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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
I found this to be a typical domestic thriller with some surprises thrown in towards the end.
The protagonist was frustrating and made me roll my eyes even though I tried to put myself in her shoes. Between my dignity and my life, I would choose the latter. Yet she consistently chose to give in to the antagonist to 'save face' rather than just call the damn cops.
I didn't really mind the pacing but most of the book was dull and predictable. Thankfully, the last few chapters made up for it.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book.
The protagonist was frustrating and made me roll my eyes even though I tried to put myself in her shoes. Between my dignity and my life, I would choose the latter. Yet she consistently chose to give in to the antagonist to 'save face' rather than just call the damn cops.
I didn't really mind the pacing but most of the book was dull and predictable. Thankfully, the last few chapters made up for it.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book.
mysterious
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
This was such a freaky read!!! But I loved it!! I definitely suggest not reading it at night or at the very least, in the dark.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC which I received in return for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC which I received in return for an honest review.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I spent a good portion of the read trying to figure out who the titular trapped wife is since Jen, though trapped, didn’t quite fit the bill and the other character who was a wife, Rhonda, didn’t seem that trapped at first. Honestly, I think my focus was a little off when I was reading the first half of the book. This isn’t a wife hunt, guys.
The Trapped Wife by Samantha Hayes is a psychological thriller that read rather melodramatic at first. Melodrama isn’t necessarily a bad thing but the first half wasn’t my cup of tea. I couldn’t get behind our protagonist, Jen, and each of her chapters was a drag to me. I found myself looking forward to Rhonda’s chapters just because that was where the sleuthing was happening. I do understand why Jen was written as such, especially since she’s a grieving widow, I really shouldn’t expect her to be in absolute control of her life. It was just disconcerting to see how her flailing was directly leading to her troubles. I mean, why would you admit to the man who possibly date raped you that you are pregnant with his child when he’s been pinging your creep radar? It’s not as if she didn’t have a support in Rhonda who was totally ride or die and probably the MVP in this book.
Anyway, I was relieved that I persisted with the book because the twists at the end made sense and I liked how Hayes led us there. They weren’t dropped on us and explained after. Rather, she gives us some clue and allows us to figure things out just about a chapter or so before each twist so I at least felt clever for once. Plus, that really helped with coherence and ensured that I wasn’t left feeling like plot points were just written in for shock value. All in all, this was a decent enough read that I would probably have enjoyed more if it didn’t come after a whole string of very good reads.
Diversity meter:
-
3.5 Stars
Jen is a GP in the same small town she grew up in. She’s also newly widowed, a mother to a teen son, and currently pregnant. She’s grieving the death of her husband when things start to crash around her.
Who is the mysterious man who claims to know her so well? What is it that she doesn’t remember? Can she ignore the breaking shards of her marriage before her husband died?
How will she survive the pressure mounting on her from all sides?
The cover is fab, and when the title appeared too frequently on my timeline, I went ahead and requested an ARC.
Now, I’m in two minds about it. For starters, don’t focus on the blurb. It’s a roundabout representation of the storyline.
Second, the first half is too slow to sustain interest. This is my second consecutive slow book, and that doesn’t work in its favor (sorry). The second half is a lot better, but the story makes more sense only when you read the author’s note. And no, don’t read it first if you want to enjoy at least half of the book.
Third, the characterization is decent, and I liked how I couldn’t fully trust any of them. However, Rhonda could have had a little more role towards the end. Don’t look for character growth here. The graph goes the other way (it’s a thriller, after all).
Fourth, some of the story seemed too far-fetched, even with the explanation. And an important theme has been dealt with, but it comes at a time when the focus is on revealing the mystery, and that dilutes its impact. I feel a topic like that needs more space, especially since it’s not as uncommon as we want to pretend.
The good news is that a part of the twist was well executed. It makes up for some of the other stuff. The book is pretty much a mix of things, and for me, the result is the same.
To sum up, The Trapped Wife is an intriguing thriller if you are willing to deal with the first half of it with some patience. If not anything else, you’ll at least get to talk about quite a few themes from the book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#NetGalley #TheTrappedWife
Jen is a GP in the same small town she grew up in. She’s also newly widowed, a mother to a teen son, and currently pregnant. She’s grieving the death of her husband when things start to crash around her.
Who is the mysterious man who claims to know her so well? What is it that she doesn’t remember? Can she ignore the breaking shards of her marriage before her husband died?
How will she survive the pressure mounting on her from all sides?
The cover is fab, and when the title appeared too frequently on my timeline, I went ahead and requested an ARC.
Now, I’m in two minds about it. For starters, don’t focus on the blurb. It’s a roundabout representation of the storyline.
Second, the first half is too slow to sustain interest. This is my second consecutive slow book, and that doesn’t work in its favor (sorry). The second half is a lot better, but the story makes more sense only when you read the author’s note. And no, don’t read it first if you want to enjoy at least half of the book.
Third, the characterization is decent, and I liked how I couldn’t fully trust any of them. However, Rhonda could have had a little more role towards the end. Don’t look for character growth here. The graph goes the other way (it’s a thriller, after all).
Fourth, some of the story seemed too far-fetched, even with the explanation. And an important theme has been dealt with, but it comes at a time when the focus is on revealing the mystery, and that dilutes its impact. I feel a topic like that needs more space, especially since it’s not as uncommon as we want to pretend.
The good news is that a part of the twist was well executed. It makes up for some of the other stuff. The book is pretty much a mix of things, and for me, the result is the same.
To sum up, The Trapped Wife is an intriguing thriller if you are willing to deal with the first half of it with some patience. If not anything else, you’ll at least get to talk about quite a few themes from the book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#NetGalley #TheTrappedWife
Ooh I love a good twisted psychological thriller and this is another fab book by the author.
When we first meet Jen, I felt so much empathy for this woman. She has been dealt a tough deal recently and things seem to be going from bad to worse. She is a woman being pushed to her limits of which Rhonda her best friend, is trying to be there for her the best she can but Jen isn't forthcoming with what has recently been happening in her life.
Things start off being quite intriguing with a recent night that Jen, apart from the odd flashback, has no real recollection of. The further into the story we get, the more we also learn about Jen and her husband's marriage which raises lots of questions. It has you questioning how well you truly know your partner.
The Trapped Wife is a wickedly deceptive read that will shock you to the core when the truth comes to light. I had to pick my jaw up off the ground as the author totally had me hoodwinked and I was in my element as the story got even more sinister and twisted. It sent my heart racing and it's still beating ten to the dozen just thinking about it even now! Brilliant!
When we first meet Jen, I felt so much empathy for this woman. She has been dealt a tough deal recently and things seem to be going from bad to worse. She is a woman being pushed to her limits of which Rhonda her best friend, is trying to be there for her the best she can but Jen isn't forthcoming with what has recently been happening in her life.
Things start off being quite intriguing with a recent night that Jen, apart from the odd flashback, has no real recollection of. The further into the story we get, the more we also learn about Jen and her husband's marriage which raises lots of questions. It has you questioning how well you truly know your partner.
The Trapped Wife is a wickedly deceptive read that will shock you to the core when the truth comes to light. I had to pick my jaw up off the ground as the author totally had me hoodwinked and I was in my element as the story got even more sinister and twisted. It sent my heart racing and it's still beating ten to the dozen just thinking about it even now! Brilliant!
4.5/5 stars
This book amazed me! The ending was one of the best that I've read in a long time...such a major twist!! The past and present chapters had me a little confused at times, but I loved the storyline. I never would have guessed how this book was going to end. It's twisty, suspenseful, and a MUST READ!!
This book amazed me! The ending was one of the best that I've read in a long time...such a major twist!! The past and present chapters had me a little confused at times, but I loved the storyline. I never would have guessed how this book was going to end. It's twisty, suspenseful, and a MUST READ!!
This was my first Samantha Hayes book and the jury is out as for if it’ll be my last. I gave this book high marks because it was a twisted, winding stairwell of a story. My reluctance to read another book by this author is simply because this was a slow burn. That’s great if that works for you, but my mind is all over the place so I need a book that’s a page turner and this wasn’t really that.
There were so many secrets in this story and I wasn’t sure who was lying between the wife and the best friend when in reality, there was so much more going on. The man in her house? What does he know that we don’t? Is he just some weirdo that’s blackmailing her? And what does the murdered little boy chapters have to do with anything?
It was a puzzle with a few different pieces that slowly start to come together. If you like a slow burn thriller, this might be your jam.
There were so many secrets in this story and I wasn’t sure who was lying between the wife and the best friend when in reality, there was so much more going on. The man in her house? What does he know that we don’t? Is he just some weirdo that’s blackmailing her? And what does the murdered little boy chapters have to do with anything?
It was a puzzle with a few different pieces that slowly start to come together. If you like a slow burn thriller, this might be your jam.
I wanted to love this so much more than I actually did. I've read a lot of thrillers over the years so maybe that's why I thought the twist wasn't super unpredictable. However, I enjoyed the writing. It was easy to fly through and I would definitely pick up another of this authors books. Plot wise, I just wasn't for me.
***Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for a review***
***Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for a review***