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For Better and Worse

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Member Reviews

Great, fast paced thriller! I read it in a couple days because I couldn’t put it down. Didn’t know where this was headed- terrific twist!

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FOR BETTER AND WORSE is the psychological thriller by pseudonym author Margot Hunt.

Will took Natalie on a first date to a French bistro, in New Orleans. They were both law students. While talking criminals, Will says to Nat:

“I bet if we wanted to, you and I could plan the perfect crime. Maybe even the perfect murder.”
When they came up with a possibility “Who”, they moved on to “How” and the method of execution.

“If we had to… we could absolutely get away with it.”

“To our future as criminal masterminds.”

Fast forward, now Will and Nat are married, with an 11- year-old son Charlie, living in a small town in Florida. They spend their Sunday mornings, weather permitting down at the beach with their small terrier mix dog called Rocket. Natalie is a criminal attorney and defender, practicing for 15 years, first as a public defender and the opening her own practice.

Will is an estate lawyer, more flexible and easygoing than his wife, but with a wandering eye. Their marriage was at a standstill, and Nat suspected her husband was having an affair.

Then one day, Charlie’s principal is dismissed, under suspicion of being a pedophile. Their son had been placed in danger. He had been abused, and Nat refuses to call and report this to the police, because she knows the trauma that her son would have to go through, in the current legal system. She knows that if you want justice…you have to get it yourself.

This was a fast-paced thriller that kept me glued to the chair. I found the ending was a little rushed, and was a surprise that I didn’t see coming. A very intriguing story.

The Perfect Murder! Will they get away with it?

Many thanks to Harlequin-MIRA via NetGalley for my digital copy.

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The first thing I loved about the book was the different perspectives. There are three Parts to this novel and you get to understand the two main characters POVs. In turn, the different perspective made my sympathy shift from one character to the other throughout the book. Even though my sympathy shifted, I did like both characters up to a certain point. Afterward, I really was annoyed with Will's character, he was just falling apart at the seems. Which I understand given the circumstances, but I personally don't enjoy when a character is really weak all throughout the story.

As far as the story goes, it was quite a slow-burning one for me and did find that there was a lot of things being repeated. However, I did like the writing and was an overall great story of the lengths parents will go too for their child. Highly recommend.

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Have you ever been angry enough to want to kill someone? Have you ever wondered if you had what it takes to actually do it? How you would plan it out? Whether you’d be able to get away with it? I think most of us have at one point or another in our lives. (I really hope it’s not just me!)

For Better and Worse, author Margot Hunt’s follow-up to her psychological thriller Best Friends Forever (reviewed here), answers that question head-on.

For the complete review, click the link below.

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Absolutely ATE THIS UP! I loved literally every part of this book. I would definitely read anything by Margot Hunt if it's anything like this! I think I read this book in two sittings I couldn't get enough of it. I love fast-paced thrillers and this is most definitely one of those! WOULD RECOMMEND!

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Such a great book with a great twist! The book was not what you expect, but has so many twist and turns that leave you wondering what will happen next.

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This book was a little hard for me to read because of the subject matter, but I liked it. I like the pace of the book and the character creation. They felt real, and that's not something I encounter with every book.

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For Better and Worse is another 5 star story from author Magot Hunt. Fair warning, this book is extremely difficult to put down. The reader is given the point of view from both husband and wife, with the reader often asking themselves what they would do in their position. I was given a copy to review.

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Interesting idea, but the execution was a little messy. I found the pacing and build up was rather slow, and there wasn't much shock factor or any major plot twists. The overall story was lacking that suspense feel, and the outcome was predictable.

I did personally have a hard time digesting some of the subject matter as well. Please be aware that the story does deal with a child predator. There isn't overly descriptive details, but I struggle with stories involving abuse of children and I often try to avoid them.

