What do you think?
Rate this book
Girl in the Rearview Mirror
Girl in the Rearview Mirror has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.
Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2019
About the author
Kelsey Rae Dimberg
2 books354 followersI’m Kelsey Rae Dimberg, author of GIRL IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR—a debut novel about a nanny who becomes embroiled in a powerful family’s secrets, set in the blistering heat of an Arizona summer. CrimeReads called it one of the Most Anticipated Crime Books of Summer.
Setting is a major inspiration for me: I’ve moved around frequently, both when I was growing up and as an adult. I’ve lived in Seattle, Salt Lake City, Houston, Denver, Phoenix, Milwaukee, San Francisco, and Chicago. I love moving—soaking in the terrain and culture of a new place. GIRL IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR was hugely inspired by my time in Arizona, both as a child and from my college years. I studied English-Literature and Spanish at Arizona State University, and got an MFA from the University of San Francisco.
For almost 10 years, I worked as a writer and editor for online brands: as a fashion writer for a Google apple, a humorous coupon writer for Groupon, and as a food writer for Taste of Home. I currently live in Milwaukee with my husband and our Australian shepherd pup. Usually I’m reading or writing, but I also enjoy baking sourdough bread and pizza, running along the lakefront, and streaming British crime shows.
Please connect with me on social!
https://twitter.com/kraedimberg
https://www.instagram.com/kraedimberg/
https://www.facebook.com/Kelsey-Rae-D...?
Setting is a major inspiration for me: I’ve moved around frequently, both when I was growing up and as an adult. I’ve lived in Seattle, Salt Lake City, Houston, Denver, Phoenix, Milwaukee, San Francisco, and Chicago. I love moving—soaking in the terrain and culture of a new place. GIRL IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR was hugely inspired by my time in Arizona, both as a child and from my college years. I studied English-Literature and Spanish at Arizona State University, and got an MFA from the University of San Francisco.
For almost 10 years, I worked as a writer and editor for online brands: as a fashion writer for a Google apple, a humorous coupon writer for Groupon, and as a food writer for Taste of Home. I currently live in Milwaukee with my husband and our Australian shepherd pup. Usually I’m reading or writing, but I also enjoy baking sourdough bread and pizza, running along the lakefront, and streaming British crime shows.
Please connect with me on social!
https://twitter.com/kraedimberg
https://www.instagram.com/kraedimberg/
https://www.facebook.com/Kelsey-Rae-D...?
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 437 reviews
June 8, 2019
Decent story but the characters were duds. Despite the fact there was some backstory provided, I still didn't quite get the main character, Finn. It's a shame the characters were the problem here rather than the plot. Usually it's the other way around.
Finn Hunt is the nanny for 4 year old Amabel, the daughter of Philip and Marina Martin. Philip's father is a senator in Arizona, and the hope is one day Philip will be able to slide in and take his seat once his father decides to step down. Despite being the hired help, Finn feels like she is a part of the family and gets caught up in their wealthy and glamorous world. She soon finds herself in the middle of something that could bring down this political first family. She also needs to worry about her own past suddenly resurfacing.
I just don't know what it was about Finn but she just didn't work for me. I never fully understood her motivations even though you get a glimpse into her background. She just fell flat as a character and to be honest the other people in the story didn't do much for me either.
So why did I keep reading if I had problems with the characters? Well, the plot was actually pretty decent and had enough to hook me in and want to stick with the story. Something happens maybe halfway into the story that I didn't see coming at all and that's always a plus when an author catches me off guard. And the ending isn't bad either. It's disappointing that the author managed to come up with a fairly good idea for a story but had a bit of a failure when it came to solid, well-developed characters.
I won a free digital copy of this book from Bookshout and the publisher. I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
Finn Hunt is the nanny for 4 year old Amabel, the daughter of Philip and Marina Martin. Philip's father is a senator in Arizona, and the hope is one day Philip will be able to slide in and take his seat once his father decides to step down. Despite being the hired help, Finn feels like she is a part of the family and gets caught up in their wealthy and glamorous world. She soon finds herself in the middle of something that could bring down this political first family. She also needs to worry about her own past suddenly resurfacing.
I just don't know what it was about Finn but she just didn't work for me. I never fully understood her motivations even though you get a glimpse into her background. She just fell flat as a character and to be honest the other people in the story didn't do much for me either.
So why did I keep reading if I had problems with the characters? Well, the plot was actually pretty decent and had enough to hook me in and want to stick with the story. Something happens maybe halfway into the story that I didn't see coming at all and that's always a plus when an author catches me off guard. And the ending isn't bad either. It's disappointing that the author managed to come up with a fairly good idea for a story but had a bit of a failure when it came to solid, well-developed characters.
I won a free digital copy of this book from Bookshout and the publisher. I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
May 7, 2020
This is a tough one to rate because it was definitely an addictive read but it still fell a little flat for me.
The plot involves Finn, who works as a nanny for the Martins - senator's son, Philip, his wife, Marina, and their four-year-old precocious bundle of sass, Amabel. Naturally they're loaded and Finn benefits from this rich lifestyle, until a strange girl shows up making accusations that threaten to upset Finn's place in this opulent world.
Finn is not a likeable protagonist. She's got a secret past so naturally she lies about it, and she seems to have some questionable ideas of right and wrong. She sticks her nose into everything unashamedly and has no problem with lying. Personally I hate lying so she and I were never going to get along. Especially when her lies are ridiculous and pointless. So frustrating.
Philip is a sleaze, and clearly a terrible husband, and I feel like there's a lot of issues there that were never properly brought to light. He's got an interesting past, too, but it's messy and never really explained with any kind of satisfying explanation.
Amabel is a petty, lying, mean child who is rude and abrupt and spoiled and congrats to Finn for dealing with her on a daily basis. She's four but she acts way more bratty than you'd expect. I did not care for her at all.
Bryant seems perfect so you know he's definitely not, but Finn still treats him like crap when he's being a good dude which was pretty confusing. Their entire relationship confused me. Also, what was up with Guy? What was he even doing in this book?
Then you've got Iris who shows up to make trouble, and Finn seemed to constantly shift between being on Iris's side and wanting to kill her. Make up your mind, girl. Iris is a trouble-maker, but the reasons are pretty cloudy.
Honestly, these characters are just all kinds of messed up, which I guess works for a thriller because I trusted none of them. They were all jerks in their own special way but it was a little sad to not have someone I really connected to. Made me feel quite detached when all the drama started, because I didn't have an emotional stake in any of it. But if you like twisted characters that are rife with moral ambiguity, you should get a kick out of this.
This is one of those books where nothing is what you expect, but instead of it making for a tense, mind-blowing unravelling, it just feels tangled and messy with an ending that kind of fizzles out. The drama starts strong with lots of clues and red-herrings but by the time we get to the last few chapters it's way too drawn out and you just want it to be over already.
Imagine builders spend weeks digging deep so they can build solid, supportive foundations for a towering skyscraper but then when it comes time to actually build on top they decide to go with a boring, one-storey 3-bedder. This is what this story felt like to me. So much pointless history.
Still, it did keep me interested the whole time because I wanted to know what the heck was actually going on. So it's not like it was boring.
As far as thrillers go, it kept me hooked but was ultimately a disappointing conclusion. It was easy and fast but it slows down around the halfway mark then kind of fizzles into a strangely convoluted ending. I enjoyed reading it, but the story was a little too sprawling and weak.
It wasn't a total loss, though, and it was a fun way to spend a day. I enjoyed being sucked in to the point where I couldn't stop reading and I'd definitely read more from this author. Hopefully we just get better characters and a stronger story next time.
With thanks to Macmillan for an ARC
The plot involves Finn, who works as a nanny for the Martins - senator's son, Philip, his wife, Marina, and their four-year-old precocious bundle of sass, Amabel. Naturally they're loaded and Finn benefits from this rich lifestyle, until a strange girl shows up making accusations that threaten to upset Finn's place in this opulent world.
Finn is not a likeable protagonist. She's got a secret past so naturally she lies about it, and she seems to have some questionable ideas of right and wrong. She sticks her nose into everything unashamedly and has no problem with lying. Personally I hate lying so she and I were never going to get along. Especially when her lies are ridiculous and pointless. So frustrating.
Philip is a sleaze, and clearly a terrible husband, and I feel like there's a lot of issues there that were never properly brought to light. He's got an interesting past, too, but it's messy and never really explained with any kind of satisfying explanation.
Amabel is a petty, lying, mean child who is rude and abrupt and spoiled and congrats to Finn for dealing with her on a daily basis. She's four but she acts way more bratty than you'd expect. I did not care for her at all.
Bryant seems perfect so you know he's definitely not, but Finn still treats him like crap when he's being a good dude which was pretty confusing. Their entire relationship confused me. Also, what was up with Guy? What was he even doing in this book?
Then you've got Iris who shows up to make trouble, and Finn seemed to constantly shift between being on Iris's side and wanting to kill her. Make up your mind, girl. Iris is a trouble-maker, but the reasons are pretty cloudy.
Honestly, these characters are just all kinds of messed up, which I guess works for a thriller because I trusted none of them. They were all jerks in their own special way but it was a little sad to not have someone I really connected to. Made me feel quite detached when all the drama started, because I didn't have an emotional stake in any of it. But if you like twisted characters that are rife with moral ambiguity, you should get a kick out of this.
This is one of those books where nothing is what you expect, but instead of it making for a tense, mind-blowing unravelling, it just feels tangled and messy with an ending that kind of fizzles out. The drama starts strong with lots of clues and red-herrings but by the time we get to the last few chapters it's way too drawn out and you just want it to be over already.
Imagine builders spend weeks digging deep so they can build solid, supportive foundations for a towering skyscraper but then when it comes time to actually build on top they decide to go with a boring, one-storey 3-bedder. This is what this story felt like to me. So much pointless history.
Still, it did keep me interested the whole time because I wanted to know what the heck was actually going on. So it's not like it was boring.
As far as thrillers go, it kept me hooked but was ultimately a disappointing conclusion. It was easy and fast but it slows down around the halfway mark then kind of fizzles into a strangely convoluted ending. I enjoyed reading it, but the story was a little too sprawling and weak.
It wasn't a total loss, though, and it was a fun way to spend a day. I enjoyed being sucked in to the point where I couldn't stop reading and I'd definitely read more from this author. Hopefully we just get better characters and a stronger story next time.
With thanks to Macmillan for an ARC
July 15, 2019
2.5 ★s
Finn Hunt – previously named Natalie – was after a fresh start when she arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, but she had no idea how her life would change. When Philip Martin hired her to be nanny to his four-year-old daughter, Finn was secretly thrilled about her entry into the privileged world of a Senator’s son and his high society wife. And she quickly adored Amabel – the fit into the family felt right. But when a young woman was noticed, first by Amabel – “she’s following me” – and then by Finn, things began to fracture.
The secrets that had been buried – by Finn and the Martins – threatened to rise to the surface. The pressure was on with the re-election on everyone’s minds – politics, secrets and lies – not a combination for success…
Girl in the Rearview Mirror is the debut novel by Kelsey Rae Dimberg and is touted as a twisty, page turning thriller. I’m afraid it fell flat for me. I had trouble getting into it; the characters seemed superficial and I had no liking for them. A disappointing read unfortunately.
With thanks to Pan Macmillan AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Finn Hunt – previously named Natalie – was after a fresh start when she arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, but she had no idea how her life would change. When Philip Martin hired her to be nanny to his four-year-old daughter, Finn was secretly thrilled about her entry into the privileged world of a Senator’s son and his high society wife. And she quickly adored Amabel – the fit into the family felt right. But when a young woman was noticed, first by Amabel – “she’s following me” – and then by Finn, things began to fracture.
The secrets that had been buried – by Finn and the Martins – threatened to rise to the surface. The pressure was on with the re-election on everyone’s minds – politics, secrets and lies – not a combination for success…
Girl in the Rearview Mirror is the debut novel by Kelsey Rae Dimberg and is touted as a twisty, page turning thriller. I’m afraid it fell flat for me. I had trouble getting into it; the characters seemed superficial and I had no liking for them. A disappointing read unfortunately.
With thanks to Pan Macmillan AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2019
Girl in the Rearview Mirror
is a domestic/family drama with a political thriller flair. This book's slowburning build-up really didn't amount to the amount of action I was expecting. The characters weren't likable and the plot wasn't anything super original. It's definitely a good beach read, but it just wasn't for me.
June 17, 2019
The title intrigued me from the start. Does it mean not looking back? Does it mean looking the other way? Does it mean keeping your secrets and your past hidden?
We meet Finn whose real name is Natalie, but she doesn't tell anyone because she wants to hide her past.
Finn left her home and moved to Arizona, worked in the office of a Senator's son, and then became the nanny for his four-year-old daughter.
Everyone seemed to have secrets, told lies, were manipulative, and users. Some of the characters were also odd but most were selfish.
GIRL IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR dragged a bit at first, and the story line was difficult to get straight, but the writing and the underlying hints about what was really going on kept me reading as the author has us mingling with the upper crust.
The chapters will keep your interest because of the author's skill of inserting subtle facts throughout the chapters and as the chapters end.
The story line increased in intensity and twists and kept me rapidly turning the pages to find out what really was going on, what really was happening, who could be trusted, and who was lying.
