Member Reviews
A chilling and pacy story that is excellently told from a number of perspectives. I romped through this one very quickly and thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns and little breadcrumbs that were left for us. Engaging and addictive. Recommend.
My review of this book could basically be a carbon copy of the one I wrote for the first Louise Jensen book I read, as the plot was different but it was told in exactly the same way, which meant I romped through the first half of the book thinking it was great, enjoying the pacing, loving the drama and then... it just goes too far and gets so stupid that I go from really enjoying it to just wishing the whole book would end as quickly as possible. Basically: constant foreshadowing and coy talk of secrets with no answer, then massive plot twist, then even more massive plot twists, until everyone is tangled up in the massive plot twists, and the story no longer resembles anything that would happen in real life, and then ends with a shockingly over the top ending.
As a reader I enjoy a plot twist, but what I don't like is for the author to deliberately mislead me at every possible turn by laying out red herring after red herring, so that basically the reader knows absolutely nothing about the "real" situation, and even when it's all revealed at the end, it still doesn't feel like it makes sense. One or two shock twists along the way is fun, but when you get to the end of the book and it's just a whole lot of "you thought this, but actually..." to the point where credibility is stretched to breaking point, and then you're hammered over the head by something so ludicrous and shocking, it's all just too much for one novel. Sometimes less is more.
This is an unusual story with very interesting characters. The plot seems quite straightforward and then it starts to weave unusual patterns that you do not quite understand where they are leading you.
I enjoyed it and read it quickly.
An unusual and enjoyable read.
This is a great thriller. It is filled with twists and it keeps you guessing. The story is told from multiple perspectives. I did enjoy this book but felt like the ending was far fetched.
I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.
Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.
However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x
Thank you for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. Enjoyed reading, would recommend....
A brilliant read! Very fast paced, plenty of authentic characters and a twisty plot makes this book a winner!
Lucy Walsh races home panic stricken about the whereabouts of her son Connor, especially after the disappearance of his two friends Tyler and Ryan, dubbed "The Taken."
Her other son Kieran is suffering with a deteriorating liver and will eventually need a transplant.
Connor had recently been involved in a tragic incident whilst on a school residential.
Lucy, Aiden, and Connor are all hiding big secrets which will unravel before their very eyes.
The story counts down to the day that Connor is taken and it is told from several POV's.
I loved this book. Everything came together so seamlessly at the end in a way that I could never had predicted.
A must read!!!
An author I love and I cannot wait for her next book.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the advance copy of this thriller.
This is only the second book I have read of Louise's but I intend to read more of hers in the future. The prologue draws you into this book and I found it hard to put down. I really like Louise's writing style. The tension starts from the very first page and never lets up. This book was full of secrets. I loved how it unfolded and was satisfied by the ending.
What a read.... Aiden and Lucy have been married for a while with two sons. Connor a young college student and Kieron who has a medical condition that keeps him between home and hospital. Each family member are keeping secrets from the rest of the family.
Two of Connors friends have been missing for a couple of days but then Connor also goes missing but instead of drawing the family closer - the rift between them widens and the secrets become more complex.
The story is written from the perspective of Lucy, Aiden and Connor which keeps the pace steady and allows you to connect with the characters.
A few twists and turns will keep you guessing through most of the book. Definitely worth reading.
It isn't very often that a book can surprise me lately but All For You definitely did!!
A family full of secrets and lies, a mother that will do anything to protect her children. How far would you go to keep your family safe?
All For You Louise Jensen
Louise is the Queen of writing books where there are multiple characters, and you are not sure how they all connect and then you realise how it all comes together. I literally had an aha moment when I realised the connections.
Well written, well teased out.
First book from this author a most excellent storyline and entertaining read, I would highly recommend to everyone who likes mystery stories.
A fast paced and twisty psychological thriller that had me guessing through the narrative.
I absolutely adored this book and could never decide who was to blame. The prose is stunning in its astute observations and turn of phrase. And the ending was pitch perfect.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me for this book.
I felt the writing was done well in this book but there was just something missing for me and I couldn't get into it and enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
Description 🔖
The Walsh family have a lot going on and they’re struggling to hold it together. Lucy is the mother and she is falling apart at the seams. Aiden is the father; carrying a secret that he’s in way too deep with and doesn’t know how to dig himself out of. Connor is the eldest son and at 17, he’s been through more than most boys his age.
All of them have a secret and something to hide but all of them are doing so for a reason. What or who are they trying to protect and what will the cost be of doing so?
General Thoughts 🤔
I’ll start by confessing that I was an absolute fool for leaving this book way down at the bottom of my Netgalley list because it was so so so good. I haven’t read a book this twisty and unpredictable in quite some time and I loved every moment of it. It was one of those stories that makes you think you’ve cracked it, you know what’s going on, before whacking a great big NOPE in your face and going down a completely different direction.
I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was going on and who was to blame, but it wasn’t until the very end that the pieces started to fit together for me. On reflection, the clues were there throughout, but they were so cleverly hidden, I only recognised them in hindsight. There were many suspects in my mind and I was gobsmacked when I found out who the person was I was trying to seek out.
Characters 👫👭👬
Connor has to be the character I talk about first because he was the one I was drawn to the most. When I say I felt sorry for this kid, I mean I felt it way down deep in my soul. He was carrying some pretty heavy stuff around in his metaphorical baggage and I felt like someone should have been able to provide him with emotional support to help him offload. I appreciated that his parents had a lot going on, but I couldn’t help but feel that Connor was somewhat neglected by them.
Which brings me on to Lucy and Aiden. I had strong suspicions about Aiden from quite near to the start as he seemed very shifty. The secret that he was keeping from the rest of his family wasn’t the biggest reveal in the book and it wasn’t my biggest surprise, but it revealed a lot about him to me. I think he was a touch cowardly and was happy to leave his wife to deal with the heavier stuff going on in their family. I felt total empathy for Lucy. I got the impression that she was the glue holding everything together, but she was pritt stick when really she needed to be lock tite. Reading Lucy’s POV always gave me a sense of heading into impending disaster.
Writing Style ✍️
This is the first book that I have read by this author and I really liked her writing style. The pacing of this book was fantastic and it was what kept me going back and turning the pages. Short snappy chapters helped to keep the story moving along and I loved the different POVs throughout.
I’ve read some reviews saying that the ending was far fetched and extreme and I have to agree, but I say that in a positive way. All of the events within this story could only lead to something far fetched and extreme. All of the characters were at breaking point and something big had to happen, otherwise I think the ending would have been an anti-climax. I loved the shock of it.
Conclusion & Scoring 🎖
This book had me up until the early hours of this morning because I simply could not put it down. Fast paced, twisty, shocking and at times emotional, this was a great psychological thriller that had me guessing all the way through. Though I regret not having read this when I had the Netgalley ARC (I’m an ARC failure, I know), I am so glad I bought it now and read it. The silver lining is that Louise Jensen’s next book is right around the corner and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy. This is likely going to be my last book of 2022 and I am so happy that I’m ending the year on such a high.
Wow what can I say! Amazing, heart stopping moments throughout. Can’t rate this high enough, every time you think you know where it’s going, it takes you in another direction completely..
Fantastic, truly fantastic!
I am a big fan of Louise Jensen and knew that I would be in for a treat with her latest novel (which did not disappoint).
Lucy knows she should not have left Connor at home alone-there is no tangible reason, no explanation but the feeling in the pit of her stomach is undeniable and when she returns home to find her son missing and blood everywhere, she knows she was right.
Connor is the third of his friends to disappear, the local news is referring to them as “The Taken” and they were all there that night. Who is taking them and why, is it linked?
I could not put this down and just when you think you have it all figured out-you don’t! Perfect!
Louise Jensen always delivers great novels, and All For You is another tense, gripping story. It follows the Walsh family, going through a difficult time – younger son Kieran has multiple health issues and is seriously ill. Eldest son Connor is recovering from a traumatic incident at school involving his girlfriend – one which he is keeping some big secrets about. Turns out, they’re all keeping secrets in their own way, and as some of Connor’s friends start to disappear, some truths come to the surface.
The characters in this novel are convincing and likeable – both Lucy and Aidan feel like well developed characters, though their judgement seems questionable at times! The book demonstrates the effect that stupid, split-second decisions can have by people of all ages. Connor and has friends have certainly made some silly decisions and it has very far reaching effects on those around them.
There’s lots of emotion in these pages. The book surprised me and intrigued me; I didn’t guess what was going to happen at all but there were some points which did require some proper suspension of disbelief – but still, it was very entertaining. I enjoyed the slow reveal of significant information and the way so much was tied up satisfactorily towards the end.
Good fun and a great read for fans of domestic thrillers!
Great plot to get yourself lost in. This book has everything. A real fast paced thriller. Will get your heart racing on more than one occasion. Very well written. Highly recommend this book