The Exes: A GMA Book Club Pick

A Novel

By: Leodora Darlington

Narrated by: Amaka Okafor, Avita Jay, Leodora Darlington, Sebastian Humphreys, Yasmin Mwanza

A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK

Who hasn’t wanted to murder an ex—figuratively, at least? In this explosive debut thriller, a woman’s seemingly perfect romantic life is on the verge of collapse as she uncovers a hidden history surfacing dark secrets that have deadly consequences.

Natalie has only ever wanted to find “the one.” The perfect man, the happy family she never had. But each time she thinks she is finally getting somewhere, she’s bitterly disappointed. Another red line through a list of exes. And that was before the night of the Big Fallout that left her even more alone.

Then along comes James—wonderful, handsome James—and Natalie thinks her luck has finally turned. Maybe he’s the one for her. Maybe he’s the one she’s been waiting for all along. Maybe he won’t wind up dead.

But the harder Natalie tries to be a “normal” wife, the more world-upending truths are brought to her door, leaving her unsure of who she really is, and much less what she’ll do . . . leaving her to question whether there is a monster within her or whether there is a villain toying with her from the outside.

What’s the secret story behind Natalie’s dead exes? Will she and James survive their marriage? And do either of them deserve to?

Proof that sometimes the 'red flags' are actually a neon sign.

​If you’ve ever looked back at your dating history and thought, "I should have seen the signs," this book will either make you feel seen or make you want to change your identity and move to a remote island.
​The Exes is an expertly crafted psychological thriller that does something most books in the genre forget to do: it gives the "unreliable narrator" trope some actual soul. Natalie (our MC) is drowning in a cocktail of self-blame and doubt that doesn’t just cloud the truth—it practically acts as a secondary antagonist.
​Why this one sticks with you:
​The Social Lens: Darlington doesn't treat racism as a footnote. She weaves the realities of interracial dating and societal judgment into the very fabric of the tension. It’s a sharp, necessary look at how external prejudices bleed into internal choices.
​The "Love" Trap: It brilliantly dissects predatory behavior that wears the mask of affection. It’s a chilling reminder of how easily "I want to take care of you" can turn into "I want to control you."
​Identity & Values: At its heart, it’s a story about living life out loud and refusing to let your beliefs be sanded down by the people you let into your bed and your head.
​The character development is thick, the plot is layered, and the consequences are heavy. It’s the kind of book that makes you interrogate your own choices while you’re trying to solve the mystery.
​Final thought: A masterful debut that proves the most dangerous thing about our past isn't the people we left there—it's the versions of ourselves we haven't outgrown yet.

If you like twists…

This one is loaded with twists. What a super fun thriller. As a prolific reader of books in this genre (my library has more than 2000 audible books) this book is fantastic with excellent narration. Looking forward to more from this newly published author!

WOW!!!!

Full of unexpected twists and turns and, pleasantly, no plot holes that often come with twists. So amazing!!

The mystery and surprises of the entire book!!

The book started off a little darker than what I expected however that’s what kept me reading and wanting to know more!! This book is DEF worth the time of listening!!