What a pulse pounding wild ride! Will be such a great a great addition to the library's thriller collections. 10/10 will recommend to patrons!

This book deals with some serious issues, but what a page turner! I don't want to give away anything, but there are lots of puzzle pieces that come together in a clever way in the end. Recommended!

Wait! What did I just read?? My head is seriously spinning from the twist in this one! I've given up trying to figure out the secrets as I read so many thrillers and I love being surprised. But this one had my head turning like I was a character in The Exorcist!
"Beth" is on the run from an abusive husband as she tries to cover her tracks, even as she is sure he will eventually track her down. In alternating chapters we see her escape and meet Sabine's husband who is worried that his wife is missing but is facing accusations from Marcus, the detective who suspects he has abused his wife. So believe me, it's a wild ride from here to there and when Beth finds a note saying, "Dear Wife, I found you" we are terrified for her...but it's not over yet! Loved the suspense and action in this. Belle speaks very poignantly about spousal abuse, friendship, deception, secrets, and lies. This is a must-read for thriller fans!

Thanks #Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel deal with a serious and very much current issue which is domestic violence. This of course doesn't make for an easy read.
The plot explores the main character's plan to escape her abusive husband. We get to see the psychology of the abuser, the abused, and the trauma resulting from going through this harrowing experience.

I found the plot engaging and thought provoking, but I felt the middle of the novel would've benefited from some editing as the narrative became a little bit descriptive and repetitive, thus, slowing the pace down. But this is just my opinion, and certainly didn't stop me from finishing the book.

This book was really good. You get a sense right away that you have untrustworthy narrators, but you’re torn as to who is the liar and then there are paths that diverge and you know they’re going to converge, you’re just not exactly sure how. Although you do figure out the real liar, it takes a good bit of story to start really piecing it out and then there is that feeling where you can’t wait to see how it all comes together. It was really fun to read. My favorite of hers yet, although I’ve only read 2 of her 3 so far.

Sabine (who now goes by the name of Beth) goes missing to flee from her abusive husband, Jeffrey. Although she had spent months planning her "escape", in this day and age of social media it has become increasingly difficult to do so. She drives from Pine Bluff, Arkansas to Oklahoma where she fills out application papers for an apartment and meets someone who will take small amounts out on her ATM card at random places in the US. Beth ends up in Georgia and finds a room to rent at Sally's boarding house. There, Beth meets Martina who helps her get a job cleaning at a church.

Jeffrey is not only an abuser to Sabine but just an all-around unlikable person. Of course, pitied at first, but now is the main suspect in Sabine's "murder"/"disappearance". He finds out that his wife had been cheating on him and even plans to divorce him for Dr. Trevor McAdams (who is also currently married - 2 children). Trevor comes across as rather pompous -yet- weepy depending on the situation. At this point the reader is led to think Sabine is pregnant with Trevor's baby.

Ingrid is Sabine's ugly duckling twin sister with whom Sabine confides in constantly. Ingrid has no love for Jeffrey, Does anyone?

Lastly, we meet detective Marcus Durand who (after 6 days and counting Sabine is missing) believes that Sabine (Beth) is dead. He finds it necessary to rub both Jeffrey and Trevor the wrong way in order to dig deeply into Sabine's past.

Just as things begin to heat up, Beth is forced to make a decision when everyone at the church she cleans at thinks she stole the week's collection money. Does she leave - her ID's are false - or does she hope that the real thief is caught and she does not have to face a police interrogation? And... Does Sabine/Beth end up with Jeffrey or Trevor or can she truly start anew?

A good psychological thriller. Recommend!

Many thanks to Harlequin -Trade Publishing - Park Row and NetGalley for a good, solid read!

Belle's Dear Wife was a fast-paced book that built suspense until the late climax. But it sadly gave up all of its secrets at the midpoint.
see full review: https://authentikatebooks.site123.me

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin/Trade Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review. I love a good thriller, and Dear Wife was a great one. I really enjoyed this book, it was a hard one to put down. I wanted to keep reading because there were quite a few things that happened to keep me guessing until the very end. Although I was pretty sure I figured out what the twist was about halfway into the book, I had to keep reading to find out if I was right.

There are three main characters in the book, Beth, Jeffrey, and Marcus. Each chapter of the book is told from the point of view of one of the three. The book starts out with Beth running away, trying to get away from her abusive husband. She has to make sure to throw him off track so that he can't find her because he WILL try to find her. Jeffrey and his wife, Sabine, don't have a great marriage. Sabine is now missing, has a history of mental illness, and Jeffrey is the top suspect. Marcus is the police detective that is looking into the disappearance of Sabine. He's leaving no stone unturned.

I won't go into much more detail because it would have to contain spoilers, but definitely add this book to your "must read" list! I have also read The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle, and it was really good. I will be adding her other books to my list to read.

I received this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest opinion.

I thought I was really going to like this book, I love psychological thrillers, and mysteries. For some reason, this book fell short for me. I didn't like any of the characters. Very superficial and no depth to them. I could not relate at all. I had a hard time feeling sorry for the main character, Sabine/Beth and hating Marcus and Jeffrey. No one should ever have to suffer in a domestic violence relationship. There is a way out, and Sabine/Beth is on the run to get away from her abusive husband.

The book started slow, I like action from the beginning. The writer did drop some clues along the way but not enough for me to get into. I found myself pushing and forcing to get to the end because I knew the plot twist was coming and it did. Right at the very end. I was not fond of some of the stereotypes in this book, the depiction of Martina (Mexican) and the depiction of Miss Sally (TransWoman). How the reverend treated Beth over Martina, how Martina and her friend Ayana spoke as if they were dumb, poor, illegal immigrant women. While Beth was educated and "special". Ugh just rubbed me the wrong way.

I am new to Kimberly Belle's writing and novels, but if she does this in her other books, I will do a hard pass on all of her work.

Overall, I was bored, offended and will not read this book again.

Edit: After reviewing some of Kimberly Belle's other reviews from her past books, it seems she caters to upper/middle class white women. Welp this will be my last read. As a woman of color, I advise all other WOC to avoid her books until she changes her racist, stereotypical tones. Or maybe she just writes for a certain type and thats fine, but I will not support this.

"Dear wife, I found you"

Oh my goodness! Boy, did I have fun with this one! What a ride!

Dear Wife is an exceptionally dark thriller that will leave you highly entertained turning those pages. This was my first read by Kimberly Belle and am glad I finally read something by her!

Kimberly Belle delivers part domestic fiction and part thriller with this juicy set of characters. Beth Murphy is on the run and has been planning this for over a year. Who is she running from and why?

Sabine Hardison is a relator that has gone missing. Her husband Jeffrey is suspected of having something to do with her disappearance. Does he? The police start to uncover more and more clues... that start to point even more clues at a troubling life at home for Sabine.

ALL of these characters have a dark secret but it may not be what you're thinking. Of course, you may be thinking you have it all figured out but Kimberly Belle I'll give you that you set your readers up with high tensions and twists that leave you on edge!

I had this theory in my mind since the beginning and was completely wrong haha but I did figure out one of the main twists towards the end but I still really enjoyed this one!

Highly recommend it!

4 strong stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin/Trade Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date: 6/25/19
Published to Goodreads: 2/25/19

Sabine: A realtor gone missing. She has a history of mental illness.

Jeffrey: Sabine's husband and the primary suspect in her disappearance. He doesn't make much money and during her disappearance he found out she was having an affair with a doctor. Jeffrey has two hours holes in his alibi.

Marcus: The detective that is assigned to the case. He's going above and beyond using all of his resources to track down Sabine.

Beth: She's on the run from her abusive husband. Knowing her life depends on it, she uses all that she learned over the last few months in order to disappear.

I thought I knew all the characters that are laid out in the book, but not everyone is who they seem to be. Everyone has a motive. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. Is Beth and Sabine the same person? Is Jeffrey really the prime suspect? Does Sabine mental illness play into her disappearance? Just like Beth, laying out all the clues in different directions so did this story. The twists and turns of this story were genius.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me tell you, I love twisty books that somehow surround marriages and the crazy turns the relationships can take. I love crime novels- especially those where one spouse goes missing or ends up dead, and readers have to figure out where the other is the killer or perpetrator. This book hits ALL my marks and more. Dear Wife is an unexpected surprise. I thought I knew what this book was going to be like and how it was all going to play out but I was pleasantly shown I was wrong. This is a fantastic read! I can't wait for more books by the author based on this one!

