I enjoyed this engaging, dramatic psychological thriller with a plot full of unexpected turns. The writing style by this author keeps the reader invested, but the main characters are a bit like marmite; you are either going to love or hate them, and there is no in-between.

If you have read anything by Keogh before, you will know how storylines always flow well, and the smoothness of everything makes for an entertaining read. The Trophy Wife is not any different.

Despite this, the conclusion left me deflated. There is massive potential for a jaw-dropping ending, but it didn't happen, leaving me feeling a little cheated. This is the only reason why this isn't a five-star read.

Regardless of the flaws, this is a highly stimulating read and would make an ideal introduction to this author or genre.

Rating 2.5*starts rounded up to 3*

What a dark, surprising read this proved to be,
Feeling like the story of a lifetime being shared with me.
A story filled with deceit, lies and mystery,
With no likeable characters that I could see!

A strange tale of escaping seeking more,
Daring to dream and life to explore.
However, be careful as you seek whatever you dream
For dreams often prove different to how they seem!

Strangely paced, with little to appeal,
Where events of the past are slow to reveal,
The ending is surprising, dire in its own way.
About what happens, I'm not going to say!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
A very different read and this is my honest review.

HOLY SHI* this was WILD! Propulsive, FAST, explosive and twisted right until the end , I loved this one SO much! 5 STARS! I had to pick up my jaw off the floor when I was done this one. CLEVER writing !

"People believe what they want to believe. It makes deception easy."

Well, that was a colossal waste of time and not at all what I was expecting. As appealing as the synopsis sounded, this was an epic fail. The Trophy Wife is told entirely from Jake's point of view, an endless stream of consciousness that was utterly exhausting. Nothing was happening for at least 60% of the book, the plot seemingly nonexistent, as Jake droned on about his troubles. Striving for more, perhaps entertaining 'ideas above his station', Jake was always trying to be something he wasn't. He left home in search of a better life, gaining financial success and finding what he thought was the perfect trophy wife in Ann, his best friend Adam's beautiful sister. They didn't love each other but it didn't really matter because they both got what they wanted out of the relationship, or so they thought.

The narration was cold and devoid of emotion, excruciatingly detailed in describing Jake's life, from the excessive vulgarity of his wealth to his rise and fall as he watched it all crumble down around him. There was an empty desperation as Jake searched for acceptance, aiming for more all while craving some sense of normality. But what is normal, really? How does one find the happiness in life most are looking for?

Jake was in love with Adam's wife, Jane, spinning a tale of jealousy and envy and obsession, setting the stage for so much more than this story turned out to be. Lost in a tangled web of lies, filled with sorrow and regrets, Jake yearned to escape his marriage, thinking he found the perfect solution and he would finally attain the happiness he was looking for. But what I'd hoped would be a thrilling conclusion was undeniably disappointing and anticlimactic. As a reader, I felt manipulated and misled, missing the shocking twist I expected to find. The only reason this didn't become a DNF for me was that I was anticipating more. But, like Jake, all I was left with was hopelessness and despair.

** Special thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Available January 2, 2023. **

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. I absolutely loved it! It was fast paced and kept my attention throughout. It contained a few twists that I didn’t see coming, which is rare these days. Jake was a love to hate character for me. Highly recommend to everyone. 5 stars from me.

This is a book about lies and consequences - the main character falls in love with a girl his friend is dating (after he saw her first but rejected her at first look). He is complex character, having ditched the boring life of his unambitious parents in order to study at Oxford and gain a lucrative job in finance.

The story develops, as he decides to marry, but not for love, just for a 'trophy wife' to enhance his reputation as he realises he will never marry his 'true love'. Its all rather sad; the wife Ann doesn't want children, but agrees to have two but neglects them as nannies and staff bring them up. He is too busy working to care and decides he wants to escape this loveless marriage.

The tale then becomes a psychological drama, as we see him unravelling with revelations about his parents and twists and turns in his relationships. Overall its a good read - the only sour note was when he was being questioned by the police towards the end, which just did not ring true.]]

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️Rating: 4/5
✍🏼Author: Valerie Keogh
📖Genre: Psychological Thriller


Summary:

The story follows Jake Mitchell, a small town big dreamer who always envisioned what the perfect life would be like. Leaving his parents, he sets off for Oxford University where he lands a full ride and meets his best friend Adam, who just so happens to be everything Jake wishes to be someday.

Jake struggles comparing his life to Adams, and is determined to have the upper hand. Adam ends up marrying Jakes dream girl, Jane and determined to find a suitable bride of his own. He settles for Adam’s sister, Ann who is the picture perfect “trophy wife” but there marriage eventually falls flat because it was never based on love.

The end is twisty, and once you get past the character building half way through the book you’re thrown for a suspenseful ride. I struggled with the slow burn but was pleasantly surprised by the ending- it isn’t what I suspected, at all.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 STARS!

This is a tale of being careful of what you wish for! Jake works hard to get into Oxford University, wanting a better life for himself than what his parents envisioned for him. He soon meets Adam at Oxford who comes from money and a supportive family. Jake tells Adam his parents died in a car crash and that is where all his lies begin. Jake will do anything to become rich and powerful and after university he begins to make more money than he knows what to do with. He is jealous of Adam's relationship with Jane who he meets in a bar. Jake is lonely and decides he needs a trophy wife to fill the void, so he marries Adam's sister, Ann. All Ann wants is to be surrounded by money. Sound like a match made in heaven, right? Jake quickly realizes marrying Ann was a huge mistake. This is where it gets crazy!

This author can write crazy characters! Jake was so in love with Jane he could not see clearly. I loved how the story was told from Jake's perspective and the short chapters were an added bonus. I enjoyed reading about all of Ann's elaborate spending! So much fun!

This book is filled with so many twists and turns, some sad, some crazy. I highly recommend this thriller and I cannot wait to read more from this author!

This book is more than I expected. The story is twisted and unexpected. Jake’s dream has been to be better off in life than his parents. He left home at 17 years old and never looked back. I didn't know if I liked Jake’s character. He works hard for what he has but at the same time looks down on those with less. You will need to read this book until the very end and then spend some time processing what just happened. The ending is wild!

Jake leaves his life behind for something better, but when you strive for better at what point can you stop?

This was not a novel I expected; very fast-paced, filled with very short chapters to keep the reader motivated, but also showing suspense as we already know something has gone wrong from the first page, but we simply do not know what.

As we continue to read on, the main character takes us through his life, there are a few twists that I did not see coming, but I expected something so much bigger. This does not take away from the narrative and I still very much enjoyed this novel and the main character.

Keogh writes from the main character's one-sided point of view and this is where it was very cleverly done and had me questioning a lot.

A great read I really enjoyed.

Jake needed to escape his mundane life. He knew he could achieve greatness by meeting the right people, getting his degree and earning money afford his wishes of a lavish lifestyle. His missed opportunity of a perfect match was snagged by his friend Adam. As Adam and Jane built a life together, Jake continued to build a life of his own, but even with all his money he could t fill the void for loneliness in his heart. He settles on marrying Ann, Adam’s sister. She fills the perfect role as his wife and arm candy. Until Adam realizes his lie of his upbringing is coming back to haunt him and he can’t escape the feeling of doom.

This book was thrilling and kept me engaged. I was quite intrigued about how Jake was going to achieve his goals in life when things turned sour. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. If felt rushed and not concise. I honestly flipped back and forward through the pages to see if perhaps I had missed something.

I enjoyed the male narrator. This is the first book I’ve ever read with a male narrator.

I adored this book, so fresh and different from my usual crime/thriller stories.
When Jake is accepted into one of the top universities in the country he has no idea how different his life will change, from small town boy who’s parents only ambition is for him to stay and work at the factory to top city banker with the world at his feet.
I would have given this five stars but there was a bit that annoyed me near the end. No spoilers.
loved the protagonist, the tale, the writing. The anxiety it gave me and the disappointment at the book being finished.
Thank you Netgalley & Valerie Keogh for an advanced copy of this.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First, let me applaud the author for choosing an unusual narrator, the male protagonist in the story. After I read many many thrillers in the female's voice about how confused, scared, and lonely their felt, it was refreshing to hear it from the male POV.

Unfortunately the voice of Jake read like a dull one- dimensional character. Half way into the book, I still want' sure if I was reading a thriller or the mundane journal of the world's most boring man. I didn't understand his choices, I did not feel his connections with anyone, and I felt like the book I read was vastly different from the description of the story.

This is my first book from this author, and oh boy, I can’t wait to read all her others!

I love everything about this cover, it looks so dangerous. “Flawless but fatal”, if that doesn’t catch your attention, read the synopsis.

I just devoured this book. The chapters were so short. Between that and the storyline, I was able to read this book faster than I thought! It was suspenseful and scandalous. It had me on the edge of my seat.

Clear your schedule because you won’t want to stop reading this book. It may start off a little slow, but I thought it was perfect, as the ending was approaching you knew a train wreck was about to happen. I don’t think the ending was my favourite, but the rest of the book was really good.




Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for an advanced copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

The Trophy Wife publishes January 2.

Jake has grown up as an only child in a home where expectations are low and it is expected that he will automatically follow in his father’s footsteps and work at the local factory. His father is a domineering and negative individual, always critical about everything. His mother, a stay at home housewife, who is seen and not heard. Certainly she isn’t expected to have her own views, much less voice them! Jake wants a different life, away from all the pessimism and dullness he experiences at home. Having excellent grades, he secretly applies for a place at Oxford, and is successful. It’s the incentive he needs to leave home.
At university he meets middle class student Adam and they become close friends, with Jake visiting Adam’s Cotswold home and staying regularly with his parents, Giles and Clara. His friendship with Adam, although genuine, enables him to tap into his middle-class life and learn to be like him. He creates a fictitious past and reinvents himself. When they graduate, Adam becomes a teacher, while ambitious Jake finds a career in finance in London.
Although I could understand Jake’s need to get away from his suffocating home environment, he is also driven by the need to distance himself from his parents’ ‘make and mend’ way of life. He craves both wealth and status. His decision to opt for a career in finance comes at a time when huge salaries and bonuses are to be had in London. He capitalises on this, developing a taste for expensive clothes, fine dining and a house in an expensive part of London. But deep down you get the feeling he’s not content. That his friend Adam’s less extravagant lifestyle is the happier one. When on a night out together Adam and Jake meet Jane, Jake automatically overlooks her because she doesn’t exude the glamour he expects in women. However, seeing the way she interacts with Adam makes him re-evaluate his attitude, creating a fantasy world with her at its centre. Sadly, Jane who is clearly in love with Adam will forever remain out of reach. Reaching his mid-thirties Jake realises he should be settling down. Love is not the main criteria, rather it needs to be a beautiful and glamorous woman who suits his status.
This is my third outing with Valerie Keogh and another great read. Jake , who narrates the story, doesn’t come across as a very likeable character. I understood his need to break the cycle he had been pulled into by his father and take charge of his life. However, once the materialism took over, he became embedded in it. His choices, all driven by money, were sometimes overly extravagant and wasteful. Deciding to marry Adam’s sister Ann, an exotic but decadent individual whose dubious reputation he already knows about, is yet another example of his skewed values.

A first class read with plenty of twists. Highly recommended.

My thanks to Valerie Keogh, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an ARC of The Trophy Wife in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this read, it's unique because it offers the male perspective which I think is really rare for thrillers/mysteries. I didn't see the end coming at all and it kept me on my toes. I also really enjoyed the short chapters because it moved things along fast.

Let me start by saying Valerie Keogh is a must read author for me, as soon as I see she has a book available I known have to read it. Unfortunately this one didn't quite hit the spot for me, but it definitely won't stop me reading more!

Jake wants more. His parents aren't good enough for him, his home isn't good enough, his life isn't good enough. He is desperate to improve his lot, and if that means lusting after his best friend's wife and marrying for looks, so be it. Will Jake get the happy ending, life improving more he craves, or will everything fall apart?

Sadly, however, I wanted more from Jake, I found him annoyingly one dimensional, and although I appreciate that was probably what Keogh was aiming for, it simply put me off the book.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Wowzers!!! Definitely didn't see that coming.
What a great surprise great characters loveable and hate able. Chapters writen brilliantly to make you want to continue to read this amazing story. Loved everything about this book.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

I have read a lot of books by this author but this one is very different. Written from the POV of the male protagonist, Jake, who is an ambitious man but is a very flawed character, almost apathetic at times but very status conscious. A character driven novel, fairly slow paced until the book moves towards its climax. I must also admit to doing a bit of a double take at some of the ‘bedroom’ scenes - not the narrative I normally see from this author!

Briefly, Jake is brought up in a relatively poor home but after winning a scholarship to Oxford university he leaves home without telling his parents. There he meets wealthy Adam and they become lifelong friends. Fast forward and Jake is very wealthy with all the expected trappings of wealth but without the final requirements a ‘trophy wife’. But when he finds her he still isn’t happy. What is missing from his life?

There’s a good mix of likeable and not so nice characters and all are well drawn but the most complex by far is Jake. Nothing really makes him happy, he’s a person for whom achievement and personal satisfaction is always just out of reach. The final 25% of the book is when it all gets very twisty and quite shocking, but sad. I’ll say no more but the ending was not what I expected! It was excellent. A very good read for anyone who enjoys a character centric psychological thriller with a twist. 4.5⭐️

Alright. Here we go.
This book was… something else.
The first thing I’d like to point out is that the book blurb is somewhat not really a good match for this book. The book is not at all what the blurb implies it is. Not. At. All.
Yet I am not saying it is a bad thing. The book was not what I expected it to be. But… it was better. It was way better. So much better.
It was so weird, and the main character, Jake, his inner monologue and his detailed background, the reasoning behind every step he took made me love him. Understand him. Know exactly where he comes from and where he stands. Although I also absolutely understand those who in their reviews say that they did not like Jake at all and what a horrible person he was. No. He was not a horrible person. He was horribly misunderstood and horribly not loved. And, most likely, his earlier life and upbringing did whatever it was that made him into who he was.
Despite the book not being what I expected it was going to be, it was LOVE for me. It had all sorts of depth I long for in a good book. There was nothing surface-level, nothing random. And most of all, I loved the absolute depth with which the main character Jake was portrayed. No matter what kind of human he was in the end (ok, deeply disturbed and unstable, not to give away any spoilers), his thought process and his actions were described in such fine detail, with so much logic. This is what made the book so special to me. This might actually be one of my favorite reads of 2022.