Thanks Harlequin and Grayson House for the ARC. This one is an interesting read - the characters are unlikeable, unsympathetic and cannot be admired but they are fascinating. Sam is a con artist, his wife Charlotte a con in training. She dreams of riches gained through as she terms them the “victimless crimes” of their schemes perpetuated on the cruse ship passengers that they target. Until one day, it all goes wrong and Charlotte is left to try to figure out exactly where and how her life took such a turn.. to.d in the currently popular then and now style, this novel will keep you guessing until the end and I guarantee the end will not be what you are anticipating or expecting. All in all, an entertaining read.

Charlotte is trying to get her life back on track as she is trying to divorce her ex-husband and is living at a friend's place for the short term. She has decided it is time to turn her life around and stop conning people, taking money from them and looking for new targets. She and her husband Sam had a whirlwind romance and had lots of ups and downs but the downs were really dark. She almost ended up in jail because of Sam before he ditched her to fend for herself.

Charlotte has been living on cruise ships the last three years and really misses her nautical lifestyle. She has started up her own business as a bespoke party/travel planner helping the wealthy create memorable experiences.

One day she gets a text from Sam to be careful and the next thing she knows a USB drive has been placed in her purse. She tries to reach out to Sam but there is dead silence the next thing she hears is that he is dead. She starts receiving threatening texts. She suspects he has gone underground and is leaving her to fend for herself and getting her to be the fall-gal.

This is my first book by Karen Hamilton and I really enjoyed the story line. It isn’t a story line I have read before so I found it interesting. I enjoyed reading about being on a super yacht, my husband loves watching all the videos about these extravagant boats. The story has two timelines which I also liked because the reader gets a really clear picture of the backstory. I didn't find any of characters likable but it didn’t take away from the story. Some components of the story parts predictable and the twists weren’t a complete surprise but I was still curious to see how it all tied together in the end and kept me interested. The book didn’t drag or feel drawn out it felt the perfect length. I would recommend this and it is a perfect distraction from reality for a few hours. I would rate this book 8/10. I would definitely read something by her again.

I found this book a bit slow to get into and I didn’t care for the characters. The all seemed to unrealistic to find anything about them attractive. The storyline did pick up as the book progressed and there was a nice twist to the end. A con woman breaks up with her husband who os also a con, but he steals all their money. Then she starts to get strange messages. It was a mixture between mystery and suspense but not scary. I enjoyed reading about the fancy yachts and lifestyles of some of the characters though. A big thanks to Harper Collins Canada and NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

Charlotte is on a cruise when she meets a man named Sam. He works onboard the ship in the casino. Their chat turns into lunch which turns into a romance. He begs her to find a job of some kind on the ship so they can be together. She does but they still have such busy schedules that their time together is very limited. However, they get married. Now, they are separated and Charlotte is back in the event and travel planning business. She does not know where Sam is but gets some texts that appear to be from him and it sounds like he is in trouble.

Sam and Charlotte have led an unsavory past and now Charlotte wants to get away from that and live a good and honest life. So, when she learns there is opening for someone to coordinate a trip on a luxury yacht with some very wealthy people, she applies and is accepted.

The beginning of this book is confusing and takes a bit to try and figure out what is going on. It switches from present to past focusing on the scams that Charlotte and Sam pulled. I kept waiting to see Charlotte do what it takes to reform herself, but wasn’t sure if that would be the case. I find I enjoy a book more if I like the protagonist, but in this case, I wanted to boot her over the side of the boat. I can honestly say I didn’t care for this book or any of the characters. This was a disappointment as with all of the publicity it had been given, I was looking forward to reading it.

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

I liked the story but it didn't wow me. This is a story about 2 con artists.
Charlotte Wilson didn't choose a life of crime. It chose her. Once introduced to the world of wealthy clients and easy money by her ex-husband on board cruise ships, Charlotte was hooked. However, complacency and greed led to a slip-up with devastating consequences. Her ex winds up dead and Charlotte is threatened with exposure.
Charlotte and Sam seem to have a great relationship at first. Then we get to know Sam from the past. The story is the present and goes to the past all throughout the book.
Charlotte works at a wedding,on a yacht. She is trying to find out who sent her messages to her phone. She also thinks Sam is not dead and it may be him sending the messages. Things start happening to her and her life seems to be in danger.
My thoughts, I didn't like Sam from the beginning and felt that Charlotte should have run far away. we do know at the beginning that they are not together anymore and she doesn't scam people anymore.
Thanks to Wildfire and NetGalley for the book to review.

Charlotte and her husband Sam had an unsavoury past, living the lives of a con man. Charlotte planned on leaving him before things got out of hand. And then Sam disappeared. As Charlotte tries to create a new live, she discovers that her last may not be fully in the past. As she struggles to find answers and find her missing husband, she is pulled deeper back into the past.
Good read. Slow at the beginning, but as the plot unfolded, I was hooked.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

This is a very good psychological thriller. Charlotte and her husband become con artists. This book takes you on a roller coaster ride as to what happens to Charlottes estranged husband. This goes from past to present many times. I liked Charlotte but I did not love her. It is fun to see Charlotte losing control at times before the end. This is a pretty good book. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Charlotte Wilson owns and operates a travel services company now, on the straight and narrow for the last eighteen months. But, she hasn’t always been that way. For years, she and her estranged husband Sam Young worked as a team on cruise ships, duping and bilking wealthy travelers of jewelry and cash with extraordinary expertise using charm and subterfuge. Charlotte left that world when Sam bailed on her, leaving her in a lurch where she barely avoided prison. Now he’s reaching out to her for help with ominous messages, asserting someone was blackmailing him. She’s also beginning to receive the same threats and when she accepts an assignment on a private yacht excursion, those same threats follow her onto the ship. Is it Sam or someone else?

The story is told from Charlotte’s point of view, transitioning between the past and present to define who she was, now is and her relationship with Sam. It was always clear that someone was threatening her but was she being harassed or hunted? If so, was it by supposedly missing Sam or one of their marks from the past? I wasn’t even sure how I felt about Charlotte. At times, I was sympathetic, at others maybe she deserved what was happening to her. But she most certainly had changed her ways so maybe she deserved redemption because she was just as talented in her second life as she was in her first.

This was a long, slow smolder of a psychological thriller that kept me on my heels almost until the very end. When Charlotte took that yacht assignment, it became like a locked room mystery with no shortage of suspects. Even though I pinpointed the probable suspect early on, it was still highly enjoyable because I didn’t quite figure out everything. The locales along the way are exotic, adding a lot of flavor to the story. I listened to the book and the narrator was simply wonderful. Her interpretation of Charlotte further complicated my feelings about her because she gave her so many dimensions. And, she had me distrusting everyone through Charlotte’s eyes. Settle in for a fascinating journey because it was worth that ending.

What do you do when you're looking at several inches of snow and ice right outside your door? You read a book set in the Caribbean. It also doesn't hurt when there's some suspense to keep you guessing.
The Ex-Husband has a bit of a slow start, but once it takes off, it kept me turning pages. The story is told in two timelines - past and present - and I have to say that I found the present to be much more gripping. I wanted to know who was out to get Charlotte, and I enjoyed trying to suss it out of the colorful characters sharing the Cleobella with her.
I've read a couple of Karen Hamilton's books, and this one is easily my favorite so far. That above-mentioned slow start doesn't last long (maybe a little over a quarter of the way through), and then it's smooth sailing - or not so smooth for Charlotte.😉 It is an entertaining story with some beautiful locations, and it kept me guessing while I weathered the real storm outside my window.

This was definitely a page turner. I am a fan of this author’s books and this is another good one. Charlotte has been rebuilding her life after leaving her husband Sam and their life of crime behind. Unfortunately she is pulled back into it when Sam is presumed to be dead. Or is he? The cruise ship aspect was interesting. I enjoyed this one and although I guessed some of the twists I didn’t guess them all. Another good suspense read!

January seems to be the month for domestic thrillers about shady husbands (I read Kimberly Belle's My Darling Husband last week). Karen Hamilton's twisty novel, The Ex-Husband, takes the reader through the relationship between Sam, a charming cruise ship croupier and grifter/con man and Charlotte, the woman who becomes entranced with Sam and his exciting and dangerous lifestyle.

The novel opens up in the present day with Charlotte, now separated from Sam and building an events planning business in Cornwall, England. When she gets word that Sam has disappeared and feared dead, Charlotte thinks it is just another one of Sam's cons.

The story then moves back in time. We see how Sam swept Charlotte off her feet when they both worked on a cruise ship. Charlotte became a willing participant in Sam's cons, believing Sam when he tells her that the people they are stealing from are not victims. Those people have more than enough money, they will never miss what Sam and Charlotte are taking from them.

At first, it was exciting, and Charlotte enjoyed the gifts Sam lavished on her. But soon, Charlotte sees a darker side to Sam. He cheats on her, and eventually becomes violent when she dares to criticize his plans. When they nearly get caught stealing an expensive necklace, and Sam leaves Charlotte holding the bag, she has finally had enough.

In the present day, Charlotte takes a job as an assistant planner on a luxury yacht sailing to the Caribbean. Things seem fine at first, but then someone leaves threatening notes for Charlotte, telling her that she must pay up or she will die. Charlotte has no money, and when she begins to suffer from "accidents", she believes that Sam is somehow behind all this.

Fans of Bravo's Below Deck will enjoy the luxury yacht setting, as so much of the story takes place on the yacht with the demanding and wealthy travelers. The "locked room" trope of the story rachets up the suspense as Charlotte is trapped on the yacht with someone who means her harm. The Ex-Husband will appeal to readers of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley's novels.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on Karen Hamilton's book tour.

The ex-husband by Karen Hamilton.
Charlotte and Sam were partners. In life, and in crime, but that's all behind her. Until now, years later, it comes rushing back when her estranged ex-husband Sam suddenly goes missing. And someone threatens to expose what she did. Desperate to escape her mysterious tormentor, Charlotte boards a luxurious superyacht in the Caribbean. But it soon becomes clear that the open ocean isn't the haven she thought it was.
Really enjoyable read. Gripping and well written. 4*.

I really enjoyed this book, it was immediately gripping and once I started I couldn’t stop. I really liked how the story played out. I have read Karen Hamilton before and always loved her books; and was lucky enough via Netgalley to read this before publication and I loved it!

I’m decently picky with my thrillers and tend to love more on the side of psychological thriller, than physical stakes, but this one got me. Specifically, after the halfway point and into the home run of the end, I was hooked. Charlotte was a fascinating character and I so hoped that we’d come full circle on one point and was so glad when we did. I loved the switching between the past and present until we got the full picture, coupled with the messages and mishaps in the present. I had an inkling of who the person sending the threats was, but I didn’t pick up on their motive or accomplice until much later. There was just enough sprinkled in to figure it all out and so much more to get that little thrill. I would definitely read more from Karen Hamilton.

3.5 stars - Charlotte isn’t sure what she wants to do with her life until she meets Sam. Sam is full of charm & promises Charlotte a life of wealth, happiness, and excitement. She immediately leaves her old life behind and begins working on cruise ships with Sam.

But Sam is the ultimate con artist and he pulls Charlotte into his deceptive games. One day, Sam disappears and leaves Charlotte to take the fall for their crimes. Charlotte narrowly escapes and commits to a new life free of cons. Until one day when she starts to receive threatening messages. Is Sam behind it? She’s almost sure of it until he’s reported missing…

I found it hard to like any of the characters, including the main character, Charlotte, even though she was supposedly a changed woman. However, I did love reading about life on the cruise ships, the exotic locations, and the yacht trip! I also liked the alternating timeline between then & now. This was definitely a slow burn, but it picked up towards the end.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Charlotte and Sam are con artists. They seem like the perfect couple. They travel on cruise ships and pretend all is great in their world. All the while, they are stealing everything they can get their hands on. Then Sam double crosses Charlotte. So, Charlotte does all she can do. She turns her life around and takes up a legit job. Sam is out of her life and she is on the straight and narrow. Until…Sam starts to send her ominous texts. Her life is no longer what she wants it to be…

This is a book which, if I put it down, I did not care if I picked it back up. It is not a story which kept me wanting more. But, I feel like if I had been able to read it in one sitting, I would have made more of a connection to the characters. It was just a slow go for me. I did enjoy all the destinations. And there are quite a few twists and turns. So, read it and form your own opinion.

Need a quick getaway…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this ebook arc copy.

I enjoyed the past and present alternating chapters, this added suspense to the story overall. I had a difficult time connecting to the characters, and this book was a slow burn for me but definitely picked up the pace in the second half of the story. Though this book wasn’t my favorite, it is perfect for those who love locked room mysteries and Agatha Christie novels!

This is the third or fourth Karen Hamilton book I’ve read and while I gave her first book five stars, I’ve rated every book after that pretty low. This book was all right, not as good as her first book but better than the others I have read. Also, I don’t want you to think I go into these books expecting them to get a low rating, I really do go into them with high hopes that it will get a higher rating and that I’ll really enjoy it.

Charlotte doesn’t have the greatest past but she finally has her act together and has improved herself. She married Sam at too young of an age and feel for his sweet talk even though he was a con artist, she got sucked right in.

Now her husband is missing and Charlotte begins receiving threatening messages. Fearing for her life, Charlotte takes a job as a personal assistant on a luxury cruise ship thinking whoever is threatening her couldn’t possibly find her out in the middle of the ocean.

As the cruise sails through magnificent cities, the threats continue and strange things begin happening, Charlotte realizes the person or persons is on board with her and this person is out for revenge.

I did enjoy the atmosphere of the book, I was honestly jealous of the characters and all of the beautiful places described that they got to travel to. The suspense and twists were just lacking for me though. I wasn’t shocked at all by the ending because it really wasn’t that big of a twist.

*Many thanks to Graydon House for the gifted copy for my honest review!*

3.5 Karen Hamilton's new novel, The Ex-Husband, has just released.

Hamilton opens up with a prologue from the past that introduces us to Charlotte, an employee on a cruise ship. She's waiting in line at customs clearance, with her husband Sam, but they get separated. And it's Charlotte's suitcase that has a passenger's missing necklace in it..

The timeline switches to the present. Charlotte has rebuilt her life - without Sam. They've had no contact, so she is quite surprised to hear from him. Sam tells her to be careful. It looks like their past is going to catch up with them - he's been threatened and wants to warn Charlotte to be careful. So, when she is offered a job on a private yacht is seem like the right time to be on a boat on the sea. Unless, of course, danger follows her.....

Hamilton unspools her tale in a past and present format. I always enjoy this method of storytelling. The reader becomes aware of whose lives crossed paths with Sam and Charlotte and the how and why. So, in present day, there are many choices for the person seeking retribution. I also liked the 'locked room' setting with all of the suspects in one place.

I felt like I should be behind Charlotte - but couldn't convince myself to like her. Perhaps because I did become aware of her past - and her skill sets.

The run up to the final pages is a bit of a slow burn. The ending requires a few grains of salt, but certainly isn't beyond the possible. You know what they say about leopards and spots...

Domestic suspense fans will enjoy this one.

Charlotte has a rough past but has turned her life around. Unfortunately, her mistakes keep following her. Her husband is a con artist and she has gotten in the middle of his games. She wanted to leave him but was never able too and now he's missing. He leaves behind a message that someone was threatening both of them. Charlotte decides to take a job on a cruise ship to get away from danger. The only problem is the danger followed her to the boat. The Ex-Husband is told from differing timelines which allows you to get involved in the story. The writing and pacing was a bit slow in the beginning but it picks up. The Caribbean setting was one of my favorite parts about this story. It was fun to imagine you're on the ship and trying to solve the mystery. Overall, The Ex-Husband is entertaining and fun to read.