At times, this book might have made me tear up a bit... I loved the friendship the women built and found myself eager to hear more of their stories.

Although I am an Emma Robinson novice, I knew from the outset that this novel was going to be a wonderful read for me.

About the Book:
It was a wooden box, white with yellow and green flowers. Shelley ran a finger over the embossed lettering – Memories – pressed her lips tightly together, feeling her heart pounding in her chest… and opened it.

When Shelley first met Greg, her life had been full of possibility. A whirlwind romance, a dream wedding, moving into their first house together, thinking about starting a family…

But now it’s ten years since their wedding. Greg has gone. And there’s a room in the house where Shelley has shut a baby blanket away. In a box, under a bed, in a spare room, behind a door that she never opens. If it’s there, she can forget about it. Just like everything else in that room. Just like her other memories. Of a marriage that perhaps hadn’t been perfect. Of a life that hadn’t gone the way she had expected.

She’s been managing to hide from her past. Every day she acts like everything is normal. Going to work and following a routine helps her pretend the bad stuff never happened.

Until one day, everything changes. She sees the couple moving in next door, giggling as they walk up the path to their new home. The woman is pregnant. It’s like she has everything that Shelley has lost. But when Shelley properly meets Lara, she soon discovers she is in fact carrying a heartache to match Shelley’s own.

As her friendship with Lara deepens, Shelley starts to wonder what might happen if she opens the box she’s hidden away. Will the secrets from her past – about what she lost, what she’s hiding from, and what she has been doing her best to forget – destroy her?

My Thoughts:
The Forgotten Wife is told from Shelley's and Lara’s viewpoints. I loved the way their secrets were slowly unveiled and the way this gradually created a strong bond between the two neighbours.

In this poignant and refreshing novel, Emma Robinson writes so well about female friendships and I soon found myself completely immersed in the lives of these two women. This is a heart-warming and emotional read with real depth, elegance and maturity in the writing. There is so much to keep the reader turning the pages and it was a riveting read right through to the fulfilling ending.

The Forgotten Wife is a must for anyone who is partial to a compelling tale about friendships, relationships, grief, loss, and life's vagaries.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Travel consultant Shelley has basically shut herself away since her husband, Greg, left. But then Lara and her husband move in next door - Lara is pregnant and no longer working as a lawyer so is looking for company. Inspired by a Marie Kondo-type book, she offers to help clear out Shelley's spare room where she has stored Greg's belongings. Amid the decluttering, the pair find that their unexpected bond is therapeutic.
This is a story about isolation and loss, hope and friendship as the two women share and heal from their heartaches. The women's stories will resonate with many and it makes for a highly emotional story. The downside: Although the author worked to conceal some of the past events and connections, the truth was too easily guessed.

First, I want to thank Emma Robinson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Emma Robinson did it again in The Forgotten Wife and touched my heart so deeply that I couldn’t stop ugly crying out of compassion to what these characters were going through. This is one of the reasons that I love her writing so much. She writes from the heart and has passion for her characters she writes.

Immediately, I totally fell head over heals in love with this cover! Not only was it beautiful the meaning was perfect for this book. I am a huge fan of butterflies as they have multiple meanings to me personally. So, when I saw this and who wrote the book I knew this was a must read book and I was right.

Emma wrote about some extremely important yet difficult topics in this book that were emotional in nature. Some were hard for me to read as I had total compassion for the characters. However, at the same time I couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been for Emma to write this story. This book, the characters, and storylines seemed very close to her heart as she wrote everything so passionately. Not only did I want to hug the characters but Emma as well. If I was crying, I can’t imagine how she was holding up writing some of the scenes.

I did have a huge laugh. This is no joke. One of my favorite boy bands just like Shelley’s is NSYNC. I was working out listening to a song on the Celebrity album while reading that part of the book
.
I loved and appreciated the bond between the two-woman Lara and Shelley and the similarities they later they found out they had. Each lady helped eachother grow and heal as the story went on. It was a beautiful friendship that they had.

Emma gave her readers a few life lessons to think about in The Forgotten Wife.

A heart wrenching book dealing with loss and the lack of hope for a better future. Cutting herself off from all but work, Shelley has lost herself in her tragic past. Her new neighbour, Lara seems to be able to break through her shell, but has her own past to deal with. The two women form a friendship and help each other to heal.

I enjoyed this book however it was not quite the story I expected from the title or cover. I found the story to be heart-wrenching at times as it deals with very real emotional events and gave the feeling of an emotional roller-coaster at times.

The main characters, Shelley and Lara, became very real quite quickly inside my head and the author gives clues that there are secrets hidden below the surface. As they become friends it is clear each one is shielding themselves from secrets of the past that they are not ready to share.

The author cleverly hints but never gives too much away throughout the book keeping the reader on edge, hoping the next chapter will bring answers. The author also writes about real issues in an lovely sensitive manner which makes this a beautifully written story of real people and real fears. Be prepared for all emotions, happy, sad, tears and laughs. It is a strong story of friendship and support.

I highly recommend this book and the author, Emma Robinson, and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This review is published today as part of the Bookouture Anonymous! book blog tour.

My sincere thanks to BOOKOUTURE and NETGALLEY for the opportunity to read and review ‘THE FORGOTTEN WIFE’ by EMMA ROBINSON prior to publication date.

All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway. All my reviews can be found on my blog momobookdiary.com

Grief and Growth, Love and Loss
This is a 2 hanky drama of grief, growth, love, and loss. The story moves so quickly that I didn't want to put the book down. Everything about the story makes it painfully real. There is not one bit the makes you realize that this is a work of fiction. I highly recommend this book to the lovers of strong Women's Literature. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This is not the first book which I have read by this author. Whilst I was totally prepared for a story which would grip me from the first page, I wasn’t expecting such a heartfelt and emotional read! The other books that I’ve read have felt to me to be a bit more light-hearted and saw me with tears in my eyes through laughing, but this book had me reaching for the tissues because of the feelings that the author managed to get within almost every page! Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a depressing read…far from it!! There were certainly parts that had me smiling, laughing even, but it definitely tugs at the heartstrings as well.

This is a story about love, loss and loneliness. The big main theme running all the way through the book though is friendship. Shelley and Lara are neighbours. Shelley is trying to come to terms with her husband leaving her when pregnant Lara moves in next door and wants to be friends. I loved both of these characters but in different ways. I just wanted to give Shelley a big warm hug as she just really needed one! She knows she should be moving on in life, but it’s just so difficult for her. Having been there myself I could totally empathise and understand where Shelley was at this stage in her life. Lara, to me, was really full on and I wasn’t sure whether I really liked that, but as you found out more about her it seemed that the confident person she came across as was just a front and there was much more hidden underneath.

As the story moved on it was obvious that whilst both women were becoming strong friends, they were also keeping secrets from each other. The author kept the intrigue going of what these secrets were all the way through the book. I really wanted there to be a happy ending for them both, but before you find out whether there is, I’m afraid you have to ride that rollercoaster through the twists and turns of Shelley and Lara’s life first! This was a beautifully written book, which had me hooked from the beginning and not wanting to put the book down. It had so many things in it which I could relate to, and probably so could many more, and left me thinking about it long after I’d finished. Would definitely recommend reading this book!!

The Forgotten Wife by Emma Robinson was a very enjoyable read, especially as Emma is a new author to me and it wont be the last book I read by her. Emma wrote with passion and this book was Just brilliant. The forgotten Wife is an emotional read involving two women who unexpectedly become very good friends.

Shelley is very lonely after her husband Greg for ten years, leaves her. Shelley wants her husband back in her life But she knows deep down they could never get back what they had and lost! She is nursing a broken heart and she locks what she is hiding all in her spare room up stairs in her house! Shelleys Life is in a time warp...........Every day is the same But with no Greg at her side!
The house next door to Shelley is up for sale and a new couple moves. Lara who is heavily pregnant with her husband Matthew. Lara introduces herself with a big cheerful smile and they both start talking, Shelley invites Lara in for a cup of coffee. They start to talk and instantly become very good friends.
Lara asks to use the toilet and she didn't find the toilet.........she opened the door to the spare room.

What Lara finds is unsettling.

Shelley and Lara both are hiding secrets from their past. Between they can they help each other to over come them?

This novel is about friendship in the best form and to help each other through dark places in their lives,

I highly recommend this book......It was emotional and brilliant at the same time!

I have laughed and shouted out loud and cried throughout the book. It is a brilliant read and very hard to put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture the publisher and author for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is an emotional rollercoaster read. I feel wrung out. I have laughed and cried my way through this raw and emotional story. The friendship that develops between Shelley and Lara helps them both through so much. Bereavement, miscarriage, and relationships are all talked about with feeling and empathy. I just wanted to keep reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

What a heartbreaking but also uplifting read!

"Some friendships are short, only lasting while you have circumstances in common......other friendships last longer - you make a real connection. But there are some friends who are there for the long haul"

This is a story about love and lost. A story about two broken women both broken in their own way. Its a story about trying to survive from 1 day to the other; of never giving up and of miracles.

It is beautifully written with so much empathy and it makes you feel thankful for what you have in life

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story is about two girls who became friends when one moved in next door to the other. The beginning of the story starts with them getting to know each other but skimming over their secrets. It turned out they were both grieving, but for different things. It was a great story which shows thst after grief there can be happiness.

When a new couple moves in next door to Shelley, the wife, Lara wants to befriend her. Lara is pregnant and Shelley immediately feels deep pangs of loss. She is still grieving the fact that her husband Greg has left her. What is more is that she is hiding something special away, a baby blanket among the things.

Lara all but barges into Shelley's life. Before she knows it, Lara is helping her to declutter her home, with a book she read giving both women direction. Meanwhile, Shelley begins to notice things about Lara, even wondering about the state of her marriage. Their friendship grows closer, yet each woman is keeping secrets from the other.

The Forgotten Wife is a very good story that hits hard. I found a kinship with each woman and their losses. As we read the book, we are getting the story delivered in both of their perspectives. It is easy to see how two strangers could easily become so close. Grab some tissues, because they will definitely be needed. Despite the tears, the story ended with hope, so this delivered a very good balance. This is my second book by Emma Robinson and I highly recommend it. She writes deeply emotional stories that will stay with the reader for a very long time.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Not the best book I have ever read but not the worst by far. It touches on pregnancy, miscarriage, death, love and friendship. I didn't connect with Shelly right away and her neighbor was not a lot better. I felt the story was predictable although interesting at the same time. It is an easy read and I read it quickly.

Thanks Net Galley for allowing me to read this arc for my honest opinion.

The Forgotten Wife is a poignant, soulful and uplifting story about tragedy, heartache, rediscovering yourself and the power of friendship. I devoured this book in just a few hours, the beautiful writing and addictive story making it impossible to tear myself away until the end.

The story is narrated by Shelley and Lara and begins the day Lara and her husband Matt move into the house next door to Shelley. They start to get to know each other, each secretly wishing they could just be alone as they are both nursing secret pain that is crippling their lives. As they get closer the two very different women learn they are more alike than they realised and that the other could be just what they need to help them heal their broken hearts.

Shelley and Lara were wonderful characters. Shelley has isolated herself since her life imploded when her husband, Greg, left her a year ago. She’s angry, bitter and finding it hard to move on like she knows she should. She’s put up a wall to prevent any further pain from people leaving so she’s not exactly warm and welcoming when Lara moves next door and seems to want to get to know her. Lara and her husband Matt are expecting their first child and have a blissful, perfect life that Shelley envies. But Matt fusses over Lara and won’t let her do anything, and Lara is avoiding her friends so she doesn’t have to face what she calls the worst time in her life. They are very different - Shelley is introverted, quiet and indecisive, while Lara is confident, outgoing and focused. At least that is how it seems. A they grow closer their full selves are revealed as they feel able to share the truth about themselves and their pain. I connected to both women and things they went through and loved the warm and wonderful friendship they shared.

I am a big believer in some books coming to you when they’re supposed to, and this one came at exactly the right time for me. Though there was a lot in this book that should have made it a painful and difficult read for me I actually found it a therapeutic experience and I know a part of that is the talent of the author. Robinson has a knack for getting into your soul and breaking your heart while uplifting you and giving hope at the same time. She is an exquisite storyteller whose prose is tender, beautiful, clever and addictive. One of the twists was so surprising it had my jaw on the floor and turned everything I thought I knew upside down.

The Forgotten Wife is an emotional, powerful and wondrous novel that I can’t recommend highly enough. Just be warned that you’ll need tissues at the ready as it pulls on your heartstrings again and again. My love for Robinson’s writing is now solidified and her books are now on my auto-buy list. I just need to get myself emotionally prepared in time for the next one.

I will leave you with this quote from Make Way For Joy by Marie Kondo, a book that features throughout the story and sums up my big takeaway from this novel - “In order to heal, you have to feel.”

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

OMG. OMG. OMG. The author made me cry. I still had a book hangover when I started writing this review. There was still a lingering lump in my throat all through the day.

There are books which leave their wispy trails around you that remind you to find your happiness. This was one such book of friendship and bonding. It started with 2 women Shelley who met her pregnant new neighbor Lara, and both became friends. Shelly’s husband had left her a year ago, and she still had his belongings shut in a room. Both the women decided to get rid of it one by one. Secrets were revealed and friendship strengthened.

My first book by author Emma Robinson, and I enjoyed every word of the prose, even the ones which caused me to read through the film of my tears. Written in dual viewpoints, the author showed me how we women were so strong even when we never believed it. To see them finding their way through life was something I would cherish for a long time. Beautiful writing by the author.

The author’s words kept the intrigue of the secrets along with the growing trust between the women with each chapter. There were laughter and tears all interspersed as I read… Have to admit, a couple of tears made their way on the screen. Sighhh.

A beautiful story which had me turning the pages slowly, living each word, feeling each emotion, laughing and crying with them.

The Forgotten Wife by Emma Robinson
This book tells the story of Lara who has just moved next door to Shelly.
We learn more about Shelly and Lara as the story unfolds.
I needed tissues for this one, mainly because Laras story is very real to me, I dont want to give the story away, but I have been in her position. I needed tissues for this book. The story is written with beautiful sensitivity. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Themes of friendship, love and forgiveness blend together in the beautiful jewel of a novel. The Forgotten Wife opens as Lara moves in next door to the quiet, reserved Shelley. A pregnant woman in the house next to hers is the last person Shelley wants as a friend but when Lara knocks on her door, she opens it.

Both women have been hiding long buried secrets and painful emotions. Soon the effervescent Lara offers to help Shelley remove all traces left behind by the absent Greg. As they work together, Lara finds satisfaction from this project, and their friendship deepens. Soon, with growing trust, the women begin to reveal their past hurts to each other and help each other see the ways to change life for the better.

The conclusion of The Forgotten Wive is hoped for but not unexpected. You wanteverthing to go well for these two unforgettable women and you want them to stay the best friends they have become. I wish Shelley and Lara lived next door to me! I would love to see a sequel from Emma Robinson. 5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Emma Robinson for this ARC.

An incredible and uplifting read. Difficult subject matter dealt with care and grace, I really enjoyed it and was glad to see how it unfolded. A really lovely novel.

Lovely story told by two women - Lara and Shelley- who begin as neighbors and develop into fast friends who share their deepest secrets. Shelley's been presenting one face to the world since her husband Greg left last year but she's torn up inside. Lara's pregnant and she's got something too (no spoilers). When they begin to clear out Shelley's spare room mostly of Greg's things, they begin to talk in a more sincere and open way than either has in the recent past. We all carry baggage with us but how often do we share it? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Nicely written and emotional, it's a good read.