What do you think?
Rate this book
She's Not Sorry
Everyone has secrets, but not everyone has remorse…
A terrible accident.
Meghan Michaels is trying to find balance between being a single mom and working full time as an ICU nurse, when a patient named Caitlin arrives in her ward with a traumatic brain injury. They say she jumped from a bridge and plunged over twenty feet to the train tracks below.
A shocking revelation.
When a witness comes forward with new details about Caitlin’s fall, it calls everything they know into question. Was a crime committed? Did someone actually push Caitlin, and if so, who... and why?
No one is safe.
Meghan lets herself get close to Caitlin until she’s deeply entangled in the mystery surrounding her. Only when it’s too late, does she realize that she and her daughter could be the next victims...
A terrible accident.
Meghan Michaels is trying to find balance between being a single mom and working full time as an ICU nurse, when a patient named Caitlin arrives in her ward with a traumatic brain injury. They say she jumped from a bridge and plunged over twenty feet to the train tracks below.
A shocking revelation.
When a witness comes forward with new details about Caitlin’s fall, it calls everything they know into question. Was a crime committed? Did someone actually push Caitlin, and if so, who... and why?
No one is safe.
Meghan lets herself get close to Caitlin until she’s deeply entangled in the mystery surrounding her. Only when it’s too late, does she realize that she and her daughter could be the next victims...
330 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2024
9604 people are currently reading
171137 people want to read
About the author
Mary Kubica
24 books25.8k followersMary Kubica is a New York Times bestselling author of suspense thrillers including The Good Girl, The Other Mrs., and Local Woman Missing. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and have sold over five million copies worldwide. She’s been described as “a helluva storyteller” (Kirkus) and “a writer of vice-like control” (Chicago Tribune), and her novels have been praised as “hypnotic” (People) and “thrilling and illuminating” (L.A. Times). She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 16,274 reviews
February 15, 2024
What the heck was this?
First of all, I understand an ARC isn't going to be perfect and there will be errors throughout. That's fine. But there were zero page breaks in the formatting, which made it really confusing to figure out timelines. You'd be reading a scene and then the next paragraph is a new day, new location. It was jarring and unexpected because it threw me for a loop and I had to go back and see if I missed something, only to determine there was probably a page break that never got formatted.
Here's where this book went wrong for me. Possible spoilers will be tagged.
- Too many things going on at once. I kind of went in blind (read the synopsis forever ago but forgot what it was about by the time I got the ARC) so most of this book was a surprise. Was it about her divorce? The man assaulting women throughout her city? The gal in the ICU? Her friend that came back into her life? The Beckett family who seemed to have a ton of secrets, including the brother who was def hiding something? I feel like if she focused on one or two of these things, it would have worked. Not all of them.
- The pacing. Holy shit this was rough. It was so slow. I had no interest in any of the characters, including the main one, Meghan. She seemed kind of...dumb? I can't place my finger on it. But she wasn't too bright. It's hard to continue a book when you don't give a damn about anyone or anything. I think 65% if finally felt like things were "picking up."
- Mary spent wayyyyyyy too much time describing where Meghan lived. Listen, I don't need to know street signs and landmarks. I don't need to know--as she's chasing characters down the road--what the air felt like and how the trees smelled or the way the buildings looked in the shadows of the afternoon. I'm being harsh. But I skimmed PAGES (maybe a single page if we aren't talking paperback as opposed to my Kindle setting) of random crap and info you don't need to know about in this story. Like apartment layouts and hospital info that gave nothing to the story but filler.
- One "twist" was so freaking obvious, I was like wait a sec. I feel like she got her twists confused and wanted to have too many that ultimately didn't work. You also need to create more red herrings if you want to play out one that she used in the book.
Another thing: That was lazy writing and honestly, I was really pissed.
Also Meghan just DROPPING THIS BOMB on her friend and confessing
What else? I don't know. This just didn't feel like her writing. To compare this to The Other Mrs. is blasphemy. Those are two different worlds, two different books. I gave Mrs. five stars. Loved that book.
Oh also:
Okay and one more thing:
No, promise last thing:
I don't know about this one. If you love Mary's books, you'll love this one. If you're on the fence and always rating maybe 3 stars or less, you might not like this one. Skip it. Or read it, come back and read my review, and let me know what you think. Am I crazy? Too harsh? Probably. But this one really fired me up.
First of all, I understand an ARC isn't going to be perfect and there will be errors throughout. That's fine. But there were zero page breaks in the formatting, which made it really confusing to figure out timelines. You'd be reading a scene and then the next paragraph is a new day, new location. It was jarring and unexpected because it threw me for a loop and I had to go back and see if I missed something, only to determine there was probably a page break that never got formatted.
Here's where this book went wrong for me. Possible spoilers will be tagged.
- Too many things going on at once. I kind of went in blind (read the synopsis forever ago but forgot what it was about by the time I got the ARC) so most of this book was a surprise. Was it about her divorce? The man assaulting women throughout her city? The gal in the ICU? Her friend that came back into her life? The Beckett family who seemed to have a ton of secrets, including the brother who was def hiding something? I feel like if she focused on one or two of these things, it would have worked. Not all of them.
- The pacing. Holy shit this was rough. It was so slow. I had no interest in any of the characters, including the main one, Meghan. She seemed kind of...dumb? I can't place my finger on it. But she wasn't too bright. It's hard to continue a book when you don't give a damn about anyone or anything. I think 65% if finally felt like things were "picking up."
- Mary spent wayyyyyyy too much time describing where Meghan lived. Listen, I don't need to know street signs and landmarks. I don't need to know--as she's chasing characters down the road--what the air felt like and how the trees smelled or the way the buildings looked in the shadows of the afternoon. I'm being harsh. But I skimmed PAGES (maybe a single page if we aren't talking paperback as opposed to my Kindle setting) of random crap and info you don't need to know about in this story. Like apartment layouts and hospital info that gave nothing to the story but filler.
- One "twist" was so freaking obvious, I was like wait a sec. I feel like she got her twists confused and wanted to have too many that ultimately didn't work. You also need to create more red herrings if you want to play out one that she used in the book.
Another thing: That was lazy writing and honestly, I was really pissed.
Also Meghan just DROPPING THIS BOMB on her friend and confessing
What else? I don't know. This just didn't feel like her writing. To compare this to The Other Mrs. is blasphemy. Those are two different worlds, two different books. I gave Mrs. five stars. Loved that book.
Oh also:
Okay and one more thing:
No, promise last thing:
I don't know about this one. If you love Mary's books, you'll love this one. If you're on the fence and always rating maybe 3 stars or less, you might not like this one. Skip it. Or read it, come back and read my review, and let me know what you think. Am I crazy? Too harsh? Probably. But this one really fired me up.
February 28, 2024
Did I just binged this book in less than 24 hours? Yes, yes I did. When I say I’m in the mood for thriller this is what I mean. A binge worthy ride.
Brief Summary-
Meghan is an ICU nurse and single mom. Although she tries not to get attached to her patients, she can't help but be pulled to one patient under her care, Caitlin. A woman in a coma with a traumatic brain injury due to her fall from a bridge. Was it suicide? Did someone push her? Meghan is also still dealing with the aftermath of her divorce and while attending a support group, she runs into Natalie, a woman that she went to high school with over 20 years ago. Natalie appears to be in abusive relationship with her husband, and even though she won't open up, Meghan wants to help her any way she can….She has a lot to juggle right now but her main focus is her daughter and figuring out what happen to her patient.
Content Warnings-
🩺Domestic Violence
🩺Attempted Suicide
🩺Sexual Assault (off page)
🩺Kidnapping
My Thoughts-
Okay soooooo my jaw was on the floor. I devoured this one. This book was truly a ride. Like I kept thinking to myself, “oh this is how the story is going to turn out” and I was wrong every single time. What I loved most about this book was the way the author successful weaves together multiple dark storylines. Kept me guessing until the very end. This is a slow burn book but once everything starting unfolding , I kept getting whiplash…like waaaait let me catch up and breathe for a second. *chef kiss*There is one twist halfway through that had me questioning what I had just read. I had to go back and read the paragraph for a second time just to absorb the shock. I feel like this one of those thrillers you have to pay attention to every detail because it was mentioned for a reason.
This is my first book by Mary Kubica and I’m excited to check out her other work. I recommend this book to all Thriller/Mystery lovers. She’s not sorry will be available to read on 4/2/2024 add this book to your TBR.
✨Thanks to NetGalley, Mary Kubica, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review✨
Brief Summary-
Meghan is an ICU nurse and single mom. Although she tries not to get attached to her patients, she can't help but be pulled to one patient under her care, Caitlin. A woman in a coma with a traumatic brain injury due to her fall from a bridge. Was it suicide? Did someone push her? Meghan is also still dealing with the aftermath of her divorce and while attending a support group, she runs into Natalie, a woman that she went to high school with over 20 years ago. Natalie appears to be in abusive relationship with her husband, and even though she won't open up, Meghan wants to help her any way she can….She has a lot to juggle right now but her main focus is her daughter and figuring out what happen to her patient.
Content Warnings-
🩺Domestic Violence
🩺Attempted Suicide
🩺Sexual Assault (off page)
🩺Kidnapping
My Thoughts-
Okay soooooo my jaw was on the floor. I devoured this one. This book was truly a ride. Like I kept thinking to myself, “oh this is how the story is going to turn out” and I was wrong every single time. What I loved most about this book was the way the author successful weaves together multiple dark storylines. Kept me guessing until the very end. This is a slow burn book but once everything starting unfolding , I kept getting whiplash…like waaaait let me catch up and breathe for a second. *chef kiss*There is one twist halfway through that had me questioning what I had just read. I had to go back and read the paragraph for a second time just to absorb the shock. I feel like this one of those thrillers you have to pay attention to every detail because it was mentioned for a reason.
This is my first book by Mary Kubica and I’m excited to check out her other work. I recommend this book to all Thriller/Mystery lovers. She’s not sorry will be available to read on 4/2/2024 add this book to your TBR.
✨Thanks to NetGalley, Mary Kubica, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review✨
May 10, 2024
6-2
I have enjoyed SIX of the EIGHT books that I have read by this author, yet for some reason I didn’t request this one as an ARC. 🤷🏻♀️
Maybe, it’s because “When the Lights Go Out” was a big MISS for me-maybe it’s because the book prior to this one, “Just the Nicest Couple” seemed to be a big MISS for just about ALL of my GR friends? But, when THIS book started receiving “lots of love” from these same friends, I decided to grab a library copy upon its release, and I am so glad that I did!
THIS could be Mary Kubica’s BEST book to date!!
Meghan Michaels and her teenage daughter, Sienna have been living in a small apartment with a view of Chicago’s L train, since her recent divorce. The sound of the train going by is deafening, but it is walking distance from the hospital where she works as an ICU nurse.
She could tolerate the noise if she felt safe-but recently there has been a series of random attacks on women in the neighborhood who have been followed to their homes where they are assaulted and raped-and she worries about her beautiful daughter, who is often alone because of her hours at the hospital.
Meghan has also recently run into a high school friend, Nat Cohen, when she showed up at her “divorce group” as the latest member-a Victim of Domestic Abuse.
And, then there is her latest patient, Caitlin Beckett, in a Coma after a failed SUICIDE attempt. She tries to stay emotionally detached, but when a witness comes forward to say that TWO people were on the bridge, and that she was most likely PUSHED, the case becomes a MURDER investigation.
ALL of this violence against women has put her on edge.
The book opens with a prologue where Meghan is answering a call from her daughter who never calls-only texts-the first clue that this call spells TROUBLE- and then we backtrack to the events leading up to it…
This builds slowly and many readers have mentioned that not much happens for 3/4 of the book but for me the TENSION was PALPABLE and my stomach was in knots as I anticipated the impending doom, putting me on edge right along with Meghan.
This was probably intensified because the characterization was so strong that Meghan and Sienna felt like real people, and I cared about the outcome. So, although the twists don’t begin for awhile, when they started, they packed a bigger punch!
Although I guessed the outcome of one sub plot, I did NOT see the denouement of EITHER of the other two coming.
This was definitely a thriller that stood out this year with SO many falling into the category “been there-read that”-so for its originality and surprises, I am going to go with 4.5 and round ⬆️
I can definitely recommend it and I WILL be requesting an ARC of her next!
Thank You to the Chandler Public library for the loan of this title.
I have enjoyed SIX of the EIGHT books that I have read by this author, yet for some reason I didn’t request this one as an ARC. 🤷🏻♀️
Maybe, it’s because “When the Lights Go Out” was a big MISS for me-maybe it’s because the book prior to this one, “Just the Nicest Couple” seemed to be a big MISS for just about ALL of my GR friends? But, when THIS book started receiving “lots of love” from these same friends, I decided to grab a library copy upon its release, and I am so glad that I did!
THIS could be Mary Kubica’s BEST book to date!!
Meghan Michaels and her teenage daughter, Sienna have been living in a small apartment with a view of Chicago’s L train, since her recent divorce. The sound of the train going by is deafening, but it is walking distance from the hospital where she works as an ICU nurse.
She could tolerate the noise if she felt safe-but recently there has been a series of random attacks on women in the neighborhood who have been followed to their homes where they are assaulted and raped-and she worries about her beautiful daughter, who is often alone because of her hours at the hospital.
Meghan has also recently run into a high school friend, Nat Cohen, when she showed up at her “divorce group” as the latest member-a Victim of Domestic Abuse.
And, then there is her latest patient, Caitlin Beckett, in a Coma after a failed SUICIDE attempt. She tries to stay emotionally detached, but when a witness comes forward to say that TWO people were on the bridge, and that she was most likely PUSHED, the case becomes a MURDER investigation.
ALL of this violence against women has put her on edge.
The book opens with a prologue where Meghan is answering a call from her daughter who never calls-only texts-the first clue that this call spells TROUBLE- and then we backtrack to the events leading up to it…
This builds slowly and many readers have mentioned that not much happens for 3/4 of the book but for me the TENSION was PALPABLE and my stomach was in knots as I anticipated the impending doom, putting me on edge right along with Meghan.
This was probably intensified because the characterization was so strong that Meghan and Sienna felt like real people, and I cared about the outcome. So, although the twists don’t begin for awhile, when they started, they packed a bigger punch!
Although I guessed the outcome of one sub plot, I did NOT see the denouement of EITHER of the other two coming.
This was definitely a thriller that stood out this year with SO many falling into the category “been there-read that”-so for its originality and surprises, I am going to go with 4.5 and round ⬆️
I can definitely recommend it and I WILL be requesting an ARC of her next!
Thank You to the Chandler Public library for the loan of this title.
August 27, 2025
This is a heart-throbbing thriller that I couldn't put down as soon as I was hooked from the first page. The well-executed mysteries keep you on the edge of your seat, making your stomach churn, your nails bitten, your throat constricted, your heart beating faster, and your hyperventilation score hitting the roof. Mary Kubica deftly juggles several plot threads, creating so many eccentric loopholes that may be connected to each other, which pushes your brain cells to work harder to connect the puzzle pieces and see the big picture.
I was so close to giving this heart-throbbing novel five stars because of the imminent thrill and excitement it provided, not to mention the jaw-dropping twist the author perfectly threw onto our laps like a ticking bomb. The pacing is also perfect, drawing readers into the story and igniting enough curiosity to keep them reading the entire development in one sitting. My only hesitation is some loose ends regarding the characters' involvement in the incidents. Some of my questions remain unanswered, and some revelations were thrown at us haphazardly without much explanation. Explaining my loaded questions without giving away spoilers is quite challenging, so I'll stop here and continue with the plotline to provide enough highlights for you to decide whether you want to dive into this adventure without looking further. This is definitely a great option because this book might just blow your mind with its smart, twisty storyline.
Meet Meghan Michaels, an experienced ICU nurse, recently divorced and raising her 16-year-old daughter, Sienna, with joint custody of her husband, Ben. She's assigned to take care of a suicide patient who recently jumped off a bridge, landing twenty feet below on the train wrecks. The patient's name is Caitlin, and she's in a critical condition that she may not survive. Caitlin has become the talk of the entire hospital, and Meghan is hesitant to be assigned to this patient because of her own tragic past related to suicide. However, Meghan finds herself drawn into Caitlin's life, forming a bond with her family members, who share their daughter's secrets, startling Meghan as Caitlin might escape from her dark past and insisting she's seen a struggle between a suspicious man and Caitlin, which leads the officers to presume she was pushed. Meghan also notices a suspicious man lurking around Caitlin's room outside of visiting hours.
Unfortunately, Meghan's predicament in the hospital is not the only situation she has to deal with. She also worries about an old school friend she recently crossed paths with: Nate, who might be an abuse victim needing urgent help. At the same time, there's a very dangerous man out there hunting women, and he's too close to the district where she and her daughter live.
Are these three mysteries connected? If you're intrigued enough, order your copy, clear your schedule, find a comfortable place to fully immerse yourself in this incredibly exciting mystery, and enjoy!
I'm addicted to Mary Kubica's brilliant and riveting writing style, and thankfully, this book is a winner. I absolutely recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for sharing this amazing book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter
I was so close to giving this heart-throbbing novel five stars because of the imminent thrill and excitement it provided, not to mention the jaw-dropping twist the author perfectly threw onto our laps like a ticking bomb. The pacing is also perfect, drawing readers into the story and igniting enough curiosity to keep them reading the entire development in one sitting. My only hesitation is some loose ends regarding the characters' involvement in the incidents. Some of my questions remain unanswered, and some revelations were thrown at us haphazardly without much explanation. Explaining my loaded questions without giving away spoilers is quite challenging, so I'll stop here and continue with the plotline to provide enough highlights for you to decide whether you want to dive into this adventure without looking further. This is definitely a great option because this book might just blow your mind with its smart, twisty storyline.
Meet Meghan Michaels, an experienced ICU nurse, recently divorced and raising her 16-year-old daughter, Sienna, with joint custody of her husband, Ben. She's assigned to take care of a suicide patient who recently jumped off a bridge, landing twenty feet below on the train wrecks. The patient's name is Caitlin, and she's in a critical condition that she may not survive. Caitlin has become the talk of the entire hospital, and Meghan is hesitant to be assigned to this patient because of her own tragic past related to suicide. However, Meghan finds herself drawn into Caitlin's life, forming a bond with her family members, who share their daughter's secrets, startling Meghan as Caitlin might escape from her dark past and insisting she's seen a struggle between a suspicious man and Caitlin, which leads the officers to presume she was pushed. Meghan also notices a suspicious man lurking around Caitlin's room outside of visiting hours.
Unfortunately, Meghan's predicament in the hospital is not the only situation she has to deal with. She also worries about an old school friend she recently crossed paths with: Nate, who might be an abuse victim needing urgent help. At the same time, there's a very dangerous man out there hunting women, and he's too close to the district where she and her daughter live.
Are these three mysteries connected? If you're intrigued enough, order your copy, clear your schedule, find a comfortable place to fully immerse yourself in this incredibly exciting mystery, and enjoy!
I'm addicted to Mary Kubica's brilliant and riveting writing style, and thankfully, this book is a winner. I absolutely recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for sharing this amazing book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium.com
July 14, 2025
**4.5-stars rounded up**
In She's Not Sorry, we meet dedicated ICU nurse, Meghan Michaels. Meghan is recently divorced and has primary custody of their teenage daughter, Sienna.
As the Reader, you really get to know Meghan and follow her both in her work life and her personal life. Let me just say, Meghan has a lot going on.
Her divorce has caused a lot of self doubt and she's had to work extra hard to provide for herself and Sienna. Frequently reminding herself that she's done the right thing.
The divorce was her choice. She felt she and Sienna deserved better than what her emotionally unavailable ex-husband, Ben, was providing; particularly when it came to Sienna. She had to move them out of their comfortable condo though, and into an apartment she'd be comfortable with financially.
Their new place isn't in the greatest area, with a few vacant buildings and parking lots surrounding their apartment building. Additionally, the L runs directly beside their flat, so that's a fun disturbance every hour.
Sienna also has moods. She's a teenager, so typical stuff. That sums up Meghan's current home life.
At work, Meghan is assigned as the primary care nurse for a young woman, Caitlin, brought into their unit in a coma, suffering traumatic brain injury, after allegedly jumping from a raised pedestrian walkway.
By all parameters Caitlin should be dead. She's holding on however, and Meghan becomes quite emotionally involved in her case, spending a lot of time with Caitlin's parents, the Becketts. She finds Caitlin consuming her mind.
Just when she thinks Caitlin's situation couldn't get any more disturbing, the police arrive on the unit. A new witness has come forward, stating they believe Caitlin was in an altercation on the bridge just prior to her fall.
Does that mean someone pushed Caitlin, and if so, who?
With a man stalking the neighborhoods around Meghan's apartment, attacking women at their most vulnerable times, and the potential attack on Caitlin, her assailant still at large, Meghan begins to feel incredibly unsafe.
How is she supposed to keep everyone safe?
Honestly, She's Not Sorry has A LOT going on, but it kept me enraptured. I was literally glued to the pages and had so much fun going on this journey with Meghan.
I remember everything about this story. It was so memorable for me. In a world where constant Thriller, Suspense and Mystery stories begin to blend together, this one stands out.
Well executed by Kubica!
This kicks off with a Prologue, though only a few pages long, absolutely gripped and stunned me. It grabbed me by the throat and said, hey, pay attention!!
Then the story truly begins. I would classify this as a slow burn, but I never mind that and loved how it was done here. The intensity steadily builds as more and more is revealed.
Kubica really gave me time to get to know and connect with Meghan. I absolutely adored her as a MC. I cared about her situation. I felt like I was reading about a friend.
This is such a ride; an exciting read. There are so many twists, turns, and red herrings. Kubica would successfully lull me into a sense that I actually knew what was going on, and then, BAM, throw something new in my face.
It was great; a lot of fun. I would recommend it to the world. Intriguing, suspenseful and full of drama. If you read for fun, escape, or for jaw-dropping intrigue, pick this one up!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Park Row, for providing me with a copy to read and review. If you don't have this added to your TBR, you need to add it immediately.
In She's Not Sorry, we meet dedicated ICU nurse, Meghan Michaels. Meghan is recently divorced and has primary custody of their teenage daughter, Sienna.
As the Reader, you really get to know Meghan and follow her both in her work life and her personal life. Let me just say, Meghan has a lot going on.
Her divorce has caused a lot of self doubt and she's had to work extra hard to provide for herself and Sienna. Frequently reminding herself that she's done the right thing.
The divorce was her choice. She felt she and Sienna deserved better than what her emotionally unavailable ex-husband, Ben, was providing; particularly when it came to Sienna. She had to move them out of their comfortable condo though, and into an apartment she'd be comfortable with financially.
Their new place isn't in the greatest area, with a few vacant buildings and parking lots surrounding their apartment building. Additionally, the L runs directly beside their flat, so that's a fun disturbance every hour.
Sienna also has moods. She's a teenager, so typical stuff. That sums up Meghan's current home life.
At work, Meghan is assigned as the primary care nurse for a young woman, Caitlin, brought into their unit in a coma, suffering traumatic brain injury, after allegedly jumping from a raised pedestrian walkway.
By all parameters Caitlin should be dead. She's holding on however, and Meghan becomes quite emotionally involved in her case, spending a lot of time with Caitlin's parents, the Becketts. She finds Caitlin consuming her mind.
Just when she thinks Caitlin's situation couldn't get any more disturbing, the police arrive on the unit. A new witness has come forward, stating they believe Caitlin was in an altercation on the bridge just prior to her fall.
Does that mean someone pushed Caitlin, and if so, who?
With a man stalking the neighborhoods around Meghan's apartment, attacking women at their most vulnerable times, and the potential attack on Caitlin, her assailant still at large, Meghan begins to feel incredibly unsafe.
How is she supposed to keep everyone safe?
Honestly, She's Not Sorry has A LOT going on, but it kept me enraptured. I was literally glued to the pages and had so much fun going on this journey with Meghan.
I remember everything about this story. It was so memorable for me. In a world where constant Thriller, Suspense and Mystery stories begin to blend together, this one stands out.
Well executed by Kubica!
This kicks off with a Prologue, though only a few pages long, absolutely gripped and stunned me. It grabbed me by the throat and said, hey, pay attention!!
Then the story truly begins. I would classify this as a slow burn, but I never mind that and loved how it was done here. The intensity steadily builds as more and more is revealed.
Kubica really gave me time to get to know and connect with Meghan. I absolutely adored her as a MC. I cared about her situation. I felt like I was reading about a friend.
This is such a ride; an exciting read. There are so many twists, turns, and red herrings. Kubica would successfully lull me into a sense that I actually knew what was going on, and then, BAM, throw something new in my face.
It was great; a lot of fun. I would recommend it to the world. Intriguing, suspenseful and full of drama. If you read for fun, escape, or for jaw-dropping intrigue, pick this one up!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Park Row, for providing me with a copy to read and review. If you don't have this added to your TBR, you need to add it immediately.
July 25, 2024
1.5⭐
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Setting ~ Chicago
Publication date ~ April 2, 2024
Page Count ~331 (p+ 29 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 32 minutes
Narrator ~ Andi Arndt
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ 2 parts, mentions of suicide, serial rapist
Meghan
The gripping prologue is a mother’s worst nightmare. Someone has her 16 year old daughter, Sienna.
Part 1 is really character driven with getting to know Meghan. I guess I’m more of a plot driven person because this was so slow moving for me. If you’d like to know her route to and from work day in and day out, how awful her ex husband is, what it’s like being an ICU nurse and listen to her try to help someone she hasn’t seen in over 20 years then maybe you’ll like this one more than me.
Part 2 starts off with a nice big whammy that I didn't see coming, so whoop for that. I was like finally this is going to get good after over 60% of nonsense, big negative. And then I started thinking about the timeline and either I'm confused because it was so repetitive and drawn out, or it didn't flow well at all. I'm not flipping the pages back to find out.
Overall, I was not thrilled to say the least and I'm not sorry about it. I don’t think I’ve been more let down by such a promising prologue ever. It took ages and ages and ages to get to that point and then it was super lame. There was too much going on. The identity of the rapist was not a surprise at all. On a positive note I'm much more familiar with Chicago now since the streets were named over and over and over again.
Be sure to read other reviews since I seem to have read a different book then most everyone else.
*Thanks to the author, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Setting ~ Chicago
Publication date ~ April 2, 2024
Page Count ~331 (p+ 29 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 32 minutes
Narrator ~ Andi Arndt
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ 2 parts, mentions of suicide, serial rapist
Meghan
The gripping prologue is a mother’s worst nightmare. Someone has her 16 year old daughter, Sienna.
Part 1 is really character driven with getting to know Meghan. I guess I’m more of a plot driven person because this was so slow moving for me. If you’d like to know her route to and from work day in and day out, how awful her ex husband is, what it’s like being an ICU nurse and listen to her try to help someone she hasn’t seen in over 20 years then maybe you’ll like this one more than me.
Part 2 starts off with a nice big whammy that I didn't see coming, so whoop for that. I was like finally this is going to get good after over 60% of nonsense, big negative. And then I started thinking about the timeline and either I'm confused because it was so repetitive and drawn out, or it didn't flow well at all. I'm not flipping the pages back to find out.
Overall, I was not thrilled to say the least and I'm not sorry about it. I don’t think I’ve been more let down by such a promising prologue ever. It took ages and ages and ages to get to that point and then it was super lame. There was too much going on. The identity of the rapist was not a surprise at all. On a positive note I'm much more familiar with Chicago now since the streets were named over and over and over again.
Be sure to read other reviews since I seem to have read a different book then most everyone else.
*Thanks to the author, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
May 16, 2024
Ok WHAT??? I honestly wasn’t too sure about this one in the first half, it felt like there was a looooottttt going on and I couldn’t see how everything was gonna fit together but that first plot twist had me like 😲😲😲 then they just kept coming! I’m so glad I ended up enjoying this overall, very fun!
April 8, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this. It took some time before I fully engaged with the story, mildly curious about where it was going, but the twist was.. somewhat unexpected to say it mildly. It made sense though, and even if it all was a bit unlikely when I thought about it, I give it four stars simply for the twist and what happened afterwards.
August 29, 2023
SHE'S NOT SORRY is Mary Kubica's twistiest tale yet. Complete with a clinically creepy hospital setting and an entire cast of characters you cannot trust, every page is steeped in a sense of deep, debilitating dread. This book gave me whiplash with the sheer number of twists.
November 3, 2024
Only the reader is left sorry.
So many plot lines; before and after timelines happening at once? wtf was this?!
This book is
-slow
-confusing
-full of plot holes
-consumed with immaterial details
I read lots of thrillers and this author is just not for me. Never again.
So many plot lines; before and after timelines happening at once? wtf was this?!
This book is
-slow
-confusing
-full of plot holes
-consumed with immaterial details
I read lots of thrillers and this author is just not for me. Never again.
September 13, 2024
4 Solid Stars.
A twist I didn't see coming...
I really enjoyed this book... I found it to be totally bingeable, a quick fast paced thriller with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, all while flipping pages as fast as you can.
ೃ⁀➷ ⋆｡°✩;༊ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ
We follow Meghan Michaels a 40 year old ICU nurse who is recently divorced and living in a small 2 bedroom apartment with her 16 year old daughter Sienna. In order to be cost efficient they don't live in the best of areas in the Chicago area, living directly under the L train and in not necessarily a bad neighborhood, but again, not the best.
Meghan works at the hospital roughly about a mile from home and often commutes to and from work by walking. Normally, sure, no big deal but in recent news there's a man who has been believed to be stalking women around her area to catch his victims by surprise as they're entering their homes which is when he attacks and assaults them and or r@pes them which escalates to murder.
She finds herself caring for a mysterious woman on her nursing unit. She is still struggling with her divorce and is happy to find solace in an old friend from high school in her support group. After her friend mysteriously disappears, the story starts unraveling a lot of twists and explains a much more complicated history than originally thought.
ೃ⁀➷ ⋆｡°✩;༊ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ
Kubica did such a good job at conveying this fear through her words - it was palpable. I had shivers many times while reading, and thinking to myself... walk faster Meghan, why don't you just take the train Meghan, why don't you have some sort of protection, Meghan?!?
Not only that, but these characters are all perfect- I was suspicious of almost every single one of them. You never really feel comfortable about any of them and so you continue to go through the book second guessing yourself and questioning their actions and motives.
Anyway, there are a few storylines going at the same time and again Kubica does an amazing job because honestly I was stunned when I read the words to one of the twists- like wait what? I had to go back and think on it. I don't often find myself completely caught off guard while reading thrillers but this one had me literally pause to take a beat.
One of the plot twists I did figure out fairly early, but again, this book has you questioning everyone to the point that if it went another way I'd be saying I figured it out as well because these characters were all so sketch lol.
Really enjoyable and highly addictive read!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Mary Kubica for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A twist I didn't see coming...
I really enjoyed this book... I found it to be totally bingeable, a quick fast paced thriller with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, all while flipping pages as fast as you can.
ೃ⁀➷ ⋆｡°✩;༊ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ
We follow Meghan Michaels a 40 year old ICU nurse who is recently divorced and living in a small 2 bedroom apartment with her 16 year old daughter Sienna. In order to be cost efficient they don't live in the best of areas in the Chicago area, living directly under the L train and in not necessarily a bad neighborhood, but again, not the best.
Meghan works at the hospital roughly about a mile from home and often commutes to and from work by walking. Normally, sure, no big deal but in recent news there's a man who has been believed to be stalking women around her area to catch his victims by surprise as they're entering their homes which is when he attacks and assaults them and or r@pes them which escalates to murder.
She finds herself caring for a mysterious woman on her nursing unit. She is still struggling with her divorce and is happy to find solace in an old friend from high school in her support group. After her friend mysteriously disappears, the story starts unraveling a lot of twists and explains a much more complicated history than originally thought.
ೃ⁀➷ ⋆｡°✩;༊ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ
Kubica did such a good job at conveying this fear through her words - it was palpable. I had shivers many times while reading, and thinking to myself... walk faster Meghan, why don't you just take the train Meghan, why don't you have some sort of protection, Meghan?!?
