From the moment I saw Anne, I knew she was perfect for me.

Her beauty and her social connections would make my miserable life so much better. It didn’t matter that I didn’t love her. I would give her the lifestyle she craved, and she would give me the life I deserved...

But soon my marriage vows were a noose around my neck.

I longed to escape my beautiful, horrible wife.

And then I saw her and I knew there was only one way out…

This was a fast paced thriller which I was invited to read through the publishers and netgalley. I raced through this and absolutely loved it. I would highly recommend this book to others

I found this book to be a slow starter and it took a while to get into it.

It did get better and there are a few twists and turns.

It’s worth a read but I am knocking a star off for the slow start

This is the 2nd book I have read by this author

I would give this one more than 5 stars if that were an option! It had me hooked from page 1! This is the definition of a psychological thriller! I think this is my first book by this author and I will be seeking out more! Job well done!

Wow, what a tangled, twisty tale this is! Delightfully written and propels the reader along quickly. Truly un-putdownable!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

The Trophy Wife by Valerie Keogh
Earc:NetGalley
Publisher:Boldwood Books
Publication Date: 02 Jan 2023
Genre:General Fiction, Mystery, and Thriller

In a world where we seem so focused on achievements and possessions, this book was a welcome read. Force you to watch. I found it well-planned d the subject well-researched, and I pondered it for days.

If I could change one thing, I would like to eliminate improper behavior. It wasn't needed and didn't add to the plot. If it were removed, the story would appeal to an even wider audience. When she met Anne, she knew she was the right woman. With her as my companion, my misfortune is behind me. Anne's stunning looks and her social interactions will enrich my life. I'm not in love with her, but she gives her the wealth she wants. I'm not lonely anymore. She completes me

But my marriage soon threatened to strangle me. Marrying Anne was a terrible mistake. We have to get out of this intolerable situation. My only hope is to find an exit.




#NetGalley#bookstagram #mysteryandthriller #generalfiction #thetrophywife

A fast paced and compelling read full of twists and unpredictability that kept me guessing. I really enjoyed it

⭐3.5 rounded up

While many reviewers focus on the lack of emotion and doggedly straightforward plot in the first third of the book, I’d like to point out that I saw it as a reflection of the inward struggle and domestic situation of the protagonist. It pulled me in, offered me just enough details to propel me forward, and gave me the needed background to understand the remainder of the story.

In a world where we seem so focused on achievements and possessions, this book was a welcome read. It forces readers to see the effects of a driven life - one with a singular focus. I thought it was well plotted and the theme well explored, leaving me ruminating on this one for days. I appreciated the irony and the warning about regrets and repressing emotions.

If I could change one thing, I’d remove the salacious behaviour. It wasn’t needed and didn’t add to the plot. In fact, with it removed, the story would appeal to a wider audience.

Although I didn’t enjoy this story as much as her previous psychological thriller, I’m grateful for the invitation to read it and will remain interested in reading Keogh’s future books.

I was gifted this book by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The Trophy Wife by Valerie Keogh is a fast-paced psychological thriller. The story drew me in immediately and kept me turning pages late into the night. I enjoyed the well-developed characters and was delighted by the well-placed twists and turns. Engaging and highly entertaining!

Gosh!! Flawless but fatal.
Jake Mitchell gets a scholarship at Oxford University and his Dad wants him to work at his place and stay at home. Jake leaves his family home and heads to Oxford not telling his parents where he is staying just that he is ok.
Adam Brett becomes his friend but they both come from different backgrounds and making up a story about his family he has to live a lie forever even beginning to believe his story himself spending a lot of time at Adam's family home in the Cotswolds Jake gets to meet the stunningly beautiful Ann Adam's sister and a few years down the line she becomes his trophy wife with a new career ladder hes making money Ann is not a cheap lady to keep and spends money like water.
This book has so many gigantic twists in every chapter.
And once again I just Loved reading it.
Superb writing from this author, a very eye catching cover, this book will go far, 5 stars.

Thank you Valerie Keogh, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an early copy of The Trophy Wife. I got this widget from Valerie Keogh and that was the first time an author did that, I was impressed. This was an incredible book, what a TWIST at the end. I cried a few times, this was not what I expected at all!! I was rooting for the main character throughout the whole book. PHENOMENAL READ! Thank you again for a Fantastic Book.

Jake lives with his Mum and Dad and is expected to follow in his father’s footsteps with what he feels is a boring career and existence. Jake has bigger aspirations and one day ups and leaves home, heading for his place at university. From then the lies start, meeting his soon to become best friend Adam, he tells him a lie which will haunt him for many years to come.
Adam’s family take Jake in as one of their family and he begins to see how the other half live. He enjoys spending time walking miles over the family estate and embracing the life he so desperately wants.
Some years later Jake is himself living an affluent life. He has a top job, earning money he cannot spend quick enough and decides to buy a house in an area he has only ever dreamed of. But Jake is hurting, the woman he loves can never be his and he can never tell her how he feels. Jake decides to address the one thing he feels that he needs to do to fill the gap in his life, he decides to get a wife. As Jake can’t marry for love, he chooses to marry for show, a gorgeous woman with class and style, who will perfectly fit in to his successful life.
It's not long before Jake realises that marrying Anne his Trophy wife, doesn’t fill the void. Even after having children, Jake still feels somewhat incomplete, and is in total envy of his friend Adam’s marriage. Jake decides to take steps to address the balance, but soon the lies and deceit are piling up as Jake starts running out of time to stop his whole life crumbling around him.
What a gripping, compulsive read. So many moments when you can’t decide whether you dislike the main character, or feel sorry for him, but you just must keep reading to find out what happens. The ending wasn’t quite what I was expecting, leaving me slightly perplexed until this day, but overall, I really enjoyed this book.

I very much enjoyed this story this author is one of my favourite s .jake wants more from life than what his parents have he applys to Oxford University without his parents knowing. but when he gets aceppted his father says no so that night he sneaks out and leaves home he then one night meets Adam at a party they became best friends but Adam's family is well of and he a very jealous young man Adam becomes a teacher and James a broker earning a lot of money but its still not enough then Adam meets Jane who james was stood buy and now he jealous they marry and james is so lonely he has his dream house but no one to share it with then he hooks up with Adam's sister Ann and they marry and things go out of his control this book has a few shocks very twisty and addictive so recommend

The Trophy Wife by Valerie Keogh - Book Review

I always enjoy author Valarie Keogh's books. A mind-bending thriller, The Trophy Wife begins slowly and evolves into a shocking forest fire. I thought I had the plot figured out, but I was wrong. This is a book for plot twist enthusiasts.

Synopsis:
As soon as I saw Anne, I knew she was the right match. My unhappiness will be behind me with her as my mate. Anne's bombshell appearance and social interactions will enrich my life. Although I am not in love with her, I will give her the wealth she desires. I will no longer be lonely. She will complete me.

However, my marriage soon threatened to strangle me. Marrying Anne was a horrible mistake. I need to be free from this intolerable situation. My only hope is to find a way out.

The Trophy Wife releases on January 2nd, just in time for the new year!

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sharing this twisty story with me. Your kindness is appreciated.

TheTrophyWife #BookandTonic #BoldwoodBooks

Well…what a dark, mysterious and ferociously addictive book this is!
Jake, has nothing and his parents almost demand he stays at nothing suddenly has wealth beyond means, fabulously described in sumptuous vulgarity that makes you shudder…..yet there’s that part of you that thinks ‘yep me too if I had his millions’ 😀 embarks on a marriage that looks like it’s doomed to fail, and then the writer takes you as far away from what you thought was going to happen and to what actually happens and certainly had me fooled to the outcome, I shall say no more on that!
It’s salacious, scary, thought provoking, menacing, at times funny, at times harrowing and choc a bloc of good solid characters…some I liked, some I liked to dislike but all played a good part
Really enjoyable, very blindsidedgly unpredictable and more than anything a fine fiction read

10/10
5 Stars

This is only my 2nd book by Valerie Keogh and I enjoyed this as much as I did “The Widow”. Jake was only 18 years old and decided to up and leave his parents, go off to college and he never looked back. He had had a rough upbringing and his parents didn’t care if he went to college or not. He excelled at college and made himself a millionaire at a very young age. Fame, fortune, lies, deceit, this book had it all! Lots of twists and turns and I was not expecting the ending! I loved the story line and I loved all the characters. Looking forward to her next book! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

This is an OK story for some, I guess, but with a minimal plot and no suspense, it's too boring for me. The characters are good, but that doesn't help much.

The one thing I can say is I honestly have no idea where this was going at any point.

This is an older book re-printed with a new name.

I have read other books by Valerie Keogh so I was glad that my request was approved for this one and it’s so much different than her other books, It gripped my attention from the first page and I was torn between feeling sorry for Jake and disliking him, he never seemed happy with what he had and envied every one else for their lives. A five star read for me.

The Trophy Wife tells the story of Jake who marries for convenience and social standing. He doesn’t love his wife but thinks she is who he needs. The story continues as Jake realizes he can’t stand Ann and needs to get rid of her.
The book had me until then as I’ve read a lot of domestic suspense that end in a dead spouse. But I’m not too sure how I feel about the turn this took. I really enjoyed it until about 75 percent in and then the odd twist left me wanting a different conclusion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Outside of the box for me, the book really needs to get separate rating based on the Belgians the ending. I really enjoyed the main character and his growth through the trials he faces. The twist the story takes didn’t really work for me.