Carey and her son Riley have just moved into a new home, hoping for a fresh start and a chance to rebuild their lives. With her husband in prison and Riley, who is also autistic, she needs a nice quiet life and Carey is determined to give him the peace he deserves.

But their hopes are quickly shattered. Carey becomes plagued by eerie nightmares and unsettling visions, while Riley is terrified by a ghostly figure only he can see. What begins as a new beginning soon spirals into a relentless nightmare that Carey can’t seem to escape.

If you’re looking for atmosphere, drama, and suspense, then this is definitely the book for you! It was totally unexpected and explosive.. I was completely glued to my Kindle, devouring it in maybe two sittings. The ending caught me completely off guard and I never saw it coming and it left me totally shocked. Which is amazing as a lot of thriller books you can guess the ending half way through.

Book Review: Someone Like You by Elena Frost
✨ Genre: General Fiction, Mystery & Thriller
📖 Page Count: 218
📅 Date Finished: 12 April
📆 Publishing Date: 11 May 2025

📝 Synopsis (No Spoilers!)
 Carey buys a dilapidated lighthouse, looking for a new start for her and her son, Riley. While she’s trying to get it renovated and start a new Airbnb business, her estranged father comes back into her life with a terminal illness. Meanwhile strange things start happening in the lighthouse…

💭 First Impressions

This was an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from NetGalley which I picked based on the cover. This book took me on a bit of a journey. At the end I was really enjoying it but honestly I struggled at the beginning and wasn’t sure if I’d finish. It took a few chapters for me to feel invested and I would’ve liked the story to start at a more action-oriented moment. But after a few chapters, and when dialogue started, I feel like the pace picked up. I was drawn in and was looking forward to reading. I found the twists pretty unpredictable and the characters compelling. The ending was satisfying too.

👥 Characters
 The standout character for me was Riley, a ten-year-old struggling with autism. You see him through the eyes of his mum, who is trying to do her best by him. Will, the contractor who works on the renovations is also a likeable character, although sometimes his actions seem a little confusing without a bit of extra back story and explanation.

🌍 World-Building / Setting
The lighthouse is essentially a character in itself - it plays a very important role in the plot. I’m not interested in lighthouses in particular, but anyone who is will love the setting. It was pretty spooky (in a good way)!

✍️ Writing Style

Lyrical, a little dense at the beginning but sharpening later.

🔥 Favourite Moments / Quotes

Will knowing the name of Happy the guinea pig 🐹 ♥️

🎢 Pacing & Plot

See First Impressions - I found the beginning a little slow, but then was hooked later on.

📚 Overall Thoughts

Overall I enjoyed reading about Carey’s journey and spending some time with her and the other characters in this story. I think single parents or parents of autistic children who want to see their experiences reflected on the page will particularly enjoy this book. Anyone interested in lighthouses or old buildings will appreciate the history. Otherwise people with some patience who can appreciate a cosy lyrical psychological thriller. It would be a good book for a train ride at sunset especially along a coast somewhere.

⭐ Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Incubator Books for the eARC.
Carey and her son Riley have just moved to their new home to a fresh, new start. Carey's husband is in jail and her son is autistic. He needs peace and quiet in his life and Carey is determined to give it to him.
Unfortunately things don't work out that way. She's constantly haunted by nightmares and strange visions and Riley is terrified of the ghost he keeps seeing.
Things just keep getting worse and worse; it's a living nightmare Carey can't wake up from.
It's such a compulsive read, it was hard to put down until the very shocking and satisfying ending. Brilliant book!

When Carey Billingham buys Saltwick, a run-down coastguard station on the edge of the North York moors, she thinks it’s the perfect chance for her and her young son Riley to start over. She’s finally escaped from her ex husband, now in prison, and her terrifying in laws. From here on out, it’s just her, Riley, and oceans of peace and quiet. Or so she hopes! Good book! This book had chilling suspense, mystery, murder, past dark secrets, intrigue, and some wild twists and turns! The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Someone Like You 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 went to miss this one!

If you’re looking for atmosphere, drama and suspense then this is definitely book for you!

This book was totally unexpected and explosive, but you’ll need to read it to find out why! I was glued to my kindle all evening until l finished it and devoured it in one sitting! I never expected the ending at all totally shocked me!