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lalawoman416's review
5.0
So, the first chapter left me thinking this was a romance novel - mail order bride and all that. Then, I read chapter two and thought this was a horror novel. I was interested in seeing who was coming out of this relationship alive. All along, there are enough references to and of sex that would make a courtesan blush. But at it's core, it's a novel about revenge, love, lust, passion, hatred, redemption. Page by page I wasn't too sure whether I liked the book, but next thing I know, I read the whole thing in one sitting and realized I loved it. Not for everyone though. Explicit and raw.
skynet666's review
3.0
I liked the story, but agree with a fellow reader that the sex was too much. For the most part, sex was used in a controlling, manipulative fashion that made me cringe. However, I liked the story of the wife and especially the husband who turned out to be more interesting than I first thought.
shannontay's review
2.0
If 2.5 stars was an option, that's what I would give this. I read it for a book group, otherwise I don't think I would have chosen this novel. It was more dark, sometimes violent, and definitely far more sexually explicit than books I tend to choose. That having been said, I expect a very interesting discussion about this book about forgiveness and expectations we have for ourselves and others. At one point the author says, "this is a story about despair" - I would have to agree.
deltadawn5's review
5.0
Really good book! Enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the characters, easy to feel for them, despite their flaws and intentions. Interesting view of the locations and how life was not so long ago. I very much appreciated that the story line was not predictable.
mastersal's review
1.0
The Romance Novel that Couldn’t - or Why good things don't come to people who wait…
I remember that I flipped through the first few pages of this book sometime in 2009, when the book first came out. I remember it reminded me of the movie Original Sin.
So as 2020 came to an end I decided it was finally decided to pick this up. And basically .... I should have probably waited a lot longer to read this - perhaps forever.
Upshot - I didn’t enjoy this book at all. I was expecting something compelling - perhaps even a little cheesy. Instead I got a fairly dull story which, despite the blurb, didn’t resemble the movie a lot. This book was supposed to be about desire and our obsession with it. Perhaps even something about how desire and love denied, becomes indulgence and meaningless pleasure. Or some such thing - I wouldn’t know as I was mostly bored and ready to chuck the book out of the house.
Thankfully (or not) it was short so I stuck with it! I think the premise, which sold made this book seem more plot heavy than it was, was the issue. I didn’t get the thrills or the “suspenseful and erotic” book I was promised. This was about the cold and despair and pretty stilted writing IMHO.
JThe writing did not capture me and I found the plot was thin and inconsistent. There was too direct narration from the omnipresent narrator and not enough action on the page. There were too many sentences like this:
“It was bitter cold, the air electric with all that has not happened yet. The world stops, shock still ...”
This was the first sentence of the book .... it’s felt like the Night Before Christmas song
I remember that I flipped through the first few pages of this book sometime in 2009, when the book first came out. I remember it reminded me of the movie Original Sin.
So as 2020 came to an end I decided it was finally decided to pick this up. And basically .... I should have probably waited a lot longer to read this - perhaps forever.
Upshot - I didn’t enjoy this book at all. I was expecting something compelling - perhaps even a little cheesy. Instead I got a fairly dull story which, despite the blurb, didn’t resemble the movie a lot. This book was supposed to be about desire and our obsession with it. Perhaps even something about how desire and love denied, becomes indulgence and meaningless pleasure. Or some such thing - I wouldn’t know as I was mostly bored and ready to chuck the book out of the house.
Thankfully (or not) it was short so I stuck with it! I think the premise, which sold made this book seem more plot heavy than it was, was the issue. I didn’t get the thrills or the “suspenseful and erotic” book I was promised. This was about the cold and despair and pretty stilted writing IMHO.
JThe writing did not capture me and I found the plot was thin and inconsistent. There was too direct narration from the omnipresent narrator and not enough action on the page. There were too many sentences like this:
“It was bitter cold, the air electric with all that has not happened yet. The world stops, shock still ...”
This was the first sentence of the book .... it’s felt like the Night Before Christmas song
tlcollier1's review
3.0
Great summer/beach read. I would actually rate it a little higher than a three but not 3.5. A little more "saucy" than I prefer to read but fast moving and mostly not too soap opera. Enjoy!
lilylanie's review
2.0
This is a bit of an odd book, about a wealthy man who advertises in the classifieds for a simple and reliable wife, only to get instead someone whose motives are shady and get much murkier before the truth is told. Set in 1909, the story and the setting had many of the characteristics that never fail to lure me in.
I found the story of the woman quite interesting - from her messy past that brought her to enter into such an arrangement, to how she decides to handle the situation once she questions how devious she can really be - but the husband and his past were rather more tiresome. None of the male characters were appealing or terribly sympathetic. The plot twists added a great deal of interest for a while, though the truth became clear well before the author fully revealed it.
A Reliable Wife was an absorbing read - I liked Goolrick's writing style and didn't take long to power through it - but I didn't love it as much as the reviews lead me to believe I would.
I found the story of the woman quite interesting - from her messy past that brought her to enter into such an arrangement, to how she decides to handle the situation once she questions how devious she can really be - but the husband and his past were rather more tiresome. None of the male characters were appealing or terribly sympathetic. The plot twists added a great deal of interest for a while, though the truth became clear well before the author fully revealed it.
A Reliable Wife was an absorbing read - I liked Goolrick's writing style and didn't take long to power through it - but I didn't love it as much as the reviews lead me to believe I would.
jmiller39's review
3.0
This book was an interesting book. I was a little confused while reading. It seemed to jump around.
acraftyescape's review
3.0
The premise of this book was great but the beginning was sooooo slow! I pushed through and was rewarded with a great twist that *almost* made it worth it. The constant and unnecessary sex talk got old.
jsegaloff's review
5.0
An amazing look into the hearts of people who deserve nothing but have everything and those who deserve much but lose most. Twisted and quite sexual... I found myself unable to believe how vile people can be to others and at the same time end up showing so much compassion.