This book was painfully slow and I really tried my best to not giving up on it, but I guess I failed and here I am. I'm also not the biggest fan of the writing style. The narration was surely poetic and beautiful, but personally I don't think it's working with this kind of story. I prefer more action and surprises in between the lines rather than subtle and slow paces. It's a thriller but I don't feel thrilled at all.

Paolo is a medical researcher who works long hours in the lab so when he suggests spending some time together, Emily is all in. They spend a romantic night on a boat and when morning comes, Paolo has disappeared. Did he drown, was he murdered, or did he simply run off? Emily tries to find answers while dealing with her bipolar disorder which leads to some erratic and unconvincing actions. I didn't particularly like her character and it certainly didn't help as she was the main character! But it was a fun read nonetheless trying to figure out what happened to Paolo. (instead of Where's Waldo...#wherespaolo?)

Great Read!

First off, thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in about two days. I liked the way that Emily was distrustful and questioned everyone's motives because that is what I do when I read these books. To have the character do it kept me on my toes and guessing the outcome. Looks like this the first books for this author but I hope he has more in the future.

I learned of this debut after connecting with local author RJ Jacobs over a Nashville zoo photo he’d posted on IG. Our families had coincidentally been there the same day. Small world!

This thriller, set in and around Nashville, trails manic-depressive psychologist Emily Firestone as her life suddenly unravels. She’s not sure who or what to trust, even her own intruding thoughts. I don’t want to say too much or give anything away, but I needed something fast-paced and this delivered. I loved the local setting as well. Congratulations on your first novel, RJ Jacobs!

Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley!

Advanced reader copy provided by Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.

This book was pretty average. It's a really slow read for me and I did my best to continue reading. The plot however was pretty interesting yet the writing style, even amidst how beautifully written and how unsettling and chilling it was, it didn't really reel me in and keep me attached to the plot or the characters. Sometimes, I would have to reread parts of the book due to the fact that the plot was quite slow at some points and it would be quite confusing in an unnecessary way. I feel like the slow start was exhausting to the point that the thrill slowly died out and I was not exactly surprised with all the twists.

It isn't a bad read. The writing and the use of words are beautiful. The characters and the plot are really interesting. The only problem for me was that its slow start may put people off.

This book is an interesting, gripping read that has many twist and turns. The main character has many flaws which makes her even more interesting. And then you were gone is a great read.

“Memory is an interesting thing. It’s woefully inaccurate. People think they capture moments perfectly, but they don’t. Images fade and change over time. When a person remembers something, they remember the last time they remembered it, a copy of a copy. Then the next time is a copy of that. Each time, a little less of the original.”

After years of learning how to manage her bipolar disorder, Emily Firestone finally has it under control. Even better, her life is coming together: she's got a great job, her own place, and a boyfriend, Paolo, who adores her. So when Paolo suggests a weekend sailing trip, Emily agrees - wine, water, and the man she loves? What could be better? But when Emily wakes the morning after they set sail, the boat is still adrift... and Paolo is gone.

I love a book with an unreliable narrator. Many of my favorite thrillers explore that idea in different ways. This book will be released on March 13th, 2019.

Thank you to @netgalley for the advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review. #netgalley #bookreview

I quickly lost interest in this one unfortunately, there just wasn’t enough suspense. I also found it a bit confusing & disjointed at time, which was unfortunate as it had a great concept.

I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This story is a debut thriller from R. J. Jacobs and while this story started out as a romantic, overnight boat trip with Emily and her boyfriend, Paolo, it suddenly turns deadly when Paolo is nowhere to be found the next morning. Emily has the sudden fear that her boyfriend has drowned and this is where the story becomes a different story altogether. While I read the entire book, I'm graciously giving it 3 stars. This book wasn't really about the synopsis that I thought I was going to read. Honestly, I felt like there were two different plots going on and at times I became disconnected from the story all together. One description of the book talks about Emily's bipolar disorder and honestly, I don't know what that has to do with the story at all. I wish I could give a fair review of the book, but I lost interest quickly and unfortunately spent most of my time reading it with confusion. I would be more than happy to try another book from R.J. Jacobs, but this book wasn't for me.

This book actually had me on the edge of my seat. It was off to a bit of a slow start, and it was frustrating to travel along with the main character through her fear, confusion and disjointed way of trying to figure out what happened. However, as the gentle new romance she found along unfolded along with the genuinely unexpected exposure of whodunnit, it made for a satisfying read.

I really enjoyed this book. I don't personally have bipolar disorder but my friend does and from that perspective, the portrayal seemed realistic. I think everyone, with or without mental illness, should read it to gain insight into what it's like to be bipolar.

I enjoy reading books where I can really get to know the characters. I also enjoy becoming a fan and falling in love with a somewhat flawed character. People aren’t perfect, so as I read and got to know Emily, I came to appreciate her and her struggles with bipolar disorder. I felt pulled into her mania and desperation at times.

As the plot unfolds, the writing style gives enough clues to develop a theory about what may have happened, but the end is still a thrilling surprise. This makes for an excellent thriller novel. I didn’t want to put it down!

As much as I really enjoyed the first third of the book, once it turned out to be about bio-terrorism, I lost interest. The lead character, Emily, was well drawn (the others may have been overlooked--lacking background) but I had a hard time feeling for her. Overall, the story was well written and flowed pretty well, with some good descriptions, but there was nothing new and the ending was predictable.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Exactly like a thrilling action movie !!

This is rad !! It was really like an action movie where it tells the story of this lady, Emily, who has bipolar disorder being suspected of the murder/disappearance of her boyfriend and she tries to take matters into her own hands to investigate what happened. Throughout the journey she is faced with challenges and dangers that could end her own life.

I appreciate how this book brings awareness about bipolar disorder. I actually checked it out to understand what it was. It must be frightening to not be in control of your thoughts and emotions. I now understand how they function and the difficulties they face, the recklessness and depression that takes over.

This book is packed with constant excitement and thrilling mysteries that leaves you trying to solve the case. Though the story was quite predictable, I enjoyed the writing style and detail to the plot. I actually kinda like the characters too. Their development was on point and the transition between the past and present were smooth.

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to spice up their reading journey.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to have a copy of this book to review through NetGalley.

It was a struggle to finish this book. Once I realized that it involved bioterrorism, of which I have no interest, I knew that it was going to be a tough read. It really should have been hinted at in the summary of the book so that readers would know it plays a large part in the plot.

The main character's bipolar disorder plays much too large of a part in this story, as well. It is incredible how much time and effort is taken to describe Emily's condition and her increasingly out of control thought processes and actions. Towards the end of the story, it even morphs into superhero-like powers which literally had me snorting out loud with disgust. How any person in that state could believably be a child psychologist was beyond me and certainly beyond any suspension of belief. I suppose the author felt that the paranoia and 'craziness' of her unmedicated condition would add to the thriller, as everyone seemed to think her behavior amounted to guilt. But it just didn't mesh for me and it took away any suspense in the story.

The characters were also all over the place. Emily's best friend, Allie, acted bizarrely trusting one moment and suspicious the next, back and forth in a nonsensical way. Cal, the best friend of her boyfriend that disappeared is described as aloof and untrusting of Emily, yet one short conversation between them and he's drawn right in to her chaos and willing to help. Sure. And the boyfriend himself is barely described enough to get any sort of sense as to why Emily was so in love with him and dedicated to finding out what happened.

I'm not sure if I would read more of this author - perhaps if it involved a completely different subject matter, and had at least one character I could empathize with. I would also be comfortable recommending the story, which I unfortunately cannot do with this one.

What a great mystery thriller. Full of so much suspense with lots of twists and turns! Excellent character development. Highly recommend And Then You Were Gone.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'd seen it described as moving to slow but I found that the way the author describes how Emily's life derails and how her balance and stability slips with every new setback she encounters very interesting.
The book starts with Emily, a child psychiatrist suffering from bipolar disorder, and her boyfriend going on a short trip, sailing on a like. Right from the beginning Emily's discomfort starts because it turns out that she can't swim, but as her boyfriend is a very good swimmer there really shouldn't be a problem, right.
Wrong as it turns out, when next morning she finds herself alone on the boat and her lover is gone.

From that moment on, her world starts to crumble and her stability slips further and further, accelerated by the fact that she doesn't take her medicines and doesn't sleep for a couple of days.

I think that the description of the symptoms of the bipolar disorder really added to the suspense and I found the book an interesting psychological thriller, with a surprising, though not entirely unexpected end.

I thank Netgalley for the early reviewers copy, I enjoyed the book very much

I was immediately sucked into this book from page one and was torn between wanting to digest it in one sitting or spread it out to savor. I haven't been shy about how disappointed I've been with mystery/thrillers lately, but this one kept my interest the entire time. I was positively delighted to be surprised by the ending and was even more pleased to be satisfied by it. It's one thing to shock your readers, but it takes real talent to make it jive with the whole story and not make it an over-the-top gimick.

I  really enjoyed the unique cast of characters. The protagonist, Emily, has bipolar disorder, and she is constantly tested by horrendous events that could easily make her spiral out of control. The bipolar aspect was almost like another character in itself without being constantly shoved down your throat. It was presented in a thoughtful, subtle manner that is even more credible given the skillful writer's background in psychology.

There was also plenty of clever layering to this plot. Emily's boyfriend, Paolo, disappears out of the blue after a romantic night on a boat, but there is so much more going on than your basic missing person situation. I loved following along and learning how everything developed and connected.

Bottom line - Buy and read this book! It comes out in March, and/or you can check it out now on Netgalley. 5/5 stars

If you came with a warning label attached to you, what would it read?

This is a good storyline of a couple: Emily is a psychologist and Paulo is a medical researcher. They go on a romantic overnight sailing trip and I’m going to stop there at the risk of spoilers. Their livelihoods are a significant part of the story, which is a medical mystery but so much more. As the mystery unfolds, we are also in the personal world of Emily’s bipolar disorder. Written in first person by Emily, this is a very articulate and compassionate description of living daily with the nuances of bipolar disorder. This was a good, fast read. I enjoyed the movie references, and the Nashville setting, as the author lovingly described the area. I look forward to reading more from R.J. Jacobs! Recommended!!

It took a while for me to get into this book. However, I found the characters well drawn and the plot was convincing. The bi-polar condition was handled with sensitivity and care, and that is definitely a plus. Good story that will keep your attention until the end. Solid writing.