Mine by Courtney Cole was such a captivating read full of suspense, secrets, lies and retribution. From the first word to the very last, I was drawn into this story. While a storm is brewing outside, inside it is even crazier. Tessa Taylor is married and happy. Then she finds out her husband, Ethan, has been unfaithful with a beautiful and younger woman, Lindsey. Devastated, she wants answers and revenge.

This story was wild, heartbreaking, full of twists and sordid characters. Both woman love Ethan, but he is not really the man either imagine. Mine by Courtney Cole was such an intense and emotional story and then I read a note from the author and I realized why this story was captivating from the start, it was personal in many ways for her which gave her readers an unforgettable story.

This is the second book I have read from this author. Just like the other book, I really enjoyed this one. I will be reading more books from this author. Right away I am drawn into the stories as well as connected to the characters.

It is not often that I actually feel sorry for both the wife and mistress in a story. In this case, I did. There was more to Tessa and Lindsey than just being 'wife" or "mistress". Ethan so deserved what he got in the end. I liked that the main focal point of this book was the women.

Told from alternating points of view, gave me a deeper and better understanding of each woman. Plus, I thought it brought me closer to Tessa and Lindsey, experiencing the book this way. Once I started reading this book, I could not stop reading it. It ended up being a one day read for me.

A very interesting novel of a cheated on spouse, the husband and mistress set against a hurricane pounding in Florida. I found some of the characters to be very real but others were a bit cartoonish. It was interesting to see the past and the present collide. I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

I want to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this amazing book. I have never read anything by this author before but I will be looking for more books by her. This book was just want I needed to pass a rainy day. It had twist and turns that are hard to see coming. If though you should hate the mistress for that she done,its hard both ladies are likeable and hateable at the same time. One minute you want the wife to be the good one the next you want the mistress. Great book hard to put down.

Easily one of my most anticipated reads for 2019, Mine is a stunning domestic drama and more. Told in both past and present, this mesmerizing read is perfectly executed with two women pitted against each other out of their love for the same man. The story takes place over the course of a long night, where Tessa and Lindsay claim Ethan as theirs. This story is a wild ride and left my heart pounding, inducing much anxiety. I thought for sure I'd finish it on one swoop, but I honestly needed a break to gather my senses and quell my emotions. If you enjoy and can take a story about infidelity, this is for you.

The premise is unique and frankly a bit frightening. Ethan and Tessa Taylor have been married for more than two decades when Tessa discovers the ultimate betrayal. Tessa is a successful business woman with a seemingly perfect family and she simply needs to know why Ethan would risk his marriage, what is it about Lindsay that drew him away. Once Tessa's plan to uncover the extent of his duplicity is set in motion I worried about her and it crossed my mind may times that maybe she wasn't as stable as I thought. But hey, who would be considering all that she is taking in. What Lindsay provides is a tale of how Ethan fooled both woman into believing his love for them was absolute, and that they knew him better than the other.

As Lindsay slowly answers Tessa's questions about the affair, my distain for Lindsay and Ethan grew and was clearly in line with Tessa's. It's clear that Ethan is the worst kind of cheat – playing hero to his young mistress, leading her to believe he’s leaving his wife for her when he's simply a serial philanderer. Some pretty astounding events occur throughout this long night as Lindsay shares her history with Ethan. Tessa's world is upended by these revelations, but she's also able to exact some level of vengeance on Lindsay to cast doubt on what she believes she shares with Ethan. By the end of the story I actually felt a tad bit sorry for her. But mostly I felt reverence for Tessa and hoped to see Ethan lose it all.

Cole's storytelling is masterful. Even reading back through highlights drums up all those charged emotions I could feel everything she is feeling; love, hate, disbelief, regret, anger. There simply is not a way to read this this story without feeling the devastation Tessa feels. Most importantly though is how Cole shows Tessa's transformation from an blissfully devoted wife to a woman empowered by the revelations of the man she married.

"...I’ve wanted an answer to one main question . . . one unthinkable question. What does Lindsey have that I don’t? But now, it seems that it wasn’t the right question in the first place.
The right question is . . . what is wrong with my husband?"

Courtney Cole blew me away with this story and I'm happy to recommend this. 5++ Stars!

Mine had me hooked from the very beginning. As you watch life start to unravel for Tessa you feel every emotion that she is going through. I love Tessa. She takes you places where you aren't sure if she can come back to being the sweet person she is. But you understand why once you meet Lindsey. Sometimes you want to feel sorry for Lindsey but once you realize the back story and how it all started you realize you just may be team Tessa all the way. This book will bring out some raw emotions and what would you do to try to save what is yours. Mine is a book that needs to be picked up. I really couldn't put this one down and was glued to the pages from the start. I love what Courtney Cole brings to the pages and how she just makes you feel everything Tessa is going through. GO ONE CLICK THIS ONE NOW!!!!!

4 1/2 stars
Tessa has been cruising through her life, running her successful cosmetic company, taking care of her three teenagers and generally going with the flow of life. Her marriage to Ethan is solid... at least she thinks so until she finds evidence of Ethan's affair.

Shocked, upset and sequestered in her house during a storm, Tessa loses it and manages to get Ethan's girlfriend to come over and handcuff herself to the bed. Really. Tessa proceeds to grill Lindsey about the relationship she had with Ethan and it's not pretty. Mine is a story of anger and betrayal and any woman who has gone through this will identify with so much of this story. I'm not sure how it works for someone who's never experienced this sort of pain.

Lindsey's story is told in parallel with what is going on in the present. It's a very interesting way of telling the overall story and I really liked the alternating chapters. It would have been so easy to paint Ethan with broad brush strokes, but giving some page time to Ethan and Lindsey together helped to show how he lived two lives and essentially betrayed both his wife and his lover. But this really isn't a story about him but more a tale of these two women.

Overall, I liked this story. The pace is terrific, drawing in the reader right from the start. I gobbled it down in a day and while some woman may find this topic triggering, I thought Courtney Cole nailed the shock and betrayal of finding out that the person you trusted isn't the person you thought. So good story, great emotional content. I did have a few issues with some of the details that were a bit of a stretch of the imagination. They didn't wreck my enjoyment of the story, but I'm sort of a stickler for details being believable, so that's why I have to give this four and 1/2 stars instead of five. Your mileage may vary as they say.

An ARC was provided for review.

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned .... Contemporary usage of the phrase "Hell Hath No Fury" refers to the pinnacle of anger that has been attained by a jilted woman.

When Tessa accidentally discovers that her husband of 20 years is having an affair, her anger turns as tumultuous as the impeding hurricane outside. Seeing the texts, nude pictures, love talk with a much younger woman on his Ipad sends her into overdrive. Does she ride out the storm until she can confront Ethan in person when he returns from a business trip, or does she take matters into her own hands?

Desperate for revenge, Tessa lures Lindsey to her home. Wife and mistress claim the same man .. and neither will be the same once the storm is over.

MINE is a fast-paced book that is told from the viewpoint of both women. Both are angry ... both are hurt ... both are in love. And both will do anything to win ... at any cost.

I read this one in practically one sitting. Needless to say, I didn't bother sleeping ... the book was riveted to my hands and in my mind. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes psychological thrillers.

Many thanks to the author / Gallery Books / Netgalley / Edelweiss for the advanced copy of this psychological fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Very Lifetime movie like. Tessa and Lindsay were women I was not drawn to, I had no empathy towards them at all. Their behavior seemed both contrived and a bit genuine.. All I can say is these two ladies should question Ethan alone because this cad has some major explaining to do.. NOT a fan of the ending at all, loose ends make for a lazy wrap up. A tad dramatic for my tastes BUT after reading the authors explanation..... it makes sense.

What a remarkable emotional journey from start to finish! I thought the author did a fantastic job of shining a light on the fears of many married women. I loved the counterpoint of the storm raging outside that paralleled the one inside Tessa’s house. There were quite a few good twists, including the way that the author handled the alternating viewpoints of Tessa and Lindsay. I thought there was a part with one of Tessa’s children that had the potential to be more, but kind of went nowhere, and that the book ended rather abruptly. But overall, it was an excellent read, and I highly recommend it. Check my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews for some other thoughts on the story. Thank you to Gallery Books (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read a complimentary digital ARC of this book.

I truly appreciate that Courtney Cole never writes the same book twice. She is always pushing the envelope with her stories and her characters. With Mine, it wasn't hard to relate to a woman scorned. A wife who gave her all for the man she thought she knew but comes to find he holds way too many secrets to simply ignore. I was as flabbergasted as Tessa was when she discovers just how much Ethan has strayed from what she thought was a good life together and was beyond surprised at the the depths she is seemingly forced to explore in order to satiate her rage.

As much as Tessa goes way over the line in wanting to punish Ethan and the very young and beautiful Lindsey, I got her. I understood her feelings of betrayal and the need to right the wrongs done to her. The reasons for Ethan's actions didn't sway me one bit. Like Tessa, I wanted to rip him a new one and didn't fall for his desperate texts. I was firmly Team Tessa despite her temporary madness. And what ensues between her and Lindsey one very stormy night started to make a whole lot of sense with a conclusion I don't think any of us expected.

This is the tale of two women and the realizations they come to after a long night of truths, lies and despair. But I want to think they are both stronger for what they put the other through and can come out on top in lieu of what they experience together and separately.

The book ends a bit suddenly, which most of the time doesn't bother me. There is no definitive ending and although I enjoy exploring a myriad of possibilities, I wanted a bit more. Especially the expected confrontation between Tessa and Ethan. But we don't get that and I feel a bit shortchanged considering how much of a difficult journey this book put me through.

The author's notes helped a bit and she seems to have taken a page out of her own story to write this book. It's definitely different and well-written but that ultimate explosion between husband and wife would have clearly garnered a higher rating from me. But Mine is well worth reading and certainly gave me a moment to think about what I might do if I were in Tessa's shoes. And for that reason I give Mine a solid 4 stars!

A very interesting book of infidelity, betrayal and forgiveness. Two women - one the wife, the other the husband's mistress - thrown together (on purpose) during a hurricane and how they resolve their issues at the end - leaving the husband swinging in the wind.

So, what happens when the wife and the mistress collide into each other during a category four hurricanes on the Florida coast? MINE happens.

Outstanding from the first page. MINE is an addictive story that took hold of my heart and mind. I read this book in less than two days. There were times that my whole body was shaking, knowing that this type of betrayal can happen in any marriage.

I love the way Courtney Cole writes. Her words jump off the page, and this book is no exception. The story is a constant flow of psychological tension between two women, Tessa the wife and Lindsey the mistress, who are both in love with the same man, Ethan. The story is told from a dual point of view, going between Tessa and Lindsey, allowing the reader to get both sides of the story. There is drama, infidelity, revenge, and heartbreak. Betrayal on so many levels that it made my head spin. Also, even some twists I didn't see coming.

The author's character development was painstakingly perfect. Allowing the reader to get to know the characters and watch them gradually develop when they are both confronted with events they never saw coming. I have to say that I could realistically befriend the Tessa character. She was a wonderful mother, wife, and successful businesswoman, but the essential part of her life was the love she had for her family. Lindsey was a pathetic piece of work; there were times I wanted to smack her. Right. Across. The. Face. I went between hating her and pitying her — the kind of character you love to hate. Ethan, the lying, cheating husband, I only have one word that describes him, scumbag.


MINE is a book that will have every married woman checking her husband's phone. Also, every mistress wondering if "he" is worth it.

***I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/Gallery Books/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion .***

This is a book that explores the dynamics of a marriage. The characters are well written and the story is written from two perspectives and is one that has been explored many times in history but this is a more current take on it with a few twists and turns.

I throughly enjoyed this book. I was expecting something different based on the cover. It was more of a character study than a scary, suspenseful book. This would be a perfect book to read on the beach. It was a serious subject matter but I also found it so entertaining.

this book - if that cover doesn't draw you in...and i read it in one afternoon!

i've been beyond lucky that the last batch of ARC's i've been reading (including this one) have all been GRAND SLAMS. this one is out on the 28th so you won't have to wait long for it.

it's a fast paced thriller that makes you think and see things from two sides: both Tessa's and Lindsey's (notice i don't elaborate LOL)

to say it's a "revenge" novel is pigeon-holing it and not exactly accurate.

it's worth the read even if i did want more at the end...

First off, the cover of this book intrigued me for sure. Then the description made me open the book, well let me tell you, I started the book and had it 80% done in one sitting, I then finished it up the next night.

This is the classic story of a man who betrays his wife and has an affair with a much younger woman. What isn't classic is what happens in the story. We learn about the wife Tessa and the mistress Lindsey. The reader is able to follow the story of one man's infidelity and supposed love for his mistress.

Tessa is a high powered woman with a successful business, three children and a marriage that she is happy in. Lindsey is a twenty-something woman with a young child that lives with her mother. She is going to school but really has nothing else going for her. She meets Ethan and thus the affair starts.

There is a hurricane hurtling toward Florida, Ethan is away in New York, the kids are away so Tessa plans her revenge. She persuades, in the guise of Ethan, Lindsey to come to their home. Saying more would give away too much of the story.

That said, I can't believe how fast I was able to read this book. That does not happen very often lately, usually takes me a while to read a book. From the first page until the last, I was hooked. The story just flowed so well for me and the story of a woman who has a husband who cheats on her, I also had this happen to me so I could relate, is so believable and with the book focusing mostly on Tessa and Lindsey, it is a page-turner. I loved it!

Love psychological thrillers? Then you have to go get this book!

This one killed me. In the best and worse ways. I’m 3 days after I finished it and I can’t find it in myself to start another story. This is the first book in years that got me this hungover.

Mine is told from two points of view. One is Tessa, a 40 year old successful business woman, all around accomplished woman, has two kids and a doting husband. Tessa owns a huge cosmetics company which takes her on many business trips, and her husband is a successful contractor that travels quite a bit, as well. The other is Lindsey, a 26 year old single mother who’s son lives several states away with his grandmother. Lindsey goes to nursing school while working full time as a secretary.

Which leads us to the plot. During a hurricane, as Tessa is alone in the house since her husband is away on business and her kids are with their grandparents for vacation, she finds a series of sexy texts and nude photos of a young woman her husband apparently is having an affair with.

In her fit of rage, Tessa texts Ethan’s (her husband) lover as him, and invites her over to wait out the storm together, which Lindsey accepts. The thing is, Lindsey finds herself shackled to a bed and mercilessly questioned about the affair.

Throughout the 24 or so hours I read this (couldn’t really put it down), my heart hurt. I couldn’t stop thinking about the story, about the situation. This happens all the time; relationships that seem perfect, suffer from miscommunications, couples drifting apart, feeling neglected, or simply tempted by foreign, uncharted experiences.

But even then, not all is what it seems to be. There are two, and sometimes more to every story, and we owe it to ourselves, first and foremost, to listen and be conscious of circumstances beyond our control.

Mine is horrible. It brings forth everything that is weak and hurtful in people. It brings out the aspect of relationships we don’t normally thing about. But these horrible things is what makes this story brilliant, page-turning rollercoaster of emotions and robber of empathy and sympathy.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
I love Courtney Cole's writing. She's been one of... Possibly 3 to 4 authors that have made me ugly cry and sob with a story so I was really looking forward to this!

I have to say, I was surprised by how the story unraveled. Part of me had a feeling it would happen how it happened, but it was still very good! Here was Tessa, loving the successful life with her own company, living the mom life with her three kids, and completely in love with her husband. She had no idea her husband was cheating on her. When she finds out, she invites Lindsey into her home, making Lindsey believe the invitation came from Ethan. All Tessa wants are answers, but she's also enraged with what's been going on so things get a little out of hand.

I have to say, I liked Tessa. She's so strong despite what's going on and she confronts Lindsey head on. Lindsey was another character that, while she's the mistress, I couldn't help but sympathize for her. Honestly, I was sympathizing for both women. I mean, Tessa has been married for over 20 years and she's completely blindsided. She thinks she's the devoted wife, but now she's questioning everything. Meanwhile, Lindsey is just a student and accountant, trying to save enough money to get a better place to live and be able to provide for her son. She's also never felt good enough so when she meets a man who makes her feel worthy, she can't help but enjoy the ride.

I don't want to say much since you should go in completely blind. I will say that the story was predictable, but it was still very enjoyable, to the point I couldn't put it down. Because the suspense wasn't really there, it made for a quick and light read on a rainy morning.

5 huge stars! What a just enthralling psychological thriller! I ate it up as fast as I could. Read it in two big chunks. I haven’t devoured a thriller like this since No Exit.

I didn’t know what would happen next. I didn’t know how it would end. And, overall, I enjoyed the ending! I loved all of the cliffhangers at the end of Tessa’s chapters. I didn’t mind the flip flopping from current day (Tess) to past (Lindsey). It worked quite well.

Loved this book! Highly recommend!