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

This is not what I expected. The first few chapters make you think certain events have occurred, and following on from this, the list of suspects is few, but then you are transported back to 1997, and what you discover there changes your perception of what happened on the beach.

The flashbacks are in a series of photographs which trigger a specific set of memories of the unknown narrator. The introduction of new characters seemingly unrelated to the event on the Carribean island, and initially cause confusion for the reader, but gradually the connections can be made and the puzzle starts to form a coherent picture.

Scarlett is an unreliable protagonist, she has past secrets, which reinforce her unreliability. She is also immature and easily swayed by the stronger, more mature personalities she comes into contact with. Costa is an unconventional investigator, they make an unusual but effective investigating team.

The characters are complex and all are flawed, keeping secrets, behaving instinctively, rather than with caution. Can the reader trust any of them for a truthful account?

The plot is intriguing, there are plenty of clues but these are countered by misinformation, so when you think you know what happened you don’t.

Surprisingly, I did work out the ending but this didn’t detract from the story.

A compulsive, psychological thriller, with well-crafted suspense and some clever twists, and an overriding poignant ethos, worth reading.

I received a copy of this book from Aria Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This book did not work for me. The characters were weak and the internal 'dialogue' that ended in exclamation marks didn't seem right either. Narration even by the first person should not always end with exclamation marks.

This is a good read with a good storyline. I really liked the ending. I had already guessed the outcome but that did not lessen my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

It's a debut and you know how much I love debuts and finding new authors....
I was intrigued when I spoke with Victoria from Aria Fiction about being part of the blog tour for this one...
The blurb itself makes you want to pick it up to read there and then, it's that good...
Imagine falling asleep on a beach and waking up to find the little girl you are caring for has disappeared...the sheer panic of it, what would you do?
This is what happens to the nanny caring for four year old Katie..
Scarlett is distraught when she wakes up and can't find Katie. She goes about searching for answers herself when she feels that the police are not doing enough to find her.
She mistrusts Katie's mum Christina and her partner Damien, something doesn't add up and throughout the novel there are so many twist and turns to the case, that you are constantly wondering the outcome...
A great storyline, very creepy and frightening to think what could happen...
You will be turning the pages of this debut late into the night I tell you...

# She’s Mine # Netgalley
It’s full of twist and turns, and was not what I was expecting the first few chapters I was engrossed in. Scarlet feeling totally responsible for Kate having gone missing. Yet Kate’s mother who always put can’t see that in many ways she’s wrong. Ok have a baby sitter but not just because you need to be with a man. For some reason I lost some interest as the book went on, which I didn’t expect at all after being so engrossed. On the whole a decent read just not gripping enough to hold me right through the book. A brilliant start just sorry it slipped down to me. Now I often say this is my review no one else’s, some will probably think I am wrong. I have read reviews and thought have you been reading the same book as myself, when I thought it deserved 5 star and other people have it 2. We all read books differently including the same books. I am trying not to be too negative. I have also genuinely thought perhaps it’s how I was feeling in myself. I know for a fact and will truly admit this. I have had to put books down because I just couldn’t get into them, give it a week or two later pick it up again I find the book Brilliant do I know for a fact depending on how I genuinely feel in myself if I am ill, or tired it can affect the book reviews, I bet not too many of us would admit to this. I therefore suggest you read it, as I said it’s a decent enough, and maybe my concentration went a bit due to a heavy cold. I have to review any book based on my opinion at thr timr of reading

I was really looking forward to reading this as it has a promising premise, but unfortunately, it fell flat. That said, I loved the warm Caribbean climate and the description of the area was pretty alluring. I had quite a struggle to engage with the writing and plot, but once I got into it, it worked out okay. It is very much lacking in the thrills and twists department; most seasoned crime readers will figure this out as it's rather predictable, and you need a healthy suspension of disbelief as many of the goings-on are unbelievable in nature. I also found that there was an awful lot of filler that could've easily been cut out to create a much tauter narrative, and there were a lot of discrepancies in the intricate details of the plot.

The main character, Scarlett, really got on my wick as her actions always seemed ridiculous. Don't get me wrong there is a lot of potential there if Ms Lewis would only consult with the police about how a missing child case would be investigated it would've brought much-needed authenticity to the novel. There were also quite a few continuity issues throughout which was rather off-putting. The best part for me was the conclusion which although predictable was well written.

Many thanks to Aria for an ARC.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Struggled at first with this book but really glad that I carried on as it was just ok in the end.

A fast paced thriller featuring a twist that you might see coming but still......Scarlett is Katie's nanny and when she falls asleep on the beach and Katie disappears, well, that's quite a start to the novel. Many secrets unspool as a result- who is Katie's real mother? Where is she? Some of this is a tad far fetched but the writing is good and sometimes a plot driven thriller is just the read you need. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

She's Mine by Claire S Lewis is a book that I am still not sure about . The story sounded like one that I would really enjoy but there was so much about this book that was unrealistic and completely out there that it distracted for the storyline.

Scarlett falls asleep on a Caribbean beach and wakes to find that Katie, the little girl that she is in charge of looking after has disappeared. She has no idea how long she has been asleep and is very confused. Nobody seems to have seen Katie wander off or so into the sea. The police are called and the investigation begins.

I found it very hard to believe a lot of things in this story but mostly these 2 issues.... Firstly Katie's mother does not appear to be very upset about her daughter going missing. She continues her holiday with her boyfriend, getting manicures and drinking by the pool. Secondly Scarlett is the last person to see Katie and is a suspect in the disappearance ... but the local police let her help with the investigation?!

Thanks to Aria and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

I want to start by saying that I didn’t actually like any of the characters portrayed in this book; now normally this isn’t a problem for me, I can read and enjoys novels where the characters are unlikable and you’re meant to hate them but for some reason, I just really didn’t like it in this book. The more it went on, the more annoyed I was getting at the characters and the less I cared. Sure I wanted to find out where the missing girl was hidden but that was about it.
So much of the story itself seemed so ridiculous also and so very unrealistic. I’m not asking for it to be exactly true to life but I do like a bit of realism in thrillers (unless there is the obvious fantastical element) but this took the biscuit a bit. Scarlet makes ridiculous decisions and is somehow allowed to become a helper to the detective on the case despite being the reason that Katie went missing in the first place. The whole story of how Scarlet gets her job and how that plays out was ridiculous and it seemed like the author had just tried to chuck in a bit of everything for Scarlets background to try and add to her character and probably the shock value but it just made things so unbelievable. There were a few plot points which were started and then seemed to go no-where; a lot of parts of this story seemed to be chucked in for the shock factor and to try and make it more gripping but it had the opposite effect for me.
This is told with chapters from the present and the ongoing search for Katie the missing daughter and then also from the past – it isn’t made entirely clear to begin with what the stories from the past connect to which did throw me off at first and they felt like 2 separate stories, however it does become apparent further into the book what the chapters from the past are eluding to and help things come together slightly at the end.
I did figure out the twist before it was revealed however I feel that once you figure out what the past story is about, it’s pretty easy to see where this is going. I have to say that I did really like the ending and how that was written, it was just a lot of the flesh of the plot that I found was lacking. My actual rating for this is ~2.5 stars so I’ve rounded it up to a 3 star.

What a great psychological thriller. A plot that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I highly recommend this book. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

She’s Mine by Claire S Lewis opens with Scarlett awakening on a Caribbean beach to find that Katie, the little girl she is looking after, is gone. The action begins and never stops, as she questions her own behaviour as well as the motives of the people around her. The story moves at a cracking pace and I couldn’t wait to read on. The story is told in two strands - the present day and the past which is told through a series of photographs which was original and fascinating. Fast paced with an array of intriguing characters - not necessary likeable characters but all multi faceted and interesting, with a twisting plotline so that you never quite know what to believe.This psychological thriller is full of twists and if you like fast moving, action filled plots then I recommend this book - it's a great summer holiday read thanks to the vivid setting in the British Leeward Islands.

A fab and creepy read that kept me gripped from the first chapter. Strong characters and a excellent storyline.

I was given the opportunity to review this from Netgalley.
Firstly let me say overall the novel was enough to keep me reading and when you ignore the intricate details and fillers of the story the plot was decent even suspenseful, albeit a little predictable. The ending was quite well done ( again slightly predictable, even the "plot twist") But the main character made me want to rip my hair out. Her behavior was so implausible if not downright idiotic. So much so it made the whole story seem almost comical. Clearly the author did not do much research on procedures that would occur in an instance like this. Scarlett decides to “sleuth” trying to insert herself into the investigation to help, yet she never mentions simple things like the fact that the phone she saw Katies mother find, was not turned over? And she lets the moms bf molest her because it’s easier? Rape is no big deal, even a necessary part of her life? Gets into the car with the drunk bf because she apparently couldn’t say no? Let him assault her because, well who knows, it was brushed over as irrelevant?
The behavior of the police force is downright laughable in their interaction with the characters. Flirting, inappropriate conduct, abusive behavior and the inability to investigate at even the most basic level.The sheer level of disbelief and implausibility at their behavior made it hard to read. The author has made the police force seem like a bunch of fools who have no idea how to behave.

