This has to be one of the toughest reviews to write. I don't want to spill out spoilers and I can't think of how to put this review together without doing just that. I've read other reviews and comments on different blogs where people say that it doesn't live up to its hype. I beg to differ, this book is a true masterpiece for any fan of the thriller genre.

I hope to read more by these two ladies, this will be a tough act to follow for them. What a debut, it's one of those books that after you finish you go back and read what you have highlighted to make sure it really happened the way you thought it did. Because this reader would never be able to pull all these pieces together. I applaud these two writers, what a twisted imagination they have.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-galley in exchange to for my honest opinion which I expressed above.

Wow, I loved this one. So much in fact, that I added it to my top ten reads of 2017! The Wife Between Us has received a lot of hype, and it is so worth it! I don’t want to say much here. The blurb says it all in two words, “assume nothing.”

The Wife between us is a cleverly addictive domestic thriller that will take you on a wild ride. There are so many twists and turns throughout the story that I did not see coming. If you haven’t picked this one up yet I highly recommend that you get your hands on a copy right away! I would love to see this one on the big screen one day.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s, Greer Hendricks, and Sarah Pekkanen for the opportunity to read The Wife Between Us. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Brief Summary: This novel explores a complex marriage including secrets kept, deceit, manipulation, and the times we turn our backs to truths in the pursuit of fairytale love.

Highlights: This novel contained many fantastic twists and unsuspecting turns. Like many other reviewers, I don’t want to give any spoilers and encourage you not to read too many reviews; go in blind and unsuspecting.

Explanation of Rating: 4/5; this novel started out slow but picked up quickly. The only thing keeping this from 5 starts is that it didn’t totally engross me to clear my schedule like I anticipated it would. I was engrossed but I could put it down. It took me about a week to finish it; rather then the 24 hours others noted. I also wish the psychology factors (see below) especially treatment of anxiety would have gotten more attention.

Psychology Factors: Anxiety, control, and domestic abuse. I wish that the protagonist would have pursued treatment for her anxiety and that psychology would have made a difference in this book.

This is a great read for book clubs and lovers of suspense and psychological thrillers. It is a quick and easy engaging read.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

So many twists and turns in this book, it was hard to put down. Most of the characters were not like able, which is fine, in fact it makes the book much more interesting. There were times when I felt that I had read this book before, as the plot is similar to "The Last Mrs Parrish". I got a little confused at the start of the book with the characters, Vanessa and Nelly. Be sure to read the epilogue, big surprise that I did not see coming.

I just finished this crazy good, compelling and surprising psychological thriller. And I am disappointed that it was not longer. I kept trying to anticipate the authors’ but without success. The book kept me intrigued and my eyes wide open. Without giving away anything, all I can say is that this book contains everything that I want and more in a thriller written by two up and coming writers. Buy and read this today, you will be happy that you did.

About two-hundred pages into The Wife Between Us the unreliable narrator notes that there are three sides to a marriage -- his side, her side, and the reality of the situation.

This thought occurred to me long before Vanessa pointed it out to her readers. I also found myself wishing that the cover blurb and marketing materials hadn't teased that there were twists contained within the pages of the story and that we'd question everything being related by the narrator. It would have made the surprises much more unexpected when Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen begin pulling the rug out from under us and playing with our assumptions.

After her husband divorces her, Vanessa is left trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. She is apparently obsessed with the woman who will soon be marrying her husband and will do anything in her power to warn his next wife of the secrets she hid before, during, and after her marriage. Vanessa teases tidbits to come that led to the demise of her relationship as well as the truth of what was really happening in her life and her marriage.

But unlike Gone Girl, which gave us views of the events from both sides of the marriage, The Wife Between Us only gives us Vanessa's view of things. The authors do toy a bit with time and how certain details are related, leading to one of the bigger (though not unexpected) twists at the end of the first section of the novel. What exactly Vanessa tried and is trying to do is intriguing enough to keep you reading, though the novel suffers from a twist or two too many in the final chapters.

I've seen this book heralded as the next big thing along the lines of Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train. I don't think this one is quite as clever as either of those thrillers. Or it could be that I'm starting to grow weary of the suspense thriller told to us by an unreliable narrator and promising "shocking twists." What set Gone Girl apart from the crowd was that it was one of the first novels to pull off the twists and turns. And it feels like a lot of books out there are trying to catch-up or emulate that in order to rocket up the best-seller list instead of heeding the lesson that part of what made it clever was it was the first one to pull the trick. (It's similar to how in the wake of Twilight you couldn't throw a rock without hitting a paranormal romance on the shelves).

It's not that I didn't enjoy The Wife Between Us. It's a confident, suspenseful novel that has some intriguing surprises along the way. It's a novel that the less you know going in, the odds are better you'll enjoy it more. I guess part of my frustration is seeing the raves about the books and left feeling like I missed something.

I couldn't put this one down. A story full of twists and turns and a surprise ending. A must read.

There’s not much you can say about this book without giving away at least one of its many twists and secrets, so I’ll focus on what I liked and what I didn’t. Initially, I shied away from requesting this on NetGalley simply because of its cover. This does not look like the kind of book that I normally read, but I’m glad I looked at reviews, because it most definitely IS the kind of book I normally read! It’s quite long for this genre, but I plowed through it really quickly, because it does have that addictive quality that I’m looking for in a thriller. Literature this is not. But is it fun? Absolutely! Gone Girl-ish? Not quite, but pretty darn close. Did the twists trick me? Yep, especially the one revealed in the last few pages, which I kind of can’t believe I didn’t see coming. Were there some silly bits? Yes, but I really didn’t care. If total escapism is what you’re looking for, this is the book for you.

So many twists and turns that sometimes it's hard to keep up. Every time I thought I knew where things were going things would change. Readers that love suspense will enjoy this novel.Highly recommended!

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Wife Between Us. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

As the suspense of the book is completely tied to the plot, I cannot give but my general impressions of the setting, the writing style, and the characters. The Wife Between Us has many twists and turns, with at least two distinct drops that will leave readers shaking their heads. Just when you think you have the book figured out, your perspective is suddenly changed.

Authors Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have crafted a novel around deceit, obsession, and betrayal, so it is no wonder that the plot has surprises along the way. The novel flowed nicely and I enjoyed the interactions between the characters. As suspense and psychological thrillers are among my favorite reads, I can say that I am seldom surprised as to the plot twists. The Wife Between Us did give me pause once or twice and, for that reason, I would recommend it to other readers.

Wow. There is not much you can say other than this without ruining some of the twists in the book. And I don't want to do that for anyone that hasn't read this yet. I certainly wasn't expecting some of the twists and turns that this book had. Suffice to say, this is the story of a woman whose marriage has ended and the woman who replaces her in her exes affections. With an unreliable narrator (or is she), an abusive husband (or is he), and and secrets from the past that affect the present, this is a different twist on the psychological thriller trend.

great characters, interesting plot! location descriptions are very good!

It's seldom a book keeps me guessing and comes to really give me a suprise...this book was just that one. If you love a good mystery, The Wife Between Us is just the book for you. I found myself so drawn into the story line a young girlfriend stalked by the vindictive ex-wife, the tale of abuse and intrigue and just when I thought I had it all figured out...BOOM! The bombshell dropped partway through this book totally blew me away. Everything I thought I knew was suddenly changed. This book kept me turning pages to find out the real story.

Entertaining read full of psychological suspense and quite a few twists. It wasn't always moving at the fastest pace, but that seemed to add to the tension.

You guys. Go read this book. Seriously. Just drop whatever it is you’re doing right now and go get it and lock yourself in your bedroom so nobody can bother you and read it. It’s that good. There’s a reason it’s on everyone’s “Books You Must Read in 2018” list, and been optioned for a movie, and made it onto Kris’ top 5 books read in 2017 (she was the first Midwest Lady to read it and has been raving about it ever since). And do you realize what’s even more exciting? This is their first collaboration. So we can only guess (but we’re feeling pretty confident about it) that their future collaborations will be just as awesome, if not more so.
Yes, we realize we’re a bit biased because Sarah is literally the woman who brought the four of us together (we met at one of her signings), but she and Greer have proved their worth as a fierce writing duo with The Wife Between Us. So go buy a copy if you haven’t already, lock yourself away and read it, and if you are lucky enough to be close to one of their tour stops, go say hi. You won’t regret it.

Going into this book, I was expecting a stalking story – a wife who stalks the woman her husband left her for. Boy, was I wrong! The Wife Between Us is a domestic thriller with an intricate plot and web of characters, and it completely blew me away. I am sure this one will be one of my favorite reads of the year.

Starting with the characters, no one is who you think they are, so there are like dozens of moments of realization, which made it incredibly gripping for me. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book and how fucked up the situations in it were. Each character plays an important role, even if you dismiss them as insignificant.

Just a side note: this story had a few elements that were eerily similar to my own life, and that was freaky 😄 For example, one of the characters is named Vanessa and she used to have a German Shepherd named Duke. I AM NAMED VANESSA AND USED TO HAVE A GERMAN SHEPHERD NAMED DUKE. WHAT THE FUCK!?!? Ok, rant over hahaha I just had to mention it 😋

The writing was very nice, the whole book read quite quickly. I’m not sure whether both authors wrote different chapters, but I didn’t really notice much of a difference in the writing from chapter to chapter. The writing is very flowy and fast-paced, which I definitely appreciate in thriller novels.

To me, the plot of this book is its strongest point. The authors did an INCREDIBLE job. I didn’t see most of the twists coming, neither did I ever think the story would go where it went. Also, there are several times in which the authors connect two completely distinct situations, and that’s when you have a “HOLY SHIT!” moment. Amazing.

That ending, though. Oh my god. No one would EVER suspect this was where it would go. And if anyone saw it coming, you are a fucking psychic and I worship you, because that was the best, most mind-blowing ending the authors could have come up with.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

This had a Gone Girl/Girl on a Train kind of feel to it. As the reader, you make certain assumptions, namely that the narrator is telling you the truth, but that is not always the case. This book certainly leads you to believe a certain reality only to later find that the narrator you had trusted was not exactly trustworthy. I'm not willing to risk spoilers, so the rest of the story should be revealed to the reader as the author intended.

This sort of genre is becoming more popular and it certainly occupied my brain while I was reading. I enjoyed this story and would likely pick up others like this in the future. However, I didn't think the execution hit as hard as Gone Girl did and therefore, I couldn't quite give this a higher rating.

I finally finished reading The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks, which took me absolutely forever to get through. I loved the book, but I haven't been getting many chunks of uninterrupted reading time lately. I'm glad I made it through this one without hearing any spoilers, so I'm not going to give you any details of the plot besides the cover copy I shared in my last book post. When the first big reveal came, it was a complete surprise and even after that I didn't see what else was coming. If you like domestic thrillers, I think you'll enjoy this one.

I was really excited to read this book, and it didn't disappoint. I'm a big fan of Sarah Pekkanen's work and this was different type of story for her.

I wouldn't say this is one of the best psychological thrillers I've read recently, but it was definitely entertaining and I felt drawn to the characters and their emotions. Although some of the main themes (adultery, "crazy" women) are common, it was a pretty unique story that keeps you on your toes throughout the book.

The book is broken into 3 main parts, and even when we get to 'unveilings' in the story, it keeps you guessing! I was not expecting the big reveal between Parts 1 and 2, and now I feel like I need to go back and read Part 1 again to see if it makes sense.

*Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC, for which I have given an honest and unbiased review*

Howdy, howdy! It’s the last Wednesday in January, which means it’s time for another book review. This time, I decided to go for something I wouldn’t usually pick up. It’s called The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, and was released on January 9th. It received a lot of hype and a friend recommended it to me as she had also been able to pick up an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). Yes, I got another ARC from NetGalley, so I must thank them and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me access to the book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Let’s get to the reason you’re here now!

The Wife Between Us is a domestic suspense novel that follows a woman, Vanessa, as she stalks her ex-husband’s (Richard’s) new fiancé and tries to prevent their marriage. Sounds simple enough, right? It’s not. The blurb on the book tells us all the things we’re supposed to assume as we’re reading, then tells us to assume nothing. That was a huge red flag for me, basically saying “hey this book is going to be convoluted and annoying!” But I chose to read it anyway.

I admit that by the end of Part One, I was really disappointed. I had figured out the big reveal within the first few chapters and kept telling myself I couldn’t have guessed it that easily. The book promised twists and turns and unimaginable things. So, when I turned out to be on the right track, the book became less fun, because the “aha” moments became “yeah, and?” moments. Part Two was a little better with the twists, but it was still pretty easy to decipher what was going to happen. Though, I admit that the last big reveal was something I didn’t see coming. But at that point, I had stopped caring about the characters I was supposed to care about. I mostly wanted to know what was going on with Richard and his sister (the one connection the authors didn’t over-explain). That was the creepiest relationship in the whole book.

Even though I mostly figured things out ahead of time, I admit that it was a fun, quick read. The writing style was able to draw me in and the conversational tone allowed me to stop and let the narrator know she was being an idiot (yes, I talk to other people’s characters too) without interrupting my reading flow. So, I’m not say it was bad, just predictable.

The major thing that I didn’t care for about the book was that it felt like two different stories mashed together. It was as if one author wanted to write about a woman escaping an abusive relationship while trying to prevent her ex from abusing anyone else (a good premise), and the other author wanted to write about a woman whose mistakes in college haunted her the rest of her life (another good premise). But, instead of trimming things away to make a nice, cohesive story, they just stuck everything together and hoped it worked. Most of the time, it was okay, but there were parts that I kept looking at and asking myself what the point was.

Ultimately, The Wife Between Us was an okay book. I’m not upset I read it or anything, but I’m not going to rush out and look for everything else by these two authors. It simply wasn’t my cup of tea for the reasons listed here.

Overall, I’d rate it a 3 out of 5. If you’re into books like that, you will probably love it. If you’re not, skipping it isn’t going to hurt your reading list.