Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This was a fun read. With that being said, i don't think I enjoyed this book as much as the first "Widow's" book, but it was still an enjoyable read. I would consider reading a third book in the series if there was ever to be one, though I think this book wrapped up the series nicely.

i love the color and flashiness to this which is propelled into such by the era being the 80s. its such a brilliant follow up but can be read as a standalone.
the four wives have all tried to move on and keep going after the first books adventure. the last book followed the fallout from their husbands death together in plane crash and this is a few years later. when one of the woman finds herself a suspect in a terrible crime the ladies comes together again to sort stuff out!
the suspense was woven around the girls banter and wicked personalities and the friendship and jazz of the four only adds to the enjoyment of the book. its manages to take you on a suspense filled plot with all the right thrills, whilst also keeping the book about the four of them too.

This is the second book in a series, but can be read as a standalone. I didn't feel like I missed anything by not reading the first one. This novel is told in MPOV and is a gripping journey that skillfully combines mystery, suspense, and emotional depth to tell an engrossing tale. Intrigue and empathy are heightened by the characters' complexity, flaws, and relatability. Readers are kept in suspense until the very end by the plot's unexpected turns. With the widows' companionship and common difficulties providing emotional weight, the themes of resiliency, justice, and female bonds are valued. The plot is interesting and fulfilling overall, despite a few predictable parts, which makes it a fun and intriguing read.

I missed the first book but this was fine as a standalone- and it was a hoot. It's also a good one for those looking for stories about strong (and unexpected) women who pull together. I liked the widows. Thanks to Netgalley for the aRC. Good storytelling and a zippy plot makes this a good read.

Book 2 in The Widows series picks up after the tragic-yet-convenient plane crash that wiped out a bunch of crooked attorney husbands, leaving their widows to pick up the (probably fraudulent) pieces. This time, the drama escalates when the women find themselves framed for the murder of the town mayor, all while a battle over Indigenous land and development rages in the background.

Now, let’s talk about the 1980s setting, because that part was a trip. Take in the shoulder pads and gravity-defying hair, and you’ve got yourself a full-on throwback moment.

I also really appreciated the focus on Indigenous land rights—who controls the land, and more importantly, who should control it. That part was handled well.

But here’s where I struggled: I hadn’t read Book 1. And that might’ve been my mistake, because I felt zero connection to the characters. Instead of being immersed in their world, I was mostly just cringing my way through it. Maybe if I had the backstory, I’d feel differently, but as a standalone read? It just wasn’t for me.

Final verdict? Entertaining enough, but if you’re jumping in mid-series, proceed with caution (and maybe some Aqua Net for the full '80s experience).

In the sequel to YOUNG RICH WIDOWS, the flawed but fabulous widows from Providence are back for a thrilling and bold murder mystery!

Money, power, and a plethora of family scandals make this an entertaining and fast-paced story! The women are catty, hilarious and willing to do whatever it takes to take back their city and clear their names. Even with a convoluted plot, this story was a really WILD time! An added bonus is that it takes place in the 80's so it's nostalgic AND it all goes down in my hometown.

If you enjoyed the first installment, you don't want to miss the mess the widows on the Hill have in store for you!

It was another fun ride with the widows! Big hair, big personalities, and big scandals! The women are funny, smart, and together they can solve anything! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I hope we get more widows in the future!

Rereleased in print, this sequel co-authored by some of my fav authors follows four widows as they find themselves trying to help one who gets caught in a terrible situation gone wrong. Twisty, thrilling and full of suspense, this was also great on audio and definitely worth giving a try if you like strong female-centered stories! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for my honest feedback!

The widows are back! This book is the follow-up to Young Rich Widows. The widows are now trying to keep the law firm afloat after their husband's deaths. It is a struggle. The mayor of Providence dies in the strip club owned by one of the widows. What happened? Who did it? Is someone trying to frame one of the widows? If so, why? This book is a wonderful read. The personality of each widow is on display. What a fun, twisty, read. Can't wait for another follow-up of their lives. I would recommend this quick read.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #KimberlyBelle, #VanessaLillie, #LayneFargo, #CateHolahan, and #SourcebooksLandmark
#DesperateDeadlyWidows

This novel is a follow-up novel to Young Rich Widows. Two years have passed since their husbands died together in a plane crash. Krystle is struggling to save her law firm. Justine is planning to become a lawyer. Meredith was once a stripper and proudly owns a strip club catering to powerful men. Camille helps women who are betrayed by their husbands by following their men and recording their transgressions. These four women are banded together when one of Camille’s jobs goes wrong at Meredith’s club and the two of them are suspects to a murder.
This story is a suspenseful, twisted and fun by adding a wealthy wife and ex-wife of the murder victim.

Thank you Source Books and NetGalley

Wow! I really enjoyed this book. Packed with fantastic characters and a buzzing plot that kept me flipping pages long into the night. A roller coaster ride that was exciting and thrilling, I had no idea who to trust. Don’t let this one pass you by.
Thank you NetGalley, Kimberly Belle and troops, and Sourcebooks landmark for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I absolutely loved Young Rich Widows and this sequel was just as incredible! I loved seeing the widows again facing east coast challenges - this time, together, as friends - and am slightly obsessing over all the little plot twists and reveals that kept me hooked from start to finish.

While there were some parts of this that were a bit OTT (I guess this is par for the course though, given it takes place in the 80s), I was here for the vibes and am honestly convinced these four authors together are unstoppable. Each widow’s personality was just so wild and distinct, it was great to see how they’ve grown from the first book.

Highly recommend for solid mystery that’ll take you for a wild ride. Thanks you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a copy of this arc! 🙌🏼

This second in a series- which you wouldn't be able to tell so very well as a stand alone was fun and I loved the widows and their found family within eachother

Taking place two years after debut collaboration, Young Rich Widows, Desperately Deadly Widows is written by multiple well know authors, and takes place in 1987. When Providence, RI Mayor Tom dies suddenly in the champagne room leaving second wife Tara behind, in addition to first wife Nancy Davenport and only son Harrison. The mayor had been working to get a casino built in Providence (decidedly NOT an Indian casino) even though gambling is not currently legal. When he dies in Meredith's strip club while being seduced by Camille (on orders of second wife Tara who is hoping to uncover his bad behavior) the titular widows spring into action.

So what did I think about the book? Well, a lot of the story seems hastily recorded and the working haphazardly strung together (which makes sense because it was one author to each widow). Additionally, I found more than one character one dimensional. Does this mean I hated this book, nope, only that I think it could have been improved if the multiple authors worked together more effectively. 3.25 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

Thank you @bookmarked for this free arc and @netgalley for the free e-arc 💖.

✨What it is about:
Set in Providence, Rhode Island in 1987, two years after a plane carrying four mafia-affiliated law firm partners exploded, this story follows the wives of the men who died in the plane crash, and how they try to keep their law firm afloat.✨

💭My thoughts:
This was so much FUN. This is book two in The Widows Series, an edge of your seat thriller that explores how the widows work together trying to make it in the law firm business and pay their bills, all while in the middle of a murder investigation involving one of their own. The women’s personalities are wild, and their friendship though a little distant at times, shows them to be ride or dies when it matters most. Their mutual support knows no bounds. With so much snark and attitude, these girls are in it to win it, and no one is stopping them! They will do it all, and no scandal, no scheming can get past them…they are set to get to the bottom of things and will prevail, so you better get out of their way if you know what’s good for you. They are smart, resourceful and bold, and will do whatever it takes to protect each other which I loved to see (women supporting women 💪). This story was full of twists and turns, and super entertaining. I definitely recommend it.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read of you like:
🍾Female friendships
🍾Fast paced stories
🍾Twists and turns
🍾Found family
🍾Betrayal/ revenge / survival
🍾Suspenseful thrillers

⚠️CW: Murder, kidnapping.

Nostalgia. Friendship. Murder.

This is the second in a series, but I didn’t know what until it came time to write this review - so it stands alone nicely!
I found this to be a fun ride and love the friendship the widows have found with each other.

Desperate Deadly Widows is the 2nd in the series. I love all the characters and enjoyed how they helped solve a murder. This has backstabbing, friendship, murder and a lot of scandals. They are all friends and protect each other. This was an enjoyable read and you will fall on love with all of the ladies. Thank you to Sourcebooks for the ARC and to Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The big hair, the pocket protector vibes, the women in charge and being a boss even in the 80's- I loved it. There were some high stakes crimes happening, some manipulative moments, and some truly sweet bonding moments between women in a time when they were truly the "fairer sex" and not known for their business prowess. The cover truly did fit the inside on this one, which I love! That was, after all, the first thing that initially led me to requesting this book for an early read. Some of the POV's were more fun than others, which is why I did knock one star off- I couldn't justify it as a perfect book when I enjoyed reading some women more than I did others. This is synonymous with a cozy mystery series, and I genuinely would enjoy all of them the authors choose to write! Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read and rate an early eARC of this sequel.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmarks, and NetGalley for letting me review this book.

I really enjoyed this book, and did not need to read the first one, to understand everything that was going on and everyone that was involved.

The story line caught me at the very beginning, and I couldn’t put it down. There were some funny parts as someone more in the 80’s, and I liked that I am not the only one that remembers good old shoulder pads, big gold hoop, big hair, and bright neon dresses.

There were many more other references, but you really need to read this book to be able to enjoy these references. I also loved the strip club dancer gone owner giving the girls in the jail tips. Priceless!

Seriously. This was very good, and for someone just turning 40 a little over a month ago, I needed a book like this in my life right now. It has it all:

Murder, Money, Revenge, Regret, Suspense, Humor, you name it.

No need to rehash the storyline as it is listed already in the synopsis of this book, and more reviewers post it also. It isn’t necessary. Only my thoughts are, and this book was brilliant! Oh, this is also one of the most anticipated mystery thriller books for 2025! It’s a must read!

In the second book of the widow series, the 4 widows are in a mess up to their eyes and hairsprayed hair again, only this time one of them has been framed for murder. Like the first book - Young Rich Widows - we follow the 4 as they try to turn things around in their husbands’ law firm. But when a sting goes wrong and one is framed for murder, the others must rally to find the real killer. Another fun read, and while you don’t necessarily need to read the first book before this one, I think you would enjoy this one more if you read Young Rich Widows first, as the characters are well-defined in that one and you learn some of their backstory. Set in the 1980’s this one will bring back memories of Dynasty days for sure! And I did appreciate the authors bringing in a storyline dealing with the Indian race in a white male dominated society. Pick this one up for a fun quick read!