Three Days Missing is about a young boy, Ethan, who goes missing on a class trip.  The story is told from the point of view of his mother, Kat, a single mom, struggling to make ends meet after she left her abusive husband and from the point of view of Stefanie, wife of the mayor of Atlanta (the city where they live).  A lot comes out about Kat and Stefanie's personal lives.  I will be honest, I did not care for Stefanie and I wanted to discipline her uber privileged, entitled, spoiled son, Sammy.  I did not mind her husband, Sam; I actually thought he was doing a good job and was sincere.  I did, however, really like Kat and found her a very sympathetic character.  I wanted to see a romantic relationship between her and Mac, the policeman who comes to her home in the middle of the night to tell her that her son is missing and stays with her for the rest of the novel; although of course, I realize it was only three days and would have been inappropriate for her to get romantically entangled while her son was missing.  I would LOVE to see another novel with these two characters as well as with Lucas, Kat's friend and mentor, who is an older brother figure to her, an ex-marine, very tough and rugged and sexy as hell.

While I did figure out who did it about halfway through, I still gave this 4 stars because it addressed the issue of bullying in a very honest and straightforward way.  It shows how some kids are privileged and how their parents are complicit and easily perpetuate the bullying cycle.  It also shows the heartbreak of the parent whose child is being bullied and how that feels, how the memory of holding that perfect infant is what all parents always go back to with their children.  I loved how the final chapter is the only one told from Ethan's perspective and it dove deep into the bullying.  I also like how Kat developed a backbone in the story and how much better she felt when she finally realized what was bothering her.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Park Row publishing for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Full of twists and turns, this novel kept me guessing until the end. The alternate viewpoints gives a reader the chance to see inside two mothers’ hearts and experience the heartache and sorrow of a missing child. Fantastic read!

THREE DAYS MISSING by KIMBERLY BELLE is a gripping, suspenseful, and a fast-paced domestic thriller novel about a nine-year-old boy named Ethan who goes missing on a school field trip. That alone makes this book so scary and disturbing to read about (with no disturbing scenes though) and is something that no parent should ever have to experience in their lifetime.

I was totally intrigued and immersed in this storyline and had me flipping those pages as fast as I could desperately searching for answers of what happened and transpired in those three missing days.

Although, I figured out some of this story quite early on it didn’t take away any of the suspense or tension that I felt for this story or the characters. I especially enjoyed and loved Ethan’s character!

KIMBERLY BELLE delivers a well-written and tension filled story here that is both character and plot driven. The story was told from two different perspectives that of Kat (Ethan’s Mom) and Stephanie (the mother of another nine-year-old boy in Ethan’s class). I really enjoyed the perspective and individual stories from both of these mothers and really had me rooting for a positive outcome for both of them.

Both stories came together so nicely and was very satisfying to make this another entertaining, quick, easy and enjoyable read! Would recommend!

This was a Traveling Sisters Group Read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harlequin, and Kimberly Belle for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This book was just okay for me. I have to say that I enjoyed The Marriage Lie much more and is one that I recommend over and over. This book pulled me in right away, but about a third of the way through I really was not all that interested in what was going on. I’m not sure why, but it fell flat....maybe I’ve been reading too many suspense novels where children are getting kidnapped......

3.5 stars. This was a quick and suspenseful read that kept my curiosity piqued throughout.

This book revolves around every parents’ worst nightmare. Kat Jenkins wakes up in the middle of the night to over twenty missed phone calls and the police knocking on her door. They inform her that her eight-year-old son, Ethan, has disappeared from the campground where he and his classmates were staying. Told from the perspective of Kat and a fellow classmates’ mother, the chapters switch between the narrators. I felt for these mothers and enjoyed what each of their perspectives brought to the story.

The suspense gripped me quickly from the first chapter. The novel had me guessing throughout, however, the intensity of the suspense and thrill started to slightly fizzle out around the halfway mark. I was still intrigued to find out how it would all end, but the story lost some of its spark for me. Additionally, toward the end of the book, there were a few situations that seemed implausible which took away from my enjoyment.

Overall, I enjoyed this quick, easy and entertaining book and would recommend it to thriller and suspense fans. This was a Traveling Sister read which lead to some terrific discussion.

A big thank you to NetGalley, HARLEQUIN and Kimberly Belle for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Three Days Missing is available now!!

I did not enjoy this book as much as Kimberly Belle's first book, The Marriage Lie. While there was suspense that drove me to keep reading, I figured out who the culprit was almost right away. The motive wasn't cleverly hidden. I also found the connection between the two women to be obvious and noticed it before the police did in the story (they had all of the same facts the reader did). For a somewhat enjoyable mystery/thriller, I give it 2 stars.

Kat’s 8-year-old son Ethan goes missing from a school field trip. Stef, whose son was on the same trip, receives a mysterious phone call. As the hunt for Ethan progresses, details of both families come to light and we learn that things are not at all what they seem.

I absolutely love Kimberly Belle’s writing. It has a captivating ease to it. Chapters with alternating narrators flow nicely and the suspense throughout makes this a page-turner. Although I figured out the twist early on, there were other surprising details which held my attention. The only thing that would have made the book more satisfying for me would have been if certain characters were punished for their actions at the end. Still, an excellent read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with a complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This thriller offers many twists and turns; I had no idea what would happen next, which is great! The characters were real and the ending wasn’t too far-fetched. I look forward to what the author writes next.

Loved this book from page one! Excellent writing left me riveted throughout! Every mother's nightmare! With some trepidation, Kat allows her son to go on an overnight field trip with his school where he has gone missing. Lots of exciting twists and suspense! Highly recommend!

Excellent story of a parent's nightmare

This book clicked for me from the first page.

Kat is in the process of divorcing her abusive husband and finding it hard to make ends meet while her soon-to-be ex showers their son, Ethan, with gifts. Ethan is a brilliant 9 year-old but a social outcast at his high priced school so he's not thrilled about going to an overnight camp with his class.

Stef is well-to-do, beautiful, and married to Atlanta's mayor. Their son, Sammy, is in the same class as Ethan and torments Ethan daily.

This is the story of two mothers that find themselves joined by circumstances beyond their control and is told in alternating points of view.

I loved the story. I loved how well the author developed the characters and allowed me to feel the emotions of each. The beginning, middle, and ending of this book were all excellent.

I received this book from Park Row Books through Edelweiss, Net Galley, and Amazon's VINE program in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Kat Jenkins is in the midst of a messy divorce from Andrew, her abusive, wealthy husband -- complete with a restraining order. She has managed to keep her nine-year-old son, Ethan, enrolled at Cambridge, the prestigious private school where he has had difficulty forming friendships, largely because of his extraordinary intellect and photographic memory. After he begged to go, she permitted him to participate in an overnight school trip to an old gold rush town, complete with two hundred foot mines. Secure with the new backpack he has longed for and her father's old compass, Ethan sets off with his classmates.

Ethan bears a striking physical resemblance to his classmate, Sammy. But that's where the similarities end. Sammy is an indulged bully, the pampered son of Stef and Sam Huntington, the mayor of Atlanta. Wealthy, privileged, and influential, Stef is a beautiful woman who appears to lead an idyllic life.

In the middle of the night, Kat is awakened by police on her doorstep telling her that Ethan disappeared from the cabin in which he was staying with the other children. Kat immediately rushes to the campsite, joined by her best friend, Lucas Tanner, her "brother in every way but blood," a former Marine trained in search and rescue.

Kat and Stef are mere acquaintances when Ethan goes missing, but they soon find their lives intersecting in ways neither of them could ever have imagined. As the hours tick by and Ethan remains missing, author Kimberly Belle reveals clues to his disappearance and details about the Huntington's lives at tautly-timed intervals. From its opening, Three Days Missing is a tense, meticulously-crafted thriller in which a vulnerable little boy's welfare is at the heart of the drama. Kat is a wholly believable mother in crisis -- Ethan is her whole life. She is strong and determined. Stef, who appears to be a proverbial "trophy wife," is an intriguing character whose strength and resilience is gradually revealed as the search drags on and she grows increasingly suspicious about Sam's political ties and Josh, his cousin and chief of staff. The two mothers become unlikely allies as the search for Ethan intensifies with each passing minute, with Sammy playing an integral part in solving the mystery. Belle includes a supporting cast of colorful characters, including Stef's psychic mother, that add interest and keep the tale entertaining. Finally, the pace of the story quickens as the characters hone in on the truth. And a jaw-dropping conclusion.

As with The Marriage Lie, Belle has penned an un-put-downable thriller that will keep readers guessing right up to the shocking end.

So I knew this was going to be one of those it's-a-parent's-worst-nightmare kind of books, and it was. Kimberly Belle did a fantastic job of setting up a pulse-pounding launch and maintaining the momentum with few down points in between all the action. The book is told from the POVs of Kat, mother of a little boy who goes missing during an overnight campout with his classmates, and Steph, mother of one of the classmates. While Kat is going through a bitter divorce and struggles to make ends meet, Steph, wife of the Atlanta mayor, lives a privileged life yet has her own struggles, not the least of which is the realization that she has raised an entitled, bullying son. Belle does a great job of drawing distinctions between the two boys and the two mothers, and readers will be able to put the book down (if they *must*) and turn to any page and immediately know who is speaking. The "voices" are that good. As with her book "The Marriage Lie," Belle has saved a nice tidbit for the end, and while this one wasn't quite as satisfying as the closing scene of "The Marriage Lie," the book was nonetheless a quick, suspenseful read that will keep readers on their toes until the very end.

4.5 Page Turning Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

WOWZA!!! Could not get through this book quick enough! If you are a parent I’d strongly encourage you not to read this if your children are away at summer camp or even at a friends for a sleepover... you will want to make sure they’re sleeping soundly in their own bed or within ear shot... this book is about every parents worst nightmare... that phone call in the middle of the night to let you know your child is MISSING... Kimberly Belle almost did too good of a job making you feel the intense terror, the stress, the hope, and the loss, that these mothers did in this book... as a mother sometimes it was a bit excruciating and almost too real... I found myself reminding myself that this is just a book, and thank goodness!

Kat is a newly single mom and the mother of brilliant nine-year-old Ethan... Kat is a conscientious mother and a little hesitant to send her nine-year-old off to a sleepover field trip with his class especially because, Ethan has a hard time fitting in.... at first I was thinking this was a little young to go off on a sleepover field trip, but all my kids went to science camp in the fifth grade when they were around 10 years old.... Lucky for them I had not read this book right before that! Kat was tremendously relatable, just a good mom trying to give her child a good life filled with all kinds of opportunity.... i’m guessing every mom who reads this book will put themselves in her position *shutter*

Not only do we get the perspective of Kat in the book but we also get the perspective of Steph...Steph is the mother of Sam one of Ethan‘s classmates.... these two mothers stories intertwined... and even though they appear very different on the outside, they are both fierce mothers on the inside.... going to stay vague on the connection between these two ladies, because I don’t want to ruin anything, but I found both of their points of view extremely compelling....

This was a fast-paced perfectly plotted book... filled with all the twists, and turns, and reveals, you’d want from a psychological thriller..... did not see who was the bad guy coming and I really did not see that final twist! My only slight minor complaint is some things Ethan did seemed a little advanced for a nine-year-old, even a brilliant nine-year-old, but this is fiction...

Strongly recommend this to all my psychological thriller loving friends, this is one that will keep you turning the pages and up late into the night!

*** many thanks to Harlequin for my copy of this book ***

Just Published!

One sentence plot summary: When a young boy goes missing during his overnight school trip, the hunt is on to find him!

Probably the best thing about this book is how realistic it felt while I was reading it. It was reminiscent of an actual missing person's investigation. I could feel the urgency from the police, the devastation of the mother, the shock of the community. It loosely reminded me of investigations I have seen on shows like "Disappeared" or "Gone" that center around missing persons.

Kimberly Belle wrong Three Days Missing with chapters being segments of a timeline. For example, "7 hours 37 minutes missing." And the chapters advanced on through the 3 days of Ethan's disappearance. It also was written from two different persons' perspectives with chapters flip flopping back and forth from one person to the next. I really enjoyed the overall structure.

There were also some really interesting twists that I thought were pretty unique. As I read a lot of thriller/mystery, it's sometimes difficult to find a plot that really gives me something unique, but some of the elements involved in solving the crime in this book were pretty clever.

Overall, I ended giving it a 4 out of 5 stars because while it was really good, I didn't think it was quite on par with some of the other 5 star books I've read recently. But I would still highly recommend it to anybody who likes thrillers, or enjoys watching the Investigation Discovery channel.

-This book was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Kimberly Belle, and Park Row Books for the opportunity to review.-

Kat is in the midst of an ugly divorce and custody battle with her violent and abusive ex. Stef is married to the mayor of Atlanta who comes from an extremely wealthy family. Kat's child, Ethan, is bullied and doesn't have any friends. Stef's child, Sammy, is incredibly spoiled and bullies Ethan. These women have nothing in common until they trustingly send their sons on a school camping trip and their lives collide when every parent's nightmare becomes a reality: Ethan is missing. This is a fast-paced novel told through the points of view of two very different women with very different lives and very different children but suddenly find themselves living similar nightmares.

I loved The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle, so I was super excited to read her latest! I really enjoyed this book and read it very quickly. It was engrossing from the beginning with lots of tension and suspense. Star deductions mainly because I figured out "whodunnit" as soon as the character was introduced (huge bummer!) but I still really enjoyed seeing the story unfold.

Wow! What a powerhouse of a book!! I have never read anything by Kimberly Bell before, but that oversight on my part will soon be corrected. Don't you just love it when you find a new author you really like?!?

Three Days Missing is a psychological suspense thriller told from two alternating points of view; Kat, a mother struggling to raise her son Ethan, 8, alone as the almost ex-wife of abusive Andrew; and Stef, the wife of the mayor of Atlanta and mother to Sammy, a boy in Ethan's class.

Both boys are sent on a school-sponsored overnight camping trip. The police come to Kat's home the next morning saying that Ethan is missing. At the same time, Stef is receiving a call from someone saying that they have her son. A parent's worst nightmare brings these two women together in a way they never imagined.

Each drives to the campground as quickly as possible. Tension mounts as the police have to stop their search to determine which of the boys is really missing. It turns out to be Ethan, but was Sammy the intended target? And why?

The tension mounts with each chapter (which states the time that Ethan has been missing) until I was on the edge of my seat. So immersed was I that I almost read this book in one sitting. Bell writes such full, rich characters that it was easy to empathize with each of the two women. I liked that they were strong women as well.

I highly recommend this read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for allowing me to read this thriller in exchange for an unbiased review.

Kat struggles as a single mom to keep life as normal as possible for her son Ethan. Creating a new life after her divorce from her abusive husband Andrew. Ethan is by all definition a genius. As many gifted children do, he had a hard time fitting in socially with his peers. Often the victim of bulling and isolation. Attending a high end private school called Cambridge, every day at school was a struggle for him.

Imagine Kat's surprise when Ethan was over the moon at the thought of attending an overnight field trip with his fellow classmates. After much contemplation she decided to left him be a normal kid and hopes for the best as she sends him on his way to Camp Crosby. Then every parent's worst nightmare comes true. She gets that dreaded visit by the police informing her Ethan is missing. We then are allowed into Kat's world of a personal deep dark hell of waiting for word if her child is alive. Will she ever see Ethan again? Honestly I had no idea how this would turn out for Kat.

After reading the The Marriage Lie by this same author, I knew this would be one heck of a read. I loved that book so much. I was not surprised at all to discover this totally lived up to my expectations. What stood out with this book is that I was at the edge of my seat the entire time. I had no idea if they would find Ethan dead or alive. Ms. Belle was able to stir up emotions in me and made me have anxiety as the search went on. I think in this day and age we can really relate to this because we have experienced so many of these cases in the media. Unfortunately many do not end well. So the anticipation of the ending was defiantly consuming my thoughts even when I had to put the book down to do other things. The author achieved the ultimate goal by making me feel as if I were watching an actual child abduction case, but from the viewpoint of the mother. Absolutely terrifying.

As if the story was not suspenseful enough, the last chapter blew me away. I never saw that coming. The author fed you some clues but there was one piece of vital information that you discover in the last chapter and that was my ohhhh moment. I think my mouth literally fell open. Fantastic book that is going to stay in my thoughts for quite some time.

Thank you so much to Kimberly Belle, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!

Three Days Missing by Kimberly Belle Book Review
I honestly cannot remember reading a book that paced like clockwork. I LOVE suspense. Do you remember the movie with Johnny Depp, Nick of Time? Someone kidnaps Johnny's daughter & he races to find her. 90 minutes flies by in a second. Three Days Missing is the same. Lounging poolside, I began reading it & DID NOT STOP until the last page.

This Book Needs to be a Movie - Pronto
I've heard so many good things about The Marriage Lie & I'm ordering it TODAY! Kimberly Belle knows how to keep me on my toes & I can't wait to read more from her.

Three Days Missing is relatable in that we've all had that moment of intense fear when our child, pet or someone we love is missing. I loved how Kimberly didn't get bogged down in Kat's feelings. Her character moves into hyperdrive when her fight response kicks as soon as she knows her son is missing.

Once the paths of Kat & Stef cross, the plotline really ramps up. My eyes got so big during a certain part, I re-read a few pages. I was shook! You'll know the part if you read Three Days Missing!

THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book! Three Days Missing is fast-paced, thrilling, addictive & heart racing. As soon as I started, I did not let up until the ending. Get your towel & some sunscreen because as soon as you read the first chapter, you'll be hooked too! Three Days Missing is an enjoyable summer thrill ride.

Be sure to check out all the books on Sarah's Summer Poolside Reading List!

Special thanks to Kimberly Belle, Harlequin/Park Row Books & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Thank you NetGalley, Kimberly Belle and Harlequin for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Kat just got out of a destructive marriage that ended with a restraining order, but nonetheless, she is happy it happened because it gave her a son, Ethan. Ethan is a special, extra smart child who doesn’t generally spend much time away from home. So it’s a treat for both Ethan and Kat when he goes away with his classmates for the weekend to explore mines that is until Ethan goes missing. Stef Huntington is the mayor’s wife and has a son in the same class as Ethan. Stef lives a life quite different from Kat, but this story is told from both of their perspectives.

Well this novel lived up to its hype for me! I loved that this book gets started right away and you’re dropped right into Kat and Ethan’s life and poor Ethan goes missing very early on. We learn lots about Ethan through his mother Kat and feel awful that there is a child missing. I loved almost all of the characters, like Mac, the detective who stays with Kat and helps her through this with the help of a family friend. I had so many people throughout the novel that I thought could have taken Ethan, and in the end I wasn’t right about any of them. I liked the atmosphere of the novel and how it was told from two different perspectives because this way we get more of the story and what is really going on.

I read this one in a day because I was just so immersed in the story and I had to know where Ethan had gone. I loved the secrets that everyone is keeping in this novel and you won’t guess what they are! There were definitely jaw dropping moments in the novel and for me the ending was surprising and delightfully so. I enjoyed the writing and I could almost put myself into the scenes and I loved that. I haven’t read anything previous to this by Kimberly Belle, but I will definitely be going back to read her other novels because I was obsessed with this one.

This novel had my heart racing until the last page!
Ethan an 8 year old boy, has been bullied at his private school because he has a genius IQ and is "different". Nobody cares, not classmates, teachers or school administrators.
His mother Kat loves him with all her heart and wishes her son would have friends and go to parties and have playdates.
When there is an overnight camping trip, Kat reluctantly allows Ethan to attend, while praying he will fit in.
When Ethan goes missing during the night, nobody can imagine why or how he disappeared.
Where does a little boy go in the dark woods with only his backpack?
One of my favorite lines is "Maybe the goal here shouldn't be to understand but to let go." This book is a mystery filled with suspense but also so many lessons here woven among the pages.
I will definitely not be forgetting this amazing book anytime soon!