Synopsis
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
It’s about a jealous wife, obsessed with her replacement.
It’s about a younger woman set to marry the man she loves.
The first wife seems like a disaster; her replacement is the perfect woman.
You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.
You will be wrong.
Review
Vanessa had it all – a rich husband, a huge house in the suburbs of New York that she and her husband were trying to fill with children. After a while of trying and no babies the marriage started to crack.
Following the marriage breakdown Vanessa was left penniless and with a drinking problem.
Richard found himself a younger woman and when Vanessa realised they were engaged to be married she was determined to do anything to stop the wedding.
Opinion
The above is about as much as I can give away before I ruin it for you.
I really wanted to love this book, it had all the potential, but sadly it didn’t do it for me.
It was unclear and confusing for me to understand if the book alternated between the stories of the ex-wife and new fiance or past and present in the eyes of the ex-wife.
The story line was a little over the top for me, and perhaps a little slow. Plus too many predictable twists which really were underwhelming after a while. The ending, for me, was unnecessary and the book could’ve easily done without the last chapter.
What I will say is that the portrayal of the characters and relationships between them was very believable and beautifully (in search of a better word) put together.
Getting to know the characters and falling in love with them is one of my favourite things about reading. Vanessa was my favourite. Who was yours?
All in all I am bit disappointed, as I had high hopes for this one. I was ready to be shocked to the core and have my assumptions to be wrong, but that never materialised.
3 out of 5 stars.
