Sunday, April 6, 2014

Review: Tempting Fate by Jane Green




Sometimes I'm just in the mood for some good old chick-lit and no one does this genre better than Jane Green. Although the feature characters are often times flighty, superficial, and sometimes annoying there is something that keeps me coming back to revel in their lives. Tempting Fate is that type of novel for me. A story that is instantly engaging, so much so that I was shouting at my Kindle and falling in and out of love with Gabby all in the same breath.

Gabby lives a relatively good life with her husband Elliot of 20 years. They have two wonderful daughters, a picture-perfect suburban life, and a marriage that seems impenetrable. All is good in her world until a girls' night out opens her up to the world of possibilities that include a gorgeous millionaire 10x's her junior. Before long, a night of innocent flirting turns into a dangerous attraction that threatens to end the perfect world Gabby created with her husband.

Jane Green has a way of telling a story that captivates readers and holds them in suspense, waiting for the ball to drop. There are times when the plot is predictable, and other times where my jaw drops to the floor having not seen it coming. Amid all the circumstances that arise in Tempting Fate, Green still manages to get her point across.

Themes pop up in this novel that are hard to ignore such as emotional versus physical affairs. Is one more acceptable than the other kept playing in my mind? I still don't have the answer. Gabby also battles with the one thing that only goes up and never comes down: Age. She sees a middle-aged housewife with lines as deep as the potholes in Chicago, and is unable to remain unfazed by the what she thinks is innocent communications with a man she clearly has an attraction to. 

Another issue that arises is how do we decide who's family. Is family always, or only, defined by blood? True family can overcome any issue, big or small, in an effort to stay together. Jane Green pushes the envelope in demanding readers to ask themselves what's most important and learning how to forgive. I was back and forth with this novel questioning how I would react to some of the jaw-dropping circumstances that happen to this unsuspecting New England couple.

While reading this novel I couldn't help but notice the narrators voice was a little odd. There were times when I thought I was reading a fairytale in the way the characters' stories were being relayed. These instances are most noticeable in the beginning of a chapter when the narrator is trying to seem distant and tells the story almost in a catty, far off voice that borders on cautionary. 

Once again, Jane Green is my go-to when I'm in need of good chick-lit that isn't completely mindless. Tempting Fate definitely fit the bill for a great, easy read that brings up issues that really matter. I look forward to what's next from this author only because I definitely consider her one of my favorites. ****

Copy provided by St Martin's Press via Netgalley

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