“The New Husband” by D. J. Palmer

First, I was very excited to get to be an early reader of this book! I read “Saving Meghan” and loved it. It is really cool that St. Martin’s Press sent this book out to so many D. J. Palmer readers. Thank you! Also, thank you to NetGalley for this book.

“Palmer’s books draw you in quickly and don’t let go. Frighteningly real, great characters and so well done. 5 stars!” – Green Gables Book Reviews

After a devastating loss of her husband, Glen, Nina is carefully starting over. She, Connor and Maggie have been through a lot since Glen disappeared, and the things she has found out since have devastated Nina. Was Glen really having an affair? Nina is left with lingering questions about her life with her husband before he disappeared. She has come to the point of accepting herself as a widow.

Nina hasn’t yet accepted Simon’s marriage proposal, but they are starting a life together in a new home and trying to become a family. Connor and Simon have connected and Nina expected struggles, but Maggie is being so difficult that it is creating a cloud over their new family.

Nina feels ready to return to her career as a Social Worker, but Simon is questioning the timing, with Maggie struggling with their new life. Nina feels on top of the world when she gets the job! As Nina tries to find a balance, things continue to escalate at home, and she starts to question herself.

Did her friend really misunderstand what Simon said? Did she really forget about the dinner invitation-or does Simon want her to think she forgot? Nina finds herself starting to ask herself hard questions about her new life…and about Simon. Does she really know him? Does she know enough about his past marriages?

When a life or death situation happens with Maggie, everything changes. Has Maggie been right about Simon all along? Nina makes a bold decision that becomes dangerous for everyone in their family.

So well written! Absolutely 5 stars!

Glen Garrity was running away from the horrendous mistake he had made. Maybe a little fishing would help him to find a way out of his predicament. He would take his boat and fish a while, or that’s what he anticipated. Another fisherman found his boat with only the dog daisy on board. There was blood everywhere, but where was Glen He was no where to be found. Detective Wheeler and the Sheriffs Department scoured the lake and the woods nearby, but there was no recovery. Hie wife, Nina was devastated. She called the bank where he had worked in hopes of being able to keep the medical insurance for the children. What she found was very disturbing. Glen hadn’t worked at the bank for two years. When she started delving into their finances, she found that all the money was gone; the investments, the children’s college funds, all were gone. Why hadn’t Glen shared his firing with her? Where did he go everyday that he was supposed to be working? What was she to do? She hadn’t worked in nearly 15 years. Then to add more heartache to everything, their dog, Daisy was missing. Fortunately, a very nice man had rescued her and returned her to the family. His name was Simon. He started asking her out on dates. They became an item, and the relationship moved very quickly. They bought a house together and started a new life, or so Nina thought. Maggie, her youngest child, was not having any part of this new relationship. There was something she didn’t trust about this man. Even Nina’s friends didn’t like how fast this relationship was moving. Simon seemed to be very controlling, but covered it up with being sweet and caring, and he was always buying her gifts. Nina’s friends were getting very tired of her always cancelling dinner and movie dates with her, and it all revolved around Simon. Why were so many unexplained things happening to her and her family? Was Glen really dead? Why was Simon such a closed book regarding his past? Why all the secrecy about his family? What was he hiding, and why? What was it that Maggie was picking up on? Is the family in danger? I absolutely loved this book? The plot was very well thought out. The character development was definitely superb. I couldn’t wait to find out what was on the next page. I certainly developed a hatred for Simon, the antagonist, as the story unfolded. I don’t want to spoil this for anyone else, so I will stop with that last tidbit. The author really outdid himself with this book. All I can say is, “you need to definitely read this book.”

I so enjoyed reading The New Husband and could not put it down until I had read all the way to the end.

The prologue is very interesting and immediately I want to know why this dog is on an abandoned boat and why is there so much blood? Then we fast forward to Nina Garrity is finally starting her life over with a new man. Devastated after her husband disappears, not knowing if he is dead or alive... the last year was filled with discovering all his hidden secrets and an affair that leaves her feeling betrayed and alone. Simon, a teacher at the school where her daughter attends is her new love interest and a couple years after Glenn goes missing, Simon and Nina buy a house together. He gets along great with her son, but her daughter refuses to go with it and causes trouble just about everyday.

Sometimes there are unexpected surprises in life and sometimes things are slightly predictable, nonetheless The New Husband is a book I really enjoyed and am looking forward to more books by D.J, Palmer More than anything is the deep fear within adults that we will make the wrong choice and not listen to the voice who knows the truth.

***Triggers: Domestic violence and emotional/physical abuse ***

The New Husband is a haunting story about love, loss, and control. Nina Garrity is at a loss when her husband, Glen, disappears from his fishing boat. She and her two children have no answers or even know if he's dead. Seventeen months after his disappearance, Simon Fitch steals Nina's heart. Some think it is too soon for Nina, but in the aftermath of her husband going MIA, Nina was sent pictures of him kissing another woman and found out he was fired from his job two years before he went missing. Simon and Nina move in together, along with Nina's kids, Maggie and Connor. Maggie has a gut feeling about Simon, and can't shake the strange feeling he gives her. Nina ignores Maggie's worries, chalking it up to the loss of her father, but when Simon slowly isolates Nina, changes her appearance, and discourages her from working, Nina second guesses herself. Is Simon just looking out for the family? And why did Glen keep so many secrets?

This book was paced well and the characters had complexity. I really liked Maggie's character, and how protective she was. I also liked the role that Maggie's friend, Ben, played and how the author used the friendship to develop the story. I thought the plot twists were unique and the ending was surprising. I would warn readers that this may not be a good book if you're sensitive to domestic abuse.

Absolutely enjoyed reading this. Minimal copy issues (typos, etc.) which is always something that stands out to me.

The story pulled me in right away - why was a dog alone on a blood covered boat? And who was the person who stumbled across it?

As the story unfolded, I knew where it was going. Simon was a detestable character and I found myself getting angry with Nina as she continuously ignored Maggie's pleas and kept falling into the void of Simon. However, I knew it was only a matter of time until Nina would discover his true nature.

This was a great read and I'll be recommending it to others.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE NEW HUSBAND by DJ Palmer in exchange for my honest review.
This is my first book I have read written by DJ Palmer it won't be my last, love it! This is one of those novels you can't seem to put down. not me up reading at nights, didn't want to put it down....Sorrry Review is so short dealing with a broken hand so it takes me some time to write review, looking forward to reading more of DJ Palmer's books

Mia’s husband has disappeared leaving her with two young children to raise on her own. Suddenly Prince Charming appears. A teacher at her daughter’s middle school he seems to do everything right. Mia’s daughter remains skeptical but her reticence is dismissed as preteen angst. So what exactly is this new guy up to? Unfortunately it seems the author
Isn’t sure. Oh we know he’s up to no good alright but the details tend to get lost. Chapters that suddenly switch narrators add more confusion. It’s the story we’ve all seen or read before. Is this New guy a prince or a snake? The story rambles a bit before resolving (most) questions. If you like your mysteries tight this one is not for you. If you’re looking for a quick beach read you have your ticket here.

“The New Husband “is a story we have seen many times but the author does a good job of keeping it interesting.
Glen Garrity spends most weekends in his boat fishing until one day his boat is found floating with only the family dog, Daisy aboard and blood on the deck.. As his wife Nina learns of secrets he had been hiding, she is not sure if he committed suicide or has an accident but she is sure he is gone.
When Simon, widower and teacher at the local school begins wooing her, Nina falls for him and despite the short period decides to move in with him. Ninas’ son Connor is happy to have Simon around, they spend time together doing things his father never made time for but her daughter Maggie resents him and sees a darker side though no one believes her.
Nina returns to work over Simons’ objections and soon things start happening that makes her question herself. She decides that she needs to look for answers on how she missed the signs with her husband so that she doesn’t make the same mistakes again. Despite finding the storyline to be one I have seen in other books and movies, I enjoyed the book.
Thank you to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This is due for release in April, 2020.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

<b><I>...just because you love someone doesn’t mean you know them.</I></b>

This story is a little unique in the way that it’s told. The mother’s POV (third person) and the other POVs are in first. For me, it was tricky switching back and forth but I learned to tell who was who as the story unfolded.

The first half was slow building. There was some creepy moments which I loved. I had only wished there were more parts that showed the darkness that we were looking for in the premise.

As the end neared, I started guessing what was coming and I was mostly right. Predictable but still entertaining! I haven’t read this author before but would definitely read them again!

I received an ARC of this great suspense story. I couldn't put it down! Things are not always how they seem. An innocent family's lives turned upside down by a master manipulator. Excellent page-turner!

Thank you to NetGalley, D.J. Palmer and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Holy moly. This book hooked me in almost immediately. It's well paced, well written and very very good. The big reveal - oh my goodness. I was expecting it, but I still enjoyed it.

After reading <a href="http://cmashlovestoread.com/2019/04/16/review-saving-meghan-by-d-j-palmer/"><strong><i>Saving Meghan</i></strong></a>, I was anxiously waiting to see if I could snag a copy of <strong><i>The New Husband</></strong> and lo and behold, I did!!!!!!

Two years ago, Glen Garrity, Nina's husband and father to Connor and Maggie, went missing after someone found his boat with their dog Daisy and a massive amount of blood on board. The night that police tell her of their grim discovery and returning Daisy, Nina gets a text and pictures, from an unknown source, showing Glen kissing some waitress named Teresa. She then realizes that Glen has drained their savings. Was this all connected? Did he leave on his own to start a new life? Or was it something more sinister since Glen's body was never recovered?

It's been 2 years and Nina has decided to move on and in with Simon Fitch, a history teacher at Maggie's middle school. Connor doesn't mind since he feels his dad is dead but Maggie is furious since she doesn't trust him. Is she right not to?

Nina can't believe how lucky she is since Simon is close to perfect. But Maggie doesn't think so and creates a lot of drama in this new family because she doesn't believe her dad is dead.

The narrative alternates between Nina, Maggie, and someone else (sorry!!! no spoilers from this lady).

From the first chapter, the suspense mounts and the pages are turning. About 50% into the book, something happens that was like a sucker punch, which I was like, WAIT!!!! WHAT??? and had to read it three times to make sure that I understood what just happened. After that, I was reading at warp speed to find out the hows, whys, and who else will be destroyed.

Another fast-paced chilling read!!! A book that will have you so engrossed, you won't know what's going on around you!!!!!

There is one big negative, however. Since this book will not be released until April 2020, I will have a very long wait for his next book!!!!

Posted to GR 11/26/19. Will post to blog 12/03/19

The New Husband is an exciting thriller that kept me guessing until the end.
Nina Garrity and her children, Maggie and Connor have just moved in with Nina's new boyfriend, Simon. Soon after, Simon starts acting differently-he is controlling towards Nina, and Maggie sees a scary side of him that he is hiding from her.
Simon and Nina had both dealt with tragedy in their pasts, Simon, having lost his first wife after she commit suicide, and Nina's husband had an accident on a fishing boat, but his body was never found. Although she fell for Simon fairly soon after losing her husband, her relationship with him has helped her to move on.
As Nina starts to become suspicious of some of Simon's behaviour, she starts digging into his past, and at the same time, her own as well.

I read this book fairly quickly, it hooked me from the start and I became invested in the characters, needing to know what happens to them. It was a solid 4 stars for me.

This story starts like many others. A missing husband, then a new man in Nina's life, but as you read on, it becomes more intriguing. Nina's husband is missing. His fishing boat was found with blood on the deck. Then Nina finds out things about her husband's secret life. Simon, a teacher at Nina's daughter's school comes into Nina's life when she really needs comfort. Maggie, Nina's daughter does not get along with Simon, but Connor, Nina's son, finds him to be the father figure that he needs so badly. Simon has had tragedy in his life and can understand Nina's needs. Then someone contacts Nina and puts doubt in her mind about Simon. Maggie is determined to find out why she does not like Simon and then she gets a strange, disturbing text.
This book is well written and will keep you hooked to the end.

Loved this book! It did get a little creepy towards the end but somehow the author made it work. Riveting and definitely not a book you can put down u til you have finished it, which I did in one sitting. A masterpiece of a mystery. Highly recommend,

“The New Husband” was a bit of a strange read for me.

Nina’s world is turned upside down when her husband Glen goes missing and is presumed dead. As she and her two teenage children attempt to move on, she discovers secrets about Glen’s life that leave her doubting everything about her life.

Enter Simon, a teacher at the school Nina’s kids attend. Simon seems to be perfect in every way, attending to Nina’s needs, cooking her favorite meals, and helping her move on with her life.

Throughout the book we get clues that Simon may not be as great as he seems. Nina’s daughter Maggie especially dislikes him and still believes her father is alive,

About a third of the way through the book I was wondering “Where the heck can this story go? It feels like it should be wrapping up!”

Silly me!

The middle of the book definitely caught me by surprise, but it’s also where I started to have to give the story a bit more leeway in its believability. Why was Nina so blind to the things happening to her and around her? Why wouldn’t she believe her daughter? And what the heck IS the deal with Simon?

When we finally are shown Simon’s motivation in the end, it feels a little lackluster. And the part that isn’t resolved it a bit unsatisfying.

Overall I did enjoy this book and would recommend it.

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3061169719

I really enjoyed this book - it moved really fast and kept me interested throughout. There was good character development and the story progressed steadily. If you like domestic noir, I would recommend.

Amazing! I really liked this book, and couldn’t put it down. I did kind of misunderstand the timeline-I had no idea how long Glen had been missing. Lived Maggie and Ben.

I've been trying to put my finger on the right word for this writing style. Thus far, the best I've come up with is "placid."