Liv Constantine | THE WIFE STALKER

Plot (via Goodreads):

Breezing into the tony seaside paradise of Westport, Connecticut, gorgeous thirtysomething Piper Reynard sets down roots, opening a rehab and wellness space and joining a local yacht club. When she meets Leo Drakos, a handsome, successful lawyer, the wedding ring on his finger is the only thing she doesn’t like about him. Yet as Piper well knows, no marriage is permanent.

Meanwhile, Joanna has been waiting patiently for Leo, the charismatic man she fell in love with all those years ago, to re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him. Though she’s thankful when Leo returns to his charming, energetic self, paying attention again to Evie and Stelli, the children they both love beyond measure, Joanna is shocked to discover that it’s not her loving support that’s sparked his renewed happiness—it’s something else.

Piper. Leo has fallen head over heels for the flaky, New Age-y newcomer, and unrepentant and resolute, he’s more than willing to leave Joanna behind, along with everything they’ve built. Of course, he assures her, she can still see the children.

Joanna is devastated—and determined to find something, anything, to use against this woman who has stolen her life and her true love. As she digs deeper into Piper’s past, Joanna begins to unearth disturbing secrets . . . but when she confides to her therapist that she fears for the lives of her ex-husband and children, her concerns are dismissed as paranoia. Can she find the proof she needs in time to save them?

Review:

Liv Constantine writes great female character-driven books that are like a cozy and creepy Lifetime movie and that is exactly the kind of book I love to get lost in. I find their books to be immersive and entertaining, but not too overly dark or violent. I have been anxiously awaiting this book since it was announced as I am a sucker for a) Liv Constantine, b) anything to do with stalkers, and c) a great beachy summer read. Check, check, and check!

You can feel the sunshine of Rhode Island radiate off the pages of this one, the setting is just so incredibly well done and this one just hit all of the major points for me. With short alternating chapters, this was such a great character-driven thriller that had a different spin on the stalker story-lines that I was used to and the small twists and turns throughout were so great. As this story progressed, I really had no clue how this was going to go - these sisters really kept me on my toes with their characters and the story to this one and I can't describe this one any other way other than something that is damn near impossible to put down. The pacing was near perfection due to a great plot and short chapters that each ended with smaller cliffhangers or tidbits of information that made feel the need to keep reading.

I absolutely loved this read and the conclusion was like Fourth of July fireworks for me. I was walloped with one hell of a twist that I never saw coming and could almost feel the floor being taken out from under me. I think this is definitely the perfect summer thriller that can easily be devoured on a beach or by a pool. It was captivating and mysterious and sensationally written. This is a real treat for Liv Constantine fans and a truly fantastic story that will leave you wanting more. An easy read at around 300 pages, this is a story that I easily could've gobbled up even if it were double its length.

Special thanks to HarperCollins for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5