This book is all about the perfect house. It is told by Carly's perspective. It has short chapters, the pacing was perfect. Lots of twists and turns to keep me interested. The ending was superb.

On Carly’s twenty fifth wedding anniversary her life is turned upside down. Secrets are revealed and lives are changed forever. Paranoia, betrayal and deception trigger a chain of events that may lead to a dream come true or Carly’s worst nightmare. Trust is put into question and loyalties are tested in this twisty psychological thriller. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy.

Their 25th wedding anniversary is the beginning of the end- we get hints of cracks between the Andersons straight away and the author really cleverly spins an uncomfortable feeling in the relationships. Mark seems too perfect, and he is. As secrets come to light and the marriage totally unravels we start to suspect everybody, and the end is a shocker. Wonderfully tense and evocative of the area.

I’ve loved past books by this author but this was just good/ok for me.

I think it is more of a “it’s me, not you” type thing with the topic (messy divorce). I just got so aggravated at the naivety of Carly. Truly the whole cast of characters were horrible people, or stupid, some both stupid and horrible. Gah. Mark was just vile. I know there are woman that marry convicted prison inmates so there are definitely woman that would consider him a prize but why?!?

I like the way this author writes. The pacing was fine though very little happens for the majority of the story (other than the fighting back and forth with no resolution). When this does wrap up (and how) It’s not as gratifying as it should be considering the circumstances. Also the things Carly finds out along the way are just one punch after another, bit exhausting. Also her secret, which wouldn’t have been able to be proved, was underwhelming.

Mind you I read this quickly and had to finish, so my review seems harsh but it’s just nitpicks. I did like this story but have liked some of her others more. I will always look for the next from this author. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.

Carly and Mark were the happily married couple from the TV series the forever home, a hint she inherited on her wedding day.

The night of their 25th wedding anniversary it all changed - the ‘happy couple’ have not been as happy as they appeared.

We are told from Carly’s point of view some uncomfortable truths and what unfolds is a twisty story of jealousy and betrayal with some surprising events included along the way.

I can’t say much more without giving anything away but this is another great psychological thriller from Sue Watson that didn’t disappoint.

I really felt for Carly and as for Mark, it just goes to show that you really can’t have your cake and eat it!

The book opens with Carly preparing a party to celebrate twenty five years of marriage to Mark. They appear to be the perfect couple but Mark has used Carly’s talent in DIY, renovated the wonderful cliff top house that Carly’s parents left her and made himself in to much loved TV personality. On the evening of the party it is revealed that Mark has been having an affair with his daughter’s best friend who is pregnant, and is leaving Carly to be with her. Carly is devastated and is worried that Mark will try to take her house from her. Sinister events start to happen in the house and Carly confides in Ryan, a young handyman who she starts a relationship with, but doesn’t know if she can trust him or anyone. This is a book full of tensions, secrets, lies with many suspects and a shattering revelation. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.




Description

Carly loves her home. The beautiful cliffside home was a gift from her mother after she passed away, and Carly loved raising her children there. Not only it became their family home, but it helped to launch her husband's career as a famous host/contractor redesigning and renovating the home on a YouTube channel that eventually became a TV show. Carly thought this would be her forever home in which she would grow old with handsome and beloved Mark.

But her world is about to collapse during the party she is hosting to celebrate her 25 wedding anniversary with Mark. After seeing him arguing with her best friend, Carly finds out that Mark has fallen in love with someone else, and now he wants her to give him the house to start a family with this new person. Mark is holding Carly's dark secrets against her, and she is in danger to lose her forever home. Soon enough, strange things start to happen to Carly, and she doesn't know who she can trust anymore.

Review

This was a riveting read and a great choice for my first Sue Watson book.

The plot focuses on the house that Carly inherited from her mother and her efforts to keep it after Mark informs her of his plans. Not only is he leaving her for another woman, but he wants the house as well. When Carly first got it, she made the mistake to add Mark to the title, and he is now using Carly's secrets as leverage to kick Carly out. As the plot advances, we learn Carly's secrets and the double life she led while helping Mark to become a successful home remodeling TV show host.

As the story unfolds, Carly's actions and nature change. She starts as a timid woman who is truly in love with her husband and faces the biggest challenge in her life after he confesses his affair. Eventually, she becomes fierce and willing to do anything to save her home. While she was the brain behind the genius marketing plan that made Mark and her home famous, she also has very low self-esteem, and she doesn't have a high opinion of herself. Her character is truly complex, and as I was reading, her actions aggravated me. I felt sympathy about her situation and truly felt for her when her marriage ended. However, at times, I was so bothered by how she handled things. For a middle-aged woman with so much life experience, she came up as naive and gullible.

The rest of the characters fall into either a like or dislike category for me. Mark was an awful person, and his character was truly unpleasant. He spends much of the story faking his image of a loving and caring husband who was wronged by a wife who couldn't handle his fame. Not once, he recognizes the hurt he has caused Carly and his children, and he's an awful and vengeful human being. The other woman is as unlikeable, and at times, I couldn't believe Carly would even keep her cool around her. I was aggravated every time she interacted with Carly, and couldn't. help but hope she would be unhappy in her new life with Mark

The other character that becomes central to the story is the young contractor Carly hires to help with the home maintenance, Ryan. Carly has meaningful conversations with him that provide very needed context and information to understand her relationship with Mark and the home itself. While some of Ryan's actions come up as suspicious, he clearly serves a purpose to provide the reader with important information that leads to the main twist in the story.

