I struggled to get into this one, found it a bit unbelievable. The author did a reasonable job of explaining the mental anguish and how it must feel not to be able to trust anyone. I did finish it as I wanted to know the ending and understand the rationale behind the plot. Took me quite a while to finish, felt like a chore. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

I was so greedy and I absolutely ate this book up! No stopping. I didn’t even have any notes for review I was that engrossed. The plot is extremely smart. It’s a dark and dangerous tale and one that has your heart pumping! It’s also honestly just so heartbreaking. Megan is a great heroine and gives the book food for thought and heart. Do you know what? I can’t even write anything here ‘cos I’m so scared I’ll give something away! That is not something needed with this read.

Can’t recommend this book enough. Honestly, it’s like I said a dark and dangerous read. A poignant, empathetic, mind twisting treat.

5/5

P.S.. I also need to add here that I actually listened to the audio book I'm usually not a fan of them as I feel you lose connections with characters for some reason. I don't know I feel it loses depth too. I didnt feel it with Believe Me Not though! I am really looking forward to getting into an actual copy of the book though because I know it will be deeper and have so much more pull. Still though, it was great.

P.S.. I also need to add here that I actually listened to the audio book I'm usually not a fan of them as I feel you lose connections with characters for some reason. I don't know I feel it loses depth too. I didnt feel it with Believe Me Not though! I am really looking forward to getting into an actual copy of the book though because I know it will be deeper and have so much more pull. Still though, it was great.

Trigger warnings ~ suicide, mental illness, sexual assault

This is a decent debut book.

I was fortunate enough to receive a kindle copy, paperback and the audiobook to review, so I was able to switch back and forth between the three. Ultimately my favorite was the paperback.

Right from the beginning I was drawn into the story wondering who to believe.

Megan wakes up in the hospital not knowing how she got there. She’s adamant that she has had a baby, Luka. Her husband, Stefan (Stef), sister, Sophia, and Dr Mac and nurse, Gemma, assure her she has never had a baby and, in fact, has had a hysterectomy. They, also, tell her that she’s in the psychiatric unit because she attempted to harm herself and Stef, of which she has no recollection of. The mental illness of psychosis was written well.

The story is mostly told in the present by Megan. We do get some ‘before’ insights from Stef’s perspective, which include tidbits about Megan, Sophia and his twin, Isaac. This kept the story flowing at a nice pace, but in turn the secrets came out at a slow pace.

Sarah Lam did a nice job narrating and giving emotion to Megan as she tried to figure out what was going on and who she could trust. I do wish there was also a male narrator though.

Overall, this was a fast paced psychological/domestic drama debut that will make you wait until the end for all the secrets to be revealed. I am excited to see what Natalie writes next.

Thank you Netgalley and Headline Audio for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't like this book. Which was a shame because it had such a promising premise. However, I did not like Megan or her husband. Her sister was annoying and the whole thing fell apart with the doctor. I enjoy unreliable narrators. I enjoy books where people have memory problems. However, the "big reveal" at the end was just weird. It wasn't thrilling in any sense of the word. The only reason I finished this book is because it held my interest enough to want to know what happens, but it was so lackluster when it happened. The story in the past and how it linked to the current timeline was unrealistic and didn't make sense to me.

All in all, I just wasn't impressed with this book. The writing style is fine, but the plot and the way it played out didn't really do much for me. I'm sure people will like this book, but I just didn't connect. The audio was just okay. I wasn't super impressed, but it was listenable. Two stars because I did finish the book.

When Megan wakes up in hospital her only concern is the whereabouts of her baby son, Luca. The only problem is that everyone around her tells her she doesn't have a baby and has never been pregnant. Megan isn't actually in hospital, she's in a psychiatric unit having had a psychotic episode but no matter how often she's told there is no baby Megan still isn't convinced.

This was an engrossing psychological thriller that had me wondering and doubting throughout. Whilst Megan is convinced she's given birth to a baby boy she keeps getting the same message from those around her that there is no baby. Everyone, including her husband, her sister and her psychiatrist, are adamant that Megan believes she was pregnant because of a psychotic break.

As Megan fights for more control over her life she keeps having vague memories that involve her baby but each time those around her have reasonable excuses that explain why she's wrong. Just like Megan the reader is full of doubt as to what is real and what isn't.

At times the story retreats to the past, when Megan and her husband were dating as older teens and we discover that issues with mental health figured in both their families. This adds possible evidence to the story that Megan has had a breakdown.

The psychiatrist treating Megan has a sinister bearing. His background reveals questionable treatment methods, Megan is heavily medicated and even nursing staff question his actions. This character really adds to unsettling nature of the story.

Right up to the conclusion you are wondering if a baby ever existed and when we discover the reveal there are still a few twists left. My only criticism of this audiobook is that I felt the story was a little repetitive at times and could have been pared down slightly.

This is a book of two halves, I found the first half really slow and I actually wasn’t sure I would be able to finish listening to it but the second half was much faster paced and I really enjoyed. A good story but I think the beginning could have done with some more editing.

This book was twisty!

When I first started listening to this book, my brain went “why does she think she had a child when everyone is saying she didn’t?” “Why would she have a child if she didnt want one?” then it went to “This isn’t adding up, why are they lying?!”

I enjoyed this audiobook, it was a great thriller but I did find some parts hard to follow as I felt parts dragged but it didn’t take away from the story at all and it’s actually something I would click to watch if it was on Netflix as a series or movie because it’s sketchy as hell!

I did eventually guess what was going to kind of happen, but there was a twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting and I won’t reveal to you as you must read this book for yourself.

The narrator was easy to listen to which can really make or break a book, this one really complimented the story well and I would definitely pick up another book from this author!

Thank you for @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to request this book and to the publisher for accepting me!

I enjoyed this audiobook. It wasn't quite what I was expecting by the intro but all the same, it was an easy listen. It explored the complexities of mental health and how what we are told can impact what we feel. The narrator was good.

This is not a quick read. At times the pace was slow. The book tackles the interesting subject of mental health/illness.
The book is told in current day and in flashbacks. Glad I stuck with to see how the ending went but it took a long time getting there.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an arc.

I have very mixed thoughts about this book

I found this quite a slow read to start with. It seemed to go round in circles at the start and I did wonder if I would actually finish it. I felt that the beginning coukd have benefited from more editing because the same conversation happened with several other characters

It did start to pick up towards the middle and turned into a page turner and I really enjoyed it

Megan wakes up in hospital with no recollection of the events that led her there, apart from being sure that she has recently had a baby and that baby is missing.
Her husband, sister and doctor refuse to answer her questions about what happened and keeps denying the existence of the baby.
Megan resolves to do everything in her power to find the truth.
A bit unbelievable in places, the story is quite gripping and the ending surprising.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Audio for letting me review this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Natalie Chandler - Believe Me Not

Ohhh this is clever. Believe Me Not is FULL of secrets, with everyone having something to hide.

Told in dual timelines, there’s mystery in both the past and the present as Megan slowly regains her memory of the events that unfolded before she woke in a psychiatric hospital. At first I struggled to see how some aspects of the the ‘past’ storyline would tie in with what was happening in the here and now, they felt a bit disconnected. However, I shouldn’t have worried as it’s all very cleverly connected and starts to make sense as the story goes on. There’s so much going on and packed into this story, like literally, the author did an amazing job at remembering all the little details and tying them up nicely at the end. That being said, the ending is somewhat open for the reader to make their own conclusions on some aspects, which I really enjoy.

Did Meg actually give birth? Oh, it’s really not as simple as that. This story did NOT go down the route I guessed it would! Working in the mental health field and being so passionate about the topic, I’m always a little apprehensive of reading books with a mental health theme, and judgemental of how it is portrayed in books, as I can’t help but become angry if it’s handled wrongly. The portrayal of mental illness(es) is really well done (minus Dr. Mac’s way of ‘treating’ Meg, like what the hell was that?!?! that was absolutely the point though).

Apart from eye rolling every time I’d needed to listen to Dr Mac, I really felt connected (in a positive way!) to all other characters. I did feel sorry for Meg; her memory loss, knowing her family were keeping secrets from her about baby Luka, and the way her life was constrained after leaving the psychiatric hospital angered me (all for her own safety but srsly, thanks Dr. Mac). Her sister Sophia was so sarcastic and funny, she really injected some light hearted comedy into the serious nature of the story.

I loved that we were drip fed information and small, exciting revelations along the way, instead of having to wait until the end, where there was of course one big final twist for us to devour - they just don’t stop! The writing and way the story was presented made the book so engaging. Although I wouldn’t quite class this as a ‘thriller’, it was definitely psychological, mysterious, and fun to piece together. I was only able to guess the twists JUST before they were revealed. This is a twisty story that really did shock me!!

I listened to this on audiobook and I really liked the narrator. She captured Meg’s emotions and personality perfectly.

The title rather sums up how I ended up feeling because I really could not believe such a far fetched and totally unlikely tale. I often think certain books are better listened to than read but I struggled to listen to this one and was glad to get to the end.

Megan wakes up, disorientated, in a hospital bed but can’t remember why. She feels a scar from recent surgery and then recalls, and wants to know where her baby is, But the doctors, Megan’s husband, Stefan and family members keep evading her questions. Why won’t anyone tell about her baby? Then Megan realises she is not in a maternity ward but a psychiatric ward. She is desperate to have answers but only faced with lies and more questions.
A gripping, psychological thriller that will really pull at your heart strings. You will so desperately want to help Megan. It’s if difficult to know who to trust.

I have had a run of really good books lately and this was one of them. The story is dark and disturbing and quite unique.
The story centres around the mental illness of Megan, who is, due to this, an extremely unreliable narrator.
I don’t want to drop an spoilers, but just to stay the outcome is multifaceted and uncertain.
An excellent read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback. The first half I found slow, the pace picked up in the 2nd half. It ended stronger. I found it a quick easy listen, but l felt that it was a bit predictable, and lacking the plot complexity and twists and turns that I have become used to with psychological thrillers.

Believe Me Not is an outstanding, compelling and addictive psychological thriller that keeps the reader/listener on the edge of their seats. The twists and turns within the storyline demonstrate that the author is talented and has high standards of writing, drawing them in from the beginning of chapter one.

This storyline pace started well but did drag a little in the middle for my preference. However, it picked up speed and intensity towards the conclusion, so it is worth continuing.

The mental health concept throughout this book is powerful and handled well. The author's sensitivity shows throughout Megan's character, making her a character I liked. I felt empathy towards her emotional pain. Although I have not experienced the same as her, I found her relatable. I have to be honest; I misjudged Megan's family initially. Still, as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent why they took specific actions and the consequences of such.

The narration is performed well, which aids in allowing the listener to become emotionally invested in these characters. I did not like the unethical psychotherapist and felt that the plot didn't require his presence. I can see why the author went down this line, but it felt a little far fetched for me, hence why this is a four-star read and not a five.

Overall, this is very entertaining, and I recommend it to anyone, fans of this author or genre. This audiobook is available from 9th June and is worth pre-ordering today!

This was a fast paced thriller that made compulsive reading. Some of the themes in this book made it difficult to read at times but I just know what happened to Mégan, could she trust her thoughts and memories or were they paranoid delusions, the twists in the book make you doubt everyone and even your own sanity at points.
#netgalley #believemenot I definitely plan to read more Natalie Chandler

Believe Me Not Is described as a compulsive and totally unputdownable edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller
but trust me it wasn’t and I could the story is drawn out and the narrator Sarah Lam was not suited for this book, it was like listening to a robot & it was so bad I jumped to the end, maybe it would of been better if I had read it but sadly as an audiobook I advise you give it a miss.

This book sounded really good, but it was too long and very slow moving. I basically went to the end to hear what happened.