Review: THE EX'S REVENGE by Jo Jakeman. Three women involved with the same man decide to exact revenge for his cruel behaviour. Fantastic story. ⭐⭐⭐⭐Four stars.

A different take on the thriller genre; pairing up three women with the same connection to a narcissistic idiot of a man put a nice spin on this book. It’s storyline moves quick, but I do think it was a bit drawn out.

This book touched on two popular topics, which got me thinking: police protection of their own, and battered women feeling helpless. While the overall plot was definitely fiction, the events leading to the climax are believable, sadly.

I think this book is good for fans of the domestic thriller genre, and I’m anxious to see what’s next for this debut author.

I received an advance copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I recieved a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion. I was expecting a funny revenge story but, thankfully, that’s not this book. It goes a bit deeper and darker and really ticked all of the boxes for me. I would definitely recommend this book

This was a big letdown. The story started out well, the ex-wife, the widow and the girlfriend of the deceased, Phillip, at his funeral. The narrator was Imogen, the estranged wife still married to Phillip. The writing was kind of witty, but the story just bogged down. There was nothing thrilling about it. Basically, it was just Imogen complaining about her life, her mother, her husband, her work, etc. I just couldn’t seem to care. Then one night all the “exes” are together and Phillip comes after them. Wasn’t even remotely thrilling. Sorry, but there just wasn’t enough to spark my interest and hold my attention.

Holy mother-freaking cow!

I don’t get surprised often, but this one blew me away.

It took me a little longer than usual to get into this book,
but my patience was rewarded ten-fold.

I received an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

Sadly, this book was not for me. I didn't find the characters very interesting, and the way the sentences were phrased was a bit off-putting for me.

The book starts on the day of Phillip Rochester's funeral. Among those present are his first wife, Ruby, his current wife, Imogen, and his latest girlfriend, Naomi. Already interesting, right?! The story is told from Imogen's POV, though the back stories of all three women are given. I love the way the book counts down to the funeral by chapter (22 days before the funeral, 21 days before the funeral, etc.; such a unique idea!

Ruby still views Phillip through rose-colored glasses, and holds on to hopes that, though he uses her when he wants to, he will come back to her someday. Imogen & Phillip are currently in the midst of a divorce, and it is not an amicable one. She wants to guarantee that Phillip does not have open access to their son, Alistair. Naomi has already had enough and is ready to kick Phillip to the curb, though he says that he is the one leaving her.

You see, Phillip is not a nice guy - definitely NOT a nice guy! He manipulates, berates, demeans and abuses the people in his life, and as a policeman, he feels protected from the consequences of his actions by the blue brotherhood. But all that is about to change. He never expected the three women in his life to get together and discuss what they have in common, Phillip, and what they're going to do about his unconscionable behavior. Ruby has her eyes opened about Phillip and she is all in to join the others in giving Phillip what he deserves. Jakeman does a good job in building the suspense.

I'm not about to spoil the read by saying anymore, but if you're looking to escape into someone else's troubled world, this book will take you there.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Okay characters - if I met any of them in Real Life, they would be nice enough to talk to , but I would forget about them 30 seconds after I turned away. Plot seems really unlikely.

Unfortunately, this book is not for me. I read at least a third of the novel but found it to be unbelievable. Ultimately, it did not hold my interest & this is a DNF for me.

My Review of  "The Exes' Revenge" by Jo Jakeman,  Berkley Books, Sept. 11, 2018

Jo Jakeman, Author of "The Exes' Revenge" has written a twisted, intense, riveting, captivating and predictable novel. Have you ever cheered when you feel the "villain" in the story  got what is coming to him/her, and then some?? That is exactly how I felt reading this. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense. The timeline for this story is in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in the story

The author describes her characters as complicated , complex and dysfunctional. Be warned , this is a novel of domestic emotional and physical abuse. Phillip Rochester works in law enforcement and is less than an idea husband or boyfriend. He is domineering, threatening,  and abusive. He is still married to Imogen, and has a new girlfriend, and an ex-wife he is too friendly with. Phillip threatens Imogen to leave their house by a certain time, or he will legally show she is an unfit mother and take his son.

This time, Imogen is not going to take anymore from the bully of a husband. As things tend to escalate, somehow the three women become frenemies, and are eager to dish out  some revenge of their own. Beware of betrayals, and misplaced loyalties.

This in an entertaining read, and I recommend it for those readers who enjoy suspense and thrillers. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

So......I liked it. Didn't love it, but I liked it.

I think I was expecting a little more camaraderie between the women - almost like a "First Wives Club" or "The Other Woman" bonding between the ladies, but that didn't really seem to happen until the epilogue. You can sure bet I was whipping those pages and reading like a mad man to get there because the suspenseful buildup was so strong.

Overall - A solid read and a B.

Our story begins at a funeral and ends with a funeral. It is the funeral of Imogen’s soon-to-be ex-husband. In front of Imogen sits his latest girlfriend Naomi and behind her, his first wife Ruby. These three women are as different as night and day but they all have something in common, the abusive Phillip. What starts as a disagreement between Imogen and Phillip over their house, ends up with someone locked in a basement converted room and lots of violence.

The book takes us back before the funeral and what leads up to his death. But in between, there is a ton of action. I definitely could see this being a movie. I have no idea who I would cast but it would be quite the film.

I loved watching Imogen come into her own after years of mental and physical abuse from Phillip. I also loved that the spunky Naomi was not having any of it period. Ruby, on the other hand, seemed to be in a la la land but you have to know that the truth can slap you in the face.

This is definitely a page turner that you will read very quickly. Just desserts are the most delicious.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for this review copy.

Thrilling and heart pounding are two words that I would use for this fabulous book. Absolutely a winner in my opinions with it's strong plot and a woman who has had enough and is not going to take any nonsense from anyone anymore. Add this to your TBR list because you will not be disappointed. Happy reading!

This was a fun read that instantly drew me in and kept me interested throughout the story. You will be constantly guessing what's about to happen and who to trust. Highly recommended!!!

Three very different women have one thing in common: wanting revenge against the same man. Phillip Rochester is a controlling abusive man. He did not treat any of the women in his life fairly. He chipped away at their self-esteem and used words sharper than a knife blade. The man deserved a slow painful death in my opinion.

Imogene is his current but soon-to-be-ex-wife caught in a messy divorce. He basically put her out of the house and threatened to sue for sole custody of their son. Don't mess with a woman's child; she will snap! And Imogene did. But she was not expecting Phillip's ex-ex-wife and new girlfriend to get tangled up in her plans for revenge. Though he wronged them all, the coincidence was unlikely to be believed.

It is so disappointing when a unique, good storyline falls flat. Something goes awry between the outline and the published book. How does a novel sound so wickedly great in the description but the actual chapters do not support it? Such was the case in Jo Jakeman's debut, The Exes' Revenge. The flow was choppy and the three main characters did not naturally vibe. Yet readers were to consider them a team. Nope, it made the revenge plot seem awkward and forced. Such a struggle to finish reading. But I bet this dark thriller would make a helluva movie! So...

Happy Pub Day, Jo Jakeman! The Exes' Revenge is now available.

LiteraryMarie

If your current wife teams up with your exes you might be in a lot of trouble.

These threw women have been used and abused by the same husband. It's not going to be going on in quite the same way. He's not going to be going on in quite the same way!

A satisfying result.

I was really intrigued by the blurb of The Exes’ Revenge by Jo Jakeman. A story about one man and the three woman he has wronged. Imogen is his current and estranged wife and mother of his child. Ruby is ex-wife number one and Naomi is his current young and beautiful girlfriend. What do they all have in common? Getting back at the man in all their lives!

All Imogen wants is to be rid of Phillip, but now he is demanding she move out of their house or he will fight for custody of their child. She finds unlikely allies in the women that surround Phillip. But can she truly trust them? All she knows is she needs their help.

You see, all three women have secrets. Phillip was never the man he portrayed himself to be. He was cruel and hurtful, but she never had anywhere to turn too, as he was a policeman. Jo Jakeman did an amazing job portraying a difficult subject as well giving us an intriguing story full of the unexpected and suspense. I look forward to reading more of this author.

Happy reading!

This was a very interesting and enthralling read by Jo Jakeman and it was my first by this author. The storyline and plot was well thought out and put together, yet, it took a little too long for my liking to get to the point behind it. I enjoyed the fact that the story began in the present time at Phillip's funeral which later allowed the reader to go back in time to the days and years leading up to Phillip's death through the eyes of his three exes: Imogen (current wife), Naomi (current girlfriend and mistress) and Ruby (his first wife/ex-wife). Each woman had a completely different mindset and view about Phillip and who and what he stood for as a man, husband, boyfriend and lover. Phillip turned out to be a complete and utter disaster of a man whose abusive tendencies made me despise him as if I knew him personally. I couldn't stand to read about his character or the way he played emotional mind games with the women and how he would physically attack and harm not only them, but his 6 year old son, Allistair. And the big looming mystery behind who was responsible to the death of Imogen's first child (during a tragic car accident) was not really a mystery at all. I knew who was the guilty party from the first mention of the accident. While I applaud each of the women for standing up to a complete buffoon such as Phillip, the story made me so upset at times at how long they allowed that man to manipulate them in the manner in which they did. I would recommend this book to those who have they patience to wait out how long it took for the women to tell their part of the story and how long it took for Phillip to finally receive his "just do" in life.

I read a lot of domestic thrillers and watch a fair amount of crime TV. One thing I’ve learned from those two media is never marry a cop. If you do, he will become abusive and since he’s buddies with everyone on the force, he can beat you up without worrying he’ll get arrested. Sadly, no one gave this advice to the women of Jo Jakeman’s debut thriller, The Exes’ Revenge.

To read the rest of this review, click on the link below.

Jo Jakeman provides us with a fantastic opening to this psychological thriller in The Exes’ Revenge. As we open on the funeral of a policeman, we learn that he has abused and destroyed three women... his ex wife, his wife and his girlfriend. Are they responsible for his death? I enjoyed this read and found it entertaining with a good twist. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.