The story is well written, and it flows wonderfully. However, I expected a bigger plot twist. I was able to figure it out before it happened, so I wasn't surprised when it did. But the story was good enough that I wasn't disappointed. Overall a great book.

The Forever Home is the first book I've read by Sue Watson, and I can't wait to read more of her work! This is an amazing thriller, and I had a really hard time putting it down. I found it easy to empathize with Carly, and Watson did a great job of making me hate Mark and Erin. I loved the ending, and I didn't see it coming at all. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Forever Home. : )

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great storyline with excellent characters. I would highly recommend this book as it was a great read.

Mark and Carly live in a beautiful home on the Cornish coastline. A house that made Mark famous. He is the host of a home improvement tv show, while Carly has remained in the background as a key contributor to its success. On their 25th wedding anniversary, Carly discovers a shocking secret that changes her future. Her marriage may be over, but she will do anything to remain in her house.

My Thoughts:
Sue Watson has become a fast favorite of mine and this book did not disappoint. This domestic thriller is filled with twists, suspicion and lies starting with a good backstory. A real page turner!

Unfortunately I never connected to the writing style or the characters and the story dragged on for me. I conceded that the book just wasn't for me and decided to DNF.

YES! Sue Watson has done it again! My head was spinning and my kindle pages were flying back and forth as I said "What the what?..." over and over! SO GOOD! Full of twists and turns, darkness, sadness and even some humor. Plus I want that house on the cliff - the view sounds amazing!
Grab this book and buckle up for a wild ride!

Another great read
This book has plenty of twists and turns
Some characters you will like some you will loath
Keep turning the pages as I didn’t expect the ending
Thanks NetGalley

I love Sue Watson’s writing style, it’s so easy to get lost within the pages of one of her books! A serial philandering husband sows the last of his oats before meeting a grisly end! Full of ifs and maybes you can’t pin anything or anyone down! Kept me up
All night desperately reading until I got to the end!!!

Celebrity couple Carly and Mark Anderson are throwing a huge 25th wedding anniversary party at their forever home. Their house has been the basis for their fame and success as well as a safe haven where they have raised their children. But the perfect couple image is fake and the party ends as Mark leaves following the revelation that he has been having an affair and their marriage is over...
The Forever Home is a domestic as well as psychological thriller but also an emotional rollercoaster! We are automatically allied with Carly as she struggles with the aftermath of her husband's shocking secret.
I felt so angry with how Mark plays the media and expects his reputation to remain untarnished despite his unreasonable behaviour. His mistress is spiteful and selfish which further inflamed my sense of indignation on Carly's behalf.
Carly gradually reveals the cracks and craters in her marriage as her friendship with her builder develops. She has hidden so much pain from her children and from the press. Mark still has a hold over her and threatens to reveal her secret to the police if she doesn't support his version of their break up.
The plot is delivered through Carly's first person perspective, another reason for readers to feel closer to her. She develops a romance with Ryan but is subject to sinister things happening around her home as well as revolting 'gifts'. There is a threatening atmosphere for Carly to contend with as she lives alone in an isolated location and the weather doesn't help!
The Forever Home is a brilliant read and I loved how strongly outraged I felt!

Another good read from Sue Watson. Filled with lies, deceit, and secrets and nothing is as it seems. This will keep you entertained until the last page.
Recommended

This was such an amazing domestic thriller! I kept anticipating what would happen next and I absolutely did not see the ending coming. Clever read from Mr Watson.

The Forever Home starts out slowly and I wasn't sure I'd get into it at first, but when it picks up, you're in for a roller-coaster ride. Unlike other mystery and thrillers, this one keeps you guessing until the very end. Guessing, and hooked. I liked this one even better than "First Date", and that was the book that got me interested in Sue Watson's writings.
I look forward to more books by Sue Watson!

With thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

For me this book was a slow starter. I’m so glad it had the bones of an addictive book because once I’d got a few chapters in, I couldn’t put it down.

The Forever Home gives you a realistic insight of what it would be like to be in the public eye and putting on a brave face.

Another brilliant book by Sue Watson.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

As a thrilling story, I liked it. A woman on her anniversary received the most awful gift from her infidel husband.

Then six months later, when divorce proceedings were in, she started receiving horrible messages and gifts. The domestic drama had turned dark.

Having read all of author Sue Watson’s thrillers, I was quite excited to read this. The beginning was slower than her earlier books, but it soon found its pace. Many things happened that went on to becomes twists in the plot, all adding up to the characterization.

I liked how the author managed to cast my suspicions on the new characters outside the immediate family. Many a trail was written in, some like bread cribs, others were blind alleys.

A couple of things came to my mind. Having read many thrillers, it was easy to guess the perp at the end. And some medical facts didn’t gel with me. Head injuries reveal a lot to a forensic examiner.

Overall, it was a solid thriller which kept me hooked and going strong till the end.