This was a really good book with a lot of twist and turns. The main couple Abby and Brendan are looking to repair their relationship. They are told to download an app called sugar and spice. This app is not all that it’s cracked up to be, while bringing them together is it also tearing them and others apart? I really enjoyed this book, but at times I thought certain parts dragged out a little.

Ich weiß ehrlich gesagt nicht, wie ich dieses Buch bewerten soll, da ich es aufgrund relativ kurzer Ausleihdauer (ohne Verlängerung) nicht lesen konnte.

Ever wondered what would happen if your relationship therapy came with a side of tech and a sprinkle of danger? Dive into the rollercoaster that is Abby and Brenda’s marriage in this thrilling read!

When Abby and Brenda find their marriage on the rocks, they turn to couples counseling for a lifeline. Enter their therapist’s unconventional solution: the Sugar and Spice app. Sounds cute, right? Well, it starts off that way. The app assigns them fun tasks to rekindle their spark and awards points for each completed task. But hold on to your seat, because things quickly take a wild turn. What begins as simple and sweet soon spirals into a series of dangerous dares, making it seem like the app has a sinister agenda of its own.

This book is a mixed bag of suspense and slow burns. The concept is fresh and intriguing, pulling you in with the promise of tech-driven therapy gone awry. There are moments of genuine tension and excitement as Abby and Brenda navigate the increasingly perilous challenges. You’ll find yourself rooting for them, cringing at the danger, and questioning what’s coming next.

However, be prepared for a bit of a bumpy ride. There are sections where the pacing lags, and the narrative gets bogged down with overexplained details. These parts might have your mind wandering, but hang in there—the plot picks up again and keeps you engaged till the end.

Despite these slow patches, it’s an enjoyable read overall. The author’s creativity shines through, and there’s enough suspense and emotion to keep you turning the pages. This is my second book from this author, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what other intriguing tales they have up their sleeve.

In a nutshell, if you’re in the mood for a story that mixes marital drama with a techy twist and a dash of danger, give this book a try. Just be ready for a few slow spots, and you’ll find yourself entertained by this unique and thrilling journey.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. On one hand, there were parts I enjoyed, but on the other hand, everything seemed so far fetched and over the top.

Abby and Brendan are having trouble in their marriage, so they decide to download an app to help them get their spark back. Things start off well as they reconnect and explore their relationship by doing small dares. However, the app soon turns sinister as the dares get more and more dangerous.

If you’re able to suspend your disbelief and just want a wild ride, I’m sure you’ll love this. However, after loving the 4MK series so much, I was a bit disappointed. The premise seemed really interesting, but something about this book just didn't work for me.

I'm lucky I picked this book when I was sick or I'd have got no work done and it helped me keep my mind off how everything sucked 😂

This book was unbelievable. The synopsis was very interesting and the book delivered what it promised. In most books, the middle part is the most likely to drag. In this book, however, when I reached about 50%, I was gobsmacked at some of the twists. And then the twists just kept coming. Were they believable? Absolutely not. Was it fun? Oh hell yes.

The only reason I'm not giving this one five stars is because the twists were a little over the top, but you better believe I'm combing through J.D. Barker's backlist after this

Behind a Closed Door by J.D. Barker  is mystery/thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Hampton Creek Press and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Abby and Brendan Hollander have been struggling in their marriage.  Their love is strong, but so much has gotten in the way of romance and sex.  A therapist suggests an app which seems to be working for a lot of people.

So, they download Sugar & Spice to their phones, and agree to play by the rules.  This app seems to have all their information, no doubt by accessing other information on their phones.  This soon becomes problematic...as does the "suggestions" made by the app.

On the good side, Abby suddenly has all sorts of ideas for the new book she is writing, which was at a standstill (similar to her marriage).

Then there is Brendan who, along with his neighbour and best friend Stuckey, work with the FCID, a financial crimes division of the SEC, and they are currently investigating thefts from a peer-to-peer lending scheme that seems "off".

 
My Opinions:
This is the first JD Barker book that I struggled with.  I had no problem with the sexual aspect, just hated the financial end of things, and so I had a hard time when I started, especially knowing that Barker's books are always quite lengthy.  However, around the 45% mark (a little late), I found myself invested.  Then, I was more than invested.  It ended up being quite good!

There was hype about sexual content in this book, but I found the eroticism to be very mild, although I did find some degrading comments about women that annoyed me.  There was also a lot of violence and gore, but that didn't bother me.

In this age of technology, perhaps we should all be reading The Terms of Service, and double-checking what we allow our apps to have access to.  Yes, the author took it a little further with the app listening to our every conversation, and cameras watching our every move, but.... This was a little scary!

The book also looked at the question of morality and greed, and how far people would go to achieve their dreams....or just for purpose of pleasure.  That, too, was a little scary!

Overall, the book was good, but I was suspicious early on as to the identity of the perpetrator, and was proven right (to a certain degree).  There were also a couple of twists that I did not see coming, and those raised my rating.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to whatever Barker throws my way next!

I have enjoyed nearly everything that JD Barker has written and have raved over most. While I wasn't a huge fan of his last novel, it was different, I still enjoyed reading it. Behind a Closed Door, however, went in a different direction completely. Barker began his writing career as a horror author, the Bram Stoker guy, the one who created crime and horror and suspense - as well as humor - all in one. Where did that author go? This? This was pulp fiction. From the first page to the last one I read, which was not the last one of the book, I simply sat there shaking my head. I hated it. Not "didn't care for it" or "it wasn't my thing." I hated it. I won't be reading Barker again. Each book I've read has been worst than the last and this one was the bottom of the heap. I'm done. Sorry JD.

I struggled with whether or not I liked this book. The weird adult content bothered me. I read erotica so it's not the actual adult content that bothered me, but the awkward me too vibes of some of the situations.
I likes how he ended the book, and did feel most of the book was well written.
I'd give it a 3.5 stars overall, so will round up to a 4 on goodreads and Amazon.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

Make sure you have time because you won’t be putting this book down anytime soon! Thought provoking and twisty. A thriller with some spice. Buckle up for a wild ride!

I resisted reading this despite receiving the eARC and the physical ARC because of the unsavory PR stunt that was attempted. That turned me away from this author and publisher. However, I have loved Barker's prior novels and decided that I needed to give this one a try too. I was not disappointed. The premise is based on a married couple who are having marital difficulties and go to see a therapist. While coming up with ideas for how to reinvigorate their marriage, they are given information about a new app for their phones. It is a game that they can play together to get them to open up more to each other or to try more adventurous activities in their sex lives. The app is called Sugar and Spice. I don't want to go much further than this because this is one to go into without too much of a plot summary. Let's just say that things don't always go as expected. Barker weaves in twists and turns throughout the story and does not let the reader down.
This is a good read and will definitely appeal to prior Barker readers, and I would say Blake Crouch or John Marrs readers as well. There is enough of the plot you expect mixed with the questions of what would happen if____? This gives a great bird's eye view of things many of us take for granted in modern society that might have unexpected consequences when used for the wrong reasons.
Highly entertaining and definitely recommend.
#BehindACosedDoor #NetGalley #HamptonCreekPress

Sugar or Spice? Would you download an app to help your relationship? Things could get crazy and they do in this book. It's scary how this seems like it could actually happen with how we let the internet & electronics run our lives. I really enjoyed this story. The writing was great and the story was so unique compared to what I usually read. It was a bit too much violence for me. I try to stay away from that usually . I'll be looking forward to the movie for sure. #BookNerd #BooksofInstagram #Books #Thriller #Library #JDBarker #BehindAClosedDoor #Fiction #Netgalley #ARC #BooksAreLife

The 4MK series was so good, this was so different, but I still really enjoyed this book a lot and was enthralled with the pacing and twists and turns the book took

This tale serves as a stark reminder of the perils of hastily clicking on an app without scrutinizing the terms of service—a lengthy document that many of us gloss over. The app in question morphed into a sinister and perilous online game, brimming with suspense and proving to be a compelling read. It's an inventive thrill ride, replete with action, unexpected turns, and a dark narrative that's both stimulating and engrossing. A nod of gratitude to J.D. Barker, Netgalley, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and Hampton Creek Press for providing an advance reader's copy.

Wow...what a book! This one was a wild, exhilarating, and unexpected ride. I highly recommend checking this book out, JD Barker did not disappoint with this title.

A marriage on the rocks...an app that promises to bring couples back together. Enter Sugar and Spice, a popular app that poses just that question to its users. Along the lines of truth or dare, couples and individual users choose from sugars and spices and proceed to answer the question or complete the prompts as the app doles them out. Brendan and Abby meet with a therapist who suggests downloading this app to rekindle their relationship and save their marriage--what they don't know is that the app could also end them.

A thriller in all it's glory--psychological and twisty, smutty and raunchy at the same time---This book has it all. The real world relatability of this book is excellent. I felt like I was living in the book alongside the characters and was forced to make choices right along with them.

#BEHINDACLOSEDDOOR #NetGalley
BEHIND A CLOSED-DOOR: a white-knuckle, R-rated look at just how messed up the world could soon be
Now, before I go any further, I have to say that erotica is DEFINITELY the furthest thing from my cup of tea there is. But I know that this novel was written by J.D. Barker, whose big, bold, brick of a horror love story SHE HAS A BROKEN THING WHERE HER HEART SHOULD BE I absolutely loved. And I was curious to see what Mr. Barker would do with a story like this steaming erotic thriller promised.
And boooy, did it ever deliver!
Abby and Brendan Hollander feel like they need to spice up their relationship, so they download an app which is sort of like an X-rated version of the Truth or Dare game, which has spicy questions for the „truth” part, and extreme challenges for the „dare” part. And when I say extreme, I do mean extreme. This book was a super-surprise to me, to be completely honest. I was expecting it to be excessively sexual, and I thought I would not finish it. But the storyline was so engaging, so twisty, and so topical, with a searing look at our obsession with the online culture, that it kept me hooked to the end. Solid five out of five!

