Dee and Babs have been friends since they were teens and are now approaching their sixties. Both have trouble with their husbands and so they decide to go on a spontaneous trip to Cornwell on their own. Once there they make friends fast and think about changing their lives and start over alone.
I really enjoyed reading this book: it had great characters, a believable plot and the setting makes you want to book a holiday in Cornwall asap. I especially enjoyed reading a book with older main characters and I liked that the downparts of living in area that is a tourist magnet are mentioned. Everything turns out very well in the end and while this is a bit unbelievable it makes for a an uplifting and entertaining feel-good novel.

When Dee sees that her husband, Nigel’s phone notification of a holiday vacation house he has booked for a week, she is thrilled. It’s her 60th birthday soon and she can’t believe that he is surprising her with this. She shops for a few things and when she returns, she finds him packed and ready to leave. He is shocked when she thanks him for this surprise holiday saying he thought her birthday was the following month. He also says that he has booked the home for he and his buddies to take a golfing holiday. She is hurt and furious.

Dee’s friend, Babs, is married to Geoff. Now that he is retired, he wants to sell their house and move to Spain. But, she refuses to go and tells him he cannot sell their home. Oh, but he tells her that the house is in his name only and he will sell it and move.

Furious at their husbands, the women decide to book a holiday home in Cornwall for the week to celebrate Dee’s birthday and to just enjoy themselves. They quickly join in with the community happenings. Dee runs into an old friend, named Kenny. He lost his wife several years ago and lives in the town now.

I loved how these two women discovered a new life for themselves as they grew to be more confident and independent. Every day brought new adventures. This story was so good that I just didn’t want it to end. I do hope there will be a sequel. Now, I want to go to Cornwall. Enjoy!

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

The Runaway Wives by Karen King is a story that some women who have been married for many years can relate to. I laughed and cried with these wives as they found their way to happiness.

Faced with husbands who seem to take little to no notice of their needs and wants, Babs and best friend Dee book a last-minute trip to Cornwall and don’t tell their husbands where or why. Her husband has habitually cheated on Dee, and now he’s booked a golf holiday on the same day as her sixtieth birthday. Meanwhile, Babs’s husband is threatening to pack up their home and move to Spain, and won’t listen to reason.
I loved getting to know Babs and Dee and following their adventures in Cornwall. I found myself chuckling as they went from one drama to the next, and yet managed to remain happy and determined to enjoy every moment of their adventure.
With a considerable supporting cast that included villagers, a particularly lovely cat and erstwhile relatives, I was thoroughly engaged in their adventures.
Although nominally connected to her friend, I felt completely drawn to Dee and understood the pain of being a golf widow. Thankfully, my husband’s golf allows me time to write my reviews, so it’s a perfect fit in this instance. I couldn’t help but be angry on Dee’s behalf and was thrilled that she took a stand in the face of his behaviour. Marriage truly requires some give-and-take from both sides, and without that, the relationship may be doomed to failure.
Babs was in a different position as her marriage had been loving from the start. What she didn’t understand was the reason for her husband’s about turn and decision to uproot their lives on what seemed to be a whim. The book, of course, explores his motivation, and it soon becomes clear that even the most loving relationships can misunderstand what’s going on.
The story is touching, uplifting and totally relatable. Imagine a story where Thelma and Louise had a happier ending, and you’re on the right track.

Babs and Dee run away from their husbands. Geoff married to Babs has a hair brain scheme to sell up and move to Spain despite the fact she has explicitly said no. Nigel forgets a hallmark birthday for Dee and goes “golfing” instead. I knew exactly what he was gophering for.
I loved the seaside town the ladies escaped to and knew how Dee’s story would turn out but wasn’t sure about Babs.
Getting older and changing one’s life can be scary but also exhilarating.
People should consider it their time, finally, to find pleasure and grab life with gusto.
It’s an inspirational read that everything can work out all right.

BOOK: THE RUNAWAY WIVES
AUTHOR: KAREN KING
PUB DATE: MARCH 2025.
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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THINGS I LIKED
1. Both FMCs, Dee and Babs, their years of friendship are admirable, and I like their personalities. They're different, but they still get along with each other.
2. I liked how the authors mixed both good and bad sides of marriages. It was realistic.
3. I liked how Dee stood up for herself. It was due, and I was annoyed at her that it took this long.
4. I liked the plot, storyline, and the characters. An amazing book
5. I liked the small town the women vacationed in
6. I liked how Babs stood up for herself and even compromised when necessary.
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THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
1. I would have wanted an epilogue from Babs.
2. Not much after that.
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This was an amazing book of re-discovering oneself, resilience, and friendship. Any book about women taking charge of their lives? Sign me up! I would totally recommend it
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In Karen King's "The Runaway Wives," two best friends, Dee and Babs, leave their neglectful husbands for a spontaneous trip to Cornwall, seeking escape and a chance to reclaim their identities. Their journey becomes a voyage of self-discovery and renewed friendship, as they navigate unexpected adventures and rediscover their zest for life.

King's witty dialogue and vivid descriptions make this a truly immersive and enjoyable read. Dee and Babs are relatable characters whose struggles and triumphs will resonate with many readers. I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining and funny story.

This is a perfect beach read because it is light hearted, fast paced, easy to read, and filled with funny moments.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely fantastic and funny story.
I couldn't put this book down.
It has been such a long time that I have found a story this good.
Will definitely be looking out for more titles by this author.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This is the story of Dee and Babs, two friends who’ve known each other years.

Both are fed up, their husbands seem to do as they please and Dee and Babs have to toe the line. When Dee’s husband forgets her special birthday and Bab’s husband decides to sell the house and move abroad, they’ve had enough.

In order to get away from everything, they book a holiday let in Cornwall. During their stay they involve themselves within the community, helping out where they can, and remember what they used to love doing and in the process think about how they want their lives to progress.

Dee and Babs were relatable, their husbands Nigel and Geoff, I didn’t much like, but, other secrets are revealed about them both.

I highly recommend this book.

It felt so sad at first for Dee and Babs. There's a relationships and it's complacency,that can happen especially long term. Buy usually love etc you work through it. But these two husbands were another level of no! I'm glad the girls didn't just put up with it. And there start their own adventure and possibly a while lot more. They escape to a community that envelopes them and helps them their lives and themselves in so much clearer colour's.
I love the characters involved. Both our main characters has me wanting to hug them at the start. But they had that quick wit and quirky fight in them that I grew to love coming back to. It's a book you will walk into the room,time for a read, and sit down with a smile too. It's seems sad to say how hopeful and full of sunshine this book was considering the husband husbands role in all this. But just read it and you'll get it.

This was a quick, cozy, and perfectly sweet read. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships with each other.

I did not enjoy this book. I am not sure I was the type of reader the author intended. I would read another book by this author.

The Runaway Wives is the most exciting fun good time read. It got my adrenaline pumping as it's so deliciously delightful. It's about best friends Dee and Babs who leave there husbands to fend for themselves as they jet off for a girls seaside holiday. I absolutely loved the characters as they are totally believable and brighten the story with their quick witted thinking. The plot is simple but effective as it encourages women to see their worth. I loved the small beach town community and the animals just added a gorgeous addition to the brilliantly written story. I felt so much happiness and joy when I read The Runaway Wives.

I thought this book was a fun bit of escapism. Just the book for me to read on my latest beach vacation

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The blurb and the cover caught my attention and I was very excited to read The Runaway Wives.

The story is about two friends, Dee and Babs, who are being taken for granted in their marriages, and decide that enough is enough. To escape their current situations, they take a holiday let in Port Telwyn in Cornwall for a week. Here, they become involved with the local community, rediscover themselves and assess their futures.

I thought this was a lovely gentle read. A story of friendship, resillience, kindness to others and finally standing up for themselves.

I found the characters of Dee and Babs very likeable and relatable. Their husbands Nigel and Geoff come across as thoughtless and self-centred - but that's only the tip of the iceberg! And the community they find themselves amongst are open and welcoming, which gives the two friends pause for thought.

A delightful read that I would whole-heartedly recommend to anyone who enjoys uplifting women's fiction.

This is a humorous yet insightful story about two women, Dee and Babs, who feel overlooked in their long marriages. Dee’s excitement over a birthday retreat turns to disappointment when her husband, Giles, prioritizes a golf trip. Meanwhile, Babs returns from Dee’s birthday lunch to find her husband, Jeff, planning to sell their home and move to Spain—without consulting her. Frustrated, the two women embark on their own getaway, leading to self-discovery and unexpected changes in their marriages. With relatable themes of feeling invisible in relationships, this engaging novel balances humor with heartfelt truths.

Good idea but the execution leaves plenty to be desired. It got progressively worse and I had to force myself to finish it.

I loved this story of Dee and Babs aka the runaway wives.

Not happy with their current situation, Dee and Babs decide to run-away from their husbands and celebrate Dee’s 60th birthday.

However, they didn’t anticipate just how much they would be welcomed into the village life in Cornwall.

But you can’t runaway from your problems forever….

A great story, with some heart warming parts. A good escapism read

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

This book was such a fun read! It was lighthearted, full of laughs and ideas! How many of us want to runaway?! I loved this and will def be adding this to my collection.