I have received an ARC of this book by NetGalley and The Passionate Pen and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. The Pub date of the book is today, March 09 2021.
This author is not new to me because here we have some of her books translated and I have all of them. I like her and that’s why a requested this book. The synopsis sounded remarkably interesting and promising – and it was a very good story – for me.
Owen and Celeste were the cutest couple.
I liked that he wasn’t one of the top-ranking lords and that he showed emotions frequently – and still did the job he loves. We all love a scoundrel, but sometimes, we love the Owens too, am I wrong? Guess not. Another thing I liked immensely: the author did not made Celeste a dumb woman and still made her somehow a bit innocent and sweet. She was clever, curious, and observant. I liked a lot of that. Wasn’t she perfect for Owen? Yes!
About the “intimate scenes” – I didn’t see nothing that disappointed me or that I disliked. I LOVED the fact that he was concerned about her consent and that the opinion of Celeste were more important that the desire of Owen. And by doing that, he still had so much love and pleasure, because she wished too, good things to him and his/their pleasure.
I am now extremely curious about the other characters and theirs stories. So many emotions and revelations, my god!
Going to be waiting the next ones, for sure.

Oh, bigamy, a murder, a mystery.

A lot going on in this book. A lot crammed in a relatively fast paced read.
Celeste just found out she was married to a bigamist, her husband was killed and now a mystery to resolve.
Owen is the man on the case. Lot's of moving pieces and a healthy dose of steam. And he's got the hots for Celeste.

Recommend.

The Unexpected Wife is the first book in The Three Mrs series by Jess Michaels. A new series by Ms. Michaels is always a cause for celebration; you are guaranteed an entertaining story plus all sorts of steamy goodness! If this first book is any indication, this one follows that trend. I loved the premise: three women find out they were married to a bigamist when he is murdered.

Celeste Montgomery was forced into a loveless marriage to Erasmus Montgomery by her horrid parents; at least he was barely home. Investigator Owen Gregory shows up while she is visiting her parents with astounding news: not only was Erasmus murdered, but he was a bigamist and Celeste was the third of three wives! Owen is investigating the murder, and of course all three wives are suspects. He is immediately drawn to the beautiful widow Celeste, and when he is able to determine she wasn't the killer, he invites her to London to see if the insightful woman can help him with his case. In London Celeste is introduced to the other murder suspects, who are the other two wives, Abigail and Pippa, the earl who is the brother of the deceased, and the duke who requested the investigation which started this whole mess. Celeste and Owen give in to the fierce passion they feel for each other; but will they survive to have the happy life they so richly deserve?

This was a totally fun idea for a series! Though the story was mainly serious, I did enjoy the humor when all three wives were introduced - when someone spoke to Mrs. Montgomery who, exactly, were they addressing? Celeste and Owen were great characters. I loved that there wasn't much strife between the two; we didn't have the usual huge secrets between the leads, or the fighting of feelings for each other. There was one instance of a large conflict, but it wasn't the entire story. Owen was a genuinely NICE man, which was a lovely change of pace. Celeste had been sheltered at home, and I so enjoyed watching her venture out into the world and become her own woman. Their intimacy was extremely combustible; I expected the fire sprinkler system to go off! I liked the friendship the three widows immediately developed, and Pippa and Abigail's interactions with the earl and duke who were involved with the case. I hope the next book comes out very quickly; I cannot wait to see which Mrs will find her HEA next!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed were entirely my own.

What a fantastic start to what I think will be a fabulous series!
*****
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 2.5 flames
Genre: Romantic Suspense / Historical
*****
What would you do if one day a gentleman showed up on your doorstep to tell you your husband is dead. What would you do if you found out he isn't just dead; but murdered and you were the third of three wives? That is how the Three Mrs. series begins and is what Celeste Montgomery is faced with when Owen Gregory walks into her life.

Celeste is intelligent, perceptive, and beautiful; a bluestocking and a spinster until Erasmus “Ras” Montgomery showed up in her small town. Ras wooed her parents, garnered a sizable dowry to wed Celeste and then left her in little more than a hovel of a home. Celeste’s marriage was forced and anything but blissful.

Owen has been hired by Ras’ brother the Earl of Leighton and the Duke of Gilmore, brother of Erasmus’ almost fourth victim to discover the truth behind Erasmus’ murder. Everyone is a suspect, especially the three wives and it is Owen’s job to uncover the truth.

Celeste and Owen have instant chemistry and the bond begins quickly and grows throughout the book. They are similar souls, both smart, perceptive, honest, and caring. Although Celeste has never been shown much care or love in her life, she has a forgiving and loving heart. But, before Owen and Celeste can take steps toward a future, Owen must eliminate her as a suspect and solve Ras' murder.

The three wives, Abigail, Pippa, and Celeste become fast friends over a shared betrayal. Owen, the Earl of Leighton, and the Duke of Gilmore, also form a bond over a murder and maybe…three Mrs'.

The Unexpected Wife is a suspenseful, historical, who-dun-it romance, with characters and a storyline that will instantly draw you in. If you are ready for a rollercoaster ride of suspects, twists, betrayals, deception, and an ending you will never see coming, this is the book for you. I loved it!

Jess Michaels has become a romance sure-thing for me, and this book was no exception. This book blends classic “love/lust at first sight in unlikely circumstances” with a little bit of mystery and intrigue.

The romance is five star stuff. Owen and Celeste are both fairly well developed characters who act in ways that make sense (assuming the usual suspension of disbelief). The supporting cast are interesting and set up the pathways for the following books in what I suspect will be a great trilogy.

The mystery aspect is pretty well done given that it introduces an entire second plot to the book. There are some plot holes, the ending felt a little Agatha Christie-ish in that solving the mystery depended on out of the blue information that wasn't really reflected in the rest of the story. However, some clues were there and the story may flesh out as we hear the tales of the two other wives.

Overall, another enjoyable read from this author.

Good premises about a new series. The topic of bigamy is not often talk about. Three wives married to the same man. We get to know the other two wives and we already have an insight of Who they will be matched with in coming books :).
This is Céleste story. She is the third wife. She is very strong will and very sweet. Comes In Owen, investigating her husband murder. Their chemistry was bang on, very endearing and sweet.
There is suspense and steaminess galore in this book. I can't wait for book two.

I voluntarily reviewed this ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley and the opinions here are all mine.

4.25 steamy investigator/widow hook up stars

Unhappily married Celeste Montgomery is in for quite the shock when a handsome investigator named Owen Gregory arrives in her small town to tell her that her oft absent husband, Erasmus ("Ras") Montgomery is not only dead, but he has been murdered. And, even more surprising, she is informed that she is the third wife of the polygamous blighter, meaning the marriage her parents essentially forced upon her is not even legal. When the investigator clears her as she has a solid alibi, he suggests Celeste accompany him to London to help him discover the secrets of the man no one seemed to really know. Though Celeste is nervous about how the handsome Owen makes her feel, she has known for a long time that there is nothing in this small village for her, and perhaps London will bring a new start for her to take control of her life as a "widow."

Owen Gregory was approached by the Duke of Gilmore to investigate his sister's beau after receiving an anonymous letter that Ras Montgomery may already be wed. As soon as he verified these claims to be true, he discovers the subject of his inquiry has been murdered... Now he is tasked by the man's half-brother, the Earl of Livingston, to find out who killed him. When he interviews Celeste, the third "wife" of the man who seems to have more secrets than anyone would have ever guessed, he is struck by not only her beauty, but her kind nature and her intelligence. On somewhat of a whim, he invites Celeste to accompany him back to London to help him get to the bottom of the mystery. Once they arrive, he takes her to the home of her husband's first (and only legitimate) wife Abigail, who is hosting the second wife (who, like Celeste, was not legally wed to Ras) Pippa. Awkward!

Though it might seem unlikely, the three women become friends and vow to find out what happened to the man they all believed they were exclusively wed to. But when Celeste starts to spend more and more time with Owen investigating and seeing the sights of London, can they maintain a professional investigator/widow relationship? Will they give into the attraction they each felt strongly from the start, or will Celeste's ruined reputation mean she has no real future in London or anywhere else? And what will happen when the ladies start to dig into Ras's life and find that all may not be what it seems... and danger is a very real threat?

What I liked:
--- Celeste could have easily lost it when she learned what had happened to the man she thought was her husband, not to mention the knowledge that she was ruined as she was not legally wed to him after all, but she pulled it together and did something about it instead of melting down
--- Owen was a kind and thoughtful beta hero
--- The mystery aspect kept me interested - I finished the book in one sitting
--- We got to know the other 2 wives and the gentlemen that will be pursuing them in the other two books in this trilogy, so I am very interested in reading their stories!
--- STEAMY GOODNESS! (pretty early and relatively often!)

What I didn't like as much:
--- It felt like it dragged a little around the 1/3 point of the book, but then picked back up
--- The chemistry between the 2 characters was not as palpable as I usually like to feel for me to be completely engaged in their relationship
--- There were some plot holes, but they might be resolved in later installments of this trilogy

Overall, another steamy start to a promising trilogy by one of my favorite authors! I am really looking forward to book 3 (the set up is promising some serious sparks!), and book 2 sounds like it will be interesting as well as it features wife #2 and the brother of the deceased philanderer!

Plot --- 4.25/5
Main Characters --- 4.25/5
Supporting Cast --- 4.25/5
Steam Level* --- 4/5
Violence --- nothing graphic
Language --- not egregious
POV --- 3rd

*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all

The Unexpected Wife by Jess Michaels

The book was good, as far as story content, as far as character development, I felt like I knew each of the wives and the husband.

I gave it only 3 stars, however, for the raunchy, explicit sex scenes. Some people really like that in a book, I do not. Those parts of the book seemed closer to pornography than historical fiction, to me. I would not have signed up for it, if I knew ahead of time, that it was a part of the story.

I received a complimentary copy from #netgalley of #theunexpectedwife and was under no obligation to post a review.

4.25 Stars
Although Celeste Montgomery was forced into a marriage a year ago, her husband, Ras is more often gone than home and she is living a quiet life. Until investigator Owen Gregory shows up at her home to tell her some outrageous news: Her husband has been murdered…and he was also a bigamist, making her the third of three wives. Owen Gregory was hired to investigate Celeste’s husband, but he never thought it would lead him here, to this beautiful woman whose life he just shattered. Once he determines she couldn’t be the murderer, he asks her to join him in London, in the hopes she can help him solve the crime. Now they must navigate two other wives, a broken-hearted brother and a duke who keeps poking his nose in as they work to determine who killed Erasmus Montgomery. Not to mention the intense feelings and passionate desires growing between them.
The first in a new trilogy, I loved the premise of three wives married to the same man & he's been murdered. I was drawn in from the start & engrossed until the end. My heart went out to the three women who were ruined through no fault of their own. I loved Celeste who had suffered throughout her life but still managed to see the best of everything. I loved Owen, the investigator wanted justice but also wasn’t blinkered. The chemistry between the pair was sizzling, their verbal bantering was also entertaining. There were twists in the murder investigation & a huge surprise at the end. The other two books were set up & I can’t wait to see what happens
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

You Clearly Contain Multitudes
I can’t say enough about how much I enjoy the premise of Jess Michaels’ new romance series The Three Mrs. Jess Michaels does a lovely job balancing a life changing revelation with genuine kindness, that gives this book a hopeful feel. Celeste can no longer call herself Mrs. Montgomery after learning that not only has her estranged husband been murdered, but she is one of three wives. Investigator Owen Gregory was only expecting another outraged wife, and instead meets a beautiful and intelligent woman. Owen offers Celeste an opportunity to escape her dismal circumstances, and help him in his investigations. Together they search for answers to Mr. Montgomery’s murder, and gently fall in love. Owen’s kindness through this story is as extraordinary as Celeste’s fortitude. They are genuinely fond of talking about the important foundations of their lives. With just enough mystery to keep the characters guessing. This romance is a lovely reminder that we can all use a little more kindness in difficult times. I look forward to reading Abigail and Phillipa’s stories.

I requested this book on Netgalley because I love Jess Michaels but the premise is just so interesting. I had such sympathy for the three wives but I grew to love their different personalities and the support of each other. Celeste and Owen had a connection from the start. Owen is very sympathetic and kind to her. He is a capable investigator. Celeste needed someone to see that she was special. Love the romance but the plot has really great twists and turns. I really, really wanted to know the outcome of the investigation. Great ending and I’m super excited about the next two books!

*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I love the premise of this series, three women married to the same man. What could possibly happen? Well, I am glad you asked. This rogue cocks up his toes and leaves investigators wondering who murdered him. Love a mystery and especially investigators. Owen has the duty to inform the Three Mrs. and his last calling is to Celeste. Oh yes, there is instant attraction. I won’t give away what happens because there are a few twists but let me just say that I did not see that coming. Jess’ writing encapsulates each character and you need to know what happens next. I love how Owen and Celeste dealt with their feelings and how Owen welcomed Celeste’s help in the investigation. Fantastic story.

4.5 Stars!

Celeste Montgomery never wanted to get married. When she finds out her husband is dead on top of the fact that he has two other wives, she is shocked but not grief-stricken. Owen Gregory started investigating Mr. Montgomery shortly before his murder, but he is retained to find the killer. He travels to Celeste’s home to inform her and asks her to return to London with him to help until the case is resolved. With horrible parents, no friends in town, and behind on the rent of her shabby house, she has no problem leaving her home behind. Once the pair reach London, Michaels digs in and gives us a realistic story under the bizarre circumstances.

One thing I loved from the onset of this story was the strained relationship between the three wives. It was strained not because of jealousy, but more to do with trust issues. Celeste (3rd wife) and Pippa (2nd wife) are both welcomed into Abigail’s (1st wife) home. While the three are wary of each other, it has nothing to do with their feelings for Ras (the husband). Abigail and Pippa both have secrets they don’t want to share with Celeste, but for vastly different reasons. They might shock you. I never saw them coming which made the revelations that much sweeter.

Moving on to Owen and Celeste. From the first moment they meet, the spark is instant. Something incredibly surprising for Celeste. She never enjoyed the few sojourns to her husband’s bed and never expected the attraction to the man hunting for the bigamist’s murderer. Yet, it all seemed very natural to me. From the beginning, the two know they shouldn’t be pursuing anything due to the whole dead bigamist situation, but spending time together to explore things outside of the case pulls them even closer.

While this is a wild storyline twists in ways I never imagined, the ending has me craving more of these characters. Issues are solved but not everything is resolved for the three Mrs. Montgomerys. There are two more books coming in this series and I see more excitement up ahead.

I received The Unexpected Wife for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Owen Gregory is an investigator who’s come to tell a recent widow her husband has died and another shocking unexpected surprise he was a bigamist. Celeste Montgomery was forced into a marry Erasmus a man she never loved a year ago. He pretty much took her inheritance and left her in the country. Today she finds he’s been murdered and married three different woman, she being the last victim. She becomes close friends with the other two wives as they bond and discover secrets about their husband. A delightful story if three woman meeting to discuss their husband, his murder and a mystery to solve. Owen and Celeste work together to solve the case and find themselves drawn to each other. Will Celeste finally find love and happiness with the Owen or continue with her lonely life? Can’t wait for the next book as the story continues to unravel the mysterious death and each wife finds love and happiness in the most unexpected places. I have voluntarily read and reviewed the excellent book.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Unexpected Wife is the first in Jess Michaels’ newest series, The 3 Mrs., and it may just be one of my favorites of hers. For one, the premise is a spin on one of my favorites, bringing together the scorned women of a philandering man.

I really felt for Celeste, and how she was basically conned into the marriage by her awful parents, only to find out he was a bigamist after he was murdered. But to see her rightly place the blame at his door, and to immediately form a rapport with the other two women was nice to see, and I hope it continues throughout the series.

Owen is a great hero, and the antithesis of everything she has known. He’s a very good investigator, being smart and level-headed, hence his reluctance at first to get involved with her, but he is also a very caring person and provides a sense of stability for her that she hasn’t had before.

And while Jess Michaels isn’t known for her mystery plots, she crafts an excellent one here, keeping me intrigued throughout. There’s a plot twist towards the end that had my jaw dropping due to how well-thought out it was, and I found it very satisfying overall.

This is a delightful read, and I think fans of historical romances with a bit of mystery will love it.

This was such a fascinating premise for a book series. At the start of The Unexpected Wife, Celeste Montgomery is informed by investigator Owen Gregory that not only is her husband dead, he is also a serial bigamist. I thought Michaels did an amazing job of showing the range of emotions that Celeste experienced after the big revelation, from shock, to relief to horror and uncertainty over her future.
There was immediate chemistry between Owen and Celeste, although it was quiet and respectful due to the difficult circumstances. Owen is immediately protective of Celeste's feelings and I appreciated the fact that they didn't take too long to give in to their attraction. Once they did come together, it was steamy and romantic and their conflict towards the end of the book felt realistic given the brevity of their relationship.
The murder mystery plot was thrilling and kept me guessing right to the end. The relationship between the three wives was also a nice addition to the story. Michaels' writing style was immediately accessible and engaging and I flew through this book.
The Unexpected Wife is the 1st book in a new series "The Three Mrs" and after reading book 1, I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2 and 3!

3.5 stars, rounded up.

When investigator Owen Gregory tracks down Celeste Montgomery at her parent's home, the last thing she expected to hear was that the husband she hasn’t seen in six months is dead! But unfortunately, that was not all Owen had to share, not only was Erasmus Montgomery dead, but he was murdered and if that was not bad enough, she learns he was also a bigamist and as the third Mrs. Erasmus Montgomery, her marriage wasn’t valid!

Owen quickly determines that Celeste didn’t murder Erasmus and admires her intelligence and quiet beauty, so much so that he asks her to join him in London to help with the investigation. A proposition she quickly agrees to. They travel to London where she meets Abigail and Phillipa “Pippa”; the other “Mrs. Montgomerys” and they immediately form a bond. She also meets Erasmus’ brother, the Earl of Leighton, and the man who hired Owen, the Duke of Gilmore. She quickly settles in and is eager to help Owen find the killer and clear her new friend's names from the suspect list.

Celeste and Owen work together and soon give in to the attraction that has been brewing since they met, it is clear that they harbor deeper feelings, but before they can even consider a future, they will need to find out who killed Erasmus!

This was a well-written, fast-paced story with a wonderful cast of characters and a well-plotted mystery. This book is the first in a new series and there is a lot of set-up for the future installments, but that didn’t detract from Owen and Celeste’s romance at all. The story has a fantastic hero, great secondary characters, steamy love scenes, lies, secrets, betrayal, and will surprise you with some shocking twists and turns before Owen and Celeste get their HEA. This was a great book, but sadly I was disappointed when Celeste overreacts to a perceived betrayal and then proceeds to become a complete hypocrite – it was short-lived and quickly resolved, it didn't ruin the book, but, in my opinion, it marred the story. Overall, this was a great start to a new series that I am looking forward to reading and would be happy to recommend.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions are my own *

This is my first book by Jess Michaels and I really enjoyed it! Celeste Montgomery’s life is turned completely upside-down when she is visited by an investigator who informs her that her husband is dead. Not only that, he was also a bigamist with two other wives. The investigator, Owen Gregory has also been tasked with trying to solve the murder and brings Celeste to London to assist in the investigation.

First and foremost, what I loved in this book was the friendship among the wives. I enjoyed reading about women who supported each other rather than be pitted against each other. Additionally, when it came to conflict, the women supported each other before anyone else (ie Celeste stood by her fellow wives above Owen). The solidarity between them was my favorite dynamic and relationship.

Overall, I would have loved to see more chemistry between the two main characters because it felt like a lot was trying to be pushed into this book (the friendship, murder, love, bigamy, and also setting up the next two books) that we didn’t truly get fleshed out versions of Owen and Celeste’s characters and backgrounds beyond just the basics.

This book was a gripping read and the twists and turns were really unexpected! I look forward to reading Abigail and Pippa’s books! This one did really well to set up the following parts of the series.

In broad strokes the story is solid. The premise — a man is dead and it turns out he secretly had three wives that he treated badly and was planning on taking a fourth— is intriguing. So many suspects. So much motive. Any one of those women could have killed him, plus a relative or two. That held up to the end. The ending was intriguing as well. But the execution of this high concept undermined my enjoyment so much that it was a slog to get through. Overall, interesting ideas undercut by awkward writing, two-dimensional characters, and some plot holes.

What a spicy start to a brand new series! Ms Michaels has brought me a brand new concept in romance - bigamy. I’m pretty sure I haven’t read a romance that has bigamy as the major plot point and it was a nice surprise. I loved the 6 characters and how they all had their own unique voice. I can’t wait to see what happens with Pippa and Abigail!