Every Vow You Break audiobook

"Seriously, you need to tell Bruce about this. You need to get off that island." I'll start with, simply: I enjoyed Every Vow You Break. Quite a lot, actually, but I can also see right away why a lot of people won't. I think realistic expectations will help going into this. If you ask me, this book barely belongs in the mystery/thriller genre. I'd say Swanson is moving away from that genre and taking a good few steps into horror or dystopia with this book. There's nothing supernatural in the story, per se, but it does veer off into a highly implausible (though, for me, compelling) plot.I came up with a comparison I like. Did you enjoy the 2020 film The Invisible Man with Elizabeth Moss? I found that film absolutely riveting, awful, anxiety-inducing... impossible to look away from. Obviously, it's also a kinda wacky concept, and I think Every Vow You Break has a similar vibe. It's also about the messed up gaslighting emotionally-abusive shit that men do to women.If that sounds acceptable to you, step right up. But it now makes complete sense to me why the average rating for this book is pretty low... because I imagine most people went into this expecting a standard twisty thriller. In fact, I'd say this is far more fear/tension/action-based than it is based on clever twists. The first twist is so transparent that I'm actually not 100% sure it was supposed to be a twist.The book follows Abigail Baskin who is marrying Bruce, the man of her dreams. He's a wealthy, stable, good guy and they're about to spend their life together. Then Abigail does something stupid. At her bachelorette party, she gets drunk and sleeps with a man she's just met. But it was a one time thing, a terrible mistake, and she intends to forget all about it. Until that same man turns up on the idyllic honeymoon island where she is vacationing with her new husband. Until he keeps following her. Until she sees a fellow guest on the island running through the woods, bleeding.Trapped on the island with her new husband, the guy she had a one-night-stand with, and who knows what other horrors, Abigail has to find out what is going on and learn the true identity of the man who refuses to let her go.It's some scary shit, I'm telling you. This whole creepy island setting with cabins in the forest has a real Friday The 13th feel to it (the original 1980 one; I haven't seen the others). And it is ultimately about the lengths men will go to in order to control and punish women.If you're on the lookout for a clever psychological thriller, I would skip this one. Give Swanson's The Kind Worth Killing or Before She Knew Him a go instead. I almost lowered my rating to factor in what I know other people's disappointed reactions will be to this book, but it would be disingenuous. I rate based on how I feel, and I couldn't put this one down. Would make a great film, I think.As well as the emotional abuse and gaslighting noted above, an additional warning for mentions of suicide.

A very appropriate title as it turns out, just a pity I’ve had the Police track ‘Every breath you take’ as an ear worm ever since I started the book! However, the lyrics are so apt. I don’t want to say much about the plot as it’s best to go in blind but suffice it to say it all starts to go wrong at Abigail Baskins hen do (can’t say Bachelorette, I’m British!) in California. She’s due to marry multimillionaire Bruce Lamb in a few weeks on the east coast ... which goes ahead and he duly whisks her off to Heart Pond Island for the honeymoon. Abigail narrates the story. I really like the slow burn build up start of this one. It’s quite understated, reflective, almost introspective to start with and very easy to read. Then the pace picks up and you feel little ripples of unease and a few frissons of fear, like a freezing cold draught on the back of your neck. The island feels surreal and dreamlike which echoes Abigails own dreams which contain some interesting imagery. The sense of unreality deepens and you realise that it’s all quite theatrical which Peter Swanson matches in the many film references. Which film are we in? Well, initially it’s a creepy, claustrophobic one with plenty of suspense and tension. Then at around two thirds of the way through it’s a movie that starts to hurtle towards the edge of a cliff a la Thelma and Louise. Although my jaw plummets on occasions too, it starts to become predictable from this point because I’d figured it out. The build up to the end is far fetched, mad, entertaining and certainly bonkers! It feels a bit hysterical or is that me??!! The ending is a bit abrupt, coming to a somewhat rapid halt. As for the characters, I couldn’t get a handle on Abigail, Bruce is undeveloped and I’d have liked more, the nicest characters are Abigail’s parents and best friend Zoe. Overall, the author is a fantastic writer and although I have enjoyed this one enough to warrant four stars I don’t think it’s his best book as his twists are usually unpredictable. In this one they are clear to see and so it doesn’t have the same impact. 3-4 stars rounded up. With thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for the arc for an honest review.

Review published in: https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot....3,5⭐️ Peter Swanson is one of my favorite mystery authors and the one responsible for one of my favorite books of the last years. When "Every vow you break" was announced I think I gave a little squeal, as the premise sounded totally amazing, so I tried by all means (with no success, btw) to get an ARC, cause I couldn't wait till next March to read it. I even included it in my most anticipated books of 2021 list. And then, my not so Secret Santas made me the most amazing early Christmas gift and provided me with a physical copy! After reading some lukewarm reviews I was a bit afraid to read it and, although I liked it, it is not in the same league as "The kind worth killing", but, being honest, he set the bar very high with that one.The start was quite slow and I found my mind wandering while reading (so much time waiting for it and now you wander? I wanted to slap myself!), but once the honeymoon starts things got more interesting. First of all, a honeymoon in a summer camp? Yeah, a luxurious one, but a summer camp in the end. Really? Girl, run away. NOW! That's not a way to start a marriage!None of the characters were specially likable. I would have liked a bit more development in Bruce's character. He went from zero to sixty in an eye blink!It wasn't hard to predict where the plot was headed and I missed the author's trademark twists and turns I enjoyed so much in some of his previous books. Despite it, the last 20% was completely nerve wracking, so that made up for the lack of twists a little bit.Was the resolution completely implausible and totally bonkers? Yes. Was the ending a bit abrupt? Yes. Was it fun and mildly satisfying? YES.Although it is not my favorite Peter Swanson, the very good and engaging writing made me devour this in less than a day.Thanks, thanks, thanks to my Secret Santas for my copy!

I'll admit I don't have a perfect rating system. I just kinda go with my gut and tend to place a high value on how much enjoyment I got out of the reading experience especially when it comes to mysteries and thrillers. Every Vow You Break was a popcorn eating type read and that means even though it went in a less than satisfying direction, it still was a fun read for me. The key word in that sentence is me. I totally get why other readers are unhappy with this thriller even though despite the flaws, I liked it.Abigail is engaged to millionaire, Bruce Lamb. While attending her bachelorette weekend festivities, she sleeps with another man. Whoops! Looking on the bright side, after her drunken one night stand, Abigail is determined to put it behind her and fully commit to spending the rest of her life with Bruce. But there is a kink in her plan as the man she slept with tracks her down and insists they belong together. Sounds like a problem for Abigail!The premise hooked me in right away as you just know Abigail's life is about to get crazy if stalker guy is going to stick around. The problem with the story is you have a general sense of the direction even if you can't predict the extent of how bonkers things will get in the end. Even I was disappointed the author chose what I consider the easiest path for this thriller. I didn't bother to pinpoint the moment when things started going downhill but my estimation is I was thoroughly entertained by 3/4 of the book before I got a meh feeling. I don't want to defend the book and I don't want to analyze it to death. I simply enjoyed the reading experience despite not liking everything about the story.

