I overall enjoyed “Finding Tessa”. In the beginning I did have trouble with some of the cliche phrasing, or to what I thought may have been cliche. In the beginning I also thought this book would be so predictable, but I continued to venture through this read. As I moved through this novel it changed my opinion entirely as it has a twist that will keep you intrigued until the very end. I give it a 3/5 because it took me a bit to fully get into the novel, but once I got into it, it was difficult to put down. .

Thank you so much for the Advance Reading Copy

I think this book had a lot of potential and promised that it was going to be one of the greatest thrillers however I did feel like it was very similar to another iconic classic thriller book that everyone knows and loves and for that, I was really having a hard time getting the other book out of my head and focusing on this story. I am a big fan of alternating perspectives and I did really enjoy the final twist at the end however there was a slow burn to this one and I felt like I needed more to happen.

I couldn't put this one down! I don't know where to begin with this thriller thrill ride. Twists and turns, surprises to keep you on the edge of your seat. Jamie Lynn Hendticks knows how to keep readers engaged.

Thank you NetGalley, W.W. Norton & Company, and Jaime Lynn Hendricks for my eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Synopsis: Tessa and Jace appear to be a couple head-over-heels in love with everything together. But looks can be deceiving. When Jace arrives home from a business meeting, Tessa has vanished. But, broken glass, some of her hair and blood are left behind. The New Jersey cops are convinced Jace is the culprit.

Genre: Domestic Thriller
Rating: 5/5

Let me first say, I recommend going into this one mostly blind! You won’t regret it!

Wow, this was an incredible debut novel! I loved the dual perspectives from both Jace and Tessa! It was fast-paced and I kept waiting until I could get back to reading it! A big twist was revealed early on and I had a feeling something was coming, but not quite that! Hendricks with a huge twist!! There was another good twist in the novel!

I would definitely recommend all my thriller lovers RUN to get this one! It debuts on May 11, 2021! I can’t wait to read more from Hendricks in the future!

Where is Tessa? Did she run away, or was she kidnapped?

Jace Montgomery comes home from work and finds his wife gone. Broken glass and blood is all over the kitchen. He calls the cops, but us immediately brought under suspension.
Did he really do it, or is he being set up.....
Definitely read this book, there are twists and turn you won't see coming.

The plot of this might look familiar from the blurb but know that Hendricks has brought something new to the table. Tessa has had enough of abusive men and so she decides she's going to make Jace pay for hitting her by framing him for her murder. One problem, there's no body so..... Told from her perspective and from Jace's, it's a flippy ride that keeps you reading even when you think you know what's going to happen. Neither Jace or Tessa is likable; they're more like two scorpions in a bottle. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good debut for thriller fans.

Whew I flew through this one. The first 30-40% felt very much like Gone Girl (I didn’t mind at all) and then bam!!! I was hit with a total 180 and I loved it. I love a good misdirection. I was flipping the pages faster and faster as disaster struck over and over. Trying to catch my breath now that it’s over and all is okay in the world again. What a debut!

A fast paced, addictive and twisty thriller!

Broken glass. A trail of blood. Clumps of hair.
Jace Montgomery comes home from work to find his wife missing. He calls the police, but with the damning evidence, he soon becomes their number one suspect.
Tessa has had it with 'assholes' and is on the run from her abusive husband. Where is Tessa? What happened?

I really enjoyed this entertaining debut thriller by Jaime Lynn Hendricks. Alternating between Jace and Tessa's POV, the suspense built nicely, and a twist really shocked me at one point! I'm talking jaw on the floor shocked, which made me question everything I thought I knew!

Action packed and gripping, I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure this mystery out. I'm a pretty rubbish detective, and suspected quite a few of the characters of being up to no good! Who was lying?

Jace and Tessa weren't the most likeable characters all of the time during the book, but they felt flawed and real, which I liked. They were both emotional people who had been through a lot in their pasts, and strong, gritty Tessa in particular had suffered some horrible experiences. I'd like to point out here that there is a lot of violence against women in this book, so tread carefully if that's something you've experienced, or don't like reading about.

Jaime Lynn Hendricks certainly highlighted a few issues about judgement on social media, which hit home! Some people certainly play detective and judge without having all the facts...

I did have a couple of issues with things that a main character didn't do, which seemed highly unbelievable, and the quick marriage well.. I know it happens, and call me a cynic, but I just don't believe in love at first sight! I also felt a bit weird reading about a neighbour's dysfunctional relationship with their child...Nevertheless, the ending felt quite satisfying.

