The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding on June 13, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Psychological, Fiction / Thrillers / Psychological, Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Pages: 352
Format: eBook
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“When a person is falling in love, they ignore the warning signs.”
Lee Gulliver never thought she’d find herself living on the streets, no one ever does, but when her restaurant fails, and she falls deeper into debt, she leaves her old life behind with nothing but her clothes and her Toyota Corolla. In Seattle, she parks in a secluded spot by the beach to lay low and plan her next move, until early one morning, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the ocean. Lee hauls the woman back to the surface, but instead of appreciation, she is met with fury. The drowning woman, Hazel, tells her that she wanted to die, that she’s trapped in a toxic, abusive marriage, that she’s a prisoner in her own home. Lee has thwarted her one chance to escape her life. Out of options, Hazel retreats to her gilded cage, and Lee thinks she’s seen the last of her, until her unexpected return the next morning. Bonded by disparate but difficult circumstances, the women soon strike up a close and unlikely friendship. And then one day, Hazel makes a shocking request: she wants Lee to help her disappear. It’ll be easy, Hazel assures her, but Lee soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and that Hazel may not be the friend Lee thought she was.
The first portion of this book dragged on a bit for me, but then once you hit the sweet spot, you just can not put this book down! The twists just kept coming. I had no clue how this was going to end. I felt more attached to Lee, and while reading Hazel’s point of view, I kept wondering where the hell Lee was! I couldn’t connect with Hazel as deeply as I did with Lee. The story was still heart-wrenching and carried a strong message of girl power, even though there were some plot holes left behind. The less you know beforehand, the better. So, if you happen upon a review that’s heavy on plot and character descriptions, avert your eyes and run the other way.
Four stars for this novel. A deliciously twisted story of friendship, retribution, and betrayal. The ending was a bit tidy, but I did enjoy it.