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Remember Me: A Second Chance Women's Fiction Love Story
Nora Phillips believes her life is perfect. But her husband’s devastating affair and a long kept family secret have her falling apart.
When Nora Phillips is forced to leave her son’s high school graduation party to spend the night with her mother in the hospital—she can’t imagine the evening could get any worse. Until it does.
Reeling from the shock of her husband Joe’s betrayal, Nora struggles to come to terms with the loss of her marriage and becoming an empty nester all at once. With her son causing trouble and her daughter long since on her own, Nora feels unmoored and unneeded. Turning to her mother for advice after years of discord Nora discovers secret’s from her own parent’s marriage that shatter what she’d always believed and pave the way for a new future.
Joe never meant to have an affair. Of course, he realizes how that sounds and he hates how cliché he’s become. Torn between what he’s done and what he wants, Joe must confront his own demons if he has any hope of winning back his wife and his family.
On her death bed, Robert’s beloved wife Katie made him swear that he would find love again after she was gone. Even when he agreed, he had no intention of keeping that promise. But when he meets Nora Phillips he begins to wonder if he might be able to keep his word to his wife after all.
The True North Duet is a two book collection. The story of the wife. And the story of the mistress. Dive into these contemporary women’s fiction stories of loss, forgiveness, second chances and love. Set in two small towns in Michigan you’re sure to fall in love with the setting and the flawed and real characters who live there.
For fans of Katie Winters, Kimberly Thomas and Ellen Joy.** FORMERLY PUBLISHED AS "WHERE THE BEAUTY IS" **
When Nora Phillips is forced to leave her son’s high school graduation party to spend the night with her mother in the hospital—she can’t imagine the evening could get any worse. Until it does.
Reeling from the shock of her husband Joe’s betrayal, Nora struggles to come to terms with the loss of her marriage and becoming an empty nester all at once. With her son causing trouble and her daughter long since on her own, Nora feels unmoored and unneeded. Turning to her mother for advice after years of discord Nora discovers secret’s from her own parent’s marriage that shatter what she’d always believed and pave the way for a new future.
Joe never meant to have an affair. Of course, he realizes how that sounds and he hates how cliché he’s become. Torn between what he’s done and what he wants, Joe must confront his own demons if he has any hope of winning back his wife and his family.
On her death bed, Robert’s beloved wife Katie made him swear that he would find love again after she was gone. Even when he agreed, he had no intention of keeping that promise. But when he meets Nora Phillips he begins to wonder if he might be able to keep his word to his wife after all.
The True North Duet is a two book collection. The story of the wife. And the story of the mistress. Dive into these contemporary women’s fiction stories of loss, forgiveness, second chances and love. Set in two small towns in Michigan you’re sure to fall in love with the setting and the flawed and real characters who live there.
For fans of Katie Winters, Kimberly Thomas and Ellen Joy.** FORMERLY PUBLISHED AS "WHERE THE BEAUTY IS" **
337 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 5, 2019
145 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Lara Alspaugh
13 books36 followersLara writes women’s fiction, clean, wholesome contemporary romance that are set along the fresh coast of Michigan. She looks to real life for common truths and inspiration to tell stories about ordinary women who use every day courage to create extraordinary lives.
Lara is an "almost" empty-nester who enjoys spending time with her boys and family, travel, fitness, hiking and sunshine, her husband of over 25 years and her Labrador Lulu. She can make the perfect lemon drop martini and loves a good glass of Michigan wine.
You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Bookbub and her website laraalspaugh.com, where you can sign up to receive her newsletter.
Lara is an "almost" empty-nester who enjoys spending time with her boys and family, travel, fitness, hiking and sunshine, her husband of over 25 years and her Labrador Lulu. She can make the perfect lemon drop martini and loves a good glass of Michigan wine.
You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Bookbub and her website laraalspaugh.com, where you can sign up to receive her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
July 16, 2023
3 ⭐⭐⭐ - OK or decent reads.
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I would never take the cheater back. He publicly humiliated her in a shameful way and the mistress I don't even want to comment because I'm so angry at the two traitors. He embarrassed the whole family, including the son who was at school with the mistress's daughter and was bullied by his classmates for that.
If he wasn't satisfied with his marriage, he should have split and then gone looking for another woman.
The nail in the coffin, in my opinion, was him leaving their house and going straight to live with the mistress. And the scene in the restaurant where he doesn't say anything while the mistress demands that his wife sell the house outright because they want to start a new life together and she's getting in the way. It was comforting the liquid thrown in the face of the slut.
She should have taken a lover too and when Robert came along I was filled with hope and thought she was going to turn the page and move on without the cheater and all the humiliation. Like coming out the other side a winner, but that's not what happened.
Don't think that our heroine had no flaws, she was controlling and obsessed with perfection, but she didn't deserve what her husband did to her. She deserved respect at the very least.
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R
A
N
T
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I would never take the cheater back. He publicly humiliated her in a shameful way and the mistress I don't even want to comment because I'm so angry at the two traitors. He embarrassed the whole family, including the son who was at school with the mistress's daughter and was bullied by his classmates for that.
If he wasn't satisfied with his marriage, he should have split and then gone looking for another woman.
The nail in the coffin, in my opinion, was him leaving their house and going straight to live with the mistress. And the scene in the restaurant where he doesn't say anything while the mistress demands that his wife sell the house outright because they want to start a new life together and she's getting in the way. It was comforting the liquid thrown in the face of the slut.
She should have taken a lover too and when Robert came along I was filled with hope and thought she was going to turn the page and move on without the cheater and all the humiliation. Like coming out the other side a winner, but that's not what happened.
Don't think that our heroine had no flaws, she was controlling and obsessed with perfection, but she didn't deserve what her husband did to her. She deserved respect at the very least.
December 14, 2022
wow. I hate him, I really do.
Be prepared, there is no groveling, no trying to do better. I get that marriage is complicated but He just blames her for why he cheated and continues on with his trashy ways, until her starts comparing women like he’s shopping for fruit and realizes he wants her back. There is no accountability or regret. And the author didn’t give us any reason to care about him or the other woman so they felt cartoonishly evil. Her and her children deserved more of an apology from him.
The misogyny is painful.
Be prepared, there is no groveling, no trying to do better. I get that marriage is complicated but He just blames her for why he cheated and continues on with his trashy ways, until her starts comparing women like he’s shopping for fruit and realizes he wants her back. There is no accountability or regret. And the author didn’t give us any reason to care about him or the other woman so they felt cartoonishly evil. Her and her children deserved more of an apology from him.
The misogyny is painful.
