this is such a great domestic thriller with a main character that didn't make dumb decisions every other page, which i greatly appreciate! there are so many end of chapter cliffhangers that made me want to keep reading in the best way. also, the premise of ariel receiving a text message from her boyfriend (who's been dead for five years) is so unique and interesting. definitely pick this up if you like a mystery that keeps you guessing!

cw: suicide, sexual assault

thanks to harper perennial and netgalley for my advance copy of the five year lie by sarina bowen. all opinions are my own.

The Five Year Lie is another excellent Sarina Bowen book. Ariel's life starts to unravel after she receives a text from her dead boyfriend. As she gets closer to the truth she quickly realizes that her and her son's life could be in danger. I was completely captivated, edge of my seat engrossed. The twists and turns, the emotions, it's all perfection. If you're like me and you're a high stress and anxiety this is the ideal thriller. It'll keep you engaged without overwhelming you. I highly highly recommend this read.

3.5 stars rounded up

Something different from Sarina Bowen, this mystery/thriller keeps you guessing.

The beginning premise pulled me in right away. Ariel gets a text message from her dead boyfriend and her world is rocked. How did this happen? Is it a prank? Something sinister? Is he REALLY dead? Down the rabbit hole she goes and the deeper she goes the more confused she gets, but one thing is for certain, she's just unknowingly put herself in danger and everything she thought she knew is now not so certain.

Overall I enjoyed this read. The reality of doorbell cameras and how that info is used is very pertinent. The pacing does stall out a bit in the middle and my attention started to lag slightly, but then a side character steps up and starts to take on a bigger role in the story and my interest was piqued again.

I felt like the book was a bit too long and if a few things were condensed, the action would be more continuous and the read would be a bit more enjoyable overall. The ending felt rushed and slightly underdeveloped with the reader having to suspend disbelief but overall I liked the story idea and am excited to see if the author will continue to write in the genre. Would read another mystery/thriller by this author!

This was a good whodunit book! I did feel like it was a little long and could get a little bit granular but overall I liked it. The characters were developed well and the it kept you guessing.

Five years ago, Ariel was ghosted by the only man she ever loved, leaving her alone and, she discovered, with a baby on the way. She could fund no trace of for all her searching, until finally, an obituary showed up online. Now, shockingly, there is a text message on her phone that only Drew could have sent. Desperate to understand, Ariel starts another search with the help of a tech-savvy friend, only to find that she is surrounded by secrets and lies that someone will do anything to keep quiet. Ariel is an appealing main character and the deft mixing of romance and suspense keeps the pages turning.

Oh my gosh! I loved this book.
Welcome to a legit 5 star read for me. This book was top-notch, It had romance, thrilling aspects, mystery, friendships, family dynamics. It was a book I would put down for the sole purpose that I wouldn’t have to finish it because I didn’t want it to end!
Some of the “twists” were predictable but I didn’t even care. There were many that weren’t and the characters were just…ah so good.
I loved how it would go back 5 years so we, the readers, could see things as they unfolded in “real time”. So good.
5 stars for this book! I am so grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy!

The Five Year Lie by Sarina Bowen is an entertaining psychological suspense novel with dual time lines and multiple POVs. This is my first book by Sarina Bowen and I enjoyed the mix of romance and suspense. This book has dual time lines and is told in the past (5 years ago) and the present.

Ariel and Drew meet as coworkers and engage in a secret relationship since she is the daughter of one of the CEO's. One day Drew ghosts Ariel and then she reads his obituary shortly after. He is never far from her mind and when she gets a text from him 5 years later her mind spins and she goes down a rabbit hole trying to find out why he ghosted her. Along the way, secrets are revealed and you are left wondering who is responsible for the illegal and corrupt activity.

I felt the beginning was a little slow but the second half was more fast paced and kept me intrigued and engaged in the story. Overall I recommend this book if you like corporate corruption, romance mixed with suspense, technology, and illegal activity, I give this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for an advanced digital copy of this book. I read it and gave an honest review.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this phenomenal thriller. Ariel receives a text from her dead lover to secretly meet in the park. The story was not at all what I thought it would be about, and in a good way. It had a bit of a slower start which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I can assure you that it steadily picks up where you won’t be able to stop reading it until you’re finished. Imagine being watched everywhere you go, or being able to watch anyone at any time. This is the hidden premise behind the savvy new AI technology at a doorbell camera tech company. The plot dug deeper and deeper with more secrets that made me baffled. I think it’s a bit freaky, because this is something that could happen in real life. I loved that the author entwined a love story into this thriller. It made me resonate and empathize with the characters even more than I usually would. Bottom line, I highly recommend this thriller!

The "Five Year Lie" kept me riveted trying to figure out who was the person that my wrath should be pointed towards. This "person" changed regularly and Sarina Bowen has a way on making you become invested in her characters and their well being. I read approximately one book a week and I really enjoyed this book. The premise was different than a lot of books I read with mystery and romance all mixed in to one plot line. I highly recommend.

Must read book!

This is a story, I wanted to race through to learn what was happening, but it’s one to slow down and savor every detail. It is written in a then-and-now viewpoint. The back story is told in a layer at a time and each reveal of new information elevates the tension. I was frequently questioning which character was good or corrupt.

Ariel works for her father at a tech company. Her father owns the company and uses his power to bully every one in his life. She can’t stand him, hates her job, and yet she is tied to what she does. One day a new programmer starts working at the company. Drew is quiet, likable and notices everything. Before long there is an attraction between the two of them that must be secret. One day he disappears.

It’s a story full of delicious plot twists, hair-raising suspense, fantastic characters and a feel good ending.I’m

I liked this book, though I found it wildly unrealistic. It centers on Ariel, who gets a text from her boyfriend Drew 5 years after he disappeared and subsequently died. In her efforts to find out what happened to him and how she got the text, she ends up stumbling on a sinister situation that makes her question who Drew really was and what he was after.

I really liked Ariel and thought she was kind of a badass at times, while also seeming down-to-earth in her lack of engagement in her day job and her understanding that she didn't have to worry about money. The one thing that really bugged me about her, though, is the constant bemoaning about how Drew didn't really love her. Even when it became clear that he was involved in something bigger than their relationship, it never even seemed occurred to her that it wasn't about her for the longest time. I could have done without that. That being said, the relationship she had with her son and her best friend were both heart-warming and real. I thought the plot of the book was really good and there were some great twists and turns, as well as a couple true surprises. While the overarching storyline made sense to me, some of the specific things that characters did (which I will not share for the sake of not spoiling) caused me to have to suspend my disbelief. If you can can do that, the story is overall very interesting. I liked the ending and was satisfied at the way it all came together.

Overall, this was a fast and engaging read with a few misses. I know this author usually writes romance novels, in which I have zero interest, but I would pick up another thriller by her if she wrote one. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A wild turn of events that kept me on my toes!
I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller by Sarina Bowen! It was full of twists and turns, violent endings, daddy issues, secret relationship and secret baby! I couldn't put it down and it kept me entertained the entire time. I will admit, some of it was quite predictable which is not my favorite and why I did rate it a 4 star, but overall I really did love the book and would recommend it to others.
Ariel was fierce, total bad a$$, I loved her defiance and her persistence and especially her tribe. Drew was a mysterious army vet who never gave much away which added to his mystery and charm; definitely a loner with a secret or two! But Drew and Ariel together was spicy!!

**** Please note---this review is super generic because I do not want to give away spoilers. I highly recommend avoiding reading any reviews containing spoilers as going in blindly will give you the best reading experience. Trust me, you'll thank me later! ****

Sarina Bowen is one of my must-read authors. Her hockey series and her True North series are some of my all-time favorite books. But a mystery/thriller? This is the story I never knew I needed! Bowen delivered an outstanding story that will leave you guessing all the way until the very end. It's exciting, mysterious, addicting, and will make you question everything you thought you knew. Bowen's masterful storytelling takes the story in one direction and then suddenly it veers off in a different direction. There are twists and turns galore and you'll feel your heart pumping throughout. I had a hard time putting this story down! It moves at a fast pace, is told in alternating points of view, and flips back and forth from the past to the present to give back story. The characters, the setting....all are incredible! Bowen kept me engrossing from the first page until the very last. I couldn't get enough of this book! Do not miss this amazing masterpiece from this exceptionally talented author! 5 stars

Addicting! This was my first book by Sarina Bowen and I cannot wait to read more by this author! The story moves between the past and present, weaving mystery with romance and good vs. evil. The book is long, but a very fast read. Highly recommend! 5 stars for me! Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. Publication Date: May 7, 2024

I love Sarina Bowen’s hockey romances and I’m always excited (and majorly impressed) when an author has the writing chops to take on a different genre. Bowen’s newest release, a domestic thriller, wasn’t my favorite but it was entertaining and definitely something new!

I’m glad I went into this totally blind but it probably wasn’t the best plot for me personally. I almost gave up when I got the gist of where the story was going but so many early reviewers were raving about it that I decided to keep going.

The pacing is pretty slow, especially for the first 30-40%, and the writing is very detailed, especially all the tech details. I didn’t find the thriller elements all that thrilling but I was invested enough in the plot to want to find out how it ends.

Overall, not my favorite thriller but I enjoyed the romance subplot and I’m a big enough fan of Sarina Bowen that I’ll continue reading whatever she writes!

Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own!

THE FIVE YEAR LIE had an interesting set up and sympathetic characters, with a plot that was intriguing. The first half was a quick read but the second half dragged and while the ending was ultimately satisfying, the journey was too slow.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Paperbacks for the opportunity to read and review THE FIVE YEAR LIE.

On an ordinary Monday morning, Ariel Cafferty's phone buzzes with a disturbing text message. Something’s happened. I need to see you. Meet me under the candelabra tree ASAP. The words would be jarring from anyone, but the sender is the only man she ever loved. And it's been several years since she learned he died.

This was a very well-written and well-plotted mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Rated 4/5
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! I really enjoyed this one. Definitely did not want to put it down. There was so much suspense and mystery that it kept me on the edge of my seat. This story really had me thinking of how technology is interwoven into our daily lives and how invasive it can be.

Imagine you're in a work meeting, and receive an alarming text from your child's father, except he's suppose to be dead. 🫣 This text changes everything Ariel once believed about her son's father, the man she loved. This text leads Ariel down a dangerous path, searching to find answers.

The Five Year Lie is a brilliant story jam packed with suspense. So many twists, family drama, and the perfect touch of romance to keep you turning the page. I really enjoyed the FMC, Ariel, as she was just an average person and easy to relate to. Also, Chime Co. 👀 I'm about to cancel my ring subscription ASAP. ✋🏻

The Five Year Lie is definitely a thriller to be on the look out for, releasing May 7, 2024. If you're into Toy Story references, love stories within a thriller, single parents, and tech: this is a book for you!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thank you NetGalley, Sarina Bowen, and Harper Perennial for this advanced ebook copy of The Five Year Lie in exchange for my honest review.

The Five Year Lie
by Sarina Bowen
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
For fans of Laura Dave and Julie Clark, but with a heart-stopping romance that only Sarina Bowen can execute, The Five Year Lie is a page-turning, spine-tingling thriller that will have you guessing until the very end.
As anticipated, the romantic elements of the story overshadow the mystery, which could use more development. Some of the explanations toward the end feel somewhat unreliable and far-fetched. Regrettably, I found it challenging to connect with the characters, who seemed a bit one-dimensional and in need of more depth.

At certain points, I found my interest in the mystery waning as well. Despite its shortcomings, the central concept compelled me to push through to the end, culminating in a semi-satisfying conclusion. While I couldn't fully embrace the explanations presented by the author in this thriller, I still had quite a bit of fun reaching the end.
4 stars