This was my first book by this author. It was a nice, fast paced thriller. There have been a lot of books with this trope lately that I have read, so it was a bit predictable for me, but I enjoyed it regardless. 4 stars.

I liked this; I wanted to like it more than I did. I was quickly invested in the story, but the twists were few and far between and I just felt like I wanted more from the tale.

Maybe I'm jaded, but I just got a little bored here. The author can write and tells a good story -- it just didn't connect that well to me.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

This was the kind of thriller that really keeps you guessing. One of the things that I loved about this book was while there was so much going on our author kept most of the story to two main characters and their lives instead of trying to get to intricate with characters that don't hold much relevance.
The book mainly focuses on our main character Hannah who is living life as a social media influencer. When a new woman Sophia enters the neighborhood Hannah is ecstatic because this woman seems to understand everything that she's going through, however it isn't long until things start to change. When Hannah learns that Sophia is lying about everything she starts to question what the motive is and why is she really ingrained herself to deep in Hannah's life. What is the motive? I really enjoyed the main characters in this story and I found myself being completely drawn into this plot. I enjoyed trying to guess the secrets that all the characters were hiding and as each one got darker and darker I was fascinated. I loved reading about all of the chaos in Hannah's life it was sad to watch her put on such a facade with everyone around her. I loved all of the twists in the second half of this book it almost gave me whiplash however I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I enjoyed this book thoroughly however there were some slow parts that I struggled to get past, thankfully they weren't to common and mostly in the beginning. Overall good book and a solid thriller. I will for sure be keeping my eye on this author in the future.

The First Wives
by S. E. Reed
Pub Date: Sep 24 2025

The First Wives" by S.E. Reed is a fast-paced psychological thriller that revolves around themes of trust, manipulation, friendship, and toxic trends, leaving readers wondering who they can genuinely trust. I was hooked from the very first chapter.

Synopsis: Two women live in neighboring beachfront mansions. One posts carefully curated photos of her enviable life. The other watches from the shadows, learning every detail of that life, waiting for the right moment to destroy it.

Thanks to #TheFirstWives #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for providing me an E-ARC of this fantastic book!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. This was a quick read, which I love. I like the new books coming out with influencers in it. It's different. I did guess the twist but enjoyed reading this.

This was a fast paced book which I enjoyed overall. I found the main characters a bit difficult to relate to but they were well constructed and the story was engaging. It covered some issues which we all deal with in modern life, such as the role of women and dealing with social media. There were twists to the story which kept it interesting. I had not come across this author before but would be interested to read more of her work.

I am such a sucker for thrillers featuring tradwife influencers—and this one delivered everything I love! Hannah seems to have it all: darling twins, a handsome husband, the dream home, and millions of followers who adore her picture-perfect life. But when Sophie moves in next door, cracks begin to show.

Think:
🏡 Insta-perfect vibes with something darker lurking
👯 Instant friendship + mean girl undertones
🔍 Coincidences, inconsistencies, and secrets galore
😳 A twist you might see coming, but it still keeps you hooked
💖 An ending that’s far happier than I expected (and I loved that!)

I stayed up until 3am finishing this one because I simply could not stop turning the pages! Even if I pieced together the twist early, I was completely invested the entire way through!

Highly recommend—especially if you want to peek behind the curtain of social media perfection!

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and S.E. Reed for the ARC! 💖 💖 💖

Hannah meets Sophia when she moves in next door and quickly a friendship blossoms. Until Hannah discovers Sophia has been lying and soon she will discover a secret that will shatter everything.

This sounded like a fun, twisty read and this definitely ended up being that. The concept is simple but effective, which keeps you guessing and I enjoyed the build up to the crazy finale. Saying that, I did find it slowed down a lot in the middle and I struggled to form any connection with the characters. Overall though, this was a solid thriller and an entertaining read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

This was a quick easy to read thriller which had me captivated and unable to put it down. There were plenty of twists and turns in the plot but they were all quite predictable and unfortunately I was waiting for the final twist at the end which did not come. Having said that the writing was good and the progression of Hannah's character throughout the book was really well done.

