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The Compound #1
Wife Number Seven
Lipstick. Bright, red lipstick. Nothing but lipstick.
Even though it’s against our faith to wear a color that screams of sexual promiscuity and deviant behavior, I’m not allowed to protest.
But, I want to.
So badly.
You see, there’s more to me than the braid that spills down my back.
More to me than the layers of heavy fabric that maintain my modesty.
And so much more than the oppressive wedding band that adorns my finger--the same band that each of my sister wives wear.
So much more.
To protest would be sinful.
I must keep sweet, that is my duty.
So I’ll wear the lipstick. I’ll do as I’m told.
And I’ll do my best to silence the resistance within me, to push him from my mind.
If only my heart would do the same.
Even though it’s against our faith to wear a color that screams of sexual promiscuity and deviant behavior, I’m not allowed to protest.
But, I want to.
So badly.
You see, there’s more to me than the braid that spills down my back.
More to me than the layers of heavy fabric that maintain my modesty.
And so much more than the oppressive wedding band that adorns my finger--the same band that each of my sister wives wear.
So much more.
To protest would be sinful.
I must keep sweet, that is my duty.
So I’ll wear the lipstick. I’ll do as I’m told.
And I’ll do my best to silence the resistance within me, to push him from my mind.
If only my heart would do the same.
286 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2014
274 people are currently reading
4600 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Brown
30 books1,035 followersI have always been fascinated with books----ever since I was a little girl sitting in front of my record player, following along with my huge 12x12 storybooks.
I'm a pop culture maniac, Potterhead and Disney fanatic. I write new adult romance, contemporary romance and romantic suspense.
Instagram @melbrownie77
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MelissaBrown...
I'm a pop culture maniac, Potterhead and Disney fanatic. I write new adult romance, contemporary romance and romantic suspense.
Instagram @melbrownie77
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MelissaBrown...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 579 reviews
April 20, 2015
5 'Keep Sweet' stars!!!
Melissa Brown has officially ‘wowed’ me. I’ve read several of this authors books and I’ve enjoyed them all, but this was on an entirely different level. Original, captivating and refreshing- equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. I devoured this, read it cover to cover. Polygamy is a topic I’ve always found interesting and Melissa does a great job writing about it.
Brinley is a twenty two year old woman. She is married. She is the seventh wife to a man over twenty five years her senior. This is the norm for her.
Brinley has always been more curious about the outside world than the others. She has secrets. Secret wants, desires, she thinks about things that are forbidden to people of her faith. When she runs into town and sees a familiar face, even more secrets start to build.
Porter was once at the same compound as Brinley. He was kicked out at 16. He’s fighting his own battles, but he wants to help Brinley with hers.
Brinley is at a crossroads in her life. The choice between what she wants and desires, and what she’s always been told is the ‘right’ thing. All she knows is she has to make a choice. Before her secrets come out. Because then there would be no choice… and things would get messy.
Even though most of our situations would be nothing like anything Brinley goes through, she is a very relatable character. I loved reading about her becoming stronger, making choices for herself and discovering who she wants to be and what life she wants to live.
I don’t want to go into the Porter story line much, because I don’t want to spoil anything- but I will say that Porter needed Brinley just as much as she needed him. Just as Brinley was fighting her own battles, Porter was fighting his. It’s about the struggle they both endured and the choices they both had to make.
This book didn’t just make me feel, make me smile, make me cry, it made me think. Truly think about things. Reading about topics like this and knowing it exists in the real world makes you grateful for the freedoms and choices you constantly take for granted in your own life. Living a life full of desperation, wants and desires that will never be fulfilled, no freedom, it just makes you feel thankful for the choices you do have.
The writing was phenomenal. The story had such a flow, I felt like I was right with Brinley, in her head, thinking what she thought and feeling what she felt every step of the way. I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. The last 15% had me biting my nails to the quick. It was a beautiful, emotional, suspenseful and riveting tale of a woman coming into her own. Following HER heart, making decisions best for HER and not everyone else. Even though she had been taught to be a certain way her entire life, she did what was best for HER and her alone in the end and that made me feel proud of Brinley.
Wife Number Seven will for sure be taking a place on my favorites shelf! It’s one I would highly recommend!
Melissa Brown has officially ‘wowed’ me. I’ve read several of this authors books and I’ve enjoyed them all, but this was on an entirely different level. Original, captivating and refreshing- equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. I devoured this, read it cover to cover. Polygamy is a topic I’ve always found interesting and Melissa does a great job writing about it.
Brinley is a twenty two year old woman. She is married. She is the seventh wife to a man over twenty five years her senior. This is the norm for her.
I always knew I would share my husband.This is the way of her world. It’s the way to salvation. Most of the people in her compound are happy there. It’s the only life they’ve ever known and they believe it’s the only life they could ever have. Brinley is a little different.
Brinley has always been more curious about the outside world than the others. She has secrets. Secret wants, desires, she thinks about things that are forbidden to people of her faith. When she runs into town and sees a familiar face, even more secrets start to build.
Porter was once at the same compound as Brinley. He was kicked out at 16. He’s fighting his own battles, but he wants to help Brinley with hers.
“I want to know everything there is to know about you, the real you. Not the fake mold they’ve placed you in. The real Brinley.”
Brinley is at a crossroads in her life. The choice between what she wants and desires, and what she’s always been told is the ‘right’ thing. All she knows is she has to make a choice. Before her secrets come out. Because then there would be no choice… and things would get messy.
Even though most of our situations would be nothing like anything Brinley goes through, she is a very relatable character. I loved reading about her becoming stronger, making choices for herself and discovering who she wants to be and what life she wants to live.
I don’t want to go into the Porter story line much, because I don’t want to spoil anything- but I will say that Porter needed Brinley just as much as she needed him. Just as Brinley was fighting her own battles, Porter was fighting his. It’s about the struggle they both endured and the choices they both had to make.
“What do you have to lose?”
The plea in his voice demanded the proper response. But I didn’t have one.
“Nothing?” I paused finally making eye contact.
“Everything?” I shook my head not knowing the answer.
This book didn’t just make me feel, make me smile, make me cry, it made me think. Truly think about things. Reading about topics like this and knowing it exists in the real world makes you grateful for the freedoms and choices you constantly take for granted in your own life. Living a life full of desperation, wants and desires that will never be fulfilled, no freedom, it just makes you feel thankful for the choices you do have.
The writing was phenomenal. The story had such a flow, I felt like I was right with Brinley, in her head, thinking what she thought and feeling what she felt every step of the way. I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. The last 15% had me biting my nails to the quick. It was a beautiful, emotional, suspenseful and riveting tale of a woman coming into her own. Following HER heart, making decisions best for HER and not everyone else. Even though she had been taught to be a certain way her entire life, she did what was best for HER and her alone in the end and that made me feel proud of Brinley.
Wife Number Seven will for sure be taking a place on my favorites shelf! It’s one I would highly recommend!
July 23, 2016
Now LIVE on
AMAZON
*******************
5 stars!!
Just WOW!!! Saying I loved this book would seriously be an understatement!! For such a unique and atypical story, I’m going to style my review differently as well – it’s split into 3 sections but reads as a whole. Based on the type of reader you are, however, feel free to stop at whatever section you want.
It’s hard to find words to describe such an inspirational and breathtaking story. Part of me wants to stop right here and do this:
But I can’t. This book is such a gem and stood out from the many formulaic and recycled romances that it absolutely deserves a detailed review with all 5 of my normally stingy stars.
I do have to mention a few things so it can give you a better idea of what this book is like. First, this book crosses multiple genres. It’s definitely a love story but it’s also a life story so don’t expect pure romance. I’m also going to go ahead and affirm that there is no cheating in the book despite the polygamy aspect. Lastly, this book is a standalone (no cliffhanger) but I’m crossing my fingers hoping the author makes it into a series.
**You can stop reading here if you’re the kind of reader who wants to be surprised at every turn. All you really need to know is that the book revolves around polygamy and a certain young woman whose heart challenges the practices deemed right by her faith. I would also recommend stopping here and diving into the book. For those wanting just a little bit more about the book plot, read on.**
The book centers around a 22 year old woman named Brinley – the seventh wife of an esteemed polygamist in her compound. Outwardly docile, obedient, and sweet, Brinley can’t deny that she longs to know, to feel, to experience the outside world. Though she doesn’t fully realize it, she’s always been at war with her faith – you’ll see that the little things she does from the start contradict the rules of her community. A chance encounter with Porter – an exiled sect member – really forces her to see that the life she’s living isn’t the one she truly wants.
First I have to say, the author really did her research and expertly weaved that knowledge into the story so readers like me (who are practically clueless about the rules and activities in Brinley’s community) wouldn’t feel lost. I also really appreciated the way the story unfolded – most of the book is in Brinley’s POV but on occasion there are POVs from Porter and a few other characters. Those perspectives were so strategically placed and each one added additional depth and quality the book would literally not be the same without those POVs.
**You can stop here if you feel like you know enough about the plot and book structure. For those who like plot details (some may be minor spoilers), read this last section.**
As mentioned above, Brinley already struggles to maintain her wifely façade while trying to suppress her own desires but her meeting with Porter is what forces her to really take a look at her life and ask herself if it’s what she truly wants. Her community has a very simple yet strict hierarchy: one must always heed the words of their leader the Prophet, then your husband (if no husband, then the family head then). The purpose of sex is to procreate. At any given time, the Prophet could receive word from the higher power and have the right to dictate what goes on (ex: relocating wives to another household, banishing a member, etc…). Furthermore, a man must have at least 3 wives in order to enter Heaven...
You still following me? Good.
Anyways, Porter is Brinley’s game changer. He helps her see that there’s more to her life than being a seventh wife.
Watching them fall in love was the most beautiful thing to read. Now, there’s an added layer/twist to Porter’s character and I’m NOT going to spoil it – this aspect of him gave him a vulnerability that matched Brinley’s own and to see them fight for their love while they both have so much baggage yanked at my heartstrings.
“I told you, you’re my heaven. If I burn when I die, that’s fine. I’m a selfish man and I want my heaven now.”
The entire book is pretty well-paced; the last 20% was more suspenseful than any other part and delivers twist after turn I was chewing off my fingernails. I still shiver when I think of that scene at 86%...I was SO afraid to turn the page.
******************
I love this story with all my heart. Despite some minor things I thought were faulty, I’m not even going to mention them. They absolutely disappear from my mind whenever I think of the forbidden second chance romance, the characters, and the beautiful writing.
I won’t forget this book.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
*******************
5 stars!!
Just WOW!!! Saying I loved this book would seriously be an understatement!! For such a unique and atypical story, I’m going to style my review differently as well – it’s split into 3 sections but reads as a whole. Based on the type of reader you are, however, feel free to stop at whatever section you want.
It’s hard to find words to describe such an inspirational and breathtaking story. Part of me wants to stop right here and do this:
But I can’t. This book is such a gem and stood out from the many formulaic and recycled romances that it absolutely deserves a detailed review with all 5 of my normally stingy stars.
I do have to mention a few things so it can give you a better idea of what this book is like. First, this book crosses multiple genres. It’s definitely a love story but it’s also a life story so don’t expect pure romance. I’m also going to go ahead and affirm that there is no cheating in the book despite the polygamy aspect. Lastly, this book is a standalone (no cliffhanger) but I’m crossing my fingers hoping the author makes it into a series.
**You can stop reading here if you’re the kind of reader who wants to be surprised at every turn. All you really need to know is that the book revolves around polygamy and a certain young woman whose heart challenges the practices deemed right by her faith. I would also recommend stopping here and diving into the book. For those wanting just a little bit more about the book plot, read on.**
The book centers around a 22 year old woman named Brinley – the seventh wife of an esteemed polygamist in her compound. Outwardly docile, obedient, and sweet, Brinley can’t deny that she longs to know, to feel, to experience the outside world. Though she doesn’t fully realize it, she’s always been at war with her faith – you’ll see that the little things she does from the start contradict the rules of her community. A chance encounter with Porter – an exiled sect member – really forces her to see that the life she’s living isn’t the one she truly wants.
First I have to say, the author really did her research and expertly weaved that knowledge into the story so readers like me (who are practically clueless about the rules and activities in Brinley’s community) wouldn’t feel lost. I also really appreciated the way the story unfolded – most of the book is in Brinley’s POV but on occasion there are POVs from Porter and a few other characters. Those perspectives were so strategically placed and each one added additional depth and quality the book would literally not be the same without those POVs.
**You can stop here if you feel like you know enough about the plot and book structure. For those who like plot details (some may be minor spoilers), read this last section.**
As mentioned above, Brinley already struggles to maintain her wifely façade while trying to suppress her own desires but her meeting with Porter is what forces her to really take a look at her life and ask herself if it’s what she truly wants. Her community has a very simple yet strict hierarchy: one must always heed the words of their leader the Prophet, then your husband (if no husband, then the family head then). The purpose of sex is to procreate. At any given time, the Prophet could receive word from the higher power and have the right to dictate what goes on (ex: relocating wives to another household, banishing a member, etc…). Furthermore, a man must have at least 3 wives in order to enter Heaven...
You still following me? Good.
Anyways, Porter is Brinley’s game changer. He helps her see that there’s more to her life than being a seventh wife.
Watching them fall in love was the most beautiful thing to read. Now, there’s an added layer/twist to Porter’s character and I’m NOT going to spoil it – this aspect of him gave him a vulnerability that matched Brinley’s own and to see them fight for their love while they both have so much baggage yanked at my heartstrings.
“I told you, you’re my heaven. If I burn when I die, that’s fine. I’m a selfish man and I want my heaven now.”
The entire book is pretty well-paced; the last 20% was more suspenseful than any other part and delivers twist after turn I was chewing off my fingernails. I still shiver when I think of that scene at 86%...I was SO afraid to turn the page.
******************
I love this story with all my heart. Despite some minor things I thought were faulty, I’m not even going to mention them. They absolutely disappear from my mind whenever I think of the forbidden second chance romance, the characters, and the beautiful writing.
I won’t forget this book.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 11, 2014
4.5 Be Sweet When You Want Stars
Cue the violins :)
This was my first book my Melissa Brown, and to say that I'm impressed is just skimming the surface of my feels right now. You know that feeling you get when you read a story that's so well written and so fresh? Well that's the feeling I have right now. Wife Number Seven, was like sitting down with Brinley and having a good chat. Not once did I feel like a was someone looking in while reading this book, I actually felt like I was a part of the story.
So, if you haven't figure it out yet, Wife Number Seven is about a community that practices polygamy. The woman's role is too serve her husband, the prophet and the Heavenly father, her role is to also have children, she also has sister wives who have the same duty. Now there are two sides to this story people, and Melissa wrote is so well and I felt like she gave me, the reader, a choice on how she wanted to feel about the subject this book addresses. Polygamy is a controversial subject, and while I connected with Brinley's character, I could also understand the way her sister wives felt.
We take our freedom as woman for granted, and rightfully so because it's our to take. But when you imagine another woman not having the same freedom as you do, you suddenly appreciate it more. That's what I loved about this book, it dealt with a very real subject. Brinley's awakening is beautiful to read about, because that's what this book is about an Awakening. "Watching" her become a stronger and more assertive woman was awesome and I loved that the characters in this book were so perfectly imperfect.
Wife Number Seven, touched me and is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time.
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
Cue the violins :)
This was my first book my Melissa Brown, and to say that I'm impressed is just skimming the surface of my feels right now. You know that feeling you get when you read a story that's so well written and so fresh? Well that's the feeling I have right now. Wife Number Seven, was like sitting down with Brinley and having a good chat. Not once did I feel like a was someone looking in while reading this book, I actually felt like I was a part of the story.
So, if you haven't figure it out yet, Wife Number Seven is about a community that practices polygamy. The woman's role is too serve her husband, the prophet and the Heavenly father, her role is to also have children, she also has sister wives who have the same duty. Now there are two sides to this story people, and Melissa wrote is so well and I felt like she gave me, the reader, a choice on how she wanted to feel about the subject this book addresses. Polygamy is a controversial subject, and while I connected with Brinley's character, I could also understand the way her sister wives felt.
We take our freedom as woman for granted, and rightfully so because it's our to take. But when you imagine another woman not having the same freedom as you do, you suddenly appreciate it more. That's what I loved about this book, it dealt with a very real subject. Brinley's awakening is beautiful to read about, because that's what this book is about an Awakening. "Watching" her become a stronger and more assertive woman was awesome and I loved that the characters in this book were so perfectly imperfect.
Wife Number Seven, touched me and is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time.
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
February 7, 2015
4.5 stars!
"I deserve a man who will love me, protect me, and cherish me. A man who would climb through my window to give me a way to communicate with him. A man who will put me first.”
This book was absolutely captivating. I've read other books by Melisa Brown, and they were good, sweet romances. Nothing wrong with them, but Wife Number Seven is on a completely different level.
Brinley is the seventh wife of Elder Lehi, a respectable man within her community. Brinley is a part of an extreme subgroup of the Church of LDS who believe that everyone who lives outside of their community is doomed for the fires of hell. Brinley believes in this as well, but harbors secrets about herself that would destroy her family. One day when Brinley is out shopping for the household, she is robbed by a former member of her community. A man not much older than her named Porter. And he didn't just steal her money, he stole her secrets and she must get them back....
I don't know terribly much about the Mormon faith, but I know enough that this depiction is an example of an extreme interpretation of the religion and is (hopefully) not a typical community. Brinley feels out of place among her sister wives but is too naive and afraid to venture out on her own, despite offers of help if she chooses to do so.
The relationship between Brinley and Porter was a little bit too much instalove for my taste, but it's understandable from a plot efficiency stand point for the characters to grow the way they did. I was surprised that Brinley was fine with pursuing a relationship with Porter, not because she was married, but because he was a drug addict. When you come from an unstable home, most people seek stability, and even Brinley knew she could not always rely on Porter even though they both loved each other. Despite these issues, the love the two characters had was beautiful and I was rooting for them to make it work the entire time I was reading the book.
I loved the subplots among the sister wives and other women in the community, seeing how they all viewed their situation differently and their motivations behind their actions. Aspen was the biggest surprise and my heart swelled with emotion for her towards the end of the book. The eighth wife Rebecca is the most sad example of how harsh this life can be on a person, and how the Elders screwed her up mentally into making bad decisions.
This is one of those books where I almost read it all in one sitting. I had to put it down once, for work of course, and when I got home I fired up my Kindle and finished off the rest of this book. I'd seen this book floating around Goodreads with some of my most trusted book friends and reviewers, and I just have to note the power of this website and its ability to introduce us to new books we never would have heard of before without it. This is the reason we all use this website, to discover new books and further our love of reading.
Anyways, I loved this book, and if any of you see this review and decide to give this book a chance, I hope you love it too.
"I deserve a man who will love me, protect me, and cherish me. A man who would climb through my window to give me a way to communicate with him. A man who will put me first.”
This book was absolutely captivating. I've read other books by Melisa Brown, and they were good, sweet romances. Nothing wrong with them, but Wife Number Seven is on a completely different level.
Brinley is the seventh wife of Elder Lehi, a respectable man within her community. Brinley is a part of an extreme subgroup of the Church of LDS who believe that everyone who lives outside of their community is doomed for the fires of hell. Brinley believes in this as well, but harbors secrets about herself that would destroy her family. One day when Brinley is out shopping for the household, she is robbed by a former member of her community. A man not much older than her named Porter. And he didn't just steal her money, he stole her secrets and she must get them back....
I don't know terribly much about the Mormon faith, but I know enough that this depiction is an example of an extreme interpretation of the religion and is (hopefully) not a typical community. Brinley feels out of place among her sister wives but is too naive and afraid to venture out on her own, despite offers of help if she chooses to do so.
The relationship between Brinley and Porter was a little bit too much instalove for my taste, but it's understandable from a plot efficiency stand point for the characters to grow the way they did. I was surprised that Brinley was fine with pursuing a relationship with Porter, not because she was married, but because he was a drug addict. When you come from an unstable home, most people seek stability, and even Brinley knew she could not always rely on Porter even though they both loved each other. Despite these issues, the love the two characters had was beautiful and I was rooting for them to make it work the entire time I was reading the book.
I loved the subplots among the sister wives and other women in the community, seeing how they all viewed their situation differently and their motivations behind their actions. Aspen was the biggest surprise and my heart swelled with emotion for her towards the end of the book. The eighth wife Rebecca is the most sad example of how harsh this life can be on a person, and how the Elders screwed her up mentally into making bad decisions.
This is one of those books where I almost read it all in one sitting. I had to put it down once, for work of course, and when I got home I fired up my Kindle and finished off the rest of this book. I'd seen this book floating around Goodreads with some of my most trusted book friends and reviewers, and I just have to note the power of this website and its ability to introduce us to new books we never would have heard of before without it. This is the reason we all use this website, to discover new books and further our love of reading.
