Liv ConstantineBesprekingen

It's A Wonderful Life!
Review of the Amazon Original Stories Kindle eBook (March 19, 2024), released simultaneously with the Audible Original audiobook.

My lede is a bit lame, but the memory of the old time Jimmy Stewart / Christmas redemption movie from 1946 was what struck me as I started writing this review. Jade is a bit of a sad sack who has decided to end her life in New York City after having one final meal at a restaurant where she always went with her father to celebrate her birthday until he died in a car accident 10 years earlier. Jade blames herself for his death and her life has spiraled downwards ever since. But then she sees her father outside the restaurant!

A series of pretty fantastic and elaborate coincidences and convenient revelations then follow which lead to a final twist. None of it is very realistic but it did keep me reading to find out how it all turns out. Most of my satisfaction was actually from a karma payback subplot which I won't spoil 🤐.

Everywhere You Look is one of six Amazon Original Stories Kindle eBooks/Audible Audio audiobooks released on March 19, 2024 as part of the Never Tell Collection of short stories which are promoted with the collective description:

"How well do you know people? How well do they know you? Six award-winning, bestselling authors of suspense explore the lingering threat of secrets and the inescapable fear that they can’t stay buried forever. No matter how dark the hiding place, the consequences of revealing the truth can bring out the worst in lovers, friends, family, and strangers."

Trivia and Links
Liv Constantine is the pen name of sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine. Their best known full-length novel is The Last Mrs. Parrish (2017) for which there is now a sequel The Next Mrs. Parrish (expected publication June 18, 2024).

You can watch for current and past Amazon Original Stories which are usually paired with their Audible Original narrations at an Amazon page here (link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).

Absolutely unputdownable domestic thriller!

When Amber Patterson sets her mind to something, nothing gets in her way. She, a nobody from Nebraska, has plans. When she finds and stalks the beautiful and uber wealthy Daphne Parrish, Amber is determined to become part of her world. Daphne has the perfect life -- super gorgeous rich husband, Jackson, and two lovely daughters. They live in a mansion in Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, and they are the ultimate power couple. Amber's envy and ambition are undaunted, and she will do anything to get what she deserves.

This was so deliciously good that I could not stop reading and listening to the audiobook at the same time. The pacing was perfect as the plot unfolded. The twists were surprising as the revelations came fast and flawlessly timed. I fell right into it and enjoyed every minute. Very well drawn multidimensional characters and their behavior evoked all the reactions. The narration was well done and a pleasant listening experience. I highly recommend this in either the audio and/or e-book formats.

Best of all, a sequel is in the works and I can't wait!½

This is my first time reading the amazing writer duo, Liv Constantine. I love that sisters Lynne and Valerie Constantine have become a writing team, producing suspenseful stories. The Last Time I Saw You took me on an interesting, who dunnit adventure with Kate and her childhood best friend, Blaire. Kate is a surgeon, from a wealthy family with a husband and young daughter.

Kate and Blaire have been estranged friends for several years. Kate’s mom, Lily, is murdered and she reaches out for Blaire to come to her side. Once Blaire arrives, there are tensions among Kate’s current inner circle. Blaire is determined to find out who killed Lily. It appears the killer is close to Kate, which increases the level of suspense and fear. There’s a lot of secrets and suspicious behavior that keeps the momentum building.

There are a couple of personal annoyances I experienced with the story. One is Kate’s pretentious lifestyle. It later made sense and had a purpose as the story concluded. Second, as Kate is on the brink of losing her sanity, she literally freaks out every time something unexpected occurs. I understand the stress she is under and the trauma she is experiencing. There are a few times, her reaction is too impulsive and over-the-top.

I seldom intentionally try to solve the mystery when reading, and try to just sit back and enjoy the ride. I also think it’s human nature to be thinking through the possibilities and questioning every character. The Last Time I Saw You is one of those books that automatically put my brain into solving mode. I didn’t trust any of the characters and felt suspicious towards just about everyone. By the conclusion, I was right and wrong! And I loved it! There were unexpected layers and satisfying twists.

I borrowed the audiobook from my local library with the Hoopla app. I enjoyed the narration by Julia Whelan.

Since posting on social media that I was reading this book, I’ve received recommendations and encouragement to read more books by these authors. I certainly intend to listen to my book tribespeople. 🤓

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog

OMG usually do not like books that have story lines like this but loved this book did not want to put this down. There are twists and turns You love characters and hate them at the same time. I was so very much stuck in this book page after page. You will love this so very much.

I can't remember if I have ever thought about giving 5 stars but this one was just INSANE!!! I had never read anything by this dynamic duo and so many times, I had to shut the book because of being so shocked &/or surprised by what had just happened!! Nooooo that didn't just happen Nooooo!! it was nuts! I lost so much sleep because of just one more chapter but didn't want it to end. What a great way to write books - with your sister! And to collaborate - the brain storming, must be so much fun and really made for a thrilling novel. When a book makes you feel strongly about a character or 2, 3 etc, the author(s) have done their job and done that job really, really well! Now i have to go read all their other books! :)½

I didn't guess it but also didn't love it. Solid for the genre

Yes it's yet another "Lives of the Rich and Famous but they are actually so screwed up" book but it's well done and I was listening at 1.6x speed at the end to see how it panned out!
I place it as better than [b:The Couple Next Door|28815474|The Couple Next Door|Shari Lapena|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471502242s/28815474.jpg|48284103] but not quite as good as [b:Big Little Lies|19486412|Big Little Lies|Liane Moriarty|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492239430s/19486412.jpg|27570886]

Ok, nobody was overly endearing

I am really disappointed. This book was recommended to me by friends and I had fairly high expectations. But I generally don’t finish books if they don’t grab me in the first 20 minutes, and this book did not. It probably didn’t help that the narrator sounded flat and robotic.

Audiobook borrowed from my public library.

4.5 stars - I figured out pretty early on, in Part 1, what was really going on and where the plot was headed. I usually don't like predictable books, but I do love a good revenge story.

The story about social ladder climbing Senator Whit Montgomery, and how he plotted to kill his wives (first and second) and best friend in order to achieve the goals is quite chilling. I am glad that someone put a stop to that, but I kept thinking on how many people actually get away with the crimes.

I had a hard time getting into this...all I could think in the beginning was if she wanted to know who she was, why didn't do DNA or go to the police? I thought she wasn't going to be able to make the amnesia theme work in today's world, seemed like a 40's thing. But it did work, mostly. The character change towards the end in the twists was a little unbelievable. I did become interested and involved and finished it quickly.

How far would you go to make all your dreams come true?

Amber has come to the town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut with the express purpose of seducing Jackson Parrish, an obscenely rich man. Amber’s first order of business is to get into the good graces of his wife Daphne, pretending to be her friend. Once she accomplishes this, she thinks it will be short shrift to Jackson’s bed and then becoming his wife. Amber has worked out her plan of action from A to Z and the first part of the book is told from her point of view. But WHY is she doing this – why does she wants Mrs Parrish’s life and why will she go to any lengths to get it?

There are hints from the beginning of the book that Amber has had problems in the past and is running away from something. Could her efforts to destroy a marriage and make herself the new reigning Mrs. Parrish be as easy as it seems?

Daphne and Jackson Parrish have it all. Jackson is a successful business man making millions and showers his wife Daphne and their two daughters with everything and anything they could want. Jackson and Daphne appear to be very much in love. Daphne is beautiful and kind, welcoming Amber into her friendship circle easily and has everything, including Jackson that Amber wants and believes she is entitled too. She has always dreamed of living the pampered life of an elite, upper class New York society wife, Daphne’s life, and she will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

The first half of the book is told from the perspective of Amber who manipulation and lying are second nature to her. She was evil, calculating and is not a character that you will like, but knowing Amber’s true thoughts of envy and ambitions is really interesting and unsettling at times.

The second part of the book is told from Daphne Parrish’s point of view, seen through her eyes it gives you things from a completely different perspective. It quickly becomes apparent that her “golden” life is anything but, and that she is living a nightmare with her abusive husband. Once we hear Daphne’s side of story she is not naive and clueless as she seemed!

Although I had guessed the twisted plot early on it did not take away any of my satisfaction watching it play out. The manipulation and planning from both women is excellent and the final twist in the book was a brilliant comeuppance for the vile Amber and Jackson.

If you enjoyed Hand That Rocks The Cradle and Single White Female then you will love this book! This will give Gone Girl a run for its money!

The Last Mrs. Parrish will be out on the 17th of October 17 in the UK

Rounded up. Not quite 5 stars but super fun read.

A con artist has her sights set on the handsome rich Mr Parrish. The only problem, he is already married. Bad people behaving badly and money can buy anything.

The blurb copy for this book includes words like "mesmerizing" and "shocking." Unfortunately, I was neither mesmerized nor shocked. The first half of the book reads like an adult version of "Mean girls." One girl manipulates another girl to engineer her own agenda. In this case, sociopath with a "dark past" Amber worms her way into the life of innocent model wife Daphne Parrish, with an eye to grabbing her rich husband and by default her rich life. The middle section of the book reads like a Jackie Collins novel, with innocent model wife's life revealed to be not so perfect, but in fact a horror show, with the poor woman under the thumb of a controlling, emotionally manipulative...sociopath of a husband. The final section details the unravelling of the story. Will the innocent model wife get out from under her vicious husband? Will the sociopaths live happily ever after, manipulating each other into oblivion? I was sort of hoping for a "9 to 5" style ending, where the two women figure out what an asshole this man, the object of both of their desires, actually is, and kidnap and hogtie him until they can take over his business and therefore his life. But, and I spoil nothing by saying, my wish was not granted. The ending was satisfying, but not in any way mesmerizing or shocking. And as for this being a psychological thriller, I never once wanted to put the book down and hide under the covers, or go watch episodes of Big Bang Theory or Friends to cleanse my emotional palate. My psyche was not thrilled, but I will give it 3 stars because I was mildly curious to see if I was right about who prevailed in the end.

I need to pay attention to where I get these recommendations, because this is the second book I've gone into pretty blind and then hated. This is basically The Wife Between Us, but somehow more unlikeable characters?? I think this could have redeemed itself if the two women teamed up and killed the dude and then went their separate ways. *Sigh*

3.5 Stars, raised to 4.

Love this dynamic sister team, but other than the beautiful cover, the book itself was not as I expected or hoped for. Well written, the story line can hold your attention, although a little underwhelming and predictable.

A Washington philanthropist and her senator husband have a perfect loving marriage, until tragedy strikes, takes a strange twist and is never the same. The story is fairly straight forward and fairly predictable except for the somewhat surprising twist. Not as much political drama as in The Widow, by Kaira Rouda, which kept popping into my head. An enjoyable enough vacation book.

Thanks to Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.½

Happily married, running a foundation, but suffering with Lupus is where we meet Sloane Chase.

Sloane and Robert were a power couple...she rich from birth and he a Senator.

Both were wonderful people, but tragedy struck and Robert and Robert's cousin, Peg, were killed in a horrible accident.

That left Sloane and Whit - they had been friends, but it turned into love.

Sloane and Whit had married and seemed happy until her Lupus flared up and she needed hip surgery.

In comes Athena the caregiver with an agenda of her own.

With her care Sloane becomes more ill, and Sloane become suspicious.

Athena had a plan before she even started, but we don't know what the plan is at first.

We follow all the characters as more tragic things happen, and it all seems to center around the arrival of Athena.

THE SENATOR'S WIFE was a bit slow at first, but as the tension and suspicions mount, you won’t be able to put the book down.

Another great read with twists you won’t see coming and that will have you asking yourself - who can you trust? 5/5

THE SENATOR'S WIFE was a bit slow at first, but as the tension and suspicions mount, you won’t be able to put the book down.

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

You will love this book if you enjoy multiple unreliable POVs and timelines!

Addison has had amnesia for two years yet she has made some good friends and is about to wed her love, who comes from a wealthy family.

Blythe, her future mother in law, is not keen on the marriage because who is the real Addison?

Julienne, who has a 7 year old daughter, has lost his wife Cassandra and promises his daughter that her Mom will come back one day. While Dr. Julienne was attending a work conference he notices Addison and is sure that it is his long lost love Cassandra.

Addison/Cassandra takes what he says at face value because he shows her pictures of her and him and their child.

Well that’s only the beginning of the story. I read this book in a day and was gripped with the smart changing of storylines that kept me guessing until the very end what was truly going to happen!

Smart writing and a great plot line, authors Liv Constantine blow me away again in what I now think is my favorite book by them.

WOW! This book definitely had one of the biggest twist that I did not see coming! Told from 2 POVS, Piper and Joanna, they are both in love with Leo. Initially, I couldn’t stand the book because the information provided was completely false! I was annoyed and angry at this book, but y’all when I say the ending was everything. I mean it was everything. All the falseness was then realized that it should have given me a clue about the twist! Yea, this book got me good!

Thanks for the gifted copy to Liv Constantine and Suzyapprovedbooktours!!

A mega twist that I completely missed, oh they got me good! Yes!

Sloane’s husband has been shot and killed by his own cousin. She struggles to overcome this tragedy. She eventually falls in love and marries her husband’s best friend, Senator Whit Montgomery. All is well until Sloane has to have hip surgery. Sloane starts to deteriorate or is there something else at play?!?!

Sloane is in a mess. She is hallucinating…or is she? This surgery has flared up her lupus, or has it? These are all the questions floating through the reader’s mind. Talk about twisting and turning!

This is a rock solid thriller/suspense read. However, I did figure it all out but it was still a wild ride! This story moves like lightning! And I loved Sloane. She does not go down easy and she takes no prisoners!

Need a good twisted tale of power and greed…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

After the death of their two spouses, close friends, Sloane Chase and Senator Whit Montgomery, have found consolation and love with each other. Athena is hired to help Sloane Chase recover from a major surgery. Instead of getting better, Chase seems to be deteriorating at a rapid pace.

I love a good psychological thriller, probably my favorite genre. The Senator's Wife felt more like domestic drama with a dash of soap opera storyline. I did finish the book as it kept my attention enough to see how it all unfolded. It was a bit predictable, but a few twists in there I didn't see coming. The middle section of the book got a little bogged down in the day to day recovery sections. Overall, it's a good book, an enjoyable way to escape the world.

The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine is a highly recommended psychological thriller. Set disbelief aside and this one is a rollicking good time.

After their spouses are killed two tears earlier, D.C. philanthropist Sloane Chase and Senator Whit Montgomery are marrying and moving on. The only drawback is that Sloane's Lupus has had a flare up and she need to have a hip replacement. They hire a home health aide, Athena Karras, to assist Sloane in recovery and running her foundation. The only question that clearly arises is whether Athena is helping Sloane or harming her.

Chapters are told through the point-of-view of Sloane, Whit, and Athena. It needs to be said again that you need to set disbelief aside. Just roll with the plot and the actions of the characters in order to enjoy the narrative. Both Whit and Athena will clearly be suspect in Sloane's delayed recovery. The plot is a slow-burner, and full of outlandish developments, but it still moves quickly in the same way that a soap opera moves along, holding your attention. There is nothing hidden to uncover or carefully pay attention to here, but there is a whole lot of scheming and subterfuge going on. Careful readers will know exactly where this one is going, but those looking for escapism and thrills will enjoy it. The final twist is epic and fans will be elated.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/05/the-senators-wife.html