The boy in the woods by AJ Wills
Thank you NetGalley and victory editing!

Sabine sugar is a warrior mom focused on family and one that protects them at all costs. She has moved to a new neighborhood after the death of a teenage girl, starting over can be tough. Not only on a family but on children as well.

Leo her oldest is trying to recreate his life and gain trust after the terrible incident that made them move in the first place. But after his mother sees him in the woods with his new friend Olivia and she goes missing. Sabine is reeling in fear as she believes her son is to blame again. Sabine not wanting to believe Leo is to blame does everything in her power to speak to her rebellious child and get to the bottom of the matter. Was he to blame? Why is this chaos following their family around.
This book was a great read and I had no clue where it was headed. So many irons in the fire I would say. Too many finger pointed and it was delightful! What a good book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The Boy in the Woods by A.J. Wills is a psychological thriller that delves deep into the complexities of a mother’s love and the lengths she will go to protect her family. Set against the backdrop of a small town shrouded in secrets, the story unfolds with Sabine Sugar, a devoted wife and mother, who has moved her family to escape their past linked to the death of a teenage girl. However, the past has a way of catching up, and Sabine’s world is thrown into turmoil when she witnesses a scene in the woods that threatens to unravel everything she has worked for.

Wills masterfully crafts a narrative that is as much about the internal struggles of his characters as it is about the external mystery. The tension builds as Sabine grapples with doubt and fear, questioning her son Leo’s involvement in the disappearance of their neighbor’s daughter, Olivia. The author’s use of the misty, foreboding woods as a setting not only heightens the suspense but also serves as a metaphor for the murky depths of human emotions and the unknowns that lie within our closest relationships.

The novel’s strength lies in its ability to keep readers on the edge of their seats while also presenting a poignant exploration of familial bonds. Wills’ writing is sharp and evocative, with a narrative pace that accelerates as the stakes get higher. The characters are well-developed, with Sabine’s maternal instincts and Leo’s adolescent turmoil portrayed with authenticity and depth.

The Boy in the Woods is a testament to A.J. Wills’ skill in weaving a tale that is both thrilling and thought-provoking.

It’s a story that resonates with the fear every parent harbors about the dangers their children might face and the darkness that can lurk in the most unexpected places. With a plot that twists and turns until the very end, this book is a must-read for fans of the genre and a standout addition to Wills’ growing body of work.

A.J. Wills delivers a novel that is a psychological tour de force, challenging readers to confront the unsettling question: how far would you go to protect the ones you love? The Boy in the Woods is a chilling, heart-pounding read that will stay with you.

The plot of the book was absolutely great. fast paced, mind boggling and this book very entertaining. roller coaster of a book. i thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Wow I loved this book.
It certainly wasn’t what I expected.
The story kept you guessing as to what happened and it wasn’t obvious what was going to happen either

I absolutely hate the dad in this book. His perspective makes me cringe. Is he a "bad" guy? No. He is just checked out, stupid, and predictable.
I mean that's probably the point and I love books where I hate the man.
I ended up loving this but it was a weird ride.

This was a really good read. I enjoyed the story, and there were times when I was holding my breath. I felt sorry for Sabine when all she was trying to do was help her family stay together, but all the lies and deceit from her 2 boys and husband must have been so hard for her to deal with. She's definitely a strong person. I did not like Rory much at all, I thought he was a bit of a sleaze and definitely selfish. I also saw what was coming with Toni. I hated Jerome for so many reasons. I liked Leo and was willing him to be innocent all the way through the book. I was definitely shocked at Casper even though I did suspect what was going to happen. Overall, it's a really good thriller, I'll look out for more by this author.

I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

The Boy In the Woods is an edge of your seat, twisty, rollercoaster of a read!
We follow Sabine, who has had to uproot her family and move away after her son Leo's involvement in the death of a young girl. Leo doesn't adapt well and now has only one friend - Olivia, who lives across the street to them.
When Sabine comes across what looks to be Leo and Olivia having a heated argument in the woods, she begins to worry, and when Olivia disappears, she fears the worst - has her son harmed this girl? Leo denies having anything to do with her disappearance, but Sabine can't shake her suspicions.
I really felt for Sabine in this book. She desperately tries to give her son the benefit of the doubt and battles to keep her family together, and it makes you question yourself as to what you would do if this was you.
I did see one of the twists coming but was happily surprised by the rest.

It was a good book. I felt like I’ve read it before. Thanks t NetGalley for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review!

Sabine is out walking dogs that she is employed to look after during the day when she sees what seems to be an argument with a boy and a girl, she is pretty sure the boy is her own son Leo and the girl her neighbors daughter Olivia but as the daylight was fading she could not be 100% sure. Soon Olivia is declared missing by her parents. After a previous major incident with her son, Sabine had to pack up her family and move to a new town where no one knows them and her instincts are telling her she may be in for more heartache.

This really is a story of a mother's love and how far a parent would go to protect their child and it is a very emotional read. As time moves forward it seems that all the evidence is pointing against Leo and Sabine is devastated, her husband is a useless human being who does nothing to support his wife in regard to this situation and vies away from having any discussions with his son to try to find answers as to what may have happened to Olivia.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and again read this one in an afternoon. There are many twists and turns along the way that will keep you turning the pages and I became totally absorbed in this story. This is my second book by this author and I am definitely now a fan of their work. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own. Highly recommended.

This book was everything I wanted in a thriller. It had fast-paced chapters, multiple POV, and constant unexpected twists that kept me turning the pages.
The characters were realistic, relatable, and flawed. The plot was suspenseful, and I couldn't put it down.

The concept is reminiscent of the book Saving Noah, where I was putting myself in the mother's shoes. Would the mama bear in me protect my child at the expense of my own morality and decency?
It's definitely a must-read!

Thank you to netgalley and cherry tree publishing for about early copy. My review, as usual, is voluntary.

What a book! This is one of the best storyline's ever, I did not see that ending coming. A family that is falling apart at the seams, a mother who is trying to keep it together, a father who wants to be the good guy and two teenagers that want to be loved and understood. What extremes would you go to, to keep your family safe from unravelling? A J Wills has done an awesome job with this book, I am so glad that I got to read it with all it's many twists and turns that will keep you glued till the end.
Do read it, you will really enjoy it.

The Boy In The Woods was my second read by A J Willis and he is becoming one of my favorite authors!

The thriller is told in multiple POV and will keep you on the edge of your seat! Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, another plot twist is thrown at you.

It just came out on May 1st and if you like thrillers, mysteries and the ultimate page turner then read this book. I devoured it! Couldn't put it down.

This story follows the twists and turns of a mother trying to protect her child while also trying to find out the truth about what really happened to the girl across the street who goes missing one day. But things are more complicated than it seemed. Did Sabine really see her son in the woods arguing with the now missing girl? Or is it all in her head, is she still suffering from the tragedy of what happen last time before they had to move?

The writing was amazing. The plot twists, well I didn't see half of them coming and Wills had me gasping out loud through the last 35% of the read.

A J Wills is an author that I absolutely love reading his books. He has fantastic, unexpected twists, suspense, and well developed characters and plot. It is his trademark that we have become to love and drop everything when he has a new book.
I always look forward to his next book.
A must-read for every thriller fan.

The Boy In The Woods by A.J. Wills
I was definitely drawn by the great cover and the title was very intriguing. This is my first read by this author and it was a solid read.
After a deadly mishap by her teenaged son Leo, Sabine and her family are forced to relocate to another town that knows nothing about their past. But then Sabine sees Leo arguing and struggling with their new neighbor Olivia, she fears it’s happening again. Sabine refuses to believe what she thinks she’s seen and Leo denies it completely. But then Olivia doesn’t come home and Sabine is left to try to put all the pieces together whether she wants to or not. Lots of twists at the end.

The Boy in the Woods
By A.J. Wills

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Sabine Sugar, devoted wife and mother, has turned her back on the haters and moved her family to a new town where no one knows they had anything to do with the death of a teenage girl.’

If I could give this book 6 stars I would! It was absolute perfection from start to finish, I devoured it in one sitting!

The fast paced chapters, multiple POVs and constant unexpected plot twists were everything I needed and more in a thriller book. I am immediately adding everything A.J. Wills has ever wrote to my TBR!

Readers who enjoyed Gillian McAllister’s ‘Wrong Place Wrong Time’ will love this!

This will be the best thriller you’ll read in 2024 I guarantee it…thank me later!

Triggers warnings - death, drug use and sexual abuse

A big thank you to NetGalley, Cherry Tree Publishing and the fabulous author A.J. Wills for this gifted ARC in return for an honest review.

I will also be posting my review on Amazon on the publishing date.

Boy in the woods:
Very fast-paced thriller with so many twists and turns I didn’t see coming! Characters are memorable and the plot is so exciting!Sabine , a protective mom of 2 , sees her son arguing with Olivia , their teenage neighbor. When Olivia goes missing , Sabine is afraid her son, Leo, is involved. She had just uprooted her family to move to a new town due to rumors that Leo was responsible for a girl’s death. How far will she go to protect her family? 5 stars!!! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this

This was an extremely enjoyable and tense read. It is the first of AJ Wills that I have read and most certainly won't be the last. I really enjoyed getting to read the book from multiple POV's and didn't have any issues with this and I really loved the premise, it kept me gripped all the way throughout the story and I couldn't have guessed the plot twist even if I tried! The plot twist reveal is a tough one and a very sensitive topic but AJ handled it with care and it concluded the story perfectly.

This book was a bit of a tough read, but overall worth it. There were so many nuances to the characters and plot twists that I didn't see coming. A reminder to always take what you think you know with a grain of salt and that even those closest to you can betray your trust.

Well this was fun! We have a moody teen, a protective ((and somewhat annoying)) mom, absent dad and a younger brother left to his own devices! I knew there was more to this story!