The Second Wives Club

by Jane Moore

It's Alison's wedding day, her gorgeous husband Luca is by her side, and everything is just perfect. Perfect, that is, until Luca's first wife gatecrashes the reception and makes it clear that she's going to remain very much part of his life.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

464 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Jane Moore is an English journalist, author and television presenter, best known as a columnist for The Sun newspaper and as a panellist and anchor on the ITV lunchtime chat show Loose Women between 1999 and 2002, returning as a regular panellist from 2013 onwards. Since 2018 Moore has been regularly relief-anchoring the show.

Reviews

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. I was a huge fan of Olivia Goldsmith's First Wives Club and even though this is written by a different author, thought it might be a fun tale of the other side of the coin. I couldn't have been more wrong. Four vapid, self-absorbed women who, each in their own way, cut a married man from the herd and roped him in through deceit and sexual conquest, get together once a month to kvetch about the first wives and whine. This read like a bad soap opera with none of the women experiencing any real growth or moments of self-realization. The razor sharp wit described in the blurb is non-existent. The only time I laughed was when one of the protagonists got hit by a car. And that was because I was thrilled to see at least one of these catty broads got knocked down. A miserable read.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

O carte amuzanta, scrisa din perpectiva sotiilor nr 2. :) E dragut cum isi fac ele clubul lor si cum incearca sa supravietuiasca in fata sotiilor nr 1. O carte de citit de plictiseala, daca nu aveti nimic altceva la indemana. I-am dat 5 stele pt ca la momentul la care am citit-o m-a binedispus.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually don't read these types of books, mostly because they can't keep my interest for long. Especially when they're about couples. I've never been a romantic type, and having kids is NOT my thing, there Julia and I are in complete agreement.
But despite Julia's adamant lack of maternal instincts, it's a book about adult women wanting kids. Sometimes I find myself thinking they've got a point (their partners are complete imbecils, it would have been nice if one of them at least had a decent guy without all the asshole tendencies and no compassion), but most of the time I just sigh in frustration.
Books like these really do make me want to stay single. Less drama all around.

[Sandra McClelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this is obviously not a thought provoking title, I was expecting something more entertaining. The author should be ashamed of herself for spouting the nonsense message that women who don't want or can't have children will ultimately be cheated on, and end up on their own. While the story has a strong female character who is determined to remain child-free (think Samantha Sex and the City style) she also made her a major gold-digger, and super promiscuous. Another of the female characters who is having trouble conceiving is shamed by her husband, and every female character in this story is looked at as a baby factory. It seems only the characters who are successfully reproducing get what they want in this tail, and its disgusting. Women are not baby factories. If they want children, wonderful. If they don't, also wonderful. I will be avoiding this author like the plague from here on out.

[Shannon Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had every intention of reading this as a normal, run of the mill chick lit book, just a guilty pleasure, and I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it's chick lit, but its written very well. The characters had depth and intrigue. It was emotional and funny and I most certainly can relate to the premise of this book. I will be picking up more of Jane Moore's novels!

[Dalesha R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!!!

[Tiffany]

OK

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My library was having a sale probably a year and a half ago, shoot it might have been 2 years ago, but you could get as many books that could fill a bag for the grand price of $1.06, so I picked this up and tossed it in my bag. Got home and sat it in a stack of other books I had read or was going to read some point. It sat and sat and I just blew the dust of it on Saturday. I'm kicking myself it took me so long to read this.

So here you have 4 women who are second wives and they've formed their own support group: Fiona (dealing with the stepson from teenage hell), Julia (Ms. Perfectionist and Materialistic), Susan (the perpetually late one), and the newcomer Alison. You learn that two of the women met their husbands while they were still married, and another who met hers while he had been separated, and one was with a widower but hadn't been wifed despite her desire.

You know a story is good when you can have characters you'd be morally against, but then find yourself grudgingly rooting for them. Well, that happened to moi.

Things started off with a wedding crasher that resulted in this statement being made: You should have asked that question before you married him... Yes, most people get caught up in "winning", in planning the wedding and being the center of attention on their special day, but give very little though to the actual marriage. That's exactly what happened to Alison who got a strong dose of what her future would be when her husband's ex-wife came storming into their reception, hurling insults and dragging her two small sons out of there. Alison (whom had been the side piece) had signed herself up to fall second place with her husband Luca. At first, I wasn't inclined to like her, but as her story developed, I softened toward her, though I do wonder if I would have had she not suffered with fertility issues and didn't land dead last on her husband's list of priorities.

Moving on to Julia, another glorified side piece turned wifey. At first she rubbed me the wrong way because she had no filter and was more concerned with her bodily maintenance than having an actual deep and emotional connection and marriage to her husband James. However, I will say she grew on me, was actually pretty funny, and she wasn't a boring doormat. She was also anti-baby, which back in the time this was written that would have indicted her as being the worst kind of person. Fast forward a decade plus, more and more women share Julia's aversion to childbearing, or rather now have the space to share their feelings on that matter without fear of being gaslit to death about lacking that good ole maternal instinct, or not being in a financial position to have children. Needless to say, she'd learn that would be a point of contention in her marriage.

