Member Reviews
Amazing. Such a fast paced, twisting, I can barely keep up story. Avery is such a well developed character, I would love to keep reading in her world. The Bishops are a somewhat common but very much intriguing couple. Their dynamic is relatable and completely insane at the same time.
The Golden Couple is a marriage drama thriller set in the Washington, DC metro area. Written from multiple points of views, the story revolves around an out of the box therapist (who lost her counselor license) and new clients Marissa and Matthew Bishop. While Marissa and Matthew seem like the perfect couple, the truth is there is a lot more to the golden couple than meets the eye. On their first session with Avery, Marissa admits to having a one night stand. Will Avery be able to help the couple, or will the mysterious events tied to a previous client that are becoming increasingly more disturbing catch up to her both personally and professionally?
This is a fast-paced thriller that kept me guessing until the end. There were enough twists and turns and secondary characters, to keep it exciting, and hard to set it down. I read it in one day! I recommend for anyone looking for a good thriller with marital drama. 4 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Marissa and Matthew Bishop are a couple that seem to have it all!! But when there marriage is in jeopardy, the Bishop's decide to see controversial therapist Avery Chambers. Maybe with the help of Avery and her radical methods they just might be able to save their marriage. But what they never saw coming was some secrets that are buried very deeply. I think I spent a lot of this book on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down. I don't want to say to much about the story but I thought it was absolutely amazing and you need to go in to it blind.
Another first author for me, and to be honest, I was putting this writing team off since overly-hyped books tend to be a letdown. I intended to read a couple of pages, say I tried, and move on to something else -- this has been my previous experiences with “you gotta read this” books.
I was amazed; The Golden Couple grabbed me from the beginning. As Avery noted, nothing about the Bishops or the people around them is straightforward. There are many names and relationships to keep straight, but the genius of this book is that they each have their distinct voice and place. Though there are many times where you wonder who is the puppet master, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, adeptly handle the characters until you wonder how you didn’t see it coming.
This is an absolute must read! Just when you think you have things figured out, there’s another twist. This book was hard to put down and kept me wanting more. If you’re looking for an unpredictable page turner, this book is exactly what you’re looking for.
Another great book by the best thriller duo. Every book but these authors never disappoint. Even though my favorite still is their first published book, I still feel excited every time a new release is announced.
I still enjoy their books very much. I still find myself being surprised by the endings. Nothing I think I figure out is, and it is always a thrill, suspense, and waiting to get to the end. One thing that has always made it for me is how unique the characters are but at the same time how we somehow can relate and be immersed in the story.
I am already super eager to see that this fantastic duo brings us next.
Thank you to the Publisher St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review.
The authors got the dynamics of the power couple right, between Matthew, the successful yet controlling husband and Marissa, the beautiful, accomplished, yet submissive wife, without making either of them into a one dimensional character.
The story was told by various points of view - Amy, the protagonist and unorthodox therapist, seemed a little super-human at times, always being a step ahead of her clients, but it was entertaining to read.
The thought processes of Marissa were very realistic, but Matthew's character was less transparent.
He kept his feelings to himself so he could manipulate people better.
This book was well written and the plot did not dissolve into a cheesy soap opera, which seems to happen a lot in domestic dramas.
The unexpected twists and turns kept the suspense throughout the book and the ending turned out to be thrilling!
Avery is a therapist, but no longer has a license. She has developed a unique approach to therapy with some outstanding results. She also has an interesting backstory that is quite intriguing. Marissa and Matthew seek her out to help resolve an issue in their marriage that Matthew is completely unaware of. Marissa has cheated on him and wants to confess in front of Avery in hopes that things will go a bit smoother, and they can begin working on rebuilding their marriage. For all intents and purposes, the Bishops seem to be a golden couple. On paper, they are doing well financially, with Matthew having a good career and Marissa owning a beautiful boutique. Issues in their marriage are much more complex than it seems on the surface. Actually, all the characters in this book have something to hide. The many plot twists will keep you turning the pages until the explosive ending.
Also reviewed on Kobo under the name IrishEyes430
Congratulations on another amazing read to these ladies! Y’all have outdone yourselves again. Thank you to the authors, St Martins Press and NetGalley for my review copy!
You know those “perfect” couples you see when you’re at dinner or attending a social event and they look so “golden”, so “perfect”? The ones with the perfect outfits and hair? They’re not perfect and they’re certainly not golden, that descriptive will always belong to Ponyboy.
Marissa and Matthew may look like the best couple but, what lies beneath is not even close. Each have their own secrets and now one of Marissa’s will be coming to the surface. Her old “friend” Skip has referred her to Avery, therapist extraordinaire. Avery has an unusual way of counseling people and couples. What happens when Avery gets close to finding out how deep this golden couples problems really are.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I actually read 3/4’s of it yesterday because I couldn’t put it down. The writing was fabulous, the characters are deeply researched and the history is thought provoking. Greer and Sarah just have an amazing dynamic with their writing skills and it shows. I definitely recommend this one to all of you wanting some mystery, thrills and suspense. 4 star read!
Thank you to the publisher St Martin's Press for my gifted eARC!
This was my first book by this author duo and let me tell you-IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! This is a suspenseful , domestic psychological thrill ride that I was immediately immersed in from the first chapter!
This book follows Marissa and Matthew Bishop, on the outside the couple is the Golden Couple- Successful, Wealthy, and a gorgeous, but not everything is at it seems. One of them has cheated on the other and they are determined to put their perfect life back together again. It follows the couple as they meet with their new therapist, Avery. Avery claims that it only takes her 10 sessions to "fix" her clients, and her method of doing so is very out of the ordinary. Avery learns everything about her clients, she gets to know them on a deeper level, and digs up all of their secrets. What follows is a whirlwind of twists, turns, and suspense that did not let me down!
I really loved this story, it was a great read, and the characters were very well developed and relatable, which made it easy for me to connect with them. I especially liked Avery's character-she was definitely a kick ass character, with an unusual way of doing things, she definitely takes things into her own hands and is very confident when doing so.
Overall, I highly recommend this book for all my domestic psychological suspense readers out there! I would classify this more of a slow burn, it was definitely an engaging read, but the ending was a bit disappointing and somewhat predictable (which is why I rated it a 4 instead of 5.)
This was a well crafted, slow burn, domestic thriller. I loved how the authors put in different twists that kept throwing me off from figuring out who the real villain was.
The story follows Matthew and Marissa Bishop, a couple who seem to have the perfect life. But that perfection is not what it seems to be. Marissa was unfaithful and it exposes the cracks in their marriage. They go to see Avery, an unconventional former therapist. She’s now a crisis counselor with a 10 step program to help her clients.
Starting their work with Avery opens a door to secrets that all three of them are hiding. The lies, deceptions, and secrets keep coming. Can this marriage be saved for the sake of their son?
All the twists and webs spun kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end when the truth came out. Fans of The Wife Between Us will love this new one by the same authors.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-galley in exchange for the honest review!
This book is the definition of a well-done psychological
domestic thriller. Super well developed and I honestly can't
remember the last time I read a domestic thriller and
thought "Oh wow I have no idea where this is going!"
Most of the time, when I read a domestic thriller, I know
What's going to happen around page 100 and most of the
time I'm right. They can be very predictable and that's just
not my cup of tea. I like when the authors make a fool out
of me. 2.
This book was compulsively readable and kept me hooked with all the drama, what a domestic thriller! With it's twists and turns it kept me guessing. I liked the alternating chapters of Avery and Marissa. The demise of Mathew I honestly didn't see coming! That was a surprise to me. Overall, this book was so entertaining to me. I'd recommend it to anyone that enjoys thrillers... It seems like it would be a good pick to be made into a movie! Maybe a Netflix production is in the works?
Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for the advanced e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
It was very entertaining and definitely a page-turner. If you like psychological thrillers, this is a good one! I found this just as enjoyable as the other novels by this writing duo - the novel is what you expect from them (lots of twists and tense scenes!).
This was such a thrilling and interesting psychological read. I could keep up with what was happening but could never guess what was coming next. I never got a good vibe from the therapist to begin with, but wow! Another great read by these authors!
Marissa and Matthew Bishop are known as the Golden Couple--they seem to have it all. And perhaps they do, until Marissa is unfaithful. In an attempt to save their marriage, they seek out therapist Avery Chambers. Avery is known for her unusual methods--ten sessions, each with a different name and purpose, that can get her clients back on track after almost anything. This despite the fact that Avery lost her license a while ago. But Marissa and Matthew are desperate, and when they seek out Avery, they set off a series of events that will change everyone's lives.
"I'm also no longer a therapist; I lost my license five months ago."
This was an interesting thriller. It started off a little slow, probably because I wasn't completely invested in the characters. But, overall, it kept me turning the pages--curious to see what would happen to next. There's a lot of plot packed in to this novel--Marissa and Matthew's marital issues, Avery having lost her license, a side plot with Avery and a drug company, Marissa's beef with her assistant, and more. Sometimes it seems like too much, but overall, the authors do a good job of weaving everything together.
The book is filled with red herrings and crazy twists that keep you guessing. Overall, it's pretty fun if you just sort of roll with it. It was not exactly what I expected going in, and honestly, that was okay--I liked these story choices better! Avery also had a rescue dog named Romeo, who was easily my favorite character!
Overall this is a fairly compelling if not somewhat far fetched thriller. It delves deep into marital secrets and weaves together a lot of crazy plot points.
Another interesting mystery from the dynamic author duo of Sarah Pekkanen & Greer Hendricks.
Avery Chambers is a therapist that has a ten step method that has been featured in the Post. Her latest clients Marissa & Matthew Bishop start meeting with her as she works to try and repair their marriage. Except everything is not as it seems, and the secrets start unravelling and cracking the surface of this seemingly perfect couple.
This moved extremely slow, and was hard to pick up at times because the tension wasn't consistent. I was more interested in Avery's storyline and there were quite a few threads that didn't really add to the novel- the whole line with Acelia coming after her really distracted me. A few too many characters took away from the plot for me and I found it difficult to like any of these characters (except Romeo). It was hard to know if they were good or bad and who you were supposed to be rooting for. Ultimately, I will still pick up more books by this author duo, however this was just ok for me.
The book makes one really guess what is going on with every character. But in all honesty, the characters aren’t ones that you can relate to or care about. It is about entitled people in this country. There were twists and turns and I can see that it was really written more as a movie than a book.
The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen is a psychological thriller about an unconventional therapist, Avery, who can solve a patient's problem in 10 sessions. She may not use ordinary tactics to help her patients, but she has a very high success rate. When “the golden couple,” Matthew and Marissa, seek her help with a fidelity problem in their marriage, Avery immediately thinks that there is more to this couple than meets the eye. When it seems as though everyone is hiding secrets and danger seems to be lurking everywhere, can Avery bring this marriage back together for the Golden Couple?
I have been a huge fan of Hendricks and Pekkanen’s work and have read every one of their books published. I felt truly honored to receive this as an ARC and submit a review.
The Golden Couple varies perspectives; following Avery, the therapist, and Marissa, the wife looking to seek help in her marriage. I thought the two perspectives of the story flowed together throughout the book and pieced together the story effortlessly. I enjoyed both characters and their backstories. I have to say, I went back and forth with Avery throughout the story. I was unsure whether she was a legitimate therapist trying to help her patients or whether her unconventional ways had more of a sinister motive behind them. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with how it ended with this character.
There were a couple aspects of the book that I was able to figure out, but there were many that kept me surprised and guessing. I also found the Pharmaceutical aspect of the book interesting. How much a company would be willing to go after someone when a secret of theirs was leaked– one which cost the company money even at the expense of human lives.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you are looking for a thriller that is not quite as dark or gory as some thrillers are. There were lots of twists and turns throughout the book, especially at the end of each part and the characters keep you guessing throughout on which of them are being honest and which are hiding dark, sinister secrets.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wordy. Boring. Pretty cover.
So I fell for this author-combo, again. I read AN ANONYMOUS GIRL and remember not liking it. I didn't like this one, for the most part sooooo won't be reading their books again. Please remind me of that when the next one comes out!
This is the story of a therapist (well, she lost her license, I think, so she's a consultant?) and a couple. This consultant is counseling the couple on getting past infidelity and it is a jumbled mess of wordy point-of-view chapters until the author(s) finally put the pedal to the metal in the last 50 pages or so and give a solid story! Stuff happens. We find out stuff. Then it's over. Whew.
Up until that point though it is slow, boring and a lot of he said, she said, she said, she did, he's a jerk ... and then the consultant/therapist has a story of her own with competes with the main plot more than it should. Plus she is all in their business more than the time spent in the sessions - that was a stretch. Not many likeable characters in this one for me and the wife/mother was made to be neurotic at times but yeah - a mish mash. Maybe if these authors wrote ALONE they might deliver a more cohesive novel?
There are tons of good reviews on this book but it's not a thriller or a suspense IMO as I think it's marketed. The cover is attractive and certainly appeals to a reader to check out. Don't be fooled - it's more point of viewpoints than you really need. :)