I’ve read several novels by Karla Rouda but this definitely the best so far!

A bit of a political thriller, this book follows Martin Asher and his wife, Jody. Martin has had a long and successful career in Washington DC as a congressman. Jody has been a critical factor in Martin’s success, but he has risked derailing “their” career by having an affair with a young staffer. Jody is determined that they will not lose his congressional spot.

Nobody in this book is likable at all but they are all very enjoyable -from a safe distance, of course, from Jody especially!

I love books by Kaira Rouda and this one was no exception. I loved the twits and turns and waiting to see what would happen next. A must read.

This is a different book from Rouda - not quite edge-of-your-seat suspense, but more of an interesting look into politics and people who will do anything for power and prestige in a city where that's all that matters. Told from different perspectives of the major players, we were privy to all the behind the scenes deceit. I loved the messages between chapters from Jody and others, giving hints to newcomers to the DC political arena.

"The Widow" succeeds at being a good thriller, one with very unlikeable characters, which is to be expected in a story about Washington politicians.

I have always been a fan of Kairas books they’re always fun and relaxing and smooth. I am not much of a fan of political jargon though that was my biggest downfall of this entire book. I didn’t care much for a few characters but that is bound to happen with political reads.

Thank you to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this one. I have mixed feeling about it. I loved the setting so much with the politics and life in Washington DC. It had all the toxic fun I enjoy reading about. Pretty much all of the characters were down right despicable. For me though there was something really missing with this one. There were stretches where not much happened snd I was somewhat underwhelmed at the ending. I do love this author though and will keep reading whatever she writes.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author Kaira Rouda
I enjoyed this novel, all the good and bad of politics.
Jodi is a politician's wife and will do anything to go ahead.
Like the saying says: keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

I loved this book! Jody does not love much but she does love being the spouse of a Congressman and she will not give up the power and prestige which comes with being on the “inside” in Washington, D.C. Just when it looks like her husband’s career may be officially at it’s end, he dies and since Jody loves her lifestyle she is convinced that she should take over her husband’s seat and then there will be no limit to what she can accomplish. But this is Washington and there are so many political agendas and secrets and lies and Jody may just be way out of her depth here. Then again, Jody may just be manipulative and ruthless enough to survive. A must read!

The Widow by Kaira Rouda was great suspenseful book.

I have enjoyed the author's previous works, and this book was no exception.

This domestic suspense really keeps you guessing.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

The Widow is a glittery, cunning novel about D.C. politics and more by Kaira Rouda. Jody Asher has stood by her husband's side throughout his 30 year tenure as a member of the House of Representatives. Moving in powerful and wealthy circles in D.C., Jody had bigger aspirations for her husband. When Martin suddenly dies, amidst a scandal involving an intern, secrets begin to emerge that could bring everyone down. Jody is not one to back down and sets her sites higher than once imagined. This is a fast-paced, thrilling novel especially if you have any interest in politics. Rouda provides much inside knowledge from her experience as the spouse of a Congressman-a very fascinating portrait. Pick this one up today!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

The Widow is an excellent read. The author makes you root for Jody, even when providing all the traits that make her unlikeable. The twist is well thought out and the ending is great. A real page-turner. Don’t pass The Widow by.

The Widow
By Kaira Rouda
Review and Rating 3 ⭐️

The Widow by Kaira Rouda is a thriller about Jody Asher, a smart, ambitious and ruthless politician’s wife on Capitol Hill. She might even be considered a bit of sociopath, but then who on Capitol Hill isn’t? Money, power, and corruption run rampant in D.C.
Jody’s life is perfect until her husband’s affair with a young office staffer is discovered by a reporter who threatens exposure. Meanwhile, her daughter is marrying a man from the opposite political party and his family is supporting an opponent to take over her husband’s seat. Ugliness ensues. Will Jody’s perfect life soon be over?
When her husband Martin dies (sort of) unexpectedly, Jody sees her opportunity to flip the script, get all she wants out of D.C. and get revenge on some people who she feels wronged her along the way, including her best friend and political adviser Mimi.
This book is good fun, but you can’t take it too seriously. Sure there are no likable characters, Jody seemingly commits one bad act (or crime) after the next and never faces retribution, and the portrayal of D.C. is dismal to say the least. But I have read Ms. Rouda’s books before, and while this one is not my favorite, it is still a fun, entertaining thriller in line with her other work.
If you are looking for a serious political thriller, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a fun, page -turner, this might be the one for you! 3 solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you #Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Kaira Rouda for providing me with an eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.


Book Rating Key
⭐️ Not Recommended
⭐️⭐️ Readable Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Near Perfect Book
***Note*** I seldom give ⭐️or ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ratings. If I feel a book is a ⭐️sometimes I just prefer to not finish reading it and not rate it. As for 5 ⭐️books, I think of those as books I would want to take with me to a deserted island 🏝️, and this means I read a whole lot of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️star books. Happy Reading!

3.5⭐️‘S
The Asher’s have been a part of the DC elite crowd for thirty years. Martin as a member of congress and Jody on the political social scene. Martin is feeling the stress of his daughters impending marriage. Not only was it way over budget, but she was marrying the son of his nemesis in high school. Not to mention that he was a republican!! With the social event of the season fast upon them, Martin is being called out for scandalous dealings with China and a young member of his staff. His DC days were numbered, but the scandal died along with his sudden death. Jody, not ready to give up the DC scene, vowed to get revenge on those that were involved in taking Martin down. She was definitely not someone to mess with! Interspersed with notes for spouses of new congressional members and notes for those new to congress,this book was fast paced, but the first half of the book held much more of a punch than the second. Somewhere along the line it lost its grip. A read full of scandal and not so likable characters, this was a fun story, but ended up just being good and not as great as I had hoped for in the beginning. Thank you to Wheeter Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Wow - this book has it all! Love, betrayal, secrets and corruption to name a few. Although I don't typically read the political genre - I enjoyed the story. It gives you a taste of what life "could" be like when you or a spouse is deep in a political career. Strong characters - some you will love and some you won't!

I really enjoyed it. Keira Ronda did not disappoint with this thriller. This is a must read for fans of the house of cards and west wing.

I have been a huge fan of Kaira Rouda for years, from her very first book. She never disappoints me with her twists and turns as the story unfolds. Her lead characters are always strong females and I am here for it!

3.5*
Jody has big political aspirations! Probably more so than her long standing congressional husband, Martin Asher.

But Jody has her hands full keeping the home fires burning as well. And that’s not an easy task. Beginning with her daughters’ wedding this weekend, destined to be the biggest social event in Washington. And then there is her husband being spotted with a younger staff member. And let’s not forget the fresh-faced politician who wants Martin’s seat!

All this is about to come to a head when Martin suddenly dies, leaving Jody a very powerful widow. If she can take full advantage of the situation…this just may play out perfectly in her favor!

As in all Kaira Rouda books, the female lead is always sharp, powerful with maybe just a hint of being a sociopath. And I love each one of them!🤣. Not sure what that says about me... Anyhoo…

While I loved Jody’s character and her ability to manipulate everyone to her own advantage, I had a bit of trouble warming up to this book. Especially in comparison to her previous works.

Personally, I think it was because it was centered around politics, which I truly loathe. But if you can handle the political backstabbing and antics you may come away loving this latest!

A buddy read with Susanne!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer

Huge amount of thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book!
Jody is a politician’s wife. She knows how to play the game and is committed to playing the long game. She is ambitious, charming, smart, and deceptively ruthless.
When she finds out her husband is having an affair, she worries about their image and how it will ruin everything they’ve worked for. Unfortunately her husband dies unexpectedly and it’s a blessing in disguise for Jody. Now she can spin the story to her liking and come out on top and hang onto the life she’s sacrificed for. As long as her own secrets stay buried.
Kaira Rouda once again does not disappoint!

I usually love this author but…. This book just didn’t get it for me. I didn’t like all the political things. The affair was ok but then the wife. I did not like her. This book was a bit boring to me and that is too bad. I love this author and will continue to read her books and leave honest reviews but this one was not for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.