Anyways, I loved this book, and if any of you see this review and decide to give this book a chance, I hope you love it too.
July 18, 2014
5 STARS
"Our duty is to produce children our husband for Heaverly Father.
It is not to fornicate or indulge our desires."
Wow this book was amazing!!I don't think 5 stars are enough for this book!!I'm so impressed!This is not your typical romance so be prepared!!
Do you know about Mormons??It's a religious and cultural group of people who have a unique view of cosmology, and believes.The men have more than one wives.This was so new for me.As a Greek I didn't know how is it a man to have more than one wife.In my country we are have monogamy and we are free to choose with who we want to be.So when I read the tittle and the synopsis,I wanted to read it immidiately!!And when I start it,I was so hooked that I couldn't put it down!!I didn't want to finish it!This was so differend from the books I have read!This is a book about a differend way of life,something that I didn't know!I felt like I was a part of the story,I felt everything!!The aghony,sadness,fear,love,desperation...everything!!!It captivated me so much!!Thta sometimes I wanted to cry,scream and others to smile from hapinness!!!
This is Brinley's story..She is the seventh wife of a polygamy family.She tries to follow the *right* path that has been set out for her by the Prophet.However she always wondered how it would be to be free...and live how she want..
One day she will meet Porter who will make her think more and more about a life which she will be free and can live for herself!
Brinley was such an amazing character!!I loved how her character was developed!!
I will not say anymore about the story,because I think this book must read from all the women!!!I feel so sad about women that have this type of life!But I can't judge them because this is how they have learn to live!!
I higly recommend it!!!
*ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review*
"Our duty is to produce children our husband for Heaverly Father.
It is not to fornicate or indulge our desires."
Wow this book was amazing!!I don't think 5 stars are enough for this book!!I'm so impressed!This is not your typical romance so be prepared!!
Do you know about Mormons??It's a religious and cultural group of people who have a unique view of cosmology, and believes.The men have more than one wives.This was so new for me.As a Greek I didn't know how is it a man to have more than one wife.In my country we are have monogamy and we are free to choose with who we want to be.So when I read the tittle and the synopsis,I wanted to read it immidiately!!And when I start it,I was so hooked that I couldn't put it down!!I didn't want to finish it!This was so differend from the books I have read!This is a book about a differend way of life,something that I didn't know!I felt like I was a part of the story,I felt everything!!The aghony,sadness,fear,love,desperation...everything!!!It captivated me so much!!Thta sometimes I wanted to cry,scream and others to smile from hapinness!!!
This is Brinley's story..She is the seventh wife of a polygamy family.She tries to follow the *right* path that has been set out for her by the Prophet.However she always wondered how it would be to be free...and live how she want..
One day she will meet Porter who will make her think more and more about a life which she will be free and can live for herself!
Brinley was such an amazing character!!I loved how her character was developed!!
I will not say anymore about the story,because I think this book must read from all the women!!!I feel so sad about women that have this type of life!But I can't judge them because this is how they have learn to live!!
I higly recommend it!!!
*ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review*
July 22, 2014
"You're here on this earth to be you. That's all."
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I accomplished nothing but reading this book today it was completely addicting. Melissa Brown did a fantastic job telling this story.
Brinley Cluff is the seventh wife of a Lehi Cluff, who is twenty-five years her senior. Lehi is a prominent member of their sector of the FDLS which practices plural marriages as a requirement to a blessed after life. Brinley lives in a large home within this sector's Colorado compound. This life is all Brinley has ever known until the day her purse is stolen during one of her trips into town by Porter Hammond.
Porter has been banished and erased from existence from his family years prior to robbing Brinley. He struggles with drug use, and the pain of the loss of his family. Similar to those young guys in the show Breaking Amish he is breaking all the rules.
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Brinley has a few secret things in her purse that must be retrieved and so she must find Porter. Brinley’s marriage and her place in the Cluff family is a lonely one. The other sister wives don’t seem to like her that much and her weekly encounters with her husband leave a lot to be desired.
Wife number 8 has been reassigned into the Cluff home. Rebecca brings all sorts of thoughts and questions about true love for Brinley. Brinley realizes that she would indeed make the ultimate sacrifice for a great love. Brinley tells lies to her husband and family, she pursues a friendship then sexual relationship with Porter while he fights his demons and falls head over heels for her.
The story is told mostly in Brinley’s pov but the author skillfully weaves several different povs here and there to give the reader the full scope of all that is happening around Brinley. The secondary characters were just as wonderful as the main characters. The quest for love and fear of eternal damnation seemed pretty terrifying.
Melissa Brown incorporated the outside world, the righteous, and the damned so skillfully. She added shocking twists, great sacrifice and true love which for me made this one great read.
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I accomplished nothing but reading this book today it was completely addicting. Melissa Brown did a fantastic job telling this story.
Brinley Cluff is the seventh wife of a Lehi Cluff, who is twenty-five years her senior. Lehi is a prominent member of their sector of the FDLS which practices plural marriages as a requirement to a blessed after life. Brinley lives in a large home within this sector's Colorado compound. This life is all Brinley has ever known until the day her purse is stolen during one of her trips into town by Porter Hammond.
Porter has been banished and erased from existence from his family years prior to robbing Brinley. He struggles with drug use, and the pain of the loss of his family. Similar to those young guys in the show Breaking Amish he is breaking all the rules.
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Brinley has a few secret things in her purse that must be retrieved and so she must find Porter. Brinley’s marriage and her place in the Cluff family is a lonely one. The other sister wives don’t seem to like her that much and her weekly encounters with her husband leave a lot to be desired.
Wife number 8 has been reassigned into the Cluff home. Rebecca brings all sorts of thoughts and questions about true love for Brinley. Brinley realizes that she would indeed make the ultimate sacrifice for a great love. Brinley tells lies to her husband and family, she pursues a friendship then sexual relationship with Porter while he fights his demons and falls head over heels for her.
The story is told mostly in Brinley’s pov but the author skillfully weaves several different povs here and there to give the reader the full scope of all that is happening around Brinley. The secondary characters were just as wonderful as the main characters. The quest for love and fear of eternal damnation seemed pretty terrifying.
Melissa Brown incorporated the outside world, the righteous, and the damned so skillfully. She added shocking twists, great sacrifice and true love which for me made this one great read.
July 23, 2014
**** FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED *****
What a unique story!! I love stories that take me on journeys that I’ve never been on before and this was absolutely one of those. Wife Number Seven was captivating and unconventional. The beautiful writing drew me in and the unique story kept my attention from the first page until the last.
The story is about Brinley, the seventh wife in a polygamist family. Bound by the customs of their ways and the beliefs of their faith, her life was fully planned out for her. At nineteen years of age, their prophet assigned her to marry a fifty year old elder in their community. The prophet’s will was not questioned because their belief was that his direction came directly from a higher power. But Brinley dared to dream of more… of a life outside the compound where she could choose how to live her life and who to love.
One day, on an errand trip into town, she meets Porter Hammond. He’s not much older than her and had been exiled from their compound a few years back. Call him their resident bad boy, or rule-breaker, if you will. He’s struggling with many things himself too, namely a drug addiction, but he shows her a life and a love that before she’d only dreamed of, and gives her reason to finally want to follow her dreams.
Brinley’s moral struggles were portrayed very compellingly as the doctrines that had been drilled into her head her whole life began to pale in comparison to what she wanted in her heart. But those beliefs were designed to keep her bound to their ways and it had strongly shaped her world view in such a way that breaking free was no easy task. I really felt her uncertainty and fear as well as her longing for a new life.
But no matter how strong those teachings were, she couldn’t stop thinking about the boy with the clear blue eyes who’d challenged her and who’d left their world. They met in secret knowing the consequences of being discovered… but each day, those consequences began to seem more and more like a blessing.
I’m being asked a lot about this so I just want to address the issue of her “husband” at the compound and to be very clear that this is not a love triangle, neither is it cheating in my eyes. She was assigned to her husband, a man old enough to be her father and who she absolutely did not love. There are scenes where she has to ‘be with’ him and it’s also not violent or anything but just please know that it is not something she wants at all. The only man she ever loves in this whole book is Porter. Her struggles with leaving the compound have to do with her making the choice to leave the only life and comfort she’s ever known, but her feelings towards her husband are never a factor in that. So I just wanted to be clear on that. Porter is her only love.
I’ll be honest though, before reading this, I was intrigued by the idea but not quite sure if this was the story for me. So I just took a little peek at the first chapter to see what it was like and then totally got sucked in.
I found the culture fascinating and the story captivating. It was eye-opening for sure and I didn’t want to stop reading. I feel that, while the culture in this story was an extreme example, I feel like the general commentary on how far people will be willing to go to fit in with their society and to do what they believe is expected of them instead of pursuing happiness is something that can be applied far and wide. While the example in this book is specific, I believe the message is universal.
If you’re looking for something totally different, give this book a try!
Rating: 4 — 4.5 stars. Standalone.
_______________________________________
For more of my reviews, book news and updates:
✦ Main blog: Aestas Book Blog
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What a unique story!! I love stories that take me on journeys that I’ve never been on before and this was absolutely one of those. Wife Number Seven was captivating and unconventional. The beautiful writing drew me in and the unique story kept my attention from the first page until the last.
The story is about Brinley, the seventh wife in a polygamist family. Bound by the customs of their ways and the beliefs of their faith, her life was fully planned out for her. At nineteen years of age, their prophet assigned her to marry a fifty year old elder in their community. The prophet’s will was not questioned because their belief was that his direction came directly from a higher power. But Brinley dared to dream of more… of a life outside the compound where she could choose how to live her life and who to love.
“I had my secrets. A voice inside me told me I didn’t belong here, that there was another life waiting for me. And with each passing year, that voice became louder.”
One day, on an errand trip into town, she meets Porter Hammond. He’s not much older than her and had been exiled from their compound a few years back. Call him their resident bad boy, or rule-breaker, if you will. He’s struggling with many things himself too, namely a drug addiction, but he shows her a life and a love that before she’d only dreamed of, and gives her reason to finally want to follow her dreams.
“Why are you really here? … Tell me the truth.” He leaned in closer, whispering into my ear, “It’s okay, you can say it.”
“Say what?” I whispered…
“You’ve been thinking about me, haven’t you?”
Brinley’s moral struggles were portrayed very compellingly as the doctrines that had been drilled into her head her whole life began to pale in comparison to what she wanted in her heart. But those beliefs were designed to keep her bound to their ways and it had strongly shaped her world view in such a way that breaking free was no easy task. I really felt her uncertainty and fear as well as her longing for a new life.
“It seemed that no matter what I did, I’d be haunted by guilt. I could abandon my family, my belief system, and my God, or I could walk away from Porter, the one man who’s ever stirred my heart.”
But no matter how strong those teachings were, she couldn’t stop thinking about the boy with the clear blue eyes who’d challenged her and who’d left their world. They met in secret knowing the consequences of being discovered… but each day, those consequences began to seem more and more like a blessing.
“I want to know everything there is to know about you, the real you. Not the fake mold they’ve placed you in. The real Brinley. The only who matters.”
I’m being asked a lot about this so I just want to address the issue of her “husband” at the compound and to be very clear that this is not a love triangle, neither is it cheating in my eyes. She was assigned to her husband, a man old enough to be her father and who she absolutely did not love. There are scenes where she has to ‘be with’ him and it’s also not violent or anything but just please know that it is not something she wants at all. The only man she ever loves in this whole book is Porter. Her struggles with leaving the compound have to do with her making the choice to leave the only life and comfort she’s ever known, but her feelings towards her husband are never a factor in that. So I just wanted to be clear on that. Porter is her only love.
“I need you to be mine.”
“I am,” I insisted.
“Mine alone, Brin. Not shared with some fuckhead who has no idea how special you are, how absolutely remarkable you are. Please, please do this. For us.”
I’ll be honest though, before reading this, I was intrigued by the idea but not quite sure if this was the story for me. So I just took a little peek at the first chapter to see what it was like and then totally got sucked in.
I found the culture fascinating and the story captivating. It was eye-opening for sure and I didn’t want to stop reading. I feel that, while the culture in this story was an extreme example, I feel like the general commentary on how far people will be willing to go to fit in with their society and to do what they believe is expected of them instead of pursuing happiness is something that can be applied far and wide. While the example in this book is specific, I believe the message is universal.
If you’re looking for something totally different, give this book a try!
Rating: 4 — 4.5 stars. Standalone.
_______________________________________
For more of my reviews, book news and updates:
✦ Main blog: Aestas Book Blog
✦ Facebook Blog Page
July 23, 2014
4.5 Stars
Wife Number Seven focuses on 22 year old Brinley, she is the seventh wife of Lehi Cluff. She is part of a religious community practicing polygamy, and has spent her entire life within the compound. Living by strict religious rules and values, as a woman her main goal should be to please her husband and procreate. But Brinley has a secret, and finds herself questioning her beliefs.
When she runs into Porter, a young man who has been exiled from the sect, those questions and doubts get louder. One touch of the wrist and she can’t get him off her mind. But, Porter has problems of his own . What will Brinley chose, the life she has always known, or take a risk and find a love she has only dreamed on.
I did feel like their connection was a bit fast. They spend a few minutes together, twice and this intense connection made. I struggled with it a bit. But...I got over it. It was more than a romance, it's a story about a young woman, struggling between her faith and duty, and the desires of her heart and freedom. Choosing a life within a cage or finding the strength to fly. This book had me captivated. I spent a majority of my day reading, it was intriguing, controversial and memorable. The pacing was great, and it was easy to lose myself in Brinley's story.
Wife Number Seven focuses on 22 year old Brinley, she is the seventh wife of Lehi Cluff. She is part of a religious community practicing polygamy, and has spent her entire life within the compound. Living by strict religious rules and values, as a woman her main goal should be to please her husband and procreate. But Brinley has a secret, and finds herself questioning her beliefs.
When she runs into Porter, a young man who has been exiled from the sect, those questions and doubts get louder. One touch of the wrist and she can’t get him off her mind. But, Porter has problems of his own . What will Brinley chose, the life she has always known, or take a risk and find a love she has only dreamed on.
I did feel like their connection was a bit fast. They spend a few minutes together, twice and this intense connection made. I struggled with it a bit. But...I got over it. It was more than a romance, it's a story about a young woman, struggling between her faith and duty, and the desires of her heart and freedom. Choosing a life within a cage or finding the strength to fly. This book had me captivated. I spent a majority of my day reading, it was intriguing, controversial and memorable. The pacing was great, and it was easy to lose myself in Brinley's story.
July 8, 2014
WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK.
I started and finished this yesterday, couldn't put it down! The best advice I can give for this book is go in with as little knowledge as possible. There are reviews out there and thankfully they stay pretty vague. I won't get into any details aside from what the blurb alludes to, but I'll try and paint a realistic picture.
POLYGAMY. Ever since the notion of sister wives became mainstream it's been discussed through many channels. I'm morbidly fascinated by it all but never knew the intricacies of what that life entails. Melissa Brown has done her homework and has written a thrilling, nail-biting, anxious novel about the transformation of one young woman living within the walls of a polygamist family. Brinley is trying to keep her head down, her emotions in check, her desires, needs, dreams...all of it...in check. She believes there's something wrong with her, wrong with her perception of the one culture she's always known.
Things happen. Big, scary things happen for her and I freaking loved it! What things you ask? READ THIS BOOK. She's wife number seven. She's young, curious, hungry for knowledge. Her life was drawn out for her from a very young age and the foundation upon which she matures get shaken up and distorted. Is this a romance? YES! Is it angsty? Surprisingly, only mildly so. It's THRILLING. THOUGHT-PROVOKING. SUSPENSEFUL. BEAUTIFUL. HEART-BREAKING.
We live in a society where freedom reigns. Where our actions are our own, where we live and breathe on our own terms. We all work for a living, get stressed, have problems...but we have FREEDOM. Something, once taken away becomes our sole purpose to get back. But what happens when you don't have freedom, the right to make your own decisions? What happens when you finally get a taste, a sliver of what freedom means?
The pace of this book was phenomenal! I was constantly on high alert, always wondering what lies around the next corner. It was atmospheric, had an addictive air of danger laced through every.single.page. The last 20% had me biting my nails and checking my pulse, screaming out! To say my eyes were glued to my iPad would be an understatement.
This is a book about a woman living within the walls of a polygamist compound, yes. But it's really about choice, the meaning of repression, the ability to want MORE, questioning your beliefs, chasing your dreams and refusing to 'STAY SWEET'. I loved everything, EVERYTHING! I'm still thinking about the book, still reliving some incredibly tense scenes. We get to learn a lot about these polygamist groups. Our world view is so excruciatingly different, that it makes you appreciate life so much more.
Brinley was an amazing character. She grew into the woman meant to be, not the woman trained to be. I loved her. Her romantic interest was perfect for her, and that's all I'll say about him. Honestly, this is going onto my favorites shelf, my 'best of 2014 shelf'. There is not enough I can say about it, no words will give it justice. I was glued to the first page and never let up until the last. I was moved by it, affected by it...just fell in love with it.
Highly recommended, seriously, READ THIS. L-O-V-E-D it!!!!!!
" THE SCREAMS IN MY HEAD HAD ARRIVED. AND I WELCOMED THEM WITH OPEN ARMS."
**Copy generously provided by Melissa Brown for review**
I started and finished this yesterday, couldn't put it down! The best advice I can give for this book is go in with as little knowledge as possible. There are reviews out there and thankfully they stay pretty vague. I won't get into any details aside from what the blurb alludes to, but I'll try and paint a realistic picture.
POLYGAMY. Ever since the notion of sister wives became mainstream it's been discussed through many channels. I'm morbidly fascinated by it all but never knew the intricacies of what that life entails. Melissa Brown has done her homework and has written a thrilling, nail-biting, anxious novel about the transformation of one young woman living within the walls of a polygamist family. Brinley is trying to keep her head down, her emotions in check, her desires, needs, dreams...all of it...in check. She believes there's something wrong with her, wrong with her perception of the one culture she's always known.
Things happen. Big, scary things happen for her and I freaking loved it! What things you ask? READ THIS BOOK. She's wife number seven. She's young, curious, hungry for knowledge. Her life was drawn out for her from a very young age and the foundation upon which she matures get shaken up and distorted. Is this a romance? YES! Is it angsty? Surprisingly, only mildly so. It's THRILLING. THOUGHT-PROVOKING. SUSPENSEFUL. BEAUTIFUL. HEART-BREAKING.
We live in a society where freedom reigns. Where our actions are our own, where we live and breathe on our own terms. We all work for a living, get stressed, have problems...but we have FREEDOM. Something, once taken away becomes our sole purpose to get back. But what happens when you don't have freedom, the right to make your own decisions? What happens when you finally get a taste, a sliver of what freedom means?
The pace of this book was phenomenal! I was constantly on high alert, always wondering what lies around the next corner. It was atmospheric, had an addictive air of danger laced through every.single.page. The last 20% had me biting my nails and checking my pulse, screaming out! To say my eyes were glued to my iPad would be an understatement.
This is a book about a woman living within the walls of a polygamist compound, yes. But it's really about choice, the meaning of repression, the ability to want MORE, questioning your beliefs, chasing your dreams and refusing to 'STAY SWEET'. I loved everything, EVERYTHING! I'm still thinking about the book, still reliving some incredibly tense scenes. We get to learn a lot about these polygamist groups. Our world view is so excruciatingly different, that it makes you appreciate life so much more.
Brinley was an amazing character. She grew into the woman meant to be, not the woman trained to be. I loved her. Her romantic interest was perfect for her, and that's all I'll say about him. Honestly, this is going onto my favorites shelf, my 'best of 2014 shelf'. There is not enough I can say about it, no words will give it justice. I was glued to the first page and never let up until the last. I was moved by it, affected by it...just fell in love with it.
Highly recommended, seriously, READ THIS. L-O-V-E-D it!!!!!!
" THE SCREAMS IN MY HEAD HAD ARRIVED. AND I WELCOMED THEM WITH OPEN ARMS."
**Copy generously provided by Melissa Brown for review**
January 10, 2015
BIG LOVE of this one!
Wife Number Seven had elements of the HBO show Big Love. As a fan of that show I knew this book would be right up my alley.
Poly marriage is fascinating because as a woman I couldn’t imagine sharing my husband with other women. I’d be jealous and catty. Plus living with a bunch of women under one roof would be a challenge in itself. I know my patience would be tested and there wouldn’t be any ”keeping sweet” going on in any household that I had to share with a bunch of women who also shared a bed with my husband.
SECRETS ~ LIES ~ DECEIT
As Wife Number Seven, Kaci, is the youngest of the Cluff wives. Lehi Cluff is over double her age which is a not an uncommon occurrence on the compound. Kaci’s existence is a lonely one even though she is surround by her sister wives and their children. She often wonders if there is more to life outside the compound.
