I devoured 'The Husband Before You', a gripping psychological thriller. The suspense built as the story unfolded, and I loved how the past was woven in to reveal its impact on the present. My suspicions were spot on... right up until the twist at the end! This was my first book by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it - I'm definitely reading more!

I quite enjoyed this book for the first half and by then I had guessed the ending . I loved the characters especially the 2 very different husbands and the interesting storyline with the dilemma of what to do if your missing husband turns up . I would still recommend this book as I love this author and the book was well written. Four stars from me

Release: April 1, 2025
Publisher: Bookouture

Rating: 3.5 ★ 

Review:

The Husband Before by A.J. McDine is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from the very first page. The story is filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and an eerie sense of unease that builds as secrets unravel. The writing is fast-paced, making it an easy but immersive read. The characters are well-developed, especially the protagonist, whose doubts and paranoia felt incredibly real. The tension between trust and deception is handled brilliantly, keeping me guessing until the end. While some parts felt slightly predictable, the execution was strong enough to keep me engaged. Overall, it’s a solid psychological thriller that delivers on its premise. I’d recommend it to fans of domestic suspense and unreliable narrators.

Summary:

In The Husband Before You by A.J. McDine, Alex is happily married to Carter, a pediatric doctor who also happens to be the best friend of her first husband, Freddie. Ten years ago, Freddie walked out on her without explanation, leaving her heartbroken and struggling to move on. But when he suddenly reappears in her life, old emotions resurface, and Alex finds herself caught between the stability of her present and the unresolved past. As she searches for answers, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about both men—and the real reason Freddie left all those years ago.

Favorite Quote:
"I picked up the pieces when you walked out. She was broken. You broke her. But she put herself back together and she's doing great. We're doing great."

What do you do when the husband that disappeared a decade ago shows up on your doorstep?

Freddie is Alex's first husband; she woke up one morning and found him gone without a trace. Carter is her new husband and wait for iiiitttt Freddie's best friend. When Freddie returns he tells her
<b>Don't Trust Carter.</b>

The first half of this novel was a four-star read, but it took one of those turns. I enjoyed getting to know each of these characters and exploring the bubble of their little world. And the dog,🐕 of course I loved ❤️ the loyal family pet. The riveting plot was left behind, then petered out with easy answers and threw down breadcrumbs for the second half so obvious they were no fun to follow.

* Those that haven't read many thrillers may feel differently.*

I found the overall writing style easy to get lost in which I like. The first half was strong enough that I would read this author again being this was my first experience with her work.

First 1/2 --4⭐⭐⭐⭐
Last 1/2--2.5⭐⭐.✨✨
Average--3.25⭐⭐⭐.✨
Rounded To--3⭐⭐⭐

Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for an eARC for review. All opinions are my own.

This was a little gem of a book! It was an easy and quick read. The writing was a lot like Daniel Hurst’s or Kiersten Modglin’s, quick twisty and enjoyable psychological thrillers. I don’t think the twist or the ending was very shocking but I still felt I was reading intently to confirm my suspicion and there was a few things to discover. I would definitely recommend this book as again the ending was satisfying, whereas similar books with a similar plot line of a disappearing spouse has left me frustrated. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Pick up this novel and you will find it hard to put it down again, and when you have read it, you will find it easy to believe that you have actually been there experiencing the story yourself.
Omg what a thrill of a read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Twisty and full of suspence. I was on the edge of my seat.

Alex thought her FIRST husband, Freddie died ten years ago, and she had him declared dead when he didn’t turn up after seven years. So she was shocked when she opened her front door and saw his once familiar face.

Where has he been? And, why is he back now that she has finally moved on?

“DON’T TRUST CARTER” he says speaking about his former best friend- who is now her SECOND husband.

“I KNOW THE TRUTH” one of the eight anonymous notes, slipped through the mailbox reads…

Who should she trust? Her first husband or her second husband? And WHO is behind the cryptic notes that she has been receiving?

This sounded like a juicy little popcorn thriller, so, I since I have enjoyed the author’s last two books, “Everyone has Secrets” and, (especially) “The Photo”, I quickly requested it.

It ended up being my least favorite of the three, because I found this one to be very predictable, and the reason for Freddie’s absence was weak.

With that being said though, I have read A LOT of psychological thrillers, and I do think that readers who only choose this genre occasionally, will find it more surprising, and therefore more entertaining.

AVAILABLE April 1, 2025

Thank You to the wonderful Bookouture for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

Imagine your husband disappears without a word, and ten years later you finally manage to rebuild your life and put your painful past behind you. And then one day your first husband -yes, the one that left you out of the blue- shows up at your door and tells you not to trust your second husband!

That's exactly what happens to Alex in The Husband Before You when her first husband Freddie reappears after ten years. Alex had initally blamed herslef on his disappearance due to her mental health struggles. She is now married to Carter, who also happens to be Freddie's old friend and colleague. And then there's Gemma, Alex's best friend who might know a bit more about Freddie's disappearance than she lets know....

This book was great. It's told in alternating POVs and timelines, and the author slowly leaves crumbs to explain why Freddie left and what he's been up to all these years. I had a lot of fun playing the guessing game.

