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thephdivabooks's review against another edition
5.0
A fast-paced thriller that will have your head spinning as you try to figure out what happened to Paolo!!
And Then You Were Gone is a unique thriller that features a leading character who has been successfully managing her bipolar disorder for years—a fact that is called into question when her boyfriend disappears.
This was truly an unputdownable one for me!
Fantastic writing, engaging mystery, and a relatable lead character all make this a standout debut novel.
Emily and her boyfriend Paolo are out on a boat together when Emily wakes up to discover Paolo is gone. Emily is adrift on the boat, afraid, and alone. And there is no clear sign on foul play! Though Emily is afraid of the water, Paolo certainly is not. He’s a strong swimmer and the chances he drowned are slim.
I’m always fascinated by missing person mysteries more than any other type, because there are such a huge range of outcomes! Are they alive? Ran away? Kidnapped? Hiding? Lost? The puzzle keeps me guessing.
The set up for this really engaged me! I couldn’t figure out what I thought happened, because there just weren’t a lot of clues. In the weeks after his disappearance, Emily spirals. As everyone moves on and mourns his almost certain death, Emily can’t accept it. If he died, why can’t they find a body?
There is the added layer of Emily’s mental health that was executed so well. I’ve actually had the opportunity to chat a bit with the author, and I know he is a psychologist. It really shows in this book—he describes Emily’s bipolar disorder, treatment, and her fear that her careful balance she has worked to maintain may slip.
The police question Emily when they discover her medication on the boat. Did she drug Paolo? Were they taking recreational drugs? It was such an interesting and unfortunately accurate story. One that happens all of the time.
And the mystery itself? Lightening-paced and fascinating! As you begin to learn more about what may have been the context of Paolo’s disappearance (and I won’t say what that is because it is so fun to learn about in the book), you will have a hard time putting this one down!
Truly—one of the most engaging psychological thrillers I’ve read this year!
And Then You Were Gone is a unique thriller that features a leading character who has been successfully managing her bipolar disorder for years—a fact that is called into question when her boyfriend disappears.
This was truly an unputdownable one for me!
Fantastic writing, engaging mystery, and a relatable lead character all make this a standout debut novel.
Emily and her boyfriend Paolo are out on a boat together when Emily wakes up to discover Paolo is gone. Emily is adrift on the boat, afraid, and alone. And there is no clear sign on foul play! Though Emily is afraid of the water, Paolo certainly is not. He’s a strong swimmer and the chances he drowned are slim.
I’m always fascinated by missing person mysteries more than any other type, because there are such a huge range of outcomes! Are they alive? Ran away? Kidnapped? Hiding? Lost? The puzzle keeps me guessing.
The set up for this really engaged me! I couldn’t figure out what I thought happened, because there just weren’t a lot of clues. In the weeks after his disappearance, Emily spirals. As everyone moves on and mourns his almost certain death, Emily can’t accept it. If he died, why can’t they find a body?
There is the added layer of Emily’s mental health that was executed so well. I’ve actually had the opportunity to chat a bit with the author, and I know he is a psychologist. It really shows in this book—he describes Emily’s bipolar disorder, treatment, and her fear that her careful balance she has worked to maintain may slip.
The police question Emily when they discover her medication on the boat. Did she drug Paolo? Were they taking recreational drugs? It was such an interesting and unfortunately accurate story. One that happens all of the time.
And the mystery itself? Lightening-paced and fascinating! As you begin to learn more about what may have been the context of Paolo’s disappearance (and I won’t say what that is because it is so fun to learn about in the book), you will have a hard time putting this one down!
Truly—one of the most engaging psychological thrillers I’ve read this year!
d_liountris's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nahyee's review against another edition
5.0
See my full review of this title on my blog: Books Under the Blanket (with a flashlight): https://booksundertheblanket.com/we-all-lose-our-minds-sometimes/
readinginthe_pnw's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
wljr's review against another edition
3.0
Emily wakes up on an overnight boat trip with her boyfriend Paolo to find that he’s missing. The Police believe he fell overboard but Emily doesn’t think so. The books follows Emily as she tries to put her life back together and figure out what happened to Paolo, all while struggling with bipolar disorder.
While I was intrigued by the synopsis, parts of it were cofusing and it was a bit all over the place. It moved very slowly in the beginning and then felt very rushed at the end. About half way through I thought I had it all figured out but was presently surprised when there were a few more twists I didn’t expect.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy to read and review, all opinions are my own.