If you enjoy personal and family drama, seeing how the upper crust lives, and what lengths people go to in order to keep something hidden, GIRL IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, will be something to add to your reading list. 4/5
This book was given to me as an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Girl in the Rearview Mirror is the exhilarating debut novel from Kelsey Rae Dimberg. A book about explosive secrets, a hidden past, extortion and scandal, this is an intense novel that proved to be a perplexing read.
Girl in the Rearview Mirror is a story of family secrets, individual lies and a dogged determination to reveal the truth. A novel that firmly sits in the thriller genre, this debut from Kelsey Rae Dimberg unveils the story of Finn Hunt. Finn is a young woman who is determined to put her past behind her as she takes up a position working for a US Senator. Employed as Senator Philip Martin’s nanny to her four year old daughter, Finn soon learns that the cushy position she thinks she has landed may not be as easy as she first thought. While Finn is tormented by her own past demons, she becomes embroiled in a scandal that lies at the very heart of her employer’s family – just in time for his re-election. As Finn works hard to protect her employer and her own past from being exposed on the public floor, this young woman must work hard to protect her life from falling apart.
The opening pages of Girl in the Rearview Mirror work to hook the reader right in to this unfolding tale. A sense of paranoia and raw unease is established early on in the piece. I was intrigued enough to continue to leaf page after page of this novel. The pace is timely, and the atmosphere taut. Revolving the book around a prominent Senator and the political environment gearing up to an election was also a good choice of background.
Kesley Rae Dimberg has created a solid and contrasted cast of characters in her first novel. Finn was a perfectly likeable lead, but I did feel like she seemed on the dubious side. I don’t think I could trust her in real life. The same goes for many of the side characters that fill the pages of Girl in the Rearview Mirror. There is strong level of mistrust that circulates around them, making it hard to connect and care about their predicament. Some of the choices Finn and the supporting cast make are suspect, but this all adds to the unreliability of this narrative. Dimberg wants to test the reader at many points in this novel.
Everything culminates in a shocking and twisty conclusion that Dimberg works hard at building up, but for me I think it fell a little short. Anyhow, I am sure many fans of the thriller genre may have a more positive response to this novel.
Girl in the Rearview Mirror raises many questions about the past, secrets, power and status. It looks at the dichotomy of personal and professional lives, in the context of a high pressured political environment. A slow burn style thriller with a strong slant towards the psychological, add this one to your list if you like to devour mystery novels, with an unreliable narrator leading proceedings.
*Thanks extended to Pan Macmillan for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Girl in the Rearview Mirror is the exhilarating debut novel from Kelsey Rae Dimberg. A book about explosive secrets, a hidden past, extortion and scandal, this is an intense novel that proved to be a perplexing read.
Girl in the Rearview Mirror is a story of family secrets, individual lies and a dogged determination to reveal the truth. A novel that firmly sits in the thriller genre, this debut from Kelsey Rae Dimberg unveils the story of Finn Hunt. Finn is a young woman who is determined to put her past behind her as she takes up a position working for a US Senator. Employed as Senator Philip Martin’s nanny to her four year old daughter, Finn soon learns that the cushy position she thinks she has landed may not be as easy as she first thought. While Finn is tormented by her own past demons, she becomes embroiled in a scandal that lies at the very heart of her employer’s family – just in time for his re-election. As Finn works hard to protect her employer and her own past from being exposed on the public floor, this young woman must work hard to protect her life from falling apart.
The opening pages of Girl in the Rearview Mirror work to hook the reader right in to this unfolding tale. A sense of paranoia and raw unease is established early on in the piece. I was intrigued enough to continue to leaf page after page of this novel. The pace is timely, and the atmosphere taut. Revolving the book around a prominent Senator and the political environment gearing up to an election was also a good choice of background.
Kesley Rae Dimberg has created a solid and contrasted cast of characters in her first novel. Finn was a perfectly likeable lead, but I did feel like she seemed on the dubious side. I don’t think I could trust her in real life. The same goes for many of the side characters that fill the pages of Girl in the Rearview Mirror. There is strong level of mistrust that circulates around them, making it hard to connect and care about their predicament. Some of the choices Finn and the supporting cast make are suspect, but this all adds to the unreliability of this narrative. Dimberg wants to test the reader at many points in this novel.
Everything culminates in a shocking and twisty conclusion that Dimberg works hard at building up, but for me I think it fell a little short. Anyhow, I am sure many fans of the thriller genre may have a more positive response to this novel.
Girl in the Rearview Mirror raises many questions about the past, secrets, power and status. It looks at the dichotomy of personal and professional lives, in the context of a high pressured political environment. A slow burn style thriller with a strong slant towards the psychological, add this one to your list if you like to devour mystery novels, with an unreliable narrator leading proceedings.
*Thanks extended to Pan Macmillan for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
March 28, 2019
This was slow starting out but when it got good it got really good. I did not like the ending at all. I must say the good parts were good parts. (Ha HA Like that). But I like Finn the detective is what I like to call her. She had her nose in everything.
I will be looking for Dimberg's next book.
I gave this book 3.5 stars. Pick up a copy and let me know what you think about it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
I will be looking for Dimberg's next book.
I gave this book 3.5 stars. Pick up a copy and let me know what you think about it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
August 1, 2019
Stylish and cool, this is a thriller that examines an ordinary life subsumed and intoxicated by a world of wealth, privilege and power. Superbly executed and tense to the very last page.
June 18, 2019
I won this via goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.
----
3.25-3.5 stars
It was a good story but for me it was more mystery and suspense and light on the thriller part. Maybe cause I've read many in this drama and watch lots of Dateline on ID. *shrugs*
It kept me intrigued from beginning to end:)
Not as sure what else to say about this.. it didn't blow me away but it was still a decent read.
----
3.25-3.5 stars
It was a good story but for me it was more mystery and suspense and light on the thriller part. Maybe cause I've read many in this drama and watch lots of Dateline on ID. *shrugs*
It kept me intrigued from beginning to end:)
Not as sure what else to say about this.. it didn't blow me away but it was still a decent read.
July 14, 2020
This book is one of my book club selections. It's a thriller/mystery one of those unreliable narrator types like Gone Girl, Girl on the Trail, etc... The writing was strong and the plot moved along at a fast clip. It didn't take me long to read it. If you enjoy those types of books, then this fits right in to that sub-genre.
I had a hard time connecting with the main protagonist - Finn. In this type of book, the main protagonist can't reveal everything because they're unreliable - the reader doesn't know if they can trust the protag or not. So Finn's emotions and internal thoughts are a bit thin in order to not ruin anything. And then when the full story is revealed, there's still not many emotions. I was also annoyed by some of her poor decisions and not surprised by the ending.
Throughout the book, there was a ton of speculation from Finn about the other characters. Things she was guessing about - other's thoughts and emotions that she really had no idea if it was true - so therefore the reader suspects it to be all in her mind. I guess that's the appeal of the unreliable narrator.
