Author: Sandie Jones
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 2018
Genre: Thriller / Suspense / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: A deliciously disturbing, compulsively readable debut domestic suspense—prepare to meet The Other Woman: there’s nothing she won’t do to keep you away from her son...
Emily thinks Adam's perfect; the man she thought she'd never meet. But lurking in the shadows is a rival; a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves.
Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.
The Other Woman is an addictive, fast-paced psychological thriller about the destructive relationship between Emily, her boyfriend Adam, and his manipulative mother Pammie.
My Thoughts: Sandie Jones delivers a nail-biter of an intense thriller with this book. Emily and Adam meet and fall in love and begin making plans to build a life together. Emily believes life with Adam is perfect except for Adam’s mother, Pammie. On the surface, Pammie comes across as a loving mother who would do anything for her children, but underneath the smiles and words, Emily believes Pammie is manipulative and is out to destroy her relationship with Adam, determined to break them up.
The great thing about this book is how realistic it is. So many women can relate to this scenario. Meeting the man of your dreams only to discover his mother is a hateful witch can really put a damper on things, ultimately can destroy the relationship if Mr. Wonderful is put in a position of having to choose his mother or his love. For some women, no woman will ever be good enough for their son and they will pull out all the stops to do what they have to do to ensure their son sees that.
This was a fast paced story and I could not put this story down. I fluctuated between pity and animosity for Pammie. She initially comes across as weak and helpless, using a multitude of excuses to summon Adam to her side and Adam seems unable to see that and is more than willing to drop what he is doing and immediately rush to her beck and call. Of course, Emily can see it very clearly and though she initially accommodates Pammie and tries to be empathetic, it soon wears thin as she sees a side of Pammie Adam does not.
I repeatedly asked myself why Emily would stay in this relationship and why she would want to be committed to a man who does not appear to have a spine and who is unwilling to rectify the situation. The heart wants what the heart wants and most women in this situation hold on, hoping things will change, get better. In Emily’s case, things do not get better and Emily finds herself backed against the wall with some major decisions to make.
I thought the characters were very realistic and well-developed but still surprised me. Every time I thought I had Pammie figured out, she says or does something that left me scratching my head, trying to understand what she is up to. I liked Emily though she seems very naive through most of the book; she is a lot stronger than she lets on. I liked Adam in the beginning but I got frustrated that he appeared to enjoy the conflict between Emily and his mother.
There are some major and very exciting twists in this story that I did not see coming and was not expecting at all. It ripped the rug right out from under me but kept me engaged in the story. The climactic ending brings closure and a lot of jaw-dropping shock and surprise.
My Final Verdict: This book was an “ear-read” for me from Audible and listening to it added to the suspense. Readers who prefer listening to their books will enjoy this story. I highly recommend it to all readers looking for a story that will shock and surprise them, in print or in audio.
