Loved this book. Loved this author. Parallel story about a flawed woman, Lila Bennett, and what happens once she begins to see the errors she has made and how she tries to redeem herself.

I was excited to read this book and was unfortunately disappointed. I found it hard to follow. I gave up a third of the way through.

Thank you Net Galley for giving me the opportunity.

This was a twist turny edge of your seat book! It kept me guessing to the end. Another great book by these two authors! Just might be their best book yet!! Thank you for the early copy!!

I really enjoyed this book: my favorite of these authors so far! I wasn’t sure how it was going to end until, well, the end. (That’s not always the case for me when I am reading!) Unexpected twists, excellent development of Lila’s characters, a struggle between good and evil...what more can you ask for?

What a great story. Told with such complexity and compassion. So insightful to the everyday choices we make and consequences that follow. Such a fresh and interesting perspective into the human heart and soul.
Highly recommend!!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review


This was just ok. Passed the time but not much in the way of craft.

I was super excited to start reading THE TWO LILA BENNETTS because I have been meaning to read one of Liz and Lisa’s books for a while now!

The story was inspired by the film ‘Sliding Doors’ starring Gwyneth Paltrow (I now feel as though I MUST go and watch this film too!). I haven’t seen the film but my guess is when the main character misses her train and her life is split into two, the story goes on to follow what her life would have been like if she had got on the train and what it was like having missed the train. I LOVE THIS. Exactly like Lila Bennett, we get to go back and forth between two chapters labelled ‘Captured’ and ‘Free’. Jumping from what her life was like while captured and what it would have been like if she had dodged the capturing.

Isla started off as a confident, independent and strong Lawyer who loved the chase of winning a case. I whizzed through the start of this book because I loved getting to know Isla and understanding her choices as a Lawyer. But as those cases became more and more damaging to the people’s lives she was representing her conscious began to kick in. She has made many selfish mistakes in her life but is it too late to correct them all?

Her husband Ethan is a writer. Ethan was a best selling author six years ago but since then had been suffering severe WRITER’S BLOCK. Which I think as someone writing a book myself, I can totally relate to! Lila on the other hand, a non-writer, couldn’t relate. I loved how the mention of writer’s block was written from a non-writer’s perspective because it reminds us that sometimes people don’t understand the term. As a result of the writer’s block, Ethan had been suffering depression over the years, unable to write anything. So what I have taken from this is that if you are a writer suffering writer’s block and no one in your life understand’s… communication is the key to help them understand! You’re not the only one. Every writer suffers from writers' block so find a fellow writer in the bookstagram community to spill your difficulties too! I bet you they can relate:)

The story was filled with suspense and fear which I loved! The kind of book that makes you think ‘What on earth is going on?’ but the more you read the more the dots connect. I really enjoyed reading about Lila’s journey and her want to change and to be a better person! Let’s face it, none of us are perfect and we all screw up…but it’s how we then react to that and the efforts we make to right our wrongs that make us who we are:)

Thank you so much to the Authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke for an advanced copy of The Two Lila Bennetts. The release date is the 23rd July 2019 so if you want to pre-order your copy today click the image above! Also many thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers Lake Union Publishing

Lila Bennett is living two different lives - one in which her life continues seemingly as normal, and one where she is taken hostage. Lila is a prosecutor who defends those that have done the worst, and when she is taken hostage, she assumes it is an angry family member of someone who's murderer she defended. Lila is just coming to the realization as this book begins, that she has been living her life wrong, and she wants to be a more righteous, caring person, but it is too late.

This book follows both of the ways Lila's life could have gone, but both felt pretty similar and lots of really similar threads strung through it. At times, the book felt like it didn't have enough action and we were just adding a little more confusion to the mix. The concept was really cool, and I generally really enjoy Liz & Lisa - this just one of my favs.

That being said, Lila is a very relatable character who is trying to right her wrongs, and in doing so, she finds herself in a love triangle many book characters, and even real life individuals, find themselves in. And she is trying to get her old life back.

Thank you, NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I really liked how there were two storylines and the ending was thought-provoking for sure. The main problem was I did not like Lila at all so it made it hard to be engaged in what happened to her. I finished it because I wanted to know how it ended, but I probably would not read it again or recommend it.

What would you do if faced with the opportunity to right all the wrongs of your life? What if you had the chance to go back and make amends? Would you? Would you risk your own happiness and way of life just to say “I’m sorry?”
Now, imagine your life actually depends on it! Imagine having to remember every single person you’ve ever wronged in both your personal and professional lives! Time is of the essence for Lila Bennett. Add this book to your summer reading list for a thrill ride that will leave you wondering “what if.”
Thank you, NetGalley, for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Thank you @netgalley for an ARC of this book. I just this very second finished it and I am still shaking! I hadn’t intended to read all afternoon, but I could not put this book down. It is a thriller told in two parts! I am glad it is early evening right now so I will be able to hopefully sleep tonight! Great read and page turner. I just love this writing duo!

"Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate" ~ Sarah Jessica Parker

Lila Bennett is not a bad person, she's just a person who has made a lot of bad choices.  Lila is a smart, confident, highly sought after criminal defense lawyer.  A rising star, she knows what to do to get the job done even if it means hurting others.  This reputation has made her a lot of enemies.  When Lila gets her latest client acquitted from murdering his wife, it does not feel like a victory.  Defending the rich and ruthless has taken a toll on her conscience.  Feeling the need to be better after wronging so many people, Lila makes a life altering decision that splits her life in two.
The chapters begin alternating between captured and free.  In captured, Lila has been kidnapped by Q, a man who seems to know everything about her.  He begins to force her to right all her wrongs.  Soon discovering that Q is not working alone, Lila is left alone for hours at a time in a cell block trying to survive and figure out who Q's boss is.  Is it someone she has wronged in her past?  Will she live through this or die trying?  One thing is for certain, life as Lila Bennett knew is over.
In free, Lila feels like she is being followed, but is she just paranoid?  An unknown stranger is also leaking her secrets one by one forcing Lila to come face to face with the choices she has made.  With everything out in the open, Lila begins to right her wrongs.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!  It reminded me of the choose your own adventure books I read as a kid, but way more suspenseful and full of twists and turns!  I've read other reviews comparing this story line to the movie Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow, so I may need to check it out!  If you have seen it, and enjoyed it , you're in for a treat with this fast paced read! This is my first book by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, and it will not be my last!

Book Rating: 4/5

What I loved most about this book was the different perspectives of the two Lila Bennetts. It was refreshing to see if this had happened instead of that, would we still get to the same outcome, eventually? There was so much to love about this book. Which perspective really happened? Can Lila stop lying and straighten out her life? You got to see how some people know you better than you know yourself. Can you really trust your friends, husband, co-workers, ex-clients, etc.? Who would want to hurt you and make you pain for your sins?

It seems that Lila is a very easy character to dislike. She has made some bad choices in her life and her job helps make her seem heartless. After all criminal lawyers are setting murderers free, right? I enjoyed seeing Lila start to battle the "bad" voice in her head and try to make a change. I loved the mystery and the ending.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. Thank you to both for allowing me to read this fantastic book!!

This is my first book by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinbeck’s,a d I really enjoyed their collaborative writing style. The Two Lila Bennetts reminds some readers of Sliding Doors; I got vibes of Dark Matter. Either way, this book takes readers into the psychological thriller world with a twist.

Lila Bennett is no humanitarian. She’s convinced herself that defending wealthy (and potentially guilty) clients is all part of her job, but she leaves scorched earth in her wake. After an abduction, Lila shares her story from parallel tracks: trapped Lila and free Lila. These alternating viewpoints leave readers wondering 1) will she survive and 2) will it matter to the quality of her life if she does?

Many thanks to the authors, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

#NetGalley #TheTwoLilaBennetts

Lila Bennett is an ambitious, successful criminal defense attorney, who will stop at nothing to win. She just won a high profile case for her client, which calls for celebration, but for once, Lila's victory seems bittersweet. After work, Lila is presented with two options: 1) head home to her husband, who appears to finally be working his way out of his depression; or 2) head out and celebrate with her mentor, who toes the line professionally. The Two Lila Bennetts shows Lila's life depending on what choice she makes.

In one life, she’s taken hostage by someone who appears to be a stranger but knows too much. As she’s trapped in a concrete cell, her kidnapper forces her to face what she’s done or be killed. In an alternate life, she eludes her captor but is hunted by someone who is dismantling her happiness, exposing one secret at a time.

Liz and Lisa absolutely nail this one! Told in alternating perspective between the hostage Lila and the free Lila, The Two Lila Bennetts examine how far a person is willing to go to get what they want -- and at what cost. The narrators (albeit the "same" person) had different perspectives on similar situations, which made it all the more enjoyable to read. I simply could not put this book down!

Wow what did I just read !! This was a stunning book and different from anything I have read before, a totally unique plot that has your head spinning and so damn clever as the chapters alternate between two different scenarios in the lives of Lila, in one captured and the other free and it’s just brilliant the way it’s done. It’s told in parallel time with plenty of background into what just what makes Lila what she is and how her decisions have shaped her life until it split into two and this is what makes the book so different. It’s a brilliant, addictive and wonderful read and I still cant stop thinking about it and just how much I loved it, a massive thank you to Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke for giving me so much pleasure in reading the book.
Highly recommended and as many stars as I can give for this not to be missed book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Defense Attorney, Lila Bennett, makes very poor choices.

She sometimes believes she’s a good person...she felt guilty about winning her last case, right? But, deep down, she knows she can (and should!) do better. However, the day she chooses to embrace her conscience, the world starts crumbling down around her. Switching between two narratives, a la ‘Sliding Doors,’ we find ourselves watching Lila’s mistakes destroy every single aspect of her life.

Once I started this book, I could not put it down – I finished within 24 hours. Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke are masters at instantly pulling their readers in, keeping them hooked with twisting storylines & strong characters, and, in the end, bringing it full circle while our mouths are left hanging open.

I am a sucker for mind-bending books with unusual timelines...and this one did not disappoint! You will absolutely want it with you at your window seat destined for vacation or tucked in your beach bag along side your sunscreen and wine.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this digital copy to read and review!

My first book by these authors, and I loved it!

It was like one of those choose your own adventure books when you were in school! The story line alternated between 2 options of how the story could end up. It was very interesting!

This was such an intriguing concept, and I loved that it seemed like the free Lila had some feeling about what was going on in the alternate timeline. Lila Bennett is a crappy person, and when she’s kidnapped (in one timeline) and attacked in another by someone intent on exposing all her bad choices (in the other) she has a pretty big list of who might hate her enough to do this. She starts to question her own choices up until now, and wonders if she can change.

I had already figured it out, but I was pretty far in, and I thought the reveal was well-done. Especially with so many people who all seemed to have their own reasons to hate her.

The Two Lila Bennetts by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke is another compelling and successful collaboration from this dynamic writing duo. Fast-paced, full of twists, and working from a unique premise, this is one that will make you think long after the final page has been turned.

Lila Bennett is a criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles and has made many questionable decisions in both her personal and professional lives. The novel is based on a 'sliding doors' premise, and the reader is witness to how a single decision by Lila ultimately leads her down two separate, and very dark, paths. Presented in dual timelines, and alternating between 'free' and 'captured' scenarios, we see Lila begin to reevaluate some of her poor choices, and recognize the need for a reset of her moral compass. Although Lila has made many unsavoury decisions, I found that I did not dislike her, which kept me fully and emotionally invested in her story. Each path that Lila is on ultimately leads to a very different, and surprising, outcome.

This was an interesting read that kept me engaged throughout, and also led me to reflect on the importance of seemingly minor decisions, and the impact they can have on the larger picture. Any novel that stirs this type of introspection is a winner for me. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.