Mary Kubica’s, newest thriller, She’s Not Sorry did not disappoint. The story follows Meghan, an ICU nurse, as she cares for her coma patient, Caitlin. A lot of the story revolves around Meghan, Caitlin, and Caitlin’s family as they try to learn what led to her coma. At the same time Megan is reconnecting with a former classmate, Nat, and helping her through some marital abuse. In addition to all this, Meghan is trying to take care of her daughter and navigating life after a divorce. Another subplot involves a rapist that is attacking women in the city.

The first 30% of the story was a little boring and I wasn’t sure where any of it was going. But the second half definitely picked up and I really couldn’t put it down. I kept trying to figure out how all the pieces were going to come together when the big twist hit. I was shocked. This was a great thriller that I definitely enjoyed. However, I feel the ending was too rushed and I wanted to know a little bit more regarding all the subplots of the story. There were some that I felt didn’t get resolved and felt very disconnected like I was reading two different books. It just seemed to be a lot of things happening that maybe were unnecessary or distracting.

All in all, I did enjoy this story. Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC.

Megan is a single mom and works as an ICU nurse in Chicago. She is assigned to care for a patient name Caitlin who is suffering from a brain injury and is currently in a coma. The story is broken into two different parts. The characters are well developed and I was definitely suspicious of all of them. There’s a few different storylines going on but it was entertaining to see all the pieces come together and figure out how everything is connected. Kubica does a fantastic job writing suspenseful books and I did not want to put this one down!

4.5 STARS - This is a well-paced, twisty domestic thriller that kicks off with a compelling prologue and follows with a multi-plot story which has great tension and jaw-dropping twists that will have readers devouring this book in a sitting or two.

A sense of dread and foreboding pervades this mystery that begins with ICU nurse Meghan being assigned to Caitlin Becker, a young woman who tried to commit suicide but survived a 20-foot fall from a bridge. Meghan quickly bonds with Caitlin's family and soon starts digging into what happened. Figuring out how and why this young woman fell begins a suspenseful story with multiple plot lines, including a blast from Meghan's past and an attacker preying on women.

Kubica gives readers a few red herrings and I was suspicious of them all ... well, except for the identity of the attacker who I guess very early on. But the main plot had me at hello with a well-placed and shocking twist that made me see everything in a new light. I gasped out loud, people. It was that good of a twist.

Wee beef: Readers will have to suspend disbelief over some plot points and Meghan's penchant for naivete which were great to propel the story but were not quite believable.

This bingeable thriller is filled with tension and Kubica successfully weaves doubt and interesting connections that will keep your inner book nerd on high alert. Expect to be surprised. Expect to have your initial assumptions turned on their heads. And expect to be thoroughly entertained.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Park Row Books for the advanced digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

What an amazing thriller! Just when I thought I had it figured out another curve ball was thrown my way. I was guessing until the very end.

Summary of book-
Megan is an ICU nurse, a single mom who recently divorced from her husband. As a nurse she is careful not to get attached to her patients but this new patient Caitlin has her Asking a lot of questions. Caitlyn is in the ICU due to a traumatic brain injury from falling from a bridge. There are questions as to whether it was an accidental fall, an intentional jump or a push off the bridge. In addition while attending a divorce support group, she runs into Natalie a woman that she went to high school with over 20 years ago. Natalie is in an abusive relationship and Megan is drawn to help her.

I did truly enjoy this book, and I really enjoyed the way the author was evil to include multiple storylines. For example, the way Kubica integrated the domestic violence theme was very realistic. She truly nailed on the head the intricacies of domestic violence, and the myriad of emotions many victims feel. A lot of details to take in throughout the book to really absorb this thriller.

This book will be available on April 2 and I highly recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley, Mary Kubica and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advance copy of this book.

arc review

First, I'd like to thank my @thrillersbythebookclub.mke leaders for giving us the opportunity to read this ARC. After loving Local Woman Missing, I was excited to see positive early feedback for She's Not Sorry and get started.

Go in blind to this one. It's intense! There are quite a few reveals that kept me on my toes. The first big one made me gasp! At the end I thought 'wow, Meghan's had one of the craziest few months ever!'.

Read if you like thrillers with:
- mother-daughter relationships
- domestic suspense
- frigid, Chicago settings

Rating: I really liked it! (4)

Thanks to Harper Collins, Harlequein Publishing, and Park Row Books along with NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Meghan is a divorced mother who works long hours as a ICU nurse in a Chicago hospital. It’s just another day until she gets her patient assignments and see that she will be caring for a suicide survivor: Caitlyn. Caitlyn is in a coma and may never wake up but attending to Caitlyn hits a bit too close to home given Meghan’s family history. On top of that, there is a man running around her neighborhood attacking and sexually assaulting women. Meghan just wants to live a normal life with her daughter and help people, but that is easier said than done.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s an easy read that kept me hooked. I felt smug that I knew the answer to one twist only to be hit with several more! I had trouble putting it down and felt Meghan’s emotions coming off the page. If you like mystery and thrillers, you will definitely enjoy this book as well.

A Delightfully Dark Novel of Unrelenting Tension

SUMMARY
Meghan Michaels is a divorced, single mother of a teenager and works full-time as an ICU nurse. She tries to stay emotionally detached from her patients, but when a young woman, Caitlin, who either jumped off or was pushed off a bridge, comes under her care, Meghan finds herself getting too close. She becomes emotionally entangled with Caitlin and her family and soon realizes that she and her daughter's lives may be at risk.


REVIEW
She's Not Sorry begins with a slow roll, much like the trains outside Meghan’s apartment window. However, it quickly gains momentum, covering various themes such as violence against women, suicide, relationship abuse, and divorce.

The story is a delightfully dark novel full of unrelenting tension. Meghan’s character is multifaceted and she totally propels the harrowing narrative.

Author Mary Kubica has intricately plotted this thrilling story with as many twists as a corkscrew. The phone ringing in the bottom of Meghan’s purse had me hooked. Parts of the story are emotionally intense, and Kubica does a great job of making you feel the angst. She captures your attention and won’t let go.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Park Row for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Park Row
Published April 2, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Meghan Michaels is an ICU nurse and single mom. When a tough case comes into the ICU, Meghan is tasked with taking care of the patient. Caitlin comes to the hospital in a coma after jumping from a bridge to commit suicide. When someone comes forward and says that Caitlin wasn't alone on the bridge, officials are forced to question what happened.

I was excited to get approved to read She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica early and give my feedback. I have read many of Mary Kubica's thrillers and have not been let down many times. I was excited that this book exceeded my expectations. Overall, the beginning and end of the book are the strongest points. I did feel that the middle book dragged on and felt repetitive. The shock had my mouth on the floor. It was a great twist and I do think most readers won't be able to figure it out beforehand. I do wish the ending was parsed through a little more instead of the second twist. I feel like not all of my questions were answered, however, I did enjoy the read and would recommend it to any thriller/mystery lover.

You will be hooked from the Prologue in this densely detailed thriller! In true Mary Kubica form, there is a surprise at every corner!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!

3.5⭐️ rounded up

She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica is a binge-worthy thriller that will have you questioning everyone.

The story centers around ICU nurse Meghan Michaels, who is recently divorced and raising her teen daughter in Chicago. A new patient named Caitlin is brought into the ICU in a coma after falling from a bridge over train tracks. At first it seems to be attempted suicide, but was she really pushed? While Meghan breaks her own rules of not getting too close to a patient or their family, in Caitlin’s case, she still has so much going on in her life. An old high school friend resurfaces who Meghan believes is in an abusive relationship and wants to help. All of this is happening while increasing panic is taking over when women are being attacked near her Chicago neighborhood.

There was so much about this book I absolutely loved. The major plot twist was amazing and I never would’ve guessed it! At times I felt like there were just too many story threads I was trying to connect, which I found distracting. It all came together amazingly in the end.

Mary Kubica continues to be a must read for me.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Let me start this review by saying that I am a huge Mary Kubica fan and I love love love her books - this was an outlier for me and I am really feeling so sad to have to review this as I am.

The plot of this book was confusing, at best. There were several different pathways happening that either never got tied up or just plain didn't need to happen. I was confused a lot of the times and it seemed that multiple timelines were written in the same perspective, leading me to have to re-read certain sections to be sure. Then, after the major twist, an irrelevant plot line became the forefront of the book and it felt completely pointless. It did nothing to further to main storyline, but seemed to just be thrown in for sensationalization.

The characters also really fell flat and I found that I had a hard time connecting. The narrator's voice was flat and boring, which lead to difficulties focusing at times. As a main character, I needed to be connected to her and not annoyed by her. The side characters all felt like outlines and not fully flushed out characters, and I was rooting for no one. I think what happened here is that the author tried to make everyone seem suspicious, but instead it lead to the characters feeling unlikeable and boring.

Like I said, I love love love this author, but will definitely not recommend this book to anyone. Thank you to Net Galley, Mary Kubica, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the Advanced Reader's Copy of this novel.

Thank you Park Row Books and HTP for the gifted copy.

Overall I highly recommend She’s Not Sorry to even the pickiest mystery/thriller fans. Not only is it impossible to put down, you’re going to want to read it a second time just to catch everything you missed. It’s perfectly twisty and atmospheric and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!

I wish I knew how to insert memes so I could add one of the guy just sitting there blinking. Like what?? I finished the book and immediately felt the need to re-read it, to experience it all over again knowing everything that happens later. So I bought a copy and did just that! And it’s even better the second time around.

The first half is slower but it lays the ground work for the second half to be an absolute banger. It’s meticulous plotted with plenty of slow reveals and quick twists to keep you hooked. I guessed one of the twists but there were plenty that I didn’t guess that blew my mind.

It’s also very atmospheric - a good bit of the story takes place on the streets of Chicago, which are cold and bleak during the winter. It’s the perfect complement to such a suspenseful, twisty book. Plus who doesn’t love reading about Chicago!!

