Cover Image: The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

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Member Reviews

Was it all her fault that her boyfriend disappeared?

Jodie is devastated by the loss of her father. He leaves everything to her, which hurts her brother and enrages her brother's wife. She hopes to clear out her childhood home as quickly as possible, so she can sell it and move on. Between her sister-in-law's threats of a lawsuit and her moody teenage son, she has enough on her plate as it is. While cleaning out the attic, an icy finger of dread runs up Jodie's spine as she uncovers a horrible secret. Packed away in a box is the shirt that her high school boyfriend was wearing on the night he disappeared, two decades ago. Why would her father have Ben's shirt? Her father was the gentlest and most caring man she had ever known, but could that have been an act? As Jodie begins to uncover more secrets about the people closest to her, and strange events begin to follow her, who can she turn to? Could Jodie and her son be in danger?
This novel started out strong, and I was excited to keep reading and find out more. Many of the side characters were interesting and I would read more about them if given the chance. As the story progressed, I found it was going around in circles. This story was very repetitive at times and I guessed the twist long before the end of the novel. The end of the story felt rushed and seemed completely out of place with the rest of the book. I enjoyed parts of this novel but I would consider it more dramatic fiction than a psychological thriller. I look forward to giving Kerry Wilkinson's writing another try as I have enjoyed his work in the past.

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I was lucky to receive an advance copy of The Boyfriend by Kerry Wilkinson from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. LOVED the cover and couldn't wait to dive into this one! Kerry does not disappoint! Great read, lots of twists and turns that you won't see coming and will keep you engrossed until the very last sentence. Do yourself a favor and read this ASAP!

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I haven’t read a Kerry Wilkinson book I didn’t love! I knew this was going to be a thrilling rollercoaster ride of a read within the first chapter. When a loved one dies, you never know what secrets are buried in the attic and who was responsible for harboring them!

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this one rather dull in comparison to many of his other books. It was still an ok read but I was hoping for a lot more. There was plenty of suspense but it never seemed to go anywhere.

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I really like this author, but this particular book fell a bit short for me. It centers on Jodie, who finds the t-shirt her boyfriend was wearing when he disappeared decades ago in her father's attic. Her father has just passed away and she is cleaning out his house. Not much really happens for the first 2/3 of the book as she stresses over this, but things start coming together towards the end, culminating in a big (though heartbreaking) twist I didn't see coming.

I found the narrative to mostly plod along in this book. Jodie wasn't all that likable of a character and seemed to have strained relationships with everyone around her. I found myself bored many times as I was reading. There was a lot of other stuff happening in her life that didn't have to do with the t-shirt. It finally picked up for more more than halfway through, and though the rest of the book held my interest, there were a lot of questions left unanswered and the surprise ending just made me sad.

Overall, this was not my favorite read, but it was OK. I'd give it 2.5 stars, rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Following the death of her father, Jodi is cleaning out his house when she finds the shirt her boyfriend was wearing when he disappeared. She is not sure what to do as a man was just being released from a 20 year prison sentence for the crime.
I found this book to be more general fiction than psychological thriller as it really didn't have too much happen until the last third of the book.

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The Boyfriend -
Kerry Wilkinson

3.5🌟

Thanks a mil to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author Kerry Wilkinson for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. While it was a slow enough paced start, it still managed to keep me gripped and I just wanted to keep reading on to find out who, in fact, killed Ben all those years ago.

There were so many possible suspects and I had no idea who it actually was until revealed in the closing chapters. Definitely a book based on family secrets. It had a believable conclusion and everything tied in nicely. I really liked the cover and the blurb definitely made me want to pick up the book in the first place, really sounded like one that would keep me guessing, which I love. While it isn't a favourite of my recent reads, it was an enjoyable read and I'll make sure to keep this author in my sights for any future releases.

#TheBoyfriend #Netgalley

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Oh dear. I desperately wanted to like this book having thoroughly enjoyed the last one by the author but this just really missed the mark.

There was one rather shocking moment towards the end which I didn't see coming but apart from that it just wasn't very exciting. The story never really seemed to go anywhere leaving a whole heap of unanswered questions culminating in a rather abrupt ending.

I will probably give the author another go seen as it's been a bit of a hit and a miss.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Kerry Wilkinson for the copy of this book. All views are my own.*

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Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I flew through this book! It was amazing. It was well written and unpredictable. I have never read a book by Kerry Wilkinson before, but I definitely will again. I didn't feel as if there were any lulls in the story. I was captivated from beginning to end.

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I read The Perfect Daughter and really enjoyed t. However, although The Boyfriend had multiple twists, turns and surprises, for me the story just didn't hit the spot. Jodie seemed weighed down by everything and everyone around her. I n fact, I felt sorry for Jodie's character. Everyone seemed to let her down. .The discovery of her dead boyfriend's t-shirt in her father's loft got lost amongst all the other pressures in her life. Although she eventually discovered what had happened, I didn't feel there was any satisfactory ending. In fact her very last action put her right back to the place the story had first begun.

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I received this book from Bookoture as an ARC
I really like Kerey's style of writing, but will admit I found this book abit all over the place, the pace was great and I did want to know what had happened, however I do feel that the suspense went on too long whilst the final part of the book was rushed to the end.
Good story and good plot just a bit rushed in places.

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This book was a slow burn with lots of things I loved. The concept and Jodie are interesting. I also liked the cast of characters and the dynamic of secrets in a small town. I don't know if the book or the ending will be memorable in the long run but I liked the writing and would definitely read more from this author.

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Thank you to #NetGalley for my advance copy of #TheBoyfriend by #KerryWilkinson

20 years ago Jodie’s boyfriend was killed on the way to meet her.
Today Jodie has buried her father the late mayor and much loved character of the town.
When she starts clearing out the house she finds the t shirt he was wearing that night. What does this mean. His body was never found but someone has been inside ever since convicted of his murder. Is he dead
Jodie’s searches for answers and wakes up old memories.
The suspects come thick and fast, and just when you think you know who it is. You’re wrong.
A great read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced e-copy of The Boyfriend.

The Boyfriend had so much potential, but it was a bit underwhelming. The plot caught my attention as it was an interesting concept. I found the pace to be a bit slow, but there were some twists. The story was an interesting read but not enough to keep me glued to each page eager to find out more. The ending was unexpected, shocking, and emotional. However, it felt a bit unresolved. I feel like there should have been one or two more chapters to close out the story. I would still recommend reading this book as it is worth reading.

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I am a big fan of Kerry's books and when I found out he has a new book called The Boyfriend by Kerry Wilkinson I just had to put everything aside and find a cosy place in the shade in my garden and open my kindle. This book did not disappoint I was gripped from the very beginning till the end. I loved it. It had some great twists and turned that will have you gripped.

I highly recommend this new book by Kerry Wilkinson.

Big Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Boyfriend.

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Boyfriend' by Kerry Wilkinson.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Kerry Wilkinson, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 16th June 2022.

This is the fourth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Child Across The Street', 'The Party At Number 12' and 'The Child In The Photo' which I would also recommend reading.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, I Am Watching You and Shari Lapena.' I am a huge fan of Shari so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Kerry and if this is as good as 'The Child Across The Street' 'The Child In The Photo' and 'The Party At Number 12' it is sure to be an excellent read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 49 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in England, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited England on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Kerry has based the book on.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Jodie Parker. The benefits of third person perspective with are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.


Well, well, well Wow!!! What an absolute cracker of a book!!! This book sucked me straight in from beginning to the explosive ending. It was very well written with excellent descriptions which put me straight into the storyline. The blog and the cover suited the book perfectly.

WHAT THE HOLY SMOKES DID I JUST READ!!! ABSOLUTELY GOBSMACKED!!!

