⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

The Women by S.E. Lynes is not your typical psychological thriller. Lynes reaches into some deep social issues, and leaves you gasping.

What it's about: Samantha Frayn is just 21 when she falls for the almost forty-year-old Peter Bridges. He is older, wiser, incredibly charming, and he has a beautiful home on a hill. It's quite the whirlwind when Samantha moves in with him just days after starting a relationship. She is so in love and quite taken with his charm and sophistication, but as she spends more and more time living with him, his anger and control issues make her start to doubt her choice. Then when she starts receiving anonymous notes in the writing class she is teaching; she doesn't know what to believe anymore. Is Peter really everything she thinks he is, or is she possibly in danger?

Oh Samantha, she is so naive. I could already see where this book was going pretty early in advance, but Lynes still managed to surprise me more than once. She also delves into some very serious social issues in this novel. The Women is not just any psychological thriller, the scariest thing about this book is that things like this do actually happen. Although Sam ended up being a bit of a doormat in the beginning, I was really proud of the way she ended in the book. She was very relatable and I remember how impressionable I was when I was that age...

The women in this book will make you mad, make you cry, and make you feel empowered. I loved the mix of characters in The Women and the way Lynes was able to throw suspicion around to multiple characters when Sam starts receiving the anonymous notes. There is also some very strong foreshadowing, a lot more than I usually see in books, which is something I really enjoyed.

Song/s the book brought to mind: A mix of Good Girl (was yelling this at Sam in the book), Two Black Cadillacs, and Undo It - all by Carrie Underwood.

Final Thought: I also want to say that it was really hard for me to rate this book. I knew I wasn't going to give it under a 4, but I also wasn't sure if I was blown away enough to do a 5. I am still brooding on this one a bit so I may eventually end up at a 4.5. I feel like The Women would be considered a mix of psychological thriller and women's fiction, and maybe not just a straight up psychological thriller. I also got a strong domestic thriller vibe. You can tell the author is incredibly intuitive and smart the way she writes about women and the issues we face with men in this novel. I definitely look forward to reading a lot more from her!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I love Susie Lynes’ writing – she uses the English language beautifully and absolutely nails dialogue. I am a big fan. The Women was totally different from anything she’s written before – she is the complete antithesis to the formulaic writers we see so often! As she so eloquently puts it, “I was trying to tackle an important topic through story and the particular confines of the psychological thriller.” She certainly succeeded. In this book, Lines tackles the issue of men abusing their power, treating women like objects and using them for their own gain – highly topical in this era of Me Too. I don’t want to say much more about the story for fear of spoilers except that she manages to slowly and subtly build up a sense of deep unease. Immensely readable and recommended.

The Women is another superb book by SE Lynes.
Sam has admired Peter from afar. She is a university student in her final year, he is a lecturer. He takes her for a drink. He is kind loving and attentive, so different from men her own age. His attention couldn’t be wrong, couldn’t be controlling could it? The book is so well written, as one would expect from SE Lynes, it is, as usual, very compelling from start to finish,
I cannot say any more, other than you will enjoy it!
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha meets Peter at a student drinks do…he’s the archetypal older man….suave, handsome and educated (he’s a Professor)..she is flattered by the attention and quickly falls in love….. Peter soon asks her to move in to his beautiful elegant home in Richmond…..she is 99% certain this is what she wants….the 1% niggle she puts to one side.

Peter treats her like a princess at first, but he slowly tells her how to dress, how to speak and set the routines….a glass of red wine before dinner!

Sam finds herself pregnant and is worried what Peter will say…he’s delighted and she relaxes, but soon after the birth of Emily, he finds her a part time job….teaching and he does her lesson plans for her….he just wants to help…doesn’t he?

Sam is teaching a creative writing class, but starts to receive slightly menacing notes ….is Peter cheating on her? Or is this just malicious?

Peter regularly asks Sam to marry him and one day she says yes….she takes control and plans it all as a surprise, including a honeymoon to Rome..have the tables turned?

Well, without giving anything away….this is a tense tale which shows the effect of domestic abuse…while not violent, the slow manipulation and controlling behaviour takes its toll….sometimes you can only push someone around for so long before they decide enough is enough…

There’s threatening notes, a child kidnap, drug abuse and friendship with wonderfully believable characters in this gripping domestic thriller…..you will detest Peter and feel every emotion in this riveting page turner….an absolute credit to S E Lynes creative writing…I can thoroughly recommend it….

Thank you to Bookouture, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I had continually heard fantastic things about this book and so I just HAD to pick it up and read it for myself. Surprisingly, I didn't know what this book was about until I started reading it and that certainly helped to keep me turning pages. This is one of those books that hooks you from the word go and then grips you until the final pages. A well crafted, suspenseful story that I urge you to read.

Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of S.E. Lynes’ delicious slice of domestic noir, ‘The Women’, in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty-one year old Samantha is attending a drinks party at her university when she is approached by Professor Peter Bridges. He is older and extremely charming and sophisticated. Sam can hardly believe that he has chosen her. In no time at all he has invited her to move into his beautiful house. She can hardly believe it though her mother and best friend are cautious about the suddenness of it. Sam though is in love and brushes off their concerns.

Still it isn’t long until Peter is exerting his influence to change her in small ways. It’s gradual and she is is quick to rationalise his behaviour. After giving birth to their child, Peter encourages her to teach a class in creative writing. When the first assignment is turned in Sam finds an extra sheet with an anonymous poem that seems aimed at her relationship with Peter. That’s my teaser taste.. no more details as this is the kind of book best read ‘cold’.

I found this novel just terrific. Lynes clearly knows how to build tension, taking her time to establish her characters and allowing the story to unfold at its own pace.

It was quite easy to identify with Samantha and I expect that I won’t be alone in finding a resonance in elements of Sam’s story with personal relationship history. It is quite a cautionary tale about how subtle manipulative behaviour can be.

So yes this was ace and had me totally hooked. It also made me want to read more of her work as well as to be on the lookout for future projects.

In side note I had a slight optical illusion with the cover art, seeing it when I glanced at it as a female form a la Man Ray’s ‘Ingres’s Violin’..

Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates psychological thrillers/domestic noir as well being as a good introduction for readers interested in experiencing this popular sub-genre.

The Women was a captivating read once one is willing to allow an element of imaginative licence with the plots. The portrayal of the villain is so intelligently done, it feels like I have got to know him personally and I must say I had a moment of wanting him to redeem himself. The end of the story begins the book. Face value facts are never as they seem and the many pages in between are woven brilliantly. The story is finished well and that is rare in a book. After investing so much time in a book it is nice to closure at the end.

Samantha is a young woman who thinks she has it all. She's moved in with Peter .. an older man but by all accounts loves her to death. She fell quickly for him, he's charming, he likes fine wine, and his spacious home is filled with works of art.

But there's another side to Peter, as Samantha slowly but surely discovers. For one thing, he has a temper that never showed before she moved in. He wants things done when he says, and how he says. There are specific times for eating, sleeping, showering. And she's not allowed to break any of his rules.

When she becomes pregnant, he is delighted .. so he says.

He even goes so far as to find a job for her .. just a few hours a week, but not one she had really wanted. She's teaching a writing course at the local college.

And then she receives an anonymous note that makes her ask: is she the first woman to feel trapped by Peter? Is she being paranoid, manipulated, or could she be in danger?

Sometimes, someone needs to save you from a man you thought you loved.

This author has tackled the delicate subject of domestic violence without it being over the top graphic. Mostly the violence is in the way of words and manipulation... but violence none the less. The tension gears up as one thing after another as Samantha 'learns' what the rules are. As you might expect, Peter is greatly disliked as a character as the author brings him to life on paper. Samantha causes one to wonder .... how does a smart woman with her whole life in front of her fall into this trap.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for this excellent psychological drama. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Now Breathe! ..........................................
OMG What a fantastic psychological thriller The Women by S.E. Lynes was...................It's one of the Best books I have read so far this year.

Twenty one year old Samantha falls for a college lecture called Peter Bridges, after he picked her from all the other women on the room that night. He's charming, Intelligent, confident, very rich and very handsome. Plus, even owns his own Porsche and home.
Every woman's dream to fall for a tall, dark and very handsome mature guy. After a short time Samantha moves in with Peter. He introduces Samantha to red wine, french films, culture and a cosy life........

Dreams can come true............especially as they have a child together and they call her Emily and he has asked her to marry him.
Just Perfect!

What could go wrong?

Everything seems to be perfect! or is it?

Samantha has just started a new job from the recommendations of Peter as a creative writing lecturer. After her first class she starts to receive anonymous poems, short stories, limericks they all have a sinister undertone.

But what do they mean?

They all seem to be personal to her and Peter.

Who is writing them?

Someone is trying to warn Samantha about Peter But who?

Samantha only see's the good in people!

What a brilliant book The Women was......Omg......I was Hooked from the very first pages and I highly Recommend this author.

Big Fat 5 Stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

I’m a great Susie Lynes fan and have read all her books to date. Each one has been better than the previous one and this one continued that theme.

Samantha, a university student falls for the charms of an older handsome lecturer, Peter Bridges. She is flattered that he likes her so much when she is so inexperienced and uncultured in comparison to him. In no time at all they are living together, and Peter is introducing her to the finer things in life. But as time goes on what initially seems to be Peter’s protective nature morphs into something more sinister...

This is a dark and disturbing psychological thriller with themes of manipulation, control and lies. Anyone who reads it will be hooked from the first page until the very last.

Samantha falls for Peter. Peter is quite a bit older than Samantha, and, at first, it seems like he is an encouraging and sophisticated man. After moving in together and having a baby, Samantha realizes Peter isn’t as great as she thought.

This book opens with Samantha and Peter on their honeymoon. It then goes back to when Samantha met Peter, a professor at her university. They get serious quickly, moving in together and having a baby. On Peter’s insistence, Samantha takes a job teaching a creative writing class. She soon starts receiving anonymous notes that lead her to believe Peter isn’t the dream man she envisioned.

A story of lies, manipulation, and control. An entertaining and fast-paced psychological thriller.

I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, but didn't find it as "psychologically thrilling" as I expected. I was looking forward to a dark, twisty story but it wasn't quite as dark and I guessed the ending. I still absolutely suggest reading it, but more for the great character development that takes place over the course of the story.

Another amazing read from S.E. Lynes.
It had me gripped from the very start, no messing about with this one.
Plenty of tension in this story, it was difficult to put down.
It made me realise my Kindle is getting a bit slow at page turning - grrrrr...
Fantastic!!

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy.

The Women by S.E. Lynes, is a very clever, and very topical novel. Topical because of the central theme, one which may appear quite familiar to readers - the whole premise of the all too perfect partner who is perhaps anything but, and the blurb hints at a little of the truth that Sam is soon to discover about Peter. Clever because of the way in which it draws you in and catches you unawares. Everything is not as it appears and after the opening chapter where you start to get the inkling that there may be trouble is Sam's all too new paradise, the author takes you back in time, setting the scene and bringing readers up to speed on how things come to pass.

Now I don't want to say too much about the plot as it may well spoil the enjoyment of reading. What I will say though is that The Women is a kind of girl meets boy story. One in which love quickly blossoms but doesn't necessarily always run smoothly. Only this is actually more scarcely more than girl meets full grown man as University student, Sam, falls for College Professor, Peter. And as you can probably guess from the title, she's perhaps not the only one over the years to fall for his charms.

I'll be honest, I did find the start of the story quite slow in pace whilst the book was properly scene setting. Those awkward moments of new love where Sam's infatuation with Peter was almost gratingly naive and a little bit, well, tragic to be honest. Now I am one of the greatest cynics when it comes to romance and love at first sight, and it did seem that Sam was all too keen on Peter. As I read onward though I got to understand that there was far more to that than meets the eye, and all was not entirely as I'd been expecting. The author does a brilliant job here of keeping back snippets of information, dripping them into your subconscious and allowing them to percolate a little before giving you the rest of the ingredients to finish building that oh-my-god pie that will surely come.

When I look back at the book and what I've read, I have to take my hat off to Ms Lynes as it is very very clever. All of the things that annoyed me about the central character, Sam, are all the things that make this story quite authentic. I didn't always like her and there were times when I wanted to pick her up and shake her, to demand she stop being so naive, so blind to Peter's real character, and to take back control. But in truth, how often do we realise that this is exactly the kind of judgement thrown at all women in abusive or controlling relationships? Why doesn't she stand up to him? Why didn't she just leave? So astonishingly accurate to how these situations play out in the real world that you don't even realise that you are reading something that could actually happen. That the lines between fiction and reality are very blurred.

Now there are some real moments of tension in the book too. A sense of threat caused by someone from Peter's past which starts to undermine the relationship and to apply pressure to Sam in unforeseen ways. There are no end of suspects where this is concerned and although I had sussed the prime suspect a little earlier than I might have liked, I still enjoyed seeing my theory proved right. But the reasons behind what happened. Gah. Makes my skin crawl just thinking about it. For me, Peter was a charismatic guy, but exactly the kind of entitled, self-assured idiot that makes my hackles rise. The ones that put the 'harm' in 'charm'. He instilled that reaction from the off, showing how well the author created the character, and there was no small amount of glee on my part as the story reached its conclusion.

If you love books focusing on twisted relationships, with a strong psychological edge, ones which blur the lines between fact and fiction, extremely well in this case, and which will keep you guessing right to the end, then this is going to be your kind of book. It kind of gave me that 'First Wives Club' vibe, maybe a touch of hell-hath-no-fury too, but in a compelling and twisted way that S.E. Lynes fans will love.

But if you've come here looking for a happy ending then turn away now. No Prince Charming here, just one bit fat toad ...

“The Women” is the first book by S E Lynes that I’ve read and what a marvellous novel it was! This author has been on my radar for about twelve months now, when I added ‘The Pact’ to my e-reader but never got around to reading it.

