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Covenant of Trust #1
Contingency
Where was God? Bobbi Molinsky's comfortable life is shattered when a forwarded email from her husband's account lands in her inbox. The email teases, "My whole evening is free again." After an angry confrontation with Chuck, she is left with the broken remains of an eighteen year marriage. Where is God? Bobbi agrees forgiving Chuck is the right thing, the God-honoring thing to do, but it leaves her empty and isolated. Teaching her second-graders is a burden. Taking care of her boys saps all her energy. It seems God Himself has walked away, leaving her to struggle alone. Is God faithful? Bobbi can't deny the transformation in Chuck, but genuine forgiveness requires trust, and trust is a risk she's not willing to take. Can she let go of her deepest, most primal fears and save her marriage?
340 pages, Paperback
First published December 3, 2010
114 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
Paula Wiseman
25 books77 followersAfter working several years as research chemist, Paula was blessed with the opportunity to stay home with her children and follow the writer’s path. She was published in several Cup of Comfort devotional books and in Life Savors for Women. Contingency: Book One: Covenant of Trust Series, her debut novel, spent time on the Amazon.com Christian Fiction bestsellers list, and was also the #1 Hot New Release in Christian Fiction. Indemnity, her second novel released spring 2011. She blogs on matters of life and faith at www.paulawiseman.com.
Become a fan on Facebook for updates on her books.
You can email at paula@paulawiseman.com
Paula on writing-
"So many people question that Scripture is relevant, that it has the answers for us in this day and age, that it can speak to the deepest cries of our hearts.
I believe God's word IS relevant, it DOES have the answers for us even in this day and age and it absolutely CAN speak to the deepest cries of our hearts.
I write to demonstrate that."
Become a fan on Facebook for updates on her books.
You can email at paula@paulawiseman.com
Paula on writing-
"So many people question that Scripture is relevant, that it has the answers for us in this day and age, that it can speak to the deepest cries of our hearts.
I believe God's word IS relevant, it DOES have the answers for us even in this day and age and it absolutely CAN speak to the deepest cries of our hearts.
I write to demonstrate that."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
May 10, 2012
Usually the heroines in these kind of books are these sappy backless mice that drift trough life.
Strangely, the heroine in this book caught and held my attention. I full out liked her!
Well, Christian books are all about forgiveness. And she was set out to forgive an affair.
I knew what I was getting in to. I knew.
Still, the forgiveness? Don’t make me laugh! Why would anybody forgive this hero?
His explanations are that he ‘has to have both worlds- the loving devoted mother of his children and the fast sexy mistress that understands his success’ and 'Before marriage he had alot of girls and knew the rush, the addiction'? Really? He dares tell me this? And ask to be forgiven?
Pfft.
And what an utter cop-out, Mr. Mid-Life-Crisis.
If I have to read trough a character drama, one thing is important- I have to believe in the result.
The only thing I could have for him is impotent rage and utter disgust. He even picked crazy chick for a mistress. How cliché is that?
And really, no woman worth her salt would take this man back.
*shakes her head*
You should not read this book unless you are in the mood for same man hating. And really, even then it will not really satisfy you- because ultimately, there is no retribution.
Yes, yes, I know there are two more book, but again…..no real retribution. The hero later sobs about his choices when life bites him in the ass, but still- no real groveling or de-tangle.
God is all about forgiveness? Hm. Well, I always thought God was ultimately good and would understand if we wanted to be happy. Me, personally? I don’t see why God should be happy over the heroine being with a cheating asshat that does not appreciate or really love her.
On the other hand….did this book have bad writing? No it did not. I just don’t like where the story is going. Thus the low rating, but not the standard one star I slap ion the books on my avoid pile.
Strangely, the heroine in this book caught and held my attention. I full out liked her!
Well, Christian books are all about forgiveness. And she was set out to forgive an affair.
I knew what I was getting in to. I knew.
Still, the forgiveness? Don’t make me laugh! Why would anybody forgive this hero?
His explanations are that he ‘has to have both worlds- the loving devoted mother of his children and the fast sexy mistress that understands his success’ and 'Before marriage he had alot of girls and knew the rush, the addiction'? Really? He dares tell me this? And ask to be forgiven?
Pfft.
And what an utter cop-out, Mr. Mid-Life-Crisis.
If I have to read trough a character drama, one thing is important- I have to believe in the result.
The only thing I could have for him is impotent rage and utter disgust. He even picked crazy chick for a mistress. How cliché is that?
And really, no woman worth her salt would take this man back.
*shakes her head*
You should not read this book unless you are in the mood for same man hating. And really, even then it will not really satisfy you- because ultimately, there is no retribution.
Yes, yes, I know there are two more book, but again…..no real retribution. The hero later sobs about his choices when life bites him in the ass, but still- no real groveling or de-tangle.
God is all about forgiveness? Hm. Well, I always thought God was ultimately good and would understand if we wanted to be happy. Me, personally? I don’t see why God should be happy over the heroine being with a cheating asshat that does not appreciate or really love her.
On the other hand….did this book have bad writing? No it did not. I just don’t like where the story is going. Thus the low rating, but not the standard one star I slap ion the books on my avoid pile.
Read
March 13, 2019.
Where is God?
That is the question that is often foremost on many believer's minds during this type of crisis.
This is a Christian based story that incorporates faith along with the awareness of the responsibilities that are part of making vows. This I commend whole-heartedly.
However, I have experienced the emotions of this type of nightmare and don't feel any delight rereading about the pain and strife associated with it, nor do see any appeal in experiencing those emotions in connection with this fiction rendition.
Therefore, after completing 25%, I chose not to complete it. It is a personal preference. My current choice of reading material leans toward inspiration, wit, and humor. I'll certainly try to make a more inspirational choice in my next reading selection, that will hopefully bring a smile, if not a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Good luck to those of you that enjoy absorbing this particular type of fiction.
Where is God?
That is the question that is often foremost on many believer's minds during this type of crisis.
This is a Christian based story that incorporates faith along with the awareness of the responsibilities that are part of making vows. This I commend whole-heartedly.
However, I have experienced the emotions of this type of nightmare and don't feel any delight rereading about the pain and strife associated with it, nor do see any appeal in experiencing those emotions in connection with this fiction rendition.
Therefore, after completing 25%, I chose not to complete it. It is a personal preference. My current choice of reading material leans toward inspiration, wit, and humor. I'll certainly try to make a more inspirational choice in my next reading selection, that will hopefully bring a smile, if not a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Good luck to those of you that enjoy absorbing this particular type of fiction.
July 31, 2015
this book is part 1 of all the 4 books. i read 3 of them, and the first n 3rd book are the most emotional for me. i havent read the 4th though, and i dont think the 2nd is that emotionally hard compare to this book and the 3rd.
i gave it 2 stars. it's not bcoz it's bad. no. as a matter of fact, this was a great book, great story, great character development and all. but.. for a very PERSONAL PRIVATE "POV" reason on my side, i am feeling unsatisfied or unconvinced or emotionally conected in some of the "character-plot wise", it's hard for me to say," woah.. what an awesome-heart wrenching-touching book and what a very real character as closed as in reality ". you knw, it's like watching a movie, great story line, heart rob actors/actresses, mind blowing CGI, the rush of the adrenalin,the thriller, but then.. while your brain acknowledging all those amazing factors that the movie gave to you, your heart just cant/dont accept it.
im No Christian,i hv my own religion that i hold dear to "Restrict" me or to remind me before i recklessly did something that cross the line. It doesnt bother me to read as many book from all genre, culture or other religion. i personally "hunt" the second chance genre who has infidelity as the basic factor of the problem. why? bcoz only A FEW of books that i had read can deal amazingly satisfying w/this kind of problem. infidelity is a heart wrenching cause that can affecting everything, it's deal w/betrayel, trust, broken love, lying, manipulation, uncontrol lust, ego, and "pride".
cruel situation where at the end of the rope, you realise that when your most loving person that lived, breath, laughing, crying, having kids with, depends to, first faced you see when you wake up in every morning and the last faced you see when you having a rest after working and building your own empire, the first person that came running to you when you hurt, sick, the first person that pat your shoulder and pull you into embraced whenever you feel down, dissapointed, the very personal person that knws everything about your preference in food, your most fave placed to go, your size, your every inch of body, and intimately sharing all those amazing activity for years of years starting when you still have all black/blonde/red/brunette hair color on your head till you have a strike of grey hair here and there, the MAN that VOW to loved you, cherish you, the man that had the biggest smiled, twinkling stary eyes and sweaty hands when he wait for you to say "yes" to his proposal., and then forgeting all those amazing things bcoz he cant help not to think of other women's attractive face, lustful body, younger-freshly action,
HE then BETRAYED you, FORGOTTEN about your presence, MANIPULATING his time to stay put w/his other women, and CONSIOUSLY DO THE ACTION OF ADULTERY, not under anyone influence, not under drugs, he's sobber, HE DID THIS, BY THAT VERY LOVING PERSON OF YOUR LIFE.
Yes, i have many many many objection about Chuck's character. and how he being "potrayed" as a still loving father, as a loving husband who... hey, yes i f*ck this good looking amazing body girl but i love my wife, but again, IF my wife DOESNT KNOW about my affair, I DONT THINK I CAN STOPPING THIS AFFAIR, But dont worry, I LOVE MY WIFE AND MY KIDS, I DONT WANT THEM TO GET HURT, as long as they dont knw,and they dont need to know. what? for how long? I dont knw, Coz AGAIN, THIS GIRL WANTS ME AND I WANT HER AS MUCH AS SHE WANTS ME. I CANT STOPPING MY LUST FOR THIS GIRL, but I dare to vow, THAT I LOVE MY WIFE. YES! I love My wife, i even comeback to sleep lying beside her after i f*ck this my lover, im holding my wife's sleeping body, when in my mind, im trying to find another time to f*ck This other girl, again.
WHAT. A . FREAKING. LAME. DISGUSTING. JOKE
this what i got my biggest problem is. in EVERY/mostly scnd chnce-infidelity novels. most of the author always makes the guy is CONSIOUSLY "loving" his wife, his kids, but then always makes the guy CONSIoUSLY, again, to not having a scnd thought for NOT coming back to f*ck his lover again and again and again. and most of the author ALWAYS makes this "LOVING" husband that CONSIOUSLY still loving his wife, CAN NOT STOP his affair, and still lusting his lover even after/until his wife knw about his affair. WHERE THE LOVE IN THAT "LOVING" husband who still knw and saying he love his wife?? when he got no resistant to put an effing stop to his affair when he freaking knw, he is doing a sin??and betrayeing his wife? and still dare to make this guy being potrayed to love his wife and consider her as THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, and never stop loving her from the first time until now??
again.. WHAT. A. FREAKING. DISGUSTING. HUMILIATING. LOVE-JOKE. EVER.
you see., Chuck in this book, is potrayed as an ambitious deal breaker lawyer, 42 years fine looking man, who has his adrenalin pumping everytime he can bring a new clients to his law firm, he felt good, felt proud, felt like he is in the long road to conquer the world, he was blessing having a lovely family. Been married for 21 freaking years with 2 sons and a calm, devoting christian wife who read her bible more often that she read her morning newspaper or watch tv, who go to the church and have a very strong conection to her own circle, who love chuck more than a wife should be (oops.. this is my rant that speaking), who cant do wrong unless it's something that dent his ego and his perspective of HOW his wife life should be. other than that? he Got no freaking marriage problem except for.. ofc, Good-nasty-lustly sex life that he never ever got from his wife who then he got from his other women and what's makes him coming back for MORE AND CAN NOT STOPPING HIS AFFAIR even for his wife's honor. who put down his wife and kids picture on his desk and thinking of how he can spend another sex w/this other women, even if it's done in his own office, on the conference table AFTER he phoned his wife & told her, that he's going to come home late.AND still.. the author makes him still have "loving" feeling for his wife. that's what disgust me, and that's what makes me giving this book,2 stars.
im having a bloody, freaking objection to put and accepting a potraying situation like:
1) im bloody objected of the scenario
-he still and always feeling -"LOVE for his wife"- in the same room with -"i can not/i dont think i can stopping my affair"-
2) chuck is always crying whenever he put in the situation of how he remember he betrayed his wife, after the blew up infidelity of his, he crying when he called his mom, he crying when he confessed to phil the pastor, even braved enough to confessed his own sin in front of the church, BUT STILL feeling a moment of "rush" when his other women called him!! and he still can spontaneously feeling "GOOD" to heard her voice after he's not seeing her for weeks.
3) in the moment of being "push" by his wife to search the reason of why he did this to his wife and his family, he came to a very firm conclusion that, the reason of his attraction for tracy, ofc except from her younger face, her to die for body, her long legs, her way to dress and her amazing skill in bedding him., is... hold your breath.. ladies.. BCOZ ASIDE FROM HIS NEEDING OF A DEVOTED LOVING THE MOTHER TYPE OF WIFE THAT HE GOT FROM HIS WIFE, HE REALISE THAT HE ALSO NEED TRACY'S PERSONALITY TO FIT HIS "PROFESSIONAL-JOB" AMBITIOUS ADRELANIN RUSH WORLD. and the most disgusting line is come to his realization, chusk freaking said "HE NEED BOTH WOMEN" and i dont freaking get it the meaning of his next thought of "BUT TRACY DONT LOVE HIM, BOBIE LOVE HIM AND HE NEED BOTH WOMEN". do please enlighten me this lines, help me. does it means, somehow he hope that he has a "relationship" w/tracy? does it means that IF tracy did loved him, then where does it lead to? does it will affecting his decision to re-think his relationship w/his wife? does it means that when he decide to being a full time husband again, it will change his "basic love" to his wife? coz he found and know there's another woman that fit his half dream from his needing in a women? how can he said he needs BOTH women?? how can he being potrayed to demean his wife as low as this? when in every freaking chapters the author never rest to makes chuck always crying for what he did, always remembering the reader that, chuck love his wife?
4) what does it mean of "CHUCK WANTS bobie, but he wants bobie TO BE tracy". again, a freaking disrespect of the word of love and much more disrespect and disgustingly cheap, more so when the author put a constant reminder of how chuck love his wife in every freaking chapters without me puking first.
you knw what's my prespective says from that lines? it means, all the good things that bobie has in those 21 years living as his wife and the mother of his sons and a devoted loving friends to him and who loved him unconditionally, is UNMATCH to tracy's specks those 21 years of her devotion to chuck, is UNMATCH to tracy's full of life-attractive figure and a boost of his ego. and dont shoved a "stable" and routine marriage life reasons as a way to justified or to be one of the solid reason that trigger him to touch that bitch, not when the guy who sin still CONSIOUSLY knw that his wife is only having all the good things in her and still CONSIOUSLY knw that his wife is the one and only women that love him deeply enough to die for. no. DONT DOWNGRADING the word Love and devotion as low as in that scenario. this is what's my anger lying to. it's like im saying to my husband that, " hey love, im married to you, im making love to you for 21 years, we hav kids, we've been through ups n down,you are mostly in my mind, i always think about your happines, wont even dare to do things to hurt you, but, i want you to be like the guy that i knw at my office. but i love you, dont worry i wont ever leaving you like most of the jerk, oh and btw, i had sex w/that guy, i cant stopping my affair, not until you found out anyway, you do knw that i love you right? it's just, she wants me, and i wants her, thats' all. but i still dont knw when i have to stop my affair, coz i dont want to, honestly" you see how cruel the meaning of it, the action of what chuck did, and the still reference of how he love his wife ? when i bluntly put in a real words ?
so, lemme put my objection more clearly, YOU CANT MAKE THE SITUATION WHEN YOU CAN FREELY AND CONSTANTLY REMIND US, OF HOW CHUCK LOVE HIS WIFE WHEN HE LUSTING OTHER WOMEN, WHEN HE WAS LYING BESIDE HIS WIFE ON THEIR BED AND THINK TO MAKE ANOTHER TIME AND FOUND A WAY TO ORGANIZED HIS SCHEDULE SO HE CAN HAV SEX AGAIN W/TRACY, YOU CANT MAKE CHUCK STILL REMEMBER HIS WIFE'S NAME WHEN HE KISS AND HAVE A PRELUDE FOREPLAY TO TRACY, YOU CANT MAKE CHUCK REALISE HE DID WRONG AND THAT HE LOVE BOOBIE AND SCARE TO LOOSE HER RIGHT AFTER HE OUT OF TRACY'S BED WHEN IN THE NEXT 2 HOURS YOU MAKE CHUCK EASILY MAKES ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO TRACY FOR HIM TO COMING AGAIN TO TRACY'S HOUSE TO HAVE SEX W/HER 2 DAYS LATTER WHEN HIS WIFE IS ON THE WAY HOME FROM OTHER CITY, YOU CANT MAKE US READER A SCENES WHERE PUTTING CHUCK AS A HUSBAND WHO WONT HURT HIS WIFE AND HIS SONS AND THEN MAKES HIM PUT THE FAMILY'S PHOTO FACE DOWN AND THEN MAKING HIM CALLED TRACY TO MAKE A SEX-OFFICE APPOINTMENT JUST A SCND AFTER HE SAW HIS WIFE'S PHOTO. nO. you cant make all those situation and STILL PUSHING US READER OF HOW CHUCK IS REALLY DO LOVE HIS WIFE. YOU. JUST. CANT. unless you make chuck loosing his love to boobie, unless you make chuck is a real jerk that really wants to have an affair and not care enough w/his wife, unless you makes chuck get bored and forgetting the word Love the moment he lied his eyes to flirt w/tracy, you can makes chuck keep coming back for sex w/tracy when he felt suffocating having a boring life w/his sons and always angry and cold to his wife. coz guess what?? THOSE THINGS ARE WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO POTRAYED CHUCK EXACTLY IN THIS NOVEL'S SITUATION. for the writer to still and keep on making chuck as a loving father and still consiously remember that he love and acknowledge his love for his wife, keep on felt ashamed of his sin and even crying many times but STILL felt a lively lust whenever he remembering his night w/tracy WHEN HE OPENLY FELT SORRY for what he did, is... INSANE! it's like you, writer, wants to convinced us that the same cakes that has sugar and covered w/chocolate all over it's body, will still TASTE THE SAME WHEN SOMEONE DUMP A WHOLE GALONE OF GASOLINE, salt, and pepper and grilled the cake and you still saying : "oh look... i still can taste the sugar n the chocolate in my cake" . no. unless you make chuck has a mental problem or a big fat jerk.coz once he crossing the line, it menas he doesnt care about his family, let alone still acknowledging and confessing/feeling that he love his wife. no. you cant do that cruel things... im... das and upset. not for his cheating, but for what seems as a smoother justifying his action as just a moment of "slip" and a moment of weakness. no. IF he was put in a celibate cold fish ungrateful, unsatsfying bitches of wife, you can do that. but not when you throwing us an amazing human being character in a form of bobie who was programmed just to love chuck after everything that he did, who forgive him just a send after she knws his bloody affair. IF you want to another plot like infact, bobie was swallowing his bible, thats why she has the biggest heart when all normal human being wife supposed to cry, yelling, punching, badly heartbroken, mentally ill, hating on her husband, chewing him, throwing tantrum, forcing his to spit the truth, confronting him, asking him directly and viciously a series of questions about what is wrong? who is this women? how does she looks? does you did this bcoz she has a dirty naughty sex skill? does she give you better sex than our 21 years marriage? does sex is all that matter?
instead of doing all those normal thing, as, mind you, bobie has that very right to act "insane", here, bobie has the most stable character that ever happened in wife's history (or maybe a christian wife is being programmed all the same like this?) as if she was a robot that has a moment of electricity shock, but then back to work again, even though there's still a repercussion like she cant be touch and sleep in the same bed w/chuck, but for me, bobie's mentally response is freaking abnormal. she even can said she loves chuck and will get him back just a day after all this things. yes. i said that. it's like she was forced to being good, forced to delusionaly not recognized that this was her 21 years marriage that chuck's betrayed, that chuck tainted, that chuck put in the vow in the most dirty garbage bin the moment tracy kissed his lips. you knw, it's like when a volcano supposed to blow up, but then the goverment put a stop by dropping tons of tons of ridiculously unimaginable snow to "cooling" down the volcano, so it wont erupt.
what bobie did and how she act, for me, is just..... unhuman... with all do respect for her graceful big heart. but mine said, this was not right, when she has all the right to be insane. 21 freaking years w/unstoping love that she pour to chuck, that chuck felt her love for 21 years. it's not a cold marriage, it's not like chuck cant feel she love him the same. no. so? why did this?
i knw a guy who cant get sexually arouse w/ other women not bcoz the other women that chasing after him isnot sexualy atractive, but it's bcoz he has no feeling to lust other women when he can only get aroused whenever he saw the girl that he love, i also knw a guy that can get erect and sexually aroused when he see an atractive revealing body of other women, but he wont cross the lines, bcoz he has honor and dignity and shamed as a MAN of honor, so he resist the temptation, not only bcoz of his religion and god, but bcoz he has his own honorable code!, i also knw there's a guy that always chasing after skirt and sexually aroused and cheating w/other women, but that's when he doesnt care of his family, simply bcoz he's a jerk.
so, when you give the title as high as "the love of your life" and "cant lived without you" but you get involved and cant get the other women's face out of your mind whenever you closed your eyes and cant stop remembering her n your sexual night right in the middle of your meeting w/friends but still being labeled that the love of his life is his wife when he's not struggling enough to put the lust down or avoiding the other women, instead of keep being friendly and keep thinking of making another appointment, is just... irrelevance and down right insane & doesnt make sense. i refused this.
in conclusion, im puking everytime chuck mentioned that he love his wife and crying for what he did, but still can affected by other women's voice even when she's no longer there, is jus... uegh..
and why make the plot easier when you want to bring out infidelity and forgiveness and the road of forgiveness and trust as the plot when you make tracy's gone? (although i knw why in the sncd book), with chuck's still cant get her out of his mind, with chuck still cant deathly closed his arousal mind to tracy? when chuck still can memorising flashes of tracy's sexual face when she made him orgasm? what if tracy still there? still at the same office, still naughtly seduced him, how strong chuck's will to not broken his vow again to boobie? how strong that chuck can resist her temptation after he knws that he hurt boobie badly?
and most of it, HOW COME CHUCK THE GUY THAT LOVE HIS WIFE, CAN HV AN UNPROTECTED SEX FROM HIS SIDE TO TRACY???
i hv a strong particular judgement of a situation sex w/condom and sex without condom. Sex with condom,mean, you still wrecking other girls but at least YOU PROTECTING YOUR WIFE FOR WHATEVER CONTACT BFORE YOU DIPPED YOUR ******* IN OTHER GIRL'S *****, and it means, you still hold a CONTROL AND NOT LOOSING YOUR HEAD.
While sex without condom means, it more intimate, why? it means, YOU PUT A HECK OF A TRUST W/OTHER GIRL THE SAME TRUST AND NATURAL TRUST THAT COME WHENEVER YOU HAVE THE SAME INTIMATE CONTACT W/YOUR WIFE, second, it means YOU LOOSING ALL CONTROL THAT YOU CAN HOLD COZ YOU JUST BLINDLY WANTS TO FEEL SKIN ON SKIN SEX WHICH BROUGHT A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF PLEASURE THAT YOU CANT HARDLY WAIT AND FEEL WITH THIS OTHER WOMEN!!. and THIRD., IT MEANS YOU ACCEPTING THAT YOUR AND TRACY'S RELATIONSHIP IS EXCLUSIVE! YOU TRUST HER TO JUST HAVING AN EXCLUSIVE SEX RELATION WITH YOU AND YOU ALONE, THAT'S WHY YOU WONT BOTHER TO SPEW THAT GROSSY FLUID OF YOUR DISHARGE INTO HER BODY.
I. WILL. BLOODY KIIL. HIM. IF I WAS BOOBIE.
and how come boobie not questioning of how can chuck not put a condom and f*cking tracy bareback and skipping all the heavy meaning between condom n not condom? why just accepting chucks reason of "hey! im not sleeping with whore!",
Why boobie's mind not driving to a more special-intimate path about the unprotective sex that chuck had w/tracy??
coz, funnily, in most of other cheesy romantic novel-un christian genre, half ero, even the most jerky-alphamale playboy get angry to his lover for this spcl reason.but not boobie?
see.... this is why i hate hate the way the writer still potraying chuck as a loving husband who love his wife, when all the blunt openly eyes action is he did all the thing that the scumbag husband of the earth did to his wife.
ok. i finished my rant and my personal perspective to chuck's character and how it i felt like what's on his mins, the way he act and the way that the writer describing his feeling is all bloody unmatch and messed up.
all in all, aside from my personal pov of what "love" means, this book is great! please do read it, and maybe you have a different oppinion from me. but again, t's a mind blowing book.
i gave it 2 stars. it's not bcoz it's bad. no. as a matter of fact, this was a great book, great story, great character development and all. but.. for a very PERSONAL PRIVATE "POV" reason on my side, i am feeling unsatisfied or unconvinced or emotionally conected in some of the "character-plot wise", it's hard for me to say," woah.. what an awesome-heart wrenching-touching book and what a very real character as closed as in reality ". you knw, it's like watching a movie, great story line, heart rob actors/actresses, mind blowing CGI, the rush of the adrenalin,the thriller, but then.. while your brain acknowledging all those amazing factors that the movie gave to you, your heart just cant/dont accept it.
im No Christian,i hv my own religion that i hold dear to "Restrict" me or to remind me before i recklessly did something that cross the line. It doesnt bother me to read as many book from all genre, culture or other religion. i personally "hunt" the second chance genre who has infidelity as the basic factor of the problem. why? bcoz only A FEW of books that i had read can deal amazingly satisfying w/this kind of problem. infidelity is a heart wrenching cause that can affecting everything, it's deal w/betrayel, trust, broken love, lying, manipulation, uncontrol lust, ego, and "pride".
cruel situation where at the end of the rope, you realise that when your most loving person that lived, breath, laughing, crying, having kids with, depends to, first faced you see when you wake up in every morning and the last faced you see when you having a rest after working and building your own empire, the first person that came running to you when you hurt, sick, the first person that pat your shoulder and pull you into embraced whenever you feel down, dissapointed, the very personal person that knws everything about your preference in food, your most fave placed to go, your size, your every inch of body, and intimately sharing all those amazing activity for years of years starting when you still have all black/blonde/red/brunette hair color on your head till you have a strike of grey hair here and there, the MAN that VOW to loved you, cherish you, the man that had the biggest smiled, twinkling stary eyes and sweaty hands when he wait for you to say "yes" to his proposal., and then forgeting all those amazing things bcoz he cant help not to think of other women's attractive face, lustful body, younger-freshly action,
HE then BETRAYED you, FORGOTTEN about your presence, MANIPULATING his time to stay put w/his other women, and CONSIOUSLY DO THE ACTION OF ADULTERY, not under anyone influence, not under drugs, he's sobber, HE DID THIS, BY THAT VERY LOVING PERSON OF YOUR LIFE.
Yes, i have many many many objection about Chuck's character. and how he being "potrayed" as a still loving father, as a loving husband who... hey, yes i f*ck this good looking amazing body girl but i love my wife, but again, IF my wife DOESNT KNOW about my affair, I DONT THINK I CAN STOPPING THIS AFFAIR, But dont worry, I LOVE MY WIFE AND MY KIDS, I DONT WANT THEM TO GET HURT, as long as they dont knw,and they dont need to know. what? for how long? I dont knw, Coz AGAIN, THIS GIRL WANTS ME AND I WANT HER AS MUCH AS SHE WANTS ME. I CANT STOPPING MY LUST FOR THIS GIRL, but I dare to vow, THAT I LOVE MY WIFE. YES! I love My wife, i even comeback to sleep lying beside her after i f*ck this my lover, im holding my wife's sleeping body, when in my mind, im trying to find another time to f*ck This other girl, again.
WHAT. A . FREAKING. LAME. DISGUSTING. JOKE
this what i got my biggest problem is. in EVERY/mostly scnd chnce-infidelity novels. most of the author always makes the guy is CONSIOUSLY "loving" his wife, his kids, but then always makes the guy CONSIoUSLY, again, to not having a scnd thought for NOT coming back to f*ck his lover again and again and again. and most of the author ALWAYS makes this "LOVING" husband that CONSIOUSLY still loving his wife, CAN NOT STOP his affair, and still lusting his lover even after/until his wife knw about his affair. WHERE THE LOVE IN THAT "LOVING" husband who still knw and saying he love his wife?? when he got no resistant to put an effing stop to his affair when he freaking knw, he is doing a sin??and betrayeing his wife? and still dare to make this guy being potrayed to love his wife and consider her as THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, and never stop loving her from the first time until now??
again.. WHAT. A. FREAKING. DISGUSTING. HUMILIATING. LOVE-JOKE. EVER.
you see., Chuck in this book, is potrayed as an ambitious deal breaker lawyer, 42 years fine looking man, who has his adrenalin pumping everytime he can bring a new clients to his law firm, he felt good, felt proud, felt like he is in the long road to conquer the world, he was blessing having a lovely family. Been married for 21 freaking years with 2 sons and a calm, devoting christian wife who read her bible more often that she read her morning newspaper or watch tv, who go to the church and have a very strong conection to her own circle, who love chuck more than a wife should be (oops.. this is my rant that speaking), who cant do wrong unless it's something that dent his ego and his perspective of HOW his wife life should be. other than that? he Got no freaking marriage problem except for.. ofc, Good-nasty-lustly sex life that he never ever got from his wife who then he got from his other women and what's makes him coming back for MORE AND CAN NOT STOPPING HIS AFFAIR even for his wife's honor. who put down his wife and kids picture on his desk and thinking of how he can spend another sex w/this other women, even if it's done in his own office, on the conference table AFTER he phoned his wife & told her, that he's going to come home late.AND still.. the author makes him still have "loving" feeling for his wife. that's what disgust me, and that's what makes me giving this book,2 stars.
im having a bloody, freaking objection to put and accepting a potraying situation like:
1) im bloody objected of the scenario
-he still and always feeling -"LOVE for his wife"- in the same room with -"i can not/i dont think i can stopping my affair"-
2) chuck is always crying whenever he put in the situation of how he remember he betrayed his wife, after the blew up infidelity of his, he crying when he called his mom, he crying when he confessed to phil the pastor, even braved enough to confessed his own sin in front of the church, BUT STILL feeling a moment of "rush" when his other women called him!! and he still can spontaneously feeling "GOOD" to heard her voice after he's not seeing her for weeks.
3) in the moment of being "push" by his wife to search the reason of why he did this to his wife and his family, he came to a very firm conclusion that, the reason of his attraction for tracy, ofc except from her younger face, her to die for body, her long legs, her way to dress and her amazing skill in bedding him., is... hold your breath.. ladies.. BCOZ ASIDE FROM HIS NEEDING OF A DEVOTED LOVING THE MOTHER TYPE OF WIFE THAT HE GOT FROM HIS WIFE, HE REALISE THAT HE ALSO NEED TRACY'S PERSONALITY TO FIT HIS "PROFESSIONAL-JOB" AMBITIOUS ADRELANIN RUSH WORLD. and the most disgusting line is come to his realization, chusk freaking said "HE NEED BOTH WOMEN" and i dont freaking get it the meaning of his next thought of "BUT TRACY DONT LOVE HIM, BOBIE LOVE HIM AND HE NEED BOTH WOMEN". do please enlighten me this lines, help me. does it means, somehow he hope that he has a "relationship" w/tracy? does it means that IF tracy did loved him, then where does it lead to? does it will affecting his decision to re-think his relationship w/his wife? does it means that when he decide to being a full time husband again, it will change his "basic love" to his wife? coz he found and know there's another woman that fit his half dream from his needing in a women? how can he said he needs BOTH women?? how can he being potrayed to demean his wife as low as this? when in every freaking chapters the author never rest to makes chuck always crying for what he did, always remembering the reader that, chuck love his wife?
4) what does it mean of "CHUCK WANTS bobie, but he wants bobie TO BE tracy". again, a freaking disrespect of the word of love and much more disrespect and disgustingly cheap, more so when the author put a constant reminder of how chuck love his wife in every freaking chapters without me puking first.
you knw what's my prespective says from that lines? it means, all the good things that bobie has in those 21 years living as his wife and the mother of his sons and a devoted loving friends to him and who loved him unconditionally, is UNMATCH to tracy's specks those 21 years of her devotion to chuck, is UNMATCH to tracy's full of life-attractive figure and a boost of his ego. and dont shoved a "stable" and routine marriage life reasons as a way to justified or to be one of the solid reason that trigger him to touch that bitch, not when the guy who sin still CONSIOUSLY knw that his wife is only having all the good things in her and still CONSIOUSLY knw that his wife is the one and only women that love him deeply enough to die for. no. DONT DOWNGRADING the word Love and devotion as low as in that scenario. this is what's my anger lying to. it's like im saying to my husband that, " hey love, im married to you, im making love to you for 21 years, we hav kids, we've been through ups n down,you are mostly in my mind, i always think about your happines, wont even dare to do things to hurt you, but, i want you to be like the guy that i knw at my office. but i love you, dont worry i wont ever leaving you like most of the jerk, oh and btw, i had sex w/that guy, i cant stopping my affair, not until you found out anyway, you do knw that i love you right? it's just, she wants me, and i wants her, thats' all. but i still dont knw when i have to stop my affair, coz i dont want to, honestly" you see how cruel the meaning of it, the action of what chuck did, and the still reference of how he love his wife ? when i bluntly put in a real words ?
so, lemme put my objection more clearly, YOU CANT MAKE THE SITUATION WHEN YOU CAN FREELY AND CONSTANTLY REMIND US, OF HOW CHUCK LOVE HIS WIFE WHEN HE LUSTING OTHER WOMEN, WHEN HE WAS LYING BESIDE HIS WIFE ON THEIR BED AND THINK TO MAKE ANOTHER TIME AND FOUND A WAY TO ORGANIZED HIS SCHEDULE SO HE CAN HAV SEX AGAIN W/TRACY, YOU CANT MAKE CHUCK STILL REMEMBER HIS WIFE'S NAME WHEN HE KISS AND HAVE A PRELUDE FOREPLAY TO TRACY, YOU CANT MAKE CHUCK REALISE HE DID WRONG AND THAT HE LOVE BOOBIE AND SCARE TO LOOSE HER RIGHT AFTER HE OUT OF TRACY'S BED WHEN IN THE NEXT 2 HOURS YOU MAKE CHUCK EASILY MAKES ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO TRACY FOR HIM TO COMING AGAIN TO TRACY'S HOUSE TO HAVE SEX W/HER 2 DAYS LATTER WHEN HIS WIFE IS ON THE WAY HOME FROM OTHER CITY, YOU CANT MAKE US READER A SCENES WHERE PUTTING CHUCK AS A HUSBAND WHO WONT HURT HIS WIFE AND HIS SONS AND THEN MAKES HIM PUT THE FAMILY'S PHOTO FACE DOWN AND THEN MAKING HIM CALLED TRACY TO MAKE A SEX-OFFICE APPOINTMENT JUST A SCND AFTER HE SAW HIS WIFE'S PHOTO. nO. you cant make all those situation and STILL PUSHING US READER OF HOW CHUCK IS REALLY DO LOVE HIS WIFE. YOU. JUST. CANT. unless you make chuck loosing his love to boobie, unless you make chuck is a real jerk that really wants to have an affair and not care enough w/his wife, unless you makes chuck get bored and forgetting the word Love the moment he lied his eyes to flirt w/tracy, you can makes chuck keep coming back for sex w/tracy when he felt suffocating having a boring life w/his sons and always angry and cold to his wife. coz guess what?? THOSE THINGS ARE WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO POTRAYED CHUCK EXACTLY IN THIS NOVEL'S SITUATION. for the writer to still and keep on making chuck as a loving father and still consiously remember that he love and acknowledge his love for his wife, keep on felt ashamed of his sin and even crying many times but STILL felt a lively lust whenever he remembering his night w/tracy WHEN HE OPENLY FELT SORRY for what he did, is... INSANE! it's like you, writer, wants to convinced us that the same cakes that has sugar and covered w/chocolate all over it's body, will still TASTE THE SAME WHEN SOMEONE DUMP A WHOLE GALONE OF GASOLINE, salt, and pepper and grilled the cake and you still saying : "oh look... i still can taste the sugar n the chocolate in my cake" . no. unless you make chuck has a mental problem or a big fat jerk.coz once he crossing the line, it menas he doesnt care about his family, let alone still acknowledging and confessing/feeling that he love his wife. no. you cant do that cruel things... im... das and upset. not for his cheating, but for what seems as a smoother justifying his action as just a moment of "slip" and a moment of weakness. no. IF he was put in a celibate cold fish ungrateful, unsatsfying bitches of wife, you can do that. but not when you throwing us an amazing human being character in a form of bobie who was programmed just to love chuck after everything that he did, who forgive him just a send after she knws his bloody affair. IF you want to another plot like infact, bobie was swallowing his bible, thats why she has the biggest heart when all normal human being wife supposed to cry, yelling, punching, badly heartbroken, mentally ill, hating on her husband, chewing him, throwing tantrum, forcing his to spit the truth, confronting him, asking him directly and viciously a series of questions about what is wrong? who is this women? how does she looks? does you did this bcoz she has a dirty naughty sex skill? does she give you better sex than our 21 years marriage? does sex is all that matter?
instead of doing all those normal thing, as, mind you, bobie has that very right to act "insane", here, bobie has the most stable character that ever happened in wife's history (or maybe a christian wife is being programmed all the same like this?) as if she was a robot that has a moment of electricity shock, but then back to work again, even though there's still a repercussion like she cant be touch and sleep in the same bed w/chuck, but for me, bobie's mentally response is freaking abnormal. she even can said she loves chuck and will get him back just a day after all this things. yes. i said that. it's like she was forced to being good, forced to delusionaly not recognized that this was her 21 years marriage that chuck's betrayed, that chuck tainted, that chuck put in the vow in the most dirty garbage bin the moment tracy kissed his lips. you knw, it's like when a volcano supposed to blow up, but then the goverment put a stop by dropping tons of tons of ridiculously unimaginable snow to "cooling" down the volcano, so it wont erupt.
what bobie did and how she act, for me, is just..... unhuman... with all do respect for her graceful big heart. but mine said, this was not right, when she has all the right to be insane. 21 freaking years w/unstoping love that she pour to chuck, that chuck felt her love for 21 years. it's not a cold marriage, it's not like chuck cant feel she love him the same. no. so? why did this?
i knw a guy who cant get sexually arouse w/ other women not bcoz the other women that chasing after him isnot sexualy atractive, but it's bcoz he has no feeling to lust other women when he can only get aroused whenever he saw the girl that he love, i also knw a guy that can get erect and sexually aroused when he see an atractive revealing body of other women, but he wont cross the lines, bcoz he has honor and dignity and shamed as a MAN of honor, so he resist the temptation, not only bcoz of his religion and god, but bcoz he has his own honorable code!, i also knw there's a guy that always chasing after skirt and sexually aroused and cheating w/other women, but that's when he doesnt care of his family, simply bcoz he's a jerk.
so, when you give the title as high as "the love of your life" and "cant lived without you" but you get involved and cant get the other women's face out of your mind whenever you closed your eyes and cant stop remembering her n your sexual night right in the middle of your meeting w/friends but still being labeled that the love of his life is his wife when he's not struggling enough to put the lust down or avoiding the other women, instead of keep being friendly and keep thinking of making another appointment, is just... irrelevance and down right insane & doesnt make sense. i refused this.
in conclusion, im puking everytime chuck mentioned that he love his wife and crying for what he did, but still can affected by other women's voice even when she's no longer there, is jus... uegh..
and why make the plot easier when you want to bring out infidelity and forgiveness and the road of forgiveness and trust as the plot when you make tracy's gone? (although i knw why in the sncd book), with chuck's still cant get her out of his mind, with chuck still cant deathly closed his arousal mind to tracy? when chuck still can memorising flashes of tracy's sexual face when she made him orgasm? what if tracy still there? still at the same office, still naughtly seduced him, how strong chuck's will to not broken his vow again to boobie? how strong that chuck can resist her temptation after he knws that he hurt boobie badly?
and most of it, HOW COME CHUCK THE GUY THAT LOVE HIS WIFE, CAN HV AN UNPROTECTED SEX FROM HIS SIDE TO TRACY???
i hv a strong particular judgement of a situation sex w/condom and sex without condom. Sex with condom,mean, you still wrecking other girls but at least YOU PROTECTING YOUR WIFE FOR WHATEVER CONTACT BFORE YOU DIPPED YOUR ******* IN OTHER GIRL'S *****, and it means, you still hold a CONTROL AND NOT LOOSING YOUR HEAD.
While sex without condom means, it more intimate, why? it means, YOU PUT A HECK OF A TRUST W/OTHER GIRL THE SAME TRUST AND NATURAL TRUST THAT COME WHENEVER YOU HAVE THE SAME INTIMATE CONTACT W/YOUR WIFE, second, it means YOU LOOSING ALL CONTROL THAT YOU CAN HOLD COZ YOU JUST BLINDLY WANTS TO FEEL SKIN ON SKIN SEX WHICH BROUGHT A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF PLEASURE THAT YOU CANT HARDLY WAIT AND FEEL WITH THIS OTHER WOMEN!!. and THIRD., IT MEANS YOU ACCEPTING THAT YOUR AND TRACY'S RELATIONSHIP IS EXCLUSIVE! YOU TRUST HER TO JUST HAVING AN EXCLUSIVE SEX RELATION WITH YOU AND YOU ALONE, THAT'S WHY YOU WONT BOTHER TO SPEW THAT GROSSY FLUID OF YOUR DISHARGE INTO HER BODY.
I. WILL. BLOODY KIIL. HIM. IF I WAS BOOBIE.
and how come boobie not questioning of how can chuck not put a condom and f*cking tracy bareback and skipping all the heavy meaning between condom n not condom? why just accepting chucks reason of "hey! im not sleeping with whore!",
Why boobie's mind not driving to a more special-intimate path about the unprotective sex that chuck had w/tracy??
coz, funnily, in most of other cheesy romantic novel-un christian genre, half ero, even the most jerky-alphamale playboy get angry to his lover for this spcl reason.but not boobie?
see.... this is why i hate hate the way the writer still potraying chuck as a loving husband who love his wife, when all the blunt openly eyes action is he did all the thing that the scumbag husband of the earth did to his wife.
ok. i finished my rant and my personal perspective to chuck's character and how it i felt like what's on his mins, the way he act and the way that the writer describing his feeling is all bloody unmatch and messed up.
all in all, aside from my personal pov of what "love" means, this book is great! please do read it, and maybe you have a different oppinion from me. but again, t's a mind blowing book.
December 27, 2010
I wrote this one, but if you like realistic stories about characters struggling with God, about genuine, not perfect, faith, then I think you'll like Contingency.
The story is about the aftermath of adultery, but Bobbi and Chuck work to save their marriage. For them, the outworking of their faith isn't empty Sunday morning platitudes, but a heartfelt relinquishing of the situation to God.
If you've ever struggled to trust God, if you've ever been hurt or betrayed, or if you've ever wounded someone you love, you'll identify with the characters immediately and want to accompany them on this journey.
Click on "download e-book" and skip to Chapter 1 to check out the sample to see for yourself.
Thank you!
The story is about the aftermath of adultery, but Bobbi and Chuck work to save their marriage. For them, the outworking of their faith isn't empty Sunday morning platitudes, but a heartfelt relinquishing of the situation to God.
If you've ever struggled to trust God, if you've ever been hurt or betrayed, or if you've ever wounded someone you love, you'll identify with the characters immediately and want to accompany them on this journey.
Click on "download e-book" and skip to Chapter 1 to check out the sample to see for yourself.
Thank you!
February 4, 2011
This book was incredible! You really care about the characters and it is just so easy to read. It is written quite brilliantly, I must say. All fans of Christian fiction should pick this book up and read, read, read!!!
April 5, 2020
How Can GOD be responsible for someone s Whoring.. Cheating on his wife.. fucking other Whore again and again 😬
Chuck didn't even use protection 🤮 with other Women,the whore...
Tracy the whore left him... otherwise he would have keep fucking her 🥺
Chuck didn't even use protection 🤮 with other Women,the whore...
Tracy the whore left him... otherwise he would have keep fucking her 🥺
January 27, 2011
Excellent, Heartfelt! All things are possible with God! Well written, an easy read. I recommend this book very much!!
January 23, 2024
My, my, my. I have read some scumbag fictional 'heros' in my time but this arrogant, manipulative, bombastic, domineering, hypocritical, self righteous, lying, cheating POS takes the first prize. A true legend in his own lunchtime.
It is almost impossible to follow any kind of a 'plot' when the MMC is so utterly irredeemable, but I tried, dear reader, I tried.
I knew going in this would be a faith based book - and, despite not believing in organised religion myself, responsible for so much ill and suffering in this world, I have respect for the beliefs of others.
What I don't have respect for is this book. It really needs to be renamed 'Railroad' as that is what every single adult character (bar 1) do to the doormat h driving her to suicidal thoughts (TW) and, shockingly, all in the name of religion. Atheists behave so much better.
SPOILER ALERTS!!!!
What do we have here? A hotshot lawyer, married for 18 years with 2 children to a mousy, subservient wife. He is called Chuck, or Upchuck as I refer to him as pretty much everything he said caused nausea.
Stepford wife Bobbi (yes with an i...dear lord woman call yourself a name with dignity) is living her life as a 2nd grade teacher, a fact that Upchuck disrespects at every opportunity 'there's nothing magical about teaching", bringing up their children and filling her days cooking and cleaning and basically ironing Upchuck's shirts.
Their marriage is, as many marriages are, a daily chore of hard work and then more hard work, mostly on Bobbi's part. She knows he is distant, working hard on a huge client's portfolio but when she tries to talk to him he is so horribly dismissive that that is grounds for the D word right there. He doesn't want to fix their marriage cos he doesn't give a shit about it. He travels, stays in good hotels, watches porn and returns with his dirty laundry to a home cooked meal and this is BEFORE he starts shagging the sophisticated OW. Be still my beating heart.
Upchuck embarks on an affair with a glamorous lawyer who is the polar opposite of his Bobbi pinned wife. Wife discovers an email and the infidelity is out. Now I love me a story like this. The angst is real and let's face it infidelity must be in the top 3 for marital breakdown. I enjoy reading an author's take on what is a truly heartbreaking subject, made more so by the existence of 2 adolescent children.
However this book was pure misogyny. The men prevail and the female victim (for that is precisely what she is) is made to feel so inadequate that she becomes nothing, invisible even to herself.
On the bright side, I found a new genre. The Christian Bullying Trope. Let's look at the word 'Forgiveness' it's so murky isn't it? So much expected. A forever word that once granted cannot be redacted. Now let's look at who created this forgiveness concept. Was it the sinner or the sinned against? No prizes for guessing who demands and who is expected to acquiesce. Bullied mercilessly to acquiesce.
Through pastoral counselling, dubious other players such as a (hush your mouth woman) pastor's wife and a psychiatrist so partisan he would have been struck off the medical register in any first world country, Bobbi is railroaded into forgiving Upchuck's infidelity despite, as mentioned before, being driven to planning offing herself. I was with her by that lake, except I was screaming 'get a backbone woman, drive to the nearest lawyer and bring him to his financial knees then have your fun with the coffee shop owner' what an opportunity missed.
Her pain, her very real and merited heartbreak, is ignored throughout and only Upchuck's needs are taken seriously by all the supposedly Christian players, more specifically, her church. That's one temple of doom that needs turning into a nightclub, pronto.
No one takes remotely seriously, the fact that due to his malfunctioning fly, shame he can't keep it zipped (probably Bobbi's fault as everything else is) she cannot eat, sleep, focus or take comfort in her own bed. She is a ghost of herself, so what do the religious folks do? Bully her more of course. She is not allowed to divorce Upchuck and that's that. The stupid woman for even thinking she has a choice....
Incredibly when the sweet, younger handsome coffee shop owner gently flirts with her (she of course doesn't recognise it as flirting because she has been rendered down to nothing at this point so no one could want her) she is the one made to look like an ignorant harlot. Oh the aching hypocrisy....it made my teeth hurt.
There is one character that rightly mentions the 'divorce his ass' phrase - the only redeeming character throughout this sordid tale - Rita, Bobbi's sister. Of course her advice is 100% right (more of why later) and she is dispatched immediately for her audacity and only returns chapters later after pleading and apologising for ever doubting Upchuck's sterling character.
Is infidelity always a reason for divorce? Of course not. Circumstances differ, real remorse can win and after years of very hard emotional work, (most of which should be done by the cheater) happiness can once again prevail. I myself have seen examples of both divorce and reconciliation outcomes.
So why should this POS be dumped immediately? SO many reasons the most important of which is he DOESN'T LOVE HIS WIFE. How do we know this? Because he says so. Yip it's on the page. His thoughts during a conversation with a family friend (about the beginning of their marriage) goes as follows "he tried to remake Bobbi, mold her into his ideal. She fought him every step of the way so he gave up trying to love her" So this piece of work was 'trying' to love her eh? Never did. Not then and most certainly not now. He goes on to think the OW fits his vision but she doesn't love him (smart girl) whereas Bobbi does so "He needed both women"
I find it amazing that these critical points are not picked up in the 5 star reviews. How can you defend saving a marriage that was never based on love or respect in the first place?
Look folks. If your spouse doesn't love you, ANY grounds for divorce is the ONLY route out of hell.
There are of course, further seedy, sordid thoughts from Upchuck, which consist of comparing his beleaguered shadow of herself wife unfavourably with the mistress in looks and in the bedroom. Other stomach churning moments when a divorce lawyer should have been called immediately are when he places a photo of his wife and family downside so he can ravish the mistress in the conference room. How thoughtful that his wife and children down't have to gaze out and see his debauchery. Touching really. When he asks for a sexual raincheck with his wife after just coming from the mistress' and lays in bed planning their next tryst as his wife sleeps.
However, and more poignantly. He isn't sorry. Sure he apologises to the church congregation. This is surely a peculiarly US thing? Thinking about my upbringing in a Church of England grammar school, when I was a choir member, just imagining the looks on people's faces if anyone had done the 'repent and be damned' thing I think they'd have been sectioned.
Not one of this pious lot had endured marriage to Upchuck, given birth to his children, washed his boxers and then be slapped in the face by his inability to keep up his zipper and yet they get the apology?
Is infidelity a mistake? Nope. Never. It is a conscious choice. This is thought out, happens 3 times and involves planning not to mention the removal of clothes. A mistake is putting the oven too high and burning the cake. Let's not get this twisted.
When Bobbi confronts him and asks the much needed question "is she (OW) pregnant?" we learn even more nauseatingly that apparently condoms don't enter his pious brain. Yuck yuck yuck. When Bobbi insists he takes a medical for sexually transmitted diseases he berates her that the OW 'isn't a hooker!"
Shockingly, later on, he describes the mistress as EXACTLY that, as a prostitute to his own son no less (of course using a biblical reference). This POS is so thoroughly NOT self aware, that if he is sleeping with a prostitute then he is a john. I actually felt sorry for the mistress. Okay only fleetingly. He also seems to think both himself and the mistress committed adultery...er NO! YOU are married you pig. She isn't. There is no end to his self righteous 'mansplaining' but I think we can also add dumb, dumb dumb dumb to his character, or lack thereof.
He is apparently a born againer. No amount of baptismal water can save this rancid soul.
This is a leopard that won't change his spots and the next time, she'll be bullied again just as she has been throughout this apology of a marriage. Eventually, you end up being treated as you wish to be and no doubt the lake will beckon again OR she will be immune, realise she has no say in anything important to her or her sons or her marriage or her job or her family (if it isn't Upchuck's way then it doesn't count), and not allowed any opinion that isn't his and roll over to this pig joining him in the swill..... Oh wait! That's probably in Book 2....
Not ONCE did he beg her forgiveness just an occasional 'sorry'. When he came home - after the discovery - to supposedly face the music she is, of course to put it mildly 'upset' and HE walks out on HER.....I have no words. Except to add coward to his long line of achievements.
Why wasn't he sorry? Well, because he wasn't.
He freely admits he would have continued the affair, in fact he also admits he wants both women. In fact had the OW ever showed any feelings for him Bobbi would have been eating dust. Ah! Except that he 'needed' one woman to be his exciting mistress (with the gifts and the dinners no doubt) and the other to be the mother figure (with the laundry detergent and the school runs) so actually he would have probably railroaded Bobbi into accepting the affair until she was institutionalised.
He even chose a mid life crisis, way too expensive 2 seater sports car to impress the OW. His wife naturally hated the car. Why? A 2 seater for a family of 4? Go figure. You shouldn't have known Bobbi, you should have known except Upchuck's brainwashing was pretty effective.
What a prince.
Irredeemable.
It is almost impossible to follow any kind of a 'plot' when the MMC is so utterly irredeemable, but I tried, dear reader, I tried.
I knew going in this would be a faith based book - and, despite not believing in organised religion myself, responsible for so much ill and suffering in this world, I have respect for the beliefs of others.
What I don't have respect for is this book. It really needs to be renamed 'Railroad' as that is what every single adult character (bar 1) do to the doormat h driving her to suicidal thoughts (TW) and, shockingly, all in the name of religion. Atheists behave so much better.
SPOILER ALERTS!!!!
What do we have here? A hotshot lawyer, married for 18 years with 2 children to a mousy, subservient wife. He is called Chuck, or Upchuck as I refer to him as pretty much everything he said caused nausea.
Stepford wife Bobbi (yes with an i...dear lord woman call yourself a name with dignity) is living her life as a 2nd grade teacher, a fact that Upchuck disrespects at every opportunity 'there's nothing magical about teaching", bringing up their children and filling her days cooking and cleaning and basically ironing Upchuck's shirts.
Their marriage is, as many marriages are, a daily chore of hard work and then more hard work, mostly on Bobbi's part. She knows he is distant, working hard on a huge client's portfolio but when she tries to talk to him he is so horribly dismissive that that is grounds for the D word right there. He doesn't want to fix their marriage cos he doesn't give a shit about it. He travels, stays in good hotels, watches porn and returns with his dirty laundry to a home cooked meal and this is BEFORE he starts shagging the sophisticated OW. Be still my beating heart.
Upchuck embarks on an affair with a glamorous lawyer who is the polar opposite of his Bobbi pinned wife. Wife discovers an email and the infidelity is out. Now I love me a story like this. The angst is real and let's face it infidelity must be in the top 3 for marital breakdown. I enjoy reading an author's take on what is a truly heartbreaking subject, made more so by the existence of 2 adolescent children.
However this book was pure misogyny. The men prevail and the female victim (for that is precisely what she is) is made to feel so inadequate that she becomes nothing, invisible even to herself.
On the bright side, I found a new genre. The Christian Bullying Trope. Let's look at the word 'Forgiveness' it's so murky isn't it? So much expected. A forever word that once granted cannot be redacted. Now let's look at who created this forgiveness concept. Was it the sinner or the sinned against? No prizes for guessing who demands and who is expected to acquiesce. Bullied mercilessly to acquiesce.
Through pastoral counselling, dubious other players such as a (hush your mouth woman) pastor's wife and a psychiatrist so partisan he would have been struck off the medical register in any first world country, Bobbi is railroaded into forgiving Upchuck's infidelity despite, as mentioned before, being driven to planning offing herself. I was with her by that lake, except I was screaming 'get a backbone woman, drive to the nearest lawyer and bring him to his financial knees then have your fun with the coffee shop owner' what an opportunity missed.
Her pain, her very real and merited heartbreak, is ignored throughout and only Upchuck's needs are taken seriously by all the supposedly Christian players, more specifically, her church. That's one temple of doom that needs turning into a nightclub, pronto.
No one takes remotely seriously, the fact that due to his malfunctioning fly, shame he can't keep it zipped (probably Bobbi's fault as everything else is) she cannot eat, sleep, focus or take comfort in her own bed. She is a ghost of herself, so what do the religious folks do? Bully her more of course. She is not allowed to divorce Upchuck and that's that. The stupid woman for even thinking she has a choice....
Incredibly when the sweet, younger handsome coffee shop owner gently flirts with her (she of course doesn't recognise it as flirting because she has been rendered down to nothing at this point so no one could want her) she is the one made to look like an ignorant harlot. Oh the aching hypocrisy....it made my teeth hurt.
There is one character that rightly mentions the 'divorce his ass' phrase - the only redeeming character throughout this sordid tale - Rita, Bobbi's sister. Of course her advice is 100% right (more of why later) and she is dispatched immediately for her audacity and only returns chapters later after pleading and apologising for ever doubting Upchuck's sterling character.
Is infidelity always a reason for divorce? Of course not. Circumstances differ, real remorse can win and after years of very hard emotional work, (most of which should be done by the cheater) happiness can once again prevail. I myself have seen examples of both divorce and reconciliation outcomes.
So why should this POS be dumped immediately? SO many reasons the most important of which is he DOESN'T LOVE HIS WIFE. How do we know this? Because he says so. Yip it's on the page. His thoughts during a conversation with a family friend (about the beginning of their marriage) goes as follows "he tried to remake Bobbi, mold her into his ideal. She fought him every step of the way so he gave up trying to love her" So this piece of work was 'trying' to love her eh? Never did. Not then and most certainly not now. He goes on to think the OW fits his vision but she doesn't love him (smart girl) whereas Bobbi does so "He needed both women"
I find it amazing that these critical points are not picked up in the 5 star reviews. How can you defend saving a marriage that was never based on love or respect in the first place?
Look folks. If your spouse doesn't love you, ANY grounds for divorce is the ONLY route out of hell.
There are of course, further seedy, sordid thoughts from Upchuck, which consist of comparing his beleaguered shadow of herself wife unfavourably with the mistress in looks and in the bedroom. Other stomach churning moments when a divorce lawyer should have been called immediately are when he places a photo of his wife and family downside so he can ravish the mistress in the conference room. How thoughtful that his wife and children down't have to gaze out and see his debauchery. Touching really. When he asks for a sexual raincheck with his wife after just coming from the mistress' and lays in bed planning their next tryst as his wife sleeps.
However, and more poignantly. He isn't sorry. Sure he apologises to the church congregation. This is surely a peculiarly US thing? Thinking about my upbringing in a Church of England grammar school, when I was a choir member, just imagining the looks on people's faces if anyone had done the 'repent and be damned' thing I think they'd have been sectioned.
Not one of this pious lot had endured marriage to Upchuck, given birth to his children, washed his boxers and then be slapped in the face by his inability to keep up his zipper and yet they get the apology?
Is infidelity a mistake? Nope. Never. It is a conscious choice. This is thought out, happens 3 times and involves planning not to mention the removal of clothes. A mistake is putting the oven too high and burning the cake. Let's not get this twisted.
When Bobbi confronts him and asks the much needed question "is she (OW) pregnant?" we learn even more nauseatingly that apparently condoms don't enter his pious brain. Yuck yuck yuck. When Bobbi insists he takes a medical for sexually transmitted diseases he berates her that the OW 'isn't a hooker!"
Shockingly, later on, he describes the mistress as EXACTLY that, as a prostitute to his own son no less (of course using a biblical reference). This POS is so thoroughly NOT self aware, that if he is sleeping with a prostitute then he is a john. I actually felt sorry for the mistress. Okay only fleetingly. He also seems to think both himself and the mistress committed adultery...er NO! YOU are married you pig. She isn't. There is no end to his self righteous 'mansplaining' but I think we can also add dumb, dumb dumb dumb to his character, or lack thereof.
He is apparently a born againer. No amount of baptismal water can save this rancid soul.
This is a leopard that won't change his spots and the next time, she'll be bullied again just as she has been throughout this apology of a marriage. Eventually, you end up being treated as you wish to be and no doubt the lake will beckon again OR she will be immune, realise she has no say in anything important to her or her sons or her marriage or her job or her family (if it isn't Upchuck's way then it doesn't count), and not allowed any opinion that isn't his and roll over to this pig joining him in the swill..... Oh wait! That's probably in Book 2....
Not ONCE did he beg her forgiveness just an occasional 'sorry'. When he came home - after the discovery - to supposedly face the music she is, of course to put it mildly 'upset' and HE walks out on HER.....I have no words. Except to add coward to his long line of achievements.
Why wasn't he sorry? Well, because he wasn't.
He freely admits he would have continued the affair, in fact he also admits he wants both women. In fact had the OW ever showed any feelings for him Bobbi would have been eating dust. Ah! Except that he 'needed' one woman to be his exciting mistress (with the gifts and the dinners no doubt) and the other to be the mother figure (with the laundry detergent and the school runs) so actually he would have probably railroaded Bobbi into accepting the affair until she was institutionalised.
He even chose a mid life crisis, way too expensive 2 seater sports car to impress the OW. His wife naturally hated the car. Why? A 2 seater for a family of 4? Go figure. You shouldn't have known Bobbi, you should have known except Upchuck's brainwashing was pretty effective.
What a prince.
Irredeemable.
December 16, 2011
Bobbi Molinsky’s life as she knew it plummeted when a forwarded email from her husband (Chuck’s) account, hinting at a secret rendezvous, lands in her inbox while he is out of town. Upon confronting Chuck with the email, he doesn’t deny anything, claims it would have been better not to have come home, turns around, and leaves, after eighteen years of marriage!
Paula Wiseman, in Contingency, doesn’t hold back on any of the emotions that occur from the fallout due to marital infidelity. It’s raw, emotional, heart-breaking, destructive, brutal, and honest. Bobbi’s emotional roller coaster tears at your heart. The destruction of the family is heart breaking. The repercussions reverberate at work, with friends, church, and family. Trust has been violated and crushed.
Forgiveness and trust are paramount to the possibility of reconciliation, but the turmoil of the broken relationship seems never-ending. Reminders pop up unexpectedly. Bobbi knows forgiveness is what God requires, but can she let down her guard, trusting that Chuck will not re-offend?
The counsel that both Chuck and Bobbi receive is Godly and full of wisdom. Paula’s book will validate the feelings of the party that was betrayed, yet doesn’t let him/her sit there in a pity party. It is Godly tough-love advice, the kind necessary to beat the enemy of our souls, who is trying to destroy marriages. It’s a great book for counselors to share with clients. In fact, this is a book that every couple, including engaged couples, should read just for the wise marital advice and warning signals that could lead to adultery.
Contingency is not an easy read, but a vital one. The situations are real, emotional, devastating, and encouraging. It’s about forgiveness. Is forgiveness easy? No, but it’s what God requires, just as He did on our behalf. Forgive and you shall be forgiven; forgive not and you will not be forgiven. But this kind of forgiveness comes only through the Holy Spirit’s power. Although scary, it’s letting go and trusting God to bring you through to the other side, trusting once again.
This book opened my eyes to the numerous repercussions of adultery, the devastating emotional upheaval, and the hard work it takes to bring reconciliation. But it’s worth it all. Paula did an excellent job of portraying the character’s feelings and issues.
This book was provided by the author, Paula Wiseman, in exchange for my honest review. No monetary compensation was exchanged.
Paula Wiseman, in Contingency, doesn’t hold back on any of the emotions that occur from the fallout due to marital infidelity. It’s raw, emotional, heart-breaking, destructive, brutal, and honest. Bobbi’s emotional roller coaster tears at your heart. The destruction of the family is heart breaking. The repercussions reverberate at work, with friends, church, and family. Trust has been violated and crushed.
Forgiveness and trust are paramount to the possibility of reconciliation, but the turmoil of the broken relationship seems never-ending. Reminders pop up unexpectedly. Bobbi knows forgiveness is what God requires, but can she let down her guard, trusting that Chuck will not re-offend?
The counsel that both Chuck and Bobbi receive is Godly and full of wisdom. Paula’s book will validate the feelings of the party that was betrayed, yet doesn’t let him/her sit there in a pity party. It is Godly tough-love advice, the kind necessary to beat the enemy of our souls, who is trying to destroy marriages. It’s a great book for counselors to share with clients. In fact, this is a book that every couple, including engaged couples, should read just for the wise marital advice and warning signals that could lead to adultery.
Contingency is not an easy read, but a vital one. The situations are real, emotional, devastating, and encouraging. It’s about forgiveness. Is forgiveness easy? No, but it’s what God requires, just as He did on our behalf. Forgive and you shall be forgiven; forgive not and you will not be forgiven. But this kind of forgiveness comes only through the Holy Spirit’s power. Although scary, it’s letting go and trusting God to bring you through to the other side, trusting once again.
This book opened my eyes to the numerous repercussions of adultery, the devastating emotional upheaval, and the hard work it takes to bring reconciliation. But it’s worth it all. Paula did an excellent job of portraying the character’s feelings and issues.
This book was provided by the author, Paula Wiseman, in exchange for my honest review. No monetary compensation was exchanged.
April 19, 2024
Re reading vid audio on Ever and 4\18\24
The angst is real!I feel Bobbi's devastation from the moment she discovered the other woman's messages to her husband
So I,appreciate and empathize with her character ...but Chuck is another story.😜
His POV was depressing, disturbing and disappointing.... his leering ,craving,thoughts reg the sexual appeal of ow deplorable! Although, I liked Bobbie and may have felt the attraction between them early on ,pre marriage... Felt no passion currently nor a loving connection.
You know what I felt he was most upset about? When he realized ow was playing him and had betrayed him.!
I was not impressed w his reaction at being discovered... it wasn't skewed towards concern for Bobbi and the kids but rather wholly self focused..worry for his dang job!
No. Chuck does not impress.. Although as prior stated I did feel the angst of Bobbi's pain and suffering.
I left off with 6 chapters to go and don't know if I wish to complete the re read to the finale. If I do or do not decide to continue will determine whether if I proceed to the next book or again stall here.
I can only assume that the emotions it was able to elicit from me was the reason for my 5 star rating,but I can not in good conscience again claim this.
I marinate between 3 and 3.5 stars. Oh what a difference a different time ,place,changing mood and or a re read can make!😂
The angst is real!I feel Bobbi's devastation from the moment she discovered the other woman's messages to her husband
So I,appreciate and empathize with her character ...but Chuck is another story.😜
His POV was depressing, disturbing and disappointing.... his leering ,craving,thoughts reg the sexual appeal of ow deplorable! Although, I liked Bobbie and may have felt the attraction between them early on ,pre marriage... Felt no passion currently nor a loving connection.
You know what I felt he was most upset about? When he realized ow was playing him and had betrayed him.!
I was not impressed w his reaction at being discovered... it wasn't skewed towards concern for Bobbi and the kids but rather wholly self focused..worry for his dang job!
No. Chuck does not impress.. Although as prior stated I did feel the angst of Bobbi's pain and suffering.
I left off with 6 chapters to go and don't know if I wish to complete the re read to the finale. If I do or do not decide to continue will determine whether if I proceed to the next book or again stall here.
I can only assume that the emotions it was able to elicit from me was the reason for my 5 star rating,but I can not in good conscience again claim this.
I marinate between 3 and 3.5 stars. Oh what a difference a different time ,place,changing mood and or a re read can make!😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2022
Chuck did not deserve his wife. I never felt any remorse. He never had to pay for what he did. His wife did and will for the rest of her life. He just thought everyone should just move on and forget. It doesn't work like that for his wife and he never understood that. He admitted he would not have stopped if he hadn't been caught. How is that ok? It wasn't just an impulse decision. He planned and manipulated time to be with his mistress and cheat on his wife. Even when he was with his wife and family, he wanted to be with the other woman. He didn't love his wife. He loved himself and that did not change. He will cheat again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2019
Wow! This book was so hard to put down even though it's about the difficult subject of adultery. I've had friends walk this painful road, and this story seemed to capture all the raw emotions so well.
The only reason I didn't give 5 Stars is the book delves more into the sex scenes than I anticipated. I know that seems ignorant to think it could be avoided, but it should've at least had a "explicit scenes" warning since it was part of a Christian Fiction Anthology. This is my first book by Paula Wiseman, and I will be back for more.
The only reason I didn't give 5 Stars is the book delves more into the sex scenes than I anticipated. I know that seems ignorant to think it could be avoided, but it should've at least had a "explicit scenes" warning since it was part of a Christian Fiction Anthology. This is my first book by Paula Wiseman, and I will be back for more.
June 18, 2012
I experienced every emotion described in this book. Author did excellent job writing this book. I had to lay it down and walk away a few times to pull myself back together as it stirred past feelings.
October 24, 2019
Unless you are religious, particularly Christian... this is not the book for you. Sooooooo much religious propaganda. I completely respect every ones own beliefs. I am just saying for those of you that are not religious. Not Christian. This is not the book for you!
Currently reading
February 10, 2011I have just begun reading but it is awesome thus far and holds my attention from the beginning.
February 22, 2011
Very good book. Couldn't put the book down once I started reading it.
August 14, 2011
'Contingency' is a fantastic novel! The pages just flew by and before I knew it I had reached the end. The story is about Chuck's infidelity, how his wife, Bobbi, found out about it and how they are trying to mend their family.
I thought the book dealt with the issue of adultery very well. It showed the anguish that the person who was cheated on went through and all the other issues that this one sin caused. It showed how it wasn't just Bobbi and Chuck that were affected by the infidelity, but their children, extended family, coworkers and their church family too.
I thought that Rita, Bobbi's sister, was a person that voiced what I think almost everyone in that situation would be feeling, and I think that by her voicing her opinion of Chuck, it forced Bobbi to defend him, even though she didn't feel like it. It helped her to remember all the good things about him, but that isn't enough to mend a relationship.
Bobbi lays out a list of things that she wants Chuck to do, some of them she is sure he won't do, one of them being to go to counseling by himself and then that they go together when their pastor, who is also the counselor, says it's time for that.
Chuck began to do almost everthing on her list, but Bobbi still wasn't sure that she could trust Chuck again. The rift was large and trust once given so easily is hard to get back - if it is ever possible to trust someone again after a hurt like that.
'Contingecy' was a very moving story and is a book that I plan to read again. I can't wait to start the next book, which from the preview at the end of this book sounds just as good, if not better, than this book. I highly recommend 'Contingency'! I especially think that this book should be required reading for anyone thinking about divorce.
***I received a complimentary copy of this book through LibraryThing. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.***
I thought the book dealt with the issue of adultery very well. It showed the anguish that the person who was cheated on went through and all the other issues that this one sin caused. It showed how it wasn't just Bobbi and Chuck that were affected by the infidelity, but their children, extended family, coworkers and their church family too.
I thought that Rita, Bobbi's sister, was a person that voiced what I think almost everyone in that situation would be feeling, and I think that by her voicing her opinion of Chuck, it forced Bobbi to defend him, even though she didn't feel like it. It helped her to remember all the good things about him, but that isn't enough to mend a relationship.
Bobbi lays out a list of things that she wants Chuck to do, some of them she is sure he won't do, one of them being to go to counseling by himself and then that they go together when their pastor, who is also the counselor, says it's time for that.
Chuck began to do almost everthing on her list, but Bobbi still wasn't sure that she could trust Chuck again. The rift was large and trust once given so easily is hard to get back - if it is ever possible to trust someone again after a hurt like that.
'Contingecy' was a very moving story and is a book that I plan to read again. I can't wait to start the next book, which from the preview at the end of this book sounds just as good, if not better, than this book. I highly recommend 'Contingency'! I especially think that this book should be required reading for anyone thinking about divorce.
***I received a complimentary copy of this book through LibraryThing. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.***
March 25, 2011
Fantastic! If you are married or divoced and have not read this book then you should put it at the top of your list to read. The characters are very real. Kept me intrigued from page one, could not put it down. The book deals with marriage, adultery, and restoration. Our society accepts divorce, adultery, and non-convenant marriages, the devil is working long and hard to destroy marriages in any way that he can, because he knows that marriage is the one thing that God holds as sacred. Paula does a wonderful job in coming forth with this very sensitive subject that a lot of authors would not even dare to do. She is a talented, gifted, christian author that uses her biblical knowledge amongst that fiction that could in reality be non-fiction. The second book in the series, Indemity, will be released on April 15th, and I am anxiously awaiting its arrival. I have no doubt that it will be every bit as good if not better than the first.
February 27, 2013
Such a great story on marriage. It shows the painful truth of the difficulty of marriage and when trust is lost, what can be done for reconciliation. Reconciliation is key but most painful. I liked the dicipleship shown, the true role of the church and realizing that truth is something that must be pursued. Charles the husband that cheated on his wife, had to come to the truth of why he cheated in the first place. His wife had to come to the realization of not denying what happen but truly forgive and work out her own misconceptions. Anyone reading this and is a follower of Christ, will be blessed reading this, no matter the condition of your marriage or if you are single. A great example of Christians struggling and seeing Christ.
April 21, 2012
I loved this book. It is Christian fiction. I could not put it down, but I'm not sure everyone would enjoy it as much as I did. The story walks the reader through a marriage that is in danger of falling apart due to infidelity. I found the author to share the perspective of both the husband and the wife equally well. It was like you understood both perspectives in some way and you just wanted to tell them each how far they were progressing, yet they each needed to go through the personal journey and turn to God to make their way. There are more books in this series and I look forward to reading them!
June 9, 2011
A great read! This book grabbed my attention immediately, and I could not put it down. Ms. Wiseman captures a realistic glimpse in the life of a struggling marriage. Told from both perspectives, the reader has an opportunity to witness the transformation of both husband and wife as they develop a deeper trust in the Lord and each other.
I purchased the second book in the series within a couple of chapters, and look forward to more!
I purchased the second book in the series within a couple of chapters, and look forward to more!
January 30, 2012
Very realistic story - it got better as I read. I was not too crazy about how indecisive Bobbi was regarding her marriage...it was quite a roller coaster. I also did not think the characters were very well-developed at the beginning of the story. However, I do think it is a blatant wake-up call to how individual choices affect many,many people.
September 12, 2011
Very good story about love and forgivessness and sparks a question of, "Could I forgive that?
February 4, 2012
A must read for all married couples...be ready to cry.
May 31, 2012
I chose this as a Kindle freebie and enjoyed it so much I got the other two books in the series.
September 19, 2012
Excellent
September 20, 2012
Very thought provoking novel. Characters are rich and well developed. Hard to put down. Highly recommended. Moving on to Book 2 in the series.
October 11, 2012
I love this book...planning to re-read soon!
April 7, 2024
She writes well, and I love an angst-filled story, but I had a few problems believing the HEA, due to Chuck's thoughts and actions. There are too many inconsistencies.
Chuck has apparently been a miserable SOB throughout their marriage and I have a hard time believing his turnaround, just because he was caught being unfaithful. He says he would not have stopped if not caught. Calling Tracy a prostitute, enticing him, is pathetic. I have no sympathy for her but shifting blame largely to her is out-and-out misogyny!
He was apparently a Christian before, but he says he stopped trying to love Bobbi because he couldn’t mold her into the image he wanted. I don't believe that he suddenly recognized her value. He just wants his life back.
He wanted both Bobbi and Tracy. That never got resolved! It is also stated that Tracy gave him great sex that he had never had with Bobbi. How does that get solved? Does he spend the rest of his life wishing he could have that again, or does he teach Bobbi the tricks to more enjoyable sex for him?
Also, I don't see where he fully recognized his spoiled, autocratic ways before the reveal.
He can cry and pray all he wants, but I don't buy his "new persona".
Chuck has apparently been a miserable SOB throughout their marriage and I have a hard time believing his turnaround, just because he was caught being unfaithful. He says he would not have stopped if not caught. Calling Tracy a prostitute, enticing him, is pathetic. I have no sympathy for her but shifting blame largely to her is out-and-out misogyny!
He was apparently a Christian before, but he says he stopped trying to love Bobbi because he couldn’t mold her into the image he wanted. I don't believe that he suddenly recognized her value. He just wants his life back.
He wanted both Bobbi and Tracy. That never got resolved! It is also stated that Tracy gave him great sex that he had never had with Bobbi. How does that get solved? Does he spend the rest of his life wishing he could have that again, or does he teach Bobbi the tricks to more enjoyable sex for him?
Also, I don't see where he fully recognized his spoiled, autocratic ways before the reveal.
He can cry and pray all he wants, but I don't buy his "new persona".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2021
Since this book is in the Religion & Spirituality category, I knew what I was getting into. I was a little lost when scripture was being quoted but the writer decoded it as characters contemplated them so that helped. It was nice to see that not only were the main character flawed but also those of the church that helped the couple out.
As with other (good) books on this subject, my stomach was in knots. I felt for Bobbi on so many levels. Served Chuck right how things went down as he thought he was running the affair. Yeap I smiled when he realized he was being used for his position in the office.
There was thing that confused me. One was the age of Joel. By the way he spoke and understood what was going on I thought he was in high school. It floored me that he is only 11 yo! I have yet to meet an 11 yo that aware of what is going on around them. Yes I could see him understanding that his mom is visible sad or angry but really.
As with other (good) books on this subject, my stomach was in knots. I felt for Bobbi on so many levels. Served Chuck right how things went down as he thought he was running the affair. Yeap I smiled when he realized he was being used for his position in the office.
There was thing that confused me. One was the age of Joel. By the way he spoke and understood what was going on I thought he was in high school. It floored me that he is only 11 yo! I have yet to meet an 11 yo that aware of what is going on around them. Yes I could see him understanding that his mom is visible sad or angry but really.
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