College is a time where you have loads of fun and meet amazing new people.
Rachel and Hannah are the kind of best friends who hold a terrible secret, the kind that makes Hannah run away from her life, and Rachel with unanswered questions.
17 years later Hannah returns to face her truths so she can begin to heal from her trauma and she can stop running.
This book was a decent thriller, yet was confusing at times with the time lapse. I’m not sure I enjoyed the short and sudden ending.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Broken Marriage by Elena Wilkes is a crime novel where Hannah reconnects with two of her college friends, Matt and Rachel, and sees the cracks in their marriage. Meanwhile, Hannah is trying to deal with trauma from her own past.

What I liked was how Hannah tries to take back control of her life when she learns that the man who sexually assaulted her is going to be released from prison soon. She goes to the prison and confronts him and tells friends her story.

Rachel is flighty and doesn’t seem to truly care about others while Matt is trying to hold everything together while being attracted to Hannah and realizing his marriage is over. Whether or not Hannah had returned to their lives, I don’t think that the marriage would have lasted much longer based on Matt and Rachel’s actions and personalities.

I would recommend this to fans of crime novels that have a lot of flashbacks and readers looking for explorations on why marriages fall apart.

This book was very complicated.
Hannah turns up on Rachel and Matts doorstep after 17 years apart. The story jumps to present and past, but it’s not often clear.
The ending twist I didn’t see coming.
Thankyou NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This did not hit the mark for me. First, the title did not really describe the book for me.
Second, it was kinda all over the place & hard to follow. I guess it was kinda twisty at the end, but I was over it by then. I’m sure this will be it someone one. It just wasn’t it for me, at all.

I want to thank Elena Wilkes and NetGalley for an ARC copy of The Broken Marriage. This is my honest, unbiased review. I love a good slow-burn thriller, and this one is no different. I found the build-up, foreshadowing, and setup to be well-executed, with several twists and revelations that caught me by surprise. The only thing I'll say was that I wished I could connect with the characters a bit more. I wished there was a bit more time spent on Matt and Rachel's marriage, which I felt was lacking, considering the title of the book. I believe a little more focus on that aspect would have helped me connect better or relate better. All in all, I'll give this book a 4/5 and look forward to reading more from this author.

⭐⭐⭐
The Broken Marriage by Elena Wilkes is a complicated thriller about many things. In some way, this book is all over the place. Seriously, I can't even summarise it as it's about everything! I was struggling to keep up with what was happening. And jumping back and forth in time was so confusing that I couldn't get what time we were in... I agree that the ending is unexpected but I did have my suspicions.
I definitely feel that the name of the book doesn't suit the book! At the same time, I don't have any suggestions.
I struggled to capture one storyline, it felt like I was reading multiple books at the same time.

This story is about Hannah, Rachel, and Matt who are strange now but 17 years ago they all were best friends. Now Hannah is back and is staying in Rachels and Matt's place. There are many secrets to unpack and relationships between all of them will become will become complicated.

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this copy! I definitely recommend it as it was twisty and unpredictable.

This was a miss for me. I was really excited when I got approved for the ARC but I struggled to follow the storyline. I love a domestic thriller and the title led me to believe it would be such, but it really wasn’t about the marriage as much as it was about two manipulative women who consistently lie to one another. I didn’t find any character particularly likable, nor did I find myself hooked into the story.

The end was a twist that I wasn’t expecting which gives it the 2 stars, but because that was the only part I enjoyed, I unfortunately cannot give it any more than that.

Even though this book is a very slow paced one, especially in the beginning, I think it did a good job at keeping me interested, wanting to know what’s gonna happen next and who’s actually lying.
Although it failed to make any of the characters
likeable. I think the title is a bit misleading. I wouldn’t say the book has much to do with the marriage of two of the main characters but more to do with everyone’s secrets, lies and manipulation.


Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

'The Broken Marriage' by Elena Wilkes is a compelling and gripping tale of love betrayal and redemption that is unraveling surrounded by secrets and lies. The narrative is filled with a number of twists and turns. While some of the plot points appeared predictable the emotional depth of the story definitely makes up for it. All characters are well-developed and have their own flaws, insecurities, and vulnerabilities. The I pacing was perfect and delivers such a satisfying blend of suspense and drama. Overall, this book is a compelling read that will keep you turning the pages, while also leaving you to ponder the complexities of love and trust. I would recommend this book 10x over!!!

Not one of my favorites, there were def some shocking moments and a few twists I didn’t expect but I felt quite confused a few times and had to go back and re-read

There was a lot going on and my head is still spinning with this one and what it all meant. I did find at times it was a bit hard to stay in the book though I’m glad I did and really enjoyed the ending.

Thank you to Elena Wilkes, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The perfect couple is hiding something deadly…

Rachel and Matt have it all. They are the beautiful couple – from their tastefully renovated house to their highly successful careers. But beneath the happy façade lies a relationship strained by secrets and lies. While Rachel grows increasingly restless, Matt can’t stop thinking about Hannah, Rachel’s former best friend, who they haven’t seen for seventeen years…

When Hannah suddenly arrives on their doorstep in the middle of a snowstorm, Rachel and Matt’s perfect marriage begins to crack dangerously. As tensions mount to a breaking point, Hannah reveals her own dark secret – one she's been afraid to face. But has Hannah brought that darkness with her? Has it followed her to this place of safety? Trapped together while the snow falls heavily outside, it becomes clear that everyone has something to hide…

Just why has Hannah reappeared in Rachel and Matt’s lives now, and what isn’t she telling them? And how far will this perfect couple go to keep the growing web of lies from destroying them all?


I had high hopes for this book because it sounded like it could get really interesting and twisty, but it was a bit of a miss for me for several reasons. First, I found the pace to be rather slow until the last 2 chapters and because of that, it didn't really grip me. I read it in a day, simply because I had time off and wanted to see how it would end. This could just be personal preference, but I gravitate more to fast paced stories. Ones that hook you from chapter 1. I don't mind a slow burn, as long as it's building tension and progressing towards a mind-blowing shocking twist. I didn't find any of the twists surprising or shocking. Second, I didn't really like any of the characters which made it difficult for me to want to get to know them better and connect with them. I think if we could have read from Matt or Hannah's POV, I would have enjoyed it more. I typically like multiple POVs to get into the mind of each character and see the situation through their eyes. Lastly, I found it confusing and, at times, unrealistic. There were so many subplots, it was hard to keep up and the ending left me with even more questions. I very rarely give negative reviews, as I try to find the good in every book, but as much as I wanted to love this book, it just fell flat. If it had been more detailed and wrapped up all the subplots, I think I would have felt differently. It's by no means a terrible book, in fact I don't believe there is such a thing, since we all have different preferences, but it simply wasn't one for me. However, I would absolutely give this author another try. Just because one book doesn't blow me away, it doesn't mean the rest of their work isn't fabulously brilliant. This book publishes on 4/18/24 and you should read it for yourself and make your own conclusions. I know there will be people out there that love it and that person may possibly be YOU!

I enjoyed how this novel was set up - flipping from current day events to flashing back seventeen years prior. It allowed the story to unfold in two timeframes while connecting it all together as the book ended.

I think it would be helpful to have a rape trigger warning for this novel. I wasn’t expecting this to be such a huge theme in the book, as the synopsis had not mentioned it. Given that I was under the impression it is a domestic thriller, this topic was a surprise. I think it would be helpful to advise the audience in advance of this.

Overall, it was a fast paced storyline which I enjoyed. However, the ending felt unfinished and left me with more questions than answers.

I would read more books by this author

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the Arc in return for my honest review.

This book just wasn’t for me I kept giving it chance after chance but the more I read the more I wanted to dnf it. There was too much back and forth and sometimes got confusing on who was speaking also it felt a little too childish with Hannah, Emily and Alison all wanting Rachel for themselves. Thank you for the opportunity.

This book was not for me. Unfortunately I did DNF it at 50%. After reading the prison visit scene I can say it’s not a bad book, but it’s not for me. This book is more focused on an event that happened 17 years ago and the friendship between Hannah and Rachel than it is a broken marriage.
Many others did enjoy this book so try it if you like psychological thrillers, but check trigger warnings.
Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Three college friends are reunited after 17 years. The main character Hannah shows up at couple Rachel and Matt’s door, but it’s quite unclear what her intentions are.

Hannah is forced to relive her past and meddles her way into Rachel and Matt’s life while doing so. The book is filled with both lies and betrayal and while I wanted so badly to love this book, I did feel a bit disappointed. The characters were hard to relate to and I felt that the past and present views weren’t clearly defined. Some parts were just far fetched/very unrealistic. However, I still enjoyed reading this and it kept me on my toes. This book is certainly a psychological thriller with a twist that I did not see coming.

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Elana Wilkes for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah shows up on Rachel‘s doorstep 17 years after “the night” happened. The name of the book is misleading because the book isn’t really about a marriage. Yes, there is a married couple with problems, but the book is all about Hannah having something she needs to tell Rachel about, and also trying to unpack lost memories from 17 years ago. There are too many different subplots. The story moves back-and-forth asking what happened to Hannah? Did Rachael really ever like Hannah? Is Rachel having an affair? Is Matt having an affair? What’s the real story with Leech? I think because there was so much going on, I wasn’t able to really get invested or really have my questions answered. The last chapter or two of the book is where the action really happens. The ending left me with more questions than answers, and was lacking my opinion. I really do not like giving negative reviews, but I feel this book tried to do too much and came up short. I feel like it could’ve been a really good story if it were more focused. Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Broken Marriage by Elena Wilkes in exchange for an honest review due to be published April 18, 2024.
Rachel and Matt appear to have it all – the beautiful house and marriage. But, Rachel has someone else and Matt can’t stop thinking about Hannah, Rachel’s former best friend. When Hannah shows up on their doorstep seventeen years later and reveals a huge secret she’s kept, will it break up the marriage and the friendship?
Wow – talk about lies and secrets! Hannah, Matt, and Rachel all have them. Some from now and some from seventeen years ago. The past and present come crashing together as Hannah stays at their house and revisits old times from when they were friends previously. This is a real page turner – one that should not be missed!
Another new-to-me author – I will be looking for more books from Elena Wilkes!
#NetGalley #ElenaWilkes #StormPublishing #TheBrokenMarriage

3.5 stars rounded up!

I enjoyed how this novel was set up - flipping from current day events to flashing back seventeen years prior. It allowed the story to unfold in two timeframes while connecting it all together as the book ended.

I think it would be helpful to have a rape trigger warning for this novel. I wasn’t expecting this to be such a huge theme in the book, as the synopsis had not mentioned it. Given that I was under the impression it is a domestic thriller, this topic was a surprise. I think it would be helpful to advise the audience in advance of this.

Overall, it was a fast paced storyline which I enjoyed. However, the ending felt unfinished and left me with more questions than answers.

I would read more books by this author.

The concept of this book is good - Hannah visits her old uni roommates to figure out what happens 17 years later. For me, it was slow paced and a bit confusing. However, the premise of the story is good - it just wasn't a page turner.