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Stories We Never Told
Psychology professor Jackie Strelitz thought she was over her ex-lover and colleague, Harlan Crispin. Why should she care if Harlan springs a new “friend” on her? After all, Jackie has everything she ever wanted: a loving husband and a thriving career. Still, she can’t help but be curious about Harlan’s latest.
Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and young. Worse, she’s the new member of Jackie’s research team. For five years, Harlan enforced rules limiting his relationship with Jackie. With Nasira he’s breaking every single one. Why her?
Fixated by the couple, Jackie’s curiosity becomes obsession. But she soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems, and that to her surprise—and peril—she may not be the only one who can’t let go.
Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and young. Worse, she’s the new member of Jackie’s research team. For five years, Harlan enforced rules limiting his relationship with Jackie. With Nasira he’s breaking every single one. Why her?
Fixated by the couple, Jackie’s curiosity becomes obsession. But she soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems, and that to her surprise—and peril—she may not be the only one who can’t let go.
332 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2020
6004 people are currently reading
13368 people want to read
About the author
Sonja Yoerg
9 books1,143 followersI grew up in Stowe, Vermont, the daughter of a ski instructor and a history teacher. In my first incarnation, I was a animal behaviorist who studied learning in blue jays, hyenas and kangaroo rats. I wrote a book about that. Now I make stuff up.
I've published several novels, including TRUE PLACES, a Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller. Yeah, typing that makes me smile because reaching readers is the point, right? My upcoming release, THE FAMILY SHIP, earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Watch for it on February 23, 2021.
When I'm not writing or pretending to be writing, I run, garden, cook, eat, drink wine, then run some more. My husband and I live in central Virginia with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's quiet and pretty, like Vermont.
Join me all over the place:
twitter.com/SonjaYoerg
www.facebook.com/SonjaYoerg
www.instagram.com/SonjaYoerg
www.sonjayoerg.com
I've published several novels, including TRUE PLACES, a Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller. Yeah, typing that makes me smile because reaching readers is the point, right? My upcoming release, THE FAMILY SHIP, earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Watch for it on February 23, 2021.
When I'm not writing or pretending to be writing, I run, garden, cook, eat, drink wine, then run some more. My husband and I live in central Virginia with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's quiet and pretty, like Vermont.
Join me all over the place:
twitter.com/SonjaYoerg
www.facebook.com/SonjaYoerg
www.instagram.com/SonjaYoerg
www.sonjayoerg.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews
September 23, 2019
Sonja Yoerg is one of my very favorite authors. I dive into her books now without even glancing at the blurb, as I know I will be entertained no matter what the subject. One of the more fun things for me is that I never know what Sonja is going to come up with next as all of her books are so different. I do know some things will be constant though. I can always count on wonderfully developed compelling characters, strong plot, and outstanding prose. Her books never languish on my TBR.
Stories We Never Told is a suspense novel. This is new for Sonja, and I have to give her major props for taking the chance and succeeding! The protag is 38-year-old Jackie, a university professor of child psychology who is researching aspects of autism. As the dominos fall the wrong way for Jackie, she is thrust deeper and deeper into an abyss seemingly without an escape route. This starts as a slow burn accompanied by a real foreboding air of chilliness. As things progress, the chilliness morphs into a feeling of irreversible rising tension and dread. Just who are these people in her life? Her ex-boyfriend of 5 years, her new postdoctoral student, her husband, her stepson, even her own mother! She thought she knew all of them well. Maybe not…
I saw no way out for Jackie. The last 30% or so of the book had me stuck in my chair. Talk about unputdownable. I loved Jackie and was really scared for her. The ending is done perfectly. Things come out, and we readers are brought down gently with a very satisfying final few pages.
Though the mystery is a good one, to me the journey of this tale is where the money is at. The psychology of everything going into Jackie’s mess is so well done and had me riveted. I had to look up Sonja’s bio to see if she actually has a psychology degree. And yes, she does--she has a PhD in Biological Psychology from Berkeley no less!
The title is perfect.
I highly recommend The Stories We Never Told to everyone looking for an engaging suspense yarn rich with strong characters. While I’m at it, I recommend her previous four novels as well. Every one of them is a winner!
Many thanks, Sonja, for sending me an ARC of your new novel. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way except that I love your stories!
Stories We Never Told is a suspense novel. This is new for Sonja, and I have to give her major props for taking the chance and succeeding! The protag is 38-year-old Jackie, a university professor of child psychology who is researching aspects of autism. As the dominos fall the wrong way for Jackie, she is thrust deeper and deeper into an abyss seemingly without an escape route. This starts as a slow burn accompanied by a real foreboding air of chilliness. As things progress, the chilliness morphs into a feeling of irreversible rising tension and dread. Just who are these people in her life? Her ex-boyfriend of 5 years, her new postdoctoral student, her husband, her stepson, even her own mother! She thought she knew all of them well. Maybe not…
I saw no way out for Jackie. The last 30% or so of the book had me stuck in my chair. Talk about unputdownable. I loved Jackie and was really scared for her. The ending is done perfectly. Things come out, and we readers are brought down gently with a very satisfying final few pages.
Though the mystery is a good one, to me the journey of this tale is where the money is at. The psychology of everything going into Jackie’s mess is so well done and had me riveted. I had to look up Sonja’s bio to see if she actually has a psychology degree. And yes, she does--she has a PhD in Biological Psychology from Berkeley no less!
The title is perfect.
I highly recommend The Stories We Never Told to everyone looking for an engaging suspense yarn rich with strong characters. While I’m at it, I recommend her previous four novels as well. Every one of them is a winner!
Many thanks, Sonja, for sending me an ARC of your new novel. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way except that I love your stories!
June 28, 2020
2.5*
Ooh, I’m not sure what to say here.
The premise was intriguing. Jackie is a psychology professor who isn’t quite over her ex-lover... he also happens to be her colleague. Awkward! When he invites a ‘friend’ to dinner, Jackie is far from prepared over this little surprise, questioning whether she’s ready to share her ex with anyone!
Again, provocative premise but never delivered. This was my first read by this author, but the writing seemed to lose direction. No surprises, and by the end it just fell flat.
A buddy read with Susanne .
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC to read and review.
Ooh, I’m not sure what to say here.
The premise was intriguing. Jackie is a psychology professor who isn’t quite over her ex-lover... he also happens to be her colleague. Awkward! When he invites a ‘friend’ to dinner, Jackie is far from prepared over this little surprise, questioning whether she’s ready to share her ex with anyone!
Again, provocative premise but never delivered. This was my first read by this author, but the writing seemed to lose direction. No surprises, and by the end it just fell flat.
A buddy read with Susanne .
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC to read and review.
April 21, 2020
3.5 stars
Stories We Never Told was my first Sonja Yoerg novel, and for the most part, I was pleased with my Amazon First selection. The writing was compelling (I read most of the book yesterday afternoon), the characters came to life and jumped right off the pages, and the story was quite unlike anything I've read before.
So, why the 3.5 star rating, Bridgett?
The answer is this...Amazon listed this as contemporary fiction, but what I actually read was more a thriller/suspense. I was not expecting those elements and honestly felt they hindered the plot. To make things work, Yoerg added so many competing story lines, it quickly became convoluted and forced--Syrian refugees, parental disappointment, autism, ADHD, homosexuality, sociopathy, infidelity, murder, and more IT information than you could ever possibly want to know. It was just so much.
Interwoven within the novel were chapters of each "Character's (Insert name here) Story." Most were unnecessary and added nothing to the story, but the options which did help move things forward gave away so many of the so-called twists, it made the ending anti-climatic.
Overall, this was an above average read, and with a few tweaks, I think it could be brilliant. I simply wish Amazon had classified the genre correctly.
Stories We Never Told was my first Sonja Yoerg novel, and for the most part, I was pleased with my Amazon First selection. The writing was compelling (I read most of the book yesterday afternoon), the characters came to life and jumped right off the pages, and the story was quite unlike anything I've read before.
So, why the 3.5 star rating, Bridgett?
The answer is this...Amazon listed this as contemporary fiction, but what I actually read was more a thriller/suspense. I was not expecting those elements and honestly felt they hindered the plot. To make things work, Yoerg added so many competing story lines, it quickly became convoluted and forced--Syrian refugees, parental disappointment, autism, ADHD, homosexuality, sociopathy, infidelity, murder, and more IT information than you could ever possibly want to know. It was just so much.
Interwoven within the novel were chapters of each "Character's (Insert name here) Story." Most were unnecessary and added nothing to the story, but the options which did help move things forward gave away so many of the so-called twists, it made the ending anti-climatic.
Overall, this was an above average read, and with a few tweaks, I think it could be brilliant. I simply wish Amazon had classified the genre correctly.
May 3, 2020
Stories We Never Told is also emotional and well-told with a mystery thriller at its heart. Jackie is a psychology professor trying to move past her former lover and co-worker, Harlan, who has a new love. This new love works closely with Jackie on her research team.
Jackie’s previous relationship with Harlan had been limited by him, but with his one, he’s truly opening up. This causes Jackie to become all the more obsessed, and that obsession drives this book!
Stories We Never Told is intense, riveting, dramatic, and compulsively readable. The reader gets inside Jackie’s head, knowing her innermost thoughts, possibly even feeling her feelings, too. I hope Yoerg has more stories like this to tell us because she knows how to build suspense with relatable characters!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Jackie’s previous relationship with Harlan had been limited by him, but with his one, he’s truly opening up. This causes Jackie to become all the more obsessed, and that obsession drives this book!
Stories We Never Told is intense, riveting, dramatic, and compulsively readable. The reader gets inside Jackie’s head, knowing her innermost thoughts, possibly even feeling her feelings, too. I hope Yoerg has more stories like this to tell us because she knows how to build suspense with relatable characters!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
May 28, 2020
EXCERPT: Just dinner.
The innocence of the phrase is deceptive, as deceptive as the dinner itself would turn out to be, as Jackie would discover ninety eight days later. Dinner with friends, a table for four. Dinner with people she thought she knew and loved. As it turns out, no one is who she believed they were, least of all herself. So much secrecy, and in its service, so many lies.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Psychology professor Jackie Strelitz thought she was over her ex-lover and colleague, Harlan Crispin. Why should she care if Harlan springs a new “friend” on her? After all, Jackie has everything she ever wanted: a loving husband and a thriving career. Still, she can’t help but be curious about Harlan’s latest.
Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and young. Worse, she’s the new member of Jackie’s research team. For five years, Harlan enforced rules limiting his relationship with Jackie. With Nasira he’s breaking every single one. Why her?
Fixated by the couple, Jackie’s curiosity becomes obsession. But she soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems, and that to her surprise—and peril—she may not be the only one who can’t let go.
MY THOUGHTS: I find this a difficult book to review. Reading Stories We Never Told by Sonja Yoerg was like watching a movie that is not particularly interesting to you, but that you can't get up and walk away from because you want to know how it ends.
The basic story line is good. But I felt nothing for any of the characters. For such an intelligent woman, Jackie behaves quite stupidly. And despite all the backstories, I never felt that I got to really know any of them at all. Speaking of the backstories, which were inserted seemingly randomly throughout the story, I thought that the only one that had any merit, any reason to be included, was that of Harlan.
The writing technique is quite dispassionate, detatched. Situations that should have been suspenseful fell flat. This could have been a psychological thriller. It has a definite psychological backbone, but fails as a thriller.
The story is mostly told from the viewpoint of Jackie, and occasionally from that of Harlan, Jackie's ex-lover. Jackie's relationships with Miles - her husband, Harlan, Nasira - Harlan's current lover, and Antonio - Miles son from his first marriage - have all the stability of a rickety country fairground rollercoaster ride, which should make for interesting reading but, in my case, didn't. Maybe it's a case of 'it's me, not the book.'
Definitely a book that I didn't warm to.
😐😐.5
#StoriesWeNeverTold #NetGalley
'The worst lies are the ones you tell yourself.'
THE AUTHOR: I grew up in Stowe, Vermont, the daughter of a ski instructor. In my first incarnation, I was a animal behaviorist who studied learning in blue jays, hyenas and kangaroo rats. I wrote a book about that. Now I make stuff up.
When I'm not writing or pretending to be writing, I run, garden, cook, eat, drink wine, then run some more. My husband and I live in central Virginia with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's quiet and pretty, like Vermont.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Stories We Never Told by Sonja Yoerg for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
The innocence of the phrase is deceptive, as deceptive as the dinner itself would turn out to be, as Jackie would discover ninety eight days later. Dinner with friends, a table for four. Dinner with people she thought she knew and loved. As it turns out, no one is who she believed they were, least of all herself. So much secrecy, and in its service, so many lies.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Psychology professor Jackie Strelitz thought she was over her ex-lover and colleague, Harlan Crispin. Why should she care if Harlan springs a new “friend” on her? After all, Jackie has everything she ever wanted: a loving husband and a thriving career. Still, she can’t help but be curious about Harlan’s latest.
Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and young. Worse, she’s the new member of Jackie’s research team. For five years, Harlan enforced rules limiting his relationship with Jackie. With Nasira he’s breaking every single one. Why her?
Fixated by the couple, Jackie’s curiosity becomes obsession. But she soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems, and that to her surprise—and peril—she may not be the only one who can’t let go.
MY THOUGHTS: I find this a difficult book to review. Reading Stories We Never Told by Sonja Yoerg was like watching a movie that is not particularly interesting to you, but that you can't get up and walk away from because you want to know how it ends.
The basic story line is good. But I felt nothing for any of the characters. For such an intelligent woman, Jackie behaves quite stupidly. And despite all the backstories, I never felt that I got to really know any of them at all. Speaking of the backstories, which were inserted seemingly randomly throughout the story, I thought that the only one that had any merit, any reason to be included, was that of Harlan.
The writing technique is quite dispassionate, detatched. Situations that should have been suspenseful fell flat. This could have been a psychological thriller. It has a definite psychological backbone, but fails as a thriller.
The story is mostly told from the viewpoint of Jackie, and occasionally from that of Harlan, Jackie's ex-lover. Jackie's relationships with Miles - her husband, Harlan, Nasira - Harlan's current lover, and Antonio - Miles son from his first marriage - have all the stability of a rickety country fairground rollercoaster ride, which should make for interesting reading but, in my case, didn't. Maybe it's a case of 'it's me, not the book.'
Definitely a book that I didn't warm to.
😐😐.5
#StoriesWeNeverTold #NetGalley
'The worst lies are the ones you tell yourself.'
THE AUTHOR: I grew up in Stowe, Vermont, the daughter of a ski instructor. In my first incarnation, I was a animal behaviorist who studied learning in blue jays, hyenas and kangaroo rats. I wrote a book about that. Now I make stuff up.
When I'm not writing or pretending to be writing, I run, garden, cook, eat, drink wine, then run some more. My husband and I live in central Virginia with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's quiet and pretty, like Vermont.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Stories We Never Told by Sonja Yoerg for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
June 14, 2020
3.5
Now I understand the mixed reviews!
The things said about this book from those who rated this 5 stars are true.
But, so are the things mentioned in the 3 star reviews!!
The book begins with a Psychology Professor who studies Autism-
Jackie Strelitz and her husband, Miles, joining her colleague, and former lover, Harlan Crispin, for dinner.
It should’ve been a pleasant evening out..filled with flowing cocktails, delicious food, and enjoyable conversation.
But, Harlan has brought a “friend”.
And, that friend, is Jackie’s new Postdoc, the young, and beautiful, Nasira Amari.
Jackie cannot help but notice that the “rules” that had remained in place over the course of her five year relationship with Harlan, don’t seem to apply to Nasira. Why her?
Jackie becomes obsessed with this new relationship, and needs answers.
Now at this point in the book-I am intrigued.
I cannot help but draw comparisons in my mind to George Clooney over the course of his many high profile romances, and his insistence that he would NEVER marry again.
The women he dated, were not misled. And, they accepted the status quo.
Just as Jackie did, with Harlan, in this story.
Perhaps it truly worked for them.
Perhaps they thought they would be the one who would change his mind. Usually after a couple of years, one or the other, chose to move on.
And, then Clooney met Amal Alamuddin, and is now married with twins.
I am sure the women before her, might relate to Jackie’s curiosity...
But, this story isn’t about the Clooneys...so let’s return to it.
The writing is intelligent with great imagery, the pace not quick, but even,
so, I am engaged and ready for this study of human behavior.
But then it takes a turn towards obsession.
Ok-I was hoping we would continue exploring the unresolved feelings between Jackie and Harlan, but obsession can be fun....still hopeful...
If the author had continued the story with these two themes, it probably would have been a 5 star read.
But, as other reviewers have mentioned, the pace would stall with the UNNECESSARY back stories of Nasira and Miles.
And, the author chose to add a lot of things for “shock value” which unfortunately took the story from REALISTIC to FAR FETCHED...
So disappointing.
It started out so strong.
This was my AMAZON FIRST selection for April.
Now I understand the mixed reviews!
The things said about this book from those who rated this 5 stars are true.
But, so are the things mentioned in the 3 star reviews!!
The book begins with a Psychology Professor who studies Autism-
Jackie Strelitz and her husband, Miles, joining her colleague, and former lover, Harlan Crispin, for dinner.
It should’ve been a pleasant evening out..filled with flowing cocktails, delicious food, and enjoyable conversation.
But, Harlan has brought a “friend”.
And, that friend, is Jackie’s new Postdoc, the young, and beautiful, Nasira Amari.
Jackie cannot help but notice that the “rules” that had remained in place over the course of her five year relationship with Harlan, don’t seem to apply to Nasira. Why her?
Jackie becomes obsessed with this new relationship, and needs answers.
Now at this point in the book-I am intrigued.
I cannot help but draw comparisons in my mind to George Clooney over the course of his many high profile romances, and his insistence that he would NEVER marry again.
The women he dated, were not misled. And, they accepted the status quo.
Just as Jackie did, with Harlan, in this story.
Perhaps it truly worked for them.
Perhaps they thought they would be the one who would change his mind. Usually after a couple of years, one or the other, chose to move on.
And, then Clooney met Amal Alamuddin, and is now married with twins.
I am sure the women before her, might relate to Jackie’s curiosity...
But, this story isn’t about the Clooneys...so let’s return to it.
The writing is intelligent with great imagery, the pace not quick, but even,
so, I am engaged and ready for this study of human behavior.
But then it takes a turn towards obsession.
Ok-I was hoping we would continue exploring the unresolved feelings between Jackie and Harlan, but obsession can be fun....still hopeful...
If the author had continued the story with these two themes, it probably would have been a 5 star read.
But, as other reviewers have mentioned, the pace would stall with the UNNECESSARY back stories of Nasira and Miles.
And, the author chose to add a lot of things for “shock value” which unfortunately took the story from REALISTIC to FAR FETCHED...
So disappointing.
It started out so strong.
This was my AMAZON FIRST selection for April.
April 16, 2020
An inventive, intriguing and intense domestic thriller full of obsession and jealously.
SUMMARY
Psychology professor Jackie Strelitz thinks she’s over Harlan Crispin, her ex-lover and colleague. Why should she care if Harlan brings a new “friend“ to dinner? After all Jackie has everything she ever wanted, a loving husband and a thriving career. But she can’t help but be curious about Harlen’s latest girlfriend.
Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and young. Worse, she is the newest member of Jackie’s research team. Jackie and Harlen dated for five years and he has some strict rules limiting their relationship and their time together. With Nasira, however, he is breaking every single one. Why her?
Jackie’s curiosity about the couple becomes an obsession. But soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems, and to her surprise she may not be the only one who cannot let go.
REVIEW
The characters propel the narrative in this cleverly written thriller. The four main characters, Jackie, Miles, Harlen and Nasir are richly-flawed and shrouded in clouds of mystery. But interspersed in the book are four unique chapters that clear the air. There is one for each of the main characters. These chapters contain their deepest secrets, and it’s these secrets that reveal everything. It’s the stories they never told.
STORIES WE NEVER TOLD is inventive, intriguing and intense. The story is packed full of jealousy, obsession and lies. The plot build is a delightful slow burn. The writing is skillfully crafted and the book is immensely satisfying.
Author Sonja Yoerg is the bestselling author of four novels: House Broken (2015), The Middle of Somewhere (2015), All the Best People (2017) and True Places (2019). I have had the pleasure of reading Sonja’s two latest novels and loved them.
Thanks to Netgalley, Sonja Yoerg and Lake Union for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
SUMMARY
Psychology professor Jackie Strelitz thinks she’s over Harlan Crispin, her ex-lover and colleague. Why should she care if Harlan brings a new “friend“ to dinner? After all Jackie has everything she ever wanted, a loving husband and a thriving career. But she can’t help but be curious about Harlen’s latest girlfriend.
Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and young. Worse, she is the newest member of Jackie’s research team. Jackie and Harlen dated for five years and he has some strict rules limiting their relationship and their time together. With Nasira, however, he is breaking every single one. Why her?
Jackie’s curiosity about the couple becomes an obsession. But soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems, and to her surprise she may not be the only one who cannot let go.
REVIEW
The characters propel the narrative in this cleverly written thriller. The four main characters, Jackie, Miles, Harlen and Nasir are richly-flawed and shrouded in clouds of mystery. But interspersed in the book are four unique chapters that clear the air. There is one for each of the main characters. These chapters contain their deepest secrets, and it’s these secrets that reveal everything. It’s the stories they never told.
STORIES WE NEVER TOLD is inventive, intriguing and intense. The story is packed full of jealousy, obsession and lies. The plot build is a delightful slow burn. The writing is skillfully crafted and the book is immensely satisfying.
Author Sonja Yoerg is the bestselling author of four novels: House Broken (2015), The Middle of Somewhere (2015), All the Best People (2017) and True Places (2019). I have had the pleasure of reading Sonja’s two latest novels and loved them.
Thanks to Netgalley, Sonja Yoerg and Lake Union for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2020
What happens when you Never get over your Ex? Obsession, that’s what!
“Stories We Never Told” is a wild tale of jealousy and obsession that runs amok for Psychology Professor Jackie Strelitz. Married to Miles for the last two years, she thought she was over her ex-boyfriend Harlan Crispin. That is until they meet him for dinner and he invites his new girlfriend, Nasira, who just happens to be Jackie’s PostDoc.
Jackie is raging with jealousy, which surprises and vexes her, yet she can’t stop herself. Turns out she’s not the only one.
Unresolved feelings sure are a Stinker sometimes aren’t they? Poor Jackie! I almost feel bad for you. Almost.
“Stories We Never Told” by Sonja Yoerg is a crazy domestic suspense that will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can, desperate to get to the end. It is a wholly different novel than the other books I’ve read by this author and is sure to entertain readers who enjoy domestic thrillers.
This was another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Sonja Yoerg for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 6.23.20.
“Stories We Never Told” is a wild tale of jealousy and obsession that runs amok for Psychology Professor Jackie Strelitz. Married to Miles for the last two years, she thought she was over her ex-boyfriend Harlan Crispin. That is until they meet him for dinner and he invites his new girlfriend, Nasira, who just happens to be Jackie’s PostDoc.
Jackie is raging with jealousy, which surprises and vexes her, yet she can’t stop herself. Turns out she’s not the only one.
Unresolved feelings sure are a Stinker sometimes aren’t they? Poor Jackie! I almost feel bad for you. Almost.
“Stories We Never Told” by Sonja Yoerg is a crazy domestic suspense that will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can, desperate to get to the end. It is a wholly different novel than the other books I’ve read by this author and is sure to entertain readers who enjoy domestic thrillers.
This was another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Sonja Yoerg for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 6.23.20.
March 6, 2020
Life is very complicated. Don't try to find answers. Because when you find answers, Life changes the questions.
Sonja Yoerg always serves up storylines that circle around characters and situations with multiple layers and with multiple sharp edges. Stories We Never Told does just that. Yoerg knows full-out what lies beneath the surface of day-by-day living. It's not always what it appears to be. She can spin a mundane existence on its head in nano seconds. Let's crack the door on this one.
Jackie Strelitz is a dedicated professor working in the Psychology Department at Adams University in Washington, D.C.. She is the head of a work study observing Autistic children and documenting those observations and data along with her students. A substantial grant is waiting in the wings based on her continued findings. She depends greatly on her post doctorate research assistant, Nasira Amari. Although it is a highly stressful undertaking, Jackie enjoys the challenge.
Jackie's husband, Miles, is on the road a lot as a football scout traveling to schools and universities for upcoming talent. They've only been married for eighteen months. It's Jackie's first marriage at the age of thirty-eight. Her career has always taken precedence. Miles is divorced and has a near adult son, Antonio, who has been diagnosed with ADHD.
Jackie was on the rowing team in college and still likes to take to the waters of the Potomac in order to ward off stress. But it seems that there's going to be plenty of churning waters involving Jackie in the coming days.
To her surprise, her former intense flame shows up as a new colleague in the Psychology Department. Harlan invites Jackie and Miles to dinner. Enter Harlan's dinner date.....Nasira Amari. Soon Jackie is becoming unsettled at the sight of Harlan and Nasira as they move in together. Jackie loves Miles......so what's up with these odd zaps of jealousy?
Now if you think Yoerg is going to lay out a sickly sweet romantic novel here, think again. Our gal Jackie is going to be experiencing some truly wacko goings on both in her professional and in her private life. She's beginning to doubt what is true from what is definitely not true. The scientific method doesn't always hold up when you have unstable humans involved. Stories We Never Told starts the ball rolling down the fast track. And you don't want to miss what comes next.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to Sonja Yoerg for the opportunity.
Sonja Yoerg always serves up storylines that circle around characters and situations with multiple layers and with multiple sharp edges. Stories We Never Told does just that. Yoerg knows full-out what lies beneath the surface of day-by-day living. It's not always what it appears to be. She can spin a mundane existence on its head in nano seconds. Let's crack the door on this one.
Jackie Strelitz is a dedicated professor working in the Psychology Department at Adams University in Washington, D.C.. She is the head of a work study observing Autistic children and documenting those observations and data along with her students. A substantial grant is waiting in the wings based on her continued findings. She depends greatly on her post doctorate research assistant, Nasira Amari. Although it is a highly stressful undertaking, Jackie enjoys the challenge.
Jackie's husband, Miles, is on the road a lot as a football scout traveling to schools and universities for upcoming talent. They've only been married for eighteen months. It's Jackie's first marriage at the age of thirty-eight. Her career has always taken precedence. Miles is divorced and has a near adult son, Antonio, who has been diagnosed with ADHD.
Jackie was on the rowing team in college and still likes to take to the waters of the Potomac in order to ward off stress. But it seems that there's going to be plenty of churning waters involving Jackie in the coming days.
To her surprise, her former intense flame shows up as a new colleague in the Psychology Department. Harlan invites Jackie and Miles to dinner. Enter Harlan's dinner date.....Nasira Amari. Soon Jackie is becoming unsettled at the sight of Harlan and Nasira as they move in together. Jackie loves Miles......so what's up with these odd zaps of jealousy?
Now if you think Yoerg is going to lay out a sickly sweet romantic novel here, think again. Our gal Jackie is going to be experiencing some truly wacko goings on both in her professional and in her private life. She's beginning to doubt what is true from what is definitely not true. The scientific method doesn't always hold up when you have unstable humans involved. Stories We Never Told starts the ball rolling down the fast track. And you don't want to miss what comes next.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to Sonja Yoerg for the opportunity.
July 6, 2024
In this slow-burn psychological suspense, psychologist Jackie is confronted by a lot of little “shocks” in a row and has a midlife crisis of sorts. It starts at a dinner where her ex of five years, Harlan, brings another woman, Nasira, as his date. Nasira is Jackie’s new graduate assistant. This would seem like just awkward territory, particularly since Jackie is now happily married to Miles (so why should she give a hoot?), but Jackie freaks out and starts stalking the happy couple… then finds out more than she wanted to know.
This was the second book I’ve read by Sonja Yeorg, and quite different from the first! I went into it expecting one thing, and it turned into rather another with lots of thriller elements and gaslighting and side stories from many secondary characters. Everyone has secrets. The second half of the novel was when things really started to pick up for me as the pieces began to fall into place. It took a little while for the characters in this novel to grow on me because at first they all seemed kind of shady (it reminded me of “Gone Girl” in that respect), but the plot had me turning pages and I was eager to see how it ended!
This was the second book I’ve read by Sonja Yeorg, and quite different from the first! I went into it expecting one thing, and it turned into rather another with lots of thriller elements and gaslighting and side stories from many secondary characters. Everyone has secrets. The second half of the novel was when things really started to pick up for me as the pieces began to fall into place. It took a little while for the characters in this novel to grow on me because at first they all seemed kind of shady (it reminded me of “Gone Girl” in that respect), but the plot had me turning pages and I was eager to see how it ended!
November 9, 2019
Expect the unexpected: Stories We Never Told makes you question: who are we, really? The person we show the world, or the secret side of us that we keep hidden from the world, and sometimes even from ourselves. This is the ultimate theme of this novel.
Jackie, Miles, Harlan and Nasira display only a portion of their true selves to the world. The novel is told from all four characters' POV, which makes for interesting plot twists, although this novel is more focused on character growth and development.
Jackie and Harlan are both professors in the Psychology Department at the same University/College, used to be in a five year relationship, until it ended and Jackie later married Miles.
Miles has a son - and hidden secrets which shatter Jackie's domestic bliss.
And then things get shaky at work: somehow, Jackie's research at the University has been compromised - maybe even tampered with?
Harlan may be using Nasira to make Jackie jealous - and it may be working.
Nasira has secrets that have caused an estrangement with her family.
Harlan is the key to so many turning points in this novel, which ultimately leads each of the characters to expose their secrets selves to everyone else around them. Some surprising rifts and new relationships develop as a result of all of the revelations and discoveries.
An interesting and well-written character study. I rate this a 3.8 out of 5.
My thanks to the author and to Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Jackie, Miles, Harlan and Nasira display only a portion of their true selves to the world. The novel is told from all four characters' POV, which makes for interesting plot twists, although this novel is more focused on character growth and development.
Jackie and Harlan are both professors in the Psychology Department at the same University/College, used to be in a five year relationship, until it ended and Jackie later married Miles.
Miles has a son - and hidden secrets which shatter Jackie's domestic bliss.
And then things get shaky at work: somehow, Jackie's research at the University has been compromised - maybe even tampered with?
Harlan may be using Nasira to make Jackie jealous - and it may be working.
Nasira has secrets that have caused an estrangement with her family.
Harlan is the key to so many turning points in this novel, which ultimately leads each of the characters to expose their secrets selves to everyone else around them. Some surprising rifts and new relationships develop as a result of all of the revelations and discoveries.
An interesting and well-written character study. I rate this a 3.8 out of 5.
My thanks to the author and to Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2020
I wish I would have liked this book more, but I have to admit, it was a struggle for me to get through. Many of my GR friends really enjoyed it though, so this may totally be a case of "it's not you, it's me," but there was just something missing for me.
This was my first introduction to Sonja Yoerg, and I did very much enjoy her writing style, as she crafts a detailed story, with copious facts; however, as rich as the book is in details and facts, it is lacking in storyline and characters. The book had a REALLY slow start and seemed repetitive, and while some of it made sense in the second part of the book, I still felt like there was too much "back story,” and the characters came off very flat to me. I was also confused throughout the entire book as to whether it was a suspense/thriller or a contemporary fiction. I didn't think there was a clear distinction either way, as the first half leans toward suspense, but in the second half, the plot becomes more straightforward - like women’s fiction with dark side.
The plot initially seems like obsession gone awry. Psychology professor, Jackie, and her colleague, Harlan, dated for five years and even though their relationship ended on a sour note, they have remained friends. Now married to Miles, Jackie and Miles often socialize with Harlan. They agree to meet Harlan and a last-minute friend for dinner, only to find that Harlan's new friend is Jackie's young, post-grad student, and Harlan's new flame. Jackie becomes obsessed over the relationship, and Harlan seems to be doing everything he can to throw it in her face, and to add insult to injury, her husband always seems to take Harlan's side and has formed a deep bond with her ex. Of course, nothing is as it seems and strange things begin to happen at home and at work, to the point Jackie begins questioning her own sanity and wondering just whom she should trust.
Though in the end, you do get answers to pretty much every question raised in the plot, it just didn't overly excite me. Stories We Never Told is a book with a lot of promise, but it just fell a little short on execution for me. Great cover though, which is always a plus! 3 stars.
This was my first introduction to Sonja Yoerg, and I did very much enjoy her writing style, as she crafts a detailed story, with copious facts; however, as rich as the book is in details and facts, it is lacking in storyline and characters. The book had a REALLY slow start and seemed repetitive, and while some of it made sense in the second part of the book, I still felt like there was too much "back story,” and the characters came off very flat to me. I was also confused throughout the entire book as to whether it was a suspense/thriller or a contemporary fiction. I didn't think there was a clear distinction either way, as the first half leans toward suspense, but in the second half, the plot becomes more straightforward - like women’s fiction with dark side.
The plot initially seems like obsession gone awry. Psychology professor, Jackie, and her colleague, Harlan, dated for five years and even though their relationship ended on a sour note, they have remained friends. Now married to Miles, Jackie and Miles often socialize with Harlan. They agree to meet Harlan and a last-minute friend for dinner, only to find that Harlan's new friend is Jackie's young, post-grad student, and Harlan's new flame. Jackie becomes obsessed over the relationship, and Harlan seems to be doing everything he can to throw it in her face, and to add insult to injury, her husband always seems to take Harlan's side and has formed a deep bond with her ex. Of course, nothing is as it seems and strange things begin to happen at home and at work, to the point Jackie begins questioning her own sanity and wondering just whom she should trust.
Though in the end, you do get answers to pretty much every question raised in the plot, it just didn't overly excite me. Stories We Never Told is a book with a lot of promise, but it just fell a little short on execution for me. Great cover though, which is always a plus! 3 stars.
April 1, 2020
2.5 stars
I thought this book had a good premise but ended up being a bit of a disappointing read. If the story lost most of the thriller elements, I maybe would have liked it more. It also didn't help that the main character just didn't do much for me. There are quite a few good reviews for this book though, so as always take my opinions with a grain of salt.
Jackie Strelitz has been married for a few years now to a man named Miles. Harlan Crispin is her ex-lover and colleague. It might sound unusual but Jackie, Miles, and Harlan get together and socialize quite often. Everything is great until Harlan brings a new person to dinner one night. Nasira Amari is Harlan's date and she also happens to be the newest member on Jackie's research team. Jackie thought she was completely over her ex but seeing him with Nasira stirs up a lot of emotions in Jackie. When it looks like things are moving at a quick and serious pace between Nasira and Harlan that doesn't sit right with Jackie.
While Jackie is the main character, occasionally the story alternates to another character's perspective. And because of that, in my opinion the thriller elements of the story fall flat as there really isn't much excitement or anything that is unpredictable. The second half of the story veers into convoluted mess territory. I kept asking the question, why? and even though the author provides some backstories for certain characters, it just wasn't enough to satisfy me. It definitely didn't help that I never felt all that invested in Jackie as a character. She felt more like a caricature rather than a realistic character. Perhaps if I could have gotten on board with her, the rest of the story would have worked better for me.
I wish the story would have just stuck with a woman dealing with her feelings towards an ex plot rather than turning it more into a thriller. I think the author left a lot on the table to explore in regards to that and in the end the story didn't reach its full potential.
I thought this book had a good premise but ended up being a bit of a disappointing read. If the story lost most of the thriller elements, I maybe would have liked it more. It also didn't help that the main character just didn't do much for me. There are quite a few good reviews for this book though, so as always take my opinions with a grain of salt.
Jackie Strelitz has been married for a few years now to a man named Miles. Harlan Crispin is her ex-lover and colleague. It might sound unusual but Jackie, Miles, and Harlan get together and socialize quite often. Everything is great until Harlan brings a new person to dinner one night. Nasira Amari is Harlan's date and she also happens to be the newest member on Jackie's research team. Jackie thought she was completely over her ex but seeing him with Nasira stirs up a lot of emotions in Jackie. When it looks like things are moving at a quick and serious pace between Nasira and Harlan that doesn't sit right with Jackie.
While Jackie is the main character, occasionally the story alternates to another character's perspective. And because of that, in my opinion the thriller elements of the story fall flat as there really isn't much excitement or anything that is unpredictable. The second half of the story veers into convoluted mess territory. I kept asking the question, why? and even though the author provides some backstories for certain characters, it just wasn't enough to satisfy me. It definitely didn't help that I never felt all that invested in Jackie as a character. She felt more like a caricature rather than a realistic character. Perhaps if I could have gotten on board with her, the rest of the story would have worked better for me.
I wish the story would have just stuck with a woman dealing with her feelings towards an ex plot rather than turning it more into a thriller. I think the author left a lot on the table to explore in regards to that and in the end the story didn't reach its full potential.
