Usually thrillers are my go to genre so I was excited to get this on Netgalley. I started this book a few times and put it down but finally finished it up.

It sucked me in right away by telling the story of Nina’s husband Glen’s disappearance/murder. But then almost instantly fizzled out because not much happened. Nina and Glen have two kids, Maggie and Connor and the family dog Daisy. Fast forward 2 years and we meet Simon, Nina’s new boyfriend, who is moving in with Nina and her kids. This is the type of thriller where we pretty much know the culprit towards the beginning of the story. (Ummmm... title?!?!!) I lean more toward mystery/thriller than character development type novels so this just didn’t do it for me. I think a different title and a little less of Nina questioning herself all the time would have made it a better read. I did enjoy watching Maggie sort of come into her own and her bond with Daisy the dog.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with this earc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a solid 3.5 stars book. I really enjoyed the alternating POVs and the chapters are super easy to follow. While I didn't find the overall storyline to be as thrilling as I expected, I loved the message at the end of the book enough to bump it up to a four stars.

This was a psychological thriller done right. Although the beginning was a little slow, I think the author slowly and insidiously developed the plot, building tension and doubt.
Simon's descent into a controlling, manipulative psychopath takes the reader by surprise - I didn't think too much of his OCD/fastidiousness/perfection and thought maybe, he was just being overly ambitious about the new house and and the relatively new family that inhabited it. Yes, there were hints of something more sinister, but after all, he was a middle school teacher dealing with young teenagers every day, and it could make anyone a little edgy. I thought that he needed order in his life because his students were so young with emerging hormones and anxieties of their own.
Maybe Nina felt the same way - after all Maggie was just 13 and had issues to deal with including bullying, "the boot". the unexplained loss of her father, introduction of a new man/father substitute who was genuinely creepy. This of course lead to different family dynamics that the children and their mother were trying to deal with.
Poor Nina- indeed love is blind - but maybe she needed to feel valued and accepted - and Simon certainly charmed her into feeling that way. She was a social worker, and seemed to be straightforward in her job - but ..as the shoemaker's children have no shoes, the social worker can't reconcile the different facets of her life to establish an integrated whole. She was deceived, left penniless, homeless, and here was a knight in shining armor -ready to save the day.
The last 20% of the book was intense and if I had been watching a film of it, I would have been cringing in my seat and yelling at Nina to get out of there NOW. I would have covered my eyes and peeked through my fingers at the final scenes. And cried all the way home.
The ending was right for the book and I loved Maggies essay at the end of the book as well as the acknowledgements.
Thank you NetGalley, St Martin's Press and DJPalmer for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. It was a wild ride.

The New Husband brings up that question, how well do you ever know someone?
This book takes you through some things. We find ourselves with one missing husband , and
one new husband that checks off all the right boxes. Only one family member is't buying it.
Very good read!

I'm not into domestic thrillers. However this one is different. I plan on reading this book during my commute to work, but the narration is different. When the story switches over to the teen girl, she reminds me of myself when I was in high school.

Great Thriller by DJ Palmer. At first Simon appears to be the perfect match for Nina. He seems to know everything she likes, but how? It all seems to good to be true. Simon has an evil side and Ninas daughter is trying to figure it out. There are a few twists you don’t see coming. Great read. Will definitely not be my last from this author.

I will start by saying that I did enjoy reading this one, but I have read so many good thrillers lately and this one felt a little flat in comparison. Did I stay up till 1 AM reading this? Yes. Would I recommend you read this? Also yes.⁣
⁣
Nina’s husband, Glen, has vanished and she assumes he is dead. In the wake of his disappearance, Nina begins to learn more about who Glen truly was and the secrets he kept from their family. Less than two years later, she has already moved in with her almost-fiancé, Simon Fitch. Simon seems to know exactly how to treat Nina...what to say, what to cook, what to buy. This transition turns out to be much harder on her family, especially her daughter Maggie, than she had hoped. Maggie, who believes her dad is still alive, starts to investigate who Simon is and what really happened.⁣

The New Husband was over the top, lifetime-esque and a bit off the rails at times, but - I absolutely loved it for what it was. Having read Saving Meghan by Palmer last year, I was prepared for a lifetime movie type read and it absolutely hit the spot at the right time and was the read I needed when looking for a thriller that didn't require serious mindfulness (and during quarantine, I honestly need all the escapism I can get). Ultimately, ending up enjoying this one more than SM and was glad I picked it up!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of The New Husband by D.J. Palmer. I read Saving Megan and enjoyed it so I was looking forward to his new book.

Nina Garrity’s husband, Glen, goes missing during a fishing trip under strange circumstances. He disappears from his fishing boat and leaves the family dog alive in a pool of blood. When Simon Fitch, a middle school teacher, sweeps into her life, Nina thinks she is so fortunate. He has money and the means to help and support her during this tough time for her family. However, her daughter, Maggie suspects he is not who he appears to be. What is Simon hiding? Where is Glen?

I started reading this book several times and stopped. It was a very slow read until the halfway point. First, I saw almost this exact story on a Dateline episode recently. While disturbing, it was very predictable. Also, Nina is a social worker and would know about the warning signs of an abusive relationship. Her inability to believe the signs that were everywhere that Simon is not what he seems is ridiculous. The chapters from Maggie’s perspective were annoying and created the tone of a YA book. I do not understand the many glowing reviews for this book. It was too slow and predictable for me.

2/5 stars

Suspenseful and interesting until the very end. A great page-turner and a quick read for those looking for one.

The New Husband by D. J. Palmer

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

D. J. Palmer offers up a darkly twisted tale of a woman who is trying to put her family back together after tragedy and how her new fiancee fits into that process.

I’m going to start this review with a warning about this book: It is not a book for anyone under the age of 16. The themes of the book as well as some of the content is not for younger eyes and readers need to be aware. That said, this is an incredible book. It delves into the lives of a young family who has experienced tragedy and are trying to put their lives back together. Nina Garrity is a recent widow who has gotten a second chance at love. Simon Fitch is a loving, caring man who seems to be happy making Nina happy. He’s attentive, kind to her kids and is offering the emotional support she desperately needs since her husband’s death. But while Nina and her son, Connor, are excited about this new life with Simon, her daughter Maggie is not convinced Simon is what he presents himself to be. Even Nina’s friends question the almost obsessive attentiveness of Simon but she can’t see any evidence of their suspicions. However, when Nina has a chance to return to work as a social worker, things begin to fall apart at home. Simon becomes more quiet and moody and Maggie becomes more and more upset with him. Working to keep everyone happy and resolve whatever issues have come up, Nina begins to question herself and her actions. Is it really her fault that things are getting worse at home? Talking with her therapist helps her manage the ongoing stress but Nina is afraid to tell Simon of her sessions, given his suddenly over-attentive feelings towards her and her new job. Why is Maggie so against Simon? And why does it feel like Nina is forgetting conversations Simon says they’ve had? Could her friends be right, that there is more to Simon than she thought? Was her late husband the terrible man he has been painted by the events right before his death or is there more to that story? As the story continues to unfold there will be confrontations, life-threatening danger and a resolution that will show how far someone would go to have something they want. This book is so good at maintaining a level of tension that will keep readers engaged until the last page. Simon is one of the best written antagonists and man, is he a dark character. I loved the way Mr. Palmer slowly peeled back Simon’s layers to show the evilness of him wrapped up in a kind and attractive package. You really get to learn about him at the same pace as Nina and Maggie and that made the story so very good. Mr. Palmer told the story from several points of view and that added another element of depth to the story. I liked seeing how the different characters interacted with Simon and what they discovered about him. Nina is just like every person who has been betrayed by a loved one and is looking for someone to love them again. She sees what she wants to see and refuses to listen to her child who perceives the incredible danger their family is in. Maggie is a jaded teen who lost her father and is now losing her mother to a creep. She is angry and resentful but still smart enough to know that something is very wrong with Simon. It’s her courage and determination to expose Simon for what he is that will save her family from another tragedy. I loved everything about this book except the unnecessary curse words and one vague sex scene. That scene could have been left out in my opinion but perhaps Mr. Palmer wanted to show the totality to which Simon was taking over Nina’s life. Most of the curse words were from Maggie, which may have been to show that she lacked the maturity to speak in a better way and to convey the incredible anger she was holding inside. But the story is still one that I found to be very well done. I will be recommending this book to mature readers with the above warning attached. I did enjoy the book and hope others will as well.

I received this temporary, complimentary E-book from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Nina's husband disappeared- did he kill himself, run away for a new life or something else? She has found a new love, Simon and they share a home together along with her two children. Her daughter, Maggie, is not a fan of Simon and picks up on some odd behaviors. This book was so frustrating at times- but unfortunately that's because it is all to true for too many relationships. Nina seems oblivious to Simon's gas lighting, controlling and manipulative behavior and that's just how he wants it. I loved the character of Maggie and wish more of it was from her perspective. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good book overall, but I felt there was something missing. Maybe that a big plot twist was revealed in the middle of the story and then everything else seemed predictable.

I found myself skimming pages towards the end of the story just so that I could finish. Perhaps reading thrillers during a pandemic is not what I should be doing...

I gave it 4 stars because it just failed to surprise me at the end, but I did enjoy the writing.

Nina is shattered when police come to tell her that they have found her husband's boat with blood in it, but no trace of him. Even their beloved dog Daisy is missing. Enter Simon Fitch who brings Daisy home to Nina and her two children. Simon quickly becomes their benefactor and moves in with Nina to help. Nina's son takes to Simon quickly, but daughter Maggie has bad feelings about this man, who is one of her teachers, from the start. Nina does not want to believe that some of the things Simon does are intentionally controlling, but thinks he is just helping her heal after all she is beginning to find out secrets about Glen, her husband.
Author D. J. Palmer is a new to me author. The domestic thriller is quite popular as a sub-genre right now. The way she uses different points of view makes this twisty story very engaging and a true page turner. She does an excellent job at showing how women can be tricked and controlled by gaslighting, among other things. People who think women who are weak because they cannot leave their abusers need to read this well researched novel.
Maggie is my favorite character. The parts where she is the narrator show a girl who is brave and trusts her gut instincts. Nina, at times, seems a little gullible, but who knows how they would act in similar circumstances. D. J. Palmer has created the perfect creepy villain in Simon Fitch. As with real life psychopaths such as Ted Bundy, he is an attractive man who seems like a wonderful person, but true evil lurks just below the surface.
I highly recommend this novel for those who love thrillers. It is hard to put down once you start it.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.

The premise of this, although rather campy and Lifetime Movie of the Week-ish, makes for a very entertaining psychological thriller. But the tension was unfortunately loosened for me throughout by what was revealed when. The most prominent example of this was when the main mystery underlying everything was fully revealed at the midpoint.

This may work well for some readers, but as someone who LOVES psychological thrillers, I felt let down by it. I want to be curious - until the very end - about what truth is lying underneath.

This book was certainly plot — and not character — driven. If I’m honest, I was a bit surprised by chunks of prose that seemed like early draft exposition that perhaps should have either been cut or weaved into the action. Due to this, my read of the book turned to skimming at a certain point.

This is the first book I’ve read by Daniel (D.J.) Palmer, and I’m guessing he must be great with story and he’s certainly prolific, because he’s built a solid career on churning out books. I’m thinking I might give one of his earlier books, Saving Meghan, a try at some point, since I’ve seen people rave about it!

Look, I’m probably the weirdo here who doesn’t watch reality TV and snobbishly seeks out depth and ‘human truths’ in the stories I read, even if they’re page-turning thrillers. I’m painfully aware that if I thought less and just experienced shocks and thrills more, I’d most likely be a happier person.

If you are looking for depth and truths here, you may be disappointed. But this type of supremely commercial fiction really thrills certain readers and sells millions of copies - I get that, and I do not judge at all. In fact, I am kind of jealous. If you are one of those lucky people, definitely get this book and give it a read!

A huge thank you to #netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of #thenewhusband in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a rollercoaster ride Simon Finch.
This was the first book for me to read by DJ Palmer and what a wonderful book this one had me on the edge of my seat clear up till the end of the book. Kept me awake till 3 in the morning. Once I picked the book up there was no putting it down.
Simon Finch was in love with his first wife and he needed to bring her back into his world into his mind. He loved recreating what she was..
So for him destroying others was his Joy. A man who had a dark side. Wanted everyone to believe he was the good teacher the one who knew how to take care of children. He could support a family no need for Nina to work it was dangerous for her to work he needed her to be at home take care of Maggie.
This man was controlling.
When Glenn disappeared.

Nina believed her husband had done a lot of bad things.
Quit his job but in actuality been fired...

This book was well-written I loved this book.. what a fantastic Story one that definitely kept me on the edge of my seat till 3 a.m..
Thank you DJ Palmer
Thank you netgally
For allowing me to read this book...

This was an excellent psychological thriller, filled with lots of surprises. Your opinion of the characters will change as the story develops.

I enjoyed the way the book was written. The middle school daughter, Maggie, Is sweet, innocent, and intelligent. The author does a good job covering bulling.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

The New Husband by D.J. Palmer is the book you'll love to hate. I was a great thriller and kept me wanting more through out the whole book. Nina learned about her husband's double life from the police after he went out fishing one morning and did not return. She just couldn't believe it and was crushed and trying to rebuild her life with her two children. In swoops Simon Fitch, a teacher from the middle school that her daughter attends. Immediatly her daughter raises some red flags about Simon, but Nina just doesn't see it. Simon and Nina end up moving in together and this is when the story starts to pick up. Can we trust Simon, and why can't Nina see what her daughter sees, and where has her husband gone?

This thriller has something for everyone and you won't regret giving it a read.

After Nina's husband goes missing she begins a new relationship with Simon. Simon is just about perfect or is he? This book was a chilling thrill ride that I really enjoyed reading.

I don’t want to give anything away in this book so I will just say that I couldn’t put it down. It is suspenseful & filled with lots of twists & turns along the way. It’s kind of horrifying but you can’t look away. Highly recommend this book if being on the edge of your seat is your thing!