Review of THE PARIS WIDOW by Kimberly Belle

On June 12, 2024June 12, 2024 By vickleaIn Book Review1 Comment

ABOUT THE BOOK

THE PARIS WIDOW

Author: Kimberly Belle

Publication Date: June 11, 2024

ISBN: 9780778307976

Format: Trade Paperback

Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing / Park Row Books

Book Summary:

From USA Today bestselling author Kimberly Belle comes a deliciously twisty new thriller following a married couple vacationing in Paris whose trip takes a dark turn when the husband goes missing, dredging up secrets from both of their pasts, perfect for fans of THE PARIS APARTMENT.

When Stella met Adam, she felt like she finally landed a nice, normal guy – a welcome change from her previous boyfriend and her precarious jetsetter lifestyle with him. She loves knowing she can always depend on Adam, which is why when he goes missing during a random explosion in Paris, she panics. Right after what is assumed to be a terrorist attack, she’s interviewed live on TV by reporters, begging anyone who knows anything about her husband’s whereabouts to come forward and is quickly dubbed “The Paris Widow.”

As the French police investigate, it’s revealed that Adam was on their radar as a dealer in the black market for priceless antiquities, making deals with very high-profile and dangerous clients. Reeling from this news and growing suspicions about her husband, Stella can’t shake the feeling that she’s being followed. And with Adam assumed dead, she realizes that whoever was responsible for the bombing will come after her next. Everything – and everyone — that Stella has tried to keep in her duplicitous past might be her only means of survival and finding out what really happened to Adam.

An irresistible and fast-paced read set in some of Europe’s most inviting locales, THE PARIS WIDOW explores how sinister secrets of the past stay with us – no matter how far we travel.

My Thoughts

This book gave me whiplash as I sped through the pages trying to find out quickly what would happen next in this twisted tale of love and secrets. Adam and Stella are on a dream vacation when an explosion occurs at a little cafe and Adam is gone. Stella is left on her own to discover what was really happening in Adam’s life that endangered him so much and at the same time, she makes revelations about the secrets she is guarding from her own past. There are a lot of shady characters in this book that deals with the underworld of stolen antiquities, so there’s a big question throughout the novel of who can be trusted and who should be avoided. Just for the record, I kept guessing incorrectly, but I kept guessing because that is part of the entertainment value of this mesmerizing book. The pace is fast, the characters are not all relatable but they are all realistic and dynamically portrayed. This book is a spy thriller, a psych thriller, a mystery and a romance all rolled up into a neat package and in several settings throughout Europe. It was obvious that the author knew the areas well as the details she offered about the various places were fascinating, adding to the atmospheric drama of the story. This is a book that is masterfully crafted to capture the reader and it succeeded with me, becoming one of my favorite thrillers of the decade.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

General Fiction, Rated PG due to content including an explosion with multiple deaths

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kimberly Belle worked in marketing and nonprofit fundraising before turning to writing fiction. A graduate of Agnes Scott College, Kimberly lived for over a decade in the Netherlands and currently divides her time between Atlanta and Amsterdam. She is the bestselling author of The Marriage Lie, Three Days Missing, Dear Wife, as well as The Last Breath, The Ones We Trust, Stranger in the Lake, My Darling Husband, and The Personal Assistant.

Social Links:

Author website: https://www.kimberlybellebooks.com/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/kimberlybelle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimberlySBelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlysbelle/

PURCHASE LINKS:

