When I saw this on Netgalley I was chuffed, I’d heard good things about Amanda Robson’s books so was eager to try one for myself and this one sounded intense!

Well, it really didn’t disappoint. At first I struggled to get into the book, it’s written in the second person from three different characters points of view. And then there’s the memories snippets to which took me a while to figure out who they belonged to! I also struggled with the lack on specific chapters but I did start to get use to the layout as the book progressed.

I can honestly say, reading this felt like I was getting dragged through a hedge and flung around like a bird with a worm. In a good way though... there were that many changes in direction and plot twists that at times I really didn’t know if I was coming or going. This book really made me question who was the good guy and who was the bad guy - at times it felt like it could have been anyone!

Some parts of the story did feel a little stretched but they moved on that quickly that you could almost let them go. I won’t go too much into the characters because I think they’re all quite complex and definitely individual.

My only main critic would be that I felt the ending was a bit subdued. It was almost like the calm before the storm - but at the end. I’m not sure if I’ll read other books by Amanda but please let me know if you’ve read some and found them to be really good? I don’t know if this book was just a bit too much for me

This book is about two couples. Tomas and Jade just recently moved into the neighborhood, and Emma and Alaistar, want to get to know these new people, until things start to get a little weird, and CRAZY, oh the word is CRAZY, that will be the keyword.

The first chapter grabbed me by the ears, there was no way I can read one chapter and then leave it at that, this book will make you want to continue reading, and of course the twists in this book? I didn't see it coming. This book will show you how delusion can make someone crazy, and also don't ever underestimate a beautiful woman.

I really enjoyed this book. Thanks Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book. Spoiling this book is a no no!! I couldn't do it I want everyone to get up in this book.

Wow ,what a fabulous read ,this story is full of lies ,deceit,paranoia,jealousy and murder in the most devious way .It is such a compelling story that it is very hard to put down as it twists and turns and you have to hang in there for dear life in case you miss a trick.No one can be trusted no one is safe and the ending proves that .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .

This was a very interesting and twisty book. In fact there are so many twists you may get whiplash! There are fully developed characters and not a likeable one to be found. It is a fascinating tale of who-dun-what and whether revenge is as delicious as it sounds.

A story about abuse, death and relationships. I can only give this book 3 stars. I did not like any of the characters and I thought that some parts of the story were unbelievable.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

My Darling is an excellent domestic thriller. A couple, Jade and Thomas, move in across the street from Emma. Alastair is Emma’s boyfriend. Jade is convinced Thomas is having an affair with Emma. Jade plans to solve this on her own. The amount of drama between these two couples is crazy and so interesting. Once you start reading, you won’t want to put down My Darling.

My Darling is dark and twisted. None of the characters can be trusted. I loved My Darling but didn’t actually like any of the characters.

This was my first Amanda Robson book, but definitely will not be my last. I recommend My Darling to domestic thriller fans.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for My Darling.

This was quite a scary sitting on the edge of your seat story. Unlike my normal genre this has multiple points of view from all of the main characters. This is a psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns throughout. None of the characters are sympathetic, but I guess they’re not supposed to be. It’s totally suspenseful right up to the last page.

So you may be wondering why I’ve only given three stars, that’s because I did not like how this was presented, with lots of short descriptive passages sometimes only half a page long each one was from a different characters point of view. Often when 3 or more characters were in a scene together it was difficult to understand who was saying what. This made chunks of this difficult to follow

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

I could not get into this book at all. I felt that the writing was choppy and the storyline wasn’t thrilling to me but just dreary. The characters were unlikable and I felt the author was trying too hard to shock the reader. I’m sure there will be a lot of readers who will enjoy this book but it definitely wasn’t for me.

3.5 Stars

My favorite part of this story was its consistency. From the beginning, and all the way through to the end, the author manages to drop in just enough of a hint or plot point to keep you engaged. There are no dragging moments where you're just in it for the end result.

Throughout the story line, I was second guessing my predictions and wondering if I was being led on in the wrong direction. Was I being told to look right when the story was going left? Is this person as sane as they think they are, or are we being given a normal narrative from an insane character? You never find out until the end.

The author did a fantastic job filling out each character without bogging you down with details. No character was too minor or insignificant. You could recall each person with familiarity, even if their role was small. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for an engrossing mystery/thriller. I could not put it down and I had to find out what happened. There are some unexpected twists in the story that caught me off guard.

While I have to admit there were <b>A LOT</b> of coincidences in this book, hence the half 3.5 stars instead of four, BUT the readability factor led me to round it up.

Crazy, ridiculous and far-fetched but strangely compelling. I raced through this easy to read thriller and had to know the whys and hows. A good read.

This book is enjoyable once one understands that an author has the licence to suspend reality. There are only a small handful of characters around which one is chosen to describe the back story. I didn't understand why this character was chosen as the childhood didn't really link to the present in the book. I found it difficult to believe the arrests and release of the 3 main characters who are separately blamed for the crime and also the coincidences which one must overlook to allow the plot to reach it's conclusion. I did read to the end but definitely not one to write home about.

This book was gripping from the start but the way it was written was quite confusing and I just don't think it was for me. If you love all types of thrillers, you will enjoy this but I'm quite particular about my thrillers and this one just wasn't my type of book, unfortunately!

Let’s get the negative out of the way, the title first, ‘My Darling’ is not what I would have chosen for this book, a bit lame and I think could be misrepresented if people are quickly looking for a new read and secondly the book is told ( mainly ) via 3 of the 4 main characters in short, snappy chapters BUT often the person telling the story in a chapter just changes almost mid sentence, this is hassling and its to the merit of the writing that I continued as could have been a deal breaker

This book centres around 2 sets of neighbours ( one set just moved in ) and then them getting to know each other which quickly ends up in a heady mix of suspicion of affairs, past secrets, past relationship abuse, paranoia and murder all mixed together with the added ingredients of narcissism and socio and psycho path ism and bullying
Quite a lot to take in and this book does not flinch from exploring all the above and more and as mentioned in short, snappy chapters that really do move the story on, there is also a back story told inbetween these chapters ( which is easy to follow )
It is dark and unpredictable, well written and engaging in a somewhat terrifying way and will leave you wondering just who does live next door! The pace is kept all the way through to a surprisingly limp last few sentences but there was plenty of tying up of loose ends before this
A worthwhile read
8/10
4 Stars

Well they say truth is stranger than fiction, so maybe that is true of this novel. It is a complicated plot that seems hard to believe at points. Strong characterisation (albeit probably the only likeable one is Tomas) and suspense kept me going to the end.

It feels like it’s been a long time since I read a book by Amanda Robson, so I put her latest novel, My Darling right to the top of my TBR pile. I devoured this book in one weekend. It’s such a dark and twisty read. Once you think you know where the novel is going, Amanda takes it in a completely different direction. I had so much fun reading it.

I was swept straight into the story from the opening chapter. We meet Jade and Thomas, who have just moved into their new home. Amanda lets us in on Jade’s innermost thoughts as she surveys their new neighbour, Emma, a successful dentist who is currently in a relationship with Allister who works as a forensic scientist. There is tension between this group from the get-go. Jade is icy towards Emma, especially when she warns Emma of her husband’s wandering eye. You can see that things are going to end badly for them, but who is really pulling the strings here? This is what Amanda really succeeds at. Throughout the book, I kept changing my mind about what I thought about the characters, and this is what made it such a twisty and exciting read.

The chapters are short and pacy, and this is what kept me utterly gripped to Amanda’s writing. When the novel did start, I did find it a bit confusing when we kept switching between different characters so rapidly. Once I knew who everyone was, though, I really started to enjoy it. The characters in this book are some of the most devious I’ve come across in fiction. Without going into any detail about the plot, it seemed as though each one of them had something up their sleeve; something they were planning to use against other members of the group.

I liked the fact as well that Allister was working as a forensic scientist. He works with the police, and you can see how easily he can manipulate the situation they find themselves in. Because of his connections, it made me ask, are any of them really safe, and it felt as though they were all trapped in this hideous nightmare.

DS Miranda Jupiter is another character I really liked. You can see that she is really up against things here as she tries to bring the case to a successful conclusion and apprehend the right person. Even Miranda can see just how complex things are here, and she doesn’t know who she can believe or trust. Miranda has her suspicions, but she isn’t sure if she can act on them.

Amanda Robson ties everything up into a neat and satisfactory ending, and the book concludes on a chilling note. The plot and the characters keep the pace driving forward, and I loved the ride. My Darling is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year.

'My Darling' is a thriller about two couples who live next door to each other. Jade and Tomas have recently moved in to the house next door to Emma and Alastair and it is not long before the fireworks begin to explode. Jade thinks that Tomas is making advances to Emma and their are lots of obsessions, lies, jealousy and ultimately murder. 

This is one of those novels that will keep you reading on and on and convince yourself to read just one more chapter. Great characters and a twisty plot.

Rounded up to 4 stars

I thought I was going to enjoy this book after reading the premise but I am afraid it sadly fell short for me. It was way over the top and implausible and all the characters were overly dramatic. Regardless it was an ok easy read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

My Darling by Amanda Robson was such fun to read. The writing style was of brief chapters showing an individual character's perspective. It was as fast as the ping-pong matches from Nixon's ping-pong diplomacy era. Whilst fun to read, the subject matter was rather serious. From violent coercive control to murder most foul. The plot had more twists than a rattler on a fire pit. The less than subtle dialogue between the neighbours at the beginning of the book gave me cause to worry about the rest of it but that was an unfounded fear. Surprised though that it wasn't reworked as it lacked credibility. Other than that little niggle it was a hoot.

I’ve come to realise from Amanda Robson’s previous books she loves an obsessive and paranoid character and so do I. My Darling is all systems go with untrustworthy characters and plot twists that are clever. It’s very fast paced so hard to get to know the characters too deeply but enjoyable all the same.

Emma is a dentist in a lovely house, with a lovely boyfriend, Alistair, who stays with her on the weekends. She's got a perfectly lovely life.
Then Jade and Tomas move in next door. Upon meeting Emma, Jade immediately suspects that she's a homewrecker out to steal Tomas, despite Tomas's repeated attempts to assure her the affair is not real.
When Tomas is found dead, Jade's story about a torrid love affair between Tomas and Emma makes Emma the lead suspect. However, Alistair is a part of the crime scene unit, and he's willing to do anything to prove Emma couldn't have done it, because he loves her and he knows she's the key to his lifetime of happiness.
This is one of those books that has you asking WTF is going on almost constantly. It was a guilty pleasure that I finished in a day. We might have had to have takeout, but I needed to know just exactly how crazy the plot twists could get, like my beloved Lifetime movies (this would be an amazing Lifetime movie.)
This was my first book by Amanda Robson, but if the others are anything like My Darling, this will not be my last.
4/5
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my review.