Read Completed 10/9/24 | 4 stars
THE FIVE YEAR LIE was a fun read for me! It was a little different than some of the thrillers I've read, just in tone, but I appreciated a little break. Sarina Bowen is best known for her romances but I haven't read any of them yet -- and I really appreciated her writing style in this thriller! It isn't a romantic thriller but it also does have just a little bit of romance peppered in, fitting well with the story, being a mix of domestic and corporate thriller. 

There was a little lull in the middle for me and I was worried the book was losing steam, but things really picked up again and I really enjoyed the ending. I appreciated the character development, which I guess shouldn't surprise me from a romance author since romances are sometimes pure character. I loved getting to know Ariel, and her son Buzz was adorable. I often don't like kids in thrillers, but Buzz was a great addition and the writing kept him cute and relatable. 

I wasn't AS interested in the actual plot for a while in the middle once we started uncovering more clues and answers, but the story came back around to keep it interesting. There were a few minor characters tossed in which were important to the story, but it took it away from the main focus for me for just a bit. 

I'm happy I had fun with this one because I wasn't really sure what to expect. This turned out to be a solid read for me.