Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me access to an advanced reader copy of this book!

I was very excited to read this story that featured such nuanced and compelling female characters, as I know stories like that are only recently being told to the extent that male-driven stories have been told for centuries. The premise was thrilling and I was drawn to the story, invested in finding out what happened to the characters.

A mother’s love for her child will push. Get to protect at all costs.

What a great read! The relationship between Ren and Nolan is strained and Ren needs to figure out what she’s going to do to make her and her baby’s life livable.
But she has one last job to do and that means taking care of Julia.

Julia is a mom and will do anything in her power to make sure her daughter is safe. Even if that means dying herself.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this story and they will make you keep reading regardless of how late it gets. A must read.

What brilliant thriller! I couldn’t put it down. The story is about a married couple who are both hired assassins. They share a strict moral code justifying their killings or so they think.
Ren has just discovered that she is pregnant is following in her father’s footsteps. Her specialty is poisons. She is married to Nolan, a marksman. But things between them haven’t been great for a while. Maybe the baby will change all that. But then Nolan takes on a last minute job, without Ren and without proper research and planning.
They always work together as a team and now she wonders what other secrets he is keeping from her? Who hired her husband to carry out the killings? Ren is not happy, especially when things go wrong and she needs to clean up the mess.

As Ren and Julia try to figure out who ordered the killing and why, the truth will cause their lives to intersect. But can they both survive?
A compelling and engaging story.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a thrilling "whodunit" that had me hooked from the beginning. I enjoyed the story being told through two POVs, and loved how it all connects by the end. The plot twists were surprising, and the ending was satisfying. Definitely recommend!

This book grabbed me immediately!
It was a little graphic in the beginning with the mass shooting. The cat and mouse in the rest of the book was really good! The twists and turns make it impossible to put down!

This truly is a shocking thriller! Altering povs from two mothers to uncover the truth is not something I thought I’ll enjoy this much. I usually struggle a bit with domestic thrillers, but this one is written well with two very different characters and is fast paced. Easily binge-able!

Thank you for the ebook Mulholland Books vis Netgalley.

For me, this was a totally engaging thriller/mystery. Loved the premise going on and then as layers were revealed, no one in this suspense novel was totally innocent. It got a bit confusing at times how people inter-related to each other, but I kind of liked the secrets and Chavez left enough breadcrumbs to have it make sense. Most suspense I read nowadays is a bit over the top with its characterizations and implausible plots but I didn't think this one was - all the pieces fit together though I'd imagined a couple of other twists that didn't happen which were missed opportunities. As my second book carries a strong mother-daughter theme as well, this one grabbed me from the beginning and I loved that it was carried by two strong female protagonists.

Following a horrific attack on a university campus, two mothers race to uncover the truth. Driven by the instinct to protect their families, they unknowingly barrel towards a singular truth that will tear one of their families apart.

Julia Bennett, botany professor with a troubled past, and Serena Bell, a trained assassin with a strict code, are not as dissimilar as they may originally believe themselves to be.

Well paced and well written, Heather Chavez’s Before She Finds Me is a solid thriller with enough mystery to keep me curious without ramping up my anxiety so much I run to google for spoilers. 😅 What stood out to me most about the two women headlining this story is how much they relied on and trusted their own instincts, even if there seemed to be no logical reason for it. While the characters were a little flat, the story itself was still a good one, and is worth a read.

Thank you NetGalley and Mulholland Books for this advanced reader copy of Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez to be reviewed.

The two alternating narratives of Julia and Ren were equally compelling, and I found myself easily immersed in both stories. They were both strong women surrounded by lies, deceit and betrayal. The tension builds throughout the story until the end. A dark, intense thriller!

A quick paced, who done it…what really happened…what secrets are you hiding storyline that alternates between two narrators. The book was more of a 4.25 read, rounded up.

I loved this one!!! Two strong and capable women, surrounded by lies, deceit and betrayal. This book was action packed and unfolded like a movie. The suspense and twist had me on the edge of my seat. First Heather Chavez definitely not my last. Thank you Netgalley and Mulholland Books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

“A sudden attack stunned the campus, and only Julia’s quick actions saved her daughter’s life. In the aftermath, Julia wonders if the attack wasn’t as random as everyone believes.”

If you are looking for a book that hooks you from the first pages until the end, look no further. The tension builds throughout as two women, Julia and Ren, race to determine who is responsible for the school shooting. While they are on opposite sides, the two mothers are determined to protect their children at all costs. Oh, and one of them is a trained assassin!

Before She Finds Me reads like an action movie. I couldn't put this dark, intense thriller full of twists, secrets, and morally grey characters.

Thank you to Mulholland Books for a gifted copy. This voluntary review represents my honest opinion.

Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez is my favorite book so far this year! The story was highly original, and both female lead characters were outstanding. The chapters alternate between Ren and Julia. The structure of the book made for a very suspenseful experience. I could not read this book fast enough. Both of these women are so badass and I loved them both. I finished this book a week ago, and I cannot stop thinking about it. Do yourself a favor and read this book now! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

38 year old, Julia Bennett is an assistant professor of botany at Anderson Hughes. Julia and her ex-husband, Eric are moving their daughter, Cora into the dorms at Anderson Hughes. Eric’s new wife, Brie is also there and a small argument breaks out between Eric and Brie when all of a sudden out of nowhere...

Pop Pop Pop. Bullets start flying.

Julia’s quick thinking saves her daughter’s life but not everyone is as lucky.

In the aftermath, Julia questions the official story. She just can’t leave it alone. The shooting has also brought up memories that Julia has suppressed for many years. Something happened over 20 years earlier that taught her what can happen if you don’t keep your guard up at all times.

When Ren Petrovic is asked what she does for a living she is able to tell the truth. Ren and her husband, Nolan own a local gym. However, that’s not the whole truth. In fact, Ren and Nolan are both trained assassins. They always work together as a team. He secures the jobs and she plans them.

Ren and Nolan have always agreed that they would never take an assignment unless the target deserved it. Their family mantra is - “Shield the innocent. Kill the guilty. Defend the family.”

So why didn’t Nolan tell Ren about this most recent job? Why is he suddenly keeping things from her?

Julia and Ren are very different women. But both of them will do whatever they need to do to keep their family safe.

A unique and intriguing read!

The story starts off with a shocking crime but then seemed to slow down quite a bit. I found myself picking it up and putting it down. However, I’m glad I stuck it out as once I was about a third ways in, I was gripped. I really wanted to see how everything turned out. I did have to suspend disbelief quite a bit but still found this to be a compelling read with a good cast of complicated characters.

This was my first read from Heather Chavez. I’ve heard great things about her previous novels so I’m looking forward to checking those out too.


I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

**3.5-stars**

Before She Finds Me is the latest release from Heather Chavez. I went into this very excited, as I really enjoyed Chavez's two earlier releases, No Bad Deed and Blood Will Tell. In this novel we follow the perspectives of two different women, Julia and Ren. On the surface, these women are as different as different can be, but their lives are about to become entangled in some pretty serious ways.

On the day Julia is moving her daughter, Cora, into her new college dorm, a viscous, seemingly senseless attack rocks the campus and leaves Cora injured. It's only due to Julia's quick reaction that Cora wasn't more seriously hurt. Unable to stop thinking about the event, Julia starts to question whether it was as random as everyone else seems to think.

Ren, pregnant with her first child, is a trained assassin, as is her husband, Nolan. Ren doesn't know Julia and she wasn't on the campus that day, but she knows who was, Nolan, and he's left a big ole' mess in his wake.
Ren needs to clean-up after him. After watching footage of the incident numerous times, Ren is curious about the woman in the crowd with the unbelievable reaction time. Who is she and what, if any, is her connection to this job?

When both women begin to hunt for answers, it's inevitable that their paths are going to cross and their going to find themselves on opposing sides. With both Ren and Julia willing to risk it all to protect their families, which mother is going to come out of this alive?

Y'all, I went into this one with the highest of hopes. I found both of Chavez's earlier novels to be engrossing and fast-paced. I had a blast with them. While I have read many great reviews for this newest book, I just could not connect with it.

The opening scenes were intense as heck, but then it slowed way down. By 21%, I was feeling nothing. I could have taken it, or left it. I just kept reading other reviews and they were glowing. I decided to keep going. By 50%, I was contemplating giving up, but again, the rave reviews kept me going. I started feeling myself going into a slump. It felt like I had been reading it forever.

Don't get me wrong, it's not the writing. I still really enjoy Chavez's writing. It's fluid, well-thought out and her characters feel real. However, the plot was plodding along slower than a snail crawling up hill. Frankly, I don't know if snails crawl slower going up hill, but you get the picture.

