Just o.k.- figured out one of the results of the tragic deaths but didn't see the other one coming.....

The Good Widow is a good beach read! The beginning was captivating! The storyline lost its mojo and became redundant in the middle of the book. The repetitiveness became boring. However, the suspense (finally) took off at the 85% mark, and it was thrilling.! Regrettably, the suspense was short-lived and the denouement abrupt.

Jacks Morales is devastated when she is told that her husband James has died. But not on the business trip to Kansas as he'd told her, but rather on a trip to Maui. The novel centres around Jacks and her husband James, and Dylan and her fiancé Nick. I found Dylan possibly the most interesting of the four characters. Explored through her own chapters, set in the past and approaching the accident, she comes across as the typical girl. I particularly liked her interaction with James during their trip to Maui because it was so interesting to see that honeymoon bubble burst for her as it had for Jacks prior to the novel.

There were some really good things about this novel that I loved; the alternating point of views, the change between the present and the past and the bittersweet ending. The relationship between Jacks and her sister was also a major bonus for me, because I thought it was brilliant. I also loved how Jacks grew on her investigative/goodbye trip to Maui. I thought it was really good character development and it made me feel so much more invested in her as a character.

Downside, it was somewhat predictable. I guessed what the plot twist was four chapters into the book and it made the novel slightly boring as a result.

I spent a good portion of my time reading this book saying (sometimes to myself, other times out loud) girl, what are you thinking about the actions of the "heroine". Let's just say I would have chosen differently in many cases. However, a story about my life choices would probably not be very interesting to others so I kind of understand. It rubs me the wrong way when characters act in ways that seem to be solely, or primarily, to progress the story and that happens a lot in this book. It also has the back and forth of time periods as well which I also find irritating unless the payoff is extraordinary. I would say the payoff does not come close to extraordinary in this book. Not a bad way to spend a few hours but not one I'd recommend.

A completely unbelievable story. I couldn't finish it because I was not invested in this story.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Not sure what to write in my review for this book on one hand it is good but on the other hand have read similar books lately so maybe I was just bored with the subject.

I really enjoyed this book, although I sit here several days later with unanswered questions.
For the most part, the story kept me engaged and at times had my heart racing. I was slightly annoyed by the main character, Jacks. However, I choose to give her a pass because I have never been in the situation that she found herself in.
My unanswered questions surround James and Dylan, but maybe that is how it's supposed to be.... Jacks didn't get all of her answers and neither do we as the readers.

Overall, a great summer read.

The Good Widow by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke is, in this copycat female heroine deluge of badly or average written novels; a breath of something different. There is in this novel, something that is lacking in so many others and goes so horribly underappreciated. An originality in storytelling and even an embracing of its own flaws. But more than all that. there is story; dammit, story.

"...Our marriage was far from perfect, but did I think he was cheating on me? Never. Not even in hindsight. Maybe that made me naive or stupid or a little of both, but I was happy. I wasn't one of those wives with trust issues. I'd heard it all from friends whose husbands traveled-that they required their spouses to check in several times a day, to supply them with a full itinerary, to regale them with details about their trips when they returned back home. I didn't want to be like that..."

Jacqueline, "Jacks", Morales was an elementary school teacher whose marriage, though not perfect, was quite fulfilling until the day when two policeman showed up at her door. Her husband, James, who she believed was on a business trip to Kansas, has suffered a fatal car accident in Hawaii. Only he wasn't alone.

Burying her husband is hard, but it is made worse by the knowledge that his final moments were spent with another woman. Now as she wrestles with both the betrayal and grief, Jacks is visited by a stranger. A man named Nick who may be the only person who truly understands how she feels. Nick, whose fiance disappeared only to wind up dead, in Hawaii. So Nick has a proposition. A way for both he and Jacks to find closure.

"...I explained to Beth what Nick said when he came to see me. That he hadn't been able to sleep since he found out his fiancee died, because he needed answers. He needed to understand more. About Dylan. About James. About the bond they had formed together, seemingly right under our noses. He wanted to travel to Hawaii to retrace their steps. It might sound crazy, but would I go with him?
'He asked you to do what?' Beth interrupts me.
'To go to Maui with him.'
'A perfect stranger.'
'Yes.' But what I don't say is that we are connected by this event in a way that no longer makes us people who don't know each other..."

Together, Jacks and Nick travel to trace the steps of the lovers who betrayed them. But what they find is even darker and far more dangerous than the pain they are already going through. Can their newfound love survive the truth of the past that haunts them?

Okay, I started this with a pretty positive review but now is where I pull back. This could have been a really good tense thriller if the authors had invested a little more time in the characters and made them as compelling as the story could have been. But what we have is a story, a very good story, but still one where I was able to piece together what would happen in the first third of the book.

Let's begin with Jacks. Despite the title, she is not a good widow. Hell she wasn't even a good wife. She marries James in a whirlwind romance and forgets to mention that she may be infertile. A minor kind of thing in this day and age, seriously, why would any man ever expect to have children with his wife? But her lies and deception are really James' fault. An unfair expectation of his predisposed by his Latin American family. But being barren aside, lets screw he boyfriend of the lover of your husband because, because you know, we all need closure.

Then there is Beth. The caricature of the best friend/sister who will travel across the world to take care of you. But then you don't. Not really. Not when Jacks is in danger or just making bad decisions. You're pretty much just loud and obnoxious. A busy body who serves no purpose.

But now to the real issue with this book.

I seriously figured out the plot in the first 100 pages and finished the book hoping that there was more to it than that.

The Good Widow is a good story, with an obvious plot and weak characters who cannot raise it above it's failings.

THE GOOD WIDOW is the debut emotional thriller from bestselling authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke. The cover was perfect…dark water creating an eerie feeling of things to come. I really enjoyed reading this book, and found I was caught up in the moment experiencing the drama.

It’s funny how your life can change on a dime!
“Elementary school teacher Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales’s marriage was far from perfect, but even in its ups and downs it was predictable, familiar. Or at least she thought it was…until two police officers showed up at her door with devastating news. Her husband of eight years, the one who should have been on a business trip to Kansas, had suffered a fatal car accident in Hawaii. And he wasn’t alone.”
Her husband, James had been in a rented Jeep Wrangler with a twenty-four-year-old woman named Dylan Matthews. Dylan was also killed.
Jacks was devastated and couldn’t accept what had happened. Eight years married and her husband had secrets. Why had he died in Maui? He was supposed to be in Kansas! She needed to find out “WHY”, to add closure to her life.
Dylan’s confused fiancé, Nick, also in shock, needs answers, so he suggests that he and Jacks search for the truth together, by going to Maui and retracing the lovers’ last days.

But nothing is what it seems… Not her marriage… Not her husband…And Not even his death.
I will not comment further for risk of spoilers. You must read this book. The strength of this book was in the well-developed characters and the drama they faced. I just had to see where this was going. The chapters were identified by the character, “Before” or “After” the accident., the writing easy to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing. Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke for a copy of this book.

Excellent book with twists that make it hard to put it down. There were several times throughout my reading that I had to make myself tear away from it. I am always up for a great read and this one won't disappoint. The ending was unpredictable and I completely enjoyed learning how everything unfolded as secrets were revealed layer by layer. This book is easy to recommend because these ladies definitely brought their A-game.

WOW. That was my first thought after finishing this fantastic book! I've loved Liz and Lisa's other books, but this one was above and beyond! I read this book over a business trip and it was so hard to put down because I was itching to know what happened next. When you're about three quarters of the way through the book, you think you have it all figured out--how it's going to end, what's going on. And then, the plot twist smacks you in the face! It's such an unexpected twist and so well written and I loved the element of surprise! It's not too often a plot twist like that is so surprising--I certainly didn't see it coming!

Of course, I loved the Hawaiian setting in the book and it was clear Liz and Lisa knew the area too, to make the book more real. I love Jacks as a character and my heart hurt for her as she moved through the grieving process. I LOVE this new genre for Liz and Lisa and hope they keep writing this style of book! This is my favorite of theirs so far but I recommend all their novels.

THE GOOD WIDOW is a tale of love, marriage, betrayal, and secrets. The latest book by the duo Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke takes the reader down a path of discovery through a slow build of tension and suspense. By intertwining the past and the present as well as different narrators and perspective, the authors created something that kept me wanting more. I was bouncing around from page to page and flying through chapters waiting for the shoe to drop. Then when it did…wow.

For those of you looking for an action packed mystery or one filled with police procedure, this book is not that. However, what this book does have is a darkly obsessive story filled with humor, heart, and plenty of twists to keep your interest until the end. A must read.

This book was well-paced and definitely held my attention. I knew there was going to be some sort of twist but I didn't quite anticipate what it was. I found parts of it to be a little bit too predictable but it was still an overall enjoyable reading experience. I'd label this as a perfect summer beach read - unless you are visiting the Road to Hana :P
I haven't read their other books yet but I will for sure be seeking them out!!!

Twisty.  That's the best possible way to describe this engaging psychological thriller.  

Jacqueline has a pretty good life.  She enjoys her job as a teacher.  And if asked to describe her marriage of eight years, she'd probably say it was pretty good.  All that comes to a screeching halt, however, when two police officers show up at her door with the worst possible news.  Her husband has been killed in a tragic accident.  Well, actually, that's not the worst part of it.  He wasn't where he was supposed to be, and he definitely wasn't supposed to be with the woman who died with him. 

Confusion reigns as she tries to make sense of what happened.  So when Nick, the fiance of the mystery woman, persuades her to join him on his quest to find answers she willingly joins him.  But answers lead to more questions, and she finds herself no closer to the truth.  

Nice little mystery with a neat little twist at the end.  A great, quick read!

If you love drama & suspense then this is a must read!! It was definitely an emotional roller coaster.

Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales gets a surprise visit by two police officers at her home in California. They inform her that her husband, James, has died in Hawaii in a car crash. Also dead is a mystery woman that was in the crash with James.. Jacks is confused because James was supposed to be on a business trip to Kansas.
After James' memorial, a stranger named Nick, shows up at her door. He was formerly engaged to the woman from the accident, Dylan. He is also searching for answers and wants to visit Hawaii to retrace their loved ones last few days. She was hesitant at first, but eventually agrees to join him, as she is also looking for answers. Together they solve some of these mysteries while unraveling some unsettling truths.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy!

A good start but the book then became quite boring and predictable . Not for me , sorry

The Good Widow will send you on a roller coaster of emotions as you read this fast paced mystery/thriller. If you like a mystery with a suspenseful and twisted ending, this book is
for you! Make sure this book is in your beach bag this summer!

The writing style was so poor (even the very first sentence made me cringe) that I did not get very far.

Twisty and turny. Loved it

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Jacqueline "Jacks" Morales was FaceTiming her sister when a knock at the door changed her life forever. Her husband, James, was killed in a car accident in Hawaii. Jacks is confused because James told her he was going to Kansas for work. And she is devastated because James was not alone in the car, his girlfriend was with him. Jacks is dealing with her new normal when there was another knock at the door. This time it is Nick, the fiance of the young woman with James. He is just as devastated as Jacks and is really the only person who can fully understand what she is going through. They start up a friendship and soon find their way to Hawaii to retrace the final steps of their loved ones hoping to gain some understanding of what happened. And in the process, they start to have feelings for each other. The closer they get, though, Jacks starts to get a feeling that she is missing something important about what happened to James, will she be able to figure it out before it is too late?

I have been following Liz and Lisa since their early Chick Lit is Not Dead (now just a blog on their website) days. I was thrilled when they wrote their first novel and have followed their career with interest and excitement. You could say that I have been in inspired by their career. Having said all of that - The Good Widow was not their best effort. It started out strong, their first chapter had me intrigued, but almost immediately I had it figured out. I stuck it out and finished the book hoping that there would be some kind of twist at the end to prove me wrong, but no, I was right. The book starts out strong with Jacks finding out about the accident but from there it becomes very predictable. The book is told in alternating voices - Jacks "after" the accident and Dylan (the other woman) "before" the accident. You get to see both sides of the story and frankly, neither woman was perfect and James was a sleaze. I wish that we could have seen things from Beth's viewpoint. Beth is Jack's sister, but most often she was Jack's tether to reality. I did not find the book all that suspenseful, nor was I all that shocked by the ending. Overall, I was disappointed. - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom line - I have always been a fan of Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, but this year I think I would encourage you to read their previous works rather than their new release. I wanted it to be so much better, I wanted it to have me on the edge of my seat, but sadly The Good Widow was predictable in every way. Have you read The Good Widow? What did you think?

Details:

The Good Widow by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
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Pages: 300
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: 6/1/17
Buy it Here!