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Anything for You
How far would you go for someone you love? Alison has an excellent relationship with her eighteen-year-old daughter. Lola is a hardworking, straight-A student, bound for university. They tell each other everything. Or so she thought.
Lola has a she’s been sneaking off to meet her much older boyfriend, Brendan. He’s everything she ever dreamed of – enigmatic, cool and absolutely irresistible.
That’s what Alison thought too, when she first met Brendan years ago, at university. Before he ruined her life.
Alison is all too familiar with what Brendan is capable of. And she knows she has to protect Lola. She’ll do whatever it takes to keep Brendan away from her daughter, but that’s just the beginning of her nightmare…
Lola has a she’s been sneaking off to meet her much older boyfriend, Brendan. He’s everything she ever dreamed of – enigmatic, cool and absolutely irresistible.
That’s what Alison thought too, when she first met Brendan years ago, at university. Before he ruined her life.
Alison is all too familiar with what Brendan is capable of. And she knows she has to protect Lola. She’ll do whatever it takes to keep Brendan away from her daughter, but that’s just the beginning of her nightmare…
- GenresThriller
334 pages, Paperback
Published January 23, 2025
24 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Sophie McKenzie
82 books1,486 followersHey there! Welcome to my Goodreads page where you can keep up with all my stories - both the ones that are already published and the works in progress!!
I write mostly teen thrillers - plus some teen romance, books for younger children and four adult psychological thrillers.
I'm really excited right now because of...
Boy, Missing, my £1 book for World Book Day and Truth or Dare, my new teen thriller. (UK)
For more info on these and my other books, check out my website: www.sophiemckenziebooks.com
I write mostly teen thrillers - plus some teen romance, books for younger children and four adult psychological thrillers.
I'm really excited right now because of...
Boy, Missing, my £1 book for World Book Day and Truth or Dare, my new teen thriller. (UK)
For more info on these and my other books, check out my website: www.sophiemckenziebooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
September 28, 2025
A good read, & kept me guessing till the end. Really hated the use of “Babycakes” though! 🤢
December 7, 2024
It's been ages since I've read anything by this author, and as the story sounded interesting, I was eager to start,but for me, it was just an ok read.
The characters were all rather tedious, so it was hard to engage with them, and what started out as a promising read fell flat, with an ending that was no surprise at all.
Thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for the ARC.
The characters were all rather tedious, so it was hard to engage with them, and what started out as a promising read fell flat, with an ending that was no surprise at all.
Thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for the ARC.
January 25, 2025
How far would a mother go to protect her child? When Alison learns that her eighteen year old daughter, Lola, has been seeing a much older man, Brendan, she is appalled. Brendan was a friend of Alison’s at university. He raped her. Alison is desperate that her daughter does not continue a relationship with him.
When Alison talks to Brendan about it, he laughs at her. However, he does agree to end things with Lola if he is paid. She steals the inheritance her boyfriend received, but the problem is not solved. Brendan is murdered, and it appears that the last person to have seen him alive was Lola.
As the police investigate, Alison and her family clutch at possible ways they can prove Lola’s innocence.
Without giving the details away, things aren’t what we’re led to believe. We lurch from one implausible scenario to another which makes for entertaining reading but never seems to make sense. The key characters we’re never really fleshed out so as the story moves forward it was hard to care too much what was going on.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
When Alison talks to Brendan about it, he laughs at her. However, he does agree to end things with Lola if he is paid. She steals the inheritance her boyfriend received, but the problem is not solved. Brendan is murdered, and it appears that the last person to have seen him alive was Lola.
As the police investigate, Alison and her family clutch at possible ways they can prove Lola’s innocence.
Without giving the details away, things aren’t what we’re led to believe. We lurch from one implausible scenario to another which makes for entertaining reading but never seems to make sense. The key characters we’re never really fleshed out so as the story moves forward it was hard to care too much what was going on.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
September 1, 2025
I see this authors books recommended a lot in a facebook book group I am in, and although I do have a lot of her books on my tbr shelf, this is the first book I have read so far.
I really enjoyed it - I found it perfectly paced, and the storyline was quite original which I also enjoyed.
It built up pace the further you got into it, and I managed to get through it quite quickly as did not want to put it down..thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend.
I really enjoyed it - I found it perfectly paced, and the storyline was quite original which I also enjoyed.
It built up pace the further you got into it, and I managed to get through it quite quickly as did not want to put it down..thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend.
December 8, 2024
Alison is shocked when she finds out her daughter Lola is seeing Brendan, a man who raped her so many years ago. But then Brendan is murdered - who did it? This fast paced whodunnit had me invested all the way through. It was well written with short chapters and multiple twists, which had me flipping at razor speed. This was my first book by this author and won't be my last.
January 1, 2026
Really good! Very twisty, I kept trying to guess who the murderer was and got it completely wrong! A good read.
May 18, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ Once it got going the story had the pace needed for this genre and I was left wanting to find out more. I guessed it was Lola as I disliked her character from the beginning (the Audiobook narration added to this as she was voiced super whiney and annoying). I realllyyyyy struggled to like many of the characters though, which is why I haven’t rated this 4 ⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2024
First of all, I would just like to thank NetGalley, Sophie McKenzie and Canelo for an ARC of “Anything For You” in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie’s books will always have a special place in my heart. I grew up reading her YA books and loved every single one of them, so I was intrigued and excited to read her debut into adult fiction (I believe that’s what this is)
I really enjoyed this. I read it in one day, which pretty much tells you all you need to know about the pacing. I love Sophie’s writing because it’s brilliantly bingeable without being too simple, and I think she is, and always will be, a master story-teller.
Whilst I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, I don’t think this hindered the story in any way- in fact it made the mystery all the more interesting in my opinion.
I think this is a solid thriller that will have you guessing throughout; full of red herrings and sympathetic storylines, as well as being an interesting who dunnit at it’s heart.
The ending was fairly predictable and I ultimately managed to guess the twist, but this didn’t dampen my experience at all. So overall, not my favourite Sophie book, but a brilliant debut into adult thrillers by all means. Definitely recommend!
Sophie’s books will always have a special place in my heart. I grew up reading her YA books and loved every single one of them, so I was intrigued and excited to read her debut into adult fiction (I believe that’s what this is)
I really enjoyed this. I read it in one day, which pretty much tells you all you need to know about the pacing. I love Sophie’s writing because it’s brilliantly bingeable without being too simple, and I think she is, and always will be, a master story-teller.
Whilst I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, I don’t think this hindered the story in any way- in fact it made the mystery all the more interesting in my opinion.
I think this is a solid thriller that will have you guessing throughout; full of red herrings and sympathetic storylines, as well as being an interesting who dunnit at it’s heart.
The ending was fairly predictable and I ultimately managed to guess the twist, but this didn’t dampen my experience at all. So overall, not my favourite Sophie book, but a brilliant debut into adult thrillers by all means. Definitely recommend!
January 15, 2025
Anything for You is a psychological thriller that immediately grabs your attention with its tense and gripping premise. Alison, a divorced mother, lives with her teenage children, Lola and Josh. Lola, at eighteen, is the quintessential rebellious teen—headstrong and secretive. Alison believes they share a close bond, so when she unexpectedly visits her daughter at school, she’s stunned to find Lola kissing and leaving with a much older man. Worse still, Alison recognizes him: Brendan Zeno, a man she once knew at university, who nearly destroyed her life. Determined to prevent their relationship from escalating, Alison becomes consumed with stopping them—no matter the cost.
From the beginning, the novel draws you in with Alison’s rash decision, which sets off a chain of events that fuels the story’s tension. While I struggled to empathize with the characters—none of whom I found particularly likable—the plot kept me hooked with its constant twists and unpredictable developments. The short chapters contributed to the book’s fast pace, ensuring I was always eager to turn the page. Even though I managed to guess the “who” behind the mystery, the novel’s unpredictable turns had me second-guessing my theory until the very end.
From the beginning, the novel draws you in with Alison’s rash decision, which sets off a chain of events that fuels the story’s tension. While I struggled to empathize with the characters—none of whom I found particularly likable—the plot kept me hooked with its constant twists and unpredictable developments. The short chapters contributed to the book’s fast pace, ensuring I was always eager to turn the page. Even though I managed to guess the “who” behind the mystery, the novel’s unpredictable turns had me second-guessing my theory until the very end.
April 26, 2025
📚 Anything for You
✍️Sophie McKenzie
2⭐️
Anything for You by Sophie McKenzie follows Alison, a mother who is shocked to discover that her 18-year-old daughter, Lola, is in a relationship with a significantly older man—someone Alison herself knows from her university days. I was intrigued by this premise, so much so, I chose the book for my book group’s April read, however I was instantly disappointed in the book’s execution. I was looking for emotional complexity and tension, of which there are absolutely none. The characters are very flat with very little exploration into their motivations and no emotional depth whatsoever, with the dialogue being clunky and completely unrealistic. Issues within the book were only touched on briefly, leaving little room for genuine character development or insight. Choices by the characters in the book were also bizarre - such as Seb (Alison’s partner) commissioning a portrait of himself for Alison rather than of the children or of a place that is special to them both. Readers looking for a more layered and nuanced portrayal of family dynamics and difficult moral choices, such as I was, may find this one underwhelming.
✍️Sophie McKenzie
2⭐️
Anything for You by Sophie McKenzie follows Alison, a mother who is shocked to discover that her 18-year-old daughter, Lola, is in a relationship with a significantly older man—someone Alison herself knows from her university days. I was intrigued by this premise, so much so, I chose the book for my book group’s April read, however I was instantly disappointed in the book’s execution. I was looking for emotional complexity and tension, of which there are absolutely none. The characters are very flat with very little exploration into their motivations and no emotional depth whatsoever, with the dialogue being clunky and completely unrealistic. Issues within the book were only touched on briefly, leaving little room for genuine character development or insight. Choices by the characters in the book were also bizarre - such as Seb (Alison’s partner) commissioning a portrait of himself for Alison rather than of the children or of a place that is special to them both. Readers looking for a more layered and nuanced portrayal of family dynamics and difficult moral choices, such as I was, may find this one underwhelming.
January 23, 2025
This thriller has a really interesting base premise the story of a mother who one day realises they don't know there teen daughter as well as they thought they did and the secret she is keeping is in the shape of a man that haunts her mothers past. I really liked the concept of this story and it had some interesting unexpected turns and the ending definitely was not what I was predicting from the start. I did find the pacing a bit strange with some plot developments happening rather quickly whilst other parts seemed a bit slow to develop. I also found the escalation in the main characters thinking and planning a bit jarring and hard to follow at first. Although having thankfully never having been in this situation maybe this was just a realistic trauma response.
Personally I don't think this book was for me but I could definitely see it's appeal for other readers who enjoy twisty unpredictable family thrillers.
I read an arc of this book through netgalley
Personally I don't think this book was for me but I could definitely see it's appeal for other readers who enjoy twisty unpredictable family thrillers.
I read an arc of this book through netgalley
November 16, 2024
A psychological thriller, Alison, who is a mum to Lola, discovers her teenage daughter is seeing an older man who raped her years ago.
Her mum faces her rapist after so many years and pleads with him to leave Lola, and Alison will do anything to stop them from seeing each other.
However, days after their encounter, they find out he has been murdered, with a line of suspects, one being the daughter.
All the suspects were plausible, and it had me guessing throughout. There were many twists to keep me reading on. The ending was substantial.
The chapters were short, which made this a fast-paced story. It was an enjoyable murder mystery, which was suspenseful, along with devious characters and a betrayal. You really could sense Alisons' desperation throughout the story to get her daughters name cleared.
Her mum faces her rapist after so many years and pleads with him to leave Lola, and Alison will do anything to stop them from seeing each other.
However, days after their encounter, they find out he has been murdered, with a line of suspects, one being the daughter.
All the suspects were plausible, and it had me guessing throughout. There were many twists to keep me reading on. The ending was substantial.
The chapters were short, which made this a fast-paced story. It was an enjoyable murder mystery, which was suspenseful, along with devious characters and a betrayal. You really could sense Alisons' desperation throughout the story to get her daughters name cleared.
Read
December 13, 2024Lola has been sneaking out to meet her much older boyfriend, Brenden. And when her mom, Alison, finds out – she is M-A-D. Because years ago, Alison was raped by Brendan. And she never told anyone. Not her BFF or BF or ex-husband. And so Alison steals money from her BF to bribe Brenden to leave town without her daughter.
But then Brenden is found dead and security camera footage shows that Lola was the last one with Brenden.
Seriously, they were unreliable and each was hiding secrets – I went back and forth about who I thought the murderer was. This one hooked me from the start, and although some of it was a little too coincidental, I wasn’t bothered by it.
Really enjoyed this one. RECOMMEND
Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #AnythingForYou in exchange for any honest review.
But then Brenden is found dead and security camera footage shows that Lola was the last one with Brenden.
Seriously, they were unreliable and each was hiding secrets – I went back and forth about who I thought the murderer was. This one hooked me from the start, and although some of it was a little too coincidental, I wasn’t bothered by it.
Really enjoyed this one. RECOMMEND
Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #AnythingForYou in exchange for any honest review.
December 17, 2024
The past really can come back to haunt you!
Lola is your typical semi-rebellious teen but overall a good kid. And her mom, Alison feels that they've remained close despite the typical teen drama. But are they really?
Never having a reason to be suspicious, it comes as a complete shock when Alison learns Lola has an older boyfriend. MUCH older. And he's charismatic and a musician. Needless to say, Alison is NOT thrilled. But it gets worse. Her boyfriend Brendan, actually went to college with her parents. And during this time, Alison realized his true character and will go to any length to protect her daughter from learning the same hard lessons firsthand.
I enjoyed the characters, and figured out the antagonist early on. But that didn't diminish my enjoyment!
Thanks to NetGalley, Canelo Books and Sophie McKenzie for the eARC.
Lola is your typical semi-rebellious teen but overall a good kid. And her mom, Alison feels that they've remained close despite the typical teen drama. But are they really?
Never having a reason to be suspicious, it comes as a complete shock when Alison learns Lola has an older boyfriend. MUCH older. And he's charismatic and a musician. Needless to say, Alison is NOT thrilled. But it gets worse. Her boyfriend Brendan, actually went to college with her parents. And during this time, Alison realized his true character and will go to any length to protect her daughter from learning the same hard lessons firsthand.
I enjoyed the characters, and figured out the antagonist early on. But that didn't diminish my enjoyment!
Thanks to NetGalley, Canelo Books and Sophie McKenzie for the eARC.
December 23, 2024
I LOVED this psychological thriller from Sophie McKenzie! This book epitomises 'unputdownable'!!
I defy anyone not to be drawn in from the get-go - Alison goes to surprises her 18 year old daughter, Lola, with a lift home from college, only to find that Lola already has a lift, a man she appears to be on very intimate terms with...Alison is shocked to discover he is the man who raped her over 20 years ago. Alison's attempts to split the couple up have consequences beyond anything she could have predicted and her life is swiftly turned on its head as her worst nightmare plays out…
Such a good read, this author has undefinable raw talent - I suspect anything she touches is pure magic!
This is a novel I cant recommend highly enough.
My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.
I defy anyone not to be drawn in from the get-go - Alison goes to surprises her 18 year old daughter, Lola, with a lift home from college, only to find that Lola already has a lift, a man she appears to be on very intimate terms with...Alison is shocked to discover he is the man who raped her over 20 years ago. Alison's attempts to split the couple up have consequences beyond anything she could have predicted and her life is swiftly turned on its head as her worst nightmare plays out…
Such a good read, this author has undefinable raw talent - I suspect anything she touches is pure magic!
This is a novel I cant recommend highly enough.
My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.
January 3, 2025
Alison thinks she has an excellent relationship with her teenage daughter Lola. That is, until the man who raped her many years ago suddenly appears in her daughter's life.
Alison only ever told one person about Brendan's attack. Even her husband doesn't know about it. Now she is torn about what to do.
In a situation where her daughter doesn't believe her accusations against Brendon, what will Alison do? What CAN she do? Because Brendan is now demanding money to leave Lola as she is begging him to, and blackmailing Alison into paying him...
This is a suspenseful and interesting read, and Sophie McKenzie delivers in full, with additional and unexpected developments along the way. This one is definitely worth your time.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Alison only ever told one person about Brendan's attack. Even her husband doesn't know about it. Now she is torn about what to do.
In a situation where her daughter doesn't believe her accusations against Brendon, what will Alison do? What CAN she do? Because Brendan is now demanding money to leave Lola as she is begging him to, and blackmailing Alison into paying him...
This is a suspenseful and interesting read, and Sophie McKenzie delivers in full, with additional and unexpected developments along the way. This one is definitely worth your time.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
January 17, 2025
Alison finds out that her daughter Lola has been sneaking off to meet her much older boyfriend and is horrified to find out it is a man she knows from the past who ruined her life. Alison will do whatever she can to protect Lola and soon it is the beginning of a nightmare.
This is the first book I have read by this author but as the story sounded intriguing I wanted to give it a go. The story started off strongly and I was interested to see where it would go. I enjoyed the mystery element and the developments along the way.
Even though I could see Alison’s anguish and dilemma, I found it difficult to connect to her and the other characters. I also found that at the times the pacing of the book was a bit slow. Even though this wasn’t one of my favourite thrillers, it was still a decent read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest.
This is the first book I have read by this author but as the story sounded intriguing I wanted to give it a go. The story started off strongly and I was interested to see where it would go. I enjoyed the mystery element and the developments along the way.
Even though I could see Alison’s anguish and dilemma, I found it difficult to connect to her and the other characters. I also found that at the times the pacing of the book was a bit slow. Even though this wasn’t one of my favourite thrillers, it was still a decent read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest.
November 21, 2024
This was an entertaining whodunit. The pacing was good and there were some good clues scattered throughout the book. I enjoyed following the mystery and discovering what secrets the characters were each hiding. The main character was unlikeable as hell (especially her lack of empathy with Seb) but I don't mind an unlikeable main character as long as the story is good.
The only thing that let the book down a bit for me is that some of the characters' actions and interactions with each other were so unlikely it did take me out of the story a bit.
Overall I would recommend this book. I don't know if it will prove to be particularly memorable, but I did enjoy reading it.
The only thing that let the book down a bit for me is that some of the characters' actions and interactions with each other were so unlikely it did take me out of the story a bit.
Overall I would recommend this book. I don't know if it will prove to be particularly memorable, but I did enjoy reading it.
November 30, 2024
3.5⭐️ I did enjoy this book but it wasn’t one of them books that kept me wanting more!
I’ve got an 18 year old daughter so could understand the pain and frustration Alison was going through but I’m sorry the fact that Alison txt her daughter after seeing her with an older man who ruined her life and raped her is beyond me why would you text surely you’d confront them no?
Some chapters dragged more than others but they weren’t long thankfully.
Thanks to netgalley for the arc
I’ve got an 18 year old daughter so could understand the pain and frustration Alison was going through but I’m sorry the fact that Alison txt her daughter after seeing her with an older man who ruined her life and raped her is beyond me why would you text surely you’d confront them no?
Some chapters dragged more than others but they weren’t long thankfully.
Thanks to netgalley for the arc
May 7, 2025
3.5 (rounded up) After loving this authors other books when I was younger, this wasn’t as good as I expected. It was gripping and I couldn’t work out the mystery until the very end, but I found the protagonist annoying and naive. There were so many times I wanted to shake her for being so silly. It definitely could’ve been shorter too. All in all it was nice and I enjoyed it, but I don’t have much more to say than that.
September 27, 2025
This book was OK, nothing taxing, no too much to think about just your basic ‘who done it’ was it Lola? Was it Alison her mum? Seb her mums boyfriend? Pepper her mums friend? There are many points where it suggests it was someone and then it’s not.. that is what this is all about…did I guess who it was! No not really though it did briefly cross my mind. Was it a gripping thriller book? No. Was it an OK who done it? Yes!!
July 13, 2025
I loved how no one was what they seemed, there was no obvious right or wrong and a satisfying ending without over explaining.
The twitter plot is the only thing taking a star off for me- it didn't feel needed
The twitter plot is the only thing taking a star off for me- it didn't feel needed
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2025
Wasn't as good as I thought it would be. I can get behind a good murder mystery, but it just seemed to drawn out and some of the theories were stretched to the limit so much they sometimes didn't make a lot of sense.
November 2, 2025
No es que sea mal libro, los capítulos cortos, fácil lectura pero al final se lía muchísimo para lo que ya se venia oliendo desde mitad del libro. Lo he disfrutado y lo recomiendo porque esta bastante entretenido pero es un libro mas que añadir a la lista!
November 15, 2024
You’re a mom and you see your daughter skipping out of school and running to the arms of an older man. An older man who you know from your past. And you just get in your car and text her?!?
January 17, 2025
An intriguing psychological thriller. A new author to me but this was a well written and twisty novel
March 17, 2025
Bit slow at the start, kept me guessing but predictable in the end.
April 29, 2025
3.5 stars
May 17, 2025
It was a really good read. Very interesting
June 12, 2025
A masterclass in how to draaaaaaaaw a thin story into a whoooooole noooooooovel
How these novels get through editing god only knows
Modern publishing is shameful
How these novels get through editing god only knows
Modern publishing is shameful
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews