3 of 5 stars
While I enjoyed the premise of this book, it just wasn’t believable.
Four friends develop an app to track budgets, make economic decisions, and pay taxes. The app known as Jax is still in its infancy when Perry, the one who has the idea dies. His wife, Erin, wants to sell, but her partners, Ben and Sabine do not. Erin’s daughter, Shorie, is off to college, but she resents it, wanting to work at Jax to continue her father’s work.
When Erin starts acting strange, the partners and Perry’s parents suggest Erin go to an island to rest. Things start happening there to put Erin in grave danger. Who is trying to hurt her? Meanwhile, Shorie notices issues with the app, and she needs to uncover the source.
The scenes on the island are tense, but not plausible.
Still a fun, twisted read. ( )

Erin Gaines has been working nonstop since her husband's sudden death. The two of them, along with their two best friends, have built a very successful tech company and Erin is finding everything overwhelming. Her friends and family think that a few weeks at a spa resort may benefit her, help her slow down. Erin's daughter, Shorie, is worried about her mother and she's worried about the future of the company she loves, especially when she begins to suspect someone is stealing money. But Erin doesn't know what's going on back home. She's thousands of miles away where she now knows she wasn't sent away to relax, she was sent away to disappear forever.

Gorgeous cover. I was hooked from page one and did not want to stop turning those pages. The writing was good, the book flowed well and I enjoyed both Erin's and Shorie's point-of-view. Interesting concept with the idea and creation and running their own business as well as being sent to what's supposed to be a relaxing island getaway that turned into a complete nightmare. But who would send Erin away?! I couldn't wait to find out. I found there were a lot of conveniences toward the end, but overall this was a fun read for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC. ( )

Thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced thriller about a mother, daughter, loss and grief, and greed. Erin and Perry are happily married and running a successful software app company with their best friends Sabine and Ben. Then, the unthinkable happens, Perry is killed in a tragic car accident. Erin, and their daughter, Shorie, are devastated. Erin is having a hard time dealing with Perry’s death, and an intervention is called by family and friends. She is sent to an toney ‘restoration spa’. This sets up the storyline.

Story is told in two voices, Erin and Shorie, at the same time. Ms. Carpenter gives just enough in each character chapter to keep the story flowing and keep you reading till the early hours of the morning. The story line is realistic from the software standpoint, a little far reaching in the spa dealings, but that just adds to the mystery set up here.

When you read this author, you always know you will get..thrill ride with many twists and turns and an ending that might not be tied up in a neat little bow! Thanks to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is my own. ( )

Not bad, but not great either. For sure it is a fast-past thriller with a lot of twists. But for me it was too chaotic. I really like the main characters Erin and her daughter Shore but some situations that they were in were just weird and impossible in real life.
It was my first book written by Emily Carpenter but not last, I will definitely check her other thrillers.

Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )

First of all, I loved that this book was set in Birmingham, Alabama. As a native of North Alabama, the setting created an instant connection with the story and characters. I will admit the story had some flaws and even questionable plausibility at times. The tension, however, was so electric that I wasn’t thinking about the likelihood of what was happening, I was just along for the ride.

I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )