care about what was happening. I kept waiting for that moment when I’d be fully hooked, yet it never quite came. I will say, however, things got kind of interesting around the 80% mark, but by then, I was already over it. My boredom had set in, so at least the last 15% was more engaging.

With so few characters, it was easy to keep track of everyone—which I appreciated. Still, a pov from the fmc’s husband or the other couple might have added more depth, especially given the twists in the story. Seeing things unfold from another perspective could have heightened the tension or made the twists land more effectively.

While I enjoyed the premise, I kept waiting for a bigger moment—a twist that never quite arrived. When it did finally come, it wasn’t all that shocking. I didn’t mind the twist itself; I just think it could have been great if it had been executed better.

On top of that, there were plot holes and moments that didn’t make sense, which left me frustrated. The characters’ intentions felt murky, making it hard to connect with any of them. Honestly, they were all irritating in their own way. The buildup was there, but the payoff fell flat, leaving me wanting more from the ending.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💌💐

This book kept me up most of the night because I had to find out what was really going on.
Creepy and perfect remote setting. Quirky characters. Lots of secrets and surprises I wasn’t expecting.

The Other Couple is a dark, creepy psychological thriller with so many twists. Jack Dane has an imagination like no other and has once again delivered a masterful read with an ending you won't see coming.

Lainey and David are looking forward to their first vacation since adopting their young son, Jonah. After a long and stressful drive through a storm, they have finally arrived at their rental cabin. When they go to enter they find another couple already there. They quickly realize the cabin has been double booked. Too tired to figure out what they're going to do, coupled with a downed tree blocking the road, they decide to spend the night with these strangers and tackle the problem in the morning. As you can imagine, the fun is just beginning with that decision.

This is such a fun roller-coaster ride. Each new chapter has you second guessing what is really going on. The atmosphere is packed with tension and each chapter is filled with suspense making the reader want to read well into the night. Another great book by Jack Dane and I can't wait to see where his imagination takes him and his readers next. I highly recommend this.

Thanks to Netgalley and Back Alley Press for the advanced copy

Loved this new psychological thriller by Jack Dane.
Lainey and David are very excited to go on a vacation, the first since adopting their son Jonah.
They arrive at their destination only to find another couple, Kyle and Heather have booked for the same weekend. They end up staying in the second bedroom and become more and more worried as the weekend goes on, but is everything as it seems?
Loved that this was a quick read, definitely kept the reader's attention. Love, love, love the twists!!!

This was a great page turner. I did guess the ending though. I don't know if it's because I read a lot of psychological thrillers but I kind of had a feeling early on where this one was going. Still a nice, easy read and I'm very appreciative of the ARC.

Lainey and Dave have planned a weekend away in a remote cabin - their first travel as a family since their son was born. When they arrive to the cabin, it turns out another couple is already there. The cabin is double booked. Lainey and Dave have no choice but to spend the night. It's the middle of the night and a tree fell down, blocking the road out. The next day, Lainey and Dave realize that the other couple is a bit odd. They are investigating another young family who lived in the house previously, who suddenly vanished without a trace. Stuck until the tree removal service arrives, Lainey and Dave are forced to cohabitate with the strange couple.

A super easy and quick read! The novel starts with a creepy and claustrophobic overtone, which remains throughout the course of the novel. Every move and decision had me on the edge of my seat. I definitely had a really tough time putting this. one down! Really enjoyed the immersive and descriptive setting as well. Cannot wait to read more by Jack Dane!

Thank you Back Alley Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a gripping psychological thriller that hooks you from the very first page and doesn’t let go. The story follows Lainey and David, new parents seeking a relaxing getaway at a secluded rental cabin. But their plans for a peaceful weekend unravel when they arrive to find another couple already occupying the cabin. What begins as an awkward situation quickly escalates into a tense, chilling ordeal.

The author skillfully builds suspense through a claustrophobic atmosphere and tight pacing. The isolation of the setting amplifies the sense of unease, making every interaction feel loaded with hidden intentions and potential threats. The writing style is direct and compelling, pulling readers deeper into the story with each chapter.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, especially Lainey, whose vulnerability and determination drive much of the tension. The author does an excellent job of presenting multiple perspectives, keeping readers guessing about the true motives and identities of the mysterious couple.

The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns that will satisfy fans of the genre. While some revelations feel a bit abrupt, the overall execution is engaging and thoroughly entertaining.

If you enjoy fast-paced psychological thrillers that keep you questioning everyone’s intentions until the final page, The Other Couple is well worth a read.

3 star read, but I had to know what happened next!

*spoilers*

Pro:
- I love that it’s a spin on “the narrator did the crime” but not really what I expected. Yes, the main character and her husband did the crime, but it had a little twist. How Lainey and her husband David are “the other couple” but actually feared being in this house with 2 other people because they seemed more dangerous than them.

Con:
The reason why I am giving it 3 stars is because I’m not a huge fan of the person telling the story doing the crime. How is it that throughout the book, Lainey didn’t think once “I hope they don’t find out my secret” ?? And when she was talking about the baby book, she was worried that it was Kyle and Heathers… she didn’t have a single inner thought that it was actually hers? It seems like she snuck into their room and read it acting like she’s not the one that WROTE it. Just a little confusing to me.

This is a good, quick, fast paced novel. I’d read more by this author, but it’s not high on my reading list.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC of The Other Couple in exchange for my honest review!

I felt the story could have been longer which isn’t something I normally say! It was a quick read but I feel like not much “happened”. It only has a few characters so you don’t get confused with them which was nice. But the whole time I felt like I was waiting for something bigger to happen in the story.

This book was such a good psychological thriller!! It is one of the first if not the first thriller I have written by a guy and I would definitely compare it to Frieda McFaddens work(I hope that isn’t an insult to the author 🥹) I read this book in two hours and ate it up. The plot twists weren’t too crazy but there was still a really good twist at the end that had my jaw hanging open. The story flowed very smoothly and everything matched up which I love, sometimes in thrillers the timelines don’t match up or somethings are off so we expect the twist less but that was not the case in this book. The author did an amazing job at proving details depictions that really triggered the 5 senses and made me feel like I was there in that eerie Airbnb with no power and trying to survive the weekend😱 it was honestly such a suspenseful book and I would definitely recommend it to any avid thriller readers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours, and the author Jack Dane for the opportunity to read this ARC!

All I can say is WOW. I thought the major twist had already happened and then BAM, a complete boomerang of an ending!

Was able to read this book in one sitting, which was wonderful and made it easy to remember all of the story details.

Lainey and David leave NYC for their first trip with their adopted son, Jonah. Their first vacation as a family in a secluded cabin may sound like a dream, but is quickly found to be a nightmare. Their forced share of their cabin immediately makes you want to scream at them to run away, but the twists and turns behind this unknown couple and the family themselves leave you at the edge of your seat till the very end.

Incredible read, can’t wait to read more books from Jack Dane!