A big thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC of Happy Wife!

Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores is a sharp, fast-paced domestic thriller that had me hooked from the very first page. The pacing is relentless in the best way, the twists are razor-sharp, and the tension never lets up. I flew through the whole thing.

If you love thrillers with smart plots, layered characters, and that addictive edge-of-your-seat feeling, definitely add this one to your list. Highly recommend!

#HappyWife by #MeredithLavender and #KendallShores

A BIG thank you to #NetGalley #RandomHousePublishingGroup-Ballantine and the authors for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the book: Nora Davies is 28 years old and barely making enough money at the country club she works at. She feels like her life is going absolutely no where. Then one day at work she meets a very charming wealthy 46 year old lawyer named Will Somerset. They begin a quick fairytale romance. Within no time Will is already proposing and they are married.
Nora’s now living a fairytale style life with all the glitz, glamour, and wealth. Life is perfect, until after the night of Will’s birthday, when Will disappears.
The story switches back and forth between Nora and Will’s romance to the present time after his disappearance. Nora must answer the question… where is Will?

What I thought: All in all I thought the story was pretty good. I liked the back and forth between past and present and I also liked the shorter chapters. It made for a good quick read. My problem with it was overall it was pretty slow and nothing ever “suspenseful” ever really happened. Even the twist at the end was just kind of meh. I’d rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

I do think this would make a great book club read!

This was a fun thriller that kept me guessing- a perfect beach read. I particularly enjoyed the sense of place- having previously lived in central FL, I found it to ring true to my experience.

3.75⭐️ Rounded up!

I enjoyed this book and the plot. I had many different theories in my head but definitely didnt guess this one.

I did feel it was a little slow paced thats why I knocked it down

This colorful cover is so fun and eye catching - perfect for a summer beach read! Unfortunately, the cover was probably my favorite part. I think the fact that this was a Read With Jenna pick actually worked against it for me. I expected something thought provoking and full of discussion topics, but this was really more of a light popcorn mystery. It was fine. The plot was not especially propulsive or memorable enough to make it stand out in this genre. I did see the authors discussion with Jenna and they seemed like such genuine, lovely people and I wish them all the best! Thank you for this advance copy.

Nora is a twenty something woman who doesn’t have her life fully figured out. A wannabe art student, she instead has various part time jobs to get through life. Enter Will, a 45 year old divorced man, who sweeps her off her feet. Will is rich, successful, and handsome and the two fall for each other fast. After getting married, Nora is the talk of the town- she is the gold digging outsider who isn’t “one of them” in Winter Park Florida. Soon after, Will goes missing and suspicions fly that Nora had a part in it. She starts investigating to find her husband and clear her name.
This was a fun suspenseful read that is great for a summer beach read. I don’t think readers can think too deeply about some of the fine points but it was a nice escape and a quick read.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC.

This is a fun popcorn thriller. Do you like the “rich people behaving badly” theme? This is glamourous and secretive. I like a fun beach mystery, especially when I don’t guess the ending. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, it was a little bit of a letdown. Missing persons mystery which is fun but derivative.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballentine books for the advanced reader's copy of Happy Wife.

Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that completely hooked me from page one. The pacing is tight, the twists are sharp, and the writing kept me on edge of my seat in all the best ways. I loved how the story unfolded. It’s one of those books you keep saying “just one more chapter”.

If you're a fan of domestic thrillers with smart plotting and strong characters, this is one to put at the top of your TBR. Highly recommend!

I really liked the setting of this book as a Florida local myself. Happy Wife was a fun summer popcorn thriller that was fast paced and kept you engaged on finding out what exactly happened to Nora’s husband Will. Trust no one, especially in this suburbia of wealth. 3.75 ⭐️ beach read rounded up!

Summary: 28 y/o FMC Florida resident marries Mr. Perfect Millionaire Lawyer (MMC) after a short course of dating. The high society elite club moms (aka his ex wife of 20 years) hate her as does his business partner and everyone else in the community, except her outcasted neighbor. When her husband disappears the entire nation points the finger at her.

Opinion: this book delivered as I expected based on the blurb. When a popular millionaire lawyer goes missing of course the prime suspect has to be the gold digging beautiful new young wife (FMC, first person POV). This is your typical elite close knit society where new young, previously poor, outcast has to navigate the passive aggressive sobs who will never accept her.

The author did a good job capturing the emotions and actions that someone in FMC position would be feeling and facing. She knows she’s innocent but her actions are suspicious. She’s a little extreme at times with immature outbursts, substance abuse, agressive and dismissive behavior, but she’s young & under an immense amount of pressure & scrutiny from the press when the disappearance becomes national news. FMC has a lot of self reflection with extensive inner monologues.

