What do you think?
Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies: A Novel
For fans of
The Hunting
A woman in mourning finds renewed purpose in her fake persona for an online mom group—but membership comes at a killer cost.
In the wake of losing her son, Becca also lost her marriage and her moorings. Now, work and time spent with her best friend, Lynn, are what gets her through the day. But it's a private group of moms on social media that gets her through the long nights.
Run by Karen, the holy grail of perfect wives, Mommy Wine Time is a place where women share stories, perfectly airbrushed photos, and advice disguised as humble brags. And it's where Becca pretends to be Lucy, with the help of a stock photo account. Lucy's an ideal wife and mother living a dahlia-filled life in Seattle, enjoying all the things that Becca is certain she'll never have again.
But the line between Becca's truths and Lucy's lies starts to blur when a series of bad deeds, daring games, and too many bottles of cheap chardonnay reveals something darker. Soon, what began as mere petty crimes escalates to kidnapping, assault, revenge, and murder. Still, the more Becca pretends, the more alive she feels . . .
This psychological thriller from the author of Pretty/Ugly takes the wine moms from Big Little Lies and Desperate Housewives, puts them in an online space where it's easier to hide their true identities, and then gives them even darker obsessions. Cheers.
In the wake of losing her son, Becca also lost her marriage and her moorings. Now, work and time spent with her best friend, Lynn, are what gets her through the day. But it's a private group of moms on social media that gets her through the long nights.
Run by Karen, the holy grail of perfect wives, Mommy Wine Time is a place where women share stories, perfectly airbrushed photos, and advice disguised as humble brags. And it's where Becca pretends to be Lucy, with the help of a stock photo account. Lucy's an ideal wife and mother living a dahlia-filled life in Seattle, enjoying all the things that Becca is certain she'll never have again.
But the line between Becca's truths and Lucy's lies starts to blur when a series of bad deeds, daring games, and too many bottles of cheap chardonnay reveals something darker. Soon, what began as mere petty crimes escalates to kidnapping, assault, revenge, and murder. Still, the more Becca pretends, the more alive she feels . . .
This psychological thriller from the author of Pretty/Ugly takes the wine moms from Big Little Lies and Desperate Housewives, puts them in an online space where it's easier to hide their true identities, and then gives them even darker obsessions. Cheers.
288 pages, Paperback
Published September 8, 2026
About the author
Jennifer Anne Gordon
13 books235 followersJennifer Anne Gordon is a Gothic horror novelist. Her work includes Beautiful, Frightening and Silent (2020) which won the Kindle Award for Best Horror/Suspense for 2020, and From Daylight to Madness (The Hotel book 1), and When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk (The Hotel book 2).
She had a collection of her mixed media artwork published during spring of 2020, entitled Victoriana: mixed media art of Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer is one of the hosts as well as the creator of Vox Vomitus, a video podcast on the Global Authors on the Air Network, as well as the Co-Host of the You Tube Channel “Talk Horror to Me”. She had been a contributor to Ladies of Horror Fiction, as well as Horror Tree.
Jennifer is a pale curly haired ginger, obsessed with horror, ghosts, abandoned buildings, and her dog "Lord Tubby".
She graduated from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where she studied Acting. She also studied at the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in Art History and English.
She has made her living as an actress, a magician's assistant, a "gallerina", a comic book dealer, a painter, and burlesque performer and for the past 10 years as an award-winning professional ballroom dancer, performer, instructor, and choreographer.
When not scribbling away (ok, typing frantically) she enjoys traveling with her fiancé and dance partner, teaching her dog ridiculous tricks (like 'give me a kiss' and 'what hand is the treat in?' ok these are not great tricks.) as well as taking photos of abandoned buildings and haunted locations.
She is a leo, so at the end of the day she just thinks about her hair.
She had a collection of her mixed media artwork published during spring of 2020, entitled Victoriana: mixed media art of Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer is one of the hosts as well as the creator of Vox Vomitus, a video podcast on the Global Authors on the Air Network, as well as the Co-Host of the You Tube Channel “Talk Horror to Me”. She had been a contributor to Ladies of Horror Fiction, as well as Horror Tree.
Jennifer is a pale curly haired ginger, obsessed with horror, ghosts, abandoned buildings, and her dog "Lord Tubby".
She graduated from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where she studied Acting. She also studied at the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in Art History and English.
She has made her living as an actress, a magician's assistant, a "gallerina", a comic book dealer, a painter, and burlesque performer and for the past 10 years as an award-winning professional ballroom dancer, performer, instructor, and choreographer.
When not scribbling away (ok, typing frantically) she enjoys traveling with her fiancé and dance partner, teaching her dog ridiculous tricks (like 'give me a kiss' and 'what hand is the treat in?' ok these are not great tricks.) as well as taking photos of abandoned buildings and haunted locations.
She is a leo, so at the end of the day she just thinks about her hair.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
August 31, 2026
Completely U N H I N G E D — and I loved every single second of it. 😂
Not gonna lie, though… this book threw me into a WEIRD headspace, and I definitely needed to look at some cute puppy photos afterward to detox. Ha!
⚠️ A warning before going in: There were lots and lots of potential triggers in this one, so I definitely recommended checking those before starting. This story got dark.
From the very beginning, reading this book reminded me of how I felt the first time I watched Fight Club. It’s hard to explain, but the entire time I was reading, I felt like I was walking around in this strange, disorienting fog. The story was SO incredibly heavy with grief and guilt, and the main character was just… mentally shattered. And somehow, the author managed to pull me right into that headspace with her.
I could absolutely see why this book might get mixed reviews, though. I’m sure there were readers who couldn’t connect with such an “unlikable” main character, but honestly? That was exactly why I liked her so much. That makes sense, right?! 😂 I didn’t need her to be likable. I needed her to be interesting, complicated, messy, and completely human — and she was ALL of those things.
The author did an absolutely incredible job of making me feel like I was inside this girl’s head throughout the entire story. I didn’t just feel like I was reading about her grief, guilt, anger, and unraveling, I felt like I was experiencing it right alongside her. It made the whole book feel incredibly heavy, emotional, and almost claustrophobic at times.
This book was absolutely DRENCHED in dark sarcasm and humor, which somehow worked perfectly alongside all that emotional heaviness. I already knew there would probably be readers who just didn’t “get it,” but for the slightly deranged readers like myself? We ate up every single twisted little morsel.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and #Netgalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Not gonna lie, though… this book threw me into a WEIRD headspace, and I definitely needed to look at some cute puppy photos afterward to detox. Ha!
⚠️ A warning before going in: There were lots and lots of potential triggers in this one, so I definitely recommended checking those before starting. This story got dark.
From the very beginning, reading this book reminded me of how I felt the first time I watched Fight Club. It’s hard to explain, but the entire time I was reading, I felt like I was walking around in this strange, disorienting fog. The story was SO incredibly heavy with grief and guilt, and the main character was just… mentally shattered. And somehow, the author managed to pull me right into that headspace with her.
I could absolutely see why this book might get mixed reviews, though. I’m sure there were readers who couldn’t connect with such an “unlikable” main character, but honestly? That was exactly why I liked her so much. That makes sense, right?! 😂 I didn’t need her to be likable. I needed her to be interesting, complicated, messy, and completely human — and she was ALL of those things.
The author did an absolutely incredible job of making me feel like I was inside this girl’s head throughout the entire story. I didn’t just feel like I was reading about her grief, guilt, anger, and unraveling, I felt like I was experiencing it right alongside her. It made the whole book feel incredibly heavy, emotional, and almost claustrophobic at times.
This book was absolutely DRENCHED in dark sarcasm and humor, which somehow worked perfectly alongside all that emotional heaviness. I already knew there would probably be readers who just didn’t “get it,” but for the slightly deranged readers like myself? We ate up every single twisted little morsel.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and #Netgalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2026
If you took The Hunting Wives, Fight Club, the crazy catfish mom from the Netflix documentary Unknown Number, and threw them all in an AOL Chat Room; you’d get Jennifer Anne Gordon’s PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIVES.
This grief horror/psychological thriller is a manifesto of Becca’s life after her son Gabe drowned and she got divorced (albeit amicably-ish) from her husband Matt. Becca is a social worker, but has been living a lie in an internet mommy group for the community of internet friends. When she is invited to a dark web world of moms behaving badly, Becca jumps at the chance to reinvent herself with women who understand her pain. But, that just doesn’t sound like it’ll end well, right?!
This book’s best when you’re in the world of these crazy internet relationships—it really goes THERE at times. I had fun with it, so just go into it with open arms. It’s a bingey, juicy ride and Becca’s world is about to blow up in front of your very eyes. STARS: 4, PUB: out now!
This grief horror/psychological thriller is a manifesto of Becca’s life after her son Gabe drowned and she got divorced (albeit amicably-ish) from her husband Matt. Becca is a social worker, but has been living a lie in an internet mommy group for the community of internet friends. When she is invited to a dark web world of moms behaving badly, Becca jumps at the chance to reinvent herself with women who understand her pain. But, that just doesn’t sound like it’ll end well, right?!
This book’s best when you’re in the world of these crazy internet relationships—it really goes THERE at times. I had fun with it, so just go into it with open arms. It’s a bingey, juicy ride and Becca’s world is about to blow up in front of your very eyes. STARS: 4, PUB: out now!
March 5, 2026
Jennifer Anne Gordon’s PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES is absolutely incredible, and is a perfect book club pick. There is a lot to discuss in Gordon’s latest novel; on its surface, there’s the immense loss Becca has experienced in her life, from losing her son to the dissolution of her marriage. But beneath its layers (and there are a lot of beautifully written layers to PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES), this is a book about self-discovery, healing, and coming to terms with reality, no matter how dark things may be.
Becca is all of us; we’ve all been at a point in our lives where we are longing for a past version of ourselves or hoping the future version of us is better. Gordon places her magnifying glass on our insecurities, and while initially heartbreaking, she holds our hand through it, and the examination makes us better. This makes Becca and the cast of characters in PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES relatable and real.
Another layer is its incredibly realistic relationships. Becca’s relationships are believable, and it makes the tension and heartbreak in this book even more intense. We base so much of our worth and our identity in our relationships, even if they are toxic; we put the roots of who we are in the people in our lives, and ultimately, it can make us or break us. Yes, some of Becca’s decisions in this book are rash and impulsive, but at no point do they feel unbelievable, which is a testament to Gordon’s writing. And this is important because Gordon’s ability to make this world seem real makes the ladies of Mommy Wine Time and Becca’s relationship with Lucy even more tense, sinister, and eerie.
PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES will make you cry, but it will also make you laugh. Gordon is witty and smart, and the humor in this book is perfectly placed to allow you to gather yourself and then allow Gordon to crush you and put you on the edge of your seat again. You can feel the heart that Gordon has poured into this book, and it makes it a must-read. I've never read a book that left me feeling so much, and it has me yearning for more books from Gordon. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
PUB DATE: September 8, 2026
Thank you to the author for my review copy.
Becca is all of us; we’ve all been at a point in our lives where we are longing for a past version of ourselves or hoping the future version of us is better. Gordon places her magnifying glass on our insecurities, and while initially heartbreaking, she holds our hand through it, and the examination makes us better. This makes Becca and the cast of characters in PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES relatable and real.
Another layer is its incredibly realistic relationships. Becca’s relationships are believable, and it makes the tension and heartbreak in this book even more intense. We base so much of our worth and our identity in our relationships, even if they are toxic; we put the roots of who we are in the people in our lives, and ultimately, it can make us or break us. Yes, some of Becca’s decisions in this book are rash and impulsive, but at no point do they feel unbelievable, which is a testament to Gordon’s writing. And this is important because Gordon’s ability to make this world seem real makes the ladies of Mommy Wine Time and Becca’s relationship with Lucy even more tense, sinister, and eerie.
PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES will make you cry, but it will also make you laugh. Gordon is witty and smart, and the humor in this book is perfectly placed to allow you to gather yourself and then allow Gordon to crush you and put you on the edge of your seat again. You can feel the heart that Gordon has poured into this book, and it makes it a must-read. I've never read a book that left me feeling so much, and it has me yearning for more books from Gordon. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
PUB DATE: September 8, 2026
Thank you to the author for my review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There is a point where creating a fake online identity to impress strangers should probably trigger some sort of internal alarm. Becca hears that alarm, acknowledges it, pours herself another glass of wine, and keeps driving straight toward the cliff. By the time she starts roleplaying as a perfect Seattle mom named Lucy in a group called Mommy Wine Time, I wasn't even judging her. I was just watching through my fingers like someone witnessing a raccoon successfully break into a bank.
What surprised me most is that this book is way sadder than the cover wants you to believe. That bright pink, wine-mom energy is basically a bait-and-switch operation. Underneath all the curated photos, passive-aggressive salads, and women pretending their lives are Pinterest boards, this is really a story about grief. Becca lost her son years ago, and the loss sits on every page like an unwelcome houseguest who refuses to leave. Sometimes it was genuinely heartbreaking. Sometimes it was uncomfortable. Sometimes it made me want to hand this woman a blanket and a therapist.
Instead, she gets Karen. And Karen is the kind of woman who could post a photo of homemade muffins online and somehow make it feel threatening.
The Mommy Wine Time group was honestly my favorite part of the book. Every interaction felt like peeking into a group chat that should absolutely be entered into evidence at some point. These women are competing, performing, bragging, confessing, and spiraling in ways that felt both ridiculous and alarmingly believable. The internet has created entire ecosystems of people pretending to be happier than they are, and this book takes one look at that phenomenon and says, "Cool. What if we added obsession, crime, and emotional instability?"
Becca herself is complicated because spending time with her feels like watching someone desperately try on different versions of herself hoping one of them hurts less. Some of her choices made perfect emotional sense. Some of them made me stare at the page and whisper, "Girl, no." But I never doubted why she was making them. She's lonely in that specific way where attention starts feeling like love, and that's a dangerous thing when the person giving you attention is Karen.
The thing is, I went in expecting a thriller about toxic wine moms and online deception. What I got was something much weirder. Much heavier. Much more focused on grief, identity, and the strange ways people try to survive after the worst thing imaginable happens to them. The thriller elements are there, but they take their sweet time showing up. If you're expecting bodies to start dropping in chapter three, this book is going to look at you, refill its chardonnay, and continue unpacking emotional trauma for another hundred pages.
And that's where I struggled a little. The middle dragged for me. There were stretches where I felt like we were circling the same emotional drain over and over again. The mystery took a while to really kick into gear, and by the time the bigger reveals arrived, I was more invested in the messy relationships than the actual suspense. The twists were solid, especially surrounding Karen, but I wanted a little more momentum getting there.
That said, I absolutely understand why this book has such passionate fans. It's strange. It's dark. It's funny in a deeply uncomfortable way. The banter occasionally made me laugh, and the social media commentary landed harder than I expected. It captures that awful feeling of looking at someone else's carefully curated life and wondering why yours feels so much harder, even when you know you're being lied to by a filtered square on a screen.
By the end, I wasn't really thinking about the crimes or the secrets. I was thinking about Becca. About how grief can hollow someone out so completely that becoming a fake version of yourself starts feeling easier than being the real one. The book hits that truth hard and then keeps moving, which honestly made it more effective. For me, this landed at 3.5 stars. Messy, dark, occasionally frustrating, sometimes surprisingly moving, and definitely not the wine-mom thriller I thought I was getting.
Whodunity Award: For Making an Online Mom Group Feel More Dangerous Than Most Serial Killers
And a huge thank you to Podium Entertainment and NetGalley for the ARC. You handed me a book about Facebook moms, fake identities, boxed wine, and emotional chaos, and somehow it turned into an existential crisis. That's honestly impressive.
What surprised me most is that this book is way sadder than the cover wants you to believe. That bright pink, wine-mom energy is basically a bait-and-switch operation. Underneath all the curated photos, passive-aggressive salads, and women pretending their lives are Pinterest boards, this is really a story about grief. Becca lost her son years ago, and the loss sits on every page like an unwelcome houseguest who refuses to leave. Sometimes it was genuinely heartbreaking. Sometimes it was uncomfortable. Sometimes it made me want to hand this woman a blanket and a therapist.
Instead, she gets Karen. And Karen is the kind of woman who could post a photo of homemade muffins online and somehow make it feel threatening.
The Mommy Wine Time group was honestly my favorite part of the book. Every interaction felt like peeking into a group chat that should absolutely be entered into evidence at some point. These women are competing, performing, bragging, confessing, and spiraling in ways that felt both ridiculous and alarmingly believable. The internet has created entire ecosystems of people pretending to be happier than they are, and this book takes one look at that phenomenon and says, "Cool. What if we added obsession, crime, and emotional instability?"
Becca herself is complicated because spending time with her feels like watching someone desperately try on different versions of herself hoping one of them hurts less. Some of her choices made perfect emotional sense. Some of them made me stare at the page and whisper, "Girl, no." But I never doubted why she was making them. She's lonely in that specific way where attention starts feeling like love, and that's a dangerous thing when the person giving you attention is Karen.
The thing is, I went in expecting a thriller about toxic wine moms and online deception. What I got was something much weirder. Much heavier. Much more focused on grief, identity, and the strange ways people try to survive after the worst thing imaginable happens to them. The thriller elements are there, but they take their sweet time showing up. If you're expecting bodies to start dropping in chapter three, this book is going to look at you, refill its chardonnay, and continue unpacking emotional trauma for another hundred pages.
And that's where I struggled a little. The middle dragged for me. There were stretches where I felt like we were circling the same emotional drain over and over again. The mystery took a while to really kick into gear, and by the time the bigger reveals arrived, I was more invested in the messy relationships than the actual suspense. The twists were solid, especially surrounding Karen, but I wanted a little more momentum getting there.
That said, I absolutely understand why this book has such passionate fans. It's strange. It's dark. It's funny in a deeply uncomfortable way. The banter occasionally made me laugh, and the social media commentary landed harder than I expected. It captures that awful feeling of looking at someone else's carefully curated life and wondering why yours feels so much harder, even when you know you're being lied to by a filtered square on a screen.
By the end, I wasn't really thinking about the crimes or the secrets. I was thinking about Becca. About how grief can hollow someone out so completely that becoming a fake version of yourself starts feeling easier than being the real one. The book hits that truth hard and then keeps moving, which honestly made it more effective. For me, this landed at 3.5 stars. Messy, dark, occasionally frustrating, sometimes surprisingly moving, and definitely not the wine-mom thriller I thought I was getting.
Whodunity Award: For Making an Online Mom Group Feel More Dangerous Than Most Serial Killers
And a huge thank you to Podium Entertainment and NetGalley for the ARC. You handed me a book about Facebook moms, fake identities, boxed wine, and emotional chaos, and somehow it turned into an existential crisis. That's honestly impressive.
May 7, 2026
Mind is definitely blown!
This book was absolutely wild, so weird, and nothing like I expected (in the best way possible!) I was completely hooked from page one and literally could not put it down!!
The characters are quirky, chaotic, and so well-written that I found myself literally laughing out loud at their banter more times than I can count. Also, can we talk about some of the chapter names? They are such a fun touch and I am obsessed! Finding all the pop culture easter eggs (from songs to shows) made the reading experience so much more exciting and kept me wanting to say “just one more chapter” after every single chapter 😂😅
I’ve already decided this is going to be my official book club pick when it releases. I need my gals to read this so we can obsess over it together! You definitely need to pick this one up on September 8th if you love banter, Easter eggs, and keeping you on your toes plots.
Thank you to Netgalley and Podium Entertainment for allowing me to read this!
This book was absolutely wild, so weird, and nothing like I expected (in the best way possible!) I was completely hooked from page one and literally could not put it down!!
The characters are quirky, chaotic, and so well-written that I found myself literally laughing out loud at their banter more times than I can count. Also, can we talk about some of the chapter names? They are such a fun touch and I am obsessed! Finding all the pop culture easter eggs (from songs to shows) made the reading experience so much more exciting and kept me wanting to say “just one more chapter” after every single chapter 😂😅
I’ve already decided this is going to be my official book club pick when it releases. I need my gals to read this so we can obsess over it together! You definitely need to pick this one up on September 8th if you love banter, Easter eggs, and keeping you on your toes plots.
Thank you to Netgalley and Podium Entertainment for allowing me to read this!
September 10, 2026
This book took me a little while to get into as it was ultra slow burn to begin with. We meet Becca, a woman who after 11 years is still plagued by grief about the passing of her young son.
There is no timeline on grief and the narrator does a good job of displaying Becca's raw emotions.
Becca has made an online persona displaying the life that could have been, but things take a sinister twist when she is invited to another online group. The entry requirement...reveal your deepest darkest secret or be banished from the group for good.
The twist was good but a few times I found myself a little mixed up. Maybe that was by design. Also, it is quite descriptive and detailed, which isn't my preferred style
Overall, the audiobook narrator did a good performance portraying the different voices and accents in the story. However, Becca's voice, the one heard most often was very soft, sultry and slow, and I'm not sure the cadence agrees with me. I listened at 2.5-2.8x speed and that still felt a little slow at times, so this might be a me problem.
This ones for you if you love slow burn domestic-type dramas about the lives people hide behind closed doors and the personas thy choose to present to the world. It is filled with secrets, lies and hints of danger.
Thank you to Jennifer Anne Gordon and podium entertainment
For these complimentary reading and listening copies via Netgalley. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions expressed are my own.
There is no timeline on grief and the narrator does a good job of displaying Becca's raw emotions.
Becca has made an online persona displaying the life that could have been, but things take a sinister twist when she is invited to another online group. The entry requirement...reveal your deepest darkest secret or be banished from the group for good.
The twist was good but a few times I found myself a little mixed up. Maybe that was by design. Also, it is quite descriptive and detailed, which isn't my preferred style
Overall, the audiobook narrator did a good performance portraying the different voices and accents in the story. However, Becca's voice, the one heard most often was very soft, sultry and slow, and I'm not sure the cadence agrees with me. I listened at 2.5-2.8x speed and that still felt a little slow at times, so this might be a me problem.
This ones for you if you love slow burn domestic-type dramas about the lives people hide behind closed doors and the personas thy choose to present to the world. It is filled with secrets, lies and hints of danger.
Thank you to Jennifer Anne Gordon and podium entertainment
For these complimentary reading and listening copies via Netgalley. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions expressed are my own.
September 26, 2026
Book Review: Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies by Jennifer Anne Gordon
Rating: 3-Stars
I have to start with the cover—it’s absolutely gorgeous and immediately caught my attention. The book itself was an entertaining psychological thriller, though it didn’t quite blow me away. I enjoyed the premise, but I kept wishing the plot had gone a little deeper and delivered more surprises.
Becca is struggling after the devastating loss of her son, which has also cost her both her marriage and her sense of direction. She gets by through work, time with her best friend Lynn, and an online group called Mommy Wine Time. The group is filled with picture-perfect mothers who share polished photos, carefully presented advice, and plenty of subtle bragging.
Since Becca no longer feels connected to the life she once had, she creates an online identity named Lucy, using someone else’s photos to pretend she’s a happy wife and mother living an enviable life in Seattle. At first, the fake persona gives Becca an escape and helps her feel hopeful again. But as she becomes more involved with the group—and with its leader, Karen—the boundary between reality and deception begins to disappear.
What starts with online lies, reckless games, and petty wrongdoing gradually takes a much darker turn, involving violence, revenge, kidnapping, and murder. Becca’s involvement makes her feel more alive, but it also pulls her into a dangerous situation she may no longer be able to control.
I liked the exploration of grief, loneliness, social media personas, and the pressure to appear as though everything is perfect. The online mom-group setting was interesting, and I could see the appeal for readers who enjoy books about toxic friendships and women behaving badly. However, I wanted more from the storyline overall. Some of the darker developments felt as though they could have been developed further, and I was hoping for a stronger emotional or shocking payoff.
Ultimately, this was a decent, quick thriller with an intriguing setup, but it fell short of being a standout read for me. Three stars.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
Rating: 3-Stars
I have to start with the cover—it’s absolutely gorgeous and immediately caught my attention. The book itself was an entertaining psychological thriller, though it didn’t quite blow me away. I enjoyed the premise, but I kept wishing the plot had gone a little deeper and delivered more surprises.
Becca is struggling after the devastating loss of her son, which has also cost her both her marriage and her sense of direction. She gets by through work, time with her best friend Lynn, and an online group called Mommy Wine Time. The group is filled with picture-perfect mothers who share polished photos, carefully presented advice, and plenty of subtle bragging.
Since Becca no longer feels connected to the life she once had, she creates an online identity named Lucy, using someone else’s photos to pretend she’s a happy wife and mother living an enviable life in Seattle. At first, the fake persona gives Becca an escape and helps her feel hopeful again. But as she becomes more involved with the group—and with its leader, Karen—the boundary between reality and deception begins to disappear.
What starts with online lies, reckless games, and petty wrongdoing gradually takes a much darker turn, involving violence, revenge, kidnapping, and murder. Becca’s involvement makes her feel more alive, but it also pulls her into a dangerous situation she may no longer be able to control.
I liked the exploration of grief, loneliness, social media personas, and the pressure to appear as though everything is perfect. The online mom-group setting was interesting, and I could see the appeal for readers who enjoy books about toxic friendships and women behaving badly. However, I wanted more from the storyline overall. Some of the darker developments felt as though they could have been developed further, and I was hoping for a stronger emotional or shocking payoff.
Ultimately, this was a decent, quick thriller with an intriguing setup, but it fell short of being a standout read for me. Three stars.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
September 8, 2026
Sooo unhinged. So nuts. I genuinely felt a little out of my mind by the end of this one. 😂🍷
The grief in this book is HEAVY. You can feel it oozing off the pages, and I loved how messy and raw Becca’s grief was. She’s trying to find some semblance of herself again, and what starts as an escape into the perfectly curated world of Mommy Wine Time spirals into something SO much darker.
The whole “perfect wives” facade, the social media lies, the petty crimes, the escalating chaos… I was absolutely HERE for it. 👀 Every time I thought things couldn’t possibly get more unhinged, this book said, “Oh, you thought?” 😂
After losing her son and her marriage, Becca finds an escape in an online group of seemingly perfect moms, where she secretly lives as a fictional woman named Lucy. But as her lies become more real, harmless games quickly spiral into crime, revenge, kidnapping, and murder. The more Becca escapes into Lucy’s life, the harder it becomes to tell where the fantasy ends and reality begins.
Dark, messy, twisty, and completely chaotic in the best way. By the end, I wasn’t sure who I could trust or if I could even trust MYSELF anymore
The grief in this book is HEAVY. You can feel it oozing off the pages, and I loved how messy and raw Becca’s grief was. She’s trying to find some semblance of herself again, and what starts as an escape into the perfectly curated world of Mommy Wine Time spirals into something SO much darker.
The whole “perfect wives” facade, the social media lies, the petty crimes, the escalating chaos… I was absolutely HERE for it. 👀 Every time I thought things couldn’t possibly get more unhinged, this book said, “Oh, you thought?” 😂
After losing her son and her marriage, Becca finds an escape in an online group of seemingly perfect moms, where she secretly lives as a fictional woman named Lucy. But as her lies become more real, harmless games quickly spiral into crime, revenge, kidnapping, and murder. The more Becca escapes into Lucy’s life, the harder it becomes to tell where the fantasy ends and reality begins.
Dark, messy, twisty, and completely chaotic in the best way. By the end, I wasn’t sure who I could trust or if I could even trust MYSELF anymore
May 14, 2026
I was very excited to receive this ARC and couldn’t wait to dive right in. It sounded really interesting from the synopsis, but unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me.
I had a hard time connecting with the characters, especially Becca. I have a background in social work so I understand her rough days, her stress levels, etc but I kept finding myself rolling my eyes at some of her actions.
It did, however, show how damaging social media can be, how people can become so obsessed with comparing themselves to others. This was a dark read that I probably wouldn’t recommend.
I had a hard time connecting with the characters, especially Becca. I have a background in social work so I understand her rough days, her stress levels, etc but I kept finding myself rolling my eyes at some of her actions.
It did, however, show how damaging social media can be, how people can become so obsessed with comparing themselves to others. This was a dark read that I probably wouldn’t recommend.
September 19, 2026
If you’ve been around for a while you probably know that I love to get into one of my characters when I write my reviews😏. & to make this one fun and unhinged I had to sit for a while looking over my review notes….so here’s what I got. I hope it doesn’t kill you with laughter😈
Babes… I need you to understand something. This book was WILD and may have you questioning everyone you’ve ever been in a group chat with👀.
But let’s back it up a bit….
Becca is grieving the loss of her son. Her marriage has fallen apart. She’s trying to figure out who the hell she even is anymore. Then she finds Mommy Wine Time….an online group filled with seemingly perfect wives, perfect mothers, perfect homes, perfect lives…
You know. The usual social media bullshit.😂🍷
IYKYK👏🏾
Except Becca doesn’t join as herself.
She creates Lucy.👀
“Her name, my name, is Lucy Westenra, named after Mina Murray’s vampire BFF in Dracula.”
Lucky is a completely fictional woman with a picture perfect life built from stock photos.
At first I was like…
Babes….This is probably not going to end well.
AND THEN IT GOT SO. MUCH. WORSE.👀
An escape from grief turns into lies, revenge, a dash of petty games here, a lil sprinkle of secrets there and while we are at it a bucket of crimes….
The more Becca becomes Lucy the harder it gets to separate the fantasy from reality.
There was so freaking much going on in this book I loved it but at the same time. Any time I thought I had it figured out my phone was side eyeing me like “cute theory babe…Anyways let me throw this at you…”👀💀😂
Besides this book basically testing me lol Becca is hurting. She’s grieving. Her desperation to feel like herself again makes some of her choices feel simultaneously horrifying and painfully human. She isn’t a character to be liked by everyone but she is easy to relate to. She’s complicated, messy and does morally questionable things.
This book had me sitting there like….
🍷 Oh, they're just drinking wine.
👀 Okay… why are they talking like THAT?
😳 Wait… did she just—
🚨 OH. OH NO.
🫣 Babe, log TF OFF.
💀 WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL.
If you have a book club I would totally recommend this for your next read! There is so much to unpack in this psychological thriller.
From grief, identity, loneliness, social media personas, toxic friendships and the lengths people will go to when they desperately want to feel like they belong.
You are going to have opinions.
You are going to have theories.
You are probably going to have a group chat dedicated this craziness in this book😂🍷
But by the end….I wasn't sure who I trusted anymore.💀
SO BABES. POUR THE WINE.
Because Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies is ready to ruin your evening. Maybe a 🤏🏾 of your sanity too
Don’t say I didn’t warn ya💋🍷🔪👀
Babes… I need you to understand something. This book was WILD and may have you questioning everyone you’ve ever been in a group chat with👀.
But let’s back it up a bit….
Becca is grieving the loss of her son. Her marriage has fallen apart. She’s trying to figure out who the hell she even is anymore. Then she finds Mommy Wine Time….an online group filled with seemingly perfect wives, perfect mothers, perfect homes, perfect lives…
You know. The usual social media bullshit.😂🍷
IYKYK👏🏾
Except Becca doesn’t join as herself.
She creates Lucy.👀
“Her name, my name, is Lucy Westenra, named after Mina Murray’s vampire BFF in Dracula.”
Lucky is a completely fictional woman with a picture perfect life built from stock photos.
At first I was like…
Babes….This is probably not going to end well.
AND THEN IT GOT SO. MUCH. WORSE.👀
An escape from grief turns into lies, revenge, a dash of petty games here, a lil sprinkle of secrets there and while we are at it a bucket of crimes….
The more Becca becomes Lucy the harder it gets to separate the fantasy from reality.
There was so freaking much going on in this book I loved it but at the same time. Any time I thought I had it figured out my phone was side eyeing me like “cute theory babe…Anyways let me throw this at you…”👀💀😂
Besides this book basically testing me lol Becca is hurting. She’s grieving. Her desperation to feel like herself again makes some of her choices feel simultaneously horrifying and painfully human. She isn’t a character to be liked by everyone but she is easy to relate to. She’s complicated, messy and does morally questionable things.
This book had me sitting there like….
🍷 Oh, they're just drinking wine.
👀 Okay… why are they talking like THAT?
😳 Wait… did she just—
🚨 OH. OH NO.
🫣 Babe, log TF OFF.
💀 WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL.
If you have a book club I would totally recommend this for your next read! There is so much to unpack in this psychological thriller.
From grief, identity, loneliness, social media personas, toxic friendships and the lengths people will go to when they desperately want to feel like they belong.
You are going to have opinions.
You are going to have theories.
You are probably going to have a group chat dedicated this craziness in this book😂🍷
But by the end….I wasn't sure who I trusted anymore.💀
SO BABES. POUR THE WINE.
Because Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies is ready to ruin your evening. Maybe a 🤏🏾 of your sanity too
Don’t say I didn’t warn ya💋🍷🔪👀
Read
September 7, 2026PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES
BY: JENNIFER ANNE GORDON
I usually love a novel that blends Literary Fiction with Mystery & Thriller is usually a huge winner for me when those two genres are combined I am guaranteed a Five Star reading experience but definitely not the case here. I seem to have been on a wonderful Five Star Streak, but since yesterday I am in a real reading slump. I couldn't imagine a more depressing, and bleak novel where the characters could be described that way, also. I usually don't have a problem with unlike characters which this is a strong dislike of most of them except for Lynn, Becca's best friend. I know that I have never said it so emphatically but I couldn't stand the characters which I don't feel so blunt but it's a case where the writing started out okay, and I did think the premise was interesting, but I thought the writing style and the execution didn't work for me, I thought it was dull and the pace moved glacially slow. The ominous sections failed to pull me in which didn't at all. I just kept reading hoping it would get better but it was not thrilling at all and lacked suspense in how I would feel that it lacked momentum, that thought was just not compelling, or gripping that was bleak, depressing and dull. I just felt like I had to force myself to finish it but I really felt I just found that I didn't enjoy it, but I thought that I owed it to the author to read the content that in order to evaluate it fairly I finally finished it. It is DARK I thought but not in a way that I could really find it was the fact that it seemed that I just didn't find the characters to be more layered, and perhaps I wanted more gray than as these characters just felt flat. I thought it was interesting enough to request it, but as far as the storytelling went it just felt that the actual premise felt like it wasn't for me. I thought that I would like it because I don't like leaving a negative review because I know that I feel bad, and I know that this puts me in the minority so please read other reviews that really loved this, so I'm hoping that this author has continued success and I wish her and the Publisher my very best wishes on this, and I do think it was a bad fit for me. It's not often that I have had this degree of disappointment, and I hope that my next novel is a more positive experience.
September 8, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley, Jennifer Anne Gordon, and Podium Entertainment for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are entirely my own, as always.
#PerfectWivesPerfectLies #JenniferAnneGordon #PodiumEntertainment #NetGalley .
BY: JENNIFER ANNE GORDON
I usually love a novel that blends Literary Fiction with Mystery & Thriller is usually a huge winner for me when those two genres are combined I am guaranteed a Five Star reading experience but definitely not the case here. I seem to have been on a wonderful Five Star Streak, but since yesterday I am in a real reading slump. I couldn't imagine a more depressing, and bleak novel where the characters could be described that way, also. I usually don't have a problem with unlike characters which this is a strong dislike of most of them except for Lynn, Becca's best friend. I know that I have never said it so emphatically but I couldn't stand the characters which I don't feel so blunt but it's a case where the writing started out okay, and I did think the premise was interesting, but I thought the writing style and the execution didn't work for me, I thought it was dull and the pace moved glacially slow. The ominous sections failed to pull me in which didn't at all. I just kept reading hoping it would get better but it was not thrilling at all and lacked suspense in how I would feel that it lacked momentum, that thought was just not compelling, or gripping that was bleak, depressing and dull. I just felt like I had to force myself to finish it but I really felt I just found that I didn't enjoy it, but I thought that I owed it to the author to read the content that in order to evaluate it fairly I finally finished it. It is DARK I thought but not in a way that I could really find it was the fact that it seemed that I just didn't find the characters to be more layered, and perhaps I wanted more gray than as these characters just felt flat. I thought it was interesting enough to request it, but as far as the storytelling went it just felt that the actual premise felt like it wasn't for me. I thought that I would like it because I don't like leaving a negative review because I know that I feel bad, and I know that this puts me in the minority so please read other reviews that really loved this, so I'm hoping that this author has continued success and I wish her and the Publisher my very best wishes on this, and I do think it was a bad fit for me. It's not often that I have had this degree of disappointment, and I hope that my next novel is a more positive experience.
September 8, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley, Jennifer Anne Gordon, and Podium Entertainment for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are entirely my own, as always.
#PerfectWivesPerfectLies #JenniferAnneGordon #PodiumEntertainment #NetGalley .
September 7, 2026
If you loved The Hunting Wives, this twisty psychological thriller will grab you right from the start and won’t let go.
Becca is completely adrift after losing her son, her marriage, and everything that made her life feel like hers. Her job and her best friend Lynn get her through the days, but it’s a private online mom group that gets her through the long, lonely nights.
