#ATBR2020 Review: The New Husband by D.J. Palmer @jessmapreviews
The New Husband
by D.J. Palmer
Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press for these free copies.
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publish Date: April 14, 2020
Hardcover
384 Pages
Standalone
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Just because you love someone doesn't mean you know them.
Nina Garrity learned that the hard way after discovering that her missing husband, Glen, had been leading a double life with another woman. But Glen's gone--presumably drowned while fishing on his boat--so she can't confront him about the affair or any of his other misdeeds. A year and a half after the accident, Nina considers herself a widow, even though the police never found a body. Following a chance encounter with Simon Fitch, a teacher from her daughter Maggie's middle school, Nina finds love again and has hopes of putting her shattered life back together.
Simon, a widower still grieving the suicide of his first wife, has found his dream girl in Nina. His charm and affections help break through to a heart hardened by betrayal. Nina's teenage son, Connor, embraces Simon as the father he wishes his dad could have been, but Maggie sees a far darker side to this new man in their lives. Even Nina's good friends wonder if Simon is supremely devoted--or dangerously possessive.
But Nina is committed, not only to her soon-to-be new husband but also to resuming her former career as a social worker. Before she can move forward, however, Nina must first clear her conscience that she's not making another terrible choice in a man. In doing so, she will uncover the shocking truth: the greatest danger to her, and her children, are the lies people tell themselves.
Nina Garrity learned that the hard way after discovering that her missing husband, Glen, had been leading a double life with another woman. But Glen's gone--presumably drowned while fishing on his boat--so she can't confront him about the affair or any of his other misdeeds. A year and a half after the accident, Nina considers herself a widow, even though the police never found a body. Following a chance encounter with Simon Fitch, a teacher from her daughter Maggie's middle school, Nina finds love again and has hopes of putting her shattered life back together.
Simon, a widower still grieving the suicide of his first wife, has found his dream girl in Nina. His charm and affections help break through to a heart hardened by betrayal. Nina's teenage son, Connor, embraces Simon as the father he wishes his dad could have been, but Maggie sees a far darker side to this new man in their lives. Even Nina's good friends wonder if Simon is supremely devoted--or dangerously possessive.
But Nina is committed, not only to her soon-to-be new husband but also to resuming her former career as a social worker. Before she can move forward, however, Nina must first clear her conscience that she's not making another terrible choice in a man. In doing so, she will uncover the shocking truth: the greatest danger to her, and her children, are the lies people tell themselves.
My Review:
Love is blind and can certainly also be fatal.
Phew. This book. I love this trope honestly. Obsession. Controlling. Needy. The blind woman who JUST DOES NOT SEE IT. And listen, these types of books, you have to suspend a bit of reality for it to be that truly juicy fruit for you to absolutely drool over. I will say that a year and a half isn't a long time so damnnnnnn NINA. (channeling my inner Martin Lawrence for those who get the reference 😉)
I will say that the first 100 pages really dragged for me. I had JUST enough interest (again, because I love this type of story) that I wanted to see where the author took us. I knew from the first few pages where this was going to go (and I was RIGHT) but I really had to see how Palmer fed me this version. It does pick up towards the middle and then ramps up on the crazy.
If you're going to fall in love with a character here, you have to fall in love with Maggie.. and Ben.. let's please not forget about Ben. My favorite parts were with them. The POV does main go back and forth between Nina and Maggie with the occasional other person thrown in but it's never confusing and you know exactly who is speaking and when, which is always nice.
My first Palmer and while it may not have been a home run, I am certainly intrigued enough to want to read more by this author.... and I most definitely will.
★★★☆
Jessica's Review:
Last year was my introduction to D.J. Palmer with SAVING MEGHAN. I did enjoy that book so I was definitely intrigued by this new one! Another solid domestic suspense/drama and while it doesn't bring anything terribly new to the genre, the author created a fun ride to the ending. Like other reviewers, this did have a slower start for me. So just know that ahead of time - it might not read like a crazy thriller in the beginning, but it DOES pick up!
I really enjoyed the way the author was able to keep pulling us along, even through the parts that felt a little slower. There was always just enough to keep my curiosity piqued and I needed to know how it was going to end. I think that most that frequent the genre will be able to figure out the end, but I don't think that took away from the overall entertainment and reading experience.
How well do you really know those closest to you? Do you ever truly know what someone is like? There's a good range of characters and the emotional journey they all end up taking as the story progresses - Maggie was one of my favorites and she's the best example of why you should listen to your intuition. While I did enjoy SAVING MEGHAN just a little bit more, I still plan on picking up more from Palmer in the future!
3 stars
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