wonderwomannz 's review for:

Wife Number One by Elle Thorpe

4.0

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STOP—Is this your first Elle Thorpe book? DO NOT START HERE.

Yes, Wife Number One is the first installment in the Slayers vs Sinners series, but trust me, you’ll want to read at least the Rebels series beforehand. Honestly, I’d highly recommend starting all the way back at the beginning of St View (check out the recommended reading order on Thorpe’s site).

I’ve listened to all of her books and have been patiently waiting for all the audiobooks in this series to drop—because I love to binge them! The audiobook narration was fantastic, with a stellar cast that truly brought the characters to life. Done in a duet style, the voice actors were:

• Michelle Price as Kara
• Sean Crisden as Hawk
• Lee Samuels as Chaos
• E.M. Wylde as Grayson
• Troy Duran covering various other voices

This book primarily focused on Kara and Hawk, though other characters started making their way back into the storyline. Admittedly, I found the pacing slower compared to Thorpe’s previous books, which left me slightly disappointed—but I also recognize that she’s laying the groundwork for what’s to come.

The ending lands on a cliffhanger, adding to the suspense and anticipation for the next installment. (Like Elle does, this is why I waited for all instalments to drop)
While some plot points felt predictable, that didn’t detract from the overall experience—it was still an engaging listen that kept me hooked.  Great spice lvl as always.

I’ve seen mixed opinions online about the character development, with some readers feeling underwhelmed. I personally disagree—Thorpe has already fleshed out these characters in her other series, and here she does a great job refreshing our memories while moving their stories forward. Kara, in particular, is growing and changing in ways that make her journey even more compelling.

If you’re a dedicated fan of the St View universe, this book is an essential read, setting up plenty of intrigue for what’s ahead.