Sunday Synopsis

 

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

 My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

 Before I read this book, I had heard two friends, who are both avid readers, discuss how incredible it was. Then I read the description, which also reeled me in. So, I read it. I enjoyed it, but it didn't live up to all the hype. 

Moriarty has a good sense of writing style and word choice, and I did feel like she developed the characters so that the reader can identify with their feelings and motivations. I also liked that it was set in Australia which allowed her to work in some aspects of authenticity.

On the other hand, I feel Moriarty spent too much time creating backstory that was extraneous. It took a while to get into the meat of the story, so much that I almost abandoned it. She connected John Paul's family to Rachel Crowley's character as well as Connor's character, but she failed to connect Tess's family to the others. Tess's story was unrelated to the main plot. She connected Connor to Tess, but she gave no logical connection to the Fitzpatricks and Crowleys. This really bothered me because I felt like it should have been two separate books.

I also think the plot was a bit predictable. On a positive note, I liked the ending. Moriarty gave several "what if" scenarios which created the perfect epilogue. Overall, I would have appreciated more intensity and a quicker pace.