I could not put this book down. It was sooo good!! Samira is down on her luck. Not being able to hold a job and her brother cutting her off. She unexpectedly meets pro golfer Roland Graham. After moving into his mansion Samira is determined to uncover what happened to his first wife.
This book kept me guessing and changing how I felt about the characters. I loved how the story was partially told from the first wife’s perspective through her journal entries. Slowly uncovering one detail at a time. I was hooked from beginning to end.

Thank you to netgalley and Kensington books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a thriller!!! This book was so perfectly done... I can barely imagine what a maze Williams' mind looks like on the inside. The twists were neverending.. just when you thought you understood, BAM! She got you, again. The main character has an interesting personality that wasn't someone I personally could empathize with or connect with fully. And yet, somehow, she was still captivating; a true testament to the writing and character development. You will not regret reading this thriller one bit!!

What a twist!!!! I didn't see that coming at all!!! I was totally guessing throughout the whole book, and I'm glad I went with my guts. Lol totally intrigued throughout

Samira was a single woman who hasn't really got her life together. Working some jobs to try to pay her bills. Her brother and friend have been helping her, but when they're going to start their family, everything starts going downhill for her. She met Roland at the right time and the right place. They fell in love. Even when Samira's brother was against the relationship, Samira married Roland secretly.

Then all the secrets started pouring out and Samira had no idea what or who is telling the truth.

If you love a thriller book, definitely pick this one up.

This book was good but didn't really stand out to me as much as I thought it would. It was full of twists but was also kind of predictable at times. The ending was good though, everyone who deserved it got what was coming to them.

I really liked the short chapters and the style of writing, especially the diary entries. What I didn’t: I had trouble connecting with the characters, sometimes it dragged at times for me, and the ending wasn’t my favorite. This was my first read by #ShanoraWilliams but it certainly won’t be my last!

I won't lie. When I first started The Wife Before, it had the same vibe I've seen in other domestic thrillers. A broke girl meets a wealthy man, rushes into a marriage, and then things start to come out. I didn't find it shocking when it came out early that the husband, pro golfer Roland Graham, had been accused of murdering his first wife, and Samira hid her marriage to him from others around her.

It definitely got better though. Williams did a wonderful job of weaving the story to really convince the reader that Graham could have murdered his wife, while at the same time, showing readers what really went down based on her journals. It got to a point I couldn't put it down. There are so many different twists that you won't see coming, especially the ending.

A great read.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

This book is fantastic! After the epilogue, I wondered about what happened the entire way through. Shanora Williams knows how to grab your attention and hold on to it until the end!!

The suspense and the unknown in this book…. It’s fantastic!!!

A very slow start but with a “what do you think ending” i thoroughly enjoyed this book it was refreshing and exciting. Gave me gone girl and Colleen Hoover’s verity vibes. My boy draw back is that that this book could have been way more thrilling and creepy if the author could make her writing a little more ominous or creepy.

Samira has just been fired from her job - again - and her brother let her know he will no longer be able to help her out financially. She doesn’t know what she’s going to do but a friend hooks her up with a job as a caterer at a party of rich people and that’s where she first meets Roland. Roland is an extremely successful golfer who appreciates that Samira doesn’t even know who he is. They have a whirlwind relationship and before she knows it they are married and he’s asked her to leave all her friends and family to live at his secluded Colorado mansion.

Once they get there - Samira starts to see the things that were left behind by Roland’s first wife Melanie who died in rather mysterious circumstances. When Samira comes across Melanie’s journals…she can’t help herself and quickly starts to devour them to learn more about the first wife’s life.

I enjoyed this one - read it in one shot. And while there were points I thought I knew where it was headed I was surprised with some different twists and turns. Great summer reading! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

Samira Wilder has never had it easy, and when her latest lousy job goes south, things only promise to get harder. Until she unexpectedly meets a man who will change her life forever. Renowned pro golfer Roland Graham is wealthy, handsome, and caring, and Samira is dazzled. Best of all, he seems to understand her better than anyone ever has. And though their relationship moves a bit fast, when Roland proposes, Samira accepts. She even agrees to relocate to his secluded Colorado mansion. After all, there’s nothing to keep her in Miami, and the mansion clearly makes him happy. Soon, they are married amid a media firestorm, and Samira can't wait to make a fresh start—as the second Mrs. Graham . . .

Samira settles into the mansion, blissfully happy—until she discovers long-hidden journals belonging to Roland’s late wife, Melanie, who died in a tragic accident. With each dusty page, Samira comes to realize that perhaps it was no accident at all—that perhaps her perfect husband is not as perfect as she thought. Even as her trust in Roland begins to dwindle and a shadow falls over her marriage and she begins to fear for her own life, Samira is determined to uncover the truth of Melanie’s troubled last days. But even good wives should know that the truth is not always what it seems .

This was a good book with an interesting storyline that kept me guessing and invested in the characters.

My first impressions of Samira were not good she came across as selfish and immature, in real life I probably would have had a few choice words to say to her. However the author was clever she made me wait her out and slowly she started to redeem herself. A meeting with Roland came at the right time for her, she was down on her luck and he comes in like prince charming and sweeps her off her feet. The story takes a turn when they relocate and she stumbles across his first wife's journals. You know it is never a good idea to rake up the past but like Samira I was hooked on those journal entries giving us a glimpse of Roland's previous marriage. This is a mystery that I wanted to unravel, thinking I had it figured out only for a bomb to drop in and take me on another plot twist. I liked the pace of the story it was easy to follow. Whilst Samira did grow in maturity throughout at the end I still wasn't sure if her and Roland were a love match or a couple with a good sex life who were just fond of each other. I liked the direction the story went near the end the twists were not what I expected and the ending continued that theme.

Sick and twisted! Just when you think you know you don’t! Trigger warnings !! Sexual abuse, violence, and so much more. I’m unsure of what else to write … just wow

Samira has some tough things thrown her way. Loosing her job, her room mate asking her to move out, fighting with her brother when she meets the handsome and charming Roland. Its like a fairy tale a giant mansion, no worries until she starts finding things out that make her question everything.

There was a few spots in the middle that moved a little slower for me. But with Samira on her way to finding answers and the way she was doing it really propelled the story. You just weren't sure who was telling the truth the wife before or Roland. I loved that it had journal entries to mix it up some and you get the story from Melanie. I loved Samira smarts and determination.
3.5 stars

Thank you to Kensington Books for my review copy

Shanora Williams is an absolute master in her new unique suspense fiction books. From the first few lines she grabs you and doesn't let go until the last word. And every word of this book is a delicious mix of suspense, family drama and incredible characters that will stay with you long after that last page.
Samira Wilder mets Roland Graham at the lowest point in her life. She seems to be losing all the important things in her life and Roland appears to be the one person who understands and wants to take care of her. Roland Graham just happens to be a handsome rich celebrity in the Pro Golfing World and has his sights now set on Samira. Their relationship moves rapidly even though she is warned about the suspicious death of his first wife. She doesn’t listen to the warnings and soon becomes the second Mrs. Graham. Roland then moves her into his secluded Colorado Mansion where the mystery of Melanie, the first Mrs. Graham, starts to unravel when Samira finds Melanie's journals and begins to read. Just when you think you might have this mystery of the late wife figured out...well don't count on it because Shanora Williams just pulled a twist and takes you down a side road that will keep you shocked and surprised.
Just like her last suspense book (The Perfect Ruin) I could tell this one was going to be a stunner and boy was it ever. I'll be eagerly waiting for the release of her next book.

When I tell you that once you pick it up everything will become secondary, you better believe it. I didn’t know what I was expecting other than the fact I knew it was going to be an amazing read, but Ms. Williams had me in a proverbial choke hold.

The twist and turns, not knowing, trying to guess, battling what you feel about both Melanie and Samira - while not knowing WHAT to feel about Roland will keep you glued to this book to the very end! What you think is happening - nope, that ain’t it. Who you think is guilty is a loaded question. Dylan, now that one there…I have strong feelings about that treacherous leech! When I tell you that The Queen blew this one out of the water…whew! I literally just told my husband, I absolutely have to have a physical copy of this book. Definitely a 5⭐️ read for me.

Go order your copy, one click, whatever you need to do to get in on this suspense-thriller-romance roller coaster, it is one hell of a ride!

Samira's newlywed happiness has just dimmed now that she's found her husband's deceased wife's journals. Reading through them has left her with questions, and she wants answers. Is her husband the good man she thinks he is? Or are the questions the journals raise too much for this new couple?

Gothic thrillers are not my normal reading, but I loved this one. Samira is a strong character with a bit too much curiosity toward the end (she had me yelling at her the way I do during horror movies), but she is the one who really moved the story forward. There are twists that really take the reader by surprise, there's of course lots of suspense, and the ending is sooo satisfying. I am so excited this author has branched out into the thriller genre, and can't wait for her next one.

Love the first book from this author. Very gripping storyline,I binged this in one night and this is my 2nd book from this author she did not dissappoint and I can't wait to read more from her. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I really enjoyed Shanora’s psychological thriller, The Perfect Ruin. As soon as she announced a new book I knew I needed it. I was captivated from start to finish. Although I found some of the characters annoying, I enjoyed it. Nevertheless, Shanora is a great storyteller who kept me guessing until the end. I can’t wait until her next book in this genre!

I was so excited and very fortunate to be given the ARC of this upcoming thriller.

We are introduced to Samira who becomes smitten with Roland Graham who happens to be a professional and famous golfer.

Things began at a fast pace and then they’re married but questions are raise about Roland’s previous wife.

The circumstances are sketchy behind her death and the actions that Roland is portraying doesn’t help the situation.

So Samira has all kinds of red flags going off. Many things aren’t adding up and she starts her own investigations.

So many twists and turns. There is a lot being revealed, between family secrets you don’t know who is telling the truth.

This book has the feels of suspense and every chapter keeps you intrigued until the last word.

Read this if you like: Fast paced thrillers, twists and turns, short chapters, retellings of Rebecca

Samira Wilder is down on her luck. She can't keep a job, can't pay rent, and relies too much on her brother. A friend gets her a job as a waitress for a party to help her out. She unexpectedly meets a man who will change her life forever.

Roland Graham is wealthy, handsome, famous pro golfer. He seems to understand her better than anyone ever has. Their relationship moves a bit fast, when Roland proposes, Samira accepts. She even agrees to relocate to his secluded Colorado mansion. Soon, they are married amid a media firestorm, and Samira can't wait to make a fresh start until she starts digging.

Roland’s late wife, Melanie, died in a tragic accident and many suspected Roland. Samira finds Melanie's old journal. It looks like her husband isn't what he seems. Samira is determined to uncover the truth of Melanie’s troubled last days.

Holy crap. This was a wild ride. I literally never knew what was about to happen. The pace was perfect at keeping you on the edge of your seat. The twists were crazy and well executed. I binged it so quickly. I will definitely be reading more by this author. You won't want to miss this one. Go get this one June 28th!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Kensington Books for the gifted copy! ❤️