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I Invited Her In
A gripping story of friendship and betrayal from international best-selling author Adele Parks
‘I invited her in… and she took everything.’
When Mel hears from a long-lost friend in need of help, she doesn’t hesitate to invite her to stay. Mel and Abi were best friends back in the day, sharing the highs and lows of student life, until Mel’s unplanned pregnancy made her drop out of her studies.
Now, seventeen years later, Mel and Abi’s lives couldn’t be more different. Mel is happily married, having raised her son on her own before meeting her husband, Ben. Now they share gorgeous girls and have a chaotic but happy family home, with three children.
Abi, meanwhile, followed her lover to LA for a glamorous life of parties, celebrity and indulgence. Everything was perfect, until she discovered her partner had been cheating on her. Seventeen years wasted, and nothing to show for it. So what Abi needs now is a true friend to lean on, to share her grief over a glass of wine, and to have some time to heal. And what better place than Mel’s house, with her lovely kids, and supportive husband…
This dark, unsettling tale of the reunion of long-lost friends is thoroughly gripping exploration of wanting what you can’t have, jealousy and revenge from Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks.
498 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2019
About the author
Adele Parks
50 books2,784 followersAdele Parks MBE is one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women's fiction writers in the UK. She has sold over 4 million books and her work has been translated into 30 different languages.
She has published 21 novels, all of which have been London Times bestsellers.
Adele has written 19 contemporary novels and 2 historical ones, Spare Brides and If You Go Away, which are set during and after WW1. Her latest novels, Both of You, Just My Luck, Lies Lies Lies, I Invited Her In, The Image of You and The Stranger in My Home are twisty, domestic noirs. Adele likes to scrutinize our concepts of family, our theories on love, parenting and fidelity.
During her career Adele has lived in Italy, Botswana and London. Now she lives happily in Surrey, UK with her husband, son and cat.
If you want to stay in touch you can find Adele on Twitter @AdeleParks, Instagram @Adele_Parks or Facebook @OfficialAdeleParks. You can sign up to her newsletter at eepurl.com/cI0l and there’s lots more info about Adele and her books on www.adeleparks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,679 reviews
December 13, 2018
Hmmm well... where do I start with I Invited Her In?
With having read MANY thrillers.... it takes a lot to impress this girl right here :). I have read some amazing thrillers this genre but unfortunately this one fell super flat for me.
The premise sounded promising with inviting a long lost girlfriend into your home and her taking everything. But, I was hoping that the author would take a fun spin with this on that tagline. In my opinion, these stories have to have twists, edginess, and keeping you on your toes and then leave you picking up your jaw due to that bang of an ending. This book had ZERO of this.
For starters, the story was WAY too long and dragged on. I keep seeing this pattern of having authors write these long ass books and the story just doesn't hold up? I don't get it? Are they thinking the longer the length... the better the story? Well.. that definitely isn't the case... you either have the charm or you don't.
The story was predictable and I knew what happened before it happened. I think the author could have taken such a thrilling ride with this one and she missed the mark completely on this one. The characters were too cliche and come on Abi? You need to add some umph to this character... if the story was supposed to play out as it did.
After I finishing this book... realized I didn't like it at all. I would not recommend this... and figures I see all these high reviews and I always tend to be the outlier. But, did you expect anything different ;).
2 stars
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Mira for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 2/5/19
Published to GR: 12/13/18
With having read MANY thrillers.... it takes a lot to impress this girl right here :). I have read some amazing thrillers this genre but unfortunately this one fell super flat for me.
The premise sounded promising with inviting a long lost girlfriend into your home and her taking everything. But, I was hoping that the author would take a fun spin with this on that tagline. In my opinion, these stories have to have twists, edginess, and keeping you on your toes and then leave you picking up your jaw due to that bang of an ending. This book had ZERO of this.
For starters, the story was WAY too long and dragged on. I keep seeing this pattern of having authors write these long ass books and the story just doesn't hold up? I don't get it? Are they thinking the longer the length... the better the story? Well.. that definitely isn't the case... you either have the charm or you don't.
The story was predictable and I knew what happened before it happened. I think the author could have taken such a thrilling ride with this one and she missed the mark completely on this one. The characters were too cliche and come on Abi? You need to add some umph to this character... if the story was supposed to play out as it did.
After I finishing this book... realized I didn't like it at all. I would not recommend this... and figures I see all these high reviews and I always tend to be the outlier. But, did you expect anything different ;).
2 stars
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Mira for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 2/5/19
Published to GR: 12/13/18
March 22, 2019
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
I had this novel on my list of upcoming books that I really wanted to read so when I won a copy through Goodreads, I was excited.
“ Imagine the worst thing a friend could ever do”
“This is worse”
Those two lines had me quite intrigued!
Mel is a happily married mother of three. Before she met her husband Ben, it was just her and her son, Liam against the world. Then she married Ben and they had two children together.
One day Mel is scrolling through her email when a familiar name catches her eye stopping her in her tracks. The email’s subject line says “ It’s been too long ”. The message is from her old University friend, Abigail Curtiz. Mel remembers how supportive Abi had been when Mel got pregnant with Liam. But they haven’t seen each other in over 17 years.
After a moment’s hesitation, she opens the message….
Eventually, she will regret opening that email.
It turns out Abi is getting divorced and is coming home to London for a visit. She asks Mel if she would like to meet for a drink. Mel is unsure about meeting Abi. It’s been so long and they’ve led very different lives. But then she impulsively invites Abi to come to see her and meet her family. She’s pretty sure Abi won’t accept the invite.
“You could come for the day or stay for a weekend. Well, whatever works, stay as long as you like!”
Mel receives an almost immediate response from Abi telling her she’d LOVE to visit. Mel is surprised but also excited.
Abi arrives and the two old friends enjoy catching up. However. Abi takes Mel’s “stay as long as you like” to heart. Time passes and Abi doesn’t appear to be making plans to leave. Mel doesn't want to push Abi into leaving. Her husband Ben, on the other hand, has different feelings about the entire situation.
Mel has always been fascinated by Abi’s life. But is Abi’s life really so wonderful?
Then EVERYTHING changes after one of their Girl’s Night Out.
Most of the story is told from Mel and Abi’s point of view, but there are also chapters told from other characters perspectives. I figured out a few things early on, but I was still shocked as some things were revealed. The characters in this story triggered many emotions in me. Abi is one of those characters that many readers may love to hate.
I did feel like the novel could have been a bit shorter. There was a lot of detail and there were times I found myself skimming through the pages.
Overall, I thought this was an interesting domestic suspense novel about friendship, jealousy, betrayal, and revenge.
I'd like to thank MIRA for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
I had this novel on my list of upcoming books that I really wanted to read so when I won a copy through Goodreads, I was excited.
“ Imagine the worst thing a friend could ever do”
“This is worse”
Those two lines had me quite intrigued!
Mel is a happily married mother of three. Before she met her husband Ben, it was just her and her son, Liam against the world. Then she married Ben and they had two children together.
One day Mel is scrolling through her email when a familiar name catches her eye stopping her in her tracks. The email’s subject line says “ It’s been too long ”. The message is from her old University friend, Abigail Curtiz. Mel remembers how supportive Abi had been when Mel got pregnant with Liam. But they haven’t seen each other in over 17 years.
After a moment’s hesitation, she opens the message….
Eventually, she will regret opening that email.
It turns out Abi is getting divorced and is coming home to London for a visit. She asks Mel if she would like to meet for a drink. Mel is unsure about meeting Abi. It’s been so long and they’ve led very different lives. But then she impulsively invites Abi to come to see her and meet her family. She’s pretty sure Abi won’t accept the invite.
“You could come for the day or stay for a weekend. Well, whatever works, stay as long as you like!”
Mel receives an almost immediate response from Abi telling her she’d LOVE to visit. Mel is surprised but also excited.
Abi arrives and the two old friends enjoy catching up. However. Abi takes Mel’s “stay as long as you like” to heart. Time passes and Abi doesn’t appear to be making plans to leave. Mel doesn't want to push Abi into leaving. Her husband Ben, on the other hand, has different feelings about the entire situation.
Mel has always been fascinated by Abi’s life. But is Abi’s life really so wonderful?
Then EVERYTHING changes after one of their Girl’s Night Out.
Most of the story is told from Mel and Abi’s point of view, but there are also chapters told from other characters perspectives. I figured out a few things early on, but I was still shocked as some things were revealed. The characters in this story triggered many emotions in me. Abi is one of those characters that many readers may love to hate.
I did feel like the novel could have been a bit shorter. There was a lot of detail and there were times I found myself skimming through the pages.
Overall, I thought this was an interesting domestic suspense novel about friendship, jealousy, betrayal, and revenge.
I'd like to thank MIRA for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
March 12, 2019
5 stars! I LOVED this book!
Mel and Abi were best friends in university until Mel dropped out due to an unplanned pregnancy, ending their inseparable friendship and all communication between the girls. Seventeen years later, Abi, now a well-known TV personality, shows up on Mel’s doorstep seeking friendship and support after leaving her wealthy and powerful husband. Mel invites Abi to stay in her family home as long as she needs.
This is a tale of love, loyalty, family, revenge, secrets and lies. Brimming with suspense and intrigue, this novel had me glued to the pages from start to finish. The characters were fantastic – some of the most memorable characters I have read about in a very long time – loved them! The witty humour and snark scattered throughout the story had me shocked and laughing.
My connection to the writing was immediate and intense. The pace and flow of the book was flawless. I enjoyed each of the multiple characters perspectives and thought the transitions between each were smooth and fluent. There were a few fantastic twists in this story! I had suspected a couple of the twists (which is shocking for me as I’m not usually a good book detective), yet my enjoyment wasn’t negatively impacted at all by my accurate predictions. This was my first novel by Adele Parks and as you can tell, I was very impressed and am a big fan! I look forward to reading more of her work.
This was a Traveling Sister read. To find this review, please visit our blog at:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/2...
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harlequin and Adele Parks for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Mel and Abi were best friends in university until Mel dropped out due to an unplanned pregnancy, ending their inseparable friendship and all communication between the girls. Seventeen years later, Abi, now a well-known TV personality, shows up on Mel’s doorstep seeking friendship and support after leaving her wealthy and powerful husband. Mel invites Abi to stay in her family home as long as she needs.
This is a tale of love, loyalty, family, revenge, secrets and lies. Brimming with suspense and intrigue, this novel had me glued to the pages from start to finish. The characters were fantastic – some of the most memorable characters I have read about in a very long time – loved them! The witty humour and snark scattered throughout the story had me shocked and laughing.
My connection to the writing was immediate and intense. The pace and flow of the book was flawless. I enjoyed each of the multiple characters perspectives and thought the transitions between each were smooth and fluent. There were a few fantastic twists in this story! I had suspected a couple of the twists (which is shocking for me as I’m not usually a good book detective), yet my enjoyment wasn’t negatively impacted at all by my accurate predictions. This was my first novel by Adele Parks and as you can tell, I was very impressed and am a big fan! I look forward to reading more of her work.
This was a Traveling Sister read. To find this review, please visit our blog at:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/2...
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harlequin and Adele Parks for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
March 7, 2019
Revenge doesn’t have an expiration date. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Abi and Mel were the best of friends years ago, in school together, and completely inseparable until Mel got pregnant and dropped out.
It’s now over 15 years later, and the pair are living vastly different lives when they reconnect. Mel is happily married to Ben, and they have two more children together.
Abi, on the other hand, had been living in LA with her high profile long-term boyfriend only to find out he had been cheating on her all this time.
So, Abi needs a friend and seeks comfort through Mel and is invited into their home to heal.
Things then turn dark and unexpected, illustrating jealousy and revenge amongst friends has no expiration date.
I Invited Her In had several twists I didn’t expect. I loved hearing from all the different characters; it kept my interest piqued. If you’ve ever had a long-term friendship strained, it’s easy to initially connect to this story…though those dark turns are something I hope I never find relatable! 😂 Well-played, Adele Parks! Well-played!
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Abi and Mel were the best of friends years ago, in school together, and completely inseparable until Mel got pregnant and dropped out.
It’s now over 15 years later, and the pair are living vastly different lives when they reconnect. Mel is happily married to Ben, and they have two more children together.
Abi, on the other hand, had been living in LA with her high profile long-term boyfriend only to find out he had been cheating on her all this time.
So, Abi needs a friend and seeks comfort through Mel and is invited into their home to heal.
Things then turn dark and unexpected, illustrating jealousy and revenge amongst friends has no expiration date.
I Invited Her In had several twists I didn’t expect. I loved hearing from all the different characters; it kept my interest piqued. If you’ve ever had a long-term friendship strained, it’s easy to initially connect to this story…though those dark turns are something I hope I never find relatable! 😂 Well-played, Adele Parks! Well-played!
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
February 26, 2019
A story of manipulation, jealously and payback! After 17 long years Abi contacts her friend from college Melanie in hopes of catching up. Abi has been living a life of glamour and luxury in the states and wants to come back to Melanie's small town and visit. Being the good host that she is, Melanie and her family invite Abi into their home with open arms. The problem is now how do they get her to leave?
The family is thrown into a state of disorganization as Abi's arrival seems to captivate and manipulate all of Melanie's time. Mel has always been in a state of infatuation with Abi's popularity in college and 17 years distance has apparently not changed that. In fact she seems even more in awe with her and her star status. Never mind that Abi did not even bother to attend their wedding.
I found the majority of this book to move at a slower pace and found myself getting somewhat frustrated. True in the end it picked up and gave us some twists but some were rather predictable. I found myself wanting to yell at both Mel and her husband Ben to get her out of their house as Abi continued to take advantage of them.
Abi was such an unlikable character I can't even express how much I despised her. Which is odd because usually I think this just makes them all the more interesting. There were just some things that I could not move past. Since it was a slow burn there was time for some great character development and I think that made me feel like I knew Abi even better, which allowed me to hate her even more. The author defiantly was able to stir up my emotions! Even though I enjoyed this book I do wish it would have been a little quicker to develop.
Thank you so much to Harlequin-Mira, Adele Parks and Netgalley for this ARC.
The family is thrown into a state of disorganization as Abi's arrival seems to captivate and manipulate all of Melanie's time. Mel has always been in a state of infatuation with Abi's popularity in college and 17 years distance has apparently not changed that. In fact she seems even more in awe with her and her star status. Never mind that Abi did not even bother to attend their wedding.
I found the majority of this book to move at a slower pace and found myself getting somewhat frustrated. True in the end it picked up and gave us some twists but some were rather predictable. I found myself wanting to yell at both Mel and her husband Ben to get her out of their house as Abi continued to take advantage of them.
Abi was such an unlikable character I can't even express how much I despised her. Which is odd because usually I think this just makes them all the more interesting. There were just some things that I could not move past. Since it was a slow burn there was time for some great character development and I think that made me feel like I knew Abi even better, which allowed me to hate her even more. The author defiantly was able to stir up my emotions! Even though I enjoyed this book I do wish it would have been a little quicker to develop.
Thank you so much to Harlequin-Mira, Adele Parks and Netgalley for this ARC.
February 26, 2019
A dark domestic thriller packed with madness and manipulation!
I invited her in... and she took everything...
This was a brilliantly crafted character study! Adele Parks has skillfully constructed A story about the ultimate betrayal. This is not a story full of twists and turns nor is it supposed to be. It is a story about master manipulation and the motivations behind it. A Book about one woman’s rage and need for revenge and the destruction she leaves in her wake.
Melanie and Abi were the best of friends at University, but when Melanie becomes unexpectedly pregnant and leaves university they slowly drift apart. they both lead very different lives. Melanie is now the mother of three and married to a loving man Ben. Abi has moved to the US and become a celebrity, leading a life of fame and glamour. When Melanie receives an email out of the blue from Abi informing her that she’s coming home. Melanie does not hesitate to invite her to stay at her home. At first Melanie is so excited to have her old BFF back in her life, but soon she discovers Abi’s malicious intent.
Wow Abi was one twisted manipulative angry bitch! Seriously there is no other word to describe her, she was crazy evil! Poor Melanie was left trying to figure out why she was doing this to her and picking up the pieces of her life at the same time. There are a few twists and reveals that I suspected, but that’s not what kept me turning the pages. I had to see what Abi would get up to next, how far was she willing to go? Her fury seem to have no boundaries.
A dark drama about revenge, betrayal , and manipulation! Recommend!
🎧🎧🎧 Joanne Froggatt brilliantly narrates this story! She gives Melanie and Abi their own unique voices. Her Abi Voice was pure perfection, I think she made the character even more witchy, I seriously wanted to smack her many times throughout this book!
🎵🎵🎵Song Running Through My Head
You made a fool of me
But them broken dreams have got to end
Hey, woman, you got the blues
'Cause you ain't got no one else to use
There's an open road that leads nowhere,
So just make some miles between here and there
There's a hole in my head where the rain comes in
You took my body and played to win
Ha, ha, woman, it's a cryin' shame
But you ain't got nobody else to blame.
Evil woman, evil woman, evil woman,
Evil woman.
Rolled in from another town
Hit some gold, too hot to settle down
But a fool and his money soon go separate ways
And you found a fool lyin' in a daze
Ha, ha, woman, what you gonna do?
You destroyed all the virtues that the Lord gave you
It's so good that you're feelin' pain
But you better get your face on board the very next train.
Evil…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w3Vd-PX...
*** Many thanks to harlequin Mira and Harper Audio for my copy of this book ***
I invited her in... and she took everything...
This was a brilliantly crafted character study! Adele Parks has skillfully constructed A story about the ultimate betrayal. This is not a story full of twists and turns nor is it supposed to be. It is a story about master manipulation and the motivations behind it. A Book about one woman’s rage and need for revenge and the destruction she leaves in her wake.
Melanie and Abi were the best of friends at University, but when Melanie becomes unexpectedly pregnant and leaves university they slowly drift apart. they both lead very different lives. Melanie is now the mother of three and married to a loving man Ben. Abi has moved to the US and become a celebrity, leading a life of fame and glamour. When Melanie receives an email out of the blue from Abi informing her that she’s coming home. Melanie does not hesitate to invite her to stay at her home. At first Melanie is so excited to have her old BFF back in her life, but soon she discovers Abi’s malicious intent.
Wow Abi was one twisted manipulative angry bitch! Seriously there is no other word to describe her, she was crazy evil! Poor Melanie was left trying to figure out why she was doing this to her and picking up the pieces of her life at the same time. There are a few twists and reveals that I suspected, but that’s not what kept me turning the pages. I had to see what Abi would get up to next, how far was she willing to go? Her fury seem to have no boundaries.
A dark drama about revenge, betrayal , and manipulation! Recommend!
🎧🎧🎧 Joanne Froggatt brilliantly narrates this story! She gives Melanie and Abi their own unique voices. Her Abi Voice was pure perfection, I think she made the character even more witchy, I seriously wanted to smack her many times throughout this book!
🎵🎵🎵Song Running Through My Head
You made a fool of me
But them broken dreams have got to end
Hey, woman, you got the blues
'Cause you ain't got no one else to use
There's an open road that leads nowhere,
So just make some miles between here and there
There's a hole in my head where the rain comes in
You took my body and played to win
Ha, ha, woman, it's a cryin' shame
But you ain't got nobody else to blame.
Evil woman, evil woman, evil woman,
Evil woman.
Rolled in from another town
Hit some gold, too hot to settle down
But a fool and his money soon go separate ways
And you found a fool lyin' in a daze
Ha, ha, woman, what you gonna do?
You destroyed all the virtues that the Lord gave you
It's so good that you're feelin' pain
But you better get your face on board the very next train.
Evil…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w3Vd-PX...
*** Many thanks to harlequin Mira and Harper Audio for my copy of this book ***
February 28, 2019
They lost touch, she invited her in, shows off her perfect life and she wreaks chaos on their lives.
I Invite Her In is a chilling, twisty emotionally dark story that explores love, betrayal and the illusion and jealousy of happiness. The story starts off a bit slow as we get to know our main characters friends from the past Melanie and Abi as they do some female bonding. They now live very different lives and when successful Abi’s life is turned upside down she reaches out to Melanie and she invites her into her home. The suspense and tension built as Abi’s presence causes friction in the family. We started to see cracks develop in their relationship and things start to heat up to a shocking discovery that left me yelling at some characters. Things started to get heated between me and the characters and I was texting Lindsay with what I wanted to do to the characters. I started turning those pages as fast as I could to find out how this story comes together in the end.
Thank you to Edelweiss, HarperCollins Canada and Adele Parks for providing me with an ARC to read and review!
I Invite Her In is a chilling, twisty emotionally dark story that explores love, betrayal and the illusion and jealousy of happiness. The story starts off a bit slow as we get to know our main characters friends from the past Melanie and Abi as they do some female bonding. They now live very different lives and when successful Abi’s life is turned upside down she reaches out to Melanie and she invites her into her home. The suspense and tension built as Abi’s presence causes friction in the family. We started to see cracks develop in their relationship and things start to heat up to a shocking discovery that left me yelling at some characters. Things started to get heated between me and the characters and I was texting Lindsay with what I wanted to do to the characters. I started turning those pages as fast as I could to find out how this story comes together in the end.
Thank you to Edelweiss, HarperCollins Canada and Adele Parks for providing me with an ARC to read and review!
April 1, 2020
3.75 rounded up!
So many mixed reviews for this domestic suspense novel, and I know I am “late to the party”! 🥳
But, I wanted to try Audible, and since I love Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey) and she is the narrator, I selected this as one of my two books on my 30 day trial..
Of course, I immediately pictured JoAnne Froggatt, as our main protagonist MEL, loving wife and Mum. She was a character I could see being friends with...very real...very relatable.
The writing is deliciously descriptive!
MEL is shocked to receive an email from a friend from UNI, ABIGAIL or ABI, after 17 years estranged.
ABI is everything that MEL is not...a minor celebrity, gorgeous and confident.
And, NOT a woman, I would want to be friends with.
So, Mel is giddy that ABI wants to reconnect and INVITES HER TO STAY, as long as she wants...
She should’ve known there was an ulterior motive!
Now, not having an any experience with Audible...it seemed to be taking forever to get to the WICKED parts...so despite the fact that I WAS enjoying the narration, I ended up switching to READING instead of LISTENING to this at about the 40% mark.
I felt like the author did drop some clues along the way, and I guessed where some of this was headed but there were other twists that I did NOT see coming!!
Just under 4 stars because the initial pace was slow...but perhaps if I had read it the entire time, I would not have felt the same way about the pacing? 🤔
This was my first Adele Parks but I am interested in reading more from this talented author, as I enjoyed her writing style and well developed characters!
So many mixed reviews for this domestic suspense novel, and I know I am “late to the party”! 🥳
But, I wanted to try Audible, and since I love Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey) and she is the narrator, I selected this as one of my two books on my 30 day trial..
Of course, I immediately pictured JoAnne Froggatt, as our main protagonist MEL, loving wife and Mum. She was a character I could see being friends with...very real...very relatable.
The writing is deliciously descriptive!
MEL is shocked to receive an email from a friend from UNI, ABIGAIL or ABI, after 17 years estranged.
ABI is everything that MEL is not...a minor celebrity, gorgeous and confident.
And, NOT a woman, I would want to be friends with.
So, Mel is giddy that ABI wants to reconnect and INVITES HER TO STAY, as long as she wants...
She should’ve known there was an ulterior motive!
Now, not having an any experience with Audible...it seemed to be taking forever to get to the WICKED parts...so despite the fact that I WAS enjoying the narration, I ended up switching to READING instead of LISTENING to this at about the 40% mark.
I felt like the author did drop some clues along the way, and I guessed where some of this was headed but there were other twists that I did NOT see coming!!
Just under 4 stars because the initial pace was slow...but perhaps if I had read it the entire time, I would not have felt the same way about the pacing? 🤔
This was my first Adele Parks but I am interested in reading more from this talented author, as I enjoyed her writing style and well developed characters!
March 6, 2019
Favorite Quotes:
Some people whispered that she was pretentious; they resented the fact that she only enjoyed listening to music on vinyl and was fussy about the strength of coffee beans; she refused to drink beer, sticking exclusively to French red wine; she rarely ate. She was, by far, the most interesting person I’d ever met.
“You’ll still get the fairy tale,” Abi said with her usual cool confidence. “I mean Snow White had seven little fellas hanging off her apron and she still netted a prince.”
Her body leaned into his when he walked into a room, like a compass pointing north.
He’s lucky if I pluck my eyebrows. I just find life busy and tricky enough without having to inflict extra pain on myself for an aesthetic that precisely one person is going to benefit from. I mean, I’d never ask him to put hot wax on his best bits. Ben has never complained about my lack of grooming in that area; it’s not as though he needs help finding his target.
I’m not the sort of shape that’s considered typically desirable. I only stop traffic if I press the button and the lights change.
I throw the phone at the hall wall. It makes a satisfying dent. I can’t believe I once painted that especially for her arrival. More sensible preparation would have been barricading the door, heating tar, sharpening knives.
My Review:
This stunning book was highly addictive and totally consuming; once I got my teeth into it I couldn’t seem to put it down. The writing and storylines were simply phenomenal as start to finish the multiple POV narratives were intensely intriguing, well-crafted, cunningly paced, and just crazy good with jaw-dropping twists that had my digestive system in knots. I was taut with tension, deeply invested and couldn’t read fast enough while also wanting to fully relish every tantalizing detail and shocking revelation. The compelling characters were irresistible, uniquely flawed, and captivatingly nuanced. I was absorbed, fascinated, annoyed, beguiled, frustrated, and horrified, yet I remained overwhelmingly curious while cycling through a variety of reactions to their encounters, inner musings, and shrewd insights. I didn’t think I could have been more impressed or profoundly engaged when an eye-popping and breath-stealing disclosure halfway through actually caused me to gasp, wobble, and nearly fumble my Kindle. I was rocked, and it was sensational! Adele Parks has mad skills and new fangirl.
Some people whispered that she was pretentious; they resented the fact that she only enjoyed listening to music on vinyl and was fussy about the strength of coffee beans; she refused to drink beer, sticking exclusively to French red wine; she rarely ate. She was, by far, the most interesting person I’d ever met.
“You’ll still get the fairy tale,” Abi said with her usual cool confidence. “I mean Snow White had seven little fellas hanging off her apron and she still netted a prince.”
Her body leaned into his when he walked into a room, like a compass pointing north.
He’s lucky if I pluck my eyebrows. I just find life busy and tricky enough without having to inflict extra pain on myself for an aesthetic that precisely one person is going to benefit from. I mean, I’d never ask him to put hot wax on his best bits. Ben has never complained about my lack of grooming in that area; it’s not as though he needs help finding his target.
I’m not the sort of shape that’s considered typically desirable. I only stop traffic if I press the button and the lights change.
I throw the phone at the hall wall. It makes a satisfying dent. I can’t believe I once painted that especially for her arrival. More sensible preparation would have been barricading the door, heating tar, sharpening knives.
My Review:
This stunning book was highly addictive and totally consuming; once I got my teeth into it I couldn’t seem to put it down. The writing and storylines were simply phenomenal as start to finish the multiple POV narratives were intensely intriguing, well-crafted, cunningly paced, and just crazy good with jaw-dropping twists that had my digestive system in knots. I was taut with tension, deeply invested and couldn’t read fast enough while also wanting to fully relish every tantalizing detail and shocking revelation. The compelling characters were irresistible, uniquely flawed, and captivatingly nuanced. I was absorbed, fascinated, annoyed, beguiled, frustrated, and horrified, yet I remained overwhelmingly curious while cycling through a variety of reactions to their encounters, inner musings, and shrewd insights. I didn’t think I could have been more impressed or profoundly engaged when an eye-popping and breath-stealing disclosure halfway through actually caused me to gasp, wobble, and nearly fumble my Kindle. I was rocked, and it was sensational! Adele Parks has mad skills and new fangirl.
January 29, 2019
I received a free e-copy of I Invited Her In by Adele Parks from NetGalley for my honest review.
Mel and Abi are best friends that share everything. Mel ends up getting pregnant from a one night stand and then everything changes. Mel drops out of school and then Mel and Abi drift apart, living very different lives.
Seventeen years later. Mel is married to Ben and has a wonderful son (Liam) and two beautiful girls (Abi and Imogen). Abi is married to Rob and they have everything they can dream of, living a life of luxury. Until one day, when Abi finds her husband in bed with his PA. Abi's life is falling apart.
Mel receives an email from her old friend Abi and learns that she and Rob have split up and she is coming back home. Mel invited Abi into her home to help her and be there for her while she heels.
Everything seems to be great. Best friends, reunited, being there for one another. What could go wrong???? But thing go very wrong. What is Abi really up to?
There are lots of twists and turns to this book; an enjoyable read. Two friends with a long past filled with secrets and lies.
Mel and Abi are best friends that share everything. Mel ends up getting pregnant from a one night stand and then everything changes. Mel drops out of school and then Mel and Abi drift apart, living very different lives.
Seventeen years later. Mel is married to Ben and has a wonderful son (Liam) and two beautiful girls (Abi and Imogen). Abi is married to Rob and they have everything they can dream of, living a life of luxury. Until one day, when Abi finds her husband in bed with his PA. Abi's life is falling apart.
Mel receives an email from her old friend Abi and learns that she and Rob have split up and she is coming back home. Mel invited Abi into her home to help her and be there for her while she heels.
Everything seems to be great. Best friends, reunited, being there for one another. What could go wrong???? But thing go very wrong. What is Abi really up to?
There are lots of twists and turns to this book; an enjoyable read. Two friends with a long past filled with secrets and lies.
February 19, 2019
I Invited Her In is just not quite there as a novel. It wants to be a psychological thriller, but neither the psychological nor the thriller aspects work. It also wants to be a women's fiction novel, with insights into family, single motherhood, and friendships. The family stuff is beyond obvious, the single motherhood aspects feel like they are from the 1960s or something when it comes to the "shaming" one of the MC's goes through, and sure, every friendship is complicated, but when your "friend" starts showing signs that she's gone off the rails (Hi, Abi!) maybe you don't keep trying to make things okay? Maybe you, I don't know, get a restraining order?
Anyway. Mel and Abi were friends at university. Abi was the girl everyone wanted to be and Mel discovered she was pregnant and left school to have a baby. And while Mel is now settled in a comfortable middle class life, complete with great husband who loves her son even though he isn't the father and more kids and etc. she's intrigued to hear from Abi, who has been living the Instagram ready life in LA, and has just left her husband, the university bad boy everyone wanted but she got.
Mel invites Abi to stay with her for a few days to catch up and is enthralled by Abi all over again. Abi seems so nice, except for all the catty remarks and wait?? Could she possibly have another reason for being there? Could it do with her divorce? How could Mel possibly tie in to that?
So yeah, I Invited Her In isn't quite there because it uses a sledgehammer when a feather would do, meaning its obvious and tired. And irritating, as I am not a fan of the woman-gets-revenge-after-a-man-does-her-wrong-by-hurting-another-woman-but-not-the-man thing.
Dream like Amy Dunne, baby.
Anyway. Mel and Abi were friends at university. Abi was the girl everyone wanted to be and Mel discovered she was pregnant and left school to have a baby. And while Mel is now settled in a comfortable middle class life, complete with great husband who loves her son even though he isn't the father and more kids and etc. she's intrigued to hear from Abi, who has been living the Instagram ready life in LA, and has just left her husband, the university bad boy everyone wanted but she got.
Mel invites Abi to stay with her for a few days to catch up and is enthralled by Abi all over again. Abi seems so nice, except for all the catty remarks and wait?? Could she possibly have another reason for being there? Could it do with her divorce? How could Mel possibly tie in to that?
So yeah, I Invited Her In isn't quite there because it uses a sledgehammer when a feather would do, meaning its obvious and tired. And irritating, as I am not a fan of the woman-gets-revenge-after-a-man-does-her-wrong-by-hurting-another-woman-but-not-the-man thing.
Dream like Amy Dunne, baby.
February 14, 2020
3.5 *
I won this on a First Reads Giveaway and I'd like to thank Goodreads and Mira Books Publishing for the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy.
I've never read an Adele Parks book before but I know she's a renowned and favourite author of many. I liked the premise of the story and immediately enjoyed the writing.
For the most part I did enjoy the story although about halfway in it began to lag. I don't feel this was a typical psychological thriller although it had the chance to be. It was a little twisty (but I figured it out from the start) and did contain some lies and deceit. My understanding is that this might be a new genre of writing for Ms. Parks. I don't think she has been writing psychological thrillers. It's definitely a good start though. I enjoyed it enough that I would pick up another book of hers again.
The writing was top-notch and kept me engaged.
I won this on a First Reads Giveaway and I'd like to thank Goodreads and Mira Books Publishing for the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy.
I've never read an Adele Parks book before but I know she's a renowned and favourite author of many. I liked the premise of the story and immediately enjoyed the writing.
For the most part I did enjoy the story although about halfway in it began to lag. I don't feel this was a typical psychological thriller although it had the chance to be. It was a little twisty (but I figured it out from the start) and did contain some lies and deceit. My understanding is that this might be a new genre of writing for Ms. Parks. I don't think she has been writing psychological thrillers. It's definitely a good start though. I enjoyed it enough that I would pick up another book of hers again.
The writing was top-notch and kept me engaged.
March 20, 2019
Book Reviewed by Nia on www.whisperingstories.com
I don’t think I’ve ever read this kind of thriller before – it’s more psychological and suspenseful than I expected, rather than the dark and gory thrillers I usually read.
The story takes place when an old university friend, Abi, moves in to stay with Mel and her family after a divorce, the perspectives alternate between the different characters so we get a wider view of the situation.
Both Mel and Abi are unreliable narrators, neither revealing much about their mutual pasts until the end, which keeps the reader on their toes.
I guessed quite early on what track this story was going to take, but that didn’t make the read any less enjoyable or the ending any less surprising! Abi does some very questionable things, and you have to judge for yourself how awful/justified she is in the things that she does.
The characters are all excellently written, which is what made the first half of this book such an excruciating read for me – their experiences and behaviour made my skin crawl more than once because though this is an extreme scenario, you can imagine this situation having occurred at least once in the history of the world.
If you’re a fan of thrillers but are looking for a break from gore and murder, and are looking for a nice classic case of ‘people being awful to each other’ – this will scratch that itch!
I don’t think I’ve ever read this kind of thriller before – it’s more psychological and suspenseful than I expected, rather than the dark and gory thrillers I usually read.
The story takes place when an old university friend, Abi, moves in to stay with Mel and her family after a divorce, the perspectives alternate between the different characters so we get a wider view of the situation.
Both Mel and Abi are unreliable narrators, neither revealing much about their mutual pasts until the end, which keeps the reader on their toes.
I guessed quite early on what track this story was going to take, but that didn’t make the read any less enjoyable or the ending any less surprising! Abi does some very questionable things, and you have to judge for yourself how awful/justified she is in the things that she does.
The characters are all excellently written, which is what made the first half of this book such an excruciating read for me – their experiences and behaviour made my skin crawl more than once because though this is an extreme scenario, you can imagine this situation having occurred at least once in the history of the world.
If you’re a fan of thrillers but are looking for a break from gore and murder, and are looking for a nice classic case of ‘people being awful to each other’ – this will scratch that itch!
December 16, 2018
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
British novelist Adele Parks, is the author of almost twenty titles. Her latest is a domestic thriller, titled I Invited Her In. It is a tale of the difficulties of female friendship, envy, revenge and explosive secrets. This was a tantalising read, that I devoured in a short space of time, despite the fact that the book was almost 500 pages!
It is hard to visualise the worst possible thing a friend could do. There are a few options that come to mind, but the scenario Adele Parks presents in her new novel I Invited Her In completely shocked me! At the crux of this story is the friendship between two women that formed in university that splinters over a time frame of seventeen years and picks up again when one of the women reconnects to ask for help. Each woman has led a very different life path. For Mel, a now happily married mother of three, her life journey was determined by a shock pregnancy in university that forced her to make the decision to quit her studies and devote her life to her baby. For Abi, life has delivered a world of luxury and glamour, with plenty of schmoozing with celebrities, but it has recently come crashing down. When Abi seeks Mel out, despite the time that has separated them, Mel cannot deny her friend help she calls out for. However, as Abi nestles into Mel’s life, things are about the change, big time!
A quick perusal of the books I have read, revealed strangely that I have not read one single book by Adele Parks. For such a prolific writer with a good selection of back list titles to her name, this really shocked me! However, I do aim to rectify this by seeking out some older titles by Adele Parks over the upcoming holidays. My understanding of Adele Parks is that she is a very well known women’s fiction author. Her recent switch in direction genre wise to domestic psychological fiction seems to be a successful one. I Invited Her In offered plenty of entertainment and shock value!
I have to say that I wasn’t entirely invested in the relationship between Mel and Abi in their university days. They didn’t seem quite as tight as they could have been. While all my sympathies were directed towards Mel, her life situation really got to me. Abi on the other hand was absolutely awful, despicable and incredibly ungrateful. I think we are directed towards these ill feelings for Abi, thanks to the characterisation skills of Adele Parks. Likewise, I detested Abi’s ex husband Rob, but I found much to love in Ben, Mel’s husband. Mel’s family, her daughters and son Liam play a dramatic role in the book and I felt they were well drawn by the author. I think credit is due to Adele Parks for making me feel so much for these characters. I wanted to cry for them, hug them, but also throw things at them! This set of characters that will be sure to get right under your skin!
