This book was filled with lots of drama and I’m here for it! Though, I can’t quite understand why Emma wanted to spend time around her husband. He didn’t come across as the greatest guy, which I later found out was a gross understatement.

The dual POV was perfect for this story! Once I was in the book, I was hooked in. It was fast paced and I read it in just a few sittings. Would definitely recommend this one!

Book Review:
Title: The Lucky Widow
Author: Samantha Vérant
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/4 stars

I was pretty intrigued by this book. It's terrifying to know that the situations in the book involving human trafficking actually exist. You can't help but wish all of those involved dead. That's really the only form of true justice I regards to this horrible act.

Emma Landon is just done with her husband, Nathaniel. Nathaniel is a well-known, affluent, highly respected cardiac surgeon. Until he's found dead floating in his pool. Emma and her best friend, Abby, have just returned from a week-long getaway to Paris to find her home destroyed, and her husband deceased. Emma becomes the number one suspect, especially when texts reveal that she stated, "I'm going to kill you."

Detective Rossi is on the case, convinced that she has the correct suspect. She just has to find the proof to nail her. During her investigation, Rossi finds the sinister side to Nathaniel and his boys group. What these men are involved in ends up with many more dead, and Rossi still points her finger at Emma. But in the end, does Emma prove her innocence, or is she somehow involved? Twisted and suspenseful, and I really enjoyed it!

Published: July 5th, 2024

Thank you, @netgalley and @stormbooks_co, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

If you're looking for a dark and twisted thriller, look no further. The Lucky Widow by Samantha Verant is just the book.

It starts out as a seemingly cut and dry police investigation. Emma Landon returns home for an overseas trip to find her husband dead in the pond. It's incredibly shocking as he's a billionaire with many rich friends and colleagues. When Emma says some negative things about him on her 911 call, one police officer takes note of that. It's always the scorned spouse, isn't it?

But when they start diving deeper into the investigation and Emma hires legal counsel, the truth is slowly revealed. And it's disgusting, to be honest. I had no idea where this story was going. It's told partially in present day and partially in the past. It's incredible how both Nate and Emma's personalities changed over the course of their marriage.

This isn't a perfect book. Personally, I feel that the author could have taken more time to wrap things up in the end. But I realize that there wasn't really any way to get the details I was looking for, since Nate was dead. We just have to make some assumptions. Also, Detective Rossi rubbed me the wrong way but I think that was the point of her character.

Overall I felt that this was an exciting thriller and it shocked me in more ways than one. If you're looking for a thriller with lots of twists this is the perfect book for you.

This was such an interesting book! It was an original plot and kept me reading throughout, interested in what would be happening next.

What a great synopsis. This is what attracted me to this book in the first place. It has a past and present timeline and told by 2 pOV. I very much connected with the character of Emma.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house Storm Publsihing and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

"Wishing your husband dead, doesn't make you a killer." , what a great tag line. I was hooked right from the beginning.

Emma returns home from a trip to Paris with her best friend, happily discussing her plan to finally divorce her billionaire husband, Nathan Landdon, when she discovers him dead in her fish pond. Detective Rossi is called to investigate the case and she has some really strong pre-formed first impressions of Emma that lead her to think Emma is guilty, beyond doubt. But as Emma tells her story to Detective Rossi, we see that Nate is not who every one thinks he is and there may be many others who would want him dead.

This was a fast paced thriller, I enjoyed the storyline and the twists were somewhat predictable but still quite enjoyable.

I'm torn on how to review this book. I didn't love it, but didn't hate it. A solid 3 stars. It's pretty fast paced, and fairly engaging. The circumstances around her husband's death is definitely enough to keep you reading. I had no idea what I was in for though. I don't want to spoil it but there is way more to this book than what it seems. It's definitely twisted and should have a trigger warning for sex trafficking but overall it was a great quick read. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

The Lucky Widow is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you on edge with its unexpected twists and suspenseful narrative. The storytelling is sharp, with well-crafted characters and a plot that builds tension effectively. While some twists are more predictable, the overall atmosphere and pacing make it a compelling and engaging read. It's a solid choice for thriller fans looking for a quick, intriguing escape.

I haven’t had many 5⭐️ reads this year but as soon as I started this one I knew I’d found one. I absolutely couldn’t put it down (well apart from work!). I love a domestic setting for a thriller so it was already a plus for me.

I was not a fan of Detective Rossi at all. She got tunnel vision as soon as she arrived at the house and was just so judgmental. Judging Emma. Calling the kids spoiled brats without even meeting them.

I loved seeing the investigation unfold and how as a reader we learned how it all went down. It was well written and I just didn’t know what was coming next. There is so much more to this story than a wife being happy her husband’s dead and her being the main suspect. I don’t want to spoil it so I’ll just say read it instead!

As with the best thrillers, The Lucky Widow tees up a question and then, through all the twists and turns it keeps you guessing.

Retiring from a trip, Emma finds her sleezy husband face-down dead in the pond.

The police suspect that perhaps she did it, but there’s a lot more to this story than at first, you may imagine as a reader. Flipping back and forth between past and present we gradually learn more as readers, with lots of reveals until we reach the big “woah” finale.

Twisty, fun with a kickass heroine, The Lucky Widow will keep you riveted and leave you guessing until the very last page.

A complex story with different timelines and POV's. but fast paced until the very last page. Well worth a read
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

Loved everything about this book from the storyline to the characters. It grabbed me in from the beginning and I read could not put it down until I finished!! Soo good!

This was a great book. It was the first one I read from this author but it certainly won’t be the last!

A brilliant fast paced read that I found so hard to put down once I started.
Be careful what you wish for!! Emma has wished her husband dead for a long while and will tell anyone who listens she wishes he was dead. When she returns from a work trip she finds him dead and she is the number one suspect.

This was a pretty good story after all. The flashbacks made it interesting as you figured out what was going on in the present day. I did find myself hooked. Parts of the writing weren't excellent, and it became unbelievable at times as well, but on the whole it was a good thriller.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Samantha Vérant for an ARC via NetGalley.

An interesting concept of a storyline - an entitled wife fed up with her husband (we're not sure why at the start of the book), wishing he was dead, then coming home from a trip to ... find him dead. Soon after, she finds herself at the centre of the murder investigation. As the plot unfolds, so many more suspects come into play.

So yes, "Did Emma kill Nate and if she didn't, who did and why" is the overarching question we are seeking the answer to throughout the book, but there are many other storylines, including sex trafficking, so this is not a story for everyone. While it's not overtly described, there's enough to make it an uncomfortable read in parts.

Apart from that, I found it hard to love a lot of the characters - Nate's friends (this is part of the story - it wouldn't work if they were nice people!), though I did empathize with Emma's best friend Abby (and wished there was more about her) and Emma's parents. Emma is a lot smarter than she first comes across (revealed as the story goes on and in the final parts of the book), and as I was figuring this out, I gained a bit more respect for her than when we meet her initially. I'm still wondering why Emma wanted to marry Nate in the first place, though!

A lovely feature of the book was the info about butterflies that was included in each chapter (part of the plot). A fast-paced thriller (that would make a good film!) that's a solid summer read!

A real page-turner, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were compelling. I look forward to reading more from this author

The Lucky Widow by Samantha Verant

The Lucky Widow is a fast paced psychological thriller that keeps you engaged until the very end. The number one suspect is always the husband or wife when a suspicious death happens, and of course this follows that rule. When Emma’s sleezeball husband Nate is found dead, Emma is suspect number one, even though she has an alibi. Especially when her 911 call includes comments about how her husband was a dirty cheat. As the investigation unfolds, the author takes you to a trip through time, revealing dark dangerous and deadly secrets,

I definitely enjoyed the dark secrets and the lovely revenge of a woman scorned. I enjoyed the way the author revealed the past in a way that wasn’t a flashback. While the author created some amazing characters that you love, she also did a great job creating ones that you truly hate. The story will draw you in and make it hard to put down, causing you to continue to question did Nate die of natural causes or did someone kill Nate.

Looking in, it appears Emma has it all. Married to a successful doctor, wonderful children and a beautiful home. However, things are not as wonderful as they appear and Emma desperately wants out of her marriage. Before she can file for divorce, Emma finds her husband dead and becomes the number one suspect in his murder. Lots of lies, manipulation, and deception will keep you on the edge of your seat.

My first time read by this author and Wow! I'll certainly be looking out for more. With multi POVs and timelines it certainly took some concentration but worth while sticking with it. With short chapters the story moves at an incredible pace.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review