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Is She Me?
“Surviving had been moving on constantly.
The life after was looking back and realising how long ago I should have run.”
Elle knows her family have secrets.
Some worth killing for.
But when a hidden photograph leads her to a missing person’s case, she knows she has to uncover the truth.
On the run, lost and exhausted, she meets Ben, who sees in her a reflection of his own stubborn independence. Having lost his selfless firefighting dad as a boy, he swore he would never be anybody’s hero.
Yet, as he continues to spend time with Elle, an undeniable curiosity takes hold, and when her past catches up with her, Ben finds himself unable to leave her to struggle alone.
The life after was looking back and realising how long ago I should have run.”
Elle knows her family have secrets.
Some worth killing for.
But when a hidden photograph leads her to a missing person’s case, she knows she has to uncover the truth.
On the run, lost and exhausted, she meets Ben, who sees in her a reflection of his own stubborn independence. Having lost his selfless firefighting dad as a boy, he swore he would never be anybody’s hero.
Yet, as he continues to spend time with Elle, an undeniable curiosity takes hold, and when her past catches up with her, Ben finds himself unable to leave her to struggle alone.
400 pages, Paperback
Published April 25, 2025
4 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Grace
1 book9 followersMy earliest works were about giant sunflowers, holidaying foxes and the river Nile, when I would enthusiastically bind and decorate my own books in primary school. Fast forwards a few decades, two amazing children, a supportive husband and a fluffy German Shepherd and I am thrilled to be sharing the characters living rent free in my head.
I am passionate about writing strong, female characters - breaking away from fictional stereotypes. My stories aim to shine a light on important issues such as abuse, violence against women, PTSD, mental health, trauma and sexism through their thrilling plots. All neatly wrapped up in the page-turning, feet-kicking, swoon-worthy romances I love to read. Life has been turbulent which has given me the strength and experience to write about these important, often poorly understood themes. One of my biggest aspirations as an author is that my books will create a safe space for victims of trauma to explore their feelings and identify with the characters, or promote better understanding and empathy within the community.
Authors who I love and have inspired me include (it's an ever growing list): Elsie Silver, Ali Hazelwood, Mia Sheridan, Sarah J Maas, Jennifer Hartman, Penelope Douglas, Charlotte Bronte and Meagan Brandy.
I am passionate about writing strong, female characters - breaking away from fictional stereotypes. My stories aim to shine a light on important issues such as abuse, violence against women, PTSD, mental health, trauma and sexism through their thrilling plots. All neatly wrapped up in the page-turning, feet-kicking, swoon-worthy romances I love to read. Life has been turbulent which has given me the strength and experience to write about these important, often poorly understood themes. One of my biggest aspirations as an author is that my books will create a safe space for victims of trauma to explore their feelings and identify with the characters, or promote better understanding and empathy within the community.
Authors who I love and have inspired me include (it's an ever growing list): Elsie Silver, Ali Hazelwood, Mia Sheridan, Sarah J Maas, Jennifer Hartman, Penelope Douglas, Charlotte Bronte and Meagan Brandy.
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April 24, 2025
Is She Me? written by Lauren Grace was absolutely beautiful, raw, pure, bone chilling, heart breaking, gut wrenching, and even inspiring at times. When I first saw that absolutely stunning cover, I knew I had to get my hands on this book immediately, but I was not ready for the emotional turmoil that this book brought on. Is She Me? gave me full body chills, it felt like I was in a choke hold the whole time. Have you ever read a book that made you sob but it felt like you couldn't breathe because you were anticipating the worst? Well, Lauren Grace made me bawl like a baby while my heart was being ripped to shreds. I honestly don't know how to explain my thoughts and feelings because I absolutely LOVED this book, but it mentally destroyed me. When I finished reading this book, I couldn't do anything but stare at the ceiling and just sob and hold back those gut wrenching screams. This book does deal with some very heavy topics, so please read this book at your own caution and please check the trigger warning's, they will also be listed in my review. If you are looking for an emotional but beautiful story, then mark your calendars for April 29th, 2025 and look no further than Is She Me? I just want to buy this book so I can hug it to my heart and remember every single character I met. Despite crying my eyes out, I smiled, I swooned, I giggled, and I even screamed because I didn't know what was going to come next. This book taught me that there is still good people out there who will help you no matter what your story is.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND CRANTHORPE MILLNER PUBLISHERS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!
TRIGGER WARNING'S
~Sexual Abuse~
~Rape~
~Trauma~
~Violence~
~Intentionally Setting a Fire~
🎵MUSICAL PLAYLIST🎵
🎶Dream- Imagine Dragons🎶
🎶Iris- The Goo Goo Dolls🎶
🎶Falling Slowly- Glen Hansard ft. Marketa Irglova🎶
🎶Lover, Please Stay- Nothing but Thieves🎶
🎶This Year's Love- David Gray🎶
🎶You Say- Lauren Daigle🎶
🎶All I Want- Kodaline🎶
🎶Stars Are on Your Side- Ross Copperman🎶
🎶Where's My Love- SYML🎶
🎶Amen- John Adams🎶
🎶Ho Hey- The Lumineers🎶
🎶Lose Control- Teddy Swims🎶
🎶Heal- Tom Odell🎶
🎶Stone- Jaymes Young🎶
🎶The Only Exception- Paramore🎶
"Guilt is a reaction we experience to prevent us doing something again".
"Deserving better is a choice we make about ourselves, for ourselves".
"Is it even running away when you are an adult?"
"😭💔I hated bruises. They were a cruel reminder of pain that you had to wear for days, sometimes weeks😭💔".
"Abusers do this. They make you feel small, they are clever like that".
"🙏💌Thank you", I whispered, barely finding my voice. "For everything🙏💌".
"The butterflies in my stomach flexed their wings".
"💋🌹If we are being honest, I want to kiss every version of you💋🌹".
"😭😍No one ever found me attractive, and I learnt to accept that so it hurt less😭😍".
Chantelle is a badass, quick witted, head strong, and a feisty woman. Elle found a found a photograph of five year old Maeve White. Maeve went missing nineteen years ago and Elle wants to visit Maeve's parents because Elle knows they are still searching for their daughter and holding out hope. This photograph of Maeve really stood out, she has blonde hair and dark round eyes. As a child, Elle's mum always said Elle was weak, she wasn't strong or smart. Elle is a sexual abuse survivor, but she didn't want to be labeled as a rape victim. One day, Elle decides to run away from her cult like family, but he car breaks down on the side of a dark road and that's when Lucy finds Elle. Lucy decides to pick up Elle and give her a place to stay. Lucy Carlson is a nurse and she knows what mark from physical abuse look like, because when she picks up Elle , Lucy notices that Elle is covered in marks and bruises. Lucy makes Elle melted butter on warm toast to make her feel comfortable and maybe open up to her. As Lucy help Elle, Elle literally apologizes for everything like she's an inconvenience. Lucy Carlson has two kids, Sophie and Isac, she divorced from her husband four years ago. Lucy is too kind, people have taken advantage of her in the past. Lucy has a bubbly laugh, she picked up Elle when she was totally lost, broken, and bruised. Elle made an Instagram shout-out to Lucy- "If you have the chance, be kind- you might just change someone's life". Lucy thinks Elle is definitely best friend material and she doesn't want anyone or anything to ruin that.
Ben Carlson is irritatingly perfect, he's bossy and grumpy, but Ben is such a sweet sugary cinnamon roll. Ben and Lucy are siblings, they made a promise to protect each other and always be there for one another, they also made a deal to never quit on one another. Ben has a goosebump initiating swoon worthy smile, black hair, and rich dark gorgeous eyes, oh and did I forget to mention that he wears glasses? Y'all this man was so hot. Ben also owns a finance company. Ben and Lucy lost their dad who was firefighter, he went into a fire and never came back out, their mom also died in a head on collision with a lamppost while she was drunk driving. Judgemental disapproval is always Ben's default expression. Ben always made Elle feel safe. He never let Elle suffer in silence and therefore Elle trusted Ben, she felt safe and vulnerable, but she never once felt scared around Ben. Ben radiates ridiculous girly joy, he's so sweet, protective, and funny. After getting to know and spend time with Elle, Ben wants to give her the justice that she deserves. I absolutely loved all of these characters, Ben and Lucy were just the sweetest sibling duo that wanted to protect Elle from the monsters that she was facing. And Elle, my poor girl, I just wanted to give you the biggest hug and tell you how utterly strong you are. I will forever hold these three best friends near and dear to my heart. The vulnerability between all three of them was truly inspiring despite their stories being so heart breaking. Chantelle, Lucy, and Ben, you are all amazing people that deserve the best in life.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND CRANTHORPE MILLNER PUBLISHERS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!
TRIGGER WARNING'S
~Sexual Abuse~
~Rape~
~Trauma~
~Violence~
~Intentionally Setting a Fire~
🎵MUSICAL PLAYLIST🎵
🎶Dream- Imagine Dragons🎶
🎶Iris- The Goo Goo Dolls🎶
🎶Falling Slowly- Glen Hansard ft. Marketa Irglova🎶
🎶Lover, Please Stay- Nothing but Thieves🎶
🎶This Year's Love- David Gray🎶
🎶You Say- Lauren Daigle🎶
🎶All I Want- Kodaline🎶
🎶Stars Are on Your Side- Ross Copperman🎶
🎶Where's My Love- SYML🎶
🎶Amen- John Adams🎶
🎶Ho Hey- The Lumineers🎶
🎶Lose Control- Teddy Swims🎶
🎶Heal- Tom Odell🎶
🎶Stone- Jaymes Young🎶
🎶The Only Exception- Paramore🎶
"Guilt is a reaction we experience to prevent us doing something again".
"Deserving better is a choice we make about ourselves, for ourselves".
"Is it even running away when you are an adult?"
"😭💔I hated bruises. They were a cruel reminder of pain that you had to wear for days, sometimes weeks😭💔".
"Abusers do this. They make you feel small, they are clever like that".
"🙏💌Thank you", I whispered, barely finding my voice. "For everything🙏💌".
"The butterflies in my stomach flexed their wings".
"💋🌹If we are being honest, I want to kiss every version of you💋🌹".
"😭😍No one ever found me attractive, and I learnt to accept that so it hurt less😭😍".
Chantelle is a badass, quick witted, head strong, and a feisty woman. Elle found a found a photograph of five year old Maeve White. Maeve went missing nineteen years ago and Elle wants to visit Maeve's parents because Elle knows they are still searching for their daughter and holding out hope. This photograph of Maeve really stood out, she has blonde hair and dark round eyes. As a child, Elle's mum always said Elle was weak, she wasn't strong or smart. Elle is a sexual abuse survivor, but she didn't want to be labeled as a rape victim. One day, Elle decides to run away from her cult like family, but he car breaks down on the side of a dark road and that's when Lucy finds Elle. Lucy decides to pick up Elle and give her a place to stay. Lucy Carlson is a nurse and she knows what mark from physical abuse look like, because when she picks up Elle , Lucy notices that Elle is covered in marks and bruises. Lucy makes Elle melted butter on warm toast to make her feel comfortable and maybe open up to her. As Lucy help Elle, Elle literally apologizes for everything like she's an inconvenience. Lucy Carlson has two kids, Sophie and Isac, she divorced from her husband four years ago. Lucy is too kind, people have taken advantage of her in the past. Lucy has a bubbly laugh, she picked up Elle when she was totally lost, broken, and bruised. Elle made an Instagram shout-out to Lucy- "If you have the chance, be kind- you might just change someone's life". Lucy thinks Elle is definitely best friend material and she doesn't want anyone or anything to ruin that.
Ben Carlson is irritatingly perfect, he's bossy and grumpy, but Ben is such a sweet sugary cinnamon roll. Ben and Lucy are siblings, they made a promise to protect each other and always be there for one another, they also made a deal to never quit on one another. Ben has a goosebump initiating swoon worthy smile, black hair, and rich dark gorgeous eyes, oh and did I forget to mention that he wears glasses? Y'all this man was so hot. Ben also owns a finance company. Ben and Lucy lost their dad who was firefighter, he went into a fire and never came back out, their mom also died in a head on collision with a lamppost while she was drunk driving. Judgemental disapproval is always Ben's default expression. Ben always made Elle feel safe. He never let Elle suffer in silence and therefore Elle trusted Ben, she felt safe and vulnerable, but she never once felt scared around Ben. Ben radiates ridiculous girly joy, he's so sweet, protective, and funny. After getting to know and spend time with Elle, Ben wants to give her the justice that she deserves. I absolutely loved all of these characters, Ben and Lucy were just the sweetest sibling duo that wanted to protect Elle from the monsters that she was facing. And Elle, my poor girl, I just wanted to give you the biggest hug and tell you how utterly strong you are. I will forever hold these three best friends near and dear to my heart. The vulnerability between all three of them was truly inspiring despite their stories being so heart breaking. Chantelle, Lucy, and Ben, you are all amazing people that deserve the best in life.
May 13, 2025
Thoughts
If you want an intense emotional page turner then look no further! This read had me feeling every emotion under the sun from the first page but I'm indecisive between 4 or 5 stars when it came to the miscommunication scenes between them but I guess this was just part of me rooting hardcore for them😂 the way this book had me laughing, crying, panicking and arguing with myself is no joke😭🙆🏼♀️ I don't want to go too much into the characters to not give too much away but I loved the characters you're supposed to love and hated the characters you're supposed to hate🤣 even though the miscommunication parts had me arguing with the wall but I WANTED THEM TOGETHER SO BAD🫠 also Ben and Lucy are angels on earth ( if the plot was real )🥹
Plot Summary
Elle has always felt that something about her life doesn’t quite fit. When she discovers an old photograph tucked away, it sparks a deep need to uncover the truth. Her search leads her into a decades-old mystery surrounding a missing girl named Maeve. As Elle digs deeper, she meets Ben, a man grieving his own loss, and together they begin to unravel a tangle of family secrets. But as long-buried truths come to light, Elle must confront the question: what if the life she’s been living was never really hers?
Tropes and CW
▪︎ Found family
▪︎ Greif and loss
▪︎ Mental health
▪︎ Abuse / Rape
▪︎ Trauma
▪︎ Female-driven psychological suspense
▪︎ Decades-old disappearance
If you want an intense emotional page turner then look no further! This read had me feeling every emotion under the sun from the first page but I'm indecisive between 4 or 5 stars when it came to the miscommunication scenes between them but I guess this was just part of me rooting hardcore for them😂 the way this book had me laughing, crying, panicking and arguing with myself is no joke😭🙆🏼♀️ I don't want to go too much into the characters to not give too much away but I loved the characters you're supposed to love and hated the characters you're supposed to hate🤣 even though the miscommunication parts had me arguing with the wall but I WANTED THEM TOGETHER SO BAD🫠 also Ben and Lucy are angels on earth ( if the plot was real )🥹
Plot Summary
Elle has always felt that something about her life doesn’t quite fit. When she discovers an old photograph tucked away, it sparks a deep need to uncover the truth. Her search leads her into a decades-old mystery surrounding a missing girl named Maeve. As Elle digs deeper, she meets Ben, a man grieving his own loss, and together they begin to unravel a tangle of family secrets. But as long-buried truths come to light, Elle must confront the question: what if the life she’s been living was never really hers?
Tropes and CW
▪︎ Found family
▪︎ Greif and loss
▪︎ Mental health
▪︎ Abuse / Rape
▪︎ Trauma
▪︎ Female-driven psychological suspense
▪︎ Decades-old disappearance
November 26, 2025
Do you ever read a book that’s so good you just sit there after it’s finished and don’t know what to do?
That was me with this book.
If you like, thriller, mystery, or romance, this is the perfect book for you because it’s all three deliciously wrapped up in one. There were so many twists and turns I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading. Also get ready for some yummy tension and the SLOWESTTTTT burn. 😩😩🥵
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.
After discovering a photo of a missing person in her home, Elle decides to hunt down the family that is still searching for their child. You learn early on that Elle’s parents are extremely abusive and the environment she grew up in is super toxic. After years of enduring neglect and hatred she finds a small shred of hope in the photo—knowing now she has the opportunity to leave.
Follow Elle as she gains new friends (& a lover🤭), learns how to stand up for herself and conquer her fears, as well as learning how to let people in and accept the love they have to offer her. But most importantly how she learns to love HERSELF.
Elle’s story is painfully authentic, but that’s the beauty of it. If you’re looking for an easy and light read with perfect characters, this book isn’t for you. It’s brutally honest, gritty, and sometimes even uncomfortable. It is the perfect combination of heartbreaking and healing, and it just goes to show that your past doesn’t define who you are. Just because you’ve been broken doesn’t mean your story is over. And sometimes the best way to begin healing your brokenness is to start by taking one small step at a time and simply choosing yourself. 🫶🏼🫶🏼
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
Lauren did such a tremendous job at portraying the sensitive topics in this book. 👏🏼 You can tell she genuinely cares and wants people to know and understand the realistic version of dealing with trauma. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Lauren Grace for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
That was me with this book.
If you like, thriller, mystery, or romance, this is the perfect book for you because it’s all three deliciously wrapped up in one. There were so many twists and turns I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading. Also get ready for some yummy tension and the SLOWESTTTTT burn. 😩😩🥵
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.
After discovering a photo of a missing person in her home, Elle decides to hunt down the family that is still searching for their child. You learn early on that Elle’s parents are extremely abusive and the environment she grew up in is super toxic. After years of enduring neglect and hatred she finds a small shred of hope in the photo—knowing now she has the opportunity to leave.
Follow Elle as she gains new friends (& a lover🤭), learns how to stand up for herself and conquer her fears, as well as learning how to let people in and accept the love they have to offer her. But most importantly how she learns to love HERSELF.
Elle’s story is painfully authentic, but that’s the beauty of it. If you’re looking for an easy and light read with perfect characters, this book isn’t for you. It’s brutally honest, gritty, and sometimes even uncomfortable. It is the perfect combination of heartbreaking and healing, and it just goes to show that your past doesn’t define who you are. Just because you’ve been broken doesn’t mean your story is over. And sometimes the best way to begin healing your brokenness is to start by taking one small step at a time and simply choosing yourself. 🫶🏼🫶🏼
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
Lauren did such a tremendous job at portraying the sensitive topics in this book. 👏🏼 You can tell she genuinely cares and wants people to know and understand the realistic version of dealing with trauma. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Lauren Grace for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
April 15, 2025
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley.
This story starts out as Elle desperately escaping her abusive family after discovering a picture of a young girl. Through her escape she meets Lily, her children and brother Ben.
As the story progresses and you get to know more about both Elle and Ben’s past traumas, you see many deep bonds and friendships begin. Elle blossoms and forms her new life as Ivy. There are many touching moments as Ivy has new experiences and learns more about her childhood from her parents.
But with any great book you get to have uncomfortable moments as Ivy’s past continues to break her down. You also get to feel the deep love between Ben and Elle form.
This was such an amazing book to read as it gave you true to life perspectives that most don’t think of. Thank you for such raw with real thought provoking book.
This story starts out as Elle desperately escaping her abusive family after discovering a picture of a young girl. Through her escape she meets Lily, her children and brother Ben.
As the story progresses and you get to know more about both Elle and Ben’s past traumas, you see many deep bonds and friendships begin. Elle blossoms and forms her new life as Ivy. There are many touching moments as Ivy has new experiences and learns more about her childhood from her parents.
But with any great book you get to have uncomfortable moments as Ivy’s past continues to break her down. You also get to feel the deep love between Ben and Elle form.
This was such an amazing book to read as it gave you true to life perspectives that most don’t think of. Thank you for such raw with real thought provoking book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2025
Friends to lovers ✅
Slow burn ✅
Found family ✅
Self discovery ✅
Mystery ✅
Romantic thriller ✅
Honestly loved this book. I cried. I laughed. I swooned.
Author is now an automatic buy for me ❤️
Slow burn ✅
Found family ✅
Self discovery ✅
Mystery ✅
Romantic thriller ✅
Honestly loved this book. I cried. I laughed. I swooned.
