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The Wife's House
The perfect house or the perfect lie?
The moment my husband showed me Cliffside—a sleek and modern glass home perched on the edge of the jagged Big Sur clifftops—I fell in love. And right there and then I made a pact with myself. I am never leaving this house.
But when my husband was killed on the perilous roads leading up to the house, weeks after we moved in, I had a decision to make—leave the home I love and start a new life or stay and shut myself off from the world? I am never leaving this house.
As I pieced together my shattered life, my mind began to play tricks on me. Footsteps along the beach, leading to my home, then blood-red flowers left on my doorstep with a note that read Looking at you. So I retreated back to the safety of my glass refuge once again. I am never leaving this house.
But now, as I stare out of the towering windows of my perfect home, I know there is someone out there staring back. I know that they are watching my every move, waiting to make me pay for my past mistakes.
This pulse-racing psychological thriller from USA Today bestselling author, Arianne Richmonde, will have you hooked from the very first page. If you are a fan of The Woman in the Window, Gone Girl and Netflix’s You, you will love The Wife’s House. Prepare to stay up all night!
The moment my husband showed me Cliffside—a sleek and modern glass home perched on the edge of the jagged Big Sur clifftops—I fell in love. And right there and then I made a pact with myself. I am never leaving this house.
But when my husband was killed on the perilous roads leading up to the house, weeks after we moved in, I had a decision to make—leave the home I love and start a new life or stay and shut myself off from the world? I am never leaving this house.
As I pieced together my shattered life, my mind began to play tricks on me. Footsteps along the beach, leading to my home, then blood-red flowers left on my doorstep with a note that read Looking at you. So I retreated back to the safety of my glass refuge once again. I am never leaving this house.
But now, as I stare out of the towering windows of my perfect home, I know there is someone out there staring back. I know that they are watching my every move, waiting to make me pay for my past mistakes.
This pulse-racing psychological thriller from USA Today bestselling author, Arianne Richmonde, will have you hooked from the very first page. If you are a fan of The Woman in the Window, Gone Girl and Netflix’s You, you will love The Wife’s House. Prepare to stay up all night!
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2020
About the author
Arianne Richmonde
43 books928 followersARIANNE RICHMONDE is the USA TODAY bestselling author of the psychological thrillers, THE WIFE'S HOUSE and THE NEWLYWEDS (published by Bookouture, Hachette UK), and suspense and romance.
Her Pearl series has sold more than half a million copies worldwide. Her stories are always character-driven and full of unexpected twists and turns.
Apart from writing about the passions and fragilities of human nature, she loves to spend time with her husband and their animals, including a femme fatale Husky with one blue eye and one golden eye. Arianne's a chocaholic and sometimes sneaks off to sunny, exotic locations, all in the name of research.
For updates on new releases, sales and giveaways please sign up for her Newsletter by going to: https://bit.ly/2ZoRQVx (copy and paste to your browser). Or join her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAriann... or send her an email ariannerichmonde@gmail.com - she loves hearing from readers and will always reply.
Her Pearl series has sold more than half a million copies worldwide. Her stories are always character-driven and full of unexpected twists and turns.
Apart from writing about the passions and fragilities of human nature, she loves to spend time with her husband and their animals, including a femme fatale Husky with one blue eye and one golden eye. Arianne's a chocaholic and sometimes sneaks off to sunny, exotic locations, all in the name of research.
For updates on new releases, sales and giveaways please sign up for her Newsletter by going to: https://bit.ly/2ZoRQVx (copy and paste to your browser). Or join her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAriann... or send her an email ariannerichmonde@gmail.com - she loves hearing from readers and will always reply.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
July 15, 2020
Cliffside is the house in question. It’s a wow house on the Big Sur, sleek lines and glass. The wife is a widow grieving for husband Juan. She’s very lonely but self contained, has few friends and is not especially close to her parents back in England. Several unsettling events occur that make her feel even more vulnerable and as if she’s being watched. One day while out walking the extensive grounds of the property she meets fraternal triplets Dan, Kate and Jen. They seem friendly, they are extremely helpful to her and she becomes increasingly reliant .... the story is told by the widow.
First of all, the author had me at Big Sur, a stunningly beautiful location which is easy to picture, as is the property - think Grand Designs. The characters are well portrayed although not likeable at all. The widow is utterly infuriating so you need to suspend disbelief at her gullibility, stupidity and her dumb acceptance of every line the triplets spin her but you so want to yell at her as she brings disaster down on herself. All the characters are liars, some are just telling bigger lies than others. There are some hugely melodramatic events but one things for sure, it’s a twisty rollercoaster read! Some of the dialogue is annoying, for instance one of the triplets ends a sentence directed at the widow with ‘little lady’ which grates on my nerves! However, setting all that aside, just go with the flow and it’s a very entertaining piece of escapism! I really like how the weather is used to add drama on top of already dramatic events so much so that I think this would make a great movie!
Overall, fun, over the top, you want to yell and scream but it’s compelling reading!
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.
First of all, the author had me at Big Sur, a stunningly beautiful location which is easy to picture, as is the property - think Grand Designs. The characters are well portrayed although not likeable at all. The widow is utterly infuriating so you need to suspend disbelief at her gullibility, stupidity and her dumb acceptance of every line the triplets spin her but you so want to yell at her as she brings disaster down on herself. All the characters are liars, some are just telling bigger lies than others. There are some hugely melodramatic events but one things for sure, it’s a twisty rollercoaster read! Some of the dialogue is annoying, for instance one of the triplets ends a sentence directed at the widow with ‘little lady’ which grates on my nerves! However, setting all that aside, just go with the flow and it’s a very entertaining piece of escapism! I really like how the weather is used to add drama on top of already dramatic events so much so that I think this would make a great movie!
Overall, fun, over the top, you want to yell and scream but it’s compelling reading!
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.
May 27, 2024
This is a thriller. I have to say that this book was so very boring for the first half, and I would have DNF it if I did not get it from Netgalley. I have to say I did love the ending. I did not guess all the twist and turns. Overall I give this book three stars only because I loved the ending. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Bookouture) or author (Arianne Richmonde) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
June 25, 2021
“It’s a strange feeling when you can’t trust your intuition anymore. I was a cat without whiskers, a black sky without stars.”
The Wife’s House is set amongst the backdrop of a modern glass house overlooking the sea called Cliffside with a lonely, distraught British narrator who is recently widowed and grieving from the death of her husband, Juan, who called her his English rose. She spends her days dreaming of converting her house into a retreat just for the company and sipping on alcohol in the meantime to numb the pain. But then whispers begin to haunt the halls as the narrator receives cryptic, sinister messages that scream “I’m watching you.” She no longer feels safe in her own home and begins to become paranoid that the world is conspiring against her as her secrets that long lie buried threaten to mercilessly catch up with her.
“I sensed her presence. Light as a ballerina. Heavy as a judge. It was only a matter of time before she’d figure me out.”
Without revealing too much, as this is a read that is better entered into blind, this book kept me captivated and guessing at every turn as there was an unreliability that coursed through the pages. Who should be trusted? Is it just the pills and alcohol talking? Even my own grip on what I thought I knew was challenged again and again as the narrative progressed and new questions mounted.
Perhaps my only holdup was that while the narrator was unblinkingly sweet she was also endlessly gullible. She falls for the cunning games of the new visitors that show up at her house as she, desperate and longing for company and protection from the panic inducing messages she has been receiving and drone flying overhead seeming to track her, lets them in to her home showering them in naïve hospitality. Loneliness drives her to not think straight and create excuses for these new people in her life, without stopping to question who they really are, and her gullibility and impulsive, thoughtless rashness only worsens in the latter half of the story.
“If only we could control our own hearts, cherry-pick each feeling, choose only the sensible best for ourselves, stamp out love whenever we know it hurts. But we don’t get to govern how we feel, not deep down inside, anyway. All you can do is follow your heart, even if it leads to your own blissful ruin.”
However, that did not stop me from feeling a warm protectiveness towards her. I appreciated the doe-eyed vulnerability of her character because I think she, naturally, wanted to feel and be loved again and have some kind of stirring connection to the outside world as her own world has become quite insular and I can’t completely begrudge her that as much initially even if it becomes less understandable later on. Ultimately, The Wife’s House had a haunting atmosphere that causes the hair on your spine to raise chillingly and electrically with a plot that kept me invested in what could possibly be lurking around the next corner. Just make sure, as this book alludes to, not to let the wrong people in for they could betray and abuse your trust in the worst way possible, leaving you prisoner in your home.
The Wife’s House is set amongst the backdrop of a modern glass house overlooking the sea called Cliffside with a lonely, distraught British narrator who is recently widowed and grieving from the death of her husband, Juan, who called her his English rose. She spends her days dreaming of converting her house into a retreat just for the company and sipping on alcohol in the meantime to numb the pain. But then whispers begin to haunt the halls as the narrator receives cryptic, sinister messages that scream “I’m watching you.” She no longer feels safe in her own home and begins to become paranoid that the world is conspiring against her as her secrets that long lie buried threaten to mercilessly catch up with her.
“I sensed her presence. Light as a ballerina. Heavy as a judge. It was only a matter of time before she’d figure me out.”
Without revealing too much, as this is a read that is better entered into blind, this book kept me captivated and guessing at every turn as there was an unreliability that coursed through the pages. Who should be trusted? Is it just the pills and alcohol talking? Even my own grip on what I thought I knew was challenged again and again as the narrative progressed and new questions mounted.
Perhaps my only holdup was that while the narrator was unblinkingly sweet she was also endlessly gullible. She falls for the cunning games of the new visitors that show up at her house as she, desperate and longing for company and protection from the panic inducing messages she has been receiving and drone flying overhead seeming to track her, lets them in to her home showering them in naïve hospitality. Loneliness drives her to not think straight and create excuses for these new people in her life, without stopping to question who they really are, and her gullibility and impulsive, thoughtless rashness only worsens in the latter half of the story.
“If only we could control our own hearts, cherry-pick each feeling, choose only the sensible best for ourselves, stamp out love whenever we know it hurts. But we don’t get to govern how we feel, not deep down inside, anyway. All you can do is follow your heart, even if it leads to your own blissful ruin.”
However, that did not stop me from feeling a warm protectiveness towards her. I appreciated the doe-eyed vulnerability of her character because I think she, naturally, wanted to feel and be loved again and have some kind of stirring connection to the outside world as her own world has become quite insular and I can’t completely begrudge her that as much initially even if it becomes less understandable later on. Ultimately, The Wife’s House had a haunting atmosphere that causes the hair on your spine to raise chillingly and electrically with a plot that kept me invested in what could possibly be lurking around the next corner. Just make sure, as this book alludes to, not to let the wrong people in for they could betray and abuse your trust in the worst way possible, leaving you prisoner in your home.
August 28, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
Since my husband’s death, I’d been making foolish decisions. Buying stuff I didn’t need, not being able to follow my instincts, losing and misplacing things, my brain scatty and unfocused. I couldn’t rely on myself to do the right thing. It’s a strange feeling when you can’t trust your intuition anymore. I was a cat without whiskers, a black sky without stars.
There were several “Klinics,” though, in and around Zurich. One was a sort of “quack” place— not that I’m against alternative medicine— but when someone has stage four cancer, a colonic irrigation, suction massages, and injections of mistletoe (really?) are unlikely to do the trick.
My Review:
I struggled with this book, valiantly I might add, as I despised ALL the characters, and I do mean ALL of them. I only had positive feelings for the dog. The human characters were either manipulative and vile beings, stone-cold sociopaths, selfishly annoying, or in the case of the main character - incredibly limited in functioning brain cells. One character had snarkily noted, “How you ever got to be an attorney, I’ll never know” I had the same thought - all the way through - how could she have been so gullible?
But then again, I couldn’t seem to help myself either. I wanted to unravel this tangled mess as I was curious to know the real secrets buried beneath all the sinister maneuvering and deceit, and I had a feeling those secrets would be huge. While the pacing of the vast majority of this tense tale was agonizingly slow, the last few chapters zipped and pinged with action-packed and clever twists and reveals that almost made up for the disappointing lead-up, almost. The wily author did keep me reading with cunning elements and an intriguing premise, but the framing and tedious execution were a disappointment and could have been so much better.
Since my husband’s death, I’d been making foolish decisions. Buying stuff I didn’t need, not being able to follow my instincts, losing and misplacing things, my brain scatty and unfocused. I couldn’t rely on myself to do the right thing. It’s a strange feeling when you can’t trust your intuition anymore. I was a cat without whiskers, a black sky without stars.
There were several “Klinics,” though, in and around Zurich. One was a sort of “quack” place— not that I’m against alternative medicine— but when someone has stage four cancer, a colonic irrigation, suction massages, and injections of mistletoe (really?) are unlikely to do the trick.
My Review:
I struggled with this book, valiantly I might add, as I despised ALL the characters, and I do mean ALL of them. I only had positive feelings for the dog. The human characters were either manipulative and vile beings, stone-cold sociopaths, selfishly annoying, or in the case of the main character - incredibly limited in functioning brain cells. One character had snarkily noted, “How you ever got to be an attorney, I’ll never know” I had the same thought - all the way through - how could she have been so gullible?
But then again, I couldn’t seem to help myself either. I wanted to unravel this tangled mess as I was curious to know the real secrets buried beneath all the sinister maneuvering and deceit, and I had a feeling those secrets would be huge. While the pacing of the vast majority of this tense tale was agonizingly slow, the last few chapters zipped and pinged with action-packed and clever twists and reveals that almost made up for the disappointing lead-up, almost. The wily author did keep me reading with cunning elements and an intriguing premise, but the framing and tedious execution were a disappointment and could have been so much better.
August 24, 2020
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY to this super fun summer thriller!
Yes! The Wife’s House is the heart-pounding, double-crossing summer noir thriller I have been waiting for.
