I haven’t read a book this bad in a long time.
The writing felt like a 15 year olds thoughts on paper, and the dialogue left much to be desired.
The plot was strange, and like a lot happened, but really nothing did. It was one of the worst let down thrillers of the year for me.
I was sent this copy by the publisher, so I wish I had better things to say.
Thank you Harper publishing!

This book was meh for me. It kept me engaged throughout but the ending felt anticlimactic. It was slow and never really picked up. But I thought it was written well and I didn’t find myself struggling to finish, just wanting a little more.

Went to Walmart and almost bought this because I completely forgot I had an arc. I’m so glad I didn’t buy it. This was lackluster and left for something to be desired. It’s definitely not a thriller it’s more of a family drama.

Overall a pretty good book. There were a few places that I felt that questions weren’t quite answered or skipped over, but overall a nice quick read.
The characters are pretty basic honestly, not much about them really stands out. I found that the daughter, Claire, seems a bit immature and naive for being 16.

Would still recommend to others.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

This story is set in 1992, when a sociology professor named Matthew Larkin is driving from Minneapolis back to his home in Northwood. After getting caught in a hail storm, he pulls off the road to wait for it to pass - and that’s when he sees it: a tarp in front of a feed store, covering what looks to be a small body. He gets out of his car, removes the tarp and finds a preteen boy, unconscious and hypothermic. Being a Good Samaritan, he carries the boy to his car to warm him up and take him to the hospital, but the child soon wakes up and jumps out of the car, running away.

Throughout the book we get to know a lot of characters (maybe too many?), like Matthew’s daughter Claire, his ex-wife Tammy, a social worker named Kira, and others who are all connected in one way or another. It turns out the boy was a foster child who ran away, but why? Where did he go? Will Matthew lose the tenure he was about to get after technically kidnapping a child and not calling the police because he was drunk when this all happened? When the police and social workers get involved, Matthew is terrified of losing his shot at tenure - and his daughter.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but there is also something about it that felt haphazard. As I mentioned, there may have been too many characters, and sometimes the links between them felt very tenuous. Claire was a compelling character, but trying to connect her heartbreaking story with the rest of the book seemed like a grasp. I love the idea of this book, but there was too much filler, in my opinion. Nonetheless, it was still an entertaining and quick read that ended neatly, which is why I’m rounding up on my 3.5 star rating.

(Thank you to HarperCollins, Toni Halleen and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

As someone who is very emotional, I was expecting this book to get me and it really didn't. I was hoping for a thriller and thriller it was not. This was a drama and had no sense of twist or excitement. I wasn't as sad as I thought I would be. It didn't hit me in the feels like a story about a parent losing a child. I'm not sure if it was the author's style of writing or what.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper and author, Toni Halleen for the arc!

Ok, so this one definitely starts out with all the “thriller vibes” … but soon after it settles into something more.

Although there is a little bit of a mystery to be revealed … I felt this story is more of a slow burn, thought provoking family drama. Hitting many topics like grief & loss, divorce, sexual assault, foster care, addiction, abuse & trauma … this is a compelling read that deep dives into real life family relationships & hardships & living with the fallout of the choices we make.

So even though I didn’t that twisty & suspenseful thrill ride that I was expecting from this book, I did get an emotional & well written story with characters that tugged at my heart.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. The first time I tried to read this book, it didn't hold my interest. I decided to give it another try and I really enjoyed it. I love how it took place in 1992. I also enjoyed how it was told in parts by different characters. The story centers around a professor who becomes a good Samaritan by saving a young boy. I really liked how all of the characters became tied together at the end of the book.

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. I read the author's previous book, THE SURROGATE, and enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to this one.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN was not what it was marketed as. This was not a psychological thriller. Mystery -- maybe. However, there wasn't even much mystery and intrigue. I found Matthew to be incredibly annoying. I didn't understand the decisions he made and how he didn't think them through. I also found the rest of the story to move way too slow and felt like nothing really happened. When I reached the end, I found myself asking what the point of the story was.

I enjoyed this! This is a story that stayed with me. It's very entertaining and riveting. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Toni Halleen, Harper Paperbacks and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

The main character, aka Rhe Good Samaritan, made many questionable choices and was somewhat annoying to me. The story overall was entertaining enough to finish reading. Didn’t love it and probably wouldn’t recommend.

I was SO intrigued by the synopsis but NOTHING EVER HAPPENED! I read and read and refused to put it down because I just KNEW something good was coming… and it never did. 3 stars only because it did keep me hooked, but maybe I was just hooked by my expectations…

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

I received an advanced copy of "The Good Samaritan" by Toni Halleen, courtesy of Harper Paperbacks and NetGalley. The novel centers around a teacher who, on his way home, encounters a teen passed out and reluctant to return home. This incident unravels a deeper exploration into both the teen's family and the teacher's family dynamics.

The book was an enjoyable and fast read. I particularly appreciated the author's perspective and the narrative choices made throughout the story. The characters were well-crafted, making the book both engaging and easy to follow. Overall, Toni Halleen's "The Good Samaritan" provided a satisfying reading experience with its thoughtful development and compelling plot.

This was another must read and highly anticipated read for me! I’m glad to say that it 100% delivered! It was a mix of a mystery and a drama which are two things I love so it worked well for me. It was a slow burn but it worked for this story. I loved that it was infused with grief, and the main characters internal conflict. It was a solid book we just need a bit better pacing.

Well, this book was not exactly what I expected. I almost didn’t read it because I hate when a good deed gets punished and I thought that is what this book was about! Boy…was I wrong!

What would you do if you found a young boy under a tarp? This happened to Professor Matthew Larkin. Matthew puts this boy into his car with the intention of taking him to the hospital. But when the boy wakes up…things are not as they seem.

There are quite a few moving parts to this novel and several different narrators. But the author does a pretty good job weaving this tale together. But all of the plot lines do not come together until the end. So, as the reader, you are wondering where this story is going. But let me tell you…it is worth the wait.

I loved the intensity, the family drama and the characters. Just trust the author will get you there. It is a different read!

Need a tale which is engaging and will make you think about your next good deed…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel for a honest review.

Unsure my final thoughts on this story. I felt like I had to force myself to continue at a few points, but the story line was intriguing. I may give it another read eith a different perspective.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and author for this Arc.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would rate it 4/5 stars. This was a fun thriller! Had me engaged from the start . This is the first I’ve read by this author but it won’t be the last!

Sociology professor Matthew Larkin is having a rough go. Once again up for tenure, he’s striving with everything he has to reach it. That is until he makes some rather ill advised decisions, even though he means well. While each choice he makes seems like another nail in his coffin, he’s finally making the choices that will help him face his past to make room for his future. A emotional filled family drama. Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The cover of this book leads you to believe it's a thriller but I found it to be more of a slow burn drama. Short chapters with a variety of characters made it a quick, easy read.

Matthew's life has become a disaster. After his young son's accidental death, his wife divorces him, he loses his job and his daughter doesn't have much to do with him. Deciding to put his life back on track, Matthew takes a tenure track position a a small college in southern Minnesota.

When Matthew gets caught in a hailstorm in the middle of the night while driving, he pulls off the highway to seek shelter and discovers a child curled up beneath a plastic tarp. Alive but soaked to the bone, Matthew decides to put the boy in his car. When the boy suddenly wakes up agitated, Matthew makes a dangerous choice...

The moral dilemma will leave you questioning character decisions.

An enjoyable read that kept me interested from start to finish.