Author is now an automatic buy for me ❤️
August 25, 2025
Really enjoyed this. Was a lovely break between fantasy books! Such a lovely story with a few unexpected turns. Author is so so lovely too, and was written BEAUTIFULLY🫶🏼
April 6, 2025
Is She me? is a stunning contempory romance debut that dabbles with elements of thriller and mystery. As someone who doesn't normally read romance, I loved these extra layers to the read, as it helped to keep me engaged, in a genre that usually loses my attention!
The story touches on so many delicate subjects - PTSD, familial abuse, grief, and the author portrays these beautifully, interweaving them into the plot in such a way that the characters develop organically with the reader not being encumbered with a massive backstory info dump.
I particularly enjoyed the romance side of the novel - I'm not a fan of insta love and I loved how the character's past traumas hindered them in developing their relationship with each other - this was just so refreshingly realistic! Trauma is a sensitive topic to me, and it does have a massive affect on the individual's life going forward so I was pleasantly surprised to see that the author addresses this really well with the way she portrays her characters Elle and Ben. Whereas their meet-cute was super sweet, I was glad, that despite being instant attraction, the relationship developed organically and I think this is the novel's strongest point.
Elle's family background complexity was just another added bonus layer to the story, making it not just your typical romance read! I loved the gradual exploration into her past, with all the suspensful twists and turns!
It's rare that an author is able to intertwine such complex issues - romance, trauma, mystery, and I'm impressed that this is this author's debut! I'm excited to see where she will go next!
The story touches on so many delicate subjects - PTSD, familial abuse, grief, and the author portrays these beautifully, interweaving them into the plot in such a way that the characters develop organically with the reader not being encumbered with a massive backstory info dump.
I particularly enjoyed the romance side of the novel - I'm not a fan of insta love and I loved how the character's past traumas hindered them in developing their relationship with each other - this was just so refreshingly realistic! Trauma is a sensitive topic to me, and it does have a massive affect on the individual's life going forward so I was pleasantly surprised to see that the author addresses this really well with the way she portrays her characters Elle and Ben. Whereas their meet-cute was super sweet, I was glad, that despite being instant attraction, the relationship developed organically and I think this is the novel's strongest point.
Elle's family background complexity was just another added bonus layer to the story, making it not just your typical romance read! I loved the gradual exploration into her past, with all the suspensful twists and turns!
It's rare that an author is able to intertwine such complex issues - romance, trauma, mystery, and I'm impressed that this is this author's debut! I'm excited to see where she will go next!
February 13, 2025
I may be a bit biased as my IRL bestie wrote this but it is unlike anything that I have read so far. This isn't in my usual genre but it kept me hooked throughout and definitely kept me wanting more. I love Elle. Ben is meh. But Elle was enough to keep me reading.
I liked the way that the author intertwined themes of trauma and PTSD in a realistic and honest way. Nothing felt forced, nothing felt over the top and the story flowed well.
I liked the way that the author intertwined themes of trauma and PTSD in a realistic and honest way. Nothing felt forced, nothing felt over the top and the story flowed well.
November 29, 2025
I really struggled to get through this one. The whole concept of the book really interested me but the delivery felt like it was missing something. I couldn’t get into it and I’m not sure if it was the style of writing or if I just didn’t like it.
May 25, 2025
An amazing example of healing from trauma. Really expresses how our brains can react when going coming face to face with our fears. Had me in tears many times!
December 7, 2025
For those who are fans of either the thriller, romance, or mystery genres then look no further because this is a trifecta sampling of all three combined. I enjoyed reading it so much. Not to spoil anything but the basis of the whole thing starts with a suspicious picture that then sends Elle on a quest for answers and along the way she has to face a lot of trauma and uncomfortable truths. Like there is SO MUCH emotional depth to this book, it was such a fantastic read. Highly recommend.
May 14, 2025
Wow! What a story! A woman's journey of strength to overcome her traumatic childhood and the struggles this has on her adult life and relationships and self belief!
I would recommend reading!
Love to see how her adult relationships develop.
I did expect Ben to have a darker side but was happy with the end!
Questions/Spoilers
Would liked to have known who had found her after the attack and how she got to hospital.
Also more of the memories of the childhood abduction.
Overall great read 🥰🫶🏼
I would recommend reading!
Love to see how her adult relationships develop.
I did expect Ben to have a darker side but was happy with the end!
Questions/Spoilers
Would liked to have known who had found her after the attack and how she got to hospital.
Also more of the memories of the childhood abduction.
Overall great read 🥰🫶🏼
April 6, 2025
We follow the story of Elle, who is trying to finally escape her abusive childhood home. After finding a photo of a famous missing child, she suspects her parents may have something to do with the case. She plans to reach the child's family and explain her suspicions. On her journey, she meets Ben and his sister Lucy. They offer her help at her lowest point, which continues into support and friendship as Elle tries to move forward, even when her past keeps trying to catch up with her.
I was intrigued from the start with the overview of this book and how a story of mystery and trauma would weave together with a romance. I thought it worked out so well, and I was hooked from the start of the book. The plot had so much depth and detail, with twists and turns that didn’t stop coming. It gave such a lot of emotions, too. I felt emotional many times whilst reading. I thought the trauma elements of the story were really well written in a sensitive way. It was a real roller coaster story that kept me turning the pages. I needed to find out what happened!
I really enjoyed the main characters in the book, too. They all had their own story and circumstances they were dealing with, Ben in particular, but they all added to the overall story and how the characters interacted with each other. This was especially true between Elle and Ben as they navigated their growing feelings for each other. I thought this part was also written well as they had to figure out how to be together and also deal with their own issues, which wasn’t a straightforward path to romance. But it was so worth the wait! The friendship between Elle and Lucy also needs a mention as I really enjoyed them together. Without spoiling the plot, the other side characters were great too, some of which gave me my most emotional reactions.
This was a story that was informative, emotional, though provoking, heartbreaking, and heartwarming all at the same time. It is an impressive debut novel that deserves a place on every bookshelf.
I was intrigued from the start with the overview of this book and how a story of mystery and trauma would weave together with a romance. I thought it worked out so well, and I was hooked from the start of the book. The plot had so much depth and detail, with twists and turns that didn’t stop coming. It gave such a lot of emotions, too. I felt emotional many times whilst reading. I thought the trauma elements of the story were really well written in a sensitive way. It was a real roller coaster story that kept me turning the pages. I needed to find out what happened!
I really enjoyed the main characters in the book, too. They all had their own story and circumstances they were dealing with, Ben in particular, but they all added to the overall story and how the characters interacted with each other. This was especially true between Elle and Ben as they navigated their growing feelings for each other. I thought this part was also written well as they had to figure out how to be together and also deal with their own issues, which wasn’t a straightforward path to romance. But it was so worth the wait! The friendship between Elle and Lucy also needs a mention as I really enjoyed them together. Without spoiling the plot, the other side characters were great too, some of which gave me my most emotional reactions.
This was a story that was informative, emotional, though provoking, heartbreaking, and heartwarming all at the same time. It is an impressive debut novel that deserves a place on every bookshelf.
April 7, 2025
This book was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! The way the author told this story was beautiful. It has everything from romance to thriller and everything in between! I found myself laughing and crying all in the same chapters at some points. It was written so well for the story it told. I cannot tell you enough to read this story! The way the traumas were told were so realistic! Check your trigger warnings as this does deal with extremely difficult subjects but it is so worth it in the end. This author has definitely become an automatic buy for me and this is a must have for my bookshelf at home when it is released!
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. READ IT!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for this ARC!
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. READ IT!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for this ARC!
April 2, 2025
Is she me? Is a novel that follows Elle as she escapes a life marked by trauma, PTSD, and grief. Elle escapes from her home and encounters Ben and his sister Lucy. They became friends and they help her out. The story unfolds as Elle discovers her place and identity, while her past continues to threaten her and those she cares about.
This book offered many twists and turns, along with heartwarming and heartbreaking moments. It beautifully portrays Elle's strength despite her past experiences. The author's skillful handling of sensitive topics is truly commendable. It's definitely a must-read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher of *Is She Me?* for this wonderful ARC opportunity.
This book offered many twists and turns, along with heartwarming and heartbreaking moments. It beautifully portrays Elle's strength despite her past experiences. The author's skillful handling of sensitive topics is truly commendable. It's definitely a must-read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher of *Is She Me?* for this wonderful ARC opportunity.
April 11, 2025
3.5⭐️
A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. My first one, so excited to get my hands on Lauren Grace’s debut novel🩷
𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨.
The dedication prefaced the story beautifully. Lauren explores how to navigate life and love with trauma and PTSD. Embedded into a heartbreaking plot we follow Ivy(Elle) on her journey to find her place and her happy.
𝗘𝗹𝗹𝗲
Oh Elle (Ivy)
Strong girlie. Heartbreaking story. Lauren’s exploration of victim stereotyping was where I found myself really gravitating to Elle. I felt sorry for her, but I also found her strength inspiring and her moments of vulnerability and weakness very realistic.
I’m so glad she found her people, in the end. I’ll always be a bit of a sucker for that found family vibe that Lucy, the kids, Ben, Susan and Derek all brought to her narrative.
𝗛𝗲𝗻𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵
Having Elle escape Henworth in such a dramatic way, we had the set up and understanding she’d suffered while she lived there. The early navigation of Elle’s fear in leaving, as well as the constant threat that the residents of Henworth hold throughout the whole story contextualised Elle’s PTSD and trauma.
Henworth underpins both elements of the plot;
Elle’s choice to leave, to figure out what her past really was and who she really is as well as how Elle navigates a romantic relationship after being subject to a lifetime of abuse and mistreatment.
𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘦’𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺🤍
𝗠𝗮𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝘃𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲
This element of the plot had me page turning. When Elle found a picture of misper Maeve White the little blonde girl who had been snatched from her parents when she was 5 years old (who never stopped looking for her) and she started to piece together that her memories at Heworth didn’t exist prior age 5, that her ‘parents’ dyed her blonde hair brunette her whole life my heart actually hurt for her. She couldn’t say for sure she was Maeve, but all of a sudden she was no longer Elle😭
After the DNA confirmation the chapters between Elle (now identifying herself as Ivy) reuniting with Susan and Derek were my absolute favourite in the book. My heart hurt for both Susan and Derek and the navigation of their new relationship was heartbreaking and beautiful to read;
- Ivy giving Susan her mobile number and their texts😭
- Ivy getting relationship advice from both parents
- Seeing her childhood bedroom and memories coming back, Susan and Dereks reaction
- Derek protecting Ivy
- Ivy and Susan cooking together🥹
- Derek at the end😭 “𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙤. 𝙂𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙖𝙣. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙄𝙫𝙮, 𝙬𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠. 𝙎𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚.”
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗻
This is one of the first really ‘real’ depictions of a love story that lives somewhere between what you’d expect from a fluffy romance or a dark romance and it took me a good chunk of the book to get on board with Ivy and Ben. The heavy juxtaposition between their trauma making them both pull away and then their ‘love bomb’ instant obsession felt quite stunted to read.
I couldn’t get fully on board with Ben, BUT by the end of the book he really was our anti hero.
I felt like he allowed himself to become Ivy’s crutch and I was anxious that she was falling in love with the concept of Ben, rather than Ben himself.
The more we unpacked Ben’s trauma he became far easier to understand, but it wasn’t till Ben’s POV chapter that I really felt like I understood him and could feel invested in him. I do think the book would have benefitted from being dual POV, even if it was heavily Ivy and we got Ben bleeding in for 3/4 chapters throughout.
There are definitely elements of their relationship that will have some readers kicking their feet and squealing, Ben gave me the ick before I could love him. But the forced proximity, one bed tension, if you like Ben, will get you giddy🌶️
𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆
Overall I feel like Lauren explored the themes of love and growth alongside trauma and PTSD beautifully, the Maeve plot was my favourite to follow.
My reasoning for a little bit of a lower rating was my lack of connection to the characters themselves. Ben especially. I feel like the pacing and Bens character especially kept the reading quite stunted in places. For the context of their trauma, I expected to be way more emotionally invested but structurally I found myself a bit lost and confused about how I was meant to feel about them until the very end. At that point, it’s hard to shift your whole rating based on a feeling you get in the last 15/20% of a book.
I found myself a little bit plot lost a couple of times and thinking I’d missed something important, but we often got context for behaviours a little later. I am so glad all the characters got their HAE, and this book definitely has all the qualities for a 4+⭐️ read, I can see why people have rated it higher than I have and I’d still absolutely recommend giving this a read, with the advice to be patient with the characters and their purpose.
Congratulations Lauren, on your debut novel. An intelligent, beautiful story🩷
A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. My first one, so excited to get my hands on Lauren Grace’s debut novel🩷
𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨.
The dedication prefaced the story beautifully. Lauren explores how to navigate life and love with trauma and PTSD. Embedded into a heartbreaking plot we follow Ivy(Elle) on her journey to find her place and her happy.
𝗘𝗹𝗹𝗲
Oh Elle (Ivy)
Strong girlie. Heartbreaking story. Lauren’s exploration of victim stereotyping was where I found myself really gravitating to Elle. I felt sorry for her, but I also found her strength inspiring and her moments of vulnerability and weakness very realistic.
I’m so glad she found her people, in the end. I’ll always be a bit of a sucker for that found family vibe that Lucy, the kids, Ben, Susan and Derek all brought to her narrative.
𝗛𝗲𝗻𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵
Having Elle escape Henworth in such a dramatic way, we had the set up and understanding she’d suffered while she lived there. The early navigation of Elle’s fear in leaving, as well as the constant threat that the residents of Henworth hold throughout the whole story contextualised Elle’s PTSD and trauma.
Henworth underpins both elements of the plot;
Elle’s choice to leave, to figure out what her past really was and who she really is as well as how Elle navigates a romantic relationship after being subject to a lifetime of abuse and mistreatment.
𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘦’𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺🤍
𝗠𝗮𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝘃𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲
This element of the plot had me page turning. When Elle found a picture of misper Maeve White the little blonde girl who had been snatched from her parents when she was 5 years old (who never stopped looking for her) and she started to piece together that her memories at Heworth didn’t exist prior age 5, that her ‘parents’ dyed her blonde hair brunette her whole life my heart actually hurt for her. She couldn’t say for sure she was Maeve, but all of a sudden she was no longer Elle😭
After the DNA confirmation the chapters between Elle (now identifying herself as Ivy) reuniting with Susan and Derek were my absolute favourite in the book. My heart hurt for both Susan and Derek and the navigation of their new relationship was heartbreaking and beautiful to read;
- Ivy giving Susan her mobile number and their texts😭
- Ivy getting relationship advice from both parents
- Seeing her childhood bedroom and memories coming back, Susan and Dereks reaction
- Derek protecting Ivy
- Ivy and Susan cooking together🥹
- Derek at the end😭 “𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙤. 𝙂𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙖𝙣. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙄𝙫𝙮, 𝙬𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠. 𝙎𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚.”
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗻
This is one of the first really ‘real’ depictions of a love story that lives somewhere between what you’d expect from a fluffy romance or a dark romance and it took me a good chunk of the book to get on board with Ivy and Ben. The heavy juxtaposition between their trauma making them both pull away and then their ‘love bomb’ instant obsession felt quite stunted to read.
I couldn’t get fully on board with Ben, BUT by the end of the book he really was our anti hero.
I felt like he allowed himself to become Ivy’s crutch and I was anxious that she was falling in love with the concept of Ben, rather than Ben himself.
The more we unpacked Ben’s trauma he became far easier to understand, but it wasn’t till Ben’s POV chapter that I really felt like I understood him and could feel invested in him. I do think the book would have benefitted from being dual POV, even if it was heavily Ivy and we got Ben bleeding in for 3/4 chapters throughout.
There are definitely elements of their relationship that will have some readers kicking their feet and squealing, Ben gave me the ick before I could love him. But the forced proximity, one bed tension, if you like Ben, will get you giddy🌶️
𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆
Overall I feel like Lauren explored the themes of love and growth alongside trauma and PTSD beautifully, the Maeve plot was my favourite to follow.
My reasoning for a little bit of a lower rating was my lack of connection to the characters themselves. Ben especially. I feel like the pacing and Bens character especially kept the reading quite stunted in places. For the context of their trauma, I expected to be way more emotionally invested but structurally I found myself a bit lost and confused about how I was meant to feel about them until the very end. At that point, it’s hard to shift your whole rating based on a feeling you get in the last 15/20% of a book.
I found myself a little bit plot lost a couple of times and thinking I’d missed something important, but we often got context for behaviours a little later. I am so glad all the characters got their HAE, and this book definitely has all the qualities for a 4+⭐️ read, I can see why people have rated it higher than I have and I’d still absolutely recommend giving this a read, with the advice to be patient with the characters and their purpose.
Congratulations Lauren, on your debut novel. An intelligent, beautiful story🩷
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2025
Is she me? By Lauren Grace follows Elle, a young woman who attempts to escape the cult like compound she lives in and the abusive “family” she has there after finding a photograph of a young girl who was abducted years before and thinking she may be the missing girl. She steals a car and goes on the run, however the car breaks down and she realises she’s stuck. First an arrogant, well dressed man in a sports car comes down the road where she is and she declines his help, but he is shortly followed by a woman, Lucy, and her two children who she accepts help from. She goes with them to their holiday cottage, where Elle finds out the man who stopped is her saviours brother. After saving Lucy’s daughter from drowning, Ben and Lucy vow to help her find out if she truly is the missing girl and help her get in touch with the people she thinks are really her parents. Life is never that simple though, and Elle has to navigate her growing feelings for Ben, dealing with the trauma of her early life, running from the men from the compound who are still out there looking for her with intent to harm her, and integrating herself into the family who lost her.
This book is one of the most raw, heartbreaking, gut wrenching books I have ever read. Grace doesn’t shy away from the worst of Elle’s abusive past and the immense struggles she goes through in order to take back her life and attempt to move on. The relationship she has with Ben isn’t straightforward either, as Ben has his own demons to contend with, which makes that step from friends to a loving relationship a fairly intense and difficult one. A light, cosy read this is not, as Elle’s story is hauntingly authentic, depicted with absolutely brutal honesty which makes for a gritty and at times uncomfortable read. I definitely recommend reading the trigger warnings on this one before you go in, as there are some very heavy topics discussed in pretty graphic detail, however this only emphasises the authors skill at writing real and relatable characters. She has written the perfect combination of trauma and healing, which goes to show that your past absolutely doesn’t define you and just because you feel like you’re broken doesn’t mean that you cannot come back from that.
The book is pegged as a thriller romance but I definitely feel like the romance element was at the forefront of this novel, with the thriller aspect lagging behind. Although we do get a lot of detail around Elle’s past and the continued fight against the people from the compound, the developing relationship between her and Ben does take the main focus. This wasn’t a problem though, as for the majority of the time the banter and tension between them was a lot of fun and you really did find yourself rooting for their relationship to work out. I wasn’t too keen on Ben’s behaviour towards the end and although I understand that he was under a lot of pressure himself, some of the things he said to Elle were really uncalled for and just downright nasty. I didn’t like they way they used sex as a way to mend their bridges with each other either, I for sure rolled my eyes that they jump into bed together and everything is suddenly resolved, rather than them talking through their problems.
I was really disappointed with the way it ended, it felt like there should be just a little bit more instead of just… ending! But over all, I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. I was fully invested in Elle’s story and the relationships that she grew around her from absolute tragedy and trauma.
This book is one of the most raw, heartbreaking, gut wrenching books I have ever read. Grace doesn’t shy away from the worst of Elle’s abusive past and the immense struggles she goes through in order to take back her life and attempt to move on. The relationship she has with Ben isn’t straightforward either, as Ben has his own demons to contend with, which makes that step from friends to a loving relationship a fairly intense and difficult one. A light, cosy read this is not, as Elle’s story is hauntingly authentic, depicted with absolutely brutal honesty which makes for a gritty and at times uncomfortable read. I definitely recommend reading the trigger warnings on this one before you go in, as there are some very heavy topics discussed in pretty graphic detail, however this only emphasises the authors skill at writing real and relatable characters. She has written the perfect combination of trauma and healing, which goes to show that your past absolutely doesn’t define you and just because you feel like you’re broken doesn’t mean that you cannot come back from that.
The book is pegged as a thriller romance but I definitely feel like the romance element was at the forefront of this novel, with the thriller aspect lagging behind. Although we do get a lot of detail around Elle’s past and the continued fight against the people from the compound, the developing relationship between her and Ben does take the main focus. This wasn’t a problem though, as for the majority of the time the banter and tension between them was a lot of fun and you really did find yourself rooting for their relationship to work out. I wasn’t too keen on Ben’s behaviour towards the end and although I understand that he was under a lot of pressure himself, some of the things he said to Elle were really uncalled for and just downright nasty. I didn’t like they way they used sex as a way to mend their bridges with each other either, I for sure rolled my eyes that they jump into bed together and everything is suddenly resolved, rather than them talking through their problems.
I was really disappointed with the way it ended, it felt like there should be just a little bit more instead of just… ending! But over all, I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. I was fully invested in Elle’s story and the relationships that she grew around her from absolute tragedy and trauma.
May 13, 2025
4.5🌟
**TW**
PTSD, panic attacks, child abduction, affects of social media, ab*se, r*pe, mental health, substance ab*se (alcohol), manipulation…
If a sensitive reader, this book may not be suited for you, please be aware of these themes prior to reading.
Is She Me? tells the story of a woman finding herself, finding her community, her true life companions, and it was honestly a beautiful read.
The banter, the conversations, the text messages were fluid, easy to follow and, most importantly, they felt real. I felt as though I was following a true conversation that was occurring right in front of me. The flow was perfect as was how the tone changed depending on how the person felt in the moment.
I should have known when at 56% the mood was light and everything seemed to be slotting into place that the ordeal was not over for our main character, Elle. The healing journey is a long one but the past has a seeming desire to be dealt with first.
I adored Elle and Ben’s “situationship” (this is what I am calling it rn as I am not going to give away anything☺️). Their banter being a mix of friendly fire and a clash of competitive natures led for an enjoyable read. Trust that they had me swinging my feet and giggling at all the right moments while also leaving me with tears welling in my eyes. (Hush, I’m a sensitive soul). Elle’s friendships that she formed along the way with Lucy, with Charlie, and amongst a few others, was honestly heartwarming to read. She was finding her feet, making friends with genuine people and I couldn’t help but feel so happy for her.
Susan and Derek were also such sweet people in Elle’s journey of self-discovery and healing and I adore them. Susan is ever so expressive where Derek attempted to control his emotional responses and yet I could still feel the warmth that emanated from both of their characters.
Lauren Grace has done a beautiful job of reflecting on trauma, PTSD, panic attacks and how certain situations affect many people in different ways. Not everyone responds the same and that is never going to change. What will change is the people, no matter what happens in life we all need space to evolve and we will find the people that we want to surround ourselves with.
**TW**
PTSD, panic attacks, child abduction, affects of social media, ab*se, r*pe, mental health, substance ab*se (alcohol), manipulation…
If a sensitive reader, this book may not be suited for you, please be aware of these themes prior to reading.
Is She Me? tells the story of a woman finding herself, finding her community, her true life companions, and it was honestly a beautiful read.
The banter, the conversations, the text messages were fluid, easy to follow and, most importantly, they felt real. I felt as though I was following a true conversation that was occurring right in front of me. The flow was perfect as was how the tone changed depending on how the person felt in the moment.
I should have known when at 56% the mood was light and everything seemed to be slotting into place that the ordeal was not over for our main character, Elle. The healing journey is a long one but the past has a seeming desire to be dealt with first.
I adored Elle and Ben’s “situationship” (this is what I am calling it rn as I am not going to give away anything☺️). Their banter being a mix of friendly fire and a clash of competitive natures led for an enjoyable read. Trust that they had me swinging my feet and giggling at all the right moments while also leaving me with tears welling in my eyes. (Hush, I’m a sensitive soul). Elle’s friendships that she formed along the way with Lucy, with Charlie, and amongst a few others, was honestly heartwarming to read. She was finding her feet, making friends with genuine people and I couldn’t help but feel so happy for her.
Susan and Derek were also such sweet people in Elle’s journey of self-discovery and healing and I adore them. Susan is ever so expressive where Derek attempted to control his emotional responses and yet I could still feel the warmth that emanated from both of their characters.
Lauren Grace has done a beautiful job of reflecting on trauma, PTSD, panic attacks and how certain situations affect many people in different ways. Not everyone responds the same and that is never going to change. What will change is the people, no matter what happens in life we all need space to evolve and we will find the people that we want to surround ourselves with.
May 6, 2025
So much better than what I expected!
I must say the gorgeous cover is what originally drew me to this read and after reading the blurb I was sold, however upon diving into this novel I was shocked as Lauren took this novel in a totally different direction that I thought she would, this is an emotional read that has you feeling so connected to its characters that at times you forget that the MCs are fictional and not actual people you know.
This is one of those books you can’t forget about even when you’ve finished reading it, Ben and Elle will be with me for time to come as well as Lucy, I can’t get over these three and how much they’ve grown on me during this read. This book has honestly sold me on this author and I can’t wait to read more by her in the future!
I must say the gorgeous cover is what originally drew me to this read and after reading the blurb I was sold, however upon diving into this novel I was shocked as Lauren took this novel in a totally different direction that I thought she would, this is an emotional read that has you feeling so connected to its characters that at times you forget that the MCs are fictional and not actual people you know.
This is one of those books you can’t forget about even when you’ve finished reading it, Ben and Elle will be with me for time to come as well as Lucy, I can’t get over these three and how much they’ve grown on me during this read. This book has honestly sold me on this author and I can’t wait to read more by her in the future!
May 11, 2025
Have you ever read a book that’s so good you don’t want to read another book? That was me with this book. Days after finishing it and I’ve yet to start a new book. This book was absolutely AMAZING. It was so well written and had me hooked from the very start. I thought the characters were great and the plot was so interesting. I cannot recommend this book enough!!! Thank you so much for the ARC.
May 6, 2025
Wow what a great debut book, I fell in love with the characters immediately & what a hero Ben is despite his own traumas in life. I really did struggle to put this book down & found myself reading it with every 5 mins I had spare, I look forward to reading any future books by Lauren Grace.
January 15, 2026
Some books entertain you. Others consume you. This was one of those rare reads that grips you from the very first page and refuses to let go until the final sentence—and even then, it lingers.
I started this book expecting to read a chapter or two. Instead, I finished it in a single day, completely absorbed, losing track of time as the story pulled me deeper with every page. The pacing is flawless: fast enough to keep your heart racing, yet thoughtful enough to let the emotional weight of the story truly land. Each chapter ends with just enough tension to make stopping impossible.
By the time I reached the final page, I felt that bittersweet mix of satisfaction and longing—the joy of having experienced something exceptional and the disappointment that it was already over.
I can’t wait to lock myself into your next book.
Nehomie
I started this book expecting to read a chapter or two. Instead, I finished it in a single day, completely absorbed, losing track of time as the story pulled me deeper with every page. The pacing is flawless: fast enough to keep your heart racing, yet thoughtful enough to let the emotional weight of the story truly land. Each chapter ends with just enough tension to make stopping impossible.
