My Best Friend's Wife

by Dina Santorelli

A secret marriage. A tragic accident. And a widow whose heartbreak turns to suspicion.

Sandra and Alex have been together for years—and best friends with Blake even longer. So, when Blake suddenly announces he’s gotten married, Sandra can’t shake the feeling that something is off. Why rush? And why keep such a huge milestone a secret from your best friends? When she finally meets Tara, Blake’s new wife, Sandra’s unease only deepens. Tara is cold and distant, and something about her just doesn’t sit right.

Eager for the foursome to bond, Blake invites Sandra and Alex on a ski trip to Vermont, hoping his friends will warm up to his mysterious wife. But the tension lingers, and Sandra can’t ignore a creeping sense of dread.

Then, the unthinkable happens—Alex is killed in a tragic accident on the slopes. Devastated, Sandra is at home grieving when she is visited by detectives with chilling Alex’s death may not have been an accident. There are questions, surprises—whispers of something sinister.

As Sandra pieces together the last moments of their trip, one name keeps surfacing—Tara. Now, Sandra is left with a terrifying Did someone make sure Alex never came back from that mountain? And if Tara is involved … could Sandra or Blake be next?

Don’t look away. The truth is colder than you think. Buy My Best Friend’s Wife today!

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Mystery Thriller

397 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 30, 2025

About the author

Dina Santorelli is an award-winning author of heart-pounding thrillers and dark, twist-filled suspense. Twice voted one of Long Island’s best authors, she’s known for crafting gripping stories that keep readers turning pages late into the night.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Middle Village, New York—a place bordered by cemeteries—Dina grew up surrounded by whispers of mystery, fueling a lifelong fascination with the darker side of storytelling. Now based on Long Island, she writes full-time, weaving tales of secrets, betrayal, and survival.

When she manages to step away from her desk, Dina enjoys traveling, cooking, baking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also wrestles daily with her fiercest rival: the New York Times Strands word game. For more information about Dina, visit her website at http://dinasantorelli.com.
 
Follow Dina on social media:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dinasantorell...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dinasantorelli
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/dinasantorelli

Reviews

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

This friend group had so many secrets, lies and unlikeliest suspects amongst them! The storyline was not what I was expecting going in, so it was a pleasant surprise that the author took a different path, versus what I assumed. I enjoyed the multiple points of view from the FMC’s in the story. This twisted tale certainly needed it to come from both angles to paint the full picture. I couldn’t quite pinpoint what was going on here, but the author did a great job at scratching the surface, letting the readers know that something (or someone) sinister was lurking, but it was not at all predictable who the villain truly was. As the chapters continue, you literally doubt everyone at some point in this book. Overall, a fast paced and addictive read that I would recommend and makes me interested in more from this author. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Pav S. (pav_sanborn_bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a newcomer to this author, I must admit that the book cover initially caught my eye—and I’m so glad it did!

Sandra and Alex have been in a long-term relationship and are best friends with Blake, who suddenly announces his secret marriage to Tara. Sandra feels uneasy about the rushed wedding and Tara's cold demeanor. During a ski trip to Vermont intended to unite the group, tragedy strikes when Alex dies in a ski accident. Grieving at home, Sandra receives news from detectives suggesting that Alex's death may not have been accidental. As she investigates, she begins to suspect Tara's involvement, raising fears that she or Blake could be in danger. The story unfolds with suspense and a quest for the unsettling truth behind Alex's death.

Meet Sandra, a character so relatable that you might find yourself nodding along in recognition. But here’s the kicker: the story teaches us a valuable lesson about assumptions. When it comes to addressing issues, don’t play telephone with a middleman—go straight to the source! Trust me, you’ll want to read this to find out what happens when you don’t.

I felt a wave of sadness for Sandra as she navigated the heavy tragedy that life had thrown her way at such a tender age. But who’s really to blame? As we meet a few more intriguing characters, the plot thickens, and we even get a glimpse into Taras’s point of view toward the end. This clever twist brings the narrative full circle, allowing you to finally identify the true perpetrator! I had my suspicions, but with my extensive reading history, I sometimes get lucky with my guesses. Regardless, the journey was so well-crafted that I found it nearly impossible to put the book down.

If you’re a fan of fast-paced, dark reads laced with obsession and revenge, this one will undoubtedly capture your attention. Just keep your wits about you—the author masterfully maintains suspense right up until the final chapter. Happy reading!

Thank you, Booksprout, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I read by her! Slow start but it was good. Lies,secrets, betrayals.

[Sandy Goguen-Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down and finished in a day. I loved how the story starts from Sharon's POV until the present moment. Then it goes back to where Sharon's story starts, but it's from Tara's POV. There were lots of twists and turns when you saw both POVs come together.

Thank you to Book Sirens for the chance to read this ARC for a voluntary and honest review.

[Natasha L'Ecuyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the characters, plot, and it was fast paced. Only wish that the “plot twists” would have been separated within the book, not only in the last 20%.. Besides that I totally recommend!

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

[Mary Summer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast-paced with sharp dialogue, this mystery kept me guessing and suspicious of everyone. I’m a sucker for dual perspectives seeing the same story unfold from different angles, and this book handled it well. For the first half, it was a solid 4-star read: engaging, unpredictable, and fun.

But around the 70% mark, the shine wore off. The mystery became a bit predictable, the constant date-and-time chapter headings added unnecessary confusion, and the ending wrapped up a little too neatly for my taste. Still, a fun ride overall even if it coasted to the finish.

[Leanne L · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 Honestly it was just OK, in my opinion, kind of predictable.
I liked Sandra and Alex’s relationship (he was the calm in her storm) so I was happy to see that before he died (this was indicated in the blurb). I feel like there was very little about Tara in the first half so I was like where is this book going but it became clear as soon as we saw Tara’s POV and then I was like yep it’s Blake and sure enough it was. Standard popcorn thriller.

[Melissa Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

felt far fetched!

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many levels of insipid, and the narrator was tough to listen to.
I appreciated that the author was fairly adept at giving us a few options as suspects, and threw in some late questions to keep us guessing a bit. Was Alex having an affair, or did he and Tara know each other before, or was the band guy whose name I can't remember Tara's dealer? Nothing compelling, but those and a few other points were woven well into the story as it unfolded.
The characters were a bit cliched, made much worse by the narrator seeming to want to make it a sports broadcast. Her inflection in so many cases was annoying--almost as if half of each characters' speech was exclamatory. Felt fake.
The characters' completely lacked intelligence or depth, and we are supposed to just ignore obvious glitches in reasonable facts and conversations. Lazy writing like this makes me crazy.
For example-the husband and wife, and the wife and "best friend!!" (More on that coming!!!), had many conversations about the wife reaching out to the new wife of the "best friend!!!" The wife NEVER defends herself, says "but I DID message her, 9 times,& she ignores me!" SO ludicrous. So she and her husband, and her "best friend!!!" know each other SO well, as is mentioned 100 times--but she doesn't level with them? And neither does the new wife? It's utterly annoying, and, again, insanely lazy. Much easier to pretend she'd never mention it, even when the men repeatedly tell her she needs to talk to the new wife, make friends -than skillfully explain why she keeps her mouth shut, or tries to investigate. We all know there is a lack of communication, and even dislike. Each woman tries to brush it off, assuming it's the other's fault. This is not at all convincing,& doesn't change the fact that the author was not skilled enough to make sense of it, til the "big reveal" towards the end -surprise NOT-about why messages weren't getting to her, etc.
It's all just dumb.
Obviously it's also boring to assume the "BEST FRIEND!!!" has been in love with a woman for many years, but chose this moment and method to kill for her-and to assume she'd be all in-? But no one saw any character flaws prior to his instituting his massive murder plan? Silly.
The "BEST FRIEND!!!" aspect is ridiculous. 40-somethings referring to each other with that moniker, over and over and over, dumbed the book down exponentially. Using it to explain their relationship to strangers, to police, to attempt to force it into readers' heads they are oh so close, I assume to try to mislead us, was a dumb, lazy, annoying way to go.
Not a book I'd read or listen to had I known it was so silly.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandra and Alex have been married for a while, and their best friend Blake up and decided to secretly get married. As a bonding trip for the two couples, they go to Vermont on a ski trip, where Alex is killed in a tragic accident. And while grieving, Sandra is trying to piece together what happened, and Tara, Blake’s wife’s name keeps popping up.

I requested this one 100% because of the cover.
While there were parts that were a little slow, I throughly enjoyed this read. And there was one twist that had my jaw drop.

It was fast paced, definitely can be read in one sitting.

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Diamondeque Gravier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the book! It kept me wanting to read and figure out what happened and who did it!
Throughout the book I questioned everyone! I would think one person did it, I was sure of it, and then boom! Twist!
Such a good read

[Annisa Rizky Amalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dari awal baca buku, lembar demi lembar, membuatku curiga pada semua subyek di dalamnya. Menebak-nebak siapa siapa siapa dan siapa. Ending yang sangat tidak tertebak. Absolutely become a fan of this author. Can’t wait to read her other books!

[Nahla Nagy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow ❤️

[Ifeoluwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a good and unexpected read.. Very enjoyable.

[Kameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Brenna Cloud-Seville · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/4 was a bit slow in the beginning but I did not see the ending coming! Loved!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read but, too many twists and kind of predictable. Some of the characters were really long as well.

[Morton Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Attention grabbing | Engrossing | Psychological thriller - Hilary

[Steph Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gripping and Relatable Read – Hooked from Start to Finish!

I absolutely loved this book!

From the moment I saw the cover and read the synopsis, I knew it was going to be great—and it more than delivered! What drew me in even more was how much I related to the characters. Sandra and Alex, both in their early 40s and married for 15 years, felt so familiar to me and my own relationship (my husband and I are both 42 and have been married for 11 years). Their dynamic felt authentic and real.

Their best friend Blake, whom they’ve known for years and are very close to, suddenly announces he’s married. Sandra immediately senses something’s off, and when she meets Blake’s new wife, Tara, her instincts go into overdrive.

The couples head’s off on a skiing holiday in Vermont and I found myself smiling at Sandra’s reluctance to ski—just like me! While she escapes into writing, I’d be curled up with a book. These little details made the story feel all the more personal.

The plot thickens when what unfolds next—a tragic accident on the slopes starts an unravelling of secrets—had me turning pages late into the night.

The author was very clever in the way she structured the story, thought it was perfect and very effective as a thriller. The story’s POV’s shifted to another person’s perspective towards the end giving the book a totally different spin.

The big reveal at the end was maybe a tad bit unrealistic considering the couple had been together 23yrs but aside from that can't fault this book!

A heartfelt, suspenseful, twisty and beautifully written book that had me hooked all the way through. Highly recommend!

I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Keisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I have to say will be a spoiler.

From my updates, you would think that I’d end up hating this book. Pay me no mind. Sometimes I just need to release my sneering ahead of time.

But I’m actually glad to say that I loved this book.

While the characters had annoying personalities and they were very TERRIBLE communicators — Sandra was vain, selfish. Alex was goofy and reckless. Blake was sketchy from the get-go; and Tara, Tara was cool the whole time actually — the storyline was still very gripping and hard for me to break away. I was always glad to dive back into it and talk out loud to the characters. “Come on, Sandra! Just tell Blake that YOU DID text Tara; and Tara never texted you back. Like, just tell him that!” So frustrating, so fun.

The plot and the twists and the throw-offs were some of the best I’ve ever read. By the time the villain was revealed, I wasn’t really surprised, but I was still like ohhh wow. And you know, sometimes it’s not about shocking me or knocking my socks off. It’s about getting me there by keeping me in suspense along the way and that is exactly what Dina Santorelli has done well.

