Young Rich Widows is a captivating mystery-thriller that transports readers straight to the neon-lit streets of the 1980s. The story revolves around four widows, each with secrets to protect, as they unravel the truth behind a plane crash that claimed the lives of their lawyer husbands.
The four protagonists—Justine, Camille, Krystle, and Meredith—are brilliantly crafted. My personal favorite? Krystle, whose complexity and determination stole the show.
The mafia-affiliated law firm backdrop adds an intriguing layer. The mob references are spot-on, immersing you in a world of danger and hidden agendas.
As the widows dig deeper, new threats emerge. Was it a tragic accident, or something more sinister? The suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Overall, this novel is a delightful blend of nostalgia, suspense, and female empowerment. If you’re a fan of twisty mysteries and strong female characters, give Young Rich Widows a read!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Young Rich Widows is a thriller written by four authors: Vanessa Lilli, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, and Kimberly Belle. I have enjoyed Belle’s previous romantic suspense/thrillers, so I was eager to read this story. Each chapter is told from one of the widows’ point of view, and each widow’s story is written by a different author.

The story begins in 1985 in Providence, Rhode Island, at a Christmas party hosted by a law firm. The party hostess receives a phone call informing her that a private jet carrying her husband and his three law partners has crashed into Long Island Sound, killing all aboard. The widows are flabbergasted because they had no idea that their partners were traveling to New York City that day.

Justine Kelly is married to Jack, the firm’s newest partner. She is mixed race: Ashkenazi Jewish and African American, although she passes for Italian in Providence. She is a former fashion model who is now devoted to her 3-year-old son, Jack Jr. She knows that her husband is having an affair with another partner’s wife, but she doesn’t know which one. She has a friend who lives in public housing and is caring for a very sick daughter.

Camille Tavania is a beautiful, young Southern belle who is married to Peter but having an affair with Jack Kelly. Camille is regarded as a gold digger since she met Peter while working at a jewelry store. She is empathetic with her 15-year-old stepdaughter, Kimberlee, who lives with her and Peter because her mother is an alcoholic. Camille longs for love and wants to be a mother, but understands it won’t happen with Peter, who had a vasectomy.

Krystle Romero is a fat and frumpy mother to three sons and the wife of 24 years to the firm’s founder, Romeo. Krystle is the stereotypical Italian wife and mother. She is convinced that the form’s success is solely due to her husband and wants her son Romeo Jr. to take over. For many years the firm handled Workers’ Comp and auto injury cases for Italian American clients. The newer partners expanded the firm’s practice to include corporate and land development deals.

Meredith Everett is a lesbian stripper who was in a secret relationship with the firm's only female partner, Robin Calder, for three years. Robin had promised that she would announce their relationship at the firm’s Christmas party. Meredith goes by the stripper name, Tina, at a club owned by mobster Salvatore Ponterelli. She knows Romeo Romero Jr. as a frequent client and cocaine user.

Krystle’s uncle, Vincent Rossi, is the family and firm’s lawyer. He informs the ladies that the firm’s ownership will be divided equally among them, since Meredith produced papers establishing herself as Robin’s heir. The ladies quickly find out that the firm’s clients were primarily mobsters and gangsters. Then mobster Salvatore Ponterelli’s men break into Krystle’s home and removed everything of value, declaring that the firm owed them $4 million. Romeo Jr. is kidnapped by Ponterelli and held hostage until the $4 million is repaid.

Supposedly each partner contributed $1 million to a mall development deal involving developer Martin Ellis. Camille is assigned to talk to Martin to try to find out what’s going on while Krystle is the go-between with Ponterelli. The ladies have to work together to clean up the mess they were left with. They all fear for their lives and their childrens’ safety.

Young Rich Widows is a mash-up of The First Wives Club, The Sopranos, and Erin Brockovich. The descriptions of the ladies’ clothes, hair, music, mall development, and the lack of cell phones keeps the reader in 1985. Otherwise, this story could take place in the present day. Each of the ladies’ personalities are very different, although I didn’t relate to any of them. The story moves along at a good pace and keeps the reader engaged trying to figure out how the ladies are going to get out of the mess. I especially want to highlight that the chapters flow seamlessly; the reader doesn’t sense that each woman’s voice was written by a different author. Young Rich Widows is a wonderful suspenseful novel that can be enjoyed by all adult readers.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and SourceBooks- Landmark for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A plane crash that leaves four women widowed. I liked how the four women started off not getting along and the snarky comments and fighting was funny. They soon learn that they must work together to solve the mystery of what lead to the plane crash.

