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Married to the Mossad

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When Sally, a sassy and beautiful Israeli country girl living in London, discovers her husband Jerry is not a lowly embassy attaché but rather an active Mossad agent, her life is turned upside down. Strong willed as she is, she is not easily deterred. When Jerry is sent on a deep cover mission to a Muslim country under the guise of a European businessman, she insists on joining him with the full knowledge that her life as well as that of her family would be in danger. After “living on the edge,” Sally is unable to live her quiet life as a wife, mother, and computer administrator at an insurance company. She yearns for thrills. So when Sally discovers a plot to defraud the Swiss billionaire who had funded her studies as a young woman, she jumps at the opportunity and calls forth all she had learned during her time undercover to face a ruthless and determined enemy bent on destroying anyone in his path. The threats Sally faces grow as she delves deeper into a complex web of seduction, love, intrigue, passion, and espionage. Reality becomes an intricate riddle that will test the bonds of her marriage and will demand all her courage and audacity to resolve.

330 pages, Paperback

Published April 19, 2017

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Shalva Hessel

3 books1 follower

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5 stars
68 (31%)
4 stars
65 (30%)
3 stars
45 (21%)
2 stars
23 (10%)
1 star
12 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Amy Peck.
190 reviews6 followers
June 19, 2017
Amateur Hour

Pity, the author's story would probably have made a great read if it had been written by professional writer. She obviously lived an exciting life but she is in no way up to the task of writing a book about it. Too bad she didn't hire a co-author or a ghost writer.
Profile Image for Laurie Thomas.
19 reviews
Read
May 12, 2017
This book was such a fun adventure. it also shows If you think you know your partner you might be far from the truth. Shalva Hessel does a great job in painting the picture of the struggle one woman has while finding out her true identity and who her husband really is. Hessel does a great job of weaving a complex plot in a way that is interesting. The author takes care to describe her experiences carefully and with such detail one can imagine they are actually present. Some of the scenes in the story are rather intense, while others are more serene and appear to be more character developing. She is also able to give us a look into the Jewish religion while also addressing several stereotypes that are associated with that faith. They make a difference. In this exciting story, Shalva captures that side of what is not sometimes mentioned or noticed. The life of the spy's spouse. Bravo! Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for excitement.
3 reviews
October 4, 2017
This is one of the worst books I have ever read. It is only because of a self-imposed policy of not putting a book down after starting to read it, That I finished it. The plot is ridiculous and there is very little character development. Indeed, who wanted these boring people developed.

I have edited two books as a favor to a relative. The author should get a new publisher as there are so many typos and other errors as to be amateurish. Those considering reading this book should read the weekly ads from the super markets. They are a lot more interesting with many less mistakes
Profile Image for Hemant Jain.
314 reviews28 followers
July 6, 2017
Spoiler alert - Although, I do not reveal secrets and actual spoilers; I do make a comment on how the story progressed which I personally feel is spoiler alert worthy enough.

The title was promising.

My first impression was that the tale would be about the wife of a spy and her struggles with life as she tries to make sense of her husband’s suspicious job and its requirements.

As the book progressed, I realized that this was true for only one chapter. In the very next chapter, the secret was revealed to the lady and she embraced it.

In fact, she, more than embraced it. She became a part of the job and voluntary inducted herself into her husband’s mission, helping him achieve his objective.

And that is when she comes across a person who had helped her once … and was now seemingly being duped by another person, who had duped someone the lady knew. She wants to warn him but can’t for fear of blowing up her cover.

Once her husband’s mission is completed, she takes it upon herself to investigate and find the truth of the matter and warn the benefactor about the cheat.

The more she gets involved in the matter, more bizarre the story gets.

There books starts out with a promise of being a joyride but half way through we get the feeling of it being dragged mercilessly.

The story could have ended in many places and it could have been a good novella or even a novel; but the story went on and on, creating new twists and turns, surprising support and shocking betrayals.

In fact, half way through the book, you begin to question the title of the book. Except for a few mentions and some background material, the Mossad does not really play a role in the story.

The book is entirely about the female protagonist who has her own convictions and who stands by them. She is indeed a very strong character but her transgressions in the second half take some of the glory away. What she does is not surprising. It is probably what would have happened in real life too. But somehow it scraped and tarnished the towering image that was built for the protagonist through the story. It was almost anti-climactic. Also, it was in direct conflict with her own thinking, principles and view of the other person.

Overall, an interesting story but don’t go by the title. Mossad is not the key to the story. It is just in the background. Be ready for a story which involved a strong female protagonist who takes on some evil and strong thugs who won’t shy away from harming her for meddling in their affairs. It is also about her personal emotional conflict and choices.

Not much in cover design there. a few pics thrown in along with engagement rings and a gun. Gives it a spy-love-triangle feel where one guy is linked to 2 women - which is totally misleading. And it is totally untrue.
Profile Image for Píaras Cíonnaoíth.
Author 145 books208 followers
May 16, 2017
Married to the Mossad is a well crafted espionage thriller based on real events. And I would imagine that all fans of this genre will love sinking their teeth into this one! This is my first time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed.

The story had every element a good story should have. An exciting plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well illustrated scenes that really make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that's something I really look for in a good book.

The book description says it all: ‘When Sally, a sassy and beautiful Israeli country girl living in London, discovers her husband Jerry is not a lowly embassy attaché but rather an active Mossad agent, her life is turned upside down. Strong willed as she is, she is not easily deterred. When Jerry is sent on a deep cover mission to a Muslim country under the guise of a European businessman, she insists on joining him with the full knowledge that her life as well as that of her family would be in danger.

After “living on the edge,” Sally is unable to live her quiet life as a wife, mother, and computer administrator at an insurance company. She yearns for thrills. So when Sally discovers a plot to defraud the Swiss billionaire who had funded her studies as a young woman, she jumps at the opportunity and calls forth all she had learned during her time undercover to face a ruthless and determined enemy bent on destroying anyone in his path. The threats Sally faces grow as she delves deeper into a complex web of seduction, love, intrigue, passion, and espionage. Reality becomes an intricate riddle that will test the bonds of her marriage and will demand all her courage and audacity to resolve.’

This captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning. The story flows from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional skill when it comes to storytelling. There are twists and turns in this page turner that will take the reader on a gripping journey!

It’s one of those stories that come along once in awhile that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader!

I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading more from Shalva Hessel in the future! I would definitely recommend this book! Five stars from me.
Profile Image for Jeff Dawson.
Author 23 books107 followers
July 2, 2017
This is one of those stories where it’s hard to decide if I liked it or not.

Sally and Jerry are a Jewish couple living in Israel. Now that Jerry’s career is on track she’s ready to venture out on her own and make her own mark. Jerry brings home an advertisement for the Pierre Marin Foundation. She’s accepted and it looks like their lives and careers are secure.

Fast forward a few years and Sally is having a hard time with what Jerry does for a living. After a lot of prodding he reveals he’s an agent for Mossad. Sally, being the a strong willed and independent-woman looking for adventure convinces him it’s time she became involved in his secret life.

The tale centers around, Pierre Marin, her unknown benefactor. After a crash course in Mossad etiquette, she is allowed to join her husband at certain events. The important thing here is, she is not a trained agent. At a meeting in Pakistan with her husband, she meets Pierre only with a look along with Ben David and the socialite, Vivian Moyal.

In her quest to thank Pierre for sponsoring her she, by herself, finds out there is a consortium attempting to embezzle the bulk of his fortune. Remember, she has no training in surveillance, stake-outs or international laws. Yet, she single-handedly foils the plot and becomes the heroine. During the process, every major character is on the scheme. This I found far-fetched. Even “Bond” is believable at times. And yes, you have to throw in the major tryst she has with Pierre since she’s spending some much time away from her husband and family.

I believe I understood the main theme of the story, Jews shouldn’t cheat Jews, but seriously, isn’t that true with all races? There are some worthy parables in the read, but they seemed to overshadow the story.

The ending kept going on and on. I thought the story ended three chapters before the end. Nope. I honestly believe, Mrs. Hessel tried to cove too much ground in not enough pages.

It’s not a terrible read, but I don’t think readers should have struggle with the main theme.

