I highly recommend this exciting, twisty thriller! At its heart are two wealthy brothers (Robbie and Trevor) who everyone thinks can get away with anything, including murder. Given that each young man has had a recent girlfriend who died under "mysterious circumstances", they just may be right.

Now Robbie has his sights set on new-girl Lauren. Lauren has come to the area for a new start, and is trying to leave her past behind her and make a good future for herself. Dating Robbie was supposed to be fun, not too serious, and certainly not dangerous. When Lauren stumbles across a clue that points to the last girlfriend's death being "not-so-accidental", she realizes she has a problem.

The author has created a twisty narrative with plenty of clues and teen investigations. Lauren has to figure out what's going on with no real ability to trust anyone...because she has no way to know who is actually IN ON everything with the killer.

I appreciated the depth the author managed to give each of the major characters, even while offering some of them up as potential murder suspects. Lauren, Robbie, Maura, Lex, John, and Ainsley were all well-crafted, realistic teens. I also appreciated that the level of teen partying, drinking, and drug use was true-to-life. So often, teen-centric novels tend to portray these things at over-the-top levels; this one got it right!

The slowly evolving relationships, both friendships and romantic, were well-written. By the end, I felt that Lauren had established true, lasting friendships with several other characters. There were some interesting parent/child dynamics as well, particularly between Lauren and her mother.

As an added bonus, Lauren and most of the other female characters were varsity soccer players. I especially enjoyed this, as I'm a soccer mom myself. The practices, games, and Senior Night celebration all rang true and brought back memories!

As for the final reveal of the killer....I thought it was a bit abrupt. Also, I didn't think enough clues were provided to point to this person. While I DID believe that this individual was behind the crimes, I would have liked a bit more lead-up before Lauren figured it out.

Still, a 5-star read, and I look forward to more from this talented author! ( )

A twisty story of two grieving, troubled teens who find themselves embroiled in a romance, all while not being sure if they can trust each other.

Robbie and Lauren have secrets that they're keeping from each other. Robbie and his brother both have girlfriends who've died under mysterious circumstances, while Lauren had to move across the country to get away from rumors that swirled around her after a tragic fire. But when Lauren joins the soccer team, she's quickly warned away from Robbie. But she still feels drawn to him, even if it's only to find out what really happened to Vic, at least at first.

With red herrings and unexpected twists aplenty, this book kept me guessing and rooting for Lauren and Robbie, despite their mistakes. I love how the author connected everything together at the end. The villain was a surprise, which was fun!

The perfect pageturner to read all in one sitting.

Thank you to BookishFirst and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. ( )

The liner notes are rather deceptive, leading one to dislike and suspect the brothers right from page one. However, read on and you'll discover things are much murkier and complex, with a wide cast of characters who eagerly take turns being something other that what your first impressions might be. Add to that a school of red herrings that happily swim to and fro. The end result is a satisfying read with a baddy that's not particularly obvious until the last minute. I hope to see more from this author in the future. ( )

Edge of seat thriller

First of all, I am completely blown away that this novel is a debut novel! This book had characters that were very well rounded--they all had flaws, secrets, and endearing characteristics that made them feel like real people in my life. Even the suspects had relatable and vulnerable traits that made them human.

I enjoyed the family dramas, the friendships, and of course the suspense and twists that kept me on the edge of my seat needing to finish reading as soon as possible. The twists and red herrings are very well plotted and I never knew who to suspect. In fact, I trusted no one. I didn't figure out the identity of the killer until near the end and now looking back am very pleased with how the story unfolded.

The book is more than just a thriller/murder mystery. This plot has so much depth as far as real-life issues that teens and young adults (and adults) face every day. The book deals with tougher issues, such as drug abuse, underage drinking, bullying, sexual assault, blackmailing, and mental health.

I felt all the emotions while reading this and often found myself smiling or gasping as well as muttering angry "I can't believe it" or "Why would anyone do that to another human" type of statements. The pacing is spot-on fabulous with slower, intimate moments as well as fast paced, heart-racing scenes.

This is one of the best thrillers I've ever read and can't wait to read more of the author's work. I think this would make an excellent movie. ( )