Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ | Format: Audiobook & E-Book

Okay so I was totally enraptured by this story from start to end. It’s a thriller, yes, but basically also could be described as someone’s personal horror story depicting all the scenarios you would NEVER want to happen. Marriage falling apart leading to the decision to go on a Christmas trip to a secluded cabin with your family, when your husband’s ex-girlfriend suddenly shows up with her child? Quickly finding out danger is following said ex-girlfriend? A terrible, life-threatening storm with no possibility of escape? Yeah, definitely a nightmare come true and things only progressively get worse from there…

Addictive and heart-pounding, with an absolutely excellent narrator for the audiobook (Helen McAlpine), I found myself constantly surprised by the direction the story took, but ultimately felt like the ending was rushed and disappointing, lowering my overall rating.

Thank you to Rosie Walker, Bookouture, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

The setting of this book was beautiful. The story was a bit too long and characters lived too much in their thoughts than in their actions.

I liked it, but didn’t love it. A little editing and a better ending would have changed this book for the better.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #ExGirlfriend by #RosieWalker. This is the ultimate book on manipulation and what people are capable of. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was surprised by the ending. Highly recommend.

This book was a roller coaster ride!! I just threw my hands up and screamed! There were twists and turns everywhere! My heart was pounding! Rosie Walker has a great talent for keeping the reader hooked and building anticipation! She also has a great understanding of domestic issues that may be recognizable and heart wrenching for some readers.

⭐️3.5
A broken marriage and a holiday getaway that just might repair the damage. Except…the girl who broke your husband’s heart coincidentally shows up.

This was a slower burn of a book and the chapters were a bit longer than I usually like.

But, I stayed with it, and there were a couple fun twists at the end that made me think, oh wow, what just happened??

This was fun!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Publication date: May 3, 2024

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6378434077

This was a decent read that had some surprising twists. It centers on Sadie, who plans a Christmas getaway for her immediate and extended family to an isolated vacation home, when suddenly her husband's ex-girlfriend shows up with a child in tow. Sadie is naturally suspicious and as the story unfolds, it becomes more difficult to know who to trust.

The setting of this book was creepy and I thought that the isolated house and the bad weather made for an interesting vibe. I love an unreliable narrator and it was fun to try to figure out who to trust. Much of the book was focused on Sadie's internal dialogue and was often repetitive, so I could have done with some more editing; I think it would have made the pace of the story faster. The real action happens closer to the end of the book and while it was very twisty, there were some events where I didn't feel like the author had laid enough breadcrumbs to make it feel clean. The ending left me with a few lingering questions.

Overall, a bit of a slow burn, though it does pick up as time goes on. While I enjoyed the twists, I wish I had more background information on some of them. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good creepy thriller with a few twists that will blow your mind. I wasn’t sure who to trust out of all the characters. Each had their moments when I was questioning their motives.The setting gave off vivid creepy vibes.The isolated mansion and the ongoing storm made for the perfect setting. The basement description alone will make me fear walking into a basement. Sadie and Ted were having marriage problems and Sadie tried to salvage her marriage by planning the perfect Christmas getaway which she hopes will help get her marriage back on track. Things start out very well until someone invites Ted’s ex-girlfriend Alice and her child Natasha to their family gathering. Tension ramps up as a storm is raging outside and nothing is as it seems. The pacing of the story was perfect giving out clues and false clues as to who is the villain and who has every reason to be scared. It was definitely a Christmas Sadie will never forget.

It was meant to be a holiday for Sadie, Ted, and their daughters. But then Alice shows up with her daughter Natasha, And then the storm hits. This has a few surprises for everyone (including Ted, who is definitely a frog). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A nicely paced thriller.

This book grabbed my attention from the very first pages and I was instantly sucked in. Each chapter was left on a cliff hanger making it hard to ever stop reading. When I couldn't read the book, I was often thinking up what could be next. The build up was GREAT. However, I think that the book ended pretty flat. I'd still recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick read that will keep you wanting more!

This was a solid thriller! I enjoyed the concept and really enjoyed Sadie as the main character. I found Ted to be rather annoying - I was not a fan of him at all. The ending really surprised me, I didn’t see it coming!

This one definitely had me guessing throughout! Seeing the dynamic change and darkness set in was very thrilling.

A well excuted plot twist is a 5 star in my book!!!! This read kept me on my toes the entire time. Whenever there's an Ex involved you know it's going to be a good story and this one definitely did not disappoint. This is my first read from this author and thanks to an ARC I really loved it. Mystery/thrillers/crime are my favorite reads and this one did not disappoint.

Excellent book! This was very well written and engaging. The characters were very likable and this was very fast paced. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I feel conflicted about this one. Some pieces didn't fit together and I was left with a few questions. Just those few incidents lead me to believe that the author's attempt at a well-organized conclusion wasn't quite successful. With their diverse personalities and problems, the characters were a rather intriguing group. The concept, which had individuals stranded together in an opulent vacation home for several days, was interesting.

4.5/5.0 stars
Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review
This is my first book by Rosie Walker and I plan to read her others. This nail-biting suspenseful mystery set in the remote Scottish highlands during a fierce Christmas storm had me rushing towards the ending. It’s filled with lies, betrayal, domestic violence , fear and shocking twists.
What if your husband’s ex-girlfriend showed up at a family gathering claiming your husband had invited her? What if she brought along a daughter old enough to be his? Who would you believe? Your husband of over 10 years with whom you have two children? Or his ex-girlfriend?

I have mixed feelings about this one. If I overlook some things that don't add up, it's a great book if you like psychological thrillers as much as I do. It's just those few instances that leave me thinking the ending the author tried to neatly pull together just wasn't completely pulled together.

The characters were a rather interesting bunch with varied personalities and issues. The plot itself was good with people trapped in an elaborate vacation home together for several days.

Overall, this is a three star book. Had certain issues been resolved it would have been worth more than that.

Ex-Girlfriend by Rosie Walker

Publisher Bookouture

Time to read less than a day

Stars 3

Review

This was a new author to me

It was a very quick read for me and all together easy read.

Nothing stood out to me as totally thrilling but it didn't put me off reading.

A nice way to lose yourself for a couple of hours.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to review.

This book was really good! The storyline was really interesting, and it had a lot of different twists and turns that I wasn't expecting. I had no idea how it would end, and I was definitely surprised. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and would recommend to others!

I did enjoy this book, the setting was perfect. The characters were not very likable, and the story was a bit slow for me .Overall though not a bad read, I wouldn't put anyone off reading it.

Sadie wanted a Christmas away in the country with her family but what she couldn't have foreseen was her husband’s ex-girlfriend showing up with her daughter!
The book was tense and the setting enjoyable, rather a slow burn but that is fine.
Good plot