This book is full of twists and turns that kept in me suspense. Absolutely loved everything about this book from the storyline, character building and the unexpected twists. Highly recommend,

My first A J Mcdine book and wow. Just wow. I couldn’t put it down—I was hooked from the very first page, and it did not put it down. Two husbands? Perfect. The characters? So well-written I found myself relating to them at times (which only made things way more intense). The bits about motherhood and postnatal depression? So surprising to see discussion + support about! And THE TWIST. Are you kidding me?! I never saw that ending coming, and I loved every second of it. An incredible read—if you love thrillers that keep you guessing, drop everything and read this one now!
goodreads.com/kaitelizabeth

The Husband Before You by AJ McDine is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the complexities of marriage, family, and identity. When a husband mysteriously disappears one night, leaving behind his wife, two young daughters, and a successful career, the story takes a dramatic turn. Ten years later, the husband reappears—but the world he returns to is vastly different. His wife has remarried and had another child, leaving him to navigate the consequences of his sudden return.

McDine does an excellent job creating suspense, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The pacing is spot-on, keeping the story fast and engaging without dragging at any point. Each character is carefully developed, making it easy to feel invested in their actions and dilemmas. The emotional complexity of the wife, caught between the life she’s rebuilt and the man who once was everything to her, is portrayed with subtlety and depth. As a reader, you’ll find yourself questioning what you would do in her shoes, which is a testament to McDine’s ability to craft relatable, thought-provoking characters.

What stands out in this thriller is the unpredictability of the plot. Every twist feels earned, and the tension builds steadily throughout, leaving you constantly on edge. It’s one of those books where you keep turning the pages, desperate to see how the story will unfold.

The Husband Before You is a perfect read for anyone who loves a fast-paced, suspenseful novel with strong character development and high stakes. Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers and page-turners.

When I saw the description of this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to request it. It was my first book by A.J. McDine, and I honestly didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. I literally couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to know what would happen next. It’s an intriguing story about Alex, whose husband, Freddie, disappeared 10 years ago. She remarried, and one day, she opens the door to find that Freddie is back. It’s an amazing thriller!

I was looking forward to reading the newest thriller by A.J. McDine and as soon as my request was accepted on NetGalley, it jumped straight to the top of my TBR list.

This time, we dive into the world of Alex, a mother of three whose first husband, Freddie, vanished without a word ten years ago. She eventually rebuilt her life, remarried, and everything seemed fine—until Freddie suddenly shows up at her door. Where has he been? Why did he leave? What really happened? The answers unravel gradually in the author’s signature engaging style, keeping the suspense alive throughout.

And yes, she did it again—an amazingly gripping domestic thriller, absolutely unputdownable, with such realistic and relatable characters. I did guess some of the twists (not the last one! 😉), but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. The short chapters, multiple POVs, and different timelines kept me hooked. I love her writing style and the way she captures the everyday struggles and anxieties of domestic life so vividly.

Oh, and I do hate the pompous concept of deconstructed dishes. 🤭

Highly recommend! 5 shiny stars!!

A really great read about a woman whose world is turned upside down when her husband just walks out one day and never came home. Years later she is now remarried and has a new baby when a knock at the door changes everything. When Freddie her husband left her she was struggling with her mental health and after he makes a big mistake as a doctor he walked and left her to deal with it all. She has the feeling that the family he hurt is sending her warnings and once his return becomes common knowledge she starts to feel that she is being watched and maybe in more danger than she realises. With tensions rising from her new husband and her old husband she is struggling to work out where her heart lies and why she is still so scared. A great thriller!

Another brilliant book from this author and I was involved in the storyline from the beginning until the end.

All the characters had a part to play in making this book what it was and everything brought together to make it a great ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this great ARC which I can thoroughly recommend and can't wait for the next book.

W.O.W.
I read this in one sitting., what a masterpiece!
When Freddy turns up on Alex s doorstep after upping and leaving 10 years previously ,things have changed and moved on. Alex is now married to Carter, freddies best friend and colleague at the hospital where they had both worked as drs. What will happen? 2 husbands, 1 wife, 3 children and a jealous best friend Gemma.. I cant rate thus highly enough!, there are lots of twists, and it proper had me gripped.

Solid mystery with red herrings at every turn - taut, intense, addictive - read it in one afternoon! Fast moving, complex, and some definite surprises.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC!!

"The Husband Before You" is a gripping psychological thriller that had me engrossed from start to finish.

The story revolves around Alex, who has rebuilt her life with her two daughters, her new husband, and their young son after her husband, Freddie, abandoned her. A decade later, Freddie resurfaces, raising the questions: Where has he been all this time, and why did he leave?

Narrated from multiple perspectives, I found each character’s journey fascinating, from Alex’s struggles to Freddie’s mysterious absence and its ripple effects on everyone involved.

This book had me hooked from the very first page to the last—it's one I’ll definitely be recommending!

From the moment I saw AJ McDine's latest ARC offering ‘The Husband Before You’ on NetGalley, I knew I had to dive in. I've always been captivated by her work, and I knew I was promised a thrilling ride.

What would you do if your husband, presumed dead for 10 years suddenly reappeared on your doorstep?

The story centers around Alex, who has rebuilt her life and found happiness with her new husband, Carter. The unexpected return of her long-lost husband, Freddie, throws everything into turmoil as she grapples with the return of her past and the uncertainty of her future.

AJ McDine crafts a suspenseful narrative, expertly weaving a tangled web of secrets and unresolved emotions.
The use of multiple points of view and dual timelines kept me constantly engaged, piecing together the past and present, slowly unraveling the mystery surrounding Freddie's disappearance and the impact of his return on Alex's carefully constructed life.

The pacing is expertly handled, steadily building tension as the story unfolds, leaving me racing through the pages until the very end.

AJ McDine has once again delivered a compelling and thought-provoking read and I absolutely loved it!

Thank you AJ McDine, NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy.

I really enjoyed this thriller, told from multiple points of view. Just where has Freddie been all these years? I did think i had it worked out but it totally surprised me! A great read that keeps you on the edge of your seat.