Book Review: "The Honey Trap" by Theo Baxter
In "The Honey Trap," Theo Baxter delivers a pulse-pounding psychological thriller that dives deep into the murky waters of desire, betrayal, and the consequences of crossing moral boundaries. There is issues like mental health, Phobia, Infidelity, Divorce and Murder that the author keeps the readers engrossed at the same time warn to look out for in the story being told.

The story revolves around Chris Abrams, a psychologist and therapist who sees an opportunity for a fresh start when offered a position by his wealthy boss Perry Bryant when helping Perry with a car trouble and gets a job because of it. However, for Chris what begins as a chance to escape his past soon becomes entangled in a web of deceit when he meets Perry's attractive wife, Kara. Kara is everything Chris could desire – beautiful, intelligent, and a housewife who is unhappily married.

Baxter expertly constructs a narrative filled with tension and intrigue as Chris and Kara's attraction intensifies into a dangerous liaison. Kara's proposition to Chris to help her eliminate her husband propels the plot into darker territory, blurring the lines between right and wrong. The author skillfully explores Chris's inner turmoil as he wrestles with his own desires, moral compass, and the consequences of indulging in Kara's dangerous game.

The characters in "The Honey Trap" are multi-dimensional and compelling, each driven by their own motivations and flaws. Chris's internal struggle is palpable, drawing readers into his conflicted psyche as he grapples with loyalty, love, and the allure of forbidden fruit. Kara, in her manipulative and enigmatic portrayal, adds layers of complexity to the narrative, keeping readers guessing about her true intentions until the final twist. Kara acts careless and selfish in the initial start of the story not thinking what would it become of her marriage with Perry when she can only think of having an illicit relation with Chris.

Baxter's prose is sharp and atmospheric, creating a chilling atmosphere that underscores the psychological tension throughout the novel. The pacing is relentless, with every chapter the suspense builds up and culminating in a climax that is as shocking as it is satisfying.

For fans of gripping psychological thrillers, "The Honey Trap" is a must-read. Theo Baxter weaves a tale of obsession and betrayal that will leave readers questioning the lengths they would go for love and the price they would pay for their desires.

Rating: 4/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator books for an advance copy for my honest review.

Novel Nerd Blog - https://smithareading.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-honey-trap-inkubator-books-crime.html

Rating 4 stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
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Intriguing with a twist

My review
Chris is down on his luck. He was a part of the medical staff, but that quickly changed once he made a mistake and killed someone by being too tired to pay attention one night
On Chris's way to nowhere, he discovers a man off the highway. This gentleman Perry is having an anxiety attack. His car has broken down. Chris provides aid and helps to calm the gentleman down. After dropping Perry home, Perry offers him a job as an live in aide
Chris accepts. Perry has a wife who is way younger than him and also a knockout. She is also bad news! She begins to flirt with Chris every chance she gets. Chris knows this is wrong but somehow begins to see himself with Kara although she belongs to Perry
Flirting turns into Kara, meeting Chris in his lodge in the back of the house, and eventually, they make love every night
This is certainly not a good thing.
Kara now is whispering that perhaps if Perry was no longer in the picture, perhaps if maybe too much medication was given to Perry and something would happen to him, then of course she and Chris could be together
Is Chris this naive. Is he being used. Will he do the right thing, or will he fall into this bee's trap
All sweets aren't food to eat, and perhaps you should be mindful of the hand that feeds you

The honey trap by Theo Baxter.
I loved the cover. So different. I do love this author. This book was no different. I got into it straight away. I did like Chris. I didn't like Kara at all. Took a dislike to her straight away. I certainly didn't see that coming. Twisty and gripping. Definitely recommend. 5*.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Chris' journey into a new job started as the perfect escape, but immediately followed by temptation, passion, betrayl and deceit. With his morality coming into the test, how far will Chris go for love and how will he handle the consequences of succumbing to dangerous desires?

