Overall Enjoyment: ⭐⭐.5
Plot: ⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐.5
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️
Synopsis:
My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney follows artist Eden Fox. After having just moved to a new rural town, she is all set to open her first exhibit. However, one evening, after returning from her nightly run, she discovers that her key no longer fits the lock on her front door. A woman who looks remarkably similar to her shows up at the door, saying that she is Eden Fox and that the house belongs to her.
Review:
My Husband’s Wife has an intriguing premise that entices the reader immediately. The amount of effort Alice Feeney put into the books becomes more apparent the deeper you venture into its chapters. The story held so much potential.
Feeney packs the novels with twists around every corner, often requiring the reader to suspend some intellectual thought. The story starts out strong, effectively introducing both the characters and the mystery. However, twists were used too liberally. A reader can only believe so many coincidences, and this book unfortunately surpasses that amount. There were some strong elements brought into the story that ultimately felt abandoned.
As the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the reader is meant to sympathize with one of the central characters. However, it was found to be too difficult to do. None of the characters felt redeemable, as each had behaved despicably and committed actions that were difficult to forgive. Had the novel fully committed to the irredeemable nature of its characters, I would have been more accepting of it. Instead, the ending seems to invite the reader to extend forgiveness, a conclusion that felt unearned given everything that came before.
I hope you enjoyed this review! Stay tuned for my next one! – Jules Grant, Associate Editor & Literary Critic