When the main character ends up trying to check out a “hidden villa” where the people she suspects are staying she moseys on in and instead of looking around immediately accepts a drink ] and the offer of a swim from the man that raped and possibly drugged her ( well the fist half of the book pushes the fact that she thinks she was drugged on you, the second half seems to forget that thought existed). The details are a mess.

And a note to the author about continuity... her toenails were painted purple AFTER the child went missing, you wrote out that people would think poorly of her having a mani pedi while her child was missing. So the purple would be irrelevant to the time the child was abducted. Not a piece of the “puzzle “ you mention at the end of chapter 24

Overall, i think some research on police investigations, including the details should be done as it really killed the vibe of this novel. I know many authors have contacts in law enforcement that have assisted them in ensuring the story is believable based on the details. Also main characters that behave somewhat to the norm in a situation you will be writing about.

Plot and story line would have got this book 4 stars but the details and believably brought it down to a 2 for me. The author here has great potential with a little bit of research and facts with a little less fantasy.

This was a gripping book! The action started practically straight away and it was full throttle all the way. There was never a dull moment from start to finish. I didn't like any of the characters but that didn't really affect my enjoyment of the book. I found myself wanting to read on so that i could find out what had happened. The twist at the end was really clever and was a really satisfying end to the book. Thus one was definitely a bit of a rollercoaster!

While I find the plot a little overdone in recent thrillers She's Mine was a pleasant surprise, well written and I found the characters realistic and believable. I found the ending a little predictable but story was fast paced and was a great way to spend my day. 4/5!

The plot of this book starts right away and you find yourself turning pages quickly. Damien seems slimy to start with. The initial impressions are lasting and it seems strange how Scarlett takes many liberties with Christina. I find it hard to believe that an employer would so easily let an employee use her belongings and have access to her phone. The other thing that caught my attention was Christina asking Scarlett to drink one cocktail and ‘live a little’. If a child’s nanny is refusing a drink, as a parent why would anyone insist they have one?! Struck me as odd. And then suddenly you get thrown in to 1997 via a photograph and learn about Lara and Gabrielle. This just adds to the mystery because you have no idea who Lara is or who Gabriel is and how they are connected to Scarlett or Christina or Damien for that matter. As the story moves along the readers get introduced to more photos and glimpses in to Lara and Gabrielle’s relationship. That is an interesting dynamic to read about and you wonder where these 2 stories are heading, wonder how they are going to some how collide in to one another and create a train wreck you can’t turn your eyes away from. Additionally there are many strange and surprising tidbits in Scarlett’s narration that continue to keep the reader riveted. The way the story is told made me want to draw parallels between Lara and Christina all along. There was a sudden spark in my brain when I read Katie’s full name. There are many instances that allude to Lara’s and Gabrielle’s connection and by the 50% mark I was convinced I had it figured out. By 55% I was sure of who must’ve taken Katie but the how and the suspense of will she come back kept me going. While I was sympathetic to Lara in the beginning as the plot unveiled I felt like Lara made some very poor choices too. She had shades of Gabrielle in her who may have been psychotic but Lara herself did not uphold a very high moral code. Scarlett is a painted as a confusing character too and it is unclear what her role actually is, if any, in the abduction. While this was an enjoyable read it was predictable post the 50% mark. The twist at the end too was predictable. Given that everything Is pretty much clear half way through the book, I would have found it more enjoyable if the second half was shorter and crisper. But then this is a debut novel so we have to cut the author some slack with the editing.
The writing style was engaging and I would definitely read more books by this author.
For fans of the genre this will be like just another thriller that they can figure out pretty quickly.

Thank you NetGalley and Aria for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley, #ShesMine

Also shared on: https://romasharma.blogspot.com

One of the best books I've read!!
This is a psychological thriller! It has so many twists and turns, you find yourself pleasantly dizzy. The characters are strong, exciting, twisted, crazy sad, lonely evil! The story is fascinating and entertaining and exciting! Wonderful book. The Author went way out there and came out with a bestseller! Outstanding! Definitely recommend!

She was never mine to lose... When Scarlett falls asleep on a Caribbean beach she awakes to her worst nightmare – Katie is gone. With all fingers pointed to her Scarlett must risk everything to clear her name.

As Scarlett begins to unravel the complicated past of Katie's mother she begins to think there's more to Katie's disappearance than meets the eye. But who would want to steal a child? And how did no-one see anything on the small island? Time is running out and Scarlett is certain of only one thing – she didn't kill Katie. Did she?

The description alone hooked me onto this story. I thought it was a well written mystery/thriller with believable characters. It was an amazing book and I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of #ShesMine
Pub Date: 05 Mar 2019