It’s dual timeline so half is navigating the days after the disappearance and the rest is all the necessary background events leading up to that. I enjoyed both timelines. Very different personalities emerge before vs. after.

Though it was a good story, overall it was rather simple. There was no big plot twist, no jaw dropping moment. The clues were easy to find / solve. It was a straight forward read.

Takeaway: a prototypical mystery surrounding the disappearance of a husband & spouse is prime suspect. If you’re interested in a simple, easy to follow, high society desperate housewives mystery- here you go!

Happy Wife is a mystery with some romantic elements. It’s the perfect summer book. I literally couldn’t put it down. Nora Somerset is the younger second wife of Will. They live in a very upscale area, and she is not welcomed into Will’s social circle. After Nora throws a birthday party for Will, he disappears. The book goes back and forth between before Will disappears, and after. Before is how Will romanced and married Nora. After is about Nora’s investigation into Will’s disappearance. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advance reader copy ebook to review.

Nora’s husband, Will, is missing the morning after his birthday party. An established Winter Park lawyer, twenty years her senior, Will’s disappearance begs a lot of questions. While trying to find her husband, Nora must prove her innocence.

Happy Wife is engaging and somewhat twisty but started off slow before picking up speed on the mystery aspect. Overall, the story drug out in parts and was largely predictable. While providing entertaining moments, the book was more commentary on social status rather than a memorable thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing a copy.

This addictive page-turner delivers exactly what it promises: a soapy, suspenseful ride through Florida's elite social circles that's impossible to put down. Nora Davies makes for a compelling protagonist—a 28-year-old country club employee who feels stuck until she catches the eye of Will Somerset, a prominent divorced lawyer nearly twenty years her senior. Their whirlwind Cinderella romance scandalizes Winter Park's old-money crowd, but the real drama begins when Will vanishes the morning after his birthday party.
The novel's dual timeline structure works brilliantly, alternating between the couple's courtship and the frantic search for Will. This back-and-forth creates mounting tension while gradually revealing the complexities beneath their fairy-tale romance. The author captures the claustrophobic world of wealthy Winter Park with sharp social observation, exposing the gossip, judgment, and hidden secrets that simmer beneath the surface of manicured lawns and charity galas.
What elevates this beyond typical domestic suspense is its subversive take on the "perfect marriage" trope. Nora isn't just a naive young woman swept off her feet—she's resourceful and determined, even as everyone around her questions her motives and credibility. The supporting cast of Winter Park socialites provides delicious commentary on wealth, status, and the performance of happiness.
While some plot points feel slightly predictable, the propulsive pacing and juicy social dynamics make this an engrossing read. It's the perfect book for readers who enjoy psychological suspense with a healthy dose of social satire—think "Big Little Lies" meets Florida noir.

A great premise, however the writing fell flat in quite a few places and the mystery was too easy to "s0lve." If the plot had been revised and the dialogue tightened up it would have been for more enjoyable.

Genre: Domestic Fiction/Suspense/Murder Mystery
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pub. Date: Jun 24 2025

Sometimes I am in the mood to read something mindless and entertaining; “Happy Wife” provided exactly that. This is a commendable debut novel, showcasing strong writing skills. This should not be a surprise, given that the author was a television writer and executive producer of HBO Max’s “The Flight Attendant.” Here, protagonist Nora is the considerably younger second wife of Will, a rich lawyer. The wealthy neighborhood neighbors never accepted Nora into their group. Will departs and never returns on the night of his birthday celebration, making Nora the leading suspect. She must battle the gossiping, nasty queens that dominate the area to discover what truly happened to her husband. Nora is an engaging and likable character, but this isn't a fascinating thriller. I was confused how such a good writer managed to create such a predictable plot. Still, I recommend this novel if you are in the mood, as I was, for a beach read.

A great read. One of those books you couldn’t just quite put down. Loved the characters & felt so connected to the “Happy Wife” herself. Definitely recommend reading!

Book Review: Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
With a close friend moving to Winter Park, Florida, I was especially eager to dive into Jenna Bush Hager’s latest book club pick—and Happy Wife did not disappoint!

You’re quickly pulled into the world of Nora, a young, single babysitter and tennis instructor who unexpectedly falls for Will, a much older and very wealthy lawyer. Their whirlwind romance sets the stage for a gripping mystery when Will suddenly disappears—and is later found murdered.

From there, the story kicks into high gear, unraveling across timelines. We follow Nora’s early introduction to high society and slowly uncover the tangled web of secrets that surround her, especially as she becomes a key suspect in the murder investigation.

Meredith Lavender masterfully blends domestic drama with a fast-paced whodunit, offering an easy, twisty read that keeps you guessing until the very end. It’s the perfect beach companion—light enough to breeze through, but layered enough to leave you thinking.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy—this one is a must-read for fans of suspenseful summer fiction. Enjoy!

This was a fun and fast summer read. Set in an affluent community in Florida, this book has just enough drama and mystery to keep things interesting. It’s a little predictable at times, but some of my predictions never came to fruition. A few things in the story didn’t make sense to me, but that’s didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the book.

Solid 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A fun summer mystery, almost like a Real Housewives of Winter Park, FL, but Nora’s husband has gone missing! While there weren’t a whole lot of surprises in The Happy Wife, it was a good balance of pool-side read and domestic thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

HAPPY WIFE: A READ WITH JENNA PICK FOR BOOK CLUB'S
BY: MEREDITH LAVENDER, KENDALL SHORES.

This was an SURPRISING & FUN MYSTERY, which was, A READ WITH JENNA PICK! Having finished it I LOVED THIS! IT IS A SUPER, TERRIFIC CHOICE FOR BOOK CLUB'S called, "HAPPY WIFE," that was an extremely, well written novel, by MEREDITH LAVENDER, and KENDALL SHORES. It is being marketed as a Mystery & Thriller, genre category, that in my opinion was more of a mystery than thriller. Don't get me wrong. It was an incredibly, entertaining novel that hooked me from the very first pages, and gripped me, with holding my attention throughout the whole satisfying novel. JENNA, was absolutely spot on when she described this as an UNPUTDOWNABLE, DELICIOUS, BEACH READ, with its fast paced plot that you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough. I agree with JENNA, wholeheartedly that this is a MEMORABLE, choice that you'll want to pick this up as a TERRIFIC COMPANION to read at the Beach. That's exactly what I did as I live on the waterfront property on the SEACOAST home. You just have to step outside onto our patio, and the water is twenty feet from there that comes up to our yard. For me, there were so many attributes about this that I loved, like the atmospheric, glitzy, and opulent community of Winter Park, Florida with its brick paved streets, and wealthy old money distinct characters like Nora's husband Will's law firm partner. To the mean, and glaringly, snobby women, of this ritzy community of Winter Park. With its glamorous, quaint community that stood out to me right away, so much that it reminded me of my childhood town that I grew up in that has the same charm. Who in a show me, don't tell me, sort of behavior how they treated Nora like she didn't belong in their fancy sphere to the point of rudeness. The authors' did a great job of sketching characters' who were so oblivious to Nora's face without the self awareness how haughty they were. And they didn't care one bit how petty, and superficial they seemed to me, so bold as to be almost humorous. The characters in Winter Hill, besides Nora, and a couple of others who were lovable, elevated the community to make it visually juicier in my mind that was part of the guilty pleasure that made this more crisply vivid, and all the more wickedly fun.

The writing style was super easy to devour this in one sitting because it's lavishly descriptive picturesque, intriguing setting, and mystery that affected me as if I was one of the voyeuristic inhabitants. I felt as if I was a part of the narrative who had a birds eye view in this suspenseful, plot driven story as a silent witness. I emphasize that point because the talented authors did such an amazing job at making me feel the way Nora felt emotionally, palpably self conscious, that everywhere and everything she did was scrutinized by this gossipy fashionably, rich background characters who treated Nora as an interloper that didn't belong in their sphere. At the very beginning within the first couple of short chapters it isn't a spoiler to include in this review that Nora is twenty eight years old who in a whirlwind romance sweeps a forty six year old eligible newly divorced bachelor that saves her from her paycheck to paycheck struggling woman who works two jobs to barely get by to make her existence possible. As a writing device this author has developed Nora to be in her head so that the reader is equipped peppered throughout the text exactly what Nora is thinking since they consist of a few short sentences in italic print. She is feeling very much an outsider in her large cavernous home among the guests who are there to celebrate Will's forty six year old birthday party. I felt her isolation from how except for her only loyal friend Esta, and the waiter of a restaurant that Will introduced to her on their first date who is catering the party, everybody else is a friend of Will's. It felt like Nora knew that she was surrounded by the guests who tolerated her, but were clear that they didn't accept her. Even Will's best friend, and law firm partner is about the only one at the party who mingles with her for shallow small talk, who only in Nora's head do we learn that he comes from ancestral wealth, and he is the money that he inherited that supply's their firm with capital. Will is the one with the brains, and puts in long work hours that it's not uncommon while he is preparing for a trial is known by Nora to be left home alone while he preps staying several days at a hotel. You find out early in the first few chapters that Will has one child who is his teenager daughter with his first wife Constance that she is not happy about Will's marriage to Nora who is only fourteen years ago gap between Nora, and the teen daughter.

Constance is pretty much the stereotypical bitter, and resentful ex-wife who initiated the divorce, but her angry personality entitles her to make her disapproval in a loud in your face no filtered dialogue has no idea that the reader is turned off by her laughable, no holding back hostility she lashes out every chance she gets. After all the people leave the party while Will and Nora are awake in bed he gets a phone call on his cell that his daughter left her favorite Taylor Swift hoodie sweatshirt down on their property boathouse that is in their back yard that ends near the lake. Will goes to retrieve the sweatshirt, and Nora falls asleep. The next morning she notices that he never came back to bed, and she thinks it's odd. As the day proceeds she can't reach him, and is mildly concerned since he doesn't return her calls. Her only friend, and next door neighbor Esta enters their home which is normal that she is welcomed by Nora to let herself in is well explained that this is a habit that has been long established as long standing which she drags Nora to the gym, and to their Med spa for some maintenance Botox. At the gym Nora is seen by one of the snobbish wife who it is now evident that Nora shouldn't be out passing time with her best friend that gossip has spread that Will's missing. She also gets an ear full from Constance who also along with Will's partner that Nora has no business spending time with her friend while his law partner tells Nora that she should have reported Will missing since he didn't show up at work. A friend of the law partner's is a detective who shows up and asks if he can have a look around their boathouse and it is soon evident that Will's daughter when questioned says she never made that phone call, and she couldn't care less about losing her Taylor Swift hoodie sweatshirt. Will's daughter is how Nora met Will while she's working at the community Country club she rescues Will's daughter from getting sick in the locker room from Nora witnessed some kids swiping alcoholic drinks from the poolside bar. Will's daughter was a likable character who after their marriage tells Nora who is unsure of herself what role she should take towards his daughter with the noticeable short age difference between Nora and the friendly teenager who I got a kick out of her telling Nora something towards the effect like she's not one of those kids who cares about her parents getting divorced, and she enjoys spending time at Will and Nora's home who is close to her father. The format of this novel alternates chapters labeled the Past with it describing how they met and sent the community in a tailspin of disapproving blatant gossip about how fast they got married and frown upon their age differences. Nora does her own sleuthing by going to Will's office and finding what she can about the mysterious phone number who she Googles and learns that she has no idea who that number belongs to, but it turns out that it's the man who ran down a wrought iron fence that was expensive that everyone in their community are gossiping about. Nora learns after he dies in the hospital from succumbing to his injuries that he is none other than the man whose number was on Will's cell phone. Nora only confides in Este, and she is just as clueless as the reader who this man is and why or how he is connected to Will?
You do find out how the mysterious man, named Dean Morrison, was connected to Will, whose cell phone number was on Will's phone, and the caller that Will sad was about his daughter Mia's Taylor Swift Hoodie Sweat shirt. That only unsettles Nora more. The Detective looking into the missing person's case had found Will's button down shirt during his search, and took it to the police station as evidence. Nora, notices that the detective named Travis is buddies with Will's law firm partner. Autumn is the event planner, and Nora met her through Will, and she's decent to Nora, at Will's birthday party. She planned their wedding, which they eloped, and the wedding was supposed to be small, but isn't.
I do enjoy a lighthearted mystery, or thriller every once in a while, although, Literary fiction is my favorite genre, and my five stars for this is for the high quality enjoyment of this excellent, immersive reading experiences that as I, and Jenna both agree. We both describe this is a "DELICIOUSLY," plotted and well developed setting that felt intimately written that I know how trite and banal I sound. I'm being one hundred percent honest, that I didn't lift the word, "DELICIOUS," from the synopsis unless I did it subconsciously because that word was in my thoughts while I was reading this. I do admit that the depth that I was expecting from the long forgotten synopsis that I read after it was published, that I remembered explored the dynamics, and complexity of marriage, had me question from the pacing, that it wasn't Literary Fiction like I had thought it was, and that was my reason for choosing to read this. I knew right away that the writing style was off, and not in a bad way whatsoever, I just was surprised that I had my own mystery as to what genre I was reading because the tone wasn't Literary fiction, but I was very much enjoying it, not knowing that it was a mystery until Will was missing a couple of days after his birthday party. I went into reading this totally blind, since I didn't reread the synopsis before I started reading it, I just searched for the title on my Kindle, and I started reading, which I'm thrilled that I read it, and it was on my reading list to purchase anyway. I hadn't read the synopsis since I discovered it was a read with Jenna over a month ago so I am trying to say is that it was a Mystery & Thriller was totally missed by me from when I decided to read it after it published until I started reading. It's probably a moot point since I was going to read it no matter what genre when I saw it for sale. I'm just still shocked how I thought it was Literary Fiction all this time until I had it next on my list. I'm very grateful that it was such captivating reading, from the very start, but feel amazed that I missed, and how I felt taken by surprise, but it all turned out to be an exciting, subversive experience so I am grateful for the opportunity that I highly endorse it. I learned that I need to pay closer attention, since the error which the fault lies with me for not scrutinizing the synopsis carefully enough that I didn't realize that this wasn't Literary fiction, but a mystery that the two authors who collaborated together about a husband and wife marriage with the complexities that I was hoping to be exploring were well executed for the genre. Mystery & Thrillers are generally plot driven which I could tell only after I was pulled into the Spectacular storytelling that this was not what I had neglected to notice that it wasn't going to be character driven which again, I was disappointed only momentarily. I noticed that this was too easy for it to be my favorite genre. Once I self adjusted my expectations were still highly exceeded by how addictive the well developed in an awe inspiring way how this dual written story was Exquisitely sketched by me being fortunate enough to have read this anyway. I can't praise it highly enough for my embarrassment of admitting that this suited me by its brilliant writing, and I would award it higher than five stars since it was so fun to read about this million dollar lifestyle. I definitely was the interloper spying on the materialistic community that made this such an appealing extra layered glamorous setting that makes this one a favorite of the genre. My reasons are in how as long as Nora wasn't too hurt by how poorly she was treated, let me see how the other half lived. It was both an honor and a pleasure to be rewarded with the wicked pettiness of these uppity, Ultra rich Country Club women who clearly don't realize how unattractive their personalities were that reminds me of an old cliche my family used to say to me, especially when I was a teenager. How it was drilled into my head by both parents always grounding me by repeating that money doesn't buy class. That's the idea that kept surfacing in my mind as I read the first 30 percent to how ridiculously behaved jealous women who made sure that Nora knew that she wasn't one of them. These two authors did such a masterful job at weaving the scorn that was present. That Nora was much more comfortable in her own skin with a self confidence that made me doubt that I could not have had that kind of self assurance at her age at twenty six to take it in stride as well as she did. That theme had me reflectively nostalgic which I applaud, and admire their gift of their command with language that I'm grateful to have discovered. I received not only a suspenseful mystery to process as this had me impressed with how flawlessly the execution of this narrative overall makes this a top reading experience this Summer. I can assure you that I'll be recommending this to every reader I know, and also to my good friends at my local library who my best friend is the Director. We have bonded over our mutual taste in loving the same books which we both recommend excellent novels to each other. I'm going to see her in two days, and tell her about this fantastic novel that she will read, and I know she'll love it just as much as I did. This is most likely a top favorite mystery for the year, and beyond. It was an absolutely joyful, cozier novel that I'll be recommending to other readers for not only now, but far in the distant future for how MEMORABLE, as well, as GREAT FUN this was. It was PERFECTION to be my taste in this genre for it not being like some much darker ones that were by more well known Authors whose work was expertly written, but the darkness took an emotional toll on me. After I read them, they left me feeling depressed since they were too heavy, but seem to be popular with around 7000, readers at this point. I read them a few months ago, and with time I recovered within a few days for them to stop haunting me. This was the opposite as I felt happy while reading it, and after thinking about it. This deserves to reach as wide of an audience as possible. I have great luck with all of my READ WITH JENNA PICKS, and this one is among the winning ones that tick all the boxes for me. FANTASTIC!

Publication Date: June 24, 2025! AVAILABLE NOW FOR PURCHASE! IT'S A FLAWLESS BEACH READ!

Thank you to Net Galley, Meredith Lavender, Kendall Shores, and Random House Publishing Group--Ballantine/Bantam for generously providing me with my TERRIFIC ARC, especially for granting me access to read this Much Later than the Publication Date, which I'm beyond grateful, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.

#HappyWife #MeredithLavender #KendallShores #RandomHousePublishingGroup #Ballantine #Bantam #NetGalley