Always Remember

by Cathryn Grant

Louise loves her family. To death.

Kelly is married with two kids, enjoying an ordinary peaceful life – until she finds her father-in-law Frank dead in her backyard sauna.

Now, Frank’s grieving widow, Louise, has installed herself in Kelly’s house and shows no signs of leaving. Ever.

In fact, she seems determined to take over Kelly’s role as mother and wife, inserting herself between Kelly and her twin boys, lavishing attention on Kelly’s husband Wyatt.

Kelly tries to be understanding – Louise has had a huge shock, after all, losing her beloved husband of so many years.

But Louise knows exactly what she’s doing, and as her horrifying agenda slowly becomes clear, Kelly realises she has to fight. For her children, her marriage – and her life.

Always Remember – the stunning psychological thriller from the author of The Other Couple and The Guest.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Family Drama, Crime

351 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 17, 2021

About the author

Cathryn is the author of over forty novels. She writes psychological thrillers, psychological suspense, and the ALEXANDRA MALLORY series which features a sociopath you can’t help but love. Readers say they're “absolutely addicted” to the series.

The things that cause torment in real life—obsession and revenge, guilt and envy and longing—are endlessly fascinating in fiction and she never grows tired of writing stories about characters struggling to overcome the worst.

Cathryn also writes ghost stories because who knows what lies beyond our senses—The Haunted Ship Trilogy and the Madison Keith series of novellas.

When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading, walking on the beach, or playing golf, going way out of her way to avoid hitting her ball in the sand or the water. She lives on the Central California Coast with her husband and her cat, Cleopatra.

You can get in touch with her by email, find her social media links, or sign up for her monthly newsletter at cathryngrant.com/contact. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a free short story about Alexandra Mallory.

Reviews

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mothers love can be protective and comforting. Unfortunately, it can also be smothering and suffocating. Which words describe Louise’s love? She is a doting grandmother, while at the same time being a thorn in her daughter-in-law’s side. Who will come out on top in this battle of wills? Is Kelly, the daughter-in-law, paranoid and delusional? Is Louise lonely and misunderstood, or evil and manipulative? Compelling and twisty with a disturbing and unsettling twist I never saw coming, Always Remember is another thriller by Cathryn Grant that did not disappoint. Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for my copy.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

And a right rum tale this book is
Think ‘mum in law moves in’ but with intentions way way darker than the normal stories on this you might have read previously
It took a good 20% for me to settle into the story after a macabre ( but well written ) start and then it was full on as Louise ( mum in law ) plotted and carried out her plan, but she did it so subtlety and with such finesse, Kelly ( wife ) realises what is going on but her hubby Wyatt is such a wet blanket it takes him forever to ‘catch on’, at one point it’s make or break as to wether he is a man or a mouse, but doesn’t he get a shock when his Mum plays her hand ( we all did )
Psychological thriller lovers know the mum in law stories well by now but I assure you Lousie adds a whole new realm to things and what she tries to do is shocking
I enjoyed the writing and the horrifying realisation of what Louise was up to made even a long in the tooth reader shudder, she is literally very twisted

8/10
4 Stars

[Nγx ❦ {CLOSED ACCOUNT} · Rating 2 out of 5]

I decided to start my Spooky TBR for October with Always Remember, a thriller instead of my usual horror novel, and honestly i feel quite unconvinced by my choice of book. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐢 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠. This was a dark domestic thriller but it had nothing unique to separate itself from what I've read before.
I don't know what it is per se that dimmed my enjoyment of this book, because it had a very cunning, manipulative and addictive story. I felt it all, the anger, the hate, the frustration and the crazy, cause let me tell you 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫. But in the end the potential it had shown was not executed properly, it felt a bit underwhelming, predictable and repetitive at times.

⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐚'𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐲𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧, 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡, 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐦𝐛. God he was ridiculously weak it was a criminal. If only i could have reached inside the book and cut his balls off since he wasn't using them. Kelly carried this entire book on her shoulders with only a useless husband at her side supporting his c#nt of a mother. I swear that man (such an insult to the gender) would have backed his mother to the grave, his. Like the clueless imbecile he is.
The story lacked a je ne sais quoi factor for it to be called “A gripping psychological thriller with a nail-biting climax”. My irritation combined with my jaded enthusiasm are the main cause of my 2 stars rating otherwise this would have been a 4 stars read even with how unrealistic it was at times. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Maybe a twist would have salvaged this story a little, i don't know.

[Jannelies (living between hope and fear) · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the first chapter, where we read how Frank dies in the sauna, I was hooked. Although it was not an easy death, I got the feeling Frank was quite happy at the time of his death. Being where he loved to be, drinking his favourite drink, feeling great again after weeks of recovering – which meant eating healthy food he didn’t particularly liked, and absolutely not allowed to drink alcohol. Ok, we know he was murdered but at least it wasn’t a bad dead – for him.
Enter Louise, Franks’ grieving widow, and his son Wyatt and daughter in law Kelly. Until now, a quite happy couple, with a good job for Wyatt and two lovely children to take care of for Kelly. Suddenly their world has changed because Louise apparently decides to stay with them indefinitely. Something Wyatt doesn’t mind but Kelly is growing more and more unhappy with. She is right; Louise seems to take over their lives, and although she presents herself as the ideal mother in law, Kelly fears for what Louise is doing to her marriage. She is right, of course, and that is what this book is all about.
Tension grows between Wyatt and Kelly when Louise starts smothering them with love and attention, without seemingly no idea what this is doing to the couple. But of course she knows exactly what she’s doing and it is only because Kelly refuses to play along, Louise doesn’t get what she wants. And what she wants is something even Wyatt couldn’t envisage.
Not the most original of plots, but very good characterization makes this book a page turner. The ending was a bit unexpected and I’m not sure I found it very convincing, but I really enjoyed this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for this review copy.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC for an honest review.

Where to start without giving anything away! Ok, I am assuming you have read the synopsis or else you wouldn't be reading reviews. Therefore, I won't do a recap.

Let's start with the characters:
Frank - womanizing cheat, dies in sauna
Louise - manipulative, mother-in-law
Wyatt -father of twins, husband to Kelly
Kelly - stay-at-home mom with twins.

I loved that this novel was told from three different characters' points of view. One being Kelly, Wyatt and Louise. As the story progresses you are in their heads and understand to a certain point why they are doing and thinking what they are doing.

A very intense, growing climax that had me shaking my head and holding my breath.

Cathryn Grant knows how to spin a web and let me tell you, once you are in there, you will not be able to leave till this is over. She is the queen of suspense! She starts off slow and without you realizing it, you are holding your breath till the end.

A very delicious read!

[Kay Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, Inkubator Books, and Author Cathryn Grant for this ARC.

I had a really hard time rating this new Grant book. On one hand it was the classic domestic thriller of mother-in-law shoves her way into her kids' lives and destroys everything from the ground up. It was also a over-used plot. It held elements of Freudian psychology--ya know, the dark, icky stuff. It was frustrating in that the characters didn't communicate with each other or make smart moves in their benefit. This novel was certainly darker than others of the trope I've read, but otherwise, it wasn't unique from them.

I enjoyed this read, it was good.

[Amanda Kristina · Rating 1 out of 5]

The most idiotic book I’ve read in a long time. I wish I’d have started 2022 with a better book. Thankfully it was free because I’d have been mad if I’d have paid for this.

Might be a SPOILER 💫

There is nothing worse than a mommas boy who thinks their mother can do no wrong, a crazy mother, and a woman who puts up with things she shouldn’t.

[Lindsay · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was ludicrous nonsense and mediocre writing all in one. The entire first half nothing happened. The characters were absurd and unrealistic and the way it ended just kept pace with the rest. Nope. Nah. Seriously I should have DNF’ed this but I’m always reluctant to leave a book unfinished. Someday I’ll learn.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not impressed. It was easy to figure out the killer and the ending was ridiculous.

[angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read for me. I'm enjoying reading psychological thrillers recently.👍

This story revolves around a family who just recently lost one member, Frank. We have Wyatt and Kelly with their twins and their newly widowed grandma Louise. Everything seems normal from the outside but inside is filled with conflict mainly between Kelly and Louise.

The fight for dominance inside the house kept Wyatt stressed all the time. He can't choose between his wife and his mother or there would be hell to pay.

