Thanks for the review copy. I’m sure others enjoy this book way more than I did. I tried to like it but did not enjoy any of the characters. Writing is ok.

I was excited to read this one as it takes place in my home state of Florida!

When a struggling twenty-something Nora meets the high profile Winter Park attorney, Will (20-years older) things get interesting! After Will goes missing the night of his birthday party, Nora will stop at nothing to find out what happened to him! Nora must find out the truth while dealing with the elite stand-offish residents of Winter Park who think she had something to do with Will's disappearance! She will stop at nothing to uncover the truth and clear her name!

This started a little slow but once it got going, I couldn't put it down! It goes back and forth from present day to the past which establishes Nora and Will's relationship and how it progressed.

It's a great thriller and I would highly recommended it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me the chance to read and review this ARC!

3.75 stars rounded up to 4. A fun mystery romp among the rich. Great for an easy read, a bit on the soapy side (but can totally see it being turned into a limited series)

“Happy Wife” was an intriguing fun book with thrilling aspects. However, the buildup never reached truly suspenseful levels for me. While the setting was flirty and would make a good TV show, I wouldn’t consider this a true thriller. The side characters weren’t as flushed out as I would have preferred, but overall, this was a solid read. 3 stars ⭐️. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy for review.

Nora has married Will, 20 years her senior and quite wealthy. No one in her upscale community is welcoming in the slightest way and the gossip is plentiful. I found Nora to be incredibly likable. When Will runs out for a quick errand and doesn’t return, the rumors go from her being in it for the money to even worse with speculation she is guilty of whatever has happened to Will. It was a suspenseful read about wealth, things people will do to get it, keep it and the secrets involved to make it happen. The investigation was a bit all over the place, but eventually led to a satisfying end. I enjoyed the read. Upped to 4 from what would have been a 3.5 rating if half stars were available.

This reminded me of one of those fun drama/mystery/comedy series. Honestly, the writing was great and created such strong images in my mind it was almost like I actually was watching it play out. A young woman falls in love with and marries a handsome divorced attorney. Thrown into the lap of luxury she is living the life until she isn’t. The characters are perfect, a mix of likeable and love to hate.

I highly recommend to anyone who loves thrillers with a dash of comedy and rich people behaving badly vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for the advanced copy.

I truly loved this book from the beginning. The writing had a conversational tone, making it very easy to read. I loved the short chapters and the characters. It's a fun and easy read for thrill seekers. I liked the combination of thriller with a romantic touch. The friendship between Nora and Este felt authentic and was enduring. I appreciated that it felt the intensity of a thriller without it being too dark. It was a great book that I definitely recommend. I will read more books by these authors.

If you love a mystery that involves scandalous rich people behaving badly then Happy Wife, by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores, is the book for you!

This fast-paced domestic thriller centers on an exclusive Florida community where Nora Davies, a young woman married to a wealthy older man, is Iiving an idyllic life … until it’s suddenly not.

The narrative, alternating between the present-day investigation into her husband's disappearance and the past detailing their whirlwind romance, is a blend of juicy social commentary and a classic whodunit.

While the book doesn’t break new ground in its genre, it effectively explores the darker side of wealth and marriage. It’s compelling plot and a setting rich with secrets, drama, and scandal make for an entertaining and scintillating read!

The good news? I’m loving this book! The bad news? I cannot put it down 🤣🙈 I’m typically not a suspense / thriller / whodunnit type, but put it in an affluent community and I’m all there 🤣 I live for the rich people drama! I thought I knew where things were going, but with about 50 pages left, I’m not so sure anymore… if I’ve been right from the get go, I’ll be unhappy, simply because I want it to be more difficult / unexpected than that! But, as things are starting to pick up, I may not be right all along, and that’s making this all the more enjoyable. @jennabhager you sure know how to pick ‘um! Are you all reading along with @readwithjenna this month? 💜

Happy Wife tells the story of a 28 year old woman married to a divorced wealthy attorney who winds up dead after his birthday party. I loved the anticipation, leading to the end. It was an easy, fun read that I devoured in a day. Thank you , NetGaley and Random House for this ARC.

This is one of those books that I read because of all the hype. It was a decent read that held my interest but I had a hard time remembering it after finishing.

Happy Wife was such a fun, fast read. It’s got all the juicy drama of rich-people problems mixed with a mystery that keeps you flipping pages.

The story follows Nora, who’s in her late twenties and kind of stuck—working at a country club, not sure what’s next. Then she marries Will, a much older, wealthy lawyer, and suddenly her whole life changes. She’s living in luxury, hanging around Winter Park’s elite, and trying to fit in. But the morning after Will’s big birthday party, he disappears. From there, the book turns into this addictive mix of secrets, gossip, and “did-she-or-didn’t-she” suspense.

I really liked Nora because she’s messy and real. She’s not polished like the women around her, and she makes questionable choices, but I found myself rooting for her anyway. The pacing is great too—I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” and before I knew it, I’d read half the book in one sitting.

If you like Big Little Lies–style stories with drama, glitz, and a mystery at the center, this is exactly that kind of book. Perfect beach or vacation read—you’ll breeze through it.

"Happy Wife" was such a fun read that kept me guessing. How well do you know your spouse? I really enjoyed this novel, and i kept me at the edge of my seat. I couldn't put it down and just loved it! What a fun read!

This one surprised me. I almost thought I had the twist guessed. But nope. I just wished there was more of the wife trying to solve the mystery action.
All in all this was a really good read and I enjoyed it.

This was was an addictive novel that was equally mysterious as it was entertaining. This psychological mystery thriller followed Nora, a young woman, who sought out to find her missing husband and prove her innocence. Only to discover a web of deceit, envy, and betrayal in the ultra-wealthy community they lived in.
Such a good book that I finished in just a few days. Thanks NetGalley for an arc.

Unfortunately this just did not work for me. Literally nothing happens with the missing person case until about 70% of the way through the book, and there were minimal twists or surprises (which, in my opinion, is the hallmark of a thriller). I bumped up half star for the theme of class; the main character struggles with fitting into a wealthy community after she marries a lawyer. But there wasn't much else to like about the writing, pacing, characters, or plot.

Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender & Kendall Shores hit me hard right from the start—I give it 5 stars. Nora’s life flips when her much-older hubby Will vanishes the morning after his birthday bash and she ends up under everyone’s suspicion. It’s set in this super rich Florida town where Nora doesn’t belong and looks like a total gold-digger to the snobby crowd — makes you feel for her. One thing I liked most was how fast the story moves—it keeps you flipping pages. The other thing I loved was how they show that being an outsider sometimes makes you stronger and more determined. The book hides secrets everywhere and Nora finds out crazy things about Will that make you go, “Whoa, what’s real?” It’s twisty, social-climbing drama with real heart, and tough to shake off when you’re done.

Nora’s husband is dead and she must figure out who really did it and why to prove her innocence. This was a fast paced thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t wait to figure out what really happened. Enjoyed this thoroughly!

Loved every minute of this book. It is written so well I did. NOT want to put it down. The pacing keeps the reader engaged and I genuinely was invested in the characters. Will be recommending!

This was was an addictive novel that was equally mysterious as it was entertaining. This psychological mystery thriller followed Nora, a young woman, who sought out to find her missing husband and prove her innocence. Only to discover a web of deceit, envy, and betrayal in the ultra-wealthy community they lived in.

I had the hardest time putting this book down. I devoured it in a couple days. This story was told by the main protagonist, Nora, and alternated between the present and past. The past told the backstory and provided enough red hearings to keep me guessing throughout. The dialogue moved at a fast paced. There was never a dull moment, it was that compelling. I also enjoyed the wealthy suburban community where Nora didn’t quite know where, or even if, she fit in. When other women in her community didn’t naturally accept Nora, Este befriended her and claimed Nora as her best friend. Este was a breath of fresh air. She had a sharp wit and always had Nora’s back. It goes without saying, the friendship between Este and Nora was a strong one; and I loved the humor and sarcasm they exuded in their relationship.

Overall, Happy Wife was a fast-paced, suspenseful tale of secrets and social intrigue. I relished in this unraveling mystery that was hinged on complex relationships and hidden motives. It was a twisted and unputdownable debut novel. I’m eager to see what the dynamic duo, Lavender & Shores, come out with next!

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.