Hurry Home is the first Roz Nay novel I’ve read. The story centers around two sisters, one of whom shows up unexpectedly at the others house and something is off. I was expecting more of a thriller, but to me, this read as a mystery where I put together pieces of the puzzle. I didn’t guess the ending and would be interested in read more of Roz Nay’s books.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story about childhood secrets, childhood traumas, and family bonds. This was a suspenseful, mysterious story and I loved how it ended. Definitely recommend this one!

Actual Star Rating - 4.5

In a world of unrealiable narrators, this book may contain 2 of my favorites EVER. Have you ever had a book sitting on your TBR and wondered why the heck you waited so long to read it? That is my exact sentiment with this book because it was FANTASTIC. Everyone has been talking about how deliciously bingeable this book and rightfully so. I am here to scream it from the rooftops ... READ.IT.NOW. Thank you so much @roznay, @crookedlanebooks and @netgalley for my {partner copy} of this book. It is NOW AVAILABLE, so grab it today!

Things I absolutely loved:
-This was a fresh and exhilarating take on a domestic suspense and psychological thriller. We're not searching for a suspect or dead body in this book ... instead, we're looking into the lives of 2 severely flawed characters and how their past/present/future decisions affect EVERY PERSON AROUND THEM.
-Speaking of characters ... I legitimately had no idea who I loved, hated -OR- believed throughout this entire book. I had some pretty bad whiplash after reading this one ... it felt like I was a spectator at a tennis match watching Nay volley back and forth between the storyline and characters. They were very well written and in a lot of ways felt "real."
-The chapters in this book were quick, but so satisfying. I flew through this book in a couple of hours and though it was on the shorter side (less than 300 pages), there is no stone left unturned. I will admit ... I need a sequel. How does life end for each of these characters I enjoyed so much?

Roz, this was just fantastic. You've got a new fan girl over here ... and I am desperately waiting to see when your new novel drops. Thank you for the wonderful rollercoaster ride of emotions ... this is one I'll be talking about for years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Roz Nay! Her debut, Our Little Secret, was my favorite book of 2018, and I can't recommend it enough. Hurry Home was just as wonderful and I loved every page. It was captivating, and I haven't been this immersed in a book for quite some time. Although I knew both Alex and Ruth were unreliable narrators, I didn't know which sister to believe. The book explores family relationships, lies and jealousy. The story between the sisters was heartbreaking, but I truly loved every page. I can't wait for Roz Nay's next book!

When you're an only child, I think books re the relationships between siblings can become extremely fascinating. I grew up for several years with my cousin in the same household and so we really regard each other as sisters but it's still not quite the same. Nay brings us a story about two sisters, years of estrangement and a twisted reconciliation that will definitely keep those pages turning.


I would put this more into a domestic drama/suspense category. Even though it reads extremely fast, with short chapters of intrigue, it is still a bit of a slow burn. What I really loved about this is how the author portrays the roles of Alex and Ruth. They have had a rough childhood and each have their own POV of how that childhood went. But which version is right? And as sisters, isn't that bond still there after all these years? Nay slowly reveals the direction of the book and those who read a lot of thrillers will likely find bits of this highly predictable.... but that still doesn't take away from the fun in reading it.

Towards the end, things do jump the shark a little bit but I personally love the insanity of it all. As an avid thriller reader, there's not much new here but once again Nay proves what a talented writer she is in really pulling the reader into her story. Blood may be thicker than water, but it's a lot harder to choke down. 😉

An extremely well-paced and gripping thriller, author Roz Nay has written another superb “must read” novel.

“Hurry Home” features two estranged sisters desperate to keep their deepest and darkest secret where it belongs - in the past. With dual narratives offering perspectives of both Alex and Ruth, readers are effectively able to empathize with both sisters as the story evolves and questions who to trust begin building. This is one of the greatest strengths of the novel, that although each sister has reason for us to question their nobility, we trust in their stories and are thus left unsure who to believe.

There isn’t much I can say about the plot or these main characters as the novel is riddles with reveals as the pages turn. However, I do believe the flaw of the novel falls on some weak easily changed peripheral characters. Both Chase and Sully play important supporting roles in this twisty and emotional book. Sadly, both come off as somewhat one dimensional with pivots of personal mindset and morals somewhat easily made. Although I recognize that “Hurry Home” is the story of Alex and Ruth, I feel these men could have had stronger foundations in their characters that would have equally lead them to play their parts. Sully, in particular, was a character I grew attached to and wish the author had given us more.

Overall, Roz Nay has proven herself to be an author to add to the ever-growing list of superb female thriller writers. Can’t wait to see what she has for us next. “Hurry Home” is a great read and a perfect choice for losing yourself in during this sweaty muggy summer days.

Sincere thanks to Crooked Lane Books for an advanced readers ebook copy via Netgalley in lieu of an honest review.

Sisters: The Competition is Fierce!

The sisters in “Hurry Home” have a Love/Hate Relationship.

Alex seems to have it all, a great job as a social worker, a Chase, an incredible, kind and caring boyfriend, and Sully, a great friend.

When Alex’s sister Ruth shows up on her doorstep, pregnant and penniless, Alex sees trouble with a capital T and yet, she lets her in even though Ruth made Alex’s life miserable when they were young. That’s what sisters are for, right?

From that moment on, the twists and turns of this novel had my head spinning faster than a Roundup Roller Coaster. Both sisters are wholly unreliable and neither can be believed. Good thing I had my thinking cap on! Though I guessed early on what was going to happen in the end, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. A fun, entertaining mystery that left me looking forward to seeing what Roz Nay comes out with next. 3.65 Stars

A buddy read with Kaceey!

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Roz Nay for the arc.

Published on Goodreads on 7.19.20.

My first book by Roz Nay was definitely an entertaining read.
Sisters Alex and Ruth are estranged.
Alex has a great life in the Rocky Mountains with her boyfriend Chase. Dedicated to her career with Family Services in child protection. She seems to have it all together.
Then her troublesome sister Ruth show up, needing her assistance.
Alex decides to help but with one major stipulation, they must never speak about the past.
More a family drama and mystery than thriller, this was a slow burn build up of tension and suspense.
I enjoyed the unreliable narrative, trying to figure out which sister to believe, and the good, twisty ending.
Thank you Crooked Lane Books for the e-ARC via NetGalley.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

Not only am I grateful to the wonderful publishing team at Crooked Lane Books for this ARC, but for putting Roz Nay on my thriller radar, where she will now remain for as long as she writes. The pacing of this mystery novel, full of familial secrets and deceptions, was perfect. I literally never experienced a lull in the story and gobbled up every chapter. Ruth and Alex share a childhood trauma that shapes the direction of their lives in contrasting ways. Alex becomes a child protection agent, working diligently to save children at risk, while Ruth gets swept up with drugs and low-lifes; the pair remain out of contact for much of their adult lives. That is, until Ruth shows up on Alex's doorstep pregnant. How far will sisters go to truly protect each other, when push comes to shove?

Alex Van Ness has a good life now in the Colorado mountains. A loving boyfriend, Chase, her dream job as a social worker, and a beautiful loft she and Chase share. It's a far cry from the dysfunctional childhood she's tried to put in the past. Now Alex helps kids avoid such trauma. But when her older sister Ruth shows up on Alex's doorstep, Alex's perfect life is threatened. Ruth was the one who destroyed her family so long ago. But she's still Alex's sister, and she agrees to take her in, under one condition: they don't discuss the past. But secrets are hard to keep buried, and soon both sisters must confront their childhood.

"Ruth left the farm when she twenty, seven years after she tore our family apart."

I absolutely loved Nay's previous book, OUR LITTLE SECRET, which was utterly engrossing, different, and a total page-turner. She proves again with HURRY HOME that she's a wonderful writer. I flew through this book as well.

It's told from the perspective of Alex and Ruth, alternating between the two sisters. We're never quite sure who to trust or to believe, and we are slowly doled out facts about their childhood. Unfortunately, I did find this novel to be more predictable than Nay's first. There are certainly a lot of great twists and turns, but I did guess a lot of them. I do think some of that is due to my large appetite for thrillers, though. A more casual reader will find this book quite shocking and twisty.

