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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Imagine you're in a work meeting, and receive an alarming text from your child's father, except he's suppose to be dead.
I really enjoyed this. Good mystery with a just the right amount of romance thrown in. It dragged a little bit in the middle, but I still flew through it.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved this book. I read it over a 24 hour period and could not put it down. There were a few different times throughout the story that I thought I knew what was going on but it was flipped. This is a mystery/thriller well done. The characters are believable and well developed. Buzz is obviously the highlight of the whole story. I loved Zain's friendship with Ariel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
dark
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I had never read a romantic suspense novel before, but having enjoyed other books by Sarina Bowen I was keen to give this one a try. After what felt to me like a bit of a slow start, the story picked up and the momentum carried through all the way to the end. I kept wanting to pick the book up again to find out what happened - so definitely a successful read for me, plot wise. In terms of characterization, the protagonists were fairly one dimensional and this made it hard for me to really care about them or their relationship; I was never clear on why they fell for one another. (I found myself more intrigued by Zain, a side character.) The heroine’s trust fund lifestyle didn’t make her, in particular, very relatable and I couldn’t figure out how the main characters were supporting themselves at the end of the book… but maybe this is just my very practical self nitpicking. Overall - the story was gripping but the characters were ciphers. I look forward to Sarina Bowen easing into her suspense groove and will certainly read more of her work in this genre in future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
What do you get when you cross a romance with a mystery? A wholly satisfying read.
Honestly: usually, they don't work. It's either romance with just the faintest splash of mystery, or mystery with a bad, unloving romance. But Sarina Bowen has achieved the impossible and created a balanced narrative. As the mystery of Drew's disappearance unravels in the presence, readers are also treated to the romance five years before between Drew and Ariel. Their love is real, with great chemistry, and that fuels Ariel's desire for answers in the present. Coupled with a supporting cast (Buzz, Ariel's son, being a stand-out) and a solid discussion of privacy and AI in policing, The Five Year Lie is one of the stand-out books I've read this year.
Definitely pick this up as your next vacation read...you just might want to turn off your Ring camera while you are out.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review! I plan on rereading this so I can see all of the foreshadowing leading up to the climax :)
Honestly: usually, they don't work. It's either romance with just the faintest splash of mystery, or mystery with a bad, unloving romance. But Sarina Bowen has achieved the impossible and created a balanced narrative. As the mystery of Drew's disappearance unravels in the presence, readers are also treated to the romance five years before between Drew and Ariel. Their love is real, with great chemistry, and that fuels Ariel's desire for answers in the present. Coupled with a supporting cast (Buzz, Ariel's son, being a stand-out) and a solid discussion of privacy and AI in policing, The Five Year Lie is one of the stand-out books I've read this year.
Definitely pick this up as your next vacation read...you just might want to turn off your Ring camera while you are out.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review! I plan on rereading this so I can see all of the foreshadowing leading up to the climax :)
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ariel met Drew at the office, her father and uncle's company. He was a new programmer, and she was there because it was job and to appease her family. They kept their relationship away from the office, though. Soon, it ended when Drew left town and ghosted her, unknowingly leaving her pregnant.
Five years later, Ariel receives a text from Drew asking her to meet him. But how can that be? She has since found out that he died in a motorcycle accident. Is someone impersonating him? Ariel HAS to find out what happened to him.
This story is told in Ariel's present POV and Drew's POV from five years ago. It was pretty fast paced and kept me guessing. It is romantic suspense but leaned more towards suspense for most of the book.
Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own .
Five years later, Ariel receives a text from Drew asking her to meet him. But how can that be? She has since found out that he died in a motorcycle accident. Is someone impersonating him? Ariel HAS to find out what happened to him.
This story is told in Ariel's present POV and Drew's POV from five years ago. It was pretty fast paced and kept me guessing. It is romantic suspense but leaned more towards suspense for most of the book.
Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own .
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved this cover, and was surprised to see a thriller/suspense from Sabrina Bowen. I've really enjoyed her books in the past and this one did not disappoint!
Despite the extraordinary situation, Ariel was a relatable character, and it was interesting to see her navigate first her early relationship with Drew, motherhood, and sleuthing with Zain. The focus on AI and doorbell camera's made for an eerie premise, and not too out there given the current pace of development in tech! I was pleasantly surprised to find the book leant heavily into the suspense, with the romance being a secondary subplot (though equally enjoyable). The concept of text messages being sent 5 years later was really neat, and I liked the way it was woven into the broader mystery.
I could have easily read this in one sitting, it was such a page turner and an easy read. Thank you Dialogue Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.
Despite the extraordinary situation, Ariel was a relatable character, and it was interesting to see her navigate first her early relationship with Drew, motherhood, and sleuthing with Zain. The focus on AI and doorbell camera's made for an eerie premise, and not too out there given the current pace of development in tech! I was pleasantly surprised to find the book leant heavily into the suspense, with the romance being a secondary subplot (though equally enjoyable). The concept of text messages being sent 5 years later was really neat, and I liked the way it was woven into the broader mystery.
I could have easily read this in one sitting, it was such a page turner and an easy read. Thank you Dialogue Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No