I was very engrossed in the story. There were times I was literally confused about what is happening and who is stirring the pot. I definitely did not see that ending coming! This book is brilliantly written and it keeps you at the edge of your seat!

The Marriage Rules is a book that will have you shaking your head in disbelief and yelling why are you letting him do that to you?

It is a twisty domestic thriller that will keep you guessing to the mind blowing ending and leave you questioning everything you have just read.

4 stars.

Have always loved Samantha's books but this one.....oh my goodness....it absolutly blew my mind away.
This story is told in three parts. Firstly we focus on Fionas accounts and are led to believe she is in a relationship where the rules are hard. Alongside being newly married she has also taken the role of step mother to Jason's 2 daughters, whose mother has just died.
Part 2 sees Jason's side and we begin to see that perhaps Jason's rule arent as hard as we originally perceived but serve to keep Fiona safe.
And then part 3 where everything is totally thrown out the park . Fast paced with so many twists and a real WOW factor.
I cannot recommend this book enough....brilliant.

An interesting story but so many twists made it quite confusing in places.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review

Fiona is married to Jason. She used to work as a nurse at Radmoor Hospital, a mental health facility, where Jason worked as a psychiatrist.

The couple recently moved to a new location with Jason’s daughters: 15-year old Tilly, and 8-year old Ivy. The girls have recently lost their mother who died in a car crash.

Fiona and Jason reckoned that they all needed a fresh start.

However, Jason keeps a tight ship. The whole family must abide by his rules, such as not leaving the house without a valid reason and family confessional every day at 6pm.

Then, someone starts breaking the rules… and Fiona receives an anonymous note saying that she broke a rule. Who’s watching? Are the family safe?

Soon, events spiral out of control and the family’s life unravels…

Wow, what a story! I was gripped from the start all the way to the finish.

As I was reading, I was shouting at my Kindle: “Fiona, why are you with such a man?”, because I couldn’t comprehend why someone would sustain such emotional and coercive control.

Then, the author threw a twist which I didn’t expect, and I thought (for a short while) that it explained Jason’s actions.

But then – the ending!!! Holy moly, that blew my mind.

If you love twisty psychological thrillers, then this book is for you.

I definitely recommend it!

Who is making them? And who is breaking them?

That line on the cover was enough for me to know I wanted to grab this one and dive right in. I didn't even read the blurb for this and went in totally blind and I'm so glad that I did. Not that the blurb gives much away ... I'm sure you'll be shocked too! This book was addictive and quite a ride. Not at all what I was expecting.

I honestly don't want to say anything because it's just one of those books you have to read for yourself.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting book with an ending you won't see coming. Pay attention because otherwise you may just not know where you are. This book will have you wondering from the beginning all the way to the end.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes is the first book I’ve read by this author. It will not be my last! There were so many twists and turns in this psychological thriller! I kept thinking I figured something out and then I was totally wrong. The only ending was a surprise. I really liked this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This is a first book I've read by Hayes. It will not be my last one by her. I gripped me at the first chapter. The ending i ever figured out in millions years. I can't wait to read more by hayes.

Samantha Hayes' The Marriage Rules audiobook delivers a chilling and suspenseful tale of a seemingly idyllic family life built upon a foundation of unsettling regulations. From the outset, the description hints at a darkness lurking beneath Fiona's "perfect" existence, and Hayes masterfully builds tension as the reader, and eventually Fiona herself, begins to question the rigid rules that govern their household.

The premise is immediately gripping: a family bound by an extreme set of rules – early bedtimes, media blackout, locked doors, and a strict prohibition against discussing the past. The audiobook format enhances the sense of unease, allowing the listener to feel the claustrophobia of Fiona's controlled world. As the rules begin to be broken, the narration effectively conveys Fiona's growing anxiety and the creeping sense that something is deeply wrong.

Hayes skillfully peels back the layers of Fiona's seemingly contented life, hinting at a past trauma that the rules are designed to suppress. The mystery of who is breaking the rules and why becomes increasingly compelling, driving the narrative forward with a palpable sense of dread.

The Marriage Rules is a psychological thriller that explores the fragility of family and the dangerous consequences of secrets. It's a captivating and unsettling listen that will keep you on the edge of your seat, questioning the true cost of safety and the devastating impact of a past that refuses to stay buried.

Well, I’m not sure how to explain this one, lol!

So many ups and downs, twists and turns, highs and lows, suspicion and transparency.

If you enjoy stories about doctors and patients who cross lines, I’d recommend checking this out.

If you enjoy thinking you’ve got it all figured out, then telling yourself “oh okay, NOW I know what’s going on!” and to change your mind a couple more times, then you would definitely want to check this out.

I certainly did not expect the ending and I greatly enjoyed this because of it!

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Samantha Hayes for allowing me the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review.

Samantha Hayes is one of my favourite authors, I love her domestic thrillers. When I started reading this I found it very uncomfortable with the rules set by Jason for his wife FIona. I wondered why on earth she would agree to such a thing. But as the book goes on you realise things aren't quite as they seem.
I wasn't too keen on the theme of mental illness/psychosis and felt things became a bit too incredulous at times, but I did enjoy the book. If you can accept the theme then the story makes sense.

Fiona, a nurse falls in love with Jason, a doctor and they get married. Only Jason has a list of rules that they must live by or face the consequences.

The Marriage Rules is a psychological thriller with a difference. There are the mind games running between Fiona and Jason but also the author plays with the mind of the reader, big time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Marriage Rules and think it is an OUTSTANDING 5 star read.

The plot of The Marriage Rules is brilliant and this would make a great television drama/series. At the beginning of this book the reader learns the 13 rules that Jason gets Fiona to accept with his marriage proposal. Straight away you suspect Jason of committing the offence of controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship (CCB). Then the reader wonders exactly what has happened to Erika, the mother of Jason’s two daughters who now live with Fiona and Jason.

Through this story the lead characters of Fiona and Jason bloom, with tonnes of back story added at a steady pace. This book does not have a linear time scale and alternates between before the wedding and the current day. Also each small chapter is from either Fiona’s or Jason’s point of view. Normally shifting time frames is one of my pet hates but with The Marriage Rules it is used as a vehicle to support character development and to make the readers’ mind buzz with trying to understand exactly what is going on. The plot is very good with so many twists and turns that when I take Frankie the Pug for his second walk of the day, my mind is in a swirl.

The ending of The Marriage Rules is very good and comes as a big surprise. All the little details are explained in full and everything adds up with no loose strings. It does leave a nagging doubt though when I walk Frankie the Pug past so many door bell cameras, that maybe there are many more Jason’s around married with their wives obeying the rules!

The Marriage Rules is a twisty psychological thriller that had me intrigued throughout.

I was drawn to this book initially because of the rules, I was so curious and wondered why there were in place.

At times I felt so frustrated with Fiona for obeying the rules and with Jason for insisting upon them, but I should have known that nothing is as it seems!

The twists in this book are so clever and the writing is intense. A really great read and one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys an addictive thriller that keeps you guessing up until the very end.

The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes was absolutely insane! This is the first thriller where I was confused from the first page and remained confused till the end. It follows Fiona and Jason in their new marriage, and they've got an interesting story to say the least. I truly had no idea what was going to happen during this story, and it made the last several chapters hit that much harder. I couldn't even come up with theories because it was crazy. I thought my opinions about the characters were accurate until the end. This is the first time where I've had a change in opinion for just about every character in a book. That was a pleasant surprise. Despite not being my first thriller, this book was full of firsts for me. I loved this book, and I plan to not only read the rest of Samantha's books but also do a reread with my new perspective into the characters.

I have read many books by Hayes,, I think The Marriage Rules is something like my 7th or 8th and is up there as one of my firm favourites.

Who lives their life by rules? Any man who tried to dictate his 'ideals' to me would be told in no uncertain terms to take himself out the front door, never to return!!

So that brings me to Fiona, Jason's wife...wake up woman!! Stop being such a doormat and stand up for yourself fgs!

There's a great cast of characters that are full of intrigue and are quite the 'marmitey' bunch.

The plot is great, full of mystery and intrigue. If you're like me you'll find once you start it's very hard to put down.

Totally enjoyed it and look forward to my next outing with Hayes.

The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes is my first read by this author, but definitely not my last. This psychological/domestic thriller had me turning the pages just as quickly as I could. Jason and Fiona are recently married and with his two daughters, they live a good life, right? There are rules that MUST be followed, but what happens if they are broken? This was full of surprises, twists and turns. Just as I thought I may have something figured out, everything changed. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time. Excited to read more from this author.

Happy reading!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A marriage is only as strong as it's trust. And with these rules supplied, Jason has little faith in his marriage. He also expressed the same possessive rules with his daughters. As you follow the path of the book you find the reason for these asinine rules and the secrets Jason is hiding. The really Main Character nere is the big bad, Jason. Would you stay. Could you if your husband imposed such rules while hiding the deepest of secrets? I thought it was believable, real, but also that the women characters were too naive. It frustrated me to no end with the justifications surrounding Jason's behavior. There was enough twists and turns and a surprising ending to keep me going!

First, I want to thank Samantha Hayes, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Samantha Hayes is back with what I found to be a very different psychological thriller than any other I had read in the past. This one I had mixed feelings with right from the start as Jason Fiona’s husband gave her a list of marriage rules she had to abide by and could not disobey them ever. Not only did Fiona not like these rules but her step daughters didn't either nor did I care for them!!

The two rules I didn't care for the most was you could only grieve for your loved one that passed for an hour on Sunday at 5pm. Why couldn't you grieve before or after then? My other rule I didn't care for was you couldn’t talk about the past. So you couldn't talk about what happened to that loved one to help you heal. I just lost my Dad in December and my heart broke for these two girls who were dealing with this. Not to mention the Step Mom who now has to deal with these rules and has to deal with this odd behavior.

What was he hiding that he didn’t want her or the kids watching the news, no social media, no phones, tablets or internet after 6pm?

How would you feel if your husband gave you strict rules to follow? That’s just what Fiona deals with. Her husband, Jason, has rules for her and their daughters. Are they to protect them or harm them? The twists that this book took at the end did blow my mind. I did not see them coming! This twisty psychological thriller will have you flipping the pages!