Definitely a 5 star read! This has everything a psychological suspense needs, to be great; drama, deceit, revenge, frightening, and you don’t have an idea who the perpetrator of this diabolical scenario is.
Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke are known for strong characters and they did it again here. Most are difficult to like, as is Lila Bennett, a vicious, successful defense lawyer, who “takes no prisoners”. As her personal and professional life come to a crossroad, something needs to change in order for her to save herself. Hence she is thrust in alternative situations. In one she is the victim of a kidnapping, her kidnapper vowing to force her to make amends to everyone she has hurt. And the other, is an unknown and is intent on destroying her.
Lila recognizes the terrible person she has become, as she seeks to change, but will she survive to apologize to her husband, her friends and clients.
My thanks to #LakeUnionPublishing #NetGalley the the authors for the Arc in return for my personal review. I loved this intense, suspenseful novel!

I love Fenton and Steinke. Their books are so smooth and you can eat them in one setting. This one kept me going. At first I was a little confused but I needed to know whaat was going on. Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy.

An amazing novel! The characters are well-drawn and truly pull at your heart strings. I couldn't put the book down till I reached the final chapter. Highly recommended.

“The Two Lila Bennetts” is the latest novel by authors, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke. If you are looking for a roller coaster of a novel with plenty of unexpected twists and turns, you need to read this book. The novel follows Lila Bennett on two very distinct paths, one in which she is kidnapped, and one in which she is not. This dual narrative approach is quite effective because neither pathway necessarily leads Lila in the direction you might expect her to go. Clues from one narrative hint at what might be happening to Lila in her alternative reality.

Lila Bennett, a criminal attorney, is not the most likable person. She is frustrated because her husband, a brilliant writer, cannot motivate himself to write a follow up to his debut novel. Lila is having an affair with her best friend’s husband, Sam, who is also managing partner at her law firm. She recently got a man acquitted who may have killed his wife and his wife’s sister informs Lila about karma. The evening of the acquittal, Lila can either make the choice to go home to her husband or have drinks with her lover. But in this novel, she can do both, and the reader is privy to what happens to Lila as a result of both of those choices.

I would love to know more about the writing process of Liza Fenton and Lisa Steinke. Did one writer draft one narrative while the other wrote the second? How did the writers keep track of what information was revealed in one narrative versus in the second one? Regardless, the writing is compelling, vivid, and thought provoking because we all make bad choices that often result in consequences that we then have to face.
I'd like to thank NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the authors for for providing me an advanced copy of this novel. “The Two Lila Bennetts” will be published on July 23, 2019.

A story with a "Sliding Doors" theme- remember the movie with Gwyneth Paltrow?! The authors said it's one of their favorites, and the inspiration for The Two Lila Bennetts. Lila Bennett has made some bad choices, but haven't we all? Is it too late to change her ways? A successful criminal attorney, some say Lila will do anything to clear her clients' names. But deep down, Lila wants to help people and still thinks of cases that she wishes she handled better. Her story is told in alternating chapters, both featuring Lila; we learn about two paths her life could go down depending on the life choices she made.
A quick, page turning read, the alternating story lines will keep you reading fast till the very end. I couldn't wait to see what happened to Lila, and was shocked at the reveal. Really makes you think of how choices can affect so many different people for years to come. A great, thrilling thrilling read from Lisa and Liz!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced readers copy for my honest review!

I could not put this book down! Similar in nature to the Sliding Doors movie where there are two options for Lila's life to go - I was glued to see how each life turned out based on her choices.
While Lila definitely had some quirks and dislikable characteristics, I was riveted to see what happened on each of the 2 paths she took. One involved being kidnapped and the other is titled "Free" and she goes about her daily life. Great read! Wild ride!

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I absolutely LOVED and ADORED this book! I could NOT put it down and I read it in a day!! A day!! I finished it in bed last night as I could NOT put it down!! Definitely, the BEACH read of the summer!

