I loved a good, trashy, campy TV show about the rich and famous back in the days of Dallas and Dynasty. And this book will absolutely appeal to people who love that stuff. But I've never been able to bring myself to watch an episode of any of the Real Housewives, and so a book - well maybe this book just wasn't the best choice for me. It's hard for me to put my finger on just where it fell a bit short for me. I didn't expect to like the characters (and I'm not a reader who needs to like the characters in a book) - but these people were exceptionally unlikeable. There was a mystery involved, and while the resolution of that mystery did surprise me, somehow it didn't all completely hang together for me in the end. Ultimately I suppose it verified what I've always suspected - being a trophy wife may look good on the surface, but the reality wouldn't really be much fun at all. It did make me grateful for my boring middle-class existence, and that's something. I'm sure there's a huge audience that will love this book - it just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House/Ballantine for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives
Pub Date: July 20, 2021
Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse #ballantinebooks for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Three women who are neighbors in an exclusive San Francisco community are brought together after the disappearance of one of their partners. Brooke is a writer who just moved in with her tech billionaire husband. Erin is a news anchor whose relationship with her plastic surgeon husband has been strained. Georgia is known as ‘the Black Widow’ because her two husbands died under strange circumstances and she inherited significant fortunes. When number 3 disappears, the neighborhood starts wondering, is Georgia a unfortunate victim or the conniving ‘Black Widow’ the media has made her out to be?

Review: The book had lots of twists and turns. Some were a little outlandish or came out of left field so the believability factor was a little out there. But overall it was a fun, guilty pleasure read.

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This book was fun to read, I loved all the characters. The pacing and characters pulled me in right from the first page and kept me reading all the way through.

This book was 100% drama. Brooke has moved into the quintessential millionaire neighborhood and quickly delves into the lives of her rather vapid and self-indulgent neighbors, Erin and Georgia. Georgia is getting ready to walk down the aisle with husband#3 after the mysterious deaths of her last two husbands. It is no wonder that she is referred to as the black widow. When the third man disappears prior to the wedding, it all just becomes too convoluted and the plot just falls apart. It was almost like the author just dropped a bomb and walked off. I just wonder if maybe she just lost interest. The women were all just horrible people with the men coming in a very close second. It was just extremely hard to become invested in the story past a point without having much interest in what happens to any of the characters. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

The ladies of The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives by Kristin Miller are really living the life, well they seem to be anyway. This book felt very reminiscent of The Hunting Wives and was a nice, fun distraction from my real life. It managed to surprise me more than a few times and I was gasping by the time I got to the end of the novel. I loved that Brooke was a writer, and part of the focus was on her writing her current book, but mostly it was about Brooke, Erin, Georgia & their husbands - or in Georgia's case, her past husbands and soon-to-be third husband. The whole novel was very entertaining, although not quite as entertaining or crazy as May Cobb's novel.

The audiobook was fun to listen to and narrated by Dorothy Dillingham Blue, Catherine Taber & Cassandra Campbell. Campbell is quickly becoming another of my favorite narrators but all three of them were the perfect fit for their characters. I saw another reviewer call this fast-paced but to me, it was more of a slow but steady burn. I loved the various characters and learning about their secrets was an experience in itself. You never know quite who to believe and all three of these women could be quite devious. I didn't actually have a favorite between Brooke, Erin, or Georgia and I enjoyed each of their viewpoints as much as the others. I mean they really aren't very likable, but it was kind of like watching an episode of The Real Housewives where you also can't look away from their messes. If you love drama-filled novels and rich people behaving badly then you should find The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives quite good. It was a great escape read, and the perfect book to take to the beach. It was a really quick read/listen, and the pacing was steady enough that I could have finished quickly even if I hadn't listened to it.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was gripping. I was sucked in and could not put it down! The concept was so unique, I loved this book.

This was a fun fast read. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in the housewives show.

DNF @ 55%. Total and complete yawn for me. Definitely moves really slow and I lost patience. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Sinful Lives of Trophy Lives is a quick, engaging thriller. We have three women in the prestigious and highly expensive Presidio Terrace neighborhood - Brooke, who has just moved in and is in awe of her neighbors, Georgia, whose previous husbands died under mysterious circumstances earning her the name Black Widow from the press, and Erin, an aging newscaster with a troubled marriage. The more you get to know them, the more you realize that the flashy parties and glamor hide so much darkness in their lives.

While I really enjoyed about 70-80% of the book, the ending and the big reveal didn't really sit well with me. It may be just a matter of personal preference, so I would definitely suggest giving it a try.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

If you’re in the mood for some over the top, Desperate Housewives/Big Little Lies type drama - this may be just the book for you. This was a quick read and definitely hit that spot. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free review copy.

I really enjoyed this one! My favorite trope is rich people behaving badly, and this fit the bill perfectly. There were secrets, scandals, murder…and I could never guess what was coming next. A super solid read!

Oh boy - I had no idea what a wild ride I was in for with this one! This reads as a more devious, scandalous, and juicy version of the Real Housewives. These women are everything you could possibly ask for in characters featured in a page-turning domestic thriller. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to like them, hate them, root for them, or plot their demise. They were expertly written and I would love to see a sequel featured on these women. They were so fascinating and the plot itself kept me glued to the book from beginning to end. There wasn't a dull moment in this. I just NEEDED to know what was going to happen next...at all times. Don't even get me started on that ending. I was in absolute shock and awe and couldn't believe what I was hearing to the point that I had to reread the end several times to really absorb and understand what actually happened. I was so dumbfounded. This was such a great read in every single aspect and I look forward to reading more from this author.

My thanks to Penguin Random House for my NetGalley copy.

I was excited that this was being compared to Desperate Housewives, one of my past guilty pleasures. There are three women in an exclusive gated community in San Francisco who become friends and confidants. They know all (most) of each other's secrets and have done well for themselves by marrying rich men. Two hold jobs but not the kind that would garner the multi-millions that they desire. For that kind of wealth, your rich husband(s) must die. The desperate housewives ladies could learn from Georgia, Erin, and Brooke.

But really, I wouldn't want them to be like these three. These three have zero endearing qualities. I mean zero. Their plots and strategies, while fun and intriguing at first, eventually crossed the line, regardless of their reasons and excuses for doing what they did.

Read this with tongue in cheek and eyes planted firmly on the page to keep them from rolling around too much.

I don’t know that Tgis book is really about trophy wives - they all have careers and are incredibly accomplished…but they all have secrets from their rich, uninterested husbands. The story is told through their various perspectives to build suspense…but the book never grabbed me.
I was never really interested in any of the wives and their secrets - it was all a little too soapy and obvious (or mysterious for no reason - the secrets they’re keeping aren’t that interesting). And the writing was not to my taste at all.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy

Think Real Housewives that murder their husbands. It’s juicy, it’s fun, and it looks so good poolside. It’s totally over the top, but if you are looking for an escapist read, this is a fun pick!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Get ready to stay up late! Kristin Miller engages you from the first chapter and you won't want to put the book down. Twists, turns and fun this book is a ride you will enjoy!

This was a quick read and so enjoyable. One of my favorite books this year. So delicious and fun to read. I love a book that keeps you guessing, and this one did that, with a great big helping of a fabulous twist at the end.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of delicious twisty mystery with great characters. This is a good one

The women of San Francisco's Presidio Terrace - Brooke, Erin, and Georgia - are living their best privileged lives while stirring up trouble. This entertaining books is a great read, particularly for fans of over-the-top dramatic soap operas and stories in the vein of Desperate Housewives. Jumping between three points of view kept the story moving at a good pace.

**Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

This novel has a colorful cast of characters which are easy to hate and like simultaneously because they add the chaos in this mystery thriller. It occasionally made me laugh because some of the antics could seriously only occur to those with nothing better to do in life!

The story begins with a terrible car accident which has Georgia hospitalized on a vent and Robert apparently dead after he struck a woman in the street. The story that follows describes the 6 days prior to the accident.

Brooke Davies is a 28 year old murder mystery writer who moves with her 50 year old billionaire husband, Jack. He tries to appear as an easy going guy but in reality he is very much in control of his narrative. While he is off working, Brooke tries to settle in and get acquainted with her neighbors in the gated community.

The Presidio Terrace neighborhood may appear safe and uneventful but that is far from the case. Erin King is President if the Homeowners Association which they find critical to maintain the manicured look of the wealthy neighborhood. During their meetings they discuss important matters such as making sure that one’s lawn measures at the approved height and whether someone left their garage door open too long!

It isn’t long before Erin introduces Brooke to her equally gossipy friend Georgia St Claire who happens to be heading down the wedding aisle yet again. This time to Robert Donnelly who seems to be more in love his yacht Maxine. She is known as the Black Widow given her previous husbands died under unusual circumstances. Her first husband Eli took a fatal fall down a flight of stairs. Andrew, her second husband dies from a bullet in his head from an intruder. Undeterred by the gossip, they plan to be married in a week.

Before long Brooke becomes fast friends with the two gossip mongers of the neighborhood. They are quick to talk about everyone else and their unfortunate lives until the façade of their seemingly “perfect” lives are shattered. I enjoyed the gossipy women and their husbands who eventually have to acknowledge that life isn’t always what it seems. Or is it?

A binge worthy read that is thrilling, fun and entertaining. Three trophy wives, Brooke who is a mystery writer; Erin who is a television news anchor and Georgia who is known as the “Black Widow”. Georgia's been married 2 times and her husbands both died. Now she is getting ready to marry again. All of the women live extravagant lives in mansions in the San Francisco area in an area that is so exclusive that it doesn't show up on Google maps.

Told from alternating perspectives of each of the three wives. The story centers around the disappearance of Georgia’s fiancee, Robert. He disappears a few days before their wedding. An investigation is launched and many secrets are uncovered in the tangled and thrilling mystery.