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The First Widows
Not yet published
Expected 23 Mar 26Some people will do anything for family. Even kill for it…
When Sophia, a wealthy woman far from home, meets Rebecca, a struggling nurse and mother, at a paint-and-sip class in New York, their friendship unfolds just as you might expect.
The lonely outsider finds her place. The overwhelmed mother gets the help she desperately needs. The two women save each other.
But that’s only the beginning.
The first time Sophia reads Rebecca’s journal, it’s curiosity. The next time, it’s desperation.
Because she’s realized she’s not the only one in this house with secrets…
A dark, twisting domestic thriller for fans of Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose, about the people we trust, and the ones who destroy us.
When Sophia, a wealthy woman far from home, meets Rebecca, a struggling nurse and mother, at a paint-and-sip class in New York, their friendship unfolds just as you might expect.
The lonely outsider finds her place. The overwhelmed mother gets the help she desperately needs. The two women save each other.
But that’s only the beginning.
The first time Sophia reads Rebecca’s journal, it’s curiosity. The next time, it’s desperation.
Because she’s realized she’s not the only one in this house with secrets…
A dark, twisting domestic thriller for fans of Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose, about the people we trust, and the ones who destroy us.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 23, 2026
6 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
S.E. Reed
14 books119 followersS.E. Reed is an award-winning multi-genre author. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest, but longed to see the rest of America. After living in all five regions, she finally settled in Florida–nestled between the swampy Everglades and Atlantic Ocean. Many of her stories have a strong contemporary southern theme, but she also dabbles in the strange, bizarre, and fantastical.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Apparently, this is a sequel to another book, which I wasn’t aware of, based on the description. I don’t think it matters if you read that one or not, except that you would probably have a better idea what you were getting into with this one. Rebecca is a nurse and mother of two young girls whom she couldn’t care less about. She’s somewhere in her late thirties, I guess, as her age is never stated. She’s obsessed with getting on Broadway, but doesn’t audition anymore, mainly because her husband doesn’t want her to. I would think she’s too old to be a breakout star, but what do I know? She meets Sophia, also of indiscriminate age, who is obscenely wealthy and wants to be friends with Rebecca for no reason other than she looks like good best friend material. ??
They become friends, and Sophia goes out of her way to make Rebecca’s life easier for her. Rebecca, in turn, becomes an even worse mother. Seriously, Child Protective Services would have been called several times throughout the story if this were real life. But Sophia just covers for her and lets her get away with continued negligence. Rebecca’s married, but her husband is rarely around and doesn’t seem to notice or care that his children are neglected. He’s a pediatric heart surgeon who travels the world to teach and give talks and is therefore absent from his family most of the time.
And that’s pretty much the story. Rebecca grows increasingly unstable, Sophia turns into a surrogate mom, and life continues until someone goes completely psychotic. This is where some more background on Sophia would help in this story – was she unable to have kids? Did she have some at one point and lose them? Why’s she so desperate to infiltrate Rebecca’s life instead of reporting her and getting the heck away? Well, who knows because we’re never told.
I read this practically in one sitting because it just flies by, and the author’s great at immersing you right into the story, but I had hoped there’d be more explanation. At least there’s a good resolution that I think ties into the first book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the free advanced reading copy of this book.
They become friends, and Sophia goes out of her way to make Rebecca’s life easier for her. Rebecca, in turn, becomes an even worse mother. Seriously, Child Protective Services would have been called several times throughout the story if this were real life. But Sophia just covers for her and lets her get away with continued negligence. Rebecca’s married, but her husband is rarely around and doesn’t seem to notice or care that his children are neglected. He’s a pediatric heart surgeon who travels the world to teach and give talks and is therefore absent from his family most of the time.
And that’s pretty much the story. Rebecca grows increasingly unstable, Sophia turns into a surrogate mom, and life continues until someone goes completely psychotic. This is where some more background on Sophia would help in this story – was she unable to have kids? Did she have some at one point and lose them? Why’s she so desperate to infiltrate Rebecca’s life instead of reporting her and getting the heck away? Well, who knows because we’re never told.
I read this practically in one sitting because it just flies by, and the author’s great at immersing you right into the story, but I had hoped there’d be more explanation. At least there’s a good resolution that I think ties into the first book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the free advanced reading copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
S.E. Reed shapes the story with a kind of emotional whiplash that keeps you constantly recalibrating, offering the sort of shifts in mood that many novels aim for but rarely pull off. At the centre is Rebecca, carrying the weight of raising two young children while her husband Mitch, freshly celebrated as Doctor of the Year but is barely ever home, travelling a lot for work. Everything changes when Sophia enters Rebecca’s life, Sophia sees an opportunity and slowly weaves herself into the family’s routine. The story moves with a steady, gripping intensity, and I ended up flying through the whole novel in just a few hours.
This book thrives on hidden agendas, tangled emotions, and explosive revelations that grow more intense as the plot unfolds and it is irresistibly quick to devour, delivering a delicious edge. This unnerving domestic drama hooks you instantly, winding through shadows and sharp turns with an intensity that refuses to loosen its grip.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the boo, all opinions expressed are my own.
This book thrives on hidden agendas, tangled emotions, and explosive revelations that grow more intense as the plot unfolds and it is irresistibly quick to devour, delivering a delicious edge. This unnerving domestic drama hooks you instantly, winding through shadows and sharp turns with an intensity that refuses to loosen its grip.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the boo, all opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The First Widows by S.E. Reed is one of those “just one more chapter” thrillers that completely takes over your brain. Dark, twisty, and dripping with tension, this domestic thriller pulls you in fast and does not let go.
Secrets, lies, and messy relationships sit at the heart of this story, and every reveal hits harder than the last. Just when you think you’ve figured it out—boom—another twist drops. The pacing is sharp, the atmosphere is claustrophobic in the best way, and the characters feel deliciously flawed.
If you love unputdownable thrillers that will keep you guessing then this is for you.
📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, S.E. Reed and Storm Publishing📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚
Secrets, lies, and messy relationships sit at the heart of this story, and every reveal hits harder than the last. Just when you think you’ve figured it out—boom—another twist drops. The pacing is sharp, the atmosphere is claustrophobic in the best way, and the characters feel deliciously flawed.
If you love unputdownable thrillers that will keep you guessing then this is for you.
📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, S.E. Reed and Storm Publishing📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I did not realize this was a sequel or at least had a recurring character when I requested the ARC of “The First Widows”. So, I did not have a history with Sophia to know who she is and her actions in the previous novel, “The First Wives”.
I was able to follow this novel with no problem at all. Previous knowledge would have been helpful, but I did not find it hard to follow.
S.E. Reed does such a great job writing this that you will feel one way, then switch it up, then in a totally different way by the end. Most novels claim to do just that but fail to follow through.
This was an enjoyable read and was easy to get through in just one sitting.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
I was able to follow this novel with no problem at all. Previous knowledge would have been helpful, but I did not find it hard to follow.
S.E. Reed does such a great job writing this that you will feel one way, then switch it up, then in a totally different way by the end. Most novels claim to do just that but fail to follow through.
This was an enjoyable read and was easy to get through in just one sitting.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This one pulled me in fast and didn’t let go. What starts as an innocent friendship between a lonely wealthy woman and an overwhelmed mom quickly turns into something much darker. I loved how the story slowly peeled back the layers. Every time you think you understand Sophia and Rebecca, another secret slips out. The journal twist added such a creepy, obsessive edge, and the tension just keeps building from there. It’s messy, dramatic, and full of the kind of betrayal that makes domestic thrillers so addictive. If you like Freida McFadden or Jeneva Rose, this one definitely delivers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved this one and raced through it! Rebecca and Mitch have two young daughters but he was awarded Doctor of the Year and is rarely home so Rebecca is the main caregiver. Enter Sophia who invites Rebecca for a drink and believes she "has potential" so finds a way to worm her way into their lives. It's fast-paced, creepy-good and may make your skin crawl a little but so worth it!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews