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The Replacement Wife
From New York Times bestselling author Eileen Goudge comes a poignant new novel that asks the question, “What would you do if you were told you had only six months to live?” For one professional matchmaker the answer is She must find her husband’s next wife.
Camille Hart, one of Manhattan’s most sought-after matchmakers, has survived more than her fair share of hardships. Her mother died when she was a young girl, leaving her and her sister with an absentee father. Now in her forties, she has already survived cancer once, though the battle revealed just how ill-equipped her husband Edward is to be a single parent. So when doctors tell Camille that her cancer is back—and this time it’s terminal—she decides to put her matchmaking expertise to the test for one final job. Seeking stability for her children and happiness for her husband, Camille sets out to find the perfect woman to replace her when she’s gone.
But what happens when a dying wish becomes a case of “be careful what you wish for”? For Edward and Camille, the stunning conclusion arrives with one last twist of fate that no one saw coming.
At once deeply felt and witty, The Replacement Wife is an unforgettable story of love and family, and a refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings.
Camille Hart, one of Manhattan’s most sought-after matchmakers, has survived more than her fair share of hardships. Her mother died when she was a young girl, leaving her and her sister with an absentee father. Now in her forties, she has already survived cancer once, though the battle revealed just how ill-equipped her husband Edward is to be a single parent. So when doctors tell Camille that her cancer is back—and this time it’s terminal—she decides to put her matchmaking expertise to the test for one final job. Seeking stability for her children and happiness for her husband, Camille sets out to find the perfect woman to replace her when she’s gone.
But what happens when a dying wish becomes a case of “be careful what you wish for”? For Edward and Camille, the stunning conclusion arrives with one last twist of fate that no one saw coming.
At once deeply felt and witty, The Replacement Wife is an unforgettable story of love and family, and a refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings.
482 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
540 people are currently reading
2429 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Goudge
120 books711 followersI began writing at the age of eight and wrote my way through the lean years before I found success as New York Times' bestselling author with my first novel GARDEN OF LIES. To date I have published 19 novels and a cookbook. Every life experience I've weathered has found its way into my novels in one form or another: bad exes, births, deaths, divorces, romances, and even true crime. My heroines are like me: tough cookies who don't crumble.
My latest novel, Book One of my Gold Creek series, ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW, is the story of a woman fleeing her abusive ex who finds refuge in a small California mountain town, where she's befriended by a group of women who call themselves The Tattooed Ladies and reinvents herself as a police sketch artist. Kyra "draws lines to stop crimes," as they say in the biz, never imagining she'll one day be forced to confront the biggest criminal of all: her ex.
I'm married to former entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon and the mother of two grown children. We live in Sacramento, California, where we remodeled a 1940's house for which I was the on-site project manager. Fortunately, multi-tasking is my superpower, so I was able to write a book and supervise a home remodel at the same time. The latter is sure to find its way into a future book. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see pics of my home remodel and other adventures.
My latest novel, Book One of my Gold Creek series, ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW, is the story of a woman fleeing her abusive ex who finds refuge in a small California mountain town, where she's befriended by a group of women who call themselves The Tattooed Ladies and reinvents herself as a police sketch artist. Kyra "draws lines to stop crimes," as they say in the biz, never imagining she'll one day be forced to confront the biggest criminal of all: her ex.
I'm married to former entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon and the mother of two grown children. We live in Sacramento, California, where we remodeled a 1940's house for which I was the on-site project manager. Fortunately, multi-tasking is my superpower, so I was able to write a book and supervise a home remodel at the same time. The latter is sure to find its way into a future book. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see pics of my home remodel and other adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 460 reviews
May 23, 2012
While I don't hate this book because it is well-written enough to keep me reading, the story is wretched. Not one primary character here is sympathetic.
I suppose that I empathize the most with Camille. While she is officious and micro-managing - and the architect of her own misery - she is a cancer victim with a damaged childhood, so perhaps her judgement is justifiably awry. Still, it is hard to have much compassion for her.
Her "wonderful" husband, Edward, who is absentee at best and self-obsessed at worst is basically nothing more than a shallow cad. He may feel angry and hurt, even abandoned by Camille's actions, but am I supposed to believe that after 20 years of marriage and surviving one bout of cancer already that this "perfect" guy cannot (a) fathom his own inadequacies or (b) understand the nexus of his wife's concerns? Seriously? Camille would undoubtedly be better off without this shallow idiot in her life. In spite of constant reference to Edward's good character, I could not help but think of him as another John Edwards. Did he really not understand the difference between a platonic friend to lean on and an affair while his wife is dying of cancer?
The "other" women show equally appalling behavior - if this is how single women behave - hitting on/having affairs/falling in love with clients'/boss's/friend's husbands - I am appalled. Only the stereotype mid-West schoolteacher has any type of morality...and it is limited at best.
This is a sad, miserable tale of limited, pathetic people are never happy or satisfied with their lives and have no integrity....I don't think every story needs to be sunshine and roses, but adults should be adults and not every character should be flawed. Even the happy here came at such a cost, it felt repugnant.
Life is too short, I recommend reading something else.
I suppose that I empathize the most with Camille. While she is officious and micro-managing - and the architect of her own misery - she is a cancer victim with a damaged childhood, so perhaps her judgement is justifiably awry. Still, it is hard to have much compassion for her.
Her "wonderful" husband, Edward, who is absentee at best and self-obsessed at worst is basically nothing more than a shallow cad. He may feel angry and hurt, even abandoned by Camille's actions, but am I supposed to believe that after 20 years of marriage and surviving one bout of cancer already that this "perfect" guy cannot (a) fathom his own inadequacies or (b) understand the nexus of his wife's concerns? Seriously? Camille would undoubtedly be better off without this shallow idiot in her life. In spite of constant reference to Edward's good character, I could not help but think of him as another John Edwards. Did he really not understand the difference between a platonic friend to lean on and an affair while his wife is dying of cancer?
The "other" women show equally appalling behavior - if this is how single women behave - hitting on/having affairs/falling in love with clients'/boss's/friend's husbands - I am appalled. Only the stereotype mid-West schoolteacher has any type of morality...and it is limited at best.
This is a sad, miserable tale of limited, pathetic people are never happy or satisfied with their lives and have no integrity....I don't think every story needs to be sunshine and roses, but adults should be adults and not every character should be flawed. Even the happy here came at such a cost, it felt repugnant.
Life is too short, I recommend reading something else.
September 23, 2012
I am pretty much labeling this book an ‘Ewwww’ one, even thou a lot of other readers seem to love its mushy tear-inducing qualities. The only tears I shed over it were tears of frustration.
September 3, 2012
It was impossible to find one thing that I liked about this book. I managed to finish it just so I could give it one star.
What kind of man cheats on a woman who has cancer? And who would want that man to end up happy? Certainly not me.
I could not find one character in this story that did not make me sick to my stomach. The writing was insipid. The book was 400+ pages and it easily could have been resolved in less then 200.
There were many details that were of no consequence to the story. I don't mind extra details if they entertain or inform. But she would spend two pages explaining how a character made a salad. Or about the genres of netflix movies two best friends like to put in their queue.
Overall, the thing that I hated most about this book was the plot. I read a lot of books that end unhappily. But they usually end unhappily for a good literary reason. Those are also well-written books. I felt like the author was just down on life.
There are also plot twists that simply do not make sense. There is a part of the book where Camille and Edward make love for the first time in weeks. They finally start opening up to each other about how the cancer is affecting their relationship. Then, in the very next chapter, Edward shows up at Angie's house and has sex with her on the floor. How does that compute?
And Camille's reaction to everything is just not believable. She loses her husband. Everyone around her gets married (including her husband) and she still thinks every day is a blessing? I don't think so.
This is the last time I'll pick a book just because I want an easy read for a vacation weekend. I'll stick to my normal stuff.
What kind of man cheats on a woman who has cancer? And who would want that man to end up happy? Certainly not me.
I could not find one character in this story that did not make me sick to my stomach. The writing was insipid. The book was 400+ pages and it easily could have been resolved in less then 200.
There were many details that were of no consequence to the story. I don't mind extra details if they entertain or inform. But she would spend two pages explaining how a character made a salad. Or about the genres of netflix movies two best friends like to put in their queue.
Overall, the thing that I hated most about this book was the plot. I read a lot of books that end unhappily. But they usually end unhappily for a good literary reason. Those are also well-written books. I felt like the author was just down on life.
There are also plot twists that simply do not make sense. There is a part of the book where Camille and Edward make love for the first time in weeks. They finally start opening up to each other about how the cancer is affecting their relationship. Then, in the very next chapter, Edward shows up at Angie's house and has sex with her on the floor. How does that compute?
And Camille's reaction to everything is just not believable. She loses her husband. Everyone around her gets married (including her husband) and she still thinks every day is a blessing? I don't think so.
This is the last time I'll pick a book just because I want an easy read for a vacation weekend. I'll stick to my normal stuff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2016
Camille, seorang konsultan makcomblang, sedang sekarat karena kanker yang kambuh lagi. Camille putus harapan. Dia berusaha menyiapkan istri pengganti bagi suaminya. Dan blunder terparah pun terjadi. Bukannya berhasil mendekatkan suaminya dgn istri pilihannya, malah berakhir dgn Edward, suami Camille selingkuh dgn wanita yang tidak diduga oleh Camille.
Dari buku ini saya menarik banyak pelajaran:
1. Jangan mendahului rencana Tuhan. Camille dengan congkaknya merasa dia tahu betul utk merencanakan dan mempersiapkan istri utk suaminya dan menjaga serta mengurus anak-anaknya. Hal ini mengakibatkan Edward sakit hati dan marah besar yang terpendam. Dan membuat dia berpaling kepada wanita lain yang "available" dan kebetulan Edward cocok lahir dan batin.
2. Mungkin selama ini saya sulit menjelaskan kenapa saya tidak suka dengan pria yang terlalu terlihat orang baik-baik. Dan setelah membaca novel ini, voilà, eureka.... saya menemukan jawabannya. Edward adalah contoh sempurna suami yang setia alias bukan tipe selingkuh, tanggungjawab, tidak pernah bertengkar hebat dan selalu berkompromi alias tidak pernah menolak tegas terhadap keinginan istrinya, walaupun tidak sesuai dengan keinginannya, namun memiliki mental "kerupuk" dan butuh pengakuan dan penghargaan dari pihak luar (dalam novel ini adalah Angie, selingkuhannya) yang bisa mengerti keputus-asaan dirinya yang merasa tidak dihargai dan diragukan kebecusannya dalam menangani rumahtangga jika Camille sudah tiada. Dia adalah contoh PECUNDANG terselubung terbaik yang pernah saya baca dalam novel-novel yang selama ini pernah saya baca. Kalau saja Edward punya ketegasan lebih untuk menolak dengan keras keinginan istrinya yang tidak masuk akal dan berani menghadapi penyakit kanker Camille yang terjadi terulang kembali, saya kira perselingkuhan tidak akan ada. Edward adalah contoh pria "tamak" secara emosi. Dia menginginkan keluarga yang sempurna dengan Camille, namun tidak bisa melepaskan bayangan bersama Angie juga. Edward adalah pria yang kebingungan untuk menentukan pilihannya sendiri.
3. Untuk Angie dan semua wanita yang berselingkuh dengan suami orang, saya menganggap kalian adalah "sampah" yang membuat malu kami semua, kaum wanita. Kalian adalah "maling" yang mengintai pada kelemahan rumahtangga orang lain, apapun alasannya. Sebenarnya kalian tidak "insecure" namun kalian memulainya dengan meluangkan waktu sbg teman curhat, dll. Akhirnya kalian jatuh cinta dan merasa sanggup mengisi kekosongan yang tidak didapatkan pria pecundang ini dari istrinya. Kasihan sekali kalian, sebab biasanya karma akan mendatangi kalian, cepat ataupun lambat.
4. Jujur saja membaca buku ini, membuat hati saya "berdarah-darah" juga. Disini diceritakan bahwa tokoh-tokoh ini normal semua, bukan tipe sakit jiwa ataupun doyan selingkuh, kecuali permintaan agak abnormal dari istri yang sekarat yang bermaksud utk mencarikan pengganti dirinya jika dia sudah tiada. Edward bukan tipe peselingkuh bahkan dia setia terhadap keluarganya. Angie juga sebenarnya bukan tipe perebut suami orang, namun dia tidak kuasa menahan perasaan yang berkembang terhadap Edward, walau tahu dia salah besar dengan berselingkuh saat istri Edward sedang sekarat. Di akhir cerita Edward hidup bahagia dengan menikahi selingkuhannya, Angie (yang membuat saya makin muak dan marah, Edward digambarkan lebih tulus menikahi Angie daripada sewaktu dulu menikahi Camille). Sedangkan Camille tetap hidup sendiri dan melanjutkan hidup. Membuat saya bertanya-tanya, tampaknya keputusan Camille utk mencarikan istri pengganti utk Edward sebenarnya tidak sepenuhnya salah. Sebab terbukti setelah 6 bulan perceraian mereka, Edward toh langsung menikahi selingkuhannya atas dasar mereka masih saling mencintai.
Tidak adanya perjuangan cinta yang sungguh-sungguh dilakukan oleh Edward dan Camille (walaupun mereka belakangan ke konselor pernikahan juga) karena Edward yang labil ini tidak bisa menghilangkan bayangannya ketika bersama Angie. Sekali berselingkuh, sudah retak pernikahan yang walaupun sudah terbangun baik-baik dan penuh cinta. Waktu pernikahan yang sudah berlangsung lama bukan ukuran pernikahan yang sukses. Suami/istri yang baik bukan jaminan pernikahan akan selamanya. Dan yang lebih menyakitkan lagi dari yang saya baca, saling mencintai juga bukan jaminan jika baru dilanda "bencana" saja, masing-masing pihak langsung punya solusi masing-masing, dan dalam kasus Edward tolol ini, langsung pindah ke lain hati.
Buku ini memang realistis dan saking nyatanya membuat saya mau "muntah" dan hipertensi. Kalau maksud dari author utk membenarkan cinta dari perselingkuhan itu sah-sah saja, well, dia boleh kecewa dengan pendapat saya. Jadi, dengan kesimpulan diatas, saya memutuskan final utk 1 bintang. Cerita bertele-tele, panjang lebar sebanyak 611 halaman, hanya makin memperjelas sikap saya bahwa buku ini SAMPAH utk ukuran buku romance.
Dari buku ini saya menarik banyak pelajaran:
1. Jangan mendahului rencana Tuhan. Camille dengan congkaknya merasa dia tahu betul utk merencanakan dan mempersiapkan istri utk suaminya dan menjaga serta mengurus anak-anaknya. Hal ini mengakibatkan Edward sakit hati dan marah besar yang terpendam. Dan membuat dia berpaling kepada wanita lain yang "available" dan kebetulan Edward cocok lahir dan batin.
2. Mungkin selama ini saya sulit menjelaskan kenapa saya tidak suka dengan pria yang terlalu terlihat orang baik-baik. Dan setelah membaca novel ini, voilà, eureka.... saya menemukan jawabannya. Edward adalah contoh sempurna suami yang setia alias bukan tipe selingkuh, tanggungjawab, tidak pernah bertengkar hebat dan selalu berkompromi alias tidak pernah menolak tegas terhadap keinginan istrinya, walaupun tidak sesuai dengan keinginannya, namun memiliki mental "kerupuk" dan butuh pengakuan dan penghargaan dari pihak luar (dalam novel ini adalah Angie, selingkuhannya) yang bisa mengerti keputus-asaan dirinya yang merasa tidak dihargai dan diragukan kebecusannya dalam menangani rumahtangga jika Camille sudah tiada. Dia adalah contoh PECUNDANG terselubung terbaik yang pernah saya baca dalam novel-novel yang selama ini pernah saya baca. Kalau saja Edward punya ketegasan lebih untuk menolak dengan keras keinginan istrinya yang tidak masuk akal dan berani menghadapi penyakit kanker Camille yang terjadi terulang kembali, saya kira perselingkuhan tidak akan ada. Edward adalah contoh pria "tamak" secara emosi. Dia menginginkan keluarga yang sempurna dengan Camille, namun tidak bisa melepaskan bayangan bersama Angie juga. Edward adalah pria yang kebingungan untuk menentukan pilihannya sendiri.
3. Untuk Angie dan semua wanita yang berselingkuh dengan suami orang, saya menganggap kalian adalah "sampah" yang membuat malu kami semua, kaum wanita. Kalian adalah "maling" yang mengintai pada kelemahan rumahtangga orang lain, apapun alasannya. Sebenarnya kalian tidak "insecure" namun kalian memulainya dengan meluangkan waktu sbg teman curhat, dll. Akhirnya kalian jatuh cinta dan merasa sanggup mengisi kekosongan yang tidak didapatkan pria pecundang ini dari istrinya. Kasihan sekali kalian, sebab biasanya karma akan mendatangi kalian, cepat ataupun lambat.
4. Jujur saja membaca buku ini, membuat hati saya "berdarah-darah" juga. Disini diceritakan bahwa tokoh-tokoh ini normal semua, bukan tipe sakit jiwa ataupun doyan selingkuh, kecuali permintaan agak abnormal dari istri yang sekarat yang bermaksud utk mencarikan pengganti dirinya jika dia sudah tiada. Edward bukan tipe peselingkuh bahkan dia setia terhadap keluarganya. Angie juga sebenarnya bukan tipe perebut suami orang, namun dia tidak kuasa menahan perasaan yang berkembang terhadap Edward, walau tahu dia salah besar dengan berselingkuh saat istri Edward sedang sekarat. Di akhir cerita Edward hidup bahagia dengan menikahi selingkuhannya, Angie (yang membuat saya makin muak dan marah, Edward digambarkan lebih tulus menikahi Angie daripada sewaktu dulu menikahi Camille). Sedangkan Camille tetap hidup sendiri dan melanjutkan hidup. Membuat saya bertanya-tanya, tampaknya keputusan Camille utk mencarikan istri pengganti utk Edward sebenarnya tidak sepenuhnya salah. Sebab terbukti setelah 6 bulan perceraian mereka, Edward toh langsung menikahi selingkuhannya atas dasar mereka masih saling mencintai.
Tidak adanya perjuangan cinta yang sungguh-sungguh dilakukan oleh Edward dan Camille (walaupun mereka belakangan ke konselor pernikahan juga) karena Edward yang labil ini tidak bisa menghilangkan bayangannya ketika bersama Angie. Sekali berselingkuh, sudah retak pernikahan yang walaupun sudah terbangun baik-baik dan penuh cinta. Waktu pernikahan yang sudah berlangsung lama bukan ukuran pernikahan yang sukses. Suami/istri yang baik bukan jaminan pernikahan akan selamanya. Dan yang lebih menyakitkan lagi dari yang saya baca, saling mencintai juga bukan jaminan jika baru dilanda "bencana" saja, masing-masing pihak langsung punya solusi masing-masing, dan dalam kasus Edward tolol ini, langsung pindah ke lain hati.
Buku ini memang realistis dan saking nyatanya membuat saya mau "muntah" dan hipertensi. Kalau maksud dari author utk membenarkan cinta dari perselingkuhan itu sah-sah saja, well, dia boleh kecewa dengan pendapat saya. Jadi, dengan kesimpulan diatas, saya memutuskan final utk 1 bintang. Cerita bertele-tele, panjang lebar sebanyak 611 halaman, hanya makin memperjelas sikap saya bahwa buku ini SAMPAH utk ukuran buku romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2020
I read this for book club. I would have never picked this up otherwise.
I only didn’t give it a 1 Star bc I finished it.
But what a shit show. And every character was unlikable.
I only didn’t give it a 1 Star bc I finished it.
But what a shit show. And every character was unlikable.
March 6, 2015
WTF.. I hated this book. I am not sure why the author would think anyone would enjoy reading this story.
June 16, 2012
I think this may be the first Goudge book I have read, and now I will look for more by her. I very much like her style of writing, and I was able to get a "feel" for her characters.
I was surprised that my sympathies did not lie with Camille, but very much leaned toward Edward. What would any couple do in this situation? I don't know and hope to never have to find out. But Goudge took us through not only Camille and Edwards relationship but all the "other" relationships in their lives....and they do all intertwine, don't they? And we all struggle with good and bad decisions......
This was not particularly a "happily ever after" ending, but I was OK with that. Real life does not always end that way.
I was surprised that my sympathies did not lie with Camille, but very much leaned toward Edward. What would any couple do in this situation? I don't know and hope to never have to find out. But Goudge took us through not only Camille and Edwards relationship but all the "other" relationships in their lives....and they do all intertwine, don't they? And we all struggle with good and bad decisions......
This was not particularly a "happily ever after" ending, but I was OK with that. Real life does not always end that way.
April 17, 2012
Sometimes when I’m bored I scavenge Barnes and Noble’s website looking for what I call “book oddities”. What I mean by this are books that completely shock me plot-wise. These could be off the wall, like Fifty Shades of Grey, or quite depressing like The Replacement Wife. Every once in a while I feel that I need a book to give me a good cry. After reading the plot of The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge, I felt as if I found a book that fit the bill.
Camille Hart thought she had been through it all. She endured a rough childhood that included her mother’s death at an early age, inadequate parenting by her vacant father, and later, cancer. These were all things that she had fought through and came out intact. So much so that she is the strong pillar of support for her husband Edward and their two children. She runs a successful matchmaking business in Manhattan, and can finally rest after knowing that the hardest part of her life is behind her. Only this isn’t the case. Cancer rears its ugly head once again, and this time the doctors say it’s terminal. Knowing that her husband will crumble without her there to support the family, Camille makes the hardest decision she’s ever had to make in her life: she decides to find a woman to be her replacement and her husband’s new wife once she is gone. Methodically attacking the task, Camille sorts through potential matches for her husband, and even invites a woman over for dinner and numerous “dates” that she feels is a great candidate to become her replacement wife. Edward is completely against the idea, but realizes that if he does not want to spend the rest of his wife’s short life fighting over this, he must agree to compromise and consider accepting this woman. During one of these so-called compromises, he attends a matchmaking meeting where he meets Angie, a woman he begins to form a steady friendship with unbeknownst to Camille. What will happen to Camille and Edward’s relationship?
If you don’t want to read spoilers I’d suggest you stop reading now!
I had a TON of issues with this book. As I stated before, sometimes you need a good cry. Going into this novel I knew it wasn’t going to be a happy-go-lucky experience. However, I did not expect to want to bang my head against a wall for most of the reading. Starting out, I understood why Camille wanted to find someone for her husband to lean on when she passed. The background and flashbacks you’re given of the first time she went through cancer are signs enough that Edward would need serious help once she passed. I understood Camille’s wishes and wants, although that was about all I understood about her character. She tells Edward of her plan and her wishes and he (understandably) is 100% against it. Edward, being a doctor himself, knows that there is a small chance she could beat the cancer and holds out hope for a clinical trial of some sort. While I feel for Camille going through cancer I stopped caring about her feelings when she became driven to find Edward a new wife. It became the only thing on her mind. Edward tries to convince her to go for new treatment methods and look for clinical trials, but she won’t budge. All she cares about is making sure her “find” meshes with her family! I’m sorry but a marriage isn’t over until someone is in the ground or there are irreconcilable differences.
Edward, on the other hand, meets Angie and begins a secret friendship with her – this I kinda got. He wanted to have something that Camille wasn’t controlling, wasn’t searching for deeper meaning in. Angie begins falling for Edward and vice versa. I was really hoping that Edward wouldn’t turn out to be “that guy” who cheats on his wife while she is going through cancer (a la John Edwards), but alas my heart was seriously disappointed. Is it sick that I understood why he cheated though and didn’t hold it against him a full 100%? His wife has given up on their marriage, given up on their family, and more importantly given up on fighting to survive. If I was Edward I’d be pretty damn depressed too, looking for any outlet that bought joy into my life.
Besides all of my issues with the above I COULDN’T STAND THE ENDING. Camille’s doctor winds up finding some clinical trial for her to join that he doesn’t think will really do anything. It’s more about appeasing Edward at this point. Guess what – 6 months into her clinical trial HER CANCER DISAPPEARS. COME ON NOW. YOU’RE SERIOUSLY GOING TO END THIS WAY!?!?!? Yes folks, she survives. Edward and Camille decide to divorce knowing that Edward loves another woman now and that Camille has thrown away any love that Edward had ever given her. When I got to the end of the novel I legitimately wanted to fling my nook against the wall. It honestly felt like a scapegoat of an ending, trying to give everyone what they wanted/needed.
To sum up my thoughts:
- The writing of the novel is great. Strong writing skills, great vocabulary – these kept me going with the story.
- Unique storyline – You can’t fault the author for writing something 100% out of the box. I tip my hat to Goudge for trying to be different.
- There is not one ounce of anything in me that feels for these characters. Beyond feeling for Camille going through cancer, I didn’t connect with any of the characters, nor did I feel for them when conflict/misgivings/unhappiness came their way. They all deserve the messes they got themselves in.
In short, although Goudge’s writing is technically superb and her plot is unique, the character development threw me off base. This is a purely personal reaction, however, so I suggest that you see for yourself how these characters strike you. You may just end up having the opposite reaction. For me, however, this is one I won’t be re-reading anytime soon.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-V6
Camille Hart thought she had been through it all. She endured a rough childhood that included her mother’s death at an early age, inadequate parenting by her vacant father, and later, cancer. These were all things that she had fought through and came out intact. So much so that she is the strong pillar of support for her husband Edward and their two children. She runs a successful matchmaking business in Manhattan, and can finally rest after knowing that the hardest part of her life is behind her. Only this isn’t the case. Cancer rears its ugly head once again, and this time the doctors say it’s terminal. Knowing that her husband will crumble without her there to support the family, Camille makes the hardest decision she’s ever had to make in her life: she decides to find a woman to be her replacement and her husband’s new wife once she is gone. Methodically attacking the task, Camille sorts through potential matches for her husband, and even invites a woman over for dinner and numerous “dates” that she feels is a great candidate to become her replacement wife. Edward is completely against the idea, but realizes that if he does not want to spend the rest of his wife’s short life fighting over this, he must agree to compromise and consider accepting this woman. During one of these so-called compromises, he attends a matchmaking meeting where he meets Angie, a woman he begins to form a steady friendship with unbeknownst to Camille. What will happen to Camille and Edward’s relationship?
If you don’t want to read spoilers I’d suggest you stop reading now!
I had a TON of issues with this book. As I stated before, sometimes you need a good cry. Going into this novel I knew it wasn’t going to be a happy-go-lucky experience. However, I did not expect to want to bang my head against a wall for most of the reading. Starting out, I understood why Camille wanted to find someone for her husband to lean on when she passed. The background and flashbacks you’re given of the first time she went through cancer are signs enough that Edward would need serious help once she passed. I understood Camille’s wishes and wants, although that was about all I understood about her character. She tells Edward of her plan and her wishes and he (understandably) is 100% against it. Edward, being a doctor himself, knows that there is a small chance she could beat the cancer and holds out hope for a clinical trial of some sort. While I feel for Camille going through cancer I stopped caring about her feelings when she became driven to find Edward a new wife. It became the only thing on her mind. Edward tries to convince her to go for new treatment methods and look for clinical trials, but she won’t budge. All she cares about is making sure her “find” meshes with her family! I’m sorry but a marriage isn’t over until someone is in the ground or there are irreconcilable differences.
Edward, on the other hand, meets Angie and begins a secret friendship with her – this I kinda got. He wanted to have something that Camille wasn’t controlling, wasn’t searching for deeper meaning in. Angie begins falling for Edward and vice versa. I was really hoping that Edward wouldn’t turn out to be “that guy” who cheats on his wife while she is going through cancer (a la John Edwards), but alas my heart was seriously disappointed. Is it sick that I understood why he cheated though and didn’t hold it against him a full 100%? His wife has given up on their marriage, given up on their family, and more importantly given up on fighting to survive. If I was Edward I’d be pretty damn depressed too, looking for any outlet that bought joy into my life.
Besides all of my issues with the above I COULDN’T STAND THE ENDING. Camille’s doctor winds up finding some clinical trial for her to join that he doesn’t think will really do anything. It’s more about appeasing Edward at this point. Guess what – 6 months into her clinical trial HER CANCER DISAPPEARS. COME ON NOW. YOU’RE SERIOUSLY GOING TO END THIS WAY!?!?!? Yes folks, she survives. Edward and Camille decide to divorce knowing that Edward loves another woman now and that Camille has thrown away any love that Edward had ever given her. When I got to the end of the novel I legitimately wanted to fling my nook against the wall. It honestly felt like a scapegoat of an ending, trying to give everyone what they wanted/needed.
To sum up my thoughts:
- The writing of the novel is great. Strong writing skills, great vocabulary – these kept me going with the story.