Three Star
Profile Image for Nina.
1,747 reviews44 followers
July 10, 2017
Sally idzie przebojem przez życie. Pojechała za Jerrym do Londynu, doprowadziła do małżeństwa oraz zmusiła go do ujawnienia jego prawdziwego pracodawcy. Kiedy to się stało, działała, z konieczności, pod przykrywką wraz z nim, funkcjonariuszem Mossadu, na przykład w muzułmańskim Pakistanie. Ale jej główne osiągnięcie z wywiadem nie ma wiele wspólnego, poza tym że korzysta zapewne z umiejętności nabytych podczas przeszkolenia i z usług emerytowanych agentów. Dotyczy tropienia samozwańczego rabina, Abrahama Ben Davida, który chce dobrać się do majątku żydowskiego miliardera, Pierre’a Marina, wykorzystując w tym celu jego piękną żonę Muriel.

Książka oparta jest na autentycznej historii z życia Shalvy Hessel*. Objęta cenzurą, czekała na publikację dziesięć lat. Choć w jej głównej opowieści Mossad funkcjonuje jedynie w tle, sama ta historia, dobrze opowiedziana, mogłaby stanowić treść niezłej powieści sensacyjnej. Niestety, opowiedziana została fatalnie, po amatorsku. Owszem, dowiadujemy się, że Sally, alter ego autorki, to kobieta uparta i jak już coś zacznie, to lubi to doprowadzić do końca. O swojej motywacji, na czele z tą patriotyczno-religijną, opowiada dużo, choć niezbyt przekonująco. Równie mało wiarygodnie wyglądają jej rozterki i wybory dotyczące życia prywatnego. Inne postaci, potencjalnie co najmniej tak samo interesujące jak Sally, potraktowane zostały jednowymiarowo, niczym pionki na szachownicy. Najgorzej jednak wypada konstrukcja opowieści, w której nie widać jakiejkolwiek dramaturgii. Jest to po prostu chronologiczny zapis działań Sally i jej reakcji na zachowania innych ludzi, przypominający pamiętnik pensjonarki, a raczej starszej pani, która relacjonuje wnukom ciekawy epizod ze swojego życia**.

* Shalva Hessel jest z zawodu informatykiem. Married to the Mossad jest jej jedyną książką

** W Podziękowaniach autorka wymienia całą swoją rodzinę - jej dwaj synowie noszą w książce takie same imiona jak w rzeczywistości - w tym pięcioro wnucząt.
Profile Image for Majanka.
Author 70 books404 followers
May 21, 2017
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...

In Married to the Mossad, Sally, a beautiful Israeli girl living in London, discovers her husband Jerry is not an embassy attaché but rather an active Mossad agent. Her life is turned upside down, and she insists on joining her husband when he is sent on a deep cover mission to a Muslim country, under the guise of an European businessman. The mission could endanger her life and that of her family, but she’s willing to take that risk.

And afterwards, she can’t go back to her normal life. She yearns for thrills so she jumps at the change to stop a ruthless and determined enemy. But when the threats she faces grow and she delves deeper into a complex web of seduction, espionage and passion, it will take all her courage and wit to survive.

Sally was an interesting character. She’s strong, independent, fierce, and I wouldn’t like to stand in her way when she wants something or fights for something. I really enjoyed this book – it read more like watching a movie. The storyline was very suspenseful and fast-paced. Fans of thrillers will love this book.
27 reviews
May 9, 2020
The book does not live up to its title. Although the main character is married to someone in the Mossad, most of the book has nothing to do with that. The methods of private espionage in this book are too careless as to be worthy of the Mossad. There is very little characterization in this book to recommend it to a reader seeking improvement in life, rather than cheap entertainment. Although the descriptions of the moral missteps are not lurid, for which the reader can be grateful, neither are their consequences realistic. Rather read something historical in which you can learn from the successes and failures of real people.
Profile Image for Isis Ray-sisco.
762 reviews
June 25, 2017
I enjoyed Married to the Mossad by Shalva Hessel. I would rate it a 3.5 but rated up since that isn't an option. I liked Sally's character. I didn't like her husband so much. He started out ok but I found myself getting quite irritated with him. I could understand his points of view I just didn't agree with the way he handled things. I thought Sally was full of spunk and she didn't back down when she set her mind to something or she knew it was the right thing to do. It was an interesting read and I would recommend it to those who enjoy this genre.
Profile Image for Bobirley Adams.
176 reviews4 followers
June 26, 2017
Such An Example

Definitely an example of high integrity as she tries to repay a kindness when she needed it. There was a time when people acted with this type of integrity but it became too easy not to go the extra mile for another person. Today integrity like this is rare. May the example of one be multiplied by the readers of this book.
2 reviews1 follower
July 1, 2018
Entertaining - good summertime reading

This book made for easy reading. The story of Sally and the phony Rabbi strikes a chord given today’s over-emphasis on wealth and little appreciation for just doing what’s right. Don’t be fooled about the title. You don’t need to be Jewish to enjoy this story of intrigue and the quest to do what’s right.
310 reviews4 followers
June 23, 2017
Another time, another place...

Quite good. I really enjoyed it even though at times the narrative was a bit clumsy. Sometimes the reasoning was somewhat dense. Glad it turned out as it did.
Profile Image for Chaplain Stanley Chapin.
1,978 reviews21 followers
July 19, 2017
Entertaining

The story was sort of anticlimactic, the band characters were bad enough not sure th good ones were good enough. The transgressions and iniquities were committed by both.
Profile Image for Barb Dillon.
19 reviews
August 24, 2017
Exciting!

I was pulled in from the moment I started reading. Fast paced and exciting, "thriller" is definitely an accurate description. I would read this again, even knowing what happens, it's a great book.
Profile Image for Stephanie Quesnelle.
97 reviews5 followers
April 25, 2018
It was a bit of a misleading title because the book was less about her marriage to a Mossad agent and more about a personal goal to out a fraudulent rabbi who was misleading a rich man who had provided her scholarship.

It's a good read and pretty unpredictable.
82 reviews4 followers
June 25, 2017
Great book!

Very interesting. Based on a true story. Unfolds brilliantly and has many turns. Totally enjoyed reading it and highly recommend.
19 reviews2 followers
July 30, 2017
A stretch to reality.

Recruted into Mosad, and running around Europe as though it was her neighborhood. Pretty far fetched. But, easy reading of short chapters.
Profile Image for Carla.
77 reviews10 followers
July 8, 2021
I could barely finish this book. It was a lot of telling not showing, and it moved painfully slow. It was interesting in places, which raised it from one star to two.
Profile Image for Jessica Mitchell.
2,051 reviews20 followers
June 23, 2017
Married to the Mossad
Shalva Hessel

A fast paced story of suspense, murder, decite, and drama. It will keep you turning the pages to the very end.

Sally is just your average woman trying to make ends meet with her insurance company job and her husband Jerry's job. But lately he's been out and away more than usual. What is he doing that calls him to be out and away so often? Is he having an affair? His job possibly can't be that important...can it?
What she finds out will change her world forever and the mess she lands in all in the name of being a good and honest Jew. She will show him if it's the last thing she will do that not all Jews are bad Jews.
Profile Image for Hannah.
214 reviews2 followers
July 20, 2017
Married to the Mosad was a very interesting and enlightening book. I loved the story and how the adventure was spread out through the entire book. The characters were well developed and made the story believable. This is a great book that teaches you to fight for what you believe in, even when it gets tough. I high recommend this book.

Sally and Jerry had a romance for the ages, but when Sally finds out her husbands job is not what she originally thought, it flips her world upside down. Jerry is an active Mosad agent. When he is called to do a mission, Sally insists upon going and being a part of it, knowing that this puts not only herself in danger, but also their family. Sally uncovers something that she decides she needs to investigate, but it also could put them in serious danger.
Profile Image for Briayna Cuffie.
190 reviews16 followers
August 30, 2018
A decent amount of thrill

Don't think you're going to learn a lot about Mossad from this book. Its a bit fairytale-esque in how things work out. However, the plot was interesting, the characters had personality, and it was easy to follow. I also appreciated the bits of Hebrew words, beliefs, and concepts included as the Sally continued to pursue justice.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews