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The War of the Wives
'Dark, clever and utterly addictive' - Lisa Jewell
Imagine being happily married for 28 years. You have three children, a lovely house and a husband who travels a lot - but even after all this time, you still love each other.
Or: imagine being happily married for 17 years. You have one daughter, a lovely home and though your husband travels a lot, you still love each other passionately.
Then one day you get a call that turns your world upside down: your husband is dead. You are devastated. You go to the funeral... And come face to face with his other widow.
Another wife, another family. It can't be true. It must be a mistake.It has to be her fault - all of it. Or: is it?
With the sharp and witty scalpel she used in The Mistress's Revenge, Tamar Cohen lays bare the raw emotions thart underpin so-called normal family life and explores the hearts of two women forced to re-evaluate everything they thought they knew.
Imagine being happily married for 28 years. You have three children, a lovely house and a husband who travels a lot - but even after all this time, you still love each other.
Or: imagine being happily married for 17 years. You have one daughter, a lovely home and though your husband travels a lot, you still love each other passionately.
Then one day you get a call that turns your world upside down: your husband is dead. You are devastated. You go to the funeral... And come face to face with his other widow.
Another wife, another family. It can't be true. It must be a mistake.It has to be her fault - all of it. Or: is it?
With the sharp and witty scalpel she used in The Mistress's Revenge, Tamar Cohen lays bare the raw emotions thart underpin so-called normal family life and explores the hearts of two women forced to re-evaluate everything they thought they knew.
410 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
68 people are currently reading
1796 people want to read
About the author
Tamar Cohen
35 books232 followersTamar Cohen is a freelance journalist who lives in London with her partner and three teenage children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
September 22, 2024
EXCERPT: SELINA
When Simon and I were first married, before he took the job in Dubai, I instituted a Sunday night stock-taking ritual. We'd sit down together with a bottle of wine and look back on the things we'd achieved over the week, and set some goals for the week ahead. Not big things. Manageable. I'd read it in a magazine somewhere, one of those 'be your own life coach'-type features and though Simon always groaned about doing it, I thought it was very useful. It stopped us from drifting. So let's do a stock-taking exercise now, one week after the funeral.
1. My husband drowned. The official view is drunken accident, but obviously they suspect suicide.
2. An inquest was called and then immediately adjourned (now you see it, now you don't). Apparently that's normal in 'cases like this'.
3. My husband turns out to have another wife. We're still trying to find out if it was legal. (On a beach, for goodness' sake!)
4. He has fathered a child.
5. He lived with this 'other family' for seventeen years.
6. They never knew we existed.
7. We never knew they existed.
8. My whole adult life has been a lie.
9. I hate him.
10. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.
There, now. I feel so much better.
You've got to laugh. Or else you'd die.
ABOUT 'WAR OF THE WIVES': Think marriage means happily ever after? Think again…
Selina and Lottie are complete opposites. Where Selina is poised but prudish, Lottie is quirky and emotional. Selina is the dutiful mother of three children and able manager of their stylish suburban home. Lottie lives with her eccentric teenage daughter in a small city apartment fit to bursting with color and happy chaos. But these women also have one shocking similarity: they're married to the same man…and they've just found out he's dead.
Selina has been married to Simon Busfield for twenty-eight years, Lottie for seventeen. Neither knew a thing about the other until the day of Simon's funeral, where the scandalous truth is revealed in front of everyone they know. Another wife, another family… And they've only just scratched the surface of Simon's incredible betrayal.
MY THOUGHTS: I first read War of the Wives somewhere around 2013, not long after it had been published and I have given it a reread to complete a category in my Goodreads Aussie Readers Monthly Challenge.
War of the Wives is a story of deception and betrayal, and not just on the wife front! Simon is a slippery character and, although we don't get to actually meet him, I don't think I would have liked him. He has done other things that are gradually exposed during the course of the novel. My one real complaint about this read, is that one of them is never resolved and, as it is the kind of thing that is never going to go away, I have to wonder why.
Selina is a very buttoned-up woman, regimented and concerned about appearances more than anything. Lottie is far more bohemian, scatty at times, but softer natured than Selina. I could easily see why she appealed to Simon. I vacillated in my preference as I read.
The chapters alternate between wives, so that we get both wives memories as well as their reactions to Simon's perfidy. There are a lot of snide comments and vicious digs from both women, some of which had me snorting with amusement.
And his death? - well the resolution to that mystery came as a bit of a shock.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It has a great premise, and the execution is spot on with the two widows telling their stories amid their grief and anger and showing the effects of Simon's actions on the children of both relationships.
Simon's greed knows no bounds and it takes a lot of money to support two households - so how did he do it? . . . . It seems Simon is involved in something financially shady, and people want their money back, but the who and exactly what is never resolved, something that dropped a full star from my rating.
⭐⭐⭐.5
#WaroftheWives
THE AUTHOR: Tamar Cohen is a freelance journalist who has written for many publications. She has written nine non-fiction titles under a different name. The Mistress’s Revenge is her first novel. Tamar Cohen boasts of having written a very modern book, but is still stuck in the dark ages as far as a web presence goes, although she’s working on it!
I own my copy of War of the Wives by Tamar Cohen.
When Simon and I were first married, before he took the job in Dubai, I instituted a Sunday night stock-taking ritual. We'd sit down together with a bottle of wine and look back on the things we'd achieved over the week, and set some goals for the week ahead. Not big things. Manageable. I'd read it in a magazine somewhere, one of those 'be your own life coach'-type features and though Simon always groaned about doing it, I thought it was very useful. It stopped us from drifting. So let's do a stock-taking exercise now, one week after the funeral.
1. My husband drowned. The official view is drunken accident, but obviously they suspect suicide.
2. An inquest was called and then immediately adjourned (now you see it, now you don't). Apparently that's normal in 'cases like this'.
3. My husband turns out to have another wife. We're still trying to find out if it was legal. (On a beach, for goodness' sake!)
4. He has fathered a child.
5. He lived with this 'other family' for seventeen years.
6. They never knew we existed.
7. We never knew they existed.
8. My whole adult life has been a lie.
9. I hate him.
10. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.
There, now. I feel so much better.
You've got to laugh. Or else you'd die.
ABOUT 'WAR OF THE WIVES': Think marriage means happily ever after? Think again…
Selina and Lottie are complete opposites. Where Selina is poised but prudish, Lottie is quirky and emotional. Selina is the dutiful mother of three children and able manager of their stylish suburban home. Lottie lives with her eccentric teenage daughter in a small city apartment fit to bursting with color and happy chaos. But these women also have one shocking similarity: they're married to the same man…and they've just found out he's dead.
Selina has been married to Simon Busfield for twenty-eight years, Lottie for seventeen. Neither knew a thing about the other until the day of Simon's funeral, where the scandalous truth is revealed in front of everyone they know. Another wife, another family… And they've only just scratched the surface of Simon's incredible betrayal.
MY THOUGHTS: I first read War of the Wives somewhere around 2013, not long after it had been published and I have given it a reread to complete a category in my Goodreads Aussie Readers Monthly Challenge.
War of the Wives is a story of deception and betrayal, and not just on the wife front! Simon is a slippery character and, although we don't get to actually meet him, I don't think I would have liked him. He has done other things that are gradually exposed during the course of the novel. My one real complaint about this read, is that one of them is never resolved and, as it is the kind of thing that is never going to go away, I have to wonder why.
Selina is a very buttoned-up woman, regimented and concerned about appearances more than anything. Lottie is far more bohemian, scatty at times, but softer natured than Selina. I could easily see why she appealed to Simon. I vacillated in my preference as I read.
The chapters alternate between wives, so that we get both wives memories as well as their reactions to Simon's perfidy. There are a lot of snide comments and vicious digs from both women, some of which had me snorting with amusement.
And his death? - well the resolution to that mystery came as a bit of a shock.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It has a great premise, and the execution is spot on with the two widows telling their stories amid their grief and anger and showing the effects of Simon's actions on the children of both relationships.
Simon's greed knows no bounds and it takes a lot of money to support two households - so how did he do it? . . . . It seems Simon is involved in something financially shady, and people want their money back, but the who and exactly what is never resolved, something that dropped a full star from my rating.
⭐⭐⭐.5
#WaroftheWives
THE AUTHOR: Tamar Cohen is a freelance journalist who has written for many publications. She has written nine non-fiction titles under a different name. The Mistress’s Revenge is her first novel. Tamar Cohen boasts of having written a very modern book, but is still stuck in the dark ages as far as a web presence goes, although she’s working on it!
I own my copy of War of the Wives by Tamar Cohen.
January 6, 2015
I did enjoy this read. Two women, Lottie and Selena discover they were both married to the same man Simon, at the same time. Simon unfortunately is dead at the start of the book, thereby avoiding the fallout that follows when the two women discover each other’s existence. The story is told alternatively from each woman’s viewpoint. Selena is a society wife, lives a privileged lifestyle with everything a woman could wish for. She is a “lady who lunches” and appearance is all important to her. Lottie, on the other hand, is more bohemian and far more laid back than Selena. Whilst I enjoyed reading both viewpoints, I think Selena just had the edge for me although I couldn’t explain why. Each narration feels very real and natural, exactly how that character would feel in that situation.
This is not a story about sisterhood, the women do not see each other as fellow victims, but most definitely as rivals for the post of “widow” and their narrations are liberally stuffed with snide and nasty digs at each other. To sum it up properly, at times I liked each character, at other times I disliked each character, but I don’t think there was any occasion when I liked both women at the same time.
Running all the way though the book is a feeling that something is not right about the way Simon died, and that feeling of tension builds with strange and quite unnerving things happening to the women. As the story builds to a climax that does tie up all the ends with a few shocks along the way, I did feel that maybe there was a couple of shocks too many. It seemed to go overboard on twists at the end, and losing a couple of them would have kept the story more “real”.
However, it is a book that is well worth a read, one that really keeps your interest. Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
This is not a story about sisterhood, the women do not see each other as fellow victims, but most definitely as rivals for the post of “widow” and their narrations are liberally stuffed with snide and nasty digs at each other. To sum it up properly, at times I liked each character, at other times I disliked each character, but I don’t think there was any occasion when I liked both women at the same time.
Running all the way though the book is a feeling that something is not right about the way Simon died, and that feeling of tension builds with strange and quite unnerving things happening to the women. As the story builds to a climax that does tie up all the ends with a few shocks along the way, I did feel that maybe there was a couple of shocks too many. It seemed to go overboard on twists at the end, and losing a couple of them would have kept the story more “real”.
However, it is a book that is well worth a read, one that really keeps your interest. Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
November 21, 2016
"Two women. One husband. You can see how that might be awkward."
Although the synopsis did not inspire me with confidence that there would be much depth behind this novel, having read two of the more recent novels by Tammy Cohen I have come to appreciate her shrewd social commentary and wry observations. First One Missing handled the stifled silences amongst a support group for families who were linked by each having a child murdered and When She Was Bad was a well realised take on the fractious atmosphere amongst a team of work colleagues fighting to secure their futures. Taking people out of their comfort zone, testing them to the limit and watching how they respond is a strategy which has seen Cohen excel and ensured her novels have garnered a growing number of readers and acclaim.
Smugly self-satisfied Selina Busfield, aged fifty-one seems to lead the epitome of a charmed life, with a six-bedroom house in a leafy avenue of Barnes, a marriage of twenty-eight years to international property developer, Simon, and three privately-educated children. Blessedly free of the demands of needing to work, with a private health club membership and an admirable lifestyle, she awaits the return of Simon from Dubai, where he spends half of his working life. When Selina is awoken by the police informing her that Simon's body has been discovered in the Thames under suspicious circumstances her first reaction is that there must be a mistake. As far as Selina knew, she was expecting her hard-working husband back to the family home the following day. Yet this is just the start of the fallout for Selina as a week later Simon's funeral brings her face to face with his other wife...! Fifteen-years her junior, flighty Lottie Busfield claims she has also been married to Simon for seventeen-years with their sixteen-year-old daughter, Sadie, fathered by him. Living in a cramped flat, eternally low on funds and working as a hotel receptionist, Lottie's life is a world away from that of Selina but the two women are set to become linked in an awkward alliance that opens their eyes to the fact that the love of their life was based on a pack of lies.
Self-preservation and sheltering their children might be the most instantaneous thought to come to mind, but sadly neurotic and self-obsessed Lottie seemed to regress to a child like state herself, blithely ignoring the needs of her daughter and the up-tight, image conscious Selina became focused on holding her head up high and saving face. Sadly, Cohen opted for focusing on their ongoing histrionics for the first half of her novel and allowed plot development to play second fiddle, meaning the next significant events do not occur until the final quarter when the prospect of a suspected crime looms more significantly on the horizon. Apart from the obvious bigamy and duplicitous behaviour of husband, Simon, the first sign of something murkier is only brought to light when Selina is updated by Simon's lawyer and financial advisor on this state of his business, but until this juncture the suspicious circumstances surrounding Simon's death goes relatively unmentioned.
Whilst this was by no means deep and meaningful, it did improve once Cohen progressed beyond the half-way point and there was some forward momentum in the plot. The first half of the novel seemed largely aimed at the observational humour derived from the fact that Simon Busfield had pinballed between two polar opposites and been an integral part of two fully-functional families. Highly improbable was my instant reaction, but Tammy Cohen quickly draws her readers in, getting down to the nitty-gritty of just what Simon's secret life entailed. As Selina first meets Lottie and her daughter, there is no denying that they are his family too. But who was he with on the night he died? When hostilities eventually die down and Selina and Lottie discover than Simon was haemorrhaging money and had tied their financial future and stability of their homes together through guaranteeing the mortgage of Lottie's flat with Selina's precious home, the situation escalates. In the words of Selina, the two women are "tied grotesquely in some hideous three-legged race."
