Reviews

The Language of Divorce by Leanne Treese

cassies_books_reviews's review against another edition

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4.0

What an amazing debut! It opens with introducing you to Hannah and Will Abbott who are married with two children. What others see is a perfect marriage and family life. However deep down they suspect each other of cheating. When they each hire attorneys things begin to take turn for the worse. Hannah decides to take the children which violates a court order and everyone on social media discovers they are getting a divorce. What becomes an expensive divorce they decide to be part of a reality show. The filming is on location of St. John’s while being part of the show they must make the ultimate decision can they move forward or go through the divorce. The book is told in four point of views Will and Hannah and each of their attorneys. This books has some family drama, humor and some parts that pull at your heart strings . Your opinions begin to change through out book on our main characters as they begin to grow and learn more about themselves. There are some strong lessons about marriage and divorce. I give this four stars!

neverwithoutmybook's review against another edition

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3.0

The Language of Divorce was a relatively quick moving novel about the breakdown of a marriage and the lengths one will go to to try to save it. I liked that the author also developed the storylines of the supporting characters. I became invested in everyone, not just the main characters. I was apprehensive about the reality show aspect and worried that it would cheapen the story, but it was well done and did not overpower.

shobizreads's review against another edition

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4.0

Thank you to @suzyapprovrdbooktours and @leannetreese for the gifted audio copy of this book⁣ in exchange for my honest opinion.⁣

In the Language of Divorce we meet Will and Hannah, a married couple whose marriage is unraveling and they’re set on a path of divorce involving lawyers, alleged parental kidnapping, infidelity and media coverage. ⁣

As a last resort to finalize their divorce, they agree to go on a reality TV show that will pay for all their legal fees (which they need because divorce is expensive!!!) and have one final dinner together.⁣

This tale deftly exposes the process of divorce - how lawyers, media and friends can push things into becoming a much more contentious process. It also explores how couples grow apart over time and how miscommunication can be a breeding ground for mistrust and assumptions. ⁣

The author weaves together Hannah and Will’s story with other key players going through relational difficulties including their own lawyers. ⁣

This fiction channels some Bachelor vibes - just focused on the end of marriage rather than the start, but really explores some realistic themes around relationships and the impact that divorce has on families, income and the people involved.⁣

This worked really well as an audio book keeping my attention and despite several minor characters and plot lines, it wasn’t confusing and I was able to keep track of everyone.⁣ I also loved the narration (you know how sometimes a narrator can make or break a book?).

bookish_heidi's review against another edition

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4.0

I'm not quite sure what I was expecting when I started this book, but it surpassed ALL of my expectations! It was sad and funny and witty and infuriating all at once and I loved every minute of it.

This book was the prime example of how divorce can come out of nowhere and turn your life upside down. Hannah and Will were your storybook couple. 2 kids, white picket fence, the adorable "how we met" story, etc. And yet, after 15 years, their marriage was falling apart. Will was suspicious of a friend of Hannah's and yet just grumbled to himself about it. Then he went to a baseball game with some friends, ended up getting totally smashed and doing karaoke with a group of ladies who all decided to sign his chest. That was the final straw for Hannah.

She decided to talk to a divorce attorney just to see what her options were. She realized she loved Will too much to divorce him. Then Will found the attorneys card and her text messages to her "friend" and decided that he needed a break. And the sad part is, it really does happen that easily. Everything snowballed from there.

Then you bring in Will's attorney. A divorced man who had gotten completely screwed over by his ex wife. His assistant who just happened to be one of the women who signed Will's chest that night and it all went completely south from there.

This book was touching and raw and it killed me. My heart completely went out to all of the characters (except Aaron... he's a dick).

pageturnersandsweettea's review against another edition

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4.0

When I give my reviews, I like to be open and completely honest with them. So, I will tell you. I wasn’t sure if I would like this novel. It’s a debut, and sometimes, debuts aren’t my favorite, especially with women’s fiction, since I don’t read a lot of them. But, I started this novel and within 24 hours, I had it finished. I was up late, gripping the pages and turning them, needing to know what was happening to Will and Hannah.
Will and Hannah. I liked them. I hated them. I loved them. They were complex. They were emotional. They were life-like. As a woman who has been divorced, due to infidelity(and drugs), I knew a lot of what Hannah was going through, especially with a baby mixed up in the center of it. I also felt like I knew what Will was going through, too. Their characters quickly worked their way into my heart and stayed there til the end.

Treese has extreme talent. She chiseled her characters beautifully. She stitched together a real, yet humorous story line, bringing her readers a raw, and emotional journey of love, divorce, hope, and brokenness. Four stars and hats off to this new author and I am looking forward to reading more of her work in the future!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

danireads1225's review against another edition

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4.0

I will admit that normally audio books are not my ‘thing’. I like to picture characters, surroundings, events in my head. BUT...wow. This one did not disappoint at all. It kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting to speed it up to find out what happened next. I got so mad at the parents at one part, because I felt as though they were using their kids as pawns. Unfortunately, that really does happen sometimes.
If you’re looking for an audio book that will keep your attention and hold it, this is absolutely the book for you. So well written!!

yaaas_or_nahs_books's review against another edition

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4.0

From the outside looking in, Hannah and Will Abbott seem to have the perfect marriage. They fell in love as teenagers but their love has started to fade a bit and Hannah starts spending time with another man. She decides to consult a divorce lawyer for informational purposes only but then leaves the business card in her purse. Duh, of course Will ends up finding it and leaves her. It was really sad to see them going through this struggle, especially with children being involved and neither of them acting like adults. ⁣⁣
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There are several storylines being told throughout the book. My favorite was the story about one of the divorce lawyers David and his relationship with his friend Jenny. I enjoyed watching this cutthroat guy soften and become a selfless person helping a friend in need. It really warmed my heart.

thereadingchemist's review against another edition

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4.0

I’ll be honest, when this book first came across my radar, I was definitely interested to see if the main characters went down in flames. I know that’s terrible to admit, but when it comes to the whole idea of reality television, that definitely seems to be the norm.

For the majority of this book, I found myself so frustrated with the two main characters Will and Hannah Abbott. Will and Hannah are the quintessential suburban married couple with their two kids and everyday life. The status quo is shaken up when Will finds a business card from a divorce attorney that Hannah visited. Will and Hannah are both aware that they have been in a rut for quite some time and neither one pretends that isn’t the case. However, rather than discuss the core problems in their marriage, Will goes on the defensive and realizes that he needs time to process the information as well as visit a divorce attorney as well.

The conflict between Will and Hannah climaxes quickly in this story due to a momentary lapse in judgment on Hannah’s behalf (again under the guise of miscommunication between her and Will) that lands Hannah in jail and Will the holder of a temporary restraining order. To put things in lamen’s terms…the sh*t hits the fan, and the plot really takes off from there.

This plot is told from multiple POVs. You have the perspectives from both Will and Hannah, which are pretty straight forward, but also reveal the complexity of their makeup. Additionally, we have POVs from the attorneys (including the paralegal) involved, and the baggage that their lives bring into Will and Hannah’s divorce.

I expected the whole reality television show to be at the forefront of the story, but the majority of the story doesn’t even focus on that. The reality show comes into play later when both Will and Hannah (and Will’s attorney David) realize that they need the money in order to continue with the divorce not to cheapen their situation or paint the other spouse in a negative light.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story because it highlights the dangers of not communicating in a relationship. The majority of Will and Hannah’s issues could have been avoided by actually having a conversation versus making assumptions, which is something that I strive for in my daily life. Like I said, for the majority of the book, I was frustrated and wished things went differently for the main characters especially since children were involved. However, the ending made the entire story worth it for me.

Thank you to Filles Vertes Publishing for providing an ARC for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

readalotwritealot's review

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4.0

Marriage is hard work. As someone who will be celebrating 17 years of marriage very soon, who has had many friends who have gone through divorces, and who has been privy to some comments from some very cynical divorce lawyers, I found this book incredibly easy to relate to. The story follows a couple married 15 years as well as their divorce attorneys as they all struggle with relationships.

I loved that this book covered all sides of the divorce, each spouse, the lawyers, the kids, even friends and family. I also loved the twist of going through all of this in the public eye. How many people would enjoy seeing their divorces played out on reality television?

I recommend this one when you're looking for something that is thought-provoking and familiar yet unique.

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

laineyc's review

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5.0

If you’re thinking this book is going to be about the main characters eating each other alive during a difficult divorce, with the lawyers watching and encouraging the fight, you’re in for a pleasant surprise, because this book is none of that. It’s an uplifting and fascinating tale of a husband and wife dealing with the difficulties of modern relationships.

I found the novel uniquely interesting in that it tells the story not only from the point of view of the two people getting divorced, but the divorce lawyers too, and portrays each of them as fully defined, interesting characters with their own backstory.

Every character in this book is relatable, and I was rooting for each of them. The novel is entertaining, engaging, and I read it fast, over a single weekend. The last few chapters also have a unique spin on how the situation ultimately gets resolved. Thoroughly recommended.
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