Loved this one by Lizzy Barber. Dark and twisted and really well written - this one kept me guessing until the end. Five Stars

This is a gripping psychological thriller that immediately captivates the reader with its look into a toxic wellness cult. The story centers on Beth, who relocates to San Francisco seeking a new beginning but becomes entangled in the seemingly idyllic Elixir group. What initially appears to be a supportive community gradually reveals its sinister nature as Beth falls under the sway of the manipulative leader, Tate. The narrative skillfully alternates between Beth's past within the cult and her present life in London, haunted by the lingering fear that Elixir's influence persists. This dual timeline creates constant suspense, compelling the reader to unravel the mysteries of Beth's past and its connection to her present-day anxieties.

The book's strength lies in its disturbingly realistic portrayal of cult dynamics, highlighting the insidious manipulation and mental abuse employed to control members. Barber's sharp and immersive writing draws the reader into Beth's experience, amplifying the tension as subtle clues accumulate towards unexpected revelations. This is a highly recommended read for enthusiasts of psychological thrillers, particularly those interested in themes of cults and unreliable narration, delivering a dark, compelling, and unpredictable narrative.

I loved it and give it a rare 5/5 rating. Thank you to NetGalley and Datura for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Was a slow start but once I finally gave in and got into it, I ate it up. Has the drama and toxic you want to keep going but also wondering where the story will go.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc. It took me quite some time to get through this book because the flipped perspectives were hard to decipher sometimes. It was a twisty read and definitely showed the struggle of a sleep deprived, new mom and her background of a culty relationship.

Wow. This book is gripping, twisty, and definitely hooked me right from the start. I could not put this book down. Set over 2 time periods but very easy to follow which is which.
High on my list of my favourite reads this year so far.

Be mine by Lizzie Barber

This book was an absolute head trip. Following a very toxic but believable wellness style cult like creeper group.

This book follows a young woman named Beth who is trying to get away from her previous life in the UK, she is invited to this exclusive club like atmosphere that has her striving for the higher levels of success by the instructors and classmates. She is entranced by the instructor named Tate that has her smitten from the get go.

This story takes place in a past and present like storytelling atmosphere that has you guessing and wondering where the story may lead. As Beth in current times has gotten away from the outlandish expectations of Elixir and is now a mother, a sleep deprived mother who is questioning herself as she receives a mysterious letter from her old life.

I enjoy the book however it took sometime to get use to the bouncing of the storyline. Thank you NetGalley and Datura for this advanced copy!

Be Mine is the kind of book that grabs you and doesn’t let go. It’s a wild, twisty ride into the dark world of toxic wellness cults, and I couldn’t put it down. The story follows Beth, who moves to San Francisco for a fresh start but gets sucked into an exclusive wellness group called Elixir. At first, it seems perfect—the classes, the vibe, the sense of belonging—but soon, it takes over her life. She’s waking up crazy early, skipping work, and doing whatever it takes to impress the cult’s mysterious leader, Tate. And let me tell you, Tate is the worst—a total narcissist who plays mind games with his followers, breaking them down just to build them back up under his control.

The book jumps between Beth’s past in the cult and her present life in London, where she’s trying to move on but can’t shake the fear that Elixir is still watching her. When an envelope with their logo shows up in her apartment, the paranoia kicks in hard. These dual timelines keep the suspense high—you’re constantly trying to piece together what happened back then and how it connects to the creepy stuff happening now. At first, the time jumps took a second to get used to, but once I got into the flow, I was hooked.

What makes this book so addictive is how real the cult feels. The manipulation, the mental abuse, the way Beth (and the others) get brainwashed into thinking they need Tate’s approval—it’s all so well-written and unsettling. You can see how someone smart could still fall into something like this, and that’s what makes it scary. The tension builds slowly, with little clues dropped along the way, until everything explodes in a way I never saw coming.

Lizzy Barber’s writing is sharp and immersive—she makes you feel like you’re right there with Beth, experiencing every high and low. The twists hit hard, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, another curveball comes flying at you.

If you love psychological thrillers with cult themes, unreliable narrators, and a plot that keeps you guessing, this is your next read. It’s dark, gripping, and impossible to predict.

5/5 stars—highly recommend!

✨4 stars✨

Wow what a rollercoaster this book was!

Set against the backdrop of toxic wellness cults, this book follows Beth dual timelines, one in San Francisco in 2013 and one in London a decade later. I really enjoyed the pace in which the author allowed the reveals to take place as from the beginning I was hooked.

Throughout, I became suspicious of every character, including our narrator so whilst I may have figured a few twists out, there were far more that had me stumped and my jaw on the floor.

There were many uncomfortable part of the book, especially when seeing how easy it can be to become involved in these wellness cults, and how history may repeat itself!

I would definitely recommend this book!

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

OMG.
What a freaky read. The ending my Jaw is still on the floor.
This book is about a wellness cult (it reminds me of the MLM cults that exist right now, there was also the whole works and other wellness cults that existed in previous years.) If you are or were a part of them, I'm sorry, but this is what the book reminded me of. You meet Beth and Marissa who become fast friends in San Fran! Where Marissa invites her to join Elixer.

Oh, she joins alright and becomes entranced by Tate the company's leader. Oh, then things change. I can't go into what happens next but at the end your jaw will be dropping. Completely on the floor. Lean over pick it up and word of advice stay away from the wellness cult. If you want to join its okay too but if your life turns out like this then don't come for me.

Also, the last chapter..OMG! OMG! OMG! Where is part two?

Beth, newly moved to San Francisco in 2013, in the wake of a difficult breakup, is vulnerable to the approaches of a friendly stranger who introduces her to the mysterious Elixir organisation, which promises to change her life - mind, body and spirit. Soon, she's in deep.

In the present day, back in the UK, Beth is a new mother to baby Etta, but her life is shadowed by the fear that Elixir has a long reach. Are they really still watching her, sending her messages?

The story develops over these two timelines as we learn more about Elixir, its well-named leader Tate (I kept thinking "Andrew") and its impact on Beth and others.

Elixir is clearly a cult, with all the attributes including a supposedly charismatic leader (although from the outset Tate is obviously weird and creepy). Fine by me, I love a scary (fictional) cult. Psychological and physical abuse is rife in Elixir world, and despite the healthy living claims, they have no objection to alcohol, drugs and extreme eating restriction. It's hard to believe an intelligent woman like Beth falls for it all, though I guess it does happen.

The "Extraction" sessions, among a few other things, were reminiscent of Scientology's "auditing".

There are some odd word choices which jarred at times ("he wielded his body" - yikes! - "she worried her head", the use of "distinctively" instead of "distinctly") and some that are just wrong (a man in a queue "inferred" that she should move forward).

It all got a bit crazy towards the end, and I didn't like or see the point of the very end. I wasn't sure what I was meant to conclude from it. The main twist was good, and I didn't see it coming at all - though I'm not entirely sure it would work in real life.

There's generally quite a lot of suspension of disbelief required here, which is not to say weird and scary cults don't exist, because they clearly do! It was an engaging read, though.

This is a very engaging book that had me thinking about similar toxicity and cult behavior that I see around me every day. The ending was a bit of a cheesefest but overall this is a pretty good read with plenty of twists and tension.

Thoroughly addictive and entertaining read.

We enter the world of wellness cults. London born Beth heads to San Francisco for work, and befriends Marissa. Marissa lures Beth into the world of "Elixir", and Beth is soon a happy convert.

Two time frames, 10 years before in San Francisco when Beth enters the cult, and now in London when Beth is free of the cult but fears that she hasn't escaped Elixir's reach.

Plenty of nice twists and surprises in the back quarter of this one.

Beth joined a health and wellness group called Elixir in the San Francisco Bay area, but fled it 10 years ago to return to her native UK. She is happily married, though struggling with the demands of a new baby and her isolation at home. When it seems that Elixir is out to ensnare her again, she is terrified because her husband knows nothing about that part of her past. Beth wants nothing to do with Elixir, but she has to know why they are seeking her out after 10 years and she is desperately afraid of what her husband might learn.

This book has its fair share of paranoid characters, and rightly so, when they realize that they've 'been had' by a cult. No one is who they seem to be, having been thoroughly controlled by Elixir's charismatic leader, Tate. There is a lot of suspenseful anxiety -- a page turner for sure, with a surprise ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and #daturabooks for approving my request to read this book.

I very quickly found myself absorbed within the pages of this book which explores the toxicity that can sadly be found all to easily in today's society.

I couldn't turn the pages fast enough in this clever, thought provoking, dark thriller and enjoyed the many twists that were thrown in.

Highly recommended from me!

I loved the premise of this book and finished it in basically one sitting. The very end was a little cheesy but it didn’t take anything away from the story.

I read this fairly quickly due to the twists and turns for this book! I was shocked a couple of times throughout the book. I loved the identity switch and the women standing up for each other in the end, Overall, a great thrilling read!

I would recommend if you like intense thriller reads with a strong female MC.

Thank you NetGalley & Datura for the digital eARC.

In 2013 and Beth is freshly off a painful breakup and multiple personal struggles when she guardedly accepts an invitation from the glowing Marissa to a workout called Elixir. Beth decides to give it a try hoping it will make her feel more at home in her new city, San Francisco. Elixir turns out to be more than just exercise, including one-on-one therapy-like sessions and the mysterious guru Tate. Elixir soon has a hold on every waking moment of her life.

Ten years later, back in her home in the UK, Beth is in the throes of new motherhood, shrouded in anxieties and nearly agoraphobic. When she receives an invitation to a ten year anniversary party for Elixir, she begins to panic, realizing they found her and knowing what danger lies ahead.

Told in alternative timelines between 2023 and the events of 2013, we learn that Beth was sucked completely into the cult of Elixir its 'exercise' program imbued with psychobabble and a strict adherence to its rules expected from its devotees.

Be Mine is absolutely filled with twists and turns that I never guessed but definitely enjoyed. 4.25 stars for this creepy cult filled thriller.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

Set in the world of toxic wellness cults, 'Be Mine' follows Beth who moved to San Francisco for a fresh start, ready to work hard and forget what happened to her in the UK. She is invited by new acquaintance Marissa to attend an exclusive wellness class called Elixir - and once she's there, she's absolutely hooked. The classes, the instructors, the approach to life , the exclusivity - all appeal to Beth in a way that nothing else has. She soon finds herself there more and more, getting up desperately early to attend classes or sneaking out of work to rush across town. Beth's efforts are noticed by Marissa, who encourages her to sign up for more classes and commit to a higher level of Elixir classes. Beth has heard Marissa talk about Elixir's founder, Tate, who is this almost mythical figure, issuing wellness advice and instructions to his followers who hang on his every word.

Beth becomes obsessed by Tate and getting his approval for all of her efforts, doubling down on all of the effort she's putting in. She's rewarded by being admitted to an inner circle, but life becomes even more demanding, especially when she meets Tate himself. God, Tate is an utterly vile self-serving character, as soon as you hear about him, you know what to expect and boy, he delivers in spades. He is so self-obsessed and narcissistic, an absolute master at manipulating others whilst simultaneously knocking their self-confidence and leaving them wanting more, desperate to please .

The Elixir timeline is interspersed with episodes from Beth's current life. She's managed to escape Elixir and get back to London to start a family, but she can't relax, paranoid that Elixir will find her even a decade later. As the book opens, it seems as though they have found her, as an envelope with their distinctive logo mysteriously appears in her flat.

This is Lizzy Barber's best book yet, an utterly addictive psychological read that I couldn't tear myself away from!

Gripping twisty drama about a cult taking place in duel time.
I found this to be a great book, kept me up all night reading it. The ending was so unexpected. I've never read anything from this author before, but I'll definitely be checking out any other books she's got coming up as I enjoyed this tremendously ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Past and present collide in this geipping amd disturbing read.

It's been a long long time since beth left Elixir but it still feels lie yesterday and she's still running, still hiding.

Now with a baby to protect she feels like time is running our for her and she's scared.

This is a brilliant read. I have always been fascinated by cults and how on the outside they seem enlightening and helpful but then deep down they are dangerous and brainwashing.

I really enjoyed this book it is well written, I loved the drama and enjoyed getting to know beth and her story