Member Reviews

Oh wow Rona has done it again what a fantastic and surprising read. When her husband dies unexpectedly after emergency surgery Anna seems hell bent on revenge. Will she be able to ruin the surgeons life who had ruined her life. Focused completely on getting her revenge Anna doesn’t expect to have any problems. The first one being is she actually falling for her husband’s killer. There is so much going on in this fast paced gripping read you definitely won’t want to put the book down. I wish I could award it more then 5 stars as it’s such a brilliant read

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Another excellent read from this talented author and a bonus for me that it's all set where I live in beautiful North Wales.
Revenge is a dish best served cold, or maybe never served at all?
Be careful what you wish for when you choose to make people pay for their ways.
So many twists and turns and so many psychopathic characters!
Be careful what you wish for when you choose to make people pay for their ways.

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Anna is devastated when her husband dies in surgery. She’s deep in grief. Then she meets Theo and starts dating him. But Anna knows something about Theo. He was in the operating room when her husband died. Will she fall in love with him or get revenge?
This was an outstanding thriller by Rona Halsal. I was on edge the whole time. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc.

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The Fiance
by Rona Halsall
Pub Date: Aug 02 2024

The Fiancé by best selling author, Rona Halsall is summers utterly gripping psychological thriller! It's full of suspense with many twists and turns throughout the entire story.

A unique novel with a well planned plot which pulled me in from the first page until the last page!

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

My sincere thanks to #TheFiance #NetGalley & #Boldwoodbooks for providing me with an E-ARC of this exceptional novel.

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Rona Halsall is one of my favourite authors and I will always read everything she publishes!

Anna’s husband, Ollie, died on the operating table and despite an enquiry showing there was no negligence, Anna is hellbent on revenge against the surgeon.

I did find this one quite easy to predict and so I was hoping there would be a massive twist relating to Ollie’s death that would blow my mind, After bucket loads of tension, with Anna not knowing who to trust and whether she would make it out alive, the ending fell a bit flat for me, rather than the explosive conclusion I had been hoping for.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Rona Halsall and Boldwood, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

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Anna's husband, Ollie, is dead, and she blames the surgeon who operated on him. Now, she has a target: Theo, the surgeon himself. Anna is determined to seek revenge and will stop at nothing to make him pay for what he did.

I was hooked from the beginning of this book. Anna is a well-written character whose quest for vengeance had me on the edge of my seat.

The twists and turns kept me guessing until the end, which was satisfyingly unpredictable. I highly recommend this thrilling read to all my friends and family who love a good mystery!

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the free copy of the book.

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July 27, 2024
First, I think this was the first time I read a book from this author and I will be reading more of her book. So if you have read the blurb then you know basically what this book is about. Anna lost a beloved husband Ollie due to negligence from a surgeon. Her plan is to get close to him to get her revenge. But as the adage goes people plan and others laugh. As Anna goes about getting Theo to like her she begins to fall in love with her but his two adult children, especially his daughter Luna object fiercely. There are so many twists and turns right up to the end. This was a great and fast read. So if you like psychological thrillers with a major twist at the end this is a must read. Thank you net galley and the publisher for this ARC. Again, It was awesome!!

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Revenge can be a hard dish to swallow as Anna finds out in huge heaping helpings.
Her obsession with the doctor who causes her husband’s fatality puts her on a path to make him pay.
I thought Anna was a bit unhinged but Theo and his errant kids were a basket full of really out there in left field.
I could see the events unfolding and was incredulous that Anna wouldn’t let sleeping dogs lie.
The ending is good but it serves as a warning to be careful when you’re trying to mete out justice.

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Thank you Boldwood Books, Netgalley and Rona Halsall for the eArc of The Fiancé

The Finance is a roller coaster of a domestic psychological thriller. It will grab you by the hand and run with you until the very end! Anna, having lost her Husband on the operating table decides to put a revenge plan in place. What you get is a cat and mouse game of who has the upper hand. Who is a killer and what narrative do you trust|?

This thriller is told in first person POV of Anna, which really lends to the narrative. You can feel the emotions pretty much bleeding from her character, especially after she loses her husband and her revenge. I really bonded with her, her character was well thought out and her pain felt real. The other characters in the book, were also very well rounded, felt real and just goes to show, you don't really know someone, until they show you who they actually are.

The plot itself is medium paced and very well defined, it goes to the place where you think, as it's been outlined by Anna's plan. What is great is that it goes so much further with the twists and turns, throwing you out into who do you really trust. The pacing kept very constant until the very end and I enjoyed how Rona wrapped the book up. I've read a few of Rona's books now and have really enjoyed them all.

4.5 stars for Storygraph, rounded to 5 for Amazon, Goodreads, Netgalley

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When Anna’s beloved husband dies during surgery, grief-stricken Anna blames the surgeon, Theo.

As time moves on, Anna comes up with different ways to get her revenge on Theo.

This is a psychological thriller based on revenge. The story is gripping from the word go.

The twists just kept on coming in this superb tale. Every time I thought I had worked out what was going on, I was left shaking my head as I was wrong … again!

My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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This was such a thrilling read and it had me hooked instantly. The fast pace and twists / turns were so well done.

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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 okay. 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 than 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 in the operating theatre on 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?

Anna's husband died during a routine operation. But has she found a new chance at love with Theo? Theo was a surgeon in the theatre when Anna's first husband died. Now, Anna has to come up with a plan for revenge.

This is a fast-paced, twisted and gripping read. Anna wants revenge for her first husband's revenge for her first husband's demise. But everyone is lying and hiding something. I could not, and did not want to put this book down. I love Rona's writing style. She knows how to draw you in and hold your attention throughout. The suspense builds with each turn of the page. The ending came as a surprise.

Published 2nd August 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #RonaHalsall for my ARC of #TheFiance in exchange for an honest review.

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Anna is broken after her husband dies during an operation gone wrong. That is until she meets doctor Theo and soon he wants to marry her. Everything should be great but his kids don’t seem thrilled. Is that because Anna knows who Theo really is?

I was a late one reading this authors work but as soon as I picked up the first one I knew I was missing out. Since then I have been eager to pick up all her new books. This was another excellent read and had the perfect amount of action, drama and suspense. Straight away I was drawn into this story of revenge and glued to the pages, desperate to see what happened next. I stayed up way too late to finish this!

The author does a great job creating a dark, tense and uncomfortable atmosphere, with well developed characters, many who you can’t help but dislike. I never knew who to trust and found I kept second guessing myself. From around the half way mark the story goes completely crazy… which was very entertaining! I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy fast paced, nerve shredding, twisty thrillers. 4.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

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The Fiancé by Rona Halsall is another unputdownable, thrilling read by the author. I have read all the authors books, and she never disappoints.
Anna lost her husband Ollie when an operation went badly wrong. The doctor responsible for the error after an inquest went unpunished. Anna is devasted so she devises a plan to get revenge on the doctor Theo and make him pay for her husbands’ death. She finds out that he is single. So, she tries to seduce him. But in doing so, she doesn’t mean to fall in love with him. He purposes and she is torn to what to do. But things get more sinister when he meets his grown-up kids. Which are kids from hell. Things take a different turn then she was expecting.
This is another gripping read from the author which a great unique storyline. Which is slightly different writing style from her usual one. But that isn’t a bad thing because I thought this was her best one yet. I couldn’t put this down and wasn’t expecting the conclusion of the story. 5 stars from me.

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My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Fiance’ written by Rona Halsall in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Two years ago Anna’s husband Ollie died due to a surgeon’s negligence following an operation on his appendix. Annie was heartbroken but also filled with rage that the surgeon, Theo Heaton, could be cleared of lack of care to his patient despite carrying out two botched operations on Ollie. As the hospital aren’t interested in Anna’s grievances, she plans a way to cause as much pain for Theo as she can and starts preparing for ‘Project Theo’ but she isn’t expecting to fall in love with him.

‘The Fiance’ is a gripping psychological thriller where Anna’s plans backfire as the victim and his family turn the tables on her. The story is disturbing and made more so by Theo’s out-of-control adult children Luna and Gino who hate Anna and have plans of their own. The plot is full of suspense and turmoil and is so chilling with its dramatic twists and turns that Anna is left fearing for her sanity if not her life. Although the conclusion didn’t come as a great shock it did leave me open-mouthed in surprise. This is a thriller that’s easy to read and impossible to put down and I can definitely recommend it.

