While this book started slowly, it quickly became a book I couldn't put down. It was suspenseful and had lots of twists and turns. Another lesson that you never quite know who you let into your life.

This was a great book! It kept my attention from the beginning and was hard to put down. This was the best book I've read in a while.

Great book! Loved the storyline and it was very engaging. There was a twist I didn’t see coming, but it was perfect to keep my attention. Characters are believable. I’m sure many of my friends will need to add this to their list of books to read!

I can't resist secret lives books even when they seem like they might be hokey--check out that cover-- it's a fascinating topic for me as someone who is overwhelmed caring for my own family. It was very well paced and full of twists and turns. The perfect vacation thriller.

This is the story of Nina, she’s a wife and mother living in New Hampshire. Her husband Glens boat is found, abandoned on the lake where he fishes every weekend. Blood, and the family’s dog, the only things on the boat.
The police seem to think he’s drowned. And things come to light about Glen, and secrets he’s been keeping. Nina feels betrayed.
Almost two years later and Nina has moved on and is moving in with a new man. The seemingly perfect Simon Fitch. But all is not what it seems. Maggie, Nina’s daughter seems to think there is something sinister about her new, soon to be step-dad. But her mom doesn’t believe her.
This was a good story. And I did enjoy it. But the main character Nina.. seemed weak and I didn’t really like it sympathize with her for most of the book. She completely ignored her daughters concerns, wording more about her own happiness and that of Simon.
She multiple times, let Simon make her feel like she was wrong. When given clean evidence that she was being manipulated, she made excuses and reasons why they were wrong. It took almost the entire book for her to realize the true and believe her daughter.
But the character of Maggie and Ben, I loved. Both were strong characters and smart kids.
The book was written well, and was a page turner, but I definitely wanted to strangle Nina several times.

Wow, this one grabs you from the beginning! Nina has discovered that her husband was not the man that she thought he was.. One and 1/2 years later she is ready for a new relationship-enter Simon, the complete opposite of Glen-but is he. Son Conner is sold, but daughter Maggie is not. Things are not what they seem! Lots of unanswered question surface and hold your attention until the last page! Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Review of uncorrected digital galley

Glen Garrity, missing for some eighteen months, deserted his family, presumably for a life with another woman. But since so much time has passed, the lack of a body has not stopped his wife, Nina, from considering him dead. After all, his fishing boat, with a great deal of blood on its deck, was floating on the lake with only the family dog, Daisy, on board. Everyone believes Glen fell overboard and drowned.

Despite her children’s misgivings, Nina has moved on. Her relationship with middle school teacher Simon Fitch seems headed toward marriage. They’ve bought a house together and the four of them are living there. Connor seems to accept Simon, but Maggie does not. She’s certain her father will return.

Nina, looking forward, resumes her social work career. But Simon is unhappy with this decision and, as Nina strives to please the new man in her life, she soon discovers that Simon’s apparent devotion hides something more dangerous. Nevertheless, she’s determined to find a way to make things work.

But what will happen when Nina discovers the sinister secrets Simon holds? What happens when everything she though she knew turns out to be a lie?

Well-developed, believable characters populate this story of closely-held secrets and deception and, although there are moments when Nina makes some cringe-worthy decisions, this top-notch thriller is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The plot, with its revelations readers simply won’t see coming, takes readers in unexpected directions and the unfolding of this twisted tale is sure to keep the pages turning as fast as possible.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#TheNewHusband #NetGalley

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This was an outstanding mystery. The villain was exposed early in the book, leading the reader to try to solve the why and how of the plot. A husband is missing from his fishing boat and his family tries to understand why and what happened to him . A demented protagonist plays psychological tricks on the family to try to win them over. Once I got into the story, I couldn’t put it down.

This is certainly one of the best books I have read this year! It is a thriller, unputdownable, terrifying, keeps you on the edge of your seat and will keep you up way past your bedtime reading. Nina’s husband, Glen, has disappeared, thought to have drowned while out fishing. She also learns that Glen had an affair and had lost his job. Nina meets and becomes close to Simon and eventually they move in together. Nina’s son, Connor likes Simon and they get on well. But Nina’s daughter Maggie despises Simon. I thought I had it all worked out, who the bad guy was and what was going to happen next. From this point the story became a nightmare of terror with twists I never saw coming.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Middle of the road

This had a good premise, writings and characters. It was a quick easy read that kept me entertained. Nina could be a bit selfish (moving in with a man she barely knew to avoid having to leave a town she loved) and she did make some additional foolish decisions.

It had some decent twists and there was a feeling of great suspense at times. Was it a bit over the top? Yeah, it got a bit crazy and coincidental. The reasoning for all the drama was silly and how it was orchestrated (one talented, lucky psycho). And what’s with the cop/detective that can’t hit the side of a barn in the time that he’s shot 3 times. The money too?? Just no.

Really it was much better than I’m making it sound!! If you like Hallmark movies then you will enjoy this! Kept me busy on a cold dreary day. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for a copy in exchange for a review.

This book really surprised me. I was very shocked about the ending. After the first page it kept me wanting more. I don’t want to give away any details. I never saw the ending coming.

FABULOUS read! I tore through this one after catching so many highly recommended reviews!

Nina's husband disappeared with no explanation 2 years ago and she has since been trying to rebuild a life with her two children, Maggie and Connor. After a chance encounter (or so we think) a new man comes into her life. Simon is a teacher at Maggie's school, a widow and seems to fit everything Nina is looking for in a man as well as oddly reminding her of her missing husband in so many strange little ways. As Nina puts her trust into this man and her new relationship things start to seem off... leaving her to question every little detail.

This was one of those books that sucked me right in and I could NOT put it down! This is my second book by this author and I'm hooked - I'll surely be back for more!!

