Married for only 2 years, Freya and Phil have had their share of rows. Having been brought up by a father who dominated her mum; Freya swore she would NEVER let that happen to her...

Phil - not doing his "share" and taking responsibility, Freya felt stifled with her husband. Freya decides to leave Phil. This, after the latest row when she threw a vase. It broke, leaving Freya.'s arm bloody. As Philis leaving the house, he says "I can't stand this anymore". Then he leaves in his car. Freya's car is already packed in an effort to leave Phil.

And then...Bad brakes and a lorry change everything...

WOW! A truly superb read! Honestly :I could not put this one down!!! One of the year's best!

Many Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ability to read and review!

Thank you Bookouture, Karen King and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Freya is leaving her Husband after two years in an abusive marriage. She is walking out the door with her suitcases when she learns her Husband has been in a terrible car accident. She rushes to the hospital where she learns he has forgotten the last two years of her life. Does she stay? Does she go?

However, not all is as it seems. All along this thrill ride of a Novel, the Reader questions what he/she thinks is going to happen as it is never what it seems to be. There is infidelity, abuse, lies and even a question of whether Freya is the abuser and who is actually telling the truth.

I loved the premise of this book. The abuser has amnesia. The wife about to leave him decides to give him a second chance. Brilliant! The ending of the book tied everything up quite nicely. Karen King has done a fantastic job with this and I can't wait to read her other Novels!

My thanks to Bookoutre, Karen King and Netgalley.
I hated this book!
That's not to say that I didn't gobble it up, because I did.
I'm the idiot that who read a review that mentioned a twist! I should know better! Even my favorite squirrel, Doodle bug-McSquirrely Britches, would have said give it a pass!
I will say that it was a well written story. I'd even read more from this author of she could up her game.
Sad truth is that there isn't a twist. Maybe a slight curve?
This story is one of those that I would classify as "what you are is what you get."
I'm giving it 3 stars, but the writing itself is top notch!

I’ve read a few of this author’s books before, which I have really enjoyed. They were romantic fiction though, so I was really interested to see how this book would turn out. Told from different perspectives, we are introduced to Freya and Phil. Phil has been in a terrible car accident which has left him in a coma. When he wakes, he finds he has amnesia and the last memory he has is returning from his honeymoon, 2 years previously. Freya has been the dutiful wife, waiting at his bedside, but in reality, she’s scared of him and was on the verge of leaving him before the accident happened. The ‘old’ Phil had a violent temper and frequently hurt Freya, but now the ‘new’ Phil can’t remember any of this.

I was really hooked into the storyline right from the beginning, and felt devastated for both characters with the extent of Phil’s injuries. Freya is a lovely character who you instantly feel sorry for when you realise what a turbulent marriage she has. I also felt for Phil, post coma, as he obviously has no idea how badly he treated Freya. However, as the story moved on, my opinions of the characters swung backwards and forwards when you are given the impression perhaps one of them isn’t telling the truth! The book starts on a fantastic opener with Phil’s diagnosis, but it does slow up a little as it moves into the second half of the book. We are though treated to a great build up to the reveal towards the end, and despite trying my best to work out just what was going on, I was genuinely surprised with how the story turned!

There are other characters within the book, but not too many to make the storyline complicated. They do, however, have an integral part to play in the plot and like Freya and Phil, my opinions on the other characters swapped and changed in the turn of a page! The idea of having amnesia, for me, is really scary and I could feel the tension and fear in both Freya and Phil’s characters. Phil obviously had no idea what he’d been like over the past 2 years, but the old saying of can a leopard ever change his spots kept shouting out to me as I read! Freya, on the other hand, was scared that Phil would suddenly become the man he was and her part in the storyline filled me with fear and dread for these same reasons!

The book ends really well, with a twist I just didn’t see coming. This is definitely a story which is full of lies, deceit and mistrust, and I really enjoyed trying to work out exactly who was telling the truth and who wasn’t. There was lots of tension and suspense and plenty of red-herrings placed at the right parts, so just when you thought you’d worked it out…boom, it all changed!! A really enjoyable read, and will definitely look out for more thrillers by this author!

This book is just absolutely fantastic! I have definitely been gripped by this one and it's a book which has kept me up later than I'd hoped.
I have been completely unable to put this one down. This is completely gripping and unpredictable.
The author really pulls you into the story and as the tension and suspense builds it's just one of those books you have to keep reading. I definitely haven't been able to put this one down.
I have read previous books of this author, however they have been a different genre. The author definitely needs to write more thrillers. This has been my favourite yet!
This has been completely unpredictable and I have loved it. This is definitely one I recommend. Without a doubt a five star read for me.

Appearances are not always what they seem. Phil and Freya Keegan are the idyllic married couple. They have a nice house with a charming yard befitting Phil's handsome looks and Freya's stunning figure. From all appearances, they have the perfect marriage. But when Phil is involved in an "supposed" accident that nearly costs him his life, we find that their idyllic marriage isn't that idyllic after all; and that perhaps Phill wasn't the best person to be married to.

A Stranger in My Bed is a gripping read with a well developed small cast of characters. The narrative is well executed with plot twists that will keep you on your toes. A must read for fans of psychological thrillers. Four stars. I really liked it.

I received a digital ARC from Bookouture through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

This review will post to my blog, Goodreads and Twitter accounts on 11/9/20 with posts to retail sites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble occurring on publication day.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The stranger in my bed tells the story of Freya and Phil who have now been married for two years. The marriage has started to take a turn for the worse as Phil has become aggressive and violent towards Freya. After a blazing row, Phil storms out but is then involved in a car crash.

While the book had a good plot and some really good twists and I did finish it in a day I just could not connect with the characters at all. I found that it was very repetitive in some parts without spoiling the book for anyone and this is why I was able to finish the book in one day.

The ending was great I loved how it all came together and everything was revealed. One of the characters mentioned a certain something towards the end of the book which just seemed so out of context that just gave the ending away. I knew exactly what had happened!

3 Stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC copy of this book.
I cannot agree that it is an “utterly gripping psychological thriller“ as it is a very slow start, quite obvious early on that Phil has been having an affair and who with , except to Freya. The way it keep you guessing as to which character is the abusive one is quite interesting but it is not a book that made me want to keep reading.
Although it also becomes clear who damaged Phil’s brakes and why the end twist was good.
Will certainly read more from Karen King at some time.

Interesting concept for a book.
Freya and Phil have been married for 2 years the only problem is Phil can’t remember any of it. He is recovering from a car crash and has lost his memories for the past 2 years.
Freya has been on the point of leaving him when he crashed but has decided to give their marriage another chance. The reader uncovers domestic abuse in their marriage but who is responsible- Phil or Freya?
Complicated story of marriage, family, violence and deceit with lots of surprises and interesting characters on the periphery.
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in return for a fair review.
4 Stars 🌟.

When I first started the book it began a bit a slow and seemed to be a bit repetitive as the story switched back and forth between the main characters, Freya and Phil. I found the first part of the story to be a bit predictable but I kept reading and I’m glad that I did! The story unfolded and there were still parts where I predicted who was involved and other key plot theories, but I was really rooting for Freya throughout and wanted to see it through. The story centers around an argument between Freya and Phil that leads into a bit of a physical altercation and Phil storming out. It’s here where things start to unravel for the couple where Phil finds himself in an accident that puts him into the hospital where he is deemed to have retrograde amnesia. For Freya, this causes an unrelenting unease in her mind if she should give her marriage another try and for Phil, it’s a terrifying confusion into what he’s been up to for the past two years and what is fact or fiction. It was certainly a story that had me flipping each page to find out the next piece of the puzzle and for this being the first mystery/thriller for the author, Karen King, I thought she did it justice!

The book starts out with the perfect couple Freya and Phil things are going great and they couldn't be happier. The after a large fight Phil leaves only to get in a terrible car crash leaving him with no memory of their relationship over the past few years. This puts Freya in a weird position. How does she tell him that the man that he knows is long gone. That the happy times have been replaced by violence and grief. So she decides to not mention any of the heartache that they have gone through and only mention the good times. This was a really interesting twist on the typical memory loss novel because you don't often see the loved ones twisting it to suit their own needs and protect the victim from themselves. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were
really well done and I loved the concept of the story. It lets the reader jump into the characters shoes and see what they would go through if they were in the same boat. Will Phil turn back into the perfect husband that Freya always wished he would be or would he fall back into his old ways? I enjoyed this book however there were parts that seemed a little out there for me. I did find it a little hard to get into the characters though because it showed how they were before how they were now and how they wished that they had acted, so it was a little bit much to take in at times. And I found the plot a little predictable. While I wavered through the story jumping back and forth if I liked it or not I come to the conclusion that I didn't mind reading it however it was not my favourite. That being said I won't hesitate to read another book by Karen King, just to see if the next one is up to my liking.

Intense
This was epic ride.. Where do I start amazing characters amazing twist, I want more from this author. I already added this book to our book club list.

Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for the provided ARC. Please keep in mind while reading this review that this is an ARC I've read.

The Stranger In My Bed is a title that immediately drew my attention. I absolutely love thrillers and the description of this book made me feel intrigued.

Freya is a young woman whose marriage is on the rocks and she is about to leave her abusive husband when he gets into a serious accident and loses his memory of the last two years. This makes Freya hopeful, perhaps too hopeful, that she and her husband might have a second chance at love. However, not all is as it seems and along the way you start asking yourself, who is the true abuser here and what secrets that have been buried in the mud for quite some time will come uncovered?

