Helpful Score: 12
This is the second Liane Moriarty book I have read and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite new authors. Once I started this book I just could not put it down. Three women from the same small community are connected by one man's secret. Each of these women are plagued by uncertainty, the "what if's" of their lives. The author does a wonderful job of showing how so many little choices can have such big effects on our lives.
Helpful Score: 11
I'm still trying to figure out why so many people gave this book 5 stars. It's not an awful book but it was so very predictable in many ways. (I knew what the secret was before the letter was opened and already knew what most of the characters would do.) The epilogue was a jumble of ideas that must have floated through the author's head but didn't necessarily need to be thrown in there. This was a book about sad people, with sad secrets, who apparently place no value in honesty. Some of the situations were completely ridiculous. Again, not an awful book but it tries too hard to be clever with so many "connected" characters and a "secret" that you can see coming a mile away. Good for a quick, easy read though.
Helpful Score: 9
I must say I am of the minority when it comes to this book. I found it to be very boring. None of the characters were likable...you didn't pull for any of them. They just plodded along, very shallow, taking up space. Did I say this was a boring book? Many times I thought about not finishing it but I kept remembering all those good reviews. Another PBSer encouraged me to write my review. I generally don't like writing bad reviews. I feel everyone likes different things, it's what makes the world go round, but if one person had written a review like this one, I probably wouldn't have wasted $25 on the book or at least waited for the paperback copy. Again, did I say this book was boring? I will say one thing, the cover was lovely, but how it related to the book was beyond me. Will I read another Liane Moriarty book? I probably will but I will certainly wait for the PB version or hopefully win it in a swap.
Helpful Score: 3
Some readers have described this book as light Australian chick lit perfect for the beach. I read my fair share of chick lit beach reads but I would NOT place Liane Moriarty's The Husband's Secret in that category. This book is much more substantial than that description. Instead, expect to be challenged by this read. The first challenge is to keep straight the many (seemingly) unrelated characters that you will be introduced to in the first few chapters. The next challenge will unfold as the book progresses. The author let's you in to the thoughts and feelings of these characters as each faces and tackles some pretty daunting life obstacles. Your challenge is to refrain (if you can) on passing judgment too soon. Would you feel the same way given the same obstacle? Would you take the same action? This book is definitely a great beach read but don't expect to just sit on the sidelines, sipping a fruity drink. You will be mentally engaged in the story whether you like it or not. Expect this one to be made into a movie!
Helpful Score: 2
This is the best book I have read in a long time! Simply could not put it down! Te "secret" is astonishing! I would give it 10 stars if I could!
Helpful Score: 2
Took a little while to keep all the people straight, but once you get into it, it all makes sense. Not sure I liked the ending.
Helpful Score: 1
Liked it a lot. Love her style of writing. fun and intense at the same time. unexpected while keeping me engaged the whole time.
Helpful Score: 1
I liked this book on so many levels it's hard to say what I liked best. Initially, I was confused by all the characters and how they related. Once the husband's secret was revealed (I hadn't guessed what it woul be) the book picked up pace rapidly and all came together. I was impressed by the author's ability to describe feelings and emotions so well. I found the plot very plauseable and was hooked to the end. Life is definitely not black and white!
Helpful Score: 1
Great book! Loved how the characters stories seemed unrelated at first and slowly intertwined.
Helpful Score: 1
Highly readable, entertaining book. I read it while on vacation. This is not literary fiction by any means, but it was a page-turner. The husband's secret isn't revealed until midway through the book and by then the reader has likely figured it out. It is all the more dramatic though because readers have gotten to know the characters by then.
Helpful Score: 1
A quick, engaging read, The Husband's Secret felt somewhat predictable at times, but the suspense was not overly drawn out before spinning into another level of anticipation. The husband's secret is a shocking one, but it's the surrounding events that provide the best story. The ending was wrapped up nicely, with a sense of catharsis that makes it worthwhile to read all the way to the end.
Helpful Score: 1
It was a good book. I did have to write down the characters so that I wasn't getting confused. Does that mean I'm getting old?
I give very few books five stars, but this one was so much fun. So many "what ifs" and secrets. I did not want the book to end, but did not want to set it down.
The first few chapters had me a bit frustrated. Moriarty does not introduce one character and then bring the others into the picture; rather she jumps from family to family for quite a few chapters, before bringing them all into the picture together.
There are three separate families with their stories.
I found all of her characters lika-able, making for very easy reading. I received this ARC book free in a contest on goodreads.com.
The first few chapters had me a bit frustrated. Moriarty does not introduce one character and then bring the others into the picture; rather she jumps from family to family for quite a few chapters, before bringing them all into the picture together.
There are three separate families with their stories.
