listened to this in 2 settings. it was a very entertaining domestic thriller.

what worked for me:
- double POV worked well with building the suspense
- I enjoyed the writing, I don't usually like unlikeable characters and the dad in this book is obviously unlikeable but because of the writing, I enjoyed listening to the story and I remained interested in the characters despite being unlikeable.

what didn't work for me:
- I know this is a book but some aspects that made the story move forward didn't make sense (like getting married so quickly and literally knowing nothing about your partner... but that's the point)
- Would have liked to know more about the main character and her motivations to make ^^ make more sense

Lily is Noah's in home tutor. Shortly after meeting the father, Edward they beginning dating and soon are married.
Lily finds it strange that there are no pictures of Noah's mother in the house. She has been strictly forbidden from discussing his mother with Noah as it is very upsetting to him.
Edwards grown daughters do not like Lily. Lily is just trying to do what is best for Noah but is stopped at every turn. What is exactly is going on with this family? Why are Noah's memories of his mother being repressed? How many more lies and questions is Lily going to encounter in her quest to help Noah?
Read this one and find out! I loved this book. It was suspenseful all the way through. I also enjoyed the narrator and thought she did a great job reading the audio book version.
I will be looking for more from this author.

Many thanks to Bookouture Audio via netgalley for the advance copy.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was well written and I loved the narration. Sometimes I would think I had it figured out and kept rethinking it. In the end maybe it was a little predictable but overall a solid story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this book. Great thriller with few twists. The story kept me interested through the whole book. This will not be the last book from this author. The story about love, trust, ego and much more
Give it a chance!

A high 4⭐️ read! This was a suspenseful mystery that drove me crazy. Who was lying? And what in the world was really going on?? Cleverly written characters that held very mysterious behaviors. I didn’t trust anyone. And the present and past narrative only brought more questions.
I just couldn’t sort out what had happened. I was on the edge of my seat at 50% until the end. I recommend it if you like suspense.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and Rosamund Hine was the narrator. She did a great job and this was 9 hours and 40 minutes of suspenseful listening.
Thanks Bookouture via Netgalley.

The plot of this audiobook begins as Lily is beginning a new job tutoring eight-year-old Noah. Noah‘s father Ned starts a relationship with Lily. Soon he proposes which is very exciting until Lily finds out not all is how it seems.

Neds older daughters seem to share a secret with him. One they will not tell Lily or Noah. Noah feels his mother is not dead and tries to enlist Lily’s help in proving him right.

What Lily discovers is a trial of deceit and suspense. What does she really know about her husband? What happened to the other woman he had relationships with.? Who is telling the truth.?

There are lots of twists and turns and this book I really enjoyed the narrator who made the book very easy to follow.

If you are looking for a twisty psychological thriller then I would recommend this audiobook to you. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to listen to this audiobook..

This novel from Jess Ryder makes a great audiobook. The plot is based around Lily, who is tutor to home schooled 8 year old, Noah. Lily starts a relationship with Noah's father, her employer, Edward. The novel starts with Edward proposing to Lily. All is well until Lily finds herself exploring the mystery of Noah being in communication with his mother....who Lily is lead to believe died 5 years previously!

For me the first half felt like a quality work of psychological fiction, while the second half was more action-adventure with 'cat and mouse' type pursuits.

Writing is of a high quality, the plot is well thought out and unfolds very well. The narrator is also on point. Overall, well worth a listen!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for an advance copy.

Bit of a predictable ending to the story, but enjoyed it all the same. Flowed well and a few twists in it to keep you guessing what had happened to the previous wife and partner, who do you believe? Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

4.5 happy stars for me.
God, I didn't see that ending coming!

Terrific phycological thriller, a bit dark, a lot gripping!
Loved the narration, she really brought the story to life.
Definitely going to look out for more by this author.

I want to thank the Jess Ryder, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio, Bookouture
for providing me the opportunity to read this new book for my honest review.

"The Second Marriage" will continue to keep you second-guessing throughout its entirety

What can possibly happen when Lily marries the wealthy widowed parent of Noah, the student she is tutoring?

Trouble instantly begins when Noah tells Lily that his mother is still alive and coming to get him soon. Noah also reveals that his father and two adult sisters know that his mother is still alive.

Lily's husband, BTW, has forbidden her to discuss Noah's deceased mom with Noah.

Is Noah telling the truth? Did Lily make a huge mistake by marrying a man she only knew for only two months?

This compelling domestic drama is fast-paced and well-plotted; boasting strong character development and no shortage of twists and turns.

I listened to the audiobook and even though narrator Rosamund Hine did a 10-star job with the narration, the book would have benefited from two narrators since it had two different storylines going, one in the past and the other in the present.

"The Second Marriage" is the second Jess Ryder book that I enjoyed. "The Night Away" was my first "Jess" book and is also highly recommended.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with early access to this title in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to listening to many more books by this talented author.

The simple, but sleek, cover caught my eye, and my quick glance at the blurb sealed the deal on this one. It wasn’t exactly a creepy read, but it’s an ARC that publishes Nov 3, 2021, so I needed to squeeze it in.

I started by reading this one on my kindle and finished up by listening to the audiobook. The kindle read was a little slow-going for me. There were some lulls and it was hard to stay focused at times. I’m so happy I was able to get the audiobook from #NetGalley. Once I started listening to the audio, I had the book finished up in no time. I’ve found it’s usually easier to relate to the characters when I hear their voice! I recommend the audio version of this one.

Lily takes on more than she bargained for after taking a private tutoring job. Within months she’s married to her employer, living in a gorgeous house, with no money worries. Edward is a handsome widower, but I found him creepy and unlikeable! Although her new stepson is adorable, he’s also very anxious. Noah has secrets that he shares with Lily, but he keeps them from everyone else, including his father. I liked Lily but was irritated with the way she handled this situation.

Huge thanks to #netgalley / #bookouture / #jessryder for this ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

#TheSecondMarriage #NetGalley #jessryder #coloradobookstagrammer #readingintherockies #bookrecommendations #thrillersofinstagram #bookaholic #inexchangeforreview #booklove #netgalley #thrillerbooks #octoberreads #fortheloveofbooks #fallreading #kindleread #justfinishedreading #fourstarread #thrilleraddict #addictedtobooks #audiobook

Lily took a job teaching eight year old Noah at home, but she found herself falling for his father Edward and marrying him after just a few months.
It all started when her step son said to her ‘They're lying. They think I’ve forgotten, but I remember everything. I know my mummy is still alive.’

Lies, deceitfulness, manipulation..

I liked it and I enjoyed listening to it even if the narrator wasn't the best, she practically used one voice for everyone. The story kept me on my toes with the messed up family. Edward and his daughters were creepy for sure.

This was fast-paced with a lot of twists and turns and some sordid characters straight out of Cinderella. The narrator’s voice was good and held my attention throughout. I felt that the setting of this helped with the suspense.

This domestic thriller/mystery by Jess Ryder was a nice surprise! Ably written, well-narrated, and nicely characterized, this audiobook delivers the domestic thrills from a fresh point of view.

Lily, like most domestic thriller heroines, thinks she has just recently married the perfect man, and he has an adorable little son, Noah. Lily’s husband is a charming widower who has always been a little venue about his first wife’s passing from an allergic reaction to nuts. Lily met Edward when he hired her to tutor young Noah at home. Edward’s only rule was that Lily not, under any circumstances, discuss young Noah’s mother with him.

Sounds totally legit, right?

After a whirlwind romance, Lily married the charming and wealthy Edward, but as Noah starts making strange comments about his mom and dad, Lily begins to realize that she really does not know anything much about her new husband at all. To her shock, one day Noah informs Lily that his mother is in fact alive. And Lily decides to do a little investigation, and stumbles upon much more than she bargained for in the family’s secrets.

There were several things that set this novel apart from some other domestic thrillers I’ve read recently. Aren’t you kind of tired of these dumb domestic thrillers heroines who marry
obvious psychos and then remain oblivious to all their manipulations throughout the whole book? Well, none of that here. I really enjoyed the character of Lily, who, unlike many other heroines in this genre, did not seem to have totally stupidly married a man she knew nothing about, but rather seemed deceived by circumstances she could not have known about. When she learned more, her actions were decisive and rational.

Lily’s investigation into her new husband was also handled well - none of that annoying amateur sleuthing that just so happens to have turned up things police stupidly missed - but logical poking around in one’s new man’s history that lead to some genuinely shocking and well-plotted twists and discoveries.

I really enjoyed the plotting, the characters, and the twists, but the narration was also a highlight. Straightforward yet dramatic, I felt the narrator did a great job in letting the reader identify with Lily and the past wife. I also felt (without spoiling too much) that the book did a great job of shining light on some true-to-life patterns that crop up when people find themselves in questionable relationships.

This was a fun book with a smart heroine who is dramatically, yet believably, caught in a web of domestic intrigue. I wish all domestic thrillers put this much thought into plotting. There were a few aspects of the ending that confused me but overall the story was very well wrapped up. I’m interested to read more by this author and look forward to more of her books!

With thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook - if you like fast-paced domestic thrillers with smart and relatable heroines, you’ll want to finish this book in one gulp! 4 stars!

This was a good book! I listened to the audio version and enjoyed the narrator, she had a way of drawing the listener in like a friend telling a story. It kept me guessing what would happen next until the end and even gave closure. I would definitely read more by this author.

Wow! I loved the dramatic suspense this book kept you in. The story sucked me in from the start and didn't let me go until that final page.
The story was told using different POV's and different time's but what done in such a way that didn't leave the reader confused or lost.
I enjoyed the ending and the fact that it wasn't a typical predictable conclusion like what normally happens with these types of books. This is definitely one to pick up if you feel the need for a domestic thriller.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Jess Ryder and Bookouture Audio for this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I loved this psychological thriller! The narrator of the book was outstanding. The story was very fast paced and it kept me wanting more and more. I found it all very exciting and thrilling and I never wanted to stop listening until I found out what all the secrets were.

The main story follows Lily, who I just loved. She is hired as a school teacher for Edward's son Noah. She marries Edward and while teaching Noah, she finds out that Noah thinks his Mum is still alive. Lily then sets out to investigate what has happened to her. She uncovers all sorts of secrets. Can she trust Edward and his two daughters? What has happened to Noah's Mum?

I felt like I was on an adventure with this book and it felt as though I was standing with Lily, travelling around with her while she investigated. The story really drew me in. I loved the bond she had with Noah, who is an amazing little boy, and I loved the ending too! I highly recommend this book; it is really fantastic!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for my free audio copy of The Second Marriage by Jess Ryder.
Lilli is a teacher and takes a job as a private tutor to young Noah who’s father is a widower.
Lilli loves Noah and soon his father Edward and they marry.
But Noah is troubled, he has no photos of his mother and Lilli has been told to never mention her in front of Noah or he will have panic attacks. After their wedding Noah mentions different things that make Lilli uneasy, Noah believes that his mother is still alive and moreover is communicating with him via a box by the property’s gate. Is she alive or dead ? What is Edward keeping from her ?

I feel mean but really I thought this thriller/mystery mediocre it just didn’t grip me. Not to say that others won’t enjoy just my personal opinion and this book does have some good ratings.

I really enjoyed this one!

I absolutely loved the way this story was written. The main character's story is the primary storyline for the first half of the book, but the back half you're simultaneously following the second wife *and* the previous relationship. The main character is trying to piece it all together while you're watching it play out for her predecessor. It made for an extremely compelling story.

I would love to see this one adopted into a Netflix miniseries. I think the timeline lends itself to that really well! Can't wait for more from this author!

4.25 stars

This was a good one! I enjoyed the story, and even though I felt like I largely knew where it was going to end up, I still had fun experiencing the twists and turns along the way. I noticed that a couple reviews compared this book to Rebecca, which I can see, but I also got pretty strong Jane Eyre vibes from it (with some contemporary variations, of course). I liked the multiple perspectives and would have appreciated the point of view of another major female character also being included in order to fully round things out. All in all, I enjoyed this one and will make a point to go back and check out other stories from this writer.