The Passion Thief

by Anne McCarthy Strauss

The tumble between the sheets can get a little stale and infrequent in some marriages. At least that’s what Betty Boomer tells herself at night, while Stan, her husband of two decades, snores upright on the couch. Emboldened by too much Chardonnay, she searches the Internet for her college boyfriend Michael, the proverbial one who got away. Memories of their youthful passion reignite a lust Betty thought had dried up long ago.

Michael responds to Betty’s cyber message, and temptation calls this globe-trotting freelance journalist. While Stan’s idea of excitement is staying up past ten o’clock on a Saturday night, Michael has evolved into a flashy Las Vegas casino manager with three ex-wives. Which man offers stimulation and which one brings monotony coupled with reliability is vividly clear.

Written with the yearning and struggle many women feel, Betty Boomer is not alone when she asks, “Is this all I need or should I take another shot at passion?” Author Anne McCarthy Strauss brings us her latest women’s fiction coupled with a large dose of romantic comedy and a dozen long-stemmed roses.

Genres: Chick Lit

284 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2014

About the author

Anne McCarthy Strauss is versatile novelist, writer, interviewer, researcher and public relations pro who focuses on shelter, technology and health.

NOVELS

Anne's first novel, A Medical Affair, (Booktrope 2013) is the intriguing story of a doctor who violates a sacred medical oath by having an affair with one of his patients. Her recent novel, The Passion Thief, (Booktrope 2014) is the story of a a woman, aptly named Betty Boomer, in a stale midlife marriage, and her encounter with the one who got away.

The Passion Thief (Booktrope, 2014) The tumble between the sheets can get a little stale and infrequent in some marriages. At least that’s what Betty Boomer tells herself at night, while Stan, her husband of two decades, snores upright on the couch. Emboldened by too much Chardonnay, she searches the Internet for her college boyfriend Michael, the proverbial one who got away. Memories of their youthful passion reignite a lust Betty thought had dried up long ago. Michael responds to Betty’s cyber message, and temptation calls this globe-trotting freelance journalist. While Stan’s idea of excitement is staying up past ten o’clock on a Saturday night, Michael has evolved into a flashy Las Vegas casino manager with three ex-wives. Which man offers stimulation and which one brings monotony coupled with reliability is vividly clear. Written with the yearning and struggle many women feel, Betty Boomer is not alone when she asks, “Is this all I need or should I take another shot at passion?” Author Anne McCarthy Strauss brings us her latest women’s fiction coupled with a large dose of romantic comedy and a dozen long-stemmed roses.

SHELTER

On the shelter side, Anne has written for both consumer and trade magazines including Old House Journal, Waterfront Home & Design, Design Trade Magazine, Distinction, Log Home Design Ideas and Florida Design Review. She has written regularly for Martha's Vineyard Magazine and Vineyard Style.

ABOUT ANNE

Anne McCarthy Strauss is a writer of women’s fiction as well as articles for publications and corporate media.

Anne lives in upstate New York with her husband and their two dogs. She has written for both consumer and trade magazines including Old House Journal, Waterfront Home & Design, Design Trade Magazine, Design New England, Distinction, Log Home Design Ideas and Florida Design Review. She has been a regular contributor to Martha’s Vineyard Magazine and Vineyard Style. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA). Anne is hard at work on her next novel. When not writing, she’s likely to be hiking, kayaking, crafting, swimming, or walking her dogs.

To learn more, visit her at: http://www.annestrauss.com.

Reviews

[Angel Sefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book with an extraordinary ending!

There are millions of women who would love to be married to Stan Boomer, a solid, kind executive with wealth and financial security. Unfortunately, after 23 years of marriage, it’s Stan’s wife Betty who is questioning the marriage. Although she is a globe-trotting journalist, she is bored. International assignments, the finest food and wine, and even a fling with her college boyfriend don’t give this woman what she’s seeking.

In truth, I found Betty so self-centered and me-oriented, I would have put the book down if it weren’t for the great story telling. I’m glad I stayed around. As the book delves into the demons that drive Betty to do what she does, a whole new character emerges. The choice she makes to change her ways is surprising and encouraging.

Stay with The Passion Thief. It won’t disappoint, and you may learn more than you expected.

[Joan Seaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging novel about marriage and relationships. Betty's journey reflects her need for love as she discovers what she is really searching for in life. Reading this book was especially enjoyable as the author is a friend.

[TLBC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Add to Goodreads Buy on Amazon



Synposis:

The tumble between the
sheets can get a little stale and infrequent in some marriages. At least
that’s what Betty Boomer tells herself at night, while Stan, her
husband of two decades, snores upright on the couch. Emboldened by too
much Chardonnay, she searches the Internet for her college boyfriend
Michael, the proverbial one who got away. Memories of their youthful
passion reignite a lust Betty thought had dried up long ago.

Michael
responds to Betty’s cyber message, and temptation calls this
globe-trotting freelance journalist. While Stan’s idea of excitement is
staying up past ten o’clock on a Saturday night, Michael has evolved
into a flashy Las Vegas casino manager with three ex-wives. Which man
offers stimulation and which one brings monotony coupled with
reliability is vividly clear.

Written with the yearning and
struggle many women feel, Betty Boomer is not alone when she asks, “Is
this all I need or should I take another shot at passion?” Author Anne
McCarthy Strauss brings us her latest women’s fiction coupled with a
large dose of romantic comedy and a dozen long-stemmed roses.



My Review:

3.5 -4 stars

Review copy provided for an honest review



This was a very well written book. It touches on a subject that a lot of married people are afraid to talk about. Are you still in your marriage because it's comfortable and expected? Do you still love your spouse? Or for that matter did you ever really love them?



Betty's marriage has become a marriage without passion, without substance, they exist together and go about their daily life without connecting anymore.



Stan, Betty's husband is dedicated to his work and provides a good home and life to Betty but something is missing. They are no longer intimate and when they are it is "expected" holidays. birthdays etc. Betty begins to wonder what a relationship outside of Stan would be like, she begins to wonder about the "true" love of her life the one who got away. And at a particular lonely time she decides to google him and find him. Not before long they connect and start having an affair. Beth is living in the past and holding on to someone she knew when she was twenty. Michael her ex has changed in many ways and didn't become what she thought he would. But Betty can't let go, her and Michael have a spark and passion that she hasn't felt in a very long time. 



As Stan tries to improve their marriage Betty begins to question everything. Is she happy with Michael? Is she happy with Stan? Is she happy at all?



This book was somewhat emotional for me, I didn't know how to feel. I liked it and found it thought provoking but it was hard for me too. I can't say I really liked the characters but I understood them. I went from feeling nothing for all three of them to really feeling for them. That's what I think makes the writing so good, but the book itself isn't something I typically read. I'm a sucker for romance and a HEA and I'm not saying if this book did or didn't have that but it wasn't like I was rooting for anyone either. I wanted them all to be happy at certain points and I wanted them to all rot at certain points. I feel the characters were very self absorbed and even though time and time again Betty said Stan put her at the center of his universe, I really didn't feel like he did. Michael was just a mess and confused living twenty years ago and Betty didn't know what the hell she wanted.



I did like how it ended and how the author wrapped things up and even though this book was fiction it felt like a big dose of realty to me. I would definitely read more by this author, I just don't think I was fully prepared for the realness of this book. One thing I did hope for was a little more about Michael in the end.



I have to quote this because I found it to be very profound and right on point. 

Betty:  "I wanted to teach her that passion fades, but true love endures...that happily ever sfter can mean having someone to nurse you through a horrific illness...or leave the lights on until you get home. But that sometimes even those things aren't enough."



HEA? (1)<<

About the author:

Anne McCarthy Strauss is a writer of women’s fiction as well as articles for publications and corporate media.

Anne
lives in upstate New York with her husband and their two dogs. She has
written for both consumer and trade magazines including Old House
Journal, Waterfront Home & Design, Design Trade Magazine, Design New
England, Distinction, Log Home Design Ideas and Florida Design Review.
She has been a regular contributor to Martha’s Vineyard Magazine and
Vineyard Style. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists
and Authors (ASJA). Anne is hard at work on her next novel. When not
writing, she’s likely to be hiking, kayaking, crafting, swimming, or
walking her dogs.

To learn more, visit her at: http://www.annestrauss.com.

http://triciaciak.blogspot.com/

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Betty, aka Beth, is an unhappy and selfish wife. Stan is oblivious. Michael is juvenile. The characters were very one dimensional. I finished the book hoping for some more substance to work its way into the story.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am on a quest to read or delete old Kindle books that I got years ago. Passion Thief is the second book on my quest and both have left me wondering if maybe unread books should stay unread.
In no particular order, my issues with this book are as follows: no one is likeable in this story. I can read stories of complex, difficult characters (Girl on the Train comes to mind) and still find myself wanting the best for them. Here, I could not care less what happened to these people. Characters are one-dimensional and border on silly. Conversations between supposedly close characters are shallow, self-involved, and mean. Who needs enemies with this bunch? Betty is by far the most unlikable character I've read in a while: she is pretentious, judgmental, hypocritical, and lacks insight. Next, the shifts in tone were strange. Betty complained about the cleanliness of a Parisian bathroom and her partner peeing with the door open (the horrors!) then would detail the smell of an overweight man (Betty really hates larger people and loves to remind the reader of how fit she is. Sure, she has the emotional intelligence of a horny 15 year old, but she's got a rocking bod!) or crudely detail sex. That isn't character depth, but hypocrisy and lack of insight. Which leads to another issue: her "passionate" sex read as abusive and borderline non-consensual. Having sex during a fight (not after as make up sex, but during, without any behavior on her part that suggested mutual interest) is not sexy, but alarming. Pacing is all over the place too. Chapters and chapters detail four days of sex and fancy hotels in Paris, then blink-and-you-miss-it, four months have passed. The last chapters abruptly change tone (again) and suddenly Betty has developed insight, made huge, life altering decisions, and is self-actualized. Two chapters cover two years. The only thing that got me through was my commitment to read or delete: I should have deleted.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Betty Boomer is in her mid-40s. Dissatisfied with her marriage and the direction of her life, she decides to reach out to her college boyfriend Michael. Michael, the flashy casino manager, is the exact opposite of her husband Stan, the workaholic banker. Any woman would be lucky to be married to the loyal Stan, however the passion has long left their marriage. Betty flies to Vegas to meet up with Michael, finding the flame is still very much alive and things with him are exciting and unpredictable. The two begin a year-long long distance affair, but when Michael asks Betty to leave her husband, she’s forced to decide between the two.

While many have an aversion to books that deal with infidelity, The Passion Thief is an excellent story of finding oneself amidst the chaos of life. As we age, for women in particular, all of the variables in life that are beyond are control (empty nest, menopause, marital familiarity) seem to culminate, leaving us to question where our priorities lie. While a work of fiction, the book is a testament to that. If anything, the book serves as a cautionary tale that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty much boilerplate chick lit. Wealthy woman with a seemingly happy life is actually unhappy and seeks out male attention to cure said unhappiness. Meh. I think I would have liked the story better if Betty was a more likeable character. Being in an unhappy marriage doesn't give you the right to cheat on your spouse! Also, Betty wasn't complaining about her 20+ years of living a luxurious life.

Also, I didn't really like any of the other characters. Stan was clueless, Michael was a buffoon, the daughter was a dumb 20-something young wife and mom (umm... will be the sequel be the story of her eventual divorce?), and the best friend Gin was just a weirdo.

That being said, I did read this book all the way through, so I should say that it held my attention and kept me somewhat entertained.

[Paulette C. Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read

Love this book ! Situations as old as time. You may think someone has the perfect life. Doting husband , standing in the community , money and a job that lets you travel to some beautiful places, all expenses paid. This was Betty's life. But behind closed doors ( as often is ) things were quite different. I think the story was beautifully written. You could understand the feelings of all the characters , especially the mess Betty got herself into. I really didn't know how the author was going to end this book. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending . A great book about finding and being true to yourself. Stepping back and taking inventory and having the courage to follow through.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written storyline, with characters who cause you to care about them. The main character, while flawed herself (and therefore believable), is highly sympathetic. I would have liked to see a little more denouement (maybe another half-chapter), but it was enough to get the idea across of how it all played out, in the end.

Especially well written, woven throughout the story, are the portions where the main character struggles with what she perceives as her only options: Man #1 or Man #2. I won't spoil it by saying what she eventually chooses!

[Gladys Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! This book starts off in familiar territory. I am going through the same time of life. I am horny with a husband who can't keep up. He needs some Viagra to help him. I don't know if I would seek an old friend, but reading about Betty's rendezvous made me think twice. I did understand her final decision to leave it all. She needed to get herself together. I can relate. The book really helped me understand how to move forward in my life.

[Jill Meengs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be very well written and the story engaging. It focuses on something that everyone can relate to, are you really happy or are you stuck in a rut because it's easy? Anyone who has ever faced a life alternating decision or who has dared to try to change their life so they are happier will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it!

[Anne Strauss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the author of this book and trying to learn the ropes of the Author Program. Hope it's OK to add my own book!

[J.S. Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well written book by Anne McCarthy Strauss. This book was another one I just couldn't put down.
It's a must read.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is a great book to read

[Pypa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's never too late to begin again. Loved it!

[Liliya Naydenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love it! Easy reading! Lots of humor (funny about not so funny stuff in our life). Betty has so perfect husband for about 25 years, very reliable, with a good job, very caring person they have beautiful daughter together who is in college. They could stay together to the end of their life, but without passion. Betty is having an affair with a guy she dated in college. He is good looking, everything on him is screaming “RICH”, gold watches, expensive outfit, rings, lighter, car. He is a casino manager in Las Vegas. He had three marriages, no kids. Difficult decision to make: stay with her husband, or with her lover? Very unexpected ending! She is very strong woman, she listen herself, she knows what she wants from life and she found a way to be happy.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

My standard rating is 3-stars. I just hated Betty so much I only leave 2-stars for this book. I hated her affair. Why couldn't she have a more serious conversation with Stan? Why did she have to be so deceptive for so long? All the lies! Why didn't she leave sooner? Good call on not pursuing a relationship with Michael. Duh! Stan was such a good man. I just couldn't like her.

[Marie (UK) · Rating 2 out of 5]

A readable book that follows Beths boredom with her marriage and affair with both an old flame and alcohol. It feels auto biographical and self indulgent at times

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit long and not very exciting.

[Romina · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best thing about this book was the ending: incredibly strong message, esp. as the heroine turned into the proverbial Phoenix. However, the rest of the book was quite weak.

******SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS*******

The author contradicted herself big time. In the beginning, the heroine complained all the time about how she was alone and lonely and that her husband paid attention to everyone but her. She described how he worked late, was on constant meetings, and was basically the best friend of the entire town, so he was barely around. And when he WAS around, he fell asleep at 9:00 pm and didn't have much of a libido. This was the heroine's tune throughout the whole story, enabling her to seek for greener pastures in the form of her ex boyfriend who had dumped her years before.
Therefore, it was VERY confusing when she decided to divorce him and one of her arguments was that it was too exhausting to be the center of someone else's life. Excuse me?! How, exactly, was she the center of her husband's life since all she did was whine about how he was never there? Also, in her conversations with Gin, Gin mentioned she was creeped out by her husband and called him a 'lurker' because he was always hanging around and the heroine agreed. Huh?! This was soooo contradictory with the whole point of the story and with what the heroine disliked in her relationship.

Anyway, something I didn't like about the story line itself was that I got the feeling that the heroine never really gave her husband and their relationship a chance. She was with him because it was convenient and because she had been on rebound from Michael. She went through the motions of being a good wife, but never actually believed she could be happy. I'm not saying she didn't have a right to be unhappy, but it seems she didn't really try to make it work. Theirs was a lukewarm relationship at best, from the start. Why didn't she just spell it out to the clueless guy?

"Your absences or long work hours will no longer be tolerated. I want to be more important in your life. I want us to travel together, we have the money and we're not getting any younger. I want you to work less so you have more energy to have a real sexual relationship. I'm very unhappy. If these things don't start to change, I'm going to get a divorce."

How was he just supposed to guess, esp. if she didn't give much signs of being unhappy, except for the drinking? And that could have been interpreted as her having inherited her father's alcoholism and not necessarily as being unhappy. So I got the nasty impression she only used the poor guy for so many years. She was totally into living the comfortable life and didn't really want to give it up, so she 'endured.' But like I said, she seems to have been 'enduring' since day 1, so it was quite hypocritical on her behalf.

Another point is that it seems she didn't really learn much. Yes, she went to AA, but the first thing she did was check out a hot guy. Didn't you just cheat on your husband for over a year, decided it wasn't worth it because it's self-destructive, and then you go right into flirting with a new one? Wouldn't it be better to just be on your own until you decide who you really want to be in your life? She gave the appearance of just wanting sex. Period. Not to mention that although the author tried to depict Betty as not really being that INTO materialistic things, so leaving her husband and not receiving a big chunk as settlement was no big deal, however Betty wasn't settled in her new life in NY until her daughter got her mink coat from her old house. Say what? Contradiction central.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am one of the women who will admit that Stan sounds as interesting as watching grass grow. I would never have married him, but neither was I turned on by Michael. That being said, I definitely agree with Strauss when she writes about boredom in the bedroom (and beyond), and I admire Betty who had the courage to take that leap to find a more fulfilling life. When we reach a certain age, we tend to ask, “Is that all there is?” When that time arrives, we are definitely ready for a change. The author has produced a very well written book that had me laughing until the tears rolled, yet I wanted to cry when she described Betty attempting to make the best of a life some would envy, yet drive others mad. I loved the raw emotion, the reality of the characters, and the wonderful descriptions of some of Betty’s travel adventures. Overall, this was a great read and I’m looking forward to Strauss’ next book.
~ Linda Thompson, host of TheAuthorsShow.com

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book falls into my zero star category even though I gave it one. First part about affair with old boy friend and the hot sex they are having. Ends with a divorce and joining AA, very preachy, not sure where this author was going with the whole thing. Very repetitive in describing the affair, boring and I began skipping pages after awhile. Really, don't waste your time, but I will say as free self-published books go this one had fewer misspellings and grammatical errors than most so maybe that in itself deserves one star.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably more like 2.5 stars. This book is basically the story of a woman who is unhappily married. I thought it was well written and I definitely wanted to see how it turned out, but neither Betty nor Stan nor Michael were truly likeable characters, which made it hard to connect with them. Also, I was disappointed that Betty doesn't seek to improve her marriage rather than running back to her college boyfriend.

[David (Rhonda) Banford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant beach book that touched on the serious but was primarily fluff. A woman is unhappy in her marriage, drinks too much, and seeks out an old boyfriend. The story line was fairly predictable. I downloaded it as a Free book, and it was worth every penny. If I had paid for it, I would have rated it lower. Still, we all need fluff sometimes, don't we?

[Kim Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm usually leery of books labeled as "chick lit" and after reading this book I can see why. Beth Boomer is very unhappy in her marriage. So she decides to make some decisions to challenge the norm and improve her life. At some point I just wanted to smack her!!

The story really shows the breakdown in any relationship when communication is severed and bad choices are put in its place.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was ok. I could not relate to the character - I thought Stan would make a wonderful husband, her old boyfriend really wasn't worthy, and the A.A. I didn't get at all. Again, like I said, I just couldn't relate at all.

[Dianne Brygger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying this book and would have given it at least 3 stars until the ending, which was terrible. It seemed like the ending was written for a different book and a different character than the heroine.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Betty is a straight-forward character that will resonate with women, whether or not one has worn the same shoes.

Read full review in the 2015 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Liticia · Rating 2 out of 5]

skimmed for sure.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a winner but also not a complete waste of time.... I'm not a fan of books about affairs but this one seemed I little different and the characters were written and developed well.