Many thanks to NetGalley, Mira Books, and Brenda Novak for the opportunity to read and review this book - a great, twisty tale that was hard to put down!

Sloane has been estranged from her dad and brother since she left home 10 years ago. Something happened when Sloane was only 5 years old between her parents and her mom went missing afterwards. Sloane has always blamed her dad for the disappearance and her brother took his dad's side. When she decides to come back to the small town in Texas where she grew up, she is determined to find out answers to her mom's disappearance at all costs. Once home, she reconnects with her former best friend and ex-boyfriend - both who are still trying to cope with her abandonment of them so long ago.

Enough said - this is a fun ride and the least said better. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns in this one!

I have become a fan of Brenda Novak from reading several of her more thrilling titles but with over fifty books in publication she has anything from the lighter contemporary romance to darker thrillers. Before We Were Strangers is more along the lines of a romantic suspense novel but with enough mystery to keep readers turning the pages and guessing along.

In this story Sloane McBride had left home at eighteen and had not looked back for the last ten years. Sloane had her reasons for escaping her small town but they weren’t the normal dreaming of something bigger or searching for more, Sloane had wanted to escape her father who she suspected may have had something to do with her mother’s disappearance when she was five.

However, Sloane had not only left behind her father and brother but also her high school boyfriend and her best friend. As much as Sloane loved them both she couldn’t stay near her father for another day which made leaving tough but returning will be even tougher since the two had turned to each other after Sloane’s absence. Having married, had a child and divorced in the last ten years Sloane isn’t sure how either will handle her return as she looks for clues from the past.

Before We Were Strangers was another Brenda Novak novel that didn’t take long at all to become completely engrossed in. Sloane’s memories of that night when she was five and her mother vanished have had her in fear that her father is a murderer. In the years that have passed her father has also gained power in the small town making getting at the truth that much more tough for Sloane but with a bit of help and determination the secrets slowly rise to the top.

I will admit to being a little leery of the whole love triangle angle of the story since I’m usually not a fan of dating a friend or family members ex, again with those boundaries, however this is the creepiest, most disturbing dynamic that made the book even more compelling. There’s actually no “cheating” involved but instead this set up is even more mind games to add to the suspenseful side of the story. A great read from beginning to end that I’d definitely recommend checking out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The plot of this book is quite strong - a daughter returns to her home town after 10 years away, determined to face up to her buried suspicion that her father had something to do with the disappearance of her mother all those years ago. It promised the unearthing of buried skeletons, a mystery being untangled and the conflicting emotions tied up with such a 'prodigal' return.

Unfortunately for me it failed to deliver on some of those promises. One of the main frustrations I had was with the pace of the book, for the first two thirds it felt like hardly anything happened and then suddenly all of the action is crammed into the last third. Also it promised a 'twist' of an ending, which for me was not a surprise at all.

But my main problem was with the cliched nature of some of the writing and the juxtaposition of the characters relationships with their conversations. Hopefully this example will help illustrate my point:

"Their affair for one. His womanizing. What he's said about his wife. It doesn't have to mean they murdered her"
"Or it could mean they did it together." His hand slipped between her legs as he kissed her neck(.....)
Sloane closed her eyes as his fingers evoked little darts of pleasure.
"She didn't seem to be suffering from too much regret," she said, struggling to keep her mind on their conversation."

I don't know about you, but nothing is more likely to turn me on than discussing the possible murder of my mother and the possibility that my father and his lover may have had something to do with it....?!?! I mean, WHAT an opportune moment for some foreplay, huh??

There is a special place in my heart for books that have really bad sex scenes in them - and I'm afraid this has made its way into that category. I think if a sex scene is genuine, it probably isn't supposed to make you laugh, and I'm afraid this one made me snigger:

'He ran his fingers down between her breasts, which weren't particularly large but they were perfectly formed. "But..."
"My friend was...sick"
"Clyde, right? The one who died of cancer?" She nodded as he smoothed the hair out of her face."

Two things here - what an unnecessary description of her breasts. Secondly, AGAIN, I'm not sure that talking about your friend that died of cancer is really setting the mood here...or is it just me?

It just felt like the author was so keen to ram home the rekindling relationship between Sloane and Micah, that all thought of how people actually behave together was lost. Top this off with some of the cliched contrived plot devices (of course the first time she is reunited with her ex, Micah, Sloane just had to be wearing nothing but a towel....cue my eye roll) and it become irritating.

Apologies if this seems a harsh review, but unfortunately things like this took away from from what could have been quite a good story of intrigue, murder, family dynamics and redemption. But the clunky writing detracted from all of that.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for this preview copy in return for an honest review.

Brenda Novak really knows how to weave a great story! What would you do if you thought your Father had murdered your Mom? Sloane won't stop until she finds out the truth of what happened on that night twenty three years ago. This book is full of twists and kept me turning the pages well into the night. It is full of mystery and suspense, but also a touch of romance. Full of richly detailed characters that are true to life. This book will definitely keep your interest throughout. Just when you think you have it all figured out, bam, a new revelation emerges. Incredible writing with believable dialogue. I loved this book!! I highly recommend this one!!

