Loved. What a wonderful, fast-paced thriller. I was very excited to see Paul was coming back; although I despise him, his antics keep me intrigued! Rouda has a wonderful way of keeping you involved, you just keep going to see what's next!
I look forward to continuing to read Rouda!

This one was FULL of secrets! And Paul is still the worst!

Go into this book blind like I did because after reading the description, it gives away so much! This one is from different POV's and has a dual timeline.

The secrets that are revealed are all so shocking to me. This goes with another one of her books which I read and didn't even realize they were connected. You do not need to read the first to read this one.

The Second Mrs Strom is a sequel to the book Best Day Ever. I did not read that book and had no problems understanding this story, so this will work just fine as a standalone.

This was your typical psychological thriller that has you going back and forth in your head about who you can trust and what’s really going on. Paul has just received a massive inheritance and quickly meets and falls in love with Cecelia. They say it's love at first sight and they marry. They both seem to have ulterior motives in this marriage. Who can you trust?

This book delivered on the psychological aspect but failed to deliver on the thriller. This definitely had me guessing and not knowing what was going to happen but it just lacked anything exciting that would make your heart start pounding.

I listened the the audiobook and both Nick Landrum and Laurence Boulevard did an amazing job with the narration. Their narration is really what made this book for me.

Ooooh! Welcome back Mr Strom. I loved this. I listened to the audio and the narrators were great, especially Cecelia, who comes across as breathy and ever-so-sweet. Well, well, well, Paul may just have met his match.

The second Mrs Strom is a wicked, devilish, sinful delight - and I really can't wait to see what happens next. Kaira Rouda does psycho with aplomb, you sort of wish you were a fly on the wall in Paris on more than one occasion, and not for the Olympics! Don't worry if you haven't read the predecessor to this - Best day Ever - it's not crucial (but do yourself a favour and read it).

To say too much is to give it away, but all my favourites are here, murder, vengeance, food, a massive inheritance, hindsight, the dodgy mistress who thinks she has it all, and my absolute best, that pretty little plant by the name of hemlock, who in my opinion should really feature in books more often.

Say no more!!! Read or listen to it, it's a damn fine way to pass the time.

I thought this book was a bit all over the place. It was hard to get a grip on some of the characters feelings as he seemed to go from loving to hating her constantly. It was entirely too predictable, both the main plot and the sister. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this one.

This one hooked me from the start and I couldn't stop listening. I had an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest opinion through Netgalley from Bookouture & listened to it in just two days. Before I dive into the book itself, I really enjoyed that they had two different narrators for the husband and wife. I occasionally find it harder to picture two different characters in my mind when a narrator is doing all of the parts and one sounds like their natural voice and the other sounds less natural.

Read this book if you enjoy dual perspectives - every few chapters the perspectives switch between the husband and wife and we learn more about their past relationships but also the present time. It was also perfect timing to read this with the Olympics happening in Paris and the majority of the book taking place in Paris over the couple's anniversary.

Both the husband and wife are hiding information from the other and as the reader, we keep learning more of what the one thinks the other is hiding from them. It's fun trying to guess what's coming next and who is going to figure out the other's dark motives first.

This book comes out August 16th.

This book is definity worthy of its five star rating.
Cecilia meets Paul at a funeral, What follows is a whirlwind romance and marriage. As their first anniversary approaches we discover more about the couple and the secrets, Both of them have them and both have there own agendas.
The narrators of the audiobook brought the story to life. It was fast paced with lots of twists.
Set aside a day and enjoy

⭐️

I was not a fan of this book. The male character was the absolute worst and so was the narrator. I really didn’t want to finish it. The writing didn’t seem like it was from a professional author. There was a lot of the character thinking something and then repeating the same words out loud to someone. It was weird.


Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Kaira Rouda for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Reading Between the Wines book review #74/130 for 2024:
Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: The Second Mrs. Strom
Author: Kiara Rouda
RELEASES August 16, 2024! Get your copy NOW!!!

Sipping thoughts: Can you say NARCISSIST in all caps? I am appalled that Paul Strom found someone to marry him, let alone 2 women. This was a thrilling crazy ride where two people seemed to try and one up each other around every corner. Although Paul is incredibly unlikable, I can’t say that Cecilia was that much more likable. I did love her cleverness and craftiness. The ending was so thrilling and made my giddy hearing the conclusion of it all. The one thing I am disappointed about is that I did not know that this is somewhat of a sequel of Paul Strom. So, thanks to much Rouda for adding yet another book to my TBR, lol.

Cheers and thank you to @BookoutureAudio and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @TheSecondMrsStrom.

#TheSecondMrsStrom #KairaRouda #BookoutureAudio #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 gripping psychological thriller about a couple that spends their first anniversary in Paris, and end up rehashing their motives for getting involved with each other. I really enjoyed the audio narration on this one, the dual cast was great and the female narrator sounded like a Disney princess which only made the story more interesting based on her persona. The story itself was not anything special, the “twists” were easily predictable, but the entire journey was enjoyable and it was a really quick read. It’s rich people behaving badly, unlikeable characters, and a little bit of trying to figure out who is the player vs getting played.

My favorite narcissistic sociopath is back! We first met Paul Strom when he was trying to have The Best Day Ever with his first wife Mia and now we catch up with Paul while he is trying to have his best night ever with the second Mrs. Strom. Once again Paul has a plan but the second Mrs. Strom also seems to have a plan of her own. The plotting, the planning, the lies and deceit all lead to a wonderfully shocking conclusion! I listened to the audiobook and I must commend the narrators, Nick Landrum and Laurence Bouvard, for a fabulous performance!

What a great book! So easy to get into and I enjoyed the chapter changes between characters. The timelines worked well and didn't reveal too much. I haven't read Best Day Ever yet (which is now first up on my TBR list) so has no prior knowledge of any characters, especially Paul. What started as liking Paul and not so much Cecilia was turned around at some stage during the book and I had a soft spot for her by the end!
The narration was good, A male voice and a female voice so easy to distinguishbetween chapters.

The Second Mrs. Strom follows a woman who appears to have it all after marrying the wealthy and handsome Paul—glamorous vacations, envy from others, and a life of luxury. However, beneath this facade lies a vengeful heart. The protagonist's desire for revenge against Paul propels the narrative forward with tension and intrigue.

As secrets unravel, readers are pulled into a world where nothing is as it seems. The protagonist’s calculated moves and hidden agenda make this a solid read. The book keeps you hooked with its exploration of love turned sour and the lengths one will go to seek retribution.

Thank you Kaira Rouda, Bookoture, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Kaira Rouda has absolutely mastered the craft of archetyping your average “alpha male”.
 
I haven’t had the time to sit down and write a review for Best Day Ever, but my god, was that a great book.  I have this thing that if I see an ARC that interests me, I like to prepare myself for that specific author's writing, and so, when I found The Second Mrs. Strom on here, of course I ran to read Best Day Ever. Even though this is the second book in what appears to be a series (hopefully), you can still read it as a standalone. However, I highly recommend reading Best Day Ever, whether it's before or after this one. It’s just a really good book. 
 
In The Second Mrs. Strom, we follow Cecilia, Paul Strom's second wife, after something happens with his first marriage, as the title suggests. The narration goes from the present day, on the Strom’s first anniversary as a married couple, and then some tidbits from the point of view of Cecilia when they first started dating until the present day in Paris. 
 
Cecilia was a good character, although I prefer Mia from the first book. But Paul, I hate to say it, is the one who absolutely steals the spotlight. The narrator did a tremendously great job for this character. If you have the opportunity to listen to the audiobook while you are reading either one of these books, please do! Absolutely great experience.

I can count with one hand how many audiobooks actually enhance the book's experience. I actually didn’t even know I had a couple of this author's books on my TBR, but now they are absolutely going to take a front seat on my list because I’m a simple girl and I love reading about rich people behaving badly.

Listened.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to speed through this audiobook at double speed without any discernible enjoyment whatsoever.

TRUTH BE TOLD, this was as insipid a story as ever there was. I am nonplussed by all the terrific reviews, but each to their own.

TRUTH BE TOLD, I despise when authors have characters utter, "TRUTH BE TOLD," because it's such an empty ugly phrase; akin to nails on a chalkboard to my ears. What does it mean? Are you suggesting the rest of the dialogue is all lies?

TRUTH BE TOLD, Ms. Rouda used the phrase more times than I have fingers.

Beyond that...both of the main characters were despicable; singularly motivated by money and nothing else. I gave nary a whit about either. As for the cardboard cut-out secondary characters who made an appearance for the sake of moving the plot along? I have no idea who they were beyond their names.

Paris as a setting? Mon dieu. What a waste of a perfectly-good croissant.

3 🌟 Welp, this was definitely NOT a love story.

I’m not sure if I would’ve appreciated this book more or less if I had read the prequel, but either way, it was a pretty mediocre thriller for me.

I definitely want thrillers to have that big WOW moment where my mind is blown—this one was missing that element. The suspense and tension were there throughout the whole book, and the author did an amazing job of creating this VERY MUCH unlikable, narcissistic MMC that you just want to yell at and never stop. It was weirdly captivating how awful this man is.

However, I can’t deny that this was an entertaining read—especially listening to it as an audiobook. The narrators were absolutely amazing!

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio, for this audiobook ARC! All opinions are my own.

Paul is on his second marriage to Cecilia, a beautiful woman whom he met at his previous partners funeral. They're on their anniversary trip to Paris and are really enjoying the culture. on the outside, Paul and Cecelia look like the perfect couple, so in love and happy.

But things aren't always as they seem. Unfortunately, Paul and Cecelia have secrets, and these secrets they are keeping from each other. It won't take long for the secrets to explode.

pretty unreliable characters. not very likeable for either one in my opinion. lots of twists and turns in this book, but it was just ok for me.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

I approached The Second Mrs. Strom without realizing it was a sequel, which may have impacted my experience. Without the context of the prior book, I found Paul’s character less intriguing than others who were familiar with his backstory. This left me somewhat disconnected from the emotional stakes of the story.

The book itself was largely predictable, with only one early twist offering any real surprise. Unfortunately, the predictability was compounded by the fact that the plot often felt far-fetched, and none of the characters were particularly likable or engaging—there wasn’t even one of those love-to-hate characters to latch onto.

One issue that stood out was the repetition in the narrative. Paul’s repeated bouts of illness from the rich sauces became almost a running gag, but not in a good way—it felt more like being hit over the head with the same detail again and again. This repetition was especially noticeable in the audiobook format, where the absence of visual cues like quotation marks made it even more jarring. On several occasions, a character’s thoughts would be immediately followed by them voicing those same thoughts aloud, which came across as redundant and detracted from the overall listening experience.

Overall, The Second Mrs. Strom didn’t quite work for me, finding it largely in unmemorable. Though, I suspect fans of the first book may have a different take.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

When this fast paced book starts out you learn about a couple so in love.... so it seems. Both have secrets and selfish interests, but what's truth and what's a lie? In the end there's only one true winner.
I can't say the characters didn't get in my nerves with their narcissistic ways, but I loved the setting in France and the interwoven French references. Overall if you like psychological thrillers then this one would be a quick easy read for you. If you like books with multiple narrators the audiobook would hold your interest.

Thank you Bookouture, Netgalley and Kaira Rouda for the audio Arc of The second Mrs Strom.
Narrated by Nick Landrum, Laurence Bouvard.

The Second Mrs Strom introduces us to Paul and Cecila who are holidaying in Paris after a whirlwind romance. It's going to be a wonderful night at the top of the Eiffel Tower, if only Cecila can over her fear of heights.

I really enjoyed this dark, twisty thriller told in 2 first person POV,s This POV really suited this book psychologically as it helped get right into both characters. The plot direction is steady and medium paced, also set on 2 slightly different timelines, which are easy to follow. With the foreshadowing, you will probably guess were the plot is going,.Not without some great twists though. Keira's style of writing and character building I really connected too so overall, it's a great fun read/listen!

This book was narrated by Nick Landrum - Paul and Laurence Boulevard - Cecila. I loved listening to both their voices, which suited the personalities of the characters perfectly.. I will be looking for more from this author as well as the narrators

4.25 stars for Storygraph. 4 stars for Amazon, Netgalley, Amazon and Goodreads.