Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins press for a digital copy of this book.
The Wife Between Us is psychological suspense at it's best! The psychological mystery has early readers raving and the reviews are worth all of the hype. The novel is fabulous and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Once I started reading it I could not put it down. I didn't want it to end. I am a voracious reader and I think other mysteries will pale in comparison.
EW

Every time I thought I had this book figured out something changed which drastically changed my perception of what was going on. I thought Vanessa was one of those unreliable narrators but then she wasn’t. I always thought Richard was creepy & I didn’t understand the attraction of all these female characters. I LOVED the ending and thought it was the best twist of all. What an excellent story!

This review will be short and spoiler free because all the twists and turns this book will take you on need to be experienced while you are taking the ride on your own. This story will invoke all sorts of feelings and thoughts, forming theories and questioning them - thinking you know what's coming and finding out you don't really have a clue about where the author is leading you. If you love books that make you question everything, stories that turn you this way and that and all the way back again - The Wife Between Us is for you.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

Wow, there were a lot of twists that I did not expect in this book and I should have realized that when the book description includes, "Assume nothing." After getting through part one, I felt like I needed to reread it as the twist changed everything about what I just read. Especially when it seems like Vanessa is crying over the loss of her marriage than what is revealed in later chapters, maybe I am not getting the "reading between the lines" and missing something.

Vanessa just seemed like such a wreck and yet by the end, she was the strong one. It was funny when you find out that both women had ulterior motives and had made assumptions that were totally off base.

There are clues given along the way that you don't realize until later in the book. Hopefully this won't be too revealing but when Sam tells Nellie that Richard is just too perfect, it makes you wonder.

There are some things that are slowly revealed as the book progresses but there are some huge reveals at the end that just make you shake your head and say, "wow." I kind of wondered about Maureen but did not know the depth of what she was capable of.

I realize that the story needed to be developed but it was hard for me to wait and I kept rushing through my reading as I wanted to get to the reveals so some times, it seemed like it was too much detail going on in the book.

Most everything was explained very well but there were a few things that I wished for more details. When Nellie asked Richard about his first relationship, he only said that she was not who he thought she was, and if that was explained, I missed it. The second one - I really want to know what happened with Duke!! Lastly, how did Vanessa locate Kate??

This was a great read, and I am still going over events in my mind, and may have to go back and read parts again!

I was completely underwhelmed by this book. I saw some really positive reviews for this book so I decided to read it myself because I love good books. I wanted to love this book as much as other readers but it just wasn't meant to be. I honestly don't see what all of the fuss is about. There were a few twists but nothing that really blew me away or anything. I am being really generous with my three star rating with this one.

This is one of those books that is going to be best to go in as blindly as possible. The less you know about the book the better your chances of enjoying it. As you can probably guess from the title, this book is about marriage. We meet an ex-wife and a soon to be wife and get to know them a bit.

Nothing about this book ever grabbed me. I didn't feel much for any of the characters and I never felt that compulsion to keep turning pages so that I could find out what would happen next. It was a book that I could set aside if I had something else to do but it wasn't painful to read either. It was just kind of average. There are some big twists in the book but I honestly didn't find them all that shocking. By the time the first big twist is revealed, I just didn't really care all that much.

I feel like this is a book that received more hype than it deserves. Then again, there are some readers that absolutely love this book. I won't be actively recommending this book to others but wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it either.

I received an advanced reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.

Finally a thriller that threw me! This book is full of twists and turns, most you will not see coming. I love when a book has the AHA moment where you are turned upside-down and realize the story you thought you were reading wasn't that story at all!

I was immersed in this story from the very start. I hung on to every word and every twist and turn. This is definitely a book that fulfilled my need for something to shock and wow me with it's page-turning plot.

I really wanted to love this book. I was hooked in the beginning, and the first twist really got me! It was the kind of plot twist that makes you want to go back and re-read what you just read because it's so shocking! Vanessa is a well developed main character who is likable, yet unreliable at the same time. For me, after that first big twist, the rest of the story was a bit of a let down. I felt the rest of the story was a bit predictable, and reminded me or some other mystery/thrillers I read recently. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but fell a little short on the wow factor.

This was a story that came close to my heart due to a similar situation in my life. The plot twists and turns kept my attention throughout. Very well written, and it kept me guessing about the conclusion..

4.5 stars

The Wife Between Us
Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
St. Martin’s Press, January 2018
ISBN 978-1-250-13092-1
Hardcover

From the publisher—

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.

Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage – and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

Read between the lies.

Take a good look at that cover. Don’t those two women look an awful lot alike? When I first saw it and read the description, I couldn’t help wondering if this was going to be like one of those serial killer things where the guy has an obsession for women who resemble each other and someone who was once very important to him (yes, I’m being sexist; it’s simpler and it’s almost always men killing women). So, was I right? I’m not telling because that would ruin the enormous surprise at the end 😉

Without a doubt, The Wife Between Us is one of the most intense and page-turning books I’ve read and it turned my expectations completely on end. Most of all, I was impressed by how often I was surprised, perhaps because I trusted too much, like at least one of the three people in this tale of treachery and love. Then again, are any of them really on the up-and-up? Vanessa, Richard, Nellie—are any of them real?

I’m in awe of any author who can create a story and characters as compelling as in this book but I’m purely amazed that two authors could collaborate so extremely well. I suspect their ability to do this has at least something to do with one being an already accomplished author and the other being her editor; they had a certain connection, if you will, and it really shows in the quality of their writing. I really hope this is the beginning of a long-running partnership that will bring us many more books to keep me up at night.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, January 2018.

This book is a must-read for fans of suspenseful thrillers. I was shocked at the direction it took partway through. A perfect winter's read.

This January release has the misfortune of being too similar to "The Last Mrs. Parrish" that was Reese's Book Club's December pick.

In taking it on its own, it's a good domestic triangle with affable secondary characters (Duke!). At times, the story feels drawn-out and unevenly written (which may be deliberate, (1) to ratchet up suspense and/or (2) for the reader to "puzzle out" everything as the ex-wife uses her moleskin notebook to do — even the voice is like a diary); but it's super-twisty, keeping the reader "off balance" from beginning to end.

While it may be a month late and a dollar short for those who make domestic suspense novels part of their daily diet, it's likely to be a stellar read for those who don't.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance reader copy.

This book had me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist would be thrown in. I didn’t want to put the book down. I was eager to figure everything out but I didn’t want the book to end either.

Holy Rollercoaster! I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a while! You kind of know where this is going, but there were enough twists on the way to throw you off. A very enjoyable albeit intense read!

I will try to tread carefully here, because I don’t want to spoil any of the reveals in The Wife Between Us. At the outset, this seems to be about an unhappy, divorced woman who is a little too obsessed with her husband’s new fiancé.

Vanessa once had it all – an adoring, successful husband and a comfortable life. Now divorced, she works in a upscale department store, waiting on the type of woman she once was. She seems a little unstable and more than a little obsessed with Nellie, the young teacher her husband is about to marry.

But this book definitely has surprises up its sleeve. The first reveal I found pretty perplexing at first, then ultimately decided it was kind of intriguing. After that, the story takes a different turn and becomes pretty suspenseful.

Sorry if this is vague, but I don’t want to spoil anything. The one thing I would say is that in a book like this, achieving the surprises can come at the expense of other things. I felt that the character development suffered a bit in order to keep the reader in the dark for a large part of the book. It’s sort of an inevitable trade-off. But I still found this an interesting story that should appeal to those who enjoyed suspenseful “girl” books like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train and “wife” books like The Silent Wife and The Twilight Wife, you should definitely check this one out!

When I read the blurb for The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen I knew I had to read it. Go in with no assumptions and enjoy the wild ride! The story will grip you from the start! It is a very twisted and suspenseful story.

I was enthralled with the mystery and suspense surrounding the characters and story. I found myself second guessing the direction all the time, which is the best kind of thriller! I loved the writing and the story. I am so excited to read more from this duo!

We had high hopes for this book and were looking forward to reading it. Although this book started out strong and we were intrigued, in the end the story fell flat and became predictable. Some parts seem really well described where others skimmed over what were probably some important details.

As out first thriller of the year, this one really set the bar. Mysterious and thrilling, the story kept us on edge. We read this together and man, did we have some things to say. Things full of spoilers, of course. There are so many things!!! We’ll hold back and keep it spoiler free because this is a book you DON’T want spoiled.

Kristen: I was so skeptical when I read that blurb. I typically don’t read them, but it caught my eye. The promise of my assumptions being wrong set the bar pretty high. Challenge accepted.

Frannie: I hardly read blurbs 😳

Kristen: Probably a good thing lol! I couldn’t put it down after that though. I wanted figure that puzzle of a blurb out so bad! But once I started I got lost to this world and these characters’ minds. It was enthralling.
Frannie: Maybe because I’m cynical about everything, Richard just rubbed me the wrong way. Vanessa was such a mess, but I always blamed Richard for it. I love that the book makes you question every character. They all have their secrets and their flaws, but I sided with each one of them at different times.
Kristen: Yes! I totally agree. Vanessa was a mess but I empathized with her. But I was also a little scared of her… I just didn’t know what to think. Every time I thought I had it figured out it was like, BAM, no you’re wrong! I was questioning nonstop.

Frannie: I really thought I had it figured out: scorned wife goes crazy, and tries to kill new wife. But boy, this took me on one helluva ride. The authors really set up the plot to weave you in, and the characters really fool you because they are as unreliable as ever. It’s really up to you to make assumptions, and I love when authors do that-leave it up to you. My mind goes crazy with assumptions.
Kristen: Just like the blurb said! It was really satisfying to have that blurb live up to the expectations.
Frannie: Exactly! We were both so wrong, and it was so good. It’s like, when you think nothing else could happen, you change your mind. Who is the hero or heroine? Villain?

Kristen: By the end I had such whiplash. Roller coaster is an understatement. I will say, it was a little out there. Part of me didn’t know if my mind should be blown or my eyes permanently stuck from rolling. Was it genius or just too much? I can’t deny the careful crafting this took, though, and it was so well plotted. That really tipped me to the loving it side. And I couldn’t stop thinking about it after! The whole thing had my mind spinning.

Frannie: Seriously! Whiplash is the perfect word. Far fetched, but I couldn’t look away. I know I’ll be talking about this one for a while, and I can’t wait to hear what other readers think about it.

We went back and forth on our star rating for this one. While reading it there were so many ups and downs. “Omg, this is 5 stars!” “Wtf? This just dropped to a 3!” “What is going on? Is this real life? So many stars!!!” MAJOR SHOCKER: We’re surprisingly on the same page here. That rarely happens. Go team! 4 stars!!! Either way, this is worth reading. You aren’t going to want to miss out on this one

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen is a book that keeps you guessing! The twists were amazing! Excellent book to start the year off with.

The Wife Between Us is well written and full of twists. At first you think it is a novel about a woman who is upset that her ex is getting married to an young woman who seems a lot like she was back at the beginning of her marriage. But don't assume anything!

I don't want to give anything away but this is a must read for fans of thrillers. Impossible to put down because you need to know where everything is going!

Great book! Highly recommend The Wife Between Us.

when I started reading the book I was captivated from the beginning and made so many assumptions about who I was reading about. Not to post spoilers but I believe everyone will be shocked.. I know I was and after all the hype on the book and trying to get my hands on a copy before it was released thanks Netgalley for letting me read this as an ARC I loved the whole book and I would highly recommend this to all women who just like to read a good book. This is one book that reading between the lines will let you know what is actually happening.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this story! It was a roller coaster ride that kept me glued to it for two days! (Had to work) Nellie is divorced from Richard, who is engaged to Emma. When Nellie sets out to change that, the twisty, suspenseful ride starts. I was not EVEN prepared for the ending. I can't say much more without giving it away, except you have got to read this book!