I had a hard time connecting with the main protagonist - Finn. In this type of book, the main protagonist can't reveal everything because they're unreliable - the reader doesn't know if they can trust the protag or not. So Finn's emotions and internal thoughts are a bit thin in order to not ruin anything. And then when the full story is revealed, there's still not many emotions. I was also annoyed by some of her poor decisions and not surprised by the ending.
Throughout the book, there was a ton of speculation from Finn about the other characters. Things she was guessing about - other's thoughts and emotions that she really had no idea if it was true - so therefore the reader suspects it to be all in her mind. I guess that's the appeal of the unreliable narrator.
June 19, 2019
Start your summer off with this sizzling debut novel from Kelsey Rae Dimberg, GIRL IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR. It is fast-paced and brings the heat.
Finn is an interior designer stuck in a boring office job to pay off her college debt when, through a stroke of luck, she is offered the position of nanny to pretty and precocious Amabel, the four year-old granddaughter of a current Arizona senator and member of a politically powerful and privileged family.
Senator Jim Martin is in the midst of a re-election campaign that is faltering and his son, Philip, and daughter-in-law, Marina are closing ranks to bring about a successful conclusion to the election. Philip has an easy manner with All-American football good looks and has his eye on his father’s Senate seat next term; while beautiful, busy and unflappable Marina is the director of Phoenix’s fine arts museum.
Finn has a unique outsider’s perspective of the world of political insiders that continually operate under pressure and scrutiny. The Martins are pillars of the community and Finn is dazzled by the life and the family—that is until a young woman comes into Finn’s life with information about the Martins. Finn is torn. How should she respond? Will this put the Senate seat in jeopardy?
Does anyone not have secrets? Finn has reinvented herself since college—“everyone tried on personalities for size.” Her new self is more reserved and mature. She feels part of the Martin family and wants to become what she is around.
As Finn navigates the unfolding threads of a tapestry of deceit, she begins to see the facade of a public political life crack under the pressure of hidden private decisions.
Is the Girl in the Rearview Mirror a reflection of the face of one moving forward to the future or the face of one looking back at the approaching past?
I found Dimberg’s first novel a fun read and intriguing thrill. Anyone who enjoys political strategy mixed with mystery will enjoy this book.
Many thanks to William Morrow for my copy of Girl in the Rearview Mirror in exchange for an honest review.
Finn is an interior designer stuck in a boring office job to pay off her college debt when, through a stroke of luck, she is offered the position of nanny to pretty and precocious Amabel, the four year-old granddaughter of a current Arizona senator and member of a politically powerful and privileged family.
Senator Jim Martin is in the midst of a re-election campaign that is faltering and his son, Philip, and daughter-in-law, Marina are closing ranks to bring about a successful conclusion to the election. Philip has an easy manner with All-American football good looks and has his eye on his father’s Senate seat next term; while beautiful, busy and unflappable Marina is the director of Phoenix’s fine arts museum.
Finn has a unique outsider’s perspective of the world of political insiders that continually operate under pressure and scrutiny. The Martins are pillars of the community and Finn is dazzled by the life and the family—that is until a young woman comes into Finn’s life with information about the Martins. Finn is torn. How should she respond? Will this put the Senate seat in jeopardy?
Does anyone not have secrets? Finn has reinvented herself since college—“everyone tried on personalities for size.” Her new self is more reserved and mature. She feels part of the Martin family and wants to become what she is around.
As Finn navigates the unfolding threads of a tapestry of deceit, she begins to see the facade of a public political life crack under the pressure of hidden private decisions.
Is the Girl in the Rearview Mirror a reflection of the face of one moving forward to the future or the face of one looking back at the approaching past?
I found Dimberg’s first novel a fun read and intriguing thrill. Anyone who enjoys political strategy mixed with mystery will enjoy this book.
Many thanks to William Morrow for my copy of Girl in the Rearview Mirror in exchange for an honest review.
October 11, 2023
More reviews at: https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
I wasn't sure how I would enjoy this when I first started reading, as it had a political lean, but I surprised myself and raced through it in a day!
Finn Hunt moves to Arizona to invent a new life and leave her past behind. After a chance meeting with Philip Martin, the son of a US Senator, she is offered a position as nanny to Amabel, Philip and Marina's 4 year old daughter. Ensconcing herself into their luxury lifestyle Finn is besotted with the charismatic Philip and would do anything to protect him.
There was a lot going on in this story; media hype, stalkers, parties and plenty of lies and secrets.
I did find Finn to be extremely annoying, she made lots of bad decisions. However I did feel sorry for her as she thought she was part of the family, not simply an employee. I do think if her character had been a bit better fleshed out this would have been a five star read.
Dimberg slowly feeds the reader snippets of Finn's past which builds on the mystery whilst at the same time Finn's obsession with Philip has her digging into his past bringing up information that the family would rather leave buried.
The Girl in the Rearview Mirror has a twisty plot where the lines of what is truth and what is false blur into each other. A totally addictive story that kept me reading until the final dramatic ending.
The Girl in the Rearview Mirror is a fabulous debut. I'm looking forward to Kelsey's next novel.
I wasn't sure how I would enjoy this when I first started reading, as it had a political lean, but I surprised myself and raced through it in a day!
Finn Hunt moves to Arizona to invent a new life and leave her past behind. After a chance meeting with Philip Martin, the son of a US Senator, she is offered a position as nanny to Amabel, Philip and Marina's 4 year old daughter. Ensconcing herself into their luxury lifestyle Finn is besotted with the charismatic Philip and would do anything to protect him.
There was a lot going on in this story; media hype, stalkers, parties and plenty of lies and secrets.
I did find Finn to be extremely annoying, she made lots of bad decisions. However I did feel sorry for her as she thought she was part of the family, not simply an employee. I do think if her character had been a bit better fleshed out this would have been a five star read.
Dimberg slowly feeds the reader snippets of Finn's past which builds on the mystery whilst at the same time Finn's obsession with Philip has her digging into his past bringing up information that the family would rather leave buried.
The Girl in the Rearview Mirror has a twisty plot where the lines of what is truth and what is false blur into each other. A totally addictive story that kept me reading until the final dramatic ending.
The Girl in the Rearview Mirror is a fabulous debut. I'm looking forward to Kelsey's next novel.
June 29, 2019
This starts off somewhat intriguing but never really finds it feet. The main character was unsympathetic to me after expressing her bullshit opinion about how the political climate is hard on white men. Again, no one cares that white men are now facing minor consequences, that largely amount to inconveniences, when they are outed in racist, sexist, antisemtic, transphobic or homophobic statements, actions or policies. Relax, white men are still allowed to be bullies, they're just gonna be called bullies when they act like bullies. The police won't assassinate them for no reason, their kids won't be held in cages, they'll just be shamed socially. I think they are gonna be alright, after all not being a turd is always a choice.
The story just kinda goes off the rails and not in a good or intriguing way. I never was attached to any of the characters and really barely cared what the mystery was.
The story just kinda goes off the rails and not in a good or intriguing way. I never was attached to any of the characters and really barely cared what the mystery was.
June 18, 2019
This book was ok, but suffers from a plethora of awful characters. I read some other reviews and I'm definitely not alone in my thinking this. The basic plot is fairly good, but I could not even bring myself to care about any of these characters in the slightest.
Finn is flat. Her armchair detective work serves absolutely no purpose in the story other than to make her seem off balance and more bizarre. At one point she thought her drink was being drugged with sleeping pills, so what does she do? Goes ahead and drinks it. It's not until the absolute bitter end that she develops a bit of a backbone, but for the most part, I couldn't figure out why on earth she was inserting herself into the Iris drama and any of the rest of it. None of it had anything to do with her, but she just keeps "investigating."
I think overall this book needed a better content editor to sit the author down and make the plot flow more reasonably. The bones of a good book are here, but there are so many things that detract from the enjoyability of it.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Finn is flat. Her armchair detective work serves absolutely no purpose in the story other than to make her seem off balance and more bizarre. At one point she thought her drink was being drugged with sleeping pills, so what does she do? Goes ahead and drinks it. It's not until the absolute bitter end that she develops a bit of a backbone, but for the most part, I couldn't figure out why on earth she was inserting herself into the Iris drama and any of the rest of it. None of it had anything to do with her, but she just keeps "investigating."
I think overall this book needed a better content editor to sit the author down and make the plot flow more reasonably. The bones of a good book are here, but there are so many things that detract from the enjoyability of it.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
June 13, 2019
Wow this book is awful. The author had the writing style of a teenager that just learned what a simile is. Very cringy and hard to get through. This book drags on slowly, full of paragraphs of unnecessary and elementary descriptives. All of the characters are unlikeable as well. No main theme shines through. A truly disappointing debut book for this author.
August 19, 2019
This book is clearly trying to cash in on the girl-with-secrets craze, but it was too pedestrian to hold my interest. Finn is the girl in the title of this book. She has left another persona and an unspecified secret behind her before becoming the nanny for, Amabel, the granddaughter of a senator from Arizona. Finn is not someone you should hire. When Finn discovers that a woman is stalking Amabel she doesn’t tell the parents, instead she talks to Iris-the-stalker and then inserts herself into the stalker’s tale of woe that was none of her business. Frankly, Finn seems like a stalker herself. “Since my earliest days of working for the Martin‘s, I was fascinated by Philip. I sniffed out information about him: his history, his interests, likes and dislikes. No detail was too trivial.” Does this sound like someone you want working for you?
I should have abandoned this book at the ridiculous episode when Finn tailed Philip in her car, but I continued to read until Iris’ brother Guy showed up to threaten and molest Finn at a party and Finn proceeded to actually leave the party with Guy. Finn’s response to Iris and Guy should have been “this is not my problem”, but then this contrived soap opera of a book could not have continued. I made it to page 142 of this book and there the story ended for me. Up to that point I hadn’t learned any secrets.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I should have abandoned this book at the ridiculous episode when Finn tailed Philip in her car, but I continued to read until Iris’ brother Guy showed up to threaten and molest Finn at a party and Finn proceeded to actually leave the party with Guy. Finn’s response to Iris and Guy should have been “this is not my problem”, but then this contrived soap opera of a book could not have continued. I made it to page 142 of this book and there the story ended for me. Up to that point I hadn’t learned any secrets.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
April 26, 2019
“Girl in the Rearview Mirror”
Written by Kelsey Rae Dimberg
Review written by Diana Iozzia
“Girl in the Rearview Mirror” was a very divisive thriller for me. I think that my interest level in this book was high when I first began, but I grew less and less interested as I continued to read. The book follows the story of Finn (female), who becomes entangled with many mysteries surrounding the political family she works for. Finn is shady, all on her own, from the secrets she hides and the stories she tells the readers. However, I felt that the intrigue paid off to almost non-existent suspense and insignificant plot reveals. I give credit where credit’s due. This is a good first debut novel, but it just did not blow me out of the water.
There are so many different reveals and plot twists, that it will be hard to review this book without giving much away. To do so, I will list what I liked and disliked about this book, because I’d rather not spoil any details.
Likes:
1. The dialogue was fantastic. It was very realistic and natural. The characters had their own distinct style of speaking.
2. There is a fantastic twist halfway through about the granddaughter of the Senator, the child of the two main characters, Philip and Marina. Goodness gracious, I didn’t see that coming. That certainly knocked my socks off in the best way.
3. I’ve always liked an unsettling final chapter.
Dislikes:
1. The rearview mirror motif was ever-present and extremely overdone.
2. I really disliked the writing style, because there was too much detail. I enjoyed mostly all of the scenes; however, the dialogue was very omniscient. Finn spoke about how characters felt and how they experienced moments that she was not there for. There was one scene where she spoke about the past political campaigns and knew far too much detail, that made her all-knowing rather than the typical first-person narrative. It didn’t make sense to me.
3. The final reveals of all the characters motivations felt very limiting and could have been explored further. The ending felt very rushed. The climax was just plain anticlimactic.
4. Sadly, this book just did not grip me, the way we hope for with suspense thrillers. I did not feel I was on the edge of my seat. I was not desperate to pick the book back up again.
In conclusion, I do recommend this book. This wasn’t a favorite of mine, but the writer has great chops. I feel that she will be a great writer, but I just wasn’t that intrigued by the plot and the characters of this one. I fully plan to read books by her in the future. This book reminded me of “The Last Mrs. Parrish” and “The Other Mother”.
I received this book in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to William Morrow.
Written by Kelsey Rae Dimberg
Review written by Diana Iozzia
“Girl in the Rearview Mirror” was a very divisive thriller for me. I think that my interest level in this book was high when I first began, but I grew less and less interested as I continued to read. The book follows the story of Finn (female), who becomes entangled with many mysteries surrounding the political family she works for. Finn is shady, all on her own, from the secrets she hides and the stories she tells the readers. However, I felt that the intrigue paid off to almost non-existent suspense and insignificant plot reveals. I give credit where credit’s due. This is a good first debut novel, but it just did not blow me out of the water.
There are so many different reveals and plot twists, that it will be hard to review this book without giving much away. To do so, I will list what I liked and disliked about this book, because I’d rather not spoil any details.
Likes:
1. The dialogue was fantastic. It was very realistic and natural. The characters had their own distinct style of speaking.
2. There is a fantastic twist halfway through about the granddaughter of the Senator, the child of the two main characters, Philip and Marina. Goodness gracious, I didn’t see that coming. That certainly knocked my socks off in the best way.
3. I’ve always liked an unsettling final chapter.
Dislikes:
1. The rearview mirror motif was ever-present and extremely overdone.
2. I really disliked the writing style, because there was too much detail. I enjoyed mostly all of the scenes; however, the dialogue was very omniscient. Finn spoke about how characters felt and how they experienced moments that she was not there for. There was one scene where she spoke about the past political campaigns and knew far too much detail, that made her all-knowing rather than the typical first-person narrative. It didn’t make sense to me.
3. The final reveals of all the characters motivations felt very limiting and could have been explored further. The ending felt very rushed. The climax was just plain anticlimactic.
4. Sadly, this book just did not grip me, the way we hope for with suspense thrillers. I did not feel I was on the edge of my seat. I was not desperate to pick the book back up again.
In conclusion, I do recommend this book. This wasn’t a favorite of mine, but the writer has great chops. I feel that she will be a great writer, but I just wasn’t that intrigued by the plot and the characters of this one. I fully plan to read books by her in the future. This book reminded me of “The Last Mrs. Parrish” and “The Other Mother”.
I received this book in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to William Morrow.
September 27, 2019
Oh my god, you have GOT to be kidding me.
First off, the main character is so unbelievably wishy-washy, I got whiplash from reading her thought processes. She would literally believe anything she heard about, even when it obviously wasn't true. Also, she was unhealthily obsessed with the family she was a nanny for, believing she was acting on their behalf when she was really just trying to be one of them. She even called herself a Martin, but she wasn't. Again, she was their nanny.
Also, I don't know if this was just the author's mistake, but there were at least two occasions where Finn, the MC, would drink vodka tonics and then get in her car, like, five minutes later. Questionable... but okay.
Also, one last complaint. Finn kept referring to her younger self as "Natalie" (which is her legal first name). Throughout the book, she claimed she was Finn now, but DEAR GOD, Natalie and Finn are the same person! You don't shed your old self by changing your name. So much hate for that idea.
This book was okay in the beginning; the plot definitely started quickly. But I feel like it got to the climax way too quick and it was all downhill from there, which was unfortunate because there was 2/3 of the book left. The characters were just so watery and unlikable. But the book's topic was interesting, albeit slightly terrifying. Overall, I just can't recommend this one.
First off, the main character is so unbelievably wishy-washy, I got whiplash from reading her thought processes. She would literally believe anything she heard about, even when it obviously wasn't true. Also, she was unhealthily obsessed with the family she was a nanny for, believing she was acting on their behalf when she was really just trying to be one of them. She even called herself a Martin, but she wasn't. Again, she was their nanny.
Also, I don't know if this was just the author's mistake, but there were at least two occasions where Finn, the MC, would drink vodka tonics and then get in her car, like, five minutes later. Questionable... but okay.
Also, one last complaint. Finn kept referring to her younger self as "Natalie" (which is her legal first name). Throughout the book, she claimed she was Finn now, but DEAR GOD, Natalie and Finn are the same person! You don't shed your old self by changing your name. So much hate for that idea.
This book was okay in the beginning; the plot definitely started quickly. But I feel like it got to the climax way too quick and it was all downhill from there, which was unfortunate because there was 2/3 of the book left. The characters were just so watery and unlikable. But the book's topic was interesting, albeit slightly terrifying. Overall, I just can't recommend this one.
December 29, 2019
Meh. The book wasn’t amazing. The book wasn’t horrible. It was...meh.
There was a touch of the Kennedy Family. The main character’s past wasn’t as horrible as the dust jacket had me believing. The climax hit in the middle & it took a long time to get to the unimpressive ending.
I was moved by Amabel. Being a mother, with a 4 year old daughter, I was affected deeply by her. And even more so by her Senator grandfather.
Overall, I’m not mad that I read it. I just won’t be pushing it onto others.
There was a touch of the Kennedy Family. The main character’s past wasn’t as horrible as the dust jacket had me believing. The climax hit in the middle & it took a long time to get to the unimpressive ending.
I was moved by Amabel. Being a mother, with a 4 year old daughter, I was affected deeply by her. And even more so by her Senator grandfather.
Overall, I’m not mad that I read it. I just won’t be pushing it onto others.
June 28, 2019
I’ve been lucky enough to have read several great books in a row, and while there’s not anything really wrong with this book, it just...suffered by comparison. The writing was good, the mystery—a strange woman lurking around a Senator’s granddaughter + the murky background of the narrator/nanny—got off to a good start. I was looking forward to a breezy, easy to read thriller, and it almost delivered that.
My main complaint is that [pretty major spoiler]. I know it’s a little lame to whine about a plot point in a novel, it came from absolutely out of nowhere, and it didn’t fit, tonally, with the rest of the book.
The characters weren’t relatable or interesting enough to save it for me, after that. I would read another book by this author, though, because I think there’s a lot of promise, here.
My main complaint is that [pretty major spoiler]. I know it’s a little lame to whine about a plot point in a novel, it came from absolutely out of nowhere, and it didn’t fit, tonally, with the rest of the book.
The characters weren’t relatable or interesting enough to save it for me, after that. I would read another book by this author, though, because I think there’s a lot of promise, here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2019
Ok, so I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked it as far as thrillers go but at the same time I felt it was lacking on the strong character connection and storyline.
From the summary, I knew that everyone had a secret and no one was innocent. Yet, when all of the cards were laid on the table, the secrets were not that jar dropping. Maybe I am being a bit harsh as this is my favorite genre. Finn's secret was most disappointing. I thought it was going to be something huge. Not to excuse what happened in the past as horrible but I just thought it was going to be dark. This is because of who she was working for. Speaking of the Martin's. They were kind of dull. Philips's father had a stronger commanding presence then his son.
The last third of the story seemed rushed. This is where all of everyone's secrets and the storyline came together but not much details were spent on these events. The ending was fine. Overall, not as strong a showing as I hoped but I am willing to give this author another chance.
From the summary, I knew that everyone had a secret and no one was innocent. Yet, when all of the cards were laid on the table, the secrets were not that jar dropping. Maybe I am being a bit harsh as this is my favorite genre. Finn's secret was most disappointing. I thought it was going to be something huge. Not to excuse what happened in the past as horrible but I just thought it was going to be dark. This is because of who she was working for. Speaking of the Martin's. They were kind of dull. Philips's father had a stronger commanding presence then his son.
The last third of the story seemed rushed. This is where all of everyone's secrets and the storyline came together but not much details were spent on these events. The ending was fine. Overall, not as strong a showing as I hoped but I am willing to give this author another chance.
January 13, 2020
No, just no. This whole book is a shambles, please skip it. I'm not even sure what genre this was supposed to be, because it was certainly not a thriller (as it's labeled), much more like a bore. I struggled to get through this book, and the only reason I read it as quickly as I did was because it was a short loan from the library.
I had a quite a few issues with this book:
First and foremost, the choppiness of the writing. I don't know if it was an attempt at a "style" or what, but it was horrendous. There was so much stupid, unimportant information given, and it seemed like a lot of (what should have been) necessary facts left out. It was just so poorly written that was enough to turn me off, however, let's continue along, shall we?
Second, if you're going to wrote a "political thriller" please don't be biased. Ugh. I figured out the ending of the book as soon as the author labeled the senator as Republican (which was about page 10). OF COURSE he's a horrible old white guy involved in several murders and countless other illegal activities to get where he wants to be politically. (Trigger warning, and spoiler alert, one of the "murders" is a 5 year old girl)
Third, the main character kept talking about "getting rid of" the "pregnancy" and that's not cool, even if we find our it was fake in the first place.
Fourth, the author waited until 3/4 way through the book to introduce a semi important character
Fifth, there was not a single likeable character. Nobody to connect to. I hated literally everyone in this book.
Sixth, the main character was SO STUPID. She never listens and she comes to so many conclusions without even having any solid evidence (which the author probably just forgot to tell us about anyway).
I had a quite a few issues with this book:
First and foremost, the choppiness of the writing. I don't know if it was an attempt at a "style" or what, but it was horrendous. There was so much stupid, unimportant information given, and it seemed like a lot of (what should have been) necessary facts left out. It was just so poorly written that was enough to turn me off, however, let's continue along, shall we?
Second, if you're going to wrote a "political thriller" please don't be biased. Ugh. I figured out the ending of the book as soon as the author labeled the senator as Republican (which was about page 10). OF COURSE he's a horrible old white guy involved in several murders and countless other illegal activities to get where he wants to be politically. (Trigger warning, and spoiler alert, one of the "murders" is a 5 year old girl)
Third, the main character kept talking about "getting rid of" the "pregnancy" and that's not cool, even if we find our it was fake in the first place.
Fourth, the author waited until 3/4 way through the book to introduce a semi important character
Fifth, there was not a single likeable character. Nobody to connect to. I hated literally everyone in this book.
Sixth, the main character was SO STUPID. She never listens and she comes to so many conclusions without even having any solid evidence (which the author probably just forgot to tell us about anyway).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2019
Another “Girl Does Something” book! Don’t care what it’s about, I’m going to read it!
I’ll admit, I thought I had this book totally figured out. And I *almost* did. I got the Why, the Who, and the How, but I was totally off the mark on the What. (However I steadfastly believe that what I thought was the What would’ve been far more satisfying. What?)
A lot of extra characters, most of them just annoying. The storyline moves forward choppily - no sense of time. What I thought was several months was less than a week. Characters didn’t seem real - their reactions were weird and fake, and at times it seemed like Finn was Jim Carrey in The Truman Show. And the big reveal at the end made no sense. It was irritating how the narrator (in first person) jumped into someone else’s thoughts and memories. Big no-no! And I don’t get the coyote parts. I tried to figure out the symbolism, but it was like trying to find meaning in a Pauly Shore movie.
A lot of fluff. A storyline that didn’t satisfy. Characters without souls. Extra things that happened for no other reason than to make the book longer.
I’ll admit, I thought I had this book totally figured out. And I *almost* did. I got the Why, the Who, and the How, but I was totally off the mark on the What. (However I steadfastly believe that what I thought was the What would’ve been far more satisfying. What?)
A lot of extra characters, most of them just annoying. The storyline moves forward choppily - no sense of time. What I thought was several months was less than a week. Characters didn’t seem real - their reactions were weird and fake, and at times it seemed like Finn was Jim Carrey in The Truman Show. And the big reveal at the end made no sense. It was irritating how the narrator (in first person) jumped into someone else’s thoughts and memories. Big no-no! And I don’t get the coyote parts. I tried to figure out the symbolism, but it was like trying to find meaning in a Pauly Shore movie.
A lot of fluff. A storyline that didn’t satisfy. Characters without souls. Extra things that happened for no other reason than to make the book longer.
June 8, 2019
3.5 stars. This is definitely worth picking up if you are a thriller fan. The plot has some intriguing aspects that many will appreciate: 1) The main character is a bit unreliable and that adds to the suspense level. 2) Set in Arizona with lots of potential for desert drama. 3) An election is in the mix adding political intrigue. 4) Main character is a nanny giving an upstairs/downstairs vibe. So with all of these factors in play, I did find this an enjoyable and suspense-filled read. On the down side, the manner in which the main mystery is resolved seemed a bit flat and lacking in drama. The final scene, though, helped make up for it. I do believe this author has potential and would be interested in picking up her next title.
Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for making a digital ARC available in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for making a digital ARC available in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2019
It wasn't very thrilling, good writing just wasn't sure what the mystery was.
June 19, 2019
Thank you, William Morrow Books for my copy of Girl in the Rearview Mirror, in exchange for my honest review. This title released June 18, 2019.
Finn Hunt (formerly Natalie) is the nanny to Amabel Martin, the granddaughter of Arizona’s Senator. Amabel's parents are Philip and Marina; Philip is next in line for the position of Senator once his father steps down from office and this family has a whole closet of secrets to hide.
Finn stumbled upon the job of many to young Amabel by accident and I no time she has been fully integrated into the family; but when tragedy strikes and takes Amabel, Finn gets caught up in a tangled web of secrets and lies that could quite literally bring down the Martin family. In conjunction with this sordid mess, Finn continues to work at keeping her former life buried deep in history - she too has secrets and lies that are better left uncovered.
This was a great debut! An engaging read cover to cover, the plot kept my attention right to the end. There is a twist halfway through the story that had me gasping and I raced to the end to find out how it would all unfold – and let me tell you WHAT AN ENDING it was! Did not see that coming.
Overall, I enjoyed this read but I did have a bit of an issue with the characters. I thought the author was on a great path with the storyline and it kept me interested but I do feel that the characters could have been developed a bit more and I think that would have bumped my rating closer to 5-stars. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and short chapters always work the best in stories like this one – keep you wanting more!.
If you enjoy domestic drama, especially in the lives of the politically wealthy enjoy the dramatic reveals of secrets and lies unsuccessfully kept buried, then this book is for you and I recommend you add it to your summer reading list.
Finn Hunt (formerly Natalie) is the nanny to Amabel Martin, the granddaughter of Arizona’s Senator. Amabel's parents are Philip and Marina; Philip is next in line for the position of Senator once his father steps down from office and this family has a whole closet of secrets to hide.
Finn stumbled upon the job of many to young Amabel by accident and I no time she has been fully integrated into the family; but when tragedy strikes and takes Amabel, Finn gets caught up in a tangled web of secrets and lies that could quite literally bring down the Martin family. In conjunction with this sordid mess, Finn continues to work at keeping her former life buried deep in history - she too has secrets and lies that are better left uncovered.
This was a great debut! An engaging read cover to cover, the plot kept my attention right to the end. There is a twist halfway through the story that had me gasping and I raced to the end to find out how it would all unfold – and let me tell you WHAT AN ENDING it was! Did not see that coming.
Overall, I enjoyed this read but I did have a bit of an issue with the characters. I thought the author was on a great path with the storyline and it kept me interested but I do feel that the characters could have been developed a bit more and I think that would have bumped my rating closer to 5-stars. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and short chapters always work the best in stories like this one – keep you wanting more!.
If you enjoy domestic drama, especially in the lives of the politically wealthy enjoy the dramatic reveals of secrets and lies unsuccessfully kept buried, then this book is for you and I recommend you add it to your summer reading list.
December 7, 2020
The GIRL IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR by Kelsey Rae Dimberg was a good read. I really enjoyed it. I am not going to say that it was the best book I have ever read, that the suspense was high, or that the mystery was one you don't see coming. It was, however, a really steady read that had direction, interesting characters, and a bit of political intrigue. It had that Kennedy empire feel.
Finn seems to be in a dead-end job and going nowhere when she meets the Millers and their little girl, Amie. She becomes the nanny and falls in love with the family and the child. She ends up believing that she is as important to the family as they are to her..... first mistake always! Then 4-year-old Amie notices that a redhead is following them and tells Finn and the world unravels from there.
This was Dimberg's debut, but there must have been a great deal of practice there! I found the characters were well-drawn and fleshed out. Finn was the right amount of smart girl with a bit of a bad girl, bad family past, stirred in with the right level of naivete' to be manipulated and a tad desperate. The family, run by the Senator, was in the political spotlight in an election that was not going well. But everyone has secrets, and they are only secrets if nobody knows about them and you can keep them under control and hidden.
4 stars from me...
Happy Reading!
Finn seems to be in a dead-end job and going nowhere when she meets the Millers and their little girl, Amie. She becomes the nanny and falls in love with the family and the child. She ends up believing that she is as important to the family as they are to her..... first mistake always! Then 4-year-old Amie notices that a redhead is following them and tells Finn and the world unravels from there.
This was Dimberg's debut, but there must have been a great deal of practice there! I found the characters were well-drawn and fleshed out. Finn was the right amount of smart girl with a bit of a bad girl, bad family past, stirred in with the right level of naivete' to be manipulated and a tad desperate. The family, run by the Senator, was in the political spotlight in an election that was not going well. But everyone has secrets, and they are only secrets if nobody knows about them and you can keep them under control and hidden.
4 stars from me...
Happy Reading!
June 24, 2019
Girl in the Rearview Mirror is a debut novel by author, Kelsey Rae Dimberg. The premise of the book was intriguing - power and politics intermingled with secrets and scandal; however, despite some flashes of brilliance, the book was disappointing overall.
Finn Hunt is the nanny for the young daughter of Philip and Marina Martin. Philip's father is a senator in Arizona, and Philip is being groomed as his father's replacement upon retirement. Finn, who is overly fascinated with Philip, feels like she is a part of the family and gets caught up in their glamorous political world, but she soon finds herself caught in the middle of something that could bring down the family. Finn has her own secrets though, that she does not want to resurface.
Unfortunately, the characters were all extremely unlikeable, and I never felt a connection with any of them. In particular, Finn, the protagonist, was so off-putting, I almost didn't finish the book. While she proclaimed over and over that her main interest was to help the Martin family, her actions did not back up those declarations - she was basically a stalker in many ways. It's unusual, but for me, the plot wasn't the issue - it had promise, but the characters just couldn't execute in the end.
In many places, the story moved very slowly and it was painful to observe the justifications of each character's behavior. There was a "twist" but by that point, I was rather disengaged, so it didn't wow me.
With that said, it is obvious that the author is a talented writer. With a little more character development, I believe the book could have been magnificent, and I would be open to reading further works by Kelsey Rae Dimberg. 3 stars for this debut book.
I won this ARC in a Goodreads giveaway. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
Finn Hunt is the nanny for the young daughter of Philip and Marina Martin. Philip's father is a senator in Arizona, and Philip is being groomed as his father's replacement upon retirement. Finn, who is overly fascinated with Philip, feels like she is a part of the family and gets caught up in their glamorous political world, but she soon finds herself caught in the middle of something that could bring down the family. Finn has her own secrets though, that she does not want to resurface.
Unfortunately, the characters were all extremely unlikeable, and I never felt a connection with any of them. In particular, Finn, the protagonist, was so off-putting, I almost didn't finish the book. While she proclaimed over and over that her main interest was to help the Martin family, her actions did not back up those declarations - she was basically a stalker in many ways. It's unusual, but for me, the plot wasn't the issue - it had promise, but the characters just couldn't execute in the end.
In many places, the story moved very slowly and it was painful to observe the justifications of each character's behavior. There was a "twist" but by that point, I was rather disengaged, so it didn't wow me.
With that said, it is obvious that the author is a talented writer. With a little more character development, I believe the book could have been magnificent, and I would be open to reading further works by Kelsey Rae Dimberg. 3 stars for this debut book.
I won this ARC in a Goodreads giveaway. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
August 9, 2020
Vilken bladvändare. Full av osympatiska personer.
July 18, 2019
I had high hopes for this one but alas it wasn't a stunner. This also had the hook of a political family, so I was really excited. I've been having bad luck with the thriller end of mysteries of late. My expectations are high and there are so many that I'm running into more middling than magnificent. Here, the biggest problem was the main character, Finn. She was the sort of character that often did things that made no sense and it became quite clear early on that the story needed her to do that for there to be a story. Without her withholding info and making incomprehensible decisions for "reasons" this would have been a novella. Still, I persisted reading because I kept thinking it'd turn around.
The author had a wonderful way with the description of a place and because of that her rendering of Arizona was captivating and reminded me of the place in vivid detail. The author did it again in with her descriptions of the mountain landscape later in the story. It turns out that was one of the saving graces of the story. I'm glad I finished it because I wouldn't have wanted to miss those parts. As for Finn and the remaining characters, they won't leave as lasting an impression. But I will remember the coyote.
The author had a wonderful way with the description of a place and because of that her rendering of Arizona was captivating and reminded me of the place in vivid detail. The author did it again in with her descriptions of the mountain landscape later in the story. It turns out that was one of the saving graces of the story. I'm glad I finished it because I wouldn't have wanted to miss those parts. As for Finn and the remaining characters, they won't leave as lasting an impression. But I will remember the coyote.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 437 reviews