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cath518's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
5/5 stars
When we first meet Arden Ward, she is a crisis management expert who has been falsely accused of having an affair with a client and is subsequently fired. However, before she leaves her job, her boss gives her one last client – Ned and Cordelia Bannister.
Ned is a real estate executive in Boston and for the last year, has been on trail for the fatal hit-and-run accident in his building’s parking garage. After he is found not guilty by the jury, he and Cordelia think their lives will go back to normal quickly. However, that is not the case. Cordelia is getting threatening text messages and she’s not sure where they are coming from. She also questions whether Ned is really innocent of the crime. When there is a second accident, and it looks like Ned may be to blame for this one too, Arden begins to wonder if Cordelia may be right.
This was a twisty read with lots of red herrings thrown in to keep you guessing.
Thank you to Forge Books and Hank Phillippi Ryan for the advance copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
When we first meet Arden Ward, she is a crisis management expert who has been falsely accused of having an affair with a client and is subsequently fired. However, before she leaves her job, her boss gives her one last client – Ned and Cordelia Bannister.
Ned is a real estate executive in Boston and for the last year, has been on trail for the fatal hit-and-run accident in his building’s parking garage. After he is found not guilty by the jury, he and Cordelia think their lives will go back to normal quickly. However, that is not the case. Cordelia is getting threatening text messages and she’s not sure where they are coming from. She also questions whether Ned is really innocent of the crime. When there is a second accident, and it looks like Ned may be to blame for this one too, Arden begins to wonder if Cordelia may be right.
This was a twisty read with lots of red herrings thrown in to keep you guessing.
Thank you to Forge Books and Hank Phillippi Ryan for the advance copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
redheadstorm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I know this was not positioned as a series but my first thought upon finishing One Wrong Word was - I want more of Arden Ward. She’s one of those perfectly imperfect character that you can’t help but to end up rooting for. Overall the entire book was character driven game of cat & mouse that I absolutely loved.
Arden is a professional problem solver for a PR firm. Except now she has one problem she can’t solve - she’s on her way out of her job because a client accused her of having an affair with her husband. As if she didn’t have enough on her plate, Arden finds herself in the middle of a huge publicity case involving a wealthy real estate family. Lies, gossip, misdirection - trying to get to the truth might be more dangerous than she realizes.
This was such a page turner. I love stories filled with unlikable characters and this one had plenty to go around. I also loved the way the title was worked into the story and the significance it had. If Arden makes an appearance in another book, I’ll be elbowing my way to the front of the reading line!
A huge thank you to ThrillerBookLoversPromotions, NetGalley and Forge Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Arden is a professional problem solver for a PR firm. Except now she has one problem she can’t solve - she’s on her way out of her job because a client accused her of having an affair with her husband. As if she didn’t have enough on her plate, Arden finds herself in the middle of a huge publicity case involving a wealthy real estate family. Lies, gossip, misdirection - trying to get to the truth might be more dangerous than she realizes.
This was such a page turner. I love stories filled with unlikable characters and this one had plenty to go around. I also loved the way the title was worked into the story and the significance it had. If Arden makes an appearance in another book, I’ll be elbowing my way to the front of the reading line!
A huge thank you to ThrillerBookLoversPromotions, NetGalley and Forge Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
kmoreads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
I started my New Year off with exactly the right book! Oh my! You do not want to miss this twisty thriller! It was written in multiple POVs and set in the city of Boston. I loved Arden’s character of being a fixer. The pacing was perfect and who doesn’t love a book full of gossip, lies and suspense. Don’t miss this one!
Thank you to @thrillerloversbookpromotions for the #gifted copy.
Thank you to @thrillerloversbookpromotions for the #gifted copy.
chelz286's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
In Hank fashion you have this going on here, and that going on there, and then this over here and it takes the whole story to untangle it all. This was an intricate web of a story and I really wasn't sure who was playing who at first. Ned was recently acquitted of a drunk driving murder charge and yet it seems someone is not happy with that outcome and is determined to get Ned behind bars when his lawyer is mowed down and all arrows point back to Ned. Arden was hired by Ned's wife to try and get his reputation back so maybe they can have a normal life again but Arden seems to get stuck between husband and wife while Ned now has another potential murder charge hanging over his head. But Arden knows that something is off and secrets are being withheld from her. Damage control means knowing everything and being a head of the problem but these two just seem to complicate things and now Ned is once again fighting for his freedom, his wife can't believe this happened again and Arden is trying to untangle what is really going on. I did enjoy this storyline and there were a few unexpected zingers that Hank always gets you with. Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for the invite and to the author and NetGalley for the free ebook. This review is of my own opinion and accord.
pages_and_cacti's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
One Wrong Word by Hank Phillippi Ryan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arden Ward works in crisis management, but suddenly finds herself in the position of her own services, when her boss confronts her with termination. A client has accused her of sleeping with her husband. Her boss offers her a two week deal to make a large sum of money on the way out. Her last client may be a blessing or a nightmare.
A crazy ride all the way to the end. Arden’s last clients were a bit intense. I never knew who to trust. Both of the Bannister’s were a total mess. Definitely a novel not to pass up! I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot about this one in the coming year.
books_by_the_bottle's review against another edition
4.0
One wrong word can ruin everything.
Nobody knows that better than crisis manager Arden Ward. Now she’s embroiled in a crisis of her own; after being accused of having an affair with a powerful client, she is given an ultimatum to save her career and reputation. Enter Cordelia Bannister, who needs Arden’s help for her husband Ned. Though Ned was recently cleared of a drunk driving accident, his reputation is destroyed. Arden has two weeks to save this man’s reputation and thereby, her own career. But the more she gets to know Ned and Arden, the more secrets that emerge.
I believe this is the first book I read where “crisis management” was such a big theme and I loved that! I found Arden’s work interesting and unique; she was part detective, part cheerleader and part emotional support. The beginning of this book - detailing Ned’s drunk driving and arrest - hit me hard. To an extent, I have been in Cordelia’s shoes (though luckily, it didn’t have quite the same repercussions). But from the beginning, I found Ned and Cordelia to be a little suspicious and I sensed there was more to the story. The way their story unfolded and Arden’s involvement was quite a wild ride! If you enjoy Hank Phillippi Ryan’s previous books, you will love this one too!
Thank you to Thriller Book Lover Promotions and Forge Books for the ARC! “One Wrong Word” releases February 6, 2024!
This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)
Nobody knows that better than crisis manager Arden Ward. Now she’s embroiled in a crisis of her own; after being accused of having an affair with a powerful client, she is given an ultimatum to save her career and reputation. Enter Cordelia Bannister, who needs Arden’s help for her husband Ned. Though Ned was recently cleared of a drunk driving accident, his reputation is destroyed. Arden has two weeks to save this man’s reputation and thereby, her own career. But the more she gets to know Ned and Arden, the more secrets that emerge.
I believe this is the first book I read where “crisis management” was such a big theme and I loved that! I found Arden’s work interesting and unique; she was part detective, part cheerleader and part emotional support. The beginning of this book - detailing Ned’s drunk driving and arrest - hit me hard. To an extent, I have been in Cordelia’s shoes (though luckily, it didn’t have quite the same repercussions). But from the beginning, I found Ned and Cordelia to be a little suspicious and I sensed there was more to the story. The way their story unfolded and Arden’s involvement was quite a wild ride! If you enjoy Hank Phillippi Ryan’s previous books, you will love this one too!
Thank you to Thriller Book Lover Promotions and Forge Books for the ARC! “One Wrong Word” releases February 6, 2024!
This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)
mandylovestoread's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
booksaremyfavthing's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I couldn't put this book down! Just when I was sure I had everything figured out, another twist would come along and throw everything I knew off! If you love legal thrillers be sure and check this one out coming in February! It's so good!!
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