A great thriller, as always from this author. Fast paced, intriguing and tense. A story where a couple get married in the early days of their relationship is always a set up for disaster. I loved the dynamic between Lily and Noah, and was surprised several times while reading.

What if you thought your life was built on lies. Lily takes a job teaching young Noah who is homed schooled following his mother's death. Only Noah is convinced his mother is still alive. Lily falls for Noah's father and marrys him but starts to wonder if there is truth to Noah's tales. An intriguing read made better by the way the story is told using POV . Jess Ryder is getting better and better. I couldn't put this one down

‘They’re lying to us,’ he whispered. ‘Me and you.’
'Oh dear. Who’s lying?’
‘…all of them.’
‘What are they lying about?’
‘Mummy. They think I’ve forgotten, but I remember everything.’

Sweet JESUS what a story. Holy smokes I was NOT prepared. This was incredibly great.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book it was actually a really fun read. The story was engrossing. I was completely transfixed until the last page. Highly recommend

I couldn't get in to this book, it was pretty predictable from the beginning. I read 5 chapters before deciding I didn't care enough to read further.

Wow! I loved the Second Wife!
A small cast of characters kept the plot tight and the book unputdownable!
It was my first time reading a book by Jess Ryder and I am so eager to schedule more on my to be read list.
This book had me eagerly reading to the end, and what an intense finish!
I give this 5/5 ⭐️ And highly recommend it.

Reviews will be posted on my Goodreads page and on my Instagram.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance read!

Jess is employed to look after Noah and Noah tells her something that starts a chain of events which rapidly spiral into something Jess could not have foreseen.
This book is gripping, fast paced and a thoroughly enjoyable roller coaster which will keep you guessing. And the ending is . . . Spectacular!

Lily is employed by Edward to tutor his young son Noah. Edward has two older adult daughters as well. It is not long before Lily falls for Edward and they marry. Creepily, there is no one apart from his immediate family, that attends the wedding. Edward's former wife, Clare, is dead but Noah refuses to believe it. There's something not quite right in this family as Edward doesn't want to get professional help for his son nor send him to school. He also doesn't like Lily seeing her friend Marsha either.

It's a fast paced story but the plot is unbelievable on a number of levels which results in a level of frustration for this reader.

Thank you Bookouture and Net Galley for an early copy of The Second Marriage. I LOVED THIS BOOK! What a Great story, some likable characters and a Fantastic ending. A very fast paced book. Enjoy the ride!

The Second Marriage by Jess Ryder follows Lily, who thinks she has met the man of her dreams. Edward, a widower, is rich, family-oriented, and most importantly, head over heels in love with Lily. And after a whirlwind romance, they decide to get married. It should be one of the happiest times in Lily's life, however, right after the wedding, her new stepson Noah confides in her that his mother is still very much alive and coming to get him very soon. He also tells her that his father and two adult sisters are all in on it and lying to both of them. From there, Lily tries to piece together what is really going on. Is Noah's trauma over the loss of his mother making him say these things or is something more sinister going on? Has Lily made a mistake by marrying a man she's only known for two months?

Plenty of tension and twists and turns make this solid thriller that will keep you guessing. Like Lily, you're not sure what to believe. Is Noah's mother still alive? Is Edward really the innocent victim in all this like he wants her to believe? You can't help but feel a sense of dread for Lily. After all, how far is the culprit willing to go to make sure that the family secrets stay hidden?
The last few chapters were intense and had me anxiously turning the pages until I got to the conclusion.
I look forward to more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lily is employed by Edward to home school his son Noah. She quickly falls in love and marries Edward. On their wedding day, Noah blurts out that his mother is still alive. what follows is a rollercoaster ride as Lily wonders if she really knows the man she married?

Lily takes a job as a private tutor for 8 year old Noah. She quickly falls in love with Noah’s father, Edward that is 15 years her senior. They get married quickly, barely 2 months after they met. Edward has two older daughters from his first marriage to his wife Clare. Edward’s daughters are not very fond of Lily. Noah is told that his mom, Clare, died when he was 3 years old and they are not to discuss it because it really upsets him. On their wedding night, when Lily is tucking Noah in for bed, he tells Lily that his mom is not really dead and they are all lying to her. What happened to Noah's mom? Lily sets out to learn more and finds out that there are many secrets that this family is hiding.

This was another incredible book by skilled author, Jess Ryder. I loved Lily's character and how she was determined to help Noah find out about his mother. The pacing was fast and I quickly became invested in this book. If you're looking for a great read pick this one. It is has a great ending!

Many Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Really enjoyed the style of this writing a new author to me and a great read.

it hooked me on from page one and was easy to read , quite a few characters and timeline changes but again easy to follow. it was a very interesting read and Had plenty of twists and turns - the ending was superb and I would read other books by this author.

This book was ok. There were a few surprises, but not many. The characters were not at all like able, with the exception of Marsha. I do credit to the main character Lily, for at least making up for her idiotic beginning, by trying to be a strong character. She fell short, but it still was an ok read.

Thanks to netgalley and bookouture for the opportunity to read an advance copy for an honest review.

The Second Marriage by Jess Ryder was almost a DNF for me. This is one of those utterly frustrating books where the author doesn’t line up the characters motives and their actions, which results in a poorly crafted plot-driven story. Clearly, the author is forcing the story to work.

Lily falls for the widowed Edward, the father of the boy she’s privately tutoring. Lily marries him in a quickie ceremony, only for her stepson to drop the bomb that his family is lying and his mother is still alive. Keep in mind, there’s NO romance in this book, no swoon worthy man to fall in love with, who Lily later finds out has a dark past. And, gasp, she must decide if her love will conquer all. (Author tried here for Rebecca vibes and failed horribly. She even threw in the cottage by the sea. Ugh!) So there’s no wool Lily can pull over her eyes., which leaves us with an intelligent? woman.

We learn early that Edward loves to cook every night for his family—hints at controlling behavior here, so the story is picking up. But just a few scenes later, Edward’s angry because Lily heads to her friend’s house and didn’t cook them dinner. Umm, no.

We get a decadent hint of Edward’s family at their wedding. Lily’s stepdaughter fights for her bridal flowers, which she’ll lay on her mother’s grave. Oh the creepy possibilities! But umm, no the author doesn’t give us any more. None at all. Everything is told pretty much in backstory. No creepy or thrilling things happen to Lily or anyone else.

We get the pleasure of meeting Lily’s ex, Alex, early and learn their relationship didn’t work because he’s emotionally closed. So Lily marries the next guy she meets after a brief time and knows nothing about his past, his first dead wife, knows he has strict rules, angers quickly, shuts her down all the time, who also has an extremely secretive family? Umm, makes no sense, Clearly, this woman needs to check her sanity ASAP!

Then the whiplash with Lily’s best friend, Marsha, who’s the only redeeming character in the book. Lily continually reaches out to Marsha for help and to voice her concerns. A decent thriller would bolster Lily’s concerns by her rational and trusted friend as she fears for her life. The author decided instead to continually make Lily dismissive. Just silly nonsense, so why even include those scenes? They do not add any thrilling tension, pushing the story forward, when the author chooses to use the elementary tension of Edward not liking Marsha like they’re high schoolers? Odd to choose the weaker path of tension when the other parts of the abusive husband are not shown. This isn’t even red herring territory when it’s straight up poor story execution. How can this be a thriller?

The lightening fast pace is another frustrating aspect, especially in the beginning. We get flashes of the engagement, sharing the news with friends and family, then the wedding with Noah’s truth bomb. As readers, we can’t settle into any of the scenes, or actually care for any of these characters. Seems the author just wanted to get to the action in this plot driven book. And that action is told in backstory. Sigh.

If you want a true thriller with gorgeous writing, thrilling characters, eerie atmosphere, and a complicated man wrapped up in a haunting past, then read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.





Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This one sucked me in quickly! We follow Lily, a teacher, who enters the home of Edward to homeschool his son. They quickly fall for each other and decide to get married. After the marriage, little things started to make Lily question her husbands past. Her best friend, Marsha, has never trusted him and does a deep dive into his past. The biggest twist is the son, Noah. Noah mentions that his mother is not dead and that everyone is lying. Lily is instantly concerned. We follow the progression of Lily's investigation and piecing all the puzzle pieces together. Who does she believe? The young child? Her husband? Her best friend?

My gripe about thrillers is protagonists who continually make stupid decisions. That changes with this book. Lily is a kind but fierce and confrontational woman whose choices I was happy with. She does her best to cope up with the crazy situations and characters she's faced with in this domestic thriller.

This was a gripping read with interesting characters and I had a hard time putting it down. I'll be on the lookout for more of Jess Ryder.

3.5/5

When Lily decided to change positions and take on a teaching position in a private home she never expected life to take such an unexpected turn. From the start, Edward was smitten with Lily and after a fast courtship, she found herself the stepmom to the eight-year-old she was hired to teach. From day one of her new marriage, she was bogged down in mysteries that surrounded the family.
This book is full of twists and layers of mystery. I found this to be an interesting read and really enjoyed it, although, in some places, I found the narrative a little dry, the story moved fast and kept my attention.

The Second Marriage by Jess Ryder Compelling domestic thriller, Edward, Tara, Georgia and Noah are family with a myriad of secrets. Everyone lies as Lily discovers while looking into Edward's past. An exciting plot with a more than satisfying conclusion.
Thank you Bookouture, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

4.5 stars.

Wow. I could NOT put this one down. Perfect for fans of B. A. Paris, this is a purely addictive domestic thriller about a woman who marries her wealthy employer and starts digging into his dead first wife's secrets once she learns about the previous couple's suspicious past.

Why is her husband and his son living in this big isolated mansion? What secrets is the quiet little boy hiding?

This book had this rare thing where I found myself experiencing the same emotions along with the protagonist. It occasionally switches to the past in a way that lets the pacing run smoothly. The end is so intense it will have you at the edge of your seat until the chapter ends.

I've read two of this author's books (the first one being the Ex-Wife , which ending absolutely blew my mind) and now I want to read more!