Book Review: The Good Wife By Jane Porter

THE GOOD WIFE
Brennan Sisters #3

By: Jane Porter

Published:  September 3, 2013

Fiction – Series

The final book in the Brennan Sisters series features Sarah, the youngest and prettiest of the family.  Sarah tries to be the “good wife” to Boone, a MLB player who travels, is gone too often, and also cheated on her three years ago.  Something she hasn’t forgotten or forgiven. Sarah tries to focus on their two children and their marriage, but she can’t forget what Boone did and is always questioning and second-guessing where he is and what he is doing.  Sarah loves Boone, but can that love overcome her pride and anger at Boone’s betrayal?

I was really excited to finish up the series with this book.  I really enjoyed the first two in the series.  See my review of THE GOOD WOMAN and THE GOOD DAUGHTER by clicking each title.  Even though, THE GOOD DAUGHTER was my favorite of the three, this story had me emotionally involved as well.  I think any woman can identify with Sarah’s raw emotions through this novel….her need to keep her husband close, to believe him, to want to trust him even when she can’t find a way to.  You will be able to see and understand Sarah’s point of view while also understanding that she is wrong to assume the worst about Boone and seeing his side too.

When the story begins, we pick up where THE GOOD DAUGHTER leaves off.  Sarah’s mother has just passed and her illness and following funeral have been tough on the whole family.  Just as you think the story is going to move on, Porter shakes you with another unexpected tragedy.  You are expecting the story to be only about Sarah, but it isn’t.  This novel really encompasses the whole family and all of their personal struggles.  Some are tidied up and you are left knowing there will be a happy ending and others are left hanging in the balance.

Porter also introduces another character – apart from the Brennan family – early on in the story.  It was confusing as to what her role would be and why her story was being told in between stories of the Brennan family.  Eventually, you see the connection, but it was a side story that wasn’t as interesting to me.  I had really come to care about the Brennan family, a big, bold Irish Catholic American family.  Their family was all I was really interested in.

Sarah struggled with her identity and her pride and let that overshadow what really mattered.  Sarah didn’t seek out the support from her family like she should have and instead turned to alcohol and anger that only festered her obsessive attitude toward Boone.  I think a lot of women could identify with Sarah and will be able to appreciate her story.  I was pleased with how Sarah and Boone’s story ended in the novel and the hope it could give other struggling couples.

My favorite line from the book was such a life lesson, that I wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget: