NetGalley Buddy Readers discussion

From Danielle Girard, the USA TODAY bestselling author who “effortlessly ratchets up the tension” (J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author), comes a pulse-pounding thriller about a young woman whose surrogate disappears just days before the baby’s due date, leading to a frantic search that uncovers dark truths and the power of a mother’s love.

Lexi thought she knew everything about Mara Vannatta. Best friends since middle school, they drifted apart after a tragedy derailed their senior year. But when Mara shows up on Lexi’s doorstep sixteen years later fleeing an abusive husband, Lexi takes her in without question. Lexi’s own marriage has been strained by her desire to have a baby, and when Mara offers to become her surrogate, their friendship feels stronger than ever.

But four days before the due date, Mara disappears.

Lexi is shocked but certain there must be something wrong—Mara would never willingly leave with her unborn child. Or would she? As she embarks on a perilous cross-country hunt for the truth, Lexi is forced to reconsider a friendship she thought she knew—and what really happened that terrible night their senior year. How many secrets lie in their shared past, waiting to be uncovered? And just how far will Lexi go to bring her child safely home?

Elyse and I are starting 2/8

Starting on Friday! I feel like this will be a quick read. 🤞

yes, I agree, I think it will be quick!

I've paused Kin to start Pinky Swear as it seems more interesting to me right now!

Yeah, this one is interesting so far

10 chapters / 25%

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I can't imagine losing my best friend when she's pregnant! Yikes! but she has definitely been too trusting. But she seems like she's been willfully trying to pretend everything is great. like walking on egg shells or something. . .

but I wonder where she's gone. maybe the train ticket?
the ex-husband (boyfriend?) seems to easy, right?
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20 chapters / 48%

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wow, this is really just highlighting how little she asked about her friend since they'd met back up. she let her live with her, use her car and everything- gave her access to things like her jewelry, credit cards and money and knew nothing about her. Yikes!

I'm also worried she's still not telling anyone in her life anything. she doesn't have another friend other than mara now and she's not telling henry or his grown kids anything. she's not even all that shaken up about her attack.

I really hope this detective is a real detective and not another guy trying to find Mara pretending.
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31 chapters / 75%

well (view spoiler)[ I don't feel like we learned much more about the Now Mara but we sure learned more about the past
Super sad about Lexi - but did Mara still have something to do with that? and was Lexi still pregnant when she died?
how did she not know any of this about her friends then?

and now, she's making some terrible decisions. that violence with the bar guy after she's been both attacked and her room searched.

but the info she found out about the club sure makes it sound like the cops may not be on the up and up

I wonder where Mara is. and what was the emergency room visit all about? and where is that thumb drive?
hmmm
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Chapter 37 is horrible and graphic and I wanted to warn you. . .

and I'm done

I (view spoiler)[ kind of figured Maxwell was bad but wow, he was really awful in the end. I'm glad she went against him and got him caught.

ugh, that c section was absolutely terrible. no way could I have done that to someone

but I'm glad, in the end, she got her baby
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Just finished. Meh. A lot of questions and questionable things at the end lol. (view spoiler)[So there must have been an autopsy when Cate died or at least a drug test like hello?? But I guess religious parents would say no to an autopsy? And would definitely hide that she was pregnant when she died. But it would've been nice to flesh that out.

Yeah Ch 37 was GRUESOME. And I've had a C-section! 😅

I feel like Lexi did a lot of farfetched things. (hide spoiler)]