Happily married and successful, Jade and Cam Lasky have it all -- two darling kids, a great marriage, and a profitable steak business; in fact, Cam is known as Atlanta's Steak King. However, all that is put into question when a masked man breaks into the Laskys' home and puts Jade and the two kids in danger. The masked man wants one thing -- money -- and he wants it now. Will Cam get it in time? Who is this masked intruder, and why does he know so much about the family? Are all the accusations he's spewing about Cam true?

I really enjoyed this short, quick suspense read. I couldn't put it down! As a mother, I found myself relating the most to Jade and hope I would act as she did in those harrowing hours. I loved the ending and wanted to know more!

Thanks to the publisher for the eARC.

My Darling Husband hits the ground running from the first chapter, and rarely lets up. I was immediately invested in the story. Told from multiple POVs and two timelines, author Kimberly Belle excels at keeping things tense and moving right along.
$734,296.
That’s the amount that Cam Lasky, famed chef and restaurant owner, will have to pay in cash if he wants his wife and two children to live. His wife, Jade, is already on edge when she makes her way home with the children...only to face a masked intruder with a gun. The intruder ties the three of them up and eventually makes his demands known. His implication is crystal clear as well. Cam needs to pay up, or they’re all dead.
While the clock ticks, Cam races around town trying to get the money. Jade tries to figure out a way to save her children and herself. She also asks herself some questions:
Who is this home invader?
Why the specific amount of money?
Why did he choose the Lasky family?

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for the e-arc of this novel.*

Thank you to the publisher for giving me a chance to read a digital copy of My Darling Husband. This is the first book that I have by Kimberly Belle, although I have been meaning to read her books for awhile now. I will preface this review by saying that I have been reading a lot of romance books lately, and I haven't much been in the mood for thrillers. Stories like this one usually go one of two ways- they are usually really good and fast paced or they fall flat. I think it is hard to take a singular story like, like a home invasion or a drive, and make it into an interesting enough story that it keeps the readers attention. This one fell a bit flat for me. I thought the premise was interesting, and it did pick back up in the last pages when you find out who the masked man is and why he is holding the Lasky family hostage. The middle was too slow for me; I felt like I should be getting towards the end of the story, and I still had 55% of the book left. Also, the cover, title, and synopsis kind of make it seem like Cam is going to be this super sinister husband, but I never really got the sense that he was a bad guy at all. Sure, he poorly managed his money, but you could tell he was a good father and husband. I am still going to try a few other books by Belle, but I probably won't be recommending this one.

Cam is a famous chef and restauranteur known as Atlanta's Steak King. Unfortunately he's not well-liked in the industry. Jade is his wife and a former designer. Because of Cam's success, Jade is able to be a stay-at-home mother to their two young children. When Jade arrives home one afternoon, she discovers a masked man in her garage who holds Jade and her children hostage for a ransom. It couldn't have happened on a worse day because Cam's most money making restaurant just had a devastating fire. Now Cam has to scamper around town desperately trying to get the almost $800,000 in ransom money when unbeknownst to most, he is up to his ears in debt. Cam has until 7pm to get the money or his family will be killed.

I've read other books by this author but I thought this one was okay. It's written in three perspectives which bounce around (the chapters are labeled) in Cam's, Jade's and the kidnapper's voices. In addition, it goes back and forth to an interview Cam is giving to a reporter after everything is all over. In the end, we find out why the kidnapper did it and it was an interesting twist. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

A home invasion turns into a hostage situation for Jade and her children when they go home to find a man in their garage. Involving two young children made it so much more compelling. This is a thriller from start to finish and I couldn't put it down until the last pages.

Jade calls her celebrity chef husband Cam one afternoon because she believes she is being followed. Later that day when she returns home, she is shocked to find a masked man in her home. He takes her and her two children, Beatrice and Baxter, hostage in an attempt to demand ransom money from Cam. As the situation gets increasingly tense and dangerous, it becomes clear that the intruder's reasons for targeting this family are very personal!

I loved this suspenseful, fast-paced, story of a horrifying home invasion. There are many different subtleties to the plot and the relationships between different characters that led to this point. I really enjoyed finding out how all of the pieces fit together! It's so interesting to observe how Jade and her two children behave in such a high stakes environment. There are a couple of surprising reveals, but overall the story is more action/plot focused than other twisty thrillers. There are some TENSE moments where I was flipping the pages and getting very nervous for the Lasky family!

This was my first novel by Kimberly Belle and I will definitely be looking for her others! I'd highly recommend this one for a quick, suspenseful, exciting read!

Thanks to HarperCollins Canada for my copy!

This home invasion story took off like a shot, with action right out of the gate. I was a little put off when I first started it, I have a personal gripe against books that read like an action movie. But then Belle started to weave in a lot more depth and I found I couldn't put this one down. I read it very fast, in just about 24 hours, and ended up really enjoying it.

I am glad to say that there are not eye rolling twists or gimmicky plot devices in this one, which for me is a major plus. Getting to know each character, their back story, and how they all wound up in such a predicament made more and more sense as the plot progressed. Difficult topics such as the difficulties of owning a business, the fear of turning into the worst parts of our parents, and the highway robbery of big healthcare made this novel seem even scarier because it could all be true. I can't say much more without giving it all away for this heart-pounder of a thriller!

Kimberly Belle is one of my “go to” authors! I just know that I will love every book she writes.. My Darling Husband is certainly one that’ll stick with me. The suspense level is off the charts and the ending is just….perfect! The best in psychological thrillers!

Belle is a best-selling American author of many thrillers including "The Marriage Lie", "Dear Wife" and "Three Days Missing" . This new one is another thriller. We are introduced to Jade, who is the wife of a chef and restaurant owner and mom to young two children. Her world is upended when her home is invaded by a masked man and she and the children are held hostage. He is demanding her husband, Cam, arrive with slightly over $700,000 in ransom money. Meanwhile Cam's morning started with his flagship restaurant burning to the ground. Interspersed with the action are chapters set in the future where a reporter is interviewing Cam. This is a fun fast paced read and a good recommendation for fans of the genre.

This is the kind of book that sucks you in from the first page and keeps you on the edge all the way thru.
If you are looking for a quick read with edge of your seat action then this is the book for you! Great read and great finish.

This book was something different which was great, however, I felt like there were a couple of points that never were "wrapped up." Identifying what they were will give away plot points, and maybe I just missed something but felt unsatisfied over those couple of things. The premise was good and the viewpoints from the different characters, and the interview were interesting.

My Darling Husband
Kimberly Belle, author

First, I'd like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and author for an advanced reader copy of this amazing suspenseful tale. And I highly recommend this novel!

The story begins with an interview between Cam Lasky and a reporter from a local news station. The reporter is interviewing Cam, as it has been months since a home invasion, that found his wife Jade and their two young children Beatrix and Baxter taken hostage.

The story switches back and forth between the home invasion and the interview. No chapters for this storyline, just a timeline. I found this to be quite different, but not necessarily hindering the reading experience of this book. The story moved along quickly and had me on the edge throughout the reading.

Although, it was a nightmarish experience for Jade, was it really one for the children? The captor is holding the family prisoner until, Cam, Jade's husband returns home with an outlandish and peculiar sum of $734,296.00 in cash. And Cam, once he found out his family was being held captive in their home by a madman, did he lose it or hold it together to meet the demands of the captor?

The story takes on a tale I didn't see coming as it evolves. And the end, oh my gosh, it was both exciting, yet seemed unfinished. Humm, will there be a sequel? Will this be the first Kimberly Belle novel to have a follow up story? In Cam's words, use your imagination readers, for only the author knows.

In Kimberly Belle's newest thriller My Darling Husband, Jade's life, while hectic, is pretty good. Her husband Cam is one of Atlanta's most celebrated chefs, known as the Steak King of Atlanta. He owns several popular high-end restaurants, and they live in a McMansion in a wealthy neighborhood.

Jade spends her days shuttling her nine year-old daughter Beatrix, a possible violin prodigy, and six year-old son Baxter, a typical energetic little boy, between school and activities. One day they returned home to find a masked man with a gun in their garage.

Frightened, Jade offers to give him her SUV, her wallet, phone, anything, if he will just leave. But that is not what he wants. He moves them all into the house and instructs Jade to call Cam and tell him that if her doesn't bring a very specific large sum of money to him by 7pm, he will kill the family.

Cam is dealing with a disasterous fire in his most profitable restaurant when Jade calls him. Although he tells the man he can't get that much cash in that short a period of time, the man reiterates his threat to Jade and the children.

The masked man knows a lot about Jade's husband, and tells her that her husband isn't the successful, wonderful man she thinks he is. Jade has to use her wits to figure out who this man is and how to keep him from hurting her children. The action moves between Jade in the house and Cam racing to find enough money to save his family.

My Darling Husband is breakneck thriller that gets parents right where they live- the safety of their children's lives. Your heart will pound as you read, and you'll wrack your brain as you try to figure out along with Jade how this man knows so much about Jade and Cam.

This novel has all the makings of a great Lifetime thriller movie, I wouldn't be surprised to see it next year on my television screen. If domestic thrillers are your favorite reads, My Darling Husband should be next up on your list.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Fall 2021 Mystery & Thriller Blog Tour.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Kimberly Belle for a digital copy of My Darling Husband in exchange for my honest review.

Cam Lasky is a celebrity chef, and he and his wife Jade are, by all outward appearances, the perfect couple. They have a gorgeous house and two beautiful children. Their world comes crashing down one day when Jade and their children are taken hostage in their home by a masked intruder. The gunman tells Cam he must get him ransom money by 7:00 or his family will die. While Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade learns there may be certain things her husband is keeping from her.

This was an incredibly fast-paced and entertaining book, so kudos to Kimberly Belle for that! I loved that we got alternating viewpoints from Jade, Cam, and the intruder. It was also interesting to throw in the television interview that Cam does when the dust settles. I don't know that I've ever read a book with a celebrity chef as a protagonist so I very much enjoyed that element too.

The resolution was satisfying and the ending wrapped everything up nicely. All in all, a fantastic read for thriller lovers, and one I would undoubtedly recommend.

Loved this book! It kept me guessing from start to finish. I knew it had something to do with the husbands business but didn’t know what. Would highly recommend this fast paced thriller!

In My Darling Husband, Jade is doing her usual errands and getting the children from school when she thinks she sees someone following her around. A figure in black seems to be stalking her. When she pulls into her garage to encounter an intruder dressed in black, everything gets more serious when the stalker wants a specific amount of money in ransom, or Jade and her children will be killed.

There is a whole lot of tension and suspense in My Darling Husband and it kept me on the edge of my seat as I read this. The story moves along at a good pace and I did like how the story was revealed through the three POVs of Jade, Cam and the stalker.

I really enjoyed reading My Darling Husband. I wanted to find out how it ended and the way the story was presented kept me engaged in the story. I particularly like the twist that occurs (sorry, don't want to spoil), especially since I didn't see that one coming.

The story does end in a bit of a question that I'm still not sure I liked or not. I guess that's a good thing because it left me thinking about that aspect of the story. Overall, a suspenseful and entertaining read.

I’m sure we all have that list of authors that we just have to get our hands on their newest book as soon as we can. And in the meantime, we wait patiently, well, at least try to. But when I see that the author is in the edits phase, the excitement just builds, and waiting patiently doesn’t exist anymore. Kimberly Belle is one of the authors on that list.

Plot/Story Premise:

I know some people don’t read the Acknowledgments but I tend to and this time I was glad I did. Ms. Belle states that the premise of this story happened to someone that she knows so it made it feel even more real for me.

Characters:

The characters were so life-like. I could feel my heart pounding as the time was slipping away until the ransom money was delivered. The narrative of each chapter was by different characters’ POVs. The time was also noted as the time clicked down. I was so engrossed that I found that I was clenching my fists due to Jade’s anxiety and fear. I even found myself checking my watch in the middle of a chapter.

Setting:

I was able to visualize the house, Cam in his truck riding around trying to find someone who could loan him the ransom amount, which was an odd amount in itself, $734,296.00, and neither Jade nor Cam could figure out why.

Ending/Conclusion:

Whiplash!!! And now I could finally breathe and have my pulse return to normal!!!

Overall opinion:

Another page-turning thriller by an extraordinary author!!! A bone-chilling read!!

Negatives:

Just one! Trying to be patient while waiting for her next book. Oh, did I happen to mention, patience is not one of my virtues?


I received a complimentary copy from Park Row Books (TPB) and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

01/16/22 posted to GR, Amazon, B&N, Instagram and will post to blog on 01/19/22

My Darling Husband has some fun twists and turns but without threat of real harm, it’s not very suspenseful.

Cam Lasky is having a bad day. Atlanta’s Steak King is at the wreckage of his most profitable business when he gets the call: his wife Jade and his two children are being held in their house by a gunman. The masked man has demanded an expensive ransom and Cam isn’t as flush in money as it seems from the outside. While he tries to get the cash, Jade must deal the intruder and try to keep her children safe. She will have to show more bravery than her darling husband as she tries to keep the event from escalating.


The book is written from three perspectives including: Cam, Jade and the masked intruder. Each perspective adds something to the story. Jade knows the least about the situation at hand bu through her you learn about the families’ lives. Each perspective brings the story to life allowing readers to understand motivation and wrestle in grey moral areas.

Kimberly Belle creates a story that isn’t as simple as it seems. Readers may believe they know what is going on but Belle has many surprises for the reader. I enjoyed twist after twist, especially the ones I didn’t see coming. This is the novel’s greatest strength.

The book’s greatest weakness is that there isn’t enough danger. The rich tension from the beginning of the book fizzles. There just isn’t believable danger. While being held hostage at gun point is traumatizing, there isn’t the fear of losing one of our characters. With this sense of confidence, it’s hard to be scared for our heroine and cheer on her not so honest husband.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. But it’s not something I would recommend unless you like domestic thrillers.

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was definitely a suspenseful page turner although I found the premise unoriginal; and the plot predictable.

Domestic thrillers can go either way for me, so I never know how I'm gonna feel about one - some wow me, some bore me, and some land me somewhere in the middle. My Darling Husband definitely landed in wow territory. This was one seriously intense book, and its twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. Of course, domestic thrillers/suspense tend to rely heavily on secrets, but Kimberly Belle takes that to a whole new level. The book is well-written, fast-paced, and almost impossible to look away from even for a few minutes - and that's all you're getting from me so I don't give anything away. If you enjoy tension-filled thrillers, this is one to read.