I really enjoyed the story and admired how Caroline took Emily into her life.and helped with Dylan. Although initially it was forced on Caroline she grew to love Dylan and needed him in her life to fill a gap. It was a long time before 'the secret ' was revealed, and although devastating, it wasn't the sort of secret I was expecting.

I really enjoyed the dialogue in this book, it seemed plausible. It took me a while to get through it as I struggled with liking the characters, but I loved how real they were. I could find myself relating to both the characters at time and truly felt a sadness and understanding at Emily’s journey through excitement, loss and fear. While Carolina was a completely new concept for me as she struggled with her desire and her secrets. It was overall a good story and the journey was endearing. I lost myself several times trying to figure out the purpose of the story. I had to set it down and come back to it several times in order to get through it, but in the end the author brings it full circle and I’m very glad I finished. I’m going to say 3.5 stars as I did struggle quite a bit with

Caroline and Pete's marriage fell apart after their son Jamie's death. Now Pete has a new relationship with Emily while Caroline continues to mourn. Unbeknown to Caroline, he has married Emily and she is pregnant. Yet he still turns up to see Caroline on a regular basis and she hopes for a reconciliation. A love triangle built on betrayal...
His First Wife's Secret is a highly emotional family drama novel. Our sympathies are immediately directed to both Caroline and Emily. The former is grieving for her deceased son and, as a mother myself, I cannot imagine the heart break. The latter is not coping well with her pregnancy as well as grieving for her mother (again something which I can't bear to think about).
Pete is a much more problematic character. He has charm and charisma but is he playing the women off against each other. Yet he is also dealing with the loss of his son and I can't blame him for looking for support when his wife pushed him away.
As the title suggests, there are more revelations as the book progresses. Secrets and lies, betrayal and tragedy combine to tug at the heartstrings. I felt almost protective towards both Caroline and Emily and wanted them to find happiness.
The difficult topics are handled sensitively and there is a realism that makes the reader put themselves into the place of the characters to imagine how they feel and would react.
His First Wife's Secret is a very enjoyable book despite the serious issues covered and the sad overtone.

Oh my goodness, this is an emotional one! I absolutely love Emma Robinson’s books, there’s something so authentic and so beautiful about the way she writes, and her stories feel so real.

The story is told from both Caroline and Emily’s points of view, and I found myself liking both of these women. Out of loyalty to Caroline, I didn’t really want to like Emily, but it’s impossible not to. She’s much younger, and she hasn’t been with Pete for very long, but his death is just as difficult for her, and she has a lot of other things to contend with as well. When circumstances bring the two women together, it seems unlikely that they’d form a friendship, but they do.

This story flows so beautifully, and it’s a real “one more chapter” book. The events in the book are of course, heart-breaking, but it’s still a story full of hope and love. The characters and friendships in the book are so well developed, and I really loved the support that Caroline got from her two best friends. Emily has a more difficult time with her friend, but as we find out later, each of them are going through hard times, and it’s just not the right time for them to be able to support each other.

There are many layers to the plot in this book, and it’s wonderfully put together. I read this book every spare minute that I had. If you get a chance, set some time aside to enjoy this very emotional, but really gorgeous book. You may shed a few tears, but you won’t regret it.

Was Pete married to two women? In his heart he was, but in legal terms he was married to Emily! He wanted to go back to his first wife, Caroline who he was with for over twenty years, but he screwed up royally because Emma was pregnant! He was ecstatic, but Emily seemed down and not interested.
He wanted her to be excited like he was and Caroline when they were with Jamie.
Secrets and Lies can be devastating if they are ever discovered.
Caroline & Emily the wives form a bond of sorts to help protect the baby Emily was carrying.
This is an poignant storyline that will take you on a path of such self-discovery it’s a eye opener to be aware of for family & friends.

I would definitely recommend this book.

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

initial thoughts: I am definitely in the minority with my rating for this book.

first, this book does cover a very important topic that should be addressed more - postpartum depression. I hope others who are struggling with PPD who read this story will be encouraged to reach out for help.

however, the “secret” this book is supposedly revolved around? extremely underwhelming, yet heartbreaking. with the title of this book, I kept thinking something else would happen, we’d see a different side of Caroline, something, but that never happened.

this was a quick read and reading about the relationship between two women who loved the same man was definitely an interesting scenario.

huge thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for the ARC.

*Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Emma Robinson for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/his-first-wifes-secret/

His First Wife’s Secret is a beautifully written story of two women married to the same man at different times in their life. There are secrets, lies, heartbreak and love that bring these two women together.

Caroline has recently suffered the loss of her college-age son because of a terrible accident. Subsequently, she has gotten divorced but cannot move on – struggling to find a balance between grief and life. Her ex-husband, Peter, has moved on. He has since gotten remarried and his current wife, Emily, is pregnant. Sadly, tragedy strikes again and Peter is killed in a car accident, leaving Emily pregnant and alone with no one to help her. As Caroline gets pulled into Emily’s lonely life and feels compelled to help her, she realizes that all is not what it seems with Emily and her pregnancy.

Emma Robinson does an incredible job with development of her characters. They are all realistic and while you want to get mad and identify with one or the other, both deserve empathy. Caroline and Emily are realistic about their challenges and described so well that you feel you are going on this journey with them. I enjoyed watching the relationship grow between them, despite terrible secrets being revealed. The friendships that are depicted are also amazing, and we envy Caroline for them. We all wish we had a team like Faith and Gabby. Emily is a bit more difficult to like, though in the end, she is more understood and I empathized with her situation.

While the mystery in this book comes from the secrets the women keep, it is a story of guilt and heartbreak, and I was very moved by it. This story highlights the way women reach out and support one another, and the impact that minor acts can make.

The author describes perfectly why sometimes we make the choices we do when we are deep in grief and don’t see a way out. Her knowledge of depression and particularly post-natal depression is impressive, and she has clearly done her research.

His First Wife’s Secret is a book to be savored. It is both a mystery and a book about friendship and what happens when we take the wrong road. All the characters are relatable at different points in the story. Even Peter, with all of his faults and lies. I very much enjoyed it. Grab the tissues for this one!

His First Wife's Secret
by Emma Robinson
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication date: April 15, 2021
Description:
When Emily’s husband dies in a terrible accident, she’s not the only wife he leaves behind.
Because, before their whirlwind romance and Emily’s discovery she was pregnant, Pete had been married to Caroline for more than twenty years. A devastating tragedy had torn them apart. But there was a part of Pete that had never fully left his first wife and a secret that would bind them together, forever.Finding herself lonely, heartbroken, and forced to face life and motherhood alone – Emily is surprised that Caroline offers her support. But Emily knows she needs someone she can trust and rely on. Even if it’s the woman her husband loved before her. A tentative friendship develops and their lives become entwined. Their bond grows ever stronger as Caroline steps in to help when Emily’s baby arrives unexpectedly early. But it’s not just Caroline hiding a secret. Both of the women who once loved Pete have things they can never admit, without risking a friendship that might be the only thing keeping them both afloat.
When grief begins to take its toll on Emily, she feels sure that Caroline is the only person who can save her and baby Dylan… But should she trust the woman he loved before her – with her life… Or her child’s?

🎯 MY REVIEW 🎯
I was drawn to this book by its beautiful cover. It caught my attention right away. Once i read the description i knew i had to read it. This is one of those books that will stick with you for a long time. It will consume you long after you finish it. Two days later and its still on my mind. Emma Robinson sure knows how to write a mesmerizing story that will hook your attention from the first chapter and pull you across the emotional spectrum as the story and characters unfold. You feel every emotion of the characters as you turn the pages. All of the scenes were perfectly described. It was easy to feel as if you were right there in the middle of all of it. I cried laughed , and cried some more. The author thoroughly researched the subject of post-natal depression and wrote it well.

I just want to say Thank you to author, publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this 5 star story . I truly appreciate it!

If you are looking for a well written,unforgettable, heartbreaking,emotional, beautiful story then you should definitely read this one.

*******Disclosure*******
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.
*************************

#HisFirstWifesSecret #NetGalley
#bookouture

Wow! This book nearly had me in tears in the hairdressers
Emily is married to Pete and pregnant with her 1st child. Pete was married to Caroline and they had a son Jamie, who recently died, leaving them both heartbroken
They are all hiding a secret.
When Pete dies suddenly following a car accident Emily and Caroline are thrown together. Can these 2 grieving women become a support for each other, will their secrets tear them apart?
I was so drawn to both Emily and Caroline and my heart ached for them as they dealt with what life had to throw at them
This book touches on post and pre natal depression, the loss of a child, the loss of a parent and the loss of a loved one and how these events can affect your mental health
There were several times when I was almost in tears, there were so many times when I related to how the characters were feeling.
Emma has written with such compassion.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review

Caroline and Pete have been married for 25 years. They had one son, Jamie, the love of their lives. They were never able to have more children. Sadly, Jamie died in an accident when he was a student at university. Their grief was overwhelming. But as sometimes happens, grief pulled them apart, and Caroline asked Pete to leave.

Pete has now met Emily, a pretty woman some years younger than himself. When she finds herself pregnant, they get married. Emily is having a difficult time with her pregnancy, feeling exhausted and unhappy.

Emily and Caroline meet which is a good thing because Caroline helps her when tragedy strikes and Pete is killed in an accident which brings on early labor for Emily. She gives birth to a beautiful boy named Dylan who looks so much like the son that Caroline and Pete lost. As both women are facing grief, Caroline steps in and helps Emily through her sorrow and the early days of motherhood. Emily feels that Caroline is such a good mother and that she herself is just not up to caring for Dylan. While many think this is a strange situation and friendship, I feel like this comes under the heading: It takes a village.

Caroline is so strong - stronger than even she realizes. I have to say that I was disappointed in her friend, Faith, who wanted her to walk away from the situation. It smacks of the sad state of the social services offered.

This story can be thought of as depressing, however, I would say it’s realistic and can be a teaching tool. Grief can be so very debilitating and those who have not experienced it, don’t always understand its effects on the mind and body. The author did a great job in expressing this. Well done.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is a very emotional read that will grip you from page 1. Emily and Caroline both loved the same man, who suddenly passes away and suddenly both women are somewhat forced to come together. Not sure I could do this!
After his passing Emily discovers she is pregnant.

Told in alternating chapters, which by now you now is my favorite set up. The character development is amazing.

A wonderful read, pick it up today.

I really enjoyed this book. It's well written in a style that I found flowed well and the story was easy to keep up with.

The difference in friendship support between Emily and Caroline is polar opposite. Caroline has a great friends who are there for her when she needs them, but Emily seems to be quite alone with lets face it a bit of a flighty friend who doesnt seem reliable at all.

It's a really interesting dynamic between Emily and Caroline and the connecting factor between them is very unusual. They both find themselves in a position they could never have imagined being in, which makes the book all the more intriguing, because you want to know what's going to happen.

It's quite a heartbreaking, and at the same time heartwarming story that follows two rather different women that find themselves connected in a way neither would have imagined. The book is honest and raw and was fascinating to read.

The struggles of motherhood, loss, love, friendship and all that's in between. I recommend this but will warn of a trigger for anyone who has lost a child.

I am looking forward to reading more of Emma's books.

I loved this emotional story of two women forever linked by their love for the same man. Their relationship progresses from mutual distrust into something much different as one of them realizes she is pregnant. A beautiful tale!

This is my first book from this author that I've read.

This is an emotional book on all levels. It deals with grief and healing.

My emotions were all over the place from the start to the end.

The writing is just written so well that it sucks you in from the start.

Interesting read that probably happens often ... an emotional tale of two women who both love and eventually marry the same man. So many topics are interwoven in this read - postpartum depression, loss of a child, loving someone in spite of the way they have treated you, extramarital affairs, divorce, acceptance of your ex’s new spouse, and secrets, secrets, secrets. Caroline, Pete, and Emily were fleshed out within these pages and I actually didn’t care for any of them but the pacing and skill of Emma Robinson kept me avidly reading. Many thanks to Emma Robinson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for affording me the pleasure of reading an arc of His Wife’s Secret which was just published. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

A beautifully written story of love, loss, motherhood and friendship.

Two women struggling to cope following bereavement find their reasons to keep going in unexpected places. The characters are sensitively written and I unexpectedly found myself empathising with both women.

Heartbreaking but uplifting. A real page turner. This is my first novel by this author but I will definitely read more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has definitely lived up to, or maybe even exceeded my expectations. There are so many layers to the book and its characters. Emma writes with such a rawness and honesty that it really impacts and touches you as a reader.

Despite their misgivings, mistakes, and sometimes questionable choices, I really felt a connection with, and sympathy for both the main characters: Caroline and Emily. They appear realistic, complex and in many ways loyal.

Both characters explore the issues of motherhood and specifically, the nature of motherhood as a force of unconditional and limitless love, as well as the high expectations placed on women as mothers. Emma writes about being criticised as a mother:“Words like hailstones on the head of a parent just trying to get it right.” I could totally relate to this as a mother. I feel huge expectations and it triggers my anxiety, and I really feel the difference in the expectations placed on my partner.

This is a highly dramatic and emotionally charged book which makes this a great page turner. I was completely invested in the story and rooting for Dylan’s safety and wellbeing in particular.

Overall, this is an intense and beautiful story with an uplifting message around acceptance and friendship, and one that I have adored reading. I definitely feel this writer is comparable in terms of style and talent to Jodi Picoult and Amanda Prowse.

This book, despite having very emotive subjects such as bereavement, depression, and pain also brings together friendship and love.
Pete and Caroline were married for years before a tragedy tore them apart. Pete met Emily and married her when she became pregnant but he always still had feelings for Caroline. When Pete dies the two women are brought together through their losses, but both women have secrets that are kept from each other.
A great book that kept me reading to see how it would end.
Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own

First, I want to thank Emma Robinson, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Ohhh how I love Emma Robinson’s Books!! She always writes such beautiful stories that are emotionally powerful. His First Wife’s Secret was an emotional rollercoaster ride for me with some tears in the mix. It is definitely a must read as I can see this being on the bestseller list!

His First Wife’s Secret Cover was absolutely beautiful and represented the book perfectly.

This book is dedicated to Keith Houghton English teacher and legend.

Emma Robinson is one author I will read anything she writes. Her stories time and time again have touched me in one way or another. She writes all her characters and their situations with a lot of heart. She is truly a gifted author.

In each book that Emma writes she always picks very important topics to bring awareness too. By doing so she also takes the time to research the topic to educate her readers. Some of the facts are very interesting and many times eye opening. This time around she picked a topic that was very personal to her. Emma, deepest sympathy for your loss.

I was pleasantly surprised in this book that Emma showed us her humorous side. Many times I found myself laughing out loud at some of the scenes.

Emma’s story is incredibly deep, powerful, emotional, gripping, and tragic. There are a lot of secrets with shocking revelations.

His First Wife’s Secret literally had my emotions all over the place! There were times when I was shaking my head and yelling at my Kindle over a character! Oh he irked me bad!

Emma writes her two main characters (Emily and Caroline) are very strong in different ways. They are both put in uncomfortable situations within this book. I don’t know how I would have handled the situation had It been me.

The story goes back and forth between Emily and Caroline’s point of view.

There was one part of the story that was a little predictable. However, the placement of the storyline was not where I thought it would go.

When Emily’s husband dies in a terrible accident, she’s not the only wife he leaves behind.

Because, before their whirlwind romance and Emily’s discovery she was pregnant, Pete had been married to Caroline for more than twenty years. A devastating tragedy had torn them apart. But there was a part of Pete that had never fully left his first wife and a secret that would bind them together, forever.

Finding herself lonely, heartbroken, and forced to face life and motherhood alone – Emily is surprised that Caroline offers her support. But Emily knows she needs someone she can trust and rely on. Even if it’s the woman her husband loved before her.

A tentative friendship develops and their lives become entwined. But both the women have secrets they can never admit.

Will Emily ever be able to completely trust Caroline with her life… Or her child’s?

This is a signature Emma Robinson book! It’s a beautiful, heart-touching and sensitive read.

Through the lives of Emily and Caroline, the book covers some very important topics like postpartum depression, dealing with the loss of a loved one, mental health and the importance of having the support of friends and loved ones on the path towards recovery.

The plot flows smoothly making it an easy read. Both the main characters are well written and there is a gradual development in each of them, as the plot moves along, allowing the readers to genuinely like and care for both of them by the time you finish reading.

Personally, for me the highlight of this book was when Caroline stepped in to support Emily because it reiterated the fact that strong women don’t use their strength to knock others down, but instead help other women carry their burdens!

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!