From the bestselling author of The Social Affair comes a new riveting, powerful psychological thriller which offers a savage look into a utopian cultish society where beauty and perfection are valued at all costs.For readers of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins, The Replacement Wife offers a peek into the lives of a married couple up against impossible odds and the notion that history has a way of … odds and the notion that history has a way of repeating itself.
Statistically speaking, fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. What are the odds for murder?
Widower Tom Anderson is a savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Problem is, one is a lonely number. Thankfully, he solved for X by finding the perfect woman. It wasn’t easy. Tom is very specific. He has to be.
Having checked ‘find trophy wife’ off his list, life was moving along swimmingly. Until that perfect woman let it slip—she has a past. One she kept hidden, almost perfectly.
Sure, she lied—she fudged the numbers. Most women do.
Now, Tom has buyers’ remorse and according to cult rules only two options: get rid of her—or single-handedly erase her past.
She’s a liar. But she does keep house well. And she makes a mean lasagna.
Decisions, decisions.
Razor-sharp and utterly gripping, this electrifying story explores the lengths one will go in the pursuit of perfection, little white lies that can turn lethal, and the danger lurking behind the smiles of those we trust most.
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I am very familiar with Britney King and her thrillers, so for me to grab The Replacement Wife was a no brainer and I am was very excited to begin reading.
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“Have dinner with me.”
Is that your line?”
“Not exactly”
What is then”?
His eyes were on mine. There was hesitation in what he said next. “It’s an invitation to make the biggest mistake of your life.”
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Was it her arrogance or was she naive when she accepted?
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Britney King has the ability to hook me from the beginning. She is a master at using misdirection, leading me down paths that I never see coming. I think I know where I’m going, but as I turn the pages, I am caught by surprise, over and over again.
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Melanie’s parents had money and she lived by the spoiled girl ethic…until…her parents had enough. She’s not like you or I. She thinks she wants the white picket fence life, but she is a master at fooling herself. She will learn what she really desires and goes after it with a vengeance.
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This is one of those stories that read like true crime for me. It raises all kinds of questions, but no on has the right to play God, doling out their own form of punishment.
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The Church…I almost consider it a character. Is it a cult? Uption Village, better known as The Village brought to mind the Stepford Wives…on steroids.
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Britney King has the ability to put her hooks in me from the opening pages, reeling me in word by word, hook, line and sinker! She has a way of lulling me into complacency, like the calm before the storm, then throwing something horrid and twisted at me. I LOVE IT! She’s fills her books with jaw dropping surprises, unforeseen, amazing and delighting this bookaholic. I love when I cannot figure out where the author is taking me, delighting me with their wild and wicked imagination, and Britney does that magnificently.
The Replacement Wife by Britney King will thrill and delight all suspense lovers . If you want to wowed and amazed, this is an author you will want on your reading list. She has some freebies available when you sign up on her web page, so you can whet your appetite.
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I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Replacement Wife by Britney King.
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The Replacement Wife takes the reader inside cult lifestyle with all the little ways that the innocent get sucked in. But what if you aren’t so innocent? Just when I thought I knew where the author was going, she hit me with another twist, and I was back to square one. The only drawback lay in the abrupt move from present to past and back again without clarification. Nevertheless, the story does keep moving at a fast pace and the almost whiplash inducing twists hit you when you least expect it. Assume nothing, but expect anything with this story of deceit, endless plotting, and a search for perfection that is nothing short of diabolical.
The Replacement Wife is a “continuation” of The Social Affair, but can be read as a stand alone {I have not read The Social Affair}. The story is told in dual POV- Tom and Melanie’s and involves flashbacks and current scenes. The beginning was a little slow for my liking. I also didn’t like a single character in this book. But, that was a good thing in this case. I’m not sure there is any “root for them” character and I loved to hate them! And the ending! I thought it would end one way but it ended completely different. I do wish there was a little more for the ending, but overall this book was good. This book had a cultish theme but also a Stepford Wives vibe.
Britney King does it again with The Replacement Wife! I read The Social Affair back in January and was a big fan of it, but it was nice to get the bit of backstory that The Replacement Wife provides. This book is basically an extension of The Social Affair, and I wouldn’t read it before reading that one. This is a good standalone, but might spoil a couple of things for you if you read it first.
This was another page-turner/binge read for me. It alternates between Mel (Melanie) and Tom’s perspectives which is something I always enjoy. We get to learn a lot about Tom’s backstory and his role within the cult as their accountant, but also a lot about Mel and her personality.
I did think reading from Tom’s perspective was a little dull at times, but Mel’s never was. Reading her parts made me snicker a lot because she’s quite the strong personality; no matter what the rest of the cult would like to believe.
I thought the writing was very fluid and although the end was a little crazy, it didn’t really bug me. However, it may seem a little (or a lot) unbelievable for some people.
Final Thought: I’m finding that King is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I really want to read more from her. Her books always seem to be fast-paced and unique, and The Replacement Wife was no exception. If you loved The Social Affair (or even if you didn’t), I think you are going to enjoy this one. It’s a good choice if you are looking for something you can read in a day as well.
