Everything was very carefully constructed, the narrative thread was woven with numerous plots that added gravity to the climax at the end of the book.

Anna is at her wit's end. Her useless husband, Paul, has just spent most of their savings in Las Vegas because he "needed a break". A break from what exactly?: Doing nothing?!? She can't take it anymore, but just when she decides their marriage is over, Paul gets a shocking phone call: his Uncle James has just passed away. James had no children or other relatives, so his estate, and huge, expensive mansion, is now Paul's.

This couldn't have come at a more perfect time in Anna's life. She can stick around, help Paul sell the mansion, and she can get half of the money, which she is rightfully owed, and can fix up her bakery and move on with her life. But when she finds out Paul is having an affair, and plans to move his mistress into the estate and not sell it, Anna is hell-bent on getting revenge. Unfortunately, she is not the only person in her life that is seeking revenge, and it is all around her.

While the shock of the revenges that were committed were not too shocking, I still found myself glued to the novel to finish the ending. The beginning was slow to get excited for, but halfway through, I found myself burning through the pages on a flight home. I enjoyed Baxter's relatable characterization, and every reader will hate Paul as much as Anna does by the end of the novel.

I wanted to love this one… I really did. But it’s important in a book that no matter how bad the characters are, you still have to be able to get into it. But Paul was just annoying. The way he was written made it difficult to enjoy reading his parts of the story and its dual pov.

Although I can't say I loved this book, it was an okish read, I didn't like any of the characters especially Paul, he was so childish and annoying. There was parts of the book I quite enjoyed.

Cole Baxter did it again! I love the way we go between the POV of the main characters, Paul and Anna.

They are in a passionless marriage, neither is truly happy with the other… Paul steps out on the marriage and thinks that Anna is none the wiser. When an estranged family member passes and leaves his vast estate to Paul, Anna must decide if she can handle keeping up appearances long enough to claim half of the estate for herself.

With endless twists and turns, Her Secret Revenge is jam packed with edge of your seat goodness. Highly recommend!

This book is told by 2 povs. That being Paul and Anna. A book full of lies and lust. I honestly couldnt stand Paul. It was a bit too slow for my liking but having said that , I liked it but I didnt love it.

So, its been a while since I read this book (months)and I have to say I totally forgot what this was about. Unfortunately it's pretty forgettable. It's fun whilst your reading it and fast paced but nothing that sticks in your memory.
This is the second Cole Baxter book that I have read and I do enjoy his books whilst reading but they don't leave much of an impact.

What I do remember from this book is the most annoying douchebag Paul, the husband. He was so arrogant and self important that I rolled my eyes at this guy and he really couldn't see what he was doing was wrong. Though the wife wasn't much better. If you are a fan of unlikeable characters in your fiction then this is the book for you.
I will continue to read this authors work as both books have been different but easy to read and fast paced.

This was a really quick and entertaining book. I wound up reading this in one sitting!

Read if you like:
✨Dual perspectives
✨Family drama
✨Unlikeable characters
✨Behind Closed Doors and The Housemaid

Anna is married to Paul, a man who lies, cheats, steals, is lazy and a terrible husband. They are miserable together, and when Annie hires a private investigator and finds out Paul is sleeping with a woman named Marianne, she decided once and for all to divorce him. Before the divorce finalises Paul's uncle dies and leaves him a big inheritance.
A book full of lots of twists and turns that keep the story moving forward and even though you think you may know where this is all leading you may be surprised.

This is a story of betrayal, lies, greed and death. I think it would be great on screen. Told from two points of view, everything was laid bare from the onset. We knew who the villain was or so we thought.

This follows the story of Paul, who is cheating on his wife, Anna, his mistress, Marianne and her husband, Cameron. Throw in a wealthy family inheritance and you have the perfect recipe for murder.

It was entertaining and given that everything was bare from the onset it was entertainment to continue to read as events unfolded.

I was able to figure out what was happening but it didn’t take anything away from the suspense the author was trying to build.

All of the characters were one dimensional and there were undeveloped even at the end.

It could have benefited from fewer pages/chapters and still made perfect sense. Nevertheless, this is recommended for readers of domestic thrillers, family drama and suspense.

This book is just silly. It was hard to get into ! What a douche! The plot line was super thin- your basic cat and mouse. Baxter is always a gamble for me- some of his books are good- some not. But I still keep coming back for more.

HER SECRET REVENGE
Cole Baxter, author
Mystery/Thriller

Anna and Paul have a topsy turvy marriage. With an unexpected inheritance and Paul having a mistress. Anna is hanging on by her nails until the estate gets sold to divorce Paul. Then the bodies start dropping like flies.

Paul was very whiny in this book which kind of turned me off it for the first part but when the twists start, it gets much better. With its surprise ending, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

An amazing thriller! This book is masterfully plotted and brilliantly written. i read it in one heart pounding sitting. Just wonderful!

"Her Secret Revenge" is an enthralling read, brimming with unexpected twists, secrets, and deception, making it utterly impossible to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book.

Oh wow!!! I did not see that plot twist coming!!! This was a first for me by this author but will not be my last! Such a good story!

Reading Between the Wines book review #69/130 for 2024:
Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: Her Secret Revenge
Author: Cole Baxter
Released on July 23, 2024!! Grab your copy today!

Sipping thoughts: You know those books where every character is incredibly dislikable. But you just love to hate them! Baxter’s writing had me in a dilemma of wanting to root for a character who just might not be root-worthy. The level of suspense that he created with Anna and Paul’s marriage and the other characters that were a huge part of their marriage had me on edge. Speaking of marriage, with a marriage like this one, I would much rather remain single for life. Paul is a narcissistic butthole that I can’t imagine any woman wanting to be with, let alone 2 women! Reading this, I could not determine if Anna was guilty in the downfall of her marriage and if she was guilty in acts that happened once her marriage started to break up. There were times when I just shook my head at the crazy antics in this book, but it was very enjoyable, and I appreciated the ending.

Cheers and thank you to @Bookouture, @colebaxterauthor, and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @HerSecretRevenge.

#HerSecretRevenge #ColeBaxter #Bookouture #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

A masterfully written thriller. Its intricate plot, well-drawn characters, and relentless suspense make it a must-read. This is a story that will linger in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page, a chilling reminder of the depths of human emotion and the darkness that can lie within.

Anna and Paul’s marriage is very rocky. Paul does impulsive things like spending lots of their money that they are trying to save. Anna owns a bakery and works hard to improve it. Paul fancies himself as an artist and simply cannot imagine why he has not been successful. So, he has to lower himself to actually works at an office job. Paul’s uncaring selfishness has now evolved into him having a girlfriend and spending money on her. She is a tattoo artist married to an abuser. Tired of being the adult in their marriage, Anna now wants a divorce. But Paul suddenly becomes the heir to his uncle’s mansion outside New York. With the upkeep on the home so high, he is now ready to sell it. That’s what Anna is waiting for so she can then file for divorce and get half of the proceeds of the sale. Now, she has to wait and try to get Paul to move on this. In the meantime, Anna hires a private detective to watch Paul and keep up with his antics. His mother, Noreen, has always babied him and, while Anna likes the woman, she does get tired of her interfering in their business.

Things start to get scary when Marianne’s husband learns of her affair with Paul. The man’s temper is very bad and they all become terrified of what he might do next. Thus, they move into the estate that Paul inherited and that’s when the action truly begins.

This is a scary story but I have to admit that I had quite a few chuckles along the way as I read it. Paul is such an idiot that one has to laugh at his selfish and narcissistic ways. How do people like this manage to make it through their lives? So, come and enjoy this book and see if you can laugh and shake your head at Paul too.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This wasn’t my favorite book. Honestly, Paul was a whiny selfish prick and I was annoyed by everything he said and did. The writing felt juvenile and repetitive. There was a twist I didn’t see coming that I appreciated, but I found myself skimming to finish.

Anna and Paul are on the verge of a breakup as Anna realises that Paul is up to no good and would only drag her down. Paul, an aspiring painter, never gets into his work seriously and tries to live off Anna’s money. He is also having a secret affair with his hair stylist, Marianne and Anna finds out about the affair by hiring a Private investigator. Paul’s uncle dies and leaves his estate as his legacy with Paul as the only beneficiary. Anna decides to wait till the estate is sold and she can claim half the estate value as part of her divorce settlement. The story takes a sudden turn with murders in the estate and Paul’s mother trying to make up things with them. The story moves slowly and is difficult to keep reading. On the whole an average story of betrayal, greed and murder. These types of books may have a limited audience and on the whole, it is a story of deceit from both sides and a tough one to read through.