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A Familiar Stranger
Such a quiet and ordinary wife and mother. Who will even notice what she’s done?
Lillian Smith leads an unexceptional life, writing obituaries and killing time with her inattentive husband and disconnected son. Then she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop. Lured into an affair, she invents a new persona, one without strings, deadlines, or brooding husbands.
Lillian has never felt so reckless, unpredictable, or wanted. But as her affair with David intensifies, she withdraws from everything that’s real, even her closest friend. When evidence of her life as a secret lover finds its way onto her son’s social media, she risks ruining much more than her marriage or reputation.
As lies beget lies, Lillian’s two worlds spiral dangerously out of control. And betrayals run deeper than she imagines. Because Lillian isn’t the only one leading a double life.
Lillian Smith leads an unexceptional life, writing obituaries and killing time with her inattentive husband and disconnected son. Then she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop. Lured into an affair, she invents a new persona, one without strings, deadlines, or brooding husbands.
Lillian has never felt so reckless, unpredictable, or wanted. But as her affair with David intensifies, she withdraws from everything that’s real, even her closest friend. When evidence of her life as a secret lover finds its way onto her son’s social media, she risks ruining much more than her marriage or reputation.
As lies beget lies, Lillian’s two worlds spiral dangerously out of control. And betrayals run deeper than she imagines. Because Lillian isn’t the only one leading a double life.
Audiobook
First published September 27, 2022
About the author
A.R. Torre
9 books7,783 followersA.R. Torre is a pseudonym of Alessandra Torre and is her dark alter ego. While Alessandra writes spicy romances, A.R. focuses on twisted stories filled with secrets, suspense, drama, and danger.
Alessandra/A.R. is a multi-time Goodreads Choice Nominee. Her books have hit the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Amazon Charts bestseller lists. Over a million readers have enjoyed her novels in more than thirty countries.
In addition to writing, Alessandra teaches online courses to aspiring and published authors via www.alessandratorreink.com. She hosts an annual conference (Inkers Con) and has built a community of over 40,000 authors.
Alessandra is also the CEO of BingeBooks.com.
Alessandra/A.R. is a multi-time Goodreads Choice Nominee. Her books have hit the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Amazon Charts bestseller lists. Over a million readers have enjoyed her novels in more than thirty countries.
In addition to writing, Alessandra teaches online courses to aspiring and published authors via www.alessandratorreink.com. She hosts an annual conference (Inkers Con) and has built a community of over 40,000 authors.
Alessandra is also the CEO of BingeBooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,118 reviews
May 25, 2024
WTH I just read! Whirlwind cat-mouse game, sucker punch twists, jaw dropping, mind blowing, riveting conjunction of several unexpected events, ruthless characters! Oh I need a drink! Something very strong!
When I read about the blurb about an unconventional, unique woman who is successful obituary writer, living with neglectful husband and disconnected son, tries to reinvent herself by lying about her identity, cheating her spouse with a stranger, I thought this was cunning, tempting, saucy marriage drama!
But I couldn’t be so wrong! This is more than that!
Yes, Lillian Smith catches her husband cheating on her! Yes, she’s not happy about how her life turned out! She feels insecure! She doesn’t fulfill half of her potential! She feels lost! Taking a mandatory break from her job, flirting with easygoing, gentle stranger, working as a yacht concierge might be a great escape from her problems! But this book is not a broken marriage story! It’s action packed, surprising, twisty mind game!
Lillian is a complex character with incredibly dark and entertaining sense of humor, with worse coffee flavour taste! I liked her a lot and I think she definitely deserved more!
The author literally made me jump off my seat and curse myself for not seeing the obvious things behind my eyes! I found the culprit a little earlier! But I couldn’t find out the true motive sooner! Well played!
I’m stopping right now! You get to read and find out! Expect the unexpected! Get ready to lose last remaining little grey cells ! The author will literally bbq them!
I’m so happy to see Alessandra Torre brought back her dark side to write this intelligent psychological thriller! I loved her previous Deanna Madden series! I hope she’ll also bring back more Gwen Moore- Robert Kavin stories! But this book was truly smashing, heart throbbing, exceeded my expectations! I freaking enjoyed it a lot!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Thomas &Mercer for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
When I read about the blurb about an unconventional, unique woman who is successful obituary writer, living with neglectful husband and disconnected son, tries to reinvent herself by lying about her identity, cheating her spouse with a stranger, I thought this was cunning, tempting, saucy marriage drama!
But I couldn’t be so wrong! This is more than that!
Yes, Lillian Smith catches her husband cheating on her! Yes, she’s not happy about how her life turned out! She feels insecure! She doesn’t fulfill half of her potential! She feels lost! Taking a mandatory break from her job, flirting with easygoing, gentle stranger, working as a yacht concierge might be a great escape from her problems! But this book is not a broken marriage story! It’s action packed, surprising, twisty mind game!
Lillian is a complex character with incredibly dark and entertaining sense of humor, with worse coffee flavour taste! I liked her a lot and I think she definitely deserved more!
The author literally made me jump off my seat and curse myself for not seeing the obvious things behind my eyes! I found the culprit a little earlier! But I couldn’t find out the true motive sooner! Well played!
I’m stopping right now! You get to read and find out! Expect the unexpected! Get ready to lose last remaining little grey cells ! The author will literally bbq them!
I’m so happy to see Alessandra Torre brought back her dark side to write this intelligent psychological thriller! I loved her previous Deanna Madden series! I hope she’ll also bring back more Gwen Moore- Robert Kavin stories! But this book was truly smashing, heart throbbing, exceeded my expectations! I freaking enjoyed it a lot!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Thomas &Mercer for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
January 22, 2024
How crazy can a story on infidelity be? Hmm, crazier than I expected, that's for sure.
Lillian leads a rather pedestrian life as a wife and a mother, until one day she meets a handsome stranger at a coffee shop. What follows is an affair filled with lies and deceit (aren't they all? But this one's got more than your usual), and Lillian's life slowly spins out of control. Suddenly, nothing is quite as it seems.
I always find Alessandra Torre's writing to be eminently readable and here's another demonstration of that. Lillian's story sucked me in, and I was drawn into her tale of infidelity and deception. There were many surprises along the way, and it all made for great fun.
However, the characters and their actions were quite over-the-top, which made the whole thing feel rather loony and unreal. Obviously, domestic thrillers aren't meant to resemble real life (hopefully), but this story feels even more out there than usual. And its heavy focus on love and infidelity made it at times more drama than thriller.
Still, it was an enjoyable way to pass the time, and I always look forward to more from Torre. If you've never read her though, I'd recommend starting with Every Last Secret or The Good Lie instead of this one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
Every Last Secret
The Good Lie
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
Lillian leads a rather pedestrian life as a wife and a mother, until one day she meets a handsome stranger at a coffee shop. What follows is an affair filled with lies and deceit (aren't they all? But this one's got more than your usual), and Lillian's life slowly spins out of control. Suddenly, nothing is quite as it seems.
I always find Alessandra Torre's writing to be eminently readable and here's another demonstration of that. Lillian's story sucked me in, and I was drawn into her tale of infidelity and deception. There were many surprises along the way, and it all made for great fun.
However, the characters and their actions were quite over-the-top, which made the whole thing feel rather loony and unreal. Obviously, domestic thrillers aren't meant to resemble real life (hopefully), but this story feels even more out there than usual. And its heavy focus on love and infidelity made it at times more drama than thriller.
Still, it was an enjoyable way to pass the time, and I always look forward to more from Torre. If you've never read her though, I'd recommend starting with Every Last Secret or The Good Lie instead of this one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
Every Last Secret
The Good Lie
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
September 27, 2022
A Familiar Stranger by A. R. Torre
Lillian Smith has issues. She used to be a celebrity obituary writer with a blog until she messed up big time and now she's just an obituary writer with a blog. She's not happy with her fall from grace but it's not likely she's going to be given another chance to move up the ladder. Her home life is dreary, with a husband who is almost completely blocking her out and a son who has his own walls up when it comes to his parents. She has a drinking problem which she is pretending is under control while she still drinks. Is this what the rest of her life is going to look like? Is her husband going to leave her? Does her son hate her?
Then she meets David in a coffee shop and, on the spur of the moment, she reinvents herself to him. She is this other person with him and it frees her from the drudge and worries of her real life. She's not hurting anyone, her husband is already doing his own thing, she's becoming a better person with this freeing of her old self. Right?
But then a video hits social media, a video directed at her son, exposing Lilian in so many ways. We've already known someone is going to die because the chapter titles have told us so from the beginning of the story. Who is going to die? Once we find out, the twists and turns are revealed, and the story goes places I didn't expect it to go. The way the book is written, I flew from one chapter to the next, not wanting to put down the book until the end. This was a fun buddy read with DeAnn, Jayme, and Mary Beth and we had lots to discuss.
Pub: September 27, 2022
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC.
Lillian Smith has issues. She used to be a celebrity obituary writer with a blog until she messed up big time and now she's just an obituary writer with a blog. She's not happy with her fall from grace but it's not likely she's going to be given another chance to move up the ladder. Her home life is dreary, with a husband who is almost completely blocking her out and a son who has his own walls up when it comes to his parents. She has a drinking problem which she is pretending is under control while she still drinks. Is this what the rest of her life is going to look like? Is her husband going to leave her? Does her son hate her?
Then she meets David in a coffee shop and, on the spur of the moment, she reinvents herself to him. She is this other person with him and it frees her from the drudge and worries of her real life. She's not hurting anyone, her husband is already doing his own thing, she's becoming a better person with this freeing of her old self. Right?
But then a video hits social media, a video directed at her son, exposing Lilian in so many ways. We've already known someone is going to die because the chapter titles have told us so from the beginning of the story. Who is going to die? Once we find out, the twists and turns are revealed, and the story goes places I didn't expect it to go. The way the book is written, I flew from one chapter to the next, not wanting to put down the book until the end. This was a fun buddy read with DeAnn, Jayme, and Mary Beth and we had lots to discuss.
Pub: September 27, 2022
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC.
May 4, 2022
Oh, Alessandra Torre, why do your books have to be so darn unputdownable? I lose sleep every time a new thriller of yours becomes available, and this is no exception!
The most exciting thing going on in Lillian Smith’s life is writing obituaries for the Los Angeles Times. She’s a wife and mother, but feels mostly invisible to everyone in her life.
That is, until she meets a stranger named David at Starbucks and begins an affair with him. She loves the excitement of what she’s doing, and feels powerful and carefree.
All is fine and dandy until the affair becomes public knowledge via a Tik Tok video that Lillian’s son sees.
That’s just the beginning of Lillian’s troubles…
This is such a smoothly written thriller with plenty of scandal and mystery, and I find it extremely easy to jump right into Torre’s world and enjoy the ride. I guessed some of the surprises, while a few others (one HUGE one in particular) never even crossed my mind. That huge one took me a little time to get used to, and I’ll be very curious to see what other readers think.
Regardless, I couldn’t help but to fly through the pages to find out what would happen next, and really didn’t want the story to come to an end.
If you haven’t read Torre’s books yet, I recommend changing that right meow! 😸
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 9/27/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
The most exciting thing going on in Lillian Smith’s life is writing obituaries for the Los Angeles Times. She’s a wife and mother, but feels mostly invisible to everyone in her life.
That is, until she meets a stranger named David at Starbucks and begins an affair with him. She loves the excitement of what she’s doing, and feels powerful and carefree.
All is fine and dandy until the affair becomes public knowledge via a Tik Tok video that Lillian’s son sees.
That’s just the beginning of Lillian’s troubles…
This is such a smoothly written thriller with plenty of scandal and mystery, and I find it extremely easy to jump right into Torre’s world and enjoy the ride. I guessed some of the surprises, while a few others (one HUGE one in particular) never even crossed my mind. That huge one took me a little time to get used to, and I’ll be very curious to see what other readers think.
Regardless, I couldn’t help but to fly through the pages to find out what would happen next, and really didn’t want the story to come to an end.
If you haven’t read Torre’s books yet, I recommend changing that right meow! 😸
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 9/27/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
September 27, 2022
ONE MONTH BEFORE THE DEATH
And, the countdown begins……..
Lillian Smith is a wife and mother, obsessed with Pumpkin Spice Lattes with almond milk….and DEATH.
She writes obituaries for a living, and tweets “ puzzles” about death on Twitter as @the mystery of death: 10,000 followers-Example:
“ Three women go to Vegas for the weekend. A trophy wife, an Internet coach, and a struggling single mom. One of them won’t make it back home. Who will die?“ Her greatest entertainment is posting hints-and reading the responses.
But when she discovers that her husband has been cheating and she loses her job-it is no longer enough.
David begins flirting with her at a coffee shop, after they discover that they share the same taste in coffee-and without thinking things through she reinvents herself as “Taylor”….
I was giddy with excitement when I discovered that A.R Torre had a new book coming out in September and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! As always, her writing immediately drew me in and for the FIRST half-I wasn’t disappointed!!
But at 50%, after we find out WHO died, the story takes a major DETOUR.
Sure, she took us down a road less traveled, and props for coming up with something new.
However, the second half was a bumpy ride, and it didn’t even feel like the same book.
What happened to the story that I was so enjoying??
I didn’t care for the direction she took at all, and this went from a potential 5 ⭐️ read for me, down to 3.
Suddenly we had a myriad of possible reasons for the DEATH, but none felt plausible to me. Or fully fleshed out.
However, the others in my buddy read group, felt differently so be sure to check out the amazing reviews of DeAnn, MarilynW and Mary Beth to read additional opinions on this one!
Will I request her next? ABSOLUTELY! This is the first time I have been disappointed by this author So odds are-I will love her next!
Available now!
Thank You to Thomas and Mercer for the gifted ARC, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
And, the countdown begins……..
Lillian Smith is a wife and mother, obsessed with Pumpkin Spice Lattes with almond milk….and DEATH.
She writes obituaries for a living, and tweets “ puzzles” about death on Twitter as @the mystery of death: 10,000 followers-Example:
“ Three women go to Vegas for the weekend. A trophy wife, an Internet coach, and a struggling single mom. One of them won’t make it back home. Who will die?“ Her greatest entertainment is posting hints-and reading the responses.
But when she discovers that her husband has been cheating and she loses her job-it is no longer enough.
David begins flirting with her at a coffee shop, after they discover that they share the same taste in coffee-and without thinking things through she reinvents herself as “Taylor”….
I was giddy with excitement when I discovered that A.R Torre had a new book coming out in September and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! As always, her writing immediately drew me in and for the FIRST half-I wasn’t disappointed!!
But at 50%, after we find out WHO died, the story takes a major DETOUR.
Sure, she took us down a road less traveled, and props for coming up with something new.
However, the second half was a bumpy ride, and it didn’t even feel like the same book.
What happened to the story that I was so enjoying??
I didn’t care for the direction she took at all, and this went from a potential 5 ⭐️ read for me, down to 3.
Suddenly we had a myriad of possible reasons for the DEATH, but none felt plausible to me. Or fully fleshed out.
However, the others in my buddy read group, felt differently so be sure to check out the amazing reviews of DeAnn, MarilynW and Mary Beth to read additional opinions on this one!
Will I request her next? ABSOLUTELY! This is the first time I have been disappointed by this author So odds are-I will love her next!
Available now!
