Moment in Time: A Novel

Written by Suzanne Redfearn

Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky

From the bestselling author of In an Instant comes a heartrending story about the power of friendship during the most challenging moments in life.

It’s been eight years since a tragic accident changed Mo Kaminski’s and Chloe Miller’s lives forever. Now in their midtwenties, they’re sharing an apartment in San Francisco and navigating the normal challenges of early adulthood. Along with their roommate, Hazel, they are making their marks on the world—Mo revolutionizing the news with her media start-up, Hazel using her big brain to anticipate the future, and Chloe rescuing abandoned strays in the city.

But when Hazel disappears after being sexually assaulted, Mo’s and Chloe’s lives are again suddenly ripped apart. And when the perpetrator turns up drugged and beaten, the mystery of where Hazel is deepens. Intensely worried and desperate to discover the truth, they set out to find Hazel and bring her home.

Mo and Chloe are no strangers to tragedy, but this journey will test them in ways they never imagined. The stakes are high; the future uncertain; the need for justice essential.

Will their commitment to their friend bring them closer together—or ultimately drive them apart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Mar 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781713652144

Suzanne Redfearn

Suzanne Redfearn is the bestselling author of four novels: Hush Little Baby, No Ordinary Life, In an Instant, and Hadley and Grace. In addition to being an author, she’s also an architect specializing in residential and commercial design. She lives in Laguna Beach, California, where she and her husband own two restaurants: Lumberyard and Slice Pizza and Beer. You can find her at her website, www.SuzanneRedfearn.com, on Facebook at SuzanneRedfearnAuthor, or on Twitter @SuzanneRedfearn.

Reviews for Moment in Time

[Jennifer Tarplee · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

If you liked “In an Instant”, then pass on this sequel. Supposedly smart characters with major guilt complexes and lack of common sense. Plot holes, dissatisfying ending. I waited for it to get better, but it never happened. None of the uniqueness of the original.

[Nicole Russell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A bit slow but a still a good story to read.

[bookanonjeff · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Interesting Sequel Of Sorts. This book takes as two of its primary characters some of the characters from her 2020 hit In An Instant - and pretty majorly spoils that book almost from the get-go. For those who don't mind such spoilers (particularly such major ones), this one *can* be read first. But based on reading other GR reviews where the reader hadn't read In An Instant first... I'd say go back and read that one first. There are also two other key characters introduced later in the story from Redfearn's 2021 book Hadley and Grace, though their characters are developed enough here and without any truly overt ties (that I remember, hundreds of books later) to that one that it isn't *as* essential to read it first to understand them. Overall I do think In An Instant hits harder, but I think this one shows a more "everyday" survival that far more people face than the truly life threatening scenario in In An Instant. Both books do great jobs of showing how even seemingly minor choices can have major impacts on how major events play out, and indeed this one seemed all too realistic. Furthermore, Redfearn does a tremendous job of showing the aftereffects of rape on both the victim and those around her - *without* showing the rape itself on screen (which, let's face it, is difficult at best to read even for those who *haven't* been through that trauma). Overall a solid and compelling book, and very much recommended.

[jillhannah-910468 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So many emotions thread their way through this book! The story unfolds with a college student with a long history of drugging and raping young women, a man who so far has slid under the radar of conviction, thanks to family money.

Although this book follows up on the lives of Mo, Kyle, and Chloe from IN AN INSTANT, eight years later, yet it is a stand-alone read (which also includes Hunter from HADLEY & GRACE - my favorite character.) We get an update on Mo and Kyle’s relationship, her successful start-up company, and Chloe’s life after Eric, her family losses from eight years ago, and her struggles to make her portable vet business succeed. How they have moved on, yet carry the weight of survivors' guilt and the way tragedy shaped their decisions.

My blood pressure rose as I read this story shining a light on how money skews justice, the way Allen traumatized and destroyed Hazel, and other women before her, yet I also cheered for the friendship and solidarity between Mo, Chloe, and Hazel (and Kyle’s emotional support for Mo.)

The chapters are told from Mo and Chloe’s POV, and are laced with vengeance, perseverance, trust, and the search for truth and closure. I’ve enjoyed every book by this author, and I highly recommend taking the time to read her acknowledgments when you finish (or cut to them before the story) to read the fuel behind this book.

Thank you to the author and Lake Union Publishing for providing me an early copy of this book.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It has been 8 years since Chloe and Mo's lives were changed forever by an accident. (Book - In An Instant). Now, Chloe is a vet, struggling to make ends meet. Mo is heading a media company, and in love with Kyle. Their friend Hazel is available to go with Mo to celebrate her story and interview with Jake Tapper. However, when Mo takes a call and returns to the bar, she finds that Hazel is gone. Later, they find Hazel, drugged and raped by Allen, and Mo is furious when she finds out this is the latest in a pattern. Hazel refuses to testify, and disappears. Mo and Chloe set off to find Hazel and keep her from danger. But, Mo's outrage threatens to catch up with her when Allen is found beaten. Mo is the suspect. Now how does she prove her innocence? Is she in danger?
I enjoyed re-visiting the characters, and cared about the outcome. I like this author's stories.

[mrsmommybooknerd7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Moment in Time by Suzanne Redfearn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#FirstLine - The first thing Chloe sees when she walks into the alley is a gate someone forgot to close.

Things happen to us that mold who we become. We are all vulnerable creatures susceptible to outside forces that change our lives. Moment in Time reflects what happens when hard things happen. Redfearn writes characters that are far from perfect, because they are real. You will be pulled into this story, wanting to help navigate the characters through their struggles. You will be invested and feel lots of emotions. Be prepared to set some time aside, because you won’t want to stop reading!

[twink_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Moment in Time is Suzanne Redfearn's latest novel.

Redfearn again tackles relationships of many types. The plot of Moment in Time was inspired by a personal connection to a real life event.

Chloe, Mo and Hazel have been friends for a long time. Eight years ago, a tragic accident changed their lives - in many different ways. Now they're in their mid twenties. Chloe is a vet, Mo is on the cusp of making her news start up bigger and better and Hazel is a scientist. Tragedy strikes again when Hazel is sexually assaulted. And then the alleged assaulter is found drugged and beaten - and Hazel goes missing.

The search for Hazel is the focus for Chloe and Mo, but we only really get to 'know' her through Chloe and Mo's viewpoints. Mo is ambitious and somewhat single minded and I had a hard time liking her. She does have the most 'solid' personal life though. The most chaotic life belongs to Chloe, and she's the human I liked the most. Some of that is because she's a vet with a penchant for rescuing animals. Ruby the dog is her latest rescue. However, she does something early on in the date rape investigation that I really disagreed with and that tainted my picture of this character. In the end it was Ruby the dog who won my heart - faithful, loyal, brave and a survivor. The dog's struggle mimics that of the human characters. Where does friendship and loyalty begin and end? When and where does the right thing to do, according to the law and society take precedence over that friendship?

Chloe and Mo begin searching for Hazel, based on some cryptic clues and memories. Chloe is a laid back person, but I found her choices along the way to be more than a little risky. Given what has just happened to her friend, I questioned if someone would fall in love with a man in less than a week? Take refuge with another pair of strangers the same day? That 'good guy' vibe isn't always right. The romantic piece of the plot would have made a great book on it's own, but for me didn't suit what I considered to be the serious main idea. Supporting player Kyle (Mo's significant other) was realistically drawn and likeable. He questions the two women's actions so far, especially Mo's.

The book gets busier as we head to the final end game. Loose ends are neatly tied up - with a grain of salt in some cases. Poor Hazel is never really given a voice of her own, despite being the catalyst for the book.

I've enjoyed previous books by Redfearn and would happily pick up her next. Moment in Time just wasn't a stand out for me. There was just too much going on. Readers, the crime and police handling of the crime in this novel may be triggering. (And I do question the legal and hospital protocols depicted)

[penny_l-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I loved Suzanne Redfearn's riveting novel "In An Instant", I still recommend it to people! But this follow-up?.... After having lived through the circumstances in the previous novel, I would've thought the characters would be more mature. Instead, they seemed to have regressed, and continually made an already terrible situation worse.
I didn't love this book, but I didn't stop reading it either. The plot moves at a fairly fast pace, and adeptly links the side stories together. Overall, the writing was good but the characters could have been more intelligent. The author's note at the end was the most compelling part of this book.
*Thank you Lake Union Publishing, Suzanne Redfearn, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A moment in time, makes you think, how much it can change the rest of your moments for the rest of your life. Now this isn’t the first book in this series, but the author does bring you up to date.
This read shows a very dark subject of date abuse, there is the use of GHB, and quite a bit of violence!
We put faces to the people involved and get deep into their lives, we also see friends whom are there for one another, and feel guilt for their part in what happens to their friend.
This became a page turner for me looking for answers, and was I surprised, yes, and I did guess wrong.

I received this book through Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.