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Regrets. Freedom: A good wife. A good friend. A good liar.
‘I thought nothing had changed when in fact everything had changed.
Naively, I believed I could simply return to my old life.
I thought I’d never have to consider killing anyone again.
It didn’t take me long to realise how wrong I was on every count.
One thing, however, will never change: Marc was the love of my life. Even as he lay head-down on the cold, grey pebbles at the base of the cliffs, I couldn’t fool myself into believing it was the end of our love—even though it was me who had pushed him.’
Anna thought she had her life back.
That was before fate led her to Frank-the only person who knows what she did.
Now, she finds herself trapped once again.
This time, she’s learned from her mistakes.
But some lessons come with a deadly price.
Regrets. Freedom dives deep into the dark reaches of desperation, control, and the lengths one woman will go to survive.
Naively, I believed I could simply return to my old life.
I thought I’d never have to consider killing anyone again.
It didn’t take me long to realise how wrong I was on every count.
One thing, however, will never change: Marc was the love of my life. Even as he lay head-down on the cold, grey pebbles at the base of the cliffs, I couldn’t fool myself into believing it was the end of our love—even though it was me who had pushed him.’
Anna thought she had her life back.
That was before fate led her to Frank-the only person who knows what she did.
Now, she finds herself trapped once again.
This time, she’s learned from her mistakes.
But some lessons come with a deadly price.
Regrets. Freedom dives deep into the dark reaches of desperation, control, and the lengths one woman will go to survive.
- GenresPsychological Thriller
ebook
Published March 31, 2025
17 people want to read
About the author
Anja Barker
8 books7 followersI'm a mother and writer and live in a leafy London suburb, where not only the trees have ears!
I wrote my first, albeit handwritten, book when I was just 8 years young! It did however took me more than thirty years to summon the the courage to share my work with the world!
Inspired by everyone around me, my books are all about people, their relationships and experiences. I believe that emotions are as colourful, deep, unpredictable and constantly evolving as life itself. I love writing about diverse experiences that bring us the greatest of joys, as well as the deepest of sorrows.
And, just like my pen on paper, I prefer life to be fast-paced, full of spontaneity and unexpected plot twists.
I wrote my first, albeit handwritten, book when I was just 8 years young! It did however took me more than thirty years to summon the the courage to share my work with the world!
Inspired by everyone around me, my books are all about people, their relationships and experiences. I believe that emotions are as colourful, deep, unpredictable and constantly evolving as life itself. I love writing about diverse experiences that bring us the greatest of joys, as well as the deepest of sorrows.
And, just like my pen on paper, I prefer life to be fast-paced, full of spontaneity and unexpected plot twists.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 1, 2025
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read an early copy of this book.
3.5 ☆'s
We first meet Anna as a child in bed, hiding from the violent arguing of her parents. Anna hears voices in her head. They tell her they will take care of her.
Fast forward, and Anna is in trouble, up in court after her ex-boyfriends death. His parents believe she killed him, Anna says he jumped. Frank, an acquaintance of both and a barrister, speaks up to defend her, he saw the jump.
Anna and Frank begin a relationship soon after the case is settled, and we follow their life together as Anna struggles to get over the death and be the perfect partner Frank desires.
Surely, a barrister would keep his oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, but what if he didn't?
I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I have kept my description quite basic and will do with my review.
I find the storyline to this book to be really good. It drew my interest and is a genre I really enjoy. I was intrigued by the way Anna's voices would come and go, always the same group of voices and not always all agreeing. Outwardly, Anna shows no signs of mental problems and manages to keep her frustrations at having to be someone she isn't to herself. Coming across as a loved up, perfect couple with Frank.
There's a couple of parts between Anna and her female friend that I found a little confusing as I hadn't picked up on anything earlier in the book.
I thought Frank's actions towards the end to be a really good twist, showing he knew what he had got himself into.
The ending paves the way for a follow-up book, and although the ending of this one made me feel a little uncomfortable, I'd be interested in reading what happens next.
3.5 ☆'s
We first meet Anna as a child in bed, hiding from the violent arguing of her parents. Anna hears voices in her head. They tell her they will take care of her.
Fast forward, and Anna is in trouble, up in court after her ex-boyfriends death. His parents believe she killed him, Anna says he jumped. Frank, an acquaintance of both and a barrister, speaks up to defend her, he saw the jump.
Anna and Frank begin a relationship soon after the case is settled, and we follow their life together as Anna struggles to get over the death and be the perfect partner Frank desires.
Surely, a barrister would keep his oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, but what if he didn't?
I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I have kept my description quite basic and will do with my review.
I find the storyline to this book to be really good. It drew my interest and is a genre I really enjoy. I was intrigued by the way Anna's voices would come and go, always the same group of voices and not always all agreeing. Outwardly, Anna shows no signs of mental problems and manages to keep her frustrations at having to be someone she isn't to herself. Coming across as a loved up, perfect couple with Frank.
There's a couple of parts between Anna and her female friend that I found a little confusing as I hadn't picked up on anything earlier in the book.
I thought Frank's actions towards the end to be a really good twist, showing he knew what he had got himself into.
The ending paves the way for a follow-up book, and although the ending of this one made me feel a little uncomfortable, I'd be interested in reading what happens next.
May 27, 2025
An interesting and lighter psychological thriller read!
✔️A wife with an unsavory past
✔️A husband with a secret
✔️Friends who know nothing about the real them
We see Anna as the main character gripping to terms with her poor past decisions and giving into those little voices in her head yet once again.The dual POV chapters back and forth with Anna and Frank were well done. It made me try to anticipate the others' reactions and future plans constantly.
This story wrapped up with a neat little bow at the end, making it a seamless stand alone or one to carry on through a sequel. I usually enjoy a good plot twist in a thriller epilogue, so I was a little disappointed I didn't get one, but it ended off in a psychological turn of the page that I was satisfied with.
Thank you to the author for the ARC opportunity!
✔️A wife with an unsavory past
✔️A husband with a secret
✔️Friends who know nothing about the real them
We see Anna as the main character gripping to terms with her poor past decisions and giving into those little voices in her head yet once again.The dual POV chapters back and forth with Anna and Frank were well done. It made me try to anticipate the others' reactions and future plans constantly.
This story wrapped up with a neat little bow at the end, making it a seamless stand alone or one to carry on through a sequel. I usually enjoy a good plot twist in a thriller epilogue, so I was a little disappointed I didn't get one, but it ended off in a psychological turn of the page that I was satisfied with.
Thank you to the author for the ARC opportunity!
June 3, 2025
Thank you to the author for a ARC copy in trade for an honest review.
The story follows Anna. As a child, she used to hide from the violent arguments between her parents but she hears voices in her head, telling her they will take care of her. As an adult, she spends her time arguing with herself in her head and ‘pretending’ to be what people need/ want her to be.
Fast forward, and Anna is in trouble, up in court after her ex-boyfriends death. His parents believe she killed him, Anna says he jumped. Frank, a friend of both and a barrister, speaks up to defend her, he says he saw the incident happen...
Anna and Frank begin a relationship soon after the case is settled, and we follow their life together as Anna struggles to get over the death of her ex and try to be the perfect partner Frank desires. But appearances can be deceptive, you never know what’s going on in other people’s relationships.
I was intrigued by the way Anna's voices would come and go, always the same group of voices and not always all agreeing. She was an interesting character, that in some ways I could relate to. How often do we all put a front on? You know where Anna wants it to go, it's the how that keeps you guessing.
I found some sections between Anna and her friend a little confusing as there was no hint earlier in the book.
Frank's actions towards the end to be a really good twist, showing he knew what he had got himself into.
The ending paves the way for a follow-up book, and although the ending of this one made me feel a little uncomfortable, I'd be interested in reading what happens next.
Overall it was a good read. It was definitely more of a story, rather than really twisty and turny but that doesnt take away from it at all.
The story follows Anna. As a child, she used to hide from the violent arguments between her parents but she hears voices in her head, telling her they will take care of her. As an adult, she spends her time arguing with herself in her head and ‘pretending’ to be what people need/ want her to be.
Fast forward, and Anna is in trouble, up in court after her ex-boyfriends death. His parents believe she killed him, Anna says he jumped. Frank, a friend of both and a barrister, speaks up to defend her, he says he saw the incident happen...
Anna and Frank begin a relationship soon after the case is settled, and we follow their life together as Anna struggles to get over the death of her ex and try to be the perfect partner Frank desires. But appearances can be deceptive, you never know what’s going on in other people’s relationships.
I was intrigued by the way Anna's voices would come and go, always the same group of voices and not always all agreeing. She was an interesting character, that in some ways I could relate to. How often do we all put a front on? You know where Anna wants it to go, it's the how that keeps you guessing.
I found some sections between Anna and her friend a little confusing as there was no hint earlier in the book.
Frank's actions towards the end to be a really good twist, showing he knew what he had got himself into.
The ending paves the way for a follow-up book, and although the ending of this one made me feel a little uncomfortable, I'd be interested in reading what happens next.
Overall it was a good read. It was definitely more of a story, rather than really twisty and turny but that doesnt take away from it at all.
June 6, 2025
3 1/2 ⭐️
Anna has a troubled past with a childhood filled with violent arguments between her parents followed by a broken family and aggressive outbursts as a child.
Fast forward to adulthood, Anna has been arrested and acquitted for pushing her ex boyfriend off a cliff after his best friend Frank testified that he jumped.
The main story of the book follows Annas life after she is released. Frank is in love with Anna and they end up in a relationship following the trial but she’s not as into him as he is her. She’s trying to come to terms with her ex’s death while starting a new life where all her decisions seem made for her by the possessive and obsessed Frank. While their relationship seems perfect to others (and to Frank), Anna definitely doesn’t see it that way and goes to great lengths to get out of it.
I enjoyed this book but found the character of Frank really frustrating. I think as I personally hate unwanted attention, his love bombing and obsessiveness and unwillingness to let Anna do things for herself (like have a job, friends and hobbies) really annoyed me and I just wanted her to tell him where to go. I understand why Anna didn’t feel like she could do this but I wanted her to be strong and leave him if she wasn’t happy.
I also wanted a bit more background on what happened before the trial but after reading the book I found that there is a book before this one that explains Anna’s life with her ex and what happens before/after the cliff incident. There’s also going to be another book after this one which is good as the ending was a bit ambiguous.
Overall I did like the book but wouldn’t class it as a psychological thriller and I think I will read the other books at some point to fill in the blanks I have.
Thank you to the author Anja for the ARC!
Anna has a troubled past with a childhood filled with violent arguments between her parents followed by a broken family and aggressive outbursts as a child.
Fast forward to adulthood, Anna has been arrested and acquitted for pushing her ex boyfriend off a cliff after his best friend Frank testified that he jumped.
The main story of the book follows Annas life after she is released. Frank is in love with Anna and they end up in a relationship following the trial but she’s not as into him as he is her. She’s trying to come to terms with her ex’s death while starting a new life where all her decisions seem made for her by the possessive and obsessed Frank. While their relationship seems perfect to others (and to Frank), Anna definitely doesn’t see it that way and goes to great lengths to get out of it.
I enjoyed this book but found the character of Frank really frustrating. I think as I personally hate unwanted attention, his love bombing and obsessiveness and unwillingness to let Anna do things for herself (like have a job, friends and hobbies) really annoyed me and I just wanted her to tell him where to go. I understand why Anna didn’t feel like she could do this but I wanted her to be strong and leave him if she wasn’t happy.
I also wanted a bit more background on what happened before the trial but after reading the book I found that there is a book before this one that explains Anna’s life with her ex and what happens before/after the cliff incident. There’s also going to be another book after this one which is good as the ending was a bit ambiguous.
Overall I did like the book but wouldn’t class it as a psychological thriller and I think I will read the other books at some point to fill in the blanks I have.
Thank you to the author Anja for the ARC!
May 21, 2025
Overall, this was a quick, thought-provoking read. The premise lured me straight in with this one, and it was an enjoyable, interesting read about behaviour and the lengths some may go to in order to protect themselves. However, i do think this is categorised in the wrong genre as I found it more of a soft/contemporary thriller than psychological. You follow Anna as she tries to get her life back after she is cleared of murdering her ex-boyfriend Marc and how she is now trapped in a relationship with the one person who knows the truth. So far, so good, right? It starts off well, and the first half of the book has tension, clues, and suspense. A dual POV is thrown in, and it sets the scene of a gripping psychological mystery, but as the story progressed, it got harder to understand what the plot actually was. The POV quickly switches to a solo one after a few chapters and whilst this isnt really an issue, by the end leaves a few important questions unanswered questions unanswered because nothing actually happens until the last 50/60ish pages. Then it was so quick to wrap up that it just felt extremely flat. It's almost a blink, and you'll miss it moment, not to mention key details like the stalking and secret filming just being brushed off. It pains me to be negative, but this had so much potential to be so much more... Perhaps if it was cut shorter, with all the unnecessary filler removed, then it might work better.
May 20, 2025
ARC REVIEW
Regrets. Freedom by anja.barker.
Damn well, if you love your psychological thriller then this books for you. I was literally overthinking through out this entire book with what was happening and what the holy hell was going on. It's got so many twist and suspense.
It gripped me from the beginning with Anna and her journey ( I just can't believe any of what happened) I literally gasped at one bit.
Anna is a good liar, she good at putting a front on to survive, being who's she's not. All she's ever wanted to be loved but not controlled and to be want what someone wants her to be. Her journey with Marc , then with Frank. ( I'll just so man, stay away ) To be honest I even wanted to hit frank over the head through the story.
Read the it for yourself... To finds out with the outcome...
No hints... I would use poison to do the doing.
4⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.5 🔥
Regrets. Freedom by anja.barker.
Damn well, if you love your psychological thriller then this books for you. I was literally overthinking through out this entire book with what was happening and what the holy hell was going on. It's got so many twist and suspense.
It gripped me from the beginning with Anna and her journey ( I just can't believe any of what happened) I literally gasped at one bit.
Anna is a good liar, she good at putting a front on to survive, being who's she's not. All she's ever wanted to be loved but not controlled and to be want what someone wants her to be. Her journey with Marc , then with Frank. ( I'll just so man, stay away ) To be honest I even wanted to hit frank over the head through the story.
Read the it for yourself... To finds out with the outcome...
No hints... I would use poison to do the doing.
4⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.5 🔥
May 21, 2025
I read this pre-release and I'm really grateful.
The story was brilliant. There was so much happening and you didn't really know what was going to happen at each point. I even doubted things at some points!
I liked the character of Anna, and I thought the way you could see her arguing with herself at times added depth that we wouldn't have otherwise had.
It was a really good read. It was definitely more of a story of what happens rather than really twisty and turny but that doesnt take away from it at all. You know where Anna wants it to go, it's the how that keeps you guessing.
I really enjoyed this read.
The story was brilliant. There was so much happening and you didn't really know what was going to happen at each point. I even doubted things at some points!
I liked the character of Anna, and I thought the way you could see her arguing with herself at times added depth that we wouldn't have otherwise had.
It was a really good read. It was definitely more of a story of what happens rather than really twisty and turny but that doesnt take away from it at all. You know where Anna wants it to go, it's the how that keeps you guessing.
I really enjoyed this read.
May 31, 2025
Anna just wanted her life back—quiet, normal, and Marc-free (no regrets, really). But murder doesn’t come with clean breaks or refunds.
From the first line, I was hooked. A. Barker delivers tension like fog on icy cliffs—thick, chilling, and impossible to escape. Anna’s desperate for freedom, battling shady men and her own unraveling nerves.
Then Frank enters. Creepy? Maybe. Dangerous? Oh, absolutely. Suddenly, Anna’s in a high-stakes game with her sanity and secrets on the line.
The pacing is tight, the writing razor-sharp, and Anna? A flawed, fierce antiheroine I couldn’t stop rooting for. If you love dark thrillers with grit, regret, and revenge—Regrets. Freedom is a must-read.
From the first line, I was hooked. A. Barker delivers tension like fog on icy cliffs—thick, chilling, and impossible to escape. Anna’s desperate for freedom, battling shady men and her own unraveling nerves.
Then Frank enters. Creepy? Maybe. Dangerous? Oh, absolutely. Suddenly, Anna’s in a high-stakes game with her sanity and secrets on the line.
The pacing is tight, the writing razor-sharp, and Anna? A flawed, fierce antiheroine I couldn’t stop rooting for. If you love dark thrillers with grit, regret, and revenge—Regrets. Freedom is a must-read.
May 30, 2025
Thank you to Anja for the ARC, I really enjoyed this book. It had me hooked on the storyline, just wondering how Anna was going to pull this murder off, considering her past stacking up against her. Her longing to be free, be herself. No controlling men, or people from her past. No spoilers, you will need to read the book to see. 5 stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m looking forward to the next chapter 😊
May 9, 2025
I was lucky enough to read this, pre-release. What can I say? It's dark, it's twisted, a real emotional roller coaster. A must-read for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller (Watch out Freida). If you get the chance to read it, then do. Anja has really smashed it out of the ballpark with this novel 🖤
July 13, 2025
Thank you to the author for sending me this book! Thoroughly enjoyed it & can’t wait to read more from her! Highly recommend this book, fast paced and gripping!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews