Jake dated Sisi before he met Molly. Then Molly came along and it was electric. Fast forward six years Molly is married to Hunter and lives in the suburbs. Sabrina who is new to town befriends Molly without Molly knowing they share history.

If you can make it through the first half of the book, the second half is much better. Very slow moving but it does get better. There are some twists and turns but not until later.

Set in the past and present day and told from both Molly's and Sabrina's point of view.

What I expected to happen didn't happen so that was disappointing. No real watch your back scene. I finished reading and was unsatisfied. I wanted that big scene. Okay so there is one but lacks the gasp factor.

Sabrina annoyed me from the start. The rest of the characters were okay but almost predictable at times.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC

I'll come back to spruce this up before the book hits shelves.
I was a bit skeptical that this would live up to To Good to Be True at the outset, but I was proven wrong.
It was the same book in a lot of core ways, but very different, and I liked the ground they were both built from.
It's a "thriller" in that there's enough lying and intrigue to keep you turning pages, but this was really a story about broken people finding hope and happiness over the years.
I will say I wish the book hadn't revolved as much around the IVF stuff; it truly bores me to tears. It also comes up a lot in the domestic thriller sphere, and I guess I get why... I just would press fast forward on all of it if books came with that feature. I'd love to stumble into a book about a happy couple and their beloved pets for a change.

Carola Lovering does it again! If you enjoy romantic thrillers, you need to pick up Can't Look Away. I went in not knowing anything and suggest you do the same. All you need to know is Molly used to date Jake, now she's married to Hunter, but Jake's influence on her has never really left. Add in rich mom drama and a new friend in town and you have an absolute page turner, perfect for a day at the pool!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The author is new to me, although I had purchased an earlier book of hers on sale (Tell Me Lies). I'm not sure when I will get to it seeing how I really didn't enjoy this book.

I think one of the primary issues is how the book is being marketed as other reviewers have noted. This book is definitely NOT a thriller/ mystery. Coming off the heels of another book about obsession, this book was just so unevenly received. There were moments I enjoyed but about 35% in, my predominant thought was *boredom* I was close to dnf. It got a little better around 50-65% but like a roller coaster, I fell in and out of like with the entire concept, between the dueling time frames and narration. Nobody was that likeable or horrible, except maybe for Sabrina, even though her motivation had a sad origin. I felt like I was watching the music video for Monica and Brandy's hit song, That Boy is Mine. Except the boy in question was an immature aspiring, somewhat successful rock star and singer songwriter Jake Danners.

Maybe it was purposeful that a few of the side characters were more interesting, like Molly's friend Nina. By the time of Molly's daughter Stella's 6th birthday party I just wanted to finish the book. The revelation that was *suddenly* obvious was so eyeroll inducing. Look I do watch daytime soaps and even this was OTT ridiculous. I wasn't interested in fertility struggles and any whiff of cheating turns my stomach.
The obsession Sabrina had with Molly suddenly dissipates after she got what she wanted? As I said the plot was so uneven and as others said. Like a bad Lifetime movie. The writing just wasn't compelling enough and I just had to finish this book to move on to something by one of my favorite authors.

2.45/5☆

Thank you for the ARC.

I definitely read this quickly but the last quarter really lost me. I found myself hating every character that I didn't really feel emotionally invested in the ending.

This is a romantic suspense, maybe not so much thriller?!? Maybe even go as far as saying it's a domestic drama?!?! I really enjoyed it from the very beginning. Easily a 5-star read for me and it helped get me back into reading this month. Really enjoyed the ending and was very happy with this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Carola Lovering for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I love Carola Lovering's writing style and how she hooks you in right away. I couldn't put it down and I really enjoyed the short chapters, the multiple POV'S and different timelines. I wouldn't describe this necessarily as a thriller, but more as a romantic suspense/drama and while I did feel like it was a little predictable at times, there was a few twists and surprises that I didn't see coming which I loved. This gave me "You" vibes and I'm 100% here for it! Solid 4 stars for me and will definitely be recommending it and purchasing on release day!

Pro tip: don’t go into this as a thriller. This isssssss domestic drama thriller romance suspense?

This was messy, dramatic, and there’s thrilling moments for sure but overall this was an exciting genre bending moment.

Mannnnnnnn I do love these messy domestic drama thriller romance suspense books!

This has alternating POV and alternating timelines but as we work our way from last to present, it’s actually not hard to follow along. Also, there were def some twists along the way that kept me interesting.

Yay! I really enjoyed this one! A LOT!

Tysm for the ARC!

Molly falls in love with Jake, the leader singer of a band. They have quite the romance but it does not last. Fast forward years later and Molly has moved on, has a young daughter and a loving husband, Hunter. They live in quite an upscale community and Molly feels like she just doesn’t fit in. One day she meets newbie Sabrina and they instantly click. But not everything is as it seems with her new friend.

This was a solid, bingeable read. I read this within 48 hours. I enjoyed the then and now as well as multiple POVs. I wouldn’t classify this one as a thriller though. It’s more of a domestic suspense in my opinion, focuses more on the drama with some underlying suspense.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Review to be posted on my Instagram shortly.

Shortly after I started this book, I realized it was not for me. I did not connect with any of the characters at all. Instead of a thriller, which is what I was expecting, it's more of a YA book and I really just didn't care what was going to happen next so for that reason, I threw in the towel early. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Without a doubt, this was one of the most exciting books I have read in a while! There were so many times throughout the novel that I was left completely shocked by what happened. The pacing of it was great, and I felt as if I was watching a drama unfold on a show or movie. This is definitely a novel that you won't be able to put down until you find out how it ends!

Can't Look Away by Carola Lovering

Molly is young girl trying her best to become a writer when it happens, Jake Danner. He falls into her life and Molly's life with never be the same. Jake is trying to make it big with his band Danner Lane. It was on stage that Jake's eyes met Molly's eyes in the audience and he knew he had to know her. As Danner Lane has more and more success, it just becomes harder and harder for Jake and Molly. Jake just doesn't know how to prioritize between the band and Molly. Unfortunately Molly just seems to get left out.
Fast forward a few years, Molly has married Hunter and they have a daughter named Stella, living in the beautiful Flynn Cove. Molly and Hunter moved here to be closer to his mom and it was where Hunter grew up and learned to sail. It is perfect for young families but Molly just can't identify with any of the women. Until Sabrina moves in. They instantly have a connection and its exactly what Molly has always wanted. Sabrina frequently comes to Molly's yoga class, they have lunch together and she quickly becomes the girl Molly goes to for anything. And then, Molly meets her husband. How can it be that Sabrina is married to her Jake?! How did Jake end up married and in Flynn Cove?! Can Molly remain friends with Sabrina?

Carola Lovering writes Can't Look Away from Molly, Jake, and Sabrina's point of view. Lovering also goes back and forth between the past and the present. She does label each chapter with the character and the date so there is no confusion. I really enjoyed the first third of the book, got bored in the middle and then the last third gained momentum back up again. Women are crazy and some will go to any length at getting what they want. I would definitely be interested in reading other works by Lovering. Special thanks to NetGalley, Carola Lovering, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars for me.

It was April 2021 that I was first introduced to @carolatlovering with #toogoodtobetrue-one of my favorite books of 2021. Can’t Look Away was an excellent follow up.
It’s 2013 and Molly and Jake are in love. Jake is the frontman of an up and coming band which is gaining traction with their hit, “Molly’s Song.” Meanwhile, Jake’s ex-girlfriend Sabrina is keeping close tabs on Jake and Molly. Fast forward to present day when Molly is married to someone else and Sabrina mysteriously befriends the unsuspecting Molly. Unraveling Sabrina’s motives as well as catching up with the devolution of Jake and Molly’s romance made this a page-turning novel that was hard to put down.

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this ebook, which will be available on June 14.

I received an ARC of Carola Lovering’s latest, Can’t Look Away. I found it super interesting and suspenseful! She went back to her Tell Me Lies roots with this one, so if you loved that book like I did you’ll love this too. It explores topics like the dynamics of toxic relationships, what life could have been like if you’d chosen a different path, “the one that got away”, and some obsessive stalking. I read it in a few sittings because I couldn’t put it down. Comes out June 2022!

Trigger warning: miscarriage and infertility

Carola Lovering's "Can't Look Away" was like a breath of fresh air. This novel about the complexities of relationships when you're in your 20s is captivating from the start. Each character is so well drawn that it's easy to empathize with their choices (even when they're bad ones). This was my first novel by Lovering and I'll definitely be seeking more of her work.
Fast-paced, engaging, and full of captivating characters, this book was a definite win for me.

They met at a concert. Their eyes locked in over the maddening crowd. Danner Lane was the act for the evening and Jake Danner was the lead singer/musician. Molly Diamond, an aspiring novelist, didn’t want to go to the concert, but she couldn’t say no to her best friend, Nina. Through the music emanating from the band and the clamoring from concertgoers, Jake and Molly made a connection.

That was ten years ago. Molly Diamond is now Molly O’Neil and not Molly Danner. Molly gave up her aspirations of becoming a novelist. Instead, she now teaches yoga and is raising their daughter with her husband Hunter. Everything is seemingly perfect. And just when life couldn’t get any better, Molly is befriended by Sabrina – a student from one of Molly’s yoga classes. Little does Molly know that behind Sabrina’s friendship lies an alterior motive. A motive that could undermine everything that Molly has worked for.

Can’t Look Away is an interesting read. Not fully absorbing but there is enough substance that kept me engaged till the end.

I wasn’t too particularly fond of the characters since most of them were too shallow personality-wise for my tastes. That being said, the author did a fine job of fleshing out the characters to capture their personalities and subtle nuances.

The story unfolds from three points of view — Molly, Jake, and Sabrina. However, each view is from a third person perspective. This method of storytelling did take a little getting used to, but eventually the narrative begins to flow nicely.

I wouldn’t say that there weren’t any hitches to the storyline because to me there were at least a few. I won’t mention them there since that would give away the plot. I will say that there were some “Seriously?” and “Are you kidding me?” moments.

Overall, Can’t Look Away is an acceptable read. A solid three stars.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

First off, thank you to St Martin Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this digital ARC of Can't Look Away (hard copy also received)

Carola Lovering has done it again! I enjoyed this story about love, loss, and obsessions. The main characters are Molly, Jake, and Sabrina - well developed and relatable. Lovering tells the story giving the reader chapters dedicated to each of them. and the stories span over several years. The mixture of romance and thriller gave this a fresh feel and excited moments both hair raising and romantically! Really enjoyable read!

Molly has a great husband in Hunter and a darling five-year-old daughter, Stella. The snobby beachside town where they live makes Molly long for her college friends, so when Sabrina turns up, Molly believes she finally has made a local forever friend. Sabrina, however, has a calculated agenda that threatens Molly’s world.

This book definitely has vibes of Caroline Kepnes’s YOU in that Sabrina thinks of Molly in second person you, much like YOU’s protagonist Joe Goldberg thinks of Beck, the object of his obsession. And like Joe, Sabrina is very much the hero of her own story, and in her version, Molly stole something precious. The fact that Sabrina’s chapters are told in first person, while Molly’s are in third, and Sabrina gets the last say with the epilogue in her perspective makes the case that she is the protagonist.

Sabrina drives the story from her actions. Her all-consuming obsession with Molly and her desire to get back what she believes was taken from her creates tension. I really liked how each bit of information that she gained was shown adding plausibility to the tale.

Molly is a likable character with her bonds to her brother and mother and her dreams of becoming a published author. However, she has given up on her dreams and instead teaches yoga. I liked how her writing dreams are worked into her character arc.

The male characters of Hunter and Jake feel less lovingly crafted than the primary female characters. While Jake gets a bit more backstory to explain his complicated feelings around family, Hunter mostly seems to go with the flow. However, I liked how the women are in the spotlight, and Hunter gets a great moment at the country club which hints at him being a fully realized character.

While Hunter comes close, none of the characters are perfect people. They make bad decisions and act on their impulses. They each try to make the best out of their situations as they seek connection.

I devoured this book. I loved the way it was structured and the awesome epilogue. For me, this is a four and a half star read, rounded to five.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

I’m on the fence on how to rate this. The novel was okay, however, it’s marketed as a thriller and I don’t believe it was one. Not one twist was unexpected and I really didn’t love any of the main characters. Molly and Jake’s relationship was toxic, but so was her marriage to Hunter. There was a lot of stalker vibes from multiple characters.

This was a fun, suspenseful book! You follow three main characters through their twenties as they meet, fall in love, fall out of love, and try to figure out what is going to happen. Sabrina befriends Molly years later, and we come to find out that Molly used to date Sabrina's husband years earlier. Why is Sabrina so intent in meeting Molly? What are her intentions? I flew through this one in less than a day! I had to know what happened. Loved the NYC setting, as well.