If You’re Reading This… by Kiersten Modglin
Published: September 1, 2022
Kiersten Modglin
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Kiersten Modglin is an Amazon Top 10 bestselling author of psychological thrillers, a member of International Thriller Writers, Novelists, Inc., and the Alliance of Independent Authors. Kiersten is a KDP Select All-Star, a recipient of ThrillerFix’s Best Psychological Thriller Award and Suspense Magazine’s Best Book of 2021 Award. She grew up in rural western Kentucky and later relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and their two Boston Terriers: Cedric and Georgie. Kiersten’s work is currently being translated into multiple languages, and readers across the world refer to her as ‘The Queen of Twists.’ A Netflix addict, Shonda Rhimes superfan, psychology fanatic, and indoor enthusiast, Kiersten enjoys rainy days spent with her nose in a book.
On the one-year anniversary of her wedding, Colbie Moore’s life looks nothing like it should.
Still grieving the loss of the man she meant to spend her life with, Colbie prepares for a weekend away to take her mind off her heartache, but the simple plan results in much more than she bargained for.
A box of letters, meant for the bride and groom to open on their anniversary, is instead opened by Colbie and her three best friends—Miles, James, and Eric.
And what it holds could ruin everything.
A mysterious note from a surprising sender shocks Colbie, propelling her down a dark path to discover the truth about the man she loved—his life and his death—before it’s too late.
Soon, Colbie begins to question everyone around her as the mystery unravels.
What was Phil hiding from her when he died?
What secrets are still hidden?
The closer she gets to answers, the clearer it becomes that someone has gone to great lengths to protect their lies.
And if she pushes any more, everything she has left could be exactly what she stands to lose.
Is it worth risking everything to truly know the man she’s already lost?
After all, she’s been warned…she might not be able to handle what she finds.
“If you give them long enough, everyone will disappoint you eventually.”
Colbie is still grieving the sudden death of her fiancé a year later. But in the year since Phil died, she’s become close with three men who have changed her life. James, who has been her best friend forever; Eric, who had been Phil’s best friend; and Miles, who was in the band that was going to play at her wedding. As they process their grief together, the truth starts to come out, and suddenly Colbie may find herself getting lost in the details.
I liked how this story was told, and the alternating timelines were well placed. I also enjoyed the timeline; despite the events taking place over a year, things moved quickly, and the bulk of the plot was in a shorter time frame.
The build-up for this was different than a typical KMod novel, and the unveiling was less complicated. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, and there really wasn’t anyone to dislike in this book.
There was a considerable element of loss in this novel in many instances. And the emotional weight that comes with loss was well represented.
Losing a parent is devastating, and Colbie was a beautiful representation of what loss can do to a person. Because she has lost so much in her life, she was willing to be more accepting, even if it wasn’t in her best interest.
The emotional themes were a different aspect of a KMod book, and I found the weight of grief accurately represented. The letters Colbie reads are beautifully bittersweet, seeing what would never be and holding those hopes in her hands. It was like losing everything again.
The impact of the words and the relevance of that scene were stunning. I like that this book focuses on much more than just a twist you’ll never guess.
It was obvious that this novel was therapeutic in a lot of ways. The stages of grief were heavily influential, and we experienced Colbie’s journey through the tangle of moving on.
It’s a long, harrowing, scary journey. And it’s never easy. But it’s nice not to take the trip alone.
The plot is quick-paced, and the story is twisted. It reads like an episode of Dateline; the only thing missing was Keith Morrison. Oh, my!