4/5 stars for this one!
I was hooked and each chapter ended where I couldn’t stop reading! I kept wanting to know what was going to happen.
I’m so thankful I got to read this ARC. I’ll be sure to read more by this author

Melissa, recién llegada a un vecindario tras escapar de un matrimonio destructivo, busca estabilidad para ella y su hijo. Pero todo cambia cuando conoce a Thomas, un hombre encantador y atractivo, con quien rápidamente conecta. Sin embargo, al día siguiente se entera de que él fue acusado de asesinar a su esposa, un crimen que ocurrió hace tres años. Aunque las pruebas fueron desestimadas, la sospecha persiste. A lo largo del libro, Melissa se debate entre lo que ve en Thomas, un hombre cariñoso y dedicado padre, y lo que la gente le cuenta, mientras intenta descubrir la verdad. ¿Será él realmente culpable o es solo una víctima de las circunstancias?




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Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This reviewer thoroughly enjoyed reading Stay Away From Him. Author Andrew DeYoung presents an interesting question: Would you date someone who's been investigated for murder but then cleared? Protagonist Melissa Burke gives pediatrician Thomas Danver the benefit of the doubt when she agrees to a date. Their mutual attraction is nothing short of kinetic and friends have vouched for him. Thomas fast tracks their relationship, and his love bombing draws Melissa close in a relatively short time. Is Thomas's intensity healthy or a red flag? DeYoung does a great job keeping us guessing until the last page in this well written thriller that's fun to read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

Melissa is fresh out of a disastrous marriage and looking to settle into a simple life; find a job, support her young son, and stay far away from a relationship... and then she meets the handsome, charming Thomas Danver. He's perfect, except for the fact that he was accused of killing his wife three years ago and most of the town thinks he did it.

A fun, short, fast-paced read. Reminded me of a Freida McFadden in that sense. I had a hard time buying that Melissa fell for Thomas as fast as she did - he just seemed pushy and desperate, especially at the beginning. I love a good thriller and a whodunnit, although I had this one figured out earlier than I would have preferred. Still an easy read and I found myself looking forward to reading more and finding out what would happen next.

Not to get too into the weeds about the details but this book is about a woman/mother that is attempting to regain her life after divorce. She moves to a different town and meets a charming pediatric doctors whose wife is missing or dead or both? The pace of this book was good and it rarely had slow moments after take off. The fast relationship plot was unrealistic, making it a little harder to connect with the characters but the twisty thriller aspect was good. I have never read this authors work so I look forward to reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. It hooks you from the first line and keeps you guessing until near the end. I liked how the book was written from 3 viewpoints- Melissa’s viewpoint , the wife’s journal and the therapist’s recordings. Each one filled in a piece of the puzzle. I highly recommend this book.

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!