What do you think?
Rate this book
Our Kind of Game
A gifted new suspense writer makes her sizzling debut with this serpentine tale exploring all the ways in which men enact violence on women, how women try to reclaim their own sense of self, and the lingering effects on their children’s lives.
2019. Stella Parker has the life she’s always wanted: a loving husband, two happy children that she gave up her thriving law career to raise, and a beautiful house in the tony suburbs of Washington, D.C. But when her neighbor Gwen shows up at her door, claiming to know things about her, Stella’s life is thrown into turmoil and she’s forced to reckon with the dark secret upon which she’s built her life.
1987. Julie Waits yearns to be a cheerleader—a gateway to a world of normalcy with best friends and sleepovers, and an escape hatch from life with her widowed mother, the terrible men she attracts, and the upheaval caused by their abrupt and constant moves. But when her mother decides those relationships are over, the past becomes a forbidden subject that Julie can never revisit.
As Stella probes deeper into what brought Gwen to her door, the answer—and who Julie is to her—become increasingly, terrifyingly, clear.
Filled with shocking twists and turns, this is a book that both asks what it means for a woman to be in control of her life while also highlighting the impact of small daily violences upon women, and the connection between physical and psychological harm.
2019. Stella Parker has the life she’s always wanted: a loving husband, two happy children that she gave up her thriving law career to raise, and a beautiful house in the tony suburbs of Washington, D.C. But when her neighbor Gwen shows up at her door, claiming to know things about her, Stella’s life is thrown into turmoil and she’s forced to reckon with the dark secret upon which she’s built her life.
1987. Julie Waits yearns to be a cheerleader—a gateway to a world of normalcy with best friends and sleepovers, and an escape hatch from life with her widowed mother, the terrible men she attracts, and the upheaval caused by their abrupt and constant moves. But when her mother decides those relationships are over, the past becomes a forbidden subject that Julie can never revisit.
As Stella probes deeper into what brought Gwen to her door, the answer—and who Julie is to her—become increasingly, terrifyingly, clear.
Filled with shocking twists and turns, this is a book that both asks what it means for a woman to be in control of her life while also highlighting the impact of small daily violences upon women, and the connection between physical and psychological harm.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2024
About the author
Johanna Copeland
5 books124 followersJohanna Copeland is a novelist, essayist and author of Our Kind of Game, HarperCollins, July 2024. Her essays have appeared in The Washington Post, Soapbox Literary Review and The Stonecoast Review.
You can also find her on Instagram and TikTok @johannacopelandwrites
You can also find her on Instagram and TikTok @johannacopelandwrites
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
September 28, 2024
READ THIS REVIEW CAREFULLY. DO NOT JUST PICK IT UP BECAUSE OF THE FOUR STARS.
Logic has never been a friend of mine because 'thrillers' featuring postpartum moms going through it? Next. But 'thrillers' with SAHM of grown children? Inject it into my veins. I think many people will be annoyed reading about a rich, educated woman bemoaning her role as SAHM because awww your husband is so rich you can afford not to work *sad face* isn't the most relatable problem to have. BUT as a child of a well-off, educated SAHM, I related to this because I felt like I was seeing the world through my mom's eyes, and not my super spoiled brat ones. However, idc how many degrees I have, if I don't need to work, I would be happily unemployed.
Anyways, I liked the flashbacks. I thought they added some depth to Stella and, no spoilies, but... ok go off??? The book did kinda spin its tires for a bit in the middle there; very repetitive. But then the action kicks back up and leads to a satisfying ending. I almost always hate the endings of thrillers, so for me to enjoy one really says a lot.
I buddy read this with the lovely Karly, and we were both confused with how Stella handled the whole stolen/missing phone thing? Seemed like she challenged herself to make things as difficult as possible, because there were about 10 other options that made more sense and didn't make you look hella suspicious. Also, we both agreed that the social justice warrior (SJW) moments were ill-timed. If you're committing a crime, maybe now isn't the best time to lament on how men suck big hairy balls. Pot, meet kettle. I actually bark-laughed aloud when Stella puts back a book on her husband's bedside table after doing a lil recon and randomly thinks [the book is] irrelevant to Tom's life because why would he be interested in the inner lives of a bunch of women Brother WHAT?? LMAOO?? Did you find a burner phone yes or no??
Despite the slow middle and ill-timed SJW moments, I did enjoy this book. Also, the cover is, as the cringey millennials once said, FIRE. Ok bye!
Logic has never been a friend of mine because 'thrillers' featuring postpartum moms going through it? Next. But 'thrillers' with SAHM of grown children? Inject it into my veins. I think many people will be annoyed reading about a rich, educated woman bemoaning her role as SAHM because awww your husband is so rich you can afford not to work *sad face* isn't the most relatable problem to have. BUT as a child of a well-off, educated SAHM, I related to this because I felt like I was seeing the world through my mom's eyes, and not my super spoiled brat ones. However, idc how many degrees I have, if I don't need to work, I would be happily unemployed.
Anyways, I liked the flashbacks. I thought they added some depth to Stella and, no spoilies, but... ok go off??? The book did kinda spin its tires for a bit in the middle there; very repetitive. But then the action kicks back up and leads to a satisfying ending. I almost always hate the endings of thrillers, so for me to enjoy one really says a lot.
I buddy read this with the lovely Karly, and we were both confused with how Stella handled the whole stolen/missing phone thing? Seemed like she challenged herself to make things as difficult as possible, because there were about 10 other options that made more sense and didn't make you look hella suspicious. Also, we both agreed that the social justice warrior (SJW) moments were ill-timed. If you're committing a crime, maybe now isn't the best time to lament on how men suck big hairy balls. Pot, meet kettle. I actually bark-laughed aloud when Stella puts back a book on her husband's bedside table after doing a lil recon and randomly thinks [the book is] irrelevant to Tom's life because why would he be interested in the inner lives of a bunch of women Brother WHAT?? LMAOO?? Did you find a burner phone yes or no??
Despite the slow middle and ill-timed SJW moments, I did enjoy this book. Also, the cover is, as the cringey millennials once said, FIRE. Ok bye!
July 15, 2024
TW: Domestic violence, child rape
OUR KIND OF GAME was not my kind of book.
WHY?
I am not a fan of books showcasing domestic violence and/or child rape.
On the positive side, this debut author's characterizations were strong and the book's pacing was on-point.
The book's "shock factor twists", however, felt contrived.
Also, the book unfolded from multiple POVs going back/forth in different periods, which was dizzying.
I listened to the multi-cast audiobook read by Megan Tusing, Leslie Howard, and Nicol Zanzarella.
Multi-cast audiobooks are always a treat and, as usual, Megan Tusing gave an Oscar-worthy performance.
Leslie Howard and Zicol Zanzarella had similar voices and, therefore, it was frequently difficult to discern who was saying what.
2.5 stars.
July 10, 2024
ARC for review. To be published July 9, 2024.
Funny thing about women and thrillers…I mean, these books are geared toward and marketed to women, right? Yet sometimes some seem almost ANTI-woman - women are portrayed as always being acted upon by men, or are making poor decision because of their adoration of men, or the like. And often the women in the books are women who have chosen to leave the work force to raise children, then they suffer because of that. Here’s a book that finally acknowledges, at least, the way things are for women, STILL are for women, and this in an upper class white woman, in this, the year of our Lord, 2024, and she doesn’t even mention the fact that we have had our bodily autonomy stripped from us by a Supreme Court which is mostly male.
In this dual time line book in 2019 Stella Parker has everything (uh-oh) - a great husband, two wonderful kids and she’s a stay at home mom after an early career as a lawyer, with a beautiful house outside of D.C. But something is off. She receives an odd visit from a neighbor that starts her down a strange path. Is her husband having an affair? Or does someone know her secret?
In 1987 Julie Waits wants to be a cheerleader, to have a normal life, with regular friends. But her widowed mother and her boyfriends makes that impossible. Then something happens and things will never be the same again.
What is connection between these two women?
As to life for Stella, she notes there are “things so small she never considered them violent until she stopped to consider what they steal. The interrupting while she’s speaking, the assumptions about her intelligence, the shrinking options to make choices about her body (OK, maybe Roe comes up a little), the underrepresentation in every decision making sphere, the free-for-all on guns that has given her a constant grade of low grade anxiety and the consistent commoditization of the female body to name name the first things that came to mind.” Sing it, sister!
As the work, Stella also determines that “violence is telling women the path is clear when, in fact, it’s filled with land mines in the shape of no children and unequal pay.”
And, “I’ve investigated my fair share of murders. They fall into two categories. Men who get murdered taking risks. And women and children who are murdered trying to survive.” And if you are female you probably nodded your head, even if you just did it in the inside, at that one.
I would love to see more thrillers with at least a bit of this feminist bent. Really elevated this for me.
Funny thing about women and thrillers…I mean, these books are geared toward and marketed to women, right? Yet sometimes some seem almost ANTI-woman - women are portrayed as always being acted upon by men, or are making poor decision because of their adoration of men, or the like. And often the women in the books are women who have chosen to leave the work force to raise children, then they suffer because of that. Here’s a book that finally acknowledges, at least, the way things are for women, STILL are for women, and this in an upper class white woman, in this, the year of our Lord, 2024, and she doesn’t even mention the fact that we have had our bodily autonomy stripped from us by a Supreme Court which is mostly male.
In this dual time line book in 2019 Stella Parker has everything (uh-oh) - a great husband, two wonderful kids and she’s a stay at home mom after an early career as a lawyer, with a beautiful house outside of D.C. But something is off. She receives an odd visit from a neighbor that starts her down a strange path. Is her husband having an affair? Or does someone know her secret?
In 1987 Julie Waits wants to be a cheerleader, to have a normal life, with regular friends. But her widowed mother and her boyfriends makes that impossible. Then something happens and things will never be the same again.
What is connection between these two women?
As to life for Stella, she notes there are “things so small she never considered them violent until she stopped to consider what they steal. The interrupting while she’s speaking, the assumptions about her intelligence, the shrinking options to make choices about her body (OK, maybe Roe comes up a little), the underrepresentation in every decision making sphere, the free-for-all on guns that has given her a constant grade of low grade anxiety and the consistent commoditization of the female body to name name the first things that came to mind.” Sing it, sister!
As the work, Stella also determines that “violence is telling women the path is clear when, in fact, it’s filled with land mines in the shape of no children and unequal pay.”
And, “I’ve investigated my fair share of murders. They fall into two categories. Men who get murdered taking risks. And women and children who are murdered trying to survive.” And if you are female you probably nodded your head, even if you just did it in the inside, at that one.
I would love to see more thrillers with at least a bit of this feminist bent. Really elevated this for me.
July 24, 2024
My Rating: 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ this is a good 3 stars that I still recommend!!
I won’t do a recap of the synopsis for this one the GoodReads write up does a good job. I want to thank LitWithLeigh for the buddy read, even though this time I totally let you down and was WAAAAY behind… I still had a blast and love the buddy read function on StoryGraph.
So the best part about this book for me was the multi-timeline and duel POV - anyone who knows me knows I love the jumping around. I know lots of people don’t like that but I if done right it can be really good.
I love how the author unfolded this story with the current day POV and then the flashbacks and we had various other POVs and timelines I really enjoyed that it was done super well. I preferred the flashback scenes from Julie and Paula they were my favourite and the MUM omg!!! I could have had a whole story just dedicated to her.
There were some weak points in this for me, which I guess is why its a 3 and not a 4 but I think that most people will like this one. I do really recommend it. But I didn’t like the Gwen link, I thought it as weak, but I did think the Mum and the Cop relationship was wild AF!!! So points for that.
I liked the secret room although it kind of felt pointless but I still really liked the idea of it being in the house and having a secret room has always been a dream of mine so YES to that as well. I really really hated that Stella was a super dumbass with the phone in the beginning and that she was supposedly this “badass” but really she was a dumbass for most of the book and that pissed me off… cause she never really got there as a character for me. She had so much potential to really wild out but never did… not even in a controlled way. I thought great we have this double life thing going on … but none of her “old” self came out to play… I dunno that was flat.
I really liked Paula and I really “liked” the mum… but she was scary 🤣
Some of the scenes in this book are really hard to read, some of the abuse that takes place is… really difficult to get through. And I will tell you one thing… I am side eyeing jars of Jam for the foreseeable future.
Overall though I think most people will enjoy this, I think if you can suspend your disbelief mostly all the way and over look some of the dumbassery then you will really enjoy it. I was mostly full on into it until we had no more flashbacks and then I was a little, come on lets go!!! It never really reached the right crescendo for me… but having said all that I would recommend for sure.
I won’t do a recap of the synopsis for this one the GoodReads write up does a good job. I want to thank LitWithLeigh for the buddy read, even though this time I totally let you down and was WAAAAY behind… I still had a blast and love the buddy read function on StoryGraph.
So the best part about this book for me was the multi-timeline and duel POV - anyone who knows me knows I love the jumping around. I know lots of people don’t like that but I if done right it can be really good.
I love how the author unfolded this story with the current day POV and then the flashbacks and we had various other POVs and timelines I really enjoyed that it was done super well. I preferred the flashback scenes from Julie and Paula they were my favourite and the MUM omg!!! I could have had a whole story just dedicated to her.
There were some weak points in this for me, which I guess is why its a 3 and not a 4 but I think that most people will like this one. I do really recommend it. But I didn’t like the Gwen link, I thought it as weak, but I did think the Mum and the Cop relationship was wild AF!!! So points for that.
I liked the secret room although it kind of felt pointless but I still really liked the idea of it being in the house and having a secret room has always been a dream of mine so YES to that as well. I really really hated that Stella was a super dumbass with the phone in the beginning and that she was supposedly this “badass” but really she was a dumbass for most of the book and that pissed me off… cause she never really got there as a character for me. She had so much potential to really wild out but never did… not even in a controlled way. I thought great we have this double life thing going on … but none of her “old” self came out to play… I dunno that was flat.
I really liked Paula and I really “liked” the mum… but she was scary 🤣
Some of the scenes in this book are really hard to read, some of the abuse that takes place is… really difficult to get through. And I will tell you one thing… I am side eyeing jars of Jam for the foreseeable future.
Overall though I think most people will enjoy this, I think if you can suspend your disbelief mostly all the way and over look some of the dumbassery then you will really enjoy it. I was mostly full on into it until we had no more flashbacks and then I was a little, come on lets go!!! It never really reached the right crescendo for me… but having said all that I would recommend for sure.
February 29, 2024
I read this book in a single weekend and relished every page! The twists and turns of the story made it a delicious treat that felt both satisfyingly cathartic and downright disturbing - almost like a guilty pleasure - because of what happens in the book but also how much I found myself rooting for our heroines. The affluent American suburb ecosystem that Ms. Copeland crisply details - the unrelenting gender and socioeconomic hierarchies & toxic achievement pressure, all glossed over with the all-too-familiar "everything is fine and fun!" veneer, is something I think a lot of readers will resonate with. Anyone who has ever been in a romantic relationship with a bully will be rooting for the women in this book...well, most of them anyway...
July 29, 2024
This one also falls into the category of "great premise, poor execution." We have multiple timelines, sister relationships, mother/daughter dynamics, and, of course, secrets.
There is a lot of exploration of what a mother would do to protect her children when traditional means of providing for them are absent. There is heavy commentary on stay-at-home mothers, especially those who choose to be parents who stay home, and how that creates different partner dynamics. While the initial concept grabbed me, the execution really fell short. The ending had too many loose story lines wrapped into one and had a lot of telling vs. showing.
There is a lot of exploration of what a mother would do to protect her children when traditional means of providing for them are absent. There is heavy commentary on stay-at-home mothers, especially those who choose to be parents who stay home, and how that creates different partner dynamics. While the initial concept grabbed me, the execution really fell short. The ending had too many loose story lines wrapped into one and had a lot of telling vs. showing.
July 23, 2024
A pretty good read, but ludicrously implausible, like something written by a very bright high school girl with “issues.” Also, could profitably have been cut by about 25%. Too much sermonizing about the plight of stay-at-home moms.
September 1, 2024
A solid debut character-driven revenge thriller! Our Kind of Game is unexpectedly dark (check cw), but it was oooh so fun that it was set in my area. Johanna Copeland got all the details of living in Northern VA just right. I loved the dual timelines and multiple POVs and how they all connected in some way.
August 25, 2024
3.5. This was a book that got better and better for me. Not to say it was an absolute 10 out of 10, but it had a great pace and kept me intrigued throughout. I’d be lying if I said this book wasn’t predictable—there were things I put together in the first few chapters that ended up unfolding at the very end. But I also loved that we got to hear so many different voices and perspectives. In this case, the dual timeline and multiple POVs helped transport the story to a complete and fulfilling resolution.
Our Kind of Game is a story about mothers and daughters, sacrifices, survival, and the lessons we learn when we’re young that shape us as we get older. It also touches on the impact of things passed down through generations. When we meet our main character, Stella, she seems to be living in a masquerade of herself—a life created out of necessity. She doesn’t really see herself in her neighborhood, in her community, and in some ways, not even in her own home.
As we learn more about Stella’s present life, we see how the past catches up to her. After a random encounter with a neighbor, she begins to spiral, worrying about the secrets of her past and who might be threatening the disguise she’s built. The book is told in both the past and the present, allowing us to see the tortured past of a young mother and her two daughters trying to get by—but at what expense?
It’s easy for any reader to piece together that Stella is the girl from the past, who was once named Julie. So it makes perfect sense why Stella wanted to get away and create this new identity. In the past, we see Julie trying to make the most of her situation while watching her mother bring destructive men into their home—men who Julie helps “move on.” Julie is the only child left to navigate their mother’s schemes now that her sister has left town after becoming pregnant.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the depth of the characters and the exploration of the relationship between a mother and her daughters. Even more compelling was the way the daughters mirrored their mother, who is written with such a strong voice. It’s a profound look at what it means to be prey, predator, or predator masking as prey. By the end, I felt the control the mother had over her daughters, much like the control men assumed they had over the mother. While I may not agree with the methods the mother took or the risks she put her children through, her strength and defiance will captivate any reader.
If you’re someone who enjoys generational or familial stories, I’d definitely recommend this one—especially because it has that twinge of mystery.
Our Kind of Game is a story about mothers and daughters, sacrifices, survival, and the lessons we learn when we’re young that shape us as we get older. It also touches on the impact of things passed down through generations. When we meet our main character, Stella, she seems to be living in a masquerade of herself—a life created out of necessity. She doesn’t really see herself in her neighborhood, in her community, and in some ways, not even in her own home.
As we learn more about Stella’s present life, we see how the past catches up to her. After a random encounter with a neighbor, she begins to spiral, worrying about the secrets of her past and who might be threatening the disguise she’s built. The book is told in both the past and the present, allowing us to see the tortured past of a young mother and her two daughters trying to get by—but at what expense?
It’s easy for any reader to piece together that Stella is the girl from the past, who was once named Julie. So it makes perfect sense why Stella wanted to get away and create this new identity. In the past, we see Julie trying to make the most of her situation while watching her mother bring destructive men into their home—men who Julie helps “move on.” Julie is the only child left to navigate their mother’s schemes now that her sister has left town after becoming pregnant.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the depth of the characters and the exploration of the relationship between a mother and her daughters. Even more compelling was the way the daughters mirrored their mother, who is written with such a strong voice. It’s a profound look at what it means to be prey, predator, or predator masking as prey. By the end, I felt the control the mother had over her daughters, much like the control men assumed they had over the mother. While I may not agree with the methods the mother took or the risks she put her children through, her strength and defiance will captivate any reader.
If you’re someone who enjoys generational or familial stories, I’d definitely recommend this one—especially because it has that twinge of mystery.
July 29, 2024
I liked the beginning, but then the story sagged in the middle, and never really popped off again unfortunately.
August 12, 2024
Our Kind of Game is a twisty thriller about the price of women’s domestic and emotional labour in heterosexual relationships and the strong ties between mothers, daughters, and sisters. This was a compelling read but I think that anyone triggered by domestic violence and child sexual assault should definitely stay away from this book.
March 31, 2024
I received an advance readers copy and I read the book in one day - I couldn’t put it down! The story is riveting! I am a successful professional woman who made the choice to stay home with my kids in Northern Virginia, and there is so much I can relate to in this book. Johanna describes the life, relationships, and frustrations of NoVA stay at home mom life perfectly, down to the minor details. The twists and turns are captivating and even though I tried to guess what was coming, I was always wrong! I can’t wait to see what Johanna Copeland writes next!
April 28, 2024
Thank you to Goodreads for this ARC. This story was great and the plot was something else! It starts off with a bang and just keeps getting better. I don’t know how to describe this story without giving away the good parts. It was different than anything I have read. Read it!
July 22, 2024
Finished the rest of this book. Tbh idk what’s going on with the thrillers im reading lately but they aren’t worth the hype like a though
July 17, 2024
3.5 rounded down. This was a suspenseful and well written debut novel. I rounded down because I thought the book preached the same theme repeatedly until I was tired of reading those sections. The book preached about how men didn’t assign a woman any worth. How their roles in life made the men superior. How many men were misogynistic. It also dealt with abuse, strong women, families and much more. Told in the voices of Julie, Paula and Stella, there were definitely a few twists. I figured out the main one fairly quickly but maybe the reader was meant to do that. Julie’s story was the most riveting for me. I would definitely read this author again. I just wish she didn’t feel as if she had to hit the reader over the head with her preaching.
August 27, 2024
Exciting start. Got slow towards the middle and never really picked back up.
July 24, 2024
I'm tired of reading books where every man is awful.
August 10, 2024
The writing here is good, the suspense palpable. I just couldn’t quite believe the premise. It was a stretch, but one I enjoyed for a quick, engaging read. The alternating chapter thing worked, as past and present collide in, unexpectedly, a DC suburb. There wasn’t a good man in the book, and that was disconcerting. Julie/Stella and Paula, sisters, have seen some rotters come and go on their mother’s life, only to move on. She seems to attract abusive men. Does she delight in this? Why would she bring these men into her daughter’s lives? It’s a tangled tale, one about creating your own story. And what a story it is.
June 1, 2024
I got sent this ARC from Killer Crime Club and I have to say I was blown away. This might be my favourite book of the year so far. It was so intriguing, mysterious and made me have so many feelings. I flew through this and was so invested in the sisters before lives. The mom of Paula and Stella was seriously messed up but you can see the rationale of how women are treated and the lengths some go to protect the ones they love. Needless to say sometimes I wanted to shake Stella and be like what are you doing, but it was refreshing to see a flawed character. The ending was completely shocking and I was so wrapped up in it I stayed up too late. I finished it up in two days. I would love to read more books by this author.
April 9, 2024
I received an ARC from a Goodreads giveaway. I think I am in the minority when I say I didn't love this book. I thought the going back and forth between characters at times were confusing. I had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to remember who the chapter was about. I guess this genre was just not for me. Thank you Goodreads for the opportunity to read this book.
July 11, 2024
I jumped on this book because the reviews are so good, but it was really disappointing for me. A little boring, ending felt rushed and unfinished. I normally don’t struggle with timelines but I have to admit I wasn’t a fan of the back and forth in this one. Also, how do all these dead beat men happen to have so much money every time?? Enough to trade for gold bars???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2024
Stella has everything she could ever want. A beautiful home, two thriving kids, a marriage to her best friend. But something keeps her on high alert constantly. Something from her past. Something she thinks no one knows.
When Stellas life secret comes to fruition in the form of a neighbor who may know more than she could ever imagine, she is forced to take control.
This is told in duel storylines- past and current times. I can’t say I didn’t know what was happening from the beginning because I did. It was pretty basic as far as mysteries go. I wanted more from this one. It was rated higher so I think I was expecting more twists and turns? There was so pretty dark themes in this story that I didn’t see coming which helped but…
I’m going to keep it short and vague in case you want to read it but my opinion is this was middle of the road and likely forgettable.
When Stellas life secret comes to fruition in the form of a neighbor who may know more than she could ever imagine, she is forced to take control.
This is told in duel storylines- past and current times. I can’t say I didn’t know what was happening from the beginning because I did. It was pretty basic as far as mysteries go. I wanted more from this one. It was rated higher so I think I was expecting more twists and turns? There was so pretty dark themes in this story that I didn’t see coming which helped but…
I’m going to keep it short and vague in case you want to read it but my opinion is this was middle of the road and likely forgettable.
July 25, 2024
TW: Domestic violence, child physical/sexual assault
Stella Parker has the life she's always wanted but is it enough to hide her dark secrets? Is Julie someone from her past that can be so easily forgotten? And what happens to men that feel they own women, like Julie? The ones who believe they can do what they want to them?
While the premise of the book sounds interesting, it took me far longer to get through this book than I thought it would. The theme was an interesting one but the story fell flat in so many places. Instead of expanding the story, it seemed to just repeat the same ideas over and over. Add in the elements of domestic violence and child assault, and it made it even harder to get through. The concept was good, I just wish it was executed differently.
Thank you to Goodreads and Harper Books for the gifted copy!
Stella Parker has the life she's always wanted but is it enough to hide her dark secrets? Is Julie someone from her past that can be so easily forgotten? And what happens to men that feel they own women, like Julie? The ones who believe they can do what they want to them?
While the premise of the book sounds interesting, it took me far longer to get through this book than I thought it would. The theme was an interesting one but the story fell flat in so many places. Instead of expanding the story, it seemed to just repeat the same ideas over and over. Add in the elements of domestic violence and child assault, and it made it even harder to get through. The concept was good, I just wish it was executed differently.
Thank you to Goodreads and Harper Books for the gifted copy!
August 3, 2024
A riveting and suspenseful debut by Johanna Copeland. This family drama was packed with twists and a discovery on how the past always shows its secrets eventually.
I loved how Copeland took contemporary story to focus on the balance of power in relationships and the desire for control. The characters were seasoned and fallacious. Each brought their distinct voice and questionable behaviors. They all were connected in one way or another which made for a thought provoking read-I did not want to put it down. Likewise, I also enjoyed the dueling timelines of past and present. It set the tone for the story and moved the story forward quickly and seamlessly.
Collectively this debut thriller by Johanna Copeland was one that I can confirm had a stimulating plot development and eminent writing prose for the mystery thriller genre. (Audio)
I loved how Copeland took contemporary story to focus on the balance of power in relationships and the desire for control. The characters were seasoned and fallacious. Each brought their distinct voice and questionable behaviors. They all were connected in one way or another which made for a thought provoking read-I did not want to put it down. Likewise, I also enjoyed the dueling timelines of past and present. It set the tone for the story and moved the story forward quickly and seamlessly.
Collectively this debut thriller by Johanna Copeland was one that I can confirm had a stimulating plot development and eminent writing prose for the mystery thriller genre. (Audio)
September 30, 2024
Most of my books in September are 3⭐️s 😭. This was a very atmospheric novel, I really felt like I was back in the past for the earlier parts of the dual narration. Somehow the author made badass women killing abusive men kinda boring. Some serious TWs like on page 🍇 of a minor, so be careful going into this one. This book had the potential to be great, but even something as serious as what I’ve mentioned is extremely surface level and the reader is given no incentive to really care about any main character. Feels like a read for the vibes book, but if you want anything deeper it’s probably not for you. “Twist” was extremely obvious, ending with the note didn’t make a ton of sense…? Don’t know what outcome the cop wanted that he was so pissed about tbh. 3⭐️
77/100
77/100
August 6, 2024
I rounded up to 3 stars, this book held my interest because I had to see how it would end. But the ending fell apart for me. All over like a middle school jealousy??? It’s really bizarre to me. And I refuse to believe the mom had all these boyfriends die accidentally and no one, not a soul ever connected the dots, because she kept to herself? That’s insane. The multiple narrators and jumping timeline did make it a little confusing to follow the audiobook.
August 22, 2024
Both the story and the writing are clunky in places…but the underlying themes are interestingly explored in a mystery/thriller context, so this was a satisfying read.
August 28, 2024
Well layered, character driven suspenseful story!
September 12, 2024
It was a murder mystery that kept me reading!! Who knew that two of its themes would center around motherhood! 1) what would a mother do to protect her kids and keep them safe and happy? 2) the undervaluing of the work a mother does in the home. Domestic violence is always hard to read about. Also, in taking charge and creating one’s own life, is it possible to gaslight one’s self? And can that be just as harmful as when others gaslight??
Thought provoking.
Thought provoking.
September 26, 2024
Not my favorite, extremely slow for my liking
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews