Member Reviews

Ryan definitely knows how to weave an interesting and engaging story. It flips from past to present which really built the story along with the characters and gave you just enough but always left you wanting more. It grips you from the beginning and keeps your head in spin as you don’t know which way is up. There is many a twist and turn to keep you on your toes. The characters were likeable enough but I did find Izzy a little irritating at times. I love when an outcome just comes out of nowhere but really works. This is a great thriller that will have you turning those pages faster then you can take in the information. Really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review #MyHusbandsPast

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This is a seriously twisted book. Jenna’s best friend disappears their senior year in high school, and suddenly she’s getting emails from her old email address… how is that possible? Is Griffin really Romeo? Is he really a bad guy? He’s an elementary school teacher and a great stepfather to her children. I’m definitely not giving away the twists, because they were so shocking you just have to read them for yourself.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC of this book.

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I completely captivated by this book from the very first few pages. Shari J. Ryan is a new author to me, but she's definitely one I won't forget. Imagine thinking your best friend died twenty years ago, and then suddenly receiving a message from someone claiming to be her, saying that your new husband is responsible! It's incredibly chilling! My heart ached for Jessica, who was so in love with Griffin and seemed to have the perfect life! It made me reflect on what I would do in her situation. I had to keep reading to find out, and wow! This is a true psychological thriller! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, there was another twist! And the ending? I can't even begin to describe it! You all need to read this book; it's one of the best I've encountered in 2024!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy!

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Excuse me while I go pick my jaw up off the floor. I’m literally left speechless. This book didn’t get 5 stars from me, but it definitely had 5 star scenes. I honestly don’t know what to say without giving too much away. But I’ll leave you with this: I am now questioning who my husband is, even after 7 years. This book very quickly taught me to not trust anyone.

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You know a book is good when you don't predict the ending. Her best friend Izzy just suddenly disappeared one night and everyone thought she was dead so how come she is now receiving messages from her.
This book will keep you reading late into the night it's that good.

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WHOA! Talk about UNHINGED! This book was wild! This was my first book by this author, and I am so glad to discover her. The beginning of this book starts out with a shocking revelation and from there, it was the roller coaster ride I never knew I needed! This book had me second guessing every character. I changed my mind on what and who happened to Izzy multiple times. There was NO WAY i could've predicted what happened at the end. The plot developed in a way that kept me so entertained. I just couldn't stop. I had to know what was going to happen. The dual timelines helped provide depth to the characters as well as background information. The twists and turns were SO GOOD! I loved everything about this book, and I will definitely be reading more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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My Husband's Past is the third thriller I've read from Ryan and I have to say it's definitely a genre that suits her.

Told across dual timelines, we're taken on a fast paced coaster ride through what can only be described as worst-case-scenario...it's not every day your husband finds himself being abused of being an abducted by the person you thought was dead, your old friend Izzy.

The characters are great and certainly made for a thrilling read. There are some cracking twists and the ending ties all loose ends....it's a pretty good one too...read it for yourself and find out!

An enjoyable edge of your seat popcorn thriller.

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My Husband's Past is a page-turner with lots of twists and a shocking ending. It was so good. I loved every minute!

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Wow I really enjoyed this book, it took me on a wild ride which had me entertained the whole way through!!! A great read!!!

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This is the first thriller I've read in quite some time as I've been on a romance kick lately but boy did this one not disappoint. The author takes you one heck of a wild ride and leaves you guessing at every turn!! I spent almost the whole book trying to figure out how it was all going to play out and boy was I wrong?!

I was hooked from the blurb and the beginning absolutely sucks you in from the first word and has you on the edge of your seat for most of the book. The ending was kind of lackluster for me in the fact that it leaves you with more questions than answers. I understand that some authors want to leave the ending up to the reader's interpretation but I don't really care for that kind of ending. I prefer an ending that ties up all loose ends and gives you all the answers. This ending was just not for me.

I still awarded it 3.5 stars because I can't overlook the rollercoaster of a ride that this book takes you on. If you love an easy to read, fast paced thriller with lots of suspense and twists you never see coming, I highly recommend you add this one to your TBR!!

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Do you love twists? Do you love being hooked from the first page? Would you like a thrilling read during the Halloween season?
This book is for you! You'll start it and won't be able to put it down!

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MY HUSBAND’S PAST was a very enjoyable read! It checked a lot of the boxes for me and included everything I enjoy in a great story. The dual timelines were very effective at holding my interest high throughout the book. There were also plenty of twists and turns that I did not accurately predict. Loved it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the future.

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Ryan completely blew me away with this one!!
Psychological and sociopathic!!
I spent most of the entire book faulting the wrong villain.
I did figure out who was sending the emails but Ryan wrote a deliciously deceptive book of a deranged person.
Just wow!!!

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This book was instantly gripping and the suspense kept me captivated right until the very last page.

