She Makes it Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen

Ariel Baxter feels everything is falling into place. She and her husband have a new house in a beautiful, well to do neighborhood, and her photography business is on its way up. But with her husband constantly working, her kids driving her a little crazy, and the domestic life not all she thought it would be, Ariel starts to question if they made the right decision moving away from their friendly neighborhood. But when Justine Miller, all-star mother, housewife, and neighbor, befriends Ariel, she is immediately drawn into her world of perfect. Justine never seems flustered, has a hair out of place, makes her own healthy meals, and organizes neighborhood activities. Ariel decides she wants to be just like Justine, but no matter how hard she tries, she can’t seem to find the time or organization to follow the footsteps of her neighbor. But life isn’t always as it seems. Justine is hiding many secrets from her new friend, an affair being the biggest of them all, and Justine’s perfect world is slowly crumbling. Will Ariel figure out she is being deceived by her new friend? And will she be able to appreciate what she does, or constantly trying to be someone she is not?

I really enjoyed reading She Makes it Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen. The plot is pretty simple: have you ever looked at a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, and wanted their life? Thought they had it so much better than you? This is what Ariel does to Justine, puts her on a pedestal and tries to change so she is just like her. But with all the problems Justine is hiding from Ariel and the rest of her friends, Justine’s life is anything but perfect. Money problems, marital issues, the affair, are all threatening to disrupt the picture perfect image Justine has worked so hard to uphold. The story felt very real to me, especially when Ariel goes against her better judgment and starts to shun another fellow neighbor, simply because Justine said to. I thought the prologue to the story was very interesting, and I had to go back and re-read it one more time after I finished the story. I just wish there had been a little more at the end that explained what happened to Justine, but the prologue helps me draw my own conclusion. I guess this is noted as a Christian novel, and while there were a few sections that talked about church and faith, I really wasn’t overwhelmed or felt that Whalen was trying to force religion upon me, which I know can happen sometimes with religious-orientated books. I am giving this book five stars, for the intricate plot, phenomenal writing and character development, and for tackling a subject that so many woman can connect with. Get She Makes it Look Easy on your to-read list!