When She Returned

Great read! Enjoyed every minute! Nice plot twist.

Wow!!! If you want to get into the minds of people who join cults, this is a good example. I always wonder what makes normally sane people want to join cults in the first place. The author captured that in the best way. Not sure if she has personal experience or just a hell of a researcher but she did an amazing job making understand how suspitible all people are. The cult leader (master manipulator) just has to find that one weak spot and their in. Just like our FMC, Kate was feeling drained stagnant life and ended up joining a cult. This story was a wild ride that kept me entertained and mad at the same time. The ending didn't shock me, but probably because I already have trust issues and Kate's behavior seemed a little sketchy anyway.

When She Returned felt like a soft mystery-suspense rather than the hard-hitting psychological thrillers Lucinda Berry is known for. It’s not as traumatic as you might expect, and while it had some interesting moments, it ultimately lacked the shock value or emotional depth I was hoping for. The ending, in particular, felt rushed—like the story was scrambling to tie up all the characters’ loose ends at the last minute. The cult dynamics were also a bit predictable. That said, if you’re looking for a lighter suspense read with a quick pace and a softer tone, this could be a decent pick. But for me, it didn’t deliver the memorable, jaw-dropping experience I usually expect from Berry.

4.5-star rating

Do not get me wrong, I absolutely loved this book, there is a reason I started reading it on Saturday and finished on Sunday!! I loved being able to go in and out of Meredith's, Abbi's, and Kate's perspective. My heart broke to see the manipulation of Love International and see the gears in Kate's head turning as to what was really happening - as a person of faith it deeply troubles me that there are genuinely people like Ray that exist and have taken advantage of the Word of God and people. However, as intense as the "then", "now" and dialogue were things seemed to take a nosedive and become truly "underwhelming" as soon as Kate started to hide her talking on the phone and then leaving with Abbi, I knew what was going to happen and was a bit disappointed on that front. Also, the ending felt a bit cliche as Kate becomes infuriated with Abbi for "lying" about Abner and then the last line is just "Goodbye, Mom." It just seemed a bit abrupt in the way things ended but I guess that is what happens when you are dealing with someone who was brainwashed for 11 years.
The writing was great, and I really felt like I was in the minds of Abbi and Meredith through the whole process, overall loved the book but reasons above is why I just knocked it down just a peg.

It was a decent book. There were parts that could have used more depth and development. Overall I enjoyed it.