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#BookReview: The Widow by Kaira Rouda @KairaRouda

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Hi everyone. Today I have a book review for you from an author new to me, Kaira Rouda. Here’s my review >>>

About the Book:

Book cover for The Widow by Kaira Rouda A husband with secrets. A wife with no limits. A riveting novel of marriage, privilege, and lies by Kaira Rouda, the USA Today bestselling author of The Next Wife.

Jody Asher had a plan. Her charismatic husband, Martin, would be a political icon. She, the charming wife, would fuel his success. For fifteen congressional terms, they were the golden couple on the Hill. Life was good. Until he wasn’t.

Martin’s secret affair with a young staffer doesn’t bother Jody personally. But professionally? It’s a legacy killer. Soon a reporter gets word of this scandal in the making, and Martin’s indiscretions threaten to ruin everything Jody has accomplished.

When Martin suddenly dies, it’s a chance to change the narrative—but the reporter won’t let go of his lead. As the balance of power shifts in the Asher house and on the Hill, it’s time for Jody to take control. And there’s nothing the ruthless widow won’t do to secure the future she’s entitled to. Even if she has a secret of her own.

 

My Review:

🌟🌟🌟🌟

An entertaining read 

‘Behind every successful man is a ruthless wife who made it all happen, or so they say.’ … I loved this opening line, together with the promise in the book description of a ruthless woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wants. Unfortunately, I don’t feel the book delivered on this promise. By the end, I felt the main character had lost her way somewhat and the whole thing fell flat.

Jody Asher most certainly was manipulative and selfish, and a character I loved to hate, but once her husband died … which happened well into the story after some great build up … the whole thing unravelled. As people abandoned her and the obstacles mounted, I kept waiting for her to do something big, or at least go out with a bang, but for me, this didn’t happen, and the final quarter of the book became hard going. By the end, I wondered what the point of it all was, other than the obvious and well-known political shenanigans, that is.

All in all, an entertaining read but not one that left me wowed. I give The Widow 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for rating purposes. If you like political dramas, and a detestable main character who’s sassy, witty, and fun in a bad way, then you’ll enjoy this read.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08B8BDLW1/

US https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08B8BDLW1/

I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by 🙂 

 

29 Comments on “#BookReview: The Widow by Kaira Rouda @KairaRouda”

  1. Hi Harmony, thanks for your honest review. I’ll give this one a miss as I think it will irritate me.

  2. I love your reviews. And it seems we like to read many of the same books. Unsurprisingly, I have this book awaiting me on my BFK. I was hoping to beach read it, but now I’m hesistant. I love juicy power stories escape reads in between the nonfiction reads, but I get ticked when I’ve spent good time reading a book, among so many others, only to find a disappointing end. I did that once last year 380 pagesl I was so engrossed in the characters and plot and it didn’t even tie up the storylines in the end, leaving me feeling it was a very unfinished ending. I never published my review on my Sunday book review either. Hugs <3 xx

  3. Thanks for the honest review, Harmony. It sounds like the book had a strong start before losing its momentum. Sassy, witty, and fun appealed to me, but I think my world is too full of political drama right now. Lol. Happy Reading!

    • I loved the premise and the promises. I would have loved it if it had lived up to its hype. Thanks, Jacqui 💕🙂

  9. It’s a shame the story fell apart in the latter half of the book. Even so, it sounds like a decent read. A well-balance review, Harmony!

  10. It sounds like a fair review, Harmony. Sometimes endings are difficult. I’ve come across books like that before. Start off brilliant, then taper off.

    • Yes. Sometimes it’s like the writer doesn’t know where to go with the last quarter. Thanks, Viv 💕🙂

    • I wrote one with a weak ending years ago. but I took notice of my Amazon and Goodreads reviews and rewrote the final chapters. It definitely improved it in several different ways, and it went on the win an award. Let’s hope Kaira Rouda reads what Harmony has had to say and does the same. I’d add it to my TBR list if she did.

    • Where I give a half-star, I prefer to round up rather than down. And some of this was really well done. Thanks, Sarah 💕🙂

      • I know you prefer to round up. An awful lot must have been extremely good. 🙂
        I suppose I do it sometimes. I gave The Santa Killer by Ross Greenwood 4 stars and this was my review.
        “This book has a lot going for it, but the end was dragged out with tying the ends of too many personal lives. There is a twist in the tail anybody who gets bored at 85% will miss.”

        • Sounds fair. In so many instances the writing is good and just lets itself down in a few places. Which can make for tricky reviewing. Thanks for your input, Sarah 💕🙂