A quick read. Lots of suspense making it a real page turner. Becoming a bit predictable towards the end however I enjoyed the book.

My first book by Sally Royer-Derr and wow I was absolutely hooked.
Natalie and Olivia were both well written likeable characters and I love how they were such strong women. The story was full of twists and turns, the ending was excellent and I didn’t guess what was going to happen at all. A brilliant read.
Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Sally Royer-Derr for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Natalie is a great main character and it was refreshing to read a non-traditional family set up where the point is not laboured, merely stated and assumed to be accepted.
She comes across a troubling character from her past when she starts her new job and watches him repeat his crimes again whilst struggling with how and when to intervene.
There are lots of page turning moments and some twists and turn along the way that make this a book to start early so you are not up late finishing it!

The Innocent Wife
By: Sally Royer-Derr

5 Stars

When Natalie starts her teaching job at a new school, she comes face to face with her past in the form of Lucas Hanson. She thought her crazy ex in jail, Theo, was all she had to worry about. She soon finds out, while trying to help a friend, that people are not what they seem to be at times.

Wow, this book was a powerful and emotional read. I loved all the characters, except a few of course. The storyline was crazy, and then, as the secrets came out, it got even crazier. It battles a difficult topic, and it does it well. I honestly loved this story because I was shocked. I can usually figure a thriller out, but this had me guessing until the end.

I loved the way the story ended. The epilogue and the message it sends alone is worth the read. You have to read the rest to get there, though! :)


*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

Okay I read this book SO FAST. I quite literally could not put it down. The twists and turns of this book are addictive… you will have a new suspect every other chapter. This book is perfect for people who love a Thriller, but don’t want to be strung along forever and ever. It has so many genres wrapped into one, I think it would be perfect for anyone (adults only obviously)! I will give zero spoilers because you are going to want to read this one! Well done, Sally Royer-Derr!

Natalie is thrilled to begin her new job. But when she sees the 4th grade teacher, her past begins to flood back. Upon meeting his wife, Olivia, she suspects this man will continue to leave a path of destruction, but will she be able to stop him in time? Fabulous twists and turns throughout that kept me wanting for more. I could barely put this book down. Highly recommend!

Olivia Hanson thinks she has a dream marriage. Her husband, Lucas, keeps her safe and happy and is well-respected in the local school system. Olivia is the perfect wife for him, always happy and supportive—then she meets Lucas’s new colleague, Natalie, who has nothing but contempt for Olivia, a woman she had never met.
When Olivia befriends Natalie, she soon learns that her marriage to Lucas is not all she thought it was. Another woman was involved, and Natalie held all the secrets of Lucas and his long string of women. Olivia isn’t surprised. She knew her husband wasn’t a saint, but then came the shocker. Her history isn’t squeaky clean, either.
This edge-of-the-seat reading is full of unsuspecting twists – not to be missed.

The Innocent Wife by Sally Royer-Derr was my first read by this author and I really enjoyed it. The story was compelling and had me hooked from the start.

Thinking she has finally escaped a tumultuous past, Natalie and her young daughter are embarking on a new life. Coming face to face with Lucas, someone from her past leaves Natalie shaken and in a panic. Then she meets Olivia, Lucas' wife and sees the parallels of her own teen years. Noticing that Lucas has the same M O as twenty years ago, Natalie is on high alert. Olivia is starting to realize something is off with Lucas and their marriage. She too is on high alert and joining forces with Natalie, they vow to stop Lucas before another innocent teen becomes his next victim.

I loved the characters of Natalie and Olivia and how compassionate they were even though they hadn't had the easiest of lives so far. They made up for the ugliness of Lucas as they fought to protect another innocent teen even though they never had anyone protect them. This was truly a great book and I enjoyed every page of it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the advanced copy

Finished this book in less than 3 hours, one sitting! Took me a bit to get into as the beginning felt a bit forced. It wasn’t until about 40 pages in that I was really hooked. As the book progressed, it was hard to know the ending, though the obvious guesses jumped out. I enjoyed the twists and turns, which kept me intrigued and invested in finishing the book. As a mom, I wanted to jump into the book and do everything possible to find and protect Emma. Definitely worth the read, and one that will have me reading more by Sally Royer-Derr. Now it’s 3am and I’m wondering…did I move my trash can??

I liked it! This is a fast paced, easy read that had me flying through the chapters. It was a one day read for me. With 3 POVs and only 2 of them identified, the mysterious 3 POV increased the intrigue and added to the ‘creepy’ factor. The storyline includes some predatory subject matter that might be triggering for some. This is my first title by Royer-Derr but it won’t be my last. I liked how it was written. (3.5 rounded up to 4/5)
Thank You to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Sally Royer-Derr for the invitation to read this ARC.

The Innocent Wife is such a great suspenseful book that you will not want to put down! It keeps you guessing until the very end. I loved everything about this book, especially the shocking way it ended.

I really struggled with this.
Some interesting moments and some unbelievable one's.
I found myself skimming which is not a good sign.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher.
Sadly this was not for me.

If you’re looking for a Page Turner then The Innocent Wife should be your next read. The Innocent Wife is a thrilling, edge of your seat page turner.
Written in multiple point of view style in Natalie, Olivia and “him” perspective you’ll be sucked in by these characters that are easy to connect with. I love a book that has me guessing and The Innocent wife didn’t disappoint. I’ll definitely be looking out for more books by Sally Royer-Derr.

A fantastic domestic thriller read, There are no surprises or twists in the story; you know where the characters stand, For me, it was a unique story about Natalie, a special educator and single mom, who encounters Lucas again after twenty years. He is also a teacher in the same school she works,—the man who seduced her (rape) when she was only sixteen and he was her coach. Lucas doesn't recognize her at the beginning, but Natalie sees him as a teen predator who won't stop,..when she realizes there is another young woman caught up in Lucas’s lies.

