Did not finish this one around the 30% mark. Didn’t capture my attention and it was a bit too slow for my liking .

Love is a strange thing, especially when it comes to family. Liv has had issues in the past, so when her family tells her they are moving to America to chase her father’s Hollywood dreams, she thinks it might be her best chance to start over. But after attending a gala she wakes up to find her bedroom locked and her parents being cagy about what is going on. When her brother Casper gets home, he also feels like something is off. Mom and Dad are keeping something from the whole family. Both Casper and Live want to know what happened that fateful night and they both find people who help them try and piece together what occurred. This book is a super slow burn. You know that something horrible went down and slowly the story starts to come together. Once it comes together everything starts to move extremely fast. Overall, I think this is a decent book. I feel like the pacing could have been a little bit faster just to make sure the readers stay invested for the twisted ending.
Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

What’s behind the padlocked door? That’s what the Jansen siblings want to know. It appeared on Liv’s room after she attended a party and woke up injured with no memories of the night before. Their parents say it’s a mold infestation, but Casper’s not buying it, not when his mom and dad behave so strangely. When his sister begins disappearing in the middle of the night, Casper becomes determined to find out what really happened the night of the party.

This book had a lot of potential. I loved the atmosphere author Anna Snoekstra created by transplanting the Jansen family from Australia to Los Angeles, as their father struggles to adapt his book to a screenplay. It was an intriguing concept, the idea of a family being in a strange place while also keeping a large secret: what’s behind the padlocked door. And while the book sucked me in with its pacing, I just couldn’t connect with the characters. I found all of them, even Casper, unlikeable. Perhaps that was the author’s intention, to create a contradiction of sorts by building characters that the reader find difficult to sympathize with yet can’t help but wonder about. In this, she was extremely successful; while I was frustrated by Janus’s outlook, Kay’s passiveness, and the family’s other flaws, I did want to know exactly how their story played out. My interest in them, rather than my sympathy, kept me engaged, and it was definitely an effective plot device. The initial twist regarding who committed the final violent act of the book was also a nice touch; however, I didn’t love the “twist on the twist,” so to speak. I think a twist is necessary for a thriller novel like this—it’s what the reader has earned by getting to the end of the book. However, the way the book ended didn’t quite work for me; after the mess created by all the main characters, I was left wanting a less tidy and more realistic ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for granting me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: this was a wild ride! I absolutely love books that deal with dysfunctional families, and this one delivered. This is one messy thriller.

The book starts off so strong. Liv goes out with her friend Leilani and wakes up at home with bruises all over her body. Her room is padlocked and her parents are barely looking at her. She has no idea what happened.

From there, the secrets begin to unravel with each family member. Casper, her younger brother, is determined to know what happened that night that shook his whole family. From there, the pacing was a little off. It was a little slow until about 65% then I couldn’t put the book down.

The book is full of twists and turns. I thought I had things figured out, but then they went another direction. I do think some of the pacing was off because the author spent a lot of time on the past, instead of the current mystery. The current mystery was where I was hooked.

Overall, this was a clever and original read. I love a dysfunctional family thriller and I really enjoyed the last half of the book. I couldn’t believe how it ended.

Thanks to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for the advanced copy. This books comes out May 6th!

Reading this book was an experience in and of itself — and honestly, that alone deserves at least three stars. Picture me: curled up with my tea, internally screaming "What is going on?!" for a solid 70% of the story. This is a slow burn, the kind where you're not sure if you're being brilliantly led or lovingly trolled by the author... and somehow, you’re completely fine with either option because you must know what happens next.

Finally, blessedly, around the 70% mark, the clouds begin to part. Clarity trickles in — but not too much, mind you. Just enough to let you know you’re not entirely losing your mind. And then, just when you think you're steady on your feet, the book throws some delightfully twisty curveballs that make you question everything all over again. Good times.

The ending? Solid. Satisfying. It wrapped things up nicely enough, although a few lingering questions are still tap-dancing around in my head. (Maybe that’s intentional. Maybe it’s just me. Who's to say?) Either way, the journey was absolutely worth it.

This book also dives into some deep, punch-you-in-the-gut type of themes: How far would you go — how much would you risk — for someone you love? At what point should you stop chasing your dreams and ambitions? And perhaps the hardest question of all: what happens when your dreams collide headfirst with your responsibilities?

Overall, it’s a really good read: thought-provoking, well-paced (after the slow-burn setup), and twisty enough to keep you on your toes. Therefore, with my heart full and my brain mildly fried in the best possible way, I proudly award this book four stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Liv's family has recently moved from Australia to LA. Her father Janus has found some success as a horror author but is struggling to duplicate it. Her Mom is distant and Liv, sorely in need of a fresh start can't remember what happened after a party one night. There is padlock on her bedroom door and her younger brother is determined to figure out what's going on.

I think this book can best be described as a family drama. The beginning has a nice creepy feeling to it but soon delves into the family dynamic and background. It's clear something has happened and it takes forever to get an idea of what that it is.

When things begin to unfold things get a little dark. There are twists to the story or should I say it's twisted? Overall this type of story isn't for me but I can see others liking it.

How far would you go to protect the ones you love?

3.5 stars rounded up.

If you enjoy domestic thrillers with an over the top resolution, this one will be right up your alley.

The Jansen family recently relocated to LA from Australia, and all of them are struggling to adjust. Father Janus is having difficulties turning his successful novel into a screenplay, which was the whole reason for the family's move. Mother Kay is frustrated in her marriage. Son Casper, the younger child, has trouble fitting in. And Liv, the older child, wanted to leave behind her party girl ways in Australia... until she wakes up one morning with no memory of the night before, her bedroom inaccessible because of a padlock on the door, and her parents acting strange.

I blew through this in one day and enjoyed the fish out of water setup and the family dynamics, although this story only worked because they were all so extremely bad at communicating with one another. The mystery of what happened that night was pretty straightforward and the why and how quite obvious, red herrings included, but overall I still enjoyed this book; ultimately, it felt like a cautionary tale about the devastating ripple effects of keeping secrets. Were the resolution and the ending absolutely over the top and ridiculous? Yes. Did I care at that point? No.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Ones We Love" is slated to be released on May 6, 2025.

Dark, emotional, and full of slow-burning suspense, The Ones We Love dives deep into the messy ties of family when a complicated bond unravels as old secrets come to light.

The book was a bit too slow for me.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After a night out, Liv wakes up in her brother's room not remembering the night with her parents acting weirdly.

This was an interesting one. I liked the intrigue of the story. Liv has no idea what happened and slowly starts to investigate along with the boy next door who she starts a relationship with. There is a lot going on in this one. The family all knows something but don't reveal it, keeping the audience in suspense. While I liked most of this, there were times when the pacing felt a little off to me. But still, the story was good and the ending was a little surprising.

All in all, this was a solid thriller.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

4.75/5 stars! Ugh! I loved this book but hated how twisted up the story made my stomach. A perfect family: except they're not. I'm not sure if I want to go hug my parents or change my number and never talk to them again. What a wild ride. Please go into this book blind and take breaks as needed to breathe and process.

The morning after partying with a friend, Olivia wakes up with bruises and no memory of how she got them and now she has no access to her own bedroom. Her father and mother are the only ones that know what went down that night but her mom makes her promise to never speak of that night ever again. Olivia’s brother Casper is determined to uncover the truth of what happened to his sister with the help of a friend. This story makes you wonder how far families are willing to go to protect those they love and whether or not that love is enough to keep them safe.

I was initially really interested in this story based on the blurb but it started off slow and took a while for me to really start liking the story. Once I started to like it I become very interested in the story. I really liked the sleep walking aspect of the story. I was able to predict the cause of her sleepwalking early on but not what she had done while sleepwalking. The plot twist made this story difficult to accurately guess what Olivia had done while sleep walking which I really enjoyed. 70% is when it got really dark and intense and it was the most interesting part of the story. I hated Brian after his actions towards other characters was revealed. The ending was a bit rushed but still enjoyable.

I didn’t enjoy Janus POV. It didn’t feel necessary to the story and I would lose interest while reading his thoughts. I didn’t like his character.

My favorite characters were Olivia, Austin and Casper.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Anna Snoekstra's The Ones We Love is a psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of family secrets and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect their loved ones. While it may not satisfy readers seeking a fast-paced thriller, those who appreciate a slow-burning, character-driven mystery with psychological depth may find it a worthwhile read.

The Ones We Love by Anna Snoekstra lured me in with the promise of secrets behind a padlocked door, a fresh start in L.A., and a fractured family barely holding it together. The setup had some compelling components: a writer father chasing screen adaptation dreams, a mother haunted by her past, and two siblings, Liv and Casper, unraveling in their own ways.

But instead of a taut, psychological thriller, what I got felt more like a wandering family drama with thriller elements sprinkled in like seasoning that never quite soaked in. The early pacing dragged, bogged down by tangents. There were deep dives into the parents’ pasts that didn’t move the plot forward or feel connected to the central mystery. The padlocked door that the synopsis hinged on? Barely a blip.

Things do pick up around the halfway mark, and I’ll admit, I started to feel intrigued again. The twist was one of the few moments that brought surprise. I thought I had it figured out, and being wrong was almost satisfying. But by the end, the momentum fizzled into an ending that felt both rushed and far-fetched.

Snoekstra’s writing itself is easy to sink into, and while this one missed the mark for me, I’d still be open to reading more of her work. The Ones We Love had potential, but ultimately, it was a slow burn that never really caught fire.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

While this book was perfectly fine, I found that the writing was just not my preferred style. I enjoy fast-paced, dialogue-heavy, action-heavy thrillers, and this felt more literary at times. The plot was weighed down by description and flowery language that didn’t feel necessary.

This book had me hooked right from the blurb on the cover it seemed to have everything I love in a novel and it sounded so far paced that I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I found the characters to be very compelling and fascinating but it was they way that this book was written overall that really had me hooked. There wasn't to much flourish in the language and the characters were so realistic that I really found myself falling into their world. This book was filled with secrets and betrayal and at times it was a little hard to keep the truth straight but I loved trying to guess what was actually happening. This book centers around our main family as each one of them is fighting with their own secrets that they don't want to be revealed. When someone threatens to destroy that silence and reveal what they have hidden that is when things really blow up. With a secret locked door and a set of parents suddenly acting completely different main character Liv is determined to figure out what is going on. There were a lot of characters and at times it was a bit of a struggle to keep track of everyone, however since everyone had a very different secret they were hiding it was fascinating to get everyone's story. This is the kind of book that will have you guessing and digging for answers at every turn. I loved the mystery that surround this whole book. Great read I've never read anything that kept me as captivated as this one it was fantastic. What I didn't like however was I found the plot to be a bit jumpy at times and the story progression to be a bit all over the map. Once I got things figured out however it was a pretty good read. With characters that left you guessing I'm really glad I got the chance to check this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I am not sure why but this book did not work for me. However, as I always say when I don't like a book, just because I did not like the book, it doesn't mean that someone else won't like it. It also doesn't necessarily mean that I may not like another book by the same author. Or even that I may not like the book if I try it again in the future...

It was fine. A bit more of the same old same old, though. I feel like I read too many of the same kind of books and they blur togehter.

I'm so glad I got the chance to read this book, I couldn't put it down. If you love a fast paced thriller, this book will be right up your street.

Janus and his family have moved to LA for a movie deal he has gotten from his book. His daughter Olivia has a history of some bad drinking problems and can't wait to start a fresh, especially now she has an apprenticeship to keep her on the straight and narrow. That is until she wakens up one morning after an event and can't remember a thing, she was sure she only had two drinks but her Mum and Dad is acting weird, there's a padlock on her bedroom door and her best friend wont reply to her messages. What on earth has she done?! Her brother Casper and his friend Tye decide to investigate and see what is going on.

It was such an easy read and just when you think you have cracked it an other twist is thrown in. I honestly did not see what was coming. I love a thriller and this was just done perfectly, it keeps you hooked from start to finish. However I didn't really find much of the characters overly likeable, the only characters I liked was Casper and his friend Tye. I really wasn't buthered if Olivia went down for the crime or not but by the end I was routing for Olivia and Austin.

It has taken me right out of a reading slump and I can't wait to read more from this author.

4.5 rounded up.
I enjoyed this! It was compelling and well executed, even if some parts were frustrating because I wanted a few characters to really get what they deserved. Recommend if you like messy domestic thrillers that are character-driven and full of moral ambiguity - think Robyn Harding or Ozark-style families (the Netflix show).

Energy: Secretive. Chaotic. Serpentine.

🐕 Howls: Some of the over-the-top drama moments made the story feel less grounded but overall it worked.

🐩 Tail Wags: Messy, twisty family dynamics. The experience of adjusting to life in the US. The missing memory trope feeling natural. How the narrative hopped between perspectives. As secrets unravel, new ones take their place.

Scene: 🇺🇸 Los Angeles, California, USA
Perspectives (4): An author of horror books whose latest work was optioned for a movie script; their spouse who used to be a ballerina and now teaches pilates; their adult child who was on track to enter the fashion world but fell into the partying lifestyle; their teenager who feels homesick and senses something is wrong in the family.
Timeline: Linear. 2010s or 2020s. June. ☀️ Summery.
Fuel: Mysteries abound. What did Liv do? Why can’t she remember anything from the previous night? Is she a danger to herself or others? Why are her parents acting so strangely toward her? Why is there a padlock on her bedroom door? Can Cooper and his friend figure out what the family is hiding? Who is blackmailing them and why?
Cred: Plausible to suspended disbelief

Mood Reading Match-Up:
Ceramic dishes. Clammy, sticky air. Breakfast burritos. Plastic outdoor dining set. Glaring concrete. Stink of bleach. Caffeine pills.
• Messy multi-POV storytelling where the reader is always a step ahead (but never all-knowing)
• Flawed families with secrets, lies, and lots of unresolved tension
• Emotionally spiraling characters who are hard to love but hard to look away from
• Popcorn drama meets psychological mystery
• Coming-of-age amateur sleuthing & boy love subplots (friends to lovers, shy crush)
• Behind-closed-doors dysfunction and “what happens in the family stays in the family” energy
• Dark secrets + drama bombs + close calls
• “How far would you go for your family?” core theme
• Mix of casual, reflective, emotionally raw writing style
• Long-suffering moms, existential crises, snowballing bad decisions
• Miscommunications and memory gaps

Content Heads-Up: Adult/minor relationship (very brief mention; sexual fling). Alcohol abuse (family history). Blackmail. Blood. Body shaming, calorie restriction (parent). Cannabis (vaping, brief mention). Death (on page, descriptive). Domestic violence (brief but descriptive, on page). Gun violence. <spoiler>Hit and run.</spoiler> Infidelity (on page, descriptive). Insomnia. Intoxicated driving (brief, on page). Nicotine (cigarettes, cravings). Parental neglect, narcissistic parent. Physical assault, attack. Post-partum symptoms, difficulty bonding. Potential false accusation. Pregnancy, birth (brief but descriptive memories). Sexual content (consenting; mostly behind closed doors). Sleepwalking. Substance abuse (alcohol, pills; partying, addiction). Toxic masculinity.

Rep: Australian. American. Latina. Dutch heritage. French heritage. Cis. Queer. Hetero. Bronzed, pale, black, light brown, really pale, and dark skin tones.

📚 Format: Advance Reader’s Copy from Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley.

The Ones We Love
By: Anna Snoekstra

4 Stars

Wow. This was a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning. When Olivia wakes from a night out, she can not remember anything. She knows something happened. Her parents are acting funny. She is all bruised. What happened that night will forever change her and her family.

This book was so good. It was fast-paced and descriptive. From page one, I was hooked. This family moves, and then all of a sudden, things go wrong. The characters were well done even though I had a love-hate relationship with SOME of them. This book is thrilling and completely mysterious and captivating.

My only complaint was the end. It was such an active book, but the ending just seemed so...tame, I guess. It wasn't what I expected. Even with that being said, it was a good book that kept me guessing. Kept me wanting more. It's definitely one to read for the thrills and mystery.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews