What begins as an intriguing twist on a tired trope ultimately falls prey to ill-defined stakes and underdeveloped characters. Jo Harding wakes up on the way to the hospital in an ambulance. Everyone around her is telling her she fell down the stairs. The last thing Jo can remember is taking her son, Fin, to university with her husband, Rob. The problem is that was a year ago. This is a very addictive read. It isn’t as original as some of the books in it’s genre but the writing is fabulous - engaging and engrossing. Really looking forward to Amanda Reynolds’ next book! I liked the family drama portions much more than the mystery element (did she fall or was she pushed) especially the relationship Rob and Jo have with their two children, growing pains for everyone as they leave home and make questionable choices.

Close To Me by Amanda Reynolds | Waterstones

And then there's the mystery of her mobile phone. Jo is sure that she didn't break it during her fall. But she has no reason to believe that anything her husband is telling her isn't the truth. I had a great difficulty connecting with Jo. She wasn't a likable character at all. Truth is, I had a hard time finding any likable character in the book. I found the dialogue frustrating at times. Everyone talking but with no urgency to fill in the gaps of her memory! With this same behavior repeated over and over with very little progress, the book seemed to slow to a crawl.A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy. The story moves easily from past to present and it really worked as the reader gets to learn the events of the past year before Jo actually remembers it and this really adds to the momentum and tense atmosphere of the book overall. There were a few times where I felt that the story dragged out just a little bit, but overall it was a well-paced and riveting read. If you like psychological thrillers with plenty of creepy undertones, then you should definitely read CLOSE TO ME by Amanda Reynolds. Overall, this was a solid debut. It felt a little slow in parts, but that's expected when it's a more character focused suspense. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for more from Amanda Reynolds in the future! The following morning, Jo realises that she has somehow forgotten all that has happened in the past year. Her Son hasn't just left for University, he has in fact left University early. Her Daughter has a boyfriend that the family don't really approve of, but she can't work out why. I myself have grown up children there is no way on this planet I would be paying for their accommodation.

Close To Me, Now a major TV series by Amanda Reynolds Close To Me, Now a major TV series by Amanda Reynolds

What would you do if you woke up after a fall and can't remember the last year of your life, find yourself apprehensive about a husband you think you love and everyone is tip toeing around you? After forgiving her father, Jo returned home to her family. She then overheard Rob – in an obvious attempt to gaslight her – telling their kids Sass and Finn that he was concerned that she had been imagining things. Despite him repeatedly trying to stop her speaking, Jo then firmly told her kids that she was leaving their father because of his affair. In this domestic thriller debut, a woman with post-traumatic amnesia struggles to regain her memories only to realize that perhaps ignorance was bliss.

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Rob denied pushing her, and then begged her not to leave him. He confessed that they had argued (and said some pretty awful things to each other) and that she had stumbled near the top of the stairs as she went to leave him but he had caught her, before she slipped out of his grasp. Jo realised he was lying to her – and that on that fateful night he had let go of her hand on purpose.