Be Careful What You Wish For

Vivien Brown

Sep 2020 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

‘A story about friendship and family, and coming to terms with life and the challenges it throws at you while finding the courage and resilience to move on’ My Weekly Her life isn’t as perfect as you think...

Former actress Madi needs to escape from her lonely London life. She’s started to forget things and has the strongest sense she is being watched...

Prue feels suffocated by her claustrophobic village life, especially when she is humiliated in the most public way. Now Prue is desperate for anonymity –whatever the cost.

Two strangers.
Two very different lives.
A chance to escape...or is it?

Readers are enjoying Be Careful What You Wish For:

‘Well written with intriguing characters I wanted to learn more about... a surprise twist I didn’t expect’ Meredith

‘Twist caught me by surprise...Enjoyable book well worth picking up’ Diane

‘I was savoring the book and not wanting it to end despite the unknown’ Cara

‘A more gentle thriller than many in this genre...I found myself racing towards the end’ Susan

‘Good holiday read’ Denise

‘Surprisingly edgy’ Aine

‘A cozy mystery ... The twist at the end of the story was well executed and makes for an entertaining read’ Diana

‘Not as fast paced as other thrillers but that’s what I enjoyed most’ Cally

‘A few twists and turns that were unexpected’ Nicola

Ratings and reviews

I was immediately drawn to Be Careful What You Wish For by its stunning cover which made me desperate to know what is going on behind that striking red door! What I uncovered was an addictive read that had me gripped from start to finish. Vivien Brown has crafted a plot that sees two women, Madi and Prue wanting to escape their lives, which leads them to each other in the form of a house swap for a month. The chapters alternate between each of the women as we learn why they need to escape and there is also a sinister third voice that brings the mystery aspect to the story which really had me intrigued. The creation of the characters has been very well done and each of the leading ladies are brought to life perfectly. I really connected with both of these women and felt sympathy for their situations. The story is very well executed and there are no plot holes or unnecessary filler chapters to drag it along. Each ended with me wanting more and held my attention. This is the first book I have read from Vivien Brown and it will not be my last. I throughly enjoyed her writing which is very engaging making for a smooth and easy read. Her descriptions are so vivid that she makes you feel like you are there on the sidelines watching it all unfold, which I love when this happens. Be Careful What You Wish For is an enjoyable quick read that had me racing through the pages. Billed as a domestic suspense thriller, I did find this to be more a cozy mystery which I also love, so for me it was still a win. If you also love this genre, I am sure you will also enjoy this story which I highly recommend. Thank you to Vivien Brown, One More Chapter and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Be Careful What You Wish For, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

The name and the cover are misleading, this book isn't a thriller, althought it looks and sounds morbid and scary. It's a cozy story about two women finiding out that living outside of one's comfort zone can lead to good things to happen in their lives. It was too long and repetitive and felt like it was going no where. The thrilling part was tiny. It feels like a slice of life rather than a thriller. Had it had a suitable cover and name, it would've attracted the targeted audience, which is diffently not me, but it kept me reading so yeah, 3 stars it is.

There is a thriller element to this book but it's quite a minor part of the story. It's mostly a sweet heartwarming read. Two women swap homes, one is a cottage in small country town and the other a city apartment in London. They make new friends and improve their lives.

About the author

Vivien Brown lives in Uxbridge, on the outskirts of London, with her husband and two cats. After a career in banking and accountancy and the birth of her twin daughters, she gave up working with numbers and moved into working with words and has never looked back.