The storyline was fast paced and filled with drama, lies, twists, family, shocks, deceit and suspense. A sadly and scarily very believable storyline which kept me on edge throughout. I loved all the twists and turns and throughout it kept me guessing what was going on and who was doing what. I would NEVER have guessed at the ending so a MASSIVE WELL DONE to Kerry . I have read many thrillers and it's getting harder and harder for me to be surprised so great job there. I loved the storyline and just loved everything about it. It was all done perfectly!! I loved the fact that everything was tied up and explained at the end and there were no loose strings. An absolutely addictive page turner that kept my heart in my throat on the edge of the seat and absolutely absorbed me. The fact there were so many different red herrings and so many possibilities that all would have worked perfectly and then the absolutely EXPLOSIVE ending that there was no way I would have ever expected was absolutely fantastic!!! I also enjoyed the fact that it actually makes you think about what you might do in that situation. It is also quite sad about what happened to a certain character and definitely makes you realise some actions have devastating consequences and causes a knock on effect. I could not put this book down!!! I was so invested in the storyline that I was up until 2am!! I would LOVE to see this turned into a movie!!!

WARNING ⚠ DO NOT START THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE CLEARED YOUR SCHEDULES AS THIS BOOK IS ADDICTIVE!!!!

THE characters were fantastic, solid and completely believable, or are they?? You just have no idea who to trust and wow was I blindsighted! They all had such different and strong personalities and all suited the storyline perfectly. I really liked Jodie, she had such a strong personality and my heart really went out to her as she had alot to deal with when she was finding out certain things and they put her in a horrific position. There were such a mix of personalities and its hard really to say too much about any of them without giving too much away!!! My heart did go out to a certain person and I was absolutely devastated in what happened. My mind was absolutely blown when I discovered what really happened and yours will be too!!

CONGRATULATIONS KERRY ON YET ANOTHER ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVE PAGE TURNER!!!! THIS IS WHY YOU ARE ONE OF MY TOP 5 MALE AUTHORS!!! HERE'S TO YOUR NEXT SUCCESS 🥂

Overall a compelling, page turning, mind blowing psychological thriller that will keep you up late at night.

Genres covered in this novel include Psychological Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Noir Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena, T'he Girl on the Train', 'I Am Watching You', C. L TAYLOR and anyone looking for a book with a twist they will never suspect!!!


336 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I have read a few Kerry Wilkinson books in the past and never disappoint. The twists in the latest installment are crazy you can never trust anyone. Being constantly on the on the back foot put me on edge from the start. As the evidence builds you begin to piece it together slowly or so you think. If you like a twisty thriller, family secrets and murder this is totally for you a 100% must read.
#NetGalley #TheBoyfriend

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We follow Jodie as she searches for the truth about her teenage boyfriend's disappearance. Now a grown woman with a teenage son herself, Jodie struggles with bringing up old hurt or keeping on with her normal life. While the plotline is interesting, I think the suspense part fell flat for me. I was not too thrilled or anxious about the twists and surprises. I did not feel too attached to the characters because they were all monotone. I genuinely liked the premise, but it did not connect throughout the story. The most emotion I felt was at the very end. I felt frustrated and wanted to scream at Jodie for her decisions. Without spoilers, it was a tug-of-war with emotions at the conclusion. Overall, this was entertaining but not a favorite of mine.

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How well do you really know someone? It’s a question that central to Kerry Wilkinson’s The Boyfriend. And it’s the question that Jodie, the main character of the book, begins to ask herself about her own father. While beginning to clean out the house of her recently deceased father, Jodie discovers a shirt in a box in the attic. But it’s not just any shirt. It’s the shirt that belonged to her first boyfriend. In fact it’s the very one she was certain he was wearing the day he disappeared 20 years ago. So what the heck is it doing in a box in her deceased father’s attic and what really happened to her boyfriend so long ago? As Jodie tries to answer those questions she begins to learn more and more about her father and starts to wonder if she ever really knew the man. This is very engaging story with well developed character, a twisting storyline, and a heck of a ending. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Boyfriend.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R26SVK0ND1YFIF/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

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Loved this book. Sadness to see someone lose faith in their father but ended restoring her faith. So well written and gripping

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