Title:- Someone Else’s Life
Author:- Lyn Liao Butler
Date published:- will be published on January 17th 2023
Publisher:- Thomas and Mercer
No. of pages:- 297 pages
Genre:- Psychological Thriller
Rating:-
Plot:- 4/5
Writing:- 4/5
Overall rating:- 4/5
A new life in paradise should have healed her wounds. But for a woman struggling to hold on to her family and her sanity, one stormy night could change everything.
Blow by blow, Annie Lin’s life crumbles. Her dance studio goes bankrupt. Her mother and beloved dog are gone the same year. Then a terrible accident leaves her young son traumatized.
It’s time for a change.
Palm trees, mai tais, peace and quiet―Annie should be at ease, safe in her new Kauai home with her husband and son. She hopes proximity to her family can provide them all with a sense of belonging and calm. But soon items from her past start turning up―her dog’s collar, a bracelet that disappeared years ago―and she has the unnerving sensation she’s being watched. Reality begins to fracture, and Annie’s panic attacks return. When, during a brewing storm, a woman appears on her doorstep looking for shelter, Annie is relieved to have the company and feels an unexplainable bond with her visitor.
As the night progresses, Annie realizes the woman is no stranger. Their lives are inextricably intertwined―and Annie might just lose everything.
Lyn Liao Butler was born in Taiwan and moved to the States when she was seven. Before becoming an author, she was a professional ballet and modern dancer, and is still a personal trainer, fitness instructor, and yoga instructor. She is an avid animal lover and fosters dogs as well as volunteers with rescues.
When she is not torturing clients or talking to imaginary characters, Lyn enjoys spending time with her FDNY husband, their son (the happiest little boy in the world), their three stubborn dachshunds, sewing for her Etsy shop, and trying crazy yoga poses on a stand-up paddleboard. So far, she has not fallen into the water yet.
I have heard so many raving reviews on Lyn Liao Butler’s books and so I was excited when I got the ARC of this book. I did enjoy reading this book.
Annie seemingly had a perfect life, but then her life crumbles, when her dance studio goes bankrupt, her mother and her dog suddenly passed away and a terrible incident left her son Finn traumatized. Annie with Brody and Finn moved to a paradise to start a new life and be closer to her family. When a storm suddenly hits the island, a strange woman seeks shelter inside Annie’s house. The woman’s name was Serena and at first the two women doesn’t seem to know each other but as the conversation develops, Annie realizes that she might have met Serena before…
What I really like about this book is the multi-cultural setting–Taiwanese, Caucasian, mingled in the setting. This was a slow burn thriller and it started getting more interesting and intriguing when you reach to the middle of the story. To me, this was more like a family drama than a thriller to me however, the story did make feel like I am at the edge of my seat and it became really unputdownable towards the end. The ending was really dramatic and then eventually I couldn’t put the book down!
Overall, this was a slow burn thriller but will keep you up all night–worth four stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
Tropical Girl Reads 