“You don’t think Jamie and I have secrets, do you? No, we tell each other everything.’ She smiled. ‘Including your dirty little secret. So, thinking about it, maybe it’s time to start being nice to me?’
OMG!!This is one of those reads that quickly grabs you and a character you love to hate! Clare and Dan are on holiday with their three small children and Dan’s parents. Dan and his parents Joy and Bob run a small building company and they are retiring and handing over their part to son Jamie who is to arrive at the villa a day or so after the others. When he does arrive he has a wife in tow- Ella. Something no one knew anything about. From the outset Ella appears to dislike Clare and constantly puts her down.Things like describing her nursing career as “just making beds for a living”. She also appears to think that the family own the villa and that Jamie is loaded, Clare hence thinks she may not love Jamie as much as he thinks and is only there for the glamour and money. Ella appears to know a secret about Clare from her past and is determined to get on the good side of Joy, her mother in law whilst at the same time put Clare well and truly in the shade.
I really enjoyed this and couldn't put it down- just my sort of read. That slight anxiety (I kept telling myself “it’s fiction”) of a character in whom I saw some of others I have met- thankfully now in the past. It is so well written it came across as very believable. A clever plot with a twist(of course) that I thought worked really well. I very much look forward to he next read from this truly brilliant author
(rest of links as part of blog tour)

THE SISTER-IN-LAW
BY SUE WATSON

This was an excellent pulse pounding driven plot and at the same time a character study about two very different women. Clare and Dan along with their three children are vacationing on the sun dappled with its golden rays and cobalt blue waters of the Amalfi coast in Italy. Dan's mother Joy and his father Bob Taylor are getting ready to retire from the family oriented business. Jamie, the drifting prodigal youngest son is suddenly a guest with his new diabolical wife named Ella.

Ella is evil and the first day of her arrival Clare witnesses her steal a pair of Joy's diamond earrings. Clare decides to keep this transgression to herself as she doesn't want to cause trouble for the extended family. The next day as Clare's habit of waking up before anybody else and enjoying the peace and quiet, to her disappointment she sees Ella is already poolside doing yoga. Ella is extremely rude to Clare. Ella warns Clare that if she isn't nice to her she will shatter Clare's life by exposing Clare's dirty little secret.

What is Clare's dirty little secret that could destroy her life? How does Ella know? Dan has already cheated on Clare with someone half his age. This holiday was supposed to be relaxing and a way to rebuild their marriage. Dan told his mother that Jamie and Ella could use their bedroom with a king sized bed and now Dan and Clare will be sleeping separately. I loved this novel and I loved Clare who was really greatly misunderstood. I detested Ella. Character's with such polar opposite personalities really mixes things up and kept me on the edge of my seat. I will read whatever Sue Watson writes.

Publication Date: April 30, 2020

Thank you to Net Galley, Sue Watson and Bookouture Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinion's are my own.

#NetGalley #TheSisterinLaw #SueWatson #BookouturePublishing

The Sister-In-Law by Sue Watson was the perfect distraction that I needed during lockdown! It ticked all the boxes of what I find so delicious in a psychological thriller. I was hooked and finished this one in less than 24 hours it was so good! I highly recommend you get your hands on a copy and see for yourself just how enthralling the book truly is!

Many thanks to Bookouture and the author for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

4-5 stars! I found this book to be well written, intriguing, and not at all what I expected at the end. I did figure out the twists, which is why I did not give the full 5 stars, but I was glued to it until I finished, which is why I can’t give the 4 stars! Wish it had a better fleshed our ending, showing the readers the “date night” instead of just explaining what Clare planned, as I wanted to see this and what was next! Overall, I do think that most who love twisty tales of lies, cheating, and family covering for those who don’t deserve it: will enjoy this book! I do highly recommend!
I will make sure to buzz it up on all the different platforms!

I enjoyed reading this one, but it was a bit hard to believe. But I do recommend it and award it four stars.

I really enjoy Sue Watson’s books. I was so excited to read The Sister In Law and it didn’t disappoint. I got into the story right away and was hooked from the first page until the last! I really hated Ella from the beginning…

THE WIFE: Clare is ready for a break. It’s been a tough year and now she wants to put her feet up. Arriving at the Italian villa for their summer holiday, she decides it’s high time her husband and his family did some of the work. After all, her husband owes her…

THE HUSBAND: Even though Dan had his head turned by someone else, he’s realized the error of his ways. He’s here now, and he says it’s for keeps. Clare can trust him, can’t she? At least he’ll have his brother there, to keep him in line…

THE BROTHER: Jamie is the prodigal child, back in the family fold again, after years of traveling abroad. But when he gets to the villa, he’s not alone. He’s brought a wife, someone none of them have met before.

THE SISTER-IN-LAW: Ella is everything Clare isn’t. Glamorous. Young. Influential. But she knows a secret about Clare. Something that has the power to break the whole family apart.

And there’s someone who will do whatever it takes to make sure that this deep secret never comes to the surface.

As with all of Sue’s books, there are some twists and unexpected turns throughout the book and I commend her ability to surprise the reader. I really liked this book and Sue Watson is an author whose books I will be anxiously awaiting in the future!

Coming out on April 30, pre-order here! Only $3.99

Clare, Dan and their three children are holidaying in Italy with Dan’s parents. Clare’s hoping that the holiday can help repair her and Dan’s relationship after he had an affair. When Dan’s brother Jamie arrives with his new wife Ella, Clare hopes they can be friends but Ella knows things about Clare that she would like to keep secret. As Ella begins to taunt Clare, how far will Clare go to keep her secret?

A suspenseful story with a good twist which was an easy and enjoyable read.

Wow!! What an absolutely fantastic and gripping read. I have been gripped by this one from the very beginning.
This is the first book that I've read by this author, however it definitely won't be the last. I have devoured this book in just one sitting.
I have loved the characters in this book, even the irritating Ella who was the perfect character to dislike throughout this book. They have been varied and each portrayed with their own individual personalities throughout.
As the plot has developed, I have found myself questioning the characters and trying to work out where Watson was going with this one.
There is no way I could've predicted this ending. It actually shocked me which is just what you need with this type of book.
This is definitely a five star read which I highly recommend.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC. 3.5 stars from me. This book did have some twists but due to my knack for mystery and thrillers the bar is pretty high.
Character development was strong and I enjoyed the setting in Italy.
There were characters such as Claire who I sympathized with and those that I Despised.
The cover art is fantastic. I do feel that the word "wife " is in every major thriller book title these days, so I appreciate that they used sister in law instead (lol).

Holy Sister-in-Law from hell!! This book had me fuming! Let me tell you what I liked about Ella.....nothing...not one single thing! Ughhh this girl got under my skin. Yet, I couldn't stop reading this, I literally couldn't put this down.

No surprise here… another fantastic thriller from Sue Watson ❤️. As soon as my book buddy Jayme and I saw this newest book from Sue Watson, well we instantly decided it was buddy read time! I can tell you this made for a terrific buddy read as there was ALOT to talk about!

You say we are going on a family vacy? Awesome...I can't wait. Ohhh your carefree world traveling brother Jamie is going to join us. Yesss! Jamie is fun! I love him. Oh wait, Jamie got married?! Oh wow she is something else isn't she? Instagram "it" girl or so she thinks. She loves herself...homes in London and New York, gorgeous glam girl. Yet where does she get all this money? Does she have any friends? A girl like this should have another BFF glam girl right? HMMMM ...my spidey senses are kicking in...

As usual Sue Watson got me with all her twists...seriously I did manage to figure one out...but they kept coming and coming...Just when I thought we were done with the twists...well let's just say it was very well played.......

I could not put this book down, mostly because I wanted to strangle Ella myself! This story builds and builds and you start wondering when these two sister-in-laws will finally get into a physical brawl. I love the twists at the end and the truth is revealed. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

“Now you and I both know each other’s secrets. If You don’t tell mine, then I won’t tell yours.”

CLARE: the wife, is SO ready for the Taylor’s annual summer holiday- this year in a wonderful villa on the Amalfi coast.

After all, her HUSBAND, Dan, owes her for all that he has put her through, with his indiscretions.

She, Dan and their three children will be joining her father in law, Bob, and her mother in law, Joy.

Having lost her Mum early, Clare enjoys sharing meal preparation, gin and tonics and gossip, with Joy. It will be a wonderful summer...

Rounding out the group will be Dan’s BROTHER, Jamie, the prodigal son, who is often traveling abroad but plans to join them a day or so later...

He usually arrives by 🚕 taxi...laden with gifts and good cheer..but this time he arrives with something else...

WHO is that emerging from the passenger side door?

YOUNG, GLAMOROUS and INFLUENTIAL, Ella appears-the new SISTER IN LAW-nobody knew was coming.

She is everything that Clare is not. A woman who self describes as one who wants to move into stuff that REALLY matters-photography, blogging, and saving the planet!

Nobody knew he had gotten married!

And she arrives armed with a SECRET has the power to break the whole family apart.

A secret that seems to have something to do with Clare...

But has she met her match?

I loved “Our Little Lies” by Sue Watson, so I couldn’t wait to grab a copy of this book!

It proved to be just as good, if not even BETTER, as I kept wondering WHO was outwitting WHO?

Twists? YES...and they were twists that I could buy into...these dirty, little secrets were FUN!

And, can’t we all use some FUN, right about now?

4.5 ⭐️!!

Thank You to Bookouture, Sue Watson and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for a candid review!

And, to Kim-It’s All About the Thrill for buddy reading this with me!

This will be out SOON! April 30th, 2020-preorder NOW!

Sue Watson is able to elevate a domestic noir into a literary novel more than the average author. We are used to reading several POV’S in a thriller but this one was purely from the viewpoint of Clare, the wife of Dan, one of the two sons of Joy and Bob who keep a tight rein on both sons and the family business. On the annual holiday in Italy, Clare meets Ella , the brand new model wife that Jamie, the younger son springs on the family.. As we see tensions escalate between Clare and Ella, we find ourselves either hating or pitying Ella depending on the next revelation. I liked Clare all the way through though. . Novels abound with secrets and deceit in families - this one is far superior with heartwrenching discoveries and whiplash twists. It was easy to dislike almost all the characters but Watson makes them realistic and at the end you see them they way they really are while not necessarily forgiving their roles. Definite page turner that kept me reading into the early hours. Excellent!

This was a decent read that I'd describe as a low-key thriller. It centers around Clare, a mother of 3 who joins her husband's family on vacation in Italy. Her marriage is in the rocks and she is feeling low, so she doesn't take it well when her brother-in-law, Jamie, shows up with his brand-new wife, Ella, that no one knew about, who is young and gorgeous and seems to have it out for Clare.

There was a slow building tension throughout this book between Ella and Clare. Both have secrets, but as the book goes on, you find out that everyone else has secrets too. The last 20% or so of the book is when everything comes together, and there are many surprises that tied the book up nicely.

The issue I had with the book was that I really didn't like Clare and didn't feel that I could relate to her at all. I found her to be insecure, immature, and petty and it was hard to root for her. Even as she had some self-actualizing moments as the book went on, I was irritated with her for the most part. There were things she said and did that I thought were the wrong things to say and do, and many things she DIDN'T say that I thought she should have. If she had acted in a way I' could relate to, some of the conflict could have been solved, or she at least would have had more people on her side.

All in all, it was an interesting story with a twisty ending I didn't see coming, and a pretty quick read, but with no relateable characters from my point of view. I think it's probably worth the read for fans of the domestic suspense/mystery genres. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THIS! This book was just what I needed during this stressful time of being inside and “homeschooling” kindergarten to my 6 y/o. This was the most amazing escape to the Amalfi Coast to a beautiful house with a beautiful pool.
It got even better when it got to the back stabbing goodness!
Oh Sue Watson, Thank you for such a twisty family tale. I couldn’t put this down. I loved our main character Clare.
I’m not going to spoil this amazing mystery for you. You need to read it to believe it!
Thank you for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. 10 Stars!!!

Clare, her children, her husband, Dan, and his parents are vacationing in Italy. As they eagerly await the arrival of Dan’s brother, Jamie, it’s evident that there has been some rough patches in Clare and Dan’s marriage. When Jamie arrives, with a new wife named Ella, who none of the family knew about, the vacation takes a turn for the worse as Ella treats Clare terribly (while befriending everyone else) and finally telling Clare that she knows a major secret about her...and isn’t afraid to spill it.

This was a gripping thriller that made me anxious and angry with the way some characters treated others...and this was all before some unsuspecting plot twists that raised the bar. The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is that I found the last 15% of the book a bit slow compared to the rest. There were still revelations going on, but I found myself not minding if it had wrapped up at that point. Plus, I really didn’t care for the way it ended.

Still a solid and suspenseful read, and I thank author Sue Watson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an ARC.

This book was quite suspenseful. The charterers, were a bit unstable, in the sense that you never knew what they would say or do next.
I liked the thrilling/suspense aspect of the book, but the characters soured the book for me. They were just plain mean and manipulative, that it made me like the story a bit less.

The sister-in-law’ had me from the synopsis:
Exotic location, toxic family relationships, dark secrets....
The story didn’t disappoint. Mother of 3, Clare, is on a family holiday with her in-laws, hoping to mend fractured relationship with philandering husband, Dan. Clare’s brother in law, eligible bachelor, Jamie, surprises everyone by turning up with his beautiful new bride, Ella. It quickly becomes apparent that Ella has no intention of bonding with Clare and, though charming to the rest of the family, is openly rude to Clare when they are alone. Just who is Ella? Why is she so unkind to Clare? All becomes clear!

I enjoyed this story and felt it was written well with good character development. At times I found the lengthy exchanges between Clare and Ella to be a little repetitive, but there was a lot to like about this story so it wasn’t a deal breaker! Definitely recommended to fans of a good psychology thriller!

My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I absolutely loved this book! The Amalfi Coast is described so well that it is easy to immerse yourself into the author's depiction of such a beautiful location and observe the dynamics of this superbly dysfunctional family. The Taylor's dream holiday switches from luxury escapism to a claustrophobic nightmare as the characters manage to bring about the demise of their own family.

I like how Sue Watson manages to create an oppressive atmosphere in a subtle way, building tension gradually and then taking it to another level until everything comes to a head. Family dynamics and toxic relationships between members are described brilliantly and some of the characters in this book will elicit strong feelings in you. I found Joy to be dreadful and frequently felt annoyed on behalf of Clare, the protagonist and narrator. At times it was hard to believe that some-one as strong and independent as Clare would allow herself to be knowingly manipulated by Joy and go along with her mother-in-law's whims but the overall story is so good that I was prepared to overlook this.

I highly recommend this book and shall be taking a look at Sue Watson's other works. The Sister-in-Law is the first one of Sue's that I have read but it was such a pleasure to read that I would like to see more. Thank-you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this advanced copy.

Watch out Clare, Ella has her sights on you....but why?

Clare, Dan and their children are off for a holiday with the family, a lovely summer to get their relationship back on track and work towards the future. When Dans brother shows up with a new wife Ella things don’t do to plan...

I was hooked on The Sister-in-Law immediately. The synopsis intrigued me and it didn’t take long for the wonderful writing to take hold! I was shocked at Ella, what a nasty piece of work. Honestly I was amazed with everything Clare put up with. If I’d been on that holiday Ella wouldn’t come back!

The conflict is the best part of this story, it’s juicy and written so well. This is a 2029 must read!