Wow! A fantastic, unputdownable thriller that had me hooked from the first page! Dear Wife is the first book that I've read by Kimberly Belle but it certainly won't be the last!

I never wanted this. Running away. Leaving everything and everyone behind. I try not to think about all the things I'll miss, all the faces I'll miss, even if they don't miss mine. Part of the planning was putting some space between me and people I love most, not letting them in on the truth. It's the one thing I can't blame you for- the way I drove a wedge into those friendships all by myself so you wouldn't go after them too.

Sabine and Beth are both victims of spousal abuse. Beth is on the run and Sabine is missing. Beth is not her real name as she is to smart to leave any clues behind and to make run for it. She has planned this escape for a long time. Waiting for the right moment. Knowing what her husband will do next.

Sabine is missing. Her husband Jeffrey is frantic to find her or is he painting a picture of the concerned spouse. Her sister Ingrid knows all the secrets of her sister's marriage. She knows of the abuse, the secrets that Sabine keeps from Jeffrey. Together, they both file a missing person complaint and the Pine Bluff Police Department Detective Marcus Durand takes the case.

The narration is tantalizing has it goes back and forth from Beth, Jeffrey and Marcus. Marcus as detective finding clues to where Sabine may be. He is certain she is dead and he determined to find Jeffrey behind bars. Jeffrey is frantically trying to find his wife and discovers another life his wife led. A life that doesn't look for him. Beth is running, calculating her next move and waiting.

A nail biter thriller that has several turns that you don't see coming.

A Special Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

4.5<b>Dear Wife </b> Stars
I must say the publisher granted me this book awhile ago but it was finals week in my doctorate program, the sky was falling, I got married … I had some valid excuses!!

But how did I take so long to read this.. I am crazy new to this genre of book and this author both being a first for me! This synapsis blew me away and I knew I needed it! I must also say the audible of this is brilliant as well.
The book stays suspenseful and you think you have it figured out so many times and you are wrong each and every time. This story is told by three POVs and it is a slow start but it is a long book so it makes sense that a lot of ground has to be laid. I enjoyed this book most as an audible its told so perfectly that you can close your eyes in a bubble bath and be transported into this world. I want to spoil this book by telling you but wow just read it please!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
FIVE could not put it down stars! Kimberly Bell knocked this thriller out of the park. A woman on the run. A woman missing. A husband hunting his missing wife. A cop trying to put all the pieces together.
While all the elements of Dear Wife have been done before, it’s been a while since I remember someone weaving the threads together so well. I MAYBE would have solved the mystery if I read slowly and tried really hard, but the pace of the story didn’t allow the patience it would have taken. So I was breathlessly waiting to see how it all came together. And it did. BEAUTIFULLY!
If you love domestic thrillers, Dear Wife will not disappoint.
Thanks to Harlequin and netgalley for providing me a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

This novel had me guessing up until just about the end where it all unfolded. It will appeal to fans of suspense/thrillers, a very popular genre at this time.

I was so hesitant to read this book. While the plot sounded interesting, I was worried. I'll be blunt. I didn't care for The Marriage Lie really and didn't think this would be any different.
While there were some parts that completely emulated the Gone Girl vibe...down to hiding money in the waistband...the twist I didn't see coming until maybe the 3rd quarter.

Kimberly Belle has become a must-read author for me, and her latest novel, Dear Wife, simply affirms my commitment to read anything and everything she writes. Wow.

Sabine is missing without a trace, Husband Jeffrey is desperate for answers and a prime suspect. Beth is fleeing an abusive marriage under an assumed identity. Marcus is the detective assigned to investigate the disappearance of Sabine. This is a heart-pounding, suspenseful and all too real story of spousal abuse, told from the perspectives of both victim and abuser. I did not see the twists coming.

I would highly recommend this novel, and would even suggest that this is the best of Kimberly Belle to date. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin-Trade Publishers for this wonderful ARC.

Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle is a fascinating suspense novel. There are many twists and turns through out that make it difficult to stop reading. Belle does a fantastic job of keeping the reader interested and unsure of what will happen next, let alone how it will end. I highly recommend Dear Wife!

I love everything Kimberle Belle writes and this was no exception !!! Loved it!! I highly recommend this book!!

Dead Wife is the first book I've read by Kimberly Belle, but sure won't be my last. The best psychological thriller I've read in a long time. After years of abuse, Sabrine/Beth, the main character finally gets enough courage to run for her life and well-being. Her husband Jeffrey returns home from a work-related trip to find his wife missing. Marcus, the detective assigned to the case of the missing wife, of course, suspects the husband. Who is the real bad guy? You'll have to read Dear Wife to find out and there are many twists and turns to keep you guessing till the end! This is a fast-paced book with interesting, complex characters, a theme with a surprising ending! Way to go Kimberly Belle!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Copy of this book!

My Arrivals column, which includes Dear. Wife, ran online and in the Toronto Star on July 13

https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2019/07/16/families-become-entangled-in-crime-and-mystery-in-these-hot-summer-thrillers.html


Dear Wife, Kimberly Belle
Beth, a 30-something woman living under an assumed name, is crafting a new life for herself in Atlanta after fleeing her abusive husband. Jeffrey, a fellow with a short fuse, becomes frantic when he returns home to discover his wife, Sabine, has disappeared. Marcus, the detective in charge of finding Sabine, is gathering evidence to nail Jeffrey for his wife’s disappearance. Is “Beth” the new name of Sabine? Maybe, but a few things don’t line up. You’ll whip through this satisfying thriller about domestic violence in a single weekend.

My reading friends and I are always looking for a new author to give us a book worth sharing. Kimberly Belle has definitely written a winner as a great thriller to share. The story starts quickly and keeps the characters moving towards a conclusion that I did not see coming. Written from the perspective of different characters, you'll see the story as we rush to find a missing woman before her abusive husband can. Great reading from an author I had not read before.

This book is amazing! I've read Kimberly Belle's previous books and I loved Dear Wife just as much as I loved her other books! She has become one of my favorite authors and I already can't wait for her next book to be published!

The writing is excellent. The reader can clearly feel every emotions from fear to anger and frustration along with the characters. It is full of twists and turns you will not see coming and you will be left with a jaw dropping final scene. It is one clever crafted tale!

There is multiple POV's but it was very easy to follow along and differentiate the characters. I read Dear Wife while on vacation and it was the perfect beach read! I have nothing bad to say about it. It's available now so if you love twisty psychological thriller, you have to read Dear Wife!

Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle has all you need for a suspenseful summer read. There's mystery, plot twists, characters you like, and unpredictable. Beth and Sabine alternate throughout the book and, as the reader, you can't help but try to figure out how they are connected. That's where the twists come in. Read and enjoy!

I loved this book. I was hooked from the very first word to the last word. Second book from this author I read. Looking forward to reading more from her. It held my attention from start to finish. Kept me on the edge of my seat.

Dear Wife was written by Kimberly Belle and published by Harlequin-Park Row, released on 06/25/19.

For almost a year, Beth Murphy has been planning her escape from her abusive and tyrannical husband. She has had to carefully plan everything, because she knows slipping up once means her husband will find her. Meanwhile, another husband named Jeffrey is looking for his missing wife Sabine. She has taken nothing with her, abandoned her car, and disappeared into thin air.

Police start to investigate and realize Sabine's perfect life wasn't so perfect-her husband is also abusive and terrible. The detective on the case will stop at nothing to find out what happened to Sabine. But who is Beth? There are several careful webs of lies that have been set up, and it's only a matter of time before they all come crashing down.

I really enjoyed this book. Life kept getting in the way, delaying my progress. If I had been left to read in peace, I probably would have finished this in a solid 4 or 5 hours. I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning today because I couldn't wait for this conclusion any longer. I did guess the ending about 70% through, but that's because of my thriller brain.

This would have been a 5 star book for me, but I had a tough time getting through some of the abuse descriptions. I know I'm sensitive to that as an abuse survivor, but it still dampened parts of the book for me. I understand why it was written this way. Both Beth and Sabine suffered terrible things at the hands of their monster husbands. For a book to be 5 star for me, it means I recommend it to everyone I know. I just can't do that with this book.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me early access to this book in exchange for my review. Thank you Kimberley Belle for writing a book that hooked me.

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars

Very good book. The narrators are relatively reliable but some information is missing.....I figured it out before the end but not as soon as I should have. There were a couple carefully laid clues but just enough. The characters and story line are all very believable and sheds light on domestic abuse.

Just fantastic.

Dear Wife strung me along and kept me guessing and hit every note just right to make this a satisfying thriller.

Absolutely on par with Belle's The Marriage Lie.

This author is never disappointing. Twists and turns you won’t understand. Just when you think you know what’s going on you find out you didn’t know at all. Good characters with, of course, a surprise at the end.

Kimberly Belle has delivered a read that will have you guessing about who is to blame and turning the pages faster and faster to find out who really is to blame. You will not be bale to put this one down once you start reading it. Great summer read for sure!

I have to admit that I got sort of confused at first with the characters and trying to keep them all straight. Once I figured all that out though, this was a read that kept me guessing for sure. Wives go missing and of course, fingers are pointed at the husbands immediately. Is it really the husbands though that are to blame? There are arguments that happen and help to point fingers at the spouses. Some domestic violence also happens (so if that is a trigger for you, you might want to keep that in mind) and that also helps to point fingers at spouses.

All in all this was a great read that will have you thinking you know who is to blame but will also keep you guessing. Kimberly Belle definitely knows how to write a great read for sure. I am anxious for what she has in store for her readers next!

All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.