When Sophie O'Neill moves from Chicago to small town, Texas, she looks forward to sharing the quiet life with her husband and her young son. Quickly, though, the quiet life becomes TOO quiet, and Sophie becomes bored and restless. At the same time she meets Margot Banks, Texas socialite and queen bee of an elite group of women, Sophie's pulled into a dangerous world of alcohol, partying, and infidelity. As her obsession with Margot grows, the precariously-balanced lives of the Hunting Wives begins to crumble, sparked by the discovery of a body in the Wives' arboreal playground.

If you want a popcorn read about women behaving badly, The Hunting Wives is for you! It's a classic thriller revolving around a woman who, desperate to make friends, gets in over her head. The story unfolds like a soap opera, full of lies, jealousy, seduction, and murder. The plot of The Hunting Wives is the definition of a page-turner.

At the same time, some mechanics of the writing keep the book from being a home run. The story is pretty heavy-handed and sometimes leans into the absurd. The pacing threw me for a loop, and I felt like I needed more closure. Characterization was frequently flat--lattes, guns, sex, and alcohol does not a personality make. As a result, I never really warmed up to any of the characters, and by the end I thought they were all so awful that I didn't care if the cops got the right perp. I wanted them all put far, far away from the nice, normal people. Go ahead and take them all, officer.

Additionally, while there's a bisexual affair storyline, it felt like bisexual erasure (the main character, attracted to a woman, insists she's straight). I was also frequently distracted by the author's use of similies which flirted with being ridiculous--"the clouds glow nectarine orange, dripping form the sky like creme brulee" or "pouring the salsa over the rolled enchiladas, which glisten like cannoli". Not only do they not work, but now I'm hungry.

Overall, The Hunting Wives is the type of book you take to the beach and read next to the pool. It's a solid thriller to satisfy most looking for drama and distraction--hopefully enough to keep them from stalking their neighbors.

CW: murder, sexual relationships between adults and teenagers (technically legal in Texas but still incredibly inappropriate), alcohol abuse, roofies, infidelity, stalking

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Have you ever read a book that just made you anxious? The Hunting Wives by May Cobb did this to me. Mostly because I knew that the main character, Sophie was smarter than the decisions she was making. Every poor decision she made had me fast-talking at my book, telling her what a dumb thing she was doing but did she listen? Nope! Haha! Anyways, on to my review!

Sophie has had a fairly unstable upbringing with her nomad and somewhat never present mother who jumps from man to man. This has had an effect on her so when she meets Graham, she’s happy to settle down. Moving from Chicago to the small Texas town of Mapleton. At first, Sophie finds respite in her quiet life of gardening and lifestyle blogging, taking care of Graham and their toddler, Jack but soon boredom sets in and Mapleton’s socialite set catches her eye, especially their queen, Margot Banks.

Meeting the rich bored wives finally happens through Sophies one lifelong friend, the down-to-earth Erin, who invites Sophie to a charity event where Sophie wastes no time in zeroing in on Margot. Sophie gets a rare invite to The Hunting Wives, the ladies secret shooting/partying club that usually happens on Friday nights. Not all the ladies are happy about it and more than one, including Sophie, has an obsession with the manipulative and seductive Margot. It’s not too long before Sophie realizes she’s in over her head and yet, she just can’t stop herself – one poor decision after another leads Sophie to being smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation and at risk of losing all that’s dear to her.

Final thoughts: This one kept up way too late racing to the end and, as I said, filled me with anxiety. I really liked Sophie but, man, I could’ve shaken her silly for every poor choice she made that ultimately got her in so much hot water! With that being said, I had a hard time putting this book down. There are so many red-herrings and a twisty plot with enough hairpin twists to keep me guessing right to the shocking end.

My thanks to Berkley Publishing for gifting me a DRC in exchange for my review.

Oh boy this was a FUN one. Juicy, gossipy, stalker-ish, mean girls-esque - I couldn't get enough!!

Sophie, her husband Graham, and their son Jack are new to Mapleton, Texas. They moved from Chicago seeking a slower pace and a healthier place to raise their son. After getting settled, Sophie sets her sights on one of the wealthy, power females running the town - Margot. At a charity event, Sophie inserts herself in Margot's orbit and scores herself an invite to "The Hunting Wives" club, a club of four women who like to shoot guns and cause trouble. As Sophie embeds herself into Margot's world, she quickly spirals out of control - drinking to excess, staying out all night, and abandoning her family. Things go from bad to worse when a female from town goes missing and Sophie thinks her new crew may be involved.

I loved the pace of this novel. It was a fun read that kept me flipping pages and had me super anxious to learn what happens next. The novel opens with the reader learning that a woman is dead, so right off the bat the tone is set that this isn't just a Real Housewives story with drama and pettiness - though there's plenty of that!!

This is one of those books where you hate all the characters and it TOTALLY works. I was SO frustrated with Sophie and her absolutely terrible decision making but watching her was like watching a car crash, you just can't look away.

Margot was another character I loved to hate. She was manipulative and controlling but she got away with it and part of you has to be impressed with the way she was able to play everyone around her.

There are lots of twists and turns in this novel that I wasn't expecting and that made the ride all the more fun! From figuring out who was murdered to who was involved, the action and the second guessing never stopped.

If you're looking for a fun, quick read, this one is absolutely one that cannot be missed.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel.

The Hunting Wives is so very interesting--it has the usual trappings of a domestic women's fiction thriller, but May Cobb has written a novel that really examines a woman's desires--and the way she writes about Sophie's desire for Margot (and to a much lesser extent, Jamie) is awesome! It's still quite rare for a women's fiction novel to have a main character who is attracted to women and men and even though Sophie's lust for Margot proves to be disastrous to her life, I was glad May Cobb explored it! I also loved the ending, which didn't wrap everything up for Sophie and instead showed that her next steps were ones where she couldn't guide tbe way by herself. Different in the best possible way and definitely recommended for Megan Abbott fans as well as those looking for a genre read that successfully pushes the envelope!

The Hunting Wives

This book was a wild ride and I was so there for it! There were several mornings when I was reading the book and I was tempted to call in sick just so I could devour it! This was another one of those books where the reader finds it hard to like any of the characters but it’s like a train wreck that you can’t look away from! I could identify with some things they experienced that weren’t extreme, but I also found myself yelling at the main character for her foolish decisions.

Synopsis:

Sophie and her husband, Graham and two year old son Jack come to Mapleton, Texas from Chicago to live life at a slower pace. Sophie leaves behind her career as a magazine editor and decides to try her hand at writing a domestic blog.

Sophie grows bored with the pace of her new life. This drives her to make some questionable decisions with her new friend group led by Margot, a local socialite that Sophie becomes obsessed with. These women take their gatherings much further than just wine and gossip. They are shooting guns and hunting for men while fueled by alcohol.. These women are living on the edge and bringing Sophie down fast. By the end, her marriage is in serious jeopardy and she’s being investigated for the murder of a seventeen year old girl.

If you liked Big Little Lies or you watched Desperate Housewives back in the day you will totally be on board for this read! Give me ten more books like this please! I can’t wait to read Cobb’s next book.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my review.

This book is a tornado of Big Little Lies and a very scandalous Lifetime movie you can’t tear your eyes from. The first half of the book is all set up and though a lot happens, you don’t get the big plot twist until you’re about halfway through. Then all of a sudden the raunchiness turns slightly and switches to a mystery.

This book contains a lot of smut, unlikable characters, so much cooking and talks of food and a TON of drinking. There were whole chapters only about the main character thinking she needs another glass of wine to get through this, or does she? This drink tastes so good, I really needed this. Let me take this walk to sober up. That all felt so unnecessary to me. In the end this book is about a murder, believe it or not.

If you’re a fan of reality tv and beach type reads this one might be for you. I didn’t love it but I think I might have an unpopular opinion on this one.

Oh my word, this is one juicy and suspenseful domestic thriller! I could not put this novel down. The Hunting Wives is one thriller I’ll be recommending to all psychological thriller lovers. A fun one for sure!

What Earthly reason is there for this amount of sweat? Nary a chapter passes without mention of the main character's perspiration 'dampening,' 'soaking,' 'drenching,' 'plastering to her body,' or 'ringing' some garment or another. For God's sake woman, move north. Further: At a certain point the main character says to herself (more or less) 'I know you're framing me for murder, but your butt looks amazing in that bikini - how shall I ever resist you?!' And I die a little.

3.5


The Hunting Wives share more than target practice, martinis, and bad behavior in this novel of obsession, seduction, and murder.

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Brace yourself: (slightly) unpopular opinion.

Okay, I know that everyone else loves THE HUNTING WIVES, but I personally found it a bit predictable...and I saw the twists coming a mile away. That said, I still LIVE for juicy drama and small town secrets so I did enjoy this spicy read - but not as much as I'd hoped.

Looking for a book with unlikable characters, questionable life choices and a good dash of spice thrown in? THE HUNTING WIVES is for you. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC! THE HUNTING WIVES is out May 18th.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I flew through this, which is usually a great sign to me that the core mystery is a good one. But here I found myself hate reading it towards the end because I was so mad that all the things that had unfolded had happened at all. I just became annoyed by the narrator and her actions and wanted to get to the end.

So, plot wise: we have Sophie, a well-to-do woman with a beautiful husband and child who has relocated her family to Texas because she wants to raise her kid in a laidback lifestyle. Why anyone would leave Evanston, IL and move to Texas is beyond me. Just move to the Chicago suburbs girl! They are not that different. After a few months of being in Texas she becomes obsessed with this rich woman, Margot, and her little squad. One night, at a party Sophie and her husband attend because he good, solid, reliable friend Erin gave her tickets, Sophie meets the group and they invite her to become one of them by going skeet shooting. Hence, the Hunting Wives. One things leads to another and Sophie is embroiled in their drama and danger and is in deep with her Margot problem. Even with her marriage, family, and life on the line, she can't get away from these ladies!

Here is my main issue with this book. While the mystery/murder/drama of it all was interesting, I found Sophie grating rather quickly. I did not understand any of her actions, her thought processes, or her rationalizations. She did things that were absolutely insane to me! And the rational that she had become unsatisfied with life because her mother was such a drifter/irresponsible woman that led Sophie to feel uprooted did not make sense to me. Girl, it's called impulse control! And the alcohol! There was so much alcohol in this book I half expected to smell it. I wish there had been more of a note about how this was a problem and even catalyst for some of the events that occurred. Other than that, I found the fact that rich white women get up to insane things pretty believable. But maybe not to this scale.

So, this is 3 stars for me. I just did not understand Sophie's choices or her inability to step back and evaluate her life at all.

The Hunting Wives was a book full of suspense from chapter one through the surprise ending - a personal favorite! Five stars for this thriller.

I think this one is getting a lot of positive feedback - and I enjoyed a lot of it but some didn't sit well with me.
What I liked
Fast paced
Relatable that making friends can be difficult when you are older and have kids
A great twist I didn't see coming
The buildup to this group of women

What didn't work for me
Excessive drinking, partying, and cheating (with people half your age...!)
None of the character were likable
The murder mystery part didn't come until over 50% in - it didn't not work for me, just took awhile to get there.

Thanks so much for my advanced copy!

Overall, I thought this one was a very fast paced story that held my attention throughout. I was quickly interested in the plot and story line and overall enjoyed the writing and character development. However, there was a large portion of the storyline that hit me the wrong way (specifically speaking with the age of one of the women’s boy toy). Was a good book overall, but would likely have reservations recommending it to others given that issue.

