Harper is attempting to move on after the death of her husband. After locking herself away, suffering with panic attacks she is convinced to go on a dating app, but this isn't the fresh start she is hoping for.
Keri takes you through so many twists and turns that you genuinely have no clue, she leaves you until the last second to reveal a twist I didn't see coming. Another 5 star read from me and another 5 star book from Keri. Just when I thought she couldn't get any better!

A creepy and engaging read, A grusome thriller, the story centres around Harper who after two years of widowhood begins to dip her toe into the world on online dating. Lots of gripping twists and a well-paced plot, this novel will have you turning the pages. The characters are a bit simplistic but it doesn't detract too much from a well-written and engrossing story.

Harper was happily married, and was devastated when her husband was killed in a car crash. Making things worse was the fact that Alicia, Harpers best friend was in the car with him, and was also killed. Harper could not think of any reason why Alicia would be with Charlie, unless they were having an affair. Harper hid herself away in her Norfolk home, her questions unanswered, becoming almost a recluse, until her friend Megan suggested it was time for Harper to start living her life again. Harper signs up to a reputable dating site called "Into You", not really expecting any replies to her profile online. However, there are some, and so Harper, a little reluctantly, starts dating.
Harper meets several men, but not everyone seems genuine, and some are not who they say they are. Secrets and lies abound in this psychological thriller, and kept me turning the pages. I didn't see the ending coming, and I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommended.

This was an incredibly boring book. Harper has begun dating again after her husband and friend die in a car accident. Harper's husband cheated on her with the friend. Ok, so far believable and predictable. From there, it was suspenseful or intriguing in any way. The endless dates at the same pub, droned on and on. No tension really. A very slow burn. Two stars from me, and that is being generous.

4.5 ⭐ rounded up

Once again Keri Beevis has produced yet another stellar thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

When I first picked this book up I only intended to read the first chapter, just to get the feel of it. However, immediately I was pulled into this story with Harper. The book started off strong and I was expecting a typical stalker read. Nope, I wasn't prepared for the route this book took.

The story progresses well and of course the book is well written. What really stood out to me was how palpable Harper's paranoia and fear could be felt through the pages of this book. It was really well articulated and her feelings became my feelings. I love how this book also showcases the horrors of online dating and even dating in general. Keri skillfully incorporates real life dangers into this story,while maintaining a steady focus on the original plot.

As the secrets began to reveal themselves,my jaw hit the flow as to just depraved people can be. It wasn't overly gruesome and too detailed, something that I think many others will appreciate. The ending was suspenseful and tense. Beevis will have you at edge of your seat and hanging on her every word.

The build up to the antagonist reveal made me want to pull out my hair 😂. I was stressed!!
This was the perfect read for me and I enjoyed it from cover to cover. I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Keri Beevis for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Pub Date October 14th, 2024

Harper,still in turmoil over her husband’s death, agrees to try online dating. At the same time someone starts stalking her. The chapters go by quickly as we are introduced to more and more men and with each new guy we question, ‘is this the stalker?’
This story has lots of twists and secrets are revealed at every turn. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to seeing what else she’s written.

Phew! That was a wild ride!

Harper is being terrorized by a stalker, it could be a number of men she went on dates with or met recently. I did guess the stalker almost instantly, but a couple of times my guess wavered. However, even though I ended up being correct, it was still thrilling to come to the conclusion.

Beevis’ writing is so easy to read. Her stories are unique, scary, and believable, which makes it even scarier. This book was like nothing I’ve read before, so I was so excited to get my hands on it! I did NOT disappoint!

After being widowed two years ago Harper enters the world of dating through a dating site, what she doesn't know is that someone is already interested in her.
During the first part we meet the different characters and we see the harsh reality of online dating and the difficulty of connecting with other people, especially if they are not what they seem as it happens to Harper with some of them.
Just when everything seems to be starting to go well for her, she discovers that her husband had secrets too and wasn't just cheating on her with her best friend when they died in the car accident.
The book has a fairly slow pace, especially in the beginning with the dates and everything that can go wrong. Once we get into it, and the novel starts to pick up the pace, we only have to choose between the few suspects presented to us.
I found it hard to connect with Harper's character, going on one failed date after another, it was annoying.
Overall it is an entertaining but slow burning novel.

The premise of this book was promising- scorned widow discovers secrets about late husband; however, it was hard for me to continue to read when none of the characters were likable or very realistic. For example, MC, Harper, goes from being fully alone for years to dating anyone that comes her way and at the SAME location (this took about half of the book to get through). Her entire personality was insufferable. It would have been interesting to hear about her relationship with late husband and ex friend. You spend most of the book wondering who her stalker is when it can really be any one of 20 people. The twist seemed to also arrive too late in the book for my liking. It wasn’t for me, but if you like some of the darker torture thrillers like some of Jon Marrs’ stuff, you will like this one. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this title.

Indeed, how well do you know your husband or anyone around you really? That is what Harper is going to find out the very hard way.

Is it possible to love and hate someone at the same time? It sure is. You can love them for all the time spend together before finding out the truth that scatters your world into one million pieces. 

Little did you know your world could desintegrate even more...

I loved this story and I regretted I could not read faster on the one hand because I wanted to know everything. On the other hand though I wanted to prolong the pleasure by reading slower. 

I kept guessing until the end and I never would have picked this name or never could have imagined what went on. 

I wonder who still wants to date after reading this story. ;)

Excellent book, great storytelling. It does seem the apple does not fall far from the tree. Sometimes the apple behaves worse than the tree ever did. 5 stars

Thank you

3.5 stars rounded down. I love this author's books and have read almost all of them. I was excited to see a new book out by Beevis. Harper is living alone after her husband, Charlie, dies in a car accident. To make things worse, Harper's best friend was in the car leading Harper to believe they were having an affair. The best friend died in the car accident so there is not a lot of closure for Harper. Harper is an author who starts out by never leaving the house. The death of her husband and the fact that he was cheating has destroyed her.

Eventually, her friend convinces her to join a dating site and try to move forward. Once she joins the dating site, she does go out with a few men, all of them with issues. Someone breaks into her home, she hears noises outside, and feels unsafe as her world starts to crumble again. Along comes Luke, a doctor at the local hospital. They start out as friends, but it becomes more.

This was a very slow burn. Very slow. If I had to rate the last quarter of the book, I'd be giving this 5 stars. The first three quarters was a lot of build up and, at times, drawn out. I do not like books that go on and on to only spring a bit of action at the end. Although the book was well written, I cannot say I liked the characters much as all, except for the dog.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I do recommend this book, as others have rated it higher than me. Just personal preference.

5⭐

Harper is a widow, struggling to find herself again. She navigates online dating nightmares while discovering that her late-husband was keeping secrets far worse than the affair she suspected him of.

I devoured this book. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, constantly making guesses and still not catching on to who our bad guy was until right before it was revealed. The pacing was fantastic, the tension was built perfectly. I loved Bailey (her rescue dog). All of the characters were really well-done and the stalker's chapters offer great insight to their state of mind and perspective without giving too much away that you know who it is the whole time. Really, I was fooled and floored!

Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC! It was a treat!

This was an awesome story that included so many potential suspects that it will keep you guessing for most of the book! Harper is trying to become part of the world again after keeping herself secluded following the death of her husband, Charlie. She decides to sign up to a dating website and it all goes downhill from there. We’re treated to some seriously bad date scenarios as she gets comfortable enough to meet with the men in person. She meets them all at the same pub, one she feels safe at, and I pictured it as a hilarious movie montage of her walking in hopeful beforehand and then leaving yet another bad experience resigned and frustrated.

Not all of the men she meets are losers, but she consistently wrestles with giving one a chance or giving up completely. Meanwhile, she begins to go through her husband’s possessions and comes across documents that have her confused and worried. She definitely didn’t know him as well as she thought but it’s the way the past connects to her present that makes her worry she’s in danger. But with all the men in her life she has recently come across, who does she truly need protecting from?

I did figure this one out, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying waiting to see how it was all going to play out. Keep an eye out for all the characters in this story – that’s about as much as I can say. And if your husband passes away, don’t put off going through his study because it’s too hard. That seems to be where the secrets are always kept! You never know what you don’t know about someone until you find out. So the sooner the better!

Welcome to a date from hell!

A woman's world is shattered when her husband and best friend die in a car accident. Struggling with grief, she decides to start living again by joining a dating site. However, she soon realizes that not everything is as it seems as strange and dangerous things start happening in her life. She must uncover shocking secrets from her past before it's too late.

This is definitely my favorite book by Keri! The plot is so engaging that you won't be able to put it down. The unexpected twists and turns, along with a shocking reveal, kept me on the edge of my seat. Despite the sensitive topic, this book is must-read. It delves into women's fears surrounding online dating and relationships, prompting us to question how well we really know the people in our lives...

If you're a fan of dark mystery thrillers, this book is perfect for you! Do yourself a favor and put this book on your TBR.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

She has done it again!! Keri Beevis has produced another amazing book. I felt so guilty reading this in one day when it probably took many months to create - that will teach her for writing such a dramatic page turner. I loved all the characters who you instantly connected with and the suspense of who was genuine and who wasn’t made incredible storytelling. I loved the pace of the book, it flowed well and anything with a dog in is a winner for me. One of the best psychological thrillers I have read in ages. Quite dark and twisted at times but thoroughly enjoyable, look forward to more from this fantastic author.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my open and honest review. As always, my reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones and interaction on Facebook and instagram where possible.

Oh blimey! Where do I start? A read that had me galloping through it, keeping me up at night, wanting, no, needing, to find out what was going on!
Harper lost her husband Charlie following a car crash two years ago. Her friend Megan has encouraged her to start dating and she has signed up to a paying app hoping this will mean a more genuine type of person from the horror stories she has heard about. She meets a few dates, soon learning that some really aren't who they say they are and in the process meets Luke who rescues her when she fell and hurt herself and soon he becomes a friend. Harper starts getting odd things happening- literally bumps in the night and feels that someone has been in her house but nothing she can really put her finger on. One thing leads to another and then she finds out things about her husband she never imagined possible. A cottage holding secrets that make Harper physically sick when she first sees them. Who is after her and are they related to the cottage and what went on there?
OMG! There are some books that we say we can't put down and some that hold on like glue- this is one of them. It's dark and twisty and gives the reader that delicious sense of unease that something is amiss. My “ suspects” changed I think with every chapter as there are so many threads each that could lead to something or nothing (it will make sense once read).I never once suspected the main perpetrator- so well is this written. This has to be one of the best psychological thrillers I've ever read and I read around 200 books a year. Stunning, captivating, brilliant, twisty. What more can I say? 10*

Keri Beevis books are a little bit dark and insanely twisted! I was HOOKED on every sentence of this book. It was so brilliantly written that I was doubting every single person and flying through the pages to see which theory was right.. and it was none of them!! This is the second book I've read by the author and they were both 5 stars. Beevis must be an animal lover because in both books the main character had a sweet, adorable rescue dog and that makes me love her even more!!!!

Another great book by an amazing writer. Keri Beevis has become one of my favorite authors because she consistently delivers great stories! This book will draw you in and keep you on the edge of your seat. More than once, I was sure I knew what was going to happen, only to be thrown a curve ball. This book highlights the fears a lot of women have about online dating, or dating in general. How well do we know anyone, whether it's someone we've gone on one date with, casually met in passing, or been married to? Such a good book that I would definitely recommend.

The Cottage by the Sea is a brand-new psychological thriller by Keri Beevis. The story had some twisty and good surprises.

I was so worried about the dog, Bailey, who was a great character in itself. I didn't really connect with the characters in this story, but I could feel empathy for Harper in trying to get back into the dating world.

The story was good and it mostly held my interest. The ending was a good surprise.

I like this author and other books that she has written. I would recommend this book.

#TheCottagebytheSea #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks

2* Not a hit with me. Not enough detail about the life with her husband or friend to make it believable. Sorry, but this one should go back to the drawing book. Requires too much suspension of disbelief.

This isn't a very engrossing or believable tale. I think if it hadn't had Bailey the rescue dog in it, I'd have bailed on it, no pun intended. There's no detail of Harper's life with her late husband - other than a work paper diary showing black spaces on the nights he told her he was working late, discovered far too late in the tale - and nothing with her friend that he was supposedly with when he died.

For her to keep having date after date when the first experience was so poor, required too much suspension of disbelief. The Adrian issue that was hinted at came to nothing but injected a hint of potential danger. Everything else was a damp squib, unfortunately.

ARC courtesy of Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my reading pleasure.