I absolutely loved Local Woman Missing and I really wanted to love She's Not Sorry, but unfortunately I just couldn't get into the book. I thought the first chapter started off with a bang, but then the book got really slow for me. I DNF'd around the 40% Mark.

Thanks to Net Galley, Mary Kubica, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an arc of She's Not Sorry, by Mary Kubica, out April 2, 2024!

Go ahead and add this novel to your TBR pile now!

From the first few pages, I was knee deep in anxiety! But that good kind of anxiety… the book binge feeling you get, when you know it’s going to be a thrill of a read! This story doesn’t play around! As a mom, my heart instantly was beating faster, my pulse was racing, and I had to buckle up, and binge read this!

Meghan, a newly divorced mother of one, gets a phone call no one could ever imagine getting…. And as the scene is set, we flash back to Meghan and Sienna, her daughter, and their life together.

As a nurse, Meghan works long hours and is often walking home late at night by herself. Sienna spends time alone at home as well. While woman are randomly being attacked on the streets and in their homes, Meghan’s anxiety is at an all time high. As she continuously worries about herself and her daughter, she gets a new patient that jumped off a bridge and is in a coma. Meghan gets herself intertwined with the investigation and her family, and I felt her panic throughout the book!

The twists and turns start off slow, as the story is building. But for me, once the truth bombs started to drop… oh man! I couldn’t put it down. I loved that the book was set in Chicago, as I recognized many of the street names that I’ve been to!

What lengths would you go to to protect yourself? Someone you love? Would you sacrifice yourself, your job, your integrity? Pins and needles throughout the last 20% of Meghan’s story and it did not disappoint!

A great read for anyone who loves a good thriller!

Thank you to HTP, Mary Kubica, and NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. Wow Mary Kubica knows how to write a thriller. One of the better thrillers I have read in a while. This book was very enjoyable, engaging, and entertaining. The plot was both reminiscent of other thrillers that I have read while still being new and fresh. The plot twists took me by surprise even though I knew they were coming and this book does not let up until the very last page. The characters were all well done and the ending was something that I did not expect. You should definitely add this book to your TBR! Releases April 2nd.

4.5/5 Stars

She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica is a psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes, and wondering what is going on.

The story is told in first person from the point of view of Meghan Michaels, a nurse, and divorced, single mother of teenage daughter, Sienna. When a young woman is brought into the ICU where Meghan works, she is soon drawn into the mystery of how the young woman came to be injured.

Despite the prologue which immediately intrigues the reader, I found this book didn’t initially capture my attention. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, I just found that I was easily distracted while reading for some reason, which is rather unusual for me.

There were really two stories going on throughout this book, if you pay close attention, it’s not hard for the reader to figure out one of the mysteries, but there are a few surprises that you may not see coming.

While I did enjoy the She’s Not Sorry, I felt like one of the storylines was a bit too obvious, and the other had a few holes that I found hard to believe. Nevertheless, it was interesting enough that I wanted to find out what happened, so it kept me reading, although as previously mentioned, I was distracted by other things at times.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you for the ARC. I might have enjoyed it more if the ebook was properly formatted. The chapters were not recognized by my Kindle, it was just one long document. There were random spaces and line breaks in the middle of words. I get that you don’t want the book to be pirated but it takes from the reading experience of someone you want to review the book. This is probably a 4 star read but I kept getting distracted by the formatting. The story itself was interesting and twisty.

She's Not Sorry effortlessly showcases the Mary Kubica hype. The pervasive anxiety and tension felt by the characters create an immersive atmosphere that propels you through the narrative at breakneck speed. With a multitude of events unfolding rapidly, there's no time to catch your breath; it's a gripping, fast-paced thriller that keeps you turning pages.

However, one aspect left me questioning: the significant investment in developing certain characters only to abruptly remove them from the narrative after a key revelation. This felt frustrating, as we'd invested time delving into their complexities, only to see them vanish without resolution. Despite the intriguing backstories and depth provided, their sudden disappearance left a sense of betrayal, as though their narratives were left unresolved.

While the intricate plot kept me engaged, at times it felt like navigating multiple, albeit captivating, stories simultaneously. I would have preferred more focus on the primary storyline, with the secondary narratives perhaps deserving their own standalone exploration. Nonetheless, I found the pacing exhilarating, and as someone new to Kubica's work, I appreciated her knack for driving the story forward.

