Seven Days. Seven Questions. Forever Changed.
Daisy and her husband Craig are on the rocks, to say the least. Craig is a serial cheater and Daisy, has a damaged past. She pretends not to notice a lot about her marriage but she can sense the end is near. Daisy decides to book a getaway to a couples therapy retreat called Eden as a last-ditch effort to salvage the relationship. Each day at the retreat they are presented with a question to answer together as a couple to learn more about themselves.
They decide to give it a go and from the minute they get there, everything seems slightly off. I couldn’t put my finger on what was going to happen but not really much happened to say the least…
This is a slow burn. You very slowly find out more and more about Craig and Daisy. Not much was interesting to me. I thought there would be more to it? I didn’t really find the characters likeable so ultimately I didn’t care if they lasted. This lacked depth for me.
My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow, this was a great book! I loved it! It was fast paced and fun! It was full of craziness and I was all for or it! It was addictive and very well written with interesting characters. I kept trying to figure out what I would do if I were in the main characters shoes. If you like twisted and unpredictable suspense then this one is your book. Many thanks to NetGalley and to Flatiron for the ARC. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Wow, wow, wow!

Boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. Boy cheats on girl. Girl has a secret. Will they live happily ever after? Or won’t they? Or will they? Or won’t they? This book lets you figure out some things, but the answer to the relationship status isn’t revealed until the very end of the last paragraph. Regardless how many times you think you know if Craig and Daisy live happily ever or not, you’re led through a roller coaster that will keep you questioning your expectations.

Craig is a bit of a douche bag, but somehow becomes a likeable one. He thinks he’s keeping his serial cheating a secret from his wife Daisy but she’s got his number as well as a secret of her own. She decides to test his loyalty during a week long couples therapy retreat to see if their relationship can overcome all the secrets and set them up with a clean slate. She also has an ulterior motive.

Maybe it’s all the descriptions of actors, the supporting stage and screen staff and their respective crafts, but I often found myself feeling like I was watching a movie, rather than reading a book. My mind saw the action like it was unfolding right in front of me real-time and I loved that!

I’m not sure if I liked the way the book ended, disliked it, was surprised or not surprised. It’s going to take me a couple days to unpack this I think. But I enjoyed every minute while ready this fast paced story.

The Eden Test is a fast-moving, chill-inducing, enjoyable read with a an extra twisty-twist. Recommended for mystery and suspense lovers, or anyone who loves a remote cabin-in-the-woods story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a quick thriller with a fresh -- but pretty out-there -- premise. I burned through it in a day. I kind of liked that it gave Gone Girl vibes for about the first half, because it sets you up to make you think you know what's going to happen. It definitely fooled me.

Daisy and her husband Craig are on the rocks, to say the least. Craig is a serial cheater and Daisy, with her damaged past, pretends not to notice. When she can sense the end is near for their marriage, she books them a getaway to a couples therapy retreat as a last-ditch effort to salvage the relationship. From the minute they get there, everything seems slightly off in a kind of Uncanny Valley/Get Out type of way. The story is told in the third-person, and we follow both husband and wife throughout their stay. It's hard to know how reliable the characters' inner monologues are. It seems there's a lot they aren't telling us. The atmosphere kept me turning the page.

At parts the story is overly repetitive and -- like a lot of thrillers -- a touch too far-fetched, but it was fun nonetheless. I'd give it a 3.5, rounded up.

How far would you go to save your marriage?

Daisy is determined to save her marriage? Daisy signs her and her husband up for a radical couple getaway that will either make or break her marriage. . All it takes is seven days in a secluded cabin and seven questions. that they must answer -one per day.

Her husband Craig has one foot out the door, and is already packed to leave Daisy for another woman. But he drives up to the secluded cabin to meet Daisy for their anniversary weekend to give her the news. He ends up staying for the test. . Things start of normal, and a little awkward. Their week slowly turns into a nightmare. As the book progresses, more and more secrets are revealed.

What I enjoyed:
- I kept thinking "how would I answer that question? I was not only sucked into the story, but kept applying it to my own life a little.
- the pacing was really good. - I was totally sucked into the story! I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day
- The story was really different - something a little new.
- I really liked Daisy and was rooting for her.
- The undertones - you just FELT the suspense and wondered what would happen next.

I would totally recommend this to my friends - and actually will

Thank you to the author, the publisher and to #netgalley for the ARC and a chance to review it. It did not impact my review.

