The nicest couples in question are Christian and Lily and Nina and Jake. Lily and Nina are teachers at the same high school and are good friends. One evening Christian arrives home to find newly pregnant Lily exhausted but it’s more than that as she seems fearful. The same night Jake fails to return home after the couple have an argument earlier in the day. Nina thinks he’s staying away to blow off steam but is that the case or is there more to it? It’s getting dark in the house. Out the window, the sun is about to set. Lily hasn’t bothered with the lights, and so the in- side of the house is colorless and gray. We face east. Any pretty sunset is the other way. You can’t see it from here, if there even is one to see. Rich with detail and a mounting, almost suffocating sense of dread, Just the Nicest Couple is a dark and twisted exploration of loyalty, family, and how far we’ll go to protect the ones we love. - Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here The main theme of Just the Nicest Couple is the moral dilemma that Christian faces. Kubica asks readers to consider how far they would go to protect a loved one from the consequences of his/her poor decision-making, especially with potential criminal liability looming. Christian must choose between his own sense of right and wrong, and the preservation of the life he has built with Lily. Kubica propels the story forward as Christian confronts what – and who – he is willing to sacrifice to safeguard his wife so that they can raise their child together. He is surprised and rattled by his own behavior and decisions, recognizing at one point that “this whole thing has spiraled out of control, turning me into someone I’m not. . . . The line between right and wrong is getting more blurry with each day.” But can he stop the progression of events before it is too late for all involved?

Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two make a pact not to tell anyone what happened. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered. Two Perspectives Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend's house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found. I remember that Mary Kubica was a teacher before she became a writer, and as someone works in education, too, that added an extra layer of authenticity to this story from the very beginning. This is a story of a deep betrayal, and how far people will go to hide the truth. It’s also about how the people you thought were friends can turn on a dime and become your most bitter enemy. Rich with detail and a mounting, almost suffocating sense of dread, Just the Nicest Couple is a dark and twisted exploration of loyalty, family, and how far we’ll go to protect the ones we love."—Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered.”

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Bestselling author Mary Kubica earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and American Literature from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, before embarking on a career as a high school history teacher. Her thrillers, including The Good Girl, Pretty Baby, Don’t You Cry, Every Last Lie, When the Lights Go Out, The Other Mrs., and Local Woman Missing. To date, her novels have sold over two million copies worldwide and been translated into more than thirty languages. Meanwhile, Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and fellow teacher, has been acting oddly around her husband, Christian. Nervous and distant, he finds her staring off into space when he gets home from work one evening. But she refuses to say anything about what has pushed her to the edge. Afraid to prod, he lets her be until the following day when Lily asks him to leave work early. Something is clearly wrong. I know that lots of people have really liked this one, but if you like logic and characters that behave rationally, then this is not the book for you. Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.

Some of Mary Kubica's books have been better than others and, unfortunately, "Just the Nicest Couple" is not one of Mary Kubica's better books. I enjoyed the two narrators and at first I thought I leaned more towards the performance for Nina. But, the storytelling for Christian’s narrative was what had me mesmerized as the story progressed. No matter, as both delivered fine performances. Walking into their living room, he sees in an instant that his gut was right. Lily finally divulges the whole truth: that she believes she was the last person to see Jake before he disappeared. Together, they agree that this should be kept between the two of them. No one, especially Nina, should learn what she knows. In her alternating narrative, Nina details the tension in her marriage in the months leading up to Jake’s disappearance, her efforts to find him, and the unwavering support she receives from her mother. She also takes steps to protect her mother, who is vulnerable because of her visual impairment. Kubica thoughtfully explores Nina’s difficulty balancing the demands of her husband against her devotion to a parent who is growing older and facing health challenges. Despite their recent struggles, Nina fondly recalls and longs for happier days with Jake, still loves him, and is intent on learning whether he callously decided to leave her following their last argument . . . or is unable to come home to her. As she searches for answers, her suspicions grow. In addition to Nina’s mother, another supporting character also figures prominently in the tale. Ryan, a fellow teacher at the high school, is a devoted friend to Nina. But his behavior grows increasingly concerning and Kubica keeps readers guessing about his motivations. Does he want more than friendship from Nina? Is he somehow involved in Jake’s disappearance? Similar to the above five baseball players, Mary Kubica also hit a "grand slam" in her first time "at bat" with her debut novel "The Good Girl".I step quietly into the family room. I come around to the other side of Lily to face her. Lily isn’t asleep like I thought. Her eyes are open but her expression is blank. Her skin looks gray, washed-out like the room, and I blame the poor lighting. Christian is blindly in love with his wife, Lily. His inner dialogue was painful to read--he is immature, and his thoughts are pretty basic. He can't string together a complex sentence and spends most of his time obsessing over Lily and watching her sleep. Lily is whiny and annoying. She could have had some of the most interesting chapters, but Kubica does not share her perspective. Both Lily and Christian speak and act like the high school students that Nina and Lily teach. When a man disappears under suspicious circumstances, a young couple tries to cover their involvement while his wife begins to wonder what they know.

I had vowed to stop reading Kubica, but the premise sounded so good that I had to give this one a go. This book has all of the makings of a juicy thriller, but the flat characters and messy execution made for a boring read. Sounds come, but I’m so disoriented that I don’t know where they come from. Is it only my pulse, the rush of blood in my ears? There is movement on the ground before me. The sound that comes with it is something heathen and raging, and some part of me knows that if I don’t go now, I may never leave this place alive. Jake Hayes is missing. Jake’s wife Nina thinks it’s due to a fight the couple had and confesses as much to her coworker Lily. Lily however may have been the last person to see Jake and confesses to her husband Christian. Christian only wants to protect Lily and their unborn child Lily is carrying so he knows Nina cannot find out the truth. Or would you prefer playing a fun game? Take a shot every time Lily’s teenie tiny petite body type is mentioned . . .Starting a Mary Kubica book is like opening a bag of M&Ms....you can't eat just one M&M and you can't read just one or two chapters of a Kubica book....I started her latest JUST THE NICEST COUPLE yesterday around 1:45......then all of a sudden I looked up at the window, it was dark outside and I was 70% through with the book..... Rich with detail and a mounting, almost suffocating sense of dread, Just the Nicest Couple is a dark and twisted exploration of loyalty, family, and how far we'll go to protect the ones we love." --Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here Jake Hayes is missing. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he’s taking a break after their huge fight from the night before. But days go by and Jake is no where to be found, Nina starts to worry. Where is Jake?