Really Like

Narrated by Kathleen Early, Gary Tiedemann, Jason Clarke

Genre: domestic thriller 

Soundtrack: stranger – Olivia Rodrigo

A mysterious text, a lost love, family secrets, and creepy technology collide in Sabrina Bowen’s debut thriller. 

Have you ever received a text that made no sense? What if that text was from someone you believe died five years ago? In The Five Year Lie, we follow Ariel, a single mom and artist working at her late father’s security firm, as she reopens old wounds and attempts to find the father of her child and what led him to ghost her. 

The vibe here was a cozy thriller crossed with a romance. Each of the three points of view, Ariel in the present, Drew in the past, and a creepy unknown third, were differentiated by a different narrator. I felt the narration changes helped highlight each chapter’s short nature. The well-done narration, in combination with Bowen’s writing, made both timelines easy to follow, and I liked that the changes in POV signaled a shift in the timeline. The audio was clear; I never needed to consult a text version. This wasn’t spooky, with just enough suspense to keep me returning to it each time I got into the car. Being the romantic I am, the romance subplot was a sweet and unexpected bonus. Bowen previous novels are romance/ steam and her expertise is in crafting relationships is evident. 

While both the beginning and end 25% of this book were fast-paced and engaging, I felt like the unwrapping of the plot in the middle was a bit strung out. I did predict the majority of the twists, so I feel like there was almost no suspense. I wish we had more explanation at the end, as things wrapped very quickly after the climax.  That said, the chapters were short, and the plot focus on for the use of video the technology was both frightening and eerily believable. 

This book felt similar to The Last Thing He Told Me where there is heartbreak, a child to protect, and a mystery to resolve.

I would recommend this for those who like thrillers lite and those who enjoy a cross-over between suspense and romance. I wouldn’t go out of my way to read it, but it is a solid Kindle Unlimited pick.