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Book Review: The Good Wife by Jane Porter

Reviewer: Samantha
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Is it possible to love someone too much?

Always considered the beauty of the family, the youngest Brennan sister, Sarah, remains deeply in love with her husband of ten years. Boone Walker, a professional baseball player, travels almost year-round while Sarah stays home and cares for their two children. Her love for her husband is bottomless—so much so that her sisters say it will end up hurting her.

Living apart most of the time makes life difficult, especially since Sarah often wonders whether Boone is sharing his bed with other women on the road, even though he swears he’s been true to her since his infidelity three years ago. While she wants to be happy and move forward in her life, Sarah constantly fears that Boone will break his promise. Now with Boone facing yet another career change, tension rises between the two, adding more stress to an already turbulent marriage. Emotionally exhausted, Sarah can’t cope with yet another storm. Now, she must either break free from the past and forgive Boone completely, or leave him behind and start anew . . .
Review:
I have been steadily reading all the novels in the Brennan Sister’s collection, and was eagerly waiting for the third. As a lover of sports, I was curious to get a peek in on Sarah’s life, the wife of a pro athlete. It was really just as interesting as I thought it would be – the travel, the unknown, the other women, the infidelity that she and Boone had to deal with. I really did like Sarah, but her issue was clear and the focus of the book – she loved her husband so much she stopped caring about herself. It was an intense journey to read through, watching as she sunk further and further until her breaking point, and then how her family rallied around her to help her get back to being herself. It’s always interesting to read about affairs and what becomes of the husband and wife because of it. I really didn’t know how Sarah and Boone’s marriage would survive but I wasn’t sure I could see it ending either. I thought the ending of the book was great, though.
There’s another story embedded through the book, that of Lauren Summer. At first I was really confused at to what her story was about and how it had any relevance to Sarah’s journey. But as the book continued on I saw how the women’s lives crossed paths, and really enjoyed reading about Lauren’s life as well. This book was hard to put down, and I really recommend this series.

4 stars

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Beauty Review: Garnier Sleek and Shine Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment

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5 stars

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Book Review: The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from SheReads
Summary:
France, 1916: Artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his young wife, Sophie, to fight at the front. When their small town falls to the Germans in the midst of World War I, Edouard’s portrait of Sophie draws the eye of the new Kommandant. As the officer’s dangerous obsession deepens, Sophie will risk everything—her family, her reputation, and her life—to see her husband again.

Almost a century later, Sophie’s portrait is given to Liv Halston by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. A chance encounter reveals the painting’s true worth, and a battle begins for who its legitimate owner is—putting Liv’s belief in what is right to the ultimate test.

Like Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress and Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key, The Girl You Left Behind is a breathtaking story of love, loss, and sacrifice told with Moyes’s signature ability to capture our hearts with every turn of the page.
Review:
How did I describe this book to my mom? “OMG.” What an outstanding read, and I think this is not just a favorite of 2013, but my favorite of the year so far. I love how story starts out, giving us a big chunk of Sophie’s life in 1916 during the German occupation of France. From reading the synopsis I knew we would be getting both past and present, and most books like that give a chapter or two then switch for a chapter or two, then back. I thought this was great to give so much of the past storyline, because when we finally start reading about Liv Halston and how she comes across Sophie’s painting, my mind was always on Sophie. What happened to her? Did she find her husband? Or did she die? I was so hooked that I was bringing my Kindle everywhere with me so I didn’t have to stop reading. Towards the end of the novel I was walking on my treadmill (while reading, yes) and I remember goosebumps springing all over me when a new characters is introduced in the present – but someone from the past. I really don’t want to give anything away, because clearly it had quite the impact on me. From there, I started bawling – not crying, not sniffling, but full-out sobbing – when we finally learned of Sophie’s fate. And yes, I was still on the treadmill. What a magnificent book, and one I will recommend to everyone!
5 stars

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