Actual stars 3.75 rounded up to 4I noticed Every Vow You Break got a lot of meh to bad reviews, and while I wouldn’t call this a favorite read, I actually kind of enjoyed it. In fact I read it 3 (yup 3) times in order to finally do a review before waiting too long and forgetting a lot of the info, which I did the other 2 times I read it. Old Brain + Too Many Books = Forgetfulness of the highest degree. 😁Abigail meets Bruce at a coffee shop on her lunch break. She’s on the heels of a break up from a long term relationship and has decided to move back home to Boxgrove from NYC to help her parents pack up their failing business. He asks her to dinner and she figures why not get a nice meal from the obviously wealthy, decent looking guy on her way out of town. But everything changes when Bruce’s innocent down to earth attitude captured Abigail’s heart. That and his generosity, and his wealth didn’t hurt either.After a yearlong courtship Abigail and Bruce get engaged and the big day is soon after. Bruce wants Abigail to have a memorable bachelorette party and foots the bill for his bride-to-be’s celebration at a Northern California Vineyard-Restaurant-Hotel. After quite a few drinks and lot of flirting Abigail drunkly hooks up with a handsome stranger named “Scottie”. Abigail feels horrible after the fact and not sure if she should actually go through with the marriage. Maybe her subconscious is trying to tell her something?But once she is back home in NYC with her loving fiancé Abigail knows she truly wants to be with Bruce and she made a serious mistake that she needs to put behind her. They are married soon after and on their way to their honeymoon destination. Bruce set up their honeymoon at a private resort on Heart Pond Island which is off the coast of Maine. It’s an elite resort meant for the wealthy with a back to nature ambience which means limited electricity and no cell phones or computers accessibility. Abigail is not happy with the no technology/electricity but she loves the luxurious amenities and soon falls in love with the resort.Until she comes face to face with “Scottie” her one night affair and wants nothing more than to get off the island. Not only that strange things are starting to happen at Quoddy. Including and incident involving the only other female guest. As Abigail tells her new husband that something does not feel right at the resort and wants to leave she sees a side to Bruce she has never seen before. What is going on with Quoddy, what is going on with her new husband? Can Abigail trust anyone? I listened to the audio of Every Vow You Break which was narrated by Karissa Vacker. I really enjoy Karissa’s narration except for one area that another GR reviewer (Melissa LifeFullyBooked) pointed out, she has a tendency to whisper. Otherwise her characters are life like and she does a great job with male counterparts. The book itself was intriguing with twists that I didn’t see coming right away (the first time around anyways). It’s not character driven because honestly I didn’t like any of them, not even Abigail the MC. But the story itself was what kept me reading. Trying to figure out the mystery of what the heck was going on. I loved the out of the way destination and the fact that Quoddy Resort is on an island that the guests can’t just leave whenever they want, Abigail was essentially trapped. It gave the story an extra sinister feel. And even though I wasn’t her biggest fan I felt sorry for how quickly things were unraveling for her. Her fear and anxiety were palpable. I did have a problem with the reason behind everything. This won’t make sense unless you’ve read it yourself. There’s a “logical” reason behind everything but there’s also a side twist that comes along with it that I thought was ridiculous. Think “Green Man” ring for those who have read it. I guess stuff like that possibly happens but it was just over the top to me and why I rated it 3.75 instead of 4 Stars. Even with the weird ridiculous twist I really enjoyed Every Vow You Break and am looking forward to reading more of Peter Swanson’s books.

Abigail Baskin never dreamed of falling in love with an extremely rich man like Bruce Lamb. The night before her wedding, Abigail has a drunken one night stand on her bachelorette weekend. She's determined to forget about the weekend and make a commitment to Bruce. But the past always has a way of catching up with you and Abigail finds herself in a difficult situation when out of the blue the stranger from that weekend tracks her down and insists they belong together. Here the story starts to change direction and the plot begins to have twists, leaving the reader wondering what will happen next. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, so I was unable to compare it to anything else I’d read by him which I think is probably a good thing. I honestly enjoyed this book, although it was more of a slow burn thriller for me there was still enough intrigue to keep me interested to the end of the book. Well worth reading in my opinion.

First thing I want to say: DO NOT READ the full synopsis. William and Morrow Publishing was kind enough to send me an ARC, and on the back there was only a very small synopsis. I went into the book mostly blind, and I think that really made my reading experience superior to others. After I finished the book, I realized there was a full synopsis, and after reading it, I felt like it gave away too much of the surprises that kept me on the edge of my seat.This is one of my FAVORITE THRILLERS. Before having read this book, I was not a die hard Peter Swanson fan, but after reading this, I'm definitely picking up his next thriller. I absolutely loved the pacing of this book - I loved every second! There were no boring parts, and so many times my heart was beating like crazy, my eyes were trying to read as fast as possible, I was holding my breath, because I just wanted to find out what was happening! There was so much mystery and suspense built into this story, and I felt like it was such a clever, original, domestic thriller.The only thing you need to know: if you like stalker/survival/domestic thrillers....read this. You don't need to know anything else about the story. If you want to watch my whole reading vlog, and watch me literally trying to catch my breath: https://youtu.be/mJ6rLBywwt0

** spoiler alert ** I can definitely see why this book elicits a wide array of opinions. First of all, you should know that this isn’t Swanson’s usual type of thriller. The heroine of the book, Abigail, asks herself at several points of the book, “What movie am I in?” The question is apt, as the book reads more like a horror movie than anything. (And, spoiler alert: I LOOOOVE horror movies.) I think this book would make a really fun popcorn movie. More on that later.I try not to include spoilers in my reviews, but in this one, I have a mild thematic spoiler about the big twist so think it’s necessary. The basic setup is this: the reader begins the book thinking she is reading a typical, random psycho man-stalking-woman thriller. But then Swanson flips the script and suddenly the books is: MARRIAGE AS A HORROR MOVIE. Surely only a sick person would enjoy a book like that? Yes, that’s me. I am the sick person. This book also has a lot of laugh-out-loud satirical moments. Swanson skewers a certain type of guy who treats a woman a certain type of way. I agree with other reviewers that nothing in the book is particularly believable, but that’s how some of the most fun horror movies and satires are. Since I was viewing the book as satirical and somewhat dystopian, I didn’t mind this and actually enjoyed the wild and exaggerated happenings.So I’m not going to tell you much more about the plot. But if you’re a horror movie fan, surely you know there are two main kinds of horror films: first, the kind where you don’t know the killer, or what’s coming, and the movie is more like a typical mystery or thriller.But then there’s the other fun kind of horror movie. The kind where you can see the killer coming a mile away, and you’re watching with a creeping dread as you see things the heroine doesn’t. Ultimately you’re just waiting for an explosive conclusion that you basically already know, but you want it to be wild and freaky. This, my friends, is the kind of movie Abigail is in here. She doesn’t know it but we do. And we are like, “Nooooo. Don’t you dare go in there!”I’m also probably the ideal audience for this movie — uh, book. I’m a big feminist reader AND I love horror movies. This story takes real aim at chauvinists and skewers a certain type of guy who wants to own women like he owns objects. The kind of guy who thinks we should go “back to the good old days.” And it does so in a pretty humorous way. Like in the good horror movies, I was hoping this book would go a certain way, and it went there with gusto and ridiculousness, which I completely enjoyed.Ultimately I think this book might find more of its audience if it is marketed more as a horror novel or a dystopian novel like The Handmaid’s Tale. Or maybe with an emphasis on the exaggerated satirical aspect for those who like that. Swanson at one point likens the plot to a zombie movie and I think that’s also right on the money. (An army of sexist zombies? Or maybe just one? Read and see. 😆)In any case, I thought the book was intelligent and Swanson (as in his previous books) handles feminist issues with fun symbolism, action, and thrills. But it is definitely not the book anyone thought they were picking up from the blurb. To me, that was ok and fun, but if you don’t like some of the themes and outrageousness here that are not at all disclosed on the book jacket, this won’t work for you.The book does have its flaws. It’s a bit slow to start (but I still enjoyed it for the creeping horror dread buildup I mentioned). Also, Abigail isn’t particularly likable, but also not really aggressively unlikeable enough to be an antihero. Finally, at the big denouement of the book I felt like Swanson equivocated a little about the “villain” and what the purpose of all this was, and what the villain was ultimately going to do. Just go all the way there, buddy. You are onto something fun.All this to say - I really enjoyed the book even though it was imperfect and implausible. The type of crazy it was really worked for me, and Swansons writing is, as always, fantastic. Also, I think I was fortunate to listen to the audiobook, which had excellent and very suspenseful narration. Friends, Peter Swanson has yet to disappoint me. For my money, this sits alongside all his other smart, devious and thought-provoking thrillers, but just a little weirder and wilder, and I like to see him trying his hand at something new.Also, I just want to say that if his doesn’t get made into a movie, I’ll be totally shocked. You can really visualize the whole thing and there are some really fun and funny cinematic visual dynamics that I think would make for a unique and scary horror/satire. Get it done, Netflix! I’m out of freaky horror movies and the pandemic is still going on.4 plus stars for a fun time battling sexists.

So, what have we learned from Abigail and Bruce in this new Peter Swanson thriller? 1) Premarital counseling is a must. 2) Choose that last dance song together -- just in case either the bride or groom has a grudge. 3) Beware of islands where the silicon valley types go to unplug. This is one of the most original thriller plots I have come across. It had a bit of a Shirley Jackson feel to it. There really are some times of pure terror. Will she escape or won't she? Heart Pond Island is vividly presented. I could see it and smell it. And it's true, the characters are really not likable. That seems to be a given for Peter Swanson books, but I still keep reading them. This one does not have as many layers as some of the others, so I do not think it is worthy of five stars. I will be watching for the next one and may make it a priority to seek out the early ones I missed before 'All the Beautiful Lies.'Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Peter Swanson is a go to author for me, ever since I read and loved The Kind Worth Killing. That books set the bar very high but I have enjoyed every single one of his books. When I heard about Every Vow You Break I was desperate to get my hands on it - big thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy to devour. This was a read in one sitting book for me, highly addictive and crazy, just as I like them.Abigail and Bruce have a whirlwind romance and within 6 months of meeting they are engaged. They are madly in love but on her Bachelorette party she makes a mistake that is going to cost her dearly. Bruce has arranged the honeymoon at an exclusive resort on Heart Pond Island, off the coast of Maine. It is remote and there or no phones or wi-fi. The idea is to relax and get away from reality. Abigail is shocked when her mistake comes back to haunt her on her honeymoon and has to stop Bruce from discovering her secret, so soon after they married. This will be a honeymoon like no other, one that nobody will forget.The ending is wild, it is out there and it is unbelievable. If you can suspend belief and just go with it you will love this book just as I did. We read to escape so for me it was fun. The characters are not the most likeable either, but they are not meant to be.Highly recommend, you will not want to put it down

Peter Swanson can honestly do no wrong in my eyes. Every book of his feels at once fresh and unique, but also stylistically somehow still him. I know not every ready will respond to every book, but I can honestly say I've loved them all. Every Vow You Break is another stylistic departure for Swanson and delivers the sort of literary joy ride that requires the reader to check their disbelief at the door and hold on tight for the show. If you need everything to be 100% plausible, this might not be the book for you (also you might be happier swimming in the "mystery" end of the thriller swimming pool). But if you're someone who can go into a book and enjoy each twist and turn and wrench it throws your way, do not skip this!I've been loving thrillers lately that take place around a wedding and honeymoon. It's such an interesting period of time to explore, bringing two people together and then testing their limits right as they are on the precipice of committing to a life together.The pacing of this book worked well for the story. It starts relatively slow (but with an intriguing opener)--Abigail receives an email from someone she had a one-night-stand with on her bachelorette weekend. Someone that she doesn't know and who shouldn't know who she is--they kept it anonymous for a reason. How did he find her? From here we have to go back a bit and see how we got here. As Abigail recounts her conversation with the stranger, we learn all about her history with men, relationships, sex, her parents, and her upbringing. I really enjoyed Abigail's backstory. It was different--she's not our normal heroine from a thriller. Not by a longshot!And then we learn about how she met her fiancé Bruce. Abigail never envisioned herself marrying someone so wealthy. But slowly, Bruce won her over with his kindness and persistence. Abigail can't believe she almost ruined it all with a one-night-stand. And now she's trying to figure out how this stranger found her right before her wedding. As the wedding night arrives, Abigail begins to get further hints that the stranger might not have simply emailed her, she thinks he may be stalking her.From here the pace picks up quite a bit, through the wedding and to their honeymoon, where the stranger just happens to arrive a day or so after Abigail. Is he following her? What will happen if Bruce finds out? And what are his motives for coming here?I wish I could say more about the book but I truly think it is best if you experience it yourself. Let's just say Abigail's honeymoon is not one I hope to experience myself! From the time they arrive at their destination, the pace of the book gets faster and faster and the story takes turn after turn that had me completely hooked until the final page. This is a wild-ride and by the time it was over I couldn't believe where I ended versus where I thought the book was going!

I read Every Vow You Break in one sitting- such is the addictive nature of it, a twisty thriller that gives nothing away, keeping you turning the pages until you can find out what happens..Abigail is recently married and on her honeymoon, but a mistake she made prior to her happily ever after is about to come back and haunt her..I really loved this. That edge of unpredictability that Peter Swanson always brings to his devilishly plotted novels is here in abundance, everything that happens has a creepy undertone to it so you are never sure what may be completely innocuous and what may be important. The island setting with its claustrophobic lack of contact with the outside world adds atmosphere to the narrative that is classically clever. You keep wanting to tell Abigail to run, but you are not sure what from.The ending was hugely satisfying and overall this was an excellent read, short and punchy, confirming this author as one of the best plotters and executioners out there.Recommended.

I finished this is about 2 hours, and can honestly say I did not expect all that to happen!! 😂This was not the psychological thriller I was expecting from Swanson. This was a a bit of a slow burn, but honestly played out more like a full out, over the top horror story. It was pretty freaking ridiculous in the end, but I enjoyed myself!!