Robyn Harding

I absolutely loved this book! Both main characters were tough and brave women, doing what they needed to do survive their agonizing situations. Lee is a talented chef, but when her restaurant fails due to circumstances beyond her control, she ends up homeless and living out of her car. By chance she saves a drowning woman, but as the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. Hazel is the abused wife of a wealthy man looking for a way out, and things get twisty and complicated when Lee show more agrees to help her.

This was such a fast-paced, cleverly written book with one surprise after another. The tension had my stomach in knots, and I had no idea how things would play out in this wild rollercoaster ride. Definitely five stars to this bingeable nerve-racking thriller. Chef’s kiss ending!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book. Opinions are my own. show less

Run, don’t walk, to grab a copy of this perfect gem of a book! I picked up ,“The Perfect Family”one bleak and snowy afternoon and literally did not put it down until it was finished. Cocooned on the couch with my furry blanket, I consumed cup after cup of hot tea and gobbled up this book, losing myself completely to the intricate ever-widening pools of character and plot - swirling eddies that seemed to come out of nowhere, impossible to escape.

The story involves a suburban family - show more mother, father, teenage daughter and collegial son - each of whom, we learn, is desperately working to hide deeply personal ugly and shameful secrets. The story unfolds alternately from each of the family members POV, with each character detailed and defined within their own beautifully drawn, self-contained world.

As the story unfolds, we learn that someone has a grudge, a vendetta against the family, revealing itself as incidents that could be initially classified as vandalism escalate with ominous inevitability, drawing us before we know it into a world of creepy-crawly terror.

4.5 “read this on the edge of your seat” stars.

Watch facades tumble, carefully constructed high-gloss lives tarnish and curl as the author, almost gleefully, repeatedly topples the illusion of perfection and has us questioning everything we read. Right up until the terrific ending, which, no spoilers here, had me chuckling out loud.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, character-driven suspense, and twisty-turny (somewhat mischievous) plots.

A big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, and the author for an advance review copy of this book. All thoughts presented here are my own. show less

If you're thinking this is going to be a book about two couples who throw their keys into a bowl and swap partners, you'd be wrong. The Swap by Robyn Harding isn't a book about a swingers party gone wrong. It's a story about a master manipulator and the damage she inflicts on those unfortunate enough to be drawn into her inner circle.

Freya is a charismatic, creative, attractive and charming social media influencer who inspires absolute devotion from her retired athlete husband. Offering show more pottery classes in her isolated community, Freya meets teenager and pottery student Low Morrison and middle aged gift shop owner Jamie.

Toxic relationships abound in this novel, both between the female characters as well as husband and wife. Jamie and Low try various ways to compete for Freya's friendship and affection, each wanting to be the 'best friend' and confidant and escalating their attempts in order to ensure their success.

I was reading this at the same time as My Best Friend's Murder by Polly Phillips (also by Simon & Schuster) and wanted to shake Jamie and Low by the shoulders and cry 'Get a grip, she's not worth it!' If by some miracle either of these two characters did listen to my advice and move on to healthier and more fulfilling relationships, there wouldn't be a story, so I totally get it.

Nevertheless, the tension escalates in The Swap until it reaches an unexpected conclusion, which was a satisfying end to the secrets, manipulation and outright obsession on display here. A good read.

* Copy courtesy of Simon & Schuster * show less

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

Many thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!



THE PARTY is a roller coaster, unputdownable book where all the characters are despicable. It’s the story of a sweet 16 birthday party gone horribly wrong, with consequences that will last a lifetime. Hannah, the daughter, is just trying to be more popular. Kim and Jeff are her parents, with the trope of “strict goody two shoes mom” plus “emasculated father trying to be cool”. show more The events of the fateful night are told over flashbacks, over the course of the story; which kept me interested and hungry for more detail.

The complex and turbulent relationships between the characters are drawn well and evoke a great deal of emotion. Everyone is manipulating – or manipulated by- someone else. There are multi layered agendas. There are mean girls. There is isolation, greed, and shallowness.

I literally could not wait to get back to the book, and thought about it while I wasn’t able to read; I just had to see what was happening next. It’s the kind of book you read with incredulity, wondering if there is going to be a happily ever after despite knowing another crash is coming.

The author exposes the ugly side of relationships with adeptness, even glee (if you read between the lines). Just when you almost start feeling sorry for someone, they expose their seamy side and you go right back to sneering at them. Delicious!

Do people really behave this way now, or is it just something that takes place in fiction? I am glad I don’t have to navigate the treachery of high school, where Facebook posts are created to hurt, and cliques do a lot more than name calling.

No one escapes unscathed from THE PARTY – it’s the kind of story that you will think about for days after you finish the book, considering all the wrong choices every character made and how it affected their lives. show less