Ah I’m not sure where to start. I have mixed feelings about this book. The beginning of the book had me hooked. I didn’t know where the book was going but I felt the drama brewing. Then the middle became a bit repetitive and I hate to say it, but I was bored. I had to force myself to keep going. Then towards the end, things got interesting again. I don’t want to give anything away, but the main character mentioned something that was not mentioned before and I thought maybe I missed an important detail. I did not. The ending explained it all and I did not see it coming. The ending really redeemed this book for me. I did have an issue with some of the unrealistic things in this book though. (Yes, I know it is fiction but the more a book veers from reality, the less I like it.) For starters, the beginning was a big lucky coincidence that sounded very fake but hey I can roll with it. I cannot accept that an RN is now a therapist too. Those are two different licenses, schooling, etc. What on earth? I also felt the conversation between some characters was very rigid and did not flow as it would in real life. The character development was also a bit poor. I think this book was very creative and had some things been worked on more, it could have been a 5 star book given that ending. I would give this author another try based off of the creative story and the jaw dropping finale.

I can’t say it enough Theo Baxter is a master when it comes to psychological thrillers and The Honey Trap did not disappoint at all. We have Chris who is trying to get his life back on track he stumbles upon Perry who is having an issue and helps him. Perry then offers him a job that includes boarding and meals so Chris takes the job. Once at Perry’s he meets everyone including Perry’s much younger wife Kara. Instantly she flirts with Chris and before you know it they are having a fling and much more.

If you haven’t read any of Theo’s books I highly recommend this one.

The name and the cover caught my attention while I was scrolling around on NetGalley to find a new read. This didn’t turn out to be what I was looking for. With a title like that, I was expecting a character with a seductive nature, a more mature lady with some experience to share with her ‘victim‘. Instead, we were presented with a 20-something brat who was supposed to convince me that she was a master planner who could pull off a murder. Just no… The male character had been having a tough life and then stepped into a crazy situation, which he willingly stepped into, so I didn’t feel much sympathy for him throughout the book as soon as it was revealed. The whole plot and twist were given away in the first chapter and it wasn’t hard to put two and two together, the in-between details were provided as the book went on and the story felt flat. The one person I felt anything for and the most sympathy was Perry who was misused and mistreated by the people in his life. The title kind of makes sense when you know what the twist is in the book, but it’s a little misleading going in.

This story seemed pretty predictable in most aspects including plot twists but overall it was engaging enough that I wanted to find out how it all worked out in the end. If you’re newer to the thriller genre I think this book would be a great one to try!

Thanks Netgalley for the free ARC! In my opinion, this novel got off to a slow start. About 25% in it became thrilling and very enjoyable. However, the ending was too complex and ridiculous. I still would recommend because it kept my attention and I looked forward to reading each chapter.

The book starts with an unlikely encounter and jumps straight into the story. I found the pacing odd - Chris and Kara's affair felt rushed, and there's no real sense of time passing, so it felt as though everything happened in a very short timeframe, although it's later revealed to be several months.

There was a good sense of tension and claustrophobia as their affair continued, but some of the characters felt underdeveloped and two dimensional, and a lot of the dialogue came across as unnatural.

Things escalated quickly - killing Perry was rushed into with no thought or planning that the reader is privy to. A key plot point (the police asking Chris to obtain evidence of Kara's plot to murder her husband) came out of nowhere, and I had to go back to check I hadn’t missed something. I can understand wanting to maintain the tension and mystery, but it felt sudden and confusing.

Everything was explained away in the end, and seeing Kara get what she deserved was satisfying. Overall the story was good but felt rushed and underdeveloped.

The Honey Trap by Theo Baxter

The Honey Trap is a psychological thriller with twists that will keep you engaged until the very end.

Chris Abram’s is having a rough time. Recently divorced and unemployed, he moves to a small town to work at a boarding school, only to discover upon arrival, that the job no longer exists. Now he’s homeless, jobless, and his only choice is to return home to his sister and rely on her generosity. When a chance encounter with a stranded and confused motorist turns into a job, he can’t believe his luck. Perry Bryant is an eccentric millionaire with some mental health issues. When he meets Chris, he likes him so much that he hires him as part of his medical team.

Kara Bryant is Perry’s much younger, and extremely hot wife. Unfortunately she’s also bored and sees Chris as her next diversion. Chris is thrilled with his dream job, until he starts seeing the way Perry acts with his wife, seemingly becoming a different and abusive man in an instant. As Chris is more drawn to this beautiful woman that is everything he has ever dreamed of, he puts his moral issues to the side and begins a torrid affair.

But will this hot romance lead to murder? How can he harm someone he really likes? Just how far will Perry go to make Kara happy? And will the secret Chris is keeping about his past, become his undoing now?

I enjoyed the storyline, especially the twists. I became invested in Chris and wanted to see just how far he would go to get his deepest desires. I liked the character development, including the other staff members. I was definitely drawn in and once the action picked up, I had a hard time putting this down.
The middle of the book dragged a bit, but once it picked up again, it was hard to walk away from. I liked the writing style, finding it easy to read. Fans of Freida McFadden, Nicole Trope, and Kiersten Modglin will love the twists and turns.

Definitely a great read. I will be adding Theo Baxter to my must read lists.

Thank you NetGalley for the Read Now opportunity of this ARC.
Will you fall for the wife? Chris did!
I was sucked right into this first thing because I was very interested in Perry's diagnosis and needing so much help at home, however it felt so obvious that he would be married to a younger woman that was just money hungry. Kara played the victim very well, and I did start to believe maybe Perry was abusive towards her as that does happen sometimes to patients that are mentally unwell.
I feel as if the middle of this book dragged a lot and a lot of the repetitive details could've been cut.
The ending was interesting to see that Perry was actually well and was in on getting his wife arrested.
I did enjoy the twists of this read the most!

I fortunately this book was not for me.

I found the characters annoying and the story repetitive and far fetched.

I’ve read other people’s reviews and am glad that people have enjoyed it. I therefore recommend you give it a go.

I was interested in this book the moment I read what it was about. I enjoy a good crime novel that puts you right in the middle of the incident. However, I expected more from this...

First of all, the main character being down on his luck and helping some random person on the side of the road who just happens to give him a job, is the most random and unlikely thing ever. I will give props to originality though. The way the wife, Kara, acted even without knowing her husband had "issues" is a huge red flag. But then for her to instantly come onto Chris and talk him into killing her husband, how could he not have seen that she is a walking hazard..? Parts like that, in the writing is what makes the story somewhat difficult to keep reading. I was just annoyed that the main character didn't see what she was doing right in front of his face.. I get that it is a story, but it is supposed to be a suspense thriller.. it did not follow through.

Near the end, there is a comment made by the cops about how "this is all part of the plan" and I was suddenly back pedaling.. what plan? This was not mentioned at all previously, other than the Prologue, but I feel like that should have been left out. Leave the reveal that they are in on the whole thing until close to the end when they grab the wire from him. That would have been a bit better, because Kara had just confessed to everything in the most perfect way!

I do think that the end was dragged out a little bit too long... She was arrested, Perry had a talk with Chris and his work carried on.. then maybe an epilogue of the trial and how that goes down. Then you wouldn't need all the extra fluff in between that was boring to read, it had no impact on the story.

Overall, it is an okay book. I do think that Theo Baxter is an author who is good for the Young Adult category and creates easy to read books stepping into the Thriller suspense drama, without having details that would scare readers off.

Chris is living in his car and just down on his luck. By chance, he helps a stranger who happens to be a millionaire. Perry offers Chris a job as his mental health live in nurse. Chris sees this as an opportunity of a lifetime and something that can turn his luck around. Perry forgets to mention he has a very attractive and seductive wife with wondering eyes.
Chris is presented with temptations along the way. Will he be able to avoid temptation, or will he fall into the honey trap?

So many twists and turns. This story starts a little slow but quickly picks up. The plot is very twisty, and character driven.

Definitely recommend.

Big thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

I am a sucker for the "kil for me?" plot. Theo James not only wrote that plot well, but his writing style is something that isn't hard to follow, but also immerses you in the story. His characters were enticing and I found myself wrapped up in the web of craziness he strung together page after page. The plot is convoluted and intense, and James does an amazing job here.

Definitely an author I will follow going forward!

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review .
This is the second book I’ve read from this author

An intriguing , cleverly written story of love , lust ,lies and deception.
You think it’s going one way and it takes a detour .

I found this novel to be a compelling exploration of the contrast between appearances and reality. The story follows Chris, a man living in his car, who crosses paths with Perry, a stranded motorist. Perry, who struggles with neurodivergence and anxiety, invites Chris to his luxurious home and offers him a job. Chris initially feels fortunate, until he encounters Perry's alluring wife, Kara, who swiftly seduces him, setting off a complex chain of events. The intricately woven narrative keeps readers guessing about the true motives of each character, leaving us breathless until the surprising conclusion.

Another cracking read by Theo Baxter. He is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I've read this book in one sitting as I found it very hard to put it down.

This was definitely a fun and entertaining popcorn thriller. It was a fast paced read and an easy one. Although it does start off on the slower side, it does pick up.