Narrated alternately between Selina and Lottie, often with swift changes, The War of the Wives can at times read like a fast and furious game of table tennis, with the benefit of seeing instantaneous reactions to the galling situation they find themselves part of. This works particularly well with the face to face encounters, including the first meeting and the Christmas Day fiasco. Of the characters, it was the portrayals of the two younger children, sixteen-year old Sadie and seventeen-year old Josh who I found most compelling. Whilst both mothers seemed fully aware that they should be taking responsibility and protecting their children from the mud slinging and ensuing fallout, both Selina and Lottie seemed hideously neglectful, content to focus on their own betrayal. Too little, too late was very much the feeling as events spiralled out of control. Cohen cleverly pinpoints the range of emotions that Selina and Lottie experience - denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance on the journey of grief that entwines the lives of these two women and their children who share a father. The gallows humour of Selina with her children, referring to Lottie as Lottie "Lost the Plotty" and the French Farce Funeral similarly reflects the situation in Lottie's household, with her sisters forming a "War Council" to decide her next moves and deriding the court shoes and lacquered hair of the pretentious Selina.
The epilogue which attempts to portray a picture of happiness and content between the forever linked women is a little too trite and the willingness of Selina to shoulder some of the culpability for Simon's betrayal and secret life was unconvincing. That the police play a minimal role in this affair meant that War of the Wives never felt like a crime story 'per se', and whilst I had hoped that the embittered women would join forces to prove that Simon has been murdered and hence collect on his life insurance, that never came to fruition. Witty and brilliantly observed, readers will find themselves cringing as Cohen calls to life all too familiar scenes that are part of any domestic drama and a close family revealing their true emotions. Whilst this was effortlessly captivating reading, it was lighter than my normal taste and more focused on the betrayal of the women than the crime element. Nevertheless The War of the Wives was a highly enjoyable novel and certainly makes for a fast and very funny slice of action.
January 16, 2015
Oh my god, this was the worst ending EVER. 95% of this book gets 3.5 stars, easy--and then the end gets a NEGATIVE STAR for being horrible. And I'm so sorry that I can't give it a better score; it's an interesting character study, an examination of grief and shock and complex emotions surrounding a rather salacious and flashy fun story.
And then there's this crazy sudden nutso ending that cuts off in the middle of the important scene where All The Crazy Things are revealed, and then there's this unlikely epilogue. I'm so bummed about having to give it a low score.
And then there's this crazy sudden nutso ending that cuts off in the middle of the important scene where All The Crazy Things are revealed, and then there's this unlikely epilogue. I'm so bummed about having to give it a low score.
July 17, 2012
‘What’s the worst that can happen when the worst that can happen has already happened?’
Two women who have both been married - one for twenty-eight years with three children, the other for seventeen years with one daughter - to the same man who travels a lot, suddenly come face to face with each other for thefirst time at his funeral. There they learn of the existence of each other, and the novel follows their thoughts and behaviour as they both experience the feelings of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, each of which are the titles of the five parts of this story.
The two wives, Selina and Lottie, narrate the story alternately throughout. Selina and Lottie are vastly different women in terms of their lifestyles and outlooks, but inside, they have shared concerns and have both been deeply hurt. Somehow they must now learn to deal with each other.
This is a thoroughly entertaining and compelling read, at times droll and darkly humorous, at others deeply emotional and tragic. It is a very witty novel with a deliciously exciting starting point, which immediately arouses curiosity in the reader as to what will happen next. The author deftly unpicks the seams of these two seemingly contented families to expose the secrets, hurt and confusion underneath, and portrays two distinctive women who are forced to confront the same harsh reality and re-examine their pasts in a new light. The use of the two first-person viewpoints allows us to get right to the heart of everything that happens, making for a memorable and intimate story.
Two women who have both been married - one for twenty-eight years with three children, the other for seventeen years with one daughter - to the same man who travels a lot, suddenly come face to face with each other for thefirst time at his funeral. There they learn of the existence of each other, and the novel follows their thoughts and behaviour as they both experience the feelings of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, each of which are the titles of the five parts of this story.
The two wives, Selina and Lottie, narrate the story alternately throughout. Selina and Lottie are vastly different women in terms of their lifestyles and outlooks, but inside, they have shared concerns and have both been deeply hurt. Somehow they must now learn to deal with each other.
This is a thoroughly entertaining and compelling read, at times droll and darkly humorous, at others deeply emotional and tragic. It is a very witty novel with a deliciously exciting starting point, which immediately arouses curiosity in the reader as to what will happen next. The author deftly unpicks the seams of these two seemingly contented families to expose the secrets, hurt and confusion underneath, and portrays two distinctive women who are forced to confront the same harsh reality and re-examine their pasts in a new light. The use of the two first-person viewpoints allows us to get right to the heart of everything that happens, making for a memorable and intimate story.
January 25, 2015
Told from the perspectives of two women, Tamar Cohen's War of the Wives is a story of love, loss and devastating betrayal.
Selina Busfield is devastated when her husband's body is found in the Thames River, especially as Simon was supposed to be working in Dubai and not due home until the next day. The police suspect suicide, but Selina is convinced her husband would simply not be capable of such a selfish act and, after twenty eight years of marriage and three children, she is certain she knows him better than anyone.
Lottie is stunned when she receives a phone call from an old colleague offering her condolences on the death of her husband. Lottie is confused, as far as she knows Simon, her husband of 17 years and the father of her teenage daughter, is in Dubai, working, but when she fails to reach him and as more details come to light, a shocking truth dawns.
Simon has been living a double life, he was two wives, two families... and their worlds about to collide.
It is a plot ripped from the tabloid headlines - a man with two families, each oblivious to the other, whose shocking secret is revealed after his death, devastating those left behind. Cohen allows the new widows to tell the story as they struggle with their grief and the chaos of the aftermath.
Selena and Lottie are opposites in temperament, lifestyle and looks, both however are crushed by hurt in the wake of Simon's betrayal. Trying to hang on to a thread of loyalty to the man each believed was their loving husband, they blame each other, and themselves, for the untenable situation they have found themselves in. I feel like Cohen portrayed the emotions of both women well, I believed in their bitterness, their self doubt, their grief and their rivalry. I also liked the way in which Cohen involved the young adult children in the story, their anger, distress and confusion felt real.
Additional complications arise when it becomes clear that in order to finance his double life, Simon had become involved in something unsavoury. I'm not sure though that this thread really adds much to the story except to act as a distraction.
I liked War of The Wives, the characters in particular were interesting, and it was a quick read but I didn't find it particularly gripping.
May 28, 2013
This was my first book by Tamar Cohen and I very much enjoyed it. I loved the style of writing –it’s sharp, perceptive and witty and I really felt as though I were reading about real people. I was hooked from the very start and it was a book that I couldn’t put down.
Selina has been married to Simon for 28 years, they have 3 children and an expensive lifestyle with money seemingly in abundance. Lottie has been married to Simon for 17 years, they have one child, they live in a small flat, are struggling for money but appear to be happy. However, when Simon is found dead, in suspicious circumstances, the worlds of the two families collide and they are left to deal with the consequences.
To find out that you’ve been deceived by your husband for nearly the whole of your married life – after having his children, supporting his career and building a life together can only be devastating. We experience every emotion of both Selina and Lottie and that of their children, including denial and anger.
There is also an element of danger running through the story, Simon appeared to have some shady business partners who are seeking recompense and the two families are in the firing line.
The story is narrated in turn by each wife so you get to see both views. All the characters are so well written, you can’t help but feel involved in their lives. Of the two wives, I preferred the character of Selina. Although she appears to be a high maintenance wife and has a sometimes unpleasant superior attitude, she shows herself to be more of a coper whereas Lottie comes across as being rather scatterbrained and helpless who retreats rather than face up to life.
I wasn’t sure about the epilogue – this was a little too contrived for me but this doesn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book and I’m looking forward to reading The Mistress’s Revenge which is also on my bookshelf.
Selina has been married to Simon for 28 years, they have 3 children and an expensive lifestyle with money seemingly in abundance. Lottie has been married to Simon for 17 years, they have one child, they live in a small flat, are struggling for money but appear to be happy. However, when Simon is found dead, in suspicious circumstances, the worlds of the two families collide and they are left to deal with the consequences.
To find out that you’ve been deceived by your husband for nearly the whole of your married life – after having his children, supporting his career and building a life together can only be devastating. We experience every emotion of both Selina and Lottie and that of their children, including denial and anger.
There is also an element of danger running through the story, Simon appeared to have some shady business partners who are seeking recompense and the two families are in the firing line.
The story is narrated in turn by each wife so you get to see both views. All the characters are so well written, you can’t help but feel involved in their lives. Of the two wives, I preferred the character of Selina. Although she appears to be a high maintenance wife and has a sometimes unpleasant superior attitude, she shows herself to be more of a coper whereas Lottie comes across as being rather scatterbrained and helpless who retreats rather than face up to life.
I wasn’t sure about the epilogue – this was a little too contrived for me but this doesn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book and I’m looking forward to reading The Mistress’s Revenge which is also on my bookshelf.
October 11, 2015
The cover is correct, this is addictive reading.
However, I was disgusted and dismayed when at the end of this book the author lays the responsibility for the husband's horrible choices at the feet of the first wife. It makes me wonder if this author was not a mistress herself, at some point, why is the wife to blame and not the man? Also his first and only real spouse bears the brunt of all of the derision and all of the money problems, in this novel. Honestly this books reads like a mistresses' fantasy come true. Even the bigamy is twisted to make poor Lottie the only victim and Selina some horrible harridan that deserved whatever she got.
The pacing of this book is not bad, nor is the writing but I hated the slant of the novel. I won't readily or quickly read anything else by this author.
However, I was disgusted and dismayed when at the end of this book the author lays the responsibility for the husband's horrible choices at the feet of the first wife. It makes me wonder if this author was not a mistress herself, at some point, why is the wife to blame and not the man? Also his first and only real spouse bears the brunt of all of the derision and all of the money problems, in this novel. Honestly this books reads like a mistresses' fantasy come true. Even the bigamy is twisted to make poor Lottie the only victim and Selina some horrible harridan that deserved whatever she got.
The pacing of this book is not bad, nor is the writing but I hated the slant of the novel. I won't readily or quickly read anything else by this author.
December 19, 2014
Though I initially thought the premise of the book was a bit far-fetched, I was quickly reeled in to the wives' story lines. As I read, my allegiance switched back and forth between Selina and Lottie. Both women were blinded by their faith and trust in their husband and suffered the most for his actions.
I was slightly thrown by the ending. I didn't see it coming and it seemed a bit out of character with the rest of the story. Overall, it was a decent read.
I was slightly thrown by the ending. I didn't see it coming and it seemed a bit out of character with the rest of the story. Overall, it was a decent read.
September 21, 2015
No book in which the son semi-rapes his sister is gonna get a lot of stars.
August 13, 2014
It read like a trashy piece of chick-lit, with a final chapter thrown in to tie up the loose ends & to make it feel like the dark, psychological tale that the cover, tag line & blurb promised and that it was so obviously aiming for.
It wasn't especially clever and it was quite long winded. There were a couple of left-of-field threads thrown in for no obvious reason which in no way benefited the story. None of the characters were likeable, especially the wives, and it was a shame we didn't learn more about Simon.
It wasn't especially clever and it was quite long winded. There were a couple of left-of-field threads thrown in for no obvious reason which in no way benefited the story. None of the characters were likeable, especially the wives, and it was a shame we didn't learn more about Simon.
August 1, 2015
No. It's a no from me on this one, I wanted to like it so badly and was super optimistic the whole book but at the end, absolutely not.
Plot: two bimbos who love to take sleeping pills and not question anyone's actual decisions or movements sit around like damsels in distress while their money and lives are ripped away from them. Not to mention there is a massive gaping hole in the plot as to shady business deals the husband was involved in. Can I get a female who looks through documents, does some investigating, asks questions, or actually acts like she gives a little bit of a shit about what's going on besides hanging around and deeply pondering mistakes she has made?
There's about three pages at the end of the book that wrap up the idea of truly being in love which I thought would be a much better or bigger part of the plot line.
The two main characters were fairly well developed although pretty damn basic, I was not a big fan and had high hopes unfortunately.
Plot: two bimbos who love to take sleeping pills and not question anyone's actual decisions or movements sit around like damsels in distress while their money and lives are ripped away from them. Not to mention there is a massive gaping hole in the plot as to shady business deals the husband was involved in. Can I get a female who looks through documents, does some investigating, asks questions, or actually acts like she gives a little bit of a shit about what's going on besides hanging around and deeply pondering mistakes she has made?
There's about three pages at the end of the book that wrap up the idea of truly being in love which I thought would be a much better or bigger part of the plot line.
The two main characters were fairly well developed although pretty damn basic, I was not a big fan and had high hopes unfortunately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2018
I found this one to be a bit of a low burner, but once it got going it was a good story that I found engrossing and intriguing. I am glad I pushed through the initial chapters, which were just enough to hold my attention but seemed a bit extraneous to the overall plot at times. The characters were reasonably well written, and there was no point at which I liked both wives at the same time, but I did dislike and like them in about equal measure. The plotline with the children was interesting, if perhaps a little creepy (ok no perhaps about it in once case).
I did not solve what was going on, and found the ending to be a surprise with multiple reveals that I did not see coming. The epilogue is my favourite part of the book and is just so beautiful.
All in all, worth a read.
I did not solve what was going on, and found the ending to be a surprise with multiple reveals that I did not see coming. The epilogue is my favourite part of the book and is just so beautiful.
All in all, worth a read.
