Another fast-paced, addictive read from Natalie Barelli! I flew through Unforgivable in a day and a half, the fastest I've read a book in quite some time. It was certainly soap-opera-esq, but that was part of the fun. I loved the first person POV, even though it was frustrating being stuck in Laura's head lol. I do wish there were more setting details of the Pacific Northwest.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoy this book. However, I did find it a little predictable in places, but it is still not a bad read, although the characters are a bit annoying.

Loved this!! My first read of anything by Natalie Barreli, but it most certainly will not be my last! This has be reading at every available opportunity and kept me up well after I should have been sleeping!!

What a rollercoaster ride of a book this is! It started off fairly straightforwardly, Jack’s ex-wife is back on the scene, and even staying in the house, and she’s pretty nasty in a very sneaky way. I felt so sorry for Laura, who was having to put up with a lot, and poor little Charlie, stuck in the middle of it all.

But in this book, none of the characters are as they seem, and there are many twists and turns. The intriguing and very authentic characters are what really makes this book such a page-turner. There is no telling what secret or twist is going to appear next.

I absolutely raced through this book, it’s a completely compelling read.

Tightly plotted, it’s a book that will completely hold you captive right up until the very dramatic end.

I really enjoyed this super twisty tale and would completely recommend it to others who love a gripping and entertaining book.

I really like Natalie Barelli's books and this one is definitely one you want to read. Lots of twists and turns you won't see coming! Be prepared to stay up late reading, you won't want to stop!
*Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the chance to read this advance copy*

Wow what an amazing book! This one kept me awake all night and I am still thinking about it! Gripping and addictive, this one will stay with you. Do read it.

Laura is engaged to recently-unemployed Jack and considers herself stepmom to his daughter Charlie after her mother Bronwyn deserted Jack and Charlie. Bronwyn suddenly is coming back, supposedly to finalize the divorce, and oh yeah, she's going to stay in her former home where Jack and Charlie now live with Laura. Huh?!? Someone speak up and shoot down this crazy idea. Nope, things only go further off the rails from there. Bronwyn starts gaslighting Laura and undermining her, and it turns out the women have a history. This was deliciously twisty.

This was my first book by this author, I enjoyed the story and the plot did keep me guessing but I have to admit I found the main character a bit annoying which took away from my overall enjoyment.

Your ex-wife didn’t leave you because of me. She didn’t abandon her little girl because of a couple of love notes in your jeans pocket. She left because she’s twisted, and she wanted to punish you. And she’s not finished yet. You have to believe me. If you don’t, there’s no knowing what she’ll do next…

Becoming a stepmother is the best thing that ever happened to me. My favorite part of every day is picking Charlie up from school, watching her little rucksack bounce behind her as she skips over for a hug. I love the feel of those thin freckled arms around my waist. After a few rocky months of panic attacks when her mother deserted her, Charlie is flourishing. But the day Charlie’s mother Bronwyn returns without warning—showering Charlie with gifts and making promises she can’t keep—fear ripples through me.

When I raise my concerns, no one wants to listen. I know I sound like the jealous new wife, but nothing is more important to me than Charlie’s safety. Me and Bronwyn have history. We both have dark secrets in our past, and I know the dangerous lengths she will go to get what she wants.

But Bronwyn doesn’t know me as well as I know her.

She doesn’t know just how far I will go to protect that little girl…

An edge of your seat physcological thriller, it will take you on one hell of a ride. I could not keep up with Laura and definitely didn't want to try. But I was enthralled with this book and highly recommend. Thank you netgalley and bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#netgalley #unforgivable

This was my first by the author. I enjoyed parts, but this felt like a family melodrama with a bunch of Looney Tunes whose actions were super irrational. I wanted someone with some active brain cells to root for. I did enjoy the daughter Charlie, who was more with it than the adults.

The soon to be ex-wife, Bronwyn blows in on her broomstick, demanding to stay and visit her daughter. She turned the home that Laura had created for little Charlie and her fiance, Jack upside down. Who would even stand for this? The drama between them made me c-r-a-z-y!

I'm okay with a over the top story, but I wanted out of Laura's head and fast! First person pov, didn't work for me this time. I'm open to reading more from the author, so we'll see!

Check out other reviews as I'm a bit of an outlier here.

This was recommended to me by so many people. I love the author and the books that I’ve read of hers so thought it would be a no brainer that I’d love this as well. Boy was I wrong. This was slow to start, wasn’t very interesting., and was all over the place. Once I got to the part of who was behind it all it just didn’t make sense, there were no clues leading up to why it could of been them.

Unforgivable by Natalie Barelli

Laura lives with her fiancé Jack and his daughter Charlie, who she loves as her own. Everything is great between them, the only problem is that they can't get married because he's still married to Bronwyn, Charlie's mother.

Two years ago, Bronwyn left Jack and Charlie for another man and moved to Europe. Now she decides to come back for a couple of weeks, and asks Jack if she can stay with them. From the moment Bronwyn sets foot in their home, Laura is filled with jealousy and insecurities and she starts suspecting that Bronwyn wants to get her husband, her daughter and her life back.

At the same time, a mysterious young woman starts working as Laura’s assistant and strange things start happening at her job too. All of these situations collide and make her feel anxious and paranoid.

As the plot thickens, new details about the characters’ past are revealed and we get to discover their secrets and true intentions.

It's better to go into this book blindly as I did. The story is full of red herrings, twists and turns and it keeps you guessing until the end.

Read if you like movies like Unforgettable or The Hand that Rocks the Cradle.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the review copy of Unforgivable.

This is one I very much was into from the start. I was so enthralled that I had my headphones on at work to keep listening. I kept guessing with Laura what the heck was going on. She didn’t make the best choices herself. I wasn’t sure what was gonna happen to her in the end. Yet, the ending was satisfying. I give this 5 stars for a fabulous thrilling read!

Thank you, Natalie Barelli, bookouture, dreamscapemedia & netgalley for my e-copy and audiobook! All opinions are my own.

Talk about a psychological thriller! This one had me second guessing myself throughout! Fantastic characters who are just as twisted as the next and enough red herrings thrown in to mess with you! Another great book by this author!

Read this if…you like domestic thrillers that keep you guessing.

A huge thanks to Bookouture, Netgalley, and the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Laura is living with her boyfriend Jack and his young daughter, Charlie. While not technically her stepmother yet, Laura may as well be. She has stepped in to help Charlie process her emotions about her mother leaving her behind to move to Italy. She takes care of the girl, listens to her, and supports her in every way possible. So when Charlie’s mom shows back up and throws a wrench into the idyllic life Laura had created with Bronwyn’s ex and her daughter, Laura is immediately on the defensive.

She suspects Bronwyn of playing mind games and messing with Laura’s life, but whenever she tries to convince anyone else of Bronwyn’s wickedness, she just sounds like the jealous girlfriend. When Bronwyn’s behavior begins to negatively affect Charlie, Laura is determined to do whatever it takes to protect her new family life. Someone’s definitely crazy here, but who is it?

Natalie Barelli is an auto-buy author for me. Her books are always fast paced domestic thrillers that I consume in just a few sittings. Unforgivable is no different. I flew through it and empathized with Laura’s character as everything she had worked so hard to build started crumbling as soon as Bronwyn arrived. The plot threw me for a loop more than once and made me question everything I had been reading.

My only issue with this one was I found Laura to be a frustrating protagonist. I felt for her, but her character annoyed me throughout most of the book. Other than that, I really liked Unforgivable and think fans of domestic thrillers will enjoy it as well! You can easily read this in one sitting if you’ve got the time!

This was a falling off the edge read! Had me questioning everything and everyone until the very end. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers. Laura will do anything to save her family , question is just how far would she go! Absolutely loved it

What a book! So twisted. I kept liking and disliking and then liking characters again. If you like modern mystery, this will keep you guessing. I recommend it and I will definitely check out other Barelli's books.

p.s. I really loved how the connection between Laura and her step daughter Charlie and Laura's love of her. Very well described.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.

I wanna start by saying I am so glad to see a new book out by Natalie barelli. She is one of my favorite authors and has not had a new book in quite sometime. Her favorite book of mine is missing Molly but all of her books are really good. She is an amazing psychological thriller writer.
Unforgivable by Natalie barelli has 4 main characters that we are introduced to rite away. Laura and Jack (who are newly engaged), Charlie (Jacks daughter) and bronwyn who is jacks seemingly perfect to-be ex wife and Charlie's mother. Jack and Laura are raising Charlie together since the split between Jack and Bronwyn. Bronwen ran off to Italy with a new lover and left her daughter Charlie behind. After Bronwen left Laura was left to pick up the pieces to Charlie's abandonment issues.. which she was very happy to do until Bronwen calls jacks and tells him she's coming to visit her daughter and sign papers to finalize the divorce. Of course she'll be staying with them on her visit. As soon as bronwyn arrives she tries to discredit Laura and make everyone around think Laura is crazy. Laura works at a prestige art gallery and there is a robbery of a very expensive piece on the very same day Laura interviews a new hire at the gallery. Is summer (the new employee) a good fit for the job or does she have other things on her mind besides art? then Laura finds the stolen painting in her house. When Laura finally breaks and starts to fall apart all of and sudden bronwyn wants to be friends and move forward. What in the world is going on ? who stole the expensive painting from Laura's job ...is someone trying to frame her? Is bronwyn trying to get rid of her to take her family back? Is Bronwyn sincere or is she keeping her friends close and her enemies closer? Unforgivable by Natalie Barelli is an edge of your seat twisted thriller that will have you wondering if Laura is really as delusional as she seems ....this book was so deep into detail I even thought for a brief second....I would have done the same thing Laura did....am I crazy too? Lol or does Bronwyn (jacks ex wife) have a sinister plan slowly coming into play. Is she purposely trying to make her ex husband's fiancee seem crazy? Through the entire book we are thinking that bronwyn is back in town to get her family back together (her daughter Charlie that she left behind and her ex husband jack) but that Is definitely not the case. Something much more sinister and gut wrenching is about to take place. Strap on your seatbelt folks because unforgivable by Natalie barelli is about to take you on one wild ride!

Well this one was a pleasant surprise. The story was catchy, the characters really rich and full of life and that ending totally blows you away if, like me, you didn't expect it.

One character I wanted to see more of was Summer. She actually plays a very important roll and didn't see enough of her to fully bring that side of her character to life.

I really liked the dual timelines as it gives that bit of insight into Bronwyn and Laura's friendship. Overall a really good book and another author to watch for sure! Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

This was the first book I have read by Natalie Barelli and I was fairly impressed. The first half of the book moved along at a slow pace and I wasn't sure where it was heading. However, the second half drew me in and I enjoyed the twists and turns as the story reached it's climax. I was pleased that the author tied up the loose ends to my satisfaction.. An entertaining summertime read!

I will definitely read another book written by Ms. Barelli..


Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read a preview of this novel in July 2022.