I loved the premise of this book, it instantly hooked me. A suspense novel based around a lottery is unlike anything I’ve read before. It started out at a good pace while the FMC tried to figure out how to deal with this life changing amount of money she won and debating if she will share it with her husband after he starts acting shady. But she eventually became annoyingly repetitive and paranoid.. I found it difficult to sympathize with either of the characters and hated both of them by the end of it. I saw most of the twists coming, but there were some thrown in the end that caught me by surprise! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This book gave me anxiety from the first chapter until about 25% of the way in. Where I thought the book was going with a lost/stolen lottery ticket took a complete 180 and left me with so many wth faces during reading! Like for real, what?? This book was busy after the first quarter so just get there and then you will be intrigued just like I was. I am rating this at 4 stars because it had a lot of twists and left me thinking which is always good in a book! Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This high quality audio took a while to get going and was overly long. It tells the effect of a lottery win mixed with holding secrets. All characters are narrated perfdctly and brought to life. The twists when there came were good especially the fart fetched ending. It just took too long to get going and this spoilt my enjoyment.
Thank you netgallery and publisher and author and narrator for this 4 star listen

I listened to this as an audiobook that I received from NetGalley and would recommend this format. What can go wrong when you win the lottery - the answer is everything. The book is so full of twists that just as I thought I knew where the plot was going a twists changed things to keep me were guessing again. This was my first experience with a book by Lorna Dounaeva and if all of her books are this twisty I will definitely be checking the out.

This book is proof that money is the root of all evil, after they win the lottery. This one was hard for me to get into and a little on the slower side than what I would have liked.

As others have mentioned, it took a long time to get into and felt like it dragged on for longer than it needed. I wanted to slap the wife and husband so many times throughout the book, they were so frustrating!!! Overall, it was a fun audiobook and I enjoyed the narration.

The book took a little bit to get into. Sometimes that happens for me with audiobooks though. Several times I wanted to scream at the main character for being so dumb LOL! Overall a good listen/read.

3.5 stars
In this story we meet Natalie, , who is happily married but despises her job at a coffee shop where she faces mistreatment and lack of appreciation.

Everything changes for her when she discovers a winning lottery ticket. She sees herself with a brighter future until suspicions of her partner's infidelity come up.
She hesitates to claim her winnings, causing anxiety to spike as she struggles with the idea of leaving such a valuable win unclaimed.

What follows is Natalie's struggle but to be honest I could not really connect with her. Maybe because I did expect something else?!
However, if you like domestic dramas this is the perfect choice!

The narration by Imogen Church was, like always, a pleasure!

Thank you #NetGalley #Bookouture Audio for this audiobook

This book was really difficult to get into, and to finish. A couple who loves to keep secrets from eachother wins the lottery and you slowly see how money can ruin people. This book was honestly super slow, and way longer than it needed to be. A little too many twists and turns that maybe I just missed but made us deter a little too much from the main storyline and made it more confusing than it needed to be. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I really felt empathetic towards the main character and her plight. I felt she made very human errors and was thrown around by everyone who was supposed to love her. I would read a novel with a continuation of her story.

I really disliked the other characters. Everyone was snobby, manipulative, destructive and just not good people. Like do people really do this to one another ?

Biggest issue is the abrupt ending. I felt there could have been more.

But it kept me on the edge of my seat!

I enjoyed this one! I loved the concept of winning the lottery, it made me consider what would happen in my life if I had won too. I loved the twists and turns. Although the first 2/3 of the book seemed kind of slow, drawn out and repetitive it did pick up towards the end and kept me on my toes. I was so frustrated with the miscommunication and dishonesty between the main characters but I suppose that’s what the author hoped for. Intimately thought it was pretty good but not my absolute favourite. 3/5⭐️

This book was so twisty! I felt like I never knew where it was going and it certainly kept me going!

I wish there were a few less twists and some more character development though. It felt like there were sooo many different characters and I only got to know them on surface level when it should have been deeper.
I feel like I was also left with questions.
Overall, it was an okay book. I enjoyed listening but wish for more.

The Wife's Mistake
by Lorna Dounaeva
Narrated by Imogen Church

Rating: 3/5 Stars

**WARNING: SPOILERS**
The Wife's Mistake is a story about Hayden and his wife, Natalie. Natalie buys a winning lottery ticket. Instead of telling anyone, she hides it. Hayden finds it, and they become millionaires. This begins an entire book full of poor and unusual choices. First off, Natalie and Hayden probably shouldn't even be married, as she clearly doesn't trust him in any way, which is proven after she follows him to a work conference and kind of stalks a co-worker of his. Anyways, they get their money, and of course, the relatives that need help come out of the woodwork. The money goes to their heads, and they both make really poor decisions, ultimately leading to catastrophe.

The big thing with this book is that their decisions are so bad, that it's almost comical. I just had a hard time caring for or believing any of the characters. The narration was decent, though some of the characters voices were extremely annoying, but I think that was done purposefully. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Bookouture Audio for the chance to listen to and review this ARC!

You have the life of your dreams but is it worth it if you're always waiting for your past to catch up with you? This book had so many twists that left my head reeling. The narrator was fantastic in the audiobook version and brought the story to life. Read it, or listen to it, you won't regret it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Natalie is a barista struggling to make ends meet and suspects her husband is cheating on her with a coworker, but her life changes one evening when she wins millions from the lottery. Given her concerns about her husbands fidelity she debates whether to tell him about the money. One evening her husband Hayden discovers the ticket and claims the prize diving head long into spending the winnings...new home new cars and a new coffee shop for Natalie. While on the surface their lives are now perfect but soon suspicions and secrets begin to pop up as the couple becomes a target of blackmail, but is it money or revenge that they are after.

The story is an easy read with pov from both Natalie and Hayden but the pace is slow and I found the characters to be annoying. They are a married couple who clearly do not communicate about anything and are highly suspicious of each other. I questioned 95% of the choices they make and the people in their lives are ungrateful and annoying. Natalie's secret long lost daughter magically shows up and is immediately the prime suspect for all of their troubles. The whole illegitimate daughter and baby daddy drama was so unnecessary and weird. I liked the concept of what happens to a couple and their lives when they are suddenly rich but this spiraled into too much backstory and fake drama. There are some twists but they can be spotted a mile off. I'm not sure what the wife's mistake was because she made TONS.

I had the audio version read by Imogen Church her timing and pace is good but character voices are a tad grating.

I listened to this one on audio and it was ok. I was a little confused in the beginning because there are a lot of different characters. I did enjoy the storyline and there were a lot of twists. There just was something that felt off and didn’t have me hooked from beginning to end. I haven’t read any other book from this author but I would like to try another one. Overall, this just wasn’t a thrilling ride and I wouldn’t recommend this one if you want a fast paced thriller.

"The Wife's Mistake" starts off with promise but ultimately fails to deliver on its potential, leaving readers feeling disconnected and frustrated. While the premise initially holds intrigue, the execution falls flat, resulting in a disjointed narrative that struggles to find its footing.

The story follows Natalie, a discontented barista who wins the lottery only to discover her husband's potential infidelity. As Natalie grapples with the aftermath of her newfound wealth and marital strife, the plot takes a series of contrived twists and turns that fail to engage or captivate the reader.

From the outset, the narrative suffers from a lack of cohesion and direction, with the pacing feeling sluggish and disjointed. The initial confusion and slow buildup make it difficult for readers to become invested in Natalie's journey, leading to a sense of detachment that persists throughout the novel.

Furthermore, the characters in "The Wife's Mistake" are disappointingly one-dimensional and uninspired. Natalie's internal struggles and conflicts fail to resonate, and her interactions with other characters lack depth and authenticity. As a result, it becomes challenging for readers to empathize or connect with any of the characters, ultimately hindering their ability to become fully immersed in the story.

As the plot progresses, the introduction of various subplots and storylines only serves to further convolute an already muddled narrative. Instead of providing depth or complexity, these additional elements detract from the overall coherence of the story, leaving readers feeling bewildered and disengaged.

While "The Wife's Mistake" does show some improvement towards the end, with a slight uptick in momentum and tension, it ultimately fails to redeem itself from its earlier missteps. The disjointed storytelling and lackluster characterization ultimately result in a disappointing reading experience that fails to leave a lasting impression.

In conclusion, "The Wife's Mistake" falls short of expectations, delivering a lackluster and uninspired narrative that struggles to find its footing. Despite moments of potential, the novel ultimately fails to engage or captivate readers, making it a regrettable miss for those seeking a compelling and immersive read.

This was immersive read for me and was saved by the amazing vocal stylings of Imogen Church. Church can redeem any book with her voice talent.

The Wife's Mistake by Lorna Dounaeva. WHY are more people not talking about Lorna Dounaeva. This book was amazing. A true dream come true and nightmare all wrapped into one. The narrator was fantastic. This book had me guessing until the very last page. Loved this book so much!

The Wife's Mistake: A Domestic Suspense with a Twisted Payoff

While billed as a psychological thriller, "The Wife's Mistake" by Lorna Dounaeva leans more towards domestic suspense. Don't be fooled by the somewhat slow start, as you get further into the book, it unravels with shocking twists. The story centers on Natalie and Hayden, a seemingly ordinary couple harboring hidden secrets. When they win the lottery, their carefully constructed lives begin to crumble. The promise of a new life becomes a catalyst, exposing their past transgressions and igniting a web of suspicion.

I particularly enjoyed the "what if" scenario of a sudden lottery win. It served as a compelling hook, drawing me into Natalie and Hayden's world and making me contemplate how such a windfall could impact a seemingly stable relationship.

Dounaeva masterfully builds tension throughout the narrative. While the initial pacing might feel deliberate, it allows for deeper character development and a more impactful reveal later on. The true strength of the novel lies in its unpredictability. Just when you think you've figured things out, the rug is pulled out from under you, leaving you eager to discover the truth.

Adding to the experience, I loved the audiobook format. The narration, delivered with a captivating British accent, really enhanced the story. The narrator's voice perfectly captured the characters' emotions, adding another layer of depth to the suspense.

Overall, "The Wife's Mistake" is a captivating domestic suspense novel. If you enjoy character-driven stories with a slow-burn that explodes in a flurry of twists, and particularly enjoy audiobooks narrated with a British accent, this is for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this audiobook!

this book was okay. not my favorite. took forever for the build up and felt like we were just chasing people around the whole time.