Review: The Last Original Wife

The Last Original Wife

by Dorothea Benton Frank

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 348

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Leslie Anne Greene Carter is the last original wife among her husband's group of cronies. They've all traded in their first wives-the middle-aged women they long ago promised to love and cherish 'til death did them part-for riper peaches: younger . . . blonder . . . more enhanced models.

Leslie is proud of her status and the longevity of her marriage. Sure the spark isn't quite as bright and sometimes takes a little longer to flame. And it wouldn't be too much to ask if her husband paid just an itty bit more attention to her desires. But there's something to be said for a comfortable and deeply familiar relationship. Or at least she thinks until the day, out golfing with her husband and his friends, she slips into a manhole. And nobody realizes that she's gone.

That one misstep opens Leslie's eyes to the sham her perfect life has become. No longer will she be invisible. No longer will she accept being taken for granted. With the healing powers of South Carolina's lush white beaches, candy-colored sunsets, and fiesty and funny residents, Leslie is going to transform herself and reclaim the strong, vibrant, sexy woman she was meant to be.

Kritters Thoughts:  Leslie is the last remaining original wife in their group at the club and she is not enjoying the new spouses that her husband's friends have brought into the group, mainly because they are all half her age!  

The book begins with her and her husband going through therapy separately to see if they are able to repair their marriage.  Then the second part is the meat of the book and the author takes you back in time to see how they ended up in therapy and the why.  I loved it.  I liked the format that you knew that they were going to end up in therapy, but had no clue what brought them there - the therapy sessions weren't too obvious.  

Although I am probably not the exact age group that this book is targeted for, I still enjoyed it.  I liked the arc the main character had and the realization that she has spent many years putting others first and realizing she has no clue how to put herself and her own needs first - a universal womanly theme that hits each woman in a different way whether you have kids or not.

Rating: perfect beach read!

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.