The book tells the story of twenty-one-year-old Samantha, who is young, impressionable and lacks confidence and is wooed by middle-aged professor Peter Bridges. He is charm and sophistication personified, to Samantha anyway, and so accomplished and full of confidence.

Samantha soon moves in with Peter and starts to pick up on his controlling personality and changing moods.

But as Samantha becomes more aware of Peter’s temper, she starts to wonder if there might be consequences for breaking his rules.

“The Women” was a brilliantly written book about issues surrounding manipulation, lies and secrecy as well as the importance of friendship, support and finding the strength to speak out. It was an extremely thought-provoking book with a deep and meaningful message.

I loved S E Lynes' particular writing style that kept my undivided attention throughout. Her character creation was very impressive and I was desperate to know how the story would end. It was difficult to know who could be trusted and it was that uncertainty and Samantha’s vulnerability that really gripped me.

I will be reading more by S E Lynes and I highly recommend “The Women” for anyone who loves the psychological thriller genre.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my own request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

How can you fail to award full marks to this mind bending thriller by this superb author. Absolutely riveted from start to finish. Thanks to the publishers and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book.

This is a great read.
Samantha is a student at the same University as Peter and he’s renowned for being a ladies man. When he asks Samantha to join him for a drink, she can’t believe her luck.
When Samantha moves in with Peter so quickly alarm bells started ringing, but the true extent of what goes on isn’t revealed until later in the book.
When Samantha starts to receive poems indicating that all is not what it seems with Peter, she becomes worried.
Eventually they call the Police but have no idea who is behind this.
Samantha has started teaching a Creative writing course and suspects it’s one of her students but what she finds out from other students shocks her to the core.
This is a gripping read that has you desperately rooting for Samantha to come through this.
The great friendship she finds helps her and gives her the courage to get through it all.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the first book I've read by S.E. Lynes, and she quickly pulled me into The Women. Samantha, a university student doesn't understand why an older professor(Peter Bridges), would be interested in her. She is young, not very sophisticated, and not used to the finer things in life, but, he seems enamored and she is quickly swept up into his world. Ah, but many fairy tales fail to have a happily ever after ending, and this psychological thriller just might be one of them. Peter is not the man Samantha believes him to be, and as she finds out, one should proceed with caution when things appear too good to be true.
I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book since the book description is a cliche. Young, naive college student and older, worldly professor meet and fall in love....or do they? Luckily, I gave this one a chance, and I am glad I did. While the story at first glance might seem like something I have read before, the characters and the locations were anything but ordinary. As the story progressed, I was fully engrossed in finding out what was going on, what actions both Peter and Samantha would take, and yes, no spoilers here, but how would it all end( I figured badly, but you never know). A good introduction to this author and I look forward to more.
I received a DRC from Bookouture through NetGalley.

Wow, what a crazy ride that was!

After meeting both Samantha and Peter on their no-so-happy honeymoon, we then get flashed back in time to when they met.

Samantha is a normal student, she likes to go out drinking and having fun with her friends.

When the handsome lecturer Peter sidles up behind her and starts to show her some attention, she is of course flattered, he is after all, the sexy man that all of the girls have their eyes on.

He is a very well-knowledged man, and although he didn’t actually call her stupid, she feels it, and he definitely didn’t imply it…did he?

The attraction between them is palpable, and a very quick relationship is formed, so much so, that Samantha is moving in with Peter within a week of meeting him!

She soon learns that living together is very difficult, I mean she’s never lived with anyone before, so it is only right that he tells her when she is doing something wrong, like eating at the wrong times, or taking too long in the shower.

Only someone that really loves you would make sure that you are reading the correct literary fiction instead of that “propagandist tosh” in her women’s magazines.

He is a very clever man, and appreciates things like a glass of red wine every night (that he has chosen), with the dinner (that he has cooked), and after the meal they have (he has) a strict 10 o’clock bed time (after sex of course) routine.

And she really is happy…….right?

After starting her new job as a Creative writing teacher (that Peter kindly got for her), she starts to receive poems that make her very uncomfortable, are they from one of her students? they could be I suppose, but then, that would mean that the person writing them knows about her life, how can someone else know what is going through her own head?

I was totally gripped by this book, I could clearly see the red flags, they were there for all to see, except Samantha didn’t, and unfortunately (myself included) unless you have been in this situation, the flags do not show until you are at rock bottom.

A fantastic read, grab it ASAP!!

Peter is a professor who takes a shine to Samantha. Peter teaches her about wine, and and culture. Samantha eventually move in with Peter - and things slowly start to change. Peter is controlling, has a temper, etc. Then...the letters start, warning her to run, to get away from Peter.

This....is part Bluebeard, part 50 Shades of Gray, part...something else. S.E. Lynes is a fabulous writer and the twist on this one had me screaming. I loved it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.