I’ve read a few of K.L. Slater’s books, some I enjoy some not so much.

This one was mediocre for me. I was drawn in by the premise that someone could marry their son’s murderer is beyond belief and I believed it must be revenge, even though that seemed a step too far!

There is more to the book than that and other sub-plots are revealed along the way. Most of the book for me was too slow moving for my personal taste but there are some surprises and twists along the way.

My thanks go to the author, the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you for my copy of this book to review.

KL Slater is an author I’m unfamiliar with but the blurb of this book really got my attention. What possible reason would you have to marry your child’s killer?!

Unfortunately though, the story really didn’t grip me and I didn't particularly like any of the characters. I was expecting it to be more about the reasons behind the marriage rather than Toms big secret.

However, it was a unique storyline and I did finish it within a couple of days but, and I seem to be in the minority here, it just wasn’t for me.

"10 years ago, he killed my son. Today I married him." Does that synopsis not just grab you?

Bridget's son Jesse was killed by his best friend Tom. But through a restorative justice program held at the jail, Bridget learns to forgive Tom and the two fall in love and get married before Tom is released from prison. 20 years his senior and old enough to be his mother, Bridget also used to be Tom's mother's best friend once upon a time. Once news gets out of the marriage, Tom's mother Jill believes Bridget is seeking revenge for her son's death.

I have to say, as I started this psychological thriller, I kept thinking how bizarre it was. The storyline was so crazy and I thought for sure it was going to be a predictable read. But there were a few twists towards the end which I wasn't expecting which really threw me. I'm not sure I loved the twists either as it just didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the book. Overall though, this book was so gripping. I've just gotten the author's new one on my kindle too which I'm excited to dive into!

Wow, what a story! This is my first read by this author and I’ll be consuming the rest of her work this summer to be sure! Completely unique, fast paced, relatable characters and enough taboos to make you cringe with morbid delight! This thriller delivers, perfect beach read or any time read! Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and K.L Slater for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tom & Jesse were best friends. One night they were thrown out of a nightclub for fighting & once outside Tom punched Jesse. The punch & fall killed him Tom was imprisoned for manslaughter. The book begins in prison as Jesse's mother Bridget is about to marry Tom. That's certainly a good way to draw a reader in & K L Slater knows how to do this expertly!

Tom's mother, Jill, has been counting the days till Tom comes home. Preparing his favourite food, buying him clothes, setting him up with job opportunities, somewhere to live- none of which seem to be needed when Tom gets home & breaks the news of his marriage. She is outraged & considers the age gap obscene -funny how if the sexes were reversed no-one would bat an eyelid!

As I read the book I kept trying to guess where this was all leading. Needless to say it didn't end up as any of the ways I thought it would. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this brilliant book

Another hit for Slater, whom really knows how to write this style of book in a way that’s absolutely gripping! Characters developed in a fashion that makes you connect with the story, plot line unique and full of juicy tension and thrills! Lots of fun twisty turns, chilling chills, and gasp worthy shocks! If you’re fan of K.L. Slater’s work, you’ll not be disappointed, if you’re new to her work, this is the perfect book to grab! Fast paced and unputdownable! Highly recommend!

Bridget and Tom are in love and have just got married. But it’s not a normal wedding……it takes place in prison. Why? Because Tom is inside for manslaughter…..of Bridget’s son, Jesse! When release day finally comes, Bridget and Tom must break the news of their union to their loved ones. But how will they react? And is everything as it seems?
I’m not saying anything else on the plot as I don’t want to give anything away! I read this and spent the whole time trying to figure out what was going to happen and who I should be suspecting. I changed my mind so many times it was crazy! But that’s the fantastic thing about this book – it will have you hooked and you will have no clue what will happen next. The twists absolutely blew me away – some of which I genuinely didn’t see coming!
The characters are all pretty mysterious and I’m pretty sure you will doubt each and every one of them in some way! I really liked Bridget but felt that I shouldn’t – there was something about her, Jill was a miserable old bag, Tom was handsome and charming but again, I felt there was more to him that I realised. Basically every character seemed to have something about them that made you question them!
Slater’s writing style is fantastic and really will keep you hanging on. It’s enjoyable, easy to read and follow and intriguing.
Overall, if you’re looking for a fabulous, gripping psychological thriller that will get you suspecting everyone and wondering what is going to happen next, then this is for you! Highly recommended by me.

Another fabulous read from K.L. Slater. The blurb is a shocking outline of a story that you hope never to happen to you, “Ten years ago he killed my son. Today I married him.”
Wow what a start point!
We meet two families who are united, separated and divided by their grief.
Why did Tom attack his best friend Jesse? What happened to destroy the friendship between their mothers Jill and Bridget and more importantly why did Bridget marry the killer of her own son.
Fabulous tension and great characters.
Totally recommend this read with a great twist at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The premise hooked me and was hoping this book would be a page turner. Although it’s well The Multiple point of views with different timelines worked well, but some decisions made by a couple of characters were very very hard to believe. Overall it’s a good thriller, an easy read with some surprising twists. Not the author’s best book I’ve read, but I’d recommend this book.

