Omg I have never been so invested in a book before guessing all throughout. A missing person then theres blackmail and everyone is thinking its each other This book has made me realise one thing I'm so im glad I'll never have to do the school run. That stuff is crazy those mamas are crazy. This book is absolutely brilliant. So many twists and turns and a shocker at the end. No questions left unanswered.

Best book I've read so far of 2025
.5 stars

I will definitely be recommending this to the members of the plot thickens book club group on facebook.

From the start I thought this is going to be good and it really held my attention for the first half. After that the characters felt exhausting and I didn’t feel like I could keep up with who was who. I was completely underwhelmed by the ending and still not fully sure how I feel but it did keep me guessing.

Lowbridge is the kind of small town that looks charming on the outside but is packed with secrets, rumors, and a whole lot of judgment. From the moment Jude arrives, freshly divorced and trying to start over, there’s an uneasiness that lingers — and it only grows when she connects with Will, the local widower everyone seems to whisper about.

The mystery surrounding Will’s past had me hooked. Two women gone in just a few years? It’s the kind of setup that keeps you side-eyeing every character and second-guessing the truth. Jude’s drive to uncover what really happened, especially with her own family’s history of loss, gives the story a lot of heart and tension.

The twists are well-placed, the small-town dynamics feel real, and the writing keeps the suspense simmering from start to finish. A solid, addictive read with just the right amount of darkness.

When newly-divorced Jude arrives in the small town of Lowbridge she finds herself drawn to Will, the father of her daughter’s best friend. Will’s past is shrouded in mystery. His first wife’s mysterious death and the disappearance of his second is the cause of gossip at the school gates. Jude is determined to uncover the truth; Because whilst one dead wife is tragic, two starts to look like murder…

I always know when I lift a C.L. Taylor’s book I will not be disappointed and this was no exception! The plot kept the quick pace and had me racing through all the twists and turns. The school mums were very Mean Girls-esque and I think we all know a few in real life! Great plot twists and overall a fab read.

Thanks to NetGalley and C.L. Taylor for an ARC. Much appreciated

Loved this book. Characters and plot were spot on. I was in a slump before I started this but I absolutely flew through it. Loved the writing style

Another fantastic read from C L Taylor. This book had me gripped from the outset.

It's Always The Husband is full of secrets, lies and a fantastic cast of school mum's. As ever Taylor has a way of keeping the pages turning!

Thank you Netgalley

The action in The Husband Before You by AJ McDine is narrated by Alex, a suburban mother of three and her formerly missing first husband Freddie. Freddie disappeared without a trace ten years prior leaving Alex to raise their two daughters alone. While he was gone, she had him declared legally dead and moved on with his best friend Carter who was previously an item with her best friend, (and nurse at the same hospital where Carter and Freddie) Gemma. When Freddie comes back he finds that Alex and Carter have been raising his daughters and their toddler son as a family. Many questions are raised: why did Freddie disappear, why did he come back and which husband will Alex choose to live her life with, Carter or Freddie?

While there is nothing wrong with this book, there is also nothing super compelling either and often trying to remember who is narrating makes the story hard to follow. An average family drama thriller. 3.25 stars.

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

It’s Always The Husband follows the story of newly-divorced Jude, who moves to the town of Lowbridge with her young daughter. Soon after arriving, she finds herself drawn to Will, the father of her daughter’s best friend. But Will’s past is shrouded in mystery. His first wife’s death and the unexplained disappearance of his second have fuelled endless gossip among the local school mums. While Jude is reluctant to judge an innocent man based on rumours, she can’t help but wonder if there is some truth behind them.

I’ve always enjoyed C. L. Taylor’s writing style, and this novel was no exception. The plot kept me gripped, eagerly turning the pages as I uncovered more about the characters and their hidden motives. The author's depiction of school-gate gossip was spot on, with characters who felt so real they reminded me of people I’ve met in real life. I especially loved the portrayal of queen bee Victoria and her volatile relationship with her ex-husband. Those dynamics added another layer of intrigue. The author skilfully highlights how, behind closed doors, each character is dealing with their own struggles, which influence their actions in unexpected ways.

However, I didn’t find the ending as strong as the rest of the book. When the perpetrator was finally revealed, I had to go back and remind myself who they were. I felt they hadn’t been prominent enough to justify such a pivotal role. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and would definitely recommend it to fans of domestic thrillers.

A psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very start. There were multiple POVs but that helped with the story and plot twists!

It was a good, enjoyable twisty read but are mothers at the school gates really so immature these days. I get that school girls can be bitchy and best friends one day and sworn enemies the next but do they really carry it through to adulthood? I loved the twist at the end.

It's Always The Husband by C.L. Taylor

Book Review
Are you in the mood for a dark, additive and slightly obsessive read...
I would even go as far as saying stalkerish....
Meet Jude....she has just recently moved to a small, sleepy town in Lowbridge where the school gates in the morning and evening could quite possibly be the highlight of her day...
Jude meets her daughter's best friend's father Will who is struggling to cope with the disappearance of his wife some time ago..
Add to the equation a whole village thinking he may have had something to do with it and it doesn't make for a happy situation.
Jude likes Will though so she is determined to uncover the truth and prove Will had nothing to do with her disappearance.
It doesn't help his situation that she is his second wife to have been presumed dead.
Moving at a fast pace, this read is quite compelling..
It will draw you in for sure trying to keep up with the lies, the deceit and the drama...
One for your list...

Out on 5th June 2025

I have to say, it completely caught me off guard. I don’t usually pick up romance novels, but this one had me hooked from the first chapter. The chemistry between the two main characters was electric—it wasn’t just about the physical attraction, but the way they challenged and supported each other. I found myself rooting for them, even when they were making mistakes or letting their insecurities get in the way.

What really stood out to me was how real the story felt. The dialogue was sharp and natural, and the emotional moments hit hard without feeling overly dramatic. I could see pieces of myself in the male lead, especially in how he struggled to open up and be vulnerable. It made me think about my own relationships in a way I didn’t expect.

The pacing was perfect, with just enough tension to keep me turning the pages. And while there were moments that felt predictable, the journey was so enjoyable that I didn’t mind. By the end, I was smiling like an idiot—it was that satisfying.

I LOVED this one! Id taken a break from crime thrillers as sometimes I feel once you've read a few you've read them all but C. L. Taylor never disappoints. I was pleasantly surprised by the reveal in this one and was kept guessing throughout. Just when you think you've cracked it, your wrong! I was kept on the edge of my seat right to the very end, even staying up until 3am to finish it. That's when you know it's a good book!

4.5 stars - What an engaging and hectic story about a bunch of mothers who all know each other from the school run! Definite desperate housewives vibes.

Jude is new to the area with her daughter and she gets to know a single dad, Will, on the school run. But the other mums are suspect of him and she knows he has an interesting past. What unfolds is a lot of drama and intrigue!

This book is told from a number of different POVs and follows the relationships of not only Jude and Will but several of the other school mums and their husbands too. At times it is a lot to take in but when it all unfolds it makes for a story that is very hard to put down!

The only slight downside is the complex web of characters, at times it gets a bit overwhelming and it’s often hard to remember which school mum is who! But apart from that I loved this one, it kept me hooked and guessing the whole time and there were plenty of twists / reveals along the way!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another fantastic read from Cally!

I love how her books are so different yet so readable and relatable at the same time.

Jude is newly single and has moved with her daughter to make a fresh start. She’s struggling to integrate with her school run mums but is happy so meet Will, a single dad. Who is single due to his wife being dead and his partner being missing….

Such a clever story and so well written - will be highly recommending.

From the start I thought this is going to be good and it really held my attention for the first half. After that the characters felt exhausting and I didn’t feel like I could keep up with who was who. I’m completely underwhelmed by the ending and still not fully sure how I feel but it did keep me guessing. Whilst it’s not my favourite by this author I did look forward to picking it up and getting engrossed in the story.

It's Always the Husband is a fast paced, well plotted read that will keep those pages turning and the lights on.

The story is told from multiple POV's which works very well and adds an element of suspense.

There is Jude, Victoria, her ex husband Andy ( a piece of work he is ) and Sorrell.

Who is the reliable narrator and who can the reader trust.

We have a missing woman and most of the school mum's and town think well it's always the husband and are quick to blame Will.

Is it always the husband though?

Time will tell.

Jude thinks he is innocent and Victoria believes he is guilty. Everyone has an invested interest.

There is gossip, secrets, lies, suspense and loyalty to a degree.

C.L. Taylor always does a masterful job of hooking the reader in with twists and turns, red herrings and It's Always the Husband is no exception.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and could not put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books U/Avon for the privilege of reading and reviewing It's Always the Husband.

I was grabbed by the description and title but as I’m not a parent so wasn’t sure if the book would be for me. I was wrong! The book was a complete page turner which I looked forward to coming back to. There were plenty of twists which kept me guessing to the end such as who Andy answered to the door to!

The chapters are written from the perspective of the characters. There are a lot of names, but it’s testament to the skilled writing of the author that as the reader you really have to concentrate to follow the twists and turns. I hadn’t predicted the conclusion but particularly liked the very end of the book which looped back and resolved one of the outstanding mysteries.

I love CL Taylor’s writing, and was hugely grateful for the ARC. Thank you!

Omg! I loved this book. The story is set in a small town and focuses on a group of school mums and their friendship circle. Jude is new to town and has developed a friendship with Will, a single dad whose daughter is in the same class as her daughter. But the rumour is that Will’s first wife died and his second just vanished, or did he kill them both.
The story follows the relationship between the friends, the lies and deceit within their families and how they team together to learn the truth.

This book had me gripped from the first couple of pages. We all know “those mums” at the school gate and I was desperate to know what had happened to Will’s partner Robyn. At first I was convinced it was him and then went through pretty much everyone else in the story too. Each with their reasons, each family with their problems and each a potential killer. Loved it.

An interesting idea, relatively well executed. I love the use of stereotypes throughout the book (b*tchy school mums, suspicious single dads etc) and how they’re used to fuel the plot. It’s relatively fast paced, but felt a bit slower than other C L Taylor books- still enjoyable though.

I definitely didn’t see the twists coming, and hadn’t guessed how it was going to end. The characters each have their own individual personalities, some likeable and some not, although my opinions on characters changed throughout the book because of good character development.

Highly recommend this for any thriller lovers, and fans of CL Taylor’s previous work won’t be disappointed.