The Replacement Wife (Thorndike Press Large Print Basic) [Texto grande] [Tapa blanda]

This was a long and incredibly emotional read. I'll preface this review by saying that you'll need to make sure that you have a box of tissues at the ready while reading and someone to hug when you've come to the conclusion...because you will need a hug.

Camille's character captures one's heart from the first few chapters...and how could she not. She's a matchmaker...and not just as a means to live by...but because she genuinely wants to help people find love and companionship. She has what appears to be the perfect family: two great kids and a stalwart husband who has stood by her literally "in sickness and in health" and who she loves so much that when the dreaded happens (her cancer returns) she worries not about herself and her future but for those of her husband Edward and her children.

I can't say that I agreed with much of Camille's logic, but I definitely felt her pain and understood her motives. Certainly a lot more than I could understand those of her counterpart Edward. (But much as I want to I won't say too much on that count..I hate spoilers) Suffice it to say that there were as many moments in this book that I wanted to yell at and strangle characters as there were moments where I couldn't read through the tears. And there were many such moments. Perhaps that is the greatest compliment that one can give an author....the experience of such a range of emotions all within one volume...at times all brought out by one character.

I will say that I feel that this book is a pretty good example of human nature. Of the lengths that we will go to secure the happiness of our loved ones as well as the lengths that we will go at times to escape their sadness as well...regardless of the costs. I actually don't agree with the synopsis that this is a "refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings", but it certainly does show the multitude of paths that we can take as individuals and as part of a family and the variety of consequences/results to which those paths may lead us. Some of them happy, some of them not so happy, some that can be rebuilt into something meaningful and wondrous...and others that can't. But ultimately, no matter the path, no matter the destination...we can survive.

This book broke my heart...and I think that you should all give it the chance to impact upon you as well.

(I actually could not decide if this should be a four or a five star book. My range of emotions was so extreme. If I had 4.5 Timepieces I would have used that)

Note: I recieved a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge is a breathtaking story that is full of emotion and richly drawn characters that will capture your heart. When matchmaker Camille Harte receives the devastating news that her cancer has returned and it is terminal this time, she makes the unorthodox decision to find her husband Edward Constantin a new wife. Camille is unprepared for the emotions her matchmaking efforts will provoke in herself and Edward, and she sets in motion a chain of events that have a surprising and unexpected impact on their twenty year marriage.

Camille Harte and Edward Constantin are, to all appearances, a deeply in love and happily married couple. Despite their love for one another, Camille's first bout with cancer has taken a toll on their marriage. Her determination to find a woman to step into Edward's and their children's lives after she is gone reveals both the unseen and unacknowledged changes their relationship has undergone.

The Replacement Wife is a well-written novel with a unique plot that is engaging and quite compelling. Told from multiple points of view, the reader gains valuable insight into the various characters' thoughts and motivations. The characters are beautifully developed and incredibly true to life. Their reactions and emotions to the situations facing them are realistic and given the circumstances of the story, understandable.

Ms. Goudge brilliantly demonstrates the effects that a catastrophic illness has not only on a marriage but the entire family. The couple's roles are redefined with the strengths and weaknesses of the partners quickly becoming apparent. But the key issue that The Replacement Wife raises is how far should one go to make their spouse happy? Should your partner's desires supersede your own? And if you do give in to their wishes against your will, what effect will that have on your relationship?

The Replacement Wife is an exquisite novel that is quite captivating and thought provoking. While an emotional read, it is delightfully free of angst and heavy sorrow. Eileen Goudge takes the The Replacement Wife in an unforeseen direction that brings this beautiful story to an unanticipated yet marvelously satisfying conclusion.

What would you do if you had terminal cancer, and you didn't want your family to fall apart after you're gone? Would you try and find your husband / wife a replacement spouse, and your children a new mother? What if your "arrangement" worked out, but a miracle occurred and you are in remission, will you be able to deal with the ramifications of what you brought into your marriage?

Forty-two year old Camille Harte, is a successful Manhattan matchmaker, mother of two and happily married for twenty years to the love of her life. After a tough year of fighting for her life, her cancer was in remission and life resumed until the latest PET scan revealed that the cancer was back and had spread, and that this time it was terminal. With possibly only six to nine months left to live, Camille planned to find her husband and children a replacement wife, so that her family would not fall apart after she was gone. Her husband, Dr. Edward Constantine, was not a willing participant at first, but finally agreed to humor her, while holding out hope that she still had a chance to beat the cancer once again. The arrangement creates many changes within their marriage, and ultimately has life changing ramifications ... like the old saying goes ... "be careful what you wish for"...

The Replacement Wife is a hauntingly beautiful story that will pull at your heartstrings. The storyline is well written and incredibly powerful and compelling. The plot is intriguing and thought provoking, it leaves the reader pondering what they would do if they were in Camille and Edward's position. It begs the reader to consider if they would go to such lengths that Camille did to ensure that her family would remain intact; would your dying wishes supersede that of your family; and would you be able to handle the ramifications of your choices and decisions. The characters are realistic and engaging, their complexities and interactions with each other make the story that much more captivating. The attention to detail is outstanding, the palpable emotions and heartbreaking reactions will have you clutching the box of tissues, you can't help but be pulled emotionally into Camille and Edward's story. The Replacement Wife is a unique story that takes a look into a couple's marriage and how they handle various issues within their relationship: illness, family choices, decisions made, paths taken, and ultimately the ramifications that affect their marriage and family.

I haven't read a story that completely wore out my emotions in a long time, and The Replacement Wife did just that. This story engages you from the beginning pages, and captivates you as you go along on the emotional roller coaster ride that is Camille and Edward's story. This novel will make you smile, laugh, scream , and break your heart. It will make you grateful and count the blessings that you have in your life, reminding you to never take anything for granted.

I highly recommend that both men and women should read The Replacement Wife, it could change the way you value your own relationships.

Disclaimer: I received a Kindle edition of this novel from Open Road Media and NetGalley, at no cost to me, for my honest review.