4.5 rounded up to 5

I have officially added another autobuy author!  This was my 1st book by this author, but I'll definitely be reading her backlist.  This book was SO good!  It was such a thrilling thriller!

Madeline Hughes is a wealthy social media influencer who likes to play the dating game, but when she meets Benjamin North, that goes out the window.  She falls head over heels in love, and when he proposes, she says yes.  They have their wedding and plan to honeymoon in the Caymans, but a hurricane is approaching, and they need to cancel.  Someone in the wedding party suggests a backpacking trip.  Not what Madeline had in mind, but she agrees to go, especially since they'll be going with a group of friends.  Unfortunately, the trip takes a turn for the worst when Madeline goes missing without a trace.  No one knows what happened to her, and her body was not found.  What actually happened to Madeline?  Did someone in her wedding party have it out for her?  Was it her best friend, Gywn, who's always been jealous of her or maybe her new husband Benjamin, whose new business is in financial trouble?  Three years after Madeline went missing, Gwyn and Benjamin have gotten engaged. Could this have been the plan along?

Told in the POV of Madeline in the past and Rebecca in the present, this was an incredibly gripping read!  I was sucked in from the very 1st page, and the intricate plot had me glued to the pages.  The twists were literally jaw-dropping.  There were so many secrets and lies.  This fast-paced psychological thriller was full of mystery, suspense, jealousy, and revenge.   I enjoyed it SO much and would HIGHLY recommend it!

A digital copy of this book was provided to me by Thriller Book Lovers Promotions, Bookouture, Jessica Payne and NetGalley.

Madeline is dead.
Just two days after her wedding to Benjamin. They go on an alternative honeymoon as the one they have planned has been cancelled due to a hurricane. They go hiking and Madeline is pushed off a cliff. 4 years later Benjamin and Madeline's best friend Gwyn are engaged. Enter Rebecca who spends her time watching the new couple, as she believes one of them had to have killed Madeline.

This is told from two POVs. Madeline, four years ago, and Rebecca, now. Madeline's story tells how her, and Benjamin met, fell in love and eventually got married. Rebecca's story tells how she is very suspicious of Benjamin and Gwyn. I mean, they say it's always the husband, right?

I haven't had the opportunity to read this author before, even though I have heard nothing but great things about her previous books, and I was not disappointed. Madeline, even though extremely rich, didn't strike me as that typical snobby girl, where Gwyn who is not so rich did. Benjamin, I was suspicious of from the beginning. And Rebecca, well she was trying so hard to get the bottom of what really happened on that cliff and keep under the radar.

I absolutely DEVOURED this book! I could not put my kindle down. I also immediately downloaded more of Jessica’s work. I needed to read more by this author. The suspense, the betrayal, the lies, the drama!!! So good! So so good! Highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good book or a great thriller!

Dark and twisty, this book will take you on a wild ride! A fairytale romance, followed by a huge mystery…what else would you want?!? This was a book that I flew through in one rainy day. I couldn’t put it down. I’ve loved everything I’ve ever read from this author!!!

A very good page-turner thriller. It hooked me from the beginning. The book is full of twists and turns and difficult to put it down. Highly recommended !!!

This was a good twisty thriller and I loved how the author did the pov's for the current and past time lines. Maddie has just married the man of her dreams but a horrific accident happens on their honeymoon and the body has never been found. Rebecca knows in her heart that Maddie was murdered and is determined to find out the truth of who did it and why. Switching between the time leading up to Maddie's demise and the current happenings has you continually pointing the finger at someone else with each chapter. Secrets and truths slowly come out as appearances are not as they seem. I really enjoyed how this storyline was written and it was a very fast read for me. I couldn't wait to find out who did it, who was all involved and the why. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for the tour invite and complementary ebook. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

~*~ 4 stars ~*~

Never Trust The Husband is a gripping, who-done-it thriller. Although I pieced together the whole plot pretty early on, there was enough suspense and mystery to keep me turning the pages at lightning speed. I didn’t know who to trust and kept questioning whether or not my own theories were correct. Ultimately, they were, and I wish there was a little less predictability and more of a jaw dropping twist, but this was still a really good read.

From the gripping opening scene of murder, 'Never Trust The Husband' captivates readers with its dual narrative. Through the murder victim Madeline's poignant recollections of her love story with her husband and Rebecca's determined quest to uncover the truth behind Madeline’s death, the story unfolds with relentless suspense. However, while the story kept me guessing on Rebecca’s and the murderer's identity (my first guess was right), I found Rebecca's character to be somewhat annoying . Despite this the novel delivers a compelling blend of mystery and emotional depth, making it a thrilling read for fans of the genre.

I know a book is going to be good when I’m hooked within a few pages, and this was no exception. I couldn’t put it down until I finished! I figured out the major twist early on but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this tense thriller, and there were still some unexpected turns along the way. Pub date is March 5, 2024 and you’ve got to make sure this is on your list!

Good mystery

This was a fast paced, twisty mystery that kept me guessing for a long time. I can usually guess who dun it early on, but the way the author crafted the story it was anyone’s guess.

Some of the plot was a little out there, but overall a good read.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an early copy of Never Trust the Husband. Very, very, very fast reading book. I loved the back and forth of the characters in the chapters. I did not figure out the plot and it was a good one. I thought many things but only one of them was right that I predicted. Kept me guessing all the way and the ending was a bit confusing but I’m glad of the way it did end. GREAT BOOK!!!!!

This was such a gripping read! I was sucked in right from the start & had to know who killed Madeline on her honeymoon.

I loved the back & forth with the then & now chapters. We get to meet Madeline, see her falling in love with Benjamin , their wedding and everything leading to her death. We also get to see Rebecca’s POV as a friend out to avenge Madeline’s death. There’s plenty of tension, making you question everyone’s innocence. I thought the pacing was pretty steady, building up the mistrust between the characters. When the truth came out, I was shocked - I love reveals that you don’t see coming!

Jessica Payne’s books are addictive - whenever I pick one up, I usually get so invested into the characters that I’m halfway through the book without even realising it. This was another juicy read with plenty of suspense and a satisfying ending. I’m already looking forward to her next book!

Never Trust The Husband was an addictive, fast paced thriller. From the first line Payne grabs you and entraps you in this twisty and suspenseful psychological tale.

This book was filled with tension, lies, secrets, deceptions, friendships, jealousy, betrayals and revenge. The author definitely threw me in multiple directions and made me doubt every character. Told in dual POV from the present with Rebecca someone from Madeline's past and the past being told by Madeline it just made it even more engaging.

I love how she built the story and kept the suspense and mystery high. There's multiple twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. There's one twist that I had figured out, but honestly it didn't make me enjoy it less. The other twists I had no idea !

The final twists really made for an explosive ending. Although a little over the top it still delivered. I do think that an epilogue would've made the ending even better, as I needed to know what happens next..

This is definitely an addictive and bingeable thriller that you won't want to miss !

✨️Thank you to @thrillerbookloverspromotions, @netgalley, @bookouture & @jessicapayne for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This author is always a must read for me! She has such a way with words. I’ve been following her/reading her books ever since her debut, Make Me Disappear.
I love how this book goes from past to present, with 2 different characters (Rebecca and Madeline). So many twists and turns. Definitely a thriller I didn’t want to put down. I mean, a rich influencer pushed to her death on her honeymoon? And 3 years later, her BEST FRIEND gets engaged to her husband?! How could I resist this read?! Love how Rebecca is determined to find out what really happen. And I didn’t see it coming 😱

A great who-dun-it thriller! Payne manages to keep you guess on the mystery murderer the whole book. Filled with quite a few twists, some you see coming and others you don’t at all. The book is suspenseful throughout and the way the story is told has you pinning the murder on different people each chapter. I enjoyed the use of dual POVs and the hops between timelines. It tells the story in a way that you gives you useful information at the right time and adds to the mystery. Finally, a new thriller that surprises you but doesn’t leave you thinking this is totally unbelievable!

With a title like this one you know it is going to be a wild ride! I thought the writing in this novel was amazing and the author did a great job at explaining everything throughout the story. I loved the suspense and thrill and think that this will definitely be a popular novel!

the word to describe this book is for sure “intriguing”. no matter the level of interest I had in the story, low or high I was intrigued by the entire story. the writing was peculiar and the dual timeline gave a certain pace to the narration. I didn’t root for any of the characters and none of them were really likeable. I guessed the killer 20% into the story so if you are a thriller girly this book might not satisfy you. but I do think that if you are not really into the genre it might take you a while to discover who done it. there were a few turning points and plot twists but nothing to get exciting about honestly

Book review 📖

📜Never Trust The Husband
✍️Jessica Payne
📠Bookouture
📚Mystery/Thriller, Fiction
🗓️Pub date: March 5, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨Thank you @NetGalley and @bookouture for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to @jessicapayne.writer for penning a masterpiece 🤩

✨Madeline watches through the shadows of a darkened street as Benjamin and Gwyn start their new life together. The thing is, Madeline used to be standing where Gwen was, married to Benjamin. Until she was murdered by them—or so they think.

✨Only now Madeline is Rebecca. And now Rebecca is going to make them pay for what they’ve done.

✨It was so easy to fall in love with Benji and Madeline’s love story (in the beginning) with the dueling timelines. However, I’d have to stop and remind myself of what was to come. He’s a smooth talker, that one!

✨ I loved loved loved this book! Interesting narrative, and not one I’m sure I’ve seen before. This story hooked me from page one and it was one of my favorite psych thrillers I’ve ever read! Keep writing!!!

✨QOTD: Does true love always end in a happily ever after?

#netgalley #nevertrustthehusband #jessicapayne #bookouture #thrillerfiction #springreleases #mysteryfiction #watchoutforthisone #advancedreadercopy #arc #bookreview #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #ivegotbooks #killmewithwords #idratherbereading #readthisbook #trueloveschmoolove #psychthriller #bestbooks #qotd #doestruelovereallyexist

Thank you Netgalley & Bookouture for an eARC of Never Trust the Husband by Jessica Payne! I love Payne's books, so always find myself pushing them to the top of my never ending TBR when I get access to them.

What's it about?
Madeleine's body disappears - presumed dead - shortly after her wedding to Benjamin. Not long after, he's newly engaged to her best friend, Gwyn.

Yikes, this is messy. I love a good story about revenge, and you spend the majority of the book trying to figure out the narrator's relation to Madeleine and why she is so invested in justice for her. I found this one twisty and bingey, but I did see the big "a-ha" twist about halfway through.

Was completely gripped in this one. The book is told in two timelines and they are both equally gripping!

Couldn't put this down until the last page. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.