Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Hannah is haunted by a tragedy that happened when she was in music school. it's a tragedy she's hitten from everyone in her life, but when global star Jesse Carter is murdered in her small English village, all her secrets may come spilling out. And if they do, her chances of adopting little Issy with her husband, Charlie, could go up in smoke.

This novel just didn't hit for me. I felt the pacing was slow and there wasn't enough emotional tension. By the end, I didn't feel I knew any of the characters I'd spent the whole book with. The book seemed to plateau very early and never picked up to action. In some ways, there was a lot going on, like hiding secrets and the adoption process, but then in others it was as though time was standing still. It all takes place in a matter of days or weeks, but it feels dragged out.

If They Knew - Sophie Flynn
After all of Hannah and Charlie's infertility issues, they're finally getting their chance to be parents when they're approved to adopt little Isabella. They're on top of the world, finally ready to move forward and be the family they always wanted to be.
But when a popstar is found dead in their little village, Hannah's past comes flooding back. And if the truth comes out, it will risk everything her and Charlie have built.
As Hannah goes into overdrive, trying to find out everything she possibly can about the murder, she doesn't realize that Charlie has his own secrets which connects them to the same dead popstar. He will do everything in his power to protect Hannah, putting his morals at bay. But is it enough? Can he uncover the truth, while keeping his family safe? Can Hannah come to terms with her past and get the closure she needs to really let go?
I'll start by saying thank you to Netgalley for the awesome ARC. I don't always have set expectations when reading a lesser known author, but Sophie Flynn set the bar high for others going forward. I can't say I exactly liked the characters as they seemed to have been in their own world, but the determination to protect the life they're trying to build made my sympathetic. I had inklings of where the story was going, and I was headed in the right direction. Love makes you do crazy things, and this story was the prime example of that. Keep your eyes peeling for this one as it comes out November 17th, and is most definitely worth the read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐/4!

This kind of fell flat for me. The writing was repetitive and far fetched. This is my first book I’ve read by this author but I would try again with a different book with a different plot.

‘𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙.’

I found Sophie Flynn earlier in the year when I read Keep Them Close (and really enjoyed it!) - so I was so excited to see she’d got a new release coming out. It definitely hit the spot and I think I actually loved this one even more. This one was a very heart wrenching story about infertility, adoption and the real lengths we go to, to get what we want - to get that happy ending.

I have to applaud Flynn on her bravery for baring her soul with writing about the infertility struggles. It was completely raw and real, you really felt everything - coming from a place of real life for her, made the writing have that much more depth and realism about it.

The plot moves from present to past flashbacks, as well as alternative POV’s from Hannah’s husband, Charlie. It really added to the suspense and made it really fast paced and exciting to read. The additional POV with the flashbacks had you constantly questioning everything and needing to know what happens next.

I liked the twists and the constant guessing throughout. Sometimes I wanted to scream at both Hannah and Charlie like ‘WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?’ 😂 But I also felt like in those moments you could feel their desperation and the longing for a baby of their own, that they would literally do anything to achieve.

This book was raw and heart wrenching, whilst being suspenseful and twisty - a really interesting mix that had me hooked. I would definitely recommend but please check CW’s if you are affected by any of the previous bits I’ve mentioned. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next from this author.

Sophie Flynn, you are phenomenal. An automatic instant favorite author of mine.

I have always been a huge fan of psychological thrillers so I jumped at the chance to read this one but honestly, I didn't expect that much. With the amount of books I've read over the years, it's rare that a storyline is totally new and has never been done before and the plot twists become relatively predictable, but this one kept me on my toes the entire time all the way to the epilogue.

The book follows Hannah and Charlie, the idyllic couple . They are so in love with each other and are just a few days away from finalizing the adoption process for their little girl (Issy) after many failed rounds of IVF. But then Jesse, a mysterious man from Hannah's past - and who Charlie knows absolutely nothing about - shows up dead and her whole world turns upside down. Both Hannah and Charlie turn into sneaky little detectives, trying to piece together what happened to Jesse and why 2 other people from Hannah's secret past have abruptly shown up, but they don't talk to each other at ALL about it. It's CRAZY. This picture perfect couple just throws all communication and honesty out the window.

The chapters alternate between "then" and "now", giving us the dual storyline of the current time and of Hannah's past, but some of the "now" chapters are from Charlie's point of view which really shakes things up. I love alternating timelines and alternating perspectives, so all 3 in 1 was super cool. Another thing that amazed me was the character development. Flynn knows what she's doing when it comes to the "world building" aspect of a thriller novel.

I won't say too much more in an attempt to avoid any spoilers, but trust me, this is one you're gonna want to pick up this fall.

If They Knew
By: Sophie Flynn

Hannah and Charlie have been trying to have a child for years to no avail. Finally, they are approved to adopt a two year old little girl and they feel asl though their luck is changing. That is until a popular US pop star, Jesse Carter, turns up dead in their little village in the Cotswolds. Hannah has a history with Jesse that no one knows about and she is prepared to do whatever it takes to keep that secret safe. Charlie knows Hannah isn’t telling him something and will go to the ends of the earth to make sure nothing jeopardizes the family they are about to have.

This story was a wild ride. It started a bit slow for me in the development of the story. A lot of mystery and wondering what is going on - what is the secret?! Once the story picks up, it is a non-stop thrill ride. The story jumps back and forth between past and present and also features a jump over to Charlie’s POV every once in a while. You can feel the desperation of Hannah and Charlie not wanting to mess up their adoption. I was so stressed for these characters and felt both appalled at their actions but also silently rooting them on so they could finally be the parents they always wanted to be. This book really makes you think about how far you would go for your family.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest opinion.

If They Knew is the story of Hannah and Charlie, a couple struggling with infertility, and their journey to adopting. After finally getting approved to adopt little sissy, the murder of pop star Jesse Carter in their small English village threatens to destroy their dreams of becoming parents.

There is not only a POV change - between Charlie and Hannah, but also an alternate timeline where we see Hannah in university and learn about her history with Jesse. I personally love alternate timelines and POV changes because it allows mysteries to unravel slowly while building up suspense but also allows for concurrent twists and turns.

The characters are fairly well written however I feel like some choices they made were pretty silly and didn’t really match up with the development they’ve been given (I don’t want to give spoilers).

The topic of infertility and IVF is foreign to me however it does seem that the author has done her research and really captured the struggles a couple goes through and showed in this case, how loving the marriage between this couple truly was as they went through this together.

After years of infertility and IVF failure Hannah and Charlie are set to adopt a little girl named Isabella. Unfortunately people from Hannah’s past reappear in her life. One of them being a famous artist named Jesse Carter. When Jesse Carter is found dead Hannah begins to panic. Fearing that the adoption of her new little girl will be put in jeopardy. I felt like I was reading two different stories. I would rate this as a 2 1/2 stars. While we get a lot of detail into Hannah‘s fertility struggles I just didn’t feel like it meshed well with the other part of the story about her past and history with Jesse Carter. Thank you tonight Net Galley and the publisher for the e-arc.

*Trigger Warning*

This book does mention sexual assault

I guzzled this book up in 48 hours, absolutely loved it. Whilst reading the book, I picked up on the characters (and to some degree - the authors) own inner struggles, especially around IVF and adoption. I work with a women's group and will be using this book as part of my sessions with them.
I have since bought another book by the author and can't wait to get stuck in. Thank you, for providing me with the opportunity to read this in advance. My best wishes to Sophie, an author I shall be waiting avidly for new titles.

Hannah and her husband are finally accepted to adopt a child. They just have a couple interviews until they're finally parents. The only problem is Hannah has a past and she keeps worrying it will poke its ugly head out of the ground to haunt her and destroy her dream come true. She also found out a pop star and old friend was murdered . . . but how does it all tie together?

I really liked this book . . . until Charlie's chapters were added. The style in which they were written was startling and pulled me right out of the story each time. They then became more and more hard to believe. Charlie's character just didn't add up. Because he was such a big part of the story it really ruined what could have been a good domestic thriller.

