I thought this book was just OK, though clearly I am in the minority. The story centers on Gemma, a young new mom whos 5 day old baby disappears, and Scarlett, who is having an affair with a married man. The book alternates between the 2 POVs. Though the story centers on the baby being abducted, there is a lot more going on here, and I didn't think the synopsis accurately portrayed what the book was really about. Spousal abuse is the thread that ties the stories together (this is not a spoiler- you find this out immediately) and the author does a good job describing the various ways this manifests itself across both women's stories.

The book is very fast-paced and mostly takes place over the course of a short period of time. That being said, I didn't feel like much of what happened was a surprise- it felt like it was roaring towards a conclusion that I clearly anticipated happening. Also, while Scarlett and Gemma have well-developed characters, I wish I could have learned more about their relationships with their parents and other friends, which were not built out as much. And lastly, the ending of the book also caused me to have to suspend my disbelief a bit.

Overall, a fast-paced read that held my interest but I didn't love it because I felt like the twists were predictable. I enjoyed the narration style with the POV bouncing back and forth from one character to another, and thought that the storyline was cleverly woven together, though. Sounds like most other reviews were more positive, so I think folks should give the book a chance. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When you meet someone, first impressions are important. When they are friendly, helpful and kind, you never doubt their intentions. What you see, it what you get, right? Well, not always unfortunately. Some are really good actors in order to achieve what they are after. Once they show their true colors though, that's when everything starts to go topsy turvy.

At first you might not be convinced that something is wrong, you find excuses for them and you know for sure that it was only a blip. But is it...? 

For some this means run while you can. For others it means time for revenge.

Some people really have no shame. It does not matter who they hurt in the process, as long as they get their way. But what suddenly the glove is on the other hand? Are they prepared to face the music?

This is my first book by this author and it was an excellent read. Some might think: how is it possible to be so naive? I think maybe if we were in their shoes, we would fall for exactly the same things. 

The story is told from Gemma's point of view on the one hand and Scarlett's on the other hand which I like a lot. The chapters are rather short and that's something I applaud too.  

So there is only one thing left to do and that's checking off the 5 star box.

Thank you

This was a real page Turner that grabs your attention from the first page. It's very well written & carefully and sensitively deals with tough subject matter. I really enjoyed it.

This story was an excellent one! The disappearance of a child of a the seemingly perfect wife and mother is the crux of this story. You really should believe all you see on social media!

This is a unremarkable novel in an increasingly crowded market.

Instagram famous Gemma has the perfect life, a successful restaurant owner, happily married and a new mother to Thomas.

While in a supermarket Thomas is kidnapped by someone she knows.

The characters are hard to care about as everyone seems like a very exaggerated pantomime of version.

This is a dark novel but not particularly easy to read as the two storylines do not grab you.

This was another quick read for me with the action starting on the very first page, which I really like. The chapters were short which contributed to the quick pace. The only issues I had was that the ending seemed rather rushed and the character of Scarlett was absolutely atrocious and I found it very unlikely that there were no consequences. Apart from that, worth a read.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Hera Books and Ruby Speechley for the copy of this book. All views are my own.*

On the surface, Gemma seems to have it all: an adoring husband, a successful Instagram business, and a healthy newborn son. But when Gemma's new baby is snatched by a girl she works with, it seems there are a whole line of secrets and lies waiting to be revealed, and that everything isn't as perfect as it seems...

While I liked the premise of this book, I found the execution lacking. The characters were barely fleshed out, and there was no nuance at all - the villains were almost caricatures of themselves, and the twists were very predictable. Unfortunately, this just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher, who granted me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

i love this authors books she so twisty and addictive . Gemma is married to Nick they have a baby Thomas . Gemma is trying to get home so she can get to her Restaurant but there is a queue in the supermarket and Thomas is crying , Rosie her employee is in there and offers to take Thomas outside for her but when Gemma comes out Rosie is nowhere to be Seen . she calls the police why has she taken her child . Nick goes ballistic , but there life is not what it seem s do not want to give this story away , what one person will do for revenge its just so good you will not want to stop reading

This novel deals with abuse, violence, control, deception, and lying. The main male character is absolutely vile. I clued in on the two story lines and made the connections. I didn’t really like any of the characters. I thought the ending was incongruent with the main body Of the story. The main focus had been on one plot but then all,of sudden, the author throws in a hurried conclusion. I jus thought it seemed rushed and tacked on as an after thought. It was an ok read.

The face in the window was read in one sitting! Dark, frightening and twisty story that you won't be able to put down. I’d like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley UK, for my copy of this engaging story which I recommend to anyone looking for a fulfilling, page-turning read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’ll be looking out for more reads by this author in the future

Gemma and Nick’s new baby has been taken by a girl who works for Gemma at her restaurant. Gemma is devastated and the police are doing everything they can to get the baby home.
Most of the characters in this book are despicable.
It’s a story about abuse, grooming, secrets and lies and I thought that the plot was predictable.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Face At The Window by Ruby Speechley is a suspenseful psychological thriller. It’s not a whodunnit, as just by reading a few pages one knows what has happened and can easily connect the dots to arrive at the ‘who.’ Speechley’s plot centers on the ‘how’ and ‘what next’ aspects, and they held me glued. I liked her writing style. She has woven a deep web of secrets, lies, and blackmails.

Speechley’s dual narration and varied timelines helped in building the suspense, but at the same time it was a bit confusing to keep track of the events. The build up was slow and picked up pace towards the end.

I am, however, not completely satisfied with the ending. It is fairly decent, but somewhat vague and hurried. Compared to the buildup, the resolution falls flat. There’s an unexpected plot twist at the end. But introducing it at the far end added little value to the story.

The Face At The Window is not a mind blowing thriller, but a good one time read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book!! The twists just kept coming and I found myself cheering the characters on because I connected with and loved them so much. I feel like the author could definitely write a sequel to The Face at the Window and I would love to read it! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this pre-release in exchange for my honest review!

Gemma has the perfect life- amazing husband, baby on the way, successful business, a very popular Instagram account to spotlight her amazing life.

Then it all hits the fan when her 5 day old son Thomas is kidnapped. The kidnapping reveals a long line of secrets and lies in her perfect life.

I don’t mind predictability, but if you do- I’d give this one a miss. It’s hugely predictable.

If you’re like me and don’t mind know what is going to happen but still like the ride to what you know will happen, it’s fast paced and the suspense is well written.

My first book by this author but I’ll surely read more.

3.5/5
*thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this one

The face at the window - @rubyjtspeechley. 🤯🤯

Wow - just wow. This is my first book from @netgalley and it did not disappoint.

Very well written storyline about a student who has an affair with a married school teacher who is more than double her age. Nick (but calls himself Cole in his double life) is married to Gemma, who falls pregnant with his baby which makes him decide to call off his affair with Scarlett.
Scarlett seeks revenge after feeling heartbroken that the love of her life no longer wanted her and applies for a job in his wife's restaurant. Gemma and Scarlett (although under secret name Rosie) quickly form a good rapport to which allows Scarlett to take drastic action to get back at her secret lover.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Very well written and I have to say took a plot twist that I wasn't expecting. I felt that all the way through the book I knew where the story was leading, especially with the information about Scarlett's long lost dad - but I was very wrong. But not disappointed.

Publication date: 28th July 2021.

#netgalley #book #review #kindle #rubyspeechley #thefaceatthewindow

First and foremost I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to read and review The Face at the Window prior to its release date.

Ruby Speechley has provided us with yet another addictive thriller! After reading Speechley's debut novel : Someone else's Baby", I knew I just had to get my hands on anything and everything she would come out with in the future. Although The Face at the Window, started out as a bit like a slow burn, quickly turned up the pace mid way through!

I would classify this as a domestic thriller that details the kidnapping of a newborn baby.

The story-line will have you hooked early on and it kept me turning the pages late into the night. This definitely felt like an emotional roller coaster. The ending was satisfying and unexpected . I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a domestic thriller.

The beginning was a little slow but it ended up being extremely fast paced.
"They're in your house and they want your life" is enough to hook any thriller lover. We love a good outside-looking-in story with one extra twist you just weren't expecting.

My feelings are a bit mixed on The Face at the Window as I dont really feel the blurb accurately descibes the story of Gemma and Nick and their missing baby. The book follows several stories and other characters and I found it confusing at first to understand how it all connected. However there is suspense and drama, and Speechley wraps it all up with no loose ends.

This book was incredible! It took me a second to get a firm grasp on all the different stories, but once I did it was so hard to put down. Unexpected twists and turns, which I love in this genre. Would definitely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. I have really liked Ruby's books in the past. This book was written well with some good suspense, but I felt it was utterly predictable from the very beginning.