I'll be thinking about this book for some time. The twists in the book are so well written. They make you go back through everything you've read in your mind, once you know the truth.
The author gave an intense account of the effects of domestic abuse through her main character Beth. How the abuser permeates their victims thoughts, and actions even when they've escaped the violence.
I'd recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers.

I really struggled to get into any book lately, but pushed through with this one. This book definitely was trying to give me Gone Girl vibes. I felt like there was a disconnect for most of the story but that did get resolved by the end - which is when it finally got interesting for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In this book Kimberly Belle explores the frightening world of domestic violence. Beth is a battered wife who after careful planning is escaping from her husband of ten years. An intelligent and brave woman who decides to get out before her husband kills her.

The characters are interesting, the topic is very important but in places I felt that the book could have moved along a bit faster.

I wasn’t expecting that conclusion! Great plot, writing, and characters! It sucked me in quickly but did putter in the middle a bit where not a lot happens and nothing much was revealed.

Things do pick up again and there are some great twists and surprises. There are some horrible characters, so unlikable. Looking back there are clues to what is happening but the writing is so good that I never saw it coming. Great conclusion, will look forward to the next from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and HARLEQUIN - Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) for a copy in exchange for a review.

Kimberly Belle wrote another amazing novel! I couldn’t put it down! Loveddd! Such an empowering book for women! Emma was so smart and loved how all the women worked together and wanted to help and just shows how far we can go when we back each other up! Yass you go for! 💪🏻

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this was very well done. It took me a minute to put it all together but I enjoyed the way the author kept me thinking. I figured it out about 3/4 the way through the book. Thank you for the ARC!

At this juncture I'm giving this an even-keel/uncomfortable 3-stars, even though the thriller itself was a 4 or 5-star read.

Unfortunately there were serious issues with racism and transphobia in the book that were upsetting enough I've sent the publisher a long, private note about it. I will refrain from writing an extensive or definitive review until I see whether or not the publisher does anything to address the issues. I might revise my rating up or down depending on whether the final publication copy changes.

TRIGGER WARNING for any readers who are trans/gender non-binary or sensitive (as all empathetic human beings should be) to transphobia. Also trigger warning for fatphobia, and an uncomfortable description of an allegedly Asian American person (part of the racism is how confusingly the person is described, in fact).

The plot of this book starts right from the first word. It engages the reader quickly and keeps up the pace. The narration alternates initially between Beth and Jeffery and both have a very distinct voice. Both the plot lines are equally interesting and you become eager to find out where this is headed. You know instantly that this is a domestic noir and you can only imagine the depth of the domestic violence to come if the book starts with 2 women disappearing.
The plot flows very smoothly and you can’t help but wonder how these 2 couples are connected. Each character is very well developed and adds to the thick plot. Even the most careful reader will be surprised with the plot twist at the end.
The multiple points of view help keep the narration fresh and intriguing. You do at times believe that you have figured this out but the twist in the tale is surprising and dark. This is a hard to put down book. It’s filled with tension and keeps you biting your nails all along. It’s a twisty novel that has many many surprises and revelations all along. It keeps you guessing and guessing wrong at that. While reading this book I was completely trapped in it. It made me forget everything around me and pulling myself away to even grab a bite was the hardest thing to do. I racked my brain to try and figure out the missing pieces, to assess who Beth and Sabine were, if and how they were connected and it ended up making my mind even murkier. The sudden subtle revelation that creeped up on me around the 70% mark in the book actually gave me goosebumps! I don’t want to say too much about the book and give something away inadvertently, so I’ll say this much, don’t try to ‘figure’ the plot. Read it, absorb and enjoy the dark twisted path Kimberly Belle has laid for you.
This is the first book I’ve read by Kimberly Belle and for sure won’t be the last! This is an author to watch out for. Her writing is easy to read and leaves you with many thoughts to chew on. This book is the work of amazingly talented author and I can’t wait to read more by her.
This is one of the must reads of 2019 and I highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley, #DearWife

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