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The Day After the Party
The perfect birthday or the perfect nightmare?
Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed…
She doesn’t remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn’t remember the party at all.
When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says ‘nothing’. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.
Did someone at the party harm her?
What is her husband hiding?
Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?
Only one thing is certain. Nobody can be trusted. And if Katelyn’s memories of the party do come back, it will tear them all apart…
This totally addictive psychological thriller will have you gasping at the twists and turns and unable to sleep until you know the truth. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena and The Perfect Marriage .
Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed…
She doesn’t remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn’t remember the party at all.
When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says ‘nothing’. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.
Did someone at the party harm her?
What is her husband hiding?
Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?
Only one thing is certain. Nobody can be trusted. And if Katelyn’s memories of the party do come back, it will tear them all apart…
This totally addictive psychological thriller will have you gasping at the twists and turns and unable to sleep until you know the truth. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena and The Perfect Marriage .
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2023
3077 people are currently reading
5395 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Trope
43 books1,876 followersNicole Trope writes psychological thrillers about families in crisis and the secrets we keep from ourselves and others. She has always been fascinated by the stories behind the headlines and published her first novel in 2012. In 2026 she will publish her 20th novel with Bookouture. She is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS, Canada and Germany. Her books have been translated into German, Italian, Polish, Hungarian and French and Japanese.
She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children
Current Publication: The Therapist-July 31st 2025
Next Publication: What Have You Done?-October 17th 2025
She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children
Current Publication: The Therapist-July 31st 2025
Next Publication: What Have You Done?-October 17th 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 677 reviews
March 3, 2025
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 3 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
Deceit, Betrayal, Lies, Cheating, Temp Amnesia, Jealousy... what more could you ask for in 3 decades worth of friendship?
Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed...
She doesn't remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn't remember the party at all.
When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says 'nothing'. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.
Did someone at the party harm her?
What is her husband hiding?
Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?
Only one thing is certain. Nobody can be trusted. And if Katelyn's memories of the party do come back, it will tear them all apart..
I found myself ripping through the pages of this book wanting to know what on earth happened at that party. Definitely a fast paced page turner, butI honestly didn't like a single one of these characters. - I liked the little girl, Harper.
The story is told in third person POV which I actually prefer when executed properly, but with this, I found that I felt very detached from the characters and the writing and story itself felt very clunky to me at times.
Lemme explain what I mean; Third person, alternating between past and present, but also, time leading up to the party and days after the part and then chapters dedicated either from Katelyn or her best friend Leah.
That was a whole mouthful to get out, so for me it just seemed kinda confusing at times.
I felt so much was just glossed over and could have been explored more while other things were literally on repeat.
I think many people will enjoy this, it's fast paced and entertaining for the most part, I wasn't wowed by the twist at the end because as I'm sitting here thinking about it , I'm like - so that was it?
Thank you, NetGalley, Bookouture and Nicole Trope for this ARC in exchange for an honest review- ♥︎
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Deceit, Betrayal, Lies, Cheating, Temp Amnesia, Jealousy... what more could you ask for in 3 decades worth of friendship?
Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed...
She doesn't remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn't remember the party at all.
When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says 'nothing'. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.
Did someone at the party harm her?
What is her husband hiding?
Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?
Only one thing is certain. Nobody can be trusted. And if Katelyn's memories of the party do come back, it will tear them all apart..
I found myself ripping through the pages of this book wanting to know what on earth happened at that party. Definitely a fast paced page turner, but
The story is told in third person POV which I actually prefer when executed properly, but with this, I found that I felt very detached from the characters and the writing and story itself felt very clunky to me at times.
Lemme explain what I mean; Third person, alternating between past and present, but also, time leading up to the party and days after the part and then chapters dedicated either from Katelyn or her best friend Leah.
That was a whole mouthful to get out, so for me it just seemed kinda confusing at times.
I felt so much was just glossed over and could have been explored more while other things were literally on repeat.
I think many people will enjoy this, it's fast paced and entertaining for the most part, I wasn't wowed by the twist at the end because as I'm sitting here thinking about it , I'm like - so that was it?
Thank you, NetGalley, Bookouture and Nicole Trope for this ARC in exchange for an honest review- ♥︎
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
October 16, 2023
Katelyn’s 36th birthday was going to be perfect; she’d planned it with the help of her best friend, Leah, right down to the smallest detail. She thought it would be an ‘unforgettable’ birthday. Little did she know that she’d not be able to remember a solitary thing … and it wasn’t attributable to over-imbibing!
Katelyn wakes up the next morning in the hospital to discover she’s been diagnosed with TGA, transient global amnesia. With nurses claiming it’s stress-induced and her husband Toby acting out of character, Katelyn doesn’t know what to think or how she’ll be able to walk back into her old life.
“What happened to make her lose her memory?”
A birthday celebration isn’t stressful? Is it?!
That’s the question author Nicole Trope explores in her gripping psychological suspense. Trope had me running off in all directions thinking multiple times that I knew what had happened only to discover that she’d sent me off on a wild goose chase. I loved not knowing who to trust and loved the tension created by waiting for the author to unveil more clues. The time-hopping (an essential format for this novel) kept me on my toes and the feeling of being left in the dark kept me feverishly turning pages. This book worked really well with dual POVs - it needed both Katelyn's and Leah’s viewpoints. The secrets, lies, and betrayals will suck you in and hold your attention.
Somebody knows what happened. Who?
Nicole Trope has cemented herself as an auto-read author for me. If you haven’t read one of her books, what’s keeping you?!
I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Katelyn wakes up the next morning in the hospital to discover she’s been diagnosed with TGA, transient global amnesia. With nurses claiming it’s stress-induced and her husband Toby acting out of character, Katelyn doesn’t know what to think or how she’ll be able to walk back into her old life.
“What happened to make her lose her memory?”
A birthday celebration isn’t stressful? Is it?!
That’s the question author Nicole Trope explores in her gripping psychological suspense. Trope had me running off in all directions thinking multiple times that I knew what had happened only to discover that she’d sent me off on a wild goose chase. I loved not knowing who to trust and loved the tension created by waiting for the author to unveil more clues. The time-hopping (an essential format for this novel) kept me on my toes and the feeling of being left in the dark kept me feverishly turning pages. This book worked really well with dual POVs - it needed both Katelyn's and Leah’s viewpoints. The secrets, lies, and betrayals will suck you in and hold your attention.
Somebody knows what happened. Who?
Nicole Trope has cemented herself as an auto-read author for me. If you haven’t read one of her books, what’s keeping you?!
I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
October 3, 2023
What a great soap opera of a book! Secrets, lies, adultery, traumatic upbringing, postpartum depression - who knows what's true and what is not? This book puts a focus on Global Transient Amnesia which seems to be a somewhat popular storyline lately, but it was definitely a different approach this time. The book is centered around a birthday party and then some occurrences the years before and the days before and after. The main character doesn't remember everything the evening of the party or the day after, and the reader is going on what she knows. We gradually learn bits and pieces from the past, and it gets heart-poundingly tense about halfway through when things become violent. It was a quick read, and I had a hard time putting it down. But I still have some unanswered questions! All in all, it was an enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC.
October 25, 2023
Here we have Katelyn, who wakes up in a hospital with no memories of what led her there. Global Transient Amnesia is what her condition is called. Her husband, Toby assures her nothing out of the ordinary happened and he hasn’t a clue to what brought it on.
What happened before? Katelyn was having her 36th birthday party. Her best friend Leah was there and many others. Did Katelyn do something absolutely hideous, considering she was drunk? Did someone else do something? Say something? Did Toby or Leah reveal something?
We get snippets of clues during the party and afterward. I didn’t really feel there were any revelations that were shockers. We could see this stuff a mile away. For me, the best parts of the story were flashbacks throughout Leah and Katelyn’s childhood, starting from the age of 6 (which was sweet btw). The rest, repetitive.
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture, and Nicole Trope for my ARC. All opinions are my own. Release date in a few days October 30, 2023
What happened before? Katelyn was having her 36th birthday party. Her best friend Leah was there and many others. Did Katelyn do something absolutely hideous, considering she was drunk? Did someone else do something? Say something? Did Toby or Leah reveal something?
We get snippets of clues during the party and afterward. I didn’t really feel there were any revelations that were shockers. We could see this stuff a mile away. For me, the best parts of the story were flashbacks throughout Leah and Katelyn’s childhood, starting from the age of 6 (which was sweet btw). The rest, repetitive.
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture, and Nicole Trope for my ARC. All opinions are my own. Release date in a few days October 30, 2023
October 5, 2023
Great enticing cover
An author I usually really enjoy, her books are intriguing and full of surprises
This story deals with TAG, Transient Global Amnesia, a phenomenon where someone forgets a small amount of time previous to the TAG striking, it can be brought on by shock and orgasm amongst other things
The book takes us to the aftermath of a party and what happened, or didnt, at the party, 1 person Kaitlyn just cannot remember and for the other 3 involved this is either good, bad or convenient dependent on what they did that night…
Got to say awful characters and even though Kaitlyn raised sympathy re her predicament she didn’t half moan on about her life!
An intriguing look at TAG , bit repetitive in dialogue and thoughts and I look forward to the authors next book 🤗
An author I usually really enjoy, her books are intriguing and full of surprises
This story deals with TAG, Transient Global Amnesia, a phenomenon where someone forgets a small amount of time previous to the TAG striking, it can be brought on by shock and orgasm amongst other things
The book takes us to the aftermath of a party and what happened, or didnt, at the party, 1 person Kaitlyn just cannot remember and for the other 3 involved this is either good, bad or convenient dependent on what they did that night…
Got to say awful characters and even though Kaitlyn raised sympathy re her predicament she didn’t half moan on about her life!
An intriguing look at TAG , bit repetitive in dialogue and thoughts and I look forward to the authors next book 🤗
October 11, 2023
Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day, Katelyn wakes up shaken and petrified in a hospital bed. But she doesn't remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn't remember the party at all. When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says "Nothing." But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he's lying.
Filled with secrets, lies, postpartum depression, and adultery, I was never quite sure what was lies and what was the truth. Katelyn can't remember her birthday party, but she can remember everything else. On the night of the party, she suffers from global transient amnesia.
When I pick up a Nicole Trope book I can never read it quickly enough, and she never disappoints. The story is told from Katelyn's perspective. It has a dual timeline that jumps back and forth from the past to the present day. This book is so unpredictable, with well-developed characters, and some good twists.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #NicoleTrope for my ARC of #TheDayAfterTheParty in exchange for an honest review.
Filled with secrets, lies, postpartum depression, and adultery, I was never quite sure what was lies and what was the truth. Katelyn can't remember her birthday party, but she can remember everything else. On the night of the party, she suffers from global transient amnesia.