I think I would've given this book five stars if I hadn't struggled with the writing style so much. A lot of speech is repetitive, especially in the beginning and at first I felt as if I was reading a children's book. The use of vocabulary, the short sentences, the repetitive speech etc. It got a lot better when the book progressed and when the tension starts building up. I love how the author plays tricks on your mind, you keep second guessing whether Freya is as innocent as she claims to be, whether someone like Phil could be an abuser. At first we only get Freya's POV but later in the book we also get POV from Phil and Daisy. The author has crafted an intricate spiderweb with twists and turns and towards the end of the book there is a big built up with quite the stunning reveal.

I do think it felt a slightly bit rushed towards the end and perhaps with some more elaboration on some chapters it would have felt more wrapped up but I definitely recommend this book for mystery and thriller fans. I think Karin King does a wonderful job of capturing the reader's attention and the book is really engrossing.

This book has such a unique storyline and the last 15% of the book was wild and amazing but the lead up was quite boring and I had to force myself to get through a lot of it because I knew it had to be going somewhere good. The writing was good and it was easy to follow along but I think the pacing was off which took away the excitement I had.

This is a great read. The plot twists and turns and keeps you guessing right until the last page. Not only is this an engrossing thriller, but it's a good exploration of what it means to be in a violent relationship: how the main character wrestles with self-doubt and must keep her resolve in an atmosphere of abusive gaslighting.
I will definitely read this author again.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC, which I received in exchange for this honest review.

Overall I did enjoy the book, however I found it took a long time to get going. The first 60% or so of the book I found quite slow and the main character repetitive and a little frustrating. Towards the end of the book it picked up pace a little and overall I found myself enjoying it.

The twists and turns were a little lacking and fairly predictable however I enjoyed the chapters which delved a little deeper into the characters past lives.

The book deals with some difficult and sensitive issues well whilst still staying an easy read with nothing too over the top or distressing for the reader.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of The Stranger in My Bed by Karen King, in exchange for my honest review.

This psychological thriller debut by King is an interesting read. The story revolves around Freya and Phil, a married couple that started with an amazing relationship, but it turned out to be pretty tumultuous and toxic. Phil is involved in a serious car accident after he stormed away from a heated argument, which results in amnesia, and he can’t remember anything after their honeymoon two years ago. While Freya was planning to leave him the same night of the accident, she asks herself if The marriage should be given a second chance since he cannot remember the abuse and seems to be his old self.

I’m rating this book 3.5 stars. While the premise of the book is intriguing, it was really tough to get through. King’s writing proved to be very repetitive, and the indecisiveness of Freya was maddening. Although, there was twist about half way through that was good enough to finish the book. I am also satisfied with the ending. This is a great read if you find yourself in a lull trying to find your next book!

📖Book review 📖

The Stranger in my bed by @karenkingauthor
Publish date 23rd November 2020

Thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for this advanced readers copy, in an exchange for an honest review.

A new to me author, who I immediately loved and am looking forward to reading all her other books.

This was fantastic, I was so excited reading it and rushed through it in a few hours.

The characters were all so interesting, I enjoyed that we saw the situation from different point of views. The twists kept coming and I didn’t know who or what to believe!

This is the authors first step into psychological thrillers normally writing within the genre of romance. This can not be the last, phenomenal writing!

#netgalley #netgalleyreview #karenking #thestrangerinmybed #bookouture #bookreview #bookcommunity #booksofinstagram #bookstagram

In the beginning, the story was really slow paced. We get to meet Freya and her side of a story, but in the middle of a book everything changes.
I loved how we get to know the story of almost every character included.
I admit, I was bored about 60% into the book, but then everything became more twisty and interesting. And the end - omg!

Thank you NetGalley, Karen King and Bookouture for this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC, which I received in exchange for my honest review. The Stranger in My Bed is a domestic thriller with a very interesting premise. Freya has been married to Phil for two years, when he is involved in a serious auto crash that leaves him with amnesia. During their whirlwind courtship and wedding, Phil seemed to be the perfect man. The reality of marriage proved to be quite different however, as Phil was an adulterous and abusive control freak.

The accident takes place on the night when Freya had finally reached her limit and was intent on leaving her husband. The book poses an interesting question, if an abuser has no memory of their abusive behavior and now seems to be the charming man he once was, should you give him a second chance? Spoiler alert, water always seeks its own level.

The book is repetitive at times and some readers may become frustrated with Freya's indecision. Having done some legal work for abused wives, I found Freya's mixed feelings of hope, guilt and determination to be very authentic. It is easy to say that you would leave someone after they hit you but the reality is that women stay for many reasons.

I was very satisfied with the conclusion of the story and I feel that everyone got what they deserved in a manner of speaking. Be sure and read the author's note at the end of the book for more information on seeking assistance if you are in an abusive relationship.