Anyway, the best way to describe this book is to compare it to the movies SLIDING DOORS or RUN LOLA RUN (as an aside, both are GREAT movies). If you know the movie references and enjoyed the premises of the movies, then you will love this book as I did. Even if you didn't like the movies or have no idea what I am talking about, you will love the book!!

I loved the character development, the creativity of the story, the rapid twists & turns of the storyline, that the story was based in Los Angeles (my hometown), and all of the current cultural references.

DEFINITE recommend! Enjoy this book - you will NOT be disappointed!!

Lila Bennett has been kidnapped and is being held hostage by someone who forces her to face what she's done and is about to trap her in a concrete cell. In an alternate life, however, Lila is a seasoned criminal defense attorney whose life is on the line. Can she figure it all out before it's too late? This novel is full of suspense and mystery that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat!

Thank you very much to Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley and the authors, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, for an early read of this book, for an honest review.

This book shows us that our choices in life, leads to the path we take each and every day. This book, goes back and forth between 2 totally different lives of the same person, and while that might sound confusing, it's so very well written that it's very easy to follow and read.

The book is a thrilling read of new beginnings, regret and is extremely unpredictable. This was a Thriller from the first word, and I can't wait to ready more from these 2 authors. Well done ladies!!!

It has been a long time since I've read a book this suspenseful! The two narratives are both so carefully crafted and so well done that I could not wait to see what would happen next. I liked how the character of Lila was flawed; this made her seem very real to me. And I especially loved how she was starting to turn her life around and become a better person. The "Sliding Doors" aspect of the plot makes for a riveting page turner. My only quibble was that I didn't think the character of Ethan (Lila's husband) was quite as fleshed out as he could have been. But that might have just been me and my failure as a reader. It certainly did not impact my enjoyment of the story. I've read all of Liz and Lisa's other books and in my opinion THE TWO LILA BENNETTS is their best yet! The story is simply fantastic and so entertaining. I didn't see the ending coming, but I loved it and the way they pulled it off.

Wow! What a powerful book. Lisa's development through each chapter was compelling and so.relatable. How many of us wish for a second chance? Loved this from beginning to end.

This is the first book I've read by Liz & Lisa but I definitely have to read more. They have been friends for over 30 years & that is already amazing but they also coauthored beautifully together. I loved how this story was about the choices we make and the different outcomes that result from it. I am already a cautious decision maker in my life & this book is a great example of why I am. I loved how the story flip-flopped with alternating plots that unfolded. It kept the story interesting & very engaging. It also reminded me of the choose your own adventure books I loved so much growing up. I loved the shoutout in the acknowledgments..."to all the book bloggers and bookstagrammers who work tirelessly to promote novels, "thank you" doesn't even begin to cover it. You are such a force of nature with a mission : to encourage people to read, something so desperately needed in our world. Please know that we see and appreciate all your tireless work." That was the nicest thing to say. Thank you Liz and Lisa for that. That means so much! I truly LOVE reading & reviewing books. Also, thank you for all of your hard work & dedication to a life-long friendship & writing great books together!

4* Regret Stars

I get very excited when I see that Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have collaborated once again to write a thrilling read! The Two Lila Bennetts did not disappoint.

This is a dual story of the life of Lila Bennett who is a ruthless Defense Attorney and about the very bad choices she has made in her life. Not only has she hurt herself but also those close and around her. After wining a high profile case Lila is presented with two options in her life to either head home to her waiting husband or go out with her Boss Sam with whom she is having an affair with to celebrate. Her destiny is then spilt into two paths one where she is held captive and one where she is free. In both of these timelines secrets and lies are exposed and Lila is forced to address her past mistakes.

This was a very interesting read and kept me engaged until the last page was read with a twist or two along the way.

Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for my early copy to read and review.

