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The Widows #1
Young Rich Widows
8 hours, 45 minutes
When the four partners of a prominent law firm are killed in a mysterious plane crash, their widows must come together to uncover the truth in this explosive, edge-of-your-seat novel.
It’s 1985 in Providence, Rhode Island, and the four partners of a prominent, mafia-affiliated law firm have been killed in a private jet that went down outside New York City. Four very different women have just lost the loves of their lives: Justine, a former fashion model adjusting to suburban life; Camille, a beautiful, young second wife some suspect is a gold digger; Krystle, committed to leaving the firm to her sons after her husband worked his whole life to support them all; and Meredith, a stripper at the local club who was in a secret relationship with the firm’s sole female partner. While the crash is initially ruled a tragic accident, something’s not adding up: The team wasn’t supposed to be in New York that day, and it’s soon revealed that there was a very large sum of cash that burned up with the plane. The women find themselves thrown together in search of the truth, with new danger and threats unfolding at every turn.
Could a dissatisfied client be seeking revenge? Or were the partners involved in something bigger—something dangerous and deadly? What other secrets were the partners keeping, and how far might people go to ensure they stay hidden? The widows must find the answers in order to protect their inheritance, their families, and their lives.
Please note: This audio contains strong language, distressing situations, and descriptions of violence that some listeners may find upsetting. Discretion is advised.
When the four partners of a prominent law firm are killed in a mysterious plane crash, their widows must come together to uncover the truth in this explosive, edge-of-your-seat novel.
It’s 1985 in Providence, Rhode Island, and the four partners of a prominent, mafia-affiliated law firm have been killed in a private jet that went down outside New York City. Four very different women have just lost the loves of their lives: Justine, a former fashion model adjusting to suburban life; Camille, a beautiful, young second wife some suspect is a gold digger; Krystle, committed to leaving the firm to her sons after her husband worked his whole life to support them all; and Meredith, a stripper at the local club who was in a secret relationship with the firm’s sole female partner. While the crash is initially ruled a tragic accident, something’s not adding up: The team wasn’t supposed to be in New York that day, and it’s soon revealed that there was a very large sum of cash that burned up with the plane. The women find themselves thrown together in search of the truth, with new danger and threats unfolding at every turn.
Could a dissatisfied client be seeking revenge? Or were the partners involved in something bigger—something dangerous and deadly? What other secrets were the partners keeping, and how far might people go to ensure they stay hidden? The widows must find the answers in order to protect their inheritance, their families, and their lives.
Please note: This audio contains strong language, distressing situations, and descriptions of violence that some listeners may find upsetting. Discretion is advised.
Audible Audio
First published April 14, 2022
881 people are currently reading
33223 people want to read
About the author
Kimberly Belle
19 books5,196 followersKimberly Belle is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author with over one million copies sold worldwide, with titles including The Paris Widow, The Marriage Lie, a Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Mystery & Thriller, and the co-authored #1 Audible Original, Young Rich Widows. Kimberly’s novels have been optioned for film and television and selected by LibraryReads and Amazon & Apple Books Editors as Best Books of the Month, and the International Thriller Writers as nominee for best book of the year. She divides her time between Atlanta and Amsterdam.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,347 reviews
April 29, 2022
3.5 STARS
Really enjoyed the narration and the snarky women.
The mystery was lacking, especially when it got to the mob plot. Very OTT, but a mindless and entertaining listen!
And it is a freebie from Audible.
Really enjoyed the narration and the snarky women.
The mystery was lacking, especially when it got to the mob plot. Very OTT, but a mindless and entertaining listen!
And it is a freebie from Audible.
May 28, 2022
Author Vanessa Lillie wrangled authors Kimberly Belle, Cate Holahan and Layne Fargo to write a thriller set in 1985 Providence RI. Plus, she wanted it to be an audio thriller. What resulted in her efforts is the laugh-out-loud “Young Rich Widows” about four women who become widows after their spouses’ plane crashes and are forced into a motley crew of women who are dragged into the mystery of why unexpected plane crash. To add excitement, the law firm is a prominent mafia-affiliated law firm.
Lillie told the Boston Globe that each author took a character and wrote the character’s chapter. The four women worked together, almost like writing a TV show. What results is magic. The narrators for the characters deserve many accolades as well, especially Ariel Blake who narrates the character Krystle, an Italian American woman. I LOVED Krystle’s chapters. She is a tough cookie with a sassy disposition. She’s a bit over-the-top, and that’s what makes this a deliciously campy listen. If you are at all familiar with Providence (Turk’s Head Building, Caserta’s, LaSalle’s cannoli’s, Hemenway’s) and Rhode Island’s history of mafia ties, you will find additional enjoyment.
The other wife characters are Justine, a former fashion model; Camille a second wife (and accused “gold digga!”); Meredith, a stripper and lesbian wife of one of the partners; and Krystle. Can you imagine a more diverse group of wives?
So these women sleuth their way into discovering if the plane crash was intentional (angry client?) or an accident. But more than that, they find that the mob might turn on them!
I highly recommend this almost 9 hour listen because I dare you to listen and not snort or cackle, even guffaw. This is cleverly written and plotted. The different women’s voices and the collaborative approach to writing a women’s thriller, along with the zany plot intents will leave you completely satisfied.
Lillie told the Boston Globe that each author took a character and wrote the character’s chapter. The four women worked together, almost like writing a TV show. What results is magic. The narrators for the characters deserve many accolades as well, especially Ariel Blake who narrates the character Krystle, an Italian American woman. I LOVED Krystle’s chapters. She is a tough cookie with a sassy disposition. She’s a bit over-the-top, and that’s what makes this a deliciously campy listen. If you are at all familiar with Providence (Turk’s Head Building, Caserta’s, LaSalle’s cannoli’s, Hemenway’s) and Rhode Island’s history of mafia ties, you will find additional enjoyment.
The other wife characters are Justine, a former fashion model; Camille a second wife (and accused “gold digga!”); Meredith, a stripper and lesbian wife of one of the partners; and Krystle. Can you imagine a more diverse group of wives?
So these women sleuth their way into discovering if the plane crash was intentional (angry client?) or an accident. But more than that, they find that the mob might turn on them!
I highly recommend this almost 9 hour listen because I dare you to listen and not snort or cackle, even guffaw. This is cleverly written and plotted. The different women’s voices and the collaborative approach to writing a women’s thriller, along with the zany plot intents will leave you completely satisfied.
April 2, 2023
Very entertaining!
June 9, 2022
** Review of the Audible Audiobook
Just a short review for what I would consider a “campy” thriller, if there is such a thing.
From blurb you know that the four partners of a law firm have been killed in a plane crash – their wives and partners didn’t even know they were taking this trip. They were all waiting for them to appear at a party.
The four women left behind are:
Justine – young and busy with a young preschool child.
Camille – the trophy wife of an older founding partner.
Krystal - her husband was the founding partner and she will do all that she can to leave the firm to her sons.
Meredith – presently working in a strip club, has been in a serious relationship with the only female partner - the other wives knew nothing about this arrangement??
The mystery in this one wasn’t too difficult to figure out but the narration was witty and the individual voices matched their description.
These four will have to come together to find out why the mob is after them, what they want besides 4 million dollars, and what they can do to get out of this mess. It will take some good sleuthing and accepting each other to keep this firm together.
I still come up with the word “campy” when I think about this one, so don’t expect a multi-layered intricate thriller!!
This one is free on Audible and if you want a quick, easy thriller to listen to, this might be p
Just a short review for what I would consider a “campy” thriller, if there is such a thing.
From blurb you know that the four partners of a law firm have been killed in a plane crash – their wives and partners didn’t even know they were taking this trip. They were all waiting for them to appear at a party.
The four women left behind are:
Justine – young and busy with a young preschool child.
Camille – the trophy wife of an older founding partner.
Krystal - her husband was the founding partner and she will do all that she can to leave the firm to her sons.
Meredith – presently working in a strip club, has been in a serious relationship with the only female partner - the other wives knew nothing about this arrangement??
The mystery in this one wasn’t too difficult to figure out but the narration was witty and the individual voices matched their description.
These four will have to come together to find out why the mob is after them, what they want besides 4 million dollars, and what they can do to get out of this mess. It will take some good sleuthing and accepting each other to keep this firm together.
I still come up with the word “campy” when I think about this one, so don’t expect a multi-layered intricate thriller!!
This one is free on Audible and if you want a quick, easy thriller to listen to, this might be p
April 12, 2022
Young Rich Widows
is a fun, twisty, mystery / thriller with all the 80s vibes you could ever want. I loved the four protagonists (Krystale is my FAVEEEEE) and I loved all the mob references. It always takes me a long time to go through audiobooks vs reading, but this audiobook was a pleasure. Easily five stars and one of my favorites of the year.
June 23, 2022
I went back and forth between 2 and 3 stars, but ultimately decided on 3 since the narration was so strong. Story wise it's pretty weak.
In terms of a thriller it's pretty campy. In terms of a mystery it's pretty predictable.
It's odd that there were 4 authors when there were so many little plot holes and inconsistencies. Too many chefs in the kitchen?
There's a lot of little things that don't ring true for the time period (like the use of rotary phones and lexuses) and if those details matter to you (like they do me) you might have a hard time staying in the story.
And I know that this story would have taken place before Erin Brokovich's huge win in California, but I can't imagine people prior to that historic class action lawsuit would just drink cloudy fizzy sweet tap water like it was normal.
In terms of a thriller it's pretty campy. In terms of a mystery it's pretty predictable.
It's odd that there were 4 authors when there were so many little plot holes and inconsistencies. Too many chefs in the kitchen?
There's a lot of little things that don't ring true for the time period (like the use of rotary phones and lexuses) and if those details matter to you (like they do me) you might have a hard time staying in the story.
And I know that this story would have taken place before Erin Brokovich's huge win in California, but I can't imagine people prior to that historic class action lawsuit would just drink cloudy fizzy sweet tap water like it was normal.
April 3, 2024
Highly Entertaining!
If you are looking for a top-notch scandalous novel written by some of the top thriller authors (dream team) with engaging narrators and four killer brilliant laugh-out-loud recently widowed—look no further!
YOUNG RICH WIDOWS earns a 5-star, and I would love to see a sequel (yes, it is coming below) in the future! Think: “First Wives Club.”
Set in Providence, Rhode Island, in the 80s, there are four partners of a prominent law firm. They have been killed in a private jet plane crash. Was it intentional or an accident?
