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A Small Affair
“A seesaw of rising tension that ultimately delivers a raw, crashing conclusion… An intensely emotional psychological roller coaster.” —Library Journal on Nanny Dearest
A young woman's life is torn apart when her wealthy ex-lover is found dead—along with his wife.
Vera is ruthlessly ambitious, beautiful, and knows how to get exactly what she wants—no matter who stands in the way. When she meets a wealthy older man on an exclusive dating app, she thinks nothing of the wife he tells her he’s separated from. But days later, when the man and his wife are found dead in their home, Vera is immediately blamed for their deaths and branded as good as a murderer.
A year later, she emerges from a cocoon of self-pity and tries to reenter the world, but the specter of scandal still clings to her. Then she’s invited to a memorial for the wife of her former lover. As she learns more about the family, and about the couple and their friends, she begins to suspect there was more to the story than an affair gone wrong. In a quest for redemption, Vera uncovers layers of lies and close-kept secrets held by an inner circle of filthy rich tech millionaires who will go to any lengths to protect their reputations.
A young woman's life is torn apart when her wealthy ex-lover is found dead—along with his wife.
Vera is ruthlessly ambitious, beautiful, and knows how to get exactly what she wants—no matter who stands in the way. When she meets a wealthy older man on an exclusive dating app, she thinks nothing of the wife he tells her he’s separated from. But days later, when the man and his wife are found dead in their home, Vera is immediately blamed for their deaths and branded as good as a murderer.
A year later, she emerges from a cocoon of self-pity and tries to reenter the world, but the specter of scandal still clings to her. Then she’s invited to a memorial for the wife of her former lover. As she learns more about the family, and about the couple and their friends, she begins to suspect there was more to the story than an affair gone wrong. In a quest for redemption, Vera uncovers layers of lies and close-kept secrets held by an inner circle of filthy rich tech millionaires who will go to any lengths to protect their reputations.
336 pages, Paperback
First published December 27, 2022
201 people are currently reading
15611 people want to read
About the author
Flora Collins
4 books197 followersFlora Collins was born and raised in New York City. She currently lives in Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
August 12, 2022
Heart throbbing web of lies built around tech millionaires with lots of twists, internet stalking, obsession! This is absolutely thrilling ride!
I could love this book more if I didn’t detest the characters and barely pass through the first third. It was a little slow burn but thankfully the pacing picked up at the rest of the story.
Let’s talk about main 3 characters I can find more than 10 things to hate about:
Vera: 28 years old, passionate, ambitious, narcissistic, cutthroat bitch who always gets what she wants, climbing the corporate ladders of fashion industry a little faster than her peers with her power thirsty moves.
The story starts as she finds a rich, attractive tech mogul named called Tom, our second not so likable character, in his 40s via a dating application and then we move back to the present to see she just moved to her middle age hippie- holistic (not so likable secondary character) mother’s house who is as selfish and know it all as like her.
Something terrible happened to tarnish her reputation, forcing her laying low, cutting her connections with outer works. This traumatic thing is related with Tom she’s dated.
When we move back and forth we realize Tom: who seemed like a perfect candidate was a liar from the beginning. He told her he divorced and they shared the custody of their daughter with his ex. But we just understand that he was still married. He and his wife Odilie are dead. People just blamed on Vera for her recent relationship with Tom. She’s the scape goat of this tragedy.
When I learn more about Vera and the mean things she’s done to her inner circle, her merciless attitudes made me hate her more. But I kept reading the short and intriguing chapters because I was still curious to learn more about Odilie and the cryptic way of her dying.
Thankfully at second part of the book, there are Odilie’s POV telling us the great change of her. A random, ordinary girl finds enough funds to turn herself an ItGirl, marrying with Tom and getting estranged from her parents and her overachiever sister Page.
Page invites Vera to memorial of her sister, befriending her to learn more about Tom and Odilie’s secret lives and Vera accepts to help her because she knows she must owe more to Odilie even though she’s not directly related to her death.
I loved how the mystery unfolded at the end and bigger twist about how these three people found their lives tangled with each other.
If I didn’t hate the guts of three characters I would give more than three solid stars. But this time I couldn’t give higher rating but I still enjoyed the author’s creative mind and how she wrapped up the entire mystery. I’m looking forward to read another works of her.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/ MIRA for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
I could love this book more if I didn’t detest the characters and barely pass through the first third. It was a little slow burn but thankfully the pacing picked up at the rest of the story.
Let’s talk about main 3 characters I can find more than 10 things to hate about:
Vera: 28 years old, passionate, ambitious, narcissistic, cutthroat bitch who always gets what she wants, climbing the corporate ladders of fashion industry a little faster than her peers with her power thirsty moves.
The story starts as she finds a rich, attractive tech mogul named called Tom, our second not so likable character, in his 40s via a dating application and then we move back to the present to see she just moved to her middle age hippie- holistic (not so likable secondary character) mother’s house who is as selfish and know it all as like her.
Something terrible happened to tarnish her reputation, forcing her laying low, cutting her connections with outer works. This traumatic thing is related with Tom she’s dated.
When we move back and forth we realize Tom: who seemed like a perfect candidate was a liar from the beginning. He told her he divorced and they shared the custody of their daughter with his ex. But we just understand that he was still married. He and his wife Odilie are dead. People just blamed on Vera for her recent relationship with Tom. She’s the scape goat of this tragedy.
When I learn more about Vera and the mean things she’s done to her inner circle, her merciless attitudes made me hate her more. But I kept reading the short and intriguing chapters because I was still curious to learn more about Odilie and the cryptic way of her dying.
Thankfully at second part of the book, there are Odilie’s POV telling us the great change of her. A random, ordinary girl finds enough funds to turn herself an ItGirl, marrying with Tom and getting estranged from her parents and her overachiever sister Page.
Page invites Vera to memorial of her sister, befriending her to learn more about Tom and Odilie’s secret lives and Vera accepts to help her because she knows she must owe more to Odilie even though she’s not directly related to her death.
I loved how the mystery unfolded at the end and bigger twist about how these three people found their lives tangled with each other.
If I didn’t hate the guts of three characters I would give more than three solid stars. But this time I couldn’t give higher rating but I still enjoyed the author’s creative mind and how she wrapped up the entire mystery. I’m looking forward to read another works of her.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/ MIRA for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
December 27, 2022
A Small Affair has colossal consequences for one high-powered woman in fashion.
Vera is not afraid to go after what she wants, not particular about who she might have to walk over to get there. Vera loves her job, which she’s had a large part in raising from the ground up. When Vera starts seeing Tom, a wealthy tech founder, ten years her senior and soon to be divorced, she’s not sure what she thinks of him, but in the right light finds him attractive.
Vera’s life falls apart when she learns Tom and his wife are found dead. The media catches wind of Vera’s affair with the married man and blames her for their deaths. In short order, Vera loses everything and moves in with her mother.
A year later, Vera is ready to return to her old life but knows that people have not yet forgotten the scandal. However, Vera starts to uncover information about the married man that might restore her life and career.
This is a well-written, slow-burn, character-driven thriller. It never felt boring. I correctly guessed one of the twists, but it was satisfying watching everything come together.
Vera is a complex character, not always likeable but wholly believable. This novel clearly shows how quick people are to condemn strong-willed women, to put them in their “place” at the earliest opportunity. It also touches on how social media can harm one’s mental health.
The ending before the epilogue really had me shaking my head at one of the characters.
This is honestly one of the better thrillers I’ve read in a while. If you like slower, intricately plotted thrillers, you’ll surely enjoy this.
Thank you to MIRA for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
Vera is not afraid to go after what she wants, not particular about who she might have to walk over to get there. Vera loves her job, which she’s had a large part in raising from the ground up. When Vera starts seeing Tom, a wealthy tech founder, ten years her senior and soon to be divorced, she’s not sure what she thinks of him, but in the right light finds him attractive.
Vera’s life falls apart when she learns Tom and his wife are found dead. The media catches wind of Vera’s affair with the married man and blames her for their deaths. In short order, Vera loses everything and moves in with her mother.
A year later, Vera is ready to return to her old life but knows that people have not yet forgotten the scandal. However, Vera starts to uncover information about the married man that might restore her life and career.
This is a well-written, slow-burn, character-driven thriller. It never felt boring. I correctly guessed one of the twists, but it was satisfying watching everything come together.
Vera is a complex character, not always likeable but wholly believable. This novel clearly shows how quick people are to condemn strong-willed women, to put them in their “place” at the earliest opportunity. It also touches on how social media can harm one’s mental health.
The ending before the epilogue really had me shaking my head at one of the characters.
This is honestly one of the better thrillers I’ve read in a while. If you like slower, intricately plotted thrillers, you’ll surely enjoy this.
