Book Review: This Stays Between Us

This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a physical ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis

You can never escape a summer abroad…

Ten years ago, six college students meet in an Australian summer study abroad, ready to enjoy the break from their studies and travel the country. Their program is meant to introduce them to the beauty of Australia and immerse them in an unforgettable cultural experience. In reality, it's a thrill-fueled summer of outdoor excursions, adrenaline rushes, alcohol, lust, and friendship turned wrong. When Phoebe, a troubled girl with jealousies and fractures spreading like wildfire between them all, suddenly disappears, presumed to have run away in a small outback town, the group decides to pack up and leave the past behind. All their secrets hidden for good. Or at least, that's what they tell themselves…

Ten years later, they each receive a call. They've found Phoebe's body. And now it's time to return.

Each of the friends is summoned back to Australia, confronted with their past selves and the brutal heat and sting of that summer. The police have questions, and the secrets they've been keeping buried deep in the outback start to slowly unearth. It soon becomes clear that everyone knows something about Phoebe's murder, and once again one of them might not make it out alive.

My Thoughts

I liked how the story was told from two POV's of Claire and Phoebe. The narrator was clearly named at the beginning of each chapter so the reader knew whose perspective they were reading.

I did find there were a lot of characters to keep track of and how they were relevant to the story and plot. There were also quite a few side characters and I felt like the book started kind of slow and then ended rather quickly and I felt a bit confused at the end trying to figure out how one or two of the characters actions fit with the story and I found myself trying to remember when the a couple of the characters were introduced into the story plot.

My Rating: 3.5/5

🌟🌟🌟.5

Book Details

Author: Sara Ochs

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Publication Date: July 15, 2025

Genre: Thriller. Suspense. Mystery. Fiction. Mystery/Thriller. Crime.

Edition: Paperback.

Pages: 416.

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