From the Book Blurb:

From the author of the bestselling WAYWARD PINES trilogy, a brilliantly mind-bending science-fiction thriller in which an ordinary man is kidnapped, knocked unconscious—and awakens in a world inexplicably different from the reality he thought he knew.

Jason Dessen is walking home through the chilly Chicago streets one night, looking forward to a quiet evening in front of the fireplace with his wife, Daniela, and their son, Charlie—when his reality shatters.

It starts with a man in a mask kidnapping him at gunpoint, for reasons Jason can’t begin to fathom—what would anyone want with an ordinary physics professor?—and grows even more terrifying from there, as Jason’s abductor injects him with some unknown drug and watches while he loses consciousness.

When Jason awakes, he’s in a lab, strapped to a gurney—and a man he’s never seen before is cheerily telling him “welcome back!”

Jason soon learns that in this world he’s woken up to, his house is not his house. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born.

And someone is hunting him.

My thoughts:
This was my first novel by Blake Crouch and I was hooked straightaway. I grew up on a wholesome diet of classic science-fiction, so the premise of a multiverse with infinite alternate realities created by our choices in life was not new to me. However, the execution is superb, with its compelling storyline, fast pace and just enough science to make you wonder: what if it was actually possible to create technology that would allow us live our lives thousands of times over, eradicating any kind of regret?

Jason Dessen, a professor of physics at a second-rate graduate school, sacrificed his career in order to have a happy family with his wife Daniela, who used to be a promising artist, and a teenage son Charlie. Both Jason and Daniela are aware that their choices stopped them from achieving something great in their respective fields, but they are content, wrapped in the bubble of their domestic bliss. Until one day Jason goes for one drink with an old friend who remained single and career-driven, and has just won a prestigious scientific award. On his way home, Jason gets abducted, drugged and sent away to a different world. The world where Daniela isn't his wife, Charlie was never born, and Jason himself is a brilliant scientist who has discovered a ground-breaking way of exploring the worlds we create by forgoing one option in life for the sake of another one. What happens afterwards can be described as a sci-fi version of Odyssey as Jason is trying to find his way to his beloved Penelope/Daniela.

As the question of identity and how our choices shape our reality is the central one, it is no wonder that Jason's character is the most developed. We get just a little glimpse into what Daniela thinks of Jason Number 2 (Spoiler: she does notice the small changes that somehow do not add up). Otherwise, what we see is Jason's perspective and Jason's determination to come home, which he defines not as a place, but as his family.

Blake Crouch's writing is very visual- he doesn't tell you things, he shows, or makes you feel them. You hear onions being chopped, you smell Daniela's favourite dish being cooked and see a half-filled glass of wine. Jason's terror at being held at a gunpoint is also palpable. Short, clipped sentences help the author create the fast pace and tension that will make you want to read the book in one sitting.

A marvellous blend of a mystery, thriller, coming home/ survival story, science-fiction, and romance, Dark Matter has definitely lived up to its hype. I'm glad I opened the door to the reality where this book has been written, published, and found thousands of readers.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Crown for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

A sensational crime, a missing teen, and a mother and daughter with no one to trust but themselves come together in this shocking debut thriller by R. H. Herron.

“Mama? Help me.”

Laurie Ahmadi has worked as a 911 police dispatcher in her quiet Northern California town for nearly two decades. She considers the department her family; her husband, Omid, is its first Arab American chief, and their teenaged daughter, Jojo, has grown up with the force. So when Laurie catches a 911 call and, to her horror, it’s Jojo, the whole department springs into action.

Jojo, drugged, disoriented, and in pain, doesn’t remember how she ended up at the home of Kevin Leeds, a pro football player famous for his on-the-field activism and his work with the CapB—“Citizens Against Police Brutality”—movement. She doesn’t know what happened to Kevin’s friend and trainer, whose beaten corpse is also discovered in the house. And she has no idea where her best friend Harper, who was with her earlier in the evening, could be.

But when Jojo begins to dive into Harper’s social media to look for clues to her whereabouts, Jojo uncovers a shocking secret that turns everything she knew about Harper—and the police department—on its head. With everything they thought they could rely on in question, Laurie and Jojo begin to realize that they can’t trust anyone to find Harper except themselves . . . and time is running out.

(From Goodreads synopsis)

My thoughts:
The book definitely starts strong. Laurie, a 911 dispatcher, gets a call from her teenage daughter Jojo, who woke up in a strange house, disoriented and most probably drugged and raped. A dead body of the house owner's friend is also discovered  in the next room, while Jojo's best friend Harper is missing.  Jojo doesn't remember much, but feels she needs to do everything possible to save her friend, and starts looking for possible clues in Harper's social media threads. She uncovers a terrible secret, which makes her realise she cannot trust anybody, and she and Laurie are on their own.
The book touches upon multiple sensitive issues: sexual assault trauma, police brutality, racism, corruption, homophobia. While I believe that it is important for a book to have a social message, other readers may find it a bit heavy-handed.
A well-written, exciting thriller with plenty of action and interesting characters.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Dutton for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

From Goodreads synopsis:

In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.

But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed "The Whisper Man," for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.

Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter's crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man.

And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window...


My thoughts:

Dark, creepy, eery...and also full of hope and second chances. This book kept me up for hours. At some point I just gave up trying to second-guess what was happening and just went along with where the writer was taking me.
Probably the less you know, the more you will enjoy the book. So just a few words in general.
 The characters: Tom Kennedy grieving for his wife Rebecca, Jake Kennedy, sensitive, creative, adorable boy, Pete Willis, who shows the reader that there are two kinds of motivations: not to lose something precious or to gain something you never hoped you still could, Karen, Amanda- where would the world be without strong and loyal women, the super-creepy villains of this book, each one fully fleshed-out- a fantastic cast, created by Alex North.
The plot: clever, spinning over twenty years with a particular focus on the events in the last few months. There was never a dull moment- fast-paced, but not rushed. There were surprising twists and turns, I hadn't anticipated. Of course, I was already glued to the book, but they just added an exra level of emotion.
The writing: vivid, intriguing, gripping. At the same time and at the same level realistic- I am convinced that there are police cases like this, where the first 48 hours are crucial, where there is immense pressure to find the victim of abduction, and there are also psychological consequences of failing to do so. The father-son relationship also sounded realistic: we tend to model our own parental behaviour on that of our parents, but we can also deliberately choose to be different.
The atmosphere: the author clearly knows how to build up tension. At the same time, it is like a good creepy story told in the darkness- it is easy to analyse its elements in the daylight, safe in the knowledge that monsters don't exist, but the memory of your own accelerated heartbeat and clammy hands is there, and, deep down, you know- you were scared...
Overall, a fascinating read, highly recommended.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Celadon Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Two besties and a baby make for an instafamily and a surprising romance in a delightful series by Melissa Foster, the New York Times bestselling author of the Sugar Lake novels.

Ben Dalton has always been honest, except where his heart is concerned. He’s been in love with his best friend—saucy, smart-mouthed Aurelia Stark—forever. But Ben’s a planner, and timing has never been on his side. When he finally decides to make his move, Aurelia beats him to the punch with a move of her own—to a different town.

Aurelia loves her new life in the charming town of Harmony Pointe. She has a great apartment and her very own bookstore, and best of all, the sinfully hot, commitment-phobic friend she’s crushed on for years is no longer just around the corner. Maybe she’ll finally be able to leave her unrequited love behind and move on.

But when a baby is left on Ben’s front porch—a baby that is presumably his—Aurelia is there for him. Neither one knows the first thing about babies, but how hard can it be? Ben and Aurelia are catapulted into a world of love, laughter, and tracking down the baby mama, and it might even add up to a very happily ever after… just not one either of them expects.
(Book synopsis)

My thoughts:
A delightful twist on the trope of a handsome but slightly wild single man with a homely best friend ready to come to his resque when a baby girl ( it is always a girl, although baby boys are equally cute and also in need of regular diaper changing) arrives on his doorstep with a note. Mostly the book follows the trope, although a few things are different...

First of all, I wouldn't call Ben Dalton a playboy. Yes, he is a successful (read: rich) businessman, but it all came from a ridiculous amount of hard work and sound planning. I loved the way Ben's father commented on his personality: "Oh, Ben. You've spent your entire life strategizing. You did it as a kid in every endeavour, from baseball to freaking Hallowee. I remember you mapping out the streets, figuring out the quickest routes to cover the most houses and make sure you didn't miss the ones that gave out the best candy." Ben has been in love with his best friend Aurelia for years, fearing he has been friendzoned, secretly taking dancing lessons and hoping that when the right moment arrives he'll make his move. An old adage says, you are what you do with your free time. Aurelia spends all her free time with Ben, listening to him, wathcing movies, cooking for him, going to parties with him, spending nights on his sofa and the list goes on. Are you surprised their friends and relatives have been treating them as an old married couple? Aurelia decides to buy a book store and move to a town nearby, and Ben is finally ready to profess his undying love when...right, you guessed it, Baby B is left in a basket in front of his luxurious bachelor pad.

The trope wants you to keep guessing if the baby is his or not his, but ultimately it isn't usually about the baby,  but about how the playboy in question becomes an adorably cute and clueless Dad which totally makes the girl swoon. 'Call her mine' is more about the baby and insta-parenthood rather than the two besties finally taking their relationship to the next level. Ben's tirade on why there are never any changing tables in men's bathrooms is hilarious and shows perfectly well how seriously he's taken to the task of becoming the best father possible. What about Relsy.?...well. she, kind of, disappears from everybody's focus, exhausted by midnight feedings and working on opening her new business. Luckily, Ben's parents and sisters are only willing to give her a hand, while Ben is busy trying to locate the irresponsible mother.

This light-hearted, fun book is essentially family-focused (despite a few very hot and steamy romantic scenes). I might have enjoyed it more if it were slightly shorter to avoid some repetition and keep the pace fast. The ending was a bit melodramatic, but, ultimately, you do want a happy ever after for Baby Bea and this one brought everything to conclusion.

This was my first book by this author and now that I have met the Daltons brood, I would like to read the previous books about Ben's sisters as well as any future ones in the Harmony Pointe series. Am I right in guessing that one of them will be about the sexy single doctor? Only Melissa Foster and time can answer, but I'll be looking forward to whatever she writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake romance for the ARc provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

From the author of Rust & Stardust comes this heartbreaking story, inspired by true events, of how far one mother must go to protect her daughter.

Dover, Massachusetts, 1969. Ginny Richardson's heart was torn open when her baby girl, Lucy, born with Down Syndrome, was taken from her. Under pressure from his powerful family, her husband, Ab, sent Lucy away to Willowridge, a special school for the “feeble-minded." Ab tried to convince Ginny it was for the best. That they should grieve for their daughter as though she were dead. That they should try to move on.

But two years later, when Ginny's best friend, Marsha, shows her a series of articles exposing Willowridge as a hell-on-earth--its squalid hallways filled with neglected children--she knows she can't leave her daughter there. With Ginny's six-year-old son in tow, Ginny and Marsha drive to the school to see Lucy for themselves. What they find sets their course on a heart-racing journey across state lines—turning Ginny into a fugitive.

For the first time, Ginny must test her own strength and face the world head-on as she fights Ab and his domineering father for the right to keep Lucy. Racing from Massachusetts to the beaches of Atlantic City, through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to a roadside mermaid show in Florida, Keeping Lucy is a searing portrait of just how far a mother’s love can take her.
(From Goodreads)

My thoughts:
A captivating and thought-provoking read. It is difficult to imagine that the time when women were powerless to this extent is not that far away (and in some places or in some aspects it is still here with us).
Ginny Richardson is told that her newborn daughter Lucy has Down Syndrome and a heart condition that will not permit her to live long. Ginny's husband Ab, under pressure from his overbearing wealthy lawyer father, agrees to place Lucy in an institution for 'feeble-minded'. Ab tries to persuade Ginny that this will be in Lucy's and everybody else's interests and she just has to grieve and then move on.
Ginny's heart daily goes to her daughter but for two long years she doesn't see her (something I find both heart-wrenching and incredibly passive), until her friend Marsha tells her about a newspaper article exposing deplorable conditions children in Willowbridge live in. Ginny decides to check the situation and is shocked to see that it was true. She signs Lucy out (effectively kidnapping her daughter) and embarks on a road trip together with Peyton, her six-year-old son, and Marsha, her larger than life, reckless, swearing, big-hearted, loyal friend. Ginny has to grow a backbone in order to protect her children.
The story is beautifully-written (although perhaps a bit melodramatic, how can it be anything else with this plot that is bound to tug at your heartstrings?) and is essentially about love, guilt, family, and friendship. Ginny has to go through an enormous character evolution in short time  to become stronger and capable to fight for what is right.

Thank you to Edelweiss and St.Martin's Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

An “insidious, suspenseful tale” (J.T. Ellison) with a “shocker of an ending you won’t see coming” (Michele Campbell), Because You're Mine by Rea Frey, the author who “brings to mind Jodi Picoult” (Booklist) and “will appeal to readers of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen” (Sally Hepworth) is a novel about how the truth will set you free.

But it’s the lies that keep you safe.

Single mother Lee has the daily routine down to a science: shower in six minutes. Cut food into perfect squares. Never leave her on-the-spectrum son Mason in someone else’s care. She’ll do anything--anything—to keep his carefully constructed world from falling apart. Do anything to keep him safe.

But when her best friend Grace convinces her she needs a small break from motherhood to recharge her batteries, Lee gives in to a weekend trip. Surely a long weekend away from home won’t hurt?
Noah, Mason’s handsome, bright, charismatic tutor—the first man in ages Lee’s even noticed—is more than happy to stay with him.

Forty-eight hours later, someone is dead.

But not all is as it seems. Noah may be more than who he claims to be. Grace has a secret—one that will destroy Lee. Lee has secrets of her own that she will do anything to keep hidden.
As the dominoes begin to fall and the past comes to light, perhaps it's no mystery someone is gone after all…

Because You're Mine is a breathtaking novel of domestic drama and suspense.

Prepare to stay up all night.
(From Goodreads)

My thoughts:
At the beginning of the book a woman dies, leaving her child motherless. Who is it? what kind of secrets and frustrations made her go on the fateful mountain climb alone?

And so our guessing game begins as soon as we meet Lee, a single mom of Mason, a gifted child with sensory processing disorder, which means Lee has to work from home, while Mason is homeschooled. We also meet Grace, her best friend. Lee became friends with a few playground mothers long time ago when Mason was still asymptomatic. They all have their strengths and roles, they all want to help Lee, but it is Grace she confides in and feels safe around. It does help that Grace loves and understands Mason better than anybody else. Grace herself is a divorced mother of seven year old Luca.

Lee's life is full of relentless responsibilities, so when her friends suggest a weekend away, she doesn't even take it into serious consideration. Eventually, she is persuaded to go by Grace, as Noah, Mason's tutor and occupational therapist is willing to stay with him for the weekend.

We get several points of view in this book (Grace, Lee and Noah), as well as two timelines. Fairly quickly we realise that all main characters are keeping secrets from each other, secrets that they are not willing or not ready to share.

Rea Frey's writing is compelling and you get drawn into the book from page one. We see that the narrators are unreliable for various reasons, and the clues left by the author may or may not be leading us to the truth. I must admit I didn't see the final revelation coming, which made it all even more fascinating, albeit not entirely believable.

A well-crafted domestic thriller with twists and turns that will keep you reading compulsively.

Thank you to Edelweiss and St.Martin's Griffin for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

The timeless romance, soaring passion—and gorgeous men—of Scotland comes to modern-day America. And the rules of love will never be the same…


Isabel Buchanan is fiery, funny, and never at a loss for words. But she is struck speechless when her mother returns from a trip to Scotland with a six-foot-tall, very handsome souvenir. Izzy’s mother is so infatuated by the fellow that Izzy has to plan their annual Highland Games all by herself. Well, not completely by herself. The Highlander’s strapping young nephew has come looking for his uncle…


Alasdair Blackmoor has never seen a place as friendly as this small Georgia town—or a girl as brilliant and beguiling as Izzy. Instead of saving his uncle, who seems to be having a lovely time, Alasdair decides he’d rather help Izzy with the Highland Games. Show her how to dance like a Highlander. Drink like a Highlander. And maybe, just maybe, fall in love with a Highlander. But when the games are over, where do they go from here?
(From Goodreads)

My thoughts:
This was such an entertaining read. Just perfect for summer when my head miraculously refuses to concentrate on merits of literary fiction, but wants romance, romance, romance.... And I got plenty of it with two lovely Scottish-American couples exploring what home, tradition and love is under hot Georgian sun.
I'll start with the characters this time. Isabel (Izzy) is such a contradiction in terms. A passionate redhead with totally unruly curly hair, wild imagination and a very practical job of an accountant. Isabel's father started Highland Games in his little southern town with a fair percentage of Scottish descendants. The festival was designed to help local businesses and bring in tourists, so you can see how important it is for Isabel to continue her family tradition after her father's death. She is usually helped by her mother, but this year Rose Buchanan might be a bit negligent in her duties of the festival orgaiser. She's just come back from Scotland accompanied by a guest. Gareth is the caretaker of a real Scottish manor and is a real gentleman as far as Rose is concerned. But Izzy's suspicions are only doubled, when another Highlander walks in and claims he is an old mate of Gareth's. It's just that he is way too young (Izzy's age) and heart-stoppingly gorgeous with his dark wavy hair, a hint of stubble and sexy brogue (okay, here I am picturing my favourite Dr Who, can you blame me?). We quickly find out that Alasdaire's based in London and works for an investment company. Are they here to trick Rose and Isabel out of their beloved Stonehaven property? and what would happen to the festival if the Buchanans were not there to safeguard the tradition?
I love the way the novel is written from two POVs and Alasdair's intentions are more similar to Isabel's than she can guess. He is here to protect his Uncle Gareth, his property and his heart.
As the events unfold, there are plenty of fun moments, tension building and yes, romance.
I enjoyed the first and the last third of the book a bit more than the hot and steamy scenes. Maybe I was looking more for humour and magic of attraction. Maybe the traditional me doesn't expect instalove to last and I really was rooting for these two couples to overcome their geographic incompatibility and Izzy's lack of coordination (which resulted in a few accidents).
As it was the few hours I spent with this book flew by too fast and I was sorry to leave Highland, Georgia. Fortunately, this is just the beginning and the second book is brewing somewhere (I wanted to say in Scottish moors, but I'm not sure where the author resides and comes up with her wonderful ideas). All we have to do is wait for the ancient magic and modern romance to make its appearance again.

Thank you to Edelweiss and St.Martin's for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.