A Beautiful, Terrible Thing
What do you do when you discover that the person you've built your life around never existed? When "it could never happen to me" does happen to you? These are the questions facing Jen Waite when she begins to realize that her loving husband—the father of her infant daughter, her best friend, the love of her life—fits the textbook definition of psychopath. In a raw, first-person account, Waite recounts each heartbreaking discovery, every life-destroying lie, and reveals what happens once the dust finally settles on her demolished marriage. After a disturbing email sparks Waite's suspicion that her husband is having an affair, she tries to uncover the truth and rebuild trust in her marriage. Instead, she finds more lies, infidelity, and betrayal than she could have imagined. Waite obsessively analyzes her relationship, trying to find a single moment from the last five years that isn't part of the long-con of lies and manipulation. With a dual-timeline narrative structure, we see Waite's romance bud, bloom, and wither simultaneously, making the heartbreak and disbelief even more affecting.
Grab a box of Kleenex, a glass of wine and be prepared to have your heart ripped out because this is probably the most heartbreaking book I’ve ever read. When you’re done reading hopefully you’ll feel like nominating Jen Waite for an award as much as I did, if only for being so brave to create this epic tome of raw honesty. She doesn’t withhold any punches as she lifts the mirror to her life and broadcasts that image for all to see.
This memoir made me want to slap Marco hard enough to spin his head off and hug his poor wife while giving her a shoulder to cry on.
Waite knows how to spin words and rip every emotion possible out of you as you’re pulled along on her journey. In some ways it is part warning letter so no one repeats her mistakes and part letter of courage so anyone else in a similar situation knows they are not alone. It’s absolutely staggering how insightful she was in this book because it took quite a bit of bravery and reflection to admit the mistakes she made, how she learned from them and the impact this relationship had on her life.
This book, her story, could save lives and change the course for so many people.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Blue Rider Press & Plume for allowing me to review this book.
*synopsis and pic from netgalley.com