The Replacement Wife in 3-ish words: Binge-Worthy, Concise & Daring
Don’t skip the Prologue because it just may be the deciding factor on whether or not you feel this was page-turner worthy. It certainly left me saying “what the h***!”
Melanie is either disappointed or a disappointment – you will have to decide which may be true. Then you have to decide if she’s just a product of her upbringing. Tom seems to be lacking any social graces. I can see why this would be considered psychological – there is a lot going on in their heads. But I don’t think we know the whole story. And having this done in the first person may help with that.
This was a book that is in no way romantic and even though I’m all about the romance that didn’t stop this book from grabbing my attention. At first, I thought this was going to be a case of The Stepford Wives but it’s so much more than that. I kept going back and forth and to I felt more sorry for – Melanie or Tom. Could I say that they deserve each other? I don’t know about that but they certainly make for an interesting couple. And their energies seem to feed off the other. Almost like a one upmanship game that neither knows the other is playing. Don’t discount the secondary characters either. They are all part of the puzzle.
The questions that arise are, is this a cult? Or is it just someone who’s very smart and knows what weaknesses in people to exploit? Can a player be played? Is it man versus woman? These are questions that help me to continue turning the page. It’s a case of I have to know. The last two sentences of this story have me going “hm”. Then I wonder about whether the church and its members will appear again – especially since I don’t see anything that says this is part of a series.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
This was an enjoyable read by Britney King. I loved the whole cult aspect and I loved how Melanie was one step ahead. The story was told in dual point of view and I loved seeing thoughts from both Melanie and Tom. I enjoyed each of their backstory as well. Neither of them are what they seem in my opinion.
This was a fast paced story and the plot intrigued me but I felt the ending was a little bit rushed and would have liked more once we got to the twist. The last few chapters had me glued to the edge of my kindle. I hope we get a sequel in the future as I feel Melanie is just getting started!
Favorite Quotes:
I’m not ready to die. I always thought I’d be old. I thought I’d have wrinkles and saggy skin…laugh lines well earned… Regret tastes horrible, in case you’re wondering.
I might be sick and not for the reason he thinks. That name—his dead wife’s—it’s the first four letter word, not counting work, that I actually dislike.
In my experience with organized religion, people wore fake smiles they stretched across their face. They had to grin and bear it, but they were glad when it was over so they could get back to their judging and their sinning.
Her chest heaves. It’s like she’s deflating. No need to worry, her implants will keep her afloat. I’m impressed by the way they’re so…out there.
The little boy’s face flashes in my mind. I have to admit, he was kind of cute. For a split second, I wonder what it would have been like to have kept him. You know, like finders, keepers. It must be the liquor talking.
I’m naked in a trunk. How much worse can it get? It’s like Mark Twain said, it’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.
Secrets do a lot of things. They make you exciting. They make you adventurous. They make you important. But there comes a point where having a secret without anybody knowing loses its fun. And while, maybe you don’t necessarily want to let others in on what that secret is, you at least want them to know you have one.
My Review:
I’m more than a bit conflicted on how to rate this one. The premise was chilling and the writing was more often than not compelling and shot through with brilliant observations and insight, yet there were times I grew exasperated with the storyline and characters, who were all quite vile. What a nest of vipers! I feel a considerable level of skepticism toward all organized religions and cults, but this church and their “programs” took it to a new level. And I just couldn’t get a handle on the oily Melanie, she obviously thought herself to be quite intelligent, yet she was often moronic, and almost always contemptible. Yet I couldn’t put this intriguing and tautly written book down. This was my first time reading the massively talented Brittany King – the gal has mad skills and may just be an evil genius. But I would caution her family members to tread lightly and always remain on her good side.
That was an ending I was not expecting. After reading The Social Affair, I just knew I had to read The Replacement Wife. Britney King writes a certain way that captivates a reader. I also enjoyed hearing about characters from previous books. As to not spoil anything, In this book at a certain point a certain thing happened that I had to wrap my head around. I then had to re-read parts to make sure what I read was what I read, it was riveting.
Britney King has wowed me again.
~WRITING – PLOT – PACE~
My heavens was this another cracking good read from this author. I really enjoyed her book THE SOCIAL AFFAIR but I LOVED this one. After I finished the previous book I was left super intrigued to learn more about the church and especially Tom, and I got that and more with this book. The writing was fantastic. It was very well paced. The plot was super engaging and kept me on my toes with the twists and turns. And that ending…LOVED IT!
~CHARACTERS~
There isn’t a single likable character in this book (lol). That said, I thought each one of them was deliciously duplicitous. They were well written. They were intriguing. It was like watching a mindf-ck battle of wills.
~IN THE END~
I LOVED it! It made for a nice change of pace to step outside my usual genre of “romance” and into a well crafted psychological thriller. Fantastic writing. Interesting characters. Excellent twists and turns. What more is there to say. This one gets two HUGE thumbs up from yours truly.