I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. Leah has escaped from her nasty controlling ex husband and her and her kids have moved to a new home. She has recently started a new relationship and taking it slowly. She feels pleased to be getting her life back on track but things take a sinister turn when her ex husband moves next door.
I don't want to give anything away where the story is concerned but this really was a thrilling read for me with many plot twists and turns. I really didn't know what to expect next and it was good to have a book that kept me wanting to read more each time a chapter ended. Well done Samantha Hayes!

Leah thought she was finally free of her cheating, controlling ex-husband. She and her two children have moved into a little fixer-upper with a walled garden full of potential, and she’s looking forward to a new start. Then a new neighbor moves in next door… she seems nice… until Leah discovers her new neighbor’s partner is none other than Leah’s horrible ex-husband Craig!

Nobody writes a manipulative, gaslighting man like Samantha Hayes does! Craig’s cruel antics seriously gave me a pit of dread in my stomach, as he systematically turns Leah’s friends against her and tries to steal custody of the children. Craig keeps ratcheting up the horrible behavior and nobody believes Leah, so it’s no wonder she feels like she needs to take matters into her own hands. “The Ex-Husband” is intense with a capital “I”, with twists and turns galore. A couple of plot points might have been a little TOO over-the-top, but it’s a minor quibble in this thrilling page-turner.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Well written, compelling and well developed charcaters who I related too and felt were completely believable. The story was fast paced and twisty and I couldn't put it down.

If my ex husband moved in next door with his new girlfriend I might be tempted to burn the house the right ground. That aside I did enjoy the book and as a divorcée I get how she felt. I thought the book was great and quite thought provoking as a split is a split - right?

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Newly divorced Leah escapes an abusive marriage with her 2 kids. Her Ex Husband cheated on her and basically took her to the cleaners in divorce court.
But Leah is looking forward to her new life in her new to her home until, she finds out that her new neighbor is her stinkin EX HUSBAND!!! You will not believe the nerve of this man

Thank you @netgalley for the chance to read this before publishing date June 28,2022

2* Not very good. Bigged-up blurb and even the most bumbling of cops couldn't ignore that ending scene.

I won't go into detail about the plot, but it was nowhere near as fraught or angsty as the blurb would have you believe. There was no feel of danger, no real unpleasantness and even the mind games were fleeting. I didn't like any of the characters, tbh, and didn't really feel sorry for the ex-wife other than when her ex took their kids out of their current school and enrolled them at a new one.

The twist with the female lead's mother? Really? A 63yo and her cuckolded husband? Why on earth did this have a place in this tale? It was seriously poor filler and made the tale massively lose credibility for me. But, not as much as that ending. For a female detective inspector, who was in a sort-of-similar situation to the female lead to fall for the story the latter told, because of a certain understanding between them, smacks too much of suspending disbelief. Didn't work for me and too many people knew about it, so nope, that plot device seriously didn't work. I don't think I'd read more from this author.

ARC courtesy of Bookouture and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

Wow this really is a twisted tale of an ex husband who will do anything to ruin his wife’s life if she won’t be with him. As Leah starts to loose all of her friends and relationships due to her husbands lies she starts to question. Her own sanity when he little piece of paradise gets turned into a nightmare by her ex who always seems to make everyone think she’s the crazy one. This is an edge of your seat read.

There are few books you read in which, even though the plot is decent enough the characters make you want to tear your hair out and cry out in frustration. This was one of those books. I don't think there were any characters in the entire book here that I even liked a miniscule amount. Leah has just come out of an acrimonious divorce and a custody battle and she has moved to a new house in a hope to put her past behind and start a new life. But when her abusive and manipulative husband, Craig, moves into her next door house her hopes for a new and peaceful beginning are dashed mercilessly.

What then starts is a series of underhanded tactics by Craig to upend Leah's life and destroy her current and still new relationship with another man, Gabe. The way the plot moves you can feel Leah's frustration as Craig tries one dirty trick after another to prove that she is mentally unstable and not fit to take care of their children. But what really confounded me was Leah's behavior, especially in one particular scene. Although the book had a good beginning and quite a lot of twists and surprises towards the end, the middle of the book dragged with endless confrontation scenes between Craig and Leah.

Its only when a discovery is made of a badly charred body in Leah's vegetable garden, that the book picks up pace and I had some renewed hopes of completing this book. In the past couple of years there has been increased surge of domestic thrillers being published in the market. Some despite the tried and tested formulas accomplish to leave an impact with the readers. But unfortunately I didn't enjoy reading this book as much as I had hoped to.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Samantha Hayes for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Bookouture and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Excellent writing, excellent story, quick read.

A Lively Narrative…
Leah has settled nicely into her new life until, initially unbeknown to Leah, her appalling ex-husband moves in next door. Can this really be happening? It certainly can and from that moment on things begin to take a dramatically downward turn. Fast paced and entertaining, packed with exaggerated and often unexpected twists and turns and a lively narrative. Characters are well drawn and credible. A one sit read to devour in it’s entirety.

Leah is now so happy as she is finally free of her ex-husband Craig as she surveys the small old-fashioned house she’s managed to buy. She eagerly anticipate the DIY when she spots a removal van as her new neighbours arrive. She meets Gillian and anticipates meeting “Rexie“ when wait, what? Why is Craig walking down next doors path to the front door??? No way! Oh yes indeedy, yes way. What game is Craig playing now as the battle lines are drawn but who will emerge victorious?

It’s a bit slow to get going and I have to question why someone as nice as Leah would attach herself so long to a first class prize (feel free to insert your word of choice) as Craig. He is a fist clincher, preferably right in the middle of his smug chops. Leah does frustrate me at times but that’s another story!!

Of course this is entertaining and naturally because it’s Samantha Hayes it’s also madly OTT and bonkers but I couldn’t put it down! I just have to read on to see how it plays out with my fingers firmly crossed that one character gets their justs.

There are multiple twists and some are you’ve got to be kidding me, pull the other leg it’s got half a dozen clanging bells attached, but it’s so darn entertaining! You have to admire it! One twist is distinctly unsavoury, I think you could’ve spared us that thought Ms Hayes and at times the dialogue isn’t great!

Overall though, if you want something that’s quick and easy to read, doesn’t challenge your brain cells too much, that has moments of high drama and which is pleasingly diverting, then this is for you! This author always makes me smile with the audacity of her plots.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bookouture for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up for the entertainment value

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture, and Samantha Hayes for the gifted copy!

Synopsis:
Her new neighbor is really nice, thinks Leah. She's really looking forward to a cozy evening at her house. But when she gets to meet her partner, everything's turned upside down: The woman is living with Leah's ex-husband, Craig. And he seems to have moved next to her house deliberately...

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed the juicy neighborhood-/ex-partner-drama in this book, it reminded me a lot of Louise Candlish's books. Anyway, other than that, I found it to be a bit exaggerated - and even unrealistic at points, like, you would be able to check which one of them was in the right because there have to be documents of some kind about some of the things they've been arguing about. I did NOT see that final twist coming, which I very much appreciate. But the way the author "solved the problem" seemed unlikely to me as well - no one would believe that in this situation...

This was my third book by this author, and my favorite is Single Mother.

“The Ex-Husband” is a thriller (maybe domestic thriller?) by Samantha Hayes.

I found the idea of this book incredibly interesting - a woman escapes from her controlling husband (now ex-husband) and tries to start a new life for herself and her children. Then her ex-husband moves next door and becomes controlling yet again. What a crazy plot point - and if it was in real life, you probably would think it was fiction. This book took some interesting twists and turns. I also felt “Gaslight” (1944 movie) vibes - along with wondering just how reliable anyone in this book really was. Some of the scenes I felt were a bit too over the top (the scene with Leah’s friends fit this bill) and I felt that the ex-husband had no redeeming characteristics that he was bad just because he was. The last few paragraphs I had to re-read a few times and I’m still not sure how I feel about them. Overall, though, this was an engaging and quick read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I love this author s books and never disapoints. once you start you wont want to stop I was so angry with the one caracter .Leah and her daughter and son move in to there new home as Leah has been living with here parents she finally had the courage to leave her abusive husband Craig. the house was part of the old vicarage. with a hideaway secret vegetable garden Leah fell in love with it straight away. then one day when she was painting. removel vans where outside the next house the vicarage. Leah meets the new owner Gillian. her husband is working away they become friends. Leah has started dating Gabe and she is happy with life and her hair salon business. Gillian invites Leah round she takes Gabe with her. the husband has popped to the shop Leah is coming down the stairs. and gets the shock of her life Gillian s partner is Craig .and then things start happening and people think Leah is losing her mind its so twisty and the shocks i so recommend

Wow wow wow.

Leah is a mom trying to rediscover who she is following a nasty divorce. Unfortunately for her, Craig (her ex-husband) is not through tormenting her just yet. A new couple is moving in next door little does she know her nightmare just became a reality.

I absolutely loved this book and was hooked from the very first page!! Throughout the entire book I was thinking, what would I do if it was me? Would I sell my dream house even though I was there first? Could I ignore him?? But the bedroom situation really had me. How could you face them every day?! All in all, this book had everything I was hoping for when reading a psychological thriller. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to read this book and I will definitely recommend it!

Wow this book really got to me! Such great writing I found myself getting so mad at a certain character. Loved the storyline and excellent delivery. Literally grabbed me from the get-go and just never let up.
Highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is another excellent book from Samantha Hayes, with all the ingredients to keep you up all night reading. With more twists and turns than a helter skelter, secrets everywhere this is an intense read, with a little bit of karma thrown into the mix!

Leah is happy to escape her terrible marriage and begin a new life with her two children in a lovely home, but then she discovers that her ex-husband has bought the house next door...and is determined to make her life hell. Then a body is discovered on a bonfire and Leah worries that she could get the blame...

A thrilling story that keeps you turning the pages until the end. Full of twists and turns and shocks, this is a brilliant book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

Thank you for this advanced copy. What a sleaze ball! My blood boiled while i read this book with how Craig treated his ex. Working in the criminal justice system in the USA, I know all these situations really wouldn't happen the way the author portrayed them. But typical behavior of a domestic abuser. I did feel it got a little long in the middle, but it still held my attention. Cannot believe all the secret relationships that came to light. Poor Leah!!! Good book. Good ending! Justice was served.

The one which can send chills to your spine .. this one had me shouting my sister came running asking me what happened.. Samantha's The ex -husband will pull to the thriller world which will make you gasp with its insane plot twists till the end with memorable characters and well plotted plot. The author did a absolutely great job in weaving this masterpiece.
I can't wait for this one to hit the market.
Will write a long review after the publication as right now i would definitely give some spoilers in the review if i wrote much.

Thank you netgalley for the arc.