Imperfect Women

by Araminta Hall

From the author of Our Kind of Cruelty comes an enthralling, irresistible novel of psychological suspense about three women and the destructive power of buried secrets.

When Nancy Hennessy is murdered, she leaves behind two best friends, an adoring husband and daughter, and a secret lover whose identity she took to the grave. Nancy was gorgeous, wealthy, and cherished by those who knew her—from the outside, her life was perfect. But as the investigation into her death flounders and her friends Eleanor and Mary wrestle with their grief, dark details surface that reveal how little they knew their friend, each other, and maybe even themselves.

A gripping, immersive novel about impossible expectations and secrets that fester and become lethal, Imperfect Women unfolds through the perspectives of three fascinating women. Their enduring, complex friendship is the knot the reader must untangle to answer the question Who killed Nancy?

Imperfect Women explores guilt and retribution, love and betrayal, and the compromises we make that alter our lives irrevocably. With the wickedly sharp insights and finely tuned suspense that has drawn comparisons to Patricia Highsmith and Paula Hawkins, Araminta Hall returns with another page-turning, thought-provoking tour de force.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary, Crime

Hardcover

First published August 4, 2020

About the author

Araminta Hall began her career in journalism as a staff writer on teen magazine Bliss, becoming Health and Beauty editor of New Woman. On her way, she wrote regular features for the Mirror's Saturday supplement and ghost-wrote the super-model Caprice's column.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t agree more about the title of the book. The characters are definitely far from the perfect. They’re truly dislikable, insecure and problematic ones! You may not easily connect with any of them. And let’s not forget those inglorious bastards (at some parts they were even worse than Tarantino’s vicious Nazis!) call themselves husbands.

I wanted to start a slapping contest between Robert and Howard the candidates of the worst husband characters in the literature world. I think Howard was the most despicable and disgusting one. (impregnating with one of the woman, marrying with the other, cheating the woman you’re married, iyk! I don’t know if I should hate him more than the women who accepted his unfaithfulness or I scream at the women’s face to advise them have some self-respect.)

So we’re introduced to three main heroines: Eleanor: in love with her friend’s husband, seems like strong and smart but she isn’t!! She gets jealous of her friend Nancy because she got married Robert who she’s in love for a long time even though he didn’t remember the first time they’ve met and she accepted his absentmindedness. ( Oh girl, grow the hell up, wear better big girl pants and move on!)
Nancy is the most freaking one, batshit crazy and more dislikable character between three women. So I never cared about her situation.

And Mary was the most pathetic one, married with Howard who seems like soul mate of Harvey Weinstein, suffering from her own insecurities. I wanted to hold her from her shoulders and shake her till she gathers her wits and learn to show some respect to herself! R.E.S.P.E.C.T. ! ( When I read her parts, I keep on listening Aretha Franklin to cool my nerves down!)

As a result, after brutal death of one of the characters, all those layered, hidden secrets start to emerge and the intercepted lives of those women and two scumbag husbands turn into a whirlwind complex misery. Especially I liked the bomb the author threw on our laps in the middle of the book but you expect more after a big revelation and better, moving, surprising, twisting ending but unfortunately we never get that one because the story’s ending was so predictable.

Overall: I didn’t have problem about the progression or the pacing of the story. Even though I hate the guts of the story, it still picked my interest and I wanted to know its conclusion. But a better and mot so predictable ending would fit better for my needs. So I’m giving 2.5 stars and round them up to 3 and I’m getting out of here to find more gripping story with better characterization.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for sharing this ARC in exchange my honest review.

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[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

We can’t all be perfect...alas we are indeed Imperfect Women.

Women are under so much pressure. To be the perfect mother, the perfect wife and have a perfectly successful career. With all these expectations one may lose themselves along the way.

This is another book that presents itself as a thriller but with profound messages hidden between the lines. It’s really all about life and expectations. The pressure that others put upon us as well as what we heap upon ourselves. Oh yes, we want it all. But is that truly an achievable goal? Is it even what we really want from our lives? Can we be joyful, content and satisfied without possessing the golden ticket?

Nancy Eleanor and Mary have been friends since University. When Nancy is killed her two best friends are left to discover the truth in what was happening in Nancy’s life, while also looking in the mirror and taking stock of their own.

I toggled back and forth between the written and audio versions of this book. Though the pace seems to crawl somewhat near the middle, it ended with a rock-solid message.

This is the second book I’ve read by Araminta Hall. And though Our Kind Of Cruelty remains a favorite, I very much enjoyed this latest. I will definitely be watching for more from this author.

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to NetGalley Farrar Straus and Giroux for an ARC to read and review.

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Araminta Hall's latest novel is a dark and intense exploration of women's lives, marriage, love, loss and long term friendships that evolve over the years. Nancy Hennessy, Eleanor Robert, and Mary Smithson first met at university, meeting in fresher's week and instantly forging a friendship and love with each other that, despite their personality differences and different paths in the future, survives. That said, that doesn't mean that that their friendship is straightforward or that they are perfect, they are flawed and imperfect women, there is resentment, jealousies, rivalries, and betrayal. They lose their way, their ambitions and their identities, hampered by poor self esteem issues, and struggle with bringing up children, they love their children, no question, but being a mother and parent is not always what its cracked up to be.

There is debilitating post-natal depression, along with the tedium and stress of being a full time housewife and mother, exacerbated by men who leave a lot to be desired when it comes to being fathers and husbands. Narrated by each of the women, Eleanor is a single woman whose career in the charity sector has flourished, she has had a particularly close and involving relationship with the beautiful Nancy and her human rights lawyer husband, Robert. After meeting Nancy the night before, Eleanor rushes to Robert in the early hours of the morning, Nancy has not returned home and he is worried. Eleanor tells him Nancy had left her to meet David, her lover, someone she had been having an affair with for more than a year. Events take a darker turn when DS Daniel arrives to inform them that Nancy is dead, discovered murdered by a path next to the river in Hammersmith. The narrative shifts from the past and present, following the fallout of Nancy's death on all of them, revealing their interior lives, their thoughts, decisions and secrets as Eleanor and Mary find solace and support in each other.

Hall looks at marriage and the difficulties it can have evolving through time and the humdrum nature of everyday life where you can so easily stop seeing each other, sometimes never seeing each other until it is too late. Robert is devoted to and loves Nancy, but she struggles to live his version of their lives together, with him playing an insignificant role at home and in childcare. Howard, an academic, is married when he gets involved with Mary, and continues to have affairs throughout their marriage, contemptuous, controlling and disdainful of Mary as she brings up their 3 children without any help from him whatsoever. In a twisted story, we observe the evolution of friendship and love between the 3 women, recalibrated as they come to understand and accommodate their imperfections, particularly as it finally becomes clear what happened to Nancy.

I listened to the audio of this book as well, and the first thing I must say is that I wasn't bored by this at all. In fact, the complexity of the storytelling and the in depth characterisation made my appreciation for the book increase. Sometimes when you only listen to the audio you can miss stuff, but because I was familiar the book, I believe it enhanced my audio experience. The narrator, Helen Keeley was great, her characterisation was good with each character feeling distinct. The tone kept me hooked, despite knowing where it was all heading. Many thanks to Orion and Hachette Audio UK for an ARC.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXCERPT: 'Eleanor.'

She sat up because she hadn't even been aware of answering the phone and the night was still black and nothing made sense. Her head spun, and she dropped it forward to make it stop, which allowed other things to fall into place.

'Robert?'

'I'm sorry to wake you.'

'What time is it?'

'Just after four.'

'My God, has something happened?'

'No. well, I don't know. Nancy's not here. I must have fallen asleep when I was reading, because I've just woken up and she's not back. And her phone's going straight to voicemail.'

The streetlights were seeping in through the cracks in Eleanor's curtains, and she tried to focus on the strip of artificial light, as if it meant something.

'You don't know where she is, do you? I mean, she didn't by any chance come back to your place after dinner, did she?' His voice sounded like overstretched elastic.

'No - no, she didn't.' She swung her legs out of the bed, and all the irritation she'd felt for Nancy the night before, for ages really, sloshed about in her body. 'Look, I can be there in fifteen minutes.'

Oh, God, you don't have to...'

'It's fine, Robert. I'll throw on some clothes and get into the car.'

The elastic in his voice snapped. 'Oh, God, do you think, then ... I mean, should I call the police?'

'No, wait for me.' Eleanor pulled on her jeans as she spoke, and her irritation mutated to anger. She wanted to pick up something and hurl it against the wall. She wanted to scream into Nancy's perfect face. She wouldn't let her get away with this. She would recount everything, every last painful second, she would spare her nothing.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: When Nancy Hennessy is murdered, she leaves behind two best friends, an adoring husband and daughter, and a secret lover whose identity she took to the grave. Nancy was gorgeous, wealthy, and cherished by those who knew her—from the outside, her life was perfect. But as the investigation into her death flounders and her friends Eleanor and Mary wrestle with their grief, dark details surface that reveal how little they knew their friend, each other, and maybe even themselves.

A gripping, immersive novel about impossible expectations and secrets that fester and become lethal, Imperfect Women unfolds through the perspectives of three fascinating women. Their enduring, complex friendship is the knot the reader must untangle to answer the question Who killed Nancy?

MY THOUGHTS: I finished Imperfect Women with a definite sense of despondency. I felt weighted down by it. It was not the book I needed right at this moment. It has taken a long walk in the sunshine and a couple of hours of my favorite music to brighten my mood.

Imperfect Women is a brutally honest book about the bonds of friendship and marriage, human stupidity, love (or what passes for it), family, and the destructive powers of guilt and deception (in its many forms). It deals deeply with the expectations women place upon themselves, and those that the men in their lives impose upon them. It is a well written and well plotted book. But it is not a book to be read lightly; it is full of despair and introspection. I think that this is a book that will haunt me for some time.

The murder of Nancy is the catalyst for a chain reaction, but it is not the focus of the story. That remains firmly on the after effects of Nancy's death.

The story is told in three parts: the first by Eleanor, best friend of both Nancy and Mary, philanthropist career woman, unmarried, childless and with no 'significant other' in her life; the second part is told from Nancy's point of view and, believe me, there is not a lot to like about this woman, who has a brilliant brain which she has never put to use, and who is married to wealthy Robert with one daughter, and is careless with her affections; the third part is told from Mary's point of view, married to University lecturer and narcissist Howard, with three children and no life outside the home. It is incredible to me that these three women have continued to be friends through all the years since their university days as they have absolutely nothing but their past in common.

At no time did I ever consider abandoning this read, yet neither did I rush to pick it up again after putting it down. I think I need a bit of time and distance from this one to gain a better perspective. I plan, in a week or so, to return and edit this review and possibly even my rating. Would I read another book by this author? Definitely.

🤔🤔🤔.3

#ImperfectWomen #NetGalley

'We live in a world now where there has to be an answer to everything. We wonder about something and Google tells us the answer, but death isn't always like that. And nor is love.'

'What seems like great catastrophes to you are really just small sorrows in the big scheme of things.'

'We have a responsibility to those who love us. ... being loved makes us precious, and that means we have to take care of ourselves. You know, I think you and I, and Nancy as well, we're good at loving, but not good at being loved. But that means we're missing something important. We're taking on too much of the bad responsibility and not enough of the good...'

'There is always the possibility of new chapters in everyone's stories.'

THE AUTHOR: Araminta Hall began her career in journalism as a staff writer on teen magazine Bliss, becoming Health and Beauty editor of New Woman. On her way, she wrote regular features for the Mirror's Saturday supplement and ghost-wrote the super-model Caprice's column.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Bridgett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Imperfect women, indeed.

And let's not forget their imperfect husbands, who were just as vile as the wives.

It took me a full week to read this book. In 'Bridgett World,' do you know what that means? Imma tell you.

It means this book was B.O.R.I.N.G.

I had zero desire to get back to it once I'd stopped...it just wasn't that interesting. Told from three points of view, Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary, it's actually divided into three sections...one for each woman. I typically enjoy that technique, but for whatever reason, it simply didn't work here.

Stories like this one usually make me happy--women in their forties dealing with all of life's ups and downs. In this instance, the women were so yucky...with so few redeeming qualities...I simply didn't feel compelled to learn more.

There is a small twist at the end...but it's not really a twist, as it was pretty obvious from the start.

Bottom line, I probably wouldn't suggest this book to my friends.

Available now!

My sincere appreciation to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for my review copy.

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary, Eleanor and Nancy have been friends since university days nearly thirty years ago. Nancy appears to be happily married to Robert and Mary is unhappily married to Howard. One night at dinner, Nancy confesses to Eleanor that she has had an affair, later that night she is murdered. This terrible incident sets off a chain reaction of events which causes these ‘imperfect women’ to reflect on themselves, on relationships and what is actually important. This story is told from the point of view of the three friends.

This is a well written story of grief and guilt of those left behind, of secrets and lies and illusion and delusion. Most of it is enjoyable but I think that Eleanor’s and Mary’s perspectives are the most interesting. Eleanor’s shock and grief come across really well and it’s interesting to see how she gets drawn into Roberts life after Nancy’s death. The way all characters reflect on the impact of Nancy in their lives in varying ways is also good. Mary’s belief that they are all participants in a Greek tragedy is illuminating and it’s partly true but as the story unfolds you see that it’s a fantastical mythology. In my opinion Mary is the most interesting character and how she puts up with the insufferable Howard all those years is beyond me. The male characters are not likeable but in differing ways. Nancy’s story is the least appealing because she is made to feel like a goddess in her life story and she patently isn’t. Nothing seems enough for her, she’s constantly seeking more so she comes across as self absorbed and not very interesting. The pace picks up with Mary’s story and that contains some intriguing surprises. I like the end and it fits well with their examination of themselves and acceptance they are imperfect.

Overall, it’s a bit of an uneven read but there is more that I enjoy than dislike.

3.5 rounded up.

With thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the ARC.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and suspenseful look into the power of secrets

Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary have been best friends since they met at Oxford. But then Nancy is murdered, leaving behind an adoring husband and a daughter. Her life, from the outside, was seemingly perfect. But Eleanor knows that the night Nancy died, she was going to meet her lover, hoping to break it off. And as the investigation into Nancy's death continues, both Eleanor and Mary struggle with their grief, the memories they have of their friend, and what her death means for those left behind.

"Eleanor felt a jolt of terror pass through her as she realized that everything about Nancy's death was worse than any other death anywhere. They would all suffer, and nothing would ever be the same again."

This was a truly fascinating book: it's part character-driven mystery and part insightful look at the role of women in society. It's told from the point of view of the three friends, but not the usual quick back and forth: we get large chunks of the story told from one woman at a time. Truths unfold slowly, as we learn bits and pieces about Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary--from themselves and each other.

The focal point of the story is Nancy's rather gruesome murder, but Hall fills her tale with thoughts and ruminations on women and how they are seen in society--and how they feel they are perceived. In some ways, it felt like a bunch broad generalizations applied to women, yet as I read, I found that most of them really rang true. I was furiously highlighting passages, nodding my head yes!

At times, it was hard to see where this book was going. Murder? Deep thoughts? It certainly straddled the line on both. In terms of Nancy's murder, I had a good chunk figured out early on, but the story certainly kept me engaged, reading and wondering if I was right. All three flawed (imperfect, indeed) women were interesting in their own way, and I liked each woman's section. I found this to be a very well-written book, but it's not a snappy thriller.

If you want a fast whodunit, this isn't for you. But if you want a well-done and thoughtful read, I recommend Hall's latest. It's a suspenseful and insightful look at love, marriage, and friendship. 4 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux in return for an unbiased review.

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[Quirkychic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since this would be only the second review on this book’s Goodreads page, I didn’t want to be too harsh but then I got to page 242 and now all bets are off.

I read this book so you don’t have to.

The concept of this story is great and the execution wasn’t too bad but the writing…oh, the writing!!! The writing is just a “NO!” for me and I have to blame some of that on whoever edited this. I realize I’m reading an ARC and maybe changes will be made but let’s talk about a couple of things that really irk me in books when it comes to poor editing. 1. Grammar--such as words missing from sentences and words on the page twice. 2. The same adjective used over and over again. (I mean, how many times do I have to read the word “maudlin?”) 3. The same metaphor used more than once (in this case at least four times) just worded differently when describing different things. 4. Over ambitious words—this is not literary fiction. This is a mystery. Use words that the average mystery reader will understand. Get over yourself. 5. Melodramatic –not only was this particular word used over and over but many of the descriptions and sentences had a bit a melodrama themselves.

The book:
Let me preface this by saying that this is a contemporary book. This takes place in modern times. Do women still have the disadvantage? Sure. But this book paints all men in a horrid light and women as stupid and naïve to the wiles of men. If you read this book be prepared for the message the all men are detestable, selfish beings who only care about themselves and all women are destined to be miserable and unhappy because they can’t be who they truly want and there is nothing that can be done about it.

Now let’s hit some characters and spoilers:
Our main characters-Eleanor, Nancy (her husband Robert), Mary (her husband Howard)

The only bright point in this whole book is Irena (Eleanor’s Neighbor). In fact, I added a star to this review just because of Irena’s meaning behind the phrase “You are Loved.” Page 111 “She said they meant more than I love you, she said they gave you ownership of what it means to be loved, it reminds you of the responsibility that comes with loving and being loved. She used to say if anyone loves you, then you have to be kind to yourself so as not to damage their investment.” Best thing in the whole book.

Eleanor is supposed to be a smart woman but this portrays her as stupid and just plain naïve. It’s clear she’s been in love with Robert since she first met him and is jealous of Nancy’s life with him. When he doesn’t even remember the first night they met, she just lets it slide even though it hurts her deeply.

Robert is trash. He cares about no one but himself and his own desires. Only his dreams matter and he’s literally shocked when someone doesn’t think like him. One of his worst qualities, wait for it….he sleeps with the wife he loves the morning before she dies and then five months later he’s sleeping with her “best friend” because he misses her so much. What. A. Crock.

Nancy. Part of me wants to just break out and call her delusional but really, I think this woman is severely mentally ill. It should be obvious to everyone. There is one mention of her having a therapist, but what good was that therapist? It didn’t seem like she had been put on any medication and whatever they were doing wasn’t working. She also received no mercy or understanding from Robert even after she had to be committed for two weeks after her daughter was born for post partem depression.

Howard is a predator. I just can’t think of enough nasty things to say about this character so I shall move on.

Mary. Oh, Mary. Howard was married to another woman when you got pregnant by him and it still took a while for him to leave her and marry you. After you were married, he continued to cheat on you. It seemed to be ok until you found out the identity of the last woman. Why did you put up with this?

The straw the broke the camels back for me was page 242. It implies that Mary was so desperate for affection and attention that she was willing to allow herself to be raped without putting up any fight until another person came along and scared off her would be rapist. At this, I repeated something I’d said earlier in this book, “I can’t believe a woman wrote this.”
This book had so much potential with its concept and the actual twists and such would have hit the nail on the head (even though they were pretty easy to guess), but all in all, this book is just awful. The language used and metaphors and the unlikeable characters were just too much for me. I will never recommend this book.

One more thing, these characters were supposed to have been three best friends for over twenty years yet they didn’t really seem to know each other very well at all. It just didn’t work.

2 out of 5 stars for Irena’s sake alone.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

What to say? It’s a story about 3 women, life long friends, and their partners and the chaos that is caused when 1 of them dies and the other 2 ( plus hubbies ) find out secrets and things that have been ‘going on’ without the others knowing
There is a story here, and parts of it where told well but it was all so, well, long and drawn out and so so many character flushes, dizzy spells, loss of ability to walk’s, feverish sweats and the like in the end it just felt like a lot if it was descriptive padding
The 3 plus husbands are not just unlikeable but repugnant and loathsome, not not likeable in a ‘love to hate you way’ but really unlikeable 100% full stop and brought a new meaning to the words self obsessed
I loved the authors ‘Our Kind Of Cruelty’ and look forward to her next book but this sadly was not for me
And that’s where I will leave it 🤗

4/10 as there is a story there
2 Stars

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope.


Yes, it’s that bad. What a horrifically bad novel, especially after Our Kind of Cruelty.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

When Nancy Hennessey is murdered, she leaves behind her two best friends, an adoring husband, a daughter and a secret lover. Nancy was gorgeous, wealthy and cherished by those who knew her. But the investigation into her death founders and her best friends, Eleanor and Mary wrestle with. Dark details come to the surface reveal how little they knew their friend.

Eleanor, Mary and Nancy all met at university. They all cane from different backgrounds but they form a strong bond. They are now in their late forties. But Nancy has just unexpectedly died. Eleanor knew that Nancy was having an affair before she died. The story is told in three parts, each part told by one of the friends perspectives. The first part is told by Eleanor, then Nancy and then Mary. I liked the authors writing style. The story did seem to drag out a bit in the middle. This is not a murder mystery. It's more about the friendship the three women had. None of the women were perfect which which made it more realistic. This is an enjoyable read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Araminta Hall for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Our Kind of Cruelty and was excited to see a new book from Araminta Hall. I really liked the sound of Imperfect Women but it fell short for me. I am not really sure what it was, a combination of the story dragging out and the attitudes of the 3 main characters. Perhaps my expectations were too high. It was a good story but not quite as good as I was hoping.

Imperfect Women, these 3 are definitely that. It is thestory of 3 women, friends since university. When one of them is murdered their secrets start to come out. Eleanor, Mary and Nancy all led very different lives. They all envied each other and wanted what the others had. But when they really find out about each other they may find that they don’t really.

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux for my advanced copy of this book book is to read.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was totally obsessed with this author’s previous work, Our Kind of Cruelty. It was one of the best books I read in 2019. So I was positive I was going to love this one too. Alas, it wasn’t to be.

The good news is that Araminta Hall remains a beautiful writer. She has a way with language and description, making her books much more literary than so many others in the genre.

Unfortunately though, as “thrillers” go, I did not find this one at all thrilling. It moved really slowly and was more of a soap opera/Neighbours type drama than a murder mystery. I also did not like any of the characters. In contrast to “Our Kind of Cruelty, in which you hated the characters but were fascinated by them, I found little to interest me in any of these imperfect women and men. Hall’s great writing was not enough to get me through the slow plot and less-than-compelling characters.

I gotta say, I take it really personally that I didn’t love this book, because her previous one made such an impression on me. I will surely read more by Hall. This one just didn’t capture my attention. Though murder happens in it, I also think it might have been better classified as women’s fiction than mystery/thriller in order to set expectations for a slower pace and more melodrama.

Thanks to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Araminta Hall for the advance copy. Here’s hoping Hall’s next book packs the thrills and intrigue once again.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nancy, Eleanor and Mary are best friends. Nancy is killed, so Eleanor and Mary try to find out what happened. I thought this book would be about Eleanor and Mary figuring out what happened to Nancy. The book is more about what is going on in the three women's lives and the secrets they are keeping. All three women really are imperfect. The mystery aspect of the book is in the background. I did enjoy the book but it wasn't what I was expecting.

Helen Keeley did a good job narrating.

I recommend this book for fans of Big Little Lies and books where there is a mystery in the background by the main focus is on the characters' lives.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio UK for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imperfect Women was more of a character study than a thriller. Nancy's death, and what actually happened that night, felt very secondary. I saw the two "twists" coming a mile away. If you want to try one of this authors' books, I'd suggest Our Kind of Cruelty over this one.

[Mellisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy, Eleanor, Mary. Three close friends for thirty years. Nancy has the perfect life, perfect family and rich. But then Nancy is murdered, and as her best friends start to look deeper into Nancy's life, they start to realise maybe Nancy wasn't so perfect after all...and maybe they really never knew her at all...

Intriguing book that kept me hooked right to the end. I enjoyed finding out about Nancy's life, the secrets she kept and her big secret, I didn't expect it and to find out who it was, wow!

A book that shows nobody really knows anyone, especially what happens past what they can see. It shows how mistakes can really break apart families, and how betrayel can happen even when with the people you least expect.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Imperfect Women.

This wasn't terrible, but not what I was looking for.

I was looking for suspense, excitement, drama and if that's what you're looking for here, back away. SLOOWLLY.

** Minor spoilers **

Two BFFs, Eleanor and Mary, are shocked when their BFF, Nancy, is found dead.

Eleanor decides to probe her friend's death on her own, when the police investigation stalls, but finds herself confronting painful truths of her own.

The novel is split into the perspectives of the three women, and what each has learned from their imperfect, flawed marriages and about themselves.

Yes, the women are imperfect, but that can be said for all of us.

But, unfortunately, neither of them were likable.

I felt no connection to any of them and there was no rapport or warmth in their friendships or interactions. I couldn't believe they had been friends since college.

The men were predictably cliche, an adultering bastard and a man who took his wife for granted, as were the themes; bad husbands, mistreated wives who realize too little too late the mistakes they made in marrying these particular men.

The mystery behind Nancy's death is anti-climatic and one I figured out early on.

There's not much drama or suspense, but a lot of introspection and personal reflection.

The writing was good, but I was looking for a straight forward mystery, not one with lots of yakking in it.

Some readers might enjoy the thoughtfulness and bantering about imperfect women and marriages we've all heard and read about in similar books. I didn't.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

perfect adjective
: being entirely without fault or defect : flawless

In Imperfect Women, Araminta Hall yet again brings us a gripping and psychological suspense about three women and the destructive power of their secrets.

We follow the lives of three women who have been friends since college. Mary, Eleanor and Nancy each have a "perfect" life, ot so they want us to believe. But when one of these perfect women ends up murdered the investigation into her death shatters the mirage.

Overall I really enjpyed this book alot! Imperfect Women is a true guilty pleasure read, packed with long term friendships, rocky marriages, love, lies, secrets and betrayal.


I recieved a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

perfect adjective
: being entirely without fault or defect : flawless

In Imperfect Women, Araminta Hall yet again brings us a gripping and psychological suspense about three women and the destructive power of their secrets.

We follow the lives of three women who have been friends since college. Mary, Eleanor and Nancy each have a "perfect" life, ot so they want us to believe. But when one of these perfect women ends up murdered the investigation into her death shatters the mirage.

Overall I really enjpyed this book alot! Imperfect Women is a true guilty pleasure read, packed with long term friendships, rocky marriages, love, lies, secrets and betrayal.


I recieved a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary, Eleanor and Nancy have been close friends since freshers week at university and have been there for each other, through life’s ups and downs!!

Nancy appears to be happily married to Robert, but after she tells Eleanor that she is having an affair she is murdered!! Eleanor knew that she was trying to break up with her lover. Who was the lover?

The story is told from the friends perspectives. The title “Imperfect Women” is perfect as these women all have their own flaws. I loved seeing into their lives and discovering their secrets and lies.

A book that kept me intrigued. I love a story about friendships and secrets, so this ticked all the boxes for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Amina Hujdur · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Savršene žene su tako prokleto dosadne. Strašno je zabavno ispravljati nesavršenosti."

[Vanessa Menezes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nancy, Eleanor and Mary have been best friends since college. All three of them hoped for a perfect life but each of their lives are far from perfect.

Nancy married her college sweetheart and is now missing that excitement of her youth. Whereas, Eleanor put her career above all else and hasn't looked back, despite her soft spot for Nancy's husband. While, Mary fell pregnant far too young and is now coping with three children and a mentally unwell husband.

But when Nancy is killed, Eleanor and Mary must align themselves to uncover her killer. And as each of their stories unfold, they realise that there are so many truths that have to be uncovered along the way.

First of all, the title was perfect! These three women are totally imperfect. The book is written in three parts, from the perspective of each of the friends and is filled with infidelity and grief.

I really thought I would enjoy it but I did not. The mystery surrounding Nancy’s death was pushed back as a secondary story with more focus given to the lives of each of the women. Sadly, I never connected with any of them and their husbands were just so intolerable.

So, overall the idea behind the plot was good. But this book was just not for me!

Thank You to NetGalley and Orion Publishing for this ARC!!

[Stacey Camp · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 Stars**

"Marriage is very strange. It's as full of hate as it is love. We can't possibly speculate at what happens between any couple when all the doors are shut and all the curtains are drawn."

"Anger is often not cruelty...it is more often love."

I was excited to get an advanced reader copy of Araminta Hall's newest book,  Imperfect Women, as I really enjoyed her book, Our Kind of Cruelty, last year. Hall's writing, especially at the beginning of the book, was first rate. There are some jewels scattered throughout the book, too, that I highlighted and certainly won't forget. She has a gift for prose and for writing things that really hit home for me as a woman and working mother.

So why the 3.5 stars? I so wanted to like this book, but about 25% of the way in it seemed to go on a number of tangents. I think heavy-handed editing could have helped the narrative, as Hall often has her characters go into long diatribes on life and feminism. This is certainly not a bad thing in my book, but all of her characters are deeply introspective people who make questionable choices despite their reflectiveness. I am not confident that most people operate with that level and depth of self-awareness on a daily basis, and that's probably what struck me as the most problematic part of the book.

The book is about three female friends who met in college and are now coming of age (despite being of middle age like myself). The friends find themselves tethered to one another when one of them disappears and then is found dead under what is believed to be suspicious circumstances. As the friends investigate what happened, betrayals and unfaithfulness are revealed, making the reader wonder how these three women ever stayed together and trusted one another in the first place.

I've read other reviews of this book now that I'm done with it, and some people have complained that everyone in the book is "imperfect" (hence the title) and irredeemably flawed. Every person out there is flawed, so I don't see this as a big problem. What is a problem, in my opinion, is how self-absorbed all the characters are despite being "friends." They seem to be so flawed that they lack a moral compass needed to have friends - maybe that's Hall's point, that all of these characters were drawn together because they were missing what makes them human. I am not sure.

Nevertheless, I will definitely read Araminta Hall's next book because I enjoy her writing style so much. The plot is where the book fell short for me. 

Thank you to Araminta Hall, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the book!

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[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters aren’t people I would want for friends but they like each quite a lot despite lies, betrayals, and husbands that leave much to be desired. Go figure.

[Jo_Scho_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a compelling and thought provoking tale about three women; their ambitions, their hopes and their fears. Eleanor, Nancy and Mary are lifelong friends since they met at university over 30 years ago. But their lives have certainly travelled different paths; Mary married university academic Howard and quickly began a life of motherhood. Eleanor stayed happily single and embarked on a career whilst beautiful and wealthy Nancy had one daughter with her husband Robert and never wanted for more.

So when Nancy is murdered it appears that there is a lot more to these women than meets the eye. Peeling back their layers reveals secrets and lies. And it seems that there could be a few people with a motive for murder.

I have to say that although this book is set as a thriller, I found it more interesting focussing on the nuances between these women. How they were drawn together at university despite being so fundamentally different. And how by the end of thirty years it wasn’t apparent if they even liked one another anymore, (which could actually ring true for a lot of thirty year old friendships and is one of the reasons they don’t always last).

I loved the way this book raised the issue of choice, women should no longer complain because they can have it all; a child, a job, a husband, a life. But it can all still be pretty damn tough to juggle it all. There were many sentences and paragraphs within this book that I read and nodded vigourously in agreement with:

‘But underneath all that there was also the knowledge that she wasn’t wrong for wanting something different. Women in this world are still expected to conform, even though it doesn’t seem like that anymore. You can be many things in this life, but a dissatisfied woman is not one of them.’

And of course we still have a murder and a murderer lurking. And the revelations that came out during this book had me doubting everyone and anyone. So if you like a well written thriller which also explores female friendship and womanhood, then this is for you. I really enjoyed it, it’s my first by Araminta Hall but certainly not my last.

Thanks to Orion Books for my copy to review. All views my own.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, I hated this book and as it got closer to the end, I started to appreciate the way it explores the different ways women have to choose in ways that men don't. That part really made sense to me and why I can understand how a lot of people didn't enjoy this, I did like it.

It is also terrifying the ways people can continually place their desires and emotions first, even if it means completely destroying other people. If you enjoy reading about imperfect female friendships and people who are painfully human, you might enjoy this book.

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing an ARC against an honest review!! I can't wait to read this book!

__________________________

It's been a while since I read a thriller! The last crime book I read was The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and it was really good! So I was hoping this one would surprise me!

Unfortunately, it didn't: I guessed who the lover was, who the killer was - even if I didn't have all the details I had a doubt at some point about Robert, mostly because he kept the letter hidden and lied to Eleanor.. I was just surprised by the ending!
Still, this book is a 5-star read. So why?

While reading Imperfect Women, I couldn't stop thinking some scenes, sentences, characters' impressions were true. These women could be our neighbours or our friends. They exist in every one of us, in a way. What they do isn't perfect, isn't good even, is even wrong sometimes, but I still felt close to them, I still grew attached to them. In a way, I didn't like this book because of the mystery/crime, I liked it because of the way it portrayed women, their struggles, and the way they can't understand each other and be understood by their relatives, be they male or female. They all got their personal hell and have to fight alone because of their guilt and their fear to lose their closest friends. It felt viceral sometimes and I ached for them. Nothing is simple, people aren't what they seem, we can never know what someone is living through in their head.

I didn't know it beforehand but I guessed it in the beginning: the book is divided in three parts, each focusing on one of the three friends' point of view.
My favorite part is Nancy's, probably because she is the one to die and I wanted to understand what happened to her, and also because Eleanor could be so harsh with her sometimes. Her pain is heartbreaking, and her mental health is not taken seriously because she is privileged. She hates herself for what she feels, but can't help feeling it anyway, and no one understands her. She is just considered dramatic and doesn't get the help she needs. I had a hard time with Eleanor sometimes just because she was belittling Nancy's pain and her problems.
These three women won't be likable for some readers: Eleanor is quite mean with Nancy and sometimes feels like she only thinks about herself, which isn't completely untrue; Nancy cheats on her husband with one of her best friend's husband; Mary ends up killing her own husband. She might be the only one readers might love, because she doesn't really do anything wrong until the very end. All of these women judged the other two and were judged by them, mostly Nancy who seemed to have a perfect life and still couldn't be satisfied. But, mostly, all of them envied each other in a way: Nancy dreamt of being like Eleanor, Eleanor wanted Nancy's life, Mary was the perfect moral woman who loved her kids more than herself. They all represent different types of women, and they all couldn't be happy with their own life and choices.

Even if I guessed who did it, this book was still gripping and made me doubt sometimes! The ending really surprised me though: I didn't believe Mary could kill Howard. Well, when Marcus told everything to her, I knew she would do it. This scene was so hard to read, and his final words were so heartbreaking, even if I hated him all along. He was clearly manipulative, narcissist and sadistic, but, in the end, it feels like he understood what he did, and he really suffered. I pitied him.

So, Imperfect Women is a great read, captivating and genuine.

[Shahira8826 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It is set to be published in August 2020.

"Imperfect Women" by Araminta Hall is not a thriller or a mystery and should not be advertised as such.
True, it starts with a murder, but that's about the end of it.
The investigation is pretty much left out of the story, and the focal point of the novel is neither the murder itself nor the search for the killer. No, the focus is on the characters' sentimental life and their self-pitying inner dialogue.
The narrator's voice gets intolerable to listen to when she does this shrill, tremulous whine as though she were on the verge of tears, but you can hardly blame the narrator: the characters she has to voice *are* constantly on the verge of tears.
Eleanor, Nancy and Mary - the three protagonists - are very different on the surface, but all the same at the core: three disempowered, dissatisfied women who throughout the story show no agency at all and refuse to own their choices.
Even in the "grande finale", when it looks like Mary's going to *do* something for once, instead of just complaining and feeling sorry for herself, she makes the ultimate choice... and then leaves the execution of it in the hands of a man.
A totally baffling story, which would be more accurately titled "Passive Women", and feels like it should be set in the 18th century rather than in the third millenium, in regards to the conception of women and their role in the society.
And as for the "mystery"... the perp's identity is painfully obvious to the reader from about one third of the book onward, and I found myself so frustrated at the characters for not sorting this out much sooner!

[Joanna Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imperfect Woman is a dark, intense and gripping read which I really enjoyed.

The book follows three women who met at University through their lives and the challenges that they face. All three seem very realistic characters which makes them really relatable and I quickly found myself warming to each of them. The reader gets a fly on the wall glimpse into their lives, marriage and the everyday problems they face.

The most interesting part of the book for me was seeing the interesting dynamics between the three women and how they change throughout the years. I liked how the different layers of the women were gradually peeked back so we could see them at their rawest, most intimate self. Even though the three woman have known each other for years, it was interesting to see how they still didn’t know completely what was going on in each others lives. A timely reminder that in this busy world we need to take more of an interest in what is happening in our friends lives.

The story is told from each woman’s perspective in turn which I found very interesting and meant that we got to know each of the woman really well. The murder mystery side of the story, although quite gripping, isn’t the main focus of the story and I was surprised that no police were mentioned in the story though I think adding them would have created a completely different story.

Overall I really enjoyed this intriguing story and felt sad to leave the woman behind. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Huge thanks to Francesca from Orion for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imperfect Women was extremely engaging, a character driven friendhip drama with an intriguingly unpredictable mystery element.

Three women, an intertwined story of friendship and betrayal - Araminta Hall writes realistically flawed female characters with deep insight and an ability to create a bond between them and the reader that is really excellent.

Nancy, Mary and Ellie have been friends since college, the bond between them firmly held even as life pulls them apart. Then Nancy dies...But what lead up to this tragic event and how will it affect those she left behind.

That's the main premise and whilst the mystery of what exactly happened to Nancy gives it an added edginess that digs deep the appeal here is strongly within the personal discoveries of Ellie and Mary as they reassess everything they knew not just about each other but about themselves.

It is utterly riveting, a page turner of a read that offers up much to contemplate as you hear from all three of these friends and discover all the good and the bad that makes them who they are.

Excellent. Very much recommended.