★★★ 3.5 stars

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Ruth Heald's exciting new thriller THE NEW GIRL.

I've been a fan of Ruth Heald since her debut domestic thriller "The Mother's Mistake" which is just brilliant from start to finish. So naturally every new release of hers incites an excitement and anticipation of what's to come. This one promises fresh starts and new beginnings for the protagonist who has seen her fair share of ups and downs, not to mention disappointments. Unfortunately, this fresh start isn't what she was expecting.

THE NEW GIRL in this story is Sophie, who had escaped London once before after an incident at university for the safety of home in Dorset. But now she is ready to put the past behind her and move forward...beginning with a job at an ad agency in London. Unfortunately, her boyfriend Charlie doesn't see things in quite the same way. After celebrating ten years since their first kiss at the tender age of fourteen, Charlie springs a surprise on her he is sure she will love.

As he leads her to the cottage by the sea that was once his grandfather's, he proudly announces that he is doing it up for them to settle down and raise a family in. And then he pops the question. Sophie stalls. This isn't what she wants and she flees the house, taking refuge in her childhood home with her father. OK, so maybe Charlie was a bit presumptuous...but after ten years together if it was me I would have thought they'd get married too. And not to mention that cottage by the sea...and the sounds of the ocean through the window at night. To me, that is just pure heaven.

So instead of settling down in their sleepy seaside village in Dorset (which I would prefer to smelly crowded London, myself), Sophie sends out applications to London ad agencies in the hope of securing herself a job. When she is contacted by One Pure "something or other" (I forget the rest of the name) for an interview she can hardly believe it. She travels up to London and meets with James and Cassie, two of the founding members of the company, and together they hit it off. Sophie nails the interview and is offered the job. Better yet, she is offered a flat the company uses for their employees rent-free. Um...

Seriously, how naive can one person be? Hand-picked from a social media post to her dream job with a rent-free flat? Who take her shopping for food, clothing and furnishings? And her bosses just too good to be true? Does she not have any inkling whatsoever that something isn't right? Truly...if something seems too good to be true, then it generally is. But Sophie just welcomed it all with open arms and a naivete that was almost cringeworthy. She should have remembered that nothing comes for free...her experience with Charlie should have told her that. And yet...

And then Sophie begins to hear noises in the night, footsteps outside her door...when she is the only occupant in the building...and a dead rat on her doorstep. And she has the creepy feeling she is being watched. Do people actually feel that? Truly? Then she is approached by a woman claiming to have worked for the company before and she wants to talk to her...but Sophie isn't so sure. When the police approach her regarding her past, Sophie fears her secret is about to be exposed. And before long, Sophie isn't sure who she can trust.

And then she stumbles on a dead body in the flat below hers...

In all honesty, Sophie was too gullible for words. I mean, I generally take people at face value but she took it to a whole new level. She ignored all the red flags and neon signs flashing in her direction, even when warned, and basically dug herself in deeper. She was in a bit of a bind though...new job, new flat and no way of paying rent anywhere else in London except maybe a park bench. Is that why she ignored all the warning signs? Given at all she had endured I would have thought she'd have been more guarded and not so trusting. That went without saying...and yet here she was trusting complete strangers. Even when Charlie turned up several times, which was a little creepy to say the least, she trusted her new friends instead of him who'd she'd known half her life.

The plot was interesting enough but full of holes in my opinion because I really couldn't see a woman being that naive particularly after what she'd been through. Yes, it was a tad far-fetched but it was still fast paced and gripping enough to keep me engaged to the end. I wasn't surprised by the ending or the links to her past as I could see them from a mile off. I didn't trust anyone in the story and hoped Sophie wised up to them before it was too late. No one else is really worth writing about.

THE NEW GIRL is a creepy thriller that had my spidey senses tingling throughout despite my desire to shake some sense into the woman. Sophie has a vulnerability that stems from a previous trauma which has turned he into an unreliable judge of character. And now she's stuck in a flat alone with the threat of someone out there exposing something she would much rather keep hidden. Who can she trust? While Charlie was becoming a tad too clingy and overprotective, I still felt it was a case of better the devil you know than swimming in an ocean of sharks she could not see lurking in the shadows.

A relatively spine-tingling read, THE NEW GIRL is a thriller where you suspect everyone as you try to guess who is responsible. The twists may be unexpected or you may see them coming...it depends on how you read it all. The climax was nail-biting and somewhat exciting but the epilogue was a bit of a letdown as I had expected a bit more to come of things.

Overall, THE NEW GIRL is a reasonably enjoyable read that didn't quite have me on the edge of my seat but it was fast paced and gripping just the same. Didn't quite pack the same punch as the author's previous thrillers but still a good read.

I would like to thank #RuthHeald, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNewGirl in exchange for an honest review.

One of my January anticipated releases and it was a good one.

3.5 🌟

Sophie is ready to move on and out her past behind her. The the perfect job comes along in London and Sophie is interviewed. She ends up being offered the position and lucky for her the job comes with some perks like living rent free in a company flat. Soon she is settling into her new life, making new friends and doing well at her job. Her life seems perfect but then some strange things start to happen and maybe her old life isn't quite in the past.

I found this so fast paced and had me turning the pages to see where it would go. I liked the development of Sophie and the other characters were written so well that I didn't know who to really trust.

I guessed one of the twists but there were others that I didn't see coming and I enjoyed the ending.

The New Girl by Ruth Heald is a tense and gripping psychological thriller . Right from the start this book had me sucked in and I didn’t want to stop reading . This book had so many twists and turns that at times I didn’t know who to trust. About 3/4 way through I did guess one of the twists but it in no way too, away from my enjoyment of this book. I highly recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers.

Another really good story from Ruth Heald!

Sophie is stuck in her hometown of Dorset where she grew up but yearns for the bright lights of London and to use her university degree to carve out a career in advertising. Suddenly a job opportunity at an up-and-coming advertising agency comes her way and before she knows it, she’s on a train to London for the interview. She gets the job and within weeks is living in London, socialising with her new colleagues, and enjoying her job. However, she has a secret in the past that she wants to forget but it’s never that easy to just move on. Sophie’s past and the present begin colliding and she begins to wonder who she can really trust. Was the job and all the perks that came with it too good to be true?! You’ll have to read the book to find out.

I really enjoyed this book. I took an instant dislike to Charlie and in all honesty, I don’t know how Sophie stayed with him for 10 years! I thought the author did a great job in making me feel just as confused as Sophie and also really portrayed the creepiness in some scenes perfectly. The twist was a shock to me I definitely did not see it coming. I would highly recommend this book to psychological thriller readers, and I can’t wait to read more of Ruth Heald’s books.

Thank you to Netgalley, Ruth Heald and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Due out 25th January 2022.

First thoughts? I loved it. A great read that I just couldn't put down, The story may seem a little unbelievable but this did not decrease my enjoyment. Sophie is trying to build a new life in London and finds herself working for a marketing company that may or may not have trouble lurking that will disrupt her life, you will need to read this to find out. She has debts to her past boyfriend that she racked up due to her fathers ill health and this will cause it own issues as to hw she resolves this. I did not see some of the twists coming and that always makes a book a great read for me , I like the unpredictability of a story like this. A truly gripping read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie ready to let go of her past and move to London for a job that seems very “too good to be true”. Everything is perfect that is until she receives an email about the past she is running away from.

I love a suspense book that keep hitting me with shocking twists. Poor naive Sophie was walking towards a field of red flags and she had no idea.I enjoyed the pace of the book it helped me get out of a reading slump and the mystery atmosphere had me by the throat. As much as I enjoyed seeing all the characters got what they deserved, the ending was rushed and was underwhelming.

This is the story of Sophie who wants to start over. Who has something that happened in her past that disrupted her life, something that she had been running from, but it has been long enough that she wants to try living her dreams again. Try moving to London and working in advertising and not being afraid anymore. So that is what she does...only she is really naive and makes some not great decisions. I was constantly like what are you doing?? Doesn't this seem odd to you?? Plus she trusts people just because even when she finds out they are untrustworthy. Like she will find out someone lied, but she likes the person who lied so no big deal! Which...doesn't make a lot of sense. Especially with her past. The circumstances surrounding her employment, the benefits, all of it is...odd, but Sophie never once questions it. Or maybe she does for a moment, but then they give her a random reason and it is like okay, no big deal let's not think about this again. Even with all this I was really enjoying the story. It was a fun, quick read.

Until we get to the end. Which then had the like mustache-twirling caricature of a villain. And really the whole ending part was...like I said she never questioned certain people and she just made up stuff about what was going on and well...especially at the end when everything was happening it made no sense. None. That and the epilogue was 1,000% unbelievable. It was more a fantasy that she would have had, not something that would ever in a million years happen, especially not in 6 months time. There is just no way everyone ends up where they are in that. Plus it seems to try and redeem a not good person which was really not good. So that kind of brought the book down for me. Still a fun read overall but left with a meh ending.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for an advanced copy of this book.

Sophie returns to London to pursue her dream job after escaping the city following a bad experience. She’s found the perfect job, with accommodation and hopes this will be the breakthrough in her career she is looking for. But with an ex that keeps turning up around every corner and a strange atmosphere in the new office, will this be the break she so desperately needs or a whole new nightmare.
This was really fast paced, and I found myself racing through the pages. There is so, so much tension. During so much of this I was cringing for Sophie to walk away, to spot the red flags and this really worked well to build tension and create a dark atmosphere.
Sophie as a character was likeable, she has a difficult past which makes her vulnerable and her struggles make it easy to identify with her. Don’t get me wrong some choices I was horrified by, but on the whole, you can really get behind her as a character.
The subjects addressed in the book are done so with a good level of tact, dealing with rape and the emotions and struggles victims face. By touching on these themes, the book became sinister and dangerous. There was no point I felt that Sophie was safe and the new world she found herself in was so utterly toxic, you wanted her to pack her bags and return home immediately.
Overall, a great read, that had me interested and drawn in form the very first pages. I look forward to exploring more by this author.

When Sophie lands a great job in the heart of London, it is better than she expected. Until a former female employee starts showing up at her doorstep with vague accusations of her employers and another one shows up dead.

As Sophie begins to connect the pieces of her past trauma of her rape with her currently job & life, she quickly realizes that nothing is as it seems. Sophie quickly learns just how much money can buy you-connections, freedom, and a clean slate regardless of all the rape accusations made against you.

This book was a tough book to read. There was gaslighting, victims of sexual assault weren’t believed (and were harassed), and other aspects of this story that made it a dark read.

With that being said, it was a good read and all of the characters were portrayed in kinda unreliable ways (except for Sophie, in my opinion) which made it hard to know the connections and intentions behind everyone.

The New Girl lures you in with an intense and yet intriguing plot. Sophie finds herself confined and merely existing in Dorset and decides to move to London to pursue advertising. However, this comes at a fateful price for the lingering ghosts of her past come alive. The pacing of this book is phenomenal, and Ruth has done a fantastic job of presenting a naive, clueless and inexperienced protagonist. The progression between past and present events flows exceptionally well. While I successfully put the pieces together, some twists and turns caught me off guard, making it a good read. I found the ending to be rushed and the epilogue was far fetched. There were times where moments of suspense felt like I was spinning in circles. However, I appreciate Ruth's intention of bringing awareness of undeniable and concerning issues that society faces regarding the vulnerability and safety of women. A 4 star read!

A thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

The New Girl, the story of likeable yet often frustratingly naive Sophie.
I found myself getting quite annoyed that she either didn't see or chose to ignore the blaringly obvious red flags when it came to her new job, which came with perks that I'd imagine only top dogs would usually receive. Despite having little trust in men due to her terrible past she still chose to trust a man she had known for a few weeks rather than a man she had previously been in a relationship with for 10yrs.
It all felt quite unbelievable and the "whodunit" was, without giving any spoilers, halfway extremely obvious.
Unfortunately this wasn't for me but I will offer points for the 1 part of the final that i didn't see coming, other than that it was just too glaringly obvious I'm afraid.
#TheNewGirl
#NetGalley

The New Girl by Ruth Heald

Published: January 25, 2022
Bookouture
Pages: 310
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Ruth Heald studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full-time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and what drives people to violence, destruction, and revenge. She’s married with two children, and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.

“Why not?”

Sophie feels like she is suffocating. She longs for change, a fresh start. When an offer too good to be true falls into her lap, she leaps. Moving to London, she starts what she thinks is her dream job. Everything seems to be turning around- until her past comes back to haunt her. Now, Sophie is getting brutal reminders that she can outrun.

