The Book:
The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives by Kristin Miller, 2021
Published July 20th 2021 by Ballantine Books
Date read: August 7, 2021
The Characters:
Brooke and her husband Jack
Erin and her husband Mason
Georgia and her fiancee Robert
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The Plot (from Goodreads):
Mystery writer Brooke Davies is the new wife on the block. Her tech-billionaire husband, Jack, twenty-two years her senior, whisked her to the Bay Area via private jet and purchased a modest mansion on the same day. He demands perfection, and before now, Brooke has had no problem playing the role of a doting housewife. But as she befriends other wives on the street and spends considerable time away from Jack, he worries if he doesn’t control Brooke’s every move, she will reveal the truth behind their “perfect” marriage.
Erin King, famed news anchor and chair of the community board, is no stranger to maintaining an image–though being married to a plastic surgeon helps. But the skyrocketing success of her career has worn her love life thin, and her professional ambitions have pushed Mason away. Quitting her job is a Hail Mary attempt at keeping him interested, to steer him away from finding a young trophy wife. But is it enough, and is Mason truly the man she thought he was?
Georgia St. Claire allegedly cashed in on the deaths of her first two husbands, earning her the nickname “Black Widow”–and the stares and whispers of her curious neighbors. Rumored to have murdered both men for their fortunes, she claims to have found true love in her third marriage, yet her mysterious, captivating allure keeps everyone guessing. Then a tragic accident forces the residents of Presidio Terrace to ask: Has Georgia struck again? And what is she really capable of doing to protect her secrets?
The Twist:
Georgia and Erin had paid a hitman, Danny, to kill her previous husbands. His name was Danny, and he was extorting Georgia for more money. Georgia went to confront him, he pulled a gun, and Georgia killed him.
Robert turned up dead.
Mason was cheating with his and Erin’s marriage therapist (not Georgia). Erin pushed the therapist into the road in front of Mason’s speeding car, and they both died.
The Ending:
Danny was Brooke’s brother. She was the one orchestrating the hits on abused women, Danny just carried out Brooke’s plans. Georgia and Erin find out it was Brooke, but somehow forgive her and they remain friends.
The Review:
This book is Hunting Wives meets Woman in Cabin 10 meets Desperate Housewives. It’s a quick, fun escape, and I didn’t guess the twist at the end although I realize now that it was staring me in the face! I love books about rich people behaving badly, and this one was no exception. There’s just something about catty, backstabbing women that I love to read, which is why I picked this one up.
Oddly, though, these women seem to actually be genuine friends! They’re still absurd (I honestly wanted more HOA drama, I live for that stuff), but not in the way I was expecting.
The ending turns out a bit wild and over-the-top, but with the right amount of suspension of belief it’s enjoyable. This book is the definition of a popcorn read, a quick one that’s perfect for a day at the beach.
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