Something Better is a novel about navigating grief and trauma, loss of the family member, marriage crisis, problems with conceiving a child, adulting and... finding yourself all over again.

I thought: "it's too much for a short novel." Later, I found myself thinking that it's all life -- we face not one but 99 problems at once and we demonstrate our strength and patience in overcoming them. If we lack these characteristics, we fail. The main three characters of Something Better's showcase it. We have teenager Annabeth, whose parents died in a car accident. Her parents' friends Ruth and David, a married couple, help her and enter a long-distance relationship.

In one of her interviews, Diane Parrish shared that she was inspired by her own family for this novel; how some of her family members find each other again while others lose the connection and become estranged. This trajectory in the book has surprised me as I was expecting a different character being able to solve the issues and move on with life (no spoilers intended!)

I recommend this book to anyone who has suffered from grief/trauma, or who knows someone who has. It will help you move on, or get a better peek at how grieving/traumatized people perceive the world.

I'm grateful to Diane Parrish for writing this book, and Meryl Moss Media Group and NetGalley for providing a copy of it.

t arose not from desire or even interest, but from what would happen . . . if she just let it?

The bubble in which Ruth and David live their tidy suburban lives is about to burst. A tragic automobile accident shatters their insular world and sends David into an emotional tailspin. An unexpected job opportunity sends Ruth to the West Coast, waylaying her desire to become a mother and making her increasingly unavailable for David’s needs.

Thrown off balance and alone, David develops a fixation on Annabeth Brady, the daughter of the friends lost that fateful night. As he and Ruth drift further apart, each must decide if they will remain true to their vows, or what it might mean to search for something better.

Told in gorgeous, descriptive prose with flashes of humor and insight, this debut novel by Diane Parrish quietly questions our notions of forgiveness and faith. Something Better heralds the introduction of a sparkling new talent.

Loved it. Will recommend to others.

I’ll start by saying this there’s an audience for every book and I was clearly not the correct audience for this one. At best, I would say this is a Christian fiction book, but it’s also structured so poorly.. throughout the book, David and Ruth appeared to be a healthy functioning, married couple with some infertility struggles (struggles that are quickly put on the back burner and never addressed again). Then somewhere towards the end of the book because honestly nothing much happened in the first 75% David Decides to have an indiscretion with somebody much younger. In addition to being younger, David is also her boss and knows she’s in a vulnerable position after the loss of her parents, and he still pursues her which honestly makes him seem very predatorial. Then after this in discretion, we never get as readers to hear about David and Ruth resolving this just that they’re going to stay together because Jesus told them too, and we also get to learn in the last five pages that Ruth is in love with her boss.. so the book basically ends with them in an unhappy marriage, but it’s OK because they have their Christian beliefs.

I was not keen on this book. The plot is vague, though mainly about Annabeth and a couple living locally, David and Ruth. The setting is Conneticut, but it could be anywhere. Annabeth has recently lost both parents in a car accident and has now moved to their house with the dog . She meets David & Ruth who were friendly with her parents and later starts to work for David in his landscaping business. Ruth is a lawyer who goes off to work in San Francisco and China.
Annabeth is naive to the point of being totally out of touch with modern life. David & Ruth are having fertility problems . The book bumbles on without very much happening until David's workplace is trashed by a customer. This is a tipping point in the book which results in contact being broken between David & Annabeth and between David and Ruth to some extent.
My problem with the book is that although events/ interactions between characters are inferred, there is no description as such . I also miss the depth of description of what is happening and also found the ending a little unsatisfying.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. This one was not for me

“It arose not from desire or even interest, but from what would happen . . . if she just let it?”


Barely out of high school Annabeth is left reeling when her parents are killed in an accident, leaving her to the tender mercies of overbearing, though well-meaning, Aunt Janet, who lives in Kansas. After a suitable mourning period, although still unable to grieve properly for her loss, Annabeth decides to return to her family home in Connecticut, where she hides herself away from people, surrounds herself with her parents things, and life comes to a standstill.

One of her father's friends was landscape gardener David and his lawyer wife Ruth and it is he who eventually reaches out to Annabeth. At first David is there and attentive, but never pushy or demanding of her thoughts and feelings. However, very quickly things change and David becomes besotted and fixated on the emotionally vulnerable teenager, who displays mixed messaging to the much older man, despite her budding relationship with Theo, with whom she shares a passion for running and who is similar in age.

David and Ruth are sharing a common grief of their own at once again not conceiving a much longed for baby, so when Ruth's firm sends her to work directly, for an indefinite period, with an important client in California, their lives are turned upside down at just the wrong time, especially as David has serious problems with an angry client and both his business and his mental well-being are adversely affected.

David and Ruth only exchange one visit each in the other's direction and on both occasions you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. David turns more and more to Annabeth and Ruth discovers that her temporary boss and divorcee Brian, isn't as much of a slave-driver as she had at first thought.

Temptation consumes both parties and although only one of them is unfaithful to the other, their marriage is very much on the rocks. Ruth takes the decision that she needs to go home and confront David and their problems face to face, if there is to be any chance of a future together for them...
…

Contemporary, Christian Fiction, is probably the way I would best sum up this book, with it having great potential for being optioned as one of those afternoon, made-for-television, Hallmark films. There was no earth shattering storyline, no bad language, several references to the church and prayer, and no explicit sexual scenes; everything was left to my imagination and the wonderfully documented thought processes of the characters.

Christian Fiction is another of those genres which I would probably never actively search out at a book retailer, as I am an individual of no faith, although I can appreciate the calming and reflective influences of a Christian place of worship. I was therefore pleased that the religious references which liberally peppered this storyline, were never preachy or overwhelming, only serving to focus individual thought processes, and ultimately never heavily influenced the decisions made by the characters.

Set in a single, present day timeline, with a short flashback as backstory reference, written from several viewpoints in the third person, the narrative was clearly defined by concise and well structured chapters.

This slow-burning, raw and brutally realistic storyline, was definitely all about the cast of characters and their interactions with one another. Well-rounded, although flawed, and beautifully drawn and developed as they undoubtedly were, I found it quite difficult to relate to many of them, or invest in their struggles quite as much as I would have hoped to. The weakest character for me, was David, who really needed a darned good shake, to get him out of his state of apathy, self-pity and constantly feeling sorry for himself. The strongest character was slightly more difficult to pin down between Brian's wife Maeve and teenager Annabeth, who had both chosen to take themselves out of the impossible situations they had found themselves in, but who had dealt with the aftermath and fallout in very different ways.

I may have perhaps preferred the ending to be a little more definitive, or at least for Ruth and David to have discussed their issues and possible ways forward towards forgiveness and moving on together, rather then the silent acceptance of the wrongs they had wrought against each other and the 'let's not talk about it any more', non confrontational attitude they both seemed to adopt. I guess that might be some folks way of dealing with such a monumental breach of trust in someone you thought you knew inside out - definitely not an option I would take if I found myself in similar circumstances, but then I don't have any faith to fall back on or use as an emotional crutch.

Perhaps if they had individually paid more attention to their respective sermons about the perils of covet and temptation, then they might not have even noticed that the grass may have been slightly greener on the other side, although it seldom is, eliminating the need for so much forgiveness and redemption!

As a confirmed 'armchair traveller', the author totally absorbed me in some wonderfully descriptive narrative around the multi locational settings for the story, which immersed me in the sights, smells and cultures beautifully.

Overall, a totally enjoyable, easy to read story.

Diane Parrish’s debut novel, Something Better explores the story of Ruth and David. A suburban couple whose life begins to shift after the sudden loss of their close friends. As they navigate how to deal with their grief, they find themselves drifting separately into the unknown.

As Ruth takes on a job across the country, we see the unraveling of their relationship. Ruth’s move to the West for work becomes physically and emotionally challenging. Grappling the sacrifice of her desire to be a mother and her marriage. David with his own challenges, his isolation fuels a desire for Annabeth, the daughter of the friends who died. Complicated between dealing with his new grief and yearning for something unknown he makes an impulsive decision that affects the foundation of his commitment.

Through their struggles, Parrish opens the introspection of forgiveness, faith and the choice you make when faced with the challenge of marriage remaining true to your vows and exploring the subconscious something better.

As characters, I enjoyed Ruth and David. They represent suburban life and what many folks go through in the trials and tribulations of living married life. They dealt with grief, infertility, and the challenges of long distance for an extended period of time. My issue is for a couple like this, in terms of the challenges to their vows and the enticement for something better, David made a choice that I wish would’ve been explored and dealt with. It was glossed over as if nothing had happened. That was a big deal and it should’ve been dealt with. And then what about Annabeth? How did it get to that point? Ruth later thinks the possibility and brushes it out of her mind isn’t reality. Her husband sort of checks out and that’s ok? That period of time in the book where there was a sequence of events that needed to be confronted and dealt with going into the conclusion, I wish would’ve been addressed to see how couples deal with these types of obstacles. We can infer things based on the circumstances but for me, it would’ve been a more stronger read for me to experience them dealing and overcoming.

Overall, despite wishing things were explored differently for a more impactful read, this was her debut and I look forward to seeing what she has in the future.

This is a crazy twisted book that I had trouble getting into until I took notes to help me understand all the characters messy relationships with each other. The opening scene is a car crash in the snow that leaves a couple--injured? Dead? Or did they walk away? Then we meet the cast of characters: Ruth and husband David, college student Annabeth who lives with dog, Chip, and David who hires Annabeth to do some work for him in his trailer/office. And then things get dicey....You have to read this one slowly even as it screams for you to read it quickly as you can't wait to see how all of these characters are really connected!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Really enjoyed this one! I should have read it so much sooner! But I don’t regret it. This maybe a new obsession! I love the characters, plot, etc.

Something Better can be a hard book to read. The main characters Ruth, David, and Annabeth are all struggling with changes and disappointments in their lives and are looking for new ways to deal with them. In doing so they go off on different paths that lead them into situations they find both threatening and thrilling. A lot of this book deals with the characters trying to come to terms with who they think they are as compared to who they actually have come to be. That ‘realness’ can be quite uncomfortable at times. You may find yourself wanting to grab a character by the shoulders and give them a good shake, but then you realize how invested in their lives you’ve become. Something Better can be a hard read but it’s worth the effort.

This Women's Domestic Fiction explores the perfect life of David and Ruth. Soon, a car accident, trauma, struggling to conceive, traveling for work, and more converge as they battle to hold onto their marriage.

Written in multiple POV, we are introduced to each character’s innermost thoughts and how they deal with challenges. It’s an engaging storyline that kept me turning the pages as our main characters come to rely on others for comfort. It’s an emotional roller coaster of longing and shame, forgiveness and grief, a story that will stay with you. Well done, it’s a book I recommend.

This literary fiction/women's fiction novel offers a glimpse into the seemingly perfect lives of David and Ruth, whose world is shaken by forces beyond their control, causing their paths to diverge as they struggle to hold onto their marriage. The writing is beautiful, with a subtle yet profound message about self-love and forgiveness that I really appreciated. It captures the reality of life’s unexpected challenges and how different personalities cope with them. I especially loved Ruth’s reliance on her faith during difficult times, and the honesty of how even that can sometimes feel insufficient. The story kept me engaged, and while the ending left me with a few lingering questions, it felt true to the unpredictability of life. It’s definitely worth picking up—a thoughtful read that isn’t too heavy but carries enough emotional weight to keep you invested in the characters’ journeys.

Thanks NetGalley for a copy of something better. The theme of the book was great but I felt it a little weak especially the ending. Sorry

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Something Better by Diane Parrish is a third person multi-POV contemporary novel centering around why a happy marriage could fall apart. Ruth and David have been trying for a child for years but are no closer to achieving their dream of being parents. When Ruth gets sent out of town more and more for work and David spends more time with the daughter of mutual friends, Annabeth, their marriage starts showing cracks neither realized were there before.

What I appreciated the most was that we got chapters from Annabeth’s POV and her parents’ deaths have impacted her and continue to do so. She’s home from college, on the verge of dropping out, and spending time with her boyfriend, Theo. David gives her a job as his assistant at his landscaping business and a new path could be opening up to Annabeth. But one of David’s clients comes to the office and threatens both David and Annabeth, traumatizing them and pulling Annabeth further away from everyone and yet pushing her a bit more towards David at the same time.

The affair plotline isn’t a large part of the plot as the story is a lot more about how a marriage could start breaking down. We don’t get many details of what happened between Annabeth and David but we know something happened that spooked David and convinced Annabeth to leave town but not really in shame. It’s interesting because I think, when we consume things that deal with this subject matter, we get a lot of the affair, emotional or physical, and here, we just don’t and I think that’s why this felt so different to me. It’s not that David doesn’t love Ruth, he very clearly does, and it’s not that he’s spending all his time lusting after Annabeth, because he’s not, but something shifted when Ruth and David were apart and Annabeth was there with David during a traumatic event.

On Ruth’s end, she spends more and more time with her boss and we can see how her boss’ former marriage reflects Ruth and David’s, right down to work taking priority. It’s not a perfect one-to-one, but it’s enough where you can start drawing parallels to where Ruth and David could end up. Should they be together or get a divorce? Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to say as, like the book says, sometimes affairs are forgiven and sometimes a marriage can survive infidelity and heartache. And sometimes it can’t. Am I rooting for David and Ruth to make it? I don’t know because I think the separation revealed something there that the two need to overcome and I’m not sure if they would be happier for it.

Content warnings for implications of infidelity

I would recommend this to fans of contemporary fiction exploring how a marriage could break down

I was lucky to get an ARC for Something Better by Diane Parrish (thank you Meryl Moss Media Group). It comes out this week, October 8. 2024 to be exact. It was a really interesting book which had moments that ran the gamut of emotions. The novel opens with a tragic car accident and what transpires is the aftermath of people left behind. Ironically, only one of the characters is significantly impacted and that is the daughter of the couple killed. However, her life becomes intertwined with others and the lives they all lead, in relationship with each other and apart.

How each person reacts to events out of their control and within their control are depicted in this book and it raised questions for me about what it means to "take control" or even to "take BACK control." It was very poignant for me to see each of the characters struggle as they navigated questions like these about their lives and their relationships.

This was a touching story with very likeable characters. Even the more annoying ones were somewhat likeable, which underscores the complexity of people. None of us are perfect, or wholly likable - we all have flaws or things that irritate other people. What was the mark of success for me about this book is that I was left wanting to know how each of the characters was doing - what the future held for them. To me this is always a sign that I enjoyed the book. Now, go and read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

When Annabeth's parents are killed in an accident on their way home from a winter party. her life comes undone. She is not really happy at her college, even her running is not as fun as it once was, and now she has lost her anchor. Her parents had only recently moved to Connecticut, so she doesn't even have a childhood home in which to mourn them. So when she goes to the house to try and say goodbye to them and figure out where her life is headed, she finds herself completely alone. She doesn't know anyone in this small town and doesn't have a clue where to begin to settle anything. The house itself is perfect, as her mother always maintained it, but her father's garden needs a lot of work. When a friend of her father's, a landscape architect who helped her father design his garden, offers to help she sees it as a godsend. And when he mentions that he is looking for an assistant for his business she is happy to have something to do with her days.

One day on a run she gets lost and finally stops at a house to find out where she is and how to get home and she meets a young man her age who is home from college for the summer. Their shared love of running soon turns into a friendship and romance and she is welcomed by his family.

But David, the landscaper, and his wife, Ruth, are looking at a huge upheaval in their tranquil life. Ruth has been chosen by her lawfirm to go to San Francisco to work with a new client who is looking to expand his business to Connecticut and needs a local attorney to help him navigate the legal necessities of setting up a new business in a different state. While there, she also gets involved in an intricate deal with investors in China and ends up going there for an extended stay. While she is away and unreachable a deranged man attacks David and his small office and all but destroys his business.

There is LOT going on in this book, and it goes off in a lot of directions and, in the end, I wasn't sure what IS better? The ending is not satisfying, with everyone just barely hanging on and wondering if they, in fact, SHOULD hang on. Ruth's awakening to the power of prayer was a good sign and I was left hoping she continues to follow where that seemed to be leading her.

Tried getting through this, but found it being too predictable and not at all worth the time. Sorry to say, did not finish despite reading for review.

I expected something better from Something Better, which started out as a reasonable tale but rapidly devolved into a very unsatisfying one. It is full of so many trite tropes about love, prayer, and forgiveness that I really didn’t want to finish it. Luckily, it was a quick read.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

It was an okay story. Predictable.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Something Better" and all opinions expressed are my own. Unfortunately, this book just wasn't a good fit for me. I didn't like the characters or the way the story developed.

3.5 rounded up. This is an interesting novel and does a nice job of developing the characters. I also found it to be a quick read. There is a lot of references to prayer and it was interesting to see the use of prayer in ordinary life. If there is such a category of Christian literature, I believe this would fit the bill.

I think this book will appeal to those who enjoy character driven novels. I would not have written the same ending but I guess it was fitting to the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Meridian Editions for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.