Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and author Becky Alexander for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

On occasion I find a book that turns out to be much better than I was expecting it to be. The Other Mrs. Eden was one of those books. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, nor did I expect it to grip me enough that I devoured it in less than 24 hours.

Kim Conner is a young woman whose life has not been easy. At one time she was an aspiring actress, but life conspired against her and she had to leave drama to take care of her sickly mother. When her mother died, she was all alone in the world. Trying to make ends meet, she moved in with a friend and took what jobs she could find.

That all changes when she’s sent by the agency to Jemima Eden. Jemima is a star of the small screen. In her 30s, roles are starting to dry up. Is it age? Or is it Jemima herself? Her fairy-tale marriage to George, a character actor, is fraught with rumors and innuendo. Kim shows up after another of her personal assistants was fired, and although Kim has no experience, Jemima takes her on as an employee.

Kim is somewhat the voyeur in the Edens’ marriage. George seems charming and willing to take a backseat to his wife’s fame. Jemima is erratic. She disappears for a couple of days to a “spa” and the press is all over it as an interlude with her former costar, Rory. Kim attempts to handle the press and the drama surrounding Jemima while trying to get her own life together.

I really enjoyed The Other Mrs. Eden. In the beginning, I figured I knew where the story was going, but it ended up being quite different. Kim is learning what it is like to be a celebrity even as she’s striving to become famous. Jemima comes off as an unbalanced diva who is possibly on the way down in her career. Kim envies all Jemima has, including the doting, protective husband.

The characters are well crafted. Events might seem to take place a little too fast, but they react very well. Kim is learning as she goes. She is very naive but is getting an education. My initial thought with the book was that Kim was being groomed to be the next “Jemima Eden” and replace her everywhere. Kim even dyes her hair the same color as Jemima’s. Is she really an obsessed stalker intent on taking Jemima’s place in her home and her life?

There was some good suspense throughout, although the truth is hinted at enough that I suspected it about midway through. I wanted to see how it ended, and I was surprised. In some ways, it’s too much the happily ever after, but there’s room for another story after this one if the author chooses. I would definitely read it.