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!

Samantha M. Bailey is a new to me author and her upcoming thriller, A Friend in the Dark is my most recent read. I love a domestic thriller so the premise of this immediately appealed to me. (Swipe for synopsis).

A fast paced thriller is my favorite kind and this one started out a bit slow for me and I really wasn’t sure about it. But I needn’t have worried, the pace picked up and once it did it moved at a lightening speed wit twists and surprises galore. I quickly realized this was exactly my type of thriller.

I liked so many things about this book. The relatability and pain of a broken family seemed genuine and it really sucked me into the characters and caused me to become fully invested in the story. Were there times when Eden frustrated me? Absolutely, but that only made her seem more real. I already mentioned I loved the twists. They were exceptionally well executed and I didn’t see most of them coming as I often do. I also really liked the ending. It didn’t wrap things up with a perfect bow and that always appeals to me as it seems more realistic.

There was quite a bit more spice in this one than the thrillers I usually read- not against it in any way but I would just rather spend my time being engaged in the mystery. Still, the story was strong enough that it didn’t deter my enjoyment of the book one bit.

Overall, I found this to be a well plotted and suspenseful thriller and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I LOVED this book!! I was hooked from the very beginning. The amount of plot twists had me devouring this book. I read it in less than 24 hours. The cat fishing, the murder, the betrayal, the narcissistic husband…so many things. I loved this. Great book!

Book Review
A Friend in the Dark by Samantha Bailey @sbaileybooks

Tropes
Mental illness
Divorce
Abuse
Stalking
Assault

Characters
Ava- angsty young adult who is struggling with her parents split
Justin- sexy douche canoe and extreme asshat
Dave- Provider, Protector , People pleaser; he loses himself in the roles he’s assumed
Olivia/Lila- I was blindsided by the scope and depth of her complexity ; she could have her own book, a prequel; I would totally read it
Eden - I hated her.. she was every midlife insecurity manifested… she constantly doubted herself, wouldnt ask for help, questioned her lifes path and made some bad choices with
Extreme consequences, her desperation stunk……Ugh
I think I understand and can appreciate where the author was going with this type of personality and story arc
But
There was a point early on in the book where I was like.. “I get it already,
Does she die?”

Thoughts
This book started slow for me and then the pace picked up and everything seemed to come to a head really quickly.
There were some expected red flags and obvious red herrings but after getting over my hatred of Eden I flew through the pages and binged this book in one go.
I have come to expect “fucked up” from Sam. Her warped, dark and distorted brain creates disturbing characters. Her stories never make sense til the end- when the reader is blindsided.
I love that.
Its always comforting to know that there is someone else in the world who also has messed up thoughts that go THERE.
Thanks for being my “friend in the dark” Sam (pun intended)

Overall
Read it for the mindfuck at the end……

Thanks to @thrillerbookloverspromotions and Sam for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Hey y’all ! This little mouse has been chillin’ with the OG, Mickey, these past couple of days .

The lights, the glitter, the attractions, all have me over stimulated with an attention span of said “mouse”.

So far, I have danced around the world, watched the sky explode with fireworks and ate at Japan’s best hibachi restaurant (yum!)

I also spent my very anxious plane ride consumed with Samantha Bailey’s new book, A Friend in the Dark!

Eeeeeeeek!!!!!

I have yet to see a bad review and now I know why! This book is off the charts!!!

The flight from NJ to FL is about 3 hours. I read from the minute I sat down until the minute I was forced to get up.

I was faced with a dilemma, I had to finish this book!!!

As soon as we got to our hotel room I was forced (yes forced) to fake a stomach ache . The only comfort when glued to the toilet is if you have a book in hand, I apologized to my travel buddy and headed for my throne, book in tow.

It
Was
Worth
Every
Minute

This book is deliciously twisted and I just could not get enough! I’m telling you, from the opening sentence to the last word, you will be numb.

Cue the shock factor! The storyline thrusts you in many direction directions. The suspense was ever present and the amount of psychological angst will have you gripping at your own throat.

I’m sure it’s clear, I love Samantha Bailey but this book right here screams Book of the Year!

Check out this teaser:

Eden Miller’s world is crumbling. Her husband blindsided her with divorce, and her daughter barely speaks to her. In an impulsive decision to escape her present and revisit the past, she sends a friend request to her college crush, Justin Ward.

One night twenty-three years ago changed the course of her life. It closed the door on Justin and opened the door to her husband, Dave. But what if Eden could have a do-over?

Eden begins an online relationship with Justin that awakens her in ways she never thought possible, and his voice and words make her take bold risks. But something’s off. He knows too much about her and her family…he’s been following her.

Eden is forced to awaken from her fantasy and look for answers―who really is the man on the other line? The truth about Justin―and about what happened that fateful night two decades ago―puts her and her family in a fight for their lives.

This is an easy read that I flew through in one sitting. I have to admit that I was eye-rolling a bit with the naivety of Eden in the beginning of the story. She was distraught so I understood. She was lonely and wasn't thinking clearly. After all, her husband had just left her. She was desperate for something positive in her life.

Eden reconnects with her college crush, Justin Ward, after 20 years, via the Internet. When he responds/accepts to her right away she is thrilled/nervous/excited. This is where I thought she was being very naive for a 45-year woman.

Who is Justin now? She doesn't know him, and he seems to know a lot about her when she was the one who messaged him first. Has he been watching her?

I loved the twist in part two. I guessed it somewhat, but not all of it. This story is so bingey. Once I started, I didn't want to stop.

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Thomas and Mercer for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆

A FRIEND IN THE DARK - SAMANTHA M. BAILEY
 
“𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚜 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔...𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝‘𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚞𝚕𝚝...𝙸‘𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚕𝚢 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎.“

Story time. A couple of years ago, when I discovered the wonder that is NetGalley, the very first ARC I received was “Watch Out for Her” by Samantha M. Bailey. I loved it and immediately started following Samantha. As it happened, she was not only a fantastic writer, but also a wonderful human being. So, when given the chance to read and review her newest book through a Thriller Book Lovers Promotions Exclusive Tour, I jumped in with both feet.

“𝙸‘𝚖 𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕.“

This story is about two very different women who are more alike than they realize. Both are desperate for love but neither know what that looks like anymore. Eden and Olivia are perfect strangers who are brought together through a yearning for connection and ghosts of the past. What results is shocking, catastrophic, and never to be forgotten.

“𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚗. 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚝.“

This quick paced read was taut & twisty and oh, so compelling. It releases March 1st so be sure to grab it when you can!

“𝙸 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚑. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖.“

Thanks so much to Samantha & Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for including me in the exclusive book tour and for the advanced copy!

Ohhhh my goodness Samantha Bailey has done it again but this time it’s even BETTER! This book grabbed me from the very first page and sucked me in so hard I could scarcely breathe for the two days it took me to DEVOUR it! Told in first person alternating between two characters (which I LOVE) and the wild and crazy ride toward the explosive ending that I did NOT see coming! This is an absolute must read!!!

Holy Guacamole!! This book is AMAZING! Fast paced, secrets, lies, twists 🤯 and some risqué spice 🫣 This book has it all!

This is a 5 ⭐️ read and I highly recommend it! Add it to your TBR and your wishlist because you will not want to miss this one!

Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions and @sbaileybooks for the gifted copy and allowing me to participate in this exclusive tour! I truly loved this book!

This is now the 3rd book I e read by Samantha Bailey and I can honestly say, she really knows how to write a thriller.
Thriller loving friends will definitely want to add this to your TBR list. Eden's husband has asked her for a divorce, she barely speaks to her daughter and she is desperate for something to make her feel better. She reaches out to Justin online (her college crush from 20yrs ago). She is immediately pulled into the attention she's getting from Justin. She feels desired and he's making her feel better. But is Justin who he really says?! How does he know so much about her life? Wooo….this was so bingeable. It took me a bit to get into this one BUT once I did I flew through it. It's deceptive, and twisty and suspenseful. I did predict one of the twists but there was another big one that I totally did not expect.

This is definitely the kind of thriller I love. It was juicy and full of drama!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Thrillerbookloverspromotion for the gifted copy. My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, and Amazon once it publishes!

All the stars for A Friend in the Dark. I have read and really enjoyed the author’s previous two books. Samantha is an auto buy author for me and I highly recommend adding this to your TBR.

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I knew instantly I was going to love it and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on my digital review copy!

On the night of her birthday, alone and distraught because her husband wants a separation, Eden drinks too much and sends a friend request to her old flame from high school, Justin. Soon, she embarks on a full-fledged online sexual and emotional relationship with him. Is Justin the one who got away?

The author paints the perfect picture of a middle-aged woman going through a separation and not feeling loved or wanted by both her husband and distant college aged daughter. I found Eden’s character very relatable and the storyline realistic. I think everyone knows someone who has had an online relationship. I love a good Prologue as it sets the tone of the book for me. The Prologue sucked me in, and I could not put my Kindle down! This author really knows how to write a spinetingling thriller and I'm officially obsessed with her writing 😍.

Fans of domestic thrillers who like a little spice will devour this book!

Holy Smokes!! This was good!! Eden and her husband Dave drop their daughter off at college and in the learning lot he asks for a divorce.

On the night of her birthday she's been drinking & friend requested a man, Justin, whom she had a huge crush on in college. He seemed to know a lot about her but as a realtor her life is pretty public. No big deal right? This is how the book starts. No warm-up. We're off to the races so to speak. Y'all we're on a fast & wild ride!

I don't want to give any details away. Just know I enjoyed this book!! I couldn't put it down! Thank goodness for it being on my Kindle! I could read late into the night. You won't regret picking up this book for your next thriller or recommending it to your thriller-loving friends!!

This was my first book by Samantha Bailey, and it definitely won't be my last.  This was a wild, twisty ride, and I enjoyed it.

Eden Miller's life is turned upside-down the day she drops her daughter Ava off at college. Dave, the man she thought she was going to spend her life with, asks for a divorce, and her relationship with Ava has never been a good one. She comes back to an empty house, feeling unwanted and very alone.  One night, after a little too much wine, she decides to friend request an old college crush, Justin Ward.  He could have been the one, but instead, it was Dave.  Justin accepts the request, and they start to talk.  Things quickly escalate into a steamy online relationship.  Eden's doing things that she'd never thought she would do, even jeopardizing her career.  But he seems to know a lot about her life. Things she hasn't told him.  Has he been stalking her?  She needs to find out the truth about Justin and what really happened 20 years ago. Her life and her family's may depend on it.

Told in dual POV, this was an engrossing read.  It definitely kept me turning pages with all the unpredictable twists.  There were some spicy scenes and some cringe-worthy moments.  A few times, I actually wanted to yell at Eden and ask her, "Why are you being so stupid?"  Overall, this was a good psychological/domestic thriller, and I would definitely recommend it.

"Her husband might own her money, her body, and her life. But he doesn't own her mind. Or what she does when he's not around."

I really enjoyed this one, and it had me on the edge of my seat. I found myself unable to put it down and read it in the space of a few hours.
Olivia's parts of the story reminded me a little of Behind Closed Doors, but it went in a completely different direction and I loved every part of it.
This was my first book from this author and I can't wait to read her other work.
Thank you so much to @sbaileybooks and @thrillerbookloverspromotions for my gifted copy and chance to be part of this awesome tour.