So while For Better and Worse was an entertaining enough thriller to hold my attention throughout the entire story, it didn't leave a lasting impression, and I'm not compelled to recommended it. However, I would never discourage someone from reading it, so give it a shot if the synopsis intrigues you.

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This book is one of those that keeps you turning pages unable to put the book down. When something terrible happens to their 11 year old son Nat and Will take action to keep the offender from ever hurting another child. The problem is their life as they know it can be detrimental to the life they know, they could end up in prison for life. You’re dying to find out if Nat and Will can commit the perfect murder they discussed on their first date or if they’ll end up in prison. I read so quickly because I had to know their fate. I had many different ideas about how it would end and was actually thrilled that it wasn’t a possibility I had considered. Overall the book was an excellent read although I was a little displeased with the open ending that could lead to a sequel, I thought it would be great as a stand alone ending really before the epilogue.

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Its often easy to talk about what you'd do in any given situation, but what happens when you're actually put in a situation you never imagined? How do you continue to hold yourself together, and to what extent are you willing to go to protect those you love? When parents are faced with tough decisions, can the marriage withstand the ultimate crime? I liked this book because it help true to a thriller, suspenseful and fast paced. I also thought the premise was rather unique from other thrillers that I have read. Definitely worth the read.

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A solid thriller about two parents, unhappily married but drawn back together when they have to deal with what is happening to their community and how they need to protect their some from it. I absolutely did not care for either character. Flawed and doing what they feel they need to do, I just couldn't connect with either one. The subject matter is always a tough one but the author doesn't go into too much detail which should be helpful to those who may be triggered.

Lately it seems that the books I've been reading seem a bit abrupt in their ending compared to the suspenseful build up from the first half of the book. It all happened a bit too quickly for me and then ….. where'd it all go? I needed just a little bit more from it. I'm so torn in how I feel about the whole thing. Enraptured for the first half, tense for part of the second and then lost a teeny bit of interest with the quick conclusion.

My second book by Hunt and I'll be looking for the next release.

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Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author, Margot Hunt, for the opportunity to read and give a honest review of “For Better and Worse.”
I found this book to very suspenseful and a intriguing thriller. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books written by Margot Hunt.
This is a story about a child molester and the lengths parents will go to in order to have justice served. Ask yourself this question, “what would you be capable of doing to protect your child?”

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"Marriage is hard. Everyone knows that. It's hard to stay connected when you're dealing with parenting and work and all the crap that life throw at you. But there were things we could have done to improve it...You didn't even try."

For Better and Worse tells the story of Natalie and Will, two law students who end up married with a child. On a very ominous first date, they discuss getting away with murder. When something tragic happens their young son, they find themselves taking justice into their own hands. Now the question is, "Will they get away with it?"


Review: The "blurb" of this story on Goodreads basically tells you everything you need to know about this book. It's kind of like watching a movie after you've seen the trailer and feeling like they included all of the exciting parts in the trailer. However, I still found myself on edge, wondering what was going to happen. Natalie seems to have the perfect plan, but when a wrench gets thrown in her plan, things go awry. The characters seem to dig themselves in a deeper hole, as they become entangled in their own web of lies. I had to keep reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen to them. I didn't find Natalie or Will too endearing, and at times, I wanted to slap both of them. However, as a parent myself, I could understand (to an extent) where they were coming from. I did think the ending was a little anti-climactic, but after reflecting on it for a day, I think that was the point. If you're looking for an easy read that's more entertaining than not, I'd recommend this one. I give this 3.5/5 stars. Thank you Netgalley for this free e-ARC.

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Full of deeply shocking moments and the fine line between right and wrong, this book challenged my values. It’s so heavy that I literally felt like I was coming up for air when it was over. For Better And Worse actually made me feel physically sick. I wanted to close my eyes and pretend it was over, but then I kept peeking to see what would happen next.

I loved the characters. Everything was based around a married couple, and the story fluctuated between them while staying on a linear timeline. The premised seemed shallow at first glance, but as each layer of the situation is revealed, it displayed what those characters were really made of. Wow, Natalie Clarke has a pair of spiked steel balls hidden beneath her power suit.

This is another one of those times when you don’t want to read the summary. Just stay away from the little snippets that tell you what the book is about. It’s so much better if you can go into it blind, not knowing what to expect!

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How far would you go to protect your child after they inform you that they have been molested? Before any one reads this book just be informed it may not be for everyone with child molestation part of the story. Natalie and Will met back in law school and on their first date they bounced the idea of getting away with the perfect murder. Now married and both lawyers they have a son. Natalie works as a criminal defense attorney. Never did Natalie think that one day that her son who attends a private school would fall danger to a predator. Now she faces the dilemma do something to stop the predator before he harms another child or stay quiet and hope her son is able to deal with what happened to him. There isn’t a who did it you go into the book knowing who the victims are and who the predator is. There isn’t a single moment you feel sorry for the predator. The author takes you straight to the core of the issue how far will parents go and are they able to pull off the perfect murder? You are taken into Natalie and Wills marriage problems along with how they cope with what happened. This was a quick read for me I enjoyed it and highly recommend this book for anyone wanting a quick read where you are rooting for the murders! I give this four stars!

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I always enjoy a good thriller - this one definitely stayed true to that preference! There were times where it was a bit confusing or complicated to understand the depth of the payback, but that being said, a good book leaves you thinking about it, and this one did,

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Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me a chance to read this novel early.
I'm a really picky reader when it comes to Thrillers. A really good Thriller needs to grab my attention very early on - preferably on the first few chapters. I was so happy when I discovered that For Better and Worse was one of those.
The epilogue was fantastic and left me with endless questions about the characters, Natalie and Will, and what’s about to happen. The following chapters were not less exciting and made me even more eager to keep reading. It was a total page-turner and so gripping.
The situation in which Natalie and Will put themselves in was super complicated, seemingly hopeless, dumb but also understandable in some way. I loved that the story was so unpredictable; I never knew what was going to happen next. I was so excited about the book that I started telling my co-workers about the story too. They were also really intrigued (or did they only feign interest? :D) and couldn’t believe what was happening either.
Margot Hunt’s choice in dividing the book in 3 parts and alternate first person POVs, contributed to the excitement of the story. I learned so much about each character: what made them tick, why they made certain choices. I must say that Natalie was one was creepy character.
I’m not sure when it happened exactly but the story took a slight turn for the worse in the end. Worse might not be the correct word but the excitement from the beginning lessened. The ending was not what I was hoping for, unfortunately. It was good but something was missing. I was hoping for a big bang but it never came.
I would still recommend For Better and Worse to everyone who likes a good thriller because the idea was brilliant, the characters were flawed but human, and the unpredictability of the story exciting.

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Wowza! 4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I read the synopsis of For Better and Worse, it really appealed to me. It was original and sounded like an entertaining psychological thriller that would keep my attention. It did not disappoint! In fact, it grabbed me from the first page and did not let go!

Natalie and Will, both attorneys, have quite the conversation on their first date back in law school. Could they get away with murder? And so the story begins...

For Better and Worse is filled with nonstop twists and juicy drama. Margot Hunt has yet to fail me with her writing skills. I can’t wait for her next book! Hurry Margot!

This was a super easy and fun read that I highly recommend to all of my thriller loving friends!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin MIRA and Margot Hunt for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Available now!

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Well, that was unexpected and intense! I don’t think I fully read the description, because I definitely didn’t know what the mystery aspect was going to be.

And it’s hard to impress me in this genre anymore. I’ve read it seems about every possible thing. And while I liked this okay, I didn’t love it.

I’m not sure I was ever a fan of Natalie and Will. I just didn’t care for them as a couple. So that may have been part of the issue.

I did love the idea behind the story, but I think it fell short in the execution.

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