Forget You Saw Her by Noelle W. Ihli

She lost her daughter once. Now, she’ll go to hell and back to find her.

Seventeen years ago, Sabina made the most difficult decision of her giving her newborn daughter, Andrea, up for adoption. She’s lived with the guilt ever since, clinging to the hope that Andrea was safe, happy, and loved.

Then the letter from the police arrives.

Andrea Beaumont is a missing person.

Desperate for answers, Sabina dives headlong into a frantic search for the daughter she never knew. But the deeper she digs, the more certain she becomes that Andrea isn’t coming home.

And yet … as Sabina follows the disturbing trail of evidence, she swears she can feel her daughter reaching through her dreams, warning her—and guiding her toward the truth.

But someone else is watching—and keeping close tabs on Sabina’s search. And they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure the truth stays buried.

Inspired by true events, Forget You Saw Her is a standalone prequel to the international bestseller Ask for Andrea.

Kindle Edition, 370 pages

Expected publication November 4, 2025

 by Dynamite Books

5/5 stars

Though Forget You Saw Her is the prequel to Ask for Andrea, it works as a standalone , but honestly I highly recommend reading both. They complement each other with each read offering a unique emotional punch with that touch of paranormal mystery that Noelle W. Ihli does so well.

This is the story of Sabrina, a young woman who made the heartbreaking decision to give up her baby for adoption when she was just a teenager. Seventeen years later the past won’t stay buried, and what follows is an emotional and eerie story about love, loss and the ties that never really break. There’s that paranormal element that is woven in, in the same vibes as Ask for Andrea. It set the tone nicely with the haunting edge respecting a very human story.

Ihli has such a gift for writing emotional suspense. Her characters felt real and flawed, her pacing kept me engaged and the story hits all the right notes - heartbreaking at times, hopeful at others and unforgettable.

If you enjoyed Ask for Andrea you’ll definitely want to pick this one up. And if you’re new to Noelle W. Ihli, like I was then this is a great place to start, just be prepared for a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

My thanks to Dynamite Books for a digital arc (via Netgalley) in exchange for a honest review.

The Forget-Me-Not Library by Heather Webber

A detour. A chance encounter. Two women who alter the pages of each other’s story.

Juliet Nightingale is lucky to be alive. Months after a freak accident involving lightning, she’s fully recovered but is left feeling that something is missing from her life. Something big. Impulsively, she decides to take a solo summer road trip, hoping that the journey will lead her down a path that will help her discover exactly what it is that she’s searching for.

Newly single mom Tallulah Byrd Mayfield is hanging by a thread after her neat, tidy world was completely undone when her husband decided that their marriage was over. In the aftermath of the breakup, she and her two daughters move in with her eighty-year-old grandfather. Tallulah starts a new job at the Forget-Me-Not Library, where old, treasured memories can be found within the books—and where Lu must learn to adapt to the many changes thrown her way.

When a road detour leads Juliet to Forget-Me-Not, Alabama, and straight into Tallulah’s life, the two women soon discover there’s magic in between the pages of where you’ve been and where you still need to go. And that happiness, even when lost, can always be found again.

Kindle Edition, 346 pages

Expected publication November 4, 2025

 by St. Martin's Press

4.5/5 stars

This was my first time reading Heather Webber and what a delightful surprise it turned out to be! The Forget-Me-Not Library is a fun, quirky heart-warming story that blends small town charm with a touch of magical realism.

The story begins when Juliet unexpectedly finds herself stranded in the town of Forget-Me-Not after her car breaks down. What should have been a brief stop quickly becomes something far more meaningful. It didn't take long for Juliet to sense that this is no ordinary town, its where people seem to arrive for a reason. At it's center is the mysterious library where Juliet slowly uncovers that the town and its residents may be connected to her own past and what she truly needs to heal and move forward.

The town itself is a magical character that gently nudging people toward what (and who) they’re meant to find.  With a wonderful cast of unique characters - each one quirky, kind and full of heart. Even Deckle the librarian cat is a little aloof but knows what she's doing.

The Forget-Me-Not Library is a layered and uplifting story and was a pleasure to read.  I will definitely be on the lookout for more by this author.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for a digital arc (via Netgalley) in exchange for a honest review.

Nash Falls by David Baldacci

When Walter Nash is recruited by the FBI to help bring down a global crime network his life is turned completely upside down.

Walter Nash is a sensitive, intelligent and kindhearted man. He has a wife and a daughter and a very high-level position at Sybaritic Investments, where his innate skills and dogged tenacity have carried him to the top of the pyramid in his business career. Despite never going on grand adventures, and always working too many hours, he has a happy and upscale life with his family.

However, following his estranged Vietnam-veteran father’s funeral, Nash is unexpectedly approached by the FBI in the middle of the night. They have an important request: become their inside man to expose an enterprise that is laundering large sums of money through Sybaritic. At the top of this illegal operation is Victoria Steers, an international criminal mastermind that the FBI has been trying to bring down for years.

Nash has little choice but to accept the FBI’s demands and try to bring Steers and her partners to justice. But when Steers discovers that Nash is working with the FBI, she turns the tables on him in a way he never could have contemplated. And that forces Nash to take the ultimate step both to survive and to take his revenge: He must become the exact opposite of who he has always been.

And even that may not be enough.

Kindle Edition, 448 pages

Expected publication November 11, 2025

 by Grand Central Publishing

3.5/5 stars

Nash Falls by David Baldacci marks the beginning of a brand-new series and delivers a very different feel from his previous novel, Strangers in Time, which I really enjoyed. While that book drew me in through its emotional depth and strong sense of connection, Nash Falls moves in a darker direction, one that explores how a single decision can alter everything.

At the center of the story is Walter Nash, a man whose choice sets off a chain of events with serious and far-reaching consequences. As the story unfolds through shifting points of view I was able to see into the secrets and truths that some remain unaware of. This added tension and some nail biting on my part seeing the ripple effects of  Nash's actions from multiple angles. 

Again this was another combo reading and listening formats for me, keeping me immersed when I didn't want to stop reading (listening).  Nash Falls didn’t quite hit the same emotional mark for me as Strangers in Time, it was still an engaging and well-written read. With its mix of perspective, buried secrets and  suspense/mystery setting a strong foundation for what could become a very promising series. I’m curious to see where Nash goes next.

My thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio for the digital arcs (via Netgalley) in exchange for a honest review.

The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf

A couple’s gender reveal party turns deadly and everyone is a suspect.

Is it a boy or a girl? They would die to know…

Cordelia and Wes Drake have invited two hundred of their closest friends and family to their sprawling horse ranch for the most anticipated event of the year: a “pistols and pearls” gender reveal party so sensational it is sure to make headlines. But the party descends into chaos when the celebratory explosive misfires, leaving one woman dead and a trail of secrets.

As the aftershocks of the bloody party ripple across the small town, Agent Jamie Saldano is brought on the scene to investigate. Battling his own demons from the past, Saldano unearths a web of deceit spun around the Drakes. The appearance of some unexpected houseguests only deepens the mystery. And as tensions mount, it becomes clear that the explosion wasn’t just an unlucky accident. But who was the target, and why? As the shadow of a killer looms, the happy parents-to-be must unravel the truth before it’s too late.

Kindle Edition, 320 pages

Expected publication November 4, 2025 

by Park Row

3.5/5 stars

Heather Gudenkauf has long been one of my go-to authors, I try to stay up to date with all of her new releases. 

The Perfect Hosts starts with a bang, quite literally, when a gender reveal celebration goes terribly wrong. The opening chapter introduces a wide range of characters, each with their own backstory and connections to the central couple, Madeleine and Wes, the wealthy parents-to-be.

This is a story about secrets, privilege and the fallout of choices made behind closed doors. The addition of a firearms agent’s point of view brings a strong investigative thread and deepens the mystery. While I didn’t connect with most of the characters, Agent Jamie stood out as the most grounded and engaging presence throughout. His past was mysterious and that thread I found more intriguing.

The Perfect Hosts is a domestic suspense with plenty of layers and an explosive premise, though for me it lacked some of the emotional pull found in Gudenkauf’s earlier works. Still, it’s a solid, twisty read that kept me guessing right till the end - yea didn't see that coming.

My thanks to Park Row for a digital arc (via Netgalley) in exchange for a honest review.

Spotlight: The Shattered King by Charlie N. Holmberg

Brandon Sanderson calls Charlie "a vibrant writer with an excellent voice and great world building."

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The kingdom of Cansere is on the brink of war. Young men are conscripted from their homes, and a royal decree from the queen has made healing the only legal form of craftlock. Nym, a healer and beekeeper, is the sole provider for her family of seven now that her younger brother has been sent to the warfront. But when a letter comes from the queen, summoning Nym to the palace to heal Prince Renn, the kingdom’s ailing shut-in, Nym finds herself making the tumultuous journey from her family’s apiary to the capital city. Nym is determined to fail the queen’s mission and return to her younger siblings as soon as she can.

But escaping the castle’s hold isn’t as easy as failing a simple test. Prince Renn is cold and distant, and his illness is nothing like Nym has ever seen before, nothing she could ever imagine treating. In a moment of connection with Prince Renn, Nym manages to remedy the faintest symptom of his ailment―only to discover that no healer before has made such progress. Forced to become the prince’s official healer and a ward of the castle, and with her only hope of returning to her family hinging on the prince’s recovery, Nym must navigate the castle’s cruel and twisted court and uncover the haunting truth behind Prince Renn’s illness―even as she finds herself irrevocably drawn to him.

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Kindle Edition, 328 pages

Published September 2, 2025

Charlie N. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of fantasy and romance fiction, including the Paper Magician series, the Spellbreaker series, and the Whimbrel House series, and writes contemporary romance under C. N. Holmberg.


She is published in over twenty languages and is a Goodreads Choice Award, ALA, and RITA finalist. Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. A BYU alumna, she discovered in her thirties that she’s actually a cat person. She lives with her family in Utah.

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

When a father goes missing, his family's desperate search leads them to question everything they know about him and one another--both a riveting page-turner and a deeply moving portrait of a family in crisis from the award-winning author of Miracle Creek.

"We didn't call the police right away." Those are the first words of this extraordinary novel about a biracial Korean-American family in Virginia whose lives are upended when their beloved father and husband goes missing.

Mia, the irreverent, hyperanalytical twenty-year-old daughter, has an explanation for everything--which is why she isn't initially concerned when her father and younger brother Eugene don't return from a walk in a nearby park. They must have lost their phone. Or stopped for an errand somewhere. But by the time Mia's brother runs through the front door bloody and alone, it becomes clear that the father in this tight-knit family is missing and the only witness is Eugene, who has the rare genetic condition Angelman syndrome and cannot speak.

What follows is both a ticking-clock investigation into the whereabouts of a father and an emotionally rich portrait of a family whose most personal secrets just may be at the heart of his disappearance. Full of shocking twists and fascinating questions of love, language, race, and human connection, Happiness Falls is a mystery, a family drama, and a novel of profound philosophical inquiry. With all the powerful storytelling she brought to her award-winning debut Miracle Creek, Angie Kim turns the missing person story into something wholly original, creating an indelible tale of a family who must go to remarkable lengths to truly understand one another.

Hardcover, 387 pages

Audiobook, 14 hours, 4 minutes

Published August 29, 2023

 by Hogarth/Random House Audio

3.5/5 stars

This was my first time reading a Angie Kim novel.  I was intrigued by the blurb and grabbed when it became available through my BOTM account.  

Happiness Falls begins with the sudden disappearance of Mia's father during what should have been an ordinary day. The story is narrated by Mia, one of the teenage twins, whose sharp and sometimes unreliable voice guided me through the search for answers. What complicates the situation further is that her younger brother, Eugene, who was the last to see their father, has a rare genetic condition that makes him unable to speak. His silence adds another layer of tension, as the family struggles to interpret what he knows and cannot say.

This was a thought-provoking exploration of family bonds, communication and the secrets people keep from each other. Though the mystery of the father’s disappearance is what drives the plot forward, the heart of the novel lies in how each member of the family processes this time of uncertainty and grief.

This was a gripping story with meaningful themes, though the pacing felt uneven at times and occasionally pulled me out of the story. But still, it was a story that opened my eyes to the different layers, seeing through someone elses eyes and felting empathy for an immigrant family, their language barriers and the special bonds with a son/brother with special needs.

Happiness Falls is an original, layered story that is part mystery, part family drama, one that still lingers even though I finished last month.

This book was part of my 2025 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge, #41

Ask for Andrea by Noelle W. Ihli

Meghan, Brecia, and Skye have just one thing in common.

They were all murdered by the same man.

He hunted them online, masquerading as an eligible bachelor. Then he played the perfect gentleman, a thick layer of charm and a thousand-watt smile hiding the fact that his first dates end in shallow graves.

He’s gotten away with murder three times now.

The only thing that might keep him from killing again? The women he murdered.

Meghan, Brecia, and Skye might be dead, but they’re not gone. They’ve found each other. And they won’t rest until they find a way to stop him.

The haunt is on.

Kindle Edition, 295 pages

Original Published April 15, 2022 

by Dynamite Books

4.5/5 stars

Ask for Andrea was an intense, gripping and heartbreaking read. This was my introduction to Noelle W. Ihli and it has left its mark.  

The premise is chilling: three young women, strangers to one another yet each find themselves in vulnerable situations that lead to tragic ends. Though the story jumps around quite a bit it was never hard to follow and the shifting perspectives only added to the tension. As the story unfolds I listened to their voices as they relived what they endured and how their lives intersected in unexpected ways. It was haunting to witness, especially as their final moments were revealed. It's not graphic but more heartbreaking.

This isn’t a light story by any means, but it’s powerful and deeply affecting. Noelle W. Ihli delivers a suspenseful narrative with raw emotional depth, honoring the voices of her characters while keeping me on edge.

My thanks to Keningston Publishing for reaching out with a digital arc and introducing me to this new-to-me author.

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

The open road beckons.
A chance for them to reconnect.
Then they make a fatal mistake.

It’s the summer of 1976 and Alice and Tom set out on the remote Canadian highways in their new RV, hoping to heal their broken hearts after a devastating tragedy.

They’ve planned the trip perfectly, taken care of every detail. Then they meet two young hitchhikers down on their luck and offer them a ride. But Simon and Jenny aren’t what they seem. They’ve left a trail of blood, destruction, and madness behind them.

Now Alice and Tom are trapped, prisoners in a deadly game, with nowhere to turn. As the tension builds, the lines blur, and the question becomes, In whose heart does evil truly lie? What secrets are Jenny and Simon hiding? And who will live another day?

A chilling, twist-laden ride to the final page, THE HITCHHIKERS is that rare novel that will break your heart as well as hold you in suspense. The author of the classic thrillers STILL MISSING and THOSE GIRLS has delivered her next breathtaking novel.

Kindle Edition, 379 pages

Expected publication October 7, 2025 

by St. Martin's Press

3/5 stars

Chevy Stevens has long been an auto-read author for me, and one I’ve managed to stay current with over the years. She’s one of those writers I can always count on for an intriguing premise and The Hitchhikers certainly started out with one that had me curious from the get-go.

A chance meeting changed everything for Alice and Tom, especially when they discover who Simon and Jenny really are. Taking place in the 1970's was a refreshing change and getting the different points of view rounded things out nicely. That being said, while the setup was strong I found parts of the story a bit repetitive and the pacing slow at times. Once the last quarter hit, the tension really picked up and I ended up binging the final 25%, and the ending definitely took me by surprise (well, aside from a few unanswered questions that lingered).

What I did enjoy was the strong Canadian setting. Having traveled to some of those same location myself, it wasn’t hard for me to visualize it and that made the backdrop feel even more vivid and authentic. Despite some of my struggles with the flow, there’s no denying Stevens knows how to capture a sense of place.

With all the glowing reviews out there please take this one with a grain of salt. For me, The Hitchhikers landed at 3 stars,  Chevy Stevens remains an author I’ll continue to follow and I look forward to seeing where her next book takes me.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

Two feuding co-stars in a Jane Austen film adaptation accidentally travel back in time to the Regency Era in this delightfully clever and riotously funny debut

Tess Bright just scored her dream role starring in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. It's not just the role of a lifetime, but it’s also her last chance to prove herself as a serious actress (no easy feat after being fired from her last TV gig) and more importantly, it’s her opportunity to honor her mom, who was the biggest fan of Jane Austen ever. But one thing is standing in Tess’s way—well, one very tall, annoyingly handsome person, actually: Hugh Balfour.

A serious British method actor, Hugh wants nothing to do with Tess (whose Teen Choice Awards somehow don’t quite compare to his BAFTA nominations). Hugh is a type-A, no-nonsense, Royal Academy prodigy, whereas Tess is big-hearted, a little reckless, and admittedly, kind of a mess. But the film needs chemistry—and Tess’s career depends on it.

Sparks fly, but not in the way Tess hoped, when an electrical accident sends the two feuding co-stars back in time to Jane Austen’s era. 200 years in the past with only each other to rely on, Tess and Hugh need to ad-lib their way through the Regency period in order to make it back home, and hopefully not screw up history along the way. But if a certain someone looks particularly dashing in those 19th century breeches…well, Tess won’t be complaining.

A wickedly funny, delightfully charming story, The Austen Affair is a tribute to Jane Austen, second chances, and love across the space-time continuum.

Audiobook, 10 hours, 31 minutes

Published September 16, 2025 

by St. Martin's Griffin

4/5

I’ll confess right up front that I am not a big Jane Austen fan, and I usually avoid Austen retellings altogether. But The Austen Affair managed to win me over. It has that Austen-inspired charm without feeling heavy-handed.

Tess Bright is still navigating her grief after losing her mother. She’s someone I connected with, her determination and vulnerability made her an interesting character. .Then there’s Hugh, someone rough around the edges and seems to have lost all sense of joy in life. As their paths cross it was enjoyable to witness how this story played out.  It was a complicated relationship especially when they find themselves stranded in Jane Austen era.

The Austen Affair is a story of family, grief and determination. There is witty dialogue and heartfelt moments without going overboard for this non Jane Austen reader while at the same time peeking my interest into some of her books  

I listened to the audiobook, the narration was excellent, it enhanced the story.  I ended up finishing the whole thing within just 24 hours.

Overall, The Austen Affair was a delightful surprise and a solid read for me. It’s charming, smart and heartfelt, with characters you can root for and a plot that kept me turning pages (or in my case, listening straight through).

My thanks to Macmillan Audio for advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

Shadows in the Moonlight by Santa Montefiore

To settle the restless ghost haunting an English manor in the present day, timeshifter Pixie Tate travels to the Victorian era to solve the mystery of a missing child. There, she accidentally meets the love of her life. 

A restless ghost. A forbidden love. An impossible choice…

When Pixie Tate is summoned to the wild Cornish coast to unravel a curious mystery at the stately St Sidwell Manor, she knows that something quite extraordinary must be hiding in its shadows.

Over one hundred years ago, in the dark of night, a child vanished from his bed never to be seen again—and Pixie must now discover the truth of those final moonlit hours.

As she loses herself in the past, secrets are revealed, love affairs exposed and, ultimately, Pixie will be forced to make a devastating choice that will change her life forever...

Paperback, 368 pages

Published August 19, 2025

 by Simon & Schuster

4/5 stars

Shadows in the Moonlight is set against the sweeping beauty of the English countryside, a story that revolves around an old estate that holds secrets spanning generations. When the present collides with the past family mysteries that have long been buried begin to surface, changing the lives of those in the modern day.

Santa Montifore has yet to disappoint me.  She can weave between timelines smoothly, blending the historical storyline with the present. Her characters are unique and I loved Pixie Tate.  She is the thread that connects these 2 timelines with warmth, wisdom and some mysticism. 

Not only is the past richly drawn, full of atmosphere and detail, but the present day has relatable characters wondering if it was a huge mistake to move to this manor in the dead of winter. 

Montefiore’s descriptive writing shines here, the moonlit gardens, ancient halls and rolling countryside all felt vivid and alive, pulling me deeper into the story. Actually the estate itself almost became a character, with its hidden corners and echoes of history.

Shadows in the Moonlight is a story about how the past lingers and continues to shape the present and how secrets - no matter how deeply buried - always find their way back. 

I recommend this to readers who love a good dual timelines story with historical family dramas.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster CA for a print ARC in exchange for a honest review.