Tammy
This book is a solid 3 out of 5 overall. Regarding the characters, I didn’t find many of them appealing. The story is told from the perspective of the main character, who doesn’t seem very bright. This seems to be a common pattern with Freida McFadden's characters. At the beginning, she makes some morally questionable choices that make it hard to like her. Although Frida tries to justify her actions, they still come across as somewhat off-putting. The male lead felt one dimensional, while a side character was much more intriguing. Overall, it wasn't horrible, but it was just an okay read.
The plot was similarly average. It was pretty basic, with nothing too surprising. However, it had a binge worthy quality that made me want to keep reading to find out what would happen next. I could see where the story was going and even guessed the twist at the end, but it’s still worth a read if you're into thrillers.
I felt that the book lacked a clear theme. It felt like just another moment in time story, and I’m not sure if there are any real lessons to be learned from this thriller. That said, I don't expect a thriller like this to teach me anything, so the theme was just okay.
Emotionally, I wasn't very invested in the characters. I did want the main female character to be okay and enjoyed her more than the others, but when challenges arose for any of the characters, I didn’t feel scared or sad for them. Again, this is a fast paced thriller, and I don’t think the intention is to create strong emotional bonds with the characters to better understand them and their motivations.
In terms of my enjoyment of the book, I did find it engaging, as I mentioned earlier. It was binge-worthy, and I felt compelled to find out how it would end. I know there are more books in the series, and while I may pick them up eventually, I’m not in a hurry to do so. This indicates how I feel about the book overall. I would recommend it to those who enjoy thrillers, like twisty plots, or are new to the genre, as it offers some surprises that you might not see coming.
This book is a solid 3 out of 5 overall. Regarding the characters, I didn’t find many of them appealing. The story is told from the perspective of the main character, who doesn’t seem very bright. This seems to be a common pattern with Freida McFadden's characters. At the beginning, she makes some morally questionable choices that make it hard to like her. Although Frida tries to justify her actions, they still come across as somewhat off-putting. The male lead felt one dimensional, while a side character was much more intriguing. Overall, it wasn't horrible, but it was just an okay read.
The plot was similarly average. It was pretty basic, with nothing too surprising. However, it had a binge worthy quality that made me want to keep reading to find out what would happen next. I could see where the story was going and even guessed the twist at the end, but it’s still worth a read if you're into thrillers.
I felt that the book lacked a clear theme. It felt like just another moment in time story, and I’m not sure if there are any real lessons to be learned from this thriller. That said, I don't expect a thriller like this to teach me anything, so the theme was just okay.
Emotionally, I wasn't very invested in the characters. I did want the main female character to be okay and enjoyed her more than the others, but when challenges arose for any of the characters, I didn’t feel scared or sad for them. Again, this is a fast paced thriller, and I don’t think the intention is to create strong emotional bonds with the characters to better understand them and their motivations.
In terms of my enjoyment of the book, I did find it engaging, as I mentioned earlier. It was binge-worthy, and I felt compelled to find out how it would end. I know there are more books in the series, and while I may pick them up eventually, I’m not in a hurry to do so. This indicates how I feel about the book overall. I would recommend it to those who enjoy thrillers, like twisty plots, or are new to the genre, as it offers some surprises that you might not see coming.
I’d give this book a solid 3.75, rounding up to a 4-star read for me.
The plot is easily the strongest part. I was hooked right from the first page and stayed invested the whole way through. I really felt the main character’s dilemma weighing on her every step of the book, it made me stop and seriously ask myself, “What would I do if I were in her shoes?” As a mom, I know how impossible that kind of choice feels from both sides, and the story captured that tension so well. That emotional pull and the strength of the central conflict are the biggest reasons I rated it this high.
I really liked the characters, too. Everyone felt distinct, the author gave each one their own voice, so you could always tell who was speaking without needing a tag. Some characters you genuinely root for, while others are clearly there to move the story along, and that’s totally fine. The book is on the shorter side, so there’s not endless time to develop everyone, but I thought the author did a great job making even some of the side characters worth caring about. They support the mains beautifully, showing us who the protagonists really are and why they make the choices they do.
The writing itself was solid but not flashy. It’s clean, easy to read, and the pages flew by, which is a huge plus. Nothing jumped out as brilliantly poetic or anything, but nothing felt clunky or off-putting either. It just worked.
Pacing was mostly good, though there were a few spots where the main character circled back over the same dilemma and inner thoughts a little too much. I get why, it’s the heart of the story, but those repetitive recaps slowed things down just a touch for me. I could’ve done without a couple of them. There’s also some insta-love vibes that you kind of have to accept as a plot device rather than something super realistic. It’s necessary to keep the story moving toward a resolution, so I rolled with it.
This is a very emotionally heavy book. It dives deep into death, motherhood, losing someone you love, and the guilt that can come with it. The themes are powerful, and as a parent, it hit me hard in places. There were moments that tugged at my heartstrings and left me misty-eyed (one scene in the middle really got me when I put myself in her position). That said, it didn’t quite shift my perspective or make me see something in a brand-new way, which is something I love in books. It pulled on my emotions without fully changing how I think about the issues, but it definitely made me feel them.
The setting gave off a nice small-town vibe. You could picture the motel, the bar, the quiet streets, it felt lived in and atmospheric. Since it’s set in the modern U.S., the author didn’t have to build a whole new world, but she still set the stage perfectly and made the place feel real.
Overall, I enjoyed this one a lot. It kept me turning pages, guessing how it would end, and wondering what choices everyone would ultimately make. I never felt like it dragged or should’ve been shorter, in fact, I think it could’ve been a little longer and I still would’ve been happy. It’s a good, gripping story with real heart, and I’m glad I read it.
I’d give this book a solid 3.75, rounding up to a 4-star read for me.
The plot is easily the strongest part. I was hooked right from the first page and stayed invested the whole way through. I really felt the main character’s dilemma weighing on her every step of the book, it made me stop and seriously ask myself, “What would I do if I were in her shoes?” As a mom, I know how impossible that kind of choice feels from both sides, and the story captured that tension so well. That emotional pull and the strength of the central conflict are the biggest reasons I rated it this high.
I really liked the characters, too. Everyone felt distinct, the author gave each one their own voice, so you could always tell who was speaking without needing a tag. Some characters you genuinely root for, while others are clearly there to move the story along, and that’s totally fine. The book is on the shorter side, so there’s not endless time to develop everyone, but I thought the author did a great job making even some of the side characters worth caring about. They support the mains beautifully, showing us who the protagonists really are and why they make the choices they do.
The writing itself was solid but not flashy. It’s clean, easy to read, and the pages flew by, which is a huge plus. Nothing jumped out as brilliantly poetic or anything, but nothing felt clunky or off-putting either. It just worked.
Pacing was mostly good, though there were a few spots where the main character circled back over the same dilemma and inner thoughts a little too much. I get why, it’s the heart of the story, but those repetitive recaps slowed things down just a touch for me. I could’ve done without a couple of them. There’s also some insta-love vibes that you kind of have to accept as a plot device rather than something super realistic. It’s necessary to keep the story moving toward a resolution, so I rolled with it.
This is a very emotionally heavy book. It dives deep into death, motherhood, losing someone you love, and the guilt that can come with it. The themes are powerful, and as a parent, it hit me hard in places. There were moments that tugged at my heartstrings and left me misty-eyed (one scene in the middle really got me when I put myself in her position). That said, it didn’t quite shift my perspective or make me see something in a brand-new way, which is something I love in books. It pulled on my emotions without fully changing how I think about the issues, but it definitely made me feel them.
The setting gave off a nice small-town vibe. You could picture the motel, the bar, the quiet streets, it felt lived in and atmospheric. Since it’s set in the modern U.S., the author didn’t have to build a whole new world, but she still set the stage perfectly and made the place feel real.
Overall, I enjoyed this one a lot. It kept me turning pages, guessing how it would end, and wondering what choices everyone would ultimately make. I never felt like it dragged or should’ve been shorter, in fact, I think it could’ve been a little longer and I still would’ve been happy. It’s a good, gripping story with real heart, and I’m glad I read it.
Even better reading a second time :) 6 Stars!
Even better reading a second time :) 6 Stars!
