The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives @kristinmiller02 @ballantinebooks #mystery thriller @JanBelisle @absltmom

Jan and I had a rollicking good time with this book and enjoyed every “delicious” trophy wife. We were surprised how much this story did appeal to us!

Jan’s review

This scratched the itch I’ve had since Desperate Housewives came to an end. And then some!  What a fun, frothy read, perfect for a summer read. 

Presidio Terrace, an exclusive gated community in San Francisco, where the lives of the rich and famous play out, is home to Erin, Georgia, and Brooke, the newest of the wives.  There’s plenty of dirty little secrets hiding behind the perfect façade of these well-manicured lawns.

A trophy wife used to be considered a much younger wife of an older, very wealthy man, a status symbol of his power, virility, and attractiveness. But it’s 2021, and the meaning now includes women who are attractive, yes, but also successful. 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-new-trophy-wife_b_6207364

This scratched the itch I’ve had since Desperate Housewives came to an end. And then some!  What a fun, frothy read, perfect for a summer read.    Presidio Terrace, an exclusive gated community in San Francisco, where the lives of the rich and famous play out, is home to Erin, Georgia, and Brooke, the newest of the wives.  There’s plenty of dirty little secrets hiding behind the perfect façade of these well-manicured lawns.   A trophy wife used to be considered a much younger wife of an older, very wealthy man, a status symbol of his power, virility, and attractiveness. But it’s 2021, and the meaning now includes women who are attractive, yes, but also successful. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-new-trophy-wife_b_6207364

And that is what we have here with two of our three main characters. 

–       Georgia, aka, The Black Widow, so named after two of her husband’s conveniently turned up dead shortly after the vows were exchanged.  She’s the more stereotypical trophy wife.

–       Erin, a local news anchor, is constantly trying to keep her youth and stay relevant in a cutthroat industry where someone smarter, younger and prettier stands ready to take her place.

–       Brooke, the new wife on the block, is a successful novelist, busy at work on her second book.

When Georgia’s fiancé turns up missing, suspicious eyes turn towards her, Black Widow. And, suddenly, this frothy read turns into a whodunit.  The clues and secrets of these ladies are doled out strategically to keep me surprised and engaged throughout, flipping the chapters until the final shocking reveal. But lest you think this is all about the wives, the husbands have secrets of their own.

All of these are characters I would hate in my real life, but this isn’t real life. For a well-written, dishy soap opera that is over the top this is great fun! 

·      I received a digital copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own

·      Published 7/20/21 by Ballantine Books

·      This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, one that we surprisingly enjoyed very much!

Marialyce’s review

Oh my, ladies you are something else! Presidio Terrace has such very interesting residents indeed! As Brooke Davis moves with her husband, Jack, a billionaire into the new neighborhood, she meets up with her new neighbors. It is a tony neighborhood with mansions, money, partying, money, fancy cars, money, and did I mention money? All of the neighbors are beautiful women. There’s Brooke of course, the newest resident , a successful mystery writer who soon teams up with Erin King, a news anchor, married to a renowned plastic surgeon, (lucky her!), and then there’s Georgia St. Claire, aka The Black Widow.

Of course, Georgia, is one who elicits lots of speculation, (gossip) as her two previous ultra-wealthy husbands have met their demise under some “slightly” suspicious ends. However, Georgia has found her true love in Robert, another ultra-rich man and is due to marry him shortly. Problem is as the nuptials approach; Robert goes missing and the conjecture is that Georgia has once again proved her mettle in slaying soon to be husband number three.

Brooke and Erin lend their support to poor Georgia, who oddly decides to hold the pseudo wedding while the groom is missing. Robert does eventually turn up, but not in the manner in which Georgia had hoped.

As the ladies’ cry, complain, and enjoy each other before and after the missing Robert, we learn of their life style, the sometimes aimless and sometimes dangerous way they lead their lives. But, what about the husbands? Are they the perfect mixture of wealth, handsome and rolling in charm and grace? Or is there something behind their actions when the door to their mansion is closed that bind the ladies together?

This was a fun charged thriller that initially seemed like Desperate Housewives From Wherever, but it indeed had some twists that while it didn’t knock my boots off, certainly made it a
fine romp into the world of fame, fortune, deviousness, and of course murder.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this published on July 20, 2021.

and here’s the author:

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Kristin Miller writes sweet and sassy contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance of all varieties. Kristin has degrees in psychology, English, and education, and taught high school and middle school English before crossing over to a career in writing. She lives in Northern California with her alpha male husband and their two children. She loves chocolate way more than she should and the gym less. You can usually find her in the corner of a coffee shop, laptop in front of her and mocha in hand, using the guests around her as fuel for her next book.