Description:

I can’t trust him. I can’t live with him. I can’t let him go.

At my daughter Mabel’s sixth birthday party, there’s a cake with candles, sausages on the barbecue, and the sound of her friends’ excited voices as we open her gifts. But at the end of the day, I hug my daughter tightly, drop a kiss into her shiny brown hair… and leave her with my ex-husband, who won’t even meet my eyes.

After our divorce, Matthew and I wanted to do the best thing for Mabel. We agreed to share the family home, despite living separate lives. Now one of us stays with her, and one of us stays at the apartment across town.

The night of the party, I fall asleep on the sofa, tired and a little sad. When I wake up and stumble into my bedroom, I know immediately something is wrong.

There’s a body in my bed. A man I dated. In an apartment where only Matthew and I have the key.

Would Matthew go this far to be rid of me? I thought I could trust him… but now I can’t be sure.

Or has someone learned the terrible secret that both tore us apart, and tied us together forever?

Adele’s Review:

Miranda Smith hit it out of the park with her newest release The Family Home. I absolutely loved this gripping novel. This is the third book by Smith I’ve read and reviewed (What I Know (5 Stars) His Loving Wife (4 Stars)) and The Family Home is by far my favorite. The storyline offers a fresh take on nesting, otherwise known as cooperative cohabitation in the best interest of the child(ren), following divorce. In this book, the family home remains intact while the parents alternate weekly stays.

Since this novel is a thriller, our divorced cohabitors become cooperative conspirators after the inciting incident. With every page, the plot and mystery deepens. I rooted for Lillian and Matthew through the entire story, which is tightly plotted, paced, and well written. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end, with lots of possibilities to choose from, heightening my reading entertainment.

The Family Home would make a great movie. A streaming service should definitely option this novel!

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4965502391

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B5TSNGJM