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nrogers_1030's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Cursing, Gun violence, Alcohol, Infidelity, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Infertility, and Death
Minor: Pregnancy, Blood, Suicide, Death of parent, Miscarriage, and Terminal illness
fictionmajorette's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Full thoughts: https://fictionmajorette.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-golden-couple-greer-hendricks-and.html
The premise of this story did exactly what it should - draw me in from the very beginning. I pretty much always prefer my thrillers to get to the juicy details quickly, but even more so with domestic thrillers.
I absolutely loved the characters of Avery and Marissa because I love a good unlikable protagonist. I also loved how these characters were unlikable in very different ways. On the surface, it may seem like the two women are like water and oil, but they work really well together in this story. Their character conflicts do drive some of the tension and momentum in the story, but their differences also give the story some really good balance and texture.
The dual POV choice worked really well in this story to give us both sides of the therapy. We see Avery researching and digging into the Bishop's lives but we also see how the Bishops are living their lives and trying to follow Avery's guidance. I also think the POV choices made this domestic thriller feel a little less domestic-y.
I did find the tension to be a bit uneven. There were so many moving parts and different plot threads and I could tell Hendricks/Pekkanen wanted to amp up the tension in X plot or Y plot. But when there are so many plot threads, it is hard to make each of them feel that gentle ramp up of tension.
This is the first book by Hendricks and Pekkanen that I've read mostly because I don't reach for a lot of domestic thrillers but also because I've heard that the books by this author duo have a hard time sticking the landing. The ending, in this book, worked okay but I did feel like it ended up being a bit more simplistic and boring than I was expecting.
Overall, I really enjoyed the premise and characters. I was fully engaged and interested in the story up until the ending, which I found pretty lackluster.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC
Expected publication date is March 8, 2022
The premise of this story did exactly what it should - draw me in from the very beginning. I pretty much always prefer my thrillers to get to the juicy details quickly, but even more so with domestic thrillers.
I absolutely loved the characters of Avery and Marissa because I love a good unlikable protagonist. I also loved how these characters were unlikable in very different ways. On the surface, it may seem like the two women are like water and oil, but they work really well together in this story. Their character conflicts do drive some of the tension and momentum in the story, but their differences also give the story some really good balance and texture.
The dual POV choice worked really well in this story to give us both sides of the therapy. We see Avery researching and digging into the Bishop's lives but we also see how the Bishops are living their lives and trying to follow Avery's guidance. I also think the POV choices made this domestic thriller feel a little less domestic-y.
I did find the tension to be a bit uneven. There were so many moving parts and different plot threads and I could tell Hendricks/Pekkanen wanted to amp up the tension in X plot or Y plot. But when there are so many plot threads, it is hard to make each of them feel that gentle ramp up of tension.
This is the first book by Hendricks and Pekkanen that I've read mostly because I don't reach for a lot of domestic thrillers but also because I've heard that the books by this author duo have a hard time sticking the landing. The ending, in this book, worked okay but I did feel like it ended up being a bit more simplistic and boring than I was expecting.
Overall, I really enjoyed the premise and characters. I was fully engaged and interested in the story up until the ending, which I found pretty lackluster.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC
Expected publication date is March 8, 2022
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking, Infidelity, and Suicide
kimveach's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I love psychological thrillers and this did not disappoint.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual content, Stalking, Blood, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
hatchison86's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I received an advanced copy from Netgalley for my honest opinion. Since reading The Wife Between Us, I have been hooked on this writing duo & this book did not disappoint. In this suspenseful thriller, we follow a Avery, counselor with an unconventional 10 appointment plan and the Bishops, an attractive couple who appear to have everything. When Marissa Bishop confesses her infidelity, she and her husband Mathew enlist the help of Avery to save their marriage. However, Marrisa's betrayal is not the only secret that will be exposed. This book was a roller coaster ride & the authors had me guessing to the very end. At the beginning, I didn't like Avery. She seems distant, paranoid, abrassive. Turns out, she became my favorite character. While she is an unconventional counselor, she is a strong, independent, smart woman who isn't apologetic about who she is or what she wants. It's also pretty cool when a character teaches you how to get what you want from people using therapy tactics. Avery is the perfect diametrical woman to conventional Marissa. Since the book is told with alternating points of view from the two women, you really see the differences between the two. Sometimes, with this kind of storytelling, I get stuck on one story line and groan when the POV changes, however, I never felt that way throughout this novel. Each chapter is balanced just enough to never get bored with either narrative. I really enjoyed this novel and all the small secrets that were revealed within it. It's also worth mentioning that I listened to this novel read by my favorite narrator, Marin Ireland. Thank you Netgalley and St. Marten's Press for this ARC.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Bullying, Death, and Suicide
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