This is a slow burn start but really worth the wait.
It's difficult to review without giving spoilers, but it is the usual fabulous writing you would expect from Adele Parks, while feeling different to her other stories. The genre suits and hopefully she will write more in this style,
Recommend

Adele Parks used to write good romantic novels and has now gone over to write books that are a bit darker and Both of Us is no exception. She is a very experienced and accomplished writer and everything is easy to follow even though part of this is written with narratives by both Leigh and Kayleigh which could be confusing but isn’t at all. The book follows the enquiry by DC Clements who is looking into the disappearance of two women, Leigh Fletcher who lives a fairly ordinary life with her husband Mark and her two stepchildren and Kai Jannsen married to Daan, a Dutch high-flying businessman. Kai lives an extraordinary life, residing in an amazing apartment with every luxury imaginable. We are given real insights into both women’s relationships with their husbands and with Leigh the relationships she had with her stepchildren who are approaching adolescence and is not always particularly straightforward, probably partly because she is their stepmother. There are many twists and turns to this book as we discover more about the characters. I think, though, that it was relatively easy to see which direction the book would take. There were many clues throughout the book as to who was responsible for the disappearances and so when we got to the end I was not surprised when I got to the final chapters. Nevertheless, it was still very enjoyable. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me an ARC of this book.

I really enjoy Adele parks books so went into this book blind and came out loving it. I loved. Mysterious and suspensful. Brilliant. Highly recommended xx

Both of You is a thrilling and easily bingeable mystery story with plenty of devious twists and turns up its sleeve. The premise is so intriguing and as the story continues, the mystery only grows more complex and fascinating.

I loved how emotionally fractured and complex this mystery was. It really relies on the various relationships that tie this group of people together in a variety of messy and humanly flawed ways. This is a story that hinges on duplicity and unexpected connections, several of which you will have to wait to fully discover. The chemistry sparks right off the page but often between people you may not first expect it to. Parks has a real ease to her writing that completely compels you and means that the pages just seem to fly by. You become invested in this whole bubble of people and situations that you scarcely notice time passing around you.

Without giving any spoilers, this is a vicious little tale. It’s full of darkness and monsters that are all too human. Parks provides some thought-provoking moral dilemmas and a few lingering doubts that follow you after the final page. Right from that chilling opening scene, I was so invested in this twisted gem of a story. It was tense, claustrophobic and deeply unsettling. Cleverly, once you’ve discovered all the secrets embedded, that opening scene suddenly takes on a whole new significance. Parks thrives on the little details that are so easy to miss but culminate in some excellent reveals and plot twists. The entire concept that centres the book is such an intriguing one and I liked how Parks went full throttle into it.

Both of You is a deeply compelling and endlessly fascinating tale that is entirely driven by its complex relationships and the million unexpected ways people are connected to one another.

I’m a big fan of Adele Parks and always have her books on preorder so when Both of You arrived on Thursday morning, I wasted absolutely no time in getting stuck in. And once I started this gripping, heartbreaking and unpredictably shocking book I just could not put it down!! What a twisty, compelling storyline it delivered, complete with complex and unreadable characters who kept me guessing about their truths and motives until the very end.

This is (once again for me sorry!!) one of those books that works best if you go into it blind with no preconceptions. All I will say about the plot is that it doesn’t follow any rules, bringing the reader an intelligently written psychological thriller with an unsettling undercurrent that you just can’t ignore. I became completely invested in the reason for these 2 women going missing and just had to keep reading until that lightbulb moment when I saw all the pieces fall into place. Adele Parks keeps a decent pace going as the detective on the case slowly come to realise the truth, they do have their own point of view included as do the other main characters and this brings a rounded feel to the storyline. I was hooked from page one to be honest and read this from start to finish on the day it arrived (I was off work the following day so a late night reading was allowed for once!)

Both of You is a very clever and insightful novel with a killer twist (or two!) that packed a perfectly prepared punch. The characters were well crafted and fitted into their roles with relish! It left me wanting to know more-how did all those characters react after that final page? I needed to see what they did after that shocking fall of the final curtain and that’s the sign of an enjoyable read for me, one that leaves me wanting more.

I absolutely recommend Both Of You, it’s brilliant!

I love Adele’s writing, I love that she writes about people my age, normal everyday people who could live on my road. She understands family dynamics and relationships and then she takes those seemingly innocent happy families and throws them under the bus!

“Sometimes being a wife and mother feels like death by a thousand cuts” now how can that not resonate with every single woman who has struggled with being either one or both of those things. She gets that life is hard, especially for women trying to be so damn perfect at everything all the time and failing because there is no such thing as perfect.

This is a boundary crossing book which manages to be both women’s fiction and thriller. It’s got such a jaw dropping moment that I’m purposefully avoiding plot details as the less you know the better. One thing I will tell you is that this is not your typical Adele Parks book, this one has just that little bit more pizzazz and thats coming from someone who enjoyed her books before. I personally feel this is her best book yet and I look forward to seeing where she goes next.

I love Adele Parks books and was excited to read her latest book. Her writing style draws the reader in and this one was no exception, I was page turning and second guessing the plot only to find I was way off the mark.

This book was set at the beginning of a national lockdown which I found very interesting as I’ve not read any books with this setting yet.

Two woman go missing in the same week. Leigh Fletcher who is married to Mark and has two stepsons Oli and Seb and Kai Jansen who is married to Daan a wealthy businessman with no children.

The dual timeline which allows the reader to glimpse into each woman’s character and lifestyle was brilliant. From the outside their lives could not be more different. Leigh seems to be a typical busy housewife and mother , whereas Kai seems to live the dazzling high life!,

Could there possibly be a link between the two disappearances? Dc Clements believes there is, her job is to find evidence to support this belief . As the investigation takes hold we uncover secrets and shocking truths involving each of the characters. Who really knows what goes on in the lives of the people we feel we know? Can you truly love more than one person or will such actions always lead to disaster? .
Love, lies, secrets, obsessions, and jealousy are just some of the issues which are entwined into this twisty thriller.

The characters in the book are so well portrayed that I felt at times like I personally knew them (even to the point of shaking my head at some of their actions)

If you like twisty domestic thrillers then this will be perfect for you. I personally enjoyed how the plot was pulled together at the end and gave me a welcome end to my guessing .

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed this book and the way it kept me guessing?

This book kept me guessing and just when I thought I had it all worked out another surprise twist came!

Mark is widowed leaving him with two young boys, Seb and Oli. When he meets Leigh shortly after his wife's death. They quickly marry and she adopts the children.

Daan is a millionaire, high living, got the impression he is a bit of a playboy. Who doesn't do long term relationships. He meets Kai they fall in love and get married.

Both women, are away from home for part of the week, Leigh working in Scotland and Kai looking after her ailing mother in the North.

Both women go missing in the same week but it is a few days before their disappearances are reported to the police because of them both being away for parts of the week.

The book follows what happens whilst the women are missing and what follows.

The only other character worth mentioning is Fiona, who is Leigh's best friend of 23 years.

I can't say too much more about this book without giving the plot or a twist away.

Adele Parks has a real knack for engaging you in with the characters and the plot. You want to read more because you want to know what happens.

I believe that this is definitely another hit for Adele Parks.... A possible contender for book of the year for 2021.

On the cusp of a national lockdown, two women go missing in the same week. Leigh Fletcher is married to Mark and they have two son’s together Oli and Seb. The second woman is Kai Janssen, who is married to Daan, a wealthy Dutchman. The responsibility of discovering the whereabouts of both of these women falls on DC Clements, who has a strong belief that both of these incidents are connected.

The disappearance of Leigh and Kai is told from multiple perspectives, something I have always loved as it really allows you to get to know both of these women on a much deeper level as we delve in to their lives. As the story progresses, we uncover some dark secrets that both women have been harbouring in their past, and these discoveries certainly left me reeling and utterly shocked!.

We also get to follow the story from DC Clements perspective, along with the help of Tanner, her trusted partner. They openly speak about how the disappearance of these women might end up being added to the long list of people who are never reunited with their families, a rather alarming statistic that is raised within this novel, and another factor that adds a sense of reality to the story along the way.

As the investigation starts ramping up, we learn more about these women and their relationships at home, something that Adele Parks exceeds at. We get to witness a whole host of family drama, hidden secrets, and take a much closer look at what would otherwise appear to be the perfect relationships. Jealously, deceit, and resentments all come bubbling to the surface, and the fine line that hovers between love and hate is explored in quite some detail.

As soon as I pick up a book by Adele Parks I just know I am in for a dramatic, utterly compelling read. The storyline within Both of You is certainly relevant to the recent times we have all been living in, with high drama and suspense building up with every passing chapter, this is certainly right up there with her best work yet. The characters are authentic and well fleshed out, allowing the reader to get a good grasp of who they are as individuals, and what life experiences may have done to them along the way. This book has a gripping plot, with the perfect amount of drive and intrigue to keep you hooked to the very end. Both of you is without a doubt a must read of 2021.

This twisty thriller was engrossing and I was keen to see how the story would conclude. With a range of narrative perspectives, it was interesting to see how the disappearances and their investigations unfold.

I found it really difficult to get into this book. It was a slow-burner, reminding me a little bit of a pressure cooker. About a third of the way through, a massive revelation was like the steam pinging out of the pressure cooker. After this point, I could not get enough of the story and Parks really had piqued my interest. However, I very quickly guessed the ending of the story and this definitely lessened my enjoyment of the novel.

The sudden and unexplained disappearance of two women is investigated by Clements. The narrative shifts between several characters, reflecting on their behaviours during the investigation, with also flashbacks to both women. These act as a way of allowing readers to understand their past and how they came into a relationship with their present partners. Initially I found it difficult to keep track of who was narrating and I think this was because I had not fully established myself in the story. Once the different individuals became clearer, I found this helped add to the clues of the disappearances.

The book is set against the backdrop of the pandemic. I found it interesting to reflect on how attitudes have changed in twelve months; in this story, London is watching Europe move into their first lockdown with the expectation this would also be experienced in the UK. Although it was not a major element to the story, I think it made the entire plot more believable and I was curious to see character behaviours change with the threat of the virus.

A pretty good thriller, I was disappointed how quickly I had deducted the plot. I can’t go into too much detail without revealing essential plot twists however, I was let-down by how long it took for me to be proven correct. Parks’ writing is compelling and twisty but I do think there were moments where the pace of the narrative slowed to become less interesting. Nonetheless, I was entertained and enjoyed watching the mystery unfold as two families try to ascertain why someone has disappeared.

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I can't say I enjoyed this book and I found the ending bleak. None of the characters, bar the female detective, were likeable. I guessed Leigh's big secret early on. That's not to say there weren't any surprises later in the book, because there were. There were lots of internal monologues, which meant the pace dragged at times. It had just enough to hold my attention and to see it through to the end, but now it's left me feeling rather flat. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

a wife and step mother goes missing leaving her family behind. Then another woman goes missing in similar circumstances but there is a connection and why would these two apparently happy women just disappear. DC Clements is on the case to figure out the truth but its far more twisted than even she could realise.

Well what an interesting read this was. You go from feeling sorry for Leigh to not liking her by the end of the story. This is one of those books where none of the characters are likeable at all. It works though, the only decent person is poor Seb. The plot is a slow and steady one building to a not overly dramatic conclusion but a well written one. I had figured out who was behind it before they were revealed. The writing is strong and it draws you in on direction only to spin everything on its head. A great myster/ thriller.

Was delighted to get an ARC of Adele Parks new book Wow - I was engrossed in the story from page one.
The plot was clever, well written with a few shocking twists to the story.
Leigh a devoted wife and mother goes missing, then Kai, wife to Daan Janssen also disappears, what if anything connects the two woman?
Great fast paced read, highly recommend, I was though ever so slightly disappointed in the ending.
Thanks to Net Galley & HQ for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
4.5 stars

This is a tricky one to review as I don’t want to ruin it for others.
The basic outline is that Leigh, happily married mum and wife goes missing on Monday and Kai also vanishes the same week.
DC Clements is determined to get to the bottom of the disappearances as it’s too much of a coincidence.
There’s lots of twists and turns in the story which will keep you interested but I did find the beginning a bit confusing with all the different perspectives and timelines.
A good read that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and HQ Stories.

Wow! That was unexpected!

I did have an inkling on the who-dunnit but then something else was revealed that I changed my mind but my original prediction was right.

Did not expect the MASSIVE reveal before the midway point! I mean, what?! Honestly never would’ve guess that.

I feel like it was missing a bit of oomph to the story - the most interesting bits where the big reveal and Fiona’s secret at the midway point. Other than that, it was eh for excitement.

I want to rave all about this incredible book, to do so I have to be very careful about how much I say. I do not want to give away any vital clues or spoilers because the intrigue adds to the anticipation and thrilling climax.
Adele Parks is one of my ‘go to’ authors. Never failing to have me on the edge of my seat and fully immersed in the world she creates. I think this is possibly my favourite of hers (hard to choose when they are all so good though isn’t it!)
There are subtle references to the start of the pandemic (the story is set at that time) but they are delicately and cleverly interweaved although have no bearing on the story itself. I didn’t mind it one bit, in fact I was quite impressed and thought it added some interesting context to how the characters were acting/having to behave etc.
I was quite surprised by the plot twists in Both of You, happily so although I had vague ideas about what was happening and who was involved, the clues are there. Red herrings along the way may provide some interesting misdirection though, and credible culprits.
I couldn’t put this down; I was hooked after the first few chapters. Seeing events unfold from different viewpoints created an interest in all characters, and a growing dislike for surprising people.
Early surprises and clever twists will leave you excited and invested; you’ll need to give yourself plenty of time to devour this thrilling read. Another smasher from Adele Parks.

Adele Parks is a brilliant writer, she draws you in to the story and deftly draws her characters so you want to keep reading. I couldn’t put Both if You down until the big twist about a third of the way through. Unfortunately, from here on in it felt like the rest of the story couldn’t sustain the set up. I guessed the kidnapper almost immediately and I felt the police were almost unnecessary, they didn’t really do anything other than act as a device to bring out additional information. The ending seemed rushed and without any real tension as it was so obvious where it was going. It is an enjoyable book and decent domestic thriller but not one of Adele Parks’ best.
Thank you to #netgalley and #hqstories for allowing me to review this ARC

As always I enjoy reading a new Adele Parks book. It's another compelling read which kept me intrigued until the very end. Although this isn’t my favourite book by this author it’s still a page turner and a very good read. I’d recommend it to fans of good domestic thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced copy.

I have not read any of Adele Parks’ books before but I’ve heard lots of good things. I had expected a bit more, to be honest.
The plot had a great twist at the beginning and I was excited to get stuck into the story.

However, the pace really fell flat once the mystery had been set up. It is told, as many books are now a days, from multiple points of view. There wasn’t much from the detectives and I felt that their relationship/presence wasn’t really necessary.

The two families are clearly portrayed and the relationships between the women was rich.

I just felt that the main part of the plot didn’t really go anywhere.

And as for the development before the ending, well where did that come from? I honestly thought I was reading about an hallucination for the most of it.

The ending also didn’t do it for me. There was no resolution for the male characters and the female part was quite predictable.
All in all, a mixed bag.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This book focuses on Leigh and her husband Mark, and Kai and her husband Daan. And the secrets that shroud both relationships. Early on in the story, both wives go missing. And then we see the back story for both wives, and how their current relationships came about. There are many twists and turns along the way!

We read the story also from other viewpoints, including the detective looking for the wives and their husbands, and best friends. There were lots of twists and turns in this story, and the storyline was excellent. It is set in the time of the start of the pandemic, and touched on it, but didn’t dwell on it, which made it more realistic. I really enjoyed this story as it was quite unique for me to read a storyline including the subject matters included, but I was also slightly disappointed at the ending, which seemed to abruptly end the book, with no real satisfying end. The characters were all great, with great depth and relatable is some ways.
Overall, a great, easy read!!