My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Someone Else’s Daughter’ by Jennifer Harvey in exchange for an honest review.

“I suppose, in our hearts, we all knew she was dead. But hope kept us looking for her. Hope kept us calling out her name.” - opening lines, ‘Someone Else’s Daughter’

This psychological thriller opens dramatically and then draws back to allow its narrators, Louise and Katie, to tell of the events leading up to Isa’s death and then of the aftermath, which includes some surprising revelations.

Isa is the seventeen year old daughter of Sarah and Wilhelm, who following marital problems decide to go on a second honeymoon. They ask Louise and Peter, the parents of Isa’s best friend Katie, if they can take Isa with them on holiday to Montauk, Long Island. Louise and Peter are reluctant but agree.

Yet they are unaware of the tension between the girls or that they are partying hard, drinking and taking drugs. James, their fifteen year old son, is also involved. Katie fills us in on the reality including how nasty Isa has been to her.

I found this a quite restrained novel, a slow burn. I felt that Jennifer Harvey focused on issues linked to parenting, especially of teenagers determined to partake in risky behaviour and challenge parental boundaries. It also highlighted how oblivious some parents can be.

I thought that it was a good summer read though probably didn’t have the same impact it would if I was a parent.

"I’d say that’s something you all need to learn to live with.” Wow! Isa and Katie have been friends since childhood. Their mothers are friends. One Summer, Isa's parents send her along with Katie's family for a tip to Montauk. This trip would forever change their lives.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. When you thought you knew, you didn't. The twists and turns in this one made it a quick read for me. I really enjoyed it. I give this 4/5 ☆'s

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

A captivating story and a marvellous psychological thriller!

Jennifer Harvey has delighted me with this clever and gripping family drama. I was not prepared for the exciting experience this book unleashed on me, nor was I in the least disappointed with this superb twisty story.

The Lindeman family - Peter, Louise, their daughter Katie and son James - agree to take Sarah and Willem Egberts only daughter, the lovely Isa along with them on their annual summer holiday to their beach house in Montauk, New York. The Lindemans and Egberts have been friends for years and the children have grown up together. But as Peter spends his mornings cooking lavish breakfasts for everyone and they idle away their time languishing on the sandy beach and swimming in the sparkly sea, what are the dark secrets that they are all hiding?

Narrated by Katie and her mother Louise in alternating chapters the story progresses slowly and purposefully. It is a brilliantly involving and clever novel, that messes with the reader's perception of the narrative very early on in the story. This crafty approach has the effect that I was thrown off course, and was pulled in different directions as I tried to figure out exactly what had taken place. Extremely compulsive from the start, Jennifer Harvey writes with flair, keeping me on tenterhooks throughout. I was never sure whether or not I liked Louise or any of the characters, actually, but I think this was a most likely a deliberate ploy. There was something amiss about them and they had their own agendas, portraying themselves in a good light, whilst playing mind games.

The author’s talent made Someone Else's Daughter a wonderfully compulsive story that I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated for the entertainment it was. With themes of love, jealousy, deception and tragedy, this is a book that I'm so pleased to have read!

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

Thank you to netgalley and Bookouture for the arc of Someone else's daughter by Jennifer Harvey.

A girl named Isa was left at the neighbors on summer holidays. Louise and her husband took her in to their house by the seaside, She was her daughter Katie’s best friend and her son James whom had a crush on her. Katie knew of Isa’s troubled ways and what has happened. Things seemed as normal until Isa’s body was found washed on the beach one day. It is written from two perspectives of Katie and her mum, they both have their story and version of events of how Isa the daughters best friend tragically died with them on holiday one summer.

This was such a gripping, thriller and hooking book I read it so fast as it was such a page turner and kept me wanting more Definitely recommend

5 Stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What games we play to survive!! Human beings are funny creatures. Our minds work in so many different ways that it often leaves me flabbergasted. One such view of human nature was this book by author Jennifer Harvey. A family drama with suspense and death of a teen pulled me gently like the waves of the sea.

Isa joined or rather was dumped by her parents on the neighbors on their summer vacation. Louise and her husband took her along to their house by the sea. After all, she was her daughter Katie’s best friend and son James had a crush on her. But only Katie knew of Isa’s troubled existence. Things appeared normal until Isa’s body was found washed on the beach.

My first book by this author, the story was long winding where I got to know the past present, and secret lives of all the female characters. The fact that they all portrayed to be good while playing many mind games had me cackling with joy.

But the story was extremely slow moving with many ruminations by all the characters. Multiple POVs gave me a rounded picture of their inner psyche, while keeping the truths in the shadows. The human mind truly shies away from certain truths. If we didn’t admit it, it wasn’t real. Author Jennifer Harvey brought that out well.

I enjoyed the story purely because I had many many theories of what could have happened prior to Isa’s deaths. I was correct at one aspect, and the others gave me a start. Oooh I never saw those secrets hidden behind the others. The author was quite cunning in showing me partial truths.

A fun book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for an honest review.

This book is written from the perspective of a mother and daughter, each with their own story and version of how Isa the daughters best friend tragically died while on vacation at the beach with the family. This book is always hinting at what really happened at the last teenagers party on the beach of the Summer. There are many secrets in this book that ultimately ends in more tragedy. Some of this book is well written however it’s a bit of a slow burn with all the intertwined tangled secrets and relationships trying hard to be explained . I give the book three stars.

I praise Jennifer Harvey for the setting, the set up of the characters and the background story. It was a good base story with twists, little drama and heartache. Its not easy to write a book.

However, there are few grammatical mistakes noticed by many people throughout. Its not clear if that has been changed before publication. This is an ARC copy so will give the benefit of the doubt. On the other hand, there wasn't enough build up before she died. The story aas fantastic until half way through but when they found her dead it started to get sluggish. It was interesting to hear conversations with Alex.

The consequences of a death especially at a young age was cleverly focused on. Again it felt like hard work until the last four chapters. A little perseverance was needed in order to finish it which was a shame. Sorry but it didn't stay with me after.

Thanks Net Galley and Bookouture for the ARC edition.

I enjoy when a book gives a glimpse of events yet to come and then backtracks to recount what happened leading up to the event. It creates a sense of foreboding, and actually makes me read a little bit more carefully to see if I can pick up any hints along the way.

The action is told in alternating points of view between Louise and her daughter Katie, as they navigate their usual summer trip to Montauk. The addition of Katie’s best friend, Isa, throws the whole family a little off-kilter, and it quickly becomes apparent that there is a lot bubbling under the surface. I’ll come back to that in a little bit.

I thought that the plot was well thought-out. I especially liked that we got to the “main event” before the book was even half-way finished, because that meant that there was still a lot to unravel. And boy, was there.
After the incident, the author did a good job of following each of the main characters through their grief process. The result, however, was that there were a few areas that were long inner monologues and self-reflection. The action did drag during these periods, but the exploration of how people grieve differently was well-done.

I also thought that those passages went too long, because by the time we get to the next few “events,” they’re essentially wrapped up within a few pages. I would have liked to have read more detail about those and about James and Katie’s memories of the night in question. All of that could have used more time. It also seemed like a few plot points were more for convenience than for actually mattering to the plot itself.

I actually liked Katie the best; I thought her actions and reactions were very natural to a 17-year-old girl with even a bit of wisdom beyond her years. I didn’t particularly like Louise, especially as I read further. At one point, another character calls her daughter, Katie, “sanctimonious.” I think that fit Louise better (it’s obvious who Katie gets it from) because she came across as selfish and not very responsible.

And that’s one of the things that was hidden below the surface. Her judgment on Sarah was difficult to stomach given her own actions. But, in a way this fit the stereotypical Upper East Side persona that Louise was somewhat scornful of; she just seemed to have very little self-awareness.

One thing that did stand out to me were some of the linguistic choices made by the author. Some are nitpicky (the Upper West Side is not a borough, it’s a neighborhood). However, others should have been caught.
No teenager from Manhattan or Long Island would say that they “fancy” something (especially not a teenage boy), high schools don’t have recess, they would say braids (not plaits) and would have cookies with tea or hot chocolate (biscuits are for breakfast or dinner). Those instances were scattered but jarring enough to me to notice that the lingo wasn’t correct.

The author did capture the overall atmosphere of a Montauk summer, and I liked how she tied it to the hope of making things better between the characters. The plot was nicely charted by the seasons. The story was good, the characters were intriguing (if sometimes unlikable) and there were a few “what the heck” moments. It’s a good book to pick up for the summer.

Just wonderful from start to finish. The writing is assured and masterful taking us on a suspenseful, emotional journey. I went through a whole gamut of emotions while reading this book. Amazing. Stunning. Brilliant. Will be readjng everything by thus author.

An innocent summer vacation turns devastating in Someone Else’s Daughter, a psychological thriller with so many twists. Told in alternating voices by Katie and her mother Louise, the story progresses slowly and deliberately to an ending you know is coming but don’t know how to stop.

Peter and Louise agree to take Sarah and Wilhelm’s daughter Isa along with Katie and brother James on their annual summer vacation to their home in Montauk, NY. The families have been friends for years and the children have grown up together. Everyone is hiding something. Behind the idyllic beach scenes, alliances are made and betrayals develop. Secrets are revealed and lead to a heartbreaking discovery. That discovery sends ripples into the lives of both families leading to further tragedy.

It’s hard to put his book down. It’s a story of love, jealousy, deception and tragedy and will stay with you for a long time. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Jennifer Harvey for this ARC.

This book sounded so good but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations. Only an OK read , but I'm sure others would enjoy it

Louise isn't keen when her friend, Sarah asks her to take her daughter, Isa to Montauk, Long Island with them. But she reluctantly agrees. She's known Isa since she was a baby. She's also her daughter, Kate's best friend. Isa has many emotional problems, she struggles with alcohol and drugs. Kate is ot that excited about Isa joining them on vacation. 2hen Isa's body I'd found after a party on the beach, no one can recall the details of that night. Louise's son, James can only remember snippets but he thinks he could have saved her.

The story is told by Louise and Kate's perspectives. It's also told in the past and present day. The characters are all flawed. The book dios a bit in the middle and comes repetitive. We first learn how the book ends, then we get the story that leads up to there and it fills us in with the events that took place beforehand. There is parts that are predictable. The story dies pick up again as we approach the end. Overall, quite a good read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Jennifer Harvey for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Told in two points of view, Louise and her daughter Katie, focusing on what happened on the summer vacation which Louise’s friends' daughter and Katie’s friend Isa came with them and sadly the tragic events that happened there and then we go back and forth from then to the present day, the aftermath and more tragic events.
This was a slow read, I found myself struggling to read it, nothing really gripped me and I was close to not finishing but I am glad I persisted, the last third of the book got more interesting and although I had already guessed what actually happened I did enjoy it.

I wouldn’t class this as a mystery or suspense thriller as it really didn’t have the twists and turns that usually accompany them or any mystery. It was an okay read nothing really stood out to me but I am sure other people would enjoy it more than I did.

Louise is uneasy but agrees when her friend Sarah asks her to take her daughter Isa out to Montauk with her family. She's know Isa since the girl was a baby and Isa has been besties with Louise's daughter Katie but that relationship seems stalled. There's something not right. You know that Isa will die but why and how is at the root of this topical novel. Isa has secrets from her parents but Louise has a secret too. This is a cautionary tale about a girl (and a family) that doesn't talk to me amother, with dire circumstances. The characters, to be honest, aren't especially sympathetic, but it's got an interesting plot and the writing is good. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I wanted to love this. The beginning had me very intrigued because I love a thriller set on a beach. nothing better than that!
But, I found this alittle slow paced and just had to stop reading at 55% in.
i’m so sorry and I wish the author much success.

It started off well and I was drawn to both Katie and Louise. I enjoyed their chapters and their interactions with each other. The more I got to know Isa though the more I rushed through the book. I really didn't like her character and didn't feel sad, upset or annoyed when what happened to her happened. I was relieved.

It is definitely a good quick Summer read that you would leave at a hotel after your vacation or leave on your airplane seat.

Thanks again to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for giving me a digital ARC to read.

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. What an amazing book by Jennifer Harvey I will definitely look out for more of her books. Someone else's Daughter was engaging, twisty and page turning. A family drama based in Montauk, a young family invite their troubled daughters friend away for the summer with them. Sadly she drowns on the last night of the holiday. Was it an accident, was it negligence. I could not put this book down.

Wow! I couldn’t put this one down! It kept you guessing throughout, which is exactly what I love in a book. I really enjoyed all the characters and felt that the author did an excellent job making the reader truly understand each character. I especially liked Louise and the experiences she went through trying to be a mom and also juggling her own completely separate life. In the beginning, there were just a few parts of the story that dragged out a bit, and I also felt there were a couple things I wish went into greater detail, but overall with the twists and turns, this book was very well written! I can’t wait to read future books by Jennifer Harvey.

This book was pretty predictable in my opinion. I kept hoping and wishing there would be some kind of twist and turn to consider it a thriller, but there wasn’t anything. I’m not sure what I genre I would consider this book, because there wasn’t an “OMG” moment for me.

Something I did like about this book was essentially knowing the ending. Isa had died, but how? I was looking forward to the book after the first sentence knowing the structure would build to that ‘how’ question. The beginning pulled me in, making me want to read it as quick as I could based on that first sentence.

Towards the middle, it slowed down. I wasn’t as eager because there were a lot of scenes and details I felt were drawn out. At this point, I kept hoping there would be more to the story, but it felt a tad incomplete. I was looking at the percentage marker of my kindle telling myself there wasn’t much more.

The ending was much like the beginning and it drew me back in. Despite predicting how the book would end, I felt there weren’t many loose ends making me question tid bits or wanting more.

If you’re new to thrillers or get scared easily but want to branch out, I’d consider this a mild thriller you could get through.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy in return for an honest review!

I had to stop reading this at 50%.
The lack of action happening was so slow moving . We knew right off the bat that Isa was dead. Her parents left her with her best friends family to go on a 2nd Honeymoon.
Katie and her family go to Montauk each summer and she and Isa have been besties for years...until recently. Isa has been up to no good and it’s caused ripples with the girls unbeknown to the parents.
The book was all over the place and hard to follow. I had to give up.