The Husband's Secret. Liane Moriarty

The Husband's Secret
Liane Moriarty
Published: Bolinda. 2013
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Caroline Lee
Length:  13 hours 48 min
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Own book.

The Husband's Secret is a funny, heartbreaking novel of marriage, grief, love, and secrets. When her husband announces he's in love with her best friend, painfully shy Tess picks up her young son and returns to her mother's house. There she begins an unexpected affair with an old flame.

Rachel is a woman in her 60s consumed by grief and anger at the loss of her daughter 20 years earlier. When her son announces he is taking her beloved grandson overseas, Rachel begins a descent into deeper bitterness and pain.

Cecilia is the quintessential "I don't know how she does it" woman. A devoted mother to three daughters, she runs her household like clockwork, is President of the P&C, owns an extremely successful Tupperware business and is happy in her 15-year marriage. Until she discovers a letter in their attic labeled: "To my wife Cecilia, to be opened in the event of my death".

My goodness, this book was every bit as good as many of the reviewers in the blogoverse have said. I listened to the audio version and really enjoyed it.  Caroline Lee did a marvellous narration, her voices worked well, and it added to the pleasure of a good book.

At first I was a little confused and at sea, as the main characters were individually introduced, however once they were and then all connected the story gripped me.  A clever plot with twists and turns that kept me following carefully.

It is the inner thoughts of the main characters that make this book what it is, in my opinion.  Every character was so human, and so honest.  I could easily sympathise with each of them, and could readily identify with their thoughts and feelings.  Tess, Cecilia, Rachel, John Paul, Felicity and Tess's husband were all so believable, I was with them all the way.  What a tangle it was. 

As some other reviewers have said you can't say too much about this book because it is to give away the plot, and I know I would not want it spoilt for me.  Love, family, heartbreak, rage, blame, acceptance are all found within.  A book that can speak to our own lives  - while never in the situations of the characters,  I could still identify the real feelings and false steps taken and say - yeah me too.