Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback. I loved The Resort so was looking forward to the next offering from Sara Ochs, but this one didn't hit as hard for me. An entertaining enough thriller for a beach read, but the characters weren't developed enough to feel like people.

This one took me a while to get through for some reason. I enjoyed it ok, but I liked her last book better. The epilogue did throw me for a bit of a loop, in a good way.

Claire is summoned back to Australia after her former study abroad roommate, Phoebe’s remains are found. She is reluctant to go back with the secrets she holds. But as more and more of her friends reveal they may have secrets too, she realizes there is much more to Phoebe’s death that she previously thought.

I did enjoy this, but it was a bit slow in parts. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

Just finished this and I really loved it! Complex characters, great setting in Australia, and a really fun story that kept me hooked from beginning to end!

Claire and Phoebe met during a four week education and adventure, exploring everything Australia. They hit it off right off the bat and likewise for the other six in the group. Until one is dead and one is missing and this will be the last trip that the college will do. Now 10 years later the remaining group of friends know as "the mob" are planing a reuion and Claire doesn't want to relive her time there. Claire and the others get a phone call from the Australian Police and are informed that Phoebe's body has finally been found. Claire is wondering who could have been behind this and why, while she tries to find clues to save herself from being named the murderer. This was a fast read that tells the story between Phoebe point of view of what happened then and Claire's point of veiw of now. This Stays Between Us will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for letting me read an advanced copy of this novel.

Some secrets are whispered and forgotten. Others sink their claws in and never let go.

This Stays Between Us is not just a phrase—it’s a warning, a pact, and a ticking time bomb. What began as an innocent trip through the raw, unforgiving beauty of the Australian outback ten years ago became the origin of a chain of betrayals, hidden truths, and buried guilt that still echoes through the lives of everyone involved.

Where do the secrets begin? Maybe in the heat-drenched silence of the desert, or in the long shadows cast by broken friendships. And where do they end? That’s the thing—some secrets never die. They just wait.

Someone knows more than they’re saying. Someone is hiding something darker than the rest. And someone will pay the ultimate price.

Ten years later, when the past resurfaces and the lies unravel, the question isn’t just what happened out there.

Who survived it? Who decided who's fate?

I really enjoyed this suspense. It really just starts off fast and continues that way. The characters are well developed, and each draws out particular emotions. It has constant reminders of things are not always how they seem. Very well written. And the twist at the end is *chef's kiss*.

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs

This was a twisty thriller with a kind of “dark academia meets study abroad gone wrong” vibes. The story jumps between the past—when a group of college students took a summer trip to Australia—and the present, when one of them is found dead ten years later.

I really enjoyed the dual timeline format. It slowly unravels the mystery of what happened to Phoebe while revealing that everyone has something to hide. Claire, the main narrator, is unreliable in a way that makes you question everything, and the friendships in the group are complicated and full of tension.

In addition, the Australian Outback setting adds a creepy, isolating feel that really contributes to the suspense.

This book features layered female friendships, secrets that won’t stay buried, and a good “the past comes back to haunt you” story! Although some parts were a little over the top, it is definitely a book worth reading!

When I read the premise of This Stays Between Us, I was definitely intrigued by the fact that we have a group of friends returning to Australia, after their summer of studying aboard there, when their friend Phoebe's remains were finally found after she went missing while studying with the group. Now they must piece together what really happened and how far will one go to keep the truth buried? As it turns out, everyone in the group has their own secret.

This book is dual pov with Claire being a narrator as the killer in the present and Phoebe in the past as victim. This book was a bit to get a handle on of what was going on at first, and at times the pretty much unlikable characters fell flat, but it was entertaining and intriguing. This is one of your standard summer- like psychological thrillers that'll keep you entertained but overall nothing remarkable about the book. This was a book where you'll think you've got it figured out but then you find out you've definitely got it wrong. Overall, I'd recommend it.

A big thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Publication date July 15, 2025

After enjoying the author's last book, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of This Stays Between Us! ! A reunion held 10 years after a study abroad program in beautiful Australia where people kept dying... what a setting!

This was a wild ride! Multiple POVs usually aren't my favorite but I liked getting to know the characters through their own voices. I didn't particularly connect with either of them, but they were still integral to the story. Toss in a bunch of secrets, a remote setting, and a ton of red herrings, and I could not put this book down! The switching POVs/timelines was kind of annoying, as it wasn't always alternating chapters. The first half was a bit of a slow burn to set everything up, but the second half flew by. I guessed some of the twists and the ending felt a bit rushed, but the epilogue redeemed it for me. I gave this 3.5 stars rounded down, as Claire was so naive and gullible, it grated on me. I'd absolutely recommend this one when it comes out, and am excited to see what the author does next. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!

Thank you NetGalley, Sara Ochs, and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Some summers never end.. Some secrets refuse to stay buried...

What begins as a dream trip for six college students quickly spirals into something far darker in this compulsive thriller that sizzles with heat, secrets, and slow-burning suspense. One of them vanishes. Phoebe, the one with fractured friendships and festering jealousy, disappears into the outback.

They told themselves she ran. They left. But the outback never forgets.

Now, ten years later, her body is found. The past calls them back, not for answers, but reckoning!

Who really saw Phoebe last?
Who whispered the first lie?
Can six people carry the weight of a secret this heavy, without one of them breaking?

From the first page, the story hums with unease. The narrative unfolds between "then" and "now" blurring until the truth begins to unravel allowing just enough space for doubt to fester.

The characters are messy, flawed, and bound together by something darker than friendship. Every twist made me question what I thought I knew. As the the tension builds, you start to wonder just how far would someone go to keep the truth buried? And if someone was willing to kill ten years ago, would they do it again?

This Stay Between Us is a nightmare of betrayal, obsession, and guilt. A haunting exploration of what happens when the lies we tell ourselves become the stories we live by. And in the end, when the final truth is revealed I found myself asking: What really happened that summer? Can anyone walk away innocent? I guess you will have to read it to find out!!🤣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was pretty underwhelming. Sometimes it works when you know who the murderer is right off the bat, and sometimes it doesn't. While there is drama and background that you learn about the "friend" group and what occurred to lead up to the body being found, I found it quite dull and really just nonsense drama with no kind of twist whatsoever. The author's first book was a decent read for me, but this one just falls short. Not sure if I will read anything else by her.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ten years ago, six college students went to study abroad in Australia for the summer. A chance to explore the beauty and culture the country has to offer. But after drama and jealously lead to an accident of one of the students, everything changes. And then Phoebe goes missing. Now, their secrets are coming to light and someone knows what happened to Phoebe and will do what it takes to make sure that secret doesn’t get out.

I really enjoyed this thriller and how it kept making me change my opinion of who was behind it all. The ending though!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Thanks for the review copy. I struggled to finish this one. I didn’t care for any of the characters. They were all selfish. Maybe others will enjoy this one more than I did.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the eARC!

Ten years ago, six college students meet in an Australian summer study abroad, ready to enjoy the break from their studies and travel the country. Their program is meant to introduce them to the beauty of Australia and immerse them in an unforgettable cultural experience. In reality, it's a thrill-fueled summer of outdoor excursions, adrenaline rushes, alcohol, lust, and friendship turned wrong. When Phoebe, a troubled girl with jealousies and fractures spreading like wildfire between them all, suddenly disappears, presumed to have run away in a small outback town, the group decides to pack up and leave the past behind. All their secrets hidden for good. Or at least, that's what they tell themselves…

Ten years later, they each receive a call. They've found Phoebe's body. And now it's time to return.

Each of the friends is summoned back to Australia, confronted with their past selves and the brutal heat and sting of that summer. The police have questions, and the secrets they've been keeping buried deep in the outback start to slowly unearth. It soon becomes clear that everyone knows something about Phoebe's murder, and once again one of them might not make it out alive.

The switches between Phoebe and Claire were a little confusing but since I didn't like either of them, it didn't really matter. To be completely honest, I was quite bored with the plot and the ending was underwhelming. Her writing may not be for me since I rated The Resort similarly.

Exp. Pub: 7/15/25

A gripping and thrilling read--I loved bouncing between the timelines and that final twist was very surprising. There were a couple smaller issues I had dealing with POV and perception or how characters talked about things that later turned out to be untrue. Hard to explain, but overall a fun and twisty page turner.

A wild month long college adventure class across Australia leads to a reunion 10 years in the making when their missing friends body is found. The POV flips between two characters in the past and 1 POV from the present.

While the characters are all purposely flawed, it seems that's taken to the extreme. Everyone seems to be lying on this reunion while no one really wants to be there. Add in another death and multiple calls from the investigating police and it's not a fun time for anyone.

For the most part, the killer is predictable with a little extra twist of an accomplice. I didn't exactly think the characters were likable, and parts of the story could have been eliminated while other parts could have been more fleshed out throughout instead of just dumped at the reveal.

This stays between us by Sarah Ochs

I was scooped into the beginning but then this books fizzled for me. It was told from the POV of two friend past and present but it had multiple characters that made it somewhat confusing. The main best friends were Phoebe and Claire. Claire’s POV was as present view and Phoebe was past. They went to Australia for a study program abroad as college students. The other POV are the students in the program.

So 10 years later they find remains Freon the incident that happened, one student missing and one dead. They all go back to Australia to aide in the investigation.

The majority of the book talks about is a slow trickle of information that has you thinking you know who did it, when in reality you are sitting there watching a merry go round until the end and the info dump at the end. I’m was not loving this book. The situations seemed a little peculiar and not interesting. I loved this authors first book.

Above all it was entertaining and I think you have to be in the mood for this more of a mystery less thrilling book.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark

This was such a fun read. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This Stays Between Us hooks you from page one—Claire confesses to murder, but can you trust her? Told in dual timelines by Claire and the victim, Phoebe, the story unravels with tight, fast-paced chapters and just enough suspicion to keep you second-guessing everyone. Some character motivations felt a bit off, but the ending lands with a satisfying jolt. Perfect for fans of quick, binge-worthy thrillers.