The Wife Before

by Shanora Williams

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

he Wife Before is my first time reading author, Shanora Williams. This book came on my radar from the Black History Month prompt in the Kindle challenge. I have read romance books written by black authors, but never a thriller-and as the characters featured were persons of colour, my interest was further piqued. Narrated by Tracy Conyer Lee, The Wife Before delivered an addictive thriller which readers of the genre will enjoy. 

The Wife Before introduces Samira, an irresponsible adult, who always shirks her responsibilities and can never keep a job. Her brother enables her irresponsible behaviour. However, when her brother’s fiancée became pregnant, he had no choice but to cut the financial string, forcing her to seek employment. Her search led her to a temporary waitressing gig at a fancy event for the rich and famous. While working the event, she met Roland Graham, a wealthy professional golfer, and the man who would become her husband. 

The chemistry between Samira and Roland sizzled, leading to a whirlwind romance. Samira feels she has found the man of her dreams, but she’s not aware that her dream man has a dubious past. His first wife died under mysterious circumstances and he was the number one suspect. However, insufficient evidence made an arrest impossible. Samira finds herself in the position of competing with the ghost of her husband’s ex-wife while trying to prove her husband’s innocence.

I had a great time with The Wife Before. It held me captive from the first page. The story piqued my curiosity, and I eagerly turned the pages, needing to know if Roland was a murderer or if there was another sinister plot in the making. There were so many theories floating in my head, but none came close to what actually transpired. Wow! Talk about twists, The Wife Before had it in spades.

The story was narrated from the POV of Samira and through the journal of the Roland’s ex-wife. The reading of the journals provided insight into her personality. Let me tell you, she was not a nice person. The deeper Samira went into the journal, the more secrets came to light. In the beginning Samira grated on my nerves with her down care attitude. However, as the story unfolds she showed determination and strength. 

Overall, an entertaining and addictive read

 The narration was absolutely perfect. This is my first time listening to Tracy Conyer Lee and wouldn’t hesitate to listen to her again. Her performance was solid, and the characters were delivered well.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading