Emerson is post-recovery following a traumatic incident involving her baby daughter which resulted in the disintegration of her family and necessitated Emerson spending time in hospital. On her release her one main aim is to be reunited with her young son, Leo, who is currently in the custody of his father and his new girlfriend. What then follows is a highly emotive story of a mother’s quest to reclaim her son however, events conspire against her and in a hugely complex domestic thriller we discover the lengths people will go in order to seek revenge.

I raced through The Wife at the Window in almost one sitting as it’s one of those stories which once started you can’t put down. Emerson’s story is told with compassion so that we are soon on her side and want everything to work out for her. Her ex-husband Shep and his girlfriend, Talia are not so likeable but are definitely intriguing and I whilst I didn’t feel any empathy for them I found their story equally fascinating.

The ultimate twist in the tale is cleverly done and I truly didn’t see it coming, so all credit to the author for keeping the momentum and offering twists, turns and surprises in a complex domestic thriller which kept me engaged from start to finish.

Talia sees herself as Leo’s new mother, she wants this life, she needs this life she must not lose this life! She wants to be married to Shep and to be Leo’s new mother. There just seems to be one problem….Emerson. She will do whatever it takes to have Emerson’s life.
Emerson is trying to get her life back after being sent to an institution following the death of her daughter Thea. When she is released from the hospital Emerson returns home only to see a new woman living in her there. It seems she was replaced as a mother and wife by her husband’s new girlfriend, Talia. But she just can’t seem to shake the feeling that she was not responsible for Thea’s death, she is convinced that there was a man in the house that night. Can Emerson figure out what happened that fateful night and can she get her life back? Or will she find out that the people she might have wronged want to ruin her life?
Overall rating 4/5
The dynamic between the characters is palpable! I loved the duel POVs that gave such insight to both sides of a volatile situation. But how Reinard can make you feel empathy for both sides. And the twist at the end made for such an unpredictable twist. I would love to see a POV from the passive Shep just to see what he was truly thinking the whole time.
*Thank you to Cara Reinard, Lauryn Allman, Amelia Sciandra, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the arc of This book by Cara Reinard

5 stars 🌟 what an amazing thrilling gripping roller coaster I loved how it got me wanting more and on the edge of My seat I read this within 24 hours! Highly recommend

Yet another quick domestic thriller from Bookouture! Reading other reviews, it’s very clear that the audiobook version is very well done and kept everyone absolutely gripped. So, Emerson is one of our narrators. She is newly released from the hospital that is associated with the prison. She was sent there after the death of her baby daughter – she insists it was a break in and she did everything to protect her – but no one believes her. While she is gone, a new woman moves in to take her place. Our other narrator, Talia, was in the picture before Emerson went away, and she is happily playing house with Shep and his son, Leo (Emerson’s son). Now, Emerson isn’t about to just let her family be taken over by this new woman. That is her son, her (now ex) husband, and her home. How far is she willing to go to get her life back? Well, this was certainly a wild ride and I think the writing was perfect for keeping things tight and gripping. Towards the end there were a couple things that seemed a tad too farfetched, but it’s a thriller so sometimes you need to allow for some outlandish things. Overall, a great read and if you’re into audiobooks, it sounds like that is a great way to read this one!

This is the first book that I've read by this author and I can say I really enjoyed it. A gripping read that you will find hard to put down once you start it.

Just when I thought one more thing couldn’t possibly happen in this book Reinhard smacked me with more drama!
This was so much more than two women fighting over a man who frankly wasn’t worth gum on the bottom of a shoe. Emerson was unstable and wanted her family back but didn’t make the best choices while Talia was just a vile creature who had her hooks in a man who could provide a lifestyle for her.
The other characters filtered in and out and I didn’t anticipate what the pinnacle of the plot delivered.
Honestly, I needed to lay down after finishing this book because it was so dramatic!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Cara Reinard and Bookoture for the ARC and opportunity to review this book.

A solid 4.5 stars in my opinion. It was a gripping complex psychological thriller that kept me turning the page.

The subplots all became tightly weaved into the main plot and the characters were quite believable. While I didn’t really like either of the female main characters I feel like I have met examples of both of them over my lifetime.

The author did a great job with the childhood mental health issues that carried over into adulthood. It was a well done display of mental health and the justice system in today’s society.

There were many twists and turns and well I pretty much figured how it would end it was still all tied up nicely in the end.

I feel it is a binge worthy fiction novel and would recommend to others. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the first I've read from Reinard and it was such a great introduction to her work.

Narrated by Emerson and Talia - the ex wife and the current girlfriend - The Wife at the Window is a pacey read that's brilliantly twisty and goes into the dark depths of one woman's mental health as she fights to prove her innocence and for her son.

The characters are well developed, some more dislike able than others ie Talia, what an absolute bitch she was!

A brilliant story of secrets, lies and deception.

The Wife at the Window by Cara Reinard

Addictive and smartly plotted.

The story had a promising start and it revealed more secrets chapter after chapter. It came to “who to trust” problem, which you had to find out until the end.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Jun 17, 2024

This was an entertaining thriller but honestly not a particularly good one. We follow two women, Emerson who has just been released from a psychiatric hospital, after the death of her daughter (an accident she apparently caused), and Talia who is the new girlfriend of Emerson's husband, and step-mum to Emerson's little boy.
Each chapter hinted at something but for a long time there was little happening apart from characters being petty and then, towards the end, big reveals, new characters emerging, nothing is what it seems, etc.
I felt the last five or six chapters took a wildly different direction than the rest of the book, and while a thriller needs surprise... It didn't convince me.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW.

Review for 'The Wife At The Window' by Cara Reinard.

Well done Cara on an absolutely tension packed and page turning thriller!!!

AN ABSOLUTELY UNPUTDOWNABLE, TENSION FILLED AND SUSPENSEFUL BOOK THAT WILL KEEP YOU UP LATE AT NIGHT UNTIL YOU TURN THE LAST PAGE!!

Wow!!! This book is fantastically written and had me hook, line and sinker from beginning to end. The descriptions were so in depth and vivid that the hair on my arms was standing on the ends and my heart was pounding throughout. The synopsis, title and cover were perfect for the storyline.

A HUGE success by the extremely talented Cara Reinard!! I absolutely loved this unique page turning explosive page turner. I was absolutely absorbed throughout this suspense filled thriller. It is filled with tension, drama, family, suspense, lies, deceit, romance, love, and omg the ending!!! I DID NOT see the twists coming at all!!! Just when I think everything had been worked out and things were settling down BOOM came shocking ending!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS Cara!! It is getting harder and harder to shock me but by God you did that over and over and over!!! What an ending!!! One of the most gripping unputdownable psychological books I have read this year!!! You have one hell of a talent and I cannot wait to get hold of your previous and future books. I cannot remember the last time I was so hooked by a book but you managed that big time!!! I loved that the book is told from different perspectives and each of their stories/chapters were perfectly weaved together to show us everything that is going on and how each of the characters are thinking and feeling throughout. The storyline is filled with shocks, suspense, tension, deceit, and everything you could ask for in a gripping thriller!!. There was so much going on and it was very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Cara's fantastic evocative descriptions ensures you are completely absorbed into the storyline with the characters coming to life all around you! This book is absolutely addictive and I read it in one sitting. I absolutely loved the explosive ending that leaves you wanting more! It kept me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails with my heart absolutely pounding throughout especially at the end! I really am looking forward to the next book by this extremely talented author. A gripping, all consuming addictive page turner!!!

Clear your schedule before you start as I read this in one sitting as I could not put it down!! Practically every chapter ended on a cliff hanger so no way could I put it down!! Absolutely hooked!! I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!!!

The characters were all strong and realistic and thanks to Cara's absolutely fantastic writing skills they all come to life when you are turning the pages. My heart went out to Emerson for what she was going through as she only had the one person to support her through it. I was rooting for her throughout the book and hoping that she would get a happy ending. All of the characters were realistic, each with their own personalities, weaknesses and flaws. As much as I liked Emerson the opposite was true with Shep and I found him to be selfish and self centred. Now, normally when I dislike a character I struggle to enjoy the storyline but with Cara's fantastic writing skills she has managed to put extremely unlikeable characters in such a fantastic storyline that you can't help but be addicted to the book regardless of how you feel!!! I will stop here as I will give too much away if I say anymore and I really don't want to spoil it for future readers so I wont say anything else and let other readers make their own minds up about how they feel about the characters.. Regardless of whether you love or hate the characters they all worked perfectly together to make this an addictive and gripping storyline!!

Overall a suspense filled, unputdownable and addictive page turning thriller!!

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Wow! What a fantastic read. I did not have a clue how the book would end. Not even close to figuring it out. Cara Reinard had my head spinning trying to decipher the ending. Without spoilers, the book is about an ex wife and the new girlfriend and their battle for the man and child they both love. Both will do anything to keep them. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a new author for me. I really enjoyed The Wife At The Window. This is the kind of twisty thriller I enjoy packed with misdirection, unreliable narration, multiple characters and plenty of twists and turns. The chapters alternate from Emerson and Talia’s point of view. Emerson recently got out of hospital after having a breakdown. She just wants to see her beloved son again. Talia is her ex husband’s new girlfriend, the seemingly perfect woman who’s taken Emerson’s place and who’s become mother to her son. It’s handbags at dawn with these two stubborn, obsessive women. Emerson is single minded in her obsessive quest to get her family back. Talia is single minded in her determination to get rid of Emerson and sever her connection to Talia’s carefully gained family, permanently. But is there someone else playing a dangerous game. This is a gripping read. I’d recommend it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was quite gripping and fast paced. And boy the twists towards the end really got me!

I enjoyed "The Wife at the Window", the plot was full of action and fast-paced, making it a really quick read.
Cara Reinard created an intriguing story.
It's well written, well plotted and very enjoyable.
This was a real page turner with a terrific twist at the end.

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A perfect family torn apart by the death of a baby girl, Emerson spent the next year in a mental health hospital. Now Emerson is out and wants to see her son and she has to complete many things before the judge will allow that.
Her now ex-husband has moved on with another woman who has replaced her in every aspect.
Emerson wants her son back and will fight as hard as she possibly can to get him. 

What I thought might be a custody battle story was so much more, it was intense and thrilling. It is told from Emerson's point of view and also Talia who is now with Shep. Both of these ladies have their demons, and their dislike of each other is clear and they both want each other out of the way.

I wanted to scoop Emerson up and help her through it all. She only had one person stand by her through all of this. 

Cara Reinard wrote this so well, that I was thoroughly gripped. I have not read anything from her before, but I will be looking out for more now!

The ending really threw me off! A lot, and I mean a lot happened in the last few chapters. My original rating was 3, but the twists at the end made me give this book a 4. A good read, will recommend!

This book was full of twists and turns and I would highly recommend! I loved the writing style that Cara used - I thought it was the perfect balance of gripping and intense, yet still easy to follow. The way that the chapters were narrated by two different characters with each one switching with them telling the story from their own perspective was a huge positive for me, I felt it made for an excellent read!
The plot was extremely gripping and it pulled me in from the very start and kept me guessing the whole way through, after I got about 30% of the way through I couldn’t put it down. There wasn’t a single point in this book where I wasn’t engaged with the storyline and I felt overall it was a 5* read.

Cara Reinard's THE WIFE AT THE WINDOW is an edge-of-your-seat twisty domestic suspense thriller!

“A compelling portrait of grief, mental health, and guilt— from a mother's fearless investigation to save her son through the lies, deception, secrets, and the past framing her life.

About...

This dazzling psychological thriller is a love triangle tale (not the norm) of two women with a past and one man.

Emerson-wife/mother
Talia-live-in girlfriend
Shep-husband/boyfriend/father

After the death of a child, a mother is not allowed to see her son due to mental illness. However, no one believes her. Both have dark pasts. The husband's new girlfriend is manipulative and controlling. Plus another storyline from the past rises to the surface. Let the games begin.

The author keeps you in suspense, ratcheting up the tension, when the past and present collide for an explosive finale in this captivating twisty suspense, exploring the unwavering power of motherhood.

One year earlier:

Emerson (an artist and children's book illustrator) is married to Shepherd Kingsley (an architect). They have a beautiful home in Newton and two children, Leo (a son) and Thea (an infant daughter).

Emerson is at home alone with her two children and sees an intruder in her house. She ran to check on her son and to the nursery to check on her baby. The man grabbed her arm as she ran for the steps with the baby, and down they went. When she woke up, the baby was in her arms. She fell. She does not remember. Her baby is dead.

No one believes there was an intruder and says the tragic accident was caused by the mother's fall chasing a dream, and blames it on her mental health and sleep disorder. She then is stripped of her family. Shep, her husband never stood by his wife when she needed him.

Now:

Shep lives in the family home and has a live-in girlfriend, Talia, (delusional) with his son Leo. Talia is obsessed with Shep and Leo—a monster. She will do anything to keep Emerson away from her new family. She even shares custody with Shep. Talia worked her way into Shep's life, knowing he was married with a family. She says she is protecting Leo.

Emerson had been diagnosed with a series of sleep disorders, hallucinations, and night terrors, but she knows this was not a dream, nor was she sleepwalking when the traumatic event occurred. There was a predator in her house. She also has a past with issues as a teen when there was a fire.

However, Emerson has spent time in a mental hospital and under a therapist's care. She is released from the mental hospital, Meadowbrook, and living at a halfway house. She wants nothing more than to reunite with her son. However, Talia is doing everything to keep her away.

Emerson is worried about her son and the destructive influence (rightly so) and stands outside on the street watching at the window.

Emerson has been granted visitation with her son; however, Talia cannot allow this. She tries to turn Leo against his mom and convince Shep to protest the court order for visitation. Emerson is trying to get back on her feet to be a good mother and a talented artist, a children's book illustrator. Then, someone keeps her from getting this job.

How far will Talia go to keep Shep and Leo? There is something sinister about Talia and her past.

We also learn about Talia (an assistant to Gus, her boss) at the architectural firm where she and Step work. There is a death at the firm, and Talia manipulates everyone, including Leo's visit with Emerson, and goes on the run. But her plan may backfire.

Enter Kent Bessler, a paranormal researcher based in Connecticut. His stepson went missing at age 10, and he wants to buy her old childhood summer home to film. Is her house cursed? Other secondary characters add to the intrigue and mystery.

Hang in there... a sinister turn when Emerson takes a trip back to her childhood summer home, where a devastating event took place years ago, and the beginning of the night terrors. Then, the hospital administrator drowns suspiciously.

However, is it Emerson or Talia who has a dangerous past? What dark secrets do each hold? Secrets will also come out. Someone wants revenge. Will Leo be collateral damage?

Will Emerson reach her son in time to save him? If she loses another child she will not survive. Never underestimate the power of a mother's love.

From past to present, all the sins of the past are unraveled. Who will win out in the end when nothing is as it appears? Who is the sociopath? The final twist is one you do not see coming!

My thoughts...

THE WIFE AT THE WINDOW is an edge-of-your-seat twisty domestic suspense thriller—from creepy paintings, a haunted house, manipulation, gaslighting, and dark past secrets.

An intense haunting who and whydunit, psychologically deft and full of hairpin turns, twists, and emotions. Will Emerson be able to solve the case of the intruder to prove she was not responsible for her daughter's death?

You think the book is going one way, but the author cleverly takes you in a different direction, keeping you glued to the pages. A tangled web of secrets, lies, and deception.

Fans will root for Emerson all the way. Talia is a piece of work, and Reinard has created an evil, manipulative person with gaslighting at its finest. The author also handles emotionally charged topics of mental health, grief, past trauma, and the death of a child with compassion and sensitivity.

This is my first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more. I enjoyed her writing style. I hope we see more of Leo and Emerson in a future book as he ages.

Audiobook...

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by the dynamic duo—Amelia Sciandra and Lauryn Allman for an engaging and intense nail-biting performance for all voices.

Recs...

THE WIFE AT THE WINDOW is for fans of love triangles, dual POVs, twisty plots, motherhood, and domestic suspense. It is also for fans of authors Freida McFadden, Miranda Rijks (The Insomniac), A.R. Torre, K.L. Slater, Christina McDonald, B.A. Paris, Daniel Hurst, and Emily Shiner. Thriller and mystery fans should add this twisting tale to their summer list.

Special thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC for an honest review.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 17, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Wife at the Window
By Cara Reinard

I absolutely loved this storyline! Wonderful read. Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review NetGalley!

Emerson has had her fair share of heartache losing her child and husband so when she is released from hospital to try and start again, it is not all as straight forward as it should be.

Twists, twists and more twists!

Talia is “new mum” to son Leo and will go to any length to stop Emmerson seeing her son again. Including betraying Leo’s Dad, Shep.

Won’t spill too much of the storyline but you defo need to give the is one a go! 100% addiction!!