This book reminds me of a 50's sitcom where the women are dressed in beautiful dresses covered by an apron while the men go to work and provide for their family. Where boys and girls are slotted into the roles they are expected to play and punished if they choose otherwise. However, behind the idyllic life of the Haven, is the true story of how this community is constructed. How Radiance is merely a facade. It is a high-tech cult led by the biomarker bracelet. Where said bracelet glows amber, red or green dependent upon your "mood" and if it continues in such a certain way, that behind the fringe is blood. When Julia first arrived with Ollie and Milo to join James, she immediately questioned how this life could be sustained at such a level of perfection. How based upon where you ranked determined what you could and couldn't do. She tried to fit in and join Petra in attending events and being satisfied in a life filled with parties and sipping champagne. How having jasmine permeate through the air was normal. She wanted to escape. This book is captivating as she really finds out what was going on as the true leaders of the cult intentions were that all had no issue with decimating society. She thought she knew James and Bob. Its sad how she had to change her whole life including her identity to escape. She was finally free.

I was excited to get an arc of this but the first half of the book was very slow going. The second half picked up and I ended up rating it 3 stars.

Julia and James are going through a rough patch in their marriage. They have two boys and James decides he wants to love them all to a gated community. By a gated community I mean they can’t leave without permission. Julia isn’t happy about this but she’s trying to keep her family together.

Things are far from perfect in the gated community because people around Julia and James are being murdered but they don’t know who’s doing it.

Honestly, this wasn’t a favorite of mine but it kept me guessing up until the end.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for a chance to read this for free in return for my honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

This was… something. The first half is painstakingly slow.

When Julia first arrives, things are weird off the bat. There are snippets of some big disappearance she was involved in, hints of an affair and because of this she becomes unbearably submissive to her husband.

My main issue for the first half is the unbelievability of so much of it. This independent, self assured, career woman just… doesn’t question any of the odd things happening. I understand this is later half explained by the weird gasses everywhere, but even still. It’s a stretch.

The ending was fine. I wish there was more explanation about how the embassy rescued the boys and what happened to the rest of the community.

The social aspect at the end was a nice touch.

All in all, this was half way between a domestic novel and a sci Fi book and didn’t hit the spot for me.

What an incredible debut! This book felt like Stepford Wives meets a lighter version of The Handmaid’s Tale, set in a twisted dystopian world obsessed with achieving the perfect life—no matter the cost.

What a thrilling ride this was with Julia! There were moments when I had to put the book down because my heart was racing and the adrenaline was pumping. Just when I thought I knew where the story was headed after the incident, it completely took me by surprise.

This was a fantastic read, and I’ve already recommended it! Set to be released on March 4, 2025, so if you love psychological thrillers, make sure to grab a copy. I can’t wait to see what SJ writes in the future.

A huge thank you to **NetGalley and Storm Publishing

I love a good dystopian thriller, and Where You Belong delivered. Fast paced and tense, I couldn't put it down! Perfect for fans of John Marrs. I'm excited to read more by S.J. King!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC!

From the beginning it is clear that the The Haven isn't as perfect as it wants to make you believe. This luxurious self-sustaining gated community is hiding something _ but what? And who is in on it?
Big brother is watching you - with anything new technology might provide.
The writing was good, the doubts about everybody and everything grow with each chapter, but the end is a bit disappointing and it's not clear where the help comes from, how and why.

This was a good book, but also extremely far fetched and a bit too unrelatistic for the genre. I think it would be better suited as a sci-fi type of drama as opposed to a thriller. Saying that, I did enjoy the book, I just found it difficult to connect with the storyline or escape into the book fully as it was just on the outskirts of realistic and enjoyable and fully unrealistic escapism to be enjoyed on either side of those.

3.5 Stars
Where You Belong was a very interesting book that made you question so many things.

Julia is a working mom of two with a fairly high profile career but her home life isn't as great as it used to be. When the chance comes along for her husband James to get a new job she decides to uproot the family in hopes that a change is exactly what they need.

While the haven seems like it may be the perfect reset for their marriage Julia quickly starts to see many strange and unusual things that quickly set her on edge and make her question why James so desperately wanted this move.

This book was very intriguing and suspenseful, keeping you hanging on the edge of your seat.

I did feel that it seemed to be missing something. Like there was a loose thread that wasn't tied into the story. I don't know what it is but there felt like a piece missing to the story. Something that would have just rounded it out a bit more.

There were some parts that did drag a bit while some other parts were too fast.

Overall a great read and an author I will be keeping an eye out for.

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**

It sounds perfect. Since her husband James was laid off, Julia Ford has been spending long hours supporting her family. Now not only has James been offered the job of his career with a double signing bonus, that job comes with amazing benefits.They’ll be given a house in The Haven, a corporate community. They’ll have a housekeeper, a gardener, excellent schools for their young sons and a driver to take them wherever they want to go…as long as it’s in The Haven, that is. You see, things are far from perfect here.

Where You Belong is both creepy and compelling. A deliberately slow paced plot until the final chapters makes you feel Julia’s growing reservations about Haven life. Paranoia becomes real as she begins to understand how dangerously isolated her family has become. In Julia, S.J. King has created an intelligent, sympathetic character who tries to stay one step ahead of the unknown. This is a hard thriller to put down and deserves all of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and S.J. King for this ARC.

