Unfortunately, I found this to be a rather boring book for the most part. Nothing really happened until the end.

This book was a page turner. I could not put it down and kept wondering what the next page would reveal!

This book had an interesting premise but didn’t really do it for me. The plot was both predictable and unrealistic. The story centers on Anne-Marie, who is struggling with her teenage son, Dave, who keeps getting in trouble. Anne-Marie refuses to believe that Dave is anything but just a little misguided and she is committed to protecting him no matter what.

It was hard for me to get into this one because Anne-Marie’s unwillingness to see Dave as who he really is bordered on ridiculous. There were a few different major events that I just didn’t think were believable. Also, I figured out the big twist early in the book and didn’t really love that either.

Overall, this wasn’t really the book for me but hopefully others will have a better experience. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book, it just was not for me. I found this quite predictable.
Ann Marie really thinks her son is perfect, until he commits an unforgivable crime, not once, but a few times. According to Anne Marie, her son Dave is just misunderstood. He has had a hard life and because he looks like an adult, he is treated as much. I feel others would enjoy this, it just wasn't my cup of tea, The writing was good, but it just didn't sit well for me as a police officers wife.

I really recommend this as an intense, anxiety ridden thriller - we follow from our main character point of view just trying to make ends meet and keep an eye on her troubled teenage son, a murder hit and run happens on her street and it turns out her son was driving the car.. what follows is a rollercoaster, it is a well written thriller which had me guessing to the very end and I really enjoyed it

Highly recommend to all

4 stars

I took a break from my Christmas romance books and read this thriller. I’m honestly impressed and truly enjoyed it! I guessed a couple twists but for this book it didn’t ruin anything for me! Can’t wait to read more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to hoenstly review this book. All opinions are my own and everyones tastes differ.

As someone who reads a lot of thriller books and typically enjoys them, unfortunately this one wasn't for me. I found the plot line quite predictable and have annotations from less than 20% in which accurately guess basically the entire remainder of the book even the "twists". As a whole I found the characters lacked any depth or real attributes and the dialogue between them was often quite stilted. Unfortunately it just all came across as quite juvenile writing. On the plus the short chapters made it a relatively quick read.

I loved reading this book, it has plenty of suspense to keep you reading, I just couldn’t put it down. This is what I call a page turner !!
The characters were great, the story was so gripping and the style of writing was perfect. I have read loads of books by this author, and I haven’t been disappointed by any of them.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading psychological thrillers.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

The premise was interesting but the delivery did not do it for me. It was a fast paced read definitely but the writing was not the best and the storyline very predictable.

The Waitress was a perfect quick thriller read. If you’re looking for a palate cleanser or a quick book to help you hit your reading goal- definitely check this out!

The characters are not that likable but the story was easy & entertaining. There were a few good twists - some I guessed and some were surprises! I wish I could give half stars because I would have rated this 3.5.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Emily Shiner for sending me an advanced copy to read and review.

2.5 stars rounded up. A rather average experience for me: predictable story, the writing didn't blow me away. The cover looks very tasty, though. Maybe I will give this author another chance in the future.

This book was such a page turner! I was immediately gripped!
Shiner writes in such a filmic way, I was imagining the book as a Netflix series!
Early on, I really thought this book would be a 5* read, but unfortunately the more the book went on, the more bizarre it became.
This book ended so abruptly, the ending and the entire later part of the book felt so rushed.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and looks forward to what Emily Shiner does next as I really liked her writing style - but it's just like she ran out of words, or ran out of time at the end to finish the book 'properly'

Truly believe this book was predictable and redundant. No major gasps and title kind of gave it away.

Anne Marie is a single mom working to make ends meet. Her 16 year old son begins to get threatening notes, how far is she willing to go to protect her son?


Though predictable, I enjoyed reading this book

This book is about how far a mother might go to protect her child, but it's also about we delude ourselves about the people around us. The author does a great job of creating an atmosphere of queasy tension within an ordinary domestic setting. There's nothing that doesn't feel as if it could actually happen within the context of the MC's hand-to-mouth existence. The issue I had is that the MC is SO MUCH of a doormat it almost defies belief and it made this a less-than-enjoyable reading experience for me.

I would check out other books by this author, I just couldn't get over wanting to shake this woman for the majority of the book.

This was an excellent read! This would be a heavy 4.5 stars, so I've rounded up to 5 stars for my rating. I definitely, definitely recommend this book!

We follow along with Anne Marie, the single mother of an out-of-hand 16-year-old son, whom she adores, but seems to have an amount of fear of. She knows deep down he is a good boy, and she continually says this throughout the book, however, she just can't catch a break....

Until one day, he starts being kind and helping her. He's thoughtful, and considerate of her and their situation. Anne Marie can't figure out the change, but she is grateful for it.

Until she learns what brought the change about. That discovery sets her on a path of dire consequence. Is there any way to save her own son, and bring out the 'good boy' that she knows he truly has deep down?

Thank you to NetGalley and to Inkubator Books, the publisher, and also thank you to the author for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

The Waitress was a meaty thriller - lots of action, lots of emotion and flushed out characters. The book was suspenseful - who is the actual bad person in this book? Maybe all is not as it seems for this waitress and mother who will go to the ends of the earth to protect her son.

Very good read, I really enjoyed the story and the characters who are lifelike and sympathetic. You can feel Anne Marie's struggle and pain.

This book presents a complex exploration of maternal devotion and the complicated dynamics within the family. The main character's unwavering commitment to her son's protection is a central theme but unfortunately becomes repetitive, overshadowing other elements of the narrative. Her constant affirmations about her son's goodness and her perceived weakness left me feeling annoyed, despite son's blatant lack of care and misbehaviors, she continues to want others to see her son is changing. and is good. The title of this book is The Waitress, which does not align with focus being on the son. The storyline's weaknesses are evident, primarily in the lack of cohesion and resolution of issues raised throughout the book. The progression of the son's behavior at age 16 remains a focal point, and no accountability for his actions are inconceivable.

I spent an afternoon lost in this book and really enjoyed it. Its pretty predictable but I liked the waitress angle for a bit of a change. The characters were well written and multidimensional and it's fast paced with short, engaging chapters so was super easy to just plough through in one sitting. Not reinventing the wheel but still a decent thriller

The Waitress
by Emily Shiner
Thank you Netgalley, Emily Shiner, and Inkubator books for the ebook!!

I gave the book 2 stars. It seemed just too predictable and Of course, the blackmailer from chapter two was givenaway. By the end, I felt there was not a person to connect or feel for.