This came to me via a book club, and I chose it because I love the women’s fiction genre and was looking for something new.

The Premise

Leena is the long-suffering wife of prominent heart surgeon Steven, who shrank into the background as her husband’s career sky-rocketed. His self-absorption indulges and justifies affairs with many women to meet his sexual needs.

As Leena feels more and more distant from her husband, she engages in a penpal relationship with an inmate at a prison, Michael. When she learns of the nature of his crime — assisted suicide — and that he is also a heart surgeon like her husband, she notes the stark difference to the type of man she married. Their chaste relationship soon blossoms into an emotional affair, which intensifies as Michael’s release date approaches.

Meanwhile, Steven’s and Leena’s 19-year-old daughter Joy is emotionally fragile and teeter-tottering on the edge of the abyss, plunging into dangerous self-harm practices as her parents’ relationship disintegrates. Can Steven’s actions change in time to right their family’s relationship before it is too late, or is their marriage too far gone to be saved, along with Joy’s life?

The Pros

Pivoting to multiple points of view — Leena, Steven, Joy, Michael — this family life fiction interweaves a gripping tale as it explores a wide range of emotions. It introduces women’s issues surrounding marital consensual sex through the entitled words from the philandering Steven: “Is it too much to ask that she just open her legs and let me slide in?” — which are juxtaposed by the innocent love of an incarcerated man who falls for a penpal through only her words.

I liked the character and plot development throughout the novel, and the building romance was nicely executed without pushing the envelope unnecessarily. The breakdown of the marital relationship between Steven and Leena is one that will resonate with many women, and Joy’s insecurities will translate well to parents of similarly affected teens as well as the teens themselves.

The Cons

While I enjoyed the story and it was a great read, I did find myself wishing it was written a bit differently. For instance, I would have liked to see the origin of Michael’s and Leena’s relationship, rather than entering into it already being established (we are repeatedly “told” how it came to be, rather than “shown”). I also felt as though the flow was broken up by Joy’s introspection and I wished that her scenes were reduced or even omitted until perhaps the very end to close it all off — I felt as though this would have added some mystery/tension and made the plot even more impactful.

Conclusion

Despite my personal niggles, this was an enjoyable novel by a talented writer, and one I would definitely recommend to others. There was a nod to Jodi Picoult (one of my favourite authors), and I could see how the author tried to emulate her writing style with multiple POVs and monologues. It is a heart-touching novel that explores complicated issues delicately and shows a way forward for those who feel in despair. The book packs an emotional punch and leaves you with an important message. If that’s right up your alley, this would be a great pick for you.

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