The wife in question is a widow, who was married to a handsome and mysterious guy named Juan. Juan recently died in an “accident.” She is lonely. When three young adults come to the land near her house for a picnic, she strikes up a friendship with them and soon learns that they once lived in the cliffside mansion that now belongs to her. And as it turns out, they’re all now homeless, living with friends. She enjoys their company so much, and they’re so down on their luck...surely it would be nice to have them move in with her?
This book moves at a breakneck pace, with potentially evil and murderous characters everywhere. You will wonder about everyone, including the unreliable narrator. It’s a super interesting premise filled with the kinds of twists and turns you might find in a 40s noir film.
This is the kind of book in which the narrator does stupid things. You will be screaming at her, frustrated, as she falls into all sorts of dumb traps. But that’s by design and a big part of the fun. You will have to suspend your disbelief a little at times to go along with the roller coaster ride of a plot.
The book isn’t perfect plot wise and if you don’t like watching characters do stupid things it might annoy you, but to my mind the character was perfectly crafted so I could understand why she did all the things she did (stupid and less stupid). Bottom line - this book was so unputdownable that I actually woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it and wishing I had finished it. And when I did finish it, I loved the ending.
An awesome, twisty book with a great narrator and a ton of thrills. This author is going on my list of “must reads,” and I hope she hurries up and writes another thriller soon!
Thanks to Bookouture, NetGalley and Arianne Richmond for the ARC of this super fun book!
Yes! The Wife’s House is the heart-pounding, double-crossing summer noir thriller I have been waiting for.
The wife in question is a widow, who was married to a handsome and mysterious guy named Juan. Juan recently died in an “accident.” She is lonely. When three young adults come to the land near her house for a picnic, she strikes up a friendship with them and soon learns that they once lived in the cliffside mansion that now belongs to her. And as it turns out, they’re all now homeless, living with friends. She enjoys their company so much, and they’re so down on their luck...surely it would be nice to have them move in with her?
This book moves at a breakneck pace, with potentially evil and murderous characters everywhere. You will wonder about everyone, including the unreliable narrator. It’s a super interesting premise filled with the kinds of twists and turns you might find in a 40s noir film.
This is the kind of book in which the narrator does stupid things. You will be screaming at her, frustrated, as she falls into all sorts of dumb traps. But that’s by design and a big part of the fun. You will have to suspend your disbelief a little at times to go along with the roller coaster ride of a plot.
The book isn’t perfect plot wise and if you don’t like watching characters do stupid things it might annoy you, but to my mind the character was perfectly crafted so I could understand why she did all the things she did (stupid and less stupid). Bottom line - this book was so unputdownable that I actually woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it and wishing I had finished it. And when I did finish it, I loved the ending.
An awesome, twisty book with a great narrator and a ton of thrills. This author is going on my list of “must reads,” and I hope she hurries up and writes another thriller soon!
Thanks to Bookouture, NetGalley and Arianne Richmond for the ARC of this super fun book!
April 8, 2022
3 Maybe The House Wasn't Worth It Stars
* * * Spoiler Free-Hot Real Estate, Only 99 CENTS!!!
This had a very intriguing concept. A staggeringly beautiful home on a cliff shown to a new wife by the man she loves. It hangs there perched, glass glittering in the sunlight. Beautiful woods surround this home creating it to be the diamond protected from the cliff.
How could someone not fall in love with this vision in an instant...And that is what this wife did. Her husband pointed it out, told her it would be hers and he made it a reality. Weeks later, this man was dead from a car crash on the twisting road leading up to their haven in the sky.
Now this woman is alone, lost in her grief and thoughts. But for some reason, she is not feeling alone at all, someone is watching her and the intent is not good. It is sly and threatening. They seem to know secrets no one should ever find out. All of these elements cause this woman to be vulnerable and confused.
This is your set up and our author will take you on a ride, one needing you to accept many different decisions and actions taken by her. It is the ability and desire to accept what is presented which will temper your reading experience. There is much to digest. Creative plot points, hints, and the final tying together.
This is a mystery, thriller, mind twist and can hold the reader's attention.
The Wife's House
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * Spoiler Free-Hot Real Estate, Only 99 CENTS!!!
This had a very intriguing concept. A staggeringly beautiful home on a cliff shown to a new wife by the man she loves. It hangs there perched, glass glittering in the sunlight. Beautiful woods surround this home creating it to be the diamond protected from the cliff.
How could someone not fall in love with this vision in an instant...And that is what this wife did. Her husband pointed it out, told her it would be hers and he made it a reality. Weeks later, this man was dead from a car crash on the twisting road leading up to their haven in the sky.
Now this woman is alone, lost in her grief and thoughts. But for some reason, she is not feeling alone at all, someone is watching her and the intent is not good. It is sly and threatening. They seem to know secrets no one should ever find out. All of these elements cause this woman to be vulnerable and confused.
This is your set up and our author will take you on a ride, one needing you to accept many different decisions and actions taken by her. It is the ability and desire to accept what is presented which will temper your reading experience. There is much to digest. Creative plot points, hints, and the final tying together.
This is a mystery, thriller, mind twist and can hold the reader's attention.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
August 24, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Juan shows his wife a beautiful house on a cliff overlooking the beach. She immediately falls in love with it so he buys it for her. Not long after they move into the house, Juan does in a car accident. She's been widowed for six months now and she lonely and finds solace in alcohol. She starts receiving strange notes and comes across triplets who tell her they used to live in the house before her. She welcomes them into her home. It quickly becomes apparent that things are not as they seem.
We never learn of the wife's name. The author does a great job setting the scene. The house is a catalyst for everything that happens. There's several twists to keep you on your toes. The story has a creepy vibe to it. The story starts off slowly but the pace quickens with each turn of the page. The truth is revealed and the story starts to make more sense. All the loose ends are tied up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Arianne Richmonde for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Juan shows his wife a beautiful house on a cliff overlooking the beach. She immediately falls in love with it so he buys it for her. Not long they move into the house, Juan dies in a car accident. She's been widowed for six months now and she's lonely and finds solace in alcohol. She starts receiving strange notes and comes across triplets who tell her they used to live in the house before her. She welcomes them into her home. It quickly becomes apparent that things are not as they seem.
We never learn of the wife's name. The author does a great job setting the scene. The house is the catalyst for everything that happens. There's several twists to keep you on your toes. The story has a creepy vibe to it. The story starts off slowly but the page quickens with each turn of the page. The truth is revealed and the story starts to make a lot more sense. All the post ends are tied up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Arianne Richmonde for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Juan shows his wife a beautiful house on a cliff overlooking the beach. She immediately falls in love with it so he buys it for her. Not long after they move into the house, Juan does in a car accident. She's been widowed for six months now and she lonely and finds solace in alcohol. She starts receiving strange notes and comes across triplets who tell her they used to live in the house before her. She welcomes them into her home. It quickly becomes apparent that things are not as they seem.
