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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
π―πππππ πΊπππππππ: Two victims of domestic violence get the freedom they were hoping for.
πΉπππππ: This had a very straightforward plot which made it fine to read but not very exciting.
πΉππππππππ
πππππ: I wouldn't search it out.
This is a debut book by Author: Nora Murphy. Upon reading her bio she has studied survivors of domestic abuse / violence and her debut novel addresses this issue. When the book begins we have Leah, once a educated attorney who has now quit her job and every day goes to a different liquor store to buy alcohol. We don't know why she has quit her job and suffers from alcohol problems but one day she sees another woman at the store who reminds her of herself.
This throws her off and she begins to follow her and soon learns that this woman, McKenna, is a perfect mirror image of herself. Both are victims of domestic abuse from abusive, successful husbands and both are trapped in a horrible marriage they can't escape from. Not only are they victims of abuse but their husbands have blackmailed them to not escape their marriage.
The book is unsettling in descriptions of abuse and as both women start to take control of their situations and settle it their own way. Along the way they start to become investigated in a hard police investigation and the book turns quickly into a police procedural novel.
The prose and pacing are great. You start to get into Leah's,and McKenna's shoes and feel trapped with no solutions just like them.
A few negatives are character development. Leah and McKenna are created with distinct personalities but the two husbands are just carbon copies of their selves. It's like the author just wanted to make a blanket evil personality. Plus the police procedural was just boring. There are no twists..... Just a straight A to B procedural that just ends abruptly. It actually took away from the theme of the book.
But still a great written, debut novel which I recommend overall.
.
Book given free for honest review
This throws her off and she begins to follow her and soon learns that this woman, McKenna, is a perfect mirror image of herself. Both are victims of domestic abuse from abusive, successful husbands and both are trapped in a horrible marriage they can't escape from. Not only are they victims of abuse but their husbands have blackmailed them to not escape their marriage.
The book is unsettling in descriptions of abuse and as both women start to take control of their situations and settle it their own way. Along the way they start to become investigated in a hard police investigation and the book turns quickly into a police procedural novel.
The prose and pacing are great. You start to get into Leah's,and McKenna's shoes and feel trapped with no solutions just like them.
A few negatives are character development. Leah and McKenna are created with distinct personalities but the two husbands are just carbon copies of their selves. It's like the author just wanted to make a blanket evil personality. Plus the police procedural was just boring. There are no twists..... Just a straight A to B procedural that just ends abruptly. It actually took away from the theme of the book.
But still a great written, debut novel which I recommend overall.
.
Book given free for honest review
Thank you NetGalley and Nora Murphy for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my gosh where to start with this one.. this was just perfect.. and THE ENDING! Poetic.
Leah and McKenna are both strong empowered women. Or they were, until they got married.
Leah is in a store one day when she notices McKenna and sees a younger version of herself in her. So Leah follows her only to find that they live very similar lives. She then wants to help McKenna not end up like herself. With one sentence, βI am someone like you.β They are connected. McKenna now wants to know who Leah is and what she means by that phrase. The way that this book flipped to help both women out of their situations was written in such perfect detail that I couldnβt stop reading.
The investigator being one of the point of views you read from was the icing on the cake. You knew what he did not but it was written so that you were able to see how he put the pieces together and figured it out. Even though he does figure it out, it doesnβt end like you think it would.
I did find it difficult to keep the men separate, but understandably, they donβt particularly matter in this story. Only the women and their fight to take their lives back matter and it was done so perfectly. So thankful to have been chosen to review this ARC.
Oh my gosh where to start with this one.. this was just perfect.. and THE ENDING! Poetic.
Leah and McKenna are both strong empowered women. Or they were, until they got married.
Leah is in a store one day when she notices McKenna and sees a younger version of herself in her. So Leah follows her only to find that they live very similar lives. She then wants to help McKenna not end up like herself. With one sentence, βI am someone like you.β They are connected. McKenna now wants to know who Leah is and what she means by that phrase. The way that this book flipped to help both women out of their situations was written in such perfect detail that I couldnβt stop reading.
The investigator being one of the point of views you read from was the icing on the cake. You knew what he did not but it was written so that you were able to see how he put the pieces together and figured it out. Even though he does figure it out, it doesnβt end like you think it would.
I did find it difficult to keep the men separate, but understandably, they donβt particularly matter in this story. Only the women and their fight to take their lives back matter and it was done so perfectly. So thankful to have been chosen to review this ARC.
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
sad
tense
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
McKenna and Leah live parallel lives. Previously employed as a pediatrician and an attorney, respectively, now both women spend their days at home. Married to highly controlling men, McKenna and Leah are isolated shells of their former selves.
During a visit to the liquor store, Leah sees McKenna and realizes that they have many things in common. After following her home, Leah realizes just how similar their lives really are. Here is where the plot thickens and I truly fell in love with this story. I rooted so much for McKenna and Leah during this book and I'm happy about the way that it ended.
4.5 out of 5 stars. This is a fantastic debut novel!
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an e-arc for honest review.
During a visit to the liquor store, Leah sees McKenna and realizes that they have many things in common. After following her home, Leah realizes just how similar their lives really are. Here is where the plot thickens and I truly fell in love with this story. I rooted so much for McKenna and Leah during this book and I'm happy about the way that it ended.
4.5 out of 5 stars. This is a fantastic debut novel!
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an e-arc for honest review.