I gave this 3.5 stars. I really wanted more from the ending, It felt like it was leading to a twist that never happened. I did enjoy it overall and it kept my interest throughout the story. Kit was not the most lovable character, she lacked common sense and her inner dialogue was annoying at times. Maybe she has adhd? If this had a good twist or more to the ending I think it could have been over 4 stars. It just left me hanging.

First and foremost, thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I flew through it in a day and was absolutely into every second. I feel like there were definitely a lot of twists that I did NOT expect and it made for a great reading experience.

I’m usually one to guess how books are going to play out within the first couple of chapters but this one really had me stumped! Once I got farther in I was shocked at how it was all playing out.

I will absolutely be recommending this book to my book club once it is released!

Thanks NetGalley & Xpresso Books Tours for the opportunity to read the eARC of Breakneck Bay

3 stars

When I saw this book on NetGalley, I was immediately intrigued due to the setting at a Waterpark. Also, if there's a serial killer plot, count me in. This thriller is fast paced, has quick chapters, and dual POVs that flip back and forth between Kit and Hawk. This book was entertaining, but there were a couple things that made this story one I liked but not loved

1. The setting was the PERFECT place for a serial killer thriller, however, I feel like the story didn't take place at the waterpark enough, not counting all the chapters in the Ouch Shack. There was so much potential to make this a park that was haunted by a killer but it just fell in to the background
2. The plot was fairly predictable. I had a really good feeling who Hawk was pretty early in the book. I did, however, enjoy Hawk's POV and getting the serial killer mentality.
3. The ending wasn't that shocking to me. I almost wish there was some big event at the end to tie it all up but it was just slow and underwhelming
4. Rhonda drove me bonkers and I'm not sure how Kit didn't punch her in the face a few times. I also though Rhonda was going to be more of a villain than what she turned out to be.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. It's a quick popcorn thriller and an entertaining summer read.

Breakneck Bay was a compelling domestic suspense novel with plenty of twists and emotional depth. The main character, Kit, really carried the story for me. Her determination and refusal to give up, even when everything seemed stacked against her, made her easy to root for.

One of the coolest parts of this book was the setting. Being set in the 80s at a waterpark gave it such a unique vibe. Growing up in the 90s and 2000s and frequently visiting Wisconsin Dells made it easy for me to picture everything so clearly. The slides, the sounds, the summer energy, it all felt vivid and familiar in the best way.

The plot kept me engaged, and while I guessed a few pieces early on, there were still plenty of surprises. The writing was fast paced and emotionally charged, blending mystery with themes of resilience, trust, and betrayal. I appreciated how the story balanced suspense with character development, especially as Kit’s strength was tested in so many ways.

A solid and engaging read that I would recommend to fans of twisty domestic dramas with a strong female lead and a memorable setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

a dark and shaky read and once im all here for. sometimes a book hits thats spot. and this book certainly does that.

This was a twisting, high-speed thrill ride that left me shaken and sputtering. I honestly needed a second to catch my breath after reading it. I felt like I was actually inside Action Park (the creepy water park from the 80s with lawsuits galore, watch the documentary!). Faith's writing floors me, as always, and this might be my favourite book she's written yet.
Kit works at Breakneck Bay with her husband. and if there is anything to really learn from this book its that ive never been so fearful of water-parks! dont go to run run like this one thats for sure. your risking a need for a lawsuit and perhaps even your life.
when arriving at work one day a crime scene or murder scene appears to be whats left of the office. but is Mitch involved,set up and with a missing worker from the park now apparent could all these things be connected. coudl they be connected to Mitch?
i really got Kits dilemmas in this book. you felt for her. how can you start seeing your partner as someone who is killing people? and then how do you ever not see it?
the mystery of this book kept me hooked and i wasn't sure a quite the way through just who my suspects were. the pace was great and this book allowed you to swoop through it like i did in one sitting.
this book reminded me of an adult and upgraded kind of uneasy fear story from your teens. but definitely a lot smarter and mature than those. it had those creepy, staged at a place(water-park) vibes to it.
a really good book.

This is a fast paced thriller that kept me turning the pages.

It was set in the 80’s, searching for a serial killer, in a creepy location, what else do you need?

This was intriguing and suspenseful, very entertaining that you can read in one or two sittings.

Highly recommend.

Thank you so much Mirror House Press and Faith Gardner for my eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I saw that one of my favorite authors; Noelle W. Ihli read this and left a 5-star review.
I was lucky enough to get the ARC from Net Galley and OMG!!!!!!!!!!
I am so happy I picked up this book! I was very invested from the beginning. I really love the writing; I love the park theme that was going on. I will say it was more of a mystery than a thriller, I think there weren't any big plot twist. I was kind of expecting a bit more! However, I enjoyed it 100%. I really loved the different POV's, and the storyline was done really good. I was in a reading slump and this book for sure helped me get out of it. Finally, I appreciate how some topics were addressed, I love that there was hope for the characters. I 100% recommend reading this book! It's a great fast read.

Couldn’t put it down! Great read, engaging story that keeps you hooked every chapter. Can’t wait for more from this author.

3.5 stars. It was overall a good story. I liked that it took place in the 1980’s. He book kept me entertained and guessing who the bad guy was but it ended up being predictable at the end which was disappointing.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book.
In this story we’re following Kit, a newlywed that has just relocated to work with her husband at a water park in a somewhat remote small mountain town. When one of the water parks teenage employees goes missing, everything Kit thought she knew about the place she works completely changes.
I really like Faith Gardner’s style of writing, quick, easy to follow, with smart storylines, and this new book is no different. I read this in 2 sittings, I was infested and needed to know what happened.

A book about a dangerous waterpark and a missing girl had me intrigued from the very first time I heard this about Breakneck Bay. (Also this cover!!) The story was fast paced and literally never let up.

For me, the plot was lacking a little bit of the depth I was hoping for. I figured out who did it very early on and was really hoping I was wrong because it felt so obvious to me. I had hoped the waterpark would play a bigger factor in the story that it did. Besides the office/admin building and the Ouch Shack, it felt like the story rarely ever took place at Breakneck Bay.

I did enjoy the occasional POV from Hawk. I thought that added a lot to the story and it was definitely one of my favorite parts. Faith Gardner's writing was enjoyable and I know I'll continue to pick up whatever she writes.

All in all, I found this one to be okay, but lacking some of the depth and twists I had expected. I think going into this expecting more of a popcorn thriller will make it more enjoyable!

Thank you to Mirror House Press, Faith Gardner and Netgalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was pretty wild and I was definitely entertained. This author never misses. Insane from start to finish. Easy to get through. And what’s not to love about a book featuring an amusement park and a serial killer?

Make sure to add this to your list! Coming July of 2025! Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC

When I saw that Breakneck Bay was set at a waterpark, I was instantly intrigued. It's such a fresh, underused setting for a thriller.. Add in a serial killer and late 70s/ early 80s nostalgia vibes? This is a perfect book for starting Summerween off!

I loved the different time lines shifting from “Hawk” and Kits POVs.
This was fast paced and I actually liked that it didn’t have so many twist and turns like other thrillers normally do to throw you in loops, sometimes that’s when the story can get lost sometimes.
Another thing I loved was the flyers, police reports and the news articles that were included throughout the chapters

This is a great pick if you're looking for something a little different in your thriller rotation.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book is set to publish July 24 2025 and is the perfect summer thriller.

The setting of the water park is genius. It brought back strong memories and I felt nostalgic. The ending didn't quite hit and it felt a little bland but the rest of the book was exciting.

This book's title, synopsis, and cover were all intriguing, but the ending didn't land quite right for me and could have been stronger. The water park setting added nostalgia for me, reminding me of past summers and many trips there with friends. I recommend this book to youth who love light fiction and mysteries. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

#Breakneck Bay

From the start, this book throws you into a fun, summery mystery with a unique water park setting that really stands out. It’s fast-paced and easy to get into. The only downside? A major clue is revealed too soon, which made the second half feel a bit too predictable. Still, it’s a solid, entertaining read with a cool atmosphere.

Kit Blue has moved herself from bright and rowdy Los Angeles to the quaint town of Hill Valley to be with her new husband, Mitch. Both of them work for Breakneck Bay Waterpark, Mitch as the manager and Kit working inside of the "Ouch Shack" where park goers head when they need medical assistance. Though Kit is very underqualified for the position, it makes her happy to spend a lot of her day working beside her husband, though she rarely sees him during work hours and truthfully, rarely sees home once they're home as well. When one of their seasonal park employees goes missing, Kit later learning that this young teenage girl and her husband had been seen together alone, her thoughts go haywire. Worse yet, her husband's office is vandalized with what looks like blood and teeth. Determined to get to the bottom of it, Kit begins asking questions about this young girl, but the park owner and Mitch's best friend Creighton Marrs is also determined to keep law enforcement off his back and out of his park. When Mitch is attacked in their home, shot and left for dead, Kit knows that she needs to find the answers to what happened to her husband. Was it her low-life brother, come all the way from Los Angeles to create problems in her married life? Or was it Gloria, the young teenage girl who has apparently vanished into thin air. The truth is startling, leaving Kit questioning everything she knows not only about herself, but about the man she married less than a year ago.

What a whirlwind of a novel. I personally interacted with Faith Gardner on TikTok after a preview of this very novel showed up on my "For You Page". Of course I commented that I was in the middle of reading her story, and she so graciously responded. Bonus points for an author who personally interacts with fans of her novels, and truthfully, a fan I am now! This was my first novel by this author, and I have just added another of hers to my Kindle to read at a later time because I enjoyed Breakneck Bay so much. Growing up not far from several water and amusement parks and only a short drive away from the Waterpark Capitol of America (Wisconsin Dells), this book hit home! It had everything I look for in novels, including a strong FMC, an intense storyline and true crime! You can't go wrong, and Faith Gardner definitely hit this one of out of the water(park!). Definitely add this one to your TBRs ladies and gents, you will not be disappointed!

Thank you to Netgalley, Faith Gardner and Xpresso Book Tours for an ARC of Breakneck Bay. The opinions above are my own.

This book transports you to a vibrant summer world from the very first page! The setting in a water park adds a fresh and intriguing touch to the suspense, making it super entertaining. The story is easy to follow, allowing you to dive into the plot effortlessly.

However, despite its fast pace, the story loses a bit of excitement when a key clue about the suspect is revealed rather obviously halfway through the book. This makes the second half feel a bit predictable, and I would have liked to see more twists and turns.

Despite that, the book remains a fun read thanks to its setting and the central mystery. I give it 4 out of 5 stars for holding my attention and creating such a captivating summer suspense atmosphere.

The mystery had me hooked from the start to finish. The pace of the book is quite fast and comes to satisfying conclusions on most chapters.

I personally feel the ending could have been more suspenseful but overall still enjoyed the book

I really enjoyed this serial killer/amusement thriller. So addicting and fast paced, I didn't know what to expect and couldn't put it down. I was fully invested in what would happen. While I'm a little disappointed in the decisions Kit made in the end, I can also give her a pass. I had too much fun with the story to let it take away a star. Highly recommend and I look forward to reading more of the author's books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an arc copy, all opinions are my own.