I need some match sticks to prop open my eyes today after staying up way too late to finish this book last night I literally couldn't put it down until I found out what happened, wow, what a book.This book kept me guessing threw some curve balls into the mix and was a great read.I liked the two main female characters and liked the way the story unfolded,no spoilers from me.The pace of the book was good and it was a cracking read.I would definitely read more by this author and thoroughly enjoyed this one.Thanks to the Publishers and Netgalley for an ARC.

Loved this book. Story revolves around Rachel, who believes her husband is cheating on her and Suzie, her best friend whose boyfriend has done a runner leaving her with massive debts. Story comes together nicely and is a real page turner. I could not wait to finish book, I was totally hooked. At one point had to wait until my Kindle recharged before I could carry on!!

This was a very good book. it had a few twist and turns that I wasn't expecting. I did find the storyline hard to read but it was sensitively done. I enjoyed the lay out of the book, been from the different points of view of Rachel and Suzie and I got a real insight into each of their lives and feelings. I look forward to reading more from Zoe Lea.

Thanks goes to net galley and the publishers for providing a copy In exchange for an honest review.

This was book was... interesting. It was really hard for me to get through as I felt like the main characters were going in circles for the first 75% of the book. Just constantly repeating the same thing over and over, it got very repetitive. The novel could have been decreased by atleast 25%, as I don't think we really learned anything from a large portion of that first 75%.

Once the "Twist" came, I enjoyed the book more. Mostly because now I just wanted to figure everything out. I do appreciate that I wasn't able to figure out the ending in the first 25%, it was a total surprise. But the reveal just didn't do it for me.

I'm sure other people will enjoy this book, so definitely give it a try if it sounds good.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really emoji this book, a real page turner, centres around two women that learn things about their husbands that they never knew. Rachel suspects her husband is having an affair and embarks on a mission to find out what is going on. The characters are believable and this book comes with a twist just when you think you know what is going on. An enjoyable debut novel from Zoe.

I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel and Suzie have just set up business together and are looking forward to their first big event. Then Rachel stumbles across messages , which make her think her husband is having an affair and Suzie finds her fiancé is not all her pretends.
The story is absorbing and moves along at a rapid pace, alternating chapters between the two lead characters. Descriptions are brief and vivid, and the plot twists and turns in a satisfying way. The author has done their research and the story is psychologically and sociologically believable.
I felt vaguely let down by the final crisis, it wasn’t as pacy and gripping as other parts of the plot, and the final chapter was a bit too tidy and neatly resolved. Overall I read it in one sitting, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others who enjoy thrillers without any murders or car chases.

With thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book - I found that the 'twist' was easy to see coming but that is not necessarily a bad thing, it suggests that it is believable within the context of the story. I liked the characters and found them engaging and well written. I will look to read more by this author in the future.

Review: I would like to thank Canelo for asking me to review this book. I must say the cover is not very appealing but the story is amazing.

A real page turner. Two friends who find out shocking things about men they love. I am not willing to say more as any more details other than what is in the blurb would really ruin the reading experience.

This story really grips you. It is full of twists and turns and the ending is utter brilliance.

A must read if you like a thrill!

I read to half way through this book and it was a great start. one topic I can’t read is child abuse, and as soon as this arose. I stopped reading.

This is a “not for me book”. There are many good reviews and I wouldn’t let my review stop you from reading.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

I thought this was a good book. The plot was good, I like how the two storylines worked together, and there was a lot going on. I only gave it 3 stars though because I thought some of it was a little too contrived. I can’t get into details without spoilers but at one point I said out loud “what are the odds of that!!” Also, I thought both of the main characters were a little too naive for me. Other than that, I thought it was a fun and quick read. Not too complicated but enough to keep me turning the pages to find out what happens. I think it would be a good beach read when you are looking for something to keep you occupied but isn’t too complicated to follow. I received a copy from Canelo through Netgalley for my honest review.

When Rachel discovers a message on Twitter arranging an assignation, she comes to the conclusion that her husband is having an affair. Deciding to follow him, what she witnesses is something much worse: her husband’s car involved in a hit and run. Meanwhile, Suzie, Rachel’s business partner and friend, has problems of her own. She has not heard from her fiance in days and on discovering that huge debts have been racked up in her name, she assumes that he has left her, taking the money with him. Her view changes, though, when threatening calls begin to arrive. Has something terrible happened to him? With both friends not knowing if they can trust their partners, will they also be able to trust each other?

How well do you really know your partner? This is a question that both of the main characters ask themselves as their lives slowly crumble around them. Rachel appears to have the perfect life with a loving husband and children and a business about to take off, All of this is turned on its head, however, when she reads the Twitter message and witnesses the hit and run. Her husband denies all knowledge, but is he telling the truth? I could really sympathize with Rachel as she struggled to come to terms with what she was discovering, and felt that Zoe Lea’s writing conveyed her trauma perfectly.

With regards to Suzie, the alarm bells were ringing right from the start. Her fiance, Adam, had apparently disappeared, taking all of their money with him. As soon as we realise that he’d managed to avoid any meetings with Suzie’s friend, Rachel, and worked away from home frequently, it was obvious that he was not the man she thought he was. Unlike Rachel, Suzie was prepared to give Adam the benefit of the doubt even though the evidence was screaming her in the face.

It was inevitable that the two stories would eventually collide and that there would be a connection. Whereas part of it was pretty easy to figure out, when I realised the full extent of one of the character’s wrongdoings, it was a huge shock. This was a great twist and not something I saw coming. I could also now understand the actions of another of the characters and my perception of them changed completely. I felt that the ending was realistic and very fitting to the plot.

