3.5 stars which I will gladly round up to 4.

This Might Hurt is a twisted and dark yet somehow a compelling read that kept me turning the pages.

I was a bit confused with POV at first but when it all came together the story strengthened.

Natalie has not seen her sister in over 6 months and has something she wants to confess to Kit but when she reaches the island she senses that something is very wrong here

Lots of unlikeable characters to hiss at and those that we wish would smarten up and run.

This Might Hurt will stay with me for a long time .

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for a haunting read.

Did not enjoy this one. Won't be posting a negative review on social media platforms, but I felt like the book lacked originality and it also had a confusing storyline POV.

"I was a silly girl then, one who had no idea that the monster inside the boat was much worse than anything that dwelled underneath it." This Might Hurt started off great, Sir is SUCH a menacing character, I found myself cringing during his scenes with Rebecca/Abigail. Then it got weird and confusing with multiple POVs, two sets of sisters, and unlikable characters. The ambiguity surrounding the nature of Wisewood and how it "seems" to work for Kit was handled well, but I would've liked to know more about her. I found some parts confusing - did Kit know Natalie did SO much for her (vs. their mother) and if so, why did she worship their mother? We found out nothing about Jack, and nothing about why/how Sir came to be. Unfulfilling, overall.

P.S. Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC.

It’s been a while since a book has had me on edge but This Might Hurt absolutely did! From beginning to end I was completely hooked to the different POVs/timelines this story delivered and I can honestly say I didn’t see the twist or the ending as a whole coming!

The book was definitely more plot driven but each character, especially our main three, brought a lot of layers to this little lasagna of a story. I felt like this was one of those stories that really immersed you in what was going on while simultaneously stressing you out because you had no idea what was going on. 😂

The synopsis of this story really doesn’t give too much away as to what is going to happen and I really appreciate that. I think it’s best to go into this story blind (that’s also why I didn’t dive too much into the details with this review) as I think that is truly the only way to really experience this book.

Huge thanks go out to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC! This Might Hurt drops February 22 (my birthday!!) and is 100% worth adding to your tbr!

Natalie hasn't seen her sister, Kit, in 6 months. She left for Wisewood, a commune off the coast of Maine, to try and find her best self. Suddenly, Natalie is summoned there. If she doesn't go, her secrets will be revealed to Kit.

This is a good, twisty thriller. No one is really likable, which I loved, and the island atmosphere was claustrophobic and spooky. I definitely recommend picking this on up.

A rhriller of a book concerning two sisters . Natalie a cold calculatting business woman has not hear from her sister Kit in almost a year.. Kit the ipposite of her sister works mundane jobs. However she find her happiness at a retreat called Wisewood. . when Natatlie finds out where her sister is she is determined to right old wrongs and bring her home. Full of twists and intriguing characters this one has an ending you won't see coming

My feelings are mixed on this one. Mostly because I was confused a lot of the book, and also the ending left me with way too many questions. There was a lot of jumping between 3 POVs. Two were between sisters, Natalie and Kit, and then there was a random storyline that was rather repulsive as it documented an abusive childhood. You don’t find out who that storyline belongs to until maybe the last 20% of the book. The writing was good, and even with the confusion kept me intrigued enough to finish the book.

Natalie and her sister Kit have always had a difficult relationship. Kit was close to their late mother and Natalie always felt like she had to be the adult in the family. When their mother passed away, Kit was heartbroken and plagued with guilt because she wasn’t there at the end. She enrolls in a mysterious retreat, Wisewood, that promises self-improvement for people who have lost hope in aspects of their lives. The retreat is on an island and sounds idyllic, except guests cannot communicate with the outside world and there are no electronics allowed. So Natalie is surprised six months later when she gets an email from Wisewood threatening to expose a secret she’s been keeping from Kit. She travels to Wisewood to get to Kit before the blackmailer does.

I found this book interesting. It tackled unusual topics and it was clear the author did a lot of research on those subjects (magic, cults, swimming etc.) I found Kit and the mysterious narrator fully developed but wished that Natalie’s character could have been explored more. I liked the writing style and thought the pacing was good. It kept me interested though I did find some of the magic chapters a bit slow because I’m not that interested in its optics. I thought the twists at the end weren’t that shocking but I still enjoyed how the author wrapped up the story.

Six months ago, Natalie's sister left to join Wisewood, a wellness retreat on an island off the coast of Maine. Natalie hasn't had any contact from her, then receives an unsigned email threatening to expose her secrets if she doesn't come to the island immediately.

The book involves a cult on an isolated island. It's by the author who wrote Darling Rose Gold, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Both seemed like reasons that I absolutely had to read it as soon as possible. But it never caught or held my interest. The chapters alternate between different characters, first Natalie and an unnamed character, then Natalie's sister and the same unnamed character. Every time something even a little interesting began to happen, the point of view would switch and my interest didn't hold until it switched back.

It's hard to say too much about this book without giving away spoilers. This was the second book I've read from Stephanie Wrobel, and I've enjoyed both, though I felt that Darling Rose Gold was a stronger story. That said, this book kept my interest throughout and I was eager to see where the story would lead. I was a little confused about characters and timelines for a bit, trying to figure out if/how they tied together, etc. I couldn't tell if it was intentionally confusing or if it was just me, but if it was intentionally confusing, it didn't really serve a purpose.

I think the author did a good job of making each of the characters flawed, but in such a way that you still had empathy for them. I could understand their struggles and what made them become the people that they were, even if I didn't find them likeable.

I did find what I considered to be a flaw in the storyline that made the larger plotline sort of fall apart in my mind, so I had to exert some suspension of disbelief to continue enjoying the story (I'm not mentioning specifics here as it would be a spoiler). And while I didn't dislike the ending, there was a part of me that was left wanting more. I wouldn't say it was a letdown, more just that I wanted things to go a bit further or deeper, or maybe have the "reveal" be something more shocking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley books for the ARC of This Might Hurt in exchange for my honest review.

Gut-wrenching, gripping, and utterly original.

Picture Tranquillim House from Nine Perfect Strangers located on Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island and you’ll capture the essence of This Might Hurt. I’m always drawn to books that focus on complicated female protagonists, sinister settings, and psychological twists. This story definitely delivers and I have no doubt this will be one of my favorite books of 2022.

Stephanie Wrobel’s second novel, This Might Hurt, is a work of pure psychological terror. If you’re familiar with her debut, Darling Rose Gold, published in March 2020, then you know you’re in for a twisted ride. This Might Hurt delves into themes of childhood trauma, reinvention, and self-empowerment. The story follows a young woman whose younger sister appears to be under the influence of a cult located on a secluded island off the coast of Maine. The story unfolds using dual narrative and timelines, is expertly paced, and highly addictive. It kept me hooked with each reveal, leading to a very unexpected end.

I was transfixed from page one. The characters’ backstories are thoroughly fleshed out and masterfully intertwined. I felt a distinct connection to each of them and even found myself justifying their questionable behavior throughout. Each one was detailed, well thought out, and believable. A scene that stuck in my psyche involves one of the protagonists nearly drowning in a lake while learning how to swim.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers, compelling female protagonists, eerie secluded settings, and cult themes.


Plot
Welcome to Wisewood. We’ll keep your secrets if you keep ours.
Natalie Collins hasn’t heard from her sister in more than half a year.
The last time they spoke, Kit was slogging from mundane workdays to obligatory happy hours to crying in the shower about their dead mother. She told Natalie she was sure there was something more out there.
And then she found Wisewood.
On a private island off the coast of Maine, Wisewood’s guests commit to six-month stays. During this time, they’re prohibited from contact with the rest of the world—no Internet, no phones, no exceptions. But the rules are for a good reason: to keep guests focused on achieving true fearlessness so they can become their Maximized Selves. Natalie thinks it’s a bad idea, but Kit has had enough of her sister’s cynicism and voluntarily disappears off the grid.
Six months later Natalie receives a menacing e-mail from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from Kit. Panicked, Natalie hurries north to come clean to her sister and bring her home. But she’s about to learn that Wisewood won’t let either of them go without a fight.

After absolutely loving Darling Rose Gold I was dying to read the authors follow up novel. The synopsis sounds so great, I love the cult vibes, the two timelines with one being a mystery unknown character and the many questions that needed answers. It ended up sounding way better than it was for me in the end and this isn’t one that I’ll be recommending unfortunately. The pacing was odd for me, at times things seemed fairly fast and then it would stall out and I think it’s because once Natalie arrives at the retreat too much time is spent on the mundane aspects of life their. I was curious enough about the unanswered questions to keep reading and had hoped that it would pay off in the end and it didn’t. The ending was actually the weakest part of the whole thing for me and if you know me then you know I hate nothing more than a weak ending. Overall this one was a disappointment for me. I would try the other again as I loved her first book but this one just didn’t work for me.

This Might Hurt, by Stephanie Wrobel

Short Take: What?!?! Just… WHAT??

(*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*)

Greetings from the deep freeze! It was minus four this morning, and since you all know how much I hate the cold, I’m just going to leave it at that and let your imaginations fill in the mighty rant against Mother Nature that would ordinarily be right up top here.

Because today, I have a book to discuss, and duckies, this one is a ride and a half. Natalie and Kit are kind of the stereotypical sister-opposites. Although both are mourning the death of their mother, Natalie is the Career Woman, with a business degree and a ten-year plan. Kit, on the other hand, is directionless and dysfunctional, careening from crisis to crisis with Natalie always on the ready to bail her out of her latest mess.

But then Kit leaves everything behind to join Westwood, a radical self-help program on an isolated island off the coast of Maine. After six months of no communication with her sister, Natalie is feeling an uneasy mix of concern,relief, and resignation. But then she gets a strange, kind-of-threatening email from a Westwood account, and goes in search of her sister, and oh my beloved nerdlings, that is when Stuff Gets Real.

This Might Hurt works very well on a number of levels. Natalie’s dual search for Kit and the sender of the email is harrowing, and the freezing desolation of the island makes it even more intense. But even more compelling than the present-day drama are the chapters from the past, when we see two young girls suffering a horrifically abusive childhood, and the moment where we see how these stories intersect is DIVINE.

I also find myself thinking of Westwood’s teachings at odd moments, and I have to say that although the methods of the place are a little (ok, a lot) extreme, there’s a small, glowing nugget of truth in what Teacher says - how many of our decisions, great and small, are motivated by a specific fear - of loss, or of ridicule, for example? How different would our choices be if we removed those fears, would our lives be better? Is it possible to remove all fear from our psyche, without also losing our humanity?

I just wish that the pacing of this book had been more even. I devoured the first half, but after that delicious reveal/twist at the midway point, it felt like the entire thing slowed down until the last couple of chapters.

Part of the problem, I think, is that for all the fun of watching these sisters move around the story, there wasn’t a lot of depth to the characters. The Career Woman vs. Party Girl is the new Smart Girl vs. Pretty Girl, and really, can’t we get past slotting women into neat little categories? It’s possible to be more than one thing, to want and achieve more than one thing, you know?

And that ending! I don’t know if I can say that I hated it, exactly, but it definitely felt like a letdown.

The Nerd’s Rating: THREE HAPPY NEURONS (and some thermal socks, STAT!)

I love the way this book started - the different timelines, then switching to the different character perspectives. But I got a lox in the final third of the book (Teacher vs Natalia vs Kit). Overall I enjoyed the book - the details and little descriptions of each character were really thought out. I can't decide if I like how much the book reminded me of the cult nxivm. I'm not super familiar with cults but did see the similarities (branding, 'higher self', not call the teacher by their name) the similarities seemed a little 'easy' for me.

Natalie has not spoken with her sister kid in more than half a year. When she gets an odd email, she goes to find Kit at Wisewood, a private island community.

Like many books that have different perspectives and timelines, I find one more interesting than the others. I liked the past chapters, but the current chapters were slow and I didn’t enjoy them as much. The reveal at the end didn’t really do it for me either. I would have liked to stay in the past and learn about the characters coming of age. I didn’t like this nearly as much as Darling Rose Gold, but I will still read what comes next.

“Isn’t it time to make a change? What are you so afraid of? What would your life look like if you started living it? Come find out.”

This Might Hurt comes out 2/22.

After spending a good part of the story thoroughly confused about who the main characters were, the novel suddenly changes locales and the tension in the story disappears. I struggled to finish but may consider future books by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

You know when you read a book by a debut author and it’s amazing, then they write another book and it’s not great? Fear not, that hasn’t happened with This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel. In the follow-up to Darling Rose Gold, Stephanie has created another suspense novel that will keep you guessing as you turn the pages.

I’m almost always interested in stories about cults and this takes us into what seems to be a pleasant break from the struggles of real-life… but is much more sinister.



Welcome to Wisewood. We’ll keep your secrets if you keep ours.

Natalie Collins hasn’t heard from her sister in more than half a year.

The last time they spoke, Kit was slogging from mundane workdays to obligatory happy hours to crying in the shower about their dead mother. She told Natalie she was sure there was something more out there.

And then she found Wisewood.

On a private island off the coast of Maine, Wisewood’s guests commit to six-month stays. During this time, they’re prohibited from contact with the rest of the world—no Internet, no phones, no exceptions. But the rules are for a good reason: to keep guests focused on achieving true fearlessness so they can become their Maximized Selves. Natalie thinks it’s a bad idea, but Kit has had enough of her sister’s cynicism and voluntarily disappears off the grid.

Six months later Natalie receives a menacing e-mail from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from Kit. Panicked, Natalie hurries north to come clean to her sister and bring her home. But she’s about to learn that Wisewood won’t let either of them go without a fight.

Highly recommended! Look for it on 2/22

2 or 2.5 stars. I did not enjoy this. Much of it was unnecessarily confusing. A good mystery is one in which the reader thinks, “I didn’t see that coming, but this makes sense,” not that the author purposely was coy about who was telling the story and during what time. There is jumping from sister to sister, Natalie and Kit, a storyline that makes sense even if it leaps around in time, and another story that’s hard to read because it involves an appallingly psychologically abusive father.

Natalie becomes worried about her sister when she disappears for six months in what Kit called a wellness retreat. Kit warned her sister that she wouldn’t have access to phones or other devices where they could contact one another, but Natalie stills worries. Natalie has a secret that, once it’s revealed, doesn’t seem like nearly such a big deal to me, but when Nat gets an email threatening to expose this, Nat decides it’s time to come clean and also make sure her sister is doing all right.

NetGalley provided an advance reader copy of this novel, which RELEASES FEBRURARY 22, 2022.

Stephanie Wrobel excels at crafting female relationships with complexity and nuances. In This Might Hurt, she explores feelings of grief and powerlessness. Natalie Collins and her sister Kit are both dealing with the loss of their mother, but in opposite ways. While Natalie has relocated to Boston and immersed herself in work, Kit has aimlessly wandered, from a sojourn in Thailand to a meaningless position at an accounting firm in New York. When she hears of Wisewood, a retreat dedicated to maximizing life and minimizing fear, Kit applies for the three month sabbatical in remote coastal Maine. Now, six months later, Natalie has not heard a word from Kit and is starting to question the program and teachings of Wisewood. In seeking freedom from fear, has Kit become slave to a new dogma? The dynamic power balance between Wrobel’s characters is engrossing and compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of This Might Hurt, by Stephanie Wrobel. Having loved Darling Rose Gold, reading this book was a must. However, it did not thrill and make the reader quickly turn the pages as Rose Gold did. This book was confusing from the beginning. The change of point of view was not clear and got even more mixed up as a 3rd point of view was introduced. I found myself putting off picking the story back up which made the confusion worse. While the story was interesting and the characters did eventually sort themselves out, I found this novel to be more time consuming than it was worth.