Thank You to Thomas and Mercer for the gifted ARC, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
April 19, 2022
If you’re a meat ‘n potatoes kind of domestic thriller lover, never willing to add a little something different to the menu, you might want to abstain from reading A. R. Torre’s latest suspense novel.
A Familiar Stranger takes a familiar genre and spices it up. Not in the “spicy” sense of grody sex scenes, but rather by taking some interesting and unusual risks that are sure to alienate some readers. The general premise is pretty standard - a wife begins an affair shortly after learning her husband is having one himself. Someone turns up dead. Readers of course are meant to wonder who the killer is, but first they have to wonder who the KILLED is.
That’s right, for the first part of the book we know someone will die but not who it will be. Then we find out, and then bam, we’re reading a different kind of story all of a sudden.
Personally I’m all in on Torre and whatever she dishes out after her last two thrillers, Every Last Secret and The Good Lie. The lady knows how to write a page turner, okay? So even though I found some of the elements predictable (such as sleuthing out the murderer even though I hadn’t initially guessed who had been murdered), I applaud her for taking chances in a genre that might be approaching its sell by date.
My thanks to the author and Thomas & Mercer for the gifted advance copy to review via NetGalley. The expected US publication date is September 27, 2022.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
A Familiar Stranger takes a familiar genre and spices it up. Not in the “spicy” sense of grody sex scenes, but rather by taking some interesting and unusual risks that are sure to alienate some readers. The general premise is pretty standard - a wife begins an affair shortly after learning her husband is having one himself. Someone turns up dead. Readers of course are meant to wonder who the killer is, but first they have to wonder who the KILLED is.
That’s right, for the first part of the book we know someone will die but not who it will be. Then we find out, and then bam, we’re reading a different kind of story all of a sudden.
Personally I’m all in on Torre and whatever she dishes out after her last two thrillers, Every Last Secret and The Good Lie. The lady knows how to write a page turner, okay? So even though I found some of the elements predictable (such as sleuthing out the murderer even though I hadn’t initially guessed who had been murdered), I applaud her for taking chances in a genre that might be approaching its sell by date.
My thanks to the author and Thomas & Mercer for the gifted advance copy to review via NetGalley. The expected US publication date is September 27, 2022.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
June 16, 2022
Crazy, Messy Fun
3.5 stars
“I picked the most exciting woman who had recently died, and I stole her spirit. I stole her story. I stole her life. And it felt really, really good.”
A Familiar Stranger is a psychological thriller about a woman who believes she lives a boring life. With the desire to have some excitement, she pretends to be someone else and soon finds herself in a dark web of lies that leads to murder.
Lillian, a former celebrity obituary writer, mother of Jacob, and wife to Mike lives a boring life. Mike is full of secrets and has a wandering eye. Then there is the mysterious David Laurent, whom Lillian encounters at a coffee shop. Needing a change, she starts a flirtation with David, but her world slowly implodes as she finds herself caught up in a lie she didn't even know she was living.
Lillian is the main narrator for the first half of the book. The second half is dominated by Mike's POV, with some additional chapters told from former cop Lenny's point of view.
I thought I knew where the plot was going, but I was SO wrong. There is a twist that threw me for a loop and shifted this book into crazy territory. The plot is a little messy and chaotic, but I was deeply entertained watching all of the secrets, lies, and deceit play out.
A Familiar Stranger is a highly entertaining and compulsively readable novel. It’s problematic in that one storyline is dropped and never fully explained. The characters, especially Mike, felt a little cartoonish, and the ending felt unfinished. This is not my favorite read from Torre. On the plus side, this book is a page-turner and takes a different path from the norm, which is a win for me.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
“I picked the most exciting woman who had recently died, and I stole her spirit. I stole her story. I stole her life. And it felt really, really good.”
A Familiar Stranger is a psychological thriller about a woman who believes she lives a boring life. With the desire to have some excitement, she pretends to be someone else and soon finds herself in a dark web of lies that leads to murder.
Lillian, a former celebrity obituary writer, mother of Jacob, and wife to Mike lives a boring life. Mike is full of secrets and has a wandering eye. Then there is the mysterious David Laurent, whom Lillian encounters at a coffee shop. Needing a change, she starts a flirtation with David, but her world slowly implodes as she finds herself caught up in a lie she didn't even know she was living.
Lillian is the main narrator for the first half of the book. The second half is dominated by Mike's POV, with some additional chapters told from former cop Lenny's point of view.
I thought I knew where the plot was going, but I was SO wrong. There is a twist that threw me for a loop and shifted this book into crazy territory. The plot is a little messy and chaotic, but I was deeply entertained watching all of the secrets, lies, and deceit play out.
A Familiar Stranger is a highly entertaining and compulsively readable novel. It’s problematic in that one storyline is dropped and never fully explained. The characters, especially Mike, felt a little cartoonish, and the ending felt unfinished. This is not my favorite read from Torre. On the plus side, this book is a page-turner and takes a different path from the norm, which is a win for me.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2022
not my favourite story by ART, but her last two books were absolute bangers, so this latest novel had some super tough acts to follow.
the premise of this book is pretty simple. a husband cheats, so the wife cheats, and then someone dies. you know this right from the beginning. and it was actually quite interesting seeing the dynamics between husband and wife play out because i really liked them together, even though they were lying to each other, all the while trying to figure out who in the story will wind up dead. but then when it actually happens, the entire plot takes a 180. im talking completely different story with a completely different vibe. and i have a feeling its going to not click with a lot of readers.
i went along with it just to see where it went and it was fine. again, it wasnt my favourite, but i didnt actively hate anything about how the story eventually progresses. its a bit of a risk and odd choice compared to ARTs other stories, but again, i didnt really hate it. probably because i found the first half of the book really intriguing, so those feelings must have just stuck around until the end.
overall, a pretty decent book but i am interested in seeing how other readers feel about it once it comes out!
thanks thomas & mercer for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
the premise of this book is pretty simple. a husband cheats, so the wife cheats, and then someone dies. you know this right from the beginning. and it was actually quite interesting seeing the dynamics between husband and wife play out because i really liked them together, even though they were lying to each other, all the while trying to figure out who in the story will wind up dead. but then when it actually happens, the entire plot takes a 180. im talking completely different story with a completely different vibe. and i have a feeling its going to not click with a lot of readers.
i went along with it just to see where it went and it was fine. again, it wasnt my favourite, but i didnt actively hate anything about how the story eventually progresses. its a bit of a risk and odd choice compared to ARTs other stories, but again, i didnt really hate it. probably because i found the first half of the book really intriguing, so those feelings must have just stuck around until the end.
overall, a pretty decent book but i am interested in seeing how other readers feel about it once it comes out!
thanks thomas & mercer for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
June 21, 2022
I pretty much devoured this twisted, wild and extremely bumpy ride!
My fourth by her and she took quite an unexpected pivot. I'm still processing it, but she did go there!
Lillian Smith is living a rather humdrum life lately. She writes obituaries and is pretty much ignored by both her son and husband of 15 years. No worries though, she gets her mojo back when she meets a handsome stranger at the coffee shop. David is very interested in her and makes her feel happy, beautiful and sexy! She decides to "become" this woman and go for some adventure that she feels is well deserved.
Turns out Lillian isn't the only one playing games.
In the beginning, I was thinking this may be another domestic suspense,that is until the rug got pulled out from underneath my feet.
I binge-read this one, I ignored my other two books and my hubby. It isn't a perfect book, but it was highly entertaining for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for my arc. OUT September 27, 2022
My fourth by her and she took quite an unexpected pivot. I'm still processing it, but she did go there!
Lillian Smith is living a rather humdrum life lately. She writes obituaries and is pretty much ignored by both her son and husband of 15 years. No worries though, she gets her mojo back when she meets a handsome stranger at the coffee shop. David is very interested in her and makes her feel happy, beautiful and sexy! She decides to "become" this woman and go for some adventure that she feels is well deserved.
Turns out Lillian isn't the only one playing games.
In the beginning, I was thinking this may be another domestic suspense,that is until the rug got pulled out from underneath my feet.
I binge-read this one, I ignored my other two books and my hubby. It isn't a perfect book, but it was highly entertaining for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for my arc. OUT September 27, 2022
September 18, 2022
Lillian Smith is a mess. She���s a demoted LA Times obituary writer who once covered the rich and famous, but is now barely holding onto her job. She struggles with alcohol and mood swings. She’s booze buddies with a cemetery caretaker who lost his young daughter. Her bestie, Sam, a real estate developer, has to help her pick up the pieces every time her life spirals, and she’s found evidence that her husband of almost 20 years is cheating on her. On top of it all, she’s concluded one thing about herself … that she’s boring.
When she has a chance coffee shop encounter with David Laurent, a man with an enticing French accent and a clear interest in her, she not only takes his business card, but she lets her better judgment take a back seat. After all, if her husband, Mike, can have secrets, why can’t she?
Lies tend to snowball, and this is no exception, with Mike and Lillian apparently trying to outdo each other on who has the bigger secrets. Eventually, though, everything hidden comes to light. From the countdown chapter structure, we know that someone in the story dies … but who? And why? About halfway in, you’ll find out, and then things take a REALLY unexpected direction!
A.R. Torre never fails to deliver a juicy thriller with complicated characters, intriguing motives and a compelling plot, which makes her a go-to author for me every time she has a new release! I read the majority of this in one day and was, once again, pulled into the story, trying to untangle all the threads and figure out what I was seeing.
My one downside? I don’t know if others will find one of the big reveals as predictable as I did, but my guess did turn out to be correct, which took some shine out of the ending for me.
Overall, it was a well-written, nicely plotted story that kept me eagerly turning pages, and I would definitely recommend it!
★★★ ½ (rounded to 4)
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley and author A.R. Torres for the opportunity to review this ARC honestly. It’s due to be published September 27th, 2022.
When she has a chance coffee shop encounter with David Laurent, a man with an enticing French accent and a clear interest in her, she not only takes his business card, but she lets her better judgment take a back seat. After all, if her husband, Mike, can have secrets, why can’t she?
Lies tend to snowball, and this is no exception, with Mike and Lillian apparently trying to outdo each other on who has the bigger secrets. Eventually, though, everything hidden comes to light. From the countdown chapter structure, we know that someone in the story dies … but who? And why? About halfway in, you’ll find out, and then things take a REALLY unexpected direction!
A.R. Torre never fails to deliver a juicy thriller with complicated characters, intriguing motives and a compelling plot, which makes her a go-to author for me every time she has a new release! I read the majority of this in one day and was, once again, pulled into the story, trying to untangle all the threads and figure out what I was seeing.
My one downside? I don’t know if others will find one of the big reveals as predictable as I did, but my guess did turn out to be correct, which took some shine out of the ending for me.
Overall, it was a well-written, nicely plotted story that kept me eagerly turning pages, and I would definitely recommend it!
★★★ ½ (rounded to 4)
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley and author A.R. Torres for the opportunity to review this ARC honestly. It’s due to be published September 27th, 2022.
December 7, 2022
I've come to expect a fair share of the unbelievable from Torre's books, but that's partially what I love about them. Slipping into one of her thrillers is the highest form of escapism, and that's why I had such specific expectations when I dove into A Familiar Stranger. This one definitely forces you to suspend your credibility radar, but it is so far out there that I couldn't give it the standard 4 star rating that I hoped I could. I will say, there are some very unexpected twists in this one, which is a huge plus, so if you enjoy a book that makes your jaw drop and do the "double take" reader move, this one is for you. This may not be my favorite book from the author, but she always knows how to write a gripping story, and I'll highly anticipate whatever she chooses to write next.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
May 14, 2022
3.75*
Let’s be honest, at one time or another haven’t most of us wished we could reinvent ourselves?
Lilian’s life is imploding. She just lost the job she loved - writing obituaries for the famous. (Well, I suppose someone needs to do it). Now she fears her husband is having an affair. And her son? Oh please...he’s a teenage boy. If he has any focus at all, it’s certainly not on his mother!
Feeling alone and all but discarded, Lilian strikes up a conversation with a stranger in a coffee shop. She introduces herself as Taylor, who leads a totally different life than that of poor Lilian.
But what starts as an innocent flirtation quickly takes a wild turn, leaving her new life as Taylor exposed.
Oh my gosh! There is one massive twist I could never have predicted and it left my head spinning! Bravo for that, Ms. Torre. But…I do wish the emotions from that shocking moment would have carried me through to the end. It seemingly peaked, then settled back into the telling of the story. I just wanted a bit more.
A.R. Torre remains one of my go to authors! I look forward to her next amazing release!
A buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer .
Let’s be honest, at one time or another haven’t most of us wished we could reinvent ourselves?
Lilian’s life is imploding. She just lost the job she loved - writing obituaries for the famous. (Well, I suppose someone needs to do it). Now she fears her husband is having an affair. And her son? Oh please...he’s a teenage boy. If he has any focus at all, it’s certainly not on his mother!
Feeling alone and all but discarded, Lilian strikes up a conversation with a stranger in a coffee shop. She introduces herself as Taylor, who leads a totally different life than that of poor Lilian.
But what starts as an innocent flirtation quickly takes a wild turn, leaving her new life as Taylor exposed.
Oh my gosh! There is one massive twist I could never have predicted and it left my head spinning! Bravo for that, Ms. Torre. But…I do wish the emotions from that shocking moment would have carried me through to the end. It seemingly peaked, then settled back into the telling of the story. I just wanted a bit more.
A.R. Torre remains one of my go to authors! I look forward to her next amazing release!
A buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer .
September 27, 2022
A Familiar Stranger is a bumpy ride to say the least.
Lillian Smith lives a boring life; she repeatedly says so herself. Lillian used to write obituaries for celebrities but has fallen out of favour with her employer. And so, now she writes regular obituaries. She feels distant from her son and believes her husband is cheating on her. When Lillian meets an enigmatic man at a coffee shop, she invents a whole new persona for herself and commences her own steamy affair.
From the outset, the reader knows someone will die, but it’s not immediately clear who.
This domestic thriller has multiple POVs, with Lillian’s being the primary one.
There was a huge twist that totally changed the direction I thought this was going, and it left me gasping. The character development could have been a bit better. Some of the characters felt like caricatures. And Lillian calling herself boring didn’t exactly make me feel excited to read her story.
Overall, I did enjoy parts of this wild ride of a book. It was a quick read, and I may look at future books by the author. Although, I suspect this one won’t stay with me for very long.
2.5 rounded up.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
Lillian Smith lives a boring life; she repeatedly says so herself. Lillian used to write obituaries for celebrities but has fallen out of favour with her employer. And so, now she writes regular obituaries. She feels distant from her son and believes her husband is cheating on her. When Lillian meets an enigmatic man at a coffee shop, she invents a whole new persona for herself and commences her own steamy affair.
From the outset, the reader knows someone will die, but it’s not immediately clear who.
This domestic thriller has multiple POVs, with Lillian’s being the primary one.
There was a huge twist that totally changed the direction I thought this was going, and it left me gasping. The character development could have been a bit better. Some of the characters felt like caricatures. And Lillian calling herself boring didn’t exactly make me feel excited to read her story.
Overall, I did enjoy parts of this wild ride of a book. It was a quick read, and I may look at future books by the author. Although, I suspect this one won’t stay with me for very long.
2.5 rounded up.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
September 20, 2022
When I began the book, I did not see it ending like THAT! Man, what a wild twisty ride!
Obituary writer, mother and wife, Lillian Smith has a wee bit of a drinking problem. She's got a lot going on in her marriage and professionally. Thankfully, her best friend, Sam is there to help her through everything. When she meets David, in a coffee shop, she is more than intrigued. When they begin an affair, she never expected the proof of that will show up on her son's social media page. Things are spinning out of control and Lillian has no idea what is really going on in her life.
Whew! This one shocked me. This was such a fun escapism book. I had no idea where things were going to go in this book, and I loved every second of it. It was nice to have the wool pulled over my eyes.
Full of twists, turns and a whopper of a reveal, I found this to be a hard to put down and engaging book!
#AFamiliarStranger #NetGalley
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Obituary writer, mother and wife, Lillian Smith has a wee bit of a drinking problem. She's got a lot going on in her marriage and professionally. Thankfully, her best friend, Sam is there to help her through everything. When she meets David, in a coffee shop, she is more than intrigued. When they begin an affair, she never expected the proof of that will show up on her son's social media page. Things are spinning out of control and Lillian has no idea what is really going on in her life.
Whew! This one shocked me. This was such a fun escapism book. I had no idea where things were going to go in this book, and I loved every second of it. It was nice to have the wool pulled over my eyes.
Full of twists, turns and a whopper of a reveal, I found this to be a hard to put down and engaging book!
#AFamiliarStranger #NetGalley
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
April 26, 2022
Take a look at that cover! Is it any surprise that I chose this as my Myrtle Beach *beach read* last week? Set up the beach chair, slather on some sun block, a cooler of frosty hard seltzer by my side, and let A.R. Torre float me away to the sound of crashing waves. 🌅🌴🌊🍺
Lillian is a wife, mother, and writer of obituaries. A morbid job to many but one that she has always excelled at. She has a gay best friend named Sam that is her rock and shoulder to lean on when times are tough. She has battled alcoholism and depression in the past but has had it under control until just recently when she suspects her husband of having an affair.
We are aware as readers that someone has died but what we don't know is the who, what, when, where, and how. All I can say is expect some shocking surprises.
This book was a legit page-turner as I have come to expect whenever I pick up a new A.R. Torre book. About half way through Torre decides to shake things up like a bartender making your favorite cocktail with the same effects - that was good, fun, but I'm feeling a little dizzy and wobbly on my feet. This is going to be polarizing among the reader community for sure. I can't say that I loved the direction she took it in but I wasn't disappointed either. Want to know why? Because she wasn't afraid to do something that she knew readers would either love her for or be cranky about. That takes authorial balls in my opinion. I can only assume as writers, like us readers, get bored writing the same old thing and even they need a little pizzazz sprinkled in to keep their writing mojo going. She's done just that here and for that I applaud her. 3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.
Lillian is a wife, mother, and writer of obituaries. A morbid job to many but one that she has always excelled at. She has a gay best friend named Sam that is her rock and shoulder to lean on when times are tough. She has battled alcoholism and depression in the past but has had it under control until just recently when she suspects her husband of having an affair.
We are aware as readers that someone has died but what we don't know is the who, what, when, where, and how. All I can say is expect some shocking surprises.
This book was a legit page-turner as I have come to expect whenever I pick up a new A.R. Torre book. About half way through Torre decides to shake things up like a bartender making your favorite cocktail with the same effects - that was good, fun, but I'm feeling a little dizzy and wobbly on my feet. This is going to be polarizing among the reader community for sure. I can't say that I loved the direction she took it in but I wasn't disappointed either. Want to know why? Because she wasn't afraid to do something that she knew readers would either love her for or be cranky about. That takes authorial balls in my opinion. I can only assume as writers, like us readers, get bored writing the same old thing and even they need a little pizzazz sprinkled in to keep their writing mojo going. She's done just that here and for that I applaud her. 3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.
January 18, 2023
A very enjoyable psychological thriller on audio! I can't wait to read her next one "A Fatal Affair" coming June 2023! I'm so glad I gave this author a chance. You might say I have become addicted to her style with this being the 4th one in just 2 months. This one also delivered a dynamic dialogue on couples playing each other and hiding parts of their lives. Not a healthy relationship and I thought leaving would be easier. The innocent humor sprinkled throughout is an additive with the countdown to someone's death. The ending was a surprise and not what I expected.
Mike and Lillian live a comfortable life with their teenage son Jacob. Walking away from their marriage doesn't appear to be an option, so Mike's unhappiness leads to an affair. When Lillian finds out, she allows her guard down and finds an exotic lover. She is fired from her job as an obituary writer for the newspaper after 20 years of service, so she goes to work at the local dock. This is where she meets David with his fancy yacht. Her husband begins to follow her. It appears a fair game, until it gets crazy after this point. The double lives catch up with both of them. I like Lillian and felt sorry for her, but Mike never grew on me and thought he was an arrogant male chauvinist that expected everyone to bow to him and that women were definitely inferior.
The possibilities were limitless and the ending was a strange setup, but reveals you better know who you are sleeping with. A familiar stranger is a perfect title! Great job by this outstanding writer! It is a very short read and well worth the time!
Mike and Lillian live a comfortable life with their teenage son Jacob. Walking away from their marriage doesn't appear to be an option, so Mike's unhappiness leads to an affair. When Lillian finds out, she allows her guard down and finds an exotic lover. She is fired from her job as an obituary writer for the newspaper after 20 years of service, so she goes to work at the local dock. This is where she meets David with his fancy yacht. Her husband begins to follow her. It appears a fair game, until it gets crazy after this point. The double lives catch up with both of them. I like Lillian and felt sorry for her, but Mike never grew on me and thought he was an arrogant male chauvinist that expected everyone to bow to him and that women were definitely inferior.
The possibilities were limitless and the ending was a strange setup, but reveals you better know who you are sleeping with. A familiar stranger is a perfect title! Great job by this outstanding writer! It is a very short read and well worth the time!
Read
August 17, 2022I'm so excited for you all to read this book. It was a rollercoaster ride to write, and I definitely had a moment where I thought "could I do this? should I do this?" and then I tossed my concerns to the side and wrote the damn thing and I have to say... I kinda sort am in love with the end result.
This book won't be for everyone. I'm reading the advanced reviews and - you will all know when you get there - the book either takes you on a journey you love or one that you raise your eyebrows at, but I personally can't wait to see what you think, and I love reading all of your reviews, good and bad.
Thank you all for giving my books a chance. Big hugs and fancy bookmarks,
Alessandra
This book won't be for everyone. I'm reading the advanced reviews and - you will all know when you get there - the book either takes you on a journey you love or one that you raise your eyebrows at, but I personally can't wait to see what you think, and I love reading all of your reviews, good and bad.
Thank you all for giving my books a chance. Big hugs and fancy bookmarks,
Alessandra
May 31, 2022
Yeah, sooooo......
A.R. Torre opens the door and in walks Lillian Smith. Yup, we get the standardized "Smith" last name with seemingly no strings attached. Lillian has been using her no-frills last name in her by-line obituary articles for the Los Angeles Times for almost twenty years. Lillian is appearing to be a regular bread-and-butter main character here......and this is an A.R.Torre novel? Soooooo, yeah.
And then Torre begins tinkering with our gal Lillian. There's some crust on that bread. Lillian is beginning to suspect that her controlling, hard-nosed husband, Mike, is having an affair. Their marriage has been slammed against the rocks for some time. Robots with wedding rings alongside their teenage son, Jacob, who spends more time away from home than in.
We begin to see that Lillian is an off again/on again medication user/abuser. She remembers and then she forgets......blurred by glassfuls of adult beverages. Lillian often visits a retired police officer who is the caretaker at a cemetery near her home. Lillian wrote the obituary after the loss of his young daughter. They became friends and confidantes over the years.
Depression sits heavily next to Lillian. But there's a perk on the horizon. Lillian makes eye contact with David in a local coffee shop. Innocent flirting soon becomes an affair and the affair finds residence on a boat at the marina. Lillian loves Mike, but Mike loves his job. David provides a diversion from real life for Lillian.
A.R. Torre slips in a little countdown noise in the background. We have a murder soon to take place. As readers, we're lining up the usual suspects. But here's the kicker. When it finally happens, we will be forced into two camps: the oh hell no group and the hell yes group. It will completely turn the tide in this novel. A.R. Torre is famously known for mixin' it up in her novels.
I must admit that I wanted to grab the wheel at this point and turn this bus around. It wasn't my choice of destinations. (Hence, the 3.5 kicked up to 4 Stars for the A.R. Torre writing) But, nevertheless, Torre is on cruise control and we land splendidly at the end. A Familiar Stranger has to be experienced for one's self. The cover is magnificent and deserving of this author. Ya gotta take this one out for a spin with Lillian ridin' shotgun.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to A.R. Torre for the opportunity.
A.R. Torre opens the door and in walks Lillian Smith. Yup, we get the standardized "Smith" last name with seemingly no strings attached. Lillian has been using her no-frills last name in her by-line obituary articles for the Los Angeles Times for almost twenty years. Lillian is appearing to be a regular bread-and-butter main character here......and this is an A.R.Torre novel? Soooooo, yeah.
And then Torre begins tinkering with our gal Lillian. There's some crust on that bread. Lillian is beginning to suspect that her controlling, hard-nosed husband, Mike, is having an affair. Their marriage has been slammed against the rocks for some time. Robots with wedding rings alongside their teenage son, Jacob, who spends more time away from home than in.
We begin to see that Lillian is an off again/on again medication user/abuser. She remembers and then she forgets......blurred by glassfuls of adult beverages. Lillian often visits a retired police officer who is the caretaker at a cemetery near her home. Lillian wrote the obituary after the loss of his young daughter. They became friends and confidantes over the years.
Depression sits heavily next to Lillian. But there's a perk on the horizon. Lillian makes eye contact with David in a local coffee shop. Innocent flirting soon becomes an affair and the affair finds residence on a boat at the marina. Lillian loves Mike, but Mike loves his job. David provides a diversion from real life for Lillian.
A.R. Torre slips in a little countdown noise in the background. We have a murder soon to take place. As readers, we're lining up the usual suspects. But here's the kicker. When it finally happens, we will be forced into two camps: the oh hell no group and the hell yes group. It will completely turn the tide in this novel. A.R. Torre is famously known for mixin' it up in her novels.
I must admit that I wanted to grab the wheel at this point and turn this bus around. It wasn't my choice of destinations. (Hence, the 3.5 kicked up to 4 Stars for the A.R. Torre writing) But, nevertheless, Torre is on cruise control and we land splendidly at the end. A Familiar Stranger has to be experienced for one's self. The cover is magnificent and deserving of this author. Ya gotta take this one out for a spin with Lillian ridin' shotgun.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to A.R. Torre for the opportunity.
September 27, 2022
Solid popcorn read--some good twists, but graded down because there were some threads that went nowhere and I don't like unresolved things.
Lillian is an obituary writer married to Mike, they have a teenage son Jacob. Lillian finds some evidence that maybe Mike is having an affair. She meets David in a coffee shop and decides to do some flirting herself, which turns into more. Then some shocking events occur--we know from the beginning that there is a death but not who or why --and the reader is left to wonder who is responsible. The book is told mostly from Lillian and Mike's alternating points of view with a few random others scattered throughout.
I didn't care for really any of the characters (maybe the cemetery caretaker) and that made me struggle to care what happened to any of them. They were all slimy in their own ways. And as I mentioned above, there was one storyline that was completely unresolved, we have no idea what was going on there. And the way the author dealt with Lillian's mental health issues was just icky too.
Overall, this is a popcorn thriller with some wild twists that kept me compulsively reading even if it wasn't as good as it could have been.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Lillian is an obituary writer married to Mike, they have a teenage son Jacob. Lillian finds some evidence that maybe Mike is having an affair. She meets David in a coffee shop and decides to do some flirting herself, which turns into more. Then some shocking events occur--we know from the beginning that there is a death but not who or why --and the reader is left to wonder who is responsible. The book is told mostly from Lillian and Mike's alternating points of view with a few random others scattered throughout.
I didn't care for really any of the characters (maybe the cemetery caretaker) and that made me struggle to care what happened to any of them. They were all slimy in their own ways. And as I mentioned above, there was one storyline that was completely unresolved, we have no idea what was going on there. And the way the author dealt with Lillian's mental health issues was just icky too.
Overall, this is a popcorn thriller with some wild twists that kept me compulsively reading even if it wasn't as good as it could have been.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
October 8, 2022
EXCERPT: As I added cream and sugar, a familiar code came across the scanner.
A dead body, found. Setting down the Garfield cup, I turned the radio up, then grabbed my pen and my work notebook. Writing down the details, I glanced at the sunshine clock above the family organisation board that hung by the pantry. I pulled out my travel mug and poured my coffee into the stainless-steel vessel and screwed the lid onto the top.
I try not to be excited by a death, but this moment, before I find out the details, before I know all the answers - it's like a shot of adrenaline. I love it.
ABOUT 'A FAMILIAR STRANGER': Such a quiet and ordinary wife and mother. Who will even notice what she’s done?
Lillian Smith leads an unexceptional life, writing obituaries and killing time with her inattentive husband and disconnected son. Then she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop. Lured into an affair, she invents a new persona, one without strings, deadlines, or brooding husbands.
Lillian has never felt so reckless, unpredictable, or wanted. But as her affair with David intensifies, she withdraws from everything that’s real, even her closest friend. When evidence of her life as a secret lover finds its way onto her son’s social media, she risks ruining much more than her marriage or reputation.
As lies beget lies, Lillian’s two worlds spiral dangerously out of control. And betrayals run deeper than she imagines. Because Lillian isn’t the only one leading a double life.
MY THOUGHTS: I'm definitely classing A Familiar Stranger as a guilty pleasure read! It has many elements that I love - crime, manipulative characters, family and relationship dramas, mystery, and just a smidgen of romance. It's twisty and unpredictable.
The characters are all multi-layered, though it certainly doesn't seem that way at first. It's like peeling an onion, the way the author slowly reveals their secrets, their lies, and their true natures.
Sam is Lillian's best friend and supporter. He's gay, a man who thinks things through to the nth degree, a compulsive listener of podcasts, and always looks like he has stepped straight out of the pages of GQ. Her other best friend is Lenny, an alcoholic groundsman at a local cemetery. There's an extremely touching story behind this friendship. I loved the scene where Lillian meets Marcella, Lenny's daughter, for the first time. It's both poignant and funny.
Torres writing is seductive. I was pulled into the story from the beginning and it just never let go of me. I read the whole book with a dirty, great grin on my face, and that ending? Just perfect!
This whole read played out like a movie in my head as I was reading. In fact, this would make a great movie.
A twisty and fun read filled with secrets, suspense, drama and danger!
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#AFamiliarStranger #NetGalley
I: @alessandratorre4 @thomasmerceruk
T: @ReadAlessandra @AmazonPub
#contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #friendship #mystery
THE AUTHOR: A.R. Torre is a pseudonym of Alessandra Torre and is her dark alter ego. While Alessandra writes spicy romances, A.R. focuses on twisted stories filled with secrets, suspense, drama, and danger.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Familiar Stranger by A.R. Torre for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
A dead body, found. Setting down the Garfield cup, I turned the radio up, then grabbed my pen and my work notebook. Writing down the details, I glanced at the sunshine clock above the family organisation board that hung by the pantry. I pulled out my travel mug and poured my coffee into the stainless-steel vessel and screwed the lid onto the top.
I try not to be excited by a death, but this moment, before I find out the details, before I know all the answers - it's like a shot of adrenaline. I love it.
ABOUT 'A FAMILIAR STRANGER': Such a quiet and ordinary wife and mother. Who will even notice what she’s done?
Lillian Smith leads an unexceptional life, writing obituaries and killing time with her inattentive husband and disconnected son. Then she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop. Lured into an affair, she invents a new persona, one without strings, deadlines, or brooding husbands.
Lillian has never felt so reckless, unpredictable, or wanted. But as her affair with David intensifies, she withdraws from everything that’s real, even her closest friend. When evidence of her life as a secret lover finds its way onto her son’s social media, she risks ruining much more than her marriage or reputation.
As lies beget lies, Lillian’s two worlds spiral dangerously out of control. And betrayals run deeper than she imagines. Because Lillian isn’t the only one leading a double life.
MY THOUGHTS: I'm definitely classing A Familiar Stranger as a guilty pleasure read! It has many elements that I love - crime, manipulative characters, family and relationship dramas, mystery, and just a smidgen of romance. It's twisty and unpredictable.
The characters are all multi-layered, though it certainly doesn't seem that way at first. It's like peeling an onion, the way the author slowly reveals their secrets, their lies, and their true natures.
Sam is Lillian's best friend and supporter. He's gay, a man who thinks things through to the nth degree, a compulsive listener of podcasts, and always looks like he has stepped straight out of the pages of GQ. Her other best friend is Lenny, an alcoholic groundsman at a local cemetery. There's an extremely touching story behind this friendship. I loved the scene where Lillian meets Marcella, Lenny's daughter, for the first time. It's both poignant and funny.
Torres writing is seductive. I was pulled into the story from the beginning and it just never let go of me. I read the whole book with a dirty, great grin on my face, and that ending? Just perfect!
This whole read played out like a movie in my head as I was reading. In fact, this would make a great movie.
A twisty and fun read filled with secrets, suspense, drama and danger!
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#AFamiliarStranger #NetGalley
I: @alessandratorre4 @thomasmerceruk
T: @ReadAlessandra @AmazonPub
#contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #friendship #mystery
THE AUTHOR: A.R. Torre is a pseudonym of Alessandra Torre and is her dark alter ego. While Alessandra writes spicy romances, A.R. focuses on twisted stories filled with secrets, suspense, drama, and danger.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Familiar Stranger by A.R. Torre for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
April 15, 2022
This book started off so well but somewhere it took a weird turn. I was not a fan of the direction it took. I like the writing style and the short chapters.
Lillian Smith is your average wife and mother who has a job writing obituaries in a very unique way. She meets David in a coffee shop and begins having an affair.
Lillian creates a whole knew identity; one without rules, free from restrictions and the boundaries created for her by her ordinary life. News of her affair hits her life like a wrecking ball; the consequences of which she could have never imagined.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Lillian Smith is your average wife and mother who has a job writing obituaries in a very unique way. She meets David in a coffee shop and begins having an affair.
Lillian creates a whole knew identity; one without rules, free from restrictions and the boundaries created for her by her ordinary life. News of her affair hits her life like a wrecking ball; the consequences of which she could have never imagined.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
November 26, 2022
Lillian Smith, a self-described unremarkable woman, is wife to cheating spouse Mike, mother to disconnected son Jacob, and a mediocre obituary writer. When she begins to engage in an illicit affair with a man she meets in a coffee shop, she introduces herself not as Lillian, but as Taylor, a persona borrowed from one of her obits. She imagines this woman to be a more interesting, sexually self-assured, and confident individual than the boring wife and mother she views herself to be. As she continues to compound her lies and lose herself in her new adventure in duplicity, Lillian’s two lives begin to spin out of control, collapsing in on each other. But what if she isn’t the only one hiding secrets and living a double life? And what will happen if her worlds collide?
I had a hard time writing this review as too much said will completely ruin the book. With multiple characters you’re going to love to hate, this twist-filled psychological thriller has shrewd plot development with a rollercoaster ride feel (complete with the loop-de-loops). Lillian is someone you’ll start out sympathizing with until you don’t as she’s an authentically flawed character who makes mistakes that you want to scream at her for making. Mike, her husband, is one gigantic a-hole who is rigidly cold and calculating, but in a quiet manipulative versus overt kind of way. He, as well, comes off wholly believable, I happen to even sadly know one or two individuals like him.
The best part of this book, however, is most definitely the shocking ending as is often A.R. Torre’s style (one very good reason why she is an auto-buy author for me who has yet to disappoint). Throughout the plot, secret after secret is revealed by one and all throwing what we thought we knew into doubt until the stunning truth is unveiled with all its little bombshells.
The only thing I didn’t love was the tinge of a supernatural aspect included in the storyline. I don’t know that it added all that much other than an easy way to reveal the climax of the book. Perhaps it’s because I love a good police procedural novel, but I would have rathered the dénouement been explored through the detectives’ investigation. But that’s just my personal opinion.
An easy, riveting read, I was unable to put this book down and only took a little over a day to read A Familiar Stranger because I actually have responsibilities beyond reading (sigh). I definitely recommend reading this as soon as you can get your hands on it as well as any of her other psychological thrillers, especially Every Last Secret and The Good Lie. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Trigger Warning: alcoholism, cheating, prescription drug use, miscarriage
I had a hard time writing this review as too much said will completely ruin the book. With multiple characters you’re going to love to hate, this twist-filled psychological thriller has shrewd plot development with a rollercoaster ride feel (complete with the loop-de-loops). Lillian is someone you’ll start out sympathizing with until you don’t as she’s an authentically flawed character who makes mistakes that you want to scream at her for making. Mike, her husband, is one gigantic a-hole who is rigidly cold and calculating, but in a quiet manipulative versus overt kind of way. He, as well, comes off wholly believable, I happen to even sadly know one or two individuals like him.
The best part of this book, however, is most definitely the shocking ending as is often A.R. Torre’s style (one very good reason why she is an auto-buy author for me who has yet to disappoint). Throughout the plot, secret after secret is revealed by one and all throwing what we thought we knew into doubt until the stunning truth is unveiled with all its little bombshells.
The only thing I didn’t love was the tinge of a supernatural aspect included in the storyline. I don’t know that it added all that much other than an easy way to reveal the climax of the book. Perhaps it’s because I love a good police procedural novel, but I would have rathered the dénouement been explored through the detectives’ investigation. But that’s just my personal opinion.
An easy, riveting read, I was unable to put this book down and only took a little over a day to read A Familiar Stranger because I actually have responsibilities beyond reading (sigh). I definitely recommend reading this as soon as you can get your hands on it as well as any of her other psychological thrillers, especially Every Last Secret and The Good Lie. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Trigger Warning: alcoholism, cheating, prescription drug use, miscarriage
August 11, 2022
Wow! Did I read the same novel as everyone else? Perhaps not since I seem to be the minority opinion. Granted, it started off with a bang, but it slowly devolved into something pretty outlandish.
I did have high hopes for this novel going in. And I was prepared to give the novel five stars until the inconceivable plot twist. It was a doozy in my opinion.
The characters are developed enough to get a sense of their moral compass and personality. Lillian is neurotic and clingy. Mike, Lillian’s husband is so sterile with OCD. Sam is both Lillian’s and Mike’s best friend, who you can count on for moral support. To me, Sam was the best character in the book. There are other characters that help shape the story, but I didn’t find them to be major game changers in the overall plot.
The novel is somewhat of a page turner in that there are a number of breadcrumbs spread throughout the book that kept me moving forward. However, as I dove deeper into the narrative, it became increasingly haphazard with a mishmash of plot twists that really didn’t make any sense to me. And in the end, I had so many unanswered questions that it left me feeling disatisfied. I rated it a disappointing two stars.
I received a digital ARC from Thomas & Mercer throught NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
I did have high hopes for this novel going in. And I was prepared to give the novel five stars until the inconceivable plot twist. It was a doozy in my opinion.
The characters are developed enough to get a sense of their moral compass and personality. Lillian is neurotic and clingy. Mike, Lillian’s husband is so sterile with OCD. Sam is both Lillian’s and Mike’s best friend, who you can count on for moral support. To me, Sam was the best character in the book. There are other characters that help shape the story, but I didn’t find them to be major game changers in the overall plot.
The novel is somewhat of a page turner in that there are a number of breadcrumbs spread throughout the book that kept me moving forward. However, as I dove deeper into the narrative, it became increasingly haphazard with a mishmash of plot twists that really didn’t make any sense to me. And in the end, I had so many unanswered questions that it left me feeling disatisfied. I rated it a disappointing two stars.
I received a digital ARC from Thomas & Mercer throught NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
September 29, 2022
3.75 double-life stars
*now available
Lillian is an interesting character although she doesn’t think she’s interesting! She writes obituaries for the newspaper, she’s been married for 18 years to Mike, and she has a teenage son.
A chance encounter at a coffee shop soon takes her down a new path. She decides to reinvent herself and soon she’s having an affair with the handsome stranger David. Soon she’s taken on another job and happier than she’s ever been. Until evidence of her affair is exposed to her son and husband and anyone on social media. Her new life is imploding!
The first half of this book was compelling and a quick read. Then the second half went in an entirely different direction! We know that someone ends up dead and my mind swirled with all the possibilities! There were some great twists and an ending that made me hope for one more vengeance chapter.
I really like this author and will continue to read her next thrilling story!
This one made for an interesting buddy read and discussion with Jayme, Marilyn, and Mary Beth. Be sure to read their reviews to see if they agree or disagree with me!
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer for the chance to read and review this one.
*now available
Lillian is an interesting character although she doesn’t think she’s interesting! She writes obituaries for the newspaper, she’s been married for 18 years to Mike, and she has a teenage son.
A chance encounter at a coffee shop soon takes her down a new path. She decides to reinvent herself and soon she’s having an affair with the handsome stranger David. Soon she’s taken on another job and happier than she’s ever been. Until evidence of her affair is exposed to her son and husband and anyone on social media. Her new life is imploding!
The first half of this book was compelling and a quick read. Then the second half went in an entirely different direction! We know that someone ends up dead and my mind swirled with all the possibilities! There were some great twists and an ending that made me hope for one more vengeance chapter.
I really like this author and will continue to read her next thrilling story!
This one made for an interesting buddy read and discussion with Jayme, Marilyn, and Mary Beth. Be sure to read their reviews to see if they agree or disagree with me!
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer for the chance to read and review this one.
March 21, 2023
Well, that was crazy!
After Lillian catches her husband cheating on her, she meets a handsome stranger in a coffee shop. They flirt, she gives him a fake name and begins a reckless affair with him. She continues down this path until a risqué video of her and the handsome stranger ends up on social media with her teenage son tagged in the video. This is when things get really messy.
It was a little predictable in parts and I was able to sort out the murderer, but the reason behind it was not what I expected so bonus for that. Not my favorite A.R. Torre but still a compulsive and entertaining read or listen in my case. Honestly, I will read anything she writes. 3.5 stars.
Available now in the Kindle Unlimited library.
After Lillian catches her husband cheating on her, she meets a handsome stranger in a coffee shop. They flirt, she gives him a fake name and begins a reckless affair with him. She continues down this path until a risqué video of her and the handsome stranger ends up on social media with her teenage son tagged in the video. This is when things get really messy.
It was a little predictable in parts and I was able to sort out the murderer, but the reason behind it was not what I expected so bonus for that. Not my favorite A.R. Torre but still a compulsive and entertaining read or listen in my case. Honestly, I will read anything she writes. 3.5 stars.
Available now in the Kindle Unlimited library.
January 16, 2023
3.5🌟: Loved the twists! On the other hand, I had trouble connecting with the characters. I enjoyed Every Last Secret (4*) and The Good Lie (4.5*) more. Not a memorable read, but an entertaining one!
September 23, 2022
A. R. Torre's book A Familiar Stranger is a twisty mind-bending story. You might think you know what is going on, but you are wrong. With twenty six books to her credit, Alessandra Torre is one of my favorite authors. She writes superior and unique thrillers. You are always guessing until the very end of her books.
Synopsis:
Lillian Smith is a woman who feels ordinary and mundane in her life. Neither her husband nor her teenage son pay any attention to her. In her quest to feel desired, Lillian begins an affair with a handsome stranger named David, which will have dire consequences. Proof of the affair is exposed on her son's social media account leading to a downward spiral. Is Lillian the only one leading a double life as secrets emerge?
A Familiar Stranger is a slow burn with a unique premise. While it may not be my favorite novel by Torre, the unexpected plot twists left me rattled and shocked. The story offers an original and surprising take on the thriller genre. You can always count on A. R. Torre to leave a lasting impression on her readers. (4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫)
A Familiar Stranger by A. R. Torre is available on September 27th.
A huge thank you to Alexandra Torre for all the hours of reading pleasure she has given me!
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for sharing this outstanding book by A. R. Torre. The story will stick with me for a long time.
Synopsis:
Lillian Smith is a woman who feels ordinary and mundane in her life. Neither her husband nor her teenage son pay any attention to her. In her quest to feel desired, Lillian begins an affair with a handsome stranger named David, which will have dire consequences. Proof of the affair is exposed on her son's social media account leading to a downward spiral. Is Lillian the only one leading a double life as secrets emerge?
A Familiar Stranger is a slow burn with a unique premise. While it may not be my favorite novel by Torre, the unexpected plot twists left me rattled and shocked. The story offers an original and surprising take on the thriller genre. You can always count on A. R. Torre to leave a lasting impression on her readers. (4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫)
A Familiar Stranger by A. R. Torre is available on September 27th.
A huge thank you to Alexandra Torre for all the hours of reading pleasure she has given me!
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for sharing this outstanding book by A. R. Torre. The story will stick with me for a long time.
November 1, 2022
3.5 Rounded up
September 14, 2022
Lillian Smith has a most unusual job of writing obituaries for the LA Times. She's married to Mike and mother to teenage Jacob. She meets David Laurent in a coffee shop and on a whim pretends she is Taylor, a recently-deceased calendar buyer for whom she wrote an obituary. Personally I think obituary writer trumps calendar buyer as an interesting occupation but Lillian decides otherwise and starts to lead a totally different life. The book is written as a countdown to a death but whose?
I think this is the fourth of A.R. Torre's books that I've read and I found this one to be entertaining but not as enjoyable as some of her others. I was disappointed by the turn that the book took after about 60% but that's my personal taste. Still, it was a page-turner and I never considered giving up on it.
My thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
I think this is the fourth of A.R. Torre's books that I've read and I found this one to be entertaining but not as enjoyable as some of her others. I was disappointed by the turn that the book took after about 60% but that's my personal taste. Still, it was a page-turner and I never considered giving up on it.
My thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
November 9, 2022
With 'A Familiar Stranger', A.R. Torre has undoubtedly produced a high caliber psychological thriller... The intensity grows as flashbacks over the course of two months - amongst innumerable loops and swerves - lead up to the death of an unrevealed person. All throughout, Torre masterfully discloses the characters' many secrets and deceits. The excitement I experienced the entire time was not diminished by the fact that I correctly identified the culprit early on, and am eager to read and/or listen to more from this author in the near future.
Much thanks to A.R. Torre and Thomas & Mercer publishing for the opportunity to win this in a goodreads giveaway.
Much thanks to A.R. Torre and Thomas & Mercer publishing for the opportunity to win this in a goodreads giveaway.
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