What are friends for?Wallflower Cate Cabot has always been content to keep the world at arms’ length, particularly from behind the register at the upscale Floridian boutique where she’s worked for the last nine years. Her days are filled with old-moneyed locals and nouveau-riche tourists, most of them paying her no mind as she rings up their lavish hauls.Until Odessa DuVernay.At first glance, … up their lavish hauls.
Until Odessa DuVernay.
At first glance, she’s just another picture-perfect Palm Shores trophy wife—until she proves herself personable, humble, and unassuming. She even goes so far as to take a genuine interest in Cate, inviting her for lunch dates, matinees, and girl talk—a refreshing change of pace for the woman who never quite mastered the art of making (and keeping) friends.
But what begins as an unlikely friendship detours into the unthinkable when Odessa leaves Cate a panicked voicemail asking to meet—and then ghosts her. And worse—when Cate attempts to find her, it’s as if the enigmatic Mrs. DuVernay never existed at all…
Consumed, Cate refuses to stop searching. But the truth won’t come easy.
In fact, it could cost her everything.
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Wow! This book amazed me with its many twists and turns. Cate Cabot works at an exclusive boutique in Palm Shores, Florida. She doesn’t do friends, preferring to keep people at a distance—even the boyfriend who loves her. Then Odessa DuVernay walks into the boutique. From the start, Odessa is different than most of the trophy-wife clientele Cate is accustomed to dealing with. She’s pleasant and friendly and takes a sincere interest in Cate—inviting her to lunch, engaging her in girl talk, going to a movie matinee.
It’s an adjustment for Cate. Then just when she finds herself opening up, Odessa mysteriously disappears. Not long afterward, Cate gets a panicked voicemail from Odessa asking to meet. When Cate arrives at the designated place, Odessa ghosts her. Concerned, Cate begins a search of her new friend, only to hit obstacle after obstacle. It’s like Odessa DuVernay never existed.
This is where things get VERY weird. Not just one unexpected turn, but several surprises that are cleverly unraveled a bit at a time by the author. When the final revelation arrives, it’s a jaw-dropper, and SOOOOO GOOOD! A thread I never expected, but one I love when it is handled deftly and Tomassetti definitely did that. If you enjoy psychological fiction, this is an inventive and highly riveting take on the genre. Superb!
Shaped by the abandonment of her father at a young age, an emotionally damaged mother, and a lifetime of bad friendships, thirty-five-year-old Cate Cabot lives a small existence. She visits her mother once a week and has a secure position at an upscale consignment shop. She also has a long-term boyfriend who adores her, but she won’t fully commit to the relationship, convinced he’ll walk away one day.
Cate convinced herself for years she had the life she wanted but when Odessa DuVernay—the epitome of a trophy wife—visits the shop where Cate works and reaches out in friendship, she questions the way she lives her life. Though reluctant at first, she accepts the woman’s friendship. It won’t be long before Cate’s new friendship and finding out the truth about her father clouds her reasoning and judgment.
And MINE TOO!
Told in two POVs—Cate and Zsofia, a live-in domestic—this author does a great job of the slow-build, and I thought I knew where she was headed. I was wrong… several times! The plot twists and pacing are spot on, and I’m sure I read the last twenty percent of the story with my mouth open and eyebrows raised!
Cate Cabot is likable enough. Though I tried to understand the life that molded her, I still couldn’t help thinking her too quirky and immature at times. Her boyfriend, Sean, is adorable, and I wavered between how lucky Cate was to have him or how she wasn’t worthy of him. Sue me. Darcy, Cate’s mom, is just sad, stuck in a reality that never truly existed.
Odessa appears to be a trophy wife, but Cate finds caring and compassion in her new friend… mostly. And Zsofia? Heartbreaking and one-hundred percent sympathetic. Stuck in a life she never asked for, I didn’t know how she faced each day and still held onto her sanity.
And there’s the rub.
Clear your schedule and get comfortable with this read and remember things… and people aren’t always as they appear.
Enjoy!
Words ‘twisted’ & ‘thriller’ are too mild to describe this book!
What the whaaa….?! I’m so speechless! This is an amazing jaw dropper and mind blower.
I yelled at my Kindle like I would yell at a horror movie… “noooo!” …. “don’t go in there!” …. “don’t trust anyone!” I was in total frustrated suspense!! I still can’t believe it. It was crazy insane awesomeness!!
You gotta love a book that keeps you on your toes, and this one does that. There are so many times while reading you think you figured out who’s who, but then, you’re really not sure. I think you may still have a question at the very end lol. But I loved it! There were so many different twists, different “what the what” moments, and it’s just so entertaining, not only the story, but the guessing and trying to figure it out before you get to the part that lets you in on it. A great “who’s who/what’s what”!!
Okay, this was really fun!
It’s the kind of book where the less said the better but if you enjoy twists, turns and surprises and have a history of enjoying Minka Kent’s better books, give this one a go!
Cate Cabot works for a high end consignment store and tends to keep people at somewhat of a distance, including her boyfriend of 5 years, Sean. Yet when a customer, Odessa DuVernay, walks into the store the two form an unlikely friendship with Cate dubbing Odessa “The Trophy Wife”.
But when Odessa calls Cate and leaves her a message saying she she needs to meet in a panicked voice it leaves Cate worried when Odessa never shows.
When Cate tries to find Odessa she is puzzled as it’s like Odessa never existed and Cate vows to get to the bottom of the woman’s disappearance.
This was such a great book filled with so many twists and turns so that you never really could guess what was happening until the end of the book and everything was revealed.
I really liked Cate and she was somehow that struggled with letting people get close to her because of her past and so I was happy when she formed a friendship with Odessa. I also was impressed how Cate was determined to track down Odessa when she went missing although I understood why Sean was a little concerned about it. Sean cared so much about Cate but he never pressured her into more than she could give but was always there for her.
Odessa was such a mystery but then you are slowly trying to put together pieces as more characters are involved. I was initially shocked at the behavior of both Charles and Aviva but then I was just left with my jaw down.
The author writes this incredible story that involves a few key characters and every time you think you have a handle on what is happening something happens that makes you rethink it all. I loved the mystery and the fact that I was struggling with figuring everything out!
At a certain point a meeting occurs that fills in all the blanks and I was completely shocked! Then the end was totally surprising and I was a little worried about Cate! I loved how everything made Cate realize how much she loved Sean.
The very end was awesome as I loved the new switch!
Mystery and suspenseful.
Cate Cabot and Odessa DuVernay (have the best book names, like, ever) become unlikely friends in the twisty world of wealthy Florida.
I’m trying not to give anything away. Let me just say it was page turning suspenseful.
Recommend.
Was very slow moving and rushed at the end.
Very slow moving. Hard to stay focused on it.
What a great psychological thriller! Wallflower shop girl Cate Cabot has worked for years in a luxurious consignment store in a Florida town for the uber rich (picture Palm Beach). She has a long-term boyfriend, but isn’t in a hurry for more, has few friends, and figures she’s pretty much invisible to the trophy wives who frequent the store. Out of the blue, lovely (maybe too lovely) trophy wife Odessa DuVernay wants to befriend her. Cate hesitates at first, then is flattered and decides to try opening herself up to new people. Their friendship begins to blossom…until the tables turn, big time. This is a must read with terrific plot and character development, which I’ve come to expect from this hugely gifted author. She is also the best-selling Minka Kent who wrote one of my favorite books, The Memory Watcher – also an absolute shocking stunner of psychological suspense. Awesome read! Five stars!
It was an ok read. Nothing exciting. Kind of an anticlimactic ending.
I gave this book a 3 star rating because of the ending – pretty far fetched and unbelievable. Before that it was good enough to get a 4, Except for the title which had nothing to do with the book.
The Trophy Wife motivates a usually timid Cat Cabot to become entangled in a web of deception and misunderstandings. She doesn’t live an exotic lifestyle or have many friends aside from her boyfriend Sean. Her complicated family history haunts her present life preventing her from forming meaningful relationships.
While working at an upscale Gloridian boutique, she meets Odessa DuVernay, a woman similar to her usual trophy wife clientele. Many wandering in to purchase just the right gift or trinket with cost being of no concern. When Odessa begins to take an interest in Cate she is suspicious but flattered. She can’t imagine how a woman with her resources would want to befriend her.
Eventually, Cate agrees to meet up with Odessa despite the owners policy against fraternizing with customers. Things seem to be going well and Cate actually feels a kinship and begins to over share. When Odessa suddenly rushes out on her and then ghosts her, Cate realizes that she really know much about Odessa.
Cate had been ignoring the warnings from her mother and boyfriend about trusting this woman she barely knows. Cate begins to question Odessa’s motives as well but can’t seem to extricate herself from the evolving mystery regarding Odessa. Google searches and other investigating come up empty as as if she doesn’t exist.
Meanwhile, a view into Odessa’s life is offered by Zsophia who apparently lives as unpaid “help” for the DuVernays as she is an illegal citizen from Russia. Her mother had worked for the DuVernays before she abandoned her in the care of her employer. Eventually, the DuVernays adopted her and raised her as their own until Zsophia becomes pregnant by Mr DuVernay’s brother Brian. Mrs DuVernay decides to raise Alvinia as her own forbidding Zsophia from exposing that she’s the biological mother. She presents a very different version of the DuVernay family than Cate has experienced.
Cate begins a journey of her with Sean by her side to meet her biological father. Her mother never told her much about him and refused to discuss the past. A trip to Rhode Island opens a Pandora’s box for Cate who then has to wrestle with the truths and lies she experienced as a child.
Amidst her own personal revelations, Cate receives a frantic call from Odessa to meet her at a café. When Odessa doesn’t show up Cate is baffled and upset deciding that she needs to distance herself from Odessa. Not matter how she tries Cate can’t seem to worry that Odessa is in trouble and begins to investigate.
Sometimes things are better left untouched. Once a mystery is present and lies are uncovered it makes it difficult for a resolution to occur. How well do we know the people around us? Even more so if we can’t trust our own inner circle what makes us think we can trust acquaintances. What lengths are you willing to take to uncover someone else’s lies?
Just when you think you know where this story is going it takes a turn in a different direction. Then, don’t get settled because it doesn’t end where you think it will!
Very reminiscent of “A Simple Favour” (which I loved) but that doesn’t ruin this book at all. The writing’s good, the pages turn quickly, the characters are fully drawn and it’s a fast read. Enjoyed this. Take a look.
This is a well written story which has a compelling plot and with engaging characters. This story is filled with twists, suspense, and mystery, which all lead to a thrilling and addictive page turner, which had me totally hooked and intrigued throughout, and I highly recommend for all readers.
Cate is a salesperson at a high end shop in the land of the elite Palm Shores. She goes through life without notice from these trophy wife customers. This works well for the guarded Cate who is closed off due to her childhood.
That all changes when she meets trophy wife Odessa at her store. Odessa looks like she has it all and befriends Cate. They form an unlikely friendship.
This friendship is put to the text when Odessa texts Cate. When Cate goes to her she is gone. This brings the story to a fast pace mystery with more twists and turns and questions. The author takes you on one thrilling journey that ends so fantastically!
I get like an observer in Palm Shores and the character development and story build up were captivating. Highly recommend this thriller that I am volunteering to leave a review for.
“WOW” what a complicated but addictive web this author has spun with this book, there are so many twists and turns you become dizzy, the writing is flawless, impeccable and believable drawing you in wanting more. It’s not a romantic love story but a slow burning psychological thriller with the bits of the puzzle slowly being revealed, not at all what you expect, no more spoilers from me. This is the second book that I have read by this author under this pseudonym and I can only say they are getting better so don’t be the one to miss out. I was given this as an ARC by the author in exchange for a voluntary honest review which I was happy to give.
This was a very good read! You can think you have this story figured out all ya want..but you’ll probably be wrong. That’s a sign of a good book. This was an interesting tale about Cate Cabot and the unusual relationship a posh customer tries to forge with her. Letting Odessa get close to her could be life changing. This is a voluntary review of an advance reader copy.
Get ready for a twist and turn story that will keep you guessing. I love when I am reading a book and cannot figure out how it will end and this is one of those. You will question who is telling the truth and what is real and what isn’t. No spoilers here just know it is a great story and I loved it.
I received an early copy to read and review with my honest opinion. I loved this book. I’m still going over things in my head trying to figure things out. This will be one I read a second time.
**4.5 stars**
What in the world just happened?! I thought I knew what was going on in this book and then, that ending hit, and BAM! My jaw hit the floor! This was my first book by the author but will not be my last! I can’t really say too much about this book without giving it away. But, you will think you know what is happening and you will be wrong! I have to say I do feel like the ending was so sudden that I still have so many unanswered questions right now that I wish had gotten answered. The Trophy Wife was an engaging, page-turner with interesting characters and an ending you will never see coming. You should definitely pick this one up!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.