Holy Moly. What did I just read? I’m not really sure, and that’s why I’m going to give it 3.5 stars. It kept me somewhat engaged, but I rolled my eyes way too often. A bit too far on the unbelievable/soap opera scale for me. I was cringing and hiding my eyes through a good portion of this. Dear God I hope there aren’t groups of women like this. Could totally see this as a Netflix limited series. Thanks to NetGalley for the download!

When Sophie O’Neill leaves her fast-paced Chicago life to return to her hometown with her husband and son, she quickly realizes that the slowed down, stay-at-home mom lifestyle isn’t what she’s looking for. She meets and is immediately drawn to Margot Banks, a wealthy, alluring socialite, and is launched into a whirlwind of partying, secrets, and…..shotguns? Sophie finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into the mysterious, potentially dangerous world of the “hunting wives.” But can she get out before it’s too late?

This book was a wild ride. It felt like a mix between Big Little Lies and The Real Housewives of Dallas, and I can definitely see this being some sort of limited TV series. It’s glitzy, full of rich women out of touch with reality, and it’s absolute insanity. Sophie is a pretty typical thriller protagonist, and this book covers a lot of thriller tropes. Mainly, Sophie’s inclination towards alcohol becomes a huge recurring plot point that, of course, causes her to black out during crucial events. She made me so freaking anxious throughout the entire book, as I watched her time after time stay out too late, drink too much, and lie to her husband about her activities.

I love a steamy thriller, and the steam factor was definitely present in The Hunting Wives, but it made me uncomfortable and I really didn’t need it. There were sexual relationships between middle-aged women and high school students, and even though it was “legal”, I’m still not here for it and wish we could do away with that trope altogether in the thriller genre.

My main complaint with this book was that, once everything was wrapped up, I didn’t really get it? The murderer’s motive was pretty straightforward, but there were a ton of loose ends I wish were tied up. I guess, with all the hints and weird occurrences throughout the book, I expected the big reveal to be a little more elaborate. I can’t say more without giving too much away, though.

Anyway, I flew through this book over the course of a weekend and had fun with it. The “wives” and their antics were fun to read about, even if they were completely and utterly bonkers most of the time. But hey, who knows, I guess anything is possible in rural East Texas?

Sophie is new to town, so when socialite Margot invited her to join her elite girl gang that call themselves the hunting wives she is beyond excited. But she quickly gets caught up in this new world of skeet shooting and partying and all of the secrets and drama that come with it. Then it all starts to fall apart when a teenage girl shows up dead on the property where these women practice shooting.

This book was a wild ride. From the first page I was hooked and I flew through the whole book. I truly could not put it down until I finished. The characters were so unlikable, yet I found myself enthralled with them and their choices. The plot was full of twists and turns and when I thought I had it all figured out, I was so wrong. This book was fantastic.

Can this book please be turned into a tv show or movie?

Thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie and her family are new to the small town of Mapleton, Texas. One her old school friends lives there and one night invites her to an upcoming charity event that she is helping with.

The night of the party, Sophie heads to the washroom and encounters a group of women. One in particular, Margot, immediately stands out to her and is mesmerized by her. Margot invites Sophie to be apart of their Hunting Wives Club where they will go skeet shooting in the forest behind Margots property.

Sophie quickly becomes obsessed with Margot and wants to be in your presence as much as possible and might even have a crush on her. When Sophie discovers Margot is having an affair with ones of the other Hunting Wives Son she is torn what to do. Life quickly spirals out of control for Sophie and she needs to find a way to get her life back.

I’m not sure if I did the synopsis justice but this story was fantastic. From the first page I was hooked and couldn’t put this one day. I read it in a day as the suspense and mystery kept building. There are some very steamy scenes during the book which I’m sure many will enjoy. I think the author did a great job of keeping me in suspense throughout the story. Anyways I don’t want to give any spoilers so just go pick this one up and you won’t be disappointed.

