This book had all the subplots of a thriller with attempted murder, kidnapping, revenge, false identity, secrets, lies, infidelity, teenage pregnancy, blackmail. I was quite taken aback at the roller coaster that these subplots converted the book into. I had fun with it.

Being on strict bed rest due to illness, I needed something to distract me from the aches and pains. And Jess Ryder helped me forget all that. I enjoyed the absolute change in direction thus book would take in every chapter. I even wanted to tell the characters not to bother fighting with what Ms. Ryder had in store. Let it happen. And it did.

Erin became pregnant at 14 and had a daughter at 15 who was given up for adoption. Cut to 20 years hence, she had a loving husband and children. On her 40th birthday, a hand written noted arrived on her doorstep from the girl she gave away. About whom the new family especially the husband knew nothing about. The fun began.

I have read nearly all of this author’s books, and each one was fun. This too rocked me up with the different directions it pulled me into. I didn't like any of the characters, but felt a sadistic pleasure at the way they treated each other. OK some part of me was horrified too. The masks worn by the righteous were removed at the right time which shocked me completely. I too wanted to kick asses. Literally.

The book distracted me, was easy to understand, even with different characters, I never had a problem keeping them in track. The writing was choppy as it needed to be, the dark psyche of all the characters was shown. I don't think the author soared any. Let me think if there was a kid in the book.... Hmm nah nada... The only time anyone was innocent in this book was at birth...

Soem parts of its especially Erin with her best friends Holly and Asha felt like Desperate Housewives but more wicked. So I liked the series, I liked the book. Fun times.

Erin is celebrating her fortieth birthday and receives a red envelope with a birthday card with a chilling reminder that should would rather forget. Lots of twists start to happen as you read this book. It will blow your mind away. It will be a book you will never forget with chilling chapter's. A fantastic suspense thriller to keep you turning every page. A bit of a slow start but still i found it fantastic once i got into it.

If you’re looking for a thriller & some excitement pass this one up, this is not for you! The concept of this book was alright, Ryder definitely has the writing skills., she’s very descriptive with everything it made it easy to visualize the characters & where they were, etc.. I like her writing style for the most part (got a little sloppy at the end I couldn’t tell which character was thinking/talking), This book was easy to read in the sense of reading (how Ryder writes) but not easy as far as keeping my interest, I had to make myself finish this book. A couple times I found myself thinking ‘ok something exciting is happening there’s a twist finally’...nope! For me this wasn’t a thriller but a messy overly dramatic ridiculous unrealistic family drama of a 14yo girl starting life out wrong, bettering herself along the way & then having a tornado come through to make mess-this one fell REALLY flat for me.

Thank you so much Netgalley & Bookouture for providing me with this book!!

Thank you @ NetGalley for my ARC.

I was not sure what to expect since is my first time reading something by this author. The cover and description drew me in, and I was hooked from the beginning.

I couldn't put the book down. The book is about secrets and how they have a way of haunting us or catching up to us when we least expect it. Everyone has skeletons in their closet, the question is whether they'll reveal what they are or spend a lifetime waiting for the grand reveal to surprise them.

Erin became pregnant at the age of 14 and was forced to give her daughter Jade away by her parents to avoid the shame of Erin's sin. The book is told from two POV, Erin's and Jade. The book alternates between the past and present. This approach gives readers a between understanding of how the past influenced the current situation and connect different characters. I was attached to both Erin and Jade, I felt sympathetic with their journey and angry for many reasons. The author does an amazing job at keeping you at the edge of your seat wondering whether Jade's intention are pure, a re-connection with her long lost mother, or if she's after revenge for being abandoned. How will Erin's husband, who honors transparency and honesty, process the secret Erin's been holding for years? Will the family fall apart or hold it together? Are there more secrets? I couldn't put the book down until around 60%. That is when I paused and said "please no." Please do not fit so perfectly together, please do not add another twist to this story so that there are other dramas outside the original drama.