This hooked me from the first page. Hannah seems to have everything: influencer glam, cute twins, a wealthy husband. But when Sophia moves in next door, tension spirals in the best possible way. Secrets start peeling back, trust unravels, and the stakes get darker than you expect. I loved how Reed built suspense steadily—just when I thought I knew what was coming, bam, another twist. The psychology, the atmosphere, the envy and betrayal all made it impossible to put down. If you like thrillers that mess with your assumptions and keep you guessing ’til the end, this one is 🔥 5/5.

I enjoyed this twisty, domestic thriller. It’s my first book by this author, however it definitely won’t be the last.

Wow wow wow. I am so in love with this book. The writing is fantastic and I love the plot. I couldn't put it down. I highly suggest this book. I'm excited to see what comes next from Reed.

I loved this book! The book is the ultimate thriller with unpredictable twists. I loved the pace of the story. The story started with a real bang. Who was the woman driving away from the cemetery while the detective approached, wanting to talk to the mystery woman? I could not wait to discover who she was and why she was wanted for questioning.

The first chapter jumps back nine months earlier and lays the groundwork for a twisted domestic thriller. The author draws the reader into the lives of the messed-up characters. The characters are all flawed, but some are worse than others. Each character has a story of their own that contributes to the suspense of the story.

Halfway through the book, I figured out one of the twists, but there were so many other twists yet to be revealed. I loved how the story unfolded, and the ending was very satisfactory. The author left the MFC Sophia's story open for a sequel, which I am thoroughly excited about.

I loved the book and would definitely read other books from this author. I'm eager to see how S.E. Reed continues Sophia's story.

A brilliant plot and even though I guessed the main twist early on, there was just so much amazing and shocking stuff going on that I was completely hooked!

Hannah has the perfectly curated influencer life with her wealthy husband and when Sophia moves in next door, their friendship is instant. But Sophia is lying about her whole life and when Hannah discovers the truth, the tension ramps up to a whole other level. As the layers of deception were peeled back, it just got better and better and the ending - wow!

Great characters and fabulous writing!

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley,S. E. Reed and Storm for an ARC of this book.

✨ Thank you, NetGalley, for another fabulous ARC!

This was such a breezy yet unsettling popcorn thriller—I devoured it. The plot unfolded in such a captivating way, and Hannah’s story pulled me through every emotion. I love when good storytelling still manages to surprise me, and this one definitely did.

📕 Out now—grab a copy!

Oh Jesus Christ! What the f**k did I just read?! 🤯
This book - ‘The First Wives’… Wow, got me real hooked! 😍 Was planning to read for an hour this morning before the kids go to school but no, i had my head stuck in the book all the way through and wrapped it up in few hours and put the house chores on hold so I can eat it up fast! 🤣🫢
Anyway, this story starts with a trad wife influencer. Hannah is living her dream life in Florida with a billionaire husband and 4 years old twins. 🏠🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 They all were very happy until a new neighbour, Sophia moved in next door. Things starts to take unexpected turns… 🤔 And Hannah is about to discover a truth so twisted it will shatter everything she believed about her marriage, her past, and herself… 😬

Where do I find S.E. Reed?! I need to tell her that this book is AMAZING and she need to write MORE books!! 😍 I’m definitely going to invest in her other books! 📚

I would like to say a massive thank youuuu to NetGallery and Storm Publishing for letting me take part of this ARC. 👩🏼‍🏫

'The First Wives' has great ideas for a plot that are well executed. Thoroughly enjoyable read. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

An addictive read with drama, suspense, and plenty of betrayal. I loved how the layers of friendship, jealousy, and hidden motives built into a storm you couldn’t look away from. Sharp writing with just the right amount of emotional bite.

This was a GREAT thriller and I am definitely interested to read more by this author! I thought the character development was interesting, the pacing was great, and the surprises were well thought out and believable! This felt like a cross between First Lie Wins and a Freida McFadden book. I enjoyed the writing and thought the author did a good job laying out the story line and wrapping up loose ends. I enjoyed the ending; it was satisfying! I felt like I was in a reading slump before reading this book and it was nice to want to pick up a book and read again!

Thank you for the ARC! I really enjoyed!

Hannah and Sophia have a lot in common but yet so different.

This is a brilliant read. It is both fun and scary.

When women become friends for the wrong reasons and one sets out to destroy the other it turns into a really read.

I loved this book. it is a story that is superbly told and one of those reads that would make a brilliant TV drama.