#BooksonTour #ITookHerFirst #SamanthaHayes #Bookouture #NetGalley

 

I Took Her First

Samantha Hayes

• • Amazon: https://geni.us/B0FQNW386Vsocial

A child is missing. But I stole her first…

I sit little Mila down at my kitchen table with a glass of milk and a plate of cookies. She smiles shyly at me and I reach out to ruffle her hair.

Leaving her alone for a moment, I dash upstairs, closing my eyes as I take a deep breath. What have I done?

Mila isn’t my child. I should never have taken her home. But what choice did I have?

Painting a smile on my face, I head back down to the kitchen.

But when I reach the table, my blood turns to ice. The back door is open, and Mila is gone.

I need to find her. I need help. But who’s going to believe anything I say when I’m the one who took her first…?

A seriously twisty, addictive psychological thriller that will keep you awake flipping pages all night long. Perfect for anyone who devoured The Housemaid, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train.

What readers are saying about I Took Her First:

‘Completely hooked!… Left with my mouth hanging open!… Had me glued to my e-reader!… A rollercoaster… Everything I love in a thriller… Fast-paced, twisty… OUTSTANDING twists… OMG… I absolutely LOVED this! A huge sparkling 5 stars!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Wow! What a ride!… I couldn’t put it down… Read it in just a few hours… One of the best reads this year… That ending!!! Never expected that in a million years… I loved it… If you are going to read just one mystery novel this year, make it this one.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Incredible! I was absolutely gripped… Massive twists… Found myself holding my breath… WOW! I was completely stunned!… Amazing… One of the best books I’ve read this year.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘A wild ride… You don’t want to put it down… Twisty and turny… Absolute perfection!!!!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Word of warning… you will be up until 4 a.m., finishing it in one sitting… Twist after twist… Brilliant… I loved every second… Had me hooked from page one.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Kept me hooked from the very beginning… Pulled the rug out from under me… Absolutely brilliant… Another twist, then another… You’ll want to clear your schedule… Once you pick it up, you simply won’t want to put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Omg… Soo addictive, I couldn’t put the book down!… Hooked from start to finish… I love thrillers like this… Wow… Incredible… amazing.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Holy hell… Had my jaw on the floor. I’m gobsmacked! I love when a twist is so devious that it cannot be guessed… Heart-stopping… Impossible to stop reading.’ kkecreads, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Ooooo… Already reeling before we’ve even begun… So exciting… The twists are twistier than the twist on which they are twisting, and it’s just so good. It’s just so good… Delicious.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Wow – what a ride!… I couldn’t put it down… Reading it in just a couple of sittings, staying up way too late… Packed with twists and turns… Left me absolutely stunned… One of the most addictive thrillers I’ve read this year… Don’t start it unless you’re ready to binge-read, because once you dive in, you won’t be able to stop.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I devoured this… Gripped from the start… On the edge of my seat, head in my hands… My jaw was on the floor… Definitely a top recommendation… Amazing!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Samantha Hayes

Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written over twenty thrillers, including the bestselling titles  Date Night and  Until You’re Mine .  The Independent called her writing ‘fantastically written and very tense’ while  Good Housekeeping said ‘her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.’ Samantha’s books are published in multiple languages and in her free time, Sam loves painting watercolours, going to the gym and swimming. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.

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I Took Her First

Written By Samantha Hayes

Reviewed By Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews

First, I want to thank Samantha Hayes, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.  

Oh it has been quite a while since I have devoured myself into a Samantha Hayes psychological thriller! Way too long if you ask me! I forgot how twisted her storylines get and how they keep me guessing what is going to happen next. If you follow my reviews you should know by now that I love books about missing persons/abductions. Well, in I Took Her First Samantha Hayes has a huge twist on the missing person case that nobody has ever done before (that I have read before!) It is completely outside of the box that makes for a completely fascinating read. 

Samantha would like to dedicate this book to her beautiful, talented and inspiring daughter, Polly.

Instantly, with her fast paced prologue and first chapter hooked me into the story and I couldn’t put it down til I knew what happened to Mila. This was a wild ride filled with ups and downs, emotional moments, secrets, and eye opening revelations. It is one of Samantha’s best and needs to be put on your TBR list! 

At the end of this book Samantha has outlined some great discussion questions that would be perfect for your book club meeting. 

After reading this I kept thinking this wild story could be ripped from the headlines and made into one of those remake Lifetime Movies. You know one with fictional characters. But after that you meet the real life characters for a follow up to what they went through and where they are now. Yeah this book was that good! 

#BooksonTour #OneOfTheFamily #JessRyder #Bookouture #NetGalley

 

One of the Family

Jess Ryder

• • Amazon: https://geni.us/B0FFB716QZsocial
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My daughter’s boyfriend feels like one of the family. I couldn’t be happier to have him living with us. But now my daughter’s disappeared… 

I never wanted to have an empty nest. So when my daughter, Liv, asks if she and her new boyfriend, Jensen, can move in, I’m thrilled.

Jensen is so helpful. He tells me how he loves being part of a close-knit family. He’s felt so alone since his parents died. And for me, his presence goes a little way towards replacing the son I lost.

Still, I can’t help but notice that Liv and Jensen are starting to argue. My daughter seems unhappy. Perhaps they just need some time alone together?

But when my husband and I return from our weekend away, Liv is missing. The relationship with Jensen appears to be over but he doesn’t want to leave. And then I discover exactly what he will do to stay in our family…

An utterly gripping psychological thriller that will have you turning pages late into the night. If you love Lisa Jewell and Freida McFadden you will be hooked on One of the Family.

What everyone is saying about One of the Family:

‘I loved everything about it… a twisty, addictive and utterly compelling read. I raced through it in a day and was left reeling by the ending.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A gripping, all-encompassing banger of a book that sucked me in from the first page! A thrilling page-turner with a twisty ending that made my jaw drop! It was a terrific read, and a whip-smart narrative that holds you from page to page! The characters were great, the story itself was very enjoyable and suspenseful, the setting was fantastic! You won’t forget this book in a hurry this is a class above your usual psychological thriller!’ AcrereviewsbyM, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A brilliant twisty book, really well plotted and kept me engrossed. Finished in one sitting. Highly recommend.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is a great thriller that I couldn’t put down… A great read and not to be missed!’ Bookloversanonuk, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I was blown away by all the secrets and twists that kept coming… The ending completely blew me away.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Oh wow, this book has everything you need from a thriller book. I gave it an easy 5 star rating. Fast-paced, gripping, mysterious… I loved it.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The first book I’ve read by this author and won’t be the last! Such a gripping thriller! I couldn’t put it down! Will definitely be reading others by this author! Fun, fast-paced read!’ Thegratefulbookshelf, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow, what a rollercoaster! A thrilling and gripping read that keeps you turning the pages and guessing until the shocking conclusion. Lots of shocking twists and turns. Just brilliant!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jess Ryder is the pseudonym of Jan Page, author, screenwriter, playwright and award-winning television producer. After spending many years working in children’s television, she returned to writing novels and has written nine psychological thrillers to date. These include the e-bestseller The Ex Wife, which was adapted as a TV miniseries for Paramount Plus. She lives in London with her husband

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One Of The Family 

Written By Jess Ryder 

Review By Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews 

• 
  

  First, I want to thank Jess Ryder, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review. 

  
  

  WOWZERS!!!  One Of The Family is fast paced, totally addicting, will have you glued to your kindle, is binge readable, full of family drama, secrets galore, heartbreaking betrayal, sinister moments, jaw dropping moments, and over all a must read!! If you love a good mystery, suspense, family drama then you must pick this one up today! I would definitely give this a 5 stars!! 

  
  

  Jes Ryder had me totally glued to my kindle binge reading this book til 4am in the morning!! Seriously, no joke I thought mid book I thought I had it figured out. That is why I had to stay up to see if I was right!! I am laughing at oh how so wrong I was!!!! Now I am wondering how many other readers will come up with the same conclusion I did!! Great job throwing us off our game Jess!!! 

  
  

  Jess focuses on many major topics in her latest psychological thriller One Of The Family but the two that triggered my heart strings the most (seeing I have nieces and nephews in middle and high schools) were cyber bullying and trolling. My heart went out to Meg who was just trying her best to fit into school but kept being bullied by these girls. The things they were saying and doing were so mean and hateful really took a toll on her self esteem and self worth. 

  
  

  Jess Ryder is an incredibly talented storyteller who thought way outside of the box with this masterpiece. As I was reading I often wondered where she came up with the inspiration for this story? I love missing person case storylines but never read anything quite like this! Great job! 

  
  

  
  

#BookReview #ThePerimenopauseSurvivalGuide #HeatherHirschMDMSMSCP #Balance #GCPBalance

 

Dr. Heather Hirsch, renowned founder of the Menopause Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and featured expert on Oprah Winfrey’s The Life You Want series, offers a groundbreaking, expert-led guide to not only navigate—but truly thrive—through perimenopause.

Perimenopause, the transitional phase before menopause, can feel like one of the most disorienting and unspoken chapters in a woman’s life. From hot flashes and brain fog to anxiety, back pain, and sleep disruption, the symptoms are real, but the guidance often isn’t. Too many women between the ages of 35 and 50 find themselves confused, dismissed, or unsupported by their providers.

The Perimenopause Survival Guide is a clear, compassionate, and evidence-based resource from one of the most trusted voices in women’s hormonal health. Dr. Heather Hirsch draws on her years of clinical experience to help women understand what’s happening in their bodies, and how to take charge of their care.

In this essential guide, you’ll learn:

1. What’s really driving your symptoms and how to decode them Proven, FDA-approved treatment options—plus how to evaluate what’s right for you
2. The importance of managing perimenopause now for long-term health
3. How to advocate for yourself and build a care plan around your individual needs and goals

Whether you’re just starting to notice subtle changes or already deep in the hormonal rollercoaster, The Perimenopause Survival Guide empowers you with clarity, confidence, and the tools to feel like yourself again. 

Barnes and Nobles/ Books a Million/ BookShop/ Amazon US

Confused about what to expect in midlife? Wondering how to treat mysterious symptoms like night sweats, ringing in your ear, or stubborn weight gain? Or how best to treat annoying hot flashes and insomnia? I got you. I’m Dr. Heather Hirsch, a board-certified internist, nationally accredited menopause specialist, NAMS provider, and founder of the menopause and midlife clinic at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and faculty at Harvard Medical School. Through my decade-long history in treating women in perimenopause and menopause, I have made it my mission to expose the gaps in midlife women's healthcare through my work. I currently see patients in my private telemedicine practice and you can learn more about me at heatherhirschmd.com

The Perimenopause Survival Guide

Written By Heather Hirsch MD, MSCP 

Review By Heidi Lynn’s Book Review 

First I want to thank Heather Hirsch MD, MS, MSCP and Balance for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review. 

Thank you Heather Hirsch MD, MS, MSCP from the bottom of my heart for writing this guide!! Too many women like myself are wondering what is going on with our bodies that our health care providers seem to keep blowing off. It is extremely frustrating to know something is wrong with your body but you can’t pinpoint what it is exactly. But thanks to Heather she is now opening up the conversation that we women need to start talking about and that is Perimenapause.

Heather would like to dedicate this book to her daughter Demille, Margaret Hirsch, and all the future generations of woman. May we all receive the care we need throughout our lives. 

In the beginning of this book there was a very well written forward by Avrum Bluming MD, MACP who is a Medical Oncologist. 

Heather wrote this book to help you develop a plan to address your symptoms and protect your long term health that combines medical treatments, prescriptions, labs, etc. 

By explaining how to treat your symptoms and why doing so is so important to your health today and long term. She wants you to be seen and know she understands what you’re going through and that you are not alone. 

What was eye opening to me was that during in Perimenapause our long term care can decline with our GI system, muscular system, pelvic floor, cardio and brain function can go downhill as well. 

Heather Hirsch shows you how to use the book to your advantage before outlining it for you:

Part 1:  “Understanding the hormonal hijacking"

Part 2:  “Pinpoint your Perimenapause pausal set”

Part 3:  “Set yourself up for smooth menopausal sailing”

The Perimenopausal Survival Guide is designed to help you understand what’s happening with your body, find and make shared decisions with knowledgeable about treatment and know what you can do on your own. 

Heather defines the differences between Perimenapause, Menapause, and Postmenapause for us readers. For me personally I am on the crazy stage of Perimenopause which is why I took a personal interest in reading this book. But after reading this book I am not looking forward to 10 years of this lmao!!! 

There is a great chart that Heather includes in the book of all the stages, symptoms, hormonal hallmarks and durations of them all as well. 

Heather educates her readers on what she calls her cast of characters that make up what is going on within your body. Within these cast of characters she elaborates on what they do for the body cut as Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Thyroid Hormone, ETC.

Heather educates her readers on heavy periods, symptoms of Anemia, polyps, fibroids, adenomyosis, endometrosis, uterine cancer, and medications that can cause heavy bleeding. 

One procedure she mentioned that I had personal experience with was an endometrial ablation. It was not an easy decision to make but being a Mom wasn’t in the cards for me. However, I am a very proud Auntie to four amazing kids. 

Oh the lying awake and worrying chapter I felt like that was written just for me!!! I am an overthinker, a worrier, and an insomniac!! I have racing thoughts and there are days when I wish I could just shut off my brain!! Even a low dose of sleeping pill does not help! 

She gives us advice about estrogen therapy options such as a transdermal patch (that is the one I am on the Dotti Patch), transdermal gel/spray, oral pills, vaginal ring. However, she also gives you non hormonal options as well. 

If you are wondering if you have Perimenapause but not sure of the symptoms have no fear Heather has a list of symptoms for you to check to see if you match with. I have 10 of the 34! 

Oh and if you wonder if any of the myths are true about Permenapause she has a list of them that she will give you the correct answer for too. 

Heather thinks of everything in this book even down to the diet and gives a list of high protein and high fiber foods with portion size. She also gives exercise advice as well. 

Heather Hirsch needs to be commended for all the time and effort she put into educating herself to educate her readers on this topic. Her medical knowledge, her attention to detail, and how she had a heart for what we women were going through during all of this. Amazing read! Definite 5 star read!! This needs to be on every OBGYN shelf!!