The story reads like a lifetime movie. Way too much melodrama. Way too much about latching on (breast feeding). It was a story that took too long to tell. Janie had a secret. Max had a secret. Then a murdered woman, a misunderstanding and some good twists. I didn't really enjoy this book and wouldn't recommend it.

I'll give this 3 stars because it wasn't hard to get through, but it was really difficult to like or even empathize with any of these characters. This is the story of a new mom and her partner who keep all kinds of secrets from each other. Janie, the new mom, is insufferable. I have the feeling that she has post-partem depression but the whole "whoa is me, this is so hard, I don't even want to do this, the baby is always crying, etc." got old FAST. Her partner, Max, a Brooklynite hipster WASP, seems to disappear when things get "too hard." However, he hadn't done this to Janie until one night in March. And of course, a murder happens. And of course Max gets blamed. But is he the murderer? What other secrets has he been keeping? And apparently he's not the only one with a secret. Janie may or may not have had a one-night stand with a client and is her baby even Max's? Ugh. And the way this ended! I was glad to be finished it, frankly.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this e-arc.*

I have a few thoughts on this one. I definitely liked it and as a young mother, I could really connect with the MC going through life with a newborn. Motherhood was a HUGE theme in this book and it really worked for me to pique my interest. I felt that I had it all figured out about halfway through, but the ending was definitely unexpected! This is a great book for those who love domestic suspense and for those who can relate to the struggles of early motherhood and figuring it all out as you go.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Leah Konen for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Putnam for the copy of this ARC.

After loving Leah's last book, The Perfect Escape, I knew I'd have to pick this one u,p and it didn't disappoint. It was so fast-paced and bingeable that I finished it in a few short hours. So many chapters had shocking twists, which kept me really engaged and wondering where the story was heading. It also really appreciated the accurate description of new motherhood - constant nursing, anxiety about the baby, wondering if you're really cut out for it, etc. I really related to this and it made me like our MC Janie even more and understand where she was coming from. If you're looking for a thriller with lots of shady characters and twists that you'll devour quickly, this is a perfect read!

I think I'm in thriller burnout mode again. This was just ok.

Janie and her boyfriend Max have a young baby Freya. Janie is overwhelmed with new motherhood and all it entails, and has left her high powered job to take care of the baby. Max is trying to help out, and tells Janie to take the night off, he will care for the baby while she gets some sleep. When she wakes up in the morning, Max is gone, and it seems as if he has been gone for hours. When she calls his parents frantically, they brush her off. Janie knows something is wrong, and when the police show up saying a woman has been murdered and that Max is a suspect, Janie starts to uncover the many things Max has been hiding.

There are quite a few things I liked about this book, and also a few things I didn't.

I loved the realistic portrayal of new motherhood. It vividly took me back to those days of sleep deprivation and never feeling as if I was good enough. Just a warning, there is a lot of discussion about breastfeeding, pumping, etc. I really appreciated the authenticity, but some readers might think it's a bit much because it is mentioned quite often.

There are some decent twists in the story and I did like how everything came together in the end. Everything was logical and made sense, even though it really didn't as I was reading.

What I didn't care for and found head shaking was the armchair detecting Janie did. Seriously it is just stupid both the risks she takes and the information that she just happens to get that the police don't. And could Max not have left her a note? Sent her a quick text that said he had to leave town and he would explain later? Why so much subterfuge? And there are other people who are lying throughout the story whose lies just did not make sense at all.

In the end, I liked some of the book, some of it I didn't. It was a decent popcorn thriller and fairly fast paced. If you're looking for some entertainment and don't mind some eye rolling moments, you might enjoy it.

This was an interesting premise-- new mom wakes up and finds her partner and father of her baby gone. She seemed to have a lot of secrets and not love the idea of motherhood but is that enough to make someone disappear? I thought the plot was lively if a little tired at times. Lots of secrets and drama and text messages.

Gripping, hard to put down and full of twists!

Janine wakes up to a crying baby and wonders where Max, her musician boyfriend is. She tends to their daughter and goes back to sleep. In the morning, Max is still not home and is not answering his phone. Anxious and sleep deprived she begins making calls. No one seems too worried about Max being gone, but Janine knows that something isn't right. This is out of character for him. He is a devoted father and loving partner. He has been supportive to her as she struggles with being a new mother. She knows Max wouldn’t just leave; something must be wrong!

When the police show up asking for Max, Janine is shocked. She was going to file a missing person’s report, but what the police tell her is beyond shocking. Max was seen at a bar where a woman was found murdered! Why did he leave without telling her? Who was this woman?

Reeling, Janine slowly learns that Max had secrets, things she never knew. But can she judge him when she has a secret herself?

Who much do you know the person you love? What impact do secrets have?

I found this book to be a fast read which kept me on my toes. I enjoyed the mystery and thought I had things figured out, but the reveal took me by surprise. Secrets always have a way of coming out in the end.

Another solid book by Konen. I look forward to what she writes next.

"A devoted father. A loving partner. A suspect for murder..."

This is very engaging and has a mostly unpredictable premise. It cleverly becomes super intense and I enjoyed the thrill of the mystery and hunt for the truth.
I loved the character Janie! She is consumed with a new baby and the struggles that endure during feedings. She brings postpartum and depression to light. The plot thickens when her boyfriend, Max, offers to get the early A.M. feeding, so she can rest. He has been the most supportive father that she has envied their relationship. She is awaken to her daughter's screaming in the night....Max is no where to be found.

Max has vanished and the police are at the door questioning Janie of his whereabouts. A woman's body was found outside the bar he was seen leaving. Was this man she loved capable of murder? There are so many underlaying secrets yet to be revealed by both. "You Should Have Told Me" is a great title for this book. A lot of twists at the end, when I thought it was finished....just wait.
Thank you NetGalley and G.P Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review!

4.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the E-Arc. This book had me reading everything and silent screaming at my phone since one of the places I read was at work because I NEEDED TO finish reading. This story hit close to home on the feelings that the MC felt towards her daughter not everyones way into motherhood is easy. The one thing that stuck with me was how much Lies affect us all lying to ourselves, lying to others to protect them, even lying because we are bad people. I Loved this book such a awesome read.

While many aspects of the plot align with other suspenseful reads I’ve read, this was still fun and bingeable. I saw that the author got a lot of flack for her depiction of a mother struggling with motherhood, and I think she actually did a good job painting the "less than picture perfect" reality that many mothers face. In fact, her author's note provides additional context that only increases my respect for her choices in this book. Was this book totally unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read? No… but was I entertained? Absolutely.

I LOVED this book! From the new mom dealing with postpartum depression/thoughts to the murder mystery. Postpartum depression and breastfeeding is such a stigma and not talked about much but as a mom of three I understand and connect on a different level to the main character Janie. When Max went missing my mind went a mile a minute. It was a wild ride; a riveting and twisty psychological thriller that will keep you flipping the pages or glued to your earbuds like me.

I would have never guessed who the murderer was and it left my mind reeling. This is definitely a book that shouldn’t be missed!

Thank you to @PRHaudio for the complimentary audiobook and Penguin Group Putman and NetGalley for the complimentary ebook in return for my honest review!

Rating this 4.5 stars but rounding up to 5 stars on Goodreads.

My review will be posted on Instagram (thriller_book_sisters) closer to pub date.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5

What a gripping, addictive, fast paced psychological thriller! This was a quick and easy read. I always love Konen’s writing style, which is why she is an auto-buy author for me. Her storylines and characters are always so addictive and engaging. This one leaves you asking yourself…do you really know those who are closest to you and who you trust?

Janie is a new mom and loves her new baby girl, but she is struggling with feeding and sleep, and is desperate for some help. Her boyfriend, Max, is a great father and very supportive, that is…until Max suddenly disappears.

Janie learns that this is not the first time that Max has up and vanished, so she doesn’t think too much of it…that is, until a woman turns up dead and Max is considered to be the suspect. This leaves Janie questioning everything, and wondering if she really knows Max like she thought she did. Can someone you trust and love be a complete stranger? Janie will soon find out…

KONEN DOES IT AGAIN! Loved this twisty suspenseful psychological thriller! There were times when I thought I knew what was going to happen, but then it did not, so I was always on the edge of my seat and wanting to finish the book to find out all the answers!

My only complaint and why I dropped a star off was due to the fact that our MC, Janie, was breastfeeding for most of the book-there was way too many mentions of this and it definitely could have been cut down by a lot.

Pick this one up if you like a good, twisty, bingeworthy psychological domestic thriller!

You Should Have Told Me is an outstanding domestic thriller from hit author Leah Konen. The story follows new mom Janie struggling with postpartum. Her partner Max is very supportive even offering to do the nighttime feedings until one night he is missing. And then Max becomes the prime suspect in a woman's murder. Did he do it? Does Janie really know her partner at all? Filled with suspense and plenty of twists throughout, this one is sure to keep readers glued to the pages. Highly recommended! Be sure to check out You Should Have Told Me today.

Janie is a new mom to an adorable baby girl. She is struggling with sleep and feedings, but her boyfriend Max is supportive and helpful. One day though, Max just disappears. She can't find him anywhere and his parents and friends are not too worried as this is something he has done before. That is, until a woman was found dead and Max is considered a prime suspect!! Did Janie really know Max at all?

YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME is a fast-paced novel full of twists and turns. I didn't guess the final twist so that is always a bonus for me. If you are looking for a well-written mystery, I think you'll enjoy this one. This was the second novel I have read by Leah Konen and I look forward to reading more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam, for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be shared on my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that the author of All the Broken People had a new book out, I knew that I had to read it right away!
You Should Have Told Me by Leah Konen revolves around Janie, who is struggling with new motherhood. One day, she wakes up and her partner Max has disappeared. Then, Max becomes a suspect in a woman's murder. What is going on? How could Max have vanished on her? It's up to Janie to find answers.

Here is a chilling excerpt from the Prologue:

"HE KNOWS.
He knows, and he’s planning the worst.
I burst through the wooden door, shaking with adrenaline from what I’ve just done.
Foolish. Far-fetched. Sending him away like that. But I had no choice. I’ve been over it and over it. I had no choice.
I beeline through drunk girls and the guys trying to lure them home, past the bartender I’ve never liked and the pool table whose felt is rough, patched in spots.
...
How could I have made such a stupid, thoughtless mistake?"

Overall, You Should Have Told Me is a domestic thriller that won't be able to put down! As mentioned before, I am a huge fan of the author's previous domestic thrillers. One highlight of this book is that there is tons of suspense. Another highlight of this book is how you will get wrapped up into the story. I was invested in Janie's predicament and couldn't stop reading until I found out the truth. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of domestic thrillers in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in January!

This one unfortunately ended up falling flat for. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for a thriller at the time.

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review

An incessantly screaming newborn.
A missing husband.
A local woman murdered, with said husband being a primary suspect.
Put all those together and it is not something an already struggling mother wants on her plate. However, that is the situation the narrator, Janie, finds herself in.

For a book based on secrets, Janie has quite the task - protecting her husband, Max, while trying to uncover the truth about what he is hiding.
Is he a killer? I didn't think so, but the evidence doesn't look good.
Is he cheating? Maybe.
Is he protecting someone else? Likely.

For as messy as Janie's life has become post motherhood, she does a pretty good job of managing everything thrown at her. I would have had a nervous breakdown. Then you add to that her own personal secret, and you have a big mess.

While I had my suspicions about who the killer may be, I didn't work out all of the twists. And what I loved most was how Janie truly became a mother when a threat was leveled at her. An awakening moment.

Overall, this was a fast paced mystery that kept me guessing. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This is the first of Leah Konen's thrillers that I read and I will definitely be going to check out her backlist now, too! A missing husband, a dead body and so many secrets in between are just some of the details that had me flying through Konen's You Should Have Told Me. I'm not always one for books where a new mother is the main character as it's a bit unrelatable for me, however, this was not the case with this one - I enjoyed immensely.

Thank you to Putnam for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This suspenseful drama had me flying through pages to find out what truths would be revealed next!

Janie is an exhausted new mom in the throes of some postpartum issues, feeling unable to connect with her new baby girl. Her partner, Max, is an incredible support for her and she doesn’t know what she would do without him. Unfortunately, her strength is tested when Max goes out late one night and doesn’t come back home the next day. His family is eerily unconcerned, his best friend comes to stay and help out, and Jamie is left feeling like the only one who cares that Max is missing. When the police show up saying Max was seen at a bar that night and that a girl was murdered, Janie is forced to examine her relationship and her partner with new eyes, trying to find lies and clues.

The storytelling here is intriguing, as we dive in to Max’s past and delve deeper into Janie’s trust issues and need for privacy. Janie is a sympathetic character who is going through a period of upheaval and struggle in her life, and I was right there with her not knowing who to believe. The twists were unexpected and it was just an enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I found "You Should Have Told Me" by Leah Konen to be an addictive, interesting & well written thriller that pulled me in right away & didn't let me go until its final page.
The twists kept coming & everytime I thought I knew what was going on, Ms. Konen would through out another unexpected twist.
I would love to read another book by Ms. Konen.