I found all of her characters lika-able, making for very easy reading. I received this ARC book free in a contest on goodreads.com.
I really enjoyed this book. It starts out slowly and I found it difficult to keep up with all of the characters at first. It picked up about midway through and from there, I could not put it down. It really made me think about the "paths not chosen" as we go through our lives. Awesome read!
Cecilia Fitzpatrick is a woman that has it all: a handsome and loving husband, kids that are well adjusted and love their folks, and she has a good standing in the community. One day she goes to the attic to fetch something for her daughter and comes across an envelope. On it is her husbands writing requesting that she read the contents of the letter only after his death. She resists her urge to read it and respects his wishes until she observes some uncharacteristic behavior from him which prompts her to open the letter soon after she finds it. The contents of the letter are shocking to her and her knowing the information sets her and her and her familys life on a different course. Though it was a good read I think I had higher expectations for this one, but the ending did leave me thinking what kind of life might she had had if she never read the letter.
I had read What Alice Forgot and liked it (somewhat), but I didn't enjoy this book much. To be frank, I'm not much of a fan of what is normally termed as chick lit (a phrase I find offensive), and to me this seemed to fall in that genre. I liked the idea of the book, but it was just a little too silly for my taste. Also, it was too long. Maybe it would not have seemed so long had I liked it more. But others may enjoy the writer's style and sense of frivolity.
While there were a number of secrets which I could foresee quickly, it was still a decent read. The epilogue & the last 2 chapters were the best part.
I picked this book up, because it sounded interesting. When I started reading I expected the story to revolve around one husband's secret. But the story revolved around a community and brought out each character and secrets that effect them. And then to realize what would have happened if circumstances had been different.
A great read!
A great read!
THE HUSBAND'S SECRET was the April 2014 pick in my neighborhood book club, and it wasn't half bad.
Cecilia, Rachel and Tess are three women living in Sydney, Australia, and Cecilia's husband John-Paul has a terrible secret. The thing is, the "secret" was pretty predictable, and I called it early on.
What I didn't like: There was too much rambling. The main characters' stream of consciousness became boring and repetitive through the middle of the book, as they went over and over and over their problems and the situations they were in. I was like, "Get on with it already!"
There was also a Berlin Wall narrative tie-in that felt weak and inflated. It felt like plot bloat.
What I liked: There were some touching moments with Cecilia and John-Paul's six year old, Polly. And with Rachel as she struggles with the grief of losing a child. The descriptions of how everyone in town viewed Rachel after her loss were really effective.
I didn't love any of the characters, and wasn't really wowed by anything after I turned the last page. But it did give me food for thought about crime and punishment. So that's good.
Overall, I give THE HUSBAND'S SECRET a B-, and I'm open to reading more by Liane Moriarty. And I have to agree with another reviewer who said the pink flower cover was nice, but had less than zilch to do with the story! Couldn't they have come up with something better?? Surely they could've, but I guess I do see a correlation between the shallow covers and the author's narrative style as a whole.
Cecilia, Rachel and Tess are three women living in Sydney, Australia, and Cecilia's husband John-Paul has a terrible secret. The thing is, the "secret" was pretty predictable, and I called it early on.
What I didn't like: There was too much rambling. The main characters' stream of consciousness became boring and repetitive through the middle of the book, as they went over and over and over their problems and the situations they were in. I was like, "Get on with it already!"
There was also a Berlin Wall narrative tie-in that felt weak and inflated. It felt like plot bloat.
What I liked: There were some touching moments with Cecilia and John-Paul's six year old, Polly. And with Rachel as she struggles with the grief of losing a child. The descriptions of how everyone in town viewed Rachel after her loss were really effective.
I didn't love any of the characters, and wasn't really wowed by anything after I turned the last page. But it did give me food for thought about crime and punishment. So that's good.
Overall, I give THE HUSBAND'S SECRET a B-, and I'm open to reading more by Liane Moriarty. And I have to agree with another reviewer who said the pink flower cover was nice, but had less than zilch to do with the story! Couldn't they have come up with something better?? Surely they could've, but I guess I do see a correlation between the shallow covers and the author's narrative style as a whole.
Without a doubt, one of the BEST books I have ever read! What a story about three women who's lives intertwine because of a husband's secret. It is beautiful, funny, sad and addictive.
What a tempest takes place in a weeks time in this novel. We are introduced to three families: Cecilia & John-Paul Fitzpatrick & their three beautiful daughters, Tess & Will & their son, Liam, and Rachel Crowley, widowed with one son, rob and a daughter that was murdered at a young age, Janie.
Cecilia is the mother who is constantly doing everything right, selling Tupperware, being the school mom, and extremely capable at all levels.
Tess owns her own business with her husband and cousin, Felicity.
Rachel is the school secretary and probably runs the school from her front desk.
Cecilia finds a letter in her husbands files and it says on the envelope to only read on his death. Being curious, she reads the letter and discovers an appalling truth that shakes her world.
All of these women, in one week's time, are going to go through major trauma and it will involve each of them with each other.
This novel is compelling and I would consider it a must read for all.
Liane Moriarty writes so well that you are a part of each woman's life and are feeling every pain & joy that they feel.
Cecilia is the mother who is constantly doing everything right, selling Tupperware, being the school mom, and extremely capable at all levels.
Tess owns her own business with her husband and cousin, Felicity.
Rachel is the school secretary and probably runs the school from her front desk.
Cecilia finds a letter in her husbands files and it says on the envelope to only read on his death. Being curious, she reads the letter and discovers an appalling truth that shakes her world.
All of these women, in one week's time, are going to go through major trauma and it will involve each of them with each other.
This novel is compelling and I would consider it a must read for all.
Liane Moriarty writes so well that you are a part of each woman's life and are feeling every pain & joy that they feel.
The story is told by three woman. The beginning of the book was frustrating because you get into a story and then it switches to another story teller, leaving you hanging. You will learn the way their lives connect and the book will draw you in and you will not want to put it down.
I was craving Hot Cross Buns by the end.
I was craving Hot Cross Buns by the end.
Loved it. At first glance the story reminds me of a Maeve Binchy novel - the intricacies of life in a British community - although this is set in Australia. As the story unfolds, however, it becomes more than that. Love, pain, and the tentacles of the secret that lie at the heart of the story are interwoven in a way that illuminates the key characters beautifully. The counterpoint of the history Berlin Wall - separation, disbelief, and eventual reconnection form a thoughtful backdrop. Will be looking for more from this author.
Really enjoyed this one! Certainly a lighter fun read...a little on the predictable side. I really enjoyed the process of Cecelia coming undone. Not sure I liked the outcome, but I loved that last chapter! Will read more by this author.
his was a fabulous book. It could have been a true story. So life like and the characters were all so awesome and very easy to relate to. The storyline I can see has probably happened over and over again only with different details. I loved this book totally...
Very good story that weaves the characters lives together.
This is about three families. A letter that was never to have been opened, a not surprising love affair, a woman obsessed with finding the murderer of her daughter twenty five years ago . Secrets, lies deceits all in play throughout the book. Boring at times, sad ending, not really my genre. Typical chic lit.
This is the second book I have read by this author. Although I found this book less thrilling as the first, it was good. It revealed a "secret" which you could guess about halfway through the book and I wondered how it was going to make the last half of the book work, but it did and it was still filled with twists and turns. Overall a good book, filled with likable characters who at times are not likeable (a lot like real life!!)
Just very good!
I agree with another reviewer that the actual "secret" is very predictable. No mystery here. However, in the following chapters, it is how each of the characters would deal with the truth that told the main story. All the characters were tightly woven together within their community and relationships. How the truth affected each one's private lives for better or worse, how their own guilt and loss was handled in tandem with the others made the crux of the story satisfying. D.
Enjoyed this plot, character development and writing style. Will read. Ore by this author.
This book was amazing. I didn't guess the secret before it was revealed and I believed all the feelings and emotions. This writer does a superb job and I'm excited to read more of her writing!
The Husband's Secret got off to a slow start. It took several chapters to actually start enjoying it and to understand how all of the characters were connected. However, I suppose the beginning was necessary to introduce all the characters in order to make the overall story interesting. After the first few chapters, I found it to be very intriguing.
I enjoyed reading this book. It was fun trying to figure out how all the seemingly distant people would all fall into the story line. It really wasn't about just one husbands secret but really the secrets that many of the characters hid, confessed to, got caught in. How keeping secrets or telling secrets or finding out secrets will change the course of your life. It was really fun to read but thought provoking too.
I rarely write reviews, because I just - selfishly - don't have the time. This book made me reconsider all that. I have a hard time reading an author I've never read before, so it's a huge leap of faith to read a new-to-me author.
This book didn't just hold my attention; it commanded it. I was spellbound from the beginning. In my busy life (I own my own business, I work part-time in retail, and I have two teenage girls), I read this book in three days. Unheard of in my current life.
I HAD to finish it and see what happened, and now I'm going to read every book Liane Moriarty has published. It's that good.
Read this book!
This book didn't just hold my attention; it commanded it. I was spellbound from the beginning. In my busy life (I own my own business, I work part-time in retail, and I have two teenage girls), I read this book in three days. Unheard of in my current life.
I HAD to finish it and see what happened, and now I'm going to read every book Liane Moriarty has published. It's that good.
Read this book!
