Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Book Review: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Pages: 346
Genre: Adult Fiction
Pub. Date: January 9, 2018
Publisher: St. Martin's
Source: Won from The Reader Bee
Other Books by Pekkanen: The Best of Us 
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars



Goodreads says, "When you read this book, you will make many assumptions You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.   You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle Assume nothing.  Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage - and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love. Read between the lies."







Nellie is a preschool teacher by day, waitress by night, and engaged to Richard, a successful hedge fund manager in New York City.  Nellie left Florida behind and all the upsetting events that occurred to and when she restarted her life in New York City, she didn't expect it would be this amazing.  Richard has bought them a gorgeous house in the suburbs and her life looks like it is just starting to take off.  Then there's Vanessa.  Vanessa is Richard's ex-wife who also lives in New York City.  After her divorce, she moved in with her bohemian aunt.  Her life isn't so great as she is still reeling from her divorce from Richard.  She now has to work at the same store she used to shop in for designer clothes.  She drinks too much to forget and she can't seem to get her act together. To top it off, she is hyper focusing on the divorce and Richard's future wife. Vanessa wants to stop this marriage at all costs. Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendrick's The Wife Between Us is a fun twisty ride that kept me more than entertained.

Nellie is the sweet type of charater that you want to shake in order to wake her up in The Wife Between Us.  Sure, she is pretty aware of her surroundings since something traumatic happened to her back in Florida, but she doesn't notice the type of control freak that her future husband is. I mean he hasn't even disclosed information about the wedding so he can make it a "surprise," he wants her to quit her job, he shows up at various spots she is at, and seems to know where she is at all times.  At first it seems really protective in a nice way and then it seems a little suspicious.

Vanessa is a hot mess of a character in The Wife Between Us. She reminded me a bit of the main character from The Girl on the Train. I couldn't decide whether she was telling us the truth or not.  Perhaps her version of reality was skewed due to alcohol or possible mental health issues.  Regardless, I did feel for her in that she was left with next to nothing after the divorce and is having problems starting over....mostly because she is putting all her effort into stopping Richard's next marriage. But why? Does she still love him or is there more to the picture here?

Pekkanen and Hendricks make a good writing team in The Wife Between Us. I found it very entertaining, suspenseful, and twisty, but not overly dark like The Girl on the Train or Gone Girl. It was the right amount of seriousness mixed with a compelling mystery. I found it very readable and exactly what I needed at the time.   I definitely plan on checking out their next book, An Anonymous Girl, which is due out this Janauary. Have you read this book? Be sure to share your thoughts with me in the comments below.


2 comments:

  1. I was going back and forth on this one, but now I want to read it! I want to know what's going on with these two women.

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  2. The unreliable narrator who drinks way too much has popped up in a few too many books lately, but overall, this book was very good and has a great twist!

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