Overall, despite these reservations, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and am eager to explore more of Kubica's work. If you're a fan of thrillers, this book is sure to captivate you and leave you craving more.

Thank you so much to netgalley and HTP books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I don’t have a great history with Mary Kubica. I have tried a few of her books and none of them have worked for me. And this one is no different, I didn’t finish this one.

I’ll start with the good. I love Chicago as a setting and I was intrigued by the story at first. However, as it started going along I just got so bored. I also really disliked the main character. She was just so annoying to me. I had no interest in finishing this book or finding out what happened.

So sorry to Mary Kubica but she just might not be the author for me. I might try more of her books in the future but this one wasn’t for me.

Synopsis in a sentence (or two):
Meghan Michaels has trouble remaining detached from her current patient, who is in a coma after supposedly jumping from a bridge. Meghan quickly becomes entangled in something that may endanger herself and her daughter.

Characters:
Meghan, an ICU nurse, appears thoughtful and caring while somewhat frenetic. Her daughter, Sienna, appears as a typical teenager. Additionally, there are many periphery characters that we watch from afar without getting to know them well. Even though I felt detached from all of the characters, Mary Kubica’s style made sure I was fully invested in finding out how everyone’s story unfolded.

Pacing/Storyline:
The momentum in this novel comes from the way Kubica starts the story with immediate access to a kidnapping. After the prologue, the plot switches to the exact type of mystery I love: the type that gives you fleeting clues and multiple plots to allow the reader to puzzle out how everything connects.

I wouldn’t call this a slow burn or a page-turner, though it had moments of both. The story began quickly and slowed down about 20% into the novel. I did feel the middle portion of the book lacked momentum, and at times, I couldn’t figure out if the details were necessary to the plot. Particularly, the subplot of the neighborhood assaults on women seemed to detract from the story rather than add to it. That said, She’s Not Sorry’s pacing picked up again around 55%, and I raced through the last half of the book.

Author:
True to Kubica’s style and reputation, She’s Not Sorry comes with plenty of unexpected twists. As is typical when I read her books, I’m still thinking about places She’s Not Sorry surprised me days after finishing it. This is one you’ll want to read with a book buddy so you can discuss it as you read!

Overall:
I recommend this one to readers who love:
📚Mary Kubica, Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, Stacy Willingham
📚medical adjacent thrillers
📚unreliable character suspense

Rating: 4.0 ⭐️

Disclosure:
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the Digital Review Copy of She’s Not Sorry. All opinions are my own.

This is easily my favorite book of 2024! There were a few major WHAT?!?!?! moments in the book that were soooo good!!! I literally said “no way!” Out loud a few times! I couldn’t put it down. It is definitely a must read! So glad I was able to get an advanced copy!!! You think you know what’s happening, but you don’t!

She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica was completely binge worthy!! Let me preface my book review by clearly stating that I do NOT want to give anything away. I can honestly say that She's Not Sorry was difficult to put down,, as I wanted to know what was going on with each turn of the page.. The twists and turns had me second guessing all over the place.

Meghan Michaels is an ICU nurse who is trying to go about her normal routine as a single, divorced, and working mom of a teenage daughter. Meghan is quite interested in her patient, a girl named Caitlin who has a traumatic brain injury and is in a coma. There is a constant questioning for the reader of what caused Caitlin's injury and who is responsible. I enjoyed the character development within this psychological thriller and know it will be quite popular once it is released.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for sharing this book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I love this author’s writing! She just became an auto read for me! This story is so complex and comes together at the end beautifully. The story line is not predictable at all. Lots of twists and turns and a completely wild ride.

Thanks to netgalley for letting me read this.

wow wow wow! this is one of her best books. the twists and turns kept coming! i thought this was a great thriller!

I want to thank everyone for this early copy of Mary Kubica's new book, She's Not Sorry.

Unfortunately this book just didn't do it for me, and I wound up DNFing. I found the characters unengaging, and the plot slightly boring. I was never pulled in like her other books, and honestly, I'm a bit disappointed because I was really looking forward to this one, as I've loved so many of her others.

Very twisty! It’s hard to give a review on this book because saying what I want to say will be a spoiler! This was good, full of suspense and real twists! After finishing reading this, I was left with just WOW!

Meghan is recently divorced and learning how to juggle raising a teenage girl alone and working to support her family. She is a nurse and has seen the good and bad in the world. When a new patient arrives in a coma and a witness says she was pushed, Meghan gets a little too close to the patient and the drama that is her family. What happened to Caitlin on the bridge? What is going on with Meghan’s daughter?

She’s Not Sorry is a stand-alone mystery that does start a little slow, but then the last third of the book twists and turns and goes in many unexpected ways. Events that seem trivial when introduced turn out to be important to the plot and Kubica brings everything together seamlessly. The book ended up being an exciting read and I suggest not starting the last few chapters at night, otherwise, you might end up staying up to finish the book.

Wow. This was one I literally couldn’t put down. The twists kept on coming and didn’t disappoint. The sinister vibes and unthinkable situations were all together consuming. I loved every minute of it! Highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a nurse, I love reading books about nurses. It's so easy in an ICU setting to get close to patients, but this book had my eyes bugging out of my head. There is a line, and Meghan definitely crossed it, but I do know it happens. This book was thrilling for sure and I finished it in record time.

Taking care of patients is a skill. Taking care of patients who have dangerous pasts is yet another skill.

Thank you Harlequin Trade for letting me read an Arc of this book!

This book gave me literal nightmares last night! What a nonstop thrilling experience. I was at the edge of my seat the entire 330 pages. I gasped out loud, I had to check if my doors were locked and I was trusting nobody! My first Mary Kubica book, but certainly not my last.

She’s Not Sorry follows Meghan, a single mom and ICU nurse. A patient is brought into the hospital and is in a coma as a result of her injuries. Meghan is charged with her care and starts to question everything. A witness comes forward revealing shocking details about what really happened to her patient, and as Meghan gets more invested in her patients care she realizes her life and her daughters may now be in jeopardy.

An addictive, twisty, jaw dropping thriller that will make you question everything! I absolutely love Mary Kubica and she can totally blow you away with a story!

Many thanks to the author, Harlequin trade publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions!

In the latest psychological mystery from Mary Kubica, She’s Not Sorry, we meet Meghan — an excellent nurse and doting mother just assigned to care for a patient who jumped from a bridge and barely survived, Caitlin.

Meghan cares for Caitlin as she would any other patient and comforts Caitlin’s parents as they come to terms with the fact that their estranged daughter may have harmed herself.

In the midst of this, Meghan’s Chicago neighborhood has experienced a string of violent attacks — all these attacks appear to be the work of one perpetrator targeting women who live alone. And, as if that weren’t enough, one of Meghan’s high school friends comes back into her life needing support.

As new details come out about Caitlin and how her attempted un-a-living might actually be an attempted murder, Meghan struggles to keep the lines between nurse and patient clear. Her fear of the recent neighborhood attacks is also seeping into her state of mind and her resurrected friendship is eating up a lot of her time and headspace.

Can Meghan save Caitlin? Can she continue being a supportive mother and friend while doing so?

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I love Mary Kubica. I read most of her back catalog as the books were being published and honestly put some of her books up there with the female authors I consider the best at mystery/thriller like Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins. Not every book is a certified banger but she swings for the fences. And she tries stuff that I haven’t read in other books. Her first three books — The Good Girl, Pretty Baby, and Don’t You Cry — have moments of genuine chills.

Make no mistake — her books are not always easy reads. Her prose sometimes is a little more stilted and her subject matter is not for the faint of heart. But where some authors use these topics for shock factor and clickbait (or read-bait)… cough*Karin Slaughter*cough I find that Mary handles these topics more delicately, discretely, and respectfully.

This novel isn’t my favorite by her — check out 2021’s Local Woman Missing — but it does further cement her in my mind as a must-buy author. There were some logic jumps that I had to make as a reader that didn’t always sit well with me and some asks to feel specific ways about specific characters that also just kind of didn’t land for me.

The story is still interesting and this book is written in a way that’s a bit different from Kubica’s other books so absolute kudos to her for trying something. It’s not going to hit with every reader — I think that’s totally fine.

If you love the mystery/thriller genre though, I do think this is worth a read. She’s Not Sorry gets a 3.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for this ARC.