“I have the life I’ve always dreamed of… but how long will it be until the past catches up with me?”

Lorna Dounaeva’s creative twists and tight pacing showcase her examination of the difference between ‘perfect’ and ‘ideal.’

Natalie and Hayden Peel have only been married for a year when they’re given the opportunity for a different life. Natalie is tired of working as a barista for an unappreciative boss at the Riverside Cafe. When she buys a lottery ticket she imagines the ideal life. Little did she know that “no matter what happened next, both their lives were about to change forever.”

We’re all programmed to seek an ideal life - some of us even get close - but rarely does our ideal version hit the bar we’ve set for ourselves. A perfect life, on the other hand, is attainable. Or is it?

When Natalie discovers that she’s won £12.5M, she plans on living a transparent life; “no more secrets, no more deceptions.” Unfortunately, what she decides to do with the paper ticket is just the first in a few secrets that she decides to keep from her husband. Will one of them be her undoing?

The uncomfortable and awkward vibes were fantastically portrayed. As a reader, I was shifting in my seat! Equally wonderful were the feelings of mistrust. It’s amazing how big it will grow when the seed is given the right conditions!

I loved the theme of family and greed as much as the opportunity to question if perfect and ideal are different notions. I concluded that not only are they different, but that winning the lottery is not something I have on my wishlist!

I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.2024-reads netgalley psychological-thriller33 s7 comments Tonya556 111

Wow! My head is spinning from all the twists throughout this psychological thriller! Secrets, infidelity, and millions of dollars prove to be a lethal combination. Be careful what you wish for. If things appear to be too good to be true, they probably are. Deception is deadly and betrayal is dangerous. Imogen Church’s narration masterfully brings this shocking story to life while adding a layer of suspense and intrigue. Entertaining and addictive! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for my audiobook.netgalley26 s1 comment SabiReads617 71

The Wife's Mistake
by Lorna Dounaeva

I’ve binge read Lorna’s book at the end of last year, so I was excited for this one to pop up on NetGalley.

The beginning was confusing to be honest. It took me a while to get into the story. I was not sure where this was going to.
We follow Natalie, who is unhappy with her job as a barista, winning the lottery. Just when she wants to tell her husband, she sees a text from another woman. Is he cheating on her?!
When they finally cash in their win, strange things are starting to happen. Will Natalie’s past catch up with her?

Natalie struggles with cashing in her winnings and confronting Hayden. I started to get really frustrated, at 25 % this was not going anywhere. I found myself bored and disliking the characters. I fear that it did not get better for me. I had to force myself to go on. Everyone was just so bland and predictable.
Towards the end it got better , but all of the time I felt I was reading two different stories. I am afraid this was a miss for me, unfortunately.

Publication: 19 Feb 2024 by Bookouture

Arc received courtesy of Netgalley and Bookouture. I was under no obligation to share a review, all opinions are my own.18 s2 comments Heathers_reads397 38

The wife’s mistake follows our FMC Natalie, happily married and forging her way through life despite the fact she hates her job at the coffee shop where she is mistreated and unappreciated.

When she discovers she has a winning lottery ticket she is so excited for her life to be changed for the better, until she suspects her husband of having an affair.

Because of this she refuses to claim her winnings, which kicks in my anxiety levels because I couldn’t for the life of me keep something so valuable laying around and not claim it into my bank account immediately
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