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The Wife He Lost : A Marriage Betrayal Romance About Cheating, Divorce and Regret
He didn’t fall out of love.
He chose lust.
And by the time he realized what he lost—she was already gone.
Esme believed marriage was built on trust, loyalty, and quiet devotion. For years, she gave her husband everything. Her love, her softness and a home until Tanner chose another woman. Brianna was temptation wrapped in confidence—bold, intoxicating and relentless. What began as stolen moments turned into lies, betrayal and a marriage quietly unraveling from the inside.
When Esme finally discovers the truth, her world shatters. Divorce is inevitable and then comes the cruelest twist of all—she’s pregnant. As Tanner chases freedom and convinces himself he deserves happiness, Esme is forced to rebuild her life alone. Through heartbreak, single motherhood, and the slow ache of loss, she finds strength she never knew she had and then she meets Jason who is kind, patient and steady. A man who doesn’t demand her love, but earns it.
Years pass. Lives change. Regret settles where desire once lived because while Esme rises, heals and builds a life filled with love and stability… Tanner is left with the weight of a choice he can never undo.
He chose lust.
And by the time he realized what he lost—she was already gone.
Esme believed marriage was built on trust, loyalty, and quiet devotion. For years, she gave her husband everything. Her love, her softness and a home until Tanner chose another woman. Brianna was temptation wrapped in confidence—bold, intoxicating and relentless. What began as stolen moments turned into lies, betrayal and a marriage quietly unraveling from the inside.
When Esme finally discovers the truth, her world shatters. Divorce is inevitable and then comes the cruelest twist of all—she’s pregnant. As Tanner chases freedom and convinces himself he deserves happiness, Esme is forced to rebuild her life alone. Through heartbreak, single motherhood, and the slow ache of loss, she finds strength she never knew she had and then she meets Jason who is kind, patient and steady. A man who doesn’t demand her love, but earns it.
Years pass. Lives change. Regret settles where desire once lived because while Esme rises, heals and builds a life filled with love and stability… Tanner is left with the weight of a choice he can never undo.
- GenresDivorceContemporary
Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2025
233 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 7, 2026
This is a very quick, straight-to-the-point book. From the very beginning, it’s clear that Esme and Tanner’s marriage is already going wrong. There’s no slow build-up — the issues are present immediately, and the story wastes no time getting into the betrayal.
In the prologue, Tanner misses their anniversary, and by Chapter One we see the first betrayal when he begins an affair with his coworker, Brianna. The affair continues for several chapters — they hook up repeatedly, including at work and at her house — and it goes on until around Chapter Ten.
Esme finally confronts Tanner in Chapter Ten after finding a receipt for a dinner for two. She immediately realises that the dinner must have been with Brianna. Shortly after, she overhears a phone conversation Tanner is having, which confirms her suspicions. When she asks him what’s going on, he says he feels under pressure and admits there is somebody else.
That night, Tanner leaves the house. He does come back, and Esme briefly believes that maybe he’s returning to work on things, but instead he tells her that he needs space. It’s at that moment that she realises he’s choosing to be with Brianna — although I do think Esme is still holding onto some hope at this point. He even answered the phone to Brianna while Esme is crying.
The betrayal was genuinely heartbreaking to read. What made it worse was seeing how hard Esme was trying while Tanner was cheating. She was cooking dinners, dressing in lingerie, and convincing herself that everything was fine, even though she clearly suspected something was wrong. Tanner even sleeps with Esme after the affair has already begun, which made those scenes especially uncomfortable. There’s no mention of protection or safety, which adds another layer of unease. That said, these scenes weren’t graphic — the book tends to outline events rather than go into explicit detail.
A few days after he leaves, Esme sees pictures of Tanner and Brianna on social media. That’s when she finally decides she’s done and moves forward with the divorce. She draws up the papers, signs them, and asks Tanner to meet her. This is their final conversation. He signs the papers, apologises, but Esme doesn’t really engage with him emotionally anymore. She simply tells him that she hopes Brianna makes him happy, and that’s it. Their marriage ends there.
It’s only after the divorce — around two weeks later — that Esme realises she’s pregnant.
After the divorce and pregnancy, the story jumps ahead. Tanner is an inconsistent presence as a parent, and Esme largely goes through things alone. When the baby is around eleven months old, Esme meets Jason. From that point on, the book focuses on Esme rebuilding her life and developing a healthy, loving relationship with him.
Five years later, Esme remarries Jason, and the epilogue — set ten years later — shows her thriving. She has more children and a full, happy life.
We also get a couple of point-of-view chapters from Tanner after the divorce. He’s not doing well. He realises the affair was nothing more than a thrill and that he destroyed the life he actually wanted. Seeing Esme happy only reinforces his regret, and he’s left to live with the consequences of his choices.
Overall, this book is very minimalistic. There isn’t much background detail — we never learn how long Esme and Tanner were married, how they met, or what their relationship was like before things fell apart. We’re simply told that Esme was “safe” and quiet, while Tanner felt drawn to Brianna because she made him feel seen and offered excitement without pressure.
Despite its short length, the angst was top-notch. I couldn’t stop reading — I flew from chapter to chapter. For such a short book, it does an excellent job of pulling you in emotionally.
The reason this isn’t a five-star read for me is purely personal preference. While it’s well written, I prefer more backstory and depth. I wanted to understand Tanner better — why he became so cold, why his cruelty felt so sudden, and how Esme ended up married to someone who could walk away so detached. The scene where he leaves her, in particular, was brutally cold and incredibly sad.
Still, this was a solid four-star read. Short, painful, emotionally gripping, and very effective. I’m glad I came across it.
Side Notes
• There are multiple scenes involving Tanner and Brianna. I believe we see them hooking up around four or five times in total. The first time happens in the office, followed by another scene there later on. There’s also a scene in the car, one at Brianna’s house, and another in a hotel. While these scenes aren’t overly graphic, their frequency really reinforces how deliberate the affair is.
• What made these moments especially painful is that Tanner openly acknowledges his guilt each time. He knows what he’s doing is wrong, but the guilt never actually stops him from crossing the line. He convinces himself that Esme doesn’t understand him and uses that as justification, which makes the betrayal even more heartbreaking.
• We never get Brianna’s point of view, but her manipulation is very clear. She repeatedly plants the idea that Esme is trying to trap Tanner, especially once pregnancy becomes a possibility, and she steadily pushes him further away from his marriage.
• We do get Jason’s point of view later in the book, and it was honestly refreshing. He feels like a genuine contrast to Tanner — calmer, emotionally present, and supportive — and he works well as a healing, safe love interest for Esme.
• The ages of the characters are never clearly stated. Like many other aspects of the book, these details are kept vague, which adds to the sense that the story focuses more on emotional beats than concrete background information.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2026
why do I continue to read these knowing they are 90% AI generated. All the inconsistencies and lackluster dialogue give it away.
I had to dnf when the wife suprises him with divorce papers - and then he goes to the mistress right after and she asks HIM *"Did she sign?"* immediately.
Like no human author could possibly mess up continuity to this extent. lol
First off the wife suprised HIM with the papers - the mistress had no way to know this???? Yet on top of somehow knowing papers were involved at all - she acts like HE is the one who presented them - and it was planned all along!
Side note...you cant dissolve a marriage in 6 days. Its impossible. lol
smh - can we at least edit these things?! Come on!
I had to dnf when the wife suprises him with divorce papers - and then he goes to the mistress right after and she asks HIM *"Did she sign?"* immediately.
Like no human author could possibly mess up continuity to this extent. lol
First off the wife suprised HIM with the papers - the mistress had no way to know this???? Yet on top of somehow knowing papers were involved at all - she acts like HE is the one who presented them - and it was planned all along!
Side note...you cant dissolve a marriage in 6 days. Its impossible. lol
smh - can we at least edit these things?! Come on!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2026
Nope
Seriously, was this written with ChatGPT? It’s choppy, inconsistent, rushed then bogged down, and is such a horrid caricature of a lot of things that I lean toward AI. Ugh. Even with skimming, I want my 40 minutes back.
Seriously, was this written with ChatGPT? It’s choppy, inconsistent, rushed then bogged down, and is such a horrid caricature of a lot of things that I lean toward AI. Ugh. Even with skimming, I want my 40 minutes back.
December 27, 2025
Short
This is a very short book but it gets to the point fast and the story flows easily ,man cheats ,wife asks for divorce then finds she's pregnant ,she's a better woman then I would be but she does stand up for herself and he realises too late he made a mistake, classic story when the excitement goes once the cheaters are officially dating,and in this case the wife ended up better off with her HEA
This is a very short book but it gets to the point fast and the story flows easily ,man cheats ,wife asks for divorce then finds she's pregnant ,she's a better woman then I would be but she does stand up for herself and he realises too late he made a mistake, classic story when the excitement goes once the cheaters are officially dating,and in this case the wife ended up better off with her HEA
December 28, 2025
passion fades…
This has some serious lessons to teach. The husband succumbs to the wiles of a co-worker, and the wife simply divorces him once she understands what has happened. Oh, and she ends up pregnant. This isn’t something I’ve personally experienced but this seems to have captured the emotional issues this woman would have experienced. It was also interesting to see the POV of the now ex. He clearly traded down.
KU read, well written and well thought out. Character development is good too, and I almost felt sorry for the ex. But you reap what you sow…
This has some serious lessons to teach. The husband succumbs to the wiles of a co-worker, and the wife simply divorces him once she understands what has happened. Oh, and she ends up pregnant. This isn’t something I’ve personally experienced but this seems to have captured the emotional issues this woman would have experienced. It was also interesting to see the POV of the now ex. He clearly traded down.
KU read, well written and well thought out. Character development is good too, and I almost felt sorry for the ex. But you reap what you sow…
January 5, 2026
Well written story, great character development and the timing was spot on. The H crashes into a mid-life crisis, ditches his wife for a cheap thrill and ultimately realizes that what he threw away was far better than anything he had presently. His wife also found out she was pregnant just after he emotionally withdraws and moves in with his lust fulfilling replacement. To his credit, he did remain in constact with his son and saw established a healthy co-parenting relationship.
The h, to her credit, did not waste her life pining for the H. Once he honestly described his desires, she divorced him, ultimately met and married a great man. She traded up, he traded down. Karma.
The h, to her credit, did not waste her life pining for the H. Once he honestly described his desires, she divorced him, ultimately met and married a great man. She traded up, he traded down. Karma.
January 1, 2026
Well I do love a cheating romance where the hero ends up miserable and regrets his choices, and this had that. 😂
Sadly it didn’t pack a huge punch for me despite the angst, and the new love interest parts felt more like a summary than actually living them. But if you want a fast paced, read-in-one-sitting story, you could like it!
Sadly it didn’t pack a huge punch for me despite the angst, and the new love interest parts felt more like a summary than actually living them. But if you want a fast paced, read-in-one-sitting story, you could like it!
January 28, 2026
.
Oh my! I enjoyed this and loved how the author gave each character their POV. There was no needless drama and I liked how everything was short and ended nicely
Oh my! I enjoyed this and loved how the author gave each character their POV. There was no needless drama and I liked how everything was short and ended nicely
January 24, 2026
I actually finished this in December and don’t remember reading it. 🤦🏼♀️ the blurb tells me it has all of my fave tropes: married cheater, OW goodness, family messiness.
Not a lot to write here. I did finish the book, which means a lot these days, so it gets 3 stars for keeping my shattered attention!
Not a lot to write here. I did finish the book, which means a lot these days, so it gets 3 stars for keeping my shattered attention!
January 5, 2026
At least half of the book he is having sex with the OW. I skimmed through a lot of that and may have missed some things. The FMC had the blinders on for too long I believe. I do like to read the build up to finding the cheating person, but think this may have been a tad too long. She finds out she is pregnant after they separate.
FMC finds a new man and has more children
The previous MMC is remorseful hates that he messed up with the FMC even though him and the OW stayed together for a while.
FMC finds a new man and has more children
The previous MMC is remorseful hates that he messed up with the FMC even though him and the OW stayed together for a while.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2026
All The “Feels”
*SPOILERS*
Bittersweet. My heart broke for both Esme and even for Tanner. Tanner paid the ultimate price for thinking the grass was greener on the other side.
When are men gonna learn that any woman is “fun” when she’s not sharing responsibilities. When all they’re doing is meeting for sex and going out having good times.
Of course, they only see the other woman at her best because their time together is limited. They only see the fantasy, they don’t see reality. This is what happened to Tanner. Esme was the wife, asking for more time and attention. He chose to see it as nagging because his conscience was bothering him.
Meanwhile the wife is at home doing the laundry, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, cooking, changing bedsheets, etc., and if there are children taking care of them. Of course a wife can’t be fun all the time.
Tanner initially saw the power and control Brianna had as making him feel desired, feeding his ego. Later, when he lived with Brianna, Tanner saw it for what it really was. And that was when he saw everything in the past with Esme in its true light. He then realized he made a serious, life altering mistake. Tanner chose the wrong woman and he would pay for that for the rest of his life.
And what happens when the man moves in with the other woman? It becomes a relationship, like a marriage even if not a legal one. And now there’s all the same issues the original marriage had. Because now it’s daily living, responsibilities, obligations, stress and problems. Not so glamorous and fun anymore!
Same for the other woman. She thinks once she gets the man it’s gonna continue like the affair did. No! Now she’s gotta wash his clothes, plan his meals, put up with his bad habits 24/7 - be “a wife”. Life isn’t all sneaking around, passionate and fun anymore! It’s reality now. Brianna learned this the hard way.
And when there are children from the previous marriage, she takes the backseat to the child. Brianna did not like that at all. Esme and Tanner’s son Dylan kept Tanner tied to Esme because of their co-parenting responsibilities. It wasn’t a clean break. And all of Brianna‘s insulting of Esme backfired on her. It irritated Tanner and he felt defensive of his ex-wife. He really had his eyes opened as to what kind of woman Brianna really was.
Let’s talk about Esme’s second husband, Jason. What a dream! She so deserved a man like him after Tanner’s cruel betrayal. Jason is steady, faithful, patient, loving, not just accepting of, but loving Dylan - Esme’s son from Tanner.
Tanner and Brianna stayed together, but there was no love there at all and certainly no respect. And the passion??? It completely burned out. It became worse than his marriage at its worst point.
Passion cannot burn hot endlessly. Not in any relationship. It ebbs and flows. It’s up to both parties to fan the flames to bring it back up when it starts cooling down. But that only happens when there’s deep love, respect, and the desire to make the relationship good again. Certainly Tanner and Brianna did not have that motivation. And Tanner realized too late that’s what he should’ve done in his marriage with Esme instead of cheating.
Tanner knew he had really ruined his life. Tanner also knew that he had lost the best thing that had ever happened to him, his wife Esme. And there was no chance ever to get her back.
I have lived this. I have seen it firsthand with my own x-husband. There’s a saying that “one does not find happiness at the expense of another“. Eventually the cheater really regrets what they did, and what they lost. Unfortunately when it’s too late.
And their regret is not true remorse for what they did to their partner or marriage, it’s more sadness for what the cheating did to their life.
It was painful to read the on page cheating parts. When someone has been the one cheated on, that’s really hard to read. I skimmed through some of it. And then reading when Esme found out about the betrayal, and when Tanner chose to walk out for the other woman. Ouch!!! Painful.
Tanner was such a coward when he told Esme he “needed space” when in fact he was running to the other woman, but he couldn’t even man up enough to say that. He felt guilt and shame, but not enough to stop the affair with Brianna. Not enough to try to fix his marriage.
It is a good read though with many “feels”. Not humor, but anger, frustration, sadness, hurt. Of course there is an HEA for Esme. And in the end, you will almost feel sorry for Tanner.
*SPOILERS*
Bittersweet. My heart broke for both Esme and even for Tanner. Tanner paid the ultimate price for thinking the grass was greener on the other side.
When are men gonna learn that any woman is “fun” when she’s not sharing responsibilities. When all they’re doing is meeting for sex and going out having good times.
Of course, they only see the other woman at her best because their time together is limited. They only see the fantasy, they don’t see reality. This is what happened to Tanner. Esme was the wife, asking for more time and attention. He chose to see it as nagging because his conscience was bothering him.
Meanwhile the wife is at home doing the laundry, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, cooking, changing bedsheets, etc., and if there are children taking care of them. Of course a wife can’t be fun all the time.
Tanner initially saw the power and control Brianna had as making him feel desired, feeding his ego. Later, when he lived with Brianna, Tanner saw it for what it really was. And that was when he saw everything in the past with Esme in its true light. He then realized he made a serious, life altering mistake. Tanner chose the wrong woman and he would pay for that for the rest of his life.
And what happens when the man moves in with the other woman? It becomes a relationship, like a marriage even if not a legal one. And now there’s all the same issues the original marriage had. Because now it’s daily living, responsibilities, obligations, stress and problems. Not so glamorous and fun anymore!
Same for the other woman. She thinks once she gets the man it’s gonna continue like the affair did. No! Now she’s gotta wash his clothes, plan his meals, put up with his bad habits 24/7 - be “a wife”. Life isn’t all sneaking around, passionate and fun anymore! It’s reality now. Brianna learned this the hard way.
And when there are children from the previous marriage, she takes the backseat to the child. Brianna did not like that at all. Esme and Tanner’s son Dylan kept Tanner tied to Esme because of their co-parenting responsibilities. It wasn’t a clean break. And all of Brianna‘s insulting of Esme backfired on her. It irritated Tanner and he felt defensive of his ex-wife. He really had his eyes opened as to what kind of woman Brianna really was.
Let’s talk about Esme’s second husband, Jason. What a dream! She so deserved a man like him after Tanner’s cruel betrayal. Jason is steady, faithful, patient, loving, not just accepting of, but loving Dylan - Esme’s son from Tanner.
Tanner and Brianna stayed together, but there was no love there at all and certainly no respect. And the passion??? It completely burned out. It became worse than his marriage at its worst point.
Passion cannot burn hot endlessly. Not in any relationship. It ebbs and flows. It’s up to both parties to fan the flames to bring it back up when it starts cooling down. But that only happens when there’s deep love, respect, and the desire to make the relationship good again. Certainly Tanner and Brianna did not have that motivation. And Tanner realized too late that’s what he should’ve done in his marriage with Esme instead of cheating.
Tanner knew he had really ruined his life. Tanner also knew that he had lost the best thing that had ever happened to him, his wife Esme. And there was no chance ever to get her back.
I have lived this. I have seen it firsthand with my own x-husband. There’s a saying that “one does not find happiness at the expense of another“. Eventually the cheater really regrets what they did, and what they lost. Unfortunately when it’s too late.
And their regret is not true remorse for what they did to their partner or marriage, it’s more sadness for what the cheating did to their life.
It was painful to read the on page cheating parts. When someone has been the one cheated on, that’s really hard to read. I skimmed through some of it. And then reading when Esme found out about the betrayal, and when Tanner chose to walk out for the other woman. Ouch!!! Painful.
Tanner was such a coward when he told Esme he “needed space” when in fact he was running to the other woman, but he couldn’t even man up enough to say that. He felt guilt and shame, but not enough to stop the affair with Brianna. Not enough to try to fix his marriage.
It is a good read though with many “feels”. Not humor, but anger, frustration, sadness, hurt. Of course there is an HEA for Esme. And in the end, you will almost feel sorry for Tanner.
January 25, 2026
The Wife He Lost was about Esme, a project coordinator at a design firm, (her soon-to-be ex-husband), Tanner, and (the real MMC) Jason Miller, a physical therapist. No last name was given for either Esme or Tanner, nor was Tanner's job ever clearly defined. The ages of these three characters were never given either.
This story was told mainly from the dual POVs of Esme and Tanner. However, Jason's POV was given, albeit briefly, at the end.
Tanner and Esme had been married for a while when things started to go sideways. At first, it was just little things like working late, missed appointments, and missed calls. Then Tanner missed their anniversary. The cracks began to show, the lies became apparent... and Tanner caved to the temptation of being with another woman. Once he finally admitted to the affair with a co-worker named Brianna, he moved out, and six days later, Esme handed him divorce papers. Two weeks later, she told him she was pregnant.
When the other woman learned that Esme was pregnant, Brianna started making Tanner's life difficult, but he told her he would be there for his child. The other woman wasn't pleased, and Tanner started wondering if he'd made a mistake, especially as he was in the delivery room when his son was born. Two days later, he arrived back "home" only to have Brianna lose it because he had spent all that time with his ex-wife. At that point, he knew something had shifted in his relationship with his new girlfriend.
When their son Dylan was 11 months old, Esme met Jason for the first time while visiting the park. This was the beginning of a new relationship for her, and Tanner didn't like it. However, Esme didn't rush into things with Jason, and he didn't push her to do so.
While there was plenty of angst and drama in the story, along with the typical emotional rollercoaster, the storyline had a choppy flow to it, making the whole thing very distracting. Once again, an author dropped the reader into the middle of a marriage falling apart without giving any backstory or context to explain how the main characters got to that point, causing the book to feel incomplete.
I couldn't give this a higher rating than three stars because it had so many plot holes and left things unresolved too often
This story was told mainly from the dual POVs of Esme and Tanner. However, Jason's POV was given, albeit briefly, at the end.
Tanner and Esme had been married for a while when things started to go sideways. At first, it was just little things like working late, missed appointments, and missed calls. Then Tanner missed their anniversary. The cracks began to show, the lies became apparent... and Tanner caved to the temptation of being with another woman. Once he finally admitted to the affair with a co-worker named Brianna, he moved out, and six days later, Esme handed him divorce papers. Two weeks later, she told him she was pregnant.
When the other woman learned that Esme was pregnant, Brianna started making Tanner's life difficult, but he told her he would be there for his child. The other woman wasn't pleased, and Tanner started wondering if he'd made a mistake, especially as he was in the delivery room when his son was born. Two days later, he arrived back "home" only to have Brianna lose it because he had spent all that time with his ex-wife. At that point, he knew something had shifted in his relationship with his new girlfriend.
When their son Dylan was 11 months old, Esme met Jason for the first time while visiting the park. This was the beginning of a new relationship for her, and Tanner didn't like it. However, Esme didn't rush into things with Jason, and he didn't push her to do so.
While there was plenty of angst and drama in the story, along with the typical emotional rollercoaster, the storyline had a choppy flow to it, making the whole thing very distracting. Once again, an author dropped the reader into the middle of a marriage falling apart without giving any backstory or context to explain how the main characters got to that point, causing the book to feel incomplete.
I couldn't give this a higher rating than three stars because it had so many plot holes and left things unresolved too often
February 12, 2026
I completely judged this book by its cover and assumed it would be another shallow AI style read. The ratings convinced me to take a chance, and I am really glad I did because this ended up being a deeply heartfelt story.
The multiple points of view add a lot of weight to the narrative. Reading from the cheating husband’s perspective is uncomfortable, but that discomfort makes his wife’s pain hit even harder. I genuinely hated him and the woman he had the affair with, which is a testament to how effectively the emotions are written.
What stayed with me most was Esme’s journey. Watching her growth from beginning to end was satisfying and emotional. The time jumps were handled well and helped the story move forward without dragging or feeling repetitive.
If you enjoy painful relationship drama paired with healing and personal growth, this is absolutely worth reading. It is emotional, frustrating in the right ways, and ultimately rewarding.
The multiple points of view add a lot of weight to the narrative. Reading from the cheating husband’s perspective is uncomfortable, but that discomfort makes his wife’s pain hit even harder. I genuinely hated him and the woman he had the affair with, which is a testament to how effectively the emotions are written.
What stayed with me most was Esme’s journey. Watching her growth from beginning to end was satisfying and emotional. The time jumps were handled well and helped the story move forward without dragging or feeling repetitive.
If you enjoy painful relationship drama paired with healing and personal growth, this is absolutely worth reading. It is emotional, frustrating in the right ways, and ultimately rewarding.
December 28, 2025
Somewhat Enjoyable
I normally shy away from this author because she doesn’t write traditional, second chance romances. However, I did enjoy this story because there is a bit more emphasis placed on the second chance with the character Jason.
Essentially, the first 50% of the story is about the breakdown of the first marriage. The 1st MMC is a confused idiot. He cheats on his wife and basically decides to leave her for the OW. The rest of the story is about the female lead finding her groove, even though she’s pregnant.
This author places a lot of emphasis on the female characters growing stronger after a betrayal. So, if you’d like that kind of story, without the emphasis on romance, or a second chance romance, then you will like this.
3 stars
I normally shy away from this author because she doesn’t write traditional, second chance romances. However, I did enjoy this story because there is a bit more emphasis placed on the second chance with the character Jason.
Essentially, the first 50% of the story is about the breakdown of the first marriage. The 1st MMC is a confused idiot. He cheats on his wife and basically decides to leave her for the OW. The rest of the story is about the female lead finding her groove, even though she’s pregnant.
This author places a lot of emphasis on the female characters growing stronger after a betrayal. So, if you’d like that kind of story, without the emphasis on romance, or a second chance romance, then you will like this.
3 stars
January 15, 2026
Quick and Messy
Fast passed story that skims the surface. You dice just enough to touch the feelings of the messy bits and then the story is back to skimming the surface again. There were a few grammatical errors but nothing that distracted or took away from the story.
The only thing that surprised me was Tanner staying with Brianna for so long when it was obvious they were both miserable. After that scene, I wish we knew if he bucked up and left her. If he went to therapy after leaving Brianna, that'd be perfect.
Good enough story that gave me the messiness that I was craving.
Fast passed story that skims the surface. You dice just enough to touch the feelings of the messy bits and then the story is back to skimming the surface again. There were a few grammatical errors but nothing that distracted or took away from the story.
The only thing that surprised me was Tanner staying with Brianna for so long when it was obvious they were both miserable. After that scene, I wish we knew if he bucked up and left her. If he went to therapy after leaving Brianna, that'd be perfect.
Good enough story that gave me the messiness that I was craving.
January 17, 2026
This is the first book by this author that I’ve read where the cheated wife actually gets a proper second chance romance, and honestly, it was handled pretty decently. I loved that she didn’t go back to the man who hurt her and instead ended up with someone better and a much more satisfying HEA. She truly deserved that, and I was so happy for her. Overall, it was a decent read. And thank goodness it was miles better than her last book, The Weight of Her Silence, because that one left me emotionally wrecked and not in a good way. I was genuinely not okay after finishing it
January 11, 2026
Heartbreakingly beautiful with an
I am a lover of the "he cheated" but this is the first time I actually felt a little sorry for the MMC. He being Tanner was an idiot but he was an idiot who initially tried to do the right thing. Too bad the other women chases him down LOL. I loved the strength of MFC Esme. If you want a MFC with a backbone and strength of character this book is for you. Oh and I love that Jason got a POV. Love loved it!
I am a lover of the "he cheated" but this is the first time I actually felt a little sorry for the MMC. He being Tanner was an idiot but he was an idiot who initially tried to do the right thing. Too bad the other women chases him down LOL. I loved the strength of MFC Esme. If you want a MFC with a backbone and strength of character this book is for you. Oh and I love that Jason got a POV. Love loved it!
January 12, 2026
Consequences
This is such a well written plot. I love it because the author does an excellent job describing the effects of betrayal and rather than have the couple get back together gives consequences to the husband for cheating. No candy coating any part of it.
The characters are real. You can actually feel the heartache when reality strikes and later the regret..
Kudos to R.J. Woltemas for sharing this story.
This is such a well written plot. I love it because the author does an excellent job describing the effects of betrayal and rather than have the couple get back together gives consequences to the husband for cheating. No candy coating any part of it.
The characters are real. You can actually feel the heartache when reality strikes and later the regret..
Kudos to R.J. Woltemas for sharing this story.
January 16, 2026
This was a wonderful read
I loved this book, it gave all the feels'. Esme was so sweet and wonderful, it just about broke what she went through. I'm glad she got someone to treat her right and Tanner got exactly what he put out into the world; ( heartache pain). It's funny how she felt devastated for just ah while,.and 10 years later he is racked with guilt and sadness? Just saying.
I loved this book, it gave all the feels'. Esme was so sweet and wonderful, it just about broke what she went through. I'm glad she got someone to treat her right and Tanner got exactly what he put out into the world; ( heartache pain). It's funny how she felt devastated for just ah while,.and 10 years later he is racked with guilt and sadness? Just saying.
January 19, 2026
Tanner is selfish man. He is a coward who runs from responsibility, accountability and hard conversations. He turns to the attention of his coworker Brianna because she doesn't have expectations and absolutely no standards for him to fail. Esme is a strong FMC who finds herself and her strength after her husband’s betrayal. This is Esme's journey to the person she should be. It's a rough road and I felt all the feels. This author is quickly becoming one of my favorites.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2026
The Grass isn’t Always Greener
The stark reality that this book reflects is how easily people are manipulated. I’m not saying he was innocent but when he allowed himself to be led away by the sexual chemistry all logical thought went out the window. If the relationship is only surviving on sexual feelings with no other basis when that need diminishes what is left. Heartfelt and raw narrative that sadly reflects human nature.
The stark reality that this book reflects is how easily people are manipulated. I’m not saying he was innocent but when he allowed himself to be led away by the sexual chemistry all logical thought went out the window. If the relationship is only surviving on sexual feelings with no other basis when that need diminishes what is left. Heartfelt and raw narrative that sadly reflects human nature.
January 5, 2026
Esme, Dylan and Jason
Esme and Dylan's marriage imploded when Dylan cheated. Everything Esme knew was destroyed when her husband chose another. But when a new love came knocking Esme was reticent...fearful, however Jason's patience and quiet love moved mountains.
Highly recommended
Esme and Dylan's marriage imploded when Dylan cheated. Everything Esme knew was destroyed when her husband chose another. But when a new love came knocking Esme was reticent...fearful, however Jason's patience and quiet love moved mountains.
Highly recommended
January 24, 2026
Really Good Read
I loved this story. It’s not one of those long drawn out stories, just straight to the point. It’s however done in a way that nothing is lost, I felt the emotions, the trauma, the angst. She moved on, but in a real sense. He regretted his decision, but in a matured way. It’s a really good read.
I loved this story. It’s not one of those long drawn out stories, just straight to the point. It’s however done in a way that nothing is lost, I felt the emotions, the trauma, the angst. She moved on, but in a real sense. He regretted his decision, but in a matured way. It’s a really good read.
February 3, 2026
Pay per chapter?
This story read like it was a pay-per-chapter story. It had multiple POVs intermingled thought the same chapters, so there was a bit of bouncing around. Toward the end there were jumps of significant amounts of time too. I liked the premise, it was just oddly written.
This story read like it was a pay-per-chapter story. It had multiple POVs intermingled thought the same chapters, so there was a bit of bouncing around. Toward the end there were jumps of significant amounts of time too. I liked the premise, it was just oddly written.
February 14, 2026
Great book.
I seriously could not put this book down. Great story. The characters so real. The life choices portrayed in the best way.
The betrayal was so deep and I was so proud of Esme for not caving. She built her life up without any help just sheer determination. Did I feel sorry for Tanner? Not in the slightest.
I seriously could not put this book down. Great story. The characters so real. The life choices portrayed in the best way.
The betrayal was so deep and I was so proud of Esme for not caving. She built her life up without any help just sheer determination. Did I feel sorry for Tanner? Not in the slightest.
December 27, 2025
Oh my goodness!
Choices have consequences! Tanner betrayed his vows for lust, freedom and excitement, destroying his marriage to Esme. Years later Tanners choice is filled with regret too late to change the consequences. Emotional story!
Choices have consequences! Tanner betrayed his vows for lust, freedom and excitement, destroying his marriage to Esme. Years later Tanners choice is filled with regret too late to change the consequences. Emotional story!
January 6, 2026
beautiful and bittersweet
This is a painful and realistic tale of a marriage betrayal and then the building of a new life. It is short, and there are some very sad moments along with some truly beautiful moments.
This is a painful and realistic tale of a marriage betrayal and then the building of a new life. It is short, and there are some very sad moments along with some truly beautiful moments.
January 11, 2026
Greener grass and all that jazz!
People always think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Tanner loved Esme but allowed Brianna to basically bully him into an affair. She showed him who she was from the beginning and he fell for the okie-doke.
People always think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Tanner loved Esme but allowed Brianna to basically bully him into an affair. She showed him who she was from the beginning and he fell for the okie-doke.
January 18, 2026
impressed
I’m impressed at how much this novella was able to pack in under 200 pages. I liked every moment and definitely recommend if you’re looking for something short and bittersweet.
I’m impressed at how much this novella was able to pack in under 200 pages. I liked every moment and definitely recommend if you’re looking for something short and bittersweet.
January 23, 2026
Good Read
Overall a good read. Only thing I didn’t like was that the details of the affair was more detailed than details of the FMC finding her self and moving on. I like that she did move on and didn’t look back. So the story felt complete even tho it was short.
Overall a good read. Only thing I didn’t like was that the details of the affair was more detailed than details of the FMC finding her self and moving on. I like that she did move on and didn’t look back. So the story felt complete even tho it was short.
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