This book was insane, in the best way possible. I didn't like it at first; one of the characters rubbed me the wrong way out the gate. But by the end of the book I was absolutely hooked, sitting on the edge of my seat to find out what would happen. The climax of the story 100% made up for my misgivings; it was phenomenal. And the ending made me really happy. 4.5 stars, rounded down because that one character was so freaking unlikeable it drove me insane. All in all I cannot WAIT for Palmer's next book!

Nina and her two children, Maggie and Conner, have just suffered the immense tragedy of losing their husband and father. Glenn has been presumed dead after a fishing accident, however they never did find the body. Nina and Conner are convinced he is dead, but Maggie isn't quite sure.

Amidst the original search for Glenn and then decision that Glenn was presumed dead, much of his past life was drug up in the mix. It was revealed that Glenn had an affair and also drained the bank account belonging to him and his wife, Nina.

Flash forward about a year, Nina has moved on and finds herself in a new relationship with Simon Fitch. Simon is a social studies teacher and Maggie's middle school. Nina's friends thought she was being too presumptuous about moving on so quickly, but Nina just felt that it was "right." Connor, in high school, and Nina are completely on board when the two move in together creating a new dynamic of a household. Maggie, on the other hand, has her many doubts about who Simon is as a person and doesn't believe he has the most true intentions.

I love how this book was told from multiple perspectives, mainly switching between Nina and Maggie. The plot was constantly driven forward and gave me that heart thumping feeling that I crave out of a thriller novel more than once. This was a true page turner for me and did not leave any unanswered questions which I appreciate. It is very frustrating to me in a thriller novel if there are still unanswered questions at the end.

I found the characters very easy to relate to from the aspect of Nina wanting to see the best in people and seeking happiness but also Maggie's hesitant behaviors.

Overall a fantastic read that you will tear through!

This new thriller by DJ Palmer may take a bit to get going, but once it does, there is not a dull moment! It definitely fits the definition of a thriller.

When Glen Garrity goes missing, everyone assumes he must be dead—even his family. His wife Nina eventually begins a relationship with a middle school teacher named Simon. The children, Connor and Maggie, have two distinctly different feelings about Simon.

As time goes on the relationship between Simon and Maggie becomes very tense. Simon and Nina are having trouble as well, because of Maggie and because of Nina’s lingering feelings for Glen and her reluctance to go ahead and marry Simon.

Eventually Maggie gets Connor involved in a scheme to find out some things about Simon. Things within the family soon reach a dangerous level and thankfully Connor is able to make a decision that saves his family.

Along with the family’s loyal dog, Daisy (my favorite character), they all soon learn what really happened to their dad and what secrets Simon has been hiding. The ending was so tense, that I had to put the book down and walk away for a bit!

For sensitive readers, there are some violent scenes and references to domestic abuse. Readers who love a great thriller, will enjoy this one. It may be a bit predictable, but I still found it quite an exciting read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

The New Husband is my first from Palmer and I am happy that I tried this one. It was definitely a good one.

Nina is a single mother of two, whose husband went missing and is presumed dead two years after he disappeared. She’s trying to move on with her life with a dreamy and caring new man and a new home. Her son Conner seems to alright with the new man, her daughter not so much. She is still holding out hope her father is still coming back. Maggie feels like there is something wrong with Mr. Dreamy but her feelings go unheard.

Nina has been through a lot. Her husband went out fishing one day only to not come home. Through the course of the investigation of his disappearance/death she learns some pretty awful things about the man she was sharing her life with. So, of course when the handsome widower teacher looks her way she thinks that happiness is still a possibility for her and her family. But was it really? Is there more to this man than she knows? Her daughter seems to believe that there is something off about him but Nina pushes those feelings aside.

Nina has learned that her husband was a great liar. It seems he was living a double life. Now questions start to rise about up the new man Simon. As more secrets are revealed the more Nina can’t keep her blindfold. There is something going on and she sets out to find the truth but the truth is never what she expected.

There is a lot going from start to finish. Clues, lies and truths that lead Nina down a path of danger not only for heels but her children as well. Sometimes those we think we know best can surprise us, and sometimes not in a good way. It all kept mean the edge of my seat waiting to see how it all fit together and how it would all end too! And it was a pretty fantastic and thrilling end too!

The New Husband was filled with secrets, obsessions and truths we don’t sometimes want to see and if you’re a fan of suspenseful thrillers, this is a great one!

This is a dark and delicious read for fans of the psychological suspense genre. It deals quite well with the subject of emotional abuse and the manipulation, control and escalation such abusers employ. If this is a trigger for you, this book is not for you. Otherwise, you are in for a rollercoaster of a read!!

Nina Garrity's husband Glen disappeared 18 months ago. Things discovered in the wake of his disappearance make Nina wonder if she ever really knew him - he betrayed her in more ways than one. Dead or alive, it doesn't really matter anymore; she knows he's not returning to the family. She focuses on helping her children, 13-year-old Maggie and 16-year-old Conner heal from the gap left by their father's absence.

A new man enters her life. Her friends and parents think this is a bit soon and are concerned she's jumping into a relationship before she's ready, but Nina feels a connection with Simon that makes her want to trust men again. He adores her and makes her feel alive again! Conner is on-board with the new relationship, and quickly builds a good relationship with Simon, but no matter what Simon does, he cannot seem to win Maggie over. She sees a darkness in him that others don't.

The story is told from both a narrator's POV and Maggie's POV. As I read the book, I wondered why Maggie was the only character who speaks directly to the reader. I think I've figured that out, but I'll let you draw your own conclusion. Telling the story this way works extremely well, and Maggie absolutely shines!

This is a well-written, engaging, intense, thrilling read. Everything you need to escape reality for awhile, and we all need that from time to time!

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions here are my own.

Who likes watching Lifetime movies from time to time? I do, even if they’re always predictable and formulaic, they can be mindlessly entertaining, right? This book was basically the equivalent of one of those movies for me. Was it bad? No, the writing was decent, it entertained me and I kept reading it, which is actually saying a lot right now because I’ve stopped reading way too many books to count over the past few weeks. Did I love it? No, but I did like it. Do I recommend it? Sure, with some caveats though. If you know going into this that not everything is plausible and that you have to suspend a little disbelief you’ll be ok. You should also know that if you’re a seasoned thriller reader you will probably be able to predict what will happen next for the most part. But, if you go into this with the right expectations and are prepared to just allow yourself to be distracted by a wild story, you’ll probably like this.

This book started out very slow for me and there were some things I didn’t care for as in additional information in parenthesis vs including in the story. There were times that some scenes were over-the-top and difficult to believe. I seldom DNF a book but considered it several times. The chapters were confusing for a few sentences as I didn’t know if it was Nina or Maggie’s POV so it would help to have their names listed with the chapter number.

It wasn’t until about the 45% mark that the story picked up speed.

Everyone can read the blurb so I’ll just say that the book was somewhat nerve wracking as I could see that there was something wrong with Simon. I was frustrated with Nina that she chose to believe him and applauded Maggie as she sensed there was something wrong. It was just so obvious how controlling Simon was and yet Nina thought she found a man to trust and love. I initially thought this was just a husband who did bad things and left his family but there was much more to the story, however unbelievable. The more you learn about Simon, it’s difficult to believe all that he’s capable of.

I ended up finishing the story during a terrible wind/thunderstorm and it heightened the suspense. I felt somewhat claustrophobic at times with some of the details.

Along with enjoying Maggie’s character, I also loved her friend Ben and the dog, Daisy. They were some of the best parts of the story.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3253010085

I gave The New Husband 3.75 stars. It was a great read, entertaining and suspenseful. I love D.J Palmers writing style. I love how he made the characters smart, Nina was no fool. She didn't just take what everyone said, she questioned things. I loved that about her. And I can't resist a story with a smart dog thats in the focus as well. overall I enjoyed the story, but I did see the twist coming.


Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin,s Press for my review copy!!

The New Husband is a fantastic psychological thriller. It kept my attention and when the big twist/reveal showed up, I was not expecting it. The characters are well developed and they kept you thinking. Was Nina being too trusting, was Maggie being just a teenage brat, is Simon really a nice guy and is Glen really dead. D.J. Palmer did a great job of keeping the reader clueless of what really was happening until the big reveal. I didn't care too much for Simon right away when he first wanted to cut the tree branches. Then giving the mixed signals of Nina going to work. The doubts crept in. This was so good and I have already started recommending The New Husband to friends and family who love a good thriller like this.

This is your typical domestic thriller. Overall the story was predictable. The first half was slow and mildly interesting. Once you push through to the middle it begins to pick up. Once the twist was revealed I was able to quickly read to the end. While it became a faster read, I still was not satisfied. It had all the elements of suspense but fell flat due to the development of the ending. It was just too predictable and took the joy out of unraveling what was really happening. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press for an advanced reader copy of the New Husband. I really liked this book! I thought it was quite well written, and I liked the pacing. I will say I do think it’s a little predictable, but I still enjoyed it and I found myself wanting to pick it up.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press for an advanced reader copy of the New Husband. I really liked this book! I thought it was quite well written, and I liked the pacing. I will say I do think it’s a little predictable, but I still enjoyed it and I found myself wanting to pick it up.

I received this from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. This is not my usual kind of story but it was available instantly so I took a chance. It was crazy how many people had been fooled by this man and the lengths he had went to. It definitely kept me flipping the pages

4.75 stars
Nina Garrity is just trying put her family back together after the tragic disappearance of her husband, Glen. In the resultant chaos, she finds some pretty incriminating information about her husband and she questions her ability to make good choices about people.

A year and a half later she happens to meet Simon, a middle school teacher from her daughter Maggie’s school, and as the two develop a relationship, she begins to feel like perhaps she has a second chance at life and love. Though her son Connor really likes Simon, who acts like the father he always longed for, her daughter feels an intense dislike and distrust of this man. Is it because she’s jealous that he’s taking her father’s place, or is her intuition correct? And will her love-blind mother believe her?

The New Husband is a story wrought with tension. It is fast-paced and anxiety-inducing in the best possible, heart-pounding way. Not only is it a gripping domestic suspense novel full of thrills and chills, but it also carries some deeper, more important messages. The author explores the need to trust your intuition and not second guess yourself. She raises the issue of not judging those who are different from you, or those who have been through difficult circumstances, because we rarely have the full story or truly know how we’d act in the same situation. Instead she urges us to ask the always important question, what can I do to help?

This newest offering from D.J. Palmer is an exciting, suspenseful story to be sure, but also one that contains a great message.

I mean I read this book in one day so that’s gotta tell you something. It’s hard to review this book without spoilers but I’ll try: after her husband, Glen, goes missing, Nina tries to move on with her kids Connor and Maggie. She ends up moving on with Simon, the new man in her life that she met after he returned her lost dog. Nina, Simon and the kids move into a new house together and everyone is struggling to acclimate. Except Maggie who hates Simon and increasingly sees sides of Simon that scare her. Is Simon dangerous or is Maggie being an overreacting middle schooler? What unfolds dives deeper into the truth behind Glen’s disappearance, the secrets that Glen is keeping, and Nina beginning to uncover just exactly who her new boyfriend is. This book would’ve been a 5 star rating but for two things: 1) the “twist” or surprise is revealed WAYYYYY too early. It took the wind out of the climactic sails and 2) I was consistently waiting for something wild to happen at the end (like so many of my favorite suspense books) but the end tied up way too perfectly. Overall I enjoyed this book and devoured it in one day.

Review of The New Husband by D.J. Palmer:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Nina answers the door to two police officers notifying her that her husband, Glen, went missing. Whether or not he is dead or alive is unknown as his body was never recovered. As Nina goes in search of her husband, she starts to unravel a hidden life that he was leading including financial trouble and another woman. Several months later Simon Fitch conveniently enters Nina’s life at a time when she realizes her marriage was all a lie. Vulnerable and seeking companionship, she quickly falls for his charm. A year and a half later she is attempting to move on with her life and moves in with Simon. Her son quickly takes a liking to him but her daughter starts to notice that not everything is as it seems and something is off about him. She starts to see a darker side to Simon that no one else sees. But is it all in her head? Or is Simon truly a master manipulator with a dark past?
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This is a very well thought out thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. A perfect storm leads Nina right to Simon. But was the storm set up? While some of this book was predictable, it still stunned me that the author was able to put together so many layers of manipulation. He expertly delivers a story about how an emotional abuser gradually starts to plant seeds of doubt, controls, manipulates, and isolates victims from others. It was intense to read and Nina’s daughter, Maggie, saw straight through the gaslighting. This is one book that will have you questioning if you truly know who you are sleeping next to. But the biggest takeaway from this book isn’t that. It’s about not judging others if you haven’t been in their shoes because while you might say you would never stay with an abuser, you won’t actually know that’s what you’d do unless you actually live it.
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Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress {#partner} for gifting me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an independent and honest review! This book is on sale 04/14/2020 so preorder now!

4 stars

Wow! This book was a crazy train!

I would go into this book blind, no need to read the synopsis If you like psychological thrillers. This book was well written and just when I thought it couldn’t get any crazier, it did. Nina, Nina, Nina...it was hard not wanting to grab this woman and shake the crap out of her! Oblivious is all I’m going to say!!

Anyway, I liked the book. I had it figured out before the big a-ha moment, but that didn’t matter for mebecasus of the craziness that ensued! If you like a little crazy with your book, then this is a good choice.

The first half of the book was a bit slow but when it took off, it took off like a shot.. the first half was predictable, the second half much better. I was shocked at how far one character went to get what they wanted and didn’t see it coming.All in all, I enjoyed this book and look forward to Mr.Palmers next one.

This was a gripping, edge of your seat story that will keep you hooked - I did find it slightly slow to get going, probably as I was desperate to find out what was going to happen, but once it did, what a rollercoaster! If you like domestic drama, thrillers, basically an all round good read, then this is for you.

Nina Garrity has lost her husband, she fears he has faked his own death and run off with another woman, leaving her alone with her two children and her dog. As she is trying to come to terms with the mystery disappearance, she meets Simon, who adores her instantly and wants to be a part of their lives and take care of them. So many red flags during their relationship, yet Nina is desperate to see the good in Simon. Is she right to do so? Does the fact her daughter Maggie try to split them up have any bearing on her views of him or is she just trying to sabotage their relationship? Nina is a strong, independent woman, who puts her family first and knows her own mind. Is Simon really capable of making her doubt herself? Is she imagining things, or is he starting to control her? So many questions! Half way through the book things take a twist and wow this is where it all comes together.... I couldn't put it down. So much going on, and so cleverly written. I was actually holding my breath at the end! Highly recommend this book and loved the author, and look forward to reading more of her books in future. Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to read this ARC.

3.5 stars

THE NEW HUSBAND is a psychological thriller based on gaslighting/emotional abuse. Nina's husband Glen disappeared about two years ago, when his boat was found with the dog and blood. No body was found, but Nina believes he must have died. After his disappearance, she learned things about him that shocked her and made her feel like she had no idea whom she had married. Not too long after that, she found a new romantic partner that she somewhat stumbled into. Simon seems like the perfect guy, and they have just moved in together- much to her daughter Maggie's chagrin.

As time goes on, Nina finds herself questioning her decisions and second-guessing everything. She is seeing a therapist, who also helps her to work through her issues around Glen. She begins to have other questions about her life now, and she wants to make sure she isn't making the same mistakes twice.

The first quarter of the book was really hard for me to get into. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and it seemed really slow. It begins to get a lot better about halfway through when new elements are introduced into the plot and things begin to escalate. In some ways, it's like watching a train wreck- you want to yell at the characters about the truths you can see and know where it's heading, but you are powerless to do anything but watch. The last half of the book was fantastic- I was completely engrossed and found it hard to put down.

The addition of Maggie and her best friend Ben started off as a little strange, but ended up being one of the best parts of the book. There are also some interesting messages about bullying that added some value to the plot.

Overall, this was a slow-start but great finish psychological thriller that, while easy to figure out, was worth the ride. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.