She: A Cautionary Tale

by Carla Howatt

Many women want a passionate love and a perfect marriage.
Some women find one or even both.
Others fool themselves.

Olivia is a single mother of two rambunctious boys, successful in her career and surrounded by good friends. But spending time in online dating forums has left her cynical and despairing she will ever find love again.

Then one day, she receives a message from Luke. The connection between them is as immediate as it is intense. Olivia has finally found the perfect man. Or has she?

She, a journey of self-discovery and acceptance.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 29, 2020

Reviews

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this novel and I'm so glad I did!
I loved reading this book.
The author takes us on an emotional journey with Olivia, the main character. I couldn't help but be invested in her future.
I definitely recommend this book!

[BooksCoffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Howatt’s debut is a resonant and moving portrayal of a woman who finds herself on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance after a suffocating relationship.

Olivia, a professionally successful, single mother, is cynical of online dating until she meets dependable and charming Luke. Has Olivia finally found the perfect man?

Howatt's writing is simple yet charged with meaning and full of heart, as she explores hidden pains of a complicated relationship. The first-person narrative is deeply intriguing (seemingly in the voice of two characters) and the characters credibly flawed but appealing: Olivia is independent but deeply vulnerable character, due in part to her first marriage as the wife of the man who refused to see her as an individual in their decades-long marriage.

The portrayal of Olivia as she gains insights into her marriage is both convincing and realistic.

Lovers of women’s fiction will be rewarded.

[A.M. Gilliam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

I’ll admit at the beginning, I was a little confused. But as the story progressed, it became intriguing. Olivia’s journey to self love was a very touching story. So many women, myself included, deal with this type of situation and it’s great that someone had the courage to write about it. This was a fantastic read but it does end in a traditional HEA. However, that’s the beautiful of it! ❤️❤️

[Sacha Fortuné · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sacha's Book Reviews Blog

There’s something disturbing and beautiful about this novel, despite the seemingly lacklustre rating.

Bear in mind I’m a picky reader, and I know exactly what I loved and didn’t love about it, which I’m happy to share with you so that you can make up your own mind. I can see that this would be an excellent and empowering book for some women, but it fell short for me personally due to my own preferences.

*Disclaimer: as part of a book club, I chose this one out of hundreds of books because I loved the premise and I was looking for something with NO TROPES for a change! I also write women’s fiction/romance without tropes, so reading this kind of book was part of my journey to develop my own writing.*

The Premise:
Told through two characters in the third person “Olivia” and “She”, the novel traces a relationship from the onset of passion to the nosedive of marriage fraught with a seemingly schizophrenic man. One minute he’s hot and the other he’s abrasive and cold. It’s unclear what his motivations are, and he is frustrating the woman he is with. I felt just as confused as the female character(s). Despite strong friendships and heartwarming relationships with her kids, this man is ruling her emotions and has her doubting who she is and if she deserves love.

The Pros:
I really enjoyed reading a novel with NO TROPES for a change. There was no destination that screamed “HAPPILY EVER AFTER, right this way”. From the very title, you know it’s a CAUTIONARY TALE, so you don’t expect it to end in anything fluffy. The writer captured some of the nuances of conversation and actions in a relationship where a man leaves a woman in debilitating mistrust of her own memory. The stream-of-consciousness laced with insecurity is something that resonates with every woman. I also enjoyed the fact that there were a lot of loose ends never figured out. Despite not knowing, “She” went with her gut in the end. In real life, sometimes there aren’t any answers. So while it felt unsettling, that was the whole point.

The Cons:
While I liked the chapter separations of “She” and “Olivia”, and I liked the general idea of what was done stylistically, the execution left a bit to be desired. I had a sensation of a general malaise with the jumping to and fro. It felt like things were glossed over or rushed in an effort to get to the end of the story. The man’s issues in his past were blurted out, rather than “discovered” — as were many other key elements of the story, which combined to dilute the tension that I would have liked to feel building up. Some readers prefer this style, but it was not my own preference so it led to disappointment overall. I really wanted to FEEL the emotions, not just read about them.

Conclusion:
Nevertheless, the overall message is beautiful: “She” could be any of us. There are so many “She”s around us: women in situations that they know are not healthy for them, but they stay anyway because they are afraid of being alone. I can see how this book can land in the hands of a woman in the same situation, and it can be just what she needs to give herself a kick in the pants to get the hell away from a toxic relationship. I do think this book is worth giving a try, or passing it along to a female friend who you think may get something out of it.


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