I am sad to say I couldn't get into this book, I found it quite slow in places. I see that it has some fabulous reviews, so I am assuming that it is a marmite book - others loved it, for me it didn't hit the spot. Thank you for allowing me to review it. The premise sounded brilliant, but it didn't live up to the hype for me.

I can't review this book because I only received the first half of the book in my copy. I approached the NetGalley customer support weeks ago, but I still haven't received a reply.

Therefore, I've decided that I can't review this book because I can't wait any longer.

I'm so sorry I couldn't do it. I really enjoyed reading as much of the book as I got to read.

I enjoyed this book but I need to say that there were some pacing problems - it seemed very fast paced in parts, and excrutiatingly slow in others. It was a bit predictable (but not completely!) with a very abrupt ending. I could see the author writing a novel from the view of Daniel or his mother Laura that would run parallel to this one. Overall I did enjoy this book and would read others from the author!

3.75 Stars. The Girlfriend is a fast paced, well written mystery by Michelle Frances. It’s a bit predictable with an abrupt ending that left me wanting more…maybe an epilogue from Daniel’s point of view. Overall it was a good read and I would not hesitate to read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

A great, addictive thriller. Daniel is an only child, about to start med school when he wanders into a local real estate office and wants to look at apartments. He meets Cherry, a beautifully, alluring real estate agent who agrees to show him some apartments. Daniel is smitten and Cherry sees dollar signs and a chance at the life she never had. Daniel's mom Laura is a TV executive and when she meets Cherry she gets a feeling that she's not all lovely as she seems. To Laura Cherry comes off as conniving, cunning, and a liar, but no one else seems to get that vibe. Laura makes it her mission to get proof about the "real" Cherry. A near tragedy means Daniel almost loses his life and Laura sees that as the only way she get Cherry away from Daniel, but Laura's scheme may backfire and Cherry may be like a trapped animal and Laura's life may be at risk. I am a huge fan of Ruth Rendell and this book and author's style reminded me of the queen of psych-thriller's many taut stories. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the Great Thoughts Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

The Girlfriend is a chilling psychological thriller, that starts out with every mother's hope that her son will find a lovely girl to marry but Laura has a lot to learn about Cherry who she is drawn to in the beginning. Cherry falls immediately for handsome, intelligent, and rich Daniel, and sets her sights on getting him. She comes from a very different background and is ashamed of her own mother who works in a market, seeking to keep her history a secret. Cherry seems to be just fine at first, then strange things happen, and Laura is puzzled. There are lies and manipulations as the story enfolds and a terrifying feeling that something bad is going to happen starts to freak out Laura. This story kept me on edge waiting for the next devious thing...when a tragedy suddenly occurs everything changes and I held my breath till the very shocking end. The characters are not really likeable although sometimes remorseful for their actions , this story was terrifying. Sometimes I was able to predict events but the ending was what kept me wondering to the very last page. Thanks to The Secret Ninjas and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this

This was very hard to get in to, the writing was choppy and gave the impression of a first time, un talented writer. The book was not helped by the distracting and prevalent spelling and grammar errors. I gave it my best shot though.

Hampered by uneven pacing and abundant cliches, this book was interesting but one that I struggled to finish. I believe the copy I received might have been pre-editing, as there were a few flaws and instances of strange formatting that took me out of the story. It presents itself as a psychological thriller, but it is more of a slow-burning family drama.

On the whole I enjoyed this book, but some bits were far slower than others. A lot of the storyline seemed pretty far-fetched, but somehow it worked. I don't often like to read about things that seem beyond the realms of possibility, but the writing was done so well that I could get on board with this. The ending didn't happen as I predicted, which is always great - I like to have a big twist at the end!

I'll admit this isn't the most exciting thriller I've read, and I wouldn't say that it is 'gripping', but it was an enjoyable read that kept me guessing.

Wow. This book has some unexpected twists and turns that kept me turning the page as fast as I could.

I don't want to say too much so I don't give anything away. If you want a book that sucks you in so you don't want to stop reading, this is the book for you.