I don't have too much to say about Fiona. She met her hubby David when he had been separated from his first wife for 2 years. The drama she faced was more so with her 16-yr old stepson, Jake. There were a few things that happened that I didn't agree with. For example, I don't think Fiona should have told Jake about how or why his parents split up. She did so merely to clear her name, but it was information that should have come from one of his parents. Something else happened that I knew would come back to bite her on the butt. I understood her agreement of silence, but she still had an obligation not to keep something involving her stepson from his dad. Those things aside, she was the one who tried to see the positive in a situation, or dispensed platitudes that ringed with a note of dismissiveness. You know, telling someone what you think they wanted to hear, and not letting them get to the truth or reality of the situation.

And finally, there's Susan. Things looked a bit bleak for her, living in the shadow of her boyfriend's dead wife, raising his daughter like her own, and having to ingratiate herself to her dead friend's parents--the mother in particular who was cold and snappish towards her. That was a lot to deal with while feeling she had to constantly bite her tongue until finally she decided to say what she wanted. Susan was the easiest to like mainly due to the fact her relationship with Nick wasn't birthed out of infidelity. The only hiccup I can complain about when it comes to her story is, the quickness in how things turned around in her relationship. It was an almost too good to be true situation, and I waited for the other shoe to drop...

I'm glad this was a book that wasn't bogged down by boring details. I would have liked to see the actual resolution when it came to Alison and Luca; a Cliff's Notes version was given. So I couldn't help but feel cheated. Other than that this was a book that kept my attention. I don't think the characters, with maybe the exception of Susan and perhaps Fiona, was written for you to like them and side with them, but just to experience them and what life is like being the second wife.

[Cari Schaeffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took away a star because of the multiple use of the "f" word, which I always hate. Plus there are some overt sex scenes, but those aren't too smutty. I just skipped a few sentences.

Overall, I liked the book. I am not a second wife, nor have I ever been in a position to be one and I am grateful. I think the author did a good job in giving the second wife perspective through several different characters/scenarios. That situation is a tough one to be in, for all parties involved. I think the most difficult position is for the children. Step-parents really walk a tight rope in terms of the other woman's children and how to (or if) parent them.

I would read it again.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this book about 4 young ladies whom are all "second wives" and thus the title. They all come from different situations but you find yourself siding with them and enjoying the scenarios and predicaments. There are plot twists that you don't see coming but makes you want to keep reading.

[Crysta · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this up of the sidewalk because it looked funny, but it wasn't. It made me angry and sad and I have to hope that the author doesn't really think that that's how marriages, even bad ones, go. Or for that matter how people, even "bad" ones think, speak, and act.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun chick-lit about four women whose husbands’ ex-wives make marriage difficult. Many second marriages include stepchildren- sometimes they accept the second wife right away; other times they can be a thorn in the side of the new wife.

[Jedi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't a completely vapid nonsense book, but the title is quite misleading as only deals with one second wife and not much of a peak or excitement.. I enjoyed it enough but don't recommend to others because it's not very memorable.

[Arlene Shavlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. A light-hearted read for sitting at the pool or beach. At first, it was a little confusing, keeping all of the characters straight (several couples), but once I could keep track of all of their stories, I enjoyed the book very much.

[M T · Rating 1 out of 5]

Complete waste of my time. Dismal shallow women and selfish men. But hey it's a happy ending all round.

[Therese Bergwall · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Läst på svenska: Ex-häxorna

[Dannielle Lindsay-Rohr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for second wives

Funny, thoughtful, easy to read book. I could totally relate to several of the characters in this book. Sooooo good.

[Viri Sánchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The drama caught me. I am a slow readier, but by the end I could not put it down. Great read.

[Laura Candela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of entertaining but killed off some brain cells

[Kathy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick easy read. A pleasant change from the cynical, revenge seeking women found in many chick lit books. There was strong elements of ‘goodness’ in the 4 women which I found refreshing.

[Orit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun chick-lit book from Jane Moore who is now one of my favorites. A perfect beach book. Loved the characters and the stories.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follows the lives of 4 friends, whom are 2nd wives. Light-hearted, funny, an enjoyable read

[RJC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast paced. Good not to have the obligatory 'happy ending', with the novel ending with the acknowledgement that some family relationships can be just lived with,

[Brittany Crouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a good book, I am a second wife so some of scenarios Susan went thru really hit home with me.

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must say there was more to this book than I expected there to be when I began reading it. I actually quite enjoyed much of it.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was pretty good but the timeline was all over the place.

[Marc Dibeh · Rating 4 out of 5]

She is a really funny writer.
Susan story was the mush touching one.
She has almost going to loose her life, but after that she wins it all for better.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read many years ago, just cataloging now.

[Nick Ackland · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a good book.