The Golden Couple 🥀

Marissa and Mathew Bishop are a golden couple. They have a beautiful home in Washington, DC and an 8-year-old son. They seemed to have the perfect life and relationship until Marissa cheated on her husband. But she regrets it and wants to repair things between them, so she decides to go to therapy.

Avery Chambers is a therapist who lost her license due to her controversial procedures, but she has problems and secrets of her own.

Avery has a method in which she fixes her clients’ problems in 10 sessions, but she didn’t expect things to get so complicated when she accepted the Bishops’ case.

I’ve read all of Hendricks and Pekkanen’s books and I really enjoy them. They create very well-developed and suspenseful plots with lots of red herrings throughout the story and complex characters with dark pasts and secrets. The Golden Couple also has smaller subplots that help understand the characters’ lives and motivations.

Thank you MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced audio copy. The book is narrated by Karissa Vacker and Marin Ireland and they are both phenomenal! Their voices are great and their narration kept me engaged through the whole story. I didn’t want to stop until the end!

As always, I’ll be looking forward to reading more books by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen in the future!

To save her marriage after an infidelity on her part, Marissa Bishop convinces her husband to enter couples counseling with Avery Chambers. Avery is unique in that she lost her license due to her unconventional methods. Given the liberties she is able to take Avery all but guarantees that if you abide by her rules and do what she says she can solve your problem in just ten sessions. Her job is made more difficult when pretty much everyone is hiding something.

Character driven domestic suspense books are sometimes hit or miss for me. The pacing can be off and things can become a bit boring, but I am happy to say that was not the case here. I liked Matthew and Marissa Bishop the "golden couple" and was rooting for them to succeed. I was intrigued by Avery's unorthodox therapy measures....losing one's license definitely allows for some creative coloring outside of the lines. If this were optioned for TV I 'd tune in to see what other counseling Avery could provide to a variety of clients.

Despite having some of their previous titles on my TBR, this was actually the first book I've read by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. It certainly won't be my last. If you didn't already snag this one in your BOTM box, I'd recommend checking out the audiobook version as the narration is done by two of the best narrators in the business: Karissa Vacker and Marin Ireland. Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for an Advance Listener's Copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

This is a classic domestic thriller:
▪️Multiple POVs
▪️Suspicious and untrustworthy characters
▪️Short chapters
▪️A marriage in jeopardy
▪️Affluent “perfect” family with secret

This is definitely binge-worthy and juicy and was an enjoyable read. It just didn’t feel new to me. I think I’m realizing that domestic thrillers just aren’t my favorite genre.

I did enjoy the idea of getting info from a therapist (especially one who uses some unorthodox methods 👀).

Read if you are a fan of Shari Lapena and B A Paris.

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for the ARC. This was also a Feb @bookofthemonth pick.

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen is an incredibly fast read that kept me flying through the pages. As per usual, I hadn’t read any blurbs or the book description. All I knew going in was that I wanted to read a psychological thriller, and this writing duo rarely disappoints. The Golden Couple is told from multiple point of views with intertwining plot lines. The pacing was on point and they spent just the right amount of time on each POV. It felt like every time we discovered one thing, another secret was revealed to keep me on the edge of my seat.
This duo gets how to spin a tale and throw the reader off. For example, at first, I wasn’t sure why Avery’s plot line about the pharmaceutical company was necessary. But by the end of the book, I completely understood the importance of why it was included. Yet every time it came up when I was reading, I thought, “enough of this, onto the juicy parts.” And that’s why they’re the authors and I’m not.

This book is a slow burn of domestic thriller told from 2 POVs. We have Avery the therapist who has lost her license over her controversial, 10 step resolution method and as such is now acting as a "consultant". We have Marissa the guilty conscience mother of 1 who wants to get help to save her marriage after a night of infidelity.

For some reason in this book I was not trying to guess the "whodunnit" mystery element. Something about the way the story was told made me just go along for the ride. I kind of loved this approach and it allowed me just to take in the characters and their stories moreso than focusing on the mystery element.

This is not a book for fast paced thriller fans. This is a story for those who are okay with a lot of build up along the way and character driven thrillers. There is not much big action throughout the book as we learn about our cast of key players in the book. Everyone appears to have their secrets and anyone could be pulling the shady stunts occurring throughout the book.

With the 2 POV in the book each character has their own narrator. Marin Ireland and Karissa Vacker both did an amazing job bringing their characters to life.

The Golden Couple
I have been a fan of Greer and Sarah’s books since a good friend recommended The Wife Between Us to me a few years back. Their books always hook me right from the start and The Golden Couple was no exception!

Marissa seeks out Avery’s professional help in order to share a secret with her husband. Avery is a former counselor, who no longer has her license to practice. She now works with clients over the course of ten sessions to help them deal with an issue they are experiencing.

When Marissa and Matthew begin working with Avery, they appear to be the perfect Instagram couple, The “Golden Couple”. Marissa has a big secret she would like to share with her husband, but wants Avery’s help. From the first session she meets them, Avery can tell Marissa has more that she is hiding.

The chapters alternate between Marissa and Avery and I loved the alternating narrators on this audiobook.

I was completely surprised by the ending of this book, which to me is the sign of a good thriller! There were so many twists and turns that kept me guessing and then guessing again!

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for this audiobook in return for an honest review.

I loved the twists and turns in this one and the narration was perfects this was fully engrossing and I couldn’t put it down.

4 1/2 Shell-shocked Stars!

This gifted writing duo has done it again! Kudos to Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. The Golden Couple was another mesmerizing page turner that provides the reader with one heck of a domestic thriller.

I was hooked by this book from the beginning. Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all - an instagram perfect marriage. When they glide into Avery Chamber's home office for an appointment, it quickly becomes apparent that appearances can be deceiving.

Avery is a therapist who isn't truly a therapist anymore. Having recently lost her license, she has developed her own program for approaching treatment. It's expensive and atypical but the Bishops just might be the perfect candidates.

This book is roller coaster from start to finish. I love the twists and turns it took along the way. Avery is a more complicated character than you realize at first. So are several of the other characters in the story. I enjoyed it immensely and was sad to see it end.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I toggled back and forth between the e-book and the audio version. The narration was simply flawless. I loved the character's voices. The two ladies who narrated (Karissa Vacker and Marin Ireland) were outstanding and truly drew the listener into the story. The narration was so consuming that I hated to switch back to the book version at times because I enjoyed it so much. However, I was so desperate to see how the book proceeded that I needed to set aside the audio at the point and opt for the written word. Both mediums were quite enjoyable. There is just something special about a well-narrated domestic suspense. It helps to keep you on the edge of your seat. This one was very enjoyable. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review this book and the opinions contained within are my own.

I usually love both these authors but found the audio painful to listen to and lacking suspense. Could not finish

"The Golden Couple" is a twisting tale of marital counselor Avery Chambers and Matthew and Marissa Bishop, a couple who seem to have it all, including an extramarital fling. Avery uses an unorthodox 10-session formula to push her clients beyond, way beyond, their comfort zone. With the Bishops, she quickly learns that perfect appearances can find a variety of imperfections. As an audiobook, the narration is spot on. The strength and weaknesses of the characters is easy to imagine, thanks to the narrator's tone.

I was given a copy of this advanced reader book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was a very engaging and thoughtful psychological thriller with an ending that pleasantly surprised me!

So, I wanted to love this. And I only kind of like it. I don’t think it is bad but I think my taste for thrillers is just different. I expect something more, creative from my plot twists.I am glad I listened to this on audiobook. We get two narrators for the two perspectives in the book, which I love when that happens on audiobooks. Makes the characters feel more real.

The first half of the book is very slow. And I was hoping that maybe it was building up to something super twisty. But by the time we get to the reveal toward the end, it all felt a little predictable. I also did not love Avery. This ex-therapist who stalks her clients, clients coworkers, their friends.. to treat them with this “10 session system” she’s created since losing her license.. I meeeean… I really don’t even know what was going on there. This is a solid 3 star read. It’s not bad, but it isn’t top tier either.

A million thank you’s for approving my request for an advance copy of the audiobook! I really did enjoy the audiobook experience for this one.

I often do not stray from my preferred genre of rom com, but when I do, I want a book that will entertain me and hold my interest from start to finish. The Golden Couple did that and more. The story is told from the dual point of view of Avery and Marissa. Avery is a former unlicensed therapist that has a 10 session program for her clients. Marissa enlists Avery's help for her and her husband, Matthew, in order to save their marriage. As the book progresses, more secrets come to light about Marissa, Matthew, and even Avery.

The way that the plot unfolded throughout this book was masterful. Every time that I thought I had worked out what was going on, a new detail or secret was unleashed. The timing was perfect and everything was concluded in a way that made sense, although while I should have figured out the ending, I was still surprised when it happened.

I was given the audio version of the book as an ARC and the readers for Marissa and Avery gave the story an added dimension for me. Not only would I recommend this book, but I would also recommend the audio version.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for this honest review!

In Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s domestic thriller, Marissa and Matthew Bishop are The Golden Couple; to outsiders they are enviable. Matthew is a good-looking buff lawyer, and Marissa owns an upscale boutique. Matthew and Marissa have one child together and live in an affluent Washington suburb. The book starts rolling when Marissa seeks counseling from Avery Chambers, a “maverick” therapist who has lost her license (red flag, anyone?) and as the book rolls on, we discover just why she lost her license. Avery’s unorthodox protocol consists of 10 sessions; it’s a sort of shock therapy but without the electricity. In the first session, which, according to Avery, always includes a confession, Marissa confesses to infidelity. Usually each session brings more clarity to Avery’s understanding of her clients’ marriage, but in this case, the more sessions that take place, Avery finds it harder and harder to put her finger on exactly what is wrong with the Bishops’ marriage.


To Avery, Marissa’s view of her marriage isn’t quite real–it’s more of a “curated Instagram” version of life. Matthew seems to love his wife, and although stunned by Marissa’s confession of adultery, he’s willing to work things through. So if things were normal, Avery would conduct her 10 sessions, the rot of the Bishop’s marriage would be revealed and turned over like a compost heap, and then the repair and healing would begin. Hypothetically, that is.

However, there are several complications afoot. Avery is threatened by a mega-pharmaceutical company for her role in a whistleblower event, plus she’s recently widowed and is still dealing with the finality of that situation. Then there’s Matthew who maintains some sort of a relationship with the perfect, blonde Natalie, a former girlfriend. She’s now divorced, flitting in and out of his life, and has more than a passing interest in Matthew. Then there’s Marissa, a woman who is fractured and is unravelling fast but who remains unsure why she isn’t happy in her marriage. Weird things are happening–several stalkers, a bouquet of flowers sent anonymously to Marissa, a nosy employee at Marissa’s boutique who spies on her boss, a mystery assailant and an old fling of Avery’s who shows up and starts snooping. ….

The story goes back and forth with chapters told by Marissa and Avery. This is a tense page turner; at first I thought since Avery was a therapist who lost her license, this was going to be a ‘when therapists go wrong’ book, but no. Avery feels freed by her lack of license, free to engage in therapy that doesn’t follow the rules–therapy that’s invasive. The authors fold out layers and secrets, so that it’s clear that many characters are not quite what they appear to be. I guessed the dark, core secret at the heart of the book, but I enjoyed the ride. Regular readers of this blog know I have a soft spot for therapist novels, and The Golden Couple, a domestic thriller (woman in danger in upscale suburbia) had enough twists and turns to keep me engaged. In non-nonsense strong-minded Avery, I can see a series character here; she’s the most interesting character in the book (Marissa is wimpy) and in Avery’s chapters, more and more information rolls out, until we see what makes this woman tick. You don’t screw with Avery.

(And I highly recommend The Woman Across the Street From the Girl in the Window, a lively, entertaining series which pokes fun of this genre–hitting all the tropes with just the right pitch.)

review copy

Loved the level of suspense and all the twists and turns the book took. It was difficult to turn off the audio book, I was so drawn in to the plot. If you love psychological thrillers you will not be let down by this one!

I’m so harsh on books that portray therapists, but this was definitely fun and intriguing to read! Some parts were slower than others, but the ending made up for it!

First the book itself: Wow! This dynamic duo of authors strikes again. I love a good Therapist trope, but usually they have so many holes, but since she wasn’t licensed anymore, this one became so fun! Per usual I was HOOKED in the first few pages. I finished in 24 hours and loved every minute. A classic who-dun-it mystery chalked full of family/marital drama, cunning women, and subtle clues. I never guessed quite what was going on and the plot kept me so invested. Easily a 5⭐️ Read.

The narrators: MacMillan couldn’t have picked better narrators for this audio. They were clear, engaging, easily sped to 1.75-2x, and changed their voices tactfully between characters, all of which I love. I liked the fact that the dual time lines had separate voice actresses making very easy to follow. Also 5⭐️ To audio experience.

I enjoyed this thriller. It was well-written and had lots of twists and turns, as per usual with this author duo. The audiobook had long pauses in between chapters, which was noticeable, as a couple of times, I thought the audio had become paused. But overall, the audiobook was great. I was glad that there were different voices for the two MCs.

My one criticism is that I am a bit tired of the unethical psychologist trope. I don't think the MC had to be a former psychologist for this story to work, she could have been some type of new age-y unlicensed professional and the plot could have played out exactly the same.

Marissa and Matthew Bishop have the perfect marriage until they don't. Trying to pick up the shattered pieces after soliciting the help of acclaimed yet disgraced therapist Avery Chambers whose untraditional 10 step approach is said to work wonders. Can Avery help the Bishops piece their life back together or are there just too many secrets in the Bishop's lives for this to be done?

The Golden Couple is told from two perspectives the wife Marissa and the therapist Avery. The narration of Karissa Vacker and Marin Ireland was excellent they truly brought Marissa and Avery to life. Now I have mixed feelings about the storyline, I was expecting to really be immersed into the lives of the Bishops and I was not. Ironically I was totally interested and immersed in Avery's point of view and it was not until I got to the end of the book when I realized that may have been the authors intentions because I would love to see Avery in another book using her unconventional therapy and sleuthing skills to help other patients. I think this is a quality and unique mommy thriller which fans of the genre will enjoy.

I was really excited about this one, as it was my first book by this author duo. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. As a HUGE lover of thrillers, I was not invested into the plot like I typically am with this genre. The part that felt like a thriller to me was the last 20% of the book. I also struggle when books do not have any likable characters. I didn't feel for any of them, which made me feel disconnected from the plot. The twist at the end was not that shocking/unpredictable... Again, I read a lot of thrillers, so I may be expecting too much. Overall, it wasn't for me but I know many that loved it! I liked the idea of the book, so I still went with 2/5 stars.

This is a great book if you are just getting into the thriller genre!

Thank you SO much Macmillan Audio and Net Galley for my ALC (Advanced Listeners Copy) in exchange for an honest review!