3,5 Stars

10 years ago, Sloane McBride left her hometown, her family, friends, the boyfriend she was madly in love with and run away from the memories of her mother disappearance and the doubt that never left her about that night. She was only 5 years old when her mother disappeared, or as her father always put it, when her mother walked away from all of them. Yet, she heard things that do not fit with the official story.
Now, after 10 years of running away, Sloane is determined to uncover the truth of what happened to her mother, even if that meant facing a brother and a father who want to silence her, a jilted ex-boyfriend who happens to be also the ex-husband of her ex-bestfriend.

Too many complicated relationships, half-truths, deceits and lies and it made the whole story interesting. Sloane is the kind of character one can't help but sympathize with and get attached to. However, it was not exactly an investigation of a cold case, more of one final attempt of an abandoned daughter to finally find the answers she needed.
The truth turned out to be more complicated than i expected and i enjoyed being surprised by the ending, part of it was easily guessed but another part was surprising.

overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Although I finished this book on the weekend, I needed to give myself some time to reflect before I reviewed. Before We Were Strangers attracted me for it's gorgeous cover-sure! But more importantly because I like the whole storyline of prodigal daughter(or son) returning and trying to bring the dark family secrets out into the open. Sloane McBride, this novel's protagonist squares off with her father, now her hometown 's mayor and her older brother over the disappearance of her beloved mother when she was only 5. Brenda Novak does a brilliant job at making Daddy McBride a total douchebag and I really despised him

From the very beginning , Sloane's father does every thing to make his daughter want to leave. He's also so horrible to many characters in the book. The snake in the Garden of Eden had more values than this guy. The parts in the novel that focus on the mystery are definitely a slow burn which pretty much escalates in the last number of chapters. But since Sloane doesn't have a lot of friends, her one outlet is the handsome high school boyfriend she left behind. Like many romance novels, Sloane was a hard act to follow because even though hottie married Sloane 's childhood best friend and had a child with her. Sloane was always at the forefront of his mind. Much of the novel is consumed with this love triangle.

And that's where this book falls into 3.0 territory for me. Because I am a you gotta own up to the decisions you make in life, don't go pointing fingers at others. That's where high school boyfriend falls into a very Nicholas Sparks type, Sloane who's facing some really intense shit( I mean she really feels her Dad killed her mother). But nope best friend and high school hottie got to talk about how Sloane was the third person in their marriage and the reason they ended up divorced. All I have to say is that is some messed up stuff. You were all 18 years old and now you're parents of an eight year old. I shall credit the author with invoking such a strong reaction from me, but this just wasn't my cup of joy!

Another great suspenseful story by Brenda Novak! I felt that this title started out a little slow but once it got going, I didn't want to stop reading! She doesn't write a bad book!

When I saw the cover of this book, Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak, I knew I wanted to read it, so I headed over to NetGalley and thanks to my book blogging relationship with them, I was able to obtain an advanced digital copy to read and review! 

Before We Were Strangers begins with a five year old daughter's recollections of an awful fight between her parents. Then she hears the inauspicious "thump", and then everything is quiet. Little Sloane McBride wakes up the next morning and her mother is gone.  Forever.  The official story is that her mother left that night.   Sloane move out of the house right after her graduation in search of anywhere other than her small Texas hometown and doesn't plan to look back.

Sloane develops into a beautiful woman and becomes a successful model thanks to the help of her very best friend and mentor., Clyde. When Clyde dies, Sloane, in her grief, decides to take some time off and go back to her hometown to try and find answers to what really happened to her mother over twenty years ago.

The story is written with dual points of view, which is always good because you get to see a situation from different angles instead of just the perception of one person.  Before We Were Strangers kept me engaged cover to cover, and in fact, I stayed up way too late at night just to read "a little more" until I closed the last page. The story provided readers with a very good mystery and the story gets more suspenseful toward the ending.  I thought the characters were well written and I loved the way they interacted with each other. 

I know that the next time I have a minute to find a new book to read, I'll be looking up the rest of Ms. Novak's books based on how much I enjoyed this one!

I was provided with a complimentary electronic advanced reader copy through Net Galley in exchange for my post.  I was not required to post a positive review, but have chosen to do so because this book was great! Thank you!

With twists and turns I didn't expect, Brenda Novak has done it again. She kept me awake, long into the night as I needed to turn each and every page to discover the truth behind the secrets.
The way she weaved the past and all the ramifications was solid storytelling - something I've come to expect with a book from Brenda Novak. Do I recommend? Absolutely! You won't regret this read!

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A slow start, but once it did start, I really became invested in the story. Pretty good, but maybe not the best.

Before We Were Strangers is filled with suspense and family drama. Sloane is the main character who returns home to face her family and childhood boyfriend. Brenda Novak always delivers a great story!

