I am a mood reader and have a physical copy of this. When the mood strikes I will read this and update my review.

Avery Chambers, a therapist who lost her license, has an unorthodox plan for saving marriages. When the Bishops go through infidelity and seek out Avery’s services, they’re in for much more than they bargained for. All they have to do is complete Avery’s ten sessions and their marriage will be saved.

The golden couple is a good book for when you are looking for a palette cleanser between books or series. It was a quick read for me, but kept me engaged enough that I was able to push through without the plot feeling dull at all.

Not my favorite book by Hendricks and Pekkanen, but definitely a unique and interesting story with a lot of unexpected twists.

It's about a couple (Matthew and Marissa) that seek the help of an (unlicensed) therapist with a unique method for marriage counselling. I thought the premise was great, twisty and creepy and everyone with their share of secrets, it just ran on a little long and then wrapped up a little too conveniently.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced e-copy.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be read on my GoodReads account here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen was a wild ride. This psychological thriller started slower to build the story with great thrilling plot points and characters that you wanted to cheer on. I love this duo's books.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Wealthy Washington couple Marissa and Matthew Bishop appear perfect - until she is unfaithful and they start seeing Avery, a therapist who has lost her license due to her unorthodox methods. All three are set on a collision course because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.

This was one of those books where you have no idea where it's going. There are so many twists and turns - I can see why it is was so popular. The dynamic between the couple and then the strange methods of the therapist made for a very interesting and page-turning read.

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy.

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen is a 2022 St. Martin’s Press publication.

Avery Chambers lost her professional license, but that hasn’t prevented her from doing her job as a therapist. In fact, she has more patients than she can handle, including the well to do Bishop’s- Marissa and Matthew.

The couple is trying to save their marriage after Marissa confesses her infidelity to Matthew. Though the relationship has taken a serious hit, they seem willing to follow Avery’s ten step course- but can they manage Avery’s unconventional style? What if Avery has a few secrets of her own? What about Matthew’s ‘friendship’ with his former girlfriend? Is Marissa telling them everything- or is she continuing to keep a few things to herself… and what if those secrets are putting her in danger?

This story was tamer than I thought it would be, and perhaps the pacing was just a tiny bit slower than it had to be- depending on one’s patience for suspense building. Still, I thought the unhurried reveals helped to keep the reader from fully grasping the direction the plot is headed in-later- rather than sooner-

Because anyone who is a regular reader of PT’s will eventually catch on- though somehow it doesn’t ruin the fun, and there are still a few surprising last-minute pieces of the puzzle that padded the story nicely. There are some nice details, especially at the end, and I ended up liking some of these characters, enough to hope the door ‘left wide open’ might mean we could possibly meet again someday.

Some PT fans might balk at the lack of OTT twists, packed on top of more OTT twists… and that one final OTT cherry on top- but this one was more my speed- and I didn’t feel exhausted by the time I turned the last page. It could have had all that stuff, but then it would have lacked some of the deeper characterization that drew me in, and it would have squashed the atmosphere, hampered the human qualities that made the conclusion feel just right- especially when it came to one young character, and made me feel good about how it all wrapped up- and kept me thinking about some of the details for good while.

Overall, I really liked this one. I felt like there was some maturity in the writing, which was less dependent on theatrical twists. The story is absorbing and has all the important elements I like in a good solid psychological thriller.

4 stars

Summary:

Avery Chambers is known to “fix” her clients within 10 sessions. Even though Avery has lost her license to practice medicine due to her somewhat unethical and unconventional ways of treating her clients, she still was a coveted therapist. Personally, Avery is struggling with the recent loss of her husband.

Marissa and Matthew Bishop are a beautiful, rich, and powerful couple who are struggling in their marriage. Marissa reached out to Avery for help. The only way she can help them is if they are honest about their relationship, which will be quite a struggle.

Their story unfolds from alternating narrators shifting from Marissa to Avery.

My Thoughts:

I always love the books by Hendricks and Pekkanan! This one definitely lived up to my expectations! Twists and turns and interesting characters all throughout! I was shocked at times and didn’t see that ending coming!

Thanks for Netgalley for the advanced reader’s copy of this awesome thriller!

Sooo good! One of my faves to read! Definitely would recommend picking this one up if you see it in the store!

I always read books from this duo. Not my favorite from their collection of books. This would be an interesting limited series or movie.

Good but not quite as good as their previous books. I found the second half of the book a little tedious but entertaining none the less

Avery is an unlicensed therapist who has a ten session plan to help her patients. Matthew and Marissa Bishop are new clients who claim to have issues with their son. Early on, Marissa confesses to her husband that she had a one-time affair with a man from her gym. With peripheral issues that threaten all of the main characters, will Avery be able to help her patients?

Honestly, The Golden Couple had promise, though the side plots were over the top. The authors used it to create suspicion and suspense, but to me it seemed more like smoke and mirrors. Avery's ten session plan was the most interesting part to me, as the manipulation of her patients actually helped them.

The side plot regarding Avery was just not necessary in my opinion. There was enough going on with the Bishops to hold the story.

The Golden Couple was a fast read and mainly interesting. I have read other books by these authors and look forward to their next novel.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

Oh my, this one wasn’t my favorite. It was, well, so very SLOW moving. At half way through, I was wondering when it was going to get going… boring marital issues of Marissa who cheated on Mathew. Then therapist had her own relationship issues of commitment. So sadly the low review. I just couldn’t finish this one at three-quarters in. I did purchase the audible version, but returned it sadly cause I couldn’t finish it..The narration was excellent just the writing wasn’t. I usually love the duo writing team, but this one didn’t work out for me. A very special thank you to St. Martin’s Press via NatGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my review.

Totally engaging read. Infidelity brings a couple to a consultant who was a therapist who lost her license due to her radical techniques so is now not bound by rules of her profession. Everyone lies in this book and or manipulates. Many twists and turns and interesting characters. I did not see the ending coming.

I really enjoyed The Golden Couple. I've read previous books from this writing duo and have enjoyed them all so far. The characters are well fleshed out, the storyline moves at a nice pace, and the end isn't super obvious from the beginning. I'll definitely be reading more from them in the future!

I gave this book a solid 4 stars out of 5 on Goodreads. It kept me involved and going back and forth about the events happening. There were a lot of "red herrings". I recommend this book to readers of psychological suspense and thrillers.

Finally!! I was worried after rating some of their books low that I wouldn't enjoy this author duo anymore but this book turned that right around for me.

Marissa and Matthew Bishop are wealthy suburbanites that seem to have it all, as rich people tend to do. Until Marissa is unfaithful to Matthew. They want to work out their marriage for their son that's where Avery comes in, their new marriage counselor. Avery has lost her professional license but that doesn't deter her from continuing to practice, as long as her patients adhere to her unusual methods. Marissa and Matthew are desperate to salvage their marriage but they will soon learn that it's not just their marriage that's in danger.

I like how this book was told from alternating points of view between Avery and Marissa throughout the story. It made me question which of the narrators were actually reliable and who was holding back and hiding something. I think that's where most of the surprises for me came from, I was honestly left in shock after some of the plot twists in this book. Parts of this book kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put this book down.

I hope I can continue on this trend of liking their books again, they really know how to write a twisty, edge of your seat thriller.

Thanks to St. Martins Press for the copy for my review.

Let's start with what I loved about The Golden Couple. The writing duo worked perfectly together. Their writing flowed and you can tell they had a blast writing it. On the other hand, I felt like there was way too much left unanswered in the end. It felt like many of the psychological thrillers I've read lately, only without closure. I'd love to read more from Hendricks and Pekkanen, though.

This one is crazy. Your typical psychological thriller. Great read that actually kept me guessing!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.