Author: Michelle Frances
Genre: Thriller
Published on: January 30, 2018 by Kensington Books
Once in a while, one comes across a book that surpasses expectations. I started reading The Girlfriend not knowing how good it may be. The synopsis seemed very compelling, though. And the book was part of Kindle Unlimited, so I checked it out. The Girlfriend is a psychological thriller set in contemporary England. The main character is Cherry Laine, a young woman with big dreams for her life. Her love interest is Daniel Cavendish, the 23-year-old son of a successful TV show producer.
Ever since she was young, Cherry knew she wanted more out of life. She had the misfortune (in her opinion) of being born in Croydon, one of the poorest neighborhoods in London. Growing up in a trailer park, Cherry's father was a loser who abandoned his family. Her mother, Wendy, is content with her job at a supermarket. Cherry is determined to penetrate high society and become wealthy. She's also extremely intelligent and has near-photographic memory. Cherry really hates when rich people look down on her just because they have more money.
In contrast, Daniel had more luck in life. He has a trust fund, a promising medical career, and parents who love him. They don't love each other anymore, but that's barely detrimental to his life. It's really common for parents to fall out of love anyway. Daniel meets Cherry at the real estate company where she works. They hit it off right away; it's pretty much love at first sight. This surprises Laura, Daniel's mother. She's very interested in knowing the girl who swept her son off his feet.
When Laura and Cherry meet, it seems like they will get along. Something happens that makes it start to go downhill, though. Cherry was nervous, but she also wanted Laura not to be like other rich people. As I mentioned, Cherry is super smart and believes that makes her better than people who are richer but less intelligent than she is. Cherry wants not only status, but respect. It's also obvious to the reader from the start that Cherry is with Daniel for his money. Laura eventually starts to suspect this as well. This drives a wedge between her and Cherry. Will it get bigger, or will their relationship improve somehow?
Though Cherry could well be a villain in The Girlfriend, I couldn't help but root for her. I wanted Cherry to succeed in her endeavors. What harm did it do that she wanted Daniel because of his money? She ended up falling in love anyway. Cherry wasn't all that bad. As the book progressed, though, you start to see the lengths Cherry will go to achieve her goals. Laura isn't much better (her suspicion borders and even surpasses callousness at one point). And then Cherry shows her true colors, going really far one day. Did she lose my loyalty? I think answering that may spoil the book a little. I'll just say that The Girlfriend was a phenomenal read. It's the definition of a page-turner, keeping you wanting to find out what happens next. I strongly recommend it to fans of mystery and psychological thrillers.
Ever since she was young, Cherry knew she wanted more out of life. She had the misfortune (in her opinion) of being born in Croydon, one of the poorest neighborhoods in London. Growing up in a trailer park, Cherry's father was a loser who abandoned his family. Her mother, Wendy, is content with her job at a supermarket. Cherry is determined to penetrate high society and become wealthy. She's also extremely intelligent and has near-photographic memory. Cherry really hates when rich people look down on her just because they have more money.
In contrast, Daniel had more luck in life. He has a trust fund, a promising medical career, and parents who love him. They don't love each other anymore, but that's barely detrimental to his life. It's really common for parents to fall out of love anyway. Daniel meets Cherry at the real estate company where she works. They hit it off right away; it's pretty much love at first sight. This surprises Laura, Daniel's mother. She's very interested in knowing the girl who swept her son off his feet.
When Laura and Cherry meet, it seems like they will get along. Something happens that makes it start to go downhill, though. Cherry was nervous, but she also wanted Laura not to be like other rich people. As I mentioned, Cherry is super smart and believes that makes her better than people who are richer but less intelligent than she is. Cherry wants not only status, but respect. It's also obvious to the reader from the start that Cherry is with Daniel for his money. Laura eventually starts to suspect this as well. This drives a wedge between her and Cherry. Will it get bigger, or will their relationship improve somehow?
Though Cherry could well be a villain in The Girlfriend, I couldn't help but root for her. I wanted Cherry to succeed in her endeavors. What harm did it do that she wanted Daniel because of his money? She ended up falling in love anyway. Cherry wasn't all that bad. As the book progressed, though, you start to see the lengths Cherry will go to achieve her goals. Laura isn't much better (her suspicion borders and even surpasses callousness at one point). And then Cherry shows her true colors, going really far one day. Did she lose my loyalty? I think answering that may spoil the book a little. I'll just say that The Girlfriend was a phenomenal read. It's the definition of a page-turner, keeping you wanting to find out what happens next. I strongly recommend it to fans of mystery and psychological thrillers.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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