I was so looking forward to reading this book as I've seen it all over the social media and it's horror. I love horror! But what an utter disappointment this book was. The writing was awful and elementary. It felt so clunky and the storytelling discombobulated me! It was so jumpy and fragmented and half the time it felt glitchy. I couldn't even finish the first chapter. How this book has rave reviews, just puzzles me. The Return definitely did not live up to the hype!

Pub, date: 24 March, 2020

***I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed in this review are my own and was not influenced by the author, publisher or any third party.***

This is just what I was craving; a completely unique and chilling read.

The setting was phenomenal; a remote inn, with extravagantly- themed rooms. Having stayed at a hotel like this before, I can vouch to feelings of unease when our senses are surrounded by a setting so unique.

The dynamic between the four women was completely transfixing. Elise was closest to Julie and the first to see that something was very wrong with her; the others chalked it up to her experience and the recovery. Eventually, as more was revealed, however, they were the quickest to distance themselves from her, yet pushing Elise to find out more about what happened those two years she was gone.

As Julie sheds the facade of the young beautiful woman she used to be, her true identity is absolutely terrifying. Bit by bit, an aspect of her beauty is lost. Certainly not something anyone squeamish should endure! While the origination of her…altered self wasn’t fully detailed, it was just enough to add to overall feelings of dread and terror.

This is a title that will make you want to read with the lights on, and remind you to never, never hike alone.

I loved that cover and synopsis and was absolutely here for all of it. Sadly, I’m wondering if two stars is too high.

I’m sort of indifferent about Elise...and probably this entire group of friends. I did like how they had such history and even in their bickering, you could tell they loved each other. That’s about the only nice thing I have to say about the characters. Their personalities were flat and I constantly mixed up Mae and Molly.

Plot wise, it was boring. The entire story is all tell, no show and that got boring really quickly. I did like the descriptions of the rooms and weather. There was a lot of detail in both and it was easy to see the locations. The build up was non-existent and mostly because there was no tension in the story. Yes, things escalated, but it wasn’t urgent. Oh, and I hated the “explanation”.

Overall, it was an amazing set up, but the execution didn’t work for me because I have no idea what I actually read.

**Huge thanks to Berkley for providing the arc free of charge**

So here is the thing...This book is great...but it didn't live up to the hype surrounding it or the amazing premise it has. I think that the interpersonal relationships are really fascinating and relatable. Everyone has that college friend that they are inseparable from until college ends and all of your lives change. You can very easily see yourself in the protagonists shoes. All that said, while the third act was incredible action packed...I was left with so many questions. I'm all for stories having mysterious elements (especially in a horror novel) that are never fully explained. But with this book far too much is left unexplained and it holds the story back. That said, I do like the book and would recommend it for people who like Riley Sager books.

This is an interesting book to rate. When a woman goes missing and mysteriously reappears 2 years later with no memory of what happened, her friends are left to try and put together the pieces. They end up at a hotel for a long weekend to catch up and spend time together, but the recently returned Julie is not quite the same woman they remember.

This was a quick read but was overall just strange. It was somewhat entertaining as you were trying to figure out what was happening, but when the book came to a head I was just left with more questions. I’m not even sure how to categorize this book. Somewhat horror, somewhat thriller? If you’re looking for something absolutely different than what you’re used to as a thriller or mystery lover, this is definitely one that will mix it up!

CREEPY.

This was so creepy and definitely suspenseful. Kinda gross at times, but totally worth it.
I had so many ideas of what could have possibly happened and they were all wrong. The ending totally took me by surprise. It was like I was watching a scary movie and was terrified but still didn't want to turn it off. I literally could not put this book down! I finished it in one day. One day!

On a lighter note, I really loved the friendship in this book. I'm so jealous of how well they all meshed together and just completed each other. If I could be friends with one person in this book it would totally be Molly.

All in all, I think this book was definitely and totally well-rounded. It had an amazing friendship dynamic, suspenseful and extremely descriptive writing, and a twist I did NOT see coming.

Whenever Rachel Harrison writes a new book, I will definitely be picking it up!

WOW this book was a ride. I started this book and could not put it down and ended up finishing it in less than 24 hours. This book did such a great job capturing that creeping dread you feel when you know something is wrong, but you can’t put your finger on what exactly is wrong. The pacing was great and it took several turns I wasn’t expecting, but I was along for the whole ride.

Another thing I loved about this book was it’s take on adult female friendships. Elise, Julie, Molly and Mae were college friends who are now adults with varying degrees of career success. It was interesting to see how they tried to navigate their friendship based on their years of past interactions, when obviously things have changed drastically (and how much has stayed the same). This gave the book a lot of heart and poignancy I wasn’t expecting from a horror novel.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE RETURN by Rachel Harrison in exchange for my honest review.***

3.5 STARS

Julie, one of Elise’s three best friends from college, goes missing only to return two years later with no memory of the time she’d been away. Julie looks like the same person with subtle differences like eating meat after years as a vegetarian. The four friends take a Girls Trip to reconnect and what unfolds no one saw coming.

The quality of writer Rachel Harrison’s writing, particular her word building was the strongest aspect of THE RETURN. I liked Elise’s narration and her imperfect relationship skills. The creepy setting added a chilling aspect to the story telling.

I had difficulty understanding the friendships in the book. At times the friends didn’t seem to like each other much. They spent a lot of time talking about Julie, sniping, apologizing and saying, “I love you.”

I love missing/returned person books for stories of the emotional fallout of kidnappings and wish the blurb for THE RETURN had been more descriptive. Because I expected an angsty, yet triumphant tale, I felt let down that the genre was horror/paranormal. I rounded up because I didn’t think my disappointment should detract from the rating.

The ending let me down and didn’t live up to the rest of the book. If I knew the genre of THE RETURN, I might have enjoyed it more.

Harrison is an exciting new voice in horror fiction. THE RETURN will please fans of the genre focusing on women.

I love this genre, but this one just didn't hit the mark for me. The pace was so slow, and there was a serious lack of tension/drama.I found it difficult to care why Julie'd gone missing. The character development was minimal. The premise sounded interesting, but it didn't live up to my expectations. As for being scary, I didn't find that to be the case, sadly.

This spooky debut novel definitely drew me in at first with its eye-catching shocking pink cover - very similar to the designs of Riley Sager's covers. Its eerie title and premise of a group of four close friends from college reuniting for a girl's weekend after the inexplicable two year disappearance of one of the women further heightened my interest. Elise narrates the story, as the closest one of the four to the titular returned, Julie. Though Julie has no memories of her time away, her three friends are united in wanting what's best for her. Elise never gave up hoping that Julie was indeed fine, though Mae and Molly both did, adding another layer of discomfort to their weekend away in a remote boutique hotel.

Harrison does a great job with all of the characters - all four of these friends come to life with a genuine dynamic to their friendship that makes this seem all the more authentic. Between glimpses of their shared past in memories, and the present storyline set in upstate New York, the dialogue, banter and actions make it clear how close these women really are. The plot moves along quickly, with a mountingly creepy atmosphere. It's a very visual book - and one that I imagine would be quite striking with the right director and cinematography in a film adaptation. It's definitely a goose-bump inducing read - a few time, I had to set this aside for a little break for the shivers! It's a creepy book and the climax is exciting - though I wish that there had been even more of the aftermath in the last chapter... but then wanting more is always a sign of just how thoroughly I enjoyed a book! I really appreciated this one for its mood, setting and the genuine fun of the friendship - and its downsides - that is so completely captured here. I am looking forward to seeing what Harrison will follow this impressive debut up with!

A group of friends reunite after one of them has been missing for two years, but has no memory of where she has been or what happened to her. Is she really the same person? Very interesting read.

If a Ruth Ware book and a Stephen King book had a baby, it would be this debut novel by Rachel Harrison. I was captivated by the relationship dynamics of the four women. All four had baggage from their past experiences and most importantly had been dealing with Julie's disappearance in different ways. Then Julie returns and they gather at the Red Honey Inn. The inn is a character all its own and as the weekend begins unraveling we do not know how many of the spooky occurrences are the setting or the strange new being that is Julie. Horror is not my favorite genre, but this one kept me reading. If it had been a movie, my hands would have been over my eyes with fingers separating to glimpse the action on the screen. It also reminded me of Little Darlings by Melanie Golding. I am definitely going to be watching for Harrison's next title.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Return by Rachel Harrison is a debut horror novel which follows four best friends. After Julie, one of the friends, goes missing while hiking alone in Acadia National Park, she returns two years later, changed and suffering from amnesia. The friends decide to spend some alone time together at a creepy hotel, where nothing is as it seems. Slowly, the Elisa, Patsy, and Mae begin to understand that while Julie has returned, she is absolutely not the girl they once knew.

I commend the author for crafting quite the atmospheric read. From the first page, there is something delightfully sinister about the way the story is told. In the beginning, there is very little description and quite a lot of dialogue. The writing is choppy, and the chapters are rather long. In fact, there are only nine chapters in the entire book, but there are several scene breaks within each chapter. As the story progresses, the author delves into the ominous setting she has crafted and uses subtle descriptions in an attempt to thrill the reader. Unfortunately, while I did enjoy the plot and genre (paranormal horror), I wasn't a fan of the writing style. However, I will definitely check out Harrison's sophomore attempt.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

Well, this was quite the interesting read. Julie, who went missing for two years, has returned. Her three closest friends decide to take her for a girls weekend but something doesn't seem right with her. For a good portion of the beginning it's a lot of "What's wrong with Julie?" But no one wants to quite ask her. Let me tell you, my friends would be all over me with questions and comments! The story is told through Elise's POV. She's concerned about what's going on with her friend but also within the hotel they're staying at. Are things really changing or is she just drunk all the time and not remembering correctly? (Girl, been there.)

While the story does ramp up later on, I'm still left wanting. There are certainly some eerie and gross moments... but there are also a lot of questions I still have. I'm torn between loving the horror portion of the read and not being fully satisfied with the entirety of the novel.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book and I kind of started reading it blindly, without reading anything about it.

It is creepier than I thought it would be. Don’t expect anything believable when you start reading it - it’s quite unrealistic.

Elise is the main character and we get to know her and her three best friends: Julie, Mae, and Molly. Julie is the crazy one and she’s missing.

Two years after her disappearance, Julie’s husband, family, and friends lose hope and declare her dead. They have a funeral for her, hoping it’ll bring them closure.
Julie miraculously comes back but she has no memory of the last two years. As a celebration, the four friends go on a trip to a fancy hotel in the middle of a forest to spend a long weekend together and reconnect with Julie.

But she acts and seems weird; then things start to get scary. Julie eats raw meat. Her teeth fall out when she’s chewing but she acts like everything is okay. People start to get sick around her. Besides, the hotel they’re staying in is strange and odd things happen, especially in Elise’s room. She sees shadows, she can’t sleep well, and her room is always freezing.

Their time spent in the hotel only gets creepier and when Julie finally explains what happened to her, I was not really thrilled with the explanation.

If you’re okay with scary stories that don’t actually need to make sense, this book is for you.

This is a different kind of horror/thriller, one based on friendship and the sometimes futile hope of seeing a loved one again. It will be a quick summer read for any fan of Dean Koontz or Stephen King who is looking for a more female-centric plot.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Two years ago Elise’s best friend Julie disappears. Despite a funeral and attempting to move on, Julie holds out hope that her friend is still alive. And then, miraculously, she comes home, with absolutely no memory of what happened to her in the intervening years. With her two other girlfriends they plan a reunion weekend at a funky remote hotel, but when Julie finally arrives, she’s very obviously not herself.

This was an odd book in that the first two thirds of the novel really focuses on the narrator Elise and the other two girls Mae, and Molly and them catching each other up on their lives. Julie’s arrival becomes a catalyst both for their concern and then fear about what might have happened to her, and also examining the dynamics of their past relationships and how it informs their present. Honestly, this was the best part of the novel to me.

The horror aspect really only unravels towards the last third of the book, and I personally couldn’t help feeling disappointed as it played out. Without giving anything away, the actual reveal was far less scary to me than imagining what I thought it was. That said, one persons nightmare scenario might be child’s play to another, but if you’re normally not a horror reader this could be the one that keeps you up tonight checking under the bed.

I don't know that I should count this one as read since I stopped reading at the 40% mark and just skimmed until I got to the end, so I could know what happened.

The problem with this book was that ir was SO BORING. I got to the 40% mark and NOTHING was happening. The premise sounded interesting: Julie disappeared and came back two years to the day of her disappearance with no memory of what had happened or where she had been the entire time. Most of the book consisted of Elise, Mae, Molly and Julie spending time at this hotel to try to reconnect. First of all, their reasons for thinking something was up with Julie were just weird. She had a weird smell, she was thin and she was no longer a vegetarian. Umm, okay. What else? Yeah, nothing. And none of the characters were well developed at all. I kept getting Mae and Molly confused and I didn't understand why the four women were friends. They didn't seem to have much of a relationship and their conversations all revolved around Julie and what was wrong with her . . . but only behind her back, of course.

So I scrolled through to the end and it was just weird. I have no problem with paranormal twists, but this one was underdeveloped and not well executed. This one was not worth it.

Huh. I just finished this book and am sitting here processing it and mostly thinking - huh.

This is the story of four friends from college who are now in their mid-20s. At the start, they learn their friend Julie is missing - she went hiking in the woods and never came back. After a year, they have a memorial service. And then - exactly two years after she went missing, Julie returns.

The friends decide to meet up at a remote hotel for a long weekend to reconnect. And right from the start they notice that Julie seems....different.

I really loved the writing - there were a number of descriptions that I had to highlight and pause for. This book was really atmospheric and creepy - definitely a daytime only book! However it lost me in the last 15% or so. I’m not a big horror reader so I think it might go over better for true horror fans.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

This was a very disappointing horror novel that never made me suspenseful of scared. While the premise of the book sounded very interesting, a friend missing for two years and presumed dead is found with no memories of the time away and then they go on a trip to a creepy bed and breakfast in the woods. Unfortunately, it never caught my attention.

Most of this book was all dialogue between the four friends and it was frankly, boring. I wasn't interested in most of it so there was a lot of skimming to get to the action. Sadly, that didn't intrigue me either.

Overall this was a very disappointing book.