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The Comfort of Lies
Five years ago, Tia fell into obsessive love with a man she could never have. Married, and the father of two boys, Nathan was unavailable in every way. When she became pregnant, he disappeared, and she gave up her baby for adoption.
Five years ago, Caroline, a dedicated pathologist, reluctantly adopted a baby to please her husband. She prayed her misgivings would disappear; instead, she's questioning whether she's cut out for the role of wife and mother.
Five years ago, Juliette considered her life ideal: she had a solid marriage, two beautiful young sons, and a thriving business. Then she discovered Nathan's affair. He promised he'd never stray again, and she trusted him.
But when Juliette intercepts a letter to her husband from Tia that contains pictures of a child with a deep resemblance to her husband, her world crumbles once more. How could Nathan deny his daughter? And if he's kept this a secret from her, what else is he hiding? Desperate for the truth, Juliette goes in search of the little girl.
And before long, the three women and Nathan are on a collision course with consequences that none of them could have predicted. Riveting and arresting, The Comfort of Lies explores the collateral damage of infidelity and the dark, private struggles many of us experience but rarely reveal.
Five years ago, Caroline, a dedicated pathologist, reluctantly adopted a baby to please her husband. She prayed her misgivings would disappear; instead, she's questioning whether she's cut out for the role of wife and mother.
Five years ago, Juliette considered her life ideal: she had a solid marriage, two beautiful young sons, and a thriving business. Then she discovered Nathan's affair. He promised he'd never stray again, and she trusted him.
But when Juliette intercepts a letter to her husband from Tia that contains pictures of a child with a deep resemblance to her husband, her world crumbles once more. How could Nathan deny his daughter? And if he's kept this a secret from her, what else is he hiding? Desperate for the truth, Juliette goes in search of the little girl.
And before long, the three women and Nathan are on a collision course with consequences that none of them could have predicted. Riveting and arresting, The Comfort of Lies explores the collateral damage of infidelity and the dark, private struggles many of us experience but rarely reveal.
323 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
146 people are currently reading
10549 people want to read
About the author
Randy Susan Meyers
19 books1,037 followersRandy Susan Meyers, an international bestselling author of five novels, has been recognized by the Massachusetts Council of the Book. They have chosen three of her books as Must-Read Books, praising her clear and distinctive voice that captivates readers and leaves them yearning for more.
Her sixth novel, THE MANY MOTHERS OF IVY PUDDINGSTONE, will be released on October 29, 2024.
Though her novels explore domestic drama, societal issues, and cultural nuances, informed by her years working with community and governmental agencies, she gained the most insight into family and other politics during her four years as a bartender in a small Boston neighborhood bar.
Meyers is a Brooklyn-Boston hybrid who believes happiness requires family, friends, books, and an occasional NY bagel. She lives in Boston with her husband and teaches at the Grub Street Writer's Center.
Her sixth novel, THE MANY MOTHERS OF IVY PUDDINGSTONE, will be released on October 29, 2024.
Though her novels explore domestic drama, societal issues, and cultural nuances, informed by her years working with community and governmental agencies, she gained the most insight into family and other politics during her four years as a bartender in a small Boston neighborhood bar.
Meyers is a Brooklyn-Boston hybrid who believes happiness requires family, friends, books, and an occasional NY bagel. She lives in Boston with her husband and teaches at the Grub Street Writer's Center.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 761 reviews
February 12, 2013
* Warning! I cuss...a lot...that is all*
I read this book in four hours, and I can think of a dozen things I could have done with my time, such as:
*Get my wisdom teeth pulled
*Cleaned out that closet
*Done this pile of laundry that is threatening to eat me while I sleep
Incase you couldn't tell by my list (⬆) I am not a fan of The Comfort of Lies.
When I received this book for review I was excited to "clean my palate" and read something different. With that being said I am VERY picky when it comes to my contemporary reads. Too much drama and I'm left bored and rolling my eyes at the pure stupidity of it all. Too little drama and I find my mind wandering and the story never truly sinking in. So of course I looked The Comfort of Lies up to get a feel for it. I read the amazing blurb on Goodreads, I didn't immediately reply to the request, I even read a few reviews on Goodreads just for good measure. I was a little hesitant, since I believe married men are a absolute no-no, but I wanted to read and like this book. Instead I sit here at my computer at 2a.m. with a migraine the size of the Mississippi, and my seriously-pissed-off face on.
I won't bothering going into what the book is about (the blurb is spot on) and the blurb told me I was going into a book with three seriously fucked up women, so that didn't bother me, but for there to be so little growth and development from page 1 to page 323 I was seriously disappointed.
Tia was probably the most messed up of the three. You would think that a woman with a degree in Psychology and who works with elderly people everyday to work out their emotions would be able to see her owns problems. She was a very dependent, self-dememing woman with a ridiculous low value of self worth. I'm a "no judgement" kind of person, but she had put every single ounce of her happiness into a man, and not just any man, we are talking a married man with kids. There is actually a point in the book where she tells Natan that everything she did is for him. Down to cleaning her house! And just when I think a little space from Nathan will help here, 5 years go by and she tries to jump this mans bones while in her kitchen! Then to top it off she has the nerve to have a drinking problem.
Lets move on to Juliette before my migraine gets any worse.
Juliette was just straight up crazy. I get that her husband cheated on her and then withheld a huge piece of information from her, and I pray to never know how she felt, but I understand. HOWEVER! I am a firm believer that if you forgive someone you forgive them completely, you DON'T forgive them just to throw it up in their face later because you're being a insecure dumbass. She hid Tia's letter to Nathan for TWO freaking month's before confronting him about it, and during those two months she drove herself, her friend/business partner, her children and her husband nuts. I just wanted to jump in the book and hit her repeatedly. That is your HUSBAND! If you have a problem that effects your marriage, wether it be switching the soap you use to having a love child you need to sit with your husband and sort that shit out. Communication is key in any and every relationship and I just felt that she was letting her overly active imagination cloud her judgement on something that not only effected her and Nathan but those kids too. She was dramatic as hell too. Not "As the world turns" dramatic but Joan Rivers dramatic, everything had to be this big show, just look at how she played that final scene.
Which brings us to our final character. Caroline. She was a workaholic woman, who never wanted to be a mom, but adopted to make her husband happy. Hold up. She does realize this is a human being right? It's not like some cat you found, you can't get bored or tired after 6 months and then give it back. Not only that but Caroline actually made me fear for Savannah/Honor. She actually started having dreams about Savannah/Honor and her husband Peter dying so she could have some quiet. But don't worry, there wasn't a explosion or pain, so that makes that train of though completely acceptable.
Then you take this long drawn out, running in circles plot, with these insane (literally) characters and I am left with a book that had me, upset and questioning what was accomplished. Does Tia have the strength to realize that men and alcohol isn't the key to her happiness, or the way to make decisions? Will Juliette step off the crazy bus and realize that her marriage is going to require hard-work and communication for it to work? Is Caroline going to get a one way ticket to a padded room with a jacket that lets her hug herself? I'm not sure how Juliette and Tia will turn out but there was a small crack of light at the end of the tunnel for Caroline, and I hope she can get it together and do what is best for that little girl.
I read this book in four hours, and I can think of a dozen things I could have done with my time, such as:
*Get my wisdom teeth pulled
*Cleaned out that closet
*Done this pile of laundry that is threatening to eat me while I sleep
Incase you couldn't tell by my list (⬆) I am not a fan of The Comfort of Lies.
When I received this book for review I was excited to "clean my palate" and read something different. With that being said I am VERY picky when it comes to my contemporary reads. Too much drama and I'm left bored and rolling my eyes at the pure stupidity of it all. Too little drama and I find my mind wandering and the story never truly sinking in. So of course I looked The Comfort of Lies up to get a feel for it. I read the amazing blurb on Goodreads, I didn't immediately reply to the request, I even read a few reviews on Goodreads just for good measure. I was a little hesitant, since I believe married men are a absolute no-no, but I wanted to read and like this book. Instead I sit here at my computer at 2a.m. with a migraine the size of the Mississippi, and my seriously-pissed-off face on.
I won't bothering going into what the book is about (the blurb is spot on) and the blurb told me I was going into a book with three seriously fucked up women, so that didn't bother me, but for there to be so little growth and development from page 1 to page 323 I was seriously disappointed.
Tia was probably the most messed up of the three. You would think that a woman with a degree in Psychology and who works with elderly people everyday to work out their emotions would be able to see her owns problems. She was a very dependent, self-dememing woman with a ridiculous low value of self worth. I'm a "no judgement" kind of person, but she had put every single ounce of her happiness into a man, and not just any man, we are talking a married man with kids. There is actually a point in the book where she tells Natan that everything she did is for him. Down to cleaning her house! And just when I think a little space from Nathan will help here, 5 years go by and she tries to jump this mans bones while in her kitchen! Then to top it off she has the nerve to have a drinking problem.
Lets move on to Juliette before my migraine gets any worse.
Juliette was just straight up crazy. I get that her husband cheated on her and then withheld a huge piece of information from her, and I pray to never know how she felt, but I understand. HOWEVER! I am a firm believer that if you forgive someone you forgive them completely, you DON'T forgive them just to throw it up in their face later because you're being a insecure dumbass. She hid Tia's letter to Nathan for TWO freaking month's before confronting him about it, and during those two months she drove herself, her friend/business partner, her children and her husband nuts. I just wanted to jump in the book and hit her repeatedly. That is your HUSBAND! If you have a problem that effects your marriage, wether it be switching the soap you use to having a love child you need to sit with your husband and sort that shit out. Communication is key in any and every relationship and I just felt that she was letting her overly active imagination cloud her judgement on something that not only effected her and Nathan but those kids too. She was dramatic as hell too. Not "As the world turns" dramatic but Joan Rivers dramatic, everything had to be this big show, just look at how she played that final scene.
Which brings us to our final character. Caroline. She was a workaholic woman, who never wanted to be a mom, but adopted to make her husband happy. Hold up. She does realize this is a human being right? It's not like some cat you found, you can't get bored or tired after 6 months and then give it back. Not only that but Caroline actually made me fear for Savannah/Honor. She actually started having dreams about Savannah/Honor and her husband Peter dying so she could have some quiet. But don't worry, there wasn't a explosion or pain, so that makes that train of though completely acceptable.
Then you take this long drawn out, running in circles plot, with these insane (literally) characters and I am left with a book that had me, upset and questioning what was accomplished. Does Tia have the strength to realize that men and alcohol isn't the key to her happiness, or the way to make decisions? Will Juliette step off the crazy bus and realize that her marriage is going to require hard-work and communication for it to work? Is Caroline going to get a one way ticket to a padded room with a jacket that lets her hug herself? I'm not sure how Juliette and Tia will turn out but there was a small crack of light at the end of the tunnel for Caroline, and I hope she can get it together and do what is best for that little girl.
March 13, 2013
This book made me wish I could magically climb into the pages so I could slap every female character in there for making the rest of us look bad.
November 22, 2022
2 ⭐⭐ - Meh!
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Tia is a whorebag homewrecker. She knew he was married with two small children.
Nathan is a scumbag cheating narcissist. He fell in love with OW and they had an affair that lasted a year. It only ended because she got pregnant.
Juliette is the wife who has her world turned upside down when she discovers that in addition to the betrayal, he had a child with OW. I wish she would have dumped the cheater and immediately filed for divorce. I'd like to see if he'd have time to take lovers if he had to fend for himself.
Adoptive parents are a case worthy of a psychological study. There was a time when I feared for the safety of the child. Poor child, got rid of a mother whore and alcoholic to fall into a crazy house.
================
Tia is a whorebag homewrecker. She knew he was married with two small children.
Nathan is a scumbag cheating narcissist. He fell in love with OW and they had an affair that lasted a year. It only ended because she got pregnant.
Juliette is the wife who has her world turned upside down when she discovers that in addition to the betrayal, he had a child with OW. I wish she would have dumped the cheater and immediately filed for divorce. I'd like to see if he'd have time to take lovers if he had to fend for himself.
Adoptive parents are a case worthy of a psychological study. There was a time when I feared for the safety of the child. Poor child, got rid of a mother whore and alcoholic to fall into a crazy house.
His obvious pride delighted her. She was twenty-four, he was thirty-seven, and this was the first time she’d been loved by a man of substance.
Tia looked straight at him. “I’m pregnant.”
She pushed away thoughts of Nathan’s wife. Much as she tried, Tia couldn’t stop thinking of Juliette—where she was, where she believed her husband had gone—but early on, he’d made it clear that topic was off-limits.
“You’re going to take care of it, right?”
“Alone? Like your mother?” Nathan ran his hand over his chin. “You of all people know what a hard road that is, right, sweetheart?”
“I can’t stretch between two families. Please. Look at what this means,” he begged.
I’m not leaving my family. Wasn’t I always straight about that?”
“Tell me.” “I had an affair, Jules. Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”
Tia tried to fool herself that she’d sent Nathan the pictures without expectations, but she could only lie to herself so much.
Nathan brought her an array of new music, books, and films. He introduced her to cutting-edge ideas in the literature of gerontology, singers like the Nigerian-German Ayo, and encouraged her to watch documentaries like Waste Land, which he thought would broaden her world.
He told her she was beautiful, smart, and good. “The whole package,” he’d say. “That’s what you are.”
She recognized the last name. Adagio. Jesus Christ. Tia Genevieve Adagio. Such a pretty name. She’d forced that name from Nathan. “Tell me her name!” she’d screamed. “Tell me, goddamn it! I’m sure she knows mine.”
Dear Nathan, This is our daughter. Her adoptive parents send photos each year after her birthday (March 6). As you can see, she resembles you.
A child of his that wasn’t hers.
What could be more of a betrayal than having a child with another woman?
Was he still seeing Tia? It didn’t seem so from the letter. But who knew? Who really knew one’s husband? Once she would have said she did, but no more.
She’d thought it was over: the heartache, the mistrust, watching him for signs of deceit each time he walked in the house. For such a long time, she’d wondered if he was simply riding the comfort of his own lies when he’d promise the bad times were all behind them.
Now Juliette spun right back to asking herself why. Why had he slept with another woman? She’d revered him for the judgement and rectitude she’d believed he possessed.
The idea that he’d turned to that girl because his ego needed lifting drove Juliette insane. She’d always thought so much more of Nathan.
Suddenly Tia and Nathan were the couple, while Juliette pressed herself up to the glass of their secret family.
“Why, Nathan? Were you unsatisfied?” she’d ask. “Bored? Tired of me? What did you need that I didn’t provide?”
Except, of course, that he slept with someone for a year.
“I wish we could always be like this,” she whispered into his sleeve. “I know.” Nathan pulled her in closer. “Me too.” He’d lied, of course. If he’d wanted them to be together, he’d be here now. He’d have answered her letter. He’d have looked at Honor’s picture and recognized himself.
“I never meant to fall in love with you,” he’d once said.
How did he get the time to take her to places like the Fruitlands Museum in Lincoln? Had he been so drawn to her that he’d overcome his guilt at leaving his wife and sons for an entire day, or simply wanted an escape from them?
Your father cheated. You have a sister. I still love your father.
Why had he ever gone to that woman?
“You have a daughter, Nathan.” His hand froze. “She’s five.” He drew his hand away. “Maybe you already knew, huh?” she asked. “Did you know about her?”
She knew he wanted to jump out the window. “I know you knew that Tia was pregnant. I know that.”
“Juliette, I didn’t know about the child until I opened this. I haven’t spoken to . . . to her, since—” “Since when? Since you swore it was over? Since she told you she was pregnant?”
Sometimes it seemed that Nathan had slurped up her entire life, and she couldn’t refill the cup. After lovemaking, they’d talked for hours. Nathan’s stories of his parents’ escape from Hungary opened up a world that made history books pop into three dimensions, making her think about possibilities she’d never known she could have. Childhood dreams flooded back.
He swore he hadn’t known about the child, but he knew something.
“I simply don’t know if I can trust you. Not if you could keep such a major thing like . . . like a child from me.”
“She told you, right? That she was pregnant. So it’s not really all new.” “Yes. But I was more worried about us than anything else.”
“All I said was the girl looks like her mother. Is that so surprising? So horrible?” “You didn’t see your face,” Juliette repeated. “It was like you saw a ghost. A ghost you love.”
“She’s your daughter with her; that’s what makes it special, right?”
“For God’s sake, Caro. Savannah has about three million toys. What she doesn’t have enough of, it seems, is you.”
“It’s about . . . the child.” Tia clutched the blanket. “I . . . my wife. For God’s sake, Tia, how could you have just sent that to my house like that? Did you even think of the possibilities?” Tia shrank from his accusation. Guilt shamed her. Then anger followed.
The last time Tia had heard Nathan’s voice, she’d been five months pregnant, when she’d made her final attempt to convince Nathan to include her in his life, pleading, “But you love me! I know you do.”
“Oh, Tia, you are so unlike anyone else—so real, so authentic. I love you.”
Could he love her and also love his wife? Could he love her and turn his back on all knowledge about their child?
“She looks like us,” he said into the quiet. “The child.”
“She looks so much like Max, my younger son,” Nathan said. “Juliette couldn’t stop talking about it.”
“Did you care at all? Did you wonder if you had a son or a daughter? Were you ever going to call?” “Are you asking if I ever cared about the child or about you?”
“Juliette thinks I should see her.”
“Does your wife know we’re meeting?” Her voice shook. “Not really.” Nathan took her hand and squeezed. She recognized the feel of his skin too well. “I got you coffee and a scone.”
Nathan put down his muffin and smiled. “Don’t you love to pigeonhole me? Nothing changes, eh? Still my girl from the ’hood, aren’t you?”
“I need to know what you want, Tia. Why you sent those pictures. Juliette, well, you can only imagine how this affected her. It was terrifying when she found out.”
“You say wife as though you’re describing something awful,” Nathan said.
“Why are you angry at her? Shouldn’t it be me who gets your fury?”
“Juliette sounds the same way when she speaks of you.”
He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. He gave her the kiss hello that hadn’t come before. It was brief, their lips barely brushed. But it was a kiss.
“Juliette wants to go with me to see her.”
“Make love to me.” Tia circled her arms around Bobby’s waist. • • • Tia climbed on top. She was ready before Bobby began. Her synapses fired at a million miles per minute. Nathan. Nathan. Nathan.
Did she still love him? Did it count that her blood pumped faster since seeing Nathan? That his name was the only one she wanted to say, and that she could still feel the skin of his hand under her thumb?
Tia looked so young, younger than twenty-nine. She was twelve years younger than Juliette. Prying that information from Nathan had been like pulling rusty nails from petrified wood.
“Honor,” Tia said. “My daughter. What’s your interest in her? Why did you send Nathan to talk to me?” “Send Nathan?” “You know he came to see me, right?”
That bastard. He hadn’t even told her he’d spoken to Tia, much less that he’d gone to see her. Why keep it secret?
“He kissed me, you know. Nathan kissed me. Why do you think he did that?”
“You kissed her.” The TV remained off. “I can’t believe you kissed her.”
“Savannah. That’s her name.” Juliette worked on not screaming, not crying. “I said we should see the child, not that woman.”
“I asked her to get rid of it,” Nathan said.
“I asked her to have an abortion,” Nathan added, as though his words hadn’t been clear enough.
“She slept with a married man. She gave up a baby. I owe her nothing.”
“Get out.” Juliette spoke so low Nathan almost missed her words. “I want you out of here. Go.”
She stared into his eyes. “You love me, you love me. I know you love me. But that’s not the issue. I don’t know what to think about you. You’re defending her to me, asking my understanding. Do you understand at all what is tearing me apart? Even after all of this, you did it again. You . . . your sin of omission is leaving me out. Once again, I’m the outsider.”
“If we were in this together, you wouldn’t have gone there without telling me. You have a relationship with her whether you screw her or not, and you just proved it.” Juliette grabbed a nightgown and opened the door to their bathroom.
“Don’t tell me about overdramatic. Her? She? Why not name your beloved?” Juliette brought the nightgown closer to her chest. “Tia Adagio. Ms. Mother Teresa of mistresses.”
“Six. Six years ago.” Juliette balled the nightgown between her hands. “If you were done . . . if you and that girl—that woman—if you were truly done, you wouldn’t have lied to me about seeing her.”
She pushed him away. “Don’t touch me. Go sleep in the guest room. Your study. The fucking lawn. I don’t care where, as long as it’s not here.” She drew her knees up close and cradled them in her arms. “I want you out of here tomorrow.”
“How can we do this to the boys?” he’d asked Juliette. “I didn’t do this to the boys,” she’d answered. “You did.”
The last time he’d been at a hotel without Juliette, he’d been with Tia, the first time they slept together.
Tia’s body had amazed him, all tight muscle. Having all that and then going home to Juliette’s lushness had been an embarrassment of riches.
When he met Tia, six years ago, Lucas had been nine and Max was four. Life had become a round of chores piling upon chores, at home, at work
With Tia, he’d gone from being the daddy who was secretly sick of reading Caldecott Medal–winning illustrated children’s books to Max, and Harry Potter to Lucas, and from the husband tired of washing dishes after the dinners Juliette cooked, to appearing handsome, smart, and exciting. Even as it frightened him, what a god Tia seemed to think him.
The young woman’s adoration became addictive. He felt in love with her loving him. It sickened him, but if Nathan took up some retrospective truthfulness, they both fell in love with him.
“Make it right with Tia, so we never hear from her again.” “Find out if you love her.” “Convince me, Nathan. Convince me it’s truly over.”
“Go see her,” Juliette had said. “How?” he’d asked. “You figured out how to conceive her without me. Now figure out how to see her.”
“Juliette thinks the child is part of our family,” Nathan said. “The pictures tore her apart in more than one way.” “Our family? You and her?” “And our sons.”
Wanting Nathan hit her hard and fast. All the years of hope and need bubbled up and just about knocked her over. All blood and sensation rushed to her core. She loved and wanted this man like no other. She tugged at his belt.
“We can’t,” he said. Cold enough to shiver, humiliation stole her words. Everything in her became bound up in not crying. The horror of being pushed away, unwanted, left her without a tether, until only mortification existed. “I’m sorry,” he said.
He’d left as quickly as he could, not meeting her eyes after hugging her good-bye.
“I almost slept with Nathan,” Tia confessed. “Oh God, no. Why?” “Because he was here. Can’t even say I was drunk.” “Why was he there?” “She threw him out.” “Why?”
“You believed in him. You thought he was some sort of savior saint, but, sorry, he thought of you as an exciting lay. Nothing’s changed, Tee.”
He wanted to pretend that the other night had never happened. Bury it under a pile of being good. Coming that close to Tia had been playing with rocket fuel and matches.
“Once you liked me.” “I never stopped liking you, Tia.” “But you stopped loving me,” she said. “If you ever started.” He kept his eyes glued on traffic. “Did you ever love me?” she asked. “Of course I did. I’ll always love you.”
She pulled away from him. “I’ve spent the past six years trying to stop loving you.”
“You broke my heart, Nathan,” Tia said simply, quietly. “Everything I did, it was about you.” “I don’t think I knew that,” Nathan said. “I’m sorry.”
“Robin says I was the whore to your wife’s virgin.” She tapped him on the leg in the familiar manner of old lovers. “You know, the virgin-whore complex.”
Why the hell had he been unfaithful? The real answer made him seem like garbage. Sharing the truth of his hunger, his want to see himself through the eyes of a besotted woman, would make him seem like . . . like exactly the man he’d been.
Now Tia provided agitation, not electricity. Sleeping with her had been stupid. Had he really believed he could get away unscathed?
Juliette was probably the only real mother among them.
“Did you sleep with her?” “Of course not.” “Don’t sound offended. You haven’t earned that.”
“Have you stopped loving me?” Nathan asked. “I love you. The question is, can I forgive you? If I can’t do that, we won’t have any sort of life.”
“I can accept that, and I can even choose to believe it. But here’s the problem. Even if I can forgive you for Tia, I don’t know if I can forgive you for Savannah.”
“You denied your baby, your child. What in the world makes a man deny his child?”
As much as Nathan hurt her, she had hurt Juliette.
“I just don’t know if Juliette will take me back,” he’d said. “I’m afraid she’s lost respect for me. That really hurts. You know what I mean?”
February 22, 2013
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The lives of three women intersect, because of one man. Nathan is married to Juliette and they have two boys and a beautiful life together. For reasons he can't explain he begins an affair with Tia, a young woman from the South side of Boston. Nathan has the best of two worlds until Tia tells him she is expecting a baby. Nathan tells her to take care of it and walks out of her life. He later confesses his affair to his wife.
Tia trying to redeem herself from having an affair with a married man refuses to have an abortion. Instead Tia decides the best choice is adoption.
Caroline is a dedicated pathologist, she works long hours and hates leaving her lab. But she loves her husband very much and he's pressuring her to adopt a baby. Against her better judgement she follows through with the adoption.
Five years later, Tia can't let the idea of Nathan go. When her yearly envelope arrives with pictures of her young daughter Tia decides to send a letter to Nathan. When the letter and pictures arrive at Nathan's home, its his wife Juliette who gets the letter. Nathan never told her there was a baby, and yet there in front of her is the proof of his affair...a little girl who looks remarkably like their youngest son.
Juliette becomes obsessed with the little girl and where she is. It doesn't take long before the lives of these three women become more entangled and the outcome for all of them is uncertain.
Talk about a book you can't put down! The more I read the more I was captivated by the story. I mean I didn't even know how I wanted things to play out in the end! I kept thinking what's going to happen? Oh I don't like her or I get her, but. None of these women are perfect. You have Tia on one hand that is simply a hot mess. She needed to move on from the life that disappeared five years ago or more the life she thought she was going to have. Then Caroline, I couldn't relate to her work before everything focus. But I did like that she was trying to the best of her ability. Last, Juliette who I got. I can't imagine finding out my husband cheated. Then you work so hard to move forward to find out there was even more to the story?!? Yet, I felt for her wanting her marriage even though it was broken.
Each woman feels a connection to the child. Each woman questions what it means to be a mother. Each woman has to deal with an inner struggle.
I never knew exactly where the story was headed, I didn't know where I wanted it to go. In the end, perfect ending. Loved everything about this book. This is a perfect book for a book club! So many topics to discuss! Highly highly recommend!
The lives of three women intersect, because of one man. Nathan is married to Juliette and they have two boys and a beautiful life together. For reasons he can't explain he begins an affair with Tia, a young woman from the South side of Boston. Nathan has the best of two worlds until Tia tells him she is expecting a baby. Nathan tells her to take care of it and walks out of her life. He later confesses his affair to his wife.
Tia trying to redeem herself from having an affair with a married man refuses to have an abortion. Instead Tia decides the best choice is adoption.
Caroline is a dedicated pathologist, she works long hours and hates leaving her lab. But she loves her husband very much and he's pressuring her to adopt a baby. Against her better judgement she follows through with the adoption.
Five years later, Tia can't let the idea of Nathan go. When her yearly envelope arrives with pictures of her young daughter Tia decides to send a letter to Nathan. When the letter and pictures arrive at Nathan's home, its his wife Juliette who gets the letter. Nathan never told her there was a baby, and yet there in front of her is the proof of his affair...a little girl who looks remarkably like their youngest son.
Juliette becomes obsessed with the little girl and where she is. It doesn't take long before the lives of these three women become more entangled and the outcome for all of them is uncertain.
Talk about a book you can't put down! The more I read the more I was captivated by the story. I mean I didn't even know how I wanted things to play out in the end! I kept thinking what's going to happen? Oh I don't like her or I get her, but. None of these women are perfect. You have Tia on one hand that is simply a hot mess. She needed to move on from the life that disappeared five years ago or more the life she thought she was going to have. Then Caroline, I couldn't relate to her work before everything focus. But I did like that she was trying to the best of her ability. Last, Juliette who I got. I can't imagine finding out my husband cheated. Then you work so hard to move forward to find out there was even more to the story?!? Yet, I felt for her wanting her marriage even though it was broken.
Each woman feels a connection to the child. Each woman questions what it means to be a mother. Each woman has to deal with an inner struggle.
I never knew exactly where the story was headed, I didn't know where I wanted it to go. In the end, perfect ending. Loved everything about this book. This is a perfect book for a book club! So many topics to discuss! Highly highly recommend!
March 7, 2013
When Tia began an affair with Nathan she knew he was married with two young boys and she knew it was wrong. However, Nathan made her feel safe and cared for, something she had so rarely felt before. The well tended illusion of their love was shattered, however, when Tia became pregnant and Nathan told her in no uncertain terms that he would never leave his family to be with her. Devastated by the rejection, Tia decided to give her child up for adoption, picking a well to do couple to raise her daughter: Caroline, a pathologist researching children’s cancer, and her husband Peter. While this could easily be the ending to the story, for The Comfort of Lies it is only the beginning.
The Comfort of Lies is one of those rare books that presents distinctly flawed characters that you cannot help but root for. With the possible exception of Juliette, none of the main characters are without fault and yet this very characteristic allows the reader to feel for them and to understand the reasons they make the decisions they do, regardless of how you personally feel about these choices. It was even hard not to sympathize with Nathan, something I would never have imagined when beginning the book.
Seeing the various angles of the affair and its aftermath through the eyes of the different women was truly fascinating. It is not unusual to see the perspective of the mistress or the wronged wife but I have never read a book that presented both sides of the story along with that of the woman placed in the middle by adopting the child of the affair. Seeing each woman’s pain and uncertainty, especially Caroline and her fear that she is a horrible mother, really touched my heart and made me see infidelity and its wide spreading devastation in a whole new light.
Anyone looking for a well rounded glimpse into this subject or a book that digs deep into the very heart of its characters should pick up The Comfort of Lies. Even if you don’t agree with the choices made or the feelings presented, it is hard not to appreciate the raw honesty of everyone involved.
The Comfort of Lies is one of those rare books that presents distinctly flawed characters that you cannot help but root for. With the possible exception of Juliette, none of the main characters are without fault and yet this very characteristic allows the reader to feel for them and to understand the reasons they make the decisions they do, regardless of how you personally feel about these choices. It was even hard not to sympathize with Nathan, something I would never have imagined when beginning the book.
Seeing the various angles of the affair and its aftermath through the eyes of the different women was truly fascinating. It is not unusual to see the perspective of the mistress or the wronged wife but I have never read a book that presented both sides of the story along with that of the woman placed in the middle by adopting the child of the affair. Seeing each woman’s pain and uncertainty, especially Caroline and her fear that she is a horrible mother, really touched my heart and made me see infidelity and its wide spreading devastation in a whole new light.
Anyone looking for a well rounded glimpse into this subject or a book that digs deep into the very heart of its characters should pick up The Comfort of Lies. Even if you don’t agree with the choices made or the feelings presented, it is hard not to appreciate the raw honesty of everyone involved.
January 20, 2023
Overly long for the subject but an okay read.
August 14, 2014
What a downer. The Boston Globe review quoted on the cover says it's "...sometimes wickedly funny." What?! This was about three unhappy women doing stupid things to make their situations worse. I wanted to smack them all. Especially Tia. Like Cher said in Moonstruck: Snap out of it!
December 19, 2020
Aftermath... 5 years after an affair. We have a curious collection of characters... the cheating husband, the OW, the wife, and the couple that adopts the child that was a result of the affair.
The only characters that have any semblance to sanity are the men, was the author's goal to make women appear to be crazy or pathetic or neurotic, because that came through load and clear.
The only characters that have any semblance to sanity are the men, was the author's goal to make women appear to be crazy or pathetic or neurotic, because that came through load and clear.
May 1, 2013
Once again, I am faced with very conflicting feelings about a book that a majority of people have liked but that I have found not to be as good as I expected.
Guys, I am starting to feel like a freak here. What is wrong with me?!!
If you look at the Goodreads reviews, it seems like everyone and their mother has fallen in love with this novel, and yet . . . I am not that satisfied with it (as much as it pains me to admit this). I feel BAD writing this because it is a book that I received a free digital copy of from Netgalley and I make sure to only request those books that I am 90% sure I will adore. This book didn't work for me though and I am still trying to figure out why.
The book is about three women whose lives are connected by an illegitimate child: a 5 year old girl named Savannah. Basically, here is what happens: Juliette and Nathan are a married couple with two sons. Nathan decides to have an affair with Tia and when Tia falls in love with him and becomes pregnant with his child (purposefully, I think), Nathan promptly leaves her and goes back to Juliette and confesses his affair to her. Tia decides to have the child instead of getting an abortion and soon a little girl is born whom Tia names Honor but gives up for adoption. A couple named Caroline and Peter adopt the baby and name her Savannah. Then, 5 years go by. Tia randomly decides to send Nathan a letter with information about his daughter; Juliette intercepts the letter and become obsessed with the idea that there is a little girl out there that is Nathan's only daughter. Juliette starts acting a bit crazy and befriends Caroline hoping to get closer to Savannah while Tia finds herself becoming an alcoholic and engaging in destructive behavior because she feels so guilty for giving away her daughter. That's about the gist of it.
Now I KNOW that I was supposed to be sympathetic to the plight of the three main female characters and feel for them and relate to them and all that, but the only thing that was going through my head while I was reading was this:
oh yeah - and also this:
I didn't like ANY of the characters - they were all a bit ridiculous and very much stereotypical and predictable. There was little character growth and too many clichés. I felt like I was watching a Lifetime movie, which brings me to my next topic:
The Good Things:
* This would make an excellent movie that I am sure millions of women will flock to see. It will be as popular as The Help and My Sister's Keeper. It will be a tearjerker and will win multiple awards.
* This is a perfect book for bookclubs all over America; I am like 75% convinced Oprah will love it and recommend it to everyone.
* The ending wraps things up too quickly and neatly and fans of chick lit will definitely approve.
So, the final verdict is that I believe that MANY women will like this novel and I wouldn't fail to recommend it to most people, but if you are a hopelessly pessimistic curmudgeon like me (and Larry David, I dare say), you might feel conflicted and unsatisfied with this novel while everybody else likes it.
I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Guys, I am starting to feel like a freak here. What is wrong with me?!!
If you look at the Goodreads reviews, it seems like everyone and their mother has fallen in love with this novel, and yet . . . I am not that satisfied with it (as much as it pains me to admit this). I feel BAD writing this because it is a book that I received a free digital copy of from Netgalley and I make sure to only request those books that I am 90% sure I will adore. This book didn't work for me though and I am still trying to figure out why.
The book is about three women whose lives are connected by an illegitimate child: a 5 year old girl named Savannah. Basically, here is what happens: Juliette and Nathan are a married couple with two sons. Nathan decides to have an affair with Tia and when Tia falls in love with him and becomes pregnant with his child (purposefully, I think), Nathan promptly leaves her and goes back to Juliette and confesses his affair to her. Tia decides to have the child instead of getting an abortion and soon a little girl is born whom Tia names Honor but gives up for adoption. A couple named Caroline and Peter adopt the baby and name her Savannah. Then, 5 years go by. Tia randomly decides to send Nathan a letter with information about his daughter; Juliette intercepts the letter and become obsessed with the idea that there is a little girl out there that is Nathan's only daughter. Juliette starts acting a bit crazy and befriends Caroline hoping to get closer to Savannah while Tia finds herself becoming an alcoholic and engaging in destructive behavior because she feels so guilty for giving away her daughter. That's about the gist of it.
Now I KNOW that I was supposed to be sympathetic to the plight of the three main female characters and feel for them and relate to them and all that, but the only thing that was going through my head while I was reading was this:
oh yeah - and also this:
I didn't like ANY of the characters - they were all a bit ridiculous and very much stereotypical and predictable. There was little character growth and too many clichés. I felt like I was watching a Lifetime movie, which brings me to my next topic:
The Good Things:
* This would make an excellent movie that I am sure millions of women will flock to see. It will be as popular as The Help and My Sister's Keeper. It will be a tearjerker and will win multiple awards.
* This is a perfect book for bookclubs all over America; I am like 75% convinced Oprah will love it and recommend it to everyone.
* The ending wraps things up too quickly and neatly and fans of chick lit will definitely approve.
So, the final verdict is that I believe that MANY women will like this novel and I wouldn't fail to recommend it to most people, but if you are a hopelessly pessimistic curmudgeon like me (and Larry David, I dare say), you might feel conflicted and unsatisfied with this novel while everybody else likes it.
I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2013
Some novels tread lightly around the lives of the characters involved, and some skim around heartbreak to arrive at truth, but this book is not one of those. THE COMFORT OF LIES is an excellent and compelling peek into the troubled inner lives of three women.
The story moves along swiftly, shifting from one perspective to another, creating women so real it's impossible to believe that they are not. With a fluid writing style, Meyers sweeps the reader into a full-color world centered around the conflict between three women, caused by the infidelity of one man.
I experienced a full range of emotions while reading, the result of the story's betrayal and lies to truth and redemption. This is a novel that will forever remain in my memory.
I highly recommend this book for fans of women's fiction, and of writers like Marisa de los Santos, Juliette Fay, and Jodi Picoult.
The story moves along swiftly, shifting from one perspective to another, creating women so real it's impossible to believe that they are not. With a fluid writing style, Meyers sweeps the reader into a full-color world centered around the conflict between three women, caused by the infidelity of one man.
I experienced a full range of emotions while reading, the result of the story's betrayal and lies to truth and redemption. This is a novel that will forever remain in my memory.
I highly recommend this book for fans of women's fiction, and of writers like Marisa de los Santos, Juliette Fay, and Jodi Picoult.
February 12, 2013
One action, one reaction, one decision can change everything
Tia wanted love and thought she had found it in Nathan. The joy of them sharing a life and the baby she found she was carrying would bring everyone happiness. Nathan already had happiness with a wife and children he built a future around. Tia was a distraction he no longer desired, so he walked away and the baby they created was being loved in another woman’s house.
Caroline loved her daughter, Savannah but at times did not understand her and felt motherhood was not for her. Was it that Savannah was adopted, or something lacking in her personality? She had a great house, wonderful husband, and career everyone envied. Why did this one piece of the puzzle at times not fit, as it should? It appears the small crack in her life was about to completely break when all the factors that came to create Savannah want back into her life. This child was Caroline’s and had been so for 5 years, the problems may exist but they were not taking her daughter.
When Tia and Nathan cross paths again and bring the entire entourage, which is their lives together, old wounds must heal, and new ones be rectified. The damage Nathan has done to so many brings so much joy and pain intersecting and the women he has touched will never be the same.
What an emotional and inspirational read for everyone who understands that one moment can and does change everything. Randy Susan Meyers has captured each characters individual unique identifier showing that we all have cracks in our veneer.
Tia wanted love and thought she had found it in Nathan. The joy of them sharing a life and the baby she found she was carrying would bring everyone happiness. Nathan already had happiness with a wife and children he built a future around. Tia was a distraction he no longer desired, so he walked away and the baby they created was being loved in another woman’s house.
Caroline loved her daughter, Savannah but at times did not understand her and felt motherhood was not for her. Was it that Savannah was adopted, or something lacking in her personality? She had a great house, wonderful husband, and career everyone envied. Why did this one piece of the puzzle at times not fit, as it should? It appears the small crack in her life was about to completely break when all the factors that came to create Savannah want back into her life. This child was Caroline’s and had been so for 5 years, the problems may exist but they were not taking her daughter.
When Tia and Nathan cross paths again and bring the entire entourage, which is their lives together, old wounds must heal, and new ones be rectified. The damage Nathan has done to so many brings so much joy and pain intersecting and the women he has touched will never be the same.
What an emotional and inspirational read for everyone who understands that one moment can and does change everything. Randy Susan Meyers has captured each characters individual unique identifier showing that we all have cracks in our veneer.
January 19, 2013
The Comfort of Lies is told from the perspectives of three different women. Tia had an affair with Nathan (a married man), got pregnant, and gave the baby up for adoption five years ago. Caroline and her husband adopted the girl, though Caroline is not sure that she is cut out for motherhood. Juliette is Nathan's wife; on discovery that Nathan had a child from his affair, she becomes obsessed with the girl.
I felt very "meh" about this book. The characters are reasonably well developed, but are neither particularly likeable or detestable. There is some pretty strange behavior, but no major plot twists. The writing style is perfectly fine, but nothing that you'd feel compelled to quote. Overall, it wasn't bad, but there was nothing that really pulled me in, either.
Disclosure: I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I felt very "meh" about this book. The characters are reasonably well developed, but are neither particularly likeable or detestable. There is some pretty strange behavior, but no major plot twists. The writing style is perfectly fine, but nothing that you'd feel compelled to quote. Overall, it wasn't bad, but there was nothing that really pulled me in, either.
Disclosure: I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 13, 2013
From the publisher:
“Happiness at someone else’s expense came at a price. Tia had imagined judgment from the first kiss that she and Nathan shared. All year, she’d waited to be punished for being in love, and in truth, she believed that whatever consequences came her way would be deserved.” Five years ago, Tia fell into obsessive love with a man she could never have. Married, and the father of two boys, Nathan was unavailable in every way. When she became pregnant, he disappeared, and she gave up her baby for adoption.
Five years ago, Caroline, a dedicated pathologist, reluctantly adopted a baby to please her husband. She prayed her misgivings would disappear; instead, she’s questioning whether she’s cut out for the role of wife and mother.
Five years ago, Juliette considered her life ideal: she had a solid marriage, two beautiful young sons, and a thriving business. Then she discovered Nathan’s affair. He promised he’d never stray again, and she trusted him.
But when Juliette intercepts a letter to her husband from Tia that contains pictures of a child with a deep resemblance to her husband, her world crumbles once more. How could Nathan deny his daughter? And if he’s kept this a secret from her, what else is he hiding? Desperate for the truth, Juliette goes in search of the little girl. And before long, the three women and Nathan are on a collision course with consequences that none of them could have predicted."
My thoughts:
Randy Susan Meyers has crafted a heartwarming but seriously affecting book. Not much happens in the way of action, this is more like a play, where the action is driven through words and character interactions. Don't let that scare you off! This book is truly crafted so well, so seamlessly, that you quickly turn page after page, watching these women learn truths, discovering lies, and begin to question their own reasons for their feelings,actions and reactions.
Three women thrown together because one, Tia, had an affair with a married man and that affair produced a baby. Three women who control each other's lives, whether they want to or not. In the center of them all is the little five year old. I love that the author made adoption an option here, my favorite family member was adopted and so I am aware of the joys and complications that come with adoption.
The Comfort of Lies brings us together as a family or group of friends. See, I really liked each of the women, Tia, Carolyn and Juliette. Author Randy Susan Meyers has written real people, we know women like them, we are women like them. We make bad choices for the wrong reason, we make good choices for the wrong reason, we make good choices for the right reasons and we all make good choices for the best of reasons. We do the best that we can. Who's to know how our choices affect people we don't know? We have to live with those choices, and I like the way the characters dealt with and worked out their emotions, in real and believable ways. I haven't read a book that dealt with real live issues in such an honest way, no fantasy endings and no fairy tale unreality. But I can promise a strong, believable ending.
The Comfort of Lies takes the reader in a wonderful, thought provoking journey, I can see this being a great book club selection because the situations and the women are so wonderfully written, it automatically opens the door for discussions.
I can't drag you to a book store or an online book seller, but I can tell you that I think it's worth your time and money to add this to your "need to read" list. Matter of fact, bump it to the top. I did.
I'm adding it to my own book club selections, I hope you read it, it's heart warming and heart breaking. Both in a good way.
I sure hope Ms. Meyers' agent is actively looking for someone to option The Comfort of Lies for a movie or a play adaptation, it'd be perfect!
5 out of 5 stars!
“Happiness at someone else’s expense came at a price. Tia had imagined judgment from the first kiss that she and Nathan shared. All year, she’d waited to be punished for being in love, and in truth, she believed that whatever consequences came her way would be deserved.” Five years ago, Tia fell into obsessive love with a man she could never have. Married, and the father of two boys, Nathan was unavailable in every way. When she became pregnant, he disappeared, and she gave up her baby for adoption.
Five years ago, Caroline, a dedicated pathologist, reluctantly adopted a baby to please her husband. She prayed her misgivings would disappear; instead, she’s questioning whether she’s cut out for the role of wife and mother.
Five years ago, Juliette considered her life ideal: she had a solid marriage, two beautiful young sons, and a thriving business. Then she discovered Nathan’s affair. He promised he’d never stray again, and she trusted him.
But when Juliette intercepts a letter to her husband from Tia that contains pictures of a child with a deep resemblance to her husband, her world crumbles once more. How could Nathan deny his daughter? And if he’s kept this a secret from her, what else is he hiding? Desperate for the truth, Juliette goes in search of the little girl. And before long, the three women and Nathan are on a collision course with consequences that none of them could have predicted."
My thoughts:
Randy Susan Meyers has crafted a heartwarming but seriously affecting book. Not much happens in the way of action, this is more like a play, where the action is driven through words and character interactions. Don't let that scare you off! This book is truly crafted so well, so seamlessly, that you quickly turn page after page, watching these women learn truths, discovering lies, and begin to question their own reasons for their feelings,actions and reactions.
Three women thrown together because one, Tia, had an affair with a married man and that affair produced a baby. Three women who control each other's lives, whether they want to or not. In the center of them all is the little five year old. I love that the author made adoption an option here, my favorite family member was adopted and so I am aware of the joys and complications that come with adoption.
The Comfort of Lies brings us together as a family or group of friends. See, I really liked each of the women, Tia, Carolyn and Juliette. Author Randy Susan Meyers has written real people, we know women like them, we are women like them. We make bad choices for the wrong reason, we make good choices for the wrong reason, we make good choices for the right reasons and we all make good choices for the best of reasons. We do the best that we can. Who's to know how our choices affect people we don't know? We have to live with those choices, and I like the way the characters dealt with and worked out their emotions, in real and believable ways. I haven't read a book that dealt with real live issues in such an honest way, no fantasy endings and no fairy tale unreality. But I can promise a strong, believable ending.
The Comfort of Lies takes the reader in a wonderful, thought provoking journey, I can see this being a great book club selection because the situations and the women are so wonderfully written, it automatically opens the door for discussions.
I can't drag you to a book store or an online book seller, but I can tell you that I think it's worth your time and money to add this to your "need to read" list. Matter of fact, bump it to the top. I did.
I'm adding it to my own book club selections, I hope you read it, it's heart warming and heart breaking. Both in a good way.
I sure hope Ms. Meyers' agent is actively looking for someone to option The Comfort of Lies for a movie or a play adaptation, it'd be perfect!
5 out of 5 stars!
March 28, 2013
**First of I would like to thank Atria Books for giving me this copy, via Netgalley**
I'm unsure how I felt when reading The Comfort of Lies, was I moved? Did I connect to the characters? Not really. I had certain expectations going into this, I thought when I sat down to read it that maybe I should move the tissue box a little closer, just in case.
I didn't need them.
I guess all the characters could make someone feel for them, but for most part any low times and sadness is due to their own actions. Everyone in this book makes mistakes, they do things they shouldn't, say and have thoughts they wish could be taken back, but that is life. We all do or say things we shouldn't, there isn't anyone who has never lied. The only innocents in this book, are the children involved.
I do need to give some praise to the author, Randy Susan Meyers. It was well written and kept my attention despite my lack of connection to the characters, just because I wasn't moved by them didn't take away my enjoyment of the story. Also I should address that I didn't not like any of them, I just couldn't feel the connection I have in the past with other characters.
As I neared the end I was happy where everything and everyone was going. Even though I couldn't place myself in any ones shoes, I was happy for them. Because without the character growth I think my review and rating would be more negative.
Overall I found The Comfort of Lies to be good story, written well with characters growing to be better people.
3.5 to 4 stars.
I also wanted to add, that I really like the title and I find the it to be the most perfect one for this book. After reading it I can't see it being called anything else.
"Finally, it's all out in the open, and we can be a family without the holding on to the comfort of lies."
I'm unsure how I felt when reading The Comfort of Lies, was I moved? Did I connect to the characters? Not really. I had certain expectations going into this, I thought when I sat down to read it that maybe I should move the tissue box a little closer, just in case.
I didn't need them.
I guess all the characters could make someone feel for them, but for most part any low times and sadness is due to their own actions. Everyone in this book makes mistakes, they do things they shouldn't, say and have thoughts they wish could be taken back, but that is life. We all do or say things we shouldn't, there isn't anyone who has never lied. The only innocents in this book, are the children involved.
I do need to give some praise to the author, Randy Susan Meyers. It was well written and kept my attention despite my lack of connection to the characters, just because I wasn't moved by them didn't take away my enjoyment of the story. Also I should address that I didn't not like any of them, I just couldn't feel the connection I have in the past with other characters.
As I neared the end I was happy where everything and everyone was going. Even though I couldn't place myself in any ones shoes, I was happy for them. Because without the character growth I think my review and rating would be more negative.
Overall I found The Comfort of Lies to be good story, written well with characters growing to be better people.
3.5 to 4 stars.
I also wanted to add, that I really like the title and I find the it to be the most perfect one for this book. After reading it I can't see it being called anything else.
"Finally, it's all out in the open, and we can be a family without the holding on to the comfort of lies."
