The book completely captivated me from the beginning. The engaging storyline and relatable characters made it easy to get lost in their world. The pacing was just right, creating a sense of urgency that kept me turning the pages. Each chapter pulled me deeper into the plot, and I was genuinely eager to see what would happen next.

The twists throughout the story added an unexpected excitement that I really enjoyed. The author did a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing, and there were several moments that took me by surprise. Even though a couple of the twists didn't resonate with me as strongly, they still added to the intrigue of the narrative.

This was a fast-paced read that kept me engaged from start to finish. Participating in a buddy read enhanced my experience, allowing me to share thoughts and reactions with others as we explored the story together. I nearly gave it five stars because it was so entertaining and thought-provoking.

The combination of great pacing, interesting characters, and surprising twists made for a memorable reading experience. Despite a few moments that left me wanting more, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the time I spent with it.

After Emma falls in love with charming Matthew, friends feel he is after her money.
Later on strange things start to happen making Emma think she is losing her mind.
This story is filled with thrills and twists that will have your head spinning! Overall an intense book I couldn't put down.
Many thanks to NetGally, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Adele Parks for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5
Expected publication date: March 18, 2025

I have not read Adele Parks before, but now I look forward to digging in to her backlist. FIRST WIFE'S SHADOW is a thoroughly enjoyable thriller. There are twists, yes, but not too many. I don't like it when stories have so many twists that you feel like you're getting whiplash. This one feels just right. You know something is "off" when it comes to Emma meeting and dating Matthew, and the journey Parks takes you on is a lot of fun with the perfect amount of suspense. The ending provides a satisfactory conclusion.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

Being great fan of Adele Parks, I pushed my concerns to the side when I read that a renowned CEO of a wrld known company is promptly brought to her knees and is a simpering wreck after falling for a photographer. Really? With my sidelined concerns, I sped through the book, wondering how it was all going to come tighter. In ways I did not anticipate. In ways I enjoyed. In ways I’m glad I read the book!

“First Wife’s Shadow” is a thriller/mystery by Adele Parks. I somewhat feel like I read a different book than a number of the reviewers. For me, this book felt like it was divided into three sections - the set-up, the twist, and the aftermath. The set-up was incredibly full of buzzwords - from running an eco-business to high security to a kale drink to good wine to being a feminist to being okay in her own company - and the story moved rather slowly. The twist section, where the attention goes from the main female character to the other female character - felt like a lot of backstory. While the pace picked up a little before this section, once again, it slowed down filling in the truth holes and, well, backstory. Also, I saw the twist coming from a mile away. Then there’s some action - the event that was hinted at happened in an unexpected way - but in a way that could work with the supporting player’s plans … and then came the aftermath. I have to admit, I’m usually let down by epilogues to thrillers - usually they don’t add much to the story and, alas, for this one, I already figured out that little twist once a police person mentioned something. I give props to the main character for wanting to do something, but it just did not work for me and, honestly, I was ready to put the book down. I wanted to like this book more than I did, but it did not work for me.

Emma leads a very busy and structured life. Then she meets Matthew, a man who makes her think of a life not just revolving around work. The relationship becomes serious quickly, and in the blink of an eye, they are married.
But Matthew is a widower, and Emma feels second best to his deceased wife. So much so that soon she believes that she is being haunted by her. Strange things start happening, and Emma might be losing her grip on reality.
Is Emma the problem or is there more to Matthew than she knows? A twisty tale and one that made me want to shake Emma more than once. She was such a smart and driven woman, but love can truly make you blind…….

Even the title is intriguing. Shadows of mystery…written by a talented author, this story moves quickly. Realistic characters come alive n the pages…secrets…what is real? One wonders…Thanks Netgalley.

Emma is a single wealthy business woman who meets the man of her dreams. Unfortunately he is not the man she believes him to be. Weird things start happening and Emma believes she is being haunted by Matthew’s first wife. Lots of strange things start happening to her. My thought was in this day and time why would you not take a picture with your phone of weird things to prove they were real. Instead she just keeps on believing Matthew when he says they didn’t happen. I got a little irritated that she went from a successful CEO to someone who was fooled by weird things.

Gina’s friends are happy for her when she begins dating Matthew, a widower, that is until she agrees to marry him just months after they meet. Soon Gina believes that she will never measure up to Matthew’s first wife, and becomes obsessed with trying to compete with the dead woman. She begins to question her sanity while her friends question Matthew’s part in the slow mental disintegration of their friend.