I went into this book blindly, not knowing much about it and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It was a roller coaster and never got slow, so it was a very quick read. I love that it was based on a true story. Thanks to then publishers and net galley for the advanced reading copy.

This was a pretty interesting book, It centers on Charlotte, who gave up her chance to be a lawyer to marry into a rich family after college. 10 years later she is bored and unsettled, and happens to meet a man named Ewan, with whom she starts an affair. Things get a little out of control from there, ending with Ewan's mysterious disappearance and Charlotte's skepticism about both her husband and her controlling mother in law.

This was a fast-paced thriller and the author did a great job of making the reader not sure of who can be trusted. When the truth all comes out, it's not super surprising but definitely was one of a few potentially plausible scenarios. The story wrapped up just a little too cleanly (and quickly), but I did feel like it was a satisfying ending.

Charlotte was a somewhat likable character, though there were times where she took risks that I wondered if a reasonable person would actually take. She also seemed to settle for being somewhat of a "kept woman" for quite awhile, despite being highly educated before finally coming to her senses and pushing back.

All in all, this was a good book and I;d recommend it to those who like psychological thrillers and domestic suspense. I would be interested in reading other books from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

This was an interesting one!

Charlotte is married to CEO Tom and wants for nothing, but she has to put up with Tom's overbearing mother Isadora. She loves Tom and is a great wife. She meets Ewan and they begin a secret affair. Charlotte prepares to leave Tom then suddenly, Ewan disappears without a trace and cannot be found. It's like he never existed.

She ends up back with Tom and they go on to have a baby but she still can't stop thinking about what could have happened to Ewan. She doesn't know who to trust and secrets and lies are revealed.

It's a dark, twisty book that makes you think.

Wow! What an incredible debut novel from Samantha Lee Howe. I read this in one day. Talk about toxic relationships, oh my goodness. This story is based on a true story, which I think adds to the creep factor. It took a little bit to get going , but once I was in, I was all in. The writing and the plot development were stellar. And that ending you will never see coming.

I thought I gave feedback on this title. I dnf before it didn’t meet expectations. I was hoping for something more unique.

I loved this domestic thriller. What poor Charlotte had to go through was heart-wrenching although, I got frustrated with her for keeping going back without saying much I highly recommended this novel. It's well written and creepy

This was an ok read. I found it rather predictable and far fetched though. I found it difficult to connect with any of the characters which made reading quite a chore at times.

This was a twisty thriller that I finished pretty quickly. I was hooked from the beginning as I think many people who read this one will be. This is a good read full of twists, drama, toxicity, and control. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for a review.

I devoured this book in one night, staying up into the small hours to do so. First things first, this book is based on a true story?! How absolutely terrifying. The Stranger in Our Bed is a perfect psychological thriller and as a big reader of this genre, I can safely say this one is a very well written and played out. For once, I did not guess the ending (or at least all of it), but it was more than that. The Stranger in Our Bed is written from Charlotte's point of view, and it is written so very well, that as the reader I did feel that I was in Charlotte's marriage, and more so, in her head, trying to sift through her emotions, doubts and grasp on reality. And this is what I think Samantha Lee Howe did best with this story: she gave just enough away for us to have true doubts about each characters' motivations, but told the story well enough for us to keep on guessing through to the end about whether we had come to the right conclusion. She ultimately gave a true insight into coercive control and how it feels to second guess your every thought, feeling and choice. This book allows you to understand how, and more importantly why, Charlotte could keep making the choices she did; the choices to stay, the choices to leave and the choices to trust those she ultimately shouldn't have done. Although this story is almost too wild to be true, I can understand how it could be based on a true story, having been able to live through Charlotte's experiences through the writing. An unputdownable, must-read - 5 stars from me.

*I received an advance review copy of The Stranger in Our Bed from the publisher through NetGalley.

A gripping story, that kept me enthralled to the end - with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

WoW!!!! The Stranger in Our Bed by Samantha Lee Howe was just a brilliant read. I was hooked from the very first few pages and I just didn't want to put it down. I loved it, it was full of twists and turns and I found it a good page turner throughout! Samantha's new book is a gripping debut psychological thriller about the dark secrets in a perfect marriage.

Charlotte is married to Tom.....Their marriage is perfect, Tom runs his family company while. Charlotte spends her days lunching and arranging charity events. How perfect can it all seem to an outsider?
Charlotte has everything money can buy and is a good wife to Tom. However, deep down sometimes she feels trapped! Charlotte is not happy especially as Tom and his darling mother control's everything that she does and she has no freedom to do anything without them finding out!!!!

Charlotte starts a friendship with a total stranger called Ewan. It was all innocent at first but things began to happen between both of them and an affair starts between them.

They become closer and he makes her very happy and she is falling for him. Charlotte is starting to wish she was with him not married to Tom and his Mother!!!

Months pass.........Charlotte is just about to tell Tom she is leaving him! and Ewan then just disappears. When she tries to contact him she soon discovers things were not as they seem! Ewan has used a fake name and leaves no trace behind; it’s like he doesn’t even exist - he was just a Ghost!

But, Who was he?

Phew, What a book!!!! Page turn!!!! Charlotte goes back with Tom and tries to put everything that happened between her an Ewan! But, she want to find him and ask Why!!!?!!!!

The more she searches the more she finds out things about her Husband Tom and his mother!

Omg is she safe from them?

Where is Ewan? Is he dead?

Someone can't disappear without a trace? CAN THEY??

Blimey......What a book! I did not want it to finish and when it did! it had a brilliant 10/10 ending

I highly Recommend this book!!! Big Fat 5 stars from me!!!

Big Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and in no way biased

To an outsider, Charlotte and Tom have a seemingly happy marriage. They are wealthy, Tom runs a successful company, and Charlotte is always out to lunches or running charity events. But on the inside, Charlotte is screaming for another life that isn't run by her husband and mother-in-law. So when she begins an affair, and the handsome, love-struck Ewan suddenly asks her to leave her husband and move in with him, she agrees.

But is Ewan really who he says he is? When the day that they are supposed to run off together comes, Ewan has disappeared..

"I ended my marriage for a man who didn’t exist…"

Told completely from Charlotte's POV, this is a fast-paced, and dark and deeply disturbing read! Based on a true story, telling the lives (and lies) and husband, wife, and mother-in-law, it is engrossing and hard to put down! The timeline was a bit rushed, but I enjoyed it! A gripping tale of domestic suspense and I will be looking for more from this author!

Thanks to # Netgalley, HarperCollins, One Chapter and Samantha Lee Howe for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! #TheStrangerInOurBed

An intriguing debut psychological thriller. The fact that I didn't know who or what to believe kept the tension and suspense at a high level. A plot that kept on turning meant I couldn't put this book down .

Such a good read. I couldn’t put this book down and was on the edge of my seat during the whole read

I loved this read. I read it in just two days as I couldn't put it down. There's nothing I like more than a book that draws me in and keeps me hooked right up until the very end. I thought I had it sussed on a number of occasions but each time I was proven wrong - something which I really love about a book. How could someone do that to you? Be so convincing in their lies, totally draw you in and then disappear. They'd strip you bare and shatter your self confidence. That's what happened here, and my heart went out to her every step of the way. You won't be able to put this book down!!!

EXCERPT: The rain fell in big fat droplets and poured down into my eyes. My hair was plastered to my head - blonde turned into dirty wet streaks that clung to my cheeks. I'd been here before, another time, another moment of betrayal and sadness. Deja vu. Fear sank down into the pit of my stomach. I was drowning in the endless possibilities of 'future'. What about my daughter? So small, so helpless, so alone.

Oh God! Melody. She was in the house.....

ABOUT THIS BOOK: I ended my marriage for a man who didn’t exist…

I have everything money can buy. I’m a good wife, but sometimes I feel trapped. And when I start an affair with a stranger called Ewan, my life changes in ways I can’t begin to understand.

Because Ewan breaks apart my marriage piece by piece and then he just disappears. He uses a fake name and leaves no trace behind; it’s like he doesn’t even exist.

Someone did this to me and now they’re waiting for me to unravel, watching my every move. I can’t trust anyone, not even myself – not even the people I love.

MY THOUGHTS: I loved The Stranger in Our Bed by Samantha Lee Howe. A new author to me, this is her debut psychological thriller, although she has several novels in other genre published under the pen name, Sam Stone. She is a seasoned writer, and it shows.

Told entirely from the point of view of Charlotte, and in one consecutive time-line, this is a joy to read. It is twisty - I never knew quite who was manipulating who - quietly sinister, gripping and enthralling. I love the air of menace that pervades everything. Reading this is like being in one of those halls of mirrors where everything is slightly distorted, no matter where you look, and if you did see a true reflection, you probably wouldn't believe it.

4.5 breathless stars

#TheStrangerInOurBed #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Samantha Lee Howe began her professional writing career in 2007 and has been working as a freelance writer for small, medium and large publishers, predominately writing horror and fantasy under the pen name Sam Stone. This body of work includes 13 novels 5 novellas, 3 collections, over 40 short stories, an audio drama and a Doctor Who spin-off drama that went to DVD.

Samantha's breakaway debut psychological thriller, THE STRANGER IN OUR BED, is due for release on 14th February 2020 with Harper Collins imprint, One More Chapter.

A former high school English and Drama teacher, Samantha has a BA (Hons) in English and Writing for Performance, an MA in Creative Writing and a PGCE in English.

Samantha lives in Lincolnshire with her husband David and their two cats Leeloo and Skye. She is the proud mother of a lovely daughter called Linzi.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter (very apt for this book), for providing a digital ARC of The Stranger in Our Bed by Samantha Lee Howe for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage

What a roller coaster ride this is! Charlotte seems to have it all, but does she really? The perfect life. The perfect marriage. However, as we all know, things are not always as they seem, and in this case, Charlotte feels invisible and unhappy. Enter Ewan Daniels. Suddenly life seems a bit more tolerable as she begins an affair with Ewan. However, once again, all is not as it appears, and things begin to take a different turn, throwing Charlotte’s life into a tailspin. This is one of the best psychological thrillers that I have had the pleasure of reading! Dark. Twisted. Toxic. So many ups and downs, twists and turns. This is an easy, but compelling read. You will not want to put this book down until the very end, and then you will be sad to have finished it! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to review this book.

I found this book to be a very suspenseful book once everything got going. Charlotte believes everything is good with her marriage with Tom. Slowly a man named Ewan comes into her life and after a while, she is waiting for a divorce from Tom. The issue is when she goes to meet Ewan, he is a no show she is heartbroken and wonders what happened to him.
This begins toms slowly taking over his wife’s life, she does not know it until it is too late. As tom begins taking over her life she continues to think about Ewan and where and what happened to him. The beginning of the story also has his mother being involved as well and she is a major player in this story.
When you get into the meat of this story you are taken for a ride and you begin to wonder where the author is going to take you. This mystery takes you for a ride and just when you think you have something figured out it changes and that is what makes this book so good. When you get to the ending you are still surprised. A very good book.

Really enjoyed this book thank you. Vibrant, believable, characters and an absorbing plot. I will ensure I look out for this author in the future!

This book was great! It's a psychological thriller based on a real story. I really felt for Charlotte because she was very well developed. The writing was great, gripping. The pace was perfect. And I really enjoyed it.
Definitely recommended.
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.