Thank You Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of this book.

I first listened to the audiobooks version of this book before the actual copy was released. So i was really excited about the actual copy of this book. The story is set in the 1980s that features four widows, Krystle, Justine, Meredith, and Camille. In this book the mayor is found dead and it's a really great journey to go along to see what actually happened to the mayor. I do recommend reading the first book, Young Rich Widows first as this book is the sequel.

I absolutely love collaborative writing, and this seemed to be an interesting twist on revenge themes and womanhood. It's great when women can work together for a common goal as they do in this series, but I wish the connections had been stronger. I felt like they were still keeping each other at arms length.

I did not read the first book in this series, but this one does fill in enough of the gaps you don't really have to have read it to understand what is going on. The concept is interesting -- the stripper taking over the strip club, the law firm under new, female management, and some new business that's part private investigator, part law breaker. However, I didn't connect with these characters like I wanted to. I kept stopping to figure out who was who, and that just took me out of the story too many times in the first half, which made for a slow reading experience.

This second book in the series just didn’t live up to the first one IMO. The story was ok , although a bit convoluted , and it was fast paced . But I was kind of disappointed in the characters . In the first book we saw growth and a strong friendship developing between these four women ; this book just fell like them around trying to figure out a not so great mystery 🤷🏼‍♀️

Deadly Desperate Widows delivers a fun, nostalgic ride through all things ’80s—from the fashion and music to the pop culture references that bring the era to life. The humor and snarky tone are definite highlights, keeping the story lively even when the stakes rise. Each character is well-developed with unique personalities and backstories, but they often feel more like individuals placed in the same story rather than a cohesive group. That lack of connection made some interactions feel a bit disjointed. Still, the murder mystery is solid, with a few clever twists that keep the pages turning. While it didn’t fully hit the mark in terms of character dynamics, it’s an entertaining read overall for fans of quirky mysteries and retro vibes.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was a fun little mystery from some of my favorite authors. This is a fun book set in the 80s with big hair and even bigger shoulder pads.

This is the second in a duology and I loved this one as much as the first! I listened to the first one and this one I read as an E Arc. I could hear their voices while reading this and definitely recommend listening to it! It was funny and suspenseful
Also posted on Goodreads

Desperate Deadly Widows is the second book of The Widows series, following Young Rich Widows. I read it as a standalone and enjoyed it so much that I went and bought Young Rich Widows!
I loved everything about this book- the 80s setting, the big haired shoulder-pad wearing diva widows, the mystery and suspense after the mayor is murdered.. loved it all! I appreciated that each woman had a different personality yet meshed so well with each other. Definitely a captivating read!
Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, and Kimberly Belle for this one!

It’s 1987, the era of big hair and shoulder pads, and 2 years after a plane crash made 4 women widows. Now, the Widows are back running businesses like the bosses they are! The Mayor is murdered. Then one widow is accused, then another. They band together and end up putting themselves in peril before ultimately solving the mystery.

This is a follow up to Young Rich Widows. Even though I haven’t read the first book, the authors did a wonderful job of merging the two books. I really didn’t feel lost and followed this story fairly easy, and it definitely made me add YRW to my list to get more background and understanding. Each chapter is dedicated to a different character, written by a popular thriller writer. I did have an issue at the beginning keeping the women straight, but by a few chapters in, I had it all figured out. This was such a fun read that had me quickly turning the pages. I loved their big personalities, watching them come into their own, taking back their lives. The authors note at the end hint at more adventures for these women. I look forward to continuing on their journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and SourcebooksLandmark for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

DNF around 50%

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I really wanted to love this book. I loved Young Rich Widows. It was funny and interesting and a genuine who-dun-it.

This book....this book is more about the widows' lives than the murder that they all are embroiled in. Every single one of them is spending more time thinking about their love lives than the case. Krystle is more abrasive than she was last time, which makes me hate her instead of like her like I did the last book.

I tried to push through, going so far as to get it on Audible premium thinking I was missing the accents of the narrators from book one. Nope, I just didn't like where these stories were going.

This writing team was great but I wish they would have done a new book instead of a sequel. The ending of the first book should have been the end.

If you are looking for a thrilling big hair, shoulder padded world of 1987 then look no further than Desperate Deadly Widows. Since it is written by four authors that feature four different female protagonists each character’s voice was distinct and enriched the narrative perspective. Left reeling from the lose of their husbands from a plane crash,, Krystle, Camille, Justine and Meredith must now rebuild their lives while facing unimaginable challenges.

Read this if you like:
-multiple POVs
-character driven story with strong female leads
-the neon imperfect world of the late 1980s with vivid description of place
-light mystery with added humour
-themes of female empowerment and solidarity in a man’s world, reinventing yourself, female friendships and overcoming betrayals
-some twists with a satisfying ending that leads some area for future storylines

My rating 3.5 out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this eARC that will be published April 8 2025.

I really liked this one! I received an ARC of this but didn’t realize it was #2 of the series. I did end up reading the first one in order to make sure I had back story but I don’t think it was necessarily needed to still enjoy the book. Great, fun read. Cute and witty.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I was so excited for this sequel to Young Rich Widows and actually even may have liked this one even better! The story takes up about 2 years after the previous book. All the action once again takes place in the 80's and this 80's girl loved every word and description. The widows are struggling to keep their husbands' law firm open when the mayor is found dead in a club owned by one of the ladies and another lady was the last one with him. Just gonna leave it at that. Once again, the story is just so much fun! Great characters, story, Rhode Island setting and lots of suspense. I would love to see a series made of these books!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Vanessa Lillie; Layne Fargo; Cate Holahan; Kimberly Belle and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

☆ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: Available now.

Truthfully, I almost DNF'd this. I just could not get invested in any of the characters nor the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and Sourcebooks Landmark for an early copy in exchange for a review.

I loved the nostalgia as this book catapults the reader into the 1980s with all that comes wit it - big hair, shoulder pads and all. I was surprised at how well the book was structured and how neatly it all fit together, noting the multiple authors, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when they were working out plot points. It’s got real humour at its core, too, which makes for an extra layer of enjoyment as you read. Can’t wait to go back and read the first book to see if it gives me an even greater sense of these amazing characters.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #SourcebooksLandmarks for the book #DesperateDeadlyWidows by #VanessaLillie #KimberlyBelle #LayneFargo and #CateHolahan. The four widows are back and it’s two years after the deadly plane crash. When the Mayor is murdered, fingers start pointing to one of them being responsible. As they try to clear their names and struggle to remain friends, they uncover some big scheme. Can they all come out of this alive and stay out of jail?

Thank you to @bookmarked for my free copy of this book!

When I first got this, I didn’t realize it was the second in the series, and while I was pretty sure I’d be okay reading it as a standalone, I decided to go back and read Young Rich Widows first. I LOVED it and couldn’t wait to dive into this one!

This one can be read by itself, but I’d highly recommend going back and reading the first book because the dynamics between the characters really will make more sense and I think will add to the enjoyment of this story!

After two books, I have fallen in love with all four widows, each in their own unique way. I love the idea of four authors writing a book, with each one taking a different character and developing their character’s arc/story.

This book is twisty, campy, and humorous. It does not take itself too seriously at all. Yet I love the relationships the characters come to develop through shared loss and experience, and there are some tender moments sprinkled in throughout.

The plot kept me very interested and entertained and I certainly wouldn’t have predicted how the ending happened. This one is for sure a fun ride and I think people will love it so far as they don’t go into it taking it too seriously and are willing to suspend some belief!

I was hooked right from the first paragraph. Man it just YANKS you into this book. There is so much instant sass and snark from these FMCs.
The FMCs are all friends due to the mutual loss of their husbands. All INCREDIBLY different women but they are all out here hustlin' and girl-bossing after their losses.

These ladies have BITE, not only at their enemies but at each other too. I cackled sometimes at these women and their hilarious dramatics. They do what they want, when they want, and damn the consequences. (Except that time when in jail, god forbid!!)

Not only are the FMCs dirty and devious as all hell, so are all the other female characters in the book. All side characters have rich profiles and diverse personalities. So many relationships and deals going on in the background of this mid-sized town.

With all the chaos of these characters trying to solve a murder, you have a funny and complex suspense novel. I loved every moment - it was never slow and always something or someone was gasp worthy.

I did not read the first book in the series, but this book was fine to read as a standalone as it was easy to follow without knowing the history of the main characters. The concept of this book really drew me in and I loved the unique bond that Camille, Justine, Meredith and Krystle share. These women are strong and resilient as they team up to keep their dead Mafia husbands’ law firm afloat. I appreciated that each character had a different personality to make each chapter POV enjoyable and funny at times. The mix of murder, mystery and suspense added an extra layer to the overall story line which made it more entertaining for me. I will definitely be going back to read book 1 in the series.

Desperate Deadly Widows
by Vanessa Lillie; Layne Fargo; Cate Holahan; Kimberly Belle
Pub Date: Apr 08 2025

I came into Desperate Deadly Widows not knowing what to expect, with this in mind I appreciate the fact that there is reference back to the original story. The story is filled with humor, the girls have an attitude, and it's obvious they don't really like each other but when push comes to shove they are there for each other.

Synopsis: The widows are back! Big hair and bigger lies collide in the highly anticipated follow-up to Audible’s best-selling Young Rich Widows, where nothing’s more dangerous than a widow with nothing left to lose. Set in neon-drenched Providence, Rhode Island, circa 1987, just two years after a plane carrying four mafia-affiliated law-firm partners exploded over the Atlantic along with the cushy lives of their once wealthy wives.

Thank you #SourcebookLandmark #NetGalley and #DesperateDeadlyWidows for the opportunity to read an E-ARC of this book.

Fantastic book! I would highly recommend both this book and the previous book in the series. Be sure to read this book!