When I finished, it was cause for celebration. At that time, if you asked me how long it had taken me to read this, I would have guessed 6-weeks, but it was actually just shy of a month. It wasn't fun.

This made it tricky for me to rate. I love Chavez and her writing, but it's clear this one didn't hit for me. My personal experience was more of a 2-star, but I know there is a good story in here and if you can be drawn into it, or into the characters, I know you will have a good time with it.

So, with all this being said, and my tiny complaints aired, just ignore me. Go read all of the 4-star and 5-star reviews for this one. If you have any interest at all, give it a shot. I will definitely be continuing to pick up all of Chavez's books as they are released. Just because this one didn't knock me out of the park, doesn't mean the next one won't.

Thank you to the publisher, Mulholland Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to seeing what Heather Chavez comes up with next!

The beginning was intriguing, and I was engaged, but soon it became mundane. The ending picked up a bit, but by then . . . it was too late. I didn't care.

Two Badass Female MCs!

Before She Finds Me is a psychological thriller about a murder that blurs the lines between killers and victims.

An assassin and a woman with a dark past go head to head. What ensues is a masterful game of cat and mouse.

The MCs make this book. Both are strong, daring, and observant. Each is equally as interesting as the other. Dark secrets, hidden pasts, and a keen intelligence drive their chapters.

I was hooked from the start. The tone is dark, alluring, and addictive. What was happening and why it was happening added to the lure. The tension builds with each chapter, and I was never sure who was going to make it out alive.

My minor gripe is that one will need to suspend their disbelief to fully buy into the plot.

The tone, the tension, and the drama make this an unputdownable thriller that got me out of a bit of a thriller slump!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Mulholland Books in exchange for an honest review.

This was an entertaining read and one that kept me guessing for much of it. I'm generally not a big murder-for-hire fan and I won't say this swayed me, but I did like that it wasn't your typical hitman novel. First and foremost, the assassins were a married duo and the brains behind the operation was a woman (love it!). Secondly, I thought it was fun that there was so much more than just murders for hire.

The school shooting scene was intense and I actually wanted a little more from the aftermath and community impact. It's such a relevant topic and I thought Chavez conveyed the terror and uncertainty of the situation really well.

I also really liked that the female assassin was pregnant. It gave her character more depth and humanized her.

This book uses multiple narrators which I am always a fan of. It worked really well to help unfold the story and keep the pacing moving forward.

I listened to this novel on audio and thought the narrators did well. It was action packed without being too over the top.

I did guess the twist but not until a pretty good way in, so I'm glad there were breadcrumbs without being overly obvious.

Overall, this was a fun read and if you're into books about murder for hire, I definitely recommend! Thank you to Mulholland Books and Libro.fm for the copy.

“Shield the innocent. Kill the guilty. Defend the family.”

A story of manipulation, murder and a mother’s love, Before She Finds Me is a well crafted thriller from Heather Chavez.

After a shooting at a college campus leaves her daughter injured and her ex-husband’s new wife dead, Julia Bennett is desperate to make sense of the incident. Something about the sniper attack doesn’t seem random, and Julia, who lost her parents to senseless violence as a teen, is determined to protect her child at any cost.

Ren Petrovic is puzzled when she learns of her husband’s involvement in the college campus shooting. She and Nolan, both professional assassins, only accept assignments under strict conditions, but he’d not only taken this job without telling her, he seems to have made a fatal mistake. Heavily pregnant, Ren needs to figure out exactly what went wrong for the sake of her unborn child’s future.

The story opens with a burst of action, and the tension builds steadily as Julia and Ren attempt to find answers, unravelling the secrets and lies that threaten their family’s safety. Clever plotting provides intrigue with several red herrings and the twists enhance the momentum. The final scenes that pit the women against each other had me holding my breath.

Julia and Ren are complex, interesting characters, and their alternating viewpoints work well to tell this story. Though the women have a similar goals, they are opposing forces. Ren, as an assassin, seems likely to have an edge, but Julia’s fierce love for her daughter lends her a strength and focus that surprises even her. Both women engender sympathy for different reasons, and there’s a lot of grey so it’s not as easy as you might think to choose a side.

With its strong characterisation and original plot, Before She Finds Me is a gripping and exciting read.

You'd better strap in tight because you're in for one heck of a ride! A very unusual premise, it tells the story of a college campus attack. You'll have to read it yourself to find out more! This book was exciting and left me almost breathless. Terrific!