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

Also shared on: https://romasharma.blogspot.com

4.5 thrilling stars!

Kimberly Belle, you have yet to let me down! And with Dear Wife, you have outdone yourself. With equal parts thriller and domestic fiction, we learn of the missing Sabine, the "it's always the husband" Jeffrey, detective Marcus and then there's the woman on the run, Beth. All of these characters have something to hide, but it may not be what you think. In a fast paced, tensions high setting, we follow Beth as she runs from an abusive husband and the others as they hunt for missing Sabine. While you may think this story has an obvious path, you should disavow that notion right now - as your jaw will drop as twists are revealed. I can hardly wait another near to see what comes next from Belle!

**Trigger warning - domestic violence**

I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

"if there's one thing I've learned these past ten years, it's to trust no one, not even the people you're supposed to trust the most."
One amazing book! Not to be missed!
How do you go about changing your whole life to conceal and protect yourself from that person who wants your life? Can it be done? At what cost? It is survival of the fittest, to be sure.
The twists and turns kept me reading, kept me guessing and kept me from doing anything else until I found all the answers to the novel!
Kimberley Belle has done it again with this fascinating suspenseful book! It is a winner!

The twists and turns in this book left me in shock and made me want to read it all over again! This is a great page turner!

I binge read this book in two nights. At first I was hesitant to dive into a tale about domestic violence because the topic can be hard to read, but I was quickly enthralled because Kimberly Belle is a master at writing psychological suspense.

The story is told from multiple perspectives and in the beginning it comes from many. But as the story progresses, the perspectives narrow down to only a few people. There is one short line that is delivered 85% into the book and BOOM, it all came together for me on how everything ties together. The buildup of the story reminds me not to make assumptions about characters and their connections. I was completely fooled by the evidence presented, and I loved the trickery - it's very well written.

This book is about strong women, infidelity, love, control, domestic abuse, secrets, facades, and technology. I loved the technology aspect of the story, and how cell phones, computers, ATM cards and cameras can track individuals. No one can remain completely anonymous anymore. It's a fascinating perspective on how a digital footprint factors into crimes and missing persons.

I like how the author portrays the women characters as strong, smart, creative and courageous. The men are weak, confused, controlling, and even sappy. It's an empowering story about domestic abuse and brings light to this subject. In typical the Kimberly Belle style, she drops little bombs at the end of the story that made my jaw drop and I was unprepared for the big twists at the end. Well done.

I enjoyed this book SO MUCH MORE than I thought I would. It's just a deeply interesting and good book about a fierce woman and her fight to survive. I know there is technically a twist but it's not done in that annoying "LET'S ALL TRY TO OUT-TWIST EACH OTHER AND BE THE NEXT GONE GIRL" type way. It's done in an honest and organic way. I devoured this book and I'm so glad I read it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

A woman is on the run from an abusive husband, a man she feels will never stop looking for her. She has planned her escape for over a year, putting all her arrangements in place, covering her tracks, and leaving behind those who care for her in order to save her own life and gain independence.

Sabine Hardison is missing. Beth Murphy is on the run. Told from three points of view: the woman on the run, Sabine's husband Jeffrey, and the detective investigating Sabine's disappearance.

I was reminded of Sleeping with the Enemy, and still was not prepared for the twist.

I have not read anything by Kimberly Belle before, but I will be looking for more.

Read in February; blog review scheduled for June 10, 2019.

NetGalley/Harlequin
Mystery/Thriller. June 25, 2019. Print length: 384 pages.

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book.

This is a story about domestic violence and mystery. A woman is missing and the police are searching for her. What I learned is that this was more than a missing person case. The story is told through the voices of different characters. Telling the story from different points of view kept me guessing and intrigued.

Just when I thought I had figured everything out, there would be a surprise. The story was engaging, moving at a fast pace.

The plot was taut with tension. The descriptions of domestic violence were real, the fear palpable. The characters were believable. A great read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Kimberly Belle has easily become my one click author. I will easily go into a book of hers not having a clue what its about.
Dear Wife was another fantastic book written by this talented author . Plenty of twists and turns and a huge finish!! Definite page turner.

Wow! Kimberly Belle does it again! This book was a real page turner. This is the second book I've read by the author, but certainly won't be the last. The book begins with Sabine on the run from her husband, then takes many twists and turns. Just when I thought I might have it figured out everything changed. I will definitely be recommending Dear Wife to fellow readers.

Domestic violence is not an easy topic to bring into a recreational read, but the author designs a great storyline, drawing in the reader to care about the characters with the added bonus of surprise twists in the narrative.

This was a fantastic read! I thought I had the book figured out, but boy was I wrong! I never suspected this ending at all. A very well written and suspenseful thriller. A five star for sure!

Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC of #DearWife

A dark, twisted novel that pulls the reader one way and then suddenly takes a hard right turn. The storyline is compelling and may be a trigger for some readers as it relates to domestic violence.

Beth has been planning her escape for the last year. She’s spent ten years with a violent husband and is tired of the pain and the lies. She’s covered her tracks but she knows it’s only a matter of time until he finds her. When Jeffery returns from a business trip his wife, Sabine, is nowhere to be found. As her disappearance is looked into, questions arise on whether she left willingly or if it could be something more nefarious? Things in the small town of Pine Bluff are definitely not what they seem.

This novel will have you questioning everything and everyone. Each turn of the page is a new revelation in one of the most intriguing plots to come out this year. Belle has created these incredible characters that are fallible and relatable. Great read. 5 stars

Full of suspense and surprises, Dear Wife is a gripping story of a woman overcoming domestic violence.
The story is told through the perspective of "Beth", the main character, police detective Marcus, and Jeffrey, husband of a missing woman, Sabine Hardison. Beth is on the run, fleeing from her abusive husband. Jeffrey Hardison is searching for his wife, who went missing and Marcus is trying to solve the case. How are these characters connected? I thought I had it figured out, but then comes the twist!
I felt a strong connection to Beth in this story, and was rooting for her throughout. I would highly recommend this domestic thriller to anyone who likes this genre.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Park Row and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title before it hits newsstands on June 25. Beth Murphy is on the run from her abusive husband. She’s colored and cut her hair, dresses slovenly and has set up some credit card charges that will lead anyone trying to follow her astray. She didn’t take a lot of money with her so she needs to get a job and a place to live. A detective in Arkansas is looking for a missing woman, who looks to be a victim of foul play.

Well Kimberly, you did it again. You totally threw me off the track and jolted me upright near the end of the book. This is the kind of book you want to read a second time to see how the writer dropped clues that led you astray. And how did she do it so seamlessly. Belle has a astounding future as a suspense author. She does everything right, from the characters you love to hate to the snaps back to reality. I highly recommend this title. I bet she leads you down the garden path, too, but it’s a fine place to be.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reading copy in exchange for this review.

This book has a lot of emotion and deals with an abused wife. It has lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed this book very much

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an advance read in exchange for this review.

Beth is on the run.  She's been preparing for this for quite some time.

At the same time, Jeffrey returns home to find his wife missing.  She has left most of her belongings behind, and her car is found abandoned.  Police uncover troubles in Sabine's marriage.  Where is she?  Who is Beth?

A good, solid thriller that had me guessing what the twists were going to be!  I did not guess the ending, which was a pleasant surprise.  It's told in alternating viewpoints, and the author does a good job of not making it confusing, as well as keeping your interest in all of the characters.  Overall a solid read!

I thought I had this book all figured out. I was half right! I smugly decided to hang in there even though I was sure I knew it all and while I was right there was still a delicious surprise or two!!

I REALLY enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it!!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Loved it! I thought this was a straight forward book and didn’t see the twist until the end. Well done! Highly recommend.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

Wow... I'll start off by saying that Kimberly Belle is a phenomenal author. Her writing is perfect and the way she creates the plots and the characters to go with them always leave me wanting more.

I have read all of her books and not one of them has let me down. They are always so full of suspense and twists you don't see coming. Dear wife I have to say is now my favourite book by her now,

It dealt with the realism of abuse and toxic marriages that woman everyday go through. Being in a abusive relationship myself it took me 7 years to have the courage to free myself so reading this hit close to home. You definitely feel the emotion and terror Beth goes through in this novel. I feel that it's a tribute to all the woman who has suffered abuse and have had the courage to get free no matter how long it took.

Even though the story dealt with abuse it was done so in a respectful manner. Everything about this novel was done perfectly and I can't wait to read more of Kimberly belle novels in the future.