July 14, 2022
Ughh
The writing was very good.l I’ll say that…but I’m so sick of stories where the wife (without any backbone) takes the cheater back. He chose the ow time and time again while crying that she didn’t pay any attention to me. Boo hoo.. What a load of crap. Parenting is one of the hardest jobs out there. He CHOSE to have the affair.. end of story. Forgiving is one thing… but taking him back when he showed no respect, remorse and didn’t put any effort in trying to win her back… definitely should be a he!! no from any woman that knows her worth.
The writing was very good.l I’ll say that…but I’m so sick of stories where the wife (without any backbone) takes the cheater back. He chose the ow time and time again while crying that she didn’t pay any attention to me. Boo hoo.. What a load of crap. Parenting is one of the hardest jobs out there. He CHOSE to have the affair.. end of story. Forgiving is one thing… but taking him back when he showed no respect, remorse and didn’t put any effort in trying to win her back… definitely should be a he!! no from any woman that knows her worth.
July 27, 2022
3 decent stars
This was a decent read. I don't think the husband did anything to redeem himself. You get his POV and it turns from him being a self absorbed a$$ to finally feeling guilt and remorse for his affair. Leaving the wife at the hospital to go home with the mistress after promising his kids and her mom he would stay was messed up. I don't care that he was trying to not cause a scene, it was wrong. He was just a very weak man. Im not sure if I believe in their HEA or not. Im just glad the wife found some happiness inside herself. Also wasn't a fan of her daughter. Her son I liked
This was a decent read. I don't think the husband did anything to redeem himself. You get his POV and it turns from him being a self absorbed a$$ to finally feeling guilt and remorse for his affair. Leaving the wife at the hospital to go home with the mistress after promising his kids and her mom he would stay was messed up. I don't care that he was trying to not cause a scene, it was wrong. He was just a very weak man. Im not sure if I believe in their HEA or not. Im just glad the wife found some happiness inside herself. Also wasn't a fan of her daughter. Her son I liked
July 29, 2022
Well crafted but ultimately a let down by the finale.The author has chops and does much to dive in but is stingy during most integral, inopportune portions.We see little to nothing of the reconciliation process or how it was achieved, specifically in relation to the cheater Joe.His redemption apparently like an immaculate conception. Difficult to buy into without faith.Could have been a 5 star read if fully fleshed out in the aforementioned fashion!
August 4, 2022
Another cheating husband.
Reinforces that cheating is a choice.
Weak, unlikable husband paired with an almost equally unlikable wife, add in a narcissistic OW and we’re left hoping the kids have a chance at normalcy.
At least the wife realizes perfection is over rated.
Too bad the husband’s guilty inner monologues aren’t verbalized, it would have saved the story.
2 the concept was good stars.
Reinforces that cheating is a choice.
Weak, unlikable husband paired with an almost equally unlikable wife, add in a narcissistic OW and we’re left hoping the kids have a chance at normalcy.
At least the wife realizes perfection is over rated.
Too bad the husband’s guilty inner monologues aren’t verbalized, it would have saved the story.
2 the concept was good stars.
February 2, 2023
The son confronting the cheating husband at the police station was raw and en point. I wish we saw more interactions like this between the husband and wife and also with their kids. Excellent writing with realistic characters but too many povs and inner monologues detracted from the heavy theme of the book.
August 28, 2023
I love books where infidelity is the main trope. Just love them. I just reread this book. This time around, I savored it. I’m in the season of life where this sort of mess is much more realistic and believable. I really appreciated the gut punch resulting from H’s decision to spend the night with the OW. I liked that our h, who was wrapped so tight she probably couldn’t take a deep breath, found some ways to unwind herself. She also found meaningful work to do that seemed to support her long-buried passions!
Our H is a doctor whose work schedule excused him from a lot of the messy hand-on tasks of parenting. He missed the attentions of his wife and fell into the adoring arms of his cliche nurse mistress. All of those facets of the story felt very believable to me and the author’s skills delivered a series of amazing gut punches. I loved it.
My one criticism is that we didn’t get to see the messy reconciliation, but then the book would have been twice as long! Keep writing great infidelity stories, please, Ms. Alspaugh!
Our H is a doctor whose work schedule excused him from a lot of the messy hand-on tasks of parenting. He missed the attentions of his wife and fell into the adoring arms of his cliche nurse mistress. All of those facets of the story felt very believable to me and the author’s skills delivered a series of amazing gut punches. I loved it.
My one criticism is that we didn’t get to see the messy reconciliation, but then the book would have been twice as long! Keep writing great infidelity stories, please, Ms. Alspaugh!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2023
Cheating book which I really liked!
I think author Lara did a great work here, and the reason why I gave 3 stars was because Nora, bestie, why would you take him BACKKKK🗣️🗣️ will I ever read a book where the heroine can actually function without the cheating husband/boyfriend? I guess we never know.
This book, which is part of a duology, last part is about the ow that I absolutely couldn’t connect with her so I don’t care, was really good - I actually shed some tears here and there.
Nora worked beautifully on herself and her friendship with Robert was what she needed so much. I just couldn’t understand why she got together with Joe?? After all the humiliation. Like, I understand both had faults and we are just humans so we make mistakes but Joe’s mistakes, aside of the affair, were plain dumb. He is a dumb and coward, so Nora, you could do waaay much better. Like, forgive him just for the sake to freed him from guilt but don’t take him back 🎻🎻
Sigh, anyway, I did not like the ending but I still liked this book.
I think author Lara did a great work here, and the reason why I gave 3 stars was because Nora, bestie, why would you take him BACKKKK🗣️🗣️ will I ever read a book where the heroine can actually function without the cheating husband/boyfriend? I guess we never know.
This book, which is part of a duology, last part is about the ow that I absolutely couldn’t connect with her so I don’t care, was really good - I actually shed some tears here and there.
Nora worked beautifully on herself and her friendship with Robert was what she needed so much. I just couldn’t understand why she got together with Joe?? After all the humiliation. Like, I understand both had faults and we are just humans so we make mistakes but Joe’s mistakes, aside of the affair, were plain dumb. He is a dumb and coward, so Nora, you could do waaay much better. Like, forgive him just for the sake to freed him from guilt but don’t take him back 🎻🎻
Sigh, anyway, I did not like the ending but I still liked this book.
September 7, 2024
I needed more…
More conversations and interactions between Joe and Nora. I wanted to read them talking about their relationship, most of the interactions between them were arguments.
