I work with some of the most creative people on the planet. Our team is a mix of welders, wire artists, fiber creators, writers, and ministry leaders, and so much more. I recently discovered that one of my coworkers repurposes men’s neckties, and they are stunning! On Monday morning, she greeted me with a smile and a “Dani, I have something for you…” before gifting me a collection of these beautiful pieces. Naturally, I couldn’t wait to build an outfit around my favorite one.

WHAT I WORE

Initially, I’d planned to wear a basic black suit, but y’all know I’m anything but basic. Then I remembered that I had this berry colored suit that I bought about a year ago and had to give it a try. I wasn’t sure if it’d fit, because it didn’t last year… Buuuuut it did! Yay! I think the berry color plays nicely against the pale gray and pink of the tie. The white shirt used to have sleeves, but I cut them off because I couldn’t take the tightness across my upper arms. Don’t be afraid to alter your clothes to make them work for you.

I cannot get over this tie. How beautiful and fun is it? My coworker literally said she knew I’d love it because we have the same funky taste. And we do.

I also stepped out of my comfort zone and wore a pair of kitten heel pumps. I spent the whole day whispering: Please don’t fall. I am so not a heels girl. Or, at least, not a skinny heels girl. I prefer chunky heels or wedges. Grace issues, y’all.

WHERE I WORE IT

I wore this to work at the library. I didn’t have anything special going on, I just wanted to wear my tie. Actually, every day is a special day. Wear the clothes.

GET MY LOOK

Earrings: Similar | Suit: Similar | Tie: Similar  | Pumps: Similar

Sizing: I’m 5’4″ and a dress size 12 to 14 {L, XL}. I wear a size 9 shoe.

Side note wherever you see words in bold italics and a different color, those are clickable links. Those links will either take you to related posts or links for purchase. If you decide to purchase something using those links, I’ll earn a commission at no extra charge to you.

Now It’s Your Turn

Do you wear suits? How would you wear this tie?

THANK YOU

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new. If you like what you read, please consider sharing this post on Facebook or Pinterest. While I pay for many of the items I share on this blog out of my own pocket, some items are gifted to me {I always disclose those items}.

Come back soon,

The Hubs and I spent last weekend binge watching His & Hers on Netflix, and I was so *mind blown* by the ending that I wanted to read the book to see what was left out of the series. During my search for the book, I ended up taking a deep dive through Alice Feeney’s catalog and found out that she had a recently published book that I simply had to read. So I started my Feeney Fix with My Husband’s Wife, and, y’all, I will be adding her whole catalog to my TBR because whoa!

For this book review, I thought I’d try something different, rather than writing a traditional review, I’ll answer a few book group style questions… If you like this new format, let me know in the comments.

BOOK REVIEW

1. Did you connect with any character more than the others?
   I definitely connected with Birdy, the main character. She has a strong sense of right and wrong for others, but can be morally gray when it comes to protecting the people she loves. She’s been hurt by people, which has caused her to become a solitary figure, who relies on her pup for companionship. She also has an incredible sense of style, even though it’s a bit of a uniform: blazer, tee, skinny jeans, loafers, with rings on all fingers.
2. How would you describe the book in just three words?
   Slow-burn. Twisted. What?!
3. If you could ask the author one question, what would it be?
   What inspired this story? I know that seems like a throw away question, but the ending was such a twist that I really need to know how she came up with that idea.
4. Which character would you want to have coffee with?
   This question made me realize that I need to keep a running list of characters, because I cannot remember his name… Anyway, the old man who was like a community fixture. He was just so incredibly quirky and I know he knows everyone’s secrets.
5. Did the ending feel satisfying or did it leave you wanting more?
   The ending left me shook. Without giving it away, I can honestly say that I sat with the book in my lap and my mouth agape for a full minute, then I shook my head to clear it. Because what do you mean, ____________ committed this crime to protect her _________________.

Favorite Quote(s)

Everybody lies and everybody dies. Those are two of the only things you can be certain of in an uncertain world.