4.5 stars.. Rounded down to 4 just because I was missing that little extra "wow!!"

Sternbergh starts his Suspense Thriller off with an automatic “WHODUNNIT?” You have barely gotten seated in your favorite chair and the ambulance is already there, EMT’s are bringing out two bodies. WTH?
Let us begin:
Craig and Daisy have been married for 3 years; however, their marriage is on the way out in the dumpster, fast! Craig an account manager is not happy with his job, and he is not happy with Daisy anymore. Why should he be, when he has a younger, more vibrant Lilith, who he has been with for the last 4 months, and she is at his disposal. He is going to go home, pack his bags, and he and his love Lilith are going to Cabo to have the time of their lives.
Daisy is a talented actress, sweet and loves the theatre. Decides that for their 3rd anniversary she is going to book the perfect couples retreat for the two of them. Only this is not just any “couples retreat” This is the Edenic Foundation, in Upstate New York. They specialize in troubled marriages using the Eden test method, where you are asked a serious question, 1 a day for 7 days. You are in an isolated cabin, off the beaten path of nowhere. The purpose of the 1 serious question a day, is meant for the couples to get back in touch with their innermost feelings towards each other. To reconnect with the intimacy, they had with each other. The Edenic Foundation is run by 2 elder retired counselors, who have several years’ experiences dealing with troubled marriages. Hence them starting the retreat. Daisy found this the idyllic situation for her needs. For Daisy has her own secrets, she too is hiding something, running from a past that is very, very terrifying.
Craig comes home to find a note Daisy has left for him, telling him to meet her at the address to the cabin. (Which he does)
All the while complaining in his head, he is mad because of the distance he had to drive and because he should be in Cabo with Lilith. But listening to Daisy flitter around telling him all the wonderful things they are going to be doing, actually gives him pause. Is he a bad person? Is he doing the wrong thing wanting to leave his wife? Should he actually give this retreat a chance?
Daisy on the other hand, is the epitome of the perfect actress and plays her part to perfection. Her secrets are perfectly hidden, thus are Craigs. Until they are not!
Sternbergh is a stunning storyteller and boy does he have a story to tell.
His word building is phenomenal, and the novel flows smooth as silk.
Sternbergh’s writing style was precise, without any unnecessary
flourishes, and absolutely no word dump.
The descriptive imaginative, view of the Edenic Foundation could
be totally see-through one’s mind’s eye.
Sternbergh’s epic rollercoaster ride was one full of hair pin turns
and topsy turvy twists.
The Victorious moment of the novel is the stellar ending, you do
not see it coming. Matter of fact, half of a “certain” person you do not see coming.

So, BUCKLE UP BUTTERCUPS!” Sternbergh’s about to go 0-100 and “LEAVING” everyone “BEHIND.”

BRAVO!

“JOB MARVELOUSLY DONE!!”

Thank you, NetGalley/Adam Sternbergh/Flatiron/For this Astonishing eARC for my review. All opinions are of my own volition.

I'm glad I had a chance to read this now even though I didn't love it enough to consider it a must-read that I couldn't put down

Thank you to #NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. In Sternbergh’s text, the titular Eden Test, designed to help couples by asking a serious question a day for seven days of an isolated retreat, is undertaken by actress Daisy and her womanizing, narcissistic husband, Craig. Therapists Bridget and Kit have designed the program, and Daisy has dragged Craig after three years of marriage. The author peels back layers of backstory that show this is much more than a story of a couple trying to rekindle a spark, and the text’s clear but slightly sinister tone intrigue the reader. Sternbergh is a talented writer, and the slow unveiling of the characters’ pasts was done masterfully.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. The Eden Test was a twisty novel - the story of "Daisy" ( a woman of several identities) and her husband Craig, a ladies man who can't seem to stay focused on his marriage. Daisy is an actress who refuses all TV and movie roles for her own good reasons and focuses on theater. Craig is an account manager who doesn't really like his job. As Daisy sees their marriage faltering, she makes decisions that will affect her future with Craig and her past under her other identities. She books a week stay at the Eden Foundation - a hideaway in the woods, run by two retired counselors, with a marriage deciding question each of the seven days the couple is there. Many plot twists, name changes for Daisy and a past that is very frightening. An above average story for the suspense/thriller genre.

