Payback?! :)

Wife calls husband and has a shocking statement. Wife is also not joking...

This is quite the fast paced action moving plot. But, I felt like there wasn't much suspense for me. I felt that the story could really only end one way.

This one will give you creepy vibes having you double check all your windows and doors to be locked.

But, such a fun and quick read!

Overall, 3.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy!!

I don't say this lightly, but, My Darling Husband is Kimberly Belle's BEST BOOK YET! I loved the documentary style storytelling used to flashback on a hostage/kidnapping situation and was totally gripped to how the story unfolded.

Thank you to Park Row for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Cam and Jade Lansky appear to have the perfect life. Cam is the "steak king" of Atlanta with several steakhouses throughout the city. They live in a prestigious Buckhead neighborhood. And their kids want for nothing. But all that changes the day that Jade and the kids get home from school and are greeted by a masked man with a gun. He is demanding that Cam brings a huge amount of money to their home by a specific time. Failure to do so will cause death to them all. Jade is so shocked that this could happen to her and her young son and daughter, but she is not willing to go down without a fight. What Jade doesn't know is that Cam has been keeping information from her for a while now. The restaurants are struggling and there is a real possibility that Cam cannot get the money together. Will Jade and the kids get out of this situation without being harmed?


I finished this heart-pounding book more than a week ago, before world events provided me with all the heart-pounding action my heart could take. Cam and Jade provide an interesting conundrum for readers. Jade is a kind, caring mother devoted to her children. And Cam is a shrewd businessman who has made questionable decisions. It is very easy to like Jade, but you are torn about whether you should like Cam. The book is incredibly fast-paced and before you know it, the book is over and it left you with one question unanswered. - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS.


Bottom Line - My Darling Husband is a fast-paced thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Details:
My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle
On Instagram
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 12/28/2021
Publisher: Park Row
Buy it Here
Thanks to NetGalley for the book in exchange for a review.

Omigosh! The suspense in the book with the impending sense of danger where the masked man controlled every single action kept my heart in my throat with every page. The courage shown by the kids had me going aww even when I was afraid for their lives. This was nail-biting good in most of the prose until the truth was revealed.

The writing was bang-on. The fear, the excitement, a mother’s love and willingness to do anything to save the lives of her kids, every emotion was written perfectly. Each page had something happening where the control kept alternating. When I thought Jade could outwit the intruder, he revealed his ace in hand. And he had many aces.
The scenes written were brilliantly tense, where each to and fro conversation with the masked intruder had me congratulating Jade and at times, wondering about the motive behind the demands. Heart pounding perfect tug-of-war of words between them which kept the pace of the book fast.

Minor twists, other than the reasons behind the intruder’s invasion, no major surprises as the truth was revealed slowly in the book. The husband being an ass-hat was revealed right in the blurb.
No shockers but entertaining, fast-paced, heart-thrumming excitement, this could be read at one go. Easily. Well recommended.

Kimberly Belle
Thriller
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟 (3/5 stars)
Goodreads: 3.69
Thank you to @parkrowbooks and @netgalley for my eARC!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🖤Home invasion + kidnapping for ransom plots
🖤Family dramas
🖤Domestic suspense
🖤Action-packed storylines

SHORT SYNOP:
Jade + Cam are happily married with two beautiful children. They seem like the perfect power couple with a rapidly growing business; but everything begins to unravel when their home is invaded by an intruder claiming to know Cam, demanding ransom money in exchange for their survival.

MY THOUGHTS:
I typically am super intrigued by domestic thrillers + the whole "golden couple that is actually full of secrets" idea, so when I saw this cover several months back, I knew I wanted to read it.

I wound up listening to most of this one on @hoopladigital. The audio narration was fine; I didn't necessarily love it or hate it. I felt like overall, this was a decent & entertaining, action-packed domestic suspense. I loved the mother's character & her protective nature in doing whatever it takes for her children's safety. I also loved the interview aspect of this novel.

I didn't find that this one was profoundly original in terms of the plot- I feel like I have read and watched a lot of home invasion/ransom storylines, so I was hoping for more of a jaw-dropping twist than what I was given. I would just recommend going into it knowing the twist isn't necessarily going to leave you in shock.

As previously mentioned, I loved the interview aspect of this novel. I thought it was so interesting that the book started out with Cam being interviewed about the crime & events that took place; however, I feel like this perspective/view, sadly, kind of fell through the cracks and got lost in the mix. I would have loved for it to have continued in more of an interview style, & for us to have learned more about Cam's connection to the intruder.

Overall, if you enjoy thrillers that aren't extremely intense in the content (i.e. no gore, extreme violence, disturbing events) & are looking for more of a suspense novel, you may enjoy reading or listening to this one!

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an okay read. A couple interesting twists in it. But I wasn’t too surprised about how it ended up. I didn’t really feel a connection to any of the characters. It was a quick read.

My Darling Husband started off with a bang but fizzled towards the end. Jade Lasky and her children are held hostage and her husband Cam has to come up with a ridiculous amount of money to rescue them. Of course Cam has secrets and he was a total douche. I didn't like his character at all.

Jade was the stereotypical clueless wife. I expected more from her since I've read Kimberly Belle books in the past and the women characters have been a lot stronger. However, Cam and Jade's daughter, nine year old, Beatrix was the star of the show.

The ending was a letdown and was a 3 star read for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

$734,296.
That’s the amount that Cam Lasky, famed chef and restaurant owner, will have to pay in cash if he wants his wife and two children to live.
What a number!?! This book starts out with a bang and doesn't let up! To be honest, I could not stand Cam's character. As a main character and his family being kidnapped, I feel like he was unreliable and honestly unworthy. Jade was a total bad*ss and I really enjoyed her character! As a mother, I would do anything to protect my children, and I felt like Jade really portrayed that aspect!
Now, some the of the twists and turns were totally seeable. I did predict some things, but then there were moments and events that I did not see coming! My Darling Husband was an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it!!

I felt like I had read this book a million times before, there was nothing new or catchy that really made me want to continue reading. This is just a run of the mill thriller.

I was not ready for this and it just rocked me. I needed a read like this and I even read this during my pre-natal appointments because I couldn’t put it down (even on the NST machine). I really like Kimberly Belle’s writing and look forward to reading more from her.

OK Belle!! You have outdone yourself with this novel! This had moved into my favorite of yours slot, probably tied with Three Days Missing.

Y'all, this book starts strong and never lets up. Domestic secrets, what you would do for your children, being held at gunpoint... oh the SUSPENSE. A couple surprises are in store for you as you barrel through these pages. I was like... um, what?! And I LOVE it when a book does that to me. They may not slap you in the face but they'll certainly pat your ass a bit when you realize what's actually happening and who all is involved.

This book shows that everyone has secrets. That kids are resilient and don't get enough credit. Hello the Bees - I really loved the whole family dynamic. Even with all their issues. And it certainly highlights what truly is important in life. You'll even find yourself surprised at how you end up feeling towards a character or two. Would definitely recommend this. Go grab a copy ASAP!

This book was SO MUCH FUN. I was literally breathless, heart racing, blood humming through my veins, on the edge of my seat. Talk about non-stop action and totally gripping!!

Jade and her two kids are kidnapped by a masked gunman in their own home. The gunman sends Jade's husband on an impossible task of obtaining 700k+ in cash for ransom in just a few short hours. As her husband, the Steak King, races against the clock, Jade fights to keep her and her children safe and alive. The alternating perspectives - Jade, the gunman, the husband, and an interview done in the future - paint a picture of why this is happening to this seemingly perfect family and how it all plays out.

I listened to the book on audio and audio and couldn't get enough. The voice for Sebastian was a little lackluster and I didn't enjoy his voices for Jade or the kids, but otherwise, the audio was excellent. It added a whole new level of drama that really transported me and made me feel like I was living the action or seeing it on the big screen (queue up Liam Neeson please!). I often teared up thinking how I myself would handle such a situation and thinking about what lengths I would go to to protect my son.

My only complaint is the ending - I wanted some more drama and for it to really go out with a controversial bang after all the buildup.

I basically binged this book in two sittings. I didn't want to pause it and was disappointed when it ended because I wanted more!

If you love an action packed thriller, look no further. I always enjoy Belle's books and this was no exception. I will definitely have a book hangover from this one!

This was such a crazy read! My mind was blown as how well executed this book was. It was fast paced and filled with so much suspense. I love domestic thrillers so much and this book proves why. I loved the short chapters and way this book was set up. This was a fun and twisty thriller!

I usually love multiple perspective storylines, but this one couldn't keep me interested. There was way too much going on and didn't feel cohesive. I had high expectations for this book based on the first few pages of the book... but again, way too much going on.

Imagine coming home from picking your child up from an activity to a masked man waiting for you in your garage. He has a gun, and he’s threatening violence against not just you, but also your children. It’s terrifying! And just as terrifying? The fact that as the course of the day unfolds, Jade will realize she knows absolutely nothing about her husband.

My Darling Husband takes place during just one day. But of course, with many things, the events of the past years (not months) all come to a head in that one day. I’m always a little hesitant to pickup a book that takes place in such a small time-frame, but Belle does an excellent job of interweaving the present with the past. Everything that brought Jade and Cam to this crucial moment is also inter-cut with hints here and there as to who the masked intruder is.

My Darling Husband is an amazing read. I don’t normally ever stay up late to finish a book. I’m just usually too tired. I was up until midnight on a weeknight finishing this one, which may sound lame, but is super late for me! Check this one out, you won’t be disappointed. Special thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

This one kept me on the edge of my seat, and I was flipping the pages quickly to see how it would turn out! The story flowed well while changing between the different characters to give all sides to the action going on within the book.

It checks all the right boxes for a psychological/domestic thriller and delivers in all the ways that really matter. I highly recommend this book to those who love a quick and thrilling read!

Thank you to Park Row Books + NetGalley for my e-copy!

This was an incredibly tense, edge of seat thriller. Particularly as a parent, this story line had me gripped! I truly felt as if I was in the room with Jade, trying to work out a way for her to get out of the terrifying closed room situation. At the same time, I was infuriated by Cam more with every chapter! Twist after twist, one more diabolical than the last.

This was an ok thriller. Since it all happened in one day parts were really fast paced and then other sections seemed to really drag on. It was kind of like the main characters kept saying the same thing over and over again. I kept with it to see where it ended up. It was bad but wasn't my favorite.

This book kept me interested throughout! I loved the multiple-POV writing style, and piecing together what happened really kept me going. I liked the reasoning behind the hostage situation, and all the little details that the author used to build suspense, like the nanny cams and the neighbor.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Jade Lasky and her two children are being held captive by a masked man who invaded their home. He issue instruction to Jade's husband Cam to have a very specific ransom amount gathered with a very tight deadline. Will Cam be able to gather the large amount demanded in time and save his wife and children? Who is the man that broke into the Lasky home? Why their family, why now and why so much of a ransom amount?

Cam is a successful restauranteer and is known as the steak king. His restaurants should be profitable enough for him to gather the money. Right? Or are things not as they seem?

All while Jade is being held captive, she worries for her children. And for Cam. However, as the day wears on questions begin to plague her regarding the family's finances.

In this riveting story by Kimberly Belle the character development is spot on, as is the incredible tension. Tension that never lets up for one second. Jade's strength and bravery shines though, as does that of her daughter. Cam struggles fast and furiously to liquidate his assets. This is definitely a pulse-pounding read from beginning to end.

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.