Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson (Review by Stacie Kitchen)

Rating: 4.5/5

I want to start out by saying that I was already a huge Peter Swanson fan before I started this book. Like if people ask me what one of my favorite books was that I read this past year, his Eight Perfect Murders book is in my top 3. I had high expectations and Every Vow You Break did not disappoint! It combines ties to movie culture (like his ties to mystery novels in Eight Perfect Murders) with a thriller and I was just hooked. Literally read it in 2 sittings because I couldn’t stop.

Abigail is on the cusp of marriage to the extraordinarily wealthy Bruce. They have great conversations, but Bruce also provides a sense of financial security that Abigail has never had. Upon their first few dates Bruce offers to pay off her student loans and expresses a strong desire to help her parents with their bankrupt theater business. For her bachelorette weekend, Bruce treats her and her friends to an expense paid trip to a winery in Piety Hills, California. While there, slightly inebriated and questioning her upcoming nuptials, Abigail meets Scottie. Scottie is an unhappily married man, and he and Abigail instantly hit it off. After having a one-night stand, Abigail goes home to realize that she does really love Bruce and they go through the wedding without a hitch.

As a surprise to Abigail, Bruce has planned a wonderful honeymoon for the two of them on Heart Pond Island. The remote resort is a dream and absolutely anything Abigail wants the on-call staff will get. Free from technological distractions of a modern world Abigail and Bruce are able to take archery lessons, go swimming, kayaking, and explores the island through hiking. There is just one problem to Abigail’s idyllic honeymoon, Scottie has just shown up on the island. That tidbit does not even touch the major plot twist in the book. Halfway through my mouth was wide open and I knew I couldn’t put the book down until I read how it ended.

If you like a smart thriller you will love Every Vow You Break!