This is a very quick reading, intriguing book.
4 stars
Anna is a widow and searching for revenge. The doctor who was responsible for her husband’s death is her target. As she develops a scheme to punish him, she also manages to fall in love. However, his grown children are not happy.
Thus a series of very scary events fall upon Anna.

Although the final chapters are a bit confusing, the book overall was entertaining.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy, in return for my honest and unbiased opinions.

Anna has just learned that her husband, Ollie, has died in surgery due to the surgeon’s mistake. Her grief is overwhelming and for months her life comes to a standstill.

She has now found the surgeon, Theo, on social media. It appears he is a widower with two grown children. When she sees that he works out at certain gym, she is motivated to join and try to meet him. She is successful at that, he is taken by her, and they start to date. She is seeking revenge, but what are her plans?

When Anna and Theo have been dating for a while, she finds herself falling in love with him. However, his children are violently opposed to him marrying Anna and will stop at nothing to keep them apart. Frightening incidents begin happening to Anna and she is sure it’s Theo’s children, but they always seem to have an alibi showing they couldn’t have had anything to do with them. But as things build, we find that there is more to this than meets the eye.

Throughout the book I couldn’t help but wonder why Anna would want to be with Theo at all. How could she love the man who killed her husband? But other things arose leading to a stunning and scary conclusion.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Holy flip-flop! Even though Anna was seeking revenge for the murder by surgical error of her husband Ollie, she was betrayed by her emotions. Her plan to get Theo, his surgeon, to fall in love with her, is turned on its head when she starts to fall in love with him!

Complicating matters are Theo's two entitled, spoiled, grown children, who disapprove of anyone their father dates. Could they be behind the escalating threats to Anna's safety? Or is it someone else?

"Revenge is a dish best served cold, or maybe never served at all?" Though you might be tempted to criticize Anna for her Project Theo, in the end you'll be cheering her on.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance reading copy and another excellent read from Rona Halsall!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Fiance' by Rona Halsall.

Wow!!!! Yet another huge congratulations to Rona on yet another amazing success!!! Yet again, another absolutely fantastic unputdownable psychological thriller from this extremely talented author. I must admit though I cannot say I am surprised as each and every one of her books have been!! This book is extremely well written as are all Rona's books I have previously read with vivid descriptions that absorb you into the storyline. Rona's absolutely amaazing and evocotive writing skills sucks you straight into the storyline so it feels like you are standing by Anna's side feeling and seeing everything that she is feeling and seeing. It will have you on the edge of your seat fearing for Anna's safety and shouting at her through the pages so be warned it may be best to avoid reading this in public places which I did at several pioints and ended up getting some very strange looks from people passing! As with all of Rona's books the storyline is scarily realistic, extremely fast paced and will keep you guessing over and over again!! It really is a rollercoaster ride of emotions with twists, turns and surprises that you will never see coming. I know I didnt and after reading hundreds of crime and thriller books it truly isgetting harder and harder o surprise me but Rona manages yet again as she does each and every time so she is definitely my go to author if I ever want to be gob smacked by a book!! Congratulations Rona on yet again managing to shock me!! I was completely invested in Anna from the beginning to the end and was rooting for her through every single event. I did end up shouting at her on several occasions due to her naivety but I still absolutely adored her and was hoping for the best. My heart went out to her for the pain and suffering her grief was causing her and I could definitely understand her wanting to want vengeance for her husbands death. Thanks to Rona's fantastic descriptions each and every one of the characters jump out of the pages and come to life regardless of whether you love or hate them and regardless of how you feel about them every single one of them play their part perfectly in this fantastic, suspense and tension packed psychological thriller that will have you hooked. I gave up telling myself I would only read one more chapter and actually get on with some house work after I said it three times and still could not put it down!! Every single chapter ended in a way that left me needing to know what happens next and I ended up absolutely devouring the whole book in one sitting of several hours so you need to clear your schedules and make sure you are comfortable before turning a single page on this amazing book! I was captivated throughout and the storyline was absolutely rammed with secrets, lies, love, vengeance, family,suspense, tension, shocks, twists , lies and red herrings all the way up until the very perfect ending. Rona's evocative writing skills brings not just the storyline and atmosphere to life but also each of the characters who leap out of the pages at the reader. However, I'm not going to say anything about them as I will let you draw your own conclusions when you meet them yourself!! I cannot wait to get dragged back into another one of this amazing authors books!!

Congratulations Rona on yet another HUGE success and for, yet again, managing to shock me when many fail. This would make an epic movie that I would love to see come out!! This is the exact reason you are one of my favourite authors and here's to your next success 🥂!!!

Overall an addictive, page turning, epic and action packed psychological thriller that will shock you throughout!!

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I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This was a gripping and twisty psychological thriller. When I started reading, I felt an almost immediate connection with the protagonist, Anna. Learning what she had been through, I felt sorry for her. While I couldn't relate specifically to her experiences, I felt I could identify with some elements of her personality, and her thought processes. I was curious about Theo; he seemed an interesting character, and I was keen to see what part he might play in the story later on.

Reading on, I found that I began to question some of Anna's choices, but I also questioned the actions and intentions of some of the other characters too. This turned out to be a nail-biter of a read, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, particularly in the latter half of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Anna, a woman whose husband died in hospital, plans revenge on the surgeon who she believes caused his death. What she doesn't count on his his two adult children. As usual, this author brings the drama, tension, and killer twists!

Rona Halsall is an author who writes top-notch psychological thrillers. Each time I read one of her books, I always find it a quality read. I knew this one wouldn't let me down. By the time I had read 3 pages, I was hooked!  I wasn't willing to put this book down at all!

I always love a fast-paced story, and this one was definitely that! Anna is so determined in her mission that she ends up engaged to the surgeon, Theo. They grow close, and his children get in the picture too. The biggest issue is that Anna gets to a point where she doesn't know who to trust or what the truth is.

Such twisted games people play! Rona Halsall pumps up the tension, and it rises with every chapter. Characters you dont know you can trust and so many twists in the story. It makes for such an addictive read. Just when you think that you know everything along comes the ending!! Wow, is all I can say! Put this book right to the top of your pile, now.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and NetGalley.

For the past two years, Anna's followed him on social media. Theo Heaton, the surgeon who'd been holding the scalpel when her husband Ollie died on the operating table. Even though the inquiry said it wasn't Theo's fault, she blamed him. It was his careless mistake that killed Ollie. If nobody else was going to hold him responsible and see that he was punished, she would. She would ruin him one way or another. Unable to find the slightest blight on his career, she moves onto his personal life, determined to make something horrible happen to him as a way to get her revenge. When his relationship status online changes to single, she sees her chance. She'll put herself in his path, charm him into dating her, then make him feel every bit of the pain he caused her.

However, the man Anna meets isn't nearly the monster she believed him to be. Theo is attentive, sweet, and caring. He bestows on her the romance and affection she's missed since Ollie's death. But as the sparks ignite between them, Anna continues to plot her revenge by shattering his heart when the time is right. There's only one problem. When she actually falls for him and agrees to marry him, it's her world, not his, that is shattered.

His grown kids adamantly and violently object to her. Her apartment is ransacked. She's beaten. A doctored X-rated video of her is put online. Her business is ruined. So is her car. Theo swears his kids wouldn't do those things. Yet, her best friend Tanya knows Theo and his family well. She warns her of the danger. When Theo abruptly ends their relationship, Anna hopes the attacks on her will stop. Instead, they get more deadly. Anna was so busy plotting her revenge that she never considered someone out there wanted to get revenge on her. But who? And why? Will she figure it out before it's too late?

Insanely gripping and bursting at the seams with intense tension and suspense, "The Fiancé" is the latest pulse-pounding, unputdownable thriller by an author who seems to hit the proverbial nail on the head with every book she writes. Author Rona Halsall is a master at crafting plots and characters that grab you by your attention span as soon as you start reading, then keep you slack-jawed and guessing the rest of the way. "The Fiancé" is no exception. It's an addictive, engrossing tale that you'll easily be able to read in one sitting -- if your time permits. It'll be all that's on your mind if you can't.

A heart-racing adrenaline rush, "The Fiancé" is as twisty and turn-y as a thriller can get. In fact, the twists and turns don't stop. Reading this book is such a rush, you'll love every second. The characters are well fleshed out and feel real. The emotions, the creepiness, and the suspicious behavior jump off the pages. The tension and anxiety spread from the book to the reader, creating a knuckle-biting, fast paced thrill ride that's OMG fantastic.

"The Fiancé" is the perfect example of why Rona Halsall is one of my favorite psychological thriller authors. I didn't know who to trust or who to fear most of the way through the book. I liked Anna. I trusted Theo. I thought his daughter might be misunderstood. By the time I figured out who the bad guys were, I was coming up on the ending -- and even more twists. I wish I could read it for the first time again. It's a twisty, breath-caught-in-your-throat roller coaster ride that you'll be glad you read.

This book was refreshing in its storyline and kept me hooked all the way to the end. The author weaved a successful story with plenty of twists to keep me guessing until the very end!

The Fiancé was such a gripping read, loved the twists and turns, it had me completely gripped from the first page.

"The Fiance" is an absolute page-turner, brimming with twists and turns that made it impossible for me to put down. So, I simply didn't.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

The Fiancé by Rona Halsall

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

He killed my husband. Now I’ve promised to be his wife. After my first husband died, I thought my heart was completely broken, and that I’d never feel happy again.

Until I met Theo. He’s a doctor. A man who seems good and caring and kind. Soon after we start dating, he says he wants to marry me. And even though his grown-up children are less sure about me, to everyone else it’s the second chance for love and happiness I deserve.

But the truth is maybe his children are right to be suspicious. Because I know something about Theo. That he was there in the operating theatre the day my first husband died. And I think it was his fault.

Am I in exactly the right place for revenge? Or am I living with a killer?

My Opinion

Following the death of husband, Anna wants revenge. She comes up with a plan to make Theo fall in love with her. The Fiancé was a gripping psychological thriller with a fast pace. From the opening chapter I was hooked and Rona Halsall has written The Fiancé in such a way that it will keep the reader guessing until the end. This was my second book by Rona Halsall and both have been enjoyable.

Rating 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this intense thriller. Anna has been a widow for two years due to an error in her husband's surgery. She devises a plan to get revenge on the doctor and takes her time to set her plans in motion. After a chance meeting and a few dates, she has fallen in love with him. From there the story becomes very intense and an edge of your seat thriller. There are many twists and turns and several heart stopping moments. I really enjoyed the book but was disappointed with the ending, therefore only 4 stars.

A gripping psychological thriller, which left me turning the pages of my kindle well into the night. I'll be reading more from Roma Halsall.
Plot twists and turns are plentiful and you really don't know who to trust in this well written story of loss and revenge.

Thank you Netgalley, Rona Halsall and Boldwood Books for the ebook! Rona never disappoints! She is a queen of thrillers and this was one of my favorite stories by her so far! This book was a page turner that had me up into the late hours of the night! I love when a book has me questing everyone and wondering who did what and to who and this was one of those! A must read!

The Fiance is another gripping read by Rona Halsall. Right from the very start I was completely invested in this story and found myself picking up my kindle at every opportunity to read it. A story of revenge and how this revenge will be taken. It’s difficult to say too much without giving away spoilers. As I progressed through this book there was a lot more happening than getting revenge, the twists and turns were coming from all angles and I didn’t know who to trust. Written in Rona’s excellent style this is one unputdownable read.

Anna is still grieving the loss of her husband, Ollie. Two years ago he underwent a routine operation which went wrong, they performed a second one to put it right and he died. With no help from hospital investigations or the police she decides to exact revenge by becoming involved with the surgeon responsible, Theo Heaton and things seem to be going well until she meets his children and Anna realises she's bitten off more than she can chew with Luna and Gino.

The Fiance is the latest domestic thriller by Halsall and, like her others, this one is dressed to impress! The ultimate cat and mouse thriller with lots of twists and table turning throughout, right from the start the author draws the reader in with an action packed tale of revenge which seems to be going well for Anna and then it doesn't. It has a well thought out plot which oozes danger at the turn of every page, there are some very unsavoury characters and I was definitely in Team Anna's camp throughout, but I really feared for her safety and ended up shouting at the kindle many times due to her naivety. This is a fast paced read which kept me on the edge of my seat and second guessing the outcome. The author may have a new publisher this time round but this book is as fresh and exciting as her last. Another huge five stars from me.

I'd like to thank Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

You can always rely on Halsall for a brilliant thriller. Each time I read one of her books I think it's my favourite and every time she comes back with another blinder, surpassing herself in the process.

The Fiancé is a fast paced story of karma and revenge. It's the story of Anna, who's seeking revenge on the surgeon who she thinks had a helping hand in the death of her husband.

The characters are fabulously flawed and their narratives unreliable. But just how far are they willing to go to make sure their lies and secrets stay under wraps?

Just how many twists can you throw in to one book? They just didn't stop! And the ending for me was one of those 'wow' moments. As always I had no clue.

The Fiancé is a fantastic thriller that's a gripping, pulse pounder that I wouldn't hesitate in recommending.

Rona Halsall returns following The Honeymoon with her latest twisty psychological thriller, THE FIANCE. A dangerous game of cat-and-mouse unfolds when a woman's husband dies during surgery and she finds herself marrying the doctor responsible for a plan of wicked revenge. This riveting domestic suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat.

This premise sets the stage for the twisted tale that unfolds in THE FIANCE—a story of betrayal, revenge, and the lengths one woman will go to to right a terrible wrong.

About...

Anna McKenzie's husband, Ollie, was dead. It was a routine operation. The emotional turmoil of losing him, the disbelief that he was no longer alive, and the shattered dreams of their future together were overwhelming.

They planned to travel, buy a home, and start a family. The next five years were mapped out. How would she exist without him?

Someone needed to pay for what they had done. It was negligence, someone's fault. When the hospital does not take action, she knows she must step in. There must be consequences.

Theo Heaton, the man who inadvertently tore Anna's life apart. A respected surgeon, 52 years old, with grown children, wealth, and good looks. A man who seemed to have it all, but who was about to become the unwitting target of Anna's carefully crafted plan for revenge.

Two years was long enough. She was ready to take action. At thirty-one she was too young to be widowed. Too young to have her dreams ripped away.

This was her chance to make things right, to balance the scales of justice. Theo's wife, a doctor had drowned. They had two grown children Luna and Gino. She had died just weeks before Ollie. She had a plan.

Will her plan work to snag the doctor and get revenge or will his grown kids get in the way? Could they help or hinder her? Can she marry a murderer? Can she go through with it? Who can be trusted? Does Theo suspect her endgame?

What she did not count on was dealing with his greedy children. And was Theo's wife murdered, an accident, or suicide?

Maybe...Revenge was not a dish best-served cold, she decided. Revenge was a dish that should never be served at all.

Let the games begin.

My Thoughts...

Halsall always delivers! The Fiancé is wickedly twisty and delicious, with a dangerous game of revenge and obsession. The characters, each with their own agenda, add a layer of complexity and intrigue to the story. The introduction of the grown children and their motives further heightens the suspense.

THE FIANCE is a rollercoaster of emotions, delving into complex themes of family, marriage, children, greed, grief, love, deceit, and revenge. It's a heart-pounding, thrilling ride that will keep fans of the genre on the edge of their seats.

Recs...

For fans of K.L. Slater, Daniel Hurst, Emily Shiner, and Miranda Rijks.

Thanks to Bookouture for a gifted advanced digital reading copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Aug 2, 2024
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
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Rona Halsall's "The Fiance" is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complex emotions of grief, love, and revenge. The story centers on a woman who, after the tragic death of her first husband, finds herself entangled with a man who might be responsible for his death.

The protagonist's journey is both heartbreaking and intriguing. After losing her first husband, she believes she will never find happiness again until she meets Theo, a seemingly kind and caring doctor. Despite the skepticism of Theo's grown-up children, she sees a chance for a fresh start and a new chapter in her life. However, this budding romance is shrouded in doubt and fear as she uncovers unsettling truths about Theo's involvement in her first husband's death.

Halsall expertly weaves a tale of suspense, keeping readers on edge as the protagonist grapples with her conflicting emotions. The central question—whether she is in the perfect position for revenge or living with a killer—creates a palpable tension that drives the narrative forward. The psychological depth of the characters, especially the protagonist's inner turmoil, adds layers of complexity to the story.

The pacing of the book is well-executed, with each revelation building upon the last, leading to a satisfying and unexpected conclusion. Halsall's writing style is engaging and vivid, drawing readers into the protagonist's world and making them feel her fear, doubt, and determination.

While the plot is compelling, some of the twists may feel predictable to avid readers of the genre. Nevertheless, Halsall's ability to create an atmosphere of suspense and her focus on the emotional aspects of the story make "The Fiance" a standout read.

Overall, "The Fiance" by Rona Halsall is a thrilling and emotionally charged novel that explores the fine line between love and revenge. It's a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy a story that keeps them guessing until the very end.

Rona NEVER disappoints me! This book, I think, has made my head spin more times than Regan in The Exorcist!! The twists and twists and twists - just epic! That final sting in the epilogue got me and I did wonder if we would ever get a resolution on one of the storylines, and it wasn't one I was expecting! I had pegged someone else!

The narrator, Stephanie Beattie, was perfect for this book and I don't think I have listened to anything by her - but I will definitely again.

Anna is broken, and out for revenge but the journey ahead of her is not what she planned, someone else has other ideas! The sad story of her husband, Ollie, gosh it is the thing of nightmares that happened to him. I definitely did not trust anyone - and that's how Rona likes it. Everyone has a role to play, however small. The different things that kept happening to Anna, I could just tell there was a bigger story to it, I was driving myself crazy trying to work it all out. But it was a butterfly effect here, everything was linked just not always how you think it might be!

Another winner in my eyes. I can't wait for the next book by Rona. Just not sure how she can top this!!!