by Rachel Hawkins

TW

(Full disclosure: I have somehow managed to get this far in life without having read _Jane Eyre_.)

This thriller is supposed to be an updated version of a very classic book, and it was excellent. If this were to be released in the summer, I would definitely call it a perfect beach read.

Jane walks dogs in a fancy neighborhood for money. When she meets Eddie Rochester, she knows her life is about to change for the better. However, gossip flows abundantly in Thornfield Estates, and soon Jane begins to question her choices.

I don’t know how the original classic ends, but I know the basics, so I thought I knew how the ending would go. NOPE. Since you know some certain things from the beginning, you think it might fall flat, but it doesn’t. Hawkins does an excellent job of keeping you surprised.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hawkins is a successful American author of many YA novels including the Hex Hall and Rebel Belle series. This is first adult thriller. Jane is a young woman, down on her luck, making a living by walking dogs in a wealthy neighbourhood. When she is almost run down by Eddie, a wealthy and recent widower, sparks fly and it looks like Jane's luck has turned. What she does not know, however, is that Eddie's wife did not die in a tragic boating accident with her best friend as people believe, but is locked in a soundproofed panic room in their large home. This psychological thriller is very entertaining and a good recommendation for fans of the genre.

This was an enjoyable and twisty southern gothic retelling of Jane Eyre. I enjoyed all the little nods to the original story as well as the twists to make it updated. It wasn’t the best written book I’ve ever read but certainly easy to read and fun. Definitely a bit unpredictable, even if you’re familiar with Jane Eyre.

When the old wife lives upstairs, how can the new one move in?

If you're going to remake a work of classic literature, you need to make sure you do it well. You also need to put your own creative flair on it and make it different enough to stand out. <u>The Wife Upstairs</u> is a modern day retelling of <u>Jane Eyre</u> and I found it both too alike its muse, and too dull and predictable, to award it more than a 2 star rating.

From Edward Rochester, to Jane, to Blanche, to Bertha, to even the setting of Thornfield Hall/Estates, all are kept and recycled for almost exactly the same characters. (Even more minor characters like Adele and John make appearances. I daresay the most creative aspect of the entire novel was making Adele Mr. Rochester's dog instead of his daughter.) That means the conclusion of the novel was, as one could expect, all too predictable.

While I think Hawkins did a decent enough job of translating <u>Jane Eyre</u> into a modern day contemporary thriller, it lacked originality and any likable characters. I wanted to root for Jane, but didn't care for her at all. This one was just not my cup of tea.

I was hooked by the Jane Eyre premise. There were many modern twists on my favorite gothic romance. There's old Southern mansions, gossipy neighbors in Lululemon and a crazed Mrs. Rochester. I wasn't sold on the comparison though. I think there were many places where the plot fell flat and seemed to move slowly. Once everything came together, it wrapped pretty quickly. I did enjoy the Jane was given more of a backbone and the thriller aspect of the story. However, there was not. redeemable person here. It was a commentary on gray areas of humanity while also delivered a flattened version of Jane Eyre.

The Wife Upstairs has been everywhere so I’m gonna keep my review short. If you like domestic thrillers read it! Another book I think going in blind is best. The audio portion of this is fantastic, I loved the narrator’s sarcastic edge to her voice and how she handled the multiple characters voices throughout the book. This one kept me wondering who was telling the truth and who was lying. I did guess this one early, but I still really enjoyed it! I loved the ending as well. This is definitely a fun and quick read/listen.

Thanks to @stmartinspress and @librofm for my copy and audio copy.

I love a good retelling and The Wife Upstairs was an absolutely fresh take on Jane Eyre. Jane is new to Alabama and figuring out how to make ends meet. She starts walking dogs in a wealthy neighborhood and meets Eddie Rochester. He seems like he could be just what she’s looking for...but what are those sounds she sometimes hears coming from upstairs?

I loved this modern update with plenty of twists and turns to keep it fresh while still throwing in some great winks and nods (I’m looking at you “reader, I married him” update!)

Thank you librofm, Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the advance reading and listening copies.

Exciting, fun and thoroughly compelling.
In this modern retelling of the classic Jane Eyre we find twenty three year old Jane with a questionable past and a skeevy roommate trying to make ends meet. Wanting a more fruitful life Jane gets her foot in the door by becoming a dog walker to the rich. Of course the what one neighbor has the others want. Soon Jane finds herself walking a few dogs in the exclusive neighborhood, pinching tchotchkes and assorted pieces of jewelry (of course unnoticed by the ladies of house) with which to sell to supplement her income. Then while out dog walking she meets HIM, Eddie, a recently widowed handsome man and the sparks fly. In no time at all Jane moves in with Eddie and becomes one of the wealthy ladies fulfilling her dreams. But something is off, Eddie's wife and her best friend went missing during a 'girls weekend' and are presumed dead. Is Eddie responsible? What are those thumping noises coming from above?
I found this one to be so well written with many unpredictable twists and turns that it kept me on my toes from start to finish. The story is told from three POV's revealing the innermost thoughts and motivations of the characters while driving the plot forward.
Ultimately, I loved the authors easy to read writing style and brilliantly crafted story so much that I have to recommend you pick this one up ASAP.
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Thank you to the author, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC to read, review and enjoy.

I knew this was a retelling going into it, but expected a bit more from it, I think. There was a decent amount of suspense, but I never felt like the stakes were as high as they should've been - and I wish this had been a little bit more spooky, especially considering the source material!

Jane grew up in the foster system, never having a place to call home. Upon moving to Alabama she is drawn to the more affluent area, but as a dog walker she doesn’t fit in. That’s until she meets Eddie, a widow, and they quickly become a couple. She moves into his mansion and gets the life she’s always dreamed of. But as things unravel around the mysterious death of Eddie’s first wife and Jane’s secrets are unveiled, she may lose it all.

My thoughts: 5 ⭐️’s for me. Kept me reading, kept me guessing and had the surprises I love to see in a thriller.

The Wife Upstairs is Jane Eyre reimagined as a modern gothic thriller set in Alabama, where Jane meets recently widowed Eddie Rochester. Jane sets her sights on him, but she may be in for more than she'd realize as it becomes clear he's not just mysterious- he's hiding something.

I loved all the twists and how Hawkings pays homage to the Bronte classic throughout the novel while giving readers a new book. It's a suspenseful and twisted book full of surprises, and I think Jane Eyre fans will appreciate it and thriller and domestic suspense readers will love the book as well.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy.

This was an interesting mystery, thriller with shades of jane Eyre. Jane has left behind a secret in Arizona and is now living in Alabama. The job she has taken is not her dream position, but the only thing she can find at the moment. She is walking dogs for the wealthy inhabitants of Thornfield Estates. She meets up with a handsome, widower (at least that is what is assumed as the body of his wife has not yet been recovered after an incident on their boat). They become friendly and one thing leads to another, finding her engaged to Eddie Rochester. She works hard to fit in with the society wives and once she has a ring on her finger, she thinks she might have made it. But, Jane can’t get over the vibe in Eddie’s house. She is hearing noises and Bea’s presence is seen everywhere in the way she decorated the house. She created and launched a hugely successful business which is now worth millions, yet it seems like she might have stolen some of her ideas from her old friend and neighbour. Then there is the issue of being blackmailed by her previous roommate/landlord. There are a lot of secrets, will we ever learn the truth?

This was an enjoyable thriller that I read in one day. The writing had a great flow that kept me interested. I wanted to find out what was happening next and which secrets would be revealed. This was an interesting story, different from other thrillers I read. When I mentioned Jane Eyre at the beginning, I will say that that comparison is a bit misleading and was a stretch for the most part. There was a great build up to the story, but once I hit the middle of the story, it raced to its conclusion. There were several twists along the way and the final reveal was a shocker. I did think the end was a bit too quick to wrap up and left me hanging somewhat, but overall, I was quite happy with this story. Remember though, this is fiction, so there will be spots where you will need to suspend belief somewhat. Well done. I definitely recommend this one.

I love Jane Eyre and I love Rachel Hawkins so this book was right up my alley! This was a fun and mysterious retelling that I loved reading. A great southern gothic I’ll be rereading again!

Some books start slow. Not this one. As soon as I started reading the first page, I had to race through until I made it to the end.

Jane has moved into a small town in Alabama and needs money. She manages to find a job walking five dogs in a wealthy neighborhood -- one with massive homes, SUVs that look like tanks and housewives who attend charity events. She hasn't had it easy coming from foster homes and abusive relationships. But life is about to change.

She is the middle of the street when a sports car driver crashes into a pole to avoid hitting her. He is not hurt nor upset but happy as he invites her to meet him at a restaurant that same evening. She is feeling lucky. The driver, Eddie, is handsome and lives in a gorgeous house. He wants to date her and how can Jane say no?

Shortly thereafter, she moves into his house. She has heard the rumors about his beautiful wife and her best friend who were now missing from an accident at the lake house he owns. It recently happened and now it feels slightly awkward to be living in "her" house. As a poor girl, she has to figure out how to fit into this new life of friends with the goal of getting married.

Each part of the book is told from the perspective of Jane and Bea, Eddie's wife. The author describes the characters to the point where it feels like each person is a little familiar. I didn't exactly guess the ending but when I got there, it was satisfying.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGallery for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

Rachel Hawkins is a one of a kind writer who has an ability to spin a tale of romance, thrills, and hints of past secrets that will keep you engrossed until you finish. It is the same with ever book she writes. I have to give The Wife Upstairs 5 huge stars because I have found an author that will take you on one hell of a ride and just when you think you have it all figured out, you realize the story is just getting started. In this book we meet a plain and broke woman named Jane. Jane has begun walking dogs in an affluent neighborhood. While there she meets a man, Eddie, who is widowed after his wife drowned in a boating accident. He is everything she could want. Rich, gorgeous and just the perfect mixture of everything she has ever hoped for. However, there is someone else in the story that Jane cannot come to grips with. Bea, who is Eddie’s wife is still a huge part of Eddie. Can Jane get Eddie to fall in love with her before her past as well as his catches up? You need to read this one to find out. If you like roller coasters then you will certainly love this book as it takes you on quite a few twists, turns, and upside down’s.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

So you know how when you’ve read some boring, poorly written books that you didn’t like and then you read a good book and it’s that much better? Yeah, that didn’t happen here. I’ve read several fantastic 5 star books in a row and yet The Wife Upstairs still totally blew me away! I read it in less than a day and I just couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! I love how well-written it was and the first person perspectives of multiple characters. I love the nonlinear timeline. I love the depth of the characters and how endearing Jane is. I would love to be her friend! I absolutely loved the ending! It was perfect! I highly recommend this book!

Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book in advance in exchange for my honest review!

I was hooked from the beginning to the very end. Quick, entertaining read. Thoroughly enjoyed this one and highly recommend if you’re into the thriller genre. This one got me good, was not expecting some of those twists. Always enjoy when a book keeps me guessing.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A rags to riches story with a warning.

Jane comes from the foster system and is forced to live with her creepy acquaintance from her foster days so that she can make ends meet. But she has aspirations. Much higher aspirations.

She parlays her job as a dog walker in a wealthy neighborhood into a relationship with Eddie Rochester, a recent widower whose wife is presumed drowned, along with her best friend. After gaining entrée into their world, Jane begins to dress, spend, and act like one of the Thornfield Estates women she so envied,

I loved how quickly the plot moved, how little hints were dropped like bread crumbs along the way, and how Hawkins takes you to a surprise ending you won't see coming. And I enjoyed every minute of it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the wonderful St. Martin's Press for an advance reader's copy for review.

Overall I give this book a 3.75 star rating.

All I read was Jane Eyre retelling and I knew I had to have this arc. Jane Eyre is my favorite book, and so I knew this was a book I had to read.

Probably the best part for me, being a huge fan of the original story, is the way the author adds the tell tale signs of homage to the Brontë novel. We have a family by the name of Reed, the story takes place at Thornfield Estates, and Jane's last name is Bell. I loved going through and picking all these little things up.

The overall plot was good. It took me a bit to really get into the story, but about a quarter of the way it picks up.

We start with Jane, who is a dog walker for the wealthy families of Thornfield Estates. She's living with a guy named John Rivers, (really the easter eggs are all over) because she has no where else to go after running from problems she had with her last foster family.

Enter Eddie Rochester. Basically her knight in shinning armor so to speak. He recently lost his wife in an accident and takes Jane in and of course a romance ensues.

But everything isn't as it appears in the Rochester home, and soon Jane starts to realize that.

I don't want to say to much more as I really think one needs to go into this with just the Jane Eyre story in mind.

I did only give this book a 3.75 stars due to the ending. Now it wasn't bad, but it just seemed that the author was trying so hard to make the ending climatic, that it fell flat for me. Maybe I had too much of the original story in my mind when I read this, and it just didn't feeling as satisfying as I had hoped.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Jane Eyre. It does have an good basic plot and the way the author puts her own spin on it was great. I just wish I liked the ending more.

Jane is not really satisfied with her life as a dog walker for the residents of the exclusive suburban Birmingham community known as Thornfield Estates, but she somehow manages to tolerate her lot in life pilfering items from her rich clients until she can figure out what she wants to do with her life next. That is until she meets Eddie the sexy and recently widowed resident who lost his wife Bea in a tragic yet unsolved accident in which she is presumed dead along with her dear friend Blanche. Soon Jane goes from dog walker to vying for a spot as the new Queen Bea in her gated community. But the past soon rears its ugly head once Blanche's body is found and Jane is left wondering if Eddie is really her prince charming and if he had a hand in Bea and Blanche bizarre disappearance. If you like your thrillers with cheating, crafty and cunning connivers set in an suburban Southern gated community, then The Wife Upstairs may be the perfect book for you.
I really enjoyed The Wife Upstairs. The book is told from three perspectives Jane, her fiance Eddie and his presumed dead wife Bea through a diary in the style of Southern Gothic Literature of which I am a huge fan. The novel hit my favorite tropes of Southern Goth Lit which is to shine a spotlight on the seedy parts of society which on the surface seems ideal. Hawkins accomplishes this by taking the reader into the unsavory inner thoughts of each of her characters using wit and sardonic humor to disguise her social commentary on issues such as classism. For example, at times I could not really tell if Jane really loves Eddie or if she just loves making those suburban Birmingham Bitches in her neighborhood mad at her come up. It seemed as if her feelings are equally yoked. In sum, I found The Wife Upstairs to be filled with messy characters and delectable secrets just how I enjoy me thrillers. I rate it 4.5 stars.