Thanks to Netgalley for the free audiobook of this new release. I had this on my TBR, so I was excited to see a copy of it in my inbox. Three menopausal plot to have their husbands "taken care of" by a hitman who happens to be the husbands' barber. What happens along the way, NO one sees coming...

A witty, laugh out loud at times ride. I'd consider this a "cozy" thriller because it's not extreme or scary. Overall a really cute and actually heartwarming story. Giving this one a 4/5.

I really enjoyed this, I expected a happy enough ending throughout and got what I expected there, but was unexpectedly impressed by how the stakes were kept up and the characters were kept flawed but likeable. There is a trend of older folks having adventures lately, and was cautious because some are better than others. This is one of the better ones, and will keep an eye out for the author's work going forward.

This story about wives planning to off their husbands so they can retire to Florida and live together in peace was so much more. There were twists, funny moments, and the pace was perfect. I couldn't stop listening. It has dark humor and a cozy mystery vibe. Loved every minute of it. Narration was perfect. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC audiobook.

5 star read! Delightfully intriguing and fun!

The premise of the book is hilarious - Women in a friend group decide to off their husbands in order to receive their life insurance payouts. Little do the women know, their husbands are working on a plan of their own...

There were many twists and turns that the author weaved into the story flawlessly. Every time I thought I understood the situation something else was thrown into the mix that made it even more interesting.

I listened to this on audiobook and would definitely recommend that format. It did take a few chapters to get a good idea of who all the characters were, but eventually they all clicked into place.

Very interesting read… and, thoughts on retirement! 🤣
AND…I just saw that this is her debut novel! So, looking forward to more from this funny author!

There’s a group of friends who’ve been together for many years…and are actually looking forward to enjoying their ‘golden’ years. But, one of the husbands had a ‘sure thing’ that he asked all his friends to invest in…and, just like that… all their hopes and dreams went up in flames…

So now, they are a bit more crabby. A hint more cynical. And, they’re not really buying any of the fairytale stuff…

A few of them work together at a casino… and they come up with their own kind of retirement plan’. Of course, without letting the wives in on their ideas…

And then one day, one of the husbands winds up DEAD with a casino chip on his chest!
The others are convinced that someone found out their plans… and killed him… and they will surely be coming after them next!

And so it begins! And I’m going to STOP RIGHT HERE ! 🛑

And yes, the above was only just the opening of this crazy, laugh filled book!

You will laugh. You will get a bit nervous. You might even bite some nails… but in the end, you’ll be happy that you had the opportunity to read this one!!

And again… DEBUT NOVEL!! So, we have a lot to look forward to! 🤞🏼🤞🏼

4 big bright, hilarious 🌟🌟🌟🌟 for me!

#TheRetirementPlan by @SueHincenbergs. Narrated nicely by @KiiriSandy and @JohnPirhalla.

*** THIS WAS RELEASED IN MAY, SO IF IT’S SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO YOU, PLEASE… LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON SHELVES NOW!!***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarperAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

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The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs is a cheeky, darkly comedic romp about a group of longtime friends who take “’til death do us part” a little too literally. While the premise of suburban wives plotting to off their husbands for the insurance money is entertaining and full of potential, the execution felt uneven at times. Some characters were more developed than others, and the pacing dragged in places. That said, the dual narration by Kiiri Sandy and John Pirhalla added personality and clarity to the shifting perspectives, helping keep the story moving. It had its moments of clever wit and sharp irony, but overall, this was an average read for me.

I throughly enjoyed listening to this book, great narrator. The story is cutesy in the way a sweeter murder mystery story goes. It is a very complicated story with many complex characters (try to remember everyone's name), but I could not stop. I finished it in a day! I loved the ending for a murder mystery, we weren't left 'hanging' or 'shocked'.

This story follows three best friends who turn to murder in order to collect their husbands’ life insurance policies. This is the type of book where you will find a Netflix flim on it. This was a fun, quirky mystery book that was weirdly amazing. The storyline was a bit dramatic but it was also entertaining. I liked the setting and the three friends.
I liked the conflicts and the plot twist was interesting. It truly gave off a real mystery comedy story with the way everything was balanced out. This book is told from multiple pov.

I won’t go into each character or this would be long. But I enjoyed most of the characters in the book. They’re morally grey and honestly, you can’t trust who they are. I would say with the multiple povs, it was hard to keep track of all the characters and their story but eventually, I figured it out. The side characters were mainly okay but they did their parts in the book. I loved the found family aspect of this book and how it didn’t go to any part in the romance field.

The ending was well done and overall, I really enjoyed this book. Hincenbergs is a fantastic writer and I will for sure read their future books. This book is a bit dark but it has a dark rumor which I know readers will love. I recommend checking out this story especially during the summer season.

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

This was such a fun book. I laughed out loud multiple times. Talk about two points of view! I would reoffend this to anyone looking for a good laugh and fun twists!!

I listened to the audiobook. I loved this book! There are a lot of moving parts, so the beginning took a bit to fully grasp the characters. But once I did, I was all in. The story took so many twists and turns, I was hooked, I listened to it in one day.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This book was hilarious. Everyone has their own plans and none of them are going correctly. It’s such a fun time for anyone wanting some suspense and mystery but enjoying the lightheartedness of it all.

I absolutely loved The Retirement Plan! This book had me laughing out loud and nodding my head in agreement more times than I can count. (Too bad I couldn’t explain my giggles to my husband next to me whose bed is shaking with laughter) It’s the perfect mix of outrageous comedy and honest reflections on long-term marriage, friendship, and life after fifty.

I could completely relate to wanting to murder a husband over something as sacred as leftover Pad Thai, honestly, this is so accurate! And when one wife said her husband was only good for putting up a Christmas tree, but now that she got a good artificial one on sale, he’s useless? Hysterical and a little bit true!

What really made this book was the bond between the women. Hincenbergs absolutely nails the decades long female friendship you hopefully have had the privilege to experience:

“In our 20s, we protected our friends from getting roofied. In our 60s, we protect them from doing old-lady stuff; and tell them when to pluck their chin hairs.”

This story is incredibly unbelievable but underneath the humor is a lot of truth. The plot is far-fetched but the emotions are spot on and underneath the humor there is a ton of truth.

I loved how everything wrapped up so neatly in the end and really appreciated the bonus chapter after the epilogue.

I highly recommend this to anyone who’s been married a long time and is creeping up on (or already living) retirement life. Younger readers and Newlyweds (and probably long term husbands) might not get half the jokes. But for those of us who’ve lived it, this book is a riot and a reminder that sisterhood, sarcasm, and criminal mischief might make the retirement plan!

Going into this book, I was expecting a witty, funny, and entertaining story. The book summary was an instant click for me. The premise and plot had great potential, and the story itself was original. The author did set up a strong and promising storyline.
However, the execution didn’t quite hit its mark for me. While the plot had its strong points, I found it difficult to connect with the characters and the overall narrative. I felt disjointed as a reader.
The story had moments where it felt like it was on the verge of becoming something memorable, but it never quite got there. I think readers looking for a light, quirky read might still find this to be the read for them.

This book was hilarious! I absolutely loved the way the author wrote all these story lines that intersect in the best ways. The wives had their own agenda, but the chaos the husbands created was just as fun. I highly recommend checking out this debut.

If "The Golden Girls" watched Mr. & Mrs. Smith, it would go like this.

When a husband from a tight-knit friend group dies in a freak accident, Pam receives the insurance payout of her dreams, thanks to her husband's job at the casino. She can finally retire after her husband and his friends lost the money due to a bad investment years ago. Her friends, Nancy, Shalisa, and Marlene, not only lost their retirement savings but also the spark in their marriages long ago. While Pam is away to close a deal at Boca Raton, the three friends decide to follow the same retirement plan at their husband's expense. While the wives are plotting murder, their husbands are hatching an even riskier scheme to make a fortune where they risk their careers at the casino. As the wives and husbands put their plans in motion (each unknowingly hiring the same hitman, Hector), chaos ensues, and more facts are revealed, leading the couples to question if the money is worth the loss.

Again, this book feels like the lost episode or spinoff of "The Golden Girls." I have heard of cozy mysteries, but is there a genre called cozy thriller?

The book reminds me of the sitcom, not only because the characters are living in their golden years, but if everyone had ONE honest heart-to-heart, then the wives wouldn't consider murdering their husbands. However, the book wouldn't have been as entertaining to read; every chapter brings a new twist that sheds light on the couple's feelings for each other while adding more risk to their plans.

It's hilarious to me that the only couple who have the healthiest relationship is the hitman, Hector, and his wife, Brenda. If I had to choose which couple to base my relationship on, it would be them. The most relatable character in the book is Padma, the new hire at the casino, who is trying to girl-boss her way to a promotion, unaware that her coworkers suspect she's onto them.

This book is a comedic, cozy mystery perfect for reading at the beach or a staycation. I listened to this on an audiobook, and I enjoyed Kiiri Sandy and John Pirhalla as narrators. It was my first time listening to both of them, and they did an excellent job.

Thank you, NetGalley, for sending me the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book would be somewhat similar to the book Killers of a Certain Age. And while it was funny and a bit quirky, I had a hard time letting myself believe it. I find it very hard to believe that instead of talking about problems or making any logical progress on marital troubles, these women resorted to finding a hitman.

I do think it is a fun little book and a quick read, but I just couldn't fall into the world as easily as I would have liked. Also, the audiobook meant that sheer amount of name-dropping in the first part of the book made it immensely confusing as to who was who. There are four women and then their husbands, as well as other minor characters.

I loved this book! Based on the synopsis, I thought this was going to be a funny/quirky story. However, it was really about four couples and their communication problems within the marriage.

The story revolves around four couples who have been friends for many years. Hank, Larry, Andre, and Dave somehow lost their entire retirement savings (this was never fully explained) which has created a rift in their relationships with their wives (Pam, Nancy, Shalisa, and Marlene). When Dave is found dead in his garage, his widow discovers that he has taken out numerous insurance policies and she is now set for life. When the other women hear about this, they decide that they should hire a hitman to kill their husbands. They end up hiring the hitman (the local barber), paying him a down payment, and then decide that they cannot go through with the hit. However, it is too late! The men went out fishing after Dave's funeral and the boat is blown up. No bodies are found, but the men are presumed dead. The women call the insurance company and found out that their husbands had cancelled their insurance policies right before the accident. Instead of walking away with millions like Marlene, they now cannot afford to pay the hitman, still have no retirement savings, and regret their decision to hire a hitman. Don't worry, the story ends with a happy ending!

This was a fun and quick listen. If you like quirky characters, ridiculous but funny plot points, and old people behaving badly, this book will be for you. Is it believable? Not really. Is it fun? Absolutely yes. I liked all the characters even if I didn't like their motivations or decisions at times. I also like the chapters from the barber's POV. It was unexpected and a neat glimpse into his motivations. Why wasn't this 5 stars? There were some stereotypical characters that were borderline racist - the hitman was from a gang in Ecuador and married to a very stereotypical Italian woman. Some of the shenanigans of the older characters was a bit ridiculous and almost caricatures (the mean, rich, snobby neighbor, the philandering husband, etc). The ending was fine. But SPOILER........ no one gets in trouble for literally any of the illegal things they do. So, if you are looking for something realistic, this isn't the book for you. But if you are willing to suspend your disbelief a little bit, then you will enjoy the ridiculousness of this story.

The Retirement Plan was a fun, fast-paced read that kept me entertained. I really appreciated the short chapters—they made it easy to keep going—and the humor throughout was a definite highlight. The plot was creative and engaging, especially the way every characters seemed to be scheming to get their hands on money.

However, the book wasn’t quite what I expected. Based on the title and synopsis, I thought this would center more on elderly characters, but the way they spoke and acted made them seem much younger. I also went in thinking it would primarily focus on women killing their husbands, but there was a lot going on, and the story felt a bit scattered at times.

I also would’ve liked to see more development around the first death—its background seemed important, but it was never really explored until the very last chapter. And the ending didn’t fully land for me; it felt a bit rushed and unresolved.

Overall, this is still a funny, offbeat, and entertaining read. If you enjoy quirky plots and don’t mind a little chaos, you’ll likely have a good time with this one. Just go in with an open mind—it’s not quite the story the synopsis sets you up for.

This book is actually really entertaining.

Pam, Nancy, Shalisa and Marlene are four best friends looking forward to retirement, having a comfortable life while also enjoying each other's company. Hank, Larry, Andre and Dave are all the idiot husbands who have prevented Pam, Nancy, Shalisa and Marlene's dream of this fantastic retirement. At least that's true until Dave is killed in a freak accident.

After Dave's accident, Marlene, the grieving widow, is packing up and leaving their quaint little town and she's moving to Florida! This move and freedom have the wives thinking, and now they're coming up with the retirement plan of their own. Now Pam, Nancy and Shalisa know the husbands have a pretty hefty life insurance policy. Pam, Nancy and Shalisa are now looking into the possibility of hiring a hitman to take out the husbands.

Hank, Larry, Andre and Dave all had a retirement plan of their own, they haven't revealed all of their plan to their wives, they just need a little more time. Unfortunately, in the wake of Dave's death, Hank, Larry and Andre fear their plan may come crumbling down.

This is a wild ride for these wives and husbands. I did find myself amused with this book the entire time. Lots of laugh out loud moments. I would definitely recommend this one if you like thrillers but also like the occasional laugh.

I did read this as a mix of book and audiobook.

Kiiri Sandy is easy to understand, gives distinction to each character. I liked how she used distinctions between each character, so it was easy to follow who she was portraying.
John Pirhalla was also easy to understand. He also delivered with distinctions between each character. Easy to understand, volume was perfect, I didn't have any issues understanding either narrator.

Thank you to William Morrow for supplying me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review and to NetGalley and HarperAudio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.