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shelf_love's review against another edition
2.0
Free ARC e-book from Penguin First to Read in exchange for an honest review.
A lawyer, Lily, marries a wannabe artist, Ed, very quickly. She is second guessing her marriage since she knows the lies by omission she started the marriage with she can only assume that Ed brought some too. Coming home from a less than stellar honeymoon Lily is given her first murder case. On top of all this, Carla, the nine year old neighbor girl who Lily and Ed take on as their Sunday child and buffer for their already deteriorating marriage is learning how powerful a secret can be.
Though the synopsis of the story is interesting this book was surprisingly hard to get into. The story line meanders and jumps between POV of Lily and Carla. Carla’s voice is age appropriate and her conflicts are innocent enough to be believable of a real pre-pubescent girl. The hints of secrets and half hints of lies and seeing the past on Lily’s side of the story though just seemed to drag on… the last 100 pages does help redeem the novel. Maybe if more pages were dedicated to that instead of all the buildup in the beginning?
A lawyer, Lily, marries a wannabe artist, Ed, very quickly. She is second guessing her marriage since she knows the lies by omission she started the marriage with she can only assume that Ed brought some too. Coming home from a less than stellar honeymoon Lily is given her first murder case. On top of all this, Carla, the nine year old neighbor girl who Lily and Ed take on as their Sunday child and buffer for their already deteriorating marriage is learning how powerful a secret can be.
Though the synopsis of the story is interesting this book was surprisingly hard to get into. The story line meanders and jumps between POV of Lily and Carla. Carla’s voice is age appropriate and her conflicts are innocent enough to be believable of a real pre-pubescent girl. The hints of secrets and half hints of lies and seeing the past on Lily’s side of the story though just seemed to drag on… the last 100 pages does help redeem the novel. Maybe if more pages were dedicated to that instead of all the buildup in the beginning?
emilyturnsthepage's review against another edition
4.0
Lily marries Ed, in hopes of starting fresh even though it’s only been a few months. As a new lawyer, Lily takes on her first murder case and finds herself strangely drawn to her client, a convicted murderer named Joe. As Lily gets tangled in a web with Joe, Lily and Eds marriage quickly diminishes. Meanwhile, next door Francesca and her daughter Carla have secrets of their own. Carla quickly becomes entangled in Ed and Lily’s life…and 15 years later it still haunts them. This book was definitely suspenseful and kept me following along throughout the whole book! Some parts were a bit predictable, but overall it was a good read!
kara_jane's review against another edition
4.0
In [b:My Husband's Wife|31227076|My Husband's Wife|Jane Corry|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471284547s/31227076.jpg|45514375] by [a:Jane Corry|15241064|Jane Corry|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1485797349p2/15241064.jpg] you have a story that starts fifteen years earlier. You meet Lily and Ed newly weds living in a small flat in London, Lily is a criminal lawyer and Ed is a struggling artist. Next door to them you meet Carla a nine year old Italian girl and her mother Francesca. When Carla gets introduced to Lily you soon fine out she may only be nine but she already knows how to get her way by twisting the truth to suit her needs.
Lily is home from her honeymoon from Italy when she gets her first murder case, the murderer is Joe Thomas. She is has a connection with him where she is and will risk everything for him.
Fast forward Twelve years Lily and Ed have a child together named Tom. He is not your typical eleven year old, he has meltdowns over the smallest things and can be violent is someways. Ed is now a well known artist. Carla is now 23 years old and studying law.
As the story progresses there is heart break, confusion and the stress of the unknown. "My Husband's Wife" was an amazing novel and well written.
Lily is home from her honeymoon from Italy when she gets her first murder case, the murderer is Joe Thomas. She is has a connection with him where she is and will risk everything for him.
Fast forward Twelve years Lily and Ed have a child together named Tom. He is not your typical eleven year old, he has meltdowns over the smallest things and can be violent is someways. Ed is now a well known artist. Carla is now 23 years old and studying law.
As the story progresses there is heart break, confusion and the stress of the unknown. "My Husband's Wife" was an amazing novel and well written.
nightstand_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Intriguing how characters and events were connected and kept my interest but was glad when it was over.
tarapollardyork's review against another edition
4.0
This book kept me on my toes and interested but at the very end it got ridiculous with its twists and trying to shock. I never really did like a single character that much either but all in all was really good and kept my interest!
u233634's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
nefeli's review against another edition
Instead of explaining the reasons why I disliked My Husband's Wife, I'll share a few excerpts.
Spoilers ahead.
Yes. People do that all the time.
If you were really content with your own company, then you wouldn't have agreed to marry a man you barely know after two dates.
He simply asked if you're visiting someone in prison. Which you are. As his lawyer. You don't have to be a do-gooder who 'befriends the wicked' in order to visit someone in prison.
First of all, you don't know that he's a murderer. Second of all, why wouldn't a murderer look after goldfish?
The reason you feel shocked and like you don't know him at all, is because you don't know him at all. You've been on two dates and married for a month.
This is a convice that's setting up little challenges for his lawyer and if she passes the tests, then he'll deem her worthy enough to handle his case. I hoped she would just quit and leave him to play games by himself in prison but, alas, that doesn't happen.
These people are supposed to be adults.
You can. And he did.
Are you telling me that in all your life you've only loved your husband, your brother and a horse?
If anything, shouldn't the fact that you could hear the TV through the walls actually prove that you could definitely hear screams through the walls? I don't think Tony is as good as you think.
But this isn't real life, it's a book, in which the coincidences are contrived.
Okay, but this is a magazine. No matter where you open it there's going to be two pages, the left one and the right one. One odd-numbered and one even-numbered. How will this work?
Let's give him an award for the gesture doing housework in his own fucking house.
You sound like terrible parents.
I actually agree with this.
Spoilers ahead.
"Can a man ever be friends with a woman when the relationship is over?"
Yes. People do that all the time.
"I find this unnerving. Not so long ago, I was independent. Content with my own company. But from the minute that Ed and I first spoke at that party six months ago (just six months!), I've felt both strengthened and weakened at the same time."
If you were really content with your own company, then you wouldn't have agreed to marry a man you barely know after two dates.
"'Ta.' His voice is pleased but his eyes troubled. 'Prison visiting, are you?'
I hesitate. Is that what he has me down as? One of those do-gooders who feel it's their duty to befriend the wicked?"
He simply asked if you're visiting someone in prison. Which you are. As his lawyer. You don't have to be a do-gooder who 'befriends the wicked' in order to visit someone in prison.
"Three men are waiting, as if loitering on a street. They all stare. A fourth man is busy cleaning out a goldfish tank, his back to us. It strikes me as being incongruous -murderers looking after goldfish?"
First of all, you don't know that he's a murderer. Second of all, why wouldn't a murderer look after goldfish?
"Ed's hand grips mine so hard that it hurts. Then he releases me and moves away. 'Lily's got a headache.'
No, I haven't, I almost say.
[...]
I stand back, shocked. Despite his ups and downs, Ed has never shouted at me before."
The reason you feel shocked and like you don't know him at all, is because you don't know him at all. You've been on two dates and married for a month.
"'Why couldn't you just have told me about the boiler figures at the start? It would have saved a lot of time.'
'I told you before. I had to set you the clues to see if you were bright enough to handle my case. I must have someone who's on my level for this. Someone on the ball.'"
This is a convice that's setting up little challenges for his lawyer and if she passes the tests, then he'll deem her worthy enough to handle his case. I hoped she would just quit and leave him to play games by himself in prison but, alas, that doesn't happen.
"There was a sigh. 'Davina is going round telling everyone that she had a drink with Ed last Tuesday. I'm sure it's nothing. Look, maybe I shouldn't have said anything. But if I were you, I'd do something about it.'
'What?' My voice came out like a croak.
'Have her to dinner this very week. Have lots of people to dinner. Show her you're a couple.'"
These people are supposed to be adults.
"As we go out of the room, I shoot Joe an 'I'm sorry' look. I can't help it. His reaction to the note has helped to convince me once and for all that he's innocent. You can't fake that kind of thing."
You can. And he did.
"It seems to me that I stain whoever I try to love. Daniel, Daniel's horse, Ed... Who is next?"
Are you telling me that in all your life you've only loved your husband, your brother and a horse?
'Can you describe your new neighbours, Mr. and Mrs. Jones?' Tony asks.
The young man sighs audibly. 'Difficult. We complained about the noise of their television. First to them, but when they ignored us, we wrote to the council, but nothing's changed. It's become completely unbearable. We've put in for another place.'
'Would you believe their claims of hearing screaming from the deceased's home?'
'Frankly, I'd be surprised if they could hear anything above the sound of their television.'
I knew Tony was good. But not this good.
If anything, shouldn't the fact that you could hear the TV through the walls actually prove that you could definitely hear screams through the walls? I don't think Tony is as good as you think.
"Coincidences are one of those things which sound contrived until they happen in real life."
But this isn't real life, it's a book, in which the coincidences are contrived.
"A decision has to be made. One way or the other. A coin. Daniel used to toss a coin when he didn't know what to do. I pick up a magazine that I've left by the side of the bath. If I open on a page with an odd number, I'll leave. If it's even, I'll stay."
Okay, but this is a magazine. No matter where you open it there's going to be two pages, the left one and the right one. One odd-numbered and one even-numbered. How will this work?
"Now he's at home during the day, he's started doing the housework while searching for a new job -something I'm sure his traditional parents would be shocked at. He doesn't do it as well as I would, but I appreciate the gesture."
Let's give him an award for the gesture doing housework in his own fucking house.
Tom had been allowed to go to the local school, despite his special needs; partly because of our local connections, and partly because we'd argued that we wanted him to be in mainstream schooling. If he was with others 'like him', Ed had argued, Tom wouldn't have any role models to help him improve.
You sound like terrible parents.
"Besides, who wants an unfaithful husband? Good-quality wine glasses are far more useful."
I actually agree with this.
tearead's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
cornmaven's review against another edition
5.0
i received an advance reader's copy of this novel, so many thanks to Viking for making that happen through NetGalley.
An AMAZING psychological thriller about a young lawyer without great self-esteem who hastily marries an artist, only to soon discover his controlling nature, alcoholism, and the real reason he married her. As she navigates this muddy water, she is thrown onto a murder appeal that brings both danger and tremendous professional success to her life. Add in her husband's muse, a little Italian girl, herself struggling with self-confidence, and you have the makings of a page turner.
The story starts off rather eerily - the inner mind of someone who has been attacked and is dying. This person's story is revisited in snippets along the way, until the Corry gives the full reveal toward the end. I loved the back and forth in time manner of storytelling which she used along with chapters narrated by each main character. The same event/scene is retold sometimes from each perspective, and it was seamless. It is set in England, so American readers will need to get comfortable with the British barrister/solicitor system, but it is not that hard, nor are there British words that will stump anyone.
Will the reader love Ed, Carla, and/or Lily? What to make of Lily's refusal to talk about or face the truth about her brother Daniel's death? Lots to talk about here for book clubs.
Highly recommended.
An AMAZING psychological thriller about a young lawyer without great self-esteem who hastily marries an artist, only to soon discover his controlling nature, alcoholism, and the real reason he married her. As she navigates this muddy water, she is thrown onto a murder appeal that brings both danger and tremendous professional success to her life. Add in her husband's muse, a little Italian girl, herself struggling with self-confidence, and you have the makings of a page turner.
The story starts off rather eerily - the inner mind of someone who has been attacked and is dying. This person's story is revisited in snippets along the way, until the Corry gives the full reveal toward the end. I loved the back and forth in time manner of storytelling which she used along with chapters narrated by each main character. The same event/scene is retold sometimes from each perspective, and it was seamless. It is set in England, so American readers will need to get comfortable with the British barrister/solicitor system, but it is not that hard, nor are there British words that will stump anyone.
Will the reader love Ed, Carla, and/or Lily? What to make of Lily's refusal to talk about or face the truth about her brother Daniel's death? Lots to talk about here for book clubs.
Highly recommended.