- Unique storyline – You can’t fault the author for writing something 100% out of the box. I tip my hat to Goudge for trying to be different.
- There is not one ounce of anything in me that feels for these characters. Beyond feeling for Camille going through cancer, I didn’t connect with any of the characters, nor did I feel for them when conflict/misgivings/unhappiness came their way. They all deserve the messes they got themselves in.
In short, although Goudge’s writing is technically superb and her plot is unique, the character development threw me off base. This is a purely personal reaction, however, so I suggest that you see for yourself how these characters strike you. You may just end up having the opposite reaction. For me, however, this is one I won’t be re-reading anytime soon.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-V6
December 26, 2014
The writing gets three stars, while the story itself gets one.
This is, in its entirety, a spoiler review. Only read further if you want to spare yourself some pain.
The writing wasn't that bad. There was a lot of detail (some of which got to be a bit tedious) that helped you to know the characters more in depth. They were very fleshed out. There were quite a few touching scenes near the beginning of the book that were well-written and had me in tears. I felt genuine emotion for the characters... but that definitely didn't last.
The short of it is, the author spent way too much time trying to convince the readers that Edward and Angie were "only human," more than that, that they were actually exemplary human beings who had an "accident." I couldn't buy it.
Angie's charity project (cooking with the kids) was supposed to allow us to see her as something other than a heartless "other woman" but ended up being rather offensive with all the stereotypical names. We were also supposed to feel bad for her because she felt guilt. Camille was painted the bitter villain in the apology scene, to Angie's timid heroine, who was only trying to do "the right thing." Come on. When you sleep with someone's husband, especially when they're dying of cancer, guilt and shame should be par for the course. You earned it, darlin. No amount of "I didn't mean for this to happen. I can't help what my heart feels," is going to change that it did happen, and you could have helped it, if you were a decent enough person to nip it in the bud.
And, of course, the weight of her guilt and shame at having stolen someone's husband and breaking up his family didn't stop her from being able to walk down the aisle, making herself a permanent fixture in their lives - a daily reminder to Camille and her children of the past. Apparently, she deserved her happy ending - everyone else (David Blum included) is just collateral damage.
And don't get me started on Saint Edward, the charismatic doctor who painstakingly cares for his cancer-ridden wife without complaint, not to mention the sexless nights he bravely endures. Yes, even when her dying wish is for him to meet women in a platonic sense so she knows that her children won't end up neglected, he will rise to the occasion and make sure she gets what she wants. Unless what she wants is a husband who actually remains faithful to her. Apparently, the word "no" isn't in his vocabulary (to his wife or to Angie). He can't say "No, I don't feel comfortable doing that. Let's look into some nannies if you're worried about the kids. Or we could get Holly to help around the house a bit." He must say yes. Because he loves her. Enough to fall in love with another woman.
I'm supposed to believe he is a knight in shining armor, why?
Camille, on the other hand, has her victimhood swept under the rug. We are meant to forget that she is a woman in a long standing relationship who is going through a rough ordeal - dying, for crying out loud - who honestly doesn't need infidelity on top of it. We are supposed to believe that she brought this on herself - that she is somewhat responsible for her husband straying.
Here is the truth that cheaters (both male and female) and their partners don't want you to know. It is always, 100% of the time, the cheater's fault that they cheated and they deserve 100% of the blame. Not a fraction. Not 50-50. Not most. 100% of the blame. Choice exists. Edward had a choice. He could have dealt with the situation in a variety of ways that did not include cheating on his partner. When he saw his wife get depressed and hopeless, instead of giving into her dying wish, he could have requested that she see a therapist. He could have said no. Hell, if it was too much for him, he could have just left. No one - absolutely no one - has to cheat. It is a choice that you make. It doesn't just happen. Neither his kids nor his wife factored into that choice enough to matter. His fault, not Camille's.
Anyhow, all I have to say is thank god it was just a story, otherwise I would have lost my faith in humanity.
I'd recommend this to "other women" and "other men" who want to keep deluding themselves that they aren't doing something terrible. This book will provide you with enough justification to nominate yourself for sainthood. And might give you enough hope to think you might get a happily ever after too. Even if no one else does. :)
To everyone else, especially anyone who has been cheated on, I'd say stay away. You will end up angry and depressed by the end. I guarantee it. It is a tragedy written like a romance.
This is, in its entirety, a spoiler review. Only read further if you want to spare yourself some pain.
The writing wasn't that bad. There was a lot of detail (some of which got to be a bit tedious) that helped you to know the characters more in depth. They were very fleshed out. There were quite a few touching scenes near the beginning of the book that were well-written and had me in tears. I felt genuine emotion for the characters... but that definitely didn't last.
The short of it is, the author spent way too much time trying to convince the readers that Edward and Angie were "only human," more than that, that they were actually exemplary human beings who had an "accident." I couldn't buy it.
Angie's charity project (cooking with the kids) was supposed to allow us to see her as something other than a heartless "other woman" but ended up being rather offensive with all the stereotypical names. We were also supposed to feel bad for her because she felt guilt. Camille was painted the bitter villain in the apology scene, to Angie's timid heroine, who was only trying to do "the right thing." Come on. When you sleep with someone's husband, especially when they're dying of cancer, guilt and shame should be par for the course. You earned it, darlin. No amount of "I didn't mean for this to happen. I can't help what my heart feels," is going to change that it did happen, and you could have helped it, if you were a decent enough person to nip it in the bud.
And, of course, the weight of her guilt and shame at having stolen someone's husband and breaking up his family didn't stop her from being able to walk down the aisle, making herself a permanent fixture in their lives - a daily reminder to Camille and her children of the past. Apparently, she deserved her happy ending - everyone else (David Blum included) is just collateral damage.
And don't get me started on Saint Edward, the charismatic doctor who painstakingly cares for his cancer-ridden wife without complaint, not to mention the sexless nights he bravely endures. Yes, even when her dying wish is for him to meet women in a platonic sense so she knows that her children won't end up neglected, he will rise to the occasion and make sure she gets what she wants. Unless what she wants is a husband who actually remains faithful to her. Apparently, the word "no" isn't in his vocabulary (to his wife or to Angie). He can't say "No, I don't feel comfortable doing that. Let's look into some nannies if you're worried about the kids. Or we could get Holly to help around the house a bit." He must say yes. Because he loves her. Enough to fall in love with another woman.
I'm supposed to believe he is a knight in shining armor, why?
Camille, on the other hand, has her victimhood swept under the rug. We are meant to forget that she is a woman in a long standing relationship who is going through a rough ordeal - dying, for crying out loud - who honestly doesn't need infidelity on top of it. We are supposed to believe that she brought this on herself - that she is somewhat responsible for her husband straying.
Here is the truth that cheaters (both male and female) and their partners don't want you to know. It is always, 100% of the time, the cheater's fault that they cheated and they deserve 100% of the blame. Not a fraction. Not 50-50. Not most. 100% of the blame. Choice exists. Edward had a choice. He could have dealt with the situation in a variety of ways that did not include cheating on his partner. When he saw his wife get depressed and hopeless, instead of giving into her dying wish, he could have requested that she see a therapist. He could have said no. Hell, if it was too much for him, he could have just left. No one - absolutely no one - has to cheat. It is a choice that you make. It doesn't just happen. Neither his kids nor his wife factored into that choice enough to matter. His fault, not Camille's.
Anyhow, all I have to say is thank god it was just a story, otherwise I would have lost my faith in humanity.
I'd recommend this to "other women" and "other men" who want to keep deluding themselves that they aren't doing something terrible. This book will provide you with enough justification to nominate yourself for sainthood. And might give you enough hope to think you might get a happily ever after too. Even if no one else does. :)
To everyone else, especially anyone who has been cheated on, I'd say stay away. You will end up angry and depressed by the end. I guarantee it. It is a tragedy written like a romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2012
I received an ARC through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program in exchange for reading and reviewing it.
If I had to write a tag-line for this book, it would probably be “be careful what you wish for – you just might get it”. Initially, the premise was what caught my attention about The Replacement Wife. A woman who is a career matchmaker is battling cancer, and before she dies, wants to choose her husband’s next wife. I’m not much of a fan of formulaic romance books, but I love a good story, and I felt the story would be the driving factor here.
Overall, I’d have to say it didn’t turn out the way I expected at all. I can’t say I liked the resolution, but I wasn’t in the least bit surprised by the direction the book took. Going into any detail would give away too much of the plot, so I will just say that while Camille’s motivations for finding Edward his next wife may have seemed wholesome and altruistic to her, I found myself wanting to ask her if she didn’t think before she went down that road.
Again, while I didn’t like the resolution of the story, the behavior of the characters felt very realistic; their emotions and actions were ones which I could conceivably see happening in a situation such as this one. In the end though, I felt I understood them much more than I liked any of them.
The one issue I have to take is with the writing style. This could have been a much faster, smoother read if the author did not get bogged down in a lot of detail that frankly could have been left out without affecting the story in the least. Some of it was repetitive, and some just simply boring, and the book would have been better without it.
I remain with mixed feelings about this book. How can I say I enjoyed the book, when there was so much about the people and the situations I did not like at all? Yet, that is exactly how I feel. I suppose the most telling thing is that I’ve looked into the author’s previous books and there are at least two I’ll probably be reading.
If I had to write a tag-line for this book, it would probably be “be careful what you wish for – you just might get it”. Initially, the premise was what caught my attention about The Replacement Wife. A woman who is a career matchmaker is battling cancer, and before she dies, wants to choose her husband’s next wife. I’m not much of a fan of formulaic romance books, but I love a good story, and I felt the story would be the driving factor here.
Overall, I’d have to say it didn’t turn out the way I expected at all. I can’t say I liked the resolution, but I wasn’t in the least bit surprised by the direction the book took. Going into any detail would give away too much of the plot, so I will just say that while Camille’s motivations for finding Edward his next wife may have seemed wholesome and altruistic to her, I found myself wanting to ask her if she didn’t think before she went down that road.
Again, while I didn’t like the resolution of the story, the behavior of the characters felt very realistic; their emotions and actions were ones which I could conceivably see happening in a situation such as this one. In the end though, I felt I understood them much more than I liked any of them.
The one issue I have to take is with the writing style. This could have been a much faster, smoother read if the author did not get bogged down in a lot of detail that frankly could have been left out without affecting the story in the least. Some of it was repetitive, and some just simply boring, and the book would have been better without it.
I remain with mixed feelings about this book. How can I say I enjoyed the book, when there was so much about the people and the situations I did not like at all? Yet, that is exactly how I feel. I suppose the most telling thing is that I’ve looked into the author’s previous books and there are at least two I’ll probably be reading.
January 6, 2013
The first half of this book was OK. Even interesting.
Then came the second half, where UGH.
Part 1: Wife is dying of cancer, decides to apply her career in matchmaking to finding a replacement for herself so that husband won't have to fend for himself. Husband is appalled and uncooperative.
So far, so "good." Depressing, but an interesting setup.
Part 2: Wife's choice turns out to be of platonic interest at best, although she's theoretically the perfect match. Husband meets wife's caterer and has an affair with her because he's supposed to be finding someone new? WTF?? Where is the moral outrage? Where is the reticence from part 1? For that matter, the caterer is shown as a consummate professional, so why exactly does she embark on an affair with the husband of a major client?
I don't think so.
A few semi-amusing interludes with minor characters later, we have a deus ex machina in the form of an experimental drug, which sends the wife's cancer into remission. But meanwhile, the marriage is on the rocks and after a few random "six months later"-type elisions, they original couple splits up. Husband marries the caterer, the Designated New Wife marries her long-term best buddy, oh, and CancerGirl fixes her relationship with her father and blah blah.
Husband is last seen at the altar with Caterer; Wife is last seen alone at the beach, enjoying the feel of sun on her face.
What. Ever.
The initial plot had potential. The resolution sucked for a variety of reasons, but mainly because nobody's actions were believable based on how they were initially set up.
Then came the second half, where UGH.
Part 1: Wife is dying of cancer, decides to apply her career in matchmaking to finding a replacement for herself so that husband won't have to fend for himself. Husband is appalled and uncooperative.
So far, so "good." Depressing, but an interesting setup.
Part 2: Wife's choice turns out to be of platonic interest at best, although she's theoretically the perfect match. Husband meets wife's caterer and has an affair with her because he's supposed to be finding someone new? WTF?? Where is the moral outrage? Where is the reticence from part 1? For that matter, the caterer is shown as a consummate professional, so why exactly does she embark on an affair with the husband of a major client?
I don't think so.
A few semi-amusing interludes with minor characters later, we have a deus ex machina in the form of an experimental drug, which sends the wife's cancer into remission. But meanwhile, the marriage is on the rocks and after a few random "six months later"-type elisions, they original couple splits up. Husband marries the caterer, the Designated New Wife marries her long-term best buddy, oh, and CancerGirl fixes her relationship with her father and blah blah.
Husband is last seen at the altar with Caterer; Wife is last seen alone at the beach, enjoying the feel of sun on her face.
What. Ever.
The initial plot had potential. The resolution sucked for a variety of reasons, but mainly because nobody's actions were believable based on how they were initially set up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2012
I wanted to like this book as I have enjoyed this author in the past, but this one didn't work for me.
I have no problem with the issue of cheating. It happens. To find it in literature is unavoidable. I'm a firm believer in mimicking life, that not every book should be about skipping through flowers and sunshine. But I must relate to or sympathize with the characters somehow. I couldn't stand a single soul in this book...except the kids maybe.
Caroline is playing with fire. She is dying. Instead of enjoying the time she has left, she spends it bickering with her husband because she insists on finding his next wife.
Edward...takes advantage of this...perhaps not willingly or even knowingly at first, but his secret meetings with another woman--not on Caroline's possible wife radar had me perturbed. And Angie...she shoulda known better. I'm sorry, but the woman is dying of cancer. It makes it all worse.
I could have lived with all this and even enjoyed the book despite the fact I loathed the characters, but for one thing that drove me absolutely batty. TMI!!! Every character that was introduced, we had to be given their entire life history and story!
I could skip five or six pages and not miss a beat. I couldn't care less what so and so's mother did or grandmother..and all that.
Just wow. Cool story line, unlikable characters, not well implemented.
I have no problem with the issue of cheating. It happens. To find it in literature is unavoidable. I'm a firm believer in mimicking life, that not every book should be about skipping through flowers and sunshine. But I must relate to or sympathize with the characters somehow. I couldn't stand a single soul in this book...except the kids maybe.
Caroline is playing with fire. She is dying. Instead of enjoying the time she has left, she spends it bickering with her husband because she insists on finding his next wife.
Edward...takes advantage of this...perhaps not willingly or even knowingly at first, but his secret meetings with another woman--not on Caroline's possible wife radar had me perturbed. And Angie...she shoulda known better. I'm sorry, but the woman is dying of cancer. It makes it all worse.
I could have lived with all this and even enjoyed the book despite the fact I loathed the characters, but for one thing that drove me absolutely batty. TMI!!! Every character that was introduced, we had to be given their entire life history and story!
I could skip five or six pages and not miss a beat. I couldn't care less what so and so's mother did or grandmother..and all that.
Just wow. Cool story line, unlikable characters, not well implemented.
May 15, 2012
I started this book with a lot of excitement. The plot sounded so heart-breaking and real. I thought that Eileen Goudge had found something sensitive and touching to write about. I was right. This book was wrought with frailty and human emotions that are very easily believed. I cared about all of the characters and wanted so much to see them become whole again. That is where the book's short-comings come in.
First of all, the characters were over-detailed and over-developed. I usually have the opposite problem so this was a strange feeling. The book was about 100 pages too long to get her point across beautifully. That problem caused all of my other issues with the book. Goudge gave too much information about the side characters. There were conversations that Camille would have or Elise would have with people that just went on and on about the other person's life. They weren't important enough characters to the plot for me to need to know that much about them. If Goudge would have cut all of the extra junk out, the book would have been more reader friendly. It would have had better pacing and been a better length. I'm not intimidated by a long book. I just want the long book to be packed with relevant information. That was not the case with this book.
Goudge also broke my heart when she tidied up all the character's lives and made them happy. Everyone was coupled up (except Camille of course). Everyone was getting married, and happy, and getting along with everyone else. It was kind of sickening. She took the reality out of it at the very end and that makes me sad. It just doesn't make sense that all those people would find exactly what they need at exactly the same time. She really sold herself short by giving the book and ridiculously happy ending. She had me hooked until then.
All in all, I like the book. It could have used a little tidying up, but it was heartfelt and nice. I would definitely read other books by this author.
First of all, the characters were over-detailed and over-developed. I usually have the opposite problem so this was a strange feeling. The book was about 100 pages too long to get her point across beautifully. That problem caused all of my other issues with the book. Goudge gave too much information about the side characters. There were conversations that Camille would have or Elise would have with people that just went on and on about the other person's life. They weren't important enough characters to the plot for me to need to know that much about them. If Goudge would have cut all of the extra junk out, the book would have been more reader friendly. It would have had better pacing and been a better length. I'm not intimidated by a long book. I just want the long book to be packed with relevant information. That was not the case with this book.
Goudge also broke my heart when she tidied up all the character's lives and made them happy. Everyone was coupled up (except Camille of course). Everyone was getting married, and happy, and getting along with everyone else. It was kind of sickening. She took the reality out of it at the very end and that makes me sad. It just doesn't make sense that all those people would find exactly what they need at exactly the same time. She really sold herself short by giving the book and ridiculously happy ending. She had me hooked until then.
All in all, I like the book. It could have used a little tidying up, but it was heartfelt and nice. I would definitely read other books by this author.
March 25, 2012
Phew, this was a long read, almost 500 pages.
I was on a whirlwind rollercoaster throughout this book.
There were times when I wanted to scream, ‘NO YOU CAN’T DO THAT. NO, NO, NO. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, DAMNIT?’
There was a point when I really wanted to stop reading, when I wanted to give up on the book. Not because it wasn’t interesting or it got boring but because it was so shattering, almost like the earth beneath my feet had been swept away. I just wanted to kick the hell out of him (I m not telling you who) and bring him to his senses. Dude what you are doing, seriously. Oh, it can’t be. So with a broken heart, I read on.
And then later I was screaming all kinds of abuses, which is so uncharacteristic of me. It was just so unfair. I don’t know I almost cried but I couldn’t. It was almost like I had to be strong for one of the characters. Yes, that is how it was. I was rooting for a character because they are so beautifully etched, it’s like you know them intimately.
This book broke my heart and badly so. I literally screamed and hurled abuses so many times, which is so not me. I believe that the book portrays reality but it played havoc with my heart which yearns for fairy tales and believes in happy endings.
Having said that all, I still liked the book for its novel concept and the way it is dealt with even though I resisted pulling my hair in frustration so many times.
I was on a whirlwind rollercoaster throughout this book.
There were times when I wanted to scream, ‘NO YOU CAN’T DO THAT. NO, NO, NO. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, DAMNIT?’
There was a point when I really wanted to stop reading, when I wanted to give up on the book. Not because it wasn’t interesting or it got boring but because it was so shattering, almost like the earth beneath my feet had been swept away. I just wanted to kick the hell out of him (I m not telling you who) and bring him to his senses. Dude what you are doing, seriously. Oh, it can’t be. So with a broken heart, I read on.
And then later I was screaming all kinds of abuses, which is so uncharacteristic of me. It was just so unfair. I don’t know I almost cried but I couldn’t. It was almost like I had to be strong for one of the characters. Yes, that is how it was. I was rooting for a character because they are so beautifully etched, it’s like you know them intimately.
This book broke my heart and badly so. I literally screamed and hurled abuses so many times, which is so not me. I believe that the book portrays reality but it played havoc with my heart which yearns for fairy tales and believes in happy endings.
Having said that all, I still liked the book for its novel concept and the way it is dealt with even though I resisted pulling my hair in frustration so many times.
June 9, 2012
When I read the summary for The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge, I got a little bit of a thrill inside. It'd been a while since I had read a straight-up chick lit book and I was craving some emotional, doesn't-require-a-lot-of-thought, reading and thought this would fit the bill perfectly.
What I was unprepared for was the completely unseen twist that the book would take halfway through and send me spiraling into rage instead of pleasure.
But I cannot blame that on Eileen Goudge, or the story, because when all was said and done, the book delivered what it was supposed to deliver. There was romance, heartbreak, contemporary themes about marriage, struggles and triumphs - I just didn't like who experienced some of these things.
Y'all, I've never been so disappointed in a character in my life. Just bad, bad choices and all I could think is - why? Why did you do this to these poor, innocent people in the book, Ms. Goudge?!
I think if you are looking for a summer read that has the potential to get you worked up in a rage sort of way, The Replacement Wife is a good choice. I didn't cry while reading this book (I sob like a baby when I read Cecelia Aherns and was hoping for a similar reaction here), but it did inspire a reaction from me. I'm just glad I wasn't on the beach when I started yelling at the pages.
What I was unprepared for was the completely unseen twist that the book would take halfway through and send me spiraling into rage instead of pleasure.
But I cannot blame that on Eileen Goudge, or the story, because when all was said and done, the book delivered what it was supposed to deliver. There was romance, heartbreak, contemporary themes about marriage, struggles and triumphs - I just didn't like who experienced some of these things.
Y'all, I've never been so disappointed in a character in my life. Just bad, bad choices and all I could think is - why? Why did you do this to these poor, innocent people in the book, Ms. Goudge?!
I think if you are looking for a summer read that has the potential to get you worked up in a rage sort of way, The Replacement Wife is a good choice. I didn't cry while reading this book (I sob like a baby when I read Cecelia Aherns and was hoping for a similar reaction here), but it did inspire a reaction from me. I'm just glad I wasn't on the beach when I started yelling at the pages.
June 12, 2024
"Eileen Goudge creates characters you come to love and hate to leave. Deeply felt and witty, The Replacement Wife is an unforgettable story of love and family, and a refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings. I have read all her books - highly recommend this author!" Each of her books are as good as the next!
March 27, 2012
See Full review here: http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.blog...
This was a long and incredibly emotional read. I'll preface this review by saying that you'll need to make sure that you have a box of tissues at the ready while reading and someone to hug when you've come to the conclusion...because you will need a hug.
Camille's character captures one's heart from the first few chapters...and how could she not. She's a matchmaker...and not just as a means to live by...but because she genuinely wants to help people find love and companionship. She has what appears to be the perfect family: two great kids and a stalwart husband who has stood by her literally "in sickness and in health" and who she loves so much that when the dreaded happens (her cancer returns) she worries not about herself and her future but for those of her husband Edward and her children.
I can't say that I agreed with much of Camille's logic, but I definitely felt her pain and understood her motives. Certainly a lot more than I could understand those of her counterpart Edward. (But much as I want to I won't say too much on that count..I hate spoilers) Suffice it to say that there were as many moments in this book that I wanted to yell at and strangle characters as there were moments where I couldn't read through the tears. And there were many such moments. Perhaps that is the greatest compliment that one can give an author....the experience of such a range of emotions all within one volume...at times all brought out by one character.
I will say that I feel that this book is a pretty good example of human nature. Of the lengths that we will go to secure the happiness of our loved ones as well as the lengths that we will go at times to escape their sadness as well...regardless of the costs. I actually don't agree with the synopsis that this is a "refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings", but it certainly does show the multitude of paths that we can take as individuals and as part of a family and the variety of consequences/results to which those paths may lead us. Some of them happy, some of them not so happy, some that can be rebuilt into something meaningful and wondrous...and others that can't. But ultimately, no matter the path, no matter the destination...we can survive.
This book broke my heart...and I think that you should all give it the chance to impact upon you as well.
This was a long and incredibly emotional read. I'll preface this review by saying that you'll need to make sure that you have a box of tissues at the ready while reading and someone to hug when you've come to the conclusion...because you will need a hug.
Camille's character captures one's heart from the first few chapters...and how could she not. She's a matchmaker...and not just as a means to live by...but because she genuinely wants to help people find love and companionship. She has what appears to be the perfect family: two great kids and a stalwart husband who has stood by her literally "in sickness and in health" and who she loves so much that when the dreaded happens (her cancer returns) she worries not about herself and her future but for those of her husband Edward and her children.
I can't say that I agreed with much of Camille's logic, but I definitely felt her pain and understood her motives. Certainly a lot more than I could understand those of her counterpart Edward. (But much as I want to I won't say too much on that count..I hate spoilers) Suffice it to say that there were as many moments in this book that I wanted to yell at and strangle characters as there were moments where I couldn't read through the tears. And there were many such moments. Perhaps that is the greatest compliment that one can give an author....the experience of such a range of emotions all within one volume...at times all brought out by one character.
I will say that I feel that this book is a pretty good example of human nature. Of the lengths that we will go to secure the happiness of our loved ones as well as the lengths that we will go at times to escape their sadness as well...regardless of the costs. I actually don't agree with the synopsis that this is a "refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings", but it certainly does show the multitude of paths that we can take as individuals and as part of a family and the variety of consequences/results to which those paths may lead us. Some of them happy, some of them not so happy, some that can be rebuilt into something meaningful and wondrous...and others that can't. But ultimately, no matter the path, no matter the destination...we can survive.
This book broke my heart...and I think that you should all give it the chance to impact upon you as well.
March 19, 2012
Camille and Edward have been married 20 years. Both are successful in their professional lives (he a doctor; she a professional matchmaker) and are parents to two kids. Things are seemingly perfect after a year of hell due to Camille’s cancer. They thought they had it beat, but it came back worse…much worse. Camille’s cancer has spread. She is dying.
Having lost her own mother in childhood, she doesn’t want her children to grow up without one. So she told Edward her dying wish, which he vehemently dismissed at first. That is for him to find her replacement in his life, a new wife.
Being the matchmaker that she is, she wanted to choose her own replacement. So she set about introducing Edward to Elise and Kat, both very nice and successful women. What she didn’t expect was for Edward to meet and get close to Angie, her company’s caterer. Edward and Angie start off as just friends but in the end become lovers.
On Edward’s insistence, Camille undergoes advance treatments. It worked so well that Camille’s cancer is again on remission. She happily thought her life would go back to what it was, what she never expected was for her husband to fall irrevocably in love with someone else.
I ended this book with a heavy heart. I didn’t know if I wanted to cry or bang my head against the wall. That’s how affected I was. In fact I had to read a very light teen romance a few minutes after ending The Replacement Wife just to get my head on a better plane. That’s how heartbreaking this book is.
As usual, Eileen Goudge told the story beautifully. At 482 pages it is a long read but well worth the effort particularly if you like emotional stories. Admittedly I am a sucker for light reads and happy endings. And depending on which character you root for, you may just get it. The thing is, almost everyone had a good ending except for the one who mattered most to me.
Independence and survival are two things highlighted at the end of the book. And the biggest lesson I learned from reading this is: It is okay to be selfish with the one you love because martyrs don’t always end up winners. I do recommend THE REPLACEMENT WIFE but with a warning. Have someone you want to hug close by, because after finishing this book, you will need it.
Having lost her own mother in childhood, she doesn’t want her children to grow up without one. So she told Edward her dying wish, which he vehemently dismissed at first. That is for him to find her replacement in his life, a new wife.
Being the matchmaker that she is, she wanted to choose her own replacement. So she set about introducing Edward to Elise and Kat, both very nice and successful women. What she didn’t expect was for Edward to meet and get close to Angie, her company’s caterer. Edward and Angie start off as just friends but in the end become lovers.
On Edward’s insistence, Camille undergoes advance treatments. It worked so well that Camille’s cancer is again on remission. She happily thought her life would go back to what it was, what she never expected was for her husband to fall irrevocably in love with someone else.
I ended this book with a heavy heart. I didn’t know if I wanted to cry or bang my head against the wall. That’s how affected I was. In fact I had to read a very light teen romance a few minutes after ending The Replacement Wife just to get my head on a better plane. That’s how heartbreaking this book is.
As usual, Eileen Goudge told the story beautifully. At 482 pages it is a long read but well worth the effort particularly if you like emotional stories. Admittedly I am a sucker for light reads and happy endings. And depending on which character you root for, you may just get it. The thing is, almost everyone had a good ending except for the one who mattered most to me.
Independence and survival are two things highlighted at the end of the book. And the biggest lesson I learned from reading this is: It is okay to be selfish with the one you love because martyrs don’t always end up winners. I do recommend THE REPLACEMENT WIFE but with a warning. Have someone you want to hug close by, because after finishing this book, you will need it.
February 12, 2012
Author: Eileen Goudge
Published by: Open Road E-rignal
Age Recommend: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Raven Rating: 5
Blog Review For: GMTA
Review:
"The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge was some interesting romantic read. How Eileen Goudge was able to bring all the characters together was a simply remarkable in how she was able to have such interesting people through the whole story... and there is a long list.... get ready... and still the main focus was on Camille Hart... front....center to the end.
