Thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutire for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Jason and Fiona are newly married after the death of his wife. They have moved away from the town where he was a doctor and she was a nurse and are living in the country with his two daughters. They live by a very extreme set of rules that they live by which could be considered abusive by same people.

Well I definitely did not figure out what was going on here and it most mostly an entertaining journey to get to the bottom of it. There were some jaw dropping reveals. My only issue is that when I read something so surprising I wonder if everything I read leading up to it really makes sense with the reveal. It probably did and I didn’t go back to check but that concern always gives me pause. Either way, it was an entertaining book and this author has had many of those which is why I keep reading her novels.

Very gripping. Lots of things that I didn’t see coming. Right to the end. Hard to put down. Thanks @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.will keep looking out for this author.

Wow! The plot twist is insaneeee and kind of disturbing. I absolutely loved it!! One of the best books I've read in a while. Highly recommend.

"𝑾𝒆'𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘...𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔. 𝑾𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒈𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕. 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒖𝒔...𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒔."

Structure, order, and rules are needed in society, and I'm sure they're also needed in successful marriages. However, the list of marriage rules that the prologue opens with had me shaking my head in disbelief. Who would agree to such things?

Jason and his new wife Fiona created the rules, and they live by them. Newly married after the death of Jason's wife, Fiona not only has to serve as wife, she also has to serve as mother to Jason's two daughters. The rules are harsh, stifling, and puzzling, especially after realizing the children are involved in following some of them as well.

I was completely taken off guard by the direction the story went, and while you must suspend quite a bit of disbelief, if you like dark, twisted thrillers, this one will definitely do it for you. Thank you to Bookouture for the early copy. This title will publish April 9, 2025.

There was one shock factor, but the rest of the book was very predictable and I had to really force myself to finish the book.

This is a dark and twisted thriller which will have you gasping from start to finish.

The Marriage Rules are clearly defined things by which Jason and his new wife Fiona live by. Recently married and now living with his two daughters after the death of their mother, their rules seem intolerable to me. Indeed to any sane person, especially towards two vulnerable children. As we move into the story the background of both protagonists has the reader going back and forth as to who has done or said what to whom and watching the lives play out and descend into the final chapters is dark and thrilling.

Hateful situation at the start which becomes more understandable as the book progresses and the reader can see beneath the surface of the family and their history.

Good read for those who enjoy a dark, domestic thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a ride! It kept me guessing and included unexpected twists. I was asking myself 'What is going on here?' throughout!
It was definitely dark but overall kept my attention.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

This book was another hit from the author. It is a fast read mystery filled with page turning suspense. The characters were well developed. The twist and turns will surprise the reader. This is a book which I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

Well this is a full on stonker of a thriller!! Domestic control and things not quite what they seem, I raced through this. As for the twists, WOW!

Every book I've read by Samantha Hayes I have really enjoyed, so I got quite excited when I saw her name again. I was hooked from the beginning. Leaving my husband and dog downstairs and sneaking off to bed to read more and more. It was totally unpredictable, unexpected ending and edge of your seat type stuff. Highly recommended for anyone that enjoys a good Mystery/Thriller or Domestic Thriller. I can't wait to see what Samantha writes next!

This was so hard to put down!! Full of twists and turns. I absolutely did not expect the biggest one. Very quick, easy, and fast paced thriller.

This book absolutely blew my mind! What a plot twist!

Newlyweds Fiona and Jason move into their new home, with Jason's two daughters, after his first wife was killed in a road traffic accident. The rules are clear - and very controlling! But Fiona knows she has to abide by them if the marriage is going to work.

The timeline switches between past and present and when the truth starts to emerge, there are several definite gasp out loud moments, but the final HUGE twist had me floored! Never, in a million years, could I have predicted that one! Well played, Samantha Hayes, that was a blinder!

The prologue was enough to have me 100% committed to not stopping reading until I'd finished the book. The fast paced plot, intriguing and well written characters kept me totally immersed and once Id finished it, it was playing on my mind for the rest of the day. This is one that will stay with me for a long time - I'm still in shock!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Samantha Hayes and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Wow this book is one that will have your head spinning. It’s so hard to describe without spoiling it but this is a great mystery of a thriller that will keep catching you out. We meet our main characters Jason and Fiona who are a doctor and nurse in a secure mental health unit. There is an instant attraction and they fall for each other the only issue is he’s married but not that that problem has gone away they can finally start a new life with their two children as long as everyone follows the marriage rules to the letter. A great read I could not put down!

I was hooked from the start of this twisty thriller. At first I assumed it would be a story about a controlling husband and submissive wife but the plot turned out to be a lot darker and more intense. The lines between real and unreal blur as the story unfolds leading up to a jaw-dropping ending. Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fiona Fisher lives a quiet and contented existence. A former nurse who married Jason, the doctor of her dreams, she is now a mother to his two daughters and living in the sort of cosy village home she’d always wished for.

Life is pretty much perfect in every way…… or is it!
This is an engrossing page turner with striking imagery and breakneck twists. The author has a crisp writing style which guides readers through this layered and innovative thriller. It was a treat to read.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The storyline is something a little different to what i have read of late.
Interesting and fast paced with well written characters.
I wouldn't say i was engrossed but overall a decent read.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

The Marriage Rules follows Fiona's unique marriage to Jason, a widower. He's set a list of rules which their family must obey, or else! They live a cosy life in a small village together with Jason's daughters. One day, Fiona starts breaking the rules after she receives anonymous notes, which Jason then discovers. Why didn't Fiona tell Jason someone's threatening her? And why is their neighbour Sacha always trying to insert herself into their dynamics?

This book is very different to what's out there. It starts with the peculiar set of rules Jason has imposed on Fiona and his family. Fiona and Jason officially met in the hospital where they both worked, although in reality they'd previously met in their local pub. Jason had told Fiona about his marriage rules at the pub, and not only was Fiona totally fine with that but it also made him seem more alluring. A few months later, they're already married and living as a happy family with his daughters who aren't allowed to grieve and even have to call Fiona mum. Fiona's teenage step-daughter isn't happy about that and even tells Fiona what we're all thinking.

The Story is told from various POVs. Fiona from 3rd POV, Jason from 3rd POV, and Fiona's 1st POV as she remembers how they met and eloped, and Jason's 1st POV as he reminisces about it, too.

The setting of the book was great and I loved playing the guessing game. Is Jason who he claims he is? Why does he have all these weird rules? What happened to his deceased wife? Why was Fiona dismissed from her previous job? Actually, is Fiona who she claims she is?

This was an absolute page-turner and the end was great!

Wow, just wow. After finishing this brilliant novel I'm still processing the plot. It's not often I'm blindsided by a book but this one had plenty of "what the heck" moments.
The marriage rules seemed bizarre, I constantly wondered why Fiona was allowing Jason to control her and their daughters in this way. His actions appeared sinister and creepy.
The novel is fast paced, and littered with red herrings. I was taken aback many times. It's my favourite Samantha Hayes novel to date.

This is a cannot put down novel. Suspenseful and mysterious. This talented author has written a page turner. Red herrings kept me guessing. The ending was not easily discerned. Do not miss this book. Curl up in front of a fire with a warm blanket, and become lost in this story of intrigue. Warning: one surprise after another…innovative story… Thanks Netgalley.

This book had me at the prologue, I knew it was going to be good when I read the list of ridiculous rules that I certainly couldn’t stick too! I loved this book, great writing, lots of suspense, twists and a great plot. I would highly recommend it. I can’t wait to read more by this author. Thanks !