"I trail my finger along the spines as I pace, and it's so hard to take everything in. My mind is a rubber band, expanding and expanding, until it snaps back, unable to fathom everything, unable to understand. Is adultery an inevitability of life? Do men just get tired of their wives and cheat? The thought weighs my heart down. Like jagged rocks on the bottom of the ocean, with each pull of the tide, the rocks rake over my lungs, making it harder and harder to breathe."...…...

Tessa and Ethan. The couple and their children live an upscale life in Florida. A hurricane is headed their way, and Ethan can’t make it back home in time. The kids are away for the weekend, and Tessa finds something that proves Ethan has been cheating. Tessa’s whole world is about to crash down around her. If the hurricane doesn’t take everything from her, perhaps the girlfriend will.

Tessa makes a wild decision to lure the woman, Lindsey, to her home. Now trapped together, they’re about to face everything that has been kept secret. Not to mention the hurricane, that may solve everything for both of them. Tessa's rage is frightening.

The story is told back and forth between the women’s point of view. The betrayal so heartbreaking for Tessa that you can feel it. What about the “other woman?” Is she sorry? Can you possibly feel sorry for Lindsey? Is Lindsey heartbroken? Lindsey appears to be the typical stereotype of a gold digger whose doesn't mind waiting for Ethan to leave his wife.

Will Ethan make it back home and what will he find when the storm passes? Either woman would say that Ethan is “Mine.” Will they still feel that way when the storm is over? I don’t think if I’ve ever read a more truthful work of fiction. What an exceptional story of one of the most painful things a married woman can endure.

Thank you Courtney Cole, Netgalley, Gallery, Pocket, Threshold Books

This was an interesting and captivating story.I was mesmerized and I couldn't put it down, I find the story brilliant!I loved most of it, it has suspense, it's intense and dramatic.

The story is told in alternating POVs with Tessa's story taking place in the present and Lindsey's taking place in the past with her own version of events of how she met Tessa's husband, Ethan.From the first pages I felt I was a part of this story.

This is a quick read that will keep your interest till the end!

OMG that was intense. I finished MINE in one sitting... I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

I love Courtney Cole and this book kept me on the edge of my seat in suspense, heart racing and wondering how it would all turn out.

Tessa has just realized the imaginable... her beloved husband and father to her three beautiful children has been cheating on her for months with Lindsay, a twenty-something beautiful woman that gives his ego the much-needed boost it needs. There is a category 4 hurricane headed her way and what better than to lure the cheater to her home to get the answers she is seeking.

But at what cost?

How this all went down was INSANE and total 360 to Tessa's normal character. But who could blame her?! My emotions ran the gamut... I was livid, sad, pissed, hopeful... hopeful that Ethan had SOME DAMN GOOD reason for his indiscretions other than being selfish.

Unfortunately marriage is hard... navigating life with children and work and being busy and tired is something that happens in all marriages. It's how you weather the storm and deal with those minor blips that will show your true character, your true heart and how deserving you are of your spouse.

I would have loved an epilogue... the end felt unfinished and rushed. I am a true romantic and if Ethan had shown his sorrow and some kind of redeeming quality, I would have wanted them to end up together, working on their marriage and love for themselves and their children. So I feel slightly cheated that we got nothing... In my heart, I am hoping and imagining the best outcome for them because these situations DO happen, they aren't ideal but I always want love to win. <3

Intense. Shocking. Superbly well written. Twisty and dark. Completely unputdownable. I really enjoyed this story, the whole premise was intriguing and it held me ensnared the whole way through.

What a whirlwind of a story! I think I experienced every emotion in this one.

**skip this part if you aren’t going to read the blurb!**

Tessa finds out her husbands cheating, and a category 4 hurricane is about to hit her house. What a shit turn of events, right? Well it gets better.

I’ve never been a woman scorned in this capacity. But I wholeheartedly believe I would react in the way Tessa does. I won’t give specifics because that would be rude, but I loved Tessa and all her angst and anger.

But in the same breath that I love Tessa with, I feel for Lindsey. I see a lot of myself in her. (No, I’ve never been with a married man!) I feel her insecurities, and her struggles. Maybe we’ve all been there, or maybe it’s just me.

Courtney Cole does a bang up job of bringing this gut wrenching story to life. The characters are real, and the whole story just comes to life with her words.

I’ve never lived through a hurricane (duh, Wisconsin doesn’t get them) but I felt as though more damage would have been done to the house? That kinda bothered me a little. As well as the fact that Tessa supposedly got all the shudders up and latched, but later in the book they’re looking out the window? Again, I don’t know anything about hurricanes, or boarding up windows but I thought that strange.

If it’s not already obvious, I thoroughly enjoyed this messed up tale. I never want to be Tessa in marriage, but I’d love to be Tessa in personality and strength.
I hope to have a follow up story, as well. Because I still have questions.
Courtney Cole, if you see this, bravo! You’ve outdone yourself with this one.

Book Review: Mine by Courtney Cole

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Isn't that the truth?

Revenge for the Masses

I love me a good revenge story. Call me a bitter bitch, but it's true! Think Deathwish, Cape Fear, The Count of Monte Cristo. They are all revenge stories and they are all awesome. Even the worst of the revenge stories are still satisfying to me on a spiritual level.

Let's take Peppermint, shall we? It's not winning any Oscars or getting a sequel. But let me tell you, we watched it opening night. The audience was roaring, clapping, & cheering on the vigilante justice. Nothing says sticking it to the man like a revenge-filled murder spree. 

Woman on Woman Crime

The whole setting for Courtney Cole's Mine is atmospheric. Heading home before a hurricane, Tessa's husband is grounded in NYC. His iPad dings & she uncovers loads of texts to his mistress. She does what any hot-headed woman would do, right? She invites the bitch over under false pretenses. Better yet, the mistress falls for it. Just kidding. I wouldn't do that. Maybe. I don't know. 

That's what makes this story a hell of a lot of fun. It's the what-if scenarios. What if your spouse is cheating? What will you say if you confront "the other woman"? Will you leave him/her? Can you move past this or will it ruin your relationship forever? 

I just want to say this. Women, please remember to go after your man too! I've watched a lot of Maury in my day. Do not blame everything on the other woman because your man is a low down dog. 

THE VERDICT

I am Into This book. Mine is the perfect book to read poolside & then pass along to your friends so you can chat about it over drinks. It's a wild & decadent guilty pleasure. 

Special thanks to Courtney Cole, Gallery Books & NetGalley for providing my copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Do you enjoy your drama served up with a side of drama? If so - this might be a read for you.

Tessa has dropped her kids off with her parents for the weekend and is heading back home to meet her husband Ethan when he returns from a business trip. Ethan calls to let her know he’s going to be stuck for a few more days because of meetings. Tessa is upset - both about not seeing him and because a hurricane is headed in her direction and now she’ll be facing it alone. When circumstances have her picking up her husband’s iPad - she’s suddenly seeing proof that he’s been having an affair. Before she can think rationally - she’s sent a text to the other woman - Lindsey - asking her to come over.

The wife and the other woman stuck in a house together during a hurricane - intense setup, right? We end up learning a lot about both women and their relationships with Ethan. This was a really quick read and I wanted to see how things would end. The ending was a little unsatisfying to me but it wasn’t a bad way to spend a couple hours. I would compare this to a movie you’re flipping past on a Sunday afternoon, pause to watch for a moment and then realize 2 hours have passed and you watched the whole thing.

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.

This was such as good thriller that I read in one sitting. I love the authors note that she mentioned on Goodreads why she wrote this book and I can see it in her character development.

I am recommending this book in the Summer Reading Guide for Thrillers this week in What to Read Next Blog.

Oh man I have to say this was good! What happens when the wife finds out her husband is cheating well things take on a whole new world.

Tess can't believe Ethan cheated on her with this young woman but she will get answers one way or another. I was amazed at how Tess took no prisoners and was I would like to think I could be like Tess if ever put in that situation but then I would be the one that backs down. I liked how Tess struggled with it all as far as trying to get answers but also knowing what she was doing was wrong.

This probably hits home to some people as their significant other has cheated on them but don't get any ideas. Tess is a strong woman one that even when things are going sour she still has class. I have to say the spider incident was one of my favorites and had me giggling. Answers will be given but what will be the truth?

In the middle of a hurricane we witness the ultimate confrontation: wife vs. mistress. Tessa discovers texts from Lindsey on Ethan's iPad. She lures Lindsey to the house and we have a front row seat for the big reveal. Told in dual timelines with Tessa's story taking place in the present and Lindsey's filling in the backstory of the affair. I found this to be an enjoyable read, but things just didn't add up. Maybe I should just chalk it up to Ethan being a total dirtbag? The character development was just not believable for me. There are more compelling books out there, but this might make a worthwhile beach/vacation read for some.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It goes on...

Or does it?

Mine is a non-stop, action packed, emotional roller coaster. Told from two points of view--Tessa's in the present day, and Lindsey's in the past--it's a quick, mostly satisfying read. I enjoyed the emotional spectrum these two women were subjected to throughout this novel. I think any woman with a well-loved partner can identify and empathize. Putting myself in Tessa's shoes, especially, made my heart hurt. Plus, it's just fun to imagine doing what Tessa ultimately did.

Having said that, the dialogue was terrible.
"You're a whore!"
"No, I'm not, you just couldn't satisfy your husband!"
This...over and over and over again. Thankfully, this is a relatively short story...otherwise I'm not sure I could have stood the repetition. I would also say that several events are pretty implausible, and a few don't really make sense. There were also a few loose ties which were never really answered, and I was kind of hoping for a more dynamic, satisfying conclusion...something really wicked. But that's just me. I wholeheartedly agree with another reviewer who mentioned it's very much like a Lifetime movie. 'Tis true.

Overall, I think this would be a perfect beach read...it's quick and fun, though not overly thought-provoking.

**Thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Courtney Cole for the ARC. I appreciate the opportunity to review this decadent little novel.

Publication date: May 28, 2019
Goodreads Review Published: May 21, 2019

What would you do if you were in the middle of a major hurricane and had just found out that your husband, that you have been with for over two decades, has been cheating on you? You are alone, while he is in another state and you have contacted his mistress.

This was an intense account of the relationship between a mistress and her lover and the mistress and the wife. Throw in a battle of wills and a desperate attempt to save a life and you have an excellent domestic thriller. The descriptive, slightly sexual language that was used to describe the affair might be a bit much for some but it wasn’t a complete turn off from the story.

A good, twisted story about two women who find they love the same man.....the wife and the young mistress. The story was well written and kept me guessing on which story the mistress was telling was true and what were lies. I guess I was looking for a little more confrontation in the end, and was a little disappointed how the wife and mistress ended it. All in all well written and an easy read.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. In this domestic suspense novel, Tessa and Ethan are a power couple who seem to have it all: successful businesses, beautiful children, and a multi-million dollar home on the beach. Life is perfect...until one night while Ethan is out of town on business, Tessa stumbles upon his iPad and discovers that her husband is having an affair with Lindsey, a 26 year old nursing student.

Enraged, Tessa pretends to be Ethan and lures Lindsey to their home and holds her captive. The stand off that ensues is suspenseful and thoroughly entertaining. I couldn’t wait to find out what Tessa was going to do next. Told from both Tessa’s and Lindsey’s viewpoints, Mine is the ultimate tale of revenge and betrayal. If you’re looking for a quick beach read this summer, I recommend this!

Thank you to Courtney Cole, Gallery Books, and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

You know that feeling when your mind wanders and you have crazy ridiculous thoughts, but you remind yourself, "Oh, those are just thoughts. I would never do that"? Well... all of those crazy thoughts come out in this book. Tessa finds out her husband is cheating on her so she decides to harness those evil thoughts and unleash them on the mistress. Yall, this book is so crazy and psychotic but so amazing. I literally felt like it was every girls worst nightmare, but also exactly what they would be wishing they could do if they were in the same circumstances.

This novel was addicting, entertaining, and flat out crazy. I think I loved it the most because it is exactly what every girl would fantasize about doing if her husband ever cheated on them. Maybe I wouldn't actually do what Tessa did... but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't at least think about it! This was a great read and I would highly recommend it to readers who enjoy suspense novels. Thank you to Gallery and NetGalley for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 3/5

Mine was disturbing but powerful. I'd never read a Cole book but was intrigued when this was offered. I can't say I "like" the books but I can tell you I read it in less than 24 hours (which isn't the norm for me). From the beginning, Cole's writing, especially the raw emotion of the characters, had me engrossed.

Poor Tessa is blind-sided by her otherwise loving husband's inappropriate texting with another woman. The discovery starts a series of events that Tessa would have never thought possible.

Mine takes us on a hard emotional journey where Tessa and Linsdey must reflect on their lives, their decisions and the man they share. The two women couldn't be much different and yet after a long, sometimes even physical, journey they find some common ground.

This book is a study in betrayal, unrealistic expectations, lack of self-awareness, families and their dysfunction and failure to understand one's own actions and motivations.

Many women will identify a little too closely with either Tessa or Lindsey. If your looking for an intense, emotional read this book is perfect.

Tessa has wonderful life: 3 beautiful children, a handsome, loving husband, an envious lifestyle, and a career that she built from the ground up. She drops her youngest children off with her parents for their yearly summer visit, and gets the usual “words of wisdom” from her mother that her career keeps her away from her husband and children too much. Heading back home and knowing that a hurricane was on the way, and her husband is held up in New York with a business trip, she prepares to face the storm on her own...but little does she know there is a whole different kind of storm awaiting her. Alone in her home, she finds proof that her husband is having an affair...and text messages that come in for him are answered by her, luring the mistress, Lindsey, to her house where she plans to find out about the mistress and the affair. The writing takes us through the details chapter by chapter, devoting one to Tessa and the next to Lindsey. Both women are adamant that they are the one that Ethan truly loves, and will discard the other once he knows he must make a choice. The rage and righteousness that each encounters in the other startles them both. How far will this rage allow them to go to discover the secrets and lies behind the affair...as the hurricane whips up its own type of rage outside the home. Character development helps us to understand the women and their relationship with Ethan. The story pulls the reader along with the anger and frustration of the women through the surprising outcome. I received an ARC of this book from the author, publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review, which this has been. #Mine, #NetGalley

OH MY GOODNESS!
Tessa arrives home alone just as the hurricane hits. Her oldest child is off at school and the younger kids are safe with the grandparents. She's rushed home to spend the weekend with her husband who blows her off at the last second, allegedly for work. She believes him as she has always believed in him, because if you can't trust your own husband who can you trust? Then she sees the messages. Dozens of them, from the woman he's been having an affair with. She is crushed. She wants answers, and she wants to confront him, but he's not there and the cell service is dying from storm damage. Suddenly she knows just what to do, she'll get her answers from the mistress instead.
My thoughts are all over the place. I just finished this book and now see why the cover is so very perfect. I tore through this novel as quick as the hurricane force winds that descended on Tessa's life.
This is a powerful story, rich with betrayal and steeped in rage, or maybe the rage is my own, I can't even tell anymore if I am feeling my own emotions or those of Tessa. You will want to hug your husband after reading this, if he is trustworthy. You may want to smack him if he isn't. Either way you will feel something. This is not the kind of book that you can just put down and go about your day. You wont forget this one so easily.

I absolutely adored Cole's Saving Beck last year and when I saw she came out with this Domestic/Psychological Thriller, I was beyond excited to receive a surprise copy. SCORE! We get your typical premise when it comes to wife/mistress/husband... but Cole does it with such finesse that I literally opened this book to page one and three hours later turned the last page and finally put it down. Yes, ladies and gents, it's THAT compulsive of a read!

What happens when you make your bed and then your husband and his mistress sleeps in it? You think you have a solid and loving marriage and then one tragic moment when you open his iPad and see his sexts to his mistress and your whole world implodes while the outside world explodes in a hurricane. How apropos. Lure said mistress to your house and let the crazy begin! When a woman feels disrespected and betrayed, on either side, anything can happen. Your first thought is revenge on the woman and then potentially the man who caused the whole situation to begin with.

Listen, shit gets real. Everything contained in this book is plausible, bat shit or not. I could not put this book down. Then, when I read the afterword and found that Cole wrote this based on her own experiences with infidelity - wow, just wow honestly. Some couples can make it through, some can't. But what's true through and through is the rage that is felt. Even for the woman who knew what she was walking into - does she really though? Love is blind but so is rage.

Absolutely recommend this for a quick, fast paced ride to crazy town - population: EVERYONE.

What a waste! I hate giving bad reviews; this one is too much for me! You find out your husband is cheating on you, he is out of town, a hurricane is coming, you call his mistress to vent on her!
I don't know who is more insane, of twisted, the husband, of the mistress! I can understand the wife's anger; what I can't understand are people who read trash like this? I guess if you watch a Soap Opera, Reality TV, or read People magazine, then you might love it!?
I am tired of so many books lately, where the husband can't be trusted, the wife falls apart, or believes everything she is told!
The ironic part of this is, I live in Tallahassee, FL, we are boosters at FSU, Santa Rosa is maybe two and half hours away? In October of last year we went through a hurricane, we lost nine 75 foot trees, it flooded, we lost our electricity for the wee! Would anyone be so consumed by by a two-bit mistress during a killer storm. This book is for Lifetime TV watchers! Too unbelievable for my taste. I am certain other people will love it.
Thank you Netgalley!
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