If He Wakes definitely kept me entertained and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a quick, mysterious read.

This is a brilliant debut novel, it keeps you engrossed and wanting to keep reading to see what happens. Just when you thought you knew what was going on the author throws a spanner in the works and makes you think again. I really hope we get another book soon by Zoe as I for one can’t wait to read it.

To use the most cliched of phrases, 'If He Wakes' is a real page-turner! The protagonist, Rachel, discovers a Twitter message arranging a secret rendezvous, and immediately assumes it's due to her husband having an affair. She sets out to investigate, and unfortunately she witnesses something much worse. What follows is how Rachel deals with her husband's alleged infidelity. Running parallel to this is Rachel's friend and business partner, Suzie, and the difficulties she is having in her relationship. As with every psychological thriller, there is soon to be twists and turns, with two explosive story lines that soon cross paths, creating a climactic ending.

The whole book leaves you questioning all of the characters, and I found that I very quickly alternated between trust AND distrust for each of the characters. I managed to read this book in just the one day, as I struggled to put it down, and the story moved pretty quickly.

My main gripe with this book is with the technicalities of the writing; Zoe Lea tends to use a lot of commas in her sentences and they don't seem to make much sense. A lot of her sentences come across as unfinished, and she uses a lot of 'lists' of separated by commas and without the important 'and' before the final item. I found her inappropriate use of commas completely irritating to read, and many sentences needed re-reading to make sense of them. Plenty of occasions the text would have benefited from use of a colon or semi-colon, and I found myself very frustrated by this - hence I only scored this book four stars.

Just when you start to feel smug that you've figured it out, you're wrong....

Rachel finds a Twitter message in her laptop that makes her suspect her husband is having an affair. She decides to follow him and then she witness something that makes her life fall apart. If He Wakes by Zoe Lea was an excellent thriller that hooked me from the first page to the last. It was a very exciting read and had me on the edge of my seat with twist and turns that I didn't see coming. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. I would like to thank NetGalley and Canelo for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

While no book, story or author is ever really perfect, there are some books which certainly hit the nail on the head and come pretty close! If He Wakes by Zoe Lea is one of these books. With only 225 pages, this story is action-packed without being confusing, heart-wrenching and very current. I am part of the If He Wakes blog tour on 2 May organised by Ellie Pilcher, where I will be giving an in-depth review and a Q&A with Zoe Lea, so I will keep my initial review short and sweet. If He Wakes by Zoe Lea will be published on 30 April by Canelo.

My brief thoughts…

If He Wakes concerns the integrated story lines of two women, Rachel and Suzie, who are both discovering that their husbands may not be all they seem. Rachel believes that her husband might be having an affair, while Suzie’s fiancee has drained all of the money from their accounts. As the two women try to investigate their partners’ discretions, many revelations come to light which prove who is the victim and who is the hero of this story.

This is another book that I just could not put down. I was hooked from the first couple of pages, with Rachel’s story kicking off the narrative with a bang (and a break!). The breaks between the friends’ narratives come at good moments, with the cliff hangers being obvious but not quite verging on cheesy. Rachel and Suzie’s characters are brilliant, as they are both trying to come to terms with their lives falling apart, while wanting to tell the other what’s going on desperately.

I love Lea’s descriptive nature throughout the book; the broken ankle chapter still makes me feel uncomfortable thinking of the way “it had increased in size since I’d been sitting, a large bulge to one side”. The author knows just how to hit the reader with the right feeling at the right time; I felt uncomfortable when I read scenes like the above, and my heart broke toward the end of the book multiple times. There was nothing I didn’t like about this book!

This is a book for lovers of a dramatic plot. This book is a mystery, but not a crime, thriller or horror so I feel that I could recommend this to nearly any reader. It’s also such a great length that it would suit busier readers, non-readers and commuter readers alike. The chapters are just long enough to maintain interest and include enough detail, and just short enough that you can read one on your coffee break, or between tube stops.

Thank you to Ellie Pilcher, Canelo and NetGalley for giving me access to an advance e-copy of this wonderful read in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely enjoyed this book I give it a four-star rating only because in the beginning it was very slow at setting the scene. Then it began 2 grab my attention and I didn't want to put the book down I realized I read 6 hours straight before I even looked at the clock again I love how each main character had their own Mystery there was maybe three different scenarios I had in my head for the outcome of this book when I got to the last few chapters and it was a total different ending than what I expected I was completely shocked I am also thankful that at the end of the book they gave us a year later update about the characters I am left satisfied and I know exactly how everything ended and how happy the characters are at the end I reached out to the publisher of this book and ask for a copy in return I'm giving this honest review I highly recommend this book to any young adult who likes mystery and suspense or any adult that also likes those categories an amazing book I hope to get more from this publisher I think you so much and happy reading

I thought that this was a very good read , I raced through it which usually a good sign . The story is told from two women , Rachel and Suzie who have recently become friendly again after being friends when they were younger . Rachel comes across a twitter message and deducts that her husband Phil is having an affair , she goes to the hotel to spy but whilst parked there she sees her husbands car involved in an hit and run .She is sure it's him behind the wheel but he has an alibi and evidence it wasn't . Suzie is engaged to a man that no one has met and he has disappeared leaving her with lots of unpaid bills and she can't get hold of him .

How the stories come together was brilliant and I found myself really rooting for Rachel , Phil and their daughters . A great twist and a satisfying conclusion , all in all a great read . 5 stars from me !

This book got better as i was reading it, the ending is terrific. Great read.. would highly recommend to others.




Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an early release of this book