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The Fiancé by Rona Halsall, in the book we meet Annie who after three years is still mourning the loss of her husband Ollie who died during an emergency surgery on their third year anniversary. The surgeon accidentally left surgical material inside of her husband and during the operation to retract it nicked his artery and he died soon after. Annie started a fears campaign for malpractice but nothing came of it. This is when she decided to start project Theo and gave herself a makeover and new lifestyle. She did everything from Botox exercise eating right and finding out everything about the “good“ Doctor to try and have a casual run-in with him. Soon after joining his gym though they accidentally run into each other and despite her better judgment finds him quite attractive, thanks to the gym she also makes a good friend with one of her trainers Tonya. Her plan was to make him fall in love with her and then break his heart but it seems things aren’t going the way she planned because she too is actually falling for the doctor. Something his daughter Luna isn’t scared to vocalize not only her disagreement with the situation but her out in out suspicion of Annie. Luna even says they’ll marry over her dead body. So when someone breaks in to Annie’s home, after seeing Theo‘s son watching her house she immediately thinks it was his kids who did it. Unfortunately it seems every time something happens to poor Annie the kids have rocksolid alibis. Thankfully she has her good friend Tonya who shoulder she does a lot of crying on and Theo who despite defending his children is still there for her and shows nothing but concern. After Theo takes her to Paris for her birthday she thinks things can’t get any better and maybe they can’t but they certainly can get worse and they do. This is a game of cat and mouse where the feline and the rodent don’t act according to their nature because before it’s over Annie will learn she was not the only one out for revenge. This was a very well done expertly executed story the only issue I have is the ending that not only felt unbelievable it almost felt like it was too much. I would still recommend this book though because 99% of it was really really good.#BoldwoodBooks, #NetGalley, #RonaHalsall, #TheFiancé,

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I liked it! But this had the potential to be a tad bit more dramatic, in my opinion.
 
Started off strong. We first meet Anna fresh from getting the awful news that her husband died after some completely preventable incidents that happened during surgery. I totally sided with Anna; if my husband died because a distracted surgeon left some medical instruments inside his body when he performed surgery and then got another surgery without me being notified about it, I would be OUTRAGED. I loved the parts where Anna kicks off Project Theo and starts to better herself up and transform into a (literal) man killer.
 
I may be getting too spoiled or just getting more used to “going off the rails” story lines, but there was something missing in this book. It’s not a bad book; it’s not boring by any means, but there was just a little flare missing. 
 
All in all, I honestly think that I’m going to be upping my rating on some platforms because I like Halsall as an author. I like her writing, and I like her ideas. This is only my second book, but hello?? I don’t like saying that I have autobuys or autoreads for certain authors, but you know... Honestly, yes, I’ve become what I’ve criticised in the past. If Rona Halsall is coming out with a new book, I am reading it.

The only thing left to say is that I need to up my game on her books and fill my library with her past works.

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I found this book utterly unputdownable! The characters were great, I was wondering at first why some characters weren't as well rounded, but dang! I sure found out at the end. This author proved to have a unique writing style, very sneaky! I loved it. I thought through half the book that it was predictable...again, I was wrong.
Thanks to netgalley, boldwood books and the author for the chance to read this advanced copy for an honest review.

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This new book of Rona's is her best since the Bigamist. Revenge stories are my favorite, and this one is a thoroughly gripping psychological revenge thriller.

Rona created great characters like Anna, who was unhinged for a good part of the story. It was wondering what she would do next and her irrational behavior that kept me turning the pages.
I would have liked to have seen more a more in depth development of the side characters, but that didn't take away from the creative plot line.

It's not only a thriller, but there is a lot of action going on as well, and with twists you won't see coming, this fast-paced story becomes much more than a revenge plot.

I recommend this for all those who love a good revenge story.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgally, and the author. All opinions are my own.

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Exciting thriller proving revenge often backfires onto the person who seeks it. Anna and her husband Ollie were very much in love when he got sick on their third wedding anniversary.. It turns out to. be his appendix and Anna isn't too worried but when she goes home to bring Ollie some clothes she comes back to find out Ollie had to have a second surgery and died as a result of surgical error. Anna tries to hold the surgeon responsible but the hospital wouldn't admit the error and there was nothing she could do. After a long time of feeling powerless Anna decides on. a plan for revenge especially when she finds out the surgeon Theo Heaton is now a widower. Anna gives herself a makeover and starts attending the gym where Theo belongs and they start to date. Theo turns out to be different than Anna expects and she finds herself falling for him even though his two adult children appear to hate her.

Bad things begin to happen to Anna including her home being broken into and lots of pranks which are scary. Are Theo's children behind it and can she keep up her plan of leaving him at the altar now that she is falling for him? Lots of twists and turns I didn't expect and I finished this book in one day because I wanted to find out what was going to happen. A couple of minor details that I wondered about:: Anna says she grew up in a large family but no one else is mentioned besides her parents in Spain. If she has siblings, why didn't we hear about them? We also never hear about Ollie's family and it appears that Anna doesn't have a single friend which doesn't fit with the happy life she had prior to Ollie's death. I also think that Theo would have known who she was before they even met as I'm sure he and the hospital had lawyers investigating Anna and the case. I do want to read more by this author as this was an original and fun plot. Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for review.

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