In "Where You Belong" by S.J. King, the Julia and her spouse James relocate to a picturesque gated community known as The Haven, aspiring for a rejuvenated existence alongside their two young sons. Initially, this transition appears to be an idyllic opportunity, enabling Julia to escape her high-pressure career and a tumultuous marriage. However, as she acclimatizes to this seemingly flawless setting, Julia begins to perceive underlying disquiet.

As Julia investigates the disturbing truths of The Haven, she confronts escalating feelings of isolation and manipulation from those in her vicinity, including her husband, who pressures her to maintain silence and acquiescence. The storyline unfolds with a taut pace, compelling readers to remain vigilant as Julia endeavors to safeguard her family and expose the reality behind the idyllic veneer. King’s adept narrative craft instills a persistent sense of disquiet throughout the unfolding events.

"Where You Belong" is a thrilling psychological suspense novel. It delves into themes of control and conformity and scrutinizes the intricacies of familial dynamics. The unanticipated plot twists and multi-layered storytelling kept my engagement, rendering it an enthralling read that provokes contemplation regarding the essence of utopia and the extent to which individuals will go to preserve the façade of a perfect existence. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

"Where You Belong" by S.J. King is a fast paced story that keeps you guessing. This book was hard to put down and made you want to find out what happened and who was behind it.
Julia and her family are surviving in life. Julia works a high powered job while her husband James is working from home. When James got his dream job he moves his family overseas to a haven. When Julia and the kids get to the new house Julia starts to notice just how weird the new community is. When Julia starts to fight against the system things start to happen that she would never have guessed.
Highly Recommend this book for fans of psychological thrillers.

This book reads like a Black Mirror episode, giving major Don’t Worry Darling vibes with its unsettling, too good to be true setting. A fresh start in a perfect gated community was supposed to fix everything, but when a neighbor turns up dead and whispers of a missing family surface, one woman begins questioning everything—including her own husband. With technology embedded in daily life through apps, wristbands, and automated doors, the story explores how easily tech can be used to control and manipulate.

Themes of guilt, motherhood, and the lengths we go to for family drive the suspense, while the male dominated, highly regulated community adds an eerie sense of control. But is the narrator unreliable and is she being paranoid, or is something truly sinister at play?

I was fully invested for the first three quarters of the book, but the final act lost some momentum for me. Still, if you enjoy psychological thrillers that keep you questioning reality, you may want to check this one out.

3⭐️

The concept was interesting and I liked the unsettling vibes. It started off really good, then lost my interest in the middle, then got better closer to the end but the actual ending fell flat for me. I do, however, think would be a great movie or show!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The neighborhood is perfect......or is it? It seemed like a great place to live until little questions made her question the decision to stay here with her husband

suspenseful, mysterious. good make you think book. I enjoyed it

Living in a gated community in dystopia is what hooked me here, but this was slow going. While I hung on in hope of a great conclusion the plot wasn’t really strong enough to hold how long it took to unfold.

Again a slow read, set against a dystopian backdrop. Unfortunately this just wasn’t for me but I’m sure some will love it.
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early. I liked the cover a lot and thought it sounded interesting but I found it was not my typical read and therefore I struggled to get into it. I think someone else who enjoys dystopian subjects might really like this. It was an overall good read.

I really struggled with this book, I didn't feel that this was so much of a physchological thriller and I found myself struggling to be gripped by the storyline.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read & review this copy.

This gripping psychological thriller is set in a futuristic society governed by advanced technology and dystopian control. This is a wild read that plays mind games with the characters and the readers.

Julia and James live a nice, comfortable life with two young sons. However, as the breadwinner, Julia's role sparks resentment in James until he seizes the opportunity of a lifetime.

James quickly whisks his family off to a secluded living community dubbed the “Haven” where the family gets to live as a perk of James’ new job. The Haven is supposed to be a perfect self sufficient community where everything one needs is at their fingertips. You don’t need to leave for anything. In fact, you can never leave.

Julia is a brave heroine who fights against rigid rules and challenges societal expectations. She fights to uncover the truth behind the terrifying facade that is the “Haven”, even if it means endangering her life and her family's safety.

I felt an overwhelming sense of panic as I read this novel. Imagine the horror of slowly losing your freedom and everyone seems to be going along with the plan, except you.

This novel has many layers of complexity and unexpected twists that are played out throughout the narrative. The end of the novel will shock you. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good mind bending plot.

Julia and James have two sons, Julia is a hot shot lawyer of some sort although a case has recently gone very wrong, James does something in IT or AI or something. He is offered and accepts a 6-mongth post for an ideal job; they move to this haven where Julia discovers that he's signed up for three years, and the haven bosses have sold his house and provided this massive, perfect house in exchange. She has to wear a bracelet recording her well being, she is not allowed to drive - they have a driver after all. She joins the local wives in an endless round of drinkies, lazing around the pool and so on. Then a body is found in the pool.... The whole story was just too Stepford Wives meets The Prisoner 21st century, Julia was exceedingly annoying, the characters all likewise. This sounded a promising read but got no further than that for me I'm afraid. Not badly written or anything, just not my cup of tea after all. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.