This was a solid thriller with secrets, family drama and a killer! In Before We Were Strangers, Sloane, our main character, returns to her small Texas hometown where she hasn't visited in 10 years, to finally find the truth behind her mother's disappearance. While some parts were predictable (teenage first love still pining for Sloane back home, family drama, gossipy neighbors), it's a real page turner and truly and addictive read.

Several twists in this book reveal the evil that can reside right next door. Sloane is an engaging character who is wary on one hand and too trusting on the other. Her journey with her family is fraught with past hurts and current secrets. A classic Brenda Novak suspense filled story with great characters and plot.

Fantastic read. I've just become acquainted with Novak's book within the last two years and am making up for lost time. Before We Were Strangers is a fast paced, action packed thriller. Sloan returns to her small Texas hometown to find out what happened to her mother. She stirs up trouble even before she arrives. Her former flame, his ex, their son, her estranged father and brother, plus all the lies. Her father is the mayor and subverts the truth continuously. The narrative has many twists and just when you think the mystery is solved, more hubris is tossed in. Fans will love the edge of your seat reading.

The storyline and characters just fell flat for me. It was almost 300 pages into the book before anything really came to the boiling point with the storyline, and then things moved so quickly to the ending and the wrap-up/final twist. The premise was a good one, but something made me not connect.

Just what we have come to expect from Brenda Novak. This book has twists and turns to keep you guessing, just enough chemistry to keep you rooting for the hero, and an ending worth waiting for. Sloane has been waiting for the right time to begin investigating her mother's disappearance. She never believed the story that her mother just ran off. She has long suspected her father killed her but couldn't prove anything. Seeking out the truth is dangerous but must be done to honor her mother's memory.

Great read! I highly recommend.

“Before We Were Strangers,” is a classic romantic mystery as has often written by the author. It is full of many twists and turns from beginning to end, as well as an underlying romance.

I found the basis of this novel to be interesting and catching. A novel the author could have run away with. At the same time, I felt the dialogue between the characters very stilted and elementary in its prose.

While this could be one of Nivak’s killer novels, as a long time reader, I felt this novel lacking in ways I would not expect from the author. A good lazy day random read.

Rating: 3.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another winner from Brenda Novak! If I could give it 10 stars I would.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Sloane left home right after her high school graduation. She had to get away from her egotistical, overbearing father. She grew up without a mother. Her mother disappeared under strange circumstances when Sloane was just five years old. Sloane returned to her home town 10 years later determined to find out what happened to her mother. She has memories of her mother and father fighting the night before she woke up to find her mother gone. She was told that her mother just left home, but she doesn’t believe that her mother abandoned her and her brother.

This novel has so many twists and turns that I couldn’t put it down. Every time I thought I had everything figured out, it took another twist. Ms. Novak has a way of pulling you into a story and holding on until the end. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good suspense/contemporary romance.

Wow, this book was so awesome! I always enjoy Brenda Novak books, and this was no exception, I just couldn't stop reading it! It was so good and tightly plotted, so while there's not a lot of action besides discovering clues, it's very fast paced! Loved it!

I felt so bad for Sloane, believing that her dad killed her mom. Even if he didn't, the situation remained that her mom was gone, and her dad wasn't always the nicest person. And then there was Micah, who was really awesome, but that she'd left behind when she left her hometown. And that he'd had a life, which caused some friction with the two of them, and her friend Paige with whom he'd had said life.

Reading this book, I was always on edge that something bad was going to happen. There was this one point with her brother where it got really tense, but it was more her dad that I was worried about. I mean, Sloane has reason to suspect that her dad killed her mom. So I was kept on the seat of my pants, worrying that he might come after her. There were a few scenes where the tension for us readers was particularly high, and they went by so fast!

Sloane's dad, Ed, wasn't the nicest guy. Sure, he was Mayor and was popular, but he kept his dark side hidden, and he could be really cruel. Case in point, that she could even believe he had killed her mom. He also wasn't faithful, and he used his power in a lot of ways that it shouldn't have been used.

There should always be checks and balances on power. The chief of police being buddies with the Mayor, that negates some of the checks. Innocent until proven guilty, yeah, but also nobody should be above suspicion. Because everybody can do bad things under the right-or wrong-circumstances.

How it all ended, with the truth coming out, was pretty vindicating. There were a lot of red herrings, but her mother got justice, and Sloane settled into a pretty happy life. It worked out well, and I was glad for that olive branch that was extended, for forgiveness and closeness. So great!

This book was so fantastic and I really enjoyed reading it!

I did not want to put this book down. It had my full attention right from the beginning right through the jaw dropping ending. It’s a pity the world must wait until December to read it. Sloane has been estranged from her father and brother for ten years. In fact, she left everything and everyone behind when she fled. Now she’s back and ready to solve her mother’s long unsolved disappearance. Even if that means pointing the finger at the most powerful man in town, her father. What I truly liked about this book is that it’s not 100% a thriller it also mixes in the second chance romance theme. I am becoming a quick Brenda Novak fan and am glad I’ve stumbled upon her books.