The fortune-teller told me my fate. But I ignored her. I married the man of my dreams. We made a family. Our life is beautiful, safe, and happy. I've pushed that hazy, sunny afternoon in the park, where we spotted a fun fair setting up, and my best friends and I dared each other to go into the fortune-teller tent. I've tried to forget what she said about how tragedy lay ahead for me. I want to believe that we are in charge of our own fate. Looking at my two perfect and beautiful children, I refuse to believe things could go wrong for us.

I was quickly pulled into this slow burn story. Simone and her friends are at the fun fair and decide to go and see the fortune-teller. They all get their fortunes told, and Simone's friends laugh off what the fortune-teller told them, But Simone becomes obsessed by her reading.

I loved everything about this book, from the front cover to the epilogue, the suspense, the twists, the tension, and even the slow pace, all made this book a great read. We follow Simone's story over a five-year period. I did get frustrated with her, though. The characters are well-developed. I loved how this story ended.

Published 1st April

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #NatashaBoydell for my ARC of #TheFortuneTeller in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy!
I have enjoyed this book so much. It’s about Simone (or Simmy) that goes to a fortune teller on a fair and hears that she will meet the man of her dreams and be super happy for 5 years together but the their luck will end as there will be an awful tragedy. This dictates her life and she spends years thinking and fearing this future. I liked the long timeline and the complexity of the main character. The ending is quite a twist even if I usually have a pretty good clue of which side it will go to. Would recommend!

Not long after a fortune teller promises Simone she'll meet the love her life but their marriage will end in tragedy after five years, she does meet the perfect guy. She plunges into the relationship, ignoring the ridiculous warning, but it never leaves her thoughts and as time passes she becomes more and more certain that disaster is looming. Watching Simone unravel as time passes made this one a sad but compelling read. There are some intriguing twists near the end, but the last bit left me confused.

I liked this psychological thriller.

I liked the protagonist, Simone, and felt connected to her throughout the book, as though I was part of her journey. I found it interesting that a fortune teller might be included in as part of a storyline in a book like this, as there is something about the idea of fortune tellers that both intrigues and unsettles me. This was a page turner, but at the same time, I felt it moved at a very nice pace. There wasn't too much happening at once, and I felt like I had the chance to get to know the characters. As you might expect when reading a thriller, this book played with my mind, yet I felt the events in the story were somehow believable, as though they could happen to me, or to someone I knew.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

This is a decent drama about a group of friends who visit a fortune teller on a girls night out. One of them, Simone, is told that she will soon face a crossroads in her life and her decision will change the course of her life. It’s an interesting, unique, premise and the story progresses as Simone becomes fixated on this prediction.

I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning and the end. In the middle it’s a slow burn as the relationships develop and alter as the years pass. However, it’s an overall Good Read with a satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the opportunity to preview.

Love love love a slow burn mystery and this one definitely checked all the boxes for enjoyable characters, plot twist, and a captivating storyline!

‘You might think you’ve met the man of your dreams. But if you marry him, it will end in tragedy within five years. If you want everyone you love to stay safe, you should walk away…’

Author Natasha Boydell examines what happens when we fail to heed a warning … even if it’s something as seemingly insignificant as our happiness.

When Simone meets Mystic Maggie at a fun fair the trajectory of her life changes drastically. Believing that she is in charge of her own fate, Simone plods ahead with little regard for the advice she received from the fortune teller. When things start to go wrong coming up on the five-year mark, Simone wonders if there is any truth in the warning and starts to consider who could be behind the strange events. It’s too late to protect herself from heartbreak and she can’t walk away, but does she have time and ability to protect those she loves?

Things that the author mastered:
❤️character-driven narrative
❤️slow-burn mystery
❤️great pacing
❤️captivating plot
❤️good suspense and twists
❤️fabulous misdirection

I came for the cover and stayed for the mystery!

I was gifted this copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Thank you NetGalley & Boldwood Books for the Advanced Read Copy of The Fortune Teller by Natasha Boydell.

I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book but it honestly felt like a bait and switch. The first half felt more like a romance novel then a mystery or thriller as you are taken through Simone's love life with Jude and whirlwind romance. I kept going back to the information page to make sure I was remembering correctly that this book was tagged as a mystery/thriller. When I finally got to part 2 of the book, which took me quite a while to get to as I kept putting the book down and not finding a want to pick it back up, I more then anything felt bad for Simone. Reading how frantic she felt left me feeling anxious but not in the way you expect from a thriller.

I didn't understand the Tom story line and while the author tried, the ending didn't clear up anything about Tom. Why did he lie? Why did he keep contacting Simone? What was he trying to do by telling her all of that information?

I also felt the label as mystery or thriller was incorrect and a little unkind. There was no "real" threat in the book even though the synopsis made you believe all of these things were happening and that someone was out to get Simone. Anxiety, trauma, and depression are true issues pertaining to mental health and it feels insensitive to label a book that mainly highlighted those issues as a mystery/thriller. When you did finally understand what was going on, it felt like it came out of no where. There had been no clues, no suggestions, nothing to make you think that was how it was going to end. I think having some "hints" peppered through would have done wonders.

Lastly, I didn't connect at all with the end. I kept reading it and reading it to absorb it but still I'm not sure what happened.

If you are reading this book, I would go in understanding this is more romance and fiction over thriller. I wonder if that would have altered my view of the book.

