Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest review. Gripping, twist-filled and hard to put down, this was a shocking tale of relentless emotional abuse that kept the tension high throughout. At times the constant sense of agitation made it difficult to read, but I’m glad I stuck with it as it was well thought out and cleverly executed.

I’ve enjoyed a few of this authors books but didn’t particularly enjoy this one. I didn’t really like any of the characters and struggled to relate to them. The twist was good and I didn’t see it coming

The Marriage Rules was a fantastic read. It was packed full of twists and turns which built the tension and suspense throughout all the way to the extremely satisfying ending that I did not see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Once again Samantha Hayes has taken what appears to be a normal family and written a very dark, twisted, psychological thriller that will send shivers down your spine.

All I can say is WOW—never in a million years did I see the story taking such an unexpected turn. The shocking twists will leave you absolutely speechless!

I truly cannot recommend this book enough.

‘Marriage by Rules’ by Samantha Hayes is a chilling and compulsive psychological thriller. An idyllic family life and quickly spirals into something far more sinister.

The world could not be better for Fiona Fisher, a loving husband, two beautiful stepdaughters, and a charming home in a quiet village. Having once worked as a nurse, she’s now the caretaker of her dream life with Jason, the respected doctor she married. The one downside to her marriage is that their household comes with strict, non-negotiable, deeply unsettling rules.

Everyone must be in bed by 8 p.m. sharp.
No loud music.
No news.
No social media.
No one leaves the house.
And, most tellingly: No talking about the past.

Rules tend to get broken and as they do the unease begins. This is a page turner that was so difficult to put down. Good characters and a surprising twist.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

A masterfully written thriller that grips you from the first line and never lets go. Every twist is expertly placed, keeping the tension high and the surprises coming. It’s a thrilling, unforgettable ride that satisfies from start to finish.

The Marriage Rules is an utterly gripping psychological thriller that keeps you hooked from the first page. Samantha Hayes weaves a tense, twist-filled narrative about secrets, control, and the dark side of marriage. With sharp pacing and a jaw-dropping twist that upends everything, this novel is both chilling and compulsively readable. A must for fans of domestic thrillers that keep you guessing until the very end.

Fiona is married to the man of her dreams, the handsome doctor Jason. She is loves living in their lovely country home and Jason's two daughters are quickly feeling like her own, She knows that Jason has a number of strict rules for the family but she is sure that for their own good. However rules are there to be broken, but when the family have a suppertime confessional they are expected to confess. The girls are allowed to mourn their dead mother for an hour on Saturday. They have to lock the doors & not go out. No internet & social media for them. The story is told by Fiona & Jason. I kept reading trying to understand how a grown woman could accept this life.

You read quite a lot of books where the blurb say, "With a twist you won't see coming" and usually it's not that amazing-this one was! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

Edge of your seat, that's where you will be from beginning to end! You just know something isn't quite right, something off with those rules - and who would accept so many rules anyway? So many questions - and answers you won't see coming. Taut and complex domestic mystery, you will be hooked.

Regrettably, I was unable to complete the book and therefore cannot offer a comprehensive review at this time. While the sections I did read suggest potential in both content and style, it would be inappropriate to draw conclusions without engaging with the work in its entirety. I hope to revisit the book in the future to provide a more informed.

Big thanks to Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Marriage Rules is a gripping suburban domestic thriller.
Samantha Hayes is one of my favourite psychological thriller authors.
I tend to forget everything around me while reading one of her book gems.
Fiona and Jason lead a great life and have a great marriage with two daughters.
From the view of a person looking on, it seems perfect but once the doors are closed everything is not as it seems.
Jason has a set of rules that the family must follow.
The rules are there to protect.
Fiona agrees but their daughters, Tilly and Ivy reluctantly do.
Rules are good until someone starts breaking them…
An intriguing premise and a bingeable plot give the reader an invested and enjoyable experience.
A suspense and engrossing filled ride that will tempt your reading senses.

I love Samantha's books but this one I found very hard to read . The emotional abuse was relentless. Having said this I still liked it reading other parts and the ending made the book for me.

Yet another brilliant psychological thriller from Samantha Hayes. She never disappoints. The Marriage Rules brings us unlikeable, unrelateable characters with different POVs that had me switching my feelings right up to the final pages when, WOW I didn't see that coming.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion..

My thanks to BookOuture and NetGalley for a copy of “ The Marriage Rules” for an honest review.

With Samantha Haye’s books you know you are going to get a well written totally immersive story , that will keep you guessing right up to the end.I honestly would never have guessed what was happening in this book.
.At the beginning i was so angry with one of the character’s actions that I had to put my Kindle down, in disgust,but things aren’t always as they seem. !
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this , and found it a real page turner., and possibly the author’s best so far .

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

If someone said that you would have to follow ten rules in order to marry them, would you do it? The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes is a psychological thriller that will have you stunned at the end.

My Thoughts on The Marriage Rules:
This is definitely a book about damaged characters! Each time I read about the rules, I cringed. Who would agree to such a thing? Samantha Hayes does a good job of setting up the story, so you are surprised throughout the book. I didn’t love the adult characters, but I liked reading about the girls and their strength throughout the story. I didn’t know whether to trust Jason or Fiona’s part of the story. Both of them were unsettling. When the rules start getting broken, that is when the story really becomes interesting.

I had so many questions about certain details throughout the book. The ending answered my questions. It tied them up nicely. If you enjoy stories about mental institutions, dysfunctional families, or childhood trauma, you will enjoy this story. You will also enjoy it if you like stories about the loss of a spouse.

I gave this book four out of five stars. I wanted to keep reading and there were some surprises along the way. It also made me wonder what I would tolerate to marry someone I loved.

Would you be able to abide by these rules in your marriage?

I was very engrossed in the story. There were times I was literally confused about what is happening and who is stirring the pot. I definitely did not see that ending coming! This book is brilliantly written and it keeps you at the edge of your seat!

The Marriage Rules is a book that will have you shaking your head in disbelief and yelling why are you letting him do that to you?

It is a twisty domestic thriller that will keep you guessing to the mind blowing ending and leave you questioning everything you have just read.

4 stars.

Have always loved Samantha's books but this one.....oh my goodness....it absolutly blew my mind away.
This story is told in three parts. Firstly we focus on Fionas accounts and are led to believe she is in a relationship where the rules are hard. Alongside being newly married she has also taken the role of step mother to Jason's 2 daughters, whose mother has just died.
Part 2 sees Jason's side and we begin to see that perhaps Jason's rule arent as hard as we originally perceived but serve to keep Fiona safe.
And then part 3 where everything is totally thrown out the park . Fast paced with so many twists and a real WOW factor.
I cannot recommend this book enough....brilliant.

An interesting story but so many twists made it quite confusing in places.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review