I’ll try to keep this short and sweet, as it’s very difficult to discuss this novel without potentially spoiling the story for any new readers. That said, I highly recommend that if you haven’t already read this book, you go into it completely blind. The less you know about the story, the better it will be.

Book Summary

What would you do if your world was in shambles and you were being replaced in your marriage? Would you carry your head high and try to move on with your life, or spiral down a path of self-destruction? Vanessa, newly divorced from her handsome and enigmatic husband Richard, seems destined for the latter. Drowning her sorrows in wine, she’s only motivated by her obsession with Richard’s new fiancée – it seems like Vanessa is on the road to ruin.

Meanwhile, Nellie is a preschool teacher, newly engaged to Richard, who is forging a new life in New York City after unspeakable tragedy befalls her in Florida. Though she has some misgivings about her relationship, she chooses to ignore them as she is totally smitten by Richard’s charm and the sense of security he brings to her life. Unfortunately, the joy of wedding planning is continually interrupted by mysterious phone calls from a blocked number and visits from an unknown woman lurking outside of her workplace.

Think you know what’s going to happen? Don’t be so sure.

My Take

I’m somewhat new to this genre. Other than this novel, I haven’t yet read any of the other highly acclaimed “chick-lit/domestic thrillers” that have been released over the past few years, nor have I seen their movie adaptations. As such, I didn’t know what to expect from “The Wife Between Us.” I wasn’t sure if the book would be too kitschy for my tastes at this time; I really have to be in the mood for light chick-lit, and that mood typically only falls in summer.

Fortunately, I found that that wasn’t the case here. This was a pretty enjoyable read – darker than I expected – and I was successfully thrown off guard by some of the twists and turns that the plot presented. I would say the first “major” twist was a totally unexpected-yet-pleasant surprise, and I was extremely glad that I went into this read spoiler-free. Unfortunately, one of my only criticisms of this novel was that there were almost too many twists, to the point where some felt contrived or out of place, simply so the authors could claim they managed to keep the reader totally off-balance. On the contrary, it almost reached the point where the twists became expected – I wasn’t sure what the revelation would be exactly, but I knew something was coming.

Overall though, “The Wife Between Us” was a very easy, quick, and satisfying read – perfect for a cozy winter break by the fireplace. I feel like I absolutely flew through this book – though there were areas in the middle that did drag a bit. The characters grabbed me, especially Nellie, and I became invested in their fates. I couldn’t wait to see how the story would play out. The novel was also pretty well written, a feat more impressive considering it was co-written by two authors. Usually, a book written by two alternating authors doesn’t flow well and becomes disjointed, but the dual-author style was extremely forgettable – in a good way. If you’re looking for something easy, suspenseful and engaging to read this winter, definitely give this book a try.

* Hopefully I managed to keep this take pretty spoiler-free. However, if there’s anything you think would be detrimental to someone’s first-time reading experience, let me know and I can try to remove or hide it for spoilers sake!

Quote I Liked

“In my marriage, there were three truths, three alternate and sometimes competing realities. There was Richard’s truth. There was my truth. And there was the actual truth, which is always the most elusive to recognize. This could be the case in every relationship, that we think we’ve entered into a union with another person when, in fact, we’ve formed a triangle with one point anchored by a silent but all-seeing judge, the arbiter of reality.”