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.

The MMC is a pompous, narcissistic, older male who marries a woman much younger than him. He inherited money and finds the FMC at his previous partners funeral. He thinks the FMC would make a perfect, young wife- one he can control. Little does he know the FMC is much smarter than he expected.

I enjoyed this audiobook- it was an easy listen and the story was entertaining. I love reading about the rich and their lavish lifestyle. The voice actors did a great job- no complaints 😊

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! I wish I could rewind time and read this again for the first time. Paul is such a love/hate character thinking he is a sly fox that makes this story so absolutely gripping. I did not read the first story but absolutely fell in love right from the jump. I am obsessed with thrillers and found this one has put itself at the top of my list. Rouda did an incredibly job captivating the audience, developing the characters, and creating this powerful dynamic between Paul and his wife Cecilia. I cannot recommend this highly enough, 10 out of 10 huge stars!! Add this to your MUST READ LIST today!!
Huge thank you to Kiara Rouda, Bookouture Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

As I began to listen to this book, I contemplated discarding it several times because the male lead character, Paul, was such an awful narcissist. I used unprintable words to curse him frequently! Kudos to the narrator who so clearly expressed his personality! But, something about the story just kept prodding me to keep going and I'm very glad I did. Awful as he is, the female lead also isn't entirely likable. There were times when I wasn't really certain who was worse, Paul or Cecilia! I just had to learn which one of them would end up the victor in this battle of wits. Worth the listen!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for providing an advance review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.

Still laughing by how it ends...good for Cecilia! Each character is more conniving than the next so there's a lot of plotting around and knife stabbing. It's very entertaining, I will be definitely recommend to my friends.

Thanks NetGalley, Bookouture, and Kaira Rouda for this ARC, I really enjoyed it.

I am a big fan of Kaira Rouda's books. It made me so happy to see that she brought back Paul from Best Day Ever. When the story opens, we find my favorite narcissistic, controlling sociopath, Paul, has come into quite a bit of money. His recent elderly companion left him the moolah and he has high hopes of making a name for himself in Hollywood as a producer. Paul meets his next victim, I mean his wife, at his companion's funeral. Her name is Cecelia, and she is a lot younger than Paul. No shocker there. Paul spends an inordinate amount of time trying to sugarcoat his past while attempting to control his new, young wife. I loved the writing as well as Paul's wry humor. The narration was top-notch.