I have been working my way through Sheryl's backlist of books since meeting her at a crime thriller night at my local library so was keen to check out this, her latest novel. I mean, that cover - you can't gloss over that on the shelf of your library/bookstore can you? It leaps off the shelf with it's vibrant colours and catchy tagline for a start: Your Secrets Her Lies. (Can you tell I am a girl who is taken in by a pretty cover design? I know...I shouldn't judge a book by its cover but hey...).

The book begins in a far less pretty manner, the prologue describing what turns out to be Josh's final few minutes of life. Maybe there could be a trigger warning for this opening chapter as it's quite an upsetting narration of how, whilst under the influence of a heavy night's drinking, Josh falls on to the train tracks and killed. It is told from his point of view, his thoughts of the evening's events and a vague background of how he came to be so inebriated. But there's always the feeling that we're missing something in his telling of what is going on - which all adds to the intrigue for the remainder of the book.

The main heart of the book is told by those left behind, the people Josh loved the most. And a couple of others. The author has done so well to weave her story so that we don't know how each of these characters figured in the months leading up to Josh's death. There's a massive rift between him and his mother Cassie, a situation his stepfather seems to have been keen to rectify right up to the end. The torment he puts himself through as he tries to come to terms with losing Josh is heartbreaking - I have to admit that Adam was the only character I really warmed to all through the book and he certainly had my heart strings pulling more than anyone else. Then there is Kim, a young woman who arrives on Josh's parents doorstep after his funeral complete with young baby in tow, who she claims belongs to Josh. Cassie and Adam have to decide whether she is telling the truth or not, a decision process which could mean they lose touch with their possible grandchild if they handle it all wrong.

I really flew through the pages as the plot meandered its way back and forth from the present day with Cassie and Kim's points of view taking the stage to months earlier when we get glimpses of life from Josh's view point. I frantically tried to work out who was telling the truth regarding the relationship between Kim and Josh - and indeed Josh and his parents - but while some aspects of the story were fairly straightforward to work out, others burst in and stole the show. It's hard to say much more than that without spoilers but OMG! that ending! I love it when an author manages to hide the biggest reveal right until the bitter end and Sheryl has done so BIG STYLE in this novel. It was one of those moments where I actually leapt from my chair on uncovering the final bombshell - one I certainly didn't see coming. As much as I loved this whole book, the conclusion is amongst some of my favourite reading of the year so far. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and I would love to hear whether it blows you away too. Personally I thought it was absolutely blummin brilliant.

A good summer read. This story has plenty of twists and drama. I did not like or warm to any of the characters which meant I gave this story 3 stars instead of 4.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This, my fourth novel by the talented author Sheryl Browne was as absorbing and exhilarating as the previous ones, including The Marriage Trap and The Perfect Sister.

In The New Girlfriend the reader is privy to an exciting and intriguing prologue that hooked me in immediately. I was introduced to Cassie, who opens her front door one day to a young woman named Kim, claiming to be Cassie's recently deceased son's girlfriend. But Kim is not alone - she has baby Samuel in her arms. Still grieving for Josh, Cassie's overjoyed when Kim announces that Samuel is Josh's son, but then, as she starts to receive threats, Cassie is terrified that her long-held secrets are about to be uncovered...

The New Girlfriend is a brilliant and cracking story with a solid fast-paced plot, together with shedloads of mystery and drama. A psychological thriller full of secrets, no one escaped this story unscathed and the excitement and twists that I didn't predict made this novel interesting and unexpected. The chapters were short and snappy, giving me a dreadful case of just one more chapter syndrome. The different strands in this cleverly written, complex story eventually came together at the end. The unique way with the narrative that Sheryl Browne possesses made this hair-raising and enthralling story stand out from many of the others in this genre.

Thanks Sheryl Browne for this fantastic book!

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

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Sheryl Browne's latest thriller THE NEW GIRLFRIEND.

I had one word to describe this book upon finishing it - WOW! What a ride! OK, so that's four, but WOW! was definitely the primary emotion...if it could be described as such. Honestly, this book has to be Sheryl's best by far. It is certainly the best I have read, of which have been the last four she's released. It puts her up there with the likes of Shalini Boland and Kim Slater, both of whom are my favourite go-to authors. But after this...so is Sheryl. But then again, I've always enjoyed her very twisted tales. I've just enjoyed this one so much more.

Cassie has a seemingly perfect life married to Adam but that illusion is shattered when a tragic incident occurs, resulting in her beloved son Josh's death. Now Cassie struggles with her grief, regrets and coming to terms with the events surrounding his death. Josh, whilst on the phone at the time, had fallen from a train platform but Cassie and Adam do not believe it was suicide, as the authorities had determined. Then at his funeral, Cassie catches a glimpse of a heavily pregnant woman at a distance but when she turns to speak to her, the woman has gone.

Four weeks later on the day of what would have been Josh's 24th birthday, Cassie opens the door to a young woman with striking red hair and a baby in her arms. Enter Kim and baby Samuel. The baby, Kim says, is their grandson. Cassie knows immediately that this is the woman she saw at Josh's funeral. But is the baby really Josh's? One look at baby Samuel gave them their answer as he was the spitting image of Josh at that age.

But who is Kim? And why have they never met her, let alone heard of her? If Josh was as serious about Kim as she says they were, surely he would have mentioned her to them. Despite there being a rift between Josh and his mother at the time, Josh surely would have confided in Adam as the two were incredibly close. Now Adam is worried that Kim may be after something or scamming them. After all, she is but a stranger. But Cassie doesn't agree. She is overjoyed that there is a tiny part of Josh left for her to care for.

Despite her husband's misgivings, they welcome Kim into their home and their lives. And that's when things begin to unravel. Cassie starts receiving threatening texts alluding to a secret from her past that, if exposed, would destroy her marriage and her world. Desperate to keep those skeletons locked firmly in her closet, Cassie attempts to hunt down the person she believes responsible. But what is she going to do when she tracks them down?

Pushing the past from her mind, Cassie focuses on baby Samuel and begins to buy up every baby item known to man to furnish their spare room with as well as the new cottage Kim has just moved into. With a few things in disrepair in her new place, Adam offers his services and building knowledge to fix all that needs repairing. But in the process, the gap between Cassie and Adam widens as the texts become more frequent and Cassie becomes consumed with obsession, paranoia and anxiety. She believes that Adam and Kim are becoming too close and that she can see Kim for what she really is, drawing Adam into her tangled web. But is Kim who she says she is? Or is Cassie just becoming paranoid? Is Kim the innocent victim she claims to be or is she a clever manipulator? With secrets and lies at stake and the two women vowing to protect them at all costs, who will become the biggest loser when all is revealed?

This addictive tale is written in the alternate narratives of Cassie and Kim - two complex women who are both strong willed and determined. Neither woman will back down in their own personal quests leaving the reader questioning their true motives. Are Cassie and Kim both who they appear to be? Or are they hiding deeper darker secrets? Both women are clearly unhinged, begging the question are they then responsible for their behaviour and, ultimately, their actions resulting from said behaviour? And what of Adam? Where did he fit into all this? Was he really the rare breed of man we don't often see, a genuine nice guy? Or was that just a facade as well? With a couple of chapters in Adam's voice and a few by a woman called Jemma, the reader is given pause to wonder how much of the picture are we actually being given? Are these just red herrings? Is everything a subterfuge? Is anyone who they appear to be in this book?

THE NEW GIRLFRIEND is compelling and addictive from start to finish. It is fast paced throughout, never letting up in this gripping tale of secrets, lies and maniuplation. The characters were brilliantly developed, even if unreliable as narrators but that just adds to the complexities of the story.

I cannot rave enough about this book, which I think is Sheryl's best so far to date (that I've read, mind you). From the shocking prologue to the startling end, THE NEW GIRLFRIEND is a psychological and domestic thriller like no other. It was completely addictive and I could not put it down!

If you haven't read Sheryl Browne before, I urge you to do so. Her tales have a twisted perspective and an array of unreliable characters, some of whom you love to hate. But this one takes the cake! THE NEW GIRLFRIEND puts Sheryl up there with the likes of domestic thriller queen of the killer twist Shalini Boland and Kim Slater.

Overall, a very very enjoyable read and very very highly recommended!

I would like to thank #SherylBrowne, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNewGirlfriend in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a definite page turner that had me holding my breath until the very last page! The characters are all damaged in some way which adds to the suspense throughout and the storyline is filled with secrets, lies and twists (the ending!😱) that has me hooked from start to finish. This was the first book by Sheryl Browne and I can’t wait to read more!
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A big thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this advanced digital copy to read and review!

This book is so twisty and full of characters you feel like you can’t trust, when trying to figure out the truth! It is told from different characters perspectives and is full of deception and lies! The writing is so well done and I really feel the emotions from all of the characters. It is a great psychological thriller to add to your list! This was my first novel by Sheryl Browne and I definitely will be checking out her other books!

Cassie is mourning the sudden death of her son Josh, when one day a girl named Kim knocks on the door and claims to be Josh’s girlfriend and the baby she has with her is Cassie’s grandson. Cassie is so happy to hear this news because she feels apart of her son is still alive in her grandson. At the same time, Cassie starts to get mysterious texts threatening to expose secrets from her past. Cassie can’t let this happen in fear she will lose her chance at getting to know her grandson, Samuel. As the texts start to get worse and worse, Cassie fears that Kim and Samuel will be in danger and she needs to figure out who is behind them.

Thank you NetGalley, Sheryl Browne, and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC.

Josh is waiting to take the train home when he starts feeling ill. His girlfriend has just broken up with him and he’s confused. Just then a feral cat jumps on him, frightening him, causing him to fall on the tracks, and unable to get up. Then he hears the train coming.

Cassandra (Cassie) and her husband Adam are mourning their son, Josh’s death. They can’t understand how he could have fallen on the tracks. Their grief is overwhelming. He was their only child and a good man.

A young woman named comes to their house with a baby. She introduces herself as Kimberley (Kim) Summers. She says she was Josh’s girlfriend and the baby, Samuel, is his son. She lives with her parents in a rundown area and cannot stay there. She has no money for a place to live nor a job to support Samuel and is considering putting him up for adoption. Cassie is shocked and knows she wants to keep Samuel. So, she and Adam jump in to see that Kim has a place to live and supplies for Samuel. They have fallen in love with him and want the best for him. But when Cassie receives some threatening texts, things turns very scary and downright deadly.

This book was a bit slow before really getting going, but once it did, it became rather convoluted but very compelling. I couldn’t stop reading until I found out the truth. Whew! Well done!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Oh my goodness this book. I felt that I had entered crazy town and was looking for a sign that said beware all ye who enter here. My head was close to exploding with all the shenanigans going on.

Cassie is deep in grief and pushing away her patient husband Adam after the tragic loss of her son Josh. She is becoming obsessive and neurotic and strange texts are escalating her paranoia.

Then Kim enters their lives with baby Samuel who she claims to be Josh’s and that they were in love.

This is when the crazy really ramps up and you as a reader learn little snippets of information regarding all the characters from varying perspectives. My brain was scrambled trying to figure it all out alongside Cassie and was she even really a reliable narrator? Truthfully I didn’t know what to think or who to trust and that is the genius with this book.

Perfect for armchair detectives as there are clues carefully hidden for you to decipher and when all is revealed you will grin with admiration at the way things were cleverly concealed. The only thing I have left to say is to the author, that epilogue wow it knocked my little socks off.

If you're a fan of Claire McGowan and Lisa Jewell, The New Girlfriend could be for you...

When Joshua dies suddenly in a tragic accident, his parents, Cassie and Adam, are left behind trying to comprehend the sudden loss of their only son. In the wake of Josh's death, Kimberley turns up on Cassie and Adam's doorstep claiming she is Josh's girlfriend and that the baby in her arms is his son. Cassie and Adam are stunned at this revelation and left wondering why Josh never mentioned his pregnant girlfriend to them. Soon after this, Cassie starts to receive texts from an unknown person saying they know her biggest secret. With everything that is happening, Cassie is left worrying about the stability of her relationship and future.
Will Cassie be exposed? Is she the only one keeping dangerous secrets? Was her son's death an accident?
I won't say anything more about the book's plot for fear of giving anything away 🤐

From the start, Sheryl Browne had me fully invested in all of the characters, feeling all that they felt in full force - it is rare for a book to make me feel such strong emotions within the first two chapters! The book is written from several points of view, and skips between the past and present, so we get a thorough breakdown of the story as told by each character. I also felt strongly towards the characters, whether that be sympathy or disgust, Sheryl Browne really does know how to evoke emotions and reactions in her readers. Having said this, I do feel that the plot wasn't as strong as the character development and was a bit slow in parts, but I think that the plot's faults are redeemed by the well-written characters. This is the first book of Sheryl Browne's I have read, but I will definitely be checking out her other books!

This book really does warrant the label 'gripping'.
I raced through this psychological thriller, holding my breath and looking over my shoulder.
No one would want Kimberley as a friend or girlfriend given the extreme levels of manipulation this young woman is capable of. She made me so outraged I was literally screaming at her to stop or shouting at Adam, Josh and Cassie to wake up and wise up to her terrible mind games.
The thing is, if you have got dark secrets you want to stay hidden, you become a prime target for someone like Cassie. Cassie is Josh's mother and she is married to Adam, who is not Josh's father. Cassie, when under stress or dealing with traumatic situations resorts to obsessive compulsive cleaning, which in turn alienates those around her.
Thus, when a terrible tragedy befalls Josh, Cassie blames herself for their strained relationship.
The New Girlfriend invites us to piece together the constituent parts which will eventually make a whole. So we hear each of the main characters' take on life and what is happening, with some time travel between the past and present.
This story tells of obsession and choices that turn out to have devastating consequences. It speaks of betrayal and control, narcissism and revenge.
I felt incredibly sorry for Josh in his naivety, wanting to shake some sense into him, fond of strong and dependable Adam and in turns sad for and appalled by Cassie's behaviour.
The ending is chilling and very befitting of a tale where the most damage is caused by extremely warped minds.
Loved it!

First, I want to thank Sheryl Browne, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

WOW!! Sheryl Browne once again brings her readers an insanely twisted book that is also filled with much heartache in the New Girlfriend! I have said it in the past and I will say it again Sheryl has a pure gift for writing in this genre! Every book I have read from her has been a must read! This is no exception!

Sheryl brings you a very unique cast of characters in this one. A storyline filled with loss, obsession, stalking, drama, emotional scenes, heartache, twists you never saw coming, secrets galore that when revealed will boggle the mind, and a climactic ending.

Instantly, this book pulled on my heart strings as the readers learned of the loss of Cassie’s son Josh. The first scene is at the funeral where you first meet a lot of the lead characters. Plus, one that is a mystery to everyone. Later on we find out exactly who she is-then the story gets very interesting.

When we met Josh’s new girlfriend I was not a fan (other than the red flaming hair). She rubbed me the wrong way. Once we met her the story became very interesting!

The story goes from modern day (and the story Kim the girlfriend says) to the past when Josh was alive and you find out what really happened.

Sheryl would like to dedicate this book to Maggie with special love to her brother, Dave, who was there for her. And to Maggie’s children, Rachel and Anthony. She loved you all fiercely.

I found I enjoyed the second half of this book more as the pace and suspense increased. At times the characters frustrated me a little. Overall I found it to be a fast and easy read. Would be a great holiday read. 3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

#netgalley #thenewgirlfriend

Wow!! What a thrilling, addictive, suspenseful joy ride this book is!! I could not put it down! I have read a few of this Author's books and they never disappoint! This book will leave you on edge! A must must read!

Lies lies and more lies are the order of the day when it comes to the storyline of The New Girlfriend.
Cassie and Adam are still grieving over the death of their only son Josh who fell to his death onto railway tracks after a night out. Ruled as a possible suicide this storyline seeks to discover the truth behind events leading up to that fateful night. Suicide, tragic drunken accident or something else? That’s up for the reader to find out. The plot quickly thickens when a woman called Kim turns up on their doorstep with baby Samuel in tow, claiming Josh is the father. Will Cassie and Adam be delighted or dismissive?

Immediately I felt plunged in at the deep end, the dial on my suspicion-o-meter in the red, questioning Kim’s claim. Trying to reserve judgement and give her the benefit of the doubt I had sympathy for Cassie whose desperation to take up the role of doting grandmother is perfectly understandable. Given that her relationship with Josh was somewhat strained prior to his death, Kim’s appearance with Samuel must feel like a lifeline, a second chance. Her desire to insinuate herself into Kim and Samuel’s life shows a remarkable amount of naivety and trust whereas Adam is rightly more cautious. However,I felt as good upstanding decent human beings they were behaving as many of us would, wanting to do the right thing. The oblique references to Cassie’s past that are inserted into the narrative early on created a feeling of wariness within me towards her behaviour, leading me to assume she probably had a few secrets in her closet she’s determined to keep hidden. Bearing this in mind my feelings were validated by her reaction to a series of anonymous texts she receives, which claim to unmask the real Cassie. As daily life goes on with Kim and Samuel slowly slotting into Cassie and Adam’s life , strange things start happening causing Cassie to descend into a vortex of paranoia. Suddenly I was starting to like Cassie and Kim less and less and left wondering who to believe.

Told from multiple points of view and with a timeframe that takes the reader between the past and the present I particularly enjoyed learning more about Josh as a person and his relationship with Kim. This framework allows the reader more insight into both their character traits and personalities so that a truer picture emerges, making more sense of events that are happening in the present. To me Kim felt like a slippery character to define, evasive, vague and not trustworthy.

The female characters in this book are not in any way likeable, displaying some of the worst aspects of human nature. All in some way are proved to be manipulative, conniving, cheating lying individuals giving us females a really bad name! Thankfully Josh and Adam balance out the bad by being good, honest and dependable characters, even if they are too easily susceptible to a woman’s charms.

Written in an extremely digestible way
this was the first book I’ve read by this author and my overall opinion is that as psychological thrillers go it is good, entertaining and worthy of 4 stars. There are enough layers of deceit to peel back before you can discover the truth so reading this was like playing a game of pass the parcel, I was racing to tear off the last one to get to the prize. Whilst some truths are plainly obvious there are thankfully enough twists to still mislead the reader. I thought early on I had it all figured out but I was happy that some of the truth eluded me. I wanted to be kept guessing as that’s half the fun and the main reason for keeping the reader entertained. With plenty of drama and suspense towards the latter part of the book the author managed to achieve this , although I have to confess to becoming slightly confused. Once all the knots were untangled I was impressed by the chilling ending.
Thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

Cassie and Adam are yet to get over the sudden death of their son Joshua. A few weeks later Kim lands up at their door with a new born baby with her, claiming the child to be Josh's. The resemblance to Josh is obvious. Cassie is happy to have a part of her son back in her life, since mother and son didnt reconcile their differences before Joshua's death.

But Kim is hiding something and Cassie too starts receiving threatening messages. Cassie is afraid her past is going to come to the fore, a past she has well hidden from Adam.
This is a story of a 3 women, each of whom struggles with their emotional issues and all with connection to Joshua's death.

This is a great psychological thriller that had me racing through the pages.
Cassie and Adam are still grieving following the death of their son, Josh. A few weeks after the funeral a young girl turns up on their doorstep with a newborn baby and says Josh is the father.
Cassie and Adam are suspicious at first but soon realise they need to get to know Kim so they can see their grandson.
Kim is a strange character who I immediately disliked and even more so as the story is revealed about her relationship with Josh.
Cassie is vulnerable as she’s still deeply grieving for her son and Kim exploits this.
This is quite a complex psychological thriller especially at the end when the truth comes out from all different angles.
A great read that will definitely have you hooked.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The New Girlfriend by Sheryl Brone
Pub Date 08/03/2020
Thriller

Cassie's only son died in a tragic accident a couple months ago. Now standing on her door step is a girl claiming to be Josh's girlfriend and is holding a child that is a spitting image of her dead son.

Okay this was the first time reading this author so I don't know about her other books, but this book was so repetitive and all characters were unlikable. I was so close to not finishing this book. I leave it at that.⭐⭐.5 rounded down.

A big thanks to the publisher and to #netgalley for the free copy for an honest review.

. After Cassie's son, Josh dies in a tragic accident, Kim shows up claiming that she is Josh's girlfriend and is expecting his baby. Cassie sets out to learn the truth about Kim while trying not to reveal her own secret in the process. There is so much going on in this story that sometimes it is hard to keep track of it all. The plot and characters are interesting, however, and it does keep you wanting to read. Overall, the story is intriguing and although in some ways you may be able to guess where the story is heading in other ways it will still surprise you.

Cassie's son, Josh had died a few months ago. Now a stranger is standing on her doorstep claiming she had been Josh's girlfriend and the baby she is holding is Cassie's grandson. Cassie is also receiving messages from someone from her past - someone Cassie has been hiding from for a long time. Cassie is frightened that her biggest secret is about to be revealed and she will loose everything. As the messages get more sinister, Cassie realised the person behind them knows all about her life.

Wow, where do I start? I could go on and on about this book but I'd definitely spoil it for potential readers. The story is told from multiple points if view. The pace is steady. The story is full of secrets, lies, and twists. There's a mixed bunch of characters who are either likable or unlikable. The story is well written, tense and cleverly crafted. The ending hi didn't see coming but I did guess some parts correctly. What a roller coaster read this is. I couldn't turn the pages quick enough and I couldn't pit the book down. This is my favourite Sheryl Browne book.

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

A great suspenseful thriller and it really kicked it into high gear towards the middle of the book. A perfect summer read that will keep you guessing.