Disturbing. I couldn't see where the characters' stories would fit together, and the twists at the end were shocking. I couldn't put the book down but it was disturbing.

Review left on Amazon

Sisters Natalie and Kit Collins have drifted apart since their mother passed away. While Natalie has refocused her energy on her job, Kit decided to join a wellness retreat of sorts for six months. Located on a remote island off the coast of Maine, communication with the outside world is strictly prohibited. No cell phones, no internet, nothing. Fast forward six months, Natalie receives an ominous email that has her rushing to the island desperately wanting to talk with Kit. And the story unfolds from there.

This story has multiple POVs and timelines. This was everything you need for a thriller and crime story. It is not as black and white as you first think and like most typical thrillers, is full of twists. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

I haven't read Stephanie Wrobel's 1st novel but based on this I will.

The story of what is basically a cult living on an island off Maine, USA, is told from three viewpoints - estranged sisters Natalie and Kit, and the cult leader who is also known under several names (without giving too much away). Cults are always a source of fascination but this group takes in paying visitors who are usually directionless, problematic or have unresolved issues, and aims to teach them to become their 'maximised selves' through a bizarre and sometimes dangerous six-month programme of classes and activities. They are also subject to restrictive rules which are fiercely policed. The island setting felt very uncomfortable and claustrophobic.

The book examines the relationships and dynamics within families, and the reasons some people become so unhappy with their lives. Also the techniques used by cult leaders - manipulation, emotional blackmail, self-incrimination, encouraging devotion to the leader and suspicion in peers - are all used to very good effect in this book.

I though the book was a bit of a slow-burner and didn't particularly enjoy the Madam Fearless backstory but it was necessary to the plot. Anyway it certainly picked up once our main characters were on the island. And wow! What an ending! She wouldn't do that, would she? It was left to the imagination but I think she did...

Like many others, I was a big fan of the whirlwind that is Darling Rose Gold so when I saw that the author had a new book coming out, I was super excited. Unfortunately This Might Hurt didn’t quite impact me in the same way.

There are three narrators in this story which I think worked well and I found each viewpoint clear but I didn’t particularly connect emotionally with two of them. There is a ‘slow burner’ book and then there is this one - there was just so much build up and the ending felt quite underwhelming which is a shame.

This is not a bad book by any means but I can’t help but compare to Darling Rose Gold which blew me away and This Might Hurt sadly did not. Will still be looking out for more from this author!

Stephanie Wrobel has done it again! She really played on all my fears and nightmares in this one and wove it into such an amazing and thrilling storyline that I couldn’t put it down.
I feel like it had hints of dystopian fiction towards the end which I loved and really gave it an elevation over other thrillers I’ve read recently. Loved this one!

This was well written, with engaging characters...however I feel it fizzled out a little at the end. Dont take my word for it though...it might just be what you're looking for! Many thanks to Netgalley.co.uk, publisher and author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This Might Hurt is a psychological thriller telling the story of two sisters. Kit and Natalie. Kit is a troubled young woman looking for her chance to shine, while her older sister Natalie seems to have everything figured out. As such, when Kit hears about Wisewood, a self-help retreat that seems to have all the answers she could ever need, she signs up and leaves her life and family behind. Natalie has a secret of her own and when Wisewood knows all about it, she goes in search of her own answers.

The blurb/synopsis is what sold This Might Hurt to me. I was interested in the self-help angle of the story and the two main characters sounded like ones I could relate to. I was enraptured by the first half of the book; the lives of the characters being presented in an anecdotal manner without giving away the details of whose life was being documented. This caused a bit of confusion initially, but it was soon clear to see that there was another element at play. The introduction of this character and their life added another layer of interest to the novel and as their story progressed, the magic of the novel came to the fore.

The characters felt relatable and realistic. Kit came across as a troubled younger sibling; trying to grasp at anything that could improve her life. Natalie the older, somewhat overbearing sister that seems to know what’s best for everyone. With the other point of view character, there was some very troubling incidents that sets the tone for the characters demeanour as the story progresses. These difficult to digest scenes of child abuse are some of the best written in the book; they are endearing and help impart and understanding towards a character that we have no right giving sympathy too.

The timeline of the book jumps around a lot. There’s a past Point of View story running alongside the present day; these two timelines eventually end up meeting one another. However, the book isn’t without its confusion. It’s easy to see that the narrative it being intentionally blurry. Keeping the suspension going – especially with some of the topics and scenes being shown in the past – and the reader guessing what is happening in modern day Wisewood. I found this aspect of the novel to be really interesting; the character driven chapters were engaging and mysterious.

It’s a shame this air of mystery doesn’t last. When the novel focuses on Wisewood it feels like the story loses its heart and its direction. There is a cult-like element to those within Wisewood, where students become teachers and they have their own initiation ceremonies. Unfortunately, this aspect of the novel didn’t work for me. It pushed my suspension of disbelief a little bit too far and I couldn’t go along with the plot any more. I just didn’t believe what was happening on this solitary island. It’s a shame as prior to this I found the novel engaging. If a little slow.

The pacing of This Might Hurt is slow and sedate. I think this played a large part in my overall feelings towards the novel. Never once did I feel like there was any real feel of threat towards the characters. Yes, some depraved things happen to them and they all endure their own trials, but I just didn’t feel like they were ever in any danger. This really tied in as the book reaches its climax. I was expecting a final push towards a resolution, but, then it ended. I am still left scratching my head wondering what it was really all about. Yes, I understand the premise of the novel, I understand the story that I read, but somehow it never felt fully resolved. The open-ended ambiguity of this book didn’t help with the previously mentioned flaws.

Yet, Stephanie Wrobel can write beautifully. Every scene I read transported me to a new place. Each description I felt as keenly as the characters. All the locations are described really well and left me with such a vivid sense of imagery. I was captivated by Wrobel’s writing style, so I shall certainly be on the look out for her other books because while The Might Hurt didn’t work out for me in terms of narrative, it did almost everywhere else.

Overall my enjoyment of the book waned as it went on. Once the initial history of the mysterious third character and the abuse, where that led and who it was, was a great grip. However, once that mystery was solved and the rest of the story happened, things went rapidly downhill.

A self-help retreat with a charismatic leader, no contact with the outside world and an awful lot of secrets. An interesting take on family relationships, between siblings and parents and their children. A good thriller, some unexpected twists and a good sense of what life is like at Wisewood. Overall I enjoyed it, the unfolding of events from multiple points of view worked well. The ending was left a little open for my liking but it was all explained so no loose ends. Best part was the sisters complicated relationship with each other, the guilt they both carried and how they explored this. Teacher was also a great character, I enjoyed the way the story was told in different timelines so we built up our views of her.

this wasn't my kind of book, very painful to read at times, strange ending that seemed unfinished, crazy in parts too! sorry not for me

This was a good story, I was intrigued as to what was gonna happen and I'm glad I picked it up! Want to read more from this author

I'm sorry to say this didn't grab me at all. I didn't connect with any of the characters and I probably wouldn't have finished the book if it wasn't a netgalley read. Neither of the two narratives kept my interest and the ending was underwhelming. Having said all of that, there's plenty for a reading group to discuss.

Thank you for providing me with a review copy of this book. Enjoyed reading, some nice plot twists, would recommend....

This book was fine but nothing spectacular. I felt it was at least 100 pages longer than it needed to be and was quite slow to start.

It got a bit confusing at times with the chapters jumping back and forward, particularly with the unnamed ones (although I worked out what was going on there relatively early on).

I didn't really connect with any of the characters even the ones I think you were supposed to and I felt the ending was rather abrupt with lots of unanswered questions.

On a good note I did find the story very atmospheric and did a good job of placing you at the scene.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Michael Joseph UK and Stephanie Wrobel for the copy of this book. All views are my own.*

This Might hurt started off well but lost me after about half way. I disliked the main characters and didn’t really care what happened to them. The story was well written but I definitely wasn’t gripped and it felt a bit of a chore getting through the last part of the book.

I don’t really know how I didn’t like this. I love the topic and the writing was great, but there wasn’t enough to interest me.

I had so many mixed feelings about this book. I liked some of the characters and I predicted some twists and turns but many were quite interesting to see how they changed the turn of the story overall.

Great story that many readers will enjoy for sure

Natalie Collins hasn't heard from her sister in more than half a year.

The last time they spoke, Kit was slogging from mundane workdays to obligatory happy hours to crying in the shower about their dead mother. She told Natalie she was sure there was something more out there.

And then she found Wisewood.

On a private island off the coast of Maine, Wisewood's guests commit to six-month stays. During this time, they're prohibited from contact with the rest of the world--no Internet, no phones, no exceptions. But the rules are for a good reason: to keep guests focused on achieving true fearlessness so they can become their Maximized Selves. Natalie thinks it's a bad idea, but Kit has had enough of her sister's cynicism and voluntarily disappears off the grid.

Six months later Natalie receives a menacing e-mail from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal the secret she's been keeping from Kit. Panicked, Natalie hurries north to come clean to her sister and bring her home. But she's about to learn that Wisewood won't let either of them go without a fight.

This book kept me guessing with so many questions. It made me feel really uncomfortable but at the same time I couldn't put it down!

Not a fan I’m afraid. I loved recovery of rose gold so I was hoping this would be as good as but sadly wasn’t for me., too slow, confusing & just a little bit of a slog. Apologies. Extra star because it wouldn’t put me off reading another by this author.

Not for me, sorry.
I wasn’t brought into the story - maybe the cult felt too unrealistic I don’t know, but I wasn’t keen to go back and carry on, it felt a bit of a struggle to finish.