I wouldn't exactly call this a page-turner, but it was a fast-paced, quick read. The plot moved along quickly, no lag in the storyline(s). Some of the things you can definitely see coming, but some were surprises. Pretty good character development, at least with most of the main characters. At one point I didn't necessarily understand why a certain character was having a hard time with something (I would say who and what, but no spoilers!) because what was happening was not an end-of-the-world catastrophe like they thought it was, but it gave the story a bit of plot twist, so I guess I see what Brenda Novak was trying to do there.

I've seen on other reviews that people don't like Brenda Novak's writing and that this was their first book by her. I'm relatively certain I've read at least one other book by her, and I haven't had any issues with her writing style. Honestly, I don't know what those other people are talking about because the writing in this book isn't really much different than most other suspense/romance books out there. So if you're looking at the other reviews and thinking to yourself "I don't know about this one" do yourself a favor and read it. I think everyone else was either reading outside their genre or being overly critical.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. Good story, fast plot, believable characters, twists and turns. If you like a little romance with your suspense, you will like this. If you like suspense and puzzles, you will like this. Just read it already! :) ( )

Maybe 3-1/2 stars? I think the romance element could have been stronger. I liked the mystery. Lots of elements which I felt were different. It wasn’t all cut and dried and there were some unexpected twists and turns. It all held together though. I recommend it on the whole. ( )

This book sucks you right in. A model, returned from a career in New York. An estranged family with a controlling father and a brother who won’t believe a word she says about what happened the night their mother disappeared. A best friend who married her ex right after she left town… and who may or may not be on her side. A cop who married a girl to do the right thing, rather than the one girl he’d always loved. This has all the makings of a really juicy soap opera, and you just can’t stop turning the pages.

But as Sloane digs deeper into the twisted history of what happened the night her mother disappeared, she starts receiving more threats. Her father controls everything in their small Texas town. Micah, her ex, now a police officer, wants to help. But the situation is complicated by the fact that Paige, his ex-wife in a nasty divorce and Sloane’s (maybe) best friend shows up at every turn, sure wanting Micah back and convinced he still has feelings for Sloane. (She may not be entirely wrong.) This was a complete page-turner!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. ( )

Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak is a perplexing mystery in which a daughter returns home determined to uncover the truth about her mother's disappearance twenty-three years earlier.

Ten years ago, Sloane McBride left home and completely cut everyone, including her boyfriend Micah Evans and her best friend Paige, out of her life. She is a sought-after model but after the death of her close friend and agent, she is ready to find out what happened to her mother, Clara. When Sloane was five years old, Clara vanished without a trace following an vicious argument with her husband, Ed. Sloane has long suspected her father might have murdered her mother but when she was younger, she had no idea how to prove her theory. Ed and her brother Randy are not pleased with her return and Ed does everything he can to drive her away. Fortunately, Paige welcomes her into her life and provides her a place to stay. But Sloane soon discovers her former best friend might not be entirely sincere about repairing their friendship. She also continues crossing paths with Micah and she is dismayed to learn the passage of time has not lessened her love for him nor his animosity over her departure ten years ago. Will Sloane find out for certain that her father murdered her mother? Is her friendship with Paige too fractured to repair? Can Micah forgive Sloane for breaking his heart?

After her mother's disappearance, Sloane's childhood is miserable since her father is a controlling, emotionally cold and selfish person. She and Randy are also at odds because he was does not share her conviction their father harmed their mother. Sloane's friendship with Paige is extremely close and she considers her to be the sister of her heart. After she begind dating Micah, Sloane overlooks Paige's attempts to garner his attention, but their once close friendship suffers from Paige's jealousy. Sloane loves Micah with all of her heart but she knows she cannot remain in town and that he will never leave. Sloane leaves abruptly leaves without telling anyone her plans and she severs ties with everyone.

Now ready to find out the truth about why her mother vanished, Sloane immediately begins playing amateur sleuth. After learning new details, she is certain her theory is right but she knows she will need definitive proof to take to the police. Although Sloane is dismayed by the information about her mother, she does not let this prevent her from following up on the new lead. Convinced she is on the right track, Sloane tenaciously keeps digging for answers despite her father's blatant attempts to stop her investigation.

Before We Were Strangers is a well-written mystery that often becomes overshadowed by drama and conflict with people from Sloane's past. Sloane is a likable character but her hand-wringing over father becomes tedious. Ed is a despicable villain whose behavior is over the top. Paige is an annoying woman who refuses to accept that she is the author of her misery. The investigation into what happened to Clara is quite fascinating. With some unexpected twists and turns Brenda Novak brings the novel to a twist-filled conclusion. Fans of the genre will enjoy this engaging mystery.
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Sloane McBride is a successful model who finds herself returning to her small hometown to find out what really happened to her mother who disappeared when she was a small child. Sloane's relationship with her father, the man she suspected of killing her mother, and her brother, who believed her father's version of the events surrounding her mother's disappearance, was severely fractured. Sloane also had to deal with her first love and former best friend who married and had a child soon after she left town right after her high school graduation. While there were some interesting twists, the ending was a little disappointing as too much of what happened is almost too good to believe, even in fiction! ( )