Great read. I loved the characters and the plot and of course the twists !! Well written!! Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantyne for the arc in exchange for a fair review !!

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC! Unfortunately, this was not something I could engage with. The novel had a promising start with action and suspense, but it shortly tapered off and the storyline became tedious and bland, if not a bit corny. I felt like it became a bad translation, but I’m not sure.. I wasn’t able to complete reading due to these reasons.

The twists of one woman disappearing from a train and the other woman deciding to take her place, thinking life will be better... but will it? There are so many twists, and the book was fast-paced. i highly recommend this one!

A woman on the run meets another on the train. Her new companion is very chatty and has with her a small baby. She tells her she’s taking the baby to meet its wealthy in laws, that her husband has deserted her and she’s never met the in laws before. But the woman on the run is hesitant to engage. She’s just sacked her abusive husband over the head with a frying pan and left him for dead, and wants to remain as non- memorable as possible. She excuses herself to the toilet but when she returns the other woman is gone but has left her baby there on the train. It falls to her to take the baby to meet its uber wealthy family. When she meets them it’s a crazy game of who’s who, who’s telling the truth, and who is responsible for mysterious deaths in the family. Nothing is really as it seems and there are nonstop twists and turns. Just when you think you’ve figured something out a new plot is exposed. A Twist Of Fate is not light reading but it certainly can and will hold your interest.

This book was so intriguing from the very beginning! Two women meet on a train, both running from something…When one disappears, the other takes her place and the twist start coming from there! What a gem of a book.

I was immediately captivated by this story. From the moment Jae-young boarded that train, I felt the weight of her escape—the urgency, the desperation, and the sheer unpredictability of what was coming next. Every moment felt charged with tension, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I loved how layered Jae-young’s journey was. And when she arrived at the imposing estate, I could almost feel the walls closing in, the weight of secrets pressing down. The writing kept me hooked, balancing suspense with sharp emotional depth. I felt deeply connected to Jae-young’s inner turmoil, her need to survive, her reluctance to trust—and the growing realization that she was stepping into something far darker than she ever imagined. The tension built masterfully, keeping me guessing about who she could trust and what lurked beneath the surface.

This book was tense, emotional, and utterly addictive. If you love sharp suspense, complex characters, and stories where danger lurks behind wealth and luxury, this one is worth every moment.

A Twist of Fate is SO good! It takes place in South Korea, and the novel is a translation from Korean. At times, you can tell it's a translation. Some of the dialogue feels a little awkward, but that doesn't detract from the story at all.

Jae-Young is escaping from an abusive boyfriend. She has no idea where exactly she's going when she hops on a train to Seoul. She's in the train car with a chatty young woman and her infant. Jae-Young goes to the restroom and when she returns, the mom has vanished and left the baby with a note to please take him to his wealthy grandparents. Jae-Young decides to do so, and when everyone assumes she's the mother of the infant, she doesn't correct them. There are so many twists and turns, and everyone is hiding a secret. A Twist of Fate is very suspenseful and keeps you reading so you can find out what is going to happen next. Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for the ARC.

This taut, atmospheric thriller delivers a chilling meditation on identity, survival, and the haunting cost of reinvention. The story of Jae-Young—a woman fleeing a life of abuse, poverty, and one irreversible act—unfolds with the breathless momentum of a train ride you can’t get off. And just like her sudden encounter with a desperate mother and an abandoned baby, the twists keep coming.

What begins as an escape turns into a descent into a carefully curated nightmare. Jae-Young’s arrival at a lavish estate masquerading as safety is seductive and unsettling. The opulence of her new life contrasts sharply with the gritty realism of her past, creating tension that hums on every page. The family’s willingness to embrace her as someone she’s not is both a lifeline and a warning—and the further she sinks into this false identity, the harder it becomes to surface.

The novel excels in building suspense while exploring themes of erasure, trauma, and the lengths one will go to in order to survive. Jae-Young is not your typical heroine—she’s morally gray, emotionally raw, and powerfully human. Her story lingers like a shadow, asking: What would you do if no one was looking, and you finally had a chance to disappear?

Equal parts psychological thriller and character study, this is a masterfully written, edge-of-your-seat novel that doesn’t just entertain—it chills, captivates, and cuts deep.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A true page-turner, it delivers twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, making it nearly impossible to put down. The pacing is masterful, and the storytelling is immersive, pulling you deep into its world. This is a book that deserves to be widely shared, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know!

A Twist of Fate, translated from Korean by S.L. Park, opens with Jae-Young, a young woman fleeing from an abusive relationship and her bleak existence. As she boards a train to Seoul, she serendipitously encounters Hyojin, a mother traveling with her infant son, Seung-Joon. Their interaction is fleeting, and upon returning from the restroom, Jae-Young discovers Hyojin has inexplicably disappeared, leaving a note instructing Jae-Young to deliver the baby to his affluent family in Juyoung-si. This unforeseen obligation thrusts Jae-Young into a realm of luxury and deception.

Upon her arrival at the family estate, Jae-Young is mistaken for Seung-Joon's mother. The opulent surroundings are both captivating and disorienting as she grapples with her newfound identity amid the grandeur. At first, she finds solace in her role, relishing the extravagant lifestyle that starkly contrasts her former reality. However, as she begins to settle in, unsettling truths about the family surface, revealing a complex web of deceit and peril that imperils her safety.

The narrative is rich in suspense and features numerous plot twists; and the family dynamics show how complicated Jae-Young’s existence is. Each character harbors their own secrets which amplifies the atmosphere of mistrust and intrigue. At times, the narrative seemed a little stilted and it had some awkward phrasing- which may have been due to its translation. However, it was still a worthwhile read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

absolutely gorgeously written thriller with great plotting, dynamic characters, and a twist that just keeps getting better. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I received an electronic ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I found the premise of this novel interesting in the beginning. However, as the story became more and more twisted I lost interest quickly. I’m curious if a lot of the story did not make sense to me because it is a translation. A lot of it seemed glossed over, but I wonder if it has more to do with the fact that the story was originally in another language (Korean). The emotion of the story seemed off at times, and parts were rushed.

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I can't wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

A thrilling and disorienting read. I found myself riveted by the story and intrigued by Jae-Young and her (lack of?) plans as she goes to a mansion to drop off a baby and finds herself compelled to stay...

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

My first Se-Ah Jang read but definitely not my last. This one starts with a bang and never lets up. Packed with tension, secrets and great reveals. Excellent characters kept me totally engaged.
Thank you NetGalley, Se-Ah Jang and Bantam Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

She is running away from a desperate situation when she encounters a woman with a child. When that woman disappears leaving the baby and a note, she decides to become that woman. What happens next is Alfred Hitchcock worthy...nothing is what it seems. Tense and edge of your seat packed book. Wish the translation had been a bit better.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced reading copy and introduction to a new thrilling author. Enjoyed reading and giving feedback.

It was overall an okay book. For me, I struggled with the whole giving a baby to someone I don't know but in the end I did understand it. Between that and the whole over the top bad decisions, it was hard for me to get really invested in this book.

Two women meet on a train both running away from deadly secrets. When Jae-Young is left with a baby on the train and the other woman disappears she decides to take the baby to the family's house. She finds out the family had a lot of money and is willing to do what it takes to stay with the family. This thriller was very twisty and very well done. It pulled you in from the start!

This book was a wild ride from start to finish. I enjoyed this thriller it was twisty and captivating from start to finish. The only thing is, if you are easily triggered by gaslighting and abuse story plots then this won't be for you.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

Jae-Young is escaping . . . running from an abusive boyfriend and a run-down hovel of an apartment. She hopes to take the train to Seoul and then vanish among the crowds of people there.

Aboard the train, she has a casual conversation with a young mother traveling with her three-month-old son, Seung-Joon. She tells Jae-Young that her husband has left her to live with his mistress and she’s decided to take the baby to her in-laws’ home.

Much to Jae-Young’s surprise, the mother disappears, leaving Seung-Joon behind . . . along with a note begging Jae-Young to take the baby to his father’s family home in Juyoung-si.

When Jae-Young arrives at the home, she is stunned by the apparent wealth of the family. After some hesitation, she decides to stay, stepping into the role of Seung-Joon’s mother. But it isn’t long before she begins to realize that things are not quite what they seem in Chairman Jung’s house.

What has Jae-Young gotten herself into, and will she be able to escape?

=========

There are plot twists aplenty in this incredible thriller. Although readers are likely to find that none of the characters are particularly likable, there’s definitely some sympathy for Jae-Young’s situation; readers are drawn into the telling of the tale from the outset. The suspenseful story turns dark; everyone is holding onto secrets and danger is just a step away.

Readers who enjoy twisty mysteries, psychological thrillers, and family drama will find much to appreciate in this book that is too difficult to set aside before reaching the final page.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Bantam and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#ATwistofFate #NetGalley