Tag: Domestic Thrillers

Review

The Sister-in-Law: A Novel by Pamela Crane – My Review

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Title: The Sister-in-Law: A Novel

Author: Pamela Crane

Release Date: August 10th 2021

Genre: Domestic Thrillers

From the USA Today bestselling author of Little Deadly Secrets comes a gripping story about the frailty of family and a battle of wills between a wife and a sister-in-law, bent on revenge.

She stole my husband. So I’d steal her life.

The Wife
Lane won Candace’s heart over chocolate martinis and karaoke. But weeks into their whirlwind marriage, Candace realized Lane came with burdensome baggage in the form of his possessive live-in sister and her eerily watchful six-year-old son. Lane had a secret that seemed to hold him hostage, and Candace would do anything to uncover it.

The Sister-in-Law
Harper was the kind of woman who cooked homemade meals and dusted under the furniture. It was the least she could do for her brother after her husband’s mysterious death, and Lane took her and her kids in. Then Candace showed up like a tornado passing through, threatening and destructive. But Harper had other plans for her new “sister,” plans Lane could never find out about.

The Husband
All Lane had ever wanted was a white-picket-fence life. The wife. The two-point-five kids. The happy little family. Everything seemed to be falling into place with Candace … until Harper’s jealous streak got in the way, again. But choosing between his sister and wife would be costly … and knowing Harper, the price would be blood.

I really needed to reflect after finishing this book. I was trying to sort how I felt about it. I’ll start with the issues I had. The characters, none of them likable. While some of them had experiences I could relate it, I found it hard to connect and even feel for any of them. The back and forth between certain characters was exhausting. I felt like jumping in there and putting them in a time out. I have mixed feelings on the twist. I saw it coming and then hoped I was wrong. I felt like it could have been executed a bit better but I didn’t hate it.

The story is entertaining. Some of the flashbacks gave me insight to certain characters. The writing is good. The author was able to bring out some strong emotions from me. Mostly anger and sadness because.…you’ll have to read the book to find out. I did like that she was able to do that.

As a whole, this book is a good read. Like I mentioned before, it was entertaining. While some of the back and forth made me cringe, I kept reading because I wanted more. I had to see it through to the end. If you’re a fan of thrillers, check this one out. I give this 3 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

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The Golden Couple: A Novel by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen – My Review

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Title: The Golden Couple: A Novel

Author: Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Release Date: March 8th 2022

Genre: Domestic Thrillers

Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.

Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.
When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.

You’ve seen those couples. You know which ones I’m talking about. The ones who have the perfect life. Or so it seems…..

I never really know what to expect when I pick up a Hendricks/Pekkanen book. I was intrigued by the description and was excited to dive in. The story begins and you meet the characters. Right off the bat, I don’t like any of them. I know I’m supposed to feel that way but I couldn’t help feeling irked. Yet it’s not enough to turn me off from the book. More like, let’s see where this is going. The story unravels lots of suspense and turns. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, it’s a dead end. LOVED THAT! What an ending! Totally satisfying. It felt like the sun came out after being hidden by the clouds. Very nice.

This is a great read! You have suspense and that thrilling feeling like something bad is going to happen but you’ll get all your answers. I highly recommend this book! I give it 4 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

New Release · Review

Mother May I: A Novel by Joshilyn Jackson – My Review

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Title: Mother May I: A Novel

Author: Joshilyn Jackson

Release Date: April 6th 2021

Genre: Domestic Thrillers

The New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Never Have I Ever returns with an even more addictive novel of domestic suspense in which a mother must decide how far she is willing to go to protect her child and the life she loves—an unforgettable tale of power, privilege, lies, revenge, and the choices we make, ones that transform our lives in unforeseen ways.

Revenge doesn’t wait for permission.

Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected that fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of.

Until the day she awakens and sees someone peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daugh­ters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course Bree will pay anything, do anything. It’s her child.

To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small—but critical—task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price.

Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family—but what if the cost tears their world apart?

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I have mixed feelings about this book. Some parts were good and twisted, which made my little black heart happy. Then on the other hand, some parts were just…not that good. I could see where the author wanted to go with it. There were some pretty good twists in there. One I didn’t see coming! Which had me saying OMG! Despite having one of twists that were really good, the rest sort of fell flat for me. I wanted to like this story more than I did. 

This is my first Joshlyn Jackson book and putting my feelings for this book aside, I will check out other works by her. Her writing is good and I enjoyed the story. I give this 3 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

New Release · Review

Pretty Little Wife: A Novel by Darby Kane – My Review

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NEW RELEASE

Title: Pretty Little Wife: A Novel

Author: Darby Kane

Release Date: December 29th 2020

Genre: Domestic Thrillers 

Debut author Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: shouldn’t a dead husband stay dead?

Lila Ridgefield lives in an idyllic college town, but not everything is what it seems. Lila isn’t what she seems.
A student vanished months ago. Now, Lila’s husband, Aaron, is also missing. At first these cases are treated as horrible coincidences until it’s discovered the student is really the third of three unexplained disappearances over the last few years. The police are desperate to find the connection, if there even is one. Little do they know they might be stumbling over only part of the truth….

With the small town in an uproar, everyone is worried about the whereabouts of their beloved high school teacher. Everyone except Lila, his wife. She’s definitely confused about her missing husband but only because she was the last person to see his body, and now it’s gone.

Fasten your seatbelt because this book is one crazy ride!

Is it possible to read a story where none of the characters are likable and yet you still enjoyed the story? Yes. Yes it is. This story has suspense and mystery. Secrets and lies and I was there for it. Most if not all the characters didn’t do it for me but I found Lila interesting. She gave nothing away and did not apologize for anything. I respected that. There’s a lot of twists and turns. Some I saw coming and others surprised me. As the story progressed, I found myself more and more invested and was rapidly page turning because I knew the ending would blow my mind. It sure did! Wow…..

I highly enjoyed this book! I really liked the dark vibe it gave off and the many twists the author threw in there. It made my little black heart happy. Darby Kane is a new to me author. Her storytelling and writing is really good. I can’t wait to read more by this author! Add this to your TBR if you love suspense with a dark vibe. I give this 4 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

New Release · Review

She Lied She Died by Carissa Ann Lynch – My Review

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NEW RELEASE

Title: She Lied She Died

Author: Carissa Ann Lynch

Release Date: December 4th 2020

Genre: Domestic Thrillers

A gripping new page-turning thriller from the USA Today bestseller!

Best friend. Teenager. Murderer.

A young girl found dead in a neighbor’s field.

A fourteen-year-old who confesses.

Just a child herself, could Chrissy Cornwall really be a cold-blooded killer?

Years later, the murderer is getting out and Natalie Bryers, unable to forget the night of Jenny’s murder, still has questions.

Did Chrissy lie then or is she lying now?  Did she really kill Jenny?  And if so, will she kill again?

I did not expect this book to pull me in the way it did. I didn’t put it down. It consumed me. There was a sense of urgency to get to the end. The pacing of the story is great. I was engaged the whole way through. It’s very well written. The characters were interesting and a bit sinister. I really liked Chrissy. I probably wasn’t supposed to but I hardly follow the rules. There is way more to her than people know. That ending….mind blown! I did not see that coming. 

This is a highly enjoyable read and also the kind that will consume you. It’ll grab a hold of you and won’t let go even after you’ve finished. I enjoy this authors writing style and look forward to her next book! I give this 5 stars. 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

New Release · Review

Losing Control (The Control Duet Book 1) by Lindsey Powell – My Review

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New Release!

Title: Losing Control (The Control Duet Book 1)

Author: Lindsey Powell

Release Date: November 3rd 2020

Genre: Domestic Thrillers, Romantic Suspense

A series of moments can change your life… And it isn’t until you are in too deep that you see how far you have fallen…

Lucy remembers the first hit as if it were yesterday.
The first time his hand connected with her cheek.
The first time that he caused her physical pain.
The first time that he shattered her already fragile heart.
He preyed on her vulnerability. He took her confidence away from her. He ruined her perfect ideas of a loving relationship.
She let him control her.
She let him abuse her.
She let him break her.
She doesn’t want to be this person.
She doesn’t want to be weak.
She needs to save herself, but to do that, she must understand why.
Why did she let him dictate?
Why did she let him hurt her?
Why did she lose control?

Will Lucy find the strength to leave a man that has destroyed the person she once was?
Or will it take a deeper love from a long-time friend to help her see that there is another way out?
A turbulent romance, a desire to find love, and a familiar face that may just be her saving grace.

Losing Control is book one of The Control Duet.

*** Trigger warning: contains scenes of domestic abuse and violence***

Touching. Heartbreaking. Emotional. 

You ever read a book that touches your soul? Losing Control is that book for me. I’ve been Lucy. A lot of what Lucy experiences resonated with me. There’s a pattern. You don’t see it until it’s too late. Many emotions such as anger and sadness were felt while reading. That’s a good thing! Miss Powell did an amazing job in channeling all the emotions and feelings that go into Lucy’s journey. It isn’t an easy topic and one that happens more than we care to admit. Bravo to the author for taking such a subject on! 

I highly recommend this book. This is powerful read and it’s wonderfully written. Make sure you have some tissues handy as this book may have you ugly crying! I give this 5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

Coming Soon · Review

The Wife Who Knew Too Much: A Novel – My Review

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Title: The Wife Who Knew Too Much: A Novel

Author: Michele Campbell

Release Date: July 28th 2020

Genre: Domestic Thrillers

From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband comes a new blockbuster thriller in The Wife Who Knew Too Much.

Meet the first Mrs. Ford
Beautiful. Accomplished.
Wealthy beyond imagination.
Married to a much younger man.
And now, she’s dead.

Meet the second Mrs. Ford.
Waitress. Small-town girl.
Married to a man she never forgot,
From a summer romance ten years before.
And now, she’s wealthy beyond imagination.

Who is Connor Ford?
Two women loved him. And knew him as only wives can know.
Set amongst the glittering mansions of the Hamptons,
The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a decadent summer thriller about the lives of those who will do anything for love and money. Who is the victim? Who is the villain? And who will be next to die?

You ever come across a book and think “Oh I know how this is going to turn out”….and you were totally WRONG? Yeah that happened. To me and I’m okay with it. The story pulled me in right from the beginning. It had that vibe that something dark was about to happen. It sure did! The characters were well written and had me second guessing myself. I didn’t know who to trust. I had my theories and suspects. Everyone is shady!! Great plot and fantastic twists!! Like I said before, I didn’t see it coming. To me, that makes for a good read. When I finished, I dreamily sighed because it was THAT good. 

This book is a fantastic read! I was glued to my kindle screen because I HAD to finish! Ah good times. This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I highly enjoyed her style and look forward to reading more from her. I give this 5 stars. 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

Coming Soon · Review

When I Was You: A Novel by Amber Garza – My Review

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Title: When I Was You: A Novel

Author: Amber Garza

Release Date: August 25th 2020

Genre: Domestic Thrillers

You meets Fatal Attraction in this up-all-night story of suspicion, obsession and motherhood.

It all begins on an ordinary fall morning, when Kelly Medina gets a call from her son’s pediatrician to confirm her upcoming “well-baby” appointment. It’s a cruel mistake; her son left for college a year ago, and Kelly’s never felt so alone. The receptionist quickly apologizes: there’s another mother in town named Kelly Medina, and she must have gotten their numbers switched.

For days, Kelly can’t stop thinking about the woman who shares her name. Lives in her same town. Has a son she can still hold, and her whole life ahead of her. She can’t help looking for her: at the grocery store, at the gym, on social media. When Kelly just happens to bump into the single mother outside that pediatrician’s office, it’s simple curiosity getting the better of her.

Their unlikely friendship brings Kelly a renewed sense of purpose—taking care of this young woman and her adorable baby boy. But that friendship quickly turns to obsession, and when one Kelly disappears, well, the other one may know why.

It took me a bit to write this review. I couldn’t make up my mind if I liked the book or not. There are some nice twists in there but as a whole, it didn’t wow me. The story was ok. I struggled to like either of the main characters. That ending saved the whole book for me. I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I give this 3 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

Coming Soon · Review

Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti – My Review

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Title: Girls of Brackenhill

Author: Kate Moretti

Release Date: September 22nd 2020

Genre: Domestic Thrillers

Haunted by her sister’s disappearance, a troubled woman becomes consumed by past secrets in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year.

When Hannah Maloney’s aunt dies in a car accident, she returns to her family’s castle in the Catskills and the epicenter of a childhood trauma: her sister’s unsolved disappearance. It’s been seventeen years, and though desperate to start a new life with her fiancé, Hannah is compelled to question the events of her last summer at Brackenhill.

When a human bone is found near the estate, Hannah is convinced it belongs to her long-lost sister. She launches her own investigation into that magical summer that ended in a nightmare. As strange happenings plague the castle, Hannah uncovers disturbing details about the past and startling realizations about her own repressed childhood memories.

Fueled by guilt over her sister’s vanishing, Hannah becomes obsessed with discovering what happened all those years ago, but by the time Hannah realizes some mysteries are best left buried, it’s too late to stop digging. Overwhelmed by what she has exposed, Hannah isn’t sure her new life can survive her old ghosts.

Let’s start with the cons. At times I struggled through the story. It lagged in a lot of places and seemed to drag on. Hannah wasn’t a very likable character but maybe that was the point. I found myself many times putting the book aside and doing something else but I refused to give up on the book! I hoped it wouldn’t disappoint me. 

What I DID enjoy about the book, was all the mystery behind Brackenhill. There’s stories and the history behind the families that have lived there. We got just a taste and I wanted more! I did enjoy the “THEN” scenes. The secrets and lies made for some really great twists. One I did not see coming. Nice. I’m really glad I didn’t give up on the book. 

All of that being said, this is a pretty good read. If you can be patient, the payoff is worth it. I wasn’t disappointed. I was pleased at the ending! I am curious about more books by this author and will look into them. I give this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

Coming Soon · Review

The Dilemma: A Novel – My Review

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Title: The Dilemma: A Novel

Author: B.A. Paris

Release Date: June 30th 2020

Genre: Domestic Thrillers

Knowing the truth will destroy her. Keeping it secret will destroy him.

It’s Livia’s 40th birthday, and her husband Adam is throwing her the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding they never had. Everyone she loves will be there, except her daughter Marnie, who’s studying abroad.

But although Livia loves Marnie, she’s secretly glad she won’t be there. Livia has recently uncovered a secret about their daughter which, if revealed, will shake the foundation of their family to its core. She needs to tell Adam, but she’s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together.

Adam, meanwhile, has his own surprise for his wife: he’s arranged for Marnie to secretly fly back for the family celebration. But during the day, he hears some terrible news and he too is faced with a dilemma.

How far would you go to give someone you love a last few hours of happiness?

I was a little disappointed with this book. I had high hopes because of other books I’ve read by this author. Sadly this one did not deliver for me. The build up started off good. I was intrigued but after reading for awhile, the thrill factor was gone. I started to feel like a lot of this could have been solved if people would have just talked to each other. Shrug. The book did have some good moments. There are definitely secrets and lies, one really good one but it mostly fell flat. This one wasn’t for me but anyone that is a fan, I encourage you to read it and form your own opinion. I will continue to read books by this author and look forward to the next. I give this 3 stars. 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*