BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Daughter In Law' by Shalini Boland.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Shalini Boland, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 4th November 2022.

This is the eighth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Other Daughter', 'The Wife', 'The Couple Upstairs', 'One Of Us Is Lying','A Perfect Stranger', 'The Family Holiday' and 'My Little Girl', all of which I highly recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife Between Us'. I am a huge fan of 'Gone Girl' and 'Girl On The Train' so am looking forward to seeing if it lives up to this! I am also a huge fan of Shalini and if this is half as good as 'The Other Daughter', 'The Wife', 'One Of Us Is Lying', 'A Perfect Stranger', 'The Family Holiday', 'The Couple Upstairs' and 'My Little Girl' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists a prologue, 52 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Dorset, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. The fact that this book is based in England is even better as I have been on holiday in England many times so may even recognise some places Shalini has set the book around. I have in fact literally just returned from a holiday in Dorset!

This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective with the main protagonists being Caroline, Lillian, Amy and Michelle. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything. To have the benefit of both first and third person perspective ensures you don't miss out on anything.

WOW!! Where to even start?!? Firstly I must say yet again I was NOT disappointed by the very talented Shalini Boland!!! I started reading this book this morning and finished it in a few hours. Yet again being completely blind sighted by THAT ending!!

It is extremely well written as is every book I have read by Shalini with vivid descriptions that really put you in the storyline. The blurb and cover work perfectly with the storyline. Every single time I told myself I'd finish the chapter and then put it down and every single time I was left with a sort of cliff hanger refusing to allow me to put it down.

If your planning on reading this I would recommend clearing your schedule!!!

Absolutely gripping storyline which I got completely sucked into. A great unputdownable page turner filled with suspense, mistrust, revenge, tension, accusations deceit, mystery, love, power struggles, lies and absolutely everything you could want in an absolutely gripping family drama/psychological thriller!! . I loved the storyline, especially the shocking plots that I would never have seen coming! Not just one either!! There's nothing worse than when you have worked everything out and your not even half way through a book so a massive well done for that!! I definitely did not even have the person involved in my suspect list AT ALL, wasn't even close to working out what was going on, soooo many red herrings and as for the epilogue don't even get me started!!!! Absolutely mind blown!!! I absolutely love the fact that I know Shalini will never fail and that every time I read one of her books I can guarantee it is going to be an absolute page turner. If you have never read any books by this extremely talented author then you are definitely missing out!! An absolutely explosive rollercoaster ride with family drama and a mind blowing twist.

I haven't been that shocked in a book in a while so WELL DONE Shalini!! This book is will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. I really could not compliment this book any more it is an absolutely gripping, addictive and shocking page turner.

I absolutely LOVED the locations and I really did feel like I was having a holiday in Dorset too, an absolutely gorgeous country and I was devastated when I came to the end and had to mentally unpack my bags even with all the action, suspense and mystery going on, or maybe especially because of all that!!

I read approximately half of this book on kindle and listened to approximately half on audio book. I must also give a huge congratulations to the narrator Katie Villa who not only brought the storyline to life by really portraying the emotions through his voice but by doing absolutely fantastic impressions of males and females so a HUGE congratulations Kate!! I cannot imagine that this was anywhere near an easy feat!!! I am looking forward to discovering more books read by yourself as you definitely have a perfect "book" voice!! I sometimes struggle to absorb the storyline through an audio book but if you are the same as me I can promise you will not have that problem with this amazing narrator!!

The characters were all well rounded and realistic with their own personality traits, strengths and weaknesses. It was very interesting watching how the bonds strengthened and weakened between characters throughout the storyline. I had mixed feelings for each of the characters throughout but one thing I love about the characters in all of Shalini's books is that she makes them jump out of the page and puts you right next to them throughout. Having so many different perspectives ensures you get to know each one and see what they are doing. I absolutely loved the last chapter, something I love with Shalini is that she always seems to dedicate the last chapter to a certain character in books and completely shocks you making you really want to see what happens next and several times I've been left hoping and wondering if that storyline will be carried on.

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read a chapter of Shalini's psychological thriller 'The Secret Mother' which sounds absolutely gripping and I'm looking forward to reading myself!!,

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Shalini Boland for another absolutely fantastic success!! I cannot wait to read more of your amazing work!! I really would love to see your books on the big screen one day, I can guarantee they will be a success if they are even half as good as the books you write!!! Here is to your next huge "blockbuster"!!! 🥂

Overall a page turning, gripping, epic psychological thriller with an explosive ending that will blow your mind!!.

Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Romance Novel and Psychological Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife Between Us and of course Shalini Boland and just anyone looking for an epic read with a twist. What are you waiting for?? Go grab your copy now!!!

313 pages/7 hours and 42 minutes.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited, £16 for audiobook and £7.99 in paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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This was an interesting story but moved way too slowly for me at the beginning. I figured out early on what a few of the twists were going to be but the final twist was not one I saw coming. I have enjoyed other works by this author in the past but this one was not my favorite, mostly because the characters were unlikeable. I will still read others by this author and have been trying to catch up on their backlist but so far, this one does not stand out for me.

The Daughter in Law is a perfect winter evening read. If you like a book full of twists and red herrings all over the place then definitely give this book a go. It is a slow burn psychological thriller that leads to an end that I don't think anyone would guess. I certainly didn't.
It is written from several points of view and it really worked for the storyline. The characters are superbly written and they make you love or hate them instantly. Seb's mother Lillian is one of those characters that I took an instant dislike to. Her new daughter in law, Caroline just doesn't live up to her exacting standards and she doesn't mind letting everyone know. I felt sorry for Caroline, after all she has given up her whole life in Australia to be with Seb and move in to the family pub, with the parents in law. I mean this is only going to lead to unease isn't it? Oh yes it does and then some.
I found this book an easy and enjoyable read and its absolutely worth a read. or listen, as I had the audio.
The Narrator was brilliant and she brings the book to life brilliantly. A well rounded book of family secrets and just how far some people will go in order to protect their loved ones.

True to form, this is another great domestic thriller from Shalini Boland.
Fast pace and edgy, no way did I see this plot unravelling as it did.
I was hooked from the very beginning and didnt want to stop listening till the end.
Great narration too.

Shalini Boland's stories are usually exciting and always keep me entertained, but whether or not I connect with the characters and end up caring ab0ut them seems to be a bit of a hit or miss.

I didn't really care about Caroline, Seb or any of the others but the story was good and kept me guessing. There were numerous twists and the good people turned out not to be as good as I thought and vice versa.

Caroline has just married Seb and moves from Australia to the UK with him and starts helping out in the family pub, but it seems like no one wants her there. At first I am not sure whether to feel sorry for her, be outraged for how she is treated or also mistrust her as she is clearly hiding something. Everyone seems to be hiding something and what's the second story line all about? Who are Michelle and Amy? We soon find out who Amy is, but how does it connect with what is going on now?

Gripping from the very start, The Daughter-in-Law is a fast paced thriller that had me engaged from beginning to end! What a page turner!

Seb and Caroline marry in Australia after a whirlwind courtship. They move back to the UK where Caroline is not welcomed with open arms. She gets an ice-cold reception from Lilian Fletcher, her new MIL. What's worse is that they will be living with Seb's parents over their pub. You can just feel the tension, the mistrust, the uncomfortable feelings. Let the games begin! Secrets, power struggles, accusations, and snide comments ensue!

This book is told through various POV’s, and I found this to be a very nice touch. There are several twists along the way and that kept me on my toes. I always love trying to figure out what is going on, and Boland shocked me, especially at the end of the book!

Fans of Boland will be delighted. New to Boland? This is a great place to start! This was my 7th book by the author, and I am always excited when I see she has a new book coming out! Her books are fast paced, full of twists, interesting characters, and well thought out plots!

I had the book and the audiobook, and it was nice to go back and forth. The narrator did a fantastic job and brought the book to life!

Shalini is one of my favorite domestic thriller authors. She always keeps me on my toes with a twist I don‘t see coming, while keeping the story believable. And this one hit that mark.

Seb and Caroline met online and quickly wed so it’s no wonder they weren’t able to share all of their secrets, but they have both kept some doozies. I was gripped from the start and couldn’t put it down. It is usually one of the “happy” couple that causes the issues and I was so rooting for Caroline and Seb and hoping they might both stay a couple and survive (yes I have read a few too many of these thrillers.) As they spend time with Seb’s family, I also like Felix, Seb’s brother, but wasn’t sure who was trustworthy.

And I was lucky enough to have both the book and audiobook and was able to keep listening when I couldn’t read and thought Katie Villa was an excellent choice of a narrator. She kept me engaged and wanting more.

If you are a fan of domestic thrillers, this should be on the top of your TBR.

Marrying Seb, the man she met online, Caroline moves from Australia to live with him in the country pub that his parents run in an affluent English town, but her mother-in-law is distinctly suspicious of her. Not only that, but the people she works with are hostile too. And the longer she spends in England, the more she learns that Seb might not have been that open about his past after all - but what secrets are his family hiding?

I was enjoying this story, but the more I think about it, the more I feel the plot just doesn't hang together that well. There are some big surprises but they are a bit nonsensical, and yet the ending was still quite obvious. Some of the extreme actions of the various characters might be explicable, but things like how quickly certain legal matters are carried out just seemed not only implausible but impossible, and that detracted from my enjoyment of the story as it started to feel far-fetched and silly. It was a shame because at the start it was quite a good domestic thriller, but by the end I felt it was trying too hard to put in the big plot twist that it seems all thrillers demand these days - and half the time don't work because they are just a bit daft.

Shalini Boland has done it again. Bowled over by the twist in the plot of this story. What I loved about this novel is that it’s entirely believable to a point. Families are strange things after all. Poor Caroline arrives in England with new husband Seb, only to be met with hostility not only from her new mother in law, but seemingly her sister in law and the other female staff of the family pub. Felix and Brian are more welcoming. Then we discover the mystery of Seb’s missing ex wife. I don’t want to add spoilers as for once I genuinely stopped and gasped at the twist in the plot towards the end. Beautifully narrated by Katie Villa. A great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to listen to this audio book in return for an honest review.

Boland's books just get better and better! I already loved this author, but this book might be my favourite. It is fast, pacey and full of suspense. The tension is right there from the start, a true, pure psychological thriller packed with twists that I honestly didn't see coming, And what about the end? Just genius!!
I also listened to the audiobook and found the narrator utterly spectacular, highly entertaining, definitely recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

This novel rates somewhere between a 3 and a 4 for me, but I rounded up.

The story is melodramatically presented as our main character, Caroline, tells us she is about to meet her new in-laws following a whirlwind romance and is feeling very nervous but hoping they'll be kind and that they everyone will get along. She and her husband met online, then he flew to Australia and swept her off her feet, married her and brought her home to his family in England, where they all live together running a family pub. Needless to say, her mother-in-law is judgmental and terrible to live with. In fact, no one is very welcoming. A waitress is openly hostile to her. Her husband seems very busy and is always leaving her home alone with the terrible people in the pub. Slowly, Caroline starts learning things about her husband's past that he has kept from her. The story switches p.o.v from Caroline to her mother-in-law, who is just as bitchy from her own point of view as she is from Caroline's.

After this, a semi-spoiler:

At this point in the novel, there is a big surprise reveal. Since we are hearing this story from Caroline's point of view, when the big reveal comes, I felt I had been tricked, because once we know "the truth" about her, we realize that everything she said to us at the beginning was disingenuous. And like, why would the narrator be trying to fool us about her purpose? So that was annoying.

But then the story proceeded with regular dramatic twists and turns, and the end was an extra good satisfying twist after you thought you'd already seen all the surprises, so that helped redeem the novel.

Basically, this is just light, fluffy fun, an audiobook I was able to listen to in the background at 1.5 while I did a lot of other things. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookotoure Audio for providing me with an advance copy of the audiobook, which was well narrated by Katie Villa, who did a great job with all the voices, Australian and English accents both.

Shalini Boland ratchets up the tension in this one and this makes this book very fast paced! Loved it!!!

Caroline and Seb get married after a short virtual friendship. They go back to the pub that Seb runs with his brother and parents. They live above the pub. The mother, Lilian, does not like Caroline and she sets her up several times to make Caroline look bad. There are a lot of secrets in this book and it kept me guessing right till the end.

Highly recommend this one. I received an early audio copy.

Sebastian is on his way home to England with his new bride Caroline. She will be introduced to the Royal Arms, the pub his parents own and live above. His mom Lillian, the mother in law, is a bit severe and at the heart of her is wanting to protect Sebastian from the hurt she recently saw in him.
She has an immediate distrust of her new daughter-in-law. To make it worse it seems Caroline cannot do anything right, not in the pub nor at home with Sebastian. As Caroline invests in this family she suspects there are things they are hiding? As time goes on you learn there’s lots of liars in this family and even a murder to hide their secrets.
But on the other hand Caroline has her secrets too and an agenda against this family.
This book is fast paced, easy to read and hard to put down.

Firstly, I am thankful for the opportunity to have received a free copy of this Audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Shalini is one of my favourite authors, I have read several of her books in the past and they are always 4/5 star reads! This one does certainly not disappoint.

Seb and Caroline meet online and begin a relationship. Seb decides to fly to Australia to meet Caroline in person. They end up getting married and then moving back to the UK.

Seb's parents are less than impressed with this news, but they are now back living and working at the family's pub.

The books switch's between the different characters point of views. With several twists along the way and one final one I definatley did not see coming, this was a great page turner! Narration also on point.

I rate this Audiobook 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars and would recommend to those who enjoy their psychological thrillers!


#TheDaughterinLaw #NetGalley

3.75+ stars

I’ve read a couple other books by this author, and they’re usually good for a fairly short and sweet dose of suspense that wraps up nicely by the conclusion of the story. This one has about 3 plot twists that are revealed at different times, none of which were too shocking (except for maybe the very last one), but all of which were still fun and made me want to find out what would happen next. I’ll be looking forward to whatever tense, dramatic, slightly over-the-top adventure the writer manages to dream up next.

3.5 stars. The Daughter-in-Law by Shalini Boland narrated by Katie Villa was a pretty good thriller. I enjoyed it even though it was a bit predictable. The characters were very distinct and well developed and I enjoyed getting to know the Fletcher Family even though each of them were unlikable. The narrator was amazing. I was never confused about who was talking. Her male and female voices were great. Lovely voice. Great choice for this book.

Big thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the advance copy of the audiobook version.
#TheDaughterinLaw #NetGalley

Wait, what?!!

Oh my, great ending and yes you got me! 😄 "The Daughter-in-Law" is my first novel by Shalini Boland and it's a juicy rollercoaster domestic thriller.

After meeting each other online, Seb flew to see Caroline in Australia. They clicked in person, got married, and returned to England together. None of Seb's family knew about Caroline and she didn't get a loving welcome from ANYONE, especially not from his mother Lillian. To make matters worse, the newlyweds live above the family's pub where the family lives and works. Uh, what a nightmare!

I read the blurb halfway and didn't quite make it to the end, so one of the reveals was a shocker. Maybe you should skip some of the blurbs too! I enjoy the family drama, secrets, and twisty twists especially the last one hit me hard. I'm giving this one 3.5⭐ as I enjoy everything but am not fully invested with the characters. I love quick and exciting thrillers like this, I will definitely be looking forward to listening to more of Boland's books.

🎧 One of my favorite narrators, Katie Villa's performance is wonderful. This is multiple POV and I wasn't at all confused.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book early! I really enjoy Shalini Boland's books, but I'm not sure that they're actually thrillers. This is a domestic drama about Caroline and Seb. They got married quickly and then moved into his family home to work in the family bar and grill. Her MIL has an instant dislike for her and we get alternating perspectives between Caroline and Lillian (the MIL) and I loved that element because it made the reader unsure who the villain was. We also get the perspective of a gal named Amy. She has some issues with her sister and we're not sure how her story connects until later in the book.
I love books that start with a big opening scene and then back track. This book does that. I love getting multiple perspectives and we get that too. I love the author's writing style and how fast it flows. Overall, this is not the most thrilling or original book, but its entertaining for an introductory thriller/ domestic drama.

SPOILER ALERT:
Amy was Seb's first wife. Caroline is actually Amy's sister (Michelle) and married Seb to try to find out where Amy is. The innocent "dad' killed her.

This is one of the better Shalini Boland stories I’ve read. The twists kinda threw me, I usually can guess what’s going but not this time! The audio was great as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

The Daughter in Law is a run of the mill physiological thriller, with implausible plot, one-dimensional characters and contrived dialogue. An extra star for the narration.