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Big thanks to Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Husband’s Past is thrilling, suspenseful and mysterious.
Shari has given readers a thoroughly entertaining read.
Jess and Griffin have a great relationship.
Griffin is stepdad to Jess’s two kids.
One day Jess receives a message from her teen best friend, Izzy.
But Izzy disappeared twenty years before, presumed dead.
What happened……
As the truth slowly begins to emerge it sets off a deceptive chain of events for all……
A very good psychological melodrama with an interesting cast and a plot that’s clever.
The tension and suspense builds as it slowly unravels right before your eyes and then the shock ending.
The story gives off red herrings to make the reader wonder and drives you to want to read more.
Great pacing and highly recommended.

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I have read and enjoyed a few of Shari's books and have enjoyed them all but, oh my goodness, this is one twisty thriller that I devoured in quick time.

With excellent characters, an intriguing and engrossing plot with twists and turns aplenty that had me hooked from start to finish. It's written at a good pace (although it dips a little in the middle) and in dual timelines which worked really well for the story and really helped to keep me in the dark and in suspense but when the reveal came, I was shocked ... I love it when that happens!! The ending wasn't quite wrapped up as I would like and was left a bit open-ended but that didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of this book.

I have no hesitation in recommending this and must thank the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this riveting read.

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I was completely hooked from the beginning. At first, I was twisting in the wind with several different "suspects." My original thought ended up being spot on, but not for the reasons I thought. Lots of twisty turns in the story that has you questioning your sanity AND the sanity of all the characters. When someone you loved and who disappeared 20 years ago, how do you react? Do you ever really know who you are married to? One or 2 elements of the story had me scratching my head and well...that ending? Hmmmmm

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This book starts with a bang, we get into the story right from the start. I just couldn’t put this one down until I finished it!

Nothing is what is seems and the unraveling of the mystery is one big twisty spiral… I was suspecting everyone and I truly didn’t figure it out until the last couple chapters, the big reveal was beyond SHOCKING. This is my first book from Shari J. Ryan and honestly I love her writing style and how it makes everything so believable and true, I also liked how she tied up the story at the end and how every detail made sense. The dual timelines helps a lot to understand where the actions of the characters came from.

If you’re a thriller fan you ABSOLUTELY need to read this one, you won’t be disappointed trust me!!!

4.5 ★

Thank you Shari J. Ryan, Bookoutue & NetGalley for an e-ARC copy.

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My Husband's Past
by Shari J. Ryan
Pub Date: Sep 23 2024

A great psychological thriller that pulls you in from the very first page until the cliffhanger ending! I'm hoping the author writes a sequel as I need more of this story! It is told in dual timelines with many twists and turns, suspense and mystery. This is definitely a book I highly recommend. This is my first book I've read by Author Shari J. Ryan and I plan on reading more after reading this 5 star book!

Synopsis: My best friend disappeared twenty years ago. I thought she was dead. But today I’ve received a message that makes my heart stop. It says it’s from Izzy. And she’s blaming my new husband for her disappearance.

Many, many thanks to #MyHusbandsPast #NetGalley. and #Bookouture for providing me with an E-ARC of this 5 star psychological thriller!

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What starts as a quest for a woman to figure out if the emails from a long-lost friend are truly legit turns into one twisted tale. Shari Ryan once again had me on the edge of my seat as My Husband's Past unfolded, offering up subtle surprises and omg moments along the way. Jess Alder gained plenty of sympathy not only from me but those closest to her since her mother abandoned her when she was a child and was then left to fend for herself since her father worked long hours in order to take care of her. Now as a twice-married woman with two kids of her own, her seemingly settled life with husband Griffin begins to spiral out of control as those emails take over every waking moment and her determination to find out the truth of Izzy's disappearance brings up long-forgotten emotions and fears.

My amateur detective skills were no match for what unravels as Jess begins to feel as if she is being gaslighted by whoever could be sending these emails. Her eyes start to play tricks on her as well and her faith in the stalwart Griffin also begins to falter with each new email and subsequent texts, appear. Ryan and Jess had me convinced Griffin is the true bad guy here as his love for Izzy all those years ago may have prompted him to cause her to leave everything she knew and loved behind while a high school senior.

With a few well-timed chapters not in Jess's POV, the story truly takes a turn I did not see coming. Ryan kept me off the scent, so to speak, as Jess's daughter, in particular, seemed convinced that her mother was on the right track. However, when the proverbial smoking gun comes to light, all bets are off and in the last 25% or so, the true villain is unmasked and let's just say I was beyond shocked as the revelations keep coming.

The pace of the story is good and Ryan keeps the reader in the dark quite well. However, my one issue is how the book ended. Sure, we now know exactly what transpired 20+ years ago with Izzy's sudden departure but whether or not justice will be served is anyone's guess. Although I'm happy for those who deserved closure and somewhat saddened for those who the raw end of the stick, I still would have wanted a bit more to make sure the guilty party did not remain free. But with this open-ended conclusion, I guess for now I'll have to assume the best but perhaps expect the worst.

But either way, Shari J. Ryan created one heck of a wicked good thriller and I happily give My Husband's Past a solid 4 stars.

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