‘Wow, just wow.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘Blew me away and I’m still gasping for air.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘Totally jaw-dropping.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘Had me on the edge of my seat.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘One of the must-read books of the year. I could not put this book down.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewerThe night she moves in with Peter, she’s so happy, so exhilarated, so in love. … reviewer
The night she moves in with Peter, she’s so happy, so exhilarated, so in love. Later, she will remember a much smaller feeling, a tiny one percent in her gut. And she will remember pushing that feeling aside…
Samantha Frayn doesn’t know why Peter Bridges picks her – a nobody with bitten fingernails and a troubled childhood behind her – but she falls quickly. He’s older, charming, likes fine wine and French films, and his beautiful home has real art on its walls.
Peter transforms Samantha’s life in an instant. He sees the better version of herself – the one she’s always wanted to be. It’s only normal that there’s a little friction, when she moves in, over domestic matters like where things are kept, or the proper times to eat, sleep and shower. She’s lucky to be with someone who can help her find a new job, move on from childish friends, and speak with greater sophistication.
But as Samantha notices, more and more, Peter’s temper, she starts to wonder if there might be consequences to breaking the rules of the world he has so quickly built around her.
And then she receives an anonymous note that makes her ask: is she the first woman to feel trapped by Peter? Is she being paranoid, manipulated, or could she be in danger?
You can tell the truth about your life, but someone needs to be listening. Someone needs to trust you. And someone needs to save you from the man you thought you loved.
Readers love The Women!
‘Wow… Devoured in one sitting!!! Loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Had me reading this in one sitting, as there was no way I was going to stop until I had finished it. That to me is what makes a book great! I really loved this book’ Once Upon a Time Book Reviews, 5 stars
‘I absolutely loved this page turner of a novel… I cannot recommend it highly enough.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘This is a writer who just keeps getting better and better. The Women is S.E Lynes’ fifth book and for me it is the best yet… a novel of exceptional skill.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘I literally could not stop reading this book.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘S.E. Lynes has blown me away!… I will say it again, S.E. Lynes is a genius.’ Chapter in My Life, 5 stars
‘A wonderful build-up of suspense which had my heart beat that little bit faster… an enthralling story to get yourself lost into. The pacing and tension throughout the novel was perfect.’ By the Letter Book Reviews, 5 stars
‘S.E. Lynes is one of my go-to authors, she seamlessly produces beautiful writing, fascinating, authentic characters and weaves them into a story which keeps you turning the pages with a building sense of dread and unease… An unreserved 5 stars.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘I absolutely LOVED this book.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Clear your diary and settle in for the long haul, once you start you won’t be able to stop!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘BUY IT, settle yourself down, and READ IT! I can guarantee you won’t regret it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Believe me when I say you are in for a thrilling read!’ Goodreads reviewermore
I guessed from the blurb it would be a harrowing read for me personally, but I never imagined how similar it would be to my own past experiences. At one point, it was almost too difficult to carry on, it was like reading my own story. Having suffered 23 years of psychological abuse from an older man, I appreciate how the author portrayed the young, naive Samantha falling for Peter’s charm and sophistication, only to gradually realise he’s not what he seems. This is exactly how it starts and anyone who’s been in Sam’s situation will understand how easy it is to be drawn in, and how difficult it is to get out.
I’m glad I did continue reading, as the story changes radically from my own and the suspense kept me gripped all the way through. I read the book in just over a day, which shows how much the story drew me in!
The story was well written, with a great plot and characters who you can relate to. I can’t wait to read more by this author! Highly recommend.
5* Captivating Stars
I am a great fan of S.E. Lynes’ psychological thrillers and I was very excited to read her latest offering. The Women did not disappoint. The story begins in beautiful Rome where Peter and Samantha are on honeymoon and during an outing to visit a church an incident occurs which brings their trip to an abrupt end.
The story then take you back to how Samantha, a beautiful 21 year old college student, and Peter a Professor at her college meet. Peter being much older than Samantha and who is rich, intelligent and gentlemanly quickly seduces Samantha with his charm and before you know Samantha has moved into Peter’s house. After a few months Samantha begins to realise that Peter is very controlling and not who he appears to portray himself to be.
It was a very thought provoking and riveting read. I loved every page read and highly recommend this story that was complex and layered in mystery.
Great writing and great world-building – with a twisty ending!
This is a psychological thriller that is also a cross-over into women’s fiction.
At its heart is a graduate called Samantha, who falls in love with an older, more sophisticated man and slowly her naivety is stripped away as his control over her becomes more all-encompassing.
There are twists and turns, there is a steady unease that grows, but more than anything there are wonderful characters. This is a fabulous slow-burner that had me becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
In the wake of movements such as #MeToo this is a book for women who have perhaps suffered at the hands of someone and doubted themselves – or been doubted by others.
Twenty-one year Samantha cannot believe it when a professor at her college seems as interested in her as she is in him. Peter soon has her moved into his home and is introducing her to a life of wine, culture and art she knew nothing about before him. He is gorgeous, charming and confident and she is overwhelmed by him, which works out perfectly for Peter because he is a controlling jerk with an agenda all his own.
This is a story of manipulation, lies, secrets and revenge. It was juicy and fast-paced, I couldn’t stop turning the pages and I didn’t know if I wanted to scream at Sam or root for her…or both.
Fans of Lynes who are hoping for her trademark dark humor in the midst of really tough topics won’t be let down, her acerbic wit is everywhere.
Wow – this book is totally gripping! As someone who loves a psychological thriller, I couldn’t ask for more. I love SE Lynes’s writing, not a word is wasted and The Women was an absolute pleasure to read.
Main character, Samantha, is a young woman many people will be able to identify with to some degree as it is, after all, an exploration of the human condition and what it’s like to be a woman. I’m sure many readers would have been a Samantha at some point in their lives. And the action? It’s tense! When Samantha receives the notes (no spoilers) that culminate in an, ‘oh my goodness’ moment – I found myself gripping my Kindle, feeling Samantha’s pain.
The Rome scenes were brilliantly researched and I felt as though I was there with the characters, enjoying Rome while experiencing Samantha’s frustrations.
This is a fantastically well-written psychological thriller, that will leave the reader thinking about its themes and the ending for long after. A must read!
/ 5
The Women by S.E. Lynes is not your typical psychological thriller. Lynes reaches into some deep social issues, and leaves you gasping.
What it’s about: Samantha Frayn is just 21 when she falls for the almost forty-year-old Peter Bridges. He is older, wiser, incredibly charming, and he has a beautiful home on a hill. It’s quite the whirlwind when Samantha moves in with him just days after starting a relationship. She is so in love and quite taken with his charm and sophistication, but as she spends more and more time living with him, his anger and control issues make her start to doubt her choice. Then when she starts receiving anonymous notes in the writing class she is teaching; she doesn’t know what to believe anymore. Is Peter really everything she thinks he is, or is she possibly in danger?
Oh Samantha, she is so naive. I could already see where this book was going pretty early in advance, but Lynes still managed to surprise me more than once. She also delves into some very serious social issues in this novel. The Women is not just any psychological thriller, the scariest thing about this book is that things like this do actually happen. Although Sam ended up being a bit of a doormat in the beginning, I was really proud of the way she ended in the book. She was very relatable and I remember how impressionable I was when I was that age…
The women in this book will make you mad, make you cry, and make you feel empowered. I loved the mix of characters in The Women and the way Lynes was able to throw suspicion around to multiple characters when Sam starts receiving the anonymous notes. There is also some very strong foreshadowing, a lot more than I usually see in books, which is something I really enjoyed.
Song/s the book brought to mind: A mix of Good Girl (was yelling this at Sam in the book), Two Black Cadillacs, and Undo It – all by Carrie Underwood.
Final Thought: I also want to say that it was really hard for me to rate this book. I knew I wasn’t going to give it under a 4, but I also wasn’t sure if I was blown away enough to do a 5. I am still brooding on this one a bit so I may eventually end up at a 4.5. I feel like The Women would be considered a mix of psychological thriller and women’s fiction, and maybe not just a straight up psychological thriller. I also got a strong domestic thriller vibe. You can tell the author is incredibly intuitive and smart the way she writes about women and the issues we face with men in this novel. I definitely look forward to reading a lot more from her!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Samantha is a young woman who thinks she has it all. She’s moved in with Peter .. an older man but by all accounts loves her to death. She fell quickly for him, he’s charming, he likes fine wine, and his spacious home is filled with works of art.
But there’s another side to Peter, as Samantha slowly but surely discovers. For one thing, he has a temper that never showed before she moved in. He wants things done when he says, and how he says. There are specific times for eating, sleeping, showering. And she’s not allowed to break any of his rules.
When she becomes pregnant, he is delighted .. so he says.
He even goes so far as to find a job for her .. just a few hours a week, but not one she had really wanted. She’s teaching a writing course at the local college.
And then she receives an anonymous note that makes her ask: is she the first woman to feel trapped by Peter? Is she being paranoid, manipulated, or could she be in danger?
Sometimes, someone needs to save you from a man you thought you loved.
This author has tackled the delicate subject of domestic violence without it being over the top graphic. Mostly the violence is in the way of words and manipulation… but violence none the less. The tension gears up as one thing after another as Samantha ‘learns’ what the rules are. As you might expect, Peter is greatly disliked as a character as the author brings him to life on paper. Samantha causes one to wonder …. how does a smart woman with her whole life in front of her fall into this trap.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for this excellent psychological drama. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
The Women by author S.E.Lynes leads the reader through the double life of an older professor and his latest conquest, Samantha Frayn. The Women is a story about deceit and manipulation in a relationship. Sam is overwhelmed by the sudden friendly attention of professor Peter Bridges. Although she is not his student, she is among a number of young women who adore and dream about a ride in his vintage car. I won’t post spoilers, but soon Sam wonders if she has been too hasty to move in with Peter. Her decisions are not her own anymore. When she meets three adult students attending a new writing class she is teaching, life begins to become very strange! Once you start reading this book, you may not want to take a break until the last page!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
College student Samantha Frayn goes out for a drink with Professor Peter Bridges and falls madly in love with the very handsome, intelligent, older man. She soon moves in with him and baby Emily comes along. Peter is very controlling and there are many twists, turns and surprises in this book which makes it a real page turner. I have never read a book with a plot like this and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I very highly recommend this very gripping, suspenseful thriller. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this fascinating book in exchange for an honest review.
The Women is a book that will captivate you, draw you in and you follow Sam as she becomes aware that something is not quite right with her relationship with Peter who is not only a lot older but controlling.
It’s a book about growth, strength, women looking out for each other.
In The Women, Sam slowly realizes that Peter is not who he pretends to be.
The author draws you in slowly and never lets go.
This is my first book by S. E. Lynes, but it wont be my last. I have my list of her books ready to go.
Great read.
Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read The Women.
The Women is a story about the unravelling of lies, the unveiling of a person’s true intentions. I was put off at first by the tense of the writing, it just makes it not as smooth to me. But my interest slowly picked up. The writer feeds us drops of information to later reflect on. The second half really picks up and the reveals get bigger and more shocking. The ending wraps things up in a neat bow, tying it all together in a way that makes me happy. I was hoping for a bit more suspense, but this did serve a decent amount of unease and suspicion all around. And I was definitely pleased with the way Samantha grew within the story.
What a great story! As most of the times, I go blind in reading new authors and new books as I rarely read the blurb, but I was captivated by the cover and wanted to know what the title stands for. I don’t usually go for an age gap love story but this book is so much more than that and got me reading it in one sitting from the first chapter to the unexpected end. Being young and inexperienced, you can easily fall in love with a man that offers you all his attention and supports your dreams. Unexpected situations may always make you take decisions that you are not ready or you are not happy with but for the benefit of your future you have to comply with it. But also you have to believe in your strength and find your tribe, find those women friends that have gone through similar situations and trust them with your story and your thoughts because this way the imbalance of power will end sooner and will give women that opportunity to raise future generations with equal powers in every aspect of their lives. Peter is the perfect candidate for a deceive monster that will show you exactly what many people are refusing to see: not everything you see it’s true and there will always be the double side of a coin. He is taking so much advantage of his financial and intellectual power as he plays the unseen cards exactly as he wants. Needless to say that I loved everything in this book, from the writing to the growing of the characters and most of all, the powerful message sent to us for more awareness of how one’s the the outside story can be a psychological nightmare in the inside of their homes. Looking forward to more stories from the author.
Outstanding domestic psychological thriller! Well written with well developed characters. It’s the story of a young university student who falls for a dashing, charismatic professor and the aftermath of that decision. There are thrills and twists along the way culminating in the final betrayal.