This Might Hurt

By: Stephanie Wrobel

Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow

“You’ll be gripped in this clever exploration of fear and vulnerability right until the flawless ending - one you’ll most certainly want to talk about.” (Ashley Audrain, New York Times best-selling author of The Push)

Named a most anticipated book of 2022 by Newsweek ∙ Parade ∙ Katie Couric Media ∙ Betches ∙ Criminal Element ∙ Shondaland ∙ Bustle ∙ and more!

From the USA Today best-selling and Edgar-nominated author of Darling Rose Gold comes a dark, thrilling novel about two sisters - one trapped in the clutches of a cult, the other in a web of her own lies.

Welcome to Wisewood. We’ll keep your secrets if you keep ours.

Natalie Collins hasn’t heard from her sister in more than half a year.

The last time they spoke, Kit was slogging from mundane workdays to obligatory happy hours to crying in the shower about their dead mother. She told Natalie she was sure there was something more out there.

And then she found Wisewood.

On a private island off the coast of Maine, Wisewood’s guests commit to six-month stays. During this time, they’re prohibited from contact with the rest of the world - no internet, no phones, no exceptions. But the rules are for a good reason: to keep guests focused on achieving true fearlessness so they can become their Maximized Selves. Natalie thinks it’s a bad idea, but Kit has had enough of her sister’s cynicism and voluntarily disappears off the grid.

Six months later, Natalie receives a menacing email from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from Kit. Panicked, Natalie hurries north to come clean to her sister and bring her home. But she’s about to learn that Wisewood won’t let either of them go without a fight.

©2022 Stephanie Wrobel (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"The mastermind behind last year's Darling Rose Gold returns with a second, equally sinister feat…Fans of Liane Moriarty's Nine Perfect Strangers will adore this." —Newsweek

“Wrobel once again proves to be a master at crafting thrillers.”—Shondaland

"With shades of Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half and Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers, This Might Hurt is a tense psychological thriller with an eye towards larger themes."—PureWow

A good story

I read this along with audible. The narrator was pretty good. Overall the story held my attention and was interesting. It was evenly paced- themes related to cults. I did get a little lost between the altering POVs. Keeping track of Rebecca, Jack, Natalie and Kit was a bit tough. It didn't knock my socks off but I liked it.

Ehhh not bad....but?!

You mean to tell me that she gets so brainwashed that the ending was the best she could come up with?! How selfish....so good but raw

Self-help retreat for a radical transformation

Stephanie Wrobel's *This Might Hurt* takes readers on a psychological rollercoaster, diving into the complexities of sisterhood, trauma, and the dark allure of cult-like communities. The novel's premise is intriguing, centering around two sisters, Natalie and Kit, whose lives are upended when Kit disappears into the enigmatic Wisewood, a remote self-help retreat promising radical transformation.

The story unfolds through alternating perspectives, offering a multifaceted look into the sisters' strained relationship and their individual struggles. Wrobel's writing is compelling, with an atmospheric tension that keeps readers on edge. The author's portrayal of Wisewood is particularly captivating, revealing a chilling environment where the lines between healing and manipulation blur.

However, the novel's pacing occasionally falters, with some sections feeling drawn out and repetitive. While the psychological tension is palpable, certain plot twists can be predictable, slightly diminishing the overall suspense. Additionally, the character development, especially regarding the secondary characters, could have been more fleshed out to provide deeper emotional engagement.

Despite these shortcomings, *This Might Hurt* excels in its exploration of the human psyche and the lengths individuals will go to escape their pasts and find belonging. Wrobel's ability to weave psychological depth with a gripping narrative makes this book a worthwhile read for fans of psychological thrillers, even if it doesn't fully deliver on its initial promise.

In summary, *This Might Hurt* is a solid psychological thriller with an engaging premise and atmospheric writing. While it has its flaws, it remains an intriguing exploration of sisterhood and the seductive power of cult dynamics. 3.5/5 Stars

Great story until the end

I enjoyed the story, right up until the end! I was so excited to read this book but was really disappointed by the ending. The narrator, however, was excellent!

I enjoyed this story

I enjoyed listening to this story and while I rarely write reviews I fee like the reviews I read for this before weren’t completely right. The story jumps around and you never know who the story belongs to. It keeps you on your toes! Loved it

Confusing

Very confusing and slow , but interesting concept. There are multiple narrators which can get confusing but I think that was intentional by the author.
I just think if you are going to make a story so confusing at least have a more juicy plot.

Interesting enough to listen to, but likely wouldn’t listen again.

The story line

Terrible ending. I didn’t expect it to be done. Had some potential but dropped the ball halfway through

twisty

The narration of the abusive father were arduous. Once I got through this I was hooked and couldn't wait to hear what would happen next.

Intricately woven story/Trauma trigger warning

The story kept me engaged, and thinking and trying to figure out who is who and what is what. Which isn’t a bad thing.

I didn’t find it predictable.



The conflict and trauma inflicted on the characters was written so well that I found I had to arrow ahead 30 seconds as it felt too intense and I have no history of emotional abuse. It’s so expertly written that it may trigger discomfort for those who have suffered emotional abuse /manipulation


Narration was very good. Subtle voice changes were enough to demonstrate it was a different person, but close enough to keep you wondering how all the characters fit together

Intriguing storyline, but a but confusing.

The storyline was good. Maybe it was me, or maybe it was the author's intention, but for a while I was confused about the character's background stories (for a while I couldn't tell if timelines/point of views was of 2 or 3 different people). The performance, more times than not, was choppy and mechanical; like when reading something out loud for the first time and you don't get the pauses and emphasis correct. This was distracting, and I wanted to stop listening, but I wanted to know the whole story more. If I were to do it again, I would read this for myself instead of listening to it by this particular performer. Not a fan of the ending. To me it just seemed to stop.