I received an ARC of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. This was an OK thriller, pretty fast-paced. All the characters are completely unlikable, and it's hard to believe they are lifelong friends based on how they treat each other and lie to each other. I had a hard time keeping some of them straight or would need to double check myself to see whose chapter it was. I easily guessed who the killer was; the clues were completely obvious. I didn't see the final twist coming, so it was surprising, but I can't say I liked it. As an avid cruiser, I enjoyed the cruise ship setting and description, which Ms. Keogh definitely did well. I feel like something was missing, though, some big secret to really explain why everyone behaves how they do. It's a very short explanation that doesn't really seem sufficient.

Not sure how I feel about this book. Not her best; not her worst. Natasha quits her job as a nurse and marries Daniel. Daniel wants to take her three bestfriends and their husbands on a cruise for a vacation. Or does he? As the book continues, we find out that Daniel has lied to just about everyone and has been using them for one reason or another. When Daniel ends up dying, everyone is pointing their fingers at everyone else. I did not guess the ending, but really makes you want to look twice at all your friends. The cover is great though!

I loved this book! A mystery cruise in a way, since every guest on the boat of their friend group has a secret. I enjoyed reading on and finding out info along the way. Vacation thrillers are so fun to read, and it kept me hooked! I liked the multiple POVs and the confusion. I liked the writing style!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and especially the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review of the book!!

Natasha is married to Daniel, a wealthy and handsome man. Natasha is excited when Daniel suggests a cruise for them and Natasha closest friends plus their husbands. Once aboard the cruise, it quickly becomes evident that every single person has a secret. And one of those secrets is dangerous enough for someone to kill...

You can always count on Valerie Keogh for a good thriller and this one did not disappoint! I was especially excited to read this one as I LOVE vacation thrillers. The cruise ship setting adding a layer claustrophobia. I loved how all the characters had their own crazy secrets. It really kept me guessing as all of them had motives. Natasha's friends and their husbands all had a different vibe so they were easy to remember and tell apart. We also get multiple POVs which again amps up the level of suspense and makes for some pretty crazy reveals.

It is a super fast and easy read. I had a really tough time putting it down! I really had no idea where this book was going and was shocked multiple times. Highly recommend picking this one up and going along for the crazy adventure!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this book needs to be made into a series like right now. It was SO good! I could not put this down. It was so suspenseful and just intense. I loved it! Such a great book.

Usually I am a big fan of a thriller / mystery book but 'The Wives' by Valerie Keogh just didn't hit the spot for me.

It reminds me of a badly written Lucy Clarke book; there were so many characters and multiple povs yet none of them were really ever interesting to read (except Michele - the only decent character in this whole thing). The plot became extremely predictable, maybe too many clues scattered throughout, and the final plot twist wasn't even so shocking - I am more shocked at how many 5 star reviews this has !!!

This is literally a book about a woman who does not care for her husband in the slightest, and all of her friends hate her. I know this is pretty much the point but Natasha and Daniel have absolutely noooo chemistry at all !! It's like reading two strangers interacting for the first time - every conversation feels so awkward and forced. Actually, this extends to some of the dialogue between Natasha and her friends too, they've meant to have known each other for years yet there seems to be no familiarity or emotions between them. Such two dimensional characters.

This book is a very quick read - The sentences are very short and choppy which really ups the pace but can also feel like I'm reading bullet points or a list rather than actual sentences. The quality of writing doesn't feel particularly high and it seems the author is just flat out describing everything, not leaving anything up to the reader. The word claustrophobic was used many times by the characters, and it's also a word I would use to describe reading this. Everything felt quite repetitive due to the setting of the story - the most interesting part is when they left the boat for a few hours but that seemed to breeze by in a few pages.

Personally, I don't think Valerie Keogh's books are for me, but I did find this somewhat entertaining as a quick, faced paced book. I will just have no emotional attachments to the characters and will probably never think about this book again !!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldword Books for this arc !!

** All opinions are my own **

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy of The Wives by Valerie Keogh.

WOW!
This book sucked me right in and I honestly didn't know where the story would take me but the adventure was so worth going on.

Natasha has very close friends who are all married. She is a nurse and single until she meets Daniel. Daniel is wealthy and sweeps her off of her feet into a life where she no longer has to work or worry about money, but is it all worth it?

Highly recommend you pick up this read and go on an adventure with Natasha, Daniel, and all her friends to find out.

What is there not to love about this book? "The Wives" is a binge-read that you won't want to put down and the twists were all unexpected. The characters are all extremely difficult to empathize with which makes the plot thicken and certain moments jaw-dropping. I highly recommend this as a read with a friend or book club because you are going to want to discuss and dissect characters and scenes.

Thank you Boldwood and NetGalley for this ARC! Valerie Keogh does it again! When Natasha is out with her very married friends she thinks she’s finally met “the one” ! Rich sexy and outgoing Daniel is the answer to her dreams, in a whirlwind courtship and marriage; Natasha can finally quit her job and be there for Daniel. When Daniel purposes an all expense paid luxury cruise for all 4 couples, Natasha can’t figure out why her friends are less than enthusiastic about a paid exotic trip. When secrets are unfolded the old saying of keep your friends close and your enemies closer comes to play. Everyone has a reason to want Daniel dead, no one is above suspicion. This is a hard one to put down and the twists are great. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date is the 6th Nov 2024. Another twisty and highly engaging plot by Valerie Keogh! The suspense was off the charts which made it impossible to put down!

The ending was so unexpected I thought I guessed right but I was so wrong! I’d highly recommend this book.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Twist, turns, lies, secrets, this book has it all! Thrilling nail-biter that kept me on the edge! This is a book that will be on my bookshelf! Thanks Valerie Keogh for a great book! I cant wait to read more from this author!

A tense and exciting thriller that keeps you turning the pages and guessing until the shocking ending. Lots of secrets, twists and turns. Brilliant!

I sat down to read a few chapters abd next thing I know I'm done. Definitely a page turner. Multiple characters that we all so well written into their roles. Love love love how it ended!!!!

Thanks to the author,the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an early copy of this PHENOMENAL book The Wives!!!! The Cover is Super Gorgeous, makes me want to be there NOW! By far this is Valerie’s BEST BOOK EVER!! I’ve read most of her books and this one Never disappointed at Allll. Loved every bit of it, the characters, the plot, the friendships. The ending was a bit twisty and I was like WHOA. I am so very sad I’m done with the book, I could have stayed on this cruise forever.

This was a super fast read with lots of characters that were very easy to hate.

Lots of clues along the way, some of which took you in the wrong direction which made it interesting!

The ending threw in a twist that I did not expect!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Natasha and Daniel are newlyweds with plans for the future. When they have that opportunity to go on a cruise with three of Natasha’s friends and their husbands. Underneath the surface they all have reasons for wanting Daniel dead.

Wow this was good. I couldn’t put it down and kept having to read just one more chapter. Daniel was a horrible character and the more I learned the more I disliked him. The wives seemed fickle and a bit shady too. I enjoyed the story and the background. No spoilers but one part in particular was very graphic! This kept me guessing until the end and tied up all the loose ends. A satisfying ending for me!

I love the style of writing from this author.
Another cracker here.
Daniel is a right piece of work and everyone has a reason to hate him. The question is who is willing to kill him?
Great read, full of twists and turns, the reader will be left guessing until the end.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.
Keep them coming please Valerie Keogh.

Natasha meets Daniel and she knows he's the one. He's handsome, rich, single, charming and he will be her perfect husband. When he books an expensive cruise for her and her friends Tracy Anne, Barbara, Michele and their husbands, Natasha sees this as the perfect time to show off her perfect husband. When they set said secrets are slowly revealed about him by her friends. Each one of them have their reasons to want him dead, as they can see he is far from perfect. Has Natasha rushed into something and does she believe her friends.
Another great fast paced read by Valerie Keogh

Lies, secrets, deadly decisions…. When Natasha meets Daniel, she knows her life is made. Rich, handsome and charming, Daniel will make the perfect husband. Even if she won’t make the perfect wife!! Oooooh plenty of juicy secrets in this one!! Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, murder, mystery, a sort of who done it and a few crazy twists and turns. The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

With this latest book Keogh has firmly cemented herself to the top tier of crime fiction: Agatha Christie hasn’t so much toppled as been pushed off this illustrious perch.
I don’t use this comparison lightly. I was brought up on Marple and Poirot, and The Wives has a strong Christie feel to it. Keogh, with this book, is a modern day Christie. Lord knows who she’ll be with the next one.
The Wives is ultimately about female friendship and what can happen when something or someone turns up to upset that fragile balance. Brilliant!