WORN OUT WIFE SEEKS NEW LIFE

 

SYNOPSIS

Tess Simpson needs a break!

Under appreciated at home, overlooked at work and now her beloved dog Bella has died. Tess has simply had enough!

So in a spur of the moment act, Tess books a holiday of a lifetime for her, her two grown up kids and useless husband Dave. Maybe they can use the break to reconnect with each other?

But when the kids refuse to go, and Dave breaks his leg, Tess’s dream holiday looks seriously in doubt. And then there’s River Romero, the glamourous LA screen writer who is supposed to be house-sitting for Tess whilst she’s away….

Everything about River sounds so much more exciting than Tess’s boring life in Stratford Upon Avon. From her beautiful LA condo and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Tess wonders whether a bit of River’s LA life might be exactly what she needs? So when River suggests a house swap, Tess jumps at the chance!

With Dave happily ensconced in the summer house at the bottom of the garden, the kids not needing mum anymore, Tess packs her bags and heads off for the adventure of a lifetime.

But real life isn’t like the movies, and when Tess arrives in LA, things aren’t exactly as they seem. 

Will Tess find what's she's looking for or is getting away from it all isn’t all perhaps not all it’s cracked up to be?

Title: Worn out wife seeks new life

Author: Carmen Reid

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication date: July 27, 2021

Carmen Reid is the bestselling author of numerous woman’s fiction titles including the Personal Shopper series starring Annie Valentine. After taking a break from writing she is back, introducing her hallmark feisty women characters to a new generation of readers. Her first title for Boldwood will be published in July 2021. She lives in Glasgow with her husband and children.

Purchase Link

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Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carmen-reid 

REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Carmen Reid’s books were some of my first chick-lit/rom-com reads almost 20 years ago (20 years!!). I had lost track of her in recent years so I was so glad when given the chance to participate in the blog tour for her new novel Worn out wife seeks new life.

I was expecting a light and funny comedy but found a much deeper story dealing with some serious and emotional issues.

Tess is going through a midlife crisis. She’s fed up and feels stuck at work and with her family life, so she plans a gorgeous holiday in Southeast Asia for her family. River is a screenwriter going through a rough patch who decides to go to England trying to find the spark that allows her to write a great screenplay. When Tess’ plans go awry she finds herself home swapping with River and all by herself in LA.

I felt so much for Tess. Her husband Dave and kids, Natalie and Alex came as a bit ungrateful at first (seriously you’re turning down an all expenses paid vacation?). It took me a bit longer to warm up to River. She came a bit selfish and not at all likeable. The first part felt a bit long but once the house swap was done things got much more interesting. I loved Tess’ journey of self-discovery and the way River thrived while in the UK.

The chapters from Alex’s POV had more of a darker tone than usual in this type of novels, but it was done in a really sensitive way. It dealt with mental health in a respectful manner and it was really heartbreaking watching him go that path.

Worn out wife seeks new life was fun, it was emotional, had LOL moments and teary ones (I don’t remember crying as much as I did with Bella’s chapter) and a great comeback for Ms. Reid. Hopefully we won’t have to wait as long for her next story.

Thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review and my spot on the blog tour.