3.25⭐️ 
"Isn't it so strange that the people we damn near hate are exactly like us?" 

I’m not sure I have many words for this one. I was disturbed by some of the relationships but I understand it’s necessary to the story and reflective of someone’s life, unfortunately. 
Samira made a host of bad decisions in the beginning, but I’m always here for someone finding their purpose. 

This book was definitely a rollercoaster. It had Rebecca and A Simple Favor vibes. Melanie was both a victim and villain (definitely giving hurted people hurt others). I could somewhat empathize with her although she did some deplorable things. Dylan on the other hand was nasty work. The person I felt most for was Roland. There was so many people who failed him (abusive father, emotionally absent mother, unfaithful wife, deceitful cousin, and in some ways Samira since she refused to communicate no matter how many times Roland asked for honesty). I’m happy Roland got closure in the end and that the toxic elements were removed.

In The Wife Before by Shanora Williams, we meet Samira "Mira" Wilder who seems brash and immature at first glance. Mira, constantly in and out of work due to issues with being on time and getting along with her employers, lives with her best friend, Shelia, in an apartment in Miami and is financially supported by her brother, Kell. Kell is engaged and has just found out that his fiancee, Ana, is pregnant. While Kell didn't mind supporting his sister, even when Ana didn't like the idea, he tells Mira that he can't  continue to support her while juggling the new responsibilites his growning family will bring. Going home and hoping to find support from Shelia, instead she is told that Shelia won't support her the way she is used to Kell doing. Shelia's boyfriend, Ben, gives Mira a lead for a waitressing gig - one night's work at an exclusive event hosted by Lola Maxwell, a local, ultra-wealthy socialite.

Even though she hates waitressing, Mira takes the gig where she literally falls into the arms of a sexy and mysterious man, Roland Graham. The two share a quietly intimate moment and Mira leaves him, sure that he will find her again. Using his status as a wealthy pro-golfer, Roland manages to get Mira's phone number from the vendor who supplied the waitstaff and invites her out for an evening. Sparks between them fly, and even when Kell finds out about the relationship and reveals a shocking secret Roland was keeping, Mira can't stay away from him. Their romance continues at a breakneck pace, and soon she finds herself married to Roland and living in his mansion in Colorado.

Feeling a little alone and bored, Mira searches for something to do. Finding a shed full of his late wife, Melanie's, belongings, Mira offers to take on the project of emptying it. While sorting through the stuff inside, she stumbles across some journals that Melanie wrote and starts reading them. The journals reveal deeply intimate and shocking secrets and now Mira feels even more isolated and weary of the gaps in Roland's story surrounding Melanie's death.

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This book was an interesting read.

Shanora has a good base story here, but it didn't feel as fleshed out as it could have. There were times throughout the book where the writing was inconsistant and the characters felt a little flat. The world the characters lived in felt real and I could easily picture it in my mind but the characters lacked that same amount of depth. It felt like the information was there about the characters, but it wasn't connected back to them very well.

I enjoyed the level of intrigue and suspense - even when I found the writing style annoying, I wanted to find out what happens next. While this was not a book that couldn't be put down, I did look forward to picking it back up when I did need to step away. There were several twists that took me by surprise as well as several well loved thriller tropes to keep me happy and comfortable.

Overall, this book left a very 'meh' taste - it wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible either. This was the first book I've read by Shanora Williams and I would like to read another book or two by her to see if this is just her style or if her other books are more well rounded.

in the beginning it’s giving… OJ Simpson - but then let’s switch it up on em. Love some good plot twists but also loved the short chapters so easy / fast read. In the end, soooo many ppl were involved in this mess! My head was turning every which way.  Also TW: DV / SA.