If you're looking for a fast, clever thrilling mystery, then have a go to see if you can FIND TESSA 🤣I'm definitely interested to see what this author writes next!

What can I say about this clever, twisty-turny, fast paced debut novel by Jaime Lynn Hendricks -other than the fact that you need to add Finding Tessa to your TBR list immediately!
I read quite a bit (maybe too many) of domestic suspense/thrillers, and I’m usually pretty good at figuring them out. This book threw me for a loop more times than I can count! Too many questionable characters and situations throughout this story!
If you are a thriller fan as I am, I highly recommend reading Finding Tessa. You will zoom through the pages and maybe even stay up way past your bedtime to get to the end of this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for my advanced digital review copy for my honest review.

This thriller is everything that you could want. It has lots of action and twists and every time you think you know what is going on you get pulled in another direction. The book starts out with our main character Jace returning home only to find his new wife, Tessa, is missing and he has no idea where she could be. I loved the different points of view between the husband and his wife because it puts a spin on what is really happening. Tessa has had enough of violent men and her new husband in no different. She is however sick of playing the victim and this time she takes matters into her own hands and decides that he must pay for what he has done to her, so she sets him up for her disappearance. With the police looking into what has happened however it isn't just Jace hiding his abuse, Tessa must also stay one step ahead of them if her plan to start over is going to come to fruition. While I didn't expect to find out so much so quick in the book I'm so glad that I did. This is a book that everyone should read the characters were amazing and the plot was everything I could ask for in a good thriller. I loved the different points of view and the time changes because it gave the reader lots of information and backstory. I was very surprised to find out so much information so early on in the story but it made the rest of it so compelling and there were so many twists in this book that I was unable to put it down. So many authors leave the reader guessing and it was nice to get important information right away because that just opened it up to more questions that I had to know. I loved this book and I couldn't get enough. Clear your schedule if you want to read this one however because even though it is a fairly large book at 300ish pages you wont want top put it down and everything else will come second.

Finding Tessa has been finding a lot of fans lately, so I needed to find out for myself what the fuss is about.

The Good - There’s a dog, and he doesn’t die! In fact, no animals are harmed in the making of this book.

The Bad - As with most domestic thrillers, your enjoyment largely depends on whether or not you see its ‘big twist’ and ‘shocking ending’ coming. Guess what? I saw them coming.

The Ugly - I am just getting so tired of books where women are treated like punching bags and men are a$$holes simply because they have a Y chromosome. “Guys abusing gals” isn’t a trope I enjoy apparently.

There are many glowing reviews for this debut novel, so if domestic suspense is your favorite genre you’ll want to check them out before crossing it off your list.

Personally, I just found Tessa too bleak and unoriginal to recommend.

I received an advance copy to review from Scarlet/Penzler Publishers via NetGalley.

Tessa is gone...

Jace (the hubs) comes home to find what appears to be a crime scene.

It is always the husband... Jace knows that is what everyone is thinking...

I didn't know who was telling the truth and believe me, my mind was spinning, swirling, and circling. I do admit to being confused before the big reveal. I had no idea who to believe or who was lying. And this is what made it enjoyable! Lots of guessing, and trying to play Private Investigator.

I wasn't wowed like many others were, but enjoyed the way the story weaved in and out with the smoke and mirrors. I had some strong feelings for a few of the characters (some to sympathize with and some to loathe) and was pulling for them to have their happy ever after...

A quick domestic thriller that will keep you on the lookout for that villian!

Unfortunately, I just could not get into this book at all.

I have seen raving reviews for this one but this wasn't for me at all.

I have read many many thrillers and this missed the mark completely for me. I am back on the outlier island haha.

Thanks to Scarlett Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

2/5 stars.

The beginning back and forth narrative of this book had me believing the story was going to go a whole different way. I enjoyed that little twist. I had absolutely no idea who was good and who was bad going into this novel.
I had no issues getting immersed in the suspense of the story. There was a lot of build up and then the ending happened fast and I feel there were just a few loose strands to the story. All in all this is one I would recommend to my fellow thriller lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penzler/Scarlet and of course Jamie Lynn Hendricks for the ARC of this book.

Finding Tessa proves one thing........you're either running towards something or running away from something. Believe me, in the course of things, you'll be tripping over your own feet, banging your head, and living in an alternative universe. And the zip code is Wonkyville.

Jaime Lynn Hendricks has written this one in the mode of a maze. Just when you think you have a handle on this storyline, she sends in another zinger. Who's the who and where's the where? Not gonna know until the brakes screech at the end.

Jace Montgomery and his new bride, Tessa, have recently moved into their new home in the suburbs. They've adopted a rescue dog, Candy, to round out their new beginnings. And on this particular evening, Jace, assistant branch manager of Valley Lake Bank, has a business meeting with some important clients. When he arrives home, he notices a shattered window over the breakfast nook. There's blood on the kitchen floor with strands of Tessa's hair.

In a panic, Jace calls the police. And we are now on the threshhold of a spinning out-of-control vertigo into Hell. All eyes fall upon Jace. Little bits of evidence start to lean in his direction. No matter how he tries to explain himself, Jace sinks deeper and deeper in a pond of guilt. Even his neighbors cast a suspicious eye in his direction.

Hendricks supplies bountiful episodes of backstories that line this one with a caseload of suspicion as to who is loaded with lies and who is telling the truth. But on all counts, Finding Tessa draws you in and boggles the mind. There's no giving away more to the plot than that. Kick off your shoes and dive into this one yourself. It's a fast read with a tight grip. Maybe just what we need about now.

I received a copy of Finding Tessa through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Penzler Publications and to Jaime Lynn Hendricks for the opportunity.

Jace and Tessa Montgomery are a young and in love. One day Jace comes home to find the home in disarray and Tessa is missing.
Story is narrated by both Tessa and Jace. It appears they both have a past and haven’t been truthful with one another.
Tessa has been in several abusive relationships.
Has her past come back to haunt,
Did she stage the house to frame her husband?

These two kept me guessing. Wasn’t sure who really were the bad guys ~ they all had such nasty f-bomb dropping language I assumed they are ALL bad. There were times I thought this isn’t working for me ~ sometimes the profanity gets in the way of the story and it is difficult for me to get past it.
I hung in there and the story got more interesting. I love twists and turns especially when I don’t see them coming.
I ended up liking the story much better than I thought.

Want to thank NetGalley and Penzier Publications ~ Scarlet for this eGalley. This uncorrected file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review. Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 11, 2021

Thank you for providing me with an opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately it was not for me, at all. I did not like the characters or the writing style, which seemed very basic and juvenile.

I am the wrong reader for this book, and I hope it finds its readership. I will not be posting a review on social media sites.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. I literally couldn’t put this book down and finished in one reading. The twists and turns that come after will give you whiplash. I literally couldn’t put this down until I found out the truth. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Unpopular opinion: I didn't love this novel. My first thought was "Gone Girl" and starts off very similar. It's not the same story, but it's not as good as "Gone Girl" by a long shot. Jace and Tessa have a whirlwind romance that leads to a quickie wedding. When Jace comes home to find Tessa missing, a broken window and her hair at the scene, an investigation begins. Jace is, of course, suspect #1.
Tessa is trying to escape a lifetime of bad choices. She's framed her husband. I didn't like her, I didn't like Jace and I wasn't invested in the story. Wish I had loved it as much or even close to as much as "Gone Girl." My expectations may have been too high. 2 stars.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Penzler/Scarlet, and Jaime Lynn Hendricks for an ARC of this book!**

First there was Amy Dunne...and then there was Tessa.

Escaping from a dangerous situation...or simply running headfirst into another?

Tessa has always had bad taste in men, drawn to the 'Assholes', which has put a cap on her already difficult younger life in the foster care system. These decisions have led her to bury her identity and constantly flee, never settling anywhere for too long. She finally feels she has set the perfect trap, however....the one that CAN"T fail...

When Tessa turns up missing, all eyes point toward her husband Jace. Blood is present. A weapon is found in the home. Jace is flabbergasted at his wife's disappearance and is desperate to have someone--ANYONE--listen to HIS side of the story, and to not fall prey to the forgone conclusion that it is always the husband. Does he have any hope of actually finding his wife...or has Tessa outwitted and outplayed everyone...even you, the reader?

The Gone Girl overtones are heavy, but luckily this book takes a different trajectory entirely and doesn't borrow too heavily from the aforementioned. While this is a strong debut by Hendricks, the first (and in my mind, only) twist hits fast and furious fairly early-midway on and then the action stays at a steady enough clip to keep you invested, but not quite as fast-paced as I'd prefer. I appreciated the character development and getting a significant look into Tessa's backstory, so that was a huge plus for me personally.

I do wish I'd felt a bit more surprised by the ending and kept waiting for that stunning cold-water-in-your-face moment, but it didn't quite happen for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, but I do feel there was some unexplored potential in this one that could have really taken it up a notch for me. I am glad that Hendricks has entered the playing field, though, and already look forward to reading her next book!
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