I am delighted to be on this blog tour ~ thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for organizing.
check out what my fellow bloggers thought of this one ⤵
3.5⭐
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Setting ~ England ~ Wroxham, Leeds, Scarborough
Publication date ~ August 24, 2023
Page Count ~ 316 (49 chapters, + p & e)
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ dual timeline ~ now & before, stalking, non graphic r@pe, abortion, secrets, lies
Emily is our main narrator. She and boyfriend, Max, are on week long holiday to reconnect after some misunderstandings. But can they reconnect with all the secrets and lies they both keep? I mean what kind of relationship do you have if you keep important things from each other? Not a super healthy one in my opinion.
In the before timeline, Emily’s estranged father is dying from cancer. They grew apart after her mother and sister were killed in an accident years ago. She is by his side in hospice for his final days, though, where she meets a volunteer. Connor soon becomes obsessed with Emily and stalks, drugs and r@pes her. Do I like the choices Emily made? Not at all, but I felt her and his actions, and his character, were well written.
There were some tense moments and the atmosphere surrounding the Boat House gave me the nice, creepy vibes that I enjoyed, and the cover captures it nicely.
Most characters were pretty unlikable, especially Emily and her choices I didn’t agree with. I really liked Emily’s friendship with Francesca. She was really there for her when she needed her the most, a true bff. Unlike, Max, who could have been a better support system, although, he did believe and support her when it mattered the most. As terrible as it is to say based on what he did, Connor was probably my favorite character. And, of course, I loved the faithful dog, Scout. She does get kicked, which I didn’t like, but she was protecting her person, so I’ll let it slide.
Overall, I was not as gripped as I had hoped to be. This book had a different vibe, which Keri writes about in her acknowledgments. I can understand her reasoning in going this route, but it wasn’t what I was expecting after loving The Summer House so much. I’ll for sure be reading what she writes next.
Plenty of 5 ⭐ love, so don’t let me deter you.
*Thanks to the author, Rachel’s Random Resources, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Book blurb:
A dark secret. A deadly obsession. No place to hide.
Max Hunter, my boyfriend, booked the beautiful boat house on the Norfolk Broads as a surprise autumn break
A week away to heal after a fraught few months following my father’s death. A chance to put the lies and secrets behind us and to start afresh. But in the silence it feels like someone is out there. Watching, waiting and taunting me.
When strange things begin to happen, I know this isn’t going to be the relaxing break it’s supposed to be.
As I become more jumpy, Max’s patience begin to wear thin. He thinks I am imagining things. But he doesn’t know the huge secret I am keeping, so big it could destroy us.
I have every right to be fearful and I have to make sure he never finds out the truth. But what if I am already too late?
Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/BoatHouseSocial
Author Bio –
Keri Beevis is the internationally bestselling author of several psychological thrillers and romantic suspense mysteries, including the very successful Dying to Tell, published by Bloodhound. She sets many of her books in the county of Norfolk, where she was born and still lives and which provides much of her inspiration.
Social Media Links –
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If I remember correctly there were no paper copies available or was it that the dates just didn’t work for me? Either way, a Blog Tour I had considered but in the end didn’t participate in.
There sounds like there were so many threads to this story in which to lose yourself in though like you I would not have liked the kicking of a dog. Its a shame that it just wasn’t as gripping as you’d have hoped.
I guess I had high hopes since I enjoyed The Summer House so much. I’ll give her a shot again to see if maybe this was a one off. Thanks for your comment!