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Hurry Home

Roz Nay (Goodreads Author)

3.81 · Rating details · 1,384 ratings · 517 reviews

From the bestselling author of Our Little Secret comes a suspenseful new thriller featuring two estranged sisters desperate to keep their deepest and darkest secret where it belongs--in the past.

Blood is thicker than water... And it could cost you everything.

Alexandra Van Ness has the perfect life. She lives in an idyllic resort town tucked away in the Rocky Mountains, sha ...more

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Hardcover, 272 pages

Published July 7th 2020 by Crooked Lane Books

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· 1,384 ratings · 517 reviews

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Jul 15, 2020 Meredith ( on Semi-Hiatus until February) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Combine Psychos with a lot of stupid and gullible characters, mix in some family drama, and you get Hurry Home.

This is a decent, yet predictable, psychological drama about two sisters whose dark secrets lead to a showdown over a newborn baby.

Alex, the “good sister,” is a social worker in a small mountain town. She lives with her boyfriend, Chase, who happens to be a successful ski model. She cares immensely for the children on her caseload and has developed both a good career and a good life f Combine Psychos with a lot of stupid and gullible characters, mix in some family drama, and you get Hurry Home.

This is a decent, yet predictable, psychological drama about two sisters whose dark secrets lead to a showdown over a newborn baby.

Alex, the “good sister,” is a social worker in a small mountain town. She lives with her boyfriend, Chase, who happens to be a successful ski model. She cares immensely for the children on her caseload and has developed both a good career and a good life for herself. When her estranged and troubled sister, Ruth, shows up on her doorstep pregnant and on the run, Alex is wary of welcoming her sister back into life.

Ruth, “the bad sister,” is hiding some secrets. She did things in her past that destroyed her whole family’s lives. Or did she?

Both Alex and Ruth have a lot of secrets. Who is reliable and who is the liar plays a large role in the narrative. Alex is immensely unlikable; she is self-righteous, preachy, and conniving. Ruth is more likable, but she has made bad choices and she seems unreliable as a narrator.

This is a quick and easy read, but it lacks depth. Several characters are underdeveloped and come off as lacking in intelligence or knowledge of how the world works. Chase is an idiot, Sully the cop is clueless, and Morris, Alex's boss, is a moron. But my biggest issue was the lack of believability. This book makes it seem like with one simple phone call, WITH NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, a child can simply be taken away from their family. The social services system is simplified, the characters are simplified. Everything is overly simplified.

Chapters alternate between Alex and Ruth. There is a lot of telling and not a lot of seeing. This becomes most apparent in the strange exchange of dialogue where characters seem like they are talking at each other vs. to each other.

However, despite all of my issues, I was entertained and was able to breeze through this book. The final showdown between Ruth and Alex was fun to read, and I really enjoyed seeing one character get her due.

I received an ARC of this book from Crooked Lane Books. A special thank you to Madeline for sending me a copy! ...more

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Jan 02, 2020 Michelle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-arcs

This is my first completed book of 2020 and Roz Nay nailed it.

Before this book I used to wish I had a sister. Not anymore.

Alex Van Ness is leading a wonderful life. She has a job with CPS and her model boyfriend is about as perfect as they come. Until one day there is a knock at her door. Ruth.

Ruth is her older sister and all around troublemaker. They have been estranged for many years and Alex can't help but wonder why she has come to look for her now. She claims she wants to make amends and ...more

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Jan 17, 2020 Holly B rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley, read-in-2020

3.5 Stars

My first book by Roz Nay and I can say I enjoyed her writing and story building.

The story involves two sisters- Alexandra and Ruth, trust, and their back history. When Ruth shows up unexpectedly at Alex's apartment the drama begins, the secrets from their childhood stir emotions and you just know something is not quite right.

This read more like a mystery for me than a thriller. There are pieces of the puzzles to put together, but I was able to predict the ending. Still an enjoyable myst ...more

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Aug 14, 2020 Kaceey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, buddy-read

3.5*
Alex has created the perfect life for herself, not the least of which is her wealthy, handsome boyfriend Chase. She’s employed as a social worker for child protective service. And, perhaps has an issue with boundaries that finds Alex getting too personally involved with her cases. But to be fair, Alex is young, enthusiastic and well-intentioned.

An un-expected knock on her door is courtesy of her sister Ruth, and Alex reluctantly invites her into her home and life. How could she possibly tur ...more

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Jul 18, 2020 Frank Phillips rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Praise the Lord, I found an amazing book that knocked me out of my two book slump! This was probably the fastest read I've had thus far in 2020, I just could not stop listening! Without a dull moment, this is a dark tale of estranged sisters, Ruth and Alex. Alex is the hard-working good guy social worker, and when Ruth appears at her apartment door at 8 months pregnant and in desperate need of help, she takes her in, with reservations. According to Alex, Ruth has had a troubled past and is flaky Praise the Lord, I found an amazing book that knocked me out of my two book slump! This was probably the fastest read I've had thus far in 2020, I just could not stop listening! Without a dull moment, this is a dark tale of estranged sisters, Ruth and Alex. Alex is the hard-working good guy social worker, and when Ruth appears at her apartment door at 8 months pregnant and in desperate need of help, she takes her in, with reservations. According to Alex, Ruth has had a troubled past and is flaky and unreliable at best and undoubtedly has ulterior motives, or does she? This story alternates from Ruth's to Alex's perspectives, flashing back to when they were children, when something terrible happens, tearing their relationship apart and destroying their family in the process, depending on which sister you ask! Is Alex a reliable narrator, or is Ruth? Is there more to this then just two sisters at war,? Is it something more sinister?
I absolutely loved this and believe it will be a big hit this summer, if not for this year. After wavering and switching back and forth on who I trusted initially, this felt fairly straightforward for me about halfway in and i had a pretty good idea of the truth, but I still could not put this down, it was that good. Normally, if I have things figured out in advance it's incredibly difficult for me to continue reading, but that was absolutely not the case with this novel. I had to keep listening to find out how everything was resolved, if it was at all. I was fairly satisfied with the ending and can't come up with a single critique for the novel as a whole. It was just pure entertainment! Talk about a dark tale of a true sociopath and the measures she takes to get what she wants in life! This is one of those books that really makes you sit and wonder if you might actually know a true sociopath in real life. I cannot wait for Nay to release her third novel, and hope it will be sooner rather than later. You will not regret picking this one up! ...more

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Dec 10, 2019 Chelsea Humphrey rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, from-publisher

As someone who is an only child, but has two daughters, the relationship between sisters fascinates me to no end. That's truly the focus of Hurry Home, which is less a thriller and more a character study draped in elements of domestic drama. While I was able to predict the ending, I think the strongest aspects of this story are the claustrophobic atmosphere and growing sense of dread that something is not right between these sisters. If you enjoy slow burning mysteries, I recommend giving this o ...more

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Jul 26, 2020 Deanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, 2020

My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...

4.5 Stars!!!

An addictive and thought-provoking read!

Twenty-five-year old, Alexandra Van Ness (Alex) lives in a beautiful apartment, has a wonderful boyfriend, and a job she is very proud of. She is a child protection social worker and her first and only goal is to save children that are at risk. To say Alex goes above and beyond is putting it mildly.

Alex and another social worker, Minerva are investigating a report of negli ...more

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Apr 19, 2020 Katie B rated it really liked it

Shelves: crooked-lane, thriller, arc, read-in-2020, fiction, family

I thoroughly enjoyed this one but I can say I appreciated it more as just a regular fiction novel rather than a thriller or mystery book. After awhile you have a general idea which direction the story is headed so that aren't many "I didn't see that coming" type moments. But for me that didn't matter much because I thought it still managed to be a compelling story. Feels weird to say this considering it's a disturbing story, but it was really entertaining. Like a bring on the popcorn, this is bo I thoroughly enjoyed this one but I can say I appreciated it more as just a regular fiction novel rather than a thriller or mystery book. After awhile you have a general idea which direction the story is headed so that aren't many "I didn't see that coming" type moments. But for me that didn't matter much because I thought it still managed to be a compelling story. Feels weird to say this considering it's a disturbing story, but it was really entertaining. Like a bring on the popcorn, this is bonkers way.

When I received my advance copy in the mail, I had actually forgotten the synopsis and I chose to just dive right in without refreshing my memory. I'm glad I chose to approach the book that way as I could just settle back and let the author tell the story without any preconceived notions. However, I realize not every reader likes to go in blind so I'll give you a tiny bit of the plot. Alexandra Van Ness lives with her boyfriend in a resort town in the Rocky Mountains. She has a job as a social worker. One day her sister, Ruth, shows up unexpectedly on Alex's doorstep. The two sisters haven't seen or spoken to each other in years. Let's just say they have a past and you will have to read the book if you want to learn about it.

The big hook for a decent portion of the book is the mysterious past of the sisters. You eventually get to learn the backstory and there is one scene that even I thought was pretty jarring. There aren't many things that rattle me, but this one did for sure. And while it caught me offguard it was effective in making the overall story work well.

I wasn't able to predict the sisters' past but the remainder of the book for the most part is not entirely shocking. But I liked watching it all unfold anyway. Lately I have found myself struggling with my interest level in certain books. With this book though, I just found it to be an easy read that I was able to sit back and relax with and enjoy the show. I would definitely read another book by this author again. She's a good storyteller.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review! ...more

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Apr 20, 2020 Bridgett rated it liked it

Shelves: arc

Is it possible for a book to be a super quick read, while also being super slow-burning?

The book sped by on my Kindle, reaching the 10% mark after only a few pages, yet the story was rather slow and, dare I say, kind of "meh." This isn't a suspense/thriller, it's a domestic drama...one which is very easy to figure out.

My biggest gripe was the dialogue, which was not good.

At the end of the day, this wasn't a bad book, but neither was it a great book. It falls somewhere into the average categor ...more

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Jul 19, 2020 Susanne Strong rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, buddy-read

Sisters: The Competition is Fierce!

The sisters in “Hurry Home” have a Love/Hate Relationship.

Alex seems to have it all, a great job as a social worker, a Chase, an incredible, kind and caring boyfriend, and Sully, a great friend.

When Alex’s sister Ruth shows up on her doorstep, pregnant and penniless, Alex sees trouble with a capital T and yet, she lets her in even though Ruth made Alex’s life miserable when they were young. That’s what sisters are for, right?

From that moment on, the twists and ...more

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Feb 19, 2020 Felicia rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This book drug like a dead husband's body on an episode of Snapped.

I wouldn't call this story a thriller so if you're going into it (as I did) expecting anything more than a family drama, you may be disappointed.

Two sisters, one or both may or may not be reliable. Secrets. They have lots of secrets. One more than the other.

"... even when sisterhood is a prison, like it has been for me, it’s always, always a vault."

Repeat aforementioned synopsis over and over and over and you have the book.

Flat ...more

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Oct 06, 2020 Carole rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-books

Hurry Home by Roz Nay is a family drama that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat throughout. Alex Van Ness is a child welfare officer who lives with her boyfriend, Chase, in a resort town at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. All is well in her love life and her job until an unexpected knock at their door. Ruth, Alex’ older sister, has not been seen or heard from for ten years until she appears, pregnant and alone, seeking a place to live. There is an immense secret between the two sist ...more

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Feb 13, 2020 Erin Clemence rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, kindle

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date: July 7, 2020

Alex Van Ness is a social worker who dedicates her life to saving children. Living in the mountains with her model boyfriend, Chase, Alex prides herself on the fact that she has been able to start over, rebuilding her life after the tragic death of her brother as a child. When Alex’s sister, Ruth, shows up on her doorstep one day, des ...more

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Jul 10, 2020 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I LOVED Roz Nay’s Our Little Secret. I think it’s a pretty perfect thriller, so I’ve been waiting for Hurry Home! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Alex and Ruth are estranged sisters when Ruth unexpectedly shows up at Alex’s door... You should know Alex has (or had?) it all together up to this point. A great job, the perfect boyfriend. The past in the past.

Ruth was the one who got in trouble, never Alex. And Ruth is here now because she needs Alex’s help. In order to help her, Alex makes her promise to leave the ...more

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Jul 06, 2020 Gabby rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-star-books, thrillers-or-mystery, reviewed, cover-lust, arc-or-won-or-received, read-in-2020, own, adult, contemporary, disappointed

2.5 stars
This book was fine, it wasn't great. I was interested in this thriller because I love stories that revolve around sisters, but unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. I couldn't connect with either of the characters and this story just wasn't very interesting. ...more

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Jul 01, 2020 Carrie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Hurry Home by Roz Nay is really more of a domestic suspense novel than a thriller for the biggest part of the story. This tale of two reconciled sisters changes the point of view between them to dive right into all their secrets and lies.

Alexandra Van Ness has been leading a wonderful life with her perfect live in boyfriend and her job at CPS where she devotes all of her time saving children in need. Alex however has her perfect world turned upside down when her sister who she hasn’t seen in yea ...more

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Apr 13, 2020 Tahera rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, thrillers-mysteries-suspense, netgalley-2020, netgalley, floab-2020-challenge

Sometimes words aren't enough, or they just don't matter. And even when sisterhood is a prison, like it has been for me, it's always, always a vault.

The above line seems to sum up the entire plot of this book. It took me a while to finish this book; not because it wasn't a good book (it is!) but because I was wary to know how the story was going to end. There was something very unnerving about Alex and Ruth and their relationship with each other, despite both of them being sisters. What I re ...more

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May 01, 2020 Linda rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, psychological-thriller

More than Santa Claus, your sister knows when you've been bad and good.

But which one gets the candy canes in her stocking and which one gets the coal and wood?

Alexandra Van Ness seems to have settled into a cozy life with her athletic ski model of a boyfriend in Moses River surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. Chase has a loft apartment where they both live in near perfect harmony.

But outside the walls of that beautiful loft, Alex has a highly stressful job as a social worker with Child Protective ...more

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Dec 03, 2019 Lars (theatretenor) Skaar rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I’m so sad my second Roz Nay novel is over. I WANT MORE!

She has done it again, folks. Holy cow. What a thrill ride. I was fully engrossed from the beginning.

The characters are so REAL. So real. I didn’t even feel like I was reading a novel at all. I honestly was so into it that I had to stop and tell myself it wasn’t real. When certain things happened that I can say here I was in tears. And other times flabbergasted, and other times cheering.

What a plot too. Are there twists? You bet there are! ...more

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Jul 10, 2020 Wendy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: wom-2020, 5000-2020, jul-20

Hurry Home, by Roz Nay, is the intriguing story of two estranged sisters Alex and Ruth, both broken by a tragic event in their past.
After 10 years, Ruth unexpectedly shows up at Alex's door seeking protection from the trouble she's in. Alex agrees to help her on one condition - they are never to discuss the past. But when trouble befalls a child, both women are forced to confront the secrets they've promised to keep buried.
Told in alternating chapters between Alex and Ruth, each telling their ow ...more

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Jun 30, 2020 Darinda rated it really liked it

Shelves: thriller-psychological, via-publisher

Two sisters with a complicated relationship. Alexandra is the one with the perfect life - a job in child protection services, a handsome boyfriend, and a nice home. Ruth is the troubled one, and always seems to drag Alex into her messes. Alex and Ruth haven't been in contact for ten years, but now Ruth is on the run, and she runs to Alex for help.

Told using the alternating points of view of Alex and Ruth. The sisters are both telling their versions of events, and they don't exactly line up. They ...more

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Jul 15, 2020 Kristy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pbs-wishlist, crooked-lane-books, netgalley, read-in-2020, arc, mystery, thriller, ebook

A twisted although sometimes predictable thriller

A twisted although sometimes predictable thriller

Alex Van Ness has a good life now in the Colorado mountains. A loving boyfriend, Chase, her dream job as a social worker, and a beautiful loft she and Chase share. It's a far cry from the dysfunctional childhood she's tried to put in the past. Now Alex helps kids avoid such trauma. But when her older sister Ruth shows up on Alex's doorstep, Alex's perfect life is threatened. Ruth was the one who destroyed her family so long ago. But she's still Alex's sister, and she agrees to take her in, under one condition: they don't discuss the past. But secrets are hard to keep buried, and soon both sisters must confront their childhood.

"Ruth left the farm when she twenty, seven years after she tore our family apart."

I absolutely loved Nay's previous book, OUR LITTLE SECRET, which was utterly engrossing, different, and a total page-turner. She proves again with HURRY HOME that she's a wonderful writer. I flew through this book as well.

It's told from the perspective of Alex and Ruth, alternating between the two sisters. We're never quite sure who to trust or to believe, and we are slowly doled out facts about their childhood. Unfortunately, I did find this novel to be more predictable than Nay's first. There are certainly a lot of great twists and turns, but I did guess a lot of them. I do think some of that is due to my large appetite for thrillers, though. A more casual reader will find this book quite shocking and twisty.

The action stays mainly focused on the sisters, so it can get a little repetitive as they hash through their dramas. But it's a compelling read, with some shocking reveals. Nay is certainly good at capturing the diabolical. While I did find some parts easy to guess, I enjoyed this thriller overall. I'll certainly be on the lookout for Nay's next book. 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb ...more

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Dec 10, 2019 Amy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Thank to NetGalley for ARC.
Pub DateJuly 7, 2020

Let me just get this out there. To some it mite be predictable but for me, I'm slow in finding out things even if they are right in front of me 😅 So the whole book surprised me. I was just gasping with all the secrets busting out from every freaking corner.
This was a good family drama and I'm not a fan of those because it's so predictable, so this blew me away.

The beginning you start off with Alex. She's hunted by her past but seems to have her l ...more

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Aug 08, 2020 Joy Perry rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-read-2020

#NetGalley #HurryHome #CrookedLaneBooks

Hurry Home by Roz Nay is suspenseful, thought provoking and page turning novel. I couldn't put it down and basically read it from start to finish without a break. I found it engaging and very well written.

I really enjoyed the characters in the book, especially Chase. I also ended up liking the sister Ruth, but not initially.

This is the story of Alex, a social worker in child protective services, whose sister Ruth shows up unannounced at her door, pregnant, ...more

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Feb 08, 2020 Kimberly Belle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A gripping story of two estranged sisters, both broken by a tragic event in their past. I flew through this one, where each twist turned the story upside down and had me constantly switching alliances. A psychological thriller that will mess with your mind.

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Aug 22, 2020 Elle rated it really liked it

Recommended to Elle by: Dennis

Shelves: author-is-nice, 2020

This book went by so fast! Every time I sat down to read a couple chapters I ended up reading a good chunk more. We first meet Alex, a social worker who’s employed by the child protection office. What’s clear from the very beginning is she takes her job very seriously, maybe to an almost obsessive level. She’s meticulous and grounded in her life...until her sister Ruth shows up on her doorstep, desperate and in need. What seems like a tense family reunion turns into something more dire as more o ...more

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May 05, 2020 San rated it really liked it

The story is about relationship between sisters Alex and Ruth with a hidden secrets from past. Alex has a perfect life. She lives in the house in mountains with her boyfriend and works as a child-protection social worker, which is her dream job. But when her sister, Ruth, unexpectedly shows up at her door after few year of being away. Alex’s perfect life is turned upside down especially when the secrets from past came back to.
I found it hard to engage with the characters but the more I read the ...more

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Aug 04, 2020 Natasha Niezgoda rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-drama, family-drama, domestic-drama

EHHHHH. EH. OKAY. YEAH??

description

You know when you’re reading a book and you can predict which characters are gonna be annoying. And at first, it’s like a game? “Ooo will I be right!?” But then you find out you’re VERY right and still have 150 pages left. Yeah *sigh* 😑 that was Hurry Home for me.

Basically it’s a story of two sisters who haven’t interacted for 10 years. But “circumstances” change and they’re forced to live together. And in living together, a lot of their “past” is unearthed but from WILDL ...more

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Jun 27, 2020 MissBecka Gee rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: z2020-books-i-read, netgalley-books-read, kindle-already-done

The book is advertised as a thriller, but I would say it's more dramatic fiction?
Whole lot of drama; near zero thrills.
I went in expecting mind fuckery, intrigue and deceit at every corner...
While there was some, it was mostly a boring sibling rivalry story.
I am definitely in the minority on this, so give it a go and see for yourself.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my DRC.

...more

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Jan 14, 2020 Rose rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, netgalley, my-reviews

Just finished reading Hurry Home by Roz Nay

This was a good thriller with lots of twists and turns. A quick book to read. A little predictable but none the less a good book

It flows well, and kept my interest throughout the storyline

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for an early copy to read for my honest review

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