As soon as i see this authors name whatever i am reading gets put on the back burner.
Engaging domestic thriller with well written characters as always.
Plenty of twists, some of my suspicions were correct and some were not!
I read this far to quickly.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my early copy.

Victoria Jenkins is a thriller mastermind! The Open Marriage sucked me in and didn't let me go until I finished the entire thing.

The story follows Louise, who is experiencing a rough patch in her marriage to Marcus. He has been spending more time away from home and Louise finds herself checking his phone behind his back out of worry that he might be seeing someone else. Then Louise meets Erin in her yoga class and the two hit it off and start sharing about their personal life, which leads Erin to share that she is in an open marriage. This then sets off a chain of events in Louise's life in an attempt to save her marriage, but all does not go smoothly.

This book is full of lies, deceit, murder, anything that you are looking for in a great domestic thriller, it's here and it actually belongs and not thrown in to attract readers. You find yourself really rooting for Louise throughout the story as you can understand and relate to what she is experiencing.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC!

A thoroughly exciting read about lies and deceit extremely well written and I was on the edge of my seat throughout.

The characters were good with a well developed ending which I enjoyed from the beginning until the very last page.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC which I can thoroughly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book! Once I started reading, I devoured it!

Louise makes a new friend while at yoga class(Erin), and learns that she has an open marriage with her husband. Louise and her husband have fallen into a rut, and she is somehow slowly convinced to give it a try. In this story, you get it all. Lies, deceit, murder, missing persons, and a FMC you can’t help but root for. I thought it was a great story and will absolutely be seeking out others from this author!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy!

The Open Marriage by Victoria Jenkins is another propulsive page-turner from the author.

Louise and her husband Marcus have hit a bit of a rough patch in their marriage. Marcus is spending more time away from home, and Louise has resorted to checking his phone behind his back, fearful that there might be someone else. But meeting the beautiful Erin at a yoga class will put into motion a chain of events that will have Louise wondering just how far she is willing to go to save her marriage. Is she daring enough to sleep with someone else's spouse, and does she trust her husband to do the same?

This is a domestic drama told from the single POV of Louise, and her internal monologue is fascinating as she tries to justify her desire to play with fire in the most unorthodox of circumstances. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

Based upon the title, I was expecting something a bit more risqué and scandalous but, in this instance, the open marriage was actually much more tame. The story involves a couple married for quite some time and they become convinced that getting involved with another couple will add a bit of spice to their marriage and rekindle their spirit of closeness and romance. I'm always puzzled by this sort of idea. If two people are having problems in a relationship, how would adding more people help? I'm thinking it would just complicate things and invite even more problems. Still, this couple decide to go through with the plan and it quickly becomes apparent that nobody is what they seem and no one can be trusted. This was a really great book with a lot of suspense and tension and I finished it very quickly because I was so eager to find out what was going to happen to Louise and her husband. The surprise twist at the end was totally unexpected and it gave the book a very satisfying conclusion.
Thank you, NetGalley, Bookouture, and Victoria Jenkins for a wonderful time with this ARC.

There's been a severe lack of housework done in my home this last few days, and I entirely blame this book! I was sucked in right from the beginning, and had no idea where is was going to go after the disappearance of the new friend. Unpredictable and very enjoyable!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Open Marriage by Victoria Jenkins due to be published June 21, 2024.
Marcus and Louise used to be in love. Instead of divorcing, they want to rekindle their marriage. When Louise meets Erin, she tells Louise about her wonderful marriage to Kieran and reveals the reason – they have an open marriage. When Marcus and Louise agree to try this lifestyle, Louise realizes she likes Kiernan. When Erin goes missing will the police be after Louise?
Oh, what a tangled web, but what do you expect to happen? I could just see all the problems arising from this – what if one spouse loved it, and the other one didn’t? What if it didn’t strengthen their marriage, but dissolved it? The Open Marriage had me hooked from the beginning. Like a house of cards, when the lies start building up, everything collapses. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, there is another great twist that you didn’t see coming. I loved this book and highly recommend it!
#NetGalley #VictoriaJenkins #Bookouture #TheOpenMarriage

This isn’t nearly as salacious and delicious as you might expect.

Based on the title and plot, I expected a popcorn munch of a tale, full of people behaving badly and all sorts of scandal.

It’s…tepid. This open marriage is very, very…restrained.

This is your basic domestic suspense in which you wonder if our MC has a brain, you want to throw the husband in the trash, and so much is just so obvious that it hurts.

It’s entertaining enough and a super quick read.

Largely enjoyable and not at all scandalous.

• ARC via Publisher

This is not like the usual books I read. It is more a domestic thriller than psychological suspense. The main character is very paranoid. Looking forward to more by this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"The Open Marriage" by Victoria Jenkins is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the complexities of love, trust, and betrayal. The story follows the protagonist as she navigates the tumultuous waters of her marriage after considering the possibility of an open relationship.

What initially appears to be a solution to the couple's marital problems quickly spirals into a web of deceit and danger. The introduction of Erin and Kieran, a couple in an open marriage, sets off a chain of events that tests the boundaries of love and loyalty. As secrets unravel and tensions rise, the protagonist finds herself caught in a dangerous game with devastating consequences.

One of the strengths of the novel is its fast-paced narrative, filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats. The characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional, each grappling with their own desires and motivations. The tension builds steadily throughout the story, culminating in a jaw-dropping climax that will leave readers reeling.

I particularly enjoyed the way the author explores themes of trust and honesty within relationships, and how the pursuit of happiness can sometimes lead to unexpected consequences. The short chapters and immersive writing style make it difficult to put the book down, and I found myself devouring it in only a matter of time.

Overall, "The Open Marriage" is a gripping thriller that will appeal to fans of Lisa Jewell and Gone Girl. With its unpredictable plot and compelling characters, it's a must-read for anyone craving a suspenseful and thought-provoking story. I highly recommend it and give it a well-deserved 5-star rating.

Thank you Victoria Jenkins, Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy.

This is a riveting domestic thriller that I just couldn’t put down!! I read this on holiday in 6 hours, it was SO good!! A brilliant read.

I couldn’t put this book down when I started it and finished it in almost one sitting.
I was engrossed with the plot and loved all the twists.
It’s the perfect domestic thriller and one that I would definitely recommend.

This was an enjoyable read but I did have to suspend my disbelief at the way in which these people act. (To be fair that's the case in most books of this genre.)

Main character Louise is clearly no idiot - she's a successful head teacher, but paranoid that her husband has or is about to have an affair. Fair enough, that could happen to anybody. However, to immediately decide the solution, after meeting a woman, Erin, at yoga class (who's quite clearly targeted her for some reason), is to jump into an "open marriage" involving said woman and her husband, is a bit of a stretch. It might be more believable if Louise's motivations were more along the lines of sexual curiosity, but it's made clear that although she does find Erin's husband Kieran attractive (these "open marriages" are firmly along heterosexual lines), her only real interest is in saving her marriage. It's a really funny way of going about it. Despite the theme, there's nothing graphic here - whatever sex there is (not much) is kept off the page.

All that said, I didn't entirely guess where the story was going, and though it was clear there were ulterior motives right, left and centre, there were one or two possible red herrings along the way.

Ultimately an okay read but undermined for me by what seemed like a staggering level of naivety/poor decision making from the main character.

I really enjoyed this book. Domestic thrillers are my jam and this one didn't disappoint. The single POV worked really well as you felt that you were right there with Louise going through what she was dealing with.
A stale marriage. The malaise of middle age with nothing exciting to look forward to. Knotty family dynamics. Grief or losing a parent. A new friendship. These are all situations so many of us can identify with.
The book is quite slow in the beginning. It takes about 40% of the way in for things to start to happen. But I understand why. The author was trying to set the stage and give us some back story. Despite the pace, I was never bored. Always wanted to keep reading.
The twists weren't terribly difficult to guess. There was definitely some foreshadowing there. I did find it unbelievable that a spouse would never show the photo of a signifiant ex to their current partner. Or that the current partner wouldn't look them up on social media.
But that's a small complaint in an otherwise great read.
PS I just hate the stupid morality clauses for educators. What they do when off the clock shouldn't be anyone's business. And I say that as a mother.

What. A. Read!!! I couldn’t put it down! The story of Louise and her new found friendship with Erin had me gripped right from the start when Louise’s marriage is on the rocks and Erin tells her all about her own open marriage with her husband Kieran. From the moment their lives intertwined, I was desperate to know what was going to happen! And then Erin is reported missing! This book is definitely in my list of best reads this year! With an epic twist and a couple of “what on earth just happened”, keep me on the edge of my seat moments - I would highly recommend this book!!

This book definitely had me guessing and the twists / turns surprised me, a very thrilling read overall.

Though this was a quick entertaining read. Hate that it was closed door romance lol but I enjoyed the suspense surrounding Erin and Kieran. The end felt a little too rushed and overanalyzed but it was a nice bow on all the crimes and high stakes.

It's a good but not a great book. Held your attention just enough you didn't need to stay focused to know what was going on and could pay attention your surroundings. If you need a book that doesn't have a lot of depth or character development, this is it. Great when you have small kids or a baseball game to worry about but still want a book to read.

Louise meets Erin at at a yoga class. That's where it all starts to go wrong for our main character, Louise....

What a whirlwind this book proved to be! I didn't know where the storyline was going to go and it wasn't what I expected at all...in a good way!

Fans of Frieda McFadden should lap this book up asap a3s Victora Jenkins proves to be a stellar thriller novelist and her other works will be added to my TBR before you finish reading this review.

Thank you to @netgalley, @bookouture and @VictoriaJenkins for the opportunity of reading this ARC in exchange for a honest review.