I usually love Mary Kubica’s books but I was disappointed in this one.
Just the nicest couple begins with a married woman who is keeping a secret from her husband.
As the story progresses you find out the secret early on which I would consider a major twist too early in the story to keep me reading and l lost interest.
I found the characters very whiny and not fleshed out enough to care.
The ending was ok but most of it was written off the page so it felt lacking.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. Mary Kubica writes with tension from the first page. This is no exception. Two couples who are friendly, get the news that one of the husbands is missing. The other wife knows more about it than she's letting on. This leads to a missing person/assualt thriller that is unputdownable.

This book is great! The thrills kept me on a roller boaster and the characters were beautifully written. This is one of those books where you looked left but the action hits from the right!

The story is told from multiple perspectives, primarily through the viewpoints of two couples—Finn and his wife, Lily, and their friends, Jack and his wife, Violet. The tension builds slowly as Lily goes missing after an argument with Finn, and the reader is taken on a winding path of suspicion, guilt, and misdirection. The plot centers on the unraveling of relationships, with the core question being: Who is responsible for Lily's disappearance? The author is known for her ability to craft twists, and and this was no exception. As the characters' hidden motives and secrets come to light, the reader is led through a series of red herrings, making it difficult to predict the outcome until the very end.

I read this one in about 2 days, which considering I have 4 kids, is very impressive. I was hooked. I wanted to know what happened and who did it. The characters all had some depth that helped me be invested in the story. Overall, this was a fun, entertaining read. I usually enjoy Mary Kubica books!

This book was so good!! You follow two couples and what happens when one of the husband's body is found. It is duel POV, fast paced, and so many twists that had me guessing.

Not one of Kubica's better novels, I found Just the Nicest Couple to be slow paced and characters were not well developed. Some decisions were really hard to accept and believe. There are some good plot points/tools in the novel but overall, to me it read like an average movie script.

Not my favorite Mary Kubica, but still a solid read. A little slow for my liking. But Kubica always delivers on the twist.

Mary Kubica is hit or miss for me. I think this is a great beachy read for people who want something easy and twisty but not too heavy. I would recommend to fans of hers for sure.

I always wonder which narrator is the most reliable or if any of them are. This was a fun, quick read that kept me reading through the end. I wasn’t sure how I wanted it all to end but it was definitely worth reading. Mystery readers should find this a good addition to their TBR and Read lists!

This falls into the normal twisty story category for Mary Kubica - you look left, then you look right, sure you know what's going to happen... and then it's not. I found each of the characters unlikeable for various reasons and their reactions and their responses to their circumstances a little unlikely. Maybe not up to the standard she's set for herself but a good read just the same.

A great read by a geat author. A gripping tale that draws you in from the start. Mary Kubica is a staple for any mystery/domestic suspense reader's shelf. 4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy of Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of <i>Just the Nicest Couple</i> in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

<h4 style="margin-top: 84px;">The Gist</h4>

<i>Just the Nicest Couple</i> by Mary Kubica is a disappointing thriller that fails to live up to the expectations set by the author's previous works.

<h4>The Details</h4>

One of the things that disappointed me was the lackluster plot. From the outset, the story feels predictable and derivative. Instead of keeping readers on the edge of their seats, the narrative unfolds in a formulaic manner. There was no tension or suspense. There were no moments of wanting to grip the book anticipation of what might happen next.

Furthermore, the characters in <i>Just the Nicest Couple</i> are poorly developed and fail to resonate with readers. The protagonist is neither interesting nor uninteresting. He just is there somehow. His motivations that feel forced and unconvincing. Supporting characters fare no better. The dialogue that is stilted and unnatural. It hinders the development of meaningful connections between characters.

The writing style in <i>Just the Nicest Couple</i> is passable. While the prose is functional, it does lack some depth and complexity. Descriptions are often overly simplistic, failing to evoke the sense of atmosphere and mood that is crucial in a thriller.

<h4>The Verdict</h4>

Overall, <i>Just the Nicest Couple</i> is an okay thriller. With an okay plot, okay characters. It did keep my interest, though, throughout the entire story. It’s an okay story.

This was so twisty! This was my 3rd Kubica book, and I cannot get enough. I absolutely loved the dual perspective, and I did not see the end coming!

This book was WILD. I couldn't figure it out, which is hard for me since I've read so many thrillers. The suspense was high, the concept was original, and the writing drew you in with every chapter. I listened to this book, and it was fabulous on audio! I can't wait to read more Mary Kubica!!

Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica

Summary:

Lilly and Christian Scott are expecting their first child together. Nina Hayes works with Lilly at their local school, and her husband, Jake, is now missing. Nina believes that it is her fault that he’s missing due to a fight right before he went missing. But Lilly thinks she may be the last person who saw Jake and tells Christian. They are trying to keep this a secret so they aren’t suspects.

So where is Jake?

My Thoughts:

I always enjoy the twists and turns of Mary Kubica’s books. This one has alternating viewpoints and some flashbacks as well.

I can’t say much because it would totally give it away, but I really liked this one! There were some red herrings, but I did figure out this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Park Row publishing for an advanced reader’s copy.

This one was just okay for me. Mainly I just couldn’t get past how the characters nearly ALL were doing things and reacting in ways that no one would ever do in real life. I couldn’t suspend the disbelief! Still was a quick and fun read.

This was a great, fast paced story that kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing until the end. The twist in the middle completely shocked me. I definitely stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish it. It took me a little longer than usual to really get into the story but once it caught my attention I couldn't put it down.

I will say that I wanted to find out what happened... but was disappointed overall. The character of Christian (Lily's husband) was dumber than dirt. The book was told in alternating perspectives of Christian and Nina, Lily's co-worker and friend. Lily's husband, Jake, didn't come home one night and at first Lily thinks that he left her after an argument.

We find out (very early in the book, so no spoiler) that Lily had been in the woods with Jake (which is odd and not explained until later) and he came on to her so she hit him with a rock. There are so many holes in this story. The fact that she doesn't ever actually explain what happened when Christian asks and she just sits around and cries seems odd. There are more strange things that are glossed over until the end as well.

The end... isn't great either. It tries to wrap everything up but there are still questions. I guess I was hoping for more.

I have enjoyed Mary Kubica books in the past - they are quick thriller reads and this was no different! Thank you for the ARC! The storyline had me interested from the beginning. I did feel like the ending was rushed. However, I enjoyed it and will be recommending this to my bookclub.