I enjoyed all the 80's music references and the varying points of view from each woman. It was great to watch these women turn fierce and fight back and come out stronger. The ending was leading to sequel so I can't wait to see what happens next.

Grab the popcorn and snuggle in to enjoy this fabulous action packed thriller.

A mysterious plane crash takes out four prominent law partners. Their widows come together to uncover the truth of the crash.

A campy 1980’s story, this is a lot of fun and will keep you entertained. It reminded me of a Jackie Collins novel. Lots of drama and fighting. You won’t be bored.

“Mobsters to the left of me, gangsters to the right. It’s a miracle this place doesn’t spontaneously combust.”

Young Rich Widows comes out 4/2.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Disappointed by this story- expected a thriller from great authors. This felt like a “slap stick comedy” making fun of the mob, the 80s and women in general. The plot was far-fetched and difficult to finish it.
Not interested in the sequel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The entire plot was unrealistic and not a thriller…more of a mystery.
I felt the writing was juvenile, over the top with the ridiculous scenarios and just overall a bad book…won’t be reading anything further in this series.

This started off as just an audiobook and was made into a book. I loved the snarky widows and their rich and fancy ways. This book had me laughing at the snarkyness that I could picture in my brains. I have heard that people enjoyed the audiobook more, yet I have not listened to it.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @sourcebooks for my free advanced readers copy!

Oh. My. God. I LOVED this GRIPPING thriller! it was UNPUTDOWNABLE! I stayed up all night finishing it. Readers who love suspenseful thrillers like ‘ First Lie Wins’ by Ashley Elston and ‘The Other Mothers’ by Katherine Faulkner will LOVE this fantastic read!

Told in multiple POV’s, ‘Young Rich Widows’ is about 4 women dealing with the serious aftermath of their lawyer spouse’s tragic deaths. Sal, scrupulous mob boss wants his 4 million dollars owed to him and has threatened their very lives to get it back. Scrambling to find the missing millions, the 4 women discover countless secrets and a deadly deal that could have dire consequences for both their city and themselves.

This was a fun read and one of my top reads of the year! TWISTY, thrilling and a reminder of the power that women hold if they stand with each other! LOVED!

I received a complementary copy of this book, and all opinions expressed are strictly my own.

This was a fast read, and for the most part I enjoyed it. It wasn’t as interesting for me when they got involved with the mob and all their dealings with that, but I know it was necessary part of the story.

I did enjoy the references to 80s fashion. It had a good ending that definitely set it up for a sequel

I have mixed emotions about this book. Parts of it I really liked. But at the same time lt seemed disjointed. Maybe because several people were involved writing it? It was enjoyable but not great like Kimberly belle's other books. The surprise twist at the end just fell flat to me. I would say read it but do not have high expectations.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a super fast paced, entertaining thriller taking place in Providence, RI in 1985! I really enjoyed the story more because I am local to the area and knew all the places they referenced in the book. It definitely reads as a thriller with lots of action, but I love that there was sprinkles of romance, grief/healing, motherhood, and also friendship thrown in it. Also, the Italian mob in the 80s in RI? Sign me up, because this was so interesting!!

If you’re looking for something fast paced, and wildly entertaining pick this one up, because this group of four widows had me quickly turning the pages to find out how their story would end!

Their story starts with 4 lawyers from a firm based in RI, dying when their private plane crashes over the Atlantic Ocean. Left to clean up the aftermath of the crash, but more importantly the firm is all the lawyers widows. Even though, they are not friends, and some may even hate each other, they have no choice but to work together against the clock to fix the mess their partners left.

This is beyond fun and everyone needs to read/listen to this who hasn’t! It is twisty, suspenseful, and full of revenge and bad ass ladies. I was worried since four (amazing) authors wrote this, that it wouldn’t run smoothly or maybe feel disjointed however, it was the complete opposite. I think my favorite thing was trying to guess which character was written by who! I can only imagine the audio being a blast!

This is a wild ride and I loved all the ladies for different reasons! If you are looking for some kick ass entertainment grab this! It was so good I flew through it in one sitting! Thank you @netgalley for my advance copy!

I love all of these authors separately, so I was thrilled to hear that they wrote a book together! The first chapter grabbed my attention. The rest of it was hard to follow, mainly because of the character chapters. I didn’t feel invested in any of the women because I didn’t feel like their stories were developed. I was confused by each POV, their individual plots and the semi crossovers between the widowed wives, which was a distraction to the overall story.

This book was a fantastic read. Loved it. It was one of the best books I read this year. This book started off with a bang and it keep it up thru the whole book. By the title of the book, you kind of think its going to a sexist book. But it wasn't at all.

Its about a plane crash and the people that were left in the wake of it.

Great read.

Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars

You can really tell this book was originally published as an Audible Original. It’s a small blessing, but a larger curse.

Young Rich Widows is a multi-POV thriller set in 1985 just after a plane crash that kills all four partners of a law firm. The story itself is about the widows of the four partners and what they have to deal with in the wake of the unexpected disaster that takes a wrecking ball to all of their lives.

I’ve never read a book that was published as an audiobook first, and maybe that has a lot to do with how the book was transitioned to paperback and therefore how I received it as a reader. The reason I think the transition from Audible Original to paperback may be a larger curse than a blessing is because while the book is entertaining it feels rather flat. I didn’t get anything other than surface vibes and emotions from the pages. While the dialogue was well written it didn’t pack any emotion behind it. I just all read like cheap champagne when I imagine it could’ve read like Dom.

So while it’s a fun read, it just felt kind of empty at the end.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Murder Thriller/Suspense Mystery/Suspense Thriller/Women’s Fiction

Young Rich Widows follows the lives of four widows in 1980s Rhode Island whose spouses, all partners at a prominent law firm, are killed in a suspicious plane crash. As the women grapple with grief and their partners’ secrets, they discover connections to the mob and must join forces to uncover the truth behind the crash.

I requested this ARC because Layne Fargo is one of the authors and They Never Learn was one of my favorite books last year. I was also intrigued by the collaboration between four authors and that they each wrote the POV of particular characters. Overall I was definitely entertained! It is a fun, campy read with a thrilling plot and distinct characters. The interactions between the women feel very genuine and real. However, the story gets a bit unbelievable at times, and the focus on 80s nostalgia may not appeal to everyone. If you're looking for a lighthearted escape with some laughs, this book is worth checking out. But if you prefer more complex mysteries, you might want to pass. This was originally recorded as an Audiobook and I do think that a full cast of narrators would be fun.

"Young Rich Widows" is a gripping collaborative effort by authors Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, and Kimberly Belle, delivering a captivating and intricately woven narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end.

Set against the backdrop of high society and intrigue, the novel introduces readers to a diverse cast of characters, each with their own secrets and motivations. From the enigmatic widows grappling with their newfound freedom to the complex web of relationships and alliances, the authors excel at crafting multi-dimensional characters that leap off the page.

What truly sets "Young Rich Widows" apart is its masterful plotting. The story unfolds with meticulous precision, as layers of deception and betrayal are peeled back to reveal shocking truths lurking beneath the surface. Twists and turns abound, keeping readers on the edge of their seats and eager to uncover the next revelation.

Furthermore, the authors' prose is both elegant and evocative, painting vivid imagery and immersing readers in the opulent world of the wealthy elite. Whether it's the glittering soirées of high society or the shadowy secrets hidden behind closed doors, the novel is infused with a palpable sense of atmosphere and tension.

Overall, "Young Rich Widows" is a triumph of collaborative storytelling, seamlessly blending the talents of four accomplished authors into a cohesive and compelling whole. Fans of suspenseful fiction will find much to love in this thrilling and addictive read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to review.

In the beginning, I was a bit startled. This was either the worst written stupidest ridiculous book I'd ever read or the funniest most outlandish ridiculous book I'd ever read. Quickly figured out that, yes, it is a total farce and comic combination of suspense, Real Housewives of Whatever, mob boss bravado, stereotypical male egos, etc, all the way down to the rolling around in the grass cat fight. I can imagine the discussion before this was written: "wait wait......and then THIS happens" ::takes another drink of her cocktail:: "oh my gosh yes! and then SHE does THIS!!!" etc. You get the point. I am not a "reality tv" fan, but I imagine the laugh out loud audacity of this book is why so many people are addicted to them!

This wild, wild ride of a story is told from four different POVs, it adds an extra layer of dynamic and action as the story unfolds.
I loved that it was set in the past, in the 80ies. Me, being a 70ies kid, still remembering 80ies fairly well – it was a super enjoyable read.

Young Rich Widows was an audiobook first until this edition, co-written by Vanessa Lillie, Layne Forgo, Cate Holahan and Kimberly Belle.

"Four lawyers are killed in a private plane crash. Now their widows are being hounded by the mob to look for missing money. The only way to protect themselves and their families is to band together and find it."

The story is told from the POV of the four widows - Justine, Camille, Meredith and Krystle - one chapter at a time. It takes place in the 80's but the period feels incidental. I think it's more a way to leave out the technology/social media so prevalent in current books. There's corruption, the mob, wise guys and strong women. And an assassin known as the Tiger. It's an interesting mix of relationships. The story is fast-paced with several surprises...and one big reveal at the end.

Great story from this group.