Waking Up in Vegas - 2.5 stars

I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. I found the pacing slow, which made it hard to stay engaged. Despite my efforts to enjoy it, I ultimately felt disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A group of 5 girls on a bachelorette weekend in Vegas. Organised by maid of honour Rachel for best friend Jess, Rachel promises Jess an unforgetable Vegas experience. Except Jess wakes up in the morning in a bath of ice and casino chips, three of her friends are scattered around the luxurious suite which is a mess, and one friend is missing. No-one has any memories of the night before. The women have to work to retrace their steps to attempt to work out just what happened the night before and find their missing friend.

This was a fast-paced thriller and I enjoyed the alternating timelines of 'last night' and 'this morning'. The author has clearly experienced Vegas as her descriptions of the setting were great and really added to the atmosphere of the story.

I did enjoy the ending although I was left with some questions!

Overall, a fast read that will leave you turning the pages quickly to find out just what happened, with an ending that - for me - was unexpected!

Thanks to the author for an ARC of this book.

A story of friendship, resilience and forgotten memories. An absolute adventure.

Imagine waking up in Vegas the night after your Bachelorette party with zero memory of the night before. 1 friend is missing and the rest of you are in precarious situations.

This story is a wild ride and once it gets started it is hard to put down.

Highly recommend!

Hate to say it but this book was not for me at all.
The constant switch between 'last night' and 'this morning' was annoying and it hindered me from gaining any rhythm or momentum reading. Had the book been split into three parts, for example, part one - this morning, part two - last night and part three - this morning. It would of made the flow of the story much easier for me to follow and get feeling invested in. But that might just be me.
I also noted in the beginning of the story, the repetition of character details, divorced, overworked, planner, felt overdone. Now having completed the story, I understand why, but it's still stuck with me.
While the characters seemed somewhat transformed and ok about the experience, I unfortunately can't share the same sentiment.

I received a free copy of, Waking Up In Vegas, by J.E. Rowney, , from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Jess is getting married, she and her friends have her bachlorette party in Vegas. What could possible go wrong? This book goes back and forth, between last night and this morning, it was an ok read.

The first few chapters are very captivating! Why did she wake up in a weird ice bath? Why is an employee in her bed?

It's very much The Hangover vibes.

The back and forth between the morning of the and the night prior creates a fun mystery. Reading the characters try to find their friend and figure out what happened through the dialogue and bond through this was enjoyable. The tension between the friends was also fun.

I didn't find myself captivated and motivated to inhale the book, but it's an easy read and I think it will do well! It's a fun Vegas thriller! I think this would make the perfect book gift for a thriller lover who enjoys cozy mysteries, fun dialogue, and a quicker read. It took me having curiosities about the book after putting it down to finish it, and I'm glad I did. Thank you for allowing me to read this!!

Thank you NetGalley! This was great. I did not see which way it would go with the build up. I loved the flash backs mixed with present day. You’ll enjoy this female Hangover

Looking for a quick and captivating mystery? Then read this book!! Waking up in a bath of ice or handcuffed to a stranger while your best friend is missing this is how the author grabs you from the first pages!!! What happened to Rachel? Jess and her friends have to piece together what the heck happened on their night out .This is a very fast moving page turner. Loved this book and definitely couldn't put it down !!

This story starts with five friends arriving in Las Vegas for what should be an epic bachelorette party. We meet Jess, our bride-to-be, her maid-of-honor, Rachel, and her other friends, Megan, Olivia, and Lisa. As an amazing maid-of-honor, Rachel has booked incredible suites for the women at The Bellagio and has planned a night to remember, with VIP passes and luxury at every turn.

Except in the morning, no one remembers anything and Rachel is missing.

This story is told in alternating timelines: one from the night before, when the bachelorette party is off and running, and the next day when the women are on a frantic mission to find out what happened to Rachel.

If you love Las Vegas, you should enjoy this book. It's clear to me that the author has a deep appreciation for the city and its history. We see the luxury of The Bellagio, from the rooms to the views, to the artwork. Then we see limo rides throughout the strip, the exclusive clubs and events, and high-roller accommodations. This story reminded me how much I used to love going to Vegas, and it instantly brought back a lot of the feelings of excitement I felt when traveling there.

This story did drag a bit in the middle for me. I think this was because parts felt a bit predictable and so I was ready to move past those points. Another thing that I wished had been different was establishing the bond the women had with each other. In the first 30% or so of the story, there is a lot of the women sort of, fawning over each other. How beautiful and successful and the dresses shimmering and glittering in the lights and then Jess (the bride) constantly thanking Rachel for setting everything up. It felt repetitive. I think the author was trying to show us the true affection and friendship the women shared, but I wish this had been conveyed differently.

The end was...different. It was somewhat unbelievable based on how the story was told. If there had been more character development, it wouldn't have been as unrealistic.

There were definitely some logistical aspects in this book that didn't totally jive to me, but it was nothing that felt distracting or ruined the quality of the story.

If you enjoy stories with wild nights in Vegas, a girls' night to remember, and some mystery and luxury mixed in, this is the story for you!

“Waking Up In Vegas” is a psychological thriller that revolves around five best friends embarking on an unforgettable bachelorette weekend in Las Vegas. The story centers on Jess, who has always been the responsible planner among her friends. However, during this particular trip, she decides to let loose and enjoy the wild side of Vegas with her four closest companions.

The excitement of VIP passes, exclusive clubs, and carefree fun quickly turns into a nightmare when Jess wakes up in a bathtub full of ice with no recollection of the previous night. Alarmingly, her maid of honor and best friend Rachel is missing, while the other girls are found scattered throughout their luxurious suite in various states of disarray.

In this high-stakes environment of Las Vegas, Jess and her friends are forced to confront their deepest insecurities and question their trust in one another. Each revelation leads them to reevaluate not only their wild weekend but also their lives as a whole.

“Waking Up In Vegas” is an addictive reading experience that resonates with anyone who has ever tested the bonds of friendship. It explores themes such as choices, secrets, and the strength found in relationships when faced with adversity. This thrilling tale is perfect for fans who enjoy movies reminiscent of “The Hangover” combined with elements from “Gone Girl.”

Omg my God this book was absolutely fantastic heart stopping from beginning to end.
What those ladys went through I was on the edge of my seat all the way through.
Will defo be telling friends and family about this book it's a must read it will not let you down.

I had the chance to read this as an ARC. The beginning had me hooked because I was interested in what will happen. I enjoyed the book but when I think of thriller I want a more fast paced more twist, for me this just wasn’t what I had imagined when I read what this book was about. This was a first for me from this author but I’m interested to see what else they have out there. I think since I’ve read many other thrillers I have a certain expectation when it comes to reading them. But I would still recommend reading this if you find it interesting when reading the book description.

I'm sorry to say that Waking Up in Vegas just didn't do it for me. The Hangover-esque premise intrigued me and I was excited to read the female equivalent of the famous Vegas movie. Told in dual timelines, we follow the misadventures of five women on a bachelorette weekend trip where one of them disappears and no one remembers anything. One narrative is the night unfolding, and the other is the women piecing together the previous night.

I found the writing incredibly repetitive. The writer mentioned "the scent of expensive perfume" so frequently it was making me laugh. The middle of the story dragged with the same descriptions of Vegas nightlife and "this is going to be a night we'll never forget" statements before the women (haha!) forget everything. The ending was ridiculous. Overall, I found nothing thrilling about this thriller and got bored quickly. Maybe a younger reader or someone who's never been to Vegas would like this story.

I personally wouldn't consider this book to be a physiological thriller. The book overall was a good read. It was a little hard to keep track of which day it was at times.

my first read from this author and very much enjoyed. Jess is going to Las Vagas for her bachelorette with her best friend Rachel who organized it and her 3 other friends. there first night is amazing. but when Jess wakes up, she is in a bath of ice with no memory she goes looking for her friends one is handcuffed to a man the other has a briefcase and one is dressed as a show girl, but Rachel is missing , they have to try and piece the night before together to find Rachel the book will keep you guessing until the end a very good read .

This is my first read by J.E. Rowney. Waking Up In Vegas had me intrigued from the very first chapter and to be honest, I couldn’t put it down. The switch between last night and this morning kept it an interesting and fast paced read. I did find some of the dialogue and themes a bit repetitive, but overall I really enjoyed this book and would give it 4 stars!

This is a crazy ride about five girls who awaken in Vegas one morning after Jess's bachelorette party. Jess is in a bathtub full of ice and Rachel--her maid-of-honor and party planner--is handcuffed to Alex.a man who works at the Bellagio where they are staying. None of the women remember anything about the night before and they must piece together the events that landed them in this now-trashed hotel room before check-out time. Pieces of the night are recalled: an exclusive club called Cherry Pop, a flash drive in a purse, a credit card maxed out, the magician named Marvolo, and "the man in the hat knows." It's a race to the end as the women's memories slowly return and they realize they have each learned something about themselves.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This book was a major let down, and the writing was so repetitive I had to make sure I did not accidentally go back a page.
If I read “a night you’ll never forget” one more time I would have DNF.
Also, the ending was less thriller and more weird than anything else.

Such potential with a major letdown on all avenues.

Waking up in Vegas.
The first chapter of this book had me wanting to find out what on earth happened to these 5 girls that arrived for Jess's Bachelorrette in Las Vegas and had me wanting to know where this story was going to go.

It has The Hangover vibes to me

This book had an interesting concept and made me excited to dive in. From the beginning, it was very much "The Hangover"-esque, but the female version, where Jess wakes up the night after her bachelorette party and her friends and her need to figure out what exactly happened the night before. The book alternates uncovering the details the day after and from as the night progresses, making the reader want to continue to read on. The ending and unfolding of the book was definitely my favorite part, it was a completely unique way to end the book that I would have never have guessed was coming, and the ending left me continuing to think about the book. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could, it was a good plot, the beginning and middle of the book just dragged a bit at parts, and there was a little too much uncertainty pushed on the reader in the beginning parts.

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a chance to read this ARC for free in exchange for my honest review.