I really enjoyed She, a multi-stranded psychological thriller/family drama. Ben meets Bella. He's on the rebound from a long term relationship that has ended when she sets her sights at him one night. She's stunningly beautiful and Ben can't quite believe his luck. But if something seems too good to be true then it often is and Bella is a woman that gets what she wants, at whatever cost. The story is told in four parts and in different tenses and I liked this device as a way of showing the unfolding events from different perspectives. Much of the story is more of a dark story of control, family problems and the like, rather than a traditional thriller. I do enjoy reading about family dynamics and there are plenty going on in this novel, along with a look at how friendships can change too. I'm being careful not to give too much away. There was a real surprise at one point and I thought the author did a great job at keeping things bubbling away under the surface until she was ready to reveal them. This is quite the twisted and intense tale, with events that are often rather unpleasant to read about. The characterisations are strong and Bella in particular is a fantastic character who makes me shiver to even think about her. Seeing into her mind was not a nice thing to do! She is an incredibly easy and quick read, despite the dark subject matter. If you want a family led thriller that will pull you right into the heart of the action then this is perfect. I enjoyed it a lot.

This book is certainly gripping. From the first few chapters, I was hooked. It got me feeling every single emotion, and you really are made to side with Ben’s family and friends by hating Bella. I was shocked that it brings up a matter that not many people speak about via social media, news or just generally, so for Warner to put it in her book to bring awareness was incredible, and done it in such a good way it affects you emotionally. What an intense ending, I think she finished it off perfectly, I won't say too much because I don't want to do anything away. But wow, I wasn’t expecting that! The only thing stopping it from getting top stars is although the idea of repeating the book is great, for fast(ish) readers like myself, sometimes I skimmed because I knew what had happened and just read ‘her’ parts. Great book and would 100% recommend...although I would recommend a physical copy, as I read on an ebook and I’ve read other reviews who have said it was such a clever idea with the flipping of the book for the 2 different perspectives.

A little difficult to review this novel without giving away any spoilers but I will give it a go! Ben has recently been dumped by his long term girlfriend of twelve years.  He is confused and upset. One night whilst in the pub with a friend his attention is drawn to a woman, sitting at a table alone.  She is stunning and what's more she is looking his way. Ben is mesmerised. He walks over to her and sits down to introduce himself. From now on, she barely leaves his side. That's all I'm going to say in regards to the plot. Intrigued??  This book is a great fast paced, quick and enjoyable read.  It really sucks you in as the element of tension is there right from the very start. We first learn of the events of the next few months from Ben. His shock of his girlfriend's sudden departure and of his new world wind romance with Bella.  A lot is crammed in to these first 129 pages and this only adds to the pace and tension, making it 'unputdownable'. I really needed to know what was going to happen next and the ending of this first part of the narrative really took me by surprise only making me want to read on. We next hear from Bella, and this I thought was a very clever take on a two person narrative. I won't give the trick away but buy the book and find out. A nice touch. The story goes back in time as we hear of how Bella came to be in the bar that night.  There is an element of going back over the story in this part of the book, which felt a little repetitive, but it doesn't last long and we are soon back to the roller coaster ride of this immersive domestic noir.  I thought Bella's story was a great new twist to the usual domestic thriller novel and felt it had been well thought out by the author. I enjoyed the other characters in the book and the trips out to Ben's parents house in Suffolk, which all gave the book a well rounded feel, adding interest to the scenario. I haven't read any other books by this author before and understand that this is her first novel which branches out into something of a much darker nature than usual. If that is the case then I'm looking forward to her doing so again. Thank you to the publisher HQ for a proof copy of this book.  It is released this week!

She is a book of two halves. First we start with Ben and how shattered he is when his long-term girlfriend, Charlotte, leaves him. He was about to propose but she didn't get to know that. Then in a whirlwind romance he meets Bella, she quickly becomes pregnant and they marry, but everything is on her terms. Bella, the 'She' doesn't come over as a very nice person and I'm sure if it wasn't for the baby, their relationship would not have lasted. She's rude to his parents and he's no longer allowed to see his friends. The brass neck of the girl makes for perfect poolside reading. Part two, and the story flips to Bella's version of events. I can't say it made me like Bella any more but one or two things slipped into place. There's quite a bit of repetition of events with living Bella's slant and perspective, but this just confirmed what a schemer she is. I found She to be a cleverly plotted book and quite refreshing in its unusualness.

This is quite a strange book - the Prologue starts where Jo and Peter respond differently having met their son Ben's new girlfriend, Bella. From the beginning Bella is controlling and wants to isolate Ben from his family but that is only the start of this tale which is described as a psychological thriller. I am not convinced that this describes this book accurately. It certainly makes for uncomfortable reading in many places. Having said that the plot is a clever one but Bella is an unpleasant, narcissistic character and Ben is lacking any backbone, too good to be true. Many thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.