Sadly, that's exactly what happened. I felt the added twists were excessive and there were more undeveloped side stories that are great for a thriller but left me wanting more. It felt too much, granted I was still hooked because I needed to find out what would happen, but with every page, I felt the story was no longer believable. Overall it is a good thriller, but I give it a 3.5 instead of a 4 because the revelations towards the end were kind of thrown out there as a slight mention, and then the book ended.

I will consider reading another book by this author in hopes that the other pieces are more realistic and a thriller that one can handle versus so many situations raining down at once that you lose track.

i absolutely love a jess ryder book. i’ve read them all and gave 5 star reviews. I’m so sorry that this one fell short for me and I found myself constantly checking to see how much more I had left. I just couldn’t get into it and was waiting for something to happen while really getting annoyed at Erin, the main character. Premise sounded fun but I don’t really think this is a psychological thriller. Maybe because I read so many of them and they need to really THRILL to stand out.
i wish Jess nothing but absolute success with this book.
Thank you for my free ArC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this book was interesting until it became clear that there was an implication about women who have to give up their children for adoption due to legitimate reasons - it seemed as though these women were being shamed for it through this story, and this was not something that settled well for me. As someone with an MSW degree and familiarity with the adoption system, it was uncomfortable for me to read certain things. I feel the story could have used some more compassion there, in that regard.

The Girl You Gave Away by Jess Ryder is another gripping read from a talented author who has become, for me, a firm favourite. Ms Ryder deftly crafts a story that will keep you reading into the night, desperate to see how it all plays out.

Erin is only fourteen when she becomes pregnant by the older, nefarious Dean. Frightened and alone, she gives birth to a daughter, Jade, to whom she immediately gives up all parental rights. Erin eventually goes on to marry and have two other children, and is blindsided when she receives a card on the day of her fortieth birthday from the daughter that she had given up so many years before. Jade, it seems, is back, but is this reaching out all in good faith, or has something, or someone, more sinister resurfaced in Erin's carefully ordered new life?

I am always thrilled to read the newest offering from a favourite author, and this one does not disappoint.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

<I>First off, i would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher of this novel for the opportunity of reading an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.</I>

Where to begin?

I feel like I read this story with my eyes and brain on autopilot. Reading, just because I wanted to get this book over with so I could move on to bigger and better things.

I found it mildly interesting because I felt that the story had potential. You see two perspectives, Erin (the main character) and Jade (the estranged daughter), written in a way that compliments each other’s story. It’s a story of a young girl who made some bad decisions and the aftermath, which becomes twisted and convoluted over time.

I’m not exactly sure why this is deemed a psychological thriller, as I didn’t really feel as I do when I’ve read other books of that genre. Anywho, neither here nor there.

The ending, in my opinion, was a bit abrupt and left me not really getting any closure in what had JUST happened.

This book is about main character Erin, who gave up her daughter for adoption when she was very young.
She is now 40 and has created a new life with a husband and two kids. when she receives an envelope from Jade, the girl she gave away, she wanted to accept her into her life and get to know her. But is Jade really who she says she is and why is Erin feeling so uneasy?

While I was intrigued by the concept, I expected so much more twists and unexpected turns, and was disappointed with the cliffhanger ending. Erin makes so many bad decisions, and while it is understandable at times, its frustrating that she isn't supported but her family or friends,


Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Jess Ryder for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

What a great book. Would definitely recommend to it others I no. Great work will look out for this author again

3 Stars

I really wanted to love this book, especially because psychological thrillers are among my favorite genres, but I didn't connect with the characters in this story. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an ARC of The Girl You Gave Away to read and review.

Yet another superb psychological thriller from Jess Ryder,Erin was a wayward child rebelling against her strict catholic upbringing and at aged 14 she falls pregnant by Dean an older boy,she is forced to give up her baby girl against her wishes and spirals into a life of drink and drugs.Years later she meets and marries Tom and they have 2 children Oliver and Chloe and life is perfect for Erin,but then on her 40th birthday she receives a card with a message from her daughter Jade who she gave up for adoption all those years ago.Things start to go all wrong then for Erin has she didn't tell Tom about her earlier life and all the secrets and lies Erin was hiding come tumbling out as her life starts to unravel,The Girl You Gave Away is an excellent psychological thriller and something Jess Ryder seems to excel in.A real page turner of a book and a certain 5 star read.

I always enjoy books by this author, and this was no exception. Gripping from the off, and stays exciting throughout with so many twists and turns. I did find most of the characters quite unlikable, though it was refreshing to see Erin acknowledge her faults and mistakes. A must read for thriller fans!

I thought The Girl You Gave Away started off really well and I think the author has come up with such an interesting concept that could have been absolutely brilliant. Quite quickly I was intrigued and desperate to find out more but towards the middle, I felt it became a bit disjointed. I also found I wasn't really caring for any of the characters and I didn't feel any sympathy for Jade throughout so I was unsure of where the author could take it. There was potential for some great twists and turns and parts did shock me but the ending in particular didn't make much sense and felt far too rushed. I was left with questions that will probably never be answered!

I found The Girl You Gave Away to be a very enjoyable weekend read. It’s billed as a twisting psychological thriller and it certainly lived up to that. As the book progresses the pace ramps up with some lovely twists and turns with the sense of unease growing with each turn of the page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

This book is full of suspense and secrets! If that interests you then I would definitely recommend The Girl You Gave Away! It kept me hooked til the very end. I wish it ended differently with more closure. It almost felt like it was missing a chapter or two. Overall good suspense!

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

It’s Erin’s fortieth birthday, and life is generally good - she’s happily married, professionally successful, and has two teenage children who are generally doing ok, even if fourteen year old Chloe is rebelling a bit. But Erin has a secret - more than one, in fact - about which she has never told her family, and when Jade, the baby she conceived when she was just fourteen herself, comes back into her life, the consequences are explosive.

Pretty much everybody here behaves diabolically, so it’s hard to engage your sympathies. Erin’s husband Tom, supposedly a good and caring man prior to all this, becomes unbelievably cruel after learning he’s been deceived. Erin herself deals with things in generally the worst way possible. Her children, Oli and Chloe, show zero loyalty to her. And Jade herself, who has a lot of issues, is a bit of an enigma, but you certainly don’t trust her. Everybody makes a series of atrocious decisions.

Jess Ryder doesn’t sugarcoat anything - the situation is pretty dark, but it makes for an interesting and unpredictable read. I really never had a clue what anybody was going to do next. (Usually the most ill-advised thing possible.) I did find myself very confused at certain points in the story, but if generally came together. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, which some reviewers disliked, but didn’t bother me unduly in this instance - I don’t necessarily need all the loose ends tied up, and it wasn’t hard to predict the likely outcome anyway.

An interesting read, and darker than one might expect.

The story is a great psychological thriller.

The realistic depiction of mental disorders and the intensity of writing just added to the beautiful dark theme going on.

As said earlier, this story is a dark, extremely dark story. At times the darkness is so dense that I had to put the book down and calm my racing nerves. This just solidifies the fact that this book is no light reading.

If you can’t handle details and the constant feeling of blood rushing through your ears, this is not for you. I recommend this book as an adult read and that too if you can handle thrillers.

The books started great, with our lead characters Erin and her daughter Jade described beautifully. The characters are strong and penned down with great delicacy.

The pacing of the story is great too, and with a different theme of events going around, it’s a different read. It is not your common thriller, but altogether a different concept.

The major downs of the plot are the coincidences. The story has some points where the coincidences and the overlapping of events akin to attempted murder, kidnap, etc. get too much.

The ending is too open and with many questions still unanswered. This book needs at least two more chapters to close all the loose ties as the ending is too abrupt, and gives us a big question mark (not in a good suspense way).

All in all, this book is a good read for adults who seek the thrill, for one time read as more you read, more the question marks you find.

This is my first Jess Ryder book and I quite enjoyed it. A suspenseful read with a few twists in it. I liked the storyline and read the book quickly and although the book was enjoyable the ending wasnt. It felt like there was some chapters missing. I would still recommend the book though despite the ending.