The Widow’s Boyfriend by E.V Seymour

Release: 17th August 2023
Format: Ebook
Publisher: ‎ Joffe Books
Source: Zooloos Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon

Verity’s widowed mother has a new boyfriend. But is he really all he seems?

Verity finds out her mother is secretly dating a man she met online. After five long years of widowhood, Eleanor is finally happy — and back to her old self.

But Verity gets suspicious when she meets the charming, seemingly perfect Roger Scott-Jefferies. Something about him doesn’t ring true.

Verity starts asking questions about her mother’s new man. And she doesn’t like the answers. At the same time, strange things start happening.

A cryptic postcard turns up, which her mother refuses to explain. Then she finds a dead bird at the doorstep. Then there is delivery of Surveillance photos of Eleanor, Verity, and her brother to the house.

As Verity peels back the layers of her mother’s past, she realizes that Eleanor has been keeping dangerous secrets.

And someone is determined to keep those secrets hidden.

Verity is about to find out that some truths are best left buried.

About the Author:

Born in West Bromwich and with her family roots deep in the Black Country, Eve has spent much of her life ‘on the run’; she has probably lived in more houses in various parts of the country than most people eat dinners.

Currently settled in Herefordshire with her husband, she often has a houseful of offspring, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, partners and a growing tribe of little ones.

When not writing she keeps playing the piano, enjoying a glass of wine and/or reading, and has a particularly soft spot for historical and spy fiction.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

The Widow’s Boyfriend Review:

The book is very unique for a mystery thriller. What caught my eye was that it doesn’t just follow Roger’s story; Eleanor gets her fair share of the spotlight, too. There’s an undercurrent of something intriguing happening on the sidelines, where the author does not focus the plot only on Roger. The author does an excellent job of keeping you guessing, making you wonder what’s happening.

However, the suspense around Roger is built up in a really clever way. He’s this magnet for everyone except Verity, and I was wrapped up in figuring out his intentions. Memorable moments caught me off guard when Verity stumbled upon that weird bird situation and those intense scenes where she’s ambushed out of nowhere. Seeing all the family drama play out as Verity investigates Roger and his intentions is interesting.

My second highlight was the bond between Verity and Eleanor. I enjoyed how they included Eleanor’s perspective in the second half and got a few surprises. Eleanor’s storyline adds depth to the story, and you start to like her in the second half. Even the other members of the family, like Alex and Dido, and even Verity’s friends, Nicola and Rinelle, add nicely to the storyline.

The only downside was that I was reading two different storylines, as the story shifts focus in the second half and takes another direction. While I enjoyed parts of this, I felt disconnected as I was very much invested in Roger’s arc.

All said and done, “The Widow’s Boyfriend” was a compelling read that I’m glad I picked up. The storytelling grabs you and doesn’t let go. It’s different, engaging, and a must-read if you’re into mysteries that keep you hooked till the last page.