Lauren, Jessica, and Emily have a problem. A big problem. Brian, their ex- husband, husband, and father, is dead- burned to death in Miami. His partner, Steve, is ducking their calls and they are worried about their financial situation. At the same time, as it happens, there are some very bad guys looking for something Brian has- something the women don't know about, at least not yet. Emily, a wily 16 year old if ever there was one, enlists a hacker to help her crack Brian's files, which reveal any number of surprises. Luckily, Lauren is a family court attorney who, if nothing else, is able to gain access to the courts and knows how to work the system when Emily and Jessica are arrested AND when they all decide to fight back. There's a subplot involving a little romantic attraction for Lauren which has its charms. My only quibble is that the underlying bad activity is a little hazy (even for someone accustomed to this genre). Thanks to the publisher for the ARc. This is a highly readable plot driven thriller with three strong female characters.

3 1/2⭐️‘s
When Brian Silverman is murdered it leaves way more questions than answers. His ex wife (Lauren) and new wife (Jessica) must put their differences aside and band together to find those answers. Things really heat up when he and Lauren’s daughter (Emily) joins them in their quest. As the story progresses, the relationship between these strong women grows making this an integral part of the overall book. Although I was not a huge fan of the plot and the the large number of bad guys was a bit on the overkill side, the action and the strong characters made up for it making this book a fun read!

Widows-In-Law by Michele Miller is a twisting, thriller where the untimely death of Brian Silverman leaves his family with a nasty mess.

Brian’s ex-wife Lauren, current wife Jessica and daughter Emily put their past differences aside to form an unlikely partnership to discover the suspicious business deals he has been making with a former friend Jordan Connors. This lead him getting mixed up with the wrong crowd and now Jorge Arena’s was out to get the money taken from him, even if it mean killing people to get it.

This book goes back and forth from the different characters viewpoints allowing us, as readers, to see the story unfold from all sides. I gave this book 3 stars because there were parts that were slow for me and would find myself thinking about other things. However , there were plenty of exciting parts that kept me wanting to keep reading and find out the end result. I still would recommend this book for those that enjoy thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This author has done a great job of writing the original storyline as if you were watching a movie. Not only can you see these two women joining together...even though they don't get along...but you'll be peeking through your fingers hoping nothing bad happens to them. The story very quickly becomes a race to see who will win the day and get the money. The good guys win, but along the way, it's an exciting ride.

The description of the book was both intriguing and had me wondering if I would be disappointed by the characters; spoiler - I was not disappointed! The female characters were strong, but relatable in their reactions to the situations they were facing. The lengths one would go for money and to hide deceptive behavior in this book had twists and turns you couldn't predict. The situations were a little far fetched for "real life" but sucked me in and kept me turning the pages. All together, a good read I would recommend.

WIDOWS-IN LAW - Michele W. Miller
Perfect 10
Blackstone Publishing
ISBN 10: 1-5385-5691-X
ISBN 13: 978-1-5385-5691-7
March 2019
Mystery

New York and Miami – The Present

Lauren is the ex-wife of New York lawyer Brian Silverman. He is making millions of dollars with his law firm partner Steve Cohen. Lauren is also a lawyer, but she practices in the New York family court system. She doesn’t make the money Brian does, so depends on his alimony checks to support herself and their daughter Emily in the expensive city. It killed her to do so, but when she could no longer control Emily and the crowd she was hanging with in high school, she let Brian take over custody of Emily. She didn’t want Emily to end up like herself. In her teens poor choices led her into some unfortunate and dangerous situations. Her parents had both been drug addicts which led Lauren into making some very bad decisions. She overcame her past and desperately wants to protect Emily. Brian owns an expensive house in a better part of the city with his second wife Jessica. It places Emily in a better school system, and Brian can control the rebellious teenager better. Brian had cheated on her with Jessica before the divorce, and it left Lauren feeling inadequate and with low self-esteem. She calls Jessica her ‘wife-in-law,’ a term she learned in family court. Then Brian’s secretary Peggy calls Lauren. Lauren learns Brian was found burned in his bed while on a trip to Miami. She flies to Miami with both Jessica and Emily, but they are too late, Brian died.

While initially Steve told the two widows-in-law everything would be all right, he soon stops taking their calls. Then he claims Brian wasn’t really a partner and they will be getting nothing from his law practice. Lauren thinks this a fabricated story. Brian was the better lawyer and had told her his share of the firm’s contingency fees was worth millions of dollars. She and Jessica work to discover the truth, and from there everything goes downhill. Jessica witnesses the murder of Brian’s friend Jordon Connors, threats are made against Lauren, demands and threats come from criminal enterprises, and Jessica and Emily are arrested, all this leads to some very dangerous situations. Why was Steve being so deceptive, and just what was Brian up to? Carl Cintron, an FBI agent, takes great interest in Brian’s case despite being told to move on since Brian is dead. He already knows he has an even greater interest in Brian’s first wife.

The viewpoint shifts from Lauren to Jessica, to Emily, to Carl, and even to Brian before his death. Everything for everyone is tied up in convoluted circumstances. The story isn’t sorted by chapters but by dates and character viewpoints. It is a gripping read about changing relationships and hidden desires and motives, criminal conduct, and overcoming almost insurmountable odds. A great read with emotional, smart and thoughtful characters caught in unfathomable positions, which makes this a Perfect 10.

Robin Lee

Being the ex-wife is job enough, with out having to take care of the new wife, when your ex-husband, Brian dies, but Lauren finds herself in this very position. Before long, Lauren, her daughter Emily, and Jessica the younger model, Brian traded up for find themselves in a mess much greater then they bargained for, as they learn that Brian was in a huge disaster of his own making and that perhaps he did not die by his own hand. Each woman in the story grows stronger as the book progresses and they begin to sleuth, and then to desperately look for answers and solutions before their own lives might be cut short, too.

This was a surprising thriller, with some very likeable women, even those you might not want to like in the beginning of the book. If you think your husband makes a mess of things... just you wait and see how Brian mucks things up... for himself and for those around him... although some people may have it coming.

I truly loved this story about three badass women working together to clean up a man's mess. I didn't know what to expect yet I was pleasantly surprised by the plot. It flowed perfectly and I was able to envision everything as if it was playing out right in front of me. I was rooting for Lauren, Jessica, and Emily the entire way and absolutely loved how much they each grew as characters from co-dependent, fragile and afraid to strong, fearless and fierce women. I was in awe of Lauren and her strength and courage, especially coming from such a rough background. I admired Jessica for picking herself up and awakening a side of her that I don't think she knew she had. And Emily - I loved Emily - for her wit, sarcasm, and quick-thinking. I loved Carl (and Mookie!) too and was happy with how everything came full-circle in the end.

Thank you for this really fun and exciting read!

What a very unique premise! A trio of smart, determined women get together to solve the mystery of the illegalities associated with the recently deceased man who played an important role in all their lives. For 3 women played by this one man, and coming together to work for a mutually-beneficial closure for each of them, is indeed a new exploration of the sensibilities we women possess...sometimes without us even knowing our own strength until we call upon it. Definitely recommended!

I tried starting this book twice, and each time I found it to be a really slow read and just couldn’t get past about 10%. I thought the premise was intriguing enough, but the writing just didn’t keep me wanting more.

Lauren, Brian's ex wife and mother of his child feels left out in the cold sometimes. Brian has a beautiful, young wife now. When Brian dies unexpectedly and due to their child, Emily, Lauren helps Jessica, the new wife arrange the funeral.  Emily's feeling's are worth more than than the anger. It comes to light that not all of Brian's dealings are on the up and up. Will they survive long enough to get everything in order? Is the danger caused by someone closer to Brian than they realize. I really liked this book. It is about how two women survive through their differences. I received this book from Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing for a honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Review by 2shay..........

Wow! This book packs a punch. A great story about women who have to find a lot of inner strength to deal with the death of a husband, an ex-husband and a father. Brian left a hell of a mess. Both Lauren, the first wife, and Jessica, the current wife have events in their past that they would like to forget, but the present keeps bringing forward their pasts. They have every reason to dislike and distrust each other, but in the scramble to save themselves and Emily, the daughter they both love, they, reluctantly, find a way to forgive each other and work together.

This is a superbly told story by a talented author. The characters are vibrant, and so well developed that I found it easy to empathize with each. The search for the missing millions seemed totally believable, though I have to confess that I know nothing about banking laws. So, I swallowed the whole thing, hook, line and sinker.

These women went through HELL. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and still dreaded getting to the end. I wanted more. I WANT more. I hope Ms. Miller is planning a sequel. Grab a copy and...

Enjoy! ARC graciously provided by Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

Lauren is an attorney, working for New York City's Family Division. She was married to (philandering) Brian, also an attorney, but he is working in a lucrative private practice. Brian has already remarried to Jessica - a nurse he met on the west coast.

Particularly because they share a 15 year old daughter (Emily), Lauren leaves for Florida where Brian has been critically burned. Emily and Jessica first meet her at the airport. Soon after they all arrive in Florida, Brian is pronounced dead. Steve, Brian's law partner (?) and best friend was also there to help out with arrangements.

At the funeral Rick and Carl (undercover cops) muse over who does attend and who doesn't.

As the reader finds out, both Lauren and Jessica need funds from Brian's estate and/or owed money to him from previous cases. Steve becomes quite unavailable. Eventually, Brian's trusted administrative assistant, Peggy, meets with Lauren with some revealing information. Unfortunately, Lauren, Jessica and Emily become amateur sleuths and they may be are heading for trouble. There had been more than meets the eye going on with Brian and the also elusive Jordan Connor...

A very interesting read. The characters come to life. Wait until the conclusion!

Many thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a thrill of a ride.

Gave up at 60% through. The book was just not all that captivating. The characters all unlikable and not at all interesting to me. I was not at all vested in what happened to any of them and realized I really wasn’t enjoying this book. It was far fetched, over dramatic and unpolished.

3.5
I love when women band together and kick ass! This book is fun. The way the relationship grows along the way is the true story. The action ran the gamut from somewhat believable to somewhat ridiculous. Regardless, it didn’t dampen the spirit of the story for me.

My only gripe is the bad guys. How many do you need?!?! We have the Dominican Republic and Asian mobs (and a mention of a African or South African one) along with Bobby karate and the local mob and they aren’t alone. At a certain point I gave up caring about all these characters and trying to keep them straight and started to skim these parts. Less is more.

There are twists and surprises. I was happy with the ending. I loved the epilogue, happy to see that happen! Overall, this was a good one!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Blackstone Publishing for a copy in exchange for a review.

To figure out who killed their husband, a first and second wife must work together… or die trying.

After the sudden death of her ex-husband Brian, Lauren helps Brian’s much-younger widow, Jessica, arrange the funeral and settle his affairs. Lauren gets much more than she bargained for when information comes to light about Brian’s shady business deals with his old college friend, jeopardizing Brian’s estate and throwing the women into the world of high-stakes illegal gambling. With only a few days to find out where Brian hid millions of dollars in bonds and in fear for their lives, Lauren, Jessica, and Emily must set aside their differences and work together to secure their inheritance and evade the crime Lord's Jorge Arena’s murderous crew.

First I have to say my least favorite character was Lauren, I just didn't like her attitude. This was a strong female lead type of book with an interesting plot. I thought it was a good read and would recommend to anyone who likes female heroins and a lot of crime!

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #WidowsinLaw
Pub Date: 26 Feb 2019

What an entertaining read! Michele W. Miller breaks all stereotypes writing this book, giving such nuanced backstory for each character that the reader adopts them as friends. I've read many thrillers with a similar premise but while those ones entertain, their characters' personalities are usually paper-thin. I loved that Lauren's childhood was so gritty and that she is now so strong, physically and mentally. Jessica surprised me too, and I was rooting for her the entire way. My favorite character was Emily, the daughter -- whip smart and growing up quickly, fiercely loyal to Mom and step-Mom. My second favorite character was Mooky, Carl's dog! There was just enough humor and the faintest touch of romance to keep this novel from being too dark. Brava!

Great book! I loved the story line. I loved the characters. A wife and ex wife come together for the daughter and for safety after the husband dies unexpectedly. Filled with mystery, murder, adventure and friendship. I highly recommend this one. My thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The female friendships were reasonably slow-burning and quite satisfying. The criminal investigation aspect was quite thorough, though certain aspects of it stretched credibility or dragged on unnecessarily. I was neither enamored nor convinced by the quality of the romance. I wasn't a fan.

Three stars for the female friendship development..

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me access to this title ahead of publication.

Full of adventure, thrills, mystery, friendship! All wrapped up in murder and a blended family. Great story line, well written, quick read, excellent ending. Look forward to more by this author.