Wow! Louise Jensen never fails to deliver - with each thrilling, twisted, page-turner of a book, her writing only gets better, and more addictive. I absolutely loved this amazing, absolutely unputdownable, original and compelling story. I wanted to keep turning the pages to find out what was going on and I also didn't want it to end - the mark of a great book. Still thinking about the characters. Chilling, mind-bending, satisfying - another brilliant bestseller! Cannot wait for her next!

A great read and for me the author's best book so far. Definitely didn't see the twists at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book as an arc.
Really enjoyed this one! Most, if not all, the characters were hideous with not many redeeming characteristics, which made for a very interesting read!
Kat and Nick are desperate to become parents and jump at the chance when Kat's childhood friend Lisa conveniently appears in their lives and offers to become a surrogate for them. Of course, you realise straight away this is not going to be a straightforward happy family tale!
I thought I had it all figured out almost from the start, but boy was I wrong! More and more layers of the story are uncovered as we find out how the characters are all connected by past events. There were twists that I definitely did not see coming and the end is certainly pretty shocking.
Excellent book, I would highly recommend this.

Excellent book - Great characters and plot. I would highly recommend this book.

This book had me trusting nobody and fearing for Kat's life at one stage. This story is about secrets and not trusting the people around you. I could just not stop reading and I know this is a cliche that you don't want to know about. The whole time whilst reading I kept trying to figure out how the story would end, but I couldn't. I could also not work out what all the secrets was that everyone was keeping. Great writing, great characters. I will definitely pick up a Louse Jensen book in the future.
Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for the copy. 4.5 stars from me.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the relationships between the characters were well developed. I liked the twist at the ending.

This is my read of the year!!! I'm recommending it to everyone !! Gripped and absorbed from the outset! You will not be disappointed with this read. Totally absorbing.

Oh my goodness, I can just about compose my thoughts now to write my review of this stunning book!!  My daughter is 9 weeks old today so I knew that the book might be one that played on my emotions and boy did it put me through the ringer - I couldn't put it down!!  I needed to know what happened and even though I thought I had guessed there were so many twists and turns it had grabbed me from the first few pages and didn't let me go even after I'd read it, I literally sat after the book had finished and thought back about the plot, it is woven so well, hints are there to throw you and I honestly think its is in my top 5 books of the year so far - I bloody loved it!!!  I am a massive fan of this authors works and this one for me is her best yet, everything about it is spot on from the cover to the books blurb - Louise has absolutely smashed it with this one - no hesitation at all in giving this superb book 5 stars!!!

The Surrogate is Jensen's best yet!

Brilliantly paced, well-rounded characters and twisty. You'll second-guess yourself throughout thinking you've figured things out...

Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Louise Jensen's THE SURROGATE is not just about the inability to have a baby. It is about the absolute obsession to have a baby and the results of that obsession. The book tells the story of Nick and Kat, a couple very much in love who have not been able to have a child and who have not been successful in adopting one either. So when a former classmate and friend appears and offers to be a surrogate, Kat thinks that she is a gift from Heaven, or at the very least an answer to prayer. Lisa is the sister of her high school boyfriend who tragically died in an accident, but Kat thinks it is wonderful that she is still willing to help her and Nick start a family. Then, Nick starts staying out all night and Lisa begins asking for more money and doesn't answer the phone when she calls. Kat thinks she may be losing her mind. All she wants is a baby, the one she can't have herself. And she will do anything to have one. The climax of this book is tragic and unbelievable, and the ending is not what one would expect at all. Although it has a slow start and is a little hard to understand at the beginning because of the introduction of so many characters, keep reading! It is well worth it, and the ending is absolutely mind-blowing. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because of the slow start at the beginning, but otherwise, a really good read.

This is no ordinary novel with the theme of surrogacy at its core. This is an unputdownable psychological thriller littered with stomach churning twists. Even when you think the story has ended, then don’t hold your breath because there are even more chilling surprises for you as the novel is wrapped up with a glimpse into the future. It’s a rollercoaster of thrills and spills, red herrings, deceit, buried secrets and more. Expect the unexpected, the ultra unusual and even then you’ll still be tricked. I felt unease deep in the pit of my stomach from the very beginning of the novel right up until the very last few words.
Nick and Kat cannot conceive the child they so desperately want. They decide to adopt a child from abroad, taking the altruistic approach of giving a poor child from a distant country a comfortable and caring home, a good start in life. Alas it turns out that it is not as easy and trouble-free as they thought it would be, even with Nick’s best friend acting on their behalf. Two failed attempts at adoption leave them heartbroken and fatigued, disheartened and reeling. Then as often happens in life, an unexpected and unwanted reunion gives them hope once more when Kat and her childhood friend Lisa are reunited a decade after they both went their separate ways. Lisa has already produced one surrogate daughter and she is prepared to take the surrogacy route once more for Kat. She can see how desperate they are, what a lovely home they have ready prepared for a new baby. She’ll do it in the blink of an eye, Nick and Kat will be parents, a brand new happy family.
If only it were that easy. Both Nick and Kat have been keeping dark and dangerous secrets about their past. So is Lisa. Her motives are not as she leads the expectant couple to believe. The anxiety and pressure of their new pregnancy are exacerbated when Kat notices a shadowy figure hanging around their home and strange deliveries arrive in the porch. Kat cannot seem to separate her sad past from her joyous present and bouts of paranoia threaten their future as a couple. Secrecy, lies and cover-ups threatens their life as a couple let alone as a family. The trouble is that when secrets are confessed they can never again remain hidden. Thus the story continues with even more complications than before, hence the clever and telling chapter headings ‘Then’, ‘Now’ and finally ‘Epilogue’, three separate stories merging in a dynamic and powerful climax.
‘The Surrogate’ is a really addictive cracker of a novel. It is chicane after chicane of action with some amazing characters leading the dialogue and driving the story onwards at a racy pace. I didn’t like many of the main characters as their actions were duplicitous and ambiguous. But then these actions led to a terrific read and I’ll admit to being taken in for a majority of the electrifying storytelling – I’m talking about my opinions with the benefit of hindsight, of course. This story is about revenge, fear, subterfuge and emotionally driven actions; all issues that evoke different opinions and reactions. My abiding question after completing this absorbing novel is ‘Who are the victims in this story? I’ll be pondering that question well into the future.
I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher the wonderful Bookouture, for my copy of this novel, sent to me in return for an honest review. I really loved the novel and am therefore submitting a 4.5* review with the recommendation that this is an unmissable read.

WOW. Be ready to get your socks blown off when you read this psychological thriller! Basically I was left speechless and mindblown when I reached the final page, and to be honest I still haven't recovered fully from this story. What starts out as an excellent, but seemingly straightforward psychological thriller will manage to leave you flabbergasted before you reach the ending... Because there is one thing I know: I was SO wrong about every single suspicion I had while was reading The Surrogate. Louise Jensen is a pro at creating the perfect suspenseful atmosphere with that feeling you can't trust anyone or anything... But she is also brilliant at misleading her readers. It doesn't happen often, but The Surrogate managed to surprise me entirely with the final twists and I just love whenever that happens! Apart from the final plot twists bombs, the plot itself is very well executed and very capable of misleading you without losing your interest as you suspect you have already figured everything out quite early on. The suspense and suspicions are real until the very end and combined with the excellent writing you will find it really hard to put this story down before you know what happened and will happen to the main characters. The characters themselves are well developed and feel realistic, even though if I am honest I didn't exactly like them. I found Kat to be a bit too trusting, but I guess this part of her personality does make the story work all the better. And this minor speed bump by no means makes The Surrogate any less brilliant. If you enjoy reading psychological thrillers, I can highly recommend Louise Jensen's work in general. Trust me, you won't be disappointed by her books!

Fantastic read!

I haven't read any of Louise Jensen's books before but have heard a lot about them and I was very excited when I found out I was approved to receive early kindle version before publishing date.

It didn't disappoint, it was all I expected and more and just like that Louise has become one of my favorite authors.

I loved her writing style, enjoyed fast pace and gripping story. This genre is becoming more popular by writers and readers but many plots end up being repetitive and very predictable. This book only proved that there are still books that can shock you, keep you excited when turning pages.

Story follows life of Kat and Nick, couple which was trying to have a baby for many years and after 2 failed adoption attempts, they are slowly giving up when Kat's childhood friend returns to her life. They all share their own secrets from past, hold their own grudges.
When Lisa offers being surrogate mother for Kat's and Nick's baby, it seems like their last chance to start family. Deeper in the book, reader can feel something about Lisa is off, Nick starts acting strange and however hard you try to guess, my advice is: DON'T! You won't be able to guess the ending so sit back and enjoy. Story is full of so many twists and turns, shocking revelations that I can't even believe this could all be squeezed into one book.
As you reach the end of the book and let out that last bit of breath you held because of tension, you think you know everything, you turn the last page and your brain gets thrown into one last rollercoaster.

Brilliantly written book, which I know I will be recommending to everyone for a very long time.

Louise Jensen has done it again! I was so excited to be approved for an early copy of this book by Bookouture via Netgalley as I have really enjoyed her first 2 books. This one is addictive! I thought that i had worked it out and was really suprised when I was wrong! This book will hook you in and keep you wanting more!

This Author gets it!!! I literally could not put this book down. So many twists and turns. It kept my interest from the very first page. Highly recommend!!

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Louise Jensen, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

THE SURROGATE delves into the depths of humanity, questioning how far one would go to make a dream come true. Kat and Nick are trying to have a baby. Sadly, their dream of starting a family is proving difficult. When Kat sees long-time friend Lisa, Lisa agrees to be her surrogate. Is this finally Kat and Nick's chance at starting a family, or is Lisa's offer too good to be true?

This was my first Louise Jensen novel, and I did enjoy it. The writing was captivating, and the plot was gripping. I felt the characters' struggles as they experienced them, which is a writer's ultimate goal. This was a quick read with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end, which was, by far, the best part. Don't cheat yourself by reading that early. Savor the ride!

I have just finished reading The Surrogate. Louise Jensen totally knocked this out of the park what an incredible read.

When I finished the last page the only thought in my head was Wow! I couldn’t believe what I had just read it blew my mind. Reading this book was a rollercoaster ride of emotion. It was packed full of twists and turns that I did not see coming at all and totally had me enthralled. All the way through I was like yeah I can see where this is heading but I couldn’t have been more wrong! I totally did not see this ending coming.

Fantastic – so far my favourite book of 2017

I realise this review is very short but I am still kind of a little bit gobsmacked. I totally recommend this book it was amazing.

I have had The Gift and The Sister by Louise sitting in my kindle library for a while now, I am definiately going to get straight on to them!

Reader, don't make plans. You're just going to abandon them to finish this book instead...

"Sometimes it scares me how far I'll go to to have a baby to call my own. Sometimes I think there's nothing I wouldn't do."

Kat is desperate to grow her family. She and her husband, Nick, have tried adopting but after two failed attempts, Nick is ready to give up. That is until Kat's childhood best friend, Lisa, reenters her life and presents a unique opportunity: an offer to surrogate.

But secrets lurk in the shadows and the past threatens to destroy all of Kat's dreams. Can she really trust Lisa? What is Nick hiding? And why does she always feel like she's being watched, hunted?

This novel was an emotional rollercoaster as the truth was unraveled, one thread at a time. And just when you think you know where this is heading, the car veers into the other lane. Question everything. Assume nothing. And even still, you'll be lost.

More than once, something revealed as a red herring made me question why. What was the point of steering the reader into that false assumption? But these jolts only serve as a clear indication that Kat's mind is slipping. After all, you can never really trust an unreliable narrator. It's right there in the name, isn't it? The brilliance of the misdirection is akin to an illusionist who steals your watch right off your wrist while you're trying to remember which card was yours. This deftness of craft was enough to overlook the awkward bumps in plot or the odd question mark that follows a statement? And the information dump from a string of flashbacks in chapters 43-52 that alternate jarringly between Kat and Nick was forgivable as it glued me to my seat, racing toward the book's gripping conclusion.

Without giving away too much, I'll note, there is a sense of symmetry in the way the plot lines up when all is revealed. Themes of love and loss, familial ties and even physical hurts all seem to match up in such an orderly way that it is almost comfortable amidst this disturbing read.

Most haunting of all? All these twists set to the terrifying horror-movie soundtrack in Kat's fraught subconscious: the laughter of those who would plot against her, and the incessant cries of a baby. The babies she lost, the babies she could yet have.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher Bookouture for an ARC of this ebook.

I’ve read both of Louise Jensen’s previous novels, The Sister and The Gift. I love Louise’s writing style and her newest novel the Surrogate didn’t disappoint. Written in first person narrative with third person flashbacks to other characters perspectives.

Opening with a crime scene and two dead bodies the book throws you straight into a first chapter you want to squeeze more information from! The story throws characters into the storyline, any of these could be the victims.

The main character, Kat is a 30-year-old woman, married and desperate for a child she has been unable to conceive. When Kat bumps into an old friend from the life she ran from, hope returns to her and the possibility of becoming a mother. Lisa could be her only chance.

The story unfolds with a pregnancy through a surrogate, many twists unfold as the past is revisited with alternate chapters from the past to present via Kat’s past and her husband Nick, creating more twists and possible plot lines that will flip and make you think again.

Kat’s trust is broken as incidents cause Lisa’s reappearance in her life becomes questioned, that maybe it wasn’t a coincidence. Secrets unfold which cross over to the present confusing what you think know as it throws you off course!

As I sat thinking I knew who the two bodies were at the beginning… guessing and thinking I knew, another twist happens. This book is full of twists, lies, deceits and clues. A storyline so well thought out and executed that you won’t want to put it down. Suspense builds throughout the first half of the book where it flips and all the twists get turned on their head. You won’t be able to guess, so don’t try.

The ending? That was very impressive and equally disturbing!!

Well done Louise you have amazed me once again!


http://fictioncafe.net/2017/09/06/book-review-the-surrogate-by-louise-jensen/

WOW I was blown away by this thriller.

I was too scared to even begin reading it but once I started my eyes devoured every word.

This book had me guessing right up to the very end. It was a tear jerker and I had tears in my eyes at the end.

An exceptional book. I cannot wait for more of this author.