This was an ok read. I found it a bit slow in places but when you get past these parts the pace does get quicker. I haven't read anything by the author before and would definitely give other books by her a go. Overall a good book that other readers may like.
💓 Thank you to storm publishing, netgalley and the author for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was extremely enjoyable. I was hooked from the start and the gradual unveiling of the characters was engaging.

Nate and his posse were horrible people and it just goes to show how money can create monsters. Emma was a brilliant character who you gradually feel bad for and then root for as her story progresses. Obviously she has her own flaws.

The back and forth in the timelines does throw you for a loop but the storyline is fascinating and gripping enough that you somehow manage. Also Detective Rossi could have been a better crafted character.

I was able to figure out the murder midway. I liked how the author shows that appearances can be deceiving and that people who we can crush on looking at TV can turn out to be disgusting people. The commentary on human nature and also poetic justice is food for thought.

I am giving this book 5 stars because I absolutely enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the E-Arc and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

In a radical swerve from romance, Verant has fearlessly created a world of incredible wealth with characters who believe they are above the law. The Lucky Widow is a tale of good versus evil; readers will not put this book down until they know who wins.

Fast-paced, with twists at every turn, this gripping tale will take you on the ride of your life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read in exchange for my honest review.

Emma returns home from a business trip in Paris to find her husband Nate’s body floating face down in the pond behind their home. Nate was an extremely wealthy, handsome, and well-known cardiac surgeon. They had a beautiful home that Emma designed herself.
On the surface, it appeared that she had it all, but that wasn’t the case. She made the mistake of telling anyone who would listen that he was a liar and cheat, and she fantasized about killing him.
Emma became the number one suspect. The police questioned her entire house staff, her daughters, and her friends, but they were all out of town when the murder occurred and were unable to add anything to the investigation.
A gripping thriller that will have you rapidly turning the pages until you reach the spectacular ending.

I really liked this book. It kept my interest and was a page turner for sure. It did have sex-trafficing referenced so beware if that is a trigger. I thought it was interesting that Emma kinda knew the people her fiancé hung with and she still married him. You will like Emma's character quite a bit. The book was easy to read and had some funny elements (Emma and Alexa...).

A fast moving and complex read with sensitive themes. Chaotic at times, but an interesting book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for this ARC.

This is my first book by this author. It started off intriguing but did not have the same momentum all the way through. It was a good concept of a storyline, maybe a little unbelievable, but did not keep me hooked. I would definitely try another book by the same author in future.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my open and honest review. As always, my reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones and interaction on Facebook and instagram where possible.

3.5!

Envisioning Nate's death is like cognitive therapy for my mental health, it takes the edge off.
Wishing your husband dead isn’t a crime, but finding him dead in your house is a different story. In this crafty tale, Samantha Verant illustrates how the perfect life isn't perfect at all. Emma Landon has been married to Nathaniel Landon, a rich, handsome, high-class surgeon, for fifteen years. She thought she had won the lottery of life, but it takes mere seconds for everything to crumble.

Emma is like a butterfly trapped in a spider’s web, with too much at stake. Whenever a spouse dies, suspicion immediately falls on the partner. Verant builds on this preconceived notion and twists it in all the right ways.

"I'm going to float like a butterfly. And then sting like a hundred killer bees.”
If you’re looking for a classic tale where cops hunt down the killer, this isn't it. Here, the victim is a sexual deviant, narcissist, abusive, and a sociopath. The story delves into the events leading to his demise. It's a whydunit rather than a whodunit.

For me, the plot sometimes felt predictable, yet it always came with a twist. It’s like expecting a box of chocolates and finding one, only for the box to contain something entirely different. The characters weren't the best out there—you loved them and hated them—but they were complex enough to stand on their own. I did, however, take issue with one particular character: Detective Rossi. She seemed to target Emma Landon solely because of an old high school rumor. While she showed good judgment in other situations, she was stubbornly prejudiced despite her colleagues pointing it out.

Emma’s character is certainly very complex. She is crazy, kind, and obsessed. Not the best combination, but Verant pulls it off.

The ending left me with a feeling of "I knew it, but it’s somehow unbelievable." It made sense, yet felt surreal—a bittersweet conclusion to a gripping tale.

The Lucky Widow
By: Samantha Verant

5 Stars

When Emma comes home to find her husband, Nate Landon, dead in their pond she knows she will become suspect number one. When the detectives begin looking at her, what they find out is not what they expected. They find out more about Nate and his friends than they ever thought, or wanted, to know, but the biggest question was Who is the real killer?

This book was a crazy wild ride from start to finish. Every page turn added to the drama and thrills. The emotions in this book range a bit. I was mad half the book while being completely swept into the tale of this "boys club". I wanted more and by the end I was in shock. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first page. The characters were interesting and captivated with their lives and hedonism. It was a good book to show what type of secrets can be hidden with the right amount of money.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

I am really not sure how to rate this or review it! On the one hand, I liked the story when it focused on Emma and what she was going through. At first I wasn't sure what to think of Emma, because it was blatantly obvious that her fiance/husband's friends were even lower than the lowest rung of humanity. Yet she still wanted to marry this man.

The story has a fast pace, and is engaging once you get to the meat of the story.
It is told in multiple POV's: Emma, Detective Rossi, and Nate's.
The story involves sex trafficking- so I feel readers should be aware of this. It is not graphic, but is a very important part of the narrative.


So I will break this down to what worked for me, and what I struggled with.

What worked:
-Once the investigation of the murder got started and focused on Emma it was very interesting. I kept thinking I knew what the next incident/twist would be, and I was right maybe 60% of the time.

- The information about butterflies that opened the different sections of the story. Very interesting!

-The consistency of Emma's character once she realizes what she is facing. She truly cares about her family and the people for whom she is responsible. I felt this characteristic of her throughout the second half of the book when the focus is on discovering how despicable her husband and his friend group are.

The "What actually happened" part! No spoilers, but is was wrapped up well.

What I struggled with:
-How Emma "meets" Nate. This is hinted at (a stalkerish thing)- but never fleshed out or explained, and so I never got her "wanting this man".

-Nate's (her husband) best friends were entitled, narcissistic, vulgar, horrifying people. And they were like this through the entire novel. There was NO subtlety. I felt slimy when their characters were first introduced, and it only got worse. I realize there are awful people in the world, but it I felt these characters were written almost as a stereotypical caricature of evil sex traffickers and spoiled billionaires.

- Because of the above, I struggled with the fact that even though Emma knew from the first time she met them that they were awful, she still wanted to be a part of Nate's life and therefore, would be in these people's lives. Abby even points out a lot of things to Emma about Nate and her relationship- but though Emma knows what Abby is saying is true, she still wants him.

-Detective Rossi. Ugh! She is described as tough. Well, she comes onto the scene, and immediately shows prejudice towards Emma because Emma lives "a perfect life". She also shows this when she is describing Emma's daughters (called "spoiled brats"), and a witnesses son ("Another rich Bedford kid. Probably his brand-new BMW in the driveway. Big swagger").
Yet, within the same chapter with this same witness, she looks at his grilling apron and thinks,
"The man's The Grillfather apron makes me cringe. As an Italian, I really hate puns like that, especially when they relate to mobsters".
WHAAAAT?? This character judges everyone based on her own ideas and perceptions, but takes offense at this man's apron? It is such a contradiction, and I just could not trust the thoughts and ideas of this character because of this!

So here is the conundrum for me! It was a fast read, I liked the "mystery/thriller" part, and really liked Abby and Emma in the second part. However, my struggles kept me from really trusting the insight of the detective, and question the genuine affection Emma supposedly had for her husband.

Other readers have loved the book, without reservation. Please check out other reviews. I believe the author can write, and I might try another by her. This book seems to need tightening up for some characters, and more back story on Emma and why she wanted Nate besides "getting the perfect life".

Than you NetGalley, Storm Publishing for the ARC of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A fast paced read that gripped you from the beginning; was the wife guilty or not? There are a lot of hard hitting elements to the book which shine a light on a lot of issues but that didn’t detract from the whodunnit aspect. A good read.

This was an interesting story, it read similar to The Silent Patient IMO, just as much of a page turner.
Everything between Emma, Detective Rossi (hello Criminal Minds flash lol) it was interesting to uncover what was happening!
This is a great book for anyone wanting a book with twists and turns! I enjoyed this so much!

“As I chop, chop, chop in my head, head, head, I’m wishing my monster of a husband dead, dead, dead”

Emma Landon returns home from Paris to find her billionaire husband dead. Far from sad, Emma finally feels free. However, Detective Rossi is determined to prove that Emma had something to do with her husband’s death. Can Emma avoid a murder charge?

I enjoyed this! A fast paced thriller, I was behind Emma from the start, partly fuelled by the fact Detective Rossi was so judgemental and intent on her guilt. I loved the unravelling of the twisted billionaire, along with his seedy friends and it felt like a believable story. Ugh, I’m pleased Nate Landon is dead too!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced copy.

This was a great mystery/crime novel with plenty of secrets and drama, plotting and backstabbing. The lifestyle of the characters was a story in itself, giving the reader eye-opening details of the lavishness of the life lived by those with billions of dollars at their disposal.

I enjoyed the writing style of this author and felt compelled to keep reading, not just to reach the reveals but to watch the events unfold as experienced by the different characters.

The last quarter of the book did feel rushed, almost like a list of dot points wrapping up loose ends.

I received this arc from netgalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Emma went to great lengths so that the man of her dreams would notice her. When they married and started a family, to the outside world every thing appeared perfect.
Loved this book because I did not work out all the pieces. I liked how it all fitted together in the end.

Tremendous..
Finding a husband face down in the koi pond may, indeed, come as a shock but, in this particular case, not only is it considered well deserved but the wife is secretly positively gleeful. Becoming suspect number one does not come as nearly so much fun - but, things are about to change and in spectacular fashion. Fast paced, intriguing and wholly entertaining contemporary whodunit with a plethora of characters that jump from the page and a narrative laced with caustic wit. A one sit read for this reader who relished every single page.

A real fast paced who done it read.
I could not put it down.
Enough twists and red herrings to really keep me on my toes.
Well written characters and overall i fabulous read.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

This book checked all my boxes for a great domestic thriller
1. Great Characters
2. Red herrings, twists and turns
3. The villain gets his due
4. Held my interest from start to finish
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the arc. The comments and review are my honest opinion.
Wishing your husband dead isn’t a crime, but when he does turn up dead, don’t be surprised if the police want to consider you their prime suspect.
Secrets behind closed and locked doors, deceit, manipulation, entitlement, money to burn and twists that keep you from putting this book down also make it a quick read. Highly recommend.

The Lucky Widow is the perfect title for this novel once you start reading I think many of you will agree. Emma Landon was deciding weather or not she should divorce her billionaire cheating husband. A trip to Paris with her best friend Abby, her twin daughters and a daughter from another mother all go with her. Little did we all know that once Emma returns home not only did she decide to divorce her husband, but she also wishes him dead. Upon that arrival we do find her lying cheating husband dead in the pond. Can wishing someone dead really happen or will the police think Emma and her merry woman including her house staff be in on this murder mystery.

Nathaniel Landon was a handsome billionaire doctor whom Emma always dreamed of marrying. I guess you can say watch what your dream for. Nathaniel turned out to be a lying,cheating control freak with very strange friends. Emma designs the house of her dreams, has a successful business and twin girls she adores. Yet Nate has many hidden secrets that put him in a position to try and get rid of Emma. His friends do not like Emma and she does not like them. Something is way off with them. As the story into Nate's death unravels we are thrown into the world of pornography, drugs and sex trafficking. Which also leads us to the lies Nate told of his family and possibly another daughter. Which brings us to who is the killer and why?

This is a fast moving story that does jump around a bit. Many names are involved so I sometimes had an issue of who was who. Yet I was glued to every page. Could Emma be be the murder, did she have help? I needed to find out so I kept reading.. I really ended up despising Nate and his friends by the end of the story.I Iove the way the author described each character in her writing. I was surprised of the ending and again a twist was involved. Loved it .

Thank you Storm and NetGalley for the ARC. .Thank you Samantha Verant for such a well written thriller. four stars for sure.

What happens when you accidentally let out that your husband is a lying, cheating, bastard on the 911 call when you find him dead? All eyes are on you.

This is what happens to Emma when she comes back from her trip to Paris, to find her billionaire husband Nate Landon, lying face down in the pond, dead. With a detective hot on her trails, she finds herself, friends, and family under heavy scrutiny. As information is being uncovered and more in-depth truths of what this 'seemingly perfect’ family had dealings with, more sinister things are laid out that lead down a deep rabbit hole of secrets.

This book kept me on my toes, it was like watching a movie play out in front of me. Every time I thought I had a character or situation figured out, there would be another plot twist happen, making me rethink my entire perspective.

If you like The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose or any Freida McFadden books, I highly recommend this book. It is told in three different acts to help establish the setting and timeline. The different points of view help piece the story together from all angles. There is a lot of information and different characters to keep up with so do take notes, it will be worth it. You are in for a wild ride with this one, make sure to hold onto your seat!