"I Can't Sleep," by J.E. Rowney
LGBTQ+ Psychological Thriller
1 Smooch ~ Cozy
2 Smooches ~ Warm
3 Smooches ~ Simmering
4 Smooches ~ Red-Hot
5 Smooches ~ Scalding
Book Blurb
“I can’t sleep.
Not since June 16th, 2018.
Not since what happened…”
Traumatised by the events of her past, exhausted by insomnia, Becky Braithwaite believes that a new start will help her to recover.
She leaves home to fulfil her brother’s dreams, and honour the life he never had…
but she soon finds that escaping from the past is not as easy as she imagined.
Is her fatigued mind playing tricks on her, or is danger really lurking in the shadows?
This unputdownable psychological thriller will keep you turning the pages to find out the truth.
My Review
I received a copy of this book via the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Unless I’ve simply forgotten a previous read, I do believe I Can’t Sleep by J.E. Rowney is the first psychological thriller I’ve ever read. I absolutely adore the genre in movies, so when I saw this book featured an LGBTQ+ main character, I jumped onboard with both feet. Luckily for me, it was worthy of being my first-ever read in a genre I will likely start keeping a closer eye on.
I loved the tension weaved into this story. It kept me turning the page and the gears in my brain spinning. I guessed—to an extent—the ending fairly early on, but not exactly as it played out. And there was just enough mystery as to whether what was happening on page truly was happening or if it was all in Becky’s head, that I couldn’t be sure my guess was accurate. So, I was delightfully on edge the entire read. Not usually something I say with a smile on my face, but I am apparently here for the heart-pounding thrill.
As a completely new reader of the genre, I can’t speak to how the ending played out in comparison to other stories with similar themes and constructs. However, I’ll admit it was a tiny bit of a disappointment to me. After being on the edge of my seat the whole book, the ending felt like a clunky and disingenuous resolution. And one I guessed fairly accurately rather early on. Still, because this story was written with an unreliable narrator and left the reader wondering with every flip of the page, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that I was able to predict the ending. I just happened to be one of the lucky ones who decided to lean one way rather than the other based off the information provided.
I would recommend this to any psychological thriller lover, but I think it’s also an excellent gateway read for those who might be intrigued by the genre but never found themselves motivated enough to dip their toes in.
J.E. Rowney
SHE/Her
J.E.Rowney spent several years in the cold Yorkshire hills, which brings the flavour of the moorland countryside into her work. She now lives in Dorset, and the sun and sea are slowly creeping in as influences.
She is an award winning poet, and also enjoys writing short stories. "Charcoal", her first novel, was published in 2012 to wide critical acclaim, and was a bestselling novel on Amazon within days of release.
She has since written two bestselling poetry collections, "Desire Lines" and "How the Heart Behaves", along with the recently released "Relationshipwrecks".
She spends lots of time writing in coffee shops, so if you see her, say hello.
Ms. Rowney says: "I always dreamed of being a writer, until I realised that I was. Then I started to write."
Connect with THE AUTHOR below
So, what are you waiting for? I Can’t Sleep is available on or after its release date of October 16th, 2020 for your reading pleasure!
Get your copy today!! 📖
