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Lexington, Alabama #2
Empty Vows
In this scandalous follow-up to the Depression-era tale Mrs. Wiggins , award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe brings even more period drama as a proper church-going woman ensnares a widower living too many secrets—and lies.
Reminiscent of Monroe’s classic, captivating, scandalous Mama Ruby series.
Forty-something widow Jessie Tucker is beloved throughout Lexington, Alabama, for her kind heart and endless generosity. But she feels it's past time she rewarded herself— especially when upstanding Hubert Wiggins tragically loses his wife and son. Making herself indispensable, yet discouraged by Hubert’s lack of romantic interest, Jessie cooks up a deception she knows will make pious Hubert do right by her . . .
Hoax or not, Hubert couldn’t be happier. The passionate self he’s long hidden from everyone has a new,
much-riskier secret love. And the unsuspecting second Mrs. Wiggins will help him maintain his
ever-so-devout image in the community . . .
But when Hubert is not the ardent lover Jessie always dreamed he was, she turns to handsome younger man Conway. Suddenly the “good church wife” can't resist temptation at all. And someone is watching: Conway’s new girlfriend—and Jessie's longtime rival--Blondeen. Now Blondeen has the perfect opportunity to destroy Jessie’s reputation--then become the wife Hubert should have had all along. Unless all their secrets destroy them first.
Reminiscent of Monroe’s classic, captivating, scandalous Mama Ruby series.
Forty-something widow Jessie Tucker is beloved throughout Lexington, Alabama, for her kind heart and endless generosity. But she feels it's past time she rewarded herself— especially when upstanding Hubert Wiggins tragically loses his wife and son. Making herself indispensable, yet discouraged by Hubert’s lack of romantic interest, Jessie cooks up a deception she knows will make pious Hubert do right by her . . .
Hoax or not, Hubert couldn’t be happier. The passionate self he’s long hidden from everyone has a new,
much-riskier secret love. And the unsuspecting second Mrs. Wiggins will help him maintain his
ever-so-devout image in the community . . .
But when Hubert is not the ardent lover Jessie always dreamed he was, she turns to handsome younger man Conway. Suddenly the “good church wife” can't resist temptation at all. And someone is watching: Conway’s new girlfriend—and Jessie's longtime rival--Blondeen. Now Blondeen has the perfect opportunity to destroy Jessie’s reputation--then become the wife Hubert should have had all along. Unless all their secrets destroy them first.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 29, 2022
710 people are currently reading
10402 people want to read
About the author
Mary Monroe
61 books2,718 followersI am the third child of Alabama sharecroppers and the first and only member of my family to finish high school. I never attended college or any writing classes. I taught myself how to write and started writing short stories around age four. I spent the first part of my life in Alabama and Ohio and moved to Richmond, California in 1973. I have lived in Oakland since 1984.
My first novel THE UPPER ROOM was published by St. Martin's Press in 1985 and was widely reviewed throughout the U.S. and in Great Britain. An excerpt is included in Terry McMillan's anthology BREAKING ICE. I endured fifteen years and hundreds of more rejection letters before I landed a contract for my second novel, GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY. It was published in October 2000 by Kensington Books. GOD DON'T PLAY is my seventh novel to be published, and it landed me a spot on the prestigious New York Times Bestsellers list for the first time! My eighth novel, "BORROW TROUBLE," was released December 2006. My ninth novel, DELIVER ME FROM EVIL, was released September 2007 and my tenth novel, SHE HAD IT COMING, was released in September 2008, and my eleventh novel THE COMPANY WE KEEP, will be released March 2009.
I won the Oakland Pen Award for Best Fiction of the Year in 2001 for GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY. I won the Best Southern Author Award for GONNA LAY DOWN MY BURDENS, in 2004.
I am divorced, I love to travel, I love to mingle with other authors, and I love to read anything by Ernest Gaines, Stephen King, Alice Walker, and James Patterson. I still write seven days a week and I get most of my ideas from current events, the people around me, but most of my material is autobiographical.
My first novel THE UPPER ROOM was published by St. Martin's Press in 1985 and was widely reviewed throughout the U.S. and in Great Britain. An excerpt is included in Terry McMillan's anthology BREAKING ICE. I endured fifteen years and hundreds of more rejection letters before I landed a contract for my second novel, GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY. It was published in October 2000 by Kensington Books. GOD DON'T PLAY is my seventh novel to be published, and it landed me a spot on the prestigious New York Times Bestsellers list for the first time! My eighth novel, "BORROW TROUBLE," was released December 2006. My ninth novel, DELIVER ME FROM EVIL, was released September 2007 and my tenth novel, SHE HAD IT COMING, was released in September 2008, and my eleventh novel THE COMPANY WE KEEP, will be released March 2009.
I won the Oakland Pen Award for Best Fiction of the Year in 2001 for GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY. I won the Best Southern Author Award for GONNA LAY DOWN MY BURDENS, in 2004.
I am divorced, I love to travel, I love to mingle with other authors, and I love to read anything by Ernest Gaines, Stephen King, Alice Walker, and James Patterson. I still write seven days a week and I get most of my ideas from current events, the people around me, but most of my material is autobiographical.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 428 reviews
April 18, 2022
350+ pages for THAT?! Should have been titled "Empty Dialogue", because 90% of the book was redundant, back and forth banter that led nowhere. *Yawn. I had to force myself to finish.
February 21, 2022
This book just didn't have the same impact as the first book did. Mrs. Wiggins
(If you have Amazon KU, then this book is free to borrow.) The first book had an interesting plot, proved how lies and deceit can lead down the wrong path, it explained how and why Maggie and Hubert got together. It had some historical inaccuracies, but that was not a big issue for me. I felt I had to read that book because I knew that THIS book was second in this series, and I received it as an ARC.
This book was just plain dull. It was filled with chapters of Hubert trying to find a new lover while Jessie was trying to snag Hubert. However, the best part of the book comes in the last two chapters when Blondeen shows her true colors.
ARC supplied by the publisher Kensington Books, Dafina, the author, and NetGalley books.
(If you have Amazon KU, then this book is free to borrow.) The first book had an interesting plot, proved how lies and deceit can lead down the wrong path, it explained how and why Maggie and Hubert got together. It had some historical inaccuracies, but that was not a big issue for me. I felt I had to read that book because I knew that THIS book was second in this series, and I received it as an ARC. This book was just plain dull. It was filled with chapters of Hubert trying to find a new lover while Jessie was trying to snag Hubert. However, the best part of the book comes in the last two chapters when Blondeen shows her true colors.
ARC supplied by the publisher Kensington Books, Dafina, the author, and NetGalley books.
December 9, 2021
This is the second book in a series. Although this entry was not as good in my opinion as the first, it still made you want to keep reading to see how things were going to turn out. I found the story line of Jessie to be a bit far-fetched. She did not come across as the woman in the first book. Could this be because she was friends with Hubert's wife, Maggie? Or, was she silently wanting Hubert then also? Jessie came across as very conniving in this book. Also, the book alluded to a killer of black women, but bits and pieces were thrown in almost as an afterthought. Will I read book 3? Yes, as there is enough curioisity there to want to know who the killer is. Ok entry in the series. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving this book in this manner had no bearing on my thoughts and/or review.
August 27, 2025
Lately I have been in my black urban bag. This book gave me all that I needed. This series is so different from anything I have ever read, and I am here for all of it. I am glad Mary Monroe is back with the drama that only she can bring and serve it up like no other. On to book three!!
May 10, 2023
I love Mary Monroe! This installment wasn't as good as book 1, Mrs. Wiggins, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I am very much looking forward to book 3. The way this book ended wasn't as spicy as I'd like. I'm here for the messy. I do a lot of shaking my head and laughing. Can't help but love Hubert and Jessie, but I sure do miss Maggie. If you like a light, messy, humorous historical drama, Mary Monroe will deliver.
June 14, 2022
EMPTY VOWS, the sequel to MRS. WIGGINS pales in comparison with the first book in the series. The pace was slow and there were few surprising, dramatic scenes which is the norm for author Mary Monroe. The novel picks up where the previous book ended with the characters in Lexington, Alabama attending Maggie and Claude's funeral. Claude becomes the most sought after bachelor in their small town with numerous women vying for his attention. He has no interest in any of them but wanted to find a nice lady to settle down with so as to not cast suspicion on his lifestyle. Maggie's best friend Jessie and Blondeen, who has a checkered past are the top contenders for his affection. Claude's choice will bring drama directly to his bedroom. During this time, there was a serial killer who was killing black women on the loose. There is very little development with that story line and it was left hanging at the end.
I was disappointed that EMPTY VOWS did not deliver the same page flipping action as MRS. WIGGINS. It seems as though the story wasn't sure which direction to go and it was rushed.
I was disappointed that EMPTY VOWS did not deliver the same page flipping action as MRS. WIGGINS. It seems as though the story wasn't sure which direction to go and it was rushed.
May 2, 2022
I rounded up from 2.75 stars. This book is a continuation from the author’s novel Mrs. Wiggins I am so disappointed in this book. It was so bland and the narrator’s voices were as bland as the book. There just wasn’t any real emotion in their voices. Maybe if I would of read the book instead of the audio version then that might of helped!!! It just wasn’t worth my time!!
May 1, 2022
I read this book despite the mixed reviews because I didn’t want to miss any of the story. Nonetheless this book was simply pointless as a continuation because nothing major really happened except 1 thing 250 pages later lol. This book basically just reiterated the 1st book 🙄🙄🙄🙄
October 1, 2022
What was the reason?
This book was the follow-up to one of my favorite guilty-pleasure novels, Mrs Wiggins. But that’s the only comparison I can make to that story because this book felt like it was written by an entirely different author. The plot was nonexistent, the dialogue was juvenile and the male audiobook narrator sounded absolutely nothing like the character he was portraying. I was completely disappointed.
I’m annoyed that I wasted so much time on this book. I kept waiting for a climax that, though it did eventually come in the final 10% of the story, wasn’t exciting enough to save the book. One star is the only rating I can reasonably give this one.
This book was the follow-up to one of my favorite guilty-pleasure novels, Mrs Wiggins. But that’s the only comparison I can make to that story because this book felt like it was written by an entirely different author. The plot was nonexistent, the dialogue was juvenile and the male audiobook narrator sounded absolutely nothing like the character he was portraying. I was completely disappointed.
I’m annoyed that I wasted so much time on this book. I kept waiting for a climax that, though it did eventually come in the final 10% of the story, wasn’t exciting enough to save the book. One star is the only rating I can reasonably give this one.
June 6, 2022
Interesting
I Loved the first book. Maybe it was me but I was looking for sooo much more craziness. However the story was good I just had high expectations. I still want to know who is the woman killer in the town. Hopefully book 3 will reveal it.
I Loved the first book. Maybe it was me but I was looking for sooo much more craziness. However the story was good I just had high expectations. I still want to know who is the woman killer in the town. Hopefully book 3 will reveal it.
April 28, 2022
Empty Vows is the sequel to Mrs. Wiggins. Empty Vows the pace was slow and there were few surprising.
Overall the storyline was good
Overall the storyline was good
March 11, 2022
Thank you to Goodreads for this ARC!
I wasn’t sure where this story was headed at first. It seemed to take a long time to get anywhere. The characters kept talking about the same things over and over. The neighbors are so nosy! There are plenty of lies and deceit in this story and the characters kept saying what good people they are. I didn’t really care for this story.
I wasn’t sure where this story was headed at first. It seemed to take a long time to get anywhere. The characters kept talking about the same things over and over. The neighbors are so nosy! There are plenty of lies and deceit in this story and the characters kept saying what good people they are. I didn’t really care for this story.
April 21, 2022
I wanted so bad to love this book but I just didn’t. Now part 1 is bomb.com but this follow up falls short. I liked Hubert and Jessie’s relationship but there is no topping Maggie. That woman was crazy but down for her husband. The characters all seemed so bland, Blondeen and her crew = Boring, Huberts parents = Boring, Huberts new male love = Boring, even Conway = Boring. Overall the new Mrs. Wiggins is not it but I am very interested in seeing how the author will tie it all up and how down Jessie is for Hubert in book 3.
April 30, 2022
Wow, this book was crazy. The author did not disappoint. I like the way it picked up where Ms. Wiggins left off, so you need to read the 1st book to get Maggie’s pov. This book was told from Jessie’s and Hubert’s pov. The scandal and lies of the church folk in the book will make your head spin. I cannot wait for the final book!
April 28, 2022
Herbert is mourning his wife Maggie & son Claude.
Jessie Maggie’s best friend, will do anything to be with Herbert. Mrs. Wiggins was very good & Empty Vows was so subpar. This book is as very boring, so glad I didn’t purchase this one. Nothing exciting, I guess all the action will be in the third book of this series.
Jessie Maggie’s best friend, will do anything to be with Herbert. Mrs. Wiggins was very good & Empty Vows was so subpar. This book is as very boring, so glad I didn’t purchase this one. Nothing exciting, I guess all the action will be in the third book of this series.
March 21, 2022
I didn’t really care for this book. There is no plot, the characters are shallow, and it’s too long. It’s written at a sixth grade level and the story is boring.
April 25, 2022
Repetitive. I enjoyed Mrs. Wiggins much better than this one.
June 1, 2022
This was an okay follow up, but Jessie can’t hold a candle to Maggie.
April 4, 2023
It starts sooooooooooo slow
This book didn't get good until about chapter 40 or it seemed to me the is was just a filler book to get to book 3. I hate when authors do that.
This book didn't get good until about chapter 40 or it seemed to me the is was just a filler book to get to book 3. I hate when authors do that.
September 25, 2025
This was a good continuation of the series but not as good as book one. Jessie is just no match for Maggie. I worried about Jessie. This book made me reflect on how much progress has been made for the LGBTQ+ community since the 1930s. There was no such thing as gay pride back then, and there definitely were no parades or months dedicated to celebrating the culture. it took a lot of courage and determination and time to protest and keep protesting to change the laws to end legal discrimination against same sex couples and the LGBTQ+ community at large.
As far as titles go, this book has the perfect title. The vows these two took are as empty as a hollow log. It is sad they have to live in a marriage of convenience, especially when they both don’t even know that is what they are doing. I am going to finish the series eventually.
As far as titles go, this book has the perfect title. The vows these two took are as empty as a hollow log. It is sad they have to live in a marriage of convenience, especially when they both don’t even know that is what they are doing. I am going to finish the series eventually.
April 16, 2023
Thank you @kensingtonbooks for the gifted copy.
📌 Pub Date: March 29, 2022
📌 Tour @cocoachapters
📌 Rating 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📌 This is the follow up to Mrs. Wiggins and is #2 in the A Lexington, Alabama Novel series
Y’all know I love mess and this one was crazy as hell… I thought Mrs. Wiggins was a mess honey Jessie was a mess in a half. She did whatever she had to to get what she wanted Chile.. Hubert still Hubert on the DL 🫠… Blondeen was on my mfkin nerves with her messy behind 🙄 definitely a must read…
📌 Pub Date: March 29, 2022
📌 Tour @cocoachapters
📌 Rating 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📌 This is the follow up to Mrs. Wiggins and is #2 in the A Lexington, Alabama Novel series
Y’all know I love mess and this one was crazy as hell… I thought Mrs. Wiggins was a mess honey Jessie was a mess in a half. She did whatever she had to to get what she wanted Chile.. Hubert still Hubert on the DL 🫠… Blondeen was on my mfkin nerves with her messy behind 🙄 definitely a must read…
November 9, 2024
3.5 🌟
Jesse, a proper church-going woman is determined to catch Alabama's most-sought after widower but doesn't get what she thinks she's getting.
When I say Hubert and Jesse a mess!!! I was kicking my heels and hollering 😂😂😂😂😭
I been reading Mary Monroe since I was in high school and it's always a good time!
Jesse, a proper church-going woman is determined to catch Alabama's most-sought after widower but doesn't get what she thinks she's getting.
When I say Hubert and Jesse a mess!!! I was kicking my heels and hollering 😂😂😂😂😭
I been reading Mary Monroe since I was in high school and it's always a good time!
July 1, 2024
Jessie and Hubert are hilarious!!! I loved this!
April 22, 2025
Jessie was something else 🤣
July 24, 2022
I wanted this series to end differently, but there was just as much entertainment in this one as the other Mrs. Wiggins books!
February 4, 2022
WOW!!! I'm trying to process this book right now so I'll come back for the review, right now I'm going to order the prequel!, Mrs Wiggins...did I mention 'WOW'?
#EmptyVowsANovel
Update: This was my first book by this author but certainly won't be my last! The chapters flew by and were told from the main male and female characters.
This book has a very lighthearted and funny overtone while it's undertone is really quite sad and includes the sudden death of a spouse and son, the need 'of the era' to cover up being homosexual with a 'decoy' wife, as was quite common. Additional somber themes were segregation, and then an element of fear and suspense as there is a killer on the loose killing only African American females!!
How does all this tie into a book that will leave wanting to read the first in series (if you haven't already) and the next in the series...by lots of great descriptions of supporting characters, strong religious, family and town ties, and a great helping of local Southern comfort food!
Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC for my honest review.
#BetweenTheChapters
Mort Times Bestselling Author
MARY
MONROE
EMPTYVOWS
#EmptyVowsANovel
Update: This was my first book by this author but certainly won't be my last! The chapters flew by and were told from the main male and female characters.
This book has a very lighthearted and funny overtone while it's undertone is really quite sad and includes the sudden death of a spouse and son, the need 'of the era' to cover up being homosexual with a 'decoy' wife, as was quite common. Additional somber themes were segregation, and then an element of fear and suspense as there is a killer on the loose killing only African American females!!
How does all this tie into a book that will leave wanting to read the first in series (if you haven't already) and the next in the series...by lots of great descriptions of supporting characters, strong religious, family and town ties, and a great helping of local Southern comfort food!
Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC for my honest review.
#BetweenTheChapters
Mort Times Bestselling Author
MARY
MONROE
EMPTYVOWS
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2023
It was okay!
December 5, 2021
This book was really good. It made me wonder what life was like in the 1900's. This definitely kept me on my feet wondering what is going to happen next. I can't wait for the third one. I am grateful that netgalley let me read this in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2022
This was such a great story. Set in the 1930s, Hubert Wiggins is a black man employed as the local undertaker. His parents are the local pastors of the black church. Not too far into the story Hubert loses his son and wife within weeks of each other. Soon, a local sets her sights on Hubert. But she doesn’t know he has a huge secret when she sets her mind to conning him into courting and marrying her. The marriage isn’t what Jessie envisions and she sets herself up to fall for yet another man, Conway.
What will happen to these three people? It seems everyone’s keeping secrets to prevent scandal. Will their secrets be found out? Or what lengths will they go to keep them covered up.
This only the second book I’ve ever read that covered the issues of LGBTQ lifestyles. Particularly as to how they might have been addressed in the 1930s. The story was good mystery, with equal parts humor and even balance of history as it pertains to the Depression era. I will definitely read the other books in the series.
What will happen to these three people? It seems everyone’s keeping secrets to prevent scandal. Will their secrets be found out? Or what lengths will they go to keep them covered up.
This only the second book I’ve ever read that covered the issues of LGBTQ lifestyles. Particularly as to how they might have been addressed in the 1930s. The story was good mystery, with equal parts humor and even balance of history as it pertains to the Depression era. I will definitely read the other books in the series.
April 10, 2022
This is a sequel to Monroe's Mrs. Wiggins, which was interesting, but it doesn't reach the same level of enjoyment. She does a good job of writing about the culture in the Black community in a Depression-era small town in Mississippi and also of capturing the way people spoke. However, the story left me flat. It starts with two never-explained and improbable surprises and ends with another improbable surprise. In between, the story just drags on and on. I should just have stopped reading before the end. Monroe promises some disclosures in a yet-to-be-released third novel, but I'll pass.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 428 reviews