Page 1

But life is an unreliable waitress. Sometimes you order ice cream and instead life serves you a triple-decker shit sandwich with a side order of completely fucked.

Page 24

The last page torn out of the book of me.

Page 41

The Cover Art

The cover art is a masterclass in design. By pairing the subtle detail of a woman’s face etched into a single house key with the unmistakable profile of a woman as the keyhole, the artist creates a beautifully mysterious visual contrast.

It serves as a perfect piece of foreshadowing; once you finish the book, you’ll be like “Oh, my gosh! It was right there all along, and I missed it.” Topping it off is the watery background, which balances a sense of mystery with a hauntingly beautiful scene. The cover also pays homage to  the nonhuman characters in this story: the family home, the seaside town, and the fog.

Companion Listening 

Music

• Bishop Briggs – “River“
• Everybody Loves an Outlaw – “I See Red“

Recommended For

Mystery and psychological thriller fans. Book clubs.

Trigger Warnings

Cancer. Child abuse. Murder.

IT’S YOUR TURN

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? Let’s discuss in the comments below. If you haven’t, feel free to purchase the book using the link below.

BOOK DETAILS

Title: My Husband’s Wife

Author: Alice Feeney

Publisher: Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar

Publication Date: 20 January 2026

Genre: Mystery, Popular Fiction

Format: eBook

Print Length: 320 pages

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from the book)

Alice Feeney is the New York Times bestselling author of My Husband’s Wife, Beautiful Ugly, Good Bad Girl, Daisy Darker, Rock Paper Scissors, His & Hers, I Know Who You Are, and Sometimes I Lie. Her novels have been translated into over thirty languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations. Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years, and now lives in the Devon countryside with her family.

ABOUT THE BOOK (from the book)

Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner called Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person’s date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel, and as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.

My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

PURCHASING OPTIONS

If you purchase using this link from Bookshop.org, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

BOOKISH THINGS

Bookshop.org – Shop for books selected by me, for you!

NetGalley Professional Reader – I receive free ARCs from NetGalley to review on my blog and share on Instagram.

The StoryGraph – A reading app that shares all the nerdy details of my bookish life.

THANK YOU

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new. If you like what you read, please consider sharing this post on Facebook. You can also share on Pinterest. While I pay for many of the items I share on this blog out of my own pocket, some items are gifted to me {I always disclose those items}.

Affiliate Information

Reading and reviewing books brings me a great deal of happiness. If you’re a reader, I’d love for you to visit my online bookstore, Living Outside the Stacks, to make your purchase. If you purchase from my shop, I’ll receive a small commission, but you’ll also support indie bookstores. If you need help staying organized and want to keep it pretty, I invite you to give Artful Agenda a try. Artful Agenda is a digital planner inspired by paper planners. Use my code: RD1028912. To learn more, read my review here.

Happy Reading,

LET’S CONNECT

As always, I’m late with my submission. However, this time, I have a legitimate excuse reason. Actually, I have two. On 10 March, I celebrated my 53rd birthday and on 11 March, The Hubs and I celebrated our anniversary…

To say it has been two days of surprising, yet, beautiful days of celebration would be putting it mildly. First, our son drove down for a visit — we went to lunch, toured the local museum, and just hung out. And, y’all, hanging with your adult children is something incredibly special. Like, you know you raised this person, so there’s part of you that knows him or her, but then they go out on their own and become someone totally new. And you get this chance to meet this new person and decide whether you like them or not. This person, who is familiar and strange all at the same time. And, you guys, I genuinely like my boy. And his sisters. They’re funny and wise and compassionate and sarcastic. The perfect blend of The Hubs and me.

I cannot believe The Hubs and I have been married for over thirty years. That feels like such a long time and no time at all. We’ve been through so much together – kids, cancer, pets, whatever the heck this current administration is, and, yet, here we are. Still laughing. Still crying. Still trying to figure life out. Together.

You can read how we met by clicking here.

I don’t have any advice for newly weds. Every marriage is different. Like we tell the kids: each person brings their own special brand of crazy into the relationship and it’s up to them to determine whether they can deal with it. And, if they can, they create their own special brand of crazy, which they pass on to their kids.

I also have to share that my coworkers took me out to lunch at a local Mexican restaurant, where the staff sang the birthday song to me. I had the most delicious fried shrimp tacos with yellow rice and a slice of tres leches cake.  I also received a variety box of cupcakes and cheesecake. My two favorite desserts. It was a wonderful couple of days of celebrations.

THE PROMPT: Glimmers, Life’s Little Miracles

For this month’s prompt, I decided to share one of the original glimmers in the Vaughn household: my twin sister and my birth story. I know glimmers are typically small events like a beautiful sunset, or an unexpected smile from a stranger — anything that triggers a feeling of joy or safety, but what can be more glimmery than a random stranger delivering your baby on the side of a road at o’dark something in the morning? LOL

Below is one of several newspaper articles commemorating the event. This article is an opinion piece written by William Raspberry of The Washington Post, who would go on to become a Pulitzer Prize nominated and, later, winning writer.

I found this article one day while doing a little search. I knew it existed, because my mom has the original article written by Major Wells that’s mentioned in this opinion piece.

You can read my original post with a picture of the article by clicking here.

What I Wore on My Birthday

Earrings: Similar | Utility Jacket: Similar | Mesh Top: Similar  | Tulle Skirt: Similar | Converse: Similar

Sizing: I’m 5’4″ and a dress size 12 to 14 {L, XL}. I wear a size 9 shoe.

Side note wherever you see words in bold italics and a different color, those are clickable links. Those links will either take you to related posts or links for purchase. If you decide to purchase something using those links, I’ll earn a commission at no extra charge to you.

I wore this outfit to work on my birthday. I’ve had this floral utility jacket in my closet for years, but I think I’ve only worn it once or twice. It’s one of those pieces I picked up without really thinking about it. But the skirt? That tulle skirt was a purposeful purchase. I’ve loved tulle and tutus since I was a little kid, so when I found this skirt online, I jumped on it. I love the idea of tulle paired with the unexpected, like the utility jacket and my Converse sneakers. I’ve also paired this skirt with a denim jacket, tee shirt, and combat boots. If you’d like to see other ways to wear a tulle skirt, check out my Pinterest board by clicking here.

ABOUT WHERE BLOGGERS LIVE

Welcome to the monthly edition of Where Bloggers Live. It’s kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…Bloggers! Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes? Over the next few months, we’ll share about our work spaces, home towns, and more!

I should note – because this is super important – the creative brain behind this project is Bettye at Fashion Schlub! Love her!

The Celebrity Bloggers

Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Dog Hair
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Make sure you visit everyone to see where the magic happens!

IT’S YOUR TURN

I’d love to know what’s made you smile in the last few months, leave a comment below.

BOOKISH THINGS

Bookshop.org – Shop for books selected by me, for you!

NetGalley Professional Reader – I receive free ARCs from NetGalley to review on my blog and share on Instagram.

The StoryGraph – A reading app that shares all the nerdy details of my bookish life.

THANK YOU

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new. If you like what you read, please consider sharing this post on Facebook or Pinterest. While I pay for many of the items I share on this blog out of my own pocket, some items are gifted to me {I always disclose those items}. If you’d like to connect on a more regular basis, I’m on Facebook and Instagram.

Come back soon,

LET’S CONNECT

Click Here to See Where I Link Up

AFFILIATE INFORMATION

As the blogger and photographer behind Living Outside the Stacks, I independently select and write about stuff I love and things I think you’ll enjoy too. Living Outside the Stacks has affiliate and advertising partnerships so I get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase. Thank you for your support.

Reading and reviewing books brings me a great deal of happiness. If you’re a reader, I’d love for you to visit my online bookstore, Living Outside the Stacks, to make your purchase. If you purchase from my shop, I’ll receive a small commission and you’ll also support indie bookstores. If you need help staying organized, but want to keep it pretty, I invite you to give Artful Agenda a try. It’s a digital planner inspired by paper planners. Use my code: RD1191716. Artful Agenda connects effortlessly to your Google and Outlook calendars and works across devices.