I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Wendy Clarke's latest thriller BLIND DATE.

Definitely a slow burn psychological thriller, BLIND DATE never really picks up for me. It just sort of meanders through Melanie's somewhat haphazard life leaving a trail of questions in its wake. Slow burns generally bore me but I have to say this one didn't although it didn't get much better than how it started either. It is rather dark and unsettling at times but it also leaves the reader questioning Mel's actions, a 38 year old recently divorced woman who really should know better.

Melanie Abbot works as a morning co-host for Lock Radio alongside her two best friends Simon and Chris. But on this particular morning she discovers in the after show briefing that she has been pulled from the breakfast slot - due to a plummet in ratings - and is moved to the late night programme - aka the graveyard shift (cue creepy atmosphere, dark shadows and maybe a stalker to add to the tension of a 2am finish). We just know when she is given that timeslot that something very definitely is going to happen. But it doesn't begin there. First comes the blind date...which isn't actually a blind date. So what exactly is it?

Harangued by her co-hosts (now formerly) to join them on a night out on the town, Mel reluctantly agrees but mainly due to the fact she doesn't want to return to the marital home she still shares with her now ex-hubby who has brought his girlfriend home to share the bed that Mel once shared with him. Awkward and insensitive much. Chris had been hounding her about this guy he wanted her to meet anyway but Mel couldn't think of anything worse. But when she sees the stranger across the room and feels the weight of his stare, she is instantly attracted. And from thereon-in she begins to make some pretty stupid decisions.

Waking the following morning to an empty bed and locked in a room, Mel is confused as to what happened the night before. She remembers meeting Malik, kissing him and going home with him...but nothing else. When Malik returns to the room, Mel is reassured that all is well and she must have been imagining things. And despite knowing next to nothing about the man, she continues to meet with him and sleep with him. Why, I've no idea. Because the man seems to blow hot and cold with her that she has no idea where she stands with him. And yet still she goes home with him again and again. Until one morning, she awakes to an empty bed once again and locked in the room. Feeling a bit too weird about it, she manages to pry open a window and makes her escape without so much as a word to Malik.

But Mel's troubles don't stop there. Since taking over the late night radio show, she has been receiving calls from a woman who appears to be frightened of her partner who locks her in the room and all at once she begins to draw similarities to her own situation. Could this woman be talking about Malik? Suddenly she feels afraid to leave the station after the show in the early hours, especially when finding her tyre slashed one night and the feeling of being watched. But despite all warnings, Mel continues to make stupid decisions.

And then the threatening messages start... Who is doing this and do they know her darkest secret?

Despite the agonisingly slow start, BLIND DATE doesn't really pick up much more and yet you find yourself unable to stop reading. And I'm glad I stuck at it because while I figured out some aspects, there was a final twist at the very end which I found to be a delicious note to end on.

I'm not sure what I expected from BLIND DATE because I find the author's thrillers to be a bit hit and miss at times but it was still a relatively enjoyable read on some levels. For non-stop thrills and action, this isn't the book but it certainly keeps you guessing throughout.

Overall, a tense read that was equally unsettling at times, BLIND DATE is perfect for fans of slow burn thrillers.

I would like to thank #WendyClarke, #NetGalley,/b> and #Bookouture for an ARC of #BlindDate in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading Blind Date. It was a definite page turner for me. I found the characters interesting but not very likeable. It had plenty of twists and turns throughout and it kept me hooked right to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

CW: divorce, gaslighting, infidelity, miscarriage, abortion

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Melanie is recently divorced and working in radio, when she finds out she's being moved from the Breakfast Show to the Late Night show. She also meets a man at the bar who seems a bit off, but she feels an intense passion for him. When things start to get strange, especially in the late-night radio segment "True Confessions," Mel must decide if she's going to continue turning a blind eye or actually address what's going on around her.

An interesting story, but I definitely started to get frustrated with the main character. I think that's the point, but still worth noting. Most of the book felt average. The ending was pretty good though, with some questions remaining unanswered. This book is great if you're looking for something a bit different.

I tried to read this book. Not sure why but just was not what I wanted it to be. I Will try again to read it

Wow, this is one twisted, intense, psychological thriller, which I read in 2 days.

I've read all of Wendy Clarke's previous books. I love her writing style and always eagerly await her next novel.

In Blind Date, the plot is so cleverly constructed. Everyone appears to have something to hide, and just as I thought I'd figured it out, along comes another twist and then another and I was proven completely wrong. I loved it!

The setting of the radio station was fascinating and incredibly well researched. I found it so interesting to read about the different types of shows and dynamics between the presenters, the atmosphere created during the late night show was wonderfully eerie and sinister.

The characters were so cleverly written that suspicion falls on almost everyone throughout the story. I did find Mel frustrating at times, however her portrayal was incredibly realistic of someone caught up in an intense and intoxicating relationship.

I highly recommend this book for lovers of tension filled suspenseful psychological thrillers and can't wait for the author's next book.

Thanks to publishers Bookouture and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a great book. Recently divorced Mel is living with her ex-husband when she moves from her morning show as a radio DJ to the late show. Simon and Chris have been her friends for years and have offered to set her up with a friend. This when she meets Malik and she starts to get stalked. This book is a whirlwind. I personally enjoyed it and look forward to reading more by the author.

First, I want to thank Wendy Clarke, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

OMG!! WOW!! Blind Date by Wendy Clarke is my favorite psychological thriller of the year!! OH YES!!! This is go run out and buy this book and put it on your tbr list! This is a book that EVERYONE will be talking about!! I can see this being a best seller for Wendy. Infact, this must be made into a Netflix movie or series! Ohh it would be so good on the small screen!!

I was immediately drawn to the beautiful cover and the title! Having been on some not so great blind dates I was interested to read this book. BOY. OH. BOY. I was not expecting this incredible read!!

Wendy is an incredibly gifted storyteller. Her writing style is very unique and different from the rest. I found it very refreshing.

These characters were definitely put into some awkward situations. I don’t know how I would have handled some of their situations.

You may want to clear your schedule for this book! This book will suck you in like you have never before! It is incredibly fast paced and you won't want to put it down till you know how it ends.

One aspect of this book that I found fascinating was learning all about the world of late night radio. The storyline that played into that really caught my attention.

Blind Date is dark, deep, intense, creepy at times, mysterious, heartbreak, mind blowing, etc.

A book full of great characters that will keep you hooked.

Mel is a radio presenter and things are not going well for her at the moment. She is currently sharing a house with her ex-husband, she’s lost her slot on the breakfast show and she just doesn’t feel like herself. When one of her friends offers to set her up on a blind date she refuses but then she sees the man and thinks, where’s the harm ?!?!

Things suddenly start getting worse for Mel as she takes over the late night show and soon the police are involved. Is it Mel being targeted ? Or is it the radio station ? Or maybe just coincidence ? Could her blind date have something to do with everything ? How well does Mel really know the people in her life ?

The suspense is built up slowly in this one and nearly every character raises suspicion, so you will definitely be kept guessing. Secrets are a plenty and there are lies everywhere !! All in all a good read with some very dodgy characters !!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

If you are looking for a thrilling read that will keep you n the edge of your seat, with plenty of twists and turns, then you won't go far wrong with Blind Date. It tells the story of Mel, a recent divorcee who suddenly finds that her career is also on the line.
She gets shifted from the radio breakfast show (you know, those relentlessly cheerful and "funny" radio shows that you get on local radio) to the graveyard shift. The show is very different and it's not long before Mel starts to get drawn into the lives of some of the callers that contact her. When she meets a man that her friends have set her up with, who seems to be quite mysterious, even though she can't avoid the draw to him, everything starts to blur together and Mel finds herself at a loss to know who to trust.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this book. Some of them I saw coming and I did know who was behind the various things that Mel was facing. It wasn't that they were overly obvious, but there were certainly some hints if you were looking for them.
This was a gripping read and one that I was reluctant to put down. Interestingly, not all of the questions were answered, but that didn't really detract from the storyline, if anything it added to the interest and enjoyment of the read.
Overall this was a great book and one that I would recommend.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

I wanted to love this book, the premise is right up my alley and I'm a sucker for psychological thrillers and what could be better than a creepy late night radio call where people dial in anonymously with their true confessions.

I nearly gave up a third of the way in but I HATE not finishing books, especially when you keep thinking - its going to get good, its going to have a killer ending but I am sorry to report this one did just not do it for me. The main character is so annoying, narcissitic and makes bizarre decisions. ,Recently divorced but still living with her ex and then ousted from her regular morning slot to the late night show Mel is pissed off with life. The weird obsessive "family like" friendhsip between the radio cohosts was rammed down your throat and honestly the first half of the book explored this IN DEPTH to the point I started skipping big sections.

I hate not loving books, I see other reviews have given it a perfect 5 stars but for me this falls short and barely scrapes a 2 :(

Well this was interesting and it was what is a most used phrase a page turner. A lot of the book didn't make that much sense until the end when it all came together. The ending was fantastic and really suited the plot.

I thought the main character was a bit daft and cannot believe what she was doing most of the time especially in these times - this is the bit I struggled with.

I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

Some reviews you know instantly what to say/write this has taken me ages 😎
Readability was fine, some good characters, nice setting and based at and in a radio show which was enjoyably different, was great to read how a show works for the presenter (s) and how the dynamics change between the day and night shifts and how late night callers ‘tell all’ to the night D.J., very well researched by the author and built an easy picture in the readers mind
But the story was confusing on some levels, the title ‘Blind Date’ imo a bit of a red herring and only a very small bit of the complete story, it’s more about infatuation and denial, unrequited love maybe and jealousy, and there is a few kicks in it that came as a surprise but maybe a few too many ‘things’ that all came together at the end to make it make sense that were a bit too unbelievable and am still not sure why some of the characters were in the book
Perfectly acceptable read though and not once did I think not to finish it, worth the read for the radio station insight

6.5/10
3 Stars

Blind Date by Wendy Clarke

You think this will be a simple jaunt into a blind date with a suspenseful peak and end. In this one that will not happen…so many turns you will question everything. Waiting in silence watching…someone has plans for another kind of blind meet up.

▪️Author: Wendy Clarke @wendyclarke
▪️Publisher: Bookouture
▪️Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
▪️Release Date: October 29, 2021

Morning radio talk show host Melanie is set up on a blind date after a painful divorce. She has many life changes happening with being transferred from her morning show to the nighttime radio show that includes the True Confessions hour. Weird calls come in with a caller confessing that the person she is seeing has killed someone. Mel feels connected to this caller and wants to help, is she in danger should she call the police to help her or hope that she calls again. The situational similarities between her and the caller are messing with her instincts. Her former morning cohosts are concerned Mel is overlooking the fact she does not really know her new boyfriend.

#blinddatebook #booksbooksbooks #fallreads
#donotbothermeimreading #bookfeature #newbook #goodreads #reading #reader #readersgonnaread #psychlit #bookclub #friendshipandfiction #booklover #wendyclarke

I absolutely adore Wendy Clarke, she is a Bookouture gem! I am never disappointed to find she has a new release and this has definitely taken me on a rollercoaster ride.

This is filled with tension and suspense, the plot is well written and completely addictive. I started this book before bed and was kept up far too late because I was so unwilling to put this down.

This is filled with mystery and tension, parts of this book will make your heart pound. I have been consumed by this one and completely unable to predict where it was going.

Melanie is a character I have really liked, the journey through this one with her has kept me guessing and completely captivated.

This is quite possibly my new favourite by this author, I have nothing negative I can say. This has been an absolute delight to read.

Melanie is a recently divorced woman in her thirties who still shares her house with her ex-husband. They sleep in separate bedrooms and are amicable towards one another. Melanie was supposed to move out ages ago, however, she can’t find a place that is suitable.

She works as a breakfast radio presenter for a local station, alongside Simon and Chris. They’ve been working together as a team for past eight years, and call themselves the Three Musketeers because of their friendship. They always have each other’s backs.

One day, Chris and Simon invite her for a night out, but she refuses to go. However, she has a tremendously dire day, both at work and at home: her ex wants his new girlfriend to stay the night, and she finds out she is being demoted from her prime breakfast slot into a less desirable graveyard shift. Melanie reckons she might as well go with the boys and have some fun.

During the night out, she meets her blind date, Malik, whom she finds alluringly handsome and desirable. They have an instant connection, a spark. Melanie feels alive again. They spend the night together and during the night, Mel wakes up in Malik’s shabby and miserable looking flat. What’s even worse, he’s locked her in… However, she puts it down to her being drunk and falls asleep again. In the morning, Malik is back, but unease settling in, she sneaks out of the flat, vowing never to see him again.

Soon, Mel starts her new night time slot and strange things begin to happen: her tyre is slashed, she reckons someone is entering the building to the radio station. Part of her new show are ‘True Confessions’ where listeners call in wishing to make a confession. One night, Melanie receives a phone call from Natalie who sounds frightened and conveys that her boyfriend has killed someone. Natalie keeps ringing each night, and Melanie feels drawn in, wanting to help.

Soon, the strange occurrences escalate and Melanie is in danger. Malik also reappears in her life and for some reason, she can’t say no to him. They resume their peculiar relationship. What’s more interesting is that Melanie has a secret of her own and it seems that Malik knows about it. Moreover, her friends Simon and Chris are so overprotective that they try and steer Melanie away from Malik, and the more they try, the more she resists…

Is Malik the one trying to scare Melanie? Why would he do that? Can Melanie help Natalie? What is Melanie’s secret? You’ll have to find out for yourself.

I really enjoyed this book, however, I was a bit annoyed with Melanie’s reckless behaviour, as she kept going back to Malik. As I was reading, I was thinking ‘Why?’ and ‘Don’t do it!’. That was probably why it made her such an interesting character. I also found it odd that it took her so long to move out of the house – it’s almost as if she didn’t want to move on with her life. I really liked the ending, I must admit that I suspected that particular person, but the penny dropped a couple of chapters before the ending, and it was exquisite.

This book is about how much we don’t know a person. We think we might know someone very well, but deep down, we don’t really know what they are thinking and what compels them to act they way they do. It is a great psychological thriller, out on 29/10/21 and I thoroughly recommend it.

A good well written book that held my interest throughout with well developed characters, some likeable, some not.

If I am honest I did prefer the two previous books from this author but nevertheless this was a good read and I would definitely recommend.

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

Melanie is a radio show host in Manchester. She is recently divorced, and still living in the house with her ex-husband. As the story goes on, we get to know this ensemble cast, and everyone is suspect. Anything more would be spoilers!
I really like the author’s descriptive writing style, which is moody and atmospheric at times. Recommended!

Mel is a radio Dj who was set up on a blind date by her close friends. She was adamant at first but when she met Malik, she was smitten and weirdly attracted to him. Being lonely and a divorcee, will she be vulnerable to deception?

At first, I was so involved with the story because of Mel's job. I've always wanted to be a radio Dj and learning how things work in the studio was very exciting for me. But, it turned sour as the story went on. The main character is unbelievably stupid making bad choices after choices it drove me nearly crazy. Like, there were red flags all over the place and she didn't care. She is a bad person and I didn't feel sorry for anything that's happened to her. She deserved it.

Would I recommend this book? I would, some of my friends will love this. But, personally, I'd rather stay away.

Cheers to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This was a great book that had plenty of twists and turns through out. I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to the publishers at Bookouture and Netgalley for this e-ARC of Blind Date.

Melanie is a radio host for a local Breakfast Show she co-hosts with Simon and Chris. The Three Musketeers, they’ve been working this set for 8 years. One day, Melanie is moved to the late night show, and that’s when things begin to change dramatically for her. She meets a man at the bar while trying to heal her still fresh wounds from her recent divorce, and tells him all about her new gig. When she begins to get strange calls during the Midnight Confession time slot, Melanie doesn’t know who to trust, because Melanie has a secret of her own. One that she can’t ever let anyone know.

I’ve never read a Wendy Clarke novel before, but Blind Date felt a bit predictable at times. The ending definitely got me though, which I enjoyed! Certain parts felt rushed or glossed over, and while I was still left wondering about certain aspects of the plot, most of it was cleared up enough. The villain of the story was someone I didn’t entirely see coming. Overall, this was an okay read, and if you’re interested in reading about a radio studio setting, you’ll probably really enjoy this thriller! 3.5 stars

Blind Date releases October 29th!