The Replacement Wife

Author:  Eileen Goudge

Publisher:  Open Road Media

ISBN: 9781453225028

About The Book:  From New York Times bestselling author Eileen Goudge comes a poignant new novel that asks the question, “What would you do if you were told you had only six months to live?” For one professional matchmaker the answer is heart-wrenching: She must find her husband’s next wife. Camille Hart, one of Manhattan’s most sought-after matchmakers, has survived more than her fair share of hardships. Her mother died when she was a young girl, leaving her and her sister with an absentee father. Now in her forties, she has already survived cancer once, though the battle revealed just how ill-equipped her husband Edward is to be a single parent. So when doctors tell Camille that her cancer is back—and this time it’s terminal—she decides to put her matchmaking expertise to the test for one final job. Seeking stability for her children and happiness for her husband, Camille sets out to find the perfect woman to replace her when she’s gone. But what happens when a dying wish becomes a case of “be careful what you wish for”? For Edward and Camille, the stunning conclusion arrives with one last twist of fate that no one saw coming.  At once deeply felt and witty, The Replacement Wife is an unforgettable story of love and family, and a refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings. Want to read an exerpt?  Click Here:

About The Author:  Some say writers are born, not made.  Eileen Goudge thinks it’s both: Natural-born talent is basically useless without the persistence to go with it.  She was lucky enough to have been blessed with a deep and abiding love of books and writing coupled with an insane stick-to-it-iveness, which, let me tell you, is a double-edged sword (great when carrying on in the face of rejection and hardship; not so great when it comes to relationships that should’ve died an early death).

As a child, she read voraciously–as many books per week as she could carry home in my bike basket.  Her early writings were inspired by fantasy and mystery (She was a huge fan of Nancy Drew).  She won praise from her 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Cherry, for her short story “The Secret of the Mossy Cave,” which is probably what inspired her to become a writer. An aspiration cemented, in high school, when she won third prize in a state-wide poetry competition and took Honorable Mention for another poem, in a nationwide contest.  When she took up writing as a profession, as a young single mom, mostly what she did those first few years was collect rejection slips. However, she persisted and went on to publish 32 novels for young adults (starting with the successful “Sweet Valley High” series), and, to date, 15 novels of women’s fiction, as well as numerous short stories and magazine articles. Also a cookbook, inspired by my passion for baking, titled SOMETHING WARM FROM THE OVEN. Her first adult novel, GARDEN OF LIES, enjoyed many weeks on the “New York Times” bestseller list, both in hardcover and paperback.  She can still recall the thrill she felt when she saw it displayed in the window of the Barnes & Noble store on Fifth Avenue, in New York, where she lived.  Goudge's definition of success? Getting up one more time than you fall down.
My Thoughts About The Book:  When I started reading the book I thought, "Oh No...not someone dying....but from page one until the end I was hooked.  This book was one of the best written books I have read in a long time.  I did not want to put it down.  It was the kind of story that broke your heart one minute, had you laughing the next, and getting mad at one or more characters in the story.  I thnk everyone should read this book because it is one of those stories that could happen....and by the end of the book you feel Paul Harvey saying...."and now the rest of the story."    I could hardly wait to post a review of this book and have already ordered three of Goudge's books, Woman in Red, Such Devoted Sisters, and Otherwise Engaged.  That should keep me busy for a while.
Disclaimer:  I was given this book to review by Net Galley and Open Road Media.  I was not paid for my opinion or my review, they are mine.