This was quite dark, and not being a mother myself, I'm not sure how believable it was. It was interesting to see where it led, and to explore the sociopath side of things.

The version I read could definitely do with some proofreading as there were quite a few errors.

I would read another by this author.

This is a well written creepy book. It is tense in places. The characters are well developed but they are not all likeable. It is very fast paced.

This is a fantastic read. A very different storyline, full of twists and quite unsettling at times! Carys Jones has done it again.

Highly recommend.

My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Fast-paced, riveting read! This is the second book of Carys' I have read and think she is a brilliant writer whose novels run at a great pace.

Oooo this was a riveting read. With its expertly crafted narrative and unexpected revelations, this thriller is a heart-pounding journey that will leave you wanting more.

A good read
A quite dark and twisty read
A well written book
Will keep you turning the pages
Thanks NetGalley

#SheHadItComing #NetGalley
Wow!!!
When Pippa's best friend goes missing on a school run, no one thinks twice. Heather is pretty, popular and more than a little wild.
Most people think she ran away for the attention... Others say girls like her always get what's coming to them. Pippa's mother, Abbie, has never liked Heather. Or her mother Michelle, a successful doctor who thinks she's too good for the school mums' group. But when Heather turns up dead, everything changes. Because Pippa was the last person to see her alive... and now Abbie's own house of cards is about to come tumbling down.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me an advance copy.

I feel like this was a nice little mix of YA and thriller, exploring the strained relationship between friends, and between mothers and daughters. It did feel very high school drama themed (in a good way) and sometimes there is nothing easier than losing yourself in a bunch of bitchy characters who will do anything to look good.

It did bring me right back to high school and make me glad I’m a whole grown adult who spends more time with my books than with drama filled people 😂.

I suspected I could see where the story was going from the beginning but it did throw me some nice little curve balls.

A solid 3.5 stars, rounded up!

✩​​✩✩✩

I feel like this book needs a trigger warning for bitchy, borderline bullying teenage girls, because the second I opened this book I was hit with it and immediately I was taken back to my high school days, where I was bullied so that was FUN!

All that aside, something didn't feel 100% right with this book, I think it was a mixture of everything... It was good but it lacked that little extra that made it thrilling.

Starting with the characters, I found it really difficult to get attached to any of them tbh, whilst I did think Pippa had some redeeming qualities (and I know firsthand how hard it is to be a teenage girl) I still struggled to feel anything for her throughout the book. I did think the way the author demonstrated motherly (and fatherly love to an extent) was cleverly done though.

And as I said above, I felt the atmosphere just really lacked that little bit of something that made it thrilling, for me until the last 4 or so chapters really.

Onto the writing now, I did think it was good but as the book was written in 3rd person I found it really difficult to keep track of which perspective the story was coming from. At points, it felt like Abbie was the lead character, but it was actually Pippa and then back to Abbie. It didn't feel like the story every settled on one person and it wasn't overly clear where the divide and change in the story was.

It was the same with the plot, I did enjoy the plot and I thought it had some real potential, but it felt kind of obvious what was going on and what was going to happen. I'm not sure if I've just read too many thrillers so I know what to expect or if it was just really transparent what was going to happen (I'm hoping for this books sake it was the first one!)

SPOILER ALERT.

I hated how the author threw in the whole sociopath and narcissist bit at the end of the book, there had been ZERO mentions of this throughout the rest of the book and it was like the author was just going for the shock factor without any consideration for what those words and definitions actually mean. It really annoyed me.

SPOILER ALERT OVER.

On the whole, I think this book had the right idea, it was a good plot and premise, it just needed a better execution and that lil extra something to make it a real standout 5 star read.

This was written brilliantly. At the beginning, it had me turning the pages. However, it soon tapered off, and I felt disappointed and bored.

I struggled with the characters. I couldn’t get behind any of them and didn’t find any of them particularly likeable or relatable. The moms of the girls irritated me the most, but I think the whole point was to hate them as they were so judgemental and the town gossips. Their daughters weren’t much better. The only character I half liked was Pippa. She was the only character that felt genuine, but she came across as quite whiny and annoying.

It was slow to start. Although we were thrown right into the action, it still took a while for the story to kick off. The mystery about what happened to her captured my attention, but I found the story slow and boring in parts.

Overall, not my favourite, but still worth a read. Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author, for a chance to read and review this book.

In the middle of a school cross country run a girl goes missing. It’s Pippa’s best friend, Heather. Heather is pretty, popular, and your stereotypical ‘mean girl’.

Most people think Heather ran away for the attention… Others say girls like her always get what’s coming to them.

Firstly, to set expectations She Had It Coming isn’t an exhilarating thriller – more a slow burning crime journey. It’s not full of twists and turns but instead has a predictable storyline. However, aside from something at the end which I cannot understand, the plot is easy to follow and addictive.

The characters were so well written – I could almost feel myself sitting back at school myself. The typical popular/mean girls, the girls who always come top of everything, the gossiping mums at the gates- stereotypical but so realistic! Not only was the day-to-day portrayal of the teenage girls written exceptionally (which is reinforced through the letter writing) but I also loved the dynamics between the characters, particularly that of the two best friends- I am sure many of us have had a ‘toxic’ friendship in our life and can relate to the love/hate relationship.

Key themes in the book include how far people are willing to go for their children, which I found particularly intriguing, as well as female friendships and the ugliness which can hide under the complexities of them.

Overall, four stars.

When I first started thus book I stopped a couple times with a "ugh just another book" well I finally picked it back up and once I got into it?! I loved this book! What an enjoyable read! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, and so many crazy twists! And a bit of a who done it! I highly recommend reading this book!

'Someone needs to bring her down a peg or two...'
When Pippa's best friend goes missing on a school run, no one thinks twice. Heather is pretty, popular and more than a little wild.
Most people think she ran away for the attention... Others say girls like her always get what's coming to them.
Pippa's mother, Abbie, has never liked Heather. Or her mother Michelle, a successful doctor who thinks she's too good for the school mums' group.
But when Heather turns up dead, everything changes. Because Pippa was the last person to see her alive... and now Abbie's own house of cards is about to come tumbling down.

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

This is an absolute gem!!! I’ve been so excited about this book and it hasn’t disappointed.absolutely will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen to me.

An intriguing crime thriller that falls between YA and adult thriller - with missing teenagers, complex mother daughter relationships and complicated teenage friendships. It was well structured and well written, the characters were interesting and the plot made me want to read on. 3.5 stars rounded up

Pippa and Heather are teenage best friends with an edge. They are very different and there is some tension in their friendship after Heather reveals something. While they are out on a cross country run, Heather takes off by herself on a shortcut and disappears. At first no one is concerned, thinking she is seeking attention, but then her body is found. This is not as twisty and suspenseful as I hoped but was still a quick read.

I loved this book! It was so taut and well written, and I was fully invested in the mother-daughter relationship between Pippa and Abbie, against the backdrop of the mystery of Heather’s death and an extra-marital affair.

I guessed what had happened about halfway through the book, but still found the ending enjoyable. At times, I found Abbie an unsympathetic character, and will probably not be alone!

This book raises an interesting question about the lengths that parents are willing to go to for their children, and I was satisfied that this was answered.

Carys Jones is a talented writer and I look forward to her next book.

With thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and author for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book and found it thoroughly enjoyable. It did indeed hold my attention and engage my brain. When I first heard about it, it was described as a hard hitting thriller but I found it sat more in the crime fiction genre for me.

She Had It Coming is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Carys Jones really knows what she's doing. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out She Had It Coming today.

The next book I read is She Had It Coming by Carys Jones and I received the book from Orion Books via Netgalley. It just came out a few days ago, on the 19th of January.

A girl goes missing. It's Pippa's best friend, Heather. Heather is the all too known popular and pretty girl - also the mean girl. Always craving attention and that's what people think now as well. She will show up. And she does show up - except she is found dead. And Pippa is the last one to have seen her alive.

This was an interesting book to read, but definitely not a thriller. More a slow burning crime story the takes some time to unravel. Mostly you follow Abbie, the mother, and Pippa and you get to know these characters a bit, but it mostly stay rather superficial. The letters between Heather and Pippa are not really necessary for the story - sometimes they are even a bit too much. Abbie is not always easy to follow as a character. Sometimes she takes decisions that others would normally not take, but that is also a bit of the charm of the book. A little of an 'off' character, perhaps a bit due to the alcohol. It fits in the story. It was easy to guess who did it so it was rather predictable.

2,5⭐