If you’re a reader familiar with Tarryn Fisher’s books, you already know that nothing is what it seems when it comes to a story’s plot line and characters, and that what you perceive as the reality of certain situations that occur as the book progresses is anything but…perception isn’t always factual or honest, which is exactly why it’s extremely difficult to trust in your inferences about the story line because it’s not your story, for that matter, it’s not even the author’s story…it’s where the characters want and need to go that dictates how twisted and complex the journey is.

Seeing everything through Thursday’s eyes, one of Seth’s three wives, is what I found to be the biggest mindjolt. There’s truly no reason to doubt what she uncovers, how she reacts to that information, and the way everything unfolds due to the steps taken to resolve the position she finds herself in when her life implodes.

What’s clear throughout this psychological thriller is that the world is not, and almost cannot be experienced/lived in only black and white, and this is more than scary because it’s an unpredictable, uncontrolled, and potentially unhinged gray area - a place where nothing is guaranteed and where fighting for what you want doesn’t mean you get it or perhaps, even deserve it.

Even though I have a number of Fisher’s book in my Kindle library, I had yet to dive into one, so the opportunity to read/review The Wives was exactly what I needed to be introduced to the way she crafts a story and how character-driven her storylines are…now, I just need to find the time to read her other books!

4.5 Poison Apples

This book was over hyped. I was really disappointed in this book. The first half was awesome and then the second half had me second guessing my choice of book. The description of the book makes it a let down.

4.5 stars

This was the first book I have read of Tarryn's and after hearing so much about it I jumped at the chance to read it and I wasn't disappointed.

I'm not sure what I expected from the blurb as I tried to go in relatively blind and I was hooked. I never knew which way this book was going to go and the twists and turns where honestly brilliant. I never suspected them. Simply brilliant writing.

If this is Tarryn's level of writing then I will certainly be checking out her backlist of work and looking out for new books.

‘In my youth, I considered love a burden. How could you get anything done when you had to consider someone every second of the day? When I met Seth, that all went out the window. I became my mother: doting, yielding, spread-eagle emotionally and sexually. It both thrilled and revolted me.’

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher just happens to be our last read for 2019 and what a way to see out our year of reading with this mind-bending 5-star thriller. A brilliant story with so much secrecy and so many twists, we were rendered incapable of moving an inch until we’d turned the very last heart-stopping page, left stunned and open-mouthed at what we had experienced!

We should note, this is not a romance. It is a thriller told in this author’s own inimitable style, where Tarryn Fisher became the ultimate puppet master, pulling our strings with expert precision, as we were told Thursday’s story, her complex marriage, and how she came to marry the enigmatic Seth Ellington; from Thursday’s perspective. Discovering why Thursday agreed to share Seth with two other women, known to her as Monday and Tuesday, and why these three women’s paths were never supposed to cross, and the astounding fallout that would follow, when they do.

‘I shouldn’t wonder, but I do. How does a man love so many women? A different woman almost every other day. And where do I fall in the category of favor?’

Thursday struck such a lonely figure. A nurse who never quite connected with friends and co-workers, a woman disconnected by her family, and whose life revolved around the infrequency her husband deemed to make time for her, in between his other two wives.

We constantly asked ourselves what it was Thursday got from her arrangement with Seth as she seemed so unhappy most of the time. She was young, successful and screaming out for love. Something Seth provided with words, not so much in actions. Well, what we learned blew our minds!

‘I am falling apart, picking at my relationship like it’s a scab.’

We urge you to go into The Wives spoiler-free, you really do need to experience this story as it plays out to feel the shocks, thrills and crazy ride the author takes you on. Being both naturally inquisitive people, this story delivered so many deliciously intense moments that fascinated us.

‘I must uncover the secrets of my husband’s first wife or I’ll go mad.’

The Wives was an impressive standalone thriller that had us gasping and wondering exactly how Thursday’s story was going to play out. And let us tell you, whatever scenario’s we had in our heads –were well off the mark! Well played, Tarryn Fisher well played indeed.

If you love your stories full of angst, suspense, eye-opening twists told by an author of superlative talent, grab The Wives by Tarryn Fisher right now!

‘My mother once told me that a relationship could withstand almost any trial if the sex was good. It had sounded shallow and ridiculous at the time, but now I see that’s exactly what has happened with Seth and me. A lot happens in a relationship, probably a lot that you really need to pay attention to, but you’re too busy fucking to notice. ‘

"My existence is exhausting, all of the games I play. This is a woman's curse."

"I love my husband, but I'm not the only one. There are others."

The Wives is a psychological thriller from a new to me author and this book put my mind in an endless spin hours after reading it.

This book is told through our heroine's POV, Thursday. Like any mystery novel, the story slowly but surely builds up the suspense while I was sitting here gripping my e-reader and madly flipping the pages to know what will happen next. I read this book until the wee hours of the morning because of its driving story plot, and honestly, who doesn't like a thriller like this one? Aside from romance, this is one of my book crack.

As I read through, I thought I know what this story will be about, only to be proven wrong. I really didn't expect it to turn/ end the story that way. I was speechless, dumbfounded, astounded... All of these things. I keep trying to replay the story in my head, staring mindlessly at space as I try to digest everything. Gahd! And that's why, this book is amazing!

I won't say anything more because I want you all to experience what I had. Needless to say, I have nothing but mad love for this book and this is definitely, a must read for fans of this trope.

4.5 Stars

This book was bonkers but in a really awesome way! The premise was so intriguing and I read the first part in some sort of weird fascination with this arrangement. Then as Thursday starts to dig for information to discover who her husband really is, the suspense really built. But then we’re hit with a plot twist that leaves you questioning everything. From there on out, you won’t know what to believe as the rest of this twisted and crazy story unravels. It kept me guessing until the very end. Just when I thought we had it figured out, I was left wondering once again as a new piece of information was revealed. I really loved the uncertainty of it all, it kept me flipping the pages to see what would happen next. The story is told entirely from Thursday’s point of view and I thought that was a really great choice because, as the reader, we only know as much as she does so we really have to work for answers, plus as the story unfolds her unreliability really made me feel a little crazy too. And that ending! Holy cow. Talk about going out with a bang. It certainly took me by surprise, which was a fitting way to end such an unpredictable story!

4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Damn, that was a wild ride!

The Wives had me hooked from the very first page - I just new I was gonna be taken for a spin on the bat-shit crazymobile! And I loved every second of anticipation!

Super addictive, highly entertaining and incredibly unpredictable!

The story is told entirely from Thursday’s POV - a woman who WILLINGLY shares her husband Seth with his two other wives. That in itself is insane AF. No, seriously though. Once she finds out the names of Seth’s other two wives, she must know more about them - and then some. As she begins digging around and the story unfolds, we see just how someone’s mind can play some seriously twisted tricks on them - and us!

I highly recommend for those who like thrillers that will keep you guessing until the end!

I enjoyed reading and chatting about this one with a few of my Traveling Sisters. 🧡

Thank you to NetGalley, Graydon House and Tarryn Fisher for my advanced copy to read and review.

WOW. That's basically how I am left feeling after reading a T.Fisher novel. It's been on my TBR since she announced it. She has never once disappointed me. It's like there's a whole new world when I'm reading her books. I get sucked in and couldn't stop reading. I am not one to read many thrillers, but this was definitely a great great.

This story is slow to start with an almost voyeuristic depiction of Thursday’s life. There are clues all over the place but, as is so often the case, those clues only make sense in hindsight. The ending justifies the feelings of unease that you feel while watching Thursday’s growing obsession. This is not a happy novel by any means, and one could make the argument that it serves to portray mental illness in a negative light. In fact, the ending ruined the story for me, which I was enjoying until then.

I found this story to be a little strange, yes I knew going into it that Tarryn Fisher writes stories that are different and thought provoking but I really found this story a little irritating and a bit of a mockery of mental health. I really hated the ending of the story and cannot really say why due to it being a major spoiler. I found this to be just an ok read and wasn't really my cup of tea. I was really hoping for a better outcome for the books characters but it just didn't go the way I thought it would.and so I wouldn't ever read this book again. I have loved many other stories from this author but this one just didn't do it for me this time.

Thursday is in a polygamous relationship, but knows nothing of the other wives except the days that her husband, Seth, goes to see them. When she accidentally comes across the name of one of his wives, however, she cannot help but be a little curious. As she falls into a rapid, fast-paced pursuit of the wive she knows nothing about, she wonders if she should have kept it that way, or if her husband has more secrets than just the wives he keeps. As she digs deeper into his history, she finds that things are obviously not what they seem. Will the wives reveal the secrets she is looking for, or will they offer much more than that?

‘In my youth, I considered love a burden. How could you get anything done when you had to consider someone every second of the day? When I met Seth, that all went out the window. I became my mother: doting, yielding, spread-eagle emotionally and sexually. It both thrilled and revolted me.’