After further investigation and sleuthing, it appears they were associated with the mafia. Now, the widows must band together, which is problematic since they dislike one another.
The team wasn’t supposed to be in NY, and a large sum of cash burned up with the plane. Why were the four partners on the same plane? Were they part of the mafia, or were they in the middle of investigating them?
Now it is up to the four widows to find out what happened and, at the same time, keep themselves out of harm's way.
What happened, and is there any evidence? Are they next? Is someone out for revenge? What about hidden messages?
Plus, there are secrets between these partners and the wives soon discover.
THE WIDOWS:
Justine: a former fashion model adjusting to suburban life.
Camille: a beautiful, young second wife some suspect is a gold digger.
Krystle: committed to leaving the firm to her sons after her husband worked his whole life to support them.
Meredith: (funny) a stripper at the local club who was in a secret relationship with the firm’s sole female partner.
Tragedy brought these four unlikely women together. These women do not get along, but before they are done, they must band together to keep safe and bring down the bad guys. These women are intelligent, tough, witty, and tenacious!
The widows must find the answers to protect their inheritance, their families, and their lives
Meet Authors: Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, and Vanessa Lillie. If you have not read their books, here is a chance to sample their work.
Each story fits seamlessly, glued to e-book and audio until the satisfying conclusion. YOUNG RICH WIDOWS is a fun story of female competition and friendship exploring four women tragically thrown together and become friends, all set in the fun 80s and 90s! Also based on actual events of the 80s, from Providence's thriving Mafia to the early days of enforcing environmental regulations.
Wild, crazy, and full of humor! What is not to like? It sounds as though this was a collaborative effort during the pandemic. So thank you, ladies, for providing some great entertainment! I loved meeting the widows, each with their unique personalities.
I enjoyed reading the e-book after listening to the audiobook when it came out. The e-book includes a Reading Group Guide and a fun Conversation with the Authors and the Widows!
I look forward to listening to (#2 Widows) Desperate Deadly Widows (March 2024)
Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley, for a gifted ARC digital reviewer copy.
I also listened to the audiobook when it came out: The narrators: Dina Pearlman, Karissa Vacker, Helen Laser, and Ariel Blake delivered an outstanding performance!
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: April 2, 2024 (paperback)
April 2024 Must-Read Books
If you are looking for a top-notch scandalous novel written by some of the top thriller authors (dream team) with engaging narrators and four killer brilliant laugh-out-loud recently widowed—look no further!
YOUNG RICH WIDOWS earns a 5-star, and I would love to see a sequel (yes, it is coming below) in the future! Think: “First Wives Club.”
Set in Providence, Rhode Island, in the 80s, there are four partners of a prominent law firm. They have been killed in a private jet plane crash. Was it intentional or an accident?
After further investigation and sleuthing, it appears they were associated with the mafia. Now, the widows must band together, which is problematic since they dislike one another.
The team wasn’t supposed to be in NY, and a large sum of cash burned up with the plane. Why were the four partners on the same plane? Were they part of the mafia, or were they in the middle of investigating them?
Now it is up to the four widows to find out what happened and, at the same time, keep themselves out of harm's way.
What happened, and is there any evidence? Are they next? Is someone out for revenge? What about hidden messages?
Plus, there are secrets between these partners and the wives soon discover.
THE WIDOWS:
Justine: a former fashion model adjusting to suburban life.
Camille: a beautiful, young second wife some suspect is a gold digger.
Krystle: committed to leaving the firm to her sons after her husband worked his whole life to support them.
Meredith: (funny) a stripper at the local club who was in a secret relationship with the firm’s sole female partner.
Tragedy brought these four unlikely women together. These women do not get along, but before they are done, they must band together to keep safe and bring down the bad guys. These women are intelligent, tough, witty, and tenacious!
The widows must find the answers to protect their inheritance, their families, and their lives
Meet Authors: Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, and Vanessa Lillie. If you have not read their books, here is a chance to sample their work.
Each story fits seamlessly, glued to e-book and audio until the satisfying conclusion. YOUNG RICH WIDOWS is a fun story of female competition and friendship exploring four women tragically thrown together and become friends, all set in the fun 80s and 90s! Also based on actual events of the 80s, from Providence's thriving Mafia to the early days of enforcing environmental regulations.
Wild, crazy, and full of humor! What is not to like? It sounds as though this was a collaborative effort during the pandemic. So thank you, ladies, for providing some great entertainment! I loved meeting the widows, each with their unique personalities.
I enjoyed reading the e-book after listening to the audiobook when it came out. The e-book includes a Reading Group Guide and a fun Conversation with the Authors and the Widows!
I look forward to listening to (#2 Widows) Desperate Deadly Widows (March 2024)
Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley, for a gifted ARC digital reviewer copy.
I also listened to the audiobook when it came out: The narrators: Dina Pearlman, Karissa Vacker, Helen Laser, and Ariel Blake delivered an outstanding performance!
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: April 2, 2024 (paperback)
April 2024 Must-Read Books
April 29, 2023
Entertaining and fun to listen to.
May 20, 2022
A decent beginning, but an off kilter plot. I thought there would be some connection to the title, but I couldn't find it with a microscope. 4 of 10 stars
January 9, 2024
3 Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was pretty excited about getting approved for this one because it sounded right up my alley! While not a super thriller with a ton of mystery, it did give me some serious Erin Brockovich/mafia movie vibes!
When four law firm partners are killed in a plane crash, their widows must uncover some secrets and figure out why the mob is after them.
These four main women characters are not necessarily likable, but are really fun with their snarky, snappy attitudes towards each other. Especially Krystle - she’s a hoot! I laughed out loud a few times!
Fun and entertaining for anyone looking for a light, but over the top mystery!
Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks for my advanced copy to read and review.
I was pretty excited about getting approved for this one because it sounded right up my alley! While not a super thriller with a ton of mystery, it did give me some serious Erin Brockovich/mafia movie vibes!
When four law firm partners are killed in a plane crash, their widows must uncover some secrets and figure out why the mob is after them.
These four main women characters are not necessarily likable, but are really fun with their snarky, snappy attitudes towards each other. Especially Krystle - she’s a hoot! I laughed out loud a few times!
Fun and entertaining for anyone looking for a light, but over the top mystery!
Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks for my advanced copy to read and review.
dnf
May 31, 2025DNF @ 52% - This book is The Real Housewives meets The Jersey Shore meets The Supranos and it’s just not my vibe at all.
April 24, 2022
I like to suspend my belief when I read a book. I like to live with the characters even when I know I would never act, do, think, or talk like those characters.
I also like to suspend my disbelief. I like to avoid the idea that something the author has written simply could not happen.
With this book it was impossible to do either. But only because the characters and the situations were so ludicrous and so unreal (in every sense of the word) that it was impossible for me to suspend any intellectual properties. I did, however, wonder many times as I listened on Audible why anyone would continue listening. I applied that to myself and realized that I continued listening because I had to believe it would get better--that there was at least one redeeming quality.
I am amazed at the high ratings for this book. I cannot think of a way to explain the raves. But I guess everyone has their own tolerance level. I met mine with this book--about one-third of the way through.
I will not get into how the characters were so very, very unbelievable. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe people like them exist. Maybe there are people on earth who never have coherent, logical thoughts. Maybe there are people whose entire existence is built around their own needs and wants. Maybe. I don't know any of those people and have not read about wholly self-contained people such as these widows, but I cannot discount the possibility that they exist. And that someone, somewhere has so little to do with their time that they will put the idea of such people inside their head by reading dribble written about them.
So, I put that aside. But, how can anyone with an active brain cell read without laughing our throwing their book across the room about the exploits of these women who, it turns out, were smart enough to get a mobster sent to jail, kill a hired killer, ruin the plans of the "evil mall builder" (has anyone heard that plot before?), save the town, save children dying of cancer, build playgrounds, become lawyers in a few short months, "hide" from hired killers who know where they live, and etc.
I cannot tell the worst part, which is the ending of the book. I cannot tell that part because it would be a spoiler and I would not want to spoil this one for anyone--the author did that well enough. I will say, however, that I am not well acquainted with police or investigative work, having never been arrested or investigated. But I am almost certain that most law enforcement agencies would not allow these four women to "work" their case for them. Actually, I am certain.
The ending of this book is enough to make a sane person just cry over the fact that they wasted a few hours of their time to come to a conclusion that is so unbelievable even the author just finally gave up.
Don't read this. Don't listen to it. Save yourself. And I will mention again that I don't understand the high ratings. Makes me wonder.
I also like to suspend my disbelief. I like to avoid the idea that something the author has written simply could not happen.
With this book it was impossible to do either. But only because the characters and the situations were so ludicrous and so unreal (in every sense of the word) that it was impossible for me to suspend any intellectual properties. I did, however, wonder many times as I listened on Audible why anyone would continue listening. I applied that to myself and realized that I continued listening because I had to believe it would get better--that there was at least one redeeming quality.
I am amazed at the high ratings for this book. I cannot think of a way to explain the raves. But I guess everyone has their own tolerance level. I met mine with this book--about one-third of the way through.
I will not get into how the characters were so very, very unbelievable. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe people like them exist. Maybe there are people on earth who never have coherent, logical thoughts. Maybe there are people whose entire existence is built around their own needs and wants. Maybe. I don't know any of those people and have not read about wholly self-contained people such as these widows, but I cannot discount the possibility that they exist. And that someone, somewhere has so little to do with their time that they will put the idea of such people inside their head by reading dribble written about them.
So, I put that aside. But, how can anyone with an active brain cell read without laughing our throwing their book across the room about the exploits of these women who, it turns out, were smart enough to get a mobster sent to jail, kill a hired killer, ruin the plans of the "evil mall builder" (has anyone heard that plot before?), save the town, save children dying of cancer, build playgrounds, become lawyers in a few short months, "hide" from hired killers who know where they live, and etc.
I cannot tell the worst part, which is the ending of the book. I cannot tell that part because it would be a spoiler and I would not want to spoil this one for anyone--the author did that well enough. I will say, however, that I am not well acquainted with police or investigative work, having never been arrested or investigated. But I am almost certain that most law enforcement agencies would not allow these four women to "work" their case for them. Actually, I am certain.
The ending of this book is enough to make a sane person just cry over the fact that they wasted a few hours of their time to come to a conclusion that is so unbelievable even the author just finally gave up.
Don't read this. Don't listen to it. Save yourself. And I will mention again that I don't understand the high ratings. Makes me wonder.
September 3, 2022
Ok.. this one is totally over-the-top, but in the most entertaining way! It’s like Goodfellas meets Erin Brockovich in this wild, zany audio original from Audible.
Picture it: Providence, Rhode Island in the mid 1980s. Four partners of a well-known law firm are killed in a plane crash, leaving behind four widows: Camille, Krystal, Justine, and Meredith. While the crash is ruled an accident, the four women suddenly find themselves in hot water. Narrated by all four women, Young Rich Widows is a crazy story of secrets, lies, the mafia…and wolves (told you, it’s over-the-top). I was thoroughly entertained— listening to this made doing chores and running errands extra fun!
Picture it: Providence, Rhode Island in the mid 1980s. Four partners of a well-known law firm are killed in a plane crash, leaving behind four widows: Camille, Krystal, Justine, and Meredith. While the crash is ruled an accident, the four women suddenly find themselves in hot water. Narrated by all four women, Young Rich Widows is a crazy story of secrets, lies, the mafia…and wolves (told you, it’s over-the-top). I was thoroughly entertained— listening to this made doing chores and running errands extra fun!
July 7, 2022
It was free on Audible so that was a plus. I sped up narration to 1.5 times normal just to get through it. I didn’t like any of the characters, couldn’t care what was happening to them. The narration felt like a caricature of New York accents and I swear one scene of jailhouse meals was taken from the Goodfellas movie.
April 24, 2022
I usually get through one, sometimes two, audiobooks in a month as I generally only listen to them when driving to and from work so it takes a while to get through one.
But, every now and then, along comes an audiobook I become completed enthralled in. When this happens, I generally jump to finding it on kindle or amazon to download to finish it quickly. This book, however, is ONLY available on audio. So...I binge listened over the weekend while cleaning my house. My house is now spotless and the book is finished. So, naturally, I'm back on the couch lol
I absolutely LOVED this audiobook. The narration was one of the best I have ever heard. A combined effort of four women wrote this book (including best selling author Kimberly Belle) and then another four women narrated the book. Girl power!!
The book takes place in the height of the 80s. I loved this aspect. I could just picture the puffy shoulders, the blue eyeliner, the big hair...the image I had of these four main characters was vivid and the vibe was there! The 80s are the best era ever (even though I had just become a teen for the end of the decade, I still love it!!)
The plot:
Four lawyers head off for a business deal on an airplane but never make it home. The plane goes down, leaving four widows. They also leave behind a debt of $4million owed to the mob and their wives are now on the hook to pay it off.
The main characters:
Krystle - omgosh I want to be best friends with this lady! I loved her character SO much!! The narrator really gave her life! She's a feisty Italian with the best comebacks and attitude! Her husband leaves behind Krystal and her grown sons.
Justine - A beautiful model in another lifetime. She has settled down and focuses all her attention on her son JJ. Her husband Jack leaves her and her son behind...along with some dirty little secrets.
Camille - Married to a much older husband. People suspect her of marrying for the money. Perhaps she did. She's a bit of a tramp, per say.
Meredith - I also really liked her. She is a stripper and has been in a relationship with the firm's only female lawyer for three years. However, no one has met her prior or knows about this relationship until the crash.
The women are thrown together on a mission to find $4M and get the mob off their backs. The story is fast and despite the horrible predicament they are in, there is still time for a bit of humor thrown in.
An absolute gem of an audiobook! Highly recommend!
But, every now and then, along comes an audiobook I become completed enthralled in. When this happens, I generally jump to finding it on kindle or amazon to download to finish it quickly. This book, however, is ONLY available on audio. So...I binge listened over the weekend while cleaning my house. My house is now spotless and the book is finished. So, naturally, I'm back on the couch lol
I absolutely LOVED this audiobook. The narration was one of the best I have ever heard. A combined effort of four women wrote this book (including best selling author Kimberly Belle) and then another four women narrated the book. Girl power!!
The book takes place in the height of the 80s. I loved this aspect. I could just picture the puffy shoulders, the blue eyeliner, the big hair...the image I had of these four main characters was vivid and the vibe was there! The 80s are the best era ever (even though I had just become a teen for the end of the decade, I still love it!!)
The plot:
Four lawyers head off for a business deal on an airplane but never make it home. The plane goes down, leaving four widows. They also leave behind a debt of $4million owed to the mob and their wives are now on the hook to pay it off.
The main characters:
Krystle - omgosh I want to be best friends with this lady! I loved her character SO much!! The narrator really gave her life! She's a feisty Italian with the best comebacks and attitude! Her husband leaves behind Krystal and her grown sons.
Justine - A beautiful model in another lifetime. She has settled down and focuses all her attention on her son JJ. Her husband Jack leaves her and her son behind...along with some dirty little secrets.
Camille - Married to a much older husband. People suspect her of marrying for the money. Perhaps she did. She's a bit of a tramp, per say.
Meredith - I also really liked her. She is a stripper and has been in a relationship with the firm's only female lawyer for three years. However, no one has met her prior or knows about this relationship until the crash.
The women are thrown together on a mission to find $4M and get the mob off their backs. The story is fast and despite the horrible predicament they are in, there is still time for a bit of humor thrown in.
An absolute gem of an audiobook! Highly recommend!
April 7, 2024
★★★★.5
Who would have thought a novel featuring strippers and wolves could be this thrilling?
This novel will undoubtedly be at the top of my list of the most striking covers of 2024! When I stumbled upon the authors' names, I was over the moon - Kimberly Belle is one of my all-time favorite authors, and the others are equally talented! I knew I had to read this book as soon as I saw it, and boy, was it worth it!
The novel follows four widowed women - Camille, Meredith, Justine, and Krystle - after their partners die in a plane crash. Their husbands were partners in one of Providence, RI's most prominent law firms, but the widows discovered that the law firm was working with the mafia on their latest project, and they owed them a large sum of money due in just a few days. The widows take readers on a wild ride as they try to clean up the mess their partners left behind. It's filled with humor and other emotions as they uncover secrets and lies. Female friendships are formed where there was once animosity. Each widow has a distinct personality that will win your heart by the end.
But wait, there's more! The book also includes "A Conversation with the Authors & Widows" at the end, where the authors spill the beans on their fascinating writing process. It turns out that each author wrote a character - Kimberly/Camille, Layne/Meredith, Cate/Justine, and Vanessa/Krystle - which makes the next book even more exciting! I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a copy of this book through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.
#YoungRichWidows #KimberlyBelle #LayneFargo #CateHolahan #VanessaLillie #SourcebooksLandmark #NetGalley #ThrillerBookLovers #ARC #HonestReview #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMeTeam #lovetoread #bookworm #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #bookstagrammer #booktok #booktoker
Who would have thought a novel featuring strippers and wolves could be this thrilling?
This novel will undoubtedly be at the top of my list of the most striking covers of 2024! When I stumbled upon the authors' names, I was over the moon - Kimberly Belle is one of my all-time favorite authors, and the others are equally talented! I knew I had to read this book as soon as I saw it, and boy, was it worth it!
The novel follows four widowed women - Camille, Meredith, Justine, and Krystle - after their partners die in a plane crash. Their husbands were partners in one of Providence, RI's most prominent law firms, but the widows discovered that the law firm was working with the mafia on their latest project, and they owed them a large sum of money due in just a few days. The widows take readers on a wild ride as they try to clean up the mess their partners left behind. It's filled with humor and other emotions as they uncover secrets and lies. Female friendships are formed where there was once animosity. Each widow has a distinct personality that will win your heart by the end.
But wait, there's more! The book also includes "A Conversation with the Authors & Widows" at the end, where the authors spill the beans on their fascinating writing process. It turns out that each author wrote a character - Kimberly/Camille, Layne/Meredith, Cate/Justine, and Vanessa/Krystle - which makes the next book even more exciting! I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a copy of this book through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.
#YoungRichWidows #KimberlyBelle #LayneFargo #CateHolahan #VanessaLillie #SourcebooksLandmark #NetGalley #ThrillerBookLovers #ARC #HonestReview #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMeTeam #lovetoread #bookworm #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #bookstagrammer #booktok #booktoker
April 18, 2024
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book outside of an anthology that has four authors, so this was a new and interesting read for me! We have four rich widows, as the title suggests, and this story gets pretty deep…
A plane takes off in New York, but never makes it to Rhode Island. Something goes horribly wrong. The plane explodes, killing everyone on board, including four partners of a law firm: Romeo, Peter, Jack and Robin. Their wives are at a party when they find out, and immediately they know why this may have happened.
Krystle is the wife of the law firm’s founding partner, Romeo. Their loser adult son, Rom, also works at the firm.
Camille is Peter’s wife. Sexy, flirty and wealthy, she was having an affair with Jack, and seems to mourn more for him than her own husband.
Justine is Jack’s wife, and they have a toddler named JJ. She definitely noticed Camille’s reaction to the death of their husbands, but she’s just trying to make sure her son is okay through this.
Meredith (stripper name, Tina) is the in-the-closet partner of Robin, the only female partner in the firm. It’s 1985, so they aren’t married, but Robin’s will is made out to her - the closest they could get.
Soon, this story gets some more traction as we find out the law firm owes four million dollars to the mob. The widows are contacted and told of they don’t have the money by New Year’s Eve, things are going to get nasty. This is only days away - they don’t have time to sell their houses or take out loans, they need to find this money that may have blown up on the planes The women race to find the money in time for the boss’s New Year’s party/orgy - they all dress like whores and go through the doors, and that’s when things really get crazy.
This is set in 1985, and I adored the references to music, pantyhose with shoulder pads, mountains of cocaine, and fur coats (also, I loved the part where someone sliced garlic so thin it liquified in the pan, ala Goodfellas). This was a suspenseful and entertaining read; at first I didn’t like the widows, but after a while, the author told me more about them, and a little bond was formed. It looks like there will be a second book about the widows, and I will be there for it! Four stars.
(Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, Kimberly Belle and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
A plane takes off in New York, but never makes it to Rhode Island. Something goes horribly wrong. The plane explodes, killing everyone on board, including four partners of a law firm: Romeo, Peter, Jack and Robin. Their wives are at a party when they find out, and immediately they know why this may have happened.
Krystle is the wife of the law firm’s founding partner, Romeo. Their loser adult son, Rom, also works at the firm.
Camille is Peter’s wife. Sexy, flirty and wealthy, she was having an affair with Jack, and seems to mourn more for him than her own husband.
Justine is Jack’s wife, and they have a toddler named JJ. She definitely noticed Camille’s reaction to the death of their husbands, but she’s just trying to make sure her son is okay through this.
Meredith (stripper name, Tina) is the in-the-closet partner of Robin, the only female partner in the firm. It’s 1985, so they aren’t married, but Robin’s will is made out to her - the closest they could get.
Soon, this story gets some more traction as we find out the law firm owes four million dollars to the mob. The widows are contacted and told of they don’t have the money by New Year’s Eve, things are going to get nasty. This is only days away - they don’t have time to sell their houses or take out loans, they need to find this money that may have blown up on the planes The women race to find the money in time for the boss’s New Year’s party/orgy - they all dress like whores and go through the doors, and that’s when things really get crazy.
This is set in 1985, and I adored the references to music, pantyhose with shoulder pads, mountains of cocaine, and fur coats (also, I loved the part where someone sliced garlic so thin it liquified in the pan, ala Goodfellas). This was a suspenseful and entertaining read; at first I didn’t like the widows, but after a while, the author told me more about them, and a little bond was formed. It looks like there will be a second book about the widows, and I will be there for it! Four stars.
(Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, Kimberly Belle and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
November 26, 2022
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/youn...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/youn...
October 6, 2023
Pretty entertaining, loved having 4 different narrators. I don't usually say this for a short story but it felt too long. Probably could have wrapped it up an hour earlier.
April 7, 2022
WHOA!! Now this is what I’m talking about. Four fantastic authors. Four phenomenal widows. One entertaining thriller about plane crashes and the mob.
The book is about 4 lawyers who die in a plane crash, leaving behind their widows to find out what happened and why their plane realllllllyyyy crashed.
I don’t want to give too much away, but just know…it has to do with the lawyers getting their hands too deep in the dealings of some wacky, vicious mobsters.
This was such a fun ride, with chapters alternating POVs of each widow. The story is linear, so there isn’t any jumping around. These authors really knew what they were doing. Each POV, albeit written by a different author, ran smoothly with both the previous and next chapters. I was worried about plot holes happening, but there was NO plot holes. Everything was pieced together so well…which…in my opinion, would be more challenging to do with four authors! The editor(s) of this book did a phenomenal job with continuity and balancing all four voices.
One of the best things about this book is that you can tell which author wrote which POV, just by their writing style. I figured out which POV belonged to who after the fourth POV finished her first chapter. That was so fun for me!!! Even though each author has her own style, they all still blended so well together!!
The narrators were also sooooo well casted. I was able to visualize each widow based on the voices and that, also, was a lot of fun to experience.
Definitely get your hands on this book! It’s well worth it!! Great job, ladies!!!
The book is about 4 lawyers who die in a plane crash, leaving behind their widows to find out what happened and why their plane realllllllyyyy crashed.
I don’t want to give too much away, but just know…it has to do with the lawyers getting their hands too deep in the dealings of some wacky, vicious mobsters.
This was such a fun ride, with chapters alternating POVs of each widow. The story is linear, so there isn’t any jumping around. These authors really knew what they were doing. Each POV, albeit written by a different author, ran smoothly with both the previous and next chapters. I was worried about plot holes happening, but there was NO plot holes. Everything was pieced together so well…which…in my opinion, would be more challenging to do with four authors! The editor(s) of this book did a phenomenal job with continuity and balancing all four voices.
One of the best things about this book is that you can tell which author wrote which POV, just by their writing style. I figured out which POV belonged to who after the fourth POV finished her first chapter. That was so fun for me!!! Even though each author has her own style, they all still blended so well together!!
The narrators were also sooooo well casted. I was able to visualize each widow based on the voices and that, also, was a lot of fun to experience.
Definitely get your hands on this book! It’s well worth it!! Great job, ladies!!!
May 16, 2022
The mob. Cheating spouses. Money. Power. Pain. Motherhood. Oh and wolves. Did I get your attention?
Wow. I don’t even know what to say here! I loved every second of this story and wished it was longer! The narrators are incredible. Each of them weaves their story so perfectly with their voices!!! Dina Pearlman- You are the perfect Krystle. We need more young rich widows. We need a series of novels!
Do yourself a favor and download this one from audible and thank me later.
Wow. I don’t even know what to say here! I loved every second of this story and wished it was longer! The narrators are incredible. Each of them weaves their story so perfectly with their voices!!! Dina Pearlman- You are the perfect Krystle. We need more young rich widows. We need a series of novels!
Do yourself a favor and download this one from audible and thank me later.
October 13, 2023
Break out your crimpers and legwarmers because YOUNG RICH WIDOWS will have you (re)living the 80s in style. A phenomenal female-driven mob thriller that’s sure to keep you on your toes and make you laugh out loud. Belle, Fargo, Holahan, and Lillie make one heck of a dream writing team. Brilliantly crafted and highly entertaining!
January 19, 2023
At first I really wasn't sure about this audiobook. In the first couple of chapter, I really couldn't stand any of these characters. But I am so glad I stuck with it! After about the 25% mark, I really started to like the characters and started rooting for them.
On top of that, the format really worked and I loved how many of the chapters seemed to end on cliffhangers. I wouldn't mind revisiting these gals in the future!
On top of that, the format really worked and I loved how many of the chapters seemed to end on cliffhangers. I wouldn't mind revisiting these gals in the future!
April 18, 2022
This was a free audible book. It started pretty well, and the performers do a good job. Unfortunately the pacing is way off: way too slow for the first two thirds and then a bunch of mostly weak twists in the last third. And also some huge plot holes
October 11, 2024
When a plane crash kills four people their wives find that their partners owes the mob 4 million pounds. Are they going to be able to pay back their debt before anymore lives are lost?! I really enjoyed the drama and the snarky comments between all four woman! This one was such an easy listen and very entertaining! I also recommend you listen to this one on audio as it was very well done? I’m also delighted to discover that there’s a sequel, so on to the next!
April 20, 2022
More like a 3 but could round up to 4 because it’s 1. Free, 2. I enjoyed the narrators/narration, 3. It was a quick fun read. Good way to pass empty time
June 22, 2022
What a great line up of of thriller authors! This was a great twisty story that keep me entertained at work today.
September 2, 2022
I was so excited to read this collaboration between Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo, Vanessa Lillie and Cate Holahan. Set in the 80s this story surrounds four widows who are left with lots of questions and lots of problems when their partners' plane goes down, killing them all.
This book was a little Married To the Mob to me (one of the audiobook narrators was giving me major Mercedes Ruehl vibes) and while there were some fun twists I didn't understand why
The book wasn't totally what I expected and was a little slow to get started. Overall a fun, soapy, entertaining listen and a good palette cleanser. Fast read. Entertaining. I'm always game for some 80s vibes.
This book was a little Married To the Mob to me (one of the audiobook narrators was giving me major Mercedes Ruehl vibes) and while there were some fun twists I didn't understand why
The book wasn't totally what I expected and was a little slow to get started. Overall a fun, soapy, entertaining listen and a good palette cleanser. Fast read. Entertaining. I'm always game for some 80s vibes.
January 31, 2024
Thank you so much Sourcebooks Landmark for this advanced copy and the chance to review it honestly.
When the four partners of a prominent law firm are killed in a mysterious plane crash, their widows must band together to find out what really happened.
I had such a fun time reading this book! Before I forget I want to mention how beautiful the cover for this book is and when it’s out I will definitely be buying myself a finished copy to keep on my shelves! The four ladies are snarky, sassy, and they shine the most in this story. Krystle had me cracking up and I could really see this made into a movie and I really want to see this made into one. A little bit of scandal, some sleuthing… all wrapped up for our entertainment and oh is it entertaining! With four different authors writing a character of their own, this story played out seamlessly. I’d really like to see these characters again… is it possible to get a second book?? C’mon… what do you say?? If you enjoy sassy female characters, a wild ride, and loved the 80’s…give this one a read, you will not regret it! Young Rich Widows comes out in physical form on 4/2/24. You’ll want to get yourself a copy!l.
Happy reading!
When the four partners of a prominent law firm are killed in a mysterious plane crash, their widows must band together to find out what really happened.
I had such a fun time reading this book! Before I forget I want to mention how beautiful the cover for this book is and when it’s out I will definitely be buying myself a finished copy to keep on my shelves! The four ladies are snarky, sassy, and they shine the most in this story. Krystle had me cracking up and I could really see this made into a movie and I really want to see this made into one. A little bit of scandal, some sleuthing… all wrapped up for our entertainment and oh is it entertaining! With four different authors writing a character of their own, this story played out seamlessly. I’d really like to see these characters again… is it possible to get a second book?? C’mon… what do you say?? If you enjoy sassy female characters, a wild ride, and loved the 80’s…give this one a read, you will not regret it! Young Rich Widows comes out in physical form on 4/2/24. You’ll want to get yourself a copy!l.
Happy reading!
April 10, 2022
I had the BEST time with the narrators of this story. Each person really played their role to their fullest and with each chapter I felt I could feel the authors' signature styles and lemme tell ya, it's freakin' entertaining! Grab some popcorn or pull up candy crush or some other mobile game or some gem art.. do some cleaning. Whatever. Find a reason to have to listen to this audio.
I was hoping the title was a how-to book *wink wink*... but what we readers get is far more fun. Four very different women all lose their partners in the blink of an air crash leaving them widows. But something isn't right and their millions may be further out of grasp than any of them had anticipated. What follows is drama, mob tendencies that really fit to the mid-80s theme and laughs. OMG was Krystle cracking me up!
Four thriller authors I love collaborated for this Audible Original - a round of applause to each of you and to the narrators who really delivered and made this story come to life. Special shout out to Vanessa for this gifted #audiobook. Y'all are going to do more, right? ahem *cough (say yes) cough*
I was hoping the title was a how-to book *wink wink*... but what we readers get is far more fun. Four very different women all lose their partners in the blink of an air crash leaving them widows. But something isn't right and their millions may be further out of grasp than any of them had anticipated. What follows is drama, mob tendencies that really fit to the mid-80s theme and laughs. OMG was Krystle cracking me up!
Four thriller authors I love collaborated for this Audible Original - a round of applause to each of you and to the narrators who really delivered and made this story come to life. Special shout out to Vanessa for this gifted #audiobook. Y'all are going to do more, right? ahem *cough (say yes) cough*
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