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ellie_cripps's review
1.0
I feel bad whenever I don't like a book, but unfortunately I really didn't enjoy this one. It was badged as a thriller/ drama but I just found it so boring! The main character is extremely difficult to relate to and her actions are questionable at best. Finally, I found the pacing very strange, moving so slowly through the story and flashbacks before suddenly rushing in the last section. Not for me at all.
gili22's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jesssreads30's review
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Fantastic - could not put it down, read in 2 days!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Suicide attempt and Murder
delia_b's review
1.0
Way to long and drawn out, as well this is not a physiological thriller at all; this is just a book on emotional trauma from a mother who had a son with mental illness.
briljjohnson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
_isabellefrances's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hapstercat59's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
minimallibrary's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Suicide
rmarcin's review
4.0
This book grew on me as I continued reading it. It starts off a little confusing in my opinion, but then sorts itself out. It reminded me of Stephen White's psychiatrist / patient relationship books.
Ruth Hartland is a psychotherapist dealing with trauma patients. She fails to admit to anyone that she has experienced trauma of her own - as her son, Tom, attempts suicide and then later, disappears without a trace. Ruth is consumed by guilt and anxiety. Her marriage fails, her relationship with her daughter, Carolyn who is Tom's twin, is a struggle. This spills over into Ruth's patient sessions, especially when she meets Dan Griffin who bears a striking resemblance to Tom.
All of this leads to devastating consequences when Ruth blurs the lines for proper patient / therapist relationships.
This is a taut psychological thriller. It starts slowly, but picks up speed - it was a short book, so a relatively quick read.
#AGoodEnoughMother #BevThomas
Ruth Hartland is a psychotherapist dealing with trauma patients. She fails to admit to anyone that she has experienced trauma of her own - as her son, Tom, attempts suicide and then later, disappears without a trace. Ruth is consumed by guilt and anxiety. Her marriage fails, her relationship with her daughter, Carolyn who is Tom's twin, is a struggle. This spills over into Ruth's patient sessions, especially when she meets Dan Griffin who bears a striking resemblance to Tom.
All of this leads to devastating consequences when Ruth blurs the lines for proper patient / therapist relationships.
This is a taut psychological thriller. It starts slowly, but picks up speed - it was a short book, so a relatively quick read.
#AGoodEnoughMother #BevThomas
beastreader's review
3.0
I dug into this book with both hands. This is the type of book that I really enjoy reading. It started out just great. I was really feeling it for the first several chapters. Than the story slowed down and I found myself struggling throughout the rest of the story. What was most sad is the ending. It was a bit of a let down in my opinion. There is nothing worse than to get to the end of a book to have a weak ending.
I got Ruth's view point of how she crossed the line when it came to Dan. She was missing that void with the disappearance of her son. So when Dan came along and he kind of reminded her of her son, she could not separate doctor/patient relationship with parent/son relationship. The story Dan shared was sad. It did allow me to feel sympathy towards him. Yet, this is one of the low points for me. I did not feel great sympathy for Ruth or Dan. In addition, where was the intensity?
Overall, this was a fine read but there was room for improvements. This again is my opinion. I would give this author and her books another try.
I got Ruth's view point of how she crossed the line when it came to Dan. She was missing that void with the disappearance of her son. So when Dan came along and he kind of reminded her of her son, she could not separate doctor/patient relationship with parent/son relationship. The story Dan shared was sad. It did allow me to feel sympathy towards him. Yet, this is one of the low points for me. I did not feel great sympathy for Ruth or Dan. In addition, where was the intensity?
Overall, this was a fine read but there was room for improvements. This again is my opinion. I would give this author and her books another try.