A counselor gets absorbed into the life of a couple she’s trying to help. The more information she extracts from them, the murkier their lives seem. As she digs into the truth, she learns that everyone has been keeping secrets. Co-authors Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen return with the shockingly ordinary thriller The Golden Couple.

Avery Chambers prefers her life of solitude in her D.C. suburb. She’s not opposed to company for an evening or two, but she’s not letting anyone get too close. It’s hard for her to know these days who to trust, and she’s seen too many bad things in her job as a counselor to believe a magic equation can make relationships go the distance.

Despite losing her official license as a therapist, she sets herself up as a freelance counselor with a method that has attracted media attention. Avery tells her clients she can fix most of their problems in only ten sessions. In each session, she gets right to the heart of the issue without wasting time on frilly talk.

That’s exactly why Marissa Bishop comes to Avery for help with her husband, Matthew. Marissa believes Avery can help her fix what she knows is a big problem: she cheated on Matthew. Except she doesn’t tell Matthew that until they’re in Avery’s office for their first session.

Matthew is understandably upset, but Marissa thinks Avery can see them through this difficult time. She and Matthew have known each other since they were teenagers; they can’t throw away all those years of love and their successful life together for a one-night stand. The trouble, though, is that Marissa finds it hard to tell Avery everything.

In the meantime, Avery is dealing with problems of her own. One of her former clients worked for a pharmaceutical company involving some dangerous research. When the client didn’t want to blow the whistle, Avery did it for her. Ever since, representatives from the company have tried bribery and threats to get her to reveal the name of the source of information. Avery has no plans of giving up the name, but it’s unsettling to keep looking over her shoulder everywhere she goes.

She’s also becoming increasingly frustrated with Marissa and Matthew. Through independent research, Avery learns they’re both hiding something. Without their stark honesty, her methods won’t work. The Bishops promised to be upfront, but it seems like they’re also trying to keep up appearances. Avery realizes her urge to continue her own research is fueled as much by her own increasing curiosity as it is by her genuine desire to help. Clearly there’s much more to the Bishops than what she first learned.

Co-authors Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have collaborated in the past on intriguing thrillers that kept readers guessing all the way to the end while offering smart protagonists. With regards to the latter, The Golden Couple follows Hendricks and Pekkanen’s previous novels. Avery is intelligent and proactive. She’s not willing to wait for someone else to fix her problems, especially when it comes to dealing with a multi-million-dollar pharmaceutical that could make her disappear if it really wanted.

The plot, however, lets Avery down by resembling any one of a dozen thriller plots on the market today. As a standalone book within the genre, The Golden Couple hits all the right beats. It delivers red herrings and suspicious characters as well as plenty of secrets to uncover. Compared to previous books by Hendricks and Pekkanen, though, this novel doesn’t measure up. Avery and Marissa are the most developed characters; the other people in the book, including Matthew, just don’t get their due.

The subplot with the pharmaceutical company shows promise at one point, as does another subplot involving a former client of Avery’s who wants to exact revenge, but both fizzle out by the end. Readers might wonder why they had to spend time and energy on those parts of Avery’s life if they were going to amount to little more than distractions. Other thriller authors might resort to simple tactics like this for their books, but readers have come to expect more from Hendricks and Pekkanen.

The book is missing the authors’ trademark razor-sharp plotting. Those looking for a thriller that checkmarks everything on the genre’s list might want to check this out. Otherwise I recommend readers Borrow The Golden Couple.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I've found all of Hendricks/ Pekkanen books to be delicious in suspense, multi layered, interesting characters who can't quite be trusted, but aren't necessarily unlikeable. It isn't an easy balance to achieve. In this newest offering, we meet an unconventional therapist, Avery who has encountered a few losses recently. She lost her husband to a devastating illness, and she lost her license to legally practice therapy because someone reported her for unethical practices. However, Avery chose to continue her controversial therapy, private pay only and her business has never been better. Avery's background as a clinical social worker comes into hand when she takes on a wealthy couple, Matthew and Marissa Bishop who seek marital counseling.

Matthew is the son of a D.C. lobbyist who has a successful career and Marissa has a cute, upscale boutique called Coco. They have an 8 year old son Bennett. Marissa initiates the therapy with Avery because she confesses to cheating on Matthew. Only she lies about with whom she had a ONS. The mystery behind who she slept with kind of purposely distracts the reader in the first parts of the book. We find out Marissa has a secret admirer / stalker.

Meanwhile Avery takes us through her 10 session therapy module which has her doing things very outside the lines of traditional therapy. She also has secrets, and she is on the receiving end of threats for a different reason. While you may not agree with all of Avery's methods, she isn't actually unlikeable. You could say her methods are very effective to her desired results. Some of her speculation about Marissa and Matthew are way off. You really only start to put the pieces together toward the end of the book and the dual POV between Avery and Marissa are well crafted in their timing for maximum suspense. What seem like red herrings are part of a bigger puzzle. The author writing team is so clever and creative.

TW for mention of rape and murder, and bullying, adultery. 5/5☆

I was excited to have received this advanced copy and completely devoured it. There is lots of suspense, characters are flawed and narrators are completely unreliable making this one incredible psychological thriller. This will be a huge 2022 hit!

The Golden Couple is filled with so many twists and turns. I couldn’t tell who was telling the truth and how the story would end. I love the writing combination of Hendricks and Pekkanen. They have written several books that are different from any books that I’ve read and that is a win!

In The Golden Couple, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen do what they do best: keep you turning the pages and second guessing everything and everyone. This wasn't my first read of this duo, but I think that just kept me on my toes and added to the anticipation. I felt like the ending was bit rushed and wrap up was convenient, there were a few threads of the story that I felt like were unnecessary, but overall I was hooked and I enjoyed my time reading The Golden Couple.

This dual-written thriller had me on the edge of my seat. This will definitely be talked about in the book community!

Unfortunately, this one didn't hook me like I hoped. It felt overall too slow and didn't really have as much suspense as I would have suspected. I felt like the characters were a little flat. I did appreciate how well supported the ending was throughout the book. It was nice to be able to piece it together and not have something out of left field ruin it.

I had a difficult time getting invested in The Golden Couple. It's labeled a thriller, but I found it to be a slow burn in reading, and I found myself skimming some parts to get to the meat of the story, which, for me, wasn't until the last third of the book. That's a long time to get invested in a storyline. I had a difficult time liking the characters or caring for what happened to them. There is an audience for this book, but this book just wasn't for me.

The Golden Couple was an exciting thrill ride from beginning to end. I was enjoying the story the whole way through, and when the plot twist hit I was shook to my core.

These two women create stories that drive you mad, and are so subtly devious you never see it coming.

I cannot recommend this one enough! Easily in my top 10 of 2021

absolutely loved this book and kept me excited to keep
Reading. Will read more from this author
Thank you

Another 5 star book by the dynamic duo of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, these two do not let me down and The Golden Couple was one of my highly anticipated reads for 2022! Avery Chambers has a different way of doing therapy, if she can’t fix you in 10 sessions then she won’t take you as a client. She has an extraordinary success rate, helping folks overcome all kinds of things from abusive spouses to assault, and it benefits her too, helping her absorb the loss she feels at times from her husband’s death. Enter Marissa and Matthew Bishop, the golden couple who have it all, until Marissa cheats. She wants to repair things, both for their 8 year old son and because she loves her husband. They enlist Avery to help them and it sets the three of them on a course that none of them expected.

Let me just say that if I ever had Avery as my therapist I would be in good hands. She is above and beyond and such an amazing character! Her methods are not always appreciated but I can definitely say they get results. I loved this story from the start and it had some twists I did not see, which I always love. I flew through this one because it was equally suspenseful and kept me guessing so that I had to know how it would end, I just could not stop listening! I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I cannot wait to see what this duo does next!

I have to comment on the audiobook specifically, it is just fantastic. Narrated by Karissa Vacker and Marin Ireland (who is a FAVORITE of mine) it is one of the reasons I was captivated along with the story itself, and the overall experience was top notch.

Make sure you add this one to your March TBR when it comes out on 3/8, I absolutely recommend this, especially on audio! Thank you to @NetGalley, @LibroFM and @stmartinspress for the advanced digital copy and ALC to review.

I'm a huge fan of this writing duo! They have their genre nailed down and each book of theirs seems to catch me with a twist I wasn't expecting, The Golden Couple was no different! I loved the concept of a therapist without a license counseling her clients with unconventional methods. That concept alone made this story exciting. Avery, by far, made this book for me. I was eager to see what her stalker-esque methods of digging into her clients' lives would turn up. It seemed like she was finding something new constantly and she was fabulous at sniffing out lies. Add the side story of the pharmaceutical company that is after her, and one becomes sad when the perspective changes to another character!

Nonetheless, I was intrigued by the life of our Golden Couple. It seemed they had plenty of secrets they kept from each other and like most Thrillers, one never knows who is telling the truth and who is lying. Even down to the end, I was shocked to find out the real truth!

While this wasn't my favorite novel of the duo's, it was still a compelling story and plenty of fun to read! I recommend checking this one out in 2022, for sure!

Marissa and her husband Matthew appear to be the perfect couple. They both have successful careers, live in a luxury home and have a son. They have been married for ten years. Marissa has been keeping a secret from her husband and she brings him to therapy to reveal it.

Avery is no ordinary therapist. She has a revolutionary new method that requires only ten sessions. If she can’t help your situation with this method then you are beyond repair.
Avery has been stripped of her therapist license for her unconventional ways but that has not slowed her practice by any means. One of her actions as a therapist has put a big pharmaceutical company on her tail and she must be vigilant with her security.

Avery soon learns that the Bishop couple might be more difficult than she had originally anticipated. They both are keeping secrets and it’s up to Avery to get to the bottom of it if she is to save their marriage.

This was a heart stopping psychological thriller! I always love Geer Hendrick and Sarah Pekkanen’s writing style and there is always plot twists when you least expect it! The marriage counseling aspect was of great interest to me because I have had several experiences with that and one really disastrous one!

A therapist practicing without a license? Is that a good idea?

Marissa doesn't think it's a problem because she heard this particular therapist can fix problems in ten sessions. Can Avery really fix the problem Marissa and Matthew have?

We meet Marissa, Matthew, Bennet, Avery, and Polly.

We follow their daily lives both personal and business.

They all seem to have secrets as we are drawn into their lives and wonder what's really going on with all them and wonder how it will all turn out.

Fans of domestic thrillers, family drama, and characters with secrets will enjoy this book.

It is an addictive read that you won’t want to put down.

Enjoy!! It is a good one!! 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Had not read anything by these two authors before so did not know what to expect. What a great read! Is it a mystery, a thriller? I guess it is a little of both. Avery, an unconventional therapist, begins working with Marissa and Mathew Bishop and their issues. It involves Polly, who works for Marissa, Natalie, who child goes to the same school as the Bishop's child, Skip, a childhood friend of the Bishops and few other characters. Characters are well developed, at least you think you know and understand each one but then the story takes a twist. Once I started reading this story I couldn't stop; just didn't know how it was going to end. Great read right up to the end.

I read this one in November, but I didn’t get my review posted. This books comes out March 8th - and I want to make sure it’s on your radar because I loved it!

This is my third book by this duo and it was tie breaker - as I loved one, didn’t love the other - and am happy to report this one was great.

Avery Chambers is an unconventional relationship therapist. She will fix your relationship in 10 sessions. Marissa and Matthew, the “golden” couple, are not in a good spot in their marriage and Marissa brings them to Avery for help. What follows is lies being revealed, a guessing game of who is to trust and some twists along the way.

I listened to the audio and I found it so addicting. I couldn’t stop listening until I found out what was happening. While you do have to suspend disbelief a bit, the fun ride it takes you in is worth it. I wasn’t completely shocked by the ending but still an enjoyable time getting there.

This was really engaging and kept me interested the entire time. I wasn’t sure where it was going and was a little disappointed when I thought it was going to be predictable, but the red herring was good and I was actually surprised in the end.

