Stay Away From Him by Andrew Young is a gripping psychological thriller about a woman who becomes suspicious of a man in her life, uncovering his dark secrets. Young excels at building tension and creating complex characters, especially the protagonist’s internal struggle with trust and paranoia. While the plot can feel predictable at times, the fast pacing and twists keep readers engaged. Overall, it’s a suspenseful, unsettling read for fans of psychological thrillers.

This book had SO much potential. Melissa is new to town and meets a handsome stranger, Thomas, at dinner and hits it off. She finds out after dinner that Thomas was investigated previously for the murder of his wife. Unfortunately, the story went completely off the rails for me when these 2 are acting like they're in a serious relationship literally 24 hours after they met. Several of the plot lines had holes in them and didn't quite make sense. This did have a nice twist at the end and I enjoyed the writing style. Overall, I found the story unrealistic and a bit cringey at times.

this book was so good! It was a thriller that felt like one. It really had me on the edge of my seat and was so good!!! LOve!!!


Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

An enjoyable read that was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing all the way through. I thought the pacing was good and the writing held my attention all the way through

Gosh what a thriller! I enjoyed this book place in Minnesota I knew the cities mentioned so that was cool. Definitely enjoyed the twists and turns in this book Definitely keep me guessing

Andrew DeYoung’s Stay Away from Him is a dark and intriguing psychological thriller that masterfully blends suspense, mystery, and complex character dynamics. From the very first page, DeYoung pulls the reader into a gripping narrative centered on an unsettling relationship between two very different individuals. The story follows a woman who becomes entangled with a man whose intentions are not as innocent as they first appear, and as tensions mount, the chilling effects of their connection become impossible to ignore.

DeYoung does an excellent job of building suspense throughout the novel. The pacing is tight, keeping readers engaged with its twists and turns. What sets this book apart is the psychological tension that simmers beneath the surface. DeYoung delves into themes of manipulation, trust, and the boundaries between obsession and affection, creating a gripping atmosphere where nothing is ever quite what it seems. The narrative unfolds in a way that feels both calculated and unpredictable, keeping you guessing about the characters’ true motivations and the dark secrets they hide.

The central characters are well-developed, with the protagonist being particularly compelling. Her internal struggle, emotional vulnerability, and gradual realization of the danger she’s in make for a deeply immersive experience. The antagonist, though somewhat familiar in his manipulative traits, is chilling in his subtle yet insidious actions. The character interactions feel real, which amplifies the psychological tension that drives the story forward.

One of the strengths of Stay Away from Him is DeYoung's ability to keep the reader hooked without relying on overly flashy twists or gimmicks. Instead, the book thrives on its slower, more methodical build-up of unease. While this creates a great deal of tension, it also means that the pacing is deliberate, and at times, the story feels like it’s dragging just a bit—especially in the middle sections. A quicker resolution or more condensed plot would have elevated the impact of the story for some readers.

That said, Stay Away from Him is an engaging, well-written thriller that keeps you on edge from start to finish. DeYoung’s exploration of human nature, relationships, and the dangers that lurk beneath surface-level interactions will leave you thinking long after you’ve turned the final page. It’s a satisfying, if occasionally slow-burning, psychological drama that thriller fans will enjoy.

I’m so disappointed because I really enjoyed this author’s last book and was looking forward to this one. It even started at a solid 5-star level, but then it all went downhill.

The premise sounded fantastic: Melissa, a newcomer to town, is on the run from her abusive ex-husband with her five-year-old son. She quickly falls for Thomas, a charming doctor—except he was once accused of murdering his wife (who is still missing). The charges were dropped, but is Melissa putting herself in danger? Did he do it, or is someone else responsible? Determined to clear his name, she starts her own investigation. It sounded like a thrilling setup, and I was eager to dive in.

The story hooked me right away with a strong start, but things unraveled quickly. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with any of the characters—especially Melissa. She was written with such broad strokes that it left a really bad taste. It’s completely unbelievable that a woman who just escaped an abusive relationship—especially a mother of a young child—would get swept away in an intense romance like this. Her motivations and decisions felt frustratingly naive, making it impossible for me to root for her.

I also struggle with instant love in books, and this one took it to another level. Melissa and Thomas were making serious, life-altering commitments within 24 hours of meeting—it was cringeworthy and hard to take seriously.

Then there were the plot holes. I found myself questioning whether I had misread parts of the story because some characters and subplots seemed to just... disappear. And while I love a thriller with a solid twist, this one fell flat—I guessed the outcome at the halfway mark, which was disappointing.

That said, I did enjoy the mixed media chapters. The transcripts between Thomas and his therapist best friend, as well as journal entries from Rose (his presumed dead wife), were the highlights for me. Those sections added depth and intrigue that I wish the rest of the book had matched.

Overall, the unbelievable romance overshadowed the thriller aspects, making this one a miss for me. If the love story had been toned down, I might have enjoyed it more.

📅 *This book is set to publish on July 8, 2025.*

**Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.**

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!!!

I requested this novel, because the title and synopsis really drew me in. I was NOT ready for the wild ride that it was. This is a book that you will want to finish in one sitting. I absolutely did not see the twist at all!!! The writing was really good, and the additions of transcripts and journal entries were amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC!!
This book was fantastic! It had me guessing from start to finish, and I certainly didn’t see that ending coming! It's a brilliantly crafted thriller that I’m definitely going to recommend to everyone!

This book was very good. It kept my attention and curiosity. It took me a little longer to read than usual, but that was due to work and life. I finished most of the book in under two days. I was very surprised at the ending. I'd highly recommend this to any suspense/thriller reader.

This was SO intense! One twist after another kept me in complete suspense! I thought I had it all figured out but was so, so wrong.

Overall, this was a good read. I liked the different POVs used and how they intertwined the current and past times. I also liked how they were in different formats including a recording and diary entries. While I'm typically not one to try to guess "who did it," I felt like this was well done and I was surprised by the ending. A lot of the characters weren't my favorite, but the plot made up for that and it was a solid 4 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC of this novel.

Stay Away from Him is the first book I’ve read by Andrew DeYoung. Newly divorced Melissa falls for Thomas who was accused of killing his wife and she has to decide if he did it or not. This domestic thriller was good, but sometimes unbelievable. My main problem was how fast the relationship between Thomas and Melissa seemed to progress. Everything about their relationship was a red flag from the jump. Despite this, I still found the plot very intriguing. It kept me guessing up to about halfway through when the pieces started to come together for me. I really enjoyed the inclusion of Rose’s journal entries and Amelia’s recordings, it helped reveal the plot at a good pace. I thought the writing was very strong and would read more by this author. 4/5

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

I really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were well developed, the story never drags, its very good. I was slightly let down by the ending there were almost too many plot twists at the end that made the book a little bit unbelievable. The writing is good and i will def look for this author and their future works. Thank you so much to Net Galley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy!

-thank you to NetGalley & the publisher: poisoned pen press, for giving me a chance to read & review this book.-

This one hooked me in right away and didn't stop. Each chapter that ended, I needed to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. This book will make you think you have everything figured out by the middle of it but like other books, there's always something else waiting at the end to shock you. I kept going back and forth with who I thought was the murderer. & I was wrong both times. The main character was like-able, and relatable. That's something I look for when picking up a book. If the main character has no depth, it's a no from me. This was the opposite. It truly did wow me.

4/5 maybe 4.5/5. & thanks to the author as well! For writing a great thriller/mystery.

I wanted to like this book so badly. The cover colors and title hooked me and I was excited to try a thriller from an author I haven’t read before. However, this book was not for me.

If you enjoy love-at-first-sight stories, you may enjoy this, as much of the book was centered around the “romance” plot and it took until about halfway through to really take off into the “thriller” portion.

Overall, there were too many plot holes, uncomfortable scenarios, and unanswered questions for me to really enjoy this. I also did not care about or like any of the characters, and I didn’t feel like there were enough breadcrumbs for the ‘everything clicks into place’ moment that I personally love so much when reading thriller books. The twist was interesting at least.

This was a fun read. It was engaging and kept me guessing to the end. I did have some unanswered questions by the end but otherwise, it was a twisty domestic thriller.

First of all, I want to thank NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author for the advanced copy of this book.

Stay Away from Him by Andrew DeYoung is a gripping mystery/thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The story follows Melissa Burke, who, after a tumultuous divorce, relocates to a new town and begins a promising romance with Thomas Danver. However, Melissa soon discovers that Thomas was accused of murdering his first wife, who disappeared three years prior. Torn between the warnings she's received and her growing feelings for Thomas, Melissa faces a difficult choice: ignore the unsettling rumors or uncover the truth—whether Thomas is guilty or the victim of a dangerous frame-up. The shocking revelation at the novel’s conclusion will leave readers astounded. DeYoung masterfully weaves suspense and intrigue, making this a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.

When Melissa meets Thomas, a handsome pediatrician, at a dinner party she is intrigued. She soon finds out his wife went missing 3 years ago and is presumed dead, with Thomas having been the prime suspect but, ultimately cleared. Melissa finds herself in a whirlwind romance and then receives a threat from an unknown person that has her questioning Thomas' innocence.

This book was so good. I didn't want to put it down and I did not see that twist coming! Highly recommend this book and I will definitely be checking out more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free ARC in return for my honest opinion.

Thomas has it all... good looks, charm, a successful career as a doctor, two beautiful daughters and a dead wife he may or may not have been accused of killing. So when he charms Melissa and asks her out she has a lot to weigh. Naturally, she is going to make all of the all wrong choices every single chance she gets for both herself and her son, Bradley.

This is juicy and gritty and produced more surprises than expected. I was very pleasantly surprised!

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review.