Loved it! Twisty..dark...full of lies and deceit.
I haven’t read a book yet with domestic abuse as the main storyline and I did cringe a lot but the story was so well written. Female characters were AWESOME strong women.

Thank you @NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
4 twisted dark stars ⭐️ 🌟🌟🌟

I didn't hate The Wife Before me but I found it to be a difficult read. I would get interested and then it would slow down or turn to something else that took me out of the story. Sometimes it was because I lost the thread of who was telling the story but other times it was just kind of clumsy.
Also, the whole romance aspect was kind of off putting. As a romance reader I felt Nicholas' behavior was creepy and should have immediately sent off warning bells even before I knew who/what he was. The story had potential but it just wasn't for me.

After the passing of her mother who was her last living parent, Elena meets and is drawn into an intimate relationship with Nicholas Madison, a partner of the firm where her mother had worked. When she moves in with him, their relationship is painfully overshadowed by the presumably perfect marriage that Nicholas had shared his wife, Amelia, who had allegedly drowned, although her body had never been found.

This three-part story told from different points of view is an all too realistic tale of physical and psychological abuse that will deeply move the reader. This is a page-turner that you will not want to put down. Well done!

Have you ever lived in someone's shadow? No, I don't mean setting up camp in a shadow of someone standing in front of you, I mean living your life with the past of an ex, looming over your head like a noose. Have you? I have, but not in the same extent as Elena. For one, the shadow I was living in was still breathing, whereas the shadow Elena is living in is, as far as everyone knows, is dead. Dealing with her own personal grief, Elena is trying very hard to come to terms with the loss of her mum, whilst also managing to catch the eye of a man who would later become her husband. A nice ending to a sad situation, right? Wrong....

'The Wife Before Me' has an incredibly hard-hitting theme running through it from start to finish. It isn't pleasant, yet the author has done well by putting this particular topic at the forefront of her storyline. Yes, it will no doubt fill your body with goosebumps, and yes, some readers may find that they're able to relate to it directly or indirectly, but its the sort of topic which needs to be discussed so that more people feel comfortable to open up about it without getting victimised when they do. I was very impressed by the way in which Laura Elliot handled the theme in her storyline, very impressed indeed.

I have to say that I was a little bit confused as one moment the storyline felt like a romantic novel, and then the next it was like WHAM, and the intensity went through the roof. I know that that might not sound so confusing to others, but the cross over between genre's was tough to get my head around as there was no in between - it was either one or t'other. However, I thought the overall novel was very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. There was certainly a lot of grit to sink my teeth into, especially where Nicholas' character was concerned.

All in all, 'The Wife Before Me' is an extremely promising read which highlights a very emotional subject. Even though I would have preferred the pace to be a little bit faster and not so staggered, I really did appreciate this page turner of a read due to the strong elements of suspense and intensity. Personally, this is my favourite book by Laura Elliot.

I have only read one other of Laura Elliot’s previous books, Guilty, now that I have read The Wife Before Me, I certainly will be rectifying my ways and I look forward to delving into the rest of Laura’s books.

Lets get on with what I know and what I found out, mind you I won’t give anything away, so lets get the show on the road…

The Wife Before Me is Laura Elliot’s newest psychological thriller, which delves into the life of Nicholas a monster, an abuser who to the average individual on the outside of his relationships comes across as being the perfect gentleman. As I progress through the book I watched, waited for the pieces of the puzzle to fall into place, can Elena solve the past to help her future. So many questions to be answered, a whirlwind of emotions flow through my mind the further I read into The Wife Before Me, will I be able to contain my frustration at the blindness of others, only the turning of the pages to the finale would I find out my answers.

I thoroughly enjoyed the portrayal of each character, the different dynamics, the personalities was plausible, palpable that it was so easy to be involved in each and every situation they found themselves in. Nicholas was painted as a Jekyll and Hyde type of character, where his charisma, faultlessly healthy nature, clean cut persona played over and over, but behind closed doors, a different beast was unleased. Nicholas’s mother is blind beyond belief that they couldn’t see their son for what he was, but its an unconditional love, a painted scenario, a blindness to the monster that has been created, she effectively put Nicholas on a pedestal and worshipped him.

I loved the intense pull that Laura painted upon each page, driving me to turn the pages, virtually inhaling the narrative to the point I was literally swimming in the scenarios and living Laura’s imagination.

Thanks go to Bookouture, Laura Elliot and Kim Nash for an advanced readers copy of The Wife Before Me, to read in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thanks Kim for my spot on the Blog Blitz today.

Almost from the start, there is a sense of tension present in this book and it carries on until the conclusion. This made for a riveting, if vaguely uncomfortable read. The story is told in two parts between past and present, which offered a significant glimpse into Nicholas's characters as well as his first marriage.
At times, I was slightly confused about who was narrating, but all in all, I thought this was done quite well and added a layer of mystery to the story. I also thought the characters were well developed and intriguing. The Wife Before Me is definitely quite dark and gets darker as the story progresses. I don't want to give away any details and risk spoiling the plot, but I was eager to know how it would end. Quite the page turner!

This is an interesting book albeit very predictable. As you read each part of the book you realize that you know exactly where it is heading. Even the big twist about Mag’s Head is predictable. However the plot is still captivating enough to continue reading. The book has more than one narrator and gets confusing at times. The whole supernatural angle is present all through the book and is evident in the epilogue too. Overall it is an easy read and you will feel the emotions that the narrator describes. You will feel that unsettling feeling, the fear, the panic that Amelia and Elena have faced. Quick read overall.

This book was a gripping psychological thriller that pulls you in from the very first page and captivates you until the very last page.

In the very first chapter we are quickly introduced to Amelia who has a lot on her mind. She is quickly unravelling. Amelia is the first wife of Nicholas, a handsome and confident man who seems to be perfect in every way.

Flash forward to when Elena meets Nicholas. Elena attends her mother’s funeral when she meets the dashing and handsome man Nicholas. He seems perfect! Elena finds that she is very attracted to him. They soon begin talking and decide to go out on a date. Their relationship quickly blossoms and they find that they are falling in love with one another. There is just one problem…. Nicholas never talks about the life he had before with Amelia or his grieving loss after her death.

Elena feels like Amelia’s ghost and the memory of her is coming between her relationship with Nicholas. Why does he not talk about his previous wife? Why does he get so upset with Elena when she brings up Amelia’s name?

The book is then written in 3 parts. All 3 parts alternate between the present from Elena’s point of view and the past from Amelia’s point of view. I loved to read the different parts of this book as it allows us a glimpse into just who Amelia was and what drove her to do what is revealed to us in the very first and shocking chapter. It allows us to see what Amelia had gone through in her life that led to her decisions she had made and we see how her life was with Nicholas in their marriage.

From the shocking secrets, lies and betrayals in the book to the final twists and turns at the end, this book will have you reading late into the wee hours of the night as you need to know what will happen next. You will be sitting on the edge of your seat, afraid to continue reading and see what is revealed next, but yet unable to put this book down. The pages will seem to be turning themselves. You will experience many emotions while reading this book as well, I know I did.

A great thriller from beginning to end. This book was a pleasure to read and it definitely won’t be the last book I read by Laura Elliot.

I am a fan of this author's book so I was delighted to see that she had a new book coming out and jumped at the chance of getting my hands on a copy! I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and the suspense that builds up in the story to what is a brilliant ending is superb!!

The author has crafted a very well written story with this one, I loved the characters and their interaction, it was completely on point and made the story for me. I loved the setting and the descriptive nature makes the book very vivid at times and you feel as though you are with the characters. It is well paced and had just enough detail to keep me hooked.

4.5 stars from me which will be rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon - a very enjoyable story that kept me on tenterhooks - loved it!!

This is a real rollercoaster of a ride told by the voices of two women involved with the same man. Elena meets Nicholas at her mother’s funeral when she is grieving and vulnerable and falls in love with him. Over a time, a darker side of his personality is revealed and Elena begins to wonder what really happened to Nicholas’s first wife, Amelia, who disappeared four years previously.

The second voice in the book is that of Amelia, and the truth about her relationship is slowly revealed over time. Only as Elena discovers what really happened to Amelia can she find a way to save herself.

There is also a mysterious third voice in the narrative that adds a shocking twist to the story.

This book grabs you in an emotional vice from the first page and doesn’t let go until the heart-stopping last page. I was so involved in the story that I forgot where I was and raced through the book, desperate to know what happened next but afraid to turn the page because parts of it were so emotionally horrifying that I almost could not bear to look.

The characters is this book are deeply polarising. Some you will be frantically rooting for, some you will despise with every ounce of your being (Yvonne, urgh). They are cleverly drawn so that you can’t help but be drawn in and involved in their stories. you will be despairing of it ever turning out right, conflicted about some of the characters and frantic to get to the end, what more can you ask for from a psychological thriller?

Some parts of the book are shocking and hard to read and no doubt will be triggering for people who have suffered domestic abuse. The book takes a slightly surreal turn towards the end and I was not at expecting what happened, which is the aim of the writer but I suspect some people may possibly take issue with one of the plot devices involved. For me, it worked really well and I was left feeling shaken and shivery but satisfied. Any book that moves you in this way is a read to be recommended. This is a great addition to the genre.

The Wife Before Me is one of those books you pick up and know within the first few pages that this is going to be a book hard to put down.
This is a domestic thriller and does feature domestic violence and after reading this feel very lucky not to have suffered from the hands of another as this is described so well that this becomes almost a true story for me. This book reminded me of the film “sleeping with the enemy” which had the same basic outline plot but this was much harder to read and had a lot more depth to it.
The book is split into three parts, the first part is where we meet Elena and follow her story as she meets the charismatic and handsome Nicholas, falls in love and tries to help him with his grief for his first wife, Amelia, who tragically drowned in an awful accident. As Elena tries to live up to Amelia’s perfect image she suffers extreme violence from Nicholas and becomes almost a recluse as he dictates all aspects of her life. The second part is where we meet Amelia and her friends who try to help her as she also suffered at the hands of Nicholas. Part three I’ll leave for you to read but the story gets better and better and ends extremely well.
I enjoyed this thriller from start to end, yes there is a lot of violence but that did not hinder my enjoyment, especially the final chapters.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my Kindle.
This book had romance, murder, lies, suspense, and deceit. A combination of those and several characters was interesting, but there were parts that I had a hard time reading. (physical and mental abuse). But it all came together and ended well. In all, a good book!

Do you believe in ghosts? You don't believe in something you can't see, but can you believe in something you can feel?

At her mother's funeral, Elena meets charming Nicolas. Months later, as their romance progresses, they make vows to each other, Elena moves into Nichola's house and they start a family. Their union is picture perfect. However, there is a dark cloud that is hanging above Elena and Nicolas relationship, that that cloud's name is Amelia Madison.

Two years prior, Amelia's car was found on a bottom of the sea, her body was never recovered. The bedroom that Amelia and Nicholas have shared remains locked. Amelia's interior design touch, photographs and paintings are occupying Nicholas home. Elena finds herself in Amelia's cocoon. Shortly after she begins to dress, look, and walk like Nicholas' previous wife. And there is one more thing that both women share - a fear for their lives.

If you read and liked "The Gone Girl" and "The Wife Between Us" I am sure you will enjoy this gem as well. I loved the twisted plot, I was turning pages so fast, could not get enough of the story. This book with take you thru many stages of sadness, anger, and fear and leave you with a very intriguing ending. Thank you Bookouture, Netgalley and Laura Elliot for the advanced copy of this book.

I love this author's books. She is one of those authors whose books I pick up blindly, without needing to know anything about the book, knowing that whatever she chooses to write about, I will enjoy. Her books make me think while also transporting me to the world she has crated. And with every single book she ups her game! This is by far her best book and this is not something I say lightly as I have absolutely LOVED every single one of her books - they are exquisitely written. This author is at the top of her game and each book I think is perfection and yet, with every book, she manages to produce something even better. I am in awe of her brilliant writing. Beautiful prose, great story, this book is amazing and deserves to be on top of every bestseller list. Highly recommend this wonderful book to everyone.

I loved the way the book splits into the present day, to begin with, Elena meeting the mysterious and elusive Nicholas. A man who has been surrounded by scandal, as his first wife committed suicide by driving into a pier and drowning as she couldn’t swim. Instantly I was on edge, why would she kill her self when she has the perfect man? Elena too is intrigued and is portrayed as being “obsessed” with Amelia the first wife, trying to throw us the reader off.

Part two of the book was Amelia and her marriage to Nicholas providing an insight into what kind of man he was before Elena. Again, hold on to your hats for this one!

Finally part three, back to present day after a shocking confrontation in part one we continue with the lives of the Elena and Nicholas.

On a side note, I really had no time for Yvonne, Nicholas interfering mother. She was no good to Elena. Always thought she was right, subtle digs in the right places. I personally did not like her and would love to have jumped in the book and given her her marching orders!

This book was dark and intense due to the main storyline. I was screaming (quietly as everyone in the house asleep!) a lot at the into, wondering how these characters got themselves in the precarious positions. Making me take a step back and reevaluate how would anyone act. It’s very easy to say how you would act in the said situation when you aren’t in it. So it made it more heartbreaking watching events unfold knowing you couldn’t do anything to help.

I really did enjoy this book, it was intense yet heartbreaking and with a kick of retribution to boot!

Freaking Fantastic! This will sure to be a heart racing sensation as word gets around about Laura Elliot's new thriller! I loved the way she slowly unravels the story and life of Nicholas Madison. She tells this story from alternating perspectives... mostly Amelia, Nicholas's first wife and Elena, his second. 
Talk about a scumbag who gets away with everything evil? Ugh anyone who reads this story will know how frustrating it is knowing how deceitful, violent, and shockingly "Loved" Nicholas is by the ignorant people in his life! 
What will Amelia and Elena do in order to get away from him? Is it too late for them? How many people are tangled in this web of betrayal and will he be brought to justice? And let's not forget about how totally blinded by "unconditional love" Nicholas's parents are! I mean seriously Yvonne and Henry... get a friggen grip! Geez. 
The heart pounding twists and tangled mess of lies will leave you up until all hours of the morning and night until you finish reading this psycho tale of a very evil man with very evil intentions. Someone has to stop him!! He'll only be stopped if the reader races through the book until the end... or will he?

Fantastic book, could not put it down! I have already enjoyed earlier books by Laura Elliot and again this book did not disappoint.
From beginning to end The Wife Before Me had my undivided attention and I finished reading it in a day. The author really made it easy to visualise everything and the plot did not disappoint. Looking forward to more books from Laura Elliot and would recommend this book to all fans of domestic noir novels and psycholocial thrillers.

Thank you!

I really enjoyed Laura Elliot's previous psychological thriller and was looking forward to what she came up with next but I'm sorry to say that this one didn't work for me at all. I found the plot rather repetitive and predictable and the characters incredibly unlikeable. It all felt a bit like it's been done before and it wasn't able to hold my attention.

'The Wife Before Me' is crime writer Laura Elliot's seventh psychological thriller, but unfortunately I did have quite a few issues with it, just as others did.

The plot begins like a romance novel, and i'm not a reader of the genre, so this was quite a surprise to me. It was a rather heavy-handed romance too, I feel the author laid it on thick! I am always willing to read a challenging and intricately plotted book, but there is a cut-off point. This book certainly became a little confusing and convoluted as a result of all of the intricate detail. There are also a vast array of minor characters skirting the periphery of the story, which I felt was unnecessary and added to the problems that were really mounting up by this point. The characters although developed sufficiently were stereotypical for the genre, and I felt that the author was simply painting-by-numbers in producing this story for us to read.

There are many times when it is not made clear at all who is narrating, the prose feels clunky, and the perspective changes between people without any warning, making it difficult for even the seasoned crime reader to enjoy. Also, I feel this book mimics a lot of recent crime fiction in that it features a wife who doesn't really know who her husband actually is, secrets and lies abound etc etc. The slow pace added to the feelings that the story wasn't particularly going anywhere - all of the plotpoints have previously already been done to death. I did manage to plough through it all but found myself wishing I had swiftly DNF'd it and moved on to something better.

Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is about Nicholas who appears wonderful to most everyone but is a horrible abuser of his wives. The first part with Elena's story of how she meets Nicholas, the presumed widower whose wife disappeared after her car slid into the water, is in present day and continues through her marriage to him. The second part is flashbacks to Amelia, Nicholas's first wife and their courtship and marriage. The 3rd part is continuation of present day.

I think I ended up liking this book more than I really expected to. Initially I thought the courtship was a little over the top with some language and details you would get from a romance, so I was questioning whether this fit my usual genre, but eventually Nicholas turned horrible and this made more sense as a psychological thriller. I thought this one may end up being like Behind Closed Doors but it was better in a lot of ways because it had the mystery of what happened to Amelia and some other things that had happened in the past.

This one held my interest throughout and had enough surprises, although I saw some coming, to be a worthwhile read in my opinion.