What if you could find something better? Do you say all the things you really should? What would happen if you just left your current life? Ruth is about to find out. An impressive debut!

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.

“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.

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.

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 Meryl Moss Media Group for sending me this book to review. I was excited to get it and dive in. The prologue captured my interest right away and I was drawn into the story.

This story was well written and I really liked the main character, Ruth. This is a story about love, growing apart and the decision to either stay together or not. I was a bit disappointed by the ending. I felt it was rushed and not wrapped up nicely with a bow.

I think this book should be categorized as Women's Christian Fiction. This is a very clean book; no swear words, no sex, many prayers and lots of talks about scripture. I wasn't put off by these things by any means, but other readers may be.

I would definitely recommend this book. I enjoyed the journey the author took me on.

Is the grass really greener on the other side?
In this book the author set this scenario for a happily married couple, Ruth and David. She is a successful lawyer and he is the owner of a landscaping business. When work sends her to San Francisco, the time difference and the obsession of Annabeth, David’s part-time office assistant, has their marriage drifting apart. These three characters carry the essence of the book and how they handle disasters, stress and forgiveness. I liked the character of Ruth, her resilience and ability to forgive. Annabeth seemed too clueless for a college student and David went too far off the rails just like another minor character, but in a less confrontational way when disaster hit. Would I read another book by this debut author? Yes. The author, Diane Parrish, drew me into the characters and plot and I look forward to what else she will bring to her readers. Thank you Netgalley and Meryl Moss Media Group. Meridian Editions for the early copy. This review is my personal opinion.

This story had me completely involved and caring and concerned for our main characters, David and Ruth, as they
dealt with all of the sadness and grief of their infertility, the horrific car crash and the uncertainty of Ruth taking a job
on the other side of the Country. With each new life complication, the couple and their families and friends seem to
be pushed to their limits. However, with the sporadic faith showing through and their strong determination (albeit
at different times in the story) it is possible they will have the strength and determination to forgive and return to
each other.
I cannot say I’ve read a story this well written given everything that takes place, Sometimes the tragedies are
simultaneous and cross friend and family relationships. The Author crafted a superbly well written series of
personal triumph and tragedies, not always aligned with personal faith.
More than once I felt sadness or confusion as the characters made choices that, in my mind could not work.
The writing may be finished, but I’m still pulling for David and Ruth that they will realize the promises they made
are not to be broken.
My thanks to Deb Zipf, with Meryl Mass Media, who offered this book via NetGalley, for review purposes.

This book was good! I found myself routing for our main character and hoping everything works out for her. I did feel that there were some lulls in this book, but it was overall entertaining and I enjoyed it!

I started this book not really knowing anything about it. I quickly came to develop a deep affection for Ruth, one of the main characters. I enjoyed the character development and the relationships but there was just a little too much god stuff for me to rate this 5 stars or to recommend it to my friends. I appreciate that it's very important in some people's lives but not really my cup of tea.

The book was well written though and I enjoyed it.

An interesting set of characters forms the centre piece of this book, with a lot of effort put in to building their relationships so the reader can engage thoroughly in their experiences. It is a thoughtful book and this can mean the pace seems a little slow at times but it is worth it as the action picks up about halfway through,

David and Ruth have a happy marriage, punctuated by their sadness dealing with infertility. Ruth indulges herself by spoiling her niece and David loses himself in work. He’s a successful landscape designer and has had a stream of satisfied customers except for one slightly crazed investor. Ruth is a lawyer and is surprised by her director’s request that she work with a new client, Brian Bishop, in San Francisco. She begins her new assignment with a promise to come home as often as possible. While she is away, David hires Annabeth, the young, rudderless daughter of a late friend, to be his office manager. (I think you can see where this is going). David becomes infatuated with Annabeth while Ruth and Brian deal with a slow burning attraction to each other. What happens next will put their marriage to the test.

Something Better, a debut family drama by the talented Diane Parrish, weaves love, frustration, anger and forgiveness together with threads of Christianity. I enjoyed all the characters, especially David, Ruth and Maeve. What I didn’t like was the final chapter. Without spoilers, I found it sad and depressing. Love does not win. So 4 stars and I will definitely read whatever Parrish writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Meryl Moss Media Group and Diane Parrish for this ARC.