Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have been writing domestic thrillers for the last few years and I love this writing team! I especially loved their first novel together, The Wife Between Us. After reading that one I was super excited to check out the next book which was just ok for me but that said, I enjoyed their writing style and was eager to read other collaborations.
When this book came up for review I was familiar enough with the authors names and the quality of novels they put out so I was obviously on board with a review. While the second book I read wasn’t my fav, it was still enjoyable and sometimes you have a a book that just doesn’t live up to the first and that’s ok, it isn’t a deal breaker for me so I looked forward to this one being like a redemption book for me.
Collaborative works can sometimes be tricky. Each author has their own unique voice and style so trying to mesh those two together can sometimes be a challenge. I have been fairly lucky in my reading of collaborative novels as most have been well written and interesting but sometimes the different styles can be obvious, however with these two authors their different styles have really worked well together.
Summary
The next electrifying novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo behind The Wife Between Us.
Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.
Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.
When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
This book was absolutely redemption worthy for me! While maybe not a 5 star review, it was still a very entertaining novel and absolutely kept me interested and guessing! Marissa and Matthew are the typical upper middle class suburban couple with what appears to be everything going for them—-until it’s not. They enter into counseling where they meet Avery. First of all I would not be going to a non licensed and controversial therapist if I needed couples counseling however I thought the authors did a great job setting readers up for buying into Avery’s program. I think most readers would be like wait there are some red flags here but in this book you can sort of be like ‘ok ya makes sense’ so kudos to the authors for getting me to buy into this part of the story.
After that everything really fell into place for me until the last little bit go the book which is why it ended up being a 4 star review for me rather than a 5 star review. I don’t want to give away any details but the ending felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly for me. It could have been a little more refined and polished in my opinion but overall it was a fitting ending. If you enjoy domestic thrillers this book very much needs to be on your list for spring/summer reading! I really enjoyed it even if the ending wasn’t as impactful as I was hoping.
The one thing that both of these authors really do well is writing well drawn characters. In this book I felt like Marissa and Matthew could be any couple that I know personally or even my own spouse. I mean clearly there are issues in their marriage but as characters and people, I think readers will find things to relate to in each of the characters. They are multidimensional with lots to make readers think about. I also appreciated some of the topics they covered as well as some of the musings for me to consider. It was a great read and I definitely recommend for thriller fans!
Book Info and Rating
Format: 336 hardcover
Published: March 8th 2022 by St Martins Press
ISBN: 9781250273208
Free review copy provided by publisher, St Martins Press, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: domestic thriller
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