3.33 stars
There are definitely layers to Dear Wife. A husband gets home from a business trip and his wife's not home yet. Nor does she make it home on time. After the police is called more questions arise than answers. Has his wife run away? Has she had an accident?
Lots of the characters are hiding secrets and you'll be surprised by a few of them. I feel it could've had a little more suspense or action. It was enough to be a decent read and page turner. With a surprising ending.

Thank you to @parkrowbooks for my gifted copy! ⁣
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You know that crazy intense feeling you get when you’re on a rollercoaster? 🎢 Adrenaline is pumping, you’re breathing heavy, then maybe you calm down for a few seconds but... oh wait, here comes a loop and you’re instantly ready to crap your pants again? 💩 Then you pull up to the platform...it’s over, you’re safe and sound. You made it through without dying, thank goodness! 😅 But then you get back in line and do it all over again because you just want more of that feeling? Yep, that’s exactly what reading this book felt like for me! 🤣⁣⁣⁣
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I’m cruising along at a super fast speed because the writing is just that good! It’s flowing so nicely. I’m trying to figure out what is going on. And then boom, I feel like I just got slapped in the face. I really had no idea where the story was going. Not. A. Clue. It’s brilliant. It’s shocking. It’s so so good! ⁣⁣⁣
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There’s no sugar coating this, though. The subject matter is tough. Domestic violence is not something that anyone should take lightly, and if this is a trigger for you, please be aware that it plays a significant part in this book. ⁣⁣⁣
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The story gave me a little bit of a Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris vibe, which was one of my #favereads from last year. I wish I could tell you more about the actual storyline but I don’t want to ruin it for you. I don’t want to deprive you of that utterly amazing feeling you get when a book just shocks the hell out of you! I know, I’m such a sweetheart, always considering your feelings! 🥰⁣⁣⁣
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𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙒𝙞𝙛𝙚 is officially available tomorrow! Do yourself a favor and read this one. It’s fast-paced. It’s engrossing. It grabs you right from the start and doesn’t let go until the very end. And it’s really, really well done! ⁣Bravo @kimberlysbelle 👏👏👏⁣⁣
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In Pine Bluff Arkansas, Jeffrey comes home from travel to find his wife, Sabine, missing. Her car has been left behind, and she's seemingly vanished into thin air. As Detective Marcus Durand begins his investigation, things quickly become complicated. Sabine and Jeffrey's marriage wasn't what it seemed, and all signs appear to Jeffrey wanting her gone. What was he doing between his flight and arriving home, for instance? Meanwhile, several hundred miles away, Beth Murphy is on the run, carefully executing a meticulous plan to escape her violent husband. One slip, one mistake, and Beth knows he will find her--and kill her.

"Four hours on the road, two hundred and eight-three miles of space between us, and it's nowhere near enough. I still hear the clink of your keys when you toss them on the table, still tense at the thud of your shoes when you come closer to the kitchen. Still feel the fear slithering, snake-like, just under the surface of my skin. You have three moods lately: offensive, enraged, or violent."

This was a really enjoyable, compulsively readable thriller. It pulls you in nearly immediately and never lets you go--I was completely sucked up in the various stories. The book alternates between the points of view of Beth, Jeffrey, and Marcus. Beth is focused on escaping her husband, Jeffrey on figuring out what happened to his wife, and Marcus on solving the case. Each has their own unique voice, but you're never quite sure of who is telling you the truth or what is happening.

"People don't just fall off the face of the planet. They run, they hide, or they are taken. I should know, because I am one of them."

The result of hearing each person's individual take is a really exciting, twisty story. Where is Sabine? Who exactly is Beth? There are a bunch of fun "aha" moments throughout. I figured out some ahead of time; others were great surprises. No matter what, I enjoyed every moment and was kept interested and guessing. I especially liked and was intrigued by the character of Beth. (Please note that there is a domestic violence trigger in this book.)

Overall, this is a quick, suspenseful read that will keep you flipping the pages. I recommend this well-executed and entertaining thriller! 4+ stars.

What a thrill ride! Absolutely kept me on the edge of my seat. Loved it! Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

Beth Murphy has run from her life with a violent and abusive husband. Trying to escape to a place where he cannot track her down, still living in constant fear.
Sabine Hardison is missing. Her husband Jeffrey comes home from a work trip to an empty house. There are no signs of foul play.
Detective Marcus Durand is assigned to the case of the missing Sabine. He is relentless, pursuing every lead.
Sabine's car is found abandoned in a supermarket parking lot. Security footage shows her purchasing some groceries and walking out the door. She hasn't been seen since then.
The story is told from the changing perspectives of Beth, Jeffrey and Marcus.
The writing pulled me in right away. Fast paced and tense, the suspense level was off the charts! Beth's journey was so compelling, I couldn't put the book down.
Follow the twists and turns to the exhilarating ending. An exciting psychological thriller.
Add this to your summer reading list.
My first book by Kimberly Belle was amazing! Can't wait to read my next one.
Thank you to Park Row Books and NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

What a bloody page-turner this one turned out to be! Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle is a suspenseful, twisted thriller that will leave you guessing right up to that final heart-stopping ending!

Jeffrey is the prime suspect of his wife Sabine’s disappearance. They’ve been having marital issues. From financial difficulties to not being able to have children, the two have had more downs than ups. They also fight a lot — she pushes him and he slaps her. In the heat of trying to find out what happened to his wife, Jeffrey finds out about Sabine’s affair with a doctor and her desire to get a divorce before she disappeared.

Marcus is a police officer who is investigating Sabine’s disappearance. He honestly thinks she is dead — and he’s eyeballing the husband, Jeffrey. Marcus seems to be a good guy — fantastic with children, decent job that pays well. But life at home is on the rocks for him too!

Then we have “Beth” — a runaway. In an effort to start a new life from her abusive husband, she’s changed her appearance, bought a fake ID, and hit the road. In fear of her abusive husband finding her, she is jumpy and tense, constantly looking over her shoulder. Will somebody find out her secret? Will someone recognise her? Or even worse, will her husband find the small breadcrumbs she’s left in hopes of starting a new life?

Told through three POVs, I was able to learn more and more about the characters, yet slowly I became aware that nothing is really as it seems. While I thought I had it all figured out at the start, the more I read, the more I realised this book was getting good! As the tension built and more lies unravelled, I eagerly turned the pages waiting for more twists and turns. And that ending? I certainly didn’t see that one coming!

This is the first book I’ve read of Kimberly Belle. I’ve heard fantastic things about her other books so I’m very excited to find a new author to read. From the pace, to the dialogue and even the setting — which, side note is mostly set in Atlanta — I couldn’t have asked for a better thriller to read while sitting out in the sun with a glass of sangria in hand!

If you’re looking for a slick, surprising and fast-paced thriller to read for this summer, Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle is definitely the one for you! While you may think you have it all figured out from the beginning, let’s just say that ending is going to leave you dumbfounded! I highly recommend this book and I can’t wait to start reading Kimberly Belle’s other books!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin and Kimberly Belle for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kimberly Belle and Park Row for this amazing ARC.

I have enjoyed Kimberly Belle's previous books, but this one is by far my favorite. As you read the story, you think you know what's going on (at least I did). Then you get thrown this incredible loopy twist and you're like "what the heck just happened?????"

Absolutely amazing, fantastic story. This is my new favorite Kimberly Belle book.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

In this exciting, heart-stopping book by Kimberly Belle, Beth Murphy has fully executed a well thought-out plan. She has escaped an abusive husband. Having taken on a new name, and with perfectly orchestrated actions, Beth just might be able to start her life over again.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey alerts the police regarding the disappearance of his wife Sabine. The police have very little to go on, because things happened suddenly. What they do find is her abandoned car, and more than a little proof that there may have been foul play.

Sabine's disappearance has been issued to Detective Marcus Durand. At this point in the story, the chapters alternate in three points of view, that of Beth, Jeffrey and Marcus. Things become a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse as Beth strives to stay one step ahead of her violent husband. Also, on the one hand, Jeffrey denies any culpability with regard to Sabine's disappearance. At the same time, Marcus becomes deeply affected by the case. Almost to the point of giving everything up in the interests of locating the missing woman.

As Marcus digs deeper, he discovers that Sabine had a lover, Trevor, so he clearly sees that things are not as Jeffrey would like him to believe. Readers no doubt will be as desperate as I was to see what the connection is to Beth and Sabine. Furthermore, there is a reason for Marcus's intensity and this definitely ratchets up the intensity of this story.

There are a bevy of characters in this story. We meet people that are in Beth's path and how she nearly escapes. This helps this story to evolve into an engaging read that was impossible to put down. Things progressed at a fever pitch, leading to a thrilling conclusion. While this is the first time that I read anything by Kimberly Belle, it will most certainly not be my last.

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley, as well as Edelweiss, for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

DEAR WIFE is a story of spousal abuse and the extent to which women go to attempt to flee their abuser. The reader will think they have it figured out until the surprising end. I highly recommend this sad, but compelling read.

Wow. What an amazing book by Kimberly Belle. This is only the second book that I have read by her, but I am now positive I need to read everything she has written before. This was such an incredibly suspenseful book that had me on the edge of my seat. There are three POVS: Beth (a woman with a fake name running from an abusive husband), Jeffrey (a man whose wife Sabine has gone missing) and Marcus (the detective investigating Sabine's disappearance). I have to say that there were several times where I thought I knew what was happening, only to be proven wrong time after time. I don't want to reveal too much because I don't want to give anything away. All I can say is that you shouldn't trust ANY of the narrators. They all have something to hide. My only real complaint is that I wish the author had written another section or two from Jeffrey's POV because I was a bit interested. Other than that, this was a fabulous read that left my heart pounding and made me anxious to read her other books.

WOW! What a fantastic book full of twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing until the end - an ending that I never saw coming. Once again this author has brought her readers a roller-coaster ride of a plot and keep the pages turning!

There are two main female characters in this novel - even though we never meet one of them, she is still an important character. Beth Murphy has worked for years to find a way to escape from her controlling and abusive husband. Her new life includes a new look, a new name and a new city. She knows that one small mistake will make it possible for her violent husband to find her. On the same day, Sabine goes missing. The police find her car but no clues about where she is and since the first suspect is always the husband, Jeffrey is being questioned by the local police and the problems in their marriage are brought to the light. Where is Sabine? And who is Beth? You ask yourself this question over and over as you read the book. The only thing you are certain of is that someone is lying.

I really can't say much about the plot because I don't want to take the chance of giving something away. What I can tell you is that this is fast paced plot with lots of twists and turns and characters that you really enjoy reading about. It's suspense fiction at it's best.

Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle is the story of a wife who is looking for a fresh start. Told through alternating perspectives of a wife and husband with additional narration/context from an investigator on the case, it's figuring out where the wife went and who was involved in the disappearance. "Beth" is looking for a fresh start as she flees from her violent husband. She needs to escape, and this chronicles what she left behind and where she's gone since. In the other part of the story, Sabine has left behind a husband, Jeffrey. He doesn't know where his wife is, and the investigation hones in on him. There's some additional layers to the story involving Jeffrey, Sabine's sister Ingrid, and Sabine's lover Trevor. Marcus is a detective who is committed to doing whatever it takes to find Beth. I went in thinking this one might be like other thrillers in this lane, and y'all, this one was so much different than I anticipated. It was twisty with a really jawdropping reveal towards the end. I saw it coming a bit, but in a "WHOA!" kind of way. I loved the trio of narrators in this one, as they each helped you piece the story together, but also, it made you question who to trust, and what the real story might be. Thanks to NetGalley who allowed me to get an early look (that is now real-time for y'all) at this recent release.

4 Stars!

"...and for the first time in seven long years, I take a breath. A real, full body breath that blows up my lungs like a beach ball. So much breath that it burns. It tastes like freedom."

Oh Kimberly Belle I just love your books! I read THREE DAYS MISSING last year in one sitting and was so excited to hear that she was coming out with another book and had to get my hands on it. DEAR WIFE definitely did not disappoint. If Belle is not on your radar yet, be sure to add her.

Beth is on the run from a life that she just wants to leave behind. At the same time, Sabine is missing after she was supposed to come home after her real estate showing one night. Beth has been planning to start her life over as a completely new person. She wants to run from the horror that was once her life. Sabine was a successful woman. She a husband and a great career, what could go wrong? Well when she doesn't come home one night secrets of her marriage and life start to unravel as she's left some clues. When you start to think you know...you definitely don't know at all...

Belle's books are those that you can easily devour in one or two sittings. They are so fast paced with short intense chapters that keep you coming back for more. This book is almost addicting as you want to know what happens to these women. Something I really enjoy about reading Kimberly Belle's books is that she always tackles a tough issue in a way that doesn't make you uncomfortable. This book has content about domestic abuse and how women try to get away. I love the way the author wrote the story to show how it's not as easy as saying "well why don't you just leave him?"

On the other side I do appreciate how she always has strong women in her books and showcases that women can and are powerful (i.e. being the breadwinners in families). The book explores how one of the women become more successful than her husband and how her husband handles that. I'm lucky personally that my husband doesn't mind that I make more than him because we are supportive of each other but I know about 70% of men (I saw a study on this) are uncomfortable when women make more than them. It seems to be a control thing and this book does dive into that.

I highly recommend this one. Make sure that it's on your summer must read list and that you read both of Belle's books. You won't be able to stop!

Thank you to Park Row books for my ARC of this book!

Sabine has left her abusive husband and is driving to a new location and, hopefully, a new life. She has planned her escape from him for a long time and hopes there will be no glitches.

Jeffrey has just returned from a business trip to find the house in a mess and Sabine, a successful realtor, at a house showing. He hates the messes she leaves and resents it even though she now makes more money than he does. When Sabine doesn’t return and Jeffrey cannot reach her on her phone, he becomes concerned and even more angry.

Ingrid is Sabine’s twin sister and the two are very close but quite different in looks. Ingrid and Jeffrey have never gotten along and he resents her interference and pushy ways. She arrives at the house and demands that Jeffrey call the police.

Detective Marcus Durand interviews Jeffrey and Ingrid and takes a great interest in this missing person. His family knows how hard he works and how he doesn’t like to give up on a case.

Tension builds as Sabine tries not to be found. She has worked long and hard to keep from being discovered. Will she be successful in doing so?

This story built well and the characters are all well-created. The ending is not what I was expecting but having read lots of thrillers, I suspected what might be coming and I was right. But, I’m betting a lot of readers will be even more shocked at the ending that I was. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Beth finally is ready to enact her plan to leave her abusive husband. She knows he will try to find and kill her but she has a plan for getting away from him. This was a great book and now I am not sure how much to say in the review to not give things away, so I guess I will just leave it at that. I love the fast paced story with someone to root for. I figured there would be a twist and kept trying to predict what it would be, but nope, didn't get it. ;) A great thriller that I highly recommend!

Dear Wife is the Gone Girl-esque story of Beth, who is on the run, and Jeffrey, whose wife is missing. I feel like in the past few years readers have demanded more from their thrillers and this one really delivered for me. I was on the edge of my seat and it was so enthralling I found myself rushing to finish. I had things to do, but honestly, Beth's story was so "unputdownable," my mother in law will just have to deal with a little dust.
This one was a solid 4.5/5 for me and I'll be recommending it to people who are looking for a good thriller for a long time.

*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Dear Wife was a slow buildup for me. It bounced from 3 perspectives: Beth, Jeffrey and Marcus. Throughout the book, it is unknown exactly who Beth is. From the first page, you learn that Beth is on the run from her husband. Then you learn that Jeffrey’s wife, Sabine, is missing. Marcus is the detective assigned to the case. The story is so well written that it took me about 80% of the book to figure out what was what. And even then, there were still elements that surprised me. The story just keeps getting more intricate, more layers added as it goes on.
Once I finished, I had to sit and think back over it because I wasn’t sure exactly how I felt about it. It has such a realistic feel to it. Likely because this type of scenario happens more than anyone wants to think about. Another factor could be that the book is based in Arkansas and Georgia- the Arkansas city being only 45 minutes away from where I was born. (It’s so rare to find my state mentioned in books).
It’s so hard to write this review and not give anything away! So many things I want to discuss but that’s best left for a book club.
I want to thank Kimberly Belle, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an unbiased opinion. All thoughts are my own.

Honestly, it’s not often that I say this, but I loved this book from start to finish (usually I have at least some issue – character, plot, pacing – with a novel, that I wish had been executed differently, but not this one)! I did NOT want to put it down and only reluctantly did so when absolutely necessary (i.e., couldn’t stay awake one second longer)!

Though I had my suspicions about Beth’s identity early on, Belle did a superb job of dropping bread crumbs along the way. This character, in particular, I found to be quite cleverly written. She was believable and relatable, throughout. But just when I figured out this aspect of the story, there were still other questions to be answered, other facets to explore and I NEEDED to know everything!

Far and away, my favourite scene – that of the confrontation at the motel – revealed, in the most satisfying way possible, that she was indeed “smarter” and “more cunning”. I appreciated Belle’s infusion of these qualities into the character, along with those of strength and grit. Looking back at instances where I thought, “But why would she…?” and then having the pieces fall into place in delicious “ah-ha!” moments, provided for such a great reading experience!

Belle’s way of tying up some loose ends but leaving other aspects of a character’s future yet to be determined is so realistic and natural that even this uncertainty adds to the likeability of this novel.

I highly recommend checking this one out for yourself! You won’t be disappointed! And, while you’re at it, check out other works by Belle, such as THE MARRIAGE LIE and THREE DAYS MISSING. They were both excellent reads, as well!

I have literally spent the past hour at work trying to race to finish this - I could NOT put it down . The plot twist for the last third is so amazing - so out of NOWHERE! Its seriously better than Gone Girl - A-hole husbands should be shaking in their boots!!

Fantastic thriller! Couldn’t put it down. Kept me guessing right until the very end. If you’re looking for a great summer thriller, this is the book for you!