I had a really hard time getting into this book. The first chapter grabbed me and then it slowed down way too much. The characters were not very likable and were hard to read about. The writing overall was good, the plot was just too slow for my liking.

I would .Ike to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Broken Marriage by Elena Wilkes. I preface my review by sharing that I have great respect for all published authors; it takes extreme talent to write and secure publishing for their work. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book at all. I found no redeeming characteristics in any of the characters, nor did I like the storyline. Suffice to share I am unable to recommend this book, however if you read it I thoroughly hope you enjoy it. I'm giving it 2 stars in recognition of the author’s efforts and commitment.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I found it very fast paced but very confusing at times. It just wasn’t very thriller-y for me.

The different timelines and going back and forth was a little too much at times. I wanted more of the here and now. The why Hannah came back.

It was a thriller about relationships between friends. There was a lot going on and a lot to unpack and I felt it was skimmed over a lot of the time.

I felt that I didn’t really get what was going on until the last 15% of the book. It didn’t hold my attention and it definitely didn’t have me on the edge of my seat and I’m gutted about it because I was looking forward to reading it.

It’s a very complex situation for Hannah, Rachel and her husband Matt. There’s definitely more than originally meets the eye but the 3 of them together is bad news.

I did want more from the book, dig a little deeper into their relationship but apart from that, it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and the author for allowing me this copy.

Umm, WHAT DID I JUST READ?!
Psychological thriller or absolute mind f#&^?!
Holy smoke show this book was insane. It sucked me straight in and (for me anyway) it read so cinematically.
The amount of confusion as you try to untangle the ever growing and continuing to tangle Web of Lies, truth and deciet that gets thrown around by main characters Rachel, Matt, Alison, Emily and Hannah, is insane. I couldn't help not continuing to dive further and further down the rabbit hole.
I cannot review on the storyline as I still am reeling of what actually happened. But what I can say is that this was an absolute killer of a read!
Author, Elena Wilkes, has done an incredible job of keeping up such an elaborate story, with so many moving parts and mirrors. Well done!

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date is the 18th April. This book was good a little slow to start with but in the end it picked up the pace as the twists and turns started rolling in it was then impossible to put down!

This book had lies, deception and everything else in between! I throughly enjoyed it! 😊

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A thriller with good twists that had a slow pace and some sketchy characters. It took me about halfway through until it became worth reading.

The Broken Marriage by Elena Wilkes is about relationships, mainly friendships and marriage, and how secrets and lies affect said relationships. It has been seventeen years since Hannah saw Rachel, and when she shows up at her door, she is on a mission to rock Rachel and Matt's seemingly perfect marriage. However, things are not as it seem and Hannah soon discovers that the picture perfect marriage is far from it and her trying to deal with the past is not as easy as she once thought it would be.

The beginning of the book was a bit slow for me to get into it, but it did end up picking up pace and made me interested in finding out what would happen. Overall, I found the book to be enjoyable, I liked the back and forth between the timelines, past and present, even if at times it could get a bit confusing if you were not paying close attention. The twist at the end was unexpected, which I enjoyed.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC, the above review is of my own thoughts.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Not a bad domestic thriller, slow to start, ut kept my interest throughout. Recommended.

The Broken Marriage by Elena Wilkes: Kindle Version 2.5 stars rounded up. First of all, love the cover of the book! I really wanted to like this one, but it fell a bit short. I was excited by the synopsis of this book because I love a good domestic thriller. The married couple, Matt and Rachel, were more like side characters in this book and the majority of the story revolved around Hannah and her story that intertwined with Rachel and Matt. There were some decent twists at the end but the story was all over the place and most of it was pretty farfetched. None of the characters were likable and there was an immaturity to them. There were some situations in the book that could be triggering for people so check those trigger warnings beforehand if you need to. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of the book. Much appreciated!

This book wasn’t for me. I felt like it was all over the place and kind of hard to follow along. It jumped around a lot and wasn’t anything like I expected when I first started. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A slow-paced thriller with unlikeable characters. It had a few decent twists but didn’t grab my attention and lacked backstory.

Seventeen years after running away, Hannah arrives at the doorstep of an old friend - Rachel - who happens to be married to another old friend, Matt. She is quickly forced to extend her visit due to a snowstorm and people and feelings start to unravel and things get … scary and weird.

Wowow this book was WILD. It wasn’t quite what I expected given the title and description and the first half felt quite slow, but it picked up after that. This book leaves you questioning everything. Is Hannah hallucinating? Are things really happening, or is she spiraling in trying to deal with her past and present head on? Is Rachel a good friend? Can we trust anyone? Truth be told, I was confused at times with who was speaking and left with some questions but this book was a page turner by the end!

tw // stalking, sexual assault

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, &
Elena Wilkes for my ARC!

“You never really run away from anything, do you? Because you take your sad, sick self with you no matter how far you go”

Hannah decides to face her demons after 17 years and takes a trip to see her old friend, Rachel. Secrets, lies and forgotten memories all come to the surface in this “trust no one” thriller.

I enjoyed the way this book flitted between past and present and the way the author set the scene. The characters were well developed, especially Leach. I really could see the leery, disgusting, character and had a clear image of him in my head.

This book was filled with unlikeable characters, but unfortunately, that included the main character, Hannah, and I do better when I can really get behind someone and be on their side.

There was action from the start, but I felt the pace slowed quite a bit through the middle section, which left me a little disinterested.

I did keep turning those pages, though, and it was a quick and easy read.

Just a small side note: I’m not sure the title is altogether fitting as we don’t really find out too much about the marriage between Matt and Rachel. The story very much focuses on Hannah and Rachel’s past friendship and what happened to Hannah.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced copy.

The quintessential picture-perfect couple Rachel and matt, whose meticulously curated facade masks a tumultuous relationship teetering on the brink of collapse. Set against the backdrop of a snowstorm that traps them all together, the novel unravels a gripping tale of secrets, lies, and the unraveling of trust.

Rachel and Matt seem to have it all—impressive careers, a beautifully renovated home—but beneath the surface, their marriage is plagued by hidden truths and simmering resentments. The arrival of Hannah, Rachel's long-lost best friend, after seventeen years, serves as a catalyst for the unraveling of their carefully constructed world. As tensions escalate within the confines of their snowbound home, Hannah's presence ignites long-buried secrets and forces Rachel and Matt to confront the darkness lurking within their relationship.

As the narrative unfolds, the reader is drawn deeper into the web of deception woven by each character. Hannah, harboring her own secrets, becomes a catalyst for chaos, her sudden reappearance sparking a chain reaction of revelations and betrayals. The snowstorm outside mirrors the storm raging within, heightening the sense of claustrophobia and tension as the characters grapple with their demons.

The novel's strength lies in its exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect their own interests. Each character is flawed and multifaceted, their motivations shrouded in ambiguity until the final, shocking reveal.

Ugh. I’m so sorry. I really wanted to love this, I really did. I found the two friends in likable which may be good for a book, but it wasn’t for me. I felt some confusion with the back and forth. Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the arc.

I 100% recommend reading this book! It was so hard to put down. It's definitely a great read. It is well written, from the characters to the scenes. The Broken Marriage is full of drama, mystery, and lots of suspense. The book is takes you back in forth in the timeline but it's not hard to follow along. How far will you go to keep your friendships? What's real and what's not?
Trigger warnings ⚠️ SA, drugs, alcohol

I did get this ARC thanks to NetGalley, and Storm Publishing for my honest review

I havent read this author before and this was too slow for me and I unfortunately i struggled to finish it. just not for me I'm afraid

This is a slow burn thriller which was a little off the pace for me however i really appreciated the build up and found it really well written with several twists that caught me off guard. I was hoping there was more in the story about Rachel and Matt especially given the title of the book. I would give this 3.5 stars and look forward to the authors next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this copy for my honest review.

Trigger warning: rape

A slower paced thriller, which wasn’t one of my favourites. I didn’t like the theme of the book, thought it would be about something different from the title. I felt the ending was a little rushed.

I found this just a good read but it's not going to be one of my favourites, it's a little slow for me I'm afraid.