Cover Image: Last Girl Ghosted

Last Girl Ghosted

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When Wren Greenwood meets Adam Harper on a dating site, it seems like the last piece of her life has fallen into place. Wren is independently wealthy with a flourishing career as a popular advice columnist, and Adam is a successful businessman. The two have an instant connection and are soon spending every spare moment together. But then Adam stands Wren up, and when she tries to track him down, it's like he never existed - his apartment turns out to have been a holiday rental, his social media accounts have disappeared, and his phone number is out of service. Wren is bewildered, but determined to track down the man she has fallen so hard for. But it turns out Wren isn't the only one looking for Adam...

I really enjoyed this twisty, fast-paced thriller - what-if thrillers where you can't help wondering as a reader how you would react in the same situation are my favourite, and this one is done really well. I liked the characters, and I loved the chapters where we got to find out more about Wren's unusual childhood.

This novel had several layers, and I liked that it was as much about the character's pasts as it was about their present. A sharply observed and carefully plotted novel - I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, and to the publisher, for granting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Initially, I found this storyline a little confusing, but it grew on me. A good topical thriller.

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Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is one of those books that sinks it's teeth into you from the get go and then you find yourself losing time as you addictively turn the pages. In the times of online dating apps - this book will have you second guessing your swipes. When you find the man of your dreams online, only to be ghosted and the start discovering he was not who he presented to be. A dark twisty highly enjoyable read.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #netgalley #lisaunger #lastgirlghosted #tea_sipping_bookworm #litsy #thestorygraph #amazonkindle #goodreads #bookqueen #bookstagram #thriller

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This is creepy, very creepy. I must admit that I have never done online dating, but I do know people that have. The dating app in the story is Torch which sounds a lot like Tinder, where people are after different degrees of meeting up. Wren has a disturbing past, which she keeps well hidden from other people. She has found a way to deal with her past by helping others. She has her podcast and is a column writer, using the pseudonym of Dear Birdie.

One of her friends gives Wren a little push to take a look at Torch, where she sees Adam. Adam isn’t a muscle man by any means, more on the geeky side, which is what Wren likes. They instantly hit it off, but when she lets her guard down and tells him of her past everything goes wrong for her. Adam disappears the day after, no message why or where to. Wren isn’t going to let this go, but her digging soon brings the police and stories of other girls and women that Adam has dated, which have then disappeared. Her Adam but just using a different name. There is no way she is going to walk away from this. She has been ghosted, and she wants to know why and where all the other girls are.

This is quite deep and dark, fascinating and quite sad. I didn’t know what I was letting myself in for when I decided to read this book, I had never heard of ghosting, so I was going into this quite blind. The story is told in a way that it took no time for me to get the hang of it. It makes for compelling reading.

I wish to thank the publisher and Net Galley for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

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EXCERPT: You shift, close your arms around me, and whisper, 'Tell me something you've never told anyone else.'

Up to this moment, I've measured everything I've shared with you. I've given myself over in pieces, slivers of truth, layers of self, curated memories, only the most banal likes and dislikes. But there are things I've hidden. It hasn't been necessary to bare all; relationships these days rarely last. I can't afford to give all of myself away to someone who may ghost me without a moment's notice.

Does he know? Jax asked when I confessed how much I liked you.

No, I told her.

When will you tell him?

Now, I think. This is the moment. Tell now or it becomes a lie, something I've hidden. So, in the warmth of your embrace, in the dark of the hours after midnight, I tell you something I've never told anyone else.

ABOUT 'LAST GIRL GHOSTED': Think twice before you swipe.

She met him through a dating app. An intriguing picture on a screen, a date at a downtown bar. What she thought might be just a quick hookup quickly became much more. She fell for him—hard. It happens sometimes, a powerful connection with a perfect stranger takes you by surprise. Could it be love?

But then, just as things were getting real, he stood her up. Then he disappeared—profiles deleted, phone disconnected. She was ghosted.

Maybe it was her fault. She shared too much, too fast. But isn't that always what women think—that they're the ones to blame? Soon she learns there were others. Girls who thought they were in love. Girls who later went missing. She had been looking for a connection, but now she's looking for answers. Chasing a digital trail into his dark past—and hers—she finds herself on a dangerous hunt. And she's not sure whether she's the predator—or the prey.

MY THOUGHTS: Last Girl Ghosted is disturbing on many levels. It is dark and gritty and so very plausible. Set in the world of online dating and at the time where there are media rumblings of a pandemic virus emerging in China, Unger takes the reader on a journey involving PTSD, familial abuse, missing women, and so much more.

I am usually the first person to criticise an author for trying to cram multiple 'themes' into one novel, but Unger makes it work and work brilliantly. The threads are tightly woven together to form a richly coloured tapestry, a compelling read that kept me enthralled from beginning to end.

I loved Wren's character - strong yet vulnerable. She wasn't always Wren. She was once Robin, a child who suffered an unimaginable trauma, who has emerged intent on helping others, albeit anonymously through her advice column Dear Birdie. She worries about these people and their problems. Sometimes she dreams about them. But ultimately she believes that by helping them, she is helping herself to become stronger.

And Adam. Hell, I fell for Adam. He's very good at what he does. And I loved that he's not smooth and handsome.

Bailey Kirk is a PI, hired by one of the missing women's fathers to find his daughter. But it has become something of a personal crusade for him. It's a case that has gotten under his skin. All the missing women have a similar background: they have suffered a great tragedy and are wealthy. All have dated Adam through dating apps. Wren is the latest. But Wren is still here. She is not missing, but Adam is. Bailey believes that Wren is his best chance of catching Adam. He doesn't believe that Adam will walk away from Wren. But if Adam contacts her again, will Wren tell him? It's a cat and mouse situation.

The story is told mainly from Wren's perspective over two timelines; the current day and her traumatic childhood. We occasionally get the story told from Bailey's perspective.

There is nothing banal or mundane in Last Girl Ghosted. I loved it from beginning to end. I was rooting for Wren the whole way through. And yes, for Adam too. I wanted him to be redeemed. Was he? Not telling. You'll have to read Last Girl Ghosted to find out.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#LastGirlGhosted #NetGalley

I: @launger @hqstories

T: @lisaunger @HQstories

#contemporaryfiction #crime #mystery #privateinvestigator #psychologicalthriller #suspense

THE AUTHOR: Lisa Unger is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author. With books published in thirty languages and millions of copies sold worldwide, she is widely regarded as a master of suspense. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HQ Digital for providing a digital ARC of Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

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It’s the first book Ive read by this author and it was brilliant . I don’t know how I’ve missed her books in the past but I will be looking for them in the future. Great characters and very tense all the way though . I was definitely up all night racing toward the end . This is a very addictive psychological thriller . I highly recommend this book , definitely 5 star

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A chilling, unforgettably told story about online dating and the dangers it may pose for modern love. With sharp, insightful prose and clever plotting, Unger ratchets up the tension page by page until a gasp-worthy ending you won’t soon forget.

We follow Wren, a survivor with a dark and tragic past. When she meets a man through an online app, she falls hard and fast, only to quickly be ghosted by him. Then a detective explains he’s done this to other women. Women who have disappeared forever. She decides to help find the other women, but this unleashes painful memories from her own past. A past that won’t be buried.

A compelling, dark and harrowing tale that will make you think twice before swiping right.

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Lisa Unger is a new author for me, although I love psychological thrillers as a genre. Safe to say, I will be reading more of her work. I loved the writing style, the premise, characters and the ending. Wren is ghosted by Adam after meeting on a dating app and we gradually find out that Wren is a type of ghost herself, having reinvented herself and buried her traumatic past. Engrossing and engaging, this is a great read.

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Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced digital copy to read prior to publication on 5th October.
I have loved all of Lisa Unger’s books and this was no exception.
Wren is an incredibly strong, determined and courageous young woman who goes online to try dating. She is tech savvy, though she doesn’t think so, she is trendy, and nothing could have prepared her for the whirlwind romance and then ghosting she is in for. What is ghosting? This book tenderly handles themes of trauma, relationships and the family we make as adults, and modern dating. It will hook you in from the start and you won’t see the twists and turns coming!

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This was my first Lisa Unger book, and will not be my last! This book was not only thrilling, but the whole concept of the book and Wrens life was so interesting! It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, with a lot of twists and turns. I did predict a part of the plot twist, but it did not take away from the story for me!

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A creepy read that has lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing and turning the pages. Like any thriller, you second guess every move they make, but in a way that keeps you engaged.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

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Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for providing me with a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

On the surface this book focuses on Wren, who meets the man of her dreams online. Everything is going brilliantly until he suddenly ghosts her, and she starts searching for him. Woven into this, however, is Wren’s backstory with an abusive and alcoholic father who is struggling with PTSD, and the overarching theme that we don’t really know the whole of any one person.

This was a book I savoured a few chapters at a time so I could really enjoy it. I liked the way the story flicked back and forth, how we could see why Wren was the way she was, and the backstory also had some quite tantalising twists and turns in it too! The story sucked me in and had me thinking about online dating, and the wider implications of having an online presence.

This is one that has definitely stuck with me - I was expecting a straightforward psychological thriller, but I felt like I got so much more! I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

CW: domestic violence, sexual assault

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Despite the mixed reviews I really enjoyed this book! Yes, at times it felt a title far fetched but there was a creepiness about this story that stuck with me every page.

Wren writes an advice column and is trying out online dating with a push from her best friend. She meets Adam and after many dates he “ghosts” her. The story spirals from there with flashbacks to her traumatic childhood.

Solid 4 star read

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This was the first book of Lisa Unger I read and I now want to read more. This book was such a good read and I loved unpacking the slow-burn mystery. There was a lot of dark subject matter in this book and I liked hearing Wren’s thoughts on everything. I enjoyed how it focused on meeting someone through a dating app, as it seemed relevant to lots of stories in today’s society. I enjoyed the characters in this book and loved how their stories unfolded. I would recommend this book to crime fiction lovers who enjoy a slow-paced thriller that keeps you guessing.

She met him through a dating app. An intriguing picture on a screen, a meeting at a downtown bar. What she thought might be just a quick hookup quickly became much more. She fell for him- hard. But then, just as things were getting real, he stood her up. Then he disappeared – profiles deleted, phone disconnected. She was ghosted. Maybe it was her fault. She shared too much, too fast. But soon she learns there were others. Girls who thought they were in love, who later went missing. She has been looking for a connection, but now she’s looking for answers. Chasing a digital trail into his dark past- and hers- she finds herself on a dangerous hunt. And she’s not sure whether she’s the predator - or the prey.

Thank you to hqstories and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

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I really enjoyed this dark and twisty thriller. And I didn’t see the ending coming either.

This is my second Lisa Unger book. I find her plots and characters very engaging. Her characters and their backstories pull you in and hook you til the very end.

Wren joins a dating site at the request of her best friend. She goes on a couple of dates that turn into just one-night stands. Until, she meets Adam. She falls hard and just when she feels safe to share her long buried secret with him, he ghosts her immediately after.
She can’t find him anywhere but she decides to dig and find out why he suddenly disappeared from her life. But in so doing, she unwittingly digs into her own past and faces demons she thought she buried.


What I loved:
The twisty plot
The backstory of the characters
The characters
The writing

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You trusted him with your secret…and then he vanished.
When Wren Greenwood meets a good-looking stranger from a dating app, she expects a casual fling – but they connect immediately. Adam Harper is her perfect match.
She falls for him.
She confides in him.
And then he disappears… his profiles deleted, his phone disconnected, his Manhattan apartment emptied.
First, Wren blames herself. Then she hears about the other girls – girls who fell in love with Adam, and are now missing.
Wren needs answers, but as she follows the breadcrumb trail Adam left behind, it leads back to her own dark past. Suddenly, she’s no longer sure if she’s predator or prey.
She only knows one thing: whatever it takes, she’ll be the last girl he ever ghosts…

What an absolutely thrilling read!!!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next!
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

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It's like a 2020 Sex and the City where a broken heart turns deadly.
Started fun, then it became really dark, but the ending is satisfying.

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Another intriguing and entertaining read from Lisa Unger!

I am always intrigued by books that have anything to do with social media and lately I have had plenty to choose from. I'm a big fan of this author so deciding to read this was a no brainer for me.

The beginning of the story was gripping but I did find that things slowed down a little for me as the story went on. However, I'm glad I stuck with it. I liked how it all came together in the end.

Overall, an enjoyable story. I look forward to reading more from the very talented Lisa Unger!

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Wren finds herself front and centre in a beautiful love story with Adam- an online date...only to have him disappear and ghost her.
Reeling from his betrayal she is approached by a PI who is trying to find Adam in relation to other women, all now missing.
This is fast paced and filled with twists with plenty of moments you think will result in the capture of Adam only for him to slip through their fingers again.

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Having lost her mother and brother at an early age, Wren finds it difficult to meet the one and let people into her tight knit circle. All that changes when she meets Adam on Torch (think Tinder)- he is her soulmate and bit by bit she feels herself opening up to him until one day he sends a strange text and disappears. Shortly afterwards a Private Investigator turns up at Wren’s house, shows her a picture of ‘Adam’ and advises he is hunting him in connection with the disappearance of other girls. What ensues next is that the PI and Wren tear off trying to find ‘Adam’ and get answers on the missing girls.

This story is dark and at times a bit far-fetched but that’s what makes it. It starts off very slow and somewhat uneventful but picks up the pace towards the halfway mark. I do recommend it though.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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