Lots of interconnected story’s. Interesting back and forth between the different characters and the timelines.
I’m sure it was intentional. But I HATED the husband. Plot twist was a bit predictable.

Our Miss Kaira Rouda has quite the wicked sense of humor, and she is back in fine form in The Second Mrs.. Strom. I very much enjoyed the audio narration as well as the writing of these two deeply flawed and unlikeable characters who found eachother in West Palm Beach and migrated to Malibu. The suspense builds nicely to the end with frequent literal LOLs almost every other page. What's not to love about the inner thoughts of a former gentleman escort to an old grand dame of Palm Beach who is now petulant that his new love lacks the class of the old lady? I gobbled this book up like a delicious treat and I'm only sad that I now have to wait longer for the next Kaira Rouda book.

The Second Mrs. Strom
Publication Date: August 16, 2024

First, I would like to thank Bookouture Media and NetGalley for this fantastic ARC. The following review is my own. This is my first read by this author and I look forward to more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"The Second Mrs. Strom" is an engaging blend of love story and thriller that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats. The narrative centers on Paul, a man who has recently come into a large inheritance. Paul's life takes a romantic turn when he meets and quickly marries Cecilia. Their love story unfolds against the enchanting backdrop of Paris, where they celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary.

The story is rich with twists and turns, largely revealed through a series of flashbacks that expose the hidden secrets both Paul and Cecilia harbor. These secrets add layers of complexity to their relationship and drive the suspenseful plot forward.

The audiobook's narrators are exceptional, bringing depth and nuance to the characters and enhancing the listening experience. Their performance adds an extra dimension to the story, making it easy to get lost in the world of Paul and Cecilia.

Overall, "The Second Mrs. Strom" is a compelling listen, perfect for fans of love stories laced with thrilling surprises from beginning to end. I will absolutely recommend this one to friends and look forward to its publishing date.

I absolutely devoured this book! It was so good! I really enjoyed Rouda's Best Day Ever and had no idea this was the sequel going into it - what an awesome surprise! The book would have been a standalone hit - and as a sequel it was fabulous. I hated all the main characters in the best way. It was a constant guessing game of who the bad guy was and who would come out on top in the end.

This book was so much fun - unreliable narrators, hidden motives, and unexpected twists make this a can't miss domestic thriller. If you haven't read Best Day Ever - read it and then buckle up for this one when it makes its debut in August.

The audiobook narration was excellent - with multiple POVs all well acted. Overall, this was a super engaging, quick and fun read. This one is a can't miss!

The Second Mrs. Strom is such a fun and wild popcorn thriller that it's impossible to put down! The story is packed with twists and turns, keeping you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. While the characters are decidedly unlikable, their flaws only add to the intrigue and make the drama even juicier. Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook the narration is spot-on, bringing the devious plot and scheming characters to life with flair. If you're in the mood for a rollercoaster of a domestic thriller, this one is definitely worth a listen.

Ugh Paul!! I really enjoyed the first one(Best Day Ever) and flew through this story within a couple of days. It's like the guy never learns his lesson 🤣 The narrators were great.

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were so interesting and the way the plot came out was super fun and intriguing. I really enjoyed the cat and mouse game that the characters were playing and the tone of the narrators. There were thrills on every turn and the audiobook was so good with great narrators.

This author has done her research on psychopaths! In this tale, we meet a wealthy husband and wife celebrating their first wedding anniversary in Paris. As we follow them during their last day in the city of love, we quickly realize that love is the last emotion these two share. It is an entertaining tale populated by opportunistic, greedy, unrelatable characters who make you reconsider your dream of winning the lottery.

★★★★.5

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio, for an early copy of ‘The Second Mrs. Strom’ in exchange for an unbiased review.

What a great read! The Paris anniversary trip is the perfect cat-and-mouse game. Kaira Rouda did an amazing job keeping the suspense throughout the story. You could feel that something was brewing, and the tension was palpable as Paul and Cecilia tried to outwit each other without overstepping an invisible line—until the final evening…

Paul is a malignant narcissist, and I would argue he has psychopathic tendencies. In short, he is incredibly unlikable, yet I could not wait to see what he would do next (knowing it would be rude and inconsiderate).

Though I had my suspicions, Kaira Rouda introduced so many unforeseen twists with such magnitude that I did not fully appreciate until the final reveal. Speaking of, I could never have predicted the extent of the reveal, including the players we did not even know were involved.

(I loved this book so much that I picked up ‘Best Day Ever,’ which is about Paul’s marriage to the first Mrs. Strom.)


🎧 Narrated by Nick Landrum and Laurence Bouvard, who did an amazing job, both with actual French dialogue and Paul’s butchered attempts.

Oh, Paul, you sly, self-centered devil! He's back, this time with his new wife, Cecelia. My feelings about Paul are all over the place – I despise him, yet I can't get enough of his antics. He’s still that arrogant guy who thinks the world owes him everything, but honestly, that's what makes the book so entertaining. Without Paul, it would be a snoozefest.

The plot? Absolutely loved it! It's well-crafted and fast-paced. Cecelia is on her own wavelength, and figuring out her path is a thrilling mystery. The dual narration from both Paul and Cecelia keeps things fresh and exciting.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for letting me dive into this ARC. Can't wait for more!

If you haven't read a book by Kaira Rouda what are you waiting for!! I've been reading her books since 2017. What I like most is that she always has a surprise twist that I don't see coming. I loved this audiobook. The narrators were perfect. I couldn't stand Paul and I didn't know if I could believe Ceclia. This is a a wild story..I can definitely recommend it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) close to the publication date.

Guess who's back. Back again. Paul is back. Tell a friend.
It's five years later, and Paul has a new wife, Cecilia, and a new life. But we all know a leopard doesn't change its spots. So his narcism is still in full swing, he's still an opportunistic asshole and everyone who knows him hates him, including me. But he may have found his match in Cecilia.

Paul and Cecilia are celebrating their first Anniversary with a trip to Paris, and I must admit to getting chills every time he spoke of wanting to give his wife "the best night ever." IYKYK! Having read and loved The Best Day Ever I had my suspicions as to where this rollercoaster was headed, but I thoroughly enjoyed the crazy ride. Kudos to the narrators for nailing their characters with this one. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Feel what it’s like to be in the centre of competing predators, ruthless in their endeavours, and spiralling rapidly…

Wowzer!!! How did I not know about this author?!?! This book was amazing! I could barely put it down once I started it. We get the story mostly from the thoughts of the two main characters. They are both just absolutely despicable people and you just can’t like either of them. But in the context of the book, you are meant to dislike them. They are both such colorful and interesting characters that their viewpoints are fun. You are getting inside the heads of narcissistic sociopaths. What a fun book! I found the first book in this story online and I will be starting it today

The Second Mrs. Strom by Kaira Rouda
Narrated by Nick Landrum, Laurence Bouvard

He's back! Yes, Paul is back, beloved by no one who really knows him, hated by anyone who really knows him. It's five years on from the first book and Paul has reinvented himself with his usual using, abusing, and scamming. Now he's richer than ever, has more of everything than ever, and has a younger wife than before. But his young, moldable, obedient new wife seems to have turned a corner and is becoming argumentative, head strong, and wanting to make her own decisions. This is a very unsafe state for any wife of Paul to be in because Paul is prone to disposing of those who don't bow to his awesome (in his head) perfection. Paul may need to make some permanent changes in this relationship gone sour.

But has Paul met his match in his new wife, Cecelia? Here they are in Paris with a chance to fine tune their relationship to Paul's liking and Cecelia is always on the phone, walking too fast, disappearing, and bringing up things that never should be mentioned. What has gotten into her? She's beginning to seem very disposable to Paul, another person who just can't match up to the perfection Paul requires and the admiration Paul demands.

Cecelia thought she just might have fallen in love with Paul despite his faults (which he doesn't think he has). But Paul being Paul, he's never going to change his ways so Cecelia is going to make him pay. Who is going to win this battle of wits and psychological dementedness? Since I already know Paul and he's not ever going to change, it is Cecelia who adds something new to the mix for me. The dual narration is very good, it's always creepy hearing this kind of crazy in an audiobook. This is the second book about Paul but you don't have to read the first book since this book brings you up to speed about Paul's past.

Thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

A very well written psychological thriller , captivating plot & fascinating characters. Highlighted by the great narration.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ALC.

When I say I devoured this book, I mean it. I started it this morning and am already done. I couldn’t stop listening. There were so many secrets, twists, and shocking revelations that I was too hooked to let go. When I thought an obvious twist was coming, it went another direction. I love when too bad people try to out wit and con each other.

I really loved how the two main characters whose POV we receive have different narrators. It helps keep the story from getting confusing and gives each character more personality.

This audiobook was not what I was expecting! It was more of a domestic thriller and for some reason I was expecting a psych thriller. None of the characters were at all likeable, which wasn’t a bad thing like it can sometimes be. It wasn’t twisty or shocking as you can guess the “twists” early on.

The narrator’s of the audiobook were great. No complaints there.

This was a well written book, just not my normal vibe.

⭐⭐⭐⭐4.5 stars!! Get ready for a thrilling rollercoaster ride with a dash of humor! I went into this book blind and was pleasantly surprised by the perfect blend of suspense and witty humor. The mispronounced French words had me rolling! The narrators were brilliant , bringing the characters to life. I couldn't help but switch between loving and hating them. The ending was a total twist that left me wanting more. If you're looking for a thriller that will make you laugh, say wtf and, have some cringe worthy parts then this book is a must!

This book kept me so booked all the way through! I loved the then and now perspective and the dual pov + diary entries! All around such a good read! I will definitely recommend this book!