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The Night That Wasn't Mine

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The night was supposed to be hers-until it wasn't.

Ava Carter walked into the room expecting a celebration of love. Instead, she found betrayal wrapped in confetti and lies. Her boyfriend. Her best friend. A banner with another girl's name. And a room full of people who knew.

Left heartbroken and humiliated, Ava must untangle a web of deception far more twisted than she imagined. When an unlikely ally emerges and a dangerous secret surfaces, Ava finds herself at the center of a game she never signed up for.

But this time, she's done being a pawn.

Told with raw emotion, sharp twists, and a fierce dose of female empowerment, The Night That Wasn't Mine is a story of heartbreak, redemption, and the strength it takes to turn betrayal into power.

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 29, 2025

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Constantino Fernandes

603 books3 followers

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5 stars
38 (26%)
4 stars
30 (21%)
3 stars
35 (24%)
2 stars
26 (18%)
1 star
13 (9%)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Vintage.
2,760 reviews769 followers
June 1, 2025
Oy vey.

This was like a boring episode of Mission Implausible.

The sky will always be overcast and gloomy, the streets slick, and the heroine lives in a mock turtleneck and trench coat.
Profile Image for Crystal.
347 reviews2 followers
July 16, 2025
It's like the author has multiple ideas for scenes between characters, so they just keep rewriting with minor tweaks. Same revelations, but written differently. Many of these chapters were just repeated and characters were shocked by "new" information that had already been revealed in a previous chapter. One chapter even had a whole chunk that was copy/pasted.
Profile Image for Willow .
97 reviews
July 15, 2025
I only went into this book after reading the reviews, so I thought I knew what I’d be getting. I expected repetition but didn’t expect to read a book that seems to have been written by AI. Anyone who’s played around with AI writing tech to edit emails, documents, etc, knows that you’re often given different versions to choose from. You’re supposed to elect the one that best fits your writing style and the message you want to impart. What you’re not supposed to do, however, is include all the different versions because it won’t make any sense and confuses the reader. But that’s exactly what happened here.

Tbh, I was really looking forward to reading this story because it deals with current issues facing modern relationships in the age of social media. I was woefully disappointed. I did finish it all, though, even knowing the book was published in KU purely for monetization purposes, and even whilst being confused asf when faced with another version of a previous scene. I mean, it’s obvious from the page formatting and repetition that it was all intended to maximize the Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count (KENPC).
And that’s not okay because I feel cheated, a bit used…and very confused. 🥴

Look, it’s not all bad. It’s an awesome concept and the story has great bones. But it could’ve been a phenomenal five star read if properly written and edited.

Would I recommend it in its current state? Fck no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for I’m a Paula too… Thompson.
2,021 reviews12 followers
October 6, 2025
Interesting reading…

I didn’t have a clue what this book was about. I started reading with no previous knowledge, so everything was a surprise. And each layer of information that was uncovered just made me detest Jake even more.

That man is at least a narcissistic sociopath, and at worst a psychopath. He is a horrible human being and a complete failure as a man. I did like Ava, the FMC, especially her strength.

KU read, and it’s well written. I think I’ve read a few from this author, but this was interesting to me, and I enjoyed it. Most of the characters were very self involved and I don’t think this is real life, but it was interesting…
254 reviews6 followers
June 1, 2025
Interesting, but felt like groundhog day

Many chapters felt repetitive. Concept was good enough to keep me reading. Words flowed nicely but many chapters felt like rewrites of previous chapters. Overall a good story if you dont mind the repetitive-ness.
Profile Image for ThEAnGrYrEaDeR55.
179 reviews28 followers
August 1, 2025
The book opens with a bang.

Ava walks into a fancy party, greeted by a loud "Surprise!" from the crowd. She looks up and realizes the banner says, Congratulations Tessa! — but she’s Ava. So what's happening?

She walks over to her boyfriend of three years, Jake, who is standing with his arm around Tessa (his co-worker), and asks what’s going on. Jake casually explains it’s a celebration for Tessa landing a major deal — with the exact brand Ava has been chasing for six months. When Ava reminds him he said this was HER night and that he had a surprise planned, her best friend Lena swoops in and basically tells her she’s naive. Lena claims she and Jake were planning the party for Tessa all along. Never for Ava. Turns out “everyone knew.”

At this point, the confusion kicks in. Is Jake cheating with Tessa and everyone’s in on it? That’s what it seems like. Ava walks out, devastated, staring at the harbor and watching her future — a home, marriage, kids with Jake — go up in smoke.

Then Lena comes outside and blames Ava for it all, saying she should have seen this coming. She accuses Ava of clinging to Jake and pushing everyone away after her mother’s death. Then it gets even weirder. Apparently Jake and Lena are actually the ones having an affair? Not Jake and Tessa?

So why was Jake standing with his arm around Tessa? Why let Ava believe the party was for her? Were Jake and Lena really so cruel they planned this whole thing — down to the humiliating reveal — just to hurt her?

The author completely drops the ball here. I didn't know if this was AI or not.

The betrayal hits hard, but everything else is a confusing mess.

