REVIEW: Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

Title: Don’t You Forget About Me
Author: Mhairi McFarlane
Narrator: Madeline Gould
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: September 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: You always remember your first love... don’t you?

If there’s anything worse than being fired from the lousiest restaurant in town, it’s coming home early to find your boyfriend in bed with someone else. Reeling from the humiliation of a double dumping in one day, Georgina takes the next job that comes her way—bartender in a newly opened pub. There’s only one problem: it’s run by the guy she fell in love with years ago. And—make that two problems—he doesn’t remember her. At all. But she has fabulous friends and her signature hot pink fur coat... what more could a girl really need?

Lucas McCarthy has not only grown into a broodingly handsome man, but he’s also turned into an actual grown-up, with a thriving business and a dog along the way. Crossing paths with him again throws Georgina’s rocky present into sharp relief—and brings a secret from her past bubbling to the surface. Only she knows what happened twelve years ago, and why she’s allowed the memories to chase her ever since. But maybe it’s not too late for the truth... or a second chance with the one that got away?

My Thoughts: This book had far more depth than the description suggests. At first, the premise sounds like an engaging second-chance romance: Georgina crosses paths with Lucas, her first love, after twelve years, only to discover that he does not seem to remember her. That question alone creates instant tension—does he truly not remember, or is he pretending? And if he is pretending, why?

The story took me in directions I did not see coming, and those unexpected turns made it even more captivating. I wanted to understand both Georgina and Lucas, and McFarlane does an excellent job of filling in the gaps by revisiting their teenage years. Learning why they did not end up together back then was heartbreaking, and the way McFarlane slowly revealed the truth drew out real emotion.

McFarlane blends humor and romance beautifully with more serious subject matter, including infidelity, toxic relationships, death, and other sensitive topics. Readers may want to be mindful of potential triggers. Even when the story moved in directions I did not expect, those choices ultimately brought everything full circle, and I absolutely loved how it all came together.

Georgina was easy to like right away, and her warmth, humor, and vulnerability made her immediately relatable. I also enjoyed the energy and support of her friends, who helped round out her world, as well as Lucas’s brother, Devlin, who was instantly likable.

Lucas took longer for me to warm up to, largely because I knew he had broken Georgina’s heart. That made me cautious about him at first, but as the story unfolded, McFarlane gave him enough depth and context for me to see him differently.

My Final Verdict: Don’t You Forget About Me is a witty, emotional, and ultimately satisfying read that delivers much more than a simple second-chance romance. With relatable characters, heartfelt revelations, and McFarlane’s sharp blend of humor and vulnerability, this is a story that lingers after the final page. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary romance with emotional depth, complicated pasts, and a strong sense of hope.

Thank you to the publisher, HarperCollins Publishing, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: She's Bad News by Elle Spellman

Title: She’s Bad News
Author: Elle Spellman
Publisher: Elle Spellman
Publication Date: November 2017
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon

Description: What would you do if you woke up with super powers?

For Bella Brown, life hasn't gone according to plan. She's almost thirty, still living in her uneventful hometown, and her dreams of becoming an investigative reporter have fallen by the wayside.

That is, until she wakes up one morning to find she's been gifted with some amazing new abilities. What’s a girl to do with heightened senses, super speed and the ability to lift a truck one-handed? Bella quickly discovers that her new powers can easily help her land front-page leads at local newspaper, The Hartleybourne Gazette.

Soon Bella's out every night chasing down local criminals for stories, while keeping her powers a secret from everyone besides flatmate Chloe. But when a burglary-gone-wrong accidentally turns her into the mysterious Hartleybourne Heroine, Bella finds herself on the front page for the wrong reasons. Her secret becomes harder to keep as she tries to track down the source of her powers, and especially when crime reporter Matt Gilmore is intent on unmasking the town's new vigilante...

Suddenly, having an extraordinary life is far more dangerous than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts: She’s Bad News by Elle Spellman is campy and over the top, but a lot of fun.

Bella Brown is a features writer at a local newspaper who dreams of becoming a major investigative journalist in London. Instead, her awful boss assigns her dull, menial stories that drain her creativity. Assigned to cover an up-and-coming diet pill, Bella is disgusted by the body-shaming trend behind it. After defiantly taking one, she wakes up with heightened speed, vision, strength, and hearing—like Supergirl without the cape or flying.

Bella becomes an anonymous vigilante, but her actions draw attention from the people behind the pill, who want to keep its effects hidden.

I enjoyed Bella and her escapades. The plot moves well, and the characters are easy to know. The ending feels implausible, especially Bella’s confrontation with the villains, but it fits the story’s over-the-top tone.

Overall, She’s Bad News is an entertaining, fast-paced story with a playful superhero twist and an easy-to-root-for main character. While the ending stretches believability, the book’s humor, energy, and campy charm make it an enjoyable read.

REVIEW: The Bestseller by Jenny Knightsby

Title: The Bestseller
Author: Jenny Knightsby
Publisher: Headline
Publication Date: September 2026
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: YOU TOLD HER YOUR DARKEST SECRETS. NOW MILLIONS WILL READ THEM . . .

Therapist Helena Salve knows that client confidentiality is the number one unbreakable rule of her job. But the constant stories of coercive control and threat she hears from her client Belle about her dangerous husband have been wearing her down. One night over too many glasses of wine, she tells her best friend Tala everything that Belle has told her.

The problem is, Tala is a down-on-her-luck novelist who is looking for an idea for her new thriller.

Months later, Tala is excitedly telling Helena that her publisher is saying this is going to be her biggest book ever. The story is Belle's story. Not only is Helena's job on the line, but if Belle's husband is as dangerous as she says, her life is too...

Why would Tala do this to Helena? She knows what's at stake.

Your friends are meant to protect you... aren't they?

My Thoughts: Jenny Knightsby does an excellent job of drawing the reader into the story with intensity, tension, and genuine shock. I was surprised more than once, especially because the direction and heart of the story were nothing like I expected. Although The Bestseller is Knightsby’s debut novel, it reads with the confidence and polish of an author with many published books behind her.

From the beginning, Knightsby pulled me in without revealing the full impact the story would eventually deliver. Like many readers, I quickly made assumptions about the characters and where the plot was headed, only to discover that I was completely off the mark.

I struggled to understand how Tala could betray Helena by writing the book, and I felt a great deal of anger toward her for doing so. At the same time, I was shocked that Helena had broken client confidentiality in the first place. That moral tension made the story even more compelling, because there was blame, fear, and uncertainty on more than one side.

I also found myself trying to understand the complicated dynamic between Tala, Helena, and Helena’s husband, Dylan. The shifting timeline—moving between the present and their university years—helped fill in important gaps while making the story even more intriguing.

I had suspicions about Helena’s client, Belle, and Belle’s husband, Julius. My mind kept returning to the possibility that the entire situation was a setup designed to discredit Helena, but I could not figure out who would do such a thing—or why. As the story unfolded, every character began to feel unreliable. Not knowing who I could trust, or even who I should empathize with, made the reading experience far more thrilling.

The character development is excellent, and I enjoyed getting to know Tala, Helena, and Dylan both in the present and through the events of the past. The story delivers several jaw-dropping twists, and what I initially thought might be just an okay read ended up completely blowing me away.

My Final Verdict: The Bestseller is a gripping, twist-filled thriller that kept me questioning everyone’s motives until the very end. With strong character development, layered tension, and surprises that genuinely caught me off guard, Jenny Knightsby delivers an impressive debut that I would highly recommend to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers built on secrets, betrayal, and unreliable loyalties.

Thank you to the publisher, Headline, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Honeymooner by Melanie Summers

Title: The Honeymooner (Paradise Bay #1)
Author: Melanie Summers
Narrator: Matthew Lloyd Davies, Esther Wane
Publisher: Indigo Group
Publication Date: August 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: He’s tall, dark, and built. The kind of man whose abs have abs. And I only want one thing from him—to forget the last twenty-four hours. Forever.

It was supposed to be the best day of my life. The sun was shining. The church was packed. I was dressed in white and ready to marry my steady-as-a-rock fiancé.

There was just one big, fat problem—he didn’t show up.

So I did the only thing a girl can do under the circumstances—escape to the Caribbean for our honeymoon.

Alone.

Enter Harrison Banks.

Somehow he brings out a side of me I didn’t know existed—a carefree adrenaline junkie. After a few days together, Harrison’s got me wondering if the life I always wanted was meant for some other girl.

I should go back to my safe, comfortable life, right?

That would be the sensible thing to do.

I can’t risk everything to live out some tropical fantasy with a guy I’ve just met, even if he is the only man who’s ever made me feel truly alive…

The Honeymooner is a laugh-out-loud, opposites attract romance about a heroine who’s used to staying inside her comfort zone and a hero who knows exactly how hard to push. It’ll have you laughing, swooning, and sipping fruity blender drinks.

My Thoughts: The Honeymooner, my first book by Melanie Summers, caught my attention because it is the first installment in a series—and since I already have the third book waiting on my to-be-read mountain, I knew I needed to start at the beginning. Yes, I am absolutely one of those readers who has to read a series in order. Thankfully, this book did not disappoint.

This interconnected series is centered around a Caribbean resort, which immediately intrigued me. I love the warm, fuzzy atmosphere that often comes with vacation romances, and Paradise Bay provides the perfect backdrop. The secondary characters also added plenty of fun, and I hope many of them continue to appear throughout the series.

Being jilted practically at the altar is never easy, but I appreciated how the author used that moment as a catalyst for Libby to reclaim her confidence. Instead of sinking into despair, Libby takes the honeymoon trip anyway. The trip also doubles as a working vacation, since her employer is interested in buying Paradise Bay and has tasked her with evaluating the resort’s viability.

Harrison, the resort’s owner, is struggling to keep Paradise Bay afloat. He does not want to sell, but he is running out of time and options. I liked both Libby and Harrison, and their connection felt immediate. Their chemistry gave the story energy, and their dynamic made the romance easy to root for.

My Final Verdict: The Honeymooner is a fun, lighthearted contemporary romance with a dreamy Caribbean setting, likable characters, and plenty of chemistry. Libby and Harrison’s story is sweet, humorous, and easy to root for, making this a great choice for readers who enjoy vacation romances, opposites-attract dynamics, and series with an inviting cast of side characters. I’m looking forward to returning to Paradise Bay and continuing the series.

REVIEW: The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters

Title: The Dead Girls Club
Author: Damien Angelica Walters
Narrator: Devon Sorvari
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: December 2019
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Red Lady, Red Lady, show us your face... 

In 1991, Heather Cole and her friends were members of the Dead Girls Club. Obsessed with the macabre, the girls exchanged stories about serial killers and imaginary monsters, like the Red Lady, the spirit of a vengeful witch killed centuries before. Heather knew the stories were just that, until her best friend Becca began insisting the Red Lady was real—and she could prove it. 

That belief got Becca killed. 

It's been nearly thirty years, but Heather has never told anyone what really happened that night—that Becca was right and the Red Lady was real. She's done her best to put that fateful summer, Becca, and the Red Lady, behind her. Until a familiar necklace arrives in the mail, a necklace Heather hasn't seen since the night Becca died. 

The night Heather killed her. 

Now, someone else knows what she did . . . and they're determined to make Heather pay.

My Thoughts: From the opening chapters, this book reminded me of the eerie slumber-party games many of us played at that age—Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board, Bloody Mary, and other rituals meant to scare us just enough to be fun. In this story, however, that childhood fascination with fear takes a much darker turn. Becca becomes consumed by the legend of the Red Lady and convinced that the rituals will prove the spirit is real, setting the stage for a tragedy that leaves one friend dead and the other carrying the weight of what happened. 

That part is revealed early, so the real question is not simply what happened, but how two best friends reached such a devastating point. I was especially interested in the emotional fallout: Becca’s death, Heather’s silence, and the scars and trauma Heather continues to carry nearly thirty years later. 

The story becomes even more compelling when someone reveals they know Heather’s secret and begins stalking her. As Heather scrambles to discover who is behind it and why, the author effectively portrays her as a woman on the edge of a breakdown, desperate to appear in control while steadily unraveling. Her panic leads to rash choices that are not only reckless but also deeply unethical. 

The shifting timeline also works well. By moving between the past and present, the narrative gives readers a close look at Heather and Becca’s friendship and the events leading up to Becca’s death. Walters adds several effective red herrings, keeping the mystery of Heather’s stalker uncertain for much of the book. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story, though the slow burn felt a little too slow in places. I also did not feel the finale fully fit with the rest of the book’s buildup.

 

My Final Verdict: The Dead Girls Club is an atmospheric, unsettling thriller with a strong sense of childhood fear, guilt, and long-buried secrets. While the pacing occasionally drags and the ending did not land as strongly as I hoped, the dual timeline, creepy premise, and Heather’s unraveling kept me invested. Readers who enjoy slow-burn psychological thrillers with a supernatural edge may find this one worth picking up. 

Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: If I Don't Kill Them...Who Will? by Beck Lewis

Title: If I Don’t Kill Them…Who Will?
Author: Beck Lewis
Publisher: Goody and Grant Narrative Works, Ltd.
Publication Date: May 2026
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: I thought a corporate weekend away in Wales was going to involve too much wine, awkward nostalgia and listening to Daniel Bartlesham talk about himself.

I didn’t expect to discover that most of my friends are apparently fine with revenge porn, suicide and corporate cover-ups – just as long as nobody’s bonus is affected.

My friend Eve is dead because Daniel uploaded that video of her.

And everyone at Bartlesham wants to call the whole thing an unfortunate misunderstanding and move on with their lives.

I’m not having that.

Which is probably why I’m currently locked in the boot of a car. Daniel’s mate in the driving seat is going to murder me when we stop.

But now that I’ve realized how many terrible men are protected by money, power and people willing to look the other way… I’m starting to think killing them all might be the only reasonable response.

I mean, if I don’t kill them… who will?

My Thoughts: If I Don’t Kill Them…Who Will by Beck Lewis is over-the-top, intense, surprising, a little scary, and a lot of fun. The story comes with plenty of trigger warnings as the bodies begin to pile up, but I was completely invested in Nicole’s pursuit of justice—not only for Eve, but for anyone harmed by the rich, the powerful, and the bullies who expect to get away with it.

The book opens with Nicole trapped in the trunk of her coworker’s car, convinced she will be murdered as soon as the car stops. That explosive opening immediately pulled me in, and Lewis does a strong job weaving in the backstory that explains how Nicole ended up there while keeping the suspense moving forward. The tension was riveting from the start.

Nicole faces several jaw-dropping twists, and I found myself reacting right along with her. She is an easy character to root for, but her grandmother was an absolute standout. Every young woman deserves a grandmother like hers.

I highly recommend If I Don’t Kill Them…Who Will to readers who enjoy dark, twisty thrillers with sharp edges, fierce characters, and a revenge plot that does not hold back. It is intense, chaotic, and unexpectedly entertaining, with enough suspense and surprises to keep the pages turning.

Thank you to the author, Beck Lewis, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

REVIEW: The Missing Wife by Sam Carrington

Title: The Missing Wife
Author: Sam Carrington
Narrator: Kristin Atherton
Publisher: Avon Books UK
Publication Date: June 2019
Genre: Thriller

Description: You think you know those closest to you. You are wrong…

A sleep-deprived new mother approaching her fortieth birthday, the very last thing Louisa wants to do is celebrate.

But when her friend Tiff organizes a surprise party, inviting the entire list of Louisa’s Facebook friends, Louisa is faced with a room full of people she hasn’t spoken to in years – including someone she never expected to see again: her ex-boyfriend, Oliver Dunmore.

When Oliver’s wife Melissa goes missing after the party, everyone remembers the night differently. Someone knows what happened to Melissa, and Louisa is determined to find them. But the truth could be closer, and the deception more devastating, than she’d ever imagined…

My Thoughts: As a fan of twisty psychological thrillers, I found The Missing Wife by Sam Carrington to be an okay read. I was interested enough to see how the story would unfold, but it never delivered the edge-of-your-seat suspense or satisfying payoff I usually look for in this genre.

None of the main characters were especially likable, which can sometimes make a thriller more compelling. Here, however, the story felt unfocused. Despite the title, the missing wife did not always feel like the central focus, and the number of secondary plot points made the direction of the story confusing at times.

I also never fully understood the connection between the events in Louisa’s past and her present-day time lapses. I wish that thread had been explored more deeply, as it could have added stronger emotional weight and clarity to the overall mystery.

My Final Verdict: The Missing Wife had an intriguing premise and enough mystery to keep me curious, but the uneven focus and underdeveloped plot threads kept it from becoming the gripping psychological thriller I hoped for. While it may appeal to readers who enjoy slow-burn domestic suspense, it ultimately fell short of delivering the tension and payoff I expected.

Thank you to Avon Books UK for providing an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.