@livconstantine2 is BACK and dare I say better than ever? I absolutely LOVED #thestrangerinthemirror. As soon as I read the back of the book, I knew I needed it ASAP. Thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours, I was able to snag a copy.⁣
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This could have been a very cliché psychological thriller, but let me tell you ... it was ANYTHING but that. I was able to guess the twist halfway through and I still loved it. The twists and turns in this book are nothing short of ridiculous and it kept me up well past my bedtime a few nights. Without giving too much away, I literally wanted to murder Julian 😂 He was one of the most horrendous, gaslighting male characters I've had the pleasure of reading in a while. To that end, there were actually a lot of really wonderful characters to balance out the crazy. This book was well crafted, highly addictive and definitely one of my favorites by this duo!

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just love it when look forward to a book based on nothing more than my enjoyment of an authors track record, my need for a psychological thriller that actually thrills me, and yes, it has a cool cover, but fear that it sounds a little too much like so many others. So, three cheers because I'm thrilled! In fact, to call this a psychological thriller is what I would call quite the understatement. Twists upon twists, and oh, so delightfully twisted - if you're in the modd for something addictive & keep you turning the pages, this just might be it.

*I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.*

This was the first book by Liv Constantine that I've actually read, though I've heard good things about her before. It did not disappoint. Our main character, Addison Hope, is the victim of amnesia, unable to remember who she was before she was found and taken in by an older couple. This would be fine, except that she's getting married. But her husband from her previous life is still looking for her.

I kind of saw the twist coming, which happens to me often, but it didn't detract from the story. I didn't honestly like either of the "romantic leads", but I'm not sure we're supposed to? Either way, this was a good starter into Constantine's work, and I will definitely be picking up more.

Whoa! What a crazy and wild ride! The sisters are back! The Last Mrs. Parrish has lived as one of my favorite domestic thrillers of all time and The Stranger in the Mirror reminded me of why I love them. Every chapter was insane as it unfolded a piece of the mystery. I don't like to try to unfold the twist, but I did figure it out by accident. It was still a great story and I will be recommending it.

As this twisty psychological mystery opens, we meet Addison, who has no memory of anything before the last two years, but does have scars that she wonders about.

She celebrates her engagement to Gabriel, from a wealthy and privileged family, but then Boston psychiatrist Julian tracks her down and persuades her to return to her life with him and small Valentina.

Tension rises as Addison - and readers - get closer to answers, but by the end, there's no longer a stranger in her mirror.

Addison is a showcase photographer planning the perfect wedding with her fiancé Gabriel. It appears everything is in order except for the need to know who she really is and her future mother-in-law is just the person to hire a detective to protect her son’s heart from a woman who lost her memory of who she is and where she came from two years ago.
Abandoned and injured, a sweet little couple Ed and Gigi take her in hoping she can get on her feet and rebuild her memories. This is how she was introduced to her future husband.
Meanwhile, several states away is Julian mourning the loss of his wife, Cassandra....while raising their daughter alone.
This book is an amazing thriller that twists and catches you off guard with its unbelievable characters and mind controlling games. You will not know who to cheer for and cry for in this psychological thriller.

Addison is haunted by her unknown past, every moment of her seemingly happy life darkened by the fact that she remembers nothing of the last two years. Even her upcoming gallery show and wedding can't seem to fill the hole in her history.

Then there is Julian, desperately missing his wife while trying to make things perfect for their daughter.

What I've always loved about the books written by the very talented Constantine sisters (the author name is a combination of their two names) is how nothing is ever what it seems. There tend to be big twists leading to surprising reveals that leave you flipping back pages to see just how it was all pulled off.

The thing with this being the tried and true formula for an author/authors is that there can come a point when readers become a bit better at predicting what is coming, depending on the author and the story being told. This mean that with this book, I was able to make some guesses that turned out to be pretty accurate, such as when that big moment-when the narrative is completely flipped on its head- will occur, as well as part of the truth behind a character's facade.

This does not mean in any way that I did not enjoy the book. I've just enjoyed their other books more. They felt more like genuine surprises, and they felt a bit more grounded. The ending with this one just didn't leave me as satisfied as I would have liked.

That said, this is absolutely an enjoyable read. There is so much suspense, lots of interesting characters, and plenty of secrets from the past to keep readers invested and engaged. Just know that, at least in my opinion, this is not the strongest story by these authors.

𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘶𝘯𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤!

This book was one of my most anticipated reads for this summer and it didn’t disappoint, it was everything I was expecting, twisty, dark, fast-paced, compelling and addictive, I loved everything about it. For fans of psychological thrillers this is a must read.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 Harper Books 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺.

Read if you like: psychological thrillers, twisty and dark stories, Liv Constantine books.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

The Stranger in the Mirror had a ton of qualities that make for a solid thriller. Building suspense, twists, turns, and a few jaw-dropping moments. Yet, despite having the makings of a good mystery, this one fell short for me. The overall storyline was just too far-fetched to really get behind. I was so excited to read the newest release from a favorite author, but unfortunately this one missed the mark.

Thank you netgalley for providing an egalley for review. "Stranger in the Mirror" by Liv Constantine was another one of their fast paced thrillers with twists and turns that come seemingly out of nowhere. This was so good, dark and evil. There really is no gray area here. The good guys are good and the bad guys are evil and sometimes you need. It's so satisfying.

Addison has no idea who she really is. She was found bleeding on the side of a New Jersey highway a few years ago with no memory. Now she’s getting married, without any knowledge of who she really is or what happened to her. In Boston, Julian is desperate to figure out what happened to his wife Cassandra. When their two lives intersect, Julian believes Addison is his missing wife. Although Julian is virtually a stranger to her, Addison agrees to move to Boston and resume her life as Cassandra. But Addison has more questions than answers and has no idea who to trust, including herself.

The Stranger in the Mirror is told from multiple perspectives. Addison, Julian, and Blythe all narrate in the first person. Addison is the protagonist, Julian is a psychiatrist whose wife Cassandra went missing two years ago, and Blythe is the mother of Addison’s fiancé, Gabriel, and she is extremely wary of Addison.

This is a very twisty narrative. You aren’t quite sure who to believe, including Addison herself. I flew through this book. The pacing was perfect, and the plot was totally unexpected. I highly recommend The Stranger in the Mirror if you’re looking for a psychological thriller.

Thank you to Harper Books and Netgalley for the review copy!

Addison is looking forward to marrying Gabriel, even though she has no memory of her past, before being picked up on the side of the road by a trucker. She has flashes of a horrible event, but doesn’t know who she is or how she came to be on the road.

When a man shows up claiming to be her husband, Julian, she doesn’t want to leave Gabriel, but she feels compelled to return to Julian and their daughter, Valentina. Did Addison leave willingly? And if so, how could she leave her daughter?

To say much more than that would give away a lot of the plot, but let’s just way The Stranger in the Mirror is the type of psychological thriller where you think you know what’s going on, and then it’s all turned on its head. I knew things were off but wasn’t quite sure how.

Liv Constantine is the pseudonym used by sisters Lynne and Valerie Constantine, and while for most of the book it’s not at all obvious there were two authors, there are a few holes that could be explained by multiple authors.

I still gave the book 4 stars because it’s extremely readable, for the first 2/3 I couldn’t put it down. The pace slows a little once you know what’s really going on, but the side characters add another dimension to the story.

If you like twisty, fast-paced psychological thrillers then don’t miss The Stranger in the Mirror.

Jeopardy Host: THE STRANGER IN THE MIRROR

Contestant: What is another mind blowing novel from the dynamic duo of Liv Constantine?

Jeopardy Host: CORRECT!

If you wanted to know what category this was listed under on my Jeopardy quiz it was “Oh my god what the hell did I just read.” And yes, just as the contestant answered, this one was absolutely mind blowing.

I expect nothing less when I read from the Liv Constantine sisters but this one topped the cake and blows all this summer’s thrillers out of the water. Forget about it Sager and Bell, the girls are handing it to you on a silver platter right here, special ordered and ready to devour the charts.

If the story of Addison, rescued on the side of the highway bleeding with amnesia doesn’t pull you in just with that concept alone, imagine when we learn about a man named Julian living in Boston who is searching for his wife Cassandra, who disappeared 2 years ago. Hmm? Think these two lives may converge eventually? With with the twists and turns the story takes when we get there, you may need to pre-medicate with some dramamine. Because friends this is one of the fastest roller coaster reads you will ever encounter taking you to an ending that will leave you spinning long after you close the book.

The Constantine’s have written a page turner that I finished in one sitting and even days later I can’t wrap my head around how they came up with such a brilliant plot.
Characters that are so realistic and likable you’re going to ask yourself: Who is lying? Who is telling the truth? Who do I trust? Is any of this real? How the heck is this going to end? And when it does end, you may just find yourself calling your therapist for an extra visit.

This one was brilliant, and I wish I could just forget it all and read it over again, brand new, just for the experience. Then again, maybe I don’t want to forget anything at all…..

Highly recommend this one, take it to the beach, read it on your porch, chill out by the pool with it, however you read, this is the next one you want.

Did not finish at 30%

Started off strong but then the plot turn became unrealistic and repetitive with a lot of other books in the genre. Disappointing follow-up

I was instantly hooked with the premise of The Stranger in the Mirror—a woman with no recollection of her past is about to get married, but she is unsettled because she doesn’t know who she is, or what she may have done in her past. Add in a too-good-to-be-true fiancé, a suspicious future mother-in-law, and a husband searching for the truth, and you’ve got yourself a great binge of a book. Reading this, I was suspicious of everyone, and I couldn’t figure out who to trust! The first part of the book had me really intrigued, but I think the second part of the book was lacking a bit. There were a few plot points that seemed a little random, and I had to suspend some belief about how some things were uncovered. I definitely was not able to predict where this one was going! Even though it wasn’t my favorite from them, I enjoyed it overall, and can’t wait to read the next book they put out!

Interesting if not predictable read that kept me engaged while reading. Though the plot feels used and was easy to figure out, the story was a good, fun summer read that I feel readers would enjoy. The main character is likeable and you hope she figures out her past and can make it htrough all her ordeals and traumas. I would recommend to my patrons.

This writing duo has done it again! I have read all of their books. They are one of my favorites in this genre. Addison is engaged to the perfect sky, but somethings still isn’t right. She can’t remember anything about her past life. When she showed up in town she was bloodied and battered but no one knows what happened to her was she a victim or was she a perpetrator?!? Julian he’s looking for his missing wife a really long way from where Allison is. I love psychological thrillers and this one was absolutely perfect it kept me guessing the whole time.

Thanks to Harper Collins for this fabulous book for an honest review!

While this wasn’t my favorite from these authors, I did enjoy the story. The pacing was slow for me, and the first part read like any other domestic thriller. However, toward the 50% mark, I got really invested. Awesome twist!

Note to future me: STOP READING AMNESIA BOOKS. I knew going in that it was going to be a stretch to make an amnesia plot work, but I still had hope because I'd seen a bunch of good reviews on Instagram, but everything that happened in this story was utter nonsense. The main character was annoying and useless (but somehow rich dudes kept needing to marry her and everyone who meets her wants to protect her), the dialogue was super clunky, the plot twists were not twisty, and the villain's motivations and his methods were ABSURD. I only wish he had a fancy mustache to twirl. This was not a good book.

Unfortunately I was not a fan of The Stranger in the Mirror.

I did enjoy the first half of this book, especially getting to know Gabriel, Ed, and Gigi. Even Blythe turned out to be a pretty good person, much different than I felt she was in the beginning.

My issue is with "the big reveal" and the fact that nothing has built up to it - it's like tada! This guy's a bad guy and the book is almost over. I skipped over - skimmed really - much of the "evil" sections because it was just so farfetched.

It seemed like the ending cheapened the first half of the book for me. I've read other books by these authors (writing under the Liv Constantine name) and enjoyed them, but this just wasn't the one for me.

If you like psychological thrillers that are very surprising you may enjoy this one and please don't let my review dissuade you. It just wasn't the book for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and authors for providing an ARC. All thoughts are my own.