REVIEW: The Other Woman by Sandie Jones

Title: The Other Woman
Author: Sandie Jones
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 2018
Genre: Thriller / Suspense / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A deliciously disturbing, compulsively readable debut domestic suspense—prepare to meet The Other Woman: there’s nothing she won’t do to keep you away from her son...

Emily thinks Adam's perfect; the man she thought she'd never meet. But lurking in the shadows is a rival; a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves.

Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.

The Other Woman is an addictive, fast-paced psychological thriller about the destructive relationship between Emily, her boyfriend Adam, and his manipulative mother Pammie.

My Thoughts: Sandie Jones delivers a nail-biter of an intense thriller with this book. Emily and Adam meet and fall in love and begin making plans to build a life together. Emily believes life with Adam is perfect except for Adam’s mother, Pammie. On the surface, Pammie comes across as a loving mother who would do anything for her children, but underneath the smiles and words, Emily believes Pammie is manipulative and is out to destroy her relationship with Adam, determined to break them up.

The great thing about this book is how realistic it is. So many women can relate to this scenario. Meeting the man of your dreams only to discover his mother is a hateful witch can really put a damper on things, ultimately can destroy the relationship if Mr. Wonderful is put in a position of having to choose his mother or his love. For some women, no woman will ever be good enough for their son and they will pull out all the stops to do what they have to do to ensure their son sees that.

This was a fast paced story and I could not put this story down. I fluctuated between pity and animosity for Pammie. She initially comes across as weak and helpless, using a multitude of excuses to summon Adam to her side and Adam seems unable to see that and is more than willing to drop what he is doing and immediately rush to her beck and call. Of course, Emily can see it very clearly and though she initially accommodates Pammie and tries to be empathetic, it soon wears thin as she sees a side of Pammie Adam does not.

I repeatedly asked myself why Emily would stay in this relationship and why she would want to be committed to a man who does not appear to have a spine and who is unwilling to rectify the situation. The heart wants what the heart wants and most women in this situation hold on, hoping things will change, get better. In Emily’s case, things do not get better and Emily finds herself backed against the wall with some major decisions to make.

I thought the characters were very realistic and well-developed but still surprised me. Every time I thought I had Pammie figured out, she says or does something that left me scratching my head, trying to understand what she is up to. I liked Emily though she seems very naive through most of the book; she is a lot stronger than she lets on. I liked Adam in the beginning but I got frustrated that he appeared to enjoy the conflict between Emily and his mother.

There are some major and very exciting twists in this story that I did not see coming and was not expecting at all. It ripped the rug right out from under me but kept me engaged in the story. The climactic ending brings closure and a lot of jaw-dropping shock and surprise.

My Final Verdict: This book was an “ear-read” for me from Audible and listening to it added to the suspense. Readers who prefer listening to their books will enjoy this story. I highly recommend it to all readers looking for a story that will shock and surprise them, in print or in audio.

REVIEW: Ms. Conception by Jen Cumming

Title: Ms. Conception
Author: Jen Cumming
Publisher: Tryst Books
Publication Date: May 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Abigail Nichols has tried everything from rash-inducing herbal creams to acupuncture in a desperate, last-ditch effort to get pregnant. Wedged into her iPhone schedule among new business pitches and rebranding design meetings is Abby’s ovulation cycle, along with potential opportunities for illicit afternoon quickies.

With all of their hopes and savings on the table, Abby and her husband Jack enter the whispered world of fertility clinics. Along with a meddling mother-in-law, competitive pregnancies, and constant obligatory sex, Abby’s baby-track mind conspires to ravage her career, her marriage, and her sanity.

One thing she knows for sure: a healthy sense of humor (and the occasional glass of red wine) is the best coping strategy. One thing she wishes she knew: whether it will be enough. Ms. Conception is an honest but light-hearted novel inspired by the ups and downs of fertility treatments and the emotional burden that rests on those trying to conceive.

My Thoughts: Ms. Conception by new to me author Jen Cumming delivers a good story about a woman’s struggle to get pregnant, which parallels the author’s personal experiences in fertility resolutions. Abigail Nichols has always wanted to be a Mother and when the story begins, she and her husband Jack have been trying for a good while, with negative results and increasing frustration. They decide to pull out all the stops and invest an obscene amount of money on the fertility clinic route, where the procedures she has to endure sound horrific and made me question whether it was worth it as there are still disappointments ahead of them.

Eventually Abby does get pregnant despite the struggles she has gone through and for me, the book just fell a little flat. It was still good, and my favorite scene in the book is when Abby is in labor and her domineering and annoying Mother in law shows up in the birthing room! I just felt that for me, once Abby got pregnant, everyone just kind of went, “our work here is done.” I found the story of Abby and Jack’s experiences before she got pregnant more enjoyable as well as the issues Abby is facing at work. It seemed like after she got pregnant, the story sped up and all of that was forgotten and OH HERE, have a promotion……by the way, the promotion is well-deserved, but I had real concerns if Abby would even have a job by the end of the book.

I don’t understand why more attention wasn’t placed on the option of adoption. I think that with so many children in the world without loving parents, it seems a little selfish to me to overlook it because you really want a little girl that has your wife’s eyes, hair, whatever…I would have gotten more enjoyment if Abby and Jack adopted a baby, only to find out they are knocked up with triplets…OK, soapbox has been put away.

Despite all that, I did enjoy this story. Abby’s assistant, Scott, was fabulous and would be a hoot to hang out with. He initially comes across as a great stirrer of the pot and total drama queen, but in the end he has Abby’s back and goes above and beyond for her. I am still shaking my head, however, at the name of Abby’s niece.

My Final Verdict: Readers looking for an interesting and light read centered on a serious issue will enjoy Ms. Conception. The characters are realistic and the subject matter is both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Abby is a real trooper for what she goes through to achieve her dream of motherhood and I can’t help but admire her strength of spirit and tenacity.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Ms. Conception from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.