Who can you trust? Who should you trust?

From the first sentence to the Epilogue, this was a wild ride that I could not put down, which I read in less than 24 hours (something I hardly ever do unless it is that good).

It was a cleverly written narrative of a couple (Joe and Dinah) with a seemingly “happy marriage,” oh, but do the secrets creep in from everywhere. A page turning fantastical ride, it was like being on a twisty, turny, diabolical rollercoaster you cannot (and don’t want to) get off of.

This was my first A.R. Torre book, and now I am hooked!!!! For me, it is a 4.5 star read (I hardly ever give 5 stars), and it will be a book I tell all my fellow suspense/thriller readers about.

Thank you to NetGalley, A.R. Torre, and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC.

Publishing date: June 24, 2025

I've left it a few days to reflect on this rating. It's an odd book. Whilst it kept me hooked I felt at the beginning it was slightly confusing as to who was who and who the chapter belonged too (not every chapter is named). The plot was very over the top and I to suspend my disbelief a lot of the time. I guessed the twists, I feel like it was really obvious.

Even thought there was a few things I couldn't get passed I did still enjoy the read of this book

Dinah is a detective and her husband Joe is a psychiatrist. At first, I thought, uh- oh Dinah, you better watch out for Joe. Then I thought uh-oh Joe, you better watch out for Dinah. By the end, I was like, I hope you two live unhappily ever after!
A strong and intriguing start that had me trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Unfortunately, around the 60% mark, I found myself losing interest. The reveals just didn’t surprise me and boy was I hoping for a different ending. Not every book is for every reader and this is the case of one that just wasn’t for me. I will eagerly await her next book as her writing usually grabs me and doesn’t let go. 3.5 stars.

Another perfect example of a book where you can absolute dislike all the characters yet love the book itself!

A.R. Torre has done it again, quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. When presenting with the opportunity to read an ARC for A Happy Marriage, I skipped my long TBR list and jumped right into this one and was not disappointed.

Admittingly, the first half to me was a bit slower but I appreciate it was setting the stage and building up for the second half. And, yep, the second half was a ride. The first twist I said "what the *%& just happened?" and to me, this makes a great psychological thriller.

Dinah and Joe have an unusual relationship, seemingly madly in love but both harbour secrets. They are both career driven and when their careers collide, sh*t is going to hit the fan.

Did I like Dinah and Joe? No. Absolutely not. These are the kind of people you meet and get a strange vibe from!

Did I like how the story came together with twists and over the top revelations? Absolutely!

Ahh! I am looooving AR Torre's dark era.
Dinah and Joe are the perfect couple with the perfect setup, knowing all of each other's secrets... Or do they?
How far are they willing to sacrifice for their love?
How long can their past lives stay buried?
Will Jessica come to terms with what happened to her mother and why she's been institutionalized?
The questions just kept coming and secrets kept unfolding.
I love a Lifetime movie thriller and AR Torre did not let me down.
I was hooked from the start, and aside from a few minor grammatical or sensory errors, I was obsessed with this book.
I will add that this book is not for those who can only read something realistic, because this is crazy and you just have to enjoy the ride.
Cannot wait for this to be released to the world. It deserves all the love.
4.5/5

A.R Torre delivers a gripping mix of psychological suspense and marital drama, keeping the reader hooked with well-developed characters and a steadily building sense of tension. Dinah and Joe’s perspectives add depth to the story, allowing us to see both their love for each other and the secrets they desperately want to keep hidden.

The twists feel natural rather than forced, making the unraveling of their marriage even more compelling. Torre does a great job exploring trust and deception in relationships, showing how even the strongest bonds can crack under pressure.

While the book is engaging, some parts—especially in the middle—drag a little, and certain twists might be easy to predict for seasoned thriller readers. Still, A Happy Marriage is an addictive, thought-provoking read that will leave you questioning just how well we ever really know the people we love.

Thank you for this ARC
Another great book by A. R. Torre! She has amazing twists and storytelling. The main characters each held their own secrets! I did not predict any of it.
I really liked the Detective element of it.

MS TORRE YOU’VE DONE IT AGAIN
another excellent unhinged and bingeable thriller from one of the most reliable authors in the game! she’s so good at writing morally grey characters; don’t even read the synopsis of this one bc it’s more fun to let the pieces slide into place.

Can you keep a secret?
Dinah and Joe have been married for ten years. And if you ask either one, they would say they have A “Happy Marriage.”

So what’s their secret to keeping that marriage on course?

Dinah is a homicide detective, presently working a case involving a woman possibly murdered in her own home, and her teenage daughter missing.
Joe is a psychiatrist. He teaches classes as well as running his own private psychiatric clinic.

Both are still head over-heels in love with each other. And everything will stay peachy-keen just as long their secrets don’t come to light.

Is it just me, or are the most devious male characters in thrillers all named Joe?😂 Makes me give every Joe I know the side eye!

A.R. Torre once again delivers an unputdownable domestic thriller that I devoured in just a couple sittings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I am very glad to have the opportunity to read this months in advance of publication. My review, as always, will be nothing but 100% honesty.

Stories about peculiar couples are always intriguing to me, and I read A.R. Torre's previous thriller, "The Last Party", and really enjoyed it, so of course I was excited to read this. For the most part, it is satisfactory in the way that it is an adequately entertaining and quick read with short chapters and easy prose.

My only complaint is that the prose - the sentence level, while accessible, left much to be desired. I felt this way because it felt like the simplicity of the writing style didn't have that extra oomph to make me more engaged, therefore not selling the psychological thriller element of the novel enough for me. It didn't take away from it being a fun time overall, but it could've been something more memorable. 7/10

There was many times I had to just say, What!?! I was floored by this book and even though this author is well known, I had never read her, but I desire to read more of her books. I do not give spoilers, but all the plot-twists, and the ending, it was just mesmerizing. The horrors that Jessica went through, is unimaginable, but it sounds to me like her story is not over with, there might have to be a sequel to this novel. Dinah and Joe surprised me all the time. I thought oh how wonderful their marriage is, well, to say it is beyond strange later in the book, is an understatement. The only character I truly liked was Jessica and her mother, who was murdered. They are who people should inspire to be, not like Dinah and Joe. The reason I gave it 5 stars is because I couldn't put it down, no matter how crazy things became in the story.

A crazy ride with a crazy couple! These two deranged spouses don’t know each others full secrets and you follow them on their ride.

In true A.R. Torre fashion, A Happy Marriage will have your head spinning and your heart racing. The storyline was nothing short of amazing and very unique. This was a true domestic, psychological thriller that had me reeled in from the start.

The story follows Dinah and Joe Marino, a married couple. She is a police detective and he is a Psychiatric Doctor. This is about the only normal thing about this couple. Though completely devoted to each other, both are keeping secrets from the other, and we all know that eventually leads to an explosion of anger and betrayal when the truth comes out.

Full of dark, deep twisty secrets and lies, this will have you on the edge of your seat for the entire crazy ride. The story is told through multiple perspectives, giving the reader valuable insight into each character. The characters are unhinged and unreliable which is perfect for this crazy read. This book is very fast paced and easy to read. I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy

I devoured this right up! AR Torre is a thriller writer aficionado and I couldn’t put this one down. My full review is on my Instagram page - https://www.instagram.com/nelliesreads?igsh=MTNkNjh3dGUxcWZuNg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Oh. My. God! This book! A.R. Torre is a masterful writer of psychological thrillers and suspense. I have yet to find another author who weaves a story.quite like her. A Happy Marriage is the story of a married couple, Dinah and Joe who, for all intents and purposes truly have the perfect marriage. All is not quite what it seems, though, and as the story is developed through alternating points of view, you find yourself constantly questioning what is really happening and wondering whose version to believe. You will not be able to put this book down. Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC of A Happy Marriage by A.R. Torre in exchange for my honest review. I loved every second of this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

This is the first book I’ve read from Torre, and I loved it! The short chapters and different POVs are something that I really enjoy in thrillers. I liked the twists even if they weren’t super surprising. I’ll definitely read more from this author.

Okay so this might be my favorite of this authors ever. The way she put my jaw on the floor was unreal. Multiple POV but it works. Just a wild plot from start to finish. I highly recommend it. I’ve seen it’s got mixed reviews and what can I say. I read this author for the crazy plots they weave.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC! This will be out in June.

3.75 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the early release copy of A Happy Marriage. A.R. Torre is one of my favorite psychological thriller authors. This book was incredibly fascinating and fast paced. I finished it in less than twenty four hours.

Follow along a "happy" couple who may be hiding quite the sinister side of themselves from their world around them and from each other. What could possibly go wrong when you are a Los Angeles homicide detective and your husband is a psychiatrist? A power couple in the eyes of many will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden in the past. Some secrets you'll kill to keep.

This book was twisted! The eyebrow-raising first sentence had me hooked and I stayed up reading until one in the morning because I couldn't put it down. This is a very quick read as the pace is fast and the pages fly by. I don't want to say too much about the plot but it's about horrible, but fun to read about, people doing horrible things. The ending did fall a little flat for me though. I'm not sure what would have been better, but it was just okay. Also, I would have liked some more explanation for why they were doing these things and what exactly the point was. Overall, A Happy Marriage is really entertaining while you're reading it, but looking back it's a bit shallow and ridiculous. It's not my favorite A.R. Torre book, but it's still enjoyable and I would recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

Unhinged! I couldn't read this book fast enough! A dirty cop and a psychopath doctor are a match made in heaven and destroy so many lives. This is a must read on so many levels!!