Wowee! This book is unlike anything else I’ve ever read. It’s full of action, crime, surprises, twists, chases, mind games, provocative scenes and more. I could not put it down! 4.5 stars!

It starts with the main characters, husband and wife Brendan and Abby, attending a therapy session because they are struggling to make things work in their marriage. At the end of their first session, the therapist tells them to download an app called Sugar & Spice which will prompt them with questions and challenges to bring them closer together. And here begins the crazy and wild ride! Hold on tight because you will be jolted, shocked, amused and entertained with all the bizarre and strange things that start to happen. It is messed up and goes a bit off-the-rails by the end, but it was exciting and thrilling and drew me in. Beyond a Closed Door would make a great movie! Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for the digital ARC.

Rating of 4.5.

In the mood for a thriller that’s a little more adult than your typical tale of spies and killers? Then make sure to check out the cool new book from veteran author J. D. Barker, Behind a Closed Door, that sets a married couple on a dark path of deceit, manipulation and murder.

Husband and wife Brendan and Abby Hollander are facing marital difficulties as their challenging careers and spiralling personal lives take a deep toll. Desperate to reignite the spark of their marriage, the couple are convinced to download the popular app, Sugar & Spice, which has been taking the world by storm. The app awards points for daring, romantic and erotic activities between the two, and Brendan and Abby quickly find themselves reconnecting through their amorous exploits.

However, not everything is what it seems with Sugar & Spice, and soon the couple find the app manipulating them in ways they never imagined. Forced to participate in a series of increasingly taboo tasks, Brendan and Abby are caught up in a series of dangerous seductions, unwanted encounters and terrible lies that threaten to overwhelm them. Worse, the app begins to request unthinkable criminal acts, the fallout of which paint Brendan and Abby as dangerous killers. Unable to leave the app’s twisted game, the couple’s only hope is to find the creators and shut it down. But with more and more people being dragged into the hype around Sugar & Spice, can the Hollanders escape the insidious evil coming for them?

Behind a Closed Door proved to be an exciting and addictive thriller from Barker that I had an outstanding time getting through, thanks to its unique story, compelling characters, and diabolic scenario.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/05/19/behind-a-closed-door-by-j-d-barker/

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

This was one of the craziest books I've ever read! It's definitely a page turner and so hard to put down! It needs to be made into a movie, like yesterday! I was so engaged. Heart was racing! Like when you are watching a scary movie and you're so fixated on the screen, you forget your surroundings. It made me super paranoid about my electronics. So paranoid that when telling friends and family about this book, I couldn't say the app name out loud, and when writing about it, I can't spell it out either. It will be forever known to me as S&S. It actually instilled a little fear in me. If you ever worry about your devices listening to you, and especially if you haven't really given it that much thought, you need to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for this eARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It started out being a sexy spicy book so I wasn’t for sure where it was going but it quickly turned into a thrilling sexy read. I flew through the pages because I had to see what was going to happen next.

When I saw a new book by JD Barker pop up in my Netgalley feed, I immediately pressed the button to request it. He co-wrote The Noise with James Patterson and is one of the hosts of a great podcast called Writers’ Ink, so I knew I would be in good hands.

And that certainly proved to be the case, although Behind A Closed Door is much different to his usual work.

In this book we follow a married couple named Abby and Brendan, whose love life has gone a little stale. When they visit a therapist and she recommends an app to spice things up a bit, they decide it can’t hurt to give it a try. Can it?

Since this is a thriller the answer is obviously yes, and Abby and Brendan find themselves being lured into doing ever-more daring things for the sake of racking up points on the app.

But when those things cross from risqué to downright dangerous — and the app seems to take on a mind of its own with the information it can mine from their smartphones — Abby and Brendan find it isn’t just their marriage that’s at stake… it could be their lives, too.

I enjoyed this book a lot, particularly the ‘what if’ scenarios that could easily crop up in real life due to the huge amounts of data we blithely give to tech companies via our phones.

The tension was relentless throughout, and I wasn’t surprised to hear that the book has been optioned to become a movie because it would make a great summer blockbuster.

I think Behind A Closed Door would be a good choice for fans of The One by John Marrs, as they both have that tech-leading-to-questionable-outcomes vibe about them — although I think this book is more sexually explicit, so that’s perhaps worth bearing in mind.

All in all I’m glad I gave this book a try and will definitely be looking for more books by JD Barker in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley UK and Hampton Creek Press for an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.