Genre: Psychological thriller, suspense

Synopsis: Sophie O'Neill left behind an envy-inspiring career and the stressful, competitive life of big-city Chicago to settle down with her husband and young son in a small Texas town. It seems like the perfect life with a beautiful home in an idyllic rural community. But Sophie soon realizes that life is now too quiet, and she's feeling bored and restless.

Then she meets Margot Banks, an alluring socialite who is part of an elite clique secretly known as the Hunting Wives. Sophie finds herself completely drawn to Margot and swept into her mysterious world of late-night target practice and dangerous partying. As Sophie's curiosity gives way to full-blown obsession, she slips farther away from the safety of her family and deeper into this nest of vipers.

When the body of a teenage girl is discovered in the woods where the Hunting Wives meet, Sophie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and her life spiraling out of control.

Content/Trigger Warnings: Alcohol and drug usage, animal violence/death, body shaming, bullying, death, eating disorder, loss of a loved one, infidelity, pedophilic relationships, stalking and obsession

Ugh. The Hunting Wives was an actual nightmare. I already have a strong dislike for books that primarily focus on infidelity or use that as a main plot point, and this book was definitely that. But to add insult to injury, the author decided to go ahead and throw in 30-something’s cheating on their spouses with high schoolers. I mean, I get that there may be a legal “age of consent” but that doesn’t make adults sleeping with 17-year olds any less icky. Throw in some compulsive lying and stalker obsession, and boy oh boy, do we have ourselves a DUH-RAMA!

But seriously, everything about this book was unappealing and unlikeable. Were there some twists and turns I didn’t see coming? Sure, but probably because I was so weirded out by literally everything else that was happening in this book. It was entertaining in the absolute worst way, and used almost every soap trope except the coma and surprise twin scenario.

I never thought I’d say this, but I really feel for the poor husbands in this book. They sure got the shit end of the stick. At least the ending was mildly satisfying.