Never turn your back on someone you've wronged. I had such mixed feelings about this book, mainly because I was rooting for the people having the affair and hating the spouses being cheated on. In theory cheating on you spouse, especially after decades of marriage, makes you the bad guy but in reality it's much more complicated. This book was a great read. So many people had reason to want to kill Gwen that I kept changing who I thought was guilty, but in the end it made perfect sense.

The Last Affair will grab you from page one and keep you turning the pages until the surprise ending.

There are many crazy characters in the book and who does not like that? Gwen who is murdered is the craziest most unlikeable one.

Who murdered her? Could have been her husband Josh, daughter Abby, Nora , Josh's girlfriend or Carter the husband of Nora.

The pages fly by and the ending was perfect !

My first Margot Hunt book but not my last !!

THanks to NetGalley and Harelquin Mira (US and Canada) for the opportunity to read The Last Affair.

I loved this book!
It reminds me of big little lies which I also loved. Had me guessing until the very last pages and I can smell a follow up on the horizon! Suburbia unravelled!

This was an exciting thriller!

The pacing of this thriller was great. It sped up throughout the story, building the tension. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. This was especially good, since the final murder is described in the prologue, though we don’t find out the details until the end.

This is the first thriller that I’ve read in a long time, that I couldn’t figure out the ending. The ending was so shocking! It wasn’t one of the possibilities that I thought had happened. It was a nice surprise, since it was described in the prologue, yet I still couldn’t guess what had happened.

I loved this story!

Thank you MIRA Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Gwen Landon is tired of being a homemaker and wishes that she could rewrite her past. Planning for the day that her youngest attends college, she will embark on the life she has only dreamed about. Although her marriage to Josh has become stale, she is biding her time in it due to social status and appearances. She is a narcissist, who calls the shots in her home, community, and in her marriage. Gwen’s plans take a hit when she suspects that her husband is having an affair and she becomes emotionally unhinged.

Nora Holliday was not looking to have an affair, just the courage to leave her unhappy marriage. She waits in fear of a relapse of her husband’s addiction to drinking and gambling. Nora never expected her initial contact with a married man would lead to heartfelt communications and secret rendezvous.

When Gwen is found dead in her backyard many suspects are revealed as the story goes back in time. The Last Affair by Margot Hunt focuses on murder but also touches on midlife crisis and stale marriages. This book reflects the saying, “ You never know what is going on behind closed doors.''

EXCERPT: 'Do we have an ID on the victim?' Reddick asked.

'It's her house,' Monroe grunted.

'Yeah, but I like doing things the official way, you know?'

'I's dotted, t's crossed, all of that. Building a case, basic detective work.'

Despite the chilling scene in front of them - the woman's body still sprawled on the grass, the back of her head a pulpy, bloody mess - the corner of Monroe's mouth quirked up in a half smile. 'Sure kid, tell me all about basic detective work. I've only been doing this for, what...thirty-two years now? The husband ID'd her. Victim is Gwen Landon, age forty-nine. Married, mother of two. Husband said she hasn't had any recent conflict with anyone.'

'Other than the person who caved in the back of her head with a paving stone,' Reddick pointed out.

'Wouldn't be the first time a husband didn't know his wife as well as he thought he did.'

'Possible. But there's another possibility, too.'

'What's that?'

Reddick turned to look at his partner. His eyes were small and dark, and he had a habit of squinting when he concentrated intently on something.

'The husband is a liar.'

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Nora Holliday is not that kind of woman. Not the kind who has an illicit affair with a married man. But Josh Landon is everything Nora’s alcoholic husband isn’t. And now she and Josh are so infatuated, they can’t stay away from one another.

Abby Landon, Josh’s daughter, is home from college nursing a broken heart. She’s seeking solace, not more scandal, so when she catches her dad kissing Nora, she vows to take the homewrecker down.

And as for Abby’s mother and Josh’s wife, Gwen? To anyone on the outside looking in, the mother of two appears to be living the ideal suburban life.

Until she winds up dead.

The serene seaside town of Shoreham has always been the perfect place to raise a family—not somewhere housewives are brutally murdered. So who killed Gwen Landon, and how many twisted secrets will be exposed as the vindictive plot comes undone?

MY THOUGHTS: I liked, but didn't love The Last Affair by Margot Hunt. It's a domestic drama that kept me guessing, though it does take a long time to get to the point.

We start with the death of Gwen, (nasty woman, every town has one), then go back to the events leading up to her murder. There are plenty of suspects.

Hunt's characterisation is, as always, excellent, particularly with Gwen, the woman who has a wonderful public facade behind which she is toxic.

While there is nothing startling in the plot, it is well crafted and kept my attention. 🙂🙂🙂.5

# TheLastAffair #NetGalley

My favourite quote: We make these huge decisions when we're in our twenties - who we're going to marry, what we're going to be, how we're going to spend the rest of our lives. And yet....we have no real perspective.

THE AUTHOR: Margot Hunt is the pseudonym of a bestselling writer of twelve previous novels.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin-MIRA for providing a digital ARC of The Last Affair by Margot Hunt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This and other reviews are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage

I was sucked into The Last Affair by the opening line, and I had a hard time putting it down.
This book was fast paced and intriguing throughout, especially with all the twists it had. I'm not normally a huge fan of unlikable characters being put in the forefront, but they were executed in a way that didn't make them frustrating.
It was written really well, I liked how it flowed, but more importantly, it kept my attention at a period when nothing else did. This was my first Margot Hunt book, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on her other work as soon as I can.

I loved Margot Hunt last novel so much it was 5 star for me. I was excited to be invited in her blog tour for this one. This might be a case of “high set bar” and that’s maybe why I didn’t love it as much. With that being said, it has all the marks for a solid thriller/mystery novel. So I highly recommend giving it a try.

Good book, very fast paced. The beginning caught my full attention. Great development but I wish it was more of a who done it , and not so much on the affair.
Still a great easy book to read and will make a good gift this Christmas for thrill lovers.
Link below my full review
Thank you MIRA books and netgalley

Food blogger Nora Holliday is a good person. She cares about people and always does “the right thing”. So how did she wind up having an ongoing affair with a married man, Josh Landon? In fact, she’s married too. Both couples have children and appear to have the perfect life. However, things are not always as good as they appear.

Nora’s husband is an alcoholic and their marriage is not very stable. Josh’s marriage is not doing very well with a cold wife and a daughter, Abby, who suddenly drops out of college because of a failed romantic relationship.

When Abby sees her father kissing another woman, none of their lives will ever be the same.

This book had one of the best opening scenes I’ve seen in a thriller - a dead body. I couldn’t put it down after reading that opener. I don’t want to give anything away, but this book had me at the edge-of-my seat.

I admit, I didn’t really like all of the characters involved but I was completely engrossed in reading how this all would wrapped up. I found the concept fascinating and I was totally captivated by the premise.

The characters are well developed and jump off the page. The ending took me by surprise.

I haven’t read this author before but I will keep an eye open for any future releases.

The Last Affair is the latest thriller by Margot Hunt.  The book opens with an intriguing prologue.  There is a dead body with a bashed in skull on the lawn.  Who killed Gwen?  Was it her Husband Josh the local orthodontist that has all the neighborhood moms coo coo for cocoa puffs?  Was is the food blogger by day adulteress by night Nora Holiday? Or maybe Nora’s recovering alcoholic husband Carter who has secrets of his own? Better yet, why was she laying in the grass like discarded trash??  When the story begins, we are taken back to the previous six months where it all began and follow the catastrophic events that led up to poor Gwen’s untimely demise.

What I loved the most about this book are the relatable flaws of the wives.  Gwen is bitter because she is now 49 years old and has no idea what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Nora is a successful blogger, but too wonders what her place is with her family now that the children are older and she is disconnected from her husband. Being in midlife I can relate in a sense to BOTH women and could see and understand both points of view.

Even though the book is about an affair, the story doesn’t focus on the tawdry details. It goes deeper into the family dynamics. The story is told in multiple POV’s and is easy to follow along. I must say there is a serious plot twist in chapter 21 that I loved. The ending will leave you wanting more. The Last Affair was hands down one of the best books I have read this year.

Thank you to Mira Books, Margothunt and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Favorite Quotes:

It was the very picture of suburban domestic bliss. It could have been the set for a commercial advertising anything from laundry detergent to allergy medicine… except for the dead body.

Even though Josh didn’t touch her or make a single inappropriate comment, there was an energy between them. It shimmered there, almost like a separate entity, a third party sitting at the table with them.

They’re very sporty. In fact, they own one of those CrossFit places where people go and torture themselves flipping tractor tires and whatnot, and the women all end up looking like linebackers.

