Book Review – Girl in the Rearview Mirror by Kelsey Rae Dimberg #20booksofsummer #bookreview

Goodreads Synopsis:

They are Phoenix’s First Family: handsome Philip Martin, son of the sitting Senator, an ex-football player who carries himself with an easy grace and appears destined to step into his father’s seat when the time is right; his wife Marina, the stylish and elegant director of Phoenix’s fine arts museum; and their four-year-old daughter Amabel, beautiful and precocious and beloved.

Finn Hunt is working a dull office job to pay off her college debt when she meets Philip and charms Amabel. She eagerly agrees to nanny, thinking she’s lucked into the job of a lifetime. Though the glamour of the Martins’ lifestyle undeniably dazzles Finn, her real pleasure comes from being part of the family: sharing quick jokes with Philip in the kitchen before he leaves for work; staying late when Marina needs a last-minute sitter; and spending long days with Amabel, who is often treated more like a photo op than a child.

But behind every façade lurks a less attractive truth. When a young woman approaches Finn, claiming a connection with Philip and asking Finn to pass on a message, Finn becomes caught up in a web of deceit with the senate seat at its center. And Finn isn’t exactly innocent herself: she too has a background she has kept hidden, and under the hot Phoenix sun, everything is about to be laid bare.

My Opinion:

Finn Hunt is in the right place at the right time and lands a job as the nanny to an adorable little girl, Amabel. Amabel is the daughter of Philip and Marina Martin. Philip’s father is a senator for Arizona and the election is quickly approaching. In politics, image is everything and that includes everyone in the senator’s family.

I had high hopes for this book and was expecting it to be a highly suspenseful read. There is much mystery here, but no suspense. I kept thinking the book was about to turn a corner and reveal a big twist. Unfortunately it didn’t. There was a tragedy that happened about mid-way that was very unexpected and quite unfortunate, but I would not call it a twist.

Finn was doing everything in her power to keep her past hidden from everyone! I was expecting her to have something so unthinkable in her past that I would not blame her for wanting to keep it hidden. Her teen years were a bit rocky, but to my surprise there was nothing so horrible that it warranted so much secrecy and even a name change. We were all teenagers once and have all made mistakes!

Bottom line – this book was not what I expected, but there is a decent mystery here, just don’t read too much into it.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Series: None
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: 6/18/2019
Pages: 352 (eBook)