Pretty rich people and their problems. Murder problems. A thriller about a young 2nd wife that must figure what, or who, caused her husband’s death. Fast paced and intriguing to see how the ultra rich live. Until they don’t.

Fun popcorn thriller. Quick read! Definitely entertaining! At first I wasn’t interested but it better!

Absolutely loved this book! At first I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it or even finish it but then the storyline and characters picked up and I was hooked. Go ahead and take a chance!

Nora the younger second wife of Will is trying to fit in with his friends and throws a bash to celebrate Will's birthday. The night ends on a high. Until Nora awakes to find Will missing. Where did he go?

Happy Wife takes us back and forth from Nora and Will before the disappearance and to after he disappeared.

Happy Wife is a good beach read to pass the summer days. Character development is light and the suspense is not that suspenseful. But if you're looking for a light beach read it fits the bill.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the ARC (advanced reader copy)

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for the advanced reader copy. I loved this quick and easy to read thriller. I loved this dual timeline and how easy it was to follow. I am excited to see what else this author writes in the future.

Determined to win over the social elite in Winter Park, Florida, Nora Davies throws a birthday bash for her husband. Nora was a swim instructor at the local country club when she met the newly divorced Will Somerset, a hotshot lawyer twenty years her senior. When Will disappears after the birthday party, Nora must prove her innocence and figure out what happened to Will.

If you want a quick beach read about the scandals of the rich, Happy Wife will be an enjoyable read as long as you don't expect much depth. Lavender and Shores aren't subtle about laying on the social commentary about wealth and class. Though the story has plenty of twists, none of the characters are particularly gripping with many characters poorly developed and extremely cliché. With a fast pace and decent premise, Happy Wife is a read it and forget it summer thriller.

I really enjoyed this! I thought this would be the typical “rich husband/new wife mystery” but I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. I loved the different timelines and short chapters. I’ll definitely be reading more from these authors!

Happy Wife deserves more than 5⭐️!!! Such a fabulous story of murder, mystery, and love!!! I didn't want this one to end and cried when it did because I hated to see Nora's story wrap up!! I hope this dynamic writing duo brings us another 5⭐️ story soon!

Review will be posted on 8/27/25

Nora is a second wife, which means she is pretty much a second-class citizen at affluent Winter Park, Florida, where money and connections rule the town. Her husband, Willi, is a workaholic lawyer who often stays at work for days at a time. Her cold reception around town doesn't help things, but thankfully, next-door neighbor, Este, has taken her in. On the night of her husband's birthday party, Will goes missing. He went to retrieve a sweatshirt for his daughter from the boat after the party was over and never returned. Nora wakes up the next morning to an empty house, but doesn't think much of it as Will often disappears for days at a time during a big trial. However, after she doesn't receive any texts from him and his work colleague hasn't heard from him, things start to look dire. Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores is an average beach read with a touch of mystery.


The best part of Happy Wife is the setting of affluent Winter Park. It's an ultra-rich community where it's always summer. The authors do a good job of bringing this setting to life; however, Nora got old after a while, and I was tired of hearing the nauseating problems of the rich. For example, Nora got Botox and other treatments, as well as a trip to the gym, when her husband was missing because "self-care!" Normal people would be spiraling. I did appreciate the flashbacks to the beginning of her relationship with Will, as that helped develop the characters, but other than that, I felt that this novel lacked suspense and substance. I thought it was going to be a thrilling summer read based on the description, but it really lacked in that department and read more like a mystery/family drama. Happy Wife is perfect for readers who want a soapy summer read with not a lot of depth.

Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender (co-written with Kendall Shores) was my first read by this author, and it delivered a sharp, twist-filled domestic thriller that kept me turning pages. Set in the glittering, high-stakes world of Winter Park, Florida, the novel follows Nora Davies, a young woman who marries into wealth after a whirlwind romance with prominent attorney Will Somerset. But when Will mysteriously disappears the morning after his birthday party, Nora finds herself at the center of a scandal—and a murder investigation.

Lavender and Shores expertly unravel the story through dual timelines, blending juicy social dynamics with mounting psychological tension. Nora’s transformation from outsider to suspect is compelling, and the novel’s commentary on privilege, power, and appearances adds depth to the suspense. As a debut, Happy Wife is both entertaining and smart a satisfying first read that makes me curious to see what this writing duo does next.

A fun, twisty domestic suspense set in the glamorous world of Winter Park, Florida. When Nora’s wealthy husband vanishes after a birthday party, secrets unravel fast. Think Big Little Lies meets Southern charm—plenty of drama, scandal, and social games. It’s not super deep, but it’s a stylish, fast-paced read perfect for fans of juicy summer thrillers.

While working at the country club, Nora meets Will.l, a wealthy man almost twenty years her senior. After a world wind romance, they marry under much scrutiny of Will's upscale community. When Will disappears following the birthday party Nora throws him, all eyes are on Nora as everyone suspects she is to blame. A twisty who dunnit.

A fun twisty read set in oppulance! I enjoyed the authors writing style and the characters. I liked the rich people behaving badly theme

Just finished Happy Wife and I’m still thinking about it! Nora’s journey—from marrying the charming and wealthy Will to navigating the shocking twists that follow—had me completely hooked. The mix of suspense, social intrigue, and sharp character dynamics kept me turning pages late into the night. Between the secrets, tension, and clever twists, this one is such a satisfying domestic thriller that balances heart and edge-of-your-seat drama perfectly.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this novel, despite not finding any of the characters relatable. But I really enjoyed Nora and her love for Will, the “hot mean lawyer”. The ultimate demise of the Winter Park wealthy arrogant ones was rewarding although not entirely believable.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for feedback.
Nora marries Will, a rich bachelor, and is very much treated as the second wife in the affluent Winter Park neighborhood. When she throws a birthday party for Will, he winds up missing and turns up dead. As the second wife, dubbed a gold digger, she has to find out what happened to Will to clear her name.
I liked the writing style, with the before and after. I also liked the characters, felt like I was a member of the club..
I enjoyed the book, but expected more wow moments.

Nora was a spruce for me. I wasn’t expecting to like her as much as I did or pull for her to get the win. This book was a great read, the characters were likable or hateable in almost equal measure. Enjoyed the ending and that while it feels like the loose end are all figured out it also leaves some imagination of what is next

Started off a bit slow for me but once clues started rolling in it took off. I think everyone should have a bff like Estes. Think my bff needs to step it up a bit. IYKYK

A young, naive, upper-class second wife has to prove her innocence after her husband goes missing from his birthday celebration. A personal war against the elistest ladies in her social circle as well as her husband's best friend/partner in business.

I was hoping for more in this book. The story had a good premise but was a bit predictable. Parts of the storyline were slow and hard to keep following.

Many people enjoyed this book, though, and I did like that the young wife stuck up for herself. She didn't allow the main players to run her over, and she actively sought to solve the mystery and lies that surrounded her.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, for the advanced reader's copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #HappyWife #MysteryandThrillers #GeneralFiction #WomensFiction

This was such a fun quick thriller to read. I enjoyed the secrets, rich people behaving badly, age gap marriage, look into wealth that this book gave. I like how the chapters alternate between the romance between Will and Nora and back to the search for Will. It gives you a good glimpse into their relationship. Nora is a younger wife in a wealthy community, and she is trying to figure out how she can fit in. She isn't naturally accepted but made friends with Este who seemed to always have Noras back. I enjoyed their dynamic as friends.

This is the kind of thriller/suspense I really like. Something with just the right amount of mystery and a fast-paced plot. This reminded me a little of The Last Thing He told me and I really enjoyed that book!