from description: When Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in The Circle, a gated community of exclusive houses, it is everything they’ve dreamed of. But appearances can be deceptive…
As Alice is getting to know her neighbours, she discovers a devastating secret about her new home, and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before.
Everyone is a suspect in Nina's murder. Alice is boring and obsessed, and no one is trustworthy because the author is manipulating the reader to keep up suspense, and counterintuitively, the pace begins to crawl and the suspicions become repetitive. (It's Tamsin, Will, Connor. No, Edward, Eve, Leo, Ben.)
NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
July 13, 2021. Print length: 304 pages.
from description: She met him through a dating app. An intriguing picture on a screen, a date at a downtown bar. What she thought might be just a quick hookup quickly became much more. She fell for him—hard. It happens sometimes, a powerful connection with a perfect stranger takes you by surprise. Could it be love?
But then, just as things were getting real, he stood her up. Then he disappeared—profiles deleted, phone disconnected. She was ghosted.
Wren Greenwood is an advice columnist, and her column "Dear Birdie" has been so popular, it has turned into a well-paying, sponsored podcast as well.
Wren's best friend Jax pushes her to try a dating app to provide something more in her life besides work. Surprisingly, one of her matches has all the qualities Wren has been looking for in a partner, not simply a hookup. She and Adam seem to fit together, and for a few months, Wren and Adam seem to be developing a long term relationship. Then he fails to show up at a restaurant where they were to meet and doesn't respond to her texts.
When a detective shows up at her door with information about "Adam," Wren is forced to reexamine their relationship. Could Adam really be responsible for the disappearance of at least two young women?
Wren joins the detective in the search for the man who has a great deal to hide and may not be through with Wren.
Interesting premise in this new world where people find themselves isolated and use dating apps to try and find relationships.
NetGalley/Harlequin
Suspense. Oct. 5, 2021. Print length: 352 pages.
Bummer. I've The Therapist on my to-read list. Looks like I won't be in a hurry to read it.
ReplyDeleteYou might like it, Melody. It wasn't for me, though. I liked her first book a lot, but the rest have been hit or miss.
DeleteLast Girl Ghosted does sound like an interesting read. And I hate when the main character in a book does something super stupid. Sometimes it even makes me want to DNF that book. :D
ReplyDeleteLast Girl Ghosted was interesting. The whole dating app is a little strange to me as I would be too suspicious to meet someone that way. It is, however, part of our new culture.
DeleteI pretty much always enjoy anything from Lisa Unger, and this one sounds like no exception. Thanks for the warning on that first one, though...sounds like an author who was desperate to reach the 300-page mark. Frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI was disappointed in The Therapist, but obviously that is another personal opinion. The Last Girl Ghosted was much better. :)
DeleteI've read all BA Paris has written but, was disappointed in her last book so I was hoping she was back to her earlier style - sorry this wasn't what you hoped for. I will probably still try it.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the first book, but the others have not been as good. Paris likes creating gas lighting characters, but this one felt like the author was gas lighting the reader. Still, that was just my opinion--others liked it a lot.
DeleteThat's a bummer about The Therapist, but Last Girl Ghosted sounds really good. I'm very intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI get so frustrated when a character makes a stupid decision. I just want to reach through the pages and shake some sense into them.
I wasn't happy with The Therapist, but a lot of people liked it. We are all so individual in our book opinions! :)
DeleteAside from getting frustrated by a stupid decisions, I get worried and tense about situations even when I'm pretty darn sure everything will turn out fine in the end. Funny how our emotions are so genuine when we know the whole story is fiction!
Last Girl Ghosted sounds creepy, but just the kind of book I would go for.😁
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a creep factor in online predators! :)
DeleteThat's too bad about The Therapist. I think I'll skip that one. Last Girl Ghosted sounds interesting though.
DeleteI sometimes talk to the book when a character does something stupid. It's kind of a joke around the house. :-)
Oh, yes, I try to give them advice or to warn them, but they never listen!
DeleteI definitely do not like feeling manipulated as a reader like that. Or recognizing that the author has made a character act in an unnatural way only to move the plot forward. I often try to think how they could have re-written it so that it makes sense. But the premise of the books are often so tempting...and when it is from a favorite author...
ReplyDeleteI'm disappointed when an interesting premise isn't developed in a way to make the most of it. This one turned out to be annoying, and it was impossible to root for anyone.
DeleteThe Unger book does sound a bit creepy. Not sure if meeting by App is too safe .... in this day & age. sadly.
ReplyDeleteIf a character does something dumb, it's a bummer! Definitely good to take a pause then.
Oh that picture says it all right... I hate it when I'm silently telling the character what are you doing! Well, I do have the B.A. Paris on my list but think the Unger book will be the one I most look forward to!
ReplyDelete