I look forward to reading a book written by Samantha Hayes. I know what I am getting, a psychological thriller that will keep me turning the pages to find out who, what, why, when and where. And the why is usually the most crucial bit that isn't revealed until the last pages!
In this offering The Happy Couple are Will and Jo who are trying for a baby but finding that when it doesn't happen naturally it can be a terrible burden. Will is an actor for some of the time and a drama teacher for a lot of the time. Jo is a business partner in Sew Perfect and met Will backstage when fixing costumes.
They appeared to be very happy until one day a year ago Will went out and never returned. We follow Jo desperately trying to come to terms with the disappearance and the very difficult state of being 'not knowing' engenders. She has help from best friend Louise and as part of Louise's project to help Jo move on she suggests a house-sitting venture.
Jo ends up on the South Coast in a house she has chosen for one very good reason and there she wants to stay until she can work things out. I loved the dialogue with Will and his ghostly presence. This made Jo as a character seem vulnerable, stuck in her grieving, and at other times unreliable as a narrator. She has a tendency to speak the last part of her thoughts out loud and as she is having some very dark thoughts this trait appears as if it could put her in danger.
The read is tense but not that tricky to second guess. Although there is the usual author ploy to allude to the past without actually specifying what happened, it was obvious from the beginning what did happen one night on a drive back from a party. However there is more to Will's disappearance than just that.
What I did feel teased about was Jo's involvement. Guilty party or unwitting accessory? And why has Will gone now and where on earth has he gone? Is he even still alive?
The weird coincidences that keep piling up make the reader doubt all those Jo comes into contact with. Friend or foe? Unknowing or in possession of facts Jo does not have?
It is interesting to see how the story gathers momentum and how opinion can shift so easily, first of all believing the guilt of one character and then protesting their innocence the next.
I did not anticipate the final part of this book which was a fair enough and credible resolution, but what was slightly too far out of the realms of believability for me was the very 'end end' with Louise. I didn't think this was needed and spoilt the plot enough for me to award 4 stars instead of 5.
Apart from that I will always recommend this author to others as a jolly good read and will always choose to pick up a book with this author's name on it!

This is a great example of the genre. It has you gripped, edge of the seat suspense and then the twists come and just blow you away! Would definitely recommend

What are the odds? Insert eye roll. I really enjoyed Date Night and this book sounded like it was going to be good but I just couldn't get on board with it.

OH MY LIFE! This book had me captivated from the very first page! There were so many questions along the way, so many guesses and honestly absolutely SHOCKING! I LOVED THIS BOOK!

We start off with the Main Character Jo wondering if the phone call she is receiving is from her husband who has now been missing for almost a year! Jo has seriously struggled with his disappearance as they were happy and there were no reasons for his disappearance!

Her best friend Louise is so supportive and just wants to help her move on and live her life again so recommends a holiday. But Jo can’t afford that as she’s struggling to get by on one wage! So Louise recommends going on a website where you can sign up to house sit for people!

This isn’t something that Jo really wants to do, but to entertain her friends idea she has a look on the website! However when she looks at a certain house she sees pictures up in one of the rooms of her husband and signs up to house sit wanting to find out what has happened to him! To get closure!

Now is the time to mention that through Jos grief she sees her husband Will Everywhere, she talks to him and imagines he is every where she is, like a coping mechanism!

When the house sit all goes through she arrives at the house and there is no trace of him, but slowly, over time things start to unravel and Jo starts to have suspicions about the lady who’s house she is looking after called Suzanne!

In the mean time she meets the handsome next door neighbour Simon who befriends her and settles her in to the area!

Things soon pick up after a phone call is made between Suzanne and Simon and Suzanne quickly returns home!

It’s clear that Suzanne is quite mentally unstable but something has happened to cause her to keep having ‘episodes’ and something happened with Will and Jo just before he disappeared that she mentions a lot! From here on the action is full on and non stop!

In the end there are some huge shocks and twists which will have you gasping! With a little happiness and romance thrown in their to!

Honestly this book was so incredibly gripping, the way the author talks about the feelings Jo feels and the battles she’s been facing since her husbands disappearance is exactly how I imagine it to actually feel! How does someone move on with their life without knowing if the person is dead or has just left?

There’s always something happening, something new to create hope and suspicions!

I really loved Jo as a Character, she had her personal struggles but never gave up, she was a good wife and a good friend and has overcome so much!

The writing is clever, captivating, devious, exciting and non stop and I highly recommend this book and award it 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️!

I cannot WAIT to read more from this author! This right here is why I love reading and reviewing!

I have been a fan of Samantha's for a while now. I haven't quite read all of her previous work but I keep up with her current releases and when I have a chance I read one of her older books too. I read the synopsis for 'The Happy Couple' and it certainly sounded like another cracking read from Samantha Hayes. I wasn't wrong either because I thoroughly enjoyed reading it but more about that in a bit.
It took me a little while to get into this story but that has more to do with the fact that I was having trouble concentrating due the pain I was in and shouldn't be taken as a criticism of the author. However once I got into the story that was it, I was away and I couldn't stop reading. The pages were turning increasingly quickly as my desperation to find out how the story concluded, steadily grew and grew. At one point the pages were turning over that quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves. I immersed myself so deeply in the story that I was able to shut out all other distractions and focus solely on the story. I didn't want to miss a single second of the story for fear of missing some vital clue or other. All too quickly I reached the end of the book, which I was disappointed about. Again not a criticism of the author, more a compliment- I had been enjoying the author's writing style, the storylines and the characters that much that I just didn't want the book to end.
The Happy Couple' is extremely well written but then I think that to be true of all of Samantha's books. She has a way of drawing your attention to her books, by having a bright and breezy but at the same time mysterious sort of cover on them. She creates an intriguing synopsis and then slowly but surely she draws you into the story. Once Samantha has your attention, she will not relinquish it until the moment you read the last word on the last page. It's as if Samantha has you under her spell. She has the knack of turning a story on its head and introducing twists and turns that you don't see until they slap you in the face. 'The Happy Couple' is one of those gripping books that had me on the edge of my seat for the majority of the story.
In short, I really did enjoy 'The Happy Couple' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will most definitely be reading more of Samantha's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

I love Samantha Hayes, and this book was no different. While not as shocking or disturbing as some of her past books (I’m looking at you, “Until You’re Mine”), this book had plenty of twists and turns and left me guessing until the very end. Thoroughly enjoyed, it and highly recommend it for fans of character-driven psychological thrillers.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
This very strange story is told from the perspective of a woman named Jo who is married to a man named Will who has gone missing . He is assumed dead by many , yet she isn't sure. She keeps looking for him, and her best friend Louise concerned for her suggests she goes on vacation.
Jo decides to look for a house in South Wales and finds one with a picture of Will on the mantel place. She requests that house and decides to check it out. What she finds is more than what she ever expected.

The story kind of goes off the rails from there. I felt that it was unbelievable and a bit ridiculous
There are some books that are so boring I just can't read but this was not one of them. It may have been off the rails but it was interesting at the same time. It did keep my interest and was surprised at the end.

The Happy Couple by Samantha Hayes is one that I struggled with my feelings really from the moment I began until the end. This is a somewhat slow paced thriller told from the point of view of the wife, Jo, in the present and looks back at the past.

Jo had thought her marriage was perfect and was deeply in love with her husband Will when one day Will simply did not come home from work. A year has passed since that day but Jo still cannot let go to the point she even hallucinates Will to be still with her.

Jo’s best friend is concerned about her and pushes Jo into trying to take a holiday somewhere to get away from it all. Jo however knows she cannot afford a trip so it’s suggested she try a house sitting site to still get away. Looking on the site Jo finds a home with photos on the mantle that she swears are of her husband so she applies to fill the house sitter opening.

What had me going back and forth with my feelings on this one was on one hand I didn’t particularly care for Jo or feel sorry for her. There was always this niggling thought in the back of my mind as to why she was so upset over her husband and as the story goes on the more I wondered. On the other hand though the book has some excellent twists and an intense plot/setting that I would have otherwise loved if I’d felt more for Jo leaving me at three stars.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was my first book by Samantha Hayes. I've been meaning to give her a try and I'm glad I started with this one. It was a psychological thriller centered around a marriage which is my FAVORITE kind, I'm super nit picky about how these types of books are pulled together and she pulled it together perfectly.

An interesting glimpse into the life of a woman who thought she had it all. A husband to love her, hopefully a baby soon, a job she loved and friends and family. Until the day her husband disappears without out a trace. Almost a year of grieving, wondering, the unknown worse than the knowing. Is he head? Did he leave? When a strange glimpse of him catches her eye in a photograph her path is already set. She cannot let it go. She cannot unsee it. Wether he left her for another woman or not, she will find out. No matter the consequences.

I absolutely loved this book. I was so lucky that I was chosen to receive an advance readers copy from Netgalley, Bookouture and Sam Hayes and I would like to thank them all for their kindness and the opportunity.

Me and Will, Will and me, the perfect match. Jo is married to the love of her life Will, but one day a year ago schoolteacher and actor Will just disappeared. He drank his coffee, left for work and never came home. A year later after searching everywhere and anywhere Jo is looking for a place to house-sit (Lou, her best friend suggested she needed a holiday) when she spots 3 framed photos of Will on the mantlepiece of a cottage. Jo immediately books the house. She is determined to find Will no matter what. She has to because Jo is keeping a huge secret, something happened shortly before Will disappeared, something she should have told the police when she reported him missing, something that is eating away at her.

Just reading the first line of the plot made me want to race through this tale to find out what had happened to Will and I devoured the book overnight until well into the wee hours. I have to say I certainly wasn't disappointed! There were even a couple of stings in the tail which I hadn't seen coming.

The book alternates between the past and the present. I really felt Jo's despair, and her love for Will throughout the pages. The absolute agony of being in this situation must be unbearable, it must be impossible to ever get over the person and continue your life. This is exactly the feeling I got as I turned page after page.

If you only read one book this year make it this one, I think it is my favourite of the 2020 so far.

This was a slow burn psychological thriller. It took me quite a while to get into it, I found the start really slow and disliked the protagonist.

About 40% of the way through I was about to stop reading when I realised I was actually invested and needed to know the truth. It did get better the further into the book I got, but I still wouldn't exactly call myself a fan of it.

Overall it was a fine novel, if you enjoy these types of stories I'd say give it a go.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.

I have enjoyed every novel I’ve read by Samantha Hayes and this was no exception. The Happy Couple was intriguing from the beginning when Jo looks for a place to stay, like an Airbnb, and sees photos of her missing husband in a house. Naturally, she books a stay, curious as to why her husband’s photo is in someone else’s home.

He’s been missing for a year, has he been living there? Or does the person who owns the home know something about him? WHAT IS HAPPENING? Why did he leave? Jo has been living in a nightmare wondering about her husband, WHERE IS HE?

Right away, I trusted none of the characters from Jo herself to her best friend Louise. Jo keeps thinking she sees Will but its just her imagination until it isn’t. Is it? This is twisty and dizzying and a fast read.

Synopsis:

Me and Will. Will and Me. A perfect match. He said he would always be there for me, but it’s been a year since he drained his coffee, walked out the front door and vanished.

Did he leave me? Or did something terrible happen? I’m scared someone finally found out about what happened on the drive home that night…

I lie awake at night trawling the internet for rental properties, desperate for an escape. Until I see my husband’s gorgeous face smiling back at me from a photograph on the fireplace in someone else’s home, and something inside of me snaps.

At the house, I find no trace of him and the woman who lives there has no idea who I am. But I’m certain she’s hiding something behind the locked door upstairs. I know that if I want answers, I have to stay. You might think that what’s inside that room is the answer to all my questions and the end of all my pain. But it’s only the beginning…



Definitely an entertaining page-turner! Only $3.99 for Kindle, get it here!

😊 The Happy Couple is Samantha Hayes' latest psychological thriller and an exceptional, taut mystery, fraught with tension.

The novel features blissfully contented couple Will and Jo Carter. Jo is a seamstress and Will is a drama teacher and actor, but one day Will mysteriously vanishes, leaving behind his phone and wallet. Struggling to make it through each day, Jo's best friend Louise and husband Archie encourage her to take a break for a while but as a much needed holiday is unaffordable, Jo decides to take up house sitting. Searching the internet for suitable properties, Jo spies her husband's unforgettable face staring back at her from someone's mantel.

Having come across author Samantha Hayes before I know that she excels at throwing her readers off the scent. Extremely compelling, I was hooked from the start, and I loved the curve balls that kept on popping up. The author has crafted a wonderfully chilling plot, executed perfectly with just the right amount of pace. You won't find any boring chapters here! Samantha Hayes’ writing style was flawless and everything just flowed, the concise chapters allowing for an undemanding and enjoyable read. The characters were well drawn and very believable and Samantha Hayes has done a grand job at bringing them to life on the page, though they were not particularly personable giving me cause for wariness. The tense and twisty plot went down a treat as it snaked along and Samantha Hayes was able to create tones of apprehension and unease that continued until the very last page.

The Happy Couple was very hard to put down and it was one of those books that had me guessing all the way through and I had my own suspicions as to what might happen next, only to discover that I was way off the mark. This book had an incredible twist that I didn’t see coming at all. A cracking read with chunks of doubtful behaviour that helped to nudge the story along - as if Samantha Hayes needs any help! I hope it won't be long before there is another offering by this outstanding author. 😊

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

There’s no much I can say about this book because I hate doing reviews below or 3 stars, but as promised this one looks at the beginning I just can’t get all caught in the story and characters. Jo talking to Will all the time get me a little anxious and just want to find out what happened to him, but so I can finish the book and move on. The ending was way to fast wrapping and explaining everything, and sorry but I’m personally hate the final part about louise, the baby and Jo, after all the betrayal Jo taking care of the consequences of that is just beyond my understanding, I really hate Louise because she’s a despicable person and give up what she should keep and protect with her life just give me more reason to totally dislike her.
In conclusion, the book started very promising, but was just that, promising but loosing me as I keep reading, and with the end totally lost me.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC, this is my honest review.

Bookouture pumps out some seriously fantastic thrillers! This was an intense read with lots of twists and turns to keep you enthralled through the novel. It all led to a great shocking ending! What a great read!

I'd an amazing read. I casually tried guessing the person behind it in the 1st chapter & it turned out to be true but still enjoyed it as through the story I was sure my guess was just silly. I saw mixed reviews on GR for this, I guess the problem anyone will is of Jo talking too much to herself and alternate time lapse in which the story goes.

I loved all the character specially of suzzane. Jo's character had some ups and downs but it it's that what it made the story more interesting.

Thank you @bookoutre for the review copy

This is the first book I’ve read from this author. I tried to like it. But in the end, I feel it came up way short. The writing was a bit confusing. It was sometimes hard to tell what she was actually thinking and was she was saying out loud. And oh my gosh, all the inner monologue. Kinda drove me crazy. It was really hard for me to finish the book. After I read the final chapter, I sat there confused. Like ok this is how it ends? I may read another of this author’s books in the future and give it another shot.

Thank you NetGalley, Samantha Hayes, and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of “The Happy Couple.”
Jo and Will are a perfect match. Will said he would always be there for Jo, but it’s been a year since he drained his coffee, walked out the front door and vanished.
Did he leave Jo? Or did something terrible happen? She is scared someone finally found out about what happened on the drive home that night…
Jo lies awake at night trawling the internet for rental properties, desperate for an escape. Until she see’s her husband’s gorgeous face smiling back at her from a photograph on the fireplace in someone else’s home, and something inside of her snaps.
At the house, She finds no trace of him and the woman who lives there has no idea who Jo is. But Jo certain she’s hiding something behind the locked door upstairs.
You might think that what’s inside that room is the answer to all of Jo’s questions and the end of all her pain. But it’s only the beginning…
This is my second novel by Samantha Hayes and I can say she is becoming one of my favourites to read! I really enjoyed this book. Whenever I thought I had figured it out, something else would happen to keep me guessing all the way to the end! It is fast paced and a book that got me excited to read! The story is written in the present with flashback chapters to give you a sense of what Will and Jo were like when they were together. I liked the writing style and it made the story easy to follow and know what was going on. Hayes writes in a way where you really get inside of Jo’s head and understand all of her emotions and what she is feeling throughout the book. I felt satisfied at the end of the book and feel all my questions were answered and I wasn’t left confused or uncertain about anything. I definitely recommend this to any thriller and psychological fans out there! You won’t be disappointed.

I typically love Samantha Hayes books so I was super stoked to receive an e-ARC of The Happy Couple. I mean, did you read that synopsis? It sounds deliciously gripping! The story is told in third person, however, when we are taken back to the past as Jo remembers times with Will, it’s told in first person. This format worked for me, but it might be irksome or confusing to some. The story starts a little slow, but it has steady growth and had me turning pages faster as the story progressed. The end might not have been as shocking as it could have been, but there were still enough twists to keep me second guessing myself and that’s always fun!

I liked how I could relate to Jo and her absolute clumsiness. She talks to herself A LOT. I don’t know if that’s a bad thing or not? I’m sure it will drive some readers absolutely nuts. For me, it just made her even more relatable since I am always talking to myself, and just as she did, I often blurt out things and don’t even realize it until my husband looks me with a seriously confused look on his face lol. I also liked Simon and Suzanne and, of course, the addition of animals is never a bad thing for me.

A few things that didn’t work so well for me and left me rating this at 3.5 stars, closer to 3 than 4: 1) Jo clearly has some mental health issues that were never addressed. I really wish they had been, even if just in the smallest way. 2) There were a few times that reminded me of horror films where the audience is thinking, “oh come on, no way the person is dumb enough to do that...” 3) The ending was just a little too fast and unbelievable. Overall, it was an enjoyable, quick read with some great characters. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a quick, suspenseful read, just go into remembering its entertainment and it's okay to have fun reading about the unbelievable. If you haven’t read any of her other books, I highly recommend you pick one up.