He married me despite my darkest secret. But am I safe now that I know his?

From the outside, my marriage to Zach was perfect: dream home, a perfect baby girl and passionate, all-consuming love. When we met, I confessed my darkest secret to him and he never judged me for it. Instead, he vowed to always protect me whatever the cost.

But as I cradle my gorgeous baby, I have to accept that the husband who used to be my everything, has changed. At first it was little things: expecting me to keep to a strict schedule, picking out my clothes for me. Now, he controls every aspect of my life: from how much money I have, to when I leave the house and who I can see.

One fateful night, a young woman is found murdered and Zach is a potential suspect. Turning towards me, a look of warmth returning to his eyes, he swears he’s innocent, and I realize there is only one solution. If I agree to be his alibi, he will keep my secret and our daughter can grow up in a loving home. In that moment, I do what any faithful wife would do: I stand by him.

But I know deep down, only one of us will make it out of this marriage alive.

WOW!!!! What a read!! But then, I’m not surprised.

I have been a fan of this author since reading Notorious in 2016 and have read every one of her books since.

According to Holly, she and Zach, an OB-GYN, have the perfect marriage, especially after the birth of their beautiful daughter, Jolene. In spite of the secrets that they know about each other and have promised never to tell. Or she thought.

Not long after, things changed. Holly started to have strange incidents and hallucinations. Holly denied it all but Zach saw the changes. And because of that, Zach felt he need to be aware and controlling because he was afraid for their daughter.

Is the obvious always the obvious?

This was a nail-biting read!!! I thoroughly thought so!!!

I pictured every single thing in my mind, so for me, this was like a movie in my head and sitting on the edge of my chair.

The ending! THE ENDING!!!!! Or should I say the endings? It left me breathless!!!!

No pressure Ms. Baldwin…….BUT…….when will the next book be in my hands?

I received a complimentary copy from (Bookouture via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest opinion.

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

From bestselling author Diane Chamberlain comes an irresistible new novel that perfectly interweaves history, mystery, and social justice.

When Kayla Carter’s husband dies in an accident while building their dream house, she knows she has to stay strong for their four-year-old daughter. But the trophy home in Shadow Ridge Estates, a new development in sleepy Round Hill, North Carolina, will always hold tragic memories. But when she is confronted by an odd, older woman telling her not to move in, she almost agrees. It’s clear this woman has some kind of connection to the area…and a connection to Kayla herself. Kayla’s elderly new neighbor, Ellie Hockley, is more welcoming, but it’s clear she, too, has secrets that stretch back almost fifty years. Is Ellie on a quest to right the wrongs of the past? And does the house at the end of the street hold the key? Told in dual time periods, The Last House on the Street is a novel of shocking prejudice and violence, forbidden love, the search for justice, and the tangled vines of two families.

Phenomenal!!!!

Plot/Story Premise

The story alternates between the years of 1965 and 2010.
In 1965 Ellie, is a young woman who decides to help with the cause for allowing African Americans the right to vote. However, the residents of this small town are against her decision and have started harassing her, her family, and the other volunteers.
In 2010, Kayla has moved into the new house that she and her husband designed but while building there was a horrific accident in the house that caused the death of her husband. Has she made a mistake moving in since there seems to be someone or a group of people trying to torment her into moving out? Why? What is it that this house is causing such a disturbance including one night when the Ku Klux Klan decided to show up on her property?
How are these two women connected, besides having only the 2 houses on the street, as construction is moving along for more houses in this development?

Characters

I was so engrossed within the story that I felt that I was there in this little town in North Carolina. I felt the emotions and sensibilities of each and every one of the characters.

Setting

There were different settings in the story but I could picture every one of them, Ellie’s parent’s house, the Church where the volunteers would come together, the families and shanties that the volunteers would stay with for a few days, the houses that the volunteers knocked on doors to explain why it is so important to vote, etc.

Ending/Conclusion

WOW!!!! There were stories within the story and as each page revealed one of those “stories” my jaw dropped. I turned the page and needed to pick up my jaw because it was going to fall again!!!!

Overall opinion

Not only was this an amazing story it was also an eye-opening education for the reader about the history of segregation in the south during the 1960s..
As a long-time reader, as I am sure a lot of you are, if we are honest with ourselves, we have read hundreds+ of books but there are some books read that we probably can’t remember what it is about. But I can promise you, this is a story that will stay with you for years to come.
The narrative is perfection whereas the reader will be kidnapped and become a part of it. A book that you will find any excuse to take you away from adulting and to pick it up and continue reading. A book that is definitely one where you will be telling yourself, just one more chapter and we all know how that goes!!!!
Engaging!! Riveting!! Provocative!! Heart pounding!! Intoxicating!!

I received a complimentary copy from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

A quiet neighborhood. A lovely home. A promising new beginning. In a heartbeat everything can change in this propulsive novel of suspense by USA Today bestselling author Kaira Rouda.

Julie Jones has left her suffocating marriage. With her teenage daughter, Jess, she’s starting over. Their new house in Oceanside is the first step toward a new life. Even if it does come with the unexpected. The previous owners, a pastor and his wife, have left something—or rather someone—behind…

Tom Dean has a bitter hatred for the father who considers him a lost cause, and for the woman who’s moved into their family’s house. The only home he’s ever known. He’s never going to leave. She thinks he’ll be gone in three days, but Tom has the perfect plan.

For a newly single mother and her daughter, a fresh start is the beginning of a nightmare. Before the weekend is over, somebody is going to get exactly what they deserve.

Ms. Rouda is one of my go-to authors.

The time frame of this story is one weekend involving 2 families and each chapter is the POV of one of the characters. The characters were 3 dimensional whereas I could vividly picture them in my mind.

I found that the story was intriguing as it, in my opinion, touched upon issues in today’s climate. The suspense relating to those issues had me turning the pages.

I did find the book to be an entertaining read.

I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Mercer via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Bestselling author of DEAR WIFE and THE MARRIAGE LIE, Kimberly Belle returns with her most heart-pounding thriller to date, as a masked home invader reveals the cracks in a marriage.

Everyone is about to know what her husband isn’t telling her…

Jade and Cam Lasky are by all accounts a happily married couple with two adorable kids, a spacious home and a rapidly growing restaurant business. But their world is tipped upside down when Jade is confronted by a masked home invader. As Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade starts to wonder if they’re as financially secure as their lifestyle suggests, and what other secrets her husband is keeping from her.

Cam may be a good father, a celebrity chef and a darling husband, but there’s another side he’s kept hidden from Jade that has put their family in danger. Unbeknownst to Cam and Jade, the home invader has been watching them and is about to turn their family secrets into a public scandal.

With riveting twists and a breakneck pace, My Darling Husband is an utterly compelling thriller that once again showcases Kimberly Belle’s exceptional talent for domestic suspense.

I’m sure we all have that list of authors that we just have to get our hands on their newest book as soon as we can. And in the meantime, we wait patiently, well, at least try to. But when I see that the author is in the edits phase, the excitement just builds, and waiting patiently doesn’t exist anymore. Kimberly Belle is one of the authors on that list.

Plot/Story Premise

I know some people don’t read the Acknowledgments but I tend to and this time I was glad I did. Ms. Belle states that the premise of this story happened to someone that she knows so it made it feel even more real for me.

Characters

The characters were so life-like. I could feel my heart pounding as the time was slipping away until the ransom money was delivered. The narrative of each chapter was by different characters’ POVs. The time was also noted as the time clicked down. I was so engrossed that I found that I was clenching my fists due to Jade’s anxiety and fear. I even found myself checking my watch in the middle of a chapter.

Setting

I was able to visualize the house, Cam in his truck riding around trying to find someone who could loan him the ransom amount, which was an odd amount in itself, $734,296.00, and neither Jade nor Cam could figure out why.

Ending/Conclusion

Whiplash!!! And now I could finally breathe and have my pulse return to normal!!!

Overall opinion

Another page-turning thriller by an extraordinary author!!! A bone-chilling read!!

Negatives

Just one! Trying to be patient while waiting for her next book. Oh, did I happen to mention, patience is not one of my virtues?

I received a complimentary copy from Park Row Books (TPB and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Nancy Lavelle lies still on the floor. With her eyes looking towards her children’s rooms, her hands are clasped in prayer, as if the last thing she wished for was her children to be saved…

When Detective Abby Pearce is called to the Beach House, a holiday home in the most affluent part of Martha’s Vineyard, she finds five bodies. An entire family has been killed in a frenzied attack… all except one. Fifteen-year-old Karin is the only survivor. Sitting in the house, surrounded by her family, she stares into the distance and doesn’t say a word.

When Karin’s grandparents fly in to take her home, Abby’s investigation takes a shocking turn. Taking one look at the traumatised girl, they recoil—the girl curled up in a hospital bed isn’t their granddaughter. So who is she? And where is the real Karin Lavelle?

Abby fears the missing girl is in serious danger, and with local residents worried that the killer is still on the island and the press questioning her every move, she’s under pressure to solve both crimes fast. But when she uncovers a link between Thomas Lavelle’s New York office and her previous job at the NYPD, she begins to fear that these brutal murders are a sign… and that she’s next. Can she find the killer before another life is taken, or is she walking into a trap?

This fast-paced thriller is perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Mary Burton, but be warned—you won’t want to put it down!

Caveat: Dana Perry is on my “authors to read” list so I know when I peel back that cover, I’m going to be experiencing an exceptional read…….

With that being said, let me catch my breath. I feel like I just ran a marathon reading this story.

This is the 2nd book in the Detective Abby Pearce series but can easily read as a stand alone. You can see my review for the 1st book Her Ocean Grave

A dream vacation on the iconic island of Martha’s Vineyard. But the entire Lavelle family has been murdered in their hotel room not long after arriving. From there, the action doesn’t diminish with each page that is turned.

Mr. Perry has a gift of writing stories within stories, mysteries within mysteries, which this book had, which was gripping and tense. I was so engrossed that I felt that I was also on the island and trailing Det. Abby Pearce on her hunt for the killer or killers.

A nail biter of a read!!! Chilling and riveting!!!!

A totally entertaining read from start to finish!!! Now I’m ready for the sequel!!!!

I received a complimentary copy from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

Palmer Lewis married a liar.
But just how deadly are his lies?

Shortly after marrying her soulmate and the birth of their son, the lies begin.

First, it’s the phone calls, always held in secret, always deleted from his phone.
Then it’s his odd disappearances and the little nagging voice in her head screaming: something is not right.

When Palmer follows her gut — and her husband — she catches him with an unfamiliar woman in the park and in his biggest lie thus far. Learning from her past, she hatches a plan to protect herself and their child.

But when her husband and son disappear one afternoon and don’t return, Palmer must retrace her steps and dig deep to discover the truth before it’s too late.

Who is the mysterious woman her husband lied about meeting? Who knows what happened to her family? Who’s lying? In this twisted psychological thriller, the better question is, who isn’t?

How does she do it????

Another superior read penned by Ms. Modglin!!!!

In one of my earlier reviews, see below, I encouraged you to pick up a book by her, and like me, I promise you, you will become a fan.

I don’t want to reiterate what is written in the synopsis only because I am afraid that I would slip and maybe mention a possibility of a spoiler.

So with that said, let me tell you what will happen if you take my recommendation to pick up one of her books. I started with The Mother-In-Law and I was hooked!!

Let me tell you a little bit about her books and her writing style. She pulls you in within the first few pages and there is no turning back. It’s like you are on a rollercoaster, so enjoy the ride. Her books have short chapters, which means you will be saying just one more and you then realize you have read 10. And her books are less than 300 pages and within those pages is an intense story filled with suspense and a profound ending.

Also in an earlier review, I mentioned that I want to read all of her books. Now all I need is a month of no adulting and sitting on a beach in Aruba with all of her books under the palapa and a frozen mudslide or two. I’m sure that if you pick up one of her books, you will want to join me on that beach!!!!!

Previous books read and reviewed:

I Said Yes
Just Married
The Mother-In-Law

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

My family gathers around the large oak table in our beautifully renovated home. I’ve put on a dress and lit candles, and there’s a wonderful aroma coming from the dinner you’ve so lovingly prepared. I feel your hand squeeze mine as you top up my glass and ask about my day as a doctor in our small town. It’s the perfect domestic scene, except for one tiny fact: I think my husband is dead, and you are just another patient of mine…

I had no choice but to let you in. If I laugh at your jokes and run my fingers through your hair, maybe I can delete the photos on your phone and find the truth about the night I can’t remember, just before my husband left on the trip he never returned from. Perhaps my son and I will have a chance at a normal life again.

But as I carefully piece together the shards of what really happened that fateful night, only one thing can possibly be true: everyone is lying, even me…

After reading The Liar’s Wife I was excited to see that Ms. Hayes had a new book out and that I had to get my hands on a copy.

I found the first third of the book to be very slow. And I have to be honest that a couple of times, I was thinking of putting this one aside. But my gut told me to keep going, especially after checking out some reviews that had been posted.

Then the second third of the book I felt that I had figured the plot out, but I had to keep reading to see if I was right. Was I?

Then BAM!!! The last third of the book was so suspenseful that I couldn’t read, nor turn the pages fast enough!!! The story continued at breakneck speed that I found myself holding my breath

The conclusion was hair raising that I finished reading it with my mouth wide open because it was so unexpected.

Ms. Hayes has written another great read!!! Now I wait for her next novel!!

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely!!!

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

I received a complimentary copy from XXX via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.