I gave this book 3 stars only because the
weakness of the main character.

I understand it’s hard to get out of an abusive relationship and I feel for those who are struggling but this story could have gone a lot better with her having a little more spunk.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

A great thriller - I would recommend it!

This book was a welcome surprise. Dive into it right away because the plot hooked me. The story got way too tense in some bits and it was a complete page-turner! Such a great domestic thriller!

I had all the emotions with this book! Right off the bat, we’re introduced to our main character and I was fully invested in her story and worried for her. The twists and turns in this story between the husband and all of his wives is crazy and really set the hatred for him as a character. You cheered for everything bad to happen to him. It was so hard at one point to not get angry with the main character to not leave her husband with all of the abuse. What a wild ride with an intense ending!

Breathtaking!
This cleverly written tale will give you goosebumps with a dollop of fear.
A scary tale of naïveté, self-discovery and fear that comes from the realization that all is not as it seems.
Simply terrifying and thrilling I cannot recommend highly enough.
Five Stars and some advice… Leave your lamp on!

This was a really good story that kept me on my toes. There were some parts where it was a bit repetitive so some more editing could be done, but overall it was well worth the read. I would definitely read another by this author

This book surprised me. In the beginning it did not work for me. The first chapters were so focused on Mennonite religion, which I never heard of, I almost put it in my DNF pile. I was glad I stuck with it because it ended being a pretty good story. Just the beginning was not very good. It was a bit slow getting anywhere but I liked the end. Elana and her daughter Phoebe are living with her new husband Jackson. Jackson is not a very nice person who puts up a facade for everyone around him and Elana to make them look like the perfect couple but it's anything but. Elana is abused and threatened every day. She starts trying to figure out a way to get out/away from Jackson and his crazy family. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy. 2.5 ⭐

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Elana is newly married to Jackson, who comes from a wealthy family and is the town's mayor. At first blush, Elana seems to have it all. Her daughter from her previous marriage, Phoebe, now has a great home and financial comfort. Jackson is a bit controlling, but nothing Elana cannot handle. Until things escalate.

Jackson lied to Elana. He never told her that he had been married twice before. both of his ex-wives had daughters who went missing after they left Jackson. Elana is terrified that she has put Phoebe in danger.

The ultimate twist in this book was super exciting! I found the main character, Elana, to be a bit frustrating. She is definitely one of those characters that you can't help but shake your head at. Nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable and thrilling read.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story about Elana who is drowning in bills after her husband dies. She is now left with her daughter Phoebe. She catches the eye of a rich man, Jackson, whom she falls in love with and marries.

This was a gripping thriller which had me hooked from the beginning. I thought Elana was quite naïve but made an interesting protagonist. I'd highly recommend this thriller.

A addictive physcological thriller that had me flying through the pages into the night. My husband is already married! What? This one is impossible to put down.

If you like books that blow your mind, keep you hooked because you just have to know what happens next then The Ex-Wives by Jenna Kernan is a must-read

This was my second book by Jenna Kernan and once again I wasn’t disappointed.

On the face of it Elana has it all, a devoted husband, Jackson, who is mayor of the small town they live in, a beautiful 7 year old daughter, Phoebe, from her first marriage and a lovely house to live in with all the trappings of a rich comfortable life. However, behind closed doors, away from public eyes, Jackson is a tyrant and rules both Elana and Phoebe with an iron fist, he controls everything about their lives; where they go, who they see, what clothes they wear, and any money spent by Elana is audited and accounted for down to the very last cent. With no job and no family or friends she and Phoebe are trapped. When the FBI visit and explain they are still investigating the disappearance of the two children of Jackson’s first and second wife and are suspicious Jackson is involved Elana realises that if her and Phoebe leave Jackson, he will find them and take Phoebe from her just as he did with the previous two children from his two previous wives. So, she hatches a plan, albeit a dangerous one, to help the FBI get the evidence they need to arrest and charge Jackson for the abduction and possible murder of the two little girls. Will Elana find the evidence that she needs to get herself and Phoebe free of Jackson forever and ultimately what price is she willing to pay to make this happen?

This was a bit of a slow burn to start, in the first half of the book setting the scene although it built the tension of Elana’s and Phoebe’s situation well. By halfway however, the pace picked up substantially and I raced through the second half not wanting to stop reading at all. It was a perfect example of a narcissist love bombing their victim and how not all domestic violence is physical, mental abuse is just as difficult to deal with and there are no bruises from this type of abuse! I thought Jackson was deeply unpleasant and I actually think he makes it into my top 5 list of baddies as his actions were deplorable. I really rooted for Elana all the way through and really hoped that she and Phoebe would outwit Jackson. I did think about mid way into the book that Elana really needed Millie from The Housemaid (anyone who has read The Housemaid knows what I mean).

Overall, a very tense but intriguing book with a satisfying ending. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a psychological thriller and I look forward to seeing what Jenna Kernan writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jenna Kernan and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Out now.

Absolutely fantastic! Unputdownable! I typically guess what's going on before the 50% mark in these kinds of books but I didn't with this one. Absolutely brilliant.

Very twisty and I loved that. I wanted to shake Elena a few times but I had to keep rooting for her.
Many thanks to Bookotoure and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC. It was a little slow and hard to get into for a while but it did pick up a d had a good ending.

Elana thinks she has met the man of her dreams, Jackson. After they are married his charming facade disappears. They have a daughter now and she lives in fear of her husband, his ex wives tell her that there will be consequences if she leaves him. An emotionally charged thriller with a blood tingling plot. The characters will take the reader on an emotional rollercoaster ride. I am a new fan of this author,

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Bookouter for this copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Another book where I can honestly say "I did not see that coming!" Seriously, what a shocker that was! Woohoo! I love when a book can shock me and this one did it!

I found this a very compelling psychological thriller. The story takes place in a small town in Floria and the first half of the book is told in chapters from the past and present day. Elena and her daughter Phoebe are struggling with life as Elena is recently widowed and her late husband has left her deep in debt. Then along comes Jackson who bowls her over and seems to be the answer to her prayers. He is very rich and his family is well liked in the community. He is very influential as he is the mayor and one of brothers is an officer in the local police force. But Elena soon realises how controlling Jackson is. He has to choose her clothes, isolates her from her friends and family and puts trackers on her phone and car. She dreams of escaping with Phoebe but them thoughts are shattered when the FBI turn up and inform her that he has had two other wives. Both had had daughters who had disappeared and they thought that Jackson could be involved. Elena now feels trapped as she knows that she cannot escape and is terrified that Phoebe will disappear. She decides that she must find out what happened to his other wives and daughters and expose Jackson but realises that will put her and Phoebe in danger. This was a rollercoaster of a book which had me gripped from the start and a fantastic read. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

A rollercoaster of a book
Will keep you hooked
You won’t want it to end
Another great read by this author
Thanks NetGalley