She’s as deep as a puddle and about as interesting. She’s not the kind of person you ruin your life over.

Nora is the kind of person who always does the right thing. It’s deeply important to her. It’s like she wants to live in a world of straight lines and squared corners.

I thought his crippling shyness was adorable, and evidence that he was so in love with me, it rendered him speechless. It was only later I realized that he simply didn’t have anything to say.


My Review:

This marks my third time enjoying the nimbly written works of Margot Hunt, who appears to possess quite a clever and impressive toolkit of words and perceptive observational skills, as well as a big honking brain. The story begins with a dead body, and we aren’t informed of the culprit of the deadly deed until the last few pages. I had spun and discarded various theories while I made my way through this slowly building and deftly penned tale of betrayal, family tension, addiction, personality disorders, and spiteful vengeance; with characters that became incrementally darker and increasingly twisted as the storylines and threads unfurled in all directions. Despite my best efforts, I did not foresee this ending in my calculations and I found the last few pages to be the most chilling of all. Margot Hunt has more than earned my undying respect for her wordcraft, as well as a bit of fear.

I’ve enjoyed all of Margot Hunt’s books and this was no exception. Though not the most original plot line, found this to be compulsively suspenseful and highly entertaining.

Many thanks to Netgalley, MIRA and Margot Hunt for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Josh and Nora are having an affair. Josh’s daughter is home from college, and she discovers her father’s secret. Josh’s wife Gwen is living what appears an ideal life, but she is not a happy woman. Family drama and suspense combine to make for a gripping read.

Told with alternating points of view of the women – Nora, Abby, and Gwen. Each woman is behaving differently than her usual self. The characters are well-developed and add a different and intriguing layer to the novel.

A fantastic book for fans of domestic suspense. This is my third novel to read by Margot Hunt, and each one has delivered an addictive story. The Last Affair combines my favorite elements found in domestic suspense – unlikable characters, family drama, and a twisted plot.

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

BOOK SUMMARY

Gwen Landon—poster woman for perfect wife, mother, and suburban bliss—is found brutally bludgeoned to death behind her Floridian McMansion. Beautiful and beloved by her community, Gwen makes an unlikely victim. But just a scratch below the surface of her perfectly curated world reveals one far more sinister. When looking back over the six months leading up to her death, the question of, “who would do this?” quickly shifts to, “who wouldn’t?”

Commercially successful food blogger and mother of three, Nora Holliday never imagined she would have the nerve, let alone time, to get involved an affair. Trapped in an unhappy marriage, she does whatever it takes to keep it all together. But when Nora runs into Gwen Landon's husband at a hotel in Orlando, his easy kindness and warmth proves too tempting to resist. As their affair spirals dangerously out of control, it seems things can’t get more complicated—until Gwen turns up dead.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margot Hunt is a critically acclaimed author of psychological suspense. Her work has been praised by Publisher's Weekly, Booklist and Kirkus Reviews.




EXCERPT

The Last Affair, Margot Hunt
Prologue

Other than the woman’s blood-covered body splayed facedown in the grass, it could
have been any typical upscale Floridian backyard.

There was the ubiquitous pool with a water fountain feature, a patio furnished with
both a dining set and outdoor sectional couch, and an enormous gas grill capable of
cooking hamburgers by the dozen. A large pergola with a tropical vine trained over it
covered part of the patio. The dining area was shaded by a black-and-white-striped
awning. It was the very picture of suburban domestic bliss. It could have been the set
for a commercial advertising anything from laundry detergent to allergy medicine.
Again, except for the dead body.

The area had already been taped off. The first officers on the scene appeared with an
ambulance in response to a frantic 911 call placed by the woman’s daughter. The
paramedics had assessed the situation, and quickly determined that the woman was
dead. The fact that the back of her head had been bashed in with what looked like a
paving stone, conveniently dropped next to her prone body, made it immediately clear
that it had not been a natural death. The responding officers called the sheriff, who
responded by sending in a full investigative team. The medical examiner was now doing
a preliminary examination of the body, while police officers combed the area for
additional evidence. Two detectives, Mike Monroe and Gavin Reddick—separated by
twenty years and sixty pounds—were overseeing the operation, standing at the edge of
the patio under the shade of the pergola. It was the third week in April, but this was
South Florida and the temperature had already climbed into the low nineties.

