A fresh start… or a living hell?
Jess’s life is back on track again: the messy divorce, bitter inheritance feud, and terrifying home invasion are well and truly behind her. After two years abroad, she is excited for a new beginning in a sleepy English seaside town where nobody knows her. So when Jess is attacked in the street, she thinks it’s rotten luck – her troubles are firmly in the past, after all. But, as more creepy things start to happen, she becomes convinced she’s being targeted. As the frightening events escalate, Jess is certain someone she thought she’d left behind has finally caught up with her – and they want revenge. But who? And just how far will they go to push her over the edge and into oblivion?
Before I dive into my review, I want to address something important: Here For You touches on some heavy themes, including domestic abuse, rape, miscarriages, and gaslighting. These topics are integral to the story, and while they’re handled thoughtfully, I do feel that books dealing with such sensitive issues should come with a content warning. Personally, these elements triggered some distressing emotions for me, and I nearly didn’t continue reading because of how unprepared I was for the emotional toll it took. Please be mindful of this if you decide to read the book.
Now that I’ve said that, let me share my overall thoughts. I ended up reading 95% of this book in a single day! The story had me hooked, and despite my initial reservations, I found myself unable to put it down.
At first, I wasn’t sure about the characters. Jess, in particular, irked me because, frankly, I’ve never bonded with anyone the way she does in Here For You. The rapid pace at which she trusted people and formed relationships felt a bit unrealistic to me. However, after finishing the book, I understand why the author chose to develop the characters and plot in this way—it was crucial for the storyline to unfold as it did.
Jess was a character I genuinely sympathized with, and her journey resonated with me on a deeper level. Kevin, on the other hand, never won me over. He felt uncomfortable and lacked depth, making him a somewhat two-dimensional character in my eyes. Alex, while a bit pushy at times, became more understandable by the end, though I wish there had been a bit more time spent on the evolution of her and Jess’s friendship. As for Tim, I had hoped he’d be a standout character, but unfortunately, he didn’t have the impact I was hoping for.
The ending, however, was a much-needed, feel-good resolution. It was heartwarming to see Jess and Noah stay together, although I’m not sure that would be as realistic in real life. But then again, this is fiction, and sometimes, a hopeful ending is exactly what we need.
If I had to rate this book out of 10, I’d give it a solid 7. My main reason for this score is the lack of a content warning, and I felt the friendship between Jess and Alex needed more build-up before it reached the point it did.
I want to thank ZooLoo’s Book Tours for providing me with a spot on the tour and for arranging a digital copy of the book for me.
About the Author
Nora Valters grew up in the New Forest in the south of England and has lived in London, Manchester, Bournemouth, Oxford and Dubai.
She studied English Literature and Language at Oxford Brookes University before embarking on a career in marketing and copywriting. Her debut psychological thriller, Her Biggest Fan, was published in October 2020. Her second novel, Now You Know, came out in June 2021. She’s currently writing her third, which will be out soon. Nora loves to travel and has journeyed around the world. She enjoys exploring new places, painting, hiking, and is an avid reader. She’s also a bit obsessed with dogs. Nora writes psychological thrillers. Here For You will be her second novel published with Inkubator Books.
Morelli’s Reads 
Thank you for taking part in the tour today x
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