The New Husband by DJ Palmer was amazing! I loved this book so much! DJ does an amazing job telling a story through different characters and it is done seamlessly! I was on the edge of my seat with all the plot twists! The New Husband is one of my must reads for 2020!!!

I loved this book!!! Filled with twists and turns! Told from a couple different characters, but well put together. Love can be great, but can keep you blinded also!! Such a great ending! Definitely will be following this author!!!

The New Husband tells the story of a master manipulator. Nina Garrity, reeling from the disappearance of her husband Glen, meets Simon Fitch, a teacher from her daughter's middle school. Still fragile (emotionally and financially), Nina falls in love with Simon and moves in with him. Nina's son embraces Simon, but her daughter Maggie sees Simon as evil. As their relationship progresses, Maggie becomes more suspicious of Simon and even Nina's closest friends question his motives. But who should Nina believe?

Told from alternating perspectives (primarily Nina and Maggie), The New Husband was a wild ride. D.J. Palmer does a fantastic job of developing each character and their actions. Specifically with Simon, I kept questioning whether he was doing things because he cared or because he was possessive. To sum it up, I could not put this book down!

The Mail Order Standoff is a set of four historical stories of brides who may be a bit reluctant.
Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach: Timothy leaves his home of affluence to travel across the country to Texas to try his hand at ranching and possibly earn the hand of the owner’s daughter. What happens when she learns of her father’s plan?
Pistol-Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley: Elizabeth Colton is all alone in the world and decides to travel to Texas as a mail-order bride. Her first encounter with her reluctant betrothed is doomed when she shoots him and is jailed for attempted murder. Fortunately for her he is a lawyer and tries to help her.
The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis: Rachel is living in Boston and had written to Randolph Hill in consideration of being a mail-order bride. After a few letters she decided the wild west was not for her and politely told him so. She now receives a letter from his attorney telling her he passed away and left his ranch to her. Only problem is she must live there for thirty days. Can she last thirty days or will she give up? If she makes it thirty days what will she do with the ranch?
Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough: Twins Keeley and Katie Quinn are to be wed to Texas cousins. The men are expecting sisters but don’t realize they have been writing to identical twins. What happens when one of them falls for the wrong cousin or do they both agree they need to switch before marrying?
I enjoyed this book a lot. Each story is very well-written and logical in most circumstances. Some parts are laugh out funny and others very sentimental and touching. I give this book 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Reviews are all over the place for this and I get all of them.

I agree that it was a little slow to start but when it did? It zooooomed and it was a really wild ride.

The writing is quite good. The author expertly shows us how emotional abusers ramp up gradually making their target feel crazy; the gaslighting in particular was so perfectly illustrated. (TW here, BTW.)

The real star of this show, however, is the characterization of 13 year old Maggie. She is everything.

Thank you to D.J. Palmer, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I recently read Saving Meghan by Palmer and loved it. I have recommended it to many patrons and they all love it and want to read more by Palmer. They will be so excited in April to be able to read this book. Such a page turner. I loved it!

How well do you really know someone? Just like reading a story and you think you know what's going on , or what may happen to the characters , then Surprise there's a twist you didn't see coming , couldn't fathom anything like it happening , great read , thrilling , mind blowing , surprising to the core! Nina and her family are going to go through something harrowing , something that as a reader , was a surprise twist didn't see coming .if you like Psychological thrillers then you will love this book!

Solid thriller. At some points the story dragged and then it would pick up again.
Simon is a creepy guy, in reality I think any woman would’ve notice his weirdness. The signs were all there. I wish Nina would listen to her daughter Maggie.

The New Husband was such an interesting story - things looked normal until you look at them through the eyes of Maggie, the daughter in this book. Maggie sees things others don't and her experiences lent creepiness to this tale of a family trying to move on after the death of the husband and father.

D.J. Palmer has quickly become a favorite author of mine because he has a way of pulling the reader in, leading them on while building the story and through small hints and foreshadowing, turns things around on the reader before the even realize it.

If you like psychological thrillers and stories about families dealing with the aftermath of tragedies, this book is calling your name. If you haven't read anything by this author, remedy that quickly!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC at my request. Thoughts in this review area mine.

Every now and then I like to mix up my reading genres just to spice things up. This was the case with The New Husband. A trickle-fed plot filled with suspense and intrigue, it kept me turning the pages till the very end.

When Nina’s husband mysteriously disappears while fishing one morning, very few clues were left behind. Presumed dead, she eventually starts dating again- dating the man who happened to find her missing dog. Simon is perfect. He does everything right like she’s known the man all her life. That comfort eased her broken heart and helped her transition into a new life with her two kinds, and Simon, after the accident. Her son attached quickly to the new guy, a teacher from his school, but daughter Maddie didn’t trust him. There’s a look in his eye that she’s observed. One that brings shivers down her spine. What’s mom’s new guy hiding?

One issue I had with this book is the flip flopping from third person point of view to first. And when we went to first person, it was often someone else. Not always the same person. It might’ve helped to label it at the start of the chapter. Nina... Maddie... etc. but then we were switched to third person again. It broke up the flow for me and it’s not my preference. Stay with third or first, don’t flip flop.

A first read for me with this author but definitely one I’d check out again in the future.

D.J. Palmer has a way of taking a very predictable plot and making you hang onto every word.

This was the last book I finished in 2019. The last book finished of the decade. The last book I was so totally engrossed in, I didn’t put it down until I had finished.

I said it was predictable and it was. What wasn’t predictable was how the story got to each turning point. This is my favorite genre and within the first two chapters, I can tell you who did it and why, sometimes even the how. This story had little nuances to keep me glued.

Definitely read this story!!

The first half of this novel is excruciatingly slow moving. I didn’t think the writing was fabulous. At the halfway mark, things get considerably more interesting. The ending is an absolute heart-wrenching page turner. If you can deal with that pacing, you might like this book.

WARNING, I’m about to give something away so stop reading now if you don’t want to know: because I have an aunt you was a victim of domestic violence (which ended in her gruesome murder), I volunteered at a shelter and learned the many different ways a man can be abusive. It’s not just bruises. If he doesn’t want you to earn your own money or associate with friends and family—RUN.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES APRIL 14, 2020.

If it's too good to be true, it usually is, is basically the plot of Palmer's book. The story started out beautifully and kept my interest entirely until it got a little too crazy for my taste. Had to put it down.

Nina’s husband disappears while on a fishing trip and soon she learns he had lost his job and was having an affair. Still reeling from these events, Nina finds comfort and support in the unlikely form of one of her kid’s teachers, Simon. As their relationship deepens, disturbing coincidences happen and Nina begins to wonder how well she really knows him. Everyone thinks they know how they will respond to an abusive, controlling situation, and some are even free to offer their advice. But until it happens to you....

Reading this deep, dark, disturbing story will make you feel like you’re watching a train going full speed toward that broken bridge.

One day., Glen Garrity disappeared. He was out fishing, and his boat is found, with a lot of blood on the deck and the family dog, Daisy, left alone on the boat. A search and rescue mission followed, but there were no leads. Is he dead? Missing? There are no clear answers, but ultimately, Nina, his wife, has to decide he is gone forever. HIs daughter Maggie disagrees... she can feel that he is still out there. Her brother Connor agrees with Mom. A family divided, and in crisis. They are left with very little money after Glen disappears, and Nina is considering moving them to live with her parents, with no other options out there. One day, Daisy goes missing. The front door wasn't latched property. Another search commences, but again, broken hearted, they return home without Daisy. In swoops Simon, the middle school social studies teacher, returning Daisy to her rightful home. He found her wondering in the woods, and had seen the signs and messages that went out. So begins a beautiful love story. Simon woos her and soon they are moving in together, so Nina does not have to move away. However, this is not where the story ends... it is just the beginning... and a Hollywood ride off into the sunset story, is not at all what you will find in the pages of D.J. Palmer's book. So fasten your seatbelts for the ride...

The New Husband is a book that psychological thriller aficionados will enjoy. The story is written in the voice of the characters -- Nina, Glen, and Maggie. The author does a good job of fleshing out all the characters through these three voices, which allows all the pieces to fall together eventually, but you are left guessing along the way. I am unsure if we are supposed to put those pieces together before they actually happen, but some things are more predictable than others, so this was not a page turner that will leave you gasping at hairpin turns, but none the less, you will want to know what happens to these likable characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Martin's publishing group, for giving me the opportunity to read this novel, in exchange for my honest review.

Here’s the thing: I kind of saw what was happening in The New Husband by D.J. Palmer yet I was compelled to keep reading because what unfolded along the pages as I kept reading was so freaking disturbing that I couldn’t look away. The tension and atmosphere made it really difficult to put down.

To begin with, Nina’s husband, Glen, disappears with no trace off a boat while fishing. Betrayals are then revealed, leaving Nina and her two children, Maggie and Connor, torn and hurt while also trying to properly grieve. Enter Simon, a beloved Middle School teacher who has an endless supply of ‘family’ money and is basically just what Nina and Connor need at that very time in their lives. Maggie, though, isn’t quite as easily fooled. She has a feeling about Simon and it isn’t a good one.

Maggie is my favorite character; she is instinctive in her need to protect her family and her awareness of the danger lurking beneath the surface. Nina is also a strong and admirable character; she is naïve at times but in the nature of the story it works well with what’s happened in the past. The secondary characters are as well-developed as the main, Ben, in particular is kind of my hero. The story-line flows quickly and surely through a multitude of twists and turns, thrills and suspense. The subject of domestic violence is explored showing the victims angst and suffering at the hands of her abuser. It’s a subject that I will never tire of seeing because it will always be a story that needs to be told.

"Sometimes we make poor choices on this journey. Instead of sitting in judgement of those choices, let's help each other get back on the right path.
That's what I've learned from the greatest challenge I've ever faced. That's how it changed me."

I highly recommend this to any fan of psychological thrillers, mystery, or suspense.

A big thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and D.J. Palmer for providing The New Husband in exchange for my honest review.

This book started a little slow for me. I thought it would be the typical he did her wrong kind of story so she moved on.

Nope by the third chapter, I was hooked. This book is twisted, intense, dark and well worth the investment in time reading.

Without giving too much away his book is filled with twists and turns that you don't see coming and by the end everything you thought you knew is completely wrong.

A definite must-read.

Started out strong but when i got to the 50% mark and realized I still had 50%more to go, I lost steam. By mid way point, I honestly was turning pages just to finish the book and my investment level went down.
The writing was strong and the character depiction was well built.
I wish the author much success.
Thank you for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I did enjoy this book, thanks to Net Galley and DJ Palmer for the opportunity to review.the story line kept me guessing for a while as to who was behind everything, there were some edge of the seat moments as well. Nina's husband Glen goes missing and after a time it is assumed that he is dead. Nina moves on to another relationship with Simon a year and a half later, she and her two children move in with him as she cannot afford to be on her own. Over time Simon slowly takes over her life, her daughter sees what is going on but can't seem to make herself heard until finally Nina finally starts to see Simon for what he is. The ending had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put the book down.

This book started a little slow but was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. Nina got on my nerves at times and seemed a bit selfish, she moved on rather quickly from her husband's disappearance and expected her kids to do the same.

It was a bit twisty and creepy, which I liked! Had to see how it ended. You do have to suspend disbelief a bit. This is my second book by this author and I have enjoyed both. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

A big thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book! 4 stars!