The Retirement Plan was such a clever and entertaining read. I loved the mix of humor, mystery, and a few unexpected twists along the way. The premise itself is unique and fun, and Hincenbergs does a great job balancing the lighter moments with the more suspenseful ones.

The characters were quirky and memorable, and I found myself really enjoying their interactions. The story moved at a good pace, making it an easy book to pick up and fly through.

If you’re looking for something different, witty, and a little mischievous, this one’s a great pick.

I have no idea how I feel about this book. The Retirement Plan is one miscommunication after another and a lesson in how people just do not communicate at all in relationships, work, etc. Every person here kinda sucks but also kinda doesnt, so it was hard to root for anyone except the dog really. It was entertaining and frustrating at the same time, but it kept my interest and I read all the way to the end to see how it ended up.

50/100 or 2.5 stars

I was so excited to read this after reading the synopsis and getting approved. The first 25% or so is strong and does a good job of getting you into the story. It goes downhill so fast from there in the worst way possible. The writing style was decent so I gave it 2.5 instead of 2. Such a bummer. The best part of the story was Elmer.

This one sucked me in with the premise -- after a deal gone wrong, three friends work together to murder their husbands for their insurance money! It was a bit quirky but had me laughing throughout.

What happens when your retirement plan goes wrong, and you lose your savings because of a friend in your group? Well, this group of friends has lost their savings and when one widow finds out there’s a insurance plan on her husband, the ladies of these marriages learn that they in fact won’t have to suffer out retirement… if they can take out their spouses.

This is a good beach read for someone who doesn’t want something deep, and needs a few laughs.

I found it hard to connect with the characters, as the story isn’t really that deep… but it was cute and a quick read.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a group of friends who are upset because their husbands went in on a bad investment and lost their money and retirement money. When they find out that their husbands have life insurance policies, they plan to kill their husbands for the money. Their husbands have other plans.

This book was interesting and I did enjoy parts of it. On the other hand, I didn't like other parts of it.

I liked the friendships and different relationships that were explored. The group of ladies had a fun relationship that I enjoyed reading. I also was interested to see how everything was going to work out.

On the other hand, I do feel like there was too much going on. There were a lot of things unfolding and a lot of different characters to follow. It also felt too long.

I think the book was trying to be funny but also serious at the same time so it was hard to tell which tone the author was going for. I wish the author would've focused a bit more on figuring that out.

Overall, this was not a bad book but I think it needed to be cleaned up a bit.

This one was a whirlwind from the time it began. Three wives hatch a plan to have their husbands killed, believing the husbands have lost the retirement savings and are irritating them daily. Then the plot gets more and more twisted. The wives, and the husbands, all have secrets to keep and the point of view switches so much that I got dizzy! Without disclosing plot spoilers, this is a fun story with some endearing characters and some surprises. I enjoyed it!

Four stars!

I received a copy of the digital ARC via the publisher and NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

It’s a great premise but the tone wasn’t a good fit for my reading preferences. I was hoping for something funnier throughout and very cheeky characters. There are still humorous moments but the main characters, the wives and husbands, were more earnest and pensive overall. It was fine but I constantly felt like it was just on the cusp of gaining a flow and momentum that would bounce along… but didn’t.

Breaking the plot down though, it’s delightfully absurd and fairly intricate. There’s a lot going on and a lot of characters. I enjoyed some, not all, of the roles they played in the mayhem. And while Padma’s role, and the comedy of errors happening around and through her, helps the plot along, I also thought her drama was one too many. It’s all incredibly creative and a triumph once it’s all wrapped up, though occasionally frustrating… it just wasn’t in a voice, or executed in a way, that fit for me.

I’d still definitely recommend giving it a try if the premise appeals to you!

Such a delightfully fun romp. Full of hijinx and shenanigans that made the story very propulsive. I couldn't wait to see how the story would shake out for the husbands and wives. Despite all the fun, The Retirement Plan also had tidbits of insight about middle-later marriage. I really enjoyed this story and thought the audio was wonderful. I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish and would recommend!

The Retirement Plan is out now and it's a great summer read!! Thank you William Morrow and Netgalley for my e-arc. I ended up listening to the audiobook from Libby.

Thank you so much for this ARC! As much as I wanted to love it, it fell flat for me. I tried reading it and also tried a few months later once it released to listen to it and it just did not hold my interest. Such a fun premise and I enjoyed listening to the author chat about it on podcasts. Glad most readers enjoyed!

I got an ARC of "The Retirement Plan" by Sue Hincenbergs, and I had picked it up hoping for a darkly funny take on a murder mystery, especially with the comparison to books like The Thursday Murder Club. The premise certainly sounds like a wild ride: three middle-aged best friends decide to murder their husbands for life insurance payouts after a bad investment ruins their retirement dreams, only to find their husbands have their own devious plans. It sets up a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, promising humor and tension.

Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me. While the idea of wives plotting against husbands (and vice versa) has a certain dark appeal, the execution felt too outlandish for my taste. The story quickly escalated into scenarios that were so over-the-top they became hard to believe, even within the context of a fictional thriller. What really made it difficult to get into was that I found none of the characters likable. The wives, driven by greed and a desire to escape their dull marriages, were hard to connect with, and the husbands weren't exactly endearing either. Without anyone to root for or even feel a shred of sympathy for, the "cat and mouse" game lost its tension for me.

While the concept promises dark humor, the story’s development felt more bizarre than witty, pushing the boundaries of plausibility to a point where it was simply too much. It might appeal to readers who enjoy incredibly far-fetched plots with unlikable characters, but for me, it just didn't come together.

★☆☆☆☆

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Not was I was expecting, but in a good way. I thought this was going to be a lighthearted comedy, which it was, but it also was part mystery, some thriller, and great bits of dark humor. The book is essentially misunderstanding after misunderstanding, with coincidences and very random circumstances thrown in. The gist of the story comes down to four long-married couples who stopped communicating and grew apart, and all the plot points follow from there.

With such a large cast of characters, this book could easily have become overwhelmed with their components. Instead, the author kept it simple with differentiated characters and easy storytelling.

Overall, an entertaining read.

TY NetGalley for the digital ARC!

If Grace and Frankie teamed up with a hitman, you'd get The Retirement Plan - a cozy mystery with rom-com vibes and a delightfully twisted premise.

Pam and her three best friends had big dreams for retirement: beach condos, sunshine, and wine-fueled book clubs. But when their husbands blow all their savings on a bad investment, the golden years start to look a little…murder-y. One husband dies in a freak accident, a hefty life insurance check shows up, and suddenly, a new "retirement plan" starts forming.

Yes, the plot sounds dark—but somehow, Sue Hincenbergs keeps it light, fun, and full of madcap misunderstandings. The women are charmingly chaotic, the husbands are hilariously clueless, and the whole thing reads like a Netflix rom-com with a splash of crime.

I hadn't read Hincenbergs before, but if her other books are this much fun, count me in.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Had me both laughing and crying!

I wasn't that into this at first because I didn't take to the writing style; there was more telling than showing throughout. But the characters were endearing, all the messiness was wickedly funny, and the plot was pretty bingeable.

Wasn't long before I was emotionally invested and found myself eager to pick up the book whenever I could. I loved how everything came together and the ending was totally chef's kiss.

This was an excellent exploration of marriage, domestic life and relationships, set against a heist-like backdrop. Lol! "Doing whatever needs doing" is my new favourite phrase 😂

A breath of fresh air with this humorous plot and characters that will make you laugh out loud. When these 4 couples get together, they always have a great time. Although married life near retirement is looking shaky, they are desperate to solve the problem. The men come across a plan to set them up for a great retirement with a lot of money. Although when one friend ends up dead the men are convinced someone found out about their plan and is out to get rid of them also. Their wives then want their insurance money and set out to have them murdered. In this twisty plot and humor one is not sure what to expect as the story unfolds. The ending was great and left me with a big smile, as even after all the money, they learn life isn't about money. I would highly recommend this book with its humour and a fun plot.

This was a fun read, with a lot more twists and complications that I thought it would have! While I enjoyed the back and forth between the husbands and wives (before and after (trying not to spoil!), I could have done without the F bomb being dropped so frequently. This is one of my pet peeves when I read a book - mainly that I can understand when language plays an integral part in the scene, but overuse of any foul language just doesn't sit well with me as I feel it takes away from the storyline overall.
That being said - I loved the message the Padma's character relayed as well as Hector and Brenda's characters (which once you read it, you'll understand is doubly interesting due to their character "traits" let's say?). I would recommend as it was a fun read overall and I LOVED that the author answered ALL of the questions by the close of the book! Thanks for that Sue Hincenbergs!! And thanks to NetGalley for this unedited proof version ~ 4.25 stars (only taking away for the language).

What a fun story!

A group of friends, long married and a little tired of the spouses conspire to rid themselves of their mundane lives. What they don't know is that the husbands have a plan and the wives have a plan.

Without giving anything away, this is a fun story with a few chuckles. There is a little sadness to the fact that all the couples have been married for decades and are now looking for ways out of their marriages.

I loved the humor in this book and that it didn't take itself too seriously. The various viewpoints as we get to know the backstory of character is so well done. I was intrigued to know how one of the storylines would play out (but I dont want to ruin anything) and I loved the underlying bit of mystery. I love books like this and I am so glad I read it!

Okay this was fun. I saw this recommended if you loved Sylvia’s Third Act, which I did, so I had to read it. This was like The Golden Girls meets Desperate Housewives and I loved it!

I found this book by Sue Hincenbergs a darkly funny, twist-filled debut novel that blends cozy crime, domestic suspense, and razor-sharp humor. Three lifelong friends—Pam, Nancy, and Shalisa—are staring down a bleak retirement after their husbands lose their savings in a failed investment. When one of the husbands die in a crash, one wife cashes in on a massive life insurance policy, the other wives get the bright idea to hire a hitman to off their husbands to cash in on their policies. What they didn't know, the husbands have the same idea. The drama! The tea is piping hot!

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Harper Collins for this feel good ARC!