I Will Never Leave You by S.M. Thayer

For one couple, getting what they want comes at a devastating price in this gripping debut thriller.

Banking heiress Trish and her husband, James, seem to have it all, from a lavish lifestyle to a historic mansion in the nation’s capital. The only thing that’s missing to make their family complete is a baby, so when Trish holds Anne Elise in her arms for the first time, it’s no surprise that she falls deeply in love. There’s just one problem: Trish isn’t the mother.

The baby belongs to Laurel, James’s young mistress. And more than that, James and Laurel want to start a new life together—despite an ironclad prenup standing in their way. When Trish becomes dangerously obsessed with making Laurel’s baby her own, the lovers’ plan to break James’s marriage quickly goes awry. How far is each of them willing to go for happiness?


This was a totally random pick for me off the Express Shelf at the library. It was a case of judging a book by it's cover and then seeing that it was set in Washington DC and surrounding area (my local area) I was thrilled to start reading it.

Loved all the local landmark and area references, which helped me visualize the story line and characters a lot better.

I thought the story started off really well and really kept me reading and wondering where it was heading. A couple of heart in mouth moments wondering what a character had done. I felt sympathy for most of the characters, yes even James, at times.

What did I find unbelievable? The security at Sibley Hospital. I gave birth there and I know what it took to see my own baby after a stint in ICU, so it was not believable that a security band would be handed out quite so easily, or that cameras were not working. This is an expensive, private hospital! Also, the lack of urgency and anger over a missing baby did not ring true with me. Even in a fever ridden state, I felt Laurel and James would have made more of a fuss over it.

I did not like the twist at the end with Trish's Father (will not put a spoiler in here describing it) as I felt it was just a strange way for the story to go.

It was a fine enough read, probably best suited for a plane ride or a beach than a serious read at home. Despite only 3 stars, I would read other books by the author.