It’s not often that a thriller has “a twist you don’t see coming” despite how many make the claim. And yet, Date Night left me breathless.

A novel that seems, on the surface, a simple story: betrayal, murder, yet the twists and turns keep coming. This is definitely one to reread with the knowledge of the ending so that I can wholly complete the craft. Read it, you won’t be disappointed.

Date Night. By Samantha Hayes was a fast pace read that has a few twists that I actually didn't see coming. 4 stars. Thank you Netgalley for an early copy.

Another hit from the author. If you enjoy mystery and suspense with twists throughout, this is certainly the book for you. The variety of plots from book to book always leaves me waiting for he author's next book. This is a book that I would recommend to all.

This is quite a page turner - the tale begins with Libby being arrested for the murder of Sasha, her 17 year old babysitter. From there we alternate between before and now from the point of Libby and Sean, her husband. My only criticism would be that Libby and Sean were very naive to lie to the police about the order and time of events on the night in question when their lies were so obviously easy to disprove. Having said that the plot was fast moving and intriguing. It was definitely a book that I could not put down and I didn't see the end coming.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Samantha Hayes/Bookouture for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have been a fan of Samantha's work for a fair while now. I have loved each and every single book that she has released. The cover of this book grabbed my attention from the start but then it's not really surprising when you consider that I have ginger hair as does the lady on the cover of the book. Us redheads need to stick together. Anyway I digress so back to my review I do go. I read the synopsis for 'Date Night' and I just knew that I was in for one hell of a read. After just having finished reading 'Date Night', I can say for certain that it really is one hell of a read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it but more about that in a bit.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of Libby and to be honest I can't say that I took to her. There was just something about her that made me wary of her. The story starts with her arrest by the police for a crime, which isn't immediately named. Libby seems to be in a bit of a daze following her arrest, which isn't surprising. Then we learn more about Libby before her arrest and the events that led to her arrest. Libby finds a note on her windscreen informing her of her husband's affair with no proof as to who he has supposedly cheated with or who has kindly left the note. As you can imagine, this sends Libby, her paranoia and her suspicious nature into overdrive. She starts to obsess about her husband's movements during the day and who the other woman could possibly be. I did feel for Libby and at times I wanted to give her a reassuring hug but at other times I wanted to shake her by the shoulders to give her a reality check. She thinks that she is happily married with an adorable daughter but is everything as it seems? Well for the answer to that question and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my word, 'Date Night' is one hell of a fabulous book. It starts in such a way that ensures that this book will stay fresh in my mind for a long time to come. It didn't take me long at all to get into this story. As soon as I got to the end of the first page, I just knew that this was going to be an incredibly addictive read. So it proved to be. For me, 'Date Night' was simply unputdownable. I don't mean that the book was glued to my hand, although it might as well have been, but I was so focused on the story, the characters and the author's writing that I didn't want to miss a single second of this book. It'll be no surprise to learn that I managed to binge read this book over the course of a day. The pages turned increasingly quickly as my desperation to discover how the story panned out steadily grew. At one point the pages were turning that quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves. I soon reached the end of the book, which I was so disappointed about. I don't mean that in a negative way but I was enjoying the story so much that I just didn't want the book to end.
'Date Night' is incredibly well written. Samantha certainly grabs your attention from the start and much like a fisherman landing a catch, she reels you in. Once she has your attention, she won't let it go until the moment you close the back page of the book. This was one of those books that kept me guessing all the way through. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen but I soon discovered that I had the wrong end of the stick completely. This book has an incredible twist and I didn't see it coming at all. Samantha writes so realistically and uses such powerful descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself. I was gripped by this story throughout and I found myself on the edge of my seat on several occasions. There were a couple of times where I almost had to read through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next.
In short, 'Date Night' is one hell of an addictive, fast paced and unputdownable read. I LOVED it and I would definitely recommend this book and this author to other readers. I can't wait to read Samantha's future work. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

Well color me surprised! Date Night by Samantha Hayes was frustrating to read, but completely brilliant!

What it's about: Libby and her husband Sean go out for a date night and leave their daughter Alice with their babysitter Sasha. But when they get home, Sasha is gone and Alice is upstairs sleeping in her bed. A few days later Libby is arrested, but she swears she didn't do anything. But why does no one believe her, and why did her husband give an additional statement contradicting what she's said about that night?

Date Night is twisty, surprising, and has an ending that I certainly didn't see coming. A lot of the book was frustrating for me because of Sean and Libby's relationship, and I don't think I liked a single character in the book. I am ok not liking characters though so my biggest issue was Sean and Libby. Libby wasn't a strong enough female lead for me but I know they can't all be strong! The plot of this book is what kept me going and it didn't disappoint.

Date Night was also a super quick read - for all you 'I like books I can read in one sitting' people out there. It took me just over 3.5 hours which is amazingly quick for me so for some people it might be even less.

Song/s the book brought to mind: Ghost by Ella Henderson

Final Thought: This was the first time I have read a book by Hayes and it will definitely not be my last! I highly recommend to people that love a good mystery with an unreliable narrator.

The book raised my suspense to such levels that the adrenaline caused my heart to race, the pitch was high, and the beats were loud. That was the magic of Sam Hayes' writing.

Libby and Sean went for their date night, with Sasha as their babysitter looking after daughter Alice. A misunderstanding, a fight or two, the couple returned back to find Sasha missing. A few weeks later, Libby was arrested on the suspicion of Sasha's murder. With such a blurb, what was I to do? I dove into the story and played a game.

Have you ever played Blind Man's Buff? I did, the entire afternoon, with the author's characters while reading this story. Each character, via their conversation, would tap me from behind, and once I moved in that direction, someone else would tap me from the opposite direction and I was forced to follow that. How would I know the truth if every chapter gave me a different hint? My mind was scattered.

But I couldn't stop reading. I felt surged by the plot line, swirling in the mini whirlpools that this author had created in the book. What was Sam Hayes doing to me? The story was told to me from Libby's POV, who was the most unreliable in the history of characters.

I did not know what to believe and which direction to look at in practically the entire book. It felt I was moving with the force of the current which was the entire prose. The confusion and my curiosity nearly overwhelmed me till the end revealed it all.

Sam Hayes has done it again. Killed it... With this book. And me too. I rose again to write this review.

This was well written, enjoyable book. It’s about a couple Sean and Libby, both have been previously married. Sean has a child from his previous marriage, They have a little girl named Alice.
They decided to go out for a date as Libby keeps receiving notes on her car about Sean having an affair on her. When they return the babysitter has disappeared. Libby is placed under suspicion. But things don’t add up. There’s a great twist at the end that you don’t see coming.
I did find the book a little slow and not captivating. But it kept you guessing.,What happened?
You could feel the connection between Sean and Libby, the tension and the stress and the breaking down of the relationship. It’s worth a read.

The book opens with Libby’s arrest on suspicion of murder. She can’t quite comprehend what’s happening to her. How did her safe, secure life deteriorate to this point where the police would actually suspect that she, of all people, has murdered her lovely babysitter, 17-year-old Sasha? It’s just absurd!

Libby runs her up-and-coming home catering business in their homely village – a place where everyone knows everyone and where her husband Sean is the local vet. They live a comfortable, happy life together with their four-year-old daughter Alice, and with Sean’s parents not too far away to do babysitting duty, they also get the occasional night off to spend catching up on some valuable time together. But one morning, Libby finds a note on her car telling her that Sean is having an affair! She’s horrified – firstly, the very idea that her adored husband would cheat on her is distressing, and secondly, who could have left such a note?

After agonising over the issue and much tension between the two of them, Libby confronts Sean, still not knowing if it’s the best idea to do so. Not surprisingly, he hotly denies any accusation of an affair. But still, the tension between them persists. They decide to go on a ‘date night’, thinking that some time out from their hectic schedules will neutralise the atmosphere and put things to rights. So off they go to one of their favourite local haunts, leaving Alice in the care of Sasha the babysitter that they often use if Sean’s parents are unavailable. She and Libby have a good relationship and Sasha even helps Libby out with her catering business quite often.

However, their date night doesn’t go as smoothly as planned and they return home earlier than expected, only to discover that Sasha is not in the house and Alice has been left on her own … thankfully asleep in her bed. But where is Sasha?

What follows are twists, turns, red herrings, and secrets aplenty! Strap in and get ready for a journey that will leave you unnerved, surprised, stunned, and completely shocked. The story unfolds on an alternating timeline, both in the present tense, from the time that Libby is arrested, and then takes readers back to the days before and leading up to the actual date night. Samantha Hayes somehow makes it look easy to have written such a convoluted, chilling read. The slow-burn creeps up on you, until all of a sudden you’re faced with the possibility that Libby might not be this perfect, work-from-home village mom who we thought she was. Because quite unexpectedly it looks like she’s in the middle of a bit of a demented breakdown! And if Libby isn’t who we think she is, then maybe nobody else is either? Readers are forced into an abrupt mental adjustment – very clever!

This is a 5-star read! Clear your schedule; you won’t be able to put it down!

Libby is living the dream a perfect husband, a beautiful daughter and a successful catering business, but a note found on Libby's windscreen sees Libby doubting everything she thought she knew. In an attempt to smooth things over, Libby and her husband arrange a date night which doesn't go quite to plan and then to top it all off when arriving home Sasha their babysitter has mysteriously disappears, leaving their young daughter unsupervised, things can't possibly get any worse or can they?

This book is filled with so many twists and turns, just when you thought you'd had it all figured out Samantha proves you wrong! Secrets, suspense, destruction, great characters an ending I didn't see coming it has it all well worth a read!

I love a book like this! Almost like a roller coaster; twists, turns, peaks and valleys. A peak at the end that I didn’t see coming. Answers come to nagging questions that were building throughout the book. Characters are well developed, writing is fast paced. Enjoyable mystery/thriller! Curl up in your favorite chair or pull up a beach chair! Chapters are the perfect length...easy stopping and restarting.

Libby and Sean have a happy marriage. Or so Libby thinks, until she receives a note on her car warning of an affair. Odd family dynamic with Sean’s parents and ex-wife. In an effort to set things right after the note, Sean and Libby set up a date night. Unfortunately, this does not go as planned and they return hime to find their 4 yo daughter left alone and their babysitter missing. Story will take you thru the search, police call and investigation, arrests and suspects.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone!

This was such a good read! Imagine going on a date night with your husband and coming home to find your child all alone and the babysitter missing. This book was full of twists and turns and I loved each one of them!

One morning, out of the blue, Libby finds a note on her car that says her husband is having an affair. She debates with herself and a friend over whether or not to confront him. Eventually she decides to ask him about it. His answers or should I say non-answers certainly did not satisfy me or seem to placate Libby. For some reason this leads to their "date night" which oddly for this couple is not a usual occurrence, and is somehow meant to patch things up between them. During their evening out someone is blowing up his phone with texts and calls that he never accepts. Now for me, this is odd behavior and although there should be trust in a marriage there is also such a thing as not burying your head in the sand. Libby does ask who keeps calling but he doesn't tell her and she never actually looks at the phone until after he heads off to the men's room to delete the call history. It's hard for me to imagine any wife letting that happen.
I hate to be the only one who didn't fall madly in love with this book but for me it seemed to be a long and winding road that dragged on a bit longer than necessary. You may enjoy it more than I did if you like lengthy drawn out reveals.

A mysterious note left on Libby’s car window has left her nerves unsettled and the trust she had in her husband is wavering. “Your husband is having an affair.” Finding that note has set about a series of events that she wasn’t prepared for. Constant accusations toward Sean, her husband, has left their marriage in turmoil. When Sean suggests that she and him have a date night, she is excited at the prospect of laying her doubts to rest.
Their date night was a disaster. Sean kept receiving text messages and phone calls and evaded Libby’s questions about them. Finally, Sean tells her that the calls were coming from his overbearing mother, Marion. When Libby doesn’t believe him, the two argue and call their date night short.
When they get home to relieve their babysitter, Sasha, they find that she is missing. Her items are still there, but she is missing. After frantically searching for her, and ultimately calling her mother, Jan, the police are contacted.
Search parties, and an active investigation into her disappearance have turned up enough evidence to arrest Libby for the murder of Sasha, who swears she didn’t do it.
Let me start off by saying that I read this book rather quickly, because I had to answer so many questions. 1) Where is Sasha? 2) Did Libby have anything to do with her disappearance? 3) If not, who did? 4) Is Sean having an affair? 5) If so, with who? 6) Who left the note?
When I finished the story, I still had many questions left unanswered, yet the epilogue answered those. There was more information packed in that epilogue than the entire story. Yet, I hated the ending. Okay, so maybe hate is a strong word, but I seriously detested it. It was shocking, but it wasn’t how I wanted it to end.
The overall storyline was good, but I think the way it was told could be confusing. You are told one version of events and as the story unfolds you see that there are holes in the original version. This draws you in, but sometimes I felt like I had missed something, and I had to go back and reread.
I did not like Sean’s character at all. He was controlling, abusive, elusive, deceptive, and manipulative. Libby’s character seemed flighty and mentally unstable. It was hard for me to develop a connection with her or sympathize with her.
Looking on Goodreads, this book has received MANY 4- and 5-star reviews, I just don’t feel like it was that for me. I am rating it as a 3.
I received an electroni ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. It has in no way influenced my opinion.

Perfect book for those who enjoy fast paced psychological thrillers! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I was surprised by a new twist. I enjoyed this story about a young girl who goes missing while babysitting a young girl. It perfectly illustrates how secrets and lies eat people up and can destroy lives.

A fast paced, twisty thriller that kept me turning the pages! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced reading copy.

Happy Pub Day!

So... where do I begin?

Date Night keeps you on the edge of your seat, makes you question everything and everyone and truly blew my mind.

Libby has always felt secure and safe in her marriage to Sean. She’s never had a reason to think they’re anything but happy together. All that changes when she finds a note on her windshield stating that Sean is having an affair. When she confronts him, he of course denies an affair. Libby starts to question whether she can trust her husband after all. As her paranoia increases, they decide to go out on a date night hoping to repair some of the damage that’s been done in their marriage.

When they return home, their babysitter is not in their house and left with no explanation. Their young daughter is still safe and sound in their bed. When the babysitter Sasha doesn’t return- they decide it’s time to involve the police. And what ensues is a wild chain of events that are both thrilling and explosive!

Definitely check this one out. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this advanced reading copy.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Date Night was sort of an impulse request of mine on NetGalley – I think the cover caught my eye, and then the synopsis sounded so good, I couldn’t resist asking for an early copy. I’m so thankful the publisher, author, and NetGalley gave me access to the ARC – this thriller was everything I hoped it would be and more! Date Night is out TODAY, August 20, and trust me, you want to add this one to your shelves. It is everything I want in a thriller: unputdownable plot line, unreliable narrator, heart-pounding twists, and a never-ending list of characters that may or may not be guilty.

Libby and Sean have a strong, loving marriage, and are parents to their sweet young daughter, Alice. But when Libby finds a note accusing Sean of having an affair on her car windshield, her faith in him and their marriage begins to crack. Sean maintains that the note is a ridiculous prank, but Libby can’t let it go. Finally, they decide to indulge in a date night out to help patch things up, leaving Alice with their usual babysitter, college student Sasha. But instead of fixing everything, date night is when their lives really begin to crumble: they come back to realize that Sasha is missing, all of her things left behind in the house. What happens from here only continues to strain Libby and Sean as guilt, worry, blame, and distrust begins to swirl around them and their loved ones…reaching a breaking point when Libby is arrested for Sasha’s murder (dundundun)…

Plot – 2/2: I am a sucker for a plot like this one: a good, ol’ fashioned whodunnit with a side of some potential gaslighting. (I swear I am a normal human and there’s nothing wrong with me…) This story line wasn’t necessarily totally unique from other thrillers I’ve read, but the rest of the pieces of the book made the plot work SO WELL.

Writing – 2/2: Date Night jumps back and forth between “Before” (before Libby was arrested) and “Now” (present – duh, Megan). Sometimes when a thriller oscillates between two timelines, the writing can get a little convoluted, but Hayes doesn’t have this problem. Her writing is never confusing; she offers up small hints and pieces of the puzzle in each chapter – keeping you hooked and never wanting to stop reading.

Thrills/Twists – 2/2: Okay, first, the ongoing thrills throughout the book were superb. So often I thought, “okay, this person is bad; they did something,” and then two chapters later completely reversed my position because a new piece of information came to light. But, no matter how many times I came up with a guess about what was going to happen, I DID NOT FIGURE IT OUT. Holy smokes, the ending had me saying, “WHHAAAATTTTT?!?!?!?” Such an amazing twist in the last couple of pages. Yup. Last PAGES.

Characters – 1/2: Overall, I really enjoyed the characters Hayes created. Especially Libby, but I’m always partial to leading women. However, Date Night loses one point because I wanted just a little more from some characters – I can’t say much without getting too close to giving away something, but I did walk away wishing I knew more about the back stories of several characters.

Feel – 2/2: I. Could. Not. Stop. Reading. Except when I was exhausted at night and couldn’t keep my eyes open…seriously, two nights in a row I tried SO HARD to stay awake reading, but had to put the book down before losing my place as I dozed off from extreme tiredness. Even with my parents visiting, I found every spare minute I could to read because I kept needing to know what was happening next. And the ending y’all…this ending will stick with me.

Overall, 9/10 for a very, very good 4.5 star read. This is a thriller you need to add to your list, and I will DEFINITELY be checking out Hayes’ other books ASAP!

Happy Reading, friends!

Bloody loved this. I loved the dual time narrative and the that past narrative kept adjusting and changing - I felt in reflected the state of mind well. Fab read.

Ok This one was cray-cray but in a good way..There are so many lies and betrayal and secrets..So we meet Libby who has gone out on well a date with her husband and they were trying to have a good night since they have been having some problems. Libby had gotten a note stating that Sean (her husband) had been having an affair, Sean of course denies it and tells her she is the only woman..They get home and their babysitter is not there and she had left there daughter alone and that is when everything goes to hell. Sean is supposedly helping her she trusts him, where is Sasha? Is Sean having an affair..Libby gets blamed and no one is believing her..But the ending, yeah suprises you.