Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolis due to be published September 16, 2025.

Hawthorne Lane is the perfect place to live. Or is it? Part Desperate Housewives with a kick! I really enjoyed this book! It told of several families living on Hawthorne Lane and how they all interacted and were involved with each other. Mystery, twists, deceit, lies – all the characteristics of a great thriller! (Just a warning – there is some domestic abuse, but if you skim over it, it’s a great book).


#NetGalley #StephanieDeCarolis #TheHousewivesOfHawthorneLane #Ballantine

this is the story of four women who live on Hawthorne Lane, as a murder investigation intensives, it becomes clear they all have secrets.

The Wives of Hawthorne Lane introduces the reader to multiple characters living on the same influential road. The author intricately weaves their pasts to unfold into a momentous event. One character's past creeps up on her in a haunting way, one woman's marriage is not what other's perceive, there is an affair, a new romance, and much more! Stephanie DeCarolis has created another captivating novel you will NOT be able to put down!!

This has to be the best book that I have read all year. And I read a lot. It has a great story line that kept me captivated and several twists that were very unexpected. It was very well written and I could almost visualize the lives of each person on Hawthorne Lane. Each character had a unique story that ended up blending into one surprising ending. Highly recommend this book

I enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged that I wanted too keep reading to find out what happened next I enjoyed the twists. I would recommend this book and will read her other books.

I’ve read and enjoyed several of Stephanie DiCarolis’ books, particularly her previous novel, “The Perfect Sister,” so I had relatively high expectations for her latest novel, “The Wives of Hawthorne Lane.” Unfortunately, her latest book wasn’t nearly as engaging.

As the title suggests, the book was told primarily from the perspectives of several wives that lived in an exclusive enclave in a suburb within commuting distance of Manhattan. Each of the wives is hiding a secret, some more serious than others. Although several reviewers have compared the novel to the popular TV series, “Desperate Housewives,” unlike the TV show, the women on Hawthorne Lane only have a superficial relationship with each other and not a true friendship.

I did not particularly like the book for several reasons. First, it was fairly boring, consisting primarily of the inner musings of each of the characters. Second, the book described in excruciating detail the physical and emotional abuse suffered by several women in the novel at the hands of the men in their lives. This abuse was described in such detail and so frequently that it became extremely painful to read. The last 20% of the book finally seemed to be getting interesting, but it failed to redeem the other 80% of the novel.

Other readers might be more patient with the slow pace of the book and will appreciate the light shed on abusive relationships. Since DiCarolis’ previous novels were so good, I will continue to follow this author and hope this latest book was simply an aberration in an otherwise excellent body of work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for providing me an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me interested and was well written. It had a good twist that I didn't see coming. It did have some domestic violence, so there should be some trigger warnings.

My Thoughts

From the outside life for people who live on Hawthorne Lane looks envy worthy.

From the inside though, for some of them, it is not even close to being true.

For me, as I delved further into this story, the more its main characters painted the true circumstances of their lives and how difficult things were behind closed doors as compared to what was portrayed in public places I was just waiting for the truth to emerge.

Audrey, Georgina, Hannah and Libby are neighbors who share one common denominator in that all of them have secrets they don’t want to share publicly.

Using multiple viewpoints and timelines the story unfolds a little at a time allowing insight into past and present events until it is over too soon.

The plot twists that unraveled showing how we can make assumptions about others without actually being close to their truth were created and executed leading to a satisfying outcome for both readers and characters in this story in my opinion.

[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

I used to think that living in a cul-de-sac with friendly neighbors would be cool. However, I have now read enough mystery and thriller books to say to myself, nope, not a good idea. So many secrets and lies lie within the walls of the houses on this street. Yet everyone in town is envious of these houses, perfect lawns, and wealthy lives.
But we are given the chance to do more than just drive by. We meet Georgina, Audrey, Libby (personally, my favorite character), and the new neighbor, Hannah.
Every year, a block party is held on Halloween. Only this year, Hawthorne Lane will not be the envy of this town. This year, someone doesn’t make it to November 1. The author dishes out these women’s back stories from each of their POV’s. Some of the secrets I figured out quicker than others, but I was still guessing almost until the last page. I read this outside in my garden, but I have to say, if the weather is still good in the middle of September when this book is published, it would make a great page flipping beach read.

I feel bad for anyone who has to wait until September to read this one 🫣

Stephanie DeCarolis knocked it out of the park with this one! There’s nothing I love more than upscale neighborhoods and housewives with secrets that carry more weight than their diamonds and designer bags. The Wives of Hawthorne Lane gave me everything I love about thrillers/domestic suspense and I had such a hard time putting this one down. The dual POV’s from everyone in the neighborhood was giving me whiplash in the best way possible and the twists had me picking my jaw up off the floor.

Make sure to add this to your TBR and mark your calendars for September 16th!

I LOVED this book! When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. When I finished, I kept reflecting on how I felt and how real the characters emotions were. I went through a roller coaster of emotions from beginning to end. The authors writing kept me engaged, even when there were heavy parts (trigger warnings below). I felt I was right alongside each character and was invested in each one. The characters and their actions were believable (more than some would know). While there was closure, I hope the author continues to write about each woman’s story.

Possible triggers - domestic violence throughout; drug use.

This book was so incredibly suspenseful and full of that’s and turns! I was so shocked by the ending. It was fabulous.

It's full of suspense and unexpected turns. The characters are well-developed, and the pacing is perfect for keeping you hooked. The ending is satisfying, and it's a book that will stay with you long after you finish reading. Definitely a 5/5!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the eARC.
This book reminded me of Wisteria Lane. It's a domestic pot boiler set in an upscale neighborhood with well-to-do women whose lives seem almost perfect ... but underneath the pretty facades there are secrets and much unhappiness.
When a man's bloodied body is found, the bubble bursts.
All in all it's a quick and intriguing read , but one that doesn't linger.
Trigger: domestic abuse.
3 stars rounded up to 3.5

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. It was pretty fast paced. Some good twists and one I even found myself. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. We get to see a sisterhood flourish and see the bad guys get their karma. Of course it's crazy and seems outlandish, but it's a story and an enjoyable one at that. All throughout the book, you're questioning what crime was comitted and what secret Hannah is hiding. We delve into the lives of the four main women and an extra girl too. Now who is this girl? That's kind of how I figured out why Maggie's story was important. It all leads back to her. Some shocks here and there and I think the ending was satisfying. I recommend this if you enjoy some domestic thrillers. There are trigger warnings for domestic violence, abuse, and murder.

Plot spoilers below so I can remember what happened.

Hannah is really Maggie and thinks she killed Dean during the car crash, where she left him there to die. But he didnt die. He found Hannah through Audrey's instagram post and used Libby's dating profile to get to Hannah. Georgina is suffering from abuse from her husband, Colin. Audrey is having an affair with Colin and Colin threatens her when she wants to end things to work on her marriage with her husband, Seth. Libby's husband, Bill, separates from Libby and finds a new girlfriend and gets her pregnant. Libby's son, Lucas, and Georgina's daughter, Christina, are dating and Colin doesnt like that. He threatens Lucas in front of many people. Later on, Christina is mistaken as Hannah and Dean tries to attack her. Christina hits him with a flashlight where Dean falls and hits his head. Hannah finds Christina there and brings her back to Georgina, where Hannah explains how she is actually Melody. All 4 women come up with a plan to put Dean's death on Colin. I honestly dont feel bad for Colin. He should be behind bars. I hope he can never find Georgina and the others. I'm glad Dean is also gone too. Just wish we could've seen Sam show up (he was Maggie's bff) or some kind of closure with Mike, Dean's drug guy, too.

The Wives of Hawthorne Lane was a super surprising read for me. I think this was the first domestic thriller I’ve read this year and it did not disappoint. The story is centered around a seemingly picture perfect cul-de-sac and its equally polished inhabitants who all harbor their fair share of secrets.

The book was smart, intense, and kept me guessing as to where things were going to go. I’ve also never read from this author prior, but will have to see what else she has in her backlist. I would give a 4.5!

I would say to check TW for this book as there are themes of domestic violence.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the author and publisher of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you loved the show Desperate Housewives, this is the ultimate read for you! The intricacies of a suburban friendship with some occasional backstabbing thrown into the mix will keep you riveted to the pages!

This book gave me real house wives of some city is was great a page turner give me more thank you for this read I will recommend

The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolis is a deliciously twisty tale of suburban secrets, simmering resentment, and women finally getting the revenge they deserve. Set against the backdrop of a seemingly idyllic neighborhood with its manicured lawns and glossy facades, this domestic suspense novel peels back the layers of four complex women—each harboring secrets powerful enough to destroy. As Halloween approaches and a murder sends shockwaves through the community, Georgina, Audrey, Libby, and Hannah find themselves tangled in a web of lies, betrayal, and buried truths. DeCarolis masterfully builds tension while delivering jaw-dropping reveals that make this a compulsive, one-sitting read. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies and Desperate Housewives, this novel proves that perfection often comes at a deadly cost.

The wives of Hawthorne was a good “who done it” with four interesting “wives” who had complicated lives in the ideal setting in the ‘burbs. Audrey’s, Georgina, Libby and Hannah each have their own story to tell and the author unfolds the story in a suspenseful way. At the end of some chapters, , I was like…”what??” And had to go back and reread that page! The characters are intertwined with each other in the neighborhood, and you find that out alittle bit at a time. I read an ARC of this book and will be recommending it to friends. I felt a little let down, not with the ending but would have liked more info and detail about the trial. No spoilers!