When I pick up a Nicole Trope book I can never read it quickly enough, and she never disappoints. The story is told from Katelyn's perspective. It has a dual timeline that jumps back and forth from the past to the present day. This book is so unpredictable, with well-developed characters, and some good twists.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #NicoleTrope for my ARC of #TheDayAfterTheParty in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2023
Great plot, but it seriously lacks in execution. This story was all over the place with its dual timeline and I felt as though a map was needed in order to actually finish it.
The more I learned about the characters, the less I cared. Not one character was likeable and the story just fell flat. The lackluster ending finally caused this thriller to just fizzle out.
The more I learned about the characters, the less I cared. Not one character was likeable and the story just fell flat. The lackluster ending finally caused this thriller to just fizzle out.
October 23, 2023
Affairs, Marriage, Divorce, IVF, Domestic drama
Psychological thriller of two women who've been best friends since they were 6 years old.
On Katelyn’s 36th birthday she has a party that ends up with her in the hospital with memory loss of the entire party.
The story goes back and forth in time through Leah and Katelyn’s 30 year friendship and the mystery of what happened after the party.
Such a wild twisty ride, I loved it!
Psychological thriller of two women who've been best friends since they were 6 years old.
On Katelyn’s 36th birthday she has a party that ends up with her in the hospital with memory loss of the entire party.
The story goes back and forth in time through Leah and Katelyn’s 30 year friendship and the mystery of what happened after the party.
Such a wild twisty ride, I loved it!
October 20, 2023
The Day After the Party is a fast-moving story about family and redemption. It was highly suspenseful, and I was gripped until the end.
Parties are supposed to be fun, right? It’s full of drink, party food and good times – laughter and joy. But what happens when it all goes pear shaped? A memory lost of the entire night. A memory gone completely. Katelyn wakes up in a hospital bed after having an episode of Global Transient Amnesia. She has no recollection of the previous night at all and both her husband, Toby and her best friend, Leah are really worried about her. But luckily for us Nicole Trope turns an innocuous party into Katelyn’s worst nightmare.
Finding the right words to describe The Day After the Party is difficult and i want to do it justice. It’s tense, it’s taut, it has you on the edge of your seat, you get the wonderment of Australia and its sun kissed beaches, but you also get a story with heart and reconciliation. The author knows what she’s doing and transports you to the heart of the story – I need to make it a priority to read her other works, pronto. But there is so much more to the story.
Katelyn and Leah have been friends since they were six. Katelyn had a hard upbringing with her mother not being very present – she was an alcoholic who didn’t work and was often late to pick her up from school or not at all. Katelyn spent most of her life wishing she had a mother that was just there for her. Leah’s mother took her home on a day that Katelyn’s mother failed to pick her up and very quickly became part of the furniture. Throughout their years as friends there are many instances where Leah is insanely jealous at the things that Katelyn has – the attention of her mother, her ex-boyfriend, Tony, a beautiful daughter, a stunning home, and she feels that Katelyn appreciates none of it.
I wasn’t a fan of Leah; jealousy isn’t a nice colour on anyone, but Leah wore the immensely jealous friend like a second skin. I don’t know why people are like this, if you exude too much energy into concerning yourself with others lives yours is always going to be empty and meaningless.
Katelyn wakes up and although her memory has returned, she begins questioning her reality. When she receives a weird text message from Leah’s ex-husband and a gift that was possibly from her party stowed away under her bed makes her question everything she knows. Can she piece the night of the party together before her family falls apart? The Day After the Party is shock after shock and I loved it.
Parties are supposed to be fun, right? It’s full of drink, party food and good times – laughter and joy. But what happens when it all goes pear shaped? A memory lost of the entire night. A memory gone completely. Katelyn wakes up in a hospital bed after having an episode of Global Transient Amnesia. She has no recollection of the previous night at all and both her husband, Toby and her best friend, Leah are really worried about her. But luckily for us Nicole Trope turns an innocuous party into Katelyn’s worst nightmare.
Finding the right words to describe The Day After the Party is difficult and i want to do it justice. It’s tense, it’s taut, it has you on the edge of your seat, you get the wonderment of Australia and its sun kissed beaches, but you also get a story with heart and reconciliation. The author knows what she’s doing and transports you to the heart of the story – I need to make it a priority to read her other works, pronto. But there is so much more to the story.
Katelyn and Leah have been friends since they were six. Katelyn had a hard upbringing with her mother not being very present – she was an alcoholic who didn’t work and was often late to pick her up from school or not at all. Katelyn spent most of her life wishing she had a mother that was just there for her. Leah’s mother took her home on a day that Katelyn’s mother failed to pick her up and very quickly became part of the furniture. Throughout their years as friends there are many instances where Leah is insanely jealous at the things that Katelyn has – the attention of her mother, her ex-boyfriend, Tony, a beautiful daughter, a stunning home, and she feels that Katelyn appreciates none of it.
I wasn’t a fan of Leah; jealousy isn’t a nice colour on anyone, but Leah wore the immensely jealous friend like a second skin. I don’t know why people are like this, if you exude too much energy into concerning yourself with others lives yours is always going to be empty and meaningless.
Katelyn wakes up and although her memory has returned, she begins questioning her reality. When she receives a weird text message from Leah’s ex-husband and a gift that was possibly from her party stowed away under her bed makes her question everything she knows. Can she piece the night of the party together before her family falls apart? The Day After the Party is shock after shock and I loved it.
November 13, 2023
Available now!!!!
Man the last hour or so had my heart pounding!!! Very addictive and I couldn’t put it down!
