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The Hunting Wives
The Hunting Wives share more than target practice, martinis, and bad behavior in this novel of obsession, seduction, and murder.
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.
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.
356 pages, Hardcover
First published May 18, 2021
About the author
May Cobb
5 books792 followersMay Cobb earned her MA in literature from San Francisco State University, and her essays and interviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the Rumpus, Texas Highways, and Austin Monthly. Her previous novels are My Summer Darlings, The Hunting Wives and Big Woods. A Texas native, she lives in Austin with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,497 reviews
April 10, 2021
This book was a page turner, but I hated every character so much. If you want to read a book about a bunch of horrible people getting wasted, cheating on their spouses, and driving while intoxicated, this book is for you. Also, I should mention that this book had 40 year old women sleeping with high school boys with no conversation about why it was wrong.
March 17, 2022
Woaahh! I’m blushing, hyperventilating, chanting for those black wives ( they didn’t kill their husbands yet to be exonerated as black widows but I can see their smoky dark soul at each chapter! ) !
This is ballistic, explosive, scandalous, extremely naughty, mind blowing and entertaining! I’m warning you guys, get ready to collect your jaws which will be dropped,keep your eyes safe which will be popped out and keep your mouth shut which will stay open in awe at several times during your reading!
This is ultra entertaining mash up of middle aged version of Heathers, Big Little Lies, Desperate Housewives!
Our anti-heroine who we will love to punch , shake some sense into her is Sophie O’Neill married with adorable, too good to be true, angelic husband Graham (you wish he can grab his 10 years old Jack, running away without looking back after reading naughty adventures of his dearest wife! Oh Sophie, you don’t deserve this charming guy, you bitch! ): she leaves her glorious, ultra busy career in Chicago to move a small town in Texas with her architect husband who gets a big promotion ( did I mention this guy is too angelic to be doormat before? Okay, I repeat again! He’s too good for her and I wish I matchmake him with other books’ sweeter heroines! )
She starts gardening, jogging in the woods, sharing nature and family photos on Instagram, writing her lifestyle blog, meeting with her high school friend Erin for drinks! She’s so happy with her full filled new life! Nope, I lied: she is bored to death and her self sabotaging tendencies to destroy her marriage which she inherited from her dysfunctional relationship with her mother drag her into new obsession: Margot Banks: alluring, rich socialite of the town!
She’s voluntarily drawn to her inner circle: a group of mischievous wives who love target practicing, martinis, gossiping! They called themselves: Hunting Wives: instead of tracking innocent animals like royalty members did in Crown series, they hunt for fresh male species!!( I chose “ Jenny’s got a gun” from Aerosmith for the background music. )
Now visualize those cutthroat bitches who drinks like a sponge, flirting notoriously with guys, interacting with under aged boys! Did you get the picture clearly?
In normal condition a descent heroine should say goodbye to those vicious Cruella De Vil-s ! Did Sophie cut the connect with them as soon as she witnessed how they cheat on their husband, living outrageously because of boredom of small town life? No, absolutely not. She tried harder to become a part of their delusion and guess what: a young teenager found death: one of them could be cold blooded killer!
News fresh dear Sophie: you’re under the murder investigation and your sweet life filled with your self absorbed lies can be cracked into million pieces! You should have run when you had a chance!
I’m going back and forth between four and five stars! This book is so provocative and I hope David E. Kelly- Susan Bier to read the book and turn into blazing series instead of dealing with Big Little Lies third season ( with few years younger ensemble casting )
I am so sure as soon as releasing of the book: so many people will talk about it! Some people find it outrageously provocative and criticize the characters to ruin the sacredness of marriage! But in my opinion: this book is so brave, so riveting and so smart. I love to hate each of Hunting Wives! They were not only flawed but self absorbed, irritating, capricious, mean, cruel! But I didn’t expect to love them! I wanted to see how the karma will work to give them what they deserve! I focus on my fun, turning the pages and enjoying the WTH ending truly!
Because of the author’s audacity to create a provocative story about dysfunctional marriages, wealthy notorious wives’ dramas I’m rounding up my 4.5 stars to 5!
I had so much fun and I need to see this book’s adaptation on TV!
Special thanks to May Cobb to give so much fun with her brilliant mind!
So many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
This is ballistic, explosive, scandalous, extremely naughty, mind blowing and entertaining! I’m warning you guys, get ready to collect your jaws which will be dropped,keep your eyes safe which will be popped out and keep your mouth shut which will stay open in awe at several times during your reading!
This is ultra entertaining mash up of middle aged version of Heathers, Big Little Lies, Desperate Housewives!
Our anti-heroine who we will love to punch , shake some sense into her is Sophie O’Neill married with adorable, too good to be true, angelic husband Graham (you wish he can grab his 10 years old Jack, running away without looking back after reading naughty adventures of his dearest wife! Oh Sophie, you don’t deserve this charming guy, you bitch! ): she leaves her glorious, ultra busy career in Chicago to move a small town in Texas with her architect husband who gets a big promotion ( did I mention this guy is too angelic to be doormat before? Okay, I repeat again! He’s too good for her and I wish I matchmake him with other books’ sweeter heroines! )
She starts gardening, jogging in the woods, sharing nature and family photos on Instagram, writing her lifestyle blog, meeting with her high school friend Erin for drinks! She’s so happy with her full filled new life! Nope, I lied: she is bored to death and her self sabotaging tendencies to destroy her marriage which she inherited from her dysfunctional relationship with her mother drag her into new obsession: Margot Banks: alluring, rich socialite of the town!
She’s voluntarily drawn to her inner circle: a group of mischievous wives who love target practicing, martinis, gossiping! They called themselves: Hunting Wives: instead of tracking innocent animals like royalty members did in Crown series, they hunt for fresh male species!!( I chose “ Jenny’s got a gun” from Aerosmith for the background music. )
Now visualize those cutthroat bitches who drinks like a sponge, flirting notoriously with guys, interacting with under aged boys! Did you get the picture clearly?
In normal condition a descent heroine should say goodbye to those vicious Cruella De Vil-s ! Did Sophie cut the connect with them as soon as she witnessed how they cheat on their husband, living outrageously because of boredom of small town life? No, absolutely not. She tried harder to become a part of their delusion and guess what: a young teenager found death: one of them could be cold blooded killer!
News fresh dear Sophie: you’re under the murder investigation and your sweet life filled with your self absorbed lies can be cracked into million pieces! You should have run when you had a chance!
I’m going back and forth between four and five stars! This book is so provocative and I hope David E. Kelly- Susan Bier to read the book and turn into blazing series instead of dealing with Big Little Lies third season ( with few years younger ensemble casting )
I am so sure as soon as releasing of the book: so many people will talk about it! Some people find it outrageously provocative and criticize the characters to ruin the sacredness of marriage! But in my opinion: this book is so brave, so riveting and so smart. I love to hate each of Hunting Wives! They were not only flawed but self absorbed, irritating, capricious, mean, cruel! But I didn’t expect to love them! I wanted to see how the karma will work to give them what they deserve! I focus on my fun, turning the pages and enjoying the WTH ending truly!
Because of the author’s audacity to create a provocative story about dysfunctional marriages, wealthy notorious wives’ dramas I’m rounding up my 4.5 stars to 5!
I had so much fun and I need to see this book’s adaptation on TV!
Special thanks to May Cobb to give so much fun with her brilliant mind!
