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!

I received a free ebook copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I love psychological suspense books and was obviously drawn to this book by the description. I had a ton of books on my nightstand waiting to be read but I had to move this one to the top of the list. It did not disappoint. Nothing is worse than being able to guess the outcome of a book but you won't experience that with this book...it is what you are looking for in a thriller!

This one was a hard one for me to review because my ratings for the first two parts were not real great, but the ending really turned around and was great! I have really gotten into the psychological thriller genre over the past year and have read some really great ones. This one overall fell short for me. Usually with thrillers like these I think about them all day and can't wait to get home from work and read to see what happens next. But for most of the book I felt like I was trying to force myself through it. Part one was about a 3 for me at best. It just didn't really draw me in like most thrillers. I figured out the first plot twist before it happened. Part 2 started off capturing my attention and I thought the book was about to turn around. But by the end of part 2 I lost some interest. So I'd say about a 3.5 for part 2. Part 3 was really good. There were some plot twists that completely surprised me and I couldn't put it down until I finished. So a 5 for part 3. There was one character that I was left with some questions about, but I think that was probably intentional. So overall a 3.8 for all three parts combined. I'd really only recommend this because it ended on a good note. I just wish the rest of the book had been as good as part 3.

This book is the best physiological domestic drama I have ever read. Just when you think you have the plot figured out, you are soon thrown for a loop time and time again. After many years of marriage, Vanessa was dumped for a younger version by her controlling ex-husband, Richard. When Vanessa learns that his new love, Nellie, is now his finance, Vanessa commits to stopping the upcoming nuptials at all costs.
Nellie can’t wait to start her new life with her dashing, successful husband-to-be. She, however, has secrets from her past and is unaware of being stalked by Vanessa to prevent her wedding from taking place.
The authors did a wonderful job of doling out new information at intervals that change your plot perspective continually. As the puzzle pieces slowly come together, the final picture is nothing like you expected.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes mysteries and plot twists.
ARC courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher.

Assume nothing as you dive into this thrilling book. Will keep you on your toes from beginning to the end.

I don't want to say much about this book because SPOILERS, but you guys, I YELLED AT THIS BOOK. That is so much not a thing I ever do, and yet it happened, twice, and startled the heck out of my daughter and my dog. I'm usually pretty good with figuring out what's going on, but this book kept me so very unbalanced most of the time that I just didn't know what was up. This is one of the three books I read during this first week of 2018 and it definitely started the year out with a bang. Get yourself a copy right away, but don't start it unless you have time to finish it, it's just that good.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I'll admit that when I started reading this book, I made some assumptions right off the bat. Boy, was I wrong! The authors really meant it when they said "Assume nothing"! 

The first part of the story was interesting and told from alternating perspectives: Nellie's and Vanessa's. However, by the time I reached Part 2, I received my first big twist. Everything I had assumed in the beginning went out the window. The story began to go through different points in time, with one part talking about the past and the other talking about the present. It made the story extremely interesting, but it also meant that the reader has to do more work. And I loved it. I loved that this book caught me off guard and made me work for it. I wish I could speak more freely about this novel but if I did, I would definitely ruin the thrill factor. Just know that it is very important to read carefully and keep all of the different characters in mind! 

I thought the writing style was really great. Considering that 2 authors wrote this book together, it flowed seamlessly. There was just enough detail delivered, and the dialogue was spot-on. I really liked how the authors wrote the different perspectives and how they flowed from one time point to the other. The story was easy to read, and compelling enough to keep me reading until the last page! 

I liked the way the story was resolved but there was a final twist added in that I think wasn't really necessary. Yes, it made sense but it wasn't really necessary, especially not after this wonderfully dark and complex story that was unfolding. However, this didn't really affect my overall feelings about this novel.

To sum it all up: this was a very well executed thriller that did not hold back the punches! It has plenty of twists that are actually shocking, and I really enjoyed reading this complex and dark story! I'm giving it 4.5/5 stars, rounded to 5!

I would like to thank Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book. My review is voluntarily and my own opinion.
This story is about Richard's first wife, Nellie and the new wife, Emma. Richard is a player. When he meets Emma, he decides that Nellie isn't the wife he wants anymore. He divorces Nellie and in steps Emma. This book is written extremely well.They say every triangle has three sides, well this marriage does. The wife, the husband, and Emma. Once I started this thriller is was hard to put down just to go to work or bed! I loved how the authors weaved this story where you didn't know where it really was headed. Love it!

*3.5 stars

A crazy, twisted, convoluted suspense story. At its heart, it is about marriage: when you meet, fall in love, marry, what are your expectations, what are you willing to share, give up, put up with? To describe the plot in detail would be to give too much away but let me say that an unreliable narrator can certainly lead the reader astray. From that point, anything can happen...and does!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and authors for the opportunity to read an arc of this entertaining new novel.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I'll admit it, the twist halfway through pretty much got me. My mind had lighted upon the reveal in only the briefest and vaguest terms before then so when I got there I was nodding my head, totally into it, because the story was clearly just revving up.

Nellie is young and beautiful, a nursery school teacher about to be married to Richard, a rich, charming, handsome businessman. Everything seems perfect, except for the phone calls with no one on the other end and the creeping feeling that she's being watched.

Vanessa is Richard's ex-wife, the one being replaced by someone younger, fresher and with less baggage. She drinks to excess and fixates too much on Richard and her replacement.

The first half of the book alternates between these two viewpoints, setting the stage for the second half of the novel. I found the first half of the story to be frustrating; it felt as though it dragged, particularly because I couldn't understand why either perspective was so fixated on Richard when he was so crudely drawn. Having finished the book, this dreamy unfinished quality to his characterization was clearly an intentional choice on the part of the authors. I immediately disliked him as he came across as controlling and manipulative with very little actual personality and it was starting to become frustrating to read chapter after chapter of that.

Luckily, the drag of the first part was immediately forgotten, as parts two and three were fast-paced and had me just devouring it. A lot of questions were answered and a lot of 'blank' spaces were filled in. I don't want to give anything away but ultimately, The Wife Between Us is a satisfying read, hovering on the cusp between psychological thriller and a complex story of a marriage. I do wish that the authors had dug a little deeper into Vanessa though, I felt like there was slightly more there than we got and I also felt the ending was a little too pat but those are the only two criticisms that jump to mind.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
M/F Thriller
Triggers: Alcoholism, Mental Health issues, DV issues, Cheating

No Spoilers will be written in this review – it will be somewhat short because I think you should read this book!

Vanessa, Nellie, Richard, Emma, and Maureen make up the bulk of the characters in this story. They all fit together, but the best part of this story is that it's left to the reader to try and figure out how they all fit.

These two authors have done an amazing job at spinning a tale of heartache, love, betrayal, misjudging, and acceptance. You'll think one thing is happening and then all of a sudden, they drop a new piece of information into your lap that fits and it completely changes how you think each character in the story fits.

There are twists and turns in this story that you never see coming and when they slap you in the face, you're left going back and re-reading just to make sure that you fully understand the slap.

I can't say enough good things about this thriller, but I do hope these two authors write another!


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
I’m still not sure what to make of this slightly twisted psychological thriller. The characters are fascinating – though I’m not sure any of them are terribly likeable. Every time I felt like I was getting to understand Nellie or Vanessa, something in the story would shift and I’d find myself scrambling to readjust.

This is a cleverly constructed story, a psychological puzzle. Readers are introduced to Richard through the perspectives of the women in his life and we are expected to untangle the messy relationships through a series of disconnected moments and memories.

I found myself thoroughly engaged with the puzzle even as I began to strongly dislike the characters. For me, this was a disturbing read and by the end I really wanted to get all of the toxic, dysfunctional people out of my head. I think readers probably need to be in the right headspace to enjoy this and I’m not sure I was quite there.

Readers who enjoy clever, complex psychological dramas will probably love this story. It was just a little bit too dark and disturbing for me.

The Wife Between Us is one hell of a psychological thriller. Heavy on the psychological. This one messed with me.

I’m not going to lie it starts off a little slow. A few times I had to go back because I thought I missed something, but each time I hadn’t missed a thing. Once I passed the first part, it was hard for me to put this down.

Basically, Vanessa’s husband, Richard, is leaving her for his younger secretary Emma. Pretty straight forward, right? Wrong. Vanessa has become dependent on alcohol as her coping mechanism and Richard has had enough. They lived the perfect, lavish lifestyle until Vanessa ruins everything. Emma sits idly by relaying messages between Richard and Vanessa watching their marriage come apart at the seams. When Vanessa starts stalking Emma and we learn more of her backstory as well as Richard’s, this novel starts to pick up speed and takes off. Twists and turns around every corner I didn’t see coming.

I read an article about the writing of this novel and it appeared that Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen had a great time bouncing ideas off of each other. It’s a fantastic collaboration. I hope to see future novels from these two authors.

Thanks to Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen , NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this in advance.

Well, that was a thing that certainly kept me reading! It was very addictive, twisty, and fun! I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy, and inviting me to be on the Blog Tour for The Wife Between Us. My review and opinions are 100% honest and 100% my own.
I really enjoyed this. It was very addictive, fast-paced reading. The narrator was unreliable. As a reader, I never knew just what was what. The story was super twisty too. There were so many twists and turns that I wasn't sure what to expect next. It was definitely a twisty, unexpected thriller.
The Wife Between Us subject matter wasn't exactly groundbreaking. It's a subject that has been told many different times in many different ways. What made The Wife Between Us different was the way it was told. It was surprising.
Vanessa is an unreliable narrator in the deepest sense. I felt like she dragged out her story just to keep her audience on edge and really wanting to know just what it was that happened. She could have laid it all out on the table pretty quickly and succinctly, but the way she told it made it maybe longer than it should have been. In the end, I also still had questions that Vanessa never really answered. I don't think she was 100% sure of some of the details herself. Vanessa was a narrator I couldn't really trust, and I think she worked really well for this story.
One of the twists definitely shocked me. I wasn't expecting it. The other twists were fun too. That first twist held the most punch for me though.
The Wife Between Us was a fun time to read. I'd definitely recommend it. I see it becoming a best-seller when it comes out easily. It's a great twisty, turny thriller, with a narrator who isn't giving the full story. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for letting me read an early copy, and also for letting me be on the Blog Tour! I definitely enjoyed it.
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5
Twisty, Turny, and Shocking!

This is a book about a jealous ex-wife Vanessa, a closet drinker who now works at Saks waiting on the women she used to socialize with and obsessing over her ex's fiancee Nellie, a young nursery school teacher. Her obsession borders on stalking and her drinking is about to cost her her job. Nellie is blissfully happy with Richard, a wealthy and handsome hedge fund manager, and is about to give up her life and friends to marry him. For the first third of the book or so I thought it was an okay story about this obsession and stalking but nothing out of the ordinary. It wasn't even all that suspenseful. But since I was given a review copy by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I thought I had better finish it before ripping it apart. Then came the "Whoa! Wait a minute!" moment. The remainder of the book totally held my attention and kept me reading to find out what other twists the authors had up their sleeves, and there were several. I don't want to spoil the book by revealing more, but keep reading the book. You will love it. The characters, at least the women, were well developed. I could sympathize with Vanessa but I wanted to tell her to get over it already and move on. Nellie was sweet but a little blind not to notice or care how controlling Richard was. Richard may have been handsome and athletic and wealthy but he bordered on Christian Grey in his control of the women (no, not like that! No S&M here. Not even explicit sex). I enjoyed the twists and turns and the narrative jumping back and forth but this may not be everyone's cup of tea. I found this to be a very satisfying read that kept me up finishing it.