The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances
Laura, a successful women with a good career but not so good marriage has one son, Daniel who she seems to direct all of her love towards.
When Daniel meets and falls for a new girlfriend he brings her home to meet his parents. Laura senses something isn’t right from the beginning but putting it down to a touch a jealousy ignores her feelings. However she soon finds that she may have been right to be suspicious.
A terrible accident occurs and Laura’s and Daniel’s life run into some serious trouble.
A good read, with strong believable if not likeable characters. Filled with some suspenseful moments along the way.
Look forward to reading more from this author
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Oh m!!! My head is still spinning after finishing this and I've reread the ending twice. What would you do if your son is suddenly in love with a girl that you just don't trust? And things go from bad to worse and no one, not your son or even your best friend believes you? This is what Laura is facing when her son Daniel falls for Cherry and Cherry is not what she seems. When Daniel has a horrible accident Laura makes a choice to protect him and when Cherry finds out things get dangerous for Laura and for Daniel. I had to put this down because Cherry was getting under my skin and I wanted to help Laura. Highly recommend

Loved this book. The suspense kept me hooked. Highly recommended.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Girlfriend in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book I've read by Michelle Francis but it certainly won't be my last. This book tells the story of jealousy and rivalry between the girlfriend and mother of Daniel with both women vying to be the most important person in his life. Both are very unlikable characters and I felt pity for Daniel and his father but this is an amazingly addictive read and so well written that you won't be able to put it down until you reach it's perfect ending. One of the best books I've read in a while!!!

We've all had 'that' person come into our lives - the one that for a reason you can't really put your thumb on, you just don't trust. Never would you think that this person would rise to the level of attempting to eliminate you altogether, but this is exactly what Cherry does to Laura.

Laura is a very successful woman. Although settled in a less than perfect marriage, she has most everything she could ever want including a wonderful son, Daniel. Daniel has just come back to the family after finishing medical school and is preparing to settle into a job as a doctor at the local hospital. Laura realizes that something is different about him, a slight lift to his step. This is when she learns about Cherry, the woman with whom he has too quickly became smitten.

Cherry is a realtor-in-training and everything that a man - and his parents - could want to find in a girl - that is what Daniel sees at least. Cherry's fabricated persona becomes obvious to the readers early on in the book and Laura even sees glimpses of the real girl. Is Cherry really the gold-digging manipulator that Laura is beginning to see? Laura questions whether she is just being an overprotective mom and decides to give Cherry the benefit of the doubt - after all Daniel is so happy, so why shouldn't she?

When Daniel is involved in a life-threatening accident and Laura turns even more maternal, she tells Cherry a lie that changes everything. Once Laura realizes the gravity of her error, she tries to figure out how to reverse this, but sees that it is just too late. Cherry knows the truth. How will this come back on Laura? How will this affect the future of all of them?

A very well written thriller that kept my attention to the very last word. Great twists and when you think you have it figured out, yet another is thrown your way. Definitely an author I look forward to reading again!

A 3* review for The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances. Laura is married to her long-suffering husband Howard and they have a son, Daniel, who she absolutely adores and dotes on. However, when Daniel meets and falls in love with Cherry, and takes her to meet his mother, the two women take an instant dislike to each other, sparks fly and a vicious game of jealousy, lies and possession of Daniel ensues.

Laura tries to include Cherry in family events, but has a suspicion that she is a gold digger and when a tragedy strikes, Laura takes her chance to have Daniel to herself, and their lives take a very dangerous downward turn, with devastating and life changing consequences for all of them.

I found it was quite hard to connect with either Laura or Cherry, and i swung between empathising and understanding each of them in turn. However, i felt the feud and it's twists and turns went on far too long and about half way through the book i could not wait for it to finish! It is tagged as a gripping psychological thriller, but i felt it did not live up to that description, although it was well written, but the suspense and shocks were not there when i needed them. The ending, for me, was a bit predictable and was not as shocking as i wanted it to be. I imagine this could be made into a film, but like The Girl On The Train, i think it will split readers between those who love it and those who just don't get it.

This book was recommended by a friend. When I was approved through Netgalley to read an advanced copy i was estactic! I was not disappointed with this fast paced she said/ she said thriller. As soon as I thought I figured it out something changed. There are some very manipulative women in this book vying for the son/man they love. Who will come out on top? Mom or girlfriend?

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances.

Looking forward to future books by this author!

I found the writing to be a bit dry, and the characters were not well developed. The plot was not as interesting as I thought it would be, and the book did not draw me in. I honestly had to force myself to finish reading the book.

Intense with all it's synonyms wrapped up in a bow-- acute, bitter, deep, extreme, extraordinary, fierce, heightened, powerful, violent.
WOW - I could not put this book down and really enjoyed the stories and the characters. I was only able to catch my breath when I figured out what was going on (which was when I was done!!))
I recommend this intriguing book and I will probably read it again.


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

I absolutely whizzed through this book. Just couldn't turn the pages quick enough and I really did enjoy it. The ending suddenly crept up and I was left thinking and ....
Quite predictable but an absolute page turner. Would recommend. 4*
My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

Gripping enough to keep me reading it, but the characters/storyline were all a bit farfetched...

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
This was only an excerpt of the book. A real teaser of what I think will be an excellent novel. Cleverly the author reels the reader in with a good strong narrative, interesting characters and the hint of some sinister thoughts. Just enough to whet the appetite to read in full.
I cannot wait to read the book in its entirety.
4.5***

I'm sorry to say this excerpt didn't hold my interest enough to finish it. I appreciate the opportunity to give it a try, though. I won't be rating or reviewing this title since I didn't finish reading it.

Quite an interesting book. The plot is predictable. Boy meets attractive girl and immediately falls for her. Mother, who loves her only son so much and just wants to protect her son, sees right through this crazy, gold-digging, manipulative young woman who pushes her way right into her son's heart and successfully pushed the mother right out. There are so many great twists and turns in the middle of the book that you aren't expecting. But ultimately, throughout the book you are wondering who will win the boy's love: the girlfriend or the mother. And, will someone die trying? Yes, it's that crazy! I did think the ending was a bit abrupt. I would have liked to see it carried out a bit more. Another reader's review suggested a viewpoint from the son (Daniel) at the end, which I thought may have been a great idea. Overall, 4 stars!
I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

read during a "suspense season" challenge. From the cover to the characters this novel was twisted and a fun read

I've only read the first 100 pages and it just let me hanging... I can't wait to read the rest of the book and would be more that happy to leave an honest review.

Cherry and Laura seem "normal" in the beginning but then both women's behaviors change... Of course Daniel doesn't notice much but it was only 100 pages .

So excited to read the rest of the book!!!

My recommendation rating might chang once I fully read the book

So I read the whole book and this is my full review...

I started off with a 4 star review but downgraded it to a 2 star review.
so... I was really excited about this book. got the first 100 pages as an ARC (thanks NetGalley). I loved every minute of it and could not put it down. I was sad when the pages ran out.

I finally get the rest of the book and I feel like a door was shut in my face. the twists and turns and excitement was gone.
I would not call this a psychological thriller.. more like a domestic disturbance. then the end... I was frustrated on the abrupt conclusion, I felt like I was left hanging.

Cherry has never known what it was like to have money coming from the poor side of town where her single mother worked for years in a supermarket with no hope of anything better. Cherry was determined that was not going to be how she spent her life and spent a few months making appointments for real estate showings only to learn the business and snag a job at a nice firm. In her new job she meets Daniel while showing him an apartment up for rent.

Daniel is from a very wealthy family and while he will never need for anything in his life with his trust fund on hand he has still gone to medical school and wants to become a doctor. When Daniel walked into the real estate office he never imagined meeting the woman of his dreams but as soon as he saw Cherry he knew he wanted to ask her out. Things move quickly between the pair and soon Daniel brings Cherry home to meet his parents.

Laura is Daniel’s mother and she has spent her life making sure her son has the best of everything in the world. After suffering the loss of one child Laura vowed to always protect Daniel with everything she had and that he would never want for anything. When Laura first hears of Daniel’s new love she’s quite excited for the prospect of a daughter in law but things quickly seem to just not quite be right with Cherry putting Laura on edge.

The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances is being sold as a psychological thriller but I’m almost hesitant to call it as such but possibly more of a suspenseful drama. Either way or what you choose to list it under this was easily one read that immediately hooked me in and didn’t want to let go keeping the pages turning until the very end.

Laura and Cherry both have their flaws and make their mistakes along the way leaving them both characters that are easy to dislike at any point. On the flip side though each woman in Daniel’s life had moments that I would also feel sorry for them and begin to root them on leaving me with a tug of war on how to even want this one to turn out. The manipulation and lies ooze from each page but underneath it all is a feeling that this story could very well really happen which made it all the more intense. In the end I’d definitely recommend picking up a copy of The Girlfriend and giving this one a read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I absolutely loved this thriller! Wealthy med student, Daniel meets Cherry and is immediately smitten even though it's clear that she's from "the other side of the tracks." Daniel's mother, Laura wants to like Cherry but is also a little jealous of all the time her son spends with his new girlfriend, leaving little time for her. So now we have two women, both a bit obsessive and controlling, both manipulating the truth for a place in Daniel's life. And Daniel gets the brunt of it all; though he's twenty-four, he's trying to balance family and girlfriend but it's clear there is no way this is going to work out as each woman's actions begin to escalate. Both are flawed and I found myself vacillating between liking each of them and hating them for the disasters they caused. As a parent, it's somewhat easy to identify with Laura until a couple of bad decisions force us to see the damage she is causing. Great details and engaging dialogue along with unexpected plot lines make this one a surprise until the very end. Had me gasping on the final page!

The author provides the reader with an interesting concept of the rivalry of the over protective mother against her son's new money grubbing girlfriend. This girl has been raised in a low income home and she is not only embarrassed by that factor, she resents it. She is determined to overcome this and starts by taking a real estate job selling expensive homes. This is how she meets the young man as he comes in asking for help finding an apartment. It doesn't take long for her to realize that he has the lifestyle she wants. Shortly after meeting, the mother invites the girlfriend to the family villa for a holiday. From there the drama unfolds into a full blown rivalry. The girlfriend is already plotting on manipulating the son into how and when she wants things to transpire.

Although this was a good read, it is predictable. The premise was good but the character development was lacking and the plot dragged. For a first attempt this was a good book, but the author needs to expand on the mystery if the book is to really thrill the reader.

This book was a real page-turner. A jealous, twisted, determined girlfriend clashes with her boyfriend’s mother, the story evolves into a cat and mouse suspense when both the mother and the girlfriend are determined to outwit and undermine the other.