Meeting the parents of your new boyfriend or girlfriend is always a bit tricky. You hope they will love you as much as their son or daughter loves you and you want to fit in. You want them to see you are the perfect partner.

This is something that happens every day, but what if the meeting of the parents is not so innocent and their is a hidden agenda playing? And more importantly, what if there is more than one hidden agenda?

When there is more than one hunter on the loose, who is the hunter and who is the prey? Or is the hunter the prey's prey? Or is the prey the hunter's hunter...?

And in the end is the winner really the winner or did they end up being the loser? 

I thought this was a great story with an excellent ending. I always felt a bit of distrust towards one person and I was pleased my feelings did not betray me. 5 stars

Thank you

I loved this book right from the beginning until the very shocking end.

There was so much mystery surrounding all the characters and the story unfolded slowly with many edge of your seat moments.

Emily Shiner is one of my favourite authors. As soon as I see her name on the cover I know I want to read it. This is one of her best books so far.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

I really really enjoyed this book, I thought it was so interesting and constantly made me rethink my decisions to trust certain characters or words. This read had the classic ‘who dun it?’ aspect which I’ve always loved and kept things interesting from the get go. I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure I’d be a fan of this right at the beginning, but once I gave it a chance I realised I really liked it.

The plot twist was unexpected, even though I constantly felt as if I couldn’t trust how the narrative would play out but it was welcomed 😭 I remember having to take a moment to just be like 😟

All in all, this was a great read from a new author! I was very pleasantly surprised and think I’ll even check out a few other books! I’ve always loved psychological thrillers and this definitely didn’t disappoint.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ A fast paced psychological thriller. Gina is meeting her boyfriend’s parents for the first time. The point of view on the chapters goes back and forth between Gina and Marta, her boyfriend’s mom. I enjoy this author, she has a great way of pacing characterization and reveals at certain points in the story. It is well paced and descriptive, I loved thinking of being in this giant cabin far in the woods, an hour away from a Walmart.

A few of the themes were pretty cringey, though. I hate how it is set up as female against female. Marta is a “stay at home mom” but her only son is 41, she talks about her son in a very awkward, inappropriate way. Why paint her as the villain instead of fleshing out her husband more? There were a few missing plot holes…. But the book is still pretty fun to read. Great for fans of JT Ellison, Freida McFadden, and Lisa Jewell.

Thank you to #netgalley and #bookcouture for the ARC. Book to be published August 28, 2024.

Owen is a surgeon and has recently met Gina who he is falling heavily for. As the relationship is of great importance to him, he decides to take Gina home to meet his parents, Grant and Marta Whitlock. He is quite anxious about how they will feel as this is the first girl he has wished his parents to meet, and he knows it will be his mother that will be the hardest to get approval from. Grant runs a successful business and Marta plays the role of adoring housewife and takes this position very seriously. Owen is their only child, and he is Marta’s world to the point of obsession.

Marta sets out a plan to get rid of Gina as soon as possible and Grant is in on this as well. But Gina may have her own reasons for being in a relationship with Owen, what will make this harder will be that she does fall in love with him which was not part of her original plan.

This is a very twisted tale, and everyone has their own agenda and secrets. Did these two really meet by chance or are there forces at work that instigated the whole relationship, each oblivious to the scheming and deception that is all around them. The book kept me entertained and I would recommend it to others.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

First of all thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me ARC in exchange for my honest review. I still can’t decide whether I liked the book or not. It was gripping that’s for sure, I was curious about how it’s going to turn out that’s why I read until the end. But for some reason I didn’t like it. It felt like an unending story. Even though chapters were short and easy to read. The story was circling back with the same things. Almost all the chapters were implying that something was planned but it was so repetitive that it annoyed me. I read it the plot was good but unfortunately I didn’t really enjoy it.

WOW amazing book. Loved all the characters in this book and all the twists in it. Afew times I had to remind myself to breathe with the chances Gina takes. I love all of Emily Shiner books but by far this has got to be one of my favourites 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 brilliant book. Thank you for letting me read it.

Meet the Parents is a quick and entertaining read. Shockingly disturbing and full of family drama. The POV alternates between Marta (the mother) and Gina (the wife). This adds layers and complexity to the storytelling and plot. As the story builds the tension does also. I was hooked and read this every chance I got. I've read a few books by Emily Shiner and this is another great one by her!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love this authors books. I can always count on a unique novel with twists, that I do not see coming.

Marta is the wife of a successful husband and their son Owen is the apple of his mothers’ eye. Obsession for her son is not a strong enough word for her involvement in her son’s life.

When Owen, who is a successful doctor, brings Gina home to meet his parents he wants their approval. Owen knows THIS will not be easy. Marta's obsession for her son and the way she protects him comes with a hidden agenda.

