Be careful what you wish for. Mother’s voice rings in my ears as I stand perfectly still in the darkness, fearing that each breath I take will be my last. I’m crouched down in the closet with blood on my hands, my legs and back aching to move, even an inch. But I can’t. One twitch, one cramp, and I’ll bang into a shelf and give myself away.
When Stefan Zeigler swept me off my feet four months ago, I had to fight the voice in my head telling me that my new boyfriend was too good to be true: handsome, wealthy enough to own a home in the Hamptons . . . and totally into me.
Or was that Lucy’s voice, my gal pal attorney friend who doesn’t need a man to live large? Or my mom’s voice, warning me of controlling prenups and the dangerous secrets of the superrich?
I’d always dreamed of a better life, and working my way there wasn’t going so well for me, with my pile of student loan debt, a rent-controlled apartment in Manhattan I could barely afford, and a stable but low-paying PR job.
Is it so bad that I dared to believe in a fairy tale ending, even after I found out about his felon brother? Or his nefarious business associate? Or the fact that his last girlfriend looked a lot like me—and seems to have vanished into thin air?
But now I see that fairy tales have a dark underbelly beneath the glitter, just like my life right now. I’m Erin. I got what I wished for. I’m a rich guy’s wife now. And it just might be the death of me.
This is my 3rd read from Bonnie Traymore, and the title and cool cover caught my attention. I was also intrigued by the audiobook narrator, Rachel Perry, who’s a former MuchMusic VJ and whose work I’ve enjoyed before. Every book I’ve read from Traymore so far has been a very different story, all having complex female leads. This story has rich people behaving badly, infidelity, suspicious deaths, hidden identities, and buried secrets. The writing is straightforward and easy to follow, which makes this the perfect audiobook to listen to while multitasking.
The story is told through dual first-person POVs of Erin Donovan and Madison Bradford, two very different women whose lives become tangled by the men they’re involved with. It begins with a dramatic prologue with Erin crouched inside a closet, hiding from the danger outside, declaring that being a rich guy’s wife might be the death of her. From there, we jump back four months earlier, when Erin and her friend Lucy head to a club looking for men. There Erin meets Stefan Zeigler, a handsome German-American businessman who sweeps her off her feet but maintains an air of mystery around what he does for a living.
The story really gets going once Erin starts spending time at Stefan’s Hamptons mansion and meets his half-brother Tanner and Madison. Without giving anything else away, the POVs toggle back and forth, and there’s a slow reveal of both women’s past secrets and reasons for being involved with the men in their lives. Lucy, Erin’s attorney friend, digs into Stefan’s background, adding another layer of mystery. I also really liked the way Erin’s mother becomes important to the story as she has firsthand experience with the wealthy elite.
The chapters are short and punchy with lots of dramatic dialogue. Both Erin and Madison’s inner monologues are also entertaining in a popcorn-thriller way. With the book just under 300 pages and 7 hours on audio, it’s easy to fly through and can easily be finished in a day. The small cast and good pacing throughout also help make it binge-worthy.
Some of the major twists are predictable, especially once certain pieces of information fall into place, but I thought the story was more unpredictable towards the end. There are some over-the-top plot points, especially during the climax, and you’ll need to suspend your disbelief. My only minor complaint was that not everything added up for me when it came to the characters’ decision-making and the timing of certain events in the final scenes. That said, the story kept my attention, and the ending delivers some satisfying karmic justice.
Overall, this may not be my favorite of the author’s so far, but it’s a good option for a casual weekend read, vacation read, or something entertaining to listen to during a commute. I think it works equally well in physical format or on audio. My only audio-specific complaint was that I wish the narrator, Rachel Perry, had given Erin and Madison more distinguishable voices. There were a few occasions where it took me a moment to realize which POV I was listening to. Aside from that, it’s a very enjoyable and engaging listen. Bonnie Traymore has a good backlist of titles, and I look forward to reading more of them!
Narrator Performance
The Rich Guy’s Wife is narrated by seasoned narrator and former MuchMusic VJ Rachel Perry.
Right from the opening prologue, Perry had my attention. Erin’s crouched inside a closet, terrified with bloody carnage outside, and Perry gives her a frightened, tense voice. Then the story jumps back four months, and Perry shifts Erin’s tone to sound much calmer as she’s at a club with her best friend Lucy, looking for a man. You can hear how eager and excited she is about finding a new relationship, particularly with a wealthy man.
I especially liked how Perry conveyed the chemistry between Erin and Stefan. There’s an immediate attraction between them, and Perry conveys Erin’s intrigue with the mysterious, wealthy Stefan while still emphasizing the uncertainty in her thoughts. Once Erin’s friend Lucy starts investigating Stefan’s background and feeds Erin information, you can hear the doubt entering Erin’s mind. Her desire for the relationship makes her overlook obvious red flags, and I found her a bit frustrating and gullible. But Perry made those traits entertaining, as you can hear how badly Erin wants the fairy tale romance to be real.
One of my favorite parts of Perry’s performance was the evolving relationship between Erin and Madison Bradford. Their early interactions sound guarded, suspicious, and snarky. Perry’s delivery makes it’s obvious that neither woman trusts the other. But as the story progresses and dramatic circumstances force them to rely on each other, you can hear their relationship change. There’s more warmth and trust in their exchanges, particularly after Erin is rushed to the hospital and Madison is with her. The shift in their relationship felt believable, and Perry doesn’t suddenly make them sound like best friends.
Perry also does a good job with the male characters. I enjoyed her portrayal of Tanner, who comes across asgullible and in over his head. She gives Stefan a convincing German accent and a more serious, authoritative voice that sounds more condescending as his carefully controlled exterior starts to crack.
My only complaint with the performance was that I wish Perry had given Erin and Madison more distinct voices. Because the book switches between their first-person POVs so frequently, there were several occasions when I was momentarily unsure which woman was speaking.
The climactic scenes were a highlight. Once Erin and Madison find themselves in a dangerous situation, Perry brings more urgency and tension to the narration, and I found it difficult to stop listening. I also liked the change in Erin’s voice in the final chapter. You can hear a sense of relief in her voice and the sense that she’s ready to move forward and put all of the craziness behind her.
If you’re considering reading The Rich Guy’s Wife, the audiobook is a good option. At under 7 hours, it’s another very binge-worthy listen from Bonnie Traymore and a great choice for a casual weekend listen, vacation read, or commute.
Narrator Performance
The Rich Guy’s Wife is narrated by seasoned narrator and former MuchMusic VJ Rachel Perry.
Right from the opening prologue, Perry had my attention. Erin’s crouched inside a closet, terrified with bloody carnage outside, and Perry gives her a frightened, tense voice. Then the story jumps back four months, and Perry shifts Erin’s tone to sound much calmer as she’s at a club with her best friend Lucy, looking for a man. You can hear how eager and excited she is about finding a new relationship, particularly with a wealthy man.
I especially liked how Perry conveyed the chemistry between Erin and Stefan. There’s an immediate attraction between them, and Perry conveys Erin’s intrigue with the mysterious, wealthy Stefan while still emphasizing the uncertainty in her thoughts. Once Erin’s friend Lucy starts investigating Stefan’s background and feeds Erin information, you can hear the doubt entering Erin’s mind. Her desire for the relationship makes her overlook obvious red flags, and I found her a bit frustrating and gullible. But Perry made those traits entertaining, as you can hear how badly Erin wants the fairy tale romance to be real.
One of my favorite parts of Perry’s performance was the evolving relationship between Erin and Madison Bradford. Their early interactions sound guarded, suspicious, and snarky. Perry’s delivery makes it’s obvious that neither woman trusts the other. But as the story progresses and dramatic circumstances force them to rely on each other, you can hear their relationship change. There’s more warmth and trust in their exchanges, particularly after Erin is rushed to the hospital and Madison is with her. The shift in their relationship felt believable, and Perry doesn’t suddenly make them sound like best friends.
Perry also does a good job with the male characters. I enjoyed her portrayal of Tanner, who comes across asgullible and in over his head. She gives Stefan a convincing German accent and a more serious, authoritative voice that sounds more condescending as his carefully controlled exterior starts to crack.
My only complaint with the performance was that I wish Perry had given Erin and Madison more distinct voices. Because the book switches between their first-person POVs so frequently, there were several occasions when I was momentarily unsure which woman was speaking.
The climactic scenes were a highlight. Once Erin and Madison find themselves in a dangerous situation, Perry brings more urgency and tension to the narration, and I found it difficult to stop listening. I also liked the change in Erin’s voice in the final chapter. You can hear a sense of relief in her voice and the sense that she’s ready to move forward and put all of the craziness behind her.
If you’re considering reading The Rich Guy’s Wife, the audiobook is a good option. At under 7 hours, it’s another very binge-worthy listen from Bonnie Traymore and a great choice for a casual weekend listen, vacation read, or commute.
The Rich Guy’s Wife is narrated by seasoned narrator and former MuchMusic VJ Rachel Perry.
Right from the opening prologue, Perry had my attention. Erin’s crouched inside a closet, terrified with bloody carnage outside, and Perry gives her a frightened, tense voice. Then the story jumps back four months, and Perry shifts Erin’s tone to sound much calmer as she’s at a club with her best friend Lucy, looking for a man. You can hear how eager and excited she is about finding a new relationship, particularly with a wealthy man.
I especially liked how Perry conveyed the chemistry between Erin and Stefan. There’s an immediate attraction between them, and Perry conveys Erin’s intrigue with the mysterious, wealthy Stefan while still emphasizing the uncertainty in her thoughts. Once Erin’s friend Lucy starts investigating Stefan’s background and feeds Erin information, you can hear the doubt entering Erin’s mind. Her desire for the relationship makes her overlook obvious red flags, and I found her a bit frustrating and gullible. But Perry made those traits entertaining, as you can hear how badly Erin wants the fairy tale romance to be real.
One of my favorite parts of Perry’s performance was the evolving relationship between Erin and Madison Bradford. Their early interactions sound guarded, suspicious, and snarky. Perry’s delivery makes it’s obvious that neither woman trusts the other. But as the story progresses and dramatic circumstances force them to rely on each other, you can hear their relationship change. There’s more warmth and trust in their exchanges, particularly after Erin is rushed to the hospital and Madison is with her. The shift in their relationship felt believable, and Perry doesn’t suddenly make them sound like best friends.
Perry also does a good job with the male characters. I enjoyed her portrayal of Tanner, who comes across asgullible and in over his head. She gives Stefan a convincing German accent and a more serious, authoritative voice that sounds more condescending as his carefully controlled exterior starts to crack.
My only complaint with the performance was that I wish Perry had given Erin and Madison more distinct voices. Because the book switches between their first-person POVs so frequently, there were several occasions when I was momentarily unsure which woman was speaking.
The climactic scenes were a highlight. Once Erin and Madison find themselves in a dangerous situation, Perry brings more urgency and tension to the narration, and I found it difficult to stop listening. I also liked the change in Erin’s voice in the final chapter. You can hear a sense of relief in her voice and the sense that she’s ready to move forward and put all of the craziness behind her.
If you’re considering reading The Rich Guy’s Wife, the audiobook is a good option. At under 7 hours, it’s another very binge-worthy listen from Bonnie Traymore and a great choice for a casual weekend listen, vacation read, or commute.
