Not that I could tell

Let me start of by saying, I enjoyed this book, I really did but I think because I've been reading so many similar books lately, I almost didn't give this book a fair review. I guess I'm getting to the point where I have a greater appreciation for what I find makes the book the most compelling in my eyes and it's not as easy to give a stellar review anymore. However, even though I have more books to compare from, this book really was well written and a good story in its entirety.

First of, the plot was good. It wasn't the most exciting plot in the world but it definitely was nowhere near bad and was very complete with just enough in the beginning, the middle and the end. Some books don't give enough time for the reader to work through everything that happened and cut the ending very abruptly but this novel did a good job at tying everything in and just bringing it all to a good place. I am more of a fan of plots where the villain isn't so obvious and takes me by surprise but because this story was so well written and orchestrated, I almost didn't mind that here.

Further on, the style of the writing is not my favorite but it works for this book and it got the story across in a satisfactory way. I usually prefer writing that takes us directly into the person's psyche and is more personal from each character's point of view but nevertheless this style was adequate for me and I didn't have much issues with finding the drive to finish the novel all the way through.

In addition, the characterization was also good but not great. I feel like I got a good sense of the characters but I would have liked to get to know them better, I feel like the book just scratched the surface of everything those people are. I think it goes back to the style of writing, first person point of view would have improved this book tremendously in my eyes. With that said, as far as second person point of views go, it was on the higher side.

All in all, this was not a bad book but it didn't wow me either. It was just, “eh”. I would recommend it to someone who wants a lighter, not really mystery novel that will be easy to read but also easy to forget. Definitely not one of the best I have read but also not the worst either. Just mediocre.

I was not lucky enough to come across Jessica Strawser sooner and that is so disappointing because I loved this book. Not that I could tell won me over with amazing cover art visually and won me over with every page I turned. We all have a group of girls who we trust who we love to hang with but what happens when you spend a Saturday around a fire pit with friends and wake up the next day and one of them is missing and no one remembers what happen. Everyone doesn't know what to think. Were Kristen and her twins kidnapped? Did she run away from the perfect husband? Is he perfect did he do it? The story is told from duel perspectives One chapter is told by Clara a married mother and one being Izzy the only single woman in the group. I felt emotionally connected to all the girls and loved that. I found myself feeling bad for Izzy because I felt that she wanted to be happy so bad that she forgot to live. I felt that the author wrapped things up nice building up to an awesome ending. I want to thank Netgalley and all parties for my advanced reader copy this came out yesterday go get it!

 I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review
2.5 stars

Let me be straight forward and say, this book is pretty boring. I went into this thinking I was going to get a mystery with lots of conflict from Izzy's ‘crisis' coloring things too. This isn't a spoiler, I swear, I'll save you all by letting you know her ‘crisis' as the synopsis puts it is a broken heart because the man she loves has married her sister. There isn't really a crisis here. So, truly what this story feels like is Women's fic, since we learn more about the moms in the neighborhood and how Izzy doesn't deals with her broken heart and feeling of betrayal even if no one else knew she loved the guy.

Even the mystery wasn't mysterious since we pretty much know what happened with Kristin (the missing mom) and her children from early on. I honestly thought I was being led astray at first, but it is so SO obvious since the book is literally telling you. I won't say how or where, since some people might consider it a spoiler, but... trust me, you'll know.

So, this ends up being mostly a character driven novel–a women's fiction novel which isn't usually my thing. Izzy's chapters are the ones I skimmed the most. She laments about her love for her sister's husband all the time! It is annoying!! I understand it is hard to get over, but she's had months already. Then she feels her family is pulling away from her and that they don't really care... some of it was hard to read and you do feel for Izzy, but nothing really happy happens with her, not does Kristin the missing woman get brought up often, unless it is in connection with Paul, her husband, who Izzy is giving the benefit of the doubt.

Clara's chapters were more prevalent, thankfully, and are the ones where insight can actually be found into the mystery or... theories repeated over and over. But, I liked Clara, I think it is hard not to.

I was holding on til the end of the book because I read that the ending is good. I agree. The last about 10...maybe 15% of the book was intense and interesting which was so different from the rest of the book. There is action, we learn what happens to Kristin, and there is a twist I didn't see coming. It is the ending which gave the book an extra .5%.

Do I recommend this book? I do, for people who like women's fiction. This is not for people looking for a mystery.