This book was good but a little chaotic for me. I like a good thriller & this had some thrilling parts but it fell flat for me. Who on earth would let their husband sleep with other women so he could tell her about it so she could write smutty books? It’s so unrealistic. There were many parts that were just unnecessary. It’s only 200 pages-I should’ve finished this quickly but it dragged for me. Sorry!

This is an extra spicy and suspenseful story that is character-driven mainly by Kate and Matt. They have a bizarre arrangement where Matt is allowed to have extra-marital relationships as long as he tells his wife all about them for her erotic romance novels. The character development is well-done with each character being distinct and interesting. I think readers who enjoy spicy romance, romantic suspense, and domestic suspense would enjoy this book.

The Widow on Dwyer Court is a sexy twisty thriller.

Kate is an author of erotica, yet she doesn't like sex. Her husband, who has a permanent hall pass, is her muse and she uses his escapades as inspiration. All is going just fine until a new neighbor arrives and something just seems off, leaving Kate unsettled.

As Kate and Matt's marriage teeters in the edge, Kate wonders of she is imagining things that aren't there.

This is story about sex and obsession, love and lust. It was the ultimate page turner with a brilliant finish.

This book was a wild ride! It combines family drama, toxic friendships, suspense, and spice. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all! I liked the dual perspectives of Kate and Annie, and thought the dynamic between them was interesting. There’s something the book is leading up to that I figured out early on, but the way the author ended the story was completely unexpected.

The Widow on Dwyer Court is getting all the buzz around thrillerbookloversthepulse!

Wow. I am usually not rendered speechless after a book, but Lisa accomplished it. The premise of this book is WILD & unlike any other book I’ve ever read. Annie & Kate we’re night & day. Matt may be one of my most despised MMCs of all time. I felt like I was turned upside down to be put right side up, for then yet another twist to present itself. This one is definitely not your typical thriller, but great for readers who like romance & suspense. You won’t know what to anticipate with every page you turn. I disliked all three MCs, but was still intrigued to learn about their journey. I did not expect the ending what so ever & it may have been more wild than the entire book! This one was wicked, but still captivating.

Thank you to thrillerbookloversthepulse , blackstonepublishing , & lisa_kusel for this ARC! I will be interested to see what Lisa writes next & check it out.

2.5 stars

very intriguing synopsis but i would not call this a thriller book. this was more of a domestic drama than thriller. the thriller aspects were only picked up on by the last few chapters of the book. decent pacing, dull, annoying characters, lots of sexual content, confusing ending.

this book might not have been for me, but it might be for you!

Rating: 3 stars!

The book was a whirlwind. The plot line was something out of my realm of normal reads and is something I am most definitely not interested in reading again. That being said, the plot line was incredibly original to me. The ending fell a little short for me.. The book went from a domestic suspense to a thriller ending real quick.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so wildly different and I have conflicting feelings and struggle still on rating it, but I am going with a 3.5 stars for the creativity and the fact that it kept me engaged, even if it was with my mouth hanging open LOL

Kate is a stay at home mom who had always wanted to write, and ends ups the author of steamy romance novels. Which isn't all that out there. But woooo you need to read it to find out where she gets the ideas for her storyline. I just watched the Ashley Madison documentary and it made me think of this book.

This book was intriguing and uncomfortable all at the same time.

As I said, it isn't like anything I've read. It's original for sure.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse for allowing me an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Where are my spicy thriller fans at?! 🥵💋
This one is goooooooood. If you liked The Arrangement, you're going to like this one even more! The author slayed this book. The premise, the characters, the ending... Absolutely nailed it. This is a storyline you don't see a lot of, and I loved every second of it. Someone please call Netflix and turn this into an adaptation!

This was an entertaining thriller. I don’t always enjoy books written about authors but I thought it was done well in this case.

This book was fast paced and twisty, never boring or slow. It had a little bit of spice which I always appreciate in a thriller if it’s done well. The characters were interesting and I found this story to be unique. The ending was also crazy, I never saw that coming!

Instagram Tour Stop coming soon!

Thank you so much to Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse, Blackstone Publishing, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this gifted advance copy!

Unfortunately this just wasn't the book for me. I truly tried to love it, but I found myself skimming through it. I didn't feel very invested in the story, i wanted more thriller and less drama.

THE WIDOW ON DWYER COURT by Lisa Kusel ✨
ARC review • pub date 07.16.24

This book is absolutely unhinged 😂 a steamy romance writer who has absolutely no drive herself, makes an arrangement with her husband that he can be her muse, and she writes best selling books based off his experiences

it’s wild, but I really enjoyed it! The writing style was great, I read most of it in one sitting. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a thriller, maybe a domestic suspense? Either way, it was good!

Read if you love:
-Kiersten modglin books / The Arrangement
-tea
-neighborhood drama
-eccentric characters/hippies

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for my advanced copy!

A novel of suspense mixed with some spice? Yes please! THE WIDOW ON DWYER COURT a great mix of intrigue, spice making it a book you’ll want to read this summer!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Kate, a erotic romance writer, is happily married to her husband Matt. They seem like the perfect couple, except for their sexless marriage. Because of this, Kate gives her husband permission to go out and have sex with other women as long as he comes home and tells her every single little detail about that experience. In turn, she uses it as material for her books. This lifestyle has been working perfectly for them for years. Then Annie, a widow, moves into their neighborhood with her daughter and completely disrupts their family dynamics. Kate befriends Annie and her wild, eccentric ways, but soon learns that Annie has been keeping secrets that could rip apart all their lives.

I'm not sure that I would label The Widow On Dwyer Court a thriller book, but maybe more of a domestic drama with a hint of a thriller aspect. A forewarning since the FMC is an erotic novel writer, this book has quite a bit of spicy scenes written into it, but they are not very detailed. I would give it 2/5 🌶. So, if that's not your thing, I would skip this one. This book definitely has a unique plot. It kept me turning pages despite missing the on the edge of my seat aspect I like in thrillers. I enjoyed that the author included the book that Kate was writing, so we were getting another story within the story. I devoured this book in one day because I had to know how this crazy, wild ride was going to unfold.

Kate is a successful erotica writer who draws inspiration from real life…kind of. She has absolutely zero interest in a romantic relationship with anyone - including her husband Matt. But they still love each other dearly, so they compromise: Matt is free to go out and sleep with any woman he wants, with one stipulation: he tells Kate all the details so she can use them for her books! When a young widow named Annie moves into the neighborhood, she and Kate quickly become friends, but her arrival threatens to upend their perfect little arrangement.

Well, when my friends at Thriller Lovers the Pulse said this story was wild, they were not exaggerating - LOL! This story was entertaining to say the least. I loved that Kate was always working on her story, so we got to read a book within a book. I wasn’t sure where this story was going but it was a fun journey trying to figure it out! Part slow burn domestic thriller, part spicy suspense thi book was unlike I have ever read before. If you don’t usually read romance, just be aware going into this one that there is quite a bit of spice.

Thank you to BLackstone Publishing and Lisa Kushel for the ARC! “The Widow on Dwyer Court” releases July 16, 2024.

This review will be shared to my instagram blo (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly ;)

This thriller was definitely a different type of thriller! A story within a story with a bizarre agreement in a marriage. Kate and Matt have an odd agreement but it has worked for them. Both are happy, both are excelling in their careers and life couldn't be better. Kate, a spicy romance writer spends most of her days at home while Matt is often off traveling for work. When Matt returns home from these trips, Kate uses his escapades for inspiration in her novels and it all works well. But after one trip, Matt's story just seems different. He has less details, he gets his details mixed up, some of the situation he explains doesn't fit with what he just said and Kate wonders why the sudden change. But she also has other things on her mind with their daughter having befriended the new neighbor and the mother in a way pushing herself into Kate's life. Although Kate knows she should get out more and be friendlier, things seem odd with Annie. She quickly learns she is a widow, she moved here for better air and schooling for her daughter but she also has a lot of medical issues. But as this friendship gets more odd, so does various things Annie says and does. Things that Kate knows she didn't tell her. Turns out Annie has secrets just like Kate and these secrets could change the perfect balance Kate and Matt have created in their marriage. Such a good thriller! Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the complementary ebook. Thriller Book Lovers the pulse is excited to be reading, talking and posting about this summer thriller! Add to your beach read list!

★ 4 Stars ★
I just finished "The Widow on Dwyer Court" by Lisa Kusel, and it was quite an intriguing story! It's an unusual domestic suspense that reads quickly. The wow factor and unique premise make it hard to put down.

Told from the POV of Kate and Annie, these oddball characters will keep you flipping the pages. Kate is likable enough but not easy to relate to. Her marital arrangement is mind-boggling! Having an open marriage is one thing, but this woman asks her husband to have sex with other women and report back with all the juicy details. Really tough ask, huh?

Annie, the widow mentioned in the title, is strange from the moment she enters the picture. She exudes an unsettling vibe of someone you don't want anywhere near your husband, especially if he's sex-deprived. Kate - get those claws ready, girl!

This book definitely falls into a category by itself! Lisa Kusel deserves credit for the unique plot! The story gets straight to the point, and even though it's not fast-paced, it is intense, suspenseful, and quick!

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse for providing this ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

The Widow on Dwyer Court has an interesting mashup of suspense, family drama and spicy romance. The book is told in alternating POVs from Kate and Annie who become friends when their daughters meet at school. They are very different from one another but their friendship appears to be genuine until something doesn’t add up. There is an underlying connection that takes awhile to reveal itself but I had my suspicions early on. There’s also some spice added to the plot that adds to the intrigue!

The premise of this novel sounded interesting to me, which is why I decided to check it out. And it was an interesting story overall! I was glad to get both Kate and Annie's perspectives throughout the novel. They had such opposite personalities that it was a surprise when they initially became friends.

I couldn't imagine being in Kate's shoes in terms of her libido. I know that there are people who feel the way Kate does though. I appreciated that the author explored this facet of her personality, as it plays a huge role in the story. And while Annie has a different lifestyle from one I could imagine leading, the author did a great job committing to this character and showing how much she didn't care what people thought.

This is definitely a domestic drama/suspense. I wouldn't categorize it as a thriller though. However, there were some parts that certainly made me nervous for certain characters. I also didn't see most of what was coming, so I was often surprised.

It would have been helpful if the scenes that Kate was writing were done in italics or a different font, as Kate's own narrative interrupted them a lot and it got confusing. I also felt like the ending after all the buildup was anticlimactic. However, the story was entertaining and kept me wondering what would happen next. I just wish the climax and all the intense drama would have come in a lot sooner, so it didn't feel so rushed.

Overall, an enjoyable read that fans of Kaira Rouda and Leah Mercer, amongst others with a similar style, would appreciate.

(Trigger warnings below.)

Movie casting suggestions:

Kate: Betty Gilpin
Annie: Eve Harlow
Matt: James Lafferty
Heidi: Amy Davidson
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TW: death of an animal (not shown), explicit (sexual) language at times

This book is a book within a book. At first I was not to happy about that as I wanted the story I was reading more than the book Kate was writing but it all ties in nicely together. 

Now this book was very interesting as Kate allows her husband to basically cheat on her and I honestly find that so weird. Overall it was decent. Would I say it was a psychological thriller? Not really, it’s more of a marital drama in my opinion. 

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for my honest opinion.
Full Review on my instagram May 22, 2024