The Fortune Teller
Written By Natasha Boydell
Published By Boldwood Books
Release Date April 03, 2024

Let me first say that this book blew me away. I love books that grab you from the beginning and hold on so tightly that you cannot put the book down. They are few and far between for me though. Yet Boydell has an uncanny ability to throw in enough twists and turns to keep the reader fully engrossed in what is going on. The ending was explosive and was not predictable at all. I love, love, love this author and cannot wait for more.

Simone and her friends decide while at a fair that they want to visit the fortune teller who has a booth set up. When she does though she gets a reading that she cannot shake off. Her friends do not really take their readings as anything other than just fun but Simone’s reading is different. She is told that if she is to marry her marriage will end in tragedy after just 5 yrs together. If she stays single she will have a long happy life. The next day however, Simone meets a guy that sweeps her off of her feet. They get married and have children. The 5 yr mark is coming up and she is starting to worry about what might happen to her or her husband. She is becoming more and more paranoid because there are signs that something bad is going to happen. Will Simone be able to get past the teller’s prediction and remain happy or is there something terrible in store for her.

5 stars

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

4 stars!! I loved this book and couldn’t resist that amazing cover. This was a really good read and hooked me from the start. The story building and characters were great and who doesn’t love a slow burn mystery?!

3.5 rounded up to 4 🌟
The title and cover of this book is what initially had my attention. When I read the about, I was really interested.

From the start, this book has my attention. It drew me in quickly. I really enjoyed how the book started out and Simone and her friends are at a fair and see the fortune Teller booth, and are intrigued. I think many readers will relate to that. Of course, they get their fortunes read and Simone becomes rather obsessed about hers. She's told she must avoid her mr. Right if she wants to avoid a horrible tragedy in years. Her friends tell her that she's being ridiculous and it's all just in fun.
*Enter Mr. EVERYTHING*
Simone falls hard and fast and things progress quickly but what that fortune Teller told her is always in the back in her mind.

Was Simone right for heading the caution or was it all just fun? The ending of this book was so good.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Fortune Teller by Natasha Boydell offers a captivating slow-burn mystery, a must-read for enthusiasts of character-driven narratives. Simone and her friends, enjoying a carefree day at the funfair, encounter Mystic Maggie, the Fortune Teller, unleashing a series of revelations that shape Simone's destiny. The prediction of a tall, dark stranger, impending tragedy, and the need to walk away from Mr. Handsome sets the stage for an intriguing plot. As Simone dives into a whirlwind romance with Jude, the man of her dreams, the shadow of the fortune teller's words lingers, urging her to make a life-altering choice. The author masterfully builds suspense, doubt, and plot twists, keeping readers on the edge. The characters are lovable, and the narrative unfolds seamlessly, culminating in an unexpected and satisfying ending that defied my predictions. Despite being my introduction to Boydell's work, I found myself immersed in the slow-burning mystery, appreciating the unique and captivating storyline. The pacing is expertly crafted, allowing for a quick and engaging read. The Fortune Teller is a testament to Boydell's storytelling prowess, and I eagerly anticipate exploring more of her works after this delightful introduction.

This book was a slow burn, but still a good story.

The author carefully details the main character, Simone's, trip down the rabbit hole as she becomes increasingly petrified that a fortune teller's predictions are about to come true. So far, all the main details Mystic Maggie mentioned have happened. The characterization is well done with all the little details that show this happening, and because of this, I felt very sympathetic toward the main character. However, it was very apparent her obsession was destroying her life.

3 stars. It could have been a shorter story; it dragged at times.

This was a fun read and kept you engaged! Loved the writing style cannot wait for more from the author

I liked the synopsis and I had read a couple of books by the author and enjoyed them. However, this one fell flat for me. I didn't like the characters, at all, especially the main character's scenes with her friends felt very staged to me

Read in a day. Found the premise interesting - how are we controlled by what we think will happen. Well written with believable characters and a twist at the end !

An engaging mystery that builds tension in a very engaging way. Simone and her friends visit a fortune teller and her words reverberate across Simone's life. A fantastic observation of how far we are responsible for own own fate versus pre-determined destiny. The characters are well-drawn and complex which adds to the slow burning confusion. It will keep you turning the pages.

Although a slightly slow-burner this was a good book. The plot was interesting and the characters were well described. I simply enjoyed the mystery of it all.

Simone and her friends attend a fun fair and she receives an ominous prediction that if she makes a choice to marry a certain man, in five years, there will be tragedy. She becomes obsessed over it to the point that it threatens to upend her life.

I thought the premise of this book was so interesting. However, I’m not sure the execution was all there. The first part of the book was great and I kept going back and forth on my head about what was going to happen, however, the second part seemed to take off in a completely different direction and left me wondering what the whole Tom situation even added to the story.

While I was surprised at the end, I still felt like something was just lacking from this story. I enjoyed it but I just needed things to be a bit clearer in parts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book took so many turns that I did not expect and I thoroughly enjoyed every one! It kept me guessing through every chapter.

Simone and her friends are out for a fun evening when they stop at a fortune teller. All of Simone's friends just take it for what it is: a bit of a laugh. But Simone's fortune is no laughing matter. She is going to face a choice to follow her heart and get married but if she does, it will end in tragedy in 5 years. If she doesn't get married, she will live a long life.

Coincidentally the next day she meets a wonderful man and a whirlwind romance begins. It doesn't take long for the little signs to add up though and she finds herself paranoid as they reach the 5 year mark. Will something happen to her? Her husband? Her children?

Her paranoia begins to take over her whole life alienating her friends, family and eventually her husband. But what if she's not paranoid after all?