A normal fun day with friends for Evie, her brother Ethan, her best friend Ashley and Ashley’s brother Mason.. Micheal who is there just for the summer, that day everything changed for them all. Evie can’t remember what happened, Ethan ends up in prison for 20 years for murder, but things are not quite as they seem. As the story is unfolded, I found myself holding my breath, turning the pages eager to find out what happened that day. I found this book hard to put down and would highly recommend.

This was my first time reading this author and it definitely won't be my last.   What a great read!    I finished it in one day!   Good story line, well written.  Great characters.   And an ending you don't expect.  Highly recommend.
Thank you Bookouture & Netgalley for the arc.

very interesting story and very well written. this is my first from jennifer but not my last. i'm wondering why i haven't read anything from her before?! i'll definitely  be oh the lookout for more from her.

This is an interesting story – well written & decently paced. 

Evie’s dad Andrew has recently died. They are a separated family as a result of a tragedy & crime over 20 years back, with Evie’s mother Carole staying away. Evie’s brother Ethan was convicted of a murder and is now out of prison. Ethan and Carole come over for Andrew’s funeral. Ethan tells Evie that he also wants to clear a few things up with her and the rest of the small town. He hints that he is innocent of the crime. This confuses Evie as Ethan had confessed to the crime. Evie has had mental health issues since long, and only recalls fragments of what happened. Michael, who was killed was a boy she was growing to be fond of and this incident has deeply impacted her. Evie cannot even bring herself to listen to what Ethan has to say, and poor Ethan persists in trying over many many many many pages. While Carole & Ethan are keen that the truth must come out, they are also conscious of Evie’s fragile mental state.

The strength is the story and the writing, with the story inching forward slowly, drawing you to speculate possible scenarios. The book does tend to drag a bit in the middle though, and the ending could have been better. Nevertheless, a good suspense read.

My rating: 3.5 / 4.

Thanks to Bookouture, Netgalley & the author for a free electronic review copy of the book

Evie, whose father has just passed away, has to adjust to the fact that her estranged mother and recently incarcerated brother, Ethan, have come back to town for the funeral.  Her brother was in jail for twenty years for killing Evie's summertime romance, Michael.  Now he's back and claiming that he has to set some things right and Evie's orderly quiet life is about to get torn apart.  Everyone in town harbors ill will towards Ethan and makes no secret that they want him gone as soon as possible.  At first Evie feels the same, but eventually decides to give him a chance, if only so that the past can be put to rest for good.  

The story is told in both the present and in that summer, as Evie relives the months until that fateful day.  There's not a lot of action, as (too) much of the story is Evie's introspection.  She's in a state of constant turmoil that at times seems a bit over-dramatic.  Yes, everything that happened was horrible, but it was twenty years ago and she only knew Michael briefly before he was killed.  And then when Ethan comes back, instead of just telling her his side, it drags out for days before she even agrees to listen, and then drags out for more before he even tries to explain to her what happened.  It's quite frustrating to read, as you want to scream 'Out with it, just tell us what's so important!'     

And yes, the author does reveal why everything had to be taken so slowly with Ethan's revelations, but it doesn't make it less painstaking to wait for.  And I can't say I particularly agreed with the ending, but it's bold and not the typical happily ever after of most stories like this.  If you need a break from fast-paced thrillers but still want a little mystery, this could be the book for you.