Wow, what did I just listen to?! This story is wild. From the start, I was immediately drawn in. I knew right away there was something strange going on between Dinah and her husband, Joe. Both characters are flawed and have secrets, but Dinah’s secret was quite a surprise to me. If you like fast-paced stories you will probably enjoy this one. If you have read the author’s previous books, you know that her books always have a good twist. This one was an exception.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my gifted ARC.

Okay, so I gave it 3.5 stars, but I genuinely had a great time reading this—it was such a ride. The story centers around Dinah, a detective, and her husband Joe, a psychiatrist, but that’s pretty much all I’ll say plot-wise. The less you know going in, the better.

I’ll be honest, the beginning threw me a bit—lots of names, a little chaotic—but once I figured out who was who, I flew through it. I was fully hooked, coming up with wild theories (some hit, some definitely didn’t).

This book leans into the unlikable character trope hard. Everyone’s a little shady, no one’s totally trustworthy—and I kind of loved that. It kept me guessing.

That said, when I finished and stepped back, it felt a little much. The plot’s totally over-the-top, and you really have to let go of logic and just go with it. But if you’re looking for something fast, twisty, and a little unhinged? You’ll have fun with this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

💉 W I L D W E D N E S D A Y review 💉 featuring “A Happy Marriage” by A.R. Torre!

MY RATING: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Dinah Marino has worked hard to become a Detective with the Los Angeles Police Department and has the stats to prove it. Her beloved husband Joe is a clinical psychologist and has his own private clinic. Together they make a dynamic duo and have a happy marriage … until secrets start to get in the way 🤐!

Dr. Joe starts treating a new patient at his clinic who just so happens to have a direct connection to one of Dinah’s investigations which involves a dead mother and a missing daughter. Now that they are navigating conflicting territory, the lies between them start to fracture their blissful dynamic and stir up a sinister side within each of them.

WOAH 🤯!! This book is truly BANANAS! I had so many WTF moments that totally rattled my brain! Their “perfect” marriage goes beyond co-dependency in the darkest and most twisted ways and there were so many moments that shocked me to my core! @alessandratorre4 is the QUEEN of psychological thrillers and knows how to really mess with you! I read this book in almost one sitting on the train to Rome because of how addictive, unhinged and wild the story was!!

Thank you kindly to @alessandratorre4 Thomas and Mercer @amazonpublishing @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on June 24, 2025 and is a must read for your summer TBR!

I'm a huge fan of AR Torre's books and this book is now one of my new favorites! I tried to guess the outcome but was still shocked by the twists in the story and could NOT put this book down. What a marriage to read about - insane story! I liked that it had short chapters which only made it harder to stop reading because I kept telling myself just one more.

Wow—talk about dark, twisty, and totally unhinged! This was my first A.R. Torre read—and definitely not my last.

Joe and Dinah appear to have it all—but behind closed doors, their marriage is a tense game of manipulation, buried secrets, and shifting power dynamics. The deeper I got into the story, the more I found myself questioning everything: Who’s really in control? Who’s telling the truth? Joe and Dinah are absolutely passengers on the crazy train.

I love how Torre plays with perspective and moral ambiguity, keeping me hooked from start to finish. Even when I guessed a couple of the twists, it didn’t diminish the tension or my enjoyment. This one is fast-paced, addictive, and deeply unsettling in the best way.

I highly recommend this if you're into domestic thrillers that mess with your mind. It's a perfect pool or beach read!

TWISTY AF. That's it. That's the review.

Okay, just kidding, but really that's like the number one thing to know about A.R. Torre's latest; A Happy Marriage is so full of twists I bet you won't be able to predict what happens in it. You'll think you'll know and then she takes you down another rabbit hole that you could not have guessed. I love when I think I know and I don't. I love when I know some things, but can't predict how it'll play out. I love a book that's so unreliable that I can't put it down, because it'll consume my brain until I know the who, the how, the why. That's this book.

Are the characters likeable? Not really. But I love when a book asks me to choose an evil. Dinah Marino is a reputable detective, one with a particular focus on missing women. Joe Marino is a well-respected psychiatrist who loves his wife, even her secrets. Those secrets? They're damning, they're wild, and they land the two in hot water as their jobs and their side interests overlap. Tensions peak as the two begin to keep more secrets from one another for their own personal gain. What really is their end game? You'll have to read to find out.

There is just something about A.R. Torre's writing that is extremely addictive, and she is one of the few authors that can (so far) make me enjoy topics that are usually a major pet peeves. That is probably why I don't even read the blurb anymore before adding a new title... Although the premise of A Happy Marriage did sound intriguing. And there is no doubt that this turned out to be a wild wild ride indeed! This story hooked me from the very first page, and I loved every single minute I spent with this unhinged couple.

I don't usually read a lot of more domestic focused psychological thrillers anymore as they often don't work for me, but there is nothing ordinary about the domestic situation in Joe and Dinah's marriage. A little warning: you definitely have to be able to suspend your disbelief while reading A Happy Marriage, because the plot is without doubt on the crazy side... Guano style. I personally didn't mind though, because the entertainment factor is through the roof if you can look past the lack of credibility.

This is one of those books where it's best to go in completely blind, because the plot twists and certain truths about the main characters will hit so much better this way. Trust me, some of those twists are unhinged! I did see a couple of things coming, but I never guessed the full truth about what was going on in Joe and Dinah's life... I like to think that my mind simply isn't THAT twisted. Not that I minded the resulting story; in fact, I think this is my new favorite A.R. Torre story. A Happy Marriage would also work SO well as a movie adaptation as long as they are able to conceal the truth as effectively as the book.

A Happy Marriage uses a multiple POV structure, switching between Dinah, Joe and Jessica. The first two are the couple in question, and they have a LOT to hide... Especially Joe's POV starts with a bang, and I literally couldn't believe what I was reading. This ment that I was hooked from the very first chapter, and the story didn't let me go as I raced through the pages to see just how far the author would take things. Jessica's POV was cleverly incorporated, and I liked how everything came together in the end. I don't want to give away too much to avoid spoilers, but there is nothing domestic and tame about this story! Instead, be ready for a wild and twisted ride that ended up being way darker than expected.

As you might have already guessed, I absolutely loved my time with A Happy Marriage, and I already know that this book will be appearing on my list of 2025 favorites. If you like your psychological thrillers on the dark and twisted side and don't mind suspending your disbelief, I cannot recommend this story enough!

You know those thrillers that start like a slow burn and then absolutely explode with twists? This is that book. Everyone at The Pulse is talking about it and for good reason.
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Thanks to @alessandratorre4 and @thrillerbookloversthepulse for an advance copy.
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LA homicide detective Dinah Marino thought she had the perfect balance: a tough job, a loving husband, and a secret she planned to take to her grave. But when a woman tied to Dinah’s latest case ends up in her husband’s clinic, things spiral fast. calm, sweet, seemingly perfect Joe might not be the man she thought he was. And Dinah? Let’s just say she’s not exactly clean either.
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What follows is a jaw-clenching game of cat and mouse inside a marriage, where lies run deep, and nobody’s hands are clean.
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This one is so twisty and totally unputdownable. It will leave you side-eyeing everyone you love.

Sinopsis en español:

La detective de homicidios de Los Ángeles, Dinah Marino, puede tener una relación complicada con su familia, pero su marido psiquiatra, Joe, la hace sentir segura y feliz. Ella no podía querer un hombre más cariñoso o confiado. Pero a lo largo de su matrimonio de diez años, ella ha estado guardando un secreto de él, un secreto que se llevaría a la tumba.

Dr. Joe Marino ama a su esposa más que a nada en este mundo, pero hay cosas que ha aprendido a mantener cerca del pecho, incluidos algunos cadáveres. Cuando una mujer desaparecida vinculada al último caso de su esposa es ingresada en su hospital, la confidencialidad médico-paciente pone su matrimonio en algún terreno nuevo e desigual.

A medida que Dinah profundiza en su caso, la tensión se abre paso dentro de su casa perfecta. Ahora las mentiras cuidadosamente construidas entre ellos no solo amenazan el delicado equilibrio de su matrimonio, podrían matar.




Reseña: 3.5⭐️


Disfruté de la lectora, aunque fueron predecibles ciertos sucesos la autora supo mantener mi atención.

This was a wild ride and it went in directions I did not expect which is actually the best when I’m reading a thriller. The entire set up is a bit ridiculous and you def have to suspend disbelief to enjoy it, but if you want a read that is crazy in a fun way with a pretty unusual plot and unhinged characters this was fun and entertaining for me. I know I can count on the author when I want a dark thriller with lots of twists and this delivered.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and Net Galley for the most INSANE book I have ever read A Happy Marriage. Holy Cow this was the sickest book ever, I actually could NOT put it down and read in one day!! Crazy, just ridiculously unheard plots that this author thought up. I hope it becomes a movie. So far the BEST book I’ve read in years! Loved, Loved, Loved!!!! Jessica is an awesome character, constantly rooted for her. Dinah and Joe, there are no words. Fantastic novel! Thank you again.

Another amazingly sick and twisted thriller from AR Torre. I swear she can’t write books fast enough because I already NEED another.

I always bulldoze through her books, can’t read them quick enough. She really knows how to write a sick unhinged character.

This wasn’t my absolute favorite of hers but I loved it just the same. You’ll have to suspend a lot of disbelief but that doesn’t make it any less fun to read!
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of A Happy Marriage!

Sadly, this was a DNF for me. The story was a bit slow, and I didn’t really feel connected to any of the characters. I loved The Last Party, so I’ll definitely keep an eye out for her future books!

A.R. Torre doesn’t miss! I absolutely devoured this book. The writing style and pacing were perfect for me: fast, sharp, and constantly pulling me deeper into the story. I was hooked from page one and didn’t want to put it down. Torre balances suspense and emotional complexity so well, weaving secrets, lies, and relationship strain into a twisty domestic thriller that hits all the right beats. Don’t miss this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh, this book! It was one massive chameleon of a book! Let me tell you why – because at first it confused me, for the first 20% or so of the book I was sitting there with the weirdest frown all over my face and I was confused. What? What am I reading? Is that some romance? Is this going to be some romantic suspense? What is that?
And that, my darling friends, was the book being a chameleon. Turns out, the romance feel in the beginning – it was the book trying to look like something else. Which it wasn’t. it was a super evil, super twisty story about the most unhinged people who are oh so good at pretending to be normal. A chameleon book about chameleon people.

This book was a lot but in a good way. So many characters and most of them you have trouble deciding if you like them or not.

Dinah is a detective and her husband Joe is a psychiatrist. Both have come from complicated families. They both twist things to fit their narratives.

There is a death that Dinah goes to investigate. Is it suicide or is it murder. There is Dinah and Joe’s marriage. Is it love or codependency? There is a girl missing. Did she runaway or was she kidnapped? Something happened in Dinah’s family when she was young that keeps you reading. Joe is he a psychiatrist or a mad scientist?

There is betrayal around every corner. You will think you can trust someone but can you?!? I felt like I would figure out a part but be so far off.

The book keeps you on your toes. Your mind stays working. I don’t feel like any part of the book was slow or lost my interest. It’s a quick read that leaves your mind blown.

Highly recommend for those who love a good mystery.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this book.

A Happy Marriage by A.R. Torre delivers an incredibly satisfying and propulsive thriller experience. From the first page to the last, this book masterfully keeps you on the edge of your seat, thanks to the author's uncanny ability to weave twist after unexpected twist. While the extensive cast of characters presented a slight initial challenge, Torre skillfully navigates multiple perspectives, enriching the narrative with remarkable depth and dimension. Just when you're confident you've unraveled the mystery, a shocking revelation will abruptly shift your understanding, propelling you down yet another suspenseful avenue. The tension is expertly crafted, building consistently to an almost unbearable degree, making this a truly unputdownable read. For readers who crave thrillers that actively challenge their perceptions and keep them relentlessly guessing, A Happy Marriage is an absolute must-read!

My sincere thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What did I just read?!?! Filled with secrets, lies, and events that had me racing through the book this is for readers that enjoy thrillers that leave them shaking their head in disbelief. Dinah and Joe have a marriage that is enviable. They love each other, make each other happy, enjoy being together and have a nice home plus a remote ranch they visit on the weekends. They tell each other everything, well almost. Dinah is a police detective and Joe is a psychiatrist who teaches and runs a private clinic. Dr. Joe works late hours and Dinah doesn’t ask. When some of Dinah’s missing person cases come under review she worries about her marriage. Will the secrets they are keeping destroy their happy marriage? This is one of those books that I could not stop reading! I did not like Dinah or Joe but I had to learn more about them and the secrets they were keeping. Some of the secrets I figured out and others took me by surprise. All in all this was an enjoyable, quick read that I recommend to thriller readers that want something different.

This was a very engaging thriller. The writing style makes it easy to read.

The beginning of the story pulled me in immediately. Unfortunately for me the story began to fall apart. It unfolded in what felt like a very far fetched way and left lots of strings untied.

The MC are both unlikable though that doesn’t impact the enjoyment of the story.

In many ways it felt like the author could have more fully developed the stories and the characters so that the conclusion would have felt more complete.

If you like thrillers and especially if you like this author then you should give this one a try.

As the waves crash against the Isle of Outliers.....

Don't get me wrong. I am an absolutely true fan of the talented A.R.Torre after having read nine of her novels. I know her writing style and her crazy good techniques. A Happy Marriage didn't quite live up to her unique level. It lacked the polish and covering-all-bases that Torre usually showcases in her novels. Not bad......but not up to par.

Dinah Marino is an overburdened L.A.homicide detective. She's covering the cases of one of her co-workers besides her own. A call comes in about a mailman finding the body of a woman on his route. It seems from the evidence that she's been dead for a while. There's no sign of her twenty year old daughter, Jessica. Jessica works at a coffee cafe. No one has seen her for days. Could she have killed her own mother? Maybe.....

Add to this the fact that Freddie Hodgkins, a police trainee, has been assigned to Dinah. He shadows her like an unwanted dumpster fragrance. Dinah just wants to be left alone with this case to solve. Freddie, like an over exuberant lapdog, sees otherwise.

But what does ground Dinah is her ten year marriage to Joe. Joe is a psychiatrist who teaches classes and runs a clinic. They find solace in one another and they seem to compliment one another to the nth degree. But each of them is holding on to secrets that look to derail this happy marital setting. We'll watch as a single thread is pulled that will definitely unravel this wedded bliss.

A Happy Marriage is still a good read. But it suffers from extremely unlikeable characters who seem to grate against the reader page by page. Ya never want the phrase "So Who Cares?" to enter into your novel. And then there were a lot of dangling strings left to blow in the wind. It starts out so well and then finds itself cornered. But the Epilogue is weirdly good. Check it out. It will definitely be grabbed for a Summer read.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented A.R.Torre for the opportunity.