Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Hmmmm... didn't love it but there was enough interest to keep me reading. I guessed what had happened pretty early on and quickly became frustrated by Rachel's nieveity.

This was a good book, but dragged at times. Overall, the story was good, the characters were ok. Worth a read.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for the advanced copy for an honest review.

This was a great page turning story! I found the storyline to be a little bit similar to another story that I read, but it was still extremely engaging and I really enjoyed it!

Fast chapters, great characters, and some surprises along the way. Put this in your TBR pile now!

Wow, this was one scary read! The plight of a woman to come to terms with her husbands apparent demise is suddenly thrown into turmoil upon a mysterious note arriving for her, and everything she and her family believed in now in question.

The Widow’s Husband
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 4/21/22
Author: Lesley Sanderson
Publisher: Bookouture
Pages: 266
Goodreads Rating: 3.94

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: When Rachel’s husband disappeared, her life fell apart. Rachel and Tom were high school sweethearts, had 2 young children, and did everything together. When Tom disappeared, there was no note, no signs, nothing, he just was not there anymore, literally disappeared. Almost 7 years later, Rachel has acclimated to life as a single mother, still missing Tom. As Tom’s secrets begin to emerge, Rachel does not know the man she married. In one more month, Tom will officially be declared dead and Rachel receives a note in her missing husband’s handwriting stating he would explain and would be home soon. Is her husband alive? Will the secrets be exposed?

My Thoughts: The chapters are short, making for a faster read, which I love. The story is mainly told from the POV of Rachel, with sprinkles of Heidi and Tom. The timeline bounces back and forth between the present day and through the last 7 years. Some stories of fiction are not believable, but everything that happens in this story is plausible, which I love. Before Tom’s disappearance, he committed the ultimate male sin of having a younger girlfriend. This younger girlfriend also receives a similar note in the present time. The character development was great, interweaving the characters right when needed was brilliant. As the story progresses, you find out there is more to Tom. Overall, this was a good fast-paced thrilling read!

I wanted to love this book. It sounded from the blurb, right up my street but I just found the book a little underwhelming. It didn’t grab me and entertain me as I expected from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

The day her husband Tom disappeared, Rachel’s life fell apart. Childhood sweethearts with two young children, they’d done everything together. And then, suddenly, Tom was gone. Without a word, without a note, without a single sign of where he might be, leaving Rachel to survive alone. Now, nearly seven years later, Rachel has come to terms with life as a single mother, caring for their children who still secretly long for their father’s miraculous return. But in his absence, Tom’s hidden life started to emerge, and Rachel has discovered things a wife should never have to. A secret life that betrayed everything Rachel thought she knew. Not knowing where he’d gone was no longer the main worry keeping her awake at night – it seemed much more likely he’d been silenced. Forever. Until today, when – with just one month until Tom is to be declared legally dead – Rachel receives a note in handwriting she recognises with dread:
My darling, I’ve missed you so much. Give me a chance to explain. I’m coming home.
The husband she’d lost is alive. And so are all his secrets.

This is a very gripping read and I was immersed in this from start to finish. Sanderson has written an electric plot that keeps you wanting to read on, as well as this, the plot is incredibly emotional and heartfelt. I connected with the characters and cared about them and what they were going through.

'The Widow's Husband' is an intense read and I enjoyed getting to know Rachel and learning about what happened to Tom and where it all went wrong. Sanderson teases the truth and secrets are revealed slowly. I did not find the plot particularly shocking but it did not need to be as the emotion behind everything was so strong.

I have already touched on the characters but Sanderson has created a lovely family with strong personalities and it was a joy getting to know them and following them as they hunt for the truth. Tom despite being absent is still a strong character and I was hooked as we discover what happened nearly 7 years ago.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy.

I enjoyed this book, and usually love this author's work, but for some reason, it wasn't quite as compelling as I expected.

The story revolves around Rachel, a woman whose husband, Tom, left her and their two children for a younger woman, Heidi. Rachel is left heartbroken, but then suddenly Tom disappears. Despite a thorough police investigation, no one seems to know what happened to him. Then, coming up to seven years after his disappearance, just as Rachel is about to legally declare him dead, she receives a note, appearing to be from Tom saying he wants to come back to her. This sends Rachel reeling and is the start of a catalogue of events, leaving her not knowing who she can trust.

I thought the book started off promisingly and I was intrigued to find out what was going on. The characters were realistic, especially Rachel and the plot was well thought out, leaving you questioning everything and everyone and believing nothing.

It was when I got to the middle of the book I found my interest wandering, I put the book down for a few days and wasn't in a big hurry to pick it up again, which is always telling for me.

I did mostly enjoy it, just not a huge must read, page turner for me. I prefer the author's previous books, but would read another of hers.

Thanks to publishers Bookouture and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had a very interesting premise that drew me in immediately. Rachel's husband, Tom, leaves her and their 2 young children to be with his mistress Heidi. Rachel is left alone and devastated when all of a sudden Tom goes missing. Nobody has seen or heard from him. Where did he go? Was he met with foul play or did he just give up on his double life? Coming up to the 7 year anniversary, Rachel receives a note with Tom's handwriting saying he wants to come back to her. A genuine what the hell is going on, I enjoyed trying to piece together the puzzle of who is involved, why and is Tom alive? The problem I had was Rachel's relationship with her kids. She doesn't seem to care much about them and as a stay at home mom, she doesn't do much for them, sending them off to her mother to do all the work. She just was not a very likeable character. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

I liked this wnd ground it a bit out of the ordinary. Only the last few chapters seemed a bit weak.
Rachael has everything a businessman husband, two small children and a nice home. Then her husband leaves her for a younger woman then disappears from noth their lives and,after almost seven years is soon to be declared legally dead -but is he?

