Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
302 Pages
Synopsis: Peace of mind is all Greg Cole has wanted since the murder of his twin sister, Scarlett.
In his new sun-soaked Florida life, he thought he had found it. But when Scarlett’s killer is released early from prison with a cast-iron alibi, Greg realizes that his past is about to explode into his present, with terrifying consequences.
To expose the truth he must open up old wounds. As a talk therapist, Greg knows all about dark secrets, but when a childhood friendship comes to the fore and the police turn their spotlight on him, the thought of analyzing his own psyche is a disturbing prospect. How far can he trust his own memories?
With his life coming apart at the seams, and his grip on reality beginning to unravel, Greg must face the ghosts of his past if he hopes to prove his innocence and live to see another day.
Before You Leap should have been an intriguing psychological thriller, but for me it just had too many flaws to make it enjoyable. The first few chapters are made up of a huge info dump which makes the the rest of the story unfold at rather a slow pace. Also slowing the action down is that the author felt the need to explain and describe EVERYTHING. The chapters were too long and made up of too much filler. They were also confusing at times because there were two time frames involved, and while this can work fine when you use this device in alternating chapters, doing it in the same one just muddies the waters. The characters were rather cliched and I was never able to connect with Greg, who at times had a good sense of humor, but mostly came across as too self-pitying. There were a few interesting twists which kept me reading, but the ending didn’t surprise me and it left a few loose ends. Overall, I thought Before You Leap had great potential, but in the end it just came up short for me. It has garnered some positive reviews, so even though I didn’t care for this book, if you’re intrigued by its premise I encourage you to give it a try.
By Hook Or By Book 
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