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marsetta's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Net Galley and JJP for the chance to read this book for an honest review.
Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.
Louise Leighton’s life has fallen apart, all because of one fateful night. Her husband is an adulterer, her sister is his mistress, and soon, Louise will lose everything she owns. But she never imagined she would lose her daughter.
Eighteen-year-old Brooke Leighton is missing. It’s up to Louise and the Metropolitan Police to find her. Has Brooke run away? Or has she been taken against her will? And can Louise aid the investigation without mentioning the night where all of her troubles began?
If she mentions that night, she will incriminate her daughter for heinous crimes. But if she doesn’t, she may never find Brooke; and if she has been abducted, the person who took her may come for Louise, too.
Sometimes the past comes back to kill you.
Before starting this book, as normal, I read some of the other reviewers comments and found out that this author is only 23 years old, what a brilliant debut novel.
When I first finished this book, I was only going to rate it 3 stars, but then the more I thought about it, and as a mother myself, I started to think, what lengths would I go to to protect my own child, which I suppose is what ever author wants you to do (thinking about the book even after you've finished it).
Definitely a great story, and a quick read. I've already read My Girl and can't wait for more from this author.
http://crimeandmysterybookreview.wordpress.com
Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.
Louise Leighton’s life has fallen apart, all because of one fateful night. Her husband is an adulterer, her sister is his mistress, and soon, Louise will lose everything she owns. But she never imagined she would lose her daughter.
Eighteen-year-old Brooke Leighton is missing. It’s up to Louise and the Metropolitan Police to find her. Has Brooke run away? Or has she been taken against her will? And can Louise aid the investigation without mentioning the night where all of her troubles began?
If she mentions that night, she will incriminate her daughter for heinous crimes. But if she doesn’t, she may never find Brooke; and if she has been abducted, the person who took her may come for Louise, too.
Sometimes the past comes back to kill you.
Before starting this book, as normal, I read some of the other reviewers comments and found out that this author is only 23 years old, what a brilliant debut novel.
When I first finished this book, I was only going to rate it 3 stars, but then the more I thought about it, and as a mother myself, I started to think, what lengths would I go to to protect my own child, which I suppose is what ever author wants you to do (thinking about the book even after you've finished it).
Definitely a great story, and a quick read. I've already read My Girl and can't wait for more from this author.
http://crimeandmysterybookreview.wordpress.com
portybelle's review against another edition
5.0
Anything for Her is the enthralling story of a family's rapid disintegration following the traumatic events of 'that night'. Michael and Louise's marriage is in crisis following his confession that he has been having an affair with her sister Denise. His justification for the affair is that Louise has been cold and distant since something which happened one night almost a year ago. Their daughter, Brooke, has also been affected by that night turning from an outgoing teenager into a reclusive girl, with no friends who rarely goes out. Michael has huge problems of his own which also threaten the family's security.
This book is one of those where you just have to keep reading 'just one more chapter'! And the chapters are usually quite short but there is so much happening in them that you just want to read on. Very gradually you start to get a feel for what has happened that night. Though I say gradually, this is by no means a slow burner of a story. It is a very fast paced book with secrets and guilts which are eating away at the family.
At the centre of the story is the dilemma faced by Louise: what would you do to protect your loved ones? Louise has helped her daughter cover something up and although it has clearly affected them both, life seems to be moving on. But now the past is catching up with them in terrifying ways. As the book goes on, you can really feel the horror and panic felt by Louise. When Brooke goes missing, she really doesn't know what to do. If she tells the police the reason why she may be missing they are both is serious trouble but if she doesn't, Brooke may be in danger. A real Catch 22 situation which just gets worse and worse in this nailbiting book.
Although this is a lot darker than many books I read, I found it a compelling read. It is very well written and cleverly plotted and rattles along at a fair old pace. It is not a formulaic thriller and I certainly did not predict how the book would end. This is an assured debut novel from this young writer who could easily be one of the top thriller writers of the future. I am sure that we will be hearing the name Jack Jordan a lot in years to come and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for his books.
This book is one of those where you just have to keep reading 'just one more chapter'! And the chapters are usually quite short but there is so much happening in them that you just want to read on. Very gradually you start to get a feel for what has happened that night. Though I say gradually, this is by no means a slow burner of a story. It is a very fast paced book with secrets and guilts which are eating away at the family.
At the centre of the story is the dilemma faced by Louise: what would you do to protect your loved ones? Louise has helped her daughter cover something up and although it has clearly affected them both, life seems to be moving on. But now the past is catching up with them in terrifying ways. As the book goes on, you can really feel the horror and panic felt by Louise. When Brooke goes missing, she really doesn't know what to do. If she tells the police the reason why she may be missing they are both is serious trouble but if she doesn't, Brooke may be in danger. A real Catch 22 situation which just gets worse and worse in this nailbiting book.
Although this is a lot darker than many books I read, I found it a compelling read. It is very well written and cleverly plotted and rattles along at a fair old pace. It is not a formulaic thriller and I certainly did not predict how the book would end. This is an assured debut novel from this young writer who could easily be one of the top thriller writers of the future. I am sure that we will be hearing the name Jack Jordan a lot in years to come and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for his books.
fuzzyduckky's review against another edition
5.0
***I won this book in a goodreads giveaway and very excited to receive my copy. Many thanks to the author for hosting this giveaway***
I can't believe that this is Jack Jordan's first book! In the words & actions of Jack he truly has the right to 'wave his book in the air with a gleeful smile' read the acknowledgements section).
Without going into to much detail (I don't want to spoil anything for you potential readers!), the story is about a strong bond between mother and daughter which is strengthened and also put to the test by that eventful night know as 'That Night'. Not only has 'That Night' changed them, but it has also put pressure on the entire family which also led to unfortunate circumstances.
I actually really enjoyed this book. It fast paced and just kept you wanting more. I liked the fact that 'That Night' was not reveled for some time, but then reveled in tiny snippets. However, you do at times find yourself asking "But what happened!", which is great, you feel part of the story! The writing style is reader friendly and great and flows nicely. My only criticism is the layout of the book and very large font.
I can't wait to read more from Jack.
I can't believe that this is Jack Jordan's first book! In the words & actions of Jack he truly has the right to 'wave his book in the air with a gleeful smile' read the acknowledgements section).
Without going into to much detail (I don't want to spoil anything for you potential readers!), the story is about a strong bond between mother and daughter which is strengthened and also put to the test by that eventful night know as 'That Night'. Not only has 'That Night' changed them, but it has also put pressure on the entire family which also led to unfortunate circumstances.
I actually really enjoyed this book. It fast paced and just kept you wanting more. I liked the fact that 'That Night' was not reveled for some time, but then reveled in tiny snippets. However, you do at times find yourself asking "But what happened!", which is great, you feel part of the story! The writing style is reader friendly and great and flows nicely. My only criticism is the layout of the book and very large font.
I can't wait to read more from Jack.
roypetter's review
3.0
A fun thriller! :) It is initially torn between beeing a realistic, moving noir and a more soapy, Sidney Sheldon-esque suspense novel, and (in my opinion, at least) unfortunately settles on being the latter. But enjoyable!
yvo_about_books's review
4.5
Finished reading: May 3rd 2017
"What I've learned, Dominic, is that it isn't us that's weird, for not following the rules - it's those who cannot think for themselves that are the weird ones."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and JJP in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
I actually added this title to my list shortly after reading and enjoying My Girl last year, and I'm still not sure why it took me this long to finally pick it up. I'm a big fan of psychological thrillers and I really like Jack Jordan's writing style. It's fast, it's entertaining and it manages to catch your attention right from the first page. Anything For Her starts out strong and stays that way during the rest of the story. The whole mystery around 'that night' is intriguing and definitely makes you want to keep on reading... I don't think I agree with the choices the main character Louise makes, but it is without doubt a very suspenseful read with quite a few plot twists. I sort of saw some of them coming, but others managed to surprise me and all in all I had a very good experience reading this book. In fact, I think I enjoyed this debut even slightly better than My Girl... Although both titles are more than recommended. The characters are without doubt interesting as well even though some are not all that likeable, and it was quite easy to relate to most of them (not the cheating husband though; he deserves the worst). If you are looking for your next psychological thriller read, Anything For Her is a great choice.
