A big thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Sue Watson for letting me read this in return for an honest review!

Hannah is Me. I am Hannah. I see Red Flags everywhere and I am looking for more and hanging them up all over my office, home and anywhere else I go.

Hannah has found Alex on a website called *Meet Your Match* and they are on their first date. He likes golden retrievers and vacationing in Devon. So does she! He likes Merlot. So does she! It's amazing. They are a perfect match. Hannah, who wants to have 3 children and a dog, is 36 and feels her time is running out.

The first half of the book is Alex showing Hannah how crazy he is - double locking doors, tracking her on her phone, covering up huge lies, Making her homemade pistachio ice cream from a Haagen Daaz container, showing up everywhere she is, always needing to "protect her". And while Hannah's hackles are definitely up, she refuses to believe he is dangerous in any way.

The second half of the book, along with a very shocking twist, is where Hannah starts to figure out where this relationship is going and it is not a great place. As a reader, I consider myself an amateur detective and that shocking twist out of nowhere really threw me for a loop and made total sense. It was a gift from an amazing author.

The last page of this mystery will literally stop you in your tracks and you will breathe a sigh of relief.

This is my first Sue Watson book. I am so excited that I have found this author on NetGalley and can't wait to read more!

I enjoy a good Sue Watson book and this one doesn’t disappoint.

When Hannah meets Alex through a dating app, she is sure she has met her soulmate. He is looking for the same things that Hannah wants, what could be more perfect? But there is more to Alex than meets the eye and Hannah is left wondering just what she’s let herself in for. Throw a jealous best friend into the mix and you are looking at a recipe for disaster.

Brilliantly done with an excellent twist.

If you enjoy creepy, stalker novels then this is the book for you (and me!).

I loved the Sue’s style of writing, the way in which she describes the surroundings and events is very fluid and easy on the eye. Her style of narrative is engaging and I found this book particularly hard to put down because of it.

I thought Hannah was an odd character, she has had a really hard upbringing and works as a social worker for young kids/teens who are struggling with similar or sometimes worse conditions. With that in mind, I did find her personality a little strange as I would have expected her to be much less trusting of other and to be more street-savvy! Therefore I found her naivety was a little hard for me to empathise with. Growing up without a family will mean that her friendships are going to be a lot deeper (because of trust issues) and I thought her flippant questioning of her closest friend jarred with the narrative of her character.

All this aside, from the moment I picked this book up - I loved it! A fast paced, thrilling read with a few tricks up its sleeve for anyone not paying attention 😉

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A good, quick thrill ride! Lots of twist & turns, enough to get you dizzy! Lots of chills, thrills, and shocks! Well written, unputdownable, and realistic! Watson is one I trust, of looking for a quick, good thriller, she delivers in this book as well! Highly recommend to my fellow Watson fans, my fellow thriller fans, and those new to the genre! Clear schedule, will keep you up past bedtime!
Will buzz up and use lower Amazon reviewer number on Release.

I mentioned this book on Instagram recently; it was such a great read! First Date by Sue Watson kept me guessing from beginning to end. Sue is an author whose books I always read, I was thrilled when I saw this one and had to get it into my hands right away.

When Hannah meets Alex, she is so happy. He’s everything she wanted in a man! So what if he always wants to know where she is, what she’s doing. And its okay that he shows up everywhere she goes, he’s looking out for her. But who is sending her weird messages, is it Alex’s ex? Or Hannah’s ex? Maybe it’s Hannah’s boss who is always looking out for her but Alex thinks she’s overbearing.

Check it out:

She’s been waiting her whole life to meet a man like Alex. But he’s been waiting too. And once he has her, he’ll never let her go…Hannah has done everything to make sure her life is safe and secure. A long way from her unstable childhood growing up in foster care, she’s content with her sweet, little, messy apartment and her satisfying job as a social worker. She quietly worries that, aged 36, she might never fall in love. But otherwise her life is where she wants it to be.

Until, encouraged by her best friend to join a dating app, she meets Alex. He’s irresistibly handsome. He loves the same music as her. The same food as well. They both dream of travelling the world but agree they’d be equally happy escaping to a cottage by the beach in Devon. Both of them would love to own a Labrador one day. It’s like he’s made for her. It’s like he’s too good to be true. Hannah’s friends aren’t so sure about him. But Hannah thinks he’s perfect. Which is good. Because Alex knows she’s perfect for him too. In fact, she’s exactly the girl he’s been looking for…

And nothing Hannah’s done to make her life safe will ever be enough.

You can pre-order the book here, it will be out on October 16!

Once again Sue Watson has written an engaging and hard to put down story. I was suspicious of a few of the main characters at the start and I thought I had guessed the ending, I'm happy to say I got it completely wrong. Sue has definitely become one of my goto authors and I'm looking forward to reading her next book which hopefully we won't have to wait too long for. I wish I could give more than 5 stars lí

Another great book from Sue Watson . A nice steady build up not knowing who you can trust . Social worker , friends and ex wives all thrown into the mix . I did kind of guess the end but nevertheless it was a good book

Thanks to Net Galley, Bookouture and Sue Watson for the eARC in exchange of an honest review.

This book was utterly addictive, such a page-turner and I had huge trouble putting it down. I've read in so quickly! I liked the pace of the story, not to slow yet not to fast. The plot twist at the end is just wow! I cringed while reading the book on so many occasions due to the unhealthy relationship between Alex and Hannah. In fact, Alex is a character who uses Hannah's emotions to control her and make her feel bad. I have strongly disliked him throughout. 
I've been so frustrated by Hannah for being so forgiving and putting up with his behaviour.
If you love psychological thriller, I'd definitely recommend this book.

Unlucky in love Hannah meets Alex through a dating app. Encouraged by her best friend Jas, who is also her boss, she goes on a date with him. Alex is perfect and soon Hannah is swept off her feet.
Being a social worker she has a close bond with her coworkers and they are her friends as well as colleagues and soon little things about the way Alex speaks about her friends.
Alex is possessive and when it seems that she has a stalker he wants to keep her safe but maybe too safe!
I love Sue’s books and this was no exception. Sue builds such great tension in her books and the characters are always brilliant.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Dating apps can be a minefield. Catfishing, ghosting, scammers and creeps! It's a wonder anyone takes the plunge and finds a decent, honest person that they can have a relationship with. Hannah, a social worker, has ended a relationship and wanted to start dating again. Her friend and boss Jas convinces her to download a dating app and see if she can find someone she is attracted to. She starts dating a man named Alex. He was perfect for Hannah. They had so much in common and similar goals for the future. Was Alex too perfect? As time went by strange things started happening to Hannah. Who was trying to scare her and why? The tension slowly builds as Hannah finds out more about Alex and who he really is. Reading this book I wondered why so people don't see the warning signs in a relationship. I realize we sometimes see the things we want to see and the red flags are ignored. . Even though I thought I knew where the author was going with the plot I was shocked to find out I was SO wrong.. What a wonderful build up and twist. A very entertaining read.

First Date by Sue Watson is a nail biter! We've all had our share of good and not so good first dates, but what happens when a perfect first date turns into a total disaster?

Hannah and Alex meet through an online dating app. He's good looking, has a great job, sweet, kind, wants the same things Hannah does. She is starting to believe that he's perfect. On paper they may be a perfect match - he's a solicitor and she's a social worker. They're both dedicated to their jobs.

Hannah's friends and workmates don't approve though. Alex is many good things, but he's also controlling, clingy and a liar. Big lies - not little white lies - shake the foundation of their growing love. Weird occurrences start to happen to Hannah - nasty notes, heavy breathing phone calls, car break-ins. Who is after Hannah and is it connected to Alex?

First Date is a real thriller - nothing is as it seems. Who is harmless and who is truly dangerous in First Date? You'll have to pick it up to find out!

This was just too much of a slow burn. I also felt this bok was a little too similar to "YOU" by Caroline Kepnes.

Holy what did I just read? I am sitting here looking through my notes about books I have read, and I haven't come across anything close to how I feel about First Date. Hannah goes on a first date with Alex. Hannah decides Alex is The One based on everything they have in common. Hannah's heart is broken when Alex doesn't immediately schedule a second date. Hannah is overjoyed when Alex calls. Hannah may have some ides that Alex is a little off on their second date. Hannah must be wrong because Alex is just so perfect. Hannah can picture her beautiful wedding to Alex, having children and grandchildren, and their wonderful life together...by the end of the second date.
This may sound simplistic, but Hannah had to be one of the most stereotypical characters that I have ever read. I could not believe that anyone could be that naive( after all she is not eighteen, and even then...sigh), and I guess desperate for a relationship. Warning bells were ringing around me, but even though they were deafening, Hannah apparently was well insulated living in my Kindle.
Then, things happened and I had to check to be sure my Kindle didn't switch my book. I didn't change my mind about Hannah, but the ending was maybe even a bit better than some of my favorite thrillers.
This is one of those times that I dislike having to provide a star rating. Most of First Date was just an okay read for me, but that ending deserved five stars. You might not think that Hannah is more annoying than having to stay at home for months, and the ending was fabulous.

This was a fantastic psychological thriller! I really enjoyed the pacing of this book, and it was so well written.

It was quite unpredictable, it had me shocked and needing to know the truth.

Sue Watson is an amazing writer and I can't wait to read more of her books!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.

Hannah, Hannah, Hannah... what a frustrating young lady! 

This is the first Sue Watson book that I've read but it won't be the last! First Date was utterly addictive and I had huge trouble putting it down!

This psychological thriller will make you doubt everything and everyone, it is so cleverly put together - just when you think you've got something sussed out, a whole new slant is added.

In amongst all the madness, I really liked Hannah's work set up. Apart from the awfulness of what they actually did for a living, the office set up and camaraderie sounded wonderful. There were some beautiful little touches of humour and perfectly described nuances of friendships.

I had SO MANY hunches, conclusions, definite endings in mind as I read First Date and - with no spoilers - it's fair to say they were not all right by any means!

Be warned, there are twists and turns a plenty and don't take anything at face value... ever!

Oh, dear! I was very interested in reading this, as the premise is one of online dating and particularly one that goes wrong and as this is so relevant in today’s society, I was intrigued.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t warm to the lead character, nor her predicament and I found the whole thing frustrating, irritating and uninteresting.

Hannah is a social worker who meets Alex online and falls for him. Then, strange things start happening and against the sage advice of anyone she knows she ploughs on regardless.
There is a twist, but, it feels lacklustre and forced and unfortunately, for me, didn’t redeem the story or stupidity of Hannah.

I’m grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of First Date by Sue Watson.

Have you ever gone on a first date and felt that you immediately had met the One? This is definitely the book for you. A perfect match from date one, Hannah thinks she has found her future husband in Alex, whom she met on a dating app. Thinks are going perfectly for the pair until Hannah begins to realize that things are not exactly as perfect as they seem.

Don’t get me wrong this is a well written book, it just wasn’t for me. Hannah’s naivety and the way she looked past all the red flags she made it hard for me to feel sorry for her and for me to empathize with her. I can understand how other people might, because everyone is looking for love.

However, the ending of the book was amazing. I didn’t see it coming and the twist honestly saved the book for me.

A big thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Sue for letting me read this in return for an honest review!


I'm going to start with this....
‘Oh shit, he’s been here too,’ she says. ‘Your Alex has let himself in and tidied away the bloody biscuits.’
Because amongst everything that made me laugh.

The first half of the book was rather slow but I understand it had to build up a relationship with Hannah and Alex to be able to show all the "crazy" and the downward spiral of events throughout.

The last half is where this significantly improves however I couldn't seem to understand Hannah's naivety.
Alex's emotional control and strange behaviour just amplifies right up to the shocking twist ending!

After everything and the realisation following the shock twist this sentence really stood out to me "We were little more than children without roots, both searching for a family and a home, and believing we’d found that in each other."

From loathing alex to feeling incredibly sorry for him just like that.... incredible writing!

The last page though 👌 I could feel the emotion in that moment.

All in all a beautifully written story that I cannot really fault, a gripping read from start to finish.

Having previously been in a dead end relationship, Hannah is desperately searching for someone to share her hopes and dreams with. When she meets Alex through an online dating app she starts to think he might be that someone. He’s almost too good to be true and we soon discover that the truth is something Alex is trying very hard to keep hidden and his charm and attentiveness turn to an unhealthy obsession with Hannah. Those around Hannah begin to show concern for her, trying to warn her against him but she doesn’t share their concern until its almost too late.

Whilst I found this to be an enjoyable read, I did feel there were parts that were slow, almost slightly repetitive but it certainly picked up speed as it raced towards the end with a thrilling “didn’t see that coming” twist.

Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley UK for the free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

My first Sue Watson novel and as a sign of how much I enjoyed it purchased her other novels once I finished this one.

Hannah wants a man and when she meets Alex the signs are good and she feels he could be the one. Hannah's grew up in foster care and her childhood was unstable but now things are feeling a lot better. She enjoys working as a social worker and is content in her cosy apartment but at 36 feels she needs a man to fall in love with. Her best friend encourages her to use a dating app where she meets Alex. He appears to be too good to be true, handsome, loves the same music, enjoys the same food and even dreams about the same holiday destinations. But is love blind, Hannah's friends see him a little different.

This addictive psychological thriller will have you rushing through the pages, shouting at Hannah and cursing others but it's such a good read.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.