Thank you to MIRA for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
November 6, 2022
I’m usually not a huge fan of a slow burn mystery but there was something incredibly intoxicating about this one that held my attention. I think a big part of the reason was that I was captivated by the authors writing style, she managed to write a story full of unlikable characters and somehow I was still invested in them? The way the story slowly unraveled revealing so many layers of deception, obsession and betrayal was hypnotic and really had a hold on me. This one went dark too, super dark in unexpected ways. Definitely many moments were I felt uncomfortable and unsettled but I’m telling you, this one got under my skin! If you like slow burn stories full of women’s rage this was good.
December 30, 2022
Do you like drama? This book has plenty of it. I could not put it down. It was a quick, fast paced thrill ride with short chapters and many “omg” moments. A great book to end the year!
Vera is a confident, go-getter who doesn’t let anyone or anything stand in her way. She has a high status position in fashion and everything she’s ever wanted except someone to share it all with. She meets Tom a rich tech king who is ten years older on a dating app. He tells her he’s divorced and has a daughter but this doesn’t deter Vera. Things start off well but an overheard conversation ends the union as quickly it began.
When Tom and his wife are found dead in an apparent murder/suicide, Vera’s life begins to crumble. She finds out Tom wasn’t divorced and when the media finds out about the affair she is portrayed as the catalyst to their deaths. A year later after getting what’s left of her life together she remerges trying to regain her status. She starts digging into the life of Tom and her wife and realizes that the truth is so much worse.
The Small Affair is available now.
Vera is a confident, go-getter who doesn’t let anyone or anything stand in her way. She has a high status position in fashion and everything she’s ever wanted except someone to share it all with. She meets Tom a rich tech king who is ten years older on a dating app. He tells her he’s divorced and has a daughter but this doesn’t deter Vera. Things start off well but an overheard conversation ends the union as quickly it began.
When Tom and his wife are found dead in an apparent murder/suicide, Vera’s life begins to crumble. She finds out Tom wasn’t divorced and when the media finds out about the affair she is portrayed as the catalyst to their deaths. A year later after getting what’s left of her life together she remerges trying to regain her status. She starts digging into the life of Tom and her wife and realizes that the truth is so much worse.
The Small Affair is available now.
May 30, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
A Small Affair.
A better title for this would have been Gumption.
This is a tale with a painfully familiar premise, and nothing original about it.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
The pages are filled with beautiful shallow people, someone trying to be who they're not, despicable men, name dropping designer labels, drinking, boozing, partying.
When Vera's life and reputation is taken down after the death of her ex-lover and his wife, she hunkers down at her mother's, wallowing in her shame and ruination.
But, a year later, after attending the memorial of her former lover's ex-wife, Vera meets the deceased woman's sister, Page, and is swept up in the partying and social scene once again.
As a result, Vera discovers there is more to the story behind the shocking deaths of her ex-lover and his wife, and she aims to find out what secrets are hiding behind closed doors.
At all costs.
Vera is a typical main character in these books; naturally, she's beautiful (she mentions it often enough), ambitious, which is great, but has no female friends (because of her beauty and jealous that almost every man want to jump her bones).
Okay, we get it. You're hot and you know it.
It was easy to dislike Vera; Odilie, too; a shallow, desperate plain Jane with no brains, charm, or beauty.
The chapters into the past discussing Odilie's transformation from townie into Tom's wife was tediously boring and predictable; hooking up with Peri, a stunning and charismatic woman/mentor she idolizes and wants to be just like.
There's a ton of description on the partying, boozing, drugging, lots of filler about her transformation, partying, before she finally meets Tom, nearly at the end of the book.
We get a brief snippet from Tom's perspective, which I thought was pointless.
Who cares about his POV and what he did to engineer to meet Vera?
The ending is, at least, realistic.
We sometimes make deals with the devil to better our own station in life.
The writing was okay, but the premise, characters, and lack of suspense and urgency made this an unmemorable read for me.
A better title for this would have been Gumption.
This is a tale with a painfully familiar premise, and nothing original about it.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
The pages are filled with beautiful shallow people, someone trying to be who they're not, despicable men, name dropping designer labels, drinking, boozing, partying.
When Vera's life and reputation is taken down after the death of her ex-lover and his wife, she hunkers down at her mother's, wallowing in her shame and ruination.
But, a year later, after attending the memorial of her former lover's ex-wife, Vera meets the deceased woman's sister, Page, and is swept up in the partying and social scene once again.
As a result, Vera discovers there is more to the story behind the shocking deaths of her ex-lover and his wife, and she aims to find out what secrets are hiding behind closed doors.
At all costs.
Vera is a typical main character in these books; naturally, she's beautiful (she mentions it often enough), ambitious, which is great, but has no female friends (because of her beauty and jealous that almost every man want to jump her bones).
Okay, we get it. You're hot and you know it.
It was easy to dislike Vera; Odilie, too; a shallow, desperate plain Jane with no brains, charm, or beauty.
The chapters into the past discussing Odilie's transformation from townie into Tom's wife was tediously boring and predictable; hooking up with Peri, a stunning and charismatic woman/mentor she idolizes and wants to be just like.
There's a ton of description on the partying, boozing, drugging, lots of filler about her transformation, partying, before she finally meets Tom, nearly at the end of the book.
We get a brief snippet from Tom's perspective, which I thought was pointless.
Who cares about his POV and what he did to engineer to meet Vera?
The ending is, at least, realistic.
We sometimes make deals with the devil to better our own station in life.
The writing was okay, but the premise, characters, and lack of suspense and urgency made this an unmemorable read for me.
April 8, 2023
Somehow, I totally missed the fact that Flora Collins was the same author who wrote Nanny Dearest (which I loved btw), so now I'm even more excited that I read A Small Affair! This was another solid story for me, and I loved how it ended up shocking me. There are a decent amount of character viewpoints and at times I did get a little confused about who was who, but I was mostly able to keep up and they definitely kept things interesting. None of them were likable for me, but I still enjoyed reading from their perspectives, and I *usually* don’t need to like the characters to still like a book. The story was a slow burn for me and while I wouldn’t say a lot is happening throughout, at the same time it was plenty to keep things going and keep me fully interested. I seem to be in the minority with my thoughts on pacing, but whatever the case just know this is a really quick read!
A Small Affair was really good on audio and fully narrated by the talented Teri Schnaubelt. I thought she did a great job, but since there are as many viewpoints as there are it really would have benefited from a full cast. While I can’t say I DON’T recommend the audiobook, I do think it might be best to read as opposed to listening just to make it easier to keep the characters all straight. That probably would have helped a bit with my confusion, but hey, there’s always note-taking too! There is a ton of drama that happens in this story, and I loved the way the book was broken into parts. This is basically a trainwreck in terms of the depths of deception and rage that occurs, but I just could not look away. I love storylines packed with secrets and lies, and this is definitely one of them. Be prepared to be shook by the twist at the end and make sure you are ok with reading about detestable characters, and you should be just fine.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A Small Affair was really good on audio and fully narrated by the talented Teri Schnaubelt. I thought she did a great job, but since there are as many viewpoints as there are it really would have benefited from a full cast. While I can’t say I DON’T recommend the audiobook, I do think it might be best to read as opposed to listening just to make it easier to keep the characters all straight. That probably would have helped a bit with my confusion, but hey, there’s always note-taking too! There is a ton of drama that happens in this story, and I loved the way the book was broken into parts. This is basically a trainwreck in terms of the depths of deception and rage that occurs, but I just could not look away. I love storylines packed with secrets and lies, and this is definitely one of them. Be prepared to be shook by the twist at the end and make sure you are ok with reading about detestable characters, and you should be just fine.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 4, 2023
Wow, that was a lot!
This has mixed reviews but I was ultimately drawn in by the beautiful cover. If you need likable characters, this isn't your jam. I don't care about that, I just need to be able to understand WHY they're doing what they're doing and I could see the logic and motives of these awful but interesting, soapy characters.
It's definitely a slow burn but I stayed interested in it and it was easy to follow. I really liked it! Now I want to read the author's other book.
But if someone says "gumption" one more time I might scream. That's one of those words like "moist" that are just unpleasant so it was strange that it was pushed so hard in a book full of glam people. Not a dealbreaker, I just rolled my eyes a time or two!
This has mixed reviews but I was ultimately drawn in by the beautiful cover. If you need likable characters, this isn't your jam. I don't care about that, I just need to be able to understand WHY they're doing what they're doing and I could see the logic and motives of these awful but interesting, soapy characters.
It's definitely a slow burn but I stayed interested in it and it was easy to follow. I really liked it! Now I want to read the author's other book.
But if someone says "gumption" one more time I might scream. That's one of those words like "moist" that are just unpleasant so it was strange that it was pushed so hard in a book full of glam people. Not a dealbreaker, I just rolled my eyes a time or two!
July 21, 2022
Holy Fluffer Doodle! 😳😯🤯😳
Whoa double whoa! Duuuudddeee! This was one crazy, incredible, dark & devious novel! You will love and dislike each character simultaneously. Their lives & history will yank you in and keep you hostage not relenting. I sped through this dying to know more about Vera but also Odilie. Collins did amazing at feeding you enough to keep you appetized, but still leaving you wanting more. Needing more!
Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: Vera is at the prime of her life - confident, financially stable, at the top of a fashion up-and-coming company and totally self-sufficient. Some would label her cold, calculated, ruthless and stunning. Although not one for relationships, she ends up meeting Tom, a father and recently divorced. After a few dates, she finds out both Tom and his wife are dead in their home. The scape goat? Vera of course. A year later, living with her Mother, trying to stay hidden, she recieves an invite to the family of the wife deceased. She befriends the sister, Page and when she does, she'll realize just how deep some layers really are with Tom and his wife. Because after all, reputation is money.
I don't know why, but lately when it comes to suspenseful thrillers involving the elite, wealthy or famous, it's like a guilty pleasure for me. This one totally satiated it. It's suspenseful, drama filled, no holds barred with a delish unraveling of crazy secrets, intense lies and succulent truths. You won't be able to put this down for anything! I suggest keeping your favourite sweet treat on hand during revelations as you read!
Thank you to NetGallley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.
Release Date: December 27, 2022
𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 4 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊
Whoa double whoa! Duuuudddeee! This was one crazy, incredible, dark & devious novel! You will love and dislike each character simultaneously. Their lives & history will yank you in and keep you hostage not relenting. I sped through this dying to know more about Vera but also Odilie. Collins did amazing at feeding you enough to keep you appetized, but still leaving you wanting more. Needing more!
Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: Vera is at the prime of her life - confident, financially stable, at the top of a fashion up-and-coming company and totally self-sufficient. Some would label her cold, calculated, ruthless and stunning. Although not one for relationships, she ends up meeting Tom, a father and recently divorced. After a few dates, she finds out both Tom and his wife are dead in their home. The scape goat? Vera of course. A year later, living with her Mother, trying to stay hidden, she recieves an invite to the family of the wife deceased. She befriends the sister, Page and when she does, she'll realize just how deep some layers really are with Tom and his wife. Because after all, reputation is money.
I don't know why, but lately when it comes to suspenseful thrillers involving the elite, wealthy or famous, it's like a guilty pleasure for me. This one totally satiated it. It's suspenseful, drama filled, no holds barred with a delish unraveling of crazy secrets, intense lies and succulent truths. You won't be able to put this down for anything! I suggest keeping your favourite sweet treat on hand during revelations as you read!
Thank you to NetGallley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.
Release Date: December 27, 2022
𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 4 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊
August 15, 2023
I'm not sure why this one grabbed and had me listening to it all in one session but it did. This author's writing just had a terrific pace which is key for me when it comes to these thrillers, I also love stories of revenge and those can get cheesy. Over all the plot was pretty average if you're an avid thriller fan, it's not an unusual premise.The ending was a little underwhelming, but for the pacing and the overall great writing I'm giving it 4 stars. The narration was excellent.
January 14, 2023
How in the world is this book so boring and muddled? You follow 3 different perspectives across a multitude of timelines, and nothing makes sense. Why do any of the characters act the way they do? You’re introduced to so many characters, and none of them have strong drives or motives. I wanted to DNF this book halfway through, but also I was drawn in by the intrigue about the dirty secrets of the tech world, and we hadn’t gotten there yet. If I was seeking a book about the tech world, there are much better ones (Tech Wife is one off the top of my head.) This book is way too slow. We don’t get into Tom the older tech guy’s backstory until 1/3 the way through, and that’s way too long to make me wait. Vera is interesting because of her gumption (haha book inside joke), but I lost interest in her once she kept blaming everyone else for her life. She took advantage of a lot of people, but I never found out why. Where is her backstory? An unsatisfying book.
January 31, 2023
I really enjoyed this dark and twisted story. Full review to follow but this was in my sweet spot for dark and messed up people doing dark and messed up things!
November 16, 2022
This was seriously one of the best thrillers I have read this year! Filled with unlikeable characters you will not be able to look away as the story unfolds. Told in three parts, each one got better until the shocking, jaw dropping ending. I could not believe what I was reading! My head was spinning, and I was in utter disbelief. This story is dark filled with lies, obsession, and mind games galore and I loved everything about it. This book is an example of a perfect psychological thriller!
I cannot wait to read more from this talented author!
I cannot wait to read more from this talented author!
October 11, 2022
Vera meets Tom, a wealthy tech mogul, on a dating app. They go out a few times and then things just blow up. Tom and his wife, Odilie, are found dead in their home. Vera is then put into the spotlight and not in a good way. She loses her job and receives threats made against her and her family. After a year passes, she tries to get back her life back in order and decides to attend a memorial for Odilie. Why would she do this? You have to read to find out.
This was a pretty wild story. It is set up in three parts. The first is about the affair with Tom. The second is about Odilie and her friends and family. The third part is the conclusion. This was the second book I've read by Flora Collins, if you like something dark and twisty, pick up A SMALL AFFAIR.
Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC.
This review will be posted on my Instagram(@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
This was a pretty wild story. It is set up in three parts. The first is about the affair with Tom. The second is about Odilie and her friends and family. The third part is the conclusion. This was the second book I've read by Flora Collins, if you like something dark and twisty, pick up A SMALL AFFAIR.
Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC.
This review will be posted on my Instagram(@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
January 3, 2023
The Small Affair... my goodness what a wild ride.
I usually am not a big fan of slow burn mysteries but have been taken by Flora Collins writing in her previous novel and once again she got me hooked.
Collins does a great job of revealing each layer of obsession, deception, and betrayal. I was really captivated by this duo of a train wreck. I loved how Collins went dark and it's unexpectedly dark.... what definitely works here.
If you love slow burn mysteries with powerful women's rage.. this one is definitely for you!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you to Harlequin and Mira Books for a copy of this one!
Pub date: 12/27/22
Published to GR: 12/29/22
I usually am not a big fan of slow burn mysteries but have been taken by Flora Collins writing in her previous novel and once again she got me hooked.
Collins does a great job of revealing each layer of obsession, deception, and betrayal. I was really captivated by this duo of a train wreck. I loved how Collins went dark and it's unexpectedly dark.... what definitely works here.
If you love slow burn mysteries with powerful women's rage.. this one is definitely for you!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you to Harlequin and Mira Books for a copy of this one!
Pub date: 12/27/22
Published to GR: 12/29/22
January 7, 2023
This was a fast and juicy read that was quite the wild ride! Full of secrets, deception and obsession, this may have been a slow burn but it was incredibly intriguing and engrossing!
I really enjoyed how creative and well plotted this one was. It was divided into three parts - The Affair, Odilie (Tom’s wife) and then the conclusion.
The characters might have been toxic but they made for one intoxicating story! I had some guesses for the ending but loved the twists and how everything played out!
I really enjoyed how creative and well plotted this one was. It was divided into three parts - The Affair, Odilie (Tom’s wife) and then the conclusion.
The characters might have been toxic but they made for one intoxicating story! I had some guesses for the ending but loved the twists and how everything played out!
September 30, 2023
2.5 stars
Another unremarkable thriller with obnoxious characters.
Another unremarkable thriller with obnoxious characters.
May 1, 2023
Overall: ☆☆☆(2.8)
Writing style: ☆☆☆
Entertainment ☆☆☆
Characters ☆☆☆
Plot: ☆☆☆
Ending:☆☆
Writing style: ☆☆☆
Entertainment ☆☆☆
Characters ☆☆☆
Plot: ☆☆☆
Ending:☆☆
October 31, 2022
A Small Affair by Flora Collins. Thanks to @mirabooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vera meets Tom online and doesn’t think much of their affair, given he told her he’s separated. When a tragedy occurs, Vera is in the middle and her life is turned upside down.
If there’s anything to say about this one, it’s that it’s a page turner. It’s entertaining and the dual time lines are done well. The beginning has a lot of suspense because you don’t know the incident that is referenced. When you learn that, the why of the matter begins to slowly unravel. If you like books with pretty unlikeable characters, you’ll enjoy this one.
“I wanted what I wanted in those moments and I devoured it, without a second thought.”
A Small Affair comes out 12/27.
Vera meets Tom online and doesn’t think much of their affair, given he told her he’s separated. When a tragedy occurs, Vera is in the middle and her life is turned upside down.
If there’s anything to say about this one, it’s that it’s a page turner. It’s entertaining and the dual time lines are done well. The beginning has a lot of suspense because you don’t know the incident that is referenced. When you learn that, the why of the matter begins to slowly unravel. If you like books with pretty unlikeable characters, you’ll enjoy this one.
“I wanted what I wanted in those moments and I devoured it, without a second thought.”
A Small Affair comes out 12/27.
December 22, 2024
Good plot and structure, however all of the characters are shallow and disgusting. They do not evolve. They devolve.
December 14, 2022
By the author of Nanny Dearest comes one of the best thriller/mysteries of its kind. About some rich and famous people who do bad things. Who use their money and power against women in sexual ways. Of course they are smart enough to make these women sign NDAs. It does not go into any detail about what happened but it's just there so you know it did.
This story is about a woman who's life is virtually turned upside down because of meeting a man and having three dates with him. Her life is ruined to the point of losing all her friends and her job. Being at the center of a murder suicide was not her choice by any means. But that is exactly what happened to Vera MacDonald after meeting Tom on a dating app. She went on exactly three dates with him but he certainly changed her world. Her life. Her everything. Not for the better either. He was a very rich man who owned his own company. How they met on this app comes into play near the end of this book and took me by surprise.
Vera is a very confident young woman who loves her job. She loves her roommate, Quinn, also. Not in a romantic way. Quinn is gay. He will do anything for Vera. They are that close. Almost no secrets. I liked Quinn. He was maybe the most open and honest character in this twisted story. I liked Vera but for someone who exuded so much confidence she came across as weak where her mother, who I detested, and Tom were concerned. Also she could be a bit mean. Though I really didn't blame her for some things she said or did.
Tom I liked to hate. He was really a jerk in so many ways. The way he used people and treated his wife was awful. Not that it went into a lot of detail about his marriage. Just enough to make me despise him. He was a liar certainly. He didn't seem to have feelings for most women before meeting Vera. Before he even met his wife, Odilie, he was seeing Peri. Peri brought Tom out of his shell completely. She gave him things to help him build up his business. Build up his self-esteem. But at what cost. He was just not a likable character.
Odilie who is married to Tom is not a strong woman by any means. She was best friends with Peri but stabbed her in the back so to speak. She did a few things that she was not suppose to do. But she was the wife in this story and Tom did her wrong. With the wrong person too.... I absolutely loved how this story wrapped up. I did not see it coming at all and I usually figure these things out. Who would have thought it.... Had me scratching my head for sure and this was not exactly a whodunnit. I mean you know who the guilty party is from the start. But still there are some things that you won't know until the end and to me it was mind blowing. No clue at all that this was coming. But trying to imagine it gave me chills.
This book is told in three parts. By three characters. Vera, Odilie, and Tom.. Vera is in the now. Odilie is ten years previous and Tom is one and a half years ago. The epilogue sums things up fairly well also. Lets you know how things went for Vera, Quinn and for Peri. I like when a book gives me closure. This one did that. I enjoyed this book immensely and will look for more by this author.
Thank you #NetGalley, #FloraCollins and #HarlequinTradedPublishingMIRA for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.
5 big stars. Almost 4 but that ending definitely bumped it up another star. Read this one.
This story is about a woman who's life is virtually turned upside down because of meeting a man and having three dates with him. Her life is ruined to the point of losing all her friends and her job. Being at the center of a murder suicide was not her choice by any means. But that is exactly what happened to Vera MacDonald after meeting Tom on a dating app. She went on exactly three dates with him but he certainly changed her world. Her life. Her everything. Not for the better either. He was a very rich man who owned his own company. How they met on this app comes into play near the end of this book and took me by surprise.
Vera is a very confident young woman who loves her job. She loves her roommate, Quinn, also. Not in a romantic way. Quinn is gay. He will do anything for Vera. They are that close. Almost no secrets. I liked Quinn. He was maybe the most open and honest character in this twisted story. I liked Vera but for someone who exuded so much confidence she came across as weak where her mother, who I detested, and Tom were concerned. Also she could be a bit mean. Though I really didn't blame her for some things she said or did.
Tom I liked to hate. He was really a jerk in so many ways. The way he used people and treated his wife was awful. Not that it went into a lot of detail about his marriage. Just enough to make me despise him. He was a liar certainly. He didn't seem to have feelings for most women before meeting Vera. Before he even met his wife, Odilie, he was seeing Peri. Peri brought Tom out of his shell completely. She gave him things to help him build up his business. Build up his self-esteem. But at what cost. He was just not a likable character.
Odilie who is married to Tom is not a strong woman by any means. She was best friends with Peri but stabbed her in the back so to speak. She did a few things that she was not suppose to do. But she was the wife in this story and Tom did her wrong. With the wrong person too.... I absolutely loved how this story wrapped up. I did not see it coming at all and I usually figure these things out. Who would have thought it.... Had me scratching my head for sure and this was not exactly a whodunnit. I mean you know who the guilty party is from the start. But still there are some things that you won't know until the end and to me it was mind blowing. No clue at all that this was coming. But trying to imagine it gave me chills.
This book is told in three parts. By three characters. Vera, Odilie, and Tom.. Vera is in the now. Odilie is ten years previous and Tom is one and a half years ago. The epilogue sums things up fairly well also. Lets you know how things went for Vera, Quinn and for Peri. I like when a book gives me closure. This one did that. I enjoyed this book immensely and will look for more by this author.
Thank you #NetGalley, #FloraCollins and #HarlequinTradedPublishingMIRA for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.
5 big stars. Almost 4 but that ending definitely bumped it up another star. Read this one.
July 17, 2024
Somewhere between a 3 and a 4, but it's a fun little mystery novel with a fun twist near the end. It takes a while to sort of get going, but once it does it is messy and drama-filled in all the right ways. Really unlikable lead characters scheme and connive their way to the top. I didn't like how ham-fisted some of the motivations were (literally one of the characters' motivations is spelled in a diary entry that reads more like the author's notes on the character) but it scratches that crime novel itch while also including scandals of the rich and famous. Good beach read!
September 19, 2022
Vera, an ambitious beautiful woman, meets Tom, a wealthy older man on a dating app. Days later, he and his wife are found dead in their home and Vera is inadvertently blamed for their murder.
A year later, she is invited to the memorial of Tom’s wide, Odilie. Odilie’s sister Page, immediately strikes up a friendship with Vera and wants to learn more about her sisters life in New York. On their quest to uncover the truth, they find a web of lies and secrets amongst friends.
When you first read the synopsis and then read the book, it doesn’t add up. Vera is never accused of murder although she is branded the mistress. I mostly just found the story boring and didn’t find any of the characters likeable. I usually love dual time lines especially for thrillers, but I didn’t care for the “past” chapters; They weren’t engaging at all. I found this story to just be kind of all over the place and when it ended it still didn’t feel complete.
I will say that the book seems to have good representation and I think readers will enjoy that.
Thank you to NetGallery and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A year later, she is invited to the memorial of Tom’s wide, Odilie. Odilie’s sister Page, immediately strikes up a friendship with Vera and wants to learn more about her sisters life in New York. On their quest to uncover the truth, they find a web of lies and secrets amongst friends.
When you first read the synopsis and then read the book, it doesn’t add up. Vera is never accused of murder although she is branded the mistress. I mostly just found the story boring and didn’t find any of the characters likeable. I usually love dual time lines especially for thrillers, but I didn’t care for the “past” chapters; They weren’t engaging at all. I found this story to just be kind of all over the place and when it ended it still didn’t feel complete.
I will say that the book seems to have good representation and I think readers will enjoy that.
Thank you to NetGallery and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2023
Far fetched and stoooooopid. I would have put it down but SOMEONE I KNOW (ahem, ma’am!) gave it 4 stars and it must have been fucking Xmas or something for her to be so generous 😂😂😂
January 20, 2023
A Small Affair was an intriguing and scandalous mystery story!
Liked: The plot was interesting and kept me wanting to read until the end.
Disliked: The characters were not like-able.
Liked: The plot was interesting and kept me wanting to read until the end.
Disliked: The characters were not like-able.
January 2, 2023
This slow burn mystery had me intrigued from the outset. So many secrets and lies always make for a juicy read and I was all for it. I can't say I liked many of the characters but that is the beauty of this book - you just don't know what to expect!
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 19, 2023
The book started out so spicy and exciting but soon started to drag. I found it slow with excess detail. All of the characters were ultimately unlikeable making the the reader feel hoodwinked into somewhat rooting for a few. That being said, the ultimate twist and explanation turned out to be very unrealistic and far fetched in my opinion. Not the worst thriller I’ve read by far, but not my favorite.
January 21, 2023
I liked Flora Collins' previous work, Nanny Dearest, and looked forward to her second book. A Small Affair had no likeable characters but I was still interested enough in the story to get to the resolution. I liked Odilie's section but in the last third of the book I rapidly lost interest in tying the loose ends together and ultimately it derailed for me. A disappointment.
March 13, 2024
Lies, deception, sex, and scandal. I binged the audio and it kept me interested to the end. Had I paid closer attention I probably would've figured things out a little quicker, but it read like a juicy tv show and I love mindlessly letting it unravel.
June 7, 2023
Molto deludente, soprattutto l'ultima parte.
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