Thank you to Brilliance Publishing for an ALC of His First Wife, available now! Here are my thoughts.

Sophie has escaped to life in Sicily after a tragic end to her marriage and when she arrives she is surprised at how quickly she falls for a professor. But he keeps revealing secret after secret and suddenly Sophie is in danger. Is Emilio all that he says he is, or is something terrifying hidden away?

Oh this was a delicious listen. The cast of characters is wild. I am blown away by how well Polly Edsell was able to vocalize for such a variety of characters. I had to stop part way through my listen to see how many narrators there were. I was shocked to find it was just one. Truly excellent.

The characters include a rich professor in love, the art teacher starting over, the intrusive next door neighbor, the oh so fabulous rich mature student and so many more. I kind of hated all of them, but in a way that was so entertaining and satisfying. I couldn’t stop listening.

I was convinced I had the whole mystery solved, but I was super off base. The author did a great job of leaving so many red herrings that the reader could land on any of the characters being the bad guy and have proper justification. As much as I love guessing an ending, it feels even better when I was wrong.

This is my first Sue Watson read but I am really excited to check out more! Another fantastic summer thriller.

This is an author I love for her domestic suspense novels. This fits in the popcorn thriller genre where it is quick paced and short.

I didn't like the characters, but that isn't always a deal breaker in a thriller. I was always wanting to smack Sophie around as she was quite naive at times and made so many terrible decisions, but I wanted to know a little more about what was going on with her new beau. He almost seemed too obvious to be that bad of a character, but then I'd think maybe not.

This one kept me on my toes and I breezed through it.

Polly Edsell is a new to me narrator, but she did a great job bringing the right vibe and atmosphere to this twisty suspense novel.

I finished reading/ listening to 'His First Wife' by Sue Watson. For me, this book is a 5-star read! I caught myself holding my breath in a lot of moments. The book is chilling, and I found the characters either likeable or totally dislikeable. After the middle of the book, it was a guessing game. I didn't see the killer coming until the last chapters. Totally delusional person, but based on the background story,y the sister of the victim contributed to the final decision. She was not an innocent person either. All characters acted selfishly, apart from Emilio, who was less selfish in this story.

But let's take things from the start. Set in Sicily with all the Italian vibes, and even the narrator gave an Italian accent to the Italian characters and a British accent to the British characters. The main character is Sophie, who finds herself in love with Emilio after moving to Sicily to escape from her traumatic past. Then Emilio, who is very enigmatic, handsome, charming and with lots of secrets. Then Sabrina, the sister of Emilio's wife, got on my nerves from day one of her appearance in the book.

All characters have a part to play in the story, even the ones that are not mentioned here in my review, and they all lead the reader to the ending that made me want a little bit more.

Wow, this book had me going through it, lol. Sophie meets Emilio, he’s a gorg older Italian man, full of mystery but somehow they get together. He is hiding secrets according to her best friend Abby who is a little sneaky, and a creep lol. Sophie is so damn naïve I wish I can slap sense into her through the audiobook, her insecurity made me not like her too much, and every character in this book was sketchy. I am here to say that this book left me on edge, because what is GOING ON??!!!!!! So much drama, and I love drama.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This was incredible. Set against the backdrop of Etna, steeped in tension, secrecy, and toil, and full of complex and fascinating characters. At every single step of the way, I felt blindsided by the twists. The pacing was brilliant and the slow revelations of each character, and indeed their flaws, made for an addictive and compelling read. It’s one of the best and most gripping thrillers I’ve read in a while.

This was such a fun read. With many twists and turns and I enjoyed every moment of it
I loved the twists and turns that the book took.

2.5 ⭐️ ARC Review of the audiobook.

His First Wife is about Sophie, a British woman who leaves home and moves to Sicily to start over after her husband dies. She meets Emilio, an older man, and falls in love with him, only to find out he’s actually married. Then his wife disappears, and things unfold from there.

I’m pretty sure every character in this book is insane. Sophie is a weirdo/ creeper. She is also very immature, naive, and insecure. And Emilio is the reddest of red flags. I will avoid talking about other characters to avoid spoilers, but they’re all crazy.

This book didn’t really grab me. The pacing dragged for a while and I really didn’t care about the characters or the story. I honestly didn’t like a single one of the characters.

The audiobook quality wasn’t great. The VA did fine, but the sound wasn’t the best.

It’s a quick, easy thriller read so it may be exactly what some people are looking for. It’s a no for me, but a maybe for others.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC. 🖤

**3.5 Stars**

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
Sophie never expected to fall in love during her summer in Sicily. But then she meets Emilio, a charming, brilliant, and enigmatic professor at the local university. He's everything she didn't know she was looking for.
He might even be perfect.
But the dream quickly begins to unravel when Sophie learns about the mysterious disappearance of Emilio’s first wife. As unsettling secrets come to light and a stranger seems to be watching her every move, Sophie begins to question what’s real and who she can trust.
The deeper she falls, the more tangled she becomes in Emilio’s shadowy past. Someone appears to be warning her to stay away but is it out of concern… or something far more sinister?
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
I went into this audiobook with zero expectations and honestly, that might’ve been the best way to approach it. I ended up finishing it in under a day because the storyline kept me engaged and the narrator did a solid job bringing the characters to life.
That said, the beginning was a bit slow for me. It took some time to get going, but once it did, the pacing improved. The plot leans heavily into the “whodunit” territory, and I was convinced I had it all figured out… until the twist at the end proved me completely wrong, which I appreciated.
One thing that held me back from loving it more was the main character, Sophie. Her blind trust and naivety chalked up to being in love felt more frustrating than romantic. It made her character seem less believable and a little hard to root for at times.
Still, it was an entertaining listen, and I’d recommend it if you’re in the mood for a quick, twisty mystery with a dash of drama.

Thank You @Netgalley and @ Brilliance Publishing for allowing me to listen to this ALC.

3.75 Stars.

Firstly, thank you to Brilliance Publishing & Brilliance Audio for sending me this advanced reader copy via NetGalley.

"My perfect man is married. And his wife is missing. Can I really trust him—or am I next?"

This book was nothing like I imagined it could be, and that was the best part. I devoured this audiobook for it's engaging storyline and fantastic narrator, though I must admit, it took me a little while to comprehend where the book itself was going. Luckily, that didn't matter and this only made me want to keep reading it whenever I got the chance. For a long while it was a "who done it" and yet I was wondering what it was that was done. It really did keep me on my toes.

I was hooked. Watson's writing is truly captivating. This book had a variety of likeable and non-likeable characters and I enjoyed that they were all very distinct. They had enough depth to feel like you knew who they were. Following Sophie on the uncovering of the truth was enjoyable, suspenseful and unlike anything I've read.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

The PERFECT thriller. The audiobook actually gave me chills. Incredible narration, twists and turns that kept me guessing.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

This was an enjoyable, yet very predictable thriller. I'm not a huge fan of the main character, but I enjoyed the narration and would listen to other titles she narrates.

**2.5 stars rounded up to 3**

This had lots of potential but ended up feeling a bit basic and lacked any real punch.

The main character felt very naive, self centered and needy so I found myself not really caring for her.

The main point of the plot also too so long to get to that it felt a bit anti climatic by the time we reached it. This also features a trope I'm not a fan of so that also took me out of the story quite quickly.

I did find the writing style really easy to listen to and the narrator did a fantastic job at all the character voices and I found her very engaging.

Overall a decent listen but unfortunately for me nothing out of the ordinary.

His First Wife is a shorter read, which honestly worked in its favor—I appreciated the quick pace. The characters stirred up a mix of emotions in me, which is always a sign that a story has something going for it.

Sophie, though... whew. I found her frustratingly naïve. More than once, I wanted to reach into the pages and give her a good shake. Her insecurity made it hard for me to really connect with her, even though I was intrigued by the secret she was keeping. That twist added some much-needed intrigue.

But then there’s Emilio. One minute Sophia’s falling head over heels, the next she’s throwing accusations of him keeping secrets, even though she is doing the same. The back-and-forth felt a bit condescending and repetitive, which took me out of the story at times.

Abby, the stalker-ish friend, kept me guessing right from the start. She added a mysterious edge that kept me turning the pages, just to see how her part of the story would unfold.

All in all, this wasn’t a groundbreaking read, but it wasn’t a waste of time either. A solid in-between book when you’re in the mood for some drama and secrets without a huge time commitment.

Thanks to NetGalley and all the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Someone lies, and someone dies…

These are the words Sophie hears from a fortune teller. When her new boyfriend’s estranged wife goes missing, Sophie can’t help but wonder - is she next?

Psychological thriller and mystery readers will love this twisty tale. There is so much going on, so many suspicious people, that I really had no idea where to even focus to figure out what the heck was going on. Even the parts that I did kind of figure out were just a drop in the bucket of lies and secrets. This is my first book by @suewatsonbooks and I plan to read through her backlog. Fans of John Marrs and Freida McFadden will feel right at home!

Narrator @pollyedsell did a superb job with the character voices. They were all distinct and clear. She captured the tense moments perfectly.

Add His First Wife to your to-read list! I wasn’t able to stop listening till the very end 🎧 Happy reading! 📚

I loved this book! Thanks for the opportunity to listen in advance.

His First Wife
by Sue Watson
Narrated by Polly Edsell

This book is about Sophie and Emelio's weird relationship. Why Sophie puts up with the dozens of red flags and stays in a relationship with Emilio throughout the story is beyond me. Sophie starts dating a professor from work, an elusive volcanologist named Emilio, who is the least attention-seeking boyfriend on the face of the Earth. He lives with his sister-in-law in his first wife's mansion. The first wife is nowhere to be seen, rather galavanting around the world. Sophie is kind of obsessed with her. I don't want to give the story away, as it does have some twists and turns, but I sped through the last few hours because it was just redundant and slow-paced. Sophie's poor decisions really got to me, and I found that I didn't really care about any of the characters or what happened to them.

The narration was well done, and it was easy to listen to and understand, even with Emilio's accent. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Brilliance Publishing for the chance to listen to and review this ARC!

I found this one to be predictable.
I thought it was pretty obvious (the mystery), but I was still able to engage for the majority of the book.
I did not enjoy the structure or organization of the plot. We didn't find out the wife is missing until about halfway through the book - that irritated me.
The second half of the big did drag on a bit. I found myself just wanting it to be finished.
I found Sophie's gullibility in believing anything because she was "in love" unflattering and unappealing for her character. Red flag after red flag, but no concerns?! She is as oblivious as a teenage girl with her first love? It just frustrated me. She loved MMC so much that she is blind?! Come on now!
The is a short book and I appreciate that.
There is some suspense, tension, and mystery. Not one of my favorites, but not my least favorite.
I think the ingredients are here, but I had trouble with the recipe.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for this wild and twisty ride of a listen!

Whew! From the very first chapter of His First Wife, I knew I was in for a psychological thriller that would have me second-guessing everything. Sophie, a widowed art teacher just trying to move forward, falls for the mysterious Emilio—who definitely has skeletons in his closet. And Gina, the so-called chill first wife? That woman gave me whiplash with her calmness. Sabrina, Gina’s sister, added fuel to the suspense with her strange attitude and biting words, leaving me questioning everyone’s intentions.

Every time I thought I had it figured out, Sue Watson threw in another twist. From suspicious neighbors to odd balcony watchers to a missing woman and secrets unraveling faster than I could process—this audiobook had me holding my breath more than once. The narration was gripping and perfectly matched the tension of the story.

And that ending?! Let’s just say I thought I was prepared, but I absolutely was not. Sophie’s secret hit hard, and I’m still thinking about what comes next for these characters. A couple of threads left me wanting more answers, but overall—if you love twisty domestic thrillers with layers of lies, messy relationships, and endings that pack a punch, this is for you.

Add this to your TBR, but don’t make plans—you won’t be able to stop listening.

This was a good book. It really kept me guessing. The way everything unfolds makes this book well written. I liked this one.

This was the first book By Sur Eatson that I’ve read, but it will not be the last. The complex twists and turns throughout the book kept me engaged!

love all Sue Watson trillers and this book was not the exception.
In this story we follow Sophie, who is mesmerized by Emilio from the moment she first sees him. Once these two are interacting she falls FAST…

I felt like throwing my kindle away because Sophie’s decisions were often reckless and she actively chose to ignore all red flags thrown at her. Sue did a great job at keeping the suspense built until the last moment, and although I thought I had figured all out, the twists proved I never did.

I enjoyed the narration of the book, Polly did a great job bringing Sophie to life.

I totally recommend this thriller to anyone who enjoys twisty, mysterious stories!

Thank you Netgalley, Brilliance Audio for the ALC!