January 14, 2013
Tia was seeing a married man named Nathan. That is until Tia told him that she was pregnant with his child. Nathan told Tia to take care of the situation but that he was not leaving his family. Tia gives birth to a baby girl. She gives her up for adoption.
Juliette is the wife of Nathan. She has a happy family with Nathan and her two boys. Everything is perfect. That is until Nathan breaks the news that he had an affair.
Caroline and Peter adopt Tia’s baby and name her Savannah. Although to Tia she will always be known in her heart as Honor.
Tia, Juliette, and Caroline are about to see how one little girl can connect all three of their lives together.
I first got my taste of Mrs. Meyers when I read The Murderer’s Daughter. I instantly fell in love with that book. So when I say Mrs. Meyers had a new book releasing, I had to check it out.
This book is definitely character driven. I loved to hate some of the characters. Caroline for example. I thought that she was mean towards Savannah in the beginning and selfish. It was like she did not want to be bothered with having a child in her life. Caroline’s husband, Peter on the other hand was a great father. Another person that I felt got on my nerves at times was Juliette. I could side with her for what she was going through and the feelings she had towards Nathan and Savannah. However, on the other hand I did feel like Juliette took things a bit far with her obsession involving Savannah. Tia did learn just how right her mother was as she struggled with her decision to give up Honor. This book is a quick read. The Comfort of Lies is a book that will have you talking about it in a good way. This book will also have you suggesting it to your friends to read.
Juliette is the wife of Nathan. She has a happy family with Nathan and her two boys. Everything is perfect. That is until Nathan breaks the news that he had an affair.
Caroline and Peter adopt Tia’s baby and name her Savannah. Although to Tia she will always be known in her heart as Honor.
Tia, Juliette, and Caroline are about to see how one little girl can connect all three of their lives together.
I first got my taste of Mrs. Meyers when I read The Murderer’s Daughter. I instantly fell in love with that book. So when I say Mrs. Meyers had a new book releasing, I had to check it out.
This book is definitely character driven. I loved to hate some of the characters. Caroline for example. I thought that she was mean towards Savannah in the beginning and selfish. It was like she did not want to be bothered with having a child in her life. Caroline’s husband, Peter on the other hand was a great father. Another person that I felt got on my nerves at times was Juliette. I could side with her for what she was going through and the feelings she had towards Nathan and Savannah. However, on the other hand I did feel like Juliette took things a bit far with her obsession involving Savannah. Tia did learn just how right her mother was as she struggled with her decision to give up Honor. This book is a quick read. The Comfort of Lies is a book that will have you talking about it in a good way. This book will also have you suggesting it to your friends to read.
October 1, 2013
As the book jackets states, this is the story of three women whose lives intersect over a baby. It is definitely that with all the associated angst oozing out. While I was able to get through it all (I’m on vacation and have lots of time and few books), it is a quickly forgettable book with stereotypical and bland characters. The single women who becomes pregnant from her affair with a married man and then turns to drink and drugs to deal with the psychic aftermath of relinquishing her child. She also loses her job in the process. The brilliant research doctor who reluctantly adopts the child to keep her husband happy and stresses over her dislike of motherhood and how having a child makes her feel guilty about staying late at work even though she is doing important cancer research. And then the co-founder of a growing business empire whose husband fathered the child and who herself is an expert at stirring the pot. Although the plot didn’t go exactly where I had predicted from the beginning, it was pretty close. I found it to be an unlikely set of events, a bland set of characters, and, generally speaking, not the best use of my time.
October 6, 2013
So, I almost abandoned this book about half way through; when I got done reading it I wished I had. This is the type of book that completely rubs me the wrong way. All of the character's in the book are on a journey to discover that they are in fact exactly where they should be in their lives. None of them were likeable and the plot was slow, predictable and lacked emotion. This was not for me.
June 1, 2015
Predictable, unexciting, unrealistic. I wanted to like it, but I should have known it would not be my cup of tea from the synopsis. I wanted to shake all three of these women (and believe me the men were not one bit better).
April 20, 2015
3.5 stars
Three mothers. Two fathers. One daughter. What a tangled web we weave...
This book was refreshing for me, in that I had just read 3 or 4 books that I devoured quickly - they were can't-put-'em-down reads. Compared to the pace I had been on, this was like a leisurely visit, something to ponder over almost a whole week.
And there was a lot to ponder.
This book was challenging for me because I am adopted. And the mess that this turns into is exactly why I stay away from making any efforts to track down my biological family :)
So we have a husband, Nathan, who cheats on his wife, Juliette, with Tia. Tia gets pregnant and tells him, he strongly suggests an abortion and leaves, and they don't speak again. Tia can't make this decision, but she does decide she can't raise the baby. So, through an open adoption, she gives her child to Peter and Caroline, a wealthy couple who can't conceive. Tia gets a photo and letter every year. One year, she can't fight her impulses anymore. So she sends a copy of all the photos she has of the child to Nathan. The letter is found by his wife, and things go awry from there.
Oddly enough, I found myself feeling most sympathetic to Juliette, Nathan's wife, the one woman who has no legal or biological claim to the child. Perhaps it's because she comes across as the least selfish, the most interested in the child's well-being, the most concerned about giving this child a sense of family, perhaps even at her own expense.
I'm mostly indifferent to Caroline, the adoptive mother. She struggles with being a mother, never really wanted to. There is a turning point where it's clear that she is attached to her child, and will protect her and her family. But until that point, it's very hard to attach to her. Sure, it's easy to understand that not every woman is made to stay at home, bake cookies, and give up her self to her family. But loving a child you've had since she was a couple days old shouldn't be as hard as Caroline makes it.
Tia, the birth mother, is my least favorite character, and this was very surprising to me. I have nothing but positive feelings towards my own birth mother and her choices; I pass no judgment and feel no regret at the decision she made. But Tia is nothing but full of self-judgment and regret, and it almost destroys everyone in this story. She admits that she didn't give up her child out of a concern for the child's well-being, but because she couldn't bear a reminder of her lover, the one she had no claim to. She recklessly mails off photos to Nathan, with no thought of his wife or children detonating this bomb, and thinks his lack of response to this letter is about her and him. She is constantly surprised about the bond that exists between Nathan, his wife, and their children, even though she still feels so bonded to the child she gave up 5 years ago that she can't even think of her by the name the parents gave her, Savannah. She is selfish, reckless, and immature. She has a moment of redemption, too, but it's hard to forget the precarious position she put all of them in, thoughtlessly.
I really liked the way the author compared these women to their mothers' generations and marriages. It gave a very complete view of womanhood at various stages, and various eras. I also liked that no one got a pass - even Juliette has things to apologize for and work on, and Peter, Caroline's husband, has to make concessions if he wants his family to be the way he wants it, not just demand that it somehow should just happen.
The one voice I thought was lost here was Savannah's, perhaps the most important voice in all of this. True, she is only 5. But that's all the more reason more people should be fighting to protect her from this chaos. The author does a fair job of capturing the curiosity of an adopted child at this age of understanding it all (I remember how I was dealing with it at this age myself). But her view of it all is very incomplete. No, she couldn't understand all the nuances at this age. Still, I'm sure she has more opinions and has drawn more conclusions - even incorrect ones - than the author explores here. Perhaps the absence of Savannah's voice serves to heighten the selfishness and immaturity of the adults around her.
All in all, a very good read. I would recommend it to anyone, and would like to read more by this author.
Three mothers. Two fathers. One daughter. What a tangled web we weave...
This book was refreshing for me, in that I had just read 3 or 4 books that I devoured quickly - they were can't-put-'em-down reads. Compared to the pace I had been on, this was like a leisurely visit, something to ponder over almost a whole week.
And there was a lot to ponder.
This book was challenging for me because I am adopted. And the mess that this turns into is exactly why I stay away from making any efforts to track down my biological family :)
So we have a husband, Nathan, who cheats on his wife, Juliette, with Tia. Tia gets pregnant and tells him, he strongly suggests an abortion and leaves, and they don't speak again. Tia can't make this decision, but she does decide she can't raise the baby. So, through an open adoption, she gives her child to Peter and Caroline, a wealthy couple who can't conceive. Tia gets a photo and letter every year. One year, she can't fight her impulses anymore. So she sends a copy of all the photos she has of the child to Nathan. The letter is found by his wife, and things go awry from there.
Oddly enough, I found myself feeling most sympathetic to Juliette, Nathan's wife, the one woman who has no legal or biological claim to the child. Perhaps it's because she comes across as the least selfish, the most interested in the child's well-being, the most concerned about giving this child a sense of family, perhaps even at her own expense.
I'm mostly indifferent to Caroline, the adoptive mother. She struggles with being a mother, never really wanted to. There is a turning point where it's clear that she is attached to her child, and will protect her and her family. But until that point, it's very hard to attach to her. Sure, it's easy to understand that not every woman is made to stay at home, bake cookies, and give up her self to her family. But loving a child you've had since she was a couple days old shouldn't be as hard as Caroline makes it.
Tia, the birth mother, is my least favorite character, and this was very surprising to me. I have nothing but positive feelings towards my own birth mother and her choices; I pass no judgment and feel no regret at the decision she made. But Tia is nothing but full of self-judgment and regret, and it almost destroys everyone in this story. She admits that she didn't give up her child out of a concern for the child's well-being, but because she couldn't bear a reminder of her lover, the one she had no claim to. She recklessly mails off photos to Nathan, with no thought of his wife or children detonating this bomb, and thinks his lack of response to this letter is about her and him. She is constantly surprised about the bond that exists between Nathan, his wife, and their children, even though she still feels so bonded to the child she gave up 5 years ago that she can't even think of her by the name the parents gave her, Savannah. She is selfish, reckless, and immature. She has a moment of redemption, too, but it's hard to forget the precarious position she put all of them in, thoughtlessly.
I really liked the way the author compared these women to their mothers' generations and marriages. It gave a very complete view of womanhood at various stages, and various eras. I also liked that no one got a pass - even Juliette has things to apologize for and work on, and Peter, Caroline's husband, has to make concessions if he wants his family to be the way he wants it, not just demand that it somehow should just happen.
The one voice I thought was lost here was Savannah's, perhaps the most important voice in all of this. True, she is only 5. But that's all the more reason more people should be fighting to protect her from this chaos. The author does a fair job of capturing the curiosity of an adopted child at this age of understanding it all (I remember how I was dealing with it at this age myself). But her view of it all is very incomplete. No, she couldn't understand all the nuances at this age. Still, I'm sure she has more opinions and has drawn more conclusions - even incorrect ones - than the author explores here. Perhaps the absence of Savannah's voice serves to heighten the selfishness and immaturity of the adults around her.
All in all, a very good read. I would recommend it to anyone, and would like to read more by this author.
December 23, 2015
I'm still digesting this book. The book description sets the book up perfectly. The reader knows the basic facts and the characters involved. But this is contemporary lit which involves complex relationships.
The best way to approach this book is to withhold judgment which is incredibly difficult, given the subject matter. This helps with understanding all points of view.
Nathan is a middle aged college professor who stupidly has an affair with a vulnerable young woman. He loves his wife and his sons but he is somehow able to disconnect and be something else without the responsibilities of real life. Until it becomes real and Tia announces her pregnancy.
Now we are five years post affair. Juliette has forgiven her husband but not forgotten. They have made peace and fallen into a rhythm of family. Nathan has buried his sins by being an upstanding father and husband. Then Tia's pictures arrive and Juliette has to relive the deceit and rejection all over again. This was my favorite relationship that Meyers explored. There are no easy answers but each person has to be willing to swallow some pride and look honestly at themselves and what they can accept from their spouse. Which leads me to Caroline and Peter.
This the couple that adopted Savannah. They live on different planes. Peter measures happiness by wealth. Caroline believes she not maternal enough to be a mother. Caroline, with her calculating, scientific mind, became my favorite character as she cut through the crap in conversations. It is another complicated relationship that includes Peter and Savannah with an ongoing conclusion to their stagnated lifestyle.
Tia is a rather tragic figure. Although not spelled out, Tia swims in her own victim hood. She is still obsessed with Nathan and it is her actions that is the catalyst to the crisis. Not that I disagreed with her stirring the proverbial pot. Although I didn't particularly like her, she brings a perspective to the paradigm that needs to be addressed. She paints Juliette, whom she does not know, in a light that Juliette would not fit. In Tia's mind, Juliette is the villain. Nathan chose his wife and sons over Tia and his unknown child.
Truthfully, I don't know how I feel about the conclusion of the book but I do feel satisfied with each of the women's personal growth and acceptance. It is still an extremely painful subject to address but the author delves deeply into each of the psyches of the players and the relationships.
The best way to approach this book is to withhold judgment which is incredibly difficult, given the subject matter. This helps with understanding all points of view.
Nathan is a middle aged college professor who stupidly has an affair with a vulnerable young woman. He loves his wife and his sons but he is somehow able to disconnect and be something else without the responsibilities of real life. Until it becomes real and Tia announces her pregnancy.
Now we are five years post affair. Juliette has forgiven her husband but not forgotten. They have made peace and fallen into a rhythm of family. Nathan has buried his sins by being an upstanding father and husband. Then Tia's pictures arrive and Juliette has to relive the deceit and rejection all over again. This was my favorite relationship that Meyers explored. There are no easy answers but each person has to be willing to swallow some pride and look honestly at themselves and what they can accept from their spouse. Which leads me to Caroline and Peter.
This the couple that adopted Savannah. They live on different planes. Peter measures happiness by wealth. Caroline believes she not maternal enough to be a mother. Caroline, with her calculating, scientific mind, became my favorite character as she cut through the crap in conversations. It is another complicated relationship that includes Peter and Savannah with an ongoing conclusion to their stagnated lifestyle.
Tia is a rather tragic figure. Although not spelled out, Tia swims in her own victim hood. She is still obsessed with Nathan and it is her actions that is the catalyst to the crisis. Not that I disagreed with her stirring the proverbial pot. Although I didn't particularly like her, she brings a perspective to the paradigm that needs to be addressed. She paints Juliette, whom she does not know, in a light that Juliette would not fit. In Tia's mind, Juliette is the villain. Nathan chose his wife and sons over Tia and his unknown child.
Truthfully, I don't know how I feel about the conclusion of the book but I do feel satisfied with each of the women's personal growth and acceptance. It is still an extremely painful subject to address but the author delves deeply into each of the psyches of the players and the relationships.
February 21, 2013
Randy Susan Meyers' THE COMFORT OF LIES will have you burning the midnight oil. It's an impossible-to-put-down kind of book.
Five years ago Tia and Nathan had an affair that produced a baby. The problem is that Nathan was married and loved his wife Juliette. Tia believed she had found her soul mate and convinced herself that Nathan felt the same about her but he had no intention of leaving Juliette.
Nathan confessed the affair to Juliette but never mentioned the pregnancy, assuming that Tia would “take care of it.” Juliette finally is able to forgive Nathan and get on with their lives.
Tia put the baby up for adoption. Caroline, a die-hard workaholic, wasn't sure she wanted to adopt a child but gave in to make her husband Peter happy.
Juliette intercepted a letter from Tia to Nathan and learns he has a daughter. Now she questions whether she can trust Nathan at all. Did he go back to Tia? Is their affair not over? Has he had other affairs?
Juliette makes it her mission to find out about the baby who is now five years old. Her journey brings Nathan, Tia, Caroline, Peter, and the little girl Savannah together in ways you would not have imagined.
THE COMFORT OF LIES is a must read.
Five years ago Tia and Nathan had an affair that produced a baby. The problem is that Nathan was married and loved his wife Juliette. Tia believed she had found her soul mate and convinced herself that Nathan felt the same about her but he had no intention of leaving Juliette.
Nathan confessed the affair to Juliette but never mentioned the pregnancy, assuming that Tia would “take care of it.” Juliette finally is able to forgive Nathan and get on with their lives.
Tia put the baby up for adoption. Caroline, a die-hard workaholic, wasn't sure she wanted to adopt a child but gave in to make her husband Peter happy.
Juliette intercepted a letter from Tia to Nathan and learns he has a daughter. Now she questions whether she can trust Nathan at all. Did he go back to Tia? Is their affair not over? Has he had other affairs?
Juliette makes it her mission to find out about the baby who is now five years old. Her journey brings Nathan, Tia, Caroline, Peter, and the little girl Savannah together in ways you would not have imagined.
THE COMFORT OF LIES is a must read.
May 8, 2014
I agree with several other reviewers - the women in this novel were all so unlikable, I found it difficult to invest in, or root for, any of them! They seemed more like caricatures than characters - needy, self-loathing, fragile Tia still can't get over Nathan five years later; career-obsessed Caroline wants out of motherhood and wishes she could just have her "old life" back; beautiful, successful Juliette goes completely nuts when she learns about Nathan's daughter.
As much as I disliked her, I actually thought that the only person's behavior that was moderately believable was Juliette. True, she went to some crazy lengths to meet Caroline, scope out Tia's current situation, and force Nathan to meet Savannah, but I thought her struggle with whether or not she could ever truly forgive Nathan, and whether or not she really wanted their life together (or whether a life with him at any cost was worth more than her life without him) was believable.
I liked "The Murderer's Daughters" much better than this novel and would like to read more by Randy Susan Meyers, but overall this fell flat for me.
As much as I disliked her, I actually thought that the only person's behavior that was moderately believable was Juliette. True, she went to some crazy lengths to meet Caroline, scope out Tia's current situation, and force Nathan to meet Savannah, but I thought her struggle with whether or not she could ever truly forgive Nathan, and whether or not she really wanted their life together (or whether a life with him at any cost was worth more than her life without him) was believable.
I liked "The Murderer's Daughters" much better than this novel and would like to read more by Randy Susan Meyers, but overall this fell flat for me.
February 25, 2013
In the midst of a sinus infection, combined with a large stack of papers to grade, I COULD NOT put this book down...the various perspectives offered, along with the depth of character development, all gave the characters in this book, personalities that readers can definitely identify with...in addition, this is an ideal read for book clubs, since there are so many moments/decisions/situations to discuss....relatable characters allows readers to either identity thru themselves or others, their own personal reactions to the situations these characters face...2013 has definitely started off great for women's fiction...
And as a side note, I recently had the privilege and honor of meeting the author, Randy Susan Meyers at a book signing...what a great discussion we had, and her personality is so witty and charming you'll feel as though you've been friends for a lifetime...if the opportunity arises that she comes close to your city/town while on her current book tour, I strongly recommend going to see her...you won't be disappointed!!!
And as a side note, I recently had the privilege and honor of meeting the author, Randy Susan Meyers at a book signing...what a great discussion we had, and her personality is so witty and charming you'll feel as though you've been friends for a lifetime...if the opportunity arises that she comes close to your city/town while on her current book tour, I strongly recommend going to see her...you won't be disappointed!!!
February 7, 2017
I'll save everyone the time and effort to read 325 pages--just read the blurb or the cover jacket, and that's about 300 of the pages right there. I kept waiting for the story to happen.
As an aside, since I know nothing about New York neighborhoods I had no idea of the setting of any of the families. Meyers did so much research on two of the women's occupations (research of eye cancer and development a skin care line) but I was just skimming all those details. Way too much info that wasn't necessary at all and dragged the storyline.
Actually I think Tia's work with seniors was the best part of the book and Meyers should think about fleshing out the story of the wife who "helped" her husband!
I think Meyers is a fine writer and I'll try another of her book...but I'd fire the blurb writer for giving too much away.
As an aside, since I know nothing about New York neighborhoods I had no idea of the setting of any of the families. Meyers did so much research on two of the women's occupations (research of eye cancer and development a skin care line) but I was just skimming all those details. Way too much info that wasn't necessary at all and dragged the storyline.
Actually I think Tia's work with seniors was the best part of the book and Meyers should think about fleshing out the story of the wife who "helped" her husband!
I think Meyers is a fine writer and I'll try another of her book...but I'd fire the blurb writer for giving too much away.
November 3, 2012
I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of this book. I am a fan of Meyers's debut novel THE MURDERER"S DAUGHTERS so I had my hopes up for this one and it more than lived up to them. The first thing I love about Randy Susan Meyers's work is how un-prettied up her characters are. They aren't saints. They aren't Pollyannas. They are just people trying to get through their lives - complete with mistakes and with compromises and with unexpected connections made too. They're the sort of characters you think about after finishing the book. They are complex and they leave puzzles to consider. Just as real people do. THE COMFORT OF LIES is the sort of book you'll pick up to reread soon after finishing and will also want to share with your friends.
March 27, 2013
I ended up liking this book more then I thought I would. I usually dislike books populated by whiney,spoiled and selfish characters and this book had plenty of them. The writing was good and story was interesting and they mostly ended up likable. 4 Stars
October 14, 2014
Arghhhh
This book insults every part of my female being.
Can't believe how anyone is capable of writing and publishing such bunch of unrealistic and insulting stuff about women.
This book insults every part of my female being.
Can't believe how anyone is capable of writing and publishing such bunch of unrealistic and insulting stuff about women.
April 20, 2015
"'Have you considered that you're in the wrong place? Maybe you think you're standing still because you are. You're the only one who can move yourself.'"
"Dear God, why did she ever let him in her bed? Becoming imprinted on a man was too easy. Sleep with one damned man in five years, boom, you're marked. Being wanted, even by the worst of them, opened the door to that awful gratitude brought on merely by the knowledge of that desire. Couple that with the simple pleasure of a warm body and having someone who'd know if you died in the night, and zap, you could end up married to anyone."
"Would Juliette's father have been gloomy if her mother hadn't been around to lighten him? Her mother's soul was made of helium. Juliette worried that she too had a buoyant soul. If she were more melancholy, then Nathan wouldn't have lost interest in her and strayed to more troubled women."
"Occasionally Nathan admired women's willingness to examine one another's relationships, but most of the time it drove him crazy. Like Juliette and Gwynne: Nathan was positive that Gwynne knew everything he did, especially the bad things. At times it made him uncomfortable to be with Gwynne, knowing she'd heard about everything, from his affair, to how he compulsively checked his hairline every morning."
"Gandhi said that forgiveness was the attribute of the strong. She just didn't know if she had that sort of strength."
"However, if she waited too long, her marriage would be beyond repair. She believed that. They'd lose their rhythm. Everything good about them lived in that beam of belonging to each other. Wonderful things danced inside that connection. The boys. Their merged families. Comfort, support, lust---all of it was wrapped up inside that live wire between her and Nathan."
"'I don't think you lose someone from loving them the right way.' She pressed her hands into his back. 'We're a family We became one the day we took Savannah in our arms. That miracle will never stop. Maybe now we have another bit of magic to be grateful for. Finally, it's all out in the open, and we can be a family without the holding on to the comfort of lies.'"
"Dear God, why did she ever let him in her bed? Becoming imprinted on a man was too easy. Sleep with one damned man in five years, boom, you're marked. Being wanted, even by the worst of them, opened the door to that awful gratitude brought on merely by the knowledge of that desire. Couple that with the simple pleasure of a warm body and having someone who'd know if you died in the night, and zap, you could end up married to anyone."
"Would Juliette's father have been gloomy if her mother hadn't been around to lighten him? Her mother's soul was made of helium. Juliette worried that she too had a buoyant soul. If she were more melancholy, then Nathan wouldn't have lost interest in her and strayed to more troubled women."
"Occasionally Nathan admired women's willingness to examine one another's relationships, but most of the time it drove him crazy. Like Juliette and Gwynne: Nathan was positive that Gwynne knew everything he did, especially the bad things. At times it made him uncomfortable to be with Gwynne, knowing she'd heard about everything, from his affair, to how he compulsively checked his hairline every morning."
"Gandhi said that forgiveness was the attribute of the strong. She just didn't know if she had that sort of strength."
"However, if she waited too long, her marriage would be beyond repair. She believed that. They'd lose their rhythm. Everything good about them lived in that beam of belonging to each other. Wonderful things danced inside that connection. The boys. Their merged families. Comfort, support, lust---all of it was wrapped up inside that live wire between her and Nathan."
"'I don't think you lose someone from loving them the right way.' She pressed her hands into his back. 'We're a family We became one the day we took Savannah in our arms. That miracle will never stop. Maybe now we have another bit of magic to be grateful for. Finally, it's all out in the open, and we can be a family without the holding on to the comfort of lies.'"
April 6, 2013
Gripping/heart wrenching/angst ridden story. Mrs. Meyers certainly does an amazing job writing a book using different character voices/perspectives. Great execution on this aspect. I read The Murderers Daughters directly after and although this style was used, the storylines were so different it was hard to believe they were from the same author. Although, her ability to pull a readers emotion into the story is equally strong.
I really struggle reading books where infidelity is one of the main premises and although this was what drove the entire story, I didn't feel like I could hate the offenders. However, this always overrides the storyline for me (I become more engrossed in the emotions from that aspect, then in the key storyline). My takeaway should have been more about the Savannah and Caroline, then Tia, Nathan and Juliette. However, I know my weakness and I know I will latch onto that part of the story. Anyway, points to the author for making Nathan a decent enough guy ( I liked how in the end he realizes he doesn't even LIKE TIA)and I really got Juliette and her side of the emotional roller coaster that comes from this type of story. I definitely sided with her and felt she made most of the better decisions. I was NOT AT ALL a fan of Tia but I could excuse her weakness/obsession as she truly was loathing of herself and in the end, she owned her bad behavior ( her friend so eloquently pointed out that She had wronged Juliette...and she accepted it. Tia was just simply not likable - I had no tolerance for anything she did or said ( her work ethics, bitchiness with old friends, etc). Honestly I read over parts of Caroline's story but I could understand her feeling pushed into the adoption and not feeling like she was a good mother. I think in doing this I read over whatever it was she did as a mother that was so horrible - she seemed attentive enough of Savannah and I must have missed what Juliette found that was a tip off that Paul and Caroline were not good people.
I really struggle reading books where infidelity is one of the main premises and although this was what drove the entire story, I didn't feel like I could hate the offenders. However, this always overrides the storyline for me (I become more engrossed in the emotions from that aspect, then in the key storyline). My takeaway should have been more about the Savannah and Caroline, then Tia, Nathan and Juliette. However, I know my weakness and I know I will latch onto that part of the story. Anyway, points to the author for making Nathan a decent enough guy ( I liked how in the end he realizes he doesn't even LIKE TIA)and I really got Juliette and her side of the emotional roller coaster that comes from this type of story. I definitely sided with her and felt she made most of the better decisions. I was NOT AT ALL a fan of Tia but I could excuse her weakness/obsession as she truly was loathing of herself and in the end, she owned her bad behavior ( her friend so eloquently pointed out that She had wronged Juliette...and she accepted it. Tia was just simply not likable - I had no tolerance for anything she did or said ( her work ethics, bitchiness with old friends, etc). Honestly I read over parts of Caroline's story but I could understand her feeling pushed into the adoption and not feeling like she was a good mother. I think in doing this I read over whatever it was she did as a mother that was so horrible - she seemed attentive enough of Savannah and I must have missed what Juliette found that was a tip off that Paul and Caroline were not good people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2014
3.5 - 4 stars I more than liked it and over time I think I will get to 4 stars....
First off, I have to say that I work with adoptive families so I am sure has in some way affected my review.....
I really like books where each chapter is written from a different character's perspectives - I feel that I am able to hear their voices come through. That this book dealt with adoption wasn't necesarily the reason I chose it but it probably is why it moved up my to read list faster than others.
I liked the charactes and felt the author developed them in a real way - even making their flaws something that were relatable while not trying to make me sympathetic to them. At time, I struggled with liking Tia - but at the end saw how without her struggles, it would not have ended like it did.
The main reason I struggle to give it more than 3.5 stars is because of the part where Tia's boyfriend wants to hire an attorney and get her daughter back. I get it - this is a book of fiction ---but because of my work, I deal regularly with the fears adoptive families have about birth parents and I work hard to alleviate that fear and books - Yes, even fiction books - help keep stereotypes alive.
I did love how in the book the adoptive mom looks to research about open adoption - is HONEST about her feelings of being a mom even when it's hard to admit you might not feel you are a good mother - and ultimately decides (and helps her husband see) that it's not what is best for her husband and herself - but that which is best for her daughter.....
funny how while I did not always like Tia my favorite lines come from her and they resonate in me....
page 320 "Maybe the world was made up of two kinds of people; those who flourished by staying in native soil, and those who needed to find the place that help the right nutrients for their soul."
First off, I have to say that I work with adoptive families so I am sure has in some way affected my review.....
I really like books where each chapter is written from a different character's perspectives - I feel that I am able to hear their voices come through. That this book dealt with adoption wasn't necesarily the reason I chose it but it probably is why it moved up my to read list faster than others.
I liked the charactes and felt the author developed them in a real way - even making their flaws something that were relatable while not trying to make me sympathetic to them. At time, I struggled with liking Tia - but at the end saw how without her struggles, it would not have ended like it did.
The main reason I struggle to give it more than 3.5 stars is because of the part where Tia's boyfriend wants to hire an attorney and get her daughter back. I get it - this is a book of fiction ---but because of my work, I deal regularly with the fears adoptive families have about birth parents and I work hard to alleviate that fear and books - Yes, even fiction books - help keep stereotypes alive.
I did love how in the book the adoptive mom looks to research about open adoption - is HONEST about her feelings of being a mom even when it's hard to admit you might not feel you are a good mother - and ultimately decides (and helps her husband see) that it's not what is best for her husband and herself - but that which is best for her daughter.....
funny how while I did not always like Tia my favorite lines come from her and they resonate in me....
page 320 "Maybe the world was made up of two kinds of people; those who flourished by staying in native soil, and those who needed to find the place that help the right nutrients for their soul."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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