The New Husband never bored me, but it wasn't a book I was incredibly excited to pick up either.

The first 50% of the novel is so very slow...yet somehow, some way, it kept me reading.

And though there was definitely an underlying creepy vibe throughout the book, my biggest issue with this story was Nina's idiocy. Most of her family, all her friends, and even a stranger or two told her Simon was bad news, yet despite admitting she made terrible choices regarding the men in her life, she kept defending him....and continued to leave her children in his care. Way to drop the ball in a big way, Nina.

But really...what kind of man, with a full-time job, calls his girlfriend at work seven times in one afternoon? That would set off some major red flags for most women...but not our Nina.

I have never been a fan of dumb, spineless characters. One of my biggest peeves as a reader.

Beyond that, I figured out the big twist in the book long before it was revealed, and the only characters I really liked were Ben (Maggie's friend), and Daisy (the dog).

Nothing about this book brought anything new to the table, and it was, overall, a very average read.
2.5 stars

**Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Even though The New Husband is based on a premise that I've read in books before, it was still fresh, entertaining and had plenty of surprises. I enjoyed that a good part of the book was from the view of the daughter in junior high. It gave it a fresh perspective and Maggie was a very relatable character. I liked the mother as well. She was a strong heroine. The story kept me turning the pages quickly so I could see what came next. The book had a satisfying ending. I received an advance copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I was a huge fan of Saving Meghan and very excited for the opportunity to read another DJ Palmer book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy.

This was a quick read but the characters were a bit annoying (Maggie’s POV chapters were forcefully young sounding) and unbelievably naive (I’m looking at you, Nina!) and the plot quite predictable from quite early on. Simon exudes creep vibes but it never got TOO dark for what happened.

Overall, a 3 star rating - as I got through it in a day but sadly wished for a couple of surprises or twists in the story.

OᐯᗴᖇᐯIᗴᗯ: Nina's husband Glen goes fishing one day and never returns. His boat is found and blood is present indicating Glen met with foul play. So Nina and her children are forced to pick up their lives and move on. Enter Simon Fitch. He is the man Nina needs to get on with her life. He is attentive, knows exactly what Nina needs at all times, gets along with Nina's son Connor, and is seemingly perfect. So why does Nina's daughter, Maggie, distrust him so much? Is he really as perfect as he appears to be?

It is so hard to write thoughts about this book without giving away spoilers. It becomes clear to the readers pretty quickly that Maggie may be onto something. The whole scenario reminded me of Dirty John. But the twist that happens about halfway through will blow your mind! I could not put this one down because I had to see how it would end.

ᖇᗩTIᑎᘜ: ★★★★1/2

Ok. I will admit that I hated Simon from the first minute I met him. I’m not even sure why. That being said, i liked this book a lot. I actually liked the lesser characters better then the main. Maggie, Ben, and Connor were an essential part of this book. I read the first book from this author and loved it. Something tells me I will be looking for her to write another. Thank you Netgalley for sure the opportunity to read it early for n unbiased opinion.

Though I have some of Palmer's earlier novels already in my TBR, this one is the first one that I have read. This is an engaging read from the start, set in Seabury, New Hampshire. The book opens with a boat, empty save for blood and the family dog. It shifts to almost two years later, Nina is moving her family in with Simon, the man she plans on marrying once the legality of divorcing her missing husband is complete. Palmer tantalizes the reader with bigger secrets and reveals to come - making this one tough to put down! What impresses me the most is the authenticity of Maggie's middle school angst being so perfectly captured. She really jumps off the page - and it is easy to share in her dislike and distrust of Simon.

The book takes a few expected turns, but there are also definitely some surprises to the plot as well! Palmer does a great job of building Simon's menace through Maggie's eyes - and though there are sides to his personality that may not always add up - the book still makes all of the characters come to life. I do wish that the epilogue had been a bit more thorough - and I do think that the title is a bit misleading, considering - but otherwise, I really like this one! The opening is a bit stronger than the finish, but it's an exciting read and Maggie's perspective, along with her friendship with Ben really makes this a great read. I am looking forward to pulling his older titles off my shelf!

I think this book just wasn't for me. It starts off with the mystery of Nina's husband whose boat is found with a pool of blood and his dog. The aftermath of him disappearance is he secret life. When Nina ends up moving on with Simon Fitch her daughter is not happy. She sees a dark side to him, and doesn't trust him.

I think the amount of times Maggie, the daughter, raised red flags about Simon and the blatantly him trying to control and alienate Nina was a little obvious but Nina was clueless. I think it was overall predictable and many times I didn't want to finish the book. The ending did get a little better and a little faster paced.

What a disturbing, amazing ride of a thriller! I’ve read some decent books lately, but have been waiting for one that would knock my socks off. And this was the one! I couldn’t put this one down!

This book makes you question how you really know those close to you. With a shocking opening scene with blood on a boat and no body to be found, you won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough to get more!
Nina’s husband vanished and left her alone with their two children. After legally declaring her husband dead, Nina discovers many shocking secrets about the husband she thought she married. She moves on and finds love with Simon, a teacher at her daughter’s middle school. But as drama unfolds between her daughter and Simon, Nina isn’t sure who she can believe anymore.

I really enjoyed the writing style of this author and I can’t wait to pick up more after this one. This one kept me way up past my bedtime because I devoured it in one evening. So make plans to do the same! This one is on sale tomorrow. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Perfect Man Might Be Too Good to be True

Nina and the children are devastated when Glenn’s boat is found by a fisherman floating in the river with only the dog, Daisy, aboard. Glenn’s body is never found, and Maggie knows the family must move beyond the tragedy, but as she finds more about Glenn’s behavior before he disappeared she wonders if she was deceived all along.

Simon, a high school teacher, returns Daisy, who has apparently walked out the open front door. He’s a widower mourning the suicide of his wife. He and Nina hit it off immediately. He’s kind, supportive, and after Glenn’s disappearance everything Nina wants. Connor, her son, agrees. Here’s a man who spends time with him. Maggie, Nina’s daughter, isn’t so sure. She resents Simon and does all she can to get him out of their lives.

This is a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing. It starts slowly building the picture of the family right after Glenn’s disappearance. Then the pace picks up and slowly the picture changes. The story is told through two view points, Nina’s and Maggie’s. I thought it was very effective. Nina sees the relationship she wants and tries to convince herself of the rightness of it. Maggie distrusts Simon. She’s very bright and going through some typical teenage relationship problems, but it doesn’t keep her from having a view of Simon that may be more correct than her mother’s.

This is a well written psychological thriller. You can see the disaster unfolding, but it’s so riveting you just keep watching. In this regard, I thought Nina’s scenes with her therapist were some of the best in the book. Nina sees what’s happening, but doesn’t want to.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

I just finished a whirlwind read of D. j. Palmer’s The New Husband. I was totally engrossed in this psychological thriller. I found myself having outloud conversations with the characters especially Nina and Maggie who are also the narrators. There were some twists that I did not see coming. This is a fast, engrossing read. This was my first book by D. J. Palmer that I have read, but it will not be my last. Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DJ Palmer brings us a psychological thriller that will draw you in and at some points early on, have you second guessing who is sane and who is not. Nina and Simon are both getting a second chance at love and despite misgivings of Nina's daughter, she is willing to give it her all. Soon, things start to go awry, things make no sense and all of them will need to pull together to make a new family unit work. Did Nina's husband die? Can Nina let it all go and just be with Simon? What are the secrets that are being held by each of them that will through their lives in an upheaval that have them running for cover? While you learn early on some of the history behind what is going on, the story culminates in a harrowing finale that will have you taking a few breaths when you are done.

5 Stars for The New Husband by D.J. Palmer!
This one kept me guessing, y'all.

When Nina's husband disappears and she unearths lots of secrets, she cannot believe he was living a double life. Assumed to be dead, Nina finds solace in the fact that Glen was living a double life and decides to move on. Simon comes in and sweeps her off of her feet, and they quickly move forward with moving in together and trying to start a new life. But something just doesn't seem right.

Dismissing her doubts and feelings, fearful that they are stemming the failure of her previous marriage, Nina tries to look past the gnawing feeling that something is wrong. She makes excuses for her teenagers when they have confrontations with Simon.

2 years after her father's disappearance, Nina's daughter, Maggie receives a text message but is sworn to secrecy. She must do something. Will it be enough to save Nina from a life of abuse, control, or will it lead to her death?

I found myself drawn to Maggie's friend, Ben. @djpalmerauthor, I'd love to know more about Ben's life and feel you could write another book about him.

Books are so important right now. The process of bringing books into the world seems to be more difficult than normal right now with the absence of book tours and typical authorish types of things. That being said, I recommend this book if you're looking for something fast-paced with some surprise breadcrumbs throughout. It isn't a spoiler to let you know you'll be grossed out by Simon from the very beginning.

Thanks to @netgalley @stmartinspress and @djpalmerauthor for the opportunity to read The New Husband before the rest of the world in exchange for an honest review. I wish I could convey how much I appreciate books in a time like this.

#thenewhusband #netgalleyreads #booklover #sendmebooks #readgoodbooks #readtoescape #covidreads #newrelease #5stars #loveanauthor #publishersrock #bookedlife #bookschangethings #bookfriends #bookish #bookworm #booknerd #readmore #read #mustread #bookreview #bookblog #thriller #suspense

D.J. Palmer is a new author to me but after reading The New Husband I will certainly be checking out her previous works. I have to say I struggled to get into this book but I’m so glad I persevered because it turned into a great read.
This is a story that will turn you upside down , it’s emotional, it’s scary and at times it’s very disturbing, it’s a nightmare you never want to experience. It’s a well written book that makes you realise you don’t always know people, sometimes you see what they want you too and more of than not it’s your friends and family who see the real person because you are looking in with rose tinted glasses. This is a psychological thriller that is well written and it will draw you in, it will have you on the edge of your seat as you keep turning the pages even if at some point you try to put it down it’s one of those books you need to finish.....
If you love dark suspense this will be a must read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley

3.5 rounded to 4 stars

I really enjoyed this book and even after the twist was revealed, I still had to see how it would all turn out. It's hard to talk about this without spoilers so I'll do my best. I will say that part of the plot requires you to suspend your belief because something like this may have happened in the real world, but it felt more like something made up that you'd see on TV or in the movies which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

For a domestic thriller, I was intrigued and the pages kept flying by. I think it could have been wrapped up a bit sooner but overall, I'd recommend this book.

Wow, all I can say is wow. So much to say, but don’t want to give away a thing. This book scared the heck out of me! You think you have a clue and then you don’t. You think it can’t get more twisted and sick and then it does. It is dark, dark, dark, smart, intriguing, twisted, horrific, explores psychopathy and how potentially if one isn’t truly present in their lives how easily the could be duped.
Nina is in the shocked to discover all the secrets her husband had been keeping before he disappeared. In a short time she meets and is in a full on relationship with a too good to be true man. Almost everyone falls for Simon, except for Maggie which brings a certain amount of tension that Simon senses. Maggie is the best character in the story. She is mature and wise beyond her years. This is a well written psychological thriller that will keep you on edge and a little freaked out until the end.

The New Husband was such a fun domestic thriller, I’m so glad I picked it up! This was definitely a page turner for me, especially as I neared the end and just couldn’t wait to see what happened. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and the short chapters. While I didn’t LOVE or connect with any of the characters, I didn’t feel like this took away from the story at all. Overall, a great quick read if you love a good story of obsession and domestic suspense/thrillers!

Unpopular opinion: The New Husband is yet another domestic suspense novel that made me want to toss the book in my pool.

Pacing is quite slow to start, picking up about midway and exploding in implausible insanity toward the end.

I liked Maggie, Nina’s teenage daughter, who is the only character with a shred of sense. Nina needed a good slap. She perfectly fits the TSTL (too stupid to live) character profile. And I wanted Simon to die a horrible death from the very beginning.

The plot, though, is where this book totally lost me. I saw the major twist coming, but I so wanted to be wrong. Then that twist happened, and my brain spewed the entire list of words I can’t say in public. From there, things got ridiculous. I couldn’t take anything seriously, and my eyes hurt from all the rolling they did.

So, total disappointment for me. But lots of readers have loved this one, and you might too.

The New Husband is a domestic psychological thriller that just didn't do it for me. Simon is the new husband, even though he and Nina aren't married yet. But he sure wants to be. He is a controlling, manipulative weirdo that Nina can't see through. Come on, if your first husband abandoned you with no warning, would you be so trusting of a new man right way? Especially one with so many red flags? I think not.
I didn't care for a single character in this book. Maggie almost won my heart, but not quite. The entire book was incredibly predictable, unrealistic and felt like it followed a common formula that I keep seeing over and over. It just didn't do it for me. I am scratching my head over the many very high reviews. But hey, I guess there is something for everyone.

Maybe I read too much. Maybe it is me. But I often feel like I'm reading something I have read before. With this book it was like I was reading many things I have read before all rolled into one book. And rolling along with it were my eyes. I almost said aloud, "This is ridiculous!" many times. But I'm tired of my family looking at me like that, so I've learned to control that impulse. It was predictable, of course. I kept hoping it wasn't what I thought it was, because that would be stupid. But then...

I wish there had at least been a character to like. No.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was suspenseful and hard to put down. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.