Very easy read. I felt the characters could use more development and definitely would be interested in more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. This was a great page turning suspense novel, and Bonnie Traymore is an amazing story teller. This novel kept me in my toes, wanting more, and every storyline here was smooth and believable, very important. Definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed this book but It just all comes to a head and then it’s over. Just felt like the build-up was so long in the making and then the important part was rushed slightly.

The editing was spot on with no errors spotted to interrupt the flow of reading. The writing that jumped between different narrators and first- and third-person point of view made the action more present. While I enjoyed the book, i wouldn’t say I loved it, but i would definitely read more from the author as I liked the writing style.

Thanks for the opportunity to read it !!

It’s Laura Foster’s time. She raised her stepchildren, Lydia and Carson, after their mother died and helped her husband, Peter, with his work while putting her career on ice. Now she is back in the business world and doing well, the kids have grown up and left, and her training for the next Iron Man is spot on.

But strange accidents keep happening to Laura. The type of accidents that could get her killed. Is it a jealous coworker? Is it someone from Peter’s or even her own past? Or is it closer to home? As Laura starts investigating, she realises that Peter has not been as forthcoming as she thought about his past. A small lie told many years ago could be deadly...

It’s a quick read and while there were thriller elements involved, I’m not sure it was as much a psychological thriller. It goes into state of mind and the after-effects but I still didn’t feel it went that deeply.

The character I enjoyed the most was Shackler, the PI. Definitely not as slow as other characters made him out to be. But to be placed in the position he was at the end was not right at all.
Peter annoyed me with his lies and constant worrying. Considering Laura’s life was on the line, he really should have said something. His work, however, redeemed some of it!
I found Lydia’s attitude change toward Laura very quick and her character was not as genuine as I’d hoped.

The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger that could continue or not. So it wasn’t that awful feeling when you get to the end and the book runs out. I thought the leap to “someone is trying to kill me” from brake fluid on the ground was a bit far. With the potholes around here, your whole tyre could have come off and no one would have batted an eyelash. The final confrontation was too quick. It all comes to a head and then it’s over. Just felt like the build-up was so long in the making and then the important part was rushed.

The editing was great with no glaring errors to interrupt the flow of reading. The writing that jumped between different narrators and first- and third-person POV made the action more present. While I enjoyed the book, I didn’t love it, but it is a good afternoon read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Traymore for the opportunity to read this ARC. Unfortunately, this one was not for me and I only made it through 40% of the book and just couldn't continue. In my opinion the characters weren't well developed or likeable and not much happened in the 40% of the book I pushed through. I do still encourage others to give it a try. Just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean others won't like it and hopefully the last 60% really picks up but I just couldn't push myself to read anymore.

Thank you NetGalley, Bonnie Traymore, and Pathways Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. I should have read this before reading the second...opps! The description of this book sounded so much more intriguing than that of the second book. I was able to read this in one sitting and the characters are likable. A great thriller to start out with reading if you are new to this genre of books.

I really enjoyed this psychological thriller! It's about a blended family with secrets that keep you guessing what is going to happen next. This is the first book I've read by Bonnie Traymore. I think she did a great job writing the story. It kept my attention, making me wonder what was going to happen next and who was behind everything going on.

New to this author but definitely like the style. Combo 1st person and third person helps us see alot of points of view yet keep with the main person's story.
Here, we have a step family with step mom having her life put on the line with no clear motive or assailant.
Alot of the story has to do with the death of the 1st wife and mistress. Lots of twists and turns, the PI hired delves deep into backgrounds and finds secrets better left secrets.

All in all its a good book. I would recommend it.

I really wanted to like this so much more than I did. The description of this had so much potential that I feel like the actual book never met. I’ve read plenty of books where the main character’s perception of events is questioned based on an unstable mental state, but this was a case of the main character and everyone else in her life immediately jumping to the furthest conclusion possible for no obvious reason. For at least the first 2/3 of the book, I struggled to get through it. I knew something shady was going on, but more because the characters in the book were telling me and not because the story was truly showing me. I felt compelled to finish simply because I knew there wouldn’t be a book unless something happened. Overall, this just wasn’t for me. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

First in the Silicon Valley series, it must be noted that the series is a location series, not a character based series. This is a flight or fight thriller as well as a domestic thriller. A prominent family has been threatened and when it escalates to attempted murder, they hire a private investigator for answers. However, some questions should never be answered when past secrets are buried so deep. Twist at end nails it!! Enjoyable thriller and I look forward to next in series.