Mums Wine Time and run by the seemingly flawless Karen, it’s full of glossy photos, humble-bragged advice, and all the perfect things Becca thinks she’ll never have again. So she builds an alter ego: Lucy, the ideal wife and mum living a picture-perfect, dahlia-filled life in Seattle, cobbled together from stock photos. And for the first time in forever, Becca feels like she belongs. She feels alive.
But it doesn’t stay harmless for long. What starts as petty games and too many bottles of cheap chardonnay spirals into something far darker—revenge, violence, and even murder. The more Becca slips into being Lucy, the harder it is to tell where the lie ends and the truth begins… and she realises joining this group came at a terrible cost.
Think Big Little Lies or Desperate Housewives, but moved online where it’s so easy to hide who you really are—and the obsessions run so much deeper. Unsettling, sharp, and impossible to put down.
Becca is completely adrift after losing her son, her marriage, and everything that made her life feel like hers. Her job and her best friend Lynn get her through the days, but it’s a private online mom group that gets her through the long, lonely nights.
Mums Wine Time and run by the seemingly flawless Karen, it’s full of glossy photos, humble-bragged advice, and all the perfect things Becca thinks she’ll never have again. So she builds an alter ego: Lucy, the ideal wife and mum living a picture-perfect, dahlia-filled life in Seattle, cobbled together from stock photos. And for the first time in forever, Becca feels like she belongs. She feels alive.
But it doesn’t stay harmless for long. What starts as petty games and too many bottles of cheap chardonnay spirals into something far darker—revenge, violence, and even murder. The more Becca slips into being Lucy, the harder it is to tell where the lie ends and the truth begins… and she realises joining this group came at a terrible cost.
Think Big Little Lies or Desperate Housewives, but moved online where it’s so easy to hide who you really are—and the obsessions run so much deeper. Unsettling, sharp, and impossible to put down.
September 29, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Podium for providing me with an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
📱 Format: eBook ARC
Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies had a really interesting premise, but it took a while to fully capture my attention.
For more than half of the book, I felt like I had one foot in and one foot out. The setup had a lot of potential—grief, fake identities, anonymous online friendships, confessions, dares, and women pushing each other further and further—but the execution took a while to catch up with the concept for me.
Once it did, though… wild.
The second half became much darker and more unsettling, especially as the online group’s lies, secrets, dares, and real-life consequences started colliding. I found myself questioning what was true, what was exaggerated, who could be trusted, and how much damage these relationships were actually causing.
The Lucy/Karen dynamic also became much more intense and complicated as the story progressed, and that added a darker psychological layer that finally pulled me in more.
Final Verdict: A strong concept with a slow build that took too long to fully hook me, but the second half became much more compelling and completely unhinged in places. I liked where it ultimately went, even if it took me a while to get there.
📱 Format: eBook ARC
Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies had a really interesting premise, but it took a while to fully capture my attention.
For more than half of the book, I felt like I had one foot in and one foot out. The setup had a lot of potential—grief, fake identities, anonymous online friendships, confessions, dares, and women pushing each other further and further—but the execution took a while to catch up with the concept for me.
Once it did, though… wild.
The second half became much darker and more unsettling, especially as the online group’s lies, secrets, dares, and real-life consequences started colliding. I found myself questioning what was true, what was exaggerated, who could be trusted, and how much damage these relationships were actually causing.
The Lucy/Karen dynamic also became much more intense and complicated as the story progressed, and that added a darker psychological layer that finally pulled me in more.
Final Verdict: A strong concept with a slow build that took too long to fully hook me, but the second half became much more compelling and completely unhinged in places. I liked where it ultimately went, even if it took me a while to get there.
Did Not Finish
September 13, 2026I’m not really sure how I’d rate this one. When I read the premise, it sounded exactly like the kind of book that fits my reading personality. But as I started listening, I kept thinking…have I read this before?! Because it sure felt like it mimicked a book, maybe even two, that I’ve already read.
Even though it felt familiar, I kept listening. But then I found myself asking, what is the point of this dialogue? It was so mundane. So boring. I kept waiting for something to grab me or at least give me a reason to care about what was happening. Instead, I was mostly listening to the inner thoughts of the main character, whose name I still can’t even remember. That probably says enough right there.
I think it goes without saying, this just didn’t work for me. Sadly, I didn’t finish it, and I’m actually glad I decided to save myself the time rather than push through a book I clearly wasn’t connecting with. (Audio)
Even though it felt familiar, I kept listening. But then I found myself asking, what is the point of this dialogue? It was so mundane. So boring. I kept waiting for something to grab me or at least give me a reason to care about what was happening. Instead, I was mostly listening to the inner thoughts of the main character, whose name I still can’t even remember. That probably says enough right there.
I think it goes without saying, this just didn’t work for me. Sadly, I didn’t finish it, and I’m actually glad I decided to save myself the time rather than push through a book I clearly wasn’t connecting with. (Audio)
April 13, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley and Podium for the ARC of this title.
THIS is how you do a psychological thriller! The way this book had me locked in is insane! The whole time I’m wondering what is up with this Karen lady and trust me, none of the things that crossed my mind were what was actually going on. The ending of this book is absolutely insane but in the best way! This one will have you thinking for hours possibly days after you finish!
THIS is how you do a psychological thriller! The way this book had me locked in is insane! The whole time I’m wondering what is up with this Karen lady and trust me, none of the things that crossed my mind were what was actually going on. The ending of this book is absolutely insane but in the best way! This one will have you thinking for hours possibly days after you finish!
September 15, 2026
This was quite a slow burn, so much so that nothing remotely thrilling happens until the second half of the book. The story covers some tough topics that were depressing to listen to at times, which didn’t really help the slow build of the story. The majority of the book centers around the main character’s grief after she lost her son. Unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy of the book.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy of the book.
September 18, 2026
“I am not alone, but I am alone.”
3 ⭐️
After losing her son in a tragic drowning incident, her marriage crumbled apart.
Social worker Becca finds herself seeking companionship amongst other moms on social media. Mommy Wine Time is an online platform where women share their perfect lives.
Desperate to fit in, Becca creates a fake persona. One night she reveals a deep dark secret that escalates into something so much more.
What to expect:
🪓 Psychological / domestic thriller
🍷 Grief & healing
🪓 Trad wives
🍷 Late night confessions
Thoughts:
Beautiful, immersive prose. But almost to a fault. I needed more storyline, less “one-liners”.
3 ⭐️
After losing her son in a tragic drowning incident, her marriage crumbled apart.
Social worker Becca finds herself seeking companionship amongst other moms on social media. Mommy Wine Time is an online platform where women share their perfect lives.
Desperate to fit in, Becca creates a fake persona. One night she reveals a deep dark secret that escalates into something so much more.
What to expect:
🪓 Psychological / domestic thriller
🍷 Grief & healing
🪓 Trad wives
🍷 Late night confessions
Thoughts:
Beautiful, immersive prose. But almost to a fault. I needed more storyline, less “one-liners”.
September 26, 2026
2.5
Interesting concept and fast pace.
Interesting concept and fast pace.
September 28, 2026
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
August 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Podium Entertainment for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 54%. I tried to push through because I was really intrigued by the premise, but I felt let down by the execution. For this to be a thriller, nothing "thrilling" happens for over half of the book. There were so many teasers about the group chat being suspicious or more sinister than Becca originally expected, but for the majority of the book, we don't spend much time in the group chat. Instead, most of the first half focused on Becca dealing with the grief of losing her son and mourning the end of her marriage. While I understand why those parts of her story were important, I kept waiting for more development of the main mystery of the story. There was one chapter where Becca and Karen, the leader of the mom group, confessed their secrets to each other, but outside of that, many of the group chat interactions felt quite brief. I kept feeling like the story was building toward a major reveal, but the pacing was too slow for me, and the teasers weren't enough to hold my interest.
I also struggled to connect with the characters. All of them are unlikeable, especially the main character Becca. I empathized with her because she was clearly struggling with her mental health, but she made a lot of confusing choices and was extremely selfish when it came to her ex-husband and her best friend. I don't mind having an unlikeable main character, but there should be a reason why she's unlikeable and I couldn't find one with Becca. I might come back later and finish this, but right now, I just don't think it's for me.
Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 54%. I tried to push through because I was really intrigued by the premise, but I felt let down by the execution. For this to be a thriller, nothing "thrilling" happens for over half of the book. There were so many teasers about the group chat being suspicious or more sinister than Becca originally expected, but for the majority of the book, we don't spend much time in the group chat. Instead, most of the first half focused on Becca dealing with the grief of losing her son and mourning the end of her marriage. While I understand why those parts of her story were important, I kept waiting for more development of the main mystery of the story. There was one chapter where Becca and Karen, the leader of the mom group, confessed their secrets to each other, but outside of that, many of the group chat interactions felt quite brief. I kept feeling like the story was building toward a major reveal, but the pacing was too slow for me, and the teasers weren't enough to hold my interest.
I also struggled to connect with the characters. All of them are unlikeable, especially the main character Becca. I empathized with her because she was clearly struggling with her mental health, but she made a lot of confusing choices and was extremely selfish when it came to her ex-husband and her best friend. I don't mind having an unlikeable main character, but there should be a reason why she's unlikeable and I couldn't find one with Becca. I might come back later and finish this, but right now, I just don't think it's for me.
June 27, 2026
The first word that comes to my mind is unhinged. Which when used to describe a psychological thriller book is synonymous with “wtf did I just read” and “wow that blew my mind” (aka-psychological thriller perfection)
“Who cares if you’re the hero? You can be the villain; not all villains are completely bad, and they’re usually more interesting than the good guys anyway. They have all the best lines.” -my favorite Karen quote
The whole Mommy Wine Time chat group vibe was so compelling and held my interest in a guilty pleasure sort of way, sort of like the feeling you get when you watch a reality show and all the catty bitches start to shine.
There are so many layers to Perfect Wives Perfect Lies and they weave together perfectly. Grief, trauma, loss, anxiety and real life brought together. My mind was working trying to figure out all that is Karen. And once I got to the point where things were revealed my mind was blown
This would be absolutely perfect for a book club or buddy read. So much to discuss!
Thank you to NetGalley & Podium for the opportunity to read & rate this arc copy
“Who cares if you’re the hero? You can be the villain; not all villains are completely bad, and they’re usually more interesting than the good guys anyway. They have all the best lines.” -my favorite Karen quote
The whole Mommy Wine Time chat group vibe was so compelling and held my interest in a guilty pleasure sort of way, sort of like the feeling you get when you watch a reality show and all the catty bitches start to shine.
There are so many layers to Perfect Wives Perfect Lies and they weave together perfectly. Grief, trauma, loss, anxiety and real life brought together. My mind was working trying to figure out all that is Karen. And once I got to the point where things were revealed my mind was blown
This would be absolutely perfect for a book club or buddy read. So much to discuss!
Thank you to NetGalley & Podium for the opportunity to read & rate this arc copy
May 7, 2026
Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies is a sharp, wine‑soaked descent into the dangers of reinvention — the kind that begins with quiet grief and ends somewhere far darker.
Becca, still shattered by the loss of her son and the collapse of her marriage, slips into the online mom group Mommy Wine Time under the glossy alias “Lucy.” What starts as a harmless escape — a curated life full of dahlias and perfection — quickly becomes intoxicating. The group itself is deliciously toxic: airbrushed photos, humble brags, and Karen ruling the feed like a ring‑light‑lit queen.
But as the games turn reckless and the chardonnay flows, the line between Becca and Lucy blurs. Petty mischief spirals into kidnapping, revenge, and murder, and the more she pretends, the more alive she feels.
It’s a slick, addictive psychological thriller with the bite of Big Little Lies and the suburban rot of Desperate Housewives, all filtered through the anonymity of online personas. Dark, messy, and compulsively readable — a reminder that the most dangerous lies are the ones we tell ourselves.
With thanks to Jennifer Anne Gordon, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Becca, still shattered by the loss of her son and the collapse of her marriage, slips into the online mom group Mommy Wine Time under the glossy alias “Lucy.” What starts as a harmless escape — a curated life full of dahlias and perfection — quickly becomes intoxicating. The group itself is deliciously toxic: airbrushed photos, humble brags, and Karen ruling the feed like a ring‑light‑lit queen.
But as the games turn reckless and the chardonnay flows, the line between Becca and Lucy blurs. Petty mischief spirals into kidnapping, revenge, and murder, and the more she pretends, the more alive she feels.
It’s a slick, addictive psychological thriller with the bite of Big Little Lies and the suburban rot of Desperate Housewives, all filtered through the anonymity of online personas. Dark, messy, and compulsively readable — a reminder that the most dangerous lies are the ones we tell ourselves.
With thanks to Jennifer Anne Gordon, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of *Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies* before publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
*Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies* is a dark, clever and surprisingly emotional psychological thriller about grief, online identities and the dangerous gap between the lives people have and the lives they present to others. After losing her son and watching her marriage fall apart, Becca is struggling to find a reason to keep moving forward. Her work and her friendship with Lynn help her through the days, but during the long and lonely nights, she escapes into a private online group for mothers called Mommy Wine Time.
Becca joins the group as Lucy, a fictional woman with a loving husband, children and a beautiful home surrounded by dahlias in Seattle. Using carefully selected photographs and an invented history, she creates the perfect version of the life she believes she has lost forever. The group initially provides companionship and distraction, but it is filled with women who are also presenting edited versions of themselves. Behind the polished family photographs and apparently supportive messages are jealousy, competition, resentment and increasingly disturbing secrets.
The online setting is one of the strongest aspects of the novel. It explores how easily strangers can create intimacy without ever knowing whether the person on the other side of the screen is real. Becca’s deception is wrong, but it also comes from a deeply painful place, making her a sympathetic and morally complicated protagonist. Pretending to be Lucy gives her control and belonging at a time when her real life feels empty, but the stronger that identity becomes, the harder it is for her to separate comfort from obsession.
The novel balances psychological suspense with sharp observations about social media, performative motherhood and the pressure placed on women to appear endlessly happy and successful. The members of Mommy Wine Time offer advice and encouragement, but their supposed support often disguises judgment and rivalry. As the lies become more dangerous and the story moves towards murder, Becca is forced to confront how little she knows about the women she has trusted—and how much they may already know about her.
The opening is immediately engaging, and the later chapters contain several effective twists and revelations. The middle section moves more slowly in places, and some developments require suspension of disbelief, but the unusual premise and Becca’s emotional journey kept me invested. I particularly enjoyed the contrast between the dark subject matter and the moments of humour and chaotic group interaction.
Overall, *Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies* is an inventive and entertaining domestic thriller about grief, loneliness and the identities people manufacture online. It is dark, witty and emotionally layered, with a memorable central character and a disturbing reminder that the people who appear to have perfect lives may be telling the biggest lies of all.
*Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies* is a dark, clever and surprisingly emotional psychological thriller about grief, online identities and the dangerous gap between the lives people have and the lives they present to others. After losing her son and watching her marriage fall apart, Becca is struggling to find a reason to keep moving forward. Her work and her friendship with Lynn help her through the days, but during the long and lonely nights, she escapes into a private online group for mothers called Mommy Wine Time.
Becca joins the group as Lucy, a fictional woman with a loving husband, children and a beautiful home surrounded by dahlias in Seattle. Using carefully selected photographs and an invented history, she creates the perfect version of the life she believes she has lost forever. The group initially provides companionship and distraction, but it is filled with women who are also presenting edited versions of themselves. Behind the polished family photographs and apparently supportive messages are jealousy, competition, resentment and increasingly disturbing secrets.
The online setting is one of the strongest aspects of the novel. It explores how easily strangers can create intimacy without ever knowing whether the person on the other side of the screen is real. Becca’s deception is wrong, but it also comes from a deeply painful place, making her a sympathetic and morally complicated protagonist. Pretending to be Lucy gives her control and belonging at a time when her real life feels empty, but the stronger that identity becomes, the harder it is for her to separate comfort from obsession.
The novel balances psychological suspense with sharp observations about social media, performative motherhood and the pressure placed on women to appear endlessly happy and successful. The members of Mommy Wine Time offer advice and encouragement, but their supposed support often disguises judgment and rivalry. As the lies become more dangerous and the story moves towards murder, Becca is forced to confront how little she knows about the women she has trusted—and how much they may already know about her.
The opening is immediately engaging, and the later chapters contain several effective twists and revelations. The middle section moves more slowly in places, and some developments require suspension of disbelief, but the unusual premise and Becca’s emotional journey kept me invested. I particularly enjoyed the contrast between the dark subject matter and the moments of humour and chaotic group interaction.
Overall, *Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies* is an inventive and entertaining domestic thriller about grief, loneliness and the identities people manufacture online. It is dark, witty and emotionally layered, with a memorable central character and a disturbing reminder that the people who appear to have perfect lives may be telling the biggest lies of all.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
From the very first page, this book completely pulled me in and refused to let go. It’s strange, unpredictable, emotionally intense, and honestly one of the most addictive psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time. Every chapter left me desperate to keep going, especially with those clever chapter titles and all the fun pop culture references sprinkled throughout. Catching the little nods to songs and television shows made the experience even more entertaining, and the sharp, chaotic banter between the characters had me laughing way more than I expected from a thriller.
Jennifer Anne Gordon absolutely delivers with PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES. Beneath the suspense and unsettling atmosphere is a deeply emotional story about grief, identity, healing, and the painful process of accepting reality. Becca feels incredibly authentic; her heartbreak, impulsive choices, insecurities, and longing for the life she once had make her impossible not to connect with. Gordon has a way of exposing the vulnerable parts of human nature while still guiding the reader through the darkness with compassion and wit.
The relationships in this novel are written so convincingly that every moment of tension hits even harder. Whether it’s Becca’s complicated personal struggles, her connection with Lucy, or the unsettling dynamic surrounding Mommy Wine Time, everything feels layered, eerie, and disturbingly believable. Even when the characters make questionable decisions, their actions never feel forced, which makes the emotional impact and suspense all the more powerful.
And then there’s Karen. I spent the entire book trying to figure out what her deal was, building theory after theory in my head, and somehow I was still completely wrong. The twists in this story are brilliantly executed, and the finale is absolutely jaw-dropping. The ending left me stunned and replaying everything in my mind long after I finished the last page.
This book balances humor, heartbreak, and psychological tension so perfectly. One moment you’re laughing, the next your chest hurts, and then suddenly you’re gripping the book in complete disbelief. PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES is unforgettable, emotionally charged, and the kind of thriller that will absolutely dominate a book club discussion. Jennifer Anne Gordon poured so much emotion and intelligence into this story, and I already cannot wait to read whatever she writes next.
Jennifer Anne Gordon absolutely delivers with PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES. Beneath the suspense and unsettling atmosphere is a deeply emotional story about grief, identity, healing, and the painful process of accepting reality. Becca feels incredibly authentic; her heartbreak, impulsive choices, insecurities, and longing for the life she once had make her impossible not to connect with. Gordon has a way of exposing the vulnerable parts of human nature while still guiding the reader through the darkness with compassion and wit.
The relationships in this novel are written so convincingly that every moment of tension hits even harder. Whether it’s Becca’s complicated personal struggles, her connection with Lucy, or the unsettling dynamic surrounding Mommy Wine Time, everything feels layered, eerie, and disturbingly believable. Even when the characters make questionable decisions, their actions never feel forced, which makes the emotional impact and suspense all the more powerful.
And then there’s Karen. I spent the entire book trying to figure out what her deal was, building theory after theory in my head, and somehow I was still completely wrong. The twists in this story are brilliantly executed, and the finale is absolutely jaw-dropping. The ending left me stunned and replaying everything in my mind long after I finished the last page.
This book balances humor, heartbreak, and psychological tension so perfectly. One moment you’re laughing, the next your chest hurts, and then suddenly you’re gripping the book in complete disbelief. PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES is unforgettable, emotionally charged, and the kind of thriller that will absolutely dominate a book club discussion. Jennifer Anne Gordon poured so much emotion and intelligence into this story, and I already cannot wait to read whatever she writes next.
September 13, 2026
Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys @jenniferannegordon_author for the #gifted ARC and physical copy of this book.
When I started this book, I laughed and grinned along with social worker Becca and her best friend Lynn. Burger King for dinner. Department store wine? Been there, done that. That's Becca's current life after the loss of a child and a destroyed marriage. Her escape can't be all fast food and wine. So she joins a Mommy's group online. And of course, she goes in anonymously. With her sad little dinners and soulless apartment, how can she hope to compete with these perfect mommies and their curated chickpea-dinner creations? Stock photos to the rescue!
Then the book takes a dark turn. Everything in Becca's world is crashing down when Karen invites her to an elite offshoot of Mommy Wine Time that Becca calls "Karen's cult". Because that's what it is. Four women who seemingly hang on Karen's every word. Karen calls Becca "her Vampire" and "Darling". They no longer talk about flowers and recipes. They talk about secrets, about secret longings.
The Buy-In
Membership is this: write a confession. The worst thing, your biggest regret, your biggest secret. Prepare to share with the group.
Let's Play a Game
Truth or dare without the truth. A way to keep the group from getting stagnant. Only, the dares escalate. And Becca crosses a line.
Two Can Keep a Secret If One of Them is Dead
By the time Becca realizes something is very wrong here, it's almost too late. Becca starts going down rabbit holes of online searches, following a hunch. But she is drawn to Karen's demands. Why does she keep revealing little parts of herself? Why does her name sound so good on Karen's lips?
And why is she about to pay the ultimate price?
This book is hard to classify. It starts out fun and humorous, with quirky references to pop culture and literary quotes. Then it quickly descends into darkness and grief, only to pick up again as it quickly takes you by the throat and crosses the line into a dark thriller. But the last third of the book will have you gasping out loud more than once. Who is Karen? And who is Becca without her?
When I started this book, I laughed and grinned along with social worker Becca and her best friend Lynn. Burger King for dinner. Department store wine? Been there, done that. That's Becca's current life after the loss of a child and a destroyed marriage. Her escape can't be all fast food and wine. So she joins a Mommy's group online. And of course, she goes in anonymously. With her sad little dinners and soulless apartment, how can she hope to compete with these perfect mommies and their curated chickpea-dinner creations? Stock photos to the rescue!
Then the book takes a dark turn. Everything in Becca's world is crashing down when Karen invites her to an elite offshoot of Mommy Wine Time that Becca calls "Karen's cult". Because that's what it is. Four women who seemingly hang on Karen's every word. Karen calls Becca "her Vampire" and "Darling". They no longer talk about flowers and recipes. They talk about secrets, about secret longings.
The Buy-In
Membership is this: write a confession. The worst thing, your biggest regret, your biggest secret. Prepare to share with the group.
Let's Play a Game
Truth or dare without the truth. A way to keep the group from getting stagnant. Only, the dares escalate. And Becca crosses a line.
Two Can Keep a Secret If One of Them is Dead
By the time Becca realizes something is very wrong here, it's almost too late. Becca starts going down rabbit holes of online searches, following a hunch. But she is drawn to Karen's demands. Why does she keep revealing little parts of herself? Why does her name sound so good on Karen's lips?
And why is she about to pay the ultimate price?
This book is hard to classify. It starts out fun and humorous, with quirky references to pop culture and literary quotes. Then it quickly descends into darkness and grief, only to pick up again as it quickly takes you by the throat and crosses the line into a dark thriller. But the last third of the book will have you gasping out loud more than once. Who is Karen? And who is Becca without her?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Podium Entertainment, Jennifer Anne Gordon, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
An emotional, suspenseful story about a woman consumed by grief and desperately searching for relief through an online community of women—while discovering that nothing is quite as it seems.
Years after the tragic loss of her son, Becca is still struggling to cope with overwhelming grief and find any sense of peace. She becomes immersed in an online community of women who post about their perfect salads, perfect children, and perfect lives, and she finds herself increasingly drawn to them. But when another member invites her into a more private group, the secrets and dares begin to escalate.
I found this book incredibly compelling. I especially loved the repetitive figurative language woven throughout the novel: the recurring imagery of dahlias, lilacs, ranch dressing, and chic non-chickpea salads all cleverly reinforce Becca’s emotional state, her grief, her relationships, and her complicated feelings about the online community. Becca is a deeply complex character, clearly crying out for help after the death of her son. Her loneliness and emotional disorientation are portrayed beautifully through the narrative voice, and I genuinely found myself hoping she would eventually find peace and support by the end of the story.
The other women in the online group were equally intriguing—ambiguous, unsettling, and layered—and the overall storyline was impressively clever.
My only criticism is that I wanted slightly more resolution at the end, particularly regarding Becca and Karen’s relationship. Their storyline feels intentionally left lingering, which certainly suits the psychological thriller genre, but I still wanted a little more closure.
I would absolutely recommend this book—not only for its suspenseful story, but for the emotional depth of its characters and the powerful way grief is explored through the novel’s figurative language
An emotional, suspenseful story about a woman consumed by grief and desperately searching for relief through an online community of women—while discovering that nothing is quite as it seems.
Years after the tragic loss of her son, Becca is still struggling to cope with overwhelming grief and find any sense of peace. She becomes immersed in an online community of women who post about their perfect salads, perfect children, and perfect lives, and she finds herself increasingly drawn to them. But when another member invites her into a more private group, the secrets and dares begin to escalate.
I found this book incredibly compelling. I especially loved the repetitive figurative language woven throughout the novel: the recurring imagery of dahlias, lilacs, ranch dressing, and chic non-chickpea salads all cleverly reinforce Becca’s emotional state, her grief, her relationships, and her complicated feelings about the online community. Becca is a deeply complex character, clearly crying out for help after the death of her son. Her loneliness and emotional disorientation are portrayed beautifully through the narrative voice, and I genuinely found myself hoping she would eventually find peace and support by the end of the story.
The other women in the online group were equally intriguing—ambiguous, unsettling, and layered—and the overall storyline was impressively clever.
My only criticism is that I wanted slightly more resolution at the end, particularly regarding Becca and Karen’s relationship. Their storyline feels intentionally left lingering, which certainly suits the psychological thriller genre, but I still wanted a little more closure.
I would absolutely recommend this book—not only for its suspenseful story, but for the emotional depth of its characters and the powerful way grief is explored through the novel’s figurative language
Review of advance copy received from Author
I don't read romances or psychological thrillers or any other genre you might try to put PERFECT WIVES, PERFECT LIES into. But I devoured it! It had an energy that pulled me in and made me NEED to know what would happen next to Becca/Becky and her friends — those in real life and on the Internet.
Having spent more than my fair share of time online in the past (my husband and I met in a chatroom way back in 2000), I could relate to Becca's attraction to something outside of her physical existence, her need and desire to "go somewhere" where people appreciate and love her, even though she has friends in her real life who do, but she isn't connecting to them because they're all tied to her tragic past that involves the death of her son Gabe.
Becca, like all of us, makes some decisions that might not be the healthiest choices she could possibly make. But she does them for the same reasons we all make questionable decisions. She wants to fit in; she wants to be part of the cool crowd; she wants (and needs) to feel loved. Those choices ultimately alienate her from her "real-life" friends, though, and it becomes a question of can she/will she be able to figure out what is really going on with the online world with which she has become entangled? Can she stop before things go too far?
In addition to romance and psychological thriller, Gordon's work reminds the reader that grief can make people behave in ways they don't mean to, want to, or realize, until it's almost too late. She balances that grief with love, with wanting and needing to be loved, and a desire to be valued in a way she hasn't been valued in years. Gordon balances all of these things expertly, blending them into a perfect storm that Becca must figure out how to survive.
The ending was not what I expected. It opened doors I didn't anticipate. Without giving it away, I'll only say, I was surprised, unsettled, and closed the book wanting more!
Having spent more than my fair share of time online in the past (my husband and I met in a chatroom way back in 2000), I could relate to Becca's attraction to something outside of her physical existence, her need and desire to "go somewhere" where people appreciate and love her, even though she has friends in her real life who do, but she isn't connecting to them because they're all tied to her tragic past that involves the death of her son Gabe.
Becca, like all of us, makes some decisions that might not be the healthiest choices she could possibly make. But she does them for the same reasons we all make questionable decisions. She wants to fit in; she wants to be part of the cool crowd; she wants (and needs) to feel loved. Those choices ultimately alienate her from her "real-life" friends, though, and it becomes a question of can she/will she be able to figure out what is really going on with the online world with which she has become entangled? Can she stop before things go too far?
In addition to romance and psychological thriller, Gordon's work reminds the reader that grief can make people behave in ways they don't mean to, want to, or realize, until it's almost too late. She balances that grief with love, with wanting and needing to be loved, and a desire to be valued in a way she hasn't been valued in years. Gordon balances all of these things expertly, blending them into a perfect storm that Becca must figure out how to survive.
The ending was not what I expected. It opened doors I didn't anticipate. Without giving it away, I'll only say, I was surprised, unsettled, and closed the book wanting more!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars
In the aftermath of losing her son and her marriage, Becca only has her work and her best friend, Lynn, to get her through the day. But it's a private group of moms on social media that gets her through the long nights. Mommy Wine Time is a place where Becca can pretend, under the pseudonym of Lucy, that her life is still on track. However, things take an unexpected turn when Becca is invited into the inner circle by the creator of the group, Karen.
This was, to put it simply, such an incredibly addictive read. I basically binged it in two sittings, and only because it was the middle of the night when I started it and I did —unwillingly, might I add— fall asleep. The story hooks you in from the very beginning, and it is quick to unravel. And then it keeps unravelling, and you just can't look away anymore. Because when you think that's it, there possibly couldn't be anything else, there sure is something else, that's even worse, somehow.
I particularly enjoyed how most of the story takes place online; it perfectly shows how easy it is to connect with strangers, even when you have no proof who is on the other side of the screen. It also particularly focuses on how easy it is to lose yourself in what you see online, in comparing yourself to what others present themselves as, and how damaging it can be as it descends into obsession.
While it definitely leans more on the psychological thriller side of things, I think it so perfectly balances with humour, and a more emotional side, as it tackles grief as well in a very interesting way, and it also carries some very important, very sharp observations about today's society. While I can see how it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, I think it would make a great pick for book clubs, as it would definitely lead to some interesting conversations.
Many thanks to Podium Entertainment & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
In the aftermath of losing her son and her marriage, Becca only has her work and her best friend, Lynn, to get her through the day. But it's a private group of moms on social media that gets her through the long nights. Mommy Wine Time is a place where Becca can pretend, under the pseudonym of Lucy, that her life is still on track. However, things take an unexpected turn when Becca is invited into the inner circle by the creator of the group, Karen.
This was, to put it simply, such an incredibly addictive read. I basically binged it in two sittings, and only because it was the middle of the night when I started it and I did —unwillingly, might I add— fall asleep. The story hooks you in from the very beginning, and it is quick to unravel. And then it keeps unravelling, and you just can't look away anymore. Because when you think that's it, there possibly couldn't be anything else, there sure is something else, that's even worse, somehow.
I particularly enjoyed how most of the story takes place online; it perfectly shows how easy it is to connect with strangers, even when you have no proof who is on the other side of the screen. It also particularly focuses on how easy it is to lose yourself in what you see online, in comparing yourself to what others present themselves as, and how damaging it can be as it descends into obsession.
While it definitely leans more on the psychological thriller side of things, I think it so perfectly balances with humour, and a more emotional side, as it tackles grief as well in a very interesting way, and it also carries some very important, very sharp observations about today's society. While I can see how it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, I think it would make a great pick for book clubs, as it would definitely lead to some interesting conversations.
Many thanks to Podium Entertainment & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Shelf Awareness Pro
Oddly, this book reminded me very much of early Chuck Palahniuk, an absurd take on grief in our digital age. It also had some vague similarities to Gillian Flynn's novels, of a deeply broken woman trying to put herself back together in the worst way possible. However, there wasn't a hook, or anything else to make me feel much for Becca/Lucy Westenra/Becky With the Good Hair. The depth of her grief of losing her son is obvious, but I kept having to remind myself that her son's death occurred more than ten years ago, and it was therefore very worrying that she was still as bad as she was. Part of this I understand; as she says there is no right way to grieve, but I did judge her friends for enabling her as long as they did. She clearly needed a lot of help. And since no one is doing much for her she falls into a Facebook group of mean girls, led by a literal Karen: Not A Karen THE Karen. And her life somehow falls apart even more than it already did.
Despite my early intrigue that this book reminded me of some authors I once liked a lot, it ended up being boring and very sad. The action picked up a little when Becca/Lucy Westenra/Becky With the Good Hair procures pets, but other than that it was slow going. (Also, I know this complaint may date me, but I had some trouble with the tiny font of this ARC.) There isn't much malice in the characters, and reading about Becca/Lucy Westenra/Beck With the Good Hair extreme gloom really dragged my own mood down. And the ending seemed ridiculous after all the dire and doom of the whole book. It happened so fast that it didn't seem real at all. Ultimately, I guess it proved that wine moms are actually really boring women, and not really clever or desperate enough to enact a good plot. Chuck Palahniuk and Gillian Flynn would have done a much better and creepier job with this premise.
Despite my early intrigue that this book reminded me of some authors I once liked a lot, it ended up being boring and very sad. The action picked up a little when Becca/Lucy Westenra/Becky With the Good Hair procures pets, but other than that it was slow going. (Also, I know this complaint may date me, but I had some trouble with the tiny font of this ARC.) There isn't much malice in the characters, and reading about Becca/Lucy Westenra/Beck With the Good Hair extreme gloom really dragged my own mood down. And the ending seemed ridiculous after all the dire and doom of the whole book. It happened so fast that it didn't seem real at all. Ultimately, I guess it proved that wine moms are actually really boring women, and not really clever or desperate enough to enact a good plot. Chuck Palahniuk and Gillian Flynn would have done a much better and creepier job with this premise.
September 12, 2026
***ARC Review***
Thank you partners @bookedwiththeemilys @jenniferannegordon_author and @podiumentertainment for this #gifted arc.
What You’ll Find: 🩸Thriller / Book Club Read ⚪️Tradwives 🔴Too much screw top wine Is this a crime? 🔴Gay panic 🐟Catfishing 🔴Is my new bff a sociopath? ⚪️Late night confessions 🔴Am I in a cult? ⚪️Stealing someone else's pet 🔴Who are these women?
Synopsis:
For fans of The Hunting Wives: A woman in mourning finds renewed purpose in her fake persona for an online mom group—but membership comes at a killer cost.
In the wake of losing her son, Becca also lost her marriage and her moorings. Now, work and time spent with her best friend, Lynn, are what gets her through the day. But it’s a private group of moms on social media that gets her through the long nights.
Run by Karen, the holy grail of perfect wives, Mommy Wine Time is a place where women share stories, perfectly airbrushed photos, and advice disguised as humble brags. And it’s where Becca pretends to be Lucy, with the help of a stock photo account. Lucy’s an ideal wife and mother living a dahlia-filled life in Seattle, enjoying all the things that Becca is certain she’ll never have again.
But the line between Becca’s truths and Lucy’s lies starts to blur when a series of bad deeds, daring games, and too many bottles of cheap chardonnay reveals something darker. Soon, what began as mere petty crimes escalates to kidnapping, assault, revenge, and murder. Still, the more Becca pretends, the more alive she feels . . .
This psychological thriller from the author of Pretty/Ugly takes the wine moms from Big Little Lies and Desperate Housewives, puts them in an online space where it’s easier to hide their true identities, and then gives them even darker obsessions.
Thank you partners @bookedwiththeemilys @jenniferannegordon_author and @podiumentertainment for this #gifted arc.
What You’ll Find: 🩸Thriller / Book Club Read ⚪️Tradwives 🔴Too much screw top wine Is this a crime? 🔴Gay panic 🐟Catfishing 🔴Is my new bff a sociopath? ⚪️Late night confessions 🔴Am I in a cult? ⚪️Stealing someone else's pet 🔴Who are these women?
Synopsis:
For fans of The Hunting Wives: A woman in mourning finds renewed purpose in her fake persona for an online mom group—but membership comes at a killer cost.
In the wake of losing her son, Becca also lost her marriage and her moorings. Now, work and time spent with her best friend, Lynn, are what gets her through the day. But it’s a private group of moms on social media that gets her through the long nights.
Run by Karen, the holy grail of perfect wives, Mommy Wine Time is a place where women share stories, perfectly airbrushed photos, and advice disguised as humble brags. And it’s where Becca pretends to be Lucy, with the help of a stock photo account. Lucy’s an ideal wife and mother living a dahlia-filled life in Seattle, enjoying all the things that Becca is certain she’ll never have again.
But the line between Becca’s truths and Lucy’s lies starts to blur when a series of bad deeds, daring games, and too many bottles of cheap chardonnay reveals something darker. Soon, what began as mere petty crimes escalates to kidnapping, assault, revenge, and murder. Still, the more Becca pretends, the more alive she feels . . .
This psychological thriller from the author of Pretty/Ugly takes the wine moms from Big Little Lies and Desperate Housewives, puts them in an online space where it’s easier to hide their true identities, and then gives them even darker obsessions.
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