Everything He Never Told Me

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a debut novel whose words made me sit up and take notice like this one did. Kai Lindholm is a 23-year-old engineering student whose passion to create a prosthetic arm for disabled veterans has driven him since he was 15 years old. Ivy Sinclair-Vance is his girlfriend - a fellow student whose father Warrick Sinclair breathes the rarefied air of wealth and power and has already planned his daughter’s future with his faithful and kind young protegé, Mason. Not one to lay down and roll over for others, Ivy follows her heart and marries Kai against her father’s wishes. Is that the ‘happily ever after’ end of the story? Far from it. The “I do’s” are only the beginning of Ivy and Kai’s journey together, and the road afterward takes a troubling turn that neither of them anticipated when Kai begins displaying odd, erratic behavior that starts to spiral out of control. What does a couple do when the life they envisioned with their partner becomes something that no longer feels safe? It was nice to see a book where every character is a fully realized adult whose ‘warts and all’ humanity isn’t shied away from but rather laid bare in a way that allows the reader to sympathize with them - even Warrick. No one is 'bad' or 'good' - they're just complicated and dealing with the hand life has dealt them the best they can. Kai’s dad, his best friend Marcus, and Mason were all so gently written, which was lovely to see in male characters who so often get maligned. Where van Houten particularly shines is her evocative, thoughtful writing. It feels eloquent and rich, like a feast of words that I wanted to sit and eat up. Ironically, if I had one criticism, it would be that the profundity of some of the dialogue occasionally felt a little overwritten. I do love a deep, thought-provoking turn of phrase or observation, but too many, too often can dull the impact they might’ve had if used with a little more restraint, since most of us don’t speak in such elegant ways in real life. It’s a small criticism that the overall writing more than made up for. As for the genre, I’ve seen this called a psychological thriller and a romance, but I don’t see it as either of those. Kai and Ivy’s relationship is in progress when the book starts, and the reader doesn’t see how they got there. Their bond feels more like one of respect and deep friendship than romantic intimacy. It’s also not a thriller, despite one scene that I still feel conflicted about. This is a pure psychological drama and a very good one at that! For all the pain in this story, there's also a lot of beauty. I highly recommend this beautifully written debut (special shout out for that gorgeous cover!) I can only hope that her writing gets the attention it deserves. I know that I’m a new fan! ★★★★ Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and author Clara van Houten for this digital ARC that I was invited to review honestly. It’s available now.