Nobody's Wife: A heartbreaking, beautifully-told story of family and betrayal from NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER Laura Pearson
Emily and Josephine have always shared everything. They're sisters, flatmates and best friends. It's the two of them against the world. When Emily has the perfect wedding and Josephine finds the perfect man, they know things will change forever.
But nothing can prepare them for what - or who - one of them is willing to give up for love.
Four people. Three couples. Two sisters. One unforgivable betrayal.
A totally heart-wrenching story about family, loyalty and obsession that will have you racing to the finish, from the No.1 bestselling author of The Last List of Mabel Beaumont comes.
Readers love Laura Pearson:'Even when I couldn't see properly as the tears streamed down my face rivalling the force of the Niagara Falls, I couldn't put this novel down. It is raw, it is devastating (yes, I'm aware I've used that word before but it is!) and yet, it's wonderful and I absolutely loved it!' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Heartbreaking, uplifting, eye opening... Such a beautiful story.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Will break and melt your heart in equal measure. A genuinely stunning read!... Absolutely EXQUISITE... A powerful story about friendship, found family, lost love, identity, self-acceptance and living life authentically and to its fullest... A beautiful story that will never leave me.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Wow... amazing... Straight away it captures your heart, it is so beautifully written and impossible to put down... Have the tissues ready... it feels so real... it stays with you.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I am lost for words to describe this book which drew me in, enveloped me to the point where I was constantly thinking about the characters, worrying about them like they were my own. I fell in love.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I absolutely loved this book. One of the most enjoyable that I have read this year. It is heartbreaking, beautiful and totally uplifting. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry. It will also make you look back at your own life and examine the decisions and choices that you have made... A really life affirming read.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Be still my beating heart. I've smiled and I've cried and everything in between... I'd give it 10 stars if I could.' Nicki's Book Blog ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Gorgeous... Tender and beautiful... As hopeful as it is heart-breaking... I loved it.' Amy Beashel, author
'This beautifully written story of friendship, love, loss and second chances captured my heart. It's a tender and uplifting read... Leaves you feeling warm, hopeful, and satisfied.' Lisa Timoney, author
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Community Reviews
But change is inevitable. As the story opens, Emily has a perfect wedding to Michael. He's older than Emily, but adores and is committed to her. He's solid and safe, if not exciting. His first novel was a success, but he's been struggling to complete his second book, writing travel articles and book reviews in the interim.
Josephine finds the perfect man. Jack works in the local bookstore and writes short stories, He lives in a shabby apartment. His feelings for Josephine are genuine, but not as strong as her feelings for him.
Emily and Josephine are utterly unprepared for what happens after Josephine brings Jack to dinner at Emily and Michael's home. Jack realizes that Michael is the writer whose work he admires, and the two men strike up a friendship. Michael agrees to read Jack's work.
But something else happens on that fateful night. Something is set in motion that will change all of their lives over the course of the coming year.
Laura Pearson elevates what could have been a melodramatic, tawdry tale about infidelity, betrayal, and obsession into a complex, spellbinding examination of the relationship between the sisters and the far-reaching consequences that can result from acting upon attraction and passion.
Nobody's Wife is a character study crafted with precision, believability, and emotional authenticity. Although her characters make ill-advised decisions there are no villains in this story. Rather, Pearson examines their motivations, desires, and actions with sensitivity. As a result, the characters are empathetic -- even relatable -- and Pearson challenges her readers to contemplate what they would do if they found themselves in the same unenviable situation.
One unforgivable betrayal compels the story forward and forces each character to evaluate what matters mot to him/her -- family, loyalty, and doing the right thing vs. fulfillment of desires, surrender to romantic feelings, and respite from feeling unfulfilled.
The prologue reveals that by the end of the book only three of the four will remain and there will be "no going backwards from there." Through Pearson's restrained writing style, she takes readers on her characters' journey to that tragic point sans judgment. Rather, events transpire in a logical manner as the consequences of their choices are revealed.
The result is a compelling drama at the core of which is the complex, multi-layered relationship of Emily and Josephine, and the question of whether they can ever reach a point of forgiveness and resolution.
Nobody's Wife a worthy successor to Pearson's stunning debut work, Missing Pieces.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.
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