A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Given the number of 4 and 5 star reviews, it seems I'm in the minority here. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the novel, but my expectations for it were higher. I appreciated the claustrophobic feel and found the story engaging enough, but I didn't fall in love with it and it save for the cook little kids, it took me too long to start to thaw a bit for the characters. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but something about it just felt trite. Could've been me, could've been the audio, could've been a book - probably a bit of all three. That said, it moves fast and is entertaining enough. Would be a popular beach read and there's definitely an audience for it.

What’s it about (in a nutshell):

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle is an edge-of-your-seat kidnapping ransom story that reveals so many secrets that my head is still spinning.

What I Enjoyed:

I loved the story format with Cam, the husband, telling his story through an interview in the future and Jade, the wife, and Sebastian, the kidnapper, telling their stories as events unfolded. This combination of points of view and different time points kept the tension high and kept me guessing throughout the story. It is done in such a way that there is absolutely no confusion between the points of view or the moments in time, which I think is genuinely commendable.

I also loved the simplicity of the plot. I can’t say a lot to avoid giving away spoilers, but the plot stays focused on the story, which takes place in just a few short hours. This keeps the pace incredibly high throughout the tale. My review has been tough to write because of this aspect, but it also makes the story as wonderful and thrilling as it is.

Lastly, the characters are well developed, especially considering how focused the story is. I will tell a little more about each under characters, but the ones that need to be sympathetic are sympathetic, and the ones they need to be much less so are just that.

Characters:

Cam is the husband in the title. He is a chef of some renown in the Atlanta area. He comes across as caring about his family while also being a victim of his fame and all that comes with that.

Jade is the wife of Cam and mother to Beatrix and Baxter – ages 9 and 6, respectively. When a man holds her and her children hostage in their own home, her momma bear comes out as she tries to protect her children.

Sebastian is the kidnapper who held Jade, Beatrix, and Baxter at gunpoint, demanding over $700,000 of Cam in just a few short hours.

Each has a compelling story that helps build their character to make it reasonably easy to understand their motivations and reactions.

What I Wish:

The only wish I have is to know more about what happens after the story is concluded. I can’t say much about this either, but you learn some aspects while others are not addressed, and I would love to know about those aspects that aren’t addressed.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you are looking for a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller with surprising twists, My Darling Husband is just the story you are looking for.

I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting thriller about a mother, Jade, and her two children who are taken hostage in their own home by a masked intruder. Jade learns that the man who invaded her home wants an oddly specific amount of money from her very rich husband, and the man wants the money in an almost impossible amount of time. Jade begins to wonder if her husband is hiding terrible secrets all while trying to find a way to keep her children and herself safe.
This author did a great job of ratcheting up tension while letting the story unfold. Jade had enormous rooting value and Cam was a compelling character, despite all of the mistakes he made. I enjoyed the way the story was told through Jade's point-of-view, Cam's point-of-view, and a TV interview after the fact.
This book really reminded my of another book, Mother May I. If you like domestic suspense, thrillers, and mysteries, I would recommend this book.

After reading The Marriage Lie in early 2021 and being blown away, I wanted to love this one. I hated how the main character was written as a helpless victim who needed her husband to come to her rescue. It was painful to read her dialogue because she wasn't standing up for herself or her kids, but rather just begging for the captor not to hurt them. I would have much preferred to read that she took matters into her own hands and tried to save her and her children herself. I also found the plot to be pretty predictable, which took away from the story as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

CW: home invasion, hostage situation, violence

5 stars!

Pulse-pounding from start to finish!

Jade comes home with her two young children to find a masked gunman waiting. The gunman has Jade call Cam, her celebrity chef husband, demanding $750,000 by 7pm. Jade and her children are held hostage while Cam has three hours to deliver the money and save his family.

This was addictive, gripping and tension-filled. The suspense and tension starts from the very beginning and doesn’t let up AT ALL! I was on the edge of my seat for this entire book. Perspectives change from Cam, Jade, the gunman and snippets of a social media interview with Cam after the incident. Each perspective was done brilliantly keeping me completely consumed and not wanting to put the book down.

I’ve read most of this authors work and am a huge fan. I’m excited to say that this is her best yet! Highly recommend!

Thank you to Park Row for my review copy!

A thriller that comes to life with palpable tension and electric atmosphere that immerses the reader into this terrifying novel. Kimberly Belle’s “My Darling Husband” will become an instant hit among readers who love her instinct driven style. Belle’s novels have a tried-and-true formula with exceptional results that leave readers guessing right up to the final page. Twisty and twisted, with heart-stopping cliff-hangers at the end of chapters give you no choice but to read one more. Heartbreaking while also being heartfelt that shows no bounds when it comes to a mother’s love. Next time a patron asks me for a book recommendation, this novel will be at the top of my list. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC, all opinion are my own.

Favorite Quotes:

Maxim’s lungs sound like a rock tumbler filled with gravel, a noisy in and out that makes my own chest seize in sympathy. Maxim smokes like a chimney. He doesn’t exercise or sleep. He eats fried potatoes and red meat drowning in butter sauce, which he washes down with booze. But he’s trim and energetic and when he’s zipping around town in his convertible Maserati, he looks like a million bucks. Maxim is like one of those deep-water sharks—he’ll live to be four hundred.

And all those things I used to care about, the restaurants and the real estate and the houses and cars, I’d give it all up. Because here’s what happens when your family’s lives are at stake. There’s this… white-light moment of clarity, a lightning-bolt realization that you’re an idiot and all that shit you’ve spent so much time and effort accumulating is worthless. The banks can have everything. I don’t want any of those things anymore. Without Jade and the Bees, it’s worthless. I’m worthless.

My Review:

My shoulders are still in my ears and my cuticles are ragged from my incessant gnawing while I read this intense tale. Kimberly Belle is a wily one and steadily ratcheted up the pressure and strain for her realistically flawed and battling characters with the reveal of the increasingly disquieting revelations they were experiencing. I had a hard time putting my Kindle down and cursed its weak battery for forcing an untimely stop.

I marveled at the perceptive and insightful inner musings and observations this cunning wordsmith deftly implanted into her narratives. Each character was acutely defined and well-honed by the end of the book, while most bore little resemblance to how they had initially appeared. The little pea in my brain bounced and rattled as I pondered the significance of various odd clues but I would never have put this heart-squeezing and brilliantly contrived puzzle together. I felt for them all and prized the unexpected levels of empathy and wisdom each gained for the others by the final page.

Jade and Cam Lasky look like the perfect Atlanta couple, he is a "celebrity" chef and they have two wonderful kids. A masked home invader holds Jade and the kids hostage and Cam must gather the ransom and save them while secrets are coming out and the perfect personas are unraveling.

For me this book moved so quickly and the minute one chapter ended, I had to jump into the next to find out what would happen. I loved how the author built the story and unraveled the clues - it just worked so well. I often judge a mystery/thriller book by the final suspect and this one did not disappoint. I loved the finale and how it unfolded and how the author revealed who it was and their motive. Kimberly Belle gives the reader the pieces to the puzzle at just the right time.

AND these characters! I will always love a couple unravelling story. I appreciate when they are both presenting the perfect life and keep secrets from each other and the outside world and then the dominos fall! While I got frustrated with, I think, all of the characters at one moment or another, I was sitting on the edge of my seat to find out the final resolution.

I have read about half of Kimberly Belle's books and have loved all of them so much. I would love to catch up in 2022 and complete her backlist!

Kimberly Belle has written another winner here! It’s an exciting, intense, un-put-downabe nail biter! The story takes place in just a few hours and keeps you turning the pages from the start.

Jade Lasky thinks she has a perfect life--a beautiful home, a wonderful and handsome chef husband, Cam, who owns a chain of successful restaurants, and two lovely children. But all that changes when a masked man springs on her and the children in their garage. He terrorizes them and demands a large amount of ransom from Cam. As Cam rushes to gather the money, Jade tries to decipher clues about this man and begins to wonder if their lifestyle is really as good as Cam was telling her.

I quite enjoyed this riveting page turner; it's quite impossible to put down, honestly. The story is told from Jade's POV as the invasion unfolds, interspersed with an interview from the Cam after it happens and a few snippets from the "bad guy's" perspective. It's an amazingly effective format, propelling the story forward in an action-packed format. Why on earth is that man torturing this family? Is it random or personal? The family's young children are involved, as Jade feels she must do anything to protect them.

As a reader, you can't help but wonder what would you would do in this horrible situation. It's a dark and twisty read, with secrets popping up around every corner. While it's very much a thriller, there's also a lot of emotion and family trauma involved as well. Definitely an excellent page-turner.

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle is a suspenseful thriller novel. The story in this one is told by changing the point of view between the various characters to show the different sides to the ongoing story within.

Another case of things not always being as they seem from the outside. Jade and Cam Lasky on the outside are happily married with two wonderful children and quite well off. However when an intruder takes Jade hostage demanding a hefty ransom Cam has to scramble to obtain money he does not have with his celebrity chef image being just a mirage.

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle was a thriller that pulled me in right away and kept my attention. The story flowed well while changing between the various characters to give all sides to the action going on within the book. I wouldn’t go as far to say this had likable characters but ones that you suspect all along and don’t dislike either that go well in this type of read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I love Kimberly Belle’s books and I think “My Darling Husband” just took the top place for me out of all her books… it was so good!

Right at the start the story picks up and gave me chills! I didn’t want to put it down!

The book is written with duel timelines and multiple perspectives. It flashes back and forth between the past and present. The present is set up like a TV interview which I really loved and added to the suspense and drama!

While reading I kept feeling “No Exit” vibes, different storyline just same feeling! The story unfolds all within a day and has your heart racing while reading the entire time. I was just wondering how the suspense was going to end!