Not only that, but these characters are all perfect- I was suspicious of almost every single one of them. You never really feel comfortable about any of them and so you continue to go through the book second guessing yourself and questioning their actions and motives.
Anyway, there are a few storylines going at the same time and again Kubica does an amazing job because honestly I was stunned when I read the words to one of the twists- like wait what? I had to go back and think on it. I don't often find myself completely caught off guard while reading thrillers but this one had me literally pause to take a beat.
One of the plot twists I did figure out fairly early, but again, this book has you questioning everyone to the point that if it went another way I'd be saying I figured it out as well because these characters were all so sketch lol.
Really enjoyable and highly addictive read!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Mary Kubica for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
February 22, 2025
4.75 stars ⭐️
⤷ spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
besties, this book was AMAZING! i went in with zero expectations and ended up devouring it.
it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and the plot twists were 😚🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻 (even though i kindaaa saw some of them coming). everyone seemed so suspicious, and i kept trying to piece together how they were all connected. also, the way things progressively got worse was crazyyy 😭
i agree with Youssra that the ending felt a bit rushed, but aside from that, this book was 👌🏻👌🏻
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
if you’re looking for a twisty, (pretty) mind-blowing thriller, this one’s definitely worth picking up ~
P.S. huge thanks to Youssra for putting this book on my radar and reading it with me. i had a blast yapping and sharing theories with you 💖 WE SERIOUSLY NEED TO READ MORE THRILLERS TOGETHER!!!!!
pre-read
it’s been a while since i last read a thriller 👀
br with my bestie Youssra 😘
⤷ spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
besties, this book was AMAZING! i went in with zero expectations and ended up devouring it.
it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and the plot twists were 😚🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻 (even though i kindaaa saw some of them coming). everyone seemed so suspicious, and i kept trying to piece together how they were all connected. also, the way things progressively got worse was crazyyy 😭
i agree with Youssra that the ending felt a bit rushed, but aside from that, this book was 👌🏻👌🏻
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
if you’re looking for a twisty, (pretty) mind-blowing thriller, this one’s definitely worth picking up ~
P.S. huge thanks to Youssra for putting this book on my radar and reading it with me. i had a blast yapping and sharing theories with you 💖 WE SERIOUSLY NEED TO READ MORE THRILLERS TOGETHER!!!!!
pre-read
it’s been a while since i last read a thriller 👀
br with my bestie Youssra 😘
August 16, 2024
Meghan Michaels is an ICU nurse, she becomes slightly obsessed with her patient named Caitlin, who has suffered a brain injury.
Meghan is trying to spin many plates. She is taking care of her teenage daughter, working extra hard after her divorce. She is also worried about her old friend, Nat, who is an abuse victim. To make matters worse, there is a Rapist on the loose in town!!! 😱
The tension builds slowly and I could feel the goose bumps popping up! The characters were well developed and I was truly worried about them, having love/hate moments. Why are the police at the hospital? Why is Meghan still walking home alone? What is the motive of this person?
I was surprised at the clever twists and turns this one took! The dysfunctional characters, the suspicions that arose with the merging unfolding of the storylines, and added shock of the twists.
Audio from Libby/ narrated by Andi Arndt / published April 4, 2024
April 4, 2024
A nurse, a woman in a coma after falling from a bridge…..
Single mother of a teenage daughter, Meghan Michael, is an ICU nurse at a hospital in Chicago and finds herself taking care of Caitlin, a woman in a coma who was found on train tracks. It appears she had jumped from the bridge above. Meghan doesn’t get attached to her patients, but time she gets too close.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this gripping and shocking book. I recommend going into this book knowing as little as possible about the plot. Whew! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life.
I had so many questions swirling through my head while reading this book. I did my best to try and figure things out. I loved being shocked by the big twist and reveal in the book! WOWZA!
I found this book to be so well done, brilliantly written, and well thought out! There are plenty of twists and turns along the way with some jaw dropping moments. As the book progresses, the tension slowly builds until the dramatic, pulse pounding ending. Hats off to Kubica for pulling everything off so effortlessly.
Highly recommend.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Single mother of a teenage daughter, Meghan Michael, is an ICU nurse at a hospital in Chicago and finds herself taking care of Caitlin, a woman in a coma who was found on train tracks. It appears she had jumped from the bridge above. Meghan doesn’t get attached to her patients, but time she gets too close.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this gripping and shocking book. I recommend going into this book knowing as little as possible about the plot. Whew! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life.
I had so many questions swirling through my head while reading this book. I did my best to try and figure things out. I loved being shocked by the big twist and reveal in the book! WOWZA!
I found this book to be so well done, brilliantly written, and well thought out! There are plenty of twists and turns along the way with some jaw dropping moments. As the book progresses, the tension slowly builds until the dramatic, pulse pounding ending. Hats off to Kubica for pulling everything off so effortlessly.
Highly recommend.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
May 28, 2024
Meghan Michaels is a hard-working critical care nurse and devoted single mom following her recent divorce. One day, a young woman named Caitlin Beckett is brought into her ward following a suicide attempt. This news is hard for Meghan to hear. After all, her own family history is filled with pain from just such an act. Even worse, however, is the method Caitlin had attempted. Jumping from a bridge to train tracks below, the image in Meghan’s brain is difficult to swallow. Quite frankly, it’s a miracle that Caitlin is even alive.
But when Meghan runs into her former high school friend, Natalie, all thoughts of Caitlin are pushed to the back of her mind. Meeting at her divorce support group, they quickly get reacquainted over drinks. Talk quickly turns to both of their lives, but it’s the large bruise on Natalie’s head that bothers Meghan the most. Is it possible that Natalie’s world is much more dangerous than her own? Could her ex pose a threat? And what can the caring, empathetic Meghan do to help?
As Meghan continues to care for Caitlin while also opening her arms to a terrified Natalie, the police show up at the hospital with startling news. It seems Caitlin didn’t jump—she was pushed. Suddenly, the close connection Meghan has made with the Becketts threatens to drown her. Is it possible that the allowing Caitlin’s predicament through Meghan’s defenses could actually endanger her life as well as that of her daughter? Or does Natalie’s presence in her life more of a risk? One thing is for sure, Meghan’s world is not nearly as safe as she once imagined.
Holy heck, Batman! She’s Not Sorry was one shocking, mind-bender of a book! A riveting tale of domestic suspense, it was twistier and darker than any Kubica novel that I’ve read yet. From panic-inducing events to a superb cast of characters, I was pulled into the story from the very first word. What I didn’t expect, however, was how the deep foreboding and unparalleled unease would keep me reading late into the night. More than suspenseful, the plot took all of my expectations and ran them down before backing over them once again.
The storyline was, by far, the biggest home run for what is sure to be one of the best books of the year. Broken up into two parts, there is simply no way that you’ll be able to guess the brilliantly blinding first twist. Through a plot both well-written and skillfully laid out, the mildly slow burn first half quickly caught fire into an explosion of dread. Even the somewhat unresolved conclusion worked perfectly for me, as it left me utterly speechless as I gasped with the final well-timed reveal.
As for the characters, they all felt wholly believable, but also entirely suspicious. With so many secrets percolating just below the surface, it was difficult to decide who to trust as the words unfurled before me. Quite frankly, the impeccably molded personas struck just the right chord and, much like in real life, I was oblivious to what was right in front of my nose. Unfortunately, I can’t say much more or I’ll surely spoil the plot. Just trust me when I say that these individuals were spellbinding in all of their chilling perfection.
By the end, Kubica had me wrapped around her little finger. From the multiple storylines to the deft pacing, each turn in the plot had me second guessing my intuition. In all honesty, I’m overjoyed that I did. After all, without that doubting voice in my head, I wouldn’t have had the payoff of a twist that literally dropped my jaw to the floor. All I know is that Kubica is now firmly ensconced on my auto-buy author list, so be sure to grab this book as soon as it hits store shelves. You won’t regret it in the least. Rating of 5+ stars.
Thank you to Mary Kubica, Park Row, and BookishFirst for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DAY: April 2, 2024
Scroll down for my potential plot spoiling premise.
Trigger warning: suicide, getting scammed, kidnapping, a fatal shooting, mention of: death of a sibling, domestic abuse
But when Meghan runs into her former high school friend, Natalie, all thoughts of Caitlin are pushed to the back of her mind. Meeting at her divorce support group, they quickly get reacquainted over drinks. Talk quickly turns to both of their lives, but it’s the large bruise on Natalie’s head that bothers Meghan the most. Is it possible that Natalie’s world is much more dangerous than her own? Could her ex pose a threat? And what can the caring, empathetic Meghan do to help?
As Meghan continues to care for Caitlin while also opening her arms to a terrified Natalie, the police show up at the hospital with startling news. It seems Caitlin didn’t jump—she was pushed. Suddenly, the close connection Meghan has made with the Becketts threatens to drown her. Is it possible that the allowing Caitlin’s predicament through Meghan’s defenses could actually endanger her life as well as that of her daughter? Or does Natalie’s presence in her life more of a risk? One thing is for sure, Meghan’s world is not nearly as safe as she once imagined.
Holy heck, Batman! She’s Not Sorry was one shocking, mind-bender of a book! A riveting tale of domestic suspense, it was twistier and darker than any Kubica novel that I’ve read yet. From panic-inducing events to a superb cast of characters, I was pulled into the story from the very first word. What I didn’t expect, however, was how the deep foreboding and unparalleled unease would keep me reading late into the night. More than suspenseful, the plot took all of my expectations and ran them down before backing over them once again.
The storyline was, by far, the biggest home run for what is sure to be one of the best books of the year. Broken up into two parts, there is simply no way that you’ll be able to guess the brilliantly blinding first twist. Through a plot both well-written and skillfully laid out, the mildly slow burn first half quickly caught fire into an explosion of dread. Even the somewhat unresolved conclusion worked perfectly for me, as it left me utterly speechless as I gasped with the final well-timed reveal.
As for the characters, they all felt wholly believable, but also entirely suspicious. With so many secrets percolating just below the surface, it was difficult to decide who to trust as the words unfurled before me. Quite frankly, the impeccably molded personas struck just the right chord and, much like in real life, I was oblivious to what was right in front of my nose. Unfortunately, I can’t say much more or I’ll surely spoil the plot. Just trust me when I say that these individuals were spellbinding in all of their chilling perfection.
By the end, Kubica had me wrapped around her little finger. From the multiple storylines to the deft pacing, each turn in the plot had me second guessing my intuition. In all honesty, I’m overjoyed that I did. After all, without that doubting voice in my head, I wouldn’t have had the payoff of a twist that literally dropped my jaw to the floor. All I know is that Kubica is now firmly ensconced on my auto-buy author list, so be sure to grab this book as soon as it hits store shelves. You won’t regret it in the least. Rating of 5+ stars.
Thank you to Mary Kubica, Park Row, and BookishFirst for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DAY: April 2, 2024
Scroll down for my potential plot spoiling premise.
Trigger warning: suicide, getting scammed, kidnapping, a fatal shooting, mention of: death of a sibling, domestic abuse
April 11, 2024
Ooooh Ms Kubica you cheeky little sausage!!! 🤣🤣
She's Not Sorry follows Meghan an ICU nurse who ends up getting involved in the lives of a woman named Caitlyn who is in a coma after jumping off a bridge and plunging over twenty feet to the train tracks below at an alleged way to take her own life. Meghan gets way over her head and too invested surrounding Caityln and her family while trying to help an old friend Natalie who she hasn't seen in 20 years escape her domestic relationship plus she's trying to be a great single mum to her daughter. With all that said there's a threat that could destroy Meghan and her daughters life, possibly making them the next victims!
I'll say this, if you are new to thrillers and enjoy a slow burn... YOU WILL EAT THIS UP! This book was slow and did not pick up till about the 70% mark but i promise you when that twist arrives you will be jumping up shouting 'SHUT TF UP!!!!!'
The slow burn still kept the mood right and had me engaged and intrigued but what ruined it for me was after the twist was revealed everything after felt wayyy to convenient for me. Like 'ohhhh of course that happened, so that can explain why this will happen and so on forth' Up to the 70% mark the story felt quite realistic if not a little convoluted. Then it turned real comically and ended tied in a pretty bow.
Then again i might be an outlier with the ending. 🤷🏾
What I liked
➽ Interesting Unlikeable Characters
➽ Great shocking Twist
➽ Easily a quick bingeable read (although slow burn and a tad bit too long)
What I didn't like
➽ Tied in a bow ending
➽ Unanswered questions
➽ One of the plot twists I guessed early on
➽ Meghan the mum who should be pretty smart behaved sometimes with no DAMN SENSE! 🤣
3.5 ⭐
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩PRE REVIEW⋆｡°✩
Oooooh weeeee! Can I continue my streak of reading 4+ books??
So excited for this one and I’ve heard the twist is WILD!!
Let’s gooo! 😍🤞🏾💕
She's Not Sorry follows Meghan an ICU nurse who ends up getting involved in the lives of a woman named Caitlyn who is in a coma after jumping off a bridge and plunging over twenty feet to the train tracks below at an alleged way to take her own life. Meghan gets way over her head and too invested surrounding Caityln and her family while trying to help an old friend Natalie who she hasn't seen in 20 years escape her domestic relationship plus she's trying to be a great single mum to her daughter. With all that said there's a threat that could destroy Meghan and her daughters life, possibly making them the next victims!
I'll say this, if you are new to thrillers and enjoy a slow burn... YOU WILL EAT THIS UP! This book was slow and did not pick up till about the 70% mark but i promise you when that twist arrives you will be jumping up shouting 'SHUT TF UP!!!!!'
The slow burn still kept the mood right and had me engaged and intrigued but what ruined it for me was after the twist was revealed everything after felt wayyy to convenient for me. Like 'ohhhh of course that happened, so that can explain why this will happen and so on forth' Up to the 70% mark the story felt quite realistic if not a little convoluted. Then it turned real comically and ended tied in a pretty bow.
Then again i might be an outlier with the ending. 🤷🏾
What I liked
➽ Interesting Unlikeable Characters
➽ Great shocking Twist
➽ Easily a quick bingeable read (although slow burn and a tad bit too long)
What I didn't like
➽ Tied in a bow ending
➽ Unanswered questions
➽ One of the plot twists I guessed early on
➽ Meghan the mum who should be pretty smart behaved sometimes with no DAMN SENSE! 🤣
3.5 ⭐
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩PRE REVIEW⋆｡°✩
Oooooh weeeee! Can I continue my streak of reading 4+ books??
So excited for this one and I’ve heard the twist is WILD!!
Let’s gooo! 😍🤞🏾💕
May 5, 2024
I think thrillers are sadly not for me 😅 I’m a little paranoid in life (I have cameras all around my house (even if my neighbourhood is the safest) that alerts me if someone is around my house, a baseball bat beside my bed side, I took self defense & karate lessons) and I see everything coming because I’m so paranoid & suspicious about everyone 😂
It was easy to read - easy to get through!
At least now I know I’m not a thriller girly!! I’m not sure if my slump is over. I have a feeling it’s a ‘burnout from work’ type of slump
———•
On my 2nd thriller recommendation to cure my reading slump 🫡 this one was recommended by my beloved queen Meagan✨ ❤️
It was easy to read - easy to get through!
At least now I know I’m not a thriller girly!! I’m not sure if my slump is over. I have a feeling it’s a ‘burnout from work’ type of slump
———•
On my 2nd thriller recommendation to cure my reading slump 🫡 this one was recommended by my beloved queen Meagan✨ ❤️
April 9, 2024
1.5 rounded down. Was the author in some sort of competition to see how many streets in Chicago she can name? I felt like I was alternating between reading a map of downtown and a brochure about HIPAA, with an occasional, completely random short mystery story thrown in
July 9, 2024
I really liked this one! I love the way Mary Kubica keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole story…Lots of build up! I really like the different storylines coming together in the end too. Idk that I would say this was an absolute stand-out thriller, but it was definitely good and I would definitely recommend it!
February 28, 2024
3.5 rounded down
Caitlin Beckett is a patient in a Chicago ICU having jumped from a pedestrian bridge, obviously sustaining terrible injuries as a consequence. Meghan Michaels is one of her nurses. Caitlin’s devastated parents take a liking to Meghan and always ask for her and she becomes increasingly involved with the family. However, fellow nurse Luke has doubts about the Becketts. Once new evidence emerges about Caitlin’s fall, it throws everything up in the air.
First of all, this slow burner thriller is very easy to read with writing that flows. There’s tension and suspense scattered throughout the book which keeps you reading on, and towards the end there are some very good plot twists which I have not foreseen, and which take me by surprise. The characters are well portrayed, they’re a bunch of liars and you have absolutely no idea if anyone from the ‘cast’ can be trusted which is entertaining.
However, I do struggle to get into the book at the start, but then it does pick up. There is an awful lot going on in the novel and it’s not just the Caitlin story, but quite a list of other events and I just think it gets too much. Less is often more in my opinion. Some of the plot elements are left as loose ends and the ending itself feels quite rushed. It’s a bit repetitive too, and some situations are over explained which I find irritating. Meghan herself seems to me to taunt danger, she’s careless in certain ways and since she has a teenage daughter to care for at home and as there’s potential danger for women in Chicago, it seems unrealistic.
Overall, there’s a lot that is good in this book, not least the twists, but it’s not Mary Kubica’s best book in my opinion.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Caitlin Beckett is a patient in a Chicago ICU having jumped from a pedestrian bridge, obviously sustaining terrible injuries as a consequence. Meghan Michaels is one of her nurses. Caitlin’s devastated parents take a liking to Meghan and always ask for her and she becomes increasingly involved with the family. However, fellow nurse Luke has doubts about the Becketts. Once new evidence emerges about Caitlin’s fall, it throws everything up in the air.
First of all, this slow burner thriller is very easy to read with writing that flows. There’s tension and suspense scattered throughout the book which keeps you reading on, and towards the end there are some very good plot twists which I have not foreseen, and which take me by surprise. The characters are well portrayed, they’re a bunch of liars and you have absolutely no idea if anyone from the ‘cast’ can be trusted which is entertaining.
However, I do struggle to get into the book at the start, but then it does pick up. There is an awful lot going on in the novel and it’s not just the Caitlin story, but quite a list of other events and I just think it gets too much. Less is often more in my opinion. Some of the plot elements are left as loose ends and the ending itself feels quite rushed. It’s a bit repetitive too, and some situations are over explained which I find irritating. Meghan herself seems to me to taunt danger, she’s careless in certain ways and since she has a teenage daughter to care for at home and as there’s potential danger for women in Chicago, it seems unrealistic.
Overall, there’s a lot that is good in this book, not least the twists, but it’s not Mary Kubica’s best book in my opinion.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
August 5, 2024
4.5 stars!
Meghan is an ICU nurse, recently divorced and living with her teenage daughter.
There are 3 main threads:
- Caitlin, the unconscious patient, an apparent failed suicide attempt. Meghan finds herself becoming emotionally attached to the patient and her family, even more so when police question if it was a suicide attempt or attempted murder. As Meghan becomes more embroiled in her patient’s life, she fears she’s putting herself & her daughter in danger.
- Nat, an old friend from Caitlin’s high school days. Meghan reconnects with Nat, who has fallen on hard times and needs help. Meghan, being an empathetic soul, befriends her and even gives her a place to stay.
- There’s a stalker/rapist loose in the city, which leaves Meghan feeling vulnerable and at risk
I’ve not been able to connect with all the author’s books but this was a winner. Very clever and even though I guessed one of the twists, there were still several surprises in store and moments that surprised and shocked me.
There’s a slow build to the twists & turns and Kubica does a great job keeping the tension high with a sense of foreboding as she brings these three seemingly disparate threads together. I loved watching this story unfold and I couldn’t put it down. I listened to the audiobook in 2 days.
Meghan is an ICU nurse, recently divorced and living with her teenage daughter.
There are 3 main threads:
- Caitlin, the unconscious patient, an apparent failed suicide attempt. Meghan finds herself becoming emotionally attached to the patient and her family, even more so when police question if it was a suicide attempt or attempted murder. As Meghan becomes more embroiled in her patient’s life, she fears she’s putting herself & her daughter in danger.
- Nat, an old friend from Caitlin’s high school days. Meghan reconnects with Nat, who has fallen on hard times and needs help. Meghan, being an empathetic soul, befriends her and even gives her a place to stay.
- There’s a stalker/rapist loose in the city, which leaves Meghan feeling vulnerable and at risk
I’ve not been able to connect with all the author’s books but this was a winner. Very clever and even though I guessed one of the twists, there were still several surprises in store and moments that surprised and shocked me.
There’s a slow build to the twists & turns and Kubica does a great job keeping the tension high with a sense of foreboding as she brings these three seemingly disparate threads together. I loved watching this story unfold and I couldn’t put it down. I listened to the audiobook in 2 days.
November 20, 2024
Nah this was TOO good. Incredible twists, great female main character - super suspenseful and really picked up after the half way mark. Wholehearted recommend 5/5 ⭐️
March 21, 2024
4.5 rounded to 5 for GR! if you’re in a reading slump and need a quick thriller binge—pre-order this and get excited when it hits your doorstep on 4/2 🥳
miss Mary never fails us 👏🏼
you know the thriller is good when you can’t even compare it to another thriller 💅🏼💅🏼 my friends at HTP Books warned me that this had the most shocking twist of hers to date and they were RIGHHTTTTTT 🤯 when this twist happened i think i actually said “woooaaaahhh” out loud. it was so👏🏼well👏🏼done👏🏼
Kubica is one of my favorite authors and SHE’S NOT SORRY was a very well executed psychological thriller that i finished it in under 24 hours. it’s one of those i-need-to-stay-up-late-to-see-what-happens kinda books.
it’s certainly in my top 3 fave of hers! i didn’t know Mary could drum up a twist like this, but i am sooo glad she went there 👀
SHE’S NOT SORRY follows Meghan, an ICU nurse and single mom who’s trying to find her way. when she’s treating a patient in a coma, she gets a little too personally involved in the patient’s care—and before she knows it, she’s caught up into the family’s lives and starts to feel like her daughter and her lives are in danger.
it’s so hard not to talk about this more without spoiling!!! 🥲 just know this—it was suspenseful, intense, semi-savage (iykyk), full of twists and a fun ride. if i could change one thing, it would be a side-plot at the end that i don’t think was fully needed but it did add to the overall suspense + red herring vibes.
ENJOY! thanks the HTP Books for the gifted early copy 💜
miss Mary never fails us 👏🏼
you know the thriller is good when you can’t even compare it to another thriller 💅🏼💅🏼 my friends at HTP Books warned me that this had the most shocking twist of hers to date and they were RIGHHTTTTTT 🤯 when this twist happened i think i actually said “woooaaaahhh” out loud. it was so👏🏼well👏🏼done👏🏼
Kubica is one of my favorite authors and SHE’S NOT SORRY was a very well executed psychological thriller that i finished it in under 24 hours. it’s one of those i-need-to-stay-up-late-to-see-what-happens kinda books.
it’s certainly in my top 3 fave of hers! i didn’t know Mary could drum up a twist like this, but i am sooo glad she went there 👀
SHE’S NOT SORRY follows Meghan, an ICU nurse and single mom who’s trying to find her way. when she’s treating a patient in a coma, she gets a little too personally involved in the patient’s care—and before she knows it, she’s caught up into the family’s lives and starts to feel like her daughter and her lives are in danger.
it’s so hard not to talk about this more without spoiling!!! 🥲 just know this—it was suspenseful, intense, semi-savage (iykyk), full of twists and a fun ride. if i could change one thing, it would be a side-plot at the end that i don’t think was fully needed but it did add to the overall suspense + red herring vibes.
ENJOY! thanks the HTP Books for the gifted early copy 💜
April 10, 2024
I have read all of Mary Kubica’s thrillers and loved exactly every other one. Knowing this, it had to be time for a winner!
And…it did not disappoint! She’s Not Sorry gripped me from the first page and I could not put it down.
As a single mother, Meghan Michaels is working full-time as an ICU nurse while trying to raise a teenage daughter. When a woman arrives in the ICU after jumping off a bridge in a coma with a traumatic brain injury, Meghan is assigned to her care. Soon, she finds herself getting too close to the patient and her family. Then, a witness reports that she saw someone push her. Meghan begins to fear that she and her daughter are now in danger. Could they be the next?
I am always a sucker for plots about coma patients and have read many of them. This one took many clever twists and turns, but I did correctly guess how they would ultimately turn out. Even with my expert sleuthing skills, this book reads like a thriller and kept my interest the entire way through. It is also obvious that Kubica either knows a lot about nursing, or she did her research.
I predict that readers will really enjoy this fast-paced thriller!
3.75/5 stars rounded up
Expected publication date: 4/2/24
Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row publishing for the ARC of She’s Not Sorry in exchange for an honest review.
And…it did not disappoint! She’s Not Sorry gripped me from the first page and I could not put it down.
As a single mother, Meghan Michaels is working full-time as an ICU nurse while trying to raise a teenage daughter. When a woman arrives in the ICU after jumping off a bridge in a coma with a traumatic brain injury, Meghan is assigned to her care. Soon, she finds herself getting too close to the patient and her family. Then, a witness reports that she saw someone push her. Meghan begins to fear that she and her daughter are now in danger. Could they be the next?
I am always a sucker for plots about coma patients and have read many of them. This one took many clever twists and turns, but I did correctly guess how they would ultimately turn out. Even with my expert sleuthing skills, this book reads like a thriller and kept my interest the entire way through. It is also obvious that Kubica either knows a lot about nursing, or she did her research.
I predict that readers will really enjoy this fast-paced thriller!
3.75/5 stars rounded up
Expected publication date: 4/2/24
Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row publishing for the ARC of She’s Not Sorry in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2025
4.5 stars
That was WILD!! So so Good!!
This was genuinely such an addicting and entertaining book! At first, I was skeptical at how all the stories would be connected, but then part 2 hit and I was so shocked I had rewind to make sure I heard correctly😅 It was simultaneously obvious and not and the way she did it was honestly so smart!
The twists just kept coming left and right I was out of breath😅 The ending felt little bit rushed to me, but other than that it was such a fun thriller!
Cherie it was SO FUN yapping and sharing our theories while reading ilyyyyy 💋💋💋
Br with the lovely Cherie 💋💋
That was WILD!! So so Good!!
This was genuinely such an addicting and entertaining book! At first, I was skeptical at how all the stories would be connected, but then part 2 hit and I was so shocked I had rewind to make sure I heard correctly😅 It was simultaneously obvious and not and the way she did it was honestly so smart!
The twists just kept coming left and right I was out of breath😅 The ending felt little bit rushed to me, but other than that it was such a fun thriller!
Cherie it was SO FUN yapping and sharing our theories while reading ilyyyyy 💋💋💋
Br with the lovely Cherie 💋💋
July 25, 2024
A sense of vague unease permeates this book. ICU nurse Meghan is caring for a coma patient who miraculously survived a fall from a bridge, and something about the woman's parents feels…off. Meanwhile, an old friend has come back into Meghan's life with big problems of her own. And a violent predator is stalking women in Meghan's neighbourhood. The plot reaches a shocking peak as we begin to see how all of these events are intertwined…and realize just how much danger Meghan is in.
This book contained a lot more twists than I was expecting, which ranged from easily guessable to "never saw it coming." The final twist fell toward the guessable side of the spectrum for me, but that didn't really hamper my enjoyment of the book. The characters are much more morally grey than they seem at first, which meant that for most of the story I was unsure who to trust…and that's definitely not a bad thing! Overall, this book was a solid read, and thriller lovers will enjoy it.
This book contained a lot more twists than I was expecting, which ranged from easily guessable to "never saw it coming." The final twist fell toward the guessable side of the spectrum for me, but that didn't really hamper my enjoyment of the book. The characters are much more morally grey than they seem at first, which meant that for most of the story I was unsure who to trust…and that's definitely not a bad thing! Overall, this book was a solid read, and thriller lovers will enjoy it.
May 27, 2024
RTC...
January 30, 2025
Twisty and tricky! I should have paid better attention during part one, but honestly, it was so uneventful and unrelated, and after a while the story didn't even seem to match the synopsis, so it was easy to drift away. Then part two came, and the pace and plot shifted into overdrive!
Stick with it even when nothing seems to be happening, it's about 65% in before interest and action increases, but it all comes together satisfyingly.
Stick with it even when nothing seems to be happening, it's about 65% in before interest and action increases, but it all comes together satisfyingly.
March 23, 2024
I’ve never read anything by Mary Kubica before, but I do have a few of her books on my to-read list. This one seemed like a good one to start with in checking out Kubica. The book summary introduces the MC, Meghan, and the primary storyline so I’m not going to repeat any of that. What the book summary doesn’t mention is that in the process of checking out the bridge that Caitlin supposedly jumped or was pushed from, Meghan begins to develop some her own opinions of Caitlin’s predicament. There is also a secondary storyline of Meghan running into a former high school friend, Nat, that she hasn’t seen in more than 20yrs. It’s not long before it’s revealed that Nat is being abused by her husband. There is also another storyline of a man attacking and raping women in the area. All of this is revealed early in the story.
Most of the story revolves around Meghan watching over Caitlin and taking care of her daughter and reconnecting with Nat. Meghan is also getting to know Caitlin’s family better as well as helping Nat get back on her feet after leaving her husband, who was tracking her ever since she left him. It’s around this time that strange things start happening to Meghan around the building that she lives in that can’t be explained or at least not in any manner that doesn’t sound really weird or creepy.
The first half was the slow build up to the second half, and thus far, kind of boring – not much happening. It wasn’t until well into the second half of the story that a major element of the story is revealed that kind of pissed me off. I’m not going to go into the details though because that would be a spoiler. The end came pretty quickly after that. Thank goodness.
This was a weird story. I didn’t like any of the characters, including Megan. The pacing for most of the story was kind of slow and boring, the storyline was weird; I figured out who the attacker/rapist was in the first half. However, it was the writing style, the way a story flows, including how the writer wraps up the ending that bothered me the most. I’m sitting here looking at an overall rating of 2.5stars and vacillating on whether or not I should round up or down. I’m obviously an outlier. Enough said.
I want to thank NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Park Row for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #HarlequinTradePublishing #ParkRow #ShesNotSorry
Most of the story revolves around Meghan watching over Caitlin and taking care of her daughter and reconnecting with Nat. Meghan is also getting to know Caitlin’s family better as well as helping Nat get back on her feet after leaving her husband, who was tracking her ever since she left him. It’s around this time that strange things start happening to Meghan around the building that she lives in that can’t be explained or at least not in any manner that doesn’t sound really weird or creepy.
The first half was the slow build up to the second half, and thus far, kind of boring – not much happening. It wasn’t until well into the second half of the story that a major element of the story is revealed that kind of pissed me off. I’m not going to go into the details though because that would be a spoiler. The end came pretty quickly after that. Thank goodness.
This was a weird story. I didn’t like any of the characters, including Megan. The pacing for most of the story was kind of slow and boring, the storyline was weird; I figured out who the attacker/rapist was in the first half. However, it was the writing style, the way a story flows, including how the writer wraps up the ending that bothered me the most. I’m sitting here looking at an overall rating of 2.5stars and vacillating on whether or not I should round up or down. I’m obviously an outlier. Enough said.
I want to thank NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Park Row for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #HarlequinTradePublishing #ParkRow #ShesNotSorry
April 9, 2024
I’m so sad I didn’t like this book. I mean I really did not like a single thing. The characters, the plots (plural because there were at least 3 running concurrently), and the ending.
Probably my least favorite thing about this one is the serial attacker and rapist running rampant in the main character’s city and her leaving her 16 year old daughter home alone with a front door that is broken and doesn’t close sometimes. Which actually doesn’t matters now that I’m thinking about it, even though it’s mentioned several times, because her daughter opens the door for any and every person.
Probably my least favorite thing about this one is the serial attacker and rapist running rampant in the main character’s city and her leaving her 16 year old daughter home alone with a front door that is broken and doesn’t close sometimes. Which actually doesn’t matters now that I’m thinking about it, even though it’s mentioned several times, because her daughter opens the door for any and every person.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 16,274 reviews