From its chilling opening, A Happy Marriage draws readers into a world of tension, manipulation, and unsettling secrets. The story follows Dinah and Joe, a married couple whose seemingly ordinary relationship is anything but. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that both are hiding dark truths, and their marriage is a carefully constructed façade built on deception.

The dynamic between Dinah and Joe is tense and unpredictable, with trust hanging by a fragile thread. The story builds steadily, offering surprising twists that keep the suspense high. The pacing is fast, making it a hard book to put down.

While A Happy Marriage is an unhinged, thrilling page-turner, the ending doesn’t quite live up to the intensity of the rest of the book, leaving some parts feeling rushed. Nevertheless, it’s a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers with dark, complex, and unhinged characters.

A.R Torre's A Happy Marriage is a psychological thriller that takes you on a gripping ride full of twists, secrets, and lies. From the very first page, this book had me hooked, yanking me in every direction as i tried (and failed) to figure out what was happening. The suspense and thrill were relentless, keeping me glued to my kindle and screaming at the characters along the way.

The story centers on Dinah Marino, a homicide detective with a messy, complicated personal life and an even messier inner world. Dinah is...a lot!!! She is a walking RED FLAG—a deeply flawed, insufferable protagonist with some serious mommy-issues. Her inner dialogue, shaped by a traumatic past, paints a vivid picture of her struggles, but it doesn't make her any easier to root for. There were moments i was screaming at my kindle, wanting to throw the damn thing. I'm surprised i didn't roll my eyes in the back of my head.

Her husband, Joe is the complete opposite...or he just hides his flaws better. He was so very calm, steady, and almost too good to be true. A doctor with Bradley Cooper looks, he's painted as the perfect partner, but to be honest, nothing is as it seems. The book does a brilliant job exploring the idea of a seemingly perfect marriage and peeling back the layers to reveal the cracks beneath the surface.

As Dinah works a case involving a murder and a missing girl, the story plunges her deeper into a web of lies and secrets. While I'm not usually a fan of gory details, Torre's writing had me turning pages faster than i could keep up. The pacing is impeccable, and the constant twists left me guessing until the very end.

A Happy Marriage is an intense, thrilling read that delivers suspense. It definitely had me covering my eyes, peaking through my fingers at some parts. While the FMC might drive you up the wall, this will FOR SURE be a hard to put down read for anyone who starts this book!!!

"Dr. Joe just pimp-slapped his nurse" HAD ME DYING LOL

Ooof okay, I actually really enjoyed this story lol so don't let the 3 stars fool you. I just had a couple of issues that dropped it down a bit.

I don't want to go into any real summary of the plot because there's so much that I don't want to give away or say. But, we follow our FMC, Dinah and her husband, Joe - she's a police detective in the LA County area, he's a psychiatric doctor of some kind.

This could have totally been a me thing, but, as soon as we jump in, I was a little confused at first. There's a lot of names thrown out and it took just a little bit to get my footing, as to who was who etc. But once I did, it was off to the races.

The story had me hooked right away and I was flipping through the pages like a mad woman, I had my theories lol and while I was correct in some things, I did get some twisty surprises.

Honestly, I'm a little conflicted with how I feel about this one, because it went a little like this :

While reading the story I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out what happened even though things seemed a little wild, my theories a little out there, I still couldn't put the book down.

After finishing the book and reflecting, it feels messy, over the top and ridiculous.

A Happy Marriage is an addictive and compulsive read. An unhinged and over the top entertaining story from cover to cover... just prepare to suspend your disbelief.

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Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the complementary advanced digital copy, all thoughts are my own. 💐

My Rating: 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ this was on track for 5…but alas we didn’t get there!!!

The Goodreads synopsis is pretty good for this one so if you are here I would assume you have read that… so I won’t recap. My review could be pretty long and involved but… I wont do any spoilers so I will stick to my main points Spoiler Free!!

First of all, I was keen for this one, I requested it pretty quick. Love the idea of it…knew it would be twisty and I was making predictions all the way through. I was obsessed and since its under 300 pages I was blasting through it and couldn’t wait to finish it… at about 75% it got…. Unhinged and a bit out of hand!!

I mean it was unhinged the whole way through but… it went bonkers even for me. I’ll go into the things I liked about it.

No surprise ghosts, I read a book by this author and one of the characters was dead and floating around and I didn’t know that first when I picked it up but also not while they were doing it for a while… that pissed me off so much. I don’t like supernatural elements in thrillers, that is not thrilling UNLESS I am forewarned and I go in ready to roll with ghosts!! This book had none of that nonsense so super plus!!

I loved the writing style, short sentences, short chapters easy to read. I also love a multi-POV book and this one was great. We had the wife and the husband and a trapped POV one of my faves (sicko I know) even though it was a different type of trapped… I will let you read it to find out. But I really enjoyed the writing that was a big plus for me. It made ripping through the pages so easy.

I quite liked the FMC Dinah, until I didn’t but she was written well but I had thoughts and plans for her that didn’t eventuate and I didn’t love the direction she ended up.

My peeves for this one weren’t so much that it was far fetched and unhinged IT WAS MASSIVELY but it was how much further into la la land it went at the end. I promised no spoilers so I will give nothing away but it just got a bit stupid even for this kind of story. I was left pretty disappointed… I distinctly remember when I dragged myself away from it to eat my lunch (know this I was captivated until it got wild), I was raving on and on about it to my husband and I was going it could do this, or that or this could happen…oooh if this happened that would be awesome and I would be like…eeeee yeah!!! So animated with a mouthful of chicken sandwich.

BUT… it didn’t go my way and I am know author of course but I was left meh about the way it did go. I think it was fine… I think people will LOVE the absolute hell out of it… but I was kind of mehhh whatever.

Overall, it was well on track for 5 and it would have been my first 5 for 2025 (so elusive) but it wasn’t meant to be. So I am giving it a three with a BUT the masses and the super fans will love this. My peeves will not bother most of you and for my friends who loved the latest Alice Feeney book this is a 10 compared to that in my opinion so definitely don’t be disheartened by what I am going to tout as my outlier opinion. I am just hard to please 🤣 most of you will love this and I am so glad!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read this ebook in advance!

A Happy Marriage by A. R. Torre will be released on June 24th and this is the perfect fast thriller to bring with you during your summer holidays!
Synopsis: Detective Dinah Marino has spent ten years keeping a secret from her psychiatrist husband, Joe—one she’d take to the grave. But when a missing woman from Dinah’s case turns up at Joe’s hospital, his doctor-patient confidentiality puts their marriage on shaky ground. As the investigation unfolds, buried lies surface, and the cracks in their perfect life could turn deadly.
It's so twisty but so good I highly recommend this book if you like twists, revelations and complicated relationships!

I thought this book was twisted and diabolical. Throughout this book I never knew who to trust and I was on the edge of my seat. It was addictive and pretty fast paced.

One thing I’ll say is that it felt pretty plot forward, which I don’t mind but I do think the story would’ve benefited from a bit more backstory on Joe and Dinah. That being said, it wasn’t a dealbreaker and I rated it 4.25 stars

Dinah Marino got lucky when she married Joe. Dr. Joe Marino is a clinical psychologist who is a doting and attentive husband. Dinah is a homicide detective who needs to decompress from her caseload and Joe is her guy who listens and comforts her. They are a team who has each other’s backs. They are the ideal partnership of love and support.
…
Dinah’s recent case involves a suicide and missing girl. Her last partner is gone and Frank was assigned to shadow with her. Dinah works best alone. She doesn’t want or need Frank breathing down her neck about his theories. To placate him they begin building a case against Jessica the missing girl. He’s convinced she killed her mother. When they begin searching for Jessica Dinah gets herself tangled up in an investigation.
…
A Happy Marriage is about the secrets and lies Joe and Dinah are keeping from each other. Eventhough, they have a rock solid marriage. This most recent case tests the foundation of trust they built with each other.
…
AR Torre knows her way around a psychological thriller. She’s my go to author when I’m in need for a good book. She delivers a twisted story. Stories built upon secrets don’t usually arouse interest in me. AR Torre took this story to a new level. Without giving away all her trade secrets I’ll just say it’s a whirlwind of excitement. I still have questions about the type of research Joe was conducting, but the final conclusion delivered a rather interesting ending. I was satisfied with its results.

Incredible. Didn’t expect the twist at all. AR Torre is becoming an auto read for me!! I didn’t love the end but the rest of the book was amazing!

A. R. Torre never disappoints for me, and this was certainly the case in her latest novel, A Happy Marriage.

Dinah is a detective in LA, and is in a perfect, happy marriage to her husband, Joe, a psychiatrist. Their marriage is their priority, and they do everything to keep it safe and ideal. This honed union is put to the test as Dinah works on her latest murder case. Something isn't right, but what is off about it? Dinah must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to keep the life she's always wanted.

This book is fast-paced, so it makes for a quick and easy read. I loved seeing the different view points, and the fact that it never slowed down.

Another 5 star read for me!!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!!

This book was so good in all the worst ways! I don’t even know how to describe it without giving anything away, but wow! Married couple Dinah and Joe seem to have the perfect marriage but hidden from the outside and themselves is more deceit then you can imagine!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of A Happy Marriage.

This is my 8th book by A.R. Torre and I love her ability to create such a twisty and juicy story. I enjoyed this book but it definitely requires suspending disbelief in a lot of the details of the story. If you're looking for a realistic read, this probably isn't the choice for you. It was, however, a super quick and easy read that would be perfect for the beach!

3.5 stars

A Marriage Built on Secrets and Lies

A.R. Torre’s Happy Marriage is a gripping psychological thriller that explores trust, deception, and how well we really know the people we love.

LAPD homicide detective Dinah Marino and her psychiatrist husband, Joe, have what seems to be an ideal marriage—built on love, respect, and mutual understanding. But beneath that surface, both are keeping secrets. When a missing woman connected to one of Dinah’s cases turns up in Joe’s hospital, the delicate balance they’ve maintained for a decade starts to unravel. What follows is a tense, high-stakes unraveling of their relationship, as Dinah’s investigation threatens not only her career but also her safety—and possibly her life.

Torre masterfully weaves together suspense and emotional depth, crafting a thriller that isn’t just about solving a case but about navigating the dark corners of marriage and trust. The alternating perspectives between Dinah and Joe add layers to the story, making readers question who is truly in control. With sharp writing, well-paced twists, and a final act that keeps you glued to the page, Happy Marriage is perfect for fans of domestic thrillers with morally complex characters.

If you love a thriller where personal stakes are just as dangerous as the crime itself, this one won’t disappoint.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this advanced readers copy! Releasing summer June 24 2025

Love when a book comes together and the ending so fits the storyline. This one was perfect. No idea this book would go on the path that it did..it was brilliant from beginning to end


Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

Ooh! What a deliciously twisted little book!
Go in blind y’all. I absolutely devoured this thriller! It had everything- unreliable narrators, multiple POV’s, twists galore, and super short chapters, and mass chaos. Also Jessica’s inner monologue was hilarious. Lol. This was such a fun read!

Wow. This book was wild! I could not put this book down! The story is told in different points of view between the characters.
The relationship between Dinah and Joe is based on love and loyalty, but as the book progresses, the reader learns their relationship is absolutely insane.
I loved Jessica; her character’s POV was a little naive, but funny and a nice break from the craziness.
I really enjoyed this gripping psychological thriller!

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
Without giving too much away, this was a story about a detective wife and psychiatrist husband who are keeping some “dark secrets” from each other and from the world.
I have previously read “Every Last Secret” by A.R. Torre and enjoyed it immensely, so I was excited to pick up this book. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as drawn in when I read this one, for a few reasons.

- I felt like this veered into more classic thriller territory than a domestic thriller, which would have been fine if it was done well, but I felt like the plot was almost too dramatic and that took away from the suspense.

- I liked how clear each character’s voice was when it was their chapter, it was always very clear who’s POV it is. That being said, I didn’t feel emotionally attached to any of the character and I certainly wasn’t rooting for any of them, because as readers we didn’t really get to know them. We learn almost nothing about the background of Joe, Dinah and Jessica, and I found myself putting down the book often, even in supposedly “action-packed” scenes because I just didn’t care what happened to them.

- There weren’t any big twists (at least not surprising ones). Around the halfway mark I understood the gist of the story and was so sure that there would be a different twist than the one I was expecting that I was disappointed that that’s what it was.

- There were way too many detailed descriptions of characters peeing, of urine” gushing” out of them, soaking their underwear, the relief of peeing. Urine, peeing, and pissing was mentioned in this book at least 16 times that I could count, which was a little gross and distracting.

Some questions I wish had been answered: SPOILERS AHEAD!!

- So what was the whole point of Joe’s project? What was the end goal? I didn’t care if he succeeded or failed at it because I was constantly waiting for it to be explained or revealed but it never was.
- Who is he ?? Why do we know nothing about him ?? I wish we would have gone more in depth with him, he could have been such an interesting character.
- Why have Joe and Dinah never had sex ? I don’t really understand that choice either. They sleep in separate beds but she is obviously attracted to him and it’s just another plot point the feels like it’s there to add drama but never really goes anywhere.
- Same for Jessica being Dinah’s daughter. Okay..? And..? Besides the fact that this was so obvious it was painful, why did Dinah want to kill her again ? To save her unbreakable marriage? How does that help? I was confused and bored. Why did she choose to kill Reese and kidnap Jessica in the first place? That question was also never answered or even addressed.
- What happened to Oley? Why did he turn against her ? Why did he fake his own death? Hello ?? This is a major plot point that was just thrown in and never mentioned again.

I wish the author had taken this story further. I just wasn’t convinced by any of it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for sending an ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

AR Torre is a favorite author of mine. The latest, A Happy Marriage was a twisty turny thriller. I loved it.

Delighted to see a new AR Torre book! This one was crazy...an almost unbelievable tale about a detective and doctor couple that have some big secrets. Lots of twisties in this one and a satisfying conclusion.

Wow this was a rollercoaster ride! At no point could
I tell exactly where it was going to take me. The writing was really easy to read, and the three POV’s all had a distinct voice which I really liked, you could tell exactly how each of them work. Only Joe’s POV in the beginning left me a little confused because he says one thing and then at the end is blindsided by it even though he’s weary of it the whole way? But that’s really my only gripe with it. Otherwise I felt wholly immersed in this read and on edge waiting for the plot to twist! I loved how each of the smaller twists was shocking to me, even though I guessed the biggest plot twist early on, I still needed to keep reading to find out what happens. And reader, I could not have guessed the exact way that book ended. Another great read from A R Torre! I recommend for fans of fast paced thrillers like Freida McFadden, but with a thorough plot development and great execution.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I ever read by this author and I was hooked after the first chapter. Finished this book in 3 days, and struggled putting it down. This Psychological thriller had me on the edge of my seat. This book was a 5 star read for me and I look forward to reading more from this author!!