Center of Gravity is the first book I’ve read by author Laura McNeill and one I’d requested several months ago on NetGalley. I love a well done psychological thriller, they will always be at the top of my must read list. But with so many books stating similarities to Gone Girl and/or Girl on Train (I loved both of these) it’s become a tad difficult finding ones that truly stand out on their own merit. I was slightly worried that this could possibly be the case here since the whole “husband isn’t who wife originally thought he was” type of storyline has been done before. But once I began reading I quickly realized that Center of Gravity is in that rare category of being a truly unique thriller with the psychological element done to perfection!

On the surface Ava seems to have the perfect life, she’s a completely devoted mother and wife with a handsome, caring husband and two beautiful sons, one adopted and one biological. As the story begins we soon realize, just as Ava does that her husband Mitchell isn’t at all who she first thought he was. Out of nowhere he becomes increasingly paranoid over the most innocent of things that Ava is doing. When he becomes controlling and unpredictable Ava is shocked and can’t understand what has happened to the man she fell in love with. Then suddenly Mitchell files for divorce, takes their boys away and makes it clear to Ava that she will never get them back. Ava is of course stunned and can’t understand how or why her world has crashed down so suddenly around her and when she tries to reason with Mitchell he just becomes hateful and nasty. Finally, Ava starts to wise up gets herself the help of a lawyer who suggests she take matters into her own hands by digging around into Mitchell’s past.

Center of Gravity was creepy, thrilling and tense! I knew early on that I wouldn’t be able to stop reading it until I found out the whole truth behind Mitchell’s past and Ava got her boys back. Several times throughout this book I felt so bad for Ava and just wanted to reach inside this novel & punch Mitchell myself! As a mother and wife I could truly feel everything Ava felt, all of her anguish & despair just ripped me into a million shreds. I loved the multiple narrative style that the Laura McNeill used, I felt they really added to the fast pace of the story and my attention never wavered. I would highly, highly recommended this for fans of psychological suspense/thrillers and I think the subject matter makes this an excellent choice as a Book Club read; it’s one I’m definitely bringing for vote at my next club meeting!

Many thanks to the publishers, Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I felt as though this book was poorly written. The narration doesn’t flow and you often feel rushed into understanding one character’s narrative.