This was pretty intense. And the premise is heavy. There is serious mention of sexual assault and victim-blaming, so trigger warning before reading this novel.

Sophie was a great leading lady. She was authentic. She had struggles that many young adults have, and she is a survivor. She had so much strength, such resilience, and a will that couldn’t be broken.

James is a classic, swoon-worthy character. He’s smooth- he always knows what to say and how to say it. There is a mysterious air about him that makes it difficult to determine if he is sweet or slimy.

Cassie seems like such a strong, intelligent, confident woman. A total female-female. She knows what she brings to the table, and she owns it.

Max is mysterious and brooding and appears to have everything handed to him because he’s a man. He had grown up in a world of endless privilege and isn’t afraid to show that.

This was a profoundly intense read. Sophie’s past trauma was so palpable, and you literally feel her pain, anxiety, and fear.

I think the representation of women who try to report their assault was well represented. And the truth is that often they aren’t believed.

I loved the twist of honesty, obscene wealth, and sheer desperation were running themes. The balance between light and dark, truth and lies, was so well done.

As the story continued, it became harder to decide who did what and who could be trusted. The game was set up well, and the tests were executed brilliantly—a deeply intense read, from start to finish.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

The New Girl by Ruth Heald is a psychological thriller revolving around Sophie who has just scored the job of a lifetime in London. But as soon as she starts, things don't add up and slowly her suspicions rise.

Although I did enjoy this book and finished it, I found it a little hard to believe and silly. How does Sophie not see how weird some of the things are and just leave?? This frustrated me to no end.

The New Girl is the story of Sophie. She returned from her experience she had at school for the safety of home. Now she has finished school and gotten her online degree. Sophie feels she is ready to brave her fears and return to London for a job in London. She had been living with Charlie, but he was getting too clingy and overprotective. Sophie breaks it off and sends out resumes and finally gets a request for an interview. Excited she takes the offer as well as the few perks that come with the job. As she tries to get comfortable with her new life, she notices odd things start to happen at her apartment, odd noises, a dead rat, and finally a dead body in the apartment below hers.

This is a psychological thriller where everyone will become a suspect as you try to guess who is responsible. The twists and turns keep building until the end.

What a thriller!
Sophie gets the perfect opportunity job in London. As she is in desperate need for money she is happy to accept without thinking too much if the offer might not be to good to be true.
Until disturbing things start to occur, making Sophie wonder.
What follows is a hell of a ride that made me want to know what is about to happen next! Though I have to confess that at some times I could not beleave how Sophie reacted. But isn't this the kick of reading thriller books? In the end it worked out pretty fine!

Thank you #NetGalley #Bookouture for an ARC of this book

In real life, this would be a truck full of red flags. In fictional life, it is also, but it's acceptable in a few hour read. Diabolical maneuvering here though and the end was not for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

This was the first book I've read by Ruth Heald. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself reading it late into the night to find out what happened to Sophie. I love all the twists and the turns along the way. I will be reading more of her books! This one did not disappoint!

If you like thrillers, this is a book I highly recommend. Fast paced and lots of twists made it impossible to figure out who was the bad guy. I loved it
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC

Sophie has just split with her long time boyfriend and takes a job in London that seems too good to be true.
Sophie has a past that she is hiding from. She would rather never think of it again. Now she is living in an apartment supplied by the company she now work for. What could be better right? A great new job she loves and a free apartment thrown in. BUT then some strange things start to happen.

This book is paced quickly and kept my interest easily. The ending did seem rushed in comparison to the rest of the book. The main character is rather naive as well. All in all I did enjoy this book a lot.

Thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the arc.

Where to start...... actually let's cut to the case, if you like thrillers then read this and you won't be disappointed!! Granted it may not be the most believable plot but its a fiction book so it doesn't have to be. That doesn't detract from the fact that it will suck you in and not let go until you get to the very last page. I just loved it, it kept up such a good pace and I was just itching to find out what was going to happen next. It really does an excellent job of keeping you on the edge of your seat and really making you feel that fear and eeriness along with the characters. Just read it, trust me this will be a leaflet atart to kick off your new Yr