Providence: A Novel

The simplest description would be thriller mystery. Jon goes missing for four years and has no idea what has been done to change him. He's huge, scary and his emotions control his heart at a dangerous level. Chloe was his best friend/crush but she struggles with his disappearance and return. There's a cop trying to solve some odd cases and his POV helps move the story and put the clues together. Tons of running monologues and random paths of thought but it comes together if you stick it out. I've read You and Hidden Bodies, so I was pleased to receive an early copy.

Having read and enjoyed Kepnes’ previous novels, I was anticipating <i>Providence</i> and it’s release. The premise is an interesting one—a kidnapped middle school boy returns 4 years later as a man with a strong power that keeps him from being around people, specifically his boyhood crush, Chloe.

While I really enjoy Kepnes’ writing style, I felt this novel really lacked something. I found myself waiting for an answer, an ending or a resolution that never came and by 70% I found myself frustrated that the book was seemingly going in circles with Jon doing the same things, Chloe doing the same things, and Eggs (the character introduced in the third act) doing the same things.

I’m hoping that Kepnes will follow suit and we will get either a sequel or possibly a Prequel, where we will learn what the kidnappers actually did to Jon in those four years. I would find that much more interesting than I found this book.

I am Providence.
As teenagers, Jon and Chloe have had something brewing beneath the surface. But then Jon disappears for 4 years. Chloe tries to move on. And then he returns. Everything is the same. Except Jon. Something happened in those 4 years and I spent the rest of the book trying to figure that out.
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This book is a coming of age romance, a police detective thriller, and sci-fi. For other reviewers that didn’t work, but in my case it was one of my favorite aspects of the story. This was my first Caroline Kepnes book. I loved her writing. It was engaging and compulsively readable. I kept turning pages, trying to figure out what was going on with Jon. And were him and Chloe going to be able to be together. There’s also another storyline. Eggs and Lo. I liked them. But not as much as Jon and Chloe.
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If you’re looking for a light page turner with just enough suspense, I recommend Providence by Caroline Kepnes. I am vacillating between three and four stars. This book releases June 19!
Thanks @randomhouse and @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. #partner

Random House and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Providence. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Jon and Chloe were inseparable, sharing much of their lives both inside and outside of school. When a horrific situation tears the pair apart, Chloe has no choice but to move forward with her life. Four years later, will Jon and Chloe find themselves again? Has Jon been forever changed from his experience?

I wanted to like Providence, as the novel contained a little unnatural twist that made the plot interesting. However, I was not a fan of the writing style and I had no connection to either of the main characters. The story was wholly unbelievable and just did not grab my attention. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend Providence to other readers.

The first two books by this author, You and Hidden Bodies, were 4 star reads for me, and I thought them clever and sort of fun. This book started out strong, has a good cover, and then instead of fun became just silly.

Childhood pals Jon and Chloe are devastated when tragedy strikes -- Jon is kidnapped by a substitute teacher, held in a basement in an induced coma for four years, and then set free as an experiment of the sub teacher. The experiment somehow gave Jon super powers which I won't go into, and I wish the author hadn't either. There is also a good chunk of pages devoted to H.P. Lovecraft books and Lovecraft devotees. I didn't know who he was before so had to look him up. Monsters. Imaginary places and made-up words no one can pronounce. No thanks.

By the end, the number of times that Chloe and Jon almost met up, or were in the same place without seeing it, or dialed each other and then hung up -- it became repetitive, drawn out and silly. A disappointment to me. I know Kepnes can write, though. The chapters told by the detective were really quite good. Maybe he should have a book of his own

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

“Heartbreaking” takes on a whole new meaning in this novel by Caroline Kepnes. Before I received this ARC from the publisher I was not familiar with this author. It sounded a little “different” so I thought I would give it a try. Wow…. “different” is an understatement! In this case “different” is a good thing!!

I'm not a fan of Sci Fi so when I realized this fell slightly in this category I wasn't sure I would like it. However, the story was so well done that the slight touch of that genre actually added positively to the story and really kept my interest. The whole Lovecraft theme was totally foreign to me- didn't even know it was a “real” theme in a book- but it played well enough into this novel that my ignorance didn't deter me from the plot.

I found myself wanting to just read this cover to cover it kept me so hooked. I feel it was very open-ended at the finish so my question to the author is “there WILL be a sequel, right”????

I have the audiobook from a friend. I have listened to it right after finishing You and Hidden Bodies. Maybe this was a mistake. I did not like the way the book diverted to characters that had no prior introduction and actually thought I had missed a key part of the chapter and rewound it but no, it really does skip 4 years then to 6 years then a coroner and Marco, whoever the heck he is, (I thought this at that point) and I was so confused that I almost gave up. It was a good story but no where near the caliber of You or Hidden Bodies and I cannot lie, it was a bit of a let down that she did not pump out Joe To the third degree or The Prof faces the Judge or Love plus one, but if you read this be ready to think or don't read it at all.

Review Copy

My first thought after tearing through this, my first Kepnes novel, was "amazing". I loved the way the book was laid out - the chapters alternating between characters, each told in the first person. Each character was fully developed; I felt I was inside their head.

In some ways this reminded me of very early (1970-80's) Dean Koontz and John Saul, but with outstanding writing and research. That's a good thing, btw.

This is mystery, thriller, paranormal with a dash of science fiction, but at its heart it's a love story as all the best stories are. I highly recommend PROVIDENCE, especially to those of you looking for something new. Then, like me, you can grab all of Carolyn Kepnes past books and feast!

What a creepy, interesting, get-into-your-head read this was! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am still engaged with it a day later, my last thoughts before falling asleep the night I finished it were of the two main characters. Starting in high school Chloe and Jon are friends but a different kind of friend, not boyfriend and girlfriend although they each think that is what they want. This story then takes a turn for the bizarre. The setting of Providence and other parts of New England are true to place and time (I live out side of Providence) and play an important part in the story. A quick read since you won’t be able to put it down! Thank you #netgalley for the opportunity to read and review #providence

This is not a supernatural thriller.

It's a tragic love story.

Really, it's two love stories: Jon & Chloe and Lo & Eggs.

I think that people reading this expecting a supernatural thriller or those who read this after hearing there's a Lovecraft aspect to this and expecting horror will be perplexed. There is a supernatural element and there's a Lovecraft element, but these are secondary to the modern day Romeo (Basement Boy/Jon) and Juliet (Chloe).

I honestly didn't like either Jon or Chloe much. While I sympathized with both of them, I never really cared if they overcame their tragic existence to eventually be together.

I loved Lo & Eggs. While there's tragedy there as well, this was the love story I was most interested in. These were the people I was invested it.

There's also a solid little detective story embedded in the book.

In truth, the book simply wasn't what I expected. It was certainly original, but it wasn't what I ulitmately wanted.

Anyone who has followed my reviews may have heard me mention Caroline Kepnes first book YOU and how much I loved that story so of course I was going to grab anything else that she had written. Picking up Providence I was well aware that it was nothing like YOU and that was perfectly fine with me as I don’t want to read the same story over and over again and love mixing things up and branching out. However, after reading Providence I can’t lie and say I really enjoyed this one.

The story started off rather well and I could immediately tell I was diving into a Kepnes story. Readers are first introduced to Jon, one of those awkward kids that often end up the target of bullies. Jon has one really good friend in Chloe and on one excited morning Jon heads out to school excited to see Chloe and takes his normal out of the path of bullies obscure root to school only to be attacked and kidnapped.

With Jon missing Chloe of course spirals into despair when searches turn up no sign of Jon but eventually time moves on without Jon. Four years later however Jon turns up from seemingly out of nowhere a completely changed man now. Much larger and stronger than when missing Jon quickly starts to realize his kidnapper had done something to him making those around Jon no longer safe.

Up to and after Jon’s return I really thought this one was going to end up very highly rated for me. The whole science fiction fantasy side was really appealing although I’m sure some will be turned off by such an aspect in a thriller I was really loving it. But where things fell apart was when Eggs was introduced to the story, I just never connected to his character or really cared to at all.

At that point Jon’s story kind of takes a direction that seemed to dull my excitement too so from then on out it was just pushing myself to turn the pages and finish. While the little twist at the end wasn’t too bad it was just a matter of too little too late to excite me with this one. While this one wasn’t my cup of tea Caroline Kepnes is still a very talented author and I’m sure some may enjoy this one more than I did.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This book was interesting, it was a different type of book from what I've been reading. It's a love story, it's about bullying, it's a fantasy/sci-fi, it's a mystery. I liked it. I liked John, Chloe and I loved the cop Egg. I enjoyed everyone's story, their background, I was invested. It kept my interest, but to be honest, Caroline Kepnes' other books, You and Hidden Bodies, are hard to follow. I was a little disappointed. If this had been her first book I read, maybe I would have liked it more.

First sentence: I brung Pedro home for Thanksgiving break and tomorrow I have to bring him back to school.

Last sentence: Chloe.

I received a netgalley of Providence by Caroline Kepnes, in exchange for an honest review. I was anxiously awaiting another novel by this author and I was not disappointed. The story follows an awkward boy names Jon who is kidnapped in middle school. Four years later he returns but he is not the same. Unaware of what has happened to him and what to make of his new powers, Jon tries to coexist and protect the ones he loves. Chloe is the girl Jon left behind and she just wants to reconnect with her old friend. However as much as Jon would love this he must stay away to protect her. The book is part love story and part mystery. I highly recommend.

I had very high hopes for Providence since I loved You, also by Kepnes. I made the mistake of expecting the same kind of thriller You was. Providence has more of a sci-fi feel to it. I normally love a multi point of view story, but this made the book feel jumbled. I didn't love any of the characters. I couldn't connect with them or the storyline aside from the fact I am from New Hampshire and knew all the places in the book. Maybe if I were a Lovecraft fan I would have enjoyed it more.

Caroline Kepnes has developed an intriguing story with references to Lovecraft. Unfortunately, I have never read Lovecraft so I feel as though some of the references went over my head, which may have taken away from my overall rating of this book. Although the references were not always clear to me, I still thoroughly enjoyed the plot of "Providence'. There were some minor areas that seemed rushed but I'd say this plot was solid. I will say, this plot was different from other books I've read recently. There is a science fiction/horror underlying theme present throughout the story. While it does focus on a romantic connection, it's not a typical boy loves girl, boy gets girl concept. There were no predictable moments between Jon and Chloe like in other novels with an evident love connection. I enjoy when there isn't always a happy go lucky feel for the characters, it's more real.

The different perspective chapters is becoming a trend and there are some authors that deliver this style beautifully and I truly think Kepnes did a wonderful job writing from the various point of views. Each character had their own voice and different perspective of the events that it felt like you were seeing it from their eyes. Kepnes can create characters so vividly that you feel as though you understand how they will react to certain circumstances. Jon becomes this villain yet vigilante and I couldn't help but root for him the whole time. Chloe, although annoying at times, becomes another character that is rooted for. The supporting characters were a little underdeveloped but I think that isn't a terrible thing.

I would have rated this book higher but the reference to Lovecraft and his writing was difficult to truly understand. Perhaps I will have to read Lovecraft and reread 'Providence' to understand everything, especially during the Lovecraft Convention portion of the book. I also feel as though the book was rushed to be finished and that there is so much left unanswered. I hope Kepnes writes a sequel to this book so I can get my questions answered.

I won a early reviewer copy of Providence via Librarything and Random House. Thank you!!

Another excellent book by Caroline Kepnes. I don't know where she comes up with these twisted story lines...but I ENJOY her thinking and her stories. I had read YOU a few years ago and thought, WTH is this and now finishing Providence I find myself wanting more and more of Kepnes. Providence was like a love story, with murder and unexplainable happenings. I enjoyed how Kepnes came up with Jon and his extraordinary 'gift'. All the characters are very well detailed and relatable.
I'm excited to see what Kepnes has next to write about.

This book wonderfully weird.
This is a original and unique story told in a strong voice.
Best friends Jon and Chloe share a close bond until Jon is kidnapped. Four years late Jon returns but now carries deadly powers. This starts a years long saga between the two friends.
Kepnes created a world filled with characters that feel so real you believe they could be found in any local bar. A strange and winding tale about love and friendship. This a must read book for this summer.

PROVIDENCE

Told in the voices of Eggs, Chloe, and Jon, this book is part love story and part detective story. To me, an avid reader, it was NOT a supernatural story in any way, shape, or form. Things do happen, but it was weird --- I did not love this book, but it certainly was an okay read. My three star rating is NOT negative in any way, shape, or form. It's just -- well, okay.

Jon and Chloe are friends and then something horrible happens and their lives are changed forever. We follow Chloe maturing, making friends, going to school, working. Having a life. But, no matter what, she still clings to the memories of her childhood friendship with Jon.

Jon's life has taken an awful turn -- to say any more would be a spoiler. Jon is a good character -- he is good and loyal and loving, but he has been an odd duck his entire life and now -- well, now --

Eggs is an older detective, a great character who has his own issues and tries to make sense of what fate has thrown Jon's way. The character of Eggs and his wife, Lo, were probably my two favorite characters in the book. They were so real, down-to-earth, believable.

This is a good read. It gets stuck in the mud at times, the pace wasn't that fast and at times I plodded through. I did like the premise of the plot. There are some murky times when THE DUNWICH HORROR and its author are mentioned, but not being familiar with that book or the author, I was left in the dark.

I know Caroline Kepnes can write -- My God, I absolutely LOVED her books YOU and HIDDEN BODIES. I could not read them quickly enough, I hated when I finished them, and I LOVED them, every single word. They were scary, creepy, snappy, and witty, and full of twists and turns. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading them, you certainly should.

It makes me sad that I was disappointed in this book even though at the same time I did enjoy it. But not as much as I hoped to and wanted to. Check it out for yourself -- it is good reading in its own way.

I was excited to have the opportunity to obtain an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book through NetGalley.

When Jon is abducted as a child, his best friend, Chloe, does her best to continue to hope he’ll be found alive. Four years after he goes missing, he turns up with no memory of his time away and a cryptic note from his abductor in H.P. Lovecraft’s THE DUNWICH HORROR. Soon, Jon realizes that something is seriously wrong with him and flees to protect the people he loves. Chloe, frustrated by Jon’s odd behavior and second disappearance, tries to move on, but their connection is too strong to be denied. Policeman Eggs is obsessed with a series of suspicious deaths and the trail leads him to Jon.

I recently read and was blown away by Kepnes’ YOU. Just like in YOU, PROVIDENCE is chock full of compelling characters. Kepnes tells the story through the points of view of Jon, Chloe, and Eggs. These three main characters are exceptionally well drawn, as are the various minor characters who appear in the novel. Including Eggs’ point of view gives an outside perspective to Jon and Chloe’s twisted relationship and provides the opportunity to inject a touch of philosophy. Eggs comes to realize much of life is based on luck and that a person needs to appreciate all good fortune, no matter how small.

PROVIDENCE tackles obsession, closure, love, and the need for human connection. Not only are the characters obsessed with each other, they are obsessed with finding answers. Chloe wants to understand why Jon keeps his distance from her, yet remains in touch. Jon wants to know what his abductor did to him and how to reverse it. Eggs wants to solve the cases that haunt him.

PROVIDENCE is a thriller with a touch of science fiction. The story is solid, but it’s the characters, who turn the words on the page into magic.

I love how Carloline Kepnes writes. She knows how to keep the story moving and you feel connected to the characters. In Providence we meet Jon and Chloe. Two young teens who are friends, but maybe more. Jon is picked on by a classmate causing him to choose a path through the woods to school one morning and he's kidnapped. What follows is alternating viewpoints from Chloe, Jon, and an obsessed cop named Eggs.

If you enjoy stories that are about the characters and a peek into their lives then you will enjoy Providence. It's part mystery, part sci-fi, and a little bit of horror all rolled into a love story. While I wish the ending was a bit different I'm hoping it means we're not done with Chloe and Jon...

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House - Lenny for this ARC.

Three stars for keeping me reading to see what happens and for a geographical setting so familiar to me. But honestly, it's the same old theme in disguise - the obsessive love that cannot come close to the love object. The resolution was so unsatisfying I am swearing off Caroline Kepnes unless she finds another theme besides this one repeated in her first three books.

The most horrible thing about a Caroline Kepnes book is that it ends and and makes you feel like you've binged watched every episode of Game of Thrones, all 7 seasons, and there's a hole inside you until the next one comes out. With YOU and HIDDEN BODIES, she made us fall in love with Joe. In PROVIDENCE, Kepness makes us fall in love with love. Dark, quirky and complicated love.

Love this sci-fi, superpowers, Dexter meets Rogue and Gambit broken love story with h.p. Lovecraft references sprinkled all over it. It's not like Kepnes' first two novels (which I loved), but it is as good in a different way and my favorite. I loved the characters and felt a connection with them. Surprised at the mixed reviews but put me down as a LOVE and I highly recommend this book.

A strange, surreal novel that fits the description of a riddle wrapped in an enigma , this slightly supernatural title left this reader on edge all the way thru...a tension that stayed with me even after I finished it. It's one of those love it or leave it titles, but you'll be sorry if you don't read it to the last page...no spoilers here!

Loved the mystery with an edge of sci-fi/supernatural of this book. Jon although a villain was a likable character. Caroline’s writing is as quirky and likable as ever. Readers that prefer a conclusive ending, may be left with a feeling of unease and many unanswered questions. However, I will continue to read whatever books she decides to write.

4 Wild Stars ????

Wow! This book was nothing and I mean nothing like Caroline Kepnes’s previous books.... this book was a mixture of young adult, crime fiction, the supernatural, and much more! It was a genre potpourri... and it worked... because the thing this had in common with Caroline’s previous books is it was very well written with some interesting characters.... I just don’t want you to enter this book thinking it is a dark demented twisted psychological thriller, it is far from that... although there are some disturbing and demented parts....

The book is told from multiple points of view including John and Chloe.... we met these two when they were still pretty young and I enjoyed the young adult aspect of this book... John is kidnapped when he is young and comes back with a superpower of sorts.... now here is the part that I might not have appreciated as much as I could have.... because I know absolutely nothing about H.P. Lovecraft... so if you are better acquainted with him perhaps this part will resonate with you much more than it did with me....

Our third point of view came from Eggs A detective... and that is not my autocorrect that is his actual name! Eggs has some demons of his own and is consumed with a case of young healthy people dying from heartattacks... he was an interesting character as well and I really liked the growth in him throughout the book.... how do all these characters tied together? Well you’re going to need to read the book to find out!

Recommend you read this book with an open mind, it is unlike anything you’ve read before, guaranteed!

*** many thanks to the publisher for my copy of this most interesting book ***

I loved Kepnes’ other books You and Hidden Bodies. Like those, this is a page turner. During the last third of the book, I couldn’t put it down! The middle part of the book was a bit dull and I wanted more suspense and for the story to move along more. A bit of sci-fi but for those, like myself who are not into sci-fi, it's not enough to turn you off. It's about love and lust and friendship and the unfairness of life.

I enjoyed the audible listen. I read Caroline's first book "You" as part of my book club so was excited to listen to another one of her books during my long runs. I enjoyed the multiple character chapters. Kept me engaged and sometimes literally dropping my jaw at times. Good listen!

Another beautiful Kepnes book. The story between the 3 major characters was wonderfully woven together. There was a sadness about this book unlike the others. A missed connection turned painful. My heart went out to the protagonist. Much like her other books YOU and Hidden Bodies, the "main" character has a savior complex which makes him a bit predictable. Overall another great page turner!

This is a gorgeous book that explores the tensions and challenges of evolving family traditions and cultural expansiveness. A culture is explored that needs exploration and it is handled with gentle detail and grace which fosters compassion for the reader. The attention to detail is impeccable and is sensory engaging. Further the inner conflict of characters is well demonstrated and confronted as major family events, in this case a wedding, brings conflicts and family members together. Time moves back and forth during the narrative and 911 is present looming and influencing more prominently the inner conflicts of Muslim characters forcing them to turn from cultural practice to drugs and alcohol to cope. Secrets and betrayals are unleashed as family strives to transcend them.

I thought this book would never end. The author created a somewhat interesting set up , then did nothing with it. The protagonists kept circling each other. The plot literally went nowhere. The potential in the set up just sat there, unignited. It was an exquisitely boring and tedious book. Stay. Away.

I found this book to be a disappointment . There was no psychological suspense , just a ridiculous pseudo-love affair that went nowhere . The book also went nowhere . A total waste of time when I could've been reading a good book.

This is a gorgeous book that explores the tensions and challenges of evolving family traditions and cultural expansiveness. A culture is explored that needs exploration and it is handled with gentle detail and grace which fosters compassion for the reader. The attention to detail is impeccable and is sensory engaging. Further the inner conflict of characters is well demonstrated and confronted as major family events, in this case a wedding, brings conflicts and family members together. Time moves back and forth during the narrative and 911 is present looming and influencing more prominently the inner conflicts of Muslim characters forcing them to turn from cultural practice to drugs and alcohol to cope. Secrets and betrayals are unleashed as family strives to transcend them.

I thought this book would never end. The author created a somewhat interesting set up , then did nothing with it. The protagonists kept circling each other. The plot literally went nowhere. The potential in the set up just sat there, unignited. It was an exquisitely boring and tedious book. Stay. Away.

I found this book to be a disappointment . There was no psychological suspense , just a ridiculous pseudo-love affair that went nowhere . The book also went nowhere . A total waste of time when I could've been reading a good book.