This was a great read. It has been awhile since i read a book this quickly. I just had to know how it played out. Really enjoyed it

While this was a quick and enjoyable read, it was not more than that. I do like that the back referred to it as a 'domestic drama' as I think that is a better description than thriller - which is what some of the blurbs led me to believe this book was. It was an interesting examination on the lives of people years after a crime.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada via Netgalley, for the advance copy of this chilling, page-turning, psychological thriller. Her Pretty Face by local Vancouver talent, (what what!?) Robyn Harding, was exactly the type of “can’t-put-it-down” escape read I’d been craving.

Overweight, insecure, and shy, Frances tries desperately to fit into the mom group at her troubled son’s elite private school. When she becomes further ostracized by the parent community for a disgusting prank her son initiates, Frances feels completely alone. A gorgeous husband at home only seems to worsen her self-esteem issues. Until one day, when she meets Kate.

Kate is beautiful, confident, elegant, chic, and wealthy. On the surface both her and her family look perfect. When Kate tries to start a friendship with Frances, the insecure mom isn’t quite sure how to respond. She is flattered and empowered by knowing this ‘perfect’ woman wants to be friends with her.

As their friendship blossoms so does Frances. Suddenly it’s much easier for her to get to the gym every day, and she begins to feel a lot better about herself. Even Frances’ son seems to be doing better! After making friends with Kate’s son, the two boys set down a successful path both academically and socially, and the two couples and their boys seem to settle into domestic bliss. Kate’s teenage daughter never quite fits into the pretty picture, but if I said much more than that I might spoil something for you!

That is my biggest and mainly only complaint about this entertaining thriller; I wish the published synopsis had been vaguer. Then the ‘twist’ may have actually been a twist. I loved almost everything about this book. The characters were well-developed and I loved the rotating chapter perspectives and time jumps. Who doesn’t love a juicy, question-answering flashback? I loved the mystery, and the twists and turns. Since the plot synopsis gave so much away, I wasn’t as thrilled with the ending as I had expected with the tension building up to it. UNLESS, there is a possible sequel in the future… Then it alllll makes sense to me.

Go into this one as blind as possible. The less you know, the more you will enjoy this already very entertaining novel that leaves you asking yourself just one question…

Can people really change? And even if they can, is it possible to forget the past?



Set to be released this July 10th, 2018, be sure to pack it with you in your weekender for a summer trip. I finished my copy in three days!

Until next time,

OMPP

Her Pretty Face is told from a third person narrative, but each chapter focuses on different people of the story: Frances, Daisy and DJ. Frances is an overweight and insecure mother, Daisy is a lonely daughter whose mother is indifferent to her, and DJ (told in flackbacks) is a young boy whose sister was abused and murdered. Frances befriends Kate Randolph and her world changes. However, both women carry two huge secrets regarding their pasts. But, can people really change? Can their past be forgiven?

If you are interested in this story, I urge the reader to not read the synopsis - It gives away a huge plot twist! I went into this novel completely blind and it was SO much better. I was guessing who was who right until it was revealed.

This fictional novel was packed full of suspense and drama. It had all the dark and twisty turns that I want to read in my thrillers!

My only complaints are:

1) I felt the writer used "big words" for the sake of using "big words", it felt unnecessary and forced.

2) My other complaint is that the book dragged a little bit between about 25% - 50%. It was showcasing the relationship between Frances and Kate and not much else. However, the last quarter of the book kept me on my toes and I couldn't put it down!

Rated 4/5 stars!

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Canada for the advance copy of this book.
I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives of this riveting story. The characters are well thought out and very interesting. I love domestic noirs and this book had me hooked right from the beginning.
I look forward to reading The Party, also by Robyn Harding, as I have heard great things about it.

Link to be added with Good Reads and blog review. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this startlingly sharp book - really enjoyed this take on the Karla Homolka case.

A highly readable thriller. As a Canadian, I recognized the similarities to the Paul Bernardo/Karla Holmolka case, but that just made it more enthralling for me.

A strong story, with alternating chapters from the past and in the present. I would class this as a mystery, only without the detective/police aspect which was refreshing. While some readers may find the content disturbing, the graphic/gory descriptions were limited. It was a little predictable in parts, however some parts of the story did surprise me. The teenagers in the book sounded like teenagers and not like an adult writing as a teenager. I enjoyed this book, thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was excellent. I've never read this author before, but her writing style was one in which I really enjoyed.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. I really did enjoy it, but I still felt like it was missing 'something'. It would make for a perfect beach read!

Her Pretty Face,
Thanks to Galley Books and the publishers for selecting me to read an advance copy of Her Pretty Face in return for an honest review.
A child is missing, two women meet, a stranger appears, and a man walks out of the past. Ms Harding takes these four apparently unrelated incidents and turns them into a riveting story of guilty secrets and hidden pasts.
The women meet in the prestigious halls of a private college. Both have sons attending the college. One woman, Frances Metcalfe, is overweight, unsure of her husband’s love, and with a complete lack of self-worth. She is treated like a pariah by the mothers of the Forrester Academy. The second is Kate Rudolph, sophisticated, attractive, outwardly at least, self-composed, she is a woman who would appear to have the world at her feet. Their sons are a reflection of their mothers. Marcus Metcalfe struggles every day to find his place with his school mates. He is a large boy, unskilled in socially niceties, who finds himself ostracized within the walls of the Academy. Charles Rudolph is his mother’s golden boy, a fact that Daisy, 14, Charlie’s older sister, takes very much to heart.
After a particularly ugly incident at Forrester, Kate stands by Frances and her son, and the two become friends. This friendship expands to include the families of both woman. But now, hidden secrets, dark secrets, slowly come to light which will have a long-lasting impact on the lives of both families. Running throughout is the journey Daisy undertakes as events unfold. It is Daisy, confused and frightened, who stole my heart.
The story contains some very graphic content as it takes a hard look at the seamier side of the world we live it. It hits just as hard at the terrible cruelty of pretentiousness and the damage that results from those who think themselves better than others who are struggling to improve their lot in live. It explores the many complexities of family life and how the choices and actions of family members, particularly parents, affect the lives and well-being of their children.
What the book was not, at least for me, was a “suspense” novel. Mystery perhaps, but with the exception of one small fact, I pretty much sussed out what was going on early in the story. As seems to be a very popular format today, the story is written from the back-and-forth POV of the different characters.
An excellent read. This will be my selection for my book club’s 2019 reading roster.

Great cover! Now, about the book, on the first 10% I wasn’t sure that I wanted to continue reading, as I was not impressed with the characters. But fortunately that was only in the beginning and I was able to finish this book. After reaching 46% I did not want to put it down. This book is well written and constructed and the story line is good (any similarities with Karla Homolka is “pure” coincidence).
I would like to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for selecting me to receive an advance copy of this book.



This was my first Robyn Harding book and I may have gone into it with high expectations due to the acclaim for The Party. Harding's newest novel is a psychological suspense surrounding the violent secrets two women are hiding in their respective pasts after they befriend each other when both of their sons start at a new private school. Outcast for her son's actions Frances is desperate for an ally and Kate seems like the model friend until her edges begin to show and we wonder who she really is. Her Pretty Face was an engaging and compulsive read, the POVs were split succinctly between three characters---Frances, Kate's neglected daughter Daisy and DJ, a voice from the past whose sister was tortured and murdered (by who?! Dun dun dunnnn)---and I did find them all fleshed out and interesting however about half way through the writing began to suffer as predictable plot points were revealed and the story hurried to an ultimately disappointing end. At times, especially in DJs chapters the dialogue seemed rushed and his perspective failed to have the same gravitas and interest that the two women had. Really, this might have worked better without his POV at all.

Despite thoroughly enjoying this quick read I wouldn't be surprised to learn the author started out writing passionately but then struggled to find the inspiration to connect the dots and finish the novel because that's definitely how it read. If Harding doesn't care about one of her characters how are we supposed to? Not to say Her Pretty Face wasn't good, it was perfectly fine, but you could see it had the potential to get somewhere better and just didn't quite make it there.