This was not my favorite download. I finished this, but I would not buy. I don't think I would give the author another chance with a different book. 1 star

3.5 stars rounded up. I flew through this domestic suspense novel wanting to know the ending.

Laura goes from being a single woman to a wife and stepmom of two kids when she marries Peter. His first wife dies by suicide….maybe. Whoa! Talk about drama! Peter is messy, and Laura is passive. Throughout this story, we get to see Laura become less passive and start to speak up for herself. That part I loved! The storyline was full of drama, and I loved that too.

The suspense building in this novel was great. Traymore wrote the plot in a way that pulled you in and kept you wondering what was going to develop. The narrative is told from dual POVs with Laura and Peter taking turns. Laura was the star in this book, and I found myself rooting for her.

The twists in this book were good and believable, which I appreciated The only con I had was the alternating 1st and 3rd person writing. It was slightly confusing. Overall, this was a good read, and I am awaiting book 2 in the Silicon Valley Series. I am a new Bonnie Traymore fan.

Thank you NetGalley and Pathways Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, the characters kept me on my toes and cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

The first in the Silicon Valley Series, The Stepfamily delivers in the psychological thriller department. Motives are questioned, secrets are being kept, and all you can wonder is what’s going to happen next? The suspense and points of view from Laura, Peter, and Shep keep me intrigued and the pages turning. The complexities of a stepfamily are well written - the tension, secrets, rivalry and jealousies. However, the twist felt flat, and the ending could have been better. Regardless, I enjoyed this and look forward to what the next book in this series brings. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This book was just ok for me. The story was difficult to swallow as I felt the main character Laura was a bit too complacent. That and the writer seems to change the point of view in theor writing a number of times throughout the story. Personally I think the book would be better with separate chapters for Laura's thoughts, Peter's thoughts, and short chapters for the PI. Overall I didn't get much psychological thriller from this one it was a mystery sure but I definitely put the pieces of the puzzle together in this story long before the ending. I thought maybe another shoe would drop in last bit of the story but it didn't. I'm going to give the authors second book a chance before ruling her out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this arc.

I enjoyed this interesting, fast paced psychological thriller. It’s my first book by the author and I can’t wait to read more. Definitely recommend.

The main character is Laura who’s married to Peter, a widower with 2 kids who are already out of the house. Laura has always felt like an outsider but now that the kids are older, Peter and her have successful careers and things are finally looking up.

Then Laura begins to have a series of strange accidents which freak Peter out and rightfully soo, his late wife died in kind of a freak accident herself. Since the police aren’t doing much, he hires a PI and as the PI starts to investigate, we find that Peter’s been keeping things from Laura. When Laura ends up in the hospital, she is convinced somebody is out to get her. The entire story is about trying to figure out who it is and why.

The author does a good job at portraying the complexities of stepfamily life – the tension and secrets. The storyline and twist were okay. I did find the book repetitive and as a thriller it felt a little flat for me. I was expecting a better ending but understandably so, the book is the beginning of a series, and I should have expected the cliffhanger.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

3.5 stars rounded up. I flew through this domestic suspense novel wanting to know the ending.

Laura goes from being a single woman to a wife and stepmom of two kids when she marries Peter. His first wife dies by suicide….maybe. Whoa! Talk about drama! Peter is messy, and Laura is passive. Throughout this story, we get to see Laura become less passive and start to speak up for herself. That part I loved! The storyline was full of drama, and I loved that too.

The suspense building in this novel was great. Traymore wrote the plot in a way that pulled you in and kept you wondering what was going to develop. The narrative is told from dual POVs with Laura and Peter taking turns. Laura was the star in this book, and I found myself rooting for her.

The twists in this book were good and believable, which I appreciated The only con I had was the alternating 1st and 3rd person writing. It was slightly confusing. Overall, this was a good read, and I am awaiting book 2 in the Silicon Valley Series. I am a new Bonnie Traymore fan.

Thank you NetGalley and Pathways Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the idea and the plot but for a thriller, it didn't keep me at the edge of my seat like I had hoped for. I liked the characters and their dynamics but I wasn't rushing to the next chapter to see what was going to happen. The main character was a bit too whiny and annoying for my liking. The ending did intrigue me and I think the author might have a second book in mind but not sure.
It was alright but not my favorite thriller.