I didn’t really have any firm expectations about this one before I started it, I just knew I wanted something suspenseful and the whole private school admissions vibes sounded like an ideal fall read. It definitely delivered on both the suspense and the fall vibes but it also surprised me by how twisty and addicting it was. 

You get dual perspectives, Audrey who is head of admissions at Easton and Sarah who is beyond desperate to secure a spot for her son in Easton’s next kindergarten class. Sarah’s desperation causes her to develop an unhealthy obsession with not only the school itself, but with Audrey too and nothing in Audrey’s life is off limits. That’s all I’ll say but I loved how the author explored obsession and how not only was this a tense ride, there was an emotional complexity to the characters that sucked me in. I loved the creeping sense of dread that intensified as the book progressed, I loved the NYC setting and I loved the explosive ending. Definitely recommended as a really great fall suspense read. 

I know when I picked up one of the authors books I’m getting an engrossing and fast paced read that I can finish in just a few sittings and this one delivered on the expectation. As much as the pacing was swift I would say this was more of a quieter style mystery with lots of long buried family secrets and drama that entertained. Tragedy fractured Astrid’s family with the death of sister and things splintered as a result. I love when an old case comes back to life and the merging of what really happened the night Nina died and present circumstances was interesting and surprising. The author always manages to trick me in the most subtle way and she did it again here, definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for a quick and satisfying read.

Well this was one emotional ride good lord! I love being tortured though so I really freaking adored this one. The suspense is even higher in the second book of the series and even though I’m usually pretty good at predicting twists I did not see anything coming here, such a great surprise. Ryder and Dakota brought the heat and I loved that they were childhood friends to lovers, their history was rich and complex and this raised the stakes for both of them. Dakota’s son, Kayden completely stole my heart, this kid was adorable and Dakota was such a great mom. Ryder was the ultimate protective hero, this man was broody, complicated, sexy and just perfect for Dakota. If you like friends to lovers, brothers best friend, single parent, forced proximity and small town suspense this was so so good! 

Ok how was this one so addictive?! I was totally engaged here from the moment I started and I was living for the tension and the angst. Clara and Dominic had such great banter and the push and pull between them was everything. As much as Dom came across as your typical arrogant and entitled alpha jerk I admired the way he pushed Clara to be the best version of herself and most importantly, to stand up for what she believed in. These two were both super complex characters with plenty of flaws which always makes it easier to relate to. If you like fake dating, grump and sunshine, billionaire, boss and employee and opposites attract this was really good!