Title: THIS MIGHT HURT
Author: STEPHANIE WROBEL
ISBN: 9781405943550
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 374
Source: Private Copy
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 e-mail 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.
Official Summary
26 May 2026
This Might Hurt was an intriguing and unsettling read, although I did find parts of it confusing, particularly the ending, which felt intentionally ambiguous and open to interpretation. Told through multiple perspectives and shifting timelines, the story slowly pieces together two intertwined narratives in a way that keeps you constantly questioning what is really happening.
The novel follows sisters Nadine and Kit, who are still struggling after the loss of their mother, alongside Rachel and Jack, sisters whose childhood was shaped by an abusive father. At times, Rachel and Jack’s storylines blurred together so much that I briefly wondered whether they were actually the same person, which added to the book’s disorientating atmosphere.
Rachel, once known as “Madam Fearless,” built an entire identity around conquering fear and pain. Years of abuse from her father left her believing that endurance was the key to survival, and she turned that mindset into a public persona built on dangerous stunts and motivational messaging. However, when one of her ice-swimming challenges results in the death of a friend, Rachel’s carefully constructed world begins to collapse. After losing both supporters and credibility, she reinvents herself once again by launching a retreat designed to help people find a new way of living — although it quickly becomes clear that the retreat operates much more like a cult. This is where Kit enters the story.
Stephanie Wrobel explores powerful themes of abuse, manipulation, grief, and control throughout the novel. One of the most interesting aspects of the book is how it examines the way damaged people can use their influence over vulnerable individuals, even while convincing themselves that they are helping others.
The ending, however, left me with more questions than answers. Did Kit kill Rachel, or did Rachel ultimately choose to end her own life? I honestly could not tell for certain. What is clear is that Kit takes over the retreat while hiding the truth about Rachel being left behind at sea, which gives the conclusion an eerie and unsettling tone.
This was a fascinating psychological thriller with plenty of thought-provoking ideas, even if I occasionally felt as though I was missing an important piece of the puzzle. It is definitely the kind of book that may benefit from a second read, and I suspect there are details and clues I would appreciate more the next time around.
Also by Stephanie Wrobel
THE RECOVERY OF ROSE GOLD
Rose Gold Watts believed she was sick for eighteen years.
Turned out her mother was a really good liar.
After five years in prison, Patty Watts is finally free. All she wants is to put old grievances behind her, reconcile with the daughter who testified against her – and care for her new infant grandson.
When Rose Gold agrees to have Patty move in, it seems their relationship is truly on the mend. And she has waited such a long time for her mother to come home.
But has Patty truly forgotten their past?
And is Rose Gold really able to forgive?
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Stephanie Wrobel is the internationally bestselling author of The Hitchcock Hotel, This Might Hurt and Darling Rose Gold, which sold in twenty-one countries and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. She lives in Los Angeles.
While this was an entertaining read, I am not completely sure of where I stand. This is certainly a book I would like to re-read in the future. Just to re-evaluate what I missed. Thank you for visiting, until next time…. Happy Reading!
