The Senator's Wife

by Julia Gabriel

Passion.
Scandal.
Ooh la la.

Marie Witherspoon is having a terrible year. Her boss (aka her mother) fires her so she can concentrate on having babies. Her husband (aka a United States Senator) dumps her for his mistress—who regularly humiliates Marie in her “style” (aka gossip) blog. Marie has gone from being one half of the young It Couple in Washington, DC to being … well, she’s not sure what anymore.

But Marie does have one very powerful weapon on her side: her best friend Nishi Bhat, a ball-breaking public relations maven who was never a big fan of Marie’s senator husband to begin with. It was her idea to burn Marie’s wedding dress and dump the ashes in the Potomac River. And her idea for Marie to rekindle an old hobby with one sexy-as-hell French artist who claims that (a) he can teach Marie how to draw and (b) “not all seeing is done with the eyes.”

A young wife cast aside. A dark and brooding French artist. An ambitious politician up for re-election—and his equally ambitious mistress. Throw in an artistic collaboration involving (ahem) risqué paintings and not even Nishi can anticipate what will happen next ...

Perfect for fans of Lauren Weisberger and Sophie Kinsella, The Senator’s Wife is a sexy, on-the-edge-of-your-seat romp that will have readers turning the pages late into the night. “White hot”—Kirkus Reviews

(The Senator's Wife was previously published in two volumes as Drawing Lessons and Chiaroscuro.)

580 pages, ebook

Published January 6, 2019

About the author

Julia Gabriel writes contemporary romance that is smart, sexy, and emotionally-intense (grab the tissues). She lives in New England where she is a full-time mom to a teenager, as well as a sometime writing professor and obsessive quilter (is there any other kind?). If all goes well, she’ll be a Parisienne in her next life.

Reviews

[Anne OK · Rating 3 out of 5]

The blurb mentioned a senator's wife and political scandal -- throw in a gorgeous French artist and I was in for the ride. A new-to-me author is always a challenge, but I was really impressed with Julia Gabriel's comfortable writing style. Clear, strong and witty at times. The connection between Luc and Marie was difficult for me though. I felt Marie's character was a bit naïve for her age and experience in the world she'd grown up in. I also saw her as a total whiner who should have kicked the ex to the curb and forgotten about him long ago -- better yet, never married him in the first place. And her parents bugged the crap out of me. It wasn't a bad book -- just not what I had in mind when I one-clicked.

[Christine (Queen of Books) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Serif Books for an e-arc in exchange for honest review.

(I generally don't consider something that happens in the first 5% of the book to constitute a spoiler, and, moreover, I think it's important that I talk about the plot in this instance. But, fair warning, I'm discussing an early plot point in the next several paragraphs.)

I struggled to get into this book, despite the description having attracted me to it in the first place: "An irresistible story about the power of friendship, standing on one’s own two feet, and the sensual pleasures of art … this is Julia Gabriel at her funniest and sexiest" = yes, please. I think maybe I just didn't read enough of it to enjoy the plot like I thought I would. I was interested in following Marie as she moves on from her marriage and (seemingly) becomes more independent. I love reading about people coming more into their own. But, I'm DNFing The Senator's Wife at 7% for a bigger reason than my just not being able to get into it: Inappropriate sexual advances.

I get that there's this trope of the mercurial man who suddenly kisses the woman. But this is wrong: "Then before Marie knew what was happening, Luc's arm was on her back and pulling her body against his chest. She opened her mouth to object, but found her lips quickly sealed over with his. She tried to free her lips from the kiss, trying to speak, but the only sound that came out was more akin to loud humming than any meaningful protest. Pushing at his chest only made him tighten his arms around her more securely."
^ That interaction is not okay. She did not consent to being touched in such a way. Her reaction is an attempt to physically push him away, and his response is to make it harder for her to stop him. The scene continues:
"He lifted his mouth away from hers for a split second, just long enough to say, 'Relax, Marie. It makes a kiss more enjoyable.' Then he resumed the kiss, his hand now cradling the back of her head, pulling her lips further into his mouth.
The nerve of the man! She squirmed in his embrace, trying again to free herself."

No. That's not okay. Even if she comes to enjoy it a minute later. Even if he's this sexy, mysterious French art teacher. Even if she's in the midst of a divorce and starved for attention and touch. He kissed her, she tried to end the contact (more than once), and he did not allow her to do that. He forcibly kissed her. That's not romantic. That's not sexy. That rises to sexual abuse in some locales, and sexual assault in others. This sort of a scene reinforces the idea that men are allowed to do what they want to women's bodies, regardless of how the woman reacts.

I understand that a surprise, forced kiss is a trope; that Gabriel didn't invent this sort of behavior; and that she isn't the first to suggest the reader should find it romantic rather than inappropriate, creepy, and dangerous. But this is not a book for me.

(Full-disclosure note: I gave it two stars on NetGalley, which means would I recommend it? "Not really." But two stars on GoodReads = "it was okay," and it wasn't, so I have to go with one star on here. Hence the mismatch.)

[Coriander · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not what I had expected at all. I thought it was a nice romance. But then it took a darker twist. It was hard to read and I almost didn't finish it. But I'm glad I did. I really didn't like the direction this book took. I think it could be edited a bit better and cut some parts out. But I really liked the characters and I would definitely read another book with these two characters again! I think that this book focused too much on their dysfunctional lives had so many dramatic events one right after the other it was too much for one book. And I can’t say I enjoyed it all that much. What I did like with Luc Marchond. He was incredible. The descriptions of art and his opinions and his family history were all so interesting. I loved the historical parallels and mystery of the necklace. That was what really brought it home for me and kept me wanting to read more. There was a bit of intrigue and mystery at times, and it almost felt like this should be two books with how much had happened, and how much growth the character went through. I would almost say the latter half was more interesting and fulfilling.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/31/2019)! 🎁

Blurb:
An irresistible story about the power of friendship, finding love where you don't expect it, and the sensual pleasures of art … this is Julia Gabriel at her funniest and sexiest.

Marie Witherspoon is having a sucky year. Her boss (aka her mother) fires her so she can concentrate on having babies. Her husband (aka a United States Senator) dumps her for his mistress—who regularly humiliates Marie in her “style” (aka gossip) blog. Marie has gone from being one half of the young It Couple in Washington, DC to being … well, she’s not sure what anymore.

But Marie does have one very powerful weapon on her side: her best friend Nishi Bhat, a ball-breaking public relations maven who was never a big fan of Marie’s senator husband to begin with. It was her idea to burn Marie’s wedding dress and dump the ashes in the Potomac River. And her idea for Marie to rekindle an old hobby with one sexy-as-hell artist-slash-disgraced-professor who claims that (a) he can teach Marie how to draw and (b) “not all seeing is done with the eyes.”

A young wife cast aside. A dark and brooding French artist. An ambitious politician up for re-election—and his equally ambitious mistress. Throw in an ill-conceived—but perfectly timed!—artistic collaboration involving (ahem) risqué paintings and not even Nishi can anticipate what will happen next ...

[Jite · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author is completely new to me. In fact, I was interested in the book solely based on the premise in the blurb of a political wife embroiled in a scandal where her senator husband is divorcing her to marry his mistress. I mean it’s the news story we always see and then wonder what becomes of the wife. This novel takes that premise and runs with it from pillar to post. Indeed so much happens in these 500-odd pages, that the eventfulness of the novel begins to stretch the realm of plausibility. If you like shows/movies like The Good Wife, Eat Pray Love and Scandal, this novel might be for you. It also positively screams of the melodramatic tv hands of Shonda Rhimes with the amount of head banging annoyance you’re going to feel with the characters as you read this.

