I would recommend this story to all thriller lovers. This book took me by surprise. It kept me interested throughout the story and I needed to see what was going to happen. I truly enjoyed the pacing of the story and the well-written characters.

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

A dark and twisted read that had me on the edge of my seat at times. I certainly will be reading more books by this author.

Definitely a good holiday/beach read. Well written, deep, dark and twisted. really twisted. I also love the cover which is what made me drawn to request the book.
Thank you to the publisher, #NetGalley and the author for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Not a bad read, I live in Lancaster and so it was nice to read about my own town in the book and know the haunts!

I didn’t feel it was full of twists and turns but it did keep me guessing as to who we could trust and who we couldn’t, had me rooting for Karin and really liked her character.

A good read and psychological thriller.

This is the first book I have read from this author but it won't be the last.

I loved the twists and turns that you didn't see coming. Makes you think about how much you really know your friends!

Great book that I would recommend to others.

A chilling read that kept me guessing until the end. I've recommended it to my book club. Thanks for the advanced copy.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Harper Impulse and Killer Reads and the author, June Taylor, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Keep Your Friends Close in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I thought the storyline was well written. The characters were engaging and realistic. It is certainly a book with an unexpected outcome for all concerned. I found it a good read. 3.5 stars.

I loved this book! I thought it was disturbing, thrilling, chilling; basically everything you want in a good thriller! It’s one that grabbed my attention and held it! A 4-5 star read.
Will be using in a challenge and recommending to the members of chapter chatter pub!

An excellent psychological thriller from June Taylor Keep Your Friends Close had me gripped from page one.Karin has left a troubled past behind to start a fresh life in Leeds but she finds herself being rescued off the streets by her now best friend Mel and they share a house together,she then meets Aaron and falls in love and all is well in her life or is it really ? Louie her ex resurfaces after a chance meeting in the hotel they both worked at and a deadly game of trying to keep long held secrets begins.Louie knows all about Karin and her past life and threatens to spill the beans or is she just looking out for Karin ? This is a well written thriller by June Taylor that rattles along at a great pace and keeps you guessing until the last few chapters,an excellent 2nd book by June Taylor and long may it continue.A great 5 star read !

amazing, amazing, amazing! Well worth the read... what an exciting thriller novel! I love these types of stories when the characters just jump off the pages! A must read if you love a good suspenseful story.

In a town called Leeds, Karin is getting ready for her birthday celebration. Her boyfriend Aaron is getting ready to take her on a getaway that might turn into a marriage proposal. Aaron is charming, funny, handsome and divorced. He is twice Karin’s age. Aaron is the landlord of the house where Mel, Karin and Will live. Mel is Karin’s housemate and she is not sure marriage is the right thing to for Karin. Mel is like Karin’s big sister, since she rescued her from the streets. Mel thinks Karin may have secret traumas she hasn’t revealed from her past and she might be right. Will is Karin’s friend and protector, a homeless guy who Karin took under her wing but its Meg who is taking care of him. Karin and Will lived on the streets for some time. There is also Louie – Karin’s ex. Sounds like their break up may have loose ends. There is a mystery in Karin’s past that might be revealed in a bunch of secret letters. Only Louie and Will have read Karin’s letters.

This is a gripping and thought provoking novel that once I started reading it could hardly put it down, finishing it in one day.

The premise is exciting and deals with an important issue "who to trust?" Are close friends really having the best intentions for each other, could they be more dangerous than known enemies because they are hiding in plain sight?

This is the dilemma facing Karin the main character, and along the way we are treated to major twists and turns and nobody is above suspicion. Also we get to learn about the secrets in Karin's past adding further dimension to the ever growing suspense.

This is a highly recommended fast paced psychological thriller, my thanks go to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Psychological thriller by a new author to me.

I enjoyed this however felt it was a little slow & the ending didn’t excite me.

I’m looking forward to reading June Taylor’s next tale.

3.5 stars

‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer’ is a saying often used by many of us and in this books case and for Karin, the leading lady,a very true one!

Firstly I loved that this book was set in Leeds ( lived in Bradford 10 years ) and even though some places were fictional I could picture a lot of the places described and spoken about, somehow a book always seems more personal when this happens ( well to me!)

The story is based around Karin who is estranged from her Mother ( even so she has put a million pounds in her account as she has reached 22 ) she has been homeless but was rescued by Mel who she lives with and has a new fiance, also she is now helping other homeless people
Perfecto!
Of course its not or else there wouldnt be a book 😃
Karin has a past, a partner she ran out on who is back, and wants her, desperately....
And theres secrets, lies, double crossings, triple crossings and Karin questions who are her friends and who are her enemies!!
The story is told in narrative by the main characters...most of which I didn’t like, the ex who came back on the scene I detested.....however as friends and enemies changed in the book so did my opinions of them!
The story is quite brutal in parts, psychologically brutal and I really had no idea how the book would end, the possibilities of the ending changed all the time and kept me guessing
The ending, after all the different possibilities although acceptable and not unbelievable was more of an Oh than a OOOOO
Still, a good solid psychological thriller that I read quickly and found intriguing, well written and got me thinking, enjoyable

Perfect psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend!

This is my first read by June Taylor and WOW! I was pleasantly surprised by this one, that's for sure. The twists and turns in this story definitely had me wondering how it was all going to end. Of course, once I thought I had everything figured out, things would change again.

We meet our main character, Karin and find out that she has had a rough go from the beginning of her life with her mother. There was never any affection there from her mom and when Karin was eight, she was sent away to boarding school. Karin loved her father, but he died when she was younger. Karin's mom remarried almost before her real dad was buried and Karin wondered what had been going on. We learn that Karin had a sort of rough patch in her early years and ended up living on the streets and homeless.

Karin meets a woman that would soon become her savior and end up not being able to let her go once Karin decides to move away. When Karin meets Mel, she believes that she is now her saving grace and that she would not be where she is right now with out Mel. Karin starts dating Aaron and thinks that her life is now starting to finally get back to some what of a normal person's life.

All the revelations that we get during the story as it continues to go along are mind boggling. You don't know who to feel sorry for when things start coming out. Lol. I don't want to give anything away on this story because reading it as it unfolds is the best part of it. I could not put this book down once I started it and the revelations started coming. I wanted to finish it to find out how everything was going to end for all the characters.

I thought the story was really well thought out and put together. Great job on this one June Taylor and I can't wait to read more from you!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy!

Keep Your Friends Close by June Taylor is at the top of my MUST READ list. Described as a book that fans of Friend Request will love, this one promises to be creepy, twisty and dark…my favorite!

Here’s the scoop:

A friend who won’t let you escape.
When Karin is taken on a romantic break by her loving partner Aaron, she can’t wait for him to propose. But her surprise weekend quickly becomes a nightmare from which she may never escape.

Who wants everything you have.
They are staying by the beach at the Midland – a grand hotel where Karin used to work. And where Karin’s dangerous and obsessive ex, whom she has been trying to leave behind for years, is waiting patiently for her to return.

Who won’t stop until your life is in ruins.
Now all of Karin’s darkest secrets are being dragged into the light and her friends are turning against her. When one of them is murdered, Karin begins to realise just how treacherous relationships can be.



As you know by now, I love books like this. I don’t get any work done when I start a thriller because I have to know what’s going to happen! Put this one on your Goodreads list.

Due out soon, October 2018.

Overall this is a good read. There is a lot packed into the plot. I did not like most of the characters. I felt that I could not feel empathy for them.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This book is divided into chapters with a different character narrating. It is interesting to find out what secrets the main character of the book Karin is hiding. However, I did find it was a bit predictable at times. Some twists but nothing jaw dropping. Some characters were not very likeable, which is fine but I did find it hard to warm to anyone person in particular.