(Stories of Serendipity #4.5)
By Anne Conley
ARC Review
Published: October 8, 2013, Anne Conley
My rating: 3.5 of 5 ⭐️
Amazon Canada
Barnes&Noble
Being a mother and housewife had been what Amy always wanted, but with two teenage kids and an absentee husband, the shine had come off. She hadn't envisioned being solely responsible for the family, nor had she thought she would have to make do without any sign of appreciation or acknowledgement. Whatever connection may once have existed between her and her husband, Brian, seems to have disappeared, no matter how hard she tries to find it back.
After quite accidentally striking up an online friendship with an anonymous man in a movie chat room, Amy finds herself opening up more and more to this stranger online. He seems to actually listen to what she says and initially tries to help her with her faltering marriage, by making some suggestions. When those fail to work, and Amy's desperation grows deeper, so does the connection with the stranger online. Before long, they are crossing a line that can not be uncrossed and Amy is left facing some difficult decisions.
With Christmas around the corner, she is surprised to find Brian suddenly paying more attention and making an effort. But is it too little, too late for Amy?
****
Very bitter-sweet, slightly disturbing but poignant story.
An all too recognizable situation of a marriage gone stale, where neither party truly puts out the effort towards the other anymore and both are left feeling unappreciated and undesired.
There is a lot of irony in this story, a lot of instances where the pot is calling the kettle, so to speak. It is one of the biggest problems. You get so focused on what the other person is lacking or doing wrong, you don't stop to look in the mirror anymore, to check if there is any culpability you might carry yourself.
Amy suffers a little bit from that. True, she has some valid complaints when it comes to Brian, but he well might have some too. Communication might have been a bit of help there. When Amy suspects her husband of cheating on her, she acts and reacts like the 'wounded' party, when she in fact has been cheating on him with her online stranger.
I don't want to hear about distinctions between physical and emotional cheating, or in the flesh or online cheating. There is no distinction, or there shouldn't be. The moment you give part of yourself to somebody OTHER than the person you have promised yourself true to, be it sex or emotional investment, you are cheating your rightful partner out of something that should be theirs and theirs alone. Period, end of!!
✨A very tightly written and provocative tale of boundaries.✨
**ARC provided in return for an honest review.**
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