Add this book to your TBR immediately!!!
For the Best is a riveting story of a woman who is accused of murder and launches her own investigation. Plotted to perfection, the events of that night unfold in a series of shocking and disturbing twists. A clever, captivating book you need on your list. You will not be disappointed at all.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

This was a decent read. It centers on Jules, the CEO of a non-profit firm in Maine, who becomes under suspicion for the murder of a colleague, Terrence. Her wallet was found next to his body and she knows she was with him that night, but she was so drunk she cannot remember anything. She sets out to find out what really happened and take the suspicion off of herself. She ends up finding out a lot of information and also uncovering some other life-changing things related to her relationship with her father,

There was some mystery in this book, and I liked being taken along with Jules as she figured out more of what happened, and found additional potential suspects. There were a few things that bugged me , though- one was that I didn't really understand Terrence's stance about restorative justice- maybe it's just me, but I couldn't totally make sense of what he stood for and how he felt it differed from what others were trying to make it. I also had to suspend my disbelief around the blog that Jules made, as I didn't believe the police would allow that to happen, and I also didn't know why she said some of the things she said that could incriminate her, primarily admitting to being "blackout drunk" the night the murder. And speaking of that, I didn't know why her husband enabled her clear alcoholism without seeming concerned- I got it from her parents, her dad an alcoholic himself and his mom, used to the situation and the enablement, but why didn't her husband raise the concern? And lastly, the climactic scene towards the end of the book didn't seem like it's something anyone would actually do, much less get away with.

So overall, I didn't love the book, due to the reasons above, .but I did enjoy the surprises throughout and the overall figuring out of who the villain was, both in the current situation and in the ghosts of Jules' past. I think it's probably worth a read, if you want something different and aren't opposed to suspending your disbelief a bit.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

R E V I E W 💥
For The Best BY: Vanessa Lillie
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

First off, I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC and write an honest review.

Have you ever read a book and halfway through you were able to guess what happens and be correct about it?
This is the first time I’ve read a book and have been able to correctly guess what happens and who did it.
I loved this book, it was such a page turner and so dark and beautifully written. From page one I was instantly curious who did it. It was so easy to keep up with the characters and the choices they made. I enjoyed following along with the story. For The Best is dark and thrilling and I would recommend this to anyone. I’m looking forward to reading more from Vanessa Lillie

Sometimes the things we do to keep our family/loved ones/friends “safe” may be being doing more damage than we can possibly imagine.

I absolutely loved this book! Not because it was a great mystery/thriller and not because it was super suspenseful, (we got some suspense but it wasn’t a crazy, wild story) but because it made me realize as a mother how much we can damage our kids thinking we’re doing what’s “best”. It also makes me realize that our parents were just trying to do the same!

This book made me feel. I felt for each character; they made me angry at times, they made me sad and sometimes I felt just frustrated because they made such poor choices. It made me think of all my mistakes or the choices I made for my children. I think that makes a great book.

The ending had a good twist. I didn’t see it coming & it wasn’t jaw dropping but I think it ended perfectly.

Thank you @netgalley & Vanessa Lillie for a copy of this book.

I enjoyed the premise of this book. The comparison of the father ruining his career and the daughter sort of filling in as a superstar until the murder happens. I enjoyed the dynamics of the family life and thought the writing was good. I still found myself scrambling to get to the actual point of the plot you know? Writers sometimes think that if they fill up a page with details it will make the story more interesting. That doesn't always work. I did enjoy the book.

Jules is in trouble but desperate to clear her name! Only problem- she was black out drunk when the murder happened and can’t remember anything!
I hated Jules but I couldn’t stop reading about her! I liked the true crime vlog aspect of the story .
The book did drag a bit for me but that ending made this one worth the read- wow!

Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced ebook copy!

I wasn’t sure how Lillie was going to top her awesome Little Voices debut- she did.

For the Best is a slow chilling thriller that blurs line between morals and characters keeping you wondering throughout. I actually stopped the book once and just said...”No way!” out loud to anyone that would listen.

