The Fiancé by Rona Halsall is a psychological thriller that will keep you questioning every relationship and every motive. The story follows a woman who, after the death of her first husband, finds a second chance at love with Theo, a kind and caring doctor. But as their relationship deepens, she begins to suspect that Theo may have been responsible for her first husband's death, having been present in the operating room that fateful day.

Halsall masterfully builds tension, taking readers on a rollercoaster of emotions as the protagonist grapples with her suspicion and the possibility that her new fiancé is a murderer. Is she seeking revenge, or has she fallen for a man who could be dangerous? The psychological complexity and the slow-burn suspense will keep you hooked until the very end.

The pacing is tight, with unexpected twists that make you second-guess everything. The writing is sharp, and Halsall creates an atmosphere of mounting dread that’s impossible to shake. If you love thrillers that keep you guessing, The Fiancé is a must-read.

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

They say revenge is a dish best served cold but in the end, as it turns out, revenge is a dish that shouldn't be served at all...

I tried reading this book six months ago but I had so much going in my RL that I struggled to get into it and found myself completely exasperated with Anna's way of thinking. So I shelved it. And it sat there, accusingly, for six months until last night I decided to give it another go. And I flew through it until it's final pages.

Anna is devastated when her husband Ollie goes in for surgery only for complications to arise and she to be left a widow. She is certain that someone is to blame. And who best to aim her accusations against than the surgeon responsible for the operation. But no matter what avenue Anna took, no matter who she complained to, no matter how far she took her allegations - the surgeon was clear of any malpractice and Ollie's death was deemed an accident.

But Anna wasn't going to let it go. Instead she found out everything she could about the surgeon, Theo Heaton. She stalked him and garnered as much information as she could until all her plans were in place. And then she engineers a meet with him. Project Theo. She was going to make him pay.

But then things go awry. Anna never planned on actually liking the man, of falling in love with him. And she enjoyed every moment in his company and found she loved being there. He whisked her away to Paris for her birthday and upon return, he proposed. Anna was speechless. This was what she was leading up to, wasn't it? Everything she had done, all she had planned, it all lead up to this. So why was she hesitating? Could it be she actually was in love with him?

However, like any relationship, there is always another person involved. In this case, Theo's children. Specifically his daughter. Neither of them had warmed to Anna from the moment they met her and now a campaign of hate has been launched against her. Why? To drive a wedge between the happy couple? To break them up? But no matter what hate-fuelled attack was launched at Anna, Luna and Gino (Theo's children) always had an alibi. So it couldn't have been them, could it? Anna is certain they are behind it because no one hates her as much as they appear to.

But then she has another problem. Theo doesn't believe it's his children either. Neither to do the police, no matter how often they are questioned. Anna is left scared and alone, unsure of what is coming next.

This was certainly different from what I expected. Maybe a little OTT but then what thriller isn't? I still enjoyed it despite wanting to scratch Luna's eyes out and give Anna a slap for making some stupid decisions. But the one person I couldn't get a proper read on was her friend Tanya. This is a tale with so many twists you won't know who to trust. I certainly didn't. And I felt as isolated as Anna did as I turned the pages until the end. I wasn't surprised by the who even if others are.

An entertaining read.

I would like to thank #RonaHalsall, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheFiance in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

If the love of your life was killed unnecessary and noone woukd accept responsibility and you r told to move on what would you do?. This action packed thriller told pov style had me hooked from page 1. The thought process of the plan and the reality waa gripping and felt real. I loved the way rhe characters evolved alongside the plan. Full of twists and turns this had me guessing to the end. At times the situation felt too ott and in other too tame but it was this that kept me reading.
Thank you netgallery and publisher and author fir this highly recommended 5 star read

I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. The suspense was expertly crafted, and the ending left me stunned.

Bit of a rough read to be honest. Story was ok, the characters were a bit ott and I felt I didn’t really
Connect.

However as I said story was ok- Anna out for revenge after her husbands death. Becomes engaged to the person she believes is responsible but then the story became a bit far fetched for me. The fiancés children are not impressed with Anna swaning into their family and the craziness begin!

Read til the end which is something for me as I generally give up if I’m not getting into it. So in that sense I must’ve thought is was not too bad.

Sorry I can’t be more positive.

This totally had be hooked from the very start. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing about what will happen next. It’s fast paced and a cracking read

In The Fiancé by Rona Halsall, Anna, a widow, starts a new relationship with Theo, a charming doctor who seems to be her fresh start after the sudden loss of her husband, Ollie, during surgery. But Anna has a nagging feeling that Theo, who was present at Ollie’s operation, might have been responsible for her husband’s death. Consumed by grief and a need for the truth, she begins to question whether Theo is her second chance at love—or if she's gotten close to a man she can't trust. As Anna digs deeper, she uncovers disturbing secrets about Theo’s past, leading her to a crossroads of love, betrayal, and revenge as she faces unsettling truths about her own choices.

I have yet to read a thriller from Rona Halsall that I didn't enjoy! If you've not read this thriller yet (or any of her others) do so immediately!

I have become a fast fan of Halsall's writing, and this book was no different. Anna's husband, Ollie, passes away during surgery, and Anna is convinced that his doctor is to blame. Anna devises a plan to get back at the doctor who goes unpunished after being investigated and found of no wrongdoing. When Anna "meets" him as part of her plan, they quickly fall for each other and soon end up engaged. Things take a different turn than what I was expecting There were twists and turns galore in this fas paced thriller. This book was unputdownable for me, as I had to know what was going to happen. It reeled me in from the beginning and kept me gripped until the very end.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love when I read a book and think I know what is going to happen or where it is going, but it surprises me! This book did just that. It kept me guessing the whole way, and I did not want to put it down!

Yet another great read from Rona Halsall. Her books always draw me in and I just couldn't put this one down. A really fast paced thriller with lots of twists. Truly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

This is one of the best books I have read this year. Let me just put it out there.. THE TWISTS!! WOW they blew me away. When you pick this book up.. prepare yourself to become attached to it and not be able to put it down.

A woman’s revenge knows no bounds - or does it? If you can suspend your judgement of a woman planning on destroying the reputation and even the of life of a surgeon responsible for her husbands death, go for it! Sort of a romantic thriller, sort of a mess in spots.

Loved this book. So many twists and turns. It was unpredictable, the characters were great and the ending was awesome. I didnt know who to trust and thats what I love in a thriller.

This was such a convoluted story, with so many twists and turns! The author has created a very dark and tense psychological thriller that keeps you guessing right up to the end.

The characters are complex (and in one case, completely unhinged), and the story is engaging, particularly once you get about a third of the way in.

And, (random side note) I had a surgical clip dropped inside my abdomen years ago during keyhole surgery and the surgeon decided they would leave it there as it would do me more harm cutting me open to find it!

Anyway (!), great story, I'll be looking out for others by this author.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. This book was really good. When Anna's husband, Ollie, died during a routine surgery, she decided to go after Leo, the surgeon who was responsible for this action. This book was full of so many twists and secrets until the very end.

*The Fiancé* by Rona Halsall is a twisted tale of betrayal and secrets I found impossible to stop reading. I always love a fast-paced thriller with twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. Just how far would you go to get the revenge you want. This was one of my favourite thrillers of the years and I can promise it will be for you too.

The Fiance by Rona Halsall, WoW...........I just adored this book from start to finish and ended up reading it in 1 sitting..........hence why it was so good. It had everything! Written excellent author (one of my Favourites!) and Rona just writes beautifully, it had lots of twists and turns throughout and great characters! and with a great storyline..........What more do you want from a book.
You just need a comfy seat and something to drink, turn your phone off..........Now relax, open your kindle and become apart of this excellent book. It will not disappoint.

A book that is perfect for your holiday or just to get away from everything around you!

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

*The Fiancé* by Rona Halsall is a suspenseful tale where revenge takes center stage. The story's premise is initially intriguing, drawing readers in with a promise of dark secrets and twisted motives. However, as the plot unfolds, it starts to feel somewhat over the top and veers into the realm of the unrealistic. The metaphor "if you dig a pit for someone else, you'll fall into it yourself" perfectly captures the essence of the plot’s twists. Despite the strong start, many of the developments were predictable, with little surprise in the outcomes. The pacing of the book is solid, maintaining a steady momentum throughout. Yet, the lack of genuine unpredictability lessens the impact of what could have been a gripping thriller. While the book delivers on drama, it could have benefited from a bit more subtlety. Overall, it's an entertaining read but lacks the depth to leave a lasting impression.

Well, what a bunch of screwed up bunch of psychopaths these are! The perfect characters!

This is a fantastic psychological thriller, the actions were shocking and they all deserved what was coming to them! I don’t want to risk spoilers, but those twists were spot on!! Especially the sofa ‘buddy’ 😳.

I need to go and binge the authors other books and I highly recommend this!

The Fiance was a really gripping read, I was thoroughly invested from the outset. This is about much more than revenge. The complicated relationships between Theo and his children, his children and Anna and Anna's hidden trauma all merged to create a narrative that Anna's grand plans could barely contain. The epilogue showed a pretty quiet ending considering all of the build up and drama of the final third of the book. This one was a wild ride!