gorgeously unique and awesomely written thriller with some cool ideas and good vibes, tho imperfect ofc

Till Death Do Us Part
By Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

This is a story of secrets and lies, families, murder and mayhem. It is told in alternating chapters by two different women in a time frame over twenty years apart.

The story begins with June, a young woman who has married a man she hardly knows, but is sure he is the love of her life. Unfortunately, her husband Josh ostensibly drowns only a week after their marriage. After 10 years trying to come to terms with her loss, June is finally ready to start a new life with Kyle.

Then the story goes back twenty some years and Bev, Josh's mother, becomes the narrator. She is married to David, her college sweetheart, who makes her feel loved and safe. They have three sons: Josh and Andrew, identical 17 year old twins, and a new baby Kieran. Bev feels that she is not a good mother, even though she loves her sons. Things start to fall apart in her life when unnerving incidents, possibly involving the twins, leave her doubting who they are.

The two women's stories overlap and eventually intertwine. As the plot progresses, more and more secrets are revealed and just exactly who did what becomes murkier.

The book is interesting and would have worked better except for a couple of things. While many plot points are resolved, some are never made clear. Also there is a secondary subplot that seems unnecessary to the main story; it just adds to the confusion. And third, the answer to the question of how Josh died was predictable. Not to mention the fact that, until the very end, the reader doesn't even know if, in fact, Josh DID die!

I love when books are set in an area I’m somewhat familiar with. It really helps get into the story. This story was mystery on mystery with a twin twist! I found myself saying wait, what? A couple times!
There were alternating time lines and I definitely found myself favoring one over the other. But eventually it all tied together.

After a whirlwind romance, June's husband dies during their honeymoon and no body is found. Years later she is ready to settle down with a new love, but she begins seeing her first husband again. Is she hallucinating, or is he still alive? She finds herself traveling to Napa Valley for answers that can only complicate her current life.

This is definitely a slow thriller, more of a domestic suspense. The book is split into four parts where the action really doesn't pick up until the third section. We alternate between June and her mother-in-law Bev's point of views, both written in different timelines. June's chapters were my favorite, she was well written trying to move on from her grief and still needing closure. As a mother to young kids myself it is sometimes hard to relate to Bev, especially with her choices at the end. Her take on motherhood and marriage was interesting to read, I get the feeling of sometimes losing yourself as a person. But she was a bit too detached and cynical for my liking. I thought all of the wine information was interesting, the vineyard setting was idyllic and I enjoyed learning more about the process of making wine. The ending was a bit abrupt and left the readers with unanswered questions, but the story overall makes you question how well you can ever really know somebody.

Overall it was an enjoyable read. If you're a fan of family drama with a slow burn mystery I would recommend this book. The characters are complex and I feel it's written well overall. I would read more from Laurie Elizabeth Flynn. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for my opinions.

This mystery kept me on my toes. Because just like the heroine I wanted to know if her first husband was indeed still alive or if her mind was playing tricks on her. I don't want to give anything a way but if your a fan of mysteries you will want to read this one. You'll never see the ending coming.

Till Death Do Us Part is a thriller, good for those who like The Last Thing he Told me. June marries the love of her life, and then he dies a week later, and his body is never recovered. 10 years later, she has met a second love, but keeps catching glimpses of her first husband. This book is filled with those who work in the wine industry, and is interspersed with descriptions of winemaking. It's fun, and there are definitely some twists and turns. I was worried we would never find out what happened, but you do, don't worry!

While a good premise, this book just didn’t deliver the way I’d hoped for. Ten years ago, June’s husband, Josh, drowned on their honeymoon and his body was never recovered. It’s been difficult for June to let go, but she’s finally ready to marry Kyle. They have been together for a number of years, but until now the next step hasn’t been taken. When June sees someone that looks identical to Josh, she’s immediately unsure if her subconscious is playing tricks on her or if Josh is still alive. Delving in, June finds a website of a vineyard in Napa Valley with a proprietor that could be Josh, but why would he fake his death? June is determined to find out and heads to Napa to confront Josh … but there’s more to the story … lots more. Told in two different time frame by two different women, June and Josh’s mom, Bev, this was more of a domestic drama than a thriller. Slow on the get go this novel has unbelievable twists, unlikable characters and the ending came out of no where, not to mention a few things that weren’t quite tied up tight enough in the end. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

They say that when someone loses someone they love, they seek closure. When that person's body is never found, closure is hard to attain.

"...the amount of time you spend with a person means nothing. Because no matter how many questions you ask, you'll only ever see the parts of them that they allow you to see. The rest stays buried."

June married Josh ten years ago. After knowing him for only six short months, he drowned while they were on their honeymoon. Josh's body was never recovered... Several times now June has thought she has seen Josh. Her best friend and her new fiance tell her she is seeing things - a product of her grief over her loss.

When searching for venues for her upcoming honeymoon to the new man in her life, Kyle, she comes across a website for a Napa winery. There is a photo of the owner of the vineyard on the website. It is Josh!

She secretly travels to Napa to see for herself. Once there she discovers family secrets and learns information about Josh and his family that she never knew.

In addition to June's narrative we hear from Bev. Bev is Josh's mother and her narrative takes place twenty-five years previously. Their narratives alternate to divulge secrets upon which the two women live their lives.

For wine lovers everywhere, there is a lot of information on wine-making and the appreciation of a fine vintage.

There are two unexplained deaths in this novel, Josh and Michelle, and only one of them is ever explained. To my mind, the oversight of not explaining who killed Michelle was a glaring one. Yes, there was a hint, but that could have been misleading and was not conclusive.