This book is written really well. I liked the way the author toyed with the reader when revealing information and when to hold it back. It made it a very gripping book and one that you certainly loose hours of the day lost within the pages. Well done.

Really enjoyed reading this book. Keeps you interested through the whole way, liked the little glimpses of the past that come in little bits through the story to give you slowly more details about what really happened then. Good written and very easy to read, good ending, definitely recommend it. The truth always comes out and the past always hunts you...
Really loved the personal note at the end from Sophie Flynn, about how this book and main character has some things based from her and her life ❤️

Hannah and Charlie are about to adobt after years of infertility and heartbreak. When an american is murdered in a posh complex nearby, Hannah gets all twitchy, does she know this Jesse and why is she on edge.

A well written story which kept me hooked and i raced through this one.

Thanks to net galley and the publishers for this arc in exchance for my honest opinion.

incredible and immensely enjoyable thriller

I could not stop reading, and really look forward to explore more works by Sophie Flynn!

Great book! Hannah and Charlie are very well written. Even though you know their guilt you can't help hoping things work out for them. Really enjoyed it.

If They Knew by Sophie Flynn
Earc:Netagalley
Publisher: Hera Books
Publication Date:17th November 2022
Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Hannah and Charlie are in the midst of the adoption process with 6 days to go before Issy arrives. After years of IVF not working they are looking for a ward to this new start however the past is catching up with Hannah when a former friend and famous Jesse is found dead.

Hannah hasn't told Charlie about this event in the past. What she doesn't know is Charlie has some secrets of his own.

I enjoyed the switch between past and present times so we learn about the past as we are reading through which adds more to the suspense.


#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads #mysteryandthriller #iftheyknew

I chose to read this book based on a friend's recommendation and have to say I was not disappointed. The narrative goes back and forth between the main characters who are a happily married couple struggling with infertility. They are on the brink of adopting their dream-child when a blast from the past nearly capsizes all they have worked toward. I enjoyed the alternate view points and thought the story was well-paced, too. More than once I thought the husband or the wife or both of them made some really bad decisions, but that was them and not me so I can't fault it.

If They Knew is a well-written and entertaining read that I can recommend. to fans of the thriller genre I thank NetGalley and Sophie Flynn for the opportunity to read and review the book. Also, the cover is great and pretty much says it all!

Hannah and Charlie have struggled for years with the heartbreak of infertility. After long last, they’ve been approved to adopt a darling little girl, and Issy will be coming home to complete their family in a week’s time. But then the death of someone from Hannah’s past threatens to expose old secrets and destroy the couple’s dream of becoming parents, forcing them to make impossible choices.

This is one of the most emotional thrillers I have read in quite a while! Hannah and Charlie’s longing for a child is tangible, with the author’s personal experience making the depth of their yearning all the more poignant. While certainly twisty and thrilling, the story is also a compelling exploration of how far someone will go to fulfill their dream of becoming a parent and what lengths a person will go to protect the ones they love.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Holy crap this book was wild, and I loved just about every minute of it. It started off slow, but once it picked up it had me hooked!

Hannah and Charlie are desperate to have a baby, and after several rounds of IVF, their dreams of adopting a child are about to come true with baby Issy due to join the family. They have had their hearts set on being parents and are praying nothing will come along at the last minute to hijack their family plans. Then a news story saying pop star and general bad boy Jesse has been found dead in a members' club - and a long hidden truth threatens to spill out to ruin everything that Hannah and Charlie have worked for.
I was gripped by the story telling, the longing for a child was so strong. I know from reading Sophie's acknowledgements that this comes from personal experience, so firstly, huge congratulations for making something so personal and emotional into such a riveting story for others to share and be entertained by. Their present day storyline was mixed with flashbacks to Hannah's time in New York when she first met Jesse - and then the two storylines come together into a compelling action packed finale, with twists and turns from all angles.
Thanks to Sophie Flynn, Hera Books and Netgalley for the chance to read it, a solid 4 stars from me