I always have a hard time with different point of views and timelines. With this book, it was very well written that I didn't have a problem with it. It was an ok book. I like the storyline but it didn't have an "edge" to it. I read it in 24 hours and going to work so it was interesting enough for me to read it that fast but kinda disappointing that it was more thrilling.

Everything flowed nicely. It was nice that it focused on 3 major characters that intertwined with each other eventually.

Frances is a stay at home mom that struggle to make friends, then at a fundraiser for school she meets a mom that is like her.. Kate. She has similar thought and is easy to talk to. They become friends as well as the boys (kids). Kate daughter gets in trouble and Frances helps her out but discovers something troubling.

It was very similar to a real case that happened years ago (Canada or US). Very similar...

This is an enthralling, well written domestic thriller that draws one right into the lives of the characters and the suspense is sustained throughout. I found the characters more believable and compelling than those in many books of the genre. The story was riveting and I found it difficult to put the book aside.

This is a story of dark secrets, manipulation, betrayal and a past murder. Why only a 3 star review from me? Despite the disclaimer that any connection with any real life character was coincidental, the crime and sentencing exactly mirrors a notorious, well known case in Canada. This made parts of the book overly disturbing to read.

Frances is a stay-at-home Mom, overprotective of her son Marcus. Marcus has no friends, is awkward, withdrawn and bullied. He also has issues of self control. Frances has marked feelings of inferiority, is overweight and feels unattractive. When Marcus is accepted into an elite private school, she feels ignored by the wealthy, snobbish and glamorous moms, and her insecurity increases.

When Marcus retaliates against an incidence of bullying, the manner he chooses causes anger amongst the parents. They consider her an unfit mother due to her son’s behaviour and ostracize Frances further.

Frances is befriended by Kate, a confident, beautiful mother of a young boy attending the school. They soon bond over their disdain of the other mothers’ social clique and their sons. Frances is overjoyed. They become best friends, even soul mates. Kate’s son and Marcus are close in age and the two boys become friends. Now a more confident Frances and son become much better accepted at the school.

There is foreshadowing than one of these two women has a sinister, murderous past. Which one, and what will the effects of its revelation have on the characters and their families?

The chapters are told from Frances’s viewpoint, the story of Kate’s unhappy, rebellious teenaged daughter,Daisy, and past events by DJ whose older sister was abducted and brutally murdered years before. There are some unexpected twists in the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon& Schuster/Scout Press for an advance copy of Her Pretty Face in exchange for an honest review. In spite of some misgivings stated earlier I will look for other books by this author.

An interesting storyline, told in a simple manner without confusing alternating narratives. There is a lot of suspense built up and a twist towards the end. The character of Frances with all her middle-class insecurities was very relatable. I felt some chapters did not deal with the issue deeply and create the necessary tension. Still the story was gripping till the end. Want to read the author's other works!

I don't think I've ever read a book as fast as this one. It was suspenseful and very enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

I couldn’t put this book down. Her Pretty Face was shocking and raw and demanded to be read.

I loved how the story is told from three different perspectives, each written to perfection through Frances, Daisy, and DJ. Harding kept me guessing until the very end - it was beautiful and amazing.

Interestingly, the backstory is reminiscent of Karla Homolka’s crimes and the scandals that followed her upon her release from jail.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada & NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

WOW! what a great book!!
Pulled me in from the beginning and kept hold of me the whole way through.
unputdownable for sure!




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

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher as well as Robyn Harding. While this book was entertaining and told from many different perspectives I feel like I was reading extracts from the true heinous crime Canadian couple Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka. The story is almost identical. Kate/Amber is Karla/whatever she’s calling herself these days down to a T. Perhaps the author is in fact modeling the plot on this notorious true life couple but threw in a best friend who hasn’t figured out what or who her friend is. The victim impact it had on the victim’s brother and his family, and lastly, what it would be like for a daughter whose Morher is a sociopath. Their points of view are pretty much the only fiction. If you haven’t heard of the Canadian crime couple (the gruesome twosome) you might well be fascinated to see how this novel unravels. Sadly, many of us here are all too familiar with this case. Not enough substance when the whole plot can be read in any online article. Still, I must give credit for good writing.