While I was intrigued by the synopsis, parts of it were cofusing and it was a bit all over the place. It moved very slowly in the beginning and then felt very rushed at the end. About half way through I thought I had it all figured out but was presently surprised when there were a few more twists I didn’t expect.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy to read and review, all opinions are my own.
_tamara8464's review
3.0
This was a good read. It wasn’t boring and kept my interested in the story. I think the ending was suppose to surprise the reader but it was predictable.
thereadrose's review
2.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“After years of learning how to manage her bipolar disorder, Emily Firestone finally has it under control. Even better, her life is coming together: she’s got a great job, her own place, and a boyfriend, Paolo, who adores her. So when Paolo suggests a weekend sailing trip, Emily agrees—wine, water, and the man she loves? What could be better? But when Emily wakes the morning after they set sail, the boat is still adrift...and Paolo is gone.”
I’m only going to post the first paragraph of the synopsis because frankly, I feel like the description gave too much away about this story.
I feel so conflicted about this book. And Then You Were Gone was gifted to me in 2019 and I am just now getting around to reading it due to personal matters.
However, it was a little crazy reading a book that tries to prevent the spread of a possible epidemic/pandemic, when since this book was published, as we all know, a global pandemic did transpire. It was interesting to hear the perspective of a relative who had died from an infectious disease, as well as the scientific side of it. Did I understand what they were talking about? No. Did I get the gist? Yes.
However, I do not like the the-main-character-has-a-mental-illness-so-she-must-be-crazy-and-guilty stereotype that goes along with the stigma of mental illness. I feel like it's a low blow and honestly, a little cheap. As someone who suffers from ADHD, G.A.D., and severe depression, it's just not the most progressive point of view, especially with the author being a man writing in the POV of a “crazy” woman.
I DID like that Emily, the main character was a psychologist, I think, and that the story was based in Nashville. I say, “I think” because the story seemed to be more about her mental illness rather than her being successful in her field.
As far as the plotline goes, I only had one theory in mind while reading this story, which included a slight “twist” and I was proven 100% correct. I’m not someone who will give a thriller/mystery a low rating if I guess the ending correctly. I will however rate a book low if it feels like not much thought had been put into the the resolution. I didn’t find anything about this story “thrilling” besides the structure of the story that meets the bare minimum qualifications of a thriller novel.
There’s a possibility that I’d read a more recent work from this author, to see if he has, hopefully, evolved as a writer.
“After years of learning how to manage her bipolar disorder, Emily Firestone finally has it under control. Even better, her life is coming together: she’s got a great job, her own place, and a boyfriend, Paolo, who adores her. So when Paolo suggests a weekend sailing trip, Emily agrees—wine, water, and the man she loves? What could be better? But when Emily wakes the morning after they set sail, the boat is still adrift...and Paolo is gone.”
I’m only going to post the first paragraph of the synopsis because frankly, I feel like the description gave too much away about this story.
I feel so conflicted about this book. And Then You Were Gone was gifted to me in 2019 and I am just now getting around to reading it due to personal matters.
However, it was a little crazy reading a book that tries to prevent the spread of a possible epidemic/pandemic, when since this book was published, as we all know, a global pandemic did transpire. It was interesting to hear the perspective of a relative who had died from an infectious disease, as well as the scientific side of it. Did I understand what they were talking about? No. Did I get the gist? Yes.
However, I do not like the the-main-character-has-a-mental-illness-so-she-must-be-crazy-and-guilty stereotype that goes along with the stigma of mental illness. I feel like it's a low blow and honestly, a little cheap. As someone who suffers from ADHD, G.A.D., and severe depression, it's just not the most progressive point of view, especially with the author being a man writing in the POV of a “crazy” woman.
I DID like that Emily, the main character was a psychologist, I think, and that the story was based in Nashville. I say, “I think” because the story seemed to be more about her mental illness rather than her being successful in her field.
As far as the plotline goes, I only had one theory in mind while reading this story, which included a slight “twist” and I was proven 100% correct. I’m not someone who will give a thriller/mystery a low rating if I guess the ending correctly. I will however rate a book low if it feels like not much thought had been put into the the resolution. I didn’t find anything about this story “thrilling” besides the structure of the story that meets the bare minimum qualifications of a thriller novel.
There’s a possibility that I’d read a more recent work from this author, to see if he has, hopefully, evolved as a writer.
averill_lavigne's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and kept me locked in! I just couldn’t put it down!