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The Other Mrs Cole : Later in Life Marriage in Crisis Romance
Five words.
That's all it takes to crack open a marriage Jenna thought was solid.
A woman approaches their table at a work dinner — warm, familiar, beautiful — and "You must be the new wife."
She laughs like it's a compliment. Nate goes pale.
Jenna didn't know there was an old wife. Not a brief thing. Not a youthful mistake. Three years. A real marriage. A woman his parents still invite to dinner. A woman his brother still talks to. A woman everyone in Nate's life apparently knew about — except the woman he married next.
He didn't cheat. He didn't overlap.
But he erased someone. And if he could erase a wife, Jenna has to wonder — what else has he made disappear?
A marriage-in-crisis romance. No cheating. Earned grovel. HEA
That's all it takes to crack open a marriage Jenna thought was solid.
A woman approaches their table at a work dinner — warm, familiar, beautiful — and "You must be the new wife."
She laughs like it's a compliment. Nate goes pale.
Jenna didn't know there was an old wife. Not a brief thing. Not a youthful mistake. Three years. A real marriage. A woman his parents still invite to dinner. A woman his brother still talks to. A woman everyone in Nate's life apparently knew about — except the woman he married next.
He didn't cheat. He didn't overlap.
But he erased someone. And if he could erase a wife, Jenna has to wonder — what else has he made disappear?
A marriage-in-crisis romance. No cheating. Earned grovel. HEA
74 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 23, 2026
Jenna and Nate
I am disappointed. Marriage in crisis is my favourite troupe to read and when I found this series I was excited.
I read the first book tgat turned out to ve pretty much like this one. I gave it the same star rating but I persevered with the second and I realised that it was the author 's way of writing that i didn't like. So, as much as it pains me I won't be reading any more books on this series and move on.
I am disappointed. Marriage in crisis is my favourite troupe to read and when I found this series I was excited.
I read the first book tgat turned out to ve pretty much like this one. I gave it the same star rating but I persevered with the second and I realised that it was the author 's way of writing that i didn't like. So, as much as it pains me I won't be reading any more books on this series and move on.
March 30, 2026
Very short, very fast reading. Fairly formulaic. Sometimes I need to read something that doesn't take concentration or brain cells, and these serve the purpose.
I appreciate the problem solving aspect that results in a more equitable and honest marriage relationship. I also enjoy the lack of 'sex-scenes-cobbled-together-in-search-of-a-plot' storylines here, which make for a nice change. Nice to know you can write a romance that doesn't rely on only that.
I appreciate the problem solving aspect that results in a more equitable and honest marriage relationship. I also enjoy the lack of 'sex-scenes-cobbled-together-in-search-of-a-plot' storylines here, which make for a nice change. Nice to know you can write a romance that doesn't rely on only that.
March 30, 2026
Inconsistencies
The story is well written but there are some inconsistencies in some of the details which I find irritating. The overall feeling is very flat and unemotional with the exception of the hook on which everything is built. Quite a quick read too. Overall it's ok but doesn't stir up any deep emotions except that the first wife was an unpleasant woman.
The story is well written but there are some inconsistencies in some of the details which I find irritating. The overall feeling is very flat and unemotional with the exception of the hook on which everything is built. Quite a quick read too. Overall it's ok but doesn't stir up any deep emotions except that the first wife was an unpleasant woman.
March 28, 2026
I’m a fan of all the tropes of this author but not her writing.
Waaayyyyvtoo much explaining and not enough of what’s going on. You can skim several pages and then there will be a dialogue here and there then back to the monologues.
Very hard to feel for her characters
Waaayyyyvtoo much explaining and not enough of what’s going on. You can skim several pages and then there will be a dialogue here and there then back to the monologues.
Very hard to feel for her characters
March 22, 2026
where are the feelings?
A boring read.There are no feelings just paragraphs of events. After reading it I have no idea who these people are. As usual with these “books” events are repeated as if the author forgot it was already discussed.
A boring read.There are no feelings just paragraphs of events. After reading it I have no idea who these people are. As usual with these “books” events are repeated as if the author forgot it was already discussed.
Read
March 21, 2026The timeline didn't always add up and there were a few inconsistencies. All in all, not a bad read.
April 10, 2026
The Other Mrs. Cole, a part of the Marriage In Crisis series, was about Jenna Cole and 46-year-old Nate Cole, a project manager. (Since this is a later-in-life story, one can only guess that Jenna was in her late 30s to mid-40s as well. His age was deduced by the timeline of his first marriage and age before, during, and after.)
Married for 3 years, Jenna thought she was in a trusting, loyal relationship with Nate. She never expected the fallout that was awaiting her. Out for dinner one night with friends, Jenna was taken by surprise when a woman she didn't know called her "the new wife", suggesting Nate had been married before her. What shocked her even more was the fact that Nate went pale as a ghost. But then it only got worse when Jenna realized that everyone else at the table knew exactly what the other woman was talking about. She was the only one not in on the secret. She waited until they got home to confront him.
The following morning, she started by telling Nate she would let him know when she needed him to answer her questions. Then she began to methodically change everything. Their plans to host their friends for dinner were the first to change. Then later that day, she started her questions. He told her the marriage had only lasted for 3 years (from 2001 to 2004), and that her name was Meredith Cole. She'd heard enough for one day.
Several days later, after discovering he still had the wedding band from his first marriage and had seen the other woman's profile picture, she made a list of questions that she was ready to ask him when he arrived home. The one that hurt the most was when she asked when he was going to tell her, and all she got was silence, meaning he had never intended for her to find out.
Another book about a marriage in crisis that had plenty of angst, a little touch of drama, and a whole lot of working things out. This time the story was about a man who had reshaped himself after hearing something devastating that he believed to be true about himself. When he met Jenna, he never wanted her to learn anything about the "ugliness" that he thought was a fact regarding him.
Both main characters were fully-developed and mature, and there was a ton of room for growth. The story was well-written and showed the depths a man/woman will go to hang on to true love.
As a side note, there was something noteworthy about this author and her books. With this being the second story of hers that I have now read (and I've already begun a third, but decided to swing back and notate this as I realized what I was reading in the third story), this author likes to re-gurtigate "the Henderson thing", or "the Henderson project", or "the Henderson account". So far, every book has included this repetition.
I gave this book a three-star rating, which is what it earned.
Married for 3 years, Jenna thought she was in a trusting, loyal relationship with Nate. She never expected the fallout that was awaiting her. Out for dinner one night with friends, Jenna was taken by surprise when a woman she didn't know called her "the new wife", suggesting Nate had been married before her. What shocked her even more was the fact that Nate went pale as a ghost. But then it only got worse when Jenna realized that everyone else at the table knew exactly what the other woman was talking about. She was the only one not in on the secret. She waited until they got home to confront him.
The following morning, she started by telling Nate she would let him know when she needed him to answer her questions. Then she began to methodically change everything. Their plans to host their friends for dinner were the first to change. Then later that day, she started her questions. He told her the marriage had only lasted for 3 years (from 2001 to 2004), and that her name was Meredith Cole. She'd heard enough for one day.
Several days later, after discovering he still had the wedding band from his first marriage and had seen the other woman's profile picture, she made a list of questions that she was ready to ask him when he arrived home. The one that hurt the most was when she asked when he was going to tell her, and all she got was silence, meaning he had never intended for her to find out.
Another book about a marriage in crisis that had plenty of angst, a little touch of drama, and a whole lot of working things out. This time the story was about a man who had reshaped himself after hearing something devastating that he believed to be true about himself. When he met Jenna, he never wanted her to learn anything about the "ugliness" that he thought was a fact regarding him.
Both main characters were fully-developed and mature, and there was a ton of room for growth. The story was well-written and showed the depths a man/woman will go to hang on to true love.
As a side note, there was something noteworthy about this author and her books. With this being the second story of hers that I have now read (and I've already begun a third, but decided to swing back and notate this as I realized what I was reading in the third story), this author likes to re-gurtigate "the Henderson thing", or "the Henderson project", or "the Henderson account". So far, every book has included this repetition.
I gave this book a three-star rating, which is what it earned.
May 8, 2026
nothing like the summary
Read the book summary and thought “this sounds interesting” but nope does she find out he had a first wife yes. But the rest on how it insinuated that the ex wife was still very much in her husband’s life and part of his life that she didn’t know about. Not true, she doesn’t keep in touch with his family and doesn’t come over still for dinners at his parent’s house. I kept reading thinking it’s going to come up but nope she did meet wife but it was like she never existed it’s was like his marriage to his ex wife never really happened even when she met the ex wife it was very subtle. He didn’t really need to grovel and yes I understand that betrayal of being lied to and having an ex wife is something she should have known about. But asking for a break down from beginning to end felt very over the top to me it’s something you would ask if your husband cheated either physically or emotionally. I understand her, wanting to know the timeline of how long he was married to his ex-wife but the questions after it I just felt like we’re unnecessary. Doesn’t really have drama in it, it doesn’t really have a grovel era for the ML I felt like with the summary of the book it could have been more.
Read the book summary and thought “this sounds interesting” but nope does she find out he had a first wife yes. But the rest on how it insinuated that the ex wife was still very much in her husband’s life and part of his life that she didn’t know about. Not true, she doesn’t keep in touch with his family and doesn’t come over still for dinners at his parent’s house. I kept reading thinking it’s going to come up but nope she did meet wife but it was like she never existed it’s was like his marriage to his ex wife never really happened even when she met the ex wife it was very subtle. He didn’t really need to grovel and yes I understand that betrayal of being lied to and having an ex wife is something she should have known about. But asking for a break down from beginning to end felt very over the top to me it’s something you would ask if your husband cheated either physically or emotionally. I understand her, wanting to know the timeline of how long he was married to his ex-wife but the questions after it I just felt like we’re unnecessary. Doesn’t really have drama in it, it doesn’t really have a grovel era for the ML I felt like with the summary of the book it could have been more.
April 9, 2026
The title of the book had so much potential. When I read the description I also assumed that her husband was currently married to Meredith but it seems that they were married a few years before the current couple even got together.
The author wrote it well but at the same time I feel like the emotions around it were not portrayed well. If I was the FMC and had experienced this I would’ve not been able to trust my husband would’ve been more worried about what else haven’t you told me? And as much as she felt bad that he experienced that, I would’ve also been worried about the fact that you couldn’t even be vulnerable when it’s just me. And as much as that would sound overly dramatic, it’s the kind of emotions we experience when we face these type of secrets.
So it could’ve been great but a few minor things were missing
The author wrote it well but at the same time I feel like the emotions around it were not portrayed well. If I was the FMC and had experienced this I would’ve not been able to trust my husband would’ve been more worried about what else haven’t you told me? And as much as she felt bad that he experienced that, I would’ve also been worried about the fact that you couldn’t even be vulnerable when it’s just me. And as much as that would sound overly dramatic, it’s the kind of emotions we experience when we face these type of secrets.
So it could’ve been great but a few minor things were missing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2026
Another alleged romance with a crisis, flat affect, and little resolution. While I like the premise of exploring different ways conflicts arise in relationships and how those moments change a person, the execution is uninspiring. It lacks proper fallout, arguments, pining, groveling, or failures. Just discovery and end result appear in the narratives as if it is a straight simple course.
Jenna discovers an alternate history when a woman approaches her dinner table with the words “You must be the new wife.” Her husband Nate had never mentioned the other Mrs. Cole. The relationship with Meredith ended harshly and Nate never got over her words, burying their wedding band in an office drawer. He convinced his parents, friends, and family never to say anything to Jenna about it either.
Jenna discovers an alternate history when a woman approaches her dinner table with the words “You must be the new wife.” Her husband Nate had never mentioned the other Mrs. Cole. The relationship with Meredith ended harshly and Nate never got over her words, burying their wedding band in an office drawer. He convinced his parents, friends, and family never to say anything to Jenna about it either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2026
Team Nate...
Jenna is a strong FMC. Nate is a man haunted by his past. Yes, you shouldn't plan your future on a lie and the absence of the truth is a lie. In the end, his reasons had me feeling for him and well not so understanding of Jenna. I was instantly team Nate when I read his side, his reasons, his fears. I love Nate. Great book.
Jenna is a strong FMC. Nate is a man haunted by his past. Yes, you shouldn't plan your future on a lie and the absence of the truth is a lie. In the end, his reasons had me feeling for him and well not so understanding of Jenna. I was instantly team Nate when I read his side, his reasons, his fears. I love Nate. Great book.
February 24, 2026
This was a storyline new to me...and was very well done. I emotionally sided with the FMC and could not imagine the pain of realizing that everyone knew something about your husband that you did not and that the silence was intentional.
March 5, 2026
the other Mrs Cole: later in life marriage in crisis romance
Their marriage begins with hidden secrets. Wife doesn’t know that her husband had been married before. The story envelops with misconceptions and misunderstandings.
Their marriage begins with hidden secrets. Wife doesn’t know that her husband had been married before. The story envelops with misconceptions and misunderstandings.
March 27, 2026
Ugh❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Secrets never work. Ugh. Why do we try it? I do feel bad got Nate. Meredith was cruel and her words changed his life. Jenna was the one who had to rebuild.
Secrets never work. Ugh. Why do we try it? I do feel bad got Nate. Meredith was cruel and her words changed his life. Jenna was the one who had to rebuild.
April 9, 2026
Interesting story.
April 19, 2026
obviously AI written. Robotic, formulaic.
no idea what this storyline was about.
no idea what this storyline was about.
May 4, 2026
Nothing happens. Skim-reading this was like watching paint dry.
Tags: betrayal, boring-yaawn, hero-married-to-heroine, read, waste-of-time
Tags: betrayal, boring-yaawn, hero-married-to-heroine, read, waste-of-time
August 15, 2026
Disappointing
The details don’t track, nor does the timeline. It feels hollow and the ending is unsatisfying. There’s no real effort at all for redemption.
The details don’t track, nor does the timeline. It feels hollow and the ending is unsatisfying. There’s no real effort at all for redemption.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews