Druga żona

by Sheryl Browne, Jacek Żuławnik (Translator)

Rebecca i Nicole przysięgły sobie, że zawsze będą najlepszymi przyjaciółkami. Trzy lata po ich ostatnim spotkaniu Rebecca odbiera telefon od męża Nicole, Richarda, który informują ją o tragicznej śmierci żony. Kobieta odebrała sobie życie. Rebecca postanawia pomóc pogrążonej w smutku rodzinie. Przyjeżdża do domu przyjaciółki. Stopniowo jednak sprawy się komplikują. Rebecca zaczyna żyć życiem swojej przyjaciółki, a tajemnice zaczynają się piętrzyć.

Jakie sekrety Nicole skrywała przed wszystkimi ludźmi, którzy ją znali i kochali? Czy na pewno była szczęśliwa w swoim pozornie doskonałym związku? Rebecca zaczyna podejrzewać, że nie wszystko jest takie, jak na pozór wszystkim się wydaje.

Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Crime

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 2019

About the author

Hi, I’m Sheryl Browne writing psychological thriller. My latest psychological thriller MY LOVING HUSBAND is published by fabulous BOOKOUTURE. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the Romantic Novelists’ Association, I have several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where I completed my MA in Creative Writing. I live in Worcestershire with my partner and a variety of disabled dogs. According to readers of my thrillers, I also apparently make an excellent psychopath. ;) Follow my @Bookouture Mailing List and grab a FREE short: https://t.co/bIigwwALCs
𝘼 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝘼 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝘼 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡…
MY LOVING HUSBAND – Can I really trust the man I married?
Do I Really Know You? – She's the friend you trust with your life. But can she trust you with hers?
The Invite – Kaitlin has been looking forward to her engagement party for weeks, but as the champagne corks pop, her dream party soon becomes her worst nightmare…
The Liar's Child – I’ll do anything to protect my daughter…
My Husband's Girlfriend – She told my little boy a secret and now he’s gone…
The Second Wife – SHE MADE HER BED. YOU'LL LIE IN IT.
The Affair – You trusted her. You shouldn't have.
The Babysitter – She's perfect. Too Perfect.
After She's Gone – He's killed your child and kidnapped your wife. What would YOU do?
Sins of the Father - What if you’d been accused of one of the worst crimes imaginable?
Deadly Intent - Tormented to the edge of sanity …
The Rest of My Life - “You can’t run away from commitment forever … “ Two damaged hearts, a sizzling sexual connection. Can love find a way to bring Adam and Sienna together?
Learning to Love – Sometimes help comes from the most unlikely places …
Somebody to Love – Sigh with contentment, scream with frustration. At times you will weep.
Warrant for Love - Blackmail, lies, adultery, heartache. Three love stories wrapped up in one sexiliciously hilarious package.
A Little Bit of Madness – White Knight in Blue rescues The Harbour Rest Home.

Reviews

[BernLuvsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was an unexpectedly twisted, dark read!

I have quite a few of Browne's books on my kindle, gathering cyber dust, and for that I am now filled with regret. I opened this one up not even recalling what it was about and found myself immersed in a disturbing and twisted plot that had me shaking my head and furiously turning the pages.

Nicole and Rebecca are best friends. Time and distance have kept them from seeing each other for three years. Becky was not prepared for the devastating phone call she received from Nicole's new husband informing her that she had committed suicide. Becky simply can not believe that Nicole took her own life. Knowing there is more to what happened, Becky steps into the life Nicole left behind.

What follows is a captivating psychological suspense filled story of love, friendship, betrayal, lies, deceit and a friend who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. Be prepared for some disturbing moments, twisted relationships and a whole bunch of treachery! If you're like me - you'll enjoy the roller coaster ride of emotions.

Thank you Sheryl Browne, Bookouture and NetGalley for an advance reader's copy of this book to review.

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES! This was a riveting dark and twisted thriller that completely captivated me!

Sheryl Browne, you seriously blew my mind with this one! This book was darker, twistier, steamier, and more disturbing... hands-down my favorite book from this author thus far! Hold onto your hats and glasses for this one, it is a crazy ride!

Nicole and Rebecca are best friends, they share everything, but I bet they never thought they would share a husband! Nicole is still dealing with her past abusive marriage, even when she is married to the seemingly fabulous Richard... Nicole confesses everything to her BFF Rebecca, she tells her all about her loving husband and how happy they are... SO when Rebecca finds out that Nicole has committed suicide, she is determined to figure out what has really happened... Rebecca meets Richard and is instantly charmed, and before she knows it she has moved into her BFFs house and life... I know what you’re thinking... what? What kind of friend moves in on her deceased Bestie’s husband? Well apparently Rebecca, and I have to say I think this is all kinds of wrong, so shady, but still somehow I liked Rebecca?

The story is told from multiple points of view, and from both the present and the past.... we learn the truth of Nicole and Richard‘s marriage as the layers are slowly peeled away through Nicole’s eyes... we also get the present day story through the eyes of Rebecca, Olivia, and even Richard.... Olivia is richer’s 19-year-old daughter, the girl seriously disturbed me throughout this entire book... this was one strange father daughter dynamic! I really liked both Rebecca and Nicole, I was really conflicted sometimes because I didn’t necessarily agree with their actions, but I really found them both quite likable.... Richard, I am admittedly a bit of a man hater, so I was suspicious of him from page 1... * just to clarify I love my sons, my dad, my brothers, but I really have bad taste in men, so I’m not crazy about anyone that I previously had a relationship with! I’m a little jaded!* so what in the world is going on? Is Richard really a good guy or is it all an act? Is Olivia just a spoiled brat or pure evil? And what in the world is Nicole doing? At about 60% this book goes off the rails, starts zigging and zagging and bobbing and weaving... I had no idea what side was up? Oh what a dark disturbing deceitful journey this book took me on!

This was an intriguing, disturbing, dark, deceitful, twisted, and brilliant book! Absolutely recommend!

🎵🎵🎵 song running through my head! this is the first time I am going to use this song, but I can guarantee it won’t be my last, this is my go to crazy train book song! All aboard!🚂

All aboard!
Hahahahaha
Aye Aye Aye Aye Aye Aye...
Crazy, but that's how it goes
Millions of people living as foes
Maybe it's not too late
To learn how to love and forget how to hate
Mental wounds not healing
Life's a bitter shame
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train
I've listened to preachers, I've listened to fools
I've watched all the dropouts who make their own rules
One person conditioned to rule and control
The media sells it and you live the role
Mental wounds still screaming
Driving me insane
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train
I know that things are going wrong for me
You gotta…
Ozzy Osbourne 1980

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy1V5...

*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

[Bharath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of Sheryl Browne that I have read, and find her writing to be very good. If you like suspense novels, this is a great book to read – it has an interesting story, is fast paced and keeps the suspense well into the story.

Rebecca and Nicole are good friends and constantly keep in touch. Nicole has been in an abusive first marriage, and is happy to find Richard who in contrast comes across as extremely caring and very much in love with her. While Richard is considerate with her at all times, her relation with her step daughter Olivia is strained.

Rebecca is shocked when she hears that Nicole has committed suicide. As she attends the funeral and meets with Richard, she hears that Nicole had slipped into a major depression. Nicole had been communicating with Rebecca over text and email, and while she clearly had been unhappy about many things, Rebecca cannot understand how she came to take her own life. Rebecca is keen to understand more of why Nicole got to this point, and over time develops a close relation with Richard.Richard is extremely sensitive and considerate, and both he and Olivia welcome Rebecca into their lives.

While I did have a faint inkling of some aspects of the plot, the suspense breaks at just about the right time in the later part of the book. The story is told in two timelines from the perspectives of the four principal characters – Rebecca, Nicole, Richard & Olivia. It shuffles between the past and present, progressing to convergence very well near the end. The story could have been crisper though, and the last sections could have been better.

I certainly recommended reading this book if you like suspense – a very well written story!

My rating: 4.25 / 5.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a free ebook for an honest review.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheryl Browne has recently written 2 awesome Psychological thrillers ‘The Babysitter’ and ‘The Affair’ and I was genuinely excited to be reading and reviewing ‘The Second Wife’, I wondered what side the author would show us of her writing prowess in this genre....
I was not to be disappointed, all the usual ingredients are there....intrigue, drama, characters that leap out of the pages at you and also ones you love.......and hate! ( as you are meant to).....twists, turns and a wonderful plot...BUT this book is darker, the storyline is shocking yet real and I think some life experience is mingled with fiction to create this tale of deceit, sexual deviance and preying on the vunerable that really is a page turner, I read it in less than a day, I HAD to know what happened, to who and when!!!!
As always the writing style is clear and welcoming and draws you in in the authors special way and keeps you there throughout
Superb, one of those books makes you proud to be a reader
10/10 5 Stars

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebecca and Nicole swore to be best friends forever. But three years after they last met up, Rebecca receives a phone call from Nicole's husband, telling her that Nicole is dead. Nicole had committed suicide and her husband Richard had pulled her out the river close to their family home. Rebecca meets Richard and his daughter Olivia for the first time at Nicole's funeral. Rebecca does not believe that her friend committed suicide and sets out to find the truth, at what ever cost, behind Nicole's death.

This book contains everything you expect from Sheryl Browne plus a little more. There's twists, drams, intrigue and a plot that will both capture your attention, but shock you at the same time. There are characters that you will love and there are characters you will hate even more. The storyline will shock you in parts, but unfortunately this happens, probably more than we will ever know, in real life. The story is told from various points of view and timelines. This is a well written and page turning book that grips you after the first few chapters and does not let you go. I do recommend this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Sheryl Browne for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book completely caught me off guard. I expected a well written suspense filled book, because that is what I expect from Sheryl Browne. I got that and much more! This book was so dark, twisted and pure evil. Yes thriller lovers this has all the right ingredients!

Just after reading the description I knew I would love it. Two best friends, one dies and the other one immediately steps right into her life. What??? Seriously?? How scandalous is that? Husband, house, dog and all! I kept thinking what the hell is Rebecca doing? Honestly does she not realize something is not right? I felt anxious the entire time wondering just how far Rebecca would take things. I was freaking out wondering what really happened to Nicole. Do we know the truth? Is there more to her story?

I was so bewildered as to the dynamics of the relationship of Richard and his daughter Olivia. It is great that he is supportive of her but wow, talk about spoiled little daddy's girl. I found myself confused and angry with just how protective he was with her.

I loved this book, it is my favorite book so far by this author. She took dark and evil to a new level with this one! I have to point out that I love this cover! Such a beauty. Of course in true fashion she tied this cover into the story. I swear this and the cover for The Affair are two of the most attractive covers out there!

Thanks so much to Sheryl Browne, Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A captivating psychological suspense-filled story of marriage, betrayal and friendship.

SUMMARY
Rebecca is shocked to be attending her best friend’s funeral. It’s unbelievable that her red-haired free-spirited artist friend, Nicole could have committed suicide. But things started to go wrong for Nicole as soon as she married the charismatic Richard Gray, a year ago. Nicole drowned in a river close to their home, even though Richard attempted to save Nicole from the frigid water. Now he can’t even speak about what happened. Meeting at the funeral for the first time, Rebecca feels a instantaneous connection to Nicole’s husband. She agrees to to come back and visit Richard and his 19 year old daughter, Olivia after things settle down. As Rebecca gets closer to Richard things go too far and she begins to slip into Nicole’s old life, staying in her home, and sleeping in her bed. But can there be a future for them? What would Nicole want her to do?

REVIEW
THE SECOND WIFE is cleverly interwoven story of friendship, marriage and betrayal. Character development was so fabulous, you can’t help but fall in love with Richard just like Nicole did. I especially loved Rebecca’s character, and just can’t believe she would become involved with her best friend husband, although Richard could be pretty irresistible when he wanted to be. Even the modern white-toned house Richard and Nicole lived in had a personality all of it’s own, and it was a perfect setting for the story.

I loved how Nicole’s emails and letters to Rebecca were used to convey her thoughts about Richard and her marriage. So Rebecca wasn’t totally unfamiliar with Richard when she met him at the funeral. Nicole had share some of their deepest secrets in these letters. The story is nicely told in alternating chapters of Nicole’s past and Rebecca’s present. SHERYL BROWNE’s writing was good and she has given us a nice, quick, and enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley, Sheryl Browne and Bookouture for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Bookouture
Published January 29, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

[Mackenzie - PhDiva Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you ever finish a book and just wonder how you got to that ending sequence??? That is how I felt reading Sheryl Browne’s latest domestic thriller, The Second Wife! I read Browne’s last novel The Affair over the summer. Actually it was one of my first reviews when I started my blog! I loved her writing then, and I loved this one even more! This one cranked up the volume on those twists and it was a wild ride all the way to the final sentence! Fans of domestic noir and psychological thrillers will be sure to love this book!

Reflection

Well, this book starts with a positively haunting scene! A watery grave, a whispered taunt, confusion over what is real and what is delusion. It’s truly a fantastic opener to a book! As we flash over to present time, when Rebecca is at the funeral for her best friend Nicole, we begin to learn that all was not what it seemed with Nicole’s last few months. Was her death suicide, or a tragic accident?

Flipping backwards in time to Nicole’s story and then forwards to Rebecca’s was so interesting. Like reading a distorted mirror version of the other woman’s story. Nicole is some who came across somehow as strong and fragile at the same time. And as events unfold, her character becomes more and more tortured. I really loved Nicole. She’s an artist and the way Brown wrote about her artist’s soul was quite a delight! Of course, Nicole has some darkness as well, but I’ll leave that for the reader to find out for themselves…

And then there is Rebecca. Oh, Rebecca! What are you doing, slipping into your best friend’s life? I absolutely adored Rebecca. She’s such a contrast to Nicole, who is whimsical and impacted by moods, emotions, and feelings. Rebecca is much more grounded, and she doesn’t really get carried away the way Nicole does. They were such a delight to read together in comparison, particularly in Nicole’s letters to Rebecca. Nicole had such a unique voice, and even though she is passed away for much of the novel, I thought she sang out through her narrative and through Rebecca’s reflection on her life.

Finally, we have the other leading duo—Richard and his daughter Olivia. Oh boy, these two! Richard is almost too good to be true, and so is Olivia for that matter. When things start to become a bit twisted, well just you wait! I don’t want to spoil it, but these two characters sparked one of the most fascinating dynamics (and I’m referring to Nicole and Rebecca as well) I’ve read this year. I hope you enjoy reading about this father and daughter!

I was so honored to get to be on the final stop for the blog tour of this wild thriller!!! I am excited that this book is published and out in the universe. I’ve already been seeing some great reviews from other readers that delights me!

I received this from Bookouture. Opinions are my own.

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com

Rebecca and Nicole had been best friends for years. They had been there for one another, through thick and thin. They swore to one another that they would be best friends for life. However as always, life gets in the way and with them both living in different countries they hadn’t physically seen each other for the last three years, though they kept in touch via email.

Rebecca is surprised and shocked to receive an email from Nicole’s husband Richard, telling her that Nicola had taken her own life. The Nicole that Rebecca knew would never have even thought about suicide, she had so much to live for. Had she changed so much in the last three year?

At Nicole’s funeral, Rebecca meets Richard for the first time and his grown-up daughter Olivia. With their posh, clutter-free house and no sign of a studio within (Nicole was an artist), something doesn’t seem right to Rebecca and she is willing to do whatever it takes to uncover the truth, but sometimes the truth is worse than you ever thought it could be!

I’ve read a few of Sheryl Browne’s books and always enjoyed them and loved her writing style so when I saw this book I just had to read it. I love a good psychological thriller and this one really spoke to me.

From the opening scene told by Nicole, you get a sense of what this woman had been though but nothing could have prepared me for the direction the story took. I had put some of the pieces together but I was so shocked at discovering what really happened to Nicole I sat open-mouthed for at least a minute.

The characters are all perfectly formed and realistic. There are those that you will love and those that you will hate and a few that you won’t be sure about, never knowing whether they should sit on the good or the bad side.

This is a book that will play with your emotions and set you off on an emotional roller coaster. Throughout you will feel sorrow, happiness, anger and bewilderment, all mixed into one. There are plenty of twists to the plot, enough to keep you gripped to the book and interested the whole way through.

If you love psychological thrillers you need to read this book, it is exceptional from the very beginning to the end.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE SECOND WIFE by Sheryl Browne is a psychological thriller that will keep you intrigued from beginning until end. This is a story of friendship, trust, love, and betrayal.

Rebecca and Nicole swore to be best friends forever. They were always there for one another, and would be best friends for life. They were like sisters. But they were both living in different countries, and hadn’t seen each other in a few years. Rebecca was divorced and living in France, while Nicole was living with her husband, Richard and his daughter, Olivia in the UK. Rebecca and Nicole stayed in contact by email.

But three years after they last met up, Rebecca receives a phone call from Nicole’s devoted husband, Richard. Nicole is dead, a tragic suicide. Drowned in a river close to her family home, Richard was the one who pulled her body from the water. Now he can’t even speak about what happened.

Rebecca is devastated and can’t believe her best friend, an artist, full of life and a promising future would take her own life. Why?

At Nicole’s funeral, Rebecca meets Richard for the first time and his grown-up daughter Olivia. But something doesn’t seem right to Rebecca and she had to know just what happened to her best friend Nicole, so slowly but surely, she sets in motion the plans for the truth to emerge, revealing the flawed characters and their alternate motives.

As Rebecca gets closer and closer to Richard, things go too far and she begins to slip into Nicole’s old life – staying in her home, sleeping in her bed… But if she’s going to become the wife Nicole never was, can she keep herself safe?

The chapters alternate between characters, (Nicole and Rebecca) as well as Richard and Olivia through different time frames.

The characters are well flushed out, and you will either love them or hate them. This is a well written emotional novel, with a surprise ending that I did not see coming. The second Wife is a true gem, that will appeal to a wide audience. Highly recommend!

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture via Netgalley for my digital copy.

[Selena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free e-copy of The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne from NetGalley for my honest review.

A cleverly written psychological thriller with fantastic characters and lots of twists.

Rebecca and Nicole are very good friends. Although Rebecca lives in France, they communicate all the time. Just like most friends, they confide in one another with everything including their secrets.

Nicole ends up getting married to a man named Richard who has a teenage daughter. Rebecca wasn't able to attend the wedding but as friends do they spoke in detail over the phone about the amazing wedding and her amazing new husband.

Rebecca soon gets word that Nicole has taken her own life. She is in shock and just can't believe the news. Rebecca goes to the funeral and tries to help Richard but also wants to find out what went wrong that caused Nicole to take her own life. She soon discovers why Nicole fell for Richard as she finds herself attracted to his charms as well. Who is responsible? Is Nicole falling for Richard? Is Richard really as perfect as he seems or is there something more to him? So much jealousy and so many lies.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne was a great read. I didn't see the twist coming at all. It's is story of love , trust, friendship and betrayal. Characters that you hope that karma will come back to bite them and others that you feel sorry for. It is a fast read, told from various points of views and times. Everything you would expect from a psychological thriller.

Rebecca has returned to the UK for her best friend Nicole's funeral. She is adamant that Nicole did not kill herself as she has been told. She meets Richard, Nicole's second husband after leaving the first after an abusive relationship. Richard is charming and perfect, but Rebecca knows better from letters that she has received from Nicole. She finds herself moving in with Richard and his daughter Olivia with plans to find out the truth.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebecca attends Nicole's funeral. Nicole had married Richard, her second husband. According to the emails and texts to her best friend, Rebecca, she was in 7th heaven. But then the tone of the notes changed. And then Nicole commits suicide by drowning ... or did she?

Rebecca just can't believe Nicole would have done that. She consoled the grieving widow, but things just don't look right. The house was immaculate ...anyone who knew Nicole knew that her life was oil paintings .. not mopping floors. Even her mot recent art work had changed..drastically.

What in the world happened to Nicole? Rebecca wants to investigate and she starts hearing stories that make her wonder.

Told in different voices from different viewpoints, Nicole's story is revealed bit by bit. Was she seeing the truth or was it all in her head? Rebecca's story is told in the present. There are also snippets from Richard and from his adult daughter. Olivia.

Lots of twists and turns keep the reader involved and riveted to this well-written page turner. The story premise is fully thought it ... with characters that are unforgettable. The ending was quite a surprise.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this psychological thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started this, I was afraid it wasn't going to be my cup of tea despite the enticing description. Mostly, that was because each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character - a popular technique, of course, but not a favorite of mine. And because the chapters are exceptionally short, I expected the journey to be a choppy one.

But wait, there's more!

And guess what: It's all good. The plot twists held my attention every page of the way; and yes, those frequent switchbacks actually made me eager to move along as well (let's just say that while I'm disappointed that "my" NFL team didn't make the playoffs for this year's Super Bowl, it did free up more time for me to plow through the last half of this book without stopping).

Here's the scoop: Rebecca and Nicole are longtime best friends; when Nicole dies - her death ruled a suicide - Rebecca of course comes to the funeral. But she's got an even more important agenda; bolstered by messages over the past year or so from Nicole, she's convinced that she did not kill herself. Rebecca is aware, for instance, that Nicole's on-the-surface perfect second husband, Richard, has a grown daughter, Olivia, who lives with them and is at best snarky toward Nicole. As for Richard, well, let's just say blood is thicker than water. So on the pretense of looking for a new home in the U.K., Rebecca decides that the best way to see what's available - and ferret out the truth about Nicole - is to accept the handsome and charming Richard's offer to stay with him and Olivia (if you suspect something else might come of that, you'd be right - no big surprise there, for goodness sake).

In all honesty, I wasn't able to work up sympathy or empathy for a single character; I'm totally unable to identify with females who refuse to get up and run when it's clear they're being emotionally or physically abused in any way). Rather, my interest was in riding the whole thing out: What really happened to (and by) whom, and who, if anyone, "won" out. And boy, what a ride it was.

So if you're looking for an easy-to-read book of head games, don't hesitate to give this one a try. Meanwhile, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy to read and review.

[Stephen Clynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole gets married for the second time having had very bad experiences in her first marriage. Her new husband Richard, has a daughter called Olivia and their marriage gets off to a bad start. Nicole confides with her best friend Rebecca and when tragedy strikes, Rebecca picks up the pieces in this psychological thriller.

I loved the format Sheryl has chosen for her novel. Each character has their own chapters where the story is told from their point of view. So this book progresses with alternating chapters as each character is skillfully developed. Nicole has an extensive backstory for the reader to take onboard and as you did into it, more and more doubts spring into your mind.

Sheryl has the gift of writing her novel in such a way that doubts easily but steadily form in your mind as you work through the pages. Time and time again you are forced to think “something is not right here”. There is a lot of tension in The Second Wife and you just hope nobody or either of the family pets get hurt.

Sheryl clearly understands the dynamics of marriage and the many challenges presented when taking on step children. It is fine for me now that the step children have left home but this book brought back very clearly memories of the early years of our marriage.

I found The Second Wife to be a very entertaining psychological thriller. Not only were the psychological games being played between the characters but Sheryl plays games with the readers’ mind too. There were hints of interesting sex to follow which was just cream on the cake with this OUTSTANDING read. The Second Wife gets the top score of 5 stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Bookouture for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.

[Namita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebecca and Nicole have been best friends but distance made them drift apart so Rebecca was shocked to learn of Nicole’s suicide. When Rebecca meets Nichole’s husband Richard for the first time at the funeral she feels something amiss and steps into Nicole’s old life to find the truth

The Second Wife By Sheryl Browne is a dark twisty psychological read .t is a fast paced well written book which is made even more interesting due to the unlikable characters and a surprise ending that I didn't see coming

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one heck of a ride, a cracker of a thriller where the mind was twisted, and all known theories were turned. The book was a maze where I thought I knew what was going to happen till the author Sheryl Browne pulled the rug from my feet... Plop on my arse, I still continued reading!!

This is my favorite Sheryl Browne book, hands down. Hats off to the author for going deep into herself, and instead of just skating on the outskirts of a thriller, she churned out a story where the evil tentacles, which preyed on the innocent and the wounded, came biting so hard that it shook the foundations of my expectations.

Oh brilliant author, the story surpassed all I thought I knew, and all my guesses withered to dust. The story went thus, Nicole and Richard met and married in a whirlwind, and Nicole died. Shocked best friend Rebecca came to pay her respects, got to meet Richard and his daughter Olivia, and decided to get to the truth about Nicole's suicide.

The way the main character Rebecca was written, I loved her. She was one cool dudette (if there is no such word, then I gave coined it, it is totally mine) I loved the way she tackled everything head-on. Told in multiple POVs, the book was a quicksand pulling me deeper into it with each gasping breath.

Evil begets evil. Darkness can be fought only when you can jump into the murky depths and shine the light, yet fight dirty... One has to read this book to understand this line. Awesome writing by Sheryl Browne.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars
This book is divided into 2 halves for me. This first half was at least 4, possibly 5 stars. The writing was suspenseful and clever. I adored the protagonist Rebecca, a strong willed, independent character, in her quest to figure out why her best friend Nicole killed herself. Was it an abusive marriage? Was it mental illness? None of these possibilities seem quite right. Rebecca inserts herself into Nicole’s former life, hoping to better understand what happened to her friend. As I started this book, I was hooked, and hard pressed to put it down.

The second half of the book fizzled and was probably more in line with 2 stars, with the ending being 1 star. The twists are revealed early in the plot, which then becomes a game of cat and mouse. It kind of felt like 2 separate stories. I think the suspense of “what was really going on” could have been drawn out until the end. There was also a missed opportunity to end the story with another spectacular twist. As a result, the ending felt far fetched and implausible with a lacklustre resolution. There was also a lot of sexual content that seemed out of place and unneeded for plot development. I admit that by the end, I was tired of all the characters using sex as a ploy.

While the first part of the story flowed really well through the eyes of Rebecca, the second half lacked continuity, and there were gaps in the telling, that sometimes made it hard to follow along. I had to re-read certain passages to understand what was going on and who was saying what. I wish the author had chosen to keep the flow and momentum of the first half all the way through. As new perspectives were introduced (e.g. Olivia, Richard), the story got confusing and lost its thrill.

I went with 3 stars because the story was engaging and kept my interest until the end. It was fast paced and the characters were entertaining. An okay read if you’re looking for a quick and easy psych thriller.

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 Stars

I didn't love this thriller and could only give it 2 1/2 Stars. It was annoyingly predictable enough that I felt it only deserved 2 stars but I kept reading so I had to add an additional half star.

SUMMARY
I'm sure you've read some version or another of this story; a woman, Nicole, who is feeling vulnerable after leaving an abusive marriage meets "the perfect man" who sweeps her off her feet and they are very quickly married. Turns out he may not be perfect after all, within a few months of their wedding, Nicole has killed herself. Something must have gone horribly wrong, but what?

Nicoles BFF, Rebecca, comes to the funeral trying to get to the bottom of what happened and in a very gag worthy move finds herself being cautiously charmed by the young, handsome widower. While she is trying to determine what happened to her recently deceased bestie Nicole, Rebecca continues to waiver back and forth between getting very cozy with this man and questioning his motives with both her and the dead BFF Nicole. It's just creepy and weird.

WHAT I LOVED
I loved the British setting. It takes place in a small town not far from London. As always, I love my Brit-lit.

It kept me reading. I thought I may have figured out the plot and even the twist with the first few chapters. Turns out I was right, but I remained interested enough in the details to continue reading to the end.

WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE
Did I mention it.was predictable? Annoyingly so.

The characters were really stupid. I just don't understand jumping into a marriage when you truly know nothing about the person. Then, if the marriage became complicated and went down hill fast - starting on the wedding day even- why someone would continue to stay and try to work on it. It makes no sense to me at all. I mean things were good for about 3 months and then immediately after sucked for the next 6 months? Cut ties! Lesson learned!

The whole concept of Rebecca thinking she is "investigating" the husband by moving in with him as his girlfriend and sleeping with him was just beyond my belief. That was weird. Shacking up with your dead besties husband literally weeks after her death???? I think NOT!

The sex scenes were told in a lot more detail than I care to read.

OVERALL
I didn't like it, but many other people did so maybe I was just cranky land overly critical? Who knows.

[Adele Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Second Wife is a book about how women can be manipulated not just by men but by women too.
Nicole decided to celebrate the year anniversary of getting out of an abusive relationship when she met the perfect man for her. Within months she had sold her home, married and bought a new house with husband Richard. All was looking perfect until Richards daughter started showing her true colours. Nicole couldn't cope mentally and took her own life.
Richard then moves onto his next conquest. This conquest being Rebecca (Nicole's best friend), who knows things are not what they seem. Will she get to the bottom of things before its too late?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is definitely one that everyone should add to their "must read" list.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca and Nicole swore to be best friends forever. But three years after they last met up, Rebecca receives a phone call from Nicole’s devoted husband, Richard. Nicole is dead, a tragic suicide. Drowned in a river close to her family home, Richard was the one who pulled her body from the water. Now he can’t even speak about what happened.

While Rebecca reels from the news, she reads her friend’s last letters to her and begins to wonder if she knew Nicole at all. What secrets was she keeping from all the people who knew and loved her?

As Rebecca gets closer and closer to Richard, things go too far and she begins to slip into Nicole’s old life – staying in her home, sleeping in her bed… But if she’s going to become the wife Nicole never was, can she keep herself safe?

My thoughts
5 stars all the way
as soon as i saw this and read the book synopsis I was like this reminds me of two other Netgalley books I've read this year and loved , and that they gave off the same vibe as this one and they was The Wife Between Us by The Wife Between Us
by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen and The Ex-Wife
by Jess Ryder,and i was so right , just like them it pulled me in and i was hooked , and not once did i think about putting it down, i had to keep reading and see what happened next, just like them is now one of my favorite ones to read and i want to own a copy of it, its also a book i would tell my friends about ,because they tens to like the same things i do, in fact i already have, can't wait to read more by this author , so if you like and loved The Wife Between Us and the Ex-Wife then you might want to check this one out as well, with that said I want to say thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting read and review The Second Wife and for helping me find other author that i like in change for my honest opinion.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca is shocked to find out her best friend Nicole has died by suicide. She finally seemed to have everything going right. A big house. A devoted husband, Richard. A burgeoning art career. However, in the aftermath of tragedy, Rebecca and Richard grow closer, and soon Rebecca discovers not everything was so idyllic. As she unravels the secrets of the past, she must face the still-lurking danger in the present.

Author Sheryl Browne is the master of the slow build. While a lot of thrillers pound through explosive scenes, taking a toll on heart-rates through sheer overuse of shock, Browne instead draws the action out. The Second Wife does open with the suicide of Nicole, which is explosive enough, but then Browne slows down the piece and really considers the psychological aspects. Take out the murder/suicide and it’s a living room drama.

All of this is not to suggest that the piece is without flash and tension. Rather, Browne has crafted her characters to take center stage, and they play their roles with relish. Each chapter is told from alternating viewpoints, each with a distinct and engaging voice. Nicole struggles in her new relationship with Richard. Richard juggles his new family situation with his past. Olivia, Richard’s daughter, plays master manipulator behind the scenes. And, of course, Rebecca enters, just trying to piece everything together.

It’s an effective mix of people and the result is deliciously atmospheric. Quickly, it’s apparent the something is off. Someone isn’t telling the whole truth, and it’s a race to discover the nefarious reality. And though Browne is careful to only drop information here and there, weaving the story slowly, the final scenes and revelations are downright pulse pounding. It’s a stunning feat.

For a character-driven thriller, they don’t come any better than The Second Wife.

Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a while to really get into this story, but once I finally twigged what may be going on, I was hooked. Admittedly had I read the blurb at all it may have helped!

Richard appears to be rather unlucky with wives, given he has now been widowed twice.

When Nicola dies, her best friend who lives in France comes to finally meet Richard and tries to work out just what happened in the last few months of her friend's life.

We get chapters from the present and we also see Nicola's relationship with Richard and daughter Olive develop in alternating chapters.

Even what I initially thinking was so far removed from the truth.

I can't say I particularly loved any of the characters, apart from Bouncer, but it was story that grew into itself and finished strongly.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Melissa In The City · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Grabbed me from the BIG bam in the beginning all the way to the last word! Twisted, twisty, dark, compulsive roller coaster of a story! I couldn’t put it down.
Read this book!! I’m not giving anything away because it’s too full of twists that should not be spoiled!!
5 stars!

Thank you #Netgalley, the author and publisher for my free arc in exchange for my honest review. I’ll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon too.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole and Rebecca had been best friends for years since the time they met in University. Even though they live far apart, they constantly write letters and text one another. So, it comes as quite a shock when Rebecca finds out that Nicole has committed suicide not long after marrying, Richard, the man of her dreams. While attending Nicole’s funeral, Rebecca could not help feeling a pull towards Richard and soon finds herself replacing Nicole in his home and in his bed, but is Richard and his daughter Olivia all they are cracked up to be or is something even more dangerous brewing on the horizon?

Sheryl Browne has written a taught, dark, and twisty read with The Second Wife. I found myself drawn into the storyline immediately and having a lot of mixed emotions from anger, to horror, to utter fascination as I read through this very disturbing story. I did have a few ideas running through my mind as to what was exactly going on, but I found that the twists really had me guessing until the truth slowly starts to reveal itself. I must say, Browne has a devious mind and I am now going to be moving up two of her books that have been on my TBR right to the front of my list - The Babyistter and The Affair. Browne has won me over and has become a new favorite author I will be stalking!

The story is told from multiple points of view as well as in the present and the past. I was never lost or confused as Browne did such a great job of making sure we, as readers, could distinguish every aspect of the story. I loved the back and forth between the present and past and felt it really built on the sense of urgency I had in figuring out what exactly was going on. The story is so dark and twisted that I could not help loving every minute of it. I guess that kinda makes me dark and twisted! Uh oh! I am innocent I swear!

Sheryl Browne created such vividly written characters that you can love and hate all in the same breath. I found this to be a quite refreshing as most of the time evil characters are just purely evil and you never really get to see some ounce of goodness in them. Don’t get me wrong, there are characters in this book that ARE evil, but you can see brief flashes that definitely make you feel sorry for them. So, I definitely felt that tug going back and forth which made all of the characters rather interesting for me.

The Second Wife is an intense, heart pounding story full of page turning twists that will leave you gasping and wanting even more. Such a brilliant story and one I wholeheartedly recommend.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review can be found on my blog here: https://booksonthebookshelf.wordpress...

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Thank you to Bookouture for providing an eARC copy of this book via NetGalley.

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An addictive novel from the very beginning. A father and daughter duo with a tragic past. A whirlwind romance, quick wedding, and more tragedy. The Second Wife is full of rivalry, bitterness, jealousy, betrayal, and deceit. What a great recipe for a book a very addictive, compelling read! This book will have you on the edge of your seat as you flip through the pages and are engrossed in the book!

Richard is a widow with a teenage daughter Olivia. Richard is the perfect man of anyone’s dreams and is quite a catch! He is handsome, successful, business savvy, has money, is romantic, kind, and is a true gentleman. Richard meets a lovely woman named Nicole, who has been through a rough previous marriage. They begin to spend a lot of time together and fall in love. They have a whirlwind romance that quickly ends in a marriage.

After moving in together, Nicole begins to see that not everything is going as smoothly or as perfect as she had once believed. Richard’s daughter Olivia appears to be jealous of her father’s new wife, having to share her home and her father’s attention with another woman. Olivia is hell bent on making Nicole suffer, and seems to get thrills off of taunting Nicole and plays mind games with her. Before long Olivia seems to be driving a wedge between her father and Nicole.
Fast forward to the present. Nicole’s dearest friend Rebecca meets Richard and his daughter Olivia at Nicole’s funeral. A tragic death that raises many suspicions and questions. Determined to find out the truth, Rebecca gets to know Richard and his daughter Olivia, only to fall in love with her best friends widow, Richard.

I devoured this book and was addicted to the drama. Olivia was a cruel and relentless young woman, full of secrets and deceit. You never knew what she would do next and it added a great amount of suspense and thrill to the book. I enjoyed reading about Richard. He seemed like the perfect man… too perfect… I was waiting for that one shoe to drop to reveal everything with him wasn’t quite as it seemed. Was he the perfect man Nicole and Rebecca thought he was?
Looks can be deceiving. A book full of twists and surprises, that will have you hooked to the very end!

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had fairly mixed feelings about Sheryl Browne’s previous novels, The Babysitter and The Affair. They were enjoyable enough reads but felt like pretty generic domestic thrillers. Both seemed to have overwhelmingly rave reviews though, so I was clearly in a minority.

Despite another unoriginal title (please, authors, think of some more original titles!), I thought The Second Wife was quite a lot better. It was definitely a page turner, and while it’s obvious from the start things are not right, the extent of that takes time to fully emerge. When it does, it defies credibility rather a lot, but is still a good read.

The basic plot: Rebecca’s oldest, dearest friend Nicole, bearing the emotional scars of an abusive marriage, has married again - sensitive, caring Richard couldn’t be more different to her ex. Of course, Richard isn’t as perfect as he seems, and Rebecca is horrified when not so long after Nicole is found dead by her own hand.

Determined to find out what really happened to her friend, Rebecca is drawn into the lives of Richard and his daughter Olivia.

The story is told mainly from the points of view of Rebecca in the present and Nicole in the recent past, though there are also sections from other viewpoints. At times, especially nearer the end, I did feel confused as to whose section I was in.

It’s well written and, as I said, quite a page turner as you rush to find out what’s really going on - for most of the book I found it a definite step up from the previous ones, although towards the end it did lose momentum for me (not because nothing’s happening, plenty is happening, but I just felt less engaged) and the very end didn’t really work for me. I’m not sure what to make of it to be honest.

Overall an enjoyable read.

[Kimberly Coghlan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne
The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne is dubbed a psychological thriller, but for me, this book fall short of thrilling. Here’s a brief summary. Nicole, who had previously been in an abused marriage, meets and falls in love with Richard. After they marry, Nicole and Richard’s marriage suffers at the hands of Richard’s spoiled, adult daughter Olivia, who seems to hate Nicole. Nicole thinks she is trying to ruin their marriage.
When Nicole dies of suicide, her best friend Rebecca is devastated, and it seems difficult to believe that her friend would kill herself. After the funeral, she sticks around to investigate the circumstances of her friend’s death. But, in meeting Richard, she gets more than she bargained for, and she feels herself falling for him, too.
So first of all, it’s important to note that each chapter switches perspectives (Nicole, Rebecca, Olivia, Richard), and sometimes the perspective is in the present, while other times, the chapter is labeled to have occurred in the past. Many readers seem to have been confused by this, but for me, it wasn’t confusing. It was, however, very boring.
As some readers have mentioned, the book starts very slow, and if I didn’t feel obligated to provide an honest review, I wouldn’t have finished it. The ‘action’ did pick up, however, a little over halfway through the book. Even then, the storyline didn’t enthrall me, and I caught myself skimming through entire pages, just to get the gist, instead of actually reading them.
I’m actually surprised by the positive reviews on Goodreads. Most of those reviews claim that the ‘twist’ blew them away. I wasn’t blown away. For me, this book was indescribably predictable. I even went back and re-read the ending to see if I missed some ‘crazy’ twist. I didn’t. I had predicted this story from the beginning, and I’m surprised that more readers hadn’t as well.
In addition to this story being predictable, the character development is lacking. I didn’t care about any of the characters in the book. That’s a fundamental flaw in characterization.
I also thought that the story was illogical, especially from the characters’ perspectives, which relates to character development. I though Nicole was ridiculously naïve and ignorant. I realize that she had been abused before, but out of all the women that I know who have escaped abusive relationships, none is that guileless and compliant. Rebecca just agreeing to stay with Richard after Nicole’s death was just stupid. Richard wasn’t even suspicious about that? I could continue, but I don’t want to reveal any spoilers.
The ending was rushed and confusing, and it didn’t make a lot of sense. Again, I don’t want to reveal any spoilers, but the police don’t come and go, trusting everyone’s word. ‘Tidy’ endings like that just don’t exist.
I’m an editor for a publisher (obviously not this publisher), so I abhor giving bad reviews because I want to support authors, but I cannot, in good conscience, give this book a good review. If this book came across my desk, I would suggest that the author work on it another year.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for my honest review.

[Sandie Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the description of this book, I really wasn't sure whether I would like it or not. It is compared to The Girl on the Train - which I didn't enjoy - and The Girl Before - which I absolutely loved. For me, fortunately this book falls more in the category of the latter and it totally pulled me in and didn't let go until it spat me out at the end, feeling emotionally ravaged!
Told from several different points of view, the chapters are headed with which character is narrating and when, which keeps things nicely in order. There are also different time frames and all of this may put some people off, however there was never a point where I felt confused or needed to double check who was relating their part of the story as each of the characters is completely different.
It's certainly a rollercoaster of a book which switches pace from a whirlwind romance to hell on earth at the flick of a page. We have gaslighting, deceit, projection - you name the abusive behaviour, it's all in here - all topped off with a bit of sexual manipulation. What more could you possibly fit into a psychological thriller??
The whole book felt like a wardrobe stuffed to capacity, the latch of which only needed one slight nudge for all the secrets which had been straining to get out to all come tumbling down, one shock revelation after another.
I would highly recommend this book to the majority of readers, however there are lots of trigger subjects in here which maybe those who are sensitive to situations such as those mentioned earlier would be mindful to consider before they get started.
I feel this will definitely be one of my top 5 reads for the year.

[Giulia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am in the minority on this one--this book was just not for me. So cliche' and unbelievable and just plain unlikeable. The characters were ridiculous and the change of narrator was chunky and did not flow in my opinion. I would have been so grateful to have a read a more critical review on this book but everyone seems to have loved it and to me it was almost awful.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read.