The Ex

By: Shalini Boland

Narrated by: Katie Villa

A dark past. A fresh start. A new nightmare waiting to begin.

Willow McAllister is desperate to start over. Quiet town. Blank slate. No attachments. When she meets her friendly new neighbour, Priya, it feels like a lifeline: the start of something good.

And then there’s Gabe: charming, funny, easy to talk to. Maybe she’s allowed a little happiness. Maybe she can trust again.

But Willow’s instincts have been wrong before. And when she discovers that Gabe and Priya share a past, the cracks start to show. Willow can’t help wondering if Priya’s arrival next door really was by chance. Because coincidences like this? They don’t feel like coincidences at all.

Is she imagining the tension between them? Or ignoring something she shouldn’t?

Someone is lying.

And Willow can’t afford to get it wrong again.

©2026 by Shalini Boland. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Couldn’t put it down

This is another great one by Shalini Boland. Handles sensitive topic very well . Couldn’t put it down. Really likable protagonist. Perfect timing for me- i was sick the days I listened to this and it took my my mind off my misery. This story does, however, demand a sequel.

When trust turns toxic

I'm a great fan of Shalini Boland, and Katie Villa's narration is the perfect match for her dark, twisty tales. “The Ex” is no exception – Boland's subplots are riveting, and the tension builds steadily. I found myself yelling at Jasmine (don’t do it, girl!), but that's just a testament to the author's skill in crafting relatable, flawed characters. The story's got plenty of surprises and kept me guessing until the end. For those who love an intriguing British thriller, this is a must-have. Boland and Villa are a winning combo – can't wait for their next collab! The layers of deception and hidden agendas will keep all listening intently. Highly recommend for fans of this genre.

Good but not the author"s best level

The ending felt rushed and a bit confusing..needed a few more chapters.

The characters you were invested in.but in the end..it left you saying and then????

Good listen to get through chores

I feel like this is a good story, but only if there’s going to be a part two book.

The EX

The Ex by Shalini Boland is one of those books that slowly pulls you in… and then tightens its grip until you can’t breathe.

Willow and Jasmine are both living in deeply toxic situations, just in very different ways. Willow is trying to start over—carefully, cautiously—after everything she’s been through. She meets a genuinely kind man, but something is holding her back, and you can feel that tension building. Then there’s Jasmine… and wow. Her situation is heavy, unsettling, and at times downright sickening.

Jasmine’s storyline hit me on a very personal level. The manipulation, control, and constant shifting of reality—where nothing you do is ever right—was incredibly hard to read because it felt so real. The way small things become arguments, the isolation, the financial control, the emotional exhaustion… it’s all portrayed in a way that made my chest feel tight. At times, I genuinely felt anxious reading this because it brought back memories I didn’t expect to revisit.

Boland does an incredible job highlighting psychological, emotional, and financial abuse—especially the parts people don’t always recognize or talk about. The confusion, the self-doubt, the reason victims don’t always “just leave”—it’s all there, and it’s done well.

One thing that really stood out (and frustrated me) was how often women don’t trust or support other women. There’s this underlying theme of choosing the relationship over believing another woman, and it’s honestly heartbreaking because that support system is so crucial in situations like these.

I’m about halfway through as I write this, and I still don’t fully know where it’s going—but I do know it’s gripping, emotionally intense, and incredibly relatable in ways I didn’t expect.

This book gets a solid 4 stars from me. It’s well-written, impactful, and definitely not an easy read—but sometimes those are the ones that stay with you the longest.