Bridget Wilson is excited about seeing her fiancé at the wedding ceremony that day, which is normal for any bride. However, Bridget is getting married in prison, to the man convicted of killing her son 10 earlier.
Bridget and Tom get married before his release knowing the backlash they will receive from family. The twist and turns of events following Toms release unravel a whole host of hidden secrets.
A great psychological thriller which keeps you wanting to read the next chapter.

This starts off with a bang. The narrator is 20 years older than her soon to be husband and if that isn’t enough, he’s killed her son. I was drawn in from those first few pages.

The story settles down and unwinds the facts of it all for you, but it is a wild ride. Are Bridget’s and Tom’s motives pure for getting married? Why did Tom kill Jesse? There are secrets galore and they aren’t always where you’d expect them.

What a great read! Kept me rapt from start to finish.

I loved this book. It kept me gripped all the way, and a few twists and turns that I didn’t even guess! The characters really came to life for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was my first KL Slater book and won’t be my last. About 2/3 of the book was very slow but still kept my interest. The last 1/3 of the book was fast paced and very intriguing. Everything I thought was happening wasn’t and when everything was revealed I was truly shocked. 3.5/5 stars. Would definitely recommend.

I’ve really enjoyed this author in the past, so I was looking forward to this one. The set-up was very clear. The author did a great job of showing the connections between each of the characters (and there were quite a few to keep straight). But it was all well-plotted and I wasn’t confused at all. There were some good twists, but the second part felt predictable, and I wasn’t really surprised by anything. I also thought that things that were supposed to be shocking weren’t so very much. I can’t fault the author for that though. I think the world we live in has conditioned us to accept that anything goes. It’s still a decent book. For a full review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital ARC of the book.

K L Slater never disappoints! When Bridget marries Tom - the man who has just spent 10 years in prison for murder in her son, people close to the couple can’t quite believe it! The whole build up of the book is based on whether or not the marriage is some kind of revenge plot, and there are some juicy twists along the way!
Another brilliant read.

3.5 Can There Be A Second Chance Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
A well-known, accomplished Mystery/Thriller writer dangles a blurb for her new book that seems, well, unseemly. The mother of the son who was killed marries the man who killed her son ten years later????

WTF is this my mind said when I read it...and then clicked to go forward as soon as I could.

K.L. Slater took this extremely unusual idea and gave us a very complex tale without falling into the traps usually used when there are so many ways she could have. I went into this totally blind with only the blurb. It will give you the POV of some of the main characters and the third person of many others, causing the reader to see so much as it is happening. There are times where we go "back in the day" before the Now that help with understanding relationships and actions.

The characters are not entirely likable just like in Real Life but you will feel something one way for the other...and just when you think you have a handle on exactly what is happening...the twists keep on coming. A worthwhile read.

In this story nothing was as it seemed. I wasn't sure what to believe and who was telling the truth. It is a bit odd and unnatural to marry the killer of your son. And I was on the fence about Bridget and her intentions throughout the whole book. That said, I wasn't sure about Tom and his story or his family. There was so much going on, driving the story forward. Very engaging and impossible to put down.

The Marriage is another worthy piece of work from one of my favourite authors. Unsurprisingly I absolutely loved this book! I have now read seven of K.L. Slater's books and found each of them so masterfully written and compelling. The Marriage has many surprising twists and turns. It features Bridget Wilson who thought her own life was finished when her son, Jesse, then eighteen, was killed by a single punch from the fist of his best friend, Tom Billinghurst, also eighteen. Six months ago, Bridget and Tom secretly married at HMP Nottingham and now Jesse’s killer is Bridget's husband.

I was so keen to find out what was going to happen next that I read The Marriage in a single sitting. Highly recommended with no hesitation so grab yourself a copy!

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

Jesse Wilson and Tom Billinghurst grew up together and have always been best friends. Jesse’s mother, Bridget, and Tom’s mother, Jill, were good friends and took turns caring for the boys. Tom likes to box and takes care of his diet and his body.

One night, Jesse and Tom were at a bar enjoying a couple of beers. Jesse was drinking too much and started a fight with Tom. When they were kicked outside, Jesse pulled a knife on Tom which shocked him. Thinking he was going to be stabbed, Tom punched Jesse in the face and he hit the concrete. Shortly after, Jesse died from a brain bleed. Since Tom was a boxer, he was sentenced to prison.

Now, Tom is due to be released. His mother, Jill, is so excited for him to be home and has made all kinds of plans for him as he enters society again. But she and her husband, Robert, are in for a surprise when Tom tells them he and Bridget have been meeting at the prison for the last two years. They have been taking part in a program of forgiveness. Now, Bridget and Tom have fallen in love. They were secretly married in prison. Jill and Robert are not only furious, they are shocked. At 48, Bridget is a nice looking woman who has a great job and a nice home.

This book is full of twists and turns not unlike driving on a curvy mountain road that leaves you gasping. So many secrets that keep you guessing right up to the end. Good read. Enjoyed it.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First read of the author’s and an impressive read. An age gap marriage between a woman and her son’s murderer; a relationship that started with prison visits that developed into a commitment. The story is told from various points of views and from the get-go the author kept me second guessing as to what Bridget’s motive truly was. Nothing was let slip until secrets were unearthed. Expect twists upon twists with more reveals of all characters in the story.

I just reviewed The Marriage by K.L. Slater. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.