Another hit for Boland! She’s very good at writing thrillers, THE WIFE being no exception! Well written, thrilling, shocking, chilling, and unputdownable! This one really had me wondering what was exactly going on, found it to be originally unique and realistic! I loved the past and present and collisions you’ll see! Preorder today, as I promise this twisted, realistic thriller is not one to be missed!
Will buzz around platforms, as well as use my low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

Shalini Boland did it again! I have loved all of her books so far and this one wasn’t any different. They are quick and easy reads with plot twists you never see coming.

A cracker of a story!

Zoe has it all. Happily married for 10 years, a doting husband, Toby, mother in law, Celia, who is more like a mom and 2 lovely kids. The party to celebrate their 10th Anniversary is all set, but Zoe feels something amiss. She remembers how she fainted on her wedding day and part of her memory is lost. As the Anniversary weekend draws nearer, Zoe feels like the missing pieces of her memory of her wedding day holds something important. With close friends avoiding her and Toby being elusive about some things, Zoe is unsure about the anniversary celebrations.

The story is told from the POV of the wife, Zoe, and how she has her own issues to deal with. The early death of her Mother is another cause for things between her Father, Guy, younger sister Dina, and Zoe to be less then normal.

The story is gripping and there is a certain warmth/camaraderie between the characters that I find in most of Shalini Boland's books. A page turner for sure.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

What a corker of a book that was just full of twists that I never would have predicted.

Zoes wedding day to Toby was not quite as she would have wished for. Her sister Dina, who she misses terribly, is abroad and unable to make the wedding. Then on her wedding morning Zoe faints, whacking her head. She can remember nothing about the event but carries on through her wedding day in a fog with a crashing headache.

Ten years later and the couple are organising a celebratory party to mark their anniversary. As small hindrances crop up, Zoe is convinced that the party will not go without a hitch. This proves correct when dark family secrets and lies become evident as the evening progresses and nobody appears to be who they were thought to be.

Brilliant, easy to read page Turner with an ending I would never have predicted. Highly recommend.

This book was a good thriller. It kept me guessing and engaged. I liked the then and now perspectives of the storyline.

Ten years ago on her wedding day Zoe fainted in her hotel room and has no recollection how it happened.
Now she is returning to the hotel for her tenth wedding anniversary and strange and unsettling things are happening again.
This was an enjoyable thriller with twist and turns .
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.7 Stars
I’d like to start by saying that this is my first book written by the author. While I have mixed feelings about the story, I am intrigued by her writing and have added her to my TBR.
The Wife is the story of Zoe, a 37 yo woman with a loving family and a happy life. She’s planning her 10th wedding anniversary celebration to make up for her fainting incident that marred the beauty of her wedding day. As the date comes closer, Zoe realizes that things are not what they seem. She is surrounded by lies and treachery. The blank space in her memory needs to be filled. Her questions need to be answered. But at what cost?
The story goes back and forth between the present and different sections of the past. We see the events through Zoe’s eyes, think her thoughts, and feel her overwrought emotions.
That’s where I’ve started feeling detached. I wasn’t able to think like Zoe nor feel like her. Her instincts were right (which I love). But she didn’t seem to be the kind to take a stand unless forced. The 2-3 times she does it, I kept cheering for her.
What made me wonder and wonder (until the climax) was her obsession with her younger sister, Dina. Somehow, that character was never real. The references to the differences between them, the causes for it, and the hints about what went wrong got repetitive over time. I just wanted to know and be done with it.
And when the reveal finally happens, it’s doesn’t seem strong enough. I was disappointed. More so because that’s the only place we get some sort of direct connection with Dina, and she is as surreal as always.
A few characters add little or nothing to the story, and others could have been developed in detail. The extra scenes emphasize Zoe’s insecurity and vulnerability, which was evident quite early in the book. I wanted to know more about the ones who play a major role in the story rather than the ones who come and go without much reason.
The pacing during the first half is quite slow compared to the second half, where everything happens in quick succession. That led to information dump in immediate scenes. Couple it with predictable twists, the book dips as it fails to sustain the balance.
However, there is tension, suspense, and a sense of fear about what would happen. That makes up for this misbalance to a good extent. The ending, though expected, was nice to read. Zoe seemed to be taking better control over things.
Then we have a final shot- the epilogue. I’ve always been a fan of epilogues. But this one leaves me with mixed feelings. It shows the true colors of a character (which I liked) but takes the story away from the lead character. Someone else manages to trump over the heroine, and not for the first time. With Zoe being the narrator throughout the book, to have an epilogue by a much stronger character dimmed the new-found strength of Zoe we get to see a page ago.
Overall, the narration is engaging and the shifting timelines were interesting. The book is a page-turner, despite a few misses.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC copy.

#TheWife #NetGalley

I have always loved her novels, but this one is an embarrassment. Extremely poor writing, insipid characters and nonsensical plot. I guess not everything from this author should get published

Wow! Another brilliant book by Shalini Boland. If you love psychological thrillers, then ‘The Wife’ has to be on your read list.

I love how the mystery unfolded and took me on a memorable journey. Zoe is so ordinary and her life is normal in every way until she starts seeing someone from her past. Shalini skilfully ties this in with the behaviour of everyone around Zoe. I felt the tension and anxiety that was building up within her as the truth closed in.

This book was particularly unsettling and had me biting my nails as I raced through it, desperate to know what had been going on. I enjoyed how Zoe’s old school friend, Cassie, came into play, twisting things even further.

Zoe’s character was relatable and well written. I enjoyed getting to know her as I read. She could have been a friend or acquaintance, and the hair salon and home settings sealed the authenticity. The characters around her were well fleshed out.

‘The Wife’ is a fantastically fast and immersive read and boy does it pack a big fat punch at the end. Full of surprises and shocks, I can honestly say, I thought it was fabulous!

This story begins when Zoe passes out on her wedding day, and although she is confused and can’t remember what happened she goes ahead with the wedding. Fast forward ten years and she is planning her and her husband’s anniversary party. She has been happy the last ten years, she has a loving husband and they have two wonderful children, but she can’t shake the feeling that something happened on her wedding day that she can’t remember. Then the days leading up to the party she finds out her husband is keeping secrets from her. This is a psychological thriller and a quick read with lots of twists. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Zoe faints on her wedding day, about an hour before she is expected to walk down the aisle. She’s convinced by those around her and herself it was nerves or as she later finds out pregnancy. But since then she still feels like she is missing what really happened that day. Now planning a 10 year wedding anniversary friends are acting weird, memories are coming back and she’s about to find out what really happened that day.
I loved this book. I kind of went n with no expectations as I’ve never read this author. The book went back and forth from last to present and is full of twists. To be honest I skipped to the end to see what really happened! I wasn’t shocked, it made sense but it was still a good storyline. I went back to finish the book right away. It was a good read. The author makes you feel like you are going as crazy as the main character. Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy!

Edge of the seat thriller building up to the final crescendo of surprises. Kept me engrossed throughout.

Shalini Boland is an author that I can rely on having a fast paced and twisty story. The Wife did not let me down. It was a fun read, although I had my suspicions as to where it was headed and I was pretty much spot on. But even with that I was hooked and looking forward to seeing how it would end.

Zoe fainted on her wedding day.. nightmare! She has always though that something had happened but she has no memory of it. 10 years later and she and Toby are happily married with 2 kids and getting ready to celebrate their anniversary. A party has been planned at the same hotel as the wedding. As the party gets closer, Zoe’s life starts to become a mess. She catches Toby lying to her, her friends are giving her the cold shoulder and things are not going as planned. When the truth of what happened on her wedding day comes out her life is never going to be the same again,

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

The Wife by Shalini Boland Reviewed on August 14, 2020 4 Stars

This story starts off with Zoe “The Wife” and main character in this novel passing out on her wedding day which was 10 years ago. She does not remember most of her Wedding Day, there was a nurse at the wedding and declares Zoe okay and no need to go to the ER. Zoe has never had a fainting problem but finds out that she is pregnant and figures that was the problem.

Zoe is a hair dresser in a small town; she and her husband Toby have 2 children and are looking forward to celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. However as the date gets closer she cannot help but think about her memory loss at their wedding. Additional strange things are happening. Her sister-in law Madeline is actually giving her the cold shoulder. Then Zoe accidently sees her husband Toby with Madeline and, of course, suspects an affair. Other things are going but you find out about them when YOU read this story.

Yep there are some twists that kept me reading.

Love the info at the end of the novel… so many great read that I have missed.
This is my first [author: Shalini Boland] novel and I look forward to reading another. In fact, just put [book: The Silent Mother] and [book: The Secret Sister] on my TBR list!

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 9, 2020

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "The Wife" in exchange for my honest review.

Once again Shalini Boland has written a book filled with characters and a storyline that draws you in immediately and doesn't let you go until the last page. The story moves back and forth in time between the headings "THEN", "NOW", "18 YEARS AGO", "THE DAY OF THE WEDDING", and "9 MONTHS LATER".

The story starts at the wedding of main character Zoe (Williams) Johnson. She faints at her wedding and has no recollection of what happened or why. 10 years later as she is planning her Wedding Anniversary party she still feels dread and slightly off about that day but still doesn't know why. She has the perfect life. Married to the man of her dreams - Toby. They have 2 children - Alice (9) and Jamie (6). She is part of an extended family - Mother-in-Law: Celia, Father-in-Law: Malcolm, Brother-in-Law: Nick and his wife: Madeline. They have 2 daughters: Beth (12) and Freya (6).

Soon it feels like everything is not quite how it seems. Madeline cancels a babysitting offer at the last minute saying that she felt that Zoe had too much on her plate. Other mothers at the school drop-off are avoiding her gaze. She starts seeing a young woman that she swears is her sister Dina whom she hasn't seen since she left home at the age of 16. She's distracted, obsessed even by the thought that her sister is back in Shaftsbury and has not contacted her or their father. She causes a car accident, thinking she saw her sister. She runs out of the salon into the freezing rain thinking that her sister looked in the window. Everytime her phone rings, she thinks it's her sister. A former friend is causing her problems as well - at work and in general.

As the story unfolds we learn of blackmail (who was blackmailing whom), an affair (but who was having the affair), the possibility of someone being drugged (and the shock of who was doing it), a struggle, misdirection and then a revelation of a murder. The shocking reveal of the mastermind had me turning the pages faster and faster because I just could not believe it. The joy of who saves the day. The epilogue makes you wonder if people ever learn from their mistakes.

A slight head scratcher was on page 186, which left me wondering why Celia was wearing "and navy ankle books".

An absolutely brilliant book. I had a lot of trouble putting it down because I had to know what was going to happen. If only there were more than 5 stars for this one. I can't wait to see what Ms. Boland writes next!!! I highly recommend this and any of her previous books.

Thank you Net Galley and Bookouture for an ARC of The Wife. I have enjoyed other books by this author, but this one was tough. For the most part, it was an easy read, but it didn't seem to be going anywhere. I didn't really care about Zoe or what she was going through. Yes we finally find out what happened, but it seemed so contrived and unbelievable to me. like WHAT? The epilogue was not needed either. Sorry I didn't enjoy it more, but I will give this author another try next time.

The Wife by Shalini Boland Didn't even remotely imagine that ending happening. Intriguing and engrossing physiological domestic thriller. Numerous twists and turns where no one is who they appear to be. Very fast paced and exciting read.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

When Zoe fainted on her wedding day ten years ago she never knew the reason why. She always felt that something bad had happened, she just couldn’t remember what. Now Zoe and Toby have been married for ten years, have two children and they are planning a ten year anniversary party for all their family and friends back in the hotel where they were married. But as the party draws closer Zoe catches Toby lying about where he has been, her friends seem to be ignoring her and now someone is spreading stories that may stop the party from happening at all.

This was an excellent read. As soon as I started reading I couldn’t stop! I loved the storyline and all the characters. I knew where the story was going and how the ending would be but it didn’t stop me from enjoying the book in any way.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ten years ago Zoe fainted at her wedding. She later found that she was pregnant and put it down to that however there is a blank part of the day missing in her memory. Now she is trying to organise a party for their ten year anniversary and things are not going according to plan. Her husband is being secretive, her best friend is avoiding her and an old school friend is crashing the party. Her sister went missing around the same time and Zoe now thinks she has seen her or at least someone who looks very much like her. We get some chapters from then (10 years ago) and others from the present time. Poor Zoe feels very alienated by the people she loves. What on earth is going on and why does everyone seem to be against her in one way or another? I really enjoy Shalini's books. A seemingly domestic story has that edge of uncertainty which grows and the tension builds throughout the book. You can't help but like Zoe who comes across as a perfectly normal working wife and mother and wonders why all these people are against her. A clever concept, a well thought out twist. Another page turner that kept me on the edge of my seat. 5* from me
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On what should have been one of Zoe’s happiest days of her life she comes to on the hotel floor dressed in her wedding finery to concerned faces. She’s always felt the day was ruined as a result, but her husband and in-laws have assured her that everything is fine. She was most likely stressed and skipped breakfast. But something just beyond her reach has been with her since that day. Namely why all her in-laws were in her bridal suite when she came to.

Fast forward 10 years and Zoe is still married to Toby, 2 wonderful kids and super supportive in-laws including a new sister in law courtesy of Toby’s brother Nick marrying her and bringing her into the family fold. And now Zoe ten years later is back preparing for her 10th wedding anniversary party at the same venue where her wedding took place.

Still harboring some disappointment that her little sister Dina who was off traveling at the time and was a no show at her wedding and her man of few words Father who hasn’t been the same since his wife passed away, Zoe to this day feels more accepted by her close in-laws . She is determined for her anniversary party to be everything her wedding wasn’t. A do-over of sorts. Even though the last decade has brought happiness to her and her family despite not having had further contact with her younger sister and still not as close to her Dad as she’d like to be.

As the date of the party approaches strange things are happening. Madeline who just last week went to the venue to enjoy and choose appetizers (along with mother in-law Celia who Zoe counts on as a second Mom) starts to act decidedly cold to Zoe, even going so far as to cancel a weekend that Zoe and her family were supposed to watch Madeline’s children cancels abruptly to leave with someone else from their children’s school, failing to respond to her texts or calling her back and freezing her out when they meet along with another shared friend. What’s worse, Zoe sees Madeline and Toby leaving Zoe and Toby’s home together when Zoe knows Toby was supposed to have been elsewhere. But Toby has another explanation for what Zoe thinks she saws. Also, the rumor ring is in full swing when the impending arrival of Zoe’s former best friend comes back to town. But most disturbing and hurtful of all, Zoe is certain she’s spotted her estranged sister Dina around town and if that’s the case, the missing person’s file Zoe had opened with the police all those years ago means Dina truly wants nothing to do with her.

With not much else she can do to fix any of the above problems Zoe looks forward to her anniversary party with dread but puts on a brave face and hopes for the best.

On the eve of the party drama ensues and Zoe is alarmed when she thinks some of the current missing pieces begin to resurface. But is it really? Or is it the beginning of the end where nothing makes sense.

A good paced story with plenty of intrigue and characters, the novel does not disappoint as once again, I didn’t see that ending coming although just like Zoe I was starting to put some of the pieces together. A highly enjoyable read that will keep you guessing. Is there any better kind?

Another good read from Shalini Boland. Special thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for this fun and suspenseful read.