I I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

This is a compelling addictive thriller. Laura has it all , a successful career ,wealthy husband , handsome kind son. However when Daniel meets Cherry an real estate agent that begins to slowly take him away from Laura her suspicions rise. Another reason I liked this novel is there are grey areas with Laura and Cherry . You can kind of feel for them both on some level. read the first few pages and you will be totally sucked in .

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The ending was OUTSTANDING!

Laura continues to live out her days in a loveless marriage, pining for the daughter she lost, while pinning her hopes on the loving son she adores. She might be a little controlling and clingy but she means well. Cherry is a stunning young women from a blighted single parent home, determined to ascend the social ladder; she doesn’t mind cutting corners to get there. And there is the good looking, intelligent doctor who is caught in the middle.

Daniel Cavendish wasn’t looking for love but when he walked into the real estate office he was instantly smitten.
Daniel and Cherry begin an intense romance which leads to Cherry crashing the pre-planned mother/son trip to France. Laura attempts to develop a rapport with Cherry but Cherry only wants to relax and solidify her relationship with Daniel. She loved his life and wanted it for herself. Laura’s motherly intuition is screaming that something is really wrong with this girl. Is she just being overprotective? Jealous? Is she imagining things?

The thrill ride is just beginning! There are a lot of surprises and Laura has a secret that could forever undermine her relationship with her son. Will Daniel be forced to choose between the women in his life? Will he walk away from both of them? Did I mention that the ending was outstanding?

I received an advance review copy of this book from Great Thoughts Ninjas. All opinions are my own.

As psychological thrillers go, this one isn't bad. A wildly rich and successful overbearing mother and an exceptionally intelligent and beautiful golddigger were never going to see eye to eye over the attention of the handsome Doctor Daniel. From the exclusive family home (extended into the ground to include a pool) to the St Tropez holiday getaway to the starter flat (that only cost multiple thousands in rent a month) it was quite difficult to relate to these characters and their day to day life. Maybes that's cause I'm poor?
Poor Daniel appears to be much less defined than the female characters. His dad is a middle aged cliche, cheating on his wife due to her overbearing nature (which is explained away through tragedy). The main characters are neither a great prize. I think the reader is meant to be sympathetic towards Laura, the mother, however she is every bit as narcissistic as Cherry (the golddigger) is manipulative. Two obnoxious women fighting to the death over the different ways to 'love' a man.
I sound so critical but this was a lighthearted, fun read. If you like reading books where you don't actually root for the main characters then this book could be for you.
I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

**scheduled for 30th January**

"I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own."
While I did enjoy The Girlfriend I did find it a bit predictable, with that being said it's a great read and one you don't want to put down until you finish it. It left me with a feeling of who can you really trust! On a side note my son won't be dating until he's 45!

I read the first 100 pages I was granted and absolutely love what I've read so far! I am completely hooked on this book and am sad I'm unable to finish it. I would like nothing more then to give my honest review to Instagram, Goodreads, Twitter, and Wordpress once I am able to finish this book.

This book about a mother-in-law, her spoilt son and his girlfriend (from the title, duh) is so predictable that I would not recommend it to anyone who wants to be kept in suspense by a good plot. Sorry, but as you can probably guess ... this book was not for me.

I have received an advanced review copy of this book from The Great Thoughts Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own. This book will grab you in its sweaty grip and not let go until you have read the last page. One of the best books coming out in 2018. Don't start this until you have a big chunk of time to read this because you will not put it down until you are done.

Ah!!! I'd forgotten it was an excerpt and then it was over! I can't wait to read the entire thing - it feels like a one sitting book. The rotation between Laura and Cherry for narrative is enticing - you just know there's much to come - and much you don't yet know.

An excerpt was shared through NetGalley. This book is addictive. I really enjoy the excerpt and can't wait to read the whole story.

Having only read the sample, I'm giving a solid 3 stars and HIGHLY anticipating finishing the book. A strong start to what I can only see as a bomb dropped into a perfectly unsuspecting family. The "girlfriend" has already proved what she'll do to get ahead---and I dread the plans that she is forming for this man (and his mother?). We shall see......