This one’s out April 2 - don’t miss it!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted copy in exchange for the honest review.
I love Mary Kubica books but unfortunately, this was the first one that did not work for me.
The one thing she does great is adding some weight and important conversations into her books and this is no different. The main character is an ICU nurse and we learn a lot about her work and all the details surrounding this profession. I felt like it was a little bit too repetitive with all the same arguments and reasons as to why the things that happened in the story happened.
The main thing that did not work for me was the ending and how I still had questions and some things were left unclear. A lot just did not make sense in the end and some twists were not just predictable, but stereotypical.
I will continue reading the future releases, but was sad this did not work for me.

I had a hard time with the first part of this book. I really didn’t know where it was going. But Part 2…. Part 2 had me hooked! It flew by! The suspense was really well written and by the time I got to the twist, I was shocked!

Mary Kubica has been a favorite author and inspiration since I picked up The Good Girl. As soon as I saw the cover reveal, I couldn't wait to get my hands on She's Not Sorry.

And it did not disappoint. This may just be Kubica's best yet. From her intricate plotting to dynamic characters, She's Not Sorry has everything Kubica lovers have come to know and love: dynamic characters, intricate plotting, relatable internal conflicts, and complex relationships that will tug at your heartstrings. An unputdownable read from page one, She's Not Sorry is going to be a hit of 2024.

Huge thanks to Park Row and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
She’s Not Sorry
Author: Mary Kubica
Thriller

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC! Damn, I never give 5 stars to thrillers but this was it!!!! Mary just has a way of drawing you into a story and really making it hard to put down. The fact that she doesn’t have one twist, but usually two or three is also genius… the punches keep punching! Anyways there is a lot going on in this book. Our main character Meghan is a divorcee with a daughter she is trying to raise; while also being a nurse. She gets assigned to a patient in a coma that jumped from a bridge… or did she? This book is messy. It was so good. Highly reccomend. Publishes on 4/2/24!

Rating 3.75 / 5 stars

I want to extend my gratitude to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC of "She’s Not Sorry" by Mary Kubica. Thank you so much! This is available for preorder and will be published on 04/02/2024.

Having previously read "Just the Nicest Couple" and finding it less captivating, "She’s Not Sorry" offered a refreshing change. The story centers on Meghan Michaels, an ICU nurse whose professional detachment is challenged when she encounters a young woman with a traumatic brain injury, initially deemed a suicide attempt. However, when new evidence surfaces suggesting attempted homicide, Meghan finds herself entangled in a complex web of deceit.

The prologue sets a gripping tone, effectively foreshadowing the events to unfold. While the initial convergence of the prologue and the narrative left me momentarily disappointed, the subsequent climax more than compensated for it. Kubica expertly weaves a plot thick with intrigue, leaving readers on the edge of their seats. Although some aspects proved predictable, the story's twists and turns kept me engrossed.

The characters, while well-drawn, took a backseat to the intricacies of the plot. I found myself more invested in uncovering the truth than in the characters' personal journeys. Despite accurately predicting certain outcomes, the novel managed to surprise me at pivotal moments, leaving me eager to uncover the next revelation.

One aspect that left me somewhat perplexed was the secondary storyline, which seemed disconnected from the main plot yet played a significant role in the conclusion. While it added tension and angst, it felt somewhat extraneous and could have been streamlined to enhance the narrative's cohesion.

Overall, "She’s Not Sorry" is a riveting psychological thriller that will keep readers guessing until the final page. Despite minor flaws, its ability to maintain suspense and deliver unexpected twists makes it a must-read for fans of the genre.

This book captures your attention about an ICU nurse caring for a patient who was thought first to have attempted suicide. Many other themes are woven as Meghan, the nurse, struggles to stay afloat in her personal life.

Overall, I would give this book 3.5 stars. Once the true story is revealed, everything after felt like it was thrown in for excitement. But with that, I still found myself wondering about story lines that were not wrapped up so as Caitlin’s family drama, Ben and his girlfriend, why was Meghan anxiety so heavily discussed in the first half to simmer the last half.

I’m thankful to have read this book and it seemed well researched where the medical plot was reasonable.

As a newly divorced single mother, Meghan is overworked and hyper vigilant to the attacks on single women in her area. So when a young woman comes into the ICU after a fall from a bridge, she becomes attached to the family and starts to seek answers. And when a friend from her past comes to reconnect, their lives become intertwined and what follows is a story you might have to read twice to believe.

4.5 ☆

If you've enjoyed the recent thrillers that have come out this month such as Listen for the Lie and The New Couple in 5B then this one's for you.

OH. MY. MARY. This right here was a twist-filled, heart-wrenching, mind-boggling thriller. The more I read, the deeper my nose was and it just never stopped grabbing my attention. I see why Mary Kubica's books have been recommended so often. She has a knack for putting together a winding story with layers upon layers of development. Seeing how each character fell into place and the ending being what it was left me speechless.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest rate and review!