Imagine you have an overall unhappy marriage and you are planning to leave your husband. Then the husband is in a car accident and has forgotten the past two years when things became abusive and violent. Do you give him another chance and hope he stays the sweet, loving man he was in the beginning? No! You do not! But, Freya does.

This novel is told primarily from Freya’s POV but also includes chapters told from Phil and Daisy’s (Freya’s sister) POV. An unknown narrator sneaks in between chapters giving italicized accounts regarding Phil’s history, which is as unreliable as all of the other narrators in the novel. I quickly realized that no one in the book is trustworthy and everyone puts their own spin on things, except for maybe Phil directly after the accident. The last thing he remembers is returning from their honeymoon, so he does seem quite sincere for a while.

This is an entertaining novel that I read in just a few hours. I enjoyed it, however, what you read in the blurb is basically what you get. With the exception of one main point, the book reads just like the blurb with few surprises. But even that one main surprise comes along so early that everything after that falls sort of flat. I will say that I was surprised about another player as far as “whodunnit,” but otherwise, this was very predictable. I don’t mean that I didn’t like it, but don’t expect a big “aha” moment.

For those looking for a quick and enjoyable read that enjoy psychological fiction, The Stranger in My Bed Could be just right for you. If you are craving a suspense/thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, then this isn’t the right book for you.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

Disaster strikes at the very beginning of this book, when Phil is in a serious car accident and is left amnesia, not remembering the past two years of his life, which incidentally is the length of time he has been married to Freya. He can remember everything earlier in his life but from getting off the plane after their honeymoon is a blank.
Freya was about to leave him, his violence was out of control but knowing he had lost all memories of his violence towards her, she thought he would be a different person.
Told in Freya and Phil’s POV at first I did think Phil may have changed, he was confused; scared even that maybe even Freya could have tried to kill him. With an intruder breaking in, letting him know they know what he did. It must have been frightening with not knowing what has happened the past two years and trying to piece it together. I made the wrong call on that one, he is a horrid man and does not deserve Freya!
In Freya’s POV she remembers the times he has lashed out since she has been married to him, but he had a way of manipulating her, making her think she was the provoker. She stood by him and walked on eggshells a lot of the time. It was heart wrenching.
As the book goes on, a lot comes out not just from the past two years but things from before that too and the very end had me left with an open mouth.
This was utterly gripping and I could not put it down.

Phil and Freya have married after a whirlwind romance. Two years later, the marriage is in trouble with rows that often turn violent. Mind games are being played. But who is the abuser and who is the victim?

At this point, though, Phil is involved in a car crash when his brakes are tampered with. He wakes in hospital with no memory of the abuse. All he recalls is the courtship and marriage.

The story is told in the third person but with chapters from the point of view of different characters. Mainly it’s straightforwardly from Freya’s viewpoint but some chapters are from Phil’s point of view. Phil sees himself as a loving husband. OK, he can lose his temper from time to time, but then his wife, as he puts it “always presses his buttons”. Some of her behaviour (I can’t give examples because of spoilers) goes way beyond what I would consider acceptable in a marriage and I found my sympathies moving to Phil. Karen King’s willingness to forgive the kind of behaviour that would suggest a marriage has already broken down makes me uncomfortable and blurs some of the lines in the book. It certainly doesn’t fit well with the “can they get their marriage back on course” subplot. Surely the marriage is doomed? But, given the structure of many romantic novels, maybe there will be a happy ending after all.

Karen King has a lifetime of writing romance behind her and her writing flows well. This is a romance author who is tackling the issue of abuse in marriage. It’s an important, and very unromantic, subject. It has meant breaking away from her usual style to explore a new genre. It’s definitely not what you might expect from Ms King. But it’s an important subject and she deals with it in a book that is well written and carries the reader along and anything that makes people more aware of the issues is to be applauded.

After a bit of a slow beginning the book hooked me, and I wanted to know what was going on. I like it when I read a psychological suspense book and I start questioning my own mind. It’s what keep the reader going. What am I missing? Who can I trust?

As the story unfolds the pieces slowly, but steadily, make a puzzle. At times I felt like shaking the protagonist, telling her to just do it. In real life it always takes time to make big decisions, but I just wanted to shake her and tell her that your instinct is right. Always a good thing when I want to take part in a fictional character’s life.

The book did however give away a bit too much in the beginning. The ending saved it.

Thank you so very much to NetGalley, the publisher, Bookouture, and the author, Karen King for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I saw this title, and automatically it drew me into needing to read this book. From the first chapter to the last, this book drew me in, and kept me on the edge of my seat. The drama, the intrigue, the twists and turns, and everything in between, kept my attention and I absolutely loved this book.

The author really resonates the fear of living in a physical/mental domestic relationship. While I can tell you what I would do in this situation, not everyone has the strength that it takes to walk away from the toxicity and move on.

This author is now one of my favorites and I can't wait for the next book.

