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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
I personally found this a really, good read. Tense and very atmospheric...you could really tell as you read, that there was something very weird and sinister going on at Querencia, the family home where Nina lives with her daughter, Aurelia.
However, my one disappointment was the lack of proper background for the characters. There were the odd snippets here and there, but I felt it wasn't the full story. It made it difficult to fully emphasize with the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Downes and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.
However, my one disappointment was the lack of proper background for the characters. There were the odd snippets here and there, but I felt it wasn't the full story. It made it difficult to fully emphasize with the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Downes and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.
Emily is walking into the perfect storm, though she doesn’t see it coming. Even as she loses her temp position she finds another job, one that enables her to keep from drowning in her financial responsibilities. Though she has many responsibilities at the mansion and its grounds, she quickly makes friends with Nina and her daughter Aurelia. Nina’s husband Scott is away most of the time, though the trio of females are safe behind the gated walls.
Emily is the outsider, trying to understand the family issues and trying to fit in. There is one way in to the mansion’s grounds, and that gate is locked at all times. The nearest town is miles away and the property is surrounded by woods. One can already envision what comes next.
Lovers of suspense will enjoy this novel. Emily and Scott tell the story through assigned chapters, although occasionally Nina pops in and we receive much of the back story through her memories. Using this technique, author Anna Downes builds to a climax that, while possibly expected, still will hold your interest. The character of Emily was a huge part in keeping me turning pages, a person with dreams and aspirations who flitters from level-headed and sweet to flighty. Recommended. Four stars.
My thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.
Emily is the outsider, trying to understand the family issues and trying to fit in. There is one way in to the mansion’s grounds, and that gate is locked at all times. The nearest town is miles away and the property is surrounded by woods. One can already envision what comes next.
Lovers of suspense will enjoy this novel. Emily and Scott tell the story through assigned chapters, although occasionally Nina pops in and we receive much of the back story through her memories. Using this technique, author Anna Downes builds to a climax that, while possibly expected, still will hold your interest. The character of Emily was a huge part in keeping me turning pages, a person with dreams and aspirations who flitters from level-headed and sweet to flighty. Recommended. Four stars.
My thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.
A good suspenseful book, where we know something creepy lies ahead for our heroine but who, what, and why don't become clear until the end.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
2.5* rounded up.
Emily, a failed actress, is an atrocious temporary secretary, gets evicted for failure to pay her rent, and has distanced herself so much from her adoptive parents that she forgets her own mother's birthday. She is our heroine. Her boss has a Machiavellian plan which involves firing her, pretending he didn't want her fired, and then employing her as a housekeeper for his wife on their estate in France. The tone throughout is creepy and mildly menacing. Life on the French estate is very off, but Emily is slow to wake up to this, and the book drags a lot in the middle. The ending was predictable and I skimmed it.
It left me feeling a bit icky.
2.5* rounded up.
Emily, a failed actress, is an atrocious temporary secretary, gets evicted for failure to pay her rent, and has distanced herself so much from her adoptive parents that she forgets her own mother's birthday. She is our heroine. Her boss has a Machiavellian plan which involves firing her, pretending he didn't want her fired, and then employing her as a housekeeper for his wife on their estate in France. The tone throughout is creepy and mildly menacing. Life on the French estate is very off, but Emily is slow to wake up to this, and the book drags a lot in the middle. The ending was predictable and I skimmed it.
It left me feeling a bit icky.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Emily is PERFECT! Poor Emily. There's so much to this book that it's hard to encapsulate. At times i felt bad for Emily and at other times I wanted to shake her to get her to wake, but that is the joy of being the omniscient reader. All three of the main characters were engagingly dysfunctional and the I never guessed the secret.
Thank you to #Goodreadsgiveways and Minotaur Books for an advance reading copy.
Thank you to #Goodreadsgiveways and Minotaur Books for an advance reading copy.
How many times have we heard the saying, “it's too good to be true.” Apparently our very naive female protagonist, Emily has no idea what that means. Emily’s life is a hot mess and it is no surprise that she ignores the fact that the job her ex boss, Scott, offered her was WAY too good to be true. Not just a little bit too good to be true...I mean WAY over the top to good to be true.
Emily, as I said before, is naive. She may be one of the most naive characters I have read in awhile. Emily accepts a job that again, sounds too good to be true, and then once she arrives at this beautiful but completely isolated, cut off from all society personal oasis, she ignores and makes excuses for all the crazy things going on around her. Scott, our male protagonist, was cowardly and weak (my opinion after finishing the book). Nina was...well...extra special crazy.
The Safe Place was a great book to read during a pandemic because these characters were a great distraction. While reading, I was leaning towards a 3 star review, but as the story progressed, I changed my review to 4 stars because even though it was predictable, it was different. It wasn't the same twist/mystery recycled with different characters.
Emily, as I said before, is naive. She may be one of the most naive characters I have read in awhile. Emily accepts a job that again, sounds too good to be true, and then once she arrives at this beautiful but completely isolated, cut off from all society personal oasis, she ignores and makes excuses for all the crazy things going on around her. Scott, our male protagonist, was cowardly and weak (my opinion after finishing the book). Nina was...well...extra special crazy.
The Safe Place was a great book to read during a pandemic because these characters were a great distraction. While reading, I was leaning towards a 3 star review, but as the story progressed, I changed my review to 4 stars because even though it was predictable, it was different. It wasn't the same twist/mystery recycled with different characters.
Thank you Minotaur Books and BookishFirst for the chance to read this ARC. Book publishes on July 14, 2020. #TheSafePlace
Emily is a hot mess. Her acting career is going nowhere fast and she just got fired from her latest temp job. She goes home to find out she and her roommate are being evicted because the rent check bounced. Then, Scott, her employer who ordered her to be fired, has a job offer for her. He wants to hire her to be a housekeeper at a French villa where his wife and daughter live. She agrees and adjusts quickly to living in "paradise" but also feels that something isn't quite right.
What is Scott and his wife hiding? Why can't Emily go into the "main house"? Is she in danger?
Emily is a hot mess. Her acting career is going nowhere fast and she just got fired from her latest temp job. She goes home to find out she and her roommate are being evicted because the rent check bounced. Then, Scott, her employer who ordered her to be fired, has a job offer for her. He wants to hire her to be a housekeeper at a French villa where his wife and daughter live. She agrees and adjusts quickly to living in "paradise" but also feels that something isn't quite right.
What is Scott and his wife hiding? Why can't Emily go into the "main house"? Is she in danger?
Wow, what a perfect book for summer! Emily’s life is falling apart quickly and not what she expected for herself when her old boss offers her a job at his French home. It seems like the perfect solution to her current troubles.
Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Sit back and enjoy the ride.
First, thank you Minotaurbooks for the gifted copy. The Safe Place had potential. It could have been the perfect spooky summer beach read. However, it simply fell flat for me. The atmosphere was super spooky and I loved that, but the main character had nothing going for her. Who doesn't know what a gender reveal party is? I rooted for the enemy the entire book and this is a super slow build up. The climax and the rest left me feeling let down. The potential was there, and I was genuinely curious as to where this was going. Unfortunately, this one left me feeling underwhelmed. Anna Dowes definitely has potential and I would check out her next book. However, this is definitely worth checking out and I would recommend this to someone who likes a slow build up and enjoys thrillers.