Thank you to NetGalley, Lauren North, and Bookouture for this advance copy.

Jake and Hannah are two weeks away from their wedding when a break-in at their home sends them on an unexpected getaway to the south of France. After an afternoon out, they return to their cottage to find the body of their neighbor dead in the doorway. Next to him is a knife last used by Hannah and footprints made with Jake's shoes. Who is trying to set them up? Is there a connection between this incident and the break-in? How are they going to get out of this situation in time for their wedding?

I felt anxiety and tension the entire time I was reading this one. Although there wasn't a whole lot of plot, there were several incidents that kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering who was behind this situation and what they had against Hannah and Jake. At one point in the story, I didn't trust either of the main characters. And I definitely didn't see that twist coming. Was the twist a little much? Sure. But that's what makes a thriller a thriller.

For Better, For Worse is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on edge from start to finish. Jake and Hannah’s whirlwind romance is put to the ultimate test when a relaxing weekend in the French countryside turns into a nightmare. After returning to find a body staged to incriminate them—with clues implicating both in the crime—they must decide between calling the police or hiding the evidence. As they try to resume their lives and approach their wedding, buried secrets resurface and a darker, more sinister revenge plot unfolds.

Fast-paced and intricately plotted, the novel is packed with red herrings and unexpected twists that keep you guessing until the final pages. The blend of romance, tension, and psychological depth makes For Better, For Worse a must-read for anyone who loves a thriller that continually defies expectations.

Jake and Hannah have a pre-wedding getaway to Hannah's family home in France.
They go out for a walk and when they return, there is a dead body, and lots of blood.
Instead of calling the authorities, they hide the body in a cave. It is the start of their nightmare.

A tale of revenge which has many twists and red herrings. However, the neverending "I can't live without you" was a little tedious.
There is lots of suspense and the book was thoroughly enjoyable.

1st ARC I have been approved for! So thankful that I was able to read this before the publishing date! Let me just tell you I couldn’t stop reading it! Just when I thought the book couldn’t get any better another twist comes about! And that happened several times! Worth a read! Nothing like a romance/thriller to keep me going! Counting down the days til I can purchase it and add to my bookshelf. Fingers crossed I’m able to read more from her!

Wow! This was an addictive read right from the start and throughout, and truly kept me guessing right to the end. The plot was brilliant and full of shocking twists and turns, and the ending was fantastic. Absolutely loved it!

Very clever. I didn’t get the beginning of the story, thinking it was naive. I was wrong and it was very well thought through. Didn’t see it coming. Excellent book!

Disappointing.

I tried so hard to like this but it just wasn't possible. The first half of the book felt like the same chapter was repeating itself over and over and over. The second half was pretty predictable.

I have enjoyed books from this author before but this misses the mark.

Jake and I planned our romantic trip to the south of France to unwind from all the stress of organising our wedding and enjoy some blissful, sun-soaked days just the two of us. But when we return to the villa after a day exploring the stunning countryside, our dream holiday is turned upside down. Because there, on the beautiful antique rug, is the body of the man everyone saw Jake arguing with in the town square just this morning…. Wow wow wow!! Some absolutely shocking twists that I did not see coming! Great read! This book had great suspense, mystery, murder, gaslighting, dark past secrets, and some wild twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

First of all, I would just like to thank Lauren North, Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of “For Better, For Worse” in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve loved some of Lauren’s other thrillers, but unfortunately, this one didn’t hit the spot for me.

Twists are great, when they’re done correctly- they can truly elevate the book to another level. But you can’t compromise the existing narrative of the book for the sake of a shocking twist at the end. Did it shock me? Yes. But not necessarily because I didn’t expect it- because it just didn’t make sense. I, as the reader, have read the story from a first person narrative, as such, I have access to that character’s thoughts and feelings. Their unfiltered inner monologue. You can’t then, for the sake of a twist at the end, change the narrative of what I have already read and claim for it to be something else entirely. It doesn’t work. It’s like the whole book is separate to the conclusion; they don’t slot together.

As well as that, I found the whole thing to be very repetitive and quite slow-moving. Not a lot actually happens.

However, the writing was gripping, and I did want to know what happened next. I still recommend to other thriller readers- this just wasn’t a hit for me.

Starts out as a straight-up murder mystery but soon there are little clues that things are not quite as simple as that. The story is written from both Hannah and Jake's point of view with a plot unique and an ending completely unexpected. Kept me reading through the night. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

What could be better than counting down to your marriage? Nothing, right? But unfortunately life sometimes has less fun things in store for you and then you can do nothing better than distance yourself and go out for a while.

Instead of a romantic dream weekend for two, you end up in the middle of a terrible nightmare, one that continues to haunt you even though you were convinced you had found the ideal solution ...

Who apparently enjoys continuing to scare you?

Just when I thought I knew who to trust and who not, something happens that makes me change my entire thinking pattern and start from scratch.

If you are a fan of psychological thrillers that are filled to the brim with excitement, secrets, and surprising twists, you just have to read this book.

There is paranoia and mistrust, not just between the couple and the world around them, but also between each other.

This book has everything you need to keep you guessing until the very last page. It's a fast-paced story with great characters and setting.

In the end, this is a captivating and eerie thriller. 5 stars

Thank you

Okay so I'm still trying to wrap my head around this thriller. It was so amazing. left me hanging so badly.

Thanks netgalley for this ARC

Such a great book. Couldn't. Stop. Reading. Thank you for letting me read in advance. Five stars hands down.

So thankful to have been able to read this prior to the publication date. This book is a constant page turner! Just when I thought I knew what was going on.. BOOM, another twist. Such a good read!

Thanks Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

I think this was my first Lauren North book. I felt drawn in by the title, cover, and blurb, and once again, I was not disappointed. I would not want to find a dead body during my getaway, it really is a scary thought *shudders*. Not to mention, a dead body with Hannah's fingerprints everywhere. Fingerprints Hannah is certain she has not left. So, who wants to frame her and Jake? And why?

The story unfolds in the POV pf both Hannah and Jake, and is easy to follow along, and the twists kept me clued to the pages and go to bed way too late! So you better all go and read this book! I do promise it is worth it!

Based on the description and cover, I expected this book to take place on a beach vacation. This is not the case. Hannah and Jake go on a weekend getaway and find a dead body in their house. As more and more things happen, videos showing up, threats, text
Messages, they know someone is out to get them. But who? And why? Will they ever see their big day. It was ok. Some shocks at the end, but I guess I expected a different story

A storyline full of drama and suspense.
This really kept me on the edge of my seat and reading way into the night.
This fabulous author never lets me down.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

This was not what I was expecting at all. The ending blew me away. Do not start this book if you have anything else to do.

For Better, For Worse is a must-read for lovers of thrillers! I tore through this edge-of-your-seat, up-all-night thriller it was timely and gripping, you don't want to miss this one!

The book explores themes such as trust and deception with everything else in between. I found myself eagerly flicking the page to see what would happen next!

It made me think what I would I do if I were in the same situation! It was a brilliant read, full of suspense. Jake as a character he was interesting and the dynamics of his relationship and the decisions he made!


⭐️⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars!

I've been reading Lauren North since her very first book, and For Better, For Worse is my absolute favorite to date. What a twisted thrill of a ride this one was! I absolutely could not read it fast enough.

After a whirlwind romance, Jake and Hannah are about to be married. Before they can say I do, tragedy strikes leaving them scared and running. Both have deep secrets from their past, but who wants to frame them and why. As they set out to find answers they uncover a deeper and darker revenge plot against them.

The story is told through Jake and Hannah's perspectives. The chapters are short, easy flowing and filled with so much drama and intrigue. The plot was so unique and well thought out. The ending was epic and justified my reading late into the night. This is a must read for suspense lovers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy