This book immediately grabbed me with its provocative premise—a chilling yet fascinating dive into the world of modern-day tradwives and the unsettling dynamics that can emerge under the guise of a "simpler" life. As someone intrigued (and often horrified) by this resurgence of hyper-traditional gender roles, I found the concept both timely and deeply compelling.

From the start, the book stirred up visceral emotions. The male characters—particularly one in particular—were appalling in the way they exerted control, which made me repeatedly question whether the story was building toward a twist or rebellion. (Spoiler-free, but I spent much of the book hoping Madison and Lori were secretly plotting something big.)

I really appreciated the use of multiple perspectives. It allowed for a fuller picture of each woman’s motivations, vulnerabilities, and internal conflicts, and helped me stay invested in their arcs. That said, the narrative became a bit chaotic toward the end. There were some abrupt shifts between characters, including one-off POVs that slightly disrupted the pacing and made the final stretch feel somewhat messy.

The last few chapters, though, took a sharp turn into thriller territory—fast, wild, and honestly, a little Anna Delvey-coded. I’m still not entirely sure how I’m supposed to feel, but I was definitely entertained.

Overall, The Trad Wife Secret is a bold, thought-provoking novel that taps into the performative nature of domesticity in the age of social media. The premise is genius, and despite a slightly bumpy ending, it’s a story that will linger in your mind long after you turn the final page.

I am always fascianted to read books about the other side of influcencers and what they may actually be hiding. This book did not disapoointW It was a fun thriller with some twists! If you are looking for a fast, easy thriller read, pick this one up!

I really did not know what to expect when I started reading this book. I apparently live under a rock and was not familiar with the Tradwife phenomenon that is happening right now.

The story was interesting and really showed, which I think is good for everyone to see, that social media accounts and posts are generally fake or embellished most of the time and the book did a good job highlighting that. I really didn't have an emotional connection to any of the characters and the portrayal of Trad wives was very skewed in one direction only. I know that was for the plot progression, but I feel it was very one sided and made all Trad wives out to be this same way.

The mystery and the twist were interesting and the ending was pretty much expected. It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't stellar either. It was just ok for me.

The Tradwife’s Secret by Liane Child sounded like a book I was going to absolutely devour. The entire idea of a life that was perfect but turned out to be a lie. I wanted to like at least one of the characters in the story, but I really could not find one. I like books that leave characters in my mind long after I have finished the book and make me curious what they are doing.
Thank you NetGalley, Harper 360 and Liane Child for the copy of the book The Tradwife’s Secret. This is my personal review.

After more than a decade, the @_TrulyMadison_ account is gone. While her many fans mourn, the haters are ready to celebrate. Was the violence at the March family homestead a tragedy – or the inevitable conclusion of a toxic lifestyle?

Before the headlines, Madison March was the face of tradwife perfection – baking sourdough, picking herbs from her garden, raising beautiful, well-behaved children, and sharing it all with millions of devoted followers. But behind the picture-perfect feed, her marriage is fraying fast, and the lies she’s told – to her audience and herself – are becoming harder to hold together.

Told through three sharply contrasting perspectives, The Tradwife’s Secret explores the dark side of curated domesticity and the blurry line between performance and control. In addition to Madison, there’s Brianna – a new homesteader desperate to replicate her idol’s online life, only to find that real life is far messier. And there’s Cally – a private tutor from the East Coast who’s agreed to educate the March children in exchange for a hefty bonus, but who’s starting to question whether her silence is worth the paycheck.

This is a twisty, fast-moving domestic thriller that plays with social media personas and tradwife aesthetics in a smart, engaging way. I especially enjoyed the structure – the intercut perspectives added momentum, and the “Greek chorus” of comments at the top of Madison’s chapters was a clever, efficient device for showing how public opinion both fuels and feeds off her curated life. While I found some of the male characters a little too one-note in their toxicity, I understand the point being made – though I would’ve loved to see the men written with the same nuance the women were given. That said, there’s a well-timed twist late in the story that genuinely caught me off guard. Some moments felt a bit rushed or heightened for drama, but I think that’s part of what makes this a solid “popcorn” thriller – fast, sharp, and designed to keep you turning the pages. Overall, a fun and thought-provoking read with some bite.

Recommended for readers who enjoy domestic thrillers with a satirical edge, particularly fans of stories about influencers, messy marriages, and the hidden costs of keeping up appearances.

OMG!!! This is way more than I expected. It was a page turner, which left me speechless and surprised.

The plot follows the story of Madison March, a tradwife influencer, and what goes on behind the scenes of her carefully crafted life.

It explores gender roles in marriage, ‘dangers’ of believing everything on social media and examines some topics/ events which may be triggering for some.

This was twisty and full of drama, flair and turns. I did not see anything coming. The author kept up with the entertaining till the very last page. I love the multiple points of view.

If you love a twisty domestic thriller then you should read this.

Thank you @harpercollins360 for an advanced copy via NetGalley. The review is mine and voluntary.

"Her life is perfect. Her life is a lie."

The Tradwife's Secret by Liane Child is a fast-paced domestic thriller with an inside look at the tradwife culture and social media.

Madison March is a mother of 4 children and she showcases her beautiful homesteading life for her millions of followers online. Carefully curated reels show Madison and the kids pulling chicory root for coffee and beautiful sourdough bread that always rises. When Cally accepts a tutoring position for the Marchs, she can't wait to get a behind the scenes look at the content that she sees online. But soon after moving in for her 1 year live in contract, Cally realizes that the picture perfect facade online is nowhere close to real life in the March house.

This was a great read!! I really enjoyed the look at the tradwife culture and how social media is so curated these days. There are definitely some tough topics discussed including: DV, SA and pregnancy loss, so just be aware and protect your peace! Some of the ideologies are hard to read but that is the reality of the beliefs of some. One thing that did throw me a bit was that the book was supposed to be set in Montana but some of the phrases, spellings and dates were written like it is in the UK. Overall this was an absolute page turner with a jaw dropping twists at the end and I highly recommend checking it out!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Liane Child, and Harper360 for this ARC!! Publication date is May 27th 2025.

Wait
Hold on
Sorry
I actually ate this up?
Why? I don’t know.

First of its kind for me. For anyone? Idk.

I was sucked in by the title so I didn’t expect this to be a thriller but I’m so happy it was.

Hyper realistic. I was so sucked in that for the first like 80% I had to remind myself this wasn’t MY life. Such good writing.

Also WHERE WERE THE TRIGGER WARNINGS. I feel like there’s stuff in this book that would really fuck some people up. Pls.

Note to the publisher: There was a plot hole at the end where it says Rose gave something to Madison that I don’t think actually happened.

Really thankful for NetGalley providing these copies.

Wow. I couldn't put this one down. I had heard of this book on booktok before being approved for a NetGalley Arc. It definitely lived up to the hype. It was fast paced and made me feel enraged at some points but overall, I enjoyed it! Madison was so self-absorbed and Michael was just such an unlikeable, miserable, disrespectful POS. I found the dynamic between Madison and Lori very interesting. At some point, I did have a slight clue where the book was heading but overall it was a great read. I've seen the tradwife movement on tiktok and the content creators with the seemingly perfect life - well dressed in their clean kitchens while making picture perfect food. It really makes you realize how much of what you see on social media is staged and fake and behind those women is probably a team of people making that 10 second reel come to life. The story line was different from other thriller's I've read recently, and I definitely appreciated the take on content creators/social media/the tradwife movement.

I would recommend this book to friends.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 Stars) The Tradwife’s Secret

I really enjoyed this book. Y’all, I stayed up all night to finish this, and that should tell you something lol. I loved the concept of the Trad Wife lifestyle with an influencer twist. It was interesting seeing the behind-the-scenes of a so-called perfect life. The book has 3 POVs: Madison March, Brianna Nelson, and Cally. I really liked how each Madison chapter started with a comment from her infamous Instagram page. You dance between whether you like Madison or if you hate her. There were times in the book I was SCREAMING because I just wanted her to stand up for herself.
-There are trigger warnings such as: Domestic violence, sexual assault.
There were a few plot holes once we started to get answers. They were lazily filled towards the end to have everything make sense, could’ve been done a little better but I’m not mad at it. Overall, I still had a GREAT time reading this book. It was the type of thriller I haven’t read before, and it now makes me want more!
And the TWIST….INSANE! Jaw on the floor!
I would like to thank Netgalley and Harper 360 for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

2.75🌟

Madison March is a #tradwife with millions of followers. She comes across as perfect in every way. But behind the filters and camera-ready makeup is a life full of lies, some of which are returning to haunt her.

I pretty much abhor the whole tradwife thing, especially when it's treated like an aesthetic or something 🤮. I read this because I thought it would be interesting to see the dark "behind the scenes" of influencer life and what can go wrong, despite this book being a work of fiction. I didn't hate this book, but I think I expected more. Or, I at least expected to like/respect perhaps one or more of the characters. It was just challenging to do so. Madison and her husband are both fairly despicable people. Even Cally and Lori felt rather one-dimensional and blah to me. It wasn't bad, though. Pacing-wise, it was a quick read.

Recommended for people who might idolize influencers a little too much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the ARC.

This book was okay. It was very suspenseful and time consuming, I was very invested untill the end and it just didn’t give what I thought it should give. I’m not disappointed but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have time to kill then it would be a good book for you.

**Review of *The Tradwife’s Secret* by Liane Child**

I was completely captivated by *The Tradwife’s Secret*, a gripping domestic thriller that exposes the dark reality behind a picture-perfect social media facade. Liane Child delivers a timely story about Madison Marsh, a viral "tradwife" influencer who portrays an idyllic life of homemade bread, cozy family moments, and rustic Montana charm. But when Cally, a tutor hired from the East Coast, enters the Marsh household, she discovers disturbing truths hidden beneath the carefully crafted illusion of perfection.

This book is a brilliant blend of suspense and social commentary, unraveling the dangers of influencer culture with slow-burning tension. Child’s writing is immersive, and the twists are expertly executed, culminating in an ending that will leave readers stunned. Fans of Freida McFadden, Jeneva Rose, or Lisa Jewell will find this impossible to put down. With its sharp insights and shocking revelations, *The Tradwife’s Secret* is destined to be one of the summer’s most talked-about thrillers.

I give it 5 stars out of 5. An absolute must-read for anyone fascinated by the dark side of curated online lives. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the ARC.

4.5/5 Stars! Thanks NetGalley and Harper 360 for this eARC of The Tradwife's Secret by Liane Child.

I really enjoyed this book, I got approved for the audiobook and decided to listen while reading the book and really enjoyed it! I don't know for sure if I would've enjoyed this book without the audio book because I loved the narrator that ended up reading this novel. This is my first book by this author and really enjoyed the plot and characters that were built in the story.

Really enjoyed and following this author for her next novel! Thanks!

A marriage is between two people—and their millions of followers.

In The Tradwife’s Secret, Liane Child peels back the curtain on the seemingly picture-perfect life of Madison March, the internet’s ideal homesteading wife. With sourdough starters, homegrown vegetables, and golden sunsets over a Montana farm, Madison’s world is straight out of a lifestyle influencer’s dream. But as the story unfolds, we discover that the reality behind the curated posts is far messier—and far more compelling.

This book is a sharp, timely commentary on the pressures and illusions of social media. Madison’s perfectly filtered life hides a web of secrets, and as the cracks begin to show, the narrative explores themes of identity, authenticity, and the consequences of living for an audience. What I appreciated most was how Child deftly shows how easy it is to get caught up in comparing ourselves to someone else's carefully managed highlight reel.

I experienced this story both as an ebook and through the excellent audiobook narration by Lauryn Allman. Allman brings the characters vividly to life—Madison, Brianna, Cally, and Lori all have distinct voices and personalities that deepen the emotional impact of the story. Her performance adds texture and realism, especially as the tension builds and the truth begins to unravel.

While the plot occasionally leaned into familiar territory, the characters and pacing kept me engaged throughout. Madison’s descent into disillusionment—and her fight to reclaim her voice—made for a gripping read that felt both personal and reflective of wider societal truths.

A solid 4 stars. The Tradwife’s Secret is a gripping reminder that perfection is often a performance, and reality is rarely as tidy as a grid of Instagram squares. Highly recommended for anyone who’s ever found themselves scrolling and wondering, “Why isn’t my life like that?”

This was really just not for me.

The characters were all so extreme (too manly, too fake, too naive, etc.). I felt like everything here was just too much. I also felt that it was incredibly choppy.

3.5 stars

This book gives ballerina farm vibes… IYKYK.

Quick, easy, attention grabbing read. I enjoyed the different POVs. Kept it interesting and not super predictable. Towards the end it did get a little confusing switching back and forth. There were a couple of times I had to put it down, because the men in this book made me irrationally angry. Once things ramped up I couldn’t put the book down. Madison’s POV at the end was spectacular and quite a twist.

**Special thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: The Trad Wife’s Secret
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this absolute gem.

This one had me hooked from the first page—The Trad Wife’s Secret is twisty, clever, and totally unputdownable. Just when I thought I had it figured out… BAM. The plot shifted, and I was completely spun around (in the best way). The premise is bold, the pacing is tight, and that final reveal? Chef’s kiss.

I loved how it played with image, identity, and what goes on behind the perfectly curated life. It’s domestic suspense with bite—glossy on the outside, dark as hell underneath. And yet somehow, it still felt real. Relatable, even.

A smart, juicy thriller with something to say. Five stars from me. I’ll be recommending this one to all my fellow plot twist junkies.

I was completely hooked by this book from the start. The storytelling was sharp and addictive, with each chapter peeling back another layer of secrets I didn’t see coming. It kicks off with what seems like a picture-perfect housewife—her life looks straight out of a lifestyle blog—but that glossy image quickly begins to crack. When a new staff member enters the picture, things shift in the most deliciously unexpected ways. Both women have secrets, and watching them circle around each other kept me on edge the entire time.

What I loved most is how the story builds its tension—there’s always that sense that something’s just beneath the surface. The twists were clever, and just when I thought I had things figured out, the plot swerved again. It’s one of those thrillers where almost every character has something to hide, and I couldn't stop flipping the pages to uncover what was really going on. If you’re into layered mysteries with social media facades, hidden pasts, and slow-burn suspense, this one’s totally worth your time.

This absolutely addictive thriller will leave you guessing until the very end! In the age of social media can you really believe everything you see online? Great plot and characters in this twisty turny and unputdownable read!