Because of its unrealistic aspects and a few illogical storyline lines, "The Life Sentence" by Jackie Kabler left me feeling a little let down. I gave it a middling three stars.

The idea was really captivating. Who wouldn't be intrigued by the prospect of being framed for a crime they didn't commit? Nevertheless, this is where things start to get dubious since some of the events in the novel feel a little too fantastical. While I can accept suspending disbelief, is it really appropriate to give someone a life sentence for a seemingly absurd crime? That was a little bit too much for my imagination.

As much as I enjoy a crisp, sharp exchange of ideas, the dialogue between the characters in this book? Instead of engaging in casual conversation, it seems as though they are making speeches. People in real life don't only talk at each other. Regarding the characters, I found it difficult to connect with many of them. While I acknowledge that they are not perfect, I found myself rolling my eyes so much at some of their choices that I worried they would become stuck!

To tell the truth, though, not everything was bad. Despite these flaws, the book was still enjoyable enough because the plot was easy to follow. Even though the plot did not have me on the edge of my seat as much as I had hoped, the unexpected twist at the end was a welcome surprise.

If you're looking for something to pass the time and don't mind a few bumps along the way, "The Life Sentence" might be worth a try. You never know, it might even take you by surprise!

I loved The Murder List and The Vanishing of Class 3B, prior thrillers written by Jackie Kobler, so I was excited to read the latest by this author. The Life Sentence has a very likable main character who wants to do what's right for her former best friend. Amber received a life sentence for a crime she didn't commit, but nobody believes in her innocence. Heather feels bad that her long friendship with Amber has ended and would love to be able to help her now, especially when new information about the case is brought to her attention.

I can somewhat understand Heather's motivation, but I had a hard time getting on board with the premise of Heather putting herself at risk to get the necessary evidence. She pretended to want to reconcile with the dangerous man she and Amber had both dated to get access to his home to search for information. Something just didn't click for me with this story, but I still loved the ending which has a fun twist and resolves things in a satisfying way. (3.5 stars) I am a fan of this author and will definitely continue to seek out other books she has written.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost by NetGalley and One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

I found author Jackie Kabler's books a while back and I must say I devour everything she writes now. She is a fantastic author and not enough is said about her books on social media. She needs to shine so much more.
We meet an array of characters in this story.
Amber Ryan is in prison for something she may not have committed.
We meet Heather Harris in this story. Heather has ended her relationship with a man names Jack Shannon. It didn't have a happy ending but she is delighted to be away from him.
So when her best friend tells her she is now going out with Jack, Heather is astonished and slightly bewildered. Amber isn't listening to her advice to steer clear of Jack so Heather lets her to it.
Now Amber is in trouble, in prison and protesting her innocence or what she can remember of it.
Heather must find strength from somewhere to go back and try to help her friend.
She is frightened, scared but possesses an inner strength to do what she has to do.
I loved this story. It's dramatic telling, the suspense of it all.
I couldn't help wondering where the author would take it so I turned each page with baited breath..
Well worth your time...

(PS I am on the blog tour for this on the 10th so I will come back and add the link to my post.)

Thank you for this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. I found the twists and turns kept me engrossed from start to end.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. It didn't disappoint! Must read!!

I have enjoyed Jackie Kabler’s books before but this one isn’t her best. The main character, Heather was unbelievable in her motivation to get re-involved with her strange ex, Jack who she thinks has framed her one time best friend for a crime that apparently never happened. The story is told from first person points of view, mainly Heather but to a small extent, Amber the friend and Jack the boyfriend. Heather is persuaded to take on the potentially dangerous task of finding out the truth by two others who were strangers to her, which again I thought was slightly far fetched. I think the pace of the book was well judged but overall I was left without a WFT moment, which I admit I like to have.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me and although I did finish it I found it a struggle . It lacked excitement and I just found some of the things that went on a bit too far fetched, Especially the ‘life sentence’ part. However it won’t stop me trying other books by this author it’s just this one wasn’t for me.

I flew through this book in a day. I wanted to know there and then how everything will fall into place and what happens next.

Amber Ryan is in jail. For something she hasn't done. But, how on earth can she prove it? Enter Heather Harris. Her and Amber have something in common. Now Heather must go back to that common feature and delve into the murky secrets and put herself on the line for her ex friend.

The story is told from a first person point of view of both main characters Amber and Heather. I like this type of narrative as we really get into the mind of the characters. Jackie Kabler uses up all the senses to set the scenes well.

I like to play detective when I read mysteries. And, this is what I did whilst reading Life Sentence. I did actually figure out a few plotlines along the way. But, this didn't deter me from wanting to carry on.

The pace of this story was well executed. Clues were drip fed to us. Enough to pique our interest and want more. But, not slowly drip fed that we get impatient. And as the case starts to unravel the pacing ramps up.

This is a story about Jack, Heather and Amber. Jack is a very successful businessman and is a night dweller who cannot stand sunlight. Heather is his ex and works in a book shop in London. Amber and Heather are or rather were best friends but Amber is now in prison serving a life sentence for aggravated assault on Jack. Told from multiple POV’s, mainly Heather but also Amber and Jack, this is a real page turner.

Briefly, one day Heather is approached by a stranger whilst at a book reading. Felicity tells Heather that Amber has been imprisoned for a crime she neither committed and indeed never took place but was revenge by Jack for Amber leaving him. She wants Heather to help find the truth. Heather agrees knowing that this means she has to get back together with Jack. Terrifying as this is to her she needs to get back inside his house to discover any evidence that might help Amber.

This is a taut physiological thriller that delves into the deep horrors of how easily people can be manipulated. Heather finds herself getting deeper and deeper into danger and to me seems to be a bit too trusting and her actions are reckless. That said this is a good fast paced and exciting read with plenty of twists and turns that will keep you on your toes from beginning to end.

The Life Sentence by Jackie Kabler is a tense and twisty thriller interspersed with gritty bits. Friendship and other relationships are highlighted as well as enthralling mystery.

Heather and Amber were childhood best friends who later became estranged. But when Amber was imprisoned and maintained she didn't commit a crime, Heather decided she was the only one in a position to help dig deeper and prove her innocence. She made questionable and unrealistic choices to get there. The story including prison visits captivated me but I was not as satisfied as I had anticipated. It was an ok read but it didn't hit me in the right spots. The premise is fantastic but Heather didn't ring true. Her acting on her continued attraction to Jack in spite of their history was infuriating. In my mind she compromised too much. But the writing is excellent and I liked the suspense.

My sincere thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this intriguing novel.

This book kicks off STRONG! I was pulled in from the first chapter. Told from the POV of Heather and Amber, both thirty somethings who have been best friends since childhood.
Amber is currently in prison serving a life sentence for a crime she claims she didn’t commit. Heather and Amber had fallen out before Ambers arrest, but Heather is approached in a secretive manner by someone who says Amber is innocent as the crime didn’t even happen, with a mix of nervousness and excitement Heather visits Amber is prison to formulate a plan to help her overturn her conviction.

EXCERPT “I will never trust anyone again! What’s wrong with people?”

I couldn’t put this down, I started it this afternoon and stayed up late to finish as I was fully invested in Heathers quest to find the truth. There were parts where I had to read as fast as possible because I was so anxious and my heart was in my mouth, it was definitely tense as we ploughed toward the end. This is a brilliant thriller, fantastic believable storyline and great writing.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher & author for my advanced copy.

A nice quick read with well written characters and a decent plot . Plenty of twists and intrigue , this would be perfect as a holiday read .

I loved the premise of this book. It was an easy read and simple to follow - making it a quick read as well! However, there were some major flaws in the book that had it not moved so quickly may have caused it to become a DNF. Parts of the story are impossible to believe. The way the characters talk and interact, also very unrealistic. So although the story was overall enjoyable, it reminded me of a toddler telling a fabricated story about what they did over the weekend. There were surprises throughout the book, which is always nice! It is the type of book to read if you are looking for a break from reality and a quick easy read - not if you are looking for a book that is going to keep you on your mental toes!

Amber Ryan is in prison for a crime that she did not commit - a crime that never happened. Her old friend, Heather, is going to prove her innocence. But in order to do so, she will need to go to the dark side, again.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This was an ok read, but it didn’t blow me away as much as I had hoped it would, from the synopsis.

Heather wasn’t a convincing character for me and lacked depth. I didn’t understand her motivation for getting involved in the “investigation” she was asked to help with by two complete strangers and on behalf of an ex-friend who had treated her badly, more than once.

There were a couple of things that didn’t add up; a life sentence for a crime that wasn’t murder, yet another character who was charged with several murders released on bail - not happening!

Not a bad read, but didn’t hit its potential.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Jackie Kabler and Harper Collins for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I had eagerly ancipated Jackie Kabler's latest book, having enjoyed some of her previous works. Unfortunately, The Life Sentence fell short of my expectations. While the narrative held my attention and kept me hooked with its suspenseful twists and turns, I found the plot to be somewhat contrived.

Heather's questionable decisions throughout the story left a lingering sense of unease. Her inexplicable attraction to Jack, despite his evident flaws, felt forced and detracted from the overall credibility of the storyline. Moreover, Jack's peculiar backstory, while initially intriguing, ultimately failed to deliver a satisfying resolution.

While The Life Sentence offered moments of suspense and intrigue, it ultimately failed to resonate with me on a deeper level. This novel falls short of the author's previous successes.

I was pulled into this straight away. It was definitely a page turner. The pacing was so fast, and it kept me interested the entire way through.

The majority of the story was told in Heather’s point of view, but we also got to read from Amber’s POV (from prison) and Jack’s POV (the antagonist). I liked how we didn’t read much from Jack’s, but it was just enough to keep my interest wondering how he’s going to find out if Heather was up to something. There were obvious differences in the three POV’s so it was easy to tell who we were following.

One thing that got on my nerves was some of Heather’s questionable decisions. Despite knowing she wanted in and out as quickly as possible, she made some choices that just didn’t make much sense because of the danger she was putting herself in. I also just thought she was so trusting of everyone (other than Jack and Rhona). Although she was resistant at the start when Felicity found her, it still felt like she just accepted what they said as the truth. Why did it take so long for her to wonder if they were in on it? I did really like the ending, though. There were many plot twists that shocked me and I couldn’t read the rest of the book quick enough! Most things were wrapped up nicely, but it also left some things to the imagination, so all in all, I was satisfied.

Convicted. Jailed. All for a crime that never even happened...

I have read four of Jackie Kabler's previous psychological thrillers and have enjoyed all of them but this one I found a little underwhelming, despite the intriguing description. I struggled to immerse myself and fully believe what was unfolding, as engaging as it was. But I ploughed on to the end.

While the story centres around Amber Ryan being falsely accused, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, Heather is our main character here, going in to bat for her long time former friend Amber who now languishes inside an 8 foot cell. So why was Amber now in prison? And a life sentence? I probably would have believed it had the crime been something more substantial than a robbery and apparent stabbing. Nobody died. Injured, yes. Dead, no. So why the life sentence? That just didn't sit right with me.

The man at the centre of it all is Jack Shannon. Handsome, charismatic and charming. But a narcissistic, self indulgent, entitled grown man-child-brat. Heather had once been involved with Jack. A short-lived fling that she did well to escape. Then Amber, her long time friend, became involved with him...despite Heather's pleas of warning for her to disentangle herself from him. Amber accused her of being jealous and cut ties with her.

And now Heather is told by way of a third hand acquaintance in Felicity and her brother Nathan that Jack is responsible for Amber's incarceration. That he had methodically planned to frame her and have her jailed for the crimes he was setting her up for. Because the crime never actually happened and Amber is now in prison for something not only did she not do, but never even happened.

So between the three of them, they decide to uncover the truth and bring Jack to justice. Doable? Or are they stark staring mad? It's a dangerous mission, especially if Jack finds out their subterfuge.

At any rate, there is lots of action, red herrings and a few twists along the way that will keep you turning the pages, albeit a little disbelievingly, and guessing how it will all end. There are plenty of eye-rolling moments and the story is pretty far fetched even for the fictitious kind that suspending belief kind of stretches the elasticity of it.

However, despite its flaws and my issues with it, the plot is very easy to follow and fairly fast paced. And it is a decent enough read, even if it's not one of her best. Something to pass the time, at least.

I would like to thank #JackieKabler, #Netgalley, #OneMoreChapter and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheLifeSentence in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Great story with twists until the very end, loved the characters in this book and how everything came together or apart depending on who it was.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Jackie Kabler’s latest thriller, "The Life Sentence," is an electrifying rollercoaster of suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. From the very first page, I was drawn into the gripping narrative of Amber Ryan, a character whose innocence is as palpable as the looming sense of danger that surrounds her.

Kabler’s masterful storytelling weaves a web of intrigue, deceit, and uncertainty, leaving readers questioning every twist and turn until the shocking truth is revealed. The relentless pace and heart-pounding suspense of "The Life Sentence" made it impossible for me to put down, and I found myself reading late into the night, eagerly devouring each page to uncover the secrets hidden within.

Amber Ryan is a protagonist you can’t help but root for, her determination to prove her innocence driving the narrative forward with unwavering intensity. As she navigates the treacherous world of prison and fights to uncover the truth, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and the tension reaches a fever pitch with each passing chapter.

"The Life Sentence" is a gripping and immersive thriller that will leave readers breathless until the very last page. With its taut plot, compelling characters, and unexpected twists, Jackie Kabler has once again delivered a five-star masterpiece that will haunt me long after the final sentence.

I have read and enjoyed earlier thrillers by Jackie Kabler but this one far surpassed them in terms of twists and tension. It centres around Heather an bookseller in London, her highly dysfunctional obsessive boyfriend Jack and revenge!
The range of characters gives the story depth and balance and Heather herself is authentic and likeable.

As the story progresses the tension ramps up and by the end my heart was in my throat as I read. The final little twist at the end was very clever!
A great gripping read you won't be able to put down!