Left at the Alter was a slow to unravel domestic thriller. A J Campbell wrote a high stakes, emotionally twisted story.

Just moments before her wedding, Hannah, the bride was left standing at the altar—her fiancé Johnny had vanished. Hannah knew deep down this wasn’t Johnny’s style. Something bad had happened… and she believed she was to blame.

What most intrigued me was how Campbell left me guessing throughout. There were plenty of twists and turns. Despite some being predictable, I enjoyed the chilling layers that he slowly pulled back. In addition to the twists and layers, Campbell incorporated all the common psychological domestic thriller themes- secrets, betrayal, consequences of the past, and fear of exposure. Fortunately for these themes they drove the plot and enhanced the emotional stakes and the character development to make the narrative more appealing.

Collectively, the premise had an intriguing concept but despite its fast pace and twisted plot, I wasn’t as compelled by this narrative as I have other books by Campbell. I felt some of the inner monologue was repetitive and the emotional thoughts of the characters were overly explained. However, the story itself was an entertaining read. I’d recommend this for fans of domestic drama, dark twists, and a slow unraveling.

Thank you to Net Galley and Bookouture for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am shocked by all the 5 🌟 reviews I see. This book is fine. It’s twisty. It moves quickly but it’s by no means a literary masterpiece. I enjoy this book as a filler read. The FmC taking care of her son above all else is admirable. But there is no depth to character or events. For that reason, it says 3 🌟 for me.

Thank you AJ Campbell, Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

You find the love of your life and want to get married as soon as possible to build a future together. But what if your groom suddenly decides this isn’t what he wants after all?

This is what happens to Hannah, and it hits her like a bolt from the blue. She’s completely shaken, but once the initial pain starts to fade, she begins to wonder if something more is going on. Time to investigate.

That alone was enough for my brain to start coming up with all kinds of scenarios about what could be happening, and I kept asking myself what Hannah’s secret might be.

I really enjoyed how the author kept throwing me off track, forcing me to constantly rethink what the outcome might be.

I found it to be a gripping, yet also heartbreaking story. It's awful how some people manipulate others for their own gain without any regard for the damage they cause.

Sometimes, you have to make drastic decisions to protect others — and yourself — from something you might otherwise never fully escape.

Hannah has already been through hell in the past, and now she’s once again standing at its gates. Will she succeed in banishing the devil from her life once more?

I did have a few questions left at the end and would have loved an epilogue to give me some answers. Maybe I’ll just come up with my own ending that I like. ;)

For me, this is an absolute must-read. 5 stars.

Thank you!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Left at the Altar by A.J. Campbell due to be published August 13, 2025.

Hannah is left at the altar, and everyone says he ran away. Did he? Hannah will find out.

This was my 6th book by this author, and I was really looking forward to it, but I admit I didn’t care for this one too much. No one seemed to feel sorry for Hannah even though she was left at the wedding on her big day. No one in the family is concerned, and they all treat her like she should just get over it. Most of the characters were whinny and very unlikeable.
Two stars for me for this one.

#NetGalley #AJCampbell #LeftAtTheAltar #Bookouture

I was really looking forward to reading the new thriller by A J Campbell and Left at the Altar did not disappoint.
It’s another fast paced story that had me on the edge of my seat with its short, cliff hanger chapters. As a result I just couldn’t put it down and read it over 24 hours. If I had only started it earlier in the day I would not have had to pause for sleep. AJ Campbell certainly has the secret recipe for roller coaster thrillers and I can recommend this one. I think the title says enough about the storyline but I will just say that this recipe has a delicious ending and a very satisfying one at that! 5 stars from me and thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to get my hands on an advanced reading copy in return for an honest review.

This book was addictive, fast-paced and a drama-filled rollercoaster ride! Never in a million years did I see that major twist coming out of the blue I was mind-blown!

I love all AJ Campbell’s books but this has to be her best one yet! It totally exceeded my expectations the suspense was palpable! The speed at which my heart was racing throughout the book I'm surprised I didn't have a heart attack! 😂

Once I picked this book up, it totally consumed me. I ended up reading it in one day as I was so absorbed by what was in front of me and what was going to happen next! This book is an absolute must read!

A massive ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars!

Oh my goodness Amanda does it again with another belter of a book. This book is fast paced and I flew through it in a couple days and just couldn't put it down. The storyline is very clever and very addictive.

There hasn't been a single book of Amanda's I've not raved about and loved. If you've not read anything by Amanda you are certainly missing out.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book portrays pregnancy loss, which is mentioned many times. As always, prioritize your mental health.

I adore AJ Campbell's books, this being no exception. Left at the Altar is on the slow burn side. Suspense at every turn will keep you engaged from the start. I do feel the end left a few loose ends which was disappointing as a reader but the book was still enjoyable. An epilogue would have suited nicely.

Hannah is shocked to learn her fiancé Johnny has left her at the altar. She knows that he wouldn’t have done that and that something is wrong when her sister shows up with Dean. Hannah has kept the truth about the past to herself. Now, she worries she will loose everything. She needs to protect her son at all costs.

Hannah was tenacious in her pursuit of the truth and slowly unravels the web of lies told to her. It was a slow burn and full of family drama.

My new favourite A.J. Campbell book! Sorry Lost Key, you are down into second spot.
Plan a free day, you won't be able to put this one down!
Hannah's life seems to have fallen apart when Johnny fails to turn up for their wedding.
Our protagonist is one gutsy lady who just can't believe her fiance would abandon her and her little boy, Lucas, and I was rotting for her all the way.
Hannah's entire life is interconnected to Johnny's family and Hannah questions everything relentlessly to get to the truth.
Is this connected to her past?
The tension is palpable as Hannah gets deeper into her quest to find Johnny. Every character in this book is expertly developed, and the narrative is written at the perfect pace, with surprises popping up all over the place.
The ending has an amazing twist that I didn't see coming.
A J. has once excelled as an author, being one of my favourites, elevating herself with every book she produces.
My heartfelt thanks to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC.

“Left at the Alter” by A.J. Campbell is a twisty, suspenseful read that kept me hooked from the start. It’s full of secrets and surprises, and just when I thought I had it figured out—boom, another twist! Super well written and hard to put down. Definitely a fun, binge-worthy thriller.

I was so excited to hear AJ Campbell had a new book coming out and it was available on NetGalley I didn’t stop to read the book blurb, I just applied and as soon as it arrived I started reading.

I was blissfully unaware of the title (I was that excited to start reading) that I panicked for the bride when the wedding car was told to keep driving and not stop at the church! This is another binge worthy storyline that had me hooked in from the first page, whenever I thought I knew what was happening, there was another twist in the story and that kept me guessing right up to the end. There’s family secrets, new relationships, wedding plans, surprises and tension. I loved it.

OMG AJ Campbell has done it again!

Lucky for me I had a beach day with this book today!

BOSH! READ IN A DAY!

I'd recommend not starting this book if you have any jobs to do because you won't be able to put it down!

Fab plot and characters
Twists I did not see coming right up to the end.

I am a big AJ Campbell fan and I have to say this was her best work yet!

A brilliant five stars from me!

Fast paced, full of twists, and ultimately a fun thriller!

The main thing that struck me about this book is that it was the least suspenseful or scary psychological thriller I have ever read.

Don’t get me wrong, I was enthralled with Hannah’s single minded pursuit to understand why Johnny left her at the altar, but I was never worried for her (or her loved one’s) safety. All in all, I was pulled in by the twists & turns and the convoluted pieces that eventually came together to give the story a reasonable conclusion.

My biggest issue with the book was the writing style itself. The sentences were choppy, and transitions between topics nearly nonexistent. Did it prevent me from enjoying the book? Absolutely not. But it was a bit distracting, pulling me from what was otherwise a page turner.

Thank you to AJ Campbell, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.