Far fetched? Possibly. But sadly, as they say, the truth is stranger than fiction. This truth, however, happens more often than we would like to think: men who appear loving and ‘perfect’ on the surface but who hide something much darker behind that charming facade.

That’s the case with David who manages to con Annie into a life that to others appears to be ‘the dream’ – all seems wonderful: beautiful home (because if something is not to his liking, he’ll make her pay for it) and everything she could possibly need (but she’s not the one who gets to decide what that is). Sadly, because of her precious child, she’d stuck in a deadly situation with her evil husband and his harridan of a mother who’s created her monster of a son.

So Annie creates a way to escape – in her dreams. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether the title of the book refers to who Annie is in her fantasy life or the role she’s forced to portray in her everyday life. This book doesn’t follow any of the expected formulae that one is used to. It defies all the rules, and it’s wonderfully refreshing – not to mention incredibly disturbing – in its approach to the thriller genre. It’s this very thing that makes it thoroughly readable and utterly unputdownable! And it’s also the reason that one can’t give much away in a review and you just have to read it for yourself!

Dream sequences share space with stark reality here, and there are brutal descriptions of abuse – both physical and emotional – that left me literally gasping for air and feeling quite desperately sad for Annie. As much as I was inwardly screaming for her to get out, I recognised the sheer difficulty of her situation, and that of all women in situations similar to this. When people ask why they don’t ‘just leave’ they need to have a deeper grasp of the relationship that a person has not only with her partner but also with herself. It is never, ever that simple! But I drifted with Annie, into her alternate world. It’s an enthralling place that Louisa de Lange has expertly created here.

This is a must read! I give it 5 shimmery stars, and I thank Tracy Fenton and Orion Books for inviting me along for this very different, disturbing journey.

Wow, how do I even start to review a book like this? ‘The Dream Wife’ is clever, compelling and addictive. It captured my imagination from the start and the more strange it got, the more compelled I was to read it. There are twists and turns throughout and it keeps you guessing right up until the final shocking denouement, which will take your breath away and leave you in awe of this talented new author.

Annie is the dream wife who, from the outside, looks like she has everything. The perfect life, husband and a little boy whom she adores. But not everything is as it seems and her husband, David, is not the perfect husband everyone believes him to be. Annie’s love for her child, Johnny, is the driving force behind everything that happens in this book, and the story goes in a direction I would never have expected when I started it.

A well written debut novel, it is in turns shocking, moving and thrilling. A brilliant but strange story that you will be thinking about long after the final page has been turned. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was definitely mine. A book that can take you by surprise is a rare thing these days, but this one did just that!

A fascinating and shocking read that I highly recommend to anyone who likes something a little bit different in their psychological thrillers. Louisa de Lang is an author to look out for and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

This review will also be posted as part of the blog tour for this book.

The Dream Wife is a psychological thriller with a difference. In some ways, it can be compared to Sarah Pinborough’s Behind Her Eyes, certainly in as far as both books are extremely well written, compelling and with an unusual premise.

The Dream Wife is about Annie, a woman in the grip of a relationship that is all about coercive control. A stay at home mother of 2 year old son, Johnny, she is sandwiched between an offensive, vicious husband and his even more controlling mother. The poor woman hardly has any life of her own, but she lives for her son, Johnny and she dreams of a different life.

All Annie’s hopes and dreams are vested in Johnny. Her life growing up was no barrel of laughs and she wants more for her son than she ever had, which is mainly what stops running off with him to a woman’s shelter her but at the same time she knows that she won’t be able to protect him if she stays in her controlling and violent relationship.

Caught in a noose that she can’t escape from, Annie finds a way to relieve her nerves and tension, and in doing so, begins to think that there may, after all, be a way to resolve her situation. What happens thereafter is of nightmare proportions and will certainly cause the reader to question everything they have known to date.

Unpredictable, certainly different and yet quite logical, this is an unusual high concept psychological thriller from a debut writer of promise.

The Dream Wife certainly kept me on the hook and once I had started, I didn’t stop reading until I was finished.

Verdict: Well written, surprising and really very gripping.

It’s rare that I’m speechless at the end of a book but this one just completely amazed me. What an ending! Wow I did not see that coming! It’s going to be hard to review this book without giving too much away but I really enjoyed this dark, tension filled and unsettling book.

From the start the reader is aware that something isn’t quite right in Annie’s life as they are introduced to her mad cleaning routines where everything has to be just right. The things her husband expects her to do and how he expects her to behave is shocking to read about. I soon felt very sorry for Annie and the situation she finds herself in. The only bright light in Annie’s world is her son, Johnny and I loved reading about her interaction with him. The little games that she plays with him were so sweet and it was great to read about the close relationship she has with him. This part of the book reminded me a bit of ‘Room’ as the style and intense mother-son relationship were both similar.

Annie husband is possible the most loathesome character I’ve ever come across in a book. His attitude and the way he treats Annie just made my blood boil especially what he says after she’s given birth! Even though I hated him I always think that characters that provoke such a strong reaction are great as they mean that they have been very well written. I found myself hoping that Annie would get her revenge on him and that he would get what he deserved.

The book is very fast paced and gripped me from the start with the unusual situation that Annie finds herself in. I was immediately on Annie’s side and wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen. As an unexpected twist is promised in the blurb I had lots of ideas about what it might be, but was wrong (very wrong) as the ending completely surprised me.

This, unbelievably, is the author’s debut novel and I’m so so excited to read more from her. This would make a fantastic book club book as I’m desperate to discuss it with someone else, so I’m sure it will create lots of lively discussions.

Huge thanks to Orion publishers for my copy of this book via Netgalley and to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour. If you like dark, addictive thrillers that surprise you then you’ll love this book!

When I read the blurb of this book, I knew I had to read it but then I read it and I was left so disappointed. The blurb made me want to grab the book and not want to let it go until the final word.
I was so gripped from the start until the wife started to have her dreams (now I know the reasoning behind the title), then I just found myself skipping the dreaming parts wishing they would end.
I feel this book had so much potential and really am disappointed with the whole concept. Remove the dreams and add more reality and the book could be great.

If you read thrillers a lot you now know that most of them whether they are good or bad will have something like this written in the description or on the cover - "The gripping new psychological thriller with a twist you won't see coming in 2018". It's a bit like when British Gas put their prices up - you can bet your bottom dollar that the rest are going to follow suit shortly after. So, these statements alongside crime fiction cannot usually be trusted, unfortunately. However, debut author Louisa de Lange has already proved her worth with this, her first book, and it really is one that deserves a phrase like that attached to it!

I agree with others, this is a strange and bizarre novel, but that's the beauty of it! Deliciously disturbing, devious and dark, I thoroughly enjoyed this! The title is most apt, not because Annie is a dream to have but due to the use of dream sequences throughout the narrative. it is quite an unsettling and heartbreaking tale about how been controlled by someone can drive you to distraction. All the assumptions you have when you begin reading are one by one whipped away and the rug pulled out from under you - the author has written a fast-paced, consumingly clever read with a stunning conclusion that is impossible to foresee, even for a seasoned crime reader like myself. de Lange turns the screw on the reader and ratchets up the tension until it's palpable. Wow! It literally took my breath away! I'd like to see someone try to put this down whilst reading it! If you're a fan of Sarah Pinborough's 'Behind Her Eyes', you'll appreciate this story too. My overwhelming thought after catching my breath once finished is that this is an author with so much promise. I look forward to her future books.

Many thanks to Orion for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Wow...I'm still trying to process what I've read! I'm going to try and review this without giving too much away as I really do feel this is a book best enjoyed with no spoilers.

We meet Annie - from the outside in she has the dream life. Married to a wealth man (David) and a gorgeous baby (Johnny), she has the life that most can only dream of. No need for her to work as everything is provided for, she managed to keep her home pristine and maintains the standard of life that David has come to expect.

We then come to realise what Annie's life is actually like. In what initially seemed like a generic (and slightly formulaic) turn of events - Annie is in a toxic relationship where her husband is only too happy to show her who is really in control. David effectively treats Annie like a possession; his to control by any means possible. The domestic violence that is described is not only authentic but incredibly disturbing to read.

Initially Annie's relationship was not like this. She fell for a caring, kind and considerate man. The monster who she is married to today seems to have gradually snuck up on her. If she leaves a fragment of dust she is berated, if her 2 year old son behaves like a 2 year old she's berated, if David perceives anything resembling defiance he will beat it out of her...in front of their boy.

De Lange has real skill in writing utterly abhorrent characters. Both David and his mother are perfectly and disgustingly deplorable. I have not hated characters this much for some time! David's actions are validated by his mother who not only adores him but encourages his violence towards his wife.

It's at this point that you feel you will predict the 'twist' in the story. Readers have been flooded with books such as this lately and I found myself falling into the same trap - mainly because the premise of this book keeps it's secret completely guarded. At no point did I see this plot twist happen!

When Annie dreams, she escapes her isolated world. There are several dream sequences which are told as a third person (unlike the main part of the story which is told from Annie's point of view). This initially threw me a little as I felt it interrupted the flow of the main story. In this way I think it will divide readers. I think I may be quoting several others by saying that this will be a Marmite book - you will love it or hate it.

Personally I loved it! De Lange has brought out a book that breaks all the moulds. It's bold, brilliant and deliciously dark. Just how I like 'em.

A fantastic 5 star read for me.

I would like to thank Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

OMG! Annie is married to David and they have a 2 year old son Johnny. Anna fell for Daved as to her he personified being safe and looked after. Little did she know how much she would regret that. Trigger warning****Domestic abuse***. David is a control freak. If Annie so much as leaves a cobweb he will accuse her of “sitting on her arse all day” and worse. When she gives birth, she has a cut on her head, we don’t know why. . When Johnny has an anaphylactic reaction, David is at work , doesn’t respond to her messages and leaves her to it. He treats her worse than a slave and holds her prisoner to his whims in every way imaginable and more besides.. The book begins by someone being shot- we don’t know who either the perpetrator or the victim are. We learn of Annie’s dream world where she can take her self away and is learning via Jack to be a different person. This book shook me rather. I think we have all come across people who are controlling in one way or another but this takes it to another level which we know goes on behind closed doors. I felt for Annie and for Johnny who saw little interaction with his father but occasionally saw the rough side of him- how he would “bring up” a child- yea gods. David’s mother idolises him and also believes that he is the head of the household and that everything should be done with him, and only him, in mind. I believe that this is Louisa’s first novel- wow, wow and wow again. Stunningly written with descriptions that put you in the heart of the story. A book to mess with your head a little, a book to make you think. A book very much to enjoy. Louisa you have a talent. I very much look forward to your next novel.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1
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Gosh, where to start? This is an extraordinary book, and I found myself lost as to what was real and what wasn't in the story. And it went in a totally unexpected direction.

From the outside, Annie seems to be the dream wife living a dream life. But actually nothing could be further from the truth. Apart from her beautiful little boy, there is no joy in her life. So she dreams, and dreams, and then dreams of what life might be like without her husband David.

David is an utterly vile man, and I absolutely detested him. With a passion. He's my second most hated book character ever. And when a character arouses this amount of emotion in me, good or bad, I know he or she has been very well written.

David controls every single aspect of Annie's life, except the time she has alone with her son, assuming all the chores are done. David has certain 'expectations' for how a wife should behave, and what she should do for her husband, and there is trouble if Annie doesn't meet those 'expectations.' That on its own constitutes domestic violence, but there is so much more than that, and this forms an important part of the story.

Complicit in this abuse of Annie is David's mother Maggie, as it is her who has instilled these skewed values in her son. She belittles Annie, and fully endorses her son's behaviour.

There is so much else I want to say, but don't want to give anything away about the story. My heart broke for Annie, and wee Johnny, who is largely ignored by his father. I am still thinking about the book, and to be honest still trying to work it out. As I mentioned in my opening, this book plays with reality. I read it initially thinking, 'Right, I've got this', then something would happen, and it was 'Oh wait, hang on...' I questioned (still am) so many things!

The fact that I'm confused doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it - far from it! It's a real page turned - I read it in a day because I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I thought it was brilliantly written, there are several OMG moments, and so much to think about and mull over. It would be perfect for a book group, as there are so many questions and discussion points.

This is the author's first novel, and it's a strong and confident debut. I'm excited to see what she comes up with next!

Wow, did this book take an unexpected turn. I've read a few books recently where characters are quite similar to Annie and David, so I was intrigued to see how Louise De Lange would put a new twist on this idea in her debut The Dream Wife. I don’t think this will quite appeal to everyone, but if you enjoyed The Memory Chamber by Holly Cave and Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough, I think you will enjoy this book. What The Dream Wife really succeeds at, is that it takes an idea that is well known in psychological thrillers, but it gives it its own unique spin and it got me really excited as I was reading.

David was a really dislikeable character, in fact, I don’t think I have hated a character so much, and this includes his mother as well. I definitely sided with Annie on some of the decisions she made, and I was rooting for her. For the first half of the book, I spent most of my time shaking my head and willing her to do something about the situation she and her two-year-old son were in. It was definitely surprising the way how Louise took the story from here, and I couldn’t wait to see how Annie would take advantage of this new idea. And this is where the novel gets really interesting. These were the parts in the book that had me really sitting on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how everything was going to unfold. But I’m not going to say anything more about the plot here as I don’t want to spoil it.

The writing was so tense, particularly in some parts of the book when Annie and David were at home together, and some scenes made me so angry on Annie’s behalf. I couldn’t believe how she was being treated and I kept thinking that she deserved so much better. I could feel her despair as it began to grow, as the novel progressed. I could really feel that she was a prisoner within her own home and that it was going to be very difficult for her to get out. I did, however, find some of the flashback scenes that Annie experiences, confusing at times as I did have to read back over the last few lines to see where I was, but for the majority of the book the writing was excellent, and it pulled me into the story from the first page.

The unexpected direction that this novel takes really got me thinking as I began to wonder how the rest of the book was going to play out. There is so much about this book that I want to talk about but I can’t without giving any of the plot away. The Dream Wife is an unusual thriller, which explores a very interesting idea. If you enjoy thrillers that blend genres and if you're looking for a book which is a little different, I would definitely recommend this book.

OK, so I am struggling here to write a review which doesn't give anything away but does let you know how much I enjoyed this rather odd book.  Reading through other people's reviews the word "strange" has appeared several times and I do have to agree with the other readers because The Dream Wife is certainly different to the usual psychological thrillers.

Let's start with the basics: Annie is married to an utter b*stard - David is a controlling, violent, pig.  He sees women as objects and has absolutely no redeeming qualities in my opinion.  He also has the MOTHER from hell - an utter nightmare who dotes on her son, treating him like a king and dismisses Annie like she is something found on the bottom of her shoe.  Two utterly revolting and dis likeable characters in one book - WOW - my kinda book!

Annie has a 2 year old son - Johnny (David Johnny Jr), who she ADORES and will do anything to protect.  Her relationship and absolute unconditional love for her boy is a joy to read and when the book starts veering off course from the normal psych thriller you understand that her decisions and behaviour is to protect herself and her son.

To say much more will give away the storyline and I think there will be comparisons to another cross-genre best seller, but personally I thought The Dream Wife was addictive, fast paced and several WTF moments.  The ending left me slightly confused - but that's not unusual for me.  If you are looking for something different, something to keep you guessing and glued to the pages - then you should definitely read The Dream Wife.

What a strange book. I was really enjoying this one, until the dreams started. Then it all got a bit weird and out of control. I raced through the first part of the book but in the end I was struggling to finish it.

It was a good story to begin with.... David, the angry and very controlling husband. Annie, the good wife and mother who did everything she was told. Then she started to escape in her dreams ... it lost me.

Thanks to Orion Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

The basic premise is of the perfect wife Angie, her husband David and their son Johnny. Annie is the dream wife but she got there by every decision she makes being controlled by David. Annie begins to realise she needs to get out of the marriage but knows David will take Johnny. Annie is lost with no family or friends to turn to. You think you know where this book is going and then it changes again and again. The book definately kept my interest although I’m not sure I like the ending and would of preferred a different one.
This is still a very good debut and, although at times confusing, well worth a read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion publishing for an ARC.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a debut book by the author Louisa de Lange and it was very well written. I could follow that the husband had control issues and how he behaved at home and also how he behaved in his high powered job. The dreams I could also follow up to a point and then it just got too bizarre. The ending just seem to get a little lost along the way. It was a bit muddled really and needed editing to clarify what was really happening and what were dreams.

I loved this book. I devoured it in one sitting as I was desperate to know how it ended.
I absolutely detested David and was desperate for Annie to get away from him but with him controlling everything in her life, it was impossible.
He literally made my skin crawl and when he starts to lose his temper with their baby, I felt really uncomfortable.
Annie finds a way to get away from him - in her dreams - and learns that she can interact with some people whilst in this dream state.
I can’t say too much about the last part of the book as it would be a massive spoiler, but I can say, once you start this book you won’t want to put it down.
Thanks to Orion Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

A lovely read!

The book starts a bit slow but then quickly builds up speed. The story itself is gripping and full of twists and turns!

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Normally I’m not a dream sequence kinda lady, and if I had known that was a big theme of the book, I would not have picked it up, but this book made it work. And I was right there with the narrator the whole time- the author is good at creating a realistic portrait of domestic abuse without making the wife a doormat or TSTL. Enjoyable.

Really enjoyed this book. Wasn’t sure about the dream sequences for a start. My favourite type of book but this one was heart breaking. Look forward to reading more from this author in the future

What an incredible book! Don't start on it in the evening because you will miss a night's sleep. Not only because it is a very surprising story, or because Louisa de Lange writes so well, but also because of the many emotions that you go through when reading this book.
Warning: not suitable, I think, for women who ever were in an abusive relationship. I am not a violent person but I wanted to rage out to David because he is treating Annie and his young son Johnny so bad. And then his mother! The mother in law from hell!
Annie, poor Annie, stuck in the relationship because it all went so gradually, she didn't notice what happened until it was too late. Now she has Johnny, and she cannot leave David because he will never ever let her have Johnny.
There is friendship and love too, in this book. It shows that no matter what happens you can always try to escape, even it is just in your dreams.
And of course, I was very surprised at the end too, because there is no way you can see it coming.

I hope to read more of Louisa de Lange soon. Thank you Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley.

4-5 stars. Riveting and tense. Sometimes I had to reread because of the way the book was written or I would have given it a complete 5
Stars; but I did get emerged and found myself having a very hard time setting it down. I wanted to know exactly where Annie would take me! Highly recommend and will do so in Chapter Chatter Pub and also use in my daily challenges!