The Life She Wants

by Robyn Carr

Overview

The Life She Wants by Robyn Carr will be available Mar 26, 2019. Preorder your copy today!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780778308492
Publisher:	MIRA Books
Publication date:	03/19/2019
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	473,448
Product dimensions:	4.10(w) x 6.30(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Robyn Carr is an award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty novels, including highly praised women's fiction such as Four Friends and The View From Alameda Island and the critically acclaimed Virgin River, Thunder Point and Sullivan's Crossing series. Virgin River is now a Netflix Original series. Robyn lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit her website at www.RobynCarr.com.

Editorial Reviews

07/25/2016
Bestselling author Carr follows a woman who marries a multi-millionaire schemer (who commits suicide after being caught) and ends up as a nearly penniless widow. Emma Shay Compton is unsympathetic in the public eye—though she did nothing wrong and was unaware of her husband’s fraudulent practices—and has to start her life all over again. She flees the east coast and returns to her childhood home of Sonoma County, where she confronts her past: Riley Kerrigan, the best friend who stole Emma’s high school boyfriend, Jock, and got pregnant; and her difficult childhood with a typically evil stepmother who favored her own children over Emma. Emma ends up working for Riley, whose brother, Adam, intercedes on her behalf (he’s had a crush on Emma for years) and Emma becomes part of Riley’s professional cleaning service while developing a relationship with Adam. That she readily goes from living the luxurious life to cleaning toilets is a bit of a stretch, as is her involvement with one of the client’s daughters, a huge infraction of Riley’s professional rules. Too much melodrama, shallow character portrayals, and lifeless romantic scenes unfortunately undercut what could have been an insightful exploration of a woman’s world turned upside down by circumstances beyond her control. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"A layered, well-paced plot and flawed, three-dimensional characters whom readers will care about make this a quick and entertaining read for those who relish contemporary family sagas with strong female characters as well as readers who like their stories tinged with romance." -Library Journal

"A satisfying reinvention story that handles painful issues with a light and uplifting touch." -Kirkus Reviews

"Robyn Carr has done it again... What We Find is complex, inspirational, and well-written. A romance that truly inspires readers as life hits them the hardest."

-San Francisco Review Journal

"Carr's new novel demonstrates that classic women's fiction, illuminating the power of women's friendships, is still alive and well." -Booklist on Four Friends

"A thought-provoking look at women...and the choices they make." -Kirkus Reviews on Four Friends

"The captivating sixth installment of Carr's Thunder Point series (after The Promise) brings up big emotions."

-Publishers Weekly on The Homecoming

"Carr has hit her stride with this captivating series."
-Library Journal on the Virgin River series

From the Publisher

07/01/2016
Multiple RITA Award winner Carr ("Virgin River" series) presents a compelling story of mistakes made and redemption attempted in her latest stand-alone. Emma Shay Compton is living a privileged life in New York when her world implodes. Following her husband's suicide, she returns to her hometown in California to lick her wounds and hopefully start over. Riley Kerrigan committed the ultimate betrayal when she and Emma were teenagers, shattering their friendship. When Emma is left with no one to turn to but Riley, all their old hurts resurface and both women have to decide if mending their long-destroyed bridges is even possible. Multiple points of view enhance both newly developing and rekindled relationships, including one that places all of Emma's progress toward peace in jeopardy. Carr presents problems realistically and the romantic encounters are sweetly sexy. VERDICT A layered, well-paced plot and flawed, three-dimensional characters whom readers will care about make this quick and entertaining read for those who relish contemporary family sagas with strong female characters as well as readers who like their stories tinged with romance.—Charli Osborne, Oak Park P. L., MI

Library Journal

2016-07-31
After her financier husband commits suicide rather than face jail time for stealing from his clients, Emma Shay Compton comes home to Sonoma with the shadow of his crimes over her and must reinvent herself in a hostile landscape while reconnecting with friends she’d thought lost forever.When Emma married her wealthy husband, she had no idea he was running a Ponzi scheme, but that doesn’t make it any easier to convince people of her innocence once he’s accused and kills himself. Going from mad wealth to mere sustenance isn’t as hard as knowing her husband ruined lives, but when she moves back to her hometown and finds it almost impossible to get a job, Emma begins to wonder if she’ll be able to survive, much less thrive. With help from a friend she finds a place to live and gets a terrible job that doesn’t last, but through it she runs into Adam, the brother of Riley, her childhood best friend. Riley had betrayed Emma in college, having an affair with her longtime boyfriend, which ended the friendship for good. But now Riley runs a cleaning company with better opportunities than anything Emma can find, so Adam encourages her to get in touch with Riley and see if she can help. Emma swallows her pride and asks Riley for a job, which she gives her, but the two still hold grudges from the past, and neither is interested in trying to rekindle their friendship. Riley is surprised to discover, however, that Emma is truly determined to work hard and embrace her new, simpler life, and both women discover they admire and like the older versions of each other. And when circumstances threaten their families and happiness, they’ll both question what they’re holding onto—for instance, anger, resentment, and pride—and what they’re missing out on. Carr’s take on this complicated situation is interesting, though readers seeking a deeper reflection from Emma in the aftermath of her husband’s death or her stepmother’s spite may be disappointed. A satisfying reinvention story that handles painful issues with a light and uplifting touch.

Kirkus Reviews