The Other Wife

Product Information

A free copy of this book was provided for reviewing purposes in conjunction with interviewing Kathleen for the release of her latest novel Secrets of the Royal Wedding Chapel. My review is honest, and has not been impacted by the free copy. Not to mention the fact his father had another life, in which he was seemingly a very different person. Suzi is pregnant and isolated living in a secluded area with her controlling husband. Suzi is delighted to have someone move in nearby, and soon becomes friends with the new resident, Nora.

The Other Wife by Claire McGowan | Goodreads

Michael can most often be found working in his ‘pit of despair’ (basement office) on Sydney’s northern beaches where he funds the extravagant lifestyles of a wife and three daughters. Two women from two generations, bound together by denial, anger, and grief. How far will their misery and fear push them? Does compassion rule the day, or will a husband’s betrayal lead to a woman’s revenge? What happens when each of these women comes face-to-face with the other wife? The characters of this book were great and the plot was good too. It moved a tad bit slow from what I like, but the story and twists were really good. There seemed to be a lot of chapters on Suzie and Nora too, Elle had a smaller share and I'd have loved to know more about the incidents from her past and what shaped her to be the person she was. The ending was fantastic. But there too, I'd have loved to more about how it came to be. The world stops making sense for Eleanor. The same happens to Claire, less than forty miles away. Claire is a young university professor, in her early thirties and fell in love with Richard, head over heels, when they met. The characters in this book are layered and complex. Everything and everyone is connected, meaning that the reader really gets to know each character, and develops an attachment that leaves you wanting to know more about their lives, even after the book ends.

My Who-Dunnit List was fluid with constant re-evaluating and shuffling of all the options. I don’t remember reading a book where I’ve vacillated to such an extent. I was questioning the sanity and motivations of all! The Other Wife is a compelling and emotional story that follows two women whose world is turned upside down when they find out that they have been betrayed by the same man, their husband! When Nora moves into the only house nearby, Suzi is delighted to have a friend. So much so that she’s almost tempted to tell Nora her terrible secret. But there’s more to Nora than meets the eye. It’s impossible—does she already know what Suzi did? Michael Robotham's most extraordinary stories have their basis in the kinds of things people really do. Credit: Tony Mott

The Other Wife by Michael Robotham | Waterstones

Told from the alternating perspectives of three women, Suzi, Elle, and Nora, it is immediately apparent that all is not as it seems in the lives of these three women. Suzi, the most fully fleshed out character, is pregnant and living in fear in a remote cottage where she is the victim of domestic abuse. Nora, coincidentally or not, takes up residence in a cottage of her own across the street, and might just be the salvation that Suzi is seeking. Or will Nora's secrets, in fact, be the undoing of them all? Kathleen Irene Paterka has made her mark on women’s fiction with this stunning novel about love, loss, betrayal and starting over. The Other Wife is not a statement of bitterness but rather of learning to accept, if not understand the predicament life has ensconced two unsuspecting and innocent women in. She has allowed each woman to come to terms with their personal betrayals and choose a fresh path for their lives, building something strong out of the rubble they reluctantly find themselves buried in. The “villain” of this tale is gone, but was Richard all bad or was there more we will never know, questions we can never have answers to? Powerful and thought provoking, Kathleen Irene Paterka has written from her heart and it shows in her delicate handling of a devastating situation. This isn’t pink and frothy, this strikes deep into the heart, mind and soul. Ms. Paterka’s style is one of eloquence through her words while captivating her audience.The beginning was a little depressing as the narrators were in dark places mentally. Each were grieving in their own way. However, not all is doom and gloom as lighter quips popped up at unexpected times. This one was a favorite: