In her latest novel, The Next Wife, Kaira Rouda balances the sassiness and wit of Real Housewives with the suspense and excitement of a Hitchcock film, creating a true page-turner that is sharp and fun while still gripping and tension filled. The Next Wife is almost impossible to put down!
Full of wickedly fascinating characters, the story primarily revolves around John Nelson, his first wife Kate with whom he has a college-aged daughter, and John’s much younger second wife Tish. Rouda alternates between the perspective of each of these characters, letting you, the reader, in on each character’s inner thoughts.
John and Kate built a business together throughout their marriage, and as the story opens the company is just about to go public, meaning substantial amounts of money are coming their way. It is quite clear from the very beginning that this financial windfall is of great importance to Tish, while the success of something they built from the ground up is what John and Kate are focused on.
John and Tish have been married just about three years, and while Tish appears extremely confident in her beauty, her marriage, and her financial future, Rouda shows the reader that there are plenty of insecurities below that façade.
Tish decides that taking John away on a surprise romantic weekend, supposedly to help relieve the stress he is under with the new phase his company has entered (though it also has a tremendous amount to do with getting him alone where she does not have to share his attention with his previous wife or his daughter). That may have been Tish’s plan, but circumstances change, plans unravel, and suddenly Tish and Kate both have new, unforeseen issues to deal with, urgently.
Fast paced and clever, Rouda keeps the narrative moving constantly. Even though each chapter switches the perspective and point of view between characters, the story continues without missing a beat.
An excellent beach or poolside read, The Next Wife will definitely keep you entertained with its fun twists, constant scheming, and devious characters you will love to hate.
The Next Wife is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 1st 2021.
Will you be picking up The Next Wife? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
There is no limit to the lies, suspicion, and secrets that can poison the perfect marriage in this twisting novel of suspense by USA Today bestselling author Kaira Rouda.
Kate Nelson had it all. A flourishing company founded with her husband, John; a happy marriage; and a daughter, Ashlyn. The picture-perfect family. Until John left for another woman. Tish is half his age. Ambitious. She’s cultivated a friendship with Ashlyn. Tish believes she’s won.
She’s wrong.
Tish Nelson has it all. Youth, influence, a life of luxury, and a new husband. But the truth is, there’s a lot of baggage. Namely, his first wife—and suspicions of his infidelity. After all, that’s how she got John. Maybe it’s time for a romantic getaway, far from his vindictive ex. If Kate plans on getting John back, Tish is one step ahead of her.
She thinks.
But what happens next is something neither Kate nor Tish saw coming. As best-laid plans come undone, there’s no telling what a woman will do in the name of love—and revenge.