I know the author. Well, not personally of course, but I have read romantic stories written by her. When I saw she has been working on a thriller, I was curious. Curious to get to know her darker side. 😊
I was sooo not disappointed! I really think this is a genre that fits her like a glove too. I was immersed straight away. We can live the story through the eyes of different characters and we also get a glimpse into the perpetrators mind.
Some parts are repetitive, but in my opinion that’s the way the author wants the readers to understand how much doubt there was in some of the key players’ heads. I think I had as many doubts. I honestly did not know who to believe and that’s great in a book. 😊
So, dear author, please don’t hold back and I’ll come back for more for sure. 😉 5 stars.

Thank you, Karen King and Bookouture

A riveting domestic noir from a new writer to me. Her first thriller as this is a genre shift. King is a competent story teller with an easy writing style that engages the reader from the off set. The tale of an abusing marriage isn't a unique trope by any means but there's always room for engaging well-written books that offer a different slant to a popular theme.

This book is a bit like vanilla ice-cream, it's ok, you enjoy it, but it isn't very exciting.

Freya is in an abusive marriage, after another fight and a storm out of her husband Phil she decides to leave. When she is just about out the door the police are there to inform her Phil had an accident and is now in the hospital. After being in a coma for a couple of days Phil wakes up with amnesia. He forgot all about the last 2 years, all their married years, years of an abusive relationship, how convenient. Freya struggles with taking him back in or not, she does, but she is wary of him. Certainly, a coma hasn't changed him, but she gives him another chance. Some threatening notes, an affair, someone tampering with Phil's brakes, break-ins and Freya's unease are all there to make the reader feel uncomfortable, or at least I think so. The blurb promises twists and turns, throughout the book I was hoping/ expecting them to come, but they didn't show up.

This book is very predictable, very well readable as well, but not very exciting, as I said, it's vanilla. It was obvious where this book was going from the first chapter, it's a shame really, the story does have a lot of potential. Karen King usually writes romances and this is a bit of a step out of her comfort zone I suppose. I think she just wasn't able to fully put into words how a thriller should be, the twists and turns should be there and a lot more impactful than in a romance. I wouldn't object to reading another thriller/ mystery by this author, this was an ok starting point, writing is very good, the story just a bit of a let down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.
Your abusive husband has almost died in a car accident, after he storms out after another row, fulled by his temper. You pack your bags, put them in the car and the Police come to inform you as you have just closed the boot.
When he awakes from his coma, he has lost the memories of his married life to Freya, he remembers all his life up until he steps of the plane after their honeymoon. We find out that the accident was no accident.
I found this book repetitive in parts and it was annoying.
Freya always used to think it was her fault, she made him loose his temper, as that was what Phil had always told her.
Phil, Everyone is always at fault, not him, they make me do it. He is Jealous, unlikeable, a typical abusive.
I didn’t find this story engrossing or packed with suspense. Admittedly it is the Author's first thriller.

Freya is an abusive and terrible marriage. She finally works up the courage to leave. As she’s leaving, she gets a visit from the police. Phil has been in a horrible car accident. As he heals, he has amnesia and seems to be a changed man. Freya struggles with the decision to give him another chance. As they start this new journey, is everything as it seems? Who is safe? Who’s life is in danger?
This is a solid book. It’s very well written and keeps the readers attention. I was let down some by the ending because I guessed it from the beginning. However, the storyline was good and it’s a good book! The characters, writing style, and plot are very interesting and I do recommend reading it.

A striking domestic thriller with all the winning elements of a whodunit. The complex relationship between husband and wife is the focal point of this wonderful book. Highly recommended!

This book starts a little slow but then it really takes off! A women’s abusive husband gets into a car accident the same night that she has decided to leave him. After the accident he wakes up with amnesia and is that nice guy she married or is he?

I enjoyed this book but it seemed a bit predictable and low key. I kept reading to determine whether the amnesia was real or not (not telling😊) and, of course, to find out who was the evil party (definitely didn’t see that coming, you won’t either). Had a few red herrings & wasn’t real impressed with the ending. Kind of anti-climatic. But since the pandemic, I’ve read 3 or 4 books a week so I am judging kind of harsh, possibly. It’s a good book, maybe not an exceptional one🤷🏼‍♀️

This book is riveting. It has an interesting concept that keeps the reader reading til the end. The question of how ingrained is someone's personality if for some reason memory is disturbed. The unfortunate thing is that 2 years of memory block doesn't seem long enough to really create change. However for The main characters involved 2 years resets their love life to a time where their romance was viewed with rose colored glasses. The author's research on the dynamics of abusive relationships is evident and shines throughout the story. Even more genius is the method she used of doing dialogue switches from wife and husband. She chose to show us inside the brain of an abuser. How they see their actions provoked instead of accepting them as an illustration of their character. I will admit some of the dialogue was a bit repetitive, perhaps overly repetitive. I found it unnecessary since as the reader you are there and understand the internal turmoil going on in them. I personally was content with the ending and how things were tied up nicely. Kudos to the author and definitely look forward to more thrillers from her.

Okay, I’ll be the one to rate it lowest first. All the reviews are saying what I already thinking so I’ll pull them together to explain why I just didn’t love this book.

The cover and the blurb are exciting to look at and sounded like a good read. THAT was the pull. My interest was peaked.

The first couple of chapters are exciting and the way in which they’re written is engaging. But slowly I realised a couple of things that then began to make me loose interest.

The first was the repetitiousness of the inner dialogue. We are reminded over and over of each characters worries.

The second, and quite possibly the most pivotal was that Freya KNEW Phil was a bad man. It’d be proven to her enough times in the past and each time she forgave, blaming herself. Now, she doesn’t have to blame herself and she has the perfect opportunity to leave. So what does she do? She stays with him. Not because she desperately loves him, trusts him or wants to spend time with him (choosing to work as much as possible). But because she thinks memory is tied into personality! She basically signed herself up to staying with him until he hits her. Which she knew he would eventually so therefore knowing her relationship has a deadline. It just annoyed the hell out of me.

There wasn’t much plot development and the characters seemed to be idly passing their time until Phil’s memories returned. This should’ve allowed far greater time for character development but the whole story just felt a bit shallow and unexplored.

Twists and turns were so meandering that I was more surprised that they were the twists and turns.

This book really wasn’t for me but I still thank NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

after reading the blurb I thought it would be a great thriller but I didn't like it much. Although the writing style was great but not for me.Also, I feel that it was a bit rushed towards the end.
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy of this book.

Freya and Phil have a turbulent relationship. Their relationship started off perfectly; a whirlwind romance, an amazing wedding and honeymoon; but then when they start a life together at home he became angry and violent, and Freya sees a side to Phil she's never seen before. One night they have a huge row where a vase gets thrown and Phil storms out the house. Freya packs her bags ready to leave Phil for good, but then receives a phone call to say there's been an car accident. Phil's car has crashed into a lorry and he's unconscious in intensive care.

When he wakes from his coma he is suffering from retrograde amnesia - he has no recollection of the last 2 years of his life - his last memory stepping off the plane when they returned from honeymoon.

Freya battles with whether she should give Phil a second chance - after all he cant remember his violent and aggressive outbursts. But when Phil returns home and elements of his history start to return, the cracks start to show again - can Phil be trusted?

One things for sure - Phil's car crash was no accident. Someone had cut the breaks. Then the hate filled notes start to appear. But who are they for? Is Freya in danger, or is Phil?

This book has a LOT of questions posed in every chapter and you find yourself second guessing everything you read not knowing whether to believe one persons perspective over another. The dialogue shifts between Phil and Freya's viewpoints as we learn about their history.

I enjoyed this book - the first psychological thriller from this author. I felt the twist at the end was slightly upsold, but despite that, I found the conclusion of the book to be enjoyable if not somewhat abrupt in its final moments. I should add a trigger alert as this book covers domestic violence (physical and psychological) in some detail which some readers may find upsetting.

3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Karen King for my review copy! This one is a bit of a slower domestic drama that has you trying to figure out who is lying and who is being genuine. The ending tied it all together nicely and while there weren’t many surprises, overall it kept my attention and was a good read. I give this one 3/5

This book has to be my favourite read of this year, hands down! I couldn’t put it down to the point I read this in less than 24 hours. I was not stopping until I knew the whole story!

The mystery person leaving notes - would never have guess who that was at all and I kept changing my mind throughout the book to who it was!

The story starts with a car accident where a husband Phil loses his memories and Freya, the wife, is there to support him and help him gain them back. You find out pretty early on that not everything is perfect and there’s a lot that happens behind closed doors.

There was so many spins to this story and each chapter had my second guessing my theories and I loved the fact that I did not know the whole story until the end chapters!

Currently shopping for more books written by Karen King because this was amazing!

I enjoyed this very creative plot.
Freya and Phil have a tumultuous marriage. After an argument regarding a last minute trip to Dubai, Phil storms out of the house and drives away. A few moments later Phil crashes into a lorry - and remains in a coma for a few days. Upon waking, Phil believes he and Freya have just returned from their honeymoon, thus missing his last two years of memories.
This story is told from several perspectives - Freya provides current details as well as insight into the last two years of her marriage. Phil proved himself to be quite a narcissist - this latest argument only cementing Freya's conviction she must leave her abusive marriage. Yet she remains torn - as Phil is struggling to adapt to life outside of the hospital. The question remains - can people change?
Phil allows for an interesting perspective as he struggles to reclaim his memories. Can he trust Freya? Who tampered with his brakes? What could he have done to warrant the menacing notes left on his study desk?
The person who tampered with Phil's breaks also lends a voice, creepy and threatening; enhancing the mystery surrounding Phil's behavior and conveniently missing memories.
Finally Daisy - she had an affair with Phil, who of course has no memory of using his charm, claiming Freya was abusive and granting some excitement in her average life.
At times, I struggled to remember what perspective spoke in the chapters. Though some chapters are named with the character, I struggled occasionally to carry over the detail.
I enjoyed this story - again very creative. The different perspectives allowed for an in-depth reflection and character building.