whitneydaniell

by: Liv Constantine
published: Oct 17, 2017
genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction
416 Pages, Paperback
GoodReads Link

I couldn’t put this book down! When I started it, I told myself I would read 100 pages a day until I finished but then I read half the book in one sitting!! I couldn’t give it 5-stars because I figured it out very early on. Not to spoil it but if you’ve read The Housemaid already, then you too would figure this plot out very quickly.

I. Characters

The story is told in three parts, with part one dedicated to Amber’s point of view and then, part two from Daphne’s point of view, with part three being a culmination of both.

Amber is a young, ambitious woman from a small town looking to strike big in the BIG city, New York City, that is. She sets her eyes on the accomplished and wealthy Jackson Parrish. Amber is determined to get her big fish, even if he is already married – what’s a little wife to a giant?

Daphne, you guessed it, is Jackson Parrish’s current wife. Meek and mild-mannered, Daphne is everything Amber is not. She is ungrateful, over-indulgent, homely, and lacking the sophistication needed to stay in social circles such as the ones Jackon Parrish puts her in. Why would he ever want to be with a woman like Daphne? The short answer is, Daphne is THAT GIRL!

II. The Story / Plot

I hate to say it again, but if you’ve read The Housemaid, then you’ll know this plot as soon as it starts to unfold. The story itself gets moving pretty quickly. It is clear from the beginning what Amber is up to and why – she wants to live the “good life,” spend without a thought, travel to beautiful destinations, and be pampered without a care in the world. As the reader, we know that this life Amber is looking to live is going to come with strings attached, which is inevitable.

So, we start with the who, the what, and the why, it takes us until part III to get the how. I have to admit, at the end of part II, I thought the rest of the book was going somewhere sinister – which I was prepared and excited for but, as we get into part III, it was very much so what I expected. So, there was a slight disappointment there. But in the end, I was pleasantly pleased with how everything fell into place.

When everything came together and the math was mathing in those last couple of chapters, I was so proud. That’s how you close out a book! That’s how you let a man know where he had you fuck*ed up at. Thinking back on The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose; Sarah and Adam – the way Daphne bit*h-slapped Jackson, is how Sarah was supposed to float on Adam. Stop letting these men take all your power!

III. The Writing

This is my second book from the duo, Liv Constantine and the writing did not disappoint. Everything was written and described so well, so well thought out. These women have a wonderful way with words. The dialogue was spot-on. The character descriptions made me envision them, even down to the descriptions of the home, while reading I could picture everything so clearly. It was masterful, honestly.

My Final Thought: I will definitely be suggesting this and passing it off to my friends. I loved it. Will pick up other books by this duo, they’ve got me intrigued.