Alice has three important adults in her life, her dead husband Tom, her new husband Nathan, and her best friend Beth. Little does she know how big a role all four ofthem play in each other’s lives.

About half way through this book I probably would have given it 3 stars, but I’m so glad I kept going because the second half killed it. So much happened that I didn’t see coming at all. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you st martins press and netgalley for sending me an advanced copy of this book!

Sandie Jones has avoided a sophomore slump with The First Mistake. This evenly paced drama unfolds quickly and with plenty of surprises along the way. While there are some reveals that are easily predicted, there were more that I found to be unexpected and propelled the plot. The ending was satisfying, and I can't think of a single string that Jones left untied (not that every plot needs to be perfectly tied up, but sometimes it's preferable to not be left wanting). I have seen some conflicting reviews on this book, so it might not be for everyone. I think expecting this to be more drama/mystery than thriller will manage expectations- it's not a high adrenaline fueled plot, but I thought it moved along at a good pace and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I was guessing at who The First Mistake was from the first few pages. Several twists and turns keep you guessing up until the end. Quite a ride in how in all comes together while you're saying "wait, what...how ... hmmmmm...oh yeh" all in one breath. A lot of my suspicions panned out; but I couldn't put it together, which is good from a reading standpoint. I like to be surprised! Thanks to Minotaur Books and St. Martins Press for the ARC

Alice was married to Tom until he died. Then she married Nathan. But as we find out as we read this blockbuster novel, Alice may not be able to trust men, at all! She is devastated to find out that her beloved Tom may have had a mistress on the side, a woman named Beth whom she considers to be a good friend. Beth has one daughter and Alice has two. Are they step-siblings thanks to Tom’s infidelity? That is one of the questions that is revealed slowly in this book that is hard to put down. Nathan has become a valuable part of Alice’s design company and wants to expand to Japan. Although Alice is a little reluctant about this costly investment, she trusts Nathan to lead the company in a new and promising direction. Still reeling with the discovery of Beth and Tom’s disloyalty, Alice turns to Nathan as the one she can count on. The twists in this novel just don’t stop coming, all the way to the end that was absolutely so twisted that I had to read it twice. Fans of psychological suspense will fall in love with the story of Alice, Tom, Beth and Nathan...and it’s my bet that you won’t be able to guess the ending!

Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Minotaur Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I’m torn on my review for The First Mistake. I’m hoping that a lot of the mistakes in my copy will be resolved for the final copy. I found that the novel was predictable, just because of the lack of characters and the timings of certain events.

It took me a bit to figure out what this novel was about. First, the novel goes into Alice’s life and how she is slowing building doubts against her husband, Nathan. Then the novel goes into Alice’s friend, Beth, history with a man that she thought was the one, but he turned into a dud. And finally switch back to present day, where we still have Alice and her doubts.

I’m very curious to see what other readers thought of the ending. I have to admit, it was quite the ending and I’m still trying to process it. I had to re-read the last 3 pages multiple times to see if I could crack the code.

2 calculators out of a potential 5. I think this novel is coming out at the perfect time. This is truly a pool side summertime read, where you want to get into the drama of others’ lives.

This was good, I enjoyed it, but figured it out pretty quickly. Not much character development other than the main character, and since there were only 3 characters, I found myself thinking there should be a few more peripheral ones. Still, very enjoyable, and I will definitely look for more from this author!

Alice’s first husband disappeared while skiing several years ago. Since that time, Alice has been through a whirlwind of emotions, but managed to build her life back up. She is now married to her second husband, Nathan, who she works beside day by day managing her successful business. Together they are raising their two daughters in a life that most can only dream of having.

One day while talking with her best friend, Beth, Alice starts to realize that perhaps the details of her life aren’t what they seem. At the same time Nathan seems to be pulling away from Alice. Could Alice’s past and present vary greatly from they way she has always perceived them?

THE FIRST MISTAKE is the perfect domestic thriller for your summer reading line-up! The book opens with Alice’s perspective and her giving the reader a walk through her life. Cue the bombshell that changes everything up at the end of part one! Sandie Jones effortlessly built up the story in one direction and then completely derailed it into another in a way that made a good story into a great read. I could not put this book down!

I am always a fan of alternating POVs, which Jones plays off of by breaking the book into three sections. To avoid spoilers, I won’t tell you who lays out the story, but I will tell you that the first two parts are each a different side of the story and they converge in part three. What a fun way to read a book! I honestly was never sure whose side to be on aside from Alice. To me Alice was as innocent in learning about the secrets of her life, as the reader was. This was a nice change from listening to unreliable narrators tell the story and instead have the unreliable characters surround our central protagonist.

The pace of THE FIRST MISTAKE isn’t breakneck and it isn’t a slow-burn. Sandie Jones methodically unveils hints about what is happening in a way that strings the reader along. This book is filled with chapters that will leave you with questions, which naturally leads to binge reading parts of the book. I didn’t find at any point that Jones was including too many details or focusing on topics that weren’t integral to what was happening in the moment.

I know that there are a lot of domestic thriller on the market and that many readers feel that they’re played out. I would say that if you find yourself in that category, perhaps THE FIRST MISTAKE won’t be for you or at least not for you right now if you’re suffering from burnout. If you’re looking for a lighter crime fiction read filled to the brim with domestic drama, then this is perfect for you! I can’t recommend this book enough for an afternoon at the pool or the beach or even just curled up on your couch fighting the heat with A/C!

I’m always a little hesitant to start a new thriller, mainly cuz I’m worried that I’ll be able to figure out the plot right away. The First Mistake was definitely not predictable, although it hints to certain things before they come to fruition, the author is able to throw some unforeseen twists and turns into the story to keep you guessing until the last page. My only complaint was the time it took for certain characters to confront others, but other than that, this was an amazing suspense and another hit for Sandie Jones!

This one started quite slow for me. I felt like nothing happened for the first 30-40% of the book. I didn’t find any of the characters likable and to be honest, I figured out the main twist pretty early on. HOWEVER, the last 10% or so of the book was phenomenal and I was reading as fast as I could to try to get all the other twists and turns figured out. I do feel like there was some unanswered questions and plot holes, but I would still recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and twist suspense.

This is the first book for me from this author, and it won't be my last! I read it in two days until the wee hours of the morning. I could NOT put it down! Talk about suspenseful, edge of your seat reading! I dont want to give away any spoilers, but I thought of possible scenarios of what was going on, and I was way off! It is definitely not predictable. The end had my jaw dropping. Such a great, suspenseful read! You will not be disappointed!

I won’t lie, it took me a hot minute or hour to get into this book. There was quite a bit of set up before the first big “ahhh! What?!” moment.

In the beginning, I was annoyed with Alice. By the time we got to Beth’s story, I liked Alice a bit more. Beth? Girl. I wanted to shake some sense into her.

Once I got to the second part, I couldn’t put this book down. It is a solid suspense novel with a few predictable twists and one I didn’t see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Once again Sandie Jones delivers a thriller full of twisty turns. When you think you know the outcome the book takes a complete 360. There are twists to the last page. Alice’s first husband disappeared and is presumed dead. Years later she has remarried and things seem to going well. Until suddenly they’re not. Things start to unravel in her marriage and has Alice wondering if it’s really happening or all in her head. To sort things out she turns to her best friend. But her best friend might not be who she thinks she is either.I didn’t love it like I did her first book, The Other Woman but I definitely didn’t hate it. The fact that there were so many twists and I didn’t know what the outcome would be kept me guessing and interested all the way through to the end. I kind of wish I had waited to binge read it on my beach vacation.

I felt so awful for Alice. She's not sure who she can believe, and it seems like everyone except her two daughters has a secret agenda. Her husband may be cheating and her best friend definitely seems to be hiding something...

This was ridiculously fun. There are lot of twists and I called some and not others. This was also a little bit of a slow burn for me, so if you don't love it immediately, give it a few chapters. Once we get to Beth's story, it gets amazing. I don't mean to imply that Alice's part is boring, because it's not. But her story seems like we've seen it a thousand times (which I think serves to lull the reader into a false sense of complacency). 

This is a great summer read.

After reading The First Mistake, Sandie Jones has become a must-read author for me in the suspense, thriller, and mystery genres. Ms Jones knows how to place twists and turns in her stories to create a rollercoaster ride to the end.

The story drew me in from the start. The characters are interesting and have many layers.

I highly recommend this book to everyone but especially if you are a fan of the genres.
Thank you #Netgalley and #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks for approving my request to read this book. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

I absolutely LOVED this authors first book The Other Woman and I was excited to dive into The First Mistake. I read this book in one sitting. It is fast paced, with twists and turns, I had no clue what was going to happen next, and I love that! The characters were complex with a well crafted storyline. There was a shocking twist at the end that blew me away. Great psychological thriller by a fantastic author.

I was so stoked to receive an advance copy of Sandie Jones’ newest thriller, The First Mistake, out TOMORROW, June 11! Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and the author for letting me get my hands on this highly anticipated book in exchange for an honest review.

We begin The First Mistake by meeting Alice: a mom of two great daughters, the owner of a successful interior design business, and wife of Nathan. Nathan is Alice’s second husband; after she lost her first husband, Tom, in a tragic accident, Alice didn’t know if anything was worth living for anymore, but Nathan helped her find her way back to the light. But lately, Nathan has been acting a little weirdly, and Alice can’t help but start to wonder if he might be cheating on her. She naturally turns to her best friend, Beth, for help, but as she becomes more and more convinced something is up with Nathan, she wonders if she can even trust Beth…(dun dun dun)

Folks, this book is the bomb dot com. I read it in one day, easily. From the first few lines I just couldn’t put it down. I honestly thought for awhile at the beginning that I had it all figured out and I was so proud of myself. And then, bang: NOPE. Wrong. And from that point on I could not figure out what was what. I had no idea who to trust or even what information to trust – the author kept me on my toes the whole way through the story. Seriously, right up until the very last page – I didn’t know for sure what was going to happen until I was reading the final lines.

I loved the characters, especially Alice. She is such a bad ass, strong woman – she is fierce, independent, and confident, even in the face of everything that has happened and is happening in her life. Her relationships with the others are gloriously complicated and messy, in the way that life is. It’s the way these relationships and the stories of the characters are told by the author that I think made this book unputdownable for me. I kept needing to know what decisions they would make next and how that would change the trajectory of the plot.

This is the second book from Sandie Jones that I’ve read. I read The Other Woman earlier this year and really enjoyed it, but The First Mistake is even better. Jones seriously outdid herself with this one and proved to me that she is a master thriller writer. I can’t wait to read everything else she writes! She’s solidified herself as a favorite for me.

Go snag this book tomorrow!

The First Mistake by Sandie Jones will take you on an unexpected ride full of twists and turns. Alice’s life was turned upside down when she lost her first husband. Sinking down a very dark path, Alice finds comfort, happiness and a second chance with her second husband, Nathan. But when he begins acting strange, she turns to her best friend, Beth. Suddenly she is not sure who to trust and so begins Alice’s journey full of suspense and mystery! I was captivated from start to finish!

Happy reading!

I figured the twist out on this one pretty quickly, but I still found it enjoyable as there was enough red herrings and unreliable narrators to make the story entertaining. I think a stronger author could have executed the narrative structure better, but overall, a fun, easy thriller and perfect beach read.

Husband, wife, best friend and money...what could possibly go wrong?! The First Mistake is Sandie Jones's follow up to The Other Woman and she doesn't disappoint! I was quickly pulled into the story and read it in one sitting. I don't want to say too much so I don't give any spoilers...if you love thrillers/psychological fiction, grab a copy now!

This was a heck of a ride. From the slow beginning to the climatic ending it kept me turning pages.

Alice lost her true love. Her first husband, in a skiing accident. She didn’t think she was ever going to get over that loss and in lots of ways she may not have. She meets Nathan and gives him her heart anyway. He’s kind and caring and so good to her daughter from her marriage to Tom. They also have a daughter together and seem to have it all. But looks can be deceiving at times. Is Alice who she says she is? Is Nathan the man of her dreams or a player set on destruction?

Then we have Beth who is not all she claims to be either. She and Alice have been best friends for about three years. Confiding in each other and having a girls night each week. Talking about anything and everything. They are the best of friends. Or are they? Is Alice using Beth? Or is Beth using Alice? How does Nathan fit into this equation?

This book will take you for the ride of your life. It’s a page turner for sure and will keep you wondering who is who and what exactly is going on.

This is my second book by this author. The Other Woman being the first. Although I truly enjoyed this book to me it started out a bit slow and that is not good. If you are impatient you may miss out on a very good book if you don’t stick it out. It picks up rather quickly and you will be hooked.

The dramatic ending will have you holding your breathe for sure. It’s a very good book and has a lot of the feels you love in books. It had me on the edge in a few places and even a tear or two shed. I loved the dramatic ending. Well done.

Thank you to #NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my complete and honest review.

I gave it 4 stars. But only because it was a bit slow in the beginning. I highly recommend it.