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Nominated: A Gripping Psychological Thriller
Every honor has a price. Some are paid in truth. Others in secrets.
After escaping a toxic marriage, Megan Ashford is determined to start over in the quiet coastal town of Meridian Key, a place built on charm and secrets.
Being named Woman of the Year by the town’s most powerful women’s society should feel like a fresh beginning.
Instead, it feels like a warning.
The deeper Megan is pulled into the organization, the more the cracks begin to show. Private interviews that feel like interrogations. Questions no stranger should know to ask.
Someone is watching. Testing her.
She can’t shake the feeling she’s being pulled into something she doesn’t understand.
As pressure builds and loyalties shift, Megan begins to question everything. Her marriage. Her escape. Even what she’s capable of. Because the women behind the honor don’t just celebrate power.
They control it.
And once you’re inside, there’s only one way out.
What did Megan do to be nominated… and what will it cost her to survive it?
After escaping a toxic marriage, Megan Ashford is determined to start over in the quiet coastal town of Meridian Key, a place built on charm and secrets.
Being named Woman of the Year by the town’s most powerful women’s society should feel like a fresh beginning.
Instead, it feels like a warning.
The deeper Megan is pulled into the organization, the more the cracks begin to show. Private interviews that feel like interrogations. Questions no stranger should know to ask.
Someone is watching. Testing her.
She can’t shake the feeling she’s being pulled into something she doesn’t understand.
As pressure builds and loyalties shift, Megan begins to question everything. Her marriage. Her escape. Even what she’s capable of. Because the women behind the honor don’t just celebrate power.
They control it.
And once you’re inside, there’s only one way out.
What did Megan do to be nominated… and what will it cost her to survive it?
- GenresThriller
432 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2026
About the author
Paige Brooks
21 books66 followersPaige Brooks writes dark psychological thrillers filled with secrets, twists, and the kind of tension that keeps you turning pages long after midnight.
Her stories explore memory, fear, and the hidden truths people will do anything to bury. From quiet, unsettling households to isolated coastal towns, her books pull readers into worlds where nothing is quite what it seems and trusting the wrong person can be deadly.
If you enjoy twisty, emotionally layered thrillers with eerie atmosphere and unexpected turns, you’re in the right place.
Paige lives on the East Coast with the people (and dogs) she loves most. When she’s not writing, she’s usually thinking of the next secret to uncover.
Her stories explore memory, fear, and the hidden truths people will do anything to bury. From quiet, unsettling households to isolated coastal towns, her books pull readers into worlds where nothing is quite what it seems and trusting the wrong person can be deadly.
If you enjoy twisty, emotionally layered thrillers with eerie atmosphere and unexpected turns, you’re in the right place.
Paige lives on the East Coast with the people (and dogs) she loves most. When she’s not writing, she’s usually thinking of the next secret to uncover.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 16, 2026
Megan Ashford is starting over, and moves to a costal town. Little did she know, this town is built on the secrets and the people who live here. After living in this quiet town for only eight months, Megan receives a nomination being named Woman of the Year by a local woman's society. The more time she spends with these women, she realizes the questions they ask are more like an inquisition. They know things she hasn't said. I didn't realize what I was getting into when I started reading this book. The women are kind on the surface, but conniving.
I enjoyed it, however, the beginning was a little slow.
I enjoyed it, however, the beginning was a little slow.
April 16, 2026
In the quiet coastal town of Meridian Key, being nominated for an award isn’t a celebration—it’s a summons.
While most honors mark a milestone of success, this town’s most powerful women’s society uses its influence to audit the souls of its nominees, operating a network that unearths the very mistakes people want to bury.
Paige Brooks has outdone herself once again in Nominated, delivering a psychological thriller that is full of unforgettable moments.
Megan Ashford, having recently escaped a toxic marriage, views her nomination for Woman of the Year as a chance for a fresh start, only to realize she has stepped into a high-stakes interrogation.
The charm of the coast hides a chilling atmosphere where the past is never truly buried and loyalties shift like the tide.
As the pressure builds, Megan finds herself subjected to private interviews that feel more like interrogations, with questions that suggest someone has been watching her every move.
The narrative masterfully builds tension as she begins to question her marriage, her escape, and her own capabilities. The deeper she is pulled into the organization, the more the cracks in the town’s polished facade begin to show, revealing a sisterhood that doesn't just celebrate power—they weaponize it.
Every honor here is paid for in secrets, forcing a brutal choice: own the truth and seek atonement, or be exposed without mercy and without a chance to explain.
This story explores the terrifying price of accountability and the lengths one must go to survive a system where there is only one way out. For those who enjoy suspense driven by social manipulation and deep-seated secrets, this book serves as a haunting reminder that once you are inside the inner workings of Meridian Key, a nomination is the last thing you want.
In this town, being selected for such an honor isn't a gift; it's a reckoning.
Content & Trigger Warnings:
This book contains themes involving toxic marriage, emotional and domestic abuse, stalking, and psychological manipulation. Readers who are sensitive to depictions of trauma or intense interrogation scenarios should proceed with caution.
While most honors mark a milestone of success, this town’s most powerful women’s society uses its influence to audit the souls of its nominees, operating a network that unearths the very mistakes people want to bury.
Paige Brooks has outdone herself once again in Nominated, delivering a psychological thriller that is full of unforgettable moments.
Megan Ashford, having recently escaped a toxic marriage, views her nomination for Woman of the Year as a chance for a fresh start, only to realize she has stepped into a high-stakes interrogation.
The charm of the coast hides a chilling atmosphere where the past is never truly buried and loyalties shift like the tide.
As the pressure builds, Megan finds herself subjected to private interviews that feel more like interrogations, with questions that suggest someone has been watching her every move.
The narrative masterfully builds tension as she begins to question her marriage, her escape, and her own capabilities. The deeper she is pulled into the organization, the more the cracks in the town’s polished facade begin to show, revealing a sisterhood that doesn't just celebrate power—they weaponize it.
Every honor here is paid for in secrets, forcing a brutal choice: own the truth and seek atonement, or be exposed without mercy and without a chance to explain.
This story explores the terrifying price of accountability and the lengths one must go to survive a system where there is only one way out. For those who enjoy suspense driven by social manipulation and deep-seated secrets, this book serves as a haunting reminder that once you are inside the inner workings of Meridian Key, a nomination is the last thing you want.
In this town, being selected for such an honor isn't a gift; it's a reckoning.
Content & Trigger Warnings:
This book contains themes involving toxic marriage, emotional and domestic abuse, stalking, and psychological manipulation. Readers who are sensitive to depictions of trauma or intense interrogation scenarios should proceed with caution.
April 20, 2026
Nominated, a psychological thriller by Paige Brooks, is a chilling exploration of power and survival set in the seemingly idyllic but secretive coastal town of Meridian Key.
Hoping for a fresh start after a toxic marriage, Megan Ashford moves to Meridian Key, pinning her hopes on a nomination for "Woman of the Year," which comes with a significant cash grant. However, the honour is a trap. The town's influential women's society has established the award as a means to "audit the souls" of nominees, weaponising their vast network and influence to expose past mistakes.
Megan is quickly drawn into a high-stakes inquisition by seemingly kind but deeply conniving women who possess alarming knowledge of her secrets. The charming coastal setting hides a sinister atmosphere where loyalties are fragile and the organisation's polished facade soon cracks. The revealed truth is a sisterhood that wields power as a brutal weapon. In Meridian Key, the price of honour is utter vulnerability, forcing a brutal choice: atone publicly or face complete exposure.
This suspenseful novel explores the terrifying price of accountability within a manipulative system, serving as a haunting reminder to readers that a nomination in Meridian Key is the last thing anyone would truly want.
I received an ARC through "Booksprout", and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Hoping for a fresh start after a toxic marriage, Megan Ashford moves to Meridian Key, pinning her hopes on a nomination for "Woman of the Year," which comes with a significant cash grant. However, the honour is a trap. The town's influential women's society has established the award as a means to "audit the souls" of nominees, weaponising their vast network and influence to expose past mistakes.
Megan is quickly drawn into a high-stakes inquisition by seemingly kind but deeply conniving women who possess alarming knowledge of her secrets. The charming coastal setting hides a sinister atmosphere where loyalties are fragile and the organisation's polished facade soon cracks. The revealed truth is a sisterhood that wields power as a brutal weapon. In Meridian Key, the price of honour is utter vulnerability, forcing a brutal choice: atone publicly or face complete exposure.
This suspenseful novel explores the terrifying price of accountability within a manipulative system, serving as a haunting reminder to readers that a nomination in Meridian Key is the last thing anyone would truly want.
I received an ARC through "Booksprout", and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
August 6, 2026
Nominated is a suspenseful psychological thriller that combines mystery, manipulation, and emotional tension into an engaging story that keeps readers questioning every character's motives. Paige Brooks creates an unsettling atmosphere where appearances are deceiving, trust is fragile, and every revelation raises the stakes.
Megan Ashford is a compelling protagonist whose attempt to rebuild her life after escaping a toxic marriage quickly turns into something far more dangerous. What begins as an unexpected honor soon transforms into a web of secrets, power, and psychological manipulation. The mysterious women's society, the escalating sense of surveillance, and the constant uncertainty surrounding Megan's past create a gripping narrative filled with twists that keep the pages turning.
Overall, Nominated is an entertaining psychological thriller that will appeal to readers who enjoy slow-burning suspense, emotionally driven mysteries, and stories centered on hidden agendas and complex relationships. With its intriguing premise, atmospheric storytelling, and mounting tension, it delivers a satisfying read that lingers long after the final chapter.
Megan Ashford is a compelling protagonist whose attempt to rebuild her life after escaping a toxic marriage quickly turns into something far more dangerous. What begins as an unexpected honor soon transforms into a web of secrets, power, and psychological manipulation. The mysterious women's society, the escalating sense of surveillance, and the constant uncertainty surrounding Megan's past create a gripping narrative filled with twists that keep the pages turning.
Overall, Nominated is an entertaining psychological thriller that will appeal to readers who enjoy slow-burning suspense, emotionally driven mysteries, and stories centered on hidden agendas and complex relationships. With its intriguing premise, atmospheric storytelling, and mounting tension, it delivers a satisfying read that lingers long after the final chapter.
April 18, 2026
Megan Ashford has only been in town eight months, trying to build a new life andbury her old b one, when she's "nominated" as Woman of the Year with a hefty cash grant that will cover her financial problems. The story moves slowly as you're inside Megan's head as she realizes what is really happening and tries to protect her secret. I was gifted a free copy and voluntarily leave a review recommending this book which I enjoyed.
April 24, 2026
Nominated: A Gripping Psychological Thriller (Twisted Secrets: A Psychological Thriller Collection), my fourth read from author Paige Brooks. A 432-page thriller with the requisite twists and turns. I was given a complementary Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily reading & reviewing it. I'm going back to the first books I got from her and look forward to reading more from this author with Only One Gets Out already high on my TBR list. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
June 25, 2026
Questions ?
Very good read. I was wondering how you can up with this story line. Kinda took me awhile to see where you were going with it. I took longer to finish it, for some reason I had to leave it and read other stories between going back. I finally kinda figured out what was happening about 76% in. Very interesting story and I enjoyed reading it . Thanks for a story that had me thinking.
Very good read. I was wondering how you can up with this story line. Kinda took me awhile to see where you were going with it. I took longer to finish it, for some reason I had to leave it and read other stories between going back. I finally kinda figured out what was happening about 76% in. Very interesting story and I enjoyed reading it . Thanks for a story that had me thinking.
April 19, 2026
Paige Brooks is awesome! Nominated is the 6th book of hers I've read and the stories never get boring. The characters are well developed even though not always likeable and the story lines interesting and fast paced. Nominated does not disappoint in it's twisted storyline and physiological games, a real page turner!
July 22, 2026
Nominated Not To Read
The story is implausible and poorly written. It is very disjointed and hard to follow. The dialogue is written in a manner that makes the reader check to see which character is speaking. I would not recommend this book to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers....there is nothing thrilling about the story.
The story is implausible and poorly written. It is very disjointed and hard to follow. The dialogue is written in a manner that makes the reader check to see which character is speaking. I would not recommend this book to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers....there is nothing thrilling about the story.
April 16, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from chapter one to the end. Had me thinking and guessing. My guesses were often incorrect. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and will definitely be picking up other works by her
April 17, 2026
This is the ninth addition to the Twisted Secrets collection. It’s a gripping psychological thriller that kept me guessing. I enjoyed the tense plot. An emotional story. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 16, 2026
Megan Ashford moves to a small town to start over. Less than a year later she is nominated for Woman of the Year. It seems like an honor until she finds out what it really means. It kept me guessing.
Did Not Finish
May 8, 2026Could nor finish this book. The story dragged on and did not move fast enough for me.
May 18, 2026
Ok book
Never tells you what happened. I was very disappointed in this book. I would not recommend it. I won't be reading anything else from this author
Never tells you what happened. I was very disappointed in this book. I would not recommend it. I won't be reading anything else from this author
April 17, 2026
Megan moves to Meridian Key after leaving her controlling husband and had been there for 8 months when she was ask to except "Woman of the Year" that's when things become shifty and Megan can feel that things are more than what meets the eye and starts digging into the past and present. Her story will keep you on tenterhooks and the things she discovers will leave you speechless. If you like twisty books that are full of suspense then I recommend this one.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews