Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

47 reviews

kyliejade322's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Bullying, and Child abuse

boba_n_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

The Couple Next Door was a fairly predictable thriller. There were a lot of things that I saw coming, but a few of the twists did catch me off-guard!

Whether or not I figured it out, this was a fun and ridiculous ride. A couple decides to leave their six-month-old daughter at home while visiting the couple next door for a night out. Since their babysitter canceled, the couple decides to leave their baby at home and check on her every 30 minutes. What could go wrong? Well, their daughter gets kidnapped, and the parents are the number one suspects. 

If you're looking for a fun and fast-paced thriller, check it out!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Mental illness

Moderate: Grief, Violence, and Cursing

Minor: Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

astrohime's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Gets straight at it which I like, and a good page turner. Good plot and twists and turns along the way, some more predictable than others.  The end didn’t blow me away, but all in all a really well written book that kept my attention 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, and Kidnapping

mayra96's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Ok so here’s my beef. 

The whole book, since the beginning, I knew Marco was in on it. There was no doubt about that. That fact itself threw me off because I was like “why would it be so obvious that he was involved and why just plainly say it halfway through the book?”  Then we learn what we learn about Richard and it got me. 

The whole story itself is very entrapping and the ending, chef’s kiss. Cynthia deserved that. 

My only wish is that we had a little more from the detective’s POV at how he ACTUALLY got to his conclusions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Violence, Mental illness, and Abandonment

sare1125's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping

Moderate: Infidelity

simplyinthemoment's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Lots of twists and turns. Just when I thought I knew who the mastermind was behind the “kidnapping” the reader was led in a different direction. It was a dark & sinister storyline but written in a way where the reader wants to know the outcome. One part of the storyline could have been eliminated and it still would have been a successful & suspenseful book.  Which leads to the second point, the ending was less than satisfactory. If the before mentioned wasn’t included then the ending would not have been necessary leading to a better conclusion to the story. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Kidnapping, Violence, Murder, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Gaslighting

bqhelton's review against another edition

1.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity

mynameisrebecca's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This book is littered in tropes, and the characters are pretty one dimensional. It leans a lot on making women seem crazy and villanizing mental illness. All for a plot arc that isn't very twisty or thrilling in the end. It's very dialogue heavy so it reads fast, at least.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexism, Mental illness, and Blood

Moderate: Infidelity

cnannery19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Blood, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

erickadishion's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Violence, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Mental illness