I was given an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interestingly written book. It really was almost like read two stories in parallel. The choices we make determines the path we take and the consequences of those decisions.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Hot on the heels of “Girls Night Out”, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke’s new novel, “The Two Lila Bennetts”, touches on past mistakes, “what ifs” and the choices we make.
Lila Bennett is a successful criminal attorney, defending the lowest of the low and, according to her legal record, more often than not succeeding in getting them off. However, soon, the error of her ways literally confronts her and she is torn between two words- both reveal the consequences of the choices she has made and changes her forever.
“The Two Lila Bennetts” is a unique novel in a number of ways. It reads like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel, where each chapter features the same protagonist (Lila Bennett) but in two different worlds, each world reflective of a different path she could have chosen as a result of a life choice. In one world, she is being held captive by a stranger by the name of “Q”, who forces her to reveal her deepest secrets and make amends. In another, the same Lila is blackmailed into telling her husband the sordid details of her affair with her boss (who is also her best friends’ husband).
I am always intrigued when these two authors collaborate, as I am always drawn into the idea of two creative minds working together to create a successful, and collective, story. This novel is slightly off pattern, in that it is a little easier to see where one author ends and the other begins, as each chapter tells a completely different story from the one before it, and although they share a main character, each chapter has a different plot.
The character of “Q” and the plot line behind him truly intrigued me, and I was reminded of Caroline Kepnes’ “You” while reading. I desperately wanted more of this, and was disappointed when the other Lila took over. However, once I got reading into this Lila’s life, I wanted this storyline to continue, and again was faced with disappointment. Both stories were entertaining, however, each plot line had enough juice to be a stand-alone novel, and I would’ve eagerly read both from cover to cover.
This was a tough review to do, as I enjoyed the individual plot lines and the characters in each, but I would’ve loved to have seen each one on its own. I was never a fan of Choose Your Own Adventure novels because I did not like the flow of a story being interrupted, while I scrambled to find the right page so I could continue reading. In this case, it’s almost worth reading each plot line at a time, skipping a chapter until the end and then returning to the beginning and reading the second plot line. In fact, I highly recommend reading the novel in this way, as it would flow much better and still provide the entertainment and anticipation that the novel provides.
Overall, a good read full of drama and suspense, and a thought-provoking plot line, but the delivery was choppy and I would’ve much preferred a smoother flow.

At first I wasn’t sure what was happening with the story. It took several chapters to really gain interest.
While I enjoyed reading the two different viewpoints, I had a hard time rooting for the main character Lila. In one situation she was downright unlikeabke and in the other situation she was too predictable.
I didn’t feel like there was much character development. What caused the husband’s depression, how much time had passed? The best friend, Carrie, they were supposed to have this great friendship but it seemed superficial at best.
Also, the assistant Chase - it talked around his backstory sontou get th general idea of it. It nothing overly definitive.
This had the potential to be a good story but I felt like rh characters liked depth and like ability. You want to find yourself being able to relate to or identify with and I could never get there.

This writing pair does it again with a thriller that kept me up late reading and will stay with me for days.

I really enjoyed Girls Night Out so was very excited to read the next book by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke. This is another strong thriller that is very reminiscent of Sliding Doors and gives two outcomes for the main character in the book. It was well written and there were various underlying plots and twists that kept me entertained throughout.

Sliding Doors, anyone? Who remembers that movie? This novel gave me all the feels of sliding doors but with the most fantastic protagonist, Lila Bennett.

What I really loved about this book, and there are so many things, so lets get to it. Sometimes good people do bad things. People are fragile and complicated and no one is perfect. I love Lila. I may not love all the things she did, but it who she is or has become that I love.

And that one decision? In this book, one decision sends Lila down two VERY different paths.
Who has made a decision, whether good or bad that changed the trajectory of their life.
Pretty sure everyone has. Lila is insecure, and complicated, but also relatable. All of these characteristics make for one of my most favorite protagonists of all time.

This is a suspense, action filled brain twister of a book and I loved every minute.

Get ready for a ride, that you never want to get off of.

I LOVED this book and highly recommend it .

The Two Lila Bennetts kept me on the edge of my seat! Fenton and Steinke have done an amazing job telling the story of Lila Bennett. This book pulled me in and I kept wanting to get back to it whenever I had to put it down. I hope this team will continue to write together because I can't wait to read to read more from them!