Member Reviews
I was such a fan of The Wife Between Us, so I always expect a lot from their novels. Sometimes when you expect a lot, you are disappointed. While the Wife Between Us is still my favorite, I was not disappointed.
This book had all of their trademarks: complex characters, more than one mysterious event, a slew of red herrings, and an intricately woven story that you would have to be Houdini to figure out.
Having just finished the book, I am still not sure if I liked or disliked the main characters, Avery and Marissa. Up until the very bitter end, I wasn’t sure who was reliable. But I desperately wanted to know what happened and who I should have trusted. The only thing that would have made it better was the belief I could have figured it out but missed it. Don’t get me wrong, I figured out small pieces, but would have never figured out the ending in its entirety.
This is an entertaining book that should please anyone liking their previous books and anyone wanting a complex plot suspense read.
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an ARC!
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Avery Chambers is a radical therapist who used unconventional methods with her clients, so much so that she loses her license and works as a consultant. One of her clients is a couple; Marissa and Matthew who are rich and perceived as the golden couple on the outside. However, the couple share a lot of complications that are about to destroy their marriage and image as the beautiful Instagram couple.
Marissa decides to seek Avery’s services to confess to Matthew about her affair. However the ever-sharp Avery, quickly realizes there are secrets layered upon other secrets and that the infidelity is just the beginning of a cascade of events that are about to unfold for everyone…including Avery herself. Meanwhile, Avery herself has a few troubles to deal with, before it spirals down her professional and personal lives.
I personally found none of the characters likeable (which I love in thrillers) and every main character seemed suspicious about one thing or another. I definitely did not see that end coming, nor the twists and connections in between. I always appreciate a thriller that completely has me blindsided, and this unputdownable book delivered 100% in that regard! I highly recommend The Golden Couple to fans of psychological thrillers!
Another winner from author dream team, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen! These ladies are auto-buy books for me, so when I received an advanced copy of The Golden Couple, I couldn't wait to see what sort of twisty story they created this time!
The Golden Couple had me hooked from the first page, and I read the book in two sittings (I had to break for dinner!). The story is told from two POVs, one is Marissa, a woman who is in marriage therapy with her husband Matthew, and the other is told from Avery's perspective, the marriage therapist they are seeing.
To be honest, I didn't have a ton of theories about how the story would play out while reading this one. Instead of trying to solve the mystery, I was just along for the ride, and what a ride it was! There are several other characters in the story aside from our main trio, and each brought their own element of conflict and drama to the plot, which I really enjoyed.
While the methods Avery uses in her therapy are definitely out there, I did feel like the emotions that Marissa was feeling and the conversations she and her husband had about their marital issues were realistic. The progression from mad to hurt, to resigned, to optimistic felt like a natural progression, and I enjoyed that aspect of the story a lot!
I won't say much else, because I don't want to give anything away, but if you are a fan of Greer/Pekkanen's other works, or if you like domestic suspense novels, this will be a great choice for you! If you read The Golden Couple and enjoy it but have NOT read any of their other work, I suggest checking out The Wife Between Us!
Overall, this was a 4.5 star read for me. I enjoyed the ending, and I was immersed in the book the whole time. It's not usually their style to tie things up in a neat bow, but I would have loved to see a short epilogue set in the future that wrapped up a few of the open items.
I like this book so much that a couple of weeks after the audio I picked up the kindle version with the intentions of reading a couple of chapters and ended up reading every single page.
This book has a unique flavor. We have an unconventional therapist who actual has lost her license. She feels that worked to her benefit giving her more freedom on how she treats her patients. We have the perfect couple (at least in the public view) but not all is what it seems.
The story has many twists and sometimes you might guess items but much of the time you end up guessing wrong. The ending was completely unpredictable.
Maverick therapist Avery Chambers lost her license due to her unconventional and, to some, unethical practices. Still, her patients adore her, finding her methods not just effective but life-altering.
On the surface, Marissa and Matthew Bishop enjoy an ideal life in their lovely suburban DC home. Sweethearts since teenagers, Matthew is a successful lawyer and Marissa owns Coco, a popular high-end boutique and they share a sensitive, loving son.
Yet, Marissa feels a growing distance between them, and to repair their marriage, they seek out Avery’s help. During their first session, Marissa makes a shocking confession: she engaged in an evening of infidelity. Although furious, Michael agrees to Avery’s treatment.
As Avery plans her approach, she realizes Marissa wasn’t completely honest in her admission. And Marissa isn’t the only person covering up dangerous secrets.
I’ve read all of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s books, and THE GOLDEN COUPLE is my favorite. While Avery wasn’t always likable, I thought she was very interesting, multifaceted, and surprisingly vulnerable despite a tough exterior. Of course, I appreciated that she was a dog lover!
The book included a quick-moving yet complex plot, several masterful red herrings, and so many delicious jaw-dropping surprises. Don’t miss it if you like reading thrillers!
Another hit from Hendricks and Pekkanen! This book has everything I look for in a five-star thriller: lies and betrayal, likable characters, and a hell of a twist to top it off.
Avery Chambers isn’t your typical therapist. In order for her to take on clients, they have to adhere to her unconventional methods. But that doesn’t stop Marissa Bishop from seeking her help. Marissa has been unfaithful to her husband, but she is determined to save her marriage and her family. Matthew Bishop is noticeably upset by the revelation of his wife’s infidelity but agrees to to put in the effort to save their marriage as well. It’s the deeper secrets, though, that they really need to be concerned about, and the hidden connection between these three characters will them on a collision course that could ultimately destroy them all.
Since the spectacular release of The Wife Between Us, I’ve had high expectations for everything written by this literary duo, and I have to say, they’ve hit every single one out of the park. That is no easy feat, and I applaud them for writing books that just keep getting better and better. Highly recommend!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4027350127
I'm aware that this ARCs are often uncorrected proofs, but I was surprised to find a grammatical error on the first page: Bishop's instead of Bishops'. This started my reading experience off on a sour note. While the potential for juicy secrets kept me reading, all of the protagonists are unlikable. Avery is supposed to be some wunderkind, but she lost her license for unconventional tactics. Marissa is desperately trying to glue together the shattered vase of her life. And then there's Matthew, who is just plain shady. The whole group is just plain thoroughly unlikable. Finally, there was way too much telling rather than showing. I don't expect paragraphs of internal musing in a book like this, but the constant telling was off-putting.
This book blows my mind!!!!!!!! Oh my God it is soooo good!!!!! This sister author team have done it again. You need to go out and get this book, via buying it or borrowing it from your library or however you can GO GET IT NOW!!!!! You will not regret it, I promise u you fellow readers.
Yes. Yes. And, uhhhh YES! This book was literally pure perfection. I had absolutely NO idea where this book was going and was soo entertained throughout the entire thing. Literally, so many twists and turns you won't be able to put it down until you're finished. Seriously, I read this in one sitting🤣.
Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license because of her unconventional methods. Luckily, she can still see clients but now she focuses on those who are in a crisis. Insert, The Golden Couple; Matthew and Marissa have it all, so what brings them to Avery? Marissa has a secret and she is finally ready to tell Matthew about it and move on. Or is she? The further into helping them Avery gets, the more complicated their story truly is. Just when you think you have everything figured out, PLOT TWIST, it's something else. This is definitely an entertaining read and now I need to go buy all their older books!
What a intriguing domestic physiological thriller!
One that had me wondering where the heck is was going.
Who can you trust????
The ending will shock you….it certainly shocked me.
To sum it up without giving too much away…..a must read!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
The Golden Couple are not what they seem and only a maverick therapist can get to the heart of their marriage.
Avery Chambers lost her therapist license as a bite back from doing the right thing. Now she takes advantage of this to be something more than just a therapist. She has an all encompass ten-session treatment plan that has worked again and again and would not work under typical ethical restraints. She is so good she comes at a high price Marissa and Matthew Bishop are rich, beautiful, and chic; the titular golden couple. But because they are here to see Avery, she knows something is hidden under that golden shine. If she can wade through their secrets and lies, she can save their marriage and, maybe, just, a life as well.
This novel is the best book since the writing pair's debut The Wife Between Us. The twist may not have been so big and shocking as their debut, it has one that is on par with the story set up. It fits perfectly. The authors let you think you know what the twist is. They feed you the red herring, and you take it while asking for another serving. You are swirled in these people's lives and are captivated by each revealed secret.
The write-up makes the counselor seem like Frankenstein, but Avery doesn't do anything too exotic in her therapy though she crosses boundaries and ethical lines to promote truth and real healing. Readers are invested in this and see why her methods work, At first readers think, as the shrink, that Avery would be the villain of this tale, but it is clear she is not. I like this as, often, the mental health professional becomes the villain in these types of tales.
The biggest issue for me was there wasn't enough thought in the Ten Steps. It doesn't seem much more than a listed number of ideas. The authors described only what they needed for the plot. This magical treatment never stands on its own. For some, this won't be an issue. As someone with a psychological background, I really wanted to know more.
A taut thriller, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are at their best since their debut. The Golden Couple is enticing and exciting. This is your next read.
Thank you to the publishers at St.Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this e-ARC of The Golden Couple!
The Golden Couple is a multi POV thriller told by Avery and Marissa. Avery is an ex-therapist, now freelancing as a consultant. Her methods are unconventional but have proven successful. Marissa Bishop is her newest client. She and her husband are having issues, and Marissa believes that Avery is capable of getting them back to the place they used to be.
As the meetings commence, Avery believes she’s truly getting through to the couple, but soon, she finds that she may have gotten in over her head. Marissa and her husband Matthew are clearly hiding more than they are willing to let on. Will Avery be able to unravel the mystery of this ill fated marriage before it’s too late?
I really enjoyed this slow burn! Greer and Sarah really know how to build a world full of realistic characters, and even though it’s nearly over by the time we see the twist, it’s totally worth the wait! I will have to admit that it felt a tad rushed right before the big reveal though. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s why I’m dropping one star. Otherwise, this was a very well plotted out storyline. I’m excited to see what this pair turns out next!
The Golden Couple releases tomorrow!
The Golden Couple brings a fresh take to the psychological thriller genre. At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read about a therapist/marriage counsel and her patients, but this story grabbed my attention and was engaging until the very end.
Avery is an unusual type of counselor who has had great success with her method of counseling. However, she seems to use private investigating as a method to her counseling.
When a dynamic couple requests her services for marriage counseling, she is sure she can get to the root of the problems. Little does she know that she will be delving into a tragedy from years ago and solving one of her own problems as well.
There are several key players in this story and I enjoyed trying to figure out how they all related to each other and who was being truthful and who wasn’t. Biggest take away from the story—always trust your gut feeling!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer an honest review and highly recommend this to other readers.
Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have come together once again to write an intriguing, yet some what middle of the road, story. I would give this novel a steady 3 stars because it was a slow burning plot and as the reader I certainly did not know which characters I could trust. However, I found the whole story to be simply bland and kept waiting for a bigger twist or plot reveal. I honestly wasn't impressed this go around and wonder if their previous successes as authors have put the expectation bar a little too high for the duo.
Thank you to NetGalley and St, Martin Press for a copy of the novel. The Golden Couple comes out on March 8, 2022.
I don't usually enjoy multiple points of view but I'll make an exception this time. Marissa and Mathew are the Golden Couple with a marriage that needs lots of help. Seeking that help from Avery, a therapist who lost her license due to her unorthodox methods - more like a private investigator on a case - things get very interesting when Avery starts to suspect that the Golden Couple is hiding lots of secrets and she wants answers. Alternating voices of Avery and Marissa leads to surprises as the reader tries to figure out who is a good guy and who isn't.
The writing style and the story kept me engaged to the very end. This writing duo is new to me and now I'm adding the rest of their books to my TBR list. I don't think I will be disappointed.
My thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I was somewhat disappointed with this story. I liked the premise and I thought that would make it interesting, but the side story threw me off. I don't think that should have been part of the story. I liked some of the characters but found it hard to believe them. Avery was intriguing but Marissa was boring. The story itself was well written with the twists and unexpected turns. I received a free advance copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
Hendricks and P ekkanen have another hit thriller to add to their list! This book will draw you in from the very beginning when we meet Avery, a therapist who has lost her license for using "unorthodox" methods and has a 10-session rule to either heal the issue or boot the client to the curb! When the Bishops, Michael and Marissa, walk through her door and its revealed that Marissa has been unfaithful, Avery knows she has her work cut out for her but tells them if they follow her rules, she can help them fix their marriage. As the chapters feature first Avery's POV and then Marissa's, we learn there is much more to the Bishops AND Avery then we are first given to believe. Twists in the story and introduction to peripheral characters who play important parts in the lives of the main characters will have the reader's head spinning with the "what now?" "are you kidding me" and "can't wait to see how this ends" questions we want to be asking from this genre. This story also contains a couple of "side-stories" that do not detract from the main story, but do add some extra drama and questions at times leading to a ending not expected. Overall, a quick and enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #TheGoldenCouple
I love these authors! They manage to craft a suspenseful thriller with a lot of subtext and plenty of red herrings. My only slight complaint is that the ending seemed too rushed. (or maybe I just didn't want the book to end) Marissa did such a sudden about-face that it had my head spinning. I had guessed some of the outcome but certainly not all of it. Really a great thriller. 4.5 stars
Twisty, cunning, and complex!
The Golden Couple is a brisk, unpredictable psychological thriller that delves into the question of how well do you really know anyone and highlights just how many secrets and lies people keep from and tell to those who are supposed to be closest to them.
The prose is tight and intense. The characters are secretive, intrusive, and deceptive. And the plot told from multiple perspectives unravels and intertwines effortlessly into an ominous tale filled with suspicious personalities, shocking revelations, malicious behaviours, deception, manipulation, secrets, power, and mayhem.
Overall, The Golden Couple is a tortuous, sinister, unnerving tale by Hendricks and Pekkanen that kept me guessing from the very first page and was deliciously surprising, relentless and brimming with misdirection.
Another good thriller from this duo! I did not see the twist coming at the end and wished it would’ve happened sooner so we could encounter more of the drama.