Alright I loved this part, not because I was taken with Alex, but just because it’s sweet for Sandra, even though she had foul feelings on reserve throughout their marriage. This is still sweet though: [Spoiler Quote]

“Somewhere below her was Alex. She tried not to think about him being alone and in the dark. Instead, she imagined the man who had been her foundation since she was a teenager still providing her solid ground.”

Not only was that a great conclusion and farewell for Sandra but for the entire story, Sandra had a great ending to new beginnings with Tara and Casey. It felt like girl power without any contrivances or overtones.

[Kiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who can you trust when your life turns upside down?

Thank you to Dina Santorelli and Booksirens for the ARC of this book which i received for free and im leaving this review voluntarily.

Oh boy, where do I start? This book had me not knowing who to trust, even Sandra herself. I was pointing fingers at everybody while reading. I love the way I was able to feel the connection Sandra and Alex had, as it mirrors my own relationship with my husband. Coincidentally we also struggle with fertility, so that was an added bond I could share with the characters. I could imagine the pain Sandra felt when Alex died. I would have been distraught, no way to console me. But then the mystery started, because a cop knocks at the door sniffing around for foul play in Alex's death. At that point, I was pointing fingers every which way because I honestly had no idea who did it. The ending was a little unexpected for me. There was a couple curve balls that I was jaw on the floor over, and a few others that I could definitely see coming. But the ending, that shocked me. Great book, and definitely recommend for people who enjoy a decent psych thriller.

Tw:
Mention of infertility with main characters and mention of substance abuse with side characters.

[buzy_reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Three Musketeers: friends and business partners. Lately Blake’s been feeling lonely. The dynamics have shifted since Alex and Sandra tried adopting a baby.
…
Blake spontaneously announced his marriage to Tara a woman he met in class. Blake was nervous introducing Tara to his friends because the trio was about to become a foursome.
…
Sandra struggles with Blake’s decision of making Tara a business partner because it’s always been the three of them. If you ask Sandra she believes she knows everything there is to know about her husband and her friend. Blake hasn’t shared everything with his friends nor hasAlex shared everything with his wife.
…
Dina Santorelli is a new to me author who gained my interest with writing a psychological thriller. Finding new authors is challenging. Reading the premise is only the first step. The second step is finding a writing style match. The final step is finding a writer who keeps a steady pace.
…
The premise intrigued me. I like the idea of figuring out the motive and the suspect in Alex’s accident. Keeping an eye on these characters is cryptic. I fear it’s do to too much telling and not enough showing. My patience was worn thin by the slow progression.

[Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My Best Friend's Wife" by Dina Santorelli is a pulse-pounding psychological thriller that unravels the dark underbelly of friendship and marriage. Released in July 2025, it centers on Sandra and Alex, a long-married couple blindsided when their best friend Blake reveals his secret union to the enigmatic Tara.

Blake pushes for harmony with a Vermont ski trip, but Tara's icy demeanor fuels Sandra's suspicions about the rushed wedding. Tragedy strikes when Alex dies in a skiing mishap, and detectives later hint it was no accident, thrusting Sandra into a web of deceit and danger. As she probes deeper, whispers of betrayal point fingers at Tara—and maybe even Blake—building relentless suspense.

Santorelli excels in authentic character dynamics, drawing from relatable midlife relationships that hit close to home for many readers. Multiple viewpoints, including a late Tara perspective, deliver jaw-dropping twists and unlikeliest suspects. The fast pace and emotional depth make it a page-turner hard to put down.

Perfect for fans of domestic suspense like Freida McFadden, this gripping tale of secrets and shifting loyalties delivers chills and surprises in spades.

[Kimberly Loner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a domestic drama with interesting characters and motivations. I flew through it, trying to find out who’s lying, telling the truth, and murderous!
We get a lot of Sandra’s POV and she’s a lot…she’s married to dreamboat Alex, a partner in an advertising firm, and they live a seemingly perfect life.
The other partner is named Blake, and he’s known Sandra and Alex since childhood. Blake is calm, orderly, methodical and the three of them are all best friends. Everything is wonderful…until Blake announces he just married a stranger named Tara! There are many chapters of Sandra complaining about Tara and spiraling off into weird rabbit holes.
Thankfully, we get a POV change to Tara in the middle and she retells the story with how they met.
By the end, only 3 of these 4 characters are left and I didn’t quite understand the killer’s motivations. So minus one star for that but otherwise a good mystery!

[Liz Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. I’d recommend

Characters: Sandra, Alex, Blake and Tara

Spoilers
Sandra, Alex and Blake have been friend for awhile. They have a marketing business together. Sandra and Alex are married and blake is their best guy friend.
One day, Blake tells them that he recently got married to Tara, a girl they’ve never met or heard about. They were shocked. Blake has told Tara things that are untrue about Sandra to make her cautious of Sandra.
They go on a ski trip together and Alex has an accident and dies. Saundra is grieving and thinks that Tara is out to get her. Come to find out, Blake has planned all of this-killed Alex with fentanyl and planned to do the same to Tara to be with Sandra. Blake is in love with Sandra and thinks that by him doing these things that they’ll be together jn the end.
That doesn’t happen and Blake ends up in jail and then Sandra and Tara become friends

[Albert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is this how middle-class white women behave?

The main character, Sandra, spent most of the book frustrating me with what felt like an extraordinary sense of entitlement to other people's emotions, decisions, and personhood. Just when I thought the story might move beyond that, it circled back to the same dynamic at the end.

The plot tried to position its twists as surprising, but I found the outcome both predictable and somewhat of a stretch. I kept reading mainly to see whether my suspicions were correct, not because I was invested in the story or its characters.

Speaking of the characters, they felt pedestrian and lacked the depth needed to make me care about what happened to them. Their motivations and personalities never developed beyond familiar tropes.

Overall, this felt like the kind of novel you pick up at an airport bookstore to pass the time during a delayed flight, readable enough to finish, but not memorable enough to recommend.

Meh.

[Ruthie Mckinney · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Best Friend’s Wife, easy 4 star book for me. Imagine your BFF calls you up on a random day and says they want you to meet their new wife but you’ve never even met a girlfriend! The new wife is standoffish and doesn’t seem to want to be friends. Who is this woman, what does she want? Could this really be love? I enjoyed this book very much, it kept my attention and kept me up late to finish. There is no big ending reveal if that the type of psychological thriller your are expecting, there are twists and turns and what the heck’s throughout though. This is my 1st book by this author and I would definitely read more. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Angela Farrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Dina Santorelli! You really had me sacrificing sleep and skipping chores with your book! This was my first read by you, and I’m completely hooked—I need more! The suspense was incredible; I found myself guessing who the culprit was the entire time. From the start, I was captivated by Sandra and Alex and their love for each other. I definitely didn’t see the twists coming! Tara’s storyline had me intrigued as well; I appreciated getting her perspective. I truly enjoyed every moment of this story and wholeheartedly recommend it to all my friends and everyone I know. Just a heads-up to check the trigger warnings before diving in, as there are some sensitive topics addressed.

Thank you, Booksirens and Dina, for the advance review copy—I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily!

[Megan Jury · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Surprising twist

This was a slow book for me to get into. I was about 15% into it and then stopped reading for about a month but then decided to pick it back up and finished it in one evening.

Alex and Sandra had a love that most people hope for and throughout the book you feel that love and the grief Sandra is going thru.

There are characters where you think might have done it and then there’s that twist.

I liked how I thought it was one person who did it then when it got closer to the truth is when I figured it out.

Once you get thru the first few chapters I felt it got a lot more interesting. I enjoyed the duel views because it gave a lot more understanding of the characters