If you are looking for a book filled with what nightmares are made of then The Ex-Husband is for you....

Imagine, finally escaping an awful marriage and an abusive husband only to come to find out that he just bought the house next door to you (Cue the Kanye West Vibes) .

This nightmare has become Leah "s reality. Leah is trying to keep the peace for the sake of the kids but this man takes the cake for world's worst husband and even worse ex-husband. If you think you have it bad, step into Leah's shoes for the day.

This book explodes with twists. Talk about be anxiety ridden ? I couldnt stop my legs from shaking and "one more chapter" turned into pulling an all nighter.

Even when you think this nightmare is over, keep going, the epilogue even holds a twist you will not see coming. Samantha Hayes is a true story teller and pulls you right in early on. There is nothing boring, repetitive or even a page worth skipping when it comes to The Ex-Husband.

Leah is so looking forward to her new start in life after being brave enough to divorce her controlling and abusive husband. She has just found the house of her dreams and is looking forward to moving in with her two children. That is, until her ex-husband moves in next door with his new partner.

I loved the character of Leah, she has suffered quietly for a long time but is now ready to fight her corner, especially where her kids are concerned. Her budding romance with the delightful Gabe is thrown into doubt time and time again and I was never really sure of his true intentions.

Craig is like a man possessed and will go to any lengths to get what he wants!

This is a cracking on the edge of your seat story. The little twists keep stacking up to keep you reading long past your bedtime.

You will not be disappointed in this latest novel by Samantha Hayes.

A new book from one of my favourite authors has got to be good, and WOW was this one good ! Great story with lots of twists and an ending tying it all up nicely. Everything you want from a good thriller, this is a book I highly recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this brilliant ARC

What starts out as a domestic tale got much deeper and darker the more you read. I’ve read some wacky books lately so I’ve come up with some wacky theories trying to guess the outcome and while I did guess a few of the twists, because nothing was off the table, there were a few that made me go what did i just read. No gasp in this one but I did reread the last few pages again to make sure I understood what I had read. I think that is the sign of a worthy twist.

I had my moments where I liked Leah and other moments where I did not. I spent many a moment wondering whether Leah was reliable which is a remarkable feat from the author since we live the story through Leah’s eyes (again nothing off the table). Let me be clear, this ends up being a wild ride. I don’t think I’ve read this author before but will definitely again. I don’t want to risk spoiling something by saying too much, but if you pick this up, you will be entertained.

Hang on! Leah moved into a new but old house to start her new life with her kids after having divorce with Craig - The EX-Husband.

Is Leah really safe now? Can she really throw away her past and welcome a new chapter of life?

Beep beep - one day there was a truck parked outside her garage. New neighbour - Gillian. It seems Leah is able make some new friends here in her new community. Until Leah saw Craig walking from her neighbour's house. Seriously gripping. Imagine you try to escape from someone....but he just moved in next to your house.

Those twists were so much enjoyable. I have to admit that I was so immersed in these plots. Dark but thrilling

The Ex-Husband Buy Samantha Hayes was a little bit of a letdown for me. First of all Woodley meets her new neighbor Jillian and they were moving the furniture in did she recognize nothing from her former house and secondly when he drilled a hole in her bedroom wall why didn’t she called the police? There were so many things that were left with no answers and too many unbelievable scenarios to keep me interested. Although I finished it and yes there’s a big twist at the end but the questions during as what I have a problem with. for example where or how rather do they get Rexie from Craig? That made no sense to me secondly why would she so opposed to saying anything negative in front of Zoe and Henry that she just let her ex-husband run all over her like she was a doormat. She let Jillian walk all over the rules Lee had put in place for her daughter. When a book keeps me intrigued it is easy to suspend belief and I guess in between things happening I had too much time to think about the questions loitering in my head. You can’t win them all and I have bread the date book by Samantha Hayes and loved it I just didn’t love this one. I received this book from NetGalleyShelf for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

I loved this book. It kept me hooked and had twists and turns that were both unexpected and well written. I barely put it down, just racing to figure out what was happening. I would definitely recommend to a friend.

3.5 Worst Nightmare Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
As someone who was very lucky in my marriage, the idea of finally getting away from an abusive husband and then having him move next door after you have found your new home would just make me lose my mind. This is the idea, the hook that grabbed me and made me start this book. OMG

This has the ugliest ex-husband that will cause you to think about doing vicious things to him that are unlike your actual character. That is how strong the feelings ran when it came to the ex.

Once this tale lays out this premise, the ex has a fateful end and now the ex-wife is under suspicion. Now we get to experience all the secrets, many I would rather have not learned, and then there is the end....Hmmmm

This book is like when you gobble up most of your kid's Halloween candy, knowing that candy isn't good for you, that your Dr. has even told you to stay away from it, but you gobble it up anyway.

OMG what did I just read?! I absolutely adore Samantha Hayes books and have been a fan for years but this has to be her best one yet!! I physically couldn’t put it down and was still reading it at 2 in the morning as the twists just got bigger and better with every turn of the page! Make sure you clear your entire day when you pick up The Ex-Husband because it’s the most addictive book I’ve read this year!

The storyline was very clever here. We’ve all heard about nightmare neighbours from hell but what if that neighbour were your ex and his new partner? And he wants you all to get along for the sake of your children but your past abusive relationship makes it hard to trust anyone let alone the man you moved away from… Leah has a good life and is thriving after her divorce. She has her own business, lives in the same village as her parents and has developed a live of gardening and growing her own vegetables-she even keeps chickens! But that ideal life is shaken when one day she watches a furniture van unload next door and realised that her abusive ex-husband is now her next door neighbour. And as the plot progresses, it becomes very difficult not to feel very uneasy as everyone seems to believe the lies Craig is spreading about her. It is affecting her new relationship as well (which seems to be over before it really began) so will she ever be free from the hold Craig has over her?

I actually found myself getting really angry and frustrated whilst reading this which isn’t like me at all! But as Leah’s support network disappeared I found myself feeling so helpless on her behalf! Craig is a vile character with a narcissistic personality and so perfectly portrayed that my emotions just got the better of me! To evoke that level of frustration is so clever and has the plot line developed, I found myself wondering how long it would take for Craig to get his comeuppance or if he even would! And as the plot line delivered twist upon twist before delivering a couple of whoppers towards the end, I began to wonder if I had got it wrong…

The Ex-Husband is a brilliant book-it’s a gripping psychological thriller with a compelling storyline and some gasp out loud twists. I highly recommend it!

This was my first Samantha Hayes book & I very much enjoyed reading this!

I was hooked right from the prologue…idk why or how but this book gave me the creeps from the first page! 😰🫣
To say I abhorred Craig would be an understatement…I despised that man with every fibre of my being!! He was narcissistic & most probably a psychopath who played mind games & used every possible means at his disposal to make sure Leah’s life was a living hell. The fact that he was rich & good looking made it all the more easier for him to manipulate the people around him.

The writing is easy & chilling, and sucks you right into the story. Also I DID NOT see that ending coming!
It was a great twisted thriller & is perfect for people looking for domestic thrillers to read.

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture & the author for an ARC in return for my honest review.

Really loved this book, I have read other books by this author which all have been brilliant and this definitely did not disappoint, such a fantastic story that I could not leave down. The two main characters you really engage with and it is so well written that you actually believe you are in the poor girls life while reading it. Just a brilliant book from start to finish that I would highly recommend to read and a brilliant page turner.

such a great book. such an emotional rollercoaster. I was unable to put down so I read it in one sitting.

thanks Netgalley and bookouture for this arc.

all thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by anyone else

hi, thanks so much for giving me a chance to read an early copy of this book.
unfortunately, i wasn’t able to finish it, due to lack of interest. thank you again

OMG!! This book literally made my blood boil! If ever there was ever a character to get under your skin it's Craig. I hated him with every fibre of my being that I could have murdered him myself. And as a domestic abuse survivor THE EX-HUSBAND hit very close to home in many ways that I found it uncomfortable at times - closer to home than many other thrillers featuring domestic abuse.

Leah Ward is finally free and has found the house of her dreams. Well, it will be once she has given it a good coat of paint and established her vegetable garden and hen house. It's the perfect place for her and the children - Zoey (14) and Henry (7) - to make a fresh start after her somewhat drawn out and acrimonious divorce.

But their joy is to be short-lived.

Leah notices moving vans pulling up next door and a well-dressed woman directing furniture and boxes into place. They have new neighbours in the Old Vicarage next door, a much larger grander house that shares a wall with her own, once known as the Wash House. She meets Gillian who is effervescent and friendly and can't wait until her partner "Rexie" returns from his business trip so they could enjoy neighbourly get-togethers.

But nothing prepares Leah for who she sees walking into the house, Gillian having invited her and boyfriend Gabe over for cocktails. No...it can't be. But it is. Craig, her ex-husband, is Gillian's partner and Leah's new neighbour. Could things get any worse? It appears they can.

But Leah knows Craig. She knows he is up to something. This cannot be a coincidence. Craig leaves nothing to chance. He plans everything.

And so the battle lines are drawn in a messy case of he said/she said; he's controlling, manipulative and abusive, no she's crazy and psychotic. Who do you believe? And Craig is loving the havoc he is creating, the distress he is causing Leah, isolating her from her friends with carefully planned lies and even her children, to petty misdemeanours that really do make her sound crazy. He takes every opportunity he can to annoy her, belittle her, scare her and gaslight her as well as all the other little manipulative tricks he employs. Such was the manipulation, the abuse, the accusations...it was actually quite distressing to read and at times I found it incredibly uncomfortable.

But never fear, for Samantha Hayes has some surprises in store with a few twists that will leave you wondering what the hell just happened. To be honest, I predicted most of the twists to come (including the one towards the end) but that doesn't spoil the story for me if it is well-written and intriguing as THE EX-HUSBAND is. Just about all the main players have secrets which will undoubtedly come out in the wash (pun intended), but none more than Craig Forbes. The man is a vile character but an excellent villain.

And then things come to a head when a body is found in a bonfire and all the secrets begin to unravel. But I was dying to know who the body was. I wanted it to be Craig so much...but that would be too easy, wouldn't it?

And Leah. Oh goodness, she made some stupid choices under pressure but it was understandable under the circumstances. Still...she did herself no favours and played right into creepy Craig's hands. And there was no way at all that he was ever going to be likeable. Not. A. Chance. IN. HELL.

I have read several thrillers by Samantha Hayes and most of them are intricately slow burns but I stick with them because I know they are worth it in the end. THE EX-HUSBAND, however, began with a steady pace that only increased as the story unfolded and, as uncomfortable as I found the "closer to home abuse", this has to be her best thriller yet. I literally read it in one sitting and I am sitting here at 3.30am writing my review while it is all still fresh in my mind, having started the book when I climbed into bed around 9pm and finishing it just under six hours later.

THE EX-HUSBAND is a well-written domestic and psychological thriller that was gripping from very first page right up until the last. It is absolutely brilliant - every manipulative moment of it. It really is a book that gets under your skin by way of the most abhorrent villain in Craig.

WOW! Just wow...is all I have right now. As I closed my kindle I was speechless. THE EX-HUSBAND is dark, disturbing and chilling and so damn twisted. And Samantha Hayes' best yet.

I would like to thank #SamanthaHayes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheExHusband in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

I found The Ex-Husband to be a total page turner and I could not put it down! The description alone had me hooked and had me guessing everything! I absolutely loved it. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC. I will be recommending to my book groups!

Leah thought she was finally free of her abusive ex-husband Craig. She had moved into a new house with her children, and finally felt happy and free. This soon changes when she meets her new neighbours - Craig and his new girlfriend Gillian! As Craig continues his manipulation, Leah's life spirals out of control.

I loved this book! It was absolutely fantastic, gripping and utterly brilliant. Craig was a character I absolutely detested, the manipulation can be felt vibrating through the pages. I can't wait to read more by this author!

Imagine your ex husband moves in next door. The divorce was not aminicable and your ex is is very charming and can get anyone to believe what he says. Does not sound like fun to me. This is what The Ex-Husband is about. Leah is trying to move on with her life and be as civil as possible with her ex for the sake of her children. As hard as she tries her ex is always one step ahead of her. This novel got my blood boiling when his antics. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting to yell at the ex. Its an excellent book.

No plot spoilers here!

Another heart-stopping, tense novel from Samantha Hayes. It was, at times, a hard read due to the challenging subject matter of domestic abuse and coercion. It’s so well written that I felt confusion, fear and despair alongside the main character Leah.

There are many characters, each rounded out realistically, but none as loathsome as Craig, the ex-husband, whose manipulative behaviours are multifaceted and seem to know no bounds.

The run-down cottage and gardens (the main setting) Leah buys to renovate, hold a real family warmth and are vividly created. Life seems to be settling until events up-end and threaten the very core of everything Leah has worked so hard for.

Samantha Hayes was able to stir my emotions, heart-racing darkness spurring me on to the next page.

There are unexpected twists aplenty and stupid decisions made by Leah had me cringing. But life-like? Very! What a position to be put in!

The narrative starts mysteriously, with a body discovered in a fire and introduces characters who I felt would figure largely throughout. The plot then takes you back in time, introducing Leah and her family, unfolding the many twists and turns that lead to this moment. So well paced and enthralling, that I almost forgot where it was leading to.

There were chapters here where I found myself holding my breath, hardly daring to read on. The action is fast-paced, tension gripped me and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

This is a great psychological thriller that holds you right through until the grand finale.

I found The Ex-Husband to be a total page turner of a story which I could not put down. The description alone had me hooked and the story had so many twists and turns that it kept me guessing throughout. I absolutely loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

I was hoping for better given the reviews but, it wasn’t what I was hoping for and after 25% I gave up. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.