Hannah, Hannah, Hannah... what a frustrating young lady! 

This is the first Sue Watson book that I've read but it won't be the last! First Date was utterly addictive and I had huge trouble putting it down!

This psychological thriller will make you doubt everything and everyone, it is so cleverly put together - just when you think you've got something sussed out, a whole new slant is added.

In amongst all the madness, I really liked Hannah's work set up. Apart from the awfulness of what they actually did for a living, the office set up and camaraderie sounded wonderful. There were some beautiful little touches of humour and perfectly described nuances of friendships.

I had SO MANY hunches, conclusions, definite endings in mind as I read First Date and - with no spoilers - it's fair to say they were not all right by any means!

Be warned, there are twists and turns a plenty and don't take anything at face value... ever!

Oh, dear! I was very interested in reading this, as the premise is one of online dating and particularly one that goes wrong and as this is so relevant in today’s society, I was intrigued.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t warm to the lead character, nor her predicament and I found the whole thing frustrating, irritating and uninteresting.

Hannah is a social worker who meets Alex online and falls for him. Then, strange things start happening and against the sage advice of anyone she knows she ploughs on regardless.
There is a twist, but, it feels lacklustre and forced and unfortunately, for me, didn’t redeem the story or stupidity of Hannah.

I’m grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of First Date by Sue Watson.

Have you ever gone on a first date and felt that you immediately had met the One? This is definitely the book for you. A perfect match from date one, Hannah thinks she has found her future husband in Alex, whom she met on a dating app. Thinks are going perfectly for the pair until Hannah begins to realize that things are not exactly as perfect as they seem.

Don’t get me wrong this is a well written book, it just wasn’t for me. Hannah’s naivety and the way she looked past all the red flags she made it hard for me to feel sorry for her and for me to empathize with her. I can understand how other people might, because everyone is looking for love.

However, the ending of the book was amazing. I didn’t see it coming and the twist honestly saved the book for me.

A big thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Sue for letting me read this in return for an honest review!


I'm going to start with this....
‘Oh shit, he’s been here too,’ she says. ‘Your Alex has let himself in and tidied away the bloody biscuits.’
Because amongst everything that made me laugh.

The first half of the book was rather slow but I understand it had to build up a relationship with Hannah and Alex to be able to show all the "crazy" and the downward spiral of events throughout.

The last half is where this significantly improves however I couldn't seem to understand Hannah's naivety.
Alex's emotional control and strange behaviour just amplifies right up to the shocking twist ending!

After everything and the realisation following the shock twist this sentence really stood out to me "We were little more than children without roots, both searching for a family and a home, and believing we’d found that in each other."

From loathing alex to feeling incredibly sorry for him just like that.... incredible writing!

The last page though 👌 I could feel the emotion in that moment.

All in all a beautifully written story that I cannot really fault, a gripping read from start to finish.

Having previously been in a dead end relationship, Hannah is desperately searching for someone to share her hopes and dreams with. When she meets Alex through an online dating app she starts to think he might be that someone. He’s almost too good to be true and we soon discover that the truth is something Alex is trying very hard to keep hidden and his charm and attentiveness turn to an unhealthy obsession with Hannah. Those around Hannah begin to show concern for her, trying to warn her against him but she doesn’t share their concern until its almost too late.

Whilst I found this to be an enjoyable read, I did feel there were parts that were slow, almost slightly repetitive but it certainly picked up speed as it raced towards the end with a thrilling “didn’t see that coming” twist.

Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley UK for the free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

My first Sue Watson novel and as a sign of how much I enjoyed it purchased her other novels once I finished this one.

Hannah wants a man and when she meets Alex the signs are good and she feels he could be the one. Hannah's grew up in foster care and her childhood was unstable but now things are feeling a lot better. She enjoys working as a social worker and is content in her cosy apartment but at 36 feels she needs a man to fall in love with. Her best friend encourages her to use a dating app where she meets Alex. He appears to be too good to be true, handsome, loves the same music, enjoys the same food and even dreams about the same holiday destinations. But is love blind, Hannah's friends see him a little different.

This addictive psychological thriller will have you rushing through the pages, shouting at Hannah and cursing others but it's such a good read.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Sue Watson has done it again with another brilliantly addictive book. A great story line with excellent characters that I just couldn't stop reading, full of twists and turns and one hell of an ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic book which I can thoroughly recommend and a well deserved five stars from me.

Hannah is the most annoying yet interesting, trusting yet doubtful, stupid yet smart character in 2020. I was swept up in the love story wanting it to be true as much as Hannah. I’ve ignored the red flags myself, given the benefit of the doubt, forgiven when I should have left. Watching Hannah justify the happenings made me squirm yet rage as some seemed so familiar. I had to keep reading even though it’s so claustrophobic I was becoming dizzy. Great writing again from Sue Watson. Makes you finish the book in record time. Oh, and that ending. Gulp.

Hannah wasn’t ready to get back on the dating scene after she’s split from her ex Tom, but her boss an best friend convinced her to join a dating app where she was matched with Alex, who seems to be Hannahs perfect match... but is he too perfect? I found this book truly gripping and I read it within a day, a true page turner. I also found it to be a good eye opener about the modern world, where everything is online, maybe we do share too much information about ourselves these days. I would highly recommend this book, it was brilliant! A well deserved 5 stars.

While well written for the most part I hated the characters in this book and very nearly stopped reading at the end of almost every chapter. While I was compelled to keep reading I can't say I enjoyed anything about this book unfortunately.
Hannah is a horribly desperate, people pleasing type who falls in love at the drop of her knickers and is willing to ignore glaringly obvious warning signs to get her happily ever after.
Alex is a psychopath willing to do anything to get his happily ever after.
Together their relationship is twisted and toxic in the extreme.

Gosh this really is a creepy book of obsessive love and controlling relationships. Sometimes it’s obvious to others looking in that something is too perfect to be true but when you are in those first throws of love you ignore the small signs that suggest something is not quite right and even when his stalker ex seems to be targeting you love is all that matters. As things take a more controlling route is everything as it seems between any of the characters in this creepy thriller. I loved it

The first half of the story was compelling but then it becomes a bit far fetched and the ending is just way out there.

All the millennials out there know the struggle of online dating these days.
Its somewhat throwing caution to the wind and TRUSTING STRANGERS.
But we do that everyday and have our fair share of dating horror stories to share. ( One of my guilty pleasures is to listen to them, its kind of weirdly hilarious ).

But then there's a creepy and dark side to online dating which is bizarre and obsessed stalkers and the oh so charming psychopaths.

FIRST DATE is a story about Hannah who is a hopeless romantic, people's pleaser and utterly daft sometimes. She has suffered the wrath of a broken and forlorn childhood with a drug addict mother and hence always dreamed of the comforts a safe haven aka HOME.

Now, she is a 36 year old woman who is looking for love when she is suggested by her best friend and boss, JAS to join an online dating app.
She meets "ALEX" who is like a match made in heaven who likes everything she likes and this uncanny camaraderie of the first date turns into a relationship right off the bat. Then begins the scary stalker fiasco with RANDOM ROSES AND ANTI LOVE NOTES, feelings of being followed etc etc.

The story was riveting, thrilling but repetitive and long winded at times. It could have been shorter.
I enjoyed reading the story and thought I knew who was causing the ordeal to our BLIND IN LOVE protagonist but BOY I WAS WRONG! The ending is unexpected!

This is my first book by Sue Watson and I plan on reading more of her as this book was UNPUTDOWNABLE.

Thankyou NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an e ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“She’s been waiting her whole life to meet a man like Alex. But he’s been waiting too. And once he has her, he’ll never let her go”
Hannah has met Alex through a dating app. They appear to click in what they want in life and everything seems perfect. Jaz, Hannah’s boss and friend warns her “if it is too good to be true it probably is” however Hannah won;t listen and after a breakup a year ago which hurt her thinks Alex could be “the one”. Hannahs childhood was spent in care and foster homes hence she has never had a “forever” and this is what she is desperately seeking after all of the instability she has gone through. Alex tells her that she is exactly the woman he has been searching for. Things don’t quite add up and Alex shows rather more than jealousy when Hannah is talking to a co- worker and she receives a rather threatening message in a bunch of flowers who she thinks is from her ex. Hannah is now thinking Jaz’s words may well be right. One to put you on the edge of your seat. Brilliant writing that gives the air of tension and curveballs to throw the reader off course- just how I like it and one to leave you with a smile!
(rest of links as part of blog tour)

The sign of a good book is when you're thinking about it in between reading sessions and want to get back to it. This is how I felt about First Date by Sue Watson.

The tension throughout the novel was palpable from the moment Hannah and Alex meet. The clues are there from the beginning that Alex might not be Mr Perfect. Sometimes this frustrated me in that Hannah could be oblivious. She's a smart woman who works as a social worker and therefore should be adept at spotting risks. I wanted to shake her at times! That said, we've all put rose-tinted glasses on with certain relationships, particularly at the beginning.

This isn't a clear cut story though. The plot transcends what the reader might initially believe it to be focused upon. Hannah's life is more complicated than an infatuation.

Sue Watson explores characters' inner lives, secrets, and their needs. Many of the characters were relatable.

I mainly enjoyed the ending. It made sense and to a degree, I didn't see some of it coming. There was a large information chapter near the end that slowed down the action. The details were necessary but maybe they could have been executed a different way rather than having a character giving so many details squeezed into a chapter. The final chapter has the wow factor though.

I would definitely recommend this book. I love novels that explore the complexities of relationships and what people hide from each other. Sue Watson does this with great skill.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my early copy of the novel for which I've written an honest review.

Somebody help me now! This book confused the hell of me! How can a book start as two starred, below the average reading ( no thanks to dislikable heroine) and end as five starred, WTH, this is deliciously twisty and smart reading, it blew my mind!

Yes, I hate the guts of the heroine. I wanted to punch her several times. I want to hire Cobra Kai members and their sensei Johnny Lawrence beat the sh*t out of her! ( because their motto is “no mercy”)

Dear Hannah acted like the most brainless, naivest, dumbest woman in the literature history. She falls in love with the guy at first date, starts planning their grandchildren’s wedding menu throughout their dinner, ignoring to good to be true signs. She has to move her head up to see neon signs above Alex’s head tells her he is a bad guy, duh! Throughout my read I actually hear Billy Eilish’s song blast from the speakers ( later I found, my bestie Ashley turned on the music so loud to attract my attention. But it fit with my reading chapters! So I didn’t care!)

At first I thought she doesn’t belong to a thriller. She truly deserves a place in a chic lit or melodramatic romcom or fairytale ( she can be estranged cousin of Snow White or step sister of Frozen’s Elsa)

She already has problematic breakup with her ex Tom. Now she thinks he sent her flowers with a threatening note and she thinks somebody broke into her car! But all those things start to happen after her first date with Alex.

I’m not gonna give more clues. But I have to admit: Alex did so many unacceptable things and Hannah acted like loyal puppy, finding excuses for his behavior. It repeated over and over! I plan to dnf this one! But my instincts tell me I have to finish it because the author’s previous book “ Sister in Law” was one of my favorite reads of this year and I was still so sure she’s extremely smart enough to rock my world with big twist. And she did.

I fell in love with last %10 part of the book and I hated the rest of it.

So should I give average 3.5 stars ( 2 stars for %90 and 5 stars for %10) rounding up to 4 or let it stay as 3 stars because I still find heroine ultra illogical, punchable and annoying.
I think heroine ruined my mood. This was still fast, easy, riveting reading and I love the authors flawed, dysfunctional characterizations, twisty revelations and the ending was marvelous but it could be more enjoyable reading for me with less detestable MCs.

Don’t get me wrong! This is still a good reading with great potentials and clever, unexpected twists. It’s still better than most thrillers I’ve read this year. And I still like to read the upcoming works of the author but this book could be a little better without too many repetitive angsty argument chapters of Hannah and Alex and it would be nice to be introduced a heroine with a backbone.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this gripping arc with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I found myself flicking through the pages of ‘First Date’ way into the early hours of the morning, on my Kindle, in the dark, because I was as gripped as a gripped thing. I found Hannah’s relationship with Adam totally addictive and I couldn’t wait to carry on reading so that I could consume more.

Once on this rollercoaster, it was easy to feel as trapped as Hannah. I kept thinking, ‘I like Adam’ then ‘I’m not sure,’ then ‘ooh, err.’ Are her colleagues right? Who is right? And what’s with the other characters? I won’t elaborate as I don’t want to spoil any surprises.

Jas’s character was fantastic as a friendly sidekick to Hannah and I really enjoyed how their relationship moved about during the story. I also live in Worcester where the novel was set and in my view, it was the perfect setting for this story.

This book will have you prickling at the neck as you turn the pages. It did with me. I certainly hoped for Hannah to find a happy ending. Sue Watson has a way with words where I as the reader couldn’t help feeling totally immersed in the main character’s life. The ending was KAPOW!!!

This story is creepily addictive and I’m already wondering when the next one is out. Waiting (taps fingernails on table) - hehe!

This book is exactly what I needed to read at the moment. It's a light psychological thriller about social worker Hannah, who meets too-good-to-be-true Alex around the time that someone appears to be stalking her. I have read all of Sue Watson's books and enjoyed them, especially The Sister in Law so I had high hopes.

I really enjoyed reading this. It's obvious to the reader that Alex comes with some huge red flags but Hannah is so desperate to be loved and to get her happy ending that she ignores them and from that point it's kind of like watching a car crash in slow motion.

I liked how real the relationships felt and Hannah's struggle with trying to balance her new relationship, her career and her friendships. I guessed where quite a few of the plot lines were heading but I didn't expect the ending. It does all fit together though and I actually really like how it ended.

I would recommend this as a good, solid, character-driven read if you're not in the mood for anything too heavy.

Hot thriller about dating and (too much) attraction? Sign me up.

Meet Hannah, a calm, safety-first type of gal, lover of anything cozy. At 36, she hasn't met anyone worth sharing her life with, so she gets on a dating app and meets Alex. He is handsome, appealing, and has EXACTLY the same dreams and goals as her. While Alex looks like the perfect match, Hannah's friends have some doubts - perhaps for a good reason.

First Date is a totally gipping read which explores the human nature and yearnign for safety, comfort and love - as much as the dark side of the same nature which pushes some people do to the unthinkable.

The only thing I didn't love quite as much as the story was the writing. I thought it was too elementary and simple, which didn't spoil my experience but didn't make it better either.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nothing is ever as it seems. A captivating thriller that will keep you on the edge until the last word. Sue Watson's book reads like real life. The characters are easily relatable. There are some crazy people out there. I find that Hannah is an irritating character. She is easily manipulated. After going on so many dates and having relationships not work out time after time, I would think that Hannah would have some insight into reading a person. Yet, Hannah, as a character has so many flaws. The ending was not a disappointment and kept up with the flow of the story. Definitely a book that would love to see become a movie.

Thank you to the Bookouture and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.