This one started a bit slow for me especially with the suddenness of several decisions in the story but then BAM I was hooked! I love an alternative format in a book so the journal entries of Melanie were chef’s kiss! I did not see the twists coming!! The ending was very satisfying!

Thank you NetGalley,and Dafina books for my advanced copy!
Rating: 4.25/5

I requested this book because it was a nod to Rebecca, one of my favorite romantic suspense books, the book that made me fall in love with the genre. Shanora put her own spin on one of my favorite novels and I was here for it! 4.5 Stars for this twisty thriller!
The story is told from Samira's POV, but I will also argue that Melanie has a POV. Samira finds Melanie's journals and much of the story is told in these journals.
Samira is the second wife of Roland, a pro golfer whose first wife died tragically. There was a lot of speculation about her death and if he was responsible. Samira isn't sure what to believe. After a whirlwind romance with Roland, she feels safe with him and trusts him and then she finds the journals. Samira becomes obsessed with trying to figure out what happened to Melanie and if her husband is who he says he is.
I loved this book because it kept me guessing the whole time. I had so many theories and while some of them were true, others had twists scattered throughout and they took so many other turns I didn't see coming.
If you love romantic suspense, this is the book for you.

#BookReview

I just finished Shanora Williams’ The Wife Before

Release date: June 28th, 2022

I definitely give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book captivated me from the beginning. It brought me in to the world of Melanie, Samir’s, and Roland. The twists were insane. Especially at the end. I made notes in me ebook for all possible scenarios and motives. Just when I thought I got it right, it twist a completely different directions.

I was really impressed with where it ended. So much foreshadowing goes on that I kind of guessed it as the plot moved on.

There were times that I did get lost between perspectives as there were some mistakes with names. I do feel some of it drolled on, but then it hooked me right back.

The chapters are short, so it feels like you are speed reading the chapters. Which I really like.

Thank you again @reallyshanora for writing this book. It’s definitely worth the read. And it definitely is not the book you think you’ll read.
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#comingsoon #netgalley #netgalleyreview #thewifebefore #shanorawilliams #shanorawilliamsbooks #shanorawilliamsauthor #newbook #bookstamademedoit #goodreads #booktok #bookstagram #booksta #bookrecommendation #mynextread #tbr #tbrpile #tbrlist #thrillerbooks #thrillerbooksaddict #edgeofyourseat #whodunit #booknerd #bibliophile #readersofinstagram #readersofig

Published on instagram and Goodreads

This is so unlike anything I've ever read from Shanora Williams - I hold my hands up and admit that I am a huge fan of her steamy romance books and was a bit unsure about reading a thriller as it's not really my "go-to" genre. I needn't have worried though because Shanora's talent is really put on display here and she shows how versatile she is. The story is suspenseful and superbly written and it will have you sucked into the lies and deceit in no time.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Wife Before is a masterwork of the psychological thriller genre, paying homage to Rebecca while giving the familiar setup a fresh and deeply messed up twist. I didn’t know entirely what to expect going into this one, and I found myself stunned as the story unfolded.
The “wife before,” Melanie, is very much the star of the novel. Whether dipping into her past prior to her mysterious death through her journals or following Samira, Roland’s new wife, as she is haunted by the questions about her and whether Roland played a role in her death, Melanie looms as a massive presence. As the story unfolds, she is revealed to be an unreliable narrator who embellished the events of her life to paint a very different portrait of herself. What’s compelling is how her character arc explores how complicated people are, and how the world isn’t just split into victims and perpetrators, heroes and villains, and sometimes, someone can be both. This is a theme that also comes into play with multiple other characters, as there are many who’ve done wrong in the book in some way or another.
Samira makes for a sympathetic protagonist to view the story through. She’s been struggling financially, putting her in the right situation to be swept up into a fairy tale with a wealthy man. And while it would have been easy to question her initial desire to have faith in Roland, it was an early indicator of the direction to come. I appreciate her balance of wanting to believe in him, while also being cautious and suspicious. She can be suggestible, especially since she’s taken in by Melanie’s narrative without having known her, but I can also understand how she would believe in it, at least initially, based on the information she had…not to mention Roland's questionable behavior at times.
Roland is a more compelling iteration of Maxim de Winter, with more charisma and being easier to like, while also being suspicious enough initially. The context he offers for the toxicity of his marriage to Melanie and how it was reflective of what he’d experienced with his parents’ own toxic relationship made me feel for him, and I rooted for him and Samira to work through the convoluted web they landed in.
The mystery is layered and complex, and I salivated for every twist and turn. While I knew from the start that it wasn’t going to be cut-and-dry, I didn’t expect some of the revelations that came out about some of these fucked-up characters.
This book is amazing, and I’d recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Shanora Williams for this ARC

This book was a good read. It had an intriguing plot in which everyone loves to know what happened to the Wife before! I found the build up to be good and I loved the ending.

3.5 stars

Okay now. Shanora went on and did the thing y’all! This book was RIVETING!! I literally could not stop listening. The suspense. The mysterious “what is going on” plot. Somehow Shanora topped her own game and did a spectacular job!! This story literally had me guessing the whole time. Just when I thought I had it figured out..nope! Wrong!! I’m so proud of this book and Shanora’s skills!

THE WIFE BEFORE:
Overall, I thought the suspense parts of this book were good, so it was a great thriller, but I hated the characters (except Kell, Melanie and Sheila).

THINGS I LIKED:
I like how the beginning starts out in the very middle of action because it makes the rest of the book feel so much creepier.
This seemed like a new spin on a classic thriller, which I liked.
I appreciate how sympathetic Mira was to how bizarre the situation could be for Yadira and Roland's mom instead of getting annoyed about it.
Melanie was an excellent character.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
I didn't enjoy Mira as a character at all. I'm not sure if I was supposed to but if I was, she annoyed me so much. Especially how rude she was about Ana when Ana was literally doing the right thing for her family.
The beginning was way, way too fast-paced. I wish we'd gotten to see more moments from the three weeks they're happily together to understand why she likes him so much, maybe a dinner with the paparazzi arriving or examples of him subtly manipulating her to be more dependent on him. It felt like the book jumped around so much when it should've had space for us to see their dynamic instead of telling us about it. Like for example even when she moves in with him, I wanted to know what they were like.
The exposition is so weird in Melanie's journal- it should've been a letter to someone else to explain what's happening because she wouldn't rehash it all to herself. It would be more poetic and reflective than factual
I almost wish that the story had been about Melanie because I enjoyed her voice so much.

4.5 stars rounded up!

This was the first book I've read by Shanora Williams, but I can guarantee it won't be my last. This book started off so strong and I didn't want to put it down from the very first page. I loved the journal chapters since they had me second guessing everything. This book was full of twists like a KMod book is, so you know it's a good one!

Thanks to NetGalley & Kensington Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Samira thinks she's found it all when she meets and marries Roland, a pro-golfer. Sure his mansion in Colorado is isolated but it's a big and beautiful home. And then she finds Melanie's diaries. Melanie, Roland's first wife, died in what was said to be an accident except.....This is told by Melanie, with parts of Melanie's diary sprinkled it. There's a good sense of rising tension and while the plot is familiar at first, it does take good twists, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good one for travel or the beach.

✨ARC Review✨

“He is going to kill me. There was a time when I never would have thought such an awful thing about him.”

Samira and Roland are moving at a fast pace, and ultimately end up married fairly quickly. Even though Roland is accused of being involved with the death of his previous wife Melanie, Samira believes in his innocence. She believes his innocence until she discovers Melanie’s journals. Nothing is as it seems, and Samira is questioning everything. Between Melanie’s extramarital activities, an abusive relationship, and a troubled relationship with her own sister, Samira is uncovering all sorts of truths, and is getting nervous that she is next.

This thriller was the perfect embodiment that nothing is as it seems. It was a gripping, binge-worthy, page turner of a book, bringing light to the heavy topic of abuse, and toxic relationships. The short chapters make you feel like you are flying through, and it was absolutely unputdownable. The ending completely came out of left field and was PERFECT!

What’s On The Pages:
-fast paced / short chapters
-gripping thriller
-broken marriage
-lies / deceit
-adultery
-abuse
-toxic relationships

⚠️CW/TW: domestic violence/abusive relationship, mental illness, drug abuse

✨Rating✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

A special thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books/Dafina or this eARC! The Wife Before is out June 28th!

The Wife Before is a modern retelling of the story Rebecca - with a different spin by Shanora Williams. We start off meeting Samira who has never had an easy life. She’s struggling to be different from her mother and not be married to a job but ends up being more of a screw up. Her brother has just cut her off when she meet Roland - the rich and handsome Roland. But there’s a questionable set of circumstances surrounding his first wife. Told from Samira’s POV and the first wife’s journals you get an unreliable narrator and a suspenseful tale you must unravel. It was a slow start for me but once The journals were introduced I didn’t want to stop reading! Great book!

Wow. This was my first time reading a Shanora Williams book. Starting out, I thought that this book was going to be very predictable. I was wrong! When Shamira finds herself about to be homeless & cut off financially from her brother.. that is when Roland Graham walks into her life. Graham was accused but never found guilty for the murder of his wife Melanie. While Shamira thought her days would be basked in relaxation & no worries. That is when she finds the journals of Roland’s late wife, Melanie & after that…. She can’t put them down. Just when I thought I knew the characters in the book, Shanora said PLOT TWIST 🤣 I can’t wait to dig in to more of Shanora’s books. 4 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Dafina books & NetGalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you RB Media and Netgalley for the audio. It was a great to add to my reading arc, a surprise from Kesington books and Netgalley.

I was really surprise by this book. I was not expecting to be so gripping and page turning. When I startet I was really crazy about what had happened to this previous wife. And was a slow puzzeling from the past from a diary and a reasearch the new wife was doing. I was really crazy how he cunduct her investigations. I wanted to scream! And after she thought she did know everything she was still getting new informations.
Really menthal health is important and it is important ro find help when we need it.

Wow!! Whoa, what did I just read! This was one heck of a ride. I started this book yesterday evening and finished it just before midnight today, this is a first book for me from the author Shanora Williams but I promise you it will not be the last. So many twists and turns and as I think I know how the story is going it does a complete 180 and I’m again back in the dark even to the very last page. Great thriller, touches on many subjects. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this one early!

I am still reeling from this book! What did I just read ?

The wife before follows Samira Wilder a young woman in her 20s with the most adorable brother but cannot keep a job. Her life changes when she meets pro golfer Roland Graham at a party and has a whirlwind relationship. The only catch or dent in the story is that his ex-wife is dead and he is a suspect. Nothing puts a halt in ever after than being suspicious of your spouse. The twists , the turns and the characters made this thriller spicy and I loved it. I recommend this thriller!

I absolutely enjoyed this book and I am itching for another one from Shanora Williams . I received a complimentary copy from Kensington Books and all opinions expressed are entirely my own

Samira Wilder has a life that's going nowhere. She can't hold a job, keep a relationship and lacks direction and stability in her life. When her older brother decided to cut her off financially and her roommate informs her that she'll have to move out soon, Samira has no idea what she's going to do. Her lack of ambition is leading her towards a bleak future. She knows she needs to get her life together, but doesn't know how.
All her worries soon melt away after a chance encounter with professional golfer Roland Graham. He's rich, he's gorgeous and he's head over heels for Samira. And she feels the same way about him. So after a whirlwind romance, she agrees to marry him and move away from her brother and friends to be with him in his sprawling Colorado mansion. After all, this does solve all her problem. Or does it?
Because now she's finding herself isolated from everyone she knows and married to a man who was accused of killing his first wife, Melanie. But she knows him. There's no way he could do something like that...right? She's confident in that knowledge until the day she comes across Melanie's journals.
And what's written in those pages changes everything!

I absolutely loved Shanora Williams' previous novel The Perfect Ruin, so I was thrilled when I received this ARC. This is a standalone novel, but there is a small tie in to The Perfect Ruin which I absolutely adored.
There were many other things I enjoyed about this book as well.
It was a quick read that was intriguing, held my attention and left me wanting to know what was coming next. Melanie's journal entries were my favorite part. Is she a reliable narrator? Are the events in the journal accurate? If so, it would seem that many people would want Melanie dead...and that Melanie was desperate to leave her old life behind. I couldn't wait to see what happened to Melanie, and I found the conclusion satisfying.

Another big bonus for me was this book's discussion on abusive relationships. Many aspects of abuse are explored including self destructive behaviors due to prior abuse, trust issues and self doubt as a result of abuse and abuse perpetrated on both women and men. I really appreciation the inclusion of male domestic abuse as it's a topic that is often overlooked and/or trivialized.

As much I liked this book, there were a few things I found lacking. Mostly with Samira's characterization. She wasn't a character I could root for due to her many immaturity, selfishness and flightiness. She made several questionable choices, making it difficult for the people who love her most (especially her brother).
Aside from that, I didn't feel like she was fleshed out as much as the other characters in the book. Despite Samira being the MC, I found her characterization to be surface level and shallow whereas all the other characters in the book had much more depth and personality.

Overall, though, I did enjoy this book very much and will no doubt be purchasing the audiobook on publication day. This is a a fun book, and I recommend it. (But I do recommend reading The Perfect Ruin first so the tie -in has more impact).

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

❄️My Synopsis❄️ Samira Wilder's life has been anything but easy. After being unexpectedly cut off by her brother, she picks up a last minute gig waitressing at an elite socialites party.

What should have been a smooth evening turns into a nightmare but does led her to meeting Ronald Graham. A charming, wealthy and well known golfer with a tragic past. After Samira and Ronald's relationship evolves she soon learns there is far more to Ronald's past than could ever be expected.

🔍My Review🔍

My, oh, my 😯 I already knew Shanora was the Queen of Spice after reading the Mr. Cane series and Bad for Me, but now? I think we have a new contender for the Queen of Suspense!

This book instantly captivated me. I was drawn in quickly to the characters and their lives. Shanora is excellent at making you care for the character's and their development. I felt fully immersed in their world.

The story is absolutely intoxicating. The twists and turns, I could not stop gasping! The detailing is so perfectly done it played out like a movie in mind. There are parts that made me make sure MY own doors were locked. 😅 I said out loud a few times 'Oh no no no no'.

Simply put, The Wife Before is a sexy, intoxicating thriller that I cannot recommend enough. If you read ONE thriller this year make it this one.

I cannot wait to read whatever Shanora comes out with next.

I can't lie, I am a sucker for domestic thrillers....

There is something about reading someone else's horror story to make you appreciate that you don't have it that bad lol. Does this make me a terrible person? I just keep telling myself this is how everyone thinks.

The logic, I tell ya...

Anyway, Shanora Williams, takes us on a wild ride filled with twists at every turn. This was an incredibly easy read that I blew through last night in one sitting.

I sat at my desk this morning reflecting on what I had just read and I kept asking myself how do you put it into words. The truth is, sometimes you just cant.

What I can tell you is this book was good, really good. The chapters flew and the storyline felt very natural. It was hard to tell the different between fact and fiction after concluding and to me, in my book, that tells you right there that it was a great read.

So, I do not want to spoil anything for all of you potential readers so I wont comment on what happens, but I will tell you this is a purchase you will not regret.

Bite Into This Like The Poisonous Apple In Snow White! 😳😯🤯😳🤯🤯

Fluff Me Inside Out & Feed Me Chocolate! Yet another addictive page-turner by this fabulous suspense queen, Shanora! 😍 I read this like a deep, dirty secret I had to unveil, much like Samira with the journals she found. Think, Verity by Hoover colliding with The Wife Upstairs by McFadden and you get this undeniably golden nugget!

Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: Samira is a young lady who just seems to have had bad luck after bad luck. And now, she's recently lost another job and to add salt to the wound, her brother Kell has cut her off from giving her extra money to help because of his fiancée and soon to come baby. Down on her luck, she takes a quick night waitressing job at a wealthy function to make some quick cash, but a hard night turns on a dime when a pro golfer, Roland, lays his eyes on her and chats her up. Very quickly they hit it off and start to date, and within months they end up married and living in his mansion in Colorado. But as Samira tries to make the house her home as well, she uncovers things from his ex-wife and will realize she should've heeded the warnings before about him from others and her conscience.

I haven't flown through a novel like this in a while and I could not tear my eyes away! I legit had to keep reading even as I held a yard bag for my dad to empty lawn clippings into. This was sensationally delish, dark, crazy and intense. It was like diving into a wedding cake before the couple way "I do". Gloriously juicy and the suspenseful thriller vibe was so real, it broke my meter!

Thank you to NetGalley & Kensington Books for this ARC!
Release Date: June 28, 2022

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 5 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