With themes of betrayal, parenting, manipulation, adultery, and suspicion, this novel will appeal to many readers. Especially when they hear that there is a huge plot twist near the end of the book. There are many things I liked about this novel, yet the plot seemed a bit contrived for my full enjoyment. The ending twist seemed implausible given the information revealed up to that point.

"Till Death Do Us Part" was touted as a thriller, but for me it was more of a slow-burn domestic drama with a mysterious backstory.

A thriller set in the Vineyards of Napa Valley? A husband who was thought to have died 10 years ago suddenly appears to be alive? Yes, please! June’s husband, Josh, is presumed to have drowned while they were on their honeymoon. Flash forward to present day, June is engaged to be married a man named Kyle. She’s so excited to begin a new chapter. In a moment everything changes when she thinks she sees Josh. Then begins the quest to uncover secrets and find out what is going on.

The story is told in alternating points of view, between 2 different timelines. The beginning engaged me, but the story slumped for me in the middle. There were lots of twists and turns, but some felt forced and out of place. The ending relied heavily on a series of unlikely coincidences and assumptions, so while somewhat unexpected, it was hard to believe.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the reviewer digital copy of this book.

Wow—my mind is blown. The dual timeline and POVs had me hooked from the start. I’m now questioning which twin was actually which twin for both Josh and Andrew, and Bev and Camille. How often did they switch places throughout their life?! That layer of mystery adds so much depth. I never saw the twist coming at the end—never in a million years would I have guessed that Sadie was the last person to see Josh alive. Absolutely wild! This book had me second-guessing everything, right up until the final page.

This was a fun and fast read, with a lot of promise. While the characters weren't the most likable, there was enough substance there that kept me wanting to find out what happened. (Especially with Bev!) What stopped this book from being a winner was that ending though. It just seemed so far-fetched and out of left field that I literally groaned at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for my advanced copy to read and review.

When Josh is suddenly presumed dead by drowning during their honeymoon, June can never quite accept that it was an accident, as no body was ever found. It takes her years to recover, but finding understanding Kyle seems to come along at the right time and give her the support she needs. Ten years after her first marriage, she's planning her second to Kyle, but begins to question what really happened to her first husband. As she tries to uncover the truth, the discovers more secrets than she bargained for, and becomes scared for her own life, and isn't even sure if Kyle is who he says he is. Full of deception, this is a quick page=turner. I give this a 3.5, rounding up to a 4. The only reason I am giving it a bit lower is that the ending- while surprising - wasn't believable, in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

This story is about a lady who thinks her husband is dead but is really alive. It is told in dual timeline which I found hard to keep track. I do not like reading in dual timeline but decided to force my way through.

I don't discourage anyone from giving it a try, it just wasn't for me.

Personally, not for me. Half the novel’s perspective felt like it was absolutely unnecessary. It felt too much like a scooby doo, whodunit, and not a thriller or anything at all. I ended up donating it to my library!

*Till Death Do Us Part* is a page-turner that combines family drama with an intriguing mystery. Flynn pulls you in with a fast-paced story that keeps you on your toes while still giving you the chance to connect with the characters.

Plot Thoughts: The story unfolds through multiple perspectives and dual timelines, focusing on Bev's life in 1999 and June's journey in 2022. From the beginning, the link between the two women is apparent, yet the path that leads to their final destination remains unpredictable. While some seasoned thriller readers might find the pacing a touch slower than desired, the intertwined characters more than make up for it. It’s a narrative that prioritizes emotional engagement over mere adrenaline.

Character Thoughts: The cast of characters is complex and in many cases, unlikeable. This tactic is a staple of effective thrillers, keeping readers on their toes about whom to trust. Each character has a distinctive voice, making it easy to follow their arcs despite the large ensemble. What stands out is Flynn's exploration of moral complexity: she illustrates that people can be a mixture of light and dark, showcasing the gray areas of human nature. Good individuals can make poor choices, while flawed ones can show unexpected redeeming qualities.

Honestly, I’m a bit torn about the ending. At first, I was ready to accept something ambiguous, (despite preferring a strong resolution) since the book emphasizes that not everything comes with clear answers. However, that final twist? It left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. It felt like a classic, stereotypical move that didn’t quite hit the mark for me in this specific story with these specific characters.

👍🏻 Despite my reservations about the conclusion, I still would recommend this book

I really liked the way this was written in multiple point of views and timelines as well as the setting of the book. All the twists throughout were great and I especially loved the one at the end.

Dual timeline story about a woman who begins to think that her husband who was presumed dead is really alive.

This story is told in a dual timeline. I enjoyed June’s timeline but I could never like Bev or her story. Towards the end the story got very confusing for me. I did finish the book but just don’t think it was for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon Schuster for the chance to read and review this book. There were parts that I really liked and I really wanted to love this book but for me the story just got too confusing.

Let me start by saying that I'm normally a HUGE fan of Laurie Elizabeth Flynn and really enjoyed The Girls Are All So Nice Here.

I don't want so spoil anything here, so I'll just tell you that I really enjoyed the alternating timelines and points of view, always wondering where the connections were about be made. Unfortunately, I could not stand either of the leads. Bev and June were both incredibly self-centered and, while I enjoyed the story, I don't think any of the characters were enjoyable to read.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't like this as much as I hoped. I'm all for that romance novel trope about the presumed dead husband or fiancé rising from the ashes, and was excited to see the trope used in a thriller setting. But I struggled to connect with the story. I wish the story had stayed in the present instead of having the 90s flashbacks. Flashbacks seem very trendy now but I don't think they improve every book.

I did really love The Girls Are All So Nice Here so I will definitely try Laurie Elizabeth Flynn's next book!

An awesome book that will make you think twice about walking down the aisle. I highly recommend this book and you won’t want to put it down!