The Life She Wants by J. M. Hewitt

You want to save your marriage. She wants to destroy it.

Paula worries that her marriage to Tommy is hanging by a thread. She loves how safe her husband makes her feel, but lately, it seems like he’s pulling away from her, and he keeps avoiding a much-needed conversation about finally having children.

When Tommy suggests a cruise getaway for the two of them, Paula is thrilled. He’s fighting for this marriage, and he’s even promised that they will talk about growing their family. It’s Paula’s dream come true. Until the couple meets beautiful Anna.

From the moment Anna appears in their lives, things start to go wrong for Paula. She finds herself trapped in a sauna. Her hair is destroyed at the salon. Money goes missing from her cabin. At first, Paula thinks she’s paranoid in suspecting Anna is turning her dream holiday into a nightmare. But soon, it becomes clear that Paula may not be the only woman fighting for Tommy’s affections. 

How far will Anna go to get what she wants? What lines will Paula cross to protect her marriage? And whose dark past will return to destroy them first?

The Life She Wants is a suspenseful psychological thriller with a twist. Perfect for fans of Catherine Ryan Howard, Ruth Ware, and Lisa Jewell.

My Thoughts

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Paula and Tommy’s marriage is struggling as they seem unable to see eye to eye on several important issues and Tommy begins pulling away from Paula on a more emotional level too. When he suggests they go on a cruise together Paula is overjoyed as it shows her that he wants to save their marriage just as much as she does.

Whilst on the cruise they begin to open up to one another about what they want – and need – from their marriage, one of which is Paula’s desire to start a family which, until now, Tommy showed very little interest in. When he agrees to them exploring the possibility of starting a family, Paula feels as though her marriage is going to survive after all.

Then they meet Anna. She is a beautiful woman who sets her sights on Tommy from the moment they meet, and she is determined to get what she wants. When things begin going wrong for Paula – for example, finding herself locked in the sauna, and watching as Anna openly flirts with her husband, Paula begins to get suspicious of this woman who has sauntered into their lives, but the real question is – how far is Anna willing to go to get The Life She Wants.

This book was fast paced and thrilling from the start. My heart went out to Paula from the beginning of this book as she tried to salvage her failing relationship, as despite their differences, she loves Tommy dearly. She is given that glimmer of hope when Tommy appears willing to fight for them too, but unfortunately her initial happiness is incredibly short lived. I found Tommy infuriating at times as he seemed completely oblivious to what was happening right in front of him, and how easily he dismissed Paula’s growing concerns. Anna was one of those characters you dislike immediately, which is what I would expect really!. She was deceitful and charming, a deadly combination.

The storyline was intense and chilling, with each passing chapter ramping up the tension until you are on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. The characters are well developed and have complex personalities that provide us with some fascinating dialogue throughout. This was a truly wonderful read that I would definitely recommend to others.

You can purchase a copy of this book by following the links below

Ebook – https://geni.us/TLSWebook
Paperback – https://geni.us/TLSWpaperback

About the Author

*Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources, Canelo books and J. M. Hewitt for providing me with a gifted copy of this book in return for my honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own and not influenced in any way.*