Dorothy Koomson

My Other Husband by Dorothy Koomson is a highly recommended thriller.

The novel opens with Cleo Forsum Pryce being charged with attempted murder but she is not guilty. Then chapters jump back in time to weeks earlier when she begins to take steps to ruin her life. These chapters alternate with chapters set in 1996 when she was a student and best friends with Trina. Weeks before the charge, Cleo is divorcing her husband. and is going to end the successful TV series 'The Baking Detective' based on her book. She is sabotaging her own life before her past secrets catch up with her. Now people around her are starting to get hurt and someone is trying to frame her for murder.

The alternating chapters work well to contrast Cleo then and now. She was fun, happy, and carefree and now is obviously carrying a heavy burden. The characters are fully realized and resemble real people, even the antagonists. It is revealed why Cleo is sabotaging her life through the look into her past.

However, the novel does have a a very slow pace after the attention-grabbing opening and doesn't really pick up until after the half-way point. The second half is intense, full of plot twists and suspense. It is a story about obsession, but is also full of murders and revenge. The final denouement is very satisfying. All in all, My Other Husband is a very good thriller but the slow pacing in the first half lessened my enjoyment.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of the Hatchette Book Group via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/08/my-other-husband.html… (mais)

“Have you heard the story of the rose petal beach?”

Dorothy Koomson-"The Rose Petal beach".

This is the kind of enthralling book that can put you into a trance. It is also how I discovered Dorothy Koomson who is a wonderful writer.

This is the type of book that seems to come from another century. Everything about it is ethreal..even when dealing with some pretty heavy subject matter.

Tami is stunned when one night the police come calling. It turns out they are there to arrest her husband Scott. He is accused of a terrible crime which Tami knows he could not have possibly committed..until she discovers who his accuser is. Then Tami's world is thrown into chaos as she does not know who to trust.

THIS IS NOT YOUR STANDARD PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER.

I have read many a Koomson book. Her works are always magnificent but this maybe her masterpiece.

This book is really about love..and trust..and it is about the legend of the Rose Petal Beach.

Have you heard of it? The mystical Rose Petal beach..where is it? And what role does it play in this book?

So I am not going to post any spoilers. I remember once, during the time I when I had just finished reading this, my mom asked me what I was reading or had read lately. I told her about this book and started going into details. Her eyes got that look that I am sure mine had while reading this.
Like something beautiful and rare was being discussed.

I would encourage anyone to read this book. It is absolutely luminous and the story will enthrall you and pull you in. You too will be beguiled by The Rose Petal Beach...

The "Rose Petal Beach"..both the book and the beach itself have stayed with me. I am happy to give this five stars and I'd give it even more if I could.… (mais)

“It's the ones you love the most who can lift you in an instant, and destroy you without trying.”
― Dorothy Koomson, Goodnight, Beautiful

I am such a fan of Koomson. This is the one book I have read by her that I did not immediately fall in love with.

Never ever ask your best friend to be a surrogate..never.

This book made me cry as does all Koomson's books. It is powerful and maudlin and very moving. Yet as I said, cannot say I loved it. I would say I have loved all the other books I have read by her..about 4 or so..but not this one.

It is well written and I did like it. It's just the subject matter is not for me. This one was a bit like a soap opera and:

SPOILER:

I have a tough time reading about children in comas and that aspect of the story was very hard for me to read.

Do not get me wrong..this is a good book! To some it maybe even a great one! The fact is, this woman could write about a trip to the dentist office and make it sound exquisite.

My all time favorite by her is the Rose Petal Beach. I had such a tough time with all the sadness in this book and REALLY did not like the ending either. Still if you are Koomson fan (and even if you are not) you will probably like this. 3. stars.… (mais)