WOW! This book was certainly not what I expected. Let me say that the blurb does not even touch on what this story is really about. It jumps between college years and adulthood and finds a married woman who will give it all up to bring her husband down. There is sex, rape, porn, websites for gang rape and so much more. Things that you would never expect to read about much less have a hard time putting it down as I did. I was drawn in by the wife’s strength and ability to stand firm on her beliefs. Though it was not all about just her husband. Many others were involved. Could she stop this before it happens again?

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Was a real slog to finish. Felt contrived with some very dubious decisions being made. I never felt like I was really there at university and it fell into lazy stereotypes for me.

A tantalising premise and a well-structured but dark, disturbing, uncomfortable read full of unlikeable and unsympathetic people doing unpleasant things.

Very dark and twisted, I'm not sure I realised what I was getting into from the blurb.  Thought it would be a bit more psychological, not so graphic.  However, a gripping read if I kept my eyes shut in parts.  Not quite me but I can see it will appeal.

This one contains dark subject matter that will not be for everyone.  The characters were unlikeable.  If you can get past those two rather huge factors then this is a decent domestic thriller.

I started reading this book when I received a copy via NetGalley and couldn't get into it. I had just finished The Last Mrs. Parish and was looking for another book along those lines. I wasn't a big fan of any of the characters in this book and had difficulty finishing it. While grueling and graphic, I still wanted to finish the book.

A version of the truth 

2019: Julianne is preparing for a dinner when her son shows her something he found on his iPad that will turn her world upside down. 

1990: Holly is a freshman at oxford university, when she falls into a friendship that live a different lifestyle than what Holly is used to. 

This is a very dark and sinister story and reminded me a lot of the films ‘Hostel’. Many of the characters are meant to be unlike able and I think that worked well with the story. 
I enjoyed this debut and will definitely read more from this author!

Trigger warnings for rape, gang rape, sexual abuse.

Dark, twisted and totally absorbing. Well drawn-out characters, good plot plenty of suspense. A recommended read.

Two narrators; two timelines. The story is told from the perspectives of Holly, a freshman at Oxford university in 1990 and Julianne, a privileged Oxford grad married to her college not-so-sweetheart, in 2019. Juliannes’s life is rocked after her son discovers her husbands files in a personal Dropbox. It’s very clear early on that their stories are interwebbed and that what happened in 1990 directly affected the present day. As the story of 1990 unfolds, the reader begins to discover what is happening in 2019.

It was interesting to read about the dark and twisted lives of these now privileged adults, future and present pilars in society, involved in debauchery. The book touched on some pretty big topics in very graphic ways: Rape, sex, human trafficking, abuse of power and privilege. It’s not the thriller I expected, but it was a good story.

It is difficult to read the book and hence it is difficult to review. At the same time, it is a heck of a page-turner! I finished reading it in a couple of hours and literally stayed awake past midnight to finish it.
If you need a fast-paced, well-written psychological thriller, this is it. You might not need more than a blurb of the book to jump into it. Just keep in mind triggers like gang rape in mind.

Reading this book is like looking at train-wreck - about to happen, you know it is happening, but you cannot stop it from happening, neither you can look away.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book and I really enjoyed it. Not my usual kind of book and found I was trying to work out what was going on alot of the time. Recommend it as a edgy gripping thriller

A thrilling read which kept me turning the pages, characters you care for and just brilliantly written.  Great novel!!

Do you ever really know somebody? You can think that your significant other has bared all to you, but have they really? Do they have secrets hiding that you are unaware of? Secrets that can come to light at anytime and turn your world upside down. 

Julianne thought she knew everything about her husband. She wasn't expecting any surprises in their marriage. She was expecting to raise their son and live a happy life. That all comes crashing down when her son discovers files that weren't meant to be shared with the family. Files that show a whole new side to the husband she thought she knew so well. 

Attempting to make light of it for her son's sake, Julianne starts searching for clues as to who her husband really is and what exactly he's involved in. The more she searches, the deeper she gets to the danger that is closing in on her family. 

A suspenseful and gripping story of what one woman will do to protect what's hers.

What a crazy ride! Julianne is a typical housewife. She is married to James and has everything anyone could ever want. But one day her son comes to her with his ipad and finds out information about her husband that she never would have thought possible. Told from a second perspective, Holly is starting Oxford where she befriends James, Ally, Ernest, and Peter. She doesn't have money or really fit in with the group, but sticks with them nonetheless. Until she is put in a situation that is unacceptable and leaves Oxford. This book had a slow burn, but by the time it got to the end, I was in shock!

Well written and very thought provoking novel. I found this difficult to read at times but overall a book worth reading.

New author for me but pleasantly surprised. Thank you for the approval and look forward to a book relationship with other reads in the future,

First things first: This book involves an explicit sexual assault, and if that is a trigger for you, you may want to find another read.

The basic premise of the book is divided into two parts: In the present day, Julianne is shown something disturbing involving her husband, by her teenaged son. She is immediately forced to reckon with the thought that her perfect husband may be far from it. Twenty-five year earlier, we meet a group of young students studying at Oxford, including the naive Holly, who gets mixed up with the group of rich party-goers. Something ends up happening that year that forever changes them. Could those repercussions still be echoing in the current day?

This book has a great atmosphere, with you knowing that the other shoe is about to drop - and hard. It’s quite a ride up to that point and it’s quite shocking and explicit. There’s a real build-up as you try to get a handle on the characters and their motivations. 

Speaking of characters, there’s not a lot to root for here. Most of the characters are deeply flawed in some way, but they also have flashes where they’re kind and genuine. It makes for a good three-dimensional story and character map. But overall, these aren’t the type of people you’re going to want to go on vacation with.

This book has a few explicit sex scenes, which caught me at unawares. The storyline all fits together with the major theme. I don’t want to give spoilers - but it’s something that readers should be aware of before you start reading.

Overall, this book kept me turning pages until the end to see how these characters are came together and what happened to them. The ending was very good and satisfying, though it also raises some good questions about “justice” and friendship. I recommend this book to fans of atmospheric thrillers.

I have a hard time writing a review for this one. It wasn't that I didn't like what I was reading but I still have the feeling it could have been something more, better. Plus, there are a lot of triggers in this book some needs to be addressed to the reader before starting the book. Rape and violence being two of them. My feeling throughout the whole book was: I really hope this isn't what it's like going to Oxford.

Anyone choosing to read this book should be aware that much of it is nasty and unsavoury - so be prepared for a rough ride!  It features a group of people in 1990/91 at Oxford and again in 2019 when something is brought to light.  Most of the main characters, apart from Holly and Julieanne were very wealthy, so Holly was pleased to be included despite being shy and uncertain of her place, but she’s really a dull hanger on and so naive.  The other members were extremely unpleasant individuals.  The topics covered were shocking and evil, definitely not for the faint hearted.  I got through this novel quickly as it was hard to put down.  A powerful, dark and emotive story.