I like the fact that Kelly, Wyatt and Louise have their own POV. The three of them are sufficiently fleshed out on my opinion. I was very much into the story and quite interested with the mystery of Frank's death. I thought of all the possibilities but was unsure until the clues started to be revealed.

I like the writing and quite okay with the pacing of the story. I was honestly confused and uncomfortable with the 'plot twist'. I reread the synopsis trying to find out if I missed the clue that it will go in that direction.

The latter part is quite suspenseful with some too convenient things that happened. I'm not that satisfied with how things ended. But still a fast paced read.👍

TW: inc**t

*Thanks to the publisher for making this book available for review via Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest thoughts and opinions of the book.*

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my third book by the author. Grant is very much a midlist thriller writer and seems comfortable there. She’s got her formula and she plies it decently. The main there of this book, like author’s others before it, is people overstaying their welcome or people unwelcome to begin with who just won’t leave.
This time it’s a mother-in-law. Mind you, having a mother-in-law over for a semipermanent stay is an idea as permanently enshrined in the pantheon of terrible ideas as homemade fireworks, drunk dialing and electing reality tv show personalities with zero political experience to the highest offices in the country. I mean, who’d do that, right?
And yet, for Kelly and her family, that is the grim reality. The in-laws came for a temporary stay, father-in-law promptly croaked in the sauna, and mother-in-law, Louise, decided that the best place for her to be was right by her only son’s side, inching ever closer.
So the entire novel is essentially a battle of will between Kelly and Louise with the peacemaking/oblivious son/spouse character trapped in the middle. There isn’t really any mystery here to unravel, it’s more of a character driven thriller, made quite frustrating at times by the sheer idiocy of the players, trapped by their own good manners or some such silly notions. Depending on your own mother-in-law, it can be relatably infuriating. It also gets quite creepily Oedipal at times. But really, it’s a very straightforward story with nothing much to it and not a lot of twists genre fans usually crave.
Overall, nothing special, profoundly forgettable despite the title. Very much on par with the author’s other work, kind of mindless, but very readable and goes by very quickly. Thanks Netgalley.

[Ruchi Raina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. All I can say is that this book left me speechless. It had a captivating storyline, and it had everything that makes it a gripping psychological thriller! Full review at: https://link.medium.com/XBPz5siVjkb

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wyatt’s parents Frank and Louise moved into his and his wife Kelly’s home, where they live with their twin three year old boys Nick and Sam, after Frank had to have some serious heart surgery following a heart attack. Wyatt and Kelly had opened their home to the couple to help them be close to the hospital where he had surgery and all his follow-ups, as well as Kelly following the strict diet plan Frank had been given. They had even converted one of their downstairs offices to a bedroom for him, so he didn’t have to overexert himself trying to climb stairs, before he was ready to. Kelly describes Louise as quite a cold person, who she has found hard to get along with and who isn’t very demonstrative. Yet Louise seems to describe Kelly in almost the same manner. When Kelly goes looking for Frank, to give him breakfast, she finds his dead body slumped on the floor of their outdoor sauna, someplace he should never have been, so close after surgery! Wyatt comforts his mother and tries to keep things as normal as possible for the kids during this time. But it seems Louise has settled herself into the household and her grandchildren’s lives and isn’t making any signs of moving back home!
First she helps prompt Kelly into returning back to work, saying she can help with the boys until they find a nanny. Then she completely redecorates their one remaining office into a music room for Wyatt, reminding him of how good he was and how much he got from his music, something Frank never liked always pushing him into a proper business and work life. When Kelly gets upset and angry at what Louise has done, Wyatt is torn between the two women and initially sides with his mother, thinking Kelly is overreacting. Kelly does seem more relaxed after returning to work and they enjoy more quality time with their kids together. But you know from the beginning of the story, that someone in the household, or a complete stranger, killed Frank and made it look accidental. Louise comes across as trying to help them out, but when it becomes clear that she has sold up and has no intention of leaving her son and her grandsons, Kelly must feel like a spare blanket, hoping to get her husband back. It becomes clear she has a much more sinister plan in mind for Kelly and will do anything to get what she wants, whilst playing her son Wyatt like a champ. When will Wyatt realise what is at stake here and who is really the one who needs help? Louise’s agenda is clear and she is fully aware of what she has done up to this point and the actions she must take next as the story reaches its climax. She loves her son and her grandchildren, but I’ll bet not too many people would like her as their mother-in-law. Wyatt and Kelly face difficult decisions as the full extent of his mother’s actions finally hit home with Wyatt, which his wife has been trying to tell him for months, and they are left to deal with the aftermath of her final actions in a way that is best for them and their children. Another twister of a story, with each character giving you part of the story and you having to work out where the truth lies and who is really behind everything that happens. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Isobel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has left me slightly unsure.

During the first half of this book I was not a fan. Firstly, I found the start to be slightly confusing and slow-paced. This was, perhaps, not helped by the changing perspectives from Kelly, Wyatt and Louise which, although in some books can be very interesting and add a new depth, made it hard for me to pick a side. So, the fact that we could see the actions through both Kelly and Louise's eyes meant that I was unsure who was really in the wrong. When we would read Kelly's view I would agree and believe her that Louise was deliberately trying to sabotage their lives and split up their family. However, when we then switched over to Louise I also believed her. I agreed with her that Kelly was mentally unstable and slowly began to believe that Louise was, in fact, innocent of that which she was accused. Some readers may enjoy this aspect, as it really keeps you guessing and adds to the suspense, yet I found it hard to follow. Furthermore, this changing perspective also made it hard for me to connect with the characters and found that I did not really care for Kelly but instead found her irritating, over-the-top, and obsessive at times. The same could be said for Louise, I did not particularly like her but I also didn't hate her, yet. The only characters I found myself, right from the start, connecting with was Wyatt and the children. This was a shame because, apart from this, the plot, writing style and general content in the first half was actually very enjoyable, I was just put off by not knowing what exactly was going on.

However, having said all that, the book did manage to redeem itself towards the latter half of the novel. The fact that all the puzzle pieces slowly began to fall into place, really around the time that the family hired Jason, made it a lot easier to get invested in this book. Once I had worked out who actually was the villain of the story it was a much better book. I became instantly involved, willing for Kelly to find out all the secrets, annoyed when she didn't. I did like the intensity of the last half with all the plot twists and shock reveals; it felt like the story went from 0-100 rather quickly, wrapping it all up neatly with a huge, dramatic ending. Louise, in this last half, did become a very fleshed-out, well thought-out character who I grew to despise more and more throughout the book. Her actions were that of a mentally unstable, traumatised woman and I found myself shocked but also intrigued by her choices and the events leading from them. If only it had been like that from the start I would have really enjoyed this book! The overall plot, and the way in which it came to an end, was very interesting and a lot different from other murder mysteries. It focused more on the family drama and how the people surrounding us might not be who they think we are which was a very nice twist on the usual murder mystery stereotype.

I think this book would be rather hit and miss. It really depends what you look for in books of this genre and your own personal preference on writing styles. For me, this book is a 2.5 out of 5 stars, just because I am very on the fence about it and cannot say definitely whether I liked or disliked it as there were an equal amounts of pros and cons throughout.

2.5 Out of 5 Stars (3 for the sake of Goodreads)

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this!

[The Book Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always Remember is a perfect book for anyone not about to walk down the aisle (haha). It's a page turner that will keep you wondering what this poor family will do right up until the very end. This was my first book by Cathryn Grant and it will not be my last.

The book starts out with the passing of Kelly's father in law, Frank. She has been caring for him in her home after his recent surgery. She finds him dead in the backyard and no one finds his death suspicious....not even his wife Louise. Louise plays the sweet, grieving wife card very well......so well, that she finds a way to tangle herself up in her sons life. What comes next is a conniving woman who will literally send chills down your spine. This woman will do whatever it takes to stay number one in her son's life and the stunts she pulls will leave your mouth on the floor. All I know is....I am so thankful my mother-in-law was nothing like Louise.

5 stars and a thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

[Sunny Lovestories · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you read thrillers and who-dun-its it ravenous enthusiasm you will have a pretty good guess who within a few chapters. But keep reading, I highly recommend doing so in one sitting. Now the premise is kind of twisted and you are intrigued...well let me tell you this is the nightmare of all in-law stories and WHAT these characters do will be the twist you didn't see coming and I highly doubt things will ever be normal again. Author, Cathryn Grant does a great job at building the characters up for us to feel fully involved.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I just want to say that I’m glad Louse isn’t my mother-in-law! Oh my, Cathryn Grant has done an excellent job of creating such a despicable and manipulating character.

Written from the point of view of the main characters, I was able to immerse myself in the storyline as it was played out through the thoughts of each. The pace of the writing was perfect, with just the right amount of intrigue and suspense building up to a heart stopping climax.

This was an excellent read and one that I highly recommend.

Many thanks to Cathryn Grant, Inkubator and NetGalley for the review copy.

[Janeandjerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always Rem

Cathryn Grant is an awesome author that knows how to catch and hold her readers. I've read several of her books so far and this was one that once she reals you in she's going to keep you there way past the finish line. This was a nail-biting climax and you will keep it with you for a while... Makes you want to think...

[Mary Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Loved this book.

Frank and his wife Louise are temporarily living with their son Wyatt, his wife Kelly and their 2 young boys while Frank recuperates after a recent heart attack. The story starts dramatically with Frank dying while in their sauna. Louise then continues to stay with her son's family after the funeral and it soon transpires that she has sold her house and the car, and has no intention of leaving much to Kelly's dismay.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Kelly, Louise and Wyatt. It seems a bit slow to begin with but gradually the tension rises and it soon becomes clear that one of the narrators is not unreliable and we have a cunning manipulative plan in play here. The plan is actually a bit terrifying and pure evil , leading to one moment which I won't mention here but left me stunned.

The ending is unexpected also but fitting.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an early copy of Always Remember, I’m not sure why it was named that, there were some perverted parts in it that just didn’t make the book nice to read. Weird and it disturbed me a bit. Unfortunately, not one of the best books I’ve read.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story. I picked it up yesterday planning on just reading a little bit before my husband was done with work, but I ended up spending the evening with this story as I could not put it down. This is the first book by this author that I have read and I cannot wait to read more!

When I first read the synopsis I just skimmed it and thought that there was a friend or something who was trying to replace the wife as a new wife and mother. Then I started the book and realized it was the husband's mom...which is a lot more interesting. If anyone has a horrible mother-in-law then this might hit home for you. This story is told from three points of view - Kelly, the wife, Wyatt, the husband/son, and Louise, the mother. When it first starts you see Kelly's POV and she thinks Louise does not like her and she has a strained relationship with Louise. Then you get to Louise's POV and she wants to have a good relationship with Kelly, but Kelly is always so cold towards her. It is very much which one is the more accurate one? People can have different interpretations of different events, but is the mom out to get Kelly? Or is Kelly just taking offense to things that Louise is doing to honestly try and help? Oh, it was good. The cracks start showing eventually and I loved it. I loved watching it all play out. I know plenty of people who have similar strained relationships with their mother-in-law and it was great.

Now I haven't mentioned Wyatt here and...well I HATED him. Every time I got to his POV I was just like f this dude!! He was constantly taking his mom's side over his wife's. Constantly believing his mom over his wife. Constantly thinking that his wife was being irrational and has issues that his mother had told him she had...when she doesn't. When you are in a relationship, when you are married with children, you should have your partners back. They should come first. You should believe them or if they are having issues try and make things better for them. The mom was pretty great with the emotional manipulation, but still, the son should be there for his wife. And he wasn't. He was always there for his mom first and I hated him for that. If that were me and my relationship honestly we probably never would have gotten married, but if it did get to this point there would be serious issues between us.

The way things played out was great. The ending was...okay I want to say a few words about the ending so ***SPOILERS ***ahead!! Do not read if you don't want to be spoiled!!!


***SPOILERS!!!***

The ending was not what I would have wanted in this situation. Wyatt is still not completely on Kelly's side, still not seeing his mother clearly until she takes things way too far. And then confesses to everything that she actually did. Which...It is easy to say oh, sorry I didn't believe you, but now I do after everything is resolved. After the person confesses. I know he was starting to come around because the mom was starting to go too far, but I wanted Kelly to be a bit...to stand up for herself more. I mean her husband thought she was making things up and being irrational and wouldn't talk about things that would be uncomfortable for him to acknowledge. So...she deserves better. I would have actually been okay with Wyatt completely out of the picture at the end, whether that be poisoned or divorced. But this also felt more true-to-life ending as I know plenty of women who will put up with way too much from the men in their lives. As far as the mom? I still don't get why they didn't just call the cops and be done with it. Let her die but why would they think that Wyatt killed her? It makes no sense. Oh well. It wasn't terrible, I still really enjoyed it, I just would have enjoyed a different ending more.

Now on to read more books by this author! Hopefully they will be just as captivating as this one.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listen, fellow book addicts – I need to talk to you about Cathryn Grant's Always Remember because this psychological thriller just put me through an emotional blender, and I'm still processing the aftermath.

Picture this: Frank drops dead in his own sauna (casual Tuesday, right?), and suddenly his widow Louise decides she's moving in with her son Wyatt and daughter-in-law Kelly. Permanently. No expiration date, no exit strategy – just pure, unadulterated family dysfunction served with a side of murder mystery.

Here's where Cathyrn Grant absolutely wrecked me as a reader. Kelly should be our girl – she's the one dealing with an invasive mother-in-law from hell, she's grieving, she's trying to hold her marriage together. But HOLY PLOT TWIST, Batman – Kelly is so insufferably controlling and paranoid that I found myself actually sympathizing with Louise.

Yes, you read that right. The manipulative mother-in-law who's literally trying to destroy Kelly's marriage by fabricating affairs with the manny (because apparently that's a thing now) somehow became the more tolerable character. Cathryn Grant made me question my own moral compass, and honestly? That takes serious skill.

The Kelly-Louise dynamic is pure toxicity wrapped in suburban pleasantries. Louise plays the long game like a chess grandmaster, systematically poisoning Wyatt against Kelly while wearing the mask of the grieving widow. Meanwhile, Kelly's legitimate concerns get dismissed because she presents them like a caffeinated conspiracy theorist at 2 AM.

The brilliance? Cathryn Grant makes Kelly technically right about almost everything, but her delivery is so grating that even we readers want to tell her to chill. It's like watching a car crash in slow motion – you can see the disaster coming, but you're weirdly invested in the outcome.

Always Remember is that rare breed of thriller that succeeds by making you uncomfortable with your own reactions. Cathryn Grant doesn't give us clean heroes and obvious villains – she gives us messy, flawed humans who make terrible decisions for understandable reasons.

Will this book make you question your judgment? Absolutely. Will you finish it feeling frustrated and slightly unhinged? Probably. Will you recommend it to friends just to see if they have the same unhinged reactions? Definitely.

As someone who devours books like they're going out of style, it takes something special to get under my skin this thoroughly. Grant managed to create characters so authentically irritating that I'm still muttering about Kelly's choices days later.

If you enjoy psychological complexity with your thrillers and don't mind questioning everything you thought you knew about protagonist loyalty, dive in. Just maybe clear your schedule for some post-reading therapy sessions.

[ywanderingreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy Pub Day to Cathryn Grant!

I have been into mystery thrillers lately and there are so many to choose from in Netgalley. Went for this one and wow, what a ride! I was just having a feel of it by reading the first chapter and I was hooked!

The story starts off with Kelly who found her father-in-law, Frank dead in her backyard sauna. This is told from three different POV of Kelly the wife, Wyatt the husband and Louise the mother-in-law. After Frank’s death, Louise planted herself in Kelly and Wyatt’s home and shows no signs of leaving. That would have been fine for Kelly until it seems as though Louise is slowly taking over all of Kelly’s role as a supportive wife to Wyatt and a loving mother to her twins. Kelly could feel that Louise is trying to edge her out but who would believe her? Louise is the perfect mother to Wyatt and loving grandmother to her grandkids. What is Louise trying to achieve? Was Frank’s death really an accident?

This is the typical mother-in-law from hell kind of story. This is the kind of plot where the reader already knows who the culprit is but just want to know how the plot plays out. Even then, what was so great about the story is the puzzle pieces that begins to fall into place gradually and the tension that keeps building up between all the characters. I was very repulsed by Louise as the plot thickens and I was just so irked by her actions which made me want to know her ending! And ugh..the emotional manipulation this woman can do, she could have won an Oscar with her skills!

I love that you get to see what each of them are really thinking which is thrilling, except for Wyatt! He frustrated me so much. Like come on, man up already! Thank god he redeemed himself in the last few chapters but still, I would have left his sorry ass if I was Kelly. I was a little disappointed by the ending. I felt it was anticlimactic after all the built up tension and I really question Wyatt and Kelly’s choices but then again, from their point of view, I can understand why they did what they did.

Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the arc!

[Carrie Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅, 𝒂 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕, 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍.

I've read several books by this author, and so far, ALWAYS REMEMBER is my favorite. I have this obsession with a certain theme...losing the comfort and sanctity of one's home. There is something so visceral about home and everything it represents being disturbed. In this case Kelly's domestic bliss was shattered when she found her father-in-law Frank dead in her sauna; little did I know, this was just the beginning of her despair.

Frank and his wife Louise had been living temporarily with their son Wyatt, his wife Kelly, and their young twin boys while Frank is recovering from heart surgery. There was no reason for him to be in the sauna, especially at 190 degrees. Kelly is puzzled by Wyatt's detached aloofness and even further disturbed by Louise's blase attitude. Is no one mourning this man?

After an appropriate grieving period, Kelly begins to question how much longer Louise will be staying. Unbeknownst to anyone, she has sold her marital home and cheerfully tells the couple that she has nowhere else to go. Soon this hideous woman ingratiates herself into every aspect of their lives with differing results. Wyatt is encouraged to quit his job and pursue his teenage dream of music, so he's elated for his mother's support. Kelly, however, sees right through Louise and her disturbing actions, such as hiring a nanny for the boys, napping in the bed shared by her son and daughter-in-law, and one action so shocking and vile that you'll have to read for yourself to find out what it is.

Thank you so much to the publisher for gifting me an e-ARC of this book. Look for it on October 17th!

[Stanley McShane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read my full review on Rosepoint Publishing.

Kelly and her hubby invited his parents to stay with them while Frank was recuperating from multiple bi-pass surgery. They have twin boys and it was thought Louise, her mother-in-law might be of some help with the three-year olds. Kelly took on the post-surgical care of her father-in-law but discovered him deceased in the backyard sauna, sauna being a no-no, but that wasn’t all.

The grieving widow makes herself to home, caring for the children, cooking meals, light cleaning, even prompting Kelly to return to work which she was happy to do. But Louise begins to make decisions around the household not wholly welcome.

POVs shift from Kelly to Louise to Wyatt. Kelly becomes increasingly aware something is terribly wrong, Wyatt refuses to acknowledge there could be a problem with his mother, and Louise is playing the self-serving widow.

As the suspense escalates, answers become shocking. The conclusion is dreadful, but the resolution of the situation worse, and I had a real problem believing this is how it might play out. The secret this couple would share, untenable. Really? This is how it ends?

The narrative begins rather slowly, setting the scene, building with the characters. All three left me a bit cold and I hated what happened to Jason. Okay until then but I was not a fan of the ending of this novel. 3.5 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley and these are my honest thoughts.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always Remember begins with a death in the family. Louise's philandering husband is dead. Wyatt has lost the father who tormented him. Kelly found her lecherous father-in-law's body in a sauna. The story is told from all three of their perspectives, giving fascinating and infuriating insight into their individual miscommunications, manipulations and misunderstandings. Each of them brings the drama in their own way. Tension builds throughout until you're not sure who's crazier or more aggravating.

Wyatt is embarking on a new career, trying to fulfil his dream of becoming a musician, after a shove in that direction from his doting mom. Louise also gives Kelly the push she needs to go back to work after being at home with her and Wyatt's twin boys for a few years. There's a lot of change and, through it all, Louise manages to embed herself in the young family's lives and home ‒ with no intention of leaving.

Can a relationship survive a never-ending third wheel? Not if it's Louise, that's for sure. She is the queen of gaslighting, and then some. For me, Always Remember was a gripping thriller with just the right amount of drama and intrigue. I honestly didn't know what was going to happen until the end. I genuinely felt for Kelly, I wanted Wyatt to have some backbone and I would never, ever want to live with Louise. It's an interesting story in that I think different people might relate to the characters completely differently. However you view it, it's a well-spun tale. I look forward to reading more books by Cathryn Grant.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly and Wyatt have 3 year old twin boys, Sam and Nick, and a happy family life. That is, until Wyatt's parents move in so that Frank can recover from surgery.

Wyatt's father, Frank is a womanizer and shows little respect for his wife Louise, and Wyatt has always had a difficult time with his father as well. He's a know-it-all and things have to be his way. Even after surgery, Frank pretends to follow doctor's advice and Kelly does her best to care for the elder man. Frank is found dead in the sauna, and had been drinking, despite Kelly's best care. Frank should never been in the sauna to begin with, and someone had turned up the temp to a dangerous level, which contributed to his death..that and someone holding the door closed.

Louise could be defined as the mother-in-law from hell. She's a strange woman and a huge manipulator. Kelly is undermined with her husband and her sons, by Louise, who only "wants to help." She takes over the household in her effort to "help" and often steps on Kelly's toes.

Each page of this novel was cringe worthy because of what was going on. I found myself thinking "OMG" "You have got to be kidding me!!" over and over. It's one thing after another with the family, everything that happens is geared for total destruction and control. And there is always murder if need be. This one had me riveted and in the last pages, I was relieved but not sure if the ending was the best way.

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Kelly finds her father-in-law’s dead body in her sauna, she and her family try to come to terms with the changes in their lives. Notably, the presence of her mother-in-law, Louise, who has been staying with them since he passed and has ingratiated herself into every aspect of their lives. That’s pretty much the entire plot – the mother-in-law who never leaves, the husband who enables her, and the frustrated wife and mother whom no one respects.

I thought there may be more to the story, some shocking twist that would keep it from being a predictable thriller, but there just wasn’t. The story is told in multiple points of view, so it’s not just Kelly’s narrative, but Louise’s, as well. And we don’t learn anything new through her, she’s just as calculating and underhanded as we suspect. Yet no one ever tells it to her straight, especially Kelly’s husband, Wyatt, who can do no wrong by his mother. Every time Kelly brings up how frustrated she is, he just defends his mother and acts as if she can’t move on from her husband’s death on her own, in her own space.

If the author had added a new spin on this story, I would recommend it, but as is, it’s just not fresh enough.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Augenette Botha · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Always Remember" by Cathryn Grant will stay with you long after you have finished the book!

After her husband Frank dies in what seems a tragic accident, Louise Brooks entrenches herself into her son Wyatt, his wife Kelly and their twin boys Nick and Sam's lives. She pretends to be the perfect mother, grandmother and mother in law.

But soon things start to unravel, and it becomes clear that Louise has no intention of ever moving out of their house. Her already fragile relationship with daughter in law Kelly becomes even more damaged as Louise will stop at nothing to drive Kelly away from her family.

Wyatt and her sons Nick and Sam are the only family that Kelly has - and she intends to keep her family together at all costs! Kelly doubts everything that Louise says and does, and an epic battle between mother in law and daughter in law ensues, prompting Kelly to dig for the truth about her father in law's death - no matter how ugly that truth may be!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This starts out with Wyatt's dad Frank dying in Wyatt and Kelly's backyard sauna. Frank and Louise, Wyatt's Mom, having been staying with Wyatt and Kelly since Frank is recuperating from open heart surgery. Kelly finds Frank dead in the sauna. It is pretty traumatic for everyone.

Louis seems to be the typical over-bearing, meddling mother. Her and Kelly have never gotten along. Wyatt and Kelly have 2 young sons Sam and Nick. You can see Louise manipulating every situation. Inserting herself more and more into the family's life. Taking over the care of the boys, running the house. I didn't really see what was really happening at first. I think because Kelly herself is very over the top, jumping to an extreme conclusion right away. So it was hard for me to believe her actuations. Wyatt went through life with blinders on. Didn't stand up to his wife or his mother.

Some of the things Louise did were very unbelievable. Especially the whole thing with Jason. And, I didn't love the end. It was ok, but pretty predictable.