Paul and Cecilia were married after a whirlwind courtship and are now in Paris celebrating their first anniversary. They seemed madly in love in the beginning, but now the cracks are starting to show, and both have an ulterior motive for this trip.

The Second Mrs. Strom is the sequel to Kaira Rouda’s book Best Day Ever but can easily be read as a standalone. Flashback scenes gradually dole out the backstory, and the back and forth between Paul and Cecilia keeps the pages turning. Perfect for fans of The Next Mrs. Parrish and readers who enjoy:
• Dual POV
• Dual timeline
• Narcissistic MMC
• Unlikeable / unreliable narrators
• Cat-and-mouse suspense

My friends at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse have been buzzing about this one! Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Title: The Second Mrs. Strom
Author: Kaira Rouda
Genre: Thriller, Domestic Suspense

Disclaimer:- It's a sequel to her Best Day Ever so I'd recommend you to read that book first before delving into this one. Although you can read it as a standalone book but to understand Paul's character, I think you must read the first book.
Story :- This story revolves around the narcissistic, sociopath and controlling Paul Strom who is not done yet and his new love interest, Cecilia whom he meets at Esther's ( an old lady by whom he inherited money) funeral and soon she becomes the second Mrs. Strom and here the story begins.
Paul has spent years building his perfect life and as I said he's a sociopath so he wants to do the things in his own way and so he thinks that Cecilia is just like Mia and will be his victim but here comes the main twist, Cecelia is not like the other women, she has her own motive to come in his life. She wants revenge.
If you've read The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine, in it there's a character named Mary Ann who is not what she seems to be then I think you'll fully understand the character of Cecilia.
Overall Impression: Kaira Rouda's The Second Mrs. Strom captivates readers with its suspenseful plot and well-developed characters. From the onset, the tension builds as Cecilia navigates her new life and unravels the mysteries surrounding her husband and his past. The book is a page-turner that keeps readers guessing until the very end.
Likes and Dislikes :-
Likes :- 1. Character Development: The protagonist, Jane, is portrayed with depth, showcasing her transition from a hopeful bride to a wary investigator. John Strom's complex personality adds layers to the story, making readers question his motives and actions.
2. Atmospheric Setting: Rouda excels in creating an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere, heightening the sense of unease as Jane delves deeper into the Strom family's secrets. I like to visit Paris now ☺️
3. Themes of Trust and Deceit: The novel masterfully explores themes of trust and deceit within a marriage, prompting readers to reflect on how well they truly know the people they are closest to.
4 The suspenseful narrative and unexpected twists make this book hard to put down. The psychological depth of the characters and the intricate plot keep readers engaged throughout.
Dislikes :- 1 I personally think that this should have been a standalone book with fresh characters. Now, the readers who haven't read it will have to purchase the previous book to fully understand Paul's character.
My Rating :- 4.5/5

I had a hard time getting into this book. I noticed in a review that there was actually a related book written before this, so I read that one first. It helps give the backstory of Paul, but I don't know that it's necessary to read it before this one. The ending of this book was pretty good, but the majority of it kind of dragged for me. I'm sure other readers will enjoy it more, but it just wasn't for me.

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (rounded up)

Review: wow, I am so happy that we got a follow up to Paul and his psycho ways! I absolutely loved the first story, and this sequel did not disappoint.

Paul has managed to secure a beautiful younger wife, and inherit millions from a wealthy Palm Beach socialite. He takes his new wife Cecelia to Paris to celebrate their one year anniversary.

This trip is different, Cecelia is not a meek submissive wife that Paul thought he had. She’s a force to be reckoned with and it’s so entertaining to watch their back and forth game play out.

This is domestic suspense at its finest. The ultra wealthy characters, the unpredictable plot and twists, and a bit unrealistic thrown in makes for a great book. Both Cecelia and Paul are unhinged and unlikable but so entertaining to see all this play out. The dual POV from both characters really added a new level. It was a little repetitive in the middle and I honestly wish it was longer, especially the ending.

Thanks to @netgalley and @bookouture for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This book comes out August 16th, so plenty of time to read the first book- Best Day Ever (even though you don’t have to).

This was so good! Twists and turns and who's zooming who around every corner. Kaira has the narcissistic, psychopath characteristics down to a tee. There really isn't anyone to root for but I look forward to a continuation of one of their stories. I won't say which one. Thrill ride!

This was a fun read!! I was sucked in front page 1, paul is a narcissist and his inner voice and thoughts are awful. His new bride, Cecelia, was a character who I had a hunch about her motive and trust colours, but wasn’t completely sure if she was as awful as her husband or not. The main twist was one that I never predicted or saw coming.

Overall This novel was well written!. I would definitely recommend reading this book to others.

Paul and Cecelia are in Paris to celebrate their first anniversary, but both have ulterior motives for their last night. Paul is arrogant, deceiving, narcissistic, and controlling. Cecelia is the younger wife, beautiful and seemingly loves Paul, but does she really? Things start to get sideways when her behavior doesn’t fit his ideal wife, where he can control her...he starts to get angry and plans to kill her. What he doesn't know is that she is one step ahead.

A decent read well-written, fast pace. If you like domestic suspense, with unhinged and untrustworthy characters this is for you.

Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the eARC.

I didn't realize this was a sequel to Best Day Ever until I was about halfway through this book. Having not read the first installment of the Paul Strom saga, I don't feel like I fully appreciated this story. To me it read as an insufferable account of every detail in Paul's and Cecilia's trip to Paris. I became so bored by the lack of action that I almost DNF'd. Perhaps if I had read BDE and understood the psychopathic personality of Paul, the read would've been more enjoyable. I don't feel I can give this an adequate or fair rating, having read this book out of context.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest feedback.

Paul and Cecilia are in Paris to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. It was love at first sight.

Paul inherited his millions by being a “companion” to Esther. Cecilia has been spending Paul’s money and Paul has learned that Cecilia is the daughter that Esther put up for adoption years ago.

Does Cecilia really love Paul or does she just want his money? And if she is Esther’s biological heir, what happens if the court rules that Cecilia should have the money.

Oh, so good and it did not end the way I expected it to. @kairarouda is one my go-to authors and this is my favorite by her! Go get on August 16th.

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #TheSecondMrsStrom in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @bookouture for approving my request

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. The writing is really good and the villainous characters are well done, maybe too well? Because I hated them and didn’t want to continue being in their inner monologue. 🤣 That being said, if you like a villain pov and can deal with a narcissistic male mc, this is the book for you!

Kaira Rouda’s “The Second Mrs. Strom ” is a well-written novel that captures the reader’s attention with its intriguing premise and rich character development. The narrative style is engaging, and the author’s attention to detail brings the settings and characters vividly to life. However, despite these strengths, the pacing of the story felt somewhat slow, which made it challenging to maintain a consistent level of interest throughout. While the book has its moments of brilliance, the sluggish tempo detracts from the overall experience. Nevertheless, fans of detailed, character-driven stories may still find it worth the read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this Arc!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #TheSecondMrsStrom by #KairaRouda. This is a book about revenge. Paul thinks he has married the perfect woman, but he couldn’t be more wrong. After his first failed marriage, this time it will be different. But the second Mrs Strom has other ideas. She knows all about his affair and there is one other secret……..

Thank you to @bookouture, @netgalley and @kairarouda for an ARC!

I recently read Best Day Ever, which is the prequel to this, and it was so good so I was so excited when @thrillerbookloversthepulse got the early release of this one! It was even better than the first!

Paul Strom is the best Unlikeable husband and he definitely outdid himself with his new wife. He was back with his narcissistic self, and just like with the first book, Kaira Rouda had twists and turns that I didn't see coming. After the explosive ending, I really hope there is a 3rd book!

If you haven't read Best Day Ever, you should definitely get your hands on it in anticipation of this release in August! Totally worth it!

I started The Second Mrs. Strom unaware that it was the sequel to a previous book. I don't know if having read the first book would have changed my opinion at all, but I could not get invested in this story. Paul's narration was clearly meant to be unlikable, but it came off so over-the-top that I found it hard to read and it went into my DNF pile before I could get to Ceclia's perspective. Clearly a lot of other reviewers really enjoyed the book, but it was not for me.

This book earned the whole 5 stars and honestly I would have given more if allowed. Kaira Rouda is a master author! At this point I know that her books will be great! This book is not an exception. It kept me up and into the book when I should not be!

There is not one truly like able person in this book lol, and I mean that in the best way possible! No one in the books I what they seem: Paul is clearly conniving and narcissistic and his new wife Cecilia seems to be just a pawn in his game but all of them have secrets and skeletons in their closets! This was a page turner for sure like all the others by this author who is quickly becoming a fav!

A fun, fast paced follow up to Best Day Ever, The Second Mrs. Strom offers us another look into the life of Paul Strom.
If you enjoyed the first book you'll definitely enjoy this one as well. Has Paul once and for all met his match?
For a more indepth review, check out my youtube video here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r9S3XR1ESo

Thank you, Netgalley and Bookouture for the copy of The Second Mrs. Strom by Kaira Rouda. With her typical immersive writing, Rouda has written a fun and fast perfect beach read. I despised the two main characters, Paul and Cecilia, but it was hard to stop reading about them and their twisted machinations. I didn’t read the first book Paul was in but trust me, this book had enough about him to last me for a long time! Paul was so self-absorbed he missed so many clues about what was happening. I loved the intriguing story and the numerous surprising reveals. Will there be a book three in this saga? 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

The Second Mrs Strom
🌟🌟🌟🌟

When I received this book as part of the thriller book lovers promo group, I was so excited to read and find out how the husband wife troped was going to play out and boy I wasn’t disappointed.

Paul Strom is back. This time, he has a new wife, Cecelia, and they're in Paris to celebrate their one year anniversary. But once again, both have ulterior motives for their last night. 

This was another brilliantly written story filled with unhinged and untrustworthy characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and just kept hoping that Paul would finally get what he deserved. I had kind of hoped there would be a point where the two Mrs Stroms met, but maybe there will be another? Finding out this a follow up novel I can’t wait to go back to read the first!

I didn’t read book 1; ch 35 does spoil book 1, so it didn’t really matter. It filled in all the narcissistic horrid details of Paul’s life previous to Cecelia. While this was fast paced and easy to read, it was woefully predictable.