We never learn of the wife's name. The author does a great job setting the scene. The house is a catalyst for everything that happens. There's several twists to keep you on your toes. The story has a creepy vibe to it. The story starts off slowly but the pace quickens with each turn of the page. The truth is revealed and the story starts to make more sense. All the loose ends are tied up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Arianne Richmonde for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Juan shows his wife a beautiful house on a cliff overlooking the beach. She immediately falls in love with it so he buys it for her. Not long they move into the house, Juan dies in a car accident. She's been widowed for six months now and she's lonely and finds solace in alcohol. She starts receiving strange notes and comes across triplets who tell her they used to live in the house before her. She welcomes them into her home. It quickly becomes apparent that things are not as they seem.
We never learn of the wife's name. The author does a great job setting the scene. The house is the catalyst for everything that happens. There's several twists to keep you on your toes. The story has a creepy vibe to it. The story starts off slowly but the page quickens with each turn of the page. The truth is revealed and the story starts to make a lot more sense. All the post ends are tied up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Arianne Richmonde for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2020
A hard book to review, it’s easy to read, well written, characters to loathe, good descriptions of a beautiful area, and house, in California and the list goes on
The problem is the believability of the story, without giving too many spoilers, a widow now lives in the perfect house her hubby bought for her, one day 17 year old triplets turn up ( all 3 vile ) and declare they used to live there and can they look around for old times sake, their Mum is dying of cancer in a Swiss hospital, the widow welcomes them with open arms, believes every word they say and after a short time invites them
to live there, with her, seemingly without a care or notion that this is odd, then the worm turns and the reason they are really there is made known, as a reader you will have guessed after 10 seconds, the main characters gullibility was astounding tbh and she deserved everything that happened and plenty of things were to happen, most predictable
But as say if you can accept all that and ignore it then it’s a book that’s easy to read
For me though it was a
3/10
2 Stars
The problem is the believability of the story, without giving too many spoilers, a widow now lives in the perfect house her hubby bought for her, one day 17 year old triplets turn up ( all 3 vile ) and declare they used to live there and can they look around for old times sake, their Mum is dying of cancer in a Swiss hospital, the widow welcomes them with open arms, believes every word they say and after a short time invites them
to live there, with her, seemingly without a care or notion that this is odd, then the worm turns and the reason they are really there is made known, as a reader you will have guessed after 10 seconds, the main characters gullibility was astounding tbh and she deserved everything that happened and plenty of things were to happen, most predictable
But as say if you can accept all that and ignore it then it’s a book that’s easy to read
For me though it was a
3/10
2 Stars
August 13, 2020
Review coming soon.
August 31, 2020
Oh my!! How innocent can a woman be was my first thought at the beginning of the book!!
Oh my!! When you are this naive, you deserve to be preyed upon was my thought in mid-book!!
OMG!! Woman, get up. Do something. Everyone is lying, even you!! That was my thought when I realized where the book was going before the main character.
The story sure did evoke my emotions, sympathy, empathy, rage, finally resignation. My first book by author Arianne Richmonde was a rollercoaster of emotions. I couldn’t stop reading as I have met women like the main character who are that innocent.
The house was the focal point of the widow’s life. Nothing and nobody could ever make her leave. It was her dream house. Being a lawyer, she was still not the sharpest knife on the stand. Her loneliness and dependency on her husband made her more vulnerable. Post his death she was set adrift.
Entered the triplets who brought color to the house initially. She invited them in and allowed them to live with her until the tables turned. From then on, it was lies, lies, and more lies. True colors were revealed, and the story took a twist. In fact, a few twists before the explosive finale.
The first half was slow, no doubt, but the second rocked. From suspense, it became an action packed thriller. The main character received some knee-busting kicks. I hoped they would make her savvy and street smart.
I could guess the story as there were few characters to bank on. But I still enjoyed the book thoroughly as some parts of it resonated with me. I was that innocent once and I was preyed upon too.
Overall, a great adrenaline filled ride in the last few pages.
Oh my!! When you are this naive, you deserve to be preyed upon was my thought in mid-book!!
OMG!! Woman, get up. Do something. Everyone is lying, even you!! That was my thought when I realized where the book was going before the main character.
The story sure did evoke my emotions, sympathy, empathy, rage, finally resignation. My first book by author Arianne Richmonde was a rollercoaster of emotions. I couldn’t stop reading as I have met women like the main character who are that innocent.
The house was the focal point of the widow’s life. Nothing and nobody could ever make her leave. It was her dream house. Being a lawyer, she was still not the sharpest knife on the stand. Her loneliness and dependency on her husband made her more vulnerable. Post his death she was set adrift.
Entered the triplets who brought color to the house initially. She invited them in and allowed them to live with her until the tables turned. From then on, it was lies, lies, and more lies. True colors were revealed, and the story took a twist. In fact, a few twists before the explosive finale.
The first half was slow, no doubt, but the second rocked. From suspense, it became an action packed thriller. The main character received some knee-busting kicks. I hoped they would make her savvy and street smart.
I could guess the story as there were few characters to bank on. But I still enjoyed the book thoroughly as some parts of it resonated with me. I was that innocent once and I was preyed upon too.
Overall, a great adrenaline filled ride in the last few pages.
July 2, 2020
When Juan showed his wife Cliffside—a sleek and modern glass home perched on the edge of the jagged Big Sur clifftops , she fell in love with the house immediately and made a pact with herself to never leave that house.
But when Juan gets killed in an accident on the perilous roads leading up to the house, weeks after they moved in, his wife has to make a decision- leave the house and start a new life or stay and shut herself from the rest of the world.
She finds herself alone and lost. When she spots a drone near her house, she feels that some one is watching her. Someone who knows her past and the secrets that she has wanted to be buried.
As she decides what to do to ensure her protection, she meets the teenage triplets- Dan, Kate and Jen, who are homeless and dealing with a sick mother. She enjoys their company and feeling sorry for their situation invites them to stay with her. But soon she feels she is losing control over herself and finds that the triplets might not have been honest with her. Did she just invite more danger to her lonely life?
I was immediately attracted to this book because of it's cover and design. It was such a creepy read and at times I got goosebumps.
It was well written and fast paced and I just couldn't wait to reach the end. The twists were so amazing and the end was an additional highlight.
Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!!
But when Juan gets killed in an accident on the perilous roads leading up to the house, weeks after they moved in, his wife has to make a decision- leave the house and start a new life or stay and shut herself from the rest of the world.
She finds herself alone and lost. When she spots a drone near her house, she feels that some one is watching her. Someone who knows her past and the secrets that she has wanted to be buried.
As she decides what to do to ensure her protection, she meets the teenage triplets- Dan, Kate and Jen, who are homeless and dealing with a sick mother. She enjoys their company and feeling sorry for their situation invites them to stay with her. But soon she feels she is losing control over herself and finds that the triplets might not have been honest with her. Did she just invite more danger to her lonely life?
I was immediately attracted to this book because of it's cover and design. It was such a creepy read and at times I got goosebumps.
It was well written and fast paced and I just couldn't wait to reach the end. The twists were so amazing and the end was an additional highlight.
Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!!
July 17, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okie, I don’t think synopsis told much about the story, there is more. Our un-named protagonist is living alone in her beautiful cliffside house. After the death of her husband, she feels alone and torn. (She doesn’t even have a name after his husband’s death, so yes she doesn’t have any other identity -_- except a wife and widow). She is on the verge of becoming an alcoholic. One day she found a drone stalking her and a few creepy messages. Someone must know about her secrets.
Let me say this, 75% of this book was so depressing and sad. I was continuously shouting on characters for being so dumb, I was so angry about making wrong choices and deliberately closing eyes. I was disgusted with characters being so cruel and unfair. The author smartly tricked the readers at many places, when I was expecting twists from the east they were coming the west. The last 25% of the story was a roller coaster ride, so many things were happening and so quickly. I’d be happier if this book was 230-250 pages. If characters weren’t much blindfolded in 50% of the book.
My favourite thing was the ending, everyone served right. All the ends were tied, everything made sense, which made me really feel better.
An interesting book though.
Okie, I don’t think synopsis told much about the story, there is more. Our un-named protagonist is living alone in her beautiful cliffside house. After the death of her husband, she feels alone and torn. (She doesn’t even have a name after his husband’s death, so yes she doesn’t have any other identity -_- except a wife and widow). She is on the verge of becoming an alcoholic. One day she found a drone stalking her and a few creepy messages. Someone must know about her secrets.
Let me say this, 75% of this book was so depressing and sad. I was continuously shouting on characters for being so dumb, I was so angry about making wrong choices and deliberately closing eyes. I was disgusted with characters being so cruel and unfair. The author smartly tricked the readers at many places, when I was expecting twists from the east they were coming the west. The last 25% of the story was a roller coaster ride, so many things were happening and so quickly. I’d be happier if this book was 230-250 pages. If characters weren’t much blindfolded in 50% of the book.
My favourite thing was the ending, everyone served right. All the ends were tied, everything made sense, which made me really feel better.
An interesting book though.
July 6, 2020
This was an interesting premise and an overall creepy read. I didn't feel like the story exactly matched what the synopsis said, but was a fast paced read that went off in another direction. It centers on an unnamed widow whose husband dies in a traffic accident just weeks after moving into their dream home. She is trying to figure out what to do with the rest of her life when she stumbles upon a group of triplets who ironically used to live in the house, and the 4 of them form a bond.
There were a couple things that bothered me about the book. Firstly, the fact that the protagonist is never named drove me crazy- I felt less connected to her without ever knowing her name. This was definitely unique but I didn't enjoy that piece. Secondly, the widow is so extremely gullible that I found it hard to believe that she had finished law school and managed grown-up decisions thus far in her life. She believed whatever she was told without question, and didn't look anything up on the internet until 40% through the book.
There were a couple twists in this book- I figured out one very early but there was another one that totally caught me off guard. Even if you think you know what is going on, there will be surprises. The other thing I liked is the overall sense of foreboding the author was able to create even when things seem to be going well. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The end was a bit unrealistic and certainly changed the pace of the book from suspenseful to pure action, but it brought about surprises and overall, I think it worked. The widow also became stronger and smarter during this time and I liked her better.
Overall, a pretty good book- you get a few different types of stories all sewn up together. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There were a couple things that bothered me about the book. Firstly, the fact that the protagonist is never named drove me crazy- I felt less connected to her without ever knowing her name. This was definitely unique but I didn't enjoy that piece. Secondly, the widow is so extremely gullible that I found it hard to believe that she had finished law school and managed grown-up decisions thus far in her life. She believed whatever she was told without question, and didn't look anything up on the internet until 40% through the book.
There were a couple twists in this book- I figured out one very early but there was another one that totally caught me off guard. Even if you think you know what is going on, there will be surprises. The other thing I liked is the overall sense of foreboding the author was able to create even when things seem to be going well. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The end was a bit unrealistic and certainly changed the pace of the book from suspenseful to pure action, but it brought about surprises and overall, I think it worked. The widow also became stronger and smarter during this time and I liked her better.
Overall, a pretty good book- you get a few different types of stories all sewn up together. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2020
Not long after Juan buys his wife Cliffside, a beautiful mansion overlooking the ocean, he dies in an accident. Despite now being a widow, she vows never to leave her dream house. But, by doing so, she is now alone and slowly slipping into paranoia, depression and alcoholism. She's convinced someone is spying on her with a drone, leaving her ominous messages and even breaking into her house. Then she meets triplets, who tell her they used to live in her house and start ingratiating themselves into her life. Sadden by the siblings story of a dying mother and homelessness and desperate to have companionship, she invited them to stay in Cliffside with her. Did she just invite in friends or foes? Has her loneliness blinded to her to the real danger?
Firstly, I'll say what I did like about the book. The setting at Big Sur and the town of Carmel is absolutely stunning! The descriptions of the house and the views transported me there and were enjoyable to read.
That being said, a beautiful setting can't save a book from mediocre storytelling.
The protagonist (who remains nameless throughout) is supposed to be well educated with a successful career, however, she just comes across as naive and helpless. She doesn't appear self sufficient, she believes anything anybody tells her and continuously makes stupid decisions throughout the book. I just wanted to scream at her! A goldfish has better sense than this woman!
Additionally, this feels like a book I've read before. It didn't really bring anything new to the table in terms of the psychological thriller/domestic noir genre. I found it unsatisfying in it's predictability. About 5% in I pretty much knew how it would end. I'm not sure if the writing was that transparent or if I've read this exact plot before.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Firstly, I'll say what I did like about the book. The setting at Big Sur and the town of Carmel is absolutely stunning! The descriptions of the house and the views transported me there and were enjoyable to read.
That being said, a beautiful setting can't save a book from mediocre storytelling.
The protagonist (who remains nameless throughout) is supposed to be well educated with a successful career, however, she just comes across as naive and helpless. She doesn't appear self sufficient, she believes anything anybody tells her and continuously makes stupid decisions throughout the book. I just wanted to scream at her! A goldfish has better sense than this woman!
Additionally, this feels like a book I've read before. It didn't really bring anything new to the table in terms of the psychological thriller/domestic noir genre. I found it unsatisfying in it's predictability. About 5% in I pretty much knew how it would end. I'm not sure if the writing was that transparent or if I've read this exact plot before.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2020
The Wife's House by Arianne Richmonde is the first novel that I have read from this author, but it will certainly not be the last. If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller that will have you fully invested from the very first page, and keep you guessing until the very last, then look no further.
When her husband is killed in a traffic accident, a widow is left with only their shared dream home, the mysterious and imposing Cliffside, aptly named as it perches perilously on top of a cliff in Big Sur. Grieving and alone, the widow meets three young people while walking along the cliffs near her home. Dan, Kate and Jen are triplets who are also struggling, and the four quickly form a bond of sorts, leading to the siblings being welcomed into the ominous Cliffside. A vulnerable widow who has secrets of her own, and a trio of strangers who share a suspect agenda quickly make for a deliciously volatile mix.
This story had me totally enthralled from the very first page. I appreciated that the author was able to craft Cliffside as an almost foreboding presence that seemed to be a character in and of itself, quite aptly given the novel's title. This was an altogether addictive read that I would highly recommend. 4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC.
When her husband is killed in a traffic accident, a widow is left with only their shared dream home, the mysterious and imposing Cliffside, aptly named as it perches perilously on top of a cliff in Big Sur. Grieving and alone, the widow meets three young people while walking along the cliffs near her home. Dan, Kate and Jen are triplets who are also struggling, and the four quickly form a bond of sorts, leading to the siblings being welcomed into the ominous Cliffside. A vulnerable widow who has secrets of her own, and a trio of strangers who share a suspect agenda quickly make for a deliciously volatile mix.
This story had me totally enthralled from the very first page. I appreciated that the author was able to craft Cliffside as an almost foreboding presence that seemed to be a character in and of itself, quite aptly given the novel's title. This was an altogether addictive read that I would highly recommend. 4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC.
August 20, 2020
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Wife's House' by Arianne Richmonde
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 24th August 2020
This is the first book that I have read by this author.
I will definitely be reading more and look forward to her next book!!
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful colourful cover and intriguing blurb. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 57 chapters and an epilogue which are short to medium in length so ideal to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case! In this case the whole book before bed!!!
This book is written in first person perspective. I enjoy books written in first person as it feels more personal and that your being told the story directly. It also creates a sort of bond between the protagonist and reader, well it does with me anyway!
This book is based in California, USA .
Wow!!! Where to even begin on this one!! An absolutely cracking page turner! I started reading it this morning... Well yesterday morning and could not put it down until I finished just before midnight!! What an absolute page turner.
I loved the storyline which kept me completely enthralled and in suspense the whole time. Ram packed with mysteries, deceit, shock surprises, twists, turns and everything you could ask for in a good psychological thriller.
Extremely well written, a very smooth and easy read. Fantastic descriptions which really sucked me into the storyline.
There was so much going on but just the right amount so I didn't get confused. I would never have guessed the bombshells thay were dropped towards the end!! There's nothing worse than knowing what's going to happen before your even half way through.
Fantastic characters and dynamics. I loved how the protagonist (I don't actually think her name is ever mentioned although I could well be wrong) developed and grew in strength throughout everything that was going on.
This is definitely one of the best books that I have read in a while, I couldn't believe how absorbed I was until I came to the shocking ending.
Overall an absolutely fantastic psychological thriller that is filled with explosive action, suspense and mystery.
Well done Arianne on an absolute success, you have definitely made my top author list!!! I look forward to your next book!!!
Genres covered include psychological thriller, mystery and suspense.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above and just absolutely everybody to be honest!!!
338 pages.
This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheWifesHouse #ArianneRichmonde #Bookouture #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@ArianneRichmonde @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
Review for 'The Wife's House' by Arianne Richmonde
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 24th August 2020
This is the first book that I have read by this author.
I will definitely be reading more and look forward to her next book!!
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful colourful cover and intriguing blurb. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 57 chapters and an epilogue which are short to medium in length so ideal to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case! In this case the whole book before bed!!!
This book is written in first person perspective. I enjoy books written in first person as it feels more personal and that your being told the story directly. It also creates a sort of bond between the protagonist and reader, well it does with me anyway!
This book is based in California, USA .
Wow!!! Where to even begin on this one!! An absolutely cracking page turner! I started reading it this morning... Well yesterday morning and could not put it down until I finished just before midnight!! What an absolute page turner.
I loved the storyline which kept me completely enthralled and in suspense the whole time. Ram packed with mysteries, deceit, shock surprises, twists, turns and everything you could ask for in a good psychological thriller.
Extremely well written, a very smooth and easy read. Fantastic descriptions which really sucked me into the storyline.
There was so much going on but just the right amount so I didn't get confused. I would never have guessed the bombshells thay were dropped towards the end!! There's nothing worse than knowing what's going to happen before your even half way through.
Fantastic characters and dynamics. I loved how the protagonist (I don't actually think her name is ever mentioned although I could well be wrong) developed and grew in strength throughout everything that was going on.
This is definitely one of the best books that I have read in a while, I couldn't believe how absorbed I was until I came to the shocking ending.
Overall an absolutely fantastic psychological thriller that is filled with explosive action, suspense and mystery.
Well done Arianne on an absolute success, you have definitely made my top author list!!! I look forward to your next book!!!
Genres covered include psychological thriller, mystery and suspense.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above and just absolutely everybody to be honest!!!
338 pages.
This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheWifesHouse #ArianneRichmonde #Bookouture #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@ArianneRichmonde @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
August 24, 2020
A widow is left with only their shared dream home, following the death of her husband, Juan, in a traffic accident. The modern and imposing Cliffside perches perilously atop a cliff in Big Sur, California and its grieving owner vows never to leave her sleek, glass home. Whilst out walking one day, the lonely wife, Mrs. Trujillo (her first name is never disclosed) meets seventeen-year-old triplets Dan, Kate and Jen, and she becomes more and more reliant on them. What follows is the wife's story...
In The Wife's House themes of grief, loss, paranoia and duplicity are explored. In a first-person narrative, the reader is treated to a wonderfully oppressive slow-burn thriller. Amongst the lies, suspicions, concealed truths, stress and anxiety, lurks the nameless, mysterious protagonist. Arianne Richmonde's descriptions of Cliffside and the locale are brilliantly atmospheric and creepy and I often felt as though I were there, taking in the beauty of the coastline as I listened to the crashing waves. A captivating, and very highly recommended, intense psychological thriller, complete with a cracking finale.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley, and this review is my unbiased opinion.
In The Wife's House themes of grief, loss, paranoia and duplicity are explored. In a first-person narrative, the reader is treated to a wonderfully oppressive slow-burn thriller. Amongst the lies, suspicions, concealed truths, stress and anxiety, lurks the nameless, mysterious protagonist. Arianne Richmonde's descriptions of Cliffside and the locale are brilliantly atmospheric and creepy and I often felt as though I were there, taking in the beauty of the coastline as I listened to the crashing waves. A captivating, and very highly recommended, intense psychological thriller, complete with a cracking finale.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley, and this review is my unbiased opinion.
July 16, 2020
#TheWifesHouse #NetGalley
Big thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Arianne Richmonde for a free copy to review.
That said, let's get to business. Do you know that sort of book where you keep yelling at the protagonist disbelieving how the hell they are stupidly doing what they just did?! You will wish to hit her with her own book for her gullibility and naive.
A widow who will remain for the rest of the book unnamed_though every other character even the dog and the house itself has names_who lost her husband months ago and feels miserable and lonely in her prized CliffSide house invites a triplet to her house and to her life unassuming the sheer danger she invited with them. All the characters in the book are natural liars, you can't trust any of them. The setting is beautiful you would love to be there at Cliffside with her glass walls and breathtaking ocean view.
The writing style is good and engaging, a solid page turner though a slow burn in the first half.
loved the book as a whole and especially Beanie.
Big thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Arianne Richmonde for a free copy to review.
That said, let's get to business. Do you know that sort of book where you keep yelling at the protagonist disbelieving how the hell they are stupidly doing what they just did?! You will wish to hit her with her own book for her gullibility and naive.
A widow who will remain for the rest of the book unnamed_though every other character even the dog and the house itself has names_who lost her husband months ago and feels miserable and lonely in her prized CliffSide house invites a triplet to her house and to her life unassuming the sheer danger she invited with them. All the characters in the book are natural liars, you can't trust any of them. The setting is beautiful you would love to be there at Cliffside with her glass walls and breathtaking ocean view.
The writing style is good and engaging, a solid page turner though a slow burn in the first half.
loved the book as a whole and especially Beanie.
August 20, 2020
3.5 stars
This is a good psychological thriller but you do have to just go with it as the storyline is not very believable.
When Juan dies unexpectedly in a horrific car crash, he leaves his wife and beloved home behind.
We never find out ‘the wife’s’ name so it’s quite hard to write about her in this review.
When strange things begin happening around her and she gets a message saying she’s being watched, she begins to wonder if someone is after her.
Then she meets the triplets and discover that they used to live in Cliffside. They say their mother is dying and they have nowhere to live so she invites them to stay as she’s very lonely.
This I found very unbelievable and some of the events that take place after this are quite ridiculous.
However, I’ll put this aside as I suppose some people really are this guillible and to be fair it does then get interesting as I was keen to know how she’s get the house back from them.
A good thriller overall but a bit too unbelievable for me.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
This is a good psychological thriller but you do have to just go with it as the storyline is not very believable.
When Juan dies unexpectedly in a horrific car crash, he leaves his wife and beloved home behind.
We never find out ‘the wife’s’ name so it’s quite hard to write about her in this review.
When strange things begin happening around her and she gets a message saying she’s being watched, she begins to wonder if someone is after her.
Then she meets the triplets and discover that they used to live in Cliffside. They say their mother is dying and they have nowhere to live so she invites them to stay as she’s very lonely.
This I found very unbelievable and some of the events that take place after this are quite ridiculous.
However, I’ll put this aside as I suppose some people really are this guillible and to be fair it does then get interesting as I was keen to know how she’s get the house back from them.
A good thriller overall but a bit too unbelievable for me.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
July 8, 2020
4.5 stars
This story was a never-ending fast-paced that gave me goosebumps all the time while reading it.
Somehow, the author managed to keep me engaged to read it in one sitting and I honestly was fearing for what’s to come next. It’s more than suspenseful and what the kids managed to do it goes on borderline creepy and unbelievable at the same time.
To be honest, the whole story was different from what I usually read and had my heart pumping really fast. I can’t say that I got close enough with anyone, not even the heroine but what I will say is that I am looking forward to reading other books by the author in the genre.
This story was a never-ending fast-paced that gave me goosebumps all the time while reading it.
Somehow, the author managed to keep me engaged to read it in one sitting and I honestly was fearing for what’s to come next. It’s more than suspenseful and what the kids managed to do it goes on borderline creepy and unbelievable at the same time.
To be honest, the whole story was different from what I usually read and had my heart pumping really fast. I can’t say that I got close enough with anyone, not even the heroine but what I will say is that I am looking forward to reading other books by the author in the genre.
August 14, 2020
The Wife's House
followed in a different direction from what I am used to from author Arianne Richmonde. Normally, I tend to focus primarily in romance novels but since it was Arianne Richmonde I decided to take it on.
TWH felt darker, more thrilling and suspensful than the normal books I tend to pick up. It was a mystery.
The synopsis of the plot came off as pretty simple, although when I delved into the story I couldn't help but be both creeped out and intrigued. I mean, with the protagonist's husband dieing suddenly after moving into their dream house and then those mysterious happenings afterward.
Those triplets....Hmmmm. I could not put my finger on them. Were they friends or foe? What's the deal with the drone and the messages? Was there any other things the author was witholding even about the widow? Call me paranoid, but after a while I started to get suspicious of everyone in the story! lol
Sometimes I grew a tad frustrated with the widow. She could be impossible at times but also super compelling because I always felt as if there was more about her that wasn't let on.
And then with the unexpected twists and turns that came up. Wow. It was pretty crazy the last legging of the read. I could not put my kindle down!
Author Arianne Richmonde not only exceeds in romance novels but I feel has a touch for rousing and stimulating readers. I look forward to more reads from her and anticipate what's to come next!
TWH felt darker, more thrilling and suspensful than the normal books I tend to pick up. It was a mystery.
The synopsis of the plot came off as pretty simple, although when I delved into the story I couldn't help but be both creeped out and intrigued. I mean, with the protagonist's husband dieing suddenly after moving into their dream house and then those mysterious happenings afterward.
Those triplets....Hmmmm. I could not put my finger on them. Were they friends or foe? What's the deal with the drone and the messages? Was there any other things the author was witholding even about the widow? Call me paranoid, but after a while I started to get suspicious of everyone in the story! lol
Sometimes I grew a tad frustrated with the widow. She could be impossible at times but also super compelling because I always felt as if there was more about her that wasn't let on.
And then with the unexpected twists and turns that came up. Wow. It was pretty crazy the last legging of the read. I could not put my kindle down!
Author Arianne Richmonde not only exceeds in romance novels but I feel has a touch for rousing and stimulating readers. I look forward to more reads from her and anticipate what's to come next!
August 24, 2020
Told in first person by a narrator only known by the reader as the widow, living a seemingly perfect life in her perfect house. Let me start this review by saying I loved the fact she remains nameless. This was used in one of my favourite reads from last year and like that book this has been used to great effect.
After noticing a drone flying over her house and grounds and receiving some mysterious messages her home becomes her fortress. But what happens when you let strangers in? Trouble that’s what happens and in this case threefold as these strangers are triplets.
Here you need to suspend your disbelief as the widow makes really stupid decisions, but as with really great B movie horror you can shout all you like at the stupid woman as she can’t hear you. So just put on your seatbelt and enjoy the adrenaline filled ride. Take glee from her idiocy and revel in this gripping thriller.
The setting is creepily isolated and perfect, the cast of characters all have questionable motive. Who is a good guy and who is a bad guy? Even the narrator becomes suspect and for armchair detectives you will have lots of theories and will probably be wrong. What more can you want from a thriller?
After noticing a drone flying over her house and grounds and receiving some mysterious messages her home becomes her fortress. But what happens when you let strangers in? Trouble that’s what happens and in this case threefold as these strangers are triplets.
Here you need to suspend your disbelief as the widow makes really stupid decisions, but as with really great B movie horror you can shout all you like at the stupid woman as she can’t hear you. So just put on your seatbelt and enjoy the adrenaline filled ride. Take glee from her idiocy and revel in this gripping thriller.
The setting is creepily isolated and perfect, the cast of characters all have questionable motive. Who is a good guy and who is a bad guy? Even the narrator becomes suspect and for armchair detectives you will have lots of theories and will probably be wrong. What more can you want from a thriller?
August 24, 2020
Honestly, this was a hard book for me to read. I’m not sure I would have finished it if I hadn’t received an ARC from NetGalley for it.
Starting with the positives I guess, I liked the short chapters. It is a very easy book to read. Even not being 100% invested, I read this one in two sittings.
What I didn’t like was....everything else. I’m getting a bit perturbed by almost every “psychological thriller” involving a woman with a drinking problem, who is extremely gullible, hiding secrets, or can’t trust herself. It’s awful honestly. Has anyone else noticed this trend? It’s like a completely nonsensical plot is dreamed up, and then an attempt to make the story believable is made by writing in an unreliable/ weak/ drunk main character.
This book was impossible for me to believe, impossible for me to relate to any characters. The main character, a lonely widow, was never even named. The triplets, who very unbelievably come into the story, were just awful.
There are some twists and turns, but it is all super predictable, at least it was for me.
Overall, not my favorite read.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Starting with the positives I guess, I liked the short chapters. It is a very easy book to read. Even not being 100% invested, I read this one in two sittings.
What I didn’t like was....everything else. I’m getting a bit perturbed by almost every “psychological thriller” involving a woman with a drinking problem, who is extremely gullible, hiding secrets, or can’t trust herself. It’s awful honestly. Has anyone else noticed this trend? It’s like a completely nonsensical plot is dreamed up, and then an attempt to make the story believable is made by writing in an unreliable/ weak/ drunk main character.
This book was impossible for me to believe, impossible for me to relate to any characters. The main character, a lonely widow, was never even named. The triplets, who very unbelievably come into the story, were just awful.
There are some twists and turns, but it is all super predictable, at least it was for me.
Overall, not my favorite read.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2020
Okay, let me catch my breath, because this book was one wild ride. The book started out as a little like a psychological thriller, with me constantly questioning the narrator. However, the last quarter of the book was a complete roller coaster.
The Wife’s House by Arianne Richmonde really delivered on the thrill because by the time I finished the book, my heart was pounding and my palms sweating. I really liked the start of the book where there was a slow build, with us getting to know the characters. Personally, I didn’t like any of the characters. The narrator (was she ever named? I can’t seem to remember, oh dear) felt so daft to me, like who invites complete strangers to live with her with absolutely nothing out in writing? Then again, humans don’t always act rationally..
Still, the tension never flagged, slowly building throughout the book, till the climax which levelled shock after shock. I could have done without some of the action, because two deus ex machinas feels a little too much? Still, the final one was satisfying and hinted at right from the beginning so all is forgiven. All in all, a wildly entertaining read!
Diversity meter:
-
The Wife’s House by Arianne Richmonde really delivered on the thrill because by the time I finished the book, my heart was pounding and my palms sweating. I really liked the start of the book where there was a slow build, with us getting to know the characters. Personally, I didn’t like any of the characters. The narrator (was she ever named? I can’t seem to remember, oh dear) felt so daft to me, like who invites complete strangers to live with her with absolutely nothing out in writing? Then again, humans don’t always act rationally..
Still, the tension never flagged, slowly building throughout the book, till the climax which levelled shock after shock. I could have done without some of the action, because two deus ex machinas feels a little too much? Still, the final one was satisfying and hinted at right from the beginning so all is forgiven. All in all, a wildly entertaining read!
Diversity meter:
-
August 17, 2020
When ‘The Wife’s’ husband dies unexpectedly in a horrific car crash, he leaves the beloved Cliffside home behind and unanswered questions.
When strange things begin happening around the beach and home, she begins to wonder if someone is after her. Then triplet siblings come upon her that used to live in Cliffside- they may be just what she needed. Some companionship and some life in the home again.
You feel like you are in a bad 80’s horror film when the wife makes one disastrous decision after another. It is by design and ends up having so many thrills, twists and turns that you hold your breath the last 30% of the book... What could possibly happen next??
When strange things begin happening around the beach and home, she begins to wonder if someone is after her. Then triplet siblings come upon her that used to live in Cliffside- they may be just what she needed. Some companionship and some life in the home again.
You feel like you are in a bad 80’s horror film when the wife makes one disastrous decision after another. It is by design and ends up having so many thrills, twists and turns that you hold your breath the last 30% of the book... What could possibly happen next??
July 20, 2020
ohh this had everything I love in a psych thriller...a desolate beach with roaring storms, a house to literally die for, money, lots and lots of money, alcohol and lots of that too, murder, lies and a cute dog.
Yes, I highly recommend this book for your summer reading!
5 stars for the book and 5 stars for the cover art!
Thank you #Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Yes, I highly recommend this book for your summer reading!
5 stars for the book and 5 stars for the cover art!
Thank you #Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 9, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC. This was a slow thriller that picked up speed toward the ending. The plot was somewhat predictable and far fetched. Many parts throughout the book had me screaming at the main character’s gullibility. My biggest problem with the story was the excruciatingly slow beginning. The fast paced conclusion bumped up my rating to 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.
February 18, 2023
The first half of this book was completely uneventful. It wasn't even clear what the point of the story was. A woman's husband died and left her the house they lived in. So what? There wasn't anything mysterious or intriguing about any of that. Her neighbor is nosey and seemed to have a thing for her husband. Okay, interesting, but not novel worthy. A drone flies over her as she walks the beach by her house? So? I'm sure that happens all the time.
It didn't get good until just over 70%. But the ending was so delicious.
It didn't get good until just over 70%. But the ending was so delicious.
July 13, 2020
Rating: 4 stars.
This book started off really strongly. I enjoyed the writing style a lot, it was easy to get into and the story intrigued me from the beginning. The characters felt very real and the psychological aspect was amazing, the main character's stress and anxiety really translated well through the writing and I found myself really immersed in the story. The atmosphere was wonderfully creepy and the more suspicions and secrets were revealed the more I found myself loving the book.
After the first half of the book, it was getting somewhat repetitive and it dragged out a little for a while, and the ending seemed well built up but then didn't quite match up to my expectations. I felt like some aspects felt a little random and didn't fit into the story as well as others.
I did guess part of the plot twist in the end, but it was still unexpected and shocking enough that it kept me engaged and I couldn't put the book down. I would definitely read other books by this author in the future because I was really impressed by how well the characters were written and how the atmosphere was built up.
This book started off really strongly. I enjoyed the writing style a lot, it was easy to get into and the story intrigued me from the beginning. The characters felt very real and the psychological aspect was amazing, the main character's stress and anxiety really translated well through the writing and I found myself really immersed in the story. The atmosphere was wonderfully creepy and the more suspicions and secrets were revealed the more I found myself loving the book.
After the first half of the book, it was getting somewhat repetitive and it dragged out a little for a while, and the ending seemed well built up but then didn't quite match up to my expectations. I felt like some aspects felt a little random and didn't fit into the story as well as others.
I did guess part of the plot twist in the end, but it was still unexpected and shocking enough that it kept me engaged and I couldn't put the book down. I would definitely read other books by this author in the future because I was really impressed by how well the characters were written and how the atmosphere was built up.
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