Kaci is enticed by the world beyond her caged life. She begins to sneak around and fabricate stories to keep her deceitfulness a secret. All these components pile up until they are revealed towards the end. The ending was thrilling because everything happens very quickly.
If this is sitting on your kindle here are SEVEN reasons to move it from your TBR list to your read list:
1. It’s a hard to put this book down down
2. You can see what it is like sharing a husband without actually having to do it
3. Find out what is required on the honeymoon night with Cliff (who is old enough to be Kaci's dad)
4. There are twist and turns throughout the story
5. Learn what it means to “keep sweet”
6. Find out if make-up is allowed
7. It’s a standalone so you get a complete story in one book
STANDALONE
Wife Number Seven had elements of the HBO show Big Love. As a fan of that show I knew this book would be right up my alley.
Poly marriage is fascinating because as a woman I couldn’t imagine sharing my husband with other women. I’d be jealous and catty. Plus living with a bunch of women under one roof would be a challenge in itself. I know my patience would be tested and there wouldn’t be any ”keeping sweet” going on in any household that I had to share with a bunch of women who also shared a bed with my husband.
SECRETS ~ LIES ~ DECEIT
As Wife Number Seven, Kaci, is the youngest of the Cluff wives. Lehi Cluff is over double her age which is a not an uncommon occurrence on the compound. Kaci’s existence is a lonely one even though she is surround by her sister wives and their children. She often wonders if there is more to life outside the compound.
Kaci is enticed by the world beyond her caged life. She begins to sneak around and fabricate stories to keep her deceitfulness a secret. All these components pile up until they are revealed towards the end. The ending was thrilling because everything happens very quickly.
If this is sitting on your kindle here are SEVEN reasons to move it from your TBR list to your read list:
1. It’s a hard to put this book down down
2. You can see what it is like sharing a husband without actually having to do it
3. Find out what is required on the honeymoon night with Cliff (who is old enough to be Kaci's dad)
4. There are twist and turns throughout the story
5. Learn what it means to “keep sweet”
6. Find out if make-up is allowed
7. It’s a standalone so you get a complete story in one book
STANDALONE
January 6, 2015
3.75 "If I read another Prophet book this year, I'm gonna croak" Stars!
Wife Number Seven I enjoyed but didn't LOVE. It may very well be a timing thing for me more than anything, considering how many books similar to this trope that I've read lately. I didn't DISLIKE the book, for sure. That being said...
Taking place within a strict Mormon compound, Brinley is the seventh wife of Lehi. He's more than twice her age; she doesn't love him; she doesn't lust him...she survives but all for her faith in the Highest One. Sex is for procreating and not for pleasure but the thought of having a child with this man disgusts her. Every seven days he
Porter, a construction worker in town, has been banned from the compound years ago due to his evil ways...drugs. He's been living with his meth addict cousin since age 16 when he runs into Brinley (while . They have a connection from the past while children in the compound. A connection that doesn't appear to be severed.
Wife Number Seven has a nice balance of angst, some suspense, and a sweet love story. The reader can't help but fall in love with both characters and resent the heck out of Brinley's husband and sister wives. Brin struggles with respecting her church teachings yet having this draw to the outside world...to Porter. 
Porter is the ultimate tortured hero. Far from perfect in his drug abuse, I couldn't help but feel profound empathy for the child shunned from his family home and community. The fact that he's still ALIVE is a testament to his strength through adversity.
The compound sister wives....ugh. Her husband...double ugh. This is seriously where my cup runneth over. It may be a timing thing but if I read one more Prophet this or that this year, I'm gonna croak. I understand the Mormon faith has it's beliefs but holy cow, do these compounds and this
What I loved most was the love story here...two souls living in different worlds fighting for a chance to hopefully someday be together. 
Can Brinley make the break from everything she's ever known? Church preachings ingrained since a child? Is it worth taking a chance for love...love of a man battling his own demons and addictions? Can she resist the sin that's lurking on the outside...mainly a tortured man named Porter Hammond?
"I want to make you feel everything. I want to worship you, your body, your heart."
May 13, 2020
5 Impressive Stars Period
* * * * * Spoiler Free
Readers, I think, are curious by nature. We want to know things, experience them in our minds and heart. We will pick up a book that has a glimmer of information on the back, giving us a taste, an inkling of what is inside... and then dedicate hours to see what it holds for us.
I loved the HBO series, Big Love. It was so well written and acted. I was captured by all of it and watched it religiously, no pun intended...
When Warren Jeffs, the former president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) came into the news, I followed some of the reporting. I know there were many newscasts showing compounds...wives of very young ages, dressed in gingham with poofy hair and braids. It was a tragic story because it seemed as if the religion was used not to empower but to control.
This book was remarkable. This book bears reading for many reasons. The first is the talent of the author. It is my first experience with her but it will not be my last. Her style had me from the first sentence.
I was there... in Brinley's head seeing what she saw, feeling her frustration, and worry to try to "Keep Sweet". She was only 22 years old, lived on this compound and knew only of this life. Yet deep, very deep inside, she knew... She yearned for more and had the strength to follow a path fraught with danger with every step off the required way.
We are there with her during her discovery of herself and what could be different. Something changes to her family of seven wives, children, and many children. Another wife, reassigned to her husband, becomes the catalyst for her seeking answers to questions she didn't know she was interested in.
There is another part of this tale that rung my heart, Porter. He was a boy of the compound, turned away, named as no longer by the Prophet and his family obeyed. Ousted; he had to make his own way in a world he knew little of and had to adapt as best he could.
Both of these people had a connection as children; life and circumstance bring them together again. We are the lucky ones to experience it through their eyes, hearts, and souls... it is powerful, compelling, and at times so sweet. It is also thought-provoking, questioning, and concerning.
There are many wonderful reviews of this book out there. This is the one which I saw first and caused me to buy the book (Lady Vigilante (Feifei)'s review) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... There are also so many more to read and they each will give a perspective worth considering.
The outcome with Warren Jeffs and his destructive use of religion is his being convicted and sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years, to be served consecutively, and a $10,000 fine for sexual assault of both 12- and 15-year-old girls.
We see things that make us curious. My experience with this book makes me think our author saw some of the same newscasts I did; an idea was planted, a concept of a love story so strong with a girl so needing to break free... she would make the leap. Lucky for us, Melissa Brown was talented enough to do it justice.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * * Spoiler Free
Readers, I think, are curious by nature. We want to know things, experience them in our minds and heart. We will pick up a book that has a glimmer of information on the back, giving us a taste, an inkling of what is inside... and then dedicate hours to see what it holds for us.
I loved the HBO series, Big Love. It was so well written and acted. I was captured by all of it and watched it religiously, no pun intended...
When Warren Jeffs, the former president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) came into the news, I followed some of the reporting. I know there were many newscasts showing compounds...wives of very young ages, dressed in gingham with poofy hair and braids. It was a tragic story because it seemed as if the religion was used not to empower but to control.
This book was remarkable. This book bears reading for many reasons. The first is the talent of the author. It is my first experience with her but it will not be my last. Her style had me from the first sentence.
I was there... in Brinley's head seeing what she saw, feeling her frustration, and worry to try to "Keep Sweet". She was only 22 years old, lived on this compound and knew only of this life. Yet deep, very deep inside, she knew... She yearned for more and had the strength to follow a path fraught with danger with every step off the required way.
We are there with her during her discovery of herself and what could be different. Something changes to her family of seven wives, children, and many children. Another wife, reassigned to her husband, becomes the catalyst for her seeking answers to questions she didn't know she was interested in.
There is another part of this tale that rung my heart, Porter. He was a boy of the compound, turned away, named as no longer by the Prophet and his family obeyed. Ousted; he had to make his own way in a world he knew little of and had to adapt as best he could.
Both of these people had a connection as children; life and circumstance bring them together again. We are the lucky ones to experience it through their eyes, hearts, and souls... it is powerful, compelling, and at times so sweet. It is also thought-provoking, questioning, and concerning.
There are many wonderful reviews of this book out there. This is the one which I saw first and caused me to buy the book (Lady Vigilante (Feifei)'s review) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... There are also so many more to read and they each will give a perspective worth considering.
The outcome with Warren Jeffs and his destructive use of religion is his being convicted and sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years, to be served consecutively, and a $10,000 fine for sexual assault of both 12- and 15-year-old girls.
We see things that make us curious. My experience with this book makes me think our author saw some of the same newscasts I did; an idea was planted, a concept of a love story so strong with a girl so needing to break free... she would make the leap. Lucky for us, Melissa Brown was talented enough to do it justice.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
June 2, 2014
This book deserves 500 stars. I just finished it and am still shaking, but I'm going to try and write this review without sounding like a rambling idiot.
I am going to be completely honest right now and admit that even though Melissa Brown is one of my best friends, I haven't yet read all of her books. I liked Bouquet Toss a LOT and I LOVED Unwanted Stars, but the way I feel about Wife Number Seven doesn't even COMPARE to either of them.
Wife Number Seven is the story of Brinley Cluff, the seventh wife of Polygamist Lehi Cluff, and the intense struggle going on within her. While she's trying to be the devout, obedient wife the prophet calls for her to be, she can't ignore the calls, or screams, from the outside world. One chance encounter with a former sect member that was exiled years ago, changes her life forever.
I knew Melissa could write sweet, swoony romance but I had NO clue she could do this. While there are sweet, swoony moments within the book, this ain't your momma's romance. I knew about the basic plot for this book months ago and there were twists and turns that even I didn't see coming. And when I say twists and turns, I mean...TWISTS AND TURNS.
Every chapter was a puzzle piece that held important information to the unfolding of this story. While some questions were answered with each piece, new ones squeezed my brain. I was sitting straight up in my chair willing my eyes to read faster so that I could find out exactly what the hell was going to happen. The spins and suspense in this story reminded me of Tarryn Fisher's writing. Once I started, I could NOT put it down.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Put it on your TBR and read it the day it comes out. Then PM me so we can chat b/c I will be talking and thinking about this one for a LONG time.
I am going to be completely honest right now and admit that even though Melissa Brown is one of my best friends, I haven't yet read all of her books. I liked Bouquet Toss a LOT and I LOVED Unwanted Stars, but the way I feel about Wife Number Seven doesn't even COMPARE to either of them.
Wife Number Seven is the story of Brinley Cluff, the seventh wife of Polygamist Lehi Cluff, and the intense struggle going on within her. While she's trying to be the devout, obedient wife the prophet calls for her to be, she can't ignore the calls, or screams, from the outside world. One chance encounter with a former sect member that was exiled years ago, changes her life forever.
I knew Melissa could write sweet, swoony romance but I had NO clue she could do this. While there are sweet, swoony moments within the book, this ain't your momma's romance. I knew about the basic plot for this book months ago and there were twists and turns that even I didn't see coming. And when I say twists and turns, I mean...TWISTS AND TURNS.
Every chapter was a puzzle piece that held important information to the unfolding of this story. While some questions were answered with each piece, new ones squeezed my brain. I was sitting straight up in my chair willing my eyes to read faster so that I could find out exactly what the hell was going to happen. The spins and suspense in this story reminded me of Tarryn Fisher's writing. Once I started, I could NOT put it down.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Put it on your TBR and read it the day it comes out. Then PM me so we can chat b/c I will be talking and thinking about this one for a LONG time.
January 25, 2018
Brinley is part of a community where everybody listens to the prophet’s words and polygamy is normal. Brinley is Lehi’s seventh wife. She does what’s expected from her. She helps around the house and with the children. Brinley loves to shop in the outside world. On one of trips outside the compound, she runs into Porter. Porter will turn Brinley’s life upside. He will make her want other things in her life.
Brinley is sweet, reliable, loving, insecure, a little feisty and a little wild. The compound life is the only thing she knows and she’s not too sure what to think about the outside world. She accepts her life, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t wish that some things were different. Brinley risks a lot by trying to be with Porter, but he’s the man she really wants and loves.
Porter is a little lost and closed off. He’s struggling. He tries to fight, but he’s not really succeeding until Brinley comes into his life. He wants to be better for her. He cares about her. I loved Brinley and Porter, and them as a couple.
I never expected to love a novel about polygamy as much as I did love Wife Number Seven. It all felt real. I got to read about Brinley’s life in the compound, the rules and her sister wives. A life in the compound is the only thing Brinley knows. Porter will make her dream about a life outside the compound, but she fights against those feelings and the author made me understand why she did that. I liked Brinley’s bond with her sister wife Aspen. Aspen is the only one she’s close with. Aspen loves the life in the compound and she’s really devoted. After the last few chapters, I will definitely read Aspen’s books.
Brinley is sweet, reliable, loving, insecure, a little feisty and a little wild. The compound life is the only thing she knows and she’s not too sure what to think about the outside world. She accepts her life, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t wish that some things were different. Brinley risks a lot by trying to be with Porter, but he’s the man she really wants and loves.
Porter is a little lost and closed off. He’s struggling. He tries to fight, but he’s not really succeeding until Brinley comes into his life. He wants to be better for her. He cares about her. I loved Brinley and Porter, and them as a couple.
I never expected to love a novel about polygamy as much as I did love Wife Number Seven. It all felt real. I got to read about Brinley’s life in the compound, the rules and her sister wives. A life in the compound is the only thing Brinley knows. Porter will make her dream about a life outside the compound, but she fights against those feelings and the author made me understand why she did that. I liked Brinley’s bond with her sister wife Aspen. Aspen is the only one she’s close with. Aspen loves the life in the compound and she’s really devoted. After the last few chapters, I will definitely read Aspen’s books.
July 31, 2014
Did I like this book? YES
Typically I hate long dramatic inner monologues but in this book I WANTED AND needed them!!! I wanted to KNOW how these people thought and processed this nonsense! I mean why do you think this is normal!!!! That statement is a little "judgy" of me but DAMN I can't help myself!!!!
Did I want MORE from this book? YES
I needed a 900 page book and only got about 250 pages.........I wanted every detail and thought!!!! However I'm a "long book whore" so this is a me problem!!!
Did I think this book had 10 times more potential than it delivered? YES
So much potential it makes me SICK!!!!! Could have went in my "best of the best" but just that little thing wasn't delivered!!!! Don't get me wrong because I liked this book but it had EPIC potential!!!!
This world of polygamy is VERY fascinating but I'm a lover of LONG books so I felt like it was condensed...I needed MORE!!! I'm not a fan of condensed I like to get indepth with certain characters and with these characters I WANTED MORE!!
Did I devour this book? YES
I loved Brinley and Porter and I enjoyed all the other side characters.....even though I hated most of them. The concept of this book is so "out of the normal" for all of us that even hating them you were interested in their thought process. I wanted in ALL their minds......I wanted to dissect their brains!
Do I need more of this genre? YES
I would love to read more from this genre it's a very intriguing concept!!!
Typically I hate long dramatic inner monologues but in this book I WANTED AND needed them!!! I wanted to KNOW how these people thought and processed this nonsense! I mean why do you think this is normal!!!! That statement is a little "judgy" of me but DAMN I can't help myself!!!!
Did I want MORE from this book? YES
I needed a 900 page book and only got about 250 pages.........I wanted every detail and thought!!!! However I'm a "long book whore" so this is a me problem!!!
Did I think this book had 10 times more potential than it delivered? YES
So much potential it makes me SICK!!!!! Could have went in my "best of the best" but just that little thing wasn't delivered!!!! Don't get me wrong because I liked this book but it had EPIC potential!!!!
This world of polygamy is VERY fascinating but I'm a lover of LONG books so I felt like it was condensed...I needed MORE!!! I'm not a fan of condensed I like to get indepth with certain characters and with these characters I WANTED MORE!!
Did I devour this book? YES
I loved Brinley and Porter and I enjoyed all the other side characters.....even though I hated most of them. The concept of this book is so "out of the normal" for all of us that even hating them you were interested in their thought process. I wanted in ALL their minds......I wanted to dissect their brains!
Do I need more of this genre? YES
I would love to read more from this genre it's a very intriguing concept!!!
July 25, 2014
★★★★★ 5 Stars!
This was a unique, thought-provoking, touching and beautiful story...loved it!
My advice to everyone:
Full review to come (maybe).
May 27, 2014
I received an ARC of Wife Number Seven (okay, I begged for it after I read the synopsis). Melissa Brown has hit this one out of the ballpark! I read this in one sitting because I could NOT put it down. It was dark and scandalous and so different from Melissa's other books that I was blown away. I was on the edge of my seat through practically the entire book, hoping Brinley would get the life she wanted. Melissa did an amazing job with Brinley's character - I felt every ounce of her fear and the conflict that she struggled with. Do yourself a favor and READ THIS BOOK as soon as it comes out!
February 24, 2017
Wow. What an emotionally charged book! To say that I loved this book would be a COMPLETE understatement...i'm OBSESSED with this book.
Brinley was such an amazing character. She is the seventh wife of a nasty man named Lehi Cluff. I was so glad this book was written from her point of view so that we can see what goes on in the mind of this sheltered girl. Brinley was brought up believing that everything and everyone outside of her cult-like community is sinful.
"When you were raised to think that everyone outside your community was bound to an eternity of punishment and misery, it shaped your expectations"
You get a peak inside the mind of a girl who wants more out of life than just to bear children for a husband she does not love. What's so amazing about her is that she clearly could have been like the other women who "drank the kool-aid", but she is so level headed- considering all that has been brainwashed into her since birth. The "community" she lives in is so eerie. They have reminders of how to behave read to them by the "prophet" spoken to them through a loud speaker during the day. The prophet determines who marries who and his decisions supposedly come from the lord above. Brinley can't help but feel that she doesn't belong in this odd existence, but stays there out of fear. It isn't until she see's a man from her past that her mind starts screaming for something more than her life of solitude.
On one of her trips to the store, Brinley get's her purse stolen by a druggie; a druggie with a very familiar set of icy blue eyes.
"When the bag didn't give, the man turned back and glared. His blue eyes bored into me and I lost my breath. I knew those eyes."
Porter was shunned from her community at a young age, but Brinley never forgot him. Although, Porter is no longer the boy she used to know. Clearly, life outside of the community has not been easy for him and Brinley immediately recognizes that something is off about him. Although he stole her purse, Brinley cannot get him out of her head.
Not going to give anything else away- but what I can say is that seeing Porter again sets off a chain of events that change the life of both of them, forever. Can these two broken people find love with each other or will their very different lifestyles be the death of them?
NO! YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK TO FIND OUT!!!
December 16, 2014
5 FREEDOM STARS
This is my first Melissa Brown book and I am in awe! What an absolutely amazing and beautifully original read. I was completely engrossed and read this in mere hours. I could not put it down.
I can’t begin to talk about the story without giving too much away. What I will say is that it’s a story about Brinley, a young woman, who does not belong in her current life. As she seeks her new life and waits for her inner voice to grow from a whisper to a scream, she encounters, Porter Hammond. He knows Brinley’s current world and was banished from it. Damned to hell. These two form an immediate bond that grows and prospers despite what may seem like insurmountable obstacles.
“I told you, you’re my heaven. If I burn when I die, that’s fine. I’m a selfish man and I want my heaven now.”
This is a moving, captivating story of one finding the courage to seek out love and freedom at all costs. It's about another healing from the deepest rejection possible and finding the inner strength to put the pieces back together again. And it’s about finding out who your true friends are and the bonds you make with those despite circumstance or religious beliefs or differences.
Brilliant story! I will be checking out more from Melissa Brown, that's for sure!
This is my first Melissa Brown book and I am in awe! What an absolutely amazing and beautifully original read. I was completely engrossed and read this in mere hours. I could not put it down.
I can’t begin to talk about the story without giving too much away. What I will say is that it’s a story about Brinley, a young woman, who does not belong in her current life. As she seeks her new life and waits for her inner voice to grow from a whisper to a scream, she encounters, Porter Hammond. He knows Brinley’s current world and was banished from it. Damned to hell. These two form an immediate bond that grows and prospers despite what may seem like insurmountable obstacles.
“I told you, you’re my heaven. If I burn when I die, that’s fine. I’m a selfish man and I want my heaven now.”
This is a moving, captivating story of one finding the courage to seek out love and freedom at all costs. It's about another healing from the deepest rejection possible and finding the inner strength to put the pieces back together again. And it’s about finding out who your true friends are and the bonds you make with those despite circumstance or religious beliefs or differences.
Brilliant story! I will be checking out more from Melissa Brown, that's for sure!
July 23, 2014
I was pleasantly surprised by this unique, yet powerful story!
Brinley lives in a religious community where women cannot choose who they marry, but they are appointed to a man by prophet, community leader. Brinley was chosen to be the 7th wife of Lehi Cluff. Brinley has been Lehi's 7th wife for three years and every day Brinley is more sure that she doesn't belong in their community, and in the Cluff household. She questions her faith even more after meeting Porter, a boy who used to live in their community but were exiled. Porter makes her feel things she never felt, but dreamed about. She knows she can leave, but isn't sure if she is ready to leave the only life she ever known.
"I love you in a way that I didn't know I could," I finally said, and Porter smiled and released a sigh.
"And I love you in a way that I never will again."
I really enjoyed this wonderful story. I think Brinley was such an awesome heroine, because she seemed sweet and submissive on the outside, but actually was a little bit of a rebel inside. From an early age she already kind of rebelled against her religious community like making a doll when toys were forbidden. I liked those little things she did that proved that she was questioning her faith for a long time, I just wished she had really acted sooner. Also, I had a soft spot for Porter. I liked how he was a bit messed up because of his upbringings, but he was still attempting to straighten out his life for Brinley. That poem he wrote to Brinley ♥
"He was my shelter from the storm that was my life."
I loved the chapters from other characters POV, I feel like they filled in the gaps and build story perfectly. My favorite secondary character was definitely Aspen, she was really great, so intelligent. I liked how committed she was to their community, yet she was never naive about it. Villains were good too, because Lehi, the old perv, made me cringe constantly.
Although the story was really great and I won't be forgetting it any time soon, I am not giving it 5 stars because I feel like Brinley's indecision phrase was too long and I got a bit tired of her 'I am not ready to leave' or 'I can't leave yet'.
Lastly, I highly recommend this book, everyone should read this unique story about a girl who struggles with her beliefs and wants more for herself in life!
"You need to jump of that cliff now, Brinley, before you no longer have a choice."
Brinley lives in a religious community where women cannot choose who they marry, but they are appointed to a man by prophet, community leader. Brinley was chosen to be the 7th wife of Lehi Cluff. Brinley has been Lehi's 7th wife for three years and every day Brinley is more sure that she doesn't belong in their community, and in the Cluff household. She questions her faith even more after meeting Porter, a boy who used to live in their community but were exiled. Porter makes her feel things she never felt, but dreamed about. She knows she can leave, but isn't sure if she is ready to leave the only life she ever known.
"I love you in a way that I didn't know I could," I finally said, and Porter smiled and released a sigh.
"And I love you in a way that I never will again."
I really enjoyed this wonderful story. I think Brinley was such an awesome heroine, because she seemed sweet and submissive on the outside, but actually was a little bit of a rebel inside. From an early age she already kind of rebelled against her religious community like making a doll when toys were forbidden. I liked those little things she did that proved that she was questioning her faith for a long time, I just wished she had really acted sooner. Also, I had a soft spot for Porter. I liked how he was a bit messed up because of his upbringings, but he was still attempting to straighten out his life for Brinley. That poem he wrote to Brinley ♥
"He was my shelter from the storm that was my life."
I loved the chapters from other characters POV, I feel like they filled in the gaps and build story perfectly. My favorite secondary character was definitely Aspen, she was really great, so intelligent. I liked how committed she was to their community, yet she was never naive about it. Villains were good too, because Lehi, the old perv, made me cringe constantly.
Although the story was really great and I won't be forgetting it any time soon, I am not giving it 5 stars because I feel like Brinley's indecision phrase was too long and I got a bit tired of her 'I am not ready to leave' or 'I can't leave yet'.
Lastly, I highly recommend this book, everyone should read this unique story about a girl who struggles with her beliefs and wants more for herself in life!
"You need to jump of that cliff now, Brinley, before you no longer have a choice."
July 23, 2014
"I’m wife number seven. My husband shares my bed one night a week. And although I don’t love him, not in the way I’d always hoped I’d love the man I’m bound to for eternity, I find myself dreading the moment he walks out my bedroom door every seven days."
Brinley is 22 years young, married at the age of 19 to a man considerably older than her.Brinley was raised in the life of Polygamy. Her mother was one of several wives. Being a wife who procreates and follows her husbands rules and the rules of the prophet are what they live by. Anything less and they are damned to go to Hell. Brinley is different...
"A voice inside told me I didn’t belong here, that there was another life waiting for me. And with each passing year, that voice became louder."
One day as she was outside of the compound, she was robbed by a boy she knew from before. One who was shunned by their community, living in the outside world. Porter Hammond. She tracks him down, demands her stuff back and that is the beginning of everyting....
Porter and Brinley embark on something forbidden, but it feels so right for them. They need each other. Porter is fighting addiction, and being abandoned by his family. Brinley is fighting the feeling she doesnt belong where she's at. I loved Porter..
"I want to know everything there is to know about you, the real you. Not the fake mold they’ve placed you in. The real Brinley.The one who matters.”
"I was tired of resisting feeling like an actual person, rather than just a cog in a wheel."
With some help from a cousin on the outside, an old lady on the inside, and the love of a sister wife that she didnt realize was so strong, Brinley realized she wasnt living the life for her. It was time to make a change. And that change was not easy on her, AT ALL. Things went to hell in a hand basket..
"The whisper was not quite a scream yet, but it was growing louder.When I was younger, everything was simple. I knew my place in the world. I knew my role, my duty, my destiny within our community. But that was no longer my reality. I was breaking every rule, challenging every belief that I’d once held dear."
Now, some can say she had so many opportunities to leave. Physically yes, she did. She left the compound numerous times. But you have to understand the mindset. Her religion has been fed into her her entire life. Marry. Have babies. Serve your husband. Serve the prophet. Do these things selflessly and you will secure your place with Heavenly Father. Go against this and your soul is damned. Leave, and you leave all the family youve known behind. I was insanely proud of some of the hard decisions Brinley actually did make, for example
Lehi was a dispicable husband. He was thoughtless to ALL his wives. His first wife was a bitch. Rebecca, well I'm still mad at her. Aspen, she was a kick-ass sister wife.
This book needs to be read with an open mind. I dont agree with Polygamy (I dont share well with others) and I'm not into the Morman faith. I did however enjoy reading something different and learning what their life is like.
In the end, I loved the new Brinley..
“I don’t need your prayers.”
I pulled my shoulders back and held my head high.
“I have my own.”
March 13, 2016
*I gave this audiobook a B+ for both the story and narration at AudioGals*
Narrated by Bridget Haight
For those of you who watched the HBO Series Big Love, Wife Number Seven is a similar tale, but even more focused on the not so pretty side of polygamy/compound living, with a hint of suspense and a true romance weaved in between. The heroine is a young wife (a seventh wife) who begins to question the legitimacy of the religious and polygamist ways that she was born into. Longing for the freedom to establish her own identity, the beauty of this story is in how the heroine slowly begins to see the true world and her own feelings and desires all encouraged by the man who actually cares for her and awakens true feelings in her for the first time. A truly unique listen, sporting an above average narration, I highly recommend this title to romance listeners who are looking for something fresh and different to listen to.
As the blurb is impossibly vague, and certainly fails to communicate the romantic elements that make up this New Adult romance, I will have to be necessarily brief in my background description of this tale. Additionally, an undercurrent of this story relates to a suspense theme that makes it equally difficult to describe the background without giving away the elements that make this listen so engaging.
See the full review at AudioGals.
Narrated by Bridget Haight
For those of you who watched the HBO Series Big Love, Wife Number Seven is a similar tale, but even more focused on the not so pretty side of polygamy/compound living, with a hint of suspense and a true romance weaved in between. The heroine is a young wife (a seventh wife) who begins to question the legitimacy of the religious and polygamist ways that she was born into. Longing for the freedom to establish her own identity, the beauty of this story is in how the heroine slowly begins to see the true world and her own feelings and desires all encouraged by the man who actually cares for her and awakens true feelings in her for the first time. A truly unique listen, sporting an above average narration, I highly recommend this title to romance listeners who are looking for something fresh and different to listen to.
As the blurb is impossibly vague, and certainly fails to communicate the romantic elements that make up this New Adult romance, I will have to be necessarily brief in my background description of this tale. Additionally, an undercurrent of this story relates to a suspense theme that makes it equally difficult to describe the background without giving away the elements that make this listen so engaging.
See the full review at AudioGals.
July 22, 2014
4 Stars
This is the story of Brinley. A girl who has grown up in the world of polygamy.
Chosen to be the new wife for an older husband. A man with already 6 wives and over 25 children.
Brinley knows its important to her faith to accept her new husband. Because of the other wives, time with him is short and life within the complex is lonely. She has her sister wives but she finds it hard to express herself at times and to talk to anyone about her feelings.
This is the only life she knows until a visit to the local town she comes across Porter, a banished follower. She remembers him as the boy who once lived in the camp.
Brinley starts to question everything. She is scared and naive. But meeting Porter gives her something... hope
Is she strong enough to walk away from all she has ever known or is her life to be Wife Number Seven?
My thoughts
This was a very different kind of read and I enjoyed the story.
I loved reading Brinley's thoughts, her feelings.
I don't know much about the religious side but I felt the writing was very well done and the story kept my interest.
We watch and wait as her views start to change and what her decision will be.
Now... there were some parts of the story that didn't work for me. Porter and Brinley's relationship... I didn't feel the connection. sometimes that happens to a reader.
All that aside, It was a really good read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
This is the story of Brinley. A girl who has grown up in the world of polygamy.
Chosen to be the new wife for an older husband. A man with already 6 wives and over 25 children.
Brinley knows its important to her faith to accept her new husband. Because of the other wives, time with him is short and life within the complex is lonely. She has her sister wives but she finds it hard to express herself at times and to talk to anyone about her feelings.
This is the only life she knows until a visit to the local town she comes across Porter, a banished follower. She remembers him as the boy who once lived in the camp.
Brinley starts to question everything. She is scared and naive. But meeting Porter gives her something... hope
Is she strong enough to walk away from all she has ever known or is her life to be Wife Number Seven?
My thoughts
This was a very different kind of read and I enjoyed the story.
I loved reading Brinley's thoughts, her feelings.
I don't know much about the religious side but I felt the writing was very well done and the story kept my interest.
We watch and wait as her views start to change and what her decision will be.
Now... there were some parts of the story that didn't work for me. Porter and Brinley's relationship... I didn't feel the connection. sometimes that happens to a reader.
All that aside, It was a really good read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
June 24, 2014
Wife Number Seven is groundbreaking. Period.
Not just for Melissa Brown, who will blow your MIND with a new stone overturned in her talent, but for the independent author community as a whole. Beyond that. It goes beyond that. It's groundbreaking on every level.
Have you ever wanted to be the fly on the wall of a polygamist compound? Admit it, you have. I know you have. Because I have. I've read the online articles and tuned into the reality shows, too. Wife Number Seven, while fiction, gives you something reality TV can't. Reality. We are welcomed into the world of Brinley as she fights to understand what she wants and what that means. Not only for herself and her family, but for her community and her salvation.
If you've never read a Melissa Brown book before, start now. If you've read everything she's ever written, snatch this up when it releases and don't sleep until the very. last. word.
Wife Number Seven isn't a circus freak show viewing. It's a heartbreaking tale of a young woman searching for herself in the middle of who she's told she must be.
Bravo, Melissa. Bravo.
Not just for Melissa Brown, who will blow your MIND with a new stone overturned in her talent, but for the independent author community as a whole. Beyond that. It goes beyond that. It's groundbreaking on every level.
Have you ever wanted to be the fly on the wall of a polygamist compound? Admit it, you have. I know you have. Because I have. I've read the online articles and tuned into the reality shows, too. Wife Number Seven, while fiction, gives you something reality TV can't. Reality. We are welcomed into the world of Brinley as she fights to understand what she wants and what that means. Not only for herself and her family, but for her community and her salvation.
If you've never read a Melissa Brown book before, start now. If you've read everything she's ever written, snatch this up when it releases and don't sleep until the very. last. word.
Wife Number Seven isn't a circus freak show viewing. It's a heartbreaking tale of a young woman searching for herself in the middle of who she's told she must be.
Bravo, Melissa. Bravo.
October 18, 2015
This was a great story about love and perseverance. Maybe I expected the worst after reading many reviews that talked about the abuse and victimization of young girls, but after reading the story, I've gotta say that while those elements were definitely present, they weren't as horrific as I was expecting based upon the reviews.
I don't want to minimize the fact that there were young girls being victimized and a definite cult-like brainwashing of those living within the commune. However, I expected those elements to be present in a book that tackled this subject matter. How could anyone not see that coming?
What really surprised me was the depth of the relationships between the women in the story and the level of interaction that Brinley had with the outside world. Through their interactions, Brinley and Porter help heal one another. I was also amazed by the amount of support that she had, in such a seemingly isolating situation.
Given the subject matter, I think Ms. Brown actually did a great job of not letting the abuse become the focal-point, overshadowing the entire story. While omnipresent, it kind of stayed in the background, like an awareness guiding Brinley's actions. Other than one or two scenes, the abuse wasn't really in your face. Instead, the budding romance between Brinley and Porter took center stage.
I was captivated by Brinley's strength and resilience throughout the book and didn't put it down until I read it start to finish. Great story! HEA and it actually ends, which is harder and harder to come by these days!
I don't want to minimize the fact that there were young girls being victimized and a definite cult-like brainwashing of those living within the commune. However, I expected those elements to be present in a book that tackled this subject matter. How could anyone not see that coming?
What really surprised me was the depth of the relationships between the women in the story and the level of interaction that Brinley had with the outside world. Through their interactions, Brinley and Porter help heal one another. I was also amazed by the amount of support that she had, in such a seemingly isolating situation.
Given the subject matter, I think Ms. Brown actually did a great job of not letting the abuse become the focal-point, overshadowing the entire story. While omnipresent, it kind of stayed in the background, like an awareness guiding Brinley's actions. Other than one or two scenes, the abuse wasn't really in your face. Instead, the budding romance between Brinley and Porter took center stage.
I was captivated by Brinley's strength and resilience throughout the book and didn't put it down until I read it start to finish. Great story! HEA and it actually ends, which is harder and harder to come by these days!
June 14, 2014
Something completely different from Melissa Brown and I'm so excited for everyone to read it! Twisted, bold, heartbreaking, and heartwarming all within this book...
August 26, 2014
This was very unique. Very different from anything I've read before. Totally enjoyed it. I'm on hiatus from writing reviews, maybe I'll add some more thoughts on this later.
November 29, 2014
5+ Stars!
Married at 19 to a man that she will never love, Brinley is trapped to the life that surrounds her. This is what she knows, this is what is expected. As the seventh wife to Lehi, a man in his fifties, she spends her days 'keeping sweet' and trying to fit in with her fellow sister wives. Brinley cherishes her moments of freedom, and is always first to volunteer to run into town for errands. She is also keeping a secret. She needs to head to town at least once a month to visit the pharmacy. A secret so foul in the eyes of the Heavenly Father, yet she doesn't care. Deep down she realizes this is not the life she wants to live, but what else is there? She is too afraid to even think of the possibilities.
During one of her excursions into town, she is robbed. She fought tooth and nail to save her purse, but the man was relentless in getting what he wanted. Something is strange about this man who is determined to steal from her. She recognizes him. He used to live at the compound where she lives. His blue eyes, and the memory that she still has of a moment they shared, comes back to her.
Porter has been exiled from the compound he grew up in since he was seventeen. He had to learn about the outside world and how to survive on his own. Trying to cope with losing his life and family, he turns to drugs in order to block things out. He usually doesn't take to robbing someone, but he is desperate. He too recognizes the woman from his past.
After a little digging, Brinley finds out more about the thief and finds out where he lives. In order to preserve her secret from the family, she tracks Porter down in order to get her purse back. When they meet again, there is a connection that they cannot hide.
The two soon find themselves trying to stay under the radar in hopes of having some stolen moments together.
The compound is hardly drama free, and Brinley is finding herself in the middle of this drama. However it may be to late. Will she face her fears and be able to leave the compound behind to start a life filled with true love? Or will her secrets sabotage her future?
I was blown away by this story. Melissa Brown does a flawless job of showing me a life I would never experience firsthand. At times I really felt claustrophobic. My heart ached for Brinley, and any other woman who is in her same situation. It must be so difficult.
I accomplished many emotions during the story. I felt the loneliness, sadness for a love lost (Rebecca and Burt), betrayal, happiness for finding love, and even some skin crawling moments. Above all I felt immense pride for Brinley's strength through all of it.
I truly am having issues with finding the best words to come up with to describe how great this was. Let's just say I loved everything. It's an epic read. Highly recommend!
Married at 19 to a man that she will never love, Brinley is trapped to the life that surrounds her. This is what she knows, this is what is expected. As the seventh wife to Lehi, a man in his fifties, she spends her days 'keeping sweet' and trying to fit in with her fellow sister wives. Brinley cherishes her moments of freedom, and is always first to volunteer to run into town for errands. She is also keeping a secret. She needs to head to town at least once a month to visit the pharmacy. A secret so foul in the eyes of the Heavenly Father, yet she doesn't care. Deep down she realizes this is not the life she wants to live, but what else is there? She is too afraid to even think of the possibilities.
During one of her excursions into town, she is robbed. She fought tooth and nail to save her purse, but the man was relentless in getting what he wanted. Something is strange about this man who is determined to steal from her. She recognizes him. He used to live at the compound where she lives. His blue eyes, and the memory that she still has of a moment they shared, comes back to her.
Porter has been exiled from the compound he grew up in since he was seventeen. He had to learn about the outside world and how to survive on his own. Trying to cope with losing his life and family, he turns to drugs in order to block things out. He usually doesn't take to robbing someone, but he is desperate. He too recognizes the woman from his past.
After a little digging, Brinley finds out more about the thief and finds out where he lives. In order to preserve her secret from the family, she tracks Porter down in order to get her purse back. When they meet again, there is a connection that they cannot hide.
The two soon find themselves trying to stay under the radar in hopes of having some stolen moments together.
The compound is hardly drama free, and Brinley is finding herself in the middle of this drama. However it may be to late. Will she face her fears and be able to leave the compound behind to start a life filled with true love? Or will her secrets sabotage her future?
I was blown away by this story. Melissa Brown does a flawless job of showing me a life I would never experience firsthand. At times I really felt claustrophobic. My heart ached for Brinley, and any other woman who is in her same situation. It must be so difficult.
I accomplished many emotions during the story. I felt the loneliness, sadness for a love lost (Rebecca and Burt), betrayal, happiness for finding love, and even some skin crawling moments. Above all I felt immense pride for Brinley's strength through all of it.
I truly am having issues with finding the best words to come up with to describe how great this was. Let's just say I loved everything. It's an epic read. Highly recommend!
August 4, 2014
OMG this story was amazing! Seriously one of the best reads so far this year
5 BEAUTIFUL STARS
I just got this picture via Whatsapp: (This made me think of this book) hahahahaha!
This book was soooo amazing! I really enjoyed it from the first page to the last page.
I haven't read something like this before.
Let's get one thing straight, I would never be WIFE nr 7! I will kill all the other wives and my husband hahaha! (I don't like sharing)
Brinley - I just loved her from the start!
Lehi - is such an asshole!
Leandra - I hope she gets what she deserves. Yes I know she is Wife Nr 1 but I don't give a flying f*ck hahahaha!
Rebecca - My heart is breaking for her, but she made her choice.
Porter - his parents I would like to meet, to kill them as well.
It sounds like I seriously have some anger issues here hahaha.
If you haven't read this story, leave what you are doing and START READING!! :)
Hope you guys enjoy the book as much as I did. xxx
5 BEAUTIFUL STARS
I just got this picture via Whatsapp: (This made me think of this book) hahahahaha!
This book was soooo amazing! I really enjoyed it from the first page to the last page.
I haven't read something like this before.
Let's get one thing straight, I would never be WIFE nr 7! I will kill all the other wives and my husband hahaha! (I don't like sharing)
Brinley - I just loved her from the start!
Lehi - is such an asshole!
Leandra - I hope she gets what she deserves. Yes I know she is Wife Nr 1 but I don't give a flying f*ck hahahaha!
Rebecca - My heart is breaking for her, but she made her choice.
Porter - his parents I would like to meet, to kill them as well.
It sounds like I seriously have some anger issues here hahaha.
If you haven't read this story, leave what you are doing and START READING!! :)
Hope you guys enjoy the book as much as I did. xxx
October 6, 2015
Although you all know I HATE instalove, I must admit this book was captivating, amazing, and I devoured it!
This is my first glimpse at what polygamy is like, I've always felt intrigued but haven't read anything about it and this book was definitely great because I felt the characters were so REAL! They all have their fears, motivations, expectations, and even though I hated some of them, I was curious about what moved them.
The story is deeply touching, Brinley is trying to find her place in a world that expects so much from her, so of course she is scared but determined to find what life can give her. Is she strong enough to follow her heart against everything that has been taught to her since she was born?
This is my first glimpse at what polygamy is like, I've always felt intrigued but haven't read anything about it and this book was definitely great because I felt the characters were so REAL! They all have their fears, motivations, expectations, and even though I hated some of them, I was curious about what moved them.
The story is deeply touching, Brinley is trying to find her place in a world that expects so much from her, so of course she is scared but determined to find what life can give her. Is she strong enough to follow her heart against everything that has been taught to her since she was born?
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