Cover Image: The Ex-Girlfriend

The Ex-Girlfriend

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

The Ex-Girlfriend is a thriller that after the first few chapters I knew exactly where this was going but somehow even though I guessed the storyline I still enjoyed it, this is probably down to the characters and the other things happening as well.
Georgia has hopefully met a really nice bloke, Luke, but from the start we all know he’s not going to be all that he’s cracked up to be. The first date goes well even though he tells Georgia because of lack of money he is still living with his ex-girlfriend, Cadence, but this isn’t an issue as they aren’t together and as soon as the lease is up they’ll be getting their own separate living accommodations.....yes, whatever I thought!!
Cadence learns of Georgia and things start to happen and not for the better!!
This was a good read and I liked the ending.... girl power and all of that!
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK, Michael Joseph for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I have read a couple of Nicola's books now and I really enjoyed reading them. I read the synopsis for 'The Ex-Girlfriend' and it certainly sounded like a book that would keep me guessing and it would keep messing with my head somewhat. Well it ticked both boxes and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Ex-Girlfriend' but more about that in a bit.
I was drawn to this book from the synopsis alone, which certainly sounded like my kind of read. As soon as I began to read I just knew that reading 'The Ex-Girlfriend' would prove to be addictive. That has to be the understatement of the year. I just couldn't get enough of this book. I could not bear to be parted from the book for even just a nanosecond. It was as if the book had developed a hold over me and it was a hold that I just didn't want to break. When I began to read the synopsis, I had a sneaky feeling that the story wasn't going to be as straightforward as the synopsis suggests and I was spot on. That's all the hints I am going to give as I would hate to spoil the book for anybody. I guess I suspect everybody and believe nobody. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen and I had to keep reading to see if my suspicions were going to be proved to be correct. I binge read the book over the course of a single day which is actually brilliant going for me. I usually have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not in this case. I was able to focus solely on this book and I was able to shut out all other distractions.
'The Ex-Girlfriend' is well written but then I have found that to be the case with Nicola's other books too. She certainly knows how to grab your attention and once she has your attention she will not release it until the moment you close the back cover as it were. Nicola uses such vivid and realistic descriptions that I did feel as though I was part of the story myself. I found Nicola's writing to be so realistic that I was beginning to interact with the book. Yes I know this book is a work of fiction but I find that if I enjoy a book to the extent that I enjoyed this one, then I 'live' the story as if it were real and that means that I 'talk' to the characters as if they can hear me. I get some pretty strange looks because it looks as though I am talking to myself.
Reading 'The Ex-Girlfriend' was like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride of a read with several twists and turns. Some of the twists and turns will surprise you and some of them you will be able to guess. There were times when I almost had to read through my fingers as I feared what was about to happen or what was waiting for me over the page.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Ex-Girlfriend' and I would definitely recommend this book and this author to other readers. The author has written a gripping tale that will keep you guessing and keep you on the edge of my seat. I look forward to watching more of Nicola's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Was this review helpful?

So Georgia has met the one. Luke seems perfect, the only problem is his ex-girlfriend Cadence. The book is divided into mostly Georgia's perspective and then Cadence's as it is revealed that all is not what it seems. Is Luke really perfect after all.

A highly enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

The story started so well but I sometimes I felt it dragged in bits. Good story overall. I liked the characters though at times they were a little more twisted than usual!

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely loved this book, I was on the edge of my seat throughout, totally gripping, couldn't put it down!

Was this review helpful?

This author has done it again. Nicola Moriarty has produced an exciting book with a thrilling plot. This is definitely a book to languish over but at the same time, needing to get to the end.

Set in Sydney, Australia, the story opens with nurse Georgia going on a blind date with a meeting up via Tinder. Brett sounds a nice guy and she is looking forward to it. Nearly an hour after arriving at their rendezvous, she is ready to leave the bar and give up. Next thing she is being rescued from two loud men, by a stranger. Luke changes her life.

He is the dream boyfriend, good looking, attentive, kind and obviously besotted by Georgia. He has recently broken up with hid girlfriend Cadence, who is not coping well with the breakup. He is not able to leave their shared flat because their lease is not due and neither can manage the rent on their own.

With Luke in her life, Georgia's life is never the same. Cadence follows her, leaves her notes on her car, sends her texts and then the stalking goes up a notch. She even gets a couple of unpleasant texts from her Tinder date, Brett demanding she gives him a chance. Why are people so unkind – even ones she has not even met.

As her life spirals out of control, Cadence comes onto the scene after Georgia goes to see her. This culminates in a dangerous and difficult situation.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and it has earned a well-deserved 5*****.

I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.

Was this review helpful?

This is a gripping and complex storyline with lots of twists. I did guess part of it but that didn't stop me enjoying this excellent book. Highly recommended

Was this review helpful?

What a totally engrossing book I was engrossed from start to finish had to read in one sitting definitely worth a five star rating.

Was this review helpful?

I received an ARC of this book via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

I like the way Moriarty writes there is pace and a tenseness to her books. In this book though it is all too easy to spot the person with the devious character. It was quite early in the book that i latched onto this and I am not normally quick to the draw. There were times when i wanted to shake the other characters and say can't you see. However far from spoiling the enjoyment of the book, the narrative built to make the reasons and the timeline of greater importance. There were a lot of moment where i was holding my breath thinking OMG that can't be happening and there were things i hadn't worked out until right at the end.

I don't think it was as good as Big Little Lies but very close and will be well received by all Moriarty fans

Was this review helpful?

4.5 stars

Nicola Moriarty is fast becoming one of my favourite authors, I’ve read all her books and think she just gets better and better. The Ex-Girlfriend is a fantastic, twisty read which deals with some serious themes. It’s going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.

The reader is told from the start about Luke’s interesting Ex-Girlfriend but things don’t really become interesting until Georgia and Luke move in together and strange things start to happen. The tension in the book slowly increases until the book becomes incredibly gripping. I did guess some of the twists but this didn’t decrease my enjoyment as I was really enjoying the story and getting to know the characters more.

There are some fabulous characters in this book which I thought were developed well. I didn’t initially like Georgia as I thought she came across as a bit desperate and ditzy. However as I got to know her better I realised she was actually quite a strong woman who doesn’t let small things get to her. Her hippy, unconventional parents were some of the best characters in the book and I loved the scenes with them. They brought some humour into the story and had me laughing out loud at times.

The ending was brilliant and took me completely by surprise which I always love. The pace really ramps up and it changes to quite a sinister story which ensured I couldn’t put it down.

Huge thanks to Sriya from Michael St Joseph’s for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you like satisfying thrillers you can relax into then you’ll love this book!

Was this review helpful?

Who to trust? Georgia meets new boyfriend Luke in a pub when a Tinder date fails to turn up. He is the perfect boyfriend apart from a vengeful ex-girlfriend, Cadence. Georgia soon finds herself being stalked and other things happening which anger and scare her. What is going on? Should she confront Cadence? Although I worked out what was happening at an early stage, the writing still had me terrified and with no idea why, or what the links were. The chain of events was quite breathtaking. Another spectacular piece of writing set in Australia. It often takes me a while to work out where a book is set, but this was clearly Australia from the beginning. Recommended, #netgalley #theexgirlfriend

Was this review helpful?

Three Is Definitely A Crowd.....
Psychological suspense, compelling and more than a little addictive. Three is definitely a crowd - Georgia, Luke and Cadence - the ex-girlfriend. Georgia thinks that she has it all, settled happily with Luke - apart from a very large fly in the ointment - Cadence -the ex-girlfriend - who, it seems, just cannot accept that she and Luke are no more. Things are about to get more than a little uncomfortable. Secrets, lies, a little revenge and surprises along the way- come along for the ride, you won't be disappointed.

Was this review helpful?

I love Nicola’s books and was beyond ecstatic to get the opportunity to read this one. Happy to report that it ended up being another fab read that has now cemented Nicola’s place in my list of favourite authors!

Luke seems like the perfect guy. He definitely shows up just when Georgia needs him and ends up shaking up her world. However, Luke comes with baggage in terms of his ex-girlfriend. Who exactly is Cadence and what does she want from Georgia? This book had my head spinning as I tried to guess the twists.

This was an entertaining read that had me at the edge of my seat from the first to the last page. I really liked Georgia and found her to be quite relatable. I could identify with some of her crazy decisions in her quest to find love. As the tension in the story grew, I found myself getting really worried about her. I can’t talk about the other characters without giving away too many details but let me just say that they were all very well crafted. Some had me scratching my head; others had me so frustrated that I might have shouted at them through the pages while others just got me pissed off. I loved how well Nicola brought out each personality.

I enjoyed all the twists in this story. There are some that I might have seen coming but either way, I still liked how well they were delivered. Other turns towards the end caught me by surprise.

I also love how well Nicola managed to tackle a number of sensitive themes such as emotional and physical abuse, depression and anxiety. She presented the themes in a manner that seemed realistic and also didn’t use them to take away the focus from the main story-line. I found this to be quite relatable since most abusive relationships appear normal from the outside and sometimes, emotional abuse isn’t easy to identify especially when one is still in the relationship.

With jaw-dropping twists, an array of memorable characters and a compelling story-line, I think readers of this genre will definitely enjoy The Ex-Girlfriend by Nicola Moriarty

Was this review helpful?

The Ex-Girlfriend is a tense and gripping psychological thriller written by the younger sister of Liane Moriarty and it's fair to say that writing riveting reads runs in the family. This story reminds us that some people can become so utterly obsessed with another that the jealousy ends up ruling their life and everything they do is driven by the idea of being with the person whether for the first time or once again as here with Cadence and Luke; the phrase "if I can't have you then no one can" is certainly relevant in The Ex-Girlfriend. I find that I often lose interest in domestic thrillers due to the similarities they inevitably have to each other but this was superbly plotted, well written and chock full of an uneasy suspense.

It's taut, twisty and fast-paced, with a cast of beautifully developed characters who are realistic and believable. I did predict one of the twists before it arrived but I couldn't have foreseen the brutal fallout and consequences. It's a dark and disturbing tale narrated in the first half by Georgia and the second half by Cadence; I really enjoyed this as it was intriguing to see things from opposite perspectives. The second half is definitely where my interest deepened. It is far from being an original thriller and I know those who read this genre frequently will likely guess the direction it's heading quite early on. However, it was an entertaining and easy way to pass the time. Many thanks to Michael Joseph for an ARC.

Was this review helpful?

I have to admit I absolutely loved this book, it had just the right amount of suspense to keep you turning the pages !!

Georgia has a job that she loves, great friends and everything seems to be going well except her love life. All of that changes when she goes on a tinder date but Brett, her date, doesn’t show up but this leads to her meeting Luke. Georgia is hooked straight away, he seems to be the perfect boyfriend that is until he reveals he has an ex-girlfriend, Cadence, that he still lives with and isn’t taking the break up too well. Their relationship goes from strength to strength but then Georgia suddenly starts receiving spiteful messages and she feels that someone is watching her. Suddenly everything starts to fall apart in Georgia’s life, is it all down to Cadence ?

This is a great book that I really hated having to put down and get on with real life !! I loved Georgia and was really hoping that everything would work out for her. A real tense twisty psychological thriller that will have you hooked. Can’t wait to read more for this author !!

Thank you to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

Good, strong psychological thriller, if a little obvious. Great characters though, I especially liked the ‘hippy’ parents.

Was this review helpful?

4.5 stars

Georgia is using Tinder to find disappointing love matches online. When she gets stood up, she meets Luke. They hit it off and start dating.
Georgia can't believe her luck. Until things in her life start going very wrong. She gets starts getting poison pen notes and emails she turns to Luke for comfort and protection.

I could see the twist coming but the extent of the damage was completely unpredictable!

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Thank you so much the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

This is the second book I have read from Nicola Moriarty. When I heard she was releasing The Ex-Girlfriend I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy.

I was drawn into this book from the first paragraph. The lift door was about to close when a hand thrust it open again. Georgina stepped back, don't let it be Cadence!!

Georgina had been talking to Brett on Tinder for weeks when he finally asked her on a date. However Brett stood her up. She was about to go home when she met Luke. Luke was charming but admitted he was still living with his e-girlfriend Cadence. Cadence was finding it hard to accept they had broken up and hoped they would get back together.

After a couple of dates, Georgina found an abusive note on her car windscreen. Luke promised he would talk to Cadence and tell her to stop. When Georgina asked Luke to move in with her, Cadence`s stalking escalated from notes to worse.

The first part of the story is from the POV of Georgia and the second half Cadence. Although I guessed the twist early on that was only part of this dark and twisty plot.

Although I liked Georgina my favourite character was Cadence.,you.will have to read the book to find out why. I also liked Georgina`s favourite `frequent` patient Jerry who was adorable.

I highly recommend this dark, twisty book.

Was this review helpful?

This was slow in parts and quite a predictable storyline which was easy to guess at about halfway through. It was well written and some good characters. I would definitely read another novel from this author but my overall review is it is just ok not outstanding. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Was this review helpful?

An easy read with rather uninspiring characters and a rather too predictable plot. It was much better when I got into it but even so only really three stars from me.

Was this review helpful?