Thank you for the advanced copy!

The author thought we'll about introducing characters and plot in a fast, curious way . Great read as it is hard to put the book down. If you want to take your mind away from your everyday struggles, this is the book!

A good gripping thriller, the plot is twisted and kept my interest throughout.. not as much thrilling as Little Voices.. overall a good reading experience.
Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for ARC of this book. This review is my own and is not influenced in any way.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy
I liked this one fine, just not as much as I’d wanted too. A bit over the top and characters a bit too flat. Just good enough. 3.5 rounded up.

Intense and riveting. This story is so good! I was captivated and glued to every word. I hope to read more from this author.

#forthrbest #netgalley ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ I loved Lillie’s previous book Little Voices when the opportunity to read this one came up I was so excited.
Lillie again managed to highlight serious mental health issues in a way that was not superficial or judgemental which I really admire. At the same time, the story was original which I appreciated and it did not disappoint. Well done.

Jules is being accused of murder after her wallet is found beside a dead body. The big problem with her defence? She was black out drunk when the murder occurred. Dissatisfied with police investigation she seeks the truth out herself, along the way, dredging up bits of her life that are less than savoury.

I really liked this book a lot! It definitely held my interest till the end. All the characters were well rounded and had depth to them, totally relatable.

This book was a pretty good read. I read it in a single sitting - it had enough suspense to keep me going, and I wanted to see what had happened and if Juliet would be able to be cleared of the murder! However, reading the story, I felt uncomfortable the entire time. I think it was because of the way Juliet was going about the investigation - it's mainly in a vlog style, fueled by her alcoholism. The story was very well written, and despite me not agreeing with many (or any) of the main character's actions, I enjoyed reading it.

It's lovely to find a new author and spend an enjoyable couple of days at home reading a good book. For the Best was an interesting crime mystery looking to be solved by its only suspect. The actual detectives played a very minor role. For this reason alone, the book stands out among other crime mysteries. I did find myself wondering if it was realistic for a civilian to be permitted to be so involved and vlog so much about an ongoing investigation. Even more so though, I was hungry for the author to delve deeper into the subject of restorative justice. But overall a solid read. I'll definitely pick up Vanassa Lillie's other book, Little Voices.

Thank you NetGalley, Vanessa Lillie and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced readers copy in return for an honest review.

Wow! So many great characters, ups and downstairs, twists and turns to keep you guessing.
A slow burn but delivers on suspense. Couldn't put it down, kept wanting more, read late into the night. Will be recommending to other who would enjoy it.

A good thriller with an interesting look on restorative justice.
Juliet has been accused of a coworkers murder but was black out drunk the night it happened. She begins a vlog based on her own investigation of the murder.
This book definitely kept me going until the very end. I wasn’t a big fan of Juliet even though she was a very strong woman throughout this whole book.
The ending caught me off guard, but didn’t. I do recommend this book to others for a quick beach read. I plan on reading Vanessa’s other book as well.

This was an engaging novel that kept me on my toes and kept me reading. The story and characters were great. I will definitely read her other novel. The writing style was great. I just ate this novel up.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For the Best by Vanessa Lillie is an unputdownable page-turner that takes the reader on a suspenseful journey with Jules as she tries to uncover both her past and present.

Jules has an alcohol problem and finds herself the main suspect in a homicide when she is unable to remember why her wallet would be next to the body of a well-known scholar. Desperate to prove her innocence and salvage her tattered career, she sets out to piece together what happened that night through a series of vlogs.

Lillie is a gifted writer who skillfully manages the suspense with great dialogue and prose. Her characters are all flawed, especially Jules.

It was a slow burn that became absolutely riveting as it builds up. And as with her debut,
Little Voices, Lillie masterfully inserts plot twists that lead up to the final reveal. She’s definitely a writer to follow.

Wow... very good book! Lots of different characters with various personalities. The story is very engaging with so many ups and downs; twists and turns in every chapter. I did not want to put it down, stayed up late too many night reading! Another good read by Vanessa Lillie.