This book was a slow starter for me, however about a quarter of the way in i was gripped and couldn’t put it down! I did enjoy the story being on a cruise ship and being told in the 1st person! Definitely a change from my usual books.

This was a true twisty tale where it’s impossible to know who the culprit is until the conclusion.
Told in two timelines of the past and present, Charlotte is desperately trying to run from her past. In the past Charlotte fell in love and married Sam. They worked on cruise ships but Charlotte wanted to be a guest on the ships rather than a worker. To get there Sam and her did not always follow the right path, but never took from those that couldn’t afford it, and eventually Charlotte walked away.
Charlotte is now receiving messages demanding money which she does not have. Charlotte takes a job on a yacht to escape but it soon becomes clear that her past has followed her.
This was a great read and, although to begin with, Charlotte is not the most likeable character you do begin to feel sorry for her as the situation escalates.
Great read with some stunning locations. The perfect beach read even if it’s a UK beach due to the current pandemic.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#TheExHusband #NetGalley

This is my second novel by Karen Hamilton and I really enjoyed the ex-husband.
I thoroughly enjoyed how each chapter flits between past and present as it starts you thinking where the story can go.
I much prefer books with not to many characters as I feel I get lost in the ‘getting to know’ each character stages of the book. The protagonist Charlotte keeps you questioning her motives throughout the book.
I did not see the twists which appeared towards the end of the book. I try not to guess ahead because this tends to ruin things for me.
I would recommend this to friends and family especially those who like to be gripped and continuously wanting more.

@currentlyreading__
Book 47 of 2021

Thanks to @NetGalley and @headlinebooks for the e-ARC of @karenhamiltonauthor's 'The Ex-Husband' which was published on Thursday. When the majority of us are having staycations in this current climate, an escapist read giving all of the Caribbean island-hopping wanderlust vibes was just what I needed.

Our main character Charlotte is not particularly likeable given her past as a con-artist. She reflects on her past with the eponymous ex-husband Sam, a charming croupier who would zone in the wealthiest of gamblers; stealing their identities, jewellery and money. Since Sam's disappearance Charlotte has been receiving death threats so the chance to escape and work on super yacht Cleobella is surely the answer to her problems. The sense of impending doom is palpable with the structure of each chapter being a countdown to Charlotte's scheduled and planned demise.

Being a while since I've been to the Caribbean, the setting was paradisiacal and I could clearly imagine sipping a Coconut Cloud cocktail, snacking on sweet papaya whilst walking on the freshly raked silky sands and listening to the palm fronds dancing in the breeze. Can't you tell I am holiday deprived?!

This was a great read - gripping, tense and a perfect way to spend a wet week in August. Thank you @karenhamiltonauthor.

#bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #book #booknerd #bookstagrammer #kindle #instabook #reader #bookobsessed #instareads #currentlyreading #bookchat #bookish #augustreading #books #readersofinstagram #books #netgalley #theexhusband #headlinebooks #rosiemargesson #karenhamilton

Perfect Dose Of Sheer Escapism…..
Wholly immersive, entertaining suspense, cruise ship based with a colourful cast of characters and a compelling narrative. Charlotte and Sam, partners in life and in crime and addicted to easy money. Events take a bizarre turn and things are soon to come tumbling down. A perfect dose of sheer escapism and an ideal holiday read, from armchair or otherwise.

Charlotte fancies a change of scene and leaves her home to go on a cruise with a few of her colleagues. Sailing around the world she meets a charming croupier, Sam, marries him and is drawn into his world of crime. A few year's later they are separated and Charlotte moves on with her life... or so she thinks. Then Sam goes missing after contacting her to say he has been receiving death threats. Charlotte lands a job on a superyacht and is being paid good money but it soon becomes apparent her problems are travelling with her.

My second novel by Karen Hamilton proved to be a huge hit for me and was equally as good as "The Last Wife". The Ex-Husband is a slow-burner, with the alternating timelines pitching in extremely effectively to draw out the tension. The author writes the story entirely from Charlotte's POV in this locked room style mystery. The stylish context and the descriptions of lavishness and grandeur provide much longed for escapism whilst the masterful plotting and sinister grip of claustrophobia help to make this a page-turner. The delivery of a neat conclusion rounds it off with aplomb. This author continues to delight and I'm already looking forward to her next offering.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Headline, Wildfire via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of The Ex-Husband but that has in no way influenced my review.

It's no secret that I'm a little obsessed with flight-based thrillers at the moment. I think I've read most of the new releases (that I'm aware of!). But I was thinking, perhaps I should take a mini-break from planes for a while. And then I saw this beauty - The Ex-Husband by Karen Hamilton - being discussed on the socials. I couldn't help myself! A thriller based around cruise liners and an exclusive superyacht. I had to read The Ex-Husband. It called to me. And I loved every second of it.

Charlotte and Sam are a couple...and a couple of con-artists! They work the cruise liners, selecting wealthy targets, convincing them to part with large sums of their cash. Sam is a master of the con. Charlotte is learning the ropes but she's a natural. She's happy to do whatever it takes (within reason, of course) to achieve the lifestyle she believes they deserve. Plus, they're not actually hurting anyone. Not really. Their targets are extremely wealthy so what does it matter if Charlotte and Sam siphon off a little for themselves. But not everything is perfect in paradise and tensions build between the couple, to the point where their marriage dissolves and they lose touch. Charlotte is trying to rebuild her life - on the straight and narrow - as an events planner when she discovers Sam has gone missing. Threatening anonymous messages begin to arrive. Could it be Sam trying to frighten her? Or one of their marks perhaps? She desperately tries to contact her ex-husband but to no avail. Someone knows what they did and they're going to make Charlotte pay...

Absolutely flipping marvellous! I loved The Ex-Husband. With its pacey storyline, luxurious Caribbean setting and well-drawn characters, I became instantly hooked. It was the perfect escapist read for me. Whisking me off to the beauty and elegance of a superyacht on a tour of the islands. Granted, I'm not sure I would swap places with Charlotte as the situation she found herself in was quite hairy but I thoroughly enjoyed watching from afar and soaking up the opulence.

Charlotte is a great lead character and I enjoyed spending time in her company. She was perhaps a little naïve (they did nothing wrong, honest guv!) and her obsession with Sam was quite intense, despite their break-up, but I was rooting for her all the way. The other secondary characters all add to the story, leaving the reader constantly guessing who is behind the mysterious threats. There are plenty of possibilities, let me tell you! Who can Charlotte trust? Where exactly is Sam and how much danger is Charlotte in? Time is most definitely running out...

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the Caribbean with Charlotte and the crew of the Cleobella. The Ex-Husband is a twisty read which I was more than happy to lose myself in over a couple of sittings. I loved the impending sense of doom, the threat on the horizon the author conveyed and the way in which the tension builds as the clock ticks down. This is the first book I have read by this author but I can guarantee it won't be the last. A well-written psychological thriller with a beautifully exotic feel which I adored. Fabulous escapism fiction, exactly what I needed. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of The Ex-Husband. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I enjoyed The Ex-Husband. I found it a slow burner to begin with but once I was into it and the twists started coming I couldn't put it down. I loved the Caribbean setting, it made this book a perfect holiday read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for my ARC.

What a roller coaster of a ride this turned out to be, especially as Charlotte and Sam seem, on the surface, to be the perfect couple. Only problem is, no-one is perfect, and pretty soon we start to see cracks developing in this relationship which definitely don't bode well for their future.

The opening of the novel, with its hint of intrigue, sets the scene, especially the back story of how Charlotte met Sam, their adventurous time working on luxury cruise ships together, and their rather unusual way of making a little extra on their trips from clients who have so much wealth they don't notice when some of it goes missing. However, nothing this good lasts forever, and Charlotte has a rude awakening which threatens her life in more ways than one.

What gradually emerges is a story of lies, deceit and danger which become all the more intriguing as we discover what's happening to Charlotte in the present, more about her relationship with her now ex-husband Sam, and her need to discover some vital truths about their past life together. Keeping the intrigue alive, the story flits between the events of the past and Charlotte's present time on board a luxury yacht in the Caribbean, where it would seem that there is someone on board who knows Charlotte's secrets.

Fast moving and pacy, with more than enough twists and turns to keep you guessing this intriguing story grips from the start and doesn't let go of your imagination until the dramatic ending which is every bit as good as I wanted it to be and which had me gasping out loud.

From its colourful cover, its intriguing plot and dangerous conclusion, The Ex-Husband is the perfect summer thriller especially if you find yourself reading it on board a luxury cruiser somewhere in the Caribbean 😊

This is the first book by this author that I have read.

I found it difficult to get in to and did find it a long, hard read. The author wrote the main character, Charlotte, in such a way I felt she was saying the same thing about what her and her ex husband, Sam, did to rich, wealthy (and good handle loosing money) people over and over again just in a slight different way.

From the offset Charlotte thinks she is being targeted for her past mistakes and she’s adamant that it is Sam who is stalking her. Is he? Or is it someone closer to home?

She takes a job as an assistant on a super yacht but apparently seems to have past connection with all on board.

I was left feeling disappointed by the ending and definitely didn’t feel like I had read a twisty, pacy thriller. In fact come the end of the book I was bored and I’d worked the ending out by the time I was 70% through the book.

The book reminded me very much of movies like entrapment and the oceans series of movies.

I may not of been overwhelmed or even whelmed by this book but it hasn’t put me off reading a book by this author again.

Charlotte meets Sam, falls head over heels and takes a job on the cruise ship he works on to be with him. Before she knows it, she’s involved in a life of crime, becoming a con artist tricking guests on luxury cruise ships. Greed leads to serious consequences and Charlotte and Sam split.
Charlotte now appears to want to leave that life behind her, she takes a new job on a luxury yacht but her past catches up with her.
I really enjoyed this, the story moves between past and present. I thought it was a really interesting plot. I’m still not sure if I actually liked the main character, Charlotte but I was definitely engaged (read this in one afternoon). I thought the ending could not be more apt. It’s a definite page turner as the story progresses. I would definitely recommend this one.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSpdQAqqeAv/?utm_medium=copy_link

Loved that the story was set on a boat,that was a plus for me and ultimately the story was very readable although ai guessed the outcome…..but that doesn’t always matter when the story is good and you are enjoying it,which I did

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review. I have loved all her books and thrilled for her tv news regarding her debut. So if you’re new to Karen’s books get ordering!

This is another fantastic thriller that will no doubt fly off the shelves . Gripping and exciting this makes the perfect summer read. Tense and unpredictable and that’s just the characters.

Cleverly written with alternate narratives and timeliness to build suspense and a foreboding feeling of unease.

Insightful and thought provoking, what would you do in this situation?

Perfect escapism and written in such a descriptive evocative style you are on board the ship .

Published 19th August and I highly recommend.

Charlotte Wilson didn't choose a life of crime. It chose her. Once introduced to the world of wealthy clients and easy money by her ex-husband on board cruise ships, Charlotte was hooked. However, complacency and greed lead to a slip-up with devastating consequences.

Charlotte and her ex-husband Sam work on cruise ships but they are also con-artists who stole from their passengers. But now it's their turn to be hunted down by someone who knows what they've done. Charlotte is desperate to leave her past behind but will her past catch up with her?

Charlotte is quite an unlikable protagonist. The story has a dual timeline and it's told in the past and present day. The pace is steady in this thoroughly engaging read. I did enjoy the part on the yacht that's told in the present day. There were a diverse bunch of passengers and crew who were out to get Charlotte. This is a most enjoyable read.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Headline and the author #KarenHamilton for my ARC of #TheExHusband in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This book centres around Charlotte and her husband, Sam. They both met while working on cruise ships, and having a side business. The side business doesn’t work out very well for either of them and they separate. Charlotte goes back home and lodges with her oldest friend, Lewis. She starts up her own business, and tries to get on with life, until she starts to receive sinister messages, and then the police arrive to tell her Sam has gone missing. She’s adamant he’s fine and will come back, and she takes the new job opportunity of becoming an assistant on a private super yacht for a wealthy families engagement party and birthday. But she can’t leave everything behind.

It took me a while to get into this story if I’m honest. But once the story warmed up it didn’t take me long to get to the end.
The writing was extremely descriptive of the various exotic settings in the book, and really made you feel the magic of a cruise around paradise. The characters were well written, and Charlotte was tough to relate to, but her misgivings are what are relatable. Sam was a horrible character, completely selfish, but that made the story really authentic. I hadn’t quite guessed the who’s or what’s until close to the end. The ending felt satisfying and tied up as it should. I enjoy this authors books, and would happily recommend this dark, creepy thriller.

There is no doubt that this is a slow burn but in my opinion, slow burns only work when you are rewarded with some epic twists, which I personally didn't get from this book. While I really liked the setting and it was really unique using a boat as the location for 90% of the plot, the characters felt really flat - they needed a lot of work and most were pretty unlikeable. I had absolutely no idea who was who from 'the party', I couldn't tell any of them apart from Harrison and even that seemed like a random little subplot that went nowhere. As other readers have said, it was pretty obvious who the villain was (I mean c'mon...) when the plot got going so even that didn't add much excitement. I also found the Alexandra storyline really bizarre and far fetched. Sadly, this book was a real disappointment for me, especially as I loved The Perfect Girlfriend.

What a thoroughly unlikeable bunch of characters Ms Hamilton has created. I can barely think of one character for whom I felt any sympathy or rapport.; maybe only Lewis.

But I thoroughly enjoyed the unravelling of the story of Charlotte and Sam and I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised at the denouement.

I assume that cruise lines won’t be using this book in their advertising plans, but nonetheless it was a satisfying read despite some confusion on my part as to whom the bracelet belonged and how it came to be in Charlotte’s possession.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Charlotte and her husband Sam work on cruise ships and enjoy the sea life with adventures in exotic locations. But, Sam and Charlotte are hiding a secret, they are con artists who steal and cheat wealthy holiday makers out of money and jewellery except now Charlotte and Sam are the ones being hunted by someone who knows what they've done.

I love thrillers and this one had the added twist of the Charlotte being a quite unlikeable protagonist as you can't help but think that she's getting her karma for preying on so many people in the pursuit of the finer things in life. There were many twists and turns and I was hooked; I needed to know who was orchestrating their revenge and what the conclusion would be; totally gripping.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I seem to be in the minority but this book just didn't do it for me I'm afraid. I really liked the concept as I enjoy thrillers set in exotic locations but I was left disappointed unfortunately.

For the first third of the book I was just plain bored, and considered DNFing until I saw how many 5 star reviews the book has received, and I thought it might be worth persevering. It did get a little better from that point, but I can't say I ever felt truly absorbed in the plot. There weren't many surprises, to me it was fairly obvious who the 'bad guy' would turn out to be.

I felt that the characters were a bit thin - I couldn't picture the main character and I don't think we got to know her or any of the other main players in any depth. I also found the locations lacklustre - with the cruise setting I was hoping to feel immersed in descriptions of beautiful places, but that didn't happen.

Overall I personally can't recommend this book, but it has lots of favourable reviews so I wouldn't want to put anyone else off giving it a shot.

Edit: I'm bothered by the loose end with Harrison. It felt like on multiple occasions he had a secret or something he wanted to say, but that thread never went anywhere. Bit odd?

Charlotte and Sam are partners in crime as they work on the cruise ships around the Caribbean targeting rich passengers and through various scams relieve the passengers of money or jewellery or both. Now years later Charlotte finds herself alone after splitting with Sam and unfortunately she is being hunted by someone demanding money from her,she applies for a job on a private yacht thinking she will be away and safe but she finds the person demanding money from her is also aboard the yacht with her.What follows is a game of cat and mouse as she try’s to find out who the person is,The Ex -Husband is a well written book which will keep you guessing just who the person is and why are they targeting Charlotte instead of Sam? With enough red herrings to keep you guessing it is a book I would recommend most definitely.A good 4 star whodunnit from Karen Hamilton.