Absolutely loved this novel! Excellent character development, and totally keeps you wanting to find out what happens next. Highly recommended!

Lucy Wheedon, an attractive, intelligent woman becomes the second, trophy wife of an arrogant, controlling brute of a man who is a well respected celebrity cardiac surgeon. He doesn't let her work or have children (he already has two), monitors her mail and on-line activity, and checks on who she's seeing and where she's going. When he throws a massive tantrum she decides it's time to leave the marriage, but he won't allow her to get away. Instead of going to the police, she looks up an old childhood friend who might be able to help her and soon finds herself embroiled in a worse nightmare with a nasty piece of work called Denny Renard.

This was an engrossing read as the plot didn't quite go where I thought it would and kept me guessing. However, I did find myself questioning many of Lucy's choices. She didn't seem like the type of woman who would just go back to her husband without screaming for help or going to the police. Although she said no one would believe her over her well respected husband, she did have friends who would have supported her and once she'd gone to the police, he would have had to let her leave or be seen for what he was. I also found the ending a bit implausible. Denny had previously shown he was able to plan and think ahead in his dealings with her, and to be somewhat patient in playing a long game, but this was not evident in his final ill-conceived scheme. It was however, a very suspenseful read as Lucy first tries to protect herself from a callous, brutish husband and then falls into the clutches of a very nasty criminal thug.

Wow, just wow!!! What a rollercoaster of a read!!! This was a truly brilliant book. Full of twists and turns!! My heart was in my mouth all the time, expecting the unexpected to happen any second!! While dealing with a very sensitive, serious issue for many women Alison did not detract from the seriousness of any of it. I highly recommend it. Thanks to netgalley for allowing me to read it.

I really liked this book. I kept thinking "what is she thinking". And then a minute later I was thinking " hmmm what would I do? ". There were lots of surprises and twists. The only reason this isn't getting 5 stars is I just didn't like the main character. I really wanted to know what happened next, but it was almost more of an intellectual curiosity, not because I related to her.

This book had quite a few “OMG why is she doing that?” moments for me but those moments were necessary for the story to keep unfolding. It’s a complicated story of trust and dishonesty which kept me eagerly turning pages until it was done. Alison James is a great storyteller and I am keen to read more of her work.

The friendships we make as children definitely impact our lives. No matter if these friendships last a short time or for years, as individuals, we are forever changed. Lucy and Adele become friends, as young girls, at a time both of them needed someone or something to anchor to. The impact of their “friends forever” oath would come to mean different things to each of them as their lives take different turns. The friends we make and the promises we share remain part of us forever whether that is good or bad.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I had such a hard time putting it down and was reading every moment I had an opportunity. Can’t wait to read other books by Allison James!.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend to anyone. It’s fast paced and grips from the beginning! I didn’t put it down until I was finished. Kept me gripped the entire time. Very well written.

# The Friendship Pact # Netgalley
I was hooked pretty quickly in this book. I stayed awake all night and read from start to finish. The twist and turns are absolutely amazing. I genuinely didn’t see a lot of what had happened coming. It one of those books that really keep you on the edge of your seat. No way despite how tired I become could I stop reading. Once or twice I said to myself just one more chapter then I will get a couple of hours. However I knew deep down I would say that to myself so many times during the night knowing full well I had no intention of putting this book down. It’s something I have done for years. Especially when you get a book as good as this to read. I have always been one of those people that if I am engrossed in a book, reading does not make me sleep like it does a lot of my friend it as totally opposite effect. You truly will understand why when you start reading this book which I genuinely highly recommend. It the first book I have read by Alison James, it’s definitely not going to be my last not by a long shot. This author has gained another fan and follower. Brilliant storyline, and exquisitely written A must must read

The Friendship Pact by Alison James was just what I needed! Fast paced domestic thriller which was hard to put down.

Lucy and Adele strike up an unlikely friendship as kids in school. Lucy is a quiet girl from a good family and Adele is a bit rough around the edges. Although complete opposites, they make quite a match and are bound by a secret which Lucy swears to keep.

Fast forward and Lucy is now a “trophy” wife, married to a surgeon and living in luxury while Adele is an ex-con single mother just getting by.

Although Lucy seems to have it all, her husband is a controlling and abusive partner who she decides to leave. But leaving her husband proves quite difficult and she decides to contact her old friend Adele for a little help. She can trust her old friend can’t she? After all, Adele owes her one.

This is where the story really picks up and you are taken for quite a thrilling ride. I LOVED the characters, they were all so vivid and brought so much to the story in their own ways. I think this one was definitely a memorable summer read for me.

Thank you @netgalley
and @bookouture
4.5 ⭐️

Lucy appears to have the perfect life but things are not as they seem. I could not put this book down it had me drawn in from the beginning so thank you Netgalley and the Publisher.

Adele and Lucy form an unlikely friendship when in school. A tragedy binds them together. Years later, Lucy seeks out Adele to help her leave her abusive husband.

Things quickly get out of control. There is a creepy stalker, blackmail
and tragic accident. The author tells the s by moving between the past and the present to tell the full story.

The characters are well-developed and interesting. Lucy is flawed but likable.

I devoured this book in a day. It is an exciting mystery full of suspense and tension. Twists and tutrns I didn't see coming.

O!M!G! This book grabbed me from the very beginning and I could not put it down. LOVED it! Highly recommend.

Lucy is stuck in an abusive, controlling marriage. Her surgeon husband monitors everything from her text messages to how often she visits her father. She tries to leave, but he tracks her down and drags her back home. Lucy decides to contact a very old friend, Adele, to see if she can help - she knows Adele spent some time in prison for fraud, and thinks she might have some unsavory connections to help Lucy make a new life for herself. The only thing is - she and Adele have a terrible childhood secret that they're hiding.

I don't know, guys. Maybe I'm bit tapped out with psychological thrillers at the moment. On one hand, Lucy was a sympathetic character - her husband was a monster, and she indeed needed to get out of that marriage. But on the other, I couldn't understand the reasons for some of her choices. Namely, those involving Adele.

I know that female friendships, especially around the tween age, can be super intense, but Lucy and Adele were only close for one year, other than a few random encounters. It seemed strange that Adele was the first (and only) person Lucy thought could help her. That said, I understand that abusive relationships can make all friendships wither and dissolve. But honestly? I'm torn.

The twist at the end wasn't surprising to me, although once again I questioned everyone's choices. Would this really have happened this way?

I do love the gorgeous cover. I just wish that some of these characters weren't so predictable.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This book was a page turner and kept me guessing. There were several times that I was frustrated with Lucy but it was engaging. Thank you for the arc!

Lucy has the perfect life or so it would seem, a fabulous house, married to a very successful cardiac surgeon, gorgeous clothes but looks can be deceiving, she is stuck in an abusive controlling relationship, her husband controls everything she does, who she sees, what she wears….. she has no choice but to try and escape….

In comes Adele, Lucy’s best friend from childhood, albeit a short friendship but nevertheless they had a bond so strong… a secret which neither told! Can Adele help her escape?

This story is told in in three parts alternating between past and present, I loved this book up until about 80%, I was really rooting for Lucy to get away, the twists and turns in between some of which I didn’t foresee which is always great, however, I feel the last part of the book let the story down, it got a bit farcical and unbelievable to be honest. I was thoroughly enjoying it and couldn’t wait to find out what happened and was rushing through it at the speed of a freight train so only to be disappointed.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book is being called a ‘psychological thriller’ but this was sadly lacking for me. The characters were unlikeable, and the storyline was predictable. The writing itself was good, and it was a fast read. First book I’ve read by this author, and I would give her one more try.

Lucy is a good kid, teacher’s pet, high achieving type girl. She meets Adele, her opposite, on the first day of middle school, and this leads to an unlikely friendship. Story is told in three parts; early friendship where the friendship pact is made, Lucy’s abusive marriage, and after.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

The friendship pact is a on your edge of seat thriller. Can you ever escape from control. What are you willing to do to take your life back.

Meet at school , they are really chalk and cheese
Adele is a bit of a scandal and she’s not got to play with Lucy
Adele has freedom Lucy hasn’t
I had an arc from Bookouture

Lucy has a picture-perfect life on the outside, but things aren’t as they appear. She knows she needs to make some changes. Running into Adele, her childhood friend, after a number of years seems to be Lucy’s solution. Yet, could it become Lucy’s nightmare instead?

This is a standalone book, and it’s told in multiple parts. I found the book to be a bit unbalanced. The first half was engaging, but it fell apart in the latter portion, becoming more unbelievable. I love psychological thrillers, in general, but the abusive husband trope does get a bit overdone, and I’d love to see some originality. This was an okay read, but predictable.

Once again I have devoured an Alison James book in a couple of days. And again, it is worthy of a full 5 stars.

The Friendship Pact is a domestic thriller, centred around Lucy, a seemingly blessed housewife. Married to a cardiac surgeon, with a beautiful home, and a life full of social gathering, it soon becomes apparent that all is not as it seems, and we witness her struggle to escape a controlling and dangerous husband.

The book then goes back in time to Lucy’s school days, and a pact she made with friend Adele decades ago, a friend that her family never approved of. An incident on one of their adventures leads to an everlasting connection that can never be spoken of.

Will reconnecting with Adele be the escape she needs? It seems to be Lucy’s only option, but will this be her downfall or her saving?

I enjoyed the way it went back and forth chronologically, and each time you learnt something new, or a twist hit you! Sometimes I don’t enjoy stories jumping back and forth as it can be confusing, but in this case it worked very well and only aided the story.

There are plenty of twists and turns in this book and it kept me guessing throughout, I was thoroughly pleased with them all and enjoyed it immensely.

This book was well written, with fully developed characters. I would highly recommend and I can’t wait for Alison’s next book to be written (despite this one not yet being out for general release!)

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Alison James for my advance copy, in return for an honest review.