Good and Joyful Things

By: Ania Ahlborn

Narrated by: Mia Barron

From master storyteller Ania Ahlborn comes a brand-new psychological thriller described as “a horrifying manifesto of marriage, manipulation, and the unpredictability of human relationships.”

Simone and Elliott Evans have it all; a comfortable life, a house on a quiet street, and two sweet daughters. But their marriage is far from happy, especially now. While Elliott spends all day at work, postpartum depression presses down hard on Simone’s shoulders. Baby Lizzy is colicky and often sick. Five-year-old Aster is a handful—not at all as good a “helper” as Simone had hoped. The more time Simone spends home alone with the girls, the more she’s convinced that Elliott’s interest in his family is waning. He’s pining for his ex, Leighton Prescott—a woman who mysteriously disappeared from their small New Hampshire town years before, leaving her and Elliott’s then newborn daughter, Aster, behind.

When Simone confronts Elliott in search of the truth, he reminds her that this isn’t the first time she’s accused him of being unfaithful, and it isn’t the first time her assumption has been wrong. But when Simone spots Leighton at the grocery store in their tiny hometown, she has her proof. Leighton Prescott is back, and despite what Elliott says, Simone knows Leighton will stop at nothing to destroy the life she’s built with Elliott, piece by precious piece.

Terrified of losing her family, Simone puts Elliott to the ultimate test. He’s left with one last chance to save the marriage he vowed to preserve. But rather than rekindling the love he and Simone once shared, he instead uncovers an unfathomable truth about the woman he calls his wife, a woman that, as it turns out, he doesn’t know at all.

The plot twist, revealed as you went on, was great.

The ending was horrible! The whole book led up to what was going to happen at the end and then NOTHING! UGGH, I really feel like I wasted hours listening to this book. I won't read anything by this author again.

Unsettling and ends with a bang!

3.5 ⭐️Whoa. 😳 this was an unsettling ride -no brakes full gas all the way off a cliff to psycho town..
what an ending!

I listened to this on audio and I would definitely recommend it!

Couldn't stop listening!

I really enjoyed this from start to finish. Usually I am a happy ending kind of gal, but this was a nice finish. 10/10

Slow Burn… Worth the Wait

What an interesting read. Really worth the listen, hold on until the end! Overall, satisfying at the end but ran a little long in the beginning.

Hits you on a level you didn't expect

I purchased this on accident. I was searching for another Ania Ahlborn book to read after having finished Seed and accidentally added this without intending to. The subject matter is up my alley but I have read a lot of distressed marriage thrillers with twist endings and was initially looking for something different. I went ahead and decided to give it a try. Ania Ahlborn does an incredible job of making you feel for these characters and feel what they are going through. The intense anxiety that Simone feels during some of these scenes is so relatable and so raw that it evokes the same feelings in the listener because, as a mom, I have absolutely been there before. One kid is crying, one is about to have a melt down after having created a huge mess, dinner is burning, phone is ringing, and you have to deal with it all on your own and push aside your own needs. The intensity built up in those moments truly makes you feel for her because it's something so raw and so real that I could really relate to. Your heart breaks for the children and you feel complete disgust for Elliot. I kept going back and forth between feeling empathy for her and hatred for him. It's a slow burn but you start to see the cracks and I was eager to see how everything unfolded and your emotional connection to characters slowly shifts after truths start to surface. I do feel that there were plot holes, particularly at the end, but the rest of the book was good enough that I was able to overlook it. If you like a good psychological husband/wife thriller this is worth a read.