I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

As a long time lover of mystery/thrillers, this was a disappointment. I didn’t feel much connection with the main character, and the twisty ending was over the top, to say the least.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of The Marriage Secret in exchange for my honest review!

Based on all the rave Goodreads reviews I was really excited to dive in with this read, but it quickly irked me. I really do not like storylines involving gaslighting women. Unfortunately, I think it is way overdone in the thriller genre and that alone made this a flop for me.

Don’t let my being nit picky stop you from giving this one a chance though! I would still recommend as so many obviously loved it with an overall Goodreads score of 4.08.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!!

Zach is a highly respected OB/GYN married to pregnant Holly. Little did Holly know when she married Zach that he would turn into a husband that dictates her every move. Treating her like a child when she didn’t do something exactly correct. Punishing her for leaving shoes in the kitchen. For her new baby she vows to get away.

This isn’t your typical abusive husband and wife gets away story. The secrets, the lies, the revenge is not what you think. I thoroughly enjoyed this book….even though it was far fetched and kind of read like a lifetime movie. I still couldn’t put it down and the twist was well worth it!!

WOW!!!! What a read!! But then, I'm not surprised.

I have been a fan of this author since reading <i>Notorious</i> in 2016 and have read every one of her books since.

According to Holly, she and Zach, an OB-GYN, have the perfect marriage, especially after the birth of their beautiful daughter, Jolene. In spite of the secrets that they know about each other and have promised never to tell. Or she thought.

Not long after, things changed. Holly started to have strange incidents and hallucinations. Holly denied it all but Zach saw the changes. And because of that, Zach felt he need to be aware and controlling because he was afraid for their daughter.

Is the obvious always the obvious?

This was a nail-biting read!!! I thoroughly thought so!!!

I pictured every single thing in my mind, so for me, this was like a movie in my head and sitting on the edge of my chair.

The ending! THE ENDING!!!!! Or should I say the endings? It left me breathless!!!!

No pressure Ms. Baldwin.......BUT.......when will the next book be in my hands?


<strong>I received a complimentary copy from (Bookouture via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest opinion.</strong>

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This book was an absolute page turner! I was unable to put it down! The plot twist I did not see coming and that always makes reading more enjoyable for me.

The Marriage Secret is a heart stopping, mind blowing psychological thriller by Carey Baldwin. It was a page turner for me and I had a hard time putting it down.

We are introduced to a married couple, Holly and Zach. Holly is a former speech and language pathologist who stopped working when she became pregnant with their first child. Zach is a well respected OBGYN at a local hospital. From the outside Holly and Zach appear to be a successful and happily married couple. But behind closed doors, the reader realizes the facade is an illusion. Zach is a controlling, abusive and manipulative man and unleashes his temper on Holly and his mother and anyone who dare goes against him. Holly realizes she’s married to a monster and once her daughter is born she will stop at nothing to escape his terror.

This is my first time reading a book by Carey Baldwin and what a pleasant surprise. She is a very clever and engaging writer. I cannot believe the plot twists towards the end of the book. Well done. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Carey Baldwin for my electronic arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was ok, but wasn’t my favorite. It centers on Holly, whose husband Zack becomes controlling after the birth of their daughter Jolene. Holly knows she needs to do something but she is also hiding a secret and Zack can hold that over her.

The pacing of the book was pretty fast and there was a big twist that I didn’t see coming at one point in the book. I found it to be a quick read with a lot of action. That being said, I found it a little hard to believe that Holly had never experienced an inkling of Zack’s controlling behavior prior to Jolene’s birth; then, things escalated really quickly. Also, when her “big secret” came out, I didn’t think it was as big of a deal as it had been made to be.

Overall, fun and fast read despite the few things that gave me pause. I’d give it 3.5 stars, rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A seemingly perfect life of a young couple is thrown into turmoil as the husband is accused of murder. The wife that hides some dark secrets surrounding their marriage has to decide just how much she is willing to risk in order to leave this marriage alive.

The Marriage Secret
@authorcareybaldwin
@bookouture

Rating : 💍 💍 💍 💍
Pub Date : 2/11/2022


“But what do you when you realize the man you married, the man you trusted with all your heart, is evil? Whatever is necessary to protect yourself and your child.”

Holly’s husband Zach has a very demanding & lucrative job as doctor delivering babies. With that comes long days, late hours, and mentoring. Holly’s main concern has always been her daughter Jolene. She knew that her marriage wasn’t healthy but unfortunately, the one secret that no one knows except her husband, is something that he has always held over her head. Holly has plans to do something drastic, little does she know, someone else has a plan too. This book was so messed up in all the right ways. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a good page turning psychological thriller.

Wow! This is my first Carey Baldwin book, and I hope there are more. The general plot is predictable. Boy meets girl. They get married. They seem to have it all. But do they really? Nope, they don't. That is where the predictability ends.
Zach is an OB/GYN. Holly has given up her career to stay at home with her soon to be born daughter. But, Zach has begun to change. He's been "punishing" her for doing things wrong. Of course he has a hold on her, he knows a secret that she hold deep from her younger years. Then, there's talk of another medical student who was a preceptor of Zach's that is missing. This happened a few years ago as well, but that student ended up being murdered by a homeless man who lived in the city. Was Zach having an affair with either or both of these students?
There are so many plot twists in this book. It truly is a pageturner that you will not want to put down because you just have to know how everything turns out!!!

What happens when her perfect life begins to unravel?

Zach has always been the perfect, doting husband. He's all about Holly, all the time. He loves her so much, he even checks in on her when she's out with her friends, just to say he loves her and hopes she is having fun. When they are expecting their first child, he takes good care of her, fulfilling her every need and more. But when their daughter is born, something seems to shift in Zach, and he starts dictating Holly's every waking moment, from what she does throughtout the day, to how she dresses. When the police indicate Zach is a person of interest in the murder of a young woman, Holly is faced with an impossible decision. Should she lie to protect Zach or risk the reveal of the worst thing she has ever done? He knows her secret...
I was captivated by this novel from the very beginning and read it in almost one sitting. I was shocked by the volatile nature of some of the characters in this book and by many twists and turns throughout. I never could have expected the ending, and my jaw hung open as I read the shocking conclusion. I recommend this novel to anyone who loves a domestic thriller with plenty of marriage secrets.

Can she escape the "perfect" marriage before it's too late?

Zach has always been so loving and protective of Holly. They live in their dream home and just had a little girl together, but is their marriage really what it appears to be? Now that Jolene has been born, Zach has been overwhelmingly controlling. He set a strict schedule for Holly to follow, he must know her whereabouts at all times, he picks out the clothes she will wear, and he determines how much money she can spend. She doesn't want to be punished and he knows her darkest secret, so she must be careful and ensure he's happy. But now Zach is a murder suspect when a young woman turns up dead. He claims he didn't do it, but where was he that night? Will Holly stay by his side or will she escape this toxic marriage?
I loved this book and recommend it to thriller lovers! I felt like the first half of the story was more of a women's fiction with a lot of drama and interesting situations happening, but the second half was definitely a domestic thriller. I flew through this story, wanting to know what would happen with these characters. I was intrigued by all the events happening and was shocked by the ending! I read this book on my kindle and listened to the audiobook. The narrator, Stephanie Cannon, did a wonderful job bringing this story to life! I loved the different voices she had for different characters, making it very easy to follow along. If you're a fan of audiobooks, definitely check it out! This was my first read by Carey Baldwin and I look forward to reading more of her work.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I didn't see this book coming I thought it b totally different plot to what it was fantastic page turner.

I received an ARC of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. What a crazy ride! I was sucked in from the very first page. There were several twists I did not see coming, which always impresses me since I read so many thrillers.. Most of the characters are unlikable, but with all the twists you may find yourself changing opinions.

I really enjoyed this book as I found it tense and gripping and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I was kpet guessing throughout about who the murderer was and couldn't put the book down

3.75 stars Thank you BookOutoure and NetGalley for this review copy; The Marriage Secret does indeed hold up to the promised darkness and twists! If you are a fan of well executed domestic thrillers that take some tropes (gaslighting, psychological manipulation, toxic relationships) and make them a bit about empowerment and intelligence instead of just victimization... this book is for you. I don't want to include too many spoilers so I will simply say that to me the biggest strength of the story is that Holly was from the start of the book was aware of her husband's pathological nature and was taking active, logical steps to try to advocate for herself and her newborn. I thought there were some strong points in places about how the subtle ways in which legal systems can't help women in this situation fight for themselves because the nature of the abuse and gaslighting could make custody and legal battles challenging (and expensive... and often women in these situations have access to money withheld or controlled). Though in ways a seemingly typical domestic thriller I thought there were strengths that engaged me more than usual (in that domestic thrillers often aren't my favorite genre_.

Carey Baldwin's newest book, "The Marriage Secret," is full of twists and turns that keep readers on edge throughout. She makes her premise fresh and new by adding in perspectives which come from her background in psychology. These insights elevate the subject matter by clarifying motivations and behaviors in a way most authors cannot. Throughout the book, the chilling reality of everything, from the everyday life of someone in medicine, to how a psychopath can charm and gaslight his victim, is riveting. The emotions of her characters, especially of a mother to her child, are a wonderful contrast to the absolute villainy of the antagonists. Her writing as always is absorbing and beautiful. A page-turner that will keep you up all night!

The Marriage Secret is about a marriage based on threats as a result of a devastating secret. Holly and Zach Bancroft seem to have it all, including a gorgeous home and a delightful new baby. He is a very successful doctor, and has earned quite a bit of respect. Holly had a fabulous career herself as a speech pathologist but was more than happy to be a stay-at-home mother, at least for the time being. However, nothing is as it seems with the couple.

This book just might remind readers of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier or even the film Gaslight. Despite outward appearances, Zach makes it his aim to keep Holly exactly where he wants her, using more than one method of control, even to the point of her doubting her ability to care for their baby. In fact, Zach's control grows by leaps and bounds in this book, something that might make readers cringe on Holly's behalf. Zach has been written as an utterly vitriolic character, unlikeable to the nth degree. When Zach becomes a person of interest in the murder of a young colleague, he calls in the cards. Holly will alibi him or he will tell her secret.

What brought this couple together in the first place? What is the ugly secret that Zach is holding over Holly's head to keep her in what is most certainly an unhappy marriage? While every lasting marriage starts with a firm foundation, Holly's agreeing to marry Zach had the writing on the wall. With Zach being alternately caring and cruel, Holly is forced to walk on eggshells, never knowing what next Zach has in store. Her wardrobe, her finances, even her mentality - Zach holds it all in his hands. Told entirely from Holly's perspective, events continued to unfold in disturbing fashion.

While this book proved to be a page-turner, with Holly struggling to show backbone, there was a point when the plot almost seemed predictable. In fact, there was one plot line that more than one reader might guess, and although the story was intriguing, guessing a major twist might take away some enjoyment of the book. Even so, the tension was kept at a high rate. With just a few principal characters, this story is full of drama and angst. All delivered with excellent pacing.

Carey Baldwin spun a compelling tale of who could possibly win in this disaster of a marriage. Any reader would know that Zach and Holly's marriage did not have a strong basis and it was very interesting to see what the end result would be. Inasmuch as possibly recognizing a major plot twist seemed to wrap everything up, Baldwin took readers on an exciting ride, which will no doubt leave most readers shocked by the impossible to predict ending.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This book is a serious page turner. I don't know how many times my mouth hit the floor. Holly's life is ideal thanks to her loving husband, a gorgeous and intelligent doctor named Zach, who is also her best friend. When Zach begins to mistreat her throughout her pregnancy and on the day she gives birth to their daughter, things begin to alter in her life. The abuse intensifies when Holly confronts Zach about his recent behavior toward her.

**received from Netgalley for honest review**

I definitely enjoyed this one but it didn't stand out for me. I wasn't immediately captured and didn't feel like I could connect with the plot in general. I think I may need to give this a re-read later.