📖 Blog Tour ~ The Son-in-Law by Ellie Monago

Bookouture
13 October 2025

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book
and the invitation to the blog tour

 

“Mom, meet my fiancé.” I look at the man standing next to my daughter and my heart starts pounding. I know him. He is the only person who knows all my secrets.

I play nervously with the white tablecloth in the restaurant my daughter Lise picked out. I want to make a good first impression on her fiancé. I watch as the door opens and a man in a crisp white shirt enters holding my daughter’s hand. The moment I see his face my blood runs cold. Why has he found me?

Lise slips out to take a call, leaving me alone with the man who could tear my family apart. Gavin smiles as he says the words that I hoped he never would: “You know why I’m here and what it will take to make me leave.”

My world starts to spin as my past and present collide. He’s been lying to my daughter about who he really is. But I will do anything to keep her safe.

Because only I know what my future son-in-law is capable of, how far he will go to get what he wants. But he underestimates how far I will go to protect my daughter. Which one of us will make it out alive?

📖 My Review..

When Lise first introduces her fiancé she expects her mother to be happy and supportive however, from an uncomfortable first meeting in a local restaurant it becomes obvious that Lise’s mother is far from pleased with this news. Diana immediately recognises Gavin, Lise’s fiancé, as he was once her daughter’s high school English teacher, this fact makes her very nervous, with reasons which become obvious as the story progresses.

This tense and tightly put together psychological fiction has all the necessary ingredients for an entertaining read. We have secrets from Diana’s past to explore along with the reason why she dislikes Gavin so much and it was interesting to see Lise’s own perception of what was happening. I enjoyed the mixing of time frames labelled ‘now and then’ and the way the other characters, particularly Gavin, alter the overall dynamic making it an altogether darker story. The shadow of toxic relationships is threaded throughout the narrative, along with lots of dark secrets which are finally exposed.

With an emotionally charged atmosphere The Son-in-Law is entertaining psychological fiction which kept my attention from start to finish.

About the Author

Ellie Monago is a novelist and practicing therapist. She’s also a wife and mother, and when you add it all up, she doesn’t wind up with much time for hobbies. But she’s an avid tennis fan, a passionate reader of both fiction and nonfiction—especially memoir (nothing’s as juicy as the truth!)—and she relishes a good craft cocktail.

X@bookouture