4 1/2 stars.

Emma is at the top of her game. She is CEO in a male dominated industry, physically more fit than most women of her age, has long time friends, and is satisfied with her life. Then she meets Matthew, a much younger man with a less financially rewarding career, whose attention sweeps her off her feet.

He seems perfect at first, but Matthew comes with baggage in the form of a dead wife buried in another country. He has left family, and friends behind in other countries, and has an unwillingness to talk about them. His lack of connections sparks suspicion in Emma’s friends, especially when after only a few weeks of dating he moves into her home and then proposes.

Emma is unwilling to acknowledge that she has doubts about the relationship, as small unnerving things begin to happen. Items in and around her home are moved, vandalized, or reappear after going missing for hours or days. Her parents’ grave has been vandalized. And, Matthew constantly brings up things he liked to do with his dead wife that make her feel like an interloper.

A wedge is being inserted between Emma and her friends. As her relationship with Matthew progresses, her friendships begin to crumble. Finally Emma becomes more and more isolated, fearing for her sanity and unable to trust her own memories.

As a fan of mysteries, my mind is working overtime trying to figure out where this is all going. Is this going to be a Rebecca situation, or an Agatha Christie experience, or similar to crimson peak, or something in between? And then I reach the midpoint of the story and it all becomes clear. Brilliant.

I won’t say anything more at this point other than I give this story 4.5 stars out of 5. I can’t wait to read something else by this author.

Thank you to: Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for this ARC ebook by Adele Parks
*Release date is set for: March 18, 2025

5 -⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Emma, is a CEO of a company. She is rich, smart and organized with everything in her life. She meets Matthew, a widower and their relationship moves very fast.

Matthew has no money but Emma doesn't care. After getting engaged quickly, her friends are suspicious but for Emma, the only thing she can't shake is being 2nd best to Mathews first perfect dead wife and she becomes obsessed with her. This is when things start getting strange. Things start happening, & Emma's life starts to unravel. Emma starts to feel like she is being haunted by Matthew's first wife, or is she?

This is a gripping book with lots of twists & turns. My jaw was on the ground many times while reading this, which is a sign that it is a good one. I would recommend this book.

Once again, thank you to: Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for this ARC ebook.

#HarlequinTradePublishing | #NetGalley #FirstWifesShadow

This is a difficult one for me to review simply because the first half left me frustrated because I just knew what was going to happen and the story was going too slow for my taste. I wanted to DNF it a few times. I even found myself skimming it, but I'm so glad I stuck it out, because the last half is what I was here for. The twists and different POVs really shed light onto the whole story and made me like First Wife's Shadow that much more.

Emma is a successful woman that has it all. Career, money, friends. But the one thing she doesn't have is a romantic relationship. With her best friends married off and with families, she has kind of been left on the side. But when she meets a younger man at a conference, she thinks her luck may have changed.

Matthew is a widower and is still getting his life together nearly a year after the death of his wife. When he meets Emma at a conference, they have a little connection. But it's not until she calls him for a job weeks later that they end up really connecting and slowly building a friendship that quickly turns into more. Matthew seems to be all in with Emma and Emma wants the happiness that her friends have had, so she jumps in with both feet. But Emma's friends see all the red flags and want her to put on the brakes and take things a bit slower. They care for Emma and the last thing they want to see is her taken advantage of. Or do they just not want Emma to leave their little friend group for this new younger man??

As I said above, the first half was a little slow and all from Emma's POV. Emma and her decisions frustrated me to the point that I nearly DNFed the book on a few occasions. BUT, I HAD to know how this story ended and I pushed on. And once we got a taste of another POV? Well, that changed everything for me. I liked seeing the other side of the story and how the puzzle pieces connected. I had an inkling of an idea, but not the whole picture. And even when things escalate to the point of no return, there are still MORE twists that I did not see coming and it really made me like the journey that much more.

With all that said, I want a book that immediately draws me in and while this book didn't exactly have that, it had enough to keep me invested and wanting to know more. Even with the slower start, and characters that aren't always likable, I would recommend sticking around for the ending that just may surprise you. 3.5 stars

This is the first book I have read by Adele Parks but certainly will not be the last. First Wife's Shadow has a little bit of everything, friendship, love, betrayal, revenge and forgiveness. I found I couldn't put it down but was a little slow in the beginning but then WOW! that is all I could say. It was like a rollercoaster with so many twists and turns and what an ending. I really enjoyed this story and can't wait to read more from her. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

💔 F R E A K Y F R I D A Y review 💔 featuring “First Wife’s Shadow” by Adele Parks!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Emma is a BOSS woman: a successful CEO, wealthy, independent and thrives on routines. The only thing that is missing is someone to share her life with and start a family with.