So I was fortunate enough to receive a digital arc of this. I remember I read one page, fell asleep and didn’t come back to it for whatever reason. The premise didn’t “grab” me I guess. Boy, I was WRONG. If I had kept reading, I’d see that by the first chapter, I would be so intrigued that I’d read the book in less than a DAY! I think this is my favorite book from the Hendricks/Pekkanen writing duo to date! They are at the top of their game with this one. Avery Chambers is an unconventional therapist. When a wealthy, good looking couple come to her for help, she is instantly intrigued. What could be wrong in this “golden couples” life? Well, as it turns out…ALOT. There are secrets and lies in every nook and cranny. I couldn’t read the pages fast enough! Hendricks/Pekkanen weaved such a twisted tale here that I didn’t know who or what to believe. I found myself, at times, holding my breath! What a ride this book was. Would love to see this adapted into a limited series one day. If you’re a fan of these authors, this one will not disappoint. If you’ve never read anything of theirs, what are you waiting for?! Great book to start the year!
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The Golden Couple was such a great read! Avery, the therapist who was unique, even quirky and suffered the consequences of those choices, the golden couple - Marissa and Mathew - that wanted / needed her help, and their young child who realized that his parents' marriage was in trouble were all characters that pulled me in and kept me turning pages.

I didn't think I was going to like Avery, but I came to really like her a lot - she was probably my favorite. Avery really captured my heart when she struggled with knowing she couldn't help Marisss and Mathew unless they were honest with her after realizing how very many deeply buried secrets this couple had.

There are twists and turns in the novel, so many, but they never felt like they were contrived or done just so reviewers would say this was a twisty, turny read. They felt like they belonged.

Definitely give this book a chance if you like women's fiction. Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.

Sometimes I put down my YA books for a bit and read books about grown-ups. Typically, these are books about terrible grown-ups being terrible to each other in terrible ways. 

The Golden Couple fit the bill. 


The Golden Couple is the story of two fascinating women. Marissa Bishop has cheated on her husband one time and is seeking couple's counseling to facilitate her confession and repair her marriage to her husband, Matthew. Avery Chambers is an unconventional psychologist who uses any means necessary to "fix" her clients in a series of ten sessions. Both women narrate alternating chapters of this story as Marissa and Matthew progress through their ten counseling sessions, slowly revealing their dirty laundry while also keeping some secrets close to their chests. 


This book was suuuuuuuper slow to pick up on the thriller aspect of the story and I was very confused, genre-wise, for the first half of the story. Avery's story actually ended up having the most consistent thriller plot, as she is being targeted by a pharmaceutical company for being a whistle-blower regarding some shady (and deadly) clinical testing results. Does that sound a bit random? Yeah, I thought so, too. I thought I was reading suburban noir about beautiful, terrible married people, but I was worried I'd read the wrong description for the book. 

However, the suburban noir thriller plot does finally pick up in the final third of the book and, in fact, it is a suburban noir thriller about married people being terrible...it just took a long time to get to the twisty-turny meat of the plot. The story definitely took its time laying out all of the details and then--BAM--pulling them all together at the end. 

I did end up liking this story at the end. I even ended up liking the characters (Marissa and Avery), which might be the downfall of my rating for this book. I was looking for both Marissa and Avery to be more unlikable than they were. I wanted Avery to be more questionable in her approaches and I wanted Marissa to have more secrets. Maybe I'm too spoiled by books like You and Gone Girl, but I wanted more twisty darkness than I got here. The ending certainly pulled through and gave me what I was looking for, but it took sooooo long to get there.

Final Grade: C  This is being promoted as the next big thriller book, but I don't think it has a consistent enough plot to live up to the hype. The story was good enough to be an enjoyable read, though I did skim-read some in the first half of the story just to keep things moving. To be fair, I skim-read at the end because I just HAD to know how it would all resolve! That's two very different reasons for utilizing rapid reading, which speaks to that lack of consistency in the suspense in the writing. Finally, would I buy this for my high school library? No. Teens won't relate and I don't think this has enough power to have crossover appeal, unfortunately. But I would recommend it to any voracious reader who needs more suspense thrillers in their life. It may not be a 5 star read, but it was good enough to be generally enjoyable while I sat through dull movies during the holidays.