Cover Image: Gambling Wives

Gambling Wives

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Member Reviews

Gambling Wives by Katarina Mayer is an entertaining and explosive thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish.
We meet three women, Valerie, Laura and Hannah. They are all leading a 'double life'. They are all high rolling gamblers. The only honest thing in their lives is their friendship as they have to tell so many lies to their families. The manager from their casino in Las Vegas turns up in their village one day and their double lives begin to collide. They set out to pull of their biggest hustle yet. Their friendship and way of life is about to be challenged by things they could never have imagined. Will one of them add murder to her list of secrets?
Katarina Mayer brings us a cautionary tale for those who crave that bit more excitement in the humdrum of everyday life. An exciting and very entertaining novel of just how deadly secrets and lies can be. I found this such an explosive story, I felt like I was reading at the speed of light. it was that gripping.
Laura is a woman who has found herself in the boring role of housewife and mother after sacrificing her career for love. She craves that bit more and finds it in her secret casino life with her two friends. As the consequences start to become a bit more than she ever thought can she tell all, or does she crave the excitement more than she loves her family?
These women are portrayed brilliantly and I loved reading about their lives, the secrets and lies had me glued to their story. The woman I liked the most was Hannah, her abusive relationship was heart breaking and I could empathise with her, even though she did make some silly choices. All three of these characters are very well created and had me invested in what was happening. The setting in the glamorous Las Vegas was so well described I could have been there with these three. The excitement of Las Vegas alone, never mind the poker games, was there. I felt it all and it left me wishing I could actually visit Las Vegas, just to see it in real life.
I enjoyed every page of this book and loved watching the culmination of secrets and lies unravelling for Laura, Hannah and Valerie. A story that shows how easy it is to get much more than you bargain for.
Thanks to Random Things Tours, Katarina Mayer and NetGalley for the copy of this glamorous but dangerous story.

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This was a great book. So many secrets and lies among three friends. This novel kept my attention. In fact I did not want to put this book down. I have already recommended this to my friends and family.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley for my voluntary, honest review.

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I loved this book! The whole plot was so unique and I love it when women square up and take care of stuff.

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The cover and the title drew me in and boy I’m glad it did. Addicted to this book… As soon as I started to read, I just knew that I wouldn’t be able to put the book down… One hell of a rollercoaster ride.

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This book was really fun. I want to go to Vegas after reading this book. It started a tad slow but picked up quickly.. This book had a bit of everything. Mystery, secrets, lies and alibis. You can’t stop reading because you have to know what is coming next. Really fun read

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Once i saw the title of this book i was drawn to read and gosh i wasn't wrong. This page-turning beauty will leave you guessing and wondering whodunit and i particularly loved the friendship and character development that happened throughout the book.
If you're looking for something thrilling to read then this book is for you

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As soon as I picked this up o couldn’t put it down! Loved every minute of it. Loved reading about the ladies and their loves.

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Thank you NetGalley, Katarina Mayer and BooksGoSocial for the copy of Gambling Wives. This is my personal review.
This book had a bit of everything I love in books.
Following the exploits of three friends who love to go to Vegas and gamble. They keep their trips secret from everyone they know. There lives soon turn to more they imagined it would.
I do not want to give anything away so pick this one up and look forward to a ride you won’t forget.

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If you enjoy a quick and easy read that you won't want to put down, grab a copy of Gambling Wives! I stayed up late into the night reading it and love it! And what a great cover!

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Pros - The biggest pro of the book is the writing style of the author. The manner in which each character is presented, it brings everything to life. Almost as though you are standing there or are in the character’s body, feeling everything. It’s done beautifully and this is the biggest flex of the book.
Cons - The book has a slow start focusing too much upon the background of the characters. It gets interesting mid-way, really keeping the readers involved but then towards the end unfortunately loses its charm. Soo many hints are dropped that guessing the killer becomes very easy, even before the book is finished. The ending is quite predictable.

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Gambling Wives by Katarina Mayer was a fun and quick read. Three friends are living a secret life of excitement and glamour in Las Vegas. When what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, they realize they are each keeping secrets from each other and the secrets end up leading to accusations of murder.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to part 2 coming in the fall, it made me think twice about dreaming of a secret life.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

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A page turning suspenseful book so well done you will not want to put it down! Nothing is as it seams in this wondrous tail of friends, family and secrets.

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"Gambling Wives", as the name suggests, is the story of three friends and housewives from Austria, each with her own hidden struggles, who take frequent romps off to Vegas where they enjoy the spoils of the high roller's club and private poker tournaments. These escapes from reality to the gambling capital of the world are a secret from everyone they know except for one another but the secrets are about to catch up with them. The friends soon find themselves trapped in a whirlwind of blackmail, murder, and betrayal (and lions?). This page-turner will keep you reading to see whether their friendship can remain intact and whether their secrets will be revealed.
While this book kept me engaged and guessing, I was disappointed by the conclusion and felt that the ending was disjointed from the rest of the story. The final culprit was an obvious suspect from the beginning and so their involvement wasn't the twist that readers want from a thriller/mystery such as this. Finally, the timeline concerning both the wives' necessary return home and the time since the murder seem important and it would add a lot to have these timelines hinted at in the chapter headings.
What I did appreciate about this book was the quick pace that kept me engaged throughout and the development of the main characters including the motivations behind their actions. This book also made me want to head to Vegas to try my luck at poker!

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Fun, quick, east, enjoyable read. It won’t take a lot of time or thought but it’s quite enjoyable and time well spent. Grab it for a plane, beach, or whatever.

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