First Impression: I was hooked the whole way through and enjoying the journey through the many secrets this couple had.

Thank you for Carys Green, Random House UK – Vintage, Harvill Secker, and Netgalley for the Advanced reader Copy of this title. Potential readers, here is my opinion on the novel.

If you want to know what happens when you give a controlling, possessive partner control, look no further. Carys Green presents an idea that is so satisfyingly eerie and has the reader trying to emulate Unity’s OneMind in order to will themselves into Anna Weston’s head. What was she thinking?

Anna Weston has been married to Elijah, the man she met on her first night at the Student Union bar. The book opens on their tenth anniversary with a panicked Anna running late for a dinner Elijah is cooking. Elijah does all the cooking, earns the money, and has the home kitted out in the latest tech, freeing Anna up to pursue her love of art in her home studio. That does not stop Elijah wanting to know Anna’s every making move. Presenting her with his latest gift, he offers Anna the opportunity to hear his every waking thought, the only catch is…he will hear her every conscious thought too. With a couple this close, who had known each other their whole adult lives, what could possibly go wrong?

Like so many readers and reviewers have said before me, there is a large chunk of repetition in this book where Anna frequently asks about a specific feature of the chip that are a main feature of this book, and although Elijah answers each time, it is still a main topic of conversation between the couple. This feature of the book can be a bit grating at times. However, I did not allow this to deter my reading. Instead, it helped build a better sense of both Elijah and Anna’s characters.

The premise behind the book was a novel idea for me. I loved the drama, the touch of sci-fi, and the not-so-distant feal of the novel. It felt fresh and unique. I also loved the way the novel was told in alternating past and present tense, connecting the then and now, whilst posing questions that helped spur the reader and keep the page turning. It gave the reader a clear picture of the two main couples in the book, how they came to be, and exactly what their foundations were made of. That said, the backstory also makes you wonder how the couples have successfully stayed together until present day. The women are a far cry to their earlier selves.

Although I had a range of ideas in my head about how the story would end, I have to admit, I was caught off-guard. I did not see what was coming until it sucked me into the action as it unfolded. Suspense was a constant ally throughout this book’s journey and an enjoyable read. Jumping from person, thought to thought, to spoken language took a little getting used to so the visual cues using bold, italics, and speech marks is helpful. I am not sure if the book would be easy to listen to if the narrator were not altering their voice to get into each character.

As a trigger warning, there are a few mentions of abortion and miscarriages to be aware of. If you are not put off by what you have read so far, then this book is for lovers of modern-day thrillers who love the latest technology. There is frequent use of the ‘f-bomb’ to signal fear, or an error but otherwise, the book would probably be considered tame in content, and typical of a thriller genre novel. I highly recommend this book and give it a 4 out of 5 stars, with the only letdown being the repetition that makes Anna a little annoying.

Quick Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / R Rated

Have you say: If you could have access to your partner’s mind 24/7 in return for access to yours, would you allow it? Why (or why not)? The Papergirl Community awaits your thoughts in the comments below.

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