With Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies, Jennifer Anne Gordon has written a summer treat that feels like both an old school throwback and a timely piece of social satire. The reading experience is akin to drinking a vodka stinger poolside with a developing storm in the distance. Readers of a certain age will feel like they have picked up one of those “trashy” novels of the 80s, but like the best of those works, Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies’s true strength lies between the words on the page—highlighting cockeyed concepts of reinvention, community, and self-care.
As Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies begins, Becca has endured a personal trauma that resulted in the dissolution of both her marriage and her mind. Her mental state is in the most precarious of positions that only time with her best friend, Lynn, can soothe (and even then, it’s more of a “going through the motions” type interaction at this point.) But when she joins an online Mommy forum, she finds the connection she desires—even if it means inventing a new life for herself. Here Becca becomes Lucy and all her problems wash away with the beach tide. Yeah, right!
The trouble with living a life via catfishing is that somehow one has to keep track of all the lies that have been told. And before too long, the line between truth and reality blurs beyond recognition. For the Mommy Wine Time group, as the nights get longer, the online interactions get darker, and that’s when Becca feels most alive. The clash between real life and a curated online existence is fascinating to witness and will resonate with modern readers who see how small elements of this divide could—or does—affect their own lives.
In Becca, Jennifer Anne Gordon has crafted a character who is imminently relatable, despite being unbalanced and neurotic. (What does that really say about those of us who are obsessive fans of psychological thrillers?) Some readers will watch her descent as they would watch a train wreck happen, while others (most) will be cheering her on from the sidelines, living vicariously through her admittedly poor choices. Either way, once started, Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies becomes an addiction.
Is it over the top? Without a doubt. Are elements of it so ridiculous that all you can do is laugh? Sure. Isn’t that what fans of domestic suspense want? Natch! But at its heart, Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies is the story of finding one’s true self after unimaginable loss. Life is no bowl of cherries, but Jennifer Anne Gordon—via Becca—is about to demonstrate how it’s still possible to make a sundae.
Jennifer Anne Gordon’s Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies is a dark book, livened by even darker humor and a plethora of unexpected revelations. This is a book that isperfect for poolside consumption and then long wine-fueled discussion…er…debate with all your besties.
BUY LINKS: Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies by Jennifer Anne Gordon
Disclaimer: An e-galley copy of this title were provided to BOLO Books by the publisher. No promotion was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
