Unity, where one mind brings happiness, or does it. OneMind is a company that have designed a small chip implanted behind your ear which enables you to hear your living partners thoughts. Intrusive or thoughtful.
Elijah, a technology fan, decides this is what he and his wife should have for their 10th wedding anniversary. I mean he already controls her life why not her thoughts too. Anna is not so keen as there things from her past she'd rather keep to herself.
I liked Anna's character although I did feel frustrated that she couldn't see how Elijah was controlling her even before Unity came into their lives, she was just grateful he was with her. I loved her friendship with Mandie, a true friend.
The story progressed steadily, building the tension before reaching the conclusion. It was a fascinating subject and how fast technology is developing I can see it happening in the future, I for one will not be joining in. This is a great debut novel.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read this advanced copy, I'm under no obligation to leave my review.
Review left on Goodreads, Bookmory, Storygraph and Fable now and on Amazon on publication day

My first book choice for 2025 certainly had an interesting premise. Imagine having a chip implanted in your head that enabled you to hear your partner's thoughts, and further imagine that your partner also had a chip implanted so that they could hear yours. It would feel kind of intrusive, wouldn't it? Especially if you've been keeping secrets from your partner.
Such is the premise of Always On My Mind. I've shared as much of the plot as I'm willing to. Suffice to say this is quite a chilling, psychological thriller. The male protagonist, Elijah, gives off stalker vibes from the very first chapter.
He loves his technology, and the house he and Anna live in has all the latest gadgets, giving the story a sci-fi feel. Anna however, has an almost luddite attitude towards the tech.
Sadly, none of the characters are likeable. I struggled to find a single redeeming feature in any of them. That said, I enjoyed Always On My Mind. It made for a good start to the year.
Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My last read of 2024! The premise of this book really appealled to me so I was very pleased to be approved for an ARC. I enjoy speculative thriller books and this one did not disappoint.

The idea of hearing all your partners thoughts and them hearing yours would not appeal to me in the slightest, and it was clear that the main character Anna felt the same. She felt pressured into having the new technology chip by her controlling husband Elijah.

Obviously these types of things never end well and this book was no different. An enjoyable read...I felt the ending could have concluded a bit more definitively one way or the other but this didn't impact my overall view of the book at all.

Carys Green’s Always on My Mind is an unsettling, thought-provoking thriller that delves into the complexities of intimacy, trust, and the boundaries of privacy in relationships.

The story centers on Anna and Elijah, a couple celebrating their ten-year anniversary with a bold leap into cutting-edge technology: a OneMind implant that allows them to share each other’s thoughts. Initially, the implant seems like a gateway to deeper connection, but it soon unravels their relationship in chilling and unexpected ways. Anna begins experiencing vivid memories that aren’t her own, triggering a cascade of paranoia and fear. The real tension arises when Anna realizes Elijah might also be privy to her darkest secrets.

Green masterfully balances the emotional and psychological stakes, creating a gripping narrative that explores the implications of such radical transparency. Themes of toxic relationships and power dynamics are woven throughout, offering a layered exploration of how control and trust intersect. Anna’s internal struggles, heightened by the invasive technology, make for a claustrophobic and compelling read.

The pacing is brisk and relentless, with each revelation pushing Anna—and the reader—closer to a breaking point. The concept of shared thoughts is both fascinating and horrifying, and Green’s portrayal of its consequences feels eerily plausible, adding to the novel’s tension.

Always on My Mind is not just a thriller; it’s also a poignant commentary on the dangers of sacrificing privacy for the illusion of closeness. With its sharp plotting, intriguing characters, and unsettling premise, this debut cements Carys Green as a rising star in the high-concept thriller genre. A must-read for fans of psychological and speculative fiction.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Thank you for Carys Green, Random House UK – Vintage, Harvill Secker, and Netgalley for the Advanced reader Copy of this title. Potential readers, here is my opinion on the novel.

If you want to know what happens when you give a controlling, possessive partner control, look no further. Carys Green presents an idea that is so satisfyingly eerie and has the reader trying to emulate Unity’s OneMind in order to will themselves into Anna Weston’s head. What was she thinking?

Anna Weston has been married to Elijah, the man she met on her first night at the Student Union bar. The book opens on their tenth anniversary with a panicked Anna running late for a dinner Elijah is cooking. Elijah does all the cooking, earns the money, and has the home kitted out in the latest tech, freeing Anna up to pursue her love of art in her home studio. That does not stop Elijah wanting to know Anna’s every making move. Presenting her with his latest gift, he offers Anna the opportunity to hear his every waking thought, the only catch is…he will hear her every conscious thought too. With a couple this close, who had known each other their whole adult lives, what could possibly go wrong?

Like so many readers and reviewers have said before me, there is a large chunk of repetition in this book where Anna frequently asks about a specific feature of the chip that are a main feature of this book, and although Elijah answers each time, it is still a main topic of conversation between the couple. This feature of the book can be a bit grating at times. However, I did not allow this to deter my reading. Instead, it helped build a better sense of both Elijah and Anna’s characters.

The premise behind the book was a novel idea for me. I loved the drama, the touch of sci-fi, and the not-so-distant feal of the novel. It felt fresh and unique. I also loved the way the novel was told in alternating past and present tense, connecting the then and now, whilst posing questions that helped spur the reader and keep the page turning. It gave the reader a clear picture of the two main couples in the book, how they came to be, and exactly what their foundations were made of. That said, the backstory also makes you wonder how the couples have successfully stayed together until present day. The women are a far cry to their earlier selves.

Although I had a range of ideas in my head about how the story would end, I have to admit, I was caught off-guard. I did not see what was coming until it sucked me into the action as it unfolded. Suspense was a constant ally throughout this book’s journey and an enjoyable read. Jumping from person, thought to thought, to spoken language took a little getting used to so the visual cues using bold, italics, and speech marks is helpful. I am not sure if the book would be easy to listen to if the narrator were not altering their voice to get into each character.

As a trigger warning, there are a few mentions of abortion and miscarriages to be aware of. If you are not put off by what you have read so far, then this book is for lovers of modern-day thrillers who love the latest technology. There is frequent use of the ‘f-bomb’ to signal fear, or an error but otherwise, the book would probably be considered tame in content, and typical of a thriller genre novel. I highly recommend this book and give it a 4 out of 5 stars, with the only letdown being the repetition that makes Anna a little annoying.

I requested this from NetGalley because it was an intriguing plot.  It reminded me a bit of the TV show Made For Love where a woman finds out that her tech billionaire husband implanted her with a chip to be able to track her and read her emotions.  In this book, there's an eager tech adopter who persuades his tech-avoiding wife to have chips implanted so they can read each other's thoughts.  I was not expecting so many red flags about the husband and certainly not so soon.  I think the first one was within the first couple of pages, where he said that he wanted to know where she was at all times.  I don't think I've ever read a book where I was telling the character not to continue within the first chapter!  Having said that, I didn't much care for any of the characters and found them all to be quite annoying.  The secret that Anna was so desperate to conceal was obvious within the first few pages.  It wasn't actually revealed until nearly 75% of the way through and was a total non-event.  The build-up for the ending ramped up at that point but then dropped off and the ending took a completely different turn.  I can't say that it was particularly satisfactory and I was left feeling quite annoyed by the whole thing.  It's definitely not the book I was expecting from the blurb which is a shame. 

Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy to review.

Although I didn’t like the main protagonists and was frustrated that Anna could be so bullied while being oblivious to her husband’s motivations, I actually liked this book. I was intrigued by the concept of being able to implant a chip in each person’s head so they can read each other’s thoughts. I made me wonder what would happen if this was a reality and hands up I won’t be signing up for this procedure any time soon. Having got over my dislike of Anna, with her sordid secrets allowing her husband to cajole her into having the chip, I found the story becoming more intriguing. The tension ratchets up, particularly towards the end and I was torn as to whom I was routing for. An interesting idea, well written and I’ll be looking out for more by Cary’s Green.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. The premise of this book immediately drew me in - I love twisted stories of futuristic technology. Unity connects two minds so that one can always hear the other's thoughts - in some ways, I do see the appeal! Aside from being an interesting basis for discussion, this book was very well-written. It was a bit too much domestic and not quite enough thriller for my tastes, though the thrilling parts were incredibly tense and compelling.

The way technology is going I wouldn’t be surprised if at some point this kind of thing will exist but I for one do not want anyone seeing the thoughts in my head. In this story we meet Anna who’s husband surprises her on her tenth wedding anniversary of a chip that means they are always connected by their minds, only problem is there’s lots in her mind she doesn’t want him to know. As she starts to suffer side effects from the chip she struggles to control her thoughts and keep long buried secrets to remain buried but is there a darker side to her husband and can some secrets be deadly. This is a scary read of a future that seems far to close.

2.5 *
I couldn’t take the premise of this book seriously. All I could think was: Who on Earth would allow someone else-even someone they loved and trusted- into their head? Any marriage would be over within a week. (My husband totally agrees! :))
All the big reveals were a bit too obvious, almost from the start, so very little came as a surprise, even in the final ‘act’.
There was some nice tension built up at times, and the pace towards the end was good. Anna was, for some reason, completely incapable of seeing how controlling her husband was.

An intense book. Celebrating 10 years of marriage with an implant that allows you to read each others thoughts.
Together since the first year of university, everything paid for by Elijah. Family money and a high flying career. In competition with university friends Gavin and his wife Helen. Once so close and supportive now fractured and competitive.
Old memories are uncovered and change the dynamics.
You never truly know anyone.

This book gripped me from the very early chapters, and I found myself thinking about it during the times I wasn't reading. An intriguing plot, I certainly recommend this book and the author.

Carys Green has a hit on her hands with this book. It's absolutely brilliant. I discussed loads of it with my family and friends! One Mind is certainly a place I would steer well clear of! Absolutely brilliant.

Always on my Mind is a story of fiction that I hope never becomes reality.
Anna and Elijah are a married couple who met at university so have known each other a long time. Elijah is a tech buff who thrives on the latest invention and must have it in their home. While Anna is a simple woman and not interested in the gadgets installed in their house. On their wedding anniversary he surprises her with a brand new gift by a company called Unity. It involves the implantation of chips into both of them that will enable both of them to know what the other is thinking. Anna has reservations from the start but feels pressured by her husband so reluctantly agrees.
As both are harbouring secrets it’s now difficult to keep them hidden which leads to their relationship becoming toxic.
I can’t imagine how intrusive this would be let alone how annoying to have almost constant conversation in your head.
My thanks to Net Galley and Random House UK Vintage Books for the ARC.

The ability to read minds is something we all think about and would love, however would we really? If it meant we could hear our partner's every thought and, more importantly, that they can hear ours.

This is what Anna and Elijah sign up for in this twisty thriller. Great concept which is brilliantly explored.

I managed to get an ARC of this, and I'm so glad I did as it sounded amazing.

I wasn't disappointed.

Having read the blurb, my first thought was how bad an idea this kind of technology was. My other half doesn't need to know just how many obscenities I think about him in the average day, and I certainly don't need to know how many he thinks about me! 😂

This is a very well-written thriller with a couple of very decent twists. The characters are well thought out, and the twists I didn't see coming at all.

Elijah is the tech-obsessed doting husband who just wants them to be as close as possible. Anna is the wife, still feeling guilty that she can't give Elijah the one thing he wants more than anything, so she agrees to have the OneMind chip with him.

But is everything quite as it seems?

I loved this so much - one of the most original thrillers I've read in a long time.

I really enjoyed this book. When I saw the blurb, I knew I couldn’t resist. I’ve always wanted to be able to read other peoples minds so the concept really appealed to me. The author didn’t disappoint and I found this a gripping read. It was twisty an turnand I raced through it. I love the speculative angle and found the whole thing fascinating. I would definitely recommend this book. It is pacy with a really good concept.

When I read the premise of this I knew it would be right up my street. Imagine being able to hear your partners every thought, and they yours. Would this bring you closer together? For their anniversary Elijah gifts Anna the unity experience. Each of them will receive a chip implanted behind their ear that allows them to hear each other’s thoughts in an effort to bring them closer together and closer to unity. Anna’s not convinced. Eli’s love of technology means he’s excited, Anna can’t shake her nerves, there are things she need to keep secret. Things that would destroy their marriage… but how can she back out without looking guilty…

I devoured this in pretty much one sitting. I can’t imagine how the idea of this could appeal to anyone and it was great to see the turns that this led to. Thanks to netgalley for the arc. Publishing next year.

Imagine being able to hear everything your partner thinks, and vice versa! That’s the reality for Anna and Elijah after they join OneMind, a groundbreaking company that’s developed a chip implanted behind the ear. This chip allows them to share their innermost thoughts with each other, creating an entirely new level of connection.

At first, the concept seems intriguing, almost thrilling—until the consequences begin to sink in. What if there are things you’d rather keep private?

This book presents a fresh and intriguing concept, packed with twists, secrets, and emotional drama. It’s the kind of story that could easily be adapted into a compelling TV series. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Would you want your partner to hear your thoughts? Able to turn in and out whenever they want? And would you want them to hear yours? How about seeing your memories? This is what this book is about, and it really got me conflicted.

What if you hear nice things, or bad things… where do you draw the line?

The concept is really interesting and not something I’ve seen before, but the more I read the book the more I erred on the side of thinking this is a controlling and manipulative situation, and I often found myself feeling uncomfortable when reading.

I really did not like Elijah’s character, and he absolutely infuriated me to the point I could have thrown my kindle across the room. His then character did not associate with his new character and I found him to be quite a troubling soul.

Anna, on the other hand I liked her, and as the story unraveled I actually felt quite sorry for her, and wished she would get the hell out of there. But love is blind so they say.

The flow of the book was really good, and I found myself wanting to keep reading to get to the bottom of the mysteries and surprises. The last 10 chapters of this book had my heart in my mouth, and loved the turn of events! Even much so that the last few chapters took this from a 3 to a 4 star read for me!

One thing I didn’t like with the current draft is the random reviews and information pieces on unity. The reviews need to be in a different font, or state “review” before they are inserted into the main body of the text, as they confused me as I thought it was part of the normal story. Additionally the info pieces add nothing to the story to my opinion and could be removed to shorten the book.

Overall a fun read, and I would recommend if you want your patience tested, heart palpitations and reeling thoughts afterwards.