I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
No One Knows Us Here
by Rebecca Kelley
Published by Lake Union Publishing on January 1, 2023
Setting: Oregon
Genres: Women's Fiction
Pages: 334
Format: Paperback
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In this gripping novel about obsession, control, and self-preservation, a woman desperate to provide a new life for her sister enters a compromising arrangement with an entitled tech billionaire.
Rosemary Rabourne is already struggling to pay the bills when her recently orphaned half sister, Wendy, shows up at her door. Rosemary will try anything to provide for the traumatized teenager—even joining a high-end escort service.
Leo Glass is the billionaire CEO of a revolutionary social app. He wants the “girlfriend experience”—someone contractually obligated to love him—and he thinks he’s found the perfect match in Rosemary. His proposition has its perks: a free luxury apartment and financial security. And its conditions: constant surveillance and availability whenever Leo calls. It’s not the life Rosemary wants, but she’s out of options.
Then she meets her new neighbor, Sam, a musician with whom Rosemary shares an immediate attraction and a genuine intimacy she’s never felt with anyone. Falling in love makes it possible to imagine a real new life. But Leo won’t let go of her that easily, and his need for control escalates. So does Rosemary’s desperation—to protect Wendy, to protect herself, and, at any price, to escape.
No One Knows Us Here by Rebecca Kelley is a brilliantly written story. I was immediately drawn into Rosemary’s life.
Will Rosemary find happiness after murdering her boyfriend?
Rosemary Rabourne
Our heroine is Rosemary. She is in her twenties and has already had a hard life. Her past is her story, and she keeps it close, not revealing it to her friends. Rosemary’s life is sad, but she has a plan and has been working on it since leaving her parents’ house.
She isn’t your typical heroine. Rosemary has committed a murder. But that isn’t the sum of her. She has spunk and grit, and she is intelligent. Rosemary stood up for herself and eliminated a problem trying to take over her life. Was it a bit drastic? Most definitely, but her experience taught her that it was the only way that it was going to stop. Do I agree with her logic? It doesn’t really matter. This was her decision and how she decided to handle it.
Five Stars
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book. But I loved it. The story is complex, and the characters’ lives all wrap together in this entirely organic way. I felt like I was right there with Rosemary; some of her decisions didn’t make sense to me (you know, as I was not truly standing there). Yet, I felt that Rosemary felt she was doing what she needed to make her life and her sister’s life safe. Her sister, Wendy, is a handful.
My rating for No One Knows Us Here by Rebecca Kelley is five stars. I highly recommend this book to all of you. Don’t let the cover or the summary lead you astray. This book is masterly written, with a complex storyline and characters that could be your neighbors, daughters, or their boyfriends.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of No One Knows Us Here by Rebecca Kelley.
Until the next time,
About Rebecca Kelley
Rebecca Kelley is a fiction writer from Portland, Oregon. Her first novel, Broken Homes & Gardens, was published in 2015. She also co-authored The Eco-nomical Baby Guide with Joy Hatch. When Rebecca isn’t writing, she is conducting elaborate baking experiments, designing book covers, and keeping up her thousand-plus-day streak in Duolingo.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- Jenz 2023 ABC Soup Authors RC
- Jenz 2023 ABC Soup RC
- Jenz 2023 Goodreads RC
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