4.5 STARS - To say that I was excited that Canadian author Sam Bailey has a new book coming out is an understatement.

I loved her debut Woman on the Edge and her second book Watch Out For Her so I was eager to see what dark and twisty story she would share with us next. Sam is the sweetest person you will ever meet, but the woman has a dark side y'all!! And this reader is oh-so-thankful that she lets it loose on the pages of her thrillers.
A Friend in the Dark is another ominous and tension-filled read that has a bit of a slow burn start with a believably flawed main character in Eden. Eden may take a bit of time to grow on you, but I loved that through her, Sam explores issues that impact women - their roles, expectations, insecurities and identity. You’ll soon feel Eden’s desperation to figure out who she is now that her roles have changed since she is no longer a wife, and her only child has left home. And when you add in sinister happenings and a ‘blast from the past’ relationship, things get spicy and compelling fast!

Buckle up, dear readers! A Friend in the Dark is full of secrets, deception, drama, and pasts that come back to haunt you. It publishes in March 2024, but get ahead of the book nerd herd and preorder your copy today.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

This is hands down my new favorite Samantha Bailey book! It is extremely fast paced (I read this in just a few hours…it was that 𝐔𝐍𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄) with so many jaw dropping twists that you just don’t see coming…especially at the end!
The characters are well developed + well written but let me tell ya, Eden is one unreliable narrator 🫨
I can’t forget about the spice. The steam. It felt hella sexy & risqué! 🥵
I recommend 𝐀 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 to all my thriller lovers, you will not be disappointed whatsoever!

ARC Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my first Samantha Bailey novel and I will be back for more!

Wow! On the edge of my seat the entire time. I had no clue where she was going to take us on the journey. All the feelings throughout the novel of being a mom of a teenager and trying to navigate that relationship while everything else is going on in womanhood…

But oh the tangled web Eden wove for herself. I was sad, happy, mad, embarrassed, and terrified for her. Samantha really made Eden real with her writing and story telling! So good!

Oh my. This might have been one of the best thrillers I have read in a while. I was just sitting here thinking I knew how this would go, and nope, here comes a crazy twist. Trying to recover from that and I’m hit with another one, STILL had not recovered from those two and here come maybe two or three more and I was about on the floor. All of them were very well done, all of them got me, and all arrived at just the right time. I will be swiftly picking up Bailey’s backlist because how was this my first read of hers? But I digress…

I went into this one blind and I think you should too, although I have included the synopsis for you below if you need it. I don’t have much else to say on this one other than I loved it, and again, you know it is huge for me to read something this early without audio, but I could not put this down once I got to part two, from there it was pretty fast paced which I loved. I hope you have this on your radar, March will be here soon…

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Samantha Bailey for letting me be a part of this exclusive tour!

As a longtime fan of Samantha Bailey, I am always excited to get my hands on her new books. A Friend in the Dark is a fun sexy thrill that will surprise you with every twist and turn and is definitely one to look forward to come March 2024.

Thank you to my partners, Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and NetGalley, and the author. I appreciate the gifted eARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

1. 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑼𝒑 - Eden is just all willy-nilly going into this online whatever-it-is with Justin. Talk about some creepy yucky vibes from this dude.

2. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝑭𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒚 - Whether it is Justin or Dave, something just doesn’t add up. The reader is left pondering what in the world is happening and how the past will come into it.

3. 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑳𝒐𝒘 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 - And here we are again with something just not feeling right. Eden coincidentally meets up with Lila from her open house and now they are all buddy-buddy. Questionable vibes from her, too.

4. 𝑩𝒆 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒏 - Marriage is tough no matter the struggles we face, but if you can’t be open and honest, it makes it even harder. This is a tough lesson for Eden and Dave to face.

5. 𝑭𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑭𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 - Eden’s life quickly became a cluster, and she has to figure out who to trust in order to save herself and their daughter, Ava. By keeping her strength, she gives herself every opportunity to do so.

Samantha Bailey is an expert at writing complex female characters that illicit such strong responses from the reader. Eden was a really infuriating character as her situation was awful so as a reader you felt like you should feel sorry for her but also her behaviour was so erratic and she was so gullible that I found myself utterly frustrated by her! Anyone familiar with a British panto will know what I mean when I say I wanted to scream at Eden, “he’s behind you!” Olivia, I felt a whole spectrum of emotions around, from sympathy, to understanding, to utter horror at some of her behaviour.

I didn’t read Samantha Bailey’s latest offering, I devoured it, and in less than 24 hours, which is so rare for me these days, I can’t even tell you the last time it happened.

This feels like a darker, steamier turn than the author’s previous books, but it is definitely just as addicting and just as high in the levels of wtf’ness!

I was hooked on this book from the first page! I nearly read it in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down. Eden is blindsided and heartbroken by her husband requesting a divorce just as their daughter moves away for college. She thinks her life is improving when she surprisingly reconnects online with her college crush. Eden is thrilled but wonders if he is too good to be true! This is a twisty fast paced domestic thriller. The suspense is palpable throughout and I loved all the great twists! I don’t want to say anything else and give anything away as this is a thriller. I absolutely loved this book!

I loved @sbaileys first two novels do when I was asked to be on the book tour for a friend in the dark it was a no brainer for me.
The book starts with an intense and unforgettable prologue that immediately had you wanting to dive right into the story which is told in three parts. After the prologue the novel turns into more of a slow burn thriller. part one we get a lot of background and information into the main character Eden, and her life. Newly separated on the verge of divorce Eden begins reminiscing about the past and the one that might have got away. Eden makes a quick decision to send a friend request that suddenly turned into a bunch of messages to this high school crush. Then just as we think we know where the book is going we have a sudden turn of events as we hit part two. We do an immediate point of view change where things begin to get twisty and messy, just the way I like my thrillers. Part three is the most intense as we go back and forth between the two characters as secrets, revenge and all things twisty begin to reveal themselves,
If you love a slow burn, crazy, twisty thriller that has some steam you definitely need to pick up A Friend In The Dark coming March 2024

Eden Miller's world falls apart after she takes her daughter Ava to college. Her husband blind sided her by asking for divorce in the parking lot. Eden is shocked and saddened by this so she goes home to drink and then looks up her old crush from college Justin. She send him a message through facebook and they start chatting. She loves all the attention he is giving her and she starts going out of her comfort zone.

Soon she will begin to wonder how does Justin know so much about her life? She will put her whole family in jeopardy and need to fight for her life.

You will get the rug pulled out from underneath you as the twists this book takes but buckle up and enjoy the ride.

A dark, twisty fast-paced action packed psychological thriller. The author book is the embodiment of a well executed plot. It is told in dual pov that builds the intensity to the very end. The characters' motivations are slowly revealed, delivering an intricate web of suspense and deception. Brilliantly written, I devoured in a day because I wasn't able to put the book down.

Eden is thrilled when she starts to communicate online with the man that got away, Justin. As they get to know each other again, it becomes apparent that Justin knows too much. So, I had my suspicions on what was going on here but never did I expect it to go the way that it did! This story had me so intrigued and I enjoyed reading the messages interspersed throughout the book. Get your favorite beverage and a snack and sit down with this one. It's such a bingable read. I guarantee you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

I began A Friend in the Dark before bed and stayed up until 4:30am reading. It is beyond propulsive, and my theory of what was going on kept shifting until the very end. Well constructed and fantastic pacing. Really enjoyed reading a Main Character who is over 40. Bravo!

🚨🚨‼️BANGER ALERT‼️🚨🚨

When Tonya @thrillerbookloverspromotions offered me the opportunity to be part of this exclusive tour I said ABSOLUTELY - sign me up!! Total no brainer!! 🤩🤩

This was such a twisty page turner - I INHALED this book 🖤📕 I was gripped from the start and couldn’t read it quick enough. Fast paced, punchy chapters and multiple POV - what more do you want?! It was so refreshing having a female MC in her forties as well 😄😄

When her husband blindsides her with a divorce literally minutes after dropping off their daughter to college (I mean, wtf 😳??) Eden finds herself alone and in her forties. So she reaches out to an old crush from her college days… 🖤 things escalate pretty quickly… in more ways than one 😅😅 If it feels too good to be true…

I can say with absolute certainty - get your preorder in now. This one is going to be covering your grid next year and we all know how easily FOMO can take hold 🤣 Oh, and a wee bonus was seeing so many accounts that I follow in the acknowledgments 😍😍

WOW! 🌟 This fast-paced thriller is a rollercoaster of plot twists that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It's my first time diving into Samantha Bailey's work, and now I can't wait to explore her entire backlist! 📖

Synopsis:
Eden Miller's life takes an unexpected turn when she drops off her child at the University of Michigan, only to have her husband leave her on the same day. Feeling adrift as both a mother and a wife, she seeks solace in the arms of an old flame, Justin Ward. Justin's marriage is far from perfect, and their rekindled relationship appears to offer an escape. However, Eden soon discovers that her involvement with Justin comes at a high price, and the true cost of deception becomes shockingly clear.

My thoughts:
I loved the dual perspective from Eden and Olivia, which added depth to the story. Eden's vulnerability and her relatable struggles after her child left for college resonated with me personally. I empathized with Olivia, considering her a victim rather than the instigator of the turmoil. It's a testament to Samantha Bailey's skill that she made these complex characters so compelling.

If you enjoy books that leave you wondering, "What did I just read?!" and leave a lasting impact, then "The Cost of Deception" is a must-read. It's a thrilling journey through trust, manipulation, and the unforeseen consequences of choices. 🔥📚






Regenerate

Wow. A totally unexpected thriller from a go to author for me. I loved it! I could not put this one down and saw a whole new side of Bailey's writing that had me entranced. Super Suspenseful, killer plot,
Creeptastically dark and fast paced with a huge breath out at the end! Dare I say I see a sequel? I loved it, I loved it, I loved it.

Eden just finished dropping off her daughter at university only to find herself separated from her husband and lonely as hell. Never did she think she would be in this position.. she imagined growing older with Dave and falling in love with each other again.

And now she’s lonely, disappointed and vulnerable as she drinks her tears away on her birthday.
Feeling down and letting her mind wander over the “guy who got away” in University, she finds her crush’s profile on Facebook. Thanks to alcohol courage, she sends him a private message that begins as a reminiscent chat to something flirty and sexual without any pause.

From the private messages to an obsession of reliving the fast heartbeat of lust, we see Eden fall for Justin in a fierceness that has her ignoring the warning bells that I kept wanting to yell at the book 😂

The story continues but with a new voice (no spoilers) entering the book mid way and the mind fuck (pun intended) takes off.

This is a darker book by the amazing Samantha Bailey. There’s obsession, sexual exploration, murder and a twist that has Eden blindly following the wrong path (alert eden! Alert))

Oopf… I couldn’t stop reading. I needed to know what and where this thriller was going. I think it’s the authors darkest one yet.

4.5 stars

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers and Sam Bailey for allowing me to be part of this EXCLUSIVE TOUR! “A Friend in the Dark” could very well be the highlight of my 2023 reading experience! Her writing is emotional and intoxicating, which is why she’s one of my fav authors!!

This passionate and heart-pumping thriller highlights the dark side of social media. A divorce drives Eden to examine her life choices. Did she choose the wrong partner?

When Eden married Dave, she was being sensible. He’s stable, reliable and a great guy who everyone loves, including her. She couldn’t imagine him hurting her. The opposite of Justin, her college crush and bad boy.

So she’s blindsighted when Dave moves out, leaving her alone after twenty years of marriage. With too much time on her hands, Eden begins to fantasize about her old crush. One alcohol-fueled night she gets the courage to reach out on social media. Bad move Eden!

From the start, it’s obvious (to the readers, anyway) that Justin is still trouble. But he’s as charming as Eden remembers. She’s middle-aged, her self-esteem has taken a big hit and Justin makes her feel good again. Reading their online exchange is like watching a trainwreck in slow motion! Even though the red flags are right in front of her face, Eden ignores them.

If you haven’t read any of Ms. Bailey’s novels yet, you are missing out on intensely twisted and thrilling reads!

Sincere thanks to the author and publisher for this complimentary ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and are left voluntarily.

#AFriendInTheDark #SamanthaBailey #upcomingthriller #justfinished #giftedARC #thriller #honestreview #comingsoon #thrillerbookloverspromotions #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #suspense #mystery #lovetoread #bookworms #lovebooks #lovetoreadbooks #fortheloveofbooks #booknerd #bookreviewer #instabook #readaholic #AmazonPub

I love Samantha Bailey and her two previous books and I was beyond excited to receive this ARC. That being said, this book was not good. And it kills me to say that because I’m such a fan! But these characters were just not believable as people and the storyline was so ridiculous and I’m just so bummed.

Eden Miller's husband left her after they dropped their daughter off at college, and she's reeling from the loss of identity as a mother and wife. When a crush from college accepts a friend request, they start flirting online, and their relationship quickly escalates. After not talking for decades, Justin seems to know a lot about her and her family, and Eden starts to question his intentions. As she tries to unravel whether she trusts him or not, more secrets from the last night she saw Justin in college arise.

This was a totally steamy, suspenseful thriller that packs a ton of twists at the end! Go into this one as blindly as possible to enjoy it the most!