I have loved everything Dorothy Koomson writes and this is no exception. Her insight into human behaviour and relationships is so good and the complexity of the plot here kept me intrigued whilst I also loved the dual stories across the tow timelines.

I really enjoyed the second half of this book but felt the first half really dragged - I noted my kindle was on 49% read before the story seemed to ramp up! But then it was brilliant Dorothy Koomson writing which I love so maybe I can forgive the slow beginning?? I think I’ll read it again to see if there was more to the first half than I originally gave it credit for. So I would really recommend this book, perhaps try and read it as a slow burner and I think you’ll absolutely love it x

Loved this. Cleo is a successful author and screenwriter. At the start of the novel she is arrested for attempted murder. The story then jumps back a few weeks to show Cleo meeting with a divorce lawyer to end her marriage to Wallace. She is cold-bloodedly taking a sledgehammer to her life by making moves to sever ties with both Wallace and the hit TV show based on her novels. The novel then jumps back 25 years to Cleo’s time at university and her burgeoning relationship with Heath, a friend-turned-love-interest who is obsessive and controlling, and won’t let Cleo out of his grasp. As the two timelines progress you start to understand why the light-hearted Cleo of the past has become the detached woman of the present. This is a slow-burning, suspenseful story that builds up to some jaw-dropping moments.

This is a real slow burner, but has a depth and complexity that will keep you hooked. The main character, Cleo, is embroiled in a relationship that follows her through her life, but there is so much more to it.... Won't keep you on the edge of your seat, but certainly makes you think twice!

Dorethy Koomson is one of my all time favourite reads and even through this wasn't my favourite read by this author. It was still a good read. I found it a little bit slow. But I preserved with it and the ending part of the book really ramped up near the end. I have loved the authors other books however and would really highly recommend all other books. This one just didn't really work for me. Sorry

A fabulous read from Dorothy Koomson (as always!) I loved Cleo and really felt for her as it was clear she was living her life on eggshells. The dual timelines enabled the reader to know the young, carefree Cleo from her uni days. A brilliant storyline that is engaging throughout.

I love Dorothy Koomson novels and was super excited to sink my teeth into this. It’s dark, twisty and absolutely gripping. You definitely won’t regret reading this.

A good well written book with plenty of intrigue and mystery, a bit of a slow starter and not an edge of seater for me unfortunately but I did enjoy the story line overall and the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for this ARC.

An excellent book following Cleo through University to the present world, a book full of twists and turns with characters written vividly I could picture, loved it as I do all Dorothy’s books. Thanks for the read

An interesting, and original book. It was a little on the slow side for me, I was willing it to speed up. But there was plenty going on, and overall a good read.

I didn’t know quite what to make of this book, so it’s best to just tell it as it is! The story began slowly, almost tortuously slowly in fact, then it speeded up to really terrific suspense towards the end. It’s complex and very strange in parts, but all credit to Dorothy Koomson for keeping everything under control and never leaving the reader uncertain about either plot or characters.

The book begins with Cleo being arrested for murder and protesting her innocence - she hasn’t murdered anyone, but she knows who has and needs time to entrap the perpetrator, but she can’t do it from a police cell. We are then taken back to the beginning of her relationship with Heath, who she met at university, when the whole tale of obsession, injury, terror, murder and kidnapping began. The book travels between past and present and is written with skill and clarity. If the writing style wasn’t always for me, that’s not a reflection on the book itself as Koomson clearly has a staggering imagination and skill.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I requested this book because of the amount of great reviews it has and I'm so glad I did. This book completely surpassed my expectations in so many ways and I wish I already had the physical copy of it to put on my shelf!

4-5 rounded up

Dorothy Koomson always knows how to pull her readers into a storyline and keep you completely wrapped up in the protagonist’s lives. The complex characters we follow in her latest novel centre on Cleo Forsum Pryce who we first meet in the present day when she is charged with attempted murder. It backtracks a few weeks to her taking steps to destroy her seemingly perfect life, first by ending her successful career as a script writer of Baking Detective and secondly her marriage to Wallace. We then go further back in time to 1996 to her days as a student at Leeds University where she becomes best friends with Trina. Both of them love rom-coms and they use this to discuss the guy who was staring hard at Cleo who proves to be Heath Sawyer. The timelines work well blending together seamlessly.

The contrast between then and now could not be starker with events of 25 years ago feeling like a romcom with the writing being light and breezy. The Cleo of then is good fun and her life seems to be full. Later, it becomes intense, dark and shocking as Cleo is carrying a huge burden. She is a very different person in the present day and it’s intriguing trying to work out what, how and why her life has imploded. You feel the pain that Cleo feels when she’s down and happiness when she’s up.

The characterisation is excellent even those who are unlikeable are well portrayed and you gasp at some of the dialogue with the racist and sexist comments that Cleo is on the receiving end of especially in her career.

Although this is a clever, multi layered slow burner there are some jaw to the floor reveals with information bombs that explode your expectations and opinions of certain characters. There is plenty of tension and suspenseful moments and some well thought out plot twists as it builds to a very good ending.

This is another winner from a very talented author and someone whose books I will always want to read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This book is a great thriller that even as events unfolded I could never imagine the ending, which made for an exciting and interesting read. Set mainly in Brighton, this author’s hometown is a satisfying story to get your teeth into and keep your attention throughout.
It is set in dual timelines, Cleo the main character, begins with the start of her love life when she meets Heath a fellow student at university. Cleo soon realises that Heath is not your average guy and he unnerves Cleo as he stares across the room at her. Heath becomes besotted with Cleo and he has a determination that sees him get what he wants.
My thanks to Net Galley and Headline for the ARC.

Dorothy Koomson…. Never does she disappoint!!! This was brilliant, it will be hard to review without spoilers but I’m going to give it a go.

We meet Cleo in the prologue being arrested for attempted murder, we then meet her in the next chapter at a meeting with a divorce lawyer… it’s clear that she doesn’t really want to divorce her husband so what has driven her to make such a big life changing decision?

Who has been murdered?
Who is the other husband?
Why is Cleo weaving a web of lies?

So many questions at the beginning which slowly unravel as the book goes on… you think you know where it’s heading and then BAM the queen of the big reveal does it again!!!

Thank you to netgalley & the publisher for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Go and buy it, you won’t be disappointed!!

This is the second Dorothy Koomson book I've read. It took me a while to get hooked in but once I did that was it! Had me thinking and on my toes.

I love Dorothy Koomson and none of their books have ever disappointed me, and this is no exception. It has all the staples of a Koomson book - great storytelling, well developed characters that are relatable and dual timelines that are always on point. I loved it.

Brilliant from start to finish. Amazing character, great plot and storyline an absolutely fabulous read

My Other Husband by Dorothy Koomson

It will be hard to review this book without giving too much away and spoiling it for others but , if you like dual timeline and Dorothy Koomson ( who doesn't ) then this book is for you !
It starts from present day and goes back to 1996 when we meet Cleo at university where she meets her eventual husband Heath.
The story of their partnership and where they are now is very complex with lots of events and shows us all aspects of a relationship , the good , the bad , and the ugly.

The author never fails to bring her characters to life in a totally believable way .
Dorothy Koomson at her very best.

We meet Cleo Forsum Pryce as she is arrested for attempted murder. The story then moves back a few weeks to when Cleo decided to wreck her perfect life. She's a successful writer who's books have been turned into a popular TV series and is happily married to Wallace. Suddenly, with no explanation, she tells her husband she wants a divorce and the production company that makes her TV series that the series must end.

Alongside this we have a glimpse of Cleo 25 years earlier starting life as a student. Cleo strikes up a friendship with Heath. It's obvious that Heath wants to be romantically involved but Cleo is adamant they are only friends. Heath is willing to accept friendship - for now - but is determined that eventually Cleo will fall for his charms. Over time the friendship develops into a romantic relationship. Everything seems perfect until Cleo realises that Heath isn't who she thought he was and ends their relationship.

Back in our current time frame people close to Cleo are being seriously hurt and Cleo realises that Heath will never let her go.

From the opening pages this was an intense read. Right from the beginning, when the main character is arrested for attempted murder, you are wondering what has happened. This then cuts straight to a discussion with a solicitor and the discovery that bigamy can carry a seven year jail sentence and the intrigue really ramps up. From that moment I was hooked.

We see two very different sides of Cleo in the book. Current day Cleo, trying to end her marriage and her job, seems cold and impersonal. She's made a decision and sees no reason to have to explain herself to anyone. It's only as the story progresses that we realise Cleo is doing this to protect people and herself.

The Cleo from 25 years ago is confident, fun and naive; she takes the geeky Heath under her wing. She doesn't want a romantic relationship with him but hopes that by helping him transform from an "ugly duckling" into "a swan" he'll become more attractive to the opposite sex and less focused on her. This really does read like a romantic comedy (and Rom-Com's are even referenced in the book) but you quickly realise that Heath's interest is obsessive. Even as Cleo tries to put distance between her and Heath his possessive and controlling nature continually draw her back in.

You real feel the nightmare that Cleo is living as she tries to cut all ties with her current life as quickly as possible, before Heath hurts more people. She is hampered when the police suspect that recent attempted murders may be linked to her. It becomes a frantic race against time.