A twisty domestic thriller that will keep you up late! So many twists. So many questions.

It always astounds me when intelligent people find themselves entrenched in a situation or relationship that clearly should be ringing their warning bells…

In this instance, a nurse and a psychiatrist meet at work and become a couple. Just months after their marriage, Fiona and Jason take custody of Jason’s two daughters after their birth mother dies tragically. (How is question number one).

Dr. Jason Hewitt has many strict rules that the entire family MUST adhere to. He maintains that the rules are there for their security, their stability as a family.

The family live in a quiet South Warwickshire village. Soon after moving in, Fiona, who has left her nursing job, starts earning extra money as a child-minder. She cares for her neighbour’s daughter who is the same age as Jason’s youngest. Shortly thereafter Fiona begins to receive threatening, anonymous notes. “I know what you did. You broke a rule” and “You’ve got it coming. Everything you deserve“.

Freaked out by these notes, Fiona does not tell Jason about them… And, it would seem that Fiona has left other jobs under a dark cloud. (Why is question number two).

In addition, Jason is no longer working as a psychiatrist at the hospital. He is now working at a university… (Why is question number three).

The story is told from Jason and Fiona’s perspectives. The reader wonders why Jason feels that these strict rules are necessary… Which narrator can you trust? Obviously Jason, who inflicts harsh punishments seems to be the villain here, but is he really?

As the novel progresses, the family become involved in a police investigation. Where this leads will keep the reader at the edge of their seat. You’ll have to suspend some disbelief to appreciate this twisty thriller, but the novel was entertaining to read. The plot’s rapid pace and short chapters create a frenzied reading experience.

One plot twist at the forty percent mark really astounded me and caused me to re-evaluate everything I’d read up to that point…

Themes of inherited behaviours, medical ethics, dysfunctional families, mental instability, and the long term effects of childhood trauma, are just a few of the topics touched upon.

Cleverly plotted, “The Marriage Rules” is a dark, slightly creepy, claustrophobic thriller that will be greatly appreciated by fans of domestic and psychological thrillers.

Fictionophile's rating is 4.5 stars (rounded up)

The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes is a tense thriller that will leave you wondering how far will people go to keep their secrets?

Fiona is a former nurse and she is married to Jason. They live in a cozy village house with Jason's two daughters from a previous relationship. But what seems like a perfect picture of a happy marriage and family also hides some dark secrets. Strict rules govern the house, from everyone in bed by 8:00 p.m., no social media, and absolutely no talking about what happened in the past. But what happens when someone starts to break those rules? And how far will they go to keep their secrets hidden?

This novel hooked me in the beginning and did not let go! I was questioning everybody's motives and I loved the general sense of unease throughout. I especially loved the dual timeline and the POVs of Fiona and Jason, I felt like I was able to put a few pieces together but that twist was unexpected for me! I will definitely recommend this novel to fans of tense, compelling thriller/domestic dramas!

Thank you to NetGalley, Samantha Hayes, and Bookouture for this ARC!! Publication date is April 9th 2025.

I have read a few books by this author and this one didn’t disappoint. The marriage rules is a rollercoaster of a read that hooks you in and makes you keep wanting to turn the pages to find out more. I found that my brain was going down one rabbit hole of what I thought was going to happen and then things turned out completely different

This is a hard book to review without giving spoilers so all that is left to say is If you enjoy domestic thrillers which keep you on your toes with lots of twist and turns then this is the book for you.

This is the first book I have by Samantha Hayes and I’m happy that I now have to choose another book to read from an extensive back catalogue.
Fiona and Jason are trying to build a relationship that has rules. These rules would appear strange to many and I cringed every time that they were mentioned. Usually when one was broken by either Fiona or one of Jason’s two young daughters. Each time they were broken they were punished. These rules made uncomfortable reading, not just for the control but also the punishment.
All of the characters were damaged, the two children because of the loss of their mother and the way they were forced to accept Fiona as their mother immediately, Fiona because of the power that Jason had with his knowledge of her past and Jason because of the control he faced under his ex wife plus his father. Despite knowing this as a reader, I found it difficult to like either Jason or Fiona, the two children though were different. I liked both instantly and their appearances throughout the novel brought a lot of admiration from me. I liked their strength and independence and the way they could see right through the control.
The narrative had me feeling tense. At no time did I feel like I could believe what I was reading but I was still unprepared for being floored by the ending. It made me want to reread from the beginning, just to see if I missed something obvious.
I really enjoyed reading my first book by this author, I just need to decide which I should read next.

My first thought was what kind of fruit loopy arrangement was this with all the rules.
Bizarre turned into deranged as I dug into the book.
Two of the characters were certifiably mental. I could t determine which one was worse and a lot of the plot and their actions made sense.
I felt the sorriest for Tilly and Ivy who were the unwitting victims.
At the end, while the delusions of two of the main characters were sad, they were right there they should be, locked up.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Twisty read that had me sympathising with all the wrong people! I did guess some of the story but not all. Very cleverly done

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this eCopy to review

Reading The Marriage Rules was an intense and thrilling experience. The story revolves around Fiona Fisher, a former nurse who seems to have it all—a loving husband, Jason, two stepdaughters, and a cosy village home. But their seemingly perfect life is governed by strict rules: everyone in bed by eight, no social media, and absolutely no talking about the past. These rules are meant to keep their family safe, but when someone starts breaking them, the cracks in their idyllic life begin to show.

As I delved deeper into the story, I found myself questioning every character's motives. Fiona's growing unease and the mysterious events that unfold kept me hooked. The tension builds masterfully, and the twists and turns left me gasping. Without giving too much away, the ending was jaw-dropping and left me reflecting on the fragility of trust and the lengths people go to protect their secrets. The suspense and psychological depth were captivating

A compelling tale that fans of thrillers will thoroughly enjoy.

Fiona, a former nurse has recently married Jason, a psychiatric doctor she met when they both worked at Radmoor Hospital and, following the death of his estranged wife Erika, his children Tilly and Ivy are now living with them in a new house in a quiet village, but things aren't quite what they seem and Jason has drawn up some very strange marriage rules that they must all adhere to; no leaving the house unless it's necessary, no phones after a certain time, family confessionals at 6pm, no talking about the past and grief time for one hour but only on a Sunday. All these rules, he says, are to keep them safe, but from what or who? They all seem to go along with them, until someone doesn't...

The Marriage Rules is the latest thriller by Hayes, with it's multi layered plot spread across three parts, told from the perspectives of the two main characters, Fiona and Jason and a dual timeline of before and after, this one will definitely mess with your head. Personally, i wondered what Fiona was thinking, agreeing to all these over the top rules when she just kept breaking them but, as the story progressed and the pieces of the jigsaw began to slot into place, everything started to make sense. There are so many twists in this story, my head was in constant spin mode and the ending was totally unexpected. Another fantastic tale by this author, where nothing is as it first seems, I highly recommend.

I'd like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #TheMarriageRules by #SamanthaHayes. This book stopped me in my tracks with this crazy plot twist! Fiona, a previous nurse met and married Jason, a doctor at her hospital. She immediately became a Kim to his two children. Jason has put some rules in place that cannot be broken. But as usual, rules are mad to be broken. You will not believe what happens and what is true and what has been broken.

I didn’t think Samantha Hayes could get any twistier with her plot lines but The Marriage Rules managed to prove me wrong! What the hell did I just read?! As soon as I thought I’d got the twist (and there had to be one because something was very VERY wrong in this marriage!) I was proved not only wrong but so far off the beaten track I was never going to find it again! And the twists just kept on coming!

The Marriage Rules are a set of family rules that Jason and Fiona live by and these rules are rather “unusual” in a modern marriage between two professional people! Why is Jason controlling his family so tightly but also why are they happy to go along with these bizarre rules? It’s obvious that something very disturbing has happened in the past and that this seems to be a way of moving on but some secrets can never stay hidden for long and sure enough their lives start to unravel bit by bit…

I adore Samantha Hayes as an author and I’ve been a fan for a very long time now. I can always rely on her to surprise me and once again she has. There’s some brilliant characters here who have been carefully crafted to keep the reader on their toes throughout the shocking storyline. I never knew who to trust as everyone seemed to have something to hide but was that something murder? As all the threads come together to reveal the truth, the shocks just keep on coming! I read this in an afternoon as it was that addictive and I just had to find out what was behind The Marriage Rules.

Highly recommended by me!

I have read some of this authors previous books so when I saw she had a new release out, I was excited to read it. And I am so happy to say that I really enjoyed this one!
I got into this book straight away and I was thoroughly invested and interested in the story throughout.
I liked the writing style, which flowed so well and this was such an easy read, I flew through it in one day.
It has a fast paced plot which kept me wanting to turn the page.
I found the relationship between the two main characters Fiona and Jason interesting and I also liked them as individual characters. I liked how we got both of their POVs in the story, however I would have preferred that it was written in the first person and not the third.
Also the twist really surprised me and I loved it! I did figure some of it out but not the whole thing, so well played Samantha Hayes!
This was such an enjoyable, binge able, easy to read psychological thriller and I highly recommend you check it out as I had such a great time reading it.

Rules, rules, rules! You must obey the rules! Whew! Talk about being taken on a whirlwind roller coaster of a ride! Samantha Hayes had me reeling with one shocker after another in The Marriage Rules! Just when I thought I knew what was happening, Samantha Hayes pulled the rug out from under my feet and hit me with another twist that left me with my jaw hanging open with the twist filled page turner! I had a hard time putting this book down when life came calling as I was instantly gripped and glued to the pages!

Fiona and Jason are a recently married couple who have moved with Jason's two daughters to a lovely village home. Jason has a set of rules for the entire family to abide by. They are strict rules, but Jason made them to keep them safe! Not everyone is a fan of the rules and soon the rules begin to be broken.

Holy Moly! This book had me on edge the entire time with its feeling of dread which was dripping from the pages. With all those rules, I couldn't help but wonder what was behind all the strict rules! I began to come up with my own theories and was so far off base that it wasn't even funny! I love when an author can shock me, and Samantha Hayes did that many times during this book. There are some OTT moments but that just made the book more enjoyable and fun for me.

Gripping, shocking, well thought out, twist filled, and hard to put down, The Marriage Rules was a hit with this reader. This is the 7th book that I have read by Samantha Hayes, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!

What a mental mess! Great domestic thriller with some unpredictable twists. Just when you think you know what's going on, another revelation sneaks up on you. You won't know what to believe by the end of it.

This book had me gripped right away, it was one that I couldn't put down as I needed to know the truth, especially with the fantastic twists,

I love Samantha Hayes' books, and this one did not disappoint. I did not see the ending coming, even through thinking back, I can see where the hints were that would lead to this conclusion.

Very shocking ending that I did not see coming! This book will have you yelling at the FMC only to conclude with “oh” when you realize what is truly taking place! This story will draw you in from the prologue.

Fiona & Jason married quickly after meeting. Jason has a dozen of insane rules that Fiona & their 2 daughters must follow at all times. With severe punishments in store, they tend to follow these carefully or at least try their very best to ensure Jason doesn’t find out if they break 1, as the consequences are not pretty.

Overall, a highly enjoyed read that I would recommend for domestic thriller fans! Twists that you won’t see coming, with jaw dropping & shaking your head moments. Well paced overall, there was a bit it in the middle that was not as engaging, however the ending came with a bang & explained while all of it was necessary. Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Fiona Fisher lives a quiet and contented existence. A former nurse who married Jason, the doctor of her dreams, she is now mother to his two daughters and living in the sort of cosy village home she's always wished for, Life is pretty much perfect in every way. As long as they stick to their rules:- Everyone in bed by 8 pm sharp. No loud music, no news on the TV, no social media. The house phone is for emergency use only. Locks on every door. No leaving the house. And absolutely no talking about the past. But one day, someone starts breaking the rules....

Jason and his new wide Fiona, live by strict rules. The story is told from Jason and Fiona's perspectives. It also has a dual timeline. This is one twisted read and I never saw the big twist coming. I was pulled in before the end of the first chapter. The story builds gradually, giving us just enough intrigue to keep us reading. There was something throughout this book that had an uneasy feel about it. I loved it.

Published 9th April 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #SamanthaHayes for my ARC of #TheMarriageRules in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!! I was hooked from the very start of this book. Very twisty! I didnt see the ending coming at all. What a shock. Absolutely love books like this. Will definitely be reading more by this author. Very well done! Thanks Netgalley and Bookouture for letting me read this book for my honest review.

This book is one of those that just when you think you have a handle on everything that’s going on completely ripped the rug out from under you and makes you realize that you know nothing, to semi-quote Game of Thrones.

I mean, just when I thought I had everything figured out and knew the direction the book was going to go in, the author threw in a new twist that completely changed the direction of the book. My jaw seriously dropped open about three or four times as I was reading this one. But in a way it all made sense, and there were no major contradictions with each of the twists, which was nice because I’ve read books where authors create twists that don’t make sense when you look back at how the plot has developed. This was not like that at all. The twists definitely made sense, when you looked back at them in context.

That also made the book creepier, because it made you think about all the signs that you missed throughout the book. It was one of those, “Man I really should’ve seen that coming,” moments because honestly, everything was there, you just don’t see it until the author wants you to. It’s really the sign of good writing.

The book also has two main narrators, at least one of which would be considered an unreliable narrator, which throws another wrench into things, so the whole time we’re wondering if what she’s seeing and thinking is true or if she’s being manipulated or if she’s not quite seeing the whole picture. like I said, it’s just creating a really creepy atmosphere that is really amazing.

If you’re looking for a creepy edge of your seat thriller, don’t hesitate to pick this one up. It’s a great book for anyone looking for a super twisty nailbiting psychological thriller that will leave you reading late into the night!

"The Marriage Rules" by Samantha Hayes is a twisted 4-star read! Fiona and Jason are newlyweds who have both given up their careers in the medical field to start a new life together with Jason’s two daughters. To help ensure their happiness, they agree on a set of marriage rules designed to keep their relationship on track. But when those rules are broken, the consequences can be serious.

The story is told from both Fiona and Jason’s perspectives, shifting between the past and the present. It starts off at a great pace that had me hooked from the beginning. The middle does slow down a bit, but if you stick with it, the tension builds and things pick up toward the end.

While the twists weren’t entirely shocking—since the author drops hints along the way—the final twist completely caught me off guard! That one really took me by surprise.

Thanks to Bookouture, Samantha Hayes, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.