Second Wives by Carey Baldwin
Published: March 17, 2023
Bookouture
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pages: 322
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Carey Baldwin is a USA Today bestselling author of psychological suspense. Also a dedicated physician, she holds two doctoral degrees, one in medicine and one in psychology. Her experience in the fields of medicine and psychology often informs her writing. She loves reading and writing stories that keep you off balance and on the edge of your seat. Carey lives in the southwestern United States with her amazing family. In her spare time she enjoys hiking and chasing wildflowers.
We were such good friends… until the day she married my ex-husband.
Now, I’ve married hers, and we’ve agreed to get along for the sake of our families.
It’s all very civilized, but then there’s a freak accident and I wake up in a hospital bed.
As I take in my surroundings, a familiar and loving sight greets me – my darling husband.
He tells me everything is going to be alright. That he loves me and that whatever challenges come our way, we’ll get through them together.
For an instant, I feel safe. I push the nightmare that has haunted my dreams to the back of my mind – an unknown man forcing someone under water, vowing that their next breath will be their last.
But as I gaze into his eyes, I begin to pale. Because I’m sure the man sitting opposite me is not my husband.
He’s hers.
So why do I feel he is the only person in the world I can trust?
“As long as I live, I promise I will never let anyone hurt you.”
Brigid suspected something was wrong with her marriage long before she said anything. Nash denied there being any problems, but Brigid couldn’t move past it. When they divorced, Nash eloped with Charity, a mutual friend. In her shock, Brigid fell in love with Jackson, Charity’s ex-husband. Now, the secrets are deep, the truth deadly, and memories are returning.
This was intense. I enjoyed the build-up and found the controlled chaos well organized. I was shocked by the big reveal, and I was wrong about who I suspected was the guilty party.
There are a lot of characters in this book, but the core cast is well-developed. I liked the dynamic and the familial bond they had. Their lives felt very wealthy Southern Cali.
I loved that water and darkness were also major characters throughout this book. That was clever and well done. This was like riding a roller coaster. The first dip was surprising, the second scary, and the final drop is critical.