Bea is frustrated after being passed over for a promotion and after a night of partying gets involved in an agreement way beyond her comfort.

I really enjoyed gender and cultural focus of this book. Although, I struggled with Bea’s decision making at many steps along the way. I believe that was intentional, but I found it to be a bit distracting during a couple parts of the book.

The book was a bit twisty and kept me guessing. The narration seemed to match the characters and was easy listening. Overall, a good thriller with some depth.

Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing and the author for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

*** Rating rounded up from 3.5 stars ***

I wish the "female rage" had been more prominent; it was there in the beginning, along with the male led workplace and sexism, but it kind of fell flat as the story went on. It became more about Bea having an internal conflict and making stupid decisions.

The mystery was okay enough, though I think parts of it were pretty predictable. There were parts that were a little too corny for me (the ending), but overall it was fine.

This was a quick listen.
It reminded me of kill for me kill for you. Or like a not so funny horrible bosses.
I was hooked immediately. The twists are twisty.
What would you do if the promotion you expected to get was given to an undeserving coworker. Would you vent to a friend? Would that friend tell you to get over it or try to make a murder pact? Bea is going to find herself in a spiral she wasn’t expecting.
Great listen. Thank you netgalley!

2 1/2 stars

I was liking this book until I was 60% done with it, then it was way too much. This woman is an adult and an attorney, this was not reflected in the MC’s thought process and actions. Not for me.

Always the Quiet Ones was an okay read, but it felt a bit juvenile at times. The main character is a lawyer, yet she lives with her parents and is treated more like a teenager, which felt odd and underdeveloped even given her past. While her past is mentioned, it didn’t dive deeply enough into her character, leaving me wanting more. The plot itself was a little cheesy in places, though it still kept me interested enough to finish. Overall, not a bad thriller, just not one that fully delivered on its potential.

This was such a solid weird girl thriller, the kind of story where you’re never quite sure if you can trust anyone, and I loved every minute of it. The characters were well done and easy to connect with, and the twist? It was twisty in the best way, keeping me hooked until the very end.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator really brought the story to life, excellent pacing, emotion, and tone.

Thank you for this ALC NetGalley and Blackstone publishing.

If you like your thrillers a little offbeat, full of secrets, and packed with tension, definitely add this one to your list.
Edit Review

I received an advance copy of the audio version of this book. The narrator was pleasant and easy to listen to. The story itself however did not grab my attention and I dnf’ed it at 50%.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. I am always a fan of Filipino representation and this did not disappoint in that aspect, particularly in the relationships between the women in her circle. The beginning drew me in and had me hooked but it kind of fell apart and got a little muddled in the middle. The end picked it and was interesting but got a little confusing. I wish there had been more exploration of the various relationships but what there was did a good job of explaining their ties to each other. This was a quick, enjoyable read.

I was really intrigued by this one but unfortunately it just did not work for me. Some parts were strong but then some parts just dragged. The plot at some point becomes very unbelievable and unrealistic which for me mostly makes it a flop. It's definitely entertaining but you have to suspend disbelief a lot.

This was a fun read. The writing flowed well, making it easy to complete in a day. The characters were interesting, with plenty of depth and backstory. I loved the idea of a murdered, chauvinistic, douchebag boss - how could you not? For me, the "who" was obvious, and the "why" was the actual mystery. While it was very entertaining, I found that it tipped too far on the unbelievable side, which knocked it down in my rating.

There were several things that left me scratching my head, like where were her parents in the end (were they not in the house the whole time?), why the complete loss of memory "that night," and why even consider going through with the last bit if you're already telling on yourself to people you practically just met? Overall, it would've been better if more believable, but still was super fun!

This was such a great listen! I tend to enjoy stories centered around law firms and this one was fantastic. I liked Bea from the beginning and was rooting for her even though I was frustrated with some of her decisions. No spoilers but the twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing!