Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives

by Josie Brown

Suburbia is a jungle, filled with lots of vicious creatures.

Take the Paradise Heights Women's League board. Lyssa Harper should have warned golden-haired DILF du jour Harry Wilder what he was getting into when she invited him to meet the mommies who run their suburban, gated community. At least he brought cupcakes. Since meeting the former Master-of-the-Universe turned stay-at-home single dad, Lyssa has been his domestic Sherpa, teaching him the ins and outs of suburban life. She just didn't realize her friends would show up at his house unannounced with casseroles, leopard-print bikini briefs, and plans to rearrange his kitchen cabinets.



The truth is, if Harry and his wife, the neighborhood's "perfect couple," can call it quits, what does that mean for everyone else? Lyssa's husband, Ted, is a great father, but he pays her Pilates-pumped momtourage more attention than he does his own wife. Her friends gossip about the neighbors while ignoring their own problems: infertility, infidelity, and eating disorders.



When Harry sets boundaries with his new fan club, he is exiled from the neighborhood's in-clique. But Lyssa refuses to snub him. What she never expects is the explosive impact her ongoing friendship with Harry will have on her close-knit pals--and on her marriage.



"Josie Brown is a skilled observer whose clever dialogue and feisty style make for truly entertaining reading." --Jackie Collins, author, Hollywood Wives

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Marriage, Romance, Book Club, Contemporary, Adult

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2010

About the author

Josie Brown's forty-two novels are now in the hands of over two million readers.

She has been published by St. Martin's Press, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins Publishers, Penguin Books.

Read Josie’s books. You’ll get a good idea of her sense of humor. https://www.JosieBrown.com

You'll also find Josie on
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JosieBrownCA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josiebrownau...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josiebrownn...

Visit her podcast, where she discusses writing with other authors:
http://bit.ly/AuthorProvocateurApple

Josie is the author of these novels:

The Housewife Assassin Novel Series, including
- Handbook (Book 1)
- Guide to Gracious Killing (Book 2)
- Killer Christmas Tips (Book 3)
- Relationship Survival Guide (Book 4)
- Vacation to Die For (Book 5)
- Recipes for Disaster (Book 6)
- Hollywood Scream Play (Book 7) [2014, Signal Press]
- Killer App (Book 8) [August 2014, Signal Press]
- Hostage Hosting Tips (Book 9)
- Garden of Deadly Delights (Book 10)
- Tips for Weddings, Weapons, and Warfare Hosting Tips (Book 11)
- Husband Hunting Hints (Book 12)
- Ghost Protocol (Book 13)
- Terrorist TV Guide (Book 14)
- Deadly Dossier (Book 15 - SERIES PREQUEL)
- Greatest Hits (Book 16 )
- Fourth Estate Sale (Book 17 )
- Horrorscope (Book 18 )
- White House Keeping Seal of Approval (Book 19)
- Assassination Vacation Tips (Book 20)
- Antisocial Media Tips (Book 21)
- Manners, Missiles & Mayhem (Book 22)
- Gambit (Book 23)
- Underwater Assets (Book 24)

The Candidate (Steamy Political Thriller)

Extracurricular - 3 episodic Novels (2020; Signal Press)

Totlandia - 8 episodic Novels (2014-2017; Signal Press)

The Baby Planner
[2011, Simon & Schuster]

The Housewife Assassin Gets Lucky (written with Deborah Coonts)

Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives
[2010, Simon & Schuster 2014 Signal Press]]

Hollywood Hunk (Book 1 - True Hollywood Lies)
[2005, HarperCollins; 2010 Signal Press]

Her novel, Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives (Simon & Schuster), is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer as a dramatic series for NBC-TV.

She is also the author of three non-fiction books: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Finding Mr. Right [Penguin/Alpha]; Marriage Confidential: 102 Honest Answers to the Questions Every Husband Wants to Ask, and Every Wife Needs to Know [Signal Press]; and Last Night I Dreamt of Cosmopolitans: A Modern Girl's Dream Dictionary [St. Martin's Press]

Before becoming a full-time novelist, Josie also worked in advertising (JWT, DDB/Needham, BBM&B) and radio (WPLO-AM, Atlanta; WZGC-FM, Atlanta).

As a journalist, Josie has interviewed Maya Angelou, Brenda Blethyn, Julian Bond, Kenneth Branagh, Jackie Collins, Costa-Gavras, Craig Ferguson, John Gray, Derek Jacobi, Debbie Reynolds, and John Woo. Her celebrity interviews and relationships trends articles have been featured in Los Angeles Times Syndicate International, Redbook, and Complete Woman, as well as AOL, Yahoo, AskMen.com, Divorce360.com, and SingleMindedWomen.com, where she serves as the Relationships Channel editor.

Josie's interviews for her podcast, Author Provocateur, and for the International Thriller Writers magazine THE BIG THRILL include such notable authors as David Baldacci, Samantha M. Bailey, C.J. Box, Allison Brennan, Lee Child, Deborah Coonts, Robert Dugoni, Barry Eisler, JT Ellison, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, Tess Gerritsen, Andrew Gross, Kristan Higgins, Jon Land, John Lescroart, John Lutz, James Rollins, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Brad Thor, and Debra Webb.

Although born and raised (a Southern expression) in and around Atlanta, Georgia, Josie is proudly one-hundred percent Puerto Rican: her father was born in Ponce, and her mother was from Humacao. Does this make Josie a Georgiarican? She thinks so, and proudly claims that title.

She now lives in San Francisco with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't have been more surprised. When going on a long ride, I amuse myself with listening to a book on CD (or tape since my car is actually old enough to have a tape player! ) The Flying J Truck stop carries many items including DVD's, CD's, and Audio Books. I often stop and check them out since the prices seem to be reasonable but I don't usually expect to find something great. This book was one that I found there and I figured I would give it a try.

Josie Brown nailed it! Her depiction of an affluent suburb and the adults and children that live there was perfect. Lyssa finds herself reflecting on the life of a neighbor, Harry after his wife has left him and rumors have been flying. She wonders what it is like to be a man at home taking care of the house and kids and figures he might need some support. Being a kind hearted person, Lyssa invites Harry to meet the other wives on the neighborhood board. Harry accepts Lyssa's invitation and meets the other women only to find that they are looking for a far "deeper" friendship than he wants to offer. By setting boundaries, he puts off the other women and finds himself not quite so welcome in the group anymore. Lyssa then gets the idea that perhaps it would be good for him to become friends with the two other men that she knows that work from home. Oddly enough, Lyssa finds herself more comfortable with the men than with the women on the board. She and Harry have become good friends and are strong supporters of one another so of course, rumors begin to develop about their relationship. What Lyssa does not bargain for is what her friendship with Harry will mean for both her and her friends. How well do we let others know us? Have others deleted chapters from their stories that we know nothing about?

The plot shows the dark side of life in the burbs with utter precision. We find that bullying, women acting catty, and gossip do not end at the schoolhouse door. This story will keep you interested and has some unexpected twists. I also want to note that I enjoyed the quotes that Brown has at the beginning of each chapter. They are a special touch that certainly go along with the theme of the book. Well done, Josie. I will be looking for more of your titles.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives is a look at the dark underbelly of the moneyed suburbs where extramarital affairs run rampant. The pitiful "Desperate Housewives" style attempts at attracting newly single Harry make are both hilariously funny and deeply disturbing. The book is surprisingly deep at times and gloriously scandalous throughout.

Each chapter starts off with a famous quote about marriage. These aren't romantic, gushy quotes, but rather funny and realistic ones that pair nicely with the tone of the book.

Lyssa has a tendency to be extremely naive, which makes her both endearing and occasionally annoying. She's a solid mom, with her children always as her top priority. Her marriage is in obvious shambles - her husband is only willing to have sex while watching sports and has admitted to her that he never actually fell in love with her - but she remains blissfully unaware of any trouble.

Denial runs rampant in Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives, which is on par with reactions to real life relationship problems as a general rule. It's almost scary how much you can see the traits of people you know in these characters.

Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives is a funny, touching book with a down and dirty tell-all feel. Frivolity and deeper meaning collide in this book, making it a surprising treat.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 rating

This book was gossipy and light and fun, while at the same time making me a little depressed. If that makes any sense at all. The story takes place in well-to-do suburbia. So of course there is gossip and cattiness and lots of characters you love to hate. Which is fun. But there was also a lot of cheating and it made me wonder if there are any good marriages out there (I mean, I know there are, but you wouldn't guess it from the book).



Each chapter started off with a love or marriage quote, which I love because I have always loved quotes so this was fun. The story was slightly predictable. I had figured out part of the big gasp at the end of the book but not the complete scenario. But the story ends on a happy note and that how I like my summer-y reads!

[Cinnamon · Rating 4 out of 5]

SECRET LIVES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES is like Desperate Housewives come to book form, but with a bit more humor. In this story, Josie Brown has managed to create a robust mix of drama and humor to keep the reader entertained from page one straight through to the end. Looking for a hint of drama? Move on. Looking for drama oozing from every crack and crinkle of a book? This is the book for you.

Honestly, my favorite part of SECRET LIVES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES were the quotes prefacing each chapter. I'm fairly certain that I used up all of my "that's so true" statements for the rest of my life. Some of the quotes left me pondering while others had me practically rolling on the floor. I think Ms. Brown could easily sell this book just with the collection of quotes alone. The story underneath happens to be icing on the cupcake.

The story in a nutshell involves, like all good romantic dramas, a guy and a girl. Suburban housewife gets to know single and very attractive stay at home dad. At first her friends adore him, but later they turn their backs on him. Lyssa (our housewife) can't help but find herself attracted to him, however. Harry (Mr. Hot and Single) seems to be filling a little hole inside herself. One might ask - what's the big problem here? Well, when neighborhood rules are set in stone dictating that each woman does what the other women decide, going against the grain can have dire consequences. Plus, her friendship with Harry might not have positive results on her marriage, either.

There were moments in this book where I sat forward, anxious to figure out what our hero and heroine would discover or where there relationship would head. There were other moments where my face was stuck in a permanent O position - "Oh no he/she just did not do that!" Ms. Brown has a great ability to tug at our emotions and lead us on a wild ride right alongside her characters.

Now, if you're looking for something lighthearted and quick, this might not be the book for you. Drama aside, SECRET LIVES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES, does actually get a bit deeper at times. There is more to every woman (and man) in the story than simply what we see on the surface. A beautiful couple might have a troubled marriage and your gorgeous neighbor might actually be hurting more than anyone knows. Ms. Brown gives us an entertaining story - that's for sure - but she also gives us a real one.

I recommend this to any fans of Women's Fiction or Chick Lit. This is a story that will touch your heart and get your anger rolling. With the good comes the bad and both deception and hope touch the lives of the characters in SECRET LIVES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This summer grab a copy of Josie Brown's novel "Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives." It is a near perfect beach read. Women who live in suburbia with their families will especially be able to relate. Fans of TV's Desperate Housewives will love these very desperate housewives and husbands. The plot is complex and the characters are many. You'll fall in love with househusband Harry as easily as Lyssa does. You'll marvel at the Coven and how disruptive they are. A very fun read.

[Meredith Schorr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josie Brown does such a stellar job of telling the "truth" in her books, but the truth most of us don't want to know or don't talk about. And she does it in the most fun and delicious way possible. Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives was no exception. I loved it. I had my own wish-list for how it ended and I got my wish - not that it was at all predictable, but because this author seems to know what I want and delivers it!

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had it all, I sound the the infamous Stephan! Seriously Lyssa was a great character and it was such a humorous book with so many quotes I must remember! Anyone who wants a light read with humor needs to read her books!

[Bonnye Reed]

Author gift

[Jessica Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josie Brown has a way of writing storylines that are completely unrelatable to me... and making me want to live in them.

I do not have kids. I am no longer married. I have not one, but TWO jobs. And I literally turned down the chance to run for a board seat on my HOA last week. Yet, here I was, eagerly turning the pages of a book about minivan moms, housewives and HOA board members.

"Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives" pulls two layers of curtains. First, the book reveals for readers what goes on in the lives of suburban, upper-middle class families. Stay at home parents shuffle from school to school, practice to practice, fundraiser to fundraiser. Working parents recycle excuse after excuse to their kids when they miss important milestones (working late, important meeting, client dinner). The kids stretch the boundaries of permissible behavior, banking on the fact that overstressed, overworked parents will ultimately relent and give in little by little.

Second, the book reveals to the actual characters what's really going on in Paradise Heights. Is he really working late? Is she really such a supermom? Are those gingerbread cookies really made from scratch?

As fun as this book was to read, the characters' tensions and stressors permeated every page. It was really riveting for someone like me whose own life is a 180 from these plots. It was like I got to have kids without the stretch marks! I could be a housewife, but keep my own bank account and financial freedom.

I really loved Lyssa, the main character. She was hysterical and witty, motivated, and loving. I wasn't a huge fan of some of her choices toward the end of the book, but I won't spoil it for a new reader. Suffice it to say, she's a much better person than I am. Much better.

I can definitely picture this book becoming a limited Netflix series. There's no reason this couldn't be the next "Big Little Lies". There are enough characters to support an ensemble cast, and there is enough gossip to support multiple episodes.

If you like suburban drama, gossip, and the like, this is an excellent book to scratch that itch.

[Julie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was first posted on my blog: http://jewelknits.blogspot.com/2010/0...

First things first - this is my FAVORITE "fun" read so far this year! This book is cool and fun and sexy without being TOO, if you know what I mean!

Lyssa Harper is a likable, everyday mom like us, with a husband that doesn't QUITE meet her expectations, and lately, he hasn't been paying any attention to her in the bedroom either. She is a member of the Paradise Heights Women's League Board, and is next in line for leadership. That is, if she can find a way to get enough cans and non-perishables collected for the Thanksgiving food drive.

The board has a list of what Brooke, Lyssa's BFF, calls "Undesirables" - there's the Activist Mom, the Motorcycle Mom and others. There are also those on the fringe - those working moms who are just so full of guilt from spending time away from their children, and the "work from home" moms. After all, the objective is to marry well enough so that you don't have to work, right? (raspberries to THAT, I say!) Lyssa doesn't QUITE agree with their assessments of others, but she just goes along for the ride and keeps her mouth shut.

When she befriends Harry, she intros him to the board. He ends up fighting off advances (one of which I'd like to tell you about here, but it would be a spoiler, and I hate spoilers - suffice it to say that it involves pink, furry handcuffs! TOO funny!)

Once Harry becomes an "Undesirable", Lyssa decides that he should have guy friends in the neighborhood, so she intros him to Pete the coach, and Cal, the geeky stay-at-home dad. When Lyssa refuses to give up her friendship with Harry to please her friends on the board, SHE becomes an "Undesirable". In a way, this is is a good thing, as it broadens her friendship circle.

Lyssa's husband Ted is jealous of their friendship. DeeDee, Harry's soon-to-be-ex, is fighting to get the house and the kids, and SHE is also jealous of their friendship. The women on the board are whispering that there is "something going on with those two", which is why she ends up booted from the board for conduct unbecoming. And all she is doing is trying to keep her family life together and keep a new friend.

It all makes for a great ride. For me, the ending, while appropriate, kind of fuzzled. It was almost as if the author said, "OK, well, I'm done with the story. Let me wrap it up", and she does, but rather too quickly. In my mind, she truncated what SHOULD have been a pivotal scene in the story. BUT ... this is still a great, fun read! I would definitely recommend it.

Quotes:

To Harry, she's a psycho rapist. To Brooke, she's a friend in need.

The chance to relive our youth through our offspring is a parental perk, particularly if our kids are better at the things we never mastered ourselves.

Where I went wrong was my presumption that the girls could just be friends with Harry, despite the fact that apparently he's a live version of their Mystery Date dreamboat.

[Laurel-Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life in Paradise Heights, a prestigious gated community near the Silicon Valley, promises the happily-ever-after that many young couples want. But the fine print doesn't tell anyone to be careful, because "if something is too good to be true, it just might be."

For the women of Paradise Heights, the first crack in the veneer of their perfect kingdom is the break-up of a seemingly flawless marriage. The gossip mill is alive and well in the Heights, and soon everyone is speculating about what broke up Harry and DeeDee Wilder. Popular opinion says that her husband walked in on her and her lover.

DeeDee moves out, without the kids, while Harry stays behind; he works at home and occasionally at the office, but he is the primary caregiver. The two will be battling custody out in court throughout the months ahead, and the secret of just who DeeDee's lover is hovers over the storyline.

When Lyssa Harper, whose husband Ted is a typical workaholic, befriends Harry and invites him to meet the other "mommies," she has no idea what will follow. Then Harry, who has become her friend, rebuffs the other women's advances, and he is exiled. And Lyssa will be, too, if she continues the friendship.

Risking everything for her friend, Lyssa has no inkling of the events that will now unfold.

I loved this "insider tale" of life amongst the privileged. "Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives" felt almost like a tabloid publication, but with the added bonus of being sensitively written, and with that hint of mystery hovering over everything. Told in Lyssa's voice, in the first person narrative, the reader is privy to her thoughts, feelings, and desires. This heightened my sense of having an up-close-and-personal view of this life.

Toward the end, I began to suspect what would happen next, but I enjoyed waiting, almost holding my breath, for our characters to put the pieces together.

Five stars, definitely—I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories of the privileged, who are real people with real problems; despite the life of wealth, these characters hurt and grieve, just like anyone else.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! It blends elements of both chick lit and women's fiction into a delightful story of suburbia - and it is not always a pretty picture! This book actually reminded me a bit of Desperate Housewives - lots of infidelity, backstabbing, secrets, and sex! Just my kind of book!

Lyssa Harper befriends her neighbor, DILF du jour (Dad I'd Like to...well you know!) Harry Wilder after he is separated from his wife. He is floundering through life, trying to be a single dad and hold onto his career at the same time. Lyssa really feels for him and tries to help him through life post-separation. To help him integrate into the mommy scene, she introduces him to her friends at the Paradise Heights Women's League Board. Poor Harry - he never had a chance! These women are C-R-A-Z-Y!! Harry is soon bombarded with food deliveries, new clothing in the form of leopard print bikini briefs (yes, for HIM!), and women rearranging his kitchen cabinets and drawers.

Harry is forced to draw a line and soon finds himself exiled from the mommies of Paradise Heights. Lyssa continues to be his friend, to the anger of her mommy friends. What Lyssa doesn't expect is the impact that this friendship will have on her own marriage with her hubby (who likes to watch tv sports while having sex - what a great guy!), and her so-called "friends".

This is a fast read and a great story. I enjoyed reading about Lyssa and Harry's friendship and the shenanigans of the mommy clique were downright hysterical! This would make a great beach read - definitely recommended!

[momruncraft · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the marriage of the "perfect couple" on the block implodes, the women of the Paradise Heights Women's League Board are all aflutter with gossip, concern, and attempts to capture the heart of the newly single Harry Wilder. With the Wilder's marriage now broken and their unhappiness out in the open for all to see, the facade of many of the women and the state of their own marriages starts to crack. For many, appearances are far more important than reality: they put on a happy face, pretend all is well, and try to out do all the other women on the block.

As Harry tries to regain his footing after being thrown into the world of stay-at-home dad-dom, Lyssa Harper takes him under her wing and attempts to teach him the ways of his new world: a completely foreign world of gossip, neighborhood politics, and car pool schedules. As Lyssa watches Harry fall deeper and deeper out of control, she begins to notice the cracks in her own marriage as well as those around her. Her own husband admitted years ago that he never really fell in love with her, yet she has spent the span of her marriage trying to convince herself that falling in love doesn't necessarily have to be a part of the equation.

As many of the women, and their marriages, dissolve into a hot mess, answers are found, love is discovered, and a page turner is made. While the ending is fairly obvious, there was something about this book that kept me glued and reading. Desperate Housewives meets the Stepford Wives with a little Mr. Mom, a very entertaining, easy read.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harry and his wife have separated and living next door to the DILF (Dad I'd Like to F---) is Lyssa Harper. Harry is struggling with the new lifestyle change and there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. He's juggling his job, raising his kids and dealing with the fact that his marriage is over. Lyssa decides that the proper thing to do is introduce Harry to the Paradise Heights Women's League Board so that it's members can help Harry with this difficult transition. Soon, he is inundated with help. Help that keeps women flocking to his door. Harry appreciates help but this is all way too much for him which leads him to do the logical thing. He is on the Women's League crap list. The only friend that understand is the Lyssa and pretty soon she starts looking at Harry in a whole new light. She begins to question her own union and wonders which path she wants to take at this new fork in the road called life.

WOW! I don't even really know what to say. This was an amazing book that kept me entertained from page one until the end. If you like "Desperate Housewives" you will absolutely adore this book. I would even venture to say that it's better than the TV show. Gasp! I know, I didn't expect that either!

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wholeheartedly LOVED this book. It had all the right ingredients for a fun summer read, and then some: great characters, empathetic heroine, hero with a heart and soul, and a plot with a lot of twists and turns. That says a lot when you're writing about real people, as opposed to vampires, werewolves or superheroes who have to save the world. Instead, this is a book about a woman (Lyssa, the heroine) who, in the process of helping out a new friend, rediscovers things about herself that, in the end, change her own life. In this book, no one is as they seem: the beautiful women, the happy homemakers, their ideal husbands, their perfect children. Despite their affluence, everyone is hurting inside, for good reason: they've all made a choice that they later regretted.

There is a lot about this book that reminds me of the lives of my friends, my family, and myself. Yet, it hit close to the bone sometimes. But isn't that what makes a book good? That is is thought-provoking?

Seriously, do pick it up. I can tell you first hand that you won't want to put it down until you finish it.

[Jennifer Defoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title really holds true with this one! There were quite a few secrets that I never expected. The one at the end was a real treat :-)

The main characters in this one were pretty well written. There were a few scenes that seemed to be a bit out of character, but as the title suggests there were quite a few secrets, so maybe these were just more of them. I tend to think the best of people, and while I knew from the word go that DeeDee was trouble I never expected some of the other people to take the actions they did. I liked Lyssa, she reminded me a lot of myself in her personality. Harry was also a great character. He was so sweet, except for the scene with Ted on Thanksgiving... That was a different story!

The way this story unfolded it was impossible to tell what was really getting ready to happen. Even the end was a bit surprising to me (and I really like to try and figure out the ending). This definitely makes me think twice about my quiet little neighborhood.

This was really a page turner as I wanted to see what secret was going to be exposed next, and who it was going to implicate. Believe me there were soooo many...

Well worth the read.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm nearly done with this page turning gem from Josie Brown. I may be a single woman living in Los Angeles, but the naughty mommies of Paradise Heights have me sucked in and addicted to this page-turner from the start! It's a great read which I love to dive into while lying out in the sun near the deep-end of my pool. The neighborhood DILF is anything but predictable and I'm both routing for and against the heroine Lyssa's relationship with her own husband (in favor of then against the increasingly intimate interactions with the DILF). It's like reading the Real Housewives of Orange County (only interesting!) and without the bad accents and fake hair of Bravo's New Jersey series sister show. I love this book and after only cracking it open a week ago I'm nearly finished. I can't wait to see what happens to all the characters of this engrossing gated community. Being a mommy one day never seemed so fun (or so dangerous!). Bravo Josie!

P.S. There are really great quotes at the header of each chapter on love, marriage and relationships. A fun little highlight of foreshadowing before delving in to each delicious chapter.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the neighborhood's perfect couple disintegrates, Harry Wilder discovers that he's missed most of his children's childhood and decides to become a stay-at-home dad. When Lyssa Harper decides to help him learn the ropes of being a mom in the posh suburb of Paradise Heights, the neighborhood gossips really get going. While everyone tries to figure out what went wrong with the Wilder's marriage, themes of love, trust, friendship, and family are examined by everyone involved in this engaging story an author who knows all about the posh life.

I was really impressed by this one, so much so that I ended up staying up until 4 this morning to finish it. I thought I knew where this one was going, but Brown threw enough curves that I could never quite be sure. Also, despite several plot details that felt familiar, the character of Lyssa is a straight-forward enough narrator to avoid triteness. I highly recommend this one. Unfortunately I was caught off guard by how much I liked it so much that I'm probably not being very coherent about its strengths.

[JoAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives reads like the soap opera, Peyton Place, or any of the Housewives television series. Interesting that a small community could have so much illicit behavior going on.

Lyssa is always trying to help others but it backfires on her since she doesn't pay attention to her own husband and his goings on. I liked that we got to know the families of Lyssa and Ted and that of Harry and his soon to be ex wife DeeDee. The kids were cute when the teens weren't getting into trouble. Harry's son Jake seemed to be crying out for help.

The ladies group that Lyssa was part of was a hoot but all they seemed to do is gossip and their president delegated anything she didn't want to do. There were twists and turns as we went from Halloween to New Year's but a lot of action was packed into the story. The epilogue that takes place a year later portrays a happily ever after that was totally unexpected.

I have a few other of Ms. Brown's books on my always growing TBR pile. I look forward to reading them.

[Pret a Porter NY · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of this author for a while. Loved her snarky Hollywood stuff. I was hoping her voice would translate well in the world of manic moms, and I was happy to see that it does.

What the author does so well is make us sympathetic to a woman who could be any of us: Lyssa loves her family, is in a marriage that could be better, and tries hard to make it so. The neighborhood she lives in could be the one outside my door: frenemies with too much time on their hands. They'd rather deal with other's gossip than to get their own houses in order.

When a soon-to-be-divorced male neighbor is thrown into the mix, it's every woman for herself. Lyssa is secure enough in her friendship with this guy to stand by him when none of the other women's plays for him work. But when they turn on her--and her husband finds out--things get hot.

Great fun, a fast read, and wonderful word play.

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josie Brown takes us into a world of Lyssa, a well to do mommy living in the privileged world of Paradise Heights, a Californian suburb. As a delicious "desperate housewife" she toes the line living between the Desirables and Undesirables as married and single non-working women re-create their own adult version of high school. When the divorce of an elusive but attractive couple come to be, the scorned husband decides to take on the League of Women and incorporate himself in this new world thinking that it would be easy. He is vastly mistaken when the women begin showing their claws as he distanced himself from their toxicity, compromising the friendship that he has started with Lyssa. The novel unravels showing the foibles of these women who have placed themselves upon a pedestal only to show their clay feet.

I could not put the book down and was surprised at the secrets revealed. It's a light read that is entertaining.

[SueAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this, and loved it. Picked it up on a whim, from my local Target. (Never thought of buying my books there, but, was browsing...)