The action stays mainly focused on the sisters, so it can get a little repetitive as they hash through their dramas. But it's a compelling read, with some shocking reveals. Nay is certainly good at capturing the diabolical. While I did find some parts easy to guess, I enjoyed this thriller overall. I'll certainly be on the lookout for Nay's next book. 3.5 stars.

I was eagerly anticipating this book by author Roz Nay. This is a family drama/suspense story. Alex works in child protection and lives with her boyfriend Chase. She has been very selective in what she has told him about her past and he thinks she is just a private person. Things start to change when her estranged sister, Ruth, shows up at her door. Alex has blamed Ruth for problems in their childhood with their parents and claims Ruth was always wild and disobedient. As it turns out Ruth is pregnant and is on the run from the criminal father of her baby. This only further proves Alex’s points about Ruth. As the story evolves we start to see cracks in the stories Alex tells and we learn more about Ruth’s version of past events. With Ruth staying with Alex and Chase he starts to be unsure who to believe as he learns more from each sister. This story was fast paced and well written. The suspense really increases as we learn more about the sisters. I really enjoyed this book and was very engaged with the story start to finish.

Alex Van Ness hasn't seen her sister Ruth in 10 years until the day she turns up on Alex's doorstep pregnant and asking for help. The tension between them can be felt but why now and what happened to cause this estrangement?

This is the first book I read by this author, but seeing a lot of buzz about it, I wanted to check out what everyone was saying.

Little by little, the relationship of the two sisters is revealed, A tragic accident in their childhood would change them both. But one of them remembers it differently and it changes her, in a very negative way.

The author has the reader going back and forth between the two trying to guess which one is the liar.

The suspense held my attention throughout. The writing style allowed me to create vivid imagery in my mind as I read.

I would definitely be reading more by this author in the future.

Posted to GR 07/15/20
Will post to blog 07/21/20

This book follows the story of two sisters, Alex and Ruth and how after not seeing each other for many years, life brings them back together allowing us to discover their dark past and secrets.

More than a mystery thriller it felt like a family drama/fiction with some detective investigation and trials added to it.

The book was really easy and fast to read and I definitely enjoyed Roz Nay's writing style. This was my first book by the author and I definitely would like to read more.

One of the best parts of the book was the exploration of the sister's relationship and how the past has changed them and influenced in their later decisions in life.

Even though I saw the twist coming from the beginning they did a good job to try to make you doubt both sisters and you keep wondering who is the good and who the bad sister. Which one is telling the truth?

This gem came out this week and I was so lucky to get an advanced copy from the author and my friends @simonschusterca ! I will officially read anything and everything @roznay writes. ⁣
⁣
Alexandra Van Ness seems to have a perfect life. But when her estranged sister Ruth suddenly shows up at her doorstep, her carefully cultivated world starts to come apart. I don’t want to get too deep into the plot here because you should go into this one blind. ⁣
⁣
This is an intimate thriller about a family and the impact of tragedy. It’s a type of book that straddles the thriller and domestic suspense genres and I’ve been loving this style of book recently. ⁣
⁣
I really liked the alternating POVs of the sisters. I love hearing alternative versions of one story and trying to figure out the truth (insert childhood dream of working for the FBI even though I’m Canadian 😂). While I did figure out some of the twists, it took nothing away from my enjoyment of the book. ⁣
⁣
Definitely recommend this for fans of family-focused thrillers and domestic suspense. I can’t wait to see what Roz Nay does next !⁣

The book follows a renewed relationship between sisters Alex and Ruth. Alex is living a good life in a beautiful loft apartment she shares with her boyfriend Chase. She's passionate about her job as a social worker, and adamant about protecting children. But when her pregnant sister Ruth shows up on her doorstep, Alex is less than civil, while her husband Chase welcomes Ruth in. It takes a long time to find out what happened in the past to cause a chasm between the siblings, and when we do, that's when we start to see the lies unravel. As do the characters. While I think we are set up to guess what's going to happen, the way it happens will come as a shock in this complex family drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced reader's copy for review.

Amazon review: https://www.amazon.com/review/RUQC9CEW9R05K/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Familial relationships can be tricky, especially when each party has their own piece of the story to tell.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book that kept me questioning things til the end.

There are twists, turns and shifts in perspective aplenty in this mystery novel. The writer gives us several elements to unpick as we follow the cast of characters to the closing pages. It has plotting and outcomes typical of this genre, and the reader follows alternating voices to piece together the truth.
An enjoyable, dark mystery domestic thriller read where two sisters have rooted family secrets that need to surface.

Oh man!! What a clever piece of writing. Author Roz Nay was quite a trickster, she managed to fool me completely. Lies and truth were amalgamated so well in the writing that I couldn't decipher either one. I was still left breathless while writing this review.

Two sisters and multiple secrets in the past and present. One was in trouble and pregnant, and the other secure but unwilling. The veracity of their words were doubted, and their doubts were revealed. It was a plot which soon twisted on itself.

My first book by this talented author, I loved how she made me see one facet of the story while reading and the complete opposite when I looked back on the same lines. Honesty and deception were two sides of the same coin.

The story seemed innocuous to begin with. I quite liked the doubts created in my mind about the characters. The author made me walk in the light while all I was doing was meandering in the shadows. A clever play of storyline which shocked and delighted me. A cackle or two escaped my lips in awe in honor of the evil mind that wrote this story.

Freaking brilliant!!

★ ★ ★ ★ - Tense & electric domestic thriller.

When Alex's long lost and untrustworthy sister, Ruth, knocks on her door with a baby bump, she brings an unsettling series of events that rock the stability of Alex's now stable life. While Alex enforces strict guardianship over her sister, their childhood afflictions inevitably come back to haunt them both full force. High secrecy, elevated tensions, and all kinds of deceit and games between two badass sisters run consistently throughout this story - keeping you guessing!

"Again and again the universe pins me onto a hideous wheel, and I'm always at the very center as it spins."

I applaud an author from grabbing my attention from the very beginning with the depiction of a woman "ghost-danc[ing]" with her baby by a window... that was haunting enough for me to begin! Then, twisting my world all over again at the very end. I also enjoyed the atmospheric setup, attention to body language (well done! many writers forget this!) and good character development which left a strong visual impression. However, perhaps the male characters felt a little washed out, seeming all a bit too easygoing and gullible. I enjoyed how analytical and observational Alex was, reading into people's psychological subtext. Also how badass she was! I did enjoy how events transpired and it was a rewarding ending (even though I kinda predicted it from 50%).

While the writing was good, I felt the storyline a little predictable and orchestrated in parts. Like simply going through the motions, everybody behaving as they should, all characters in place for the final scene. For that reason, it was more of a lulling thriller - keeping a consistent pace without much change in overall experience. I struggled a bit with the unrealistic turns of events, like weeks would go by and Alex wouldn't have those conversations with her partner about how weird it was that Ruth was staying? I get that Alex was quite secretive and independent, but it still seemed odd. I know when I live with someone and there's tension, weeks don't just go by, that stuff comes out, rather fast! And the tension about Sully.. really? A girl's allowed to have friends.

And Chase needed a little more depth as I couldn't quite understand where he was coming from - Particularly his love of babies and sadness over discovering his gf of two years didn't disclose she had a brother.. like so what? Unless it's really hammered in that Chase is passionate/sensitive about family, and there's maybe scenes where his family drop in or he experienced some kind of strong loss himself, this emotion didn't seem to qualify in the readers eye (And that brotherly sporting accident doesn't count! Even though I did enjoy the reference to Chase's 'light trauma' of it).
I also think the ending needed more fleshing out to make it really sink in how damaged they really were.

(Irrelevant storyline sidenote: I cringed at the character who tipped breast milk bottles down the drain!! nooo !! babies need those specifically developed nutrients to survive their first few weeks!!! AGH.)

While the plot was somewhat predictable, I still found many of the twists, lies and motivations very enjoyable. I think I would read more by this author based on how fun the writing was! Especially, since she referred to pregnancy as "an alien trapped in a bag".


Thanks to NetGalley, Roz Nay and the publisher for this free Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review!

*This book came out on July 7, 2020 and is available for purchase!*

I thoroughly enjoyed Roz Nay’s new book full of all its twists and turns. One moment you are cheering on one sister and then at the next moment, the other sister. Sometimes things are not all they appear to be.