A STORY THAT SIZZLED SLOWLY.

First off , the voice actors for the audiobook performed well. I was actually carried away at many points in the book. Especially during the confrontation scenes in Pete’s chapters. Ouff– I was on the edge of my seat !

Slow burn drama :

I got a little concerned when I reached the middle of the book and there’s not much of the psychological / domestic thriller flavor nor the “full of twists” part that the cover promised. I started thinking I read the genre wrong ! 😅 The first half of the story leaned towards the family drama. For the most part , we follow Pete and Kate as their chapters shift between the past ( showing what led to their marriage falling apart ) and the present ( Kate dealing with Pete’s absence ).

And while I enjoy reading family dramas , I came to this book expecting a thriller so I was very confused. Upon reaching the actual plot twist though , I can almost see why the author chose to prolong the drama part. I do wonder if this is the kind of book that benefits from a re-read. Maybe knowing the plot twist would make me notice some hidden clues in the first half ?

Emotionally charged POVs :

Part of the reason that I didn’t give up on the book despite not being what I expected at first was the emotions that each chapter carried. I was truly immersed in the characters' situation. I can say that the voice actors definitely helped with some lifting there. I’m not sure if it would still be as entertaining if it’s just me and the pages.

I liked following Kate’s chapters. I can relate to some of her struggles and I was pleased by how she slowly worked through her depression and began to rekindle her fire so she could raise her daughters in the absence of Pete. Even Pete’s chapters , no matter how much I despised his actions , still got to me at times. Though , I would still credit that to the voice actor’s performance charming me.

The plot twist that was promised :

There’s really only one major plot twist in this book despite what the cover says. 😅 I’m sure there are others who would have caught it right away too but I personally found it surprising. I was misled by the drama that preceded it so when it came , I actually gasped. Audible , stomach-churning gasp. 😱 I found it to be worth the wait and I think it was a very satisfying end for everyone.

Overall , I enjoyed this book. It was good company while I worked on a piece over two rainy afternoons. It was a little slow at some points but when the heat was finally turned on , it served a delicious twist. It’s a book I’d recommend for someone in the mood for a light mystery that is easy to digest.