July 21, 2019
Stories We Never Told is a beautifully told story of love and obsession, a gradual unearthing of long-held secrets that can unravel even the happiest of marriages. Yoerg has a real talent for creating compelling and complex characters who wrestle with real-life situations, leaving the reader wondering who to root for until the very end. The perfect combination of gorgeous prose and slow-burn suspense. Yoerg should be on every reader’s radar.
April 30, 2020
Multilayered, tense, and guileful!
Stories We Never Told is a meticulous, chilling, domestic thriller that takes us into the life of Jackie Strelitz, an accomplished, intelligent woman who finds her life turned upside down when her ex-lover returns from a sabbatical with a new, younger girlfriend, her husband becomes more distant and her desire for a baby appears entirely one-sided, and someone suddenly seems extremely intent and determined to undermine and interfere with her research project at work.
The prose is intricate and raw. The characters are secretive, consumed, and vulnerable. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel subtly into a compelling tale of life, loss, family, manipulation, obsession, deception, jealousy, mind games, violence, and murder.
Overall, Stories We Never Told is a clever, taut, menacing tale by Yoerg that highlights just how easily people can be psychologically and emotionally exploited, and reminds us that even those closest to us often have deep, dark secrets they choose to hide.
Thank you to Amazon Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Stories We Never Told is a meticulous, chilling, domestic thriller that takes us into the life of Jackie Strelitz, an accomplished, intelligent woman who finds her life turned upside down when her ex-lover returns from a sabbatical with a new, younger girlfriend, her husband becomes more distant and her desire for a baby appears entirely one-sided, and someone suddenly seems extremely intent and determined to undermine and interfere with her research project at work.
The prose is intricate and raw. The characters are secretive, consumed, and vulnerable. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel subtly into a compelling tale of life, loss, family, manipulation, obsession, deception, jealousy, mind games, violence, and murder.
Overall, Stories We Never Told is a clever, taut, menacing tale by Yoerg that highlights just how easily people can be psychologically and emotionally exploited, and reminds us that even those closest to us often have deep, dark secrets they choose to hide.
Thank you to Amazon Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2020
I'm afraid I could not finish this book. The summary sounded interesting, but the protagonist, Jackie, displayed the maturity of a high school girl who can't let her ex-boyfriend find a new girlfriend. I am interested and very familiar with the field of psychology, and the idea that this obsessive, adolescent woman was a psychologist doing post doctoral work was totally off the rails. The writing style was smooth, but I just couldn't buy nor tolerate the Jackie character. Her behavior read like a young adult story.
June 26, 2020
I won a free Kindle edition of the new novel "Stories We Never Told", by Sonja Yoerg, via Giveaways on Goodreads.
Although psychological fiction is not my preferred genre to read, I found this book entertaining, well written and hard to put down at the end of most chapters. Each of the four main characters has a story, secrets they are not willing to share with one another. The author shares each of their stories with the reader and skillfully knits them together with just the right amount of twists & turns to keep the reader interested and wanting more.
This book has emotional topics of love, jealousy, deceit, distrust, fear, forgiveness and more interwoven cover to cover. And, did I mention murder? Yes, there's that, too!
Although psychological fiction is not my preferred genre to read, I found this book entertaining, well written and hard to put down at the end of most chapters. Each of the four main characters has a story, secrets they are not willing to share with one another. The author shares each of their stories with the reader and skillfully knits them together with just the right amount of twists & turns to keep the reader interested and wanting more.
This book has emotional topics of love, jealousy, deceit, distrust, fear, forgiveness and more interwoven cover to cover. And, did I mention murder? Yes, there's that, too!
July 30, 2019
It’s a rare psychological thriller that shows both the dark depths our obsessions can lead to and the unlikely breakthroughs that can let the light in. Sonja Yoerg’s STORIES WE NEVER TOLD does just that, deftly introducing a brilliant cast of characters for whom detachment and intimacy can be equally terrifying. A taut, clever, and satisfying read.
April 10, 2020
Maybe 2.5?
I speed read thru the first 25%. Then at 60% I was intrigued. Jackie, main character, was really stupid to be supposedly such a smart doctor of psychology. Just not believable.
Way too much going on in this book. No real reason why Nasira’s Syrian refugee story was told - did not add anything. Her husband seems like an after thought. Perfect sister. The writing was not graceful.
I started the book expecting a secret and a plot twist.
I got predictable and lame.
It may be a good book to read while quarantined during a pandemic but any other time, I would not recommend this.
The more I think about it, I’m not really happy I wasted time on this book. Jackie is a real cliche idiot.
I speed read thru the first 25%. Then at 60% I was intrigued. Jackie, main character, was really stupid to be supposedly such a smart doctor of psychology. Just not believable.
Way too much going on in this book. No real reason why Nasira’s Syrian refugee story was told - did not add anything. Her husband seems like an after thought. Perfect sister. The writing was not graceful.
I started the book expecting a secret and a plot twist.
I got predictable and lame.
It may be a good book to read while quarantined during a pandemic but any other time, I would not recommend this.
The more I think about it, I’m not really happy I wasted time on this book. Jackie is a real cliche idiot.
April 28, 2020
Master storyteller, Sonja Yoerg returns following (2019) True Places with her latest STORIES WE NEVER TOLD. Perfectly paced and brilliantly crafted a compulsively readable and deeply satisfying psychological suspense thriller! I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Be prepared to be “wowed” and blindsided. Unpredictable, chilling, EXPLOSIVE! I read this one in one sitting. Nothing could distract me from this book! Top Books of 2020.
Trust me, you will be enthralled. You will not be able to stop turning the pages until the shocking final jaw-dropping twist.
Meet Jackie and Miles. Jackie is a psychology professor. The couple is friends with Jackie’s ex-boyfriend of five years, Harlan. As the book opens, Jackie and hubby are meeting Harlan and a new woman in his life for dinner.
However, Jackie is totally shocked to see Nasira, her new postdoctoral research associate. Young, beautiful, and smart, Jackie finds herself JEALOUS. What is she doing here?
Jealousy turns to obsession.
“She knew (in her mind, not her heart) that appearances could be deceptive, and that love, desire, and ambition make it harder to see others for who they are.”
However, this is only the beginning. Soon, Jackie will find her life unraveling. Someone is out to get her.
This is no ordinary triangle. There is so much more below the surface, so get ready for the "ride of your life." There are so many stories, lies, secrets, manipulation, and deceit. So how will the players determine who is controlling this game?
We hear from Harlan, Jackie, Miles, and Nasira. You might think this is a game of cat and mouse. There is so much MORE to be uncovered.
Someone is hiding something big. (well more than someone) Someone is a sociopath. Who can be trusted and just how evil and sinister is this monster? How far will they go, and who will be collateral damage? How much of their personalities are shaped by their past?
From past to present, we soon learn nothing is as it appears. Appearances are deceiving.
Yoerg dazzles! This book is darker than her previous books (and man, has she found her niche). More, please! Movie-worthy (fingers crossed). 🎬 However, fans, do not worry, her signature lyrical prose is still apparent throughout.
A twisty, intelligent, wickedly plotted psychological thriller with dark, creepy surprises and best of all the hilarious dark humor! (cover love)
I loved Nasira’s character, and STORIES WE NEVER TOLDis quite thought-provoking. Beneath the pristine exteriors, we see that often the stains will ultimately show.
Sonja does a brilliant job balancing the darkness and the light with the contrast between the relationship between Grace and Hector compared to the others.
"Perhaps everyone has stories they keep in a lockbox, stories they are not willing to own much less share. But if you don't acknowledge your own history- all of it, especially the underside-then aren't you creating blind spots of your own?"
OK, readers, I know you guys say it is hard to keep your mind on reading during COVID-19. Well, Sonja Yoerg's STORIES WE NEVER TOLD hooked me from the first page and never let up. I was not thinking of anything else except "the book." I was transported. One of my favorite thrillers of 2020.
If you loved Heather Gudenkuaf's THIS IS HOW I LIED, Jennifer Hillier's LITTLE SECRETS, Kimberly Belle's DEAR WIFE, Kaira Rouda's THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER, and Victoria Helen Stone's JANE DOE, you are assured to devour Sonja's STORIES WE NEVER TOLD!
Get this book on your list NOW!
#JDCMustReadBooks
Be prepared to be “wowed” and blindsided. Unpredictable, chilling, EXPLOSIVE! I read this one in one sitting. Nothing could distract me from this book! Top Books of 2020.
Trust me, you will be enthralled. You will not be able to stop turning the pages until the shocking final jaw-dropping twist.
Meet Jackie and Miles. Jackie is a psychology professor. The couple is friends with Jackie’s ex-boyfriend of five years, Harlan. As the book opens, Jackie and hubby are meeting Harlan and a new woman in his life for dinner.
However, Jackie is totally shocked to see Nasira, her new postdoctoral research associate. Young, beautiful, and smart, Jackie finds herself JEALOUS. What is she doing here?
Jealousy turns to obsession.
“She knew (in her mind, not her heart) that appearances could be deceptive, and that love, desire, and ambition make it harder to see others for who they are.”
However, this is only the beginning. Soon, Jackie will find her life unraveling. Someone is out to get her.
This is no ordinary triangle. There is so much more below the surface, so get ready for the "ride of your life." There are so many stories, lies, secrets, manipulation, and deceit. So how will the players determine who is controlling this game?
We hear from Harlan, Jackie, Miles, and Nasira. You might think this is a game of cat and mouse. There is so much MORE to be uncovered.
Someone is hiding something big. (well more than someone) Someone is a sociopath. Who can be trusted and just how evil and sinister is this monster? How far will they go, and who will be collateral damage? How much of their personalities are shaped by their past?
From past to present, we soon learn nothing is as it appears. Appearances are deceiving.
Yoerg dazzles! This book is darker than her previous books (and man, has she found her niche). More, please! Movie-worthy (fingers crossed). 🎬 However, fans, do not worry, her signature lyrical prose is still apparent throughout.
A twisty, intelligent, wickedly plotted psychological thriller with dark, creepy surprises and best of all the hilarious dark humor! (cover love)
I loved Nasira’s character, and STORIES WE NEVER TOLDis quite thought-provoking. Beneath the pristine exteriors, we see that often the stains will ultimately show.
Sonja does a brilliant job balancing the darkness and the light with the contrast between the relationship between Grace and Hector compared to the others.
"Perhaps everyone has stories they keep in a lockbox, stories they are not willing to own much less share. But if you don't acknowledge your own history- all of it, especially the underside-then aren't you creating blind spots of your own?"
OK, readers, I know you guys say it is hard to keep your mind on reading during COVID-19. Well, Sonja Yoerg's STORIES WE NEVER TOLD hooked me from the first page and never let up. I was not thinking of anything else except "the book." I was transported. One of my favorite thrillers of 2020.
If you loved Heather Gudenkuaf's THIS IS HOW I LIED, Jennifer Hillier's LITTLE SECRETS, Kimberly Belle's DEAR WIFE, Kaira Rouda's THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER, and Victoria Helen Stone's JANE DOE, you are assured to devour Sonja's STORIES WE NEVER TOLD!
Get this book on your list NOW!
#JDCMustReadBooks
May 3, 2020
Another disappointing Kindle First Read. The synopsis sounded promising; I anticipated a credible plot with unexpected twists, and the first third of the book wasn't too bad in terms of its character exposition. It went downhill from there. Protagonist Jackie is almost unbelievably immature for a thirty-eight year old professor of psychology researching childhood autism. Her understanding of and insight into the relationships in her personal life and work environment is hopelessly adolescent. The main male characters are stereotypes of sociopathic and tortured gay-man-in the-closet personalities. Jackie's sister, Grace, is a stereotype of sainthood. Their mother, Cheryl, is a classic, selfish bitch. There is no nuance in the stories of these people, and I could not identify or empathize with any of them Far from having interesting narrative twists, the plot is totally predictable and, in the final chapters, moves with a speed that feels like the author just wanted to tie everything up neatly and get it over with. It could have been a good story but isn't.
May 2, 2020
✨Review✨
Thank you so much Amazon Publishing and Lake Union for the free ARC of “Stories We Never Told” to review. This book released at the start of the month so you can grab a copy now!
I really enjoyed this book! The story follows a psychology professor named Jackie who thinks she is over her ex-lover Harlan. She’s married now, but seeing Harlan with another woman sparks a curiosity that quickly turns into an obsession. However as we come to find out, Jackie may not be the only one obsessed.
I like the theme of obsession in this book. What starts out as mild curiosity quickly becomes something more and it makes you think about how far is too far. I also loved how many secrets there were throughout the book. The title itself refers to those bits and pieces of ourselves that we hide from even the people we are closest to. We all have those stories that we don’t share with others for whatever the reason may be. While the timing of the story itself is pretty linear, there are certain chapters that share the untold stories of the main characters. I loved those the most because they give you a much deeper understanding of why the characters act as they do.
This book was definitely emotional at times and it was certainly full of secrets! If you enjoy reading about love, drama, and obsession then I would recommend trying this read!
4/5 ⭐️
Thank you so much Amazon Publishing and Lake Union for the free ARC of “Stories We Never Told” to review. This book released at the start of the month so you can grab a copy now!
I really enjoyed this book! The story follows a psychology professor named Jackie who thinks she is over her ex-lover Harlan. She’s married now, but seeing Harlan with another woman sparks a curiosity that quickly turns into an obsession. However as we come to find out, Jackie may not be the only one obsessed.
I like the theme of obsession in this book. What starts out as mild curiosity quickly becomes something more and it makes you think about how far is too far. I also loved how many secrets there were throughout the book. The title itself refers to those bits and pieces of ourselves that we hide from even the people we are closest to. We all have those stories that we don’t share with others for whatever the reason may be. While the timing of the story itself is pretty linear, there are certain chapters that share the untold stories of the main characters. I loved those the most because they give you a much deeper understanding of why the characters act as they do.
This book was definitely emotional at times and it was certainly full of secrets! If you enjoy reading about love, drama, and obsession then I would recommend trying this read!
4/5 ⭐️
March 11, 2020
Sonja Yoerg is the most astute, underrated author on the market. Her observations about life, love, and family hit home and have literally stopped me in my tracks. With STORIES WE NEVER TOLD, Sonja ventures into the suspense realm and boy does she deliver. With her exacting prose, she gives us a story about first and last loves, obsession, jealousy and being truthful about who you are, not only to those you hold dear, but to yourself. All the while she includes the inner-workings of academia and lab research and a fascinating sub-plot about data fraud. YES DATA FRAUD WAS FASCINATING because she's a magician.
You'll want to read this book!
You'll want to read this book!
January 22, 2020
This one was so involving, smart, well plotted, but also, a gentle comeuppance to anyone who might succumb to the notion that we can ever know others better than they even know themselves. I kept pushing myself to read faster, faster, because it’s so psychologically suspenseful, and you get VERY involved. But speed reading never works when you’re also loving the book on a sentence level, so basically imagine me staying up late and cursing the author for making the book impossible to put down but also too good to rush through. Read it! You’ll see. But prepare to be tired the next day.
February 25, 2020
This is my third book by this author and I keep liking each one more than the last. Her books are all very different from each other so you are never sure what sort of story will be told. This book revolves around four main characters, Jackie, Miles, Nasira, amd Harlan. Jackie and Harlan are esteemed university professors and have a romantic past with each other. Jackie is now happily married to Miles. Nasira comes to work under Jackie and also starts a relationship with Harlan. Jackie becomes a little unhinged with jealousy at this point but luckily that eventually passes. As Jackie’s research work starts to be tampered with she is determined to find out who is doing this to her. Her once great marriage is also beginning to unravel. Each of these characters contribute to the story as a whole and I really enjoyed this domestic suspense novel.
March 4, 2020
I love when I find a new author that I really like. Although the blurb sounded interesting, there is a lot more to this than I thought there would be. Jackie, a seemingly happily married psychology professor, starts obsessing about her ex-lover and colleague, Harlan, and his new girlfriend, who also happens to work under Jackie. That is just the tip of the iceberg. There are secrets that are revealed involving Jackie and her husband, her ex Harlan and his new girlfriend. The things that are revealed about Jackie's and Harlan's childhood experiences and the consequences of them would make for an interesting psychological discussion. There were so many surprises and interesting things to unpack in this book. This would be a great book club read.
dnf
April 5, 2020I'm setting this one aside for now. I've read a little over 100 pages, and am having a hard time getting into it. I think it's going to be perfect for a reader who enjoys slow burn suspense stories, but I'm not there right now. The writing is good, and the plot was interesting overall, but I need something that can hold my focus right now.
May 3, 2020
This is a thriller which really lacks suspense. I found the story engaging but could guess the denouement early in the novel. I also found it difficult to invest in any of the characters and didn't care what happened to them. However it is an interesting and pacy read so I was happy to read this as my Amazon First.
April 28, 2020
This was intense and captivating. Every time I picked it up, I was sucked back into the world and the complex psychology of these characters. If I had any nails left, in the midst of this pandemic, I would have bitten them all off while reading this one. It’s both absolutely relatable, and also occasionally horrifying.
A lot of time when I’m reading a thriller, I just think, “Really? Come on, now!” But that never happened with this story, because despite some of the unsettling events and moments, I could always completely relate to the main character. I could see that a lot of the paths she took could have easily been paths I would have taken, and that made reading this even more disturbing.
Genre-wise, this novel was a bit of a change from some of Yoerg’s previous works, but stylistically, it’s absolutely classic Sonja Yoerg, in terms of the vibrant setting, the well-developed characters, the complex relationships, the deep themes of both healthy independence and strengthening ailing relationships, and the overall emotional vibrancy.
I swear if you put a Sonja Yoerg novel in front of me with someone else’s name on it, I would immediately become suspicious of foul play, because she’s such a strong writer and storyteller. However, when I’m caught up reading, I don’t even notice that. It’s just such a smooth and immersive reading experience. I get lost in her worlds and characters, but when I pause to really think about the writing and the story, that’s when I realize she should be teaching master classes in how to setup and execute a scene.
Everything she writes is so honest and authentic that I find myself completely invested in the lives of the characters, so much so that I often wish I could pick up the phone and give them all an earful, mid-book.
This novel is darker, twistier, and a bit more chilling than some of the previous Yoerg novels. It had me second guessing myself almost all the way through. It’s written in a nonlinear format that is absolute perfection. It doesn’t have that choppy feeling that some nonlinear stories do. Yoerg does a great job of smoothly transitioning forward and backward in time. I got enough information and story from each chapter and section that I felt fully immersed in the story, and I didn’t suffer any of the whiplash that I sometimes get from nonlinear stories, when they suddenly jolt me forward or backward in time before I had gotten settled in the current moment. The transitions in this story are all logical and flawless, and the skips backward were so helpful in understanding why the story was moving forward on its current trajectory.
I liked this book so much, that even though I was given a free ARC to read and review before publication date (coming May 1!), I still went back and picked it up as a Kindle First Read and then also preordered the audiobook. So basically, I have put my money where my mouth is on this one, and if you like stories that are a bit psychologically dark, emotional, and full of complicated characters, relationships, and situations, then you’re going to love this one. I suggest that you get your hands on a copy as soon as it releases on May 1, just PSA: please don’t leave your house to do that, unless absolutely necessary, in light of the current COVID 19 situation.
And also, wash your hands! It won’t remove the ick that you’re going to feel while reading some of the twisted moments in this story, but it is far better to have an icky mind than icky hands. Or at least I thought that was true, until I just wrote it out and had to read it back to myself. What I meant to say was sometimes you have to suffer through a bit of emotional ick, in order to get to all the other serious feels, which this story is full of. Both the ick and the feels.
A lot of time when I’m reading a thriller, I just think, “Really? Come on, now!” But that never happened with this story, because despite some of the unsettling events and moments, I could always completely relate to the main character. I could see that a lot of the paths she took could have easily been paths I would have taken, and that made reading this even more disturbing.
Genre-wise, this novel was a bit of a change from some of Yoerg’s previous works, but stylistically, it’s absolutely classic Sonja Yoerg, in terms of the vibrant setting, the well-developed characters, the complex relationships, the deep themes of both healthy independence and strengthening ailing relationships, and the overall emotional vibrancy.
I swear if you put a Sonja Yoerg novel in front of me with someone else’s name on it, I would immediately become suspicious of foul play, because she’s such a strong writer and storyteller. However, when I’m caught up reading, I don’t even notice that. It’s just such a smooth and immersive reading experience. I get lost in her worlds and characters, but when I pause to really think about the writing and the story, that’s when I realize she should be teaching master classes in how to setup and execute a scene.
Everything she writes is so honest and authentic that I find myself completely invested in the lives of the characters, so much so that I often wish I could pick up the phone and give them all an earful, mid-book.
This novel is darker, twistier, and a bit more chilling than some of the previous Yoerg novels. It had me second guessing myself almost all the way through. It’s written in a nonlinear format that is absolute perfection. It doesn’t have that choppy feeling that some nonlinear stories do. Yoerg does a great job of smoothly transitioning forward and backward in time. I got enough information and story from each chapter and section that I felt fully immersed in the story, and I didn’t suffer any of the whiplash that I sometimes get from nonlinear stories, when they suddenly jolt me forward or backward in time before I had gotten settled in the current moment. The transitions in this story are all logical and flawless, and the skips backward were so helpful in understanding why the story was moving forward on its current trajectory.
I liked this book so much, that even though I was given a free ARC to read and review before publication date (coming May 1!), I still went back and picked it up as a Kindle First Read and then also preordered the audiobook. So basically, I have put my money where my mouth is on this one, and if you like stories that are a bit psychologically dark, emotional, and full of complicated characters, relationships, and situations, then you’re going to love this one. I suggest that you get your hands on a copy as soon as it releases on May 1, just PSA: please don’t leave your house to do that, unless absolutely necessary, in light of the current COVID 19 situation.
And also, wash your hands! It won’t remove the ick that you’re going to feel while reading some of the twisted moments in this story, but it is far better to have an icky mind than icky hands. Or at least I thought that was true, until I just wrote it out and had to read it back to myself. What I meant to say was sometimes you have to suffer through a bit of emotional ick, in order to get to all the other serious feels, which this story is full of. Both the ick and the feels.
August 30, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
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