4.5, maybe 4.75 stars, rounded up. Wow!

If you're looking for a heartwarming love story, a tale of two people whose marriage is so full of love and devotion...find another book. This was one crazy, tension-filled, suspenseful book that had me shaking my head and wondering what would come next!

On the surface, they seem like the perfect family. He is a tennis pro at the local country club, she is a successful, high-end real estate agent. They have two teenage kids who play sports, do reasonably well in school, and only give them a bit of backtalk now and again. They eat dinner together every night—no cell phones at the table—and they are totally involved in their children's lives.

But when you've been married for a while, how do you keep the passion burning? How can you keep your spouse from being tempted by the fruit of another? Every couple has their own tricks, their own strategies. Theirs just happens to be a little bit more, umm, unorthodox.

The beauty of this book comes from the surprises that lurk when you least expect them, so I'm keeping my plot summary to a bare minimum. Promotions for My Lovely Wife have described it as a cross between Dexter and Mr. and Mrs. Smith; I found it a little more of the latter (boy, what Brad and Angelina could have done with these roles in their heyday) and not so much of the former. But forget about comparisons, because this is a book all its own.

Samantha Downing has taken a genre that is getting a little tired and predictable at times, and thrown in some "wait, she's not going to do that, is she?" along with more than a few "oh, wows," and sprinkled in a few "holy craps" to boot. I certainly don't want to think that there are people out there like this couple, but given the book's depiction of the media and our crazy world, anything is possible.

What a wild ride this was. My Lovely Wife keeps you flipping those pages because you absolutely must know what happens next, and you cannot get enough of this story and these crazy, amoral characters. I'm sure there are people who won't like this, but it made a believer of me!!

NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

WOW! 5 big stars exclamation point. I went into this book without knowing anything about it. Right away I was intrigued. By the end of chapter one I was super intrigued. And I didn’t have to read all that much more before I started wondering what was wrong with me that I found this book, which I should have found way more deeply disturbing than I did, very readable and fast-paced. Seriously, I had to speed-read the ending because this is such a thrill-fest.

This story is demented and unbelievably good!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley Books for the opportunity to review this novel, WHICH RELEASES MARCH 26, 2019.

Most couples try incorporating "date nights" or plan romantic getaways to bring the spark back, but Millicent and "Tobias" (not his real name) take it a step further. In fact, they take a gigantic leap into criminality and decide murder is the sexiest game they have ever played and their marriage couldn't be more alive. That is, until one of them becomes, shall we say, a little too enamored with the game...

Truly refreshing take on the psychological thriller. This one will keep you up at night (in a good way).

Overall I enjoyed this book. Husband and wife committing crimes together while living the normal suburban life. I enjoyed the twist and the ending.

Wow, from beginning to end I was on edge. The way the author normalizes the horrific acts going on. Everyday suburbanites with a very dark side. I devoured this book in a matter of two days.

Holy cow, this book is absolutely insane. It's such a weird, chilling, and ansolutely crazy thrilling ride. A must read for those who absolutely love those that are more of a mind twister than a crime twister. I will be absolutely recommending and using in a daily challenge to the members of Chapter Chatter Pub! It is one that hooks you and makes sure you flip pages to see what's next!

Fantastic! It's like a car wreck that you can't turn away from. The writing was spot on with great dialogue. Twisty and evil in a suburban setting. You never know just who your neighbors truly are!

Oh MG what a creepy, creepy tale this is. You sometimes feel sorry for the protagonist, but really... these two deserve each other. And you know, these people could very well be your next door neiighbors. That’s why it’s such a great read!

My Lovely Wife is Samantha Downing’s debut novel and it’s a great start to what should be an amazing career. This is one of those books that if you say too much about the plot beforehand it ruins the fun of the novel. As a husband and wife with two kids they seem like the typical average family. She is a successful real estate agent and he is a well-known tennis coach at a posh country club. But, they are bored and looking for some fun. It’s this fun that will have you looking at your neighbors a little differently, but this all-American normal family is so messed up!

The lies, the drama and then ultimately the betrayal makes this a fun read that fans of psychological thrillers will love! I loved the twists and turns and the satisfying conclusion.

Thanks you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel.

Thank you for allowing me to preview this title. I did not finish this. The author's writing style was not my cup of tea. I really didn't like any of the characters. Just didn't appeal to me.

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 3 1/2
What the actual.........

Holy crow this book is crazy!

Millicent and her husband only know to us as Tobias are sick and twisted people. As this story goes on the level of twistedness elevates to a level I would have never ever expected! I am still trying to figure out what the heck I just read.

I don’t want to say to much and five you any kind of clues or hints. But if you are looking for a sick twisted love story you need to pick up a copy of My Lovely Wife.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

This is a crazy, intense thrill ride and I loved every second.

Good thrillers are hard to come by. Most often they lack intensity or originality. So I typically don’t have high hopes when I start. Such is the case with My Lovely Wife.

But what a pleasant, wonderful surprise! I was hooked from the very first page. The idea of a murderous married couple was brilliant enough. But there’s always some kind of twist in these books. This is no different. And while it’s guessable, it still manages to startle you. I know it doesn’t make sense since I was expecting it, but I also hoped I was wrong.

The narrative is so well done. We get all the past details including how they met and got to the point of the present day. The plotting and planning of the murders was terrifying enough...but as the pieces come together and the story falls apart...it’s even crazier.

The narration is from the husband’s point of view. And I seriously don’t think his name was ever said. Which now gives me a whole new aspect to ponder considering how the book ended.

Definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year, and one of the best thrillers I’ve read, period.

I loved every minute of this book- the characters, the pacing, the plot, the twist at the end that I never saw coming! As soon as it’s published, I am handing it to all of my mystery-loving friends and insisting they read it.

I always want to be positive when reading a book given to me in advance by NetGalley but this book was NOT what I expected at all. The further I got into it, the weirder it got. I do understand that what I was reading was a thriller/mystery but I felt like certain things in the family's life was just unbelievable. Unless you just have time to waste on a cross country flight or just love a book will give you tons of information that you end up never needing in the end or information that is once it is worked out in the story seems out of place, then this is not the book for you.

A suburban couple who bond over stalking and killing women? Sounds good to me! In My Lovely Wife, Samantha Downing has created quite a plot centering around a successful husband and wife who are the last people you’d guess would be involved in murdering young women.

But when your spouse is evil and sneaky, can you really trust them? What happens when cracks in the relationship surface and you are no longer sure your wife is being honest with you….

This was quite a thriller and I have no doubt we will see the movie version of this soon. It’s a fabulous suspense novel that is twisted and sick! I read about My Lovely Wife a while ago and was super anxious to get my book loving hands on it. I wasn’t disappointed!

Here’s the synopsis:



Our love story is simple. I met a gorgeous woman. We fell in love. We had kids. We moved to the suburbs. We told each other our biggest dreams and our darkest secrets. And then we got bored.

We look like a normal couple. We’re your neighbors, the parents of your kid’s friend, the acquaintances you keep meaning to get dinner with. We all have our secrets to keeping a marriage alive. Ours just happens to be getting away with murder.

I enjoy psychological suspense and was excited to receive an advance copy of My Lovely Wife from Netgalley. I looked forward to savoring a grabber like Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train or The Couple Next Door and the opening chapter featuring the narrator's deaf alter ego promised just that. However, following the early scenes, the story never gelled for me. The tennis instructor husband, and his perfectionist, realtor wife are a suburban couple with two teenage kids. They also happen to be serial killers who work as a team to abduct and murder young women. Neither character was at all relatable or sympathetic and the author only scratched the surface of their psychological backgrounds and motivations. The plot unfolded in a way that I found unrealistic and gory rather than suspenseful. I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy this book as much as I'd hoped.

A read-in-one-sitting thrill-ride from start to finish. Perfect for fans of Caroline Kepnes and Graeme Cameron while being completely original. A must-buy for all adult fiction collections.

This book was fantastic. I read a lot of thrillers and I've gotten pretty good at figuring things outs- even so this book kept my attention and I was hooked from the beginning. It was well written and I enjoyed learning about the various characters. This book is full of twists and turns, even a few I didn't predict. Well done! Thank you for the ARC copy.

It's my favorite time of year! The time of year when the weather finally stops being hot as balls and all the creepy stuff is all over. You don't even get judged for being a fangirl of the monsters under the bed!


But most of the books I've read have been mostly not my normal October read fest. *sad face*

So I needed something...….


And this one delivers!!!

It's told from the husband's point of view. How he met the lovely lady and they fell deeply in the lurrvvee. Then they realize that they share a 'special' hobby.


Yes, Please!

So if Dexter getting all married and stuff might be your cup of tea..just go grab up this one. I wasn't even disappointed with the twist.


Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

Samantha Downing has crafted a psychological thriller that pulls you in right from the beginning. There are hints and twists and turns galore. Who is really the bad guy in this story? Or bad girl? And what is the motivation? What seems like a typical suburban family - Mom, Dad, two kids - turns out to be anything but. Settle in because you won't want to put this one down!