weak

I struggled to finish this one. I had high hopes because of the excellent reviews, however I felt it lacked a lot of development between the characters and dragged through the middle. wouldn't waste time on this one.

33 people found this helpful

Not For Me

I prefer stories where there is at least one likable character. Only a couple of very minor characters in this book could be considered ones you'd like to root for. A few reviews compared this book to "Big Little Lies" and called it a psychological thriller. Not true. I couldn't wait for the story to end and didn't care how it ended. I think it's lazy when an author uses one character to 'explain' what happens at the end instead of allowing the reader to discover twists and surprises. Just can't recommend this one.

28 people found this helpful

An unexpectedly thoughtful and complex saga

Don't let the title fool you; this book is about more than a husband and a wife. There is a lot going on in this story and it requires attention to follow the different characters and plot lines. When the reader soon begins to untangle the yarns, however, the story will captivate.
Ultimately, I found that no detail of the story was placed without a reason, and there are a lot of details. The full experience of this story is worth the attention!
This is a great book, and I say "unexpected" because the description barely scratches the surface. This sweeping tale chronicles the lives of Lily, her husband Ed, and Carla, who grows from the precocious child next door to a beautiful, calculating and complicated young woman during the course of the story, which takes place over a period of more than fifteen years. There are other important people, of course, including a man whom Lily defends in court, who speaks in riddles, and to whom Lily is inexplicably drawn; The man in the shiny car who helps to shape Carla's perception of relationships; the brother who will never truly die.
The first several chapters of this book made me unsure if I would like it, but soon I was totally absorbed in the characters' lives. The author doesn't skimp on paradoxes within people and their relationships, the internal struggle of good versus evil, and the fact that people and situations are rarely black and white.
Ultimately, this rewarding book will absorb you, shock you, make you think about things in ways you maybe haven't before. The narration by Rosalyn Landon is nearly perfect for this book.
Lose yourself in the narrative and decide what your own truth is by the time you reach the end- you'll be surprised. This is a worthy book and I really do recommend it.

144 people found this helpful

Can't believe I wasted 15 hours of my life

Disappointed in this. Characters were complex but unlikable all the way around. The big reveal at the end was a complete let down after waiting so long. Maybe not so bad if I had read the book instead of listening and spending so much time.

11 people found this helpful

I hated this novel so much

I can't even go into full detail on how much the story line sucked but it did. No way a 22 year old still have the mind of a 10 year old. All of the characters were everywhere; the twist and turns were a let down. Mediocre at best. So disappointed.

9 people found this helpful

A Colossal Waste of Time

Well that's 14 hours of my life that I'll never get back. This book wasn't worth the credit. I have no idea why I continued slogging through this book until it was finished.

Maybe I kept hoping it would get better or that I would understand the purpose of the author's story. That hope wasn't realized. For me it didn't get any better and I still have no clue what the point of this story was supposed to be. It wasn't a romance or a thriller or a mystery. The only mystery is why I spent that amount of time with the biggest collection of unlikeable characters I've ever encountered in a book. I did not like, sympathize or empathize with any of the central characters in this story.

The only saving grace was Rosalyn Landor's narration. A good narrator can help to enhance the listening experience and she's the only thing that kept me listening. I almost wish the narration had been as bad as the story, in which case I wouldn't have bothered to finish.

9 people found this helpful

"Lies...They start small and then they multiple"

My Husband’s Wife alternates between the perspectives of Lily and Carla. Lily is a lawyer starting her first murder case, freshly home from her honeymoon in Italy with Ed. Carla and her beautiful, single mother live nearby. The stories overlap, and weave in and out of one another. Throughout, there are hints of something sinister about both Lily and Carla—you wonder what has happened in Lily’s past, and what may happen in Carla’s future. Expect themes of obsession, guilt, and jealousy.

I was a little surprised, when I double checked, that there is only one narrator. Rosalyn Landor does a superb job, and changes her voice well for each character and situation.

What I enjoyed about this book was that it manages to be a thriller without just centering on the murder case as you might expect. Instead, it is just another piece in the larger puzzle of their lives. Is this book as good as Gone Girl?—no. However, I do think it will turn out to be a popular book in its own right.

72 people found this helpful

Never Before Have Reviews Been so Wrong

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I simply hated this book. None of the characters are sympathetic and I found myself rooting against all of them.

Have you listened to any of Rosalyn Landor’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The reader was perfect - it was the material being red.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

NO

7 people found this helpful

Can't stop won't stop!

Would you consider the audio edition of My Husband's Wife to be better than the print version?

Yes, the voices really help to build all of the different characters and make a movie in my mind.

Which character – as performed by Rosalyn Landor – was your favorite?

Karla, as a little girl.

Any additional comments?

This has been my favorite book of the last year. The layers are so good and keep me interested and wanting more and more!

26 people found this helpful

Totally unbelievable!

Would you try another book from Jane Corry and/or Rosalyn Landor?

Rosalyn Landon was perfect and I would listen to another book narrated by her but I wouldn't read another book by the author!

What was most disappointing about Jane Corry’s story?

The women were so smart but made to be so dumb! How can a 22 year old that has made it through law school still not understand the concept of wrong and right ! She was 22 with a grudge from when she was 10! Ughh just horrible !

Which character – as performed by Rosalyn Landor – was your favorite?

None !

Do you think My Husband's Wife needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Not really! I am an hour out from the ending and am having a hard time finishing it !

Any additional comments?

The story could have been so much better , it almost seemed like she got tired of writing half way through the book and threw in some cliches wrapped up in "suspense " and published it ! Nothing made sense at all even the inner thought of the little girl and the pencil case! She was 10 not 4! Just seemed as though there was no research done for these characters! The secret the protagonist was holding was so futile that the build up around it made you frustrated because it wasn't that bad of a secret to mull over! The little Italian girl was extremely smart but why would a 10 year old think that someone was going to murder them because they saw the word murder on a piece of paper? The mother kicked Larry out so why all the fuss about Lilly telling him to quit it ! They never really answered the question as to why she had the overaion to intimacy with jack ! Just to many unanswered questions! Why go to law school for all that time and try to be just like the women you blame for your mothers inevitable break up with a married man and subsequent lifestyle change? Nothing makes sense!!

18 people found this helpful