Review

Score: 3.5/5 Bookmarks

I read The New Husband by D.J. Palmer as part of a buddy read, and it was really fun to be able to discuss the book with a whole bunch of my closest Bookstagram friends. This will be a super short review because I don’t want to say too much and give any of the story away.

This was a quick read that gets nice and twisty near the end. I felt it was paced fairly well and I binged it in one sitting. Nina Garrett is a single mother of two (due to some pretty crazy circumstances) and when a new man enters her life and seems absolutely perfect she doesn’t question it too much…until things start happening that she just can’t ignore or reason away anymore.

Do be warned that this book is full of emotional spousal abuse along with some other truly heinous acts.

You can grab a copy by clicking the button below.

Synopsis:

What makes Simon Fitch so perfect?

-He knows all her favorite foods, music, and movies.
-Her son adores him. He was there when she needed him most.
-He anticipates her every need.
-He would never betray her like her first husband.

The perfect husband. He checks all the boxes.

The question is, why?

Nina Garrity learned the hard way that her missing husband, Glen, had been leading a double life with another woman. But with Glen gone―presumably drowned while fishing on his boat―she couldn't confront him about the affair or find closure to the life he blew apart.

Now, a year and a half later, Nina has found love again and hopes she can put her shattered world back together. Simon, a widower still grieving the death of his first wife, thinks he has found his dream girl in Nina, and his charm and affections help break through to a heart hardened by betrayal. Nina's teenage son, Connor, embraces Simon as the father he wishes his dad could have been, while her friends see a different side to him, and they aren't afraid to use the word obsession.

Nina works hard to bridge the divide that’s come between her daughter and Simon. She wants so badly to believe her life is finally getting back on track, but she’ll soon discover that the greatest danger to herself and her children are the lies people tell themselves. 

The New Husband Book Club Discussion Questions

Spoiler alerts, don’t read any further unless you’ve finished the book!

• Did this book hook you immediately, or take some time to get into?

• As Nina changed throughout the story did your opinion of her change?

• Did you think Maggie’s falling out with her friends was integral to the story?

• What did you think of Maggie’s new friend Ben?

• With Nina being a trained social worker do you think she should have been able to pick up on the signs of emotional abuse quicker than she did?

• Could Glen have tried harder to trip Simon up through the information he provided?

• What do you think Nina and Glen’s relationship will be like after going through all of this?

• Have you read D.J. Palmer’s other book Saving Meghan?