Sunday 20 August 2017

A Woman Betrayed by Barbara Delinsky

For me there is no other delight (at least in the book world) as when I discover an author to add to my list of guaranteed great reads. The last time this happened was when a very well read friend asked me if I had read Charity Norman’s After the Fall. Finding I hadn’t she replied with the description: “excellent writer”. And now I have another writer to add to my favourite author list - Barbara Delinsky.

Delinsky has a large stable of books to her credit including 19 New York Times bestsellers. Her writing comes under the genre of romantic fiction and I think it is this label that has stopped me from reading her books.

A woman betrayed tells the story of a Laura Frye happily married, with two children and a successful restaurant and catering business (is using Frye for someone working in the food business intentional?). Within a few short pages the reader learns that her husband of twenty years, Jeff, has disappeared. Certain that Jeff would not have left his family voluntarily, Laura is distraught. As her husband’s secrets start to emerge and Laura struggles to make sense of her marriage, she strives to keep her family and business together.

Although this plot has been well explored by other authors, it is Delinsky’s compelling story telling that makes this book stand out. Emotions play a large part in the story telling and although I didn’t sympathise entirely with Laura’s character, it is her flaws that makes her believable. More like a contemporary family novel with a dash of romance, this novel is as relevant now as when it was written in the 1990s. And just like eating chocolate (one piece a day rather than eating the whole bar in one sitting), I will read three other authors before reading another Delinsky book; savouring rather than devouring.

Barbara Delinsky’s books are available in print and large print and as a downloadable ebooks on the Overdrive platform.

Posted by Miss Moneypenny


Catalogue link: A Woman Betrayed

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