This was a good mystery/thriller book full of twists and turns and one I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it

Meet the parents by Emily Shiner is a brilliant read. Two separate families after revenge or an ending. I absolutely loved it.

I was kindly sent this book by NetGalley and Bookouture for an honest review.

I thought the concept was great but it just didn’t really work for me. I felt like the book wrote Gina’s character as just as vile as the parents, but that just didn’t sit right with me- I feel she should have been more ‘hero’. There was no likeable character to get behind. The relationship between Gina and Owen seemed too intense and in depth for only being seven weeks and the book seemed to just go round in circles where everyone actually knew what each other was up to but still put themselves in risky situations! Also, the serial killer aspect wasn’t really explored or given enough depth to be an intriguing element.
For a light read it was ok and I was keen to keep reading to find out what happened, but i didn’t love it.

I'll start with saying I blew through this book so that must mean it was incredibly engaging. I will say, though, that the characters felt very one dimensional with the mail female character making some insanely amateur juvenile mistakes while sleuthing in her in-laws home. I think the author wanted to move the story along quickly but some of her choices were pretty unwise. Then you have the love interest who was just kind of cringey to me the whole way through. He acted like he was 24 and not 41. Also, the twist is basically given to you in the first couple chapters of the book. There was no surprise for me at the end. I did enjoy the fast paced writing but the story could have used a bit more developing and detail. Still, I am glad I read it. I can tell the author has great thriller writing skills. I just think this one was a bit of a miss. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

OMG. This book was not at all what I expected. It started as a slow burn...I wasn't sure where it was going. But WOW. The twists and turns are insane, make your head spin insane. Great book! I'm looking forward to more from this author.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to read this advanced copy.

Gina and Owen are newly dating and in love. Owen takes Gina to meet his parents, Marta and Grant, for the first time. Owen is their only child and Marta’s point of obsession. As soon as Gina arrives at the fancy house in the middle of nowhere, she is immediately uncomfortable with the way she is treated by Owen’s parents. This is a story of revenge and hidden agendas told from Gina and Marta’s point of view, fluctuating between the “then” & “now”. Absolutely a page turner full of suspense, tension, and a shocking ending!
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC! "Meet the Parents" by Emily Shiner is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story follows Gina, who meets her boyfriend Owen's parents under suspicious circumstances, only to uncover hidden secrets within the family. As the tension escalates, the weekend at Owen's secluded family home takes a dark turn, culminating in a deadly conclusion. Shiner's masterful storytelling and well-developed characters make this an unputdownable read, perfect for fans of intense and twisty thrillers. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good suspenseful page-turner.

When you meet your partner’s parents, you expect some nerves, but in Meet the Parents by Emily Shiner, those nerves quickly turn into a chilling sense of danger. From the moment Gina steps into the Whitlock family’s secluded home, it’s clear that everyone is hiding something—and those secrets might just turn deadly.

I had the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book, and while it took a little time to get going with some repetitive parts early on, the ending really delivered! The twist was so unexpected and exciting that it made the whole read worthwhile. If you're in the mood for a book with a great payoff, I’d definitely recommend this one.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Owen takes his new girlfriend, Gina, to visit his parents for the first time. Dynamics are tense as we quickly learn that Owen's mother, Marta, is not excited about her son prioritizing someone over her. But yet here they are, each with their own secret plans and looking out for their families. This story focuses on one long weekend at the parents home where Gina and Marta compete for Owen's attention all while moving their plans forward and in turn blocking each other from finding out too much. Were interactions staged, planned, who to trust, who was really there? This one shocked me all the way through the epilogue.

WOW - I finished this book in 24 hours, I just couldn't put it down! As each chapter finished it made me want to continue, needing to find out what was happening next. Cliffhangers and plot twists galore.

The characters in the book are truly unique and unlike any others I've read before. I've not read many psychological thrillers but if this book is a true representation of the genre then I'm hooked!

Marta and Grant are seemingly wonderful and very quickly turn out to be the nightmare in-laws-to-be. Gina navigates a weekend with them with a huge ulterior motive. Not only this, Marta and Grant know more about Gina then they are letting on. Poor Owen, the boyfriend is stuck in the middle, but does he play a part in this too?

I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, the plot, the twists and turns and the ending of this book. A real gem!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A great intense thriller with an incredible ending! The last line in the book was really unexpected, a great final twist — I really enjoyed this!
Emily’s writing style was somewhat different in this book though. She’s usually very easy-breezy. This is something I love about her and that I’ve mentioned several times before. However, this time she dragged the story a bit more than usual and inserted a lot more details. I didn’t necessarily like the change, but I suppose some people might.
I highly recommend it. I loved Gina!

Another brilliant, pacy and tense thriller from Emily Shiner - I loved it!

Owen takes his girlfriend, Gina, to meet his parents for the first time, His parents, Marta and Grant, already know who Gina is though and have a plan to get rid of her. Gina, on the other hand, has her own agenda, initially just using Owen to get to his parents to seek revenge for something that happened in the past, she didn’t plan on falling in love with him.. What ensues is like a cat and mouse game on steroids!

Manipulation, lies and deception. It’s every man (or woman) for themselves and each of them is determined to get their way, thinking they are one step ahead of the others - or are they?

The suspense was insane! I couldn’t stop reading as the author cleverly drip-fed the events of Gina’s past between the present day events and there were some real shockers in there. As the action intensified, it was clear that not everyone would make it out alive, Which love is the strongest? That between parent and child, or a couple who have chosen to spend the rest of their lives together? Just wait and see… and that final twist? OMG!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Emily Shiner and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Great thriller that I read in 2 days! Couldn’t put it down it wasn’t the most crazy twist I’ve ever read - but it was good and I enjoyed the book..

I have read Emily Shiner before. This one was a little different. It is more mystery than suspense. So if you love a good cozy mystery this is the book for you.

This is another fabulous domestic thriller by Emily Shiner. I couldn’t put it down after I started reading it and quickly drawn into the plot. The ending is deliciously far fetched but hugely enjoyable.

Oh my gosh! Emily Shiner knocks another one right out of the park! I absolutely devoured this book. Intensely fascinating characters that kept me flipping pages long past my bedtime. Truly on the edge of my seat for this roller coaster ride, never knowing who to trust and who to run from. So much creepy tension and unlocked family secrets. Don’t let this gem pass you by.
Thank you NetGalley, Emily Shiner and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Well, I have never been more thankful to have the in laws that I had. I loved them to pieces (probably more than I loved their son). These parents take the cake for toxic and horrible people. This was a page turner as you race through waiting to see what horrors will be uncovered. And there are plenty of them. These people are all pretty darn awful, and ait was a total guilty pleasure to read their story.

Ohh what a gripping thriller this was I didn’t know who was to be trusted and who not to trust absolutely fantastic book. It was such a fast paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns. I loved the writing style and how well developed the characters were written. I will definitely be recommending this fantastic thriller to anyone who loves a thriller. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this book! I really enjoyed this read. I finished it in less than 24 hours! One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the alternating perspectives between Gina and Marta. Occasionally it flashed back to Gina’s childhood which was deeply important to the story line. The author did not lay out all the details of the main character’s past all at once and did a nice job leaving me full of suspense waiting for the next bit of information. The interactions between characters are believable and chilling which added to the suspense of the book. This book keeps you wondering “what happens next”! I didn’t know who to trust. If you want to read about the shocking depths people will go to protect their loved ones, this is a good choice for you.

Emily Shiner's "Meet the Parents" is a gripping psychological thriller that masterfully blends suspense, intrigue, and a chilling tale of revenge. The novel introduces us to Gina, a woman with a dark past and a meticulously crafted plan. Ever since witnessing a murder in her childhood, Gina has been consumed by thoughts of vengeance. Her elaborate plot takes a decisive turn when she purposefully meets Dr. Owen Whitlock at the hospital and begins playing the role of his devoted girlfriend. However, as she gets to know Owen, Gina finds herself unexpectedly falling for his charms.

The story reaches a climax as Gina prepares to meet Owen’s parents at their isolated, grandiose home. This meeting is not just a social formality but a critical juncture in Gina’s quest for retribution. She is fully aware of the sinister secrets that Owen's family is desperately hiding, and she is determined to ensure that they never uncover her true identity.

Shiner’s novel is a tour de force in psychological manipulation and suspense. The characters are intricately developed, each one harboring their own secrets and motivations. Gina is a particularly fascinating protagonist—her blend of vulnerability and cold calculation makes her both relatable and terrifying. The tension between her growing feelings for Owen and her unwavering commitment to her revenge plot adds a compelling layer of complexity to the narrative.

The secluded setting of Owen’s family home adds to the atmosphere of dread and anticipation. Shiner’s descriptive writing brings the location to life, making the reader feel the isolation and foreboding that surrounds the estate. The pacing is impeccable, with each chapter revealing just enough to keep the reader hooked while gradually building up to the explosive climax.

One of the standout aspects of "Meet the Parents" is Shiner’s ability to weave a story that is both deeply personal and universally engaging. The themes of love, betrayal, and revenge are explored with nuance and depth, making the reader question the moral boundaries of the characters and, by extension, their own.

In conclusion, "Meet the Parents" is a psychological thriller that will captivate readers from beginning to end. Emily Shiner has crafted a novel that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining, For those who love a good thriller with a complex protagonist and a twisty plot, this book is a must-read.