Olivia is Luca's wife and she thinks Lucas, is charming and successful, and he offers her safety, security, and the life she always dreamed of. In return, Olivia is a picture-perfect housewife, smiling and supportive. But when she befriends Natalie, secrets come tumbling out that exposes the ugly side of Olivia’s beautiful marriage.

This was a page-turner, with an intriguing story, complex characters, and multiple POVs had all the thrill elements for suspense, a little bit of mystery and action, and a fast-paced story that will keep you entertained throughout the entire story.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the eARC.

Title: The Innocent Wife
Author: Sally Royce-Derr
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Pub Date: January 13, 2025
My Rating: 4.4 Stars
Pages: 279

Story is told from the POV of Natalie, Olivia, and Him (who is mysterious).

We are introduced to Natalie Amaryllis a single mom at the beginning of this story. She is a single mom co-parenting young daughter Emma with now ex-husband Jake. Natalie loves Jake and he loves her but not in a romantic way. He is not the biological father of little Emma but loves her. He is a good guy and wants what is best for both of them. However now five years later he falls in love with Candace. Natalie is actually delighted as she knows he deserves a marriage of love. Little Emma misses her dad but does like Candace.

Natalie is a special education teacher and just started a new job at Peyton Heights East Elementary as a learning specialist supporting teachers of third and fourth grades. It is also little Emma’s first day at kindergarten so they are both excited. As Natalie is meeting the teachers she is shocked to find one of the teachers she will be working with is Lucas Hanson who was her soccer coach when she was fifteen and he was twenty-five. She is not happy to see him and is thankful he doesn’t recognize her.

Olivia and Lucas Hanson are the perfect couple.
Olivia meets Natalie at ‘The Back to School Carnival’ and they connect.
Olivia befriends Natalie and after a few casual get-together lunches Olivia begins to learn secrets come tumbling out that expose the ugly side of Olivia’s beautiful marriage and she realizes there is another young woman caught up in Lucas’s lies. Olivia sort knew her husband is no saint,

This story was a page-turner. I read a lot of thrillers and expect similarities so when one fools me-I am delighted!

About the Author: Sally Royce-Deer has degrees in psychology and education. She lives with her family in Pennsylvania. She tells us in “A Letter from the Author” that this story was a fun story to write since it took place in a school setting as she worked in special education for many years. She of courses added twists and turns but wanted to show the powerful aspect of friendship – in this case between Natalie and Olivia as both deal with trauma and find strength in one another.

Want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 13, 2025.

What a fast paced, page turning thriller! The characters in this were described perfectly, I felt like I knew them well. Definitely lots of twists and turns and I love the multiple points of view.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this

This is a really well written story full of twists, secrets and lies. The two women at the centre of it all have their own secrets too. It's a rollercoaster of a ride that doesn't let up. i really enjoyed it.

Natalie is a single mom and starting a new job at school. She has her secrets that she has run away from. Now, all she wants is a simple life with her daughter.

The first day at school she runs realizes she will be working with Lucas Hanson. He is one person she hoped never to run into again. He is good looking and charming but she knows the monster that lives inside him. Natalie wants to turn the tables on Lucas and reveal the truth about him. She hates him with a passion and you feel it radiate off the page.

Natalie becomes fast friends with Olivia who is married to Lucas. Natalie is a great mom and goes out her way to protect those around her. Hearing Olivia’s story is gut-wrenching to read about what she went through as a child and the fact she is isn’t the first.

As the story unfolds you will be shocked as the past is revealed.

If you're a fan of Frieda McFadden, this book might help fill the void while you wait for her next release!

This was a quick-read thriller that didn't include anything overly horrifying or obscene—though that may depend on personal taste. The writing is solid, and I found myself completely engrossed in the story. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! I was eager to see how everything would unfold, and the ending took me completely by surprise.

I was very excited to be gifted this book by the publisher because I love finding new authors. I never heard of this author before however I couldn't wait to start this book. The plot sounded like everything I would enjoy and I was not disappointed. The weren't too many characters in this book which made it very easy to follow. It gave the reader much more information on the character development and the plot. For the most part this book circled around two main characters Natalie, and Candice. When Natalie takes position at her daughter's new school she thinks things can only go up for her. A new job a new city a whole new life it's everything she could want. However she stopped dead in her tracks when she runs into a man from her past that she thought she had long left behind. Her fears are confirmed as the man is confirmed to be Lucas, a man who seduced her and groomed her when he was twenty-five and she was fifteen. Now with a child of her own to take care of her fears multiply when she sees Lucas with the student helper at the school, Haley, who happens to be 15 as well. With her instincts going crazy she's determined to protect her family. This was a very fast paced read however there were lots of character switches which I'm not the biggest fan of. My favourite character had to be Natalie. I loved seeing her deal with her past trauma but at the same time being a strong woman and trying to do everything in her power to protect the child she didn't even know, on top of her own kids. With good character development in a really good plot I found myself getting lost in this book As the story connects you between time frames and characters you will be amazed at how perfectly they blend together. This was a creepy book that will really keep you guessing as well as pulling your loved ones closer. This is a book that binge reads were made for. Great read the whole way through. This book gave thriller movie vibes so strong that I could almost hear background music. This is one story you will get lost in. I loved every minute of it and I can't wait to see it hit shelves when it gets released. There was so many twists around every corner and the ending was the best I never saw that coming and I was left completely speechless. Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me early access of this story. I'm so excited to read what else Sally has written and after being introduced to her in this book I know I won't be disappointed.