*4.5 stars

I was surprised how much I ended up liking this. At first, I was apprehensive because it seemed to be predictable. Happy to say, I was wrong. I've heard quite a few good things about Sandie Jones's first novel, The Other Woman, so I didn't hesitate to request this from Netgalley.

Alice seems to have the perfect life: great husband, wonderful job, and two amazing daughters. After her first husband's death, she never thought she would find happiness again. Just when things in life are going right, however, she finds items that make her question her stable life. She leans on her best friend, Beth, as she grapples with the unknown future. Part one, it seems like this story is going one way but, then, we get to Part two in the book. Part two: Now we hear Beth's story. This will throw you for a loop and where I really became involved. Now I didn't know who to trust or where the story was going to take me. By the end, I was pleasantly surprised. There were a few twists that kept me guessing. I was also a fan of that ending!! Very well done!

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Why wait for Reese Witherspoon’s stamp of approval? If you don’t snap up this jaw-dropping domestic thriller immediately, that would be your First Mistake.

Alice had the perfect marriage with Tom and their daughter, Sophie. They were starting an interior design company together. Then he died.

Now, Alice is married to Nathan. The company she owns is doing great. Nathan’s help with the finances is vital allowing Alice to focus solely on the designs.

Alice and Beth’s daughters attend the same school. Beth and Alice become best friends. Ten years earlier, Beth’s lover left her and their daughter for another woman so the two women bond over their shared losses of their daughters’ biological fathers.

As with the author’s first thriller, The Other Woman, First Mistake starts out slow. But once the dominoes of Alice’s life start falling, the surprises don’t stop until the startling conclusion. If you like domestic thrillers where nothing is as it seems, you must read this book. It has great characters and the best plot twists I’ve seen for a while. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Alice and Tom were the dream couple. A successful business, a beautiful daughter - and then tragedy hits, as Tom suddenly dies. Alice is understandably devastated but pulls herself together for the sake of her daughter.

Years later, Alice meets and marries Nathan and has another child. Nathan, however, starts acting strange - causing Alice concern, which she later expresses to her best friend Beth, who is dealing with her own problems.

Twist after twist leaves Alice wondering who to trust.

The First Mistake is pretty standard women's thriller - which honestly should be it's own genre now. It's not the BEST example of this type of book, but it's good enough to become a beach read for the summer.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Publisher’s description: THE WIFE: For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has a successful business, two children, and a beautiful house.

HER HUSBAND: Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan’s arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved.

HER BEST FRIEND: Through the ups and downs of life, from celebratory nights out to comforting each other through loss, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced .

The first mistake could be her last.

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Sandie Jones has done it again!

When I read “The Other Woman,” I remember getting to the end of Part 1 and posting that I was not expecting THAT, and I had the exact same reaction to “The First Mistake”! And then when I got to the end....holy cow, I did not see that coming! I saw a couple of reviewers who said they had it all figured out, but I think that has to be the exception. The story (mis)leads the reader in so many directions that I don’t know how anyone could call this predictable.

In regard to the actual first mistake, I’m not even sure whose first mistake the book is talking about because there were so many mistakes from so many characters.

The writing style is crisp, and the author does a great job of switching the point of view at exactly the right moment so you feel like you have to keep reading because you want to get back to the first point of view.

Whatever you do, don’t start this on a weeknight because you will be reading into the wee hours. This is a fantastic book, and I am already looking forward to the author’s next story!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I was extremely excited to receive an ARC of this book because I had just finished "The Other Woman" by Jones and absolutely loved it. While I liked "The Other Woman" better than this, I still highly recommend "The First Mistake" and have purchased a copy for my library. I found the characters to be very realistic, and the ending truly shocked me! It's hard to say much without revealing anything, so just trust me when I say that when you think you've guessed the ending, you're probably wrong! Thanks to Net Galley for a chance to review this!

The First Mistake was an addictive read. It will keep you wondering how the story will end. Sander Jones is an excellent storyteller. I love her writing style and the change in points of view given in The First Mistake. I will be reading every book she writes.

You know how some books you figure out the ending before it gets there, and then you feel kind of let down? Not this one. I never saw it coming!

If you are looking for a jaw dropping, cant put it down thriller. Pick this up today!

The changes in view points and alternating time frames kept me guessing until the end. The ending twist will leave you stunned.

Well after “losing” this on my kindle app I re-found it. Silly me, so glad I did and now am posted my not so belated review.
I am still in shock and not really sure of the ending. Alice has been living a lie and thinks her first husband who disappeared and his body never found had cheated on her. Her friend is the prime suspect or so she thinks.
Pills and alcohol do not help her with clear thinking, but toward the end she gets a grip. This book has so many twists and turns that kept me up late tonight to finish it.
Whew, like I said still scratching my head over the ending.
Thanks to Net-Galley and Minotaur for letting me preview this e-copy.

The more I read of The First Mistake, the more my feelings about it waffled. In the end, it was in the fair to midland range for me. Sandie Jones writes a fast-paced and entertaining story with interesting characters. However, this one was totally predictable. I can even point out the exact moment I had most of it figured out. I even bookmarked it because when I read it, I thought 'surely not, it can't be that simple.' Turns out it can be and was. The problem was that point I bookmarked was pretty early in the story, and from there, it was easy to see why certain other things led to the same conclusion. I think we're given a little too much information too soon and the only thing left is to either finish the book to see if we're right or skim the rest of it. Either way would lead to the same thing. For me, the characters and writing did hold my interest enough to finish, but it was a little disappointing to find the book so thoroughly predictable.

This was just as good as “The Other Woman”, maybe even better! Easily devoured, so thrilling, and completely irresistible. I actually enjoyed the different point of views in this book because it also had different time periods as well. It had the perfect amount of detail to keep you hooked as it was written that way. It’s a little bit of a slow burn, but the second half of the book catches your breath. The ending was totally worth it! Awesome!

The First Mistake is a very twisty suspense novel that had me switching my suspicions back and forth till I had one that lingered. Cleverly written little clues were tantalizing, pointing to Alice's fear that her husband she loves is having an affair. Her mind is whirling when she confides in her best friend Beth. However she keeps a secret from her but is shocked to her core when she learns what Beth reveals ...something she surely could not possibly know unless..... her first husband although dead, whom she still loves, and her mental breakdown cause Alice to be aware that there are people she can not trust, never mind her own thoughts. The author does a good job of keeping the intensity of this story at a high anxiety level with surprising spins to the very last sentence. If you like domestic thrillers this is a good one.

What a delightfully confusing story.

Things were not quite as they seemed and didn’t click completely into place until the end.

A new friend, a lost love, and a new-ish husband, life feels complete, until one day you realize it’s all a sham. Or is it? Are things crumbling around you or are you playing into buried insecurities?

Grab a copy and take this ride. Will you see what’s coming?

I don't know what to say about this book without giving the plot away. It is totally over the top, the twists come out of left field, but it's definitely a fun read. I thought the plot twist in her last book was too obvious, but this one wasn't. However I also thought the characterization of her last book was much better than this one. Still, Jones continues with another solid entry in the domestic suspense genre.

Alice lost her first husband in a sudden accident. She was devastated with the loss, but now has her life back on track. She's got a successful business, a charming second husband, two good kids, and a best friend. Alice also suffers from anxiety and irrational fears. When she starts to suspect everything is not as wonderful as it seems, she isn't sure who she can trust.

Alice is a successful woman in both her personal and professional lives. She has a lot going for her, but she also has some anxiety issues that hold her back. She enjoys her work, her family, and girl time with her bestie Beth. However, when she starts to look at things a little closer, she suspects her husband is up to something. She turns to Beth, but isn't sure she can be trusted. It seems everyone has secrets to hide.

The First Mistake is divided into three parts. The first and last are present day, but the second part is set in the past. The first part lays the foundation for Alice's story and where things are headed. The second part focuses on Beth's story. The third part brings everything together in a dramatic and thrilling way.

This made for a fantastic summer read. It was fast-paced and exciting, making the time fly by. Great for fans of domestic thrillers. Intense and suspenseful.

I received a free advance digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alice Davies is married to Nathan. She is the mother of two daughters, Sophia and Olivia. Alice was previously married to Tom and is the father to Sophia. Sadly, Tom was lost in a skiing accident and his body was never found. Years later after finally recovering from her terrible grief, she met and married Nathan and he is the father to Olivia.

Together, Alice and Nathan own and run AT Designs, interior designers. They have been quite successful and are financially well off. Currently, Nathan is returning from Japan where he presented a design proposal and they hope it will be accepted. Alice does not like to travel so Nathan handles that.

Alice is friends with Beth and they are very close. So, when Alice begins to think that Nathan might be having an affair, she confides in Beth. Both women have had some of the same problems and Beth encourages Alice to look further into her suspicions.

This story has twists and turns like a winding mountain road that teeters on the edge of a drop-off. Whom do you trust? The husband who professes to love you so much? The best friend whose heartbreak you have shared? Close your eyes and pick one. Oh wait! Could it yet be someone else? Come and read this one and I promise you will stay awake for it all the way through to the end. No nodding off here for a nap.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed The First Mistake. The 3 part storyline worked very well and once again, Sandie Jones delivers a tightly paced psychological thriller / domestic drama with twists, turns and enough secrets to keep you turning pages faster and faster.

The characters are well done and I often found myself really feeling for one or more of them. I started to question myself ~ how well do I know people in my life? Who has secrets and what are they? Are they devastating secrets?

That's what this book is about and it will make you thank the heavens that the people in your life are "normal". Or are they?

Pick up The First Mistake and see for yourself. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for approving my request for an ARC. My review and the thoughts in it were freely given.

The First Mistake, by Sandie Jones had me pulled in from the first chapter. I really had a hard time putting it down. It kept my attention and kept me guessing through the entire book. I kept finding myself wondering what was going to happen next and trying to solve the “puzzle.” I loved both Alice and Beth and loved seeing how their worlds collided. There were many aspects of the book that I was certain I had figured out, only to find twists at the end that left me shocked.

I would definitely like to read more from this genre and this author. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

Our first post ever was a review of The Other Woman by Sandie Jones. And now her next book, The First Mistake, is out - and I think it’s even better!
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For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has a successful business, two children, and a beautiful house. Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan’s arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved. Through the ups and downs of life, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced. The first mistake could be her last.
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From Manon: Sandie Jones does a wonderful job of making the reader question everything. The suspense carries throughout the entire book, and surprises popped up from the beginning to the end. I really loved this one!
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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Happy pub day to Sandie Jones! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me early review!

After a long time mourning the disappearance of her first husband, Alice is trying to move on with her second husband who has loves her kids and is working with her in the design business she built with her first husband. But questions creep in about both of her husbands. Her best friend is there to lean on and help her get through, but even she has been acting different.

I enjoyed the book but I was not overwhelmed with needing to finish and find out what happened. I can see it becoming a popular book with a wide variety of readers.

A fast-paced and twisty read that is full of twists and turns!

I absolutely loved this author's debut novel, The Other Woman, and went into this one with high expectations.This one was more predictable, but I was pleased at how the reveals slowly expose what is going on beneath the surface. I figured out all the big twists, but I was still pleased. Still found myself whispering... what the heck is going on here!

It moved quickly and kept me interested and the whole the wife, the husband, the best friend triangle was very clever and fun! There is so much going on and it is just so darn entertaining to put all the clues together and have your "awe" moment. Even though I saw it coming! And the ending .... I admit .....was a shocker!



Recommend for a fast, light, and FUN vacation read!