June 11, 2025
I bought this book 12 years ago, and when a 2025 book club challenge said, “Pick up a book you’ve owned for years and never read with a green cover,” I took it as a sign. I’m glad I finally did 😇
The chapters are bite-sized, which made it easy to read, and the suspense and drama had an innocent, almost harmless quality to them, not dark or twisted in the slightest, which was exactly what I needed.
Overall, it was a feel-good read, and I’ll definitely be picking up more from this author 🩰🫶🏼
The chapters are bite-sized, which made it easy to read, and the suspense and drama had an innocent, almost harmless quality to them, not dark or twisted in the slightest, which was exactly what I needed.
Overall, it was a feel-good read, and I’ll definitely be picking up more from this author 🩰🫶🏼
February 28, 2019
Listened to in audio format.
Selena Busfield had been married to Simon for 28 years and was the mother of three grown up children. Simon worked in Dubai to provide an expensive lifestyle for Selena.
However life changed when Selena received a call from the police to say that Simon had been found drowned in the River Thames.
In another part of London Simon had another wife called Lottie Busfield and a daughter called Sadie. Simon and Lottie had been married 17 years and lived a more humble existence in a small flat. Lottie worked as a hotel receptionist but wanted to become an illustrator. Lottie heard about the accident through her ex boyfriend who used to work with Simon.
When Lottie`s ex told her the date of Simon`s funeral she went hoping it was a big mistake and Simon was still alive. At the funeral both women were shocked to discover another Mrs Busfield.
The War of the Wives was a slow burner of a book. I was going to rate this book 3 stars but I had to change it to 4 after the completely unexpected ending.
The book was split between the POV of Selena and Lottie. Although Selena was the wronged woman I had little sympathy for her. I thought she was snobby, hysterical and only interested in appearances. However when Selena realised Simon had left her in debt she started an affair with a married man and became less uptight.
I like Lottie and Sadie from the beginning. When Sadie discovered her father was a bigamist she went of the rails and met an older man.
Personally I would of enjoyed the POV of Simon to discover what type of man he was. This was an enjoyable book about two families who became one.
Selena Busfield had been married to Simon for 28 years and was the mother of three grown up children. Simon worked in Dubai to provide an expensive lifestyle for Selena.
However life changed when Selena received a call from the police to say that Simon had been found drowned in the River Thames.
In another part of London Simon had another wife called Lottie Busfield and a daughter called Sadie. Simon and Lottie had been married 17 years and lived a more humble existence in a small flat. Lottie worked as a hotel receptionist but wanted to become an illustrator. Lottie heard about the accident through her ex boyfriend who used to work with Simon.
When Lottie`s ex told her the date of Simon`s funeral she went hoping it was a big mistake and Simon was still alive. At the funeral both women were shocked to discover another Mrs Busfield.
The War of the Wives was a slow burner of a book. I was going to rate this book 3 stars but I had to change it to 4 after the completely unexpected ending.
The book was split between the POV of Selena and Lottie. Although Selena was the wronged woman I had little sympathy for her. I thought she was snobby, hysterical and only interested in appearances. However when Selena realised Simon had left her in debt she started an affair with a married man and became less uptight.
I like Lottie and Sadie from the beginning. When Sadie discovered her father was a bigamist she went of the rails and met an older man.
Personally I would of enjoyed the POV of Simon to discover what type of man he was. This was an enjoyable book about two families who became one.
May 19, 2015
Review & Book Giveaway: I have to sheepishly admit that when I opted in for War of the Wives by Tamar Cohen I didn’t read the publisher’s description as thoroughly as I normally do. I actually thought this was a story about a current wife and an ex-wife. I could think about all kinds of cat-fight kinds of things that could evoke, and I guess I was in an odd mood that day, because normally I don’t like to read about those kinds of dynamics. When I picked the book up to read it, I was actually relieved to discover it was about something else entirely. There’s nothing like two women scorned to make for an interesting read. Two women get an up close and personal look at loyalty, deception, betrayal, and how life can change in an instant. How will they be changed by that? I’m paying it forward with a giveaway of the copy I received because I really want to share this novel with at least one lucky reader…so be sure to enter at http://popcornreads.com/?p=8372.
August 15, 2016
Yuk. What a snoozefest. I had to force myself to finish this one. The entire book was 2 whiney pissed off widows, their effed up kids and oh, let's not forget to throw in a little INCEST!! Just...gross.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2015
3.5 stars
An interesting and twisty read that is both thought provoking and original. Told from alternating points of view you are given a deeper sense of the story. 3.5 stars
An interesting and twisty read that is both thought provoking and original. Told from alternating points of view you are given a deeper sense of the story. 3.5 stars
February 6, 2019
Was a good reads 👌🏻
May 30, 2018
I would have given this book 3.5 if I could. I don’t read a lot of ‘chick lit’ (god how I hate that term) but I thought this book was a good book nonetheless. It wasn’t too self helpy or preachy and the characters weren’t all delineated along the lines of plain = stupid/alone/villain and beautiful = misunderstood/shallow/hero which happens with a lot of male writers. The male characters weren’t vilified or glorified either. It was well written and interesting and although I guessed the end at about the middle it didn’t spoil the reveal at all.
July 13, 2018
Not sure I could recommend this one. It’s so...materialistic and disturbing, but I couldn’t put it down either. Most definitely didn’t see the ending coming; holy cow!
September 10, 2018
What a rollercoaster of a book! Things just kept happening and all written in the realms of possibility!
A man dies then it all kicks off! He has been living a double life, but by the end of the book we understand why. But the collateral damage on his wife and his bigamous second wife and their respective families is catastrophic. When the two families have to ‘get along’ together it only deepens the chaos. Wife Selina sees her life with her husband, and the person she has turned into as a result, with different eyes and questions everything she believed in. Lottie ‘2nd wife’ can only grieve and weep. The two relationships are very different. The children of the marriages react in different ways of course. The youngest son Josh has the most humane reaction and tries to keep the peace, but the darkest result is between Lottie’s daughter and Selina’s son,this was the final gasp out loud twist in the whole convoluted tale that had me greatly admiring that after a fast paced , inventive and eventful story, the author could still pull of a fantastic and unexpected ending!
I thought Josh was the only one really who acted unselfishly through this. Oddly enough the actions and reactions of the characters did seem plausible and realistic even though it is a fantastic cascade of events. I liked that along with the dynamic story that unfolds, the author writes with keen insight about how wives feel about everything. Brilliant pace, even though the tragic events. I was still surprised at the ending even when I was expecting a shocking discovery.
A man dies then it all kicks off! He has been living a double life, but by the end of the book we understand why. But the collateral damage on his wife and his bigamous second wife and their respective families is catastrophic. When the two families have to ‘get along’ together it only deepens the chaos. Wife Selina sees her life with her husband, and the person she has turned into as a result, with different eyes and questions everything she believed in. Lottie ‘2nd wife’ can only grieve and weep. The two relationships are very different. The children of the marriages react in different ways of course. The youngest son Josh has the most humane reaction and tries to keep the peace, but the darkest result is between Lottie’s daughter and Selina’s son,this was the final gasp out loud twist in the whole convoluted tale that had me greatly admiring that after a fast paced , inventive and eventful story, the author could still pull of a fantastic and unexpected ending!
I thought Josh was the only one really who acted unselfishly through this. Oddly enough the actions and reactions of the characters did seem plausible and realistic even though it is a fantastic cascade of events. I liked that along with the dynamic story that unfolds, the author writes with keen insight about how wives feel about everything. Brilliant pace, even though the tragic events. I was still surprised at the ending even when I was expecting a shocking discovery.
August 21, 2019
Story is good,but it just reads very slow. I did not have the excitement to keep reading or to take the book when i had some spare time.
February 9, 2021
You could easily cut a hundred pages from this. Nice writing though. I've loved this author before and will definitely read her again.
December 24, 2014
WAR OF THE WIVES
By: Tamar Cohen
I received a paperback copy of WAR OF THE WIVES through the Goodreads Giveaway program.
From The Back Cover:
"Think marriage means happily-ever-after? Think again..."
"Selina and Lottie are complete opposites. Where Selina is poised but prudish, Lottie is quirky and emotional. Selina is the dutiful mother of three children and able manager of their stylish suburban home. Lottie lives with her eccentric teenage daughter in a small city apartment fit to bursting with color and happy chaos. But these women also have one shocking similarity: they're married to the same man... and they've just found out he's dead."
"Selina has been married to Simon Busfield for twenty-eight years. Lottie for seventeen. Neither knew a thing about the other until the day of Simon's funeral, where the scandalous truth is revealed in front of everyone they know. Another wife, another family... And they've only just scratched the surface of Simon's incredible betrayal."
"With dark humor and razor-sharp wit, Cohen expertly unravels a story of deception and betrayal, where two very different families will discover they are entwined in ways that will change them all forever."
My Review:
Tamar Cohen has written a book that contains such amazing descriptions of what the main characters are going through, that you cannot help but empathize with them.
It would have been so easy to paint Lottie as a conniving, home-wrecker who steals Simon away from his true wife and family. But, Lottie is as much a victim as Selina is.
Potential readers may question how Selina and Lottie were both able to be fooled for seventeen long years, but the author has done an amazing job of making this unlikely scenario come across as entirely plausible. Readers whose husbands travel often for work, or who maintain work residences in other countries may start to wonder about their own husband's fidelity.
The tragedy in all this is the children. Lottie has the youngest child who is now sixteen years old, while Selena's three children range in age from seventeen to being in their twenties. Betrayal by a husband can be accepted, but how do you handle being betrayed by the father you worshiped? And what is it like to suddenly realize that you have a half-sister that you knew nothing about?
This story is gripping and emotional and yet I found myself actually laughing out loud a few times.
This is a fascinating look at a seriously dysfunctional situation and one that will keep you reading long into the night. The twist at the end is as surprising as it is satisfying. It is not often that the ending to a story takes me by surprise, but this one did. I say, "Bravo" to that.
This book will make readers thankful that their own lives are nothing like the lives of the Busfields.
My favorite quote from the book:
"I know how you can think you know someone, only to find the person you thought you knew turns out to be a hollow timber structure with someone entirely different inside - a plastic wheelie bin of a someone. I know about love, and I know about loss and how any minute the solid ground can give way beneath your feet, revealing the chasm that's been there all along, waiting to suck you in."
More information about this book can be found at www.MIRABooks.com
To find out more about author, Tamar Cohen visit: https://m.facebook.com/pages/Tamar-Co...
To read more of my reviews, visit my blog at http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
By: Tamar Cohen
I received a paperback copy of WAR OF THE WIVES through the Goodreads Giveaway program.
From The Back Cover:
"Think marriage means happily-ever-after? Think again..."
"Selina and Lottie are complete opposites. Where Selina is poised but prudish, Lottie is quirky and emotional. Selina is the dutiful mother of three children and able manager of their stylish suburban home. Lottie lives with her eccentric teenage daughter in a small city apartment fit to bursting with color and happy chaos. But these women also have one shocking similarity: they're married to the same man... and they've just found out he's dead."
"Selina has been married to Simon Busfield for twenty-eight years. Lottie for seventeen. Neither knew a thing about the other until the day of Simon's funeral, where the scandalous truth is revealed in front of everyone they know. Another wife, another family... And they've only just scratched the surface of Simon's incredible betrayal."
"With dark humor and razor-sharp wit, Cohen expertly unravels a story of deception and betrayal, where two very different families will discover they are entwined in ways that will change them all forever."
My Review:
Tamar Cohen has written a book that contains such amazing descriptions of what the main characters are going through, that you cannot help but empathize with them.
It would have been so easy to paint Lottie as a conniving, home-wrecker who steals Simon away from his true wife and family. But, Lottie is as much a victim as Selina is.
Potential readers may question how Selina and Lottie were both able to be fooled for seventeen long years, but the author has done an amazing job of making this unlikely scenario come across as entirely plausible. Readers whose husbands travel often for work, or who maintain work residences in other countries may start to wonder about their own husband's fidelity.
The tragedy in all this is the children. Lottie has the youngest child who is now sixteen years old, while Selena's three children range in age from seventeen to being in their twenties. Betrayal by a husband can be accepted, but how do you handle being betrayed by the father you worshiped? And what is it like to suddenly realize that you have a half-sister that you knew nothing about?
This story is gripping and emotional and yet I found myself actually laughing out loud a few times.
This is a fascinating look at a seriously dysfunctional situation and one that will keep you reading long into the night. The twist at the end is as surprising as it is satisfying. It is not often that the ending to a story takes me by surprise, but this one did. I say, "Bravo" to that.
This book will make readers thankful that their own lives are nothing like the lives of the Busfields.
My favorite quote from the book:
"I know how you can think you know someone, only to find the person you thought you knew turns out to be a hollow timber structure with someone entirely different inside - a plastic wheelie bin of a someone. I know about love, and I know about loss and how any minute the solid ground can give way beneath your feet, revealing the chasm that's been there all along, waiting to suck you in."
More information about this book can be found at www.MIRABooks.com
To find out more about author, Tamar Cohen visit: https://m.facebook.com/pages/Tamar-Co...
To read more of my reviews, visit my blog at http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
January 27, 2015
4.5 stars
War of the Wives is a very intriguing and riveting novel about two women who discover they were both married to the same man at the same time. While the premise of the story seems improbable, Tamar Cohen is simply brilliant at creating an entirely plausible scenario for the long lasting deception.
Selina Busfield has been married to Simon for twenty-eight years and they enjoy a lavish, privileged lifestyle. They have three children who range in age from late teens to their early twenties with only the youngest living at home. Selina is pampered and self-indulgent with a bit of a superior attitude. She is happy with her mostly long distance marriage and readily admits she is stingy with her affection to her husband and children. Selina is naturally stunned to discover that Simon has been living a double life, but she absolves him of all blame for falling for the second Mrs. Busfield, whom she fully believes is a nothing but a money-grubbing husband stealer.
Although Lottie has been married to Simon for seventeen years, she is completely unaware of his other family. She is nothing like Selina and their marriage is also very different from the one he has with Selina. Lottie is laid back, a bit of a spendthrift and unconcerned about their financial future. Although he is only around part of the time, Simon is a very hands on and doting father to their teenage daughter. Lottie is shocked to learn of Simon's death and she cannot fathom why his funeral has been planned without her input. Needless to say, her appearance at the service brings the whole sordid mess out into the open and leaves both women struggling to understand Simon's betrayal.
The differences between Selina and Lottie don't end with their appearances and lifestyles. They each cope with Simon's death in completely opposite ways. Selina remains organized and she faces the problems that arise head on whereas Lottie completely falls apart. Strangely enough, neither woman blames Simon for their current situation and as a result, Selina and Lottie's relationship is incredibly antagonistic. However, the women do find themselves turning to one another as unexpected information is revealed, but their truce is fragile and easily broken.
The circumstances surrounding Simon's death are rather perplexing and remain a mystery for much of the novel. Was his death a tragic accident? Did he commit suicide? Or is there a far more sinister reason for his untimely death? As more of his secrets come to light, each of these scenarios is conceivable, and when the answer is finally revealed, I immediately wanted to re-read the novel to see what, if any, clues I might have missed.
War of the Wives is a very compelling novel that is incredibly engrossing. Lottie and Selina are interesting characters that, while sympathetic, are not always easy to like. The plot is unique with numerous twists and turns and Tamar Cohen brings the story to an absolutely jaw-dropping and stunning conclusion. The remaining loose ends are wrapped up with a lovely epilogue that is quite heartwarming. All in all, it is a delightful gem of a story that I highly recommend.
War of the Wives is a very intriguing and riveting novel about two women who discover they were both married to the same man at the same time. While the premise of the story seems improbable, Tamar Cohen is simply brilliant at creating an entirely plausible scenario for the long lasting deception.
Selina Busfield has been married to Simon for twenty-eight years and they enjoy a lavish, privileged lifestyle. They have three children who range in age from late teens to their early twenties with only the youngest living at home. Selina is pampered and self-indulgent with a bit of a superior attitude. She is happy with her mostly long distance marriage and readily admits she is stingy with her affection to her husband and children. Selina is naturally stunned to discover that Simon has been living a double life, but she absolves him of all blame for falling for the second Mrs. Busfield, whom she fully believes is a nothing but a money-grubbing husband stealer.
Although Lottie has been married to Simon for seventeen years, she is completely unaware of his other family. She is nothing like Selina and their marriage is also very different from the one he has with Selina. Lottie is laid back, a bit of a spendthrift and unconcerned about their financial future. Although he is only around part of the time, Simon is a very hands on and doting father to their teenage daughter. Lottie is shocked to learn of Simon's death and she cannot fathom why his funeral has been planned without her input. Needless to say, her appearance at the service brings the whole sordid mess out into the open and leaves both women struggling to understand Simon's betrayal.
The differences between Selina and Lottie don't end with their appearances and lifestyles. They each cope with Simon's death in completely opposite ways. Selina remains organized and she faces the problems that arise head on whereas Lottie completely falls apart. Strangely enough, neither woman blames Simon for their current situation and as a result, Selina and Lottie's relationship is incredibly antagonistic. However, the women do find themselves turning to one another as unexpected information is revealed, but their truce is fragile and easily broken.
The circumstances surrounding Simon's death are rather perplexing and remain a mystery for much of the novel. Was his death a tragic accident? Did he commit suicide? Or is there a far more sinister reason for his untimely death? As more of his secrets come to light, each of these scenarios is conceivable, and when the answer is finally revealed, I immediately wanted to re-read the novel to see what, if any, clues I might have missed.
War of the Wives is a very compelling novel that is incredibly engrossing. Lottie and Selina are interesting characters that, while sympathetic, are not always easy to like. The plot is unique with numerous twists and turns and Tamar Cohen brings the story to an absolutely jaw-dropping and stunning conclusion. The remaining loose ends are wrapped up with a lovely epilogue that is quite heartwarming. All in all, it is a delightful gem of a story that I highly recommend.
July 17, 2016
The book starts with all the required elements of a farce but whilst it is hugely entertaining, the author’s keen eye gives us something a little more complex than humour.
When Selina Busfield is woken in the middle of the night she is as much confused as worried. All that rapidly changes when the policeman outside asks to come in and when he makes his way into her beautiful London house he delivers the news that her husband Simon has been found dead in the Thames. Selina is mystified as to how this could possibly be; as far as she knew he was due home the next day from working in Dubai.
On the day of the funeral Selina is still trying to piece together the sequence of events with her three children but what she didn’t expect was to meet another Mrs Busfield. Mrs Lottie Busfield who has been married to Simon for 17 years is in attendance complete with her teenage daughter!
If a bigamous marriage, a dead husband and devastated children weren’t enough, this is a book chock-a-block with shocks which Tamar Cohen bounces through the pages with aplomb. With Simon dead and buried the two women examine how they could possibly not have known about each other. They also reflect on their differences. Lottie is the opposite to Selina, being far more of a free-spirit, and skint to boot. As the inevitable legal matters arise following Simon’s death the pair need to reach some sort of dialogue.
This story really does rattle along at a fair old pace helped along by a hand-off of narratives between Selina and Lottie as they take stock of their lives. Each part of the book is named after the five stages of grief; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance and our characters are made to work through these stages in exceptionally unusual circumstances. This author never fails to amaze me, because this is a perceptive book about loss that will resonate with many readers although hopefully not so many will have found themselves in quite such a predicament as this lot. Because Selina and Lottie, whilst being the main protagonists have their own relationships to maintain, principally with their children who are grieving their perhaps not so dearly departed father now unpleasant truths have come to light.
Incredibly the author has managed to squeeze some action in between the fabulous character studies and the complex emotional journey that Simon’s death has caused the two families; there is danger hiding around the corner, one that means precaution and action is required to keep both families safe!
Very few books can pack so many contradictory emotions into one book without it feeling as if it is a novel that doesn’t know what it is supposed to be, somehow the author avoided any such doubt in a book that had me gasping in sympathy at one moment while sniggering at some sharp humour the next. Quite simply the writing is incredibly perceptive yet sprinkled with humorous observations about life, love and loss.
I have followed Tammy as she is now known, from the Mistress’s Revenge through to her latest dark novel If She Was Bad but somehow I had missed this, her second book despite the fact that I kept reminding myself to read it. I’m so glad I did, if you haven’t sampled this author’s work, you really should.
When Selina Busfield is woken in the middle of the night she is as much confused as worried. All that rapidly changes when the policeman outside asks to come in and when he makes his way into her beautiful London house he delivers the news that her husband Simon has been found dead in the Thames. Selina is mystified as to how this could possibly be; as far as she knew he was due home the next day from working in Dubai.
On the day of the funeral Selina is still trying to piece together the sequence of events with her three children but what she didn’t expect was to meet another Mrs Busfield. Mrs Lottie Busfield who has been married to Simon for 17 years is in attendance complete with her teenage daughter!
If a bigamous marriage, a dead husband and devastated children weren’t enough, this is a book chock-a-block with shocks which Tamar Cohen bounces through the pages with aplomb. With Simon dead and buried the two women examine how they could possibly not have known about each other. They also reflect on their differences. Lottie is the opposite to Selina, being far more of a free-spirit, and skint to boot. As the inevitable legal matters arise following Simon’s death the pair need to reach some sort of dialogue.
This story really does rattle along at a fair old pace helped along by a hand-off of narratives between Selina and Lottie as they take stock of their lives. Each part of the book is named after the five stages of grief; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance and our characters are made to work through these stages in exceptionally unusual circumstances. This author never fails to amaze me, because this is a perceptive book about loss that will resonate with many readers although hopefully not so many will have found themselves in quite such a predicament as this lot. Because Selina and Lottie, whilst being the main protagonists have their own relationships to maintain, principally with their children who are grieving their perhaps not so dearly departed father now unpleasant truths have come to light.
Incredibly the author has managed to squeeze some action in between the fabulous character studies and the complex emotional journey that Simon’s death has caused the two families; there is danger hiding around the corner, one that means precaution and action is required to keep both families safe!
Very few books can pack so many contradictory emotions into one book without it feeling as if it is a novel that doesn’t know what it is supposed to be, somehow the author avoided any such doubt in a book that had me gasping in sympathy at one moment while sniggering at some sharp humour the next. Quite simply the writing is incredibly perceptive yet sprinkled with humorous observations about life, love and loss.
I have followed Tammy as she is now known, from the Mistress’s Revenge through to her latest dark novel If She Was Bad but somehow I had missed this, her second book despite the fact that I kept reminding myself to read it. I’m so glad I did, if you haven’t sampled this author’s work, you really should.
February 13, 2015
My deepest sympathies, Mrs. Busfield. What? I am Mrs Busfield. Everyone was confused, but the cat was out of the bag.
Mr. Simon Busfield had two lives and two wives, and he was the only one who knew. Well only he and his accountant and his financial advisor, but definitely not the two women he claimed to be in love with and married to...one for 28 years and one for 17 years.
Despite the serious situations in the book, THE WAR OF THE WIVES is entertaining and humorous. Once you think the surprises are over, another one pops up.
WAR OF THE WIVES moves back and forth between Selina and Lottie's life telling how Simon managed to lie and cheat and remain married to both women at the same time without their knowing it. He must have been some major organizer to pull that off.
I enjoyed WAR OF THE WIVES even though some parts were a bit hard to believe. I actually didn't like the two wives, Selina and Lottie. They both were self-centered and if you ask me a bit naive. How could they not know? Their children were a bit odd as well.
If you need a light, entertaining read, I suggest reading WAR OF THE WIVES. The ending was heartwarming and one that had yet another surprise. 4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
August 22, 2017
I am so angry at this author I probably shouldn't be leaving any kind of review at all. But...
I was truly, really, sincerely enjoying this book. I was following the meandering path and the somewhat unlike-able characters and looking forward to carving out a few minutes in the day to read some more. I was prepared to give it 5 stars with only the mention of Cohen's irritating inability to use conditional tenses correctly as a detraction. (I have to mentally correct every instance when reading this woman whose editor apparently doesn't understand proper grammar either.)
I got to page 330 of a 374 page book and then...THE OBLIGATORY KILLING OF THE FAMILY PET!!! AGAIN!!! What the hell is wrong with writers lately? All I'm running across are these trite injections of animal cruelty that add nothing to the plot or characterizations. As far as I'm concerned, it's an advertisement of being talent-bankrupt. "Gosh, I can't think of anything else...I guess I'll submit to the standard depiction of a dead dog to illustrate psychopathy of people and of situations."
Well, congratulations, you stupid... You ruined the book for me, and it was totally unnecessary to do so. The dog was barely mentioned up to its death. It was a non-essential, last-minute toss-in.
Not reading anything more by this hack. And a big, fat DNF.
I was truly, really, sincerely enjoying this book. I was following the meandering path and the somewhat unlike-able characters and looking forward to carving out a few minutes in the day to read some more. I was prepared to give it 5 stars with only the mention of Cohen's irritating inability to use conditional tenses correctly as a detraction. (I have to mentally correct every instance when reading this woman whose editor apparently doesn't understand proper grammar either.)
I got to page 330 of a 374 page book and then...THE OBLIGATORY KILLING OF THE FAMILY PET!!! AGAIN!!! What the hell is wrong with writers lately? All I'm running across are these trite injections of animal cruelty that add nothing to the plot or characterizations. As far as I'm concerned, it's an advertisement of being talent-bankrupt. "Gosh, I can't think of anything else...I guess I'll submit to the standard depiction of a dead dog to illustrate psychopathy of people and of situations."
Well, congratulations, you stupid... You ruined the book for me, and it was totally unnecessary to do so. The dog was barely mentioned up to its death. It was a non-essential, last-minute toss-in.
Not reading anything more by this hack. And a big, fat DNF.
January 14, 2015
Interesting Yet Boring
This review is from: The War of the Wives (Kindle Edition)
I had many issues with this book: it was quite boring considering the story line, the characters, at least for me, are highly unlikable. I sympathized with them but I did not `feel' for them. The ending, while a surprise, was a letdown. The hint of incest was just a tad too out there for me and may be for some other readers. To wrap this book up in an epilogue just seemed to be a cop-out for me. Much of the first half could have been winnowed down, and the conclusion - what lead up to the death and how it occurred - would have been more interesting.
The author certainly does have a way with words - and she needs them to describe what each wife of this bigamist must be feeling - Tamar Cohen was very adept at giving each woman a different personality/voice and sticking with it throughout this book. I may not have liked each voice or personality, but I understood how each wife felt.
This topic is not a new one, but Ms Cohen handled it in an interesting manner.
That said, this is an entirely forgettable book, very nearly a popcorn read.
This review is from: The War of the Wives (Kindle Edition)
I had many issues with this book: it was quite boring considering the story line, the characters, at least for me, are highly unlikable. I sympathized with them but I did not `feel' for them. The ending, while a surprise, was a letdown. The hint of incest was just a tad too out there for me and may be for some other readers. To wrap this book up in an epilogue just seemed to be a cop-out for me. Much of the first half could have been winnowed down, and the conclusion - what lead up to the death and how it occurred - would have been more interesting.
The author certainly does have a way with words - and she needs them to describe what each wife of this bigamist must be feeling - Tamar Cohen was very adept at giving each woman a different personality/voice and sticking with it throughout this book. I may not have liked each voice or personality, but I understood how each wife felt.
This topic is not a new one, but Ms Cohen handled it in an interesting manner.
That said, this is an entirely forgettable book, very nearly a popcorn read.
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