This was an amazing and suspenseful drama that kept me fascinated throughout the entire journey. The characters were engaging and believable. Can’t recommend it enough!

This was a very suspenseful and tense book! It was very intriguing and kept me guessing! I enjoyed it, as it was a gripping domestic thriller book. I do think some of the “red flags” in the main relationship were a bit too obvious, but enjoyed this book nonetheless.

Thank you Hera Books and netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.

Wow- Where to start
What a rollercoaster this was.

Lucy works with offenders in Prison and meets Paul in a bar after work.

After a one night stand it all becomes very intense and within months they are married.

Lucy gets blinded by love, Paul is not all he seems until Lucy discovers the truth of his past.

Who is Lucy to believe? Or is Lucy just going a bit bonkers!

This was very gripping, dark and twisted, a great read. Shows you a great insight to emotional abuse and how blinded you can be and who can you actually trust.

Well worth a read and looking foward to more from Elena in the future.

Twisty thriller asking how well do you really know your spouse or your partner?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it the characters. I would call it a psychological thriller that literally leaves you guessing until the last page

Lucy has met Paul as she literally bumped into him in a pub. He is a psychologist whom she sometimes sees at work as she is a probation officer. One of her cases is getting rather close to her and she is having to pull back for her own safety. Meanwhile her relationship with the rather mercurial Paul is whizzing along and she finds things about his past that then just disappear. She realises that she really doesn’t know him and hasn't even met any of his friends. With Paul and Gould (the ex-con) her life is beginning to be on a knife edge. Who is telling the truth and can she trust Paul? Ooooh!! This is one of those books where the tension nicely builds and you have that sense of unease that something isn’t quite right. Why would a boyfriend hide things and deny things from his past? Surely a foundation of truth which is what Paul insists on, but maybe doesn’t abide by his own rules, would be better? A slightly creepy, well written read that made me sit on the edge of my seat. I did wonder how it was going to end. I won’t give anything away other than to say nicely done! A captivating read.
(rest of links as part of blog tour)

This is the first book I have read by Elena Wilkes and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It w as suspenseful and kept me guessing right up until the very end. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. I will definitely be recommending this one!

Lucy met Paul as she quite literally bumped into him in a pub, Paul is a psychologist whom she sometimes sees at work as she is a probation officer. One of her cases, Gould, is getting too close for comfort so she decides to pull away for her own safety.. Her relationship with Paul is moving quickly until she finds things about Paul's past that just seem to disappear when she realizes she doesn't really know Paul at all she's never met any of his friends or family. With Paul and Gould Lucy's life is beginning to unravel. Who is telling the truth and can they be trusted?


WOW!!!!! This is one of those books where the tension builds as your heart quickly beats and you can just feel that something is wrong? Wouldnt Paul want her trust him? isnt that what relationships are founded on?
I wont give anything else away but i will say it was a creepy read that kept me on the edge of my chair and quickly reading to find out what would happen,.

This was a page turner that had my heart beating rapidly in my chest and at the edge of.my seat.From page one to the last.page you were surprised with all the twist and turns.Makes you wonder do you really I ow people

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review. The Man I Married is a dark and twisty psychological thriller. Unlike many books in this genre the novel is told exclusively through the viewpoint of one character. That character is Lucy, a 34 year old probation officer from Yorkshire England. While on a trip with her co-worker/best friend Emma, Lucy bumps into Paul Webb. Paul is a criminal psychologist and the two embark on a whirlwind romance which quickly culminates in marriage.

It doesn't take long for Lucy to realize that Paul has isolated her from her friends and co-workers and she has no idea who her husband really is. The author does a fantastic job of building tension and there is a real sense of unease that permeates every interaction between husband and wife. I felt as though I were walking on eggshells with Lucy, as Paul deftly used his knowledge of psychiatry to make Lucy doubt her sanity.

Although I found the book to be a compelling and quick read., there were some plot points that were inexplicably dropped. I was mostly satisfied with the ending but if any book ever needed an epilogue this was surely it. I was left with some unanswered questions about Lucy and after having become so invested in her character I wasn't quite ready to part.

Overall, this is a solid and sinister domestic thriller. I do recommend it. and look forward to reading more from this author.

A very readable book about emotional abuse. Very twisted, only thing that spoilt it for me was the part of Simon, thought it would develop more. Worth reading.

So many twists in this thriller. Had me wondering who was the crazy one. Great read..kept me on the edge of my seat.
This author knows how to spin a tale!!

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release of this book.