A short book with all the promise of a great plot. Unfortunately I couldn’t get past certain characters behaving in such unbelievable ways. Why would a wife whose husband had run off with a younger woman and set up home with her for eight months and arranged to buy a house with new woman believe he really wanted to come back to her. Then the kids just didn’t ring true they acted older than they were I felt. Add to this the whys and how’s of Rachel still being a stay at home mum and it fell flat quite early on.

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me and am sorry to say it didn’t hold my interest and I did not finish it

Omg wow this book is amazing it's full of twists and turns it will keep you up all night I really enjoyed this book

I started this book when I got into bed and that was me unable to put it down until I finished. Fast paced this book keeps the reader guessing throughout. Just excellent.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

The widow's husband by Lesley Sanderson.
For seven years I believed my husband was dead – until the note arrived this morning…
A really good read. I liked the story and characters apart from Heidi. I didn't trust her.
This was a really good read. Twisty and tense. I liked Rachel. Didn't like Heidi. 4*.

My Review
I started this book one morning and the next time I looked up from it I was over half way through it. Completely engrossed in it I was..
We meet Rachel in this story..
Married to Tom, her life has been turned upside down for the last seven years.
Despite having to deal with her husband leaving her for a younger woman, a short time later Tom disappears from all their lives leaving no trace whatsoever.
Rachel can't believe he would have left their children to start a new life somewhere else but when his girlfriend comes back on the scene almost seven years later and just before Rachel will declare Tom dead, she can't help wondering what Heidi's motives are.
Slightly suspicious of everyone, Rachel needs to work with Heidi but at the same time find out what she knows about Tom's disappearance.
When Freddie his business partner let's Rachel know that his business affairs were not in order either, Rachel begins to think that Tom may have wanted to just escape it all.
So why does it appear like he wants to come back now after all this time?
There are lots of twists and turns to this story to keep your attention.
I quite liked how it unfolded through Rachel, Heidi & Tom's eyes..
An enjoyable read but me being the clever bunny that I am had guessed the outcome quite early on in the story...
A life lesson learned that you can't keep all of the people happy all of the time...

The Widow’s Husband by Lesley Sanderson was a quick read with lots of mysterious thing happening around Rachel. Rachel’s husband Tom left her for another women., Heidi. They had two young children and Rachel thought it was a perfect marriage. One day Tom suddenly disappears without a word, no note, nothing to indicate where he went. Seven years go by and Rachel has to realize she now has a life of being a single mother. Seven years go by and Rachel is about to declare Tom legally dead when she receives a note at the door in his handwriting, “I want to come home”. She now has another mystery to solve, is the note real?

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to review The Widow’s Husband.

Rachel’s estranged husband, Tom, left one day and was not seen again. It's been almost seven years since Rachel last saw him. Seven years of raising their two children without him. Seven years not knowing. Just one month shy of declaring him legally dead, Rachel's world is turned upside down yet again when she receives a note in Tom's handwriting, telling her that he wants to come back.

Come back? From where?

So many questions go through her mind. As she begins to question why he left and where he might be, she learns that Tom had secrets - lots of secrets! With apprehension, she turns to the woman he left her for, and is left with even more questions.

This book had me questioning things as well!

This was a fun quick read which had me doing my own detective work trying to figure out just where this book was going. This book had a nice number of twists and turns. While doing my own super sleuthing, I lined up my list of suspects, wondering who could be trusted, who could be lying, who had more secrets, and wondering what happened to Tom???

I love trying to figure out the final reveal. I had several theories along the way. I liked that this book didn't have too many characters. This provided the opportunity to get to know the characters more and to be more engaged in the plot. With all books there were characters that I liked, some that I didn't care for, and some that I suspected of what I didn’t know.

I appreciated how the author showed the range of emotions that Rachel went though from longing, doubt, confusion, hope, despair, etc. Just how do you come to terms with someone disappearing from your life so abruptly? What do you do when you receive a note asking to come back? This had me questioning how I would react in that situation.

I loved the underlying tension running through the book. The doubt, the unease.

This was a fast paced read that kept me on my toes and flying through the pages!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an intriguing novel about a love triangle: Tom and Rachel are married when Tom leaves her for another woman, Heidi. Now in the present, seven years have passed and Rachel is remodeling her home with daughter Lara and son Josh. But Tom is missing and hasn't been heard from so Heidi and Rachel form a kind of connection, hoping to discover what happened. Alternating between past and present, the book details the meeting and spark between Tom and Heidi as well as the trauma Rachel and her kids feel as she's lost her husband to another woman and now presumes he's dead. It's a terrific tale of subterfuge, denial, and deceptions; who is telling the truth and who is lying? Dive in and discover for yourself; this is one that begs to be read quickly as you may not be able to put it down!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Rachel’s husband Tom disappeared nearly seven years ago. Without a trace. Not a single clue. How is it that she gets a note all this time later that simply says “I want to come back to you”? She recognizes his handwriting. But how can that be?

Rachel is just about to be able to legally declare Tom dead. One more month. But, this note just might change everything. Their marriage wasn't perfect, although Rachel was more than content. Until she discovered Tom had been having an affair. He moved in with his girlfriend, leaving her to raise their two children alone.

But then one day Tom vanished. No one heard from him again. No one knew where he was. Not Rachel. Not Heidi, Tom's other woman. Forced to learn more about Tom and his deceitfulness becomes Rachel's primary concern. Slowly, Rachel begins to unravel secrets. Secrets that will no doubt provide answers she desperately needs. All the while, Rachel must examine her feelings where Tom is concerned.

Lesley Sanderson has written a captivating story. Filled with compelling drama and intriguing characters, this engaging read culminates with a stunning conclusion.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please also see my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/yAPWDyAuy5k