Heart of the Matter (2010)

I love the way this woman writes. Love the One You're With was a disappointment for me as far as the whole plotline went. For this one, the subject matter isn't my favorite, but I'm glad I read it. Not only did Dex and Rachel reappear in this novel, but the magic that made those first two books so good was also back.

My favorite quote from p. 365: "I think of how each person in a marriage owes it to the other to find individual happiness, even in a shared life. That this is the only real way to grow together, instead of apart." ( )

This was my third Emily Giffin's book. It was a bit different this time because there are 3 main characters, (The story is told by 2 of them) but I did not like Nick and I did not like Valerie.
I also still do not know why Nick did what he did and although Tessa told us he was a good husband. Great even, we did not see that in the book. I thought he was very selfish. He was more busy caring for another child than for his own and if Tessa would not have found out about the affair, he would probably still be cheating. What I also thought was weird was that all of a sudden Valerie changes and also does not love Nick anymore. This is done just to have a happy ending.I still enjoyed reading this book. 3.5 stars. I now have 2 books left of this author. ( )

This was just ok for me but I have to say there were some insights sprinkled here and there. Love this "I think of how each person in a marriage owes it to the other to find individual happiness, even in a shared life. That this is the only real way to grow together, instead of apart." She also talks about what it takes to "sustain a feeling between two people..a feeling that you can't imagine will ever fade in the beginning when everything comes so easily."

Interesting stuff but a bit too formulaic for me...I guess I can liken this book to an old Cosmopolitan article from the 70's and 80's...I've outgrown a story like this. ( )

A light read and a look at infidelity and the question What would you do if you found out that your husband had slept with another woman even if it was only once. Could you forgive him and carry on? Could you trust him again. The book is told from the perspective of the wife Tessa and the woman Valerie that Nick has the relationship with. Because of this you were not really able to see what Nick was thinking. Nick is a very successful paediatric surgeon and Valerie's son Charlie becomes his patient when he is burnt badly in an accident at a child's party. Nick's concern for Charlie grows into a relationship with her mother and eventually Tessa finds out what has happened and confronts Nick with the information. She has to make a choice about where to go from there. Not a great read but I guess it did keep me interested till the end. I knew one of the women would have to be hurt - just wanted to see how she ended it and I guess I felt satisfied with the way she did it.. Felt a bit sad for Valerie the way Nick seemed to use his patient/doctor relationship wth Charlie to take advantage of her a single mum doing things on her own. And I felt for Charlie who had come to count on Nick being there and then to have him suddenly disappear for reasons he could not necessarily understand. ( )

I haven't finished the series yet, and this is the last one! I am looking forward to finally finding the time to read it! ( )