The New Girl
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- Create Date：2022-02-11 21:21:49
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Ruth Heald
- ISBN：B09MWP9NST
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Summary
Behind her dream life hides the perfect nightmare。 I couldn’t believe it when I got the call to offer me my dream job。 It was right in the heart of the city with a flat provided。 I jumped at the chance and within days I had made new friends and am dating a wonderful man。 For the first time in years， I feel safe。 It’s a world away from the life I ran from…But soon strange things begin to happen in my flat: odd noises in the night， the feeling that I’m being watched。 When I discover an old dress hidden behind my wardrobe and wear it to work， the atmosphere chills instantly。 The dress belonged to a girl my boss would rather forget。 The girl before me who vanished without a trace。 I tell myself not to worry; that I’m just imagining things。 But when a young woman arrives on my doorstep， she warns me to leave my new life behind。 She tells me there are more girls like me and we are more connected than I could have ever imagined。 Then I come face to face with the reason I ran all those years ago and it soon becomes clear: someone knows my secret。 And they will do anything to keep me silent。
Reviews
N Castelino
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The New Girl lures you in with an intense and yet intriguing plot。 Sophie finds herself confined and merely existing in Dorset and decides to move to London to pursue advertising。 However， this comes at a fateful price for the lingering ghosts of her past come alive。 The pacing of this book is phenomenal， and Ruth has done a fantastic job of presenting a naive， clueless and inexperienced protagonist。 The progression between past and present events flows exceptionally well。 While I successfully p The New Girl lures you in with an intense and yet intriguing plot。 Sophie finds herself confined and merely existing in Dorset and decides to move to London to pursue advertising。 However， this comes at a fateful price for the lingering ghosts of her past come alive。 The pacing of this book is phenomenal， and Ruth has done a fantastic job of presenting a naive， clueless and inexperienced protagonist。 The progression between past and present events flows exceptionally well。 While I successfully put the pieces together， some twists and turns caught me off guard， making it a good read。 I found the ending to be rushed and the epilogue was far fetched。 There were times when moments of suspense felt like I was spinning in circles。 However， I appreciate Ruth's intention of bringing awareness of undeniable and concerning issues that society faces regarding the vulnerability and safety of women。 A 4 star read！A thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC。 This honest review is left voluntarily。 。。。more
Arvin Dhillon
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Really！ I had high expectations of this book， as I have enjoyed previous books by Ruth。 This book is not so good， and I found it unable to focus me for a consistent pace。 Took me a week to finish it。
Vanessa
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The New Girl by Ruth Heald was another brilliant book Sophie could only dream of her latest job and then it happens！！！ she can't believe its happened to her！ So new job， and career New start in a new city and London of all places especially as this new job comes with a place to live in Soho， a credit card to purchase things she needs ie clothes， food， furnishing， and new friends。。。。。。。。。。Pinch me now！！！ Sophie needs a new start and has just split up with her boyfriend and is in debt， So this cou The New Girl by Ruth Heald was another brilliant book Sophie could only dream of her latest job and then it happens！！！ she can't believe its happened to her！ So new job， and career New start in a new city and London of all places especially as this new job comes with a place to live in Soho， a credit card to purchase things she needs ie clothes， food， furnishing， and new friends。。。。。。。。。。Pinch me now！！！ Sophie needs a new start and has just split up with her boyfriend and is in debt， So this could not come at a best time for her！What could possibly go wrong？ Is she going to wake up from this dream？ WoW， This book was Brilliant and had me hooked from the first few pages till the end especially as its fully of great twists and turns throughout。I was shouting out aloud！！！ "Sophie Wake up！！！！！" I was having strange looks from my Hubby！！！ So glad I was not in public！ lolI highly recommend all of Ruth's books。 They will have you hooked！Big Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Bridget
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This was an excellent， solid thriller。 I enjoy a fantastic workplace-based thriller so this novel really appealed to me。 Sophie is looking for a fresh start following the end of a relationship and finds herself in London， securing a job that is way beyond her expectations in a small family-owned marketing company。 With exciting social opportunities， the perfect flat and the attentions of a handsome admirer， it all seems too good to be true。 There's plenty of suspense to keep the reader's attenti This was an excellent， solid thriller。 I enjoy a fantastic workplace-based thriller so this novel really appealed to me。 Sophie is looking for a fresh start following the end of a relationship and finds herself in London， securing a job that is way beyond her expectations in a small family-owned marketing company。 With exciting social opportunities， the perfect flat and the attentions of a handsome admirer， it all seems too good to be true。 There's plenty of suspense to keep the reader's attention and it has chunks of unpredictability。 Well worth a read。 😀 I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley。 This review is my own unbiased opinion。 。。。more
Billie
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Behind her dream life hides the perfect nightmare。 I couldn’t believe it when I got the call to offer me my dream job。 It was right in the heart of the city with a flat provided。 I jumped at the chance and within days I had made new friends and am dating a wonderful man。 For the first time in years， I feel safe。 It’s a world away from the life I ran from…But soon strange things begin to happen in my flat: odd noises in the night， the feeling that I’m being watched。 When I discover an old dress h Behind her dream life hides the perfect nightmare。 I couldn’t believe it when I got the call to offer me my dream job。 It was right in the heart of the city with a flat provided。 I jumped at the chance and within days I had made new friends and am dating a wonderful man。 For the first time in years， I feel safe。 It’s a world away from the life I ran from…But soon strange things begin to happen in my flat: odd noises in the night， the feeling that I’m being watched。 When I discover an old dress hidden behind my wardrobe and wear it to work， the atmosphere chills instantly。 The dress belonged to a girl my boss would rather forget。 The girl before me who vanished without a trace。 I tell myself not to worry; that I’m just imagining things。 But when a young woman arrives on my doorstep， she warns me to leave my new life behind。 She tells me there are more girls like me and we are more connected than I could have ever imagined。 Then I come face to face with the reason I ran all those years ago and it soon becomes clear: someone knows my secret。 And they will do anything to keep me silent。 This is a brilliant read。Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start。Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable。Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously。Can't wait to read what the author brings out next。Recommend reading。I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher。 This is my own hone\st voluntary review。 。。。more
Pat Pullum
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This is a good read， but I would call it more of a romance/mystery。Sophie had to leave the city due to awful circumstances。 She lived in Dorset and her boyfriend Charlie wanted to marry her and was excited to show her the house he was renovating for them。 Sophie was not ready to settle there as she was ambitious and wanted to follow her career in the city。 She sent resumes out and was delighted when she was offered a job in London。 There was even a bonus - the job came with a flat paid for her b This is a good read， but I would call it more of a romance/mystery。Sophie had to leave the city due to awful circumstances。 She lived in Dorset and her boyfriend Charlie wanted to marry her and was excited to show her the house he was renovating for them。 Sophie was not ready to settle there as she was ambitious and wanted to follow her career in the city。 She sent resumes out and was delighted when she was offered a job in London。 There was even a bonus - the job came with a flat paid for her by the company。The 3 main partners of the firm seemed really nice and welcoming and it wasn't long before Sophie began dating。 Then things started to make her feel unsettled。 She heard noises， received a strange email and a former employee warned her to leave her job。 Could her past be catching up with her。 I thank the author， publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Anonymous 5
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This is a first time read for me by this author， so I had no particular expectations going into it。 The story was well-written and interesting and held my attention from beginning to end。 The plot was intriguing and there were some twists and turns which kept me thoroughly engaged。 Sophie can't believe her luck when she lands the perfect job。 With the job comes a fabulous new place to live， rent free。 Her life is going well and she even has a romantic interest。 But then strange things start happ This is a first time read for me by this author， so I had no particular expectations going into it。 The story was well-written and interesting and held my attention from beginning to end。 The plot was intriguing and there were some twists and turns which kept me thoroughly engaged。 Sophie can't believe her luck when she lands the perfect job。 With the job comes a fabulous new place to live， rent free。 Her life is going well and she even has a romantic interest。 But then strange things start happening， not to mention the odd noises she hears in her flat。 Then a strange woman warns her about her employer。 Could it all be too good to be true and could there really be something sinister behind it all？ Plenty of suspense and intrigue kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next。 A gripping story you won't be able to put down！I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review。 。。。more
Melanie’s reads
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You know the old saying “out of the frying pan into the fire” well that is exactly the predicament that Sophie has found herself in and I don’t think I’ve ever shouted at a book quite so much as this one。Even though this is a work of fiction， as a woman I quickly noticed things that were uncomfortably familiar。 With Sophie in a desperate situation it seemed that her life was about to change for the better。 But if something seems to good to be true then it normally is and how do you recognise a w You know the old saying “out of the frying pan into the fire” well that is exactly the predicament that Sophie has found herself in and I don’t think I’ve ever shouted at a book quite so much as this one。Even though this is a work of fiction， as a woman I quickly noticed things that were uncomfortably familiar。 With Sophie in a desperate situation it seemed that her life was about to change for the better。 But if something seems to good to be true then it normally is and how do you recognise a wolf when everyone is dressed as sheep？This was an infuriatingly tense read with superb characters that I was constantly changing my opinion on。 Sophie was instantly likeable in her vulnerability and all her actions and reactions were completely understandable given her circumstances and I would implore you to read the author letter at the end。I have to add that while this does contain a few twists and turns and an ending that I really did not see coming。 For me， what really stood out was how the author has taken the topic of woman’s safety and shown the unfortunate reality of how difficult it is for women to not only know who to trust， but to be believed， even by other women。 。。。more
JL Dixon
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📕🄱🄾🄾🄺 🅃🄾🅄🅁 🅁🄴🅅🄸🄴🅆📕𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟by Ruth Heald⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐It's my stop on the book tour of The New Girl， hosted by @bookouture。 Thanks for my spot on the tour and for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review。𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄Before you have even opened a Ruth Heald book， you know you’re in for an exciting read， and The New Girl delivers excitement in spades。Our main character Sophie think she has left her old life behind when she starts work with an advertising agency in London。 But soon after， she begin 📕🄱🄾🄾🄺 🅃🄾🅄🅁 🅁🄴🅅🄸🄴🅆📕𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟by Ruth Heald⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐It's my stop on the book tour of The New Girl， hosted by @bookouture。 Thanks for my spot on the tour and for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review。𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄Before you have even opened a Ruth Heald book， you know you’re in for an exciting read， and The New Girl delivers excitement in spades。Our main character Sophie think she has left her old life behind when she starts work with an advertising agency in London。 But soon after， she begins feeling like she’s being watched， and then her past threatens to crash into her new life。I liked Sophie， but just occasionally she tested my “suspension of disbelief”， especially with her relationship with the loathsome Charlie。 Why waste ten years on such a person？ The characters were fleshed out perfectly， enhancing the story rather than distracting from it。Overall， this is a well executed psychological thriller which had me gripped all the way to the end， and I recommend it to anyone looking for a clever， exciting， book。 I gave The New Girl， by Ruth Heald， five stars。The full blog with additional author and book information is available at jldixon。co。uk#ad #gifted #thenewgirl #ruthheald #bookouture #psychologicalthriller #bookreader #bookpost #bookblogger #bookishcommunity#booksofinstagram#booklover #bookreaders #bookgasm #bookreviews #bookstagramcommunity #bookish #books #bookstagramming #bookreaderscommunity #bookstagrammers #bookreviewersofinstagram #bookquotes #readingaddict #readingisessential #readersofinstagram #readerstagram #goodreadschallenge2022 。。。more
MeWriter
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Offered a whole new life and an escape from a troubled past， is it divine intervention or mortal machinations？ How's a girl to know？ Readers are in for a twisty treat！Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC！ Offered a whole new life and an escape from a troubled past， is it divine intervention or mortal machinations？ How's a girl to know？ Readers are in for a twisty treat！Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC！ 。。。more
Sue Wallace
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The new girl by Ruth Heald。When I moved to a city where no one knew me， clutching only a small bag of possessions， I really believed that I had left my old life—and my darkest secret— behind。 Within weeks， I landed my dream job， a gorgeous flat and the perfect boyfriend in James。 For the first time in years， with him， I started to feel I could finally trust people again。 I began to feel safe。 But now strange things have started to happen。 Odd noises in the night， the constant feeling that someon The new girl by Ruth Heald。When I moved to a city where no one knew me， clutching only a small bag of possessions， I really believed that I had left my old life—and my darkest secret— behind。 Within weeks， I landed my dream job， a gorgeous flat and the perfect boyfriend in James。 For the first time in years， with him， I started to feel I could finally trust people again。 I began to feel safe。 But now strange things have started to happen。 Odd noises in the night， the constant feeling that someone is lingering at my door。 James convinces me that I’m imagining things。 But when I find a beautiful dress hidden behind the wardrobe and wear it to work， the atmosphere chills instantly。 I can’t help but wonder， is there something， or someone they’re hiding from me？ Then she appears at my door。 The girl before me。 She tells me to that I need to leave; that the new life I thought I’d built for myself is all a twisted trap… And my whole world tilts… because if what she says is true， what’s going to happen to me？Very good read with good characters。 Gripping story。 4*。 。。。more
Kirsty Bookworm86
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BLOG TOUR REVIEW Review for 'The New Girl' by Ruth Heald。 Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Ruth Heald， Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous Publication date 25th January 2022。This is the first book I have read by this author。 I was originally drawn to this book by its interesting cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title。 The synopsis stated that this book is 'A totally gripping， unputdownable and twisty psychological thriller perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train， Gone G BLOG TOUR REVIEW Review for 'The New Girl' by Ruth Heald。 Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Ruth Heald， Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous Publication date 25th January 2022。This is the first book I have read by this author。 I was originally drawn to this book by its interesting cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title。 The synopsis stated that this book is 'A totally gripping， unputdownable and twisty psychological thriller perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train， Gone Girl and You。。' I am a fan of 'Gone Girl' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement。 I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture。 I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed。 Hopefully this won't be the first。。。 Watch this space！ （Written before I started reading the book）。This novel consists of a prologue， 54 chapters and an epilogue。 The chapters are medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed。。。OK， I know yeah right， but still just in case！This book is based in Dorset and London， England 🏴， UK 🇬🇧。 The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture。 I have holidayed in Dorset many times and also visited London recently so I'm looking forward to seeing if I recognise any places named。 This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Sophie。 The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more， what they are thinking and what they are doing。 It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything。'The New Girl' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others。 I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not。 In this book Ruth discusses/includes sexual assault and several others。 WOW！！！ What an absolutely page turning domestic and psychological thriller！！！ This is the first book I've read by Ruth but it most definitely won't be the last！！！ I started this in the morning and I couldn't put it down until I finished at 2am！！！ Clear your schedules before you pick this up！！ This book is fantastically written with in depth and vivid descriptions that leave you hearing the keyboards typing in the office， feeling the chill in the air and leaves your heart pounding。 The cover and synopsis suit the book perfectly。 The storyline is scarily realistic and extremely believable。 The fact that Ruth has done her research definitely shines through so a huge congratulations！！ There is nothing worse than reading a book which is filled with errors but I didn't find a single one here。 The plot exposes the reality of many women， myself included， who have been in everyday situations that many take for granted but then get put into vulnerable positions。 In this book Ruth explores many situations that either myself have been in or that I helped others through when I volunteered at victim support。 I don't want to say to much as not to spoil it for future readers but some scenarios included being stuck in a job or relationship that may seem perfect on the outside but is completely different on the inside。 As Ruth states in the letter at the end of the book 20% of women and 4% of men have experienced sexual violence since the age of 16 and the conviction rate is just 6%。 However， these are only the recorded figures of those reports， many go unreported。 I truly believe that anyone who reads Ruth's book and has been in any of the situations mentioned will hopefully find the strength to escape from them。 I know I have spent alot of time talking about the theme of the book but they are such important subjects that I felt they should be spoken about。 I've added all of Ruth's books to my Amazon wish list and as I was reading the synopsis of each I realised the majority of her books are based on everyday vulnerability of woman and I just want to praise Ruth again for choosing to write about them and thank you。 Anyway moving on。。。 The plot is absolutely filled with suspense， twists， shocks， tension， romance， lies， friendship， deceit and so much more， everything you could want in a domestic drama and psychological thriller。 I was completely absorbed throughout and it really felt like I was back in London again rediscovering Soho， seeing the Shard and much more。 I loved how the book wrapped up and although I would have loved to see more done to certain people Ruth kept the ending realistic to what the outcome would actually be。 Throughout the book my heart was pounding and I was filled with a range of emotions from sorrow to anger， disgust to shocked。 I was absolutely blown away by the twists and was definitely not expecting them so another HUGE congratulations to Ruth。 I have read so many books now it does get harder and harder to surprise me but you definitely managed it。 I thought I had it all worked out until BOOM！！！ ABSOLUTE BOMB SHELL！！ I am looking forward to reading the rest of your books and if they are half as good as this one they are bound to be amazing！！ THIS IS A BOOK THAT SHOULD BE READ， SHARED AND TALKED ABOUT BY EVERYONE！！！ The characters were all strong and well developed。 I really connected with Sophie from start to finish both due to us being female and some of the circumstances she was put in have been similar to my own。 It is always great seeing strong female leads in books especially those who have not had a perfect life and represent reality。 I enjoyed watching her personality develop and change from beginning to end and how she went from strength to strength whereas in other novels by another author she may have crumbled。 I won't say anything about any of the other characters as I do not want to give anything away。 However， there was a mix of personalities which all worked perfectly for the storyline and proves that what someone may seem like on the outside may be opposite to what their true personalities are。 I want to end my review by stating that if you recognise or relate to any of the subjects discussed in this book please tell a friend， contact the police or speak to victim support。 You can even message myself。 Please talk to someone。 There are people out there who will listen。 You are not alone。 CONGRATULATIONS RUTH ON AN ABSOLUTE SUCCESS！！ This has got to be one of the most realistic fiction novels I have ever read and thank you for bringing such difficult themes to light in a way that may help many men and women。 Welcome to my top author club and here is to your next success 🥂 Overall an absolutely page turning domestic thriller that will suck you in， keep you turning the pages hooked until you have finished and will blow your mind。 Please be aware that it deals with several sensitive subjects and I have inclided a trigger warning。 Genres covered in this book include Psychological Fiction， Mystery， Suspense and Psychological Thriller amongst others。 I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'The Girl on the Train' ， 'Gone Girl'， 'You'， KL Slater， Shalini Boland and anyone looking for a heart racing page turner。 304 pages。This book is just £1。99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book！！！ Rated 5/5 （I LOVED it ） on Goodreads， Instagram， Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook。 Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews #TheNewGirl #Bookouture #RuthHeald #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour@RuthHeald @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 https://kcmw86。wixsite。com/bookworm86https://m。facebook。com/Bookworm1986/？。。。https://m。facebook。com/Bookwork86/？__。。。 。。。more
Debra
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A new job。 A new start in a new city。 Sophie can't believe her good fortune！ She lands a dream job。 With the job， comes a place to live， a credit card to purchase what she needs， new friends， and a chance to have the career she wants。 But what if her dream becomes a nightmare？When it seems too good to be true， maybe it is。 Sophie is happy at her job， but soon strange things begin to happen to her， there are strange noises in her flat， and a woman approaches her to warn her about her employer。 Th A new job。 A new start in a new city。 Sophie can't believe her good fortune！ She lands a dream job。 With the job， comes a place to live， a credit card to purchase what she needs， new friends， and a chance to have the career she wants。 But what if her dream becomes a nightmare？When it seems too good to be true， maybe it is。 Sophie is happy at her job， but soon strange things begin to happen to her， there are strange noises in her flat， and a woman approaches her to warn her about her employer。 This was an entertaining and engaging read。 It moved at a nice pace， and I loved trying to figure out what was going on。 Poor Sophie， she has endured something horrible in her life， and she deserves a new start。 I was rooting for her while doing some super sleuthing。 This was pure escapism reading which did not disappoint。 I read most of it in one day as I did not want to put it down。 There were some twists and turns which made this a fast and engaging read。Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 All the thoughts and opinions are my own。Read more of my reviews at www。openbookposts。com 。。。more
Connie
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Sophie has been living with Charlie in Dorset for a number of years now。 She left university in London after a violent mugging attack that injured and terrified her。 She is close to her father so she can help with his care。 Having finished her degree online， she has been applying for jobs in advertising in London。 Charlie， a plumber， wants to marry her and live in his grandparents' little cottage。 However， Sophie wants more and is determined to do more in her life。 Charlie is not happy about her Sophie has been living with Charlie in Dorset for a number of years now。 She left university in London after a violent mugging attack that injured and terrified her。 She is close to her father so she can help with his care。 Having finished her degree online， she has been applying for jobs in advertising in London。 Charlie， a plumber， wants to marry her and live in his grandparents' little cottage。 However， Sophie wants more and is determined to do more in her life。 Charlie is not happy about her leaving him and demands that she pay him back for some of the physio care he has paid for her father， plus her old credit card debt。 She promises to do so as she makes some money。She interview sfor a job at a firm called One Pure Thought and gets the job working with Cassie， James and Max， the boss。 She is delighted to learn that a nice flat comes with the job。 Cassie and Max are brother and sister， and their father， the business owner bought a large house of flats nearby for the use of their employees。 Currently， Sophie is the only one in the building。 She loves and is challenged by her new job and they are all very good to her。 She works very long hours but enjoys it。The mugging event has come back to haunt her。 After being threatened by the man who mugged her， she was so terrified， she withdrew her allegations。 Now， it appears he has struck again and the police want to interview her once more。 Then， she is approached by the woman who had the flat before her who was fired and then disappeared。 She wants to talk to Sophie in a quiet place and warn her about where she works。This story keeps the reader guessing who or who may not be telling the truth at One Pure Thought leaving her to wonder whom she can trust。 There is a lot of partying and alcohol involved which leaves her even more vulnerable。 This was a good story which points out that sometimes if something appears to be too good to be true， it probably is。Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review。 。。。more
Darby S
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Trigger warning: sexual assault This was an easy read， but everything felt very superficial and underdeveloped。 The characters were flat and the plot was predictable。 The main character， Sophie， is excruciatingly naive， which was problematic for me。 Overall， it had the feeling of a novice writer’s first book; not terrible， but just not great。 The ending wasn’t half bad， even though the reveals weren’t much of a surprise to me， but the epilogue was a bit cheesy。All flaws considered， there were so Trigger warning: sexual assault This was an easy read， but everything felt very superficial and underdeveloped。 The characters were flat and the plot was predictable。 The main character， Sophie， is excruciatingly naive， which was problematic for me。 Overall， it had the feeling of a novice writer’s first book; not terrible， but just not great。 The ending wasn’t half bad， even though the reveals weren’t much of a surprise to me， but the epilogue was a bit cheesy。All flaws considered， there were some moments of creepiness and dread that may suggest this author could grow into the genre。 Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a free digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review。 。。。more
Hazel
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Reading Stuff 'n' ThingsAfter experiencing an horrific event whilst at university， Sophie has tried to re-build her life and put her past behind her。 She is not happy at home and wants more from her life and when she is offered a job in London that sounds perfect and will give her the new start she is desperate for， she jumps at the chance but what's the saying "If it sounds too good to be true 。。。 it probably is！"Sophie is， in my opinion， a little naïve and pretty gullible。 There were red flags Reading Stuff 'n' ThingsAfter experiencing an horrific event whilst at university， Sophie has tried to re-build her life and put her past behind her。 She is not happy at home and wants more from her life and when she is offered a job in London that sounds perfect and will give her the new start she is desperate for， she jumps at the chance but what's the saying "If it sounds too good to be true 。。。 it probably is！"Sophie is， in my opinion， a little naïve and pretty gullible。 There were red flags and flashing warning signs everywhere but Sophie didn't seem to see them 。。。 really？？？ A little implausible given her past， but I found the anticipation of how and when the penny would drop for her was quite engaging。Full of interesting characters， well written and at a good pace， this is an enjoyable thriller with contemporary themes and whilst it isn't full of violence， blood or gore， there is a palpable sense of unease throughout。 Some of the twists were quite obvious （to me anyway） and whilst the ending was satisfactory， the epilogue was disappointing in it's unrealistic outcome。If you can get past the frustration of wanting to put your hands in the book and shake some sense into Sophie， this is an entertaining read and my thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest， unbiased and unedited review。 。。。more
Nicki Kendall
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Thanks to #netgalley and #bookouture for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review。 An atmospheric read that captured my attention from the first chapter。 Sophie has rebuilt her life after a sexual assault in her college days， she no longer has social media and when she lands her dream job in an advertising company giving her the opportunity to relocate to a London apartment rent free she jumps at the chance。 Her work colleagues and her work seem to be everything she hoped for but she doe Thanks to #netgalley and #bookouture for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review。 An atmospheric read that captured my attention from the first chapter。 Sophie has rebuilt her life after a sexual assault in her college days， she no longer has social media and when she lands her dream job in an advertising company giving her the opportunity to relocate to a London apartment rent free she jumps at the chance。 Her work colleagues and her work seem to be everything she hoped for but she does have a feeling she is being watched and then a former employee warns her to leave the company and the apartment as they are not what they seem and neither are her colleagues。 The feeling of something sinister brewing kept me turning the pages， I just had to know what was really going on。 A suspenseful thriller and a thoroughly enjoyable read。⭐⭐⭐⭐ #ruthheald #thenewgirl #netgalley #bookouture #tea_sipping_bookworm #goodreads #litsy #thestorygraph #bookqueen #bookstagram #thriller #amazonkindle 。。。more
marnie | once upon a time book reviews
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“Behind her dream life hides the perfect nightmare“It’s been a minute since Ruth Heald’s last book， so when I was made aware of The New Girl， I was thrilled to see that she was back！ From my experience of reading Heald’s work， she certainly knows how to weave a tale that locks the reader in from start to finish and for me， this was also the case with The New Girl。The New Girl is a gripping and intense tale with a believable plot and a vunerable lead at the helm， that I was able to instantly conn “Behind her dream life hides the perfect nightmare“It’s been a minute since Ruth Heald’s last book， so when I was made aware of The New Girl， I was thrilled to see that she was back！ From my experience of reading Heald’s work， she certainly knows how to weave a tale that locks the reader in from start to finish and for me， this was also the case with The New Girl。The New Girl is a gripping and intense tale with a believable plot and a vunerable lead at the helm， that I was able to instantly connect with。 A traumatic event provides a back story that shapes the story in the present， its fast pace and twists makes for a real page turner。 Revelations， although not all surprising， still have an impact and all culminates in a very riveting read。Thank you to Ruth Heald， Bookouture and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The New Girl， which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily。Where you can find me 😊💻 Blog: bit。ly/3gR3io8👩🏫 Facebook: bit。ly/3gVeC2B🐤Twitter: bit。ly/3BQk2Dl📷 Instagram: bit。ly/3wSv0Gj📌 Pinterest: bit。ly/3vS2HGX📚 Goodreads: bit。ly/3wQxUM3 。。。more
E Dod
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This is my first novel by author Ruth Heald and I did really enjoy itWe meet Sophie who is ready for a new start， obviously Sophie has a dark past and its nearly time for her past to catch up with her。 She starts her dream job and she gets brutal reminders of her past and she starts to question everything and everyone， it is quite hard to give a review of this book without giving some of the story away so I am going to keep this review short and sweet。This book is full of twists and turns and So This is my first novel by author Ruth Heald and I did really enjoy itWe meet Sophie who is ready for a new start， obviously Sophie has a dark past and its nearly time for her past to catch up with her。 She starts her dream job and she gets brutal reminders of her past and she starts to question everything and everyone， it is quite hard to give a review of this book without giving some of the story away so I am going to keep this review short and sweet。This book is full of twists and turns and Sophie is somewhat a complex character and the reader really gets to know her。 Thanks to NetGalley， Ruth Heald and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my review。 。。。more
Vicky Chapman
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Thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced ebook。A fast paced page turner， I guessed a couple of things before they happened and felt the ending was a little abrupt and unsatisfying。
Paula Stammers
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This was just the psychological thriller style that I really enjoy。 A seemingly innocent setup where things are just too good to be true ！！Sophie gets her dream job but it means leaving her life behind and moving to London。 She is soon settled in to a new flat， paid for by the company she works for， and soon she has new friends and is enjoying life。 But soon she receives a message sending her straight back to her past。 Who sent the message ？ Can she keep the past hidden ？As well as dealing with This was just the psychological thriller style that I really enjoy。 A seemingly innocent setup where things are just too good to be true ！！Sophie gets her dream job but it means leaving her life behind and moving to London。 She is soon settled in to a new flat， paid for by the company she works for， and soon she has new friends and is enjoying life。 But soon she receives a message sending her straight back to her past。 Who sent the message ？ Can she keep the past hidden ？As well as dealing with her past she soon starts hearing noises in the flat but there is no one else living in the house。 Was it footsteps she could hear ？Suddenly things start unraveling and the past is right in front of her。 Can Sophie discover the truth ？ Can she survive the past and present ？This is a great psychological thriller with some brilliant characters。 Plenty of edge of the seat stuff and lots of shady characters ！！ What more could you ask for ？Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book。 。。。more
Stina
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★★★ 3。5 starsI am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Ruth Heald's exciting new thriller THE NEW GIRL。I've been a fan of Ruth Heald since her debut domestic thriller "The Mother's Mistake" which is just brilliant from start to finish。 So naturally every new release of hers incites an excitement and anticipation of what's to come。 This one promises fresh starts and new beginnings for the protagonist who has seen her fair share of ups and downs， not to mention disappoin ★★★ 3。5 starsI am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Ruth Heald's exciting new thriller THE NEW GIRL。I've been a fan of Ruth Heald since her debut domestic thriller "The Mother's Mistake" which is just brilliant from start to finish。 So naturally every new release of hers incites an excitement and anticipation of what's to come。 This one promises fresh starts and new beginnings for the protagonist who has seen her fair share of ups and downs， not to mention disappointments。 Unfortunately， this fresh start isn't what she was expecting。THE NEW GIRL in this story is Sophie， who had escaped London once before after an incident at university for the safety of home in Dorset。 But now she is ready to put the past behind her and move forward。。。beginning with a job at an ad agency in London。 Unfortunately， her boyfriend Charlie doesn't see things in quite the same way。 After celebrating ten years since their first kiss at the tender age of fourteen， Charlie springs a surprise on her he is sure she will love。As he leads her to the cottage by the sea that was once his grandfather's， he proudly announces that he is doing it up for them to settle down and raise a family in。 And then he pops the question。 Sophie stalls。 This isn't what she wants and she flees the house， taking refuge in her childhood home with her father。 OK， so maybe Charlie was a bit presumptuous。。。but after ten years together if it was me I would have thought they'd get married too。 And not to mention that cottage by the sea。。。and the sounds of the ocean through the window at night。 To me， that is just pure heaven。So instead of settling down in their sleepy seaside village in Dorset （which I would prefer to smelly crowded London， myself）， Sophie sends out applications to London ad agencies in the hope of securing herself a job。 When she is contacted by One Pure "something or other" （I forget the rest of the name） for an interview she can hardly believe it。 She travels up to London and meets with James and Cassie， two of the founding members of the company， and together they hit it off。 Sophie nails the interview and is offered the job。 Better yet， she is offered a flat the company uses for their employees rent-free。 Um。。。Seriously， how naive can one person be？ Hand-picked from a social media post to her dream job with a rent-free flat？ Who take her shopping for food， clothing and furnishings？ And her bosses just too good to be true？ Does she not have any inkling whatsoever that something isn't right？ Truly。。。if something seems too good to be true， then it generally is。 But Sophie just welcomed it all with open arms and a naivete that was almost cringeworthy。 She should have remembered that nothing comes for free。。。her experience with Charlie should have told her that。 And yet。。。And then Sophie begins to hear noises in the night， footsteps outside her door。。。when she is the only occupant in the building。。。and a dead rat on her doorstep。 And she has the creepy feeling she is being watched。 Do people actually feel that？ Truly？ Then she is approached by a woman claiming to have worked for the company before and she wants to talk to her。。。but Sophie isn't so sure。 When the police approach her regarding her past， Sophie fears her secret is about to be exposed。 And before long， Sophie isn't sure who she can trust。And then she stumbles on a dead body in the flat below hers。。。In all honesty， Sophie was too gullible for words。 I mean， I generally take people at face value but she took it to a whole new level。 She ignored all the red flags and neon signs flashing in her direction， even when warned， and basically dug herself in deeper。 She was in a bit of a bind though。。。new job， new flat and no way of paying rent anywhere else in London except maybe a park bench。 Is that why she ignored all the warning signs？ Given at all she had endured I would have thought she'd have been more guarded and not so trusting。 That went without saying。。。and yet here she was trusting complete strangers。 Even when Charlie turned up several times， which was a little creepy to say the least， she trusted her new friends instead of him who'd she'd known half her life。The plot was interesting enough but full of holes in my opinion because I really couldn't see a woman being that naive particularly after what she'd been through。 Yes， it was a tad far-fetched but it was still fast paced and gripping enough to keep me engaged to the end。 I wasn't surprised by the ending or the links to her past as I could see them from a mile off。 I didn't trust anyone in the story and hoped Sophie wised up to them before it was too late。 No one else is really worth writing about。THE NEW GIRL is a creepy thriller that had my spidey senses tingling throughout despite my desire to shake some sense into the woman。 Sophie has a vulnerability that stems from a previous trauma which has turned he into an unreliable judge of character。 And now she's stuck in a flat alone with the threat of someone out there exposing something she would much rather keep hidden。 Who can she trust？ While Charlie was becoming a tad too clingy and overprotective， I still felt it was a case of better the devil you know than swimming in an ocean of sharks she could not see lurking in the shadows。A relatively spine-tingling read， THE NEW GIRL is a thriller where you suspect everyone as you try to guess who is responsible。 The twists may be unexpected or you may see them coming。。。it depends on how you read it all。 The climax was nail-biting and somewhat exciting but the epilogue was a bit of a letdown as I had expected a bit more to come of things。Overall， THE NEW GIRL is a reasonably enjoyable read that didn't quite have me on the edge of my seat but it was fast paced and gripping just the same。 Didn't quite pack the same punch as the author's previous thrillers but still a good read。I would like to thank #RuthHeald， #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNewGirl in exchange for an honest review。This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic。blogspot。com/。 。。。more
Leona
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The New Girl by Ruth Heald is a tense and gripping psychological thriller 。 Right from the start this book had me sucked in and I didn’t want to stop reading 。 This book had so many twists and turns that at times I didn’t know who to trust。 About 3/4 way through I did guess one of the twists but it in no way too， away from my enjoyment of this book。 I highly recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers。
Lorena
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One of my January anticipated releases and it was a good one。 3。5 🌟 Sophie is ready to move on and out her past behind her。 The the perfect job comes along in London and Sophie is interviewed。 She ends up being offered the position and lucky for her the job comes with some perks like living rent free in a company flat。 Soon she is settling into her new life， making new friends and doing well at her job。 Her life seems perfect but then some strange things start to happen and maybe her old life is One of my January anticipated releases and it was a good one。 3。5 🌟 Sophie is ready to move on and out her past behind her。 The the perfect job comes along in London and Sophie is interviewed。 She ends up being offered the position and lucky for her the job comes with some perks like living rent free in a company flat。 Soon she is settling into her new life， making new friends and doing well at her job。 Her life seems perfect but then some strange things start to happen and maybe her old life isn't quite in the past。 I found this so fast paced and had me turning the pages to see where it would go。 I liked the development of Sophie and the other characters were written so well that I didn't know who to really trust。 I guessed one of the twists but there were others that I didn't see coming and I enjoyed the ending。 This will be released on 25th January 2022。Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoutre for this ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Kelly （aka jsybookworm）
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Another really good story from Ruth Heald！Sophie is stuck in her hometown of Dorset where she grew up but yearns for the bright lights of London and to use her university degree to carve out a career in advertising。 Suddenly a job opportunity at an up-and-coming advertising agency comes her way and before she knows it， she’s on a train to London for the interview。 She gets the job and within weeks is living in London， socialising with her new colleagues， and enjoying her job。 However， she has a Another really good story from Ruth Heald！Sophie is stuck in her hometown of Dorset where she grew up but yearns for the bright lights of London and to use her university degree to carve out a career in advertising。 Suddenly a job opportunity at an up-and-coming advertising agency comes her way and before she knows it， she’s on a train to London for the interview。 She gets the job and within weeks is living in London， socialising with her new colleagues， and enjoying her job。 However， she has a secret in the past that she wants to forget but it’s never that easy to just move on。 Sophie’s past and the present begin colliding and she begins to wonder who she can really trust。 Was the job and all the perks that came with it too good to be true？！ You’ll have to read the book to find out。I really enjoyed this book。 I took an instant dislike to Charlie and in all honesty， I don’t know how Sophie stayed with him for 10 years！ I thought the author did a great job in making me feel just as confused as Sophie and also really portrayed the creepiness in some scenes perfectly。 The twist was a shock to me I definitely did not see it coming。 I would highly recommend this book to psychological thriller readers， and I can’t wait to read more of Ruth Heald’s books。Thank you to Netgalley， Ruth Heald and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy。 Due out 25th January 2022。 。。。more
Lee
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First thoughts？ I loved it。 A great read that I just couldn't put down， The story may seem a little unbelievable but this did not decrease my enjoyment。 Sophie is trying to build a new life in London and finds herself working for a marketing company that may or may not have trouble lurking that will disrupt her life， you will need to read this to find out。 She has debts to her past boyfriend that she racked up due to her fathers ill health and this will cause it own issues as to hw she resolves First thoughts？ I loved it。 A great read that I just couldn't put down， The story may seem a little unbelievable but this did not decrease my enjoyment。 Sophie is trying to build a new life in London and finds herself working for a marketing company that may or may not have trouble lurking that will disrupt her life， you will need to read this to find out。 She has debts to her past boyfriend that she racked up due to her fathers ill health and this will cause it own issues as to hw she resolves this。 I did not see some of the twists coming and that always makes a book a great read for me ， I like the unpredictability of a story like this。 A truly gripping read that I thoroughly enjoyed。 。。。more
lulureadss
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Sophie ready to let go of her past and move to London for a job that seems very “too good to be true”。 Everything is perfect that is until she receives an email about the past she is running away from。 I love a suspense book that keep hitting me with shocking twists。 Poor naive Sophie was walking towards a field of red flags and she had no idea。I enjoyed the pace of the book it helped me get out of a reading slump and the mystery atmosphere had me by the throat。 As much as I enjoyed seeing all t Sophie ready to let go of her past and move to London for a job that seems very “too good to be true”。 Everything is perfect that is until she receives an email about the past she is running away from。 I love a suspense book that keep hitting me with shocking twists。 Poor naive Sophie was walking towards a field of red flags and she had no idea。I enjoyed the pace of the book it helped me get out of a reading slump and the mystery atmosphere had me by the throat。 As much as I enjoyed seeing all the characters got what they deserved， the ending was rushed and was underwhelming。 。。。more
Jennifer
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This is the story of Sophie who wants to start over。 Who has something that happened in her past that disrupted her life， something that she had been running from， but it has been long enough that she wants to try living her dreams again。 Try moving to London and working in advertising and not being afraid anymore。 So that is what she does。。。only she is really naive and makes some not great decisions。 I was constantly like what are you doing？？ Doesn't this seem odd to you？？ Plus she trusts peopl This is the story of Sophie who wants to start over。 Who has something that happened in her past that disrupted her life， something that she had been running from， but it has been long enough that she wants to try living her dreams again。 Try moving to London and working in advertising and not being afraid anymore。 So that is what she does。。。only she is really naive and makes some not great decisions。 I was constantly like what are you doing？？ Doesn't this seem odd to you？？ Plus she trusts people just because even when she finds out they are untrustworthy。 Like she will find out someone lied， but she likes the person who lied so no big deal！ Which。。。doesn't make a lot of sense。 Especially with her past。 The circumstances surrounding her employment， the benefits， all of it is。。。odd， but Sophie never once questions it。 Or maybe she does for a moment， but then they give her random reason and it is like okay， no big deal let's not think about this again。 Even with all this I was really enjoying the story。 It was a fun， quick read。 Until we get to the end。 Which then had the like mustache twirling caricature of a villain。 And really the whole ending part was。。。like I said she never questioned certain people and she just made up stuff about what was going on and well。。。especially at the end when everything was happening it made no sense。 None。 That and the epilogue was 1，000% unbelievable。 It was more a fantasy that she would have had， not something that would ever in a million years happen， especially not in 6 months time。 There is just no way everyone ends up where they are in that。 Plus it seems to try and redeem a not good person which was really not good。 So that kind of brought the book down for me。 Still a fun read overall but left with a meh ending。 Thanks to Netgalley， the publisher and author for an advanced copy of this book。 。。。more
KKEC Reads
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Published: January 25， 2022BookouturePages: 310Genre: Psychological ThrillerKKECReads Rating: 4/5I received a copy of this book for free， and I leave my review voluntarily。 Ruth Heald studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting。 She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full-time。 Ruth is fascinated by psychology and what drives people to violence， destruction， and revenge。 She’s mar Published: January 25， 2022BookouturePages: 310Genre: Psychological ThrillerKKECReads Rating: 4/5I received a copy of this book for free， and I leave my review voluntarily。 Ruth Heald studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting。 She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full-time。 Ruth is fascinated by psychology and what drives people to violence， destruction， and revenge。 She’s married with two children， and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary， domestic lives。“Why not？”Sophie feels like she is suffocating。 She longs for change， a fresh start。 When an offer too good to be true falls into her lap， she leaps。 Moving to London， she starts what she thinks is her dream job。 Everything seems to be turning around- until her past comes back to haunt her。 Now， Sophie is getting brutal reminders that she can outrun。 This was pretty intense。 And the premise is heavy。 There is serious mention of sexual assault and victim-blaming， so trigger warning before reading this novel。Sophie was a great leading lady。 She was authentic。 She had struggles that many young adults have， and she is a survivor。 She had so much strength， such resilience， and a will that couldn’t be broken。James is a classic， swoon-worthy character。 He’s smooth- he always knows what to say and how to say it。 There is a mysterious air about him that makes it difficult to determine if he is sweet or slimy。 Cassie seems like such a strong， intelligent， confident woman。 A total female-female。 She knows what she brings to the table， and she owns it。Max is mysterious and brooding and appears to have everything handed to him because he’s a man。 He had grown up in a world of endless privilege and isn’t afraid to show that。This was a profoundly intense read。 Sophie’s past trauma was so palpable， and you literally feel her pain， anxiety， and fear。I think the representation of women who try to report their assault was well represented。 And the truth is that often they aren’t believed。 I loved the twist of honesty， obscene wealth， and sheer desperation were running themes。 The balance between light and dark， truth and lies， was so well done。 As the story continued， it became harder to decide who did what and who could be trusted。 The game was set up well， and the tests were executed brilliantly—a deeply intense read， from start to finish。 。。。more
Mark
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Aye dear Sophie how could you be so naïve， she is offered an amazing job in London， new house in Soho， free clothes， food， drink and furnishings and she never has an inkling of a doubt there is ‘something not right’But naïve in Sophie’s case does not mean annoying or irritating and the author managed to assuage the ‘no one would believe this’ as she was just so relatable and yes nice， I really liked her and was urging her on as little by little she started to realise all was not as it seemedTher Aye dear Sophie how could you be so naïve， she is offered an amazing job in London， new house in Soho， free clothes， food， drink and furnishings and she never has an inkling of a doubt there is ‘something not right’But naïve in Sophie’s case does not mean annoying or irritating and the author managed to assuage the ‘no one would believe this’ as she was just so relatable and yes nice， I really liked her and was urging her on as little by little she started to realise all was not as it seemedThere is a back story for Sophie which goes a way to explain her keeness for a new life and to ditch Dorset for the glam life in London and it all ties into the storySome mean nasty characters and some nice ones to offset this， trouble was （ in a good way ） working out which was whichWith an edgy tense ending and a ‘ahhh good’ epilogue made this an enjoyable read where I actually thought ‘ good， I hope Sophie is happy now in her life’ so the character of Sophie certainly made an impression on me！ 8/104 Stars 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The New Girl
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The New Girl&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The New Girl&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0