Holy smokes. This is one of those books that is impossible to review because to do it justice would be to give away its secrets. So let’s just say if you like domestic thrillers, you need to read this one. This is a bit different of a novel for Sarah Pekkanen, just like it was when Lisa Steinke and Liz Fenton moved to domestic suspense but she nails it with the help of her former editor, Greer Hendricks. I just want to know who wrote each character.

Warning: unpopular opinion. I cannot for the life of me understand the high ratings and great reviews this book is getting. The description for this book on goodreads literally says: "Discover the next blockbuster novel of suspense, and get ready for the read of your life." Blockbuster novel of suspense? Did I just read the right book? Is this a joke or...?

This book claims to be a suspense/thriller but it's neither of those things. It's a mystery that is dragged out throughout the entire book, that I couldn't give two fucks about honestly. I made an update around the 200 page mark where I complained that nothing interesting had even happened in the story yet and I wasn't sure if I should finish it, but I did and... god damn this book was my Everest. It took so much energy to finish this book because of how bored I was by the story. The title and the goodreads description of this book make it seem like it's going to be some crazy twisted love triangle with so many plot twists and that it's going to be so different form anything else you've ever read, but in reality it's this ridiculously annoying love triangle with a main chaarcter who is obsessed with her ex-husband and a few lame "plot twists" get thrown in along the way. The majority of this book is the main character Vanessa having flashbacks of her marriage with Richard and how "omg he was so perfect then" and "omg where did it all go wrong?" and it was so boring. The writing style is confusing too because I was always confused when it would randomly dive into a flashback and then randomly come back to the present. I never knew what scenes were taking place currently and what scenes were flashbacks, it was just very unorganized.

This book attempts to make a 'plot twist' at the end of part one, which is around the 150 page mark, but it doesn't really change anything in the story. It's not a great plot twist, and I was expecting more from the next two parts. When I finally realized what this story is about towards the end, and I realized there wouldn't be any mind blowing plot twists, I was really disappointed.

I just hate that the main mystery happening in this story is trying to figure out what went wrong in Vanessa and Richard's marriage, and when it's finally revealed it's very obvious and basic and this mystery doesn't bring anything new to the table that we haven't seen in mysteries ten million times. I think this book tries to be clever and it just epic-ally fails, and it was just so boring. The only good thing this book has going for it is the epilogue, which did have a plot twist that I didn't see coming - but even that did not make this book worth reading. I feel like I wasted my day off reading this, so read at your own risk. I don't recommend this.

The Wife Between Us is a very cleverly written novel of psychological suspense that managed to do what few books seem able to do these days – genuinely surprise me. Not just once, but multiple times.

I thought I had this book all figured out in the beginning. I thought that the vague synopsis gave too much away. That I could read between the lines and easily figure out what was really going on. However, I did exactly what the synopsis told me not to do and assumed too much. While there were a few things I guessed correctly, the story has about three major twisty reveals and I did not see any of them coming.

I really don’t know what I can say about this book without giving too much away. I really think it’s best going into with as little information as possible. I will say that it is very character driven and the pace felt a little on the slower side. I didn’t feel the psychological suspense aspects of the story until after the first twist is revealed, which is not until almost half way through the book. However, after that I felt like there was more urgency to the story. I thought the characters were all pretty sympathetic and compelling and they kept me reading during the parts where I thought the pacing was a little too slow. I also thought that the writing between the two authors was really seamless. If I didn’t know there was more than one author I never would have guessed it.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Wife Between Us. The multiple twists were very cleverly written and honestly surprised me. I felt very connected to the characters, as well. My only complaint is that I wish the pacing was a little more steady. I read so much of this genre that few things really surprise me anymore and I loved that this book was able to do it again and again. I definitely recommend this one!

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

This book started and ended great. The twisty plot got a little long in the middle but the end was great. As you ready you start to wonder what is normal and what is not as you progress thru the story.

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars....a million perhaps? I am a huge fan-girl of Sarah Pekkanen I would be happy to just read her grocery list. I was unsure how her work would translate as co-author with another writer but Sarah and Greer Hendricks wrote a flawless story. I never felt that one author wrote some parts and another author wrote a different part. The storyline was seamless. The character development on point. The pace was perfection. You totally think you know where this story is going from the first page...you have no idea. You will have no clue until the very end and that's what makes these women geniuses. I could not put this book down and I have the dark circles under my eyes to prove it. It is filled with twists and turns and I predict this will be THE book of 2018 and I can't wait until everyone gets their hands on it.

“The Wife Between Us” by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen appears to be a simple story, one you might have read before, but do not be fooled. The players are familiar, the husband, the ex-wife, the other woman, but these are not ordinary players in a run of the mill divorce, and things are not as simple as they seem.

The adventure begins with a caution from one of the players.
“She is unaware of the damage I have wrought; the ruin I have set in motion.”
How reliable is this participant? How ominous is this prediction?

Relationships make this a compelling novel; we meet all the usual players, all going about their daily lives. They work; they play, they struggle; they plan. We love them, we hate them; we are perturbed by them. We see the impending trauma from multiple points of view, or at least what appears to be from each point of view. Pieces of the puzzle are strewn here and there just waiting for us to put them together into the perfect picture. However, this picture is far from perfect, and none of the pieces fit together as they should. All the little things are important, but how?

The flow of the book is just like the characters, psychotic, unorganized, and almost rambling, but then plotting, focused, and determined. We watch as the whole perfect world just starts to unravel and crumble, leaving us to question everyone and everything.

The story is excellent, the plot compelling, the twists and turns unexpected. The action is hard to describe without giving things away, but it is a wild ride with twists and turns at every corner. You will not catch your breath until the end.

I received a copy of “The Wife Between Us“ from Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen, St Martin’s Press, and NetGalley. This is absolutely a “must read” book. This divorce is unlike any other. However, plan your schedule wisely; you will NOT want to put down once you start reading.

EEK! A twister blister formed in my poor brain and it was ready to burst! This thriller had a twist that made me think me three things, explanations that jumped fast around inside my head, irritating the hell out of the blister: Either I was an absolute dummy, or I had meandered into the Twilight Zone, or the publisher (or editor) had made a mistake that was mammoth and unforgiveable.

My 10-step journey:

1. Was going along just fine, enjoying this fast-moving thriller. La-dee-da, la-dee-da.

2. Got hit. WHAP! What just happened???? I was about halfway through. Surely all will be made clear in a second. But it wasn’t. I should understand. But I don’t. Way too confusing!

3. Reread pages. At first, I did so patiently, though nervously. Nothing clicked. A book should not be this hard!

4. Reread the pages a few dozen more times. I kept at it. Reread these sentences, carefully, I told myself, they WILL make sense. They always do in the end. But I was losing my dear patience. I was mad, I tell you. How could they do this to me? Despite my attempt at soothing self-talk, this book continued to make NO sense.

5. Paced. Okay, I’m a sitter, not a pacer. For this sitter to actually pace in the middle of reading a book is an unheard-of event. I usually just sit still and let my head (instead of my legs) do the work. As I clomped through my all-in-a-row living room, dining room, and kitchen (a nice straight place to pace), I tried desperately to figure out what was going on in this book that had hooked me from the start. I had pretty much settled on the idea that of the three possibilities, I was a dummy, unfit to handle a twist in a stupid book (because by this time, I was defensively calling the book “stupid”).

6. Paced some more. I don’t remember it clearly (due to stress, which often obliterates memory), but I’m pretty sure I was cussing by this point. I should have been wearing a pedometer.

7. Loaded the dishwasher. The hell with this book, I’ll do my chores. Doing the dishes never seemed so pleasant.

8. Sat back down. Should I abandon this book? Throw my Kindle across the room? (Not a smart idea to throw an electronic device, so I nixed it.) I was really pissed off. A book should not make me this mad or be this hard. My head hurt. Maybe I should call a friend and just forget about this dumb story.

9. Reread pages one last time. Okay, I’ll try, but that’s it—no more.

10. And then….OMG, I get it!!!! I get it!!!! I love this book! This twist is genius!! I felt like I had found the last piece in a 3,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. I was all cocky now that I had finally understood, and I could not stop marveling at the ingenuity of it. The authors winked at me. I winked back.

So that was my frustrating journey. I was exhausted, both mentally and physically. But then I started reading like a mad fool; my energy was renewed. Plus my dishes were done and I had had a little exercise.

It’s about time that I mentioned what the book was about: A scorned, obsessed ex-wife whose ex-husband is about marry again, is stalking the new fiancé. There are some good secrets about everyone’s past. As I read on, though, I realized that no twist could outdo that first one. That first humdinger was a twist of a different kind, but I’m not going to elaborate. I don’t want to give anything away.

The twists continued. What fun to have a stream of twists, not just one. Most books don’t come with a variety of them. I could not stop reading. In fact, I read this book in two days, which is super fast for me.

But yes, there was a bit of a letdown, only because that first twist was so grand. Also, the characters were somewhat stereotypical at first. Even some of the twists seemed a little familiar. But there were surprises that were new. The Epilogue was really good, for instance. Really good.

I do think this book might be a blockbuster. Unlike in Gone Girl, however, the language didn’t slay me; it was pretty pedestrian. I liked that there were no wasted words, though. As an ex-editor, I’m fascinated by the fact that this was written by two people. I can’t imagine how that worked.

This book is being brought to the big screen. I can’t for the life of me figure out how that first twist will be handled—sure hope they don’t have to ditch it, because the movie wouldn’t be as great without it. I’m definitely lining up to see the movie, though.

I recommend this book because of all the twists. As the blurb says, assume nothing, because nothing, and I mean nothing, is as it seems. I definitely thought it was a lot of fun, despite the pain of my twister blister.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars. Just.

Yet again I am in the minority here, as this book seems to be wowing everyone else.

However I found the book to be slow, disjointed and desperately trying to work out what type of book it wants to be.

The main characters are all unlikeable or annoying and the chapters are in part overly descriptive.

Lastly, for me, the book was chopping and changing trying to introduce the next big ‘twist’ to the point where it was pretty rushed and unbelievable at the end.

The last 10% was enjoyable hence the 3 stars.

Not for me but I am clearly a lone voice with this one!

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I initially read an excerpt on Bookishfirst.com and was hooked. So glad I did not have to wait until publication to take a twisty ride with this thriller.

This book is full of unexpected turns up until the very end. The constant is Robert, the prince charming who is swooping in to rescue Nellie from an "average" life without his money and assistance in shaping her destiny. Even though I did my very best to assume nothing as advised, I still found many times when the plot would take a delightful turn and give me a totally unexpected new look at the story. Highly recommended!

Hmmm, where to begin....this is definitely a page turning thriller with plot twists that will make you do a double take but for some reason it didn't click with me quite as much as I had hoped. Good Reads is filled with rave reviews and I was very excited to read this one but I never really connected to Nellie and it left things feeling flat to me.
Nellie comes off as naive and trusting. Vanessa seems bitter and delusional. The dual narration makes the story very interesting but unreliable narrators and an attempt at an ambiguous ending left me wishing the story had ended a few chapters earlier.
Don't get me wrong, this will be a hit with many and will probably turn into a huge hit on best seller's lists. I feel like the first 75% of the book is on point for a great thriller but the wrap up is twisted so many different ways it ends up being Too Much.

My review will post on my blog on 12/4/17. Thank you!

In order to not give away any spoilers or create preconceived notions my review is somewhat vague, but trust me on this: love/hate it…you can read it in one sitting, heck I had to because I couldn’t wait to figure out what the hell was going to happen.

OH MY WORD.

Initially, I never thought I would like suspense books but after reading a few I realized I was wrong; I really enjoy a well written suspense/mystery book! The Wife Between Us did not disappoint. It was brilliantly written. It keeps you on your toes and you find it hard to put down and walk away, as you need to know what happens! how many times am I going to say that – just imagine me saying it at the end of each sentence so I don’t have to keep typing it 😉

I found myself trying to piece together what the bombshell would be, and when you think you get to it – the story is not done, they keep coming. Even when I thought the story had wrapped up I was hit again with another twist.

I highly recommend reading this book!!

This book is going to be big! I don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to give anything away. I think it’s best to go into this book knowing very little about it and just enjoy the rollercoaster of a ride. I did not see the twists coming, especially the biggest twist which was so cleverly done. If you enjoy a psychological/domestic thriller then go and pre order this now. A gripping plot with likeable characters that will keep you sucked in right to the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I would’ve have read it in one sitting if I could have

Favorite Quotes:

Nick had waited tables alongside Nellie for a year, until he moved to Seattle with his band. Slick Nick, they’d all called him, although a few heartbroken women in his wake had modified it to Nick the Prick. He was the hottest guy Nellie had ever dated— although “dated” wasn’t an accurate description of their encounters, since most took place in a bedroom.

Nellie’s favorite part of the day was show-and-tell, which was predictably unpredictable. Once Annie had brought in a miniature Frisbee she’d found in the medicine cabinet. Nellie had returned the diaphragm to Annie’s mother at pickup. “At least it wasn’t my vibrator,” the mother had joked, instantly endearing her to Nellie.

I was happy, I think, but I wonder now if my memory is playing tricks on me. If it is giving me the gift of an illusion. We all layer them over our remembrances; the filters through which we want to see our lives.

My Review:

The Wife Between Us was brilliantly crafted, ingeniously written, and diabolically clever. I was instantly sucked into the hypnotic vortex of the narrator and remained enthralled with my Kindle while taut with tension, intensely curious, and helplessly intrigued. These frighteningly talented authors lured me into several traps and forced me to see the main characters under a completely different lens multiple times. My opinions were constantly shifting and I was frequently conflicted and challenged. I couldn’t decide whether to pity, admire, or revile the main narrator, nor could I tell if she was depressed, crazy, a vulnerable fool, or fiendishly devious. It was perfection. I am in awe of the stellar wordcraft and have an intense yearning to reread and savor this stunning tale one more time.

Wow. Just Wow. This book will have you hooked by page two and then when you look up again you're done the book and you have no idea how much time has passed. This book is gripping with its clever storyline and the ending will have you thinking about it days after you have finished reading it. Definitely a must read!

An extremely suspenseful story, one that had me glued to my chair for hours at a time. In the book’s summary, it states to ‘assume nothing’. This is SPOT ON! I was so caught up in the characters and making assumptions about them, wondering who I could trust when bam, along comes mega twisties to blindside me. A great thriller!

*to post in additional online venues upon publication

I’m going to start off my review a bit differently for THE WIFE BETWEEN US. You see, I can’t give you the normal plot summary I typically have because I worry I would give away one of the many twists the book contains and that would break my heart. So, I’m going to give you what Goodreads provides because I feel it’s vague enough and enticing at the same time!

Goodreads synopsis:
A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.
You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.
You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.
You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.
Assume nothing.

Vague enough for you? THE WIFE BETWEEN US starts off presenting a love triangle between a young bride, a wealthy man, and a scorned ex-wife, but what follows is a roller coaster of drama! Be prepared to switch camps and break allegiances to characters because just when you think you know who the good person is, you’ll realize you’ve been fooled again.

This book is all about assumptions made by the reader. Greer Hendrick and Sarah Pekkanen set up the reader on multiple difference paths where assumptions are easy to draw, but whether or not they are correct is where the fun begins! THE WIFE BETWEEN US is divided in to three parts and each one contains a major twist that simply blew my mind. I knew what I was getting in to within the first few pages when you realize the alternating narrators are more than a little unreliable and have some deeply rooted issues from their pasts. The chapters are quick and addicting, which had me flying through the pages to find out just what was happening! Each character in this novel is well developed and easy for the reader to form a connection with, despite not wanting to trust anyone. I cannot possible say enough good things about THE WIFE BETWEEN US! I sincerely hope when this title hits stores on January 9th, you’re there to pick up a copy!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen, and NetGalley for providing me a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

OMG! I never would have guessed the ending at all!! This book kept me guessing from beginning to end! I LOVED it!!! THank you so much Greer Hendricks; Sarah Pekkanen, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for giving me a chance to read this book. I LOVED it!!

Brilliant book, very recommended. I cannot say I enjoyed reading the contents itself and the sad life that has been led by Vanessa. However I completely understood how Vanessa felt and felt sorry for her. Control is not something you see at first until your eyes are opened from a sudden event and can take many years if not decades to escape. Beautifully written and described. Look forward to reading more from these authors. Well done.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It kept me hooked from the beginning to the very end. There were a couple of twists that made me question and rethink what I had read, which is always fun! I don't want to spoil the book, so I'll just say that the authors did an awesome job of keeping the reader engaged and wondering about what would happen next. Highly recommend!