In a small town outside of Dallas is a group of women who call themselves, The Hunting Wives. The newest member is Sophie. Right of the bat, this novel gives off 'new girl wanting to fit in the popular girl group' vibes, but we aren't in high school-- there is booze, guns, drugs, and infidelity involved and the stakes are high.

I was so stressed reading this novel, but like Sophie, I was drawn to and compelled by Margot. Think of Margot as the queen bee. However, with Sophie, her intrigue grows into something so much deeper and stronger. As Sophie gets closer to these women, she learns how to shoot a shotgun and she learns she's not the only one in the group who is obsessed with Margot.

After the body of a teenage girl who was dating one of The Hunting Wives' sons is found dead in the area where they shoot skeet, the story seriously spirals and I couldn't help but want to shake Sophie and ask her to just stop, think for a second, and get out! For me, personally, I was able to piece the clues together and figure out the responsible parties, but I had a fun time getting to the end.

This is a fast-paced and engaging read. Fans of thrillers and suspense will love it.

Okay, what are the chances that five conniving, sex-obsessed and downright demented women would end up in the same dinky Texas town? Not great - and therein lies the first hint that this story won't ring any credibility bells (and sorry, Texas - I know there's nothing dinky in the Lone Star State). But in another way, I'm glad it happened; I'd hate to spoil five different towns with these lunatics.

The worst of the lot is Sophie O'Neill, who with her perfect husband and perfect son moved from bustling Chicago to Mapleton, Texas. There, she finds peace - for maybe a New York minute. Bored out of her mind, she gets a glimpse of the second worst of the lot, Margot Banks - a richer-than-God socialite who hates her equally rich husband and loves the secret cadre of "girls" who meet regularly to target shoot and drink their way into oblivion. It's heavy on the latter; I'll wager that none of these women could pass a sobriety check at any point in the story. It's their other activities, though, that tend to be problematic.

For her part, no matter how much she tells herself she shouldn't go with the flow, Sophie just can't seem to say no. Maybe it's the thrill of the chase, or maybe she's just a nut case; but in any event she's so infatuated with Margot that she allows herself to be swept up in everything the woman suggests. Screw up her own marriage? A real possibility - but she'll chance it and go along just this once. And another once. And another - until a murder happens and Sophie finds herself in a mess that, of course, is not of her own making (she really, really didn't realize what was going on and she really, really wanted to stop, don't you know)?

Those who enjoy their stories on the salacious side should love this book; it's got just about every combination possible among humans, some in fairly explicit detail (to those who aren't into that kind of thing, consider this a warning). The whodunit ending is a slight surprise, but then long before that I'd pretty much had my fill and was hoping they'd all get bumped off or put in jail. Bottom line? Not my cup of tea, although technically it's well written and the plot is well thought out. Still, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

✨E-ARC REVIEW✨

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦 𝗕𝗬 𝗠𝗔𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗕𝗕

I was super excited to receive an e-ARC. Thanks to @berkleypub & @netgalley ✨This story was such a wild ride!!

Synopsis: Sophie is bored and restless after moving with her husband and family to a quiet rural community. After meeting Margot Banks and receiving an invitation to join an elite social group called, The Hunting Wives, Sophie finds herself involved in a murder investigation and her life is spiraling out of control.

I wasn’t sure how I would end up liking this novel as I was starting to read because the characters are SO unlikeable 😂 The main character basically kept making horrible choice after horrible choice & I wanted to shake her out of it!! However, I ended up becoming totally invested in the mystery. This story gave me major “Big Little Lies”vibes & I loved all the drama 🙌🏼 The story had some great twists & turns and I honestly had no idea #whodunnit until the very end! 💋💄

Overall, I ended up enjoying this one and would definitely recommend! This one is out on May 18th 🤗✨

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️