This is Sheryl Browne’s third psychological thriller and what a fantastic read. As the story progresses, the tension builds and the twists keep coming. Not all the characters are likeable but that’s all part of the plot. The two main characters in the book are Nicole and Rebecca. Nicole married Richard after a whirlwind romance and then she died, apparently committing suicide. Rebecca, her best friend, attends the funeral and decides to pursue Nicole’s death as she cannot believe she would commit suicide. Richard, who lives with his daughter, Olivia, invites her to stay with them. Rebecca then falls for Richard’s charms and believes he was a loving husband but when she delves into the past, shocking things are revealed. I loved how this book was told from Nicole’s point of view in the past and Rebecca’s point of view in the present. This is a dark and intense psychological thriller that will have you hooked until the end with unexpcted twists and turns and a surprise ending. Don’t miss reading this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was quite entertaining. There were a lot of twists in this story. Some I was able to see coming and others took me by surprise. It was a quick read as I couldn’t put it down.

The plot is narrated by the numerous characters and it swings from past to present. It was well written and these shifts in perspective were handled deftly and added depth to the overall “picture”.

Some people are reviewing this as nothing new but I’m not so sure about that. Especially when it comes to the conclusion. Now that was something else!! Highly recommend!

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

Nicole and Rebecca are best friends. Time and distance have kept them from seeing each other for three years. Becky was not prepared for the devastating phone call she received from Nicole's new husband informing her that she had committed suicide. Becky simply can not believe that Nicole took her own life. Knowing there is more to what happened, Becky steps into the life Nicole left behind.

What follows is a captivating psychological suspense filled story of love, friendship, betrayal, lies, deceit and a friend who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. Be prepared for some disturbing moments, twisted relationships and a whole bunch of treachery! If you're like me - you'll enjoy the roller coaster ride of emotions.

Oh my what a book!! From the very first page I was hooked. Sheryl Browne’s writing style for this book just works so well. It goes from one timeline to another. you learn more and more about both Nicole’s and Rebecca’s lives prior and the build up to the tragic death of Nicole. It is also written from both points of view and that works incredibly well
This book has everything a psychological thriller needs to make it such a fantastic book.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Bookouture for my eARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review

This was a really gripping story, with a clever switch between two timelines. Both the main female characters were fascinating, with Rebecca’s decisions hard to fathom until nearly halfway through the novel.

As the letters that Nicole wrote to Rebecca in the past are gradually revealed, the weird atmosphere around Richard and his daughter Olivia is slowly exposed for what it is, with an unexpected twist that left me truly shocked.

I loved the switch between timelines. It meant that the same revelation happened at parallel moments in the novel for Rebecca and Nicole. The build up to the major events of the novel was doubly intense because of this, and I loved their different perspectives and seeing the different decisions they chose to make.

I also found Richard one of the most interesting and multi-layered characters in a suspense novel like this that I’ve read in a while. His aloofness and seemingly perfect nature at the beginning slowly unravels as we learn more and more, and I loved this gradual wearing down of his persona.

Olivia was also a fascinating character, and definitely not what she seemed at first. I loved the development of her personality and her chilling thoughts about the women her father dated.

This whole novel has a great story, with a really intense build up and a shocking twist. All four main characters are fascinating, and the relationships between them are layered and complicated. Rebecca in particular, is one of the best and strongest characters I’ve read in a while.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Sheryl Browne for the opportunity to read this book.

This book had me hooked pretty much from the beginning. It was just one of those books you really could not put down. Just when I thought I had it worked out BAM, the whole story changed in a way I did not even think about. The book begins with a funeral for Nicole, Rebecca's best friend who had died tragically and unexpectedly. Then we are introduced to Nicole's husband Richard, and step-daughter Olivia. Both of these people are very interesting characters and as the story unfolds you find out more and more about who they are which, when you think their character will go one way, the story just flips. The ending, well, I so did not see that coming at all but it was great and was wrapped up beautifully. I loved the interactions between Rebecca and Richard and Olivia even though at times I was frustrated with Rebecca and Richard, it just seemed too soon. I don't want to give too much away however just be prepared for the story to go in a different direction that what you were thinking. The author Sheryl Browne has a fantastic writing style, so easy for the reader. I will definitely be purchasing other books she has written as she is now one of my go to authors I enjoyed it that much. Now to read The Affair and The Babysitter!

This one hooks you immediately in a prologue that emerges as a descriptive drowning. Nicole's last thoughts--heartbreaking, tragic, pitiful. Then the well-paced novel proceeds with a look back and divides into multiple POV's. Nicole met Richard which led to a whirlwind courtship and a wedding. The wedding is attended by Richard's daughter, Olivia. Nicole is a damaged MC, naive, trusting, and so in love with Richard, beautiful, sweet, thoughtful Richard, that she will make the effort to work with Olivia--no matter the cost. But it is considerable.

Rebecca, Nicole's best friend, attends the service for Nicole and is determined to ferret out the reason for Nicole's alleged suicide. As the POV flips from Nicole to Richard and Olivia, your heart sinks with each twist Nicole discovers and turns to smoldering distrust of Richard, to extreme distaste for Olivia. Rebecca is a cool cucumber, calculating, intelligent, and not easily manipulated. She handles Olivia in an unbiased manner and gradually begins to glean tidbits, reverting to outside sources and finds an ally in Peter.

First you are raging at Olivia, then cringing for Nicole. Always hoping for a way out, seeing none, and cannot imagine how the author will find a way to satisfactorily conclude her thriller--is it too late to hope? The range of emotions the storyline evokes sends you through the darkest in family noir.

I received an ebook download from the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. I was glued to these pages and couldn't flip fast enough! Recommended to any who appreciate a good psychological thriller. 4.5/5 stars

Perfect psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend!

Having read Sheryl Browne's previous book The Babysitter I couldn't wait to get my hands on The Second Wife. What kind of friend would step into your life and sleep with your husband after your death... Rebecca that's who!!! Rebecca and Nicole had been very good friends for a few years and shared friendship and secrets so when Nicole's husband sends Rebecca an email telling Nicole had committed suicide and that he had found her body Nicole is suspicious and sets out to uncover the truth about her friend's death no matter how close she has to get to her husband to find it out!!!! I absolutely loved this book watch out for the relationship between Richard and his daughter The Second Wife had me hooked the whole way.

Thank you to Bookouture, Sheryl Browne and NetGalley for the arc of The Second Wife my review is honest and unbiased in any way.

4.5 stars - I was highly anticipating this novel and it did not disappoint!

First of all, this novel is superbly written! I could read Sheryl Brown's books all day long! But this one, in particular, was crazy, dark, twisty and steamy! This is a psychological thriller, with a revenge plot and there is nothing I love more than a little revenge story!

I also loved the main character Rebecca, a strong female character that will not let herself get sucked into an abusive relationship. I don't want to say more because I don't want to spoil anything in this super creative story. Highly recommend!

I seem to be among the minority in regards to this book. I found it predictable. Throughout I kept saying to myself, "When will ***** happen?" "Finally." Usually I will read a book quite quickly but I found myself putting this down often and not really wanting to pick it back up. I found the sex scenes and the romance to be a bit cheesy for my tastes.

This was an awesome psychological thriller that had its share of twists that were enjoyable for the reader. The second half of the book slowed down a little bit compared to how intense it started out but it still held my interest and I could not wait to finish it to see how it ended. This was my first book by this author but I am definitely going to start reading more by her. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sick and twisted in more ways than one. The story skips from the past to the present and trails the lives of Nicole, Rebecca, Richard, and Olivia.

Besides the obvious climax of the novel I couldn’t get passed the fact that Rebecca shacked up with Richard a few weeks or months after Nicole passing?! I understand why the need for the new couple to help the storyline but seemed a bit far fetched to me.nonetheless it was a fun read.

This was my first Sheryl Browne book and did not disappoint! This book had me hooked from the first page and was near impossible to put down at the end of the day. The characters were so twisted that it was hard to tell at times who was playing whom?
This psychological thriller had turns around every page which made it hard to stop- I was racing towards the end because I just HAD to know how it ended. It was incredibly fast-paced but in a great way that kept the story flowing. Captivating story and one to read for sure!!! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

From the description of this book, I really wasn't sure whether I would like it or not. It is compared to The Girl on the Train - which I didn't enjoy - and The Girl Before - which I absolutely loved. For me, fortunately this book falls more in the category of the latter and it totally pulled me in and didn't let go until it spat me out at the end, feeling emotionally ravaged!
Told from several different points of view, the chapters are headed with which character is narrating and when, which keeps things nicely in order. There are also different time frames and all of this may put some people off, however there was never a point where I felt confused or needed to double check who was relating their part of the story as each of the characters is completely different.
It's certainly a rollercoaster of a book which switches pace from a whirlwind romance to hell on earth at the flick of a page. We have gaslighting, deceit, projection - you name the abusive behaviour, it's all in here - all topped off with a bit of sexual manipulation. What more could you possibly fit into a psychological thriller??
The whole book felt like a wardrobe stuffed to capacity, the latch of which only needed one slight nudge for all the secrets which had been straining to get out to all come tumbling down, one shock revelation after another.
I would highly recommend this book to the majority of readers, however there are lots of trigger subjects in here which maybe those who are sensitive to situations such as those mentioned earlier would be mindful to consider before they get started.
I feel this will definitely be one of my top 5 reads for the year.

They are playing a devious game of cat and mouse -- but who's the "cat" and who's the "mouse"?

Rebecca is shocked when she gets a letter from her best friend's husband, Richard Gray. The devilishly handsome and wealthy man had swept Nicole off her feet in a whirlwind courtship and they married quietly in a little stone church in Worcestershire near their new home. But things hadn't been going well when Nicole's suicide is reported to Rebecca and so she heads off immediately to the funeral. Finding herself immediately taken by Richard, his obvious grief and distress over what Nicole had done, Rebecca slowly becomes involved with him and his daughter from a previous relationship, Olivia. What had really gone on between Richard and Nicole and can Rebecca find happiness when her friend could not? NO SPOILERS.

Told in alternating points of view, chapters are narrated in past and present tense by Nicole, Rebecca, Olivia and Richard. The unraveling of their secrets and their plans makes for a very fast-paced read that is hard to put down. You may or may not be surprised by the revelations and climax. As the author says in a letter to the reader at the end, "this is a story about relationships." There's lots of descriptive sex and quite a bit of repetition so the reader can't miss the point about which characters are good and those who are not so quite black and white. To be honest, I didn't relate to any of them but I liked the book. "Controlling relationships are not an easy subject..."

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I am looking forward to reading Sheryl Browne's next book and have enjoyed her previous ones as well.

Do you ever finish a book and just wonder how you got to that ending sequence??? That is how I felt reading Sheryl Browne’s latest domestic thriller, The Second Wife! I read Browne’s last novel The Affair over the summer. Actually it was one of my first reviews when I started my blog! I loved her writing then, and I loved this one even more! This one cranked up the volume on those twists and it was a wild ride all the way to the final sentence! Fans of domestic noir and psychological thrillers will be sure to love this book!

Reflection

Well, this book starts with a positively haunting scene! A watery grave, a whispered taunt, confusion over what is real and what is delusion. It’s truly a fantastic opener to a book! As we flash over to present time, when Rebecca is at the funeral for her best friend Nicole, we begin to learn that all was not what it seemed with Nicole’s last few months. Was her death suicide, or a tragic accident?

Flipping backwards in time to Nicole’s story and then forwards to Rebecca’s was so interesting. Like reading a distorted mirror version of the other woman’s story. Nicole is some who came across somehow as strong and fragile at the same time. And as events unfold, her character becomes more and more tortured. I really loved Nicole. She’s an artist and the way Brown wrote about her artist’s soul was quite a delight! Of course, Nicole has some darkness as well, but I’ll leave that for the reader to find out for themselves…

And then there is Rebecca. Oh, Rebecca! What are you doing, slipping into your best friend’s life? I absolutely adored Rebecca. She’s such a contrast to Nicole, who is whimsical and impacted by moods, emotions, and feelings. Rebecca is much more grounded, and she doesn’t really get carried away the way Nicole does. They were such a delight to read together in comparison, particularly in Nicole’s letters to Rebecca. Nicole had such a unique voice, and even though she is passed away for much of the novel, I thought she sang out through her narrative and through Rebecca’s reflection on her life.

Finally, we have the other leading duo—Richard and his daughter Olivia. Oh boy, these two! Richard is almost too good to be true, and so is Olivia for that matter. When things start to become a bit twisted, well just you wait! I don’t want to spoil it, but these two characters sparked one of the most fascinating dynamics (and I’m referring to Nicole and Rebecca as well) I’ve read this year. I hope you enjoy reading about this father and daughter!

I was so honored to get to be on the final stop for the blog tour of this wild thriller!!! I am excited that this book is published and out in the universe. I’ve already been seeing some great reviews from other readers that delights me!

I received this from Bookouture. Opinions are my own..

You can definitely tell that Sheryl Browne has a history in writing contemporary/romantic fiction as well as books like this! That’s totally not a negative at all by the way, it’s just that if I didn’t know any better, I would have put a large section of this book under that genre heading and not the psychological one.

Three women, two of them being puppets….figuratively speaking, but who is holding the strings?

‘The Second Wife’ switches between the narratives of each main character, telling the story through their own eyes. But whose story do we pay attention to? Do we believe a story which can no longer be challenged? This book highlights the fact that nothing is ever at it seems, and the lengths which people can go to for their own personal gain, regardless of who they knock down on the way.

I did say at the beginning of this review that a large portion of the storyline was a bit split genre, and I do stand by that. However, the psychological element of the storyline kicked in over halfway through and when it did kick in, boy did it kick in! I thought the relaxed-ish vibe was very cleverly done as it led me into a complete false sense of security – was a happily ever after possible? Or were the characters just as twisted as each other?

‘The Second Wife’ is a gritty, twisted novel which has so many hidden agendas that I felt like I was on a ride I would never get off of. The way that Sheryl Browne was able to genre split throughout the novel was very impressive and i felt that it worked with the overall vibe of the book.

The only irk for me was that I felt the storyline was a little predictable, but nonetheless I did enjoy reading about some incredibly deranged characters!

A psychologically twisted novel with a romantic notion to make you feel that a happily ever after is near, ‘The Second Wife’ is a highly enjoyable, twisted and intense read.

Where do I begin when describing this thrilling number.......I can start by saying that I devoured it all in one sitting. I'm starting to think with a Sheryl Browne book there's simply no way you can or will put the book down. Read with baited breath I was page-turning with such frenzy I just had to know what happened next and if one of my million theories were correct.......in case you were wondering they weren't. The OMG moment, or moments, should I say were spectacular and my fiance had to check in with me that I was OK several times during this journey as I seemed to be staring at my Kindle with such fervour. But what a story, you won't want to miss this one guys.

I won't go into any details regarding the plot because I would hate to leave any hints or spoilers but the blurb above is really all you need to be able to dive into this masterful piece of writing. There were twists, turns, ups and downs at every turn of the page and I was dizzy with glee at how captivating the story was. A psychological thriller of a journey that will leave you reeling by the end. Sheryl Browne certainly is a wizard of wonder when it comes to creating these thrilling reads and you are in for a treat. So buckle up as it's going to be a bumpy ride, take a deep breath and dive in.......because believe me when I say, you won't be back up for air until the concluding pages.

The Second Wife is a captivating read that pulled me in from the opening pages and didn't let go, it is a complete triumph. If you haven't downloaded or ordered this book yet then I must ask you.....what are waiting for? Grab your nearest copy now - you won't be disappointed.

I’m in the minority with my lower rating for The Second Wife. To be honest, I found the book a bit odd and sadly I didn’t see the appeal that so many others had seen.

The book flips between Nicole and Rebecca and I wasn’t a fan of either woman. I had trouble believing their friendship and I found the chapters didn’t flow as nicely as they could have.

Check it out if it sounds interesting to you, but wasn’t my cup of tea. The ending did take me by surprise though.