Thank you NetGalley! This was a first for me by this author. I throughly enjoyed it. I was shocked again and again as I plowed right through this story.

A fast paced and surprising domestic thriller that is so easy to binge read. Certainly caught me off guard a few times which is a good thing.

Melissa has just gone through a messy divorce and is looking for a new start with her young son. Thomas is a charming doctor whose wife went missing 3 years ago. Instant attraction and they begin a heated relationship. But rumours about what happened to Rose, Thomas's wife are still going strong and all fingers point to him.

I loved that we heard Rose’s voice through diary entries, as well as recordings of Thomas and his friend and therapist Amelia. Grab the popcorn and get comfortable with this one.

Published on July 8th, thanks to Poisoned Pen Publishing for my review copy to read.

When Melissa meets Thomas she thinks he’s the perfect boyfriend; a doctor, friendly, and great with kids. He’s also available because his wife is missing, believed to be dead ; many believe by him.

This was a good popcorn thriller perfect for a summer beach read. It took me some time to get into it. The latter half is much more fast paced than the first half as we get to know the characters and history. The end is exciting because there are several fake me outs, so you’ll likely never guess the truth.

“I wonder, am I the problem? Or is it my life that is making me this way? Am I mad ? Or am I being driven mad.”

Stay Away From Him comes out 7/8.

✨️Book Review✨️

Stay Away From Him
By Andrew DeYoung

Publish Date: July 8th, 2025

Themes:
👩‍❤️‍👨 New Relationship
🤫 Secret Past
🔪 Murder

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

After really enjoying The Day He Never Came Home, I was excited to pick up Andrew DeYoung’s latest thriller—and it did not disappoint.

The story starts out deceptively light, with a budding new relationship that quickly spirals into something far darker. From the beginning, I was hooked. I loved how layered the plot was, full of misdirection and suspicion. There were so many potential culprits and hidden motives that I found myself constantly second-guessing everyone.

While I had a hunch about where things were headed, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching it all unravel. The darker elements were intense—at times even graphic—which only added to the unsettling atmosphere. DeYoung knows how to push the tension without overdoing it, keeping the reader fully immersed until the final page.

If you like thrillers that explore toxic relationships, trust, and manipulation with a heavy dose of suspense, this is a must-read.

Thank you to @poisonedpenpress for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first read by Andrew DeYoung. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It grabbed my attention and kept it. I would definitely read more by this author.

WOW. What a fantastic domestic suspense book. I loved the multiple POV aspect and how it was written from Melissa in real time to Amelia's transcripts and Rose's diary. Thomas was so charming and I could see why Melissa was smitten with him. I loved the pacing to this one, the eerie moments, the mini-cliffhangers in each chapter, and the cast. I can't wait to read more from this author!

This book had me on the edge of my seat! You could feel the tension growing. I liked the different formats of the audio recordings, the diary, and the story itself. The backstories of the characters all coming together and seeing how they interact seamlessly was great work. I went into this book blind and tried to guess the whodunit, and I was caught by surprise at the end. I recommend others to do the same. It didn't quite make five stars due to some of the small plot holes and how the ending felt a little rushed. This was an overall good read, and I will recommend it to others in the thriller community.

💔 T R A U M A T I C T U E S D A Y review 💔 featuring “Stay Away from Him” by Andrew DeYoung!

MY RATING: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

After a nasty divorce and custody battle, Melissa Burke moves to a new city to start over with her son Bradley. She sure as hell isn’t looking for love any time soon … until she meets Thomas, and all bets are off. This mysterious man has her infatuated at first sight and the feelings are mutual. But Thomas has a dangerous reputation and Melissa has no idea what she is getting herself (and her son) into.

Thomas Danver is a respected pediatrican, father of two teenaged girls and a widower. Three years prior his wife went missing and is now presumed dead … and Thomas was exonerated from her murder.

Thomas has a lot of haters out there who still believe he did it and deals with accusations against him daily. His friends encourage Melissa to still go out on a date with Thomas and promise her that he is innocent. Melissa decides to take a chance and give in to temptation, and this stirs up a crazy shitstorm of obsession, revenge and emotional turmoil!

💥 What a SLAM DUNK of a thriller that had my emotions in a complete tailspin the entire time! You want to shake and scream at Melissa to stay far away from Thomas, but his charm, forwardness and love bombing keeps luring her back to him! This book had me questioning EVERYTHING, including the character’s motives and intentions and each twist and turn was a stab to the gut!

Thank you kindly to @andrewdeyoungauthor @poisonedpenpress @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on July 8, 2025!

The plot twist…or shall I say twist and turns will get you! The book is written with style and the plot was executed perfectly.

i mean just look at that cover. are we not all drawn in and excited already!? i know i was and it only served me well because it got better and better going in. its gripped me, its questioned me and had me questioning everything. was the author playing with me, were the characters or was i over Nancy Drewing it, haha.
this book is deliciousness in its genre. and i needed a book just like this. the moment i saw perfect doctor and the community loves him i was on red alert. and then we have Melissa who is already in that vulnerable in between where anyone worth anything will say please please be aware of red flag, allow yourself to heal. because Melissa has come to this area to heal from a divorce that was all to sweet. but of course she falls for Thomas who is a widower in a real whirlwind fashion. but Thomas has secrets whispering around him. because not only is he a widower but he was also taken in for his wife murder. but the charges were dropped, so am i being a judgemental meany? and this is where books like this can be great. because you think are you being set up with the obvious? does Andrew want me to be suspicious of the guy apparently innocent? or was he being set up. or was it something else all together? and round this merry go round of excellent mind bending brilliance do we go.
and whats great about this is another edge comes in the form of the way its told. we get multiple points of view. aha, but these are from three people who gives us more twist and turning points to the plot. some you might expect and some you definitely dont.
because could you then even trust the point of view you were given. hahaha i loved how dowsed in my own guessing game this book got me.
so what you gonna do Melissa? who you gonna believe? and what story will that tell us?
brilliant book. loved it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)

“Good father, good husband, good doctor, good man.”

From the first few chapters, I was hooked. Stay Away From Him is a suspenseful, twisty thriller that kept me on edge with its shifting POVs. Melissa falling so quickly for a man she just met, Sarah’s diary entries, and the recordings from Amelia and Thomas that added layers of depth and doubt.

What I loved most? The subtle clues planted throughout the story. Some I picked up on, others I completely missed which made the final reveal all the more satisfying. I didn’t guess the killer until the end, which I absolutely enjoyed.

This would absolutely make a perfect Netflix thriller tense, emotional, and realistic. If you enjoy domestic thrillers with a dark edge and psychological twists, add this to your TBR.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Really liked it - the twists were actually surprising, and the writing had a really fresh feel to it. I was kind of surprised it was written by a man, since so many of the main characters are women, but it never felt off or cringey. Super easy to read!

I’m on the fence with this one. While the book kept me interested it didn’t really feel suspenseful. I also worked out the twist before the halfway mark.

The premise is interesting but not well executed. The FMC is frustratingly stupid and the MMC is a walking red flag. Everyone thinks he murdered his ex wife but apparently that isn’t enough for our dimwitted FMC to run the other way. No, instead she launches her own investigation into the whole ordeal while…falling in love with him? Overlooking all of that this was just ok.

If you enjoy murder mystery this may be for you! Huge thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Excellent thriller read! I really enjoyed how this novel was written to be fast paced, yet believable. The whirlwind romance between Thomas and Melissa helps aid in making this book a true page turner. A must read for those that enjoy a dark romance inspired thriller.

5 stars for this book. This is my first book by this author and I am very impressed! I could not put this down!

Melissa isn't looking for a new relationship after her divorce but when she meets Thomas, she can't help feeling attracted to him. As she gets to know him more, she hears the rumours that some believe he was behind his first wife's death, even though he was cleared of any wrongdoing. When Melissa starts getting threats to "Stay Away from Him", she knows she needs to do her own research.

Holy moly, this book was wild! Melissa was a brave woman, continuing on with the relationship after everything she found out. If it were me, I'd be running for the hills! Twisty and addictive, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Add it to your thriller list - you won't be disappointed!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC via NetGalley! (Publication Date July 8 2025)

3.5 stars! Man, I am honestly at a loss for words after finishing this one. I could NEVER have predicted the ending to this book. The FMC drove me completely insane for probably 85% of this book, and there were times I just wanted to scream while reading her internal dialogue. If you're looking for a thriller that makes you want to just shake all the fictional characters awake and ask "WHY" about nearly all of their decisions.... this book would be perfect for you. There was a point about halfway through this book that I found the plot dragging a bit but the last 30% picked right back up again and left me reeling at the end. The ending was a bit outlandish but so good at the same time? This novel reminded me a lot of those insane Freida McFadden style twists, which I have grown to appreciate from time to time!

Would recommend as a fast-paced (yet frustrating) thriller! However, some scenes do contain rather graphic depictions of events so proceed with caution if this is not your jam.

COMING JULY 8 2025!!!

Thank you so much for the digital ARC of this book!! Can’t wait to get my trophy copy for my shelves when it comes out in July 2025!!!

This book messed with my head in the best way. ⁣
⁣
Stay Away from Him starts off with what feels like a second-chance love story, but the unease creeps in fast—and never really lets up. As a mom, I found myself holding my breath through parts of this. It’s one thing to fear for yourself… another to fear for your child.⁣
⁣
The twist? I did not see it coming. And the way it all unraveled? Genuinely haunting.⁣
⁣
Books with psychopaths always get under my skin, but this one felt especially eerie. Maybe it’s because the main character shares my name (!!!), which made it feel way too real at times.⁣ This book explores mental health in a way that’s both disturbing and fascinating. The layered storytelling kept me turning pages fast!
⁣
If you’re into thrillers that tap into your unspoken fears and still leave you thinking long after you’ve finished then add this to your list.⁣

I was between 3.5 and 4 stars for this one. It’s on my recommendation list for sure!!

I love a good mindfck book! Very twisty and suspenseful and kept me guessing & on the edge of my seat the WHOLE TIME!

SYNOPSIS
-Melissa, freshly divorced and trying to start over with her five-year-old son, moves to a new city.
-At a dinner party, she meets Thomas, a charming pediatrician and single dad who seems perfect… except for the whole “was accused of murdering his wife” thing.
-He was cleared, but the town still whispers. Melissa gives him a shot anyway.
-Their whirlwind romance gets rocky when Melissa receives a creepy anonymous note.
-She starts digging into Thomas’s missing wife trying to figure out if she’s in love with a misunderstood man or walking straight into danger.
⸻
MY THOUGHTS
-Definitely more romantic suspense than thriller. If you’re looking for something twisty and edge-of-your-seat, this probably isn’t it.
-The mixed media stuff? LOVED. Rose’s journal entries and Thomas’s therapy transcripts were the most interesting parts. They added layers & depth to the story.
-Everything with Melissa and Thomas felt so fast. She falls for him instantly, despite giant red flags, and he’s definitely laying it on thick.
-Honestly, both Melissa and Thomas annoyed me. She felt oddly naive for a woman in her 30s with a kid, and he was too perfect on the surface. It made it hard to connect with either of them.
-The pacing dragged a bit in the middle. It wasn’t boring exactly, but it could’ve used a bit more suspense to balance all the relationship stuff.
-Some solid twists, but if you read a lot of thrillers, you’ll probably see most of them coming.
-Overall? Entertaining, just not super memorable.
⸻
TL;DR⭐️⭐️⭐️Romantic suspense with a side of mystery. Great mixed media elements, but the central romance felt rushed and a little frustrating.
⸻
THANKS: Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on July 8, 2025.