“The paving stone came from the stack out in the front yard. They were delivered last
week by the company who’s installing the driveway,” Detective Reddick said. He was
the younger of the two men and had a wiry frame and angular face.
“Weapon of convenience. Suggests it wasn’t premeditated,” Detective Monroe said.
He had a ruddy complexion and a full head of thick dark hair, swept back off his face. A
strand never moved out of place, even in a strong wind.
“Plus he dropped the weapon, rather than taking it with him. Probably panicked.”
“Could be a she,” Monroe said mildly.

Reddick shrugged. “Blunt force trauma to the back of the head? You know the stats.
Overwhelming likelihood that it’s a man, and probably someone the victim was
intimately involved with. Husband, maybe a boyfriend.”
“The husband was with the daughter when she called it in.”
“Doesn’t mean he didn’t do it, and then had her place the call.”
“No, it doesn’t.”

The family had been sequestered indoors, both to keep them out of the way, and so
that the officers waiting in the house with them could observe anything they did or said.
Other than the husband, there was a daughter in her early twenties and a teenage son.
The daughter was reportedly distraught, while the husband and son had both been
eerily quiet. It was possible they were in shock.

“Do we have an ID on the victim?” Reddick asked.
“It’s her house,” Monroe grunted.
“Yeah, but I like doing things the official way, you know? I’s dotted, t’s crossed, all of
that. Building a case, basic detective work.”

Despite the chilling scene in front of them—the woman’s body still sprawled on the
grass, the back of her head a pulpy, bloody mess—the corner of Monroe’s mouth
quirked up in a half smile. “Sure, kid, tell me all about basic detective work. I’ve only
been doing this for, what…thirty-two years now? The husband ID’d her. Victim is Gwen
Landon, age forty-nine. Married, mother of two. Husband said she hasn’t had any recent
conflict with anyone.”

“Other than the person who caved in the back of her head with a paving stone,”
Reddick pointed out.
“Wouldn’t be the first time a husband didn’t know his wife as well as he thought he
did.”

“Possible. But there’s another possibility, too.”
“What’s that?”

Reddick turned to look at his partner. His eyes were small and dark, and he had a
habit of squinting when he concentrated intently on something.
“The husband is a liar,” Reddick said.


BUY LINKS/SOCIAL LINKS

THE LAST AFFAIR
Author: Margot Hunt
ISBN: 9780778309222
Publication Date: November 26, 2019
Publisher: MIRA BOOKS

SOCIAL:
TWITTER: @HuntAuthor
FB: @AuthorMargotHunt
Insta:@margot_hunt
Goodreads

BUY LINKS:
Harlequin
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Amazon
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Target
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Thank you to Justine Sha at Mira Books for inviting me to the Blog Tour.

The Last Affair by Margot Hunt.....

Now available!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy!!!

I just love domestic thrillers .....I don’t know why I love reading about affairs and murder....but they are my favorite and Margot Hunt certainly did not disappoint! I was enthralled from the very first page and I couldn’t put the book down!!

Nora a food blogger is away at a conference when she runs into her children’s Orthodontist Josh. Both in unhappy marriages...they hit it off and continue to have an affair once they are both home. Josh’s wife Gwen is the perfect wife on the outside but only wants her community to think she is a loving caring wife. Nora’s husband Carter is a recovering alcoholic and gambles.

Gwen is found dead in her backyard.... who do you think did it?? The answer will totally surprise you!

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Bravo! This twisted tale is beautifully written! I am thankful the author didn’t keep going back and forth from past to present, as I get irritated sometimes when they do that. Gwen is dead......then the rest of the book is building up from the past! Which makes it much more enjoyable to read and not back and forth with trying to catch a killer. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 stars!!!! Excellent job!!!!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the free ebook copy in exchange for my honest review

This is my second book by Margot Hunt and it was such a quick and addictive read. I love when the author can make the book fly by and you don’t even realize how far you’ve gotten. This domestic thriller doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the genre or anything Earth-shattering, but there is absolutely no doubt that this is an entertaining read. If you love domestic thrillers/suspense books, then this is a no-brainer for that TBR.

A love affair ending in murder, a daughter out for revenge, and characters you love to hate. I think those characters are always so much fun – you want something to happen to them and just cringe at everything they do. I think that shows great character development and this story definitely had that. Hunt did a great job reeling us in and keeping us hooked until the very end. Like I said, I didn’t even realize how fast I was going through this book until I had to take a break to let the dogs outside. For that reason alone I would highly recommend this.

While I wasn’t crazy about the ending, I did enjoy the reading experience. It didn’t really bring anything new to the table as far as elements and story premise, but that’s what we come to expect with domestic thrillers, right? A formula that works but with their own spins on it. I definitely plan on picking up more from Hunt in the future!

This was such a great domestic suspense read and points to why I've come to love the genre. Well-intentioned people find themselves in giving in to temptation and the ramifications can be costly. At least for the 5 people most impacted by a breach of trust. Following an opening that teases to the reader, we stand by and watch how three families implode. One great thing about the story is the many voices we get; Nora and her husband Carter, Josh, his wife Gwen, and daughter Abby.

Margot Hunt does a wonderful job showing us the family dynamics. I was immediately drawn in, not to just the salaciousness of the affair, but to all the dynamics between parents and children. Nora and Josh are no strangers to each other when they run into each other out of town, at a hotel, and their attraction is abuzz with the warm fuzzies that are often at the core of new relationships. When Josh admits to feeling restless and the not so great state of his marriage.

What I love about this story is the way I felt conflicted, but it was not about the connection that Josh and Nora share. Once I got to know their spouses, I saw a glimmer of why I was happy for their involvement. But Hunt doesn't let us off easy. Most of us know that the bright and shiny affection they feel could easily wear off, but there is just something about these two together and the foreboding notion of what transpired in the prologue.

Margot Hunt's writing is flawless ad her storytelling skills are well-honed. If you enjoy any type of suspense, this a read I highly recommend. The domestic nature just make it all the more relatable. As for the close of the book, well I'm not sure the story is over. Hunt makes a case that crazy is easily passed on and the promise of a follow-up book is instilled.

***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***

I'm one of those crazy people who loves cheating stories, so I was quick to snatch this title up.

Josh and Gwen Landon seem like the picture-perfect couple ... on the outside. Their marriage is actually a bit of a mess, and Gwen seems to be caught in the throes of a midlife crisis. Josh heads out of town for a convention, where he runs into Nora Holliday, who lives in the same neighborhood as him and Gwen. The two share a few drinks and end up between the sheets in Nora’s room, thus triggering the start of an affair that could send both of their worlds crashing down around them.

I wanted to fall in love with this book. I really did. Unfortunately, it just didn’t happen. Now, that's not to say there weren't parts of it that I enjoyed. I liked the plot and how the author brought things together. The writing is vivid and good. And I think that the author did a great job of capturing the emotions that all parties would feel with respect to the affair itself.

The characters were what made this a 3-star read for me. None of them were likeable. I wasn't able to empathize with any of them, regardless of the circumstances going on with them. It just didn't seem like any of them had good motives.

The end of the book was a twist that I wasn't expecting, and I'll give the author credit for that as well. I didn't see it coming and it took me by surprise. I'm guessing there's going to be another book to follow this one.

If you like suspenseful stories, especially ones that contain cheating, check this book out and see if it's one for you. Even though it didn't make it on my list of favorites, it's still a well-written story and I'd check out other titles from Hunt as a result.

Three stars to this novel!

A Love Affair Leads to Murder

Nora Holliday, a food blogger, is at a convention.JoshLandon, an orthodontist, is at a different convention at the same hotel. He’s taken care of Nora’s childrenso it seems harmless to have a drink together. However, the drink and conversation last much too long and then, even though they’re not that kind of people, they’re having an affair.

Josh’s wife Gwen, seems like a lovely person on the outside. She and Josh appear to be the perfect couple, but then she’s found in the Landon’s yard with her head bashed in. This puts a great deal of strain on the family, but also on the Nora and Josh relationship.

I liked Nora and Josh. Affairs are wrong, but I couldn’t help wanting them to be together because their partners were so bad for them. Gwen was a self-centered bitch. She certainly made the perfect victim. Abby, Gwen and Josh’s daughter, was a hard character to figure out. She was home from college having suffered a romantic disappointment. However, her response to the trauma seemed out of proportion to the injury.

The setting was well done. Lovely suburban communities like Shoreham while serene on the surface often are a seething mass of discontent and anger.

I thought the book was well done. The identity of the killer is hard to figure out. I felt it was almost an anticlimax after so much emotion surrounded the affair between Nora and Josh.

I received this book from Harlequin for this review.