The Marriage Rule by Helen Monks Takhar
☆☆☆Publication date 8th May 2025☆☆☆
What’s the one thing you need to do to stay married?
Elle would never have ended up in danger if she’d followed the Marriage Rule, the one thing she’s been told a wife needs to do, even if it breaks her. A twisty domestic thriller, I raced through this book in two nights. Compulsive and intelligently written, a huge five stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

I’m a big fan of Helen Monks Takhar, so was excited to find out what ‘the marriage rule’ would entail, knowing it would likely be something dark! As it happens I felt the ‘rule’ itself wasn’t as central to the plot as i’d assumed from the blurb.

The book explores themes such as motherhood, gender roles and coercive control. I struggled to warm to Elle, despite her predicament - she made some frustrating decisions and I didn’t ever fully connect with her character. The true nature of the ‘villain’ also took a while to emerge - whilst this could be an effective method of highlighting the insidious nature of coercive control/abuse, in fact it felt like his character did an unexpected 180 and out of the blue was suddenly depicted as a throughly unpleasant and abusive man. It felt a little clunky to me, but I might be in a minority there!

Overall it kept me turning the pages, and the author does manage to sustain a feeling of tension and foreboding throughout, which is no mean feat.

4 stars from me!

I enjoyed this one. I liked the structure of the story - the way we flipped back and forth from the present day to weeks earlier made sure that I kept turning the pages as often the present day bits were left on cliffhangers and I was desperate to get back to them. The plot held my interest and covered some interesting and important themes. I was really intrigued as to how everything would come together at the end.

The only thing that stopped me from really loving this is that the writing style didn't quite connect with me. This is obviously personal preference and others may really like it.

Overall I thought this was a good book and I would recommend it.

An excellent thriller full of twists and with some great character interactions, touching on friendship and how fragile it can be, dominating bosses, misconduct, gaslighting and a plethora of other events that leave Elle reeling and ricocheting through the worse wake up of her life. So well written that by half way through I trusted noone and questioned all motives- even those of the police!

#TheMarraigeRule #NetGalley
Highly recommended.
The Marriage Rule is a gripping, complex exploration of motherhood, marriage, and the secrets we keep from those we love. A mix of personal struggle, suspense, and deep emotional conflict, this novel challenges the boundaries of relationships and the choices we make when life takes unexpected turns.
Nine months into motherhood, Elle finds herself overwhelmed and disconnected. The early joys of motherhood have given way to fatigue, self-doubt, and a sense of being lost in her new identity. Her work life has taken a backseat, her body feels foreign, and the pressure to rekindle intimacy with her adoring but seemingly perfect husband, Dom, only adds to her anxiety.
In an effort to cope, Elle turns to her charismatic new colleague, Gabriel, and the temporary comfort of wine. But when a night of drunken distraction leads Elle to wake up next to a dead man in a hotel room — someone who isn’t her husband — Elle’s life is thrown into chaos. Suddenly, she’s faced with a haunting decision: How can she escape the situation with her marriage and future intact? And what role does The Marriage Rule—a piece of advice she’s been told will save her relationship—play in all of this?
Elle is a relatable protagonist, whose internal struggles with her identity, marriage, and motherhood are painfully real. Her conflicting feelings—of love for her husband, guilt for her actions, and a desire for something more—are portrayed with depth and nuance.
The Marriage Rule is a compelling and emotionally charged novel that offers both suspense and deep emotional insights. Helen Monks Takhar expertly navigates complex themes of self-identity, motherhood, and the fragile nature of relationships, all while keeping the reader on edge with a suspenseful, twist-laden plot. This book will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with finding balance in life or questioned the expectations placed on them within a relationship.
An intelligent, suspense-filled exploration of marriage, motherhood, and the secrets we hide. Highly recommended for fans of psychological drama and emotional thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advance copy.

Elle has the perfect life with Dom,, but she is struggling with the demands that this life brings.

Dom seems like the perfect husband and Elle can't belive that he chose her.

When she meets Gabrial, life for Elle changes and she begins to see just how things are for her..

This is a good read and covers the theme of coersive behavior. Dom is a demanding man and wants things done his way.

I loved this read. It is a pacy and twisty novel and Seeing how life is through Elles eyes was a bit shocking at times.

Highly recommended

This book was excellent full of twists and turns, as soon as l thought I had it all figured out, off it went in a different direction everything you could want in a thriller and it's an easy 5 stars!

It explored a theme which is quite current today which was violence against women with the element of coercive control the author did this a diligent and thought provoking way.

To say this plot was a wild rollercoaster journey does not even come close, it was heart-stopping!

Finally, I’d highly recommend this book a must read when it comes out in May 2025!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

Elle is struggling with being a mum and also failing at work,
Things are hard for her but she mustn't break the marriage rule.
A well written storyline which sucked me in straight away.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

I literally stayed up all night to read this as I couldn’t put it down. I was scared, frightened and absolutely terrified for Elle and what was going to happen. My heart was pondering and I was in shock so many times. The twists are insane.