Katelyn and Leah have been best friends since they were six and now they are getting ready for Katelyns 36th birthday. Only Kate finds herself in the hospital not being able to recall the party at ALL!! And Leah isn’t at the hospital by her side. What has happened to make her lose her memory and maybe her lifelong friend as well. Let me tell you it won’t be what you think!! No spoilers but I loved this story and it truly was fast paced for me!! Already looking into the authors other books to see which ones I can get my hands on!
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Man the last hour or so had my heart pounding!!! Very addictive and I couldn’t put it down!
Katelyn and Leah have been best friends since they were six and now they are getting ready for Katelyns 36th birthday. Only Kate finds herself in the hospital not being able to recall the party at ALL!! And Leah isn’t at the hospital by her side. What has happened to make her lose her memory and maybe her lifelong friend as well. Let me tell you it won’t be what you think!! No spoilers but I loved this story and it truly was fast paced for me!! Already looking into the authors other books to see which ones I can get my hands on!
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 25, 2025
This was a quick read! I enjoyed it and thought the idea behind the story was clever and well thought out. Initially the story focuses around “the party” and the happenings of that party. Then it slowly, yet cleverly weaves a web of before, during and after the party. Relationships unravel and intent is questioned.
The unfolding and rewinding of events keeps you engaged and is both interesting and surprising. I liked the ending as well! It puts an exclamation mark on the entire story!! Makes you wonder, “Do you really know your best friend?” And “How far would someone go to change their own story?” This story goes from good to better as it dangles a rattling ending-one I certainly was not expecting. Definitely a good read! An easy, and simplistic read and a book to just take you into another place for a short while… a good escape! 3⭐️s for this one! Glad I grabbed it at the airport!
The unfolding and rewinding of events keeps you engaged and is both interesting and surprising. I liked the ending as well! It puts an exclamation mark on the entire story!! Makes you wonder, “Do you really know your best friend?” And “How far would someone go to change their own story?” This story goes from good to better as it dangles a rattling ending-one I certainly was not expecting. Definitely a good read! An easy, and simplistic read and a book to just take you into another place for a short while… a good escape! 3⭐️s for this one! Glad I grabbed it at the airport!
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October 9, 2023Let me start off by saying that this is my 5th book by Nicole Trope and I have given all her other books 5 stars. This one just didn’t do it for me and I was bored at 30% so I’m not going to rate it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy. I look forward to her next book.
January 24, 2024
So towards the end I thought that I knew what twist was coming and thought wow that’s superb…… turns out it didn’t happen and so I just felt disappointed 😂
Middle of the road book 🤷🏻♀️
Middle of the road book 🤷🏻♀️
September 25, 2023
Katelyn and Leah became instant best friends when they met at the age of six. Little Katelyn had a neglectful mother, so Leah and her parents became Katelyn’s surrogate family. Now that they’re grown, it’s Leah who envies the life that Katelyn has built, and she’ll stop at nothing to get it for herself. On the night of the birthday party, Katelyn suffers transient global amnesia (TGA) and can’t remember anything that happened that night… but something definitely did, and if Katelyn remembers, it may destroy her relationships forever.
This tale of toxic friendship is more domestic drama than thriller. I liked that we got to see how Katelyn and Leah’s friendship evolved over the years through flashbacks, and that we got both women’s perspectives on the night of the party and afterward. Every character is hiding something from the others, but for the most part it’s not hard to predict what those secrets were. It’s a fast, entertaining read but somewhat repetitive. It feels less complex and the characters are underdeveloped compared to Trope’s other books.
I adore Nicole Trope and will still read absolutely anything she writes, but this one wasn’t my favorite of hers. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.
This tale of toxic friendship is more domestic drama than thriller. I liked that we got to see how Katelyn and Leah’s friendship evolved over the years through flashbacks, and that we got both women’s perspectives on the night of the party and afterward. Every character is hiding something from the others, but for the most part it’s not hard to predict what those secrets were. It’s a fast, entertaining read but somewhat repetitive. It feels less complex and the characters are underdeveloped compared to Trope’s other books.
I adore Nicole Trope and will still read absolutely anything she writes, but this one wasn’t my favorite of hers. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.
February 6, 2024
A step back in society
Spoilers ahead: Personally this book felt offensive to women. In this book, women were seen as nothing more than a housewife or mother. Whilst one of the main character was independent and free from children, her only longing was to become a mother and failed at her job. While the other main character did have dreams to be more than a housewife and a mom, she feels as if she “owes” another kid to her husband and happily plays into that narrative, ultimately leaving behind her goals for herself. The obvious SA is ignored and downplayed at the party as well as the cheating and domestic abuse being normalized within this book. One thing I absolutely loved was the different perspectives and flashbacks throughout the book making you slowly understand their lives but nonetheless I am disappointed to report my take on this book as I am not one to usually write a review like this.
Spoilers ahead: Personally this book felt offensive to women. In this book, women were seen as nothing more than a housewife or mother. Whilst one of the main character was independent and free from children, her only longing was to become a mother and failed at her job. While the other main character did have dreams to be more than a housewife and a mom, she feels as if she “owes” another kid to her husband and happily plays into that narrative, ultimately leaving behind her goals for herself. The obvious SA is ignored and downplayed at the party as well as the cheating and domestic abuse being normalized within this book. One thing I absolutely loved was the different perspectives and flashbacks throughout the book making you slowly understand their lives but nonetheless I am disappointed to report my take on this book as I am not one to usually write a review like this.
September 26, 2023
Nicole Trope does it again!!
Great can't turn the pages fast enough thriller.
Great characters that intertwine both good and bad in a good way. If you understand that.