It was certainly deeper than I thought it would be, and I loved that about it. You can easily relate to the heroine, Lyssa, who is in a marriage that is certainly less than perfect, but for her kids' sake (and some issues that she has regarding her past) she doesn't want to rock the boat. However, the pending divorce of a neighbor, Harry, is her impetus for re-evaluating her life.

What really grabbed me is that no character is as they are perceived. They are so well drawn that they could be people we personally know. I love finding a book from a writer I haven't read yet, that both makes me laugh and cry -- for all the RIGHT reasons.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got a little tired of all the descriptions that included name brand things. It felt as if Brown did not have another way to show that the people of Paradise Heights were rich. Or perhaps she just wanted to show off her own knowledge of haute couture. Either way - not something that interested me. Nor were the gratuitous descriptions of the sex scenes. (Although they were the only descriptions that were well-written. They just felt out of place in the story.) The cattiness of the Women's League Board was not well-developed, nor was the narrator. I just didn't get personality from her at all (perhaps that was intentional), and I really hated her passive acceptance of abuse from Ted. Plot was predictable.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought this book while on vacation. It was ideal for what I was looking to read this week because it has a plot that keep you turning the pages.

Loved the lead character, Lyssa, who is ambivalent about her marriage (like, who hasn't been there/done that?). What I would say I like the most is the way the author interjects humor into what could have been a sad sack plot. We all have a few crazy neighbors who take certain things too seriously, like these women do with the hero's divorce. I'm in the camp that found more than a few plot surprises. I won't give any away, but I felt the plot twists put out some great diversions.

Totally satisfying!

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Desperate Housewives are going to gobble up SECRET LIVES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES by Josie Brown. What happens with the gated community of Paradise Heights will leave you wanting more by Brown. Lies, backstabbing, cheating and carpooling wrapped together with some interesting female characters and one DILF makes for a page turning story. I loved this novel for many reasons...who doesn't like getting carried away in the gossip of suburbia, who doesn't love sex, lies sandal. You may know how the story is going to end, but not how they all ended up there! I promise this will be a guilty pleasure and hopefully your new favorite show come Fall!!!

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. Although it was very predictable, it was a fun read. It takes place in a suburban neighborhood in the Bay Area, which is why the book was dear to me. (I miss CA.) I can totally relate to the cast of characters in this book. In fact, I think they all live in Snoqualmie Ridge! You look around the neighborhood and you think that everyone else has picture perfect marriages and the next thing you know, they're getting divorced. It happens everywhere - not only in books and in Snoqualmie Ridge!

[Jacquelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Josie Brown does a great job of painting the truly surreal landscape of upper-class suburbia in the Bay Area. I enjoyed the characters and the story line and found myself very much sucked into their lives. The plot was fairly predictable--I wasn't surprised by any of the turns of events and saw them all coming from the first hints that were dropped. But the engaging writing and fun story still made this a great read that was hard to put down. Highly recommended chick lit!

[*Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is basically a fairy tale about marital dissatisfaction, friendships, and the inner workings of an elite community. All the "good" people end up with good things happening to them; all the "bad" people get some of what's coming to them. It does have a lot of realism in what happens (or can happen) between marital relationships over the years. This is a combination of romance novel and chick-lit. Good, fun story with an ending that you wish could happen for more people in real life. ; )

[Emily Valentin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most depressing books I've read in a long time. But I just couldn't put it down! It's very well-written and fast-moving. It was an eye-opening reminder to be thankful for my own life and healthy relationships. The next time one of my married acquaintances in the suburbs brags about their fancy home, I will think back to this book and remind myself that much of their "happiness" is just a facade.

[Marta hoelscher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely delicious book! It was witty and snarky and a total delight to dive into! There's a bit of language, so for some it might not be the right fit. But those instances are few and far between and personally, for me, the humor and fun of this read far outweighed those instances. I honestly couldn't put this one down and read it straight through...grown up summer fun!