⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars. Just.

Yet again I am in the minority here, as this book seems to be wowing everyone else.

However I found the book to be slow, disjointed and desperately trying to work out what type of book it wants to be.

The main characters are all unlikeable or annoying and the chapters are in part overly descriptive.

Lastly, for me, the book was chopping and changing trying to introduce the next big ‘twist’ to the point where it was pretty rushed and unbelievable at the end.

The last 10% was enjoyable hence the 3 stars.

Not for me but I am clearly a lone voice with this one!

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I initially read an excerpt on Bookishfirst.com and was hooked. So glad I did not have to wait until publication to take a twisty ride with this thriller.

This book is full of unexpected turns up until the very end. The constant is Robert, the prince charming who is swooping in to rescue Nellie from an "average" life without his money and assistance in shaping her destiny. Even though I did my very best to assume nothing as advised, I still found many times when the plot would take a delightful turn and give me a totally unexpected new look at the story. Highly recommended!

Hmmm, where to begin....this is definitely a page turning thriller with plot twists that will make you do a double take but for some reason it didn't click with me quite as much as I had hoped. Good Reads is filled with rave reviews and I was very excited to read this one but I never really connected to Nellie and it left things feeling flat to me.
Nellie comes off as naive and trusting. Vanessa seems bitter and delusional. The dual narration makes the story very interesting but unreliable narrators and an attempt at an ambiguous ending left me wishing the story had ended a few chapters earlier.
Don't get me wrong, this will be a hit with many and will probably turn into a huge hit on best seller's lists. I feel like the first 75% of the book is on point for a great thriller but the wrap up is twisted so many different ways it ends up being Too Much.

My review will post on my blog on 12/4/17. Thank you!

In order to not give away any spoilers or create preconceived notions my review is somewhat vague, but trust me on this: love/hate it…you can read it in one sitting, heck I had to because I couldn’t wait to figure out what the hell was going to happen.

OH MY WORD.

Initially, I never thought I would like suspense books but after reading a few I realized I was wrong; I really enjoy a well written suspense/mystery book! The Wife Between Us did not disappoint. It was brilliantly written. It keeps you on your toes and you find it hard to put down and walk away, as you need to know what happens! how many times am I going to say that – just imagine me saying it at the end of each sentence so I don’t have to keep typing it 😉

I found myself trying to piece together what the bombshell would be, and when you think you get to it – the story is not done, they keep coming. Even when I thought the story had wrapped up I was hit again with another twist.

I highly recommend reading this book!!

This book is going to be big! I don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to give anything away. I think it’s best to go into this book knowing very little about it and just enjoy the rollercoaster of a ride. I did not see the twists coming, especially the biggest twist which was so cleverly done. If you enjoy a psychological/domestic thriller then go and pre order this now. A gripping plot with likeable characters that will keep you sucked in right to the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I would’ve have read it in one sitting if I could have

Favorite Quotes:

Nick had waited tables alongside Nellie for a year, until he moved to Seattle with his band. Slick Nick, they’d all called him, although a few heartbroken women in his wake had modified it to Nick the Prick. He was the hottest guy Nellie had ever dated— although “dated” wasn’t an accurate description of their encounters, since most took place in a bedroom.

Nellie’s favorite part of the day was show-and-tell, which was predictably unpredictable. Once Annie had brought in a miniature Frisbee she’d found in the medicine cabinet. Nellie had returned the diaphragm to Annie’s mother at pickup. “At least it wasn’t my vibrator,” the mother had joked, instantly endearing her to Nellie.

I was happy, I think, but I wonder now if my memory is playing tricks on me. If it is giving me the gift of an illusion. We all layer them over our remembrances; the filters through which we want to see our lives.

My Review:

The Wife Between Us was brilliantly crafted, ingeniously written, and diabolically clever. I was instantly sucked into the hypnotic vortex of the narrator and remained enthralled with my Kindle while taut with tension, intensely curious, and helplessly intrigued. These frighteningly talented authors lured me into several traps and forced me to see the main characters under a completely different lens multiple times. My opinions were constantly shifting and I was frequently conflicted and challenged. I couldn’t decide whether to pity, admire, or revile the main narrator, nor could I tell if she was depressed, crazy, a vulnerable fool, or fiendishly devious. It was perfection. I am in awe of the stellar wordcraft and have an intense yearning to reread and savor this stunning tale one more time.

Wow. Just Wow. This book will have you hooked by page two and then when you look up again you're done the book and you have no idea how much time has passed. This book is gripping with its clever storyline and the ending will have you thinking about it days after you have finished reading it. Definitely a must read!

An extremely suspenseful story, one that had me glued to my chair for hours at a time. In the book’s summary, it states to ‘assume nothing’. This is SPOT ON! I was so caught up in the characters and making assumptions about them, wondering who I could trust when bam, along comes mega twisties to blindside me. A great thriller!

*to post in additional online venues upon publication

I’m going to start off my review a bit differently for THE WIFE BETWEEN US. You see, I can’t give you the normal plot summary I typically have because I worry I would give away one of the many twists the book contains and that would break my heart. So, I’m going to give you what Goodreads provides because I feel it’s vague enough and enticing at the same time!

Goodreads synopsis:
A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.
You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.
You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.
You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.
Assume nothing.

Vague enough for you? THE WIFE BETWEEN US starts off presenting a love triangle between a young bride, a wealthy man, and a scorned ex-wife, but what follows is a roller coaster of drama! Be prepared to switch camps and break allegiances to characters because just when you think you know who the good person is, you’ll realize you’ve been fooled again.

This book is all about assumptions made by the reader. Greer Hendrick and Sarah Pekkanen set up the reader on multiple difference paths where assumptions are easy to draw, but whether or not they are correct is where the fun begins! THE WIFE BETWEEN US is divided in to three parts and each one contains a major twist that simply blew my mind. I knew what I was getting in to within the first few pages when you realize the alternating narrators are more than a little unreliable and have some deeply rooted issues from their pasts. The chapters are quick and addicting, which had me flying through the pages to find out just what was happening! Each character in this novel is well developed and easy for the reader to form a connection with, despite not wanting to trust anyone. I cannot possible say enough good things about THE WIFE BETWEEN US! I sincerely hope when this title hits stores on January 9th, you’re there to pick up a copy!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen, and NetGalley for providing me a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

OMG! I never would have guessed the ending at all!! This book kept me guessing from beginning to end! I LOVED it!!! THank you so much Greer Hendricks; Sarah Pekkanen, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for giving me a chance to read this book. I LOVED it!!

Brilliant book, very recommended. I cannot say I enjoyed reading the contents itself and the sad life that has been led by Vanessa. However I completely understood how Vanessa felt and felt sorry for her. Control is not something you see at first until your eyes are opened from a sudden event and can take many years if not decades to escape. Beautifully written and described. Look forward to reading more from these authors. Well done.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It kept me hooked from the beginning to the very end. There were a couple of twists that made me question and rethink what I had read, which is always fun! I don't want to spoil the book, so I'll just say that the authors did an awesome job of keeping the reader engaged and wondering about what would happen next. Highly recommend!

To be honest, I think I expected more from this book. (but as you see by my rating I liked it. More than liked it).

Maybe that's an unfair statement (the expecting more) but based on all the hype surrounding it, I couldn't help but feel a pinch let down. And I read this right after another thriller and perhaps I might have compared and felt the two books were similar...both books have the "let's see how much we can deceive the reader" vibe going on.

That said...

The Wife Between Us was still a damn compelling and interesting read. Despite having two authors, the style and flow seem to come from one hand. Plus the first half of the novel is simply brilliant in the set up. Brilliant.

Overall, this is a twisty book, yet I can't help but feel some things were a bit too much out of left field at the end/last part of the book . One or the other should have happened. Again maybe I am unfairly comparing to another book but there it is.

The hard thing about reviewing this book is I can't say much without giving things away, but trust me when I say the book is worth the read. I'd also read another book by these ladies in a heartbeat.

I loved this book. It will definitely be one of the most talked about books of the year. Loved the characters! I felt sorry for the ex wife but wow the things that happen!

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
was a smart, fresh, and engaging psychological thriller. It was fast paced and fast moving; though the subject matter is difficult, it is presented in a manageable way. The twists and turns are staggering, Be prepared for purposeful confusion to lead to amazing discoveries thanks to a riveting story-line with multiple reveals. I read the book in one day. For a person who reads a great deal, as I do, it was refreshing to be surprised and absorbed in this unique, entertaining novel. If you think that you will guess the ending, you won’t. I am glad that I couldn’t.

To discuss more would risk ruining an extraordinary read. I highly recommend it.

My best advice about this book is to know nothing about it going in. Just pick it up and begin to read. It will grip you quickly and keep you in its clutches throughout its excellent and intriguing story. I thought I knew where it was headed, but I was so very wrong. Deliciously entertaining!

This book was amazing! Once I started reading it, I could not put it down. The suspense and twist and turns were unbelievable! I did not see the end coming at all!!!! I highly recommend this book, it is going to take you by surprise. I became very engrossed with the characters. The book is highly detailed . You will not want to stop reading!

Summary:

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.

"In my marriage, there were three truths, three alternate and sometimes compelling realities. There was Richard's truth. There was my truth. And there was the actual truth, which is always the most elusive to recognize. This could be the case in every relationship that we think we've entered into a union with another person when, in fact, we've formed a triangle with one point anchored by a silent but all-seeing judge, the arbiter of reality."

My Review:

This novel is full of twists and turns down to the last page. And I did not see that last chapter coming! This is a MUST READ!! That being said, this is a difficult review to write because everything that makes this book unique is a spoiler. The publisher had it right when they were so vague about the summary. You do not want any spoilers going into this book which of course means I can’t tell some of the many amazing things I love about it!

Hendricks and Pekkanen do a great job of making the reader feel confused when learning about this love triangle. It’s not confusing in a bad way, but more of in a “wait…did I just read that right?” way. The book is divided into three parts. The first is entertaining with very intense in-depth character building. By the end of this part I became completely invested in both of the primary characters, so much so that I overlooked a critical detail, which by part two led to some seriously jaw-dropping moments. It isn’t until you get to the second and final parts that things start to get really crazy!

I was completely invested in the book from the first page. Not only is this book FANTASTIC, the authors just announced that it was optioned for a movie. It's the same team at DreamWorks that brought you Girl on the Train. Trust me when I say, I will be the first person in line to buy a ticket!

I rate this novel 5 / 5 stars!

Click here to pre-order your copy today!

This psychological thriller is reminiscent of The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris. It offers an inventive twist halfway through the book instead of at the end and yet continues to surprise until its conclusion. Definitely worth the wait!