It was a story about them being apart but we never got the story of them actually being together, I needed to read the conversations, I needed to read Joe asking for forgiveness, I needed to read Nora talking to Joe about her thoughts and feelings. There was none of that, all we got was the inner monologue of Joe and his many excuses, there wasn’t enough remorse. Nora had her issues but he betrayed her, not the other way round. Yes it takes two people to make a marriage, but you don’t turn away and break trust. It can’t be a second chance romance when we don’t actually see the second chance between them! I understand what the author was trying to do, and the different pov. but the book never felt whole, it was just fragments here and there.
More conversations and interactions between Joe and Nora. I wanted to read them talking about their relationship, most of the interactions between them were arguments.
It was a story about them being apart but we never got the story of them actually being together, I needed to read the conversations, I needed to read Joe asking for forgiveness, I needed to read Nora talking to Joe about her thoughts and feelings. There was none of that, all we got was the inner monologue of Joe and his many excuses, there wasn’t enough remorse. Nora had her issues but he betrayed her, not the other way round. Yes it takes two people to make a marriage, but you don’t turn away and break trust. It can’t be a second chance romance when we don’t actually see the second chance between them! I understand what the author was trying to do, and the different pov. but the book never felt whole, it was just fragments here and there.
September 8, 2025
3.5 generous stars.
notes:
Hero/zero , husband cheats on wife
heroine, takes him back after multiple public humiliations. can you say doormat?
other woman, mistress gets her own book? I can only surmise she deserves her hea, since the cheating husband is forgiven and goes back to wife. I personally won't read the mistress book, unless we get a comeuppance in the form of a karma coming home to roost. Mistress falls in love, they get married, she pops out a child and her new love has an affair with the new improved 2 0 mistress humiliating her publicly. I would likely read that book
NTS. tidy review
notes:
Hero/zero , husband cheats on wife
heroine, takes him back after multiple public humiliations. can you say doormat?
other woman, mistress gets her own book? I can only surmise she deserves her hea, since the cheating husband is forgiven and goes back to wife. I personally won't read the mistress book, unless we get a comeuppance in the form of a karma coming home to roost. Mistress falls in love, they get married, she pops out a child and her new love has an affair with the new improved 2 0 mistress humiliating her publicly. I would likely read that book
NTS. tidy review
July 31, 2023
Joe is a despicable person and I hated that Nora took him back after he kept cheating on her without remorse and that he blamed her for him not being able to keep his dick in his pants. The only thing I liked about this story was their son confronting Joe for being a horrible person and father.
July 3, 2025
Joe and Nora are nearly 50. They are married and have a 27-year-old daughter (Sammy), and a son (Sullivan) who is turning 18 and graduating from school. Joe is a surgeon; Nora is a stay at home mom.
Nora's mom falls and breaks her hip at Sullivan's graduation party.
Nora goes with her mom to the hospital. Joe stays home to 'clean up' after the party. He actually spends the night with his mistress, Stephanie. Nora comes home unexpectedly at 4 in the morning to shower, and Joe isn't home. That's when she realizes there must be an affair.
Later that morning, Joe goes to the hospital. Nora's already back at the hospital. She wakes up, confronts him about not being home, and he confesses that he was with Stephanie.
So, his reason for having an affair was that when Nora's dad died of cancer 2 years ago, Nora had been the primary caretaker, then she'd been grieving his death. And this meant she wasn't paying enough attention to Joe, in his opinion. Then after a while, Joe suggested grief counseling, which Nora refused.
I can sympathize with Joe's feeling that nothing will ever get better if Nora is refusing any kind of help. But then . . . she actually did go to a doctor and get some anxiety medication, when one of her girl friends suggested it. Joe just kept waiting for her to give him "attention." But he never nurtured the relationship. He just expected to receive affection without giving any, in my opinion. So, for about the past year, he's been thinking his wife is a bitch.
Stephanie, the mistress, is new in town. It's obvious she's trying to hook a married man. She hangs out with the dads at the high school football games, and claims that the moms are ostracizing her, as a ploy to get sympathy. (She has a daughter Sullivan's age.) But Joe feels Stephanie showering him with attention, and he likes it. He doesn't see the ploy. She's also a nurse, so they can make time to see each other at the hospital where they both work. (The women actually do ostracize her, but it's because they already know she's dated married men. They don't want her around their husbands.)
So now, during the separation, Joe finally has it out with Nora. He says she's controlling, and she's like, "Of course I am. I had to make sure everything was taken care of by myself." Joe acknowledges to himself, but not to Nora, that he worked 90 hours weeks as a doctor and Nora really did have to do everything at home by herself. She also says he only goes to Sully's football games now that Sully is nearly an adult, but Joe had never been involved with either kid's school stuff before. Joe realizes it's true, he wasn't involved when they were young, and he doesn't really reach out to talk to them much now that they're grown. Nora basically feels like Joe shouldn't leave her to do everything alone and then criticize how she does it, which I agree with. When Joe says she's emotionally distant, she's like, "No shit, I just watched my dad wither away and die, Asshole."
Nora occasionally thinks that she tried to have the "perfect" life. I think the author is trying to show us that Nora played a part in the break down of the marriage by being controlling and anal. But honestly, I don't agree that she did. Or, at least, it was fixable. It's something Joe could have talked to her about, but he never did. He resented the time she spent mothering Sullivan, and he resented Sullivan for receiving Nora's attention, and he resented Nora if he asked her to go on a date but she didn't have time, or whatever, but Joe never talked to Nora about how he felt.
I can't blame her for not knowing. I don't think she could have known without Joe telling her, especially since he was absent most of the time. I don't think it was emphasized enough that surgeons work long hours, long shift work, including on call days. He wasn't around to give any attention to any of them, but he only blames Nora. She had to live alone a lot, and nobody seems to give a shit that she would have been lonely too. Joe just expects her to give and give and give. I felt so sorry for her.
Joe moved in with Stephanie when Nora kicked him out. Joe is sort of realizing that living with Stephanie is not as great as he imagined. Instead of feeling good for finding a woman who appreciates him, he's embarrassed to be seen with the OW by his and Nora's friends and acquaintances. And when Stephanie blows off plans with her daughter to spend time with him, he thought that would make him feel good to have all her attention. But it makes him think Stephanie is a bad mother, and it doesn't feel good.
Joe doesn't know Stephanie is an obsessive type of romantic partner. She had been driving past his house all the time, watching his wife and kids, while they were having the affair, he just never knew it.
So now, the day arrives for Sully to move into his college dorm. Joe, Nora, and Sully all go together. Stephanie keeps texting Joe all day (which is the only clue he had that she was a stalker). That evening, when he's about to drop Nora off at her house, they get in an car accident. Someone tells Stephanie, because they all work at the hospital, and she shows up in the ER to check on Joe.
Joe had intended to stay with Nora at the hospital, and even told the kids and Nora's mom he would stay overnight. But when Stephanie showed up and made him feel guilty for wanting to stay, he left with her. He didn't want to leave her waiting in the lobby, because they are "friends" before they were lovers. He can see she's emotionally manipulating him by crying in the hospital room, but he can't see that their whole friendship was a manipulation from the start.
He goes back to the hospital the next day, but by that time, Nora's mother has already taken her home. (Nora's mom had recovered from her hip injury a while back.)
Sammy the daughter and Nora have a conversation where Sammy tells Nora that the affair was her dad's fault, but the reason he had an affair was Nora's fault, because dad wasn't "on her radar." Which is bullshit, like I said, since he never told Nora there was a problem, and he was working all the time. Sammy can go fuck herself with her unmarried, young person "wisdom." (I'm biased because I'm an almost-50 year-old-divorced mom myself, but I think an object has to be within radar range, and Joe was never within range. Except when it was convenient for him to be home to accept everyone's admiration.)
So while all this is going on, she meets the home appraiser, Robert, because Joe wants to sell the family home. Robert is a widower. It turns out that they had met before, but just briefly, when Nora's late dad and Robert's late wife were both being treated for cancer in the same hospital. Do you think she's going to get a second chance romance with Robert? Sorry, no.
Then, at the end, I don't know what happens, but Nora apologizes to Stephanie for ostracizing her. Nora figured out that Stephanie was stalking her during the separation, so it seems to me the homewrecking stalker is the kind of woman you should ostracize, so I don't understand this apology. But I guess it was supposed to be some kind of closure for Nora or something, I don't know.
So, Nora's been thinking about her purpose in life now that both kids are out of the house and Joe is divorcing her. She opens a interior design business, and the very last scene is her grand opening party. Joe shows up and puts her wedding ring back on her finger, and Nora accepts it. And I don't know why she took him back. The story covers six or seven months, and they really didn't talk much during that time, except to argue. Most interaction was Nora interacting with her mom, Robert, her kids, but not Joe. Joe was busy with Stephanie. All the sudden Joe and Nora agree to reconcile, with no conversation, even when the last time he saw her he left her at the hospital.
For a debut novel, it's really good. But I would have wanted a conversation and some remorse from Joe before he gave her back the ring. He felt remorse and felt that he had made mistakes, but he never verbalized those thoughts to Nora, so why would she take him back?
Nora's mom falls and breaks her hip at Sullivan's graduation party.
Nora goes with her mom to the hospital. Joe stays home to 'clean up' after the party. He actually spends the night with his mistress, Stephanie. Nora comes home unexpectedly at 4 in the morning to shower, and Joe isn't home. That's when she realizes there must be an affair.
Later that morning, Joe goes to the hospital. Nora's already back at the hospital. She wakes up, confronts him about not being home, and he confesses that he was with Stephanie.
So, his reason for having an affair was that when Nora's dad died of cancer 2 years ago, Nora had been the primary caretaker, then she'd been grieving his death. And this meant she wasn't paying enough attention to Joe, in his opinion. Then after a while, Joe suggested grief counseling, which Nora refused.
I can sympathize with Joe's feeling that nothing will ever get better if Nora is refusing any kind of help. But then . . . she actually did go to a doctor and get some anxiety medication, when one of her girl friends suggested it. Joe just kept waiting for her to give him "attention." But he never nurtured the relationship. He just expected to receive affection without giving any, in my opinion. So, for about the past year, he's been thinking his wife is a bitch.
Stephanie, the mistress, is new in town. It's obvious she's trying to hook a married man. She hangs out with the dads at the high school football games, and claims that the moms are ostracizing her, as a ploy to get sympathy. (She has a daughter Sullivan's age.) But Joe feels Stephanie showering him with attention, and he likes it. He doesn't see the ploy. She's also a nurse, so they can make time to see each other at the hospital where they both work. (The women actually do ostracize her, but it's because they already know she's dated married men. They don't want her around their husbands.)
So now, during the separation, Joe finally has it out with Nora. He says she's controlling, and she's like, "Of course I am. I had to make sure everything was taken care of by myself." Joe acknowledges to himself, but not to Nora, that he worked 90 hours weeks as a doctor and Nora really did have to do everything at home by herself. She also says he only goes to Sully's football games now that Sully is nearly an adult, but Joe had never been involved with either kid's school stuff before. Joe realizes it's true, he wasn't involved when they were young, and he doesn't really reach out to talk to them much now that they're grown. Nora basically feels like Joe shouldn't leave her to do everything alone and then criticize how she does it, which I agree with. When Joe says she's emotionally distant, she's like, "No shit, I just watched my dad wither away and die, Asshole."
Nora occasionally thinks that she tried to have the "perfect" life. I think the author is trying to show us that Nora played a part in the break down of the marriage by being controlling and anal. But honestly, I don't agree that she did. Or, at least, it was fixable. It's something Joe could have talked to her about, but he never did. He resented the time she spent mothering Sullivan, and he resented Sullivan for receiving Nora's attention, and he resented Nora if he asked her to go on a date but she didn't have time, or whatever, but Joe never talked to Nora about how he felt.
I can't blame her for not knowing. I don't think she could have known without Joe telling her, especially since he was absent most of the time. I don't think it was emphasized enough that surgeons work long hours, long shift work, including on call days. He wasn't around to give any attention to any of them, but he only blames Nora. She had to live alone a lot, and nobody seems to give a shit that she would have been lonely too. Joe just expects her to give and give and give. I felt so sorry for her.
Joe moved in with Stephanie when Nora kicked him out. Joe is sort of realizing that living with Stephanie is not as great as he imagined. Instead of feeling good for finding a woman who appreciates him, he's embarrassed to be seen with the OW by his and Nora's friends and acquaintances. And when Stephanie blows off plans with her daughter to spend time with him, he thought that would make him feel good to have all her attention. But it makes him think Stephanie is a bad mother, and it doesn't feel good.
Joe doesn't know Stephanie is an obsessive type of romantic partner. She had been driving past his house all the time, watching his wife and kids, while they were having the affair, he just never knew it.
So now, the day arrives for Sully to move into his college dorm. Joe, Nora, and Sully all go together. Stephanie keeps texting Joe all day (which is the only clue he had that she was a stalker). That evening, when he's about to drop Nora off at her house, they get in an car accident. Someone tells Stephanie, because they all work at the hospital, and she shows up in the ER to check on Joe.
Joe had intended to stay with Nora at the hospital, and even told the kids and Nora's mom he would stay overnight. But when Stephanie showed up and made him feel guilty for wanting to stay, he left with her. He didn't want to leave her waiting in the lobby, because they are "friends" before they were lovers. He can see she's emotionally manipulating him by crying in the hospital room, but he can't see that their whole friendship was a manipulation from the start.
He goes back to the hospital the next day, but by that time, Nora's mother has already taken her home. (Nora's mom had recovered from her hip injury a while back.)
Sammy the daughter and Nora have a conversation where Sammy tells Nora that the affair was her dad's fault, but the reason he had an affair was Nora's fault, because dad wasn't "on her radar." Which is bullshit, like I said, since he never told Nora there was a problem, and he was working all the time. Sammy can go fuck herself with her unmarried, young person "wisdom." (I'm biased because I'm an almost-50 year-old-divorced mom myself, but I think an object has to be within radar range, and Joe was never within range. Except when it was convenient for him to be home to accept everyone's admiration.)
So while all this is going on, she meets the home appraiser, Robert, because Joe wants to sell the family home. Robert is a widower. It turns out that they had met before, but just briefly, when Nora's late dad and Robert's late wife were both being treated for cancer in the same hospital. Do you think she's going to get a second chance romance with Robert? Sorry, no.
Then, at the end, I don't know what happens, but Nora apologizes to Stephanie for ostracizing her. Nora figured out that Stephanie was stalking her during the separation, so it seems to me the homewrecking stalker is the kind of woman you should ostracize, so I don't understand this apology. But I guess it was supposed to be some kind of closure for Nora or something, I don't know.
So, Nora's been thinking about her purpose in life now that both kids are out of the house and Joe is divorcing her. She opens a interior design business, and the very last scene is her grand opening party. Joe shows up and puts her wedding ring back on her finger, and Nora accepts it. And I don't know why she took him back. The story covers six or seven months, and they really didn't talk much during that time, except to argue. Most interaction was Nora interacting with her mom, Robert, her kids, but not Joe. Joe was busy with Stephanie. All the sudden Joe and Nora agree to reconcile, with no conversation, even when the last time he saw her he left her at the hospital.
For a debut novel, it's really good. But I would have wanted a conversation and some remorse from Joe before he gave her back the ring. He felt remorse and felt that he had made mistakes, but he never verbalized those thoughts to Nora, so why would she take him back?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2022
I was drawn in immediately, but wish the language had been cleaner.
Characters well developed and story woven well.
Characters well developed and story woven well.
September 11, 2025
I really do not understand the logic of this book. There was no groveling and Joe couldn’t even decide who was more important his wife that was in hospital with a concussion or his own petty self righteous complex and obligation towards the OW.
Nora was a simple doormat disguised as this sad women whose husband cheated on her but yet she chose to be the better person only to disappoint the reader by taking Joe back
What was the point in having Roberts POV he was basically non existent with a few chapters spread far and few. The guy was still stuck up on his dead wife it was pointless introducing him.
Joe’s reasoning and rationale for his affair was subpar and disappointing. First of all, he cheated because his wife did not shower him with affection and was more focused on the kids. So what does he do about it? Right! He goes and falls into the nearest vagina that showed him attention. You would think an adult competent surgeon would have high emotional IQ to talk about his issues and feelings with his significant other? Well you’re wrong and he was not even sorry about it. He was glad he got caught and was relieved he was no longer hiding his affair and blamed his wife for a good portion of this book.
That redemption part of the book for Joe was disgraceful and pure laziness. He decides to break up with Stephanie and give her the dignity but couldn’t afford the same treatment to his ex wife? He then moves into I’m guessing the same neighbourhood as Nora and then you skip a year and they’re back together?
With the book being titled “Remember Me” with this terrible plot I would be more inclined to forget it.
Nora was a simple doormat disguised as this sad women whose husband cheated on her but yet she chose to be the better person only to disappoint the reader by taking Joe back
What was the point in having Roberts POV he was basically non existent with a few chapters spread far and few. The guy was still stuck up on his dead wife it was pointless introducing him.
Joe’s reasoning and rationale for his affair was subpar and disappointing. First of all, he cheated because his wife did not shower him with affection and was more focused on the kids. So what does he do about it? Right! He goes and falls into the nearest vagina that showed him attention. You would think an adult competent surgeon would have high emotional IQ to talk about his issues and feelings with his significant other? Well you’re wrong and he was not even sorry about it. He was glad he got caught and was relieved he was no longer hiding his affair and blamed his wife for a good portion of this book.
That redemption part of the book for Joe was disgraceful and pure laziness. He decides to break up with Stephanie and give her the dignity but couldn’t afford the same treatment to his ex wife? He then moves into I’m guessing the same neighbourhood as Nora and then you skip a year and they’re back together?
With the book being titled “Remember Me” with this terrible plot I would be more inclined to forget it.
May 3, 2025
So I don't mind reading marriage in trouble books with a cheating husband where there is either reconciliation or attempted reconciliation before moving onto someone new.
However this book was 90 percent separation and 10 percent reconciliation. There was so much build up towards a divorce.
I wish more time had been spent on the reconciliation. There was some individual therapy but no marriage counseling attempted. The husband spent most of the book with the other woman even in times where h e pledged to get back together with the wife and be a better husband to her.
He pledges to be a better man to her but leaves her alone in a hospital room after a accident he caused and stays with the other woman in order ' to say goodbye'. Nopety nope nope. I can get behind his character at all.
The wife ( the heroine, should have moved on wuth the other man that was really supportive of her and had no baggage. That part of the book where the fmc gets to know and spend time with the new man where the mmc ( Hero) stewed in jealousy and regret was the best part of the book.
This series has 2 parts the second part is in the other woman's ( or the serial mate poacher) pov. Given that I know her motives and selfishness I am not interested in reading that part. If you want a strong, proud h then this is the book to read.
However this book was 90 percent separation and 10 percent reconciliation. There was so much build up towards a divorce.
I wish more time had been spent on the reconciliation. There was some individual therapy but no marriage counseling attempted. The husband spent most of the book with the other woman even in times where h e pledged to get back together with the wife and be a better husband to her.
He pledges to be a better man to her but leaves her alone in a hospital room after a accident he caused and stays with the other woman in order ' to say goodbye'. Nopety nope nope. I can get behind his character at all.
The wife ( the heroine, should have moved on wuth the other man that was really supportive of her and had no baggage. That part of the book where the fmc gets to know and spend time with the new man where the mmc ( Hero) stewed in jealousy and regret was the best part of the book.
This series has 2 parts the second part is in the other woman's ( or the serial mate poacher) pov. Given that I know her motives and selfishness I am not interested in reading that part. If you want a strong, proud h then this is the book to read.
September 25, 2023
2.5 stars because I finished it.
Multiple POVs. I kept asking why was this out in here? When Joe said “im a cliché cheater” and stated he cheated for attention. I thought he would redeem himself in the best way possible. But NO.
spoilers
Only her 18 year old son sees the disgust of his farther cheating. Her daughter tells her she’s partially to blame (wtf) there was no sit down no heart to heart no real apology of I should have came to you and told you how I was feeling. Only Nora coming to the realization and growth of her mistakes.
Multiple POVs. I kept asking why was this out in here? When Joe said “im a cliché cheater” and stated he cheated for attention. I thought he would redeem himself in the best way possible. But NO.
spoilers
Only her 18 year old son sees the disgust of his farther cheating. Her daughter tells her she’s partially to blame (wtf) there was no sit down no heart to heart no real apology of I should have came to you and told you how I was feeling. Only Nora coming to the realization and growth of her mistakes.
December 24, 2025
Women Like Phe, Abusers Like Phe, Need Their Ears Taken A Hold Of, And Shaken Until Their Brains Leak Out, Storing Memories Of Abusing Your Daughter Into Accepting More Abuse
Reread it and I am so angry at Phe.
Needs to eat her own teeth. Mary too
So FMC Is A Victim Of Ongoing Communal Abuse By Her Family. None Of Them Have The Conflicts Of Her, Phe Forced Her To Raise Herself, But They All Wanna Judge Her
Wow, he gave her back the shitty ass ring and she fucking took it.
He downgrades her ring, when the only thing he admitted he provided to the family, was finances.
Wow, she learnt zero self worth.
And Phe is a Communal Abuser, NEEDS Nora to forgive Joe, even though Joe was the William AND the Phe in his relationship.
And that scene of "don't neglect your husband" to a new mother, wow, you devolved her into a bitch.
Mary's a cunt too for pretending her mother didn't abuse her.
Remember, single mothers are happier, having more hobbies and less work, than married mothers.
Stephanie has to grovel more than this toxic narcissist who fucked around, left her and then left her alone at the hospital, ill.
What an abuser.
And Phe wants to let him Nuance it.
Funny, they all tell me Nora is controlling and yet they all wanna control how she feels about Joe's abuse.
Because THEY ALL, especially Phe, Communally Abuse her, happy to leave her to clean up everything and then whinge when its the one thing they wanted to resolve for themselves, but happy to let her do the rest, put up room and board, but still play the villain.
I wanted to be sick, the wat Phe was excited for her daughters world to collapse in on itself.
Misery loves company.
But Phe neglected her family, Nora didn't.
The Narcissists lied to her for years about everything and not once did she react how they justified their lies, with.
Yet Again, A Man Gets To Spend His Time Blaming His Wife For Being A Mother And Not His Mother, While Her Mother Gaslights And Controls Her, Pretending Its The Opposite
Sammy is a Sexist cunt, excusing her father sleeping around and blaming her mother after he abandoned her at the hospital again.
Women are NEVER responsible for where a Patriarchial Man Dips his Dick. oh Sammy you deserve your jaw slapped so hard, you're shitting your own teeth for a month. And she did it in the Empathetic Sociopathic way.
Ugh, so much of this book is focused on her need to "be perfect" like a the wronged party ever has any responsibility at all when he slips his dick, regularly and then moves in with, someone he is bonding with.
But as usual, this pathetic bitch is too scared to make her husband grow, takes responsibility for his shitty efforts in their marriage and parenting, and then blames the Other Woman.
Not that I give a fuck about Stephanie, but Joe makes me spend lot of time reading him feel guilty about the scuff, but Nora blames Stephanie and shines her shitty husband up as a beautiful life.
I felt sad for Nora confronting Stephanie, projecting onto her what Joe feels about their decades together, how willing he is to be jealous of his kids, toxically, and the slide inside another woman.
Remember, men don't suffer because they are men, they suffer because men exist.
Just once I want the fuckers to be like, "She has so many more conflicts than me and still managed not to step out on me. So, the only reason I stepped out is because I am a man, and will be allowed to, by society and the likely by my wife. Hell, by the end of this story, we are all excluding my wife and blaming her from the choices of my dick."
Thats its.
Its the muscle memory of privilege and entitlement.
But men fool some women into believing they were hurt.
Fuck. Off. To. The. Moon. Enabler.
Like seriously, what.
He regrets leaving in June, FUCKING JUNE, and he doesn't shift until fucking October.
'Paralyzed by Shame,' sorry what bullshit are you talking?
This man SMILED as he broke his wifes heart.
SMILED.
He. Has. No. Shame.
He is a Sociopath.
He smiled at her heartache.
But Phe and Sammy let him continue to dip dick inside the wrecker, for months.
This Sociopath fantasised about Socially Abusing his wife on a new date, and making her feel washed up.
He brought that cunt to somewhere he knew his wife would be.
Paralyzed by shame? Seemed to be fucking her fine.
Dirty scumbag.
Was never in love with anyone, fucking slabbering about his family to the OW.
And the way they all let him stay there for months and then get her back with that shitty ass ring that means nout when he slipped inside other women.
If this is authentic Healing then I'm glad I don't speak to people who let cheaters off the hook.
“What he did wasn’t your fault. But why he did it was partly your fault.”
I am so ANGRY at Sammy for doing this. I've seen many Affairs over the years and theres always a point where people start to blame her for his very adult choices.
This book didn't teach me that Nora had a role in Joe's narcissism, but it sure tried its best.
Reread it and I am so angry at Phe.
Needs to eat her own teeth. Mary too
So FMC Is A Victim Of Ongoing Communal Abuse By Her Family. None Of Them Have The Conflicts Of Her, Phe Forced Her To Raise Herself, But They All Wanna Judge Her
Wow, he gave her back the shitty ass ring and she fucking took it.
He downgrades her ring, when the only thing he admitted he provided to the family, was finances.
Wow, she learnt zero self worth.
And Phe is a Communal Abuser, NEEDS Nora to forgive Joe, even though Joe was the William AND the Phe in his relationship.
And that scene of "don't neglect your husband" to a new mother, wow, you devolved her into a bitch.
Mary's a cunt too for pretending her mother didn't abuse her.
Remember, single mothers are happier, having more hobbies and less work, than married mothers.
Stephanie has to grovel more than this toxic narcissist who fucked around, left her and then left her alone at the hospital, ill.
What an abuser.
And Phe wants to let him Nuance it.
Funny, they all tell me Nora is controlling and yet they all wanna control how she feels about Joe's abuse.
Because THEY ALL, especially Phe, Communally Abuse her, happy to leave her to clean up everything and then whinge when its the one thing they wanted to resolve for themselves, but happy to let her do the rest, put up room and board, but still play the villain.
I wanted to be sick, the wat Phe was excited for her daughters world to collapse in on itself.
Misery loves company.
But Phe neglected her family, Nora didn't.
The Narcissists lied to her for years about everything and not once did she react how they justified their lies, with.
Yet Again, A Man Gets To Spend His Time Blaming His Wife For Being A Mother And Not His Mother, While Her Mother Gaslights And Controls Her, Pretending Its The Opposite
Sammy is a Sexist cunt, excusing her father sleeping around and blaming her mother after he abandoned her at the hospital again.
Women are NEVER responsible for where a Patriarchial Man Dips his Dick. oh Sammy you deserve your jaw slapped so hard, you're shitting your own teeth for a month. And she did it in the Empathetic Sociopathic way.
Ugh, so much of this book is focused on her need to "be perfect" like a the wronged party ever has any responsibility at all when he slips his dick, regularly and then moves in with, someone he is bonding with.
But as usual, this pathetic bitch is too scared to make her husband grow, takes responsibility for his shitty efforts in their marriage and parenting, and then blames the Other Woman.
Not that I give a fuck about Stephanie, but Joe makes me spend lot of time reading him feel guilty about the scuff, but Nora blames Stephanie and shines her shitty husband up as a beautiful life.
I felt sad for Nora confronting Stephanie, projecting onto her what Joe feels about their decades together, how willing he is to be jealous of his kids, toxically, and the slide inside another woman.
Remember, men don't suffer because they are men, they suffer because men exist.
Just once I want the fuckers to be like, "She has so many more conflicts than me and still managed not to step out on me. So, the only reason I stepped out is because I am a man, and will be allowed to, by society and the likely by my wife. Hell, by the end of this story, we are all excluding my wife and blaming her from the choices of my dick."
Thats its.
Its the muscle memory of privilege and entitlement.
But men fool some women into believing they were hurt.
Fuck. Off. To. The. Moon. Enabler.
Like seriously, what.
He regrets leaving in June, FUCKING JUNE, and he doesn't shift until fucking October.
'Paralyzed by Shame,' sorry what bullshit are you talking?
This man SMILED as he broke his wifes heart.
SMILED.
He. Has. No. Shame.
He is a Sociopath.
He smiled at her heartache.
But Phe and Sammy let him continue to dip dick inside the wrecker, for months.
This Sociopath fantasised about Socially Abusing his wife on a new date, and making her feel washed up.
He brought that cunt to somewhere he knew his wife would be.
Paralyzed by shame? Seemed to be fucking her fine.
Dirty scumbag.
Was never in love with anyone, fucking slabbering about his family to the OW.
And the way they all let him stay there for months and then get her back with that shitty ass ring that means nout when he slipped inside other women.
If this is authentic Healing then I'm glad I don't speak to people who let cheaters off the hook.
“What he did wasn’t your fault. But why he did it was partly your fault.”
I am so ANGRY at Sammy for doing this. I've seen many Affairs over the years and theres always a point where people start to blame her for his very adult choices.
This book didn't teach me that Nora had a role in Joe's narcissism, but it sure tried its best.
November 19, 2025
this book was really good
Like really good. I wasn’t expecting to cry as much as I did. I loved Nora and Robert (I can appreciate them staying just friends) and their friendship. It was an important tenant to the story. I liked that Phe’s contributions were much needed and great when enacted. Sammy and Sullivan were the quintessential grown kids of this saga and so they were exactly as I expected.
Joe was a weak, sad man. He treated Stephanie better than she deserved… because he had already mistreated his wife???
Perhaps in a longer book, I would’ve come around to Joe. But it didn’t happen in this one (and I don’t care enough about Stephanie to try book 2 in the case that we get more Nora and Joe).
This book really does only cover a couple of months at the end of 2018. So for as gut-wrenching and tearful the story was, it really was a blip in their lives ultimately.
We saw Nora through ups and downs and reinvention. I wish we had seen more of Joe on his own, because Nora wanting to reconcile is the only reason this otherwise phenomenal book didn’t lose more stars. Nora, Phe, Sammy, Robert (even Gatsby) had come such a long way from the start of the book and I wanted them to have whatever their hearts desired. Joe could kick rocks for all I cared. We saw glimpses of him realizing his part but not enough. We didn’t get enough Sullivan for me to not think he’s as lame as his dad… seems like the Phillips men were destined to be disappointing.
But it really was a phenomenal book. Even if the ending felt rushed.
I don’t appreciate the introduction that Nora wanted a better ring was the start of their issues or even that it had anything to do with anything. Joe bringing the original ring to the party, even when he was late … WHY WAS HE LATE?! Not “better late than never” … story of Joe Phillips disappointing life continues.
Like really good. I wasn’t expecting to cry as much as I did. I loved Nora and Robert (I can appreciate them staying just friends) and their friendship. It was an important tenant to the story. I liked that Phe’s contributions were much needed and great when enacted. Sammy and Sullivan were the quintessential grown kids of this saga and so they were exactly as I expected.
Joe was a weak, sad man. He treated Stephanie better than she deserved… because he had already mistreated his wife???
Perhaps in a longer book, I would’ve come around to Joe. But it didn’t happen in this one (and I don’t care enough about Stephanie to try book 2 in the case that we get more Nora and Joe).
This book really does only cover a couple of months at the end of 2018. So for as gut-wrenching and tearful the story was, it really was a blip in their lives ultimately.
We saw Nora through ups and downs and reinvention. I wish we had seen more of Joe on his own, because Nora wanting to reconcile is the only reason this otherwise phenomenal book didn’t lose more stars. Nora, Phe, Sammy, Robert (even Gatsby) had come such a long way from the start of the book and I wanted them to have whatever their hearts desired. Joe could kick rocks for all I cared. We saw glimpses of him realizing his part but not enough. We didn’t get enough Sullivan for me to not think he’s as lame as his dad… seems like the Phillips men were destined to be disappointing.
But it really was a phenomenal book. Even if the ending felt rushed.
I don’t appreciate the introduction that Nora wanted a better ring was the start of their issues or even that it had anything to do with anything. Joe bringing the original ring to the party, even when he was late … WHY WAS HE LATE?! Not “better late than never” … story of Joe Phillips disappointing life continues.
September 28, 2023
DNF 25%. Terrible, terrible hero, combined with bad writing choices. Crass cheating for months, and when his wife finds out, he puts the blame completely on her, doesn't apologize, and moves out immediately to live with OW. Then he continues to treat her like shit, blaming her for all their problems, and files for divorce. Not only that, but he's also kind of an asshole to the OW, who is a b*tch herself?
The author gives us the POV of basically everyone involved in the story, and you can tell she's playing this as an "everyone's equally at fault thing". No. That's BS. I truly could care less about the husband's POV, he's horrible and I wish we didn't get it. I'm not on his side AT ALL, and you can tell the author wants me to be and to see both sides.
There's no way I'm ever going to buy any type of forgiveness or reconciliation here. And I heard the wife is celibate after months of him f*cking the OW and betraying her time and time again...so no...
The author gives us the POV of basically everyone involved in the story, and you can tell she's playing this as an "everyone's equally at fault thing". No. That's BS. I truly could care less about the husband's POV, he's horrible and I wish we didn't get it. I'm not on his side AT ALL, and you can tell the author wants me to be and to see both sides.
There's no way I'm ever going to buy any type of forgiveness or reconciliation here. And I heard the wife is celibate after months of him f*cking the OW and betraying her time and time again...so no...
September 26, 2024
It was tedious and I found most of the characters I suffer. The h who is stuck in perpetual limbo continuously grieving over the cheating H, I found her so hard to like with her lack of sense of self, and suffocating her children with her constant hovering. The cheating piece of shit was no better, instead of him to speak up and stand his ground with his wife, he just folds at the first sign of attention he received. He wasn’t portrayed to be a good father either showing favoritism between his kids and always using work. I can’t believe she actually took him back. It was a very frustrating and felt like being stuck in a dark pit with no way out, I didn’t enjoy it at all and don’t believe that half-assed reconciliation.
August 21, 2024
This is an odd one. It's well written but I don't even know how to label it. It says second chance romance... but there was none. I thought maybe at one point there would be (hospital scene) i was like oh here it comes. The regret. The grovel. The LOVE. There it is. But just as soon as we get a glimpse of it it's gone. He once again chooses another's feelings over his wifes. I'm like okay maybe we will get some angst. Some regret. SOMETHING but again. Nahhh. It was all just so cold and blah. I couldn't figure out what I was rooting for with these two? And their reunion was so out of the blue and anticlimactic I had to skim back and see of I missed a few chapters. Nope. Oh well. Lol
September 22, 2025
This didn’t work for me. The writing style, while expressive, reads slow, so I found myself skimming a lot. This is an emotional story about a long term marriage that has irretrievably broken. The H is already involved in an affair at the start, and the wife is clueless because she has been wrapped up in her own drama.
There is a lot of family drama, but the writing style and the structure of the story lessen the impact. There are multiple points of view, and the chapters progress by date, so weeks pass between events. This lends to a lot of narration about what happened.
Again, this didn’t work for me but the story does have some merit. It might be up your alley.
There is a lot of family drama, but the writing style and the structure of the story lessen the impact. There are multiple points of view, and the chapters progress by date, so weeks pass between events. This lends to a lot of narration about what happened.
Again, this didn’t work for me but the story does have some merit. It might be up your alley.
April 18, 2024
I hated everyone in this book except for Nora and Robert.
Spoilers**
Everyone was so mean to Nora and she just wanted to be loved and needed. I felt so bad for her.
The cheating piece of sh*t of her husband didn't grovel, not even a little bit. He was a freaking coward with a capital C and the hospital thing for me was the last straw and still, she took him back without a fight, no grovel, he just put her rings on her hand and that was it. It was so anti-climatic and as the book advanced I was praying to all the book gods that please make her be with Robert.
Spoilers**
Everyone was so mean to Nora and she just wanted to be loved and needed. I felt so bad for her.
The cheating piece of sh*t of her husband didn't grovel, not even a little bit. He was a freaking coward with a capital C and the hospital thing for me was the last straw and still, she took him back without a fight, no grovel, he just put her rings on her hand and that was it. It was so anti-climatic and as the book advanced I was praying to all the book gods that please make her be with Robert.
September 7, 2024
I really enjoyed this book, the crisp and insightful dialogue in particular. Within the first few pages I was invested.
Neither the FMC nor the MMC struck me as people I’d want to be but we did get to see what they were made of. Why they made the choices they did. Fortunately we also got to see them grow as people and partners.
The side characters were welcome and enjoyable additions to the story.
Neither the FMC nor the MMC struck me as people I’d want to be but we did get to see what they were made of. Why they made the choices they did. Fortunately we also got to see them grow as people and partners.
The side characters were welcome and enjoyable additions to the story.
January 3, 2026
It was ok
It wasn't a bad book but for me how didn't suffer enough to get his wife Norah to take him back after he cheated and again like most books he cheated like most men in these stories was because he didn't get enough attention and in this book he actually came across jealous of his own son .The part about her friend Robert lose his wife to cancer was sad and I was hoping for something more with Norah
It wasn't a bad book but for me how didn't suffer enough to get his wife Norah to take him back after he cheated and again like most books he cheated like most men in these stories was because he didn't get enough attention and in this book he actually came across jealous of his own son .The part about her friend Robert lose his wife to cancer was sad and I was hoping for something more with Norah
May 8, 2019
As a recovering perfectionist, this one really spoke to me! Lara has delivered again. This book will have you cheering for each of the characters while feeling like you could also sit down and have a cup of coffee with them. As a Michigan native, I so enjoyed the imagery and descriptions of our gorgeous state. Don't miss this one!
August 4, 2023
The women's fiction side of the story and her friendships and relationship with mom and children are so good and deserve five stars. The end side of the book didn't deserve, because as loving of second chance plotlines as i am, i have my dealbreakers and in this husband case the forgiveness wasn't deserved.
January 25, 2024
Petty
I did not like the misconception that Joe left his wife for the other woman. He did not she, the wife, kicked him out. The other woman had to persuade him to stay with her until he got on his feet as if he was not a prominent plastic surgeon. He acted like a child because his wife did not give him all her attention. A real man does not whine about his wife to the other woman.
I did not like the misconception that Joe left his wife for the other woman. He did not she, the wife, kicked him out. The other woman had to persuade him to stay with her until he got on his feet as if he was not a prominent plastic surgeon. He acted like a child because his wife did not give him all her attention. A real man does not whine about his wife to the other woman.
June 22, 2024
I could feel his regret in losing his wife, and felt like he truly loved her. However, he never apologised, she did all the work (on herself, but still…) she changed and decided to take him back. As if she was the problem.
Good book though. Well written, and I felt hero’s pain.
But the author placed blame on the heroine for his betrayal.
Good book though. Well written, and I felt hero’s pain.
But the author placed blame on the heroine for his betrayal.
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