🌊BOOK REVIEW🌊
.
Happy Publishing Day to “The Marriage Betrayal” by Shalini Boland. Thank you to @netgalley #partner for my advanced copy. 📚🎉
.
Faye Townsend wanted to plan the perfect surprise for her husband Jake’s upcoming birthday and she thought she had the perfect present!
.
After much thought Faye rented a large home overlooking the sea in Swange, the town in Dorset, where her husband grew up. She even invited along her sister-in-law, Lainey, and her family.
.
However, as soon as they arrive in Swange, Jack becomes withdrawn and sullen and his sister, Lainey, gets an unwelcome reception from some of her old peers.
.
On the morning they decide to leave Swange, Jack takes his son to go whale watching before they head home but neither of them returns.
.
When a missing report is issued and a search is sent out, their son’s red hat is discovered on the cliffs below. Did they fall into the sea? Are they injured? What happened?
.
As the search continues and the minutes stretch into days Faye finds herself under questioning. The police want to know more about the man to whom she is married.
.
Faye will do anything to find her only child, even if it means facing her own secrets. How far would you go to save your child?
.
This was a great psychological thriller! I do not remember which one of my Bookstagram friends recommended it to me but I enjoyed it.
.
My one complaint was that the ending seemed rushed compared to the pacing of the rest of the story, and a little far-fetched, but the twists and turns totally threw me! .
.
#bookstagram #book #read #reading #beachreads #psychologicalthriller #bibliophile #suspense #themarriagebetrayal
#shaliniboland #bookworm #arc #love #bookaddict #bookphotography #bookbabe #booksharks #booksparks #bookreview #bookaholic #igreads #bookblog #mybookfeatures #readersgonnareads #booklove #readersofinstagram #booksofinstag

A fabulous read. Tense and heartbreaking as a family holiday goes wrong. A surprise week for brother and sister Jake and Lainie by their spouses Faye and Tom is received negatively. Then the worst happens Jake and son Dylan disappear. Faye is understandably distraught. A gripping story as the search goes on to find her lost family. There is also a backstory linking in of many years ago. I devoured this book in two days. Wonderfully written, suspenseful and fantastic twists and turns.

Shalini Boland is one of my favorite authors. I fell in love with her writing when I first read The Girl from the Sea a few years back. Since then, I have had a great relationship with all her books and her latest one, is no exception.

Faye and Tom have organized a vacation for their spouses, Jake and Lainy. Jake and Lainy are siblings and the surprise vacation is at the seaside town where they were raised. What is meant to be a wonderful, thoughtful surprise is not very well received by the siblings. It is clear from the start that they are hiding a secret and they definitely did not want to be back at their hometown. What is worse, other residents in the town also don’t want them back. Things get more twisted when Jake and his son, Dylan, go missing.

As with all Shalini’s titles, it was hard to predict the twists in this one. There was something ominous about the town. The house the couples had booked for the holiday was old, creaky just really creepy. It added the tension in the story. Jake and his sister were definitely hiding something. I couldn’t guess what it was and the twists knocked my socks off.

I enjoyed everything about this story. I loved the two timelines used in the narrative. The then chapters held secrets from the past. Needless to say, I was so keen to find out what happened to the Townsend siblings. The now chapters were equally tense especially following the disappearance of Jake and his son. An anonymous narrator escalated the tension and kept me guessing to the last page.

Shalini has a unique writing style. Her books are usually twisty but she always saves the best one for the epilogue. Soon as I got to the epilogue, my heart started racing as I wondered what she had in store for readers. And… It was brilliant! The kind of twist that leaves you smiling and shaking your head.

The Marriage Betrayal is utterly suspenseful, twisty, gripping and entertaining. Recommended for fans of this genre.

Bestselling author Shalini Boland returns with an explosive psychological thriller with so many earth-shattering secrets and skeletons in the closet simply dying to reveal themselves. Ms Boland knows exactly how to hold you in a vice-like grip from first page through to the last. It's a quick, easy and thoroughly entertaining thriller and one I loved a lot more than some of the author's previous novels. In The Marriage Betrayal, she seems to have found the perfect formula comprising, intrigue, mystery, deception and secret aplenty. I couldn't tear myself away, and I can guarantee you won't be able to either!

It centres around a missing husband and son, Jake and Dylan who disappear whilst out looking for seals by the coast, and long-buried secrets which led to Jake and his sister Lainey's swift departure from their hometown of Swanage. But do the dark deeds of the past have anything to do with the sudden vanishing act or is it merely a coincidence? This is a cleverly plotted and structured story with so many rapid-fire twists and turns that repeatedly prove your predictions wrong; Boland is massively adept at keeping you guessing. I got a rather large shock at the major surprise at the end and couldn't have predicted it. A super domestic thriller. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

This is my 3rd book by this author and I must say she gets better and better every time.

I couldn’t put this book down. It had me hooked from the very beginning. It kept me engaged and I intrigued until the very twisted and unexpected ending.

Well done. Looking forward to the next book by this author.

Faye Townsend has the perfect week planned for her husband's birthday. She and her brother-in-law Tom hope that her husband Jake and sister Lainey will enjoy being back in their hometown for a week. However, no one is happy and they decide to return home earlier. The day they plan to leave, Jake and their seven-year-old son Dylan plan to spend the morning touring. They never return.

Panicked Faye and Tom begin searching. Finding nothing, they go to the police, who take the matter quite seriously. A vast search for Jake and Dylan begins but nets very few clues.

While the search ensues, the story goes back and forth between Jake and Lainey's past. There are things about Jake that are rather unnerving and it is at this point that things begin clicking into place for the reader.

This story by Shalini Boland is told with incredible tension. There are a couple of massive twists in the story that literally had my jaw hanging open. The Marriage Betrayal is a great psychological thriller that just may shock the reader. I love stories where it turns out that nothing is as it seems. That is what happened in this book for me. Finding the "ah" moment was incredibly satisfying.

Reading this book was quite like putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together. I love how it was written and I also love how I was thrown off. Oh, and that ending! This is definitely a Wow! book and easily reminds me why I love this author so much. Discussing this book with another reader was a lovely bonus.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am a big fan of Shalini Boland's writing so I was thrilled to received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Faye plans a surprise weekend away for herself and her husband and son Dylan to her husband's hometown. What she hopes will be a lovely get away soon turns into one of her worst nightmares as her husband and son go for a walk along the cliffs and don't come back. Faye is understandably frantic and trying to find what has happened to them whilst being under suspicion herself for their disappearance, she starts uncovering some of her husband's secrets and soon learns this family trip away was one of the worst surprises she could have planned. This book gripped me from the first chapter and held my undivided attention until the very end. Shalini delivers some plot twists whilst building suspense until the very end. Another excellent read from this very enjoyable author. #shaliniboland #bookouture #netgalley #goodreads #litsy #tea_sipping_bookworm #amazon #kindle

Oh wow Shalini has done it again what a cracker!! Thank you so much Shalini, Bookouture and Netgalley for the advance copy because I loved this book it was well written and the twists and turns kept coming right up to the epilogue.
All the way through I fell for the red herrings and there were so many.
I read it in two sittings - I just couldn't wait to find out what would happen next! So enjoyable - the characters were likeable and relatable too. No bad bits about this book.
I urge anyone who has not read a Shalini Boland book and likes psychological thrillers to purchase this and I think you will find a new favourite author I know I have! #psychologicalthriller #bookouture #shaliniboland #themarriagebetrayal #highlyrecommendedbook

Faye's husband Jake is about to celebrate his thirty fourth birthday. She decides to take him and their son,Dylan back to Jakes hometown, Swanage. Jake's sister Lainey, her husband Tom and their two daughters tag along. But Jake and Lainey haven't been back to Swanage is almost twenty years. They left several secrets there, so it's not surprising that the siblings are not happy at being back. Jake decides to take Dylan out early one morning to see if they can spot dolphins and seals. But they don't return. Faye and Tom go out searching for them, but they are nowhere to be seen.

The story is told between the present and past. The past gives us am insight into what happened in Swanagewhen Jake and Lainey were kids. OMG, even though this is just a story, I was on the edge of my seat, willing them to find Dylan safe and well. There is also some occasional chapters from a man we know nothing about. I was not sure where this story was going, so I had to keep reading to find out. Just when I thought I knew what had happened, it would change direction. This is a cleverly written and well thought out plot. I was hooked from the beginning. The suspense builds up slowly, but the twist at the end, I definitely did not see coming. Shalini Boland certainly knows how to pull your attention and keep it there. I read this book in one sitting. I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Shalini Boland for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Shalini Boland is THE Queen of psychological thriller twists! I don't think there has been a book of hers I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. She draws you in right from the very first page and you can't put it down till you've finished. Of course I did take one break to make dinner, but after that I delved straight back into it...and didn't return to the land of the living until I'd finished!

Faye Townsend has planned a surprise trip for her husband Jake's birthday. A week's holiday with their son Dylan, sister Lainy and her husband Tom and their two daughters, Poppy and Annabel in the seaside town of Swanage in Dorset, where Jake and Lainy grew up. The siblings have never returned to the little town since they left when they were teenagers, and their discomfort as soon as they set foot there is apparent.

The old gothic Victorian terraced house they have booked for the week looked a lot more inviting on the website than in reality. Upon opening the door, there is the subtle smell of damp and it looks as if little has been done to maintain the property. Then they are surprised to be greeted by a strange woman descending the stairs upon their arrival. It appears the owner wanted to be there to greet her guests when they arrived...but it left the couples feeling a little spooked. And a bit weird.

While Dylan and the girls raced upstairs to claim their rooms, leaving the adults to settle in theirs, Jake and Lainy showed little excitement. They'd both become quiet and withdrawn and neither appeared to want to talk about it.

Faye and Tom secretly arranged this holiday as a surprise and are disheartened to see their good intentions have fallen flat with their spouses, who look anything but thrilled to be back.

The holiday mood doesn't improve and they decide to return home the following afternoon, after Jake and Dylan return from their planned early morning excursion to see the dolphins. Whilst they are out, Faye and the others decide to head to the beach for a paddle and a picnic, sending Jake a message to let them know where to meet them. By 2pm after reveling in a seaside Punch and Judy show, Faye becomes concerned that the boys haven't returned. By then, they have been gone for 8 hours.

A police search is then underway for both Jake and Dylan - on the clifftop, in the woods and in the water - leaving Faye both frantic and fraught with worry. Tom and Lainy do their best to keep her spirits up but Faye can't help but imagine the worst. And then Dylan's baseball cap and some blood are found on the clifftop...

What happened to her husband and son? Are they injured? Did they fall? Or is this all just a ruse, and they left of their own accord? And if so, how well does Faye truly know her husband?

THE MARRIAGE BETRAYAL is Shalini Boland's eighth thriller, I believe, and her knack of of drawing you in, keeping you in suspense throughout and then throwing in a twist that blindsides you will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat and reading into the night in this compelling thriller. One of my favourite authors, Shalini never disappoints as she delivers another thrill-ride that will have you enjoying every moment.

Told primarily from Faye's perspective in the present day, we are fed pieces of the puzzle in flashbacks to Jake and Lainy in their teens when they lived in the seaside town. It is obvious something happened here, but what? There is also an anonymous narrative that is peppered throughout which leaves us wondering who it is and how it is connected. But true to form, Shalini loves to play with her readers' minds and has us tying ourselves in knots trying to work out where it is all leading.

And then...just when you thought you knew where the story was going...there is yet another twist that takes another huge detour...leaving the reader breathless!

I did not see that final twist coming. At all! Well done, Shalini! You've done it again!

THE MARRIAGE BETRAYAL comes out on 8th July. Put it on your TBR list. You won't be sorry!

I would like to thank #ShaliniBoland, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheMarriageBetrayal in exchange for an honest review.

Get ready for the roller coaster of your life with this book filled with twists and turns. The ending will leave you with your mouth agape in shock! Shalini Boland is definitely an author I'll keep my eyes out looking for more of her stuff! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating from me!

I am a Shalini Boland novice and I was so impressed with this outstanding psychological thriller. The premise of the book beckoned to me and I knew that I had to read this novel!

The Marriage Betrayal definitely did not disappoint. It had everything I would expect from a psychological thriller - a great plot, well-drawn characters and terrific pacing.

I was completely gripped by from the outset and I loved the shock factor and twisting plots, making this extremely difficult to put down. This was one of my favourite storylines this year and I really didn't foresee any of the plot twists. I loved Shalini Boland's smooth writing style and it was easy to connect with the characters - to imagine them, sympathise with them, love or hate them.

The great reveal was the final and fulfilling shocker of the book, The Marriage Betrayal was everything I wanted in what was a pretty special psychological thriller.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I’m a big Shalini Boland fan having been recommended them many times by Gail Shaw a member of TBC. She eventually wore me down, I read my first Shalini Boland book and then her other books quickly followed! She writes fabulous psychological thrillers and The Marriage Betrayal is no different. It’s a gripping and addictive read that I flew through in one tension filled sitting.

When Faye decides to surprise her husband and his sister with a break in the village that they were brought up in, he doesn’t seem as thrilled as she would have liked him to be! They haven’t been going through an easy time of it lately but that’s marriage isn’t it?! But when Jake takes their six year old son for a walk one morning and doesn’t return, Faye has to look deeper into the past of the man she married. There is a dual timeline here that flashes back to brother and sister during their teenage years in their home village and it becomes obvious that something very disturbing has taken place. I loved guessing what had occurred to make them both go pale with fear when they realised where they were all heading for their break! But I certainly didn’t expect the twists and turns that came one after the other, making me unsure who to trust and who was telling the truth. Shalini Boland managed to convey perfectly the terror of a mother unsure of what has happened to her child. The tension was slowly built up as her fears increased with every stone that she turned over in her search for the truth.

This was an easy read that just flowed perfectly so that it was impossible to put it down. Shalini Boland always manages to deliver a compelling story that her readers can relate to. Her characters are so multi layered so that you can just gently peel them away until their real intentions are exposed. I was lost with the pages of The Marriage Betrayal and was quite happy not to be found!

Definitely recommending this one!

This is a fantastic psychological thriller that will have you gripped from the first few pages.
As with all Shalini’s books, you’re just waiting for the huge twist and this one didn’t disappoint.
Faye has arranged a surprise family holiday for her husband, son, and her husbands’ sister’s family.
They go to Swanage which is where Jake and Lainy grew up, but neither of them seems too keen to be back there.
After a few days they realise they might as well go home but not until Jake has taken Dylan for an early morning walk along the cliff top.
When they don’t return, Faye and Lainy contact the Police and a search starts up in the area.
Faye is desperate to know where her husband and son are but there’s seems to be no sign of them.
I can’t say any more as you need to find out what happens next by reading this brilliant book.
This is a fantastic psychological thriller that you will race through desperate to know what will happen next.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Have just read this book in an afternoon, it had me gripped. So many twists that I couldn’t see coming, shocked by the ending! Brilliant, definitely worth reading.

Yet another great book from Shalini Boland !!

Faye has organised a surprise birthday trip for her husband, Jake. The couple are joined by their son, Dylan, as well as Jake’s sister and her family. The group are staying in Swanage for a small break away. Jake and his sister grew up there but when they arrive Faye realises that maybe this wasn’t her greatest idea. Jake really doesn’t seem to be happy to be back in his childhood town so they all decide to leave early and return home.

However, the day they are due to leave Jake and Dylan go missing. Soon the police are involved and volunteers are searching woods and cliff tops to try and find the missing duo. Will they find Jake and Dylan alive ? What secrets are being hidden and will they finally be revealed ?

This is a great twisty psychological thriller. There are plenty of secrets that are gradually revealed and, of course, a rather big plot twist that you won’t see coming. Yet another great book by this author that you really shouldn’t miss.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Another fantastic book from Shalini Boland. As usual the story was fast paced and addictive and I read it quickly. If you have ever read anything by this author you know that you are always in for a twisty adventure with an ending that you won't see coming. The Marriage Betrayal is no exception.

Faye has planned a family summer holiday back to where her husband Jake grew up. Along for the trip is Jakes sister and her family. But all is not as she had imagined and Jake is not enjoying being back home. They plan to head back to London early but before they can Jake and their 6 year old son go missing . The police are called and the town comes out in force to help search for them. As the investigation continues Faye finds out that her husband is not the man she believed that he was.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Shalini Boland for the opportunity to read and review her latest psychological thriller - another great one! 4.5 stars rounded up because I couldn't put this one down!

Jake, Faye and their son Dylan go on a vacation with Jake's sister and her family to the seaside town where Jake grew up thinking it would be the perfect surprise for his birthday. But when they get there, Jake seems sullen and upset and they decide to call the vacation short. Their last morning, Jake and Dylan go dolphin watching - and never return. The police are called and they eventually find some blood and Dylan's hat on the cliffs but no sign of the pair.

The twists and turns in this book will leave you guessing until the very last page - another great thrill ride!

4.5 stars

Wow! What a ride. This is an excellent thriller that keeps you guessing from page one right until the end. I devoured the book in one afternoon. The past and present are woven together seamlessly to create tension and make you question each character and their motivations.

Creepy house? Check
Mysterious childhood? Check
MAJOR twists? Check

The major twist came out of nowhere for me- the true sign of a great thriller! .I loved the slow build-up of suspense, as we guessed what really happened to Jake and Dylan and pieced together the clues that Boland gave us throughout the book.

This is my first read by Shalini Boland and it certainly won't be my last.

Thank you to #Bookouture and #NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

WOW!!! OMG!!! I have read a few of Shalini Boland's books and have a few on my kindle ready for me to read. Once again, Shalini Boland does not disappoint one if you are looking for a psychological thriller with twists and turns and a major killer twist at the end, The Marriage Betrayal is for you. Now for my review, Faye is married to Jake and has a son Dylan with him. She plans a surprise birthday for him at a beach town where he and is sister used to live up till their teenage years. His sister Lainie and her husband Tom and their two daughters join them. Also this book goes back and forth, from the present to the past when Lainie was 14 and Jake was 16. They are there for a few days but Jake is not happy there and the weather is a little dreary so they all finally agree they will go back home. But Jake wants to take Dylan out for the day and they plan to leave that evening, but Jake and Dylan never come back. For the next few days, Lainie, Faye and Tom frantically search for Jake and Dylan. There is a red cap found that Dylan was wearing and some blood. But no signs of them. As the book progresses and in the flashbacks you start to see a different side of Jake. Then, there seems to be a break in the case which is just unbelievable. But no spoilers here. You will just have to read this book. This book has a killer twist at the end which I never saw coming. And even in the epilogue, there is another twist. I want to thank net galley and Bookouture for this ARC I received for an honest review. Just fantastic!!! (less)