For me, a thriller has to have its roots in reality. I just did not believe in any part of this - the total rock bottom that Sam has reached versus the untold millions that Erin has accumulated by giving very rich women some dubious lifestyle coaching at a very expensive retreat. The plot twists at the end became a little farcical as the main characters swapped positions. There were supposed to be eight women at this retreat - only a few were mentioned by name, only a couple of them had active roles. Layla, and Daniel just went along with whatever Erin wanted. Maya was a dissatisfied client from before and she helped Sam to unmask the deception. So, plot and characters not believable. However, I did manage to read to the end, so one star for that.

And Breathe!!!! Wish You Were Her by J.E. Rowney was 💕 BRILLIANT!!!! 💕 This author knows how to write. . . 💁 ❤️ 💁
This is a book will transport you to the darkest place someone could ever dream of being in and then to the most amazing place within the world, where you can smell the sea, feel sand between your toes, eat amazing food and feel sun on your face!!! To wear the most wonderful clothes that feel wonderful on their skin!. . . . . . .

Then Bang. . . . . It all changes! for every character within this excellent book!

This book was truly amazing!. . . . . and kept me gripped from the very beginning till the very end especially as it had a Perfect ending. . . . . . I devoured it in 1 sitting and I Loved Wish You Were her, the characters were very cleverly placed within this book and played excellent parts, I Loved Sam and really felt for her.. . . . .

Very Cleverly written that will have you hooked and it is a great holiday book.

J.E. Rowney's Wish You Were Her is an engaging, character-driven psychological drama that delivers suspense with a sharp emotional undercurrent. The novel draws readers in quickly with its intriguing premise and relatable characters, and Rowney's prose is clean, fluid, and highly readable—ideal for a fast-paced, weekend binge.

The story centers around a wellness retreat that promises transformation and healing but soon reveals secrets that suggest something more sinister. While the isolated, therapeutic setting is compelling, I found the plot to be somewhat predictable. Several of the twists didn’t land with quite the impact they seemed to aim for, partly because the structure and setup felt familiar—Wish You Were Her shares notable similarities with Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers. The themes of self-discovery, buried trauma, and group dynamics are handled well, but for readers who are familiar with Moriarty’s work, there may be a sense of déjà vu.

That said, Rowney’s character work is a definite highlight. She crafts flawed, emotionally rich individuals who each bring their own baggage to the retreat, and the interplay between them keeps the narrative moving, even when the overarching mystery feels a little too on-the-rails.

Overall, I enjoyed the book—it was an entertaining and atmospheric read. While it didn't break new ground in the genre, and its predictability may be a drawback for some, Wish You Were Her still delivers enough tension and emotional depth to satisfy fans of psychological fiction.

A twisty page-turner! I defiinitely loved this book. so much twists. wait i already said that. a definite recommend

thanks netgalley and publisher. all thoughts are my own.

3.5. A fun, twisty page-turner! It was the perfect read for my beach trip. I found myself not being able to put it down. The author painted such vivid picture of the (former) friends at the center of the book and their surroundings, it is easy to get swept up in their world. The only part that didn’t quite work for me was the ending, but I very much enjoyed the ride anyway.

Wish You Were Her by JE Rowney was an okay read for me. I enjoyed getting to know Sam initially as her life was unraveling, and unfortunately, she accidently reconnected with her old friend/enemy Erin. Erin made Sam an offer she couldn't resist, even though her rational self was saying not to. I found this a little improbable but nonetheless I read on. What follows was predictable to some extent, the way Erin wheedled her way back into Sam's life, trying to make amends for a horrible mistake, or was she? One point that truly irked me was that Erin and Sam kind of looked alike, much too convenient and highly unlikely. It made the story even more implausible. Just an okay read for me.

What a great book! I found myself thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it and couldn’t wait to dive back in. Lots of twists and turns!

Samantha is broke, sad, alone, and estranged from the bestie who is now rich and famous off her self- love framework. When said bestie/ nemesis resurfaces after a social media like, Sam is conflicted to find Erin wants her to travel to her and mend their relationship. Put yourself in Sam's shoes, really quickly- she follows her former sister's social media closely and observes as she uses every life lesson she came up with blatantly. I'm talking about this girl is giving speeches live in the same room as the girl she stole said speeches from!! Full of audacity, spite, and secrets between friends, this summer thriller definitely delivers when it comes to the popcorn variety. While it was riveting and intriguing, some of the detail didn't hold much weight to me and the plot felt stilted at times. This is for fans of Freida McFadden, summer themed thrillers, and palette cleanser book lovers.

This book had me hooked right from the beginning. I empathized with Sam and was rooting for her the whole way. The ending took a turn that I didn't see coming and it felt a little odd. Ultimately, the ending was satisfying though. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed Wish You Were Her. This book is a slow burn without a lot of "gotcha" twists, but the story is engaging and will keep readers' interest until the end.

Samantha has a chance to pick up the pieces of her broken life. Her former friend is now a self-help guru who lives her life online, an influencer of sorts. Sam is living in a cheap motel and accidently reconnects with Erin, but will this be the ticket for a new life for Sam or just more shattered dreams as she is confronted with Erin and their shared past?

I received an ARC from Net Galley

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Wish You Were Her by J.E. Rowney in exchange for my honest review and opinion. OMG - what a fantastic read! The cover drew me in right from the start and then once you start reading, you will be hooked. So stinking good and watch out for all the "surprises" along the way. I can't wait to read more by J.E. Rowney in the future!

Samantha's life is in a downward spiral, no money, no job, her boyfriend has dumped her, and she is existing in a seedy motel room with only a couple of pounds in her pocket. Idly scrolling through her social media on her phone, she sees the name of her used to be best friend at university, Erin. The two have not spoken for years after an argument, but glancing at Erin's picture, her looking relaxed and happy on a beach somewhere, Samantha accidentally presses the like button. Immediately Erin sends Sam a message, the two start chatting again and Erin offers Sam a chance of a job helping her at a luxurious island paradise. Erin would send a car to collect Sam and take her to the airport, the tickets would be there, and Sam would be met at the destination. This all sounds too good to be true, especially as the two have not spoken for so long. Sam decides to take up the offer, and so begins a complicated cat and mouse game between the two. The plot is twisty, with lots of lies and deceptions between the two of them, and others, and I must confess the ending wasn't what I expected. This was a quick and easy read, and I enjoyed it.
Thank you for my advance copy.

Manipulation, fraud, identity theft and revenge, never knowing what is real and what isn't in the beautiful setting of a psycho retreat.
What is authentic life? And what in this story is authentic?

Wish You Were Her by J.E. Rowney was a quick paced read that me flipping the pages quickly.
I really enjoyed reading this book, it was very intriguing. It gripped me from the start and I read it in two sittings. It was well written and very descriptive.

Love love loved this book! I want to read more by this author for sure! It had a great premise and I could not put it down. I really enjoyed the characters and thought there were some great twists!

This had a very slow start, and took too long to get going, however there was something about it that kept my interest as I did keep reading. When the plot gets going, there is suddenly twist after twist which made for intense, exciting reading.
The characters are interesting too, likeable enough without being too likeable and there is also an edge to them and an air of dislike.
Overall this is slow but there is something about it that kept me entertained.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an advance copy.

A Gripping, Fast-Paced Psychological Thriller.
This book is an absolute page-turner! From the very first chapter. The twists are relentless—just when you think you have things figured out, the story takes another sharp turn that leaves you reeling. The suspense builds masterfully, keeping you on edge until the very last page.
It is unpredictable, and utterly absorbing. I found it nearly impossible to put down. If you're a fan of thrillers that mess with your mind and keep you guessing, this is a must-read.

such a brilliant cover for this book that lends itself to what to come within the pages. This author certainly knows her genre and knows how to write these smartly woven together plots.
Samantha is at her lowest ebb when she re connects with her old friend. she is willing to do anything to get out of her troubles. and when he friend seems to offer just that she knows her answer will be "yes" in an instant. it couldnt get any worse right? oh Amanda it turns out it really can, it almost always really can. straight away as a reader you are feeling this tension and the emotional tension only rises from here on in.
Erin is such a complex character. i love it when you dont have to like the characters in a book to still be completely fascinated by them so "love" them in that kind of way.
its added layer of question fills your thoughts throughout. who wouldn't choose luxury,beach,sun and brightness if it was offered to us. and would you spot the signs something darker is lurking. especially if your are already vulnerable.
Samantha realisation that not all is what it seems is really well written. and you are never quite sure who playing mind games with who. even our author, is she playing with us haha!
you can totally see the reasons in this book. for many things that happen even if they arent morally brilliant or the choices that should be made Rowney easily gives us plausible explanations from the characters need for something. insecurities of all kinds are a huge part to the book.
this is a thriller and so much more. the suspense yet realistic way it all plays out and why is really addictive to read.

2.5 stars. Like what did i just read? It was so repetitive and when the twists finally came it was just an ‘oh’ moment. The pacing was slow and fast at the sane time, i guess? Really tried to enjoy this but i couldn’t. Boring, repetitive and slow.

Gahhhhh - I wanted to love it all the way through … I am digging JE Rowneys books. This one started out strong and immediately pulled me in. Samantha’s world is falling apart when she receives a message from her old friend Erin Blake—offering an escape to a luxurious, picture-perfect life filled with beaches, cocktails, and a chance to leave her past behind.

It was the kind of setup that promises secrets, suspense, and emotional tension—and for a while, it delivered. I was fully invested in the mystery, drawn to the dynamic between Samantha and Erin, and waiting for the other shoe to drop. The writing is smooth and the pacing kept me flying through the first half. But around the final quarter of the book, things started to unravel. The plot took a sharp turn that felt disconnected from the careful buildup, and the character decisions stopped making sense. By the time the story wrapped up with a surprisingly neat and “happy” ending, it felt out of sync with the dark, unsettling tone the rest of the book had established.

I still enjoyed the premise, the tension early on, and the writing style, but I can’t say the payoff was worth the setup. A strong start that fizzled out into a “wait… that’s it?” finale.