I liked this book overall, but have some issues with it. The plot was okay but had some oddities. Like things could’ve been accomplished without the visit happening at all. Would’ve been more believable and less frustrating to the readers. Especially when we have a strong female protagonist who has a big plan, yet is pretty easily put in uncomfortable situations that she just allows.

The writing was a bit redundant at times, and explained things we have already easily have figured out. The biggest twist truly wasn’t a surprise - I didn’t predict it but wasn’t shocked since the writing kind of knocked us over the head with the certain traits. It also doesn’t really make sense & didn’t add much to the book. I get there needed to be a huge ending, but this one fell short for me.

All in all, not a terrible book, I’d say 3.5.

{This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.}

I hate to say it but I really didn’t rate this book. I found the plot absurd and full of holes, and the characters flimsy and unbelievable. I struggled to even finish it to be honest, despite it being only fairly short. With thanks to the publisher regardless for giving me access to this ARC in return for an honest review.

Just wow, this book was brilliant!!! My jaw was literally on the floor, this book had me hooked. Nothing else was done until I finished!!!

I really enjoyed this one.
I've read from Emily Shiner before and remember I liked her writing style when I requested this one.

This felt fast paced and easy to read.
The mystery throughout was gripping enough to keep me reading but not too hard to follow (or make guesses as the plot developed).

I would recommend this for a fun and fast mystery thriller.

Absolutely incredible! The storytelling, the suspense. I literally had no clue until Gina discovered the truth right at the very end, literally gasped out loud in shock! Wow what a ride this book was - so glad i continued reading even though i absolutely hated Marta to the point of considering stopping reading but if you hate a fictional character because they are so horrid then it’s a sign of great writing skill. 10/10 would recommend. Tbh this was my first psychological thriller and i was unsure but so so glad I read this one… raving about this book to anyone that will listen.

Owen and Gina have been dating for less than 2 months but Owen is ready to bring her home to his parents. Gina is perfect and Owen hopes they can make through the weekend with his parents and he will be ready to propose. Marta is an overprotective stay-at-home mom who has been living in her husband's successful shadow. She is not prepared for another woman to take her son away from her. Everyone has their own agenda and fair share of secrets that will come to light by the end of the weekend.
I enjoyed how this book went back and forth between the present day and Gina's past. It was a page-turner that quickly kept me up to devour the story. That being said I found the mother-in-law vs girlfriend trope just tiring. I had to keep reminding myself that Owen is 41! Marta talks about him like a young child and it feels incestuous at times. I finished the book but am still left vacillating between did I enjoy this or was this too cringey at points.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Shiner and Bookcouture for the arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Only my second book by Emily Shiner, but what a 5 star read!!

Gina is excited, albeit a little nervous, to meet her new boyfriend, Owen’s, parents. Despite that Gina and Owen have only been together for 7 weeks, they have both fallen head over heels in love with each other. However, when Gina meets Marta, Owen’s mum, she isn’t pleased about Owen being with Gina and isn’t shy in letting Gina know when Owen isn’t around. Owen is oblivious to Marta’s dislike of Gina and is just happy to spend a weekend with the three people he loves the most. Owen’s dad, Grant, is much more welcoming to Gina, which is a relief given Gina’s secret hidden agenda. It certainly will be a weekend to remember for everyone as they all are keeping secrets, and it remains to be seen whether the weekend’s memories will be good or ones they would rather forget!!

Oh, this was such a good story!! I was already hooked at about 6% in and the suspense just kept building and building as the book went on. One of the characters I really despised but won’t say anymore as this is a spoiler free review, but kudos to the author for provoking such a feeling in me for this certain character. I found the book very very difficult to put down and found myself racing through it desperate to see how it all turned out and the twist at the end was nothing short of magnificent, I really did NOT see that coming.

All in all, a really great absorbing read and very deserving of 5 stars! Any fans of psychological thrillers will love this one and I highly recommend it! I can’t wait to read what Emily Shiner comes out with next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Shiner and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Out 28th August 2024.

This psychological thriller is fast paced with twist and turns until the very end. The reader is never sure of what the truth is, nor how much of the truth each character is aware of. The characters do not have much depth, and the story is a bit jerky in its telling, but it still was an enjoyable read, thank you NetGalley for this opportunity!

Gina the victim of a crime many years ago
Owen her new boyfriend
Marta and her hubby, Owens parents meeting Gina for the first time

We know pretty much from the beginning how most of them ‘fit in the puzzle’ and so there’s no faffing around why they all work it out, they mostly know….but how much do they know and how much are they going to act in what they know is the question

Marta plays the thin lipped all powerful Mum who adores the ground Owen walks on, naturally she despises Gina and there are some great moments when the pair converse and try to out do each other

Gina plans revenge, and gets more than she bargained for

A good psychological thriller that ticks all the boxes needed to make a dramatic read with the added plus of a boooom of an ending that will shock

Good writing and characters and a title that brings nothing to do with book memories of a great film 😎

Stay-at-home mother Marta lives in her successful husband's shadow, overlooked by him ever since her darling son Owen went to medical school. She's not about to let the beautiful Gina take Owen away from her. Marta will play nice, get Gina to trust her. And then she has a plan of her own. Owen is already certain he wants to marry Gina. She's perfect. They just have to get through this weekend and then he'll propose. Sure, his mum can be overprotective. But Owen knows why. He knows what she's hiding.

After reading the premise for this book, all I wanted to do was devour it. I could not put it down. There was so much going on in this descriptively written story. We get a few small reveals throughout. Marta is a bit over-obsessed with her son Owen, he's forty-one. When he brings Gina to meet his parents, he really wants their approval of his girlfriend. But they are all hiding secrets, secrets they hope will stay buried. There are hidden agendas which are uncovered along the way. I loved the way the story ended.

Published 28th August 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #EmilyShiner for my ARC of #MeetTheParents in exchange for an honest review.

This was a psychological domestic thriller about a son going to visit his parents to let his girlfriend meet them for the first time. The premise of the book is setup fairly quickly and you start to feel some tension between the girlfriend and the mother. It also features flashbacks to an event in the girlfriend's childhood which explains her motives for also wanting to meet the parents.

What I liked: the opening premise and the ending. I was gripped from the beginning and did not see the ending coming. I really loved the flashback POVs and the short chapters helped to keep a pace moving throughout. I liked how there were limited characters to keep track of, I always appreciate that in my books. I liked how there was an open ending left up to the readers' interpretations.

What I didn't enjoy: After the first tense/awkward moment between girlfriend and mother, it became so repetitive that it lost all tension for me. I found myself rolling my eyes as these situations kept occurring. It then took until 4 chapters before the end before we get a full on confrontation that was building for so long by which point I just wanted to finish the book. In terms of writing choices, the need to use unnatural words in Marta's POV was unnecessary. I didn't know what they meant and had no interest in having to look them up as I was reading.

I felt there was so much more potential if the events at the end had started to happen earlier and we got more drama and confrontational dialogue between characters rather than just being passive aggressive when each character knew what was going on around them.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookcouture for an advanced copy in return for my honest feedback.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a great book!! Such a good thriller/mystery! Perfect writing style and that plot twist!! PERFECT!!

This seems a very simple story on the surface.
The parents hate the girlfriend, the girlfriend hates the parents. Son brings girlfriend for a visit to the parents. Let the games begin.
However, a backstory soon emerges, and everyone has their own plans and secrets.
But I did NOT see the twist at the end coming!

Wow! Emily Shiner doesn’t disappoint. Duelling POV, fast paced, quick chapters make this one of those guilty reads that has you turning the pages as fast as you can while shaking your head at the appalling nature of human behaviour. I liked it.
Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Emily Shiner for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC.

the suspense!! so thick you could cut it with a knife. im not a big thriller reader so i dont have the highest of expectations. all i care about is if the story grips my attention and i dont guess the plot twist. this one did just that! could not put this down

A twisty novel with characters you will not be able to stand.

This was a fast paced read and once I started it I didn’t stop until I finished.

Highly recommended for those who like noir and twists and turns a plenty.

This was a hook you from the beginning book. It stayed that way and definitely kept you on your toes! Totally did not see the twist at the end!! But that end is why it got three stars instead of four. I need complete closure. Overall it’s a fantastic read.

I have been devouring thrillers this year. However, Meet The Parents didn’t do it for me. The plot was expressed very early on in the book. The “suspense” felt extremely slow and hard to read. The plot did not quicken until near 75% into the book.

Meet The Parents has all the elements of a great domestic thriller – truly horrible characters, a love story and a claustrophobic feeling that keeps you tearing through the pages. Revenge and a mother’s obsessive love, lies at the heart of this book and all the characters had their own horrible motives. Although we’re meant to be rooting for Gina, even the main protagonist is a deeply complicated, flawed and rather unpleasant heroine. I raced through this book as I love Emily’s style of writing. The ending wasn’t my favourite due to the unbelievability, but all in all I really enjoyed this thriller.

Thank you to Emily Shiner, Bookouture and Netgalley for my advance copy.

Meet The Parents was my second read from Emily Shiner. Marta and Grant were very unlikeable characters for me. It was suspenseful and keep me guessing about the back story for a while. I felt that some parts were far fetched and contrived but the twist at the end, I did not see coming. I look forward to other Emily Shiner books in the future.

Thank you Net Galley, Emily Shiner and Bookouture for the opportunity to preview this title and the opinions expressed are my own.
The expected release date is Aug. 28, 2024.