By the time I reached the final page, I felt that bittersweet mix of satisfaction and longing—the joy of having experienced something exceptional and the disappointment that it was already over.
I can’t wait to lock myself into your next book.
Nehomie
April 7, 2025
Is She Me? is a refreshing take on self love, self discovery and recovery. An outstanding debut novel that shows an honest interpretation of trauma and the journey during/after pain. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who has ever felt that they are not good enough and/or need to apologise for speaking out.
The character of Elle is heartbreaking, powerful and emotive. Lauren Grace has beautifully captured the self doubt and courage that comes with freeing yourself from a challenging situation, especially one as challenging and painful as abuse. I hope that this book provides the hope that someone needs to realise that there can be sunshine after a storm.
The character of Elle is heartbreaking, powerful and emotive. Lauren Grace has beautifully captured the self doubt and courage that comes with freeing yourself from a challenging situation, especially one as challenging and painful as abuse. I hope that this book provides the hope that someone needs to realise that there can be sunshine after a storm.
November 6, 2025
4.5⭐️ what a beautiful, complex story. I was hooked from the start
July 1, 2025
absolutely loved this book!!! always something happening on every page to keep you engaged, such a delicate subject but so beautifully written
August 25, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ One of my most anticipated reads of this year. I loved how raw and emotional the story was. A very different and unique style of writing, but a thoroughly enjoyed it.
September 2, 2025
This was a lot more emotional than I was expecting. The trauma, the relationships, the lost time it all had me gripped and not wanting to put it down.
May 8, 2025
Ok so there is a lot to unpack in this book. It’s was beautifully written with well written themes of PTSD and trauma.
Elle/Ivy was definitely a strong character for going through everything that she did and I can imagine that it hit her hard especially when she was then overwhelmed with this new life and many characters suddenly being introduced to her.
After finding Lucy though you can she immediately melts the scared act and opens up about some of her experiences. Meeting Ben was a rollercoaster of a ride, I think his relationship with Elle was accurately portrayed with the arguing and the close moments.
I ended liking Ben due to the fact that he did want Elle/Ivy all along and was just kinda scared of messing it up and not opening up his feelings like she did about her past traumas. It was nice to see a chapter in his pov though near the end to see how he knew he had messed up and without giving too many spoilers prove his love for Elle/Ivy.
For those who aren’t too keen on the open door romance though, there are one or two scenes near the end to be aware of which aren’t extremely detailed but are still very open door.
It was nice seeing the future epilogue and seeing the triumphs Elle got as well as the cute future with Ben.
It is a well written book with a lot to unpack but covers important themes like PTSD, trauma and SA. The book covered the themes very sensitively but written without making it flowery and it really helps you connect with the characters in this story.
Elle/Ivy was definitely a strong character for going through everything that she did and I can imagine that it hit her hard especially when she was then overwhelmed with this new life and many characters suddenly being introduced to her.
After finding Lucy though you can she immediately melts the scared act and opens up about some of her experiences. Meeting Ben was a rollercoaster of a ride, I think his relationship with Elle was accurately portrayed with the arguing and the close moments.
I ended liking Ben due to the fact that he did want Elle/Ivy all along and was just kinda scared of messing it up and not opening up his feelings like she did about her past traumas. It was nice to see a chapter in his pov though near the end to see how he knew he had messed up and without giving too many spoilers prove his love for Elle/Ivy.
For those who aren’t too keen on the open door romance though, there are one or two scenes near the end to be aware of which aren’t extremely detailed but are still very open door.
It was nice seeing the future epilogue and seeing the triumphs Elle got as well as the cute future with Ben.
It is a well written book with a lot to unpack but covers important themes like PTSD, trauma and SA. The book covered the themes very sensitively but written without making it flowery and it really helps you connect with the characters in this story.
May 7, 2025
This is a fantastic book that I read in one sitting, not because I had nothing to do that day, in fact, life was screaming at me from all angles, but, because I just couldn't put it down and I couldn't look away.
The book is so well written and engaged me right from the very start, I was hooked from the first sentence. The story line is so compelling and took me on a roller coaster that I still am not over, and, i'm not sure i will ever get over it. The characters are really well developed, Elle and Ben will live in my heart forever. Even days after finishing their story I well up every time I think about them or the book and it keeps coming for me at times that I don't expect it.
When I say this book took me on a roller coaster, that doesn't even really cover how this book made me feel. I was not mentally ready and the only thing I can compare it to were the feelings when I read He Should Have Been With Me.
At times it made me feel hopeful almost like it was wrapping me in a security blanket, but then that blanket was taken away and all that was left is raw and gut wrenching heartache that made me ugly cry. It gave me such a visceral reaction, I felt like I was suffocating in sadness.
There are some hard hitting topics in this book but I think they were handled well and were needed to make this beautiful book the masterpiece it is.
I loved it and cant wait to read more by the author
The book is so well written and engaged me right from the very start, I was hooked from the first sentence. The story line is so compelling and took me on a roller coaster that I still am not over, and, i'm not sure i will ever get over it. The characters are really well developed, Elle and Ben will live in my heart forever. Even days after finishing their story I well up every time I think about them or the book and it keeps coming for me at times that I don't expect it.
When I say this book took me on a roller coaster, that doesn't even really cover how this book made me feel. I was not mentally ready and the only thing I can compare it to were the feelings when I read He Should Have Been With Me.
At times it made me feel hopeful almost like it was wrapping me in a security blanket, but then that blanket was taken away and all that was left is raw and gut wrenching heartache that made me ugly cry. It gave me such a visceral reaction, I felt like I was suffocating in sadness.
There are some hard hitting topics in this book but I think they were handled well and were needed to make this beautiful book the masterpiece it is.
I loved it and cant wait to read more by the author
April 30, 2025
Id like to start of with a big thank you for the opportunity of having this arc. I loved this book, everything was impeccable and beautifully handled when it came to harder topics. I won't lie, I hated ben in the last 100 pages, like I get where he was coming from totally but some things he said to ivy we're just not needed, she is allowed to have a laugh after what she's been through, I didn't like how they immediately had sex instead of solving their issues 🙈 why do chacacters always do this. I appreciatef the fact they talked after though. I loved Derek, he was such a sweetheart knowing exactly what she needed and when Susan was being too much, Lucy is an icon I think anyone would be happy to have her as a friend. I loved when ivy and Charlie wrjt into that meeting with the mean girls and she set them straight. Absolutrly iconic. Girl did annoy me with going on about how she didnt wsnt to be famous or have to do publicity things and still created and posted to her Instagram? Like girl that's gonna get u more known but you do you. It's so upsetting that the police werent able to handle the situation right and it's horrible that this is the sad reality of life now, that situations like this happen. I'm glad she got the justice deserved though. I thought it was such a lovely read delving into harsh topics and spreading awareness for kther people's situations.
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