The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes

There is no alternative option for you, but stick to the rules.

Oh my...! It's the roller-coaster ride of the book in the dark. I promise you can't see the twists and turns. The author Samantha Hayes always gives us a good big shock. The beginning of the book already stated out all the rules you have you follow, like bed at 8 pm sharp, no phone, no loud music, locked all the doors etc. The various POVs, extremely fast-paced and the storyplot will keep you awake and finish the book in no time.

The ending was....a big wow. Highly recommend when you are ready for the stop of a heartbeating feeling.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Apr 9, 2025

Who is making the rules...and who is breaking them...?

Ok first up, this is one seriously twisted read! Where nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is as it seems. From start to finish you think you know what is happening...but you don't.

The basis of this twisted tale are the all important rules. Rules, rules, rules! You must obey the rules! So so many rules! So what are the rules?

Rule 1: No lying.

Rule 2: Never talk about you know who.

Rule 3: Family confessional every day at 6pm.

Rule 4: No leaving the house without good reason.

Rule 5: Bedtime confessional.

Rule 6: Never talk about the past.

Rule 7: No alcohol, apart from one drink at the weekend.

Rule 8: Grieving hour every Sunday at 5pm.

Rule 9: No phones/tablets/laptops/internet after 6pm.

Rule 10: No watching the news. No social media. No loud music.

Rule 11: Bedtime strictly 8pm.

Rule 12: No flaunting or flirting with the opposite sex.

Rule 13: No breaking of the marriage rules. Punishment severe.

From the outset, the rules seemed a little one-sided and I was left feeling a bit miffed at the attitude and the enforcement of the said rules - to the absolute letter. And the punishment? Well...that was a bit off the scale too.

But to Fiona and Jason it is normal. It keeps them safe. From what or who, isn't clear. At least not right away. Still, Jason has always lived by a set of strict rules which has served him well, even when his father abandoned him after the sudden death of his mother at 13 and shipping him off to boarding school. The rules helped keep him structured and disciplined; helped keep him safe. So when he met Fiona at the Radmoor Psychiatric Hospital where he recently gained the position of psychiatrist, the pair seemed to feel a chemistry almost at once. The only problem was, Jason was already married. To the head psychiatrist, Dr Erika Nordstrom. Despite this, the pair began to plan a future together.

And then, Erika is dead and the couple move away with Jason's two daughters Tilly (15) and Ivy (8) to begin a new life together. The girls miss their mum and Jason insists on them calling Fiona "mum" or "mummy" but neither girl is thrilled at the prospect, nor by their father's strict set of rules. But he only wants to keep them safe...if only they follow the rules.

But when Fiona befriends neighbour Sascha and her daughter Cora becomes friendly with Ivy, Jason begins to see cracks appear in the life he has carefully curated for them. Sascha won't take his nonsense and tries to encourage Fiona not to either but that won't do. So when Sascha disappears, her house resembling a crime scene, Fiona begins to question what really happened to her friend.

Now when I began this read, I was increasingly frustrated with Fiona and totally annoyed with Jason. Those rules bordered on abuse; especially given his punishment for breaking them. But then the story unfolded some more and I realised that nothing is at all what it seems.

This is not an entirely predictable read because I guarantee it will shock you. I doubt you will see some of the twists coming. I definitely didn't see that last one but pretty much worked out the rest. Even so, even a seasoned thriller reader such as myself will be surprised at the turn of events and that one clever final twist.

This is a dark, chilling and claustrophobic read and you will be kept on the edge of your seat as you race to the end to that final reveal. Did you work it out?

This is one of those books that is hard to review because to say too much will give the whole game away. And you don't want that happening, believe me. But bare with Fiona and her submissiveness. It will all be worth it in the end.

I would like to thank #SamanthaHayes, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheMarriageRules in exchange for an honest review.

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

The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes was another excellent psychological thriller, with excellent twists and turns from start to finish that will have you hooked from the beginning till the very end, This book was very tense and it may have you shouting out aloud like it did me. . . . .

WoW!

Fiona Fisher lives a quiet and contented existence. She is a former nurse who married Jason, who is the doctor of her dreams. Now, she is a mother to his two daughters and living in the sort of cosy village home she’d always dreamt. of

Life is pretty much perfect in every single way. As long as they stick to their rules…

So many Rules. . . . and You must obey the rules! All of them! and Never break them!

These rules are there to keep their family safe. But what happens when they get broken…?

Everyone in bed by eight o’clock sharp. and Not a minute later!

No loud music, No news on the TV, No social media. The house phone for emergency use only.

Locks on every door. No leaving the house.

And absolutely No talking about the past and I mean NEVER!!!

But one day, someone starts breaking the rules…

WoW! what an excellent ending this book was, I didn't see coming! Superb!

I highly recommend this book Superb!

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

My 3rd book by Samantha Hayes and crikey she knows how to write a psychological thriller with breakneck twists and turns!! Deserves nothing less than 5 stars!

Fiona and her husband Jason met at Radmoor Hospital where Jason was a Consultant Psychiatrist and Fiona was a nurse, but Jason was married so they had a clandestine affair. However, to be together in a proper relationship they had to leave the hospital and so they both left their respective jobs at Radmoor. Now Jason is in a new job, lecturing in psychiatry at his old university and Fiona has suddenly and unexpectedly become a full time step mum to Jason’s two daughters, as on the day that she married and moved in with Jason, the girls’ mother, Erika, died in a car accident. Fiona has been tasked with the job of blending their family together as well as helping Tilly who is 15 and Ivy who is 8 come to terms with their grief of losing their mother. However, both Fiona and the girls live under very severe rules from Jason made up to “keep them safe”. Fiona finds the role of stepmother demanding but adores the girls and is determined to make things work, even if Jason’s rules make their lives quite hard. But then strange notes begin to arrive from unknown people unbalancing Fiona and start to make her doubt her husband’s honesty. Instead of sharing these with Jason, Fiona hides them as she has secrets of her own that need protecting. Try as they might, will Jason and Fiona manage to keep their little family together or will the pasts’ secrets and lies tear it all apart?!

Well, this was one crazy but fun ride with plenty of twists and turns! The list of rules immediately drew me in, and I only got to page 2 of the book and was shocked!! It’s been a while since a book has had my mouth gaping as much as this one did. I have to admit I didn’t like either Jason or Fiona, but I really loved Tilly and thought she was very brave in her defiance and also when she was trying to stick up for Fiona against her dad. Chapter 7 left me amazed and the twist at the end of part 1 was simply outstanding. Then the later one in part 3 totally eclipsed the earlier one and simply and literally stunned me as it completely turned the story on its’ head, I can only describe it as stupendous! The writing was so clever that I never saw any of the twists coming which is awesome for a seasoned psychological thriller reader like me.

An absolutely engrossing, addictive and twisty psychological thriller that I loved every minute of reading and would highly recommend. I can’t wait to read what Samantha Hayes writes next as I am never disappointed by her books. Totally deserved 5 stars!

**I will say that I truly hope that this review gives this book the justice it deserves, it was just very very difficult to write it without giving away any spoilers and I never reveal spoilers in my reviews, so I apologise in advance if my review just seems quite cryptic**

Thank you to NetGalley, Samantha Hayes and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Out now.

Samantha Hayes is one of my go to authors and one where I don’t even read the book blurb as I know it’s going to be a good read. Well to say that The Marriage Rules was a good read is a massive understatement as it was brilliant. It’s a difficult one to review without giving away any spoilers so I’m just giving my honest opinion . Oh my word I was hooked from the end of the prologue and never once during my reading of this book did I feel it was getting in any way slow or boring. Every chapter had me captivated and intrigued. This is a twisty and suspenseful domestic thriller with plenty of surprises . This book will be going into my top ten reads of 2025 without a doubt.

This is a quick read. Told from multiple POVs, the storyline evolves and twists until the very end. It starts out seemingly odd that rules -so many rules - had been introduced and enforced for this newly wed couple and their family. Once you discover the explanation for the many ‘marriage rules’, things start to fall into place. The ending caught me by surprise! Not my favourite by Samantha Hayes but I liked it.
Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Samantha Hayes for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes is an amazing thriller that you won't be able to put down.
This is definitely a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Hayes has filled the pages with mystery, suspense and plot twists to make this impossible to predict.

A twisty domestic thriller that will keep you up late! So many twists. So many questions.

It always astounds me when intelligent people find themselves entrenched in a situation or relationship that clearly should be ringing their warning bells…

In this instance, a nurse and a psychiatrist meet at work and become a couple. Just months after their marriage, Fiona and Jason take custody of Jason’s two daughters after their birth mother dies tragically. (How is question number one).

Dr. Jason Hewitt has many strict rules that the entire family MUST adhere to. He maintains that the rules are there for their security, their stability as a family.

The family live in a quiet South Warwickshire village. Soon after moving in, Fiona, who has left her nursing job, starts earning extra money as a child-minder. She cares for her neighbour’s daughter who is the same age as Jason’s youngest. Shortly thereafter Fiona begins to receive threatening, anonymous notes. “I know what you did. You broke a rule” and “You’ve got it coming. Everything you deserve“.

Freaked out by these notes, Fiona does not tell Jason about them… And, it would seem that Fiona has left other jobs under a dark cloud. (Why is question number two).

In addition, Jason is no longer working as a psychiatrist at the hospital. He is now working at a university… (Why is question number three).

The story is told from Jason and Fiona’s perspectives. The reader wonders why Jason feels that these strict rules are necessary… Which narrator can you trust? Obviously Jason, who inflicts harsh punishments seems to be the villain here, but is he really?

As the novel progresses, the family become involved in a police investigation. Where this leads will keep the reader at the edge of their seat. You’ll have to suspend some disbelief to appreciate this twisty thriller, but the novel was entertaining to read. The plot’s rapid pace and short chapters create a frenzied reading experience.

One plot twist at the forty percent mark really astounded me and caused me to re-evaluate everything I’d read up to that point…

Themes of inherited behaviours, medical ethics, dysfunctional families, mental instability, and the long term effects of childhood trauma, are just a few of the topics touched upon.

Cleverly plotted, “The Marriage Rules” is a dark, slightly creepy, claustrophobic thriller that will be greatly appreciated by fans of domestic and psychological thrillers.

Fictionophile's rating is 4.5 stars (rounded up)

The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes is a tense thriller that will leave you wondering how far will people go to keep their secrets?

Fiona is a former nurse and she is married to Jason. They live in a cozy village house with Jason's two daughters from a previous relationship. But what seems like a perfect picture of a happy marriage and family also hides some dark secrets. Strict rules govern the house, from everyone in bed by 8:00 p.m., no social media, and absolutely no talking about what happened in the past. But what happens when someone starts to break those rules? And how far will they go to keep their secrets hidden?

This novel hooked me in the beginning and did not let go! I was questioning everybody's motives and I loved the general sense of unease throughout. I especially loved the dual timeline and the POVs of Fiona and Jason, I felt like I was able to put a few pieces together but that twist was unexpected for me! I will definitely recommend this novel to fans of tense, compelling thriller/domestic dramas!

Thank you to NetGalley, Samantha Hayes, and Bookouture for this ARC!! Publication date is April 9th 2025.

I have read a few books by this author and this one didn’t disappoint. The marriage rules is a rollercoaster of a read that hooks you in and makes you keep wanting to turn the pages to find out more. I found that my brain was going down one rabbit hole of what I thought was going to happen and then things turned out completely different

This is a hard book to review without giving spoilers so all that is left to say is If you enjoy domestic thrillers which keep you on your toes with lots of twist and turns then this is the book for you.

This is the first book I have by Samantha Hayes and I’m happy that I now have to choose another book to read from an extensive back catalogue.
Fiona and Jason are trying to build a relationship that has rules. These rules would appear strange to many and I cringed every time that they were mentioned. Usually when one was broken by either Fiona or one of Jason’s two young daughters. Each time they were broken they were punished. These rules made uncomfortable reading, not just for the control but also the punishment.
All of the characters were damaged, the two children because of the loss of their mother and the way they were forced to accept Fiona as their mother immediately, Fiona because of the power that Jason had with his knowledge of her past and Jason because of the control he faced under his ex wife plus his father. Despite knowing this as a reader, I found it difficult to like either Jason or Fiona, the two children though were different. I liked both instantly and their appearances throughout the novel brought a lot of admiration from me. I liked their strength and independence and the way they could see right through the control.
The narrative had me feeling tense. At no time did I feel like I could believe what I was reading but I was still unprepared for being floored by the ending. It made me want to reread from the beginning, just to see if I missed something obvious.
I really enjoyed reading my first book by this author, I just need to decide which I should read next.

My first thought was what kind of fruit loopy arrangement was this with all the rules.
Bizarre turned into deranged as I dug into the book.
Two of the characters were certifiably mental. I could t determine which one was worse and a lot of the plot and their actions made sense.
I felt the sorriest for Tilly and Ivy who were the unwitting victims.
At the end, while the delusions of two of the main characters were sad, they were right there they should be, locked up.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Twisty read that had me sympathising with all the wrong people! I did guess some of the story but not all. Very cleverly done

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this eCopy to review

Reading The Marriage Rules was an intense and thrilling experience. The story revolves around Fiona Fisher, a former nurse who seems to have it all—a loving husband, Jason, two stepdaughters, and a cosy village home. But their seemingly perfect life is governed by strict rules: everyone in bed by eight, no social media, and absolutely no talking about the past. These rules are meant to keep their family safe, but when someone starts breaking them, the cracks in their idyllic life begin to show.

As I delved deeper into the story, I found myself questioning every character's motives. Fiona's growing unease and the mysterious events that unfold kept me hooked. The tension builds masterfully, and the twists and turns left me gasping. Without giving too much away, the ending was jaw-dropping and left me reflecting on the fragility of trust and the lengths people go to protect their secrets. The suspense and psychological depth were captivating

A compelling tale that fans of thrillers will thoroughly enjoy.

Fiona, a former nurse has recently married Jason, a psychiatric doctor she met when they both worked at Radmoor Hospital and, following the death of his estranged wife Erika, his children Tilly and Ivy are now living with them in a new house in a quiet village, but things aren't quite what they seem and Jason has drawn up some very strange marriage rules that they must all adhere to; no leaving the house unless it's necessary, no phones after a certain time, family confessionals at 6pm, no talking about the past and grief time for one hour but only on a Sunday. All these rules, he says, are to keep them safe, but from what or who? They all seem to go along with them, until someone doesn't...

The Marriage Rules is the latest thriller by Hayes, with it's multi layered plot spread across three parts, told from the perspectives of the two main characters, Fiona and Jason and a dual timeline of before and after, this one will definitely mess with your head. Personally, i wondered what Fiona was thinking, agreeing to all these over the top rules when she just kept breaking them but, as the story progressed and the pieces of the jigsaw began to slot into place, everything started to make sense. There are so many twists in this story, my head was in constant spin mode and the ending was totally unexpected. Another fantastic tale by this author, where nothing is as it first seems, I highly recommend.

I'd like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #TheMarriageRules by #SamanthaHayes. This book stopped me in my tracks with this crazy plot twist! Fiona, a previous nurse met and married Jason, a doctor at her hospital. She immediately became a Kim to his two children. Jason has put some rules in place that cannot be broken. But as usual, rules are mad to be broken. You will not believe what happens and what is true and what has been broken.

I didn’t think Samantha Hayes could get any twistier with her plot lines but The Marriage Rules managed to prove me wrong! What the hell did I just read?! As soon as I thought I’d got the twist (and there had to be one because something was very VERY wrong in this marriage!) I was proved not only wrong but so far off the beaten track I was never going to find it again! And the twists just kept on coming!

The Marriage Rules are a set of family rules that Jason and Fiona live by and these rules are rather “unusual” in a modern marriage between two professional people! Why is Jason controlling his family so tightly but also why are they happy to go along with these bizarre rules? It’s obvious that something very disturbing has happened in the past and that this seems to be a way of moving on but some secrets can never stay hidden for long and sure enough their lives start to unravel bit by bit…

I adore Samantha Hayes as an author and I’ve been a fan for a very long time now. I can always rely on her to surprise me and once again she has. There’s some brilliant characters here who have been carefully crafted to keep the reader on their toes throughout the shocking storyline. I never knew who to trust as everyone seemed to have something to hide but was that something murder? As all the threads come together to reveal the truth, the shocks just keep on coming! I read this in an afternoon as it was that addictive and I just had to find out what was behind The Marriage Rules.

Highly recommended by me!

I have read some of this authors previous books so when I saw she had a new release out, I was excited to read it. And I am so happy to say that I really enjoyed this one!
I got into this book straight away and I was thoroughly invested and interested in the story throughout.
I liked the writing style, which flowed so well and this was such an easy read, I flew through it in one day.
It has a fast paced plot which kept me wanting to turn the page.
I found the relationship between the two main characters Fiona and Jason interesting and I also liked them as individual characters. I liked how we got both of their POVs in the story, however I would have preferred that it was written in the first person and not the third.
Also the twist really surprised me and I loved it! I did figure some of it out but not the whole thing, so well played Samantha Hayes!
This was such an enjoyable, binge able, easy to read psychological thriller and I highly recommend you check it out as I had such a great time reading it.

Rules, rules, rules! You must obey the rules! Whew! Talk about being taken on a whirlwind roller coaster of a ride! Samantha Hayes had me reeling with one shocker after another in The Marriage Rules! Just when I thought I knew what was happening, Samantha Hayes pulled the rug out from under my feet and hit me with another twist that left me with my jaw hanging open with the twist filled page turner! I had a hard time putting this book down when life came calling as I was instantly gripped and glued to the pages!

Fiona and Jason are a recently married couple who have moved with Jason's two daughters to a lovely village home. Jason has a set of rules for the entire family to abide by. They are strict rules, but Jason made them to keep them safe! Not everyone is a fan of the rules and soon the rules begin to be broken.

Holy Moly! This book had me on edge the entire time with its feeling of dread which was dripping from the pages. With all those rules, I couldn't help but wonder what was behind all the strict rules! I began to come up with my own theories and was so far off base that it wasn't even funny! I love when an author can shock me, and Samantha Hayes did that many times during this book. There are some OTT moments but that just made the book more enjoyable and fun for me.

Gripping, shocking, well thought out, twist filled, and hard to put down, The Marriage Rules was a hit with this reader. This is the 7th book that I have read by Samantha Hayes, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!

What a mental mess! Great domestic thriller with some unpredictable twists. Just when you think you know what's going on, another revelation sneaks up on you. You won't know what to believe by the end of it.