Wonderful ending that just popped the story to a different level. Loved everything about this book.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.
Great can't turn the pages fast enough thriller.
Great characters that intertwine both good and bad in a good way. If you understand that.
Wonderful ending that just popped the story to a different level. Loved everything about this book.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.
October 30, 2023
That's one perfect page turner. I was hooked right from the first page. I finished reading it in just one sitting.
This is my first book from the author and I think I will be reading more. All the characters were so well drafted and every twist in the story left me in awe.
Thanks netgalley and Bookouture for the arc. Views are all mine.
This is my first book from the author and I think I will be reading more. All the characters were so well drafted and every twist in the story left me in awe.
Thanks netgalley and Bookouture for the arc. Views are all mine.
December 26, 2023
The Day After the Party
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Nicole Trope
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Bookouture and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: The perfect birthday or the perfect nightmare?
Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed…
She doesn’t remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn’t remember the party at all.
When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says ‘nothing’. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.
Did someone at the party harm her?
What is her husband hiding?
Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?
Only one thing is certain. Nobody can be trusted. And if Katelyn’s memories of the party do come back, it will tear them all apart…
My Thoughts: What an excellent twisty read. Trope’s storytelling ability is just brilliant, always keeps you guessing until the end. This thriller packs so much with the suspense, lies, secrets, betrayal, the unique plot, jealousy, unpredictability, character exploration, and the unexpected ending, WOW! Katelyn remembers preparing for her birthday party but does not remember the actual party and wakes up in a hospital. Her husband knows what happened but he is not telling her a thing. Leah is her best friend for decades and is also not talking about what happened at the party. Katelyn was diagnosed with Global Transient Amnesia (TGA) and this is usually brought on by extreme stress. Katelyn knows she cannot trust anyone and once her memory starts to fill the huge gaps, will her memories of the party events tear them all apart?
The story is narrated by both Katelyn and Leah with narration from both past and present timelines, in a third person POV, which was necessary for this format, and it worked very well. Both of our narrators were unreliable. No one can be trusted. While TGA is a popular focal for thriller books, this one does it differently, which was refreshing. The characters were developed well with unpredictability, they had depth, they were mysterious, and were creatively woven throughout the story. The author’s writing style was complex, intriguing, twisty, suspenseful, and just brilliant. The characters are built up in the beginning. The plot is delivered in many twisty layers. When you think you have it figured out, something else will happen to strike that down. The flow and pacing was superb.
Trigger warnings of adultery, childhood trauma, and postpartum depression. Trope hooked me from the first sentence to the last sentence. This psychological thriller was dark, disturbing, twisty, compelling, and gripping. Once I started reading, I had to finish because I had know how it ended. There were a few plot holes that left a few unanswered questions, however, it did not alter my enjoyment of the book. If i see Nicole Trope authored a book, I will read blindly, as I know her books will keep me on the edge of my seat. I would highly recommend this book and any book by Trope, she does thrillers to the next level.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Nicole Trope
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Bookouture and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: The perfect birthday or the perfect nightmare?
Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed…
She doesn’t remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn’t remember the party at all.
When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says ‘nothing’. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.
Did someone at the party harm her?
What is her husband hiding?
Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?
Only one thing is certain. Nobody can be trusted. And if Katelyn’s memories of the party do come back, it will tear them all apart…
My Thoughts: What an excellent twisty read. Trope’s storytelling ability is just brilliant, always keeps you guessing until the end. This thriller packs so much with the suspense, lies, secrets, betrayal, the unique plot, jealousy, unpredictability, character exploration, and the unexpected ending, WOW! Katelyn remembers preparing for her birthday party but does not remember the actual party and wakes up in a hospital. Her husband knows what happened but he is not telling her a thing. Leah is her best friend for decades and is also not talking about what happened at the party. Katelyn was diagnosed with Global Transient Amnesia (TGA) and this is usually brought on by extreme stress. Katelyn knows she cannot trust anyone and once her memory starts to fill the huge gaps, will her memories of the party events tear them all apart?
The story is narrated by both Katelyn and Leah with narration from both past and present timelines, in a third person POV, which was necessary for this format, and it worked very well. Both of our narrators were unreliable. No one can be trusted. While TGA is a popular focal for thriller books, this one does it differently, which was refreshing. The characters were developed well with unpredictability, they had depth, they were mysterious, and were creatively woven throughout the story. The author’s writing style was complex, intriguing, twisty, suspenseful, and just brilliant. The characters are built up in the beginning. The plot is delivered in many twisty layers. When you think you have it figured out, something else will happen to strike that down. The flow and pacing was superb.
Trigger warnings of adultery, childhood trauma, and postpartum depression. Trope hooked me from the first sentence to the last sentence. This psychological thriller was dark, disturbing, twisty, compelling, and gripping. Once I started reading, I had to finish because I had know how it ended. There were a few plot holes that left a few unanswered questions, however, it did not alter my enjoyment of the book. If i see Nicole Trope authored a book, I will read blindly, as I know her books will keep me on the edge of my seat. I would highly recommend this book and any book by Trope, she does thrillers to the next level.
March 5, 2025
In modern-day Australia, Katelyn and Leah have been best friends since first meeting at school at the age of six. As a child, Katelyn was neglected by her alcoholic mother and was virtually adopted by Leah's mother.
Katelyn has just celebrated her 37th birthday with a party - her only problem is that she can't remember any of it, having suffered an amnesiac episode. In the aftermath, Leah and Katelyn's husband Toby seem to have something to hide. But it turns out that Katelyn's behaviour at the party wasn't exactly perfect either!....
This was quite a good read but not quite up to the level of many of her other books. Although overall the story was intriguing, it seemed to just meander along for much of the book and, for me, didn't really get going until towards the end so, on this occasion, only 8/10.
Katelyn has just celebrated her 37th birthday with a party - her only problem is that she can't remember any of it, having suffered an amnesiac episode. In the aftermath, Leah and Katelyn's husband Toby seem to have something to hide. But it turns out that Katelyn's behaviour at the party wasn't exactly perfect either!....
This was quite a good read but not quite up to the level of many of her other books. Although overall the story was intriguing, it seemed to just meander along for much of the book and, for me, didn't really get going until towards the end so, on this occasion, only 8/10.
September 21, 2023
I wasn't very impressed with this book. I feel like Trope has been veering away from the psycho thriller genre. Her last few novels have been more slow burn, dramatical works of fiction. The synopsis was intriguing, and I thought, YES, she's back with the craziness! There are definitely moments of crazy and twistedness in this story, but it was more a long, drawn-out mystery of what happened the night of the party. The first 40% of the story dragged. The POVs bounce back and forth between past years of Katelyn and Leah's friendship and the time right after the party. The lengthy backstory did well with establishing Leah's character; however, it took away from the building tension leading up to what really happened "that night". The reveals were soft and anticlimactic and held no shock value for me. I think that if I knew less about Leah, I would have been more surprised and experienced more emotion. There were also a few direct contradictions in parts of the dialogue. It's possible that these were errors and will be fixed in editing. If not, they were misleading and confusing. Overall, it was a mediocre story. It was interesting and crazy for sure. It just wasn't that exciting for me. Hoping that others will enjoy it more than I did.
Thank you to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!
November 3, 2023
The perfect birthday..the perfect nightmare...
Parties are supposed to be fun...but something happened at Katelyn's and she has no idea what. Instead, she wakes in the hospital with hubby Toby by her bedside, a worried frown etched on his face. She asks where is she and what's happened. And then she reads the note clutched in her hand...
You are in hospital.
Harper is fine and with my mum.
You've lost your memory.
You haven't had a stroke.
You've had an MRI and ECG and everything is fine.
You have something called Transient Global Amnesia.
Your lost hours of memory have shown up on the MRI as a black dot.
You aren't able to form new memories so you keep forgetting things I've told you.
Today is Sunday.
This should be temporary.
What the hell happened at her party to end up wiping her memory? It was supposed to be a memorable occasion to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday but instead she cannot remember it at all. Any second of it! Now Katelyn has lost an entire day and night. She can remember everything leading up to the party and everything since...but those few hours are a complete blank. So what happened? And why is Toby looking decidedly shifty? What is he not telling her?
As soon as Katelyn returns home, she longs to wrap her arms around her little girl and take in her sweet scent. But she's staying with Toby's parents for the night while she recuperates and will return after preschool tomorrow. In the meantime, Katelyn instead tries to unravel the tangles of confusion that is Saturday night in her mind. Toby's patience is unwavering but Katelyn knows something is off. The way he looks at her, the way his eyes don't meet hers. What does he know that he's not telling her?
And then she gets a strange message from her best friend Leah's ex, Aaron. What on earth does that mean? And as for Leah, she wants to see her but something is telling her that something isn't right there either. She has an image in her mind of Toby hugging Leah in a way that was too intimate to be friendship. Or is she just imagining that? Nothing makes any sense to her anymore and she wants to understand what happened at her party. Why she has lost the entire night. It doesn't make sense. When she finds a gift of lingerie under her bed with no note or card, Katelyn begins to suspect Toby of having an affair making her question everything she knows. Can she piece together the night of the party before it's too late?
The story is told from Katelyn and Leah's perspectives in the past as well as before and after the party. It details the women's friendship from the time they were six years old in primary school, right through high school, uni, boyfriends and marriage. Now here they are thirty years later celebrating Katelyn's birthday. But nothing is as it seems with this friendship. They may well be best friends, but hidden beneath the surface is a jealousy so blatant it would make your hair curl.
Nicole Trope once again delivers a tangled tale of twists and surprises in this compelling domestic suspense read. What seems like an innocent party becomes one woman's worst nightmare.
I did not like Leah or Aaron one bit. They are both selfish and self-obsessed to the core. Both of them only want to get what they want. Leah's jealousy was so blatant it was a wonder Katelyn never saw it in thirty years of friendship. And Aaron. That guy was a snake. Least said there.
I thoroughly enjoyed my umpteenth read by Trope and look forward to anything she delivers. I know I am always in for a treat.
I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheDayAfterTheParty in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Parties are supposed to be fun...but something happened at Katelyn's and she has no idea what. Instead, she wakes in the hospital with hubby Toby by her bedside, a worried frown etched on his face. She asks where is she and what's happened. And then she reads the note clutched in her hand...
You are in hospital.
Harper is fine and with my mum.
You've lost your memory.
You haven't had a stroke.
You've had an MRI and ECG and everything is fine.
You have something called Transient Global Amnesia.
Your lost hours of memory have shown up on the MRI as a black dot.
You aren't able to form new memories so you keep forgetting things I've told you.
Today is Sunday.
This should be temporary.
What the hell happened at her party to end up wiping her memory? It was supposed to be a memorable occasion to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday but instead she cannot remember it at all. Any second of it! Now Katelyn has lost an entire day and night. She can remember everything leading up to the party and everything since...but those few hours are a complete blank. So what happened? And why is Toby looking decidedly shifty? What is he not telling her?
As soon as Katelyn returns home, she longs to wrap her arms around her little girl and take in her sweet scent. But she's staying with Toby's parents for the night while she recuperates and will return after preschool tomorrow. In the meantime, Katelyn instead tries to unravel the tangles of confusion that is Saturday night in her mind. Toby's patience is unwavering but Katelyn knows something is off. The way he looks at her, the way his eyes don't meet hers. What does he know that he's not telling her?
And then she gets a strange message from her best friend Leah's ex, Aaron. What on earth does that mean? And as for Leah, she wants to see her but something is telling her that something isn't right there either. She has an image in her mind of Toby hugging Leah in a way that was too intimate to be friendship. Or is she just imagining that? Nothing makes any sense to her anymore and she wants to understand what happened at her party. Why she has lost the entire night. It doesn't make sense. When she finds a gift of lingerie under her bed with no note or card, Katelyn begins to suspect Toby of having an affair making her question everything she knows. Can she piece together the night of the party before it's too late?
The story is told from Katelyn and Leah's perspectives in the past as well as before and after the party. It details the women's friendship from the time they were six years old in primary school, right through high school, uni, boyfriends and marriage. Now here they are thirty years later celebrating Katelyn's birthday. But nothing is as it seems with this friendship. They may well be best friends, but hidden beneath the surface is a jealousy so blatant it would make your hair curl.
Nicole Trope once again delivers a tangled tale of twists and surprises in this compelling domestic suspense read. What seems like an innocent party becomes one woman's worst nightmare.
I did not like Leah or Aaron one bit. They are both selfish and self-obsessed to the core. Both of them only want to get what they want. Leah's jealousy was so blatant it was a wonder Katelyn never saw it in thirty years of friendship. And Aaron. That guy was a snake. Least said there.
I thoroughly enjoyed my umpteenth read by Trope and look forward to anything she delivers. I know I am always in for a treat.
I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheDayAfterTheParty in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
December 10, 2023
The Day After The Party is a gripping and suspenseful domestic thriller. Right from the prologue this book got right under my skin and kept a firm grip right through until the final sentence. There’s a lot going on in this book as we are given the perspective from the two main characters KateLyn and Leah. The characters in this book were all dare I say quite horrible and nasty. I think the only one I liked was little Harper. But then again I do love a book with nasty characters. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 28, 2023
The Day After the Party is a fast-paced psychological thriller. Katelyn wakes up in a hospital bed not able to remember the past 24-ish hours. Apparently, in that time, she celebrated her 36th birthday with a huge party, but then something happened that put her in the hospital and caused her to forget. Her husband says that the party was a success and he doesn't know what happened, but Katelyn knows he's lying. And she suspects her best friend Leah has something to do with her situation. Katelyn fears that something terrible happened at her party, and she is determined to find out what.
The story alternates between past and present and between POVs (Katelyn's and Leah's). Nicole Trope is an excellent author and really utilizes the various POVs and timelines. I have enjoyed all of Nicole Trope's books and will continue reading and looking forward to her future books. The Day After the Party wasn't one of my favorites. The characters were all unlikable and the overall story just fell flat for me. I was able to predict almost all of the twists. It is a fast read and Nicole Trope is a very well-written author. I highly recommend reading her books; however, The Day After the Party wouldn't be one of my top recommendations.
The story alternates between past and present and between POVs (Katelyn's and Leah's). Nicole Trope is an excellent author and really utilizes the various POVs and timelines. I have enjoyed all of Nicole Trope's books and will continue reading and looking forward to her future books. The Day After the Party wasn't one of my favorites. The characters were all unlikable and the overall story just fell flat for me. I was able to predict almost all of the twists. It is a fast read and Nicole Trope is a very well-written author. I highly recommend reading her books; however, The Day After the Party wouldn't be one of my top recommendations.
November 2, 2023
The Day After the Party
By: Nicole Trope
I have loved every book by Trope, but this is my favorite. Katelyn is having a huge party to celebrate her 36th birthday. Her best friend Leah and her husband are helping her celebrate along with a houseful of friends. Katelyn has gone all out with decorations, food, and champagne. Katelyn has known Leah since she was six and they are more like sisters than just best friends.
Sadly, the day after she wakes up in the hospital with her husband Toby by her side, and she has no idea where she is. She knows who she is, but has lost all memory of the party! What happened at the party? The doctor diagnosis her with TGA, transient global amnesia. This can be set off by an event or alcohol.
This novel is fast-paced and filled with secrets, lies and deception. When I thought I had it figured out she stumped me until the very end.
By: Nicole Trope
I have loved every book by Trope, but this is my favorite. Katelyn is having a huge party to celebrate her 36th birthday. Her best friend Leah and her husband are helping her celebrate along with a houseful of friends. Katelyn has gone all out with decorations, food, and champagne. Katelyn has known Leah since she was six and they are more like sisters than just best friends.
Sadly, the day after she wakes up in the hospital with her husband Toby by her side, and she has no idea where she is. She knows who she is, but has lost all memory of the party! What happened at the party? The doctor diagnosis her with TGA, transient global amnesia. This can be set off by an event or alcohol.
This novel is fast-paced and filled with secrets, lies and deception. When I thought I had it figured out she stumped me until the very end.
October 18, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Day After the Party by Nicole Trope. When the book began, it was very reminiscent of a book I had just read and I thought "Not Again!" Fortunately it changed and became a new story for me. It was written with dual points of view from the two main characters in the novel. It also is written in a dual timeline as the past and the present merge together. Nicole Trope is easy to read and she includes many twists and turns in her writing. Overall, this book was very entertaining and I would highly recommend it to others. I gave it a 4 star rating.
