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For Better and Worse

Margot Hunt (Goodreads Author)

3.74 · Rating details · 9,558 ratings · 1,432 reviews

On their first date back in law school, Natalie and Will Clarke bonded over drinks, dinner and whether they could get away with murder. Now married, they’ll put the latter to the test when an unchecked danger in their community places their son in jeopardy. Working as a criminal defense attorney, Nat refuses to rely on the broken legal system to keep her family safe. She k ...more

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Kindle Edition, 336 pages

Published December 11th 2018 by MIRA

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Average rating 3.74 ·

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· 9,558 ratings · 1,432 reviews

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Jul 14, 2018 Melissa rated it liked it

Shelves: 2018, suspense-mystery-thriller

*3.75-ish stars*

Apparently, impressing this reader in the suspense department has proven to be quite the task as of late. It must be my trusty bullshit meter—permanently stuck in the on position—or love for anything true-crime, that’s messing with my mojo.

At first glance, For Better and Worse teeters on the very precipice of being something amazing, memorable even. A potential standout amongst a genre overtaken by unreliable narrators and searches conducted for the sake of the missing.

Turns o ...more

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Dec 01, 2018 Meredith ( on Semi-Hiatus until February) rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley

Entertaining but forgettable

For Better and For Worse is a psychological thriller with an intriguing premise that, unfortunately, falls flat.

When Natalie, a criminal defense attorney, discovers that her 11-year-old son has been sexually abused by his school principal she decides to take matters into her own hands and plans for revenge. She believes she’s smart enough to pull off the impossible: commit the perfect murder.

However, things don’t go as planned and Natalie is forced to reach out t ...more

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Dec 10, 2018 Berit☀️✨ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley, book-besties, 2018

How to get away with Murder! Or not?

loved it!This was a fast entertaining read that kept me engaged throughout... what would your reaction be if you were out on a first date and the topic of conversation was.... how to get away with murder? Well if I’m being honest I would probably be a little intrigued with the conversation, but never thinking it would ever come to fruition.... I don’t believe Will did either, but Natalie had other plans....

Such an intense story that kept me on the edge of my s How to get away with Murder! Or not?

loved it!This was a fast entertaining read that kept me engaged throughout... what would your reaction be if you were out on a first date and the topic of conversation was.... how to get away with murder? Well if I’m being honest I would probably be a little intrigued with the conversation, but never thinking it would ever come to fruition.... I don’t believe Will did either, but Natalie had other plans....

Such an intense story that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout... more than 10 years after the afore mentioned date Will and Natalie are married with a young son Charlie.... both are successful lawyers Natalie is a defense attorney and Will is a real estate lawyer... they have a good life although they both take one another for granted.... Natalie is pretty controlling and Will could grow a pair... although I have to admit as an outsider the argument they had over the whiteboard calendar was quite humorous! So what will this couple do when they find out someone has done the unthinkable to their child? And what will Will do when he finds out that Natalie has taken things into her own hands? Is murder ever justified?

This book definitely gave you a lot to think about... what would you do if you were put in this couple’s situation? What if somebody did the unthinkable to your child? I don’t think I could ever kill anybody, but if I could it would be because somebody hurt one of my kids... didn’t even really like Natalie or Will, but I sure wanted them to get away with this! My one little niggle with this book was the very stupid mistakes Natalie made in both the planning and execution of this crime.... seriously she is a defense attorney and my only knowledge of the law is from TV shows like Law and Order... and I knew better than her when it came to some of these little mistakes, maybe she needs to get out of the courtroom and turn on the TV! however this did add to the tension of the story, the entire time all you could think was, are they going to get away with this or not? And should they?

An enticing story that will keep you glued to those pages! And the ending... both satisfying and surprising! And a apologue that made me gasp, but just confirmed something I already figured out!

Absolutely recommend this is a quick addictive escape of a story!

*** Big thanks to Harlequin for my copy of this book *** ...more

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Nov 28, 2018 Debra rated it really liked it

Shelves: traveling-sister-reads, netgalley

Could they get away with murder?

That is what Will and Natalie talked about on their first date in law school. Years later after many years of marriage they must examine that question again when they learn some shocking news involving their son, Charlie. Nat is a defense attorney and does not want her son to testify. She knows the process and does not want her son to go through the stress. Plus, she is angry - furious in fact. She wants justice and she wants it her way. Will is concerned and angr Could they get away with murder?

That is what Will and Natalie talked about on their first date in law school. Years later after many years of marriage they must examine that question again when they learn some shocking news involving their son, Charlie. Nat is a defense attorney and does not want her son to testify. She knows the process and does not want her son to go through the stress. Plus, she is angry - furious in fact. She wants justice and she wants it her way. Will is concerned and angry as well. He goes along with his wife to keep a secret he has been keeping and because, well, it's too late to turn back now.

This book is interesting as we know from the synopsis most of the plot. Something bad has happened and the characters take matters into their own hands. What lengths are they willing to go to obtain justice? What gives someone the right to take justice into their own hands? Can you get away with your actions? How does one plan and execute the perfect crime? Can someone ever cover up their tracks entirely?

Both parents in this book are lawyers and I was shocked at some of the poor choices and bad judgement calls they made. I'm pretty sure anyone watching true crime tv, CSI, Criminal minds, forensic files, could do the same if not better than this pair. Having said that, they are under stress and emotionally involved so some of their mistakes make sense.

It is always interesting to read a book when you basically know most of the plot. The reader is given a lot of information and the true question is "will they get away with it?" There were parts that I thought "Seriously?" and then there were parts where I thought "this is what I am talking about". This was a fast read for me and there were some good moments. It may have the reader questioning their stance on vigilantes, what they would do if they were Charlie's parents, and how they might have done things differently (or would the reader take the course of action Nat and Will took?)

This was pure escapism reading for me. Yes, it does deal with a difficult subject. Thankfully the reader is only given *enough* information about what happened to Charlie -nothing too graphic but enough that it is unsettling, and it is obvious what happened. Plus, Will has his side action *ahem*, I meant subplot going on. So, I was waiting for that (high-heeled) shoe to fall. It was fun, watching the duo squirm when the police arrive. Reading both Nat and Will's POV was also enjoyable. The reader is privy to their thoughts about each other, what is going on, their own actions, etc. Both had some interesting thoughts!

There is a lot to discuss with this book. It deals with a pedophile. Molestation is not an easy subject for various reasons. What lengths will a parent go through to protect their child? Vigilante justice - do people agree or disagree on it? These are two of the issues. Although molestation has occurred, the book focuses on the parent's reactions and the lengths they will go through for their child. Will they get away with it? Will the police uncover the truth? Will this make them stronger or wear them down? Although this book does deal with heavy subjects, it does so in a lighter way. Be warned, some may experience triggers while reading this book and may have an issue with the book taking a lighter stance.

Then there is that ending. I don't feel I can discuss it without giving away any spoilers, so I will just say that the ending was interesting.

Thank you to Harlequin-Mira and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. ...more

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Dec 27, 2018 Mischenko rated it liked it

Shelves: thriller

This book was definitely entertaining, but I still ended up with some mixed feelings…

My review contains unhidden spoilers..

Natalie and Will are married with an 11-year-old son named Charlie. In the beginning, their marriage was good, but as time went on everything seemed to fall apart with Will losing all interest in Nat. Their schedules are sort of crazy and everything seems controlled. Nat drops Charlie off at school one day and spots the police and questions why they’re at the school. It turn This book was definitely entertaining, but I still ended up with some mixed feelings…

My review contains unhidden spoilers..

Natalie and Will are married with an 11-year-old son named Charlie. In the beginning, their marriage was good, but as time went on everything seemed to fall apart with Will losing all interest in Nat. Their schedules are sort of crazy and everything seems controlled. Nat drops Charlie off at school one day and spots the police and questions why they’re at the school. It turns out that the principle (Robert) is being charged with a horrible crime against one of Charlie’s fellow schoolmates. All the parents are shocked, but Nat doesn’t even know yet that her son might be involved too. Being a defense attorney, Nat decides to take matters into her own hands with plans involving a murder.

The book covers difficult subjects, and I thought I might have to quit reading when I saw the direction it was taking, but because there’s more going on with the characters–an interesting subplot–I had to discover their outcome. On the subject of characters though–I really didn’t like Will. Here’s a man who gets bored with his wife (Nat), and decides to look for something more exciting. He doesn’t do a very good job covering it up either, in fact, he’s downright horrible at it, but luckily Nat doesn’t even seem to care. He becomes so hateful and angry toward her, and I wasn’t feeling any love in the relationship whatsoever. Of course Nat is preoccupied dealing with the cover-up and doesn’t have time to investigate what’s happening in her marriage. This whole ordeal just ended up annoying me though, and I began to wonder how anything could keep this couple together, regardless of the fact that they have a child. Nat seems forgiving, while Will becomes somewhat of a basket case who’s made poor decisions, and even at the end of the book it still isn’t clear whether he’s learned his lesson after he states how important his family is to him.

Robert’s sick and twisted behavior makes him easily hateable and luckily the author spared the details. After the plot to kill Robert, Nat wants to cover up every track, but some of her reckless choices just made no sense, especially coming from someone who knows the law like Nat does. It was parts like this that made her character a little confusing and less convincing as a vigilante. Just my opinion though.

I enjoyed the writing and appreciated that the author also included Will’s point of view at times, however, the ending of the book felt a little too quick and I can’t say I was satisfied with it. I feel like there was something thrown in the ending that was meant to be a twist, but it didn’t feel twisty and really felt unresolved to me. Maybe there’s another book coming? I know it seems that I’m being overcritical, and with all of that said, the book was STILL totally gripping and full of suspense. It was fast-paced, thrilling at times, and I was definitely entertained regardless of the annoyances. There were things I didn’t like about the weak characters and their behaviors, but I still wanted to finish the book and had a lot of feelings afterward. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more by this author.

If you like thrillers and suspense novels, definitely give this book a try.

3.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for sharing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

You can also see this review @ www.readrantrockandroll@gmail.com ...more

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Oct 14, 2018 Holly B rated it it was amazing

Shelves: couldn-t-put-down, favorite-author, read-in-2018, had-to-finish, net-galley, enjoyed-the-characters

On your mark, get ready... for the twists and turns!

I picked this one up to just read a few chapters and ended up staying up waaay past my bedtime! Now that is the sign of a good book IMO.

Who discusses planning a murder on their first date!?

Well Natalie and Will do! It was years before they were married and parents of an adorable eleven year old son, Charlie. They both are intelligent after all and why wouldn't they be able to pull off the perfect murder? Natalie happens to be a d ...more

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Feb 21, 2019 megs_bookrack rated it it was ok

Shelves: arcs-read

**2.5-stars**

How far would you go to punish someone? What if that person hurt your child?

Unfortunately, for Will and Natalie Clarke, this becomes more than a hypothetical after their son, Charlie, makes a horrifying revelation to them in this Adult Revenge Thriller.

Alternating perspectives between Nat and Will, we follow them down a dangerous road to vengeance. Natalie, a criminal defense attorney, and Will, a civil attorney, met in law school.

In fact, on their very first date, they discussed h ...more

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Nov 01, 2018 Kaceey rated it really liked it

Shelves: buddy-read, netgalley

Natalie and Will met in law school. Their first date consisted of all the awkward conversations that come with first dates. (Who hasn’t been there?!) Including an interesting little game called “getting away with the perfect murder.” Just a game...right?

Now married with an 11 year old son Charlie, life in small town Florida has become slow and easy.
That quickly changes when the principal at Charlie’s school is suddenly dismissed, now under suspicion of being a pedophile.

What lengths would you go ...more

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Nov 06, 2018 Dorie - Cats&Books :) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller, netgalley-feedback

The blurb basically tells you most of what happens in the book. For me that already eliminates a “star”, there should be more mystery left for the reader to discover. Here is part of the blurb:

“Their young son Charlie’s principal is accused of molesting a troubled student. It’s a horrifying situation—and the poison spreads rapidly. One night before bed, Charlie tells Natalie he is a victim, too. In that moment, her concept of justice changes forever. Natalie decides the predator must die.

To shel The blurb basically tells you most of what happens in the book. For me that already eliminates a “star”, there should be more mystery left for the reader to discover. Here is part of the blurb:

“Their young son Charlie’s principal is accused of molesting a troubled student. It’s a horrifying situation—and the poison spreads rapidly. One night before bed, Charlie tells Natalie he is a victim, too. In that moment, her concept of justice changes forever. Natalie decides the predator must die.

To shelter Charlie from the trauma of a trial, Natalie concocts an elaborate murder plot and Will becomes her unwilling partner. The Clarkes are about to find out what happens when your life partner becomes your accomplice—and your alibi “

To this reader I did not find that Natalie “concocted an elaborate murder plot” but a method of killing someone that has been used by hundreds of authors in mystery books for at least the last 50 years. So this was a huge disappointment, I was waiting for a unique murder plot but what I read was very mundane.

The main characters, Natalie, Will and Charlie were not very well described. We jump from law school to this event 15 years later in their marriage. I didn’t like either Natalie or Will, they were both self serving, narcissistic and completely dishonest with each other. I need to have characters that I can care about and understand.

The worst part of this book, for me, was that it took a very sensitive topic, children being molested, and turned it into a story of vigilante justice, which is never alright even if the crime committed is terrible, scary and horrific to parents. One of the police officers, Reddick, stated this well “You see, vigilantes piss me off. They keep me from doing my job. He pointed to himself. If you’d come to us, filed a report, we could have nailed that _____________. It’s how it’s supposed to go. We work the case, we take the bad guys down, they rot in jail for the rest of their lives. I believe in that system” . I guess I believe in that system also.

I was hoping for a really good ending, but that did not happen. The ending is very unbelievable and then the Epilogue One Year Later wasn’t any better.

I guess the two stars would be for an interesting premise and it did make me turn the pages and was a quick read. I will need to be more picky in choosing thrillers because I seem to be in the minority when it comes to this book.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. ...more

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Jun 27, 2018 Felicia rated it it was amazing

"Some people just need killing."

OOOMMMMMMMGGGGGGGG
I can't praise this book enough. I loved everything about it. The writing is to the point without excruciating details. The characters are believable, likeable and relatable. The plot is fresh and unlike anything I have ever read.The story moves at such a quick pace that it left me breathless at times. The author doesn't allow time for the reader to digest what just happened before she throws the next curve ball at you. Unrelenting, absorbing dra ...more

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May 09, 2020 Val ⚓️ Shameless Non-Snowflake ⚓️ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-of-the-month, low-or-no-steam, clear-my-bookshelf-challenge, 0-in-my-library-read, liaison-alert, 3-stars, mainstream-fiction

Upon finishing this book, I was only going to give it two stars; but after further reflection, I decided to bump it up one star for one simple reason:

Natalie.

I adored her. I risk further outing the overly pragmatic, cold-hearted ice queen that lives and flourishes in my soul by saying this, but she reminded me...well, of myself. I just flat out related her on so many levels. I related to her personality, her thoughts, and her actions, and - in light of her character and actions in this book - t ...more

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Jul 13, 2018 Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing

“Then one of two things will happen. Behind door number one—Robert is convicted, which could possibly give Charlie some sort of closure, whatever that means, and Robert will go to jail for a really long time. And then Charley will spend the rest of his life wondering if he did the right thing, second-guessing himself, because don’t forget, it will already have been planted in his brain that he might not have remembered exactly what happened after all, or
behind door number two— Robert is acquitte ...more

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Nov 01, 2018 Susanne Strong rated it really liked it

Shelves: buddy-read, netgalley

3.75 Stars* (rounded up)
A Frightening, yet Fun Fast-paced Read!

When Natalie and Will met their attraction was instantaneous. Who knew that planning the perfect murder could be so sexy?

What started out as thrilling dinner conversation on their first date turned into the real thing some fifteen years later when their son Charlie’s school principal is accused of sexual assaulting a student. Natalie, a criminal defense attorney, sees red and it has the principal’s name all over it. Can Natalie an ...more

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Dec 10, 2018 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-reads, arcs, kindle-version, 2018-reads

4 tense, gripping, morally questioning stars! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Natalie and Will are now married lawyers, but their first date was spent discussing whether they could get away with murder. Years later, their son is put in harms way, and they find themselves questioning once again if they could get away with murder.

Nat is a criminal defense attorney and knows first hand how broken the justice system can be, and she refuses to wait for it to do its job. She takes getting justice into her own hands.

…an ...more

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Nov 14, 2018 j e w e l s rated it liked it

Shelves: books-bejeweled

THREE STARS

This is a straightforward story of a murder. The victim is a known child molester and the reader is not meant to feel sorry for him. The killers are a respected, married couple who feel justifiably wronged.

Hey, these aren’t spoilers, it is right on the book jacket.

So, while not a whodunnit or a whydunnit, we do feel the tension and anxious story building as we wonder how in the world this guilty couple might get away with murder. If they do.

They might end up going to prison. I’ll ne ...more

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Dec 11, 2018 Mackenzie - PhDiva Books rated it it was amazing

Hold on while I pick my jaw up off the floor and wait for my heart rate to slow—because this book really did a NUMBER on me in the BEST possible way!!! Reading this book was like watching someone else’s nightmare unfold and being unable to wake them up! With each twist and turn the tension cranked up a notch until I couldn’t have put the book down if I wanted to—I HAD to know what was going to happen next! I actually don’t think I’d have been able to sleep without finishing it! What a ride!

See m Hold on while I pick my jaw up off the floor and wait for my heart rate to slow—because this book really did a NUMBER on me in the BEST possible way!!! Reading this book was like watching someone else’s nightmare unfold and being unable to wake them up! With each twist and turn the tension cranked up a notch until I couldn’t have put the book down if I wanted to—I HAD to know what was going to happen next! I actually don’t think I’d have been able to sleep without finishing it! What a ride!

See my full review on PhDiva.blog!

The moral dilemma here is one that really gave me pause.What is someone to do when a loved one is hurt, and they know that the criminal justice system will likely favor the perpetrator, while tearing their loved one apart? If the justice system doesn’t do it’s job, is it ever okay to make your own justice? I must admit, I am an extreme rule follower. The type of person that makes a full stop in the dead of night with not a soul around, just because of the sign. The type of person who actually struggles to jaywalk, even when everyone else is. But this book actually made me empathize with taking a vigilante approach to justice! Something I didn’t think I’d support ever. Credit due to Margot Hunt, who really opens our mind to the dilemma faced by these parents.

In terms of the story itself, what a wild ride! When I say it was like being able to watch a nightmare unfold and not be able to wake the person up, I mean it! I did not expect how much suspense and terror could be built into what starts as a horrible but realistic scenario. I found myself cheering on people I’d usually condemn, and that is quite a testament to what Hunt was able to craft here. The experience of reading this book completely immersed me in the story. I am still shaking my head in awe of what I experienced! In a way, the book shows us that our own minds can be our worst enemy of all. Humans are flawed. We make biased risk that doesn’t always payoff. The key is, learning to live with the fallout…

Thank you to Harlequin for my copy to review.
...more

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Dec 21, 2018 Kelly (and the Book Boar) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: stabby-stabby, book-of-the-month-selection, you-had-me-at-hello, liburrrrrry-book, read-in-2018, denied-the-arc, like-this-or-we-cant-be-friends

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

“I doubt it would be easy to take a life. But I think if you had to—I mean, if we had to—we could absolutely get away with it.”

Look at that quote^^^. LOOK AT IT!!!!!! Did you look at it? Why the eff wasn’t I all over this when it was an ARC? I mean I realize I’m not super late to this party since it was just released ten days ago, but still . . . especially since it was a BOTM selection as well. Thankfully I jumped on the library right away, begged and pleaded while holding on to the pornbrarian's leg as she drug me around the suburban branch and was first in line when it was finally obtained. I have a feeling the wait list is probably about as long as my arm at this point. But about the book . . .

Okay so Natalie and Will are both aspiring attorneys whose first-date small talk consists of figuring out how to get away with murder. (Confession: I read zero blurbs about this so I was totally ready for another Strangers On A Train knockoff.) Fast-forward to the present where the two have been married for ages, have an eleven-year-old son and have fallen into a pattern of work and home that’s pretty much a snoozefest – despite the fact that she’s a criminal defense attorney for a living. Needless to say, that old conversation from the past has long since been forgotten. Until something happens in their community that calls for . . . .

Okay so that’s all I can give you without giving too much. I will say that there were some hints about as subtle as a skillet to the back of the head about a certain something that made my brain decide if this didn’t end the way my brain was thinking I was going to be super pissed, but then . . . .

This was awesome. I loved that there weren’t 50,000 twists and turns, I loved even more that mistakes were made and things didn’t add up and normal people didn’t somehow become criminal masterminds. But most of all? I looooooooved Natalie. Good lord she’s my number one fictional gal pal for 2018 fo sho! I gave this 4.5 Stars over on Instagram this morning, but that’s just stupid. It deserves all 5. ...more

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Nov 14, 2018 Nazanin rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, netgalley

3 Stars
I don’t count this story as mystery/suspense/thriller! It dragged a lot. The plot wasn’t really good and I got bored and after reading 60% I started skimming and skipping. I enjoyed my first read by her (Best Friends Forever) but this one didn’t really work out for me, unfortunately! Maybe it was just me and not the book, as you can see all the good reviews! So don’t listen to me and read it, hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to Margot Hunt, Netgalley and HARLEQUIN - Mira for the advanced digital ...more

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Oct 15, 2018 Kendall rated it really liked it

Margot Hunt.... well well you have done it again!

With absolutely loving Margot Hunt's debut novel Best Friends Forever... I knew I had to get my hands on her next novel from Netgalley.
Let me tell you "Some people just need killing" ...... THAT is in all honesty a VERY true statement my friends.

Margot Hunt delivers a fast paced, addicting, and wild ride with For Better and Worse. I wasn't quite prepared for what I was getting into with this one. Margot had some serious twists and turns in her Margot Hunt.... well well you have done it again!

With absolutely loving Margot Hunt's debut novel Best Friends Forever... I knew I had to get my hands on her next novel from Netgalley.
Let me tell you "Some people just need killing" ...... THAT is in all honesty a VERY true statement my friends.

Margot Hunt delivers a fast paced, addicting, and wild ride with For Better and Worse. I wasn't quite prepared for what I was getting into with this one. Margot had some serious twists and turns in her debut novel that leaves your jaw on the floor. I was hoping that this one would have just the effect on me.

In the beginning you're introduced to Will and Natalie Clarke who met through law school. They joked about planning the perfect murder one day. Well.. my friends the TIME has arised and all I can say is they better get it right haha.

The Clarkes have the worst situation on their hands that any parents would never want to have. Their son's principal and friend of the Clarke's has been accused of molesting a young boy at the elementary school. One day Natalie is talking with her son Jacob and he drops an awful bomb of being molested by the principal Robert as well. Talk about HORRIBLE!

Natalie decides that Robert must die and her husband Will must help her with the act. But, is she serious?! Will she actually kill the man that hurt her son?

Now, this gets complicated very quickly as you can imagine especially with having two criminal defense attorney's on your hands... but wait they know what they're doing right? :)

I was hooked from page one and devoured in over a couple of days. I was not disappointed but I do have to say was hoping for a bit more of a twist at the end of the story. Margot does deliver one final twist in the prologue but was edging for a bit more.

Overall, this was fantastic!

4 strong stars for Hunt!!

Huge thank you to Harlequin Mira and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Pub date: 12/11/18
Published to GR: 10/15/18 ...more

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Dec 10, 2018 DJ Sakata rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, suspense, family-drama, small-town

Favorite Quotes:

She was a delicious, fizzing secret that had transformed my boring, colorless life into something exciting.

He was an affable guy in his late forties, with the sort of annoyingly boyish good looks that women always went for. My main impression of him, after being law partners for a number of years, was that while he led a charmed life, he was about as deep as a puddle. He had a pretty, vapid wife and a couple of good-looking, vapid children who all excelled at sports.

He lifted the ...more

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Dec 02, 2018 Carrie rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt is a thriller that asks the questions just how far will you go for your family? What would you do to protect your child? And a warning is in order with this one as it may not be for everyone with child molestation involved.

Natalie and Will Clarke are both lawyers now and have been together since their days in law school. Back on their first date the couple had had a strange but fascinating conversation about being able to commit the perfect murder. Neither had ...more

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Dec 21, 2018 Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, favorites

Wow! This book blew my mind! There are a handful of books this year that I was completely blown away with and this is one of them. The plot, the writing style, the suspense of seeing if they get caught, checked all of my boxes for a perfect thriller.

This book was not on my radar to read until my fellow Traveling Sisters organized a group read. I am so glad I joined in with this one because I would have missed out on one of my top 10 books for the year. To say I loved it is an understatement. Ok ...more

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Oct 18, 2018 Jayme rated it really liked it

Shelves: psychological-thriller, netgalley, mystery-suspense

Once upon a time there were two law students, Natalie and Will, who were out on a first date.

Natalie was not sure if Will was really her “type” until he started a conversation about how two lawyers, namely, the two of them, should be able to plan and execute the “perfect murder”.

Over tossed salads, they tossed around ideas.

By the time the entrees were finished, and the last of the red wine had been poured, they were clinking glasses and toasting “to getting away with it”..

Fast forward 15 years ...more

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Mar 09, 2019 Jonetta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Jonetta by: Holly B

Shelves: audiobook, mystery-suspense-thriller, nc-br-digital-library, 2019-audiobook-challenge, 2019-beat-the-backlist-challenge, 2019-in-2019, 5000-2019, publisher-review-request

Natalie and Will Clarke met in law school seventeen years ago. She’s now a criminal defense attorney, he’s a trust and estate lawyer and they’re the parents of 11-year old Charlie. Their marriage appears to be on shaky ground as he’s become distant and she’s bordering on disinterest. However, when they learn their son has been harmed, Natalie takes action to shield him from the criminal justice system and drags Will into her scheme. Now they’re forced to come together to protect each other as we Natalie and Will Clarke met in law school seventeen years ago. She’s now a criminal defense attorney, he’s a trust and estate lawyer and they’re the parents of 11-year old Charlie. Their marriage appears to be on shaky ground as he’s become distant and she’s bordering on disinterest. However, when they learn their son has been harmed, Natalie takes action to shield him from the criminal justice system and drags Will into her scheme. Now they’re forced to come together to protect each other as well as Charlie.

Natalie’s scheme isn’t a brilliant one but it was effective. That’s not the true heart of the story, though admittedly it’s a big part of it. At first I was skeptical that a law abiding, upstanding citizen could devolve so quickly and commit a heinous crime so easily. However, as the story progressed and I learned more about Natalie and Will through their points of view, my opinions kept shifting. On the surface, they seemed to be one thing but underneath they were much more complex. Her experience in defending criminals was invaluable as she could anticipate how law enforcement would manage an investigation. He wasn’t accustomed to seeing Natalie in action professionally nor was he used to just following her lead.

The narrator delivered an excellent performance for both characters. Unlike some other women narrators, Campbell doesn’t dramatically alter her voice pitch for male characters but you clearly can tell it’s the right gender. She’s also one of my favorites.

It’s impossible to say much more about this story without revealing too much. I found Natalie and Will fascinating and often repugnant, but also questioning what I would do in similar circumstances. This was a really good psychological thriller about two people who could be our next door neighbors. I loved that the entire story is told from their points of view. The ending delivered an unexpected twist and the epilogue was chilling. While I might not like Will and Natalie, I couldn’t stop reading their story and needed to know their outcomes. I’m still thinking about them...unfortunately.

(I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)

Posted on Blue Mood Café ...more

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Dec 30, 2018 Jenny rated it really liked it

Is there really such a thing as the "perfect murder." It's been written about in books for centuries. Movies, television shows, radio and podcasts have all tackled the age old scenario. Do you think you could plan the perfect murder and get away with it?
Fifteen years ago, Natalie and Will Clarke went on their first date. As two young law school students spent the evening getting to know each other, they put their law school brains together as they discussed how to plan the perfect murder and get ...more

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May 18, 2020 Katie B rated it really liked it

Shelves: florida, read-in-2020, fiction, thriller, suspense

Well, it looks like Margot Hunt is going to be my new go to author when I'm looking for a crazy but entertaining read. This book had a "I can't look away or I might miss the potential trainwreck" type storyline. A great vacation read although I guess in these times it is better to just call it a quarantine read.

I agree with other reviewers who believe the publisher's synopsis gives away too much info. Having already read and enjoyed another book by this author, I just jumped into this one withou ...more

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Jul 22, 2018 Bharath rated it it was amazing

Will and Natalie meet in law school, and later get married. After a few years, and a son Charlie, life seems to enter a phase where their relation seems to be losing its shine. Their life comes under severe strain when Charlie’s principal is accused of molesting a child. Will and Natalie have known him well and are not sure what the truth is. The student who has made the accusation has had problems in the past.

Very quickly Will and Natalie find themselves getting involved more deeply. They are ...more

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Dec 31, 2018 Jennifer rated it really liked it

Shelves: ass-kicking-chicks, read-2019, rdn, stand-alone-novel, thriller, listened-to-audiobook

What would you do for your child? What would you do to calm your craving for vengeance?

Spoiler contains my spin on the book synopsis: (view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 14, 2018 Darinda rated it really liked it

Shelves: thriller-psychological, netgalley

Natalie and Will met in law school, and on their first date had a conversation about getting away with murder. Now it is 14 years later, and Nat and Will are married and have an eleven-year-old son. Their old conversation is revisited when Nat decides they need to protect their son, and the only way to do that is to kill the person who is abusing him.

This novel poses an interesting question. How far would you go to protect your child? Nat is a defense attorney, and knows how flawed the legal sy ...more

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Dec 22, 2018 Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-arc, 5-star, contemporary-fiction, family-drama, suspense, author-i-want-to-read-more-of, 2018

EXCERPT: I set my wine glass down on the granite counter. I suddenly remembered back to when we were remodeling the kitchen, and I had spent hours, days even, worrying about the countertops. Granite? Quartz? Butcher block? And what color - grey, white, the cool black swirly one Will had rejected immediately, but I thought would make a stylish choice? I had thought that if we had the perfect kitchen, it would create the backdrop for our perfect family life - eating meals together at the island, t EXCERPT: I set my wine glass down on the granite counter. I suddenly remembered back to when we were remodeling the kitchen, and I had spent hours, days even, worrying about the countertops. Granite? Quartz? Butcher block? And what color - grey, white, the cool black swirly one Will had rejected immediately, but I thought would make a stylish choice? I had thought that if we had the perfect kitchen, it would create the backdrop for our perfect family life - eating meals together at the island, teaching Charlie how to make meatballs, rolling out pastry dough for summer peach pies. Looking back, it all seemed so naive. Who the hell cared what your countertops looked like when there were children out in the world right this minute being hurt? When my child had been hurt?

ABOUT THIS BOOK: On their first date back in law school, Natalie and Will Clarke bonded over drinks, dinner and whether they could get away with murder. Now married, they’ll put the latter to the test when an unchecked danger in their community places their son in jeopardy. Working as a criminal defense attorney, Nat refuses to rely on the broken legal system to keep her family safe. She knows that if you want justice…you have to get it yourself.

Shocked to discover Nat’s taken matters into her own hands, Will has no choice but to dirty his, also. His family is in way too deep to back down now. He’s just not sure he recognizes the woman he married. Nat’s always been fiercely protective, but never this ruthless or calculating. With the police poking holes in their airtight plan, what will be the first to fall apart: their scandalous secret—or their marriage?

MY THOUGHTS: I am still reeling from reading this! I went into this read blind. Having just now read the blurb, I am glad that I did because I got the full impact of the writing without the giveaways spoiling the plot for me.

I read Margot Hunt's previous book, Best Friends Forever, and loved it, so reading For Better and Worse was a no-brainer. It is very different, but every bit as good. Hunt has a knack for being able to perfectly portray relationships - those between friends, husband and wife, lovers, workmates, acquaintances - of making them very real to the reader. And then there is the great moral dilemma, actions and consequences, the fear of being caught. I read with my heart in my throat.

This is not a murder-mystery. We know whodunit. The big question is, are they going to get away with it? Because despite her background, Nat makes some very basic mistakes. I was yelling at her in my mind, 'What do you think you're doing? You should know better!'

And that ending!!!!!

I devoured this book, hoovered it up. I sincerely hope that the author is already hard at work writing her next book. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

💖💖💖💖💖

THE AUTHOR: Margot Hunt is the pseudonym of a bestselling writer of twelve previous novels. Her work has been praised by Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist and Kirkus Reviews. BEST FRIENDS FOREVER is her first psychological thriller. Her new book, FOR BETTER AND WORSE, will be released in December 2018.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin Mira via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/... ...more

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About Margot Hunt

Margot Hunt

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Margot Hunt is the pseudonym of a bestselling writer of twelve previous novels. Her work has been praised by Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist and Kirkus Reviews. BEST FRIENDS FOREVER is her first psychological thriller.

Learn more about Margot and her forthcoming books at
margothunt.com. ...more