Published: May 4, 2021

Simon & Schuster

I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Laura Dave is the international bestselling author of Hello, Sunshine, Eight Hundred Grapes, The First Husband, The Divorce Party, and London Is the Best City in America. Her novels have been published in eighteen countries and optioned as major motion pictures. Dave’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, Glamour, Self, Redbook, and Cosmopolitan. She lives in Santa Monica.

“One line, its own puzzle.”

Hannah learned early in life that people could and will disappoint you. After being abandoned by her mother, Hannah grew up under the creative and loving eyes of her grandfather. So when Hannah meets the dashing and somewhat elusive Owen, she is hesitant and willing to let herself love him. And his daughter. When Owen goes missing, Bailey becomes the most crucial aspect of Hannah’s world. Bailey’s safety and happiness. As the two women try and figure out what happened to Owen and start uncovering past secrets, Hannah realizes the only thing that matters to her is Bailey.

Holy buckets. It has been a while since a new to me author has written something that has captured me the way this book did. From the very first sentence, I was hooked. I couldn’t read this novel quickly enough.

There are so many significant aspects to this intricately twisted book. Hannah is such a complicated yet straightforward character. I love that she comes from a reasonably sad backstory. Her mother left her as a child, and the lesson Hannah took from that is to become observant. To notice the details.

When Hannah meets and ultimately falls in love with Owen, Hannah understands that he comes with nonnegotiable baggage in the form of a daughter. Hannah realizes that if she and Bailey are going to have any relationship, it must be mainly on Bailey’s terms. And Hannah embraces that. She does not try to force herself into Bailey’s world, and Hannah doesn’t placate Bailey with pretty lies. Hannah is always open and honest, and understanding.

Looking at Owen and what he represents is a little darker. We want to like him, want to believe he is a good guy. A doting my father who lost his wife tragically. A guy who has fallen in love with someone and is getting his “second chance at love.” But it’s much more complicated than that.

I cannot rave enough about how clever this book is. The way it is written, the manner the story is told. It leaks intelligence. As I rode through the pages, getting more intertwined with the details, I found myself captivated.

The plot is brilliant. The characters are sheer perfection. And there are so many twists and turns, and you will never guess what will happen next. Nobody is what they seem, yet everyone is what they seem.

In an incredibly complicated situation, one thing remains clear. Hannah wasn’t chosen at random. As Hannah discovers more and more about the past, she focuses harder on the future. Bailey’s future.

I could not put this book down. I started screaming at my bookish best friend about three chapters in. I demanded she preorders this one right away. And I stand by that. This is a book that will hit every emotion and take you through such a wild ride.

The journey is twisted. The players all have their motives. But one thing is sure, Hannah will do whatever possible to protect Bailey. A mother’s love knows no bounds. There isn’t enough darkness to prevent the light that true love shines upon a person.

Our past shapes us into who we will become. And our choices define us.