In a gripping and intense narrative, "When She’s Gone" captivates readers by delving into the world of competitive gymnastics intertwined with a chilling kidnapping plot. The story, masterfully told through dual timelines of past and present by Cora’s compelling character, immerses you completely into her dark history and even darker present. The suspense meticulously builds with the pacing, leading to an exhilarating climax that you can’t help but devour. This novel truly defines an addictive read, begging to be finished quickly to confirm or challenge your suspicions before you can even think about putting it down.

While the overall plot of the novel is enthralling, two minor aspects may slightly challenge your experience. The need to suspend disbelief throughout and the predictability of some twists might be noticeable. However, these points hardly detract from the enjoyment, as embracing the story's path and surprises will ensure a thoroughly engaging read.

This one started out a little slow for me, but then picked up and I couldn’t put it down. I had to find out what happened next. I like the style of jumping from the past to present chapter by chapter, and was truly surprised by the ending. Really enjoyed it!

This is a propulsive read with new shocks and surprises constantly popping up. There are elements that have a ripped from the headlines feeling, and the tense topics kept me invested. There are a couple of topics that I felt didn't get explored quite as much as I'd have liked, but the story is kept pretty short and on topic.

I enjoyed this book. I especially enjoy books where the timeline goes from the past to the present. There were twists that I wasn’t expecting which made the book even more enjoyable.

When She's Gone by Rea Frey is a gripping, emotional thriller that spans decades and delves into the long-term impacts of trauma. Cora Valentine, a former gymnast and kidnapping survivor, is forced to confront her painful past when her daughter goes missing under eerily similar circumstances. The stakes rise as Cora is drawn into a harrowing game of cat and mouse, making morally complex decisions to save her child.

Rea Frey crafts a haunting narrative with well-drawn characters and a relentless pace. The story’s themes of motherhood, resilience, and the scars of survival are both thought-provoking and heartbreaking. The twists kept me hooked, though some plot points felt a bit predictable. Still, the emotional depth and suspense more than made up for it.

This is a solid 4-star read for fans of psychological thrillers that explore the darker corners of the human experience and I am glad I picked it up!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for my free review copy.

I had high hopes for WHEN SHES GONE based on reviews I saw on Goodreads, but it didn’t work for me.

While it was a suspenseful read that had me turning pages, I felt the culprit was obvious, you need to suspend reality, and the writing felt kind of juvenile.

I couldn't get into this one... from the first page, it felt a little over the top & I feel like her fear of Halloween was mentioned 10 times in 5 pages? I understood she underwent a traumatic event but I think there's a way to lure the reader in subtly, alluding to past traumas/events and foreshadowing what might happen later, but this was just a lot from page 1. I don't know, I just felt it was overdone & the tone was a little much. It felt almost satirical.

Parents and fans of competitive sports and the Olympics will likely eat up WHEN SHE'S GONE by Rea Frey. Since I fall into neither of those categories, however, this story didn't quite work for me.

I was captivated and on the edge of my seat for the first few chapters and had high hopes for the rest of the book. But, the story quickly turns from pulse-pounding thriller to a mother's determination to find her daughter, and the suspense that originally pulled me in was snuffed out until the last few chapters where it picks up again, briefly. But by then I had already guessed the twist and found that everything was tied up too neatly at the end.

Told in then and now timelines with short chapters and involving jealousy and unlikeable characters, those who enjoyed THE CHAIN may enjoy this one, as the premise is similar.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC of WHEN SHE'S GONE by Rea Frey in exchange for my review. This novel will be released on Jan. 14th.

What happens when a mother that has a dark past experiences her worst nightmare? Of history repeating itself? When She's Gone is a race against the clock thriller that capitalizes on how far a mother will go to save her child. Told in dual timelines, this thriller connects the past with the present with a kidnapping that seems eerily familiar to an unsolved case that happened decades earlier.

Cora is a mother of a young daughter that has moved back to an area that took so much from her in the past. 3 decades earlier, Cora was a top gymnast in the 90's vying for a spot on the Olympic team when she is kidnapped. She eventually is found, her life was spotlighted everywhere, but the case was never solved. 3 decades later, on the same fateful night, her young daughter is taken and Cora spirals while following directions and clues if she wants to find her daughter alive.

When She's Gone is an exciting and fast paced thriller that will have you pulled in from the first moment. And if you're a fan of gymnastics, this story is even more of a treat. I am a huge gymnastics fan, so having that sport interspersed throughout the "race against the clock" kidnapping was an extra bonus for me. We get to hear names of real gymnasts from the 90's and Cora even "trains" a rival's daughter in the midst of trying to search for and save her own daughter. It was obvious that the author had a great knowledge of the sport and gave us that entertainment while getting our hearts pounding on if she'd find her daughter. I also liked how we got Cora's past and how that led her to be kidnapped and what happened to her while also giving us the anxiety filled present with her own daughter in perhaps a very similar situation. It's a book that you just can't put down until you know all the answers.

With that said, I did figure out the culprit from literally the first breath, but there was so much more to the story. So many more layers to unravel and other characters that kept you guessing. The way the past collides with the present and intertwining the two was done quite well, but has you having to suspend some belief with some of the actions. Nonetheless, the story and pacing was exciting and will have you turning those pages to find out how everything connects in the end.

Fast-paced thriller! An absolute page turner. I loved the unfolding of this story. From the first chapter I had to know what was going to happen.

The main character, Cora, was well defined and relatable. The story is told in 1st person from Cora's point of view.

I felt like the ending was so ridiculously far-fetched and unbelievable. Almost juvenile in the twists. Despite the ending I did thoroughly enjoy the journey of the story and truly could not put this one down.

Thanks to NetGalley, Rea Frey, and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC and chance to give my honest opinion!

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
This book was an interesting read, that volleys between current day and back years ago when Cora was trying out for the Olympic gymnastics team as a young teenager. It was fast paced and things moved along pretty quickly. I liked reading the parts where she talks about gymnasts and what they go through to be their best. This was definitely a twisty mystery whodunnit that was a fun ride to be a part of!

Did I completely binge this audiobook in just a few hours?! Why yes I did ☺️

As someone who was OBSESSED with the 1996 gymnastics Olympics (literally saw them in person!) I loved the flashbacks and mentions of all my favorite gymnasts.

Cora Valentine was an Olympic gymnast back when she was young, but that’s not all she was known for. She was also kidnapped and gone for a week right before she made the team. Now, as an adult and mother of a 4 year old, she is haunted once again when her daughter is kidnapped right from her.

This would be a great Halloween read as both kidnappings take place on Halloween!

4⭐️

Pub date 01.14.25
Thanks to NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for my ARC, Brilliance Publishing & Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse for my ALC.

The complex layers that unravel in this story of Cora’s past & present kept me reading until I reached the end. I appreciated that the past took place in the 90s, a big part of my own past, & included the gymnastics team from that time. Rea Frey deserves her own gold medal for her latest, releasing on 01/14/2025!

Cora Valentine’s life is a cautionary tale. She was a rising star in gymnastics, with a real shot at the Olympics—until everything fell apart when she was kidnapped. She survived and rebuilt her life, but years later, her daughter goes missing. Cora knows this isn’t random—someone out there knows her story too well.

This book is such a fast, thrilling read! I loved how it kept me hooked without feeling drawn out—the pacing and length felt just right.

The twist toward the end is one of those moments that makes you question if anyone can truly be trusted. It hurt, but in the best way a good book can.

Thriller veterans might guess the twist, but they’ll still enjoy how tightly written and engaging the story is. For anyone just dipping their toes into thrillers, this is a perfect place to start.

Big thanks to Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

Rated 4.5 ⭐️

An edge of your seat thriller. This book makes you question the sanity of the main character and keeps you guessing until the last chapter. This book has 2 timelines that bring the story together. Both stories focus on Cora and Halloween. One from her past and now in the present.

I really enjoyed the way the book was written, and I my interest was peaked right from the beginning. I honestly had no idea who was keeping Lulu from Cora and how the 2 storylines met up, but I didn't see it coming.

Thank you to Netgalley, Rea Frey, and the publishers for this free ebook. This review is 100% my own and honest opinion.

This one will suck you in right from the beginning. Told in alternating POVs from when Cora was kidnapped on the verge of Olympic trials as a teenage gymnast (gymternet, ignore the timing, it's explained in the author note) to her own daughter being kidnapped in the present day. It will continue to leave you guessing until the very end.

Rea Frey does not disappoint in this thriller When’s She’s Gone! I devoured this book in one day. A must read and great way to start the new year off! A former gymnast and a kidnapping written in a dual timeline jumping from her life as a young gymnast to her life now as a young mom returned to her hometown. Rea Frey takes us on this non stop journey that explores the gymnastics world thru the eyes of Cora Valentine, the dedication and competitiveness of this sport.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the book. When She’s Gone follows Cora Valentine in the past and present. When Cora was young, she was kidnapped right before the gymnastic Olympic trials. She was returned safe, but no one was ever caught. Cora has struggled her life with the after effects of the kidnapping. Now, her own daughter is missing and she is willing to do whatever she needs to in order to get her back safely. This was my first novel by Rea Frey. I enjoyed the two different perspectives. Both of the storylines were engaging and I wanted answers for both. I do feel like the book was a little predictable. I was able to guess the twist, but overall it was an entertaining story.

4.5/5

This was SO intense and exactly what I mean when I say I want a thriller that hooks me right from the start and never lets up. It’s dual timelines, one in present day as Cora searches for her daughter and another in the past when she was kidnapped as a young teenager. Who knew gymnastics and tense thrillers went so well together but when I tell you this combo had me in a chokehold, it was insane. It was very fast paced, one of those head spinning type of reads and even if things were over the top and I had to suspend disbelief I didn’t care, I was hooked! This was unhinged and so addictive and was almost a five star read for me but I guessed a big twist so I’m knocking a half star off. Still definitely worth a read, especially if you want a one sitting thrill ride.

Immediately hooked by the writing style and concept of the book. Love the alternating timeline.
Cora was on track for the Olympics, and even being kidnapped wouldn’t stop that. Many years later, her daughter is kidnapped on the same night.
This book had so many twists and turns! It was an absolute roller coaster from start to finish. I enjoyed the single POV from Cora’s perspective. The timeline alternated between then and now.
I pretty much read this entire book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down! I felt like I was with Cora on her search for her daughter. The short chapters made for a quick read but also allowed for constant switches in the timeline so it seemed like both stories were happening at once.