This novel is seperared into 2 parts and actually, this could have been a first book and a sequel because at the point the first part ends, you’ve already been through the trenches with these characters. Enough has happened in the first part to make an entire novel. The second part kind of blindsides you from where it starts and the characters of Marie and Luc and even those of Marie’s parents are significantly different by part 2. I actually almost DNF’d this early on because the heroine in my opinion completely lacked agency in an inexplicable way. The hero, Luc, was a total and utter entitled d-bag at the beginning but I’m glad I stuck with this. Because there’s a lot of growth these characters go through across the two parts of this book. In that sense, this is more Women’s Fiction than Contemporary Romance because you don’t necessarily have main characters that you *like* but you have main characters that are flawed and problematic and because of that, real. Because problematic people find love too.

Art and the way we see people and the things right in front of us is also a major theme of this novel and moreso than art, vulnerability and self-awareness and awareness of truths right in front of us is another major theme. This novel was a study in how you can live your whole life with yourself and yet not know who you are until circumstances force you to deal with your thoughts and emotions and come to a state of self-awareness.

So in conclusion, did I like this or not. I liked parts and I disliked parts. I didn’t like the beginning at all and I also struggled with Marie’s incredible naïveté and lack of backbone and Luc’s forwardness and sense of entitlement early on in the novel and that kind of coloured the way I read this. It’s like watching a Shonda Rhimes tv series where the characters are doing all the wrong things and you’re powerless to fix them, that sort of struggle as a reader. The author’s writing however was incredibly compelling- the sort that whether you were annoyed by the characters or not, you couldn’t put this book down. I recommend this for anyone who likes romance novels but dislikes the plastic perfect tropes romantic couples can be and anyone who also has a high tolerance for problematic characters.

I received a copy of this book from XpressoBookTours through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (And being a heavy duty book purchaser myself, I’d never leave a BS review because I got it for free).

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for the Popsugar Challenge category of "A book that's published in 2019". It's the story of a woman who was married to a US Senator at the urging of her parents (her father was a former Senator), in order to advance her husband's political career. When he announces he is divorcing her to marry his mistress, she embarks on a new life, with no help from her parents who incredibly want her to reconcile with him. When her husband decides not to divorce her because the divorce is affecting his approval ratings, she declines reconciliation and he threatens to put her into rehab (although she has not actual addiction issues). In the meantime, her best friend has bought her three months of drawing lessons with a sexy Frenchman who opens her eyes to both art and love. If you aren't comfortable with explicit sex scenes I would give this one a pass, otherwise, it's a nice romance with both parties learning to trust and love again. The books is divided into two parts, with the second part unexpectedly finding them separated and our heroine with a new baby. The rest of this part deals with them finding their way back together, and finally ends with a happy ever after. Although the two halves seem a bit disjointed, it still kept me interested and reading right along to find out what would happen next.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book was like taking a 3 hour long road trip that passed through all four seasons, plus some storms, beautiful sunny days, and a natural disaster. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it to any romance lovers despite my few criticisms.

I think this novel could've easily been split into two books (edit: just learned that it was originally published as two books) because the first and second parts are that different. The first half takes us through exactly what the summary tells us. We get to follow Marie as she rediscovers her sexuality (and self!) in a fun and exciting rom-com set in the political world. She steps out of her abusive husband's shadow to follow her bliss with the support of her powerful and feisty best friend, and I loved it.

Then came the mid-portion when things got unbelievably dramatic (which I don't mind, bring on the drama and suspense), and finally the second half of the book which I can only describe as comfortably angsty. The angst wasn't so much that I was getting frustrated, but it was certainly more than you'd experience in reality...it almost felt like a fan fiction in the sense that it went on in more detail than it really needed to, but I was grateful for the extension of the story because I had become so invested in the characters and wanted as much from them as possible.

I think this book is so much more than its summary leads you to believe and you'll only have to read it to understand. I could definitely see myself rereading this book, or at least my favorite parts, because sometimes you just need a dramatic and sexy love story that takes you ~through it~.

Thank you to NetGalley and Serif Books for letting me read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Irene James · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4.5 out of 5 stars]

Marie Witherspoon is married to Richard - an overbearing, will-do-anything-for-politics type of husband. Theirs is not a marriage of love but a marriage of power that is only meant to help him in the cut-throat world of Capitol Hill. Marie thinks she's in love with Richard until she finds herself amidst a very public divorce, from a husband that her family continues to support despite the cheating scandal that broke their marriage and Marie's heart into a million pieces.

Marie is ready to move on, and with the help of her fearless friend Nishi, she starts taking art lessons from the sexy Luc Marchand -- a French artist living in the outskirts of Virginia. Marie has led a life of decisions made by others in a world that is only meant for show and not for seeing the truth behind paintings. With Luc by her side, Marie dives into the arms of a love affair more powerful than the politics that surround her.

Told in two parts, Julia Gabriel reaches deep into the raw emotions of Marie and Luc as they navigate their relationship in a society that rejects it. This book inspires a certain kind of realness that only comes with the experience of a true broken heart and the courage to mend it. A coming-of-age story for adults that captures two people in the light and in the dark.

This was riveting, to say the least. Julia Gabriel at her best. If this doesn't make it to your personal Top 10, then perhaps you need to read this book again.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I was going to read a somewhat fictional political family type of story. There’s that, but very little.

As I read through this book, I realized it’s 2 different stories / books really. And once I searched for the author’s name, I came across the two books that made up this one. At first, I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to combine them then I understand why it’s better together.

The first part (or book), is a steamy romance between Marie and Luc. The plot is thin, about a senator’s wife who met an artist, fell in love, and fled her uptight life, with the central conflict being with family, horrible to-be-ex husband who’s a senator, and her upbringing. There’s some interesting arts history and a great friendship.

The second book brings home character growth and development, and that’s usually what makes a great story, and it was great to see Marie changed. However, I noticed the steamy details were less, as Marie and Luc are in conflict with each other in the second half. Things were resolved and the passionate characters become family characters.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. Some sentences fell flat and cliche, and not imaginative. And yet, the scenes between Marie and Luc were amazing and tender, and the author captures chemistry and intimacy one could die for in life.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand - I was sucked in and had to finish reading to find out what happened. On the other hand - many parts of this plot were not well thought out and just plain implausible. I enjoyed the first part of the book more - while I found some of the events outlandish I was willing to suspend belief. However, there is a time gap between the first and second parts. I thought it was a cop out for the author not to walk us through what happened during that gap. I found those events, as they came to light, to be difficult to believe. I almost think this was glossed over simply because it was hard to believe.

Also, from the title I was expecting this to be more political than romance. The entire politics aspect is minimal and confined to the first part of the book. The main themes are love/romance/sex, which is all find and good.

Overall, I would not recommend this to someone unless they are interesting specifically in romances.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Gloria Herrera for As You Wish Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best second chance (or third?) romance I have ever read!

Marie is in the middle of a divorce to her cheating Senator husband. He is openly dating his mistress! A gift of lessons to reconnect Marie with her passion for drawing introduces her to artiste Luc Marchand. From the first moment, both their reactions are impossible to miss. The attraction is mutual and all-consuming. Little did they know then the complications they were about to face.

This romance is like no other. There is passion, sacrifice, and growth of character, of course. The plotline is gripping and you will not be able to put this book down. What really struck me about this book are the characters. They are well-developed and real. Their struggle for their love is one you will not soon forget.

This book blew me away!

I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me.

[Samantha O · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I ignore the sex scenes, the first half of this book was interesting for a light read. None of the characters were perfect, but I found myself rooting for those I was supposed to. The last half of the book though...I felt like the author decided to abandon the characters she built. Marie went from a woman who was trying to find herself, learning to trust, etc to being all too willing to attach herself to a guy who doesn't "fit." Luc goes from telling Marie that she can't run away from problems to being the one on the run...in the first half it was hinted that he has a tendency to speak in anger, but the back half just shows him ducking out of any confrontation at all.

[Susanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Serif Books and NetGalley for a free reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story line was what piqued my interest. Political wife - and daughter - scorned, that strives to find her own path in life sounded interesting. Unfortunately, this turned out to be much more of a classic bodice-ripper than I was expecting. The heroine's naiveté grated on me, and once the scheming political husband was out of the way, the back and forth between the “sexy French artist“ (what a cliché) and the heroine quickly got rather boring. I did finish it, but it was more because of my sense of responsibility than anything else.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie Witherspoon is fired by her boss, who just happens to be her mother, and her husband wants a divorce so he can be with his mistress. She's gone from part of a couple in Washington to she's not really sure what she is anymore. Enter her best friend Nishi who has the ideas to burn her wedding dress and pick up an old hobby of drawing with a sexy French artist. Their attraction to each other is immediate and filled with passion. Once you start reading this book you won't be able to put it down and the characters are strong and well developed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anima · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real love saga. The wife of a politician is not for the weak, Marie learned too late that reality. A generous gift has Marie meeting Luc, sexy French artist giving Marie her life back. She gains confidence, love and independence. This saga is told in two parts, originally published as two books Drawing Lessons and Chiaroscuro. The first part is the evolution of Marie, the second is mostly for Luc and then as a couple. It's heartbreaking, powerful and romantic. My copy came from Netgalley, review written voluntarily.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't really enjoy this one. I didn't like Marie's character from the get-go. Starting a highly charged sexual relationship with your art teacher after one or two encounters feels ridiculous. I've never really read romances (and not sure if this book is supposed to be one) but maybe that's typical in these books. It just didn't feel realistic to me and left bad impression for the rest of the book. The story also felt long and disjointed at times.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Fluff Smut & Murder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bordering on the erotic, the love scenes in this book were amazing. I truly believe every woman should find a lover like this in their life - and if they're lucky enough this person will be there forever love.

As fo the rest of the book - predictable, yet endearing to read. Marie's friendship with Nishi is amazing but the rest of Marie is annoying... Her relationship with bully Richard as well as her parents seems unrealistic in this day and age and her naivety drove me up a wall.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giving this three stars just for the fact that when Gabriel concentrated on character development and back story it was a good read. I wish it was more back story and less trying for 50 Shades of Gray. Didn’t need to be hit over the head with a sledge hammer... Marie and Luc had a deep physical attraction- we get it!
All in all the light, easy read I was looking for between other books on my nightstand.

[Moira · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ... confusing. I originally thought it was going to be a modern take on a Jackie Kennedy like story with modern twists and turns. The title actually had very little to do with the overall story. It was definitely not that type of story. It was divided into two parts - which would have been better off as two separate books. It did take awhile to get hooked on the story but ultimately I liked it. It’s a one time read only.

[Margaret Shumaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling characters

I enjoyed this romance because of the characters and the story. This is no happy ever after but more complex as the characters grow and change as they come to terms with themselves and each other. There are villains and really good friends too. This is more complex than most romance but also do good.

[Carrie M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Julia Gabriel's best work and I loved the others

This is an unexpected love story. I almost didn't read this because I am not a fan of politics. I am so happy I read this it was beyond great. I will never look at blue without wanting to draw it.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful saga about a cheated on wife, how she gets her revenge, gets her groove back, finds love, (lots of other things but don't want to spoil it), and finds HER happily ever after. Wonderful visuals (wish I could see the paintings describes in the book) and very romantic/ graphic.

[Tiffany Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind-blowing

This book had me tearing my hair out I got so mad at Marie. . . In the first half I just knew she was stronger than she was portraying. It literally had me yelling but it was so beautiful and worth every minute. One of my new favorites

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the story dragged in a few places, it was very interesting and different from normal romance stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Sydnee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story and characters but it felt so long. I struggled to finish it when it felt like it was much much longer than it needed to be.

[Dorre · Rating 3 out of 5]

A romance with a dark twist with great character development. I was graciously provided this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Runner10 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Senator’s Wife is a light read good for a weekend at the beach. It is a mixture of the political world and scandal. Can you imagine?

[Sarah Renberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oui!

This was a very readable book, a good love story, it's a nice beach read. Good for all the hopeless romantics!

[Jennifer]

This is going way to slow.