Something happened to her mother that night. Something no one wants to talk about. But she’s determined to uncover her family’s dark secrets, even if they bury her.Five-year-old Sloane McBride couldn’t sleep that night. Her parents were arguing again, their harsh words heating the cool autumn air. And then there was that other sound—the ominous thump before all went quiet.In the morning, her … quiet.
In the morning, her mother was gone.
The official story was that she left. Her loving, devoted mother! That hadn’t sat any better at the time than it did when Sloane moved out at eighteen, anxious to leave her small Texas hometown in search of anywhere else. But not even a fresh start working as a model in New York could keep the nightmares at bay. Or her fears that the domineering father she grew up with wasn’t just difficult—he was deadly.
Now another traumatic loss forces Sloane to realize she owes it to her mother to find out the truth, even if it means returning to a small town full of secrets and lies, a jilted ex-boyfriend, and a father and brother who’d rather see her silenced. But as Sloane starts digging into the past, the question isn’t whether she can uncover what really happened that night…it’s what will remain of her family if she does?
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Before We Were Strangers was a great read by Brenda Novak. Sloane knows that something bad happened to her mother that no one wants to talk about. At the time Sloane was five years old and she couldn’t sleep one night. Her parents were arguing and then there was a loud thump before it got quiet. Sloane returns home many years later determined to find out what happened that night. She will do anything to get the answers she’s looking for. I loved this book and can’t wait to read more by Brenda Novak.
Brenda Novak
All I can say is WOW WOW this book was the best by far. I loved it. I started reading on Saturday and finish Sunday night. I did not want to put this book down. When I was done it was like now what. It capture me from the start. I won’t spoil it for any one. But if you want a great book this is the one for you. I recommend it highly.
Brenda has done it again. She is a great author and her stories take you on a journey.
If I could give 10 stars I would.
Thank you again Brenda.
This book was very hard to put down. It’s full of twists and turns and unanswered questions. The characters are strong and struggle to deal with past tragedies.
This was my first book by Mrs. Novak. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from her. This was a stand alone novel and had plenty of suspense.
I love Brenda Novak books, but I like her romance better than the suspense. There was quite a bit going on in this book and lots of complicated relationships. There is ex-girlfriend/boyfriend, ex-wife/ex-husband, in-laws, daughter/father, sister/brother, girlfriend/girlfriend, mayor/city employee and lots of lousy man/women relationships.
The mystery or suspense part was fairly fast paced and really kept you second guessing who was guilty of murder and who wasn’t. I enjoyed the book and the almost 400 pages went quickly as I continued to flip the pages.
Love this book! It is amazing and a page turner!
Keeps you reading from start to finish.
This book opens with a quick burst of energy.
The pace is fast and strong with mind blowing
twists. A real puzzler full of surprises!!
Sloane McBride was five years old when her
mother disappeared. Even though her father
claimed her mother was unhappy and left to go
on her own, Sloane always felt foul play took part
in her mother’s disappearance.
Now twenty three years later, Sloane has returned
home much to the dismay of her father, brother
and her once best friend who got pregnant to
Sloane’s old boyfriend after she left. Now this
friend has supposedly re-befriend Sloane….BUT
who can Sloane really trust as she digs into the
mystery regarding her mother disappearance.
Plenty of drama, intrigue, tension, suspense and
thrills and chills.
You get to accompany Sloane on her quest due
to the author’s well written story.
The story intensifies from the beginning to the
end as dark secrets are revealed.
I volunteered to read Before We Were Strangers.
Thanks to the author for the opportunity. My opinion
is my own.
Wow! This book was crazy with all the different things going on. When I read the description, I thought I’d be be reading a tail about a girl who was seeking answers to her mothers disappearance. What I got was 400 pages consisting of a back stabbing old best friend, a mayor for a father, who can say or do anything he pleases because he owns that town, a brother who needs some anger management classes, an old boyfriend who continually blames her for his messed up life (yeah it’s all her fault you couldn’t keep it in your pants), townspeople who have their own agenda, a mystery man, and the main lady of this story who couldn’t keep her mouth shut. I mean, if your going to quietly investigate someone, should you really be telling everyone you talk to about it?
The drama that was going on was insane! All those secrets & lies coming out, and the best part of it all, was that there was 4 different points of views and you got to see everything first hand. I really enjoyed that. The only downside was that the first 300 pages were pretty slow going with all the investigating, back stabbing, the unresolved feelings between Sloane and her old boyfriend Micah, her very cunning father and the jealousy from Sloane’s old best friend. That took up a lot of the story, so by the time I got down to the last 100 pages everything came to a head really quickly and then the story was over. I also wish there would have been a bit more to the epilogue.
I liked the story. I liked all the drama, the changing point of views, and the twist that was at the end.
Sloane McBride’s mother, Clara, disappeared 23 years ago following a violent argument with her father, Ed. Sloane was only five-years old at the time but vividly recalls the details of what she saw and heard that night. She left town suddenly and without warning when she was eighteen to escape her father’s domination and emotional cruelty, leaving behind her boyfriend, Micah, and best friend, Paige. Now she’s returned home to Texas after having gained fame and success as a model to finally investigate and solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. At the top of her suspect list? Her father.
The story begins with the death of Sloane’s beloved agent, mentor and benefactor who had encouraged her to go back home and reconnect with her family and friends. I really felt how alone Sloane was with no real meaningful relationships to anchor her anywhere. Even her return home was met with suspicion and hostility. Every relationship was complicated, including her best friend and ex-boyfriend who had married each other, share a son and are now divorced. The reactions to her return felt real, even if some were harsh and unfair, consistent with small town dynamics.
The mystery was gnarly, taking twisty and uncertain paths, especially with unreliable witnesses who were swayed by Sloane’s influential father, the town mayor. I found Sloane pretty naive and too trusting at times, especially where it concerned Paige. The romantic element was subtle, providing some relief to the tension. I enjoyed this story for its unpredictability and mystery, thinking I had this thing figured out until a major curve ball was thrown. There are a host of characters you won’t like and everyone has their share of flaws. That just made everything more interesting.
(I received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review)
I enjoy reading all different types of genres, which makes me game for just about any type of book.
This book totaly blew me away because there were several scenarios going on at once.
– A childhood infatuation turning into a possible love in later years.
– Two crime scene investigations from forever ago being reopened.
– Jealousy among best friends and the outcome.
I could go on and on.
This was a real nail-biter, and the type of book that you can’t wait to find out how it all ends yet are very upset when you are done reading it.
Brenda Novak does not disappoint. This was a Fabulous book & I recommend it highly.
Before We Were Strangers
Brenda Novak
Description :
Something happened to her mother that night. Something no one wants to talk about. But she’s determined to uncover her family’s dark secrets, even if they bury her.
Five-year-old Sloane McBride couldn’t sleep that night. Her parents were arguing again, their harsh words heating the cool autumn air. And then there was that other sound—the ominous thump before all went quiet.
In the morning, her mother was gone.
The official story was that she left. Her loving, devoted mother! That hadn’t sat any better at the time than it did when Sloane moved out at eighteen, anxious to leave her small Texas hometown in search of anywhere else. But not even a fresh start working as a model in New York could keep the nightmares at bay. Or her fears that the domineering father she grew up with wasn’t just difficult—he was deadly.
Now another traumatic loss forces Sloane to realize she owes it to her mother to find out the truth, even if it means returning to a small town full of secrets and lies, a jilted ex-boyfriend, and a father and brother who’d rather see her silenced. But as Sloane starts digging into the past, the question isn’t whether she can uncover what really happened that night…it’s what will remain of her family if she does?
My Review
Wow what a Gripping suspense mystery story with just a little bit of romance.! This was my first read by this author and I was hooked from the very first page. The well written story takes so many twist and turns, and even when you think you know what happened, Surprise another twist. She will keep you guessing who did it because there is plenty of drama, lies, betrayal and hidden agendas. I can very easily see this as a lifetime movie . you will like and hate some of the characters In this book. ( which is what you are suppose to do )Right now it is a standalone book but I would like to see a series about these people and this town. One book was just not enough. You will not regret picking up this thrilling book. I Highly recommend it .
Another winner from Brenda Novak! If I could give it 10 stars I would.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
Sloane left home right after her high school graduation. She had to get away from her egotistical, overbearing father. She grew up without a mother. Her mother disappeared under strange circumstances when Sloane was just five years old. Sloane returned to her home town 10 years later determined to find out what happened to her mother. She has memories of her mother and father fighting the night before she woke up to find her mother gone. She was told that her mother just left home, but she doesn’t believe that her mother abandoned her and her brother.
This novel has so many twists and turns that I couldn’t put it down. Every time I thought I had everything figured out, it took another twist. Ms. Novak has a way of pulling you into a story and holding on until the end. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good suspense/contemporary romance
A beautiful novel that kept me turning page after page. I was fully intrigued by the plot. The character Sloane I loved and empathized with her. A fast paced mystery that will keep you on your toes and make you want more.
I fully plan to read anything by Brenda Novak.
Quite a complicated story web is woven here, folks. Mostly due to the dysfunctional relationship set-up between the characters, including even some of the townspeople. I get why Sloane, the heroine, turned determined sleuth so she could finally get answers regarding her missing mamma drama. Heck, even herself as a five year old knew something dark and sinister must have happened.
What I don’t get is why Sloane would ever, ever, ever (and I do mean *E-V-E-R*) decide to trust, let alone rekindle a friendship with her former bestie gal pal, considering the past and especially present circumstances. W-T-H? As Jessie from Breaking Bad would say, “I don’t think so, b*tch!” It made Sloane seem gullible, naive, and, frankly, just plain epically stupid.
Yes, there is a mostly wrapped up solution, conclusion to the who done it, resulting in a brief perilous encounter. The back and forth conversations and unfolding mystery did start to hijack the whole story, btw. However, the plot door seemed to be left open just a crack to another important late reveal that makes you think, “Hhmm?”
I stayed fully engaged almost completely to the end. However, the writing lost some of it’s effective focus, at a very pivotal plot time when I should have been hanging onto every word. Splintered comes to mind, to the point I found myself fast forwarding the very last section. Hence, I a big reason why I lowered my star rating. Plus, I wasn’t a fan of the main couple and the bestie connection.
Title: Before We Were Strangers, Author: Brenda Novak, Pages: 400, stand-alone, cop hero, famous model heroine, second chance romance, not celibate during 10 year separation, murder mystery, evil dad drama, messed up crazy bff scenario, some graphic steam, divorced with a kid now hero.
(These comments are based on a library edition. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not compensated or rewarded in any form for this review. There is no relationship or affiliation between this reviewer and the author, publisher, or any PR firm.)
Before We Were Strangers was a great book but I felt like the ending was rushed a bit.
Before We Were Strangers carries a promising premise, a small town girl makes it big and decides she can finally face the truth about her mother’s disappearance. The story takes a little while to warm up to. When she first comes home, Sloan gets sucked into a love triangle that I felt was unnecessary. Most of the characters in this book got on my last nerve, Sloane and Micah grew on me by the end. Paige is the character you love to hate. The last quarter of this book makes up for any ambiguous feeling I had in the beginning as the action picks up and plot really begins to move forward. I found some elements of the story to be highly predictable but still enjoyable never the less. Brenda Novak is still one of my favorite authors even when the book isn’t.