leebeeloves's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
l1brarygirl's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.25
*Book Club Read* with my sisters -- this was good with some unexpected twists but it did start out slow, I wanted more character development (especially with Becca) and thought the ending was rushed. I'd probably read more from this author but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so.
cassies_books_reviews's review
3.0
Emily Harlow is a professional organizer whose husband is a hoarder, he doesn’t see a garage sale or flea market he won’t stop at. Emily has left her career as a teacher behind and her friend Becca has left her career as a nurse as well and now they have created their business of professional organizers. They help their clients declutter. So When Emily is called by an elderly woman who needs her help organizing a storage unit that her late husband had rented without her knowledge, And at the same time a young wealthy wife calls Emily asking her help with her husbands antique hoarding, Emily thinks her business is finally taking off. Soon Emily finds herself involved in a murder investigation when a body is found and possibly aiding a thief soon she’s asking herself who is setting her up? This was a fun easy read for me. There were some twists that I didn’t see coming and some decisions made by the main character I found myself asking what are you thinking??
hannahwoodson's review
2.0
Concept and writing were good but the ending was predictable and I got frustrated with how naive the main character was. Everyone, innocent or not, should know that the first call you make when the police are talking you about a crime is to a criminal defensive attorney, not your fishy, corporate attorney husband. Say nothing except "Lawyer". Protects the innocent too. Almost no one wrongly convicted had a lawyer from the start.
kriedesel's review
4.0
Not exactly what I was hoping for. I kept waiting for something big to happen and I felt like it never got there. Disappointed.
shelleyrae's review
3.0
Emily Harlow is a professional organiser whose new business, Freeze-Frame Clutter Kickers, has just taken on two new clients. One is an elderly widow, Mrs. Murphy, who feels incapable of clearing away her late husband’s things, the second is a young woman, Quinn Newell, looking to purge her pre-marital belongings. At first glance, neither job seems complicated...until the body of Quinn’s husband is discovered in the storage locker that once belonged to Mr. Murphy, and Emily’s tidy life begins to unravel.
The irony inherent in Emily being a professional organiser, as her husband, Frank, hoards piles of useless ‘treasures’ in their basement works well as a hook into this well paced, entertaining tale of suspense.
It’s evident from Emily’s first meeting with Quinn which direction the story will take (there really isn’t anything at all subtle about their interaction), however the plot isn’t entirely predictable. Emily finds herself the victim of more than one deception, placing her at the center of a complicated web of greed and betrayal. I thought the plot worked well overall, and it provided enough moments of tension and surprise to keep me interested.
I found the character development to be somewhat lacking though. As the heroine, Emily is rather bland, and the motive for her husband’s behaviour is weak. Additionally, Quinn lacks subtlety as the villainess, and at least one minor character proves to be entirely superfluous.
Careful What You Wish For is a *neat little domestic thriller from Hallie Ephron.
*see what I did there ;)
The irony inherent in Emily being a professional organiser, as her husband, Frank, hoards piles of useless ‘treasures’ in their basement works well as a hook into this well paced, entertaining tale of suspense.
It’s evident from Emily’s first meeting with Quinn which direction the story will take (there really isn’t anything at all subtle about their interaction), however the plot isn’t entirely predictable. Emily finds herself the victim of more than one deception, placing her at the center of a complicated web of greed and betrayal. I thought the plot worked well overall, and it provided enough moments of tension and surprise to keep me interested.
I found the character development to be somewhat lacking though. As the heroine, Emily is rather bland, and the motive for her husband’s behaviour is weak. Additionally, Quinn lacks subtlety as the villainess, and at least one minor character proves to be entirely superfluous.
Careful What You Wish For is a *neat little domestic thriller from Hallie Ephron.
*see what I did there ;)