This book was brilliant!
It had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. The descriptions of abuse were difficult to read in parts but they’re there for a reason and it helps readers understand why the characters are the way they are.
I found this book so well written and fast paced, a quick read with great twists that had me gripped throughout. I didn’t want to put it down.
Would highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing for allowing me to read a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

Meg is going through a messy divorce settlement from an emotionally abusive husband, but is otherwise content living in her remote farmhouse with her dog.
Nerine and her two children are fleeing from a violent relationship and just a need a place where they can feel safe. When Nerine and her girls are placed with Meg, it seems like the perfect solution for everyone.
Nerine is constantly on edge as every sound outside is attributed to the menace of her ex. Meg is also nervous of her ex and the neighbours, anyone that might threaten the security and safety of their tenuous situation.
The tension in the book builds throughout the novel, helped along by the remote setting, and the main characters own insecurities. The reader really does feel anxious with them, as small events, even those common on farms, occur with increasing regularity.
The novel also does a great job at making you doubt the motivations of all the characters, and constantly second guessing at what might be about to happen. The main characters, and their constant insecurities, poor decision making and wildly shifting emotional states, while obviously realistic, made this story very unsettling as a reader.
Yet, this is a thriller and as such, does a fine job at keeping the reader on edge for the entire read.
Thanks to Text Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Read this in one uncomfortable day. If you have had domestic violence in your life it's going to push all your buttons. It's good though. Really good. Highly recommend.

I volunteered to receive an advanced reader's copy of this book after the description peeked at my interest. Meg is a survivor of domestic abuse who decides to join an underground circuit of women helping current domestic abuse victims escape from their circumstances when the legal system fails to do so.

Initially Meg views Nerine as a ball of nervous energy that can't sit still due to all of her prior trauma. She is trying to find ways to help Nerine and her two daughters feel safe and secure in her home. Each time Meg thinks she's making headway with Nerine, a new eerie incident occurs that puts them both on edge. A disturbed flyscreen, a tune played on the windchimes at night, or random phone calls with no one willing to speak on the other line. Meg begins to wonder if Nerine's ex really can track her down anywhere, or if her own ex is trying to torment her over an inheritance he's currently suing her for.

There is a moment in the book when Nerine's behavior starts falling out of alignment with the victim behavior Meg expects from her. Meg begins to question Nerine's mental stability and whether her trauma is too severe for Meg, or anyone in the network, to help her with. She reached out to her contact for advice and more details on Nerine's ex-husband. Initiating an investigation into the whereabouts of Nerine's ex-husband.

It is at this turning point that gaslighting starts to become more prevalent and your empathy towards Nerine's plight begins to wane. You begin to question Nerine's authenticity in her victimization. Personally I thought this book was going to twist into a novel about a obsessed or drug addicted mother who ran away with her kids under the ruse of being an abuse victim to avoid losing custody of them. I could not have been farther from the actual truth. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out things once again took a wild turn as Meg came home to find Nerine had changed her appearance to look exactly like Meg's daughter Emily. Another hair-raising incident while Meg was at work drove Nerine so far over the edge with fear she felt compelled to take on Emily's identity to avoid discovery on Meg's property.

This becomes the highpoint of the story and everything after takes off like the wildest roller coaster drop of your life. If you were about to call it a night when you reached this point in the novel you were not only mistaken, but are almost guaranteed to need an extra strong coffee in the morning. You will not be able to close this book until the last page.

Catherine Jinks' writing talents proved exemplary in this novel. She paints a very vivid picture of the depths in which verbal and emotional abuse can shatter the human psyche. Domestic and parental. My favorite part was the strength and courage Anna finds within herself thanks to Meg's love. Allowing young Anna to confront her abuser when there is nowhere left to run, and no one else to protect them.

Shelter was a twisty, gripping, tense psychological thriller that had my heart racing towards the end. I couldn’t put it down from the first chapter and felt that Meg was a likeable protagonist, which added to the ‘bitter sweetness’ of the ending.

I think it could be a possible trigger for people that have been victims of psychological, emotional and neglectful abuse though. As a parent I found some of the (non-sexual) but physical and humiliating abuse, done to children difficult to read.

The book’s style reminded me of Ruth Ware with its ‘hook and twist’ and psychological nature. I would 100% read more of Jink’s books and easily recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book. Character development was good. The plot was very interesting. Not a lot of typos.

I was on the edge of my seat with this book. Lots of great twists and turns. At times, I needed to put the book down for awhile because of was afraid of what was happening to Megan. Unlike most books everything did not end up okay for Megan.

I felt so sorry for Nerinne's children. What an awful life it had been for them.

This is the first book I have read by this author and definitely want to read more of her books.

There were times I wanted a little more information as to what was going on, but that added to the suspense.

This was a very intense read. At times it was hard to get through it, due to the brutal domestic violence. I was kept on the edge of my seat and could not put this down at times, but for me it did drag a bit in the middle.

Definitely a tense, domestic thriller and still an impactful story. Thank you for letting me read the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed reading Shelter, my first book by Catherine Jinks. It was scary, having been in an abusive relationship many years ago it did bring back memories that I had forgotten and were best left to rest in peace. However, I couldn't put the book down. I didn't see the extreme danger that was ahead for these two women who also had barely escaped more violence, perhaps ending in death.

I didn't see the twist coming until near the end. At first the visiting sheltered wife was meek and scared and all our heroine wanted to do was help her. That wasn't the game plan, but I didn't guess how far she'd go.

I would have hoped for a happier ending although i understand that small town gossip and law enforcement don't always know who to believe. Our Protagonist hadn't made nice nice with the neighbors so she didn't have a lot of back up when she needed it, sad but true, the honest one is not always the believed one.

I recommend if you've moved past a violent abuser and don't get overwhelmed with the antics of the hostile ex-husband. I was glad to receive this copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I only gave it four stars for the semi-unhappy ending, at least the girls were safe... for now.

Thank you, #Netgalley, Text Publishing, and Catherine Jinks for this advance copy of Shelter. This was a sad, frightful book of abuse in a family. I felt the anger, sadness, and hopelessness of the whole family. One of the books I felt I was watching. Great writing.

I went back to this book twice to get to the end. Middle aged Meg lives ion a desolate farm in Australia and helps hid women in abusive relationships. Everything is done quickly and you never know who you’ll be helping. Turns out the victim has severe issues and uses her two kids to manipulate poor Meg who has her own troubles. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

Thank you #Netgalley, Text Publishing, and Catherine Jinks for this arc of Shelter. This book was so addictive, I was so curious where the story was going and the writing just pulled me in. I found the descriptions of emotional abuse disturbing, so be warned. There wasn’t much of a discernable plot at first, but once I saw what was going on the book moved quickly. I was disappointed in the very end though. I don’t think anyone should have lost everything. The writing was great, the characters were okay, and the story was pretty good. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I enjoyed this book. You could feel the fear of everyone involved. This book shows what some women go through in difficult situations. This is a great read and kept me on the edge of my seat!

Domestic violence but on steroids. This book made me uncomfortable which is why I finished it in less than a day. Psychological, brutal, hard to read sometimes. This has an unfiltered feel and I genuinely had to move around to remind myself that it was a story in a book. The characters were well thought out and flawed.

This suspenseful, atmospheric novel had me reading through the night. Meg, a middle-aged woman lives a quiet life on a small holding near a small Australian town. She is divorced from her abusive ex-husband and sees very little of her adult daughter. When a friend asks her to give shelter to Nerine, a mother of two small girls who is fleeing a violent husband, she agrees.
But Nerine becomes increasingly difficult and intrusive. Strange occurrences co-inside with Nerine's arrival . Are these strange calls and odd footprints the work of Nerine's dangerous and violent husband? Or do they signal the return of Meg's ex-husband?
The main character Meg, is extremely sympathetic; kind ,gentle and nurturing. Be warned this is both a suspenseful and deeply emotional read. I found it quite heartbreaking at times, but absolutely gripping. beautifully written and brilliantly paced. Highly recommended.
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I have followed the career of Catherine Jinks, since she started writing children's books, so am really happy to see her diversify into adult fiction again. This book was atmospheric and tense at times, with some twists that you would expect of a good thriller.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley for a free review on Kindle...it is about family abuse and those who shelter the abused. It is dark and frightening and not at all redeeming...I had a difficult time reading how the woman helping others was treated. This was just so different than other books...

Story was well written and the ending was a surprise. I enjoyed this book.. Lots of twists and turns .

Thank you to @netgalley for making Shelter by Catherine Jinks my first read of 2021. It was the perfect holiday thriller that I devoured over 2 sittings. An edge of your seat read that reeled you in hook, line and sinker. I thoroughly recommend this book to lovers of the page turner that you can devour in just a fewer sittings.