Thank you to #NetGalley, #Bookouture and Carey Baldwin for the opportunity to read an advance copy of SECOND WIVES, published March 17, 2023. This was an interesting take on second wives, because an existing couple divorced and he married the wife of another couple in this group of friends. So the remaining couple got together and married while staying with the same group of friends. The second wives attempted to stay friendly and that’s where things begin to get sticky. They continue for some time until things begin to break apart and people are killed. #NetGalley. #Bookouture. #SecondWives. #CareyBaldwin

I have been obsessed with reading lately...

I mean, I always was but this time it's completely different.

I find myself waking up early, staying up late, canceling plans and dismissing my chores just to read. I can't help it. The approvals I have been granted lately have me with the "can't wait" feeling.

I have yet to read a book in the past two weeks that I did not connect with. Every single book I have had in my hands has been incredible.

Second Wives...

Now, this book that literally blew my mind.

As I said I have been reading non stop but this book made me stop dead in my tracks. Whoa! Where did Carey Baldwin come from and where has she been my whole life? This author is a mastermind when it comes to delivering a 5 star hit.

Second wives is juicy, deceitful and oh so twisted! I gobbled this book on up in one sitting !

After concluding Second Wives, I feverishly stalked Baldwin's backlog and purchased her entire collection. Yes, you could classify me as being obsessed.

Here is a little teaser :

“There’s been a terrible accident, Brigid, but the only thing that matters is that I love you. We’ll get through this together.” As I slowly wake in my hospital bed, my darling husband’s familiar voice soothes me. Yet, as I look across at him, I can’t shake the feeling that this is not my husband at all…

Later, I realize the awful truth. Because of my injury, I’m unable to feel the same emotion towards those I loved. The doctor calls this emotional amnesia, but gazing over at my husband, I call it torture.

As the weeks pass, my family and friends keep me going, especially Charity. Years before, she married my ex-husband and I, in turn, married hers. To keep our friendship group together we kept things civil - I thought we had the perfect blended family.

But once I’m back home, I begin to notice Charity inserting herself into my family. At first it’s little things, her hand lingering a moment too long on my husband’s back, playing the role of hostess in my home at a family barbeque. Then I see her encouraging her wayward brother to pay my only daughter more attention and I feel instantly threatened.

That evening, I am haunted by a familiar nightmare of an unknown man forcing someone under water, vowing that their next breath will be their last. As I gasp for air, my husband tries to comfort me.

But lying there in his arms, I feel anything but reassured. With no one I can really trust, I have to ask myself: does the man who gave me a second chance at love want me gone?

Doesn't the premise sound so intriguing?! While some readers may see the plot as unrealistic, I don't agree. I have seen many couples part ways after their friends have had affairs with their partners, -(although perhaps not as close friends), so was looking forward to seeing how Baldwin tackled this.
This started slowly for me, just as I became used to the characters and their relationships with each other. Once I got it clear, the plot took off and I went along with it!
I really enjoyed the second half of the book and I look forward to reading Baldwin's next book.

Murder, fraud and a host of other mysterious activities await readers in Carey Baldwin's latest thriller, Second Wives. Read on for my thoughts on this riveting thriller involving a group of friends known as The Supper Club. 


Second Wives, which introduces Charity and Brigid, provides readers with a rare but interesting premise, friends who married each other ex-husbands. Brigid is now married to Jackson, while Charity is with Nash. One fateful evening while Charity was hosting an event with the members of the Supper Club in the home Brigid once share with Nash, Brigid was wounded. She awoke in the hospital days later to loving words from her husband. However, when she gathered her bearings, she realised the man by her bedside was not her husband, Jackson, but her ex-husband, Nash. Why would Nash be by her bedside, showing concern and declaring his undying love?

The blurb suggested that Charity and Brigid were friends, but the story did not give that impression. Jealousy of Brigid dominated Charity’s heart while Brigid couldn’t stand a bone in Charity. It was quite interesting to see how they convinced their friends that they liked each other. 

The accident rendered changes in Brigid’s life. A recurring dream about a possible murder and emotional amnesia affected her mental state. The amnesia led to a loss of emotional connection with Jackson. I was curious to see if Brigid and Jackson’s marriage would survive these changes. 

The prologue sets the stage for a mystery. However, with most of the focus on the domestic lives of the characters, I wondered when the author would get to the thrilling stuff. I kept reading and waiting with bated breath for the other shoe to drop. When it finally dropped, it did so with a bang. 

The story hidden between the pages of Second Wives is complex and features characters readers will either like or dislike. Their motives and intent are not discernible. The deeper into the story one goes, the more twists and turns come to light, leading to a jaw dropping conclusion.

The story featured several events, some of which had no connection to the mystery. As a result, there were moments where the story lacked fluidity, which may lead to confusion for readers.

To conclude, Second Wives is an entertaining thriller, which would likely appeal to fans of the genre. The premise, complex characters and the many twists and turns will have readers on the edge of their seat. Despite the disconnect between some of the events and the mystery, the shocking and unexpected revelation made for a thrilling read.

Wow ! Wow ! Loved this book ! A deliciously intense and addictive thriller that was brilliantly written ! I highly recommend !
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book ! Opinions are solely my own ! # Netgalley # Bookouture # SecondWives

I absolutely adored this book and thought the writing was superb. The interaction between Bridget and her daughter and the daughter with the second wife is just so true to life. I can't imagine being married to my friend's ex (Ugh!) but it made for a compelling storyline. I loved the different characters - each a person in their own right with good and bad points, no caricature villains in sight. I couldn't put this book down and look forward to more from this author.

This novel has all that you want in a twisty psychological thriller. Twists, betrayal, secrets and more. I can’t imagine finding out my husband had an affair and getting a divorce only to turn around and marry their ex-husband.

Always trust your instincts. Amnesia can be powerful. Sometimes we block out details that are painful. This was my third Baldwin novel and I will read anything she writes.

This novel is available now as of March 17, 2023. I had a @netgalley copy thanks for @bookouture. 🖤

When Brigid is seriously hurt in an accident, she awakens in the hospital with loving words from her dear husband. However, as Brigid is now experiencing emotional amnesia, she does not realize that the man at her hospital bed is not her husband Nash, but her ex-husband Jackson. In fact, Jackson is now married to her best friend Charity. Yes, Brigid and Charity have indeed married each other’s ex-husbands. So then, why is Jackson at Charity’s bedside, uttering words of concern and devotion?

It has been years since the couples have remarried, and all four of them have been able to remain friends. As this book is a psychological thriller, there is no doubt that at least one of the four principal characters has something to hide. While reading this intriguing book, I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to fall. Meanwhile, I was especially interested how things would work out for Brigid and Nash, especially since her emotional connection to Nash was severed due to her accident.

The original couples had reasons for their divorces and while it might have seemed quite odd that the remarriages occurred, they seemed to work for years. The accident that Brigid experienced and the result of that accident reminded me of the slightest crack in a vase full of flowers. The water is going to seep through causing the rack to grow. Can these couples get past loss and change in their lives? Is one or both of their marriages doomed?

While unimaginable for me to imagine being married to my best friend’s ex and hers married to mine - no worries, 40+ years married and going strong - I really found myself very interested in this story. Past tragedy and other issues were explored, and this includes a recurring nightmare Brigid explores, especially in psycho-therapy, and this added yet another layer to this story.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This was a fun and chaotic little read. There was a lot going on in this story and was sometimes hard to follow. This is a quick read, but in the end, I’m not quite sure how I feel about it. The last few twists were surprising, but overall I struggled to stay focused.

An interesting story, maybe not the most believable, or with the most relatable characters. A small supper club with members who hang out together, and keep secrets from each other. One woman ends up marrying her best friend’s husband, and the best friend returns the favour, although in this case his marriage was officially over.

Lots of twists and turns, showing what human can do when they have money and a will to protect themselves. This is a good read with strange characters.

Brigid and Nash have been married for a number of years. Their daughter, Tish, is at college in California. In the last year or so, Brigid is concerned that Nash stays out later most nights saying he has so much work to do. Concerned that he might be having an affair, she insists they go to counseling to which he agrees. After some sessions, nothing changes and they soon divorce. Fairly quickly afterward, Nash marries Charity, a friend of theirs.

Before long, Brigid begins dating Jackson, Charity’s ex-husband and they eventually marry. One thing that led to the breakdown of Charity and Jackson’s marriage was the loss of their beloved daughter, Hope. Both couples remain friends and are part of a group called the Supper Club where they take turns dining at one another’s home.

It was one night at a dinner party that a man drew a gun threatening to shoot himself. Tackled by others, the gun goes off shattering the chandelier and a piece of it lodged in Brigid’s neck nearly killing her. When she woke up in the hospital, her ex-husband, Nash, was with her and they said some loving things to one another before Jackson came in making Brigid realize she wasn’t still married to Nash. At the same time, Charity overhears the loving words between Brigid and Nash. She’s furious because she wants to be best friends with Brigid. And now, Brigid is confused about her feelings for Nash.

This is a tough one that had me making serious notes as I went along so I could keep from being confused. Whew! Quite honestly, I can’t say that I cared for this story as it was so highly improbable. The characters were straight out of Hollywood which made me roll my eyes. I feel that I’m being quite generous in giving this book 3 stars.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was very intrigued by the description of Second Wives - two couples who divorce and remarry each other's ex partners but unfortunately once I started reading it it did not live up to my expectations. I did finish it and I did like it but there was just something missing for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

This is a completely gripping read! The book opens with a haunting scene of a glimpsed drowning in a lake. From then, the narrative follows a group of friends, all with their own motives and issues; all with secrets to hide.

This book is cleverly layered and developed, with many of the characters depicting questionable motives and characteristics. It is incredibly gripping with a range of topics to consider, from remarriage, friendships, trust and secrecy.

This is a book that will completely enthrall the reader. Prepare to pick this book up and not be able to put it down!

I was very excited about this one. Two best friends marrying each other’s ex husbands sounds like exactly the chaotic dynamic I like but, this one fell short for me. There were a lot of characters & it was hard to keep up with them all. The majority of the book felt really slow for me too & it was pretty hard for me to follow & stay interested. I also didn't really like any of the characters too much. At times this felt more like a drama rather than a thriller. It did pick up towards the end which I enjoyed but I was hoping for more twists throughout the book.

Thank you to Bookouture, & Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Second Wives is a gripping read. On starting I thought it’s more of a domestic storyline than a thriller but then it became apparent it was definitely a thriller. It’s an interesting storyline and one you want to keep reading to see where it goes. It’s well written and has really well developed characters although some not that likeable at times. It’s slower paced than what I’m used to with a psychological thriller but it works well as it builds the suspense and intrigue. Definitely one that’ll keep your interest and turning those pages and it’s something different in terms of storyline which is always a plus. Would recommend…

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read #SecondWives

From the prologue Second Wives had me completely and utterly gripped. It’s one of those thrilling reads that you honestly won’t want to put down once you start reading it. I was so engrossed in this story that real life was put on hold until I finished reading it. Yes I read this unputdownable book in one sitting. A tense, fast paced and twisty thriller that will have you gasping out loud by the end.

I was so excited to see that Carey Baldwin had a new book coming out after reading The Marriage Secret last year and loving it but unfortunately this one didn’t live up to my expectations. The premise of the book was great but it was rather slow and challenging to keep my attention. There was a lot of characters to keep track of, which sometimes lead to confusion. Most of the plot twists were implausible but at times it kept it suspenseful. While I like the ending, overall it was a struggle to get through the book.

2.5 stars rounding up to 3 star on goodreads.

***** Many thanks to Bookouture, Carey Baldwin, and NetGalley for the #gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for my honest opinion.

First, I want to thank Carey Baldwin, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

OH YEAH!!! Come on, you know I just had to read Second Wives by Carey Baldwin!! Why?! Because I know two real life couples that married each other's spouses. So….I needed to know what twisted juicy storyline she had for her fictional characters. Carey totally exceeded my expectations big time!!!

As always I have to give kudos to the extremely talented graphic designers at Bookouture for designing a beautiful cover!

Oh how I couldn’t agree more with Brigid about our favorite sport being staying home and cosing up by the fire with a good mystery and cup of apple cider (well make mine a tea though). We both are not fans of the colder months nor skiing!!

Casey sucks you into her addictive and fast paced storyline straight from the intense prologue! From there Casey takes you on a wild twisted drama filled rollercoaster ride! This is unlike any psychological thriller you have read prior!

The ups and downs of the families and their friendships is the key theme of Second Wives.

Carey fascinated me with introducing me to what emotional amnesia as this played a key role into one of the storylines.

WOW!! Never in a million years did I see that major climatic twist coming out of the blue! You think you knew how this story would end but never ever this way!!! Mind blown!!!

Second Wives is a must read for Carey Baldwin fans! It is emotional, intense, twisted, has shock value, and packed with drama!!! I would highly suggest this too. your TBR!

Before I begin this review, I want to say something: I read horror and thriller books. I can suspend reality to a certain degree, but to read this book, you have to have only a passing nod with reality.

Despite this being one of the most unbelievable thrillers I’ve ever read, I did enjoy it. We start with an unbelievable arrangement; two best friends who are married to each other’s ex-husbands. Brigid was married to Nash, and her friend Charity was married to Jackson. When the two couples broke up, they swapped out the husbands and then tried to continue on as a group of friends.

Brigid was the victim of an accidental(?) shooting, and due to the blood loss, ended up with anoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain). This is when we get to another completely unbelievable part of the story - her psychiatrist diagnosed her with a rare form of Dissociative Identity Disorder, which she calls “emotional amnesia”. Brigid knows that Jackson is her new husband and remembers everything, except for how to love him.

I’m not a psychiatrist, so I don’t even know if that’s a thing, but this emotional amnesia gets difficult for her new husband to handle. Brigid knows she SHOULD love him, and must have at one time if she married him, but she doesn’t remember WHY she loves him or what that felt like. As all of this is happening, she begins having a recurring dream about watching a woman be murdered in a lake. Is this part of her anoxia, or is this a suppressed memory?

This was all highly implausible, and that did distract from the mysteries swirling around these couples and their friends. The plot itself was decent, but the characters were a bit out there. I did find this enjoying though, even if there were a few eye-rolls along the way. 3.5 stars.

(Thank you to Bookouture, Carey Baldwin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on March 17, 2023.)

Intriguing whodunnit about a group of friends who regularly host and attend Supper Club. Set in lovely San Diego, there are all kinds of suspects and red herrings to keep you interested all the way through! Well done!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!