If you like suspenseful reads that are both well written, keep you on the edge of your seat and entertain you along the way, Anything For Her is a great choice. The characters are maybe not all that likeable, but they feel realistic and 'that night' will haunt you right until you find out the complete truth. There are some very interesting plot twists as well and I liked the ending, which was quite original. Recommended!
liisp_cvr2cvr's review
5.0
I’m sorry… ‘Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you‘??? Nah… the past ALWAYS comes back to haunt you… and sometimes it may kill. Mostly though past comes to be a major pain in the hole.
Before I go into rambling about the book, let me just leave this here: W-O-W!
I liked My Girl by Jack Jordan, but Anything for Her was MILES better for me and I rated My Girl 4 stars. Goes without saying that I’m going to slap a ‘grim, what the hell are these people like‘ 5 stars on this one!
From sentence one… ONE… this novel starts with a massive bang. And the bang? Well, it doesn’t die out, it doesn’t leave you with a faint echo of awesomeness, it simply is and continues to be impactful and present and it’s ‘loudness’ will start to grate on your ears and reverberate your core… basically… it’s the longest crash you’ll ever read and witness. The. Longest. Because that one night in the past, a year ago, has snowballed, gathered momentum and everything goes Express style to Turdville!
Louise had never wanted her husband to die. Not until he ripped their family apart. Testicular cancer? Rabies? A fatal fall from a windy clifftop? Lightning strike to his adulterous crotch? She hadn’t decided. All she knew was, once a husband told her wife that he had been having an affair with her younger sister, it was more than acceptable, if not entirely necessary, for his wife to imagine his gruesome death over and over for her own pleasure.
Louise, Michael and their two kids, Brooke (18) and Dominic (10) were well off, everything was hunky dory. Love and sunshine and rainbows, mostly. But when Michael confesses that he has been ‘servicing’ Louise’s sister for the past 10 month, because of THAT NIGHT, that’s exactly the moment THAT NIGHT from the past finds a way in the door to deliver judgement! With emotions running high, Jordan starts to tease you with snippets, teeny tiny snippets, of something bigger, darker and deadlier than Michael’s ding-dong in Denise and his other looming trouble (for you to find out as you’re reading, courtesy of yours truly).
As Louise packs a bag to go ‘be in peace’ and leaves her kids behind her, she has no idea that her drinking session in the country house will have a bigger effect on her life than a simple hangover….
She began to cry where she lay, the rain soaking through her clothes and dripping from her skin and hair. Her sobs were almost silenced by the orchestra of the wind, the thrashing trees, and the noisy rush of the rain.
I deserve this, she thought. I deserve everything I get.
But…
I don’t want to talk about the plot any more… I think even the blurb gives away a bit too much… but that’s just imho. Be warned and be assured that in this book there are surprises, there are horrible happenings and one big dysfunctional family.
Michael, you dirty dog, I am looking at you! Weak male specimen! And Louise, really? And Denise, really-really?
I’m telling you… a whole pile of shit decisions!
Without a shadow of a doubt, this book was thrilling to the max. It was the most twisted, darkest thing I’ve read in a while and it was delivered brilliantly. I read it in one sitting long into the night (hence my bloodshot eyes today at work) but I just could not put it down. Everything- from me feeling disdain towards most of the characters, feeling hooked, feeling disbelief and hollering out in glee for this brilliantly evil plot- was just a perfect mix!
The writing was fantastic. I loved how Jordan managed to make me feel every emotion, every setting, every scene. I most felt for Dominic, the 10 year old boy who was born into these horrible circumstances to parents that were seemingly unable to make the right decisions and came across directly put- selfish as f*ck. Louise, Michael and Brooke being in their own kinds of trouble gave them NO right to forget that there is a little confused boy in the mix of it all… But the feelings of suspense and foreboding were so greatly written I nearly felt horrified at times. And being so utterly overwhelmed by the emotions, my heart rate went up and that was a valid reason for me to skip my evening walk because my state of high alert felt like exercise enough.
Now, I was soooo afraid of finding out about THAT NIGHT because Jordan really teases with it… often and effectively… and I was just there- oh, Lord Jesus, save me from this agony, what happened that night?– Ha! Just kidding, LJ wouldn’t give me the time of day, and anyway, I didn’t really want or need saving. Jordan’s teasing was just so much suspense. Suspense is good, but at the back of my head I was afraid of the ‘big reveal’ to be something predictable. And that I was going to be pricked by the twist as if with a needle and be deflated like a spit-filled balloon.
Never have I ever been more happy (I actually feel awful saying this considering what happened in the book, but you other psychos get my gist) to discover that the twistedness and the darkness and the awfulness and the disgust and the genius of pulling the plot together did not let me down. Jack Jordan, I salute you- THIS is how you create a harrowing read!
The ending was another aspect I was afraid to get to. How does Jordan end a book that’s been delivering in terms of a strong start, a strong middle and the overall continuous wonderful horribleness?
I, for one, wasn’t disappointed. I doubt anyone could really be disappointed by this ending. The finale prior to reaching that 100% reading progress mark on my Kindle, was 3 parts bittersweet, 3 parts ‘truth shall set you free‘, 3 parts painful and deadly and 1 part baffled little boy who will forever think he was abandoned.
5*- Loved this book for for the reading experience it gave me! Recommended for thriller fans!
Before I go into rambling about the book, let me just leave this here: W-O-W!
I liked My Girl by Jack Jordan, but Anything for Her was MILES better for me and I rated My Girl 4 stars. Goes without saying that I’m going to slap a ‘grim, what the hell are these people like‘ 5 stars on this one!
From sentence one… ONE… this novel starts with a massive bang. And the bang? Well, it doesn’t die out, it doesn’t leave you with a faint echo of awesomeness, it simply is and continues to be impactful and present and it’s ‘loudness’ will start to grate on your ears and reverberate your core… basically… it’s the longest crash you’ll ever read and witness. The. Longest. Because that one night in the past, a year ago, has snowballed, gathered momentum and everything goes Express style to Turdville!
Louise had never wanted her husband to die. Not until he ripped their family apart. Testicular cancer? Rabies? A fatal fall from a windy clifftop? Lightning strike to his adulterous crotch? She hadn’t decided. All she knew was, once a husband told her wife that he had been having an affair with her younger sister, it was more than acceptable, if not entirely necessary, for his wife to imagine his gruesome death over and over for her own pleasure.
Louise, Michael and their two kids, Brooke (18) and Dominic (10) were well off, everything was hunky dory. Love and sunshine and rainbows, mostly. But when Michael confesses that he has been ‘servicing’ Louise’s sister for the past 10 month, because of THAT NIGHT, that’s exactly the moment THAT NIGHT from the past finds a way in the door to deliver judgement! With emotions running high, Jordan starts to tease you with snippets, teeny tiny snippets, of something bigger, darker and deadlier than Michael’s ding-dong in Denise and his other looming trouble (for you to find out as you’re reading, courtesy of yours truly).
As Louise packs a bag to go ‘be in peace’ and leaves her kids behind her, she has no idea that her drinking session in the country house will have a bigger effect on her life than a simple hangover….
She began to cry where she lay, the rain soaking through her clothes and dripping from her skin and hair. Her sobs were almost silenced by the orchestra of the wind, the thrashing trees, and the noisy rush of the rain.
I deserve this, she thought. I deserve everything I get.
But…
I don’t want to talk about the plot any more… I think even the blurb gives away a bit too much… but that’s just imho. Be warned and be assured that in this book there are surprises, there are horrible happenings and one big dysfunctional family.
Michael, you dirty dog, I am looking at you! Weak male specimen! And Louise, really? And Denise, really-really?
I’m telling you… a whole pile of shit decisions!
Without a shadow of a doubt, this book was thrilling to the max. It was the most twisted, darkest thing I’ve read in a while and it was delivered brilliantly. I read it in one sitting long into the night (hence my bloodshot eyes today at work) but I just could not put it down. Everything- from me feeling disdain towards most of the characters, feeling hooked, feeling disbelief and hollering out in glee for this brilliantly evil plot- was just a perfect mix!
The writing was fantastic. I loved how Jordan managed to make me feel every emotion, every setting, every scene. I most felt for Dominic, the 10 year old boy who was born into these horrible circumstances to parents that were seemingly unable to make the right decisions and came across directly put- selfish as f*ck. Louise, Michael and Brooke being in their own kinds of trouble gave them NO right to forget that there is a little confused boy in the mix of it all… But the feelings of suspense and foreboding were so greatly written I nearly felt horrified at times. And being so utterly overwhelmed by the emotions, my heart rate went up and that was a valid reason for me to skip my evening walk because my state of high alert felt like exercise enough.
Now, I was soooo afraid of finding out about THAT NIGHT because Jordan really teases with it… often and effectively… and I was just there- oh, Lord Jesus, save me from this agony, what happened that night?– Ha! Just kidding, LJ wouldn’t give me the time of day, and anyway, I didn’t really want or need saving. Jordan’s teasing was just so much suspense. Suspense is good, but at the back of my head I was afraid of the ‘big reveal’ to be something predictable. And that I was going to be pricked by the twist as if with a needle and be deflated like a spit-filled balloon.
Never have I ever been more happy (I actually feel awful saying this considering what happened in the book, but you other psychos get my gist) to discover that the twistedness and the darkness and the awfulness and the disgust and the genius of pulling the plot together did not let me down. Jack Jordan, I salute you- THIS is how you create a harrowing read!
The ending was another aspect I was afraid to get to. How does Jordan end a book that’s been delivering in terms of a strong start, a strong middle and the overall continuous wonderful horribleness?
I, for one, wasn’t disappointed. I doubt anyone could really be disappointed by this ending. The finale prior to reaching that 100% reading progress mark on my Kindle, was 3 parts bittersweet, 3 parts ‘truth shall set you free‘, 3 parts painful and deadly and 1 part baffled little boy who will forever think he was abandoned.
5*- Loved this book for for the reading experience it gave me! Recommended for thriller fans!
zedoeee's review against another edition
3.0
This is certainly a thriller. It kept my attention all the way until the end, but boy is it nasty! People are heartless! I didn't connect with any of the characters unfortunately but the writing is good and if you like thrillers this is likely a fantastic book for you.
leona_omahony's review against another edition
4.0
Anything for her is the first novel by Jack Jordan and a book which I highly recommend if you like dark psychological thrillers. I read this book in one sitting because I wanted to find out what the dark secret was.
sarahs_bookish_life's review against another edition
4.0
I really wasn't to sure about this book when I first started it yet the author had me really intrigued. I couldn't have put it down even if I had wanted to. I had to know what secret Louise and her daughter Brooke were hiding and boy what a secret it is.
From the start the reader realises straight away that the Leighton family has some serious issues to deal with but they are not quite as straight forward as we are led to believe. As the story unfolds my perception of Louise, Michael and Brooke changed, there is only Dominic the son, who is so innocent and sweet, that I had great empathy for throughout the book.
Anything for Her is a gripping read which by the end of the book my heart was beating ten to the dozen. The story is quite gruelling in parts and it certainly is not one for the faint hearted. If like me though, you like to be shocked by unexpected twists you will love this.
A definite must read that messes with your head.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
From the start the reader realises straight away that the Leighton family has some serious issues to deal with but they are not quite as straight forward as we are led to believe. As the story unfolds my perception of Louise, Michael and Brooke changed, there is only Dominic the son, who is so innocent and sweet, that I had great empathy for throughout the book.
Anything for Her is a gripping read which by the end of the book my heart was beating ten to the dozen. The story is quite gruelling in parts and it certainly is not one for the faint hearted. If like me though, you like to be shocked by unexpected twists you will love this.
A definite must read that messes with your head.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
bibliophilebookclub's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed Anything For Her. It starts with a bang and it just keeps on going. It delivers a couple of shocks throughout as well. We know that Louise and her daughter have a secret and the willingness for the reader to learn the secret is what keeps you reading the book! Morbid curiosity just draws you in!