Honestly, I had a difficult time finishing this book. The premise was interesting, and the beginning was good, but it kind of seemed to drag on unnecessarily. Additionally, it sort of had a dark, depressing vibe - and not in a good, noir, Hitchcockian kind of way. I also didn't enjoy when it began to delve into describing gay pornography. Overall, a miss for me.

When a thriller surprises you, it's that much better! In the past year or two, we've seen a huge spike in the "psychological thriller" genre and I have found it rare for a book to truly differentiate itself. I have to say, Naughton did extremely well setting herself apart from the pack in this genre! The Girlfriend was a fresh take on the psychological thriller and held my interest and kept me guessing until the very end! I look forward to seeing what she does next!

I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I finished this book in one sitting it was just that good!

Mags gets a phone call that her brother, Abe, was in a coma. She immediately flies to London just to be told they think her brother tried to commit suicide. When she meets his girlfriend, Jody, she is left with even more questions than answers. Something is off and she’s going to find out what it is.

At first I struggled getting into it. It took a few chapters before the story fully drew me in but when it did I was hooked. Some of it was predictable but there was still plenty of surprises that left me guessing.

This is one book you need to go in blind. Don’t just go by my review. Read it for yourself.

I didnt like this one- Couldnt finish it , the writing was scattered, so I will pass on review- thankyou for the chance

Loved the story line, characters were well developed. Kept me wanting more...when I thought I figure it out; it took another turn. Definitely recommend to friends

Thanks to NetGalley for ARC for my Kindle.
The book started off with bad language and sexual abuse, so I didn't finished it. Definitely not my type of book.

Very engaging. Definite page turner. Kept me guessing.

A disappointing read. Confusing and meandering, just couldn't hold my interest.

Amazing rollercoaster ride! Just when I thought I knew,I didn't! Engaging! Characters were complex yet felt well thought out! Loved it! I received an ARC for an honest review from netgalley!

The Girlfriend by Sarah Naughton was quite the page turner for me. Unreliable narrators (yes there is more than one!), and a fast-paced story kept me interested until the very last page.

Mags is a corporate lawyer in Las Vegas, and when she finds out her brother Abe that she hasn't see in years fell down a forty-foot stairwell, she immediately hightails it to London. Jody, his grieving girlfriend, is beside herself with sadness and Mags feels sorry for her... at first.

Everyone is unreliable, and the big question is did Abe fall, or was he pushed? Mags and Jody both had very rough upbringings and my heart went out to them as we learned more about their backgrounds which are told in flashbacks throughout the book. I actually ended up absolutely hating Mags at times, but in the end I liked her a lot more. I loved the depth to these characters and Naughton definitely put me through a range of emotions with this book.

I thought the writing was a tiny bit repetitive at times, but nothing crazy. More words/phrases being repeated a little than anything else. And the fact that you don't know if Abe fell or if he was pushed, isn't even what kept me reading this book with an inability to put it down. I was just so caught up in the character's stories that I had to keep reading. Especially Mira, the flat neighbor of Abe and Jody from Albania. She had a small part in the book, but her character really resonated with me for whatever reason.

Final Thought: The Girlfriend had me hooked from the beginning and I thought the beginning and end were both very clever. The ending was bomb actually, and left me feeling very satisfied. That being said, there are a couple of triggers in this book: child abuse and rape. It was a bit darker than I thought it was going to be, but very good. I can't wait to see what Naughton releases next!

The Girlfriend in 3-ish words: Absorbing, Bold & Unpredictable

4.0 out of 5 starsDenise Good psycholical thriller with a surprise ending
ByDenise Satinon March 23, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
I received this book from net galley and Sourcebooks as an ARC for an honest review. Initially, I found this book confusing with all these different people introduced early on. Eventually, I begin to understand what is going on. The main essence of the book is about a brother, named Abe and sister, who goes by the name of Mags. There were both brought up in England, but Mags lives in Las Vegas and is a successful attorney. They haven't seen each other in years but she gets a call that her brother fell down a flight of stairs and is unconscious and chances of him surviving are very slim. She flies back to England and stays in his apartment. At his bedside is Jody, the girlfriend hysterical beyond words. But Mags. is not satisfied that it was an accident and begins her sleuthing. This book was told from a few POV's. Also, throughout the book, there are flashbacks of someone when they were younger and initially I found that confusing, but later on finally began to understand what was going on with that part of the book.In the end. the author does gives you all the answers one needs to find satisfaction with the ending.The reason I gave this book 4 stars and not five, was the confusion I had while initially reading the book and it was a bit tedious but there was a major surprise ending which I didn't see coming so if you like psychological thrillers with surprises endings, you will like this book.
4.0 out of 5 starsDenise Good psycholical thriller with a surprise ending
ByDenise Satinon March 23, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
I received this book from net galley and Sourcebooks as an ARC for an honest review. Initially, I found this book confusing with all these different people introduced early on. Eventually, I begin to understand what is going on. The main essence of the book is about a brother, named Abe and sister, who goes by the name of Mags. There were both brought up in England, but Mags lives in Las Vegas and is a successful attorney. They haven't seen each other in years but she gets a call that her brother fell down a flight of stairs and is unconscious and chances of him surviving are very slim. She flies back to England and stays in his apartment. At his bedside is Jody, the girlfriend hysterical beyond words. But Mags. is not satisfied that it was an accident and begins her sleuthing. This book was told from a few POV's. Also, throughout the book, there are flashbacks of someone when they were younger and initially I found that confusing, but later on finally began to understand what was going on with that part of the book.In the end. the author does gives you all the answers one needs to find satisfaction with the ending.The reason I gave this book 4 stars and not five, was the confusion I had while initially reading the book and it was a bit tedious but there was a major surprise ending which I didn't see coming so if you like psychological thrillers with surprises endings, you will like this book.
4.0 out of 5 starsDenise Good psycholical thriller with a surprise ending
ByDenise Satinon March 23, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
I received this book from net galley and Sourcebooks as an ARC for an honest review. Initially, I found this book confusing with all these different people introduced early on. Eventually, I begin to understand what is going on. The main essence of the book is about a brother, named Abe and sister, who goes by the name of Mags. There were both brought up in England, but Mags lives in Las Vegas and is a successful attorney. They haven't seen each other in years but she gets a call that her brother fell down a flight of stairs and is unconscious and chances of him surviving are very slim. She flies back to England and stays in his apartment. At his bedside is Jody, the girlfriend hysterical beyond words. But Mags. is not satisfied that it was an accident and begins her sleuthing. This book was told from a few POV's. Also, throughout the book, there are flashbacks of someone when they were younger and initially I found that confusing, but later on finally began to understand what was going on with that part of the book.In the end. the author does gives you all the answers one needs to find satisfaction with the ending.The reason I gave this book 4 stars and not five, was the confusion I had while initially reading the book and it was a bit tedious but there was a major surprise ending which I didn't see coming so if you like psychological thrillers with surprises endings, you will like this book.

I must say that I enjoyed this book which will sound horrible because it is about some shocking life stories. Every character in this book has a hell of a childhood, upbringing and life in general.

The storyline is absolutely captivating. I had my suspicions but didn't guess the truth.

Despite being at times annoying, Mags' character is very likeable. She is very smart, confident and straightforward, and these qualities deserve some respect. She is also kind and caring, but somewhere deep inside. It is physically hard for her to express her feelings. But that's the price you pay trying to be strong.

The author did a great job researching so difficult topics. Not everyone can write about these things, particularly in good depth and decency. Rape culture, mental illness, child abuse, depression, other crimes...and how all this affects a person who went through it. What protective mechanisms can be built to stay alive.

The only trouble I had with the book is the title. In the book, it is clearly stated that Jodie was Abe's fiancee, not a girlfriend. Maybe it wasn't edited in my version.

I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good psychological thriller.

Wow! What a thrill ride! I couldn't decide who I thought 'done it' right up until the very end! Fantastic

Wow. WOW. This book. I LOVED IT! I finished it 24 hours ago and I'm still struggling to put into words how much I enjoyed it. A very very clever story with fantastic twists, one of which gave me such an 'oh my God how brilliant' moment. As the book went on the characters really grew on me. A tense read and at times quite dark and although it's a psychological thriller it's also a very sad story. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of The Girlfriend in exchange for my honest review

It did take me a little while to get into this book, but once I was, I found it hard to put down. A clever, well-plotted story with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Recommended!

When I first started reading this book, it was all over the place and I was a little confused by who was who and what was happening. Then I thought this isn't the book for me. However I was given this book by Net Gallery for my opinion and I felt I owed it to them to continue. There's a few characters, Abe, Jody, Mira, Mags, and Loran, tenants of the building and then some people from everybody's past. This book is creepy and weird but I'm glad I stuck with it because it did eventually start making sense and by then I was hooked and read until I finished at 4 this morning. I can't believe these people lived in such a dangerous area. These people went out at night ummm why? and are you crazy? So stick with this book and you will not believe the ending.


Thank you Net Gallery and Sourcebooks Landmark for this kindle digital copy.

Cherie'


#Netgallery
#Sourcebooks

Mags hasn’t been on good terms with her brother Abe for quite some time, when she receives a phone call telling her that Abe is in a coma after a an apparent suicide attempt. Even with all the time that has passed, she drops everything, catches a flight and goes to the hospital where he is. She knows in her gut that jumping on a balcony and trying to take his own life is something he would never do. The police ruled it a suicide attempt, and don’t plan to look into it any further. Mags decides to pick up where they left and go look for some clues on her own. The way she goes about getting that information is a little off putting to those she talks too.

This cast of characters aren’t very likable at first, but over time they did kinda grow on me. Jody is Abe’s fiancée, well, she says she is. She has some issued and that is all I’m going to say on that. I felt bad for her though. Mira lives across the hall, she’s quiet and keeps to herself and with a husband like hers, it was no wonder she stayed out of sight and kept to herself, I would too. But I did get the sense that Mira did care for Abe, he was nice to her when he saw her.
3.5 Stars
Through alternating POV’s from Mags, Jody and Mira, we learn a lot about them, and worked very well giving all the clues a little at a time. Some f the things that Jody and Mira went through however was hard to stomach, and will make some readers uncomfortable. With all this information though, it was hard to figure out what was stroy being told was the truth, whether the witness accounts were even reliable. And just when I thought I had figured what might have happened, it went a completely different direction.

The setting where most of the story take place is in an old church that converted into apartments which eerie setting with all the stained glass windows and corridors, it fit the this story quite well. Overall, this was pretty engrossing psychological thriller and kept me on my toes.

The Girlfriend is told in multiple POV and the chapters are short and with this, this is a fast read book. Sadly I couldn't get into the story of Mags and her brother. The detailed description of some heavy traumatic events made it a hard read and I couldn't really enjoy the book. I'm sure this is a kind of: it's me not you situation and a lot of other readers loved the story. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark!