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Come Back to Me
Do you have to honour a promise you made in the past if it means losing all you have now?
When Mark introduces his date, Julia, to Chloe and her husband at a London restaurant, it's obvious that something is very, very wrong. Alex and Julia pretend not to know one another, but the shocked expressions on their faces tell another story.
As the mystery of Julia's identity unravels, a terrible tragedy from ten years ago gradually comes to light. While Chloe struggles with a secret of her own, Alex has to decide whether he should take Julia back to Australia to try to lay the past to rest, when doing so will risk all he has with the wife he loves.
And Julia must decide whether to finally confront Alex with the whole truth about what happened back then.
Set in London and Perth, Come Back to Me is a taut psychological drama that will keep you enthralled until the very last page.
When Mark introduces his date, Julia, to Chloe and her husband at a London restaurant, it's obvious that something is very, very wrong. Alex and Julia pretend not to know one another, but the shocked expressions on their faces tell another story.
As the mystery of Julia's identity unravels, a terrible tragedy from ten years ago gradually comes to light. While Chloe struggles with a secret of her own, Alex has to decide whether he should take Julia back to Australia to try to lay the past to rest, when doing so will risk all he has with the wife he loves.
And Julia must decide whether to finally confront Alex with the whole truth about what happened back then.
Set in London and Perth, Come Back to Me is a taut psychological drama that will keep you enthralled until the very last page.
462 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2010
652 people are currently reading
1248 people want to read
About the author
Sara Foster
13 books730 followersSara Foster is a critically acclaimed, bestselling fiction author with a passion for psychological suspense and a keen interest in exploring zeitgeist issues and strong female characters in her nail-biting novels. Her latest, When She Was Gone (2025), begins when an au pair and two small children vanish from a remote Australian beach, and is a race-against-time thriller, exploring themes around misogyny, wealth, power and control.
Sara is also the author of dystopian thriller The Hush and seven more bestselling novels. Two of her books have been optioned for television, and You Don’t Know Me was adapted into a chart-topping podcast series by Listnr. Sara has a PhD in creative writing (studying maternal representations in fiction) and lives in Perth, WA, with her husband, two daughters, three cats, Luna the cavoodle and Sunny the bearded dragon.
Follow Sara on Substack at Story Matters (for readers) and The Resilient Author (for writers). Or visit her website: www.sarafoster.com.au
Sara is also the author of dystopian thriller The Hush and seven more bestselling novels. Two of her books have been optioned for television, and You Don’t Know Me was adapted into a chart-topping podcast series by Listnr. Sara has a PhD in creative writing (studying maternal representations in fiction) and lives in Perth, WA, with her husband, two daughters, three cats, Luna the cavoodle and Sunny the bearded dragon.
Follow Sara on Substack at Story Matters (for readers) and The Resilient Author (for writers). Or visit her website: www.sarafoster.com.au
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 160 reviews
July 15, 2017
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*4.5 stars
Perth based British author Sara Foster has become one of my favourite writers, especially in the psychological mystery field. Come Back to Me is Foster’s debut novel and marks the third novel that I have read by this author. Shallow Breath, also written by Sara Foster, still remains close to my heart, a number of years after I finished this book. I have the feeling that Come Back to Me will also linger with me for some time.
Come Back to Me is a consuming psychological drama that splits its setting between London and Perth. A simple double dinner date opens up old wounds and buried secrets when Mark brings a date, Julia, to a London restaurant to meet his friends, Chloe and Alex. Immediately, it becomes obvious that Alex and Julia are uncomfortable in each other’s company. They clearly have a past history together which they refuse to divulge to their respective partners. Eventually, the truth surrounding Alex and Julia’s connection begins to emerge and a terrible event that occurred ten years ago is gradually revealed. It is a secret that will require Alex to join Julia, on the other side of the world, in Australia, to confront the past and lay some demons to rest. However, matters are complicated further when Alex’s current love, Chloe, hides a special secret of her own. This creates a new source of tension between Alex and Chloe. Alex is then torn between the woman he loves now and a woman he loved in his past. Come Back to Me is an involving story of love, loyalty, honouring promises, secrets and revelations.
Sara Foster is talented author, who is adept in creating stories with a strong grounding in the psychological mystery genres. She is unafraid of delving into complicated situations that arise in our everyday lives. A brave task for an author, especially as Come Back to Me is Foster’s first published novel. Come Back to Me is a stimulating and addictive read that I was hard pressed to put down. In fact, I recall reading this book in two back to back sittings. This signals my obvious enjoyment of this story.
Foster’s characters are full-bodied and complex. These characters have many secrets to unravel, which encourages the reader to stay with the novel. There are some interesting relationship dynamics and emotions that emerge from Come Back to Me. I loved the shroud of secrecy that engulfed the main character of Julia. Her journey in particular was a harrowing one that submerged me in a mixture of feelings from sadness, to shock and deep admiration. In fact, there were a number of times where Julia’s harrowing attack in Perth reminded me of British backpacker Joanne Lees terrifying experience in the outback in 2001, where she and her boyfriend Peter Falconio were set upon by a crazed gunman. There are obvious links between this real life case and Foster’s fictional character Julia’s ordeal. These passages were handled with great care and insight by the accomplished hand of Sara Foster. Alex, Julia’s boyfriend at the time of her attack in Perth, was a protagonist I held much sympathy for. I could see how conflicted he must have felt between having to choose to between his current love and a past love that he made a lasting promise to. My only real issue with the character set in Come Back to Me was the lack of communication or lost opportunities to engage in vital conversations that occurred during the novel. Many of the complications in the story could have been prevented or solved earlier if these characters had of spoke up, instead of burying or avoiding the truth. These frustrations aside, overall the characterisation in Come Back to Me is of a high standard.
What I loved about Come Back to Me was flashback style of narrative employed by Foster. I also appreciated the alternating setting (London and Perth). This novel also moves in time, from the past in Australia, to ten years later in London. Both settings are described in plenty of detail, so much so that you feel like you are stepping on the bustling footpaths of London and then on golden sands of isolated Perth. The transitions in location and time were seamless. I am familiar with both these locations and genuinely feel Foster did a good job of bringing these two contrasted settings to life for the reader.
Come Back to Me is a psychological based mystery novel that serves to remind that often our pasts and the promises we made in times gone by, will eventually catch up with us. It is about working to right past wrongs, despite how painful the process may be. Going back to the where Sara Foster’s successful writing career started, by reading her debut novel, Come Back to Me, was a rewarding experience. Come Back to Me is a novel I highly commend.
*4.5 stars
Perth based British author Sara Foster has become one of my favourite writers, especially in the psychological mystery field. Come Back to Me is Foster’s debut novel and marks the third novel that I have read by this author. Shallow Breath, also written by Sara Foster, still remains close to my heart, a number of years after I finished this book. I have the feeling that Come Back to Me will also linger with me for some time.
Come Back to Me is a consuming psychological drama that splits its setting between London and Perth. A simple double dinner date opens up old wounds and buried secrets when Mark brings a date, Julia, to a London restaurant to meet his friends, Chloe and Alex. Immediately, it becomes obvious that Alex and Julia are uncomfortable in each other’s company. They clearly have a past history together which they refuse to divulge to their respective partners. Eventually, the truth surrounding Alex and Julia’s connection begins to emerge and a terrible event that occurred ten years ago is gradually revealed. It is a secret that will require Alex to join Julia, on the other side of the world, in Australia, to confront the past and lay some demons to rest. However, matters are complicated further when Alex’s current love, Chloe, hides a special secret of her own. This creates a new source of tension between Alex and Chloe. Alex is then torn between the woman he loves now and a woman he loved in his past. Come Back to Me is an involving story of love, loyalty, honouring promises, secrets and revelations.
Sara Foster is talented author, who is adept in creating stories with a strong grounding in the psychological mystery genres. She is unafraid of delving into complicated situations that arise in our everyday lives. A brave task for an author, especially as Come Back to Me is Foster’s first published novel. Come Back to Me is a stimulating and addictive read that I was hard pressed to put down. In fact, I recall reading this book in two back to back sittings. This signals my obvious enjoyment of this story.
Foster’s characters are full-bodied and complex. These characters have many secrets to unravel, which encourages the reader to stay with the novel. There are some interesting relationship dynamics and emotions that emerge from Come Back to Me. I loved the shroud of secrecy that engulfed the main character of Julia. Her journey in particular was a harrowing one that submerged me in a mixture of feelings from sadness, to shock and deep admiration. In fact, there were a number of times where Julia’s harrowing attack in Perth reminded me of British backpacker Joanne Lees terrifying experience in the outback in 2001, where she and her boyfriend Peter Falconio were set upon by a crazed gunman. There are obvious links between this real life case and Foster’s fictional character Julia’s ordeal. These passages were handled with great care and insight by the accomplished hand of Sara Foster. Alex, Julia’s boyfriend at the time of her attack in Perth, was a protagonist I held much sympathy for. I could see how conflicted he must have felt between having to choose to between his current love and a past love that he made a lasting promise to. My only real issue with the character set in Come Back to Me was the lack of communication or lost opportunities to engage in vital conversations that occurred during the novel. Many of the complications in the story could have been prevented or solved earlier if these characters had of spoke up, instead of burying or avoiding the truth. These frustrations aside, overall the characterisation in Come Back to Me is of a high standard.
What I loved about Come Back to Me was flashback style of narrative employed by Foster. I also appreciated the alternating setting (London and Perth). This novel also moves in time, from the past in Australia, to ten years later in London. Both settings are described in plenty of detail, so much so that you feel like you are stepping on the bustling footpaths of London and then on golden sands of isolated Perth. The transitions in location and time were seamless. I am familiar with both these locations and genuinely feel Foster did a good job of bringing these two contrasted settings to life for the reader.
Come Back to Me is a psychological based mystery novel that serves to remind that often our pasts and the promises we made in times gone by, will eventually catch up with us. It is about working to right past wrongs, despite how painful the process may be. Going back to the where Sara Foster’s successful writing career started, by reading her debut novel, Come Back to Me, was a rewarding experience. Come Back to Me is a novel I highly commend.
February 7, 2015
This book was a waste of time! Psychological thriller it certainly was not, perhaps the way it drove me insane with the nonsense was psychological. There was no twist but the author tried her best to make one and drag it out. "I have something to tell him but I will wait" and then create some sort of argument in her head and then say "Ok not telling him".
I finished this book in one seating because I skipped so many pages to get over the bullsh#$ and was hoping for a good twist in the end, but no, the "twist" was exactly what you've expect. Really cliche!
I finished this book in one seating because I skipped so many pages to get over the bullsh#$ and was hoping for a good twist in the end, but no, the "twist" was exactly what you've expect. Really cliche!
March 5, 2012
Review for the Australian Women Writers Challenge 2012
Excellent psychological thriller that had me glued to the pages from the very first chapter, and the pace didn’t die down for a second. It starts off with Alex and Chloe, a happily married couple getting ready for a dinner date with Mark and his new lady friend, Julia. Mark is Chloe’s work colleague but he is also Chloe ex boyfriend.
When they arrive at the restaurant, Chloe and Mark notice the surprised look on Alex face when his sees Julia for the very first time, and their strange reaction towards each other. It’s obvious to Mark and Chloe that there is a history between Alex and Julie. But Chloe concern is what history do they have? Is this woman still part of her husband life? Are they having an affair? All these thoughts and questions are running through Chloe’s mind. She becomes suspicious and is jumping to conclusions thus creating tension in their marriage. Alex is not helping the situation when his behaviour is out of character; he becomes secretive, withdrawn and distant from Chloe.
Alex needs to make and important decision which could make or break his marriage; ignore Julia and be up front with Chloe about his past, or pursue Julia and keep the promise his made to her many years ago.
There are twists and turns in this story that got my heart racing. Horrible and tragic secrets are revealed. And it was amazing how instantly I become caught up in these four individual lives from the get go. I read it so fast because the writing was smooth, it flowed and it was uncomplicated – and I must add, very hard to put down. It’s a wonderful book and I highly recommend it. Looking forward to reading Sara Foster’s latest novel ‘Beneath the Shadows’.
Excellent psychological thriller that had me glued to the pages from the very first chapter, and the pace didn’t die down for a second. It starts off with Alex and Chloe, a happily married couple getting ready for a dinner date with Mark and his new lady friend, Julia. Mark is Chloe’s work colleague but he is also Chloe ex boyfriend.
When they arrive at the restaurant, Chloe and Mark notice the surprised look on Alex face when his sees Julia for the very first time, and their strange reaction towards each other. It’s obvious to Mark and Chloe that there is a history between Alex and Julie. But Chloe concern is what history do they have? Is this woman still part of her husband life? Are they having an affair? All these thoughts and questions are running through Chloe’s mind. She becomes suspicious and is jumping to conclusions thus creating tension in their marriage. Alex is not helping the situation when his behaviour is out of character; he becomes secretive, withdrawn and distant from Chloe.
Alex needs to make and important decision which could make or break his marriage; ignore Julia and be up front with Chloe about his past, or pursue Julia and keep the promise his made to her many years ago.
There are twists and turns in this story that got my heart racing. Horrible and tragic secrets are revealed. And it was amazing how instantly I become caught up in these four individual lives from the get go. I read it so fast because the writing was smooth, it flowed and it was uncomplicated – and I must add, very hard to put down. It’s a wonderful book and I highly recommend it. Looking forward to reading Sara Foster’s latest novel ‘Beneath the Shadows’.
June 22, 2016
Alex and Chloe are living an idyllic life, very happily married, both working in jobs they enjoy...Chloe as a lawyer, Alex working from home on his designs. One of Chloe’s colleagues, Mark, with whom she had a brief fling a few years ago, invites her and Alex to dinner at a London restaurant, where they meet Mark’s date, Julia. Suddenly, as Alex and Julia come face to face, something goes terribly wrong. The shocked looks on their faces said they knew each other, but they pretended to be new acquaintances, which made Chloe and Mark extremely suspicious.
And so begins the avalanche of confusion, heartache, terror, and loss as the mystery of Julia’s identity slowly unravels. Where has Julia been the last 10 years, why has no-one, not even her family, been able to find her? Alex has to decide whether to help Julia now, when he feels he let her down 10 years ago, and wonders if they can lay the terrible tragedy which befell Julia to rest by heading to Australia?
Chloe has a secret of her own, one she feels she can’t tell Alex now, as she feels betrayed by a past she knew nothing about, and still knows nothing about. Alex is torn between his wife, whom he loves dearly, and Julia, whom he also loved dearly.
This psychological drama has every emotion you could image, with a plot that keeps you glued to the pages, right to the very end.
And so begins the avalanche of confusion, heartache, terror, and loss as the mystery of Julia’s identity slowly unravels. Where has Julia been the last 10 years, why has no-one, not even her family, been able to find her? Alex has to decide whether to help Julia now, when he feels he let her down 10 years ago, and wonders if they can lay the terrible tragedy which befell Julia to rest by heading to Australia?
Chloe has a secret of her own, one she feels she can’t tell Alex now, as she feels betrayed by a past she knew nothing about, and still knows nothing about. Alex is torn between his wife, whom he loves dearly, and Julia, whom he also loved dearly.
This psychological drama has every emotion you could image, with a plot that keeps you glued to the pages, right to the very end.
June 14, 2016
A little biased on this one! The characters became great friends, and I miss them now they are off into the world. The story still makes me shed a tear. I hope everyone enjoys reading it.
May 1, 2012
Mark and Chloe are solicitors working for a London firm. They've shared a past, but Chloe is now happily married to Alex and life is good. But then, one night at dinner in a restaurant, Mark introduces his date Julia to Chloe and Alex and everything suddenly changes. Although they deny knowing each other, it's obvious that Alex and Julia have some kind of connection. Eventually it is revealed that they did know each other many years before and now have to face up to something that happened that has haunted both of them since.
This story drew me in right from the start. Chloe's life is going well, too well as it turns out, and now she is thrust in the middle of something she had no part in. It is obvious that whatever happened to Julia and Alex has scarred them both, but Julia much more so. But as the story moves on you learn of Alex's guilt over not being able to stop the event or protect Julia from harm.
Just to complicate things Chloe has a secret of her own - a secret she is unable to share with Alex once Julia re-enters his life. Although she does her best to hold it together at work and in dealing with her dramatic mother and Alex's brother (who suffers from a mental illness), you can literally feel Chloe beginning to crumble.
The suspense is great as the story slowly unravels, moving between present and the 1990s in Australia. As you come to know just what did happen, you can understand why Julia has become the person she is and while you know Alex is the only person who can help her heal, you begin to wonder if he actually can.
The main themes of this story are love and the difficult choices that can be associated with it - especially young love. It also touches on mental illness and post traumatic stress and the lengths people go to in the search for coming to terms with tragedy.
This story drew me in right from the start. Chloe's life is going well, too well as it turns out, and now she is thrust in the middle of something she had no part in. It is obvious that whatever happened to Julia and Alex has scarred them both, but Julia much more so. But as the story moves on you learn of Alex's guilt over not being able to stop the event or protect Julia from harm.
Just to complicate things Chloe has a secret of her own - a secret she is unable to share with Alex once Julia re-enters his life. Although she does her best to hold it together at work and in dealing with her dramatic mother and Alex's brother (who suffers from a mental illness), you can literally feel Chloe beginning to crumble.
The suspense is great as the story slowly unravels, moving between present and the 1990s in Australia. As you come to know just what did happen, you can understand why Julia has become the person she is and while you know Alex is the only person who can help her heal, you begin to wonder if he actually can.
The main themes of this story are love and the difficult choices that can be associated with it - especially young love. It also touches on mental illness and post traumatic stress and the lengths people go to in the search for coming to terms with tragedy.
November 16, 2025
I’m not quite sure how to review this title in all honesty, firstly I believe that it’s an older novel newly adapted to audio, which I always really appreciate, I miss out on many books because they’re unavailable in audio format, so we really need to keep producing them.
There was really nothing wrong with the story, but I should’ve been absolutely hooked and I just wasn’t, I was invested enough to want to finish it and find out the outcome for all of the characters, but at several points I was actually bored. The writing was good, the storyline was solid with lots of side stories and twists, but I definitely wasn’t absorbed.
Not a strong pacey thriller, more of a melancholic life story. Several traumatic themes but something left me a bit uncaring.
The narration was nice, but perhaps added to the lack of pace and tension as it was definitely quite soft and gentle.
Huge thanks to Bolinda Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
There was really nothing wrong with the story, but I should’ve been absolutely hooked and I just wasn’t, I was invested enough to want to finish it and find out the outcome for all of the characters, but at several points I was actually bored. The writing was good, the storyline was solid with lots of side stories and twists, but I definitely wasn’t absorbed.
Not a strong pacey thriller, more of a melancholic life story. Several traumatic themes but something left me a bit uncaring.
The narration was nice, but perhaps added to the lack of pace and tension as it was definitely quite soft and gentle.
Huge thanks to Bolinda Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
April 12, 2020
I really enjoyed this. I found it graphic and harrowing, but all the characters were believable. I did wish Chloe and Alex would have talked everything through early in the piece but then, I guess there wouldn't have been a story.
The plot kept me turning the pages. As a WA girl, I enjoyed the familiar Perth setting. I liked the various subplots involving Chloe's parents, and Mark's parents and family.
I've read 3 of Sara Foster's books now, and I think this is my fave.
The plot kept me turning the pages. As a WA girl, I enjoyed the familiar Perth setting. I liked the various subplots involving Chloe's parents, and Mark's parents and family.
I've read 3 of Sara Foster's books now, and I think this is my fave.
January 15, 2014
Sara Foster’s debut novel, Come Back to Me (2010) is the third book I’ve read by this talented Western Australian author. Having previously enjoyed Beneath the Shadows and Shallow Breath, I picked up this one at a second hand bookstore and it has sat on my TBR pile for a little while. I finally managed to pick it up and read it over the Christmas holidays and I’m kicking myself for having waited for so long- I loved it!
Come Back to Me is a mystery that spans Australia and England and had me hooked from the very first chapter. The way that Foster weaves the suspense throughout the story by relinquishing a little background information at a time and cliffhanger chapter endings managed to keep me on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. The characters frustrated me for a majority of the story (I just wanted them to communicate!!) and yet they were characters that were flawed and relatable, no matter what their circumstances.
Chloe and her husband Alex turn up at a double date dinner with her colleague (and ex-boyfriend) Mark and his new woman, Julia. The tension steps up immediately as it becomes obvious that Alex and Julia have some history. The tension is amplified by the delay in Chloe actually confronting Alex about this and why Alex isn’t upfront about it in the first place. And yet at the same time, I could understand why they did this. Chloe is fearful of losing Alex and Alex is so shocked by Julia’s reappearance that it brings up a lot of unresolved feelings for him. The plot takes off from there with Alex and Chloe’s marriage on the rocks, the identity of this mysterious Julia is revealed and Mark and Chloe develop an unlikely (and dysfunctional) friendship.
Although I wanted Alex to be more open with Chloe and to have tried harder to get his message across, I can also understand the difficult position he was in and how he felt he needed to supporting Julia. Julia was a character who is surrounded by mystery, but as her story unravels I could really empathise with her difficult experiences and how she chose to deal with this. Chloe was probably the most frustrating character for me as she just made silly decisions, she was avoidant and at times emotionally immature. And yet, I could still relate to her because of the fear of losing her husband and her life which led her to make these choices.
Foster creates fantastic mysteries that are psychologically stimulating and portray realistic and intriguing characters. Well worth the read and I’m looking forward to reading future books by this talented Aussie author.
Come Back to Me is a mystery that spans Australia and England and had me hooked from the very first chapter. The way that Foster weaves the suspense throughout the story by relinquishing a little background information at a time and cliffhanger chapter endings managed to keep me on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. The characters frustrated me for a majority of the story (I just wanted them to communicate!!) and yet they were characters that were flawed and relatable, no matter what their circumstances.
Chloe and her husband Alex turn up at a double date dinner with her colleague (and ex-boyfriend) Mark and his new woman, Julia. The tension steps up immediately as it becomes obvious that Alex and Julia have some history. The tension is amplified by the delay in Chloe actually confronting Alex about this and why Alex isn’t upfront about it in the first place. And yet at the same time, I could understand why they did this. Chloe is fearful of losing Alex and Alex is so shocked by Julia’s reappearance that it brings up a lot of unresolved feelings for him. The plot takes off from there with Alex and Chloe’s marriage on the rocks, the identity of this mysterious Julia is revealed and Mark and Chloe develop an unlikely (and dysfunctional) friendship.
Although I wanted Alex to be more open with Chloe and to have tried harder to get his message across, I can also understand the difficult position he was in and how he felt he needed to supporting Julia. Julia was a character who is surrounded by mystery, but as her story unravels I could really empathise with her difficult experiences and how she chose to deal with this. Chloe was probably the most frustrating character for me as she just made silly decisions, she was avoidant and at times emotionally immature. And yet, I could still relate to her because of the fear of losing her husband and her life which led her to make these choices.
Foster creates fantastic mysteries that are psychologically stimulating and portray realistic and intriguing characters. Well worth the read and I’m looking forward to reading future books by this talented Aussie author.
November 24, 2017
Full of secrets, twists and turns
What if something horrible happened to someone you loved, and you couldn't stop it? What if your loved one pushed you away and you went, always regretting it? What if, ten years later, you had the chance to try to make it right? A chance meeting of his lost love on a double date with his wife and a friend transported Alex back to a terrible time. He and Amy had been young and deeply in love when tragedy struck. Amy disappeared and for ten years, he had not known if she was alive or dead. Now, when he had finally moved forward and found happiness with his wife, Chloe, Amy was sitting across a table from him. Amy fled, but it didn't take long for them to reconnect, and Alex found himself torn between his love for Chloe and the life they had built together and his lost love for Amy and his guilt for letting her down when she needed him.
Come Back to Me is a story about the promises we make to the people in our lives, and the secrets we keep while trying to protect them. It is about the many kinds of love we feel for them, and how we reconcile who we really are when those secrets can no longer stay hidden. Until the end, I was never quite sure how it was going to come around. The resolution of all the hidden secrets and relationships was ultimately satisfying
What if something horrible happened to someone you loved, and you couldn't stop it? What if your loved one pushed you away and you went, always regretting it? What if, ten years later, you had the chance to try to make it right? A chance meeting of his lost love on a double date with his wife and a friend transported Alex back to a terrible time. He and Amy had been young and deeply in love when tragedy struck. Amy disappeared and for ten years, he had not known if she was alive or dead. Now, when he had finally moved forward and found happiness with his wife, Chloe, Amy was sitting across a table from him. Amy fled, but it didn't take long for them to reconnect, and Alex found himself torn between his love for Chloe and the life they had built together and his lost love for Amy and his guilt for letting her down when she needed him.
Come Back to Me is a story about the promises we make to the people in our lives, and the secrets we keep while trying to protect them. It is about the many kinds of love we feel for them, and how we reconcile who we really are when those secrets can no longer stay hidden. Until the end, I was never quite sure how it was going to come around. The resolution of all the hidden secrets and relationships was ultimately satisfying
November 21, 2017
I’m going to be honest. I can not, in good conscience, give this book anything less than five stars.
While I was expecting more of a thriller/suspense, I still was pleasantly surprised to find some element of mystery, but a lot of family drama in it too.
I loved this. I have never read Sara Foster before, but I am going to hunt down the rest of her books down!
Honestly such a great book. There are dual story lines but four main characters. It was so so interesting and such a quick and easy read. Foster writes impeccably and ughhh I’m ranting but I really loved this.
Read it pls
While I was expecting more of a thriller/suspense, I still was pleasantly surprised to find some element of mystery, but a lot of family drama in it too.
I loved this. I have never read Sara Foster before, but I am going to hunt down the rest of her books down!
Honestly such a great book. There are dual story lines but four main characters. It was so so interesting and such a quick and easy read. Foster writes impeccably and ughhh I’m ranting but I really loved this.
Read it pls
February 5, 2017
1.5 Not-For-Me Stars
Part 1 introduces the four characters.
Chloe, a family law lawyer. Mark her colleague and ex. Alex, Chloe's husband and Julia, the woman Mark took to their double date. The woman who promptly leaves after it becomes apparent that her and Alex have history.
Part 2, I barely remember!
Part 3, there's so much going on. And they're all still keeping secrets!
I just couldn't care! Besides the four main characters, there's so much going on. They've all got family issues, schizophrenic brother, child abuse, Parkinsons disease, and so many secrets... didn't think it was ever going to end.
Part 1 introduces the four characters.
Chloe, a family law lawyer. Mark her colleague and ex. Alex, Chloe's husband and Julia, the woman Mark took to their double date. The woman who promptly leaves after it becomes apparent that her and Alex have history.
Part 2, I barely remember!
Part 3, there's so much going on. And they're all still keeping secrets!
I just couldn't care! Besides the four main characters, there's so much going on. They've all got family issues, schizophrenic brother, child abuse, Parkinsons disease, and so many secrets... didn't think it was ever going to end.
April 11, 2017
Wow! What a powerful exploration of love, conflict and adversity. The characters are so well written that they feel like friends. The unimaginable horrors that they experienced are told in a compelling way that explores the frailty of life.
January 21, 2015
3.5 stars
February 20, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I will definitely read more books by Sara Foster. The characters in this book were well developed. I would give it 4 1/2 stars if I could. I don't want to give anything away about the book. I recommend it to anyone who likes to read suspense novels with a bit of romance tucked in for good measure.
December 6, 2019
A very enjoyable first book. Not exactly a psychological thriller but it kept me interest to the end.
December 2, 2012
“Do you have to honour a promise you made in the past if it means losing all that you have now?
When Mark introduces his date, Julia, to Chloe and her husband at a London restaurant, it’s obvious something is very, very wrong. Alex and Julia pretend not to know each other, but the shocked expressions on their faces tell another story.
As the mystery of Julia’s identity unravels, a terrible tragedy from ten years ago gradually comes to light. While Chloe struggles with a secret of her own, Alex has to decide whether he should take Julia back to Australia to try to lay the past to rest, when doing so will risk all he has with the wife he loves.
And Julia must decide whether to finally confront Alex with the whole truth about what happened back then.
Set in London and Perth, Come Back to Me is a taut psychological drama that will keep you enthralled until the very last page.”
Alex and Chloe are happily married, own a lovely home and are both doing well in their chosen careers – her as a family law solicitor, him a designer with his own business run from home.
One fateful introduction by Chloe’s ex-boyfriend and current colleague, Mark, threatens to unravel everything that Alex and Chloe have worked towards in their relationship – her name is Julia.
Immediately on arriving at the restaurant and being introduced to Julia, Chloe realises that something is seriously wrong – the shocked look on Alex and Julia’s faces on seeing each other lead both her and Mark to believe that this is not the first time they have met. Julie hurriedly excuses herself from the table to go to the ladies room and Alex sits in dumbfounded silence.
As the story unravels, taking us from present-day London to 1990’s Australia, we come to learn that Alex has kept a secret from Chloe - him and Julia share a past, one that he has been incapable of speaking about due to the tragic events which took place.
Whilst Chloe keeps a secret of her own close to her heart, she watches as her world appears to crumble around her. Can Julia face the demons of her tragic past thereby enabling her to get on with her life? Is this finally a chance for Mark to win back the woman he gave up years ago? Will Alex lose everything he has with Chloe? Will it be possible for Chloe to finally reveal her secret to Alex?
I found it quite difficult to put this book down. There were so many secrets intermingled in the plot that all I wanted to do was discover every single one of them. Sara Foster has an easy, flowing prose style and has created a tale with likeable, well-formed characters. Whilst injecting a lot of emotion and relationship issues into this book, I found the most prominent to be the importance of communication in a relationship.
If you are looking for a multifaceted psychological thriller and a complicated story of love which combine with multiple twists and turns, then this debut novel by Sara Foster will keep you enthralled right to the last chapter.
When Mark introduces his date, Julia, to Chloe and her husband at a London restaurant, it’s obvious something is very, very wrong. Alex and Julia pretend not to know each other, but the shocked expressions on their faces tell another story.
As the mystery of Julia’s identity unravels, a terrible tragedy from ten years ago gradually comes to light. While Chloe struggles with a secret of her own, Alex has to decide whether he should take Julia back to Australia to try to lay the past to rest, when doing so will risk all he has with the wife he loves.
And Julia must decide whether to finally confront Alex with the whole truth about what happened back then.
Set in London and Perth, Come Back to Me is a taut psychological drama that will keep you enthralled until the very last page.”
Alex and Chloe are happily married, own a lovely home and are both doing well in their chosen careers – her as a family law solicitor, him a designer with his own business run from home.
One fateful introduction by Chloe’s ex-boyfriend and current colleague, Mark, threatens to unravel everything that Alex and Chloe have worked towards in their relationship – her name is Julia.
Immediately on arriving at the restaurant and being introduced to Julia, Chloe realises that something is seriously wrong – the shocked look on Alex and Julia’s faces on seeing each other lead both her and Mark to believe that this is not the first time they have met. Julie hurriedly excuses herself from the table to go to the ladies room and Alex sits in dumbfounded silence.
As the story unravels, taking us from present-day London to 1990’s Australia, we come to learn that Alex has kept a secret from Chloe - him and Julia share a past, one that he has been incapable of speaking about due to the tragic events which took place.
Whilst Chloe keeps a secret of her own close to her heart, she watches as her world appears to crumble around her. Can Julia face the demons of her tragic past thereby enabling her to get on with her life? Is this finally a chance for Mark to win back the woman he gave up years ago? Will Alex lose everything he has with Chloe? Will it be possible for Chloe to finally reveal her secret to Alex?
I found it quite difficult to put this book down. There were so many secrets intermingled in the plot that all I wanted to do was discover every single one of them. Sara Foster has an easy, flowing prose style and has created a tale with likeable, well-formed characters. Whilst injecting a lot of emotion and relationship issues into this book, I found the most prominent to be the importance of communication in a relationship.
If you are looking for a multifaceted psychological thriller and a complicated story of love which combine with multiple twists and turns, then this debut novel by Sara Foster will keep you enthralled right to the last chapter.
June 5, 2012
Right from the beginning I got the feeling that this was going to be a book with bite - a story line that was going to hook me and then reel me in as it gradually unfolded. Alex and Chloe are a typical young married couple, enjoying their life in London, until a chance meeting with a mysterious young woman changes everything in an instant.
Although it is obvious that Alex has a connection with the mysterious Julia, it takes a while to understand just what kind of past they shared and why her reappearance has thrown him into such a spin. When the tragic event is revealed, you begin to understand both characters better and why they are both struggling to come to terms with their unresolved emotions.
Meanwhile Chloe is left wondering just what is going on with her husband, while struggling to cope with her demanding mother (who lives some distance away) and her job as a solicitor. She too has a secret, but is left to cope with it alone, when Alex takes off in an attempt to absolve his guilty conscience and right a wrong he's done his best to forget.
This book has a good pace and gradually building suspense, that really picks up the pace as you get towards the conclusion. The different point of view works well and gives you a definite feel for each character.
A real page turner that is well worth a read if you enjoy psychological thrillers.
Although it is obvious that Alex has a connection with the mysterious Julia, it takes a while to understand just what kind of past they shared and why her reappearance has thrown him into such a spin. When the tragic event is revealed, you begin to understand both characters better and why they are both struggling to come to terms with their unresolved emotions.
Meanwhile Chloe is left wondering just what is going on with her husband, while struggling to cope with her demanding mother (who lives some distance away) and her job as a solicitor. She too has a secret, but is left to cope with it alone, when Alex takes off in an attempt to absolve his guilty conscience and right a wrong he's done his best to forget.
This book has a good pace and gradually building suspense, that really picks up the pace as you get towards the conclusion. The different point of view works well and gives you a definite feel for each character.
A real page turner that is well worth a read if you enjoy psychological thrillers.
September 19, 2011
I enjoyed it, if that is the right word for a plot which is based around a horrific event. But why oh why does Alex not simply tell Chloe from the start what the heck is going on, and why he is behaving the way he does. Open communication in a relationship? I don't think so. It's a little while since I read it and my memory is not the best, but I do remember thinking that it was totally wrong that he would not/could not involve Chloe in everything. Might have solved quite a few problems from the start. But then I gues we might not have had a novel, either.
May 17, 2012
If you’re a fan of Western Australian authors, then you’ll love what Sara Foster has to offer for book lovers.
Her first published novel, Come Back to Me, was released in 2010 while her second, Beneath the Shadows, was highly anticipated and took over Perth bookshops with vigour in 2011.
Read the full review here: http://skinnycapwithtwosugars.com/201...
Her first published novel, Come Back to Me, was released in 2010 while her second, Beneath the Shadows, was highly anticipated and took over Perth bookshops with vigour in 2011.
Read the full review here: http://skinnycapwithtwosugars.com/201...
March 1, 2012
Story of love, difficult choices and complex relationships. When Mark introduces his date Julia to Chloe and her husband Alex at a restaurant, something is very wrong. Alex and Julia pretend not to know each other. The stories of the four main characters are interwoven, with twists and turns throughout.
January 11, 2012
As a writer, an exceedingly good book to me is when I don’t notice how it’s written, but find myself completely wrapped up in the story. Come Back to Me was one of those books. I couldn’t put it down and lacked sleep for a few days.
read complete review here ...http://t.co/eMpINZho
read complete review here ...http://t.co/eMpINZho
April 14, 2013
It was boringly predictable..And annoyingly stupid. I wouldn't waste my time reading this crap if I were you. And I'm never going to read any other books by this author , if this is how her writing is!
March 15, 2011
Loved it - a real page turner. The intriguing story keeps your nose stuck in the pages right till the end! Very much looking forward to more works by this author.
November 25, 2025
"Come Back to Me" by Sara Foster is an emotionally charged psychological thriller that features strong elements of relationship suspense, past promises, and dark mystery.
This story is anything but straightforward; it presents a whirlwind of emotions and complicated decisions that make you question what you would do in similar situations. The book offers a complex exploration of love, loyalty, and the consequences of past promises, forcing the characters to make impossible choices.
It's a fast-paced narrative filled with constant tension, driven by the characters' deep secrets and the mystery surrounding Julia's identity and a past tragedy. The novel shifts between the bustling, emotional landscape of present-day London and the dark, revealing setting of Perth, Australia, which adds to the atmosphere.
The story begins with an innocent dinner where happily married Chloe and Alex meet Mark, Chloe's colleague, and his new date, Julia. It's immediately apparent that Alex and Julia are not strangers. The mystery revolves around a terrible tragedy that occurred ten years ago in Perth, which connects Alex and Julia. Alex finds himself in a deeply complicated situation, torn between confronting his past with Julia, risking his marriage to Chloe, or taking the easy way out and leaving Julia to face her past alone. Meanwhile, Chloe is grappling with her own secrets and complications.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Flora Ogilvy and was amazed by how she emotionally conveyed the delicate, sensitive story. Her narration felt like a perfect fit; she smoothly shifted between accents and intonations, using different voices and styles to bring the characters to life.
This is a dark, heavy, and emotional story where no one has an easy way out. It's ideal for readers who enjoy a compelling psychological thriller filled with secrets and relationship intrigue!
This story is anything but straightforward; it presents a whirlwind of emotions and complicated decisions that make you question what you would do in similar situations. The book offers a complex exploration of love, loyalty, and the consequences of past promises, forcing the characters to make impossible choices.
It's a fast-paced narrative filled with constant tension, driven by the characters' deep secrets and the mystery surrounding Julia's identity and a past tragedy. The novel shifts between the bustling, emotional landscape of present-day London and the dark, revealing setting of Perth, Australia, which adds to the atmosphere.
The story begins with an innocent dinner where happily married Chloe and Alex meet Mark, Chloe's colleague, and his new date, Julia. It's immediately apparent that Alex and Julia are not strangers. The mystery revolves around a terrible tragedy that occurred ten years ago in Perth, which connects Alex and Julia. Alex finds himself in a deeply complicated situation, torn between confronting his past with Julia, risking his marriage to Chloe, or taking the easy way out and leaving Julia to face her past alone. Meanwhile, Chloe is grappling with her own secrets and complications.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Flora Ogilvy and was amazed by how she emotionally conveyed the delicate, sensitive story. Her narration felt like a perfect fit; she smoothly shifted between accents and intonations, using different voices and styles to bring the characters to life.
This is a dark, heavy, and emotional story where no one has an easy way out. It's ideal for readers who enjoy a compelling psychological thriller filled with secrets and relationship intrigue!
December 11, 2025
This was my first read by this author and oh boy, what an amazing first read it was!
This was both heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time but it honestly kept me wondering how things would play out right up to the end.
We follow the story through a couple of different pov's and I loved that this helped us to really connect with each character in themselves.
It also meant that I felt the emotional rollercoaster all the harder!
Alex and Chloe were happy, until Alex's past came back to haunt both of them.
Seeing Amy again brought back the trauma of ten years ago and we are taken along a dual timeline where we see the tragic story unfold as well as seeing the effects and consequences play out in the present day.
I really felt for all the characters and it was really difficult to decide how I wanted this to end.
I kept changing my mind between the different scenarios and feeling both happy and sad at the way each would impact the characters' lives.
I was completely hooked from very early on and honestly didn't want to put this down for even a second, eking out each sitting a little longer to hear more story.
The writing style draws us into the story so well and despite some of the content being difficult to read, this was so well written and sensitively explored.
This was such a great read and I can't wait to read more from this author.
This was both heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time but it honestly kept me wondering how things would play out right up to the end.
We follow the story through a couple of different pov's and I loved that this helped us to really connect with each character in themselves.
It also meant that I felt the emotional rollercoaster all the harder!
Alex and Chloe were happy, until Alex's past came back to haunt both of them.
Seeing Amy again brought back the trauma of ten years ago and we are taken along a dual timeline where we see the tragic story unfold as well as seeing the effects and consequences play out in the present day.
I really felt for all the characters and it was really difficult to decide how I wanted this to end.
I kept changing my mind between the different scenarios and feeling both happy and sad at the way each would impact the characters' lives.
I was completely hooked from very early on and honestly didn't want to put this down for even a second, eking out each sitting a little longer to hear more story.
The writing style draws us into the story so well and despite some of the content being difficult to read, this was so well written and sensitively explored.
This was such a great read and I can't wait to read more from this author.
December 11, 2025
Come Back to Me deals with many dark subjects that are important to talk about, even if it is not easy. And that certainly is something that the characters in this book need to learn! A twisty psychological story jumping from the past to the present, slowly revealing the connections and explaining why Alex drops everything to go with the mysterious woman, Julie, that he meets up with on a dinner date with his wife, Chloe, and Max, her coworker at the law firm where they work.
I had to keep listening to this book because, while I did yell a few times for the various parties to stop, explain their actions, and listen to everything people were saying, there are mitigating circumstances, not the least of which is pregnancy, plus the whole back story of of the nightmare Julie/Amy had gone through (can't blame her for what she does, I probably would do the same thing or worse).
So, it was a good story and though it really goes all in on subjects that are sensitive and might be triggering, people do need to bring it to light, because sadly it is more common, and this book will keep me thinking about it for awhile. I am glad I got the chance to listen to this and will definitely look into seeing what else this author has written. The narrator, Flora Ogilvy, did a great job in bringing the characters and their story to life in this audiobook.
I had to keep listening to this book because, while I did yell a few times for the various parties to stop, explain their actions, and listen to everything people were saying, there are mitigating circumstances, not the least of which is pregnancy, plus the whole back story of of the nightmare Julie/Amy had gone through (can't blame her for what she does, I probably would do the same thing or worse).
So, it was a good story and though it really goes all in on subjects that are sensitive and might be triggering, people do need to bring it to light, because sadly it is more common, and this book will keep me thinking about it for awhile. I am glad I got the chance to listen to this and will definitely look into seeing what else this author has written. The narrator, Flora Ogilvy, did a great job in bringing the characters and their story to life in this audiobook.
November 19, 2025
Description
Do you have to keep a promise made in the past, if it means losing all that you have now?
A London restaurant. An ordinary night out. But when ambitious lawyer Mark introduces his date to a work colleague, Chloe, and her husband, Alex, it’s obvious something is very wrong. Alex and Julia pretend not to know each other, but the shocked expressions on their faces tell a different story.
As the mystery of Julia’s identity unravels, a terrible, decade-old tragedy comes to light. While Chloe struggles with secrets of her own, Alex must decide whether to take Julia back to Australia to lay the past to rest. And Julia will finally confront Alex with the whole truth of what happened all those years ago.
This was a fast-paced thriller which I really enjoyed. I read the ebook and had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. The narrator was a very pleasant voice. Loved listening to it while walking my dog.
Never read a book from this author but I do have one book on my shelf, When she was gone.
The characters are well described and the story is very believable so you really feel for all of them. It is a different story than other books I read so very refreshing. I did finish t his one pretty quickly.
Really recommend this one to read!
Do you have to keep a promise made in the past, if it means losing all that you have now?
A London restaurant. An ordinary night out. But when ambitious lawyer Mark introduces his date to a work colleague, Chloe, and her husband, Alex, it’s obvious something is very wrong. Alex and Julia pretend not to know each other, but the shocked expressions on their faces tell a different story.
As the mystery of Julia’s identity unravels, a terrible, decade-old tragedy comes to light. While Chloe struggles with secrets of her own, Alex must decide whether to take Julia back to Australia to lay the past to rest. And Julia will finally confront Alex with the whole truth of what happened all those years ago.
This was a fast-paced thriller which I really enjoyed. I read the ebook and had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. The narrator was a very pleasant voice. Loved listening to it while walking my dog.
Never read a book from this author but I do have one book on my shelf, When she was gone.
The characters are well described and the story is very believable so you really feel for all of them. It is a different story than other books I read so very refreshing. I did finish t his one pretty quickly.
Really recommend this one to read!
November 18, 2025
𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
Chloe and her husband Alex attend dinner with her colleague Mark, only for his mysterious date Julia to trigger a painful, ten-year-old secret that could upend all their lives.
𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘
I really liked the narrator. A little bit husky, slightly posh english accent and great at the male voices too. Excellent choice and made for an addictive listen.
𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘
This isn’t a twist-heavy thriller, but a slow-burn reveal of emotional secrets. The vibe is easy, even when the story gets into some heavy stuff (TW: rape).
It’s character-focused, shifting between 4 points of view - Chloe and her husband Alex, her ex Mark who she still works with and Julia, his mysterious date. This is their story and it was an addictive read finding out who Julia was, and then how it all played out. I was fully invested in all 4 lives. I also appreciated how even supporting characters (like Chloe’s mother and Mark’s father) evolve through the story.
I like that the ending was all tied up but I do wish there had been more thrillery bits!
𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
As long as you know going in that this isn’t a twisty thriller, but rather a character-driven, emotionally layered, and suspenseful slower read.
Thank you Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for this #gifted ARC.
🎧 Narrated by Flora Ogilvy
📖 Originally Published 2010 | New audio release 12•01•25 | 359 pages | 11h 58m
Chloe and her husband Alex attend dinner with her colleague Mark, only for his mysterious date Julia to trigger a painful, ten-year-old secret that could upend all their lives.
𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘
I really liked the narrator. A little bit husky, slightly posh english accent and great at the male voices too. Excellent choice and made for an addictive listen.
𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘
This isn’t a twist-heavy thriller, but a slow-burn reveal of emotional secrets. The vibe is easy, even when the story gets into some heavy stuff (TW: rape).
It’s character-focused, shifting between 4 points of view - Chloe and her husband Alex, her ex Mark who she still works with and Julia, his mysterious date. This is their story and it was an addictive read finding out who Julia was, and then how it all played out. I was fully invested in all 4 lives. I also appreciated how even supporting characters (like Chloe’s mother and Mark’s father) evolve through the story.
I like that the ending was all tied up but I do wish there had been more thrillery bits!
𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
As long as you know going in that this isn’t a twisty thriller, but rather a character-driven, emotionally layered, and suspenseful slower read.
Thank you Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for this #gifted ARC.
🎧 Narrated by Flora Ogilvy
📖 Originally Published 2010 | New audio release 12•01•25 | 359 pages | 11h 58m
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