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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Thanks to @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an arc of this twisting story
☆☆☆.5
#thesafeplace by @anna_downes_writer
Pros: The story did keep me guessing and wasnt that predictable, at least for me. Even though Emily has some issuses, and seem kinda naive, she was really nice and a hard worker. You could tell Scott was going though some of his own mental issues, and he wasn't taking things like nothing happened. I don't want to give anything away so thats all am going to say.
Cons: I feel like we should have gotten to know what happen to Emily when she was young lots of hinting to something but was never actually told what happened.
Thanks for @booksparks for bring this title to my attention, by having it on their #src2020 list
☆☆☆.5
#thesafeplace by @anna_downes_writer
Pros: The story did keep me guessing and wasnt that predictable, at least for me. Even though Emily has some issuses, and seem kinda naive, she was really nice and a hard worker. You could tell Scott was going though some of his own mental issues, and he wasn't taking things like nothing happened. I don't want to give anything away so thats all am going to say.
Cons: I feel like we should have gotten to know what happen to Emily when she was young lots of hinting to something but was never actually told what happened.
Thanks for @booksparks for bring this title to my attention, by having it on their #src2020 list
Emily has lost her job, her acting agent, and is getting evicted from her apartment. She is a mess. Until Scott makes an offer she cant refuse. A summer at his French estate, helping his wife and daughter fix the place up. At first, everything is wonderful. It’s a beautiful home and her friendship with Nina his blossoming. Something doesn’t seem right though…will Emily be able to put her finger on it?
This book was excellent. It was a quick read that kept my interest which is definitely what I need these days. I knew there was something off about Nina and her daughter, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I really enjoyed the story and where it went. I obviously knew Scott was up to something shady, and I liked the throw backs throughout the book of when Aurelia was born, but still couldn’t figure out why Emily was so perfect for what he needed. If you want a good quick thriller, I highly recommend this one!
This book was excellent. It was a quick read that kept my interest which is definitely what I need these days. I knew there was something off about Nina and her daughter, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I really enjoyed the story and where it went. I obviously knew Scott was up to something shady, and I liked the throw backs throughout the book of when Aurelia was born, but still couldn’t figure out why Emily was so perfect for what he needed. If you want a good quick thriller, I highly recommend this one!
It started slow, then I flew through it. I would love this as a movie. While I predicted a couple of things, it was still an entertaining ride to finish out my year!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"It's over, he thought as he listened to the thump of footsteps on the stairs. And he was surprised to find that he didn't feel sad. He didn't feel angry or scared or full of regret. He felt free."
When Emily thinks she's hit rock bottom, here comes her knight in shining armour, Scott. Or rather, the reason she's just been fired from both of her jobs. Scott offers Emily the job of a lifetime; a chance to live in France and help his wife Nina look after her beautiful home and their six year old daughter Aurelia, while he lives and works in London. But something is very wrong.
At first, Emily doesn't understand what it is about this home or the family, but pretty soon she starts to figure it out. Scott and Nina are harbouring a terrible secret that could just be the death of her.
I really liked this one. It was fast paced, it was gripping and I didn't want to put it down once I started. I found Emily difficult to like to start with but she redeemed herself by the end. The other characters all were equally unlikeable and stayed that way to the end.
I think this was an excellent debut and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this.
When Emily thinks she's hit rock bottom, here comes her knight in shining armour, Scott. Or rather, the reason she's just been fired from both of her jobs. Scott offers Emily the job of a lifetime; a chance to live in France and help his wife Nina look after her beautiful home and their six year old daughter Aurelia, while he lives and works in London. But something is very wrong.
At first, Emily doesn't understand what it is about this home or the family, but pretty soon she starts to figure it out. Scott and Nina are harbouring a terrible secret that could just be the death of her.
I really liked this one. It was fast paced, it was gripping and I didn't want to put it down once I started. I found Emily difficult to like to start with but she redeemed herself by the end. The other characters all were equally unlikeable and stayed that way to the end.
I think this was an excellent debut and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this.
Out 7.14.20 | Free from Netgalley/ Minotaur Books | This was one of those books that had me wondering at about 15% or so if I should keep going. There was a lot to like about it and the flaws were ones I could get past, so I’m glad I stick with it. A young girl is trying to make it as an actress in London and just when she hits rock bottom, her incredibly wealthy boss intervenes and recruits her to become a housekeeper at the remote French estate where his wife and kid live. Once the scene was set, I thought there was fantastic tension and buildup. Some points were unbelievable- how is he so rich? - but if you buy into it it's very enjoyable. This reminded me a bit of Verity mixed with The Girl Before. Very good debut- I will be interested in more from this author! 4 stars.
Honestly this book had a little bit of a slow start for me. But after about 50 pages I could not put it down. I very much enjoyed it. Thank you for the advanced copy!!
Thank you to net galley for sending me this book for review. I enjoyed the plot but unfortunately not the actual book. I likes the characters but the dialogue fell very flat for me. I would read more by this author.
You know, this book came across as creepy to me right from the get go. Scott was too neurotic and seemed a little obsessed with Emily from the start. And that worked perfectly for this book! I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Emily is what I call a "dumpy" character. She's broke, has no friends or boyfriend, on the outs with her family, no ambitions or hobbies, and just got fired from her job. She literally has nothing going for her. This is what made her the perfect candidate for Scott.
Scott was her boss. He paved the way for her to get fired, get dropped from her casting agency, etc just so she would be desperate enough to accept his new job offer. He wanted her to sort of nanny his daughter and be a companion for his wife while he worked his life away. She accepted almost immediately.
She shows up to his huge property on the French coast. It's like a fortress with a security gate, cameras everywhere, etc. Aside from that, it's a gorgeous property and she is absolutely stunned to even be there. She makes friends with his wife and tries to get the little girl to warm up to her but the kid is practically feral and completely mute.
Little tidbits throughout the book make her realize that things are not what they seem. But with no access to the outside world and the gleaming opportunity right in front of her, she bats away her insecurities with the situation. Right up until she can no longer deny that things just aren't right.
It was suspenseful and just the right amount of creepy. Definitely a page turner! I finished it in a day. I definitely recommend it!
Emily is what I call a "dumpy" character. She's broke, has no friends or boyfriend, on the outs with her family, no ambitions or hobbies, and just got fired from her job. She literally has nothing going for her. This is what made her the perfect candidate for Scott.
Scott was her boss. He paved the way for her to get fired, get dropped from her casting agency, etc just so she would be desperate enough to accept his new job offer. He wanted her to sort of nanny his daughter and be a companion for his wife while he worked his life away. She accepted almost immediately.
She shows up to his huge property on the French coast. It's like a fortress with a security gate, cameras everywhere, etc. Aside from that, it's a gorgeous property and she is absolutely stunned to even be there. She makes friends with his wife and tries to get the little girl to warm up to her but the kid is practically feral and completely mute.
Little tidbits throughout the book make her realize that things are not what they seem. But with no access to the outside world and the gleaming opportunity right in front of her, she bats away her insecurities with the situation. Right up until she can no longer deny that things just aren't right.
It was suspenseful and just the right amount of creepy. Definitely a page turner! I finished it in a day. I definitely recommend it!