I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Next Wife
by Kaira Rouda
Published by Thomas & Mercer on May 1, 2021
Genres: Psychological Thrillers
Pages: 306
Format: Kindle
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Book Depository
There is no limit to the lies, suspicion, and secrets that can poison the perfect marriage in this twisting novel of suspense by USA Today bestselling author Kaira Rouda.
Kate Nelson had it all. A flourishing company founded with her husband, John; a happy marriage; and a daughter, Ashlyn. The picture-perfect family. Until John left for another woman. Tish is half his age. Ambitious. She’s cultivated a friendship with Ashlyn. Tish believes she’s won.
She’s wrong.
Tish Nelson has it all. Youth, influence, a life of luxury, and a new husband. But the truth is, there’s a lot of baggage. Namely, his first wife—and suspicions of his infidelity. After all, that’s how she got John. Maybe it’s time for a romantic getaway, far from his vindictive ex. If Kate plans on getting John back, Tish is one step ahead of her.
She thinks.
But what happens next is something neither Kate nor Tish saw coming. As best-laid plans come undone, there’s no telling what a woman will do in the name of love—and revenge.
The Next Wife by Kaira Rouda is a story of manipulation, paybacks, and revenge.
Will Tish continue to ruin Kate’s life? Will Tish get everything that she has ever wanted? Will Ashlyn get over her loss?
Tish
Tish is The Next Wife. She is from a small town in rural Kentucky, and she has a mean steak a mile wide. However, not everything that Tish did was her doing. John was a huge part of what happened, and honestly, he initiated the affair. He also is the one who left Kate.
I personally didn’t feel sorry for Tish. Sure she has a bad upbringing, but she could have shut John down at the beginning. However, he was exactly what she thought she wanted. Sometimes taking the easy way doesn’t work out. There is a good reason why Tish has no friends or family to speak of.
Kate
Kate is the first wife who married her best friend, had a daughter, and started a company with her husband, John. She is also the one that trusted John with everything, even when she knew he was having an affair. Kate and John were the ultimate power couple, but they both failed to continue working on their marriage. Kate is smart and is more cunning than John or Tish gave her credit for.
I liked Kate for the most part. I feel that she went a little extreme, but I understand her rage and need for revenge. She does an outstanding job at putting everything together. However, I hope that she hasn’t set the wrong example for her daughter. I would definitely be her friend.
Ashlyn
Ashlyn is the collateral damage in the war. She had lost her father when he married a woman only four years older than she is. Ashlyn saw what her father did to her mother and how he treated Tish. Yet, she would have loved for her mother and father to get back together. What child of divorced parents doesn’t want the happily ever after ending? Ashlyn is one of the few people who once liked Tish, but now that Tish tries to keep John away from Ashlyn, it’s a different story.
I doubt that Ashlyn and I would be friends. I do, however, feel sorry for her. Her father was extremely selfish and expected her mother to just put up with it. Yet, her mother is by far no angel, and Ashlyn is aware of all of it. I hope that she finds love and remembers to nourish it along with the business that her parents grew and leave to her.
Five Stars
My rating for The Next Wife by Kaira Rouda is five stars. What a ride this book takes. John seriously didn’t know either of the women he claimed to love because he would have stirred clear of them both if he had known them. I adore the ending, and some may call it justice. I think it was perfect. Ms. Rouda is a fantastic author. She kept me guessing through the whole story. I highly recommend this book to all of your psychological thriller readers out there.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Next Wife by Kaira Rouda.
Until the next time,
About Kaira Rouda
Kaira Rouda is an award–winning USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her novels of domestic suspense include The Favorite Daughter, Best Day Ever, and All the Difference. To date, Kaira’s work has been translated into more than ten languages.
A former magazine editor and society columnist, Kaira won the Stevie Award for Women in Business for creating the first female-focused residential real estate brand, Real Living, and growing the brand to more than 22 states before its sale to Berkshire Hathaway. Her first book, Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs, led to a national speaking tour where she inspired thousands.
Active in the areas of homelessness, food security, and empowering women and girls, in her twenties, as a volunteer, she created the first walk-in emergency shelter for homeless families in Central Ohio. Kaira has received numerous awards for her community service, including the national Kiwanis Service to Mankind Award, among many others. Kaira Rouda lives in Southern California with her family.
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