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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
📚 Book Review 📚
Title: Don't Look Back by Jo Spain
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love Jo Spain books as I always find them so gripping and Don't Look Back did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this one and it kept me on the edge of my seat, I didn't want to put it down until I got to the end! However, it wasn't my favorite of her books and some of the plot lines and decisions by the characters did make me not enjoy this one as much as her other books, I usually give her books 5 stars but I still really enjoyed this one. As usual with her books the tension builds right from page one and keeps you in suspense right throughout. I found myself guessing wrongly about where it was going to go and I love that in a book!
The writing was easy to read and the characterization was great. I loved Mickey's character in this, she seems like a badass that you definitely would want on your side and she really does go the extra mile for Luke in this. I also loved the detective, Marcel in this. I wasn't as much a fan of Luke and how he basically love bombs Rose. While Rose's character I loved in parts and was sceptical in others, particularly towards the end when some things got unraveled.
The book mainly tells the story of Luke and his wife Rose who surprises him with a belated honeymoon to paradise. However, on the last day of the honeymoon Rose confesses that something terrible happened the day they left, a violent piece of her past tracked her down and attacked her in their home. Now there's a dead body in the apartment and only one person Luke can think to turn to. Mickey never expected to hear from Luke. Mickey can't deny a woman who needs help and agrees to help Luke and Rose.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and if you're a fan of Jo Spain or thriller books in general I would recommend it.
#bookblogger #bookrecs #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookrecommendation #thrillerbooks #booksbooksbooks
Title: Don't Look Back by Jo Spain
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love Jo Spain books as I always find them so gripping and Don't Look Back did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this one and it kept me on the edge of my seat, I didn't want to put it down until I got to the end! However, it wasn't my favorite of her books and some of the plot lines and decisions by the characters did make me not enjoy this one as much as her other books, I usually give her books 5 stars but I still really enjoyed this one. As usual with her books the tension builds right from page one and keeps you in suspense right throughout. I found myself guessing wrongly about where it was going to go and I love that in a book!
The writing was easy to read and the characterization was great. I loved Mickey's character in this, she seems like a badass that you definitely would want on your side and she really does go the extra mile for Luke in this. I also loved the detective, Marcel in this. I wasn't as much a fan of Luke and how he basically love bombs Rose. While Rose's character I loved in parts and was sceptical in others, particularly towards the end when some things got unraveled.
The book mainly tells the story of Luke and his wife Rose who surprises him with a belated honeymoon to paradise. However, on the last day of the honeymoon Rose confesses that something terrible happened the day they left, a violent piece of her past tracked her down and attacked her in their home. Now there's a dead body in the apartment and only one person Luke can think to turn to. Mickey never expected to hear from Luke. Mickey can't deny a woman who needs help and agrees to help Luke and Rose.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and if you're a fan of Jo Spain or thriller books in general I would recommend it.
#bookblogger #bookrecs #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookrecommendation #thrillerbooks #booksbooksbooks
challenging
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
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
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Rape, Blood, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Infidelity
dark
mysterious
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:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Finished reading: June 17th 2024
“Mickey knows that people can and will go to any lengths for revenge.”
I've been meaning to read another Jo Spain thriller for a while and it seems like my TBR jar agreed and chose Don't Look Back as my next TBR jar pick. I was definitely excited, as I always love a story with a travel element and the blurb sounded SO good. I've been looking forward to dive in, and I have to say that this psychological thriller more than delivered for me. I couldn't stop reading! This story has multiple settings and POVs, taking us to a (fictional) Caribbean island, Ireland and London along the way. The different storylines were easy follow though, and there was an urgency about it all that makes it impossible to stop turning those pages. I especially loved the chapters set on the Caribbean island, although I enjoyed Mickey and Elliot's investigation into Rose and Kevin as well. I had a few ideas about what was going on, but the clever use of twists and clues kept me in the dark about the full picture for a long time. Sure, I knew something was wrong, but the not knowing exactly why made it SO hard to put Don't Look Back down. I literally finished it in less than a day, and it has reminded me just how much I enjoy her writing. I need to find time to read more of her backlist ASAP!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
dark
mysterious
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
Luke and Rose have had a blissful week on a Caribbean island, a surprise that Rose organised as a belated honeymoon. At least that's what she told Luke. When it comes time to leave, Rose makes a startling confession - a violent ex had tracked her down and broken in to their apartment, and in her fear Rose lashed out and killed him, booking the surprise trip to escape from what had happened, and leaving the dead body where it was. Luke promises Rose he will help her move on from this, but as events escalate even Luke wonders if he is out of his depth.
I went in to this one blind, just knowing it was a Jo Spain book but not having read the blurb. As always Spain creates a very believable set of characters and circumstances, so much so that you could almost see this as a true story.
Luke and Rose both start out as incredibly sympathetic characters. Rose has had a hard life, and Luke is the man who has helped her to piece her life back together. He wants to stand by her whatever has happened. They are both edgy and terrified, and you can feel their fear. As things start to unfold you begin to question both of the characters and whether they are who you first thought. By the end of the book I wasn't sure whether I really liked either of them anymore, but either way their story makes for compelling reading.
The events at the centre of this novel kept me engrossed from start to finish. It's a page turner of a book, even though the big things happen very early on and the majority of the book is spent untangling how this series of events came about. I thought it was very well done. Each time I thought I had a handle on what was going on Spain threw another spanner in the works and had me re-thinking.
The ending was intriguing too, not what I expected but a very interesting take.
Trigger Warnings: Domestic violence, sexual violence.
I went in to this one blind, just knowing it was a Jo Spain book but not having read the blurb. As always Spain creates a very believable set of characters and circumstances, so much so that you could almost see this as a true story.
Luke and Rose both start out as incredibly sympathetic characters. Rose has had a hard life, and Luke is the man who has helped her to piece her life back together. He wants to stand by her whatever has happened. They are both edgy and terrified, and you can feel their fear. As things start to unfold you begin to question both of the characters and whether they are who you first thought. By the end of the book I wasn't sure whether I really liked either of them anymore, but either way their story makes for compelling reading.
The events at the centre of this novel kept me engrossed from start to finish. It's a page turner of a book, even though the big things happen very early on and the majority of the book is spent untangling how this series of events came about. I thought it was very well done. Each time I thought I had a handle on what was going on Spain threw another spanner in the works and had me re-thinking.
The ending was intriguing too, not what I expected but a very interesting take.
Trigger Warnings: Domestic violence, sexual violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence
