Hailey Gelman’s almost-ex-husband, Jonah, is found murdered, and suspicion quickly falls on her—after all, the estranged spouse is always the first suspect.

The story unfolds in the months leading up to the crime, told through multiple perspectives: Hailey herself, her controlling mother Sherry, her fiercely protective brother Nate, and her reserved father Solomon. As Hailey and Jonah battle over their divorce and custody of their five-year-old daughter, Maya, tensions rise. Jonah refuses to compromise, fueling bitterness between the two.

Sherry is desperate to move Hailey and Maya to Florida, away from Jonah’s influence. Nate, ruled by emotion, resents Jonah’s rigid demands and wants to shield his sister from further suffering. Meanwhile, Solomon harbors secrets of his own—ones that could unravel everything.

Rather than a traditional whodunnit, this story focuses on a family’s unraveling, their blurred moral lines, and the desperate choices made in the name of loyalty and protection. It’s an intimate, almost theatrical descent into anxiety, betrayal, and misplaced devotion.

Knowing the novel is loosely based on a true story only makes it more gripping. As the tension builds, you’ll find yourself wanting to shake the characters—people capable of making the right choices—before they spiral further into desperation. Ultimately, it forces you to ask: How far would you go to protect the ones you love? And what happens when you’ve gone too far?

We would never is an under the radar winter read. This novel is marketed as a mystery/thriller, but is more of family drama than anything. Hailey is in the middle of a nasty divorce with her husband, Jonah. Hailey returns to her family with her daughter during the tumultuous battle to find peace. Instead, her family is full of their own drama and secrets. When Jonah is murdered the family fall under suspicion and must confront their own secrets and dynamics. The murder falls into the background as the family dynamics and drama unfold. While I was intrigued by the promise and the set up drew me in, I lost interest half way through the book, as the pacing was uneven. A lot of promise here though and I do feel that many readers will ultimately like this book—especially if they are looking for family drama!

Thank you the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tova Mirvis, and Avid Reader Press for providing the ebook. This poignant story explores love, loss, and the complex bonds of family that can hold you together, even when you least expect it. A truly compelling read.

Taut and well written. This is very clearly based on the murder for hire case that was at the center of “Tally,” the first season of the “Over My Dead Body” podcast, so if you’ve listened to that or seen any of the various “Dateline” type shows about that case, you may have … feelings about which members of the family this author decides are culpable and which ones she lets off the hook. But it’s still a gripping portrait of narcissistic entanglement.

This novel is described as a riveting page-turner inspired by true events. The beginning is engaging and intriguing and fits that description, but then the pace slows through the middle section, and this book basically turns into a family drama rather than a murder mystery. Even so, the author does a great job of building up the mystery and tension, especially as we near the end of story. You can guess the ending but that does not diminish the reveal. What impressed me the most was the character development; the emotional journey of watching and experiencing the family’s evolution (and, frankly, devolution) was quite a ride. I was (still am) absolutely fascinated by Sherry Marcus and her self-delusions. So maybe not a riveting page-turner for me, but a compelling read nonetheless.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Mirvis has taken a true crime ripped from the headline story and woven a fictional retelling of the story. She is less interested in "who did it" then in the "why did it." The parallels to the real life crime are obvious, but Mirvis changes enough to ensure it could be read as a work of fiction. If you know about the real life case on which this is based, you will see the similarities. Even if the real life case engenders more convictions, the public is likely to never really know why some people are compelled to do heinous things. Thank you to Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the DRC.

We Would Never is mystery that is jam packed with family drama. What is first presented as a murder mystery, quickly transitions into a intricate minefield of family relationships, especially between parents and their children. Overall this was a good read and had a solid, albeit predictable ending.

We Would Never" by Tova Mirvis is my first book by this author the premise of this book was very compelling this novel delves deep into the intricacies of family dynamics and the struggles of self-discovery. The story is beautifully written, capturing the reader’s attention with its rich narrative and well-developed characters.

As she negotiates the difficulties of her relationships and the demands put on her, the protagonist's path is both moving and realistic. It is admirable how the author was able to craft a story that was both touching and thought-provoking. Although the book moves along at a steady pace most of the time, there are times when it seems a little slow, which can briefly break the flow. But this is more than made up for by the story's emotional resonance and the characters' depth.

Tova Mirvis's We Would Never explores the complex and often fraught dynamics within a close-knit group of friends, specifically focusing on the fallout from a single, shattering event. The premise, centered around the unraveling of long-held assumptions and the shifting sands of loyalty, held considerable promise, and the narrative unfolded at a deliberate pace, allowing the tension to build organically. Mirvis skillfully depicts the subtle power plays and unspoken resentments simmering beneath the surface of seemingly idyllic relationships.

However, while the setup was compelling, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters on a deeper level. They remained largely unlikeable, their flaws overshadowing any redeeming qualities. While their imperfections are undoubtedly realistic and contribute to the story's overall sense of unease, it made it difficult to fully invest in their struggles. Their reactions to the central conflict, while understandable, often felt self-serving and lacked a certain empathy that would have made their journey more engaging.

One particular area where the book fell short was the development of Adam's character. He remains somewhat enigmatic, his motivations and past actions only hinted at. More background information about Adam would have provided crucial context to the central conflict and allowed for a richer understanding of his role in the group's dynamic. This lack of depth left a significant gap in the narrative, leaving me with unanswered questions and a sense of incompleteness.

Despite these shortcomings, We Would Never offers a compelling exploration of the fragility of relationships and the ripple effects of betrayal. Mirvis's writing is sharp and insightful, capturing the nuances of human interaction with a keen eye. The pacing of the story is well-managed, allowing the drama to unfold naturally without feeling rushed or contrived.

Overall, We Would Never is a thought-provoking read that explores the darker side of human relationships. While the unlikable characters and the lack of depth in Adam's backstory detracted from my overall enjoyment, the intriguing premise and skillful pacing kept me engaged.

I think this one is ripped from the headlines and I devoured every bit of it. The true life case is one I google regularly to check for updates. Now about the book. The title says a lot about it’s what we all say. We would never. This is the story of a family that never thought they would until backed up against a wall in the midst of an ugly custody dispute. In WE WOULD NEVER you’re able to see just how this kind of thing does indeed happen.

We Would Never by Tova Mirvis is billed as a thriller but I feel like it is more of a family drama. It is loosely based on a true crime I believe. Hailey is right in the middle of a contentious divorce from her soon to be ex Jonah. They are in a fight over custody of their daughter Maya. Hailey wants to move with Maya to Florida to be with her family but Jonah is dead set against it. When Jonah is murdered, the police set their sights on Hailey. In turn Hailey sets her sights on her own family. Would her family really commit murder to keep Hailey and Maya close? How far would you go for someone you loved?
I feel like this had a lot of potential but it was just so so for me. I felt like it was slow paced and drawn out a little. I definitely would label this as a family drama or a women's fiction and not a thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tova Mirvis, and Avid Reader Press for this ARC. Expected release day is February 11th 2025.

I loved this book! The author did a truly tremendous job of giving voice to all of the different characters, particularly to one of the main characters, Sherry. I felt as though she actually reminded me of someone that I know and the author did a superlative job of describing her "type". The ending was not something that I expected, but I was relieved to find it somewhat soothing as a way to wrap up the rest of the story. I would give this book 5 stars! A GREAT read. Don't miss it.

Thank you @simon.audio @avidreaderpress #partner for the gifted copy of this book!

Short synopsis: Jonah asks for a divorce and his wife Hailey is caught by surprise. It hasn’t been a walk in the park lately but she had no idea things were THAT bad. As things proceed and custody of their daughter hangs in the balance Jonah ends up dead and all eyes lock on Hailey for being the guilty party.

I initially thought this book was a thriller and I mention that because I think it’s how it’s marketed. It is not a traditional thriller. I would say it’s more of a literary mystery and family drama. I mention that because I think sometimes when you have a certain expectation and it’s not that a book gets rated lower and I don’t want that to happen to this book because it was very well written! This story essentially was a well written compelling family drama. The story unfolded in a back and forth manner that made me feel very invested in these characters lives. The writing and audio were really well done and I was extremely intrigued by the inner workings and dynamics of these characters! I found this book to be an entertaining character story with a solid twist at the end. I most certainly will be back for more of Tova’s stories! I can’t wait!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. I got about half way through it and DNF. I had high hopes based on the premise of the book and where the storyline could go but I found it to be very blah. I felt let down.

This book was hard to get through. I really wanted it to get better, but I was consistently disappointed. It lacked excitement, intrigue, as well as likable characters . Thank you, NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this ARC.

This was just not for me; I know well the true crime on which it it based. It’s not the genre—I loved Bright Young Women—but maybe it’s too close in time to when the real thing occurred. The book focuses on a wife (whose husband is murdered) in the midst of a divorce, and her family of origin. Despite spending a lot of time with these characters, it was hard to find someone to root for, and I was left feeling somewhat incomplete. The husband isn’t given much texture, until a flashback to his funeral, but again it wasn’t clear whether he was supposed to be a good guy or not. There’s a big revelation at the end that was somewhat telegraphed a few chapters before. Just not a read for me.

A nice, slow burn family drama. Not so much thriller but still very good. The writing is beautiful! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was definitely literary fiction with lots of family drama, but it was a little slow for me to consider it a thriller. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy

Complex family drama. Likeable, relatable characters that make you think of just how far you would go to protect your family. Lots if twists with a surprise at the end!

Hailey and her husband Jonah are divorcing. It is not a Hollywood happy uncoupling. They are engaged in a bitter fight over custody of their young daughter Maya.
Hailey wants to take her daughter and move to Florida to be near her family. Jonah is strongly against that idea. When Hailey receives a call that Jonah is dead, not in an accident, but murdered, the police look very closely at her. As for Hailey, she looks rather closely at her own family. A family who would’ve done anything to ensure Hailey and Maya moved back to Florida. But does that mean that they would go this far? Would one of them have killed Jonah? You will have to read We Would Never to find out.
This is a fiction book, but I read that it was based on a true story. I’m going to have to ask Dr. Google if he knows if that’s true, and if so, what the case was. Such a tragic story.