The atmosphere and strained tension is built up from the very opening of the novel. The front cover tagline ‘I invited her in… and she took everything’ gives the reader a very good indication of what is going to befall the lead of the story, Mel. Parks manages to maintain this ominous and suffocating atmosphere throughout the novel. The plot was easy to follow, characterised by plenty of twists, turns, emotional confrontations, earth shattering shocks and explosive secrets. Parks has structured the novel in a shifting style of points of view. As a result, we get right inside the heads of leading ladies Mel and Abi, along with Mel’s husband Ben and an additional outside character. This works well to build the intrigue of the novel and enhance the psychological features of I Invited Her In. Parks works hard to establish a good grounding for her novel in the first half, but when a life changing event occurs around the half way mark, the book really takes full flight and spirals towards an unexpected conclusion!
With an intriguing and diverting plot, full of challenging characters, I Invited Her In proved to be one mind-boggling and messy read of a friendship gone terribly wrong! I know it made me think twice about letting old friends back into my life, you can never be too sure!
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty & Lace and Harlequin – HQ Fiction. To read the original review on the Beauty & Lace website please visit here: http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...
British novelist Adele Parks, is the author of almost twenty titles. Her latest is a domestic thriller, titled I Invited Her In. It is a tale of the difficulties of female friendship, envy, revenge and explosive secrets. This was a tantalising read, that I devoured in a short space of time, despite the fact that the book was almost 500 pages!
It is hard to visualise the worst possible thing a friend could do. There are a few options that come to mind, but the scenario Adele Parks presents in her new novel I Invited Her In completely shocked me! At the crux of this story is the friendship between two women that formed in university that splinters over a time frame of seventeen years and picks up again when one of the women reconnects to ask for help. Each woman has led a very different life path. For Mel, a now happily married mother of three, her life journey was determined by a shock pregnancy in university that forced her to make the decision to quit her studies and devote her life to her baby. For Abi, life has delivered a world of luxury and glamour, with plenty of schmoozing with celebrities, but it has recently come crashing down. When Abi seeks Mel out, despite the time that has separated them, Mel cannot deny her friend help she calls out for. However, as Abi nestles into Mel’s life, things are about the change, big time!
A quick perusal of the books I have read, revealed strangely that I have not read one single book by Adele Parks. For such a prolific writer with a good selection of back list titles to her name, this really shocked me! However, I do aim to rectify this by seeking out some older titles by Adele Parks over the upcoming holidays. My understanding of Adele Parks is that she is a very well known women’s fiction author. Her recent switch in direction genre wise to domestic psychological fiction seems to be a successful one. I Invited Her In offered plenty of entertainment and shock value!
I have to say that I wasn’t entirely invested in the relationship between Mel and Abi in their university days. They didn’t seem quite as tight as they could have been. While all my sympathies were directed towards Mel, her life situation really got to me. Abi on the other hand was absolutely awful, despicable and incredibly ungrateful. I think we are directed towards these ill feelings for Abi, thanks to the characterisation skills of Adele Parks. Likewise, I detested Abi’s ex husband Rob, but I found much to love in Ben, Mel’s husband. Mel’s family, her daughters and son Liam play a dramatic role in the book and I felt they were well drawn by the author. I think credit is due to Adele Parks for making me feel so much for these characters. I wanted to cry for them, hug them, but also throw things at them! This set of characters that will be sure to get right under your skin!
The atmosphere and strained tension is built up from the very opening of the novel. The front cover tagline ‘I invited her in… and she took everything’ gives the reader a very good indication of what is going to befall the lead of the story, Mel. Parks manages to maintain this ominous and suffocating atmosphere throughout the novel. The plot was easy to follow, characterised by plenty of twists, turns, emotional confrontations, earth shattering shocks and explosive secrets. Parks has structured the novel in a shifting style of points of view. As a result, we get right inside the heads of leading ladies Mel and Abi, along with Mel’s husband Ben and an additional outside character. This works well to build the intrigue of the novel and enhance the psychological features of I Invited Her In. Parks works hard to establish a good grounding for her novel in the first half, but when a life changing event occurs around the half way mark, the book really takes full flight and spirals towards an unexpected conclusion!
With an intriguing and diverting plot, full of challenging characters, I Invited Her In proved to be one mind-boggling and messy read of a friendship gone terribly wrong! I know it made me think twice about letting old friends back into my life, you can never be too sure!
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty & Lace and Harlequin – HQ Fiction. To read the original review on the Beauty & Lace website please visit here: http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...
February 13, 2019
I invited her in... and she took everything...
Synopsis
Melanie hasn’t heard from her college best friend, Abigail, in over twenty years. But when Abigail calls her up to ask for a place to stay as she divorces her cheating husband, Melanie is thrilled. She invites her in with open arms, which--as you can probably tell from the book’s title and its assigned genre of “domestic suspense”--isn’t a good thing...
Plot
I was surprised by how slow this book started. I’m used to psychological and domestic suspenses starting with a bang - in the form of a prologue or a little taste of what’s to come - and then go through the monotony of introducing the main character and her humdrum life, easing the reader into the plotline, etc. While the “suspense” element wasn’t immediately apparent (and by “immediate”, I mean not even within the first 100 pages), the writing was compelling. I found that I was curious to uncover what would happen next. However, the book is very slowly paced and character driven. Not a lot of anything happens in the first half of the book.
As I said before, there aren’t a lot of thrills in the first half of the book, and you have to really want to find the “thriller” aspect to even feel the slightest bit of suspense. Some chapters are from Abigail’s point of view, and she doesn’t come across as ominous or unhinged, especially in the first few chapters with her POV. It might have added more suspense to not know what she was thinking. Especially since it can be difficult to write someone’s point of view without revealing their motives or what their plans are. That said, the end of her chapters tended to have a single line that made me itch for more. A single line that could be interpreted as innocuous or foreboding. I chose the latter, because that made it a more interesting read.
There are a few plot twists, but they’re all quite obvious from the very beginning. I won’t spoil them here, but if you are reading the book carefully enough, the twists aren’t even twists at all, but more like a natural progression of the plot.
I found the story line somewhat infuriating. While Melanie is quite a normal person, I couldn’t relate to how she dealt with some of the things going on, especially later on in the book. The plot grew more and more exasperating, which was partly because the twists were obvious, but also because of how slow paced the story was in addition to how nonsensical some of the characters were behaving. And it wasn’t infuriating in that fun “Oh, gosh, why can’t they see what’s been in front of them all along!?” kind of way, more in the “Dammit, why are you so stupid!?” kind of way.
Characters
This novel is very character driven. There are a lot of flashbacks intended to flesh out Melanie and Abigail’s relationship back in college. At some points it seems a little much - like Parks valued character development in a backwards way more than a forwards way. I appreciated when the plot finally started moving forward, and we could observe how the characters are now . We could see who Melanie has become, and how she reacts to having her old friend back in her life. She hasn’t made many friends in the twenty years since they grew estranged, and it’s quite fascinating to see how she latches onto her old friend, becoming somewhat enamoured with her and obsessed with gaining her approval. The strain Melanie's obsession takes on her marriage is (in my opinion) one of the highlights of this book.
There aren’t a lot of side characters, aside from her husband, son, and her son’s girlfriend. We get occasional POV scenes with each of them, which helps to flesh out their perceptions of what's going on. I particularly enjoyed Ben’s scenes the most, because he saw that there was something off about Abigail very early on, and his intuition was like a breath of fresh air.
I recommend this book to those looking for a character-driven, slow-paced domestic suspense. If you’re expecting boiled rabbits (a la Fatal Attraction ) or tightly-wrought tension (like in B.A. Paris or Gillian Flynn thrillers), then you’re in the wrong place.
*Thank you to Harlequin for the book to review!*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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My 2019 Reading Challenge
Synopsis
Melanie hasn’t heard from her college best friend, Abigail, in over twenty years. But when Abigail calls her up to ask for a place to stay as she divorces her cheating husband, Melanie is thrilled. She invites her in with open arms, which--as you can probably tell from the book’s title and its assigned genre of “domestic suspense”--isn’t a good thing...
Plot
I was surprised by how slow this book started. I’m used to psychological and domestic suspenses starting with a bang - in the form of a prologue or a little taste of what’s to come - and then go through the monotony of introducing the main character and her humdrum life, easing the reader into the plotline, etc. While the “suspense” element wasn’t immediately apparent (and by “immediate”, I mean not even within the first 100 pages), the writing was compelling. I found that I was curious to uncover what would happen next. However, the book is very slowly paced and character driven. Not a lot of anything happens in the first half of the book.
As I said before, there aren’t a lot of thrills in the first half of the book, and you have to really want to find the “thriller” aspect to even feel the slightest bit of suspense. Some chapters are from Abigail’s point of view, and she doesn’t come across as ominous or unhinged, especially in the first few chapters with her POV. It might have added more suspense to not know what she was thinking. Especially since it can be difficult to write someone’s point of view without revealing their motives or what their plans are. That said, the end of her chapters tended to have a single line that made me itch for more. A single line that could be interpreted as innocuous or foreboding. I chose the latter, because that made it a more interesting read.
There are a few plot twists, but they’re all quite obvious from the very beginning. I won’t spoil them here, but if you are reading the book carefully enough, the twists aren’t even twists at all, but more like a natural progression of the plot.
I found the story line somewhat infuriating. While Melanie is quite a normal person, I couldn’t relate to how she dealt with some of the things going on, especially later on in the book. The plot grew more and more exasperating, which was partly because the twists were obvious, but also because of how slow paced the story was in addition to how nonsensical some of the characters were behaving. And it wasn’t infuriating in that fun “Oh, gosh, why can’t they see what’s been in front of them all along!?” kind of way, more in the “Dammit, why are you so stupid!?” kind of way.
Characters
This novel is very character driven. There are a lot of flashbacks intended to flesh out Melanie and Abigail’s relationship back in college. At some points it seems a little much - like Parks valued character development in a backwards way more than a forwards way. I appreciated when the plot finally started moving forward, and we could observe how the characters are now . We could see who Melanie has become, and how she reacts to having her old friend back in her life. She hasn’t made many friends in the twenty years since they grew estranged, and it’s quite fascinating to see how she latches onto her old friend, becoming somewhat enamoured with her and obsessed with gaining her approval. The strain Melanie's obsession takes on her marriage is (in my opinion) one of the highlights of this book.
There aren’t a lot of side characters, aside from her husband, son, and her son’s girlfriend. We get occasional POV scenes with each of them, which helps to flesh out their perceptions of what's going on. I particularly enjoyed Ben’s scenes the most, because he saw that there was something off about Abigail very early on, and his intuition was like a breath of fresh air.
I recommend this book to those looking for a character-driven, slow-paced domestic suspense. If you’re expecting boiled rabbits (a la Fatal Attraction ) or tightly-wrought tension (like in B.A. Paris or Gillian Flynn thrillers), then you’re in the wrong place.
*Thank you to Harlequin for the book to review!*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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My 2019 Reading Challenge
October 13, 2018
It is blatantly obvious what is going on within the first few chapters of this book, but it goes on and on and on with tedious padding in an attempt to drag out the non-existent tension. Terrible story, terrible characters, terribly written. Avoid.
July 22, 2020
Ugh. I hate doing this. This one was just okay for me. I almost dnf it, but I really, really try not to do that. If at all possible, I want to persevere and see stories through.
I have read several books where the first 99% of the story was amazing, and the last 1% was a let-down. This one was completely flipped for me.
Over and over in this one, the reader is told something in a obvious attempt to set up what will hopefully be a big shock when they eventually discover it's not true. But the way these set-ups are written in this particular story are too obvious. They're not subtle, and you know you're being led down a path. That was the first 99% of the story for me.
Truly, I was just trying to finish it. Then, in the last few pages, the story took a turn that I really liked. It was a very long road getting there though. 428 pages to be exact. I think this one could have been great, if the twists had just happened more naturally and weren't so obviously set-up. The plot was definitely there, just not executed as well as others I've read.
I have read several books where the first 99% of the story was amazing, and the last 1% was a let-down. This one was completely flipped for me.
Over and over in this one, the reader is told something in a obvious attempt to set up what will hopefully be a big shock when they eventually discover it's not true. But the way these set-ups are written in this particular story are too obvious. They're not subtle, and you know you're being led down a path. That was the first 99% of the story for me.
Truly, I was just trying to finish it. Then, in the last few pages, the story took a turn that I really liked. It was a very long road getting there though. 428 pages to be exact. I think this one could have been great, if the twists had just happened more naturally and weren't so obviously set-up. The plot was definitely there, just not executed as well as others I've read.
March 13, 2022
E-mailing a long-lost friend about getting together seemed like the right thing to do, and Abi knew Mel wouldn’t resist her plea about needing her.
Abi e-mailed Mel with her story of how her husband had cheated on her and how she wanted to re-connect.
When Abi arrived, it seemed she had more on her agenda than getting re-connected with Mel. I actually sensed the true evilness of her plan. She definitely was an excellent actress.
Abbi kept up her plan since it was working and didn’t seem to want to change anything. She was in a friend’s house with a lovely family. She was away from her ex-husband. She had Mel, the all-trusting friend, and there was no reason to leave this cozy, rent-free existence.
Mel made me want to tell her to open her eyes and see what Abi was actually doing.
We follow Abi and Mel in alternating chapters that tell of their present and past lives as we piece together what had happened and why Abi pretended to be a friend when in fact was seeking revenge and was jealous of Mel.
The more I read about Abi and what she was doing, the more I disliked her. She wasn't a friend at all.
When the reader finds out just what is actually going on, you will question if that had been Abi's plan from the beginning or if it was something else that brought her to Mel's doorstep.
She did things to destroy Mel's life. She ruined the family life that Ben and Mel had carefully put together, cherished, and enjoyed.
I INVITED HER IN pulled me in from the beginning, and the intrigue didn't stop as the twists and revelations came to the surface.
If you enjoy tension, a conniving main character, and secrets many characters are keeping, this book is for you. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Abi e-mailed Mel with her story of how her husband had cheated on her and how she wanted to re-connect.
When Abi arrived, it seemed she had more on her agenda than getting re-connected with Mel. I actually sensed the true evilness of her plan. She definitely was an excellent actress.
Abbi kept up her plan since it was working and didn’t seem to want to change anything. She was in a friend’s house with a lovely family. She was away from her ex-husband. She had Mel, the all-trusting friend, and there was no reason to leave this cozy, rent-free existence.
Mel made me want to tell her to open her eyes and see what Abi was actually doing.
We follow Abi and Mel in alternating chapters that tell of their present and past lives as we piece together what had happened and why Abi pretended to be a friend when in fact was seeking revenge and was jealous of Mel.
The more I read about Abi and what she was doing, the more I disliked her. She wasn't a friend at all.
When the reader finds out just what is actually going on, you will question if that had been Abi's plan from the beginning or if it was something else that brought her to Mel's doorstep.
She did things to destroy Mel's life. She ruined the family life that Ben and Mel had carefully put together, cherished, and enjoyed.
I INVITED HER IN pulled me in from the beginning, and the intrigue didn't stop as the twists and revelations came to the surface.
If you enjoy tension, a conniving main character, and secrets many characters are keeping, this book is for you. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2019
EXCERPT: Suddenly I have a better idea. Or, is it a worse one?
I could invite Abi to come and see me here in Wolvney. That way she'd meet the kids and Ben. I've never had the urge for her to meet my family before, quite the opposite, but now she's made this move, and under these circumstances, it seems the right thing to do.
She probably won't accept anyway. I can't imagine her coming all this way out of London. Not that it's far, but there are certain types that think anywhere out of zone three is abroad. Is she that type? I won't know unless I invite her.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: When Mel hears from a long-lost friend in need of help, she doesn’t hesitate to invite her to stay. Mel and Abi were best friends back in the day, sharing the highs and lows of student life, until Mel’s unplanned pregnancy made her drop out of her studies.
Now, seventeen years later, Mel and Abi’s lives couldn’t be more different. Mel is happily married, having raised her son on her own before meeting her husband, Ben. Now they share gorgeous girls and have a chaotic but happy family home, with three children.
Abi, meanwhile, followed her lover to LA for a glamorous life of parties, celebrity and indulgence. Everything was perfect, until she discovered her partner had been cheating on her. Seventeen years wasted, and nothing to show for it. So what Abi needs now is a true friend to lean on, to share her grief over a glass of wine, and to have some time to heal. And what better place than Mel’s house, with her lovely kids, and supportive husband…
MY THOUGHTS: I wanted to love this book. It started out fun and gossipy. . . Old friends catching up after years apart, with a slightly darker undertone so that you just know that not everything is quite what it seems. And it isn't. But neither did it go where I expected it to. All good. I have no issues with the plot which is devious and twisted.
The issue I have is with the verbosity of the author. This is a very long book, maybe not in actual page count, but it took an extremely long time to tell this story, and a whole six days to read it. And things were over explained. The characters motivations were gone into in such detail that, at times, I lost the thread of what was actually happening. It didn't happen just once either, it happened repeatedly to the point where I was tempted, at times, to skip a few pages.
This should have been a suspenseful read but it well and truly missed the mark.
And I know that I said that this seemed like a long book but, at the same time, the ending felt rushed and somewhat unsatisfying. . .
This was a ☺☺.5-star read. I was going to award ☺☺☺ purely because the plot wasn't totally predictable, but on reflection my original rating will stand.
THE AUTHOR: Adele Parks was born in Teesside, NE England. She studied English Language and Literature, at Leicester University. She published her first novel, Playing Away, in 2000; that year the Evening Standard identified Adele as one of London’s ‘Twenty Faces to Watch.’ Indeed Playing Away was the debut bestseller of 2000.
Prolific, Adele has published nine novels in nine years, including Game Over, Tell Me Something and Love Lies, all nine of her novels have been bestsellers. She’s sold over a million copies of her work in the UK but also sells throughout the world. Two of her novels (Husbands and Still Thinking of You) are currently being developed as movie scripts. Young Wives’ Tales was short listed for the Romantic Novelist Association Award 2008. She has written numerous articles and short stories for many magazines and newspapers and often appears on radio and TV talking about her work.
Since 2006 Adele has been an official spokeswoman for World Book Day and wrote a Quick Read, Happy Families as part of the celebrations of World Book Day, 2008.
Adele has spent her adult life in Italy, Botswana and London, up until two years ago when she moved to Guildford, where she now lives with her husband and son.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin Mira (US & Canada) via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of I Invited Her In by Adele Parks for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
I could invite Abi to come and see me here in Wolvney. That way she'd meet the kids and Ben. I've never had the urge for her to meet my family before, quite the opposite, but now she's made this move, and under these circumstances, it seems the right thing to do.
She probably won't accept anyway. I can't imagine her coming all this way out of London. Not that it's far, but there are certain types that think anywhere out of zone three is abroad. Is she that type? I won't know unless I invite her.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: When Mel hears from a long-lost friend in need of help, she doesn’t hesitate to invite her to stay. Mel and Abi were best friends back in the day, sharing the highs and lows of student life, until Mel’s unplanned pregnancy made her drop out of her studies.
Now, seventeen years later, Mel and Abi’s lives couldn’t be more different. Mel is happily married, having raised her son on her own before meeting her husband, Ben. Now they share gorgeous girls and have a chaotic but happy family home, with three children.
Abi, meanwhile, followed her lover to LA for a glamorous life of parties, celebrity and indulgence. Everything was perfect, until she discovered her partner had been cheating on her. Seventeen years wasted, and nothing to show for it. So what Abi needs now is a true friend to lean on, to share her grief over a glass of wine, and to have some time to heal. And what better place than Mel’s house, with her lovely kids, and supportive husband…
MY THOUGHTS: I wanted to love this book. It started out fun and gossipy. . . Old friends catching up after years apart, with a slightly darker undertone so that you just know that not everything is quite what it seems. And it isn't. But neither did it go where I expected it to. All good. I have no issues with the plot which is devious and twisted.
The issue I have is with the verbosity of the author. This is a very long book, maybe not in actual page count, but it took an extremely long time to tell this story, and a whole six days to read it. And things were over explained. The characters motivations were gone into in such detail that, at times, I lost the thread of what was actually happening. It didn't happen just once either, it happened repeatedly to the point where I was tempted, at times, to skip a few pages.
This should have been a suspenseful read but it well and truly missed the mark.
And I know that I said that this seemed like a long book but, at the same time, the ending felt rushed and somewhat unsatisfying. . .
This was a ☺☺.5-star read. I was going to award ☺☺☺ purely because the plot wasn't totally predictable, but on reflection my original rating will stand.
THE AUTHOR: Adele Parks was born in Teesside, NE England. She studied English Language and Literature, at Leicester University. She published her first novel, Playing Away, in 2000; that year the Evening Standard identified Adele as one of London’s ‘Twenty Faces to Watch.’ Indeed Playing Away was the debut bestseller of 2000.
Prolific, Adele has published nine novels in nine years, including Game Over, Tell Me Something and Love Lies, all nine of her novels have been bestsellers. She’s sold over a million copies of her work in the UK but also sells throughout the world. Two of her novels (Husbands and Still Thinking of You) are currently being developed as movie scripts. Young Wives’ Tales was short listed for the Romantic Novelist Association Award 2008. She has written numerous articles and short stories for many magazines and newspapers and often appears on radio and TV talking about her work.
Since 2006 Adele has been an official spokeswoman for World Book Day and wrote a Quick Read, Happy Families as part of the celebrations of World Book Day, 2008.
Adele has spent her adult life in Italy, Botswana and London, up until two years ago when she moved to Guildford, where she now lives with her husband and son.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin Mira (US & Canada) via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of I Invited Her In by Adele Parks for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
September 20, 2018
This was a twisted, domestic noir all about friendship and betrayal, jealousy and revenge and wanting what you can't have. Unfortunately, it wasn't a book I cared much for, and I wasn't engaged enough to bother what happened to any of the characters. That said, I always try to read to end of each book, and this honestly wasn't bad enough to DNF it, so I continued despite not enjoying it. It's well written, i'll give it that, but the story was one i've read a gazillion times over using well worn tropes of the genre. I don't mind this if there is something to set it apart from the rest, but it just blurred into forgettable obscurity.
This is a great one to pick up if you're just looking to pass a few hours in a way that won't tax your brain. The characters are strong and realistic, but it was distinctly lacking in unpredictability, and I saw every one of the twisty surprises miles off. I tend to prefer quality over quantity in my stories and wished there had been fewer twists but ones that were much more of a shock to the system. Some of the behaviour of the characters could be deemed as unbelievable and certainly unreasonable. There were many moments where they came across as spoiled brats despite being grown women, and I found this incredibly irritating. I would say that this is either best described as a very tame thriller or womens fiction/chick lit, and fans of those book types will no doubt get along with this superbly. For me though, it just didn't work.
Many thanks to HQ for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This is a great one to pick up if you're just looking to pass a few hours in a way that won't tax your brain. The characters are strong and realistic, but it was distinctly lacking in unpredictability, and I saw every one of the twisty surprises miles off. I tend to prefer quality over quantity in my stories and wished there had been fewer twists but ones that were much more of a shock to the system. Some of the behaviour of the characters could be deemed as unbelievable and certainly unreasonable. There were many moments where they came across as spoiled brats despite being grown women, and I found this incredibly irritating. I would say that this is either best described as a very tame thriller or womens fiction/chick lit, and fans of those book types will no doubt get along with this superbly. For me though, it just didn't work.
Many thanks to HQ for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
October 1, 2018
This book was a hard one to review because there were some things, the plot for example, that were brilliant. The story was well conceived and could have been great.
The stumbling block for me was the way the story was told. It could have been shorter because it felt like a lot of the writing was 'fleshing out' rather than relevant content.
This was one book that for me had a fabulous synopsis and story plan but the actual execution missed the mark for me.
If you are going to do a trope in the suspense/ thriller genre that has already been done many times, then you need to write something pretty special because there have been some outstanding books within this genre.
I received a review copy of I invited her in from HQ and NetGalley. This is my honest review.
The stumbling block for me was the way the story was told. It could have been shorter because it felt like a lot of the writing was 'fleshing out' rather than relevant content.
This was one book that for me had a fabulous synopsis and story plan but the actual execution missed the mark for me.
If you are going to do a trope in the suspense/ thriller genre that has already been done many times, then you need to write something pretty special because there have been some outstanding books within this genre.
I received a review copy of I invited her in from HQ and NetGalley. This is my honest review.
February 10, 2020
"Imagine the worst thing a friend could ever do. This is worse".
I Invited Her In by Adele Parks.
Oh My.
This book started with my own impatience. "Get on with it" I kept thinking. And then.."this is not going to be good" was my thought.
Oh how wrong I was!
So..calling all domestic thriller fans. You will want to put this one on your list. A word of warning. It starts off slow. There are many small things that are given much detail and it was slow for me to connect with the book.
I say..bide your time. It may take a good 50 or 60 pages. But when it gets going..wow.
Also you may think the whole book will be about Mel and Abi sitting around gossiping about old times and Melanie being misty eyed..gooey eyed over her old friend. But things turn around and once they do..well..the book moves quickly.
And what a ride it is! I was in the mood for a domestic thriller today and this one more than satisfied. What did I like about it? Great characters. Fully fleshed out with all their good and bad. Drama. Secrets. NO ANIMALS DIE IN THE MAKING OF THIS BOOK! LOL..seriously..Animal harm is a common complaint I have in many a book. You will not find that here.
And this book does not go in the direction you may think from the title and brief description. Trying not to give any spoilers but..it is NOT like a slew of other books with the standard plot of two old friends, one good and one evil. You maybe just surprised at where this goes.
That does not mean there is not a healthy dose of lies, betrayal and back stabbing..because there are.
Yet it all feels authentic. It is a nice "escapist" book although it is pretty dark. I would not label it a thriller though and it is not gory at all..it is not that kind of book.
I read it in one sitting. The hours passed quickly as I got more and more involved in the plot and the characters.
Brief comment about the end..not really a spoiler but..
Appropriate ending. Well done. So many times, books fall apart at the end. This one did not.
Also great for book clubs..there sure is much to discuss. Much!
Four stars for a well written and interesting book.
I Invited Her In by Adele Parks.
Oh My.
This book started with my own impatience. "Get on with it" I kept thinking. And then.."this is not going to be good" was my thought.
Oh how wrong I was!
So..calling all domestic thriller fans. You will want to put this one on your list. A word of warning. It starts off slow. There are many small things that are given much detail and it was slow for me to connect with the book.
I say..bide your time. It may take a good 50 or 60 pages. But when it gets going..wow.
Also you may think the whole book will be about Mel and Abi sitting around gossiping about old times and Melanie being misty eyed..gooey eyed over her old friend. But things turn around and once they do..well..the book moves quickly.
And what a ride it is! I was in the mood for a domestic thriller today and this one more than satisfied. What did I like about it? Great characters. Fully fleshed out with all their good and bad. Drama. Secrets. NO ANIMALS DIE IN THE MAKING OF THIS BOOK! LOL..seriously..Animal harm is a common complaint I have in many a book. You will not find that here.
And this book does not go in the direction you may think from the title and brief description. Trying not to give any spoilers but..it is NOT like a slew of other books with the standard plot of two old friends, one good and one evil. You maybe just surprised at where this goes.
That does not mean there is not a healthy dose of lies, betrayal and back stabbing..because there are.
Yet it all feels authentic. It is a nice "escapist" book although it is pretty dark. I would not label it a thriller though and it is not gory at all..it is not that kind of book.
I read it in one sitting. The hours passed quickly as I got more and more involved in the plot and the characters.
Brief comment about the end..not really a spoiler but..
Appropriate ending. Well done. So many times, books fall apart at the end. This one did not.
Also great for book clubs..there sure is much to discuss. Much!
Four stars for a well written and interesting book.
May 1, 2021
This was a good read and I was certainly interested enough to want to finish it but not my favourite read this year.
Melanie Harrison and Abigail Curtiz used to be best friends when they were at university but although they never had a fall out they drifted out of each others life. When Melanie got pregnant following a one night stand she was forced to pull out of university to bring look after her son while Abigail remained to complete her studies. Abigail got married and moved to America where she became a successful TV personality. They linked up on Facebook but still didn’t really keep in touch until suddenly Abigail emails Melanie for the very first time since their university days. Abigail is getting divorced and is planning a visit to London to take a break from all the stress. Having no knowledge of Melanie’s life since university, Abigail wrongly assumes she is still a single mom living in the city, but far from it Melanie has made a new life for herself moving out, married and now has three children. Melanie is still happy to hear from her old best friend and nevertheless invite Abigail to come and stay at her new home. Abigail gratefully accepts and what was originally meant to be a short stay soon becomes a much longer one. Melanie is really pleased to see her old friend again but the longer she stays the more strain that shows on her family life. Melanie’s husband Ben is especially put out and his patience is wearing very thin. The problems mount and there is certainly something brewing.
Like I previously said it is a decent read but I found the characters really annoying and frustrating and I have to say I did see some of the twists coming.
Melanie Harrison and Abigail Curtiz used to be best friends when they were at university but although they never had a fall out they drifted out of each others life. When Melanie got pregnant following a one night stand she was forced to pull out of university to bring look after her son while Abigail remained to complete her studies. Abigail got married and moved to America where she became a successful TV personality. They linked up on Facebook but still didn’t really keep in touch until suddenly Abigail emails Melanie for the very first time since their university days. Abigail is getting divorced and is planning a visit to London to take a break from all the stress. Having no knowledge of Melanie’s life since university, Abigail wrongly assumes she is still a single mom living in the city, but far from it Melanie has made a new life for herself moving out, married and now has three children. Melanie is still happy to hear from her old best friend and nevertheless invite Abigail to come and stay at her new home. Abigail gratefully accepts and what was originally meant to be a short stay soon becomes a much longer one. Melanie is really pleased to see her old friend again but the longer she stays the more strain that shows on her family life. Melanie’s husband Ben is especially put out and his patience is wearing very thin. The problems mount and there is certainly something brewing.
Like I previously said it is a decent read but I found the characters really annoying and frustrating and I have to say I did see some of the twists coming.
March 8, 2019
I think at some point or another we can all relate to wanting to get revenge on someone for a perceived wrong and at its core this book is about revenge with a side of manipulation and obsession which are things I LOVE in a thriller. This was a page turner and a slow unraveling of a methodical plan that will have life altering consequences in the end.
Family dynamics fascinate me and when Mel answers an email from her old friend, Abi inviting her to stay with her and her family for awhile she never could’ve dreamed just what she was allowing in her home. This one decision sets off a chain of events that impacts the relationships in the family, especially with her husband, Ben and her oldest son, Liam. All of the characters are well drawn and this is an exploration of human behavior during incredibly tense and odd times.
The situations that occur throughout, while interesting, are also pretty out there. You pretty much have to let the plausibility of the plot fly out the window with this one and just sit back and let it entertain you, it’s a wild ride. I did find it to be predictable but honestly I was so wrapped up in the drama I didn’t even care that I saw most of the twists coming well ahead of time. The author did catch me off guard in the very end which was nice after guessing the earlier events. I hate to use this again since I said it just yesterday in another review, but it’s fitting, this had a very Lifetime movie feel and would actually be a great movie.
I Invited Her In in three words: Obsessive, Manipulative and Dramatic.
Family dynamics fascinate me and when Mel answers an email from her old friend, Abi inviting her to stay with her and her family for awhile she never could’ve dreamed just what she was allowing in her home. This one decision sets off a chain of events that impacts the relationships in the family, especially with her husband, Ben and her oldest son, Liam. All of the characters are well drawn and this is an exploration of human behavior during incredibly tense and odd times.
The situations that occur throughout, while interesting, are also pretty out there. You pretty much have to let the plausibility of the plot fly out the window with this one and just sit back and let it entertain you, it’s a wild ride. I did find it to be predictable but honestly I was so wrapped up in the drama I didn’t even care that I saw most of the twists coming well ahead of time. The author did catch me off guard in the very end which was nice after guessing the earlier events. I hate to use this again since I said it just yesterday in another review, but it’s fitting, this had a very Lifetime movie feel and would actually be a great movie.
I Invited Her In in three words: Obsessive, Manipulative and Dramatic.
March 28, 2020
I was pretty unimpressed with this book... Nothing happened the first 200 pages of the book, the nice MC (Mel) was so annoying and weak and pathetic, I just could not relate to her or root for her. Her "best friend" Abi was such a cliche that I couldn't even like her as a villain.
The book was entirely too long, and just too basic.
The book was entirely too long, and just too basic.
December 17, 2018
Loved loved loved Joanne Froggatt as the narrator. The story... meh... I found it predictable and a bit long. Heard such good things about it but I was disappointed
March 26, 2019
4 revenge is sweet stars
Who doesn’t have an old friend that they’d love to catch up with today? Especially a glamorous, now famous friend? Melanie hears from an old college friend and jumps at the chance to help her out, inviting Abi to come to stay with her and put her life back together after discovering her husband’s infidelity.
Melanie has a full family life with an older son and two younger girls with her husband Ben. Abi and Mel reconnect, share stories, and stay out late drinking. After weeks of this behavior, Ben starts to wonder if Abi is ever going to move on . . . and Mel thinks that maybe she never should have opened that email.
This domestic suspense book takes a sharp turn and things start to resemble a train wreck. I had to know how it would all turn out. I enjoyed hearing from different characters throughout the book although I do think it could have been shortened overall. Filled with some very interesting characters, I thought this one had a very tidy ending. Then I read the epilogue, oh my, one more twist!! Well played Adele Parks.
Who doesn’t have an old friend that they’d love to catch up with today? Especially a glamorous, now famous friend? Melanie hears from an old college friend and jumps at the chance to help her out, inviting Abi to come to stay with her and put her life back together after discovering her husband’s infidelity.
Melanie has a full family life with an older son and two younger girls with her husband Ben. Abi and Mel reconnect, share stories, and stay out late drinking. After weeks of this behavior, Ben starts to wonder if Abi is ever going to move on . . . and Mel thinks that maybe she never should have opened that email.
This domestic suspense book takes a sharp turn and things start to resemble a train wreck. I had to know how it would all turn out. I enjoyed hearing from different characters throughout the book although I do think it could have been shortened overall. Filled with some very interesting characters, I thought this one had a very tidy ending. Then I read the epilogue, oh my, one more twist!! Well played Adele Parks.
September 24, 2018
Wow!!!!!! What a book!!!! This is definitely a must read.
Abi calls upon her university friend Mel for help after finding her husband in bed with another woman. She packs up and flies from her home in LA to Mel's home in England.
Mel has the most happiest of families. That is until Abi steps into their home and blows the lives apart.
Abi calls upon her university friend Mel for help after finding her husband in bed with another woman. She packs up and flies from her home in LA to Mel's home in England.
Mel has the most happiest of families. That is until Abi steps into their home and blows the lives apart.
September 9, 2024
Listened.
Surprisingly, I found Joanne Froggatt's narration quite unsettling. There was so many odd stops and spaces and audible in-breaths, I wondered if this was her first time narrating a book.
As for the story: it was just okay. Halfway through I upped it to double speed just so I could see how it played out. It was annoyingly repetitive. None of it was remotely shocking or twisted or unforeseen from the get-go. Not that all suspense novels need to be twisty and shocking, mind you. But they should at least be suspenseful.
In fact, I don't actually consider this a novel of suspense--it was more of a sad family drama, with some rather awkward sex scenes.
I am giving all three of the stars above to MEL, one of the most marvelous, sympathetic and realistic characters ever written. Whilst Abi came off as a false, cartoonish antagonist, there was not one false note about Mel. I loved her thoughts, her observations, her worries, her mothering.
I am a HUGE fan of Adele Parks. I will read anything she writes. This was a letdown, sure, but I shall remain devoted.
Surprisingly, I found Joanne Froggatt's narration quite unsettling. There was so many odd stops and spaces and audible in-breaths, I wondered if this was her first time narrating a book.
As for the story: it was just okay. Halfway through I upped it to double speed just so I could see how it played out. It was annoyingly repetitive. None of it was remotely shocking or twisted or unforeseen from the get-go. Not that all suspense novels need to be twisty and shocking, mind you. But they should at least be suspenseful.
In fact, I don't actually consider this a novel of suspense--it was more of a sad family drama, with some rather awkward sex scenes.
I am giving all three of the stars above to MEL, one of the most marvelous, sympathetic and realistic characters ever written. Whilst Abi came off as a false, cartoonish antagonist, there was not one false note about Mel. I loved her thoughts, her observations, her worries, her mothering.
I am a HUGE fan of Adele Parks. I will read anything she writes. This was a letdown, sure, but I shall remain devoted.
December 13, 2019
Pros: Made me want to find out what happened next, so I kept on reading.
Cons: Mel was seriously a loser doormat. Abi was a rich, superficial bitch. Liam sided with his much older lover and hated on his mum. Justice was not really served in the end.
I hated, HATED the fact that Abi and Liam were together. Gross. And I would say the same thing if Liam were a female dating a much older male. And why is Ben secretly congratulating his son for bagging an older woman? If Liam were a girl, you can bet that Ben would be raising a loud protest. The implied sexism and double standards here really ticked me off.
Cons: Mel was seriously a loser doormat. Abi was a rich, superficial bitch. Liam sided with his much older lover and hated on his mum. Justice was not really served in the end.
I hated, HATED the fact that Abi and Liam were together. Gross. And I would say the same thing if Liam were a female dating a much older male. And why is Ben secretly congratulating his son for bagging an older woman? If Liam were a girl, you can bet that Ben would be raising a loud protest. The implied sexism and double standards here really ticked me off.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,679 reviews