I am not going to spoil anything, but this family has so many secrets and who will come out alive?
Thank you Bookouture for the advanced eARC.

WOW WOW!!! "Meet the Parents" by Emily Shiner is a rollercoaster ride from start to finish! This mystery/thriller had me playing detective in the most exhilarating way possible. From the eerie murder of Gina’s aunt to the perplexing disappearance of the mysterious cousin, every twist and turn pulls you deeper into a labyrinth of secrets and lies. And let's not forget the tangled web of relationships - Marta's animosity towards Gina, yet an inexplicable need for her help with Grant! Shiner masterfully keeps you guessing, and just when you think you've got it all figured out, she throws another curveball. I couldn't put it down, and I bet you won't be able to either!

If you're a fan of slow-burn mysteries packed with intriguing flashbacks and foreshadowing, this book is for you. Although I occasionally felt the pacing dragged a bit, the suspenseful build-up was worth every page. By the time I reached the climax, my mind was spinning with theories - who can you trust in this story? My suspicions were constantly evolving, and even when I 'kind of' saw the ending coming, I was left questioning everything. Emily Shiner has once again delivered a gripping read that will leave you second-guessing every character's motive. Highly recommended for those who love a good mental workout!

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date is the 28th August. A suspenseful, twisty read I absolutely loved it! It was such a page- turner with explosive twists throughout!

I’d highly recommend this book! This is another cracking book by Emily Shiner she never fails to deliver. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars! 😊

Wow wow wow! This author sure knows how to deliver the blows. Absolutely loved everything about this book. The storyline was different from others and the end was unpredictable and thrilling. Highly recommend reading this book.

This book was quite the ride. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the moment I started reading it and did not stop until I was finished. The characters were relatable and I bonded with Gina. There is a twist that left me open mouthed in shock. Great story!

And you thought YOUR in-laws were bad! Gina and Owen are in love and want to spend their lives together, but first they have to survive the weekend from hell with Owen’s mother, Marta, who wants to keep her son for herself. And she’s willing to do anything to ensure she gets her way

“Meet the Parents” is a mystery/thriller by Emily Shiner. This book had so many little twists and turns that at times I felt like I was playing some weird “who done it” game: Why was Gina picked out for Owen? Why did someone murder Gina’s aunt? Who really committed the murder? Where is the mysterious cousin? Why does Marta hate Gina, but also want her to help her with Grant? And, of course the biggest question, who do I, as the reader, honestly believe - if any of them? This was a quick read - as I’ve come to expect from Ms. Shiner - and I did like the overall idea of this plot, but at times the pacing was a bit slow. I’d recommend this to someone who wants a slow build-up with flashbacks and some rather interesting foreshadowing. Did I see the ending coming - kinda, but that was because my mind was not accepting anyone in this book said as truthful. A 3.5 star, overall, from me.

5 stars ! Emily Shiner has hit it out of the ballpark with this thriller. I've read many of her books and I think this one is the best or one of the best of her books. It is so deliciously twisted and crazy, I couldn't help but love it.

Gina and Owen are a couple who met about 2 months ago. Owen takes Gina to meet his parents. His mother, Marta, hates Gina instantly. Nothing and no one is good enough for her son. His father, Grant, is sizing up Gina for a tryst. In between all of this, there is a secret that they each have. Who knows what? That's the question.

The ending, though, left my jaw hanging on the floor. Amazing. This is how a thriller should end. I absolutely loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I highly recommend this book.

This is a great thriller that I devoured in a day! A tale of lies, secrets, twists and turns, I really didn’t knew where it would end! Loved the ending!

Emily Shiner is one of my favorite authors, and her books never disappoint. This was yet another great book! Filled with twists and turns, I couldn't wait to find out how it all ended. The ending was fantastic! I enjoyed reading this book very much, and recommend this and all of Emily's books!

I love a good thriller book. Meet the Parents definitely did not disappoint. I enjoyed the jaw, dropping twists and turns that kept me engaged the whole book.

4.5 Stars!!

Meet The Parents has been my favorite Emily Shiner book. Gina and Owen are madly in love and going to meet his parents at their cabin(mansion) in the woods. Marte is a bit of an uncomfortably-obsessed-with-my-son mother who wants nothing more to be free of Gina and her husband, Grant. Gina has her own plan for Owen and his parents over the weekend. The weekend is tense with talk of murders and it all ends with the house burned down, literally.

This book was giving Criminal Minds unsub meets Revenge. The twist in the epilogue I did hypothesize, but the way it was revealed hit the spot and it was twistier than I imagined. I loved reading how Gina was slowly unraveling. However, I took off half a point for the constant repetition of her "i didn't mean to but I did" monologue.