I am so torn writing this review. My first instinct is honestly not to like this book. It’s the kind of book that makes me want to scream and hate the heroine, to just close it and go back to my life. The thing is, I couldn't seem to do any of that. I started, and then I continued to read until it was over. When I say it was like a train wreck I couldn't look away from, please do not think that is a comment on the writing or the author. It was just that the subject matter was so wrecked.
Ava is not just dissatisfied with her marriage, she is genuinely depressed. She has backed herself into a corner in life, by not standing up for what she wants, what she needs. Ava goes outside her marriage to engage in a mostly online chatting affair with another man, one who seems to give her that thrill she is lacking. As she becomes more invested in him, she grows more manic in their relationship, and it moves to the real world.
The turn the story took sent me for a bit of a loop, and it was a little difficult to swallow, but the outcome was so realistic I carried on. Here, Ava makes her first mature, adult decisions, to fix herself without expecting a man to ride in and do it for her. To attend therapy, to become her own person, to learn to be happy again. To actually own up to her mistakes and learn from them. This was refreshing; there wasn't an instant, ‘Oh, it's all better now’ happily ever after.
Watching Ava and her husband learn to act like adults and actually start to communicate was great. During this second half, the tone of the book changed dramatically though, and it was difficult to read about the struggle sometimes.
Overall, I think the fact that I read this through in one sitting without skimming, and was completely invested in the characters makes this a 4 star read. It was an emotional train wreck, but since I'm pretty sure that was the point, it definitely gets credit for succeeding in making me tense, angry, and hurt right along with the characters. Just…don't go into this with your eyes closed. Although it is about cheating, about depression, and about making difficult and sometimes wrong decisions, it's also about redemption, the importance of communication, and love withstanding trials. ~ George, 4 stars