Thank you to @thrillerbookloverspromotions and @bookouture for the #gifted copy of the book.

Jessica Payne has easily become a favorite author with this book! This is my second book of hers and I could not put it down! Imagine swearing off marriage and deciding you will just date for the hell of it. Well, that was Maddy until she fell head over heels for Benji. She has it made. Money. Looks. Friends, but one of them wanted her dead. One of them pushed her right off the cliff on her honeymoon, but she didn’t die. 4 years later she is back in her hometown and out to find out who killed her and get revenge.

Was it her best friend Gwyn who is conveniently shacking up with her husband? Was it her husband? Is it her jealous half-sister or is it one of her other friends?

There were so many twists, so many secrets, and so many lies. I really didn’t see it coming! Don’t miss this one!!

The prologue for this book starts things off with a bang! We meet a woman named Madeline, out stargazing and taking pictures right before she is pushed off a cliff, three years prior. Half of this book is about her during that time in her life, when she met Benjamin North and became a wife, then died on their honeymoon.

Rebecca is the other half of the book, as she tells us things from the present. She has come from Kansas City to Seattle to find out who killed Maddy, and avenge her death. She soon realizes that Benjamin has gotten engaged to Madeline’s best friend, Gwen. They are living in the house that Benji and Maddy shared, and Gwen seems quite happy to have gotten the position she always wanted: the wife of a wealthy man.

As the book bounces back and forth, red flags and red herrings start to come out everywhere. The reader is given so many questions, and so many options as to what is really going on. I did guess part of the ending, which is always a bit annoying, but there were still plenty of surprises in store! The writing was also very cohesive, despite going through the past and present.

I requested this because I am a fan of the author, and because I someone say it was the perfect popcorn thriller. I was in the mood for that, so read it I did. This didn’t disappoint - four stars!

(Thank you to Bookouture, Jessica Payne and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on March 5, 2024.)

Wow, what a great read. Twists and turns at every stage. Thought I’d worked it all out and then I’d read more and I’d review my thoughts, this happened a few times. Definitely recommend

I appreciate Jessica Payne, Bookouture, and Thriller Book Lover Promotions for the ARC.

Rebecca conceals her true identity while grieving her friend Madeline's death and investigating the circumstances surrounding it. As she delves deeper, she uncovers shocking truths, leading to a compelling, dual-timeline narrative that keeps readers engaged until the very end.

Jessica Payne's latest work showcases a gripping psychological thriller that builds tension and delivers unexpected twists. "Never Trust the Husband" receives top marks from me, and I eagerly anticipate Payne's future projects.

I absolutely love this one. It kept me guessing until the very end. I would definitely recommend this one to wants to read thriller with lots of guessing

When I first started reading Never Trust the Husband... the story felt familiar. An old time tale.. always look at the spouse when the other spouse dies, right? Who has the most to gain, who has the most to lose, and who was secretly messing around with someone else behind someone's back, etc.

'Never Trust the Husband' is none of those things. Nothing is what it seems!

That's what makes this great because I absolutely had not read this ending before!! I think parts of it felt anticlimactic as to the reasoning behind the villainous actions - but as a whole, I really needed every page to put the puzzle together! (If you're a thriller reader - you know that's half the fun!!)

**I read this is in a day so if you're looking for a quick thriller - this could be your next pick!

**Thank you to Bookouture & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

Very good! I could not put this one down. I felt like I was the victim in the story. So many twists but ended how I thought it would. Would highly encourage people to read this thriller!

A captivating and unhinged thriller. Fast-paced and full of unexpected and shocking twists. One of Wayne's finest.

This is the first book I’ve read by Jessica Payne and it definitely won’t be the last. I was gripped from the start. I loved the dual POV between Maddy leading up to the death and Rebecca who is trying to avenge Maddys death. I was on the edge of my seat with every chapter and could not put it down, the twist and turns were amazing. All I can say is expect the unexpected with this book. Absolutely amazing.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for this ARC!

This is the fastest I’ve read a book with just my eyeballs in a long time! Audio has been my life force for a while now but this sudden snowfall and impromptu long weekend gave me the perfect opportunity to binge this twisty thriller! Jessica Payne can do no wrong and proves yet again she is a master of twisty plot lines!

WHAT I LOVED:

🖤 The main POV is a mystery narrator. You know she is a woman named Rebecca but she has changed her identity with the sole purpose of avenging Madison’s death.

🖤 Every character is sus. I love this because it makes it more difficult to figure out the twists.

🖤 There are multiple twists and all of them are shocking.

🖤 I love a PNW setting and this one is set in Seattle with a lot of emphasis on the Puget Sound.

🖤 The ending was action packed and full of jaw-dropping revelations!

This one will be available on KU on March 5! Mark your calendars and add this one to your lists!

I quite enjoyed this book , really loved the characters and the storyline . I thought I’d guessed the ending but there was an extra twist to the end . It lost a star for me as the tension wasn’t as good as I’d have liked. All in all a good book though that I would recommend.

Holy cannoli! When I say that Never Trust the Husband started with a bang and never let up, I wholeheartedly mean every word. Between the boatload of secrets, underhanded motivations, and unthinkable betrayals, I couldn’t, for the life of me, put the deftly obscured clues together in time. Add in the heaping dose of red herrings, and there wasn’t a chance that my sleuthing would land on the truth before the final reveal.

The plot was pure dynamite as well. Told via the dual POVs of Rebecca in the present and Madeline in the past, the intricate storyline had delicious ever ratcheting suspense. Even the explosive climax was utterly spellbinding, albeit perhaps just a tad over-the-top. Nonetheless, the rest of the novel was genuine and true as I was pulled into the immersive storytelling from the very first page. I just wish we’d had a bit more to the conclusion, as I would’ve LOVED to find out what happened next.

The characters were finely layered with very real flaws that hinted at plenty of suspicious behavior, all of which brought my doubts out to play. With a relatively small cast and two vividly distinct identities in Madeline and Rebecca, I found myself wrapped up by the events right from the start. Each individual felt so real, in fact, that they almost could have walked right off of the page. Still, I would’ve liked maybe one more POV. Possibly Benjamin or Gwyn? Even if only a few chapters from their viewpoint, it would’ve given quite the perspective. But then, perhaps that’s me just being greedy.

Filled with jealousy, revenge, friendships, and love, there were plenty of emotions that ran the gamut from sweetness and light to twisted and dark. Addictive and binge-worthy, this is not a book to be missed. After all, it was a psychological thriller that took the desire for justice and turned it all on its head. Wholly unique and undeniably original, interconnected plot lines lined up just so as to keep me firmly in the dark until the two final earth-shattering twists. Trust me when I say, you won’t see them coming. I, for one, definitely did not. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Jessica Payne weaves a web in her stories and I am always sucked in in the best possible way!

Dual timelines and dual narrators, Madeline and Rebecca. Madeline's timeline starts with her falling over a cliff on her camping honeymoon with her new husband and several friends, and then takes you back to events leading up to her fall. Rebecca's timeline is present day. She is determined Maddie was murdered and is set on finding out for certain who did it.

This book had so many twists and surprises. I could not stop reading and was on the edge of my seat right up until the end.

I thought I knew how things would turn out. I was close on part of it. And I loved where it went and the ending.

If you love a twisty thriller, grab this one in March!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and allowing me to take part in this tour!

Omg! This book was classic Jessica Payne where from the very first chapter i was hooked and the suspense did not let up. This book is so cleverly plotted and the twists were so well done and very unexpected!

Payne is getting better and better with each book and i feel this one is going to be a winner for all psychological and domestic thriller lovers.

Easy to binge, addictive and a shocking ending! Thank you SO much to Bookouture, netgalley and Jessica Payne for the ARC of this book. Can't wait for the next haha!

I needed a book that would be gripping and interesting and I’m glad I picked this one. The plot sounded very intriguing and it did not disappoint me. It wasn’t necessarily the most fast-paced novel but its pace was steady enough to keep my interest. I guessed one reveal early on but I absolutely loved that, I thought it was brillant and malicious and I love malicious. And the writing was very pleasant.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is the fourth book I've read from Jessica Payne and the fourth book I loved! Although I did pick up on who everyone was before the reveal, I still enjoyed the journey to get there! Watching Rebecca creep around, following Ben and Gwyn, was super fun. I almost felt like I was watching them myself. The tension was great between every character, and I was happy with how it ended.

🍿 If this was a TV series, you would call it BINGEABLE!!
How far would YOU go to avenge a MURDER?

Every night Rebecca watches Benjamin and Gwyn in their glass-front Seattle home, which overlooks the gorgeous Puget Sound-the house that Madeline bought him.

Madeline’s husband and her BEST friend. Newly engaged.

The official story is that she disappeared, but Rebecca knows that isn’t QUITE the truth.

She knows that Benjamin’s winery is in trouble, and that he desperately needed your money.

She also watched the way Gwyn looked at him at your wedding reception, finding reasons to be close, and always laughing at his jokes-jealous of her “best friends” perfect life.

And, Rebecca is determined to make sure that they DO NOT get away with murder.

Set with the perfect backdrop of Seattle tasting rooms, and its Woodinville wineries-I poured myself a glass of vino 🍷and settled in for the ride!

I had gotten away from reading the Psychological Thrillers that I had spent much of 2022 choosing as they had become TOO over the top and twisty, But I was in the mood for something FUN and this synopsis was IRRESISTIBLE!

And, Jessica Payne has delivered EXACTLY what I was craving in this twisty, entertaining and addictive psychological thriller. Was it OTT? Yes. And, this time I didn’t care a bit!!

I had not read her work before, but I know who to turn to now! I was engaged from the start, and just HAD to find out how it would play out!

Expected publication date: March 5, 2024.

Thank You to Bookouture for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

Don't you love a not so perfect marriage? Especially in a thriller. Never Trust the Husband is a non-stop fast paced action packed thriller that will give you Girl On the Train / Gone Girl vibes. These are truly my favorite types of books to read where nothing is as it seems. Rebecca is grieving the death of Madeline, her best friend and is focused on watching Benjamin (Madeline's husband) nonchalantly move on with his new life. There was so much to unpack with Madeline's history and their web of secrets amongst their inner friend group. I really enjoyed this book and would give it a 4/5 - I highly recommend if you enjoy fast paced phycological thrillers.

It’s another TWISTY McTWISTFACE of a thriller by @jessicapayne.writer 🤩🤩

A devious cat and mouse, revenge-driven story which will have you “one more chapter-ing” into the wee hours. Great characters, effortless writing, dual timelines, it has it all.

Maddy (young, gorgeous, rich) marries Benji, the chap of her dreams!Unfortunately her dreams are cut short when she tragically meets her end at the bottom of a cliff while on her honeymoon with Benji and her friend Gwyn (why is Gwyn on Maddy’s honeymoon you ask… well the bigger question is why is Gwyn engaged to Benji a few years later…?! 👀) Someone is hell bent on finding out what happened to Maddy, and discovering just what Gwyn and Benji are up to…

I was so absorbed in this book and was hooked up to the very end (THE END…!)

I’ve read two of Payne’s books, this and The Good Doctor but she has just cemented herself as an autobuy author for me now. Pop this one on your TBR this very minute. Better yet, pre-order it for its release on 5th March.

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚…...💔

Special thanks to @thrillerbookloverspromotions @jessicapayne.writer Bookouture and NetGalley for this #gifted e-ARC.

➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼

MY REVIEW:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is another great Jessica Payne book! The ending is a *chefs kiss*. I loved the dual POVs and dual timelines. Those are always a hit with me. But it did seem a bit of a slow burn for me - those are hard for me.
The story itself seems pretty straight-forward. You think you know where it's going, but WHO DID IT?!
Then BOOM 💥 twist🤭. And you're like ..... but there's still like 30% of the book left soooo that's not REALLY the answer...... and then it's like a steep downhill slide into a crazy ending, in typical Jessica Payne fashion.

Definitely recommend this one. She always has great thrillers, and it reads pretty quickly, too!

QOTD❓️⁉️❓️Do you often call the twist in a book, and find out you're wrong in the end?

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