DNF @ 50%

This was off to a good start, but started to to slow down and sizzle for me. I was expecting a thriller, but it was mostly a domestic drama that didn't work for me.

I couldn't connect to any of the characters, and unfortunately, the story just left me underwhelmed.

Sorry..I tried.

Nope... it didn't work.

A good narrative hook perhaps, but that's all I took away from this one.

This had a lot of promise, I was so taken in by the masked intruder. Who is it? Where did he go? What's going to happen? Will he return? So many questions! Alas, I was ultimately let down by how the story unfolded, and ultimately the end.

There was so much focus on the disconnect between Molly and Liza in a way that I found to have very little relevance on the "unmasking" of the intruder that I was so frustrated by the whole thing. I just keep thinking... why did I sit through all that? What did that possibly offer here?

I don't know guys, I wish I could give you more, but I'm going to bite my tongue on this one.

I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jessica Strawser for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my review.

*Warning there are small, possible spoilers*
This has been sitting on my iPad patiently waiting to be read for over a year! I remember a few times I was ready to start it, but other reviews put me off of it. Anyway, I decided to dig into this yesterday and after finishing and reflecting for a few hours, I am honestly confused. First of all, this is labeled a thriller, although it definitely is not. The beginning is a little suspenseful and there is a bit of mystery throughout the novel where I wondered about one thing or another, but a thriller? No, more like women's fiction/women's psychological fiction. Secondly, without trying to give any spoilers, I never understood the whole dynamic with Rick and Molly and why she wondered if it was him? What in God's name did those two talk about while the girls were playing? Lastly, what in the world is up with that ending??? Although it definitely wasn't what I was expecting, I was enjoying the book overall. I admit there were times when I skimmed over some parts because they seemed redundant and honestly, I wasn't interested, yet still I kept going and found myself intrigued. But then that ending! She quotes Eleanor Roosevelt saying, "Let neither husband nor wife strive to be the dominating person in the household," yet, isn't that what she did by not playing her card?

I really do love this author (Not That I Could Tell was fantastic) and will absolutely read her again in the future, but this became a big ball of frustration for me about halfway through and never improved. Nevertheless, Jessica Strauser has once again proven her ability at strong characterization, as well as, being able to pull off multiple POVs. I think the premise of this one had a lot of potential, but it just wasn't well-developed. It almost felt as if she had this great idea and started the novel, but then couldn't think of anything else to do with it.

*Thanks to NetGalley for providing this review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Forget You Know Me starts off intriguing and a page-turner however the pace slows down as the story explores relationships between the characters. The dynamics between them add some drama to the story for me. Now I am a touch and picky reader when it comes to drama in a story and this one just didn't work for me.

I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley

Molly and Liza are closer than sisters so when Liza moves away they want to do what they can to keep their friendship going. During a video chat Liza sees something when Molly leaves the room Liza sees something that changes everything. Liza does everything she can to go be with Molly knowing her friend needs her but upon arrival she realizes everything has changed and that is just the beginning of this story.

Had to DNF because I lost interest after the first few pages and the format did not seem to agree with me. Was looking forward to this one but it just didn't work out for me.

Pretty good attempt , but left me hoping for more. Great storyline but lacked a little in the end. This could have been an exceptional novel but the end fell short. There were endless possibilities, but the author let the story slip through the cracks ....

This wasn’t my favorite Strawser. It didn’t quite carry the thriller-vibes of her other books. It read more like women’s fiction until the very end (last 20-30 pages). There were too many subplots to let me really connect to any one of them. I would have rather seen a deeper dive into just one. However, I did like Strawser’s exploration of women’s pain and the easy ways we slip into uncontrollable debt.

Out of the three characters in this book I could slightly relate with Molly and while this book is well written there is so much deception between these characters that I didn’t like any of them and felt no sympathy for the disastrous way they destroyed the lives of the people around them. I’m not sure if the author intended her readers to feel disgust for her characters but I certainly did and as far as I’m concerned they all need to be alone in life. I read a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

This was an interesting read as I've read another of strawser's other books. The concept and beginning lured me in, but it couldn't keep my attention going.

there has been a surge in fiction depicting friendship between women giving readers a varied experience--Strawser's attempt at a sort-of thriller feels a bit bland but acquits itself well enough

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This book had me from the very beginning. I love that it kept me engaged the entire time. I couldn't wait to see how it ended. I would highly recommend to all my fellow readers. Thank you for the chance to review this book!

Jessica Strawser is the first author I've found whose books really compare to Big Little Lies. I'm invested in the characters and the plot, and this book is just like her previous two in that I absolutely devoured it.

I could not get into this book. It completely dragged for me and I didn't have a connection to any of the characters. The beginning of the book had me hooked but it went downhill from there for me. Just wasn't a thriller/suspense at all to me.

I requested this book thinking it was a thriller. A video call captures something shocking and secrets are exposed. It was not. It was about friends drifting apart and their failed marriages. This was not what I was expected.

Unfortunately, after almost 200 pages, I had to DNF this book. I tried for almost two months to read it and get into it but there was just nothing drawing me in to keep reading.

Oh man, I wanted to love this book. I didn't want to agree with so many of these reviews. But I didn't. I didn't care for either of the main characters. I LOVED the storyline. I needed this book to be a suspense/thriller. It's not. I can't even really describe it. To be clear, if you are interested in this book because you think it will be a suspenseful whodunit, skip it. It's not.

THank you to Netgalley though, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2577422895

I thought this was a great domestic drama. Liza and Molly have been best friends for years but with them now living in different cities and Molly busy with her children their friendship has suffered. Molly’s husband is out of town so the two women decide to connect over video chat and wine once Molly has put the children to bed. Molly has to step away for a bit to resettle one of the kids and Liza is horrified to see a masked man show up on her screen. She yells at him in the hopes that Molly will hear and be warned about the intruder in her house. The intruder slams the laptop shut so Liza is cut off from what’s happening. She immediately starts phoning Molly to alert her. She also phones the police. Molly is unconcerned about an intruder when the police arrive and after a quick check of the house they leave. Liza can’t understand why Molly is so calm and disinterested. After not being able to let the situation pass Liza drives all night to get to Molly’s. She is stunned when Molly basically shuts the door in her face when she arrives. Why is Molly so unconcerned? Why doesn’t Molly tell her husband about the intruder? What is going on? This book was well written, there were twists and turns, and I really enjoyed the story.

This was kind of difficult to get into. I have yet to read a book by Jessica Strawser before,

I've heard from others and I tend to agree... I thought this was going to be an intense thriller. It wasn't close. The characters were just okay but I think I was expecting more because I have seen this advertised by other bloggers as being "so exciting", and I think that kind of got my hopes up? Maybe?

I want to read her other because I think it sounds a bit more interesting than this one. Jessica Strawser is a great writer and I will still give her a try with her next one.

There's not much to say about this book. It's about childhood friends to begin struggle in their adult life. Everyday things in a book lots of drama but I liked it. Better there's then move.