I really loved the premise of this book. I love psychological thrillers, and this seemed to have everything I usually love in a book

** spoiler alert ** This was good.
One of those books that has so many warning signs that you're almost shouting at the main character to wake up and smell the psycho.
But then there's also moments when they're so plausible that I wondered if I remembered something correctly.
Things were muddied by a case at work... making Lucy seem like she really was unravelling.
A slow drip feed of information and an explosive ending.
Definite page turner.

The Man I Married is a twisty thriller. The first half of the book I was trying to figure out what was going to happen. The first half is really building the story and giving background. It is interesting but the typical thriller starts in the second half. The second half is a lot faster paced and an interesting thriller.

Lucy meets Paul and they quickly fall in love and get married. Then Lucy starts catching Paul lying and starts questioning everything. Lucy is left wondering what is true? Lucy doesn't know what is going on. Who can Lucy trust and how can she find out the truth?

I recommend this book to anyone that likes domestic thrillers. The Man I Married is Elena Wilke's debut novel. I cannot wait to read her future novels.

Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was quite the read, I have to say!

Lucy and Paul are both very interesting characters, and a lot happens in the story that really had me scratching my head, thinking about all of it!

I started this book and almost put it down because I was not sure where the author was going with the story. But I was glad I hung with it and finished the book. It somewhat reminded me of a movie I saw years ago called ‘Gaslight’ . I truly felt the main character should have seen the warning signs of her husband Paul and gotten away sooner. He definitely seems to be a bit psychotic. I loved the twist at the end. (I won’t spoil the story). Thai was a good read

The man I married’ is a pretty unique and readable psychological fiction from Elena Wilkes.

It’s a bit of a whirlwind and would lend itself beautifully to book groups (this novel NEEDS to be discussed - I definitely feel the need to debrief after THAT ending!!)

Essentially the plot is a whirlwind romance that takes a turn for the unusual.

Probation officer, Lucy, randomly meets Psychologist, Paul, in a pub. After a disastrous previous relationship she falls head over heels for him. He seems to feel the same.

Quickly the pair become suspicious of each other. Dark secrets and mysterious characters emerge but who is telling the truth? Is Paul as manipulative as he seems or is Lucy paranoid? Having finished the book I’m still not entirety sure I have answers to these questions!!

My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

When Lucy met Paul, she couldn't help but fall deeply in love with him. And when they got married, she thought that she had everything she wanted. Until she found the photograph from Paul's past life, read the text messages he's so desperately trying to hide.

Now Lucy realises she doesn’t really know her husband. She doesn’t know if she can trust her own mind. And worst of all, she doesn’t know that she’s in danger...

This was quite a twisted read. I love the way the suspense develops slowly as the plot progresses.

The book focuses on the emotional abuse that some people go through in a relationship. At times they are so blind and trusting, that they ignore to recognise some of the obvious signs of warning that something is wrong.

I just wished that the story around Simon would have been better handled.

I also enjoyed reading the letter from the author, where she quite rightly points out that sometimes the people who commit the most deadliest crimes are the -" People who walk amongst us. They appear ordinary, not very different from us at all, but when you scratch a little deeper, you discover they hold some very dark and dangerous secrets."

Thank You to NetGalley and Hera Books for this ARC!

A good thriller witj a crazy psychotic main character. Well written and crazy twists at times. Highly recommended xx

I really liked this book it kept my interest through out the book the twist's and turn's were good found myself yelling at the main female character at times

Thank You NetGalley & Publisher for this gifted e-ARC!

You love him. You’ll do anything for him. But do you really know him?
This is the story of Lucy and Paul.

They met. They fell deeply in love. They got married.

Lucy thought that she had everything she wanted.

Until she found the photograph from Paul's past life, read the text messages he's so desperately trying to hide. Until she uncovered Paul’s darkest secrets.

I enjoyed the storyline told in this book.
It was a dark, twisted, thriller that really gets you drawn into the reality of abuse.
Shows the story of a toxic relationship and what it does to a person.

Enjoyed the book.
4/5 star review
.

Do you really know someone? Or do you really only know what they tell you about themselves? Does anyone ever question if the person is telling the truth? Of course not we tend to believe what people tell us. Lucy has had bad relationships with men, until she met a charming man (Paul) and he swept her off her feet and quickly married her. Things were great for awhile until he started acting very strange. She started wondering who this man she married was. What did she get herself into. He started making her think she was losing her sanity because there were days he was normal and suddenly was controlling and angry. She wasn't sure what do. Then she noticed a women kept following her. Lucy knew this was so strange but things got creepy, even scary when she found out what this woman had to say about her husband. This book was amazing until the end. I would highly recommend it.

When you’re reading this book you have a real sense of danger right from the beginning. This book is fast paced, intense and an edgy read and also a little bit provocative! This is a real psychological thriller and when I say that I mean it in a very real sense, you can feel the psychological manipulation and that someone is messing with your head. And at times you don’t know who is messing with who’s head. If it was a TV show I would have found myself shouting at the TV, instead I was shouting in my head!

Lucy and Paul meet, fall in love and get married. It’s a whirlwind romance. Lucy suddenly finds she has the perfect life, everything she’d ever wanted. But one day she finds a photo in Paul’s bedside draw, that leads her to realise she doesn’t really know much about Paul’s past life. But what does she really know? Can she really trust anything Paul tells her or even trust her own mind?

Twisty and turny. Something I feel like I have read before but it was well written and enjoyable. Thanks for the opportunity to read!

The Man I Married by Elena Wilkes is a dark psychological thriller that will keep you reading long into the night. Just how well do we ever really know those with whom we share some of our most intimate moments? And to what lengths will someone go to conceal the very darkest recesses of their soul?

When Lucy meets Paul, she believes that her prayers have been answered. After all, he is everything that she could ever want in a partner, and life seems to be idyllic. That is, until Lucy discovers a past that Paul will do anything to keep hidden from his adoring wife.

This is a compelling read that will leave you questioning all that is initially accepted at face value. It is probing, sinister, and creepy, and I loved every word of it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for this ARC.

Pooh this was a good book!
Such a twisty plot, an absolute page turner. It was predictable, but in a good way, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I don't feel this spoiled it for me at all.

ucy had recently been in a relationship with Dan – she thought he was “the one”. Yet, it turned out badly. Dan was already in a relationship with his WIFE. This did a number on Lucy’s self-esteem. After all, her friend, Emma, had lots of dates. the greatest guys, yet Emma seemed OK with this.



When out/drinks with Emma, Lucy meets Paul. They have dinner and overnight connect with each other. He was nice, not really handsome, but he had not relationships, children. He really seemed like someone Lucy could be happy with.



But Paul had secrets – and those secrets weren’t so nice...



This read hooked me right in! A very well-written novel that will satisfy any reader of thrillers, mystery and suspense. There is always something happening in this book – no lag time here!



Many Thanks to Hera Books and NetGalley for a great read!

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I love thrillers and this was good. It had the twists in it that I love but at points it was a bit slow. it did not stop me from reading this though.

This was quite an intense read. Very psychological with a ton of mind-games. In fact, I remember shouting at a few of the characters, I couldn't believe the manipulation I was reading. Then calmed myself down thinking, it's only a book, it's not real. But to have that impact on me because I was so engrossed is a real positive thing.

I would describe this book as twisty and intense. I had a love/hate vibegoing on with some of the characters and it's quite thought-provoking. The story starts off slowly and I was unsure at first what direction it was heading in, but then about half way through I was totally hooked. I found the chapters to be very long, so I was often stopping and starting halfway through them.

Overall a great book and a recommended read.

Wow! What a ride!
When Lucy first meets Paul she is swept up with him and is able to become someone she has always wanted to be. She falls deeply into love, and everything seems perfect, until it isn’t. Lucy finds a picture of Paul’s and things start to unravel as she realizes that she may not know as much about her new husband as she should.
I loved this book and rushed to finish it.
Highly recommended!
* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

When Lucy and Paul met they fell deeply in love. They got married and Lucy thought she had everything she wanted. But then she finds a photo from Paul's past life and reads the text messages Paul's desperately trying to hide. Now Lucy realises she doesn't really know her husband.

It's true, we don't really know someone until we marry them and this story only proves this. Lucy has had bad relationships with men in the past. So when she meets Paul in a bar one night, she is swept off her feet and the pair are quickly married. But Paul started acting strange. He made her think she was loosing the plot. He was controlling and angry most of the time. The story is told from Lucy's perspective. The tension builds with every turn of the page. This is a gripping, dark and twisted insight into emotional abuse. The ending leaves a few unanswered questions and we are left to assume what had happened. The pace is decent in this really good debut novel.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Hera Books and the author Elena Wilkes for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thoughts about this cleverly written, outstanding debut thriller,was fantastic.What you do if you begin, to discover your partners darkest secrets.what I loved about this brilliantly written twisted thriller, was the first half of the story, starts to builds up for the 2nd half with full of suspense,was just fast moving with full of suspense, which I thought was just brilliant.The 2nd half of the story defiently tooks my breath away. Debut author Elena Wilkes's has written a powerful story,that truly deserves appreciation, and applause,love how she manages, and balances the story and its fantastic characters together, which is just incredible. The characters are brilliant, be it Lucy, who I thought was just fantastic,and  Paul's character who has a dark past, that will shock you. I so much loved this book  that is something different, I've read over the past one year. This is one of the debuts, to watch out for that is just brilliant, this will take you on a journey, to find your partner who you married, has a dark secret past. Highly recommended.I would like to say thank you to Author Elena Wilkes, Hera Books,Netgalley and Sarah Hardy of The Bright Side Publicity for giving me a chance and review this outstanding thriller.💥💥💥💥💥⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

How well do we really ever know anyone?

Even the person we exchange vows with and sleep next to each night?

Lucy loves Paul but Paul is a douchebag with some spicy secrets. But is he crazy or is she?

Love, love, loved this dark and cray-zee story!

Thank you to Elena Wilkes, Hera Books and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this one!
I’m obsessed with words like husband/ wife/ sister etc... so I was excited to dig into to this one and was not disappointed !
You know when two strangers meet in a bar and have a whirlwind romance - followed by a wedding within months - things are bound to go array ! And they did !!!
Paul - psychologist and Lucy- probation office have what seems to be all the tools for a successful marriage other than the fact they married quickly !
It doesn’t take long for Lucy to notice some not so favourable behaviours from Paul!
He is controlling and manipulative - so much so that soon Lucy is questioning her own sanity !
Remember he is a psychologist - but what else is he ?!
I love how the author manages to get her readers involved into Lucy’s day to day life and inner monologues ! At one point I was questioning my own sanity !
Will Lucy ever be able to sort through her muddled brain ?!
Is Paul really just trying to help her?
I loved the twists and turns , the interconnections between the characters was really well developed ! I’m a hard customer to please with my endings and I’m happy to say this one left me satisfied !
Definitely not my last read by this author !

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review -
And what a thriller it was - with a startling conclusion
Lucy and Paul fall in love and marry. Lucy thought her life was perfect except for Paul's change of character now and then. And when she found texts on his phone and a picture of another woman - the cat and mouse game began.
What lengths will Paul go to keep his secrets? What is the story of the texts and picture? Will Lucy survive?

Suspenseful book. Well written. Good plot twists that keep you guessing till the last page of the book. Liked the husband's character, but slowly made you start to suspect he wasn't who he said he was. I would recommend it to others.

I was privileged to be given an early edition to read via Netgalley. What an emotional book two people who love each other so much and how things can change after reading a text. Gripping psychological book

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and literary fiction however I wanted to take the opportunity to read something from outside my norm. And I am glad I did!! Thank you for  opening up my mind to something totally different.

#TheManIMarried #NetGalley #ElenaWilkes
Lucy has a great (but difficult) job and meets a great (but not overly handsome) man and falls in love. Things soon start to go wrong but does the blame lie with Lucy, who carries around demons from her career and a failed relationship in the past or Paul, her psychologist boyfriend who is perfectly placed to manipulate her and carries around demons of his own. I was sucked straight into the story and genuinely couldn’t put it down. A fascinating thriller, well written, fast paced and truly terrifying - does this stuff really happen ?. Can people manipulate or be manipulated like this ?. I was heading for a 5 star review ... until that ending - what an anti - climax !! . I literally reread the last few pages a couple of times to see if I had missed something but I still don’t get it. Such a shame; I feel like I’ve only read three quarters of a story - I’ll have to hope a sequel is on the horizon !!

The Man I Married is Elena Wilkes' debut novel. Lucy is a Probation Officer who meets, forms a relationship with & very quickly marries Dr Paul Webb, senior psychologist. Lucy is a likeable character, although at times I found myself questioning some of her behaviours, and reactions to the situations she found herself in. It soon becomes apparent that Dr Webb is perhaps not who or what he seems, or is Lucy actually losing her mind, or suffering psychological illness herself, as he would have her believe.. Paul's lies, controlling and manipulative behaviour and the discovery by Lucy of a photograph from Paul's past lead to a story full of twists and turns and the emotional abuse of Lucy by Paul

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for this ARC.

This was a suspenseful page turner and completely believable even though this is fiction. Lucy and Paul are well developed characters, but the question is, how well do you really know your spouse? This book had many twists and turns and surprises throughout. Some parts were predictable and other parts were not but it was a thrilling and chilling read overall. I would definitely read more from this author and recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Elena Wilkes and Hera Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 8/26/20

A page-turner that was hard to put down. I didn't know what to expect when I picked out this book but ended up being pleasantly surprised. Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for my copy.

This book had me on the edge of my seat. It was gripping and suspenseful. It was very well written and kept me engaged throughout. I would highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for this ARC.

I don't even know how to write a review after that whirlwind. All I can say is this book has totally messed with my head throughout. I was just like eh? What? Confused. I think it's meant to be like that too. Poor Lucy got it worse than me. I really felt for her throughout this. I kept second guessing myself is the problem her or him? Hmm.

The story soon turns dark and deadly towards the end. Bringing it to an explosive all out ending and the truth finally set free. It's tense, chilling, fast paced, gripping and brilliant written a real page turner. Not a marriage I'd like to be in.

A story I won't be able to forget in a hurry. Highly recommend. A well deserved four stars from me.

<center><b><i>A gripping, dark psychological thriller with an
absolutely nail biting ending that will keep you hooked</b></i></center>

Well in this case the blurb was correct. This was my kind of thriller even though parts of it are far-fetched. Secrets, lies, twists, who's crazy and who isn't, a missing child...all the elements that are enjoyable to me in a novel. The Man I Married was a very twisty and quick read that I read in an evening and I enjoyed it very much. It had such a fast pace and the writing captured my attention and didn't let go.

I usually try to puzzle out and think about how realistic things are as I can't suspend disbelief very easily, BUT I like what the author did here...So I was caught up in Lucy and Paul's story. This was such a fun romp and a great debut, I'd definitely read more by this author.

<font color="#000080"><b>I do have a little niggle though, these are a couple of excerpts from the book...</font></b>
<b><i>1) What happened, what didn’t happen, lies, truth, all re-invented, re-told, re-packaged. Whoever knows, really? Black becomes white and then becomes black again.</i></b>
<b><i>2) Otherwise you’ll say I never said it, or mishear me, or some other nonsense.</i></b>

If my man was saying/doing this all I would see is red...So Four Stars Instead of Five.
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This is a twisted story where the tension just builds and builds. I did wonder how it could possibly end, but a well written conclusion. Highly recommended

I thought this book started out slowly, and sometimes I worry that I won’t finish books that start slowly. So I figured I’d read a few chapters and then go to sleep. That was about 10pm. Before I knew it, it was 5am, and I seriously had to force myself to stop reading! (I finished it the last night.)
This book is THAT good!
I’m not one to give out parts of the story. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. This is my honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

Me reading this book: What the heck am I reading?!

Paul Webb (the male lead in The Man I Married) could be the poster child for gaslighting narcissistic psychopaths.

You guys have no idea what you’re getting into when reading this book. Having read The Wives by Tarryn Fisher, I too found myself doubting the female lead Lucy. But after one suspicious event after another, I could see how truly terrifying Paul was and now scary it was to imagine being in Lucy’s shoes, married to a man who is seemingly perfect.

Most of us want to believe the best in others, especially when a dashing man comes up to us.. saying all the right things, acting in a way that makes us feel seen but.. when you rush into things, that perfect reality you imagined can be broken in a myriad of ways.

The Man I Married is one book that you definitely to not want to miss! TRUST me when I say that this book is a must read that’ll keep you paranoid for days to come.

Loved this book, I found it to be brilliantly written which had me gripped from the start. My only complaint is I read it too quickly as I just couldn’t put it down!

The Man I Married by Elena Wilkes is a pyschological thriller that kept me definitely busy for a couple of days! Lucy works in the probation office and deals with the types of prisoner that give her the creeps, never mind anyone else. She meets, by accident a psychiatrist, Paul, who sweeps her off her feet. Lucy goes from living in her own place and spending her time with Emma, her best friend, to spending every moment with Paul. They marry after weeks together and have everything they ever wanted, as a couple. Then comes the day when Lucy discovers a photograph of who she presumes is an ex. She then realises he is receiving texts from someone, she presumes it, again,
his is ex but he denies it. Paul begins to act odd, reacting one way them denying he ever did. Lucy begins to think she is going crazy especially when she is contacted by a man who has been released from prison and he starts sharing things with her that the police and work say he couldn't be doing.
A true psychological thriller with so many twists to the story you have no clue where it is going. I was really immersed in the book and the found it a suspenseful story that kept me turning the pages! I loved Lucy, and understood her trains of thought. I wanted to give her a hug half the time! Paul is one of them characters you just want to smack in the face, a horrible man who pretends to be everything everyone wants, but is sneakily working behind the scenes with his own agenda. Emma, Lucy's best friend is a woman who really cares about Lucy and is dragged into Paul's games and causes Lucy so much heartache when she comes to the realisation. I will say I was almost shouting at Lucy and wishing she would just belief in herself and do what she needed to do for herself!
In conclusion a psychological tale that will definitely have you thinking about that one decision or that one meeting that could change the course of your life, forever and not for the good!
Thank you to Books On The Bright Side, Hera books and Netgalley for the copy of the book to give you my thoughts today.

What an amazing read! It kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through.

This psychological thriller follows Lucy, a woman who has horrible taste in men. She meets Paul, who says and does all the right things. She finds the relationship moving really quickly. Eventually, cracks begin to appear; Lucy is often confused and doubting herself. Paul isn't the great man she once thought after all...

This book was so gripping, I couldn't put it down. I had no idea where the story was going. It is a dark love story that shows how emotional abuse can be somewhat subtle and how people might stay in such situations.

The only criticism I have is that a couple of the story lines, while they were really interesting, don't really go anywhere. Like what was the point of Simon? And her doubting Emma? I was waiting for all of it to tie together.

4/5

Thank you to Hera and NetGalley for the free eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Most of us want to believe the best in others, especially when a dashing man comes up to us.. saying all the right things, acting in a way that makes us feel seen but.. when you rush into things, that perfect reality you imagined can be broken in a myriad of ways.

The Man I Married is one book that you definitely to not want to miss! TRUST me when I say that this book is a must read that’ll keep you paranoid for days to come.

The Man I Married by Elena Wilkes

Dark disturbing psychological thriller that left me wondering at the end of the book. So many times, I wanted to shake Lucy then sit her down and have a LONG talk with her about…a LOT of things. I kept thinking, “You are thirty-four, well respected in your field, capable, see the truth in others…wake up!” I will be thinking about this book for a while.

What I liked:
* The introduction to Lucy as she met soon to be paroled Simon
* The respect Lucy had at work
* Being intrigued by the way Lucy and Paul met at the pub
* The slow unveiling of the backstories of both Lucy and Paul
* The building chill I felt as the story progressed
* The questions I had throughout the story – what was real and what was not
* Wondering what I would have done faced with a similar situation


What I did not like:
* The manipulation and how easily it was accomplished
* Did and did not like that I wasn’t SURE that I knew what REALLY had happened when I finished the last page.

Did I like this book? I believe I did…though it was definitely different
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley, Hera Books and BOTBS for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

I love to discover new authors and Elena Wilkes is certainly a new author for me. I read the synopsis for 'The Man I Married' and it certainly sounded like the twisty and creepy psychological thriller that I love to read. Well I have just finished reading it and overall I did enjoy it but more about that in a bit.

I can honestly say that I didn't take to either the character of Lucy or the character of Paul, a psychiatrist, as both in their own way got on my nerves. When the story begins, we learn that Lucy is a probation officer, who travels to York to meet a prisoner, who is soon to be released from prison. After the meeting she ends up going for a drink with her friend, who then leaves her. Lucy meets Paul in a bar and it takes less than five seconds for them to discuss a case with which they are both involved. I just couldn't believe that Lucy could be so naive as to spill her guts about a sex offender in the middle of a pub to a man, who she had known for five seconds and who said that he was a psychiatrist without him having provided any proof. I used to work in safeguarding vulnerable adults and children and discussing a case in public was a big 'no no'. There's also something about Paul that set off alarm bells for me. I won't say what it is as I would hate to spoil the book for anybody but he just seemed to be too good to be true. Romance blossoms for them but it doesn't take long for the rose tinted spectacles to fall off. What happens? Well for the answer to that question and more you will just have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.

I must be honest and say that it took a while for me to get into this story. I think that has something to do with the fact that I was feeling very tired when I started to read the book and the fact that the main characters irritated me somewhat. Once I got over the character irritation, I got into the story and then found it hard to put the book down for any length of time. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen and of course I had to keep reading to see if I was on the right track or not.

'The Man I Married' is well written. The author certainly grabs your attention from pretty early on and then draws you into the story. This was one of those books that had more twists and turns to them than you would find on a 'Snakes & Ladders'. The story is well plotted and the situation in which Lucy finds herself is certainly plausible. I would say that I was gripped by the story from about a third of the way in right up until the very end. I can't say that I was on the edge of my seat for the duration of the story but I did have several moments where I almost had to read through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next. Elena certainly knows how to create a tense and dramatic atmosphere and I found that the level of tension steadily built throughout the story.

Overall I did enjoy reading 'The Man I Married' and I would recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers. I will be reading more of Elena's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.



My Review
Are you looking for an edge of your seat type read???
Then look no further than The Man I Married....
A very enjoyable debut.....
We meet probation officer Lucy in this story.
Lucy is married to Paul.....
I often wonder when we go out with or marry someone, how well do we really know the person.
So much trust is needed for a relationship and a lot is taken at face value isn't it....
Their first meeting in the pub felt somewhat staged if I'm honest...
Very unprofessional of Lucy to even discuss a case with someone she's only known all of five minutes..
Elena's characters I did find quite enjoyable if somewhat strange...
Her writing was atmospheric, dramatic and at times bloody creepy..
When Lucy finds some messages and a photograph on her new husbands phone, it takes trust and plenty of restraint to not let her thoughts get out of control...
Easier said than done...
Just what is her husband hiding from her though? It certainly had me guessing for sure...
Well worth your time and effort...

Whoa! This was one heck of a ride. I saw more ups and downs in this book than on the roads. The turnpins the author Elena Wilkes took brought the whole twist to the story.

A whirlwind of romance and secret marriage saw the main character Lucy bound to psychologist Paul Webb. But things started to happen. Paul’s behavior too left a lot to be questioned.

A debut by this author, I savored the freak-out tale, where I didn’t know what the truth was, right till the end. I loved how the twists turned me inside out. Nothing was as it appeared, and the author managed to keep the atmosphere suspenseful.

Some scenes were far fetched, but that was okay. I was too into the tale to not enjoy it. The main characters, oh Lucy, what could I have told her? I tried to poke her and get her to see the truth. But she was in love.

The race to know the reality of Lucy’s life got me tapping on my kindle until the last line. Whew!! It was harrowing, I tell ya!! Looking forward to see what this author would come up with next.

Wow. This is definitely a challenging book, given its subject matter. 'The Man I Married' follows Lucy's life after meeting and marrying Paul, who initially appears perfect before something far darker emerges from his personality... However, the abuse is not traditional domestic violence as it is commonly portrayed - instead, it focuses more on coercive control and gaslighting, the more emotional manipulation that is just as painful and damaging as physical abuse.

There are sections of this book that are very difficult to read. The author clearly knows what she is talking about, and the slow burn of the abuse gradually escalating and encompassing more and more of Lucy's life was absolutely heartbreaking to read. As such, it was amazing to see Lucy begin to fight back and explore Paul's backstory in an attempt to find out what really happened to his former partner.

Indeed, it was the second half of the book where things really picked up, and there were so many plot twists, it made for really gripping reading. Initially, I found the pacing a bit off, as the first half of the book is a bit slow with unnecessary subplots, but this completely changes in the second half, where everything is ripe with tension and you're desperate to find out what happens next! The ending itself was good, it wrapped everything up whilst also leaving the reader guessing, which is something you'll either love or hate. For me, this began as an ok read but transformed into a great one as the book went on.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in conjunction with NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

First, I want to thank Elana Wilkes, Hera Books, NetGalley, and BOTBSPublicity for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

WOW!! What a twisted must read book!! After reading Elana Wilkes The Man I Married I am reminded that being single is not so bad! This book reads like an intense man hating movie from the Lifetime Channel!! It is that good!

The graphic designers did an incredible job with the graphics on this cover! They were beautiful and so perfect to the storyline!

Elana’s prologue is intense, deep, descriptive and got your attention very quickly. I loved how she drew me in so quickly to the storyline. From there and all the way through the book it was incredibly fast paced-which I loved. I was glued to the book until the last page!

This book does cover some topics that may be triggers to some readers. If child sex offenders, pedifila, stalkers, abductions, murderers bother you then this may not be the book for you.

I was not a huge fan of Paul’s even from the beginning. He just rubbed me the wrong way. Then again his personality reminded me of my ex’s.

Simon’s Story was very interesting.

Elana has a true gift for writing in this genre. I was totally shocked and dumbfounded by the ending of the book as it totally took me by surprise. Never did I see any of that coming.

If you read Elana’s letter at the back of the book you will learn about her 18 years working at H.M. Prison. There she met a prisoner who was a lot like the one she writes about in this book. She must have seen and learned a lot of fascinating things working there. It paid off in this book!

thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free ebook copy in exchange for my honest review

3.5 stars - rounded up for rating

THE MAN I MARRIED is a solid thriller debut for Elena Wilkes! There is plenty to keep you guessing from start to finish as the tension builds. This brings up the age old question: do you ever truly know who you’re married to? What secrets have they been hiding from you? Do you ever really know their full past? So many questions and the reader is desperate to find the answers as the book continues.

Lucy falls madly in love with Paul and they soon get married. Lucy had the perfect life and all that she wanted – but we all know that doesn’t last long in this genre. A photo and some text messages unravel everything as she begins to discover his dark secrets. How far is Paul willing to go to keep their perfect life and keep his secrets buried? Who can Lucy trust?

This was a very gripping novel from start to finish but I feel like there were some unanswered questions at the end. For readers that aren’t fans of ambiguity or being left to wonder, this might not be for you as I know that can be a make it or break it for some. That’s really the only reason why I took off a little from the solid 4 star read it was from the beginning. I highly recommend picking this one up and can’t wait to see what she releases next!

I was not very happy with the ending but the basis of the story was good. How well do we know the people we meet? Interesting the authors comments at the end of the story. I am always fascinated with where story ideas originate.
I enjoyed the story and will read more by this author!

4.5 Stars

A cleverly plotted and brilliantly constructed psychological crime thriller, if like me you simply cannot get enough domestic noir, then you are sure to be gripped by Elena Wilkes’ impressive debut, The Man I Married,
Lucy and Paul fell head over heels in love from the very first moment they clapped eyes on one another. A whirlwind romance had quickly ensued and Lucy and Paul, unable to even contemplate the thought of spending the rest of their lives apart, had proceeded to get married. A lifetime of marital bliss awaited them and Lucy had been full of hopes and dreams for her future. But just how well did she know her husband? Who was the man she married? Was he the prince charming who had come into her life to sweep her off her feet? Or was he someone who has dark and twisted secrets which he daren’t reveal to anyone – not even his wife.
Lucy has no reason to entertain even the thought that her husband is not the kind and honest man she thought him to be. She is blissfully happy and has everything she has always wanted. But her perfect marriage is about to be rocked by a shocking and scandalous secret that will force her to question everything about her relationship and the man she promised to love, cherish and obey…

When she finds a photograph from his past life, Lucy is absolutely floored. But worse is to come. As she begins to dig deeper, she stumbles across text messages that leave her scandalised which make her question how well she knows the man she has chosen to spend the rest of her life with. Lucy knows that she can no longer stay in this marriage nor can she run the risk of spending eternity with a man she cannot trust. But as she finds herself overwhelmed by her husband’s shocking secrets, she begins to wonder whether he is not the only one she can trust. So consumed is she about uncovering who her husband really is that she quickly comes to the conclusion that she has absolutely nobody she can rely on and turn to – not even herself…

As she begins to question her own judgement and doubt her own sanity, one thing is for certain: Paul will do whatever it takes to ensure that he keeps his perfect life – even if it means putting his wife in danger!

Elena Wilkes’ The Man I Married is a domestic thriller that will make the hairs at the back of your neck stand on end. Full of tension and twists and turns, The Man I Married is a chilling tale about trust, betrayal and deception where the suspense is so deftly ramped up that you will be on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

A thriller that is impossible to put down and one which will go down a treat with fans of Sophie Hannah and B A Paris, Elena Wilkes’ The Man I Married is a heart-thumping and nerve-twisting tale that will have you sleeping with the light on for weeks.

I read this for a blog tour.

What seems like a whirlwind romance deteriorates into a gaslighting nightmare, with a dangerous and controlling man manipulating everything.

Paul is a psychiatrist and knows exactly how to pull the strings and cause Lucy to doubt herself and her grip on reality. He plays games with her, lies, tells her best friend conflicting stories, slowly breaking down her resilience.

As Lucy's mental state grows more fragile and she can't trust the people around her, Paul claims more power, sending her to the mental health unit and making sure no one will believe her.

This was gripping, shocking and frustrating (I really hate men like Paul and he just seemed to keep getting away with it) and the ending was a twist I did not see coming.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Like all good psychological thrillers, The Man I Married had me tied up in knots. Admittedly it took me a chapter or two to become completely enveloped in the story, but once I was, I found it hard to put down.

I’m all for whirlwind romances, but I had red flags waving and alerts blasting from the beginning. Complete with shouts of, “Warning: danger ahead!” and “Abort, abort!” at my kindle screen. *shrugs* I can’t help myself!

I was in a perpetual state of unease reading TMIM. Eerie, menacing, and sinister are just a few of the adjectives I’d use to describe what I felt. With each turn of the page, I never knew what was coming next and I felt continually on edge. Wary of letting my guard down for even a second.

Never mind Lucy questioning what was real and what wasn’t, I found myself doing the exact same thing and flipping back and forth in the book.

With each new revelation I could feel the tension building to an inevitable crescendo, but... but... but I honestly didn’t see that ending coming...

Mind games are the worst when your thoughts and feelings are twisted and manipulated to fit an alternative narrative. I feel emotionally drained (don’t laugh!). In fact, I’d go so far as to say mind games isn’t a strong enough term. Psychological warfare is more apt!

My only one grumble was with a secondary story thread. I wish I’d been able to see how that played out as I felt sure more had to come out in the wash. Or maybe that’s just my over-active imagination making 2+2 = 10 *snorts*.

What can I say? Elena Wilkes has gained a new fan. I look forward (with a hint of trepidation) to her next offering.

Twisty thriller asking how well do you really know your spouse or your partner?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it the characters. I would call it a psychological thriller that literally leaves you guessing until the last page. It was a great read and I would recommend it for people who enjoy suspense.

I really enjoyed this book.

It kept me on the edge of my seat.

So many twists and turns.

Brilliant read, edge of your seat thriller!! Loved it. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting a well thought out story.

I am really looking forward to reading more from Elena Wilkes in the future!