Insert Matthew: a handsome photographer that is kind, down to earth and a widower. The pair meet at a conference and there is an instant connection and attraction. Matthew reveals that he is ready to move on from his first wife’s death … but only time will tell.

Emma’s two best friends are skeptical of her whirlwind romance and fear that Matthew may be after Emma’s money. This puts a wedge in their friendship and pushes Emma even closer to Matthew. When things are good with them, Emma has never been happier, but soon she catches onto how much Matthew compares her and their relationship to his ex wife. Will Emma always feel that she is living in her shadow?? As red flags begin to show themselves more frequently, the feeling of being second best becomes much more sinister …

👏 Adele Parks never fails to bring a dark and twisted thriller to the table! This book really messes with your head and pushes you to second guess everything! With menacing themes of revenge, betrayal, gaslighting, extortion, greed and jealousy, this book is everything you want in a binge worthy psychological thriller!

Thank you kindly to @adele_parks @_mira_books_ @htpbooks @harpercollinsca @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on March 18, 2025!

A solid psychological thriller with a few decent twists. The middle section was the best part; the beginning and ending were both a bit slow.

Thanks to HarperCollinsCanada and Netgalley for this ARC.

I found this book to be just ok. I wanted to like it more than I did, but it just did not seem plausible that someone in Emma' s position would behave the way she did.

I don't think the relationships with her friends of years was given enough attention, and the way that things played out seemed very obvious. I had a hard time being interested in Emma and the final "surprise" was very anti climatic. I really did like the description of Emma's success and hard work, but with all the build up to how smart, fortunate and successful she is, you wonder why she is not asking better questions.

I am hoping I can find another title from the same author that captures me more.

Thank you, Netgalley, Killer Crime Club, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the egalley of this book.

I found that this book started out extremely slow. Painfully slow, actually. I really tried to like the book, but I didn't. I really disliked how ridiculously insecure the main character Emma was. I finished the book, but can't say I enjoyed it. I've read previous books bynAdele Parks, and this was my least favorite . 2.5 out of 5 ⭐️ rounded up to 3

This was a very fun & perfectly paced domestic thriller. It had two big plot twists that kept it fresh and entertaining. I liked how the characters were not one dimensional but were more complex due to their situations and backstories--it made the story even more interesting. Well written & better than the average thriller.

First Wife’s Shadow was an intense and entertaining thriller right off the bat.
When Emma rushes into a quick marriage, her friends aren’t so sure of the hasty decision. Is she prepared for the challenges and consequences to come? When strange incidents begin to happen, Emma isolates herself and even starts to question her own reality. She doesn’t know who to trust, or whether she can even trust herself.
Adele’s writing is clever and addictive. This is a great read for those who love a good domestic thriller.

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley, Kller Crme Club and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Emma thinks she has found her perfect guy as she rushes to marry hm. Her friends think he is not all he seems and that he is hiding something. Soon she finds herself beng compared to his irst wife by him. Doubts start creeping in as she wonders why he really married her. Red flags have wondering fi she made the right decision or is she jusr becoming paranoid? A psychological thriller you want t devour.

Loved this one! I don't think I've been disappointed by an Adele Parks novel yet. This was such a good domestic suspense. I love the secrets / lies / obsession trope, and this one definitely delivered. I'll absolutely be buying a copy for my shelf when it comes out. 4 stars. Highly recommend!

What starts off a little slow, builds and accelerates into a good domestic thriller. Rich woman, poor guy. Insecurities abound, and wonder creeps up for Emma, living in the shadow of the dead wife.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

First Wife's Shadow by Adele Parks is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of love, jealousy, and the haunting presence of the past. Emma, a wealthy woman, meets Matthew, a kind and handsome widower, and they quickly fall into a whirlwind romance. On the surface, everything seems perfect. However, as their relationship deepens, Emma is confronted by a growing sense of insecurity, wondering if she will ever truly replace the memory of Matthew’s perfect first wife.

As the story unfolds, Emma begins to question whether she is truly Matthew’s first choice or if she’s merely filling a void left by the deceased woman. Her friends express concerns that she might be being exploited, adding another layer of doubt and paranoia to her already fragile state of mind. What begins as a story of a woman trying to move forward with her life soon spirals into a dark, tense narrative where trust is questioned, and danger lurks at every turn.

Parks expertly builds suspense and tension throughout, keeping readers on edge with each twist and turn. First Wife's Shadow explores the psychological impact of being compared to a lost love and the ways in which our own doubts can unravel even the most promising relationships. It’s a chilling, thought-provoking thriller that will leave readers questioning the reliability of everyone around them—just as Emma does. A must-read for fans of domestic suspense and psychological drama!

Adele Parks delivers a gripping psychological thriller in First Wife’s Shadow, weaving a web of love, obsession, and deception. When Emma falls for Matthew, a charming widower, their whirlwind romance seems like a fresh start. But as the shadow of Matthew’s late wife looms over their relationship, Emma’s insecurities fester, leading to a toxic mix of jealousy, suspicion, and self-doubt.

Parks masterfully builds tension, making every interaction between Emma and Matthew feel fraught with unspoken fears and hidden truths. Emma is a compelling protagonist—smart yet vulnerable, rich but emotionally fragile, and increasingly paranoid as small doubts spiral into a life-altering nightmare. The novel’s pacing is taut, pulling the reader deeper into its twists as Emma questions whether she is truly loved or merely a replacement.

Perfect for fans of The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen or Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris, First Wife’s Shadow is a dark, engrossing thriller that keeps readers second-guessing everything until the shocking conclusion.

What a fantastic book! The characters are likable and engaging from the beginning. You knew something was coming from early on but the what proved to be far more complex and layered than imagined. When it turns you are ready for it and it only accelerates the desire to read more. The ending is compelling about what can be done with healing and forgiveness. Solid four stars. I will recommend.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to the publisher, Net Galley, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book: First Wife’s Shadow
Author: Adele Parks
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing
Pub Date: March 18, 2025

It's a very fast easy read once you get past the first few chapters. The pace was slow in the beginning and I was a bit nervous this was going to fall too strong on the romance side but it picked up when Emma became more suspicious. The story has all the ingredients of a suspenseful read but it was somewhat predictable. It's a decent book - good but not great. I have read quite a bit by this author - Lies, Lies, Lies; Just My Luck; One Last Secret which I most recently gave five stars; I Invited Her In and Two Dead Wives which was a complete bomb for me. I guess this author is just a mixed bag when it comes to my taste.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is March 18, 2025.

Successful and rich Emma meets Matthew a recent windowed and sparks fly. Emma doesn’t care that Matthew doesn’t have money or that she hasn’t been able to meet any of his family and friends. Emma ignores the concerns of her friends that maybe things are moving too fast and invites Matthew into all aspects of her life. Soon the shadow of Matthew’s first wife starts to hang all over their new life together and Emma starts to experience strange occurrences at work and home. Who can Emma trust when she starts even questioning herself?

Adele Parks is always an automatic read for me. Although you might think you know this thriller trope there is much more to this story and the ending feels good. This domestic thriller keeps you wondering what is really going on and are people who do bad things really bad people?

When successful CEO Emma meets Matthew, her world is turned upside down. But as their relationship blossoms, she can’t help but obsess over Becky, his deceased first wife. Obsession turns into paranoia, leaving Emma questioning everything—even herself.

This domestic thriller had me hooked from the start with its steady pace and well-placed twists. I loved that I didn’t have to wait until the very end for the surprises—there were plenty along the way, and most of them completely got me!

I really liked Emma and had such fun trying to guess what Matthew was up to. The alternating POVs worked so well, giving just the right amount of insight into the characters without feeling overwhelming. One of the things I enjoyed most was how my opinions on certain characters kept shifting. It was fun to dislike them at first, only to later change my mind and decide I actually loved them!

The story had plenty of drama, secrets, and suspense to keep things entertaining, but it never felt over-the-top. The pacing was just right—not too fast, not too slow—and the way the tension built throughout made it hard to put down. And the ending? So fun and satisfying!

If you love domestic thrillers with unpredictable twists, morally gray characters, and plenty of juicy shenanigans, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This domestic psychological thriller is so twisted! It’s hard to talk about without spoilers. There were a lot of twists I did not see coming. The first half of book was a good read, but once you hit the halfway mark, twists really start coming. The twists were random, mind trickery, and fascinating. I absolutely loved the ending; I would not have seen this relationship happening at all. Great read!