ARC Review: The After Wife

The After Wife 
Gigi Levangie Grazer 
Contemporary
Ballantine/July 10, 2012

L.A. is no place for widows. This is what forty-four-year-old Hannah Bernal quickly discovers after the tragic death of her handsome and loving husband, John. Misery and red-rimmed eyes are little tolerated in the land of the beautiful. But life stumbles on: Hannah’s sweet three-year-old daughter, Ellie, needs to be dropped off at her overpriced preschool, while Hannah herself must get back to work in order to pay the bills on “Casa Sugar,” the charming Spanish-styled bungalow they call home.

Fortunately, Hannah has her “Grief Team” for emotional support: earth mother and fanatical animal lover Chloe, who finds a potential blog post in every moment; aspiring actress Aimee, who has her cosmetic surgeon on speed dial; and Jay, Hannah’s TV producing partner, who has a penchant for Mr. Wrong. But after a series of mishaps and bizarre occurrences, one of which finds Hannah in a posh Santa Monica jail cell, her friends start to fear for her sanity. To make matters worse, John left their financial affairs in a disastrous state. And when Hannah is dramatically fired from her latest producing gig, she finds herself in danger of losing her house, her daughter, and her mind.

One night, standing in her backyard under a majestic avocado tree, in the throes of grief, Hannah breaks down and asks, “Why?” The answer that comes back—Why not?—begins an astounding journey of discovery and transformation that leads Hannah to her own truly extraordinary life after death.

Finally finished.  This took a very long time to get through.  I started reading this back in July but couldn't get into it.  So I set it aside, thinking I would come back to it soon.  Fast forward a few months and I've finished The After Wife with little to recommend it.

Hannah Bernal has what seems to be the perfect life.  A wonderful, loving husband whom she is completely mad for.  A beautiful little girl who brings such joy to their lives and a home filled with happiness and love.  Then, all of that seems to be gone.  Hannah's husband is killed and her life is falling apart.  She still has her daughter but can't stop herself from focusing on her loss, instead of focusing on her daughter who needs her.  As Hannah falls into despair she finds out she has a unique ability that will eventually help her cope with her loss and give her life new purpose.

While Hannah tries to deal with her grief the world around her continues on.  Her friends, the "Grief Team", are there to try to help but they all have numerous problems of their own.  The problem I had with these characters was that I couldn't drum up any real concern or interest for them.  Lots of pretentious, self absorbed people living in Hannah Bernal's world.  Her deceased husband, I think I might have liked him, before he died.

There is also the sense that Hannah is always on the outside looking in. It didn't ever feel like she fit in, anywhere.  I often wondered where this woman in the flashbacks went to.  In the flashbacks prior to her husband's death, she seems strong, resourceful and intelligent.  After, those qualities are gone, replaced with a woman who acts as though she has nothing to live for.  Suicide is mentioned fairly often, even joked about, which I found to be in very poor taste. This book may be considered humorous but most of the jokes fell flat, trying to make light of serious subjects only proved to belittle genuine feelings of pain and loss. 

So much of the story feels over the top in the highly superficial setting.  There are numerous references to pop culture which became tedious. When deeper emotions began to surface from Hannah, they were cut short by sarcastic remarks and Hannah talking of wanting to leave this world and be with John.  Then there is Hannah's irresponsible attitude which irritated me to no end.  At one point she has no job, no income, is about to lose her home but decided to go off to a spa for a couple of days with her friends.  I just wanted her to get it together and be proactive in her life, cherish her daughter and friends, not hide from the responsibility of living.   

In the end, The After Wife could have been so much more.   

Rating: D

TBR Challenge Review: An Independent Wife

An Independent Wife
Linda Howard
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin/1982

*Spoilers - trust me, it's better than reading the book*

From the back cover ~

Seven-Year Itch

Their marriage had been passionate, painful - and brief. Their break had been final. Absolute. From that day on, Sallie Baines had truly changed. She could barely remember the timid girl who'd clung to love, but lost everything - even her pride.

Rhy Baines hadn't changed at all. After seven years, he remained the most attractive man Sallie had ever known. And now, fascinated by the independent woman his wife had become, Rhy still wouldn't take "no" for an answer...

My first book for the TBR Challenge and the best thing I can say is that I'm happy it's off my TBR pile. Do any of you remember the show Dallas and the character J. R. Ewing that Larry Hagman played? The hero, and I use that term very loosely, was channeling J. R. through much of this book. Total and complete Ass with a capital A. You know how sometimes in my reviews I'll say I wish someone would just shoot "insert character name" ? Well, shooting would have been too good for Rhy Baines. String him up, drawn and quarter, put him on the rack... well, you get the idea.

I probably should have just put this in the Goodwill bag and picked another book. It's not like I don't have plenty of categories to choose from but instead I kept on reading, thinking, hoping, praying, it would get better. It didn't. This is an early Howard, her second published I believe. And it's dated - 1982 but seriously, it was like something from the sixties the way the men treated Sallie, the heroine. Calling her doll, honey etc. And those were the men she worked with! Once I got through the first 100 pages or so, it was like a train wreck, I just could not look away. Most of the time I was reading I'm sure I was swearing under my breath.

The heroine starts out as Sarah Jerome, a quiet, timid young woman who's parents are killed in a car accident when she's eighteen. She lives next door to Rhy Baines' aunt and has known Rhy for many years. After her parents death, Sarah and Rhy begin dating, three whole dates before he asks her to marry him. Which in it self is weird but add in that he's 28, she's 18. He's a world traveling foreign correspondent. She's a small town girl. Emphasis on girl. It made no sense so it was no surprise that the marriage didn't last. She couldn't handle him being gone all the time, he couldn't handle her complaining about him being gone all the time. He's not there when she really needs him. She complains some more. He has enough and walks out. She stops feeling sorry for herself, goes to college and gets a job. Gets a break and becomes a, wait for it... world traveling reporter.

Years pass and Sarah is now calling herself Sallie and loving her job as a reporter for a weekly news magazine. She has changed from the shy, timid girl to an outgoing field reporter. She has also changed her looks from short and plump to petite and curvy. She's a very attractive and striking woman. Then she gets the news that her husband Rhy Baines will be making his way back into her life. And he's still her husband because neither one of them bothered to get a divorce after seven years apart. Rhy did try to find her but had no luck because she changed her name and is using her maiden name.

Rhydon Baines is a good looking, famous television reporter whose work takes him all over the world. Men want to be him and women just want him. He's decided to slow things down and cut back on his world traveling by buying a news magazine. He's now Sallie's big boss. When he realizes who one of the top reports for the magazine is, he's in complete shock! His little mousy wife has turned into a sexy little thing that he wants back in a big way and he'll do anything to get her.

Rhy starts with grounding Sallie, no more reporting from dangerous places. She's stuck in the office, having little to do. Then he threatens Chris, Sallie's male co-worker and friend. Rhy doesn't like Sallie's relationship with Chris and will fire Chris if it doesn't stop. This while Rhy is dating dingbat model Coral Williams. Rhy also tells Sallie she can't refuse him his "marital rights", after Sallie tells him she doesn't want to be his wife and won't sleep with him.

Rhy keeps pushing Sallie to be his wife again. And it turns out that Sallie isn't totally over Rhy, no she's still in love with the ass. She gives in, they have sex, yada, yada, yada. But she still doesn't want to be his wife. Seriously! What did she think would happen after she slept with him? That he would leave her alone? And the model that he's been dating? Sallie tells Rhy to go be with her but he says "I do what I want to do with whomever I choose - and right now I choose my wife." Awe, how romantic. Ass!

Rhy does agree to allow Sallie to go on an overseas assignment, with him. Rhy is his usual, domineering self and Sallie is still trying to be the independent woman. They argue, fight, split up and come back together. But Sallie still doesn't want to be Rhy's wife. Ugh!

Rhy takes the ultimate step in securing Sallie - he removes everything from her apartment and moves it to his. Of course he does this without her consent so she comes home, sees her things gone and thinks she's been robbed. When she finds out it was Rhy she is livid! Thank god! But this doesn't last long, she caves and moves in with him! At this point I thought they deserved each other. Fine, go back to him because you are such an independent wife. Ha! But wait, they have to have one more misunderstanding and Sallie must flee the bastard.

They get back together, again, because this is a romance after all. *eye roll* And I will say the last few pages Rhy actually seems like he might be redeemable but it's a case of too little too late. He's still an ass.

Rating: D