The Wives description had me excited for a thriller involving polygamy. I raced through the first half of the book, hopeful for what was to come but, ended up disappointed. In the end, this book was just not for me. I have serious issues with how post partum mental health was portrayed in this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Graydon House Books, and Tarryn Fisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of The Wives. My thought and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

Once again, I am against type and did not enjoy this story. Well, let me modify that statement a bit. First I was really really looking forward to this one and so excited that I got an advance copy. There was a lot of positive buzz and people really were freaking out over it. The actual read was smooth and easy. The story flowed, or so I thought.

**Mild Spoiler**

Let me just say that for the most part, I don’t enjoy books where the narrator is either unreliable or straight up lying. I think that most authors use it as a cop out to create a “surprise” or “shocking” ending. No, when you deliberately mislead me through the whole story where even the premise is incorrect, then it isn’t shocking. I felt used, betrayed, and rather pissed off. There are only a few, of the really best authors, who can tell a story and slowly parcel out the facts that are, in the end, not what you expected. This takes true talent and knowledge of the craft. That didn’t happen here.

I’m not going to even tell you the premise because it won’t help. Like I said, I’m in the minority. By the time the big reveal happened, I felt a little crazy myself! For having spent my time reading this. No, thank you. Too bad because I was hoping for a different experience.

Thursday's husband sees her on Thursdays. On other days of the week, he is with his first or third wife in another city. Thursday doesn't know anything about the other two. But one day, she decides to go see one of the others.
Several twists. Enjoyable book! Thanks to Netgalley

This was a wild ride, but not one I'm sure I loved by the end.

It's been a hot second since I've read a thriller with an unreliable narrator and I forgot how much I can enjoy a story told this way. For me personally, unreliable narrators need to either be a really terrible, but fascinating person or garner sympathy to hold me in the story. Lately I have found too many of them center on self-medicating, either through pills or alcohol, too heavily to do much more than sleep and cry. This behavior gets old and my sympathy and patience runs out quickly .

I found the perspective in this one refreshing because while she did a little self-medicating, she was hyper-focused on her goal and searching out Seth's other wives. I loved those developments and her search for information.

I admit, the first 50-60 percent I was fully on board with this one, but once one of the twists happens I started to lose some steam. I do read a lot of mysteries, so maybe I just expected this to go in a different direction and that detracted from my personal enjoyment. I found the ending a little too ridiculous, but I loved most of the book and couldn't put it down once I made it around 10 percent in, so Fisher is a talented writer because I was glued to it even when I didn't love it.

This was my first book by this author, but have gotten recommendations for a couple others I plan to seek out. If you like unreliable narrators, then you should definitely read this because it's one of the better takes I've read recently.

The issues of mental illness and mental instability and infertility were handled carelessly in this book. It was disturbing.

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

This is a smart thriller that I really enjoyed. My main issue with thrillers is that they often lack smart writing and character development, and I thought this book did a good job defying that stereotype. The Wives is dark and twisted, and the plot kept me interested the entire way through. I am not the best at figuring out the twist in these things, and the ending parts of the book were a little messy (I’m sure there’s a plot hole somewhere?) but I liked the very end. Definitely recommend for suspense fans!

The life of Seth Arnold Ellington is extremely complicated. The story is told via a first-person narration from Thursday, Seth's second wife -- the one he spends Thursday nights with. She relates how they came to be in what she describes as a polygamist relationship. His first wife never wanted children. But Thursday lost the child she was carrying, and she cannot get pregnant again. So, since Seth wants children, he has taken a third wife who is pregnant with their first child. The other two wives lives in Portland, Oregon, but Thursday, a nurse, resides in Seattle, Washington. Seth divides his time between the two cities as he runs a construction firm with his partner, Alex.

Thursday describes how she prepares for and anticipates the nights she spends with Seth, devoting herself totally to him, his needs, and pleasing him. Fisher explores how stressful and unsettling plural marriage can be. Thursday compares herself to Seth's other wives, and worries about how she measures up. She acknowledges that she "chose this life and it's not about competing, it's about providing, but one can't help but keep a tally when other women are involved." She feels that she "shouldn't wonder, but I do. How does a man love so many women? A different woman almost every other day. And where do I fall in the category of favor?"

Thursday's anxiety is magnified by the fact that there are no sister wives in this family. Seth has decreed that his wives must have no knowledge of each other. But Thursday looks forward to hearing about the others -- it is "the highlight" of her week -- and it her curiosity that propels the story forward. She has thus far "respected his wishes not to snoop." However, she finds a scrap of paper. It's a doctor's bill made out to Hannah Ovark in Portland and Thursday begins investigating to determine if, in fact, Hannah's is Seth's pregnant third wife.

Fisher slyly and cleverly lays the groundwork, but abruptly brings everything Thursday has revealed into question, suggesting that nothing is as it has thus far been portrayed. Is Thursday a reliable narrator? Or is something else entirely going on with Fisher's characters? The story takes off at a dizzying pace as Thursday embarks on her quest for information about Seth's other wives. Suddenly she is on a quest for the truth about Seth's background, admitting that she foolishly asked few questions about his history because she was so smitten with and eager to marry him. She seeks details about his relationships with the other wives, his true feelings about her, and his motivations for his surprising behavior. She strikes up a friendship with Hannah which becomes unsettling when she notices that Hannah has bruises on her wrists. Seth has never exhibited any propensity for violence, but events push Thursday to fear for Hannah's safety, as well as that of her unborn child. She also seeks out Regina, Seth's first wife, in an effort to confirm what Seth has told her about their marriage.

The Wives is replete with surprising plot twists. Fisher includes expertly-timed clues about the real nature of Thursday's relationship with Seth, as well as his machinations and manipulation of Thursday and his other wives, along with plenty of red herrings. Fisher's storytelling is meticulously planned and executed, and her characters intriguing and compelling, if not particularly likable. Thursday is, in many ways, empathetic and identifiable. She is intelligent, independent, and accomplished, yet still insecure and full of self-doubt. She feels that she needs Seth's love in order to be complete, even though she is repulsed by the way her mother dotes on, takes care of, and subjugates her own needs to please Thursday's father. Thursday sees herself as deeply flawed and damaged . . . yet uncontrollably mired in her devotion to Seth. She recognizes that she was detached from her family, devoted to her studies, and "secretly longing for a connection" when she met Seth. "I was waiting for someone to see me. . . . I was willing to accept anything he had to offer just to be loved by him. I'm ashamed to think about it." Fisher says notes that was "breastfed into the patriarchal model" that women are rebelling against. "But in order to collectively gather our female voices we had to be pushed to a breaking point." Fisher intentionally pushes Thursday into "uncomfortable realities" until she reaches a breaking point. And then delivers a shocking conclusion to her creative, absorbing, and highly entertaining first thriller.

The first half was a solid 5 star read for me. I could not figure out what the heck was going on. I felt so connected to the characters and couldn't wait to find out how everything was going to end. But then it took a turn that I didn't like, nor believe and I started to lose interest. I would still recommend this book to friends because it's definitely unique-which I appreciate in a world of thrillers that are all aspiring to be the next Gone Girl.

I love an original premise. The topic of polygamy immediately caught my attention. And how that would play out in a marriage instantly drew me to this book. As I dove in, it was a pretty quick read for me, which tells a lot about the nature of the writing. Easy read. Interesting plot. Sense of mystery throughout--who is lying? Who is telling the truth? Can we trust our narrator?

What I felt was missing, however, was the Seth appeal. And why Thursday would have agreed to polygamy without a religious component to drive it. It basically went like this: girl meets boy, girl falls in love, boy says I have other wives, girl says okay. Without a strong conviction about it, what woman would agree to it (unless she also was benefitting somehow, which Thursday wasn't and had never been)? What about Seth made him so irresistible that Thursday would agree to the polygamy arrangement when dating him? Usually a strong religious element would drive the willingness to accept such a marriage. This is a crucial element to the believability of the story, which I felt was missing.

Aside from that, however, I enjoyed the book. The writing was simple and fluid and it held my attention throughout. It's a great pick for fans of slow-burning psychological thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Wives
By: Tarryn Fisher


*REVIEW* 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Wives has so much hype that I have been hesitant to read it because hype often disappoints. This book, however, definitely delivered the promised allotment of crazy and what just happened moments. If your husband had two other wives that you knew about, would you want to meet them? Thursday decides to find out all she can about the other two wives of her husband. Her quest for truth and clarity turns into a psychologically thrilling crazy train that goes off the rails and nosedives into a deep ravine where it then explodes. It's just bizarre insanity at every turn that will keep you riveted. I was slightly disappointed with the ending, but my overall impression remains favorable. This story is a strange experience that stays with the reader. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Seriously, just read it for yourself.

Such a fun read! I love how the author pulls you in! Definitely twisted but so enjoyable! I love how the story line changes subtly as the book goes on. (Don’t want to give too much away) Definitely a “can’t put down” book!!

'THE WIVES:' Is a full length, stand alone Psychological Thriller by Tarryn Fisher

Holy sh#t! I don’t even know how to go about writing up this review! I’m sitting here in awe of this author! Readers after me have no idea what they are getting themselves into!! What a roller coaster of a ride, twists and turns, nail biting, suspenseful heart racing moments. This book was utterly unique, this author is the queen when it comes to stepping out of the box, her knack at throwing stories at us where we sit back and question our own sanity is where she thrives and this book was no different.

I feel like I’ve fallen down a cliff when in fact there’s no cliff to fall over! I can’t even articulate what I’ve just read. Nothing made sense! Just wow!

The synopsis is misleading, the cover is freaky, the writing is outstanding, the twist and turns had me reeling, nothing and I mean nothing prepared me for what unfolded within these pages. Days later and I'm still reeling from the aftermath.

2 reviews - both 5 stars

Thursday's husband, Seth, has two other wives. She agreed to this - she is ok with it. Until one day, she isn't.

This twisty tale is a must read! It will keep you guessing the entire time! I can't say more without spoilers, but you simply must read this book!

__________________________________________

Wow!! I don't even know where to begin with this one. It's twisted, intriguing, a page-turner, and it will pull you in so far that you will completely lose yourself to this book. I'm still reeling!

The characters are original and people who you would think are your next-door neighbor...or are they? The plot is mind-blowing, and the story is amazing. I can't say enough about this book. You won't want to put it down. You need this 5 star read in your life today!! One-click!

Holy WOW!!!! The Wives by Tarryn Fisher is a top read for me! If you are looking for a book that will absolutely blow your mind, this book is for you!!

It had it all...unbelievably good writing, complex characters, a plot that moves at breakneck speed, and twists to make your head turn. Thursday is Seth’s second wife. He has three others. She agreed to this unconventional marriage, but is beginning to question her marriage and herself. When she takes the first step to discovering who the two women really are, she has no clue the dark rabbit hole she is going down.

The story is narrated by Thursday, and I have to be honest, I’m not sure how I felt about her. She is very complicated and complex. She is most definitely flawed; however, I couldn’t help rooting for her. She somehow lost her identity in her relationship to Seth, and she questions everything, even her very sanity. Honestly, I was right there with her, wondering what secret was going to be revealed next.

The other characters were just as complex. Each of them had a darkness to them. I wasn’t quite sure who the true villain was, and I’m still not quite sure.

This book is brilliant, and Tarryn Fisher is a genius!!!! However, these rare books are so hard to write reviews for because you don’t want to ruin anything yet you want others to know how phenomenal it is! So, I hope I have been able to adequately express how fantastic and out-of-the-box this book truly is! You may be like me when you finish the last page...going back and re-reading things to discover things you might have missed! When I have to do that, the book and the writer has far surpassed my expectations! And, Tarryn Fisher definitely did that!!!!!

What a ride! My brain is still racing trying to come to terms with this story.

Polygamy has always intrigued me, as well as many other people. While it is a lifestyle I could never live, I can see why some people do. I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this story and that made it one of my most anticipated releases of 2019.

I don’t want to spoil a single thing about this book. I recommend you go into this with reading no more than the synopsis. Jump in, hold on for the ride, and get addicted to the story!

The only reason I couldn’t give this book 5 stars was because of the second half of the book. I felt like the twist could have been developed and fleshed out a little bit more. So much happened, a little too fast in my opinion. I also felt myself detaching myself a little from Thursday.

One of the things I love about fiction is that things can be a little far-fetched. Boundaries can be pushed and the journey can be crazy! This book is all of these things and more.This book is a true puzzle and my mind is still trying to put all the pieces nicely together.

Grateful to have received a complimentary ARC copy to honestly review.

I don't have too much to say about this one, folks. Unfortunately, while I was excited for this novel initially earlier in 2019, I've since come to realize that psychological thrillers involving other women, mistresses, and/or multiple wives are just not for me.

The writing was strong, and it is definitely a gripping premise. For those who enjoy their mystery/thrillers psychological, definitely check this one out.

I found myself initially hooked on the premise of one wife discovering that all might not be well with her husband's other wives...and maybe there's something beneath the surface of her supposedly loving husband. But, once the beginning of the novel took off, I found the narrator's voice grating, and found myself quickly losing interest in the story's premise.

Like other reviewers have stated, the twist was also slightly predictable. But, again, this might be down to personal taste. Overall, not for me, but do check it out if you're a fan of the genre!

Wow! I am all twisted up inside right now, but in the best possible way!

I've never read this author, and don't often read this style of story, but I knew I had to give it a whirl because I'd been hearing nothing but amazing things about it.

And I have to say, it was amazing! I was constantly on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen next. Every time I thought I had a piece of the puzzle figured out, I was quickly proven incorrect.

Twists, turns, and surprises around every corner, Tarryn Fisher had me guessing until the very last page. And I still had to re-read the last few pages because I couldn't believe the ending.

This is an amazing five-star read, and definitely not one I'm likely to forget anytime soon. Well done, TF!

Okay so let me be real with you for a minute. The Wives was not a one sitting book for me. I had to read little pieces over several days. I'd actually read some of the blurb which is odd for me. So I knew what The Wives was about and for some reason small doses worked out for me.

I wasn't a huge fan of Thursday (could be the way she trashed Portland) but she was a fantastic unreliable narrator. Like I thought I knew her but oh did that ever change.

In true Tarryn fashion there was some dark and twisted turns. I had to stop my eyes from dancing all over the page and I'm pretty happy I had an ebook copy otherwise I would've spoiled it for myself.

The Wives begins as a look into a modern polygamist relationship and spirals into a psychological thriller that will leave you questioning each character along the way. Thursday, a second but legal wife to her stretched too thin husband, becomes too curious about her husband's other 2 wives she has yet to meet. Unlike most polygamist families that work as a single unit, her husband made the choice to keep their lives completely separate. As she searches for answers about the women who share her husband, she realizes she may not know the man she's married to at all.

It has been ages since I read a psychological thriller and I have to say Tarryn nailed it with this story.

I knew from the little teasing glimpses that we got that this was going to be something completely different, the storyline is unique one which will have you second guessing not only the characters but yourself too. Thursday shares her husband with his other wives but when she stumbles upon a secret everything in her life takes on new meaning.

I really didn't know what to make of Thursday's character, we know alot about her but as the story progressed I realised we had only scratched the surface of who she is. I became almost as obsessed with her as she was with finding out her husbands secrets. Reading the book I kept asking myself who and what do I believe. Tarryn is a writing magician, she has given the reader a deep twisty original well thought out story that is worthy of more than five stars.
What will happen when everything is revealed, is Thursday prepared for the truth I know that I wasn't and that ending was truly jaw dropping.