Ou external reviewer Sara had another great read this year! She has been busy making her little yarn creatures (Adorkable Little Crafties) but has been reading in her off time. This one was called Befriended by Ruth O’Neill.
Synopsis: Gemma Peacock’s life was perfect – or at least, she thought it was. She had a home she loved, a job she enjoyed, and a husband she adored. The only cloud on the horizon was the continuing tension between Gemma and her mother-in-law, but that’s the same for everyone, right?
After the death of her beloved husband, Ritchie, everything begins to fall apart.
Indiana Manors’ life, on the other hand, is far from perfect – but she knows just what she has to do to fix it. Befriend Gemma Peacock – and destroy her.
This novel is about Gemma, a woman who has recently lost her husband. After his funeral, she meets a mysterious woman, who we learn has malicious plans for her. As the story unravels, more and more twists and turns are revealed that keep you guessing. This is a modern mystery that will keep you guessing.
After Gemma and Indiana become friends, we are given the briefest of glimpses into the plans Indiana has for Gemma. Throughout the book, progressions and flashbacks are both revealed in small snippets of information, never giving away too much at once. The twists just keep coming, every time you think you have the ending figured out. I always love a mystery where I can’t figure out the ending until the author wants me to!
There are a lot of aspects to this book, and it is hard to describe without revealing spoilers. The book so quickly turns to the unexpected, there isn’t much to say that won’t reveal it.
I enjoyed the character developments and the twists in the plot. I think the author had a very interesting idea, and clearly planned through how she was going to reveal the whole story, one small part at a time.
This book was an easy read, that kept me staying up too late more than once. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a relaxed mystery, without any darkness or too much fluff.
My only complaints are that it could likely have used another pass through editing, as there were a few typos here and there, though I am notorious for noticing these in any book. There were also a few moments where the dialogue or plot just felt a little to simple or cliche, and I think the author could have expanded more.
Overall, this book was a great read!
Book Rating: 4.5/5
You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.
Disclaimer: This book was sent to us in an ebook format by the author to read and give our honest review.
I recently became a part of the Harper Collins Book Blogger group and they sent me my first batch of ARC’s! Watch the video to see what I got!
