Title: Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
A bride’s dream honeymoon becomes a nightmare when a man with whom she’s had a regrettable one-night stand shows up in this electrifying psychological thriller from the acclaimed author of Eight Perfect Murders.
Abigail Baskin never thought she’d fall in love with a millionaire. Then she met Bruce Lamb. He’s a good guy, stable, level-headed, kind—a refreshing twist from her previous relationships.
But right before the wedding, Abigail has a drunken one-night stand on her bachelorette weekend. She puts the incident—and the sexy guy who wouldn’t give her his real name—out of her mind, and now believes she wants to be with Bruce for the rest of her life.
Then the mysterious stranger suddenly appears—and Abigail’s future life and happiness are turned upside down. He insists that their passionate night was the beginning of something much, much more. Something special. Something real—and he’s tracked her down to prove it.
Does she tell Bruce and ruin their idyllic honeymoon—and possibly their marriage? Or should she handle this psychopathic stalker on her own? To make the situation worse, strange things begin to happen. She sees a terrified woman in the night shadows, and no one at the resort seems to believe anything is amiss… including her perfect new husband.
Review:
Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson is an atmospheric psychological thriller.
Abigail Baskin grows up in a small town where she helps her parents run their summer theater productions. After college, she moves to New York where she works for a small publishing company. A chance meeting with Bruce Lamb leads to a proposal and their wedding is fast approaching. During her bachelorette party, Abigail makes a drunken mistake with a handsome stranger. She keeps her guilty secret to herself and goes through with her nuptials. Heading off into the unknown for their honeymoon, Abigail is at first delighted with their honeymoon destination on a small island off the coast of Maine. But their romantic getaway soon turns sinister as Abigail wonders if she really knows the man she has married.
Abigail has a few doubts about the upcoming wedding but after returning from her bachelorette party, her misgivings vanish. She is rattled when her one-night stand shows up in New York, but she believes she has the situation under control. However, Abigail is shaken when she thinks she sees him after her wedding reception. Putting him out her mind, Abigail is stunned when he “coincidentally” shows up on the island where she and Bruce are honeymooning. What does he want from her? And can Abigail keep Bruce from uncovering the truth about what happened at her bachelorette party?
Abigail and Bruce are enjoying their honeymoon, but she cannot help but notice something is a little, well, off, on the island. There is an inordinate number of staff who attentively attend to the guests every need. Abigail is also uncomfortably aware she and another honeymooner, Jill, are the only women on the island aside from a female staff member. After Jill confides in her about her situation, Abigail’s uneasiness increases. But she is not truly frightened until an unexpected disappearance reveals the shocking truth about the island and her husband.
Every Vow You Break is a riveting thriller that takes unanticipated chilling turn. The characters are not exactly likable, but it is easy to root for Abigail as she fights to save herself from a terrifying situation. The island provides an idyllic yet ominous backdrop for a honeymoon that rapidly deteriorates. With an absolutely jaw-dropping plot twist, Peter Swanson brings this suspense-laden thriller to an edge of the seat conclusion. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this brilliant thriller to fans of the genre.
