Title: The Replacement Wife
Author: Eileen Goudge
Publication Year: 2012
Publisher: Open Road
Edition: eGalley
Source: NetGalleySetting: New York
Date Completed: May/2012
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yesThe Replacement Wife seemed like a good choice for me, as I was looking for something a bit different from what I'm generally drawn to. I was hoping for a book that wouldn't require a lot of concentration, and for the most part this was true, although it's not an upbeat story, it did hold my interest.
On the surface, Camille Hart, appears to have it all: wife of a physician, mother to preteen children, and a career as a successful Manhattan matchmaker. She's battled cancer once and won, but now she's learned that her cancer is back and it's stage IV and terminal. Camille's mission before her time is up is to to find a good wife and a caring mother for her family.
Camille's own mother died when she and her sister were quite young. Their father was a pilot who was frequently away from home, and the girls were often left to fend for themselves. Although Camille's husband Edward is not happy about his wife's plans for them, he understands where she is coming from and reluctantly goes along. Afterall, she does have their best interest at heart, and a stable life for her children is what's most important once she's gone.
This was a good story about a marriage, and it was not at all predicable as one might expect. There were actually quite a few characters to keep straight, but the author did a great job of creating players that the reader will care about, and it's one of the stories that you may keep thinking about days after you've finished the book. Although the book is was way too long, in my opinion, it is one of those novels that will appeal to many women and would make for some lively book club discussions I suspect.
This sounds like an interesting book, I'm glad it wasn't as predictable as you thought it might have been.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this book is at least 100 pages too long. Good story though, the unthinkable...
ReplyDeleteThis sounds a little gloomy, but good.
ReplyDeleteI bet my book club could find a lot to discuss here. Glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteThis is another book that I want to read this year. You would think having a copy would make it easier to achieve, wouldn't you?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could read this one, only because I think it would be too painful to pick another mother for your kids. I know I couldn't do it!
ReplyDeleteThe premise of this book just appeals to me … as weird as that might sound.
ReplyDelete