This was such a fast paced, addictive read. I honestly couldn’t put it down! While I figured out some of the twists early on, I was still left guessing about the how and why, which kept me hooked right through to the finale. And just when I thought I had it all worked out, a few unexpected turns completely surprised me.

An impressive and entertaining debut from S.E. Reed, I’ll definitely be watching out for what she writes next!

Sooo good!
S.E Reed pulls you in with the intriguing plot and will keep you there with the twists and turns until the very end.
So absolutely perfect. A really quick thriller. Grab your popcorn and settle in! Don’t miss The First Wives.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this arc. These are all of my honest opinions.

I love her writing style and how she creates twists, plots and all.
The First Wives by S. E. Reed was a nice easy read that I finished in just a few sittings. It had everything I look for in a good book. It had great characters, an intriguing plot and a shocking ending. What more can you ask for? I will definitely be reading more from this author.

This book completely freaked me out—in the best way!

Sophie and Hannah start off as friendly neighbors who quickly become close, but when things take a dark and unexpected turn, the tension doesn’t let up. I found myself unable to put it down and had to clear my schedule just to see how it all unfolded.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC!

It was a good popcorn thriller. But i wanted more twists from it. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

The First Wives had me hooked from start to finish. S.E. Reed’s skill at weaving suspense and psychological tension is remarkable. The story of Hannah and Sophia, two women living seemingly perfect lives that hide dark secrets, kept me guessing at every turn.

I loved the depth of the characters and how the twists were handled — they felt natural yet shocking. The epilogue hints that Sophia’s story is far from over, and I absolutely cannot wait to read the sequel.

A gripping, suspenseful read with complex characters and a story that lingers long after the last page. Highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers and domestic suspense.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A twisty domestic thriller, although a little slow in the first half. The second half is much faster in pace and I didn’t guess the twist! Will read more by this author
Thank you for the opportunity to read this prior to release

This was a quick and easy read — I finished it in a single day. I did wind up skimming a good bit of it though, which is part of why it went so quickly.

The first half of the book, which focused on the main character’s perfect life was a little dull. I understood that the author was trying to establish that she didn’t suspect anything was amiss in her life, but the pacing dragged and the interactions between the main character and her children didn’t feel genuine. As both a mother and a former preschool teacher, the children seemed very one-dimensional and Hannah’s starry-eyed view of her own life rang false. I would have liked to see more conflict between the perfect life she portrayed as an influencer and her real feelings about her life, which should have been very lonely and understimulating given her lack of adult interaction. (Side note: Hannah refers to herself repeatedly as a “trad wife” and she is absolutely nothing of the sort. She is some sort of mommy/family influencer, but nothing about her content is religious, political, organic, homemade, etc. It was very distracting to constantly see this mislabeled and to see her brokering endorsement deals for sunscreen and calling Target “trad wife paradise”. It indicated a serious misunderstanding of the trad wife culture that was distracting because it was mentioned on every other page.)

The second half of the book had much better pacing as Hannah played cat and mouse with her husband and uncovered a series of secrets. I was not surprised by any of the “twists” but they did make sense and were well seeded. I’d much rather a twist be predictable than unsupported by the text, so I can forgive that. It did wrap up quickly and neatly and it felt a little too tidy, but it’s definitely a satisfying ending for readers who want everything wrapped up in a bow at the end.

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for an early copy of The First Wives. I honestly do not know why this was the title, I can’t figure it out. The plot was obvious right from the beginning but I LOVED IT ANYWAY!!! The characters were very unbelievable but it made for a fun book to read. I enjoyed the lightness of it with the ridiculousness of it. I didn’t understand why it became a bit raunchy, that was unnecessary. Hannah and Sophia were fun to read about, I truly enjoyed it.

Literally thought I had it figured out in the first half and boy was I happily wrong! This twisty end is exactly what I didn't know I needed and I loved every second of Hannah she is amazing!

The First Wives is a deliciously twisted psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story of Hannah and Sophia—two women living glamorous yet secretive lives side by side—unfolds with plenty of suspense and unexpected twists.

I loved how the author peeled back layers of deception, making me question who to trust and what was really going on behind those curated Instagram-worthy facades. Hannah felt like a complex, flawed protagonist, and her gradual unraveling was both heartbreaking and gripping.

The pacing was tight, and the tension steadily built as the truth about Sophia’s lies came to light. I’ll admit, a few plot points felt familiar, but the execution and the chilling atmosphere made it feel fresh and compelling.

If you enjoy domestic thrillers with secrets, lies, and dark surprises, The First Wives is definitely worth your time. It’s the kind of book that will have you double-checking your own friendships and wondering what’s really hidden beneath the surface.

I love everything by this author so I was super stoked to read an adult thriller by them and it was amazing! There were so many twists and turns I couldn’t believe it! And I was immediately drawn into the main character’s voice. I couldn’t put it down! I can’t wait to read the next book.

The First Wives by S.E. Reed
⭐ 4/5

A twisty, addictive domestic thriller that dives into envy, secrets, and betrayal. Reed sets up an irresistible premise: two women in neighboring beachfront mansions — one flaunting her perfect life, the other watching from the shadows.

The tension builds beautifully, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, the rug gets pulled out again. Some parts move quickly, but the suspense never lets up, and the ending lands with a satisfying punch.

Fans of Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose will feel right at home here. 🥰

✨ Thank you NetGalley and Storm publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The First Wives was a very exciting read. I was eager to find out what was going to happen next, as I could tell things were not as they seemed but I was unable to figure out what was going on with Sophia. Hannah meets her neighbor Sophia who seemingly fits effortless into her life, but is not who she says she is. I really enjoyed reading this book. Thank you to S.E. Reed, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book prior to publishing.

Hannah, a super famous trad-wife influencer, meets Sophia, her mysterious new next door neighbor, and they become fast friends. However, Hannah starts to notice oddities about Sophia's personality and comes to learn her life is not what it seems.

This book combined 2 of my favorite things: popcorn books and a book with many twists. This book was exactly what I needed coming out of a reading slump and I finished it in basically 12 hours I loved it so much. It reminds me a lot of A.R. Torre's books, who is one of my favorite authors when I'm in a reading slump. I could kind of see where the plot was going, but it still had plenty of twists to keep me engaged and shocked throughout.

4.5/5

THE FIRST WIVES is a fast paced story that I couldn't put. It's filled with mystery/suspense and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I highly recommend buying this book.

Terrific Story. Loved the trad wife influencer spin and the back and forth between the two women at the center of the story. Reed excels at building tension and planting questions throughout the early parts of the book that makes you want to keep reading and find out what is going to happen next.

2.5⭐️

I’m convinced everyone giving this book more than 3⭐️ is either easily entertained, haven’t read a good or even decent thriller, or doesn’t question if the plot is making logical sense.

It’s not a thriller, it’s family drama, and not the very well executed one.
The buildup was going good but quite long, however after I reached 50% mark, it was a downhill road and a big struggle getting to the finish.
The twists were not good, especially compared to how the buildup was done m. The writing got weird, kind of sloppy in the second half. There were scenes with not much purpose to the overall story, or simply not making much logical sense.
Sophia’s chapters were random. Like, why her POV in the first place, if it’s only 5-maybe 10% of the chapters.

I’m sorry but I don’t think it’s a good thriller, it’s not exactly a thriller in the first place.
Without giving any spoilers, it just felt like the author couldn’t fully decide on some parts of the plot, which resulted in some things just not making sense.

Holy smokes! The First Wives took me for a wild ride! In a life built on hidden truths and effortless deception, secrets twist into lies so seamlessly that trust itself feels like the most dangerous risk of all. Fast paced and full of twists, I COULD NOT put this book down for even a second and read it all in one go! Five stars!

With its misleadingly anodyne title, this book delivered some unexpected story elements.

When trophy wife Hannah, mother of a delightful set of twins, becomes friendly with her new neighbour Sophia - who appears to be trying to exit her toxic marriage (though her husband has not yet joined her in their new home) - she has no idea what a tangled web she has become caught up in.

Because Sophia's real reason for moving in next door is far darker than Hannah could ever haveimagined...

Reed takes a familiar trope and delivers something entirely unexpected. So get strapped in tight, suspend disbelief, and enjoy the ride. This one is great fun and gets 3.5 stars