So many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
June 9, 2023
Bring out the hose because this book is STEAMY! Who-eeeee!
This is the tale of a group of socialites who gather occasionally to drink mass amounts of alcohol and behave badly while calling themselves The Hunting Wives. Sophie who recently relocated to Texas is the newest addition to The Hunting Wives. However, the body of a teenage girl is found on the land where the Hunting Wives gather. Whodunnit?
This was a quick read, and the writing was very easy to read and not awkward. The chapters are short so you never dwell too long on one particular thought (pretty fast paced). Of course, the author, Mary Cobb, gives a shout-out to her bestie, Riley Sager, so if you are a big fan of Riley Sager like me you will probably love this book. As mentioned earlier, when I said this book is steamy that would be the understatement of the century. There was so much steam that this probably isn’t the book I would give out to my co-workers at the Christmas party.
I really enjoyed this book; however, I was not a fan of the ending. If you want to know what I didn’t like about the ending DM me directly and I will be happy to share with you my thoughts. On the one hand, certain sections of the book seemed very realistic especially incorporating the bits about social media but on the other hand, it seemed so unlikely that a suspect would not call in for a lawyer or all of the occasions of drunk driving. Downing 5 glasses of wine and half a bottle of water isn’t good enough. Call an Uber! It’s 2021! There is no excuse for drunk driving.
Breaking News Alert! May Cobb has a new book coming out July 11, 2023 entitled A Likeable Woman. You bet I'll be reading that!
2023 Reading Schedule
Jan Alice in Wonderland
Feb Notes from a Small Island
Mar Cloud Atlas
Apr On the Road
May The Color Purple
Jun Bleak House
Jul Bridget Jones’s Diary
Aug Anna Karenina
Sep The Secret History
Oct Brave New World
Nov A Confederacy of Dunces
Dec The Count of Monte Cristo
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
This is the tale of a group of socialites who gather occasionally to drink mass amounts of alcohol and behave badly while calling themselves The Hunting Wives. Sophie who recently relocated to Texas is the newest addition to The Hunting Wives. However, the body of a teenage girl is found on the land where the Hunting Wives gather. Whodunnit?
This was a quick read, and the writing was very easy to read and not awkward. The chapters are short so you never dwell too long on one particular thought (pretty fast paced). Of course, the author, Mary Cobb, gives a shout-out to her bestie, Riley Sager, so if you are a big fan of Riley Sager like me you will probably love this book. As mentioned earlier, when I said this book is steamy that would be the understatement of the century. There was so much steam that this probably isn’t the book I would give out to my co-workers at the Christmas party.
I really enjoyed this book; however, I was not a fan of the ending. If you want to know what I didn’t like about the ending DM me directly and I will be happy to share with you my thoughts. On the one hand, certain sections of the book seemed very realistic especially incorporating the bits about social media but on the other hand, it seemed so unlikely that a suspect would not call in for a lawyer or all of the occasions of drunk driving. Downing 5 glasses of wine and half a bottle of water isn’t good enough. Call an Uber! It’s 2021! There is no excuse for drunk driving.
Breaking News Alert! May Cobb has a new book coming out July 11, 2023 entitled A Likeable Woman. You bet I'll be reading that!
2023 Reading Schedule
Jan Alice in Wonderland
Feb Notes from a Small Island
Mar Cloud Atlas
Apr On the Road
May The Color Purple
Jun Bleak House
Jul Bridget Jones’s Diary
Aug Anna Karenina
Sep The Secret History
Oct Brave New World
Nov A Confederacy of Dunces
Dec The Count of Monte Cristo
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
May 2, 2023
The Hunting Wives is a darkly provocative Domestic Thriller that kept me up way past my bedtime! 💙💄
Sophie O'Neill, a 30-something lifestyle blogger, has recently moved with her husband and young son from Chicago to a small Texas town.
A town overflowing with rich people and their drama.
Sophie actually lived in this town for a few years in high school. Her Mom moved them a lot and this was one of their many stops.
Fortunately, she still has a good friend from that time, Erin, so at least when she, her husband, Graham, and their son, Jack, arrive, they know someone.
Erin is involved in a lot of charity work, including glamourous fundraising events. It is at one of these events that Sophie meets the Queen Bee, Margot Banks.
While Sophie had been aware of Margot before, interacting with her in person is a whole new level.
When it seems Margot is interested in including Sophie in her clique, who secretly refer to themselves as the Hunting Wives, Sophie can hardly believe her luck.
Before she knows it, she's brushing off Erin, Graham and everything else, in order to hang out with Margot and the rest of the Hunting Wives. This includes spending a lot of time at Margot's lake house, skeet shooting and drinking.
While that may seem innocent enough, with these ladies, it is far from it.
Before she knows it, Sophie is in way over her head and at risk of losing absolutely everything she loves. The worst part is, she can't control herself. She is out of control and she knows it.
The Hunting Wives is risque, sexy, fast-paced, full of dangerous twists, booze and bad choices. In short, it's everything I love.
One of my favorites tropes is obsession, of any sort. I thought Cobb did a great job of creating these unhealthy relationships and really taking them all the way. She held nothing back.
I had so much fun with this story. I couldn't put it down once I got into it.
Every new, crazy situation the women got themselves into, took it up another risk level. By the end, my pulse was definitely pounding through some fairly intense scenes.
In short, this was a great time.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity. It was so much fun!
Sophie O'Neill, a 30-something lifestyle blogger, has recently moved with her husband and young son from Chicago to a small Texas town.
A town overflowing with rich people and their drama.
Sophie actually lived in this town for a few years in high school. Her Mom moved them a lot and this was one of their many stops.
Fortunately, she still has a good friend from that time, Erin, so at least when she, her husband, Graham, and their son, Jack, arrive, they know someone.
Erin is involved in a lot of charity work, including glamourous fundraising events. It is at one of these events that Sophie meets the Queen Bee, Margot Banks.
While Sophie had been aware of Margot before, interacting with her in person is a whole new level.
When it seems Margot is interested in including Sophie in her clique, who secretly refer to themselves as the Hunting Wives, Sophie can hardly believe her luck.
Before she knows it, she's brushing off Erin, Graham and everything else, in order to hang out with Margot and the rest of the Hunting Wives. This includes spending a lot of time at Margot's lake house, skeet shooting and drinking.
While that may seem innocent enough, with these ladies, it is far from it.
Before she knows it, Sophie is in way over her head and at risk of losing absolutely everything she loves. The worst part is, she can't control herself. She is out of control and she knows it.
The Hunting Wives is risque, sexy, fast-paced, full of dangerous twists, booze and bad choices. In short, it's everything I love.
One of my favorites tropes is obsession, of any sort. I thought Cobb did a great job of creating these unhealthy relationships and really taking them all the way. She held nothing back.
I had so much fun with this story. I couldn't put it down once I got into it.
Every new, crazy situation the women got themselves into, took it up another risk level. By the end, my pulse was definitely pounding through some fairly intense scenes.
In short, this was a great time.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity. It was so much fun!
April 12, 2021
I’m obsessed with this book. I love the small town summer lake suburban moms murder vibes. This reminded me so much of mean girls, but with characters in their thirties instead of high school. Margot Banks is a total Regina George type. And I love the fact that our main character Sophie is basically a stalker and kind of obsessed with Margot and very untrustworthy. The most fun I’ve had with a thriller in a while.
Here’s the reading vlog where I read this book: https://youtu.be/QByD-7NKM_8
Here’s the reading vlog where I read this book: https://youtu.be/QByD-7NKM_8
August 19, 2022
I’m a minority and I don’t give a rats @ss! These women were a bunch of twats!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
May 1, 2021
What the hell are all these reviews raving about?
The characters sucked. The storyline sucked - I mean, unless you're into the whole adult women having relations with underage boys thing (WHY is that even part of the plot?), which I'm sure some deranged people are.
The writing wasn't even as great as some people praise it to be - while I tend to go on about some books doing more telling than showing, this one showed, but EXCESSIVELY so. It almost seemed like I was reading a script, with all the details of the scene and background spelled out. The writing was the first thing to annoy me. The countless number of times someone "parked" something or themselves in a corner or by the table, or when inanimate items or body parts did something or felt something. Or, one of my favorites, when Sophie "dissolved back into the house."
I am really annoyed - at this book, and at myself for needing to finish it in order to write this review.
The characters sucked. The storyline sucked - I mean, unless you're into the whole adult women having relations with underage boys thing (WHY is that even part of the plot?), which I'm sure some deranged people are.
The writing wasn't even as great as some people praise it to be - while I tend to go on about some books doing more telling than showing, this one showed, but EXCESSIVELY so. It almost seemed like I was reading a script, with all the details of the scene and background spelled out. The writing was the first thing to annoy me. The countless number of times someone "parked" something or themselves in a corner or by the table, or when inanimate items or body parts did something or felt something. Or, one of my favorites, when Sophie "dissolved back into the house."
I am really annoyed - at this book, and at myself for needing to finish it in order to write this review.
February 21, 2021
The Hunting wives…. so what exactly are they hunting?🤷🏻♀️ Definitely not what I thought!😱
Sophie and Graham have moved to small town Texas from Chicago. A nice place to raise their son. Get out of the big city life and relax into a completely different lifestyle. Sophie grew up here, though she’s finding it very different than the town she left behind.
Sophie is instantly drawn to Margot the alpha female of the community. Sophie wants to be a part of Margot’s circle no matter the consequences.
So when Margot invites her to ladies night Sophie had no idea what she is in for. And let me say I had no idea either!🙈
Though a bit of mean girls mentality the characters and storyline were highly entertaining.
Their consumption of alcohol was over the top. Would rival any biker dude!😂. Personally I would be passed out in the corner with a fraction of what these women drank!🤦🏻♀️
This book is not what I expected, and I mean that in the best way. I was completely drawn in and anxious to see what would happen next. I will definitely reading more from this author!
A buddy read with Susanne!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC to read and review.
Sophie and Graham have moved to small town Texas from Chicago. A nice place to raise their son. Get out of the big city life and relax into a completely different lifestyle. Sophie grew up here, though she’s finding it very different than the town she left behind.
Sophie is instantly drawn to Margot the alpha female of the community. Sophie wants to be a part of Margot’s circle no matter the consequences.
So when Margot invites her to ladies night Sophie had no idea what she is in for. And let me say I had no idea either!🙈
Though a bit of mean girls mentality the characters and storyline were highly entertaining.
Their consumption of alcohol was over the top. Would rival any biker dude!😂. Personally I would be passed out in the corner with a fraction of what these women drank!🤦🏻♀️
This book is not what I expected, and I mean that in the best way. I was completely drawn in and anxious to see what would happen next. I will definitely reading more from this author!
A buddy read with Susanne!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC to read and review.
April 28, 2021
This book should be called Sophie's Choice: Making All the Wrong Ones. I have no problem with an unreliable or flawed narrator, but give me something to work with, my god.
August 19, 2021
I received an ARC of this book.
Nope. I did not enjoy this book at all. I kept trying, because the summary of the book sounded so interesting. But as I read, I kept thinking the main character Sophie would develop some kind of self-awareness and stop her destructive behavior. I have read plenty of books with characters who do questionable things, or who are just unlikeable. Yet, in a good book, these unlikeable characters have something about them that is relatable, or something that makes them compelling and gives them rooting value. Sophie had none of this. She very willingly left a successful career in Chicago to pursue a slower pace of life for her young family in East Texas. And yet she wasn't happy about it. She kept reiterating how isolated, restless, and unhappy she was, but then she would go on and on about how she would spend all morning meticulously weeding her vegetable garden and spend all afternoon creating intricate meals. And these activities were described **in incredible detail.** If she was so unhappy, why was she spending all her time doing things like planting basil to make homemade pesto and devoting herself to the very things she did not like? And when she became obsessed with Margot, Sophie became even more unsympathetic. She made incredibly stupid decision after incredibly stupid decision, completely disregarding her husband or young son. I did not like Sophie at all and found myself not caring what happened to her, because she was acting so stupidly. I would not recommend this book at all.
Nope. I did not enjoy this book at all. I kept trying, because the summary of the book sounded so interesting. But as I read, I kept thinking the main character Sophie would develop some kind of self-awareness and stop her destructive behavior. I have read plenty of books with characters who do questionable things, or who are just unlikeable. Yet, in a good book, these unlikeable characters have something about them that is relatable, or something that makes them compelling and gives them rooting value. Sophie had none of this. She very willingly left a successful career in Chicago to pursue a slower pace of life for her young family in East Texas. And yet she wasn't happy about it. She kept reiterating how isolated, restless, and unhappy she was, but then she would go on and on about how she would spend all morning meticulously weeding her vegetable garden and spend all afternoon creating intricate meals. And these activities were described **in incredible detail.** If she was so unhappy, why was she spending all her time doing things like planting basil to make homemade pesto and devoting herself to the very things she did not like? And when she became obsessed with Margot, Sophie became even more unsympathetic. She made incredibly stupid decision after incredibly stupid decision, completely disregarding her husband or young son. I did not like Sophie at all and found myself not caring what happened to her, because she was acting so stupidly. I would not recommend this book at all.
June 3, 2021
I had such fun with this one! This book scratched the itch that I’ve had since Desperate Housewives ended. I envisioned these ladies all living on Wisteria Lane.
Was it over-the-top? Yes. And I loved it.
Sophie, her husband Graham, and their young son have recently moved from Chicago to a small Texas town, to enjoy a quieter lifestyle. Sophie’s husband is perfect (seriously!), and she has a lifestyle blog that features gardening and food/recipes. But she’s bored and becomes completely enamored with the “in-crowd” of wealthy women. Before long she finds herself invited to be a part of their clique.
Be careful what you wish for. Sophie finds herself in the clutches of the Queen Bee, the completely amoral Margot. The Hunting Wives aren’t just in it for fun and games, they are in it to the death. As in a murder. And guess who the police have their eye on?
I loved that the author highlighted some of Sophie’s backstory which explained why she was vulnerable to the wily ways of the Hunting Wives, even if I did want to reach through the pages, slap her silly, and tell her to put the wine glass down!
I also appreciated that the wild and reckless lives of The Wives wasn’t glorified. (Also, be prepared for some uncomfortable scenes!) As foolish as Sophie was, I still found myself rooting for her with hopes she could escape their clutches and pull her life back together.
One of my favorite parts of the novels was Sophie’s gardening skills, since I have none (a moment of silence please for all the flowers/plants who have lost their lives in my care), and her prowess in the kitchen. I do enjoy cooking and trying new recipes so identified with this part of Sophie and it made her real and relatable. As did her sweet husband and adorable son.
This was a juicy romp that was completely FUN! The ending wasn't predictable, making it all that more satisfying. I could see this as a movie playing in my mind and I hope it’s optioned for film.
Was it over-the-top? Yes. And I loved it.
Sophie, her husband Graham, and their young son have recently moved from Chicago to a small Texas town, to enjoy a quieter lifestyle. Sophie’s husband is perfect (seriously!), and she has a lifestyle blog that features gardening and food/recipes. But she’s bored and becomes completely enamored with the “in-crowd” of wealthy women. Before long she finds herself invited to be a part of their clique.
Be careful what you wish for. Sophie finds herself in the clutches of the Queen Bee, the completely amoral Margot. The Hunting Wives aren’t just in it for fun and games, they are in it to the death. As in a murder. And guess who the police have their eye on?
I loved that the author highlighted some of Sophie’s backstory which explained why she was vulnerable to the wily ways of the Hunting Wives, even if I did want to reach through the pages, slap her silly, and tell her to put the wine glass down!
I also appreciated that the wild and reckless lives of The Wives wasn’t glorified. (Also, be prepared for some uncomfortable scenes!) As foolish as Sophie was, I still found myself rooting for her with hopes she could escape their clutches and pull her life back together.
One of my favorite parts of the novels was Sophie’s gardening skills, since I have none (a moment of silence please for all the flowers/plants who have lost their lives in my care), and her prowess in the kitchen. I do enjoy cooking and trying new recipes so identified with this part of Sophie and it made her real and relatable. As did her sweet husband and adorable son.
This was a juicy romp that was completely FUN! The ending wasn't predictable, making it all that more satisfying. I could see this as a movie playing in my mind and I hope it’s optioned for film.
May 18, 2021
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
* Alternate review to be published on mysteryandsuspense.com on 1/2/2021. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/au...
Ever hear that saying, Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?
I think that should apply to every member of the Hunting Wives, a group of “friends” who like to drink and shoot skeet every Friday evening. Skeet shooting is not the only thing these women like to hunt. They’re always on the prowl.
When Sophie, new to a small town in Texas, finds herself bored with small-town living, she’s eager to shake things up...and is immediately intrigued by Margot and her elite crew. They make up the Hunting Wives. Sophie is swept up into their clique, but soon finds that it’s not all fun and games. Soon, she’ll be right in the middle of a murder investigation...and she won’t know who to trust.
This is a juicy and wicked thriller that traps you in its lair from beginning to end. The characters aren’t very likable, and Sophie makes one bad decision after another. She exasperated me, and I wanted to scream at her to get a freakin’ grip! Yet, I couldn’t stop flying through the fast-paced story.
There are plenty of twists and revelations to keep things interesting. I’m looking forward to reading more from author May Cobb.
Thank you to Berkley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Expected Publication Date: 5/18/2021
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
* Alternate review to be published on mysteryandsuspense.com on 1/2/2021. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/au...
Ever hear that saying, Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?
I think that should apply to every member of the Hunting Wives, a group of “friends” who like to drink and shoot skeet every Friday evening. Skeet shooting is not the only thing these women like to hunt. They’re always on the prowl.
When Sophie, new to a small town in Texas, finds herself bored with small-town living, she’s eager to shake things up...and is immediately intrigued by Margot and her elite crew. They make up the Hunting Wives. Sophie is swept up into their clique, but soon finds that it’s not all fun and games. Soon, she’ll be right in the middle of a murder investigation...and she won’t know who to trust.
This is a juicy and wicked thriller that traps you in its lair from beginning to end. The characters aren’t very likable, and Sophie makes one bad decision after another. She exasperated me, and I wanted to scream at her to get a freakin’ grip! Yet, I couldn’t stop flying through the fast-paced story.
There are plenty of twists and revelations to keep things interesting. I’m looking forward to reading more from author May Cobb.
Thank you to Berkley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Expected Publication Date: 5/18/2021
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
January 29, 2021
So hard to rate. Actually kind of hated this story but well written and definitely different. 3.5 stars for now
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book kind of bothered me from the beginning. I really wanted to stop reading it. However, I honestly try to read every book because I know things change as you go through the story.
I never truly connected with the main character and when she started with some seriously questionable actions I wanted to close the book right then.
I know there is a lot of people that I follow that do not read books containing certain subject matter. I’m going to give a spoiler alert so if you want to check it out, click through to my site post below.
This story is about women behaving badly. It’s a mystery to a degree. I think for me it would have been more of an engaging read had the author spent a little bit more time with the who done it part. The ending to me was very rushed and I was so disappointed in the main character of what she did and lost. That really killed the book for me.
However, the author did a great job writing the story. It is definitely outside the box, totally unique, and I appreciate that about the story. It is wild and wanton, and even compulsive in a way. You just have to keep reading to see what else could possibly happen!
Personally, I failed to connect with a lot of the characters. I failed to follow the reason behind celebrating bad behavior and following the leader of the pack. Maybe I’m too old to get it.
Is this a story that I think others will absolutely enjoy? Yes. But for me it needed more of the thriller and mystery part which may have saved it for me. But I still don’t agree with many of the actions in the story. Just my personal take.
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-hunting-...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book kind of bothered me from the beginning. I really wanted to stop reading it. However, I honestly try to read every book because I know things change as you go through the story.
I never truly connected with the main character and when she started with some seriously questionable actions I wanted to close the book right then.
I know there is a lot of people that I follow that do not read books containing certain subject matter. I’m going to give a spoiler alert so if you want to check it out, click through to my site post below.
This story is about women behaving badly. It’s a mystery to a degree. I think for me it would have been more of an engaging read had the author spent a little bit more time with the who done it part. The ending to me was very rushed and I was so disappointed in the main character of what she did and lost. That really killed the book for me.
However, the author did a great job writing the story. It is definitely outside the box, totally unique, and I appreciate that about the story. It is wild and wanton, and even compulsive in a way. You just have to keep reading to see what else could possibly happen!
Personally, I failed to connect with a lot of the characters. I failed to follow the reason behind celebrating bad behavior and following the leader of the pack. Maybe I’m too old to get it.
Is this a story that I think others will absolutely enjoy? Yes. But for me it needed more of the thriller and mystery part which may have saved it for me. But I still don’t agree with many of the actions in the story. Just my personal take.
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-hunting-...
May 19, 2021
3.5 STARS
A new to me author, May Cobb, has written a fast paced and entertaining thriller. It was well written and reminded me of a mix of Desperate House Wives and Big Little Lies. Same type of self absorbed characters making bad choices( underage/inappropriate matchups) and hurting anyone in their path.
This little clique of ladies like to gossip, drink and shoot! Probably not a good situation. Could lead to murder and it does. I felt parts had a little of a satirical tone, but I hated most of characters and wanted to just shake some common sense into them. These women are crazy and not apologizing.
If you are looking for a read with some outrageous and naughty scenes, this would be a dicey, little read. The author's writing reminded me of Kaira Rouda or Robyn Harding (but just my personal opinion).
Thanks to Berkley and NG for my advanced copy! OUT May 18,2021
A new to me author, May Cobb, has written a fast paced and entertaining thriller. It was well written and reminded me of a mix of Desperate House Wives and Big Little Lies. Same type of self absorbed characters making bad choices( underage/inappropriate matchups) and hurting anyone in their path.
This little clique of ladies like to gossip, drink and shoot! Probably not a good situation. Could lead to murder and it does. I felt parts had a little of a satirical tone, but I hated most of characters and wanted to just shake some common sense into them. These women are crazy and not apologizing.
If you are looking for a read with some outrageous and naughty scenes, this would be a dicey, little read. The author's writing reminded me of Kaira Rouda or Robyn Harding (but just my personal opinion).
Thanks to Berkley and NG for my advanced copy! OUT May 18,2021
August 14, 2021
*4.5/5 The Hunting Wives delves into the world of a wealthy suburban community in the most riveting way, sure to have you at the edge of your seat. I love psychological thrillers more than life itself, and this was such a fun and surprisingly steamy book. In the first half of the story, nothing super crazy happens, but once the plot reaches the climax, the twists keep coming and don't stop. My heart was beating so fast, I was stressed out LOL. I had so many theories, and the major twist was something I didn't even think once about. The main character irritated me at times, because she continually makes poor choices, but I can relate to her obsessive and restless nature. Margot, on the other hand, fascinated and intrigued me all along, which I'm guessing was the author's intention. Genius. Definitely worth a read.
February 20, 2021
Review posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Salacious and Sinful! Just Color me Bashful! The premise of this was nothing like I expected it to be (and that my friends is a good thing!).
A small town in Texas has a lot more going on inside of it than meets the eye. Just ask new resident Sophie O’Neill. Upon meeting some new women in town Sophie gets invited to what she thinks is a Friday, girl’s night out.
Little does she know..
When “The Hunting Wives” get together, they have more than target practice on their minds!
Can I just say that when I started reading this novel, I was completely unprepared for how truly wicked it was going to be?!
Wild, crazy, titillating, mysterious, and shocking, “The Hunting Wives” is wicked good fun (even if it did have me blushing and covering my eyes from time to time). I went into this one completely blind, thus, I suggest all of you do the same as it will make your reading experience that much better.
A fun, fabulous buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley, and May Cobb for the arc.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Insta.
Salacious and Sinful! Just Color me Bashful! The premise of this was nothing like I expected it to be (and that my friends is a good thing!).
A small town in Texas has a lot more going on inside of it than meets the eye. Just ask new resident Sophie O’Neill. Upon meeting some new women in town Sophie gets invited to what she thinks is a Friday, girl’s night out.
Little does she know..
When “The Hunting Wives” get together, they have more than target practice on their minds!
Can I just say that when I started reading this novel, I was completely unprepared for how truly wicked it was going to be?!
Wild, crazy, titillating, mysterious, and shocking, “The Hunting Wives” is wicked good fun (even if it did have me blushing and covering my eyes from time to time). I went into this one completely blind, thus, I suggest all of you do the same as it will make your reading experience that much better.
A fun, fabulous buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley, and May Cobb for the arc.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Insta.
June 5, 2021
Wow! This book was off the chain crazy!! The characters are so vile that I honestly wanted to hate it...but I couldn't! It was just that good! It was so addictive!
First off...I was so worried that they were going to harm an animal..Silly me!! These girls are on quite a different hunt! Rich, bored housewives that are always up for a girls night out. This means lots of trouble for them, but a scandalous read that I couldn't put down.
I did have a feeling of nooooo...Sophie don't go in the abandoned building with the chainsaw murderer thought..thanks Geico commerical for that! However, Sophie simply told me over and over again to hush...and off she went to make more bad choices! How none of these "girls" didn't end up with a DUI is beyond me.
Of course things got even crazier when someone ends up dead..murdered..at their favorite party location!
This was such a twisted story..If you are up for that..well jump on this crazy train because it defiantly delivered for me! I can't wait to see what May Cobb turns out next!
Huge shoutout to myself for this gorgeous gifted copy that I bought myself from Book of the Month! Yayyy! Thank you self...you did good!
First off...I was so worried that they were going to harm an animal..Silly me!! These girls are on quite a different hunt! Rich, bored housewives that are always up for a girls night out. This means lots of trouble for them, but a scandalous read that I couldn't put down.
I did have a feeling of nooooo...Sophie don't go in the abandoned building with the chainsaw murderer thought..thanks Geico commerical for that! However, Sophie simply told me over and over again to hush...and off she went to make more bad choices! How none of these "girls" didn't end up with a DUI is beyond me.
Of course things got even crazier when someone ends up dead..murdered..at their favorite party location!
This was such a twisted story..If you are up for that..well jump on this crazy train because it defiantly delivered for me! I can't wait to see what May Cobb turns out next!
Huge shoutout to myself for this gorgeous gifted copy that I bought myself from Book of the Month! Yayyy! Thank you self...you did good!
May 28, 2021
Drama with a capital D for The Hunting Wives — A story about a group of suburban moms behaving badly, with lies, secrets, and obsession in full force.
Sophie left city life in Chicago to move back to her small hometown in Texas with her husband Graham and their young son. She wants what’s best for her family but grows somewhat bored in the quiet town, until she meets Margot Banks, an elite socialite and the queen bee in the group of local moms. Margot invites Sophie to join her and some of her friends in their secret standing Friday night plans. Sophie eagerly accepts and quickly realizes these women are involved in far more than drinking wine and trading gossip, leading her down a dangerous, rapid spiral of activities.
The Hunting Wives is a scandalous story brimming with bad decisions and deceit. Despite loathing all of the women, I couldn’t stop reading it.
Sophie left city life in Chicago to move back to her small hometown in Texas with her husband Graham and their young son. She wants what’s best for her family but grows somewhat bored in the quiet town, until she meets Margot Banks, an elite socialite and the queen bee in the group of local moms. Margot invites Sophie to join her and some of her friends in their secret standing Friday night plans. Sophie eagerly accepts and quickly realizes these women are involved in far more than drinking wine and trading gossip, leading her down a dangerous, rapid spiral of activities.
The Hunting Wives is a scandalous story brimming with bad decisions and deceit. Despite loathing all of the women, I couldn’t stop reading it.
July 20, 2021
The Hunting Wives is a fast paced, wickedly entertaining thriller. It reads like Desperate Housewives combined with Big Little Lies and a splash of Mean Girls. Obsession can be deadly especially mixed with peer pressure, desperation, and deception. Rich women behaving badly is an understatement. Get your guns up and get ready for this twisted tale. I will definitely never think of hunting the same way again. This is the perfect addictive summer read.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my ARC.
August 11, 2021
3.5 ⭐️ rounding up!
This was a fun one! Catty women and WAY too much alcohol consumption always makes an interesting read!
There were a lot of twists and turns that I appreciated and some things really unexpected! I did like that the author put very minor hints and details that I thought only I picked up on to throw the reader off the scent.
I’m not one who minds awful main characters so long as they don’t get a happy ending. I’m so horrible, I know… but Oh My Lanta! Sophie was the worst!! I kept thinking ‘what is wrong with her? Why does she keep making such terrible life choices?!’
Although the ending wasn’t the most predictable, I didn’t feel it gave me the wow factor I was looking for and to be quite honest, I didn’t think anything over the top really stuck out to me as very original.
All in all, fine enough book and fun as an easy summer thriller!
This was a fun one! Catty women and WAY too much alcohol consumption always makes an interesting read!
There were a lot of twists and turns that I appreciated and some things really unexpected! I did like that the author put very minor hints and details that I thought only I picked up on to throw the reader off the scent.
I’m not one who minds awful main characters so long as they don’t get a happy ending. I’m so horrible, I know… but Oh My Lanta! Sophie was the worst!! I kept thinking ‘what is wrong with her? Why does she keep making such terrible life choices?!’
Although the ending wasn’t the most predictable, I didn’t feel it gave me the wow factor I was looking for and to be quite honest, I didn’t think anything over the top really stuck out to me as very original.
All in all, fine enough book and fun as an easy summer thriller!
April 13, 2021
This book irritated me so much. Not only is there rampant infidelity, but the main character is just so...stupid. She has little personality outside of being a wannabe blogger, an alcoholic and obsessed with Margot Banks.
Side note: if I had to read about her drinking a latte one more time, I think I may have thrown the book across the room. What the fuck is with that?! Why is Sophie drinking lattes somehow so integral to the story that almost every new day starts with the description of her latte?
This author also really missed the mark from a fictional crime/investigative perspective. Sophie is repeatedly stupid enough to believe that the cops (with zero character development other than one of them being named “Wanda” - an odd point of contention for Sophie) like her and are on her side. She goes on to interfere with the investigation and make so many half baked accusations that I almost put the book down.
The storyline had a lot of potential, but it got caught between being a smutty novel on infidelity (with boys that are literal children - 18 may be the age of consent and when children become adults, but it was disgusting and difficult to read about 40 year old women sleeping with high schoolers. Children in high school are children. Period.) and it was also unfortunately a bit bi-phobic, despite the amount of same sex attraction that is discussed. 1 star.
Side note: if I had to read about her drinking a latte one more time, I think I may have thrown the book across the room. What the fuck is with that?! Why is Sophie drinking lattes somehow so integral to the story that almost every new day starts with the description of her latte?
This author also really missed the mark from a fictional crime/investigative perspective. Sophie is repeatedly stupid enough to believe that the cops (with zero character development other than one of them being named “Wanda” - an odd point of contention for Sophie) like her and are on her side. She goes on to interfere with the investigation and make so many half baked accusations that I almost put the book down.
The storyline had a lot of potential, but it got caught between being a smutty novel on infidelity (with boys that are literal children - 18 may be the age of consent and when children become adults, but it was disgusting and difficult to read about 40 year old women sleeping with high schoolers. Children in high school are children. Period.) and it was also unfortunately a bit bi-phobic, despite the amount of same sex attraction that is discussed. 1 star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2022
4+
'I put a spell on you' .. is certainly true of the effect wealthy Margot Banks has on Sophie O'Neill who becomes fixated and obsessed with Margot. They meet at a party where Sophie is introduced to The Hunting Wives, a secret shooting club ( and a whole bunch else) where they blow off steam. Although Sophie is very happy with her lovely husband Graham and edibly cute son Jack, why isn't that enough? This is definitely a case of be careful what you wish for and one thing is for certain Sophie should have looked before she leaps so eagerly into this nest of vipers. She gets way more excitement than she bargains for. Interested? Then sit back and 'watch' the highly entertaining train wreck.
Bitchery, witchery and flattery. Flirty, dirty (blushes!), teasy and extreme jealousy. Sassy women or crazy cauldron stirrers? This is a tale of ruthlessness and tortured relationships, a sordid saga of madness where a red light means danger. It's chilling, shameless, shameful, a whole heap of lies with guilt as its bedfellow, it starts as fun but lines are well and truly crossed. Margot and her crew are truly dreadful, selfish and self centred harpies and totally unlikeable and you want to scream at the top of your lungs at Sophie to get out of Dodge before the self destruct button implodes her life. The author portrays these characters so well that you can visualise them easily along all their appalling antics, I'll bet she had great fun creating them! I like the way the novel is written, it's well plotted and fast paced and delicious reading even if what unfolds is a ghastly nightmare with weird overtones from time to time. Sophie drives you mad as she keeps walking blindly into trouble, getting herself into deeper and deeper doo-doo. Th ending is tense, dark, exciting and yes, I definitely didn't see that coming! This would make such a good movie or mini series - count me in!
If you like mayhem, madness, menace, manipulation, machinations and murder, if you like a plot that is gloriously OTT then this is for you!
Ps. The alcohol!!! They drink enough to sink a battleship, how to they even stay upright never mind conscious???!!!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
'I put a spell on you' .. is certainly true of the effect wealthy Margot Banks has on Sophie O'Neill who becomes fixated and obsessed with Margot. They meet at a party where Sophie is introduced to The Hunting Wives, a secret shooting club ( and a whole bunch else) where they blow off steam. Although Sophie is very happy with her lovely husband Graham and edibly cute son Jack, why isn't that enough? This is definitely a case of be careful what you wish for and one thing is for certain Sophie should have looked before she leaps so eagerly into this nest of vipers. She gets way more excitement than she bargains for. Interested? Then sit back and 'watch' the highly entertaining train wreck.
Bitchery, witchery and flattery. Flirty, dirty (blushes!), teasy and extreme jealousy. Sassy women or crazy cauldron stirrers? This is a tale of ruthlessness and tortured relationships, a sordid saga of madness where a red light means danger. It's chilling, shameless, shameful, a whole heap of lies with guilt as its bedfellow, it starts as fun but lines are well and truly crossed. Margot and her crew are truly dreadful, selfish and self centred harpies and totally unlikeable and you want to scream at the top of your lungs at Sophie to get out of Dodge before the self destruct button implodes her life. The author portrays these characters so well that you can visualise them easily along all their appalling antics, I'll bet she had great fun creating them! I like the way the novel is written, it's well plotted and fast paced and delicious reading even if what unfolds is a ghastly nightmare with weird overtones from time to time. Sophie drives you mad as she keeps walking blindly into trouble, getting herself into deeper and deeper doo-doo. Th ending is tense, dark, exciting and yes, I definitely didn't see that coming! This would make such a good movie or mini series - count me in!
If you like mayhem, madness, menace, manipulation, machinations and murder, if you like a plot that is gloriously OTT then this is for you!
Ps. The alcohol!!! They drink enough to sink a battleship, how to they even stay upright never mind conscious???!!!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
January 14, 2022
The Hunting Wives is like an episode of Desperate Housewives with a sinister twist. It’s a story about a group of rich, suburban housewives living recklessly, with lies, wines, and guns.
Sophie 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. 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.
The Hunting Wives has an original plot with some new and exciting twists that keep the readers hooked. The book starts a bit slow but picks up quickly and is an exciting read for the majority of the book. The writing and pacing of this book were great. As for the mystery part, there were quite a few suspects and the reveal, in the end, was really unexpected and nicely done.
This book is promoted as a thriller but is more of a drama with some mystery elements towards the end. Most of the characters in the book are unlikable, especially the main character Sophie. Sophie keeps doing destructive things and making one bad decision after another and it was really frustrating to read. It was hard to have any sympathy for her bcoz of her selfishness and stupidity throughout the book. The story really gathers pace after the halfway point leading to an interesting climax - The ending itself was anticlimactic with how everything got resolved so quickly but nonetheless, it tied all loose ends.
Overall, this was an interesting read. A good mystery with a unique setting and with a good and satisfying ending with many twists and surprises. If you love a drama with a hint of suspense, you will enjoy this book.
Many thanks to the publisher Penguin Random House and Edelweiss for the ARC.
May 18, 2021
Float for this book's berfday today. I dug it, maybe you will too?????
What if this . . . .
Had a little bit of this . . . .
And then about halfway through this got added in to the mix . . . .
Well??????
The story here is about Sophie. She used to be some sort of big muckity muck in the fashion magazine biz up in Chicago, but after she and her husband had their son they decided to slow it down and move to Texas. Sophie has plans of becoming some sort of blogger, but is pretty okay for the time being with just being a great mom. She does have a serious case of FOMO, however, and when she gets invited to hang out with Margot’s clique of fabulous women she is all in. And then she finds out just exactly what type of hunting the ladies like to dabble in on Friday nights and there’s also that unfortunate incident involving a dead body.
Okay, so know before going in that this is completely over the top and Sophie is a total nincompoop who will have you wanting to chuck the book across the room because she’s so fucking dense. If you are like me, you might be able to just go with it and have a super fun time because . . . .
I love trash.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
What if this . . . .
Had a little bit of this . . . .
And then about halfway through this got added in to the mix . . . .
Well??????
The story here is about Sophie. She used to be some sort of big muckity muck in the fashion magazine biz up in Chicago, but after she and her husband had their son they decided to slow it down and move to Texas. Sophie has plans of becoming some sort of blogger, but is pretty okay for the time being with just being a great mom. She does have a serious case of FOMO, however, and when she gets invited to hang out with Margot’s clique of fabulous women she is all in. And then she finds out just exactly what type of hunting the ladies like to dabble in on Friday nights and there’s also that unfortunate incident involving a dead body.
Okay, so know before going in that this is completely over the top and Sophie is a total nincompoop who will have you wanting to chuck the book across the room because she’s so fucking dense. If you are like me, you might be able to just go with it and have a super fun time because . . . .
I love trash.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
April 9, 2021
I’m wondering if people actually drink this much in real life as they do in this book?? 1 star for getting published and 1 star because of how impressive the main character’s bladder is.
April 8, 2021
This was my April BOTM, and it did not disappoint! I have to start off by saying that I adore this cover, and it's a perfect fit with the plot - double bonus! Not to mention, it's a naughty, spicy little read that kept me guessing until the last page.
I was hooked from page one. Sophie O’Neill and her husband Graham leave behind their stressful lives in Chicago to raise their young son in a small Texas town that Sophie had lived in previously when she was in high school. Now that Sophie is a stay-at-home mom, she wants the stability of raising her son in a tight-knit community; however, she finds herself with a bit too much time on her hands and a bit bored with with her solid relationship and stable home. Enter Margot Banks - town queen bee and object of Sophie's incessant Facebook stalking. When the chance to meet Margot presents itself, Sophie drops everything to do so, and is instantly enamored with Margot's beauty and carefree spirit. Margot seems drawn to Sophie as well, and soon Sophie is invited into the elite clique known as "the Hunting Wives" and finds herself caught up in hazy nights of skeet shooting, heavy drinking, and bar hopping where the other women scope out men to toy with. Sophie's husband isn't crazy about her new group of friends, and even Sophie herself realizes that these women and their activities are a bit more than she bargained for, but she can't pull herself away from Margot; and every time she begins to pull away from the group, Margot seems to sense it and immediately draws her back in. The fun and games are quickly over though when a body is discovered in the same woods where the Hunting Wives shoot, and Sophie is not only pulled into the murder investigation, but finds herself the prime suspect.
From the minute Sophie meets Margot, it was like a train wreck that I couldn’t tear myself away from. Sophie was a hella hot mess, and honestly made one absolute disastrous decision after another. So much so, that at times, it made me think she deserved the downward spiral her life took; but at other times, I couldn't help but still root for her, and I couldn't wait to find out what awful choice she would make next - although the amount of alcohol consumed by Sophie in this book could fill a BevMo liquor store. I couldn't help but think of the F. Scott Fitzgerald saying, "First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you." (Hopefully Sophie found her way to an AA meeting after this debacle!). There were a few instances that bordered on the ridiculous side, but the plot was so original and the premise so unforgettable, I could excuse much of the foray into the unrealistic. I had several guesses about the "whodunnit" and none of them were right, so that was a huge plus as well.
Overall, a delectably wicked read that ended up being more than just a great cover! 4 Desperate-Housewives-meets-Mean-Girls stars!
I was hooked from page one. Sophie O’Neill and her husband Graham leave behind their stressful lives in Chicago to raise their young son in a small Texas town that Sophie had lived in previously when she was in high school. Now that Sophie is a stay-at-home mom, she wants the stability of raising her son in a tight-knit community; however, she finds herself with a bit too much time on her hands and a bit bored with with her solid relationship and stable home. Enter Margot Banks - town queen bee and object of Sophie's incessant Facebook stalking. When the chance to meet Margot presents itself, Sophie drops everything to do so, and is instantly enamored with Margot's beauty and carefree spirit. Margot seems drawn to Sophie as well, and soon Sophie is invited into the elite clique known as "the Hunting Wives" and finds herself caught up in hazy nights of skeet shooting, heavy drinking, and bar hopping where the other women scope out men to toy with. Sophie's husband isn't crazy about her new group of friends, and even Sophie herself realizes that these women and their activities are a bit more than she bargained for, but she can't pull herself away from Margot; and every time she begins to pull away from the group, Margot seems to sense it and immediately draws her back in. The fun and games are quickly over though when a body is discovered in the same woods where the Hunting Wives shoot, and Sophie is not only pulled into the murder investigation, but finds herself the prime suspect.
From the minute Sophie meets Margot, it was like a train wreck that I couldn’t tear myself away from. Sophie was a hella hot mess, and honestly made one absolute disastrous decision after another. So much so, that at times, it made me think she deserved the downward spiral her life took; but at other times, I couldn't help but still root for her, and I couldn't wait to find out what awful choice she would make next - although the amount of alcohol consumed by Sophie in this book could fill a BevMo liquor store. I couldn't help but think of the F. Scott Fitzgerald saying, "First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you." (Hopefully Sophie found her way to an AA meeting after this debacle!). There were a few instances that bordered on the ridiculous side, but the plot was so original and the premise so unforgettable, I could excuse much of the foray into the unrealistic. I had several guesses about the "whodunnit" and none of them were right, so that was a huge plus as well.
Overall, a delectably wicked read that ended up being more than just a great cover! 4 Desperate-Housewives-meets-Mean-Girls stars!
December 15, 2020
This was certainly a spicy little number.
The Hunting Wives was full of nothing but thirty+ year old women behaving very, very badly. And I loved every minute.
If I had one complaint, it was the main character, Sophie. She came across as very wishy-washy and perhaps a bit pathetic. Overall, though, this was tons of fun and I had a hard time putting it down.
If you're looking for something a little sexy and a whole lotta naughty, this book will totally be your jam. And how about that totally fab book cover?
Available May 18, 2021
My sincere appreciation to Edelweiss and Berkley Publishing for my review copy.
The Hunting Wives was full of nothing but thirty+ year old women behaving very, very badly. And I loved every minute.
If I had one complaint, it was the main character, Sophie. She came across as very wishy-washy and perhaps a bit pathetic. Overall, though, this was tons of fun and I had a hard time putting it down.
If you're looking for something a little sexy and a whole lotta naughty, this book will totally be your jam. And how about that totally fab book cover?
Available May 18, 2021
My sincere appreciation to Edelweiss and Berkley Publishing for my review copy.
April 15, 2021
My, my my...This was a very impressive mystery/suspense/thriller, and while it might have been my first read of Cobb's, it definitely won't be my last! I found myself almost immediately intrigued with this group of high society, overly-indulged, spoiled and snooty housewives, known as The Hunting Wives. I mean, imagine a group of rich, married, white cougars that get blindingly drunk and skeet shoot at dusk, then go out on the prowl for young men to cheat on their neglectful husbands with?! Count me in! I just knew I was in for a treat with this one, and for the most part it did not disappoint!
Our main protagonist was Sophie, the new girl who has just moved back home to Mapleton, Texas from the windy city of Chicago. She and her family need an escape from city life, and Mapleton seems like just the right place for a fresh start. Initially I immediately connected with Sophie, but the further I read the more I realized that not only was she unbelievably naïve, but also seriously lacking in the common sense department! This poor girl stood no chance against these snarky women! There were so many situations she put herself in that literally had me smacking my forehead shouting 'idiot!' so needless to say, at some points I had to suspend my disbelief. I simply refuse to believe there are actually people out there as foolish as Sophie was. As the plot unfolded, I had some strong opinions about each of these women, namely about how much alcohol they all seemed to consume on a daily basis, and how bored they seemed with their lives of privilege. Who says money can't buy happiness? These ladies seem to! At one point I actually thought that had they actually had jobs, or kept themselves busy on a regular basis, they might not have found themselves in the clusterf*ck they were in!! As the murder mystery unfolded, I had some predictions that were spot-on, and even though this one seemed to be at times a soap-opera, it was just a lot of FUN! Go into this one knowing as little as possible, that's what I did, and what a ride it was! Can't wait to see how this book is received by the end of '21! I strongly recommend this one to those looking for an entertaining escape from reality, with a lot of booze, sleaze and shotguns!
Our main protagonist was Sophie, the new girl who has just moved back home to Mapleton, Texas from the windy city of Chicago. She and her family need an escape from city life, and Mapleton seems like just the right place for a fresh start. Initially I immediately connected with Sophie, but the further I read the more I realized that not only was she unbelievably naïve, but also seriously lacking in the common sense department! This poor girl stood no chance against these snarky women! There were so many situations she put herself in that literally had me smacking my forehead shouting 'idiot!' so needless to say, at some points I had to suspend my disbelief. I simply refuse to believe there are actually people out there as foolish as Sophie was. As the plot unfolded, I had some strong opinions about each of these women, namely about how much alcohol they all seemed to consume on a daily basis, and how bored they seemed with their lives of privilege. Who says money can't buy happiness? These ladies seem to! At one point I actually thought that had they actually had jobs, or kept themselves busy on a regular basis, they might not have found themselves in the clusterf*ck they were in!! As the murder mystery unfolded, I had some predictions that were spot-on, and even though this one seemed to be at times a soap-opera, it was just a lot of FUN! Go into this one knowing as little as possible, that's what I did, and what a ride it was! Can't wait to see how this book is received by the end of '21! I strongly recommend this one to those looking for an entertaining escape from reality, with a lot of booze, sleaze and shotguns!
February 1, 2023
1 star- I debated giving it 2 just because the ending was interesting and took a mildly different route than I had thought it would, but no.
I couldn’t stand the main character and the decisions she continuously made. She wasn’t the worst person- no, the friends she so desperately wanted to be a part of take that title. BUT she hands down makes the worst decisions. She never speaks up, she constantly does the thing that will have the worst consequences, and somehow you’re supposed to feel for her? I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for her at any point, in fact, I was yelling at her through the audiobook for a good portion.
The first 20% was fine, if not boring. I didn’t like all the mentions of social media and her attempts of building a platform and the hashtags she thought of, but that was more personal preference and nothing egregious. The next 60% was me seriously considering DNFing the book. The thriller elements I expected were NOT there, the crime was frustratingly cliche, and there was tons of cheating which is never something I can get on board with in a book. The ending was fine, better than I thought it would be, but not enough to save it.
I couldn’t stand the main character and the decisions she continuously made. She wasn’t the worst person- no, the friends she so desperately wanted to be a part of take that title. BUT she hands down makes the worst decisions. She never speaks up, she constantly does the thing that will have the worst consequences, and somehow you’re supposed to feel for her? I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for her at any point, in fact, I was yelling at her through the audiobook for a good portion.
The first 20% was fine, if not boring. I didn’t like all the mentions of social media and her attempts of building a platform and the hashtags she thought of, but that was more personal preference and nothing egregious. The next 60% was me seriously considering DNFing the book. The thriller elements I expected were NOT there, the crime was frustratingly cliche, and there was tons of cheating which is never something I can get on board with in a book. The ending was fine, better than I thought it would be, but not enough to save it.
May 17, 2021
3.5 stars
With friends like these....
Sophie and Graham O'Neill and their young song move from Chicago to a small town in Texas. Hoping to get away from busy city life, they settle into their beautiful home in quiet community. But there is quiet and then there is too quiet. Sophie soon begins to feel bored; she is used the hustle and bustle of the city. To cure her boredom and quest for excitement, she finds herself drawn to Margot, a glamorous socialite and ringleader of her tight nit clique known as "The Hunting Wives” What exactly are they hunting? Besides targets, booze comes to mind among other things. These women live life to the extreme and take their shooting seriously.
Soon, Sophie is a member of the group and things begin to change for her. She wants to have fun, but at what cost? She cannot really claim the devil made her do it, when she saw how the women behaved and joined in with gusto.
This book started a little slow for me but quickly picked up and became a fun read. I was curious to see just how out of control and reckless these women would become! Would their late-night shenanigan's catch up with then? Sophie soon finds that all that glitters is not gold when police show up at her door and she finds herself in the midst of their investigation.
As the twists and turns came about, things got juicy. This was a fun twisty book. While reading, I kept thinking this would make a fun movie as well. It is thrilling, sexy, has a mystery, there is drama, and a character who is slowly spinning out of control.
Fun, Juicy and Dangerous
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
With friends like these....
Sophie and Graham O'Neill and their young song move from Chicago to a small town in Texas. Hoping to get away from busy city life, they settle into their beautiful home in quiet community. But there is quiet and then there is too quiet. Sophie soon begins to feel bored; she is used the hustle and bustle of the city. To cure her boredom and quest for excitement, she finds herself drawn to Margot, a glamorous socialite and ringleader of her tight nit clique known as "The Hunting Wives” What exactly are they hunting? Besides targets, booze comes to mind among other things. These women live life to the extreme and take their shooting seriously.
Soon, Sophie is a member of the group and things begin to change for her. She wants to have fun, but at what cost? She cannot really claim the devil made her do it, when she saw how the women behaved and joined in with gusto.
This book started a little slow for me but quickly picked up and became a fun read. I was curious to see just how out of control and reckless these women would become! Would their late-night shenanigan's catch up with then? Sophie soon finds that all that glitters is not gold when police show up at her door and she finds herself in the midst of their investigation.
As the twists and turns came about, things got juicy. This was a fun twisty book. While reading, I kept thinking this would make a fun movie as well. It is thrilling, sexy, has a mystery, there is drama, and a character who is slowly spinning out of control.
Fun, Juicy and Dangerous
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
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