This story is of a woman ...Camille Hart, who is a matchmaker and very good at her job and that saying "be careful what you wish for" really applies to this story. Camille having survived cancer once and now it was back at stage four, decides with her matchmaking expertise she could make life easy for her husband (Edward Constantin) and her children... Kyra and Zach...by being the one to find him his next wife and mother for the children while she was still alive. Camille wanted someone strictly platonic that would be there for her family when she was gone...YES, she wanted to find Edward his next wife! How Camille goes about this is exciting and humorous to read.
However, when it comes to Camille her own personal life, this matchmaking doesn't go so well. You will simply have to read this story for yourself and you will see how this all plays out. I don't want to give it away because if is a wonderful read that will keep you on the edge of your seat...turning the pages to the end.
In the end I can truly say I believe Camille had a wonderful heart but that saying "be careful what you wish for" can come back to bite you in the butt.... in that now Camile may have had her health back but the love of her life (David) has been .... get this read... you will not regret it!
I really enjoyed enjoyed reading "The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge and I am sure if you are in for a good romance story with a lot of twist and turns you will find this one a good read.
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.probo...
Published by: Open Road E-rignal
Age Recommend: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Raven Rating: 5
Blog Review For: GMTA
Review:
"The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge was some interesting romantic read. How Eileen Goudge was able to bring all the characters together was a simply remarkable in how she was able to have such interesting people through the whole story... and there is a long list.... get ready... and still the main focus was on Camille Hart... front....center to the end.
This story is of a woman ...Camille Hart, who is a matchmaker and very good at her job and that saying "be careful what you wish for" really applies to this story. Camille having survived cancer once and now it was back at stage four, decides with her matchmaking expertise she could make life easy for her husband (Edward Constantin) and her children... Kyra and Zach...by being the one to find him his next wife and mother for the children while she was still alive. Camille wanted someone strictly platonic that would be there for her family when she was gone...YES, she wanted to find Edward his next wife! How Camille goes about this is exciting and humorous to read.
However, when it comes to Camille her own personal life, this matchmaking doesn't go so well. You will simply have to read this story for yourself and you will see how this all plays out. I don't want to give it away because if is a wonderful read that will keep you on the edge of your seat...turning the pages to the end.
In the end I can truly say I believe Camille had a wonderful heart but that saying "be careful what you wish for" can come back to bite you in the butt.... in that now Camile may have had her health back but the love of her life (David) has been .... get this read... you will not regret it!
I really enjoyed enjoyed reading "The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge and I am sure if you are in for a good romance story with a lot of twist and turns you will find this one a good read.
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.probo...
May 17, 2012
For starters, I almost threw this book across the room on numerous occasions. The only thing that kept me from doing so was the knowledge that I was reading on my Kindle and I don’t want to break my Kindle. I was so freaking mad at this book. Ask the hubs if you don’t believe me.
Camille Hart and her husband Edward have been married for twenty years, surviving any number of ups and downs, including Camille’s bout with cancer. They’ve got the perfect relationship. I mean really, they make chick flicks out of couples like this. So when Camille finds out that her cancer has returned and she’s got virtually no chance of surviving, they’re both devastated. Edward is even more upset when Camille decides to forego treatment to preserve the quality of the time she has left with her family, meanwhile planning to find someone to replace her after she’s gone.
Does her logic make sense? No, not always. But you can easily understand where she’s coming from as she goes down this road. And Edward… Well, he’s the king of all jerky husbands at this point. Berates her for deciding not to undergo treatment, complains that she wants to replace herself in their family, and instead of trying to be positive and enjoy the time he has left with his wife, let’s just work even longer hours, and go out with other people and lie about it. Makes total sense, right??? Ugh. Men.
I was so freaking vested in Camille and the outcome of her disease and her family, so I was utterly devastated by the way this book panned out. It made me mad, and it made me want to cry. It’s a fabulous read, about a family in a situation that we all hope we never end up in, because there’s no good way to deal with it.
Camille Hart and her husband Edward have been married for twenty years, surviving any number of ups and downs, including Camille’s bout with cancer. They’ve got the perfect relationship. I mean really, they make chick flicks out of couples like this. So when Camille finds out that her cancer has returned and she’s got virtually no chance of surviving, they’re both devastated. Edward is even more upset when Camille decides to forego treatment to preserve the quality of the time she has left with her family, meanwhile planning to find someone to replace her after she’s gone.
Does her logic make sense? No, not always. But you can easily understand where she’s coming from as she goes down this road. And Edward… Well, he’s the king of all jerky husbands at this point. Berates her for deciding not to undergo treatment, complains that she wants to replace herself in their family, and instead of trying to be positive and enjoy the time he has left with his wife, let’s just work even longer hours, and go out with other people and lie about it. Makes total sense, right??? Ugh. Men.
I was so freaking vested in Camille and the outcome of her disease and her family, so I was utterly devastated by the way this book panned out. It made me mad, and it made me want to cry. It’s a fabulous read, about a family in a situation that we all hope we never end up in, because there’s no good way to deal with it.
May 19, 2012
The Replacement Wife seemed like a good choice for me, as I was looking for something a bit different from what I'm generally drawn to. I was hoping for a book that wouldn't require a lot of concentration, and for the most part this was true, although it's not an upbeat story, it did hold my interest.
On the surface, Camille Hart, appears to have it all: wife of a physician, mother to preteen children, and a career as a successful Manhattan matchmaker. She's battled cancer once and won, but now she's learned that her cancer is back and it's stage IV and terminal. Camille's mission before her time is up is to to find a good wife and a caring mother for her family.
Camille's own mother died when she and her sister were quite young. Their father was a pilot who was frequently away from home, and the girls were often left to fend for themselves. Although Camille's husband Edward is not happy about his wife's plans for them, he understands where she is coming from and reluctantly goes along. Afterall, she does have their best interest at heart, and a stable life for her children is what's most important once she's gone.
This was a good story about a marriage, and it was not at all predicable as one might expect. There were actually quite a few characters to keep straight, but the author did a great job of creating players that the reader will care about, and it's one of the stories that you may keep thinking about days after you've finished the book. Although the book is was way too long, in my opinion, it is one of those novels that will appeal to many women and would make for some lively book club discussions I suspect.
On the surface, Camille Hart, appears to have it all: wife of a physician, mother to preteen children, and a career as a successful Manhattan matchmaker. She's battled cancer once and won, but now she's learned that her cancer is back and it's stage IV and terminal. Camille's mission before her time is up is to to find a good wife and a caring mother for her family.
Camille's own mother died when she and her sister were quite young. Their father was a pilot who was frequently away from home, and the girls were often left to fend for themselves. Although Camille's husband Edward is not happy about his wife's plans for them, he understands where she is coming from and reluctantly goes along. Afterall, she does have their best interest at heart, and a stable life for her children is what's most important once she's gone.
This was a good story about a marriage, and it was not at all predicable as one might expect. There were actually quite a few characters to keep straight, but the author did a great job of creating players that the reader will care about, and it's one of the stories that you may keep thinking about days after you've finished the book. Although the book is was way too long, in my opinion, it is one of those novels that will appeal to many women and would make for some lively book club discussions I suspect.
April 18, 2012
The Replacement Wife should come with a warning label, “BE PREPARED TO HAVE YOUR HEART RIPPED OUT OF YOUR CHEST AND PUT BACK TOGETHER PIECE BY PIECE.” This story hit me hard. It’s written beautifully. I knew from reading the synopsis that this was going to be one tough cookie to swallow, but my goodness, I couldn’t breathe at times.
These characters have haunted me over the past few days. They are so real. It feels as if I were to fly to New York I could find them. Eileen Goudge did an excellent job on character development. Normally when I read a book I know who I’m rooting for, good guy/bad guy. Easy. Well not this time. My stance practically changed after each chapter.
I know I will be thinking about this book for a long time. As it is, I’ve told so many people about it simply because I can’t get it out of my head. Read it for yourself and see what I mean. I hope you have a strong heart.
These characters have haunted me over the past few days. They are so real. It feels as if I were to fly to New York I could find them. Eileen Goudge did an excellent job on character development. Normally when I read a book I know who I’m rooting for, good guy/bad guy. Easy. Well not this time. My stance practically changed after each chapter.
I know I will be thinking about this book for a long time. As it is, I’ve told so many people about it simply because I can’t get it out of my head. Read it for yourself and see what I mean. I hope you have a strong heart.
April 19, 2012
I must be very honest in this book that I reviewed for Netgalley. Although, I liked the general storyline of this book, I found it incredibly "wordy" and that there were numerous scenes which I had tried to figure out their "purpose" in the storyline except to lengthen it. A word of warning, this book is a behemouth of a book at almost 500 pages. Although I regularly read books of this magnitude, in much shorter time periods, this one was almost painfully long because of the situation discussed earlier.
I can tell the reader of this review that had this book been about 100 pages shorter, which is what I am guessing with the amount of extra scenes, this book easily would have been a 4 star read for me because the author had a winning storyline.
I can tell the reader of this review that had this book been about 100 pages shorter, which is what I am guessing with the amount of extra scenes, this book easily would have been a 4 star read for me because the author had a winning storyline.
July 11, 2017
3.5 stars from this reader.
Having read and enjoyed many of Goudge's older novels, I thought I'd pick this up newer one. I can see that many other reviewers took issue with the subject matter or did not like it. One thing that remained constant for me was that the author can build up the main characters to the point that the reader feels they know them. Good character development, in other words for protagonists.
This was too lengthy however, and too many supporting characters introduced as well. This revolved around a cancer patient, the main character, Camille, and how she felt she had to deal with it to protect her family. She is lead to believe she most likely won't be cured at stage 4. Her husband is a doctor, he knows her chances are slim, but he won't give up hope. Camille is a matchmaker by profession, she feels she can find the right person to take her place with her family for when she was no longer around. A controlling personality by nature, she was not above manipulating this scenario to meet her goal. Her loyal husband of 20 years wanted no part of it, but to make her remaining time less stressful agrees to be open to the idea of another wife after she's gone. I definitely could relate to both sides of the coin here. Perhaps because I've known people that have been in similar situations. In fact, I've known too many people who've had to deal with cancer in the last decade. What transpires here between Camille and her husband surprises everyone, I suspect many readers too, especially with the ending, but no spoilers here.
I found it credible, not over the top far fetched, somewhat (for me) predictable, but can see where others were not happy with the story and its ending. Life is not always or usually what we expect. "One door closes, another opens" and "be careful what you wish for" are cliches very appropriate to this situation. I enjoyed it, and all the characters. Just a bit too wordy, could have been shorter.
Having read and enjoyed many of Goudge's older novels, I thought I'd pick this up newer one. I can see that many other reviewers took issue with the subject matter or did not like it. One thing that remained constant for me was that the author can build up the main characters to the point that the reader feels they know them. Good character development, in other words for protagonists.
This was too lengthy however, and too many supporting characters introduced as well. This revolved around a cancer patient, the main character, Camille, and how she felt she had to deal with it to protect her family. She is lead to believe she most likely won't be cured at stage 4. Her husband is a doctor, he knows her chances are slim, but he won't give up hope. Camille is a matchmaker by profession, she feels she can find the right person to take her place with her family for when she was no longer around. A controlling personality by nature, she was not above manipulating this scenario to meet her goal. Her loyal husband of 20 years wanted no part of it, but to make her remaining time less stressful agrees to be open to the idea of another wife after she's gone. I definitely could relate to both sides of the coin here. Perhaps because I've known people that have been in similar situations. In fact, I've known too many people who've had to deal with cancer in the last decade. What transpires here between Camille and her husband surprises everyone, I suspect many readers too, especially with the ending, but no spoilers here.
I found it credible, not over the top far fetched, somewhat (for me) predictable, but can see where others were not happy with the story and its ending. Life is not always or usually what we expect. "One door closes, another opens" and "be careful what you wish for" are cliches very appropriate to this situation. I enjoyed it, and all the characters. Just a bit too wordy, could have been shorter.
June 21, 2018
You are probably supposed to feel sad for Camille. I felt sorry for her husband Edward.
Professional matchmaker Camille Harte's cancer returns and her decisions not only for her own future but the future of her devoted husband Edward and their two children Kyra & Zach are the basis of this novel.
The characters are well-developed and Edward's forced into gut-wrenching situations trying to support Camille's plans.
When things don't got to plan, Camille finds herself conflicted on how to handle the fall-out.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book in all its twists.
Professional matchmaker Camille Harte's cancer returns and her decisions not only for her own future but the future of her devoted husband Edward and their two children Kyra & Zach are the basis of this novel.
The characters are well-developed and Edward's forced into gut-wrenching situations trying to support Camille's plans.
When things don't got to plan, Camille finds herself conflicted on how to handle the fall-out.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book in all its twists.
April 15, 2017
Maybe a good book club book, but didn't like the premise.
December 30, 2018
I found the book to be tragic.
January 10, 2019
Interesting premise. A little long in parts. I didn’t need to know every character’s childhood memories ...
March 27, 2012
Camille Hart is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, cancer survivor and match maker. Her family and her job are the most important things in her life, so when she finds out her cancer has returned, she brings her job home. She isn’t given very long to live and wants to find her replacement, someone she can trust to keep family together.
Since she runs a match making business, she already has a few ideas of who to hook her husband up with. He isn’t completely on board, but wants her to be as happy as possible for the remainder of their time together, so he goes with it.
What neither of them expect is that he, instead of she, may find the perfect match for him and it may be the thing that tears them apart, rather than bringing them together when they need it the most.
I was so intrigued by this book from the second I read the description. It’s such an interesting premise. I’m a morbid person and think about death. Think about what my husband’s life would be without me and have thought, minimally, about if anyone in my life would be a good replacement if I wasn’t here. Don’t get freaked out, I don’t sit around and stew about it at night, but it comes up in conversation at times, “You could never marry So and So because ….”. It normally has to do with my husband playing golf But I don’t think I could ever find someone, while I was alive, to take my spot and urge them to get close with my husband. I may be a little of the jealous type. But that’s exactly what Camille does in The Replacement Wife.
I have mixed feelings on the characters in this book. I’ve never been told that I have a very short time to live, so I can’t say what I would do in Camille’s shoes. I have also never been married to someone on their death bed, so I can’t really speak to her husband’s angle either, but some of the decisions that both of them made in this book irked me. Like Camille’s husband not agreeing with her decision to “hook him up” but being ok with finding love on his own. Or Camille urging her husband to move on, but being very unhappy when he finds someone, who wasn’t the one she chose for him. I think they both lived through some serious double standards here.
As sad as the plot sounds, and I obviously had some issues with the characters, there were lights of hope in this book. Little glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how you look at this book, you cannont deny the scariness of reality in the words. This book is proof that life can change in an instant. What you are doing that you may think is helping someone may actually be hurting them. But as I’ve always believed, everything happens for a reason.
This book is one that I will not soon forget. I think it is one that throughout my life, through sickness and in health, I will remember and think back to. I know that in my life there will be times when I think about if anything happened to me, who could/would take my place, but I’ll think of this book and how it impacted this couple. I love books like this that I can reflect on and although it’s fiction, it can happen and who knows if it hasnt?
I give The Replacement Wife 4 bookmarks.
Since she runs a match making business, she already has a few ideas of who to hook her husband up with. He isn’t completely on board, but wants her to be as happy as possible for the remainder of their time together, so he goes with it.
What neither of them expect is that he, instead of she, may find the perfect match for him and it may be the thing that tears them apart, rather than bringing them together when they need it the most.
I was so intrigued by this book from the second I read the description. It’s such an interesting premise. I’m a morbid person and think about death. Think about what my husband’s life would be without me and have thought, minimally, about if anyone in my life would be a good replacement if I wasn’t here. Don’t get freaked out, I don’t sit around and stew about it at night, but it comes up in conversation at times, “You could never marry So and So because ….”. It normally has to do with my husband playing golf But I don’t think I could ever find someone, while I was alive, to take my spot and urge them to get close with my husband. I may be a little of the jealous type. But that’s exactly what Camille does in The Replacement Wife.
I have mixed feelings on the characters in this book. I’ve never been told that I have a very short time to live, so I can’t say what I would do in Camille’s shoes. I have also never been married to someone on their death bed, so I can’t really speak to her husband’s angle either, but some of the decisions that both of them made in this book irked me. Like Camille’s husband not agreeing with her decision to “hook him up” but being ok with finding love on his own. Or Camille urging her husband to move on, but being very unhappy when he finds someone, who wasn’t the one she chose for him. I think they both lived through some serious double standards here.
As sad as the plot sounds, and I obviously had some issues with the characters, there were lights of hope in this book. Little glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how you look at this book, you cannont deny the scariness of reality in the words. This book is proof that life can change in an instant. What you are doing that you may think is helping someone may actually be hurting them. But as I’ve always believed, everything happens for a reason.
This book is one that I will not soon forget. I think it is one that throughout my life, through sickness and in health, I will remember and think back to. I know that in my life there will be times when I think about if anything happened to me, who could/would take my place, but I’ll think of this book and how it impacted this couple. I love books like this that I can reflect on and although it’s fiction, it can happen and who knows if it hasnt?
I give The Replacement Wife 4 bookmarks.
June 29, 2012
This review is not going to rehash the plot line as it has been done already. I loved this book and I will tell you why, this story is going to stay in my mind for a long long time. The plot was a unique love story with a few twists and few turns. Yes, yes, I agree with all that has been said before, the theme is definitely “be careful what you wish for”, it might come true and some of twists were frustrating to read as the characters placed themselves in uncomfortable situations. This story placed me, the reader and wife to the same man for 20 years, outside my comfort zone. I loved that and for that reason alone I recommend this book. After reading the synopsis of the book, my first thought was oh no, this one is going to be emotionally too difficult to read and depressing. Well, that first impression was wrong. The author paints a true life characterization of life as your marriage becomes seasoned and comfortable. You count on the fact that your spouse will always be there for you and vice versa. When Camille finds out about her reoccuring cancer is now going to take her life she plots to use her successful career as a matchmaker to find her family’s new wife/mother. The first encounter of the plan, is the beginning of the end of her marriage although her marriage had taken a few knocks her first go round with cancer. Camille’s scheme and her refusal to pursue treatment angers and hurts the near-perfect overworking husband, Edward. He feels Camille is already trying to pawn him off on another woman without taking his love for his wife into consideration.
This combination of festering scheming and anger creates a huge crevice in their marriage and opens a pandora’s box for the outcome of Camille’s plan. I won’t give away any plot twists but I was angry at both of the characters. Instead of spending every waking minute together making new memories for their children and for Edward and reminiscing over days gone by, they were both wrapped up in their own heads. This takes its toll. It was not necessary to judge the morality of the situations in the book because their situation was not black and white but a muddied gray, so on I read accepting that this is how these characters dealt with the serious path that life had taken them and merely let the story wash over me.
Ms. Gouge writes a wonderful and beautifully written book that was refreshing to read, not dark and morbid as you might think. I highly recommend title and look forward to reading more by this author!
Thank you to Open Road Media and Netgalley for the opportunity to read yet another book that will not soon be forgotten!
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