October 6, 2023
3⭐ - It took me some time to get into the book. Probably because it's written in third person. The story was interesting. During there were many things happening, which I didnt see coming. also when Leah and Katelyn were younger. The main theme of this book is toxic friendships, since the friendship of Leah & Katelyn is toxic. The chapters were short und jumping back in time, after the party and also during the night of the party. Overall an enjoyable read! I'll definitely check out other books by Nicole Trope!
Thank you NetGalley, Nicole Trope & Bookouture for sending me an ARC
Thank you NetGalley, Nicole Trope & Bookouture for sending me an ARC
October 23, 2023
DNF at 52percent
I thought it would get better and some big mystery would be revealed but I got sick of the four main characters and their imagined drama...I just couldn't go another page.....sorry
I thought it would get better and some big mystery would be revealed but I got sick of the four main characters and their imagined drama...I just couldn't go another page.....sorry
November 30, 2023
Home grown psychological thriller writer Nicole Trope gives the public another reason to pick up one of her books.
The Day Of The Party is addictive, smart, enticing and entertaining.
Katelyn and Leah have always been best friends.
Now it’s Katelyn’s thirty sixth birthday and a party is planned.
Friends gather, food is served and drink is poured.
But the next day she wakes up in the hospital, not remembering a thing or how she ended up here.
She asks her husband Toby, what happened but the reply is ‘nothing’.
Katelyn knows he is lying from the look on his face.
She can’t remember, why her best friends angry or the nasty words said by her husband.
Why is Leah acting weird……
What is Toby hiding….
Did Katelyn herself do something wrong that night……..
One thing Katelyn knows is she can’t trust anyone.
Then the shocking truth is revealed…….
An additional winner to add to Nicole’s growing catalogue.
Tension filled, a scatter of suspense and lots of drama with all of the characters hiding something all the way through until its compelling ending.
Leaving you in the throes of intrigue and enjoyment.
The Day Of The Party is addictive, smart, enticing and entertaining.
Katelyn and Leah have always been best friends.
Now it’s Katelyn’s thirty sixth birthday and a party is planned.
Friends gather, food is served and drink is poured.
But the next day she wakes up in the hospital, not remembering a thing or how she ended up here.
She asks her husband Toby, what happened but the reply is ‘nothing’.
Katelyn knows he is lying from the look on his face.
She can’t remember, why her best friends angry or the nasty words said by her husband.
Why is Leah acting weird……
What is Toby hiding….
Did Katelyn herself do something wrong that night……..
One thing Katelyn knows is she can’t trust anyone.
Then the shocking truth is revealed…….
An additional winner to add to Nicole’s growing catalogue.
Tension filled, a scatter of suspense and lots of drama with all of the characters hiding something all the way through until its compelling ending.
Leaving you in the throes of intrigue and enjoyment.
October 25, 2023
Leah and Katelyn have been best friends since they were 6. Katelyn had a difficult childhood when she was taken care of by Leah’s parent and they basically became sisters. They went thru life together; marriage, divorce, infertility, depression … one always being there for the other. Cleaning up after Her 36th birthday party (not sure why the number is significant but it’s mentioned a few times throughout the book), Katelyn starts acting strangely. She is rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with TGA, Transient Global Amnesia, that can be brought on by stress. As she tries to unravel the mystery of what happened, secrets lies and betrayal come to light. Can anyone be trusted?
The premise was so intriguing to me, the cover inviting. Unfortunately I was disappointed in the execution. Told in 3rd person, with alternating Leah and Katelyn’s current, young and mid story. It was easy to keep track of and usually I would have enjoyed it, somehow this just didn’t work. It was slow moving and disjointed. I really couldn’t connect with any of the characters.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.
The premise was so intriguing to me, the cover inviting. Unfortunately I was disappointed in the execution. Told in 3rd person, with alternating Leah and Katelyn’s current, young and mid story. It was easy to keep track of and usually I would have enjoyed it, somehow this just didn’t work. It was slow moving and disjointed. I really couldn’t connect with any of the characters.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.
October 7, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This one was really quick to get through. The plot was very engaging, and held my attention throughout. The POV comes from both Leah and Katelyn, and jumps back and forth from the past to the present. The story begins right after Katelyn's birthday party has ended and she has experienced a kind of short term memory loss. This means, that for the longest time, we have no idea what really happened the night of the party. There are misdirects from other characters, and enough real hints to keep you guessing throughout as to what actually happened the night of Katelyn's birthday. On top of the amnesia, you have infidelity, divorce, jealousy, IVF struggles, alcoholism and loss of a parent being dealt with throughout the story. I liked not really knowing who the most nefarious person/people was/were until the very end. Based on this book, I would definitely read other offerings from this author.
This one was really quick to get through. The plot was very engaging, and held my attention throughout. The POV comes from both Leah and Katelyn, and jumps back and forth from the past to the present. The story begins right after Katelyn's birthday party has ended and she has experienced a kind of short term memory loss. This means, that for the longest time, we have no idea what really happened the night of the party. There are misdirects from other characters, and enough real hints to keep you guessing throughout as to what actually happened the night of Katelyn's birthday. On top of the amnesia, you have infidelity, divorce, jealousy, IVF struggles, alcoholism and loss of a parent being dealt with throughout the story. I liked not really knowing who the most nefarious person/people was/were until the very end. Based on this book, I would definitely read other offerings from this author.
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