Ava confides in her sister, and they decide Lena has always been jealous. Jake, they conclude, wanted to humiliate Ava so he could justify his actions and come out looking like the victim. Ava then finds a diamond necklace — meant for Tessa — in their apartment, with a note written in the same words Jake used to write her. That’s her final push to “be strong,” move out of her own apartment, and leave Jake in the dust.

But again — Jake cheated with who? Lena or Tessa? Lena was her best friend since college and she helped him set this up? For what? Out of jealousy?

The next chapter reflects on the prior few weeks. Jake and Lena were both cold, evasive, canceling plans and acting shady, but Ava dismissed it. In hindsight, she realizes they were setting her up to be humiliated in front of the entire town. Why? Because Jake was cheating? Ava also recalls seeing sketchy texts between Jake and Tessa and receipts for jewelry she never received.

So… is Ava naive? In denial? Just overwhelmed by grief? It’s hard to root for someone who overlooks so many red flags, especially when she admits seeing them.

The story flashes back again — now at least six months — and implies Ava knew Jake was cheating, but he and Lena gaslit her. They used her trauma to make her doubt herself. She thought it was odd how often Lena was around Jake, but convinced herself it was innocent.

Honestly, the book just keeps spiraling. The first eight chapters are Ava uncovering more betrayals, crying, reliving the past, swearing revenge, then backing off. Eventually, we learn Jake was also lying to Tessa — telling her he and Ava had broken up months earlier. So he IS sleeping with Tessa. Tessa then finds out Jake was also sleeping with Lena. So yes, Jake was juggling at least three women, and two of them knew about each other at some point. Disgusting.

Jake and Lena go public. Lena even tries to morph into Ava online. Ava discovers Jake has a long history of manipulating and discarding people — especially women — stealing their brilliance, ideas, and identities, and then wrecking them. He even got a former business partner blacklisted after stealing his pitches — a guy named Miles Bennett, who now seems to be helping Ava and might be the love interest.

It’s a lot.

The book is weirdly paced. It’s extremely repetitive. Conversations happen in one chapter, then happen again later like the first never occurred. Ava and Tessa meet multiple times, and every time Tessa tells her, again and again, that she thought Ava and Jake were broken up. The exact same lines. Over. And. Over. By 38% into the book, Tessa is still clarifying this. We got it in Chapter 3!!

It’s wordy without saying much, and I found myself bored. The initial betrayal had impact — I won’t deny that. But everything that follows is muddled, repetitive, and unnecessarily convoluted. Maybe this book will land better with others, but for me, it was a frustrating read. I wish I would have read more reviews before I started rather than read it based on a recommendation for a certain trope.

I didn't even finish it and yet, highly maintain my review. It's terrible.
74 reviews
June 1, 2025
Intriguing plot but…

I loved the plot of this story but unfortunately it fell flat. There was almost no timeline, I couldn’t tell how much time past from 1 spot to another very often. I understand that Ryan’s relationships overlapped because he was cheating and scheming, etc., but it was hard to process and follow. Things seemed to happen really fast but clearly time was supposed to be passing? Nothing was fleshed out thoroughly with all the planning and war room situations when everyone was working to take clear the truth. Everyone seemed to know someone powerful and was able to access all this secret proof of Ryan’s so easily but there was no destruction of how, where, and how long it took- it was all just too easy to be believable. Then every time Ava had a chapter that seemed to be a period at the end of a sentence, someone would contact her, repeatedly. Then they’d always text, then meet, form a plan, do the plan and bam! It was done. Everything was summarized and bullet pointed. I never felt any connection to anyone on an emotional level. There was practically no angst. Angsty scenarios but delivered with no feeling at all. It was almost like Ava didn’t really suffer because we didn’t get to read it. There was very little interaction with Ryan who was the center of it all. No drama to be read really. Also, there was a repeated chapter and 2 scenes about the engagement party but they were different yet in the same location. Like one was meant to be edited out but someone forgot. The use of the power language and quotes and statements meant to be powerful, was wayyyy overdone. They actually lost their power and left me rolling my eyes at their frequency. The flip flopping of a truce, like with Lena, but then later she’s a policing with a letter even though they kind of already did that- confusing. The trickle truthing of the new info that would pop up from someone, drove me crazy. Last, she forgave Miles way too easily. What he did was tough betrayal too but she pretty much let it go. That was unrealistic. I wondered often how much this was written with AI, too.
Profile Image for VoraciousReader.
2,366 reviews
July 27, 2025
I suspect this book was written by AI. So repetitive with the same word patterns over and over.
“Not for Jake. Not even for Tessa. But for every woman who thought the story ended with betrayal.”
“Not just for routine. Not for the salary or clients. For me.”
“Not with panic. With clarity.”
“Not revenge. Not a shout. A truth bomb.”
“Not because it’s true. But because guilt makes you shut up.”
“Not on my body. But in my eyes.”
“Not survivors. Not victims. Architects.”
“Not because he was ruined. But because we weren’t anymore.”
“Not for closure. Not even for forgiveness. But maybe for … understanding.”
“Not for redemption. But for peace.”
“Not for closure. Not for confrontation. But for my own damn narrative.”
“Not because I didn’t love him. But because I wasn’t lonely anymore.”
“Not by fate. Not by accident. But by design.”
“Not about love or fate or happily ever afters. But about truth.”
“Not perfectly. Not quickly. But truthfully.”
“Not vindication. Not relief. But release.”
“Not in triumph. In truth.”
“Not for cameras. Not for headlines. Just for me.”
“Not because it’s flawless. But because it’s real.”
****
“This wasn’t a comeback. It was a coronation.”
“The silence wasn’t awkward. It was heavy. Expectant.”
“It wasn’t about love. It was about legacy.”
“He was never your manager. He was your leech.”
“It wasn't just strategy. It was care.”
“In that moment there was no audience. No performance. Just truth.”
“She didn’t just have an audience. She had an army.”
“It wasn’t a gift. It was an offering.”
“I didn’t walk away shattered. Or confused. Or hopeful. I walked away because I could.”
“She doesn’t chase. She doesn’t beg. She invites.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for MiSsE.
311 reviews8 followers
July 24, 2025
Never Again 😮‍💨

Wow, this story was very difficult to read. If I have to force myself to finish a story then it definitely wasn’t for me.

This story had a lot of potential. It started out really good and then just…. went downhill. The repetition became too much. They would find a way to bring down the MMC and you would think that would be the end, but NOPE, chapter after chapter after chapter, it became the same exact thing over and over again. More proof to bring down the MMC and they do it, and then it starts all over again.

I’ve never read a book with so many quotes and different sayings used in my life. What was supposed to be endearing and powerful with words, became aggravating and over the top. The entire book was just TOO much. This book had like 6 different epilogues lol, like why?? Idk, I finally got through it, and I’m sorry to say it was very disappointing.
869 reviews94 followers
July 16, 2025
Book was a hot mess express. There was so much zig-zagging back and forth in the storyline as well as almost every character giving a trickle truth only to expose more later, then more later and then guess what??? More later...Like tell the whole story, HONESTLY, the first time. Exhausting.

Cheating = yeah, not interesting, who cares

OW drama = I guess, but again...who cares as it becomes so jumbled. Do we want to hate the OW? Do we want to feel sorry for OW? Do we want to be friends with OW? Like what are we supposed to feel???? It is all over the place.
479 reviews7 followers
October 27, 2025
Just don't

I really feel the author needs to rewrite this whole book. Each chapter is a book in itself. It repeats pervious chapters and concludes with an ending only to start again with a I have to meet you, something bug has happened but it's what they have already uncovered and shouldn't be a surprise. Plus, the storyline would repeat itself. I swear the engagement party happened twice???? Anyways. Could be better but I had to give up and skim to the end.
Profile Image for Serena.
71 reviews
Read
June 1, 2025
This book is marketed as romance… specifically a triangle romance. It is at the same time it’s not. From the blurb I was expecting some angsty ow drama but I don’t feel that is what this book was. I honestly do not know how to rate this.
568 reviews5 followers
July 10, 2025
Revenge A dish served best cold

Really enjoyed the story. One or two editing issues, chapter repeated. However it didn’t take away the excellent storyline. A well structured story of revenge. Very good
Profile Image for Marilyn.
36 reviews2 followers
July 21, 2025
Brilliant

You have created a story of great depth and pathos. What struck me is that I have known people like Jake, both male and female, seen the damage and aftermath. Some of the targets came out stronger, others were destroyed. Thank you.
Profile Image for Shirley Holt.
588 reviews4 followers
July 25, 2025
Compelling story

What a great storyline of betrayal and rising from the ashes of a false relationship and owing out the other side stronger. Fabulous characters and a wonderful story. I totally recommend this book as a revelation.
125 reviews
August 28, 2025
this has the making of a great story

It there was a mixup on some paragraphs ..enough to make me ask what was I reading and where we in the story. But I kept reading because it was a great story. I do recommend to anyone.
Profile Image for Tiffanys_Reading_Journey.
469 reviews2 followers
November 2, 2025
Made it 50% and was very confused. Read like an unedited YouTube AI reddit story. I really tried to finish it, but I couldn't imagine trying to get through another 155 pages. Names were mixed up, chapters even repeated.
Profile Image for Kristina  Clinard.
52 reviews
December 3, 2025
This book had so much potential but unfortunately it fell flat due to the constant revisting of already played out plot lines. It should have been at least 175 pages shorter... by the end of the book I was just thankful to be done.
6 reviews
June 1, 2025
Had potential

This was just ok. Had the potential to be a great story. It was FAR too repetitive and drawn out.
Profile Image for Stacy B.
706 reviews5 followers
June 1, 2025
Good but repetitive

This is a good story. The 3 stars are for chapters that repeat themselves. It seems like there is a second draft mixed in.
1 review
July 14, 2025
Fu#/8*g terrible

I bought this damn book because of the couple paragraphs that it starts with and believe m we, when I say I want my dang money back. It was terrible.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews