I was totally addicted to The Good Wife, I couldn't stop reading but unfortunately the ending spoilt this for me, it literally went nowhere, too many loose ends, red herrings and no real plot twists (or did I miss something?). Trigger warning: smutty + abusive relationship with a violent husband (it made me livid to read about it but still it reminds everyone that we should live at the first red flag).

I have read every single book that Gemma Rogers has written so of course, as soon as I saw The Good Wife. This has everything from jealousy to drama to control to deceit to suspense mixed with tension and surprises. You never know what’s going to happen next. It’s a perfect example of a domestic thriller.

Synopsis:

Appearances can be deceiving…

After a whirlwind romance and three years of marriage, I’d tried to be a good wife.

But Tom, my husband, is always watching, controlling my every move. He chooses my clothes, my hairstyle, even instructing what and how much I’m allowed to eat – just ten measly mouthfuls.

I’ve become isolated from those I love, forbidden to work and stuck at home to fulfil his every whim.

My identity along with my life is long gone.

I am slowly suffocating but I know Tom will never, ever let me leave alive.

A chance encounter with Savannah changes everything. Tom couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. Could she be my saviour?

Could my husband’s desire for another woman be the answer to my prayers, to my freedom?

This is out now!

I am a huge fan of Gemma and her work. I haven't quite caught up with everything that she has written but that is something that I hope to rectify in the not too distant future. I read the synopsis of 'The Good Wife' and it certainly sounded like the sort of book I have come to expect from Gemma - a tense and dramatic psychological thriller with several twists and turns along the way. Well it was certainly that and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Good Wife' but more about that in a bit.

As with all of Gemma's book, the synopsis was enough to grab my attention and entice me in. As soon as I started reading the story itself, I knew that I was in for a treat and that I would struggle to put the book down for any length of time. I must be psychic because that's exactly what happened. My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story. Besides, I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen and of course I had to keep reading to see if I was on the right track or if I had wandered off in the opposite direction. This was one of those stories that really did get under my skin to the extent that if I wasn't reading the book then I was thinking about it. One of the characters really did give me the heebie jeebies and made me feel rather uncomfortable. I was so wrapped up in the story and in the lives of the different characters that I didn't realise just how quickly the time was passing and how quickly I was getting through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of 'The Good Wife'. I found 'The Good Wife' to be a gripping, tense and dramatic read, which certainly kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat.

'The Good Wife' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Gemma Rogers. Gemma has an easy going writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Gemma certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, this story hit the ground running and maintained a brisk pace throughout. Gemma describes her characters so vividly and so realistically that they seem just as real as you and I. The story is divided into chapters with each chapter being written from the point of view of the three main characters. The different chapters interlink really well and the story flows seamlessly as a result. Reading 'The Good Wife' felt like being on an at times rather unpredictable and scary rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Good Wife' and I wholeheartedly recommend the book to other readers. In fact, I do believe that 'The Good Wife' is my favourite book written by Gemma Rogers. I look forward to reading much more of Gemma's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Your typical domestic thriller, but with atrocious punctuation and caricature characters.

Good:

• Touches on difficult topics such as abusive relationships and violence against sex workers. There's room for improvement but I appreciate the intention nevertheless.

Bad:

• The writing was bland and overly passive: Lots of 'I did this, I did that'.

• The plot was thin and predictable: I kept waiting for the big explosion and twist that never came.

• None of the relationships had any development: Hard to see or buy why some people bonded more than others.

• The characters were stereotypical and one-dimensional: Tom's POV was super laughable and didn't sound like a realistic human being. Savannah showed some promise and spark, but alas.

I expected this to be WOW after all the stellar reviews but the only thing that wowed me was how it has one of the worst use of punctuation I've ever seen in a book and the lack of editing. Not just occasionally but throughout the whole novel... yikes. It was grating and spoiled the reading experience for me.

There were also too many loose ends. The only upside is that this was a breezy and fast read.

I've read and thoroughly enjoyed several of Rogers books, but I have to say The Good Wife is my favourite to date.

It's a fast paced domestic thriller with some added spice - but it's not all 'nice spice', as Chloe is a victim of her husbands coercive control, his narcissist behaviour and his gaslighting. And there's also some domestic abuse, which may be a trigger for some.

Narrated from several different POV, the story follows Gemma, her husband Tom and Savannah - the bait as it were. Their characters are marmite, you'll either love 'em or hate 'em! I was immediately drawn to Chloe and quickly found myself emotionally invested into her character.

Tensions are high throughout, and I kept every crossed for Chloe, hoping she made her escape.

The Good Wife is an absolute page turner that I read in less than twenty four hours, it's that good.

Wow Gemma Roger’s needs to be talked about way more. I devoured this. An on the edge suspense story, i loved every second of this twisted marriage with a mistress. Can’t wait to dive into the next one Gemma puts out. Suspense is one of my favorite genres and this is definitely a be favorite author

Tom is the ultimate controlling husband, to the point where he picks out clothes that his wife, Chloe, must wear daily, controls what she eats, and tracks her movements. If ever there was a character to hate, Tom is your guy! While Chloe is portrayed as a weak character, she seizes on an opportunity to get out of her marriage by making an "indecent proposal". When Tom meets Savannah, he can't believe his luck. It's ironic that if Chloe hadn't done what she did, it never would have happened. And no one knows what Savannah has in store for them.

Rogers has created some really strong characterization, with lots of twists and turns, and lots of suspense, all packaged in an easy-to-read thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance reader's copy.

It is remarkable and compelling on the edge of your seat, gripping psychological thriller. It took a week to find the right words to encapsulate the brilliant plot of this magnificent book. The author knows how to weave suspense and twist and turns with every chapter. The intricate characters and a well crafted ending. I've read several of her books. I've loved every book. She is an incredibly talented author. She is a go-to author. Highly recommend.

Now, here's an author that does not disappoint. All of Gemma's books have been a 5 star read and her latest one The Good Wife by Gemma Rogers was no different! It was Excellent! Once I opened my kindle and read the first page I knew I will be hooked and I always ended up reading it till the end (with coffee breaks etc in between!) Gemma's book was full of twists and turns throughout that will have you turning pages to find out what happens next - just like I did.

When appearances can be deceiving…........Tom and Chloe met and had a whirlwind romance which ended up in marriage......They have been married now for three years. Chloe has always tried to be a good wife, but Tom to the outside world is handsome and so charming - a real gentleman who will do anything for his wife. But, behind closed doors he is a controlling bullying. Wherever Chloe goes he is always watching her, controlling her every move. He chooses her clothes to wear every day, her hairstyle's, he even leaves instruction/lists of what to do every day of the week and how much she is allowed to eat. Ten! is his favourite word........ just ten mouthfuls of food is all she can eat per meal. She can not eat more than ten, he watches every mouthful and knows everything.....Nothing gets past Tom!

Chloe has no where to go, If she leaves the house Tom will be informed on his phone app. She has no way she can escape and tries harder to become a better wife........But something happens. Tom meets a Male escort called Savanah and one of his works dinner party. This is a chance with Savanah help will hopefully change everything.

But, does Chloe get away and escape from Tom and end up happy again?

Well. you will need to read Gemma's latest book. It will not disappoint. It was Excellent and I loved it. Another great book for your day off or your holiday.

5 star book.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

I loved this book so much. I thought it was very very good. One of my favorites of the year so far. Excellently written.

The Good Wife is unputdownable. It's a completely addictive thriller. Clear your calendar and shirk all responsibilities so you can devour this amazing book

I received The Good Wife from NetGalley for free for an honest review. Major trigger warning. This book deals with both physical and mental abuse, infidelity, and sex work. I feel like I have seen this story before- a hardworking man gets a woman to fall for him and then he isolates and abuses her. She then tries to get out of the relationship. I found the story to be predictable and was able to figure out almost everything that happened in the story. None of the characters were likable and all had major flaws. There were also a lot of superfluous characters- gardener, mother in law, wives of business partners, and a lucrative art dealer. I was not really rooting for anyone in this book. There were also a lot of story lines that did not fully tie up at the end of the book- the biggest one being misused business funds that they talked about quite frequently but sort of just fell off in the story. It was a quick read and did not require a lot of mental focus, but I would not recommend.

'The Good Wife' is an emotionally charged, dramatic, and absorbing book. It's rare to find a read that can make me feel such intense hatred towards a character like Rogers did with Tom. The story is told from the perspectives of Chloe, Savannah, and Tom, which makes it a fast-paced domestic thriller that entangles the reader in the characters' lives.

Despite the sensitive subject of domestic abuse, the book is written realistically and empathetically for those who can relate to Chloe's experiences. I credit the author for the courage to write about such a complex topic.

While this may be the author's mother's second favourite read, 'The Good Wife has become my favourite written by this author! It's a well-deserved five-star read, and I highly recommend it to fans of this genre.

** Please note: I did not complete this book because of the content which I found triggering. However I have still rated it highly because it is well written and sensitively handled.**

TRIGGER WARNING: coercive control and abuse

Appearances can be deceiving...in a marriage of control, can she break free...?

Before I begin, I have to say I love Gemma Rogers and always eagerly await her next thriller. And this one was no different...until I began reading it. Unfortunately the content was too triggering for me to complete it and I found myself tossing it aside in anger, my blood boiling. I would have loved to finish it but I just couldn't. Coercive control and abuse is something that is a little too close to home for comfort for me and while I can usually read them with an open mind, this time I just found it too confronting and close for comfort to occupy the same headspace.

The story tells of Chloe, the good wife, who after a whirlwind romance with Tom three years before he whisked her away to the Seychelles for what she discovered was a surprise intimate wedding for them both. Only later did she realise it was a tactical move on Tom's part to stop anyone from stepping in and putting a stop to the wedding. Tom had carefully moulded Chloe into the perfect wife he wanted who would see to his every need as and when he required. She was essentially at his beck and call.

Chloe had been an editor at a successful publishing house but Tom soon put a stop to that too. And moved them out of London to a sleepy village in Sussex where she could devote every minute of the day to him alone. He expected nothing but perfection in keeping house and having his meals on the table as soon as he walked in the door. He chose her clothing, what she ate and how much, isolated her from her friends and limited her contact with anyone outside of his carefully curated bubble. After ruining her previous phone, he bought her a new one but loaded it with spyware so that he could track her movements, her browsing history and her call log. He entered only two numbers into the list of contacts - his own and her mother's...only he changed her mother's number by a digit or two thus preventing her from contacting her family.

And then one night they were attending a Director's dinner for the company Tom worked for when Chloe met Savannah. She was a stunning redhead and Chloe knew right away that Tom would not be able to resist her, knowing his weakness for redheads (despite her being blonde). And so Chloe puts a plan in motion to enable Savannah to steal Tom's heart, if not other parts of his anatomy, thus leaving Chloe free to leave him once and for all.

As soona s Tom sees Savannah, it is lust at first sight. He wins an hour with her at the dinner in a raffle, and after that he is smitten. He spends most of his waking moments lusting after her, thinking about her and their time together. He continues to seek out Savannah unaware of the plan his wife, whom he believes to be an open book where he is concerned, has set in motion.

How will it all end?

Unfortunately I didn't see how it ended up but I'm sure there were plenty of fireworks as there were bound to be where Tom was concerned. He was the most despicable character, unlikeable in every way and I wanted to smash his face in. Gemma Rogers did handle to the topic of coercive control and abuse sensitively but for me it was just too close for comfort. But I still rate it up there as a great read, from what I did reach. Just be aware that the content may be triggering for some.

I would like to thank #GemmaRogers, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheGoodWife in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This book was a fun, quick read. I hated the main character so i was glad how it worked out for them! I will say the ending felt a little rushed but overall i enjoyed this story.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for the book #TheGoodWife by #GemmaRogers. How can I get away from my controlling husband? He will never let me leave, or will he? What if I paid someone to seduce him? This book had me on edge from cover to cover until the exploding ending.

A great unputdownable read. Tom is a controlling, narcissistic husband and poor Chloe didn’t realise what she was getting into with their whirlwind marriage. At one of the company dinners Tom wins the raffle which turns out to be an evening with the escort who is with the boss Harry. When Chloe finds out far from being upset she sees a plan to escape her husband once and for all. Will Savannah help Chloe to escape Tom’s clutches. I highly recommend this book.

This is an excellent read! I was riveted throughout the entire book just waiting to see what would happen.
Tom is the ultimate prick and I can only hope he suffers even more.
I loved all the conspiring, deceit, duplicity, and betrayals.
The plot is a sordid tangled web of lies and sexual games.
Who needs soap operas when a book like this is available!

The Good Wife was such a fantastic read. It was a fast paced, enthralling story that I just could not put down. It had a likeable main character in Chloe who I was really rooting for and plenty of twists and turns along the way to totally throw me off.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I blew through this book as I couldn't wait to get through the chapters to get to the ending, utterly captivating.

I was very annoyed at Chole throughout parts in the book, I didn't understand why she didn't try harder to leave in the first place, besides a few sex photos, what could he have over her. She's an university- educated, legal citizen, so she could have absolutely left him before things got that bad.

Nevertheless still enjoyed it very much.