I love it when a female lead knows how to stand up for herself, do the right things and bring a great closure.
Jenna Kernan's The Ex-Wives has it all - a strong female character, devious man and a few other side characters who bring the story together very well.

Elena marries Jackson who she meets after losing her 1st husband to an accident, Jackson promises a great life to her and her daughter Phoebe. Elena is on cloud nine when Jackson proposes to her, and chooses to ignore all the warning signs that come in front of her after she agrees to Jackson's proposal.
Right after their marriage, there are small signs which shows Elena how controlling Jackson can be - but is he doing it out of love, as he sometimes claims?
The Ex-Wives was a great listen, thanks to the beautiful narration by Stephanie Cannon.

Thanks Bookouture Audio, Netgalley for approving the audio ARC.

I'm always looking for a good mystery/ suspense author. I was listening, thinking this was feeling a bit formulaic when the author threw a couple good twists in there! This story is definitely heavy on domestic abuse so not a great fit for every reader. I would absolutely read more from this author.

Thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had me hooked from the first page! I read the book in two days and couldn’t stop until I was finished! One of my favorite thrillers I have read this year! I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A book where I can say I did not see the ending coming! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a fantastic job. Great narration, perfect plot, made for a great listen! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

This audiobook was so good. I loved the narrators . This had me at the edge of my seat . It was very hard to stop listening. I would highly recommend if you love a good thriller

I feel the author was really good at creating a story that captivates you with empathy. You feel what the protagonist feels and are desperate about what happens to her. The main male character is pure evil and you cannot help but imagine how you might save the protagonist and her daughter if only you could jump into the story.

I also enjoyed how the author provides a deep and accurate psychological breakdown of each character.

The only small flaw, in my opinion, is that there are no huge or totally unexpected plot twists, the ones that makes you say "I didn't see this coming". Still, the plot is well constructed and you often gape while listening to the audio book. By the way, the narrator of the audio book has a very nice voice and makes the story even more gripping with her interpretation!

This was one of the best domestic/psychological thrillers I've ever read. I was hooked from the very beginning. Barely scraping by taking care of herself and her daughter Phoebe, Elana meet the perfect man at the perfect time; Jackson. He's the mayor of a small town in Florida, he's handsome, charming, everyone loves him, and he wants to help Elana give Phoebe the life she deserves. But once they are married Elana slowly realizes Jackson might be too good to be true. Two ex wives and Two missing step daughters Elana has questions and is worried for her own daughters safety. This book had so many twists and turns I got whip lash!
This book is the perfect read for fall.

Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I listened to this book and it was amazing. The book starts off knee deep into the relationship the MC is trying to escape from. From there you’re in the present and past, and the author really makes you feel as if you’re right in the story with the MC.

I will say it was rather long but I enjoyed it and it definitely kept me on my toes. I felt nervous, frustrated, and expectant all the way through and was pleasantly surprised by the ending!

This is a really fun thriller!
Elana is a widow with a young girl to raise. When she meets and marries Jackson, she thinks she’s finally catching a break. But she quickly realizes that her husband is not the amazing catch that she thought she landed.

This one has lots of fun twists, and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my complimentary review copy.

Oh, this book! I was enthralled right from the beginning! The narration was excellent and the story line was amazing. I'm still trying to figure out how Jenna Kernan came up with this story, but I'm so glad she did!

Narration of this book was so good, brought the book alive for me and I easily followed the storyline. Listening to spoken word is one way I get through mundane tasks and as such I am prepared at times, to put up with a poor storyline. However, in this case I thoroughly enjoyed the tale and found myself choosing to do some simple tasks so that I could justify listening to more!

Absolutely gripping from start to finish. This book will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time, wondering what narcissistic, sociopathic move Jackson will play next. Is everything he says a lie? What really happened in his past? .... It's unbelievable, and one you need to read.

I received an audio arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. The Ex Wives is a domestic thriller that draws you in from the first chapter. There were many plot lines that you do not commonly come across which made it even more enjoyable to follow the twists and turns. This book will make you truly value your trustworthy female friends…

If you love domestic psychological thrillers, then this book is right up your alley. There are a few trigger warnings for domestic abuse and gaslighting. Honestly, the domestic abuse is what knocked this down one-star rating for me. Otherwise it’s a solid psychological thriller.

Thank you @netgalley and @bookouture for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good domestic thriller, but this one wasn't for me. One, I couldn't get past the naivety of the MC. Two, the "shocking twist" just made me mad. Three, there were no characters that I liked so I had zero investment in the story.

4 Stars
Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy. Thank you Jenna Kernan

I enjoyed this book a lot. Many twist and turns. I couldn't put this book down.

Two ex-wives. Two missing girls. Will yours be next?
Pulling a batch of my husband’s favourite golden oatmeal cookies from the oven, I smile to hear my daughter Phoebe playing in the treehouse outside. I was once so close to losing everything, but since I married handsome Jackson, I have a perfect life. Jackson might tell me what to wear, but he just likes to buy me nice things. He says I don’t need a job, and why would I want one? I can spend all day taking care of Phoebe and running errands in the fancy car Jackson gave me—he knows everywhere I go, and I love how much he wants to keep me safe.

But my whole world shatters when I find out Jackson is a liar.

He never mentioned he was married before—twice.

I love him so much. But how can I trust him now? Desperate for answers, I search our pristine house top to bottom. I thought Jackson was caring: but is it a way to control me?

When I track down his ex-wives, I see fear in their eyes. Both these women had little girls just like me. And when they left Jackson, their daughters went missing.
Devastated I’ve put Phoebe in danger, I have no choice but to find the truth about those poor girls. To protect Phoebe, I must pretend to still be the perfect wife, even though fear floods through me at Jackson’s touch.
But how far will I have to go? And what will happen to me and my sweet child if my husband finds out?

Elana believes she has made the best decision in her life for her and her daughter, Phoebe. She has met the man of her dreams, Jackson. However, she is warned by his 2 ex-wives that Jackson is dangerous. Plus the major fact that his 2 step daughters have gone missing. Even the FBI pay the house a visit to speak to Jackson. Jackson is a master manipulator and verbally abusive, ascertaining his power and authority over Elana and using Phoebe to control her. However, Jackson is Mayor and his brothers are also well respected in the local town.
Elana knows she must leave Jackson, but he has made it clear he would kill her. A powerful struggle throughout, knowing she cannot trust anyone close to her. You are left willing Elana on, hoping she makes the break.

You know, I liked this for awhile. It’s very suspenseful but there are so many times that it’s more infuriating than anything. The worst part is that the infuriating parts are pretty accurate. It could easily be a true story - and in all honesty it has been true for many women.

This book is heavy on abuse. Both spousal and child abuse. Past and present. It’s a lot. There were many times where I was shocked by the lengths this man went to in order to control his wife. It’s really intense and ridiculous.

I will say that this book does a hell of a job shining a light on abuse and the lengths that the abuser will go to in order to control every single aspect of their lives - including the people they have contact with.

I won’t lie, I definitely felt like this was super heavy and considerably longer than it needed to be. I know I say this a lot in reviews but seriously - why are we using 3 words when 1 will cut it? I don’t understand.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the suspense.

This was my first book by this author and I loved it. The beginning really draws you in. Well written.

Am I a little rundown on the abusive husband /too good to be true scenario? Sure.

But the writing and characters here are strong enough to keep this one fresh.

I do wish they'd gone more in depth on Zoey and Sawyer's marriage rather than just insinuate.