Cover Image: Dear Wife

Dear Wife

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Member Reviews

This was definitely a page turner. A woman goes missing and a police man is assigned to find her. The book is written from three different points of view and the reader soon realises that when the woman narrates she is not the woman who has gone missing. As the story progresses, the reader is given snippets of info about all three narrators and how they are connected to each other which turns the whole story into a great page turner. A very good plot with some very interesting twists. I enjoyed reading this book.

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Thank you NetGalley for this chilling read that had me guessing to the end. This was such a great read and I would highly recommend for anyone who wants a great story!!

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The best-selling author of The Marriage Lie returns with another suspense-filled novel about the dark corners and traps of marriage. Kimberly Belle's Dear Wife is a deliciously good, electrifying book, which follows a woman on the run, not from the police, but from her own husband.

Beth is leaving Arkansas in her rear-view mirror ... along with her abusive husband. She's been planning on leaving her old life behind her for some time now, but the only trouble is, she knows her husband will find her if she isn't careful, which is why she is leaving a trail of gingerbread crumbs in the wrong direction as she sets out to build her new life somewhere far, far away from home.

Sabine has gone missing. A successful Arkansas realtor, Sabine didn't come home one night after a showing, and her husband Jeffrey is desperate to find her. However, it is difficult getting the police to take action when they consider you their main suspect.

Marcus is the police officer in Pine Bluff working Sabine's case. He has his ways of finding things out, and they aren't always upright and honest, but one thing is for sure - he will find Sabine and bring her home at all costs.

While Dear Wife is one of those spine-tingling stories where you can't say too much without giving away the jaw-dropping twists and turns, readers will delight in how the stories of Beth, Sabine, Jeffrey, and Marcus all come together in the end. Dear Wife is a novel that you will want to devour in one sitting, and we don't blame you if you do. As this storyline closes in at a breakneck pace, you won't be able to look away from this horrifying, yet compelling story about domestic abuse. Sometimes the monsters under the bed are the very men we live with.

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Wow! I absolutely LOVED this book! Really likeable characters and a great twist at the end :) This is my first book by this author, but will definitely not be my last! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this advanced copy. The above review is my own*

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I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, Harlequin -Park Row Publishing and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A mystery wrapped up in a thriller wrapped up in a story that would make the perfect screenplay as long as they don't change a single word of it! Read this book in one sitting, was not expecting the ending. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars.

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Wow- I am not normally a suspense/thriller reader, but I greatly enjoyed this book and had no idea about the surprises towards the end! The book moved quickly and I liked how different characters' perspectives were used. Would definitely recommend.

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Synopsis: Dear Wife tells the story of a woman who escapes her abusive husband, changes her look, changes her name, and goes on the run. Now Beth Murphy, she is desperate to be free from the man who made her live in fear for so many years. Back home, Jeffrey returns from a business trip to find that his wife, Sabine, is missing. Dear Wife follows their two stories, as well as the story of the police detective who will do anything to find the missing woman.

My Thoughts:

Dear Wife is an engaging read from cover to cover. While I predicted the plot twist early on, it didn’t matter. The tension Belle weaves into every page kept me riveted throughout the story.

That said, realizing the twist early on did allow me to spot a few plot holes. The story is told from three points of view, each first person. To not reveal the lies of one character is difficult, since we’re inside their head and we know exactly what they’re thinking. The selective thoughts of one character in particular make for a few plotholes, but I forgive this, since the book is otherwise quite well written.

The three POV’s for the story are:

Beth: A woman on the run from her abusive husband. I particularly enjoyed her chapters, which comprise the majority of the novel, because of the way she narrates what shes’ doing. She refers to her husband in second person, ex. “I’m doing this because of you,” which sent chills up my spine more than once!

Jeffrey: A man who returns home from work one day to discover that his wife has disappeared.

Marcus: A police detective who will do anything to uncover the truth of what has happened.

Despite the fact that the story is told from multiple first-person POVs, it is quite easy to read and follow. The three main characters have unique thinking styles, and the POV scenes don’t jump from one to another too often, making this a quick and easy read.

I recommend this novel to any fan of psychological thrillers. It doesn’t rely on an unlikeable main character as its hook, and has a refreshing take on the genre.

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This book was definitely a great one, and one that sits at the top of my list! I honestly never figured out the ending until the very end, with about 50 pages left. It was a great story with an even better ending, This is a great book for anyone who appreciates thrillers and mysteries. This was a fantastic follow up to The Marriage Lie, which I also loved!

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this cleverly written thriller! We experience Beth's fear that her abusive husband will find her as she acts out the escape plan she's thought of for a year, feeling her braveness along with her fear.
We also follow the search for another missing woman from their town, Sabine, and the story and characters will keep you guessing as to how these women are tied to each other, and what the truth is behind their past.
It's a twisted, suspenseful, keeps-you-guessing thriller about abuse, lies, courage, and exposing the filth about what goes on behind some closed doors.

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This is the kind of book where the less said the better- due to the plot’s twists and turns. Dear Wife opens with an abused wife Beth on the run from her horrible husband. We meet the husband early on too. At the same time as the woman is on the run, a husband reports his wife, Sabine, missing in the town where Beth is running from- Pine Bluffs. You won’t want to put the book down. I read it on one rainy day. I just didn’t want to stop until I knew ALL the answers. I will recommend this one to friends for sure.

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Thank you to Park Row Books and Harlequin Books for a free review copy of this book. I have loved Kimberly Belle’s last books and this one is amazing too. Two women are missing. One is Beth who is running away from her abusive husband and the other is Sabine. We follow the story of Beth as she is on the run. She has planned ahead and has different plans in place to try and throw her husband off from locating her. Sabine didn’t come from work one day and as the police search for her, many of her well kept secrets come to light. As Beth’s husband gets closer to finding her we are wondering where Sabine is. I’m going to keep this short to avoid spoilers. This is another well written and thought out plot. The characters were also well developed. I highly recommend this book. Be warned - once you start this one you won’t be able to stop reading!!

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What a wild ride!

I could not put this book down! There were so many plot twists, that I did not see coming! I loved every second of it! Additionally, it had a bit of a revenge story vibe to it, and I absolutely ADORE revenge stories!

The story was very clever, and the POV kept going back and forth between three characters which made the character development even better. Some of the characters were very relatable, and you truly were rooting for them on the sidelines! I especially loved the foreshadowing in this novel, expertly done!

The ending was also very satisfying, a perfect ending for a tension-filled story! I am officially a Kimberly Belle fan and will read her prior novels ASAP.

Beware of triggers for domestic abuse.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing house for providing an advanced copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own! 

Are you tired of every thriller saying that they are the next, Gone Girl? 

Me too! 

The thing is,  this is probably the closest thing I've read to that novel that really delivered on great thriller plot twists.

That's why, I'm actually going to give this one the Gone Girl Award (trademarked) for 2019.

Sabine Hardison has went missing, but this isn't the first time that she has done this. Her husband, Jeffrey, is concerned that this time is different though and reports her missing to the police.

When her car turns up abandoned, the only evidence they have is that all signs are pointing to foul play. 

Sabine's sister knows that Jeffrey isn't the supportive husband that he is sharing with the police though and thinks that Sabine may have disappeared just to escape the abusive relationship. When you learn more about Sabine's story, you know you would have to leave too.

Now known as Beth Murphy, she has cut off her hair, dyed it in a new shade, and is doing everything she can to escape the cycle of abuse she was part of.  "Beth" has to keep moving though, and keep an emotional distance from everyone, because the last thing that can happen is being found by her husband. 

One detective is unwilling to end this case until these answers are found and he will stop at nothing to figure out where Sabine is hiding or who could have murdered her. This game of cat-and-mouse is on! 

I loved, loved, loved this thriller and highly recommend this one if you are looking for a solid plot to really sink your teeth into. The twists were so well-played that it took me, even as a seasoned thriller reader, by surprise. 

Please note, this review will appear on August 1st on MomAdvice.com.

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I just finished and maybe now I can sleep! I reached a certain point in this book, and then just couldn't put it down! The amount of reality in this book was amazing. It's obviously well researched and true to life. The characters are distinct and I grew to love some and hate and despise others. The twist towards the end was such a shock! It kept me guessing until nearly the very end, and that's the best kind of book!

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i enjoy this book and would like to read more from her. new novel of suspense about a woman who, in a fight for survival, must decide just how far she’ll go to escape the person she once loved

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I LOVED this book! It's the story of a woman on the run from an abusive husband. The husband looks guilty, though the wife was having an affair with a married doctor. The cop tracking her down and the missing woman's twin sister are both focused on the husband, but what about the doctor? And the doctor's wife?

This novel has a twist that rivals that of the one in "Gone Girl." I was not expecting it at all, and was completely shocked when everything I thought I knew was wrong. I highly recommend this book!

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This was my first book by Kimberly Belle. While I didn't truly love it. I did find it was an easy read and a good story line. It was a bit predictable for me and I didn't find myself really wanting to pick it up. I know other people who have loved the book. So I suggest maybe reading it yourself to form your own opinion.

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I tore through this book. As much as I loved it, I would have loved it even more if I went in blind. I wish the publishers blurb would have revealed slightly less. If that was the case I think the first twist would have been more of a surprise for me. Despite that, I absolutely loved this original book. It was written flawlessly. I really find myself rooting for the main character. Highly recommend!

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Wow! A fantastic, unputdownable thriller that had me hooked from the first page! Dear Wife is the first book that I've read by Kimberly Belle but it certainly won't be the last!

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I never wanted this. Running away. Leaving everything and everyone behind. I try not to think about all the things I'll miss, all the faces I'll miss, even if they don't miss mine. Part of the planning was putting some space between me and people I love most, not letting them in on the truth. It's the one thing I can't blame you for- the way I drove a wedge into those friendships all by myself so you wouldn't go after them too.

Sabine and Beth are both victims of spousal abuse. Beth is on the run and Sabine is missing. Beth is not her real name as she is to smart to leave any clues behind and to make run for it. She has planned this escape for a long time. Waiting for the right moment. Knowing what her husband will do next.

Sabine is missing. Her husband Jeffrey is frantic to find her or is he painting a picture of the concerned spouse. Her sister Ingrid knows all the secrets of her sister's marriage. She knows of the abuse, the secrets that Sabine keeps from Jeffrey. Together, they both file a missing person complaint and the Pine Bluff Police Department Detective Marcus Durand takes the case.

The narration is tantalizing has it goes back and forth from Beth, Jeffrey and Marcus. Marcus as detective finding clues to where Sabine may be. He is certain she is dead and he determined to find Jeffrey behind bars. Jeffrey is frantically trying to find his wife and discovers another life his wife led. A life that doesn't look for him. Beth is running, calculating her next move and waiting.

A nail biter thriller that has several turns that you don't see coming.

A Special Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

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