The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart ~ My Thoughts #TheLongWayBack @NicoleLynnBaart @AtriaBooks

The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart

Mystery, Thriller, 384 pages

Published June 13, 2023 by Atria Books

When an Instagram-famous teenager mysteriously disappears, her mother grapples with the revelation of dark secrets in this twisty, atmospheric thriller—from the author of Everything We Didn’t Say.

Mother and daughter Charlie and Eva never sought social media fame, but when a stunning photo of Eva went viral, fame found them. Now, after more than two years documenting life on the road in their vintage Airstream trailer, the duo has temporarily settled in a tiny Minnesota town. Eva is happily finishing her senior year of high school and applying to college, but Charlie longs for the adventures they left behind.

When Eva goes missing less than a week before her graduation, it’s Charlie who is immediately suspected of foul play—not just by their fans, but also by the police and the FBI. As a fight about one more road trip comes to light, and the truth about their relationship is questioned, Charlie realizes the rosy façade they portrayed online hid a complicated and potentially dangerous reality. Now, to clear her name and find out what has happened to her daughter, she’ll have to confront her own role in Eva’s disappearance—and whether she knew her daughter at all.

My thoughts about The Long Way Back ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"Instagram Post #1 - I must be a mermaid, I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living. Anaïs Nin [IMAGE CONTENTS: A raven-haired girl beneath a waterfall.]" 

Such a great story of our times. At the center of everything is social media, with a mother and daughter team as Instagram stars. After a disturbing viral post, they decide to take a break from the drama, and for their own safety. And then Eva, the daughter goes missing and Charlie, her mom, is suspected of foul play. 

Charlie knows she is innocent and makes it her mission to find her daughter. The more she digs, the more disturbing information she uncovers. Secrets and unsavory people make the situation interesting, and dangerous. 

There are plenty of twists and turns in the story, along with the heartwarming relationship between Charlie and Eva. So much there to keep me interested in the story. It was nice to see a mother and daughter so close. The Long Way Back was a nice escape read that I enjoyed very much. 

I received The Long Way Back via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

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About the author

Nicole Baart is the author of eleven novels, including Everything We Didn’t Say (an October 2021 Book of the Month selection and Amazon Editor's pick) and The Long Way Back. Best known for her “race-to-the-finish family dramas” (People), Baart is also the cofounder of a nonprofit and mother of five. She lives in Iowa with her family. ~ Goodreads 

Connect with Nicole

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

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New Release! Everything We Didn't Say by Nicole Baart ~ My Thoughts #EverythingWeDidn'tSay

Congrats Nicole

on the release of

Everything We Didn't Say!

Everything We Didn't Say by Nicole Baart

Mystery Thriller, 368 pages

Published November 2, 2021 by Atria Books

From the author of Little Broken Things, a “race-to-the-finish family drama” (People) following a mother who must confront the dark summer that changed her life forever in order to reclaim the daughter she left behind.

Juniper Baker had just graduated from high school and was deep in the throes of a summer romance when Cal and Beth Murphy, a childless couple who lived on a neighboring farm, were brutally murdered. When her younger brother became the prime suspect, June’s world collapsed and everything she loved that summer fell away. She left, promising never to return to tiny Jericho, Iowa.

Until now. Officially, she’s back in town to help an ill friend manage the local library. But really, she’s returned to repair her relationship with her teenage daughter, who’s been raised by Juniper’s mother and stepfather since birth—and to solve the infamous Murphy murders once and for all. She knows the key to both lies in the darkest secret of that long-ago summer night, one that’s haunted her for nearly fifteen years.

As history begins to repeat itself and a dogged local true crime podcaster starts delving into the murders, the race to the truth puts past and present on a dangerous collision course. Juniper lands back in an all-too-familiar place with the answers to everything finally in her sights, but this time it’s her daughter’s life that hangs in the balance. Will revealing what really happened mean a fresh start? Or will the truth destroy everything Juniper loves for a second time? Baart once again brilliantly weaves mystery into family drama in this expertly-crafted novel for fans of Lisa Jewell and Megan Miranda.

My thoughts about Everything We Didn't Say ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"The murders took place on a hot summer night, but to Juniper it would always be  winter in Jericho. Bitter and unforgiving as deep February, when frost edged the windows like salt on the rim of a glass."

Those first few lines totally drew me in—such a great description of the frost. I prepared myself for a wonderful visual journey via the author's words. And I was not disappointed, such beautiful writing. 

Everything We Didn't Say is an enticing, exciting, and suspenseful story. It is told in two timelines—the present, with Juniper returning to her hometown, and the past that she is desperately trying to escape. Maybe coming home will give her some answers about what really happened there fifteen years ago. Will she finally be able to remember the events of that day and who was responsible for the murder of two of her neighbors? 

I loved this story and completely devoured it as I raced to the end. Like I said, it is beautifully written, which made the reading of it so enjoyable. And then there was the interesting and exciting storyline. Nicole Baart is a new-to-me author and this book has now made her one of my must-read authors. I need to check out her other books and catch up before her next novel comes out. 

Everything We Didn't Say should be added to your TBR list right now. I highly recommend it if you like thrillers. You will not be disappointed. 

About the author

Nicole Baart is a New York Times bestselling author, collaborator, ghostwriter, and speaker. Her critically acclaimed novels have been featured in Southern Living, Country Woman, Book Page, Glam, and Yahoo! Lifestyle among several others. Nicole’s 2017 novel, Little Broken Things, was a PEOPLE Magazine Editor's Top Pick, a Goodreads Best Book of the Month, and featured in Library Journal. A perennial reviewer favorite, Nicole has received starred and featured reviews from Publishers Weekly, Romantic Times, Midwest Connections, and more. She is best known for her “wholly compelling” stories that are “ripe with complex emotion and vivid prose.”

Baart lives with her husband and five children in a small town in Iowa. She is the co-founder of a non-profit organization that partners with ministries in Liberia, West Africa, and a dual American/Canadian citizen. Her books range from literary to domestic suspense, but they always draw heavily from her personal experiences and her life in the Midwest. Nicole shares about her passion for travel, adoption, social justice, and bringing people together on social media. To find out more about Nicole, please visit: nicolebaart.com ~ Goodreads 

Connect with Nicole

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

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