No marriage is perfect. But how far would you go to save yours? Daisy is determined to save her marriage. In fact she signs up for a couple getaway that will either make or break her marriage. All it takes is seven days in a secluded cabin and seven questions. Her husband Craig has one foot out the door, and is already packed to leave Daisy for another woman. But He drives up to the secluded cabin to meet Daisy for their anniversary weekend. Things start of normal, and a little awkward. The thing is both of them are harboring secrets. Their week slowly turns into a nightmare. Will they be able to make it or will things end for good?

What I enjoyed:
- the pacing was wonderful. I was immediately sucked into the story! I couldn't put it down and finished it with in a day
- The plot was unique! I really liked Daisy as a character as well. She was very layered and it was fun to peel back her layers.
- The twists! I did see some coming. But it was still exciting and kept me on my toes

There was more that I enjoyed. But I don't want to spoil thus story. This book is perfect for any thriller can. 4 stars out of 5! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! 💜

Seven Days. Seven Questions. Forever Changed.

Daisy, an enigmatic, talented actor, books a surprise retreat for “couples in trouble” as an anniversary gift. She and her husband, Craig, have been together for three years – two of them as a married couple. Between her covert acting career and Craig’s infidelities, they have gradually lost their initial connection and Daisy has decided that time spent together in a secluded location is just the thing to make or break their relationship. Unbeknownst to her, Craig has a surprise of his own; he plans to leave her and fly off to Cabo with his lover of four months.

The retreat is sponsored by the Edenic Foundation, the brainchild of two aging therapists that have seen their share of dysfunctional relationships. Couples spend a week in a rustic cabin in upstate New York and aided The Eden Test of one question per day, share their innermost thoughts to regain intimacy. In the case of Daisy and Craig, nothing is as it seems.

The story is written in alternating chapters from the perspectives of the protagonists, two flawed characters that do not engender empathy as much as fascination. Daisy has been harboring a secret for years that fuels a clever, if bizarre, attempt to gain her freedom. Craig is portrayed as a superficial, self-centered charmer who decides to become a better version of himself. The remainder of the “cast” is an eclectic, quirky group that keeps the story moving along at a good pace.

I was engaged right from the prologue and the suspense kept me guessing where it was all going to end. I admit I did not see the final twist coming and found the conclusion moderately satisfying.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Wow, this was the perfect bait and switch . Craig and Daisy are a young married couple. Craig is unfaithful and is preparing to run off with a married woman to Cabo. Daisy has a secret past even Craig doesn’t know of., she isn’t who she says she is. Daisy is pregnant, but fears how Craig will react because she still has nightmares of when she last fell pregnant from the monster who she runs from. She sets up the perfect test to see if Craig is really the one to spend her life with. She orchestrates a “show” and hires all actors who she knows to put on a performance . She books a week for them to attend The Eden Test therapy retreat without Craig knowing, and surprises him with a week in the country for their three year anniversary. Daisy changes the Enden test rules on her own and when she lures Craig up to the cabin in the middle of the woods, the curtains open and it is show time. In the end, secrets are revealed through a series of questions and two people are murdered. But have Craig and Daisy really passed the Eden Test?

Author Adam Sternbergh writes the perfect novel befitting his name: The Eden Test. The book opens with EMT’s arriving at a cabin to pick up two bodies. The grab is that this cabin is in a remote and idyllic region where couples go to work on their crumbling relationships.

The Edenic Foundation is run by an elderly couple of hippy dippy dropout psychologists. They promise Seven Days – Seven Questions – Forever Changed. That’s the pitch. Daisy is a talented actress who is running away from her past. Craig is running away to his future. Both, are far from likable characters, who seem to be using each other to advance their own agendas.

The author has managed to use their worst qualities to weave a unique character driven tale that keeps the reader guessing. He’s plotted a story that takes place over six days, salted it with interesting secondary characters, and set it in a remote location like Eden, complete with an apple orchard. In keeping with the introductory chapter, the reader keeps guessing who will not leave Eden alive.

I love this kind of book --- what I sometimes lovingly call a "mom thriller," as in, the wonderful category of books that take the the inherent tension/drama in relationships between married couples or mothers and children or in small communities and ramp it up a few notches until it's absolutely threatening. Sometimes you want a book to just sweep you up in a fast-paced drama and keep you flipping pages until it's FAR too late.

This one is a really wonderful example of this kind of book. It features a young married couple headed on a seven-day cabin retreat in hopes of saving their marriage, which after only 3 years is already in pretty deep trouble. It's told from both the wife's and husband's perspectives, which allows you to get a real sense of the characters and the factors driving them to this desperate attempt to fix their relationship.

The characters are interesting, especially the wife, who is repeatedly hinted to have a fascinating but mysterious background. The husband is drawn a little bit more clumsily -- he sometimes seems more archetype than person -- but he was still very fun to read.

I can't spoil much of the plot, but let me just say -- the thriller part develops beautifully, with everything from haunting side character appearances to dramatic reveals.

Highly recommend.

It's official: my first favorite book of 2023! I've been eagerly anticipating a new book from Adam Sternbergh since I read his wild and fun novel THE BLINDS a few years ago. I don't always love thrillers, but Sternbergh just does it so well and I'm pleased as punch to announce that THE EDEN TEST completely lived up to the hype I created in my head for it. Bold claim: this is gonna be a blockbuster next April. It's intense, dark, dry but with subtle winks, bonkers characters, and twists you 100% will not see coming. Let's just say, if you are enjoying the TV show THE REHEARSAL right now, this will be a perfect companion piece.

The plot description has some straightforward plot points (a week-long getaway to a mysterious cabin in upstate New York that is run by a foundation that will help any marriage), but it does not go in the direction you anticipate. Secrets upon secrets upon secrets and the reveals are done with aplomb by Sternbergh. It is so fun and unputdownable - I can't wait for you to experience it too.

Upon reading the Prologue, I thought “what a Married Couple’s Retreat” this is going to be…was I surprised.
Daisy has her life story, so does Craig and because of their individual histories they find themselves at the Edenic Foundation for seven days.
As the book progresses we find out about Daisy and Craig’s backstories as each of the seven days arrive which enabled me to get a glimpse of where the story was going.
However, the final scenes were not what I suspected and I was surprised and pleased.
Adam Sternbergh provided me with hours of entertainment as the description of the book promised. Bravo!

Full Disclosure: I received an advanced copy of The Eden Test by Adam Sternbergh from Flatiron Books via NetGalley.

I didn't know much about The Eden Test when I received a copy. I didn't know it would be about a woman from Wisconsin who ends up in New York City. Pure coincidence I'm sure. I didn't know how much I would love reading about New York City and comparing myself to the characters. Am I like that too now? I didn't know how much it would be in my wheelhouse. Troubled couple goes on a retreat to better their relationship. They have to answer one question each day. I couldn't wait for each question. I'm not even in a relationship, and I want to go to there! All the Biblical symbolism around Eden is very clever. There are several layers to this story, and I don't want to spoil any of them. Be prepared for dark. More importantly, what would you do for the person you love?

Holy moly, what a delicious, whirlwind, twisty ultra wild ride!

Sweet, naive, clueless Daisy decides to give her dear cheat husband Craig, seven days cabin in the woods retreat to know each other and give a second chance for their marriage as her husband already packed his bags to run away with his mistress Lilith who has an open marriage with one kid!

Don’t you want to punch the husband dearest! My answer is yesss!

Poor Daisy leaves a note for her husband to meet with him at the address she’s written which makes Craig drive nearly two hours out of the city, getting lost in the woods.

His wife welcomes him with open arms, talking about their one week retreat: each day they will answer one question for their marriage, planning to enjoy many activities including skinny dipping in the lake, canoeing, hiking, eating most delicious pancakes at the local dinner.

Craig has already one day for his flight to Cabo. He’ll meet with his mistress at the airport after his rehearsed conversation with his sweet wife for ending things. But what if he says yes to make sacrifices by giving second chance to their marriage?

Craig feels like he’s the worst man who is keeping dangerous secrets that may ruin their relationship forever! But what if sweet Daisy also keeps worse secrets from his husband may change their entire future and put their lives at risk.

I loved this crazy mad marriage story! I thought things get escalated quickly and those twists are so unexpected and a little far fetched. But I’m still rounding up 4.5 stars to 5 surprising, mind blowing stars!

This story is batshit crazy with lots of triggering subjects just like abuse, cheating, obsession, stalking but it’s my kind of smart, unputdownable, addictive story!
Absolutely recommended!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I was drawn in from the first pages.A cabin in the woods a young married couple whose marriage is on the brink of divorce. The wife has enrolled them in a program that will hopefully help them heal week alone with questions to answer.This is a book full of twist and turns tense chilling moments a true page turner.#netgalley #flatironbooks