Review of SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX by Lisa Unger

On November 8, 2022 By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

Reading this book was like entering a labyrinth or maybe a tangled spider web inside a spider web and I felt like the fly. I was captured from the beginning as I dove deeply into this intricate story of family relationships and unknown darkness. Wow! Just wow! Hannah and Mako are siblings and both have secrets. One of them has a secret that can kill. Together with their spouses and two friends, they go to a cabin in the middle of nowhere just to get away. But they soon find out that you can run but you can’t hide. The premise of this book is clever and intriguingly original with so much happening that it held my attention the entire time I was reading. I could hear the sound effects portrayed and jumped when the thunder roared, just as I’m sure the characters did. The theme of good vs. evil was definitely a part of the story, but it is mostly a story of accepting your family and knowing that you are an individual and cannot change where your roots are. I especially liked the characterization and how there seemed to be two different story lines that were flowing down different rivers, but they seamlessly merged into a giant waterfall at the end. The imagery was fantastic, creating an environment that was perfect for the story and for my mind to go wild as I built up the scene visually. The characters were well developed but a bit confusing until I caught on that there were two storylines and dual time as well. I didn’t have a favorite character since I enjoyed getting to know all of them. Some, of course, are more likable and relatable than others, but they all realistically portray human actions and reactions. Buckle up for a wild ride and prepare for a long night when you pick up this book because it will hold you in its grasp until the final satisfying sentence. Dynamic, energetic and twisty spellbinder that every fan of thrillers should read.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. (I also preordered my own copy because I love Lisa Unger’s books.) I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Rated a definite PG-13, with violence depicted as well as grab-your-throat scary kind of scenes

***Photo and Bio from the author’s website at*** http://www.lisaunger.com

Today is release day, so if you are in the mood for some creepy thrills and chills, you can enjoy this new book from Lisa Unger. Purchase Links:

Review of THE NIGHT SHE WENT MISSING by Kristen Bird

On February 24, 2022 By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

This is a fantastic debut novel by a new voice in suspense and domestic drama! Three families are bound together by the events in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else and where the matriarch of the town, Rosalyn Callahan, pull strings like she’s a puppeteer. Catherine, Morgan and Leslie were once friends, but their relationship has deteriorated so that they are barely speaking and then only when necessary. When Catherine’s teen daughter disappears one night after a party, Catherine pulls out all the stops to find Emily, including seeking the help of Morgan’s son Alex and Leslie’s daughter Anna. There is a lot of underlying tension between the families and a lot of suspicion about what happened to Emily. The tension builds nicely, with a quick-paced plot and a well done conclusion. There were a few loose ends that I would have liked more information about, so that is the reason for the four stars. There is tons of family drama and people with real psychological problems who are mingled in a very complex plot, with lots of characters and more than a few suspects. I enjoyed the setting and the way the families were all connected in some way. I also enjoyed getting to know Sawyer, Leslie’s estranged son and one of the few characters who seemed genuinely honest and concerned about Emily. The characterization was fleshed out well, even with the number of people involved in the drama. All in all, this was an extremely well-written novel that kept me reading and guessing until the end.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins Publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I would rate this book a hard PG-13 because of the plot content and also there are lots of expletives. The F-word is used freely and often. Note that this is a debut novel, so hopefully the author will temper the language more in future books.

Growing up, Kristen lived in Virginia, Alabama, California, Oregon, and Texas. She wrote plays and short stories for anyone who would read them and eventually graduated college with a double major in Music and Journalism. A few years later, she earned a Masters in Literature and for her creative thesis wrote her first full-length novel, which she happily keeps unpublished.
As a teacher, she enjoys finding creative pairings of the classic canon and modern texts, and she promotes choice reading in her classroom. She also likes to tell other writers, including her students over the past fifteen years, the importance of extensive revisions as well as the necessity of grit—in the writing process and in everyday life.
Kristen is the oldest of four kids and is grateful to see her parents and brother and sisters, nieces and nephews often. Her husband is a musician and a worship director for a church near their home, and her daughters are amateur bakers, awesome artists, and inquisitive thinkers who love to cuddle up and read together.
Thanks to Bess Garison for photography. **Biographical Info from the author’s website at** http://www.kristenbird.com

This is an excellent debut novel and I recommend it for mature readers. It is available now at the following online site:

Harper Collins (includes links to multiple sites to purchase the book)

Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner

Tag: Harper Collins