Laura Pearson explores the fallout from infidelity in this heartbreaking story. The author dealt well with the challenge of writing from four viewpoints. However, I did sometimes feel at a distance from the characters, both in terms of writing style and understanding their motivations and actions. Overall, a thought-provoking and interesting read.

This book was about relationships. You have the relationship between Emily and Josephine who are sisters. In the beginning of the book, Emily marries Michael and Josephine begins dating Jack. Their lives intertwine in unexpected ways and they have to deal with what has happened. The aftermath is fraught with tension and great emotion. I really loved the character development of the Emily in the book, however would have really liked to understand the point of view of the others better, yet I still appreciated the book for what it was. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.

I just couldn't really tell the reasoning for the characters in this book to do what they did. Emily has an affair with her sister's boyfriend, but I'm not sure what drove her to do this. This whole tale was very depressing and a let down after the enticing description.

I really wanted to enjoy this book but unfortunately in the end I just did not. The characters were unlikable and the author seems to confuse lust and love. Those two concepts are very different. The plot was very stilted and predictable. I had to force myself to finish this book.

I loved this book. Going into it I wasn’t sure what to expect because the description was sort of open ended. I really don’t want to say much because I don’t wanna give anything away but this was very well written and the plot was beautiful and the characters were very well developed

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emily and Josephine have always shared everything. They’re sisters, flatmates, and best friends. It’s the two of them against the world.

When Emily has the perfect wedding, and Josephine finds the perfect man, they know things will change forever. But nothing can prepare them for what, or who, one of them is willing to give up for love.

Four people. Three couples. Two sisters. One unforgiveable betrayal.

Nobody's Wife was a great story that was well written. I loved the characters and the plot. My only complaint is that it was a little predictable, but it was still a great book!

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #NobodysWife
Pub Date: 28 Mar 2019

This is a predictable read. The story is really slow at the start. It takes a while for feelings to become known and for relationships to change. I could not warm to Emily at all. I thought she was incredibly selfish and shallow. There is so much hurt in this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This book will send shivers up your spine. It certainly did mine.
The authors writing style is amazing-this book instantly grabs you.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Agora Books for my eARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review

Amazing book, beautifully written. Shows the impact that infidelity has on relationships and marriage and the consequences of people’s actions on themselves and others. Haunting but compelling. Thank u for letting me review this book

A good, solid read. Nothing particularly original but it definitely kept me hooked. Some scenes weren’t as well written as others though, hence 3 stars - so close to a 4 for me!

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Nobody's Wife Cover

Nobody’s Wife by Laura Pearson Agora Books March 28th 2019

‘Of the four of them, only three remained. And there was no going backwards from there.’

Emily and Josephine have always shared everything. They’re sisters, flatmates, and best friends. It’s the two of them against the world.

When Emily has the perfect wedding, and Josephine finds the perfect man, they know things will change forever. But nothing can prepare them for what, or who, one of them is willing to give up for love.

Four people. Three couples. Two sisters. One unforgiveable betrayal.

From the best-selling author of Missing Pieces comes a heart-wrenching story about family, loyalty, and obsession that will have you racing to the finish.

My Review

I love a good wedding, especially at the start of a novel, the happy couple all loved up and ready to start their married life.

This is how we met Emily and Michael and loved up they appeared to be, or were they?

This was a question Pearson asked of us and then proceeded to give a portrait of a marriage, of how it can change the relationships we have with those around us, of how it can make us question our life choices. She presented us with four characters, all connected to one another in some way and it was interesting to read how Pearson made them interact and the impacts their actions had upon one another.

We had the sibling relationship between Emily and Josephine, their closeness all too evident, but Emily’s marriage and Josephine’s new boyfriend Jack seemed to put a wedge into it, one that pushed them further and further away. What Pearson did so well was to take us along with Emily and Josephine as they experienced a full range of emotions, from anger, guilt and ultimately betrayal. She never made us feel that the blame lay soley with the one sister, she merely presented their circumstances letting us the reader make up our own minds. It highlighted how we don’t necessarily chose who we fall in and out of love with, how sometimes we have to give into what we truly want even if that meant hurting others.

Pearson didn’t hit us with the usual myriad of high dramatic confrontations but instead they were understated, with subtle words that took the place of actions, the emotions of the characters brought to the fore. You sensed great sorrow but also forgiveness and for me this is what made it stand out, made it non formulaic or predictable, the outcomes laced with uncertainty until the latter few pages when Pearson gave you the answers, and not necessarily those you wanted.

It was a novel that impressed and one that I enjoyed immensely and I shall look forward to reading more from Laura Pearson.

This is my first time reading this author. I got hooked right away. While it was fairly predictable, I enjoyed the story very much.

This will go live on 20 April, at which time I'll also copy it on Goodreads and Amazon:
Nobody’s Wife is set primarily in London and centres around Emily and Josephine: (half-)sisters, flatmates, best friends. The tagline reads: Four people. Three couples. Two sisters. One unforgivable betrayal. For those of you who suck at maths: one sister betrays the other sister by having an affair with said sister’s man, hence: three couples. It’s a tough theme, adultery, especially in this case where it concerns two sisters but there is no judgement from the author, she only reports what’s happening and the reader is free to make up their own mind. I felt so much fatality reading this, I was continuously waiting for the other shoe to drop. While I enjoyed this novel, I had some issues with the characters, especially the adulterous sister: I just couldn’t warm to her. I realise that being in a relationship doesn’t prevent infatuation with someone else, but what matters is how you handle those feelings and I found her very disrespectful towards her sister. While I did feel for her at times, overall I rather disliked her and that made me enjoy the story somewhat less. I also felt a little let down by the ending because I’d made some assumptions based on the prologue but what I was expecting didn’t happen (and I loved the ending I'd imagined more 😂). I did love Laura Pearson’s writing, the way she makes her words flow is stunning.
Overall an okay novel, a rather quick and realistic read that made me ponder relationships and sisterhood. I think other readers may enjoy this way more than I did.

This was a novel never meant to have a happy ending. You'll see that pretty quickly in. I mean, how can it? But, that is ok, the novel kept me moving along to see just how bad it dissolves. It was pretty bad, in a surprisingly sad way. I found myself thinking about this book and the characters days after I had finished reading it, which is a good sign.

For a topic that could have been abhorrent such as a woman becoming involved in a secret affair with her sister's boyfriend, Laura Pearson handles this with narrative class and elegance.
The points of view of all four characters are shown: Michael, Emily's husband who loves her to the point of adoration; Emily, Michael's wife who upon meeting her sister Josephine's boyfriend, feels things she has never felt for her husband; Josephine, who adores her boyfriend and the older sister that was like a mother to her when their own mother abandoned them; and Jack, Josephine's boyfriend who falls hard for Emily, and realizes that what he feels for Josephine is nothing in comparison.
The fates of these four people become entwined in tragic and irrevocable ways, that will leave two people angry and betrayed, while two others don't know if they can ever find happiness again.
Pearson did a wonderful job with character portrayal and complexity. So much so, that in the end, it's difficult to feel contempt for the ones who clearly deserve it. This novel really stands by itself on the topic of "the heart wants what the heart wants" and the consequences of following your desires.

Laura Pearson crafts this story with quite a few layers.

You have two sisters, Emily and Josephine, who have had a “we’re in this together” mindset since Josephine’s birth. They share a mother but have different fathers, which is another layer. Emily’s father passed away, whereas Josephine’s abandoned her and her family. The sister’s relationship is almost symbiotic. At one point during Emily’s wedding to Michael, he finds himself wishing his wife would look for him the way she looks for Josephine.

You have Emily’s marriage. As Linda Pearson relates the moments leading up to it, the ceremony, and the reception, you find yourself hoping Emily will be happy yet suspecting she is settling for what she thinks marriage should be. One thing is imminently clear: Michael loves her, and he deserves a wife who cherishes him as much as he cherishes Emily.

You have Josephine, still single but in a new relationship. She meets Jack and is instantly taken with him. He’s a little slower to feel the connection, but he’s good looking, charming, and creative. You can see potential for Josephine.

You have friendships. Josephine has a close bond with her friend Ben, and Jack and Michael form a friendship borne of both being writers. Well, Jack does so professionally, with Michael writing a book he hopes will be published.

Within this come the betrayals. The blurb gives you a clue: “Four people. Three couples.” I give Linda Pearson credit for making the betrayal feel almost organic. You can understand how it happens, and you might even sort of root for this couple. Yes, you know that two people will be terribly hurt, but if their relationships aren’t fulfilling to them–if they are not receiving what they need–then is it really “wrong” for them to be together?

The problem is that this book occasionally falls into a little melodrama here and there, and with four points of view, you sometimes find yourself wishing you could hurry up and get to one of the cheaters. Sometimes I found myself wondering what this book would have been like had it been written just from those two perspectives. On the other hand, you do get to know these people pretty well, and you feel like they’re fairly well developed.

Parts of this book made me cry. One character in particular is written heartbreakingly. There is a scene where this person goes to visit his/her parents, and the ache he/she feels just about rips you apart.

The ending might upset a few people. I can see why Linda Pearson felt she had to give the ending she does, but I also can see why some readers want something different. If you read this one, I’d love to know your thoughts.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

"Nobody's Wife" by Laura Pearson.

My first time reading that author.

3.5 stars.
It is well written, interesting and I liked it but I can't say I loved it.
We are told right away that one of the characters is dead and I wanted to know who, why, how... so I kept on reading expecting something big... I found it to be slow, not much happening.
It's about family, sisters, love, loss, secrets, betrayal... so it is interesting but I thought it would be more of a thriller/mystery/crime type. The kind where so much is happening that you can't put it down.
I didn't feel for the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Agora Books for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Laura Pearson ripped my heart out, threw it on the pavement, stomped on it, and then handed me gloves and Scotch tape to try and mend it.

I had been tremendously impressed by Missing Pieces, therefore my expectations were high when I opened Nobody’s Wife. There’s something grey, gloomy, and terribly sad in this title, and this mix makes it so appealing. I couldn’t resist. I did not want to resist.

Enter Emily, Josephine, Michael, and Jack. Four people, four hearts, four lives. What happens when the ones closest to you cross an invisible line?

I am an only child. I immediately envied Emily and Josephine’s relationship. Their bond felt unbreakable and their love powerful, enabling them to overcome any hardship coming their way. They were a real ‘us against the world’ item, even with the addition of Michael and his marriage to Emily. He somehow fitted into the picture, understanding the women’s indelible link. But the balance is thrown when Jack appears. At least, this is what you’re supposed to think.

Laura Pearson knows how complex people are and she plays with our flaws, our dreams, and the emotions that make us who we are. Emily’s wedding looked perfect. Only a bird’s eye could have caught the first clues… I adored how hints were subtly scattered, offering Nobody’s Wife a familiar authenticity. It went on throughout the entire novel. No black, no white. Just a long and intense line of grey on which the characters must walk to find their way. But to be a tightrope-walker and stay up there, choices must be made.

When life changes and Michael and Emily move into the girls’ family home, leaving Josephine on her own for the first time, the latter doesn’t know how to react. But soon, she finds herself swept away by the handsome Jack, and it looks like her own life could take on a nice turn.

Do we believe life is as simple as this? Of course not!

Under Laura Pearson’s quill, this small world starts dancing, orbiting around the sisters, tracing beautiful and painful circles that will change their lives. We think we are in command of our days, of our feelings, but we are just lying to ourselves. The author takes on the role of the angel and the devil, exposing the darkest of thoughts, the urges that we can’t control, and the aftermath of our mistakes. I truly appreciated that Nobody’s Wife is not pointing fingers. The book only shows you the worst scenario that no one could have predicted. Conflicting emotions live between the pages, exploring the ‘what if’s and the risks of crushing a family in the name of love. I was overwhelmed by the raw and emotional journey.

Did I like all characters? No. But they all played their parts. I never warmed to Jack, finding him too secretive, a bit manipulative, and playing on both sides as if he couldn’t, or wouldn’t be left with a prize, even if it wasn’t the one he was hoping for. Despite her choices, I was able to understand Emily and I kept wondering about settling for second best, or chasing the wild, pure dream songs talk about.

With such a brilliant and heavily-emotional novel of love and betrayal, characterization must be perfect. Nobody’s Wife makes it happen. Laura Pearson offers a wonderfully addictive tale of family making us think about our lives, expectations, and what the future holds. Can we be happy without sacrificing others’ happiness?

Laura Pearson is a new author for me but I found her narrative to be straight from the heart and extremely addictive.
Two sisters who have had a difficult time growing up without a father and then their mother moving to the other side of the world. They live together and share everything.
Then one of them meets a man who's to become her husband but the sisters remain close until inevitably the other sister meets someone. Will this be her happy ever after ?
A good novel which is heartbreaking, emotional and honest love!d it.