A tense read, it's almost a relief to finish the book so that you can breathe again. Thoroughly believable characters that are recognisable with all of the quirks of human nature. A worthy take on reparation and redemption in unexpected ways.

Loved this book, I’ve stayed up far too late as I had to get to the end and find out what happened. Amy Whey is a happily married mother and wife living in small town Florida. Everything in her life is happy and easy until a mysterious woman arrives uninvited, ready to bring back Amy’s hidden mistakes. There are quite a few twists that I hadn’t expected and an extremely tense ending. Great book, thank you!

So I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. It was very slow starting and I did debate putting it down and not finishing it.
I found myself unable to relate to the characters and instantly disliking most of them. There was a Mean Girls vibe throughout a lot of the book, showing that sometimes the mean girl really doesn't grow up.
However, I gave it a chance and continued reading. The story picks up around the halfway point and a story unravels that at times is quite thrilling. I spent a lot of my reading time thinking I knew where the story was going but I ended up being surprised. There were quite a few twists and a lot of mystery throughout.
I enjoyed the backstories and the connections between some of the characters.
I would like to note a trigger warning here for some readers. While the scenes were mostly hinted at and didn't last too long, there are mentions of child sexual abuse and eating disorders which could be upsetting for readers.
Overall, not a bad read but one that I don't think I would ever go back to.

Thank you @NetGalley for my copy.

Decent twists and turns but a far fetched and unbelievable ending. The constant diving references and the references to Amy being an overweight child and therefore not deserving of "love" began to grate on me very early on in the book.
No answer as to why or how Roux targeted Amy or any real back story to Roux's character.
The fact that there was so many unanswered questions throughout the book kept me reading, but this just caused more disappointment when I did finish.
This book had so much potential to be great! Sadly, for me, it fell a bit short.

This is a book about what feels like a standard suburban group of women and turns a lot more interesting. We meet the main characters quickly and understand Roux is a character to watch, that there is more than meets the eye. It's a very intriguing book that leads you nicely through the story with good progression. The main character is likeable and I wanted her to get through what was happening to her. Although as I felt like I was on her side I did feel tense witnessing what was happening to her! The author lets you think you've got the bottom of the mystery and the secrets, but then things start to niggle away and you question if there is more to it. I then realised there was a whole new layer of secrecy and felt intrigued all over again. Very good book, well written.

Totally intriguing & different. A great psychological suspense story which I thoroughly enjoyed. A superb concept that had me totally gripped. I found myself holding my breath on occasions in anticipation of what would come next. Highly recommended.

This was a bit of a slow burner for me although it did pick up midway through.

I’m glad I stayed with it to the end as there were a few twists to keep the reader on their toes.

This was more of a psychological tale whereas my preference seems to be toward more dark stories.

Thanks for the opportunity to read & review. 3.5 stars

I must admit I found it hard to get into this book at first but as the story progressed it turned into an enjoyable read.

Amy Whey is proud of her ordinary life and the simple pleasures that come with it, but Amy has a secret past and that's exactly were she wants it to stay.

However Amy’s sweet, uncomplicated life begins to unravel when the mysterious Roux arrives in her neighbourhood.

What lengths will Amy go to in order to protect herself and those that she loves from her secret.

It all starts with a book club, sounds cosy and safe Yes? Far from it. This a game of cat and mouse, hidden adgenda and a domestic/ psychological thriller that shocked. In places a little disjointed but what the hell I was hooked and enjoying the ride. So many twists and turns. Thought I knew what was happening them WHAM got it wrong yet again. This is definitely my type of book, read it in one sitting and spent most of this read sat on the edge of my seat and in places becoming quite verbal. Yes I was literally shouting at this book. A real rollercoaster of a read. The story of a simple word game that gets way out of hand. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

‘never have I ever’
battled to not give up in a first chapter so much for a long long time
The book starts at a book club and am not joking the names of the neighbours in attendance was almost enough to halt proceedings....Panda Grier, Amy Whey, Char, Tate Bonasco, Sheridan, Liddy Sleigh...you get the picture...then Roux turns up, shes new and immediately takes over and makes them do a game of ‘what animal are you’ before a version of never have I ever starts
Very clumsy and disjointed beginning , I disliked them all and the language is very VERY hard to ‘get in the flow with’
I did however carry on and it did at times improve, there are elements of suspense and intrigue and a shocking ( really quite shocking ) twist at the end but the writing style was not for me, repetitive at times and honestly this was a book to get through asap and onto the next
I think the title promises way way too much!
3/10 2( just) Stars

this book starts with a bang and doesn't let me go. A great book that had me hooked. It has so many unexpected twists and none of it I really saw coming.

Not good, not bad, just meh.

This is the story of Amy Whey, suburban housewife, dive instructor, step monster to Maddie, mother to Oliver and wife of Davis. She has it all - the perfect family, the nice house, the job that she loves and an enormous secret that she has been keeping for decades. One night a new face appears at her friend Char's book club, a new face that derails the book club meeting into a game of 'never have I ever...', a new face that wants to reveal everyone's secret safe in the knowledge that Amy has the secret to end all secrets, a new face with a few secrets of her own.

Cue a blackmail plot with only the sketchiest of timelines (we are supposed to believe that the blackmailer discovered Amy's secret one night a month ago and in that time frame hunted her and her lawyer down, slept with the lawyer to get access to his paperwork, discovered the trust fund and rocked up at the, conveniently, available to rent house in the same street as Amy). Flash backs help us to discover what Amy is hiding and why she is hiding it - again slightly ludicrous as she repeatedly states that she hates lies and lying and yet that is what she does time and again in the book. Some elements are a little too neatly put together for my liking and make me lose that sense of possibility - eg, Amy has such hatred and fear of her secret past that she spends years moving around the country to try and get over what she did yet she ends up living about 20 minutes away from the scene.

I have to admit, I did not see the end coming really until a good 90% of the way through the book. It's obvious that something isn't right, but again I felt that it was a plot device that was kind of shoe horned in at the end to make us hate the blackmailer after a little sympathy had been built for them. The relationship between Amy and her step daughter Maddie is beautifully described and is very believable.

I didn't care much for the writing style either - lots of description, which is great but there were so many metaphors and similes on similes that it was frustrating. The flash backs lasted far too long and I felt that they took me away from the main story for such great lengths that I was losing track of the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the pubishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It is quite rare for a domestic thriller like this to have some real shock factors, so props to that!

Amy lives in a quiet neighbourhood with her family, settled into suburban life. Until a new woman, Roux moves into the Air B & B on the street and starts stirring trouble for Amy with a game of adult never have I ever......

I think it's very hard to find a thriller that really gives you that shock factor with the plot twists, and Joshilyn definitely does that several times throughout. Just when you thought you knew what was happening, BAM, you're wrong. I know the review is only three stars, which is still good! Enjoyed the book and would check out more the authors writing in the future.

When a new neighbour arrives at Amy's book club with a hidden agenda, it isn't long before secrets are revealed and a dangerous game of cat and mouse begins.
I have mixed feelings about this book. It started off slow and I found the character of Roux a bit unbelievable. However as Amy's past started to come to light I found myself becoming hooked and I ended up racing through the last half. There were a lot of twists and that helped keep me gripped until the end. Overall I found parts of it a bit far fetched, but it was still an enjoyable read. It also reminded me a bit of the tv show Desperate Housewives, and I loved that show!

Thankyou to netgalley and bloomsbury for my arc in exchange for my honest review

Amy, a scuba diving instructor, is seemingly leading a quiet suburban life with her husband, stepdaughter and baby son. A new neighbour, Roux, turns up to their local bookclub and disrupts the evening by leading the women into a drunken game similar to Never Have I Ever. It turns out that Amy has a dark secret in her past and Roux knows that secret. Roux threatens to reveal that secret unless Amy pays her off. A game of cat and mouse ensues in which both women try to outmanoeuvre the other.

I have never read anything by Joshilyn Jackson so had no idea what to expect, and it started a little slowly for me, but it picked up and I did find myself being drawn further and further in, and in the end I was hooked. Yes some of it was a little far-fetched, but the two protagonists were well-drawn characters, and the twists and turns kept coming before it reached a conclusion I certainly didn't see coming. The way diving and the ocean was woven into the plot was also very well done.

All in all, a very entertaining summer read if you are looking for a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing. Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advance copy.

I found it really interesting that reviews of this book ranged from those who didn't like it for various reasons and those who really loved it. I did wonder if we were talking about a completely different novel. Thankfully I belong in the latter group and thought it was truly brilliant. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, you are drawn in almost at the first page with Roux arriving at the book club evening where she systematically takes over and manipulates each and every participant. The characters of Amy, Roux, Maddy, Tig and Luc were terrific, I could see them all in my mind's eye, particularly Roux. It's such an amazing story and one that I I had to force myself to stop reading. Very original and intriguing, I loved every page of it and will look out for more by this fabulous author. I'm still not sure why some people just didn't like it, for me it was one of the best books I've ready this year.

We all know the game, a game that sets to expose your deep dark secrets. When I came across with this title I just had to read it... and it certainly lived up to my expectations. I initially read a first chapter sampler for this book before having my wish granted by the publisher for the full book. I devoured this book, once I started reading it I did not want to stop - so be prepared! There has been a lot of talk of this book between book lovers around the world and I have to say that it lives up to the hype.

Amy's seemingly perfect life is threatened when Roux arrives on this quiet street. She invited sherself to the local bookclub and takes over on her first night. Alcohol flowing she initiates a game of Never Have I Ever and the secrets of the ladies start to spill. Amy soon realises that Roux knows all about her own past and wants something from her... and if she does not deliver her world will crumble around her. A cat and mouse game insues as Amy fights to save herself and her family. A story of blackmail, secrets, family and betrayal with an ending you really will not pick. I absolutely enjoyed this fantastic book.

Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

I’m a 50/50 split on Never Have I Ever. It’s had some great reviews and the premise sounds fantastic but for me I found the first half of the book lacking pace. The momentum certainly picked up in the second half when it was mainly concentrating on Amy and Roux and I was gripped to the end but I wished it had been like that the whole way through.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Raven Books and the author for the chance to review.

This is the first book that I have read by Joshilyn Jackson and I really enjoyed it. The characters were fascinating and the Cat and Mouse chase between Amy and Roux kept me hooked all the way through. Amy’s secret was shocking, but l loved that she was not willing to play the role of victim without fighting back. There were some real dilemmas for the reader along the way, as it wasn’t always a straight fight between good and evil but more a case of the lesser of two evils at times.
A gripping read that I’ll definitely recommend - pack this on your holiday flight and your journey will fly past!

A really well planned out, wonderfully written novel. Gripping plot with twists and suspense throughout, all within a suburban setting which is the perfect setting for intrigue and secrecy in my opinion.
Some parts are laugh out loud funny, partly because the characters are so true to middle class suburban stereotypes!