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher just happens to be our last read for 2019 and what a way to see out our year of reading with this mind-bending 5-star thriller. A brilliant story with so much secrecy and so many twists, we were rendered incapable of moving an inch until we’d turned the very last heart-stopping page, left stunned and open-mouthed at what we had experienced!

We should note, this is not a romance. It is a thriller told in this author’s own inimitable style, where Tarryn Fisher became the ultimate puppet master, pulling our strings with expert precision, as we were told Thursday’s story, her complex marriage, and how she came to marry the enigmatic Seth Ellington; from Thursday’s perspective. Discovering why Thursday agreed to share Seth with two other women, known to her as Monday and Tuesday, and why these three women’s paths were never supposed to cross, and the astounding fallout that would follow, when they do.

‘I shouldn’t wonder, but I do. How does a man love so many women? A different woman almost every other day. And where do I fall in the category of favor?’

Thursday struck such a lonely figure. A nurse who never quite connected with friends and co-workers, a woman disconnected by her family, and whose life revolved around the infrequency her husband deemed to make time for her, in between his other two wives.

We constantly asked ourselves what it was Thursday got from her arrangement with Seth as she seemed so unhappy most of the time. She was young, successful and screaming out for love. Something Seth provided with words, not so much in actions. Well, what we learned blew our minds!

‘I am falling apart, picking at my relationship like it’s a scab.’

We urge you to go into The Wives spoiler-free, you really do need to experience this story as it plays out to feel the shocks, thrills and crazy ride the author takes you on. Being both naturally inquisitive people, this story delivered so many deliciously intense moments that fascinated us.

‘I must uncover the secrets of my husband’s first wife or I’ll go mad.’

The Wives was an impressive standalone thriller that had us gasping and wondering exactly how Thursday’s story was going to play out. And let us tell you, whatever scenario’s we had in our heads –were well off the mark! Well played, Tarryn Fisher well played indeed.

If you love your stories full of angst, suspense, eye-opening twists told by an author of superlative talent, grab The Wives by Tarryn Fisher right now!

‘My mother once told me that a relationship could withstand almost any trial if the sex was good. It had sounded shallow and ridiculous at the time, but now I see that’s exactly what has happened with Seth and me. A lot happens in a relationship, probably a lot that you really need to pay attention to, but you’re too busy fucking to notice. ‘

When the book starts, Thursday is trying to deal with her husband Seth and his other wives. As the story progresses, I was on edge of my seat. I thought I had handle on the truth and then another twist. What’s the truth?

3.5 "What did I just read?" stars

So this book is a total mindf**k!! I can safely say that you will NOT see all the twists and turns in this one. Just when I thought I knew what was going on - something else happened.

We hear the story from Thursday's (the second wife) point of view and she paints a relatively clear picture of what her life is like and her perception of the others. To be honest - it was hard to really like any of the characters and at times - I thought the book lagged a bit.

As you can probably guess - it isn't an easy life sharing your man with two other women. Thursday learns things she probably wishes she didn't know and you'll learn things you probably wish you didn't know. This is definitely a psychological thriller and you absolutely won't believe how it ends. Jaw dropping finish all the way around.

I voluntarily requested and received an advance reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley.

This book was exactly what I needed after reading a few thrillers in a row that were straight misses. It was fast paced, had me on the edge of my seat at certain parts and very believable. The author has an incredible talent of perfectly weaving a story of deception and bringing you to a satisfying end!

Thursday is just one of The Wives. Their husband Seth calls all three wives by the day that he visits them. There is Monday, his youngest and newest wife, who is in early pregnancy. Tuesday is his original wife and is older. When she didn’t want children, Seth decided to legally divorce her and marry second wife Thursday. But then Thursday cannot have children either so he marries young and fertile Monday.

Seth explains that he was born from polygamists so it seems normal to have more than one wife to him. However, he wants to avoid all the mama drama in polygamist households by not telling his wives each other names.

One day, Thursday stumbles on a doctor’s bill in Seth’s pocket for Hannah, who she later discovers is Monday. When meeting Hannah, she finds fingerprint-shaped bruises on her. Could Hannah’s version of Seth be a wife beater? If so, why doesn’t he beat Thursday?

That is just the first 20% of this crazy thriller where nothing is as it seems and no one’s word can be trusted. Basically, everyone may be an unreliable narrator. It is up to the reader to determine who, if anyone, is telling the full story. I love playing armchair detective. However, after about the halfway point, I stopped trying to guess what was going happen. It was easier and less frustrating to just let the story play out like a movie in front of me. So if you are ready for a Marvel Universe level of suspension of disbelief, then you are ready for this thriller. It is a wild ride. The Wives will make a great HBO limited series or movie. 4 stars!

Thanks to Graydon House, Harlequin Books, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher is an intense, unbelievably epic mind game. It is a twisted rollercoaster ride and I loved every minute of it. Author Tarryn Fisher outdid herself.

The story is intriguing, captivating and sucks you in from beginning to end. It is a cat and mouse game of colossal proportion. Just when I think I know, author Tarryn Fisher reveals another clue that has my thoughts spinning once again. The characters are complex and extremely well developed. I was fascinated.

I could not put The Wives down and highly recommend, especially if you enjoy thrillers and mind games. Must read.
~ Maria

REVIEW: HOLY. EFFING. ISH.
"It's strange how perception is altered by bitterness."

This was my FIRST read of Tarryn Fisher's but I can guarantee you it will NOT be my last. I am still smiling at that ending!!! Holy freaking cow!!! *Breathe, Bee. Breathe.* I LOVED THE WIVES!! I loved the rush I got and I loved the look inside her crazy mind. What a deliciously twisted read. I want more of this. This was insanity with a devilishly crooked smile.....on me.

Maybe it was the thrill of reading a well known, very popular, and highly recommended author that gave me the boost I needed to read this book. Maybe it was the different genre that didn’t have any preconceived norms for me to expect that made me turn the pages quicker than I anticipated. Either way, this book worked for me. I feel like Fisher gave me an enormous amount of info, a whirlwind of action, only for it all to come to fruition with a slam of the door. I was left with a gasp and for my first psychological thriller and first Tarryn Fisher book, and this one gave me the best of both worlds.

"But the truth is the heart's desire is a mere current against the tide of nurture and nature."

I got to a certain point in the book, and the writing on the wall became very clear in a blurry sort of way - so trying to make sense of it all was interesting. Now I had answers, but I needed the coordinating questions to match them up to. Not totally unpredictable - given the layout, but completely eye-widening because while I clearly don’t read this genre enough, it had just enough suspense and shock to guide me along, making me cling to her every word. I originally read it one way, but then I found myself scrutinizing the words and the implied tones used earlier, the further I got into it.

This was a fresh voice with a differently paced inflection that allowed me to follow along easily. I loved her flow, her voice, and her pace. I was completely engaged in the storyline because I was following along with a concept that I couldn't imagine myself dealing with, so every turn and every twist had me more and more curious.

I loved that she gave me a character that was so real, in very real form, but had a dynamic that had me OMGosh'ing throughout the book. Also....the fun part about this book was that it was set on my area.

You know all those big words: enraptured, captivated, enthralled. Those overused review words people throw out there for so many books? Yeah, I could throw them out there, but I won’t. I suppose I could also throw around a wow, woah, *wide-eyes* and a few holy cows too. This book, from the minute I opened it until I closed it and had to think it through, it had my undivided attention. All of it.

Do I give it a five star rating because it had me going crazy and turning the pages to the point that I couldn’t stop or do I give it a four and be objective and try to name something that I think maybe could’ve been different, although I really can’t because I don't have any experience in this genre. I can tell you that it was a thrill from beginning to end, and I didn't do anything but SIT and READ. I honestly couldn’t find any fault with this simply because it held my attention from the very beginning until the very end. Nothing was as it seemed.... or was it. <-- Not a question, actually. I really enjoyed this one and it just makes me that much more excited to give her other stories a shot. Her voice is so clear, so animated, and she gave me a story that took me on a wild ride - definitely not the same story I’ve read 20 times. It was a rush reading this, trying to figure out the twist and then seeing it change direction. I felt the urgency behind the actions, I felt the fear behind the words, I totally loved this!! So so good!! Argh...I can't wait to read more by her.

"Denial is a twisted, perverted soul-thinner."
~BEE

This is one of those books that I can't really talk about because it will give everything away, but wow! This was a wild ride! It was a 3 1/2 star book for me- while I couldn't put it down, it got a little too weird for me. I thought it was one book at the beginning, a second one in the middle, and the ending threw me completely off! I would love to discuss this one with someone when they finish it- this would be a great book club read.

MIND BLOWN! This thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat and you will not see the twist coming! Really enjoyed this!!

Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.