This book was phenomenal! It kept me intrigued throughout. I had been on a thriller hiatus because nothing was really sticking out but this renewed me.

Such a breathless page-turner! This book kept me guessing to the very last page. The ending was very satisfying. Taut writing and unpredictable story. Will read more by Robyn Harding!

A page-turner for sure. I enjoyed the pacing and character development and the dynamic between Lee and Hazel.

4-4.5 stars

I’m going to keep this review short and sweet because I don’t want to give away any spoilers. All you really need to know is that nothing is what it seems. The two women in this story (Lee and Hazel) are bonded by desperation and a need to survive, but the betrayal and lies surrounding them become so overwhelming. The twists throughout this story are so well crafted and shocking that you won’t be able to put this book down. If you love thrillers, you’ll love The Drowning Woman!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy of this book to review.*

Pub: June 13, 2023

Thank you @hbgcanada @grandcentralpub for the gifted copy of this book 🩵

Happy humid heatwave Wednesday 🥵

After reading a string of fantastic debuts, I've had the pleasure of reading several books by authors I’ve loved way before I knew about bookstagram.

I've been a big fan of Robyn Harding since her first novel, Her Pretty Face. If you haven't read it yet, you're in for a treat.

What constantly draws me to Robyn's books are her female characters. They are strong and interesting whether they are "good" or "bad." These distinctions are often hazy, in the best way possible, and The Drowning Woman is no exception. Lee and Hazel are good, bad and everything in between; but more importantly they are irresistibly readable.

The plot is tightly woven and the multiple POVs make it impossible to put the book down. Is Lee's POV the truth? Hazel's? Neither? I need to know!!

The twists are smart and there is one (no spoilers here) that made me smile with glee - it was just THAT GOOD.

The fact that I got to read it sitting by the ocean in the North Shore, Vancouver and then chat about it with @danythebookworm_ and @tinamayreads was just the icing on top of the cake.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘼 "𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙡, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥" 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩—𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜.

I read 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 last year and I had such a blast reading that book, therefore, I was so excited to pick this book up.

I did a combo of the ebook and audio, and I loved both methods. I think the narrators were extremely engaging and brought the story to life.

I was immediately intrigued by this story and the characters. I didn’t know who to trust, but I was definitely entertained. Lee and Hazel had such a complex relationship, there were times when it felt genuine and other times it felt fake.

We get dual POVs from Lee and Hazel. Both women are completely different when it comes to their lifestyles, but a scenario brings both women together.

The plot was so engaging. There were some twists I didn’t see coming, and at times I was yelling at these characters - but oh man, I had such a blast listening to these narrators.

Fast-paced, this story had my full attention the whole time. There was a moment in the middle of the book I didn’t care for, but I had such a fun time reading about the choices these women made… and the impact they left on one another.

I also loved the way the book ended, it felt so perfect

This is one of the most captivating thrillers I’ve read in a while. The tension was extremely high and unputdownable. There are twists and turns - and so much suspense! This was a terrific and enjoyable read. I would highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the review eARC and Novel Suspects for the complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

It really takes a lot for me to be captured by a thriller, especially one that isn’t a “specialty” one of sorts (if that even makes sense). This book had me on the edge of my seat and honestly a little stressed out through the entire thing. I had suspicisions on what was going to happen, but I truly couldn’t have guessed any of it.

The dual perspective narrators really made a difference for me with this one, with the back and forth between the two in the same time period, just from different perspectives. None of the characters were overly likeable, trustworthy or reliable, but boy did that ever work in this book! This thriller was a refreshing breath of air after so many medicore ones. If you’re looking for something to blow your mind, this is it!

Absolutely loved this book!! The twists and turns did stop coming and I did not picture the ending at all.

I couldn’t put this one down!

Lee and Hazel are two very desperate women in impossible circumstances. They forge an unlikely friendship to help each other move forward into a better future. But is either really who they claimed to be? And can they really trust each other?

This one really was impossible to put down, but I didn’t love some of the twists or the ultimate resolution. Still, it was a really fun ride!

Robyn Harding has done it again.
The Drowning Woman is an amazing thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next twist and turn!
#bestthriller2023

I really appreciated the twists in this book, which kept me guessing and led to a satisfying ending. Experiencing houselessness was an important element in the story and I felt that Robyn Harding did well illustrating the daily frustrations and degrading actions one must deal with to survive.

So freaking good! Harding is a favorite author and she brings another masterpiece with The Drowning Woman.
Twisty, edge of your seat thriller with a wealthy woman and a homeless woman mixed into an intoxicating story.
I loved it!

I looooved this book! Robyn Harding does it again. This was a riveting thriller about two different women who end up connected by circumstance and forge a kinship. It was very readable, addictive, and full of twists!

The Drowning Woman is Robyn Harding's latest suspense novel, and I've been reading her books for a few years. Each one improves, and the plot of this current one is fantastic. A homeless woman saves a stranger at the local beach, and their lives are forever changed. Harding does an excellent job of drawing readers' attention to the situation of the woman who lost everything in the pandemic and only wanted someone to give her a fresh start. And she finally understands. However, as soon as the first section of the book concludes, readers realize they have missed out on a lot. I've read a lot of books and frequently figure out what's actually going on behind the scenes.

Homeless, on the run, and fighting just to survive, former-restaurant owner Lee is just trying to keep herself protected after losing everything during the pandemic. She's got enough to worry about, nevermind a crying woman on the beach, but she saves her anyhow and a tentative friendship begins. Her friendship with Hazel feels like a turned corner, like good things are on the way, especially once she meets a man. Unfortunately, things with Hazel aren't all that they seem and Lee is sucked into her warped relationship.

It's almost impossible to review this book without giving things away. There's so much happening in this story, but the why, who, and how are so important to it and just talking about them feels like giving too much up. Lee is a tough character to like, her flaws show, but she's determined and she's caring, which makes her a good main character. Hazel, on the other hand, is beautiful, perfect, selfless, at least we think. With multiple parts, Harding gives readers a glimpse into the lives and thoughts of both women as they form a unique friendship.

The book has unique pacing, sometimes flying by and other times dragging, sort of like real life. It's twisted, as twisted as a normal-seeming life can be. Unfortunately, the characters are gullible or naive or something and I just couldn't get behind that. I've landed on 3.5 stars, because I struggled so much with the believability of the story even though I truly enjoyed, and could not put down, this book. It's a book I'd quickly recommend, knowing others wouldn't probably dissect it as much as I did.

Wow, this was one heck of a book. I absolutely loved how the author was able to grab me from the very first page and not let go until the shocking climax. There are two narrators in the book and both were engaging and I felt sucked into the multiple mysteries going on. I thought I figured out where the book was going, so I loved how the author took it in another direction. The characterizations were amazing and the writing style had me hooked. Will definitely read more from her ASAP!

This was a pleasant surprise! The story follows two women with two different problems. One is Lee, a woman at the end of her rope - she lost everything during the pandemic, and now is on the run from a loan shark. She lives out of her car, and is about to give up when she pulls out Hazel out of the water. We learn that Hazel is in an abusive marriage, and is looking for a way out - whether it's dying or running away. Lee agrees to help.

There are twists and turns, some very obvious and some very unexpected. I enjoyed Lee's perspective more than Hazel's, as her problems seemed more relatable - sometimes cards fall unlucky, while Hazel seemed to choose her own destiny, and now wants to change it.

Overall a very compelling, interesting read. Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Grand Central for my review copies.

I always enjoy Hardings writing. Her stories are interesting and her writing is done well and pulls you in.

Lee is a little more than down on her luck. She lost everything during the pandemic, her restaurant, her family, and her life as she knew it, and she’s now on the run living out of her car on the streets of Washington. That’s where she meets Hazel, a woman she saves from drowning. Hazel is not happy to be saved from drowning and the two spark an unlikely friendship. Hazel is trying to leave her abusive husband, and who better to help than Lee, a woman who has left her own shady past.

It’s not as easy as it seems to help Hazel leave her life behind. Told through the eyes of Lee and Hazel, we are unsure who to trust, and who is out to help, and who is just out to help themselves.

This was so fast-paced, twisted and an on the edge of my seat read. It’s up there with one of the best thrillers I’ve read in 2023 hands down.

I started out really enjoying this story, as the once successful Lee, now homeless and living in her car, rescues a woman, Hazel, from drowning, only to find out she is abused and desperate to escape, even if her only choice is death.

I’m officially sick to death of reading about abusive men. Can we just stop it? Can authors of thrillers try a new premise once in a while?

But the women in this story? Could they be any weaker and stupid??? Their behavior gives women a bad name. They make one ridiculous choice after another, choices that defy logic. If I listed them all, I’d give the entire book away.

The last 50% the story jumped the shark. There were twists upon twist upon twists, one more ridiculous than the last until my eyes were rolling out of my head. Even popcorn wouldn’t help this one.