Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I was overdo for a psychological thriller and was excited to get the approval for this one! It lived up to the hype. I’m not always good at figuring out what’s going on in these types of books and this one had quite a few exciting twists.

Natalie was the victim of a horrific crime. Her assailant was acquitted. This haunts Natalie everyday and she finds herself blacking out frequently. Her husband has always been very supportive of her but now he has been accused of the EXACT same crime and the victim has been found dead 👀

This is a dual POV book. Half the chapters are Natalie’s POV and the other half are the POV of the detective assigned to Natalie’s husband’s case. Both women are trying to process and unravel what is happening.

Great premise. The book delivers satisfying twists!

(4.25/5)

Such a great thriller! I loved the dual POVs and the way the story unfolded—it constantly had me second-guessing who the real murderer was.

The female detective was a standout. I really enjoyed following her thought process as she pieced together the mystery. Just when I thought I had everything figured out… I didn’t.

A suspenseful, well-paced read that kept me hooked until the end. Highly recommend if you enjoy thrillers that keep you guessing!

Thank you Netgalley, Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio and S.M. Lovett for the audio Arc of Believe Me Now ( Has been retitled as Believe in the UK )
Narrated by Amy Noble, Helen Colby

This is a fast paced police protocol and a psychological domestic thriller which will keep you engaged and wondering who you can trust. Told from a duel POV, Natalie and DI Helen Stratton which are both really interesting, well built characters. DI Helen heads a murder investigation of a women who accused Natalie's Husband Ryan of sexual assault. Natalie, after dealing with a sexual assault herself can't believe that her husband was ever capable of such a crime. Ryan has always been so supportive of her, her healing process and her black outs that appeared after her traumatic experience.

As the narrative progresses, these two POV's weave together seamlessly. We have a narrative that talks openly about trauma, sexual assault, rape culture, abuse and gaslighting. but also about speaking out and empowerment and how we need to keep speaking out. S M Govett writes about these possible triggers with dignity and is well balanced with the psychological elements and the character building.

This book was narrated by Amy Noble and Helen Colby who brought both POV of Natalie and Helen out of the page and into my ears! Both ladies have a wonderful storytelling voices which kept with the pace and tone of the book. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author and narrators in the future.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audio-arc copy of Believe me Now by S. M. Covert in exchange for an honest review.
This is a dual POV thriller/crime book following a woman who was previously raped and her rapist found innocent. When her husband is accused of the same thing, what is she to truly believe? We also follow a detective - whose sister went missing years ago - as she investigated a murder. The victim? The woman who was about to take her rape claim to the police.
This was an interesting story either way multiple plot lines that slowly connect in a unique way. I enjoyed parts despite the hard subject matter and would recommend for people interested in a thriller that focuses more on the police side of things.
However, I hated one of the main characters. For someone who had her life ruined and nobody believed her, she doubts every single woman who comes to her with a similar experience. She’s a hypocrite and no better than her rapist’s wife, who defended him all those years ago.
The reveal of who was truly behind it all was obvious from the beginning and it was disappointing as it did not catch me off guard, and the ending was bleak at best.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me listen to this earlier!

This started off pretty slow and I was a bit bored by the build up, real action started at around 35% and after finishing I know why that was necessary but while reading it really dragged on.

First let me say: I thought I had it figured out at least three times and in the end none of my theories were correct, I can respect a well planned mystery. But I gotta say the final plot twist felt a little far fetched.

My main issue was this book was, that I couldn’t stand the police officer main character. She was so annoying, all she did was judging people based on their wealth??? Girl, we get it you were underprivileged growing up but now you’re a freaking police officer and gate people for having more than you did?? Continuously?
And also the fact that she treated her ill and confused mother the way she did was disgusting.
I think the author tried to write an edgy character but she turned out 2D and unlikeable.

Yet, the story in itself was extremely captivating and kept me guessing and thinking, it did have some plot holes, some parts didn’t make sense to me but still: a great mystery!

Believe Me Now by S. M. Govett
Thriller
Out now!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5)

I haven’t heard much about this book, and that needs to change! Believe Me Now is an absolutely addictive domestic thriller, with a mystery that kept me turning the pages. It was so fast-paced! The story was told in dual POV, with very short chapters (which I LOVE). Like, some were just a page or two.

My mind kept going down different paths of what might have happened/who might be behind it all…and one of those paths started to seem so obvious…but I was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong! That plot twist got me, I didn’t see it coming at all, and that’s hard to do anymore!

I did a mixture of reading the physical book and listening to the audio. The narrators for Natalie and Stratton, Helen Colby and Amy Noble, did a fantastic job - I really enjoyed their performances.

I highly recommend either format!

Thank you @crookedlanebooks and @netgalley for my gifted copies! All thoughts are my own.

This was started as a good mystery what happen? who did it and why? it keep going down that path I was very interested and then the "twist came" and they lost me. Not only did it come out of nowhere it honestly made zero sense.

I hate thrillers that start so good that just loses you at the end.

Thank you NetGalley for this audio arc for my thoughts.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, I was proven wrong. Maybe I'm not good at predicting thrillers (which isn't a bad thing, I'm always surprised by twists and turns!) but this one dragged me all over the place and I enjoyed every moment. I spent the last ~hour of story with my hand over my mouth, gasping, thinking "Oh no!"

I listened to the audiobook, I almost exclusively listen to thrillers rather than eyeball read them, and this was fantastically done. The dual narrators really made this audiobook that much better. Each narrator handled their part perfectly, I was fully convinced of each of their roles and believed they were feeling everything.

I cannot wait to see what else SM Govett comes up with, I will be listening to their future thrillers if they're anything like Believe Me Now.

Thank you Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I tried to get into this one but unfortunately due to the narrators I was not able to fully immerse myself into it. The story seemed great, but I just couldn't focus. I had to DNF.

I had the opportunity to read *Believe Me Now* by S.M. Govett. I went into this one really wanting to like it—the description absolutely grabbed my attention—but unfortunately, the story ended up feeling a bit confusing and didn’t quite deliver the excitement I was hoping for.

As I listened to the audiobook, I found it difficult to stay engaged, especially as the plot became more tangled. That said, I do think there’s a lot of potential in Govett’s writing, and I’ll definitely give this author another try in the future. Sometimes it’s just a matter of the right story at the right time!

This one started out very slow in my opinion. But it did pick up after some time. There were lots of twists and turns and I enjoyed them all. I did find the narrator a bit challenging to understand, but I think that could be a me issue since based on my location the woman had an accent.

Believe me now is a fast paced story that kept me engaged and entertained. There were plenty of twists and surprises along the way. The narration was excellent.

Many thanks for my gifted copy.

I was having FOMO with this book after seeing so many people loving it. I was so happy to receive a copy of the audiobook from Brilliance Publishing on NetGalley to listen to and I flew through it. After a slowish start, it certainly ramped up the pace and twists. My goodness, they were jaw droppers and I was there for them all.

The story is from the point of view of 2 very different women in Believe Me Now . First of all we have Natalie Campbell is suffering from PTSD and has blackouts. She works from home and loves her husband. But can she trust him? She isn't so sure anymore, especially when the body of a woman is found in the bush behind their house. Detective Helen Stratton leads the case, and she is fighting her own demons.

Just when you think you have this all worked, something happens that makes you question it all. Really well done and addictive to listen to, The narrators were both fantastic and brought both women to life. Highly recommended.

Believe Me Now by S.M. Govett is an intense, fast-paced ride through the dark corridors of trauma, betrayal, and justice. Natalie Campbell’s unsettling episodes of losing time and her struggling PTSD—stemming from a past assault—set the stage for a story that’s both emotionally raw and dangerously suspenseful. When her husband is suddenly accused of the very crime that shattered her years earlier, the stakes couldn’t be higher. As Natalie frantically searches for the truth, the mysterious murder of Alice Lytton nearby only deepens her doubts—and her fears. Meanwhile, DI Helen Stratton's relentless quest to uncover the truth about the murdered girl and her own sister’s long-forgotten disappearance adds a compelling layer of emotional depth and grit to an already intense story. Govett masterfully weaves these narratives together, building suspense with every chapter. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the story throws a new twist that leaves you questioning everyone and everything. The dark secrets, complex characters, and haunting atmosphere create a read that’s both thrilling and deeply unsettling. If you love stories that keep you guessing and explore the messy truths behind trauma and truth, Believe Me Now is a must-read—just hold on tight, because it’s a wild, unpredictable ride you won’t soon forget.

1.5/5 I hated this book.

I'm giving this a two out of five stars instead of a one out of five stars is because I don't know how much my person bias is coming into play with how I want to rate this. But just know, I hated it and think it needs zero stars.

Why did I hate this book? Why such harsh language? Because I don't think victim-blaming is okay.

The main character of this story spends the entire book victim-blaming. First, she victim-blames over rape. Then she believes the rapist over the victim. And then, she victim-blames for murder.

I could see if at first she went, "no, my husband would never do that" and then once she learned the details (this dude was hesitating and so suspicious), she could've gone "my bad." But no, she goes "not to victim-blame, but what she do to start it." Hey, so you can't say you're not a victim-blamer and then spend the entire book doing that?!

So yeah, trigger warning for anything even remotely SA related. I do not think that anyone with any sort of trauma related to SA should go anywhere near this book. I think it will be incredibly triggering for you.

In this day and age, can we please stop victim-blaming women?

And someone might say that this was on purpose, that she's supposed to be an unlikable and unreliable narrator, but if that was true, it came across so sloppily. It did not feel on purpose in that way, it felt like this is just a really insecure woman with A LOT of internalized misogyny and I am not comfortable with reading from that perspective. In this political climate, people may get the wrong idea and may think that this way of thinking is okay. It is not.

This point now sounds like a stupid thing to comment on after all that but: I found one of the narrators to have quite an annoying voice and the writing felt clunky. The dual POVs felt especially clunky. They didn't mesh well together for most of the book. That aspect needed another round of edits.

Sorry if this was harsh, but that is how I feel about this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
Detective Helen Stratton is still reeling from her sister’s disappearance when she’s called in to investigate a murder. Meanwhile, Natalie Campbell starts receiving anonymous letters that trigger her PTSD-related blackouts. As Stratton suspects Natalie’s husband of murder, both women are forced to confront shocking secrets and personal trauma.

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡
You all know I rarely give a 5 star, but this book blew me away! Right from the start, it has that domestic thriller vibe, but when the murder occurs, it becomes this perfect mix of character-driven suspense and procedural mystery.

The audiobook narrators are both fantastic! But I have to applaud Helen Colby for bringing Detective Helen Stratton to life. She’s that quintessential smart, sassy woman with a dry British wit that had me LOL-ing even as the plot darkened. Obsessed!

With such a well plotted mystery and character development I had so many theories - but the fast pace kept proving me wrong until the final twist that I did not see coming!

I really didn’t expect to get so caught up or to love this book quite as much as I did!

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
This is Govett’s adult debut - her previous books are YA - and I’m very excited for where she goes next! Whether you’re a psychological thriller fan, domestic, procedural, murder mystery - you’re gonna love this London based thriller.

Thanks to @BrilliancePublishing and @Netgalley and for access to this advance listeners copy

𝙴𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Believe Me Now by S.M. Govett is my first book by this author and will not be my last! This book had so many twists and turns, and I enjoyed how the author gave some clues but not enough to truly figure out who the person is. I like that it wasn't too predictable! We have two POVs. Natalie Campbell loses time. She will wake up in different places with no memory of how she got there. The blackouts are a symptom of her PTSD. DI Helen Stratton is also healing from old wounds. Her older sister disappeared when she was sixteen, and the police didn’t bother to investigate. Vowing to help other lost and vulnerable girls, she joined the force.

The audiobook is dual narrated by Helen Colby and Amy Noble; these ladies did a good job bringing this story to life and giving it so much depth. They were easy to understand and listen to. Listened at 2x speed.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Twisty and tense —Believe Me Now got me good. Natalie’s blackouts, Helen’s haunted past, a murder in the woods… oh, and a husband who might be a monster? Yes please. S.M. Govett serves up secrets, trauma, and suspicion with a flair that had me flipping pages like a detective on caffeine. If you're into unreliable narrators and morally murky characters, buckle up. Trust no one. Believe me now—you’ll be hooked.


Thank you S.M. Govett, Brilliance, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

#believemenow #netgalleyarc #netgalleyreview #netgalley #arcreview #arc #arcreader #review #somanybookssolittletime

Whew! I liked this book.
We have Natalie who suffered a sexual assault resulting in PTSD. Secondary to the PTSD, she suffers memory losses.
Needless to say her life is a mess. She ends up with a stalker. Her husband ends up accused of murder when a woman is killed near where he was out running.
Helen is on the police force. She also has multiple stressors. Her sister disappeared and that is why she joined the police force. Her mother also has a diagnosis of dementia.
Both of these woman have a ton going on in their lives... trauma, baggage, etc.
Helen ends up on the case of Natalie's husband.
Natalie's husband ends up committing suicide.
First person POV, both Natalie and Helen.
The plot is well structured and the pacing is excellent for a psychological thriller.
The characters are well-developed. Natalie is vulnerable and is so relatable in her struggles. Helen is so determined and shows so much depth. I was able to stay engaged because they are so well written.
I only give it 4 stars instead of 5 because I thought the first few chapters were a little slow. The rest of the book had me hooked and I could not put it down!
This is excellent to add to your TBR!
Twists.. turns.. I didn't see some things coming. I thought I knew, but I didn't.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Happy Reading!

This one was a twisty thriller told from two points of view: Natalie, a woman haunted by past trauma, and Helen, the detective determined to uncover the truth. Natalie’s story centers on her PTSD and memory blackouts—symptoms that make it hard to know what’s real and who to trust, especially when her own husband is accused of a terrible crime. Helen’s journey, shaped by the disappearance of her sister years ago, adds a deeper emotional thread to the police investigation.

I appreciated the dual narrators—it made the story feel fuller and gave the mystery more dimension. I’m not usually drawn to police procedurals, and this one had a fair amount of that side, but I was pulled in by Natalie’s personal story. The unreliable narrator trope can be tricky. At times, it was frustrating to watch Natalie avoid taking steps to help herself when it felt like she could. But things really picked up halfway through, and once they did, the pacing was fast and steady.

The twists near the end were creative and unpredictable, with just the right amount of misdirection. There were red herrings that kept me guessing, but they didn’t feel cheap—they added fun tension. I especially liked that the final twist wasn’t one I had seen before. It’s not easy to surprise seasoned thriller readers, but this one gave it a solid shot.

If you enjoy a domestic thriller with a touch of crime drama and a lead who may or may not be seeing things clearly, this is worth your time. And if you’re listening to the audiobook, the narrator nails the different UK accents in a way that honors each character’s background. A solid pick for fans of dark, layered suspense.