4.75 Stars. This was such a fun read. The idea that a younger middle class woman would marry a very wealthy older man and be thrown into an unwelcoming group of socialites kept me engaged throughout the book. Trying to solve the murderer of her husband was such a good guess who done it. I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballentine for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book once it reached the point where it picked up. It did have a slow start for me so I wasn’t sure I was going to stick with it but I’m glad that I did.

This book was definitely a very juicy read. It kept me entertained after a certain point and wanting to find out the ending. There were some twists along the way to add to the juiciness and it was worth the read.

3.5 ⭐️. I had this book as an eARC and an audio copy— which let me finish it in less than a day (I could pop in my AirPods and listen to the stellar narrator Saskia Maarleveld continue the story in my ears). Short chapters with a great little mystery of ridiculously wealthy people…. Loved the setting, and didn’t guess the perpetrator so I’ll call this one a win.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

There is a reason Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores is a Read with Jenna Pick. That's because it is an amazing book!

Smart, witty, entertaining debut.
Thanks to Jenna for putting this Book Club pick on my radar.
I felt completely absorbed into the colorful Winter Park crowd.
Can't wait to see what this new author duo serves up next--yes, please!

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing—Ballantine for this e-ARC.

I really loved this. Huge fan of the writing style, funny and easy to digest. Would absolutely read more from them!!

Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores is a bingeable summer read that totally lives up to the hype! Nora is such an intriguing narrator who’s caught between two worlds trying to navigate a flashy and judgmental Florida town that never fully accepted her. The story flips between her whirlwind romance with Will and the chaotic aftermath of his sudden disappearance, and it kept me guessing the entire time. It’s super suspenseful with the perfect mix of wealth, secrets, and lies simmering just under the surface. If you love domestic thrillers, Happy Wife totally delivers!

I mostly listened to Happy Wife, following along in my ebook ARC - thank you to Random House Ballantine - Bantam and NetGalley for access in exchange for my honest opinion. This is the Read with Jenna July book club pick, which is the main reason that I picked it up. I originally started the ebook but was excited my library loan for the audio was available so soon and switched to listening because @saskiaaudio does the narration 😍
Happy Wife is set in Winter Haven, Florida, amongst the rich - and I love a good book about rich people behaving badly. A younger second wife throws a big birthday bash for her husband who is nearly twenty years older than her (yup the first wife does NOT like her), but he disappears that night. Where is he, and what happened? Jumping back and forth in time between the couple’s meeting/dating and the current investigation, Happy Wife is a twisty suspense read that kept my attention. I wasn’t disappointed by this book, but I was surprised at its RWJ selection, as it read as a lighter choice than her others. I tend to enjoy her picks more than other celeb book clubs, but this one didn’t feel on par with recent picks I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and thought deeply about, including The Names, Heartwood, and The Wedding People. That being said, if you enjoy reading about rich and missing people, especially in Florida, check this one out!

Loved this book! It was not your usual second wife who marries the older man for his money. The main character had much more depth and you root for her. The supporting characters are all very well developed. The description of Winter Park is hilarious. The mystery at the center of the story is very well planned and I did not see the ending. I recommend this book to everyone!

3.5 stars. The story had a strong start—I was instantly hooked. But as it progressed, it lost some of its spark. Nora began as sharp and composed, but her later actions felt out of character, even puzzling at times.

I love when a female main character transforms into a strong, unexpected baddie—and Nora delivers! I didn’t expect to enjoy the dynamic between Nora and Will as much as I did, especially with a 20-year age gap (she’s 28, he’s 46), but it works. Will, a high-powered attorney, lives in a world of wealth and luxury, while Nora is a museum receptionist working part-time at a swim club. That’s where she meets Will’s teenage daughter, Mia, and eventually, Will himself. Sparks fly, and in no time, he proposes. Adjusting to life in his elite Winter Park, Florida circle isn’t easy. Nora doesn't fit into the country club crowd, and Will’s ex-wife, Constance, is downright vicious—her jealousy toward Nora is off the charts. Then, after a lavish birthday party, Will vanishes. He’d stepped out to get Mia’s jacket from her boat and never came back. Nora assumes he’s holed up at the Ritz working, but when he stops answering calls, concern sets in. Fritz, Will’s pompous law partner, shows up furious and calls the police. Nora is thrown into a nightmare that only worsens when Will’s body is found floating in the lake. Suddenly, Nora’s the prime suspect. The rich social circle turns cold, led by Fritz and his snide wife Gianna. Nora knows she didn’t kill him—but proving it is another matter. With support from her loyal best friend Este and Este’s husband Beau, Nora starts digging. What she finds are secrets, betrayals, and even a hint of romance with charming chef Marcus. But is she ready for that? This mystery had everything: glitz, betrayal, shady characters, and a strong heroine. I loved the over-the-top drama, the social politics, and watching Nora rise. It's a perfect poolside or beach read—sharp, twisty, and satisfying. I’ll definitely be watching for more from this author duo!

I listened to this on audio. While the narrator was great, the story was just meh. It definitely had a great start but was a bit boring until the ending which was also just okay. Not bad just not great.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this title.

I really enjoyed Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender! The story felt so real and relatable, and I was quickly pulled into the main character’s journey. It had just the right mix of humor, heart, and honesty. I loved how it explored the ups and downs of marriage and figuring out who you are beyond the roles you play. It was one of those books I didn’t want to put down, and I kept thinking about it even after I finished.

Happy Wife had a lot of what I love in a summer read: wealthy neighborhood drama, a mysterious disappearance, and a young outsider wife trying to navigate it all. Nora and Will’s whirlwind romance pulled me in, and I liked the alternating timelines—it added suspense and kept me guessing about what really happened to Will.

That said, the first half felt a bit slow and overly focused on setting the scene with the social dynamics of Winter Park. It picked up later on, but I wish the pacing had been tighter throughout. Some characters felt underdeveloped (especially a certain potential love interest), and a few plot turns were easy to spot coming.

Still, the Florida setting was fun, and the ending had a few surprises I didn’t expect. If you're into books with rich-people secrets, club gossip, and a bit of domestic noir, this one’s worth a look—but it might not be super memorable once it’s done.

Nora is such a great character. She wants so badly to fit in with her lah di dah Florida neighbors. She feels as if they dislike for not being as high class as them and that they miss her husband's ex-wife. Then, her husband disappears and people seem to think she had something to do with it. She won't stop until she finds out the truth. The extended cast of characters are also enjoyable.


Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for a copy for review.

I wanted to love this one—but I just couldn’t get into the writing. It felt a bit flat and lacked the depth I usually look for.

The premise is intriguing: a husband goes missing, and drama and gossip ripple through the community. I’d call this a “popcorn thriller”—easy to fly through, but not super memorable. Definitely a quick, beach-friendly read for when you’re in the mood for light suspense

HAPPY WIFE 💗💍🩸
By Meredith Lavender & Kendall Shores

•domestic thriller 🩸
•missing husband 😩
•young second wife 💁🏼‍♀️
•law firm 👨🏻‍⚖️
•florida 🌴
•money & lies 💰

Such a fun debut. Had me hooked from the start. Short chapters. A solid cast of unreliable characters…all hiding behind the glossy exterior of their fancy winter park, florida homes. A great poolside domestic thriller.

🌟 rating: 4/5
🗣️ genre: domestic thriller
🍾 publishing date: 6/24/25
📖 length: 320 pages

Not the typical young girl/2nd wife for a rich guy book and it was a pleasure to read. While it turned a little predictable towards the end, I love how it ended.

This was really good! I love love rich people drama so I think I’d always love this. Winter Park is close to where I went to university so having this take place here was very fun. A lot of the times FMCs are annoying in mystery books and I think Nora was not annoying almost at all as well as she felt like a really believable character!

I have to honest- my hopes for this book weren't very high. I'm not sure if that is why I liked it so much, but regardless, it definitely was much better than I had hoped. It wasn't really hard to figure out the killer, but that didn't detract from the fun I had getting to that point. Readers would be hard pressed not to root for Nora, especially as she navigates the world of the super-wealthy in South Florida.- and as the book even says, everyone needs as Este in their lives. One thing I was happy about is that although there was, of course, a dramatic final showdown, there was no kidnapping; no one was hit from behind and woke up tied to a chair; no one was hiding from the killer lurking RIGHT outside their hiding spot..... that whole scenario (plural, I suppose) are incredibly played out and as become quite predictable in thrillers/suspense/mystery novels. It's almost like without that final piece, a book isn't complete..... and it can be annoying. Sorry, not sorry. Now that I've stood on my soapbox, I'll end this by saying that this book was a lot of fun, a perfect summer read. I hope these two ladies will collaborate and write more for people like myself to gobble up in the near future!