The Girlfriend
Michelle Frances


A girl. A boy. His mother. And the lie she'll wish she'd never told.
The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances is a gripping and chilling debut psychological thriller, based on the fall-out following an unforgiveable lie. It looks at the potentially charged relationship between girlfriend, boyfriend and his mother, which most women can identify with, and locates it in an extreme but believable setting.

Laura has it all. A successful career, a long marriage to a rich husband, and a twenty-three year-old son, Daniel, who is kind, handsome, and talented. Then Daniel meets Cherry. Cherry is young, beautiful and smart but she hasn't had the same opportunities as Daniel. And she wants Laura's life.

Cherry comes to the family wide-eyed and wants to be welcomed with open arms, but Laura suspects she's not all that she seems.

When tragedy strikes, an unforgiveable lie is told. It is an act of desperation, but the fall-out will change their lives forever(overview from Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

In this story, it's Laura, Daniel's Mom versus Cherry, Daniel's new girlfriend. Laura and Daniel have a very close relationship. When Cherry first shows up, Laura is excited. But something seems off about Cherry and Laura can't quite figure out why. Cherry was raised on the poorer side of town and has reinvented herself to try and fit in with the rich crowd. Does she love Daniel for himself or for the lifestyle his money allows her to live?

Oh my! This was an exciting read. The power to be the top women in Daniel's life swings like a pendulum between Laura and Cherry. First Cherry seems to hold all the cards, then Laura. Back and forth, back and forth. (Poor Daniel). The questions is - who wins out in the end?

I was very impressed by this first novel from Ms. Frances. I loved the twists and turns as Laura and Cherry try to one up each other. The suspense goes right down to the last page. Bravo!

ARC from Kensington Books via Netgalley.