There are a lot of reasons I would have given this book three stars: it's a perfect lifetime movie plot filled with a hand-wringing mother who can't seem to make a decision as to whether or not her new boyfriend is good or evil; an over-the-top villain with a sweet, "I'm so perfect" persona when it suits his purpose but who is a mastermind at kidnapping, manipulation, and murder. No spoiler here. I mean if you hear a book described as a thriller and it's entitled "The New Husband," it's pretty obvious where this story is heading.

On the other hand, there were redeeming qualities. I loved high school daughter Maggie and her discovery that it's easy to judge others until those judgments land upon you. After being blackballed by the "in" crowd, she developed a sweet friendship with geeky, on the spectrum, Ben. It was an eye-opener for her to realize that unless you get to know someone, you can't possibly know their true worth. I also felt empathy for Glen who was confronted with the realization that through his own fault he had failed to be the dad he should have been.

All in all, a decent read. Thanks Net Galley for the opportunity to review.

A well written, great read. Loved the suspense and all the twists and turns. This book will keep you on your toes and guessing clear to the end. If you like suspense novels, this is a must read for you.

This was a domestic thriller that didn't really bring anything new to the table. It centers around Nina, a mother of 2 whose husband Glen disappears under suspicious circumstances almost 2 years ago;; since then, she has met and moved in with a new beau, Simon. There are also some chapters told from her 13-year-old daughter Maggie's POV.

I found the plot to be predictable in this one, and Nina's character to be frustratingly dense. I also found myself annoyed with both her best friends and her therapist, who heard what she was dealing with and didn't bother to do anything to help her. Maggie, the young daughter, made the smartest decisions in the story and seemed like the most believable character. Nina's son, Connor, was such a bit character that I don't know why he was even part of the story. I also found the writing to be a tad verbose- the story could have been told in less words/chapters overall with the same overall impact.

Overall, this one was not for me- it just felt like a predictable story that has been told before. I saw some other readers wrote that it felt like a Lifetime movie, and I could definitely see that. Not sure this will be memorable to avid readers of the genre.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nina Garrity is a wife to Glen, and a mother to Connor and Maggie. Nina learns from officers that her husband is missing. His boat was found with their dog, Daisy, on board and blood. Glen's body was never located.

Now, nearly tow years later, Nina has a chance to start over. She is moving in with Simon Fitch, who is a history teacher at her daughter's school. They have bought a new home. Connor has adjusted to the situation, but Maggie has not. Nina is still hesitant to agree to Simon's proposal.

Nina finds Simon to be a caring, compassionate person, who makes her feel adored. Ater all, Simon has gone through his own torment with two of his former wives. Maggie seems to see a different side to Simon. Nina chalks up Maggie's attitude to still grieving over her father. Nina and Connor, wish that Maggie would just accept Simon, so they could all just move forward.

Nina still has unanswered questions about her missing husband, and sets out to get answers and when she does, she learns how little she really knows him. Glen kept so many secrets. On the home front, Nina can't understand Simon's persistence regarding her new job. Simon's attributes aren't always charming. Nina has no idea her daughter is hiding a secret that could change everything. A secret if told, could put them all in danger.

This story has a lot of twists and turns, and mostly told from through the standpoint of Maggie and Nina. There is also a message of forgiveness, and I loved how the author had an unlikely friendship come into being between Maggie and another overlooked classmate.

I received an ARC from NetGalley via St. Martin's Press and I have voluntarily reviewed this eBook.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review THE NEW HUSBAND by D.J. Palmer. I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Five stars and here’s why:

LOVED IT! The author did not disappoint! The secrets and suspense kept me up all night. Holy plot twisting and turning like a rollercoaster kept me guessing. I was sad to see this book come to an end – it was just that good. Total book hangover. Highly recommend.

Typical story of a woman who loses husband and quickly finds love with another man. It was somewhat predictable in the first half but boy, was I glad I kept reading! The second half was a roller coaster with twists galore. You'll find out who the villain is (I mean look at the title!) but I was hooked. The story was disturbing but so so good; definitely recommend this thriller if you're into the genre!

There are times when a book calls to you and says why not take a chance and see how it goes. For this reader, that chance paid off. I was ready for the typical story about a missing husband and the man who comes to take his place. But this book was deliciously devious and offered a few heart racing moments.

Poor Nina Garrity! Not only is her husband missing, but it seems as if he was a two timing embezzler who had her fooled from the get go. So much for wine and roses! However Nina has a new man in her life, and although her daughter is bitterly opposed to this new match, Nina plows on ahead moving in with Mr Right and taking her two children with her.

There's a lot going on and most of it is basically lies and rumors that are sending rippling effects into Nina's family. As the story continues, we find out, as usual, things we thought we knew about the people we love are often not really so.

Yes, Simon Fitch is the perfect man making Nina, a year and a half after husband Glen went missing, presumably dead, jumping at the chance to become a couple and move him with him. Simon is a teacher, a catch really, but Maggie, Nina's teenage daughter sees something in Simon that is off. Perhaps it's jealousy that her mother has moved on, but there is something sinister in Simon and Maggie is determined to make her mother see the Simon that Maggie views.

It's a game for Simon as he tries to ingratiate himself into the family, but with Maggie he has a capable adversary. As the secrets are revealed, we find once again what appears to be real is further from the truth than anyone thought.

This was a fine psychological thriller that had me wondering if all the pieces would finally come together wondering if Nina would eventually realize that all that glitters is not gold.

Thank you to D.J. Palmer, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this exciting thriller due out April 14, 2020

Holy character development!!! It’s rare to read a thriller that has a fun plot, great pacing, AND complex characters. I’m actually sad that I’m finished with it but I really couldn’t put it down. DJ Palmer has grown so much as a writer and I’m here for it. I will be recommending this to everyone.