I have loved all 4 of the authors previous books ( and look forward to her 6th )
So, Laura is trying and failing to cope with the death of her hubby, her daughter Tilly is also trying to do the same and equally failing and losing hope
Money is running out and Laura loses her florist business
Along comes Alex, dashing, film star beautiful and full of hope and confidence Alex and with him his commune that includes a thriving organic veg growing company with a ‘family love’ kind of vibe everywhere, astoundingly overnight they move in, lock, stock and barrel as Alex promises to sort out Laura’s money problems and free up her husbands life insurance...guess what though?, Alex isn’t all he seems and so starts a story of lies, deceit, murder, infatuation and secrets
The story is told in small easy chapters by Laura, Tilly and Alex and to be honest I wasn’t keen on any of them nor really that bothered about what was happening to them as they sillily got drawn in quickly and without question to the commune and Alex
As the story progressed it became
more and more unbelievable to me and as all the dots were joined to make the ending I finished it with relief, relief for them and relief for me 😎
3/10
2 Stars

I read this book in a remarkably short time as I was so gripped by the story line and didn't want to put it down. Whenever I did have to break from it I was thinking about the plot and the characters which is always a sign of a great book and a talented author. There were so many twists and turns and it was so cleverly done. I just didn't know who to trust or whether people were really who and how they appeared to be. Alex was most intriguing as I just couldn't fathom whether he was a good or a bad guy. The story gave nothing away until quite close to the end but it did keep the pages turning frantically in an effort to find out what each person's motives were. The ending was a surprise to me and I didn't see that coming at all. The book has everything that I expect in a psychological thriller. It kept me on the edge of my seat, awake at night and totally hooked throughout. Another cracker from Louise Jensen who never fails to deliver. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest and unbiased review..

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Good, fast paced book that kept me guessing what was going to happen next. Read in just over 24 hours.

Great reading, read in a couple of days and thoroughly recommend. Thank you to netgalley and the author for the advance copy

This was a great read, gripping, page-turning, and I didn't want to put it down. Lots of twists and turns and a great ending. I love it when characters get their come-uppence, but it was a sort of cliffhanger. Not sure what that means, but maybe Louse Jensen intends to follow THE FAMILY up with another. Hope so. Thanks to Louise Jensen, HQ and Net Galley for the ARC.

This was an incredibly gripping and emotional book from the first page. I adored Laura and Tilly, I found myself really rooting for them. The ending was fantastic too. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and devoured it in 2 nights!

A great read by a new author for me. I loved the way the story was written and I really warmed to the two main characters - a mother and daughter. The short chapters were ideal and each covered the ongoing story line of the book by a different character. I loved this as it allowed me to engage with each character and not get bored reading pages and pages of a chapter. A thoroughly good book which I can recommend you do read.

Good thriller. Plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. Not so sure of the cult elements of the storyline but that did it put me off. Would definitely read this author again as I like the style of her writing. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Louise didn’t disappoint me with this one! Little slow to start but then the back story needs to be shown so I carried on, it was a brilliant read and well written again by Louise!

I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. Great characters and a great plot line. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

Gripping thriller!
Laura and her daughter tilly are the centre of this can't put down thriller.
Having a hard time, a visitor to the shop offers Laura her help. This takes them to a community living on a farm. Everything seems great, then strange things happen. Are they safe?
Lots of twists, keeps you guessing.
Will definitely be reading more from this author.

Rooted round what it means to be family, and the lies that can throw this off balance, this is an engaging thriller at first. Laura and her daughter Tilly, threatened with the dismantling of their previous cosy life, are thrown what seems like a lifeline and move into a community living farm. Gradually, whilst being drawn deeper into the webs of deceit holding the place together, Laura realises that she is being played- but who is holding all the cards? And how many people will get hurt before the truth comes out?

A twisting and dark thriller, with clues that tease and may lead you astray. I wasn’t a fan of the neat completion of plots that occurred at the end, as I think there were too many coincidences by far - but altogether a decent read that wouldn’t discourage me from trying this author again.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An absolute gripping page-turner. The story of a woman Laura and her daughter Tilly grieving for the loss of their husband and father. Finding out that things are not good financially Laura's site-in-law tells her about a retreat Oak Leaf Organics, a place that will help them heal and give support. On arriving they are introduced to Alex and 'The Family' all of whom have had issues in their past and have come together to build new lives.
As the story unfolds secrets and lies emerge. Laura realises that 'The Family' are not what they seem and impossible to escape from.
This book is a totally brilliant read from the first page to the last. Gripping and emotional, family ties and heartbreak. Brilliant.

The Family by Louise Jensen
Thanks @netgalley @fabricating_fiction and @hqstories
Publication date 3rd October
‘Can one mother’s mistake cost her daughter everything?’
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I am a huge fan of Louise Jensen and have read everything she’s ever written. The Family completely exceeded my expectations. What an amazing and unique story.
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Laura is left devastated when her husband dies suddenly, leaving her and their teenage daughter alone. When the insurance company refuses to pay out, Laura has no choice but to accept help from a friend. Introduced to Oak Leaf Farm, a commune on the outskirts of town, Laura and her daughter Tilly feel like they have been saved. But they are far from safe.....
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This was an amazingly creepy and sinister story with such a strong menacing feel. Everyone in this story has their own secrets and scars to bare and I couldn’t read fast enough to get to the end. I will say no more in fear of spoilers but I highly recommended this books for fans of dark psychological thrillers xx

Over the past few years Louise Jensen has become one of my favourite writers of psychological thrillers. Always uniquely British and always impossible to predict they are stories that will keep you gripped right to the very last page.

Laura is struggling. Recently widowed, she is about to lose her business and her home. Daughter Tilly is distant and uncommunicative and Laura really doesn’t know where to turn. After suffering an epileptic fit in her flower shop Laura is befriended by Saffron who takes her home and offers a friendly ear.

Grateful for the friendship and assistance from Saffron and the team at Oak Leaf Organics Laura and Tilly move into the commune on the edge of town. It is only as they begin to settle into the way of life of their new “family” that some sinister things start to happen and Laura starts to question the motives of enigmatic leader Alex. Just as these secrets come to light she also sees that daughter Tilly is entranced by Alex and will never leave willingly. Will all of the secrets break them apart forever?

Supplied by Net Galley and HQ in exchange for an honest review.

UK Publication date: Oct 3 2019. 384 pages.

I was intrigued by The Family from the outset. The characters are strong, each easily distinguishable from the next and I liked the opportunity to spend time with three of them although I think a little more from Alex's POV would have been good. I thought I had a good idea of what was going on but the author takes everything you expected and tips it neatly on its head which I loved. There are lots of really good twists to keep you gripped although a couple towards the end didn't feel necessary for me and it seemed the author was just throwing them in for the sake of it. Overall a great thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I have read Louise Jensen novels before and always find them compelling reading and this was the best so far. Laura has lost her husband, Gavin, and can no longer pay the bills. His construction business is being sued, even after he is dead, and the insurance company are holding back on paying out until the inquest has been held giving a verdict on whether or not it was a suicide.

Laura is in her florist shop, ruing the fact that all her customers seem to have disappeared when Saffron walks in and offers help and kindness. She takes Laura to meet Alex, a former lawyer now owner of an organic farm, on the basis that he can help her with the insurance company.

Laura and her daughter, Tilly, go to the farm to met everyone and are offered accommodation providing they help on the farm.

All is not as it seems and the different strands begin to weave together in what is an excellent finale. Extremely clever plotting and character development. Loved it all.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ, General Fiction (Adult) and Louise Jensen for my ARC in return for my honest review.

Excellent Read. Highly recommended.

Firstly I'd like to say thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher to allow me to read this book before it's publication date in October.

Louise has become a best selling author with her great psychological thrillers, and this is another book that makes you see why.

The books main two characters are Laura and her Daughter Tilly. Having lost her Husband in a tragic accident, Laura needs to rebuild her life, not just for herself but also for Tilly. When she is assisted by a stranger after falling ill, her life takes her and Tilly on a different path.

This started off as a sad tale, but led into a feeling of hope for the future, for both Mother and Daughter. Oak Leaf Organics seems to be just what they both needed to get their life back on track. But in true Louise Jensen style, nothing is ever quite what it seems, and that is why I love her books.

There is nothing pink and fluffy about this book, it's just full of suspense, intrigue and more suspense. The book is so full of twists and turns that you don't know who to believe and who to trust. A note appears that says "Trust no-one" and that about sums the story up.

If you want a book that grips you and makes you want to keep turning the page, then this psychological thriller is just the one for you.

I’d like to thank HQ and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Family’ by Louise Jensen in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Laura’s husband Gavan has died following an accident on a building site and she’s struggling to pay the rent when she meets Saffron from the Oak Leaf Organic farm who she confides in. Saffron tells her that their leader, the charismatic Alex, can help as he’s trained in the law and can talk to Laura’s insurance company on her behalf. They persuade Laura and her daughter Tilly to stay at their commune but before long Laura wants to leave as strange events are happening, but it may be too late!

‘The Family’ is a sinister and dramatic psychological thriller about Laura, Tilly and the members of the commune who all have secrets and reasons for shutting themselves off from family and friends. The plot is absorbing and scary, with lots of drama, disturbing characters and twists and turns. As I continued reading the tension built especially in parts 3 and 4 until it was impossible to stop reading for fear of missing what might happen next! This novel is compulsive reading, impossible to put down, and I can thoroughly recommend it.

An addictive story that hooks you in from the very start. I read late into the night trying to make sure Laura and her daughter Tilly were safe. Some people are not what they seem in this book and there are many twists to the story. I did find the ending a bit disappointing as I felt the story wasn't finished.