It was so well done and I absolutely recommend to any thriller fans!

🥳Pub Day: December 28/2021

Thank you so much Kimberly Belle, Harper Collins Canada and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Kimberly Belle does what she does best again. Great Thriller/Mystery, fast paced good story.
Thank you to Net Galley,
the author and publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

I just love @kimberlysbelle so I was really excited to jump into this one. As per usual it did not disappoint. This book as multiple POVs and two timelines which really helps keep the feelings you have throughout the novel tense and anxious. She does such a good job of making you feel in it and apart of all that is going on. There is also an “interview” narrative which is told “after the fact” which kind of helps fill in the blanks without spoiling anything.

Even though Cam is portrayed as a bad guy, I couldn’t help but feel for him. He may have some questionable morals but he does love his family and I cannot imagine being in his position. I think Kimberly did a good job with shading him gray that way. Jade was a strong women who would do anything for her children and I felt her ferocity. The star of the show in my opinion is Beatrix. She is literally a genius and incredibly smart. I will say no more as I don’t want to spoil this for anyone.

This was an entertaining edge of your seat kinda story. Its fast paced and quick!

Kimberly Belle has done it again! She has penned another amazing thriller that had my heart racing. Who wouldn't be super stressed when a masked man invades your home and keeps you and your children hostage? And as I was reading this book, I felt like I was there with Jade, just trying to keep the kids safe and figure out a way to escape. Whew!

I have loved all of Ms. Belle's stories and this one has to be right up there at the top as one of my favorites. It will keep you on the edge of your seat as, in the midst of all the drama, the real truth of Jade and Cam's lives comes out. Things are not what they seem.

My Darling Husband is a book that you will not be able to put down once you start, so be prepared! I highly recommend it!

Cam and Jade Lasky are the picture of success. He’s a celebrity chef and owner of five restaurants in Atlanta, known as the steak king, and she’s the beautiful stay at home mom to daughter Beatrix and son Baxter (the Bees). They live in a beautiful home in an affluent neighborhood so what could be wrong? Life for them changes when Jade comes home with the kids and is confronted by an armed, masked intruder.

This story gave me some serious heartburn! I kept shutting off my headphones because I couldn’t stand the suspense but then turning them back on as I had to see how the next scene turned out. The points of view are provided by Cam, Jade and the intruder (Sebastian) who I came to loathe. What makes things even more intriguing is Cam’s narrative being delivered through an interview with a reporter who’s not going easy on him. It’s obvious he’s doing the interview in the aftermath but there’s not one single clue about the outcome until the end.

I’m deliberately omitting more details because you should read/hear them firsthand. Sebastian was chilling and I took his threats seriously, as did Jade, which made things more ominous given the two children involved. And speaking of the children…I came to adore Beatrix, the true hero of this story. I think you will, too. Thank goodness multiple narrators were used for the audio version as it was important to give the main characters their own distinctive styles and voices. It mattered and they were outstanding. There are twisty turns and bends throughout and the ending felt right, leaving some things to my own imagination. This turned out to be much more than I anticipated (a good thing) but I’m glad it’s over! Put on your adult pants because this is an uneasy ride. 4.5 stars

Review of My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another great book by Kimberly Belle. I loved this one and read it in just 3 days during crazy holiday time. It was fast paced and super tense.

Quick synopsis: Jade is married to Cam who owns many high end steak restaurants and they have two children, Beatrix and Baxter. She comes home one day to be accosted in the garage and she and her children are taken hostage. A ransom demand is set for Cam to meet that day. He rushes to get the money while Jade struggles to protect herself and her children.

A big thank you to @netgalley and @parkrow for the advanced copy of this one!

My Darling Husband was a super fast read for me. I kept sneaking away from the festivities to read a snippet here, a few pages there. The alternate narrators and the interview transcripts help to keep you guessing. Whose story can be trusted? With whom are we the reader supposed to sympathize? The harried husband? The kidnapper?

I spent over 13 hours doing "laundry" while Kimberly Belle kept me captivated with drama and tension.

My Darling Husband is pulsing was energy. I highly recommend. And it's available in bookstores December 28th. Just in time for you to treat yourself to one more gift this holiday season.

Ok, this was awesome. Kimberly Belle is always a sure bet when it comes to suspense. Her domestic thrillers are like none other and she did it again with My Darling Husband. All of the scenes with the home invader and Jade were top-notch. Personally, my favorite character was the daughter, That kid had moxie.

My Darling Husband brings to mind the question, how far will we go for the ones we love?

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Cam Lasky is Atlanta’s Steak King. With several restaurants, you’d think this chef is swimming in his fortune, but that’s not the case. His wife Jade is clueless, and when a masked intruder holds her and their two kids hostage in their own home, it all comes down to relying on Cam to bring the money the intruder has asked for.

This was a tense and fast paced read that kept my attention throughout but the ending was lacking and disappointing to me.

Thank you to Park Row Books for my copy and letting me join this blog tour.