The Engagement by Samantha Hayes grabbed me by the throat from the very start and did not let go until the final page. In my humble opinion, this is the author's best novel to date.

Hannah and Rob are thrilled to reunite with their daughter Belle to celebrate her eighteenth birthday. Belle has been in France on a language immersion course, and is due home to mark the milestone. When she arrives, however, she is not alone, but with a man she proudly introduces as her fiance, one who is at least two decades her senior. Hannah's shock, though, goes far deeper than the obvious. Jack, as he calls himself, is someone from her past, a man she never wanted to lay eyes on again. Has her innocent daughter become a pawn in an unsavoury game of cat and mouse?

This is a thoroughly gripping story that had me alternating between shocked disbelief and chills. Brilliant.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. Three stars. I always enjoy books from this author. This one was a bit slow, but still enjoyable.

I liked this book but didn't love it. I'm not sure what it was but I didn't feel very connected to the main character and therefore wasn't particularly invested in her story.

The premise was interesting and there were parts of the plot which I found fascinating. I thought it was all a bit predictable until the last chapter which I will admit did blow my mind a bit!

Imagine this. Your daughter returns from France for her eighteenth birthday. At her surprise party, she introduces you and your husband to her new fiancé. The birthday isn’t the only surprise because he is a dangerous reminder of your tumultuous past. A past that no one, including your husband, knows about.

This is what happens to Hannah Greene. When she meets Belle’s fiancé Jack, she knows that isn’t his real name and he is older than he has told Belle he is. He also wants something from Hannah, something she took from him years ago. And if he doesn’t get it, he will take something from her…her beloved daughter. Now begins the wild ride that is The Engagement. Hannah desperately tries to stay one step ahead of the devious Jack while keeping her husband Rob from discovering this long held secret. This unputdownable thriller races to a shocking, tense conclusion. But you haven’t even read the Epilogue yet!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Samantha Hayes for this ARC.

This was such an amazing read, I was hooked from the start. The book started off strong and kept the pace up the whole way through. The plot line was just so original and the characters really were so perfectly written that they were brought to life and you did really feel for what the people were going through. The choices they made and their reactions to events seems natural and not idiotic just to further the plot. The atmosphere of tension, suspicion and of having an enemy in your home was built up so carefully and you really did just get chills. It does become pretty obvious quite early on what the big secret if the past was but, even if you think you know..... you don't. Your jaw will drop!!! The ending comes along and slaps yoh in the face and has you rethinking absolutely everything.

Wow! Another great read by Samantha Hayes! This one started off strong and never let go. I loved the altering timelines and POVs. Dark and creepy settings. Lots of secrets, lies and deception. And twists just kept on until the very last line!
Highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

My Review:
Wow!!!!! Loved!!!!! Unforgettable!!!!! These are just a few words that I would use to describe this amazing book. This author is one of my favorites and this one proved why. I have read most of this authors books and have loved every single one of them. She leaves me wanting more every time I finish one of fabulous books. Also, I am left completely shocked and speechless. I never know what is going to happen next or where her books are going to take me. This one took me to a world with complete scum in it. This book reminded me that there are people out there that prey on the less fortunate and use that to their benefit. It’s horrible and disgusting. You really do forget that life is not all rainbows and kittens for some people. People come from all kinds of backgrounds and should not be judged for it. On the flip side, it was also a story about a friendship bond that couldn’t be broken. They would do anything for each other. That was the part of the story that I loved. Also, I loved the fact that this book had everything I look for in a great read. It had nasty deplorable characters along with good hearted lovable characters. It had a plot that kept you interested the entire time. Lastly, it had a jaw dropping ending that I never saw coming not in a million years. What more can you ask for in a book? I can’t wait to read more from this author and hope I’m not waiting forever for her next book to come out. I am not very patient at all.

In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The Engagement was a fantastic read! One of my favourite authors! Do I rejoice when a new book hits the shelves! Yes!
I liked the writing and how the story didn’t stale at all, just kept pushing through and intrigued me with the diverse cast of characters their family interactions.
This author writes with such verve and positivity and emotional intelligence.

Hannah is now married and has two daughters. Her oldest daughter, Belle, is turning 18 and Hannah and her husband, Rob, want to throw a surprise 18th birthday party for her. They are in for quite a shock when she returns home from traveling with a man named Jack. He is much older than Belle, and Belle tells them they are engaged to be married. What is worse is that Hannah knows this man who says his name is Jack. Who is he really and what does he want from Hannah?

This was another engaging read from Samantha Hayes. I always look forward to her new novels, and she surprised me with the conclusion of THE ENGAGEMENT. I really didn't see that coming. If you are looking for another great book to read, pick up a copy of this one!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review

This review will be shared to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, and even romance! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I will definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

The characters are fully developed. The pace was slow at times, but it wasn't so bad. Belle's character is true to her age, and she's as bratty as can be for an 18-year-old girl. The toggle from past and future from Hannah's perspective gave away one part of the conclusion. It was easy to guess what she was hiding. However, true to the author's writing style, I was waiting for another twist to the conclusion, which is very satisfying. It does make up for the lack of a roller coaster throughout the book. It's not really a must-read but it definitely should be on the list.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The past meets the present…secrets and red herrings…the main character and her husband try to keep their family of four together…one daughter gives them fits. She won’t listen to them about her involvement with a much older man. I kept wondering why this couple let their immature daughter live abroad, even for a short time. She was still a student… mystery and intrigue…this book kept me turning the pages…not wanting to stop…this talented and gifted author has written a story of intrigue that is unique…I did not guess everything…I am still left wondering if the ending really was the ending. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks also to the publisher and the author.