I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from NetGalley.

This book is not something I’d typically read, as I’m not normally a big fan of thrillers, but this was a “fun” deviation from my usual historical fiction.

I’m very intrigued by the “trad wife” phenomenon and found this book to be a fascinating, despite being fiction, peek into the world of #tradwife influencers.

If you’re intrigued or suspicious of the #tradwife movement and a fan of thrillers, I think you’ll enjoy this book!

Fast paced story with many twists and turns. I enjoyed the social media aspect of this book, the trad wife angle, and the flawed characters.

Madison March has the perfect TradWife Life, or so it seems on her social media feeds. But what is actually going on will have your jaw dropping. As you learn more and more about her story, you won't be able to look away. Her soon-to-be 5 children have a tutor from the East Coast who is learning about these same things as you are, which is really an interesting way to write these things as well. Which POV will you sympathize and relate to the most?

With the TradWife lifestyles coming into the social media scene more in recent months, this book is timely and interesting. I loved reading about the potential secrets and lies that could be happening behind the scenes for an influencer like this.

4 stars all around!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for the opportunity to review this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Tradwife's Secreat is a compelling exploration of the curated world of social media, touching on themes such as influencer culture, family dynamics, motherhood, and the contrast between urban and rural life. It also has serious issues like domestic violence which can be a trigger for some.

The narration by Lauryn Allman is exceptional. Her ability to voice a diverse cast of characters with clarity and nuance adds significant depth to the listening experience. I love her as the narrator for The Housemaid and other Freida McFadden books and she did not disappoint here!

The plot is rich with drama and suspense, featuring a well-executed twist that’s both surprising and satisfying. Highly recommended for those interested in social commentary wrapped in a gripping story.

I'm not a fan of the tradwife craze but this book was a fun, interesting read. Kept me listening well into the night!

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for the early access. Opinions are my own.

Thank you @NetGalley and @HarperAudioAdult for the audio of "The Tradwife's Secret" WOW!! This audio was so captivating. I did not see all the twist and turns coming. The narraters were perfect and kept the suspense through out the whole book. Maddison March had the perfect marriage and life living on a farm and sharing it with all her followers. To find out it was all a LIE. The suspense will keep you wanting more. I highly recommend this audio.

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?”

I couldn't really get into this book dnf its got the basis of a good story but its just not my style of book.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio version. This was such a crazy read!!! We all know social media spins reality but this version of their lives is crazy!!! So good.

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.

Overall a quick easy listen. Characters were ok, and storyline was somewhat interesting. It was overall a little predictable. There were a few parts that surprised me. But overall not a bad listen.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

Told from the perspectives of three women, A Tradwife’s Secret, written by Liane Child and narrated by Lauryn Allman, centers on Madison March—queen of the tradwives and a homesteading influencer living in Big Sky Country. Madison is the picture-perfect domestic goddess online, but as the novel slowly peels back the layers of her life, the truth reveals itself to be far darker.

While I don’t subscribe to the tradwife philosophy that a woman must submit to and serve her husband, I admit to being oddly drawn to that type of content on social media. Perhaps it's the stark contrast to my own ideals—or the aesthetic appeal of a lifestyle I know I could never actually live. Homesteading, with its blend of domesticity and survivalism, fascinates me. But as this novel explores, curated perfection often masks something far more complicated—or disturbing—beneath the surface.

The story is engaging throughout and, while the characters are largely unlikable, they hold your attention. One point of critique: Callie, the March family’s new tutor and one of the three narrators, feels underdeveloped. She seems included primarily to serve as a foil to Madison and to highlight the dysfunction of the March homestead, rather than as a fully realized character in her own right.

Content-wise, this book is not light reading. It deals heavily with themes of misogyny and domestic violence and includes a pregnancy loss. Readers should be prepared for some emotionally challenging moments.

In the end, A Tradwife’s Secret is a dark and compulsively listenable tale that critiques the glossy sheen of influencer culture while unpacking the damage it can conceal. I’d recommend the audiobook version for maximum immersion.

Getting to know these characters was a really interesting experience, especially the detailing of what a "trad wife" is and the expectations placed on women in these roles. It was frustrating, infuriating, and had me shaking my head with the decisions that were made, but ultimately this is what made for a great story. I really went into this blind not knowing what was about to unfold and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. The main character is one that you love to hate, her superficiality and her willing nature to please just really grated on my nerves quite a bit. This had a couple twists that I did not expect and the ending was pretty fantastic in my opinion. Well worth the read.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the ALC!

Considering I am as totally opposite as you can be to a “Tradwife” I can’t believe how much I enjoyed this book. At least it did demonstrate what a fake most ‘influencers” are and hopefully unglorified being a tradwife. I absolutely couldn’t stand Madison but just had to keep listening to understand what kind of hold she had over Laurie. I listened to the audio version and enjoyed the different viewpoints though I couldn’t stand Michael’s voice – but that was probably intentional.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5 - Narration (with Story)
Genre: Psychological Suspense; Domestic Thriller


The title caught my attention because I didn’t know what it meant. I wasn’t really expecting what I got out of this book. When it comes to Audiobook if I don’t like the voice it will lose my attention quickly but Lauryn Allman does a great job switching from character to character had me on the edge of my seat.

Madison is this perfect Mom and Wife to her thousands of followers. She bakes and is the most submissive obedient wife. Cally is a a free spirited young woman running from her problems back home. Brianna is trying to live the amazing homestead wife life with her bf going off what she sees on social media. Everyone has secrets all their stories eventually come together. Even tho I didn’t agree with a lot of the things in this story not really my thing the story teller just gave the drama a level of suspense I couldn’t stop until I saw the end.

4 out of 5 stars! Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for this audiobook of The Tradwife's Secret by Liane Child and narrated by Lauryn Allman.

Wow, talk about perfect timing for this book. This almost reminds me of the Secret Lives of Mormans LOL. Anyways, I really enjoyed this book a lot! I got approved for the physical book too so I followed along with the narrator - who did a fantastic job reading the different characters. I honestly first thought there were more narrators in this story.

Another social media influencer trying to become a big shot. The flash backs and different timeline was interesting and easy to following. Really enjoyed and finished this in about 2 days. The ending was not what I expected and pretty much left me in a smirk haha. Really good and very enjoyable.

Thank you!

I listened to the audiobook on 3X. Could not have gotten through this otherwise. I was primed to dislike it as soon as the author wrote about "the cost of living crisis" -- not a phrase we often use in the US, but very common in the UK. What tipped me over the edge were the Brianna chapters. It's fine to hatefollow tradwife content, but it's pretty clear the author only has a passing familiarity with tradwife culture and the US as a whole. There are cringey people in the UK too, jeez -- write what you know. Speaking of the US, could not one single person have done a localization read on this? Not quite as bad as 50 Shades of Grey -- no tea breaks -- but close. I kept loose track and found around 40 Britishisms sprinkled throughout.

As for notes pertaining specifically to the audiobook, the narrator's accents and voices are execrable. The book is ostensibly set in Montana and Wyoming, but the narrator was doing her best southeastern US accent. Her best was still pretty bad. And the voices for male characters? DO LESS.

"Thanks" I guess to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC lol. I should have just quit and read something better, but I really wanted to see if I was right about what was going on in the book. Sadly, I was.

I absolutely devoured this. I was totally engaged the whole way though. Trad wife influencers in general fascinate me; the idea of portraying such perfect domesticity when so often there are outside forces propping it up.

The characters were really well developed and all of them had flaws, although I was definitely rooting for some over others. I thought the relationships between the male and female characters was really well done, showing the struggle to find the balance of power in these relationships.

I listened to the audio and really enjoyed it. That narrator was so good that I genuinely thought there were multiple narrators and was shocked to find this wasn’t the case. Each character was so distinct.

Madison March is the perfect tradwife, with a social media following in the millions, with people following her perfect homestead life and her perfect family. Things, however, are not what they seem on camera.

ARC Review: The Tradwife’s Secret by Liane Child
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)

Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this gripping novel in advance in exchange for an honest review.

The Tradwife’s Secret is a slow-burn domestic thriller that simmers with tension from the very first page. There’s an eerie undercurrent throughout the entire book—you know something is off, but you can’t quite put your finger on it until it’s too late. And that’s exactly what makes it so compelling.

Callie is a fascinating protagonist. Leaving her old life behind to tutor the March children, she’s clearly running from something—or someone. Her secrets are buried deep, and watching them unravel is part of what makes this such an addictive read.

Then there’s Brianna—young, ambitious, and suspiciously sharp. I couldn’t shake the feeling she was going to become more important than she initially appeared. Possibly even dangerous. And I was not disappointed.

Madison, the so-called tradwife, projects the image of domestic bliss, but it’s painfully obvious she’s anything but content. Trapped in a role that suffocates her, she struggles with her identity and the power her husband holds over her. Michael, the husband in question, is chillingly manipulative—playing mind games, controlling situations with unnerving precision. He’s the kind of character you love to hate.

Liane Child has crafted a web of secrets, lies, and psychological warfare that culminates in a brilliantly executed twist. The ending was immensely satisfying, with the true adversary revealed in a way that felt both surprising and inevitable.

Highly recommended for fans of domestic thrillers that toy with your perceptions and keep you guessing until the very end.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

I really loved this. Its so controversial in some light, but you expect that. I knew Brianna was going to play a big factor, but i didnt see the twist coming. Michael was TRASH. But also thats a given.

The way Madison treated Lori pissed me off. She did not owe her a “debt”. That was the dumbest shit. She SAVED her and her POS exhusband was the one who took her womb from her NOT Lori.